Seeing that everyone was shocked and still had some doubts, Cao Bin didn't waste any time and gestured to Li Qingzhao and said:
"Ms. Li, it's up to you to report to the Empress Dowager and the ministers the tax revenue of the Shipping Department in detail."
When Kou Zhun, Bao Zheng and others heard this, they immediately understood the reason why Cao Bin asked a "female Yamen" to follow him, and couldn't help but secretly rolled their eyes.
Of the three envoys who have served successively, which one is not a master of extensive knowledge, strong memorization, and proficiency in numbers? ,
Even when Cai Jing was in charge of the Third Division, he could accurately report most of the figures as long as the late emperor asked.
Only Cao Bin, a weird person, actually asked his subordinates to look through the ledger in public.
I'm afraid he, the Third Secretary, is the one who saves the most brains.
But as Li Qingzhao reported, their hearts gradually disappeared, because Li Qingzhao's report was too detailed.
"From the beginning of the year to May 31st, two ships of spices arrived at Mingzhou Port, totaling 600 spices. Ninety spices were extracted, and the money was 13,500 guan..."
"Fifteen thousand pig iron materials..."
"Nine hundred and fifty thousand shi of rice..."
"Pearls, agate, glass, ivory, gold and silver..."
There are hundreds of kinds of products, all of which are recorded very clearly, and Kou Zhun and others have been following along with their mental calculations.
After Li Qingzhao finished reading, everyone's eyes bulged, and Kou Zhun exclaimed:
"There are really two million coins. I didn't expect that sea trade would have such great potential? It's really unbelievable!"
Cao Bin looked at him with disgust and said:
"Kou Zhiyuan, don't be so hopeless, it's only more than two million yuan."
"This is just the beginning. If sea trade develops for one or two more years, the income can double!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked, and Kou Zhun even raised his voice and said:
"What? Double it again?"
"Marquis Zhongjing, you can't joke around in the court!"
No wonder everyone lost their composure.
You know, excluding taxes in kind, the Song Dynasty had the highest annual income since Taizu, and the national tax revenue was only more than 40 million guan.
This figure seems to be a lot, but it includes the profits from the court's monopoly sales of salt, iron, tea, wine, etc., as well as the money income from taxes paid by farmers and merchants across the country, and various miscellaneous taxes.
Why have rebels emerged one after another in various places in the past two years?
It was caused by the imperial court spending too much on mobilizing troops and making maintenance difficult, in order to collect millions more in miscellaneous taxes.
If the sea trade tax revenue can reach 8 million yuan, that will be an extra 20% of the annual income.
It is entirely possible to rely on these taxes to completely wipe out the losses caused by the war the year before in just a few years, and even make the Song Dynasty more prosperous than the previous emperor before the war, so that the court will no longer have money pressure.
Thinking of being able to surpass the late emperor, Queen Mother Pan could hardly control her emotions. Her eyes were full of excitement. She stared at Cao Bin closely. No matter how she looked at him, she thought he was particularly cute.
Seeing that Queen Mother Pan and the ministers were amazed by Cao Bin's talent, Princess Pang's face was also full of smiles and she was very pleased.
She has long regarded Cao Bin as her closest family member. The more outstanding Cao Bin is, the happier she is.
Bao Zheng was also very happy at this time, but also a little scared. Fortunately, he didn't kill Cao Bin on a whim. Otherwise, wouldn't the imperial court lose a great talent?
Just as everyone was asking Cao Bin about the next sea trade plan, He Jianzhang suddenly asked in a asking tone:
"Marquis Zhongjing, I am ignorant. I have some things that I don't understand but I hope you can teach me."
"My Song Dynasty Sea Trade has always collected one out of ten goods as tax. Why did the tax reported just now for spices, gold and other goods be taxed three out of twenty?"
"But one out of twenty for grain and iron ore? This... seems to be inconsistent with the tax amount stipulated by the imperial court."
After hearing this, the ministers immediately calmed down, discovered the problem, and looked at Cao Bin one after another.
Seeing this, Princess Pang's heart tightened slightly, and she stared at He Jianzhang fiercely, feeling extremely unhappy.
He Jianzhang was staring at her so much that his scalp was numb, and he felt depressed. He was just "asking for advice", and he wasn't too exposed. Why was he so sensitive?
"I have never been so excited even after my son died."
With this thought in his mind, he quickly shrank and hid behind Wang Yanling.
At this time, Queen Mother Pan pondered for a moment and asked seriously:
"Cao Qing, I am also confused about the whole story. Could it be that you have ulterior motives?"
Cao Bin glanced at He Jiazhang, cupped his hands to Queen Mother Pan and said:
"Your Majesty, this is not a personal change of the tax system, but the late Emperor had granted our city's shipping department the right to be autonomous."
As he spoke, he bowed his hands to Wang Yanling again and said:
"Prime Minister Wang, you have read the late emperor's imperial edict and you should be clear about its contents."
After Wang Yanling thought for a while, Fang nodded and said:
"This city shipping department was initiated by Marquis Zhongjing. Although the late emperor did not specifically mention the tax system, he allowed you to try out the system on your own. It does not mean that you changed the tax system without authorization."
When the imperial edict was issued last year, he was busy supporting the new king and had no time to care. It would be good if he could remember the content of the imperial edict. How could he care about too many details?
After getting the answer she wanted, Queen Mother Pan breathed a sigh of relief, and Cao Bin continued:
"As for increasing tariffs on luxury goods such as spices and gold, it is to limit the entry of these items into the market and also to increase the court's tax revenue."
When Kou Zhun and others heard this, their expressions turned ugly and they questioned:
"Marquis Zhongjing, are you trying to catch all the water?"
Cao Bin ignored them and continued:
"According to Cao's plan, taxes on these goods will continue to increase..."
Although he knew little about sea trade, he still knew the basic principles.
Although high-end luxury goods such as gold, silver and spices are expensive, they have little practical value and are of no benefit to people's livelihood.
What he wanted was to use silk, fine porcelain, perfume, soap and other high-end goods unique to the Song Dynasty to earn basic overseas resources such as food, copper and iron.
At that time, the people of the Song Dynasty spent a few days weaving a piece of silk, and they would be able to exchange for the grain produced and the minerals dug out by other countries for months or even a year.
This is tantamount to using sea trade to kidnap all countries to work for the Song Dynasty.
This is the same as the developed countries in later generations using high-precision products to kidnap the world's labor and resources.
"When I was in the south of the Yangtze River, I set up weaving mills, porcelain kilns and other workshops all over to accommodate the people and increase their wages."
"In this way, the people will have money in their hands and their purchasing power will be greatly increased, which can in turn stimulate maritime trade, make the people prosperous, and greatly increase business taxes!"
Hearing this, everyone present was shocked. This completely opened up a new world for them. Can "buying and selling" be played like this?
For a moment, everyone looked at Cao Bin and didn't know what to say.
The methods are too ruthless, the strategies are too sinister, and the thoughts are too vicious.
What kind of heart would come up with such a sinister and morally destructive strategy?
However, why do I feel like I am ready to move?
No need to fight, no need to fight hard, just using sea trade to rob the whole world, this is so cool!
Even an upright person like Bao Zheng couldn't think of a reason to refute after hearing this. Cao Bin benefited all the people of the Song Dynasty. Although it suffered a little for the people of the foreign countries, it didn't violate Confucian benevolence, right?"
Who said you don't have technology?
