"When the warriors come to my country, they shout from east to west, and from north to south; The uproar is shocked, although the chicken and dog are not at ease. "Yanagi Zongyuan's "The Snake Catcher Says" depicts the scene of tax collectors collecting taxes very vividly.

In the past, when Zhuangzhai collected taxes, it was the tax collectors who went into battle. Of course, they were harassed, but there were more people than tax collectors. This time, the number of tax collectors sent by the governor of Henan was very large, far more than the people of a village. In an instant, 500 people went from house to house to collect taxes.

Hu Hansan naturally couldn't go to those small families to collect taxes, so he took a dozen people and went straight to the house of Liu Cunyong, the largest landlord in the village. Of course, Liu Cunyong didn't dare not let Hu Hansan enter the door, and welcomed Hu Hansan very politely, Hu Hansan didn't talk nonsense, and went to the guest seat, and said: "Master Liu, my brother has long heard that you are a cheerful person." Let's not say anything indifferent, brother, I was ordered by the governor of Henan, Lord Zhang, to be responsible for Lankao's taxes. The tax system has been changed, and the village chief must have told you a long time ago. ”

Of course, Liu Cunyong knew that the tax system had been changed, and he not only got the news from the village chief, but also through channels in the county. In the future, taxes will not be collected in cash, but in grain. This is neither good nor bad for Liu Cunyong. It must be said that it is not easy for small households in the countryside to sell grain, and every time they harvest, the price of grain will fall sharply, and the grain merchants will often deduct a lot of the tax money when they get together. It is much better for the people who only collect grain to save the procedure of being exploited by grain merchants.

Laughing, Liu Cunyong said: "Camp Chief Hu, I look at the tax set by the government, and one mu of land is calculated according to 180 catties of wheat. Isn't it too much to harvest 50% of this harvest? ”

"Cut," Hu Hansan sneered, "The rules in the government are the rules." In the past, taxes were collected twice a year, and there were many items of various harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes, and only money was collected. This round is down, and fifty percent can't stop at all. After changing the rules, I will accept this once a year. You live in peace, and we live in peace. Fifty percent is not much at all. ”

The Manchu tax followed a "thin tax", that is, the basic tax was given to be very low. As for other excesses, this requires the local gentry and common people to "understand the difficulties of the country". The new tax method proposed by Zhang Zhenfang, the governor of Henan, is to collect enough taxes in kind on grain at one time, and not care at all at other times. It's a very advanced concept.

Liu Cunyong is not a three-year-old child, he can understand that this concept is stronger than before, and what he has heard and seen proves a truth again, the change of face of the government is the same as turning a book, saying this today, tomorrow can change another statement. After collecting the grain tax, the government "suddenly remembered that some tax burdens had not been thought of before," or that "the government had encountered some trouble." Small households, even if they squeeze them out, they can't squeeze anything. When encountering such a major event, it is always the big families in places like Liu Cunyong who suffer.

"Camp Chief Hu, can this grain tax be reduced a little more? That's 50 percent too much. "Whether it's useful or not, Liu Cunyong has to try to say this kind of thing.

Hu Hansan was trained in the Tax Police School, and one of the training contents was actual simulation dialogue, which is one of the basic courses in the Tax Police School. How to deal with it, the tax police school has been rehearsed many times a long time. He sneered, "Master Liu, brother, I'm here to tell you that the government has set this rule." Didn't you come to tell you that this rule is right? The governor of Henan, Lord Zhang, set this tax according to the land in various places. Brother, I am eating Mr. Zhang's food, so I have to work hard for Mr. Zhang. Let's talk about a thousand things and ten thousand here, talk about a few days and nights, how to collect taxes and how to collect them. You are also a decent person, because you were sent to the county jail for not paying taxes, and you can't know how dark the people there are. When the time comes, you have to ask the people in there to get it, so why bother? ”

Seeing that Hu Hansan's attitude is very firm, he has no dealings with Hu Hansan on weekdays, and Liu Cunyong does not dare to make a mistake. He gritted his teeth and said, "I don't know how much tax my family has to pay?" ”

"Your family's 380 acres of land have to pay 34,200 catties of grain." Hu Hansan replied casually.

Liu Cunyong was taken aback, the actual amount of land in his family happened to be about the same as this. In previous years, when reporting the land in the year, he was always able to underreport 50 acres. I didn't expect such a trick to be exposed.

