Standing on the harbor of Quanzhou Thornton Port, looking at the lively scene of masts like forests and thousands of sails competing in the port, Zhao Hong couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

It is indeed the world's largest port, the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, and is prosperous.

"The benefits of the market are the richest, if the measures are taken properly, the income will be millions, will it not be won by the people?"

Wei Weng stroked his beard and let out a long sigh.

The Song Dynasty had a narrow land area, and due to the Western Xia's blocking of the Silk Road in the northwest, coupled with the southward shift of the economic center, from the Song Dynasty, the status of maritime trade continued to improve, and the ports on the southeast coast became new trade centers. The Song Dynasty crossed to the south, and Guangzhou, Mingzhou (Dinghai), Quanzhou and other places set up municipal shipping divisions to manage overseas trade, becoming the three major ports.

In the middle and late Southern Song Dynasty, Quanzhou became the world's largest port and the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road.

Noticing the surprise on Zhao Hong's face, Zhao Rushi, the prefect of Quanzhou, hurriedly introduced it on the side.

"Your Majesty, Quanzhou's overseas trade is prosperous, and the government has set up a "Fan City" in Quanzhou to sell foreign goods; "Fanfang" is for the people of Fan to live; "Fan Xue" is for the children of foreign businessmen to go to school, and the government has also specially formulated a special punishment for the crimes of Fan businessmen. The Great Song Dynasty merchant ships that departed from Quanzhou Port were loaded with a large number of commodities such as porcelain, silk, and tea, and transported them to overseas countries, and then brought back spices, medicines, and other goods. The annual tax of the city can reach 1.6 million, which shows the prosperity of Quanzhou's trade! ”

Zhao Rushi, the Great Song Dynasty, the eighth grandson of Zhao Guangyi of Song Taizong. Zhao Hong is the tenth grandson of Zhao Kuangyin, Taizu of the Song Dynasty, and Zhao Rushi is two generations higher than Zhao Hong.

Zhao Rushi was promoted to Quanzhou City, Fujian Road, and Quanzhou in the seventeenth year of Jiading. In addition, he also has an identity, that is, he is also the governor of the Southern Foreign Sect of the Song Dynasty. In other words, he was responsible for the big and small affairs of the Quanzhou clan in the Southern Song Dynasty.

Zhao Rushi was in office in Quanzhou, and Quanzhou's overseas trade was booming. He was diligent in shipping affairs, had extensive contacts with foreign merchants, and wrote two volumes of Zhufan Zhi, which recorded 47 items of foreign imports from 58 countries and regions, including Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean coast, Persia, Mecca, and the northeast coast of Africa, which had transportation and trade relations with Quanzhou.

It can be said that he is well aware of the trade situation of Quanzhou Port and is also the best guide.

"Zhao Xianggong, since the annual tax of the Municipal Department can reach 1.6 million guan, why does the municipal department pay only 300,000 yuan in taxes to the imperial court every year?"

Wei Liaoweng was unceremonious and asked directly.

"Your Majesty, Duke Wei, this ...... There's something else going on here. ”

Zhao Rushi's old face was very unnatural, and he secretly glanced at Zhao Hong and smiled.

"Zhao Xianggong, how can I hear that the spice imports in Quanzhou are all controlled by the big food merchants."

Wei Liaoweng broke the casserole and asked to the end, not shy away from it at all.

Zhao Hong was stunned, and when he looked at it, there were many sea ships in the port, and they seemed to have the shadow of a big food merchant.

It seems that Wei Liaoweng didn't say this casually.

"Your Majesty, the minister is really suffering!"

Zhao Rushi was covered with sweat and smiled wryly.

Although he is the prefect of Quanzhou and is also in charge of the city, the forces of various factions in Quanzhou are intertwined and corrupt, which also makes him unspeakable.

Wei Liaoweng was about to speak, but Zhao Hong waved his hand.

"Let's talk about it when we go to the Shoji of the Southern Foreign Sect!"

Speaking of which, from ancient times to the present, it is not tax evasion, smuggling and corruption.

This Zhao Rushi, as the head of the city, seems to be incompetent.

Wei Liaoweng looked at the port where people came and went, held back and said nothing, and followed behind Zhao Hong with Zhao Rushi and others.

Quanzhou City, Ancient Banyan Lane, Shuilu Temple, the location of the Department of the Southern Foreign Sect.

