The salt merchants' conference in Yangzhou was finally held. The www.biquge.info salt merchants who originally felt that they had been 'cut meat' were all smiling when they came out.

"There aren't that many taxes. Get the salt stamps and pay the taxes on the tax, and you have the tax bill in your hands. If you encounter an audit along the way, you only need to show the tax bill, and you can do it. "Public officials who dare to know the law and break the law, and extort and extort money, once investigated, will be severely punished. The fireboat is moored at the inland river pass, and there is at most a sundries fee, which is also wrapped in the berthing fee.

"Next, in local sales, what you pay is not the goods tax, but the commercial tax."

……

The commitment of the Salt Industry Corporation is loud in my ears.

He Zongxiang also realized for the first time that the rules under the world have really changed. The goods tax is only paid once, even if the salt goods are pulled from Yangzhou to Jingzhou, along the way, a lot of them are parked in Nanjing, Anqing, Jiujiang and Wuhan, and there is no need to be collected by the tax supervisors of Nanjing, Anqing, Jiujiang and Wuhan again and again.

In the past, whether it was salt goods or all kinds of commercial goods, it was necessary to pay taxes at customs. Taking Wuyi tea from Fujian as an example, when it was transported from Wuyi Mountain to Wenzhou, the fresh tea leaves had to be changed seven times for ships and four times for taxes. The price of a load (100 catties) of Wuyi tea to Wenzhou is about 3.8 taels of silver, accounting for more than one-third of the final transaction price.

This is also because there was no centigold at that time, and at the end of the Qing Dynasty in the original time and space, Chinese merchants trafficked in commercial goods, that is, they had to pay taxes at the customs, and they only had to pay the sub-mouth tax once for the foreign goods of foreign adults. Sub-export tax refers Chinese mainland to the payment of a Mainland transit tax of 2.5% in addition to the import and export tax paid at the customs at the port in addition to the import and export tax paid at the port customs to replace the tax payable at the Mainland checkpoints along the way.

At that time, the customs port was the "mother port", and the location of the permanent customs and centika in the mainland was the "sub-port", so this kind of one-time payment of transit tax was called the sub-port tax. Because its tax rate is half of the import and export tax rate, it is also called "Zikou half tax".

Besides, in the past, there were many tax payment procedures at the customs gates, during which the customs officials Kana extorted, and the actual losses of the merchants were greater than the obvious ones, and they wasted valuable time. Now it's all the way. Without the stumbling blocks of those corrupt officials and corrupt officials, it is a great blessing for businessmen.

"Dad, didn't this big man push the money he got out?" He Jizhong was puzzled, according to the tax system of the former Qing Dynasty, each pass was less than two or three centimeters [one centimeter is one percent], and more than four or five centimeters, not to mention that in addition to the permanent customs set up by the imperial court, there were also small passes set up by the local government? For example, the aforementioned Chishui City, or Luyang Pass in Lushan County, what Uncle Chen Ming's family did. All the money received by the inspection department fell into the hands of the locality, and even if the officials were greedy for ink, they would always take out some of it and put it into the treasury.

The Fu Han Army has such a certain rule, and paying taxes at every pass has become a tax in the end, isn't that the silver money that is thrown out of the sky?

"Maybe it's the same as the small profits and quick sales in our trading."

"They opened ports in Shanghai and Ningbo, and in the future, the two sides of the Yangtze River will be more prosperous than the two sides of the canal." There are many ships coming and going, and no matter how low the tax rate is, there is a lot of money, He Zongxiang said so, but he didn't even believe it in his heart. How could he have thought that such a policy was Chen Ming's purpose to stimulate business. This policy did not cause any opposition in Lushan, because many of the big businesses in the Fu Han Army already had Lushan bigwigs behind them.

At this short conference, the Salt Industry Corporation clearly preached its functions to all the attendees, and at the same time described a series of policy innovations and changes on the issue of the salt industry in the future.

To put it simply, the Fu Han Army turned all the local salt merchants into relatively junior salt sellers -- from provincial-level regional dealers to county-level consignment sellers, and they were the only salt merchants in the whole world.