"Camp Chief Hu, my family only has 330 acres of land. Where are these 50 acres more? Liu Cunyong hurriedly explained.

"Hey!" Hu Hansan sighed according to the skills given by the tax police during the training, "Master Liu, in the past, Zhu Binggui's people collected taxes, and everyone knew the tricks in the middle. Originally, Zhu Binggui was beheaded according to the law, and Zhang Dudu had the virtue of a good life and spared his life. Do you think Zhu Binggui still dares not to tell the truth? If you have to say that you don't have so much land in your house, that's fine. You and Zhu Binggui went to the county government to fight this lawsuit. If you can win the lawsuit, we don't want the tax on the 50 acres of land. What do you think? ”

These words frightened Liu Cunyong. It has always been the official door that opens to the south, and there is no reason to come in without money. Not to mention that Zhu Binggui is now a tax police officer and a subordinate of the government. Even if Zhu Binggui is an ordinary person, once Liu Cunyong enters the official mansion, the money he will pay is not more than 4,500 catties of wheat for the 50 acres of land. At present, 100 catties of wheat are 5 silver dollars, and 4,500 catties of wheat are only 225 silver dollars. Once a big family like him enters the official mansion, the money will not be less than 225 fast silver dollars. Not to mention that he can't win this lawsuit at all.

Although he had accepted his fate in his heart, Liu Cunyong was very blocked. He couldn't help but say: "Camp Chief Hu, the town next to our village is managed by the People's Party, and they also collect taxes like this, but they only collect 30%. Can we have less, forty percent, four percent five. ”

"Haha." Hu Hansan laughed, "When others say this, I think it's just as if he is full." Master Liu, what you say is too ridiculous. It's impossible for you not to know about the People's Party's land division Master Liu, if you think that our taxes are high, can you go to the People's Party. Will your land be kept then? Speaking of this, Hu Hansan suddenly said with a cold face and viciously, "Master Liu, this is the first time to collect taxes like this, brother, I don't think I heard it." If you tell me again, I'll send you directly to the government. ”

Seeing that Hu Hansan is so oily and salty, Liu Cunyong has no choice. Seeing that Liu Cunyong was ready to accept the reality, Hu Hansan changed his smile again, "Master Liu, don't think that we don't know anything. Your village planted a crop of wheat from the People's Party this year, and the harvest of any acre of land can exceed 200 catties. I'm afraid that your family's good land can only make 300 catties of grain. An acre of land costs you 90 catties of grain, which is lower than a 30% tax. It's all like this, you still have to be dishonest, so that my brother and I don't know what to say about you. ”

These words destroyed Liu Cunyong's last psychological defense. If you can really collect taxes only once, 90 catties of wheat per mu, Liu Cunyong can fully accept it in the context of this year's bumper harvest year. He's just afraid that what the government says doesn't count. Even the last news was known, Liu Cunyong sighed, willing to face the reality and accept the reality. However, Liu Cunyong is not ready to give in completely. The problem at hand is one thing, but now local parliaments have been established and members have been elected. It's not that Liu Cunyong doesn't know the legislature. He made up his mind that he couldn't collect taxes in vain. Since Zhang Zhenfang, the governor of Henan, has publicly said that the tax will only be collected once, the members of the parliament must make this happen.

The people of Zhuangzhai have a good harvest this year, even if they are collected fifty percent of the tax, the grain left behind can still be eaten. In addition, the tax police force has a large number of people, and those who are willing to pay food obediently are not too harassing. Those who refuse to hand over the grain will be tied up and ready to be taken away without saying a word. Under such circumstances, no one dares to stand up to the tax police. The food was harvested in one day. However, there was no longer a celebratory atmosphere in the village, and every household had a sad face.

At the end of October 1912, two months after the completion of the Zhuangzhai tax, Yuan Shikai's commendation order to Zhang Zhenfang, the governor of Henan, arrived in Henan. Although the tax police force is still working hard to collect taxes outside, under the auspices of Duan Zhigui, the commander of the second town of the Beiyang Army, the officials of the Henan Provincial Governor's Office and the Civil Affairs Bureau are willing to fall behind. Although Zhang Zhenfang was not interested in this "celebration banquet", he really couldn't refute the face of these subordinates, and Kaifeng, the capital of Henan Province, held a rather grand banquet.