After the Song dynasty moved south, there were two branches of the clan. One of them is that in the third year of Shaoxing (1133), he moved to the Southern Song Dynasty and Western Sect in Fuzhou, Fujian, and set up a member of the Zhizong Zheng Division, in addition to a member of the Cheng, the book, the supervisor of the Dunzong Academy, and a professor of Zongxue, who were in charge of the affairs of the Zhao and Song clans in Fuzhou. According to the practice of the Great Song Dynasty, the officials of the Western Foreign Sect were all members of the clan of the dynasty.

At the same time, because the Song Dynasty could not give up the ointment of Quanzhou's foreign taxes, in December of the third year of Jianyan (1129), 349 people of the clan moved to Quanzhou, and the Nanwai Zongzheng Division, who managed the affairs of the imperial family, moved with him, and changed the Quanzhou Tianchatong Thorn Hall on the west side of the old pavilion into the residence of the imperial family, and the Nanwai Zongzheng Division was located in the water and land temple in the ancient banyan lane of Quanzhou.

Everyone sat down in the lobby, and the forbidden army was guarding outside, so Zhao Hong asked.

"Zhao Xianggong, how many people are there in the Southern Foreign Sect now? How many people are there in the Western Foreign Sect? ”

Zhao Rushi is a member of the Zhao Song clan, and he is two generations higher than him, and he is an honest official, and Zhao Hong's attitude is also much gentler.

"Your Majesty, there are more than 1,426 people in the courtyard and more than 867 people living in the hospital, a total of 2,293 people. The number of Western Foreign Sect Shoji is smaller, about 1,600 people. ”

Zhao Rushi is the governor of the Southern Foreign Sect, and the affairs in the department are naturally clear.

At the beginning of the Southern Song Dynasty, there were only 349 children of the Zhao and Song clans of the Southern Foreign Sect, and then they multiplied day by day, until Zhao Hong was in power, there were more than 1,400 people in the courtyard and more than 800 people living in the courtyard, adding up to 2,300 people.

The Western Foreign Sect and the Southern Foreign Sect have a total of 4,000 people, which is already full of people.

Of course, compared with the hundreds of thousands of Zhu Mingzong's children in the last years of the Ming Dynasty, it is a big deal.

"How much does the clan spend in Quanzhou?"

Zhao Hong frowned slightly.

There are more than 1,400 people in the hospital and more than 800 people living in the hospital, that is, more than 800 people go out to make a living.

The living expenses of the Quanzhou clan, except for a small amount of subsidies from the imperial court, were mostly borne by the local finance of Quanzhou. I don't know if these people who went out to earn a living received any money.

"Back to Your Majesty, only the clan money and the price of rice, the Quanzhou government calculates more than 140,000 yuan every year. In addition, the officials and subordinates of the southern foreign countries and the sons of the officials and the sons of the sects, and the scholars of the sect, have an annual money of more than 10,000 guan and 1,500 stones, all of which are prepared by Quanzhou. ”

Zhao Rushi said cautiously, observing the words and looks.

Some of the Zhao royal family lived in luxury, singing and dancing, and disturbing the people, but most of the clans lived in poverty, and even couldn't make ends meet, which was also the reason why more than 800 people in the clan went out to make a living.

Zhao Hong frowned and was silent, bowing his head in contemplation.

160,000 guan a year, evenly distributed to the clan of 2,300 people, 70 guan per person, less than 6 guan per month, but it is the same as ordinary people. The low treatment of the royal family of the Great Song Dynasty may be the highest in all dynasties.

Zhu Yuanzhang, the Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, established the country and stipulated that the Ming Dynasty clan did not have to engage in any profession. Every descendant of the royal family, all the consumption needs are borne by the state. With the rapid increase in the population of the clan, the total amount of salaries received by the clan was huge, and the total amount of rice allocated far exceeded the annual grain provided to the Jingshi in various parts of the country. As a result, the country has been burdened with a heavy burden.

The grace of my relatives can be said to be omnipresent, and its thickness is far greater than that of previous generations.

The consequence of the Ming Dynasty's generous treatment of the clan was the pain of Jiashen that made people sigh because of the destruction of the country and the extinction of the species.

Speaking of which, the treatment of the royal family of the Great Song Dynasty is low, but compared with the Ming Dynasty, it does not cause a huge burden on the country, which is beneficial to the people and the country, which can be regarded as a kind of progress.