Zhu Jingyuan completely understood his grandfather's purpose.
The first thing is of course to help you deal with the policy of receiving income tax from immediate family members, which will definitely be boycotted by the collective.
But I really wanted to come and see myself.
It's even hard for him to say which of these two things is more important in his heart.
Zhu Jingyuan was a little embarrassed and said:
"Grandpa, you don't have to take the blame for me.
"As long as I have a good sense of proportion and set reasonable rules, the interests of most middle- and lower-class people will not be harmed.
“Even, relevant regulations can be used in reverse to protect the inheritance of their family property.
“This makes even most nobles and businessmen feel uncomfortable, but they can only accept it in the end...
"Coupled with my special status, this policy must have been formulated by the imperial court and then implemented throughout the world.
"Most ordinary people would not blame me for this matter."
After hearing this, Zhu Zhongliang immediately said angrily:
"Reduce your participation as much as possible..." "What do you mean, kid? Even if others don't hate you, they will hate you.
"Of course your father is your father, and he is also my son!"
Zhu Jingyuan had a strange expression. Although the old man's words were strange, they were indeed true.
Zhu Jingyuan wanted to continue explaining, but Zhu Zhongliang had already waved his hand to stop him.
Zhu Zhongliang took a breath and continued to explain his thoughts:
“Now with telegraphs and telephones, news flows so fast.
“Businessmen are the most well-informed group.
"You came to the richest place in Ming Dynasty, and you investigated the local loan and financial related status.
“Then the Ming Dynasty began to collect income tax from immediate family members.
“In addition, you have taken the lead in launching so many unreasonable reform pilots in the past.
"If you use your brain even a little bit, you will doubt that this is probably another new policy implemented by you, the big food king!
"Even if I come and take the initiative to preside over the promotion, there will definitely be conspiracy theorists in the future who will suspect that you are still the leader.
“That’s why I want to come here with as much fanfare as possible.
“Then I tried my best to show that I discovered the tax loopholes myself and then took the initiative to ask for them to be filled.
“When you and I have reached our status, we can’t care too much about feelings.
“Things should be considered as rationally as possible.
“Think about how to get the most out of the resources you have available.
"Your grandpa is already at this age. He doesn't know how many more years of good life he has left. He no longer cares about the so-called Youyoukou.
"You have made a huge contribution to the expansion of the land for grandpa. Grandpa should also take on as much responsibility as possible for you two while he is still able to move.
"Even if I insist on raising inheritance taxes, future generations of literati can only hold their noses and say that the merits outweigh the faults.
"Grandpa is at least at the level of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.
"It's kind of making the best use of it."
Zhu Jingyuan finally had nothing to say and could only nod his head with gratitude and emotion:
"My grandson understands. Thank you grandpa for taking care of me..."
Zhu Zhongliang breathed out:
"I will stay in the Forbidden City for the next two days. Let's work together to figure out how to handle things more reasonably..."
Emperor Zhu Zhongliang of the Ming Dynasty lived in the Forbidden City of Shuntian Prefecture.
On the morning of the next day, he accepted the worship of the main officials of various yamen in Jianghuai Province and the heads of the royal family and government agencies at the Wenhua Hall.
In public, Zhu Zhongliang has always acted very happy and has always been the image of a cheerful old man.
Although the southern tour was nominally to understand the development of industry and commerce in the south, no serious matters were mentioned at all during the pilgrimage.
When it comes to private occasions, of course the mood is also very good, but a lot more serious.
After the pilgrimage, Zhu Zhongliang continued to live in the Forbidden City and had no intention of continuing to "inspect".
The main thing is to discuss and plan with Zhu Jingyuan how to handle the matter of income tax for immediate family members.
But in the eyes of ordinary officials, the Supreme Emperor came to see his grandson just in the name of inspection.
Zhu Zhongliang stayed in the Forbidden City for eight days before starting his real inspection.
First, accompanied by Zhu Jingyuan, he went to inspect the main government offices in Jianghuai Province.
Visit the main government-owned manufacturers in Jianghuai Province, the main manufacturers under the royal consortium, and the main banks.
Zhu Zhongliang really wanted to go around and see the results of construction and development in recent years.
Zhu Zhongliang is more concerned about those new factories, new engines and research projects such as aircraft, tanks, and missiles.
The banks actually joined in intentionally and with a purpose.
Zhu Jingyuan originally thought that it would be enough if Zhu Zhongliang came. Even if he had to take the blame for himself, it would be fine.
Zhu Zhongliang also deliberately chatted with ordinary officials, and even directly chatted with the managers and clerks of the manufacturers.
When I visited the bank, I deliberately invited people doing business to chat.
This is also the tradition of the Ming Dynasty. Since the time of Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, the system for the emperor to meet with representatives of the people has been stipulated.
But later on it became more and more formal.
During the Renwu Dynasty, this system was refreshed again by Emperor Shizu.
After Emperor Shizu became the Supreme Emperor, he often visited various places and liked to gather local people to chat.
This system has been continued in a more standardized manner.
