The next day!
In Xianyang Palace.
All civil and military officials gathered together, and Xiao He followed Ying Ziye, wearing an official robe, to the main hall.
On the high platform.
The First Emperor Yingzheng stands majestically.
Under the high platform.
The civil and military ministers looked solemn and bowed their heads in obeisance: "We pay our respects to His Majesty the First Emperor, and may you be the king of the Qin Dynasty for eternity!"
"Flat body!"
The First Emperor responded lightly.
The face is hidden under the crowning pearl, making it impossible to see clearly and understand the expression.
"His Majesty!"
Xiao He stood up at this time, bowed his head and presented a book.
"This is the law that I once implemented with the Eighth Young Master in Peixian County. Now it has been summarized and revised to make it as perfect as possible. Now it is presented to His Majesty the First Emperor!"
"oh?!"
First Emperor Ying Zheng thought that it was Ying Ziye who did it, and became very interested. He raised his hand and said, "Send it up!"
A eunuch on the side stepped forward to take the scroll from Xiao He's hand and presented it.
The First Emperor, Ying Zheng, looked at the contents of the scroll with glaring eyes, the laws and regulations were reformed and changed, and his expression remained calm.
"Tell me about the current situation in Peixian County after the reform."
A faint majestic voice sounded.
"promise!"
Xiao He looked solemn and responded: "Reporting to your majesty, in Pei County, as long as men and women are of suitable age for marriage, they are all talking about matchmaking."
"Men and women who are married, regardless of gender, will no longer drown and kill female infants!"
In the Central Plains, or the entire world, the phenomenon of female infanticide has been very serious since ancient times.
During the Warring States Period, infant drowning became a common practice.
"Han Feizi" records: "Parents treat their children as if they congratulate each other for the birth of a boy, and kill them for the birth of a girl!"
As a result, there are more girls than boys, and many men are unable to marry.
Of course, it was also caused by the situation of high-ranking officials, powerful gentry, and the situation where the gentry and landlords not only had three wives and four concubines, more than ten or twenty wives and concubines, but also had a large number of maids and maids.
If wars are raging and wars break out frequently, and more men are killed or injured, then there are too many boys and girls.
"Um!"
The First Emperor Ying Zheng looked at the scroll and nodded slightly.
"The imperial government encourages widows to remarry. This is the custom among the people, but it doesn't matter."
“As for the population, we still can’t see it now.”
Xiao He looked thoughtful and began to speak carefully.
"Although Pei County has reduced many taxes on ordinary farmers, it has even reduced corvee labor."
"But relying on the increased vehicle and horse tax, commercial tax, etc., the fiscal revenue has completely exceeded the agricultural tax!"
When the ministers heard this, they frowned at first and then relaxed.
Li Si's eyes brightened, and he agreed in his heart.
"Part of these commercial taxes can be used to hire common workers to work for the empire and supplement the reduced corvee service."
"Unlock some of the shackles on merchants, improve their status and at the same time impose restrictions. For example, the Taxation Department has an independent army, which can more effectively collect taxes from merchants. If anyone dares to disobey, the army will be dispatched directly!"
But when they heard that the status of merchants was being improved, the civil and military officials couldn't help but frown again.
Since ancient times, the Central Plains has been based on agriculture, focusing on agriculture and suppressing commerce.
Scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, business comes second!
Businessmen messed up the government, like Lu Buwei.
Merchants have become unruly, and scholars all over the world believe that they get something for nothing and seek profits by buying and selling here and there.
"At the same time, no commercial tax will be charged for those people who sell home-grown grains, vegetables, fruits, and other types of goods to reduce the burden on the people."
"Hong Fan's Eight Policies, one is food, the other is goods!"
"It can be seen that merchants are also beneficial to the country. We cannot only look at the negative effects. Trade can increase the flow of goods and goods between counties in the empire, improve the economy and increase the empire's fiscal revenue!"
Xiao He explained one by one, and at the same time, he also noticed the reactions of the officials in the palace, and he had already expected it.
He looked solemn and said: "The sage Guan Zeng once said, 'Those who are scholars, farmers, industry and merchants are the stone people of the country!' Businessmen are not useless, we just need to put shackles on them to restrain them!"
"As for reclaiming wasteland, Pei County is also doing it now. The government leads the people, and whoever reclaims it will get it. A lot of wilderness fields have been opened up."
