When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he couldn't help but smile and asked, "Why not?" ”

"Your Majesty, salt and iron have been sold by officials since ancient times. Only in this way can it be controlled by the government. Wen Tiren was anxious, and quickly explained, "If it is out of the control of the government, won't the court want the money for this salt tax?" Your Majesty said that if you want to give the people a big gift, shouldn't you want this salt tax? ”

When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he was a little speechless, this Wen Tiren seemed to be concerned and chaotic, and his words were not finished yet! No matter how generous you are, it's impossible not to collect taxes!

Thinking so, he immediately stretched out his hand and shook it and said to Wen Tiren: "Wen Qing, don't be impatient, wait for me to finish speaking!" ”

When Wen Tiren heard this, he reacted, he seemed to be in a hurry, and he was rude. So, he hurriedly pleaded guilty again.

Emperor Chongzhen naturally didn't take it seriously, and after shaking his hand, he said seriously: "This new salt policy of mine is called the on-the-spot taxation system. Probably the content is that from now on, let the people of the Ming Dynasty buy and sell the promise, and the government will not make any restrictions, so that the break will not become an exclusive monopoly, under full competition, not only the price will be reduced, but the quality of the promise will also be improved, and the people of the Ming Dynasty will all benefit from it. The imperial court, on the other hand, only levied taxes on the salt producing areas. ”

This method, in the original history, was proposed when Xiyi Dingen served as the salt adviser of the Beiyang government and was responsible for the management of salt administration. By the time of the Republic of China, in May 1931, the Nationalist Government promulgated the "New Salt Law", which adopted this on-the-spot taxation system. This is a major event in the history of China's salt policy reform, and it is also an important symbol of the implementation of the on-the-spot taxation system.

At this time, in the Wenhua Palace, Wen Tiren seriously thought about what the emperor had just said about the on-the-spot taxation system. At first, he was a little unimpressed, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that the benefits were indeed increasing. As far as the government of benefiting the people mentioned by the emperor is concerned, it is obvious that once it is really implemented in this way, then the people of the Ming Dynasty will definitely not buy salt for 300 wen per catty, or even less than 500 wen per catty in the former Song Dynasty. And salt is a necessity for the people. The cost of salt accounts for a large part of ordinary people's homes. This cost can be reduced, it is really a great gift to the people of Daming!

Thinking deeper, in this way, Daming said that the output of salt will be taxed, the management is simple, the higher the output, the more salt tax, and the cheaper the price of salt, whether it is the court or the people, will benefit greatly.

Wen Tiren thought of this, and suddenly a flash of inspiration flashed in his mind, and he really understood why Emperor Chongzhen was so cautious, and this innovation of salt politics would be dragged on until today.

Because, most of the emperor's new salt policy has benefited, but the old salt merchants and those who have benefited from it, local officials, illegal salt dealers, etc., their interests will be greatly damaged, and even the illegal salt will be impacted to extinction. These people will certainly not be happy with the implementation of the tax system on the spot, and will definitely find a way to obstruct it.

In this way, the premise of the implementation of the on-the-spot taxation system is that the imperial court must be strong and have sufficient control. Only in this way can we resolutely implement the on-the-spot taxation system. The obstruction of those salt merchants and smugglers is the mantis arm blocking the car!

If it was before, the matter of the imperial court being built and captured had exhausted all the energy, manpower and material resources, how could it be possible to have the ability to enforce it. But now, or from next year, it's different.

The elite of the Ming army has been proved by the demise of Jianyu. And this army is absolutely loyal to the emperor and the court; The abundance of the Ming treasury does not care whether the salt tax will be lost due to the disturbance of vested interests at the beginning; The activity of Dongchang and Jinyiwei in the southeast and northwest of Daming is also a very powerful deterrent.

In addition, there are other aspects, such as the establishment of subordinate yamen in various places by the Metropolitan Procuratorate, all the officials turned into officials, and the high-ranking officials of the official department and the yamen were demoted to the bitter cold place, etc., which also strengthened the control of the imperial court over the Ming Dynasty to various extents.

Thinking of this, Wen Tiren couldn't help but admire it very much, it was obvious that the emperor had already considered it and was implementing it step by step. Most of the things they do come naturally, and they don't have the kind of recklessness that young people have, and they do things regardless of it!

