His voice was low and hoarse, his speech was fast, and his facial expressions were very serious, which made this important member of the imperial court who was in charge of the finances of Sichuan and Shaanxi even more majestic.

A white-faced, beardless, slightly chubby man, dressed in a cocooned silk robe, and wearing a scarlet soft hat, stepped forward and replied to him, "Exactly, my lord, we are all here for this month's money." ”

"Oh? Too little? ”

The merchant shuddered suddenly, the fat on his whole body trembled a little, but the smile on his face was a little bitter, and he hurriedly replied: "My lord, the total amount of money spread on the heads of our merchants in Sichuan this month is 700,000 yuan, and we can't afford to pay it even if we are bankrupt." ”

He started, and the rest of the merchants also complained to themselves, and they all said: "The tax is already heavy, and the total money last month was still 300,000 yuan, and it has more than doubled this month. ”

Zhao Huan didn't know what the name of the money they were shouting about was, so he turned his head and asked Xue Qiang in a low voice: "What is the name of the tax for this money?" ”

Xue Qiang shook his head again and again, indicating that he didn't know.

A young guard named Fei Lun stepped forward and said to Zhao Huan: "This is the tax collected by the two yamen of the economic system and the general system, the economic system money is Fang La's rebellion, the national military budget is insufficient, and it is collected by the economic system yamen, and the total money is the tax levied by King Kang after the Nandu, which is collected by the general system yamen." These money are added to all kinds of miscellaneous taxes, such as the liquor tax collected, which is called the right to add wine money, and the tax collected in this way is generally called the money of the general system. ”

Zhao Huan glanced at him, nodded slightly, and praised: "It's rare that you are attentive." ”

Fei Lun blushed and said, "I like to ask blindly when I'm fine, so I know more." ”

Zhao Huan asked again: "Do you know how much money you have to collect in total?" ”

Fei Lun replied: "Last year, a total of 13 million yuan was collected from the general system. In the past two years, military expenditures and government envoy expenditures have relied heavily on this tax. ”

Before Zhao Huan could answer, he himself smiled and said: "Before we went to the north, we only knew about the money, and we didn't know how to add the total money. ”

Zhao Huan smiled slightly, but he was secretly vigilant, but he had to be cautious when asking people in the future, otherwise he would be the emperor, and he wouldn't even know the name of the taxes collected, which was too funny.

But he turned his head around and continued to listen to the group of merchants.

This is a rough understanding, the original Song Dynasty taxes, so many names, heavy collection, is simply full of tricks, mixed and unruly.

Since the Tang Dynasty, the two tax laws have been reformed, and the land tax, forced labor, and household tax have all been folded into the two taxes, which are levied in spring and autumn, and the rest of the expenses are not taken. This is simple and straightforward, and if the government wants to use people's power, it will have to spend money to hire manpower.

In the Song Dynasty, the two taxes were only a kind of regular tax, and the household tax and forced labor were still levied.

In addition to the two taxes, household taxes, forced labor, and the total system of money, there are countless items to collect taxes.

Transfer, conversion, salt and tea monopoly, and buying and selling, total money, monthly pile money, board account money, two taxes salt money, silkworm salt money, Ding silk, Ding salt money, market money, depreciation money.

In this way, the group of merchants complained one after another, and all kinds of taxes were imposed on them, and there were so many tricks that they were like cattle hairs, but they pressed these rich businessmen who were rivaling the country, and gradually lost their breath.

Zhao Kai's face was expressionless, and after listening to the call of this group of businessmen for a long time, when the voices gradually subsided, Fang smiled bitterly: "I also know that the taxes imposed on you are heavier. ”

He didn't wait for everyone to answer, and immediately said: "But the current general trend of the world, you don't understand? The Emperor Taishang is still covered with dust in the northern country, and millions of gold and silver have been robbed of people in the city of Tokyo, which is made by the general system of money and monthly pile money, all for military expenses, if not, where will the money come from to fight? We have no enemy in Sichuan to attack, but is it not the army that withstood the enemy in Shaanxi? If the army comes to the city and the rebel army enters the city, you want to pay the tax at that time, but who will you look for to pay?

