When he heard the huge standard of "the annual income must reach 25 million taels", Wu Di was shocked.
You must know that Taicang only received 15 million taels last year, and this is based on the premise of collecting three wages.
Now the prince has been completely exempted from three salaries, and on top of that, he will receive an additional ten million taels compared to last year.
Even if it's not very ambitious, it's still a bit unrealistic. How easy is it to reach this target?
The "three rates" accounted for two-thirds of the annual income. After excluding the "three rates", the annual income was only five million taels.
If he complies with the prince's request, he will have to collect an additional 20 million taels of mercury on this basis. Just thinking about it makes Wu Di helpless.
The prince wanted to levy commercial tax, sea tax, and mining tax, and use the "three taxes" to replace the "three rates".
Although this idea is good, the actual situation is definitely not optimistic, and businessmen everywhere are not easy to serve.
Even the standard of thirty-one tax set by Emperor Taizu himself was not met, so asking them to pay more taxes was nothing more than a daydream.
The prince was still young, and he didn't know that local officials had already colluded with businessmen, and the tax increase policy would become a mirage before it was implemented. It is said that he has his own method, but I don't know what kind of superb skills he can have.
Making money for the imperial court would be difficult for anyone, and Yaoji would not embarrass his left-hand man. What's more, the "left-hand man" is a cripple and has no hope at all. He continued: "The Jifu area can solve the problem of a thousand Ten thousand taels, and the remaining fifteen million taels will be shared among various places. According to Dongchang’s report, the confiscated proceeds in the past few days have exceeded three million taels, and the remaining six million taels will soon be collected. The portion shared by various places, I will help you from this, so don’t worry too much, dear."
When we are about to reach the end of our rope, we have to say that ransacking homes is a good way to quickly increase our income.
However, there are no more officials in other places than in the highly concentrated capital city. If you continue to use this strategy, you will get twice the result with half the effort and have little effect.
Wu Di could not think of any other way to realize the prince's request. There were only more than nine months left before the end of the year. The time limit was short, the task was heavy, and the obstacles were huge. It seemed difficult to achieve.
Yao Ji thought to himself: Xungui is the first wave, hundreds of officials are the second wave, and some people are the third wave. After these three waves, the total amount of gold and silver copied from the capital should be almost 10 million taels. If If it is really not enough, you can also borrow part of it from Zijin Bonds.
After ransacking my grandfather's house, I also ransacked my father-in-law's house. I can be said to be a model of righteousness in killing relatives, and it is worth learning from future generations!
For the 15 million taels from other places, the donation target has already been determined, and they can be used to fight in the wild after the Jifu area is cleared.
Yaoji adheres to the principle of never giving up without surprising, and then said: "This year's set annual income is not difficult to achieve. What will be difficult is next year. I estimate that next year's annual income will reach 3,000 to 35,000,000 taels. My Ming Dynasty's Taicang’s annual income will reach a new level. In order to achieve this ambitious goal, the two lovers must work together to help me!"
If the annual income reaches 30 million taels, the various crises currently faced by the court, whether from internal or external pressures, will be greatly alleviated. It can be said that the annual income of the court is directly related to the survival of the country.
Based on the calculation that it takes seventy taels of silver per year to train a qualified soldier, an additional five million taels of silver can train an additional 70,000 elite soldiers. With the Qing army frequently entering the fortress to plunder, this unit may be able to play an extremely important role. key role.
Even if three or four infantrymen are converted into two cavalry, about 20,000 cavalry can be formed. The steel front may not work, but it is absolutely suitable to go around and outflank the cavalry.
If both arms are combined, there can be 10,000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry. If the combat effectiveness can be formed, it is equivalent to two brave guard battalions. With Huang Degong's troops, Huang Taiji's subordinates can still survive. Two banners and troops.
Well, the ideal is full and the reality is very solid. Before the five million taels of silver fell into his pocket, Yaoji began to think about how to spend the money. He didn’t know what Li Daiwen, the Minister of Revenue, would think...
What are the strategic advantages of the Great Rebellion?
There are so many people!
What is the decisive weapon for the Great Rebellion?
top up!
How to recharge for Da Zhan Chao?
While ransacking homes, mining, and collecting taxes.
All three hands must not stop. If you want to take a breath, you must create value for the big fight!
More than 40,000 people can be recruited in a year. If the empire persists for five years without collapse, it will be able to recruit 200,000 elite troops. Taking into account constant consumption, there will be only 50,000 to 100,000 soldiers left.
If you can't beat the pigtails to death, I will continue to hunt down people until I can beat the chicken across from you to death!