So, he bowed down to Emperor Chongzhen and said sincerely: "Weichen agrees with this tax law!" ”

In the original history, the control of the Republic of China government was simply not enough, therefore, although the "New Salt Law" was promulgated, it was strongly opposed by the old salt merchants, and not long after, the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the turbulent situation, but also affected the free transportation and sales were hindered, which suppressed the tax system, and finally yellowed, and the previous monopoly system was resurrected.

At this time, Emperor Chongzhen was not surprised to hear Wen Tiren's approval. After all, Wen Tiren is on his side, and it is strange that the court and the people can benefit from it. As for the old salt merchants, who used to eat so fat, if they dared to come out with moths to stop them, they would not mind slaughtering them as fat sheep.

In everything, there must be rules, and things must be done according to the rules!

Thinking so, Emperor Chongzhen picked up a book of music from the imperial case, asked the chamberlain to pass it to Shoufu, and said at the same time: "This is the basic idea of implementing the on-the-spot taxation system after I consider it. I will also send the Jinyi Guard to command Liu Qing and the commander of Dongchang Wang to accompany him. Strive to put forward a rough outline before the Chinese New Year and promulgate it to the world. After all, I promised to give my people a New Year's gift, how about it? ”

Wen Tiren did not reply immediately, but carefully unfolded the chapter and found that it was actually written in great detail, including the original salt farm, salt ding, and the disposal of the salt class lifting division, which were basically mentioned. After reading it, he knew it in his heart, and then he bowed down and said: "Weichen obeys the order!" ”

Emperor Chongzhen saw it and nodded. For local affairs, whether it is from the souls of later generations or the original Emperor Chongzhen, I don't know much about it. Wen Tiren is a veteran in the political arena, and he has stepped from the bottom to the position of the first assistant, so he is naturally familiar with the officialdom, and he will supplement and complete it, and I believe that the specific plan will be more perfect.

Wen Tiren did not live up to the trust of Emperor Chongzhen, and after he went back, other things were handed over to others to do, and he himself specially worked with several cabinet assistants, the eunuch of the celebrant and the eunuch Bingbi, as well as two factory guards, to discuss and improve the on-site taxation law.

Two days later, on the 29th day of the Lunar New Year, a complete new tax law was finally presented to the Imperial Palace.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at it carefully, and felt very satisfied, Shoufu did add a lot of details, he closed the chapter, looked at Wen Tiren with a tired but high interest on his face, nodded and said: "Good, just announce it to the world, after the New Year, Qing will focus on this matter!" ”

"Wechen obeys!" Wen Tiren's heart was full of a sense of accomplishment, and he hurriedly agreed.

In the future history books, it is estimated that in the part of Yanzheng, it is impossible to avoid his name!

In Jingshi Street, many people gathered in the casino, looking at the long list of gifts, many people couldn't hold their breath.

"It's the twenty-ninth year of the New Year, and tomorrow is the New Year, why is there no new news, shouldn't it be the previous thing, it's the big gift that the emperor said?"

"No, that's a big gift? How much benefit are ordinary people? ”

"You guys, you're all naïve, in the eyes of the court, we're all nothing! The so-called people, the so-called people, are actually those who are scholars, those who are officials, do they understand? ”

“……”

Or that the expectations of the great gift that Emperor Chongzhen said before were too high, and when the people of Beijing learned that the so-called big gift was actually the most likely to add bonuses to officials and change officials to officials, disappointment was inevitable. After all, many ordinary people are very short-sighted, and they can't see how big the indirect benefits these things will bring to them!

However, correspondingly, those who have already obtained benefits, such as officials whose family backgrounds are not very good, and those officials, are grateful to the emperor, and they all admit that this is a great gift.

"The emperor is a famous monarch through the ages, knowing that it is not easy for us to have this change, the emperor's grace is mighty!"

"Hehe, some people are not satisfied, if the emperor really has to consider all the people, cats and dogs are counted, even if it is the emperor, it is impossible to have such a great ability to give a big gift!"

"That's it, those fools really think that the emperor is the god of wealth, with countless money, and give everyone a New Year's gift!"

