On June 6, the eleventh year of Ankang in the Ming Dynasty, the special train of Emperor Zhu Jianyan of the Ming Dynasty arrived in Yingtianfu.

Zhu Jingyuan, the political envoy of Jianghuai, led the main officials of Jianghuai Province to the royal station to greet them.

After the simple ceremony, Zhu Jianyan, accompanied by Zhu Jingyuan, entered the Forbidden City of Yingtianfu.

If the emperor came to Yingtianfu normally, then he would live directly in the Qianqing Palace.

Emperor Zhu Zhongliang was also here, and Zhu Jianyan also came with something, so he went directly to meet Emperor Taishang.

After a simple greeting, Zhu Jianyan asked his entourage to put the materials he brought on the table, and then withdrew the other entourage, and the grandfather began the internal meeting of the royal family.

Zhu Jianyan came up and complained directly to Zhu Zhongliang:

"Your kid's heart is so big! You can really think of anything! ”

After complaining twice, Zhu Jianyan looked at his father again:

"You're always used to him, and you still want to do these big things, and you're still fueling the troubles......"

Zhu Zhongliang blew his beard:

"Aren't you also quite cooperative, this momentum has already been built.

"The rich people all over the world knew that the emperor was going to build a new palace, which caused the price of construction workers and building materials to rise.

"Don't talk about this, let me see what those people in the Ministry of Construction have designed......"

Zhu Zhongliang went directly to Bala Zhu Jianyan to bring something.

Zhu Jingyuan didn't speak with a smiling face, and his eyes were mainly focused on those things.

The grandfather and grandson found that the pile of documents on the top was the draft of the latest tax reform.

It has been basically finalized, and if the emperor has no other revisions, Zhu will use the seal and let the criminal department issue it, and it will take effect.

These two tax reforms are indeed more important than building new palaces.

The grandfather and grandson immediately took one and looked at it.

Zhu Jianyan was asked by his father, so he stopped talking and drank tea with a cup.

Seeing the two of them looking through the information, Zhu Jianyan casually mentioned:

"Father, Jingyuan, you two also take a look, if there is no opinion, I will issue it."

Zhu Zhongliang roughly flipped through it and said:

"If you want to ask me for advice, it is to intensify the investigation and punishment of tax evasion and tax evasion.

"Dongchang can take the lead and set up a special special service agency with executive power to investigate and deal with tax evasion.

In addition, the general basic tax exemption range is given on the basis of no crime and no tax evasion within a certain period of time.

"Then it should be taken back when something like this happens, not if it is not found out at the time.

"For example, a person who has not been found to have evaded taxes before inheriting the family business has obtained tax exemption status.

"But after that, tax evasion is discovered, and the tax should be pursued both before and after the inheritance.

"You can't let the person concerned develop the mentality that everything will be fine if you run away.

"The ten-year period should not only be maintained before the inheritance, but also after the inheritance.

"It is necessary to maintain that there are no new tax evasions for at least 10 years in order to completely avoid recovery.

"I'm talking about when it actually happened.

"As long as it is tax evasion, it occurs within 10 years before and after the time of inheritance.

"Whenever it is found, it must be traced retroactively.

"That is, there is an indefinite period of prosecution."

Zhu Jianyan listened and nodded slowly:

"Father is thoughtful, then I'll let them add it when I go back, do you have any comments on Jingyuan?"

Zhu Jingyuan also turned over for a while, and the things he considered in his heart were slightly different from those of his father and grandfather.

Zhu Jingyuan is concerned about the changes in the draft of the new tax system compared with the original plan.

The duty-free point has been moved downward, and the tax-free conditions have been relaxed.

The second is the conditions for special exemption and exemption.

For example, in the highest-grade bracket above 5 million silver bills, the default tax rate is 40 percent, which is very high.

However, according to the basic reduction conditions, if the person concerned has no criminal and tax evasion record within ten years, he or she can be directly reduced by half.

The tax rate has directly become 20 percent, this condition is very clear, there is nothing to say.

