"Taichu, in your opinion, are there any omissions in the regulations presented by Prime Minister Li, and is there anything else that needs to be added?" In the Chongde Hall of the East Palace, Prince Liu Yang read the first version of the new tax negotiated by Li Fang and pondered. After a long time, he raised his eyes to greet Li Hang, a member of Zhongshushe who was at His Highness. rotten
Although Emperor Liu asked Liu Yang not to get involved in this matter, he was not completely indifferent. At least he was always paying attention to the progress of the reform, and the East Palace was also notified of many meeting decisions and results of discussions in the political hall.
At this time, facing Liu Yang's question, Li Hang's solemn face showed a look of serious thinking, and then reported: "In my humble opinion, the various provisions and details of the cultivated land tax in the article have already been It is relatively complete, but it is too focused on it, leading to the neglect of other tax issues.
The composition of the Han Dynasty's tax revenue was not limited to land output. Commercial taxes and customs duties were still rising year by year. They accounted for an increasing share of the imperial tax revenue, which cannot be ignored.
In the tax law proposed by Prime Minister Li, the provisions on the wealth and poverty of the land, the amount of land, and the tax payment on the grain produced by the land are detailed enough, but it is also too detailed. If it is too complicated, it will be inconvenient for officials to implement it, and it will be inconvenient for people to pay.
Therefore, I believe that the more detailed the tax plan, the better. For tax-paying farmers all over the world, the simpler the tax rules are, the better. It needs to be easier for ordinary farmers to understand. In addition to land, one tax per crop is really unnecessary. It may even give some unscrupulous local officials clever names to manipulate them. Opportunity.
In addition to irrigated land and dry land, the land of the Han Dynasty also has mountains, hills, and plateau grasslands. In addition to growing grains and vegetables, there are also silk, linen, cotton, and tea. How can we distinguish taxes one by one?
For the majority of farmers, using land as the basis for tax payment is the simplest, easiest to understand, and convenient for implementation. Any expansion on this basis will only add unnecessary trouble. rotten
For non-grain crops, if the court wants to strengthen its control, it can impose taxes on subsequent transactions, sales and other circulation processes. This can be reflected through the court's commercial tax.
In addition, the article does not clarify the tax on other people who make a living, such as herdsmen and fishermen other than farmers. Whether it is a fixed payment for livestock and fishery, or a conversion of currency, and the amount of tax... I think these are worthy of discussion. To ensure the perfection of the imperial tax system and the normal collection of taxes.
In addition, Dahan has a wide range of tax sources. Although there are provisions in the new system to consolidate local taxes, it does not mean that other taxes are unimportant. On the contrary, they should be paid more attention to in the process of local tax reform. Under the new tax system, commercial taxes, customs duties, and government-exclusive taxes on tea, wine, cotton, and minerals should not remain unchanged. Taxation is not completely independent. The impact of local tax reform on other taxes should be fully considered..."
Li Hang talked eloquently, and after a long speech, Liu Yang was even stunned for a while, and then he came to his senses, his eyes fell on Li Hang with admiration, and asked: "Does Xianggong Li know these opinions of yours?"
As one of the members of Zhongshushe, Li Hang's status is not high, but his position is very critical. He is a core member of numerous decision-making bodies. Although he does not have the power to make decisions, he does have the opportunity to work as a counselor. He was present at the series of discussions held in the political hall on this tax reform and was responsible for recording and filling in the gaps.
After listening to Liu Yang's question, Li Hang thought for a while and responded cautiously: "When I return to Your Highness, I have nothing to say for the sake of the country. I have naturally put forward these simple opinions to Li Xianggong, but they are just my junior position resume." , their understanding of local affairs is mostly superficial. Recently, there have been many disputes in the imperial court, and there are many things. Even though Li Xianggong worked hard, it is inevitable that some things were not taken into consideration. Furthermore, the drafted articles are only the result of the preliminary discussion, not the final result. Finalized..."
