Chen Yongxi, who came from Shanxi, had heard about the prince's disobedient, unfilial, cruel and unkind deeds, as well as his lewd and corrupt deeds. Not only Dashun officials in Xiangjing Prefecture and Zuo Jiamen in Wuchang Prefecture were saying this, but many people in Hankou Shangzhen, where Chen Yongxi hired shipowners, also said so.
"Chen Jishan, if you had sailed on a merchant ship belonging to the grassroots last year, how could the grassroots ask you for money since they couldn't ask for more? With just a sign indicating that you were an official of the feudal prince's palace, your trip to Nandu would have been smooth. The grassroots sailed on a boat from Huguang. The white rice is said to be sold for the royal family, and the remaining tax on the money along the way is enough to pay for the shipping fee. But the situation is different now. Even official ships must pass customs tax-free and must have a tax-free form issued by the General Taxation Department of the Ministry of Household Affairs. The tax exemption form also states the type of ship and the cargo, people and animals it carries... So even if you get the tax exemption form from the tax department, you still can't take advantage of the goods on the ship! And this tax exemption form is also It is difficult to issue an issue, and it must be a ship that actually has official and military duties before it can be issued."
In a teahouse near Hankou Pier, the person who was explaining Ming Dynasty's latest tax policy to Chen Yongxi was a rice merchant named Yao Daqiao. He owned two 500-stone river boats, which could transport a thousand shi of rice produced in Huguang at a time. White rice goes eastward - Although Nanzhili and Zhejiang in the southeast of the Ming Dynasty are known as the land of fish and rice, silk and cotton have flourished in recent decades, so many rice fields in Zhejiang and Nanzhili's Jiangnan prefectures have been converted into economic benefits Higher mulberry fields and cotton fields.
One consequence of this is that the southeastern land of fish and rice is gradually no longer self-sufficient in rice and noodles, and needs to be purchased from Huguang, Jiangxi, Jianghuai and other places. After selling white rice, the merchant ships transporting rice would purchase silk, cotton cloth, various daily necessities, salt and other items to sell to Huguang, Jiangxi, Jianghuai and other places.
Therefore, a large number of goods are transshipped through the Yangtze River every year, and the transaction volume is huge. However, due to the "three no taxes" rule, the Yangtze River, a golden waterway, could hardly bring much tax revenue to the Ming Dynasty.
"How could it be so severe?" Chen Yongxi simply couldn't believe his ears. "With this tax collection, aren't you afraid of civil unrest? At that time, the people of the southeast were struggling a lot! Now it's like this all over the world. The imperial court Aren’t you afraid of chaos in the southeast?”
"Chaos? What kind of chaos?" Yao Daqiao smiled bitterly, "Are you like those nobles in Nanjing who have been with us for more than 200 years? You are willing to die and take away your family property and your wife and daughter?"
“Isn’t there anyone who stands up to resist taxes and smash tax barriers?”
Yao Daqiao shook his head, "Who dares? There must be someone to protect you...or else you will be beaten to death on the spot!"
In the tax resistance incidents during the Wanli period, it was possible that the government forced the people to rebel, but most of them were collusion between the government and businessmen, and those who resisted the tax and made trouble were protected by local forces. For example, Ge Xian, who "led" the Suzhou tax resistance incident, surrendered after the incident, was sentenced to prison, and stayed in the Suzhou prison for twelve years... He caused such a big trouble and did not beheaded. He was sentenced to only twelve years. With the protection of the officials and gentry of Suzhou Prefecture, one can only imagine what his life in prison will be like.
If all the powerful local gentry were aligned with the old Emperor Wanli, ten Ge Xians would have been beaten to death on the spot!
"Now the local government doesn't dare to protect him?" Chen Yongxi asked in surprise.
"What are you protecting?" Yao Daqiao shook his head repeatedly, "At least the seven Yangtze River Passes such as Hukou Pass, Anqing Pass, Wuhu Pass, Longjiang Pass (Nanjing), Zhenjiang Pass, Jiangxi Pass, and Shanghai Pass will not be protected. Protected. Anyone who dares to cause trouble there will be beaten to death on the spot without negotiation!"
"why?"
"Because the tax revenue from these seven Jiangguan is linked to the number of scholars, candidates, and Jinshi in the seven counties!"
