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A tax of 30 million yuan a year, this is a tax that makes the hearts of all ministers, including Zhao Zhe, the emperor, thump. These 30 million guan alone can already make up for the losses caused to the imperial court by reducing the amount of taxes to peasant households. And grain merchants are obviously a group that is far easier to bully than farmers. The number is small, greedy but afraid of death. The most important thing is that after the emperor's repeated policies and suppression of grain merchants in the past few months, the grain merchants have begun to be much more in awe of the imperial court than before. Not only has the surplus grain registration system been implemented, but every 100 quintals of grain will be traded with the government on its own initiative. Although there is no guarantee that every grain merchant is doing it, under the mind of Zhao Zhe, the emperor, who is determined to govern them, as long as one is found, he will not be soft. I believe that as long as we persevere, there will be fewer and fewer grain merchants who will take advantage of loopholes.

As Zhao Zhe expected, the ministers couldn't help but start discussing. The merchant was different from the landlord class, and was always a class despised by the scholars. Taxing from businessmen does not have the slightest psychological burden on all ministers, but takes it for granted. They are not talking about what should or should not be. Rather, they are directly discussing how to implement it smoothly and avoid various means of tax evasion and evasion by grain merchants.

Although Zhao Zhe, who has crossed over, understands that businessmen also have a very important position in a society. The so-called good merchants are able to circulate all kinds of goods, so that the whole country can enjoy the resources to the greatest extent and at the same time create abundant tax revenue for the country.

But now the businessmen of this society make Zhao Zhe, the emperor, quite unhappy. In addition to accumulating a lot of money, it only promoted some circulation and prosperity, but did not make a good contribution to the tax system of the entire Great Zhao Empire. The tax revenue of the Great Zhao Empire was mainly implemented on the farmers.

Because the treasury is seriously short of money. Originally, Zhao Zhe was ready to start working on commercial taxes. But he didn't expect that Teng Yu, who had always been disliked by him and even a little disgusted, would take the initiative to investigate the tax issue of grain merchants. And raised it seriously. couldn't help but provoke Zhao Zhe to laugh: "Shou Guogong, why are you willing to talk to me now?" ”

Just half a month ago, after Zhao Zhe found out Sun Shao's case, although he knew that it was indeed Xiao Duozi's doing. But it was for Xiao Duozi to find a substitute ghost from the East Factory who did not agree with him, and finally brought him to justice and beheaded him in the downtown area.

This move naturally provoked Teng Yu to prepare to pull his granddaughter-in-law to Zhao Zhe to cry. But this time, Zhao Zhe refused to see him even if he died. One moment said that he was sick, and the other said that he was too busy with government affairs at hand. After Yan Yu and other ministers repeatedly came to his door to say something, Teng Yu finally couldn't refute many feelings, so he had to swallow this bitter fruit.

But in the past half month since then, Fuji Yu has participated in every big and small pilgrimage. But he never refused to speak, and he refused to answer Zhao Zhe's sometimes questions. It's because Zhao Zhe has recently cultivated his surname, and he feels that that matter has been a bit bad for him. I don't care about him, I just think that this old guy is like a child, and he will make awkward trouble, which is a little funny.

"Your Majesty, the old minister has figured it out recently." Although Teng Yu still didn't have a good face, he was willing to talk to Zhao Zhe: "The emperor is a king, and the old minister is a courtier." The king wants his ministers to die, and the ministers have to die. The emperor was able to hold back his disgust, not to be rude to the ministers, and repeatedly took the initiative to speak to the ministers. It shows that the emperor still knows that he is ashamed in his heart, which shows that the emperor is a wise and generous king, but he was confused by the annihilation of the eunuchs and thieves for a while. The old minister stayed in the court, keeping this useful body. First, it is to alert the emperor all the time, and secondly, even if the old minister is broken, he must fight against the villain to the end, and never let his cholera dynasty harm the world. Speaking of excitement, he began to spit foam again.

Zhao Zhe smiled, waved his hand, and didn't care about it. Although this Teng Yu annoyed him several times, this person has been an official for decades, and he does not form a party for personal gain, at least he is loyal to Da Zhao and to him as the emperor, and he also wants to think about Da Zhao. There's no need to get rid of him in the first place. Second, any talent has its suitable place.

