In ancient China, agriculture has always been valued and commerce was suppressed, but commerce has never been suppressed. Taishi Gong said that if you want to get rich, agriculture is not as good as work, and industry is not as good as business. As long as the society is stable, no matter how much the imperial court suppresses commerce, commerce will flourish. However, based on the Confucian idea of valuing the basics and suppressing the last, and not competing with the people for profit, the collection of commercial taxes has not been included in the normal fiscal revenue for overall management.

The development of commerce could not be turned into the financial income of the imperial court, but it became the basis for the extravagant life of merchants. Officials can use their power to gain a share of the profits, and businessmen can further monopolize the market and make huge profits through collusion with officials, but the imperial court cannot profit from it, and ordinary people do not benefit much. When the imperial court wanted to profit from it, it was not to establish a system of taxation, but to monopolize in the form of monopoly, the most typical example is salt and iron, the monopoly system of salt is the most exaggerated, and has continued into the twenty-first century. In fact, the monopoly of goods in history is far more than salt and iron, and all products that are in high demand and indispensable to the people, such as wine and tea, have been the objects of monopoly.

There is often discussion about why capitalism did not arise in China, and it is also said that if it were not for foreign invasions, either the Song or Ming dynasties could have gone to capitalism, but in fact this is impossible. Confucianism-controlled China has not looked at commerce squarely at all, and the development of commerce cannot become a source of financial growth, but may become a black hole of collusion between officials and businessmen.

Therefore, there are often such strange things in Chinese history, on the one hand, commerce is developed, and big businessmen are rich and rival the country, and on the other hand, the imperial court is financially scarce and overstretched. The contradictions between the imperial court and the merchants intensified, and in the end, they often lost both. As far as the Han Dynasty is concerned, the most famous example is the later years of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, because of the years of war, the imperial court's finances were tight, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty solicited donations from private merchants, and the merchants were sitting on huge assets, but no one responded, and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty issued a decree in a rage, using his power to forcibly deprive the merchants of their property. This is certainly not a long-term solution, although it solves temporary financial difficulties, it destroys the private economy and leaves a lasting infamy.

If Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had established a formal commercial tax system at the beginning, incorporated into the overall financial planning, and taxed according to the law instead of temporary increases, this would not have happened at all.

Sun Ce knew very well that the war burned money and the economy was the foundation, since he forced the Cai family to switch from running a grange to industry and commerce, he naturally couldn't let it go, and watched the huge profits being swallowed by the Cai family alone. It's just that for now, Jingzhou or Yuan Shu has the final say, and the conditions for him to implement commercial tax reform are not ripe, so he uses this way to carry out disguised collection.

Zhou Yu knew Sun Ce's train of thought, although he could not fully grasp Sun Ce's plan at the moment, he did not object to Sun Ce's behavior of "blackmailing" the Cai family, but felt that it was justified. Of course, it must be beneficial to support a family, otherwise what will you do by supporting him.

After a while, Huang Chengyan hurried over. Zhou Yu told Cai Mao about his arrival, and then told Sun Ce's plan to open a wood school. Huang Chengyan was surprised. It is understandable that during the war, well-trained middle- and lower-level officers had an important impact on the overall combat effectiveness, and military science became a family of its own, and it has long been a serious study. Even he, who is very interested in wood, has never regarded it as a formal science, let alone opened a lecture.

Strictly speaking, it's just a skill, and at best part of miscellaneous.

"The people around General Hou want a stone thrower, and the stone thrower is your brainchild, how can you let them take it for nothing? But the general has orders, and we can't help but listen to them, so we intend to help in the form of secondments, and each department will send two or three craftsmen to guide them, and these craftsmen will be ours and will return to us in the future. Considering that there will definitely be people who will recognize the goods and want to poach these people, we need to raise the bar in advance. You draw up a list, select about ten people, divided into three to four groups, each group has a team leader, one or two team members, the team leader is 200 stone a year, the team members are 100 stone a year, and the allowance is paid when they are seconded to go out, 100 yuan a day, what do you think? ”

Huang Chengyan was surprised. "General, if you give them a stipend, I can understand that although 200 stone is not a small amount, we can afford it. I can understand that the allowance is given when the secondment goes out, and it stimulates their enthusiasm, but is 100 yuan a day too much? A hundred dollars a day, a month is three thousand dollars, which is equivalent to thirty or forty stones. What if we lend it to other businesses, we can charge a fee and use it ourselves in the future? ”

"So you have to find ways to increase the power of the stone thrower and keep the engagement as short as possible." Sun Ce explained: "If the army fights for one more day, will the cost be more than a few hundred stones? Besides, after a few years of studying, Shiyun can be enrolled in school and exempted from servitude, and being a small official also has a hundred stones, why can't a skilled craftsman take one or two hundred stones? There are not enough benefits, even if I open a wood school, I'm afraid that few people are willing to come, and few people are willing to learn. ”

Seeing that Sun Ce was resolute, Huang Chengyan did not insist anymore. The reason why the lecture hall attracted so many tun chiefs and captains to participate was not only because of practical needs, but also because Sun Ce set up a reward. The wood school teaches craftsmen, and it is impossible to lead the troops to fight like the students of the martial arts hall, and it is indeed difficult to recruit people without enough profit temptation.

"Okay, I'll go pick the right guy right away."

Sun Ce nodded with satisfaction and turned to look at Zhou Yu. "Gong Jin, you have worked hard, and you will lead these people to see General Hou tomorrow."

Zhou Yu comprehended, and said: "Bo Fu, the martial arts hall is now only carried by Yin Gong alone, and the wood school is going to be opened, and the manpower is tight, do you want to invite some more people." ”

Sun Ce nodded in agreement. "Okay, if you have any suitable candidates, you might as well draw up a list, and I'll send someone to invite you. Whether it's just a martial arts hall or a wooden school, it's not Confucianism, and those who only read the books of sages and sages shouldn't be invited, and they will cause trouble. If there are scholars and scholars who are broad-minded and familiar with practical learning such as the economy and the country and the people, we are also very welcome. Sir, you are the best in learning, so I will entrust you with this matter. ”

Huang Chengyan smiled dumbly and bowed down to receive the order.

At the end of the brief meeting, Huang Chengyan got up and left the table and beckoned to Pang Tong. "Shiyuan, come on."

Pang Tong looked at Sun Ce, and Sun Ce nodded. Pang Tong got up, sent Huang Chengyan out of the hall, and came to the outside of the courtyard.

"Shi Yuan, do you have any books from your brother recently?"

Pang Tong bowed and said: "From my brother to study at home and introspect, I often pass through Cai Zhou, and I talk with Captain Sun very happily, and I will make progress every day." ”

Huang Chengyan was very satisfied. "Xiangyang is too small, let him come to Nanyang. However, at the general level, even if Captain Sun admired him again, he would not dare to use him. ”

"Sir, I'm worried about ......"

"Are you worried that the general won't forgive him?"

Pang Tong didn't speak, but his eyes had already expressed what he meant. Huang Chengyan laughed, raised his hand and patted the back of Pang Tong's head. "Boy, playing these tricks in front of me is really begging. If the general is such a man, can you still wait for him? Okay, it's right that you want to avoid suspicion, and I'll do it. ”

Pang Tong touched his head and smiled.

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