Li Hang looked very open-minded, but Liu Yang felt a lot of emotion in his heart. Regardless of whether what Li Hang said was realistic or not, at least it sounded reasonable and had certain reference value. Regardless of Li Fang's considerations, But it was a fact that he didn't think well. Even he felt that Li Fang had neglected many things, not to mention Emperor Liu? No wonder Emperor Liu expressed his dissatisfaction so clearly. rotten
However, after all, he was a teacher he respected, and Liu Yang did not comment much in front of Li Hang. After thinking about it for a while, his attention was once again focused on Li Hang. This person's virtuous demeanor was really endearing. He sighed softly and said, "You have been serving in the central government these years. Do you have any thoughts about delegating the power to the central government?" ?”
Li Hang was slightly surprised when he heard this. If he said he didn't want to, it was obviously impossible. Although Li Hang is now a rising star in Han politics, his foundation has never been solid. The main reason is that he does not have enough experience in local politics. Although he has some political accumulation and even served as a proctor for two imperial examinations, he is still relatively weak after all. Practicality, but if you want to be promoted and progressed in the Han Dynasty, what is more important is pragmatic political achievements, which requires real experience in governing local areas.
Compared with his peers Zhang Qixian and Lu Mengzheng, Li Hang was a bit inferior. After all, both of them were Taoist-level officials. One was in charge of Yulin and the other was the governor of Luoyang.
Judging from Li Hang's current situation, if he wants to go further, moving to another place is a necessary step, otherwise the upper limit will be reached soon. If he continues to stay in the center, he will be closer to the center of power and look more glorious, but Compared to higher political pursuits, staying in the center is a waste of time.
Therefore, in the face of Liu Yang's questions, although Li Hang wanted to be moved, he remained reserved and restrained on his face, looking modest and frank, saying: "To serve the country, you should only fulfill your duties, no matter what your position is! "
Faced with Li Hang's attitude of "I am a brick of the revolution", Liu Yang smiled, paused for a moment, and said directly: "If there is a vacancy for the governor of Zhengzhou, you can take up the post. Tax reform cannot be implemented in three or two months. This It is a long-term process, and problems need to be explored, discovered and solved one by one during the execution process.
His Majesty agreed to postpone preparations, give a certain buffer time, and also allowed the pilot project to start from Gyeonggi and Henan Provinces. This is due to prudent considerations. rotten
I think the idea you proposed is very reasonable and insightful, but it should be considered based on reality. Zhengzhou is a large state in Henan, with a lot of land and developed agriculture. After you take office, you can actively explore according to local conditions.
In the early stages of tax reform, there were many controversies, and some comprehensive and reliable practices were needed to serve as a reference for the court..."
After hearing Liu Yang's explanation, Li Hang suddenly became serious and responded respectfully, but there was always a trace of hesitation on his face. Liu Yang noticed it and waved his hand gently: "I will discuss the appointment with Prime Minister Lu. Just be prepared for your appointment, and don't worry about anything else!"
"yes!"
Li Hang left with high expectations, while Liu Yang continued to read the new tax proposal again, his expression gradually becoming serious. Thinking of the current situation between North Korea and China, and thinking of the teacher Li Fang, I couldn't help but murmur to myself: "Misfortune depends on blessings, so it's good..."
Emperor Liu did not allow Liu Yang to participate in the tax reform. Liu Yang could understand his intentions and the troubles involved, but as a major matter involving the national economy and people's livelihood, how could Liu Yang completely stay out of the matter, even if it was his responsibility as the prince of the dynasty. It's time to do your part.
Li Hang's appearance happened to trigger some of his ideas and make an attempt. rotten
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty has given orders for you and His Majesty the King of Jin to go out of the city to meet Marquis Xunyang!" After thinking about it, Wang Yue, the chamberlain, rushed forward to report.
Hearing this, Liu Yang couldn't help but look serious, but he quickly regained his composure and said with some emotion: "Mr. Zhao is finally back..."
"Let's go!"