After inspecting the provincial-level yamen and institutions, the Supreme Emperor went to inspect the lower-level yamen and county-level yamen and institutions.
I first visited Yingtian Mansion, and then stayed in Suzhou Mansion.
This order was completely natural, and none of the accompanying people felt anything was wrong.
Yingtian is considered Nanjing, and Suzhou is the first capital in the world. This arrangement is normal.
However, the Supreme Emperor abandoned Zhu Jingyuan and went to Suzhou with his entourage on the grounds that his inspection was a private matter and that Zhu Jingyuan, the Jianghuai Chief Envoy, still had official duties and should continue to stay in Yingtian Mansion to handle the work.
After arriving in Suzhou, the Emperor seemed to be on a whim. After visiting the government-run and royal bank branches, he also inquired about the private banks in the first capital in the world.
The largest bank in Suzhou is, of course, the Gusu Bank that Zheng Xingyang investigated.
The receptionist and accompanying staff immediately came up with this suggested goal.
So the Emperor really went directly to Gusu Bank.
Suzhou Bank is a joint venture established by a large number of Suzhou private owners, and there is no big owner that can fully control it.
The big shopkeeper of the bank is also a specially hired professional shopkeeper named Qian Feng.
The visit of the Supreme Emperor can be said to be the biggest event in the bank's history.
The main shareholders of the bank followed the shopkeeper and paid a courtesy visit.
Then the shopkeeper Qian Feng introduced the bank's situation to the Emperor.
The Supreme Emperor listened to Qian Feng's brief introduction to the general situation.
Then he asked very casually about several aspects of specific business, including loan business of course.
The Emperor seemed very curious and asked for a more detailed report.
Then the Emperor discovered that there was a category called marriage, which accounted for a large proportion of the loan amount and profits.
The Supreme Emperor immediately asked curiously:
"It's strange. Isn't Suzhou the best city in the world? Why do all the children here have to take out loans when they get married?"
Qian Feng and the bosses who followed him suddenly felt intense panic.
The Supreme Emperor arrived in a hurry, and they did not have the opportunity to make special reports, so they could only take the normal internal reports.
On normal reports, of course there are normal business classifications.
They never expected that the Emperor would be interested in this type of marriage loan...
They all instinctively prayed to God and worshiped Buddha in their hearts, hoping that the Supreme Emperor would just ask casually and never delve into this issue.
They all know that this marriage-related loan is mainly used by private commercial banks to use marriage to avoid taxes.
Even if there are occasional wedding loans for ordinary people, it is unlikely to be a large amount.
It can only be regarded as a fraction of the total loan amount.
In other words, most businesses under this category are exploiting loopholes in the law to avoid taxes.
Strictly speaking, it is legal, but it is indeed tax avoidance.
At the same time, the emperor's authority is unlimited. If he is not afraid of being scolded by the people, he can be slapped with a big hat and killed.
Everyone looked at Qian Feng at the same time.
Qian Feng can become the treasurer of the largest private bank, and his psychological quality and ability are top-notch.
But at this time, I was in a bit of a dilemma.
A normal explanation would definitely reveal tax evasion.
But if it is not explained normally, a reasonable interpretation method will not be found for a while.
Qian Feng could only bite the bullet and answer:
"Your Majesty, our Ming Dynasty has been in its prime these years, and many businessmen have made a lot of money.
“These people make a lot of money easily and like to show off in everything.
"A major life event like getting married is the first to bear the brunt."
The Supreme Emperor shook his head after hearing this:
“It’s not good to have to take out a loan for a major life event like marriage. This is just trying to make someone look fat.
"How dare you give them loans? Can they repay the money?"
Qian Feng could only continue to explain forcefully along this line of thinking:
"Your Majesty, don't worry. We who open banks must check the status of the lender when lending money.
“Only those who are truly able to repay and have sufficient assets in their families will be granted full loans.
“It’s impossible for just anyone to get a large loan to spend extravagantly.
"We have recovered most of the loans with interest."
The Emperor seemed a little surprised:
"Really? How can a person who needs a loan to get married still repay the money honestly? This is really weird, let me see?"
The Supreme Emperor continued to read the details in the report, and at the same time continued to ask:
"Bring me the largest amount of marriage-related loan business you have ever done, as well as the documents and certificates of the recently completed marriage-related loan..."
Now Qian Feng and his bosses were even more panicked.
Once this largest document is produced, it will be difficult to conceal the truth.
Ten thousand gold notes, which is also half a million silver notes, can hardly be used up no matter how grand the wedding is.
If it is really used up, the lavish display will be extraordinary.
The key point is that after the money went out, it was indeed not used on the wedding.
If the Emperor continues to be curious and continues to have people investigate this matter, then his usual tax avoidance methods will be exposed.
In fact, it has been exposed. The Supreme Emperor came here personally to "discover" it, just to make the matter bigger.
Qian Feng and his bosses didn't know what to do for a while.
The Supreme Emperor waited for a few seconds. Seeing that these people had no reaction, he couldn't help but urge:
"What's wrong? Can't you still let me see it?"
