Chapter Seventy-Seven: Taxation is Greater than Heaven

Chao Cuo's death was a stain on Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, and it turned out that without Chao Cuo, the vassal kings rebelled, and they just used Chao Cuo as a banner. The pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info because of Chao Cuo's death, many people are concerned about Chao Cuo's "Cutting Domain".

However, Wen Zhenmeng knew that in addition to the famous "Cutting Domain", Chao Cuo had many other new policies.

Chao Cuo developed the policy of "emphasizing agriculture and suppressing business", advocating the acceptance of millet to increase agricultural production and revitalize the economy; On the issue of resisting the invasion of the border by the Xiongnu, he put forward the strategic idea of "immigrating to the real border", and suggested recruiting people to enrich the border fortress and actively prepare for the attack and plundering of the Xiongnu.

Vigorously promoted Confucian culture and opposed the Huang Lao School, which was in power in the court at that time, in fact, Chao Cuo met Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, and if he met Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, I am afraid that the fate of Chao Cuo would have been different.

Wen Zhenmeng was concerned about Emperor Chongzhen's attitude towards the new policy, and it was obvious that Emperor Chongzhen was preparing to implement the new policy.

His own positioning is Chao Cuo, or the vanguard of the reformists, Emperor Chongzhen will have the remarks that he is not Chao Cuo, and the emperor is not Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty. At this time, Wen Zhenmeng knew that he had no way out.

What's more, Wen Zhenmeng is also very dissatisfied with this officialdom, forming parties for personal gain, colluding with each other, colluding with officials and businessmen, the people are miserable, and the court is powerless, this is not the state that a country, a rich and powerful country should have, he is ready to listen to Emperor Chongzhen's thoughts first.

When Emperor Chongzhen saw Wen Zhenmeng's appearance, he knew in his heart that his first general had appeared, and he was still not wrong.

"I asked you a lot of questions just now, and it boils down to one question after another, that is, the problem of money, the court has no money, this is something that everyone in the world knows, but is there really no money in this world? No, it's that the emperor has no money, and the people have no money! Emperor Chongzhen said with a serious face.

"Now the Ming Dynasty has a large population, a vast territory, and the tax revenue is only one-tenth of that when the ancestor was born, you must know that the population at the time of the ancestor is probably not one-tenth of the current one-tenth, right?" Emperor Chongzhen said indignantly: "There are people who have land, but they can't collect taxes, why?" Because someone doesn't pay taxes! ”

Wen Zhenmeng's heart was shocked, when he just heard Emperor Chongzhen say that there was no money in the world, Wen Zhenmeng thought that Emperor Chongzhen was going to loot the world, and instinctively felt that it was inappropriate.

You must know that the emperor is looting the world, one is the representative of the faint monarch, and he even feels afraid that he will not become a sinner in history?

Looking at Wen Zhenmeng's appearance, Emperor Chongzhen felt a little strange, what he said was good, why is this like this?

You must know that the values of people at this time are completely different from those of later generations, they have been taught since they were young, they cannot compete with the people for profit, they cannot loot the world, they must hide their wealth from the people, they must be diligent and thrifty, they must be thrifty, and they are thrifty to cultivate virtue, and the emperor is the same.

Once the emperor has a tendency to raid the world, then he must strongly oppose it, Wen Zhenmeng forcibly suppressed the thoughts in his heart, and did not let his opposition words blurt out.

"Why can't you collect taxes, it's because some people don't pay taxes!" Emperor Chongzhen didn't bother to say to Wen Zhenmeng that there was nothing to do, and directly said his thoughts: "I have only one idea, that is, everyone in the world has to pay taxes, as long as there is land, then you need to pay taxes, no matter who it is, no matter who it is." ”

"Even if it is me, even if it is my imperial village, my royal relatives and relatives, they still need to pay taxes!"

Wen Zhenmeng raised his head, at this time he understood Emperor Chongzhen's thoughts, but this is the enemy of the world!

I don't pay taxes, and my family has hundreds of acres of land, and once this policy is implemented, I will have to pay taxes. How can you be happy when you take money out of your pocket? Thinking that I have to pay taxes, I also feel distressed!

"Your Majesty, this is Grandpa's decree!" Wen Zhenmeng stared at the big eyes and muttered.

Emperor Chongzhen forcibly held back his thoughts, what happened to Grandpa Tai? If the laws and regulations are not in line with the times, then they need to be changed. However, Emperor Chongzhen also knew that if such words were spoken, then this matter would be troublesome, and the hat of unfilial piety would be buttoned up on himself.

Ruling the world with filial piety has always been the flaunt of the country, and filial piety is also the moral foundation of this era, and it must not collapse from the royal family.

In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang's decree has been changed some, such as the conscription system, and the Qi family army is a typical conscription system, not the military household system set by Zhu Yuanzhang. It's just that the conscription system is a temporary need, and it has not changed the military household system, and the imperial court did not recruit soldiers at that time, and it has reached the point where no one fights.

The Japanese made a big fuss in the land of Zhejiang and Chu, and many squires and officials in Zhejiang and Chu also advocated recruiting troops to pacify the Japanese because their own interests were involved.

Emperor Chongzhen has to do something different, the scholars pay taxes, which is to cancel the preferential treatment of scholars, and the scholars in the world will oppose it. Abolish the ancestral system, and also oppose the scholars, and even the people of the world, because ordinary people are also profitable.

What does it matter to me if the state doesn't collect taxes? It's good that I don't pay taxes, and as for the rent of the land, it is much less than the tax on the land.

However, the country still needs revenue, and the local governments also need revenue. What's more, many personnel in a yamen need to be hired by themselves, such as the accounting office, such as catching fast and so on.

According to the regulations of the imperial court, there are only five or six officials in a county's yamen, including the magistrate.

How can these people be used? Others need to be hired by the magistrate himself, and it is the magistrate who takes the money, not the imperial court. There are already few people in the county, and it is very difficult to support themselves, so they have to hire these people, so what should I do?

There will be fire consumption, all kinds of harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes, and there will be collusion between officials and businessmen, and the common people will be miserable.

This tax system has many drawbacks, but the people do not realize it, and they only feel that they pay more taxes to the state than the land rent.

Once there is a big disaster, the state has no money for disaster relief, and the landlords have no strength, or they simply do not take money and grain out, then there will be large-scale famine and disaster victims. The imperial court has no tax at all, and can only watch, let alone build water conservancy, build bridges and roads.

So there must be reform, where does reform begin? From the beginning of the tax reform, Emperor Chongzhen has made up his mind to go to the future despite tens of millions of people.

Looking at Wen Zhenmeng, Emperor Chongzhen said in a deep voice: "I will talk to Grandpa Tai about this matter, I believe that Grandpa Tai will understand my hardships, and I am also for the world of the Ming Dynasty and the people of the Ming Dynasty." Wen Aiqing, think about it, if the treasury has money and grain, will Wang Gongchang's disaster relief be like this this time? Will it displace people? ”

"The national tax is taken from the people and for the people, and only with taxes can we strengthen the army and defend the country. With taxation, we can build bridges and pave roads, build rivers and embankments, and relieve disasters and suppress bandits. ”