"Your Majesty, in addition to the commercial grain tax, the rest of the commercial taxes must also be strictly managed." Teng Yu said with a straight face: "As long as all kinds of taxes can be collected properly, I think my Da Zhao will not have a financial crisis in a short period of time." It's just that how to supervise, how to collect, how to prevent tax evasion, and how to prevent tax officials from engaging in fraud and greedy for taxes and silver. Every problem is a big problem. ”

The tempting cakes make people's hearts beat. However, as Teng Yu said, there are many problems in collecting commercial taxes. Zhao Zhe knew that even in his time, it was difficult to collect commercial taxes.

Fortunately, Zhao Zhe has far more insight than modern people. And the ministers below also have their own brains. Zhao Zhe remained silent, taking advantage of their discussion, he interjected from time to time to wake up. On the contrary, the thinking of a group of ministers gradually became active, a bit like a meeting in a modern company, and their minds unfolded like a storm.

On the contrary, the ministers agreed that it would be necessary to open the net on a large scale. It is better to start with the grain merchants. First, once problems are found in the implementation process, they can be corrected in time. Second, the emperor's supervision and crackdown on grain merchants has made the vast majority of grain merchants have been included in the scope of imperial court supervision in a sense.

As long as the original supervision work is followed, the commercial grain tax can be implemented. The ministers discussed the establishment of a new department, called the National Taxation Division, to set up a State Taxation Bureau in each province, a State Taxation Office in each province, and a State Taxation Division in each county. Charge the taxation of businesses such as grain merchants.

Of course, this so-called National Taxation Department and the like were discussed and intended by Zhao Zhe in Zhao Zhe's intentional or unintentional hints. In the past, taxes were levied through local government offices, which handled almost all matters other than local military affairs. It is easy to form a situation where one hand covers the sky and deceives the superiors and subordinates. Local officials, on the other hand, have to handle government affairs and collect taxes. Those who are a little less capable cannot take care of it.

Suo has set up a vertical tax collection system, so that all tax revenues can be read out of the state capital and county government to improve efficiency. Just think about it, there are a bunch of sub-officials in every locality, and they are only responsible for collecting taxes all day long, which is certainly not bad.

But the question arises, which department this new division belongs to, has become the focus of debate. Theoretically, it would be more appropriate to be perpendicular to the household. But how many people don't salivate over such a huge piece of fat of power and interests?

Wei Meng of the Ministry of War said that if the Ministry of War is entrusted with the implementation of tax collection, it will far surpass other departments in terms of efficiency and deterrence. However, the officials disagreed, and if they managed the IRS vertically, they could improve the level of integrity and increase the deterrent surname of tax officials.

The Ministry of Rites said that the national tax is the etiquette of the country, and the way of the saints should be used to influence the world, and the national tax department should be managed by them. However, the Criminal Department said that the Criminal Department is in charge of the criminal law of the world, and if it manages the National Taxation Department, it can incorporate the rigorous and meticulous criminal law into the taxation system, which is square and strict.

Even Xu Hong, an honest man in the Ministry of Industry, wanted to intervene. Gain's interests and power are too great. If everything goes well, the grain merchant alone will be able to earn 30 million yuan. Not to mention other taxes that are also ready to be launched.

"Okay, okay, everyone stop fighting." Zhao Zhe really heard a little ridiculous, so he waved his hand to stop them. His eyes swept around with a rather majestic look and said: "The matter of national taxation is related to the rise and fall of my Great Zhao Empire. I have decided that for the time being, I will be under my vertical jurisdiction. After everything is smooth, it will be handed over to you Aiqing to dispose of. Yan Aiqing, with your cabinet, quickly drafted the charter system and submitted it to me for review and approval. ”

Zhao Zhe's words made them unable to fight anymore, and Yan Yu said yes with a straight face.

"Chen Aiqing, with your officials, quickly sort out a list of officials who can be appointed to me." Zhao Zhe glanced at Chen Zheng, the secretary of the ministry: "After I approve it, I will study and try it out." ”

"Yan Aiqing, and then your Ministry of Rites drafted a document to publicize it, first publicize the various benefits after the tax change to the world, and issue an article criticizing the shameless deeds of the grain merchants who are preparing to make a fortune in the country. And I, the Great Zhao Imperial Court, think about the common people of the world. Take it from the rich and use it for the poor. Zhao Zhe said with a straight face: "The stakes are important at this time, and we must let the people of the world know." The grain merchants are vampires who exploit the poor, but the court is the one who seeks justice for the poor people. It is also necessary to publicize the good deeds of the imperial court to reduce taxes for peasant households and propose rent reduction to landlords. Tell the article, don't make it obscure. It is best to let ordinary people who are illiterate also be able to listen to it and sing it everywhere. ”

Yan Yu has been thinking hard about Zhao Zhe's series of requirements. It was recorded quickly with a fly's head, and after careful consideration, he praised: "The emperor is really a genius and extremely wise." First put the imperial court in a benevolent and righteous position, and incited the peasants and even the common people to hate the grain merchants. After winning the hearts and minds of the people, how to rectify the grain merchants, they are afraid that they will not have the slightest power to resist. ”

"Shen Aiqing, your household must also have someone to cooperate. After all, the people in the household department have good experience in food taxation and so on. Zhao Zhe commanded indifferently. In fact, the separation of the tax collection system from the household department is a weakening of the household department's function.