Yao Daqiao paused and then said, "And where the tax customs are smashed, compensation will be paid. If compensation is not paid, the talents and officials in the place will be suspended, and the officials will be dismissed one after another. ..... If no compensation is given for one month, one-third will be exempted; if no compensation is paid for three months, all will be removed from office and officials from neighboring counties will be appointed to take over! Tell me, what are the local gentry officials doing? The trouble is over Let outsiders come to make money?"
Of course, this was also a bad move "thought out" by the wicked Wei Zaode. Now many important prefectures and counties in the southeast have begun to implement the New Deal, and there are a large number of secret officials, who are all local snakes. As long as they work hard, there won't be any trouble in the local area.
ah! That’s okay! Chen Yongxi's eyes widened and his mouth opened so wide that he could have stuffed his fist into it.
Yao Daqiao hadn't finished his words yet. He sighed and added: "And these seven river passes are all equipped with sword guards. They are all from the Xiaoling Guard New Army. They want to kill people... you Do you know the origin of the new Xiaoling Guard Army?"
"What's the origin?"
"The eldest son! They are all the eldest sons who are in trouble everywhere... They were taken into the Xiaoling Guards' new army for training by the prince. They suffered a lot and became like wolves and tigers, and they all held back evil spirits. ! They can get a commission from the customs! Anyone who blocks their way to make money will be punished! They are all the eldest sons who are crazy about poverty. What do you mean to them? They all have a share of the Ming Dynasty. Take some of it. Shouldn't they be taxed? Who dares to beat them? What's the crime of beating the eldest son to death?"
This is the place Zhu Cixi arranged for his "brothers"! Go to the General Taxation Department directly under the Ministry of Household Affairs to act as "thugs" - their establishment is still in the Xiaoling Guard New Army, but they are sent out to serve, usually for three years somewhere, and then return to the Xiaoling Guard New Army, waiting for the next Once released.
During the period of exile, they could not only get money from the Xiaoling Guards New Army, but also get another generous salary from the tax customs offices in various places - the tax officials who served in the customs offices were the same as the censors who served in the Metropolitan Procuratorate. , under the left and right chiefs (the chief of the General Taxation Department), they all committed suicide once they entered the customs, and in the future they could only serve in the customs and military garrison. However, their income is very guaranteed. Although they do not have jobs, they can get commissions from the income from customs and military camps...
"What? What? Let the eldest son supervise taxes?" Chen Yongxi was completely shocked, "How can this be done? Don't the courtiers remonstrate with you?"
"What are you admonishing?" Yao Daqiao snorted, "Isn't this all the advice of Wei Zaode, the leader of Donglin?"
"Wei Zaode, the leader of Donglin?" Chen Yongxi was stunned again and again, "How come the chief minister of Wei is Donglin?"
"Elected by the Donglin Conference... Now the Donglin Party no longer asks for help from the people, but only collects money for the prince and harms the people!"
What? Donglin has become a eunuch...
Chen Yongxi said to himself: He is a noble gentleman, so he cannot become an eunuch!
The businessman named Yao Daqiao said with a smile: "Chen Jishan, you are a member of a big family... and you have brought a lot of things. The common people will not charge you more, just fifteen taels of silver." When you arrive in Nanjing and become an official of the Crown Prince, even if you are a seventh-rank official, you will earn five to six hundred taels a year, and fifteen taels of silver is nothing."
"A seventh-grade official has five or six hundred taels?" Chen Yongxi glanced at Yao Daqiao, "Do you think I am a corrupt official?"
Yao Daqiao smiled: "There is no question of bribery. Now the Imperial Court's Metropolitan Procuratorate is so powerful! Five or six hundred taels is the salary of the imperial court plus the rent of the job field."
"So many?"
Yao Daqiao smiled: "Isn't that right? Today's Ming Dynasty court imposes heavy taxes, and the salaries for officials have also increased a lot. This is called high salary to support integrity... You are a northern official. If you don't have any property in the south of the Yangtze River, This official is still very interesting!"
you do not say! Chen Yongxi was right! I am a Shanxi native and have no property in the south of the Yangtze River. Even the "10,000 taxes of the Ming Dynasty" cannot be taxed on me. On the contrary, a salary of several hundred taels a year...isn't that enough for a family to eat and drink?
This officer...has to do it! It would be best to be a tax collector! I also have a business in my family, and I know best how profiteers evade taxes and smuggling! We will definitely be able to collect more taxes then!
Chen Yongxi thought of this, nodded heavily and said: "Okay, fifteen taels, fifteen taels... when will we set off? I want to report the urgent military information from the north!"
Yao Daqiao smiled and said: "Today, I'm leaving today!"