Zhang Zhenfang repeatedly asked for the banquet to be simple, but with so many high-ranking civil and military officials joining, no one dared to really hold it simply. Everyone was afraid that Zhang Zhenfang would be angry, so they privately issued their opinions. The banquet was held in the barracks of the Beiyang Army, not including the restaurant, and tried not to be public. When everyone attended the banquet, they all walked a certain distance from the barracks, and the carriages, horses, and sedan chairs were parked in unnoticed places. In addition, the best chefs were specially invited from Huaiyin, and the various dishes were absolutely luxurious and exquisite.

Other officials entered the barracks early, and when the carriage of Zhang Zhenfang, the governor of Henan, approached the gate of the Beiyang barracks, the honor guard of the Beiyang Army had already lined up in an array, and the military music of "The Beiyang Army is Advancing" was played, and the cultural relics officers headed by Duan Zhigui, the governor of the second town, lined up outside the door to greet them. After Zhang Zhenfang got out of the car, everyone applauded warmly.

The applause was quite unanimous. This time, Yuan Shikai publicly praised Zhang Zhenfang's tax achievements. "Taxation is in a good way, put an end to the exploitation of cool officials", in short, Zhang Zhenfang is praised like a flower. Yuan Shikai was not only full of praise for Zhang Zhenfang, but also distributed the official documents of commendation to the governors of Beiyang provinces. This is clearly intended to set an example for the governors of the provinces. Originally, Zhang Zhenfang was Yuan Shikai's cronies, and after such an incident, it would be strange if the officials didn't take the opportunity to pat themselves on the back.

Zhang Zhenfang, the governor of Henan, has mixed feelings about the current situation. In the face of the welcoming officials, he also spoke gently. After all, even if these subordinates didn't make a big effort in the matter of taxation, at least they didn't make Zhang Zhenfang embarrassed. That alone is remarkable.

The stars sent Zhang Zhenfang into the banquet hall like the moon, and saw a banquet with twenty or thirty tables. More than 100 people participated, and eight people sat down at a table. Duan Zhigui, as the host of the banquet, naturally got up and toasted. It is nothing more than Zhang Zhenfang's good governance and effective taxation. In the future, it will inevitably enter the cabinet and so on.

Zhang Zhenfang listened to these words, his face was calm, and he couldn't see any joy. Because the result of this tax is really unexpected. The southeast of Henan is located in the Huanghuai Plain, and there is a lot of tax collection in the plain. It was the first time for local governments to face such an organization as the tax police force, and they did not know how to deal with it. So the originally imagined bad situation did not happen.

In particular, in the areas bordering the People's Party, the harvest was generally good because many villages, and even large landowners who did not border the People's Party, adopted the People's Party's "one crop of wheat." One of them is very eye-catching is the Shang family, a large landlord in Shangqiu. The Shang family is also a thousand acres of fertile land, and there are people who have been officials for almost all generations. At present, the most famous "official" of the Shang family is Shang Yuan, secretary of the Huaihai Provincial Party Committee of the People's Party. After all kinds of propaganda, most people in Henan know about the fact that the People's Party has divided the land according to the land reform. Therefore, the big landlords took a clear stand against the People's Party, and the Shang family, as a wealthy family, was never active in paying taxes. This time, he cooperated with the work of the tax police for the first time. The Shang family's 60,000 acres of land handed over 5.4 million catties of grain in one go. According to the calculation of 5 yuan for one stone of wheat, this is 270,000 silver dollars. In the eighth month of the lunar calendar, the first batch of collected grain in various places exceeded 1 billion catties. The market price is already 50 million silver dollars.

The tax police academy is not only about training tax police, but also has a special computing department under Zhou Zhentao's arrangement. This department is responsible for the statistics of acres. Henan's cultivated land area is vast, and about 30 million mu of cultivated land for summer grain has been determined. Although it is difficult to collect taxes temporarily in many places. After this round of taxation, Zhang Zhenfang's confidence has increased greatly. According to the current tax law, tax revenue can be popularized. Converted into wheat, it can harvest 2.7 billion catties a year, with a market price of hundreds of millions of silver dollars. What had been a tax problem was solved immediately.