There is destined to be only one victorious chicken in this world. For this life-and-death goal, I must insist on constantly winning!
It doesn't matter if the combat effectiveness of individual soldiers is low, it can be made up for by numerical superiority and high-tech weapons.
As the originator and promoter of shameless tactics, my enemies will soon experience the power of such tactics.
Ah~hahahaha...
After hearing the new goal set by the prince, Wu Zong was shocked to the point of petrification again. He didn't know how to answer the question.
Before the two fifteen million taels were settled this year, the prince began to plan for next year's annual income.
That’s thirty million taels!
Not thirty million cabbages!
If this content were brought up in a court meeting, the ministers would be so surprised that they would boil over.
Even if it can be done reluctantly, I'm afraid it will still take three feet, and everyone who deserves to be offended will be offended.
If he fails to meet the quota, it will be tantamount to directly offending the prince, and he will not be able to be reused in the future. He may be dismissed from the official position or be executed in the serious case.
What Wu Di didn't expect was that the prince hadn't finished speaking: "Starting from the year after next, the annual income of the imperial court must be stable at more than 30 million taels. Only if it is maintained above this level can it meet all expenditures."
Xue Guoguan listened calmly and humbly on the surface, but smiled secretly in his heart: How is it? Do you think it is easier to be a minister of the Crown Prince than a minister of His Majesty? Do you know this time? Not everyone can be the assistant this time, let alone be able to do it and still sit firmly!
Thirty million taels!
Oh my God!
The annual income will be doubled compared to this year!
Either the prince said it wrong, or I heard it wrong!
Xue Guoguan didn't believe his ears at first. It wasn't until the prince told the amount twice that he dared to confirm it.
If I had known it was such a heavy burden, I might as well have found a reason to run away, alas~!
After recovering from his guilty conscience, Wu Di felt that the word "so lofty and ambitious" was no longer enough to describe the prince.
Perhaps it would be more appropriate to use words such as nonsense or nonsense. Anyway, it has completely deviated from the actual situation!
Thirty million taels. As the new assistant, I recited this amount in my mind and felt extremely depressed!
Even though Wu Zong had gone through ups and downs many times, he was still a little unprepared when he was mentioned by the prince.
The emperor tried his best to collect the "three rates". At the beginning of the prince's supervision of the country, he waived the three rates and imposed the "three taxes".
The father and son are completely at two extremes. One has a grudge against the farmer, and the other has a grudge against the businessman!
His position as second assistant is really a tricky one. Without the crown prince's full support, he would have to be kicked out within a year.
Thinking of this, Wu Yi felt that it was his responsibility and needed to remind the prince that he must not be careless: "Your Highness, my hometown is in Yangzhou, and I think I know a thing or two about the temperament of merchants. Let's not talk about other places for the time being. Yangzhou merchants are good at doing business. He likes to find various loopholes in the "Ming Dynasty Code" and exploit them, and has long-standing contacts with local officials. He always ignores the imperial decrees and responds. He cannot shirk his responsibility, and it is really difficult to increase taxes and fees."
Wu Zong was also afraid that the additional conquest would really fall on him. Then he would be helpless with the local government and unable to explain to the prince, and would be in a dilemma. The situation would not be good.
It is not easy to be a subordination, and it is even more difficult to collect taxes. The former only has to deal with a group of ministers, while the latter has to deal with businessmen and local officials all over the world. The degree of difficulty is definitely not comparable.
Yaoji understood this guy's excuse and calmed him down without caring: "Don't worry, Aiqing. As the second assistant, I will not let Aiqing personally collect taxes. Whatever the previous deputy assistant did, Aiqing will do. Aiqing will do it." The minister only needs to resolutely implement the decrees of the palace, and the specific tax collection will be done by one's own candidates. I have only two requirements for the post of second assistant. First, I must not raise any questions about the decrees of the palace. Second, I must resolutely and thoroughly implement the decree. Execute the decree of this palace. It’s that simple, I guess my dear, you should be able to do it, right?”
If Jisuke is asked to go to the local area to collect taxes in person, how many fried locusts must be put into his brain?
There are three steps to tax collection: from the palace to the cabinet, from the cabinet to the six ministries, and from the six ministries to the localities.
The tax collectors in each place have their own experts. Just sit in the capital and count the money for me, but be sure not to lose it!
"I will bear this in mind, and no one dares to disobey. Your Highness, please rest assured!"
After hearing the prince's special explanation, the stone hanging in Wu Zong's heart finally fell to the ground. This matter finally had no direct relationship with him.
Since the prince seems to have a lot of ambition, just do what the prince wants. I don't know what method the prince can use to deal with those treacherous and cunning businessmen.