The newly established newspapers sent reporters to Yangzhou, and one by one the manuscripts made the front page headlines of the newspapers.

The Fu Han Army released a bold statement to reduce the price of salt in the world to below '10 wen yuan a catty', and it will continue to fall, I don't know how much heated discussions and expectations it has caused.

Even Robert, Perrière and others in Shanghai noticed this.

China's salt policy is very obvious - state monopoly. As long as it is properly controlled, no matter how low the profit is, in the huge and incomparable country of China, it will also obtain an astronomical fortune.

But the Europeans don't pay much attention to this, they don't come to China to buy and sell salt, and they are now arguing with Han Teng about customs duty rates.

The customs duties of all kinds of goods on the part of Chen Han are not generalized. The Manchus all knew that the grain ships from Southeast Asia would be exempted from taxes or altogether, so how could the Fu Han army lose the fine traditions of its predecessors.

Chen Han first gave the Westerners a little sweetness, announcing that their customs would abandon the regulation of ship money in the future, as well as unreasonable taxes such as regular tribute and use. provoked Perrier, Robert and others to be full of praise, praise after praise, almost flattering praise, and they were about to bury Han Teng and his party. If you can pop out of this mouth with a touch of the skin, you really don't need money.

But then it came to the whole, and the Europeans were immediately unhappy. In terms of import trade, Chen Han gave relatively low tax rates on grain, copper and lead, cotton yarn, and cotton, which made Robert happy to fly to the sky, cotton, cotton yarn, which was the largest export of the British East India Company to China after the silver dollar. Chen Han imposed high taxes on finished fabrics, clocks, leather goods, down, pepper, spices, etc. It's like giving Robert a blow on the head!

Cloth, cloth. This has always been a commodity that the British were eager to open up in China, and with cloth they plundered a huge amount of wealth in India, and China, a giant power, was of course their dream market. It's a pity that over the years, this market has been like a backwater, and it has not been stirred up a trace of waves.

In terms of exports, heavy taxes are levied on raw silk and tea, and there are completely light taxes on finished silk, cloth, and porcelain.

In this way, based on the value of the cargo of 150,000 taels of silver on a seagoing ship, the tax payment of Europeans has not only not decreased, but has been raised.

This is not a joke, taking the 30th year of Qianlong as an example, the average tax per kilogram of Mao serge shipped by the British was 2 cents and 6 cents, while the average tax per kilogram of raw silk exported from China was 2 cents per catty; The average of fine tea leaves is six centimetres per catty; The tax on white sugar is almost one centi per catty. [I can't determine whether the information I am looking for is true or false. It feels too low]

Chen Ming felt that this tax rate was really very little. Add in the cost of ship money, excise tax, miscellaneous taxes, tribute, travel, etc., and the money that the Europeans will not take out more than 10% of the total value of their goods. The silver records of the Guangdong customs tariffs obtained by the secret camp showed that before the Fu Han army raised troops, the annual tax collection of the Guangdong Customs was only more than 500,000 taels [not only one place in the Guangzhou Pass, but the entire Guangdong Customs], which shows how serious the corruption up and down the Guangdong Customs is, and how indulgent and loose the Manchu Qing Dynasty is in the management of the Guangdong Customs.

500,000 taels of silver a year, it makes people laugh when they say it, but it really doesn't even fall into half of the truth. In the middle of Qianlong, there were no less than 60 or 70 European merchant ships coming to China every year, and it is conservatively estimated that there was also a foreign trade volume of 10 million taels of silver. So if you look at it, the actual tariffs are really very low.

How could Chen Ming agree? He did not lower tariffs, which are not conducive to the development of the country's industrial and agricultural production.

"What kind of tariff policy a country adopts, whether it implements free trade or adopts tariff protection policy, is determined by various factors such as the country's economic development level, industrial structure, and international trade balance." Chen Ming has always believed in this, just as he decided in his previous life that the free trade policy was not suitable for the situation of developing countries. And, on the contrary, in order to smoothly develop their national economies and achieve industrialization, these countries must implement a policy of protective tariffs. Developing countries must use tariffs to protect their "infant industries."