As a close confidant of Yuan Shikai, Zhang Zhenfang's application to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce for grain export was approved. Japan has been short of grain in recent years, and according to Zhou Zhentao, in order to be able to export a large number of raw silk, most of the land has been planted with mulberry trees. As a result, it encountered a problem that had been encountered many times in Chinese history, "destroying Tanaka-san". As a result, food production plummeted, and the Japanese government had to import grain to make up for the domestic food shortfall. After the price of grain was lowered, the Japanese government and the Beiyang government made an agreement to directly import 500,000 tons, or 1 billion catties of grain, from China. In other provinces, there simply wasn't enough grain to sell, and Zhang Zhenfang seized the opportunity. Henan has the Jinghan Railway, which is convenient for transportation, and there is also a railway from Beijing to Tianjin Port. This grain can be transported directly to the port and loaded onto ships. Yuan Shikai naturally wanted to praise Zhang Zhenfang.

Duan Zhigui's toast finally ended, and the banquet officially began. Zhang Zhenfang sat on the main seat, and Duan Zhigui sat next to him. After saying a few polite words to Zhang Zhenfang, Duan Zhigui said with a smile: "Governor Zhang, the food and salary of my second town in Beiyang all depend on Governor Zhang. It's already autumn, and it's about to end the year, but I don't know when the food will be in place? ”

Zhang Zhenfang just smiled and said nothing. As soon as the matter of food and salary was mentioned, Zhang Zhenfang felt bored for a while. But at this point, Wang Jie, speaker of the Henan Provincial Assembly, who was sitting with the representatives of the parliamentarians, came over with a wine glass to toast. Wang Jie once joined the Alliance, and when the Alliance was close to disbandment, he simply set up his own door in Henan. Wooing the local gentry, during the election of the Henan Parliament, he was not able to elect the speaker. As a result, Yang Yuanmao, the speaker of the Henan Parliament "hand-picked" by Yuan Shikai, died of illness in June. At this time, it happened to be the key point for the Henan tax police to go down to collect grain. Wang Jie vigorously lobbied the local gentry, using the gimmick of protecting the interests of the gentry, and finally elected the speaker.

Because of the effective tax collection, Zhang Zhenfang was appreciated by Yuan Shikai, and Zhang Zhenfang was naturally happy. It's just that everything has advantages and disadvantages, and the reform of the tax system has also brought many "side effects". First of all, there is the internal contradiction, the parliamentarians in the Huanghuai Plain area seem to have discussed, whether it is originally from the League or the "Unification Party" that supports Yuan Shikai, they jointly demand that Zhang Zhenfang's Governor's Mansion not break its promise and only collect this tax.

These fly-like councillors have joined the legislature, with county councillors, provincial councillors, and even most members of Congress joining in. Some people even dared to ask Zhang Zhenfang to publicly pledge in the Henan Provincial Assembly that he would not break his word. This made Zhang Zhenfang angry.

In all fairness, Zhang Zhenfang has no intention of deliberately breaking the promise of "only collecting taxes once". For example, although the grain export problem was resolved this time, in the telegram he sent to Yuan Shikai, Yuan Shikai was asked to return the money from the sale of grain to Henan in a timely manner after deducting the taxes that should be paid to the state that year. Just as Zhang Zhenfang was worried, Yuan Shikai praised Zhang Zhenfang's tax collection merit, and was vague about Zhang Zhenfang's request, just urging Zhang Zhenfang to transport the grain to Beijing as soon as possible.

Things in officialdom are like this, you have to keep a few eyes on it at all times, this is true for your subordinates, and even more so for your superiors. The official university crushed people to death, let alone facing Yuan Shikai. If Yuan Shikai had money in his hand, he would not have coerced the governors of Beiyang provinces to pay enough taxes to the central government. If all the grain was shipped to Yuan Shikai, it would be impossible for Yuan Shikai to send the money to Henan immediately. Even if Yuan Shikai really wants to do this, when the Japanese will give Yuan Shikai money is a big question. Not to mention that Yuan Shikai couldn't do this.

Now there is a situation where Zhang Zhenfang has food in his hands but does not have much money. Zheng County has become a new trade center in Henan because of the railway, but this trade center is short after all, and no matter how hard the tax is, it is impossible to scrape too much oil and water. The People's Party, which is close to Henan, is not short of grain, and relying on Henan's local grain trade, it will not be able to digest so much grain for a while. On the contrary, because the grain merchants knew that the government had so much grain in their hands, the price of grain fell instead of rising.

