The amount of cultivated land in the Ming Dynasty could no longer meet the growth of the population, and no matter how much Zhu Youxiao suppressed and cracked down on the powerful landlords, it was impossible to achieve "the cultivator has his land".

There is no other way to solve the problem of surplus labor than to develop industry and commerce. Opening more small workshops and doing more small business can be regarded as self-employment, which is very good!

In order to achieve this goal, and also in view of the harm to the people caused by industrial and commercial taxation, Zhu Youxiao, after discussing with Li Qiyuan, formulated a tax exemption standard: Small traders with a total value of less than 20 taels of goods are not allowed to collect taxes at customs.

Small workshops also determine the amount of tax based on the number of employees, and the family-style tax exemption; If three or more workers are employed, the normal tax rate; No matter how large the number of people and how large the scale, the tax rate will rise.

In commerce and industry, tiered tax rates are mandatory. Zhu Youxiao has only taken the first step, and it is still experimental.

There is an old Chinese saying: Take what is invisible, so that the people will not be angry. There is a saying in the West: pluck the most goose feathers, listen to the least goose calls.

It can be seen that both the East and the West have a common point of view, that is, the tax should take the lion's share from the rich, and the small people should be burdened less.

Zhu Youxiao also knows that this policy may not be effectively implemented when it comes to the bottom. But you can't wait until everything is done and the rulers meet the standards, and then you can benefit the people.

It was first promulgated at the legal level, so that artisans and untouchables could be denaturalized, so that the common people would know that the imperial court had preferential tax exemption policies, and the local government would also have laws to follow, and the people would have reason to argue.

At the same time, Zhu Youxiao also took this as a criterion for passing the examination. Through the implementation of the local government to determine whether it is a capable official or a mediocre official, the good one is naturally the ability of the official, and the bad one is dismissed and replaced.

Among the 13 reforms of Li Qiyuan, the newly appointed secretary of the Ministry of Households, there is one item of reform and strict examination.

Since Zhang Juzheng's establishment, the examination law has never been explicitly abolished in law. It's just that after Emperor Wanli liquidated Zhang Juzheng, the test method was just a formality.

Of course, the main object of Li Qiyuan's strict examination is the household department, which is to make up for the emptiness of the state treasury, and the main purpose of rectifying the finances is to make up for it.

After Zhu Youxiao's slight revision, it is necessary to implement performance appraisal among all officials.

The capable are up, the mediocre are down, and the rectification of the rule of officials is also to test whether the implementation of the law is scientific and reasonable, and whether it is strictly in place.

As for why we should put science and rationality in the first place and strictly put it second, this is also a change made by Zhu Youxiao after drawing lessons from history.

In order to solve the financial problem, Bi Ziyan, the head of the household department during the Chongzhen period, like Li Qiyuan, conscientiously implemented the examination method, so that the taxation and finance have improved somewhat.

Zhu Tongjian saw that it was effective, and his temper came again, and he implemented it more strictly. Whatever the reason, if you can't collect taxes, you will get out.

Therefore, in order to keep the black yarn hat, local officials can only exert force on the people. What kind of disaster, what kind of bad birth, no reduction in taxes, whether you starve to death or not!

Of course, the final result is also very tragic, the people are in turmoil, one after another, the Ming Dynasty is dead, and Chongzhen is also hanging on the coal mountain.

Therefore, Zhu Youxiao's project to expand the assessment of officials' ability is not just a single tax collection, let alone a hard target, and it must be more flexible.

The reason is very simple, the higher level presses the lower level, the first level presses the first level, and the bottom is the common people.

Once the indicators are too strong and too strict, a group of ruthless officials and tiger and wolf servants will be created.

Of course, Zhu Youxiao knows that there is nothing perfect in this world, including policies and regulations, and he can only try to improve and minimize the drawbacks.

…………….

Quang Ninh City.

The Houjin army has retreated for more than ten days, and the clouds of war hanging over the people's heads have completely dissipated.

As the Ming army went out of the city to occupy the outpost fortress, the scouts went out to spy and after getting an effective warning, Xiong Tingbi ordered the opening of the city.

Life seems to have returned to normal as people clean the streets, clean up, chop firewood, and even prepare for the upcoming spring planting.

And Xiong Tingbi, who had just received the holy decree two days ago, was both a strategy and a governor, and became a powerful feudal official, but he walked up to the city again, looking into the distance, and his thoughts were difficult to calm down.

Abandoning Guangning and Youtun, the main force shrank to Ningyuan, and even Jinzhou was only used as an outpost warning, which was the imperial court, or Zhu Youxiao's latest arrangement.

If it was said that before the battle of Quang Ninh, such a stride in the strategy contraction, the court would definitely be in a state of turmoil, and public opinion among the people would also be boiling.

Even now, with the power of Guangning's great victory, the decision to make a strategic contraction, Xiong Tingbi also knows what kind of pressure the imperial court will face.

Fleeing without a fight, losing land and land, fearing the enemy like a tiger...... The reason why the main battle and the quick war faction have the advantage is not because these crimes and stigma are not easy for everyone to bear.

The higher the slogan is shouted, the more passionate and radical it is, as if the more patriotic it is. The slightest retreat is to lose power and humiliate the country, and no one can stand it.

In fact, at that time, there was no main peace faction in the court, and even Zhu Youxiao and Xiong Tingbi were also the main battle faction, who didn't want to destroy Jiannu as soon as possible?

But the hope is plump, but the reality is skinny.

When the combat power of the Ming army could not compete with the Houjin army, and when Liaodong was repeatedly defeated, the people who still shouted "fight and fight" were either angry young people who only relied on their enthusiasm and subjective will.

Either they are stupid people who talk a lot, do not understand strategy, do not talk about strategy, and are completely ignorant of the actual situation of both the enemy and us.

These two kinds of people are defined by Zhu Youxiao as the faction of "rushing to war and misleading the country".

And he, Xiong Tingbi and others should be regarded as a slowing war faction, or they are shrinking on the one hand and attacking on the other; While retreating and cultivating, he was preparing for a counterattack.

The entire strategic plan is to carry out strategic contraction in eastern and western Liaoning, and not to engage in field competition with Houjin.

And in southern Liaoning, as well as along the vast coast, active action was taken. It is not only a blockade, but also makes Houjin lose sight of one thing and the other, exhausting and constantly weakening its strength.

Of course, shrinking does not mean that you are afraid of the enemy, and it does not mean that you are shrinking into the city and doing nothing. Zhu Youxiao also had a secret decree to explain his future plans to Xiong Tingbi.

Reform the military system and train elite soldiers, especially cavalry. Zhu Youxiao asked Xiong Tingbi to train an iron cavalry that could fight with Houjin in the field at least three years.

"Three years—" Xiong Tingbi narrowed his eyes and couldn't help but speak.

Senator Xing Shenyan, who was following him, pondered for a moment and said, "Three years is not too long, nor is it too short. If the imperial court fully supports it, it is not too difficult. ”

Praise Han Chuming was more optimistic, and said with a smile: "The saint is wise, and he has given the adults full power, but he can show his strength, what can't he do?" ”

"Indeed, the Holy One is wise." Xiong Tingbi arched his hand and said with emotion: "More responsible." This is our luck, if we do not devote ourselves to the affairs of the state, how can we repay the emperor's favor? ”