Of course, when he said these words to Chen Min and Han Teng, he used words that were easier for them to accept and understand.

Therefore, Han Teng's face was very sarcastic after hearing the words 'free trade' pop out of Robert's mouth, "It seems that this word should not come out of Your Excellency's mouth." As far as I know, you British people have been protected by almost 100% tariffs for the last hundred years or so, and have avoided the onslaught of cheap Indian textile imports. Of course, this is also the information that Chen Ming revealed, he only said that it was investigated by the secret camp, who would dare to ask him to verify it. Chen Ming has not yet told Han Teng that the British did not tear down these barriers until they became the most productive country in the world. Even at the height of free trade at the end of the 19th century, India, as a British colony, was still a forbidden area for free trade, and the market for a variety of industrial products was basically only allowed for the British to intervene to promote the development of import-substituting industries.

China is now far behind the West in many aspects, but the technological gap between the two sides is definitely not as huge as it was during the Opium War. As long as Chen Han can settle down, it is completely possible to catch up with the British industrially.

So the two sides argued about the decimal point numbers on some goods. For Europeans, it would be a huge victory if Chen Han's tax rate could be pushed back to a single decimal place.

In particular, cotton yarn and cotton are imported, and raw silk, tea, porcelain and Nanjing native cloth are exported.

"No, no, no, the 20% tax rate on tea is already very light. Your own countries have a very high tax rate of 120%. I think you should pray to your King George III that you should lower the tea tax on your own by the British, rather than grinding around the tax rate in China. ”

With the arrogance of 'I am in charge of my territory', Han Teng, who walked out of the conference hall, did not have the ease and wanton on his face, he walked quickly to the outside of the manor, and quickly returned to his mansion in a carriage.

The meeting with these foreigners was as difficult as fighting a war, and he had to make a lot of preparations before each meeting, but in the course of the talks, he found many, many shortcomings. In Han Teng's study, the bookshelves are full of more or less, true and false materials, which are all collected by the secret camp through various channels. He also brought back all the minutes of today's talks, took a simple shower, relaxed his brain, and plunged headlong into the sea of "information".

At dinner, Han Teng, who came out of the study, was still full of contradictions between Britain and France, France and Pu, and his entourage handed him a palm-sized brocade box.

"Master, this is sent by Zheng Sanye."

The brocade box was not sealed, and Han Teng opened it to see that it was a title deed, the title deed of Pudong, Shanghai. It's not big, just ten acres of land.

……

Wenzhou.

"Bang Bang...... Boom ......"

It's just getting light. A group of soldiers of the Fu Han army entered the city of Wenzhou through the 'open' city gate, and the officials fled, and the militia organized by the government dispersed a few days ago, leaving only the city wardens and the catchers to maintain order in the city.

The team of officials guarding the city gate saw the Fu Han army holding the red flag coming from afar, so they went down to the city and opened the city gate, throwing all the swords and guns aside, but the vanguard of the Fu Han army did not take them. Instead, these officials were asked to change out of the official uniforms of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, put on the red uniforms of the Fu Han army, and shouted along the street while beating gongs: "Every household listens." We are the Han Army, aiming to help the Han family's rivers and mountains...... "do not disturb the people, do not loot, and do not commit adultery."

This group has just passed. Another team of men is coming. Knocking on the gong and continuing to shout: "Sichengguan will open a warehouse at noon to release grain." Cut the braids to get food, and the big guys are ready to get food. "At most, tonight, the fleet will be able to arrive in Wenzhou from the sea, and the Fu Han army has food in their hands.

"Recently, the city of Wenzhou has been unstable, and crime has flourished, and if every household suffers a disaster, or if the people are innocently killed or injured, or if their property is damaged, they can rush to the county yamen ,...... with human and physical evidence."

In the windows, doors, and other places, a pair of panicked eyes with surprise stared closely at the troops in "strange" clothes. From time to time, there are two sentences of discussion between the first ears and ears. Or depreciating. Or lacking. But no matter what the fact, they must accept the fact that the city of Wenzhou has completely fallen into the hands of this strange and familiar army.

The sky is bright. The scorching summer sun hung high in the sky. The gentle sun shone on every inch of the earth.