Yuan Shikai sent telegrams one after another, urging Zhang Zhenfang to hurry up and trade grain with Japan. Zhang Zhenfang used the difficulty of grain transportation as an excuse to delay it. But more and more people are reaching out to ask for money. One by one, they said that they couldn't open the pot. Coupled with Wang Jie and other parliamentarians, although Zhang Zhenfang's face was calm, he was eager to put poison in the wine pot and send all these bastards to the west.

Seeing Wang Jie coming over to toast, Zhang Zhenfang didn't even touch the wine glass, but just smiled lightly: "I can't accompany Speaker Wang because I'm not strong enough to drink." ”

Even if he was rejected, Wang Jie smiled like no one else: "Zhang Dudu, you have been favored by the president, I have to congratulate you." However, the people of Henan have already paid so many taxes, and life is really difficult......"

Without waiting for Wang Jie to finish speaking, Lei Zhenchun, a senior member of the central faction who was sitting next to Zhang Zhenfang, got up and said with a smile: "Speaker Wang, today is a banquet. Don't talk about business, don't talk about business. ”

Lei Zhenchun, like Zhang Zhenfang, is Yuan Shikai's cronies. In Henan's taxation, Lei Zhenchun does not seem to interfere, but he has always participated in various meetings. With this witness, Zhang Zhenfang also felt a lot safer. After all, with Zhou Zhentao, it is too easy to give people a handle.

drove Wang Jie away, but Lei Zhenchun said to Zhang Zhenfang: "Governor Zhang, I think I might as well hurry up this matter of transporting grain." ”

Zhang Zhenfang was angry again, Lei Zhenchun didn't make much effort in the matter of taxation, but at this time, he didn't consider Zhang Zhenfang's difficulties at all, and urged Zhang Zhenfang to hurry up and transport the grain to Tianjin. As a special commissioner of the central government, being able to supervise the transportation of grain to Tianjin is Lei Zhenchun's great achievement. From Lei Zhenchun's point of view, Zhang Zhenfang is already the governor of Henan, with a high position, and sending grain to the Beiyang Central is what he should do.

With Duan Zhigui and Lei Zhenchun accompanying him, Zhang Zhenfang felt completely out of appetite. Even if it was his hometown food in front of him, he just casually picked up a few chopsticks and stopped eating it.

Lei Zhenchun asked about the grain transportation again, Zhang Zhenfang didn't speak, but Duan Zhigui interjected. "Lord Lei, some of Zhang Dudu's grain is going to be sold to our Beiyang Army for salary. Now that the military salary is about to run out, why not sell grain in Henan first. Our Beiyang Army's salaries have always been paid on time, but now that the money is not available, I have no bottom in my heart. ”

In this matter, it is impossible for Lei Zhenchun to stand on Duan Zhigui's side. He pouted, "Duan Commandery, the country, and state affairs should be in the front." If the central government has no money, how can this state affairs be supported? Moreover, Zhang Dudu has a good way of collecting taxes, and the matter of military salaries should be assured. ”

Zhang Zhenfang suddenly became happy when he heard this, he was angry. Without saying a word, Zhang Zhenfang picked up the chopsticks and began to eat again. He had already figured it out, anyway, he was angry at both ends of the rat bellows. At this time, if you delay your mood to eat because of these official matters, wouldn't it be a loss.

This mood didn't last long, Zhang Zhenfang just ate two chopsticks, and saw a herald running in hurriedly and straight to Duan Zhigui, seeing Zhang Zhenfang in the herald soldiers didn't dare to say anything. Everyone is a person in the officialdom, Zhang Zhenfang and Duan Zhigui got up and went to the room next to them, and the herald dared to report, "The War Department telegraphed, the Beiyang Eighth Town living in Beijing mutinied. ”

Hearing the news, Zhang Zhenfang's eyes just widened. Duan Zhigui had already exclaimed, "What? ”

Just about to ask carefully, Zhang Zhenfang's relatives hurriedly ran over, Zhang Zhenfang thought he had received the news of the mutiny in Beijing, and said casually, "What's the matter, say." ”

Seeing Zhang Zhenfang's order, regardless of Duan Zhigui's "outsider", he reported: "The tax police camp in Wuyang reported that the local bandit Bai Lang rebelled and attacked the tax police camp. The tax police battalion suffered heavy casualties. ”

"What?" Zhang Zhenfang couldn't help but say. Instead, Duan Zhigui's eyes widened, and he looked at Zhang Zhenfang's entourage with an incredible gaze.