However, Shen Yijun's face was not a little lost or unhappy. Kneeling down and saying, "Weichen obeys the order." ”

"Let's all step down, Shen Aiqing stays here." Zhao Zhe slowly closed his eyes and lay on his back in the Taishi chair.

"The ministers are leaving." Ministers, one after another, retired. Shen Yijun was left alone.

Now is supposed to be the hottest season of summer, even if the ozone layer is not destroyed and the world is not warming, the weather outside is still quite hot and uncomfortable. However, in Zhao Zhe's Qianqing Palace, the ice stored in the ice cellar in winter was used to cool down, so that the temperature in the whole room was very suitable, and there was no discomfort at all.

The well-behaved peony brought two bowls of chilled sour plum juice. gave the emperor and Shen Yijun a bowl each. Shen Yijun's bowl is naturally drunk by himself. But Zhao Zhe's bowl was fed and drunk by the delicate and slender little hands of the tassels.

After Shen Yijun finished drinking, he deliberately sighed comfortably: "Thank you for the emperor's reward, thank you for the peony girl's reward." This chilled sour plum juice is really comfortable to drink. ”

"If you come here with me, I won't believe that your Shen Mansion doesn't even have an ice cellar." Zhao Zhe was the most unscrupulous in front of Shen Yijun. directly hugged the cold tassel surnamed Zi in his arms, and asked her to cross it to him with her sandalwood lips and sour plum juice.

The cloves are tender and let him taste them. It really tastes even better. Although it is not the first time that the emperor has been semi-forced to do this kind of thing, it is the first time in front of outsiders. The tassel was so ashamed that his cheeks were red, and his delicate body trembled slightly.

Fortunately, Shen Yijun is very acquainted, looking at his nose and nose and heart. With a serious face, it was as if the emperor was not playing with the maid in front of him, but reading the book of the sages.

With such a tone, Zhao Zhe was naturally extremely happy. But he only played with these good-looking maids in the palace, and ran to the place where the fireworks were hooked, but he was dirty. As soon as he thought of the place where the fence was hooked, Wei Zhenzhen, who was dressed in white, appeared in Zhao Zhe's mind, and Brother Zhao, who was angry and lightly angry, seemed to be still hovering in front of him. I don't know if that girl has ever had iced sour plum soup to drink. But think about it, there is also a military department, Shangshu Weimeng's family, how can there be no ice cellar?

"Yijun, I stripped you of your right to collect taxes and took it into my own hands." Zhao Zhe was enjoying the wonderful body and fragrant tongue of the tassel, and asked casually: "Have you ever had a pimple in your heart?" ”

"Back to the emperor, if you take it to other ministries, Weichen will naturally feel uncomfortable." Shen Yijun replied honestly: "But the emperor took it, and it was too late for Weichen to rejoice." The emperor is wise and martial, and he is a genius in the sky, and he will definitely be able to increase taxes several times. At that time, the pressure on Wechen's household will be reduced a lot. ”

"Nonsense, the reason why I have the National Tax Department in my hands." Zhao Zhe glared at him angrily and said, "That's not for your sake, is it possible, will I really personally take care of the National Tax Department every day?" Get out of here, go back and think about it, as my deputy in charge of the National Tax Department, how can you manage the National Tax Department well and really raise the tax revenue of the Great Zhao Empire. ”

Shen Yijun did not hide his overjoyed expression at all, and knelt down and said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, Weichen will get out, let go." Shen Yijun said, shaking his fat figure, and went straight out happily.

After Zhao Zhe wreaked havoc on the tassels again, he let them go down. In my mind, I always can't help but think of Wei Zhenzhen's little girl. called Shen Jiabao in, and after asking him for a while.

I saw Shen Jiabao stunned: "Your Majesty, this is too ridiculous, right?" Turning his mouth away, he smiled and said, "But Weichen likes this tone." ”

(To be continued)