One, two, three, four......

One, two, three, four......

Women and children, men with braided hair, came out of the streets and alleys. They held bags in their hands and wooden basins, no matter what they thought of the Fu Han army in their hearts. The goodwill expressed by the Fu Han army was seen by them -- releasing grain was the best means.

Children are five-in-one, adults are one-in-one, regardless of men and women. The only requirement is that the man cut his braids, and if he does not cut his braids, he will not be given food.

Wenzhou City Xiguan.

This is where the Fu Han army first entered the city, but there was no damage at all. Truckloads of grain were transported from the treasury to the open space outside the West Gate, and soon piled up into a hill, and a team of Fu Han troops stood around, or the officials who served in Wenzhou City came forward to Zhang Luo.

Countless people surrounded before noon, not only in Xiguan, but also in the east, west, north and south.

Wenzhou was disqualified from foreign trade in the 22nd year of Qianlong, but it is also a rare and prosperous place. Domestic offshore sailing ships are also constantly coming and going in the peaceful years. There are commercial shops all over the four gates, but now there are many people who are closed.

The sky is bright. The whole city of Wenzhou came to life, and the shops and commercial houses everywhere opened their facades generously. These are not running.

A cup of tea to moisten your throat. The fragrance of tea is lingering. Liu Derong stood at the gate of the business house with a pleasant face, leisurely. Where can you see that he has also experienced a night of suffering.

"Virtuous nephew. It seems that Quanta's Boss Lu has taken the lead again! Dong Fangli, who was not far from Liu Derong's firm, said with a smile. He is one of the few tea merchants in Wenzhou, and in the past, during the Taiping years, I don't know how much tea was smuggled to Guangzhou by the Dong family's fleet every year.

The Manchus did not allow tea to go by sea, so that there was less of their customs duties. By land, they kept changing ships to pay taxes, and when one or two silver goods were delivered to Guangzhou, three or four dollars of silver would be collected from the tax money alone.

"Man. It's not okay to be dissatisfied. "I stroked my gray beard. Dong Fangli laughed at himself: "Old man, you don't have the energy...... In this great change in Wenzhou, Dong Fangli just honestly kept his duty, and on the other side, Lu Youquan of Quanta Commercial Bank, who was full of lights and was elated up and down, obviously caught the line early.

Liu Derong smiled slightly, and arched his hand: "Uncle Shi has a strong expression, how can he say that he is old." Then he pointed to the Guangda business not far away: "Our ancestors have been in Wenzhou for generations, and if we commit a crime, we will die a family, not to mention that we will also affect the clan." Where is he as unscrupulous as his newborn calf? Don't dare to swim in the sea early. ”

Liu Derong's words seemed to be very good to Dong Fangli's heart, Dong Fangli laughed loudly, looked at Liu Derong who was smiling, and said: "Fortunately, this storm calmed down soon after it started, and it doesn't hurt for you and me to go to the sea at this moment." "It was too reckless to go into the water as soon as the wind and waves started. No one is a steel and iron bone, a diamond body that cannot be broken, the body bones are loose, and the courage is small, but it can't withstand the wind and waves.

Liu Derong's eyes also showed a complicated look. Dong Fangli is one of the top tea merchants in Wenzhou, and the Liu family is one of the top silk merchants in Wenzhou. The family is big and the business is big, and it really can't afford the risk.

So if you miss the opportunity, you can't blame others. Just like Dong Fangli said.

"What Uncle Shi said is very true. The wind and waves have subsided, and it is indeed a good time to go to sea. "Then Ningbo has opened the port, why can't Wenzhou open the port? As for whether the wind and waves will still hit, and even one wave is higher than the other, Liu Derong looked up at the north, shook his head halfway, and he was really not used to the braid behind his head.

The ship is too big. The hull is also very strong. The one at the helm is a clever man, how can the wind and waves from the north be turned upside down?

"Uncle Shi, the little nephew is going to visit one or two at the Daotai Yamen, is Uncle Shi willing to go with you?"

"Go together, go together." It's already one step too late for others, and if you don't take the initiative, you will be pulled down even further. (To be continued.) )