Chapter 49: Tribute

Zhu Qizhen said: "How can I not know, but there is no turning back from the bow, and the situation is forced to stop." ”

Liu Dingzhi also understands that today's opportunity is rare.

Also first in the killing of the steppe, the tile spur is strong before the weakness.

In a few years, they will be able to consolidate their position first, so the Xiao'er only Jin family, but it is really possible to become history, and at that time, the integration of the tile thorns in the western regions of Mobei, I am afraid that it can really mobilize the extreme force of the Mongolian steppe, as many as four or five hundred thousand horsemen.

The Tile Thorn has really been able to transform from a tribal alliance into a steppe empire.

In this way, even if Zhu Qizhen wants to destroy the tile thorn, he will have to waste even more energy.

What's more, Zhu Qizhen has no hope for the continuous natural disasters.

Before, he hoped to have a few good years, so that he could recuperate and recuperate. and then go north, but now, what Zhu Qizhen wants to do is to defeat the tile spur, at least relieve the unfavorable situation in the frontier, and then turn around and take a good rest of the country's water conservancy infrastructure.

Liu Dingzhi said: "Since ancient times, the world has levied taxes, nothing more than rent, rent, salt, iron, tea and wine monopoly, and the tax of the city. ”

"The land tax in the world, there is a quota since Taizu, and it cannot be moved, Your Majesty repairs water conservancy, governs Qianmo, and now it is around 25 million stone per year. It is used to raise hundreds of officials, provide relief to the victims, support Ouchi, and supply the vassal king, even if the wind and rain are smooth every day, you can save no more than millions of stones. ”

"Your Majesty, administering the customs, cleaning up the salt administration, you can get 12 million stones every year, use it, repair water conservancy, raise the Beijing camp, the border army, reward the three armies, and reward the world, all of which are out of this."

"Now there are frequent wars, and there is no surplus at all."

"Your Majesty wants to pay taxes without harming the people, there are only two parties, one is the monopoly of iron tools, and the other is the profit of tea and horses. In addition to these two ways, although there are small profits, it is not enough for the major affairs of the imperial court. ”

Zhu Qizhen pondered carefully.

Zhu Qizhen also thought carefully about the issue of iron class, if the monopoly of iron tools in the world is implemented, although he can get a sum of money, it will seriously hit the iron production.

After all, although the Zunhua Iron Works was under the leadership of Shaofu, the output was amazing, enough to supply the weapons of the Beijing camp and the border army, and even the remaining output, and enough for the people of Beijing and even all parts of Hebei to use Zunhua iron.

However, compared with the production and needs of the entire Ming Dynasty, a Zunhua Iron Plant is still a little too little.

Unless Zhu Qizhen opened several iron factories in the provinces of Daming in one go, he could supply the whole country.

If he can really do this, Zhu Qizhen will not need to issue any ban.

After all, although there is no ban in Zhu Qizhen now, there are no major iron producers near Beijing. In fact, in the process of supplying weapons to the army, Shaofu actually owned the iron weapons near Beijing

The power of the battalion.

Moreover, Zhu Qizhen also understands that the future era is built on salt and coal, and any suppression of the iron smelting industry will bring about counter-effects.

Zhu Qizhen said: "Let's talk about the benefits of tea and horses." ”

Liu Dingzhi's financial management ability is not as good as Zhou Chen, but he has also put in a lot of effort, and he has not been prepared. Therefore, he said: "At the beginning of the founding of the country, the benefits of tea and horses were the main items of the state. ”

"At the beginning of the country, the law was strict, even if it was the respect of the horse, the profit of stealing tea and horses was also punished by death. Therefore, the benefits of tea and horses have become a major item for the imperial court. ”

"It's just that after Hong Xi, the law is relaxed. The law of tea and horses is corrupt and no longer what it used to be. As a result, the profits of the imperial court were reduced and could not be used. Now His Majesty has sent a capable minister to reorganize the tea and horse law, and he will be able to get tens of thousands of good horses and more than one million dollars of money and grain for the court every year, which can be used for the imperial court's emergency needs. ”

Zhu Qizhen pondered for a while and said: "I am ignorant of this matter, but the benefits of tea and horses can really be regarded as millions?" ”

Zhu Qizhen has also put a lot of effort into finance.

Although he can't be called a financial expert in Daming, he still has an impression of the basic income of Daming's tea tax, which is not large, about tens of thousands of taels, even less than the mining tax of Zhejiang and Fujian, and these silver mines still have 70,000 taels into the inner treasury every year.

