Emperor Wanli is not a fool, and he is naturally unwilling to do this kind of thing that carries the black pot.

But he couldn't directly refuse Zhang Juzheng, so he had to ask: "What do they think of this matter?" ”

"Your Majesty, this is a charter drawn up by the cabinet together, not the intention of the ministers alone."

Zhang Juzheng also understood what Emperor Wanli meant, and directly blocked Emperor Wanli's words.

"Ahem, it's a big deal, let me think about it."

Emperor Wanli coughed and diverted the topic: "I heard that since Ning Xiu served as the envoy of the Guangdong Haiphong Province, he has made a lot of noise, and the person recommended by Yuan Fu is really extraordinary. ”

Zhang Juzheng didn't know why Emperor Wanli suddenly mentioned Ning Xiu, but since the emperor mentioned it, he had no choice but to say: "Your Majesty, this Ning Xiu is really good." But I'm still too young, and I need to experience more in the local area. As for the old minister, he is just a virtuous man for the country, and his majesty should not boast about it like this. ”

"Ning Xiu suggested opening the sea in an all-round way, what does Mr. Yuanfu think?"

Emperor Wanli asked with some excitement.

"This..."

Zhang Juzheng frowned.

In fact, in his heart, he is willing to see the lifting of the sea ban.

He also made a contribution when Longqing opened the sea.

It's just that it is extremely difficult to fully lift the sea ban.

Not to mention that the wealthy merchants along the coast and the officials who colluded with them would vigorously oppose it, even the imperial court itself might not be able to collect taxes.

After all, the length of the Daming coastline is rare in the world. Liaodong, Tianjin, Shandong, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Fujian can all go to the sea, is it possible that each place has set up a city to collect taxes? Even if there were indeed municipal offices in each place, how would taxes be collected?

Is it taxed on a ship-by-ship basis or on how much the goods are charged?

"Lao Chen is in favor of a comprehensive ban on the sea, but now is not the time."

Zhang Juzheng gave his opinion.

"Lao Chen thought that he could open a pilot in one place."

Emperor Wanli was extremely disappointed and said, "Hasn't Yuegang already done a pilot?" ”

"Lao Chen means to use a province as a pilot."

Emperor Wanli was a little interested at this time, and asked, "Where does Mr. Yuanfu think the pilot is being piloted?" ”

"It's nothing more than Fujian, Guangdong, and Zhejiang."

Zhang Juzheng has also done some in-depth research on this.

In his opinion, these three places have their own advantages, but the common point is that they are conducive to maritime trade.

Especially in Guangdong and Fujian, it is very convenient to go to the South Seas, and it is most suitable for the pilot project of opening the sea.

"Lao Chen thinks Guangdong is the most suitable."

"Why?"

Emperor Wanli looked dazed.

"Because Your Majesty has set up a coastal defense road here."

Zhang Juzheng explained: "If we open a pilot project to ban the sea elsewhere, even if we start to collect taxes, there is a lack of manpower. But Guangdong is different, there is Haiphong Road here, and Ning Xiu recruited tens of thousands of troops not long ago, which is enough to complete the tax collection. ”

"Oh. Let's pilot it in Guangdong. Lift the ban on the sea in the province! ”

Emperor Wanli set a big event with a wave of his hand, as if he was really the first emperor of the ages, not a puppet emperor who was confined to the Qianqing Palace by the empress dowager.

"I think it's good to collect taxes according to the bow of the ship, it's so intuitive and convenient."

Emperor Wanli even thought about the way to collect taxes, he paced with his hands behind his back, and nodded after a long time: "A ship collects forty taels, so how can you earn hundreds of thousands of taels a year." Isn't the tax payment in Shaanxi and Henan settled? ”

Zhang Ju was shocked.

He never thought that His Majesty the Emperor would go around in such a big circle and finally come back here.

"This... The matter of the sea tax is still unknown, and the old minister thinks that Guangdong alone may not be able to receive so many taxes. ”

Zhang Juzheng didn't plan to take risks, and Emperor Wanli immediately lowered his face when he heard this.

"Does Mr. Yuanfu want to watch the people of Shaanxi and Henan go hungry? Do you want to watch me be an unscrupulous prince who doesn't care for his people! ”

Zhang Juzheng was a little stunned. He didn't expect that Emperor Wanli would say it so seriously. No matter how you say it, he is also for the good of the emperor.

"Your Majesty, if Your Majesty insists on doing so, it is not unavoidable, but the premise is to ensure that the Guangdong sea tax can cover the summer tax in Shaanxi and Henan."

Zhang Juzheng still refused to let go. Although he knew that Haimao was lucrative, he still didn't know how much tax he could collect.

If he promised the emperor now, but the sea tax collected in Guangdong in the future could not fill the hole, then the imperial court would have to tighten its belt.

"I... I promised Mr. Motosuke that it was. ”

Emperor Wanli finally sighed and relented.

"Then immediately issue an edict to ban the sea in Guangdong!"

...

...

Ning Xiu, a eunuch who suddenly came to deliver a decree, was very surprised.

Because not long ago, a eunuch came to Xiangshan County to deliver the decree. In that holy decree, Ning Xiu was awarded the official title of Inspector of Guangdong Haiphong Province, and was fully responsible for the preparation and training of Guangdong sailors.

So not long after, why did His Majesty the Emperor issue another holy decree? What exactly is the content of this decree?

Ning Xiu didn't have time to think about this, he hurriedly ordered someone to set up an incense case to receive the order.

When he had fallen to his knees, the eunuch took out the decree and read it aloud.

Ning Xiu listened very carefully, and the general meaning of the holy decree was to make a pilot ban on the sea in Guangdong Province and collect taxes on ships going to sea.

His Majesty the Emperor meant that a ship received forty taels of silver.

It's certainly not a great choice. Because the merchants can take advantage of the loopholes to make the ship bigger.

But Emperor Wanli obviously didn't realize this loophole, and as a courtier, Ning Xiu couldn't remind him just after the holy decree was issued.

It seems that we can only wait for a few days to find an opportunity to go up and remind His Majesty the Emperor, saying that the merchants of Guangdong are building ships bigger and bigger, and it is easy for these profiteers to take advantage of the loopholes by collecting taxes according to the bow of the ships.

Ning Xiu knew that Emperor Wanli was notoriously greedy for money, otherwise he would not have sent so many eunuchs to collect mining taxes and porcelain taxes in history, let alone completely release the national sea ban.

Such a money-hungry person naturally would not allow the businessman to treat him as a fool and not pay taxes honestly.

Ning Xiu only needs a while to let the merchants expose themselves, and then let the Wanli Emperor see their ugliness.

However, Ning Xiu remembered that Emperor Wanli opened the sea ban after the pro-government, that is, after Zhang Juzheng's death.

Why did Emperor Wanli issue an order in advance to open the sea ban in this time and space?

Could it be that his little butterfly flapped its wings and produced a butterfly effect?

But one thing is for sure, this is a great thing for Ning Xiu.

The collected sea tax is not one million taels but hundreds of thousands of taels, and even if the seven transactions are sent to the state treasury, the local government can retain some of them for use. This is not an ugly rule, but the tax sharing ratio of the Ming Dynasty.

Of course, whether the sea tax is divided like an ordinary tax Ning Xiu still doesn't know. I can only wait for the documents of the household department next year.

Ning Xiu knew that this era was the Age of Discovery. The complete lifting of the sea ban can effectively help Daming develop shipbuilding technology, and can solve financial problems, which is definitely more beneficial than disadvantageous.

...

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