On top of that, there are special exemption conditions.

After the examination of the political envoy and the Ministry of Rites, according to the amount and proportion, with the approval of the Ministry of Rites, Zongbo, and the Emperor, it can be further reduced and returned.

This setup itself isn't a big problem either.

However, the conditions for the Ministry of Rites to review, as well as the conditions for approval, are very vague.

There is a lot of room for "humane" processing.

To put it bluntly, it is easy to breed corruption.

At the same time, in the society of the Ming Dynasty, the more wealthy and wealthy families with more assets, the better their political connections are likely.

The most advanced close branch clans can directly meet with the emperor and ask for it.

In other words, the more wealthy the family, the more they can take advantage of this "humane" plan to reduce more taxes for themselves.

These people should feel that they have the opportunity to completely exempt this last part of the tax.

This should be the reason why the current version of the tax law can be approved by the ministers of the imperial court, the clan, and the nobles.

This natural logic, together with the previous adjustment of lowering the tax exemption point, is actually to shift the main body of taxation from the richest class downward by a certain distance.

From the heaviest of the richest class to the heaviest of the middle and upper classes.

Those who are the most wealthy have a high probability of getting the opportunity to be completely tax-free through connections and connections.

Traditional aristocracy, traditional multi-party clans, basically have a relationship network that fits their status.

On the contrary, a new type of merchant family, especially those who are getting rich quickly, may not be able to keep up.

Wealth well exceeds the threshold and there are not enough connections to complete further tax exemption applications.

They may be the actual main payers of inheritance and gift taxes.

At the same time, it is also a key group that triggers corruption.

If you don't have existing relationships, you have to spend money to get out of the relationship, to spend money to build relationships with the traditional bureaucracy.

This incident can be said to be very typical, showing the "tradition" of the traditional society of the Ming Dynasty.

The main body of the ruling group of the Ming Dynasty was composed of aristocrats and professional bureaucrats.

So the tax laws they make are definitely beneficial to themselves.

The target of their instinctive alliance is the emerging pure business family.

Many of them themselves are also in business, which is one of the starting points for them to target pure merchants.

If implemented according to the current scheme, this tax reform will have the opposite effect on the UK's inheritance tax and property tax.

It was the bourgeois government of England that made money from the traditional aristocracy.

After thinking about it, Zhu Jingyuan put forward several ideas of his own:

"Father, the emperor and the sons think that the focus should be on supervising the integrity of the officials responsible for the approval of special tax exemptions.

"It's easy to get corrupt here, and there should be special supervision by people.

"At the same time, no matter what level of examiner, as long as it is a special tax exemption approval, the heaviest should be reviewed by the father.

"You must get permission from your father, Emperor Zhu, before you can go through the tax refund procedures.

"If my father doesn't approve it, then I can't retreat.

At the same time, the father can ask Dongchang to set up a special agency to carry out a comprehensive investigation of tax evasion and criminal behavior for all families who submit additional tax refund applications.

"Make it easier to get a special tax refund application.

"It's almost impossible to even get through."

Zhu Jianyan was stunned for a moment, and then nodded slowly:

"What Jing Yuan said makes sense, and the heaviest examination and approval power should indeed be in the hands of the emperor.

"However, this is the tax law that I have organized, and of course I have to approve some of them, after the strict review is completed.

"As for whether future generations are willing to approve according to my standards, then I can't control it......"

Zhu Zhongliang smiled directly when he heard this:

"Jian Yan, you kid has also learned badly......"

Zhu Jingyuan's idea was actually to put the heaviest approval of the additional application in the hands of the emperor.

At the same time, the extremely strict review of additional tax refunds, and even the rogue-style retention of non-payment, make the additional tax refunds exist in name only.

My father understands this goal, but says that he will do it towards this goal, but he will not completely disapprove of it.

At the same time, let the emperor behind him pretend not to like the new laws established by his father.

So I don't want to perform honestly, or even deliberately stumble.

Let the extra tax exemption line exist in name only.