Emperor Shenzong had to be remonstrated by his ministers when he levied mining taxes. Emperor Xizong reused Wei Zhongxian but was besieged by Donglin. The situation did not change to any extent during the reign of Emperor Chongzhen.
Tax evasion by merchants was regarded as a matter of course, while normal tax collection by the court was regarded as unacceptable.
This is true across the country, and businessmen from almost all walks of life are joining forces to fight against the imperial court.
Even if Zhang Juzheng is replaced as the first assistant, it will be difficult to reverse this unfavorable situation.
Yaoji thought a lot about this, and then revealed something to him from the bottom of his heart: "That's good. The addition of three taxes is the general trend. No matter how difficult it is or how many obstacles there are, it must be implemented resolutely. Nowadays, doing business is profitable, and farming There is not enough food to eat, the number of businessmen is increasing day by day, and the number of farmers is becoming increasingly rare. In addition, due to the impact of war and plague, if things continue like this for a long time, how many people do you think will be farming in the Ming Dynasty in ten years? Is there any way to support the imperial court? A huge expenditure of tens of millions of taels? If the miners don’t have food, there will be chaos, and if the soldiers don’t have food, they will rebel! By then there will be no need for the Donglu to attack, and our Ming Dynasty will be destroyed without any attack!"
By the late Ming Dynasty, the proportion of agriculture in the empire's economy had dropped significantly, while fiscal revenue still mainly relied on agriculture.
The industries and businesses that make the most profits and have the highest profits pay very little taxes, and many businessmen even pay no taxes at all and for a long time.
Most of the tax burden falls on the agricultural population. Poor farmers are exploited at all levels, and their annual income is often unable to cover the taxes and fees.
Under the constant temptation of commercial activities, the agricultural population was severely lost, the cultivated land was abandoned, the land tax was lost, and the empire's economy became increasingly deformed.
The remaining farmers will bear greater taxes than before, and will then have an even stronger desire to leave agricultural production. The resulting vicious cycle will be long-lasting and far-reaching.
Both the British Empire and Spain could achieve the hollowing out of their territories, which was based on having vast overseas colonies.
The Ming Dynasty did not even have an acre of overseas territory, so it could only find a solution locally, otherwise it would be overthrown...
There are only two solutions to this. The first is to reduce the burden on agriculture and increase taxes on businessmen to relieve the pressure on the agricultural population. Second, if you don’t pay enough taxes and fees, you will be slaughtered, which is exactly what Big Braid did!
Yaoji cannot adopt the second method, so he can only implement the first. Even if the businessmen form an armed gang, they must be attacked with an iron fist and turn them into captive ospreys: "Jiangnan, Huguang and Guangdong and Guangxi are rich in grain. Two crops a year is not a problem, water and sea transportation are very convenient, and even if there is a severe drought in the north, most people can be supported. The problem is that food prices have soared, and farmers still have meager income. Business is prosperous, but businessmen are unwilling to pay taxes. If they try to resist even thirty taxes, they are destroying the foundation of our Ming Dynasty, which is tantamount to retrenchment! Moreover, it is those greedy and stingy profiteers who are driving up the price of food and profiting from it! In the more than two hundred years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, I have worked hard and defeated powerful enemies many times, but this time I will definitely not be destroyed at the hands of profiteers!"
Wu Di was convinced of this. The prince was not very young, but he spoke the truth clearly and had a deep and comprehensive understanding of the current situation. However, Wu Di still had great doubts about how to collect taxes.
Businessmen from all over the country are intertwined, local officials are doing nothing, and the imperial court's control over various places has been suddenly reduced a lot. It is a bit illusory to want to impose three taxes just based on a decree.
As for how to deal with those profiteers, Yaoji has his own ingenious plan: "I know your questions well. You only need to look at how I tax merchants in the Jifu area. If you look at one place, you will know the overall situation."
With this said, Xue Guoguan knew that the prince was going to take action against the businessman, and the intensity would not be much lower than that against himself and the nobles.
Unless the merchants dared to openly launch a rebellion, they would have no power to fight back against the prince's thunderous blow.
How can we get the more than 6 million taels of silver left in the Jifu area?
I guess that’s how it came about, simple and efficient!
How many businessmen today have never evaded taxes?
Once Dongchang and Jinyiwei are dispatched, these businessmen will not only admit that they have evaded taxes, even those of Grandpa's generation will have to be prosecuted!
Paying taxes can save your family's head. Many businessmen will immediately choose to submit if a steel knife is held to their necks, otherwise they will not be able to save their brains and money.
If we tax like this, it might be possible to earn 25 million taels per year...