If it were an ordinary person, or even an ordinary official, even Prince Zhu Jingyuan, Qian Feng would dare to resist a little, using excuses such as client confidentiality or business secrets.
But the Supreme Emperor is also an emperor. For an emperor who is nominally higher than the emperor, deliberately concealing something is deceiving the emperor in a real sense.
Several owners began to sweat in their vests.
Under tremendous pressure, Qian Feng finally chose to confess.
Because Qian Feng was an external professional shopkeeper, he could not take the risk of deceiving him in order to keep the secret of Gusu Bank.
Qian Feng, heartbroken, immediately confessed to the Supreme Emperor, and then went to get the receipt himself.
Soon after, Qian Feng sent several stacks of bills to the Supreme Emperor Zhu Zhongliang.
At the same time, Qian Feng, who had completely given up, also took the initiative to introduce:
"Your Majesty, the document at the top is the largest dowry loan that has been processed recently.
"The lender is Wang Baoqing, and the loan amount is 10,000 gold notes..."
Zhu Zhongliang looked at the documents, listened to the explanation, and asked in a deliberately exaggerated way:
"Ten thousand gold notes! That's half a million silver notes!
“The dowry gift given to the Prince of Ming Dynasty for marrying his wife was only one hundred gold coins!
"The annuity of the Prince of Ming Dynasty is only two thousand gold coins!
“My initial investment in Daming Airlines was only 10,000 gold coins!
"Now this Wang Baoqing spent 10,000 gold coins on his son's wedding!
"Come here, find Wang Baoqing. I want to ask him how he spent these ten thousand gold notes!
“His in-laws also came for me.
"I want to see how they spend all ten thousand gold coins without overstepping their bounds!"
Several owners of Gusu Bank were completely unable to withstand the situation.
Now they really would rather Wang Baoqing really overstepped his bounds and really spent all the 10,000 gold notes.
The key question is no.
These nouveau riche are indeed very luxurious in their personal lives.
But it’s absolutely impossible to spend all your worth and loan out a large amount of cash for your son’s wedding...
The Supreme Emperor has his destiny, and now this matter cannot be stopped.
Immediately, escort officers went to Wang Baoqing and Liu Yudong to find someone.
Of course, the name is not to arrest prisoners, but to recruit two ordinary people for questioning.
But in fact this is already being implemented.
Wang Baoqing has just completed his cooperation with Liu Yudong, and the two parties have completed a de facto equity transaction.
Now Wang Baoqing still stays in Suzhou and continues to personally focus on the important details of subsequent cooperation.
He was soon found by the Imperial Guards accompanying him and brought to Gusu Bank.
If it was half a month ago, if the two of them knew that they were going to be summoned by the Supreme Emperor, they would definitely be overjoyed.
But now the situation is completely different.
Especially knowing that the Supreme Emperor is currently at Gusu Bank.
While the Supreme Emperor Zhu Zhongliang was waiting, he continued to look through the information in his hands, which was shocking.
Because Zhu Zhongliang already knew that all the money was used to avoid taxes.
After seeing Wang Baoqing and Liu Yudong, Zhu Zhongliang accepted their worship and asked his accompanying secretary to question them.
I asked Wang Baoqing how he spent his loan and what he did after receiving the money.
These things are actually open to the public, and you can find out by just asking ordinary people.
Wang Baoqing and Liu Yudong knew that they could not hide anything, so they did not dare to take the risk of deceiving the emperor, and intermittently said everything they could say.
Both of them also understood that telling the truth might not lead to death, because what they did was nominally legal.
But if you don't tell or lie, you may really die.
After Emperor Zhu Zhongliang figured out what was going on, he immediately stood up angrily:
"You audacious bunch of worms! You are digging at the foundation of my Ming Dynasty!
"It should be said that it is indeed the richest place among the people in the Ming Dynasty. You businessmen have such flexible minds!
"My children's marriage matters can be used as a means to evade taxes, and it has become a complete money transaction!
“The imperial court cares about the close relationship between parents and children and exempts parents from paying income taxes on the assets they give to their children and the assets that children give to their parents. However, it turns out that it has become a means for you bunch of morons to evade taxes!
"Since you are so shameless, don't blame the court for using severe punishments!
"Pass my decree and immediately seal up the Gusu Bank. All shareholders of the bank, as well as all employees from the shopkeeper to the clerks, will be sent to Suzhou Prison for investigation.
"Send a telegram to the emperor and ask him to immediately issue an order prohibiting all betrothal gifts, dowries, and marriage-related loan businesses from now on.
“All banks operating related businesses have been suspended for rectification.
"Arrange the Royal Bank of Ming Dynasty, the Ministry of Taxation, the Ministry of Punishment, Dongchang, and Jinyiwei to come forward and organize a tax evasion investigation team to investigate irregularities in large private loans and capital flows in recent years.
“All banks that have been closed for rectification are required to cooperate in recovering the taxes that have been evaded in recent years.
"Immediately start formulating new laws to modify the scope of income tax collection, and any family relationship will no longer be a condition for exemption."
(End of chapter)