This transformation process is very reasonable, as long as the emperor in the back is tougher, it should be relatively smooth to achieve.

Only by directly cutting off the additional tax exemptions can we really make money from the most wealthy class with a rigid and uniform progressive tax rate.

Of course, the emerging pure industrial and commercial families also have to pay taxes.

The fact that the extra tax refunds that were specifically claimed would also reduce the likelihood that they would be specifically engaged in corruption.

After Zhu Jingyuan pondered it thoroughly, he smiled and threw his hand at his father:

"Father, Emperor Shengming!"

Zhu Jianyan waved his hand with a smile:

"That's the end of the new tax law, and when I go back, I'll have someone write down my father's and Jingyuan's public proposals.

"This matter should be over as well, and the next thing is the big projects you mentioned.

"Let's start by looking at the design of the new palace and the new office building of the Central Government.

"The Ministry of Construction has come up with a lot of plans, and I am a little undecided and not completely satisfied.

"Father, Jingyuan, you two should also come to counsel......"

Zhu Zhongliang put down the documents of the new tax law and went to check the pile of design drawings below.

Zhu Jingyuan also squeezed to his grandfather's side, and the two looked at all kinds of drawings together.

Zhu Jianyan sat on the other side and gave the most basic introduction to the two grandchildren here.

Zhu Zhongliang and Zhu Jingyuan, the two grandsons, were a little confused by the most radical design plan as soon as they came up.

Zhu Zhongliang was a little suspicious of his ears:

"What are you talking about, second child? 400-meter start? How high is the old mountain in Jiangbei? It's only 400 meters, right? ”

Zhu Jianyan was very satisfied when he saw this reaction, he was so surprised at the beginning:

"Yes, the people from the Ministry of Construction said that they could ensure a height of 400 meters.

"We already have the corresponding technical accumulation, and we have also arranged for craftsmen to participate in the construction of new high-rise buildings in Taixi countries.

"The biggest problem was that in order to build and make effective use of such a tall building, the traditional palace layout had to be changed.

"The most important question is whether it is acceptable to stack the functions of palaces such as the Taimiao, Fengtian Temple, and Wenhua Hall on top of each other.

"On this issue, I would like to ask the Godfather for his opinion on ......"

After all, Zhu Zhongliang is an old emperor who has experienced strong winds and waves, and quickly digested the impact of the four-hundred-meter-high building:

"The 400-meter-high building is not used for living and daily work.

"It's really hard to use the official ceremony without considering commercialization.

"Four hundred meters stacked, the space inside is too big......

"Jingyuan, what do you think?"

Zhu Jingyuan's surprise was actually different from Zhu Zhongliang's.

Zhu Zhongliang was shocked that he could build a 400-meter-tall building, and Zhu Jingyuan was surprised that he could already build such a tall building.

Zhu Jingyuan had already seen a higher building in his previous life.

Speaking of which, the Empire State Building, which was completed in 1931, has soared to 380 meters in height.

If you think about it this way, the current Ming Dynasty built a 400-meter-high building, in fact, there is no problem at all.

When the craftsman faced the emperor, in order to avoid the unfulfillment of what he said, he may still be speaking conservative estimates.

Let them build a 500-meter building, and they should be able to do it.

Zhu Jingyuan slowed down faster than Zhu Zhongliang, and then listened to the conversation between Zhu Zhongliang and Zhu Jianyan, and thought about other questions in his mind.

My grandfather and father, who have experienced a very practical education and training, are really a little "stingy":

"My thinking is, what is the concept of effective use?

"The higher hall I want to build exists as a symbol of the authority of the Empire.

"If we can achieve this goal, we should be able to use it effectively.

"Grandpa, father, are you still going to make money from this building?

"The current Fengtian Temple, how many times a year can it be used, it can't be said that it is not effectively used, right?

"Even, several palaces and palaces of our family around the world are idle most of the time."

As soon as the two men next to them heard this, they immediately turned a corner.

And then they were all a little speechless.