“……”

On the 29th day of the Lunar New Year, these two views were basically circulating on the streets. Tomorrow is the Chinese New Year's Eve, the casinos will also close, and even many casinos think that there can be no new news, and they have begun to close.

Those people who are strapped for money are especially disappointed in the so-called gifts, and most of them have given up on the idea of going to the New Year tomorrow. The discussion of the big gift finally slowly faded away.

However, in the afternoon, after Emperor Chongzhen's decision was made, at least the people of Jingshi could know it for the first time. The new salt law became a holy decree, and in the most formal form, the decree of the cabinet, the celebrant and the six departments were made public, and the corresponding notices began to be posted on the streets and alleys.

The officials who were responsible for posting the notices were all very excited, and they hugged out of the yamen with the notices, and before the notices were posted on the walls, they were already loudly proclaiming: "Good news, good news, the emperor's gift has come out, and the emperor has sent a New Year's gift to all our people!" “

Those people who were unwilling to give a big gift, there were a lot, they were idle at the gate of the yamen, heard the shouts of the yamen, saw the joy of the yamen, and suddenly one by one they were like being beaten with chicken blood, they were originally hiding in the shelter because of the cold weather, they immediately jumped up, stepped on the snow and rushed over, and shouted loudly: "What a big gift, the emperor still has a big gift?" ”

"I know, I know that the emperor will definitely not talk nonsense, and if he says a big gift to all the people, there will definitely be a big gift!"

"Haha, my mother-in-law has to fight with me, tell me what the gift is, go back and tell her well, see how she fights with me!"

“……”

Looking at the crowd that flocked to him, the official was also quite happy, patted the notice in his hand, and announced loudly with a smile: "The emperor has decreed that anyone can buy and sell salt in the future." We ordinary people can do it, as long as we have the capital. If we make money, everyone will be able to make money, and it is certain that in the future, when we eat local salt, the price will definitely be greatly reduced. Every family, every citizen, can benefit from this......"

Before he could finish his sentence, he was surrounded by a crowd of people, who were surprised and immediately interrupted by the servants.

"What? Can anyone buy and sell salt? You're lying, aren't you? ”

"Yes, since ancient times, salt has always been sold by the government! This salt, what is the share of the common people? ”

"If I can really buy and sell like this, I'll buy a dozen or hundred catties, and I won't sell it, so I will eat it at home, I believe it's cheap enough, right?"

“……”

In the face of many doubts, the official was not unhappy at all, but straightened his chest, patted the notice in his hand, and announced loudly again: "How can this matter be fake? How great a sin is it to falsely proclaim the Holy Decree, can I afford it? It's written in black and red! ”

Hearing this, the people, who were still suspicious, couldn't help but have their eyes shining, staring at the notices in the hands of the officials. One of the people even reached out to grab it, but his mouth said: "This official, this snow is falling, and you are too guilty to post this notice." The villain helps you, the villain helps you post it! ”

With him taking the lead, the other people, regardless of whether they knew how to read or not, all reached out to grab the notice if they wanted to see the content of the notice for the first time.

The official didn't expect this to be there, and if he didn't pay attention, the notice was snatched away. The onlookers immediately rushed over, but instead squeezed the officials outside.

"Quick, quick, give me a copy, give me a copy!"

"I want it too, little brother, I want it too!"

"Don't move, don't rob, be careful of tearing up the notice!"

“……”

The officials on the periphery looked speechless, and those who didn't know saw it and thought it was a money grab! After so many years of errands, have you ever seen a notice so sought-after?

There was a young man who was quick, grabbed a notice, got out of the crowd first, and immediately opened it when he got the space, but he knew the big characters, but the big characters didn't know him. Suddenly, he was anxious again and shouted loudly: "What is written on this? The literate one who came to read it? ”

I didn't grab the notice on the side, but I was happy when I saw his situation, and laughed and said: "Look, I'm still so active when I'm blind, what kind of literacy training class will I go to another day, so I can know some words, right?" Now those training classes, there are many people in each class, the fees are very cheap, listen attentively, and you can still be literate! ”

"Yes, the fee is also low, it is necessary to spend some money, or this blind taste is very pleasant, right?"

“……”

Listening to their ridicule, the young man suddenly jumped up and ran away with the notice.

The New Year's gift given by the emperor spread like this, and the speed of transmission was unprecedented!