"As for the pasture, some of it has been allocated now. Some people have become rangers because they have more children at home."
"Now that I heard that in the north of the Great Wall, the grasslands were allotted with pastures and even wives and concubines, but they only needed to work for the empire, I was extremely excited and went to the north through the government!"
The Great Qin Empire now invaded the Yinshan Mountains and grasslands in the north, and took the land of Baiyue in the south, calling it Guilin and Xiangjun.
The barbarians did not dare to go south to herd horses, and the soldiers did not dare to bend their bows and complain!
This shows the powerful national power of the Qin Dynasty.
Of course, there are also some who are dissatisfied and provoke the Qin Empire.
A city was built in Yinshan, but it only had an army and a small number of people. The population was sparse and it was impossible to form an effective rule.
Because the water, soil and climate are different from those of the Central Plains, farming is very damaging to the water and soil, and is extremely inappropriate. No one wants to go there.
But now it is possible to immigrate, implement the policy of herding, and then transport materials from the Central Plains for exchange. In this way, there is no shortage of living resources, and the population can be developed.
The allocated pasture was conquered by the Qin Empire, and his wives and concubines were also barbarian women captured by the Qin Empire.
Just by working for the empire, you can get pastures, get money, and buy barbarian women back and forth, which can be described as exotic.
This instantly ignited the enthusiasm of the rangers, and countless people were excited about it.
The First Emperor Ying Zheng was also moved when he heard this.
This plan is very clever, it is a good idea to consolidate the border, increase the population of the empire, and increase the fiscal revenue.
All the ministers in the court frowned and looked happy.
These policies are both good and bad!
It has both advantages and disadvantages for them.
For example, for those whose families have too many acres of land, taxes may be levied again, or even limited to a certain amount, and the excess will be flushed into the national treasury, and business taxes may be levied again, etc.
They all have at least a thousand acres of fertile land, and there are many who have ten thousand acres of farmland. They also have properties and many shops at home.
The large business tax is simply scratching their bones!
The First Emperor Ying Zheng looked indifferent and said in a deep voice: "This is a big matter, we will discuss it later."
Did not comment on this.
"promise!"
Xiao He was not discouraged. He knew that it was not that His Majesty the First Emperor did not approve of the matter, but that it involved too much.
The civil and military ministers each expressed their opinions, reported their respective affairs, etc.
In the main hall, a discussion started.
After leaving the court.
Ying Ziye was about to leave with Xiao He, but he received the order.
"Eighth Young Master, Your Majesty has summoned you."
The eunuch who sent the order said respectfully.
Ying Ziye nodded slightly and followed immediately.
In Zhangtai Palace.
The First Emperor Ying Zheng was sitting on the seat. When he saw Ying Ziye arriving, he asked calmly: "Ziye, do you know why I didn't express my position on the law proposed by Xiao He?"
When Ying Ziye heard the question, he knew he was being tested. After thinking for a moment, he looked serious and said, "Restricting the number of fields, re-collecting too many acres of land, taxing people, and commercial taxes have harmed high-ranking families, high-ranking officials and dignitaries." Interests."
"Maybe they are not in business, but their family branches and so on are."
"If these two policies cannot be implemented, then the empire will not be able to collect enough taxes, and naturally it will not be able to provide the necessary benefits to encourage people to have children!"
He exhaled, his eyes flickered, and then he continued in a deep voice.
"So it was too involved, and now that the Empire was at war with South Vietnam, it could only be delayed."
The First Emperor Ying Zheng nodded slightly and said calmly: "Yes, what Xiao He proposed is indeed good, but it is not suitable for now."
"You should know this better than me. If you want to capture South Vietnam, you must rely on their strength. This will also weaken their strength in disguise!"
The Qin Empire favored martial arts, and basically all high-ranking officials, powerful families, gentry and good family members would join the army and fight.
Now that Great Qin is using them, not to mention whether cutting off their interests will cause public outrage, what the court is doing is unethical.
Some things need to shift slowly.
Let the dignitaries understand that farming is not as profitable as doing business.
The benefits gained from doing business are so huge that part of them must be handed over to the state.
In fact, both dignitaries and wealthy families pay more attention to land than business. Business is just a side branch or subordinate industry under their command.
The two discussed a lot, and after half an hour, Ying Ziye said goodbye and left.