After being silent for a few seconds, Zhu Zhongliang still couldn't help but say:

"Even so, it's still a bit of a waste where to put such a huge space......

"400 meters high, the interior should be wide enough, and there should be a larger 100-meter foundation, how much does it cost?

"I'm afraid the cost of building this building is enough to build an independent palace......

Zhu Jianyan also nodded:

"I think so too......"

Zhu Jingyuan said with a smile:

"Then don't make it so high, didn't our original plan be two hundred meters......

As a result, Zhu Zhongliang immediately said again:

"That's too low......

"Since we can build a building of 400 meters, the people of Taixi will definitely be able to build a building of more than 200 meters, or even more than 300 meters, in no time.

"In this way, the tall buildings of the Taisi people will soon surpass our main hall."

Zhu Jingyuan immediately continued to persuade:

"The church of the Ctesi was much taller than our main hall......

Tessie's intellectuals were reflecting on whether it was really worth spending so much money on building a church.

"If it is used for the development of industry and commerce, or even directly for the development of agriculture, is it more in line with his divine will......

"On the Tessie side, buildings that are too tall are often accused of being aesthetically inferior.

"The multi-storey similar to Daming is the best sense of art, and it is also the most comfortable ...... to live and use."

Zhu Zhongliang listened to these words, and still seemed very entangled:

"Suffer...... Let's look at the design first, see what these craftsmen think, and then ...... after reading it."

So the three grandparents continued to renovate the design plan.

After flipping through it roughly, Zhu Zhongliang was still hesitant, so he looked at Zhu Jingyuan:

"What do you think of Jingyuan? Do you have any ideas? ”

Zhu Jingyuan looked at his father, because he wanted to follow some of the ideas introduced by his father before:

"I think it should be feasible in the direction to make the base under the palace as large as possible, to pour it with reinforced concrete and to make it hollow.

"It would be a waste to pour concrete on a solid platform with an area of several square kilometers and a height of hundreds of meters.

"Even if more than half of the interior is left, it doesn't affect the solidity of the structure.

"But this internal space should not be used as the office building of the Central Government Office, it is really a bit like an underground palace.

"Letting civil and military officials work in a place similar to the underground palace is a kind of mental torture.

"I think it should be used as a symbolic space for some special objects.

"For example, a variety of different types of soil and water, specimens of major food seeds and agricultural plants around the world.

"And the most important tools and machinery, from those of the plough and spinning wheels to the internal combustion engine and electric motors, but also the tractor and the generator.

"Plus a variety of typical means of transport, from horse-drawn carriages to bicycles to cars and airplanes, and typical ships of all eras.

"And various types of weaponry, from swords, guns, swords, halberds, to cannons, airplanes, and later a model of an atomic bomb.

"Plus a variety of typical books from ancient times to the present day, from subsets of classics and histories to science and technology, including drawings of various important inventions.

"There are also various musical instruments, calligraphy and paintings, as well as daily necessities that are widely circulated among the people.

"In the future, there are new, landmark new things and technologies, which should also be stored and displayed.

"Similar to a museum in general, but not the most typical museum.

"It is a symbolic display and preservation, and it is not open to the public in normal times.

"Only when certain ceremonies are held are certain groups of people allowed to enter and worship.

"The symbolism of this design is that our civilization is built on these things.

"They are the foundation and record of our people and dynasties that continue to this day.

There can even be another idea.

"Even if everything outside is destroyed, as long as there are still people, open this warehouse similar to the underground palace, and we can re-establish our civilization according to the information inside."

When the two generations of emperors, Zhu Zhongliang and Zhu Jianyan, heard this, they couldn't help but nod lightly.

Zhu Zhongliang's direct position is clear-cut support:

"Well, this is actually another form of social altar, a more modern design.

In other words, according to the needs of the new era, the functions that should be added to the social altar have been improved again.

"The most important function of the altar is placed under the main hall, and the original altar does not need to build a high-rise building.

"The place where the altar should be planned is still mainly displayed with soil and fields."

(End of chapter)