After saying that, he lowered his head and drank tea, moistened his throat, and said: "I'll make a package ticket here first, and after this month's levy, I won't add more." ”

The merchants looked happy and said, "What do adults say?" ”

Zhao Kai showed a real smile at this time and replied, "Why haven't I ever spoken?" Ladies and gentlemen, in fact, it is not me who said, everyone has won the government's salt tea monopoly, I will add one point to you, but you will add three points to the salt tea. In this way, he still complains about his own suffering, what kind of system has he become. I am the Great Song Grace to support the people, lenient to the gentry, when it is time to contribute, but you are like this, doesn't it make the Son of Heaven angry and the people cold? ”

He looked worried, and said: "I have always deducted you, I don't want to increase the regular tax to the people, for the sake of overall stability, but you can't be too profit-oriented, so the people can't afford to eat salt, but why bother." ”

Dozens of businessmen are obviously well-known wealthy families in Sichuan, big businessmen who have obtained the government's monopoly on salt tea, but at this time, they are like elementary school students, listening to Zhao Kai's reprimand, no one dares to refute a sentence.

After he finished speaking, everyone said in a hurry: "What the adults said is very true, after the villains go back, they will never increase the price of salt." ”

And everyone said with a bitter face: "The price of salt under its realization is too high, and many people would rather keep their mouths open than buy it. ”

Zhao Kai also smiled bitterly, how did he not know the drawbacks underneath. Since he took charge of the financial endowment, he has tried in many ways to reduce some redundant expenses, but the military situation on the front line is tense, the government cannot reduce the fees at all, and it is difficult for a clever woman to cook without rice, so what can he do.

At the moment, he smiled bitterly and said: "Don't make it like what Su Dongpo said: how can you smell Shao and forget the taste, and come to the mountains to eat without salt." ”

Seeing that everyone wanted to say more, they waved their hands again and again, and said: "Let's go down, money is indispensable, I will play with the Son of Heaven to see if I can open up more sources of wealth, or reduce some savings, in short, I will not levy more here, and you can't sit on the ground to make profits, if you let me know, you will definitely not forgive." ”

"Yes, please rest assured."

Although the merchants were persuaded by his words and did not win the ring and reduce taxes, they also got the good news that they would not be charged more next month, so they took their leave one by one with mixed feelings, and went out one after another.

"What else is going on with you?"

Zhao Kai was not born in Jinshi, and he had not been to Tokyo to see His Majesty, so he naturally did not know the emperor. The problem in front of me has been solved, but it is a package ticket that is difficult to play, and it may not be able to be cashed out next month. He has always had prestige in front of the merchant group, relying on his thunderous skills and the prestige he had erected over the years. was depressed in his heart, and when he asked Zhao Huan, who was staying and not leaving, he didn't have a good voice.

"Seeing the holy driver, how dare you be so rude?"

Xue Qiang saw that Zhao Huan did not answer Zhao Kai's question, but just smiled and said nothing. He was smart and clever, so he naturally knew the emperor's intentions, so he immediately stepped forward and reprimanded Zhao Kai loudly.

"Holy Driver?"

Zhao Kai looked puzzled, but he kept looking at Zhao Huan.

Naturally, he received a secret letter from Zhang Jun, knowing that the emperor had left Guanshan, crossed the Qinling Mountains, and entered Hanzhong from Guanzhong, inspecting the people's customs and the prestige and talents of officials along the way.

When he received the secret letter, he felt quite uncomfortable. The recent situation in Sichuan and Shaanxi has been very embarrassing. Zhang Jun, as the Privy Councillor and Xuanfu Sichuan and Shaanxi, was originally the sole ruler of Sichuan and Shaanxi, but after the emperor returned, he had secretly taken power. In the past few months, the military power has been taken over by the emperor himself, Zhang Jun is the privy Xuanfu, and many military generals have directly played the emperor's judgment without going through him.

In addition, the emperor issued an edict to restore Li Gang, and transferred many powerful ministers in the Jingkang years, although now the two emperors coexist, in Sichuan and Shaanxi, it is obvious that Jingkang is in charge.

In this way, as Zhang Jun's right-hand man, whether he can trust the emperor and continue to be reused is already a difficulty in his career.