When he thought about it at the moment, he didn't feel right.

As a bulk commodity, tea is also a daily necessity for the people, the so-called seven things to open the door, firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar tea. The tea tax shouldn't be higher than the salt tax, but it shouldn't be so low.

From the perspective of fiscal structure, this phenomenon is like the tobacco tax in later generations, which is not comparable to the output of a certain gold mine.

There's definitely something wrong with that.

But Zhu Qizhen suspects that this tea tax can be in the millions.

Don't look at it, a lot of spending is millions, and you think that a million taels of silver is not a lot of money. On the contrary, one million taels is a large number, and the provinces of Daming pay more than one million taxes, and there are not a few, and they are probably in the south.

You must know that Nanzhili seems to be one province, but it is actually two provinces.

Therefore, there may be room for the tea tax, but it will not be so big, is it possible that the imperial court has millions of taxes every year into private pockets.

Zhu Qizhen narrowed his eyes slightly, and there was a trace of murderous intent in his eyes.

Liu Dingzhi said: "The world's tea can be divided into three types, tribute tea, official tea, and commercial tea. Among them, although there are not many tribute teas, it is the most bitter time for the people, and it was originally intended by the ancestors to make the law. Take the place and use it enough, and use it in the palace, and the people don't feel bitter. However, there are treacherous people up and down their hands, layer by layer, moving to the will of the court, His Majesty's holy metaphor, in the palace, tribute tea is only four thousand catties, for the palace, and reward the ministers, not much, but from the local collection, I don't know the number, local officials, are not daring to ask, as for the name of tribute tea, through the checkpoint, exempt business

Taxes, and even more countless. ”

"Therefore, the palace needs tea, although it is 4,000 catties per year, but for the people in the south, it is no less than 10 million."

Zhu Qizhen listened and looked at the tea in his hand, which seemed to be Fujian black tea. I don't know if it's the so-called big red robe, after all, Zhu Qizhen doesn't pay much attention to eating and drinking.

After all, he is the emperor, and he doesn't pay attention to someone for him.

But at this moment, he felt that the tea soup in his hand, where was the tea, it was clearly blood.

Zhu Qizhen said: "Spread the will, from today onwards, the world will not be paid tribute to tea." Tea is needed in the palace, and it is enough to buy it in the world. ”

Liu Dingzhi immediately knelt down and said: "The ministers thank Your Majesty Longen for the people of Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Nanzhili." ”

Zhu Qizhen said: "This is my fault. It's just," he paused slightly, and said, "Is that true of the other offerings?" ”

Emperor Taizu did not ask for much tribute from all over the country, and even it was very low at that time, Emperor Taizu felt that the dragon and phoenix group tea in the Song Dynasty was too laborious to make, so it was changed to loose tea, and now we and the tea are still influenced by Emperor Taizu.

This is to lighten the burden on the people.

Just looking at four thousand catties of tea, is this a lot?

Not much at all. There are 10,000 or 20,000 people in the palace, plus hundreds of officials or something, the emperor has a big feast, rewards, etc., all of them have to use tea. And these 4,000 catties of tea are not distributed to the provinces. 、

After all, almost all of China produces tea, even in the north, it is only a matter of quantity, and 4,000 catties of tea are apportioned to a few provinces in addition to Hebei, Shanxi and other provinces in the north, each province is responsible for a few hundred catties, and it is distributed to a certain county, which is probably only a few dozen catties or hundreds of catties.

Is that much?

For every county, this is not a big burden.

But there is actually no standard for tribute tea, although the palace wants the best tea, but how good it is good, how good it is not good, but it is in the hands of the eunuchs who are doing things, and it is impossible to stop if you don't scrape a layer of ground hard.

It's all routine.

Zhu Qizhen wanted to change it, but he thought about it carefully, how could it be changed, and it was impossible for him to supervise every eunuch who went out to do errands.

No matter how strict the system is, it is full of loopholes under the inherent restrictions of communication and transportation in this era.

The so-called Tiangao Emperor is far away, but it is not a lie.

Zhu Qizhen thought about it, but he still cut it all and scrapped all of them. is the best solution, just sell tea directly in the capital with money.

It is convenient and trouble-free, even if some of the eunuchs are up and down, Zhu Qizhen will only lose some money. It does not hurt the people. It can also reduce the burden on the people. Anyway, all industries in the capital are thriving, and I am not afraid that I will not be able to sell tea. Even if it costs a little more, in Zhu Qizhen's opinion, it is worth it.