Jurong County is much more lively than in previous years.
Stimulated by the county government's "money distribution", some frugal people were finally willing to spend some money, which in turn boosted business.
Gu Zhengchen wore a Confucian robe and walked in the county with only the county magistrate Luo Shao and the Dianshi Yang Liang.
Looking at the merchants hawking and the flow of people, Luo Shao couldn't help but sigh: "I can't believe that Jurong can be so lively."
Yang Liang agreed, with a smile on his face: "No, in previous winters, this street was very deserted, and the few people passing by were all walking in a hurry and didn't stop easily."
Gu Zhengchen nodded in approval.
Jurong is only a small county. There are only 60,000 people in the entire county, and most of them are scattered in the countryside outside the city. There are about 3,000 households in the county, which cannot support the bustle and prosperity. Desertedness is the norm.
But now, because Jurong’s weaving compound, tailoring compound, craftsman compound, etc. have gathered a large number of people, the Jurong “market” has suddenly grown.
Women do not leave the compound easily for safety reasons, but the men who work as craftsmen and the newly registered Tatars in Jurong are all consuming power, especially the county government itself needs to support the operation of the three courtyards. Purchase large quantities of goods such as salt, cotton, grain, and occasionally herbs.
Liveliness is contagious. People who did not like to go out or enter the city before started to come out and walk among the crowds after Jurong County became lively.
Gu Zhengchen walked to a stall selling small jewelry, picked out a plum blossom hairpin, and asked about the merchant's revenue.
Luo Shao watched Gu Zhengchen carefully put away his hairpin and whispered: "Miss Qian'er has a miserable life experience. It is her blessing to be favored by the county magistrate. I wonder when the county magistrate plans to hold a happy event?"
"What happy event?"
Gu Zhengchen glanced at Luo Shao, stepped on Yang Liang who was trying to get a good deal, and warned: "Don't talk nonsense, Qian'er is a good girl, but she is not the one I like. Since Liu Boqin and Mrs. Liu will kill her before they die, Entrusted to me, I will take good care of her until she finds her lover."
"Um, the county magistrate really doesn't plan to marry her?"
Yang Liang was a little surprised.
Although Liu Qianer's life experience was not good, she was still beautiful and delicate, with a hint of weakness and sadness that made people feel pity at just one glance.
Don’t all scholars like this kind of woman?
Gu Zhengchen said seriously: "You are overthinking, I have recognized her as my sister. During this period of time, she stayed in the county government office and was exhausted three times a day. She would collapse sooner or later if she continued like this, so she was sent to Jinling. Go to your mother and entrust her to take care of you.”
Luo Shao was very sorry.
However, if you think about it carefully, an official like Gu Zhengchen, who is related to the Eastern Palace and the emperor, is only a seventh-rank official, but he has a bright future. It is really inappropriate to marry the daughter of a criminal official. One day, he will be caught by the censor. It's also a problem. A person who is worthy of being honored by the county must at least be a well-matched, elegant and dignified young lady.
Gu Zhengchen indeed had no feelings for Liu Qian'er between men and women. What lingered in his heart was the shocking encounter with an old red umbrella.
only--
Some encounters only happen once in a lifetime.
Besides, there are so many facts in Jurong that there is no time to think about these things. It won’t be too late to wait until we get to Jinling.
"Luo Shao, you went to the Taxation Department yesterday. How was the situation there?"
Gu Zhengchen asked as he walked.
Luo Shao sighed, shook his head and said: "My lord, you also know that the commercial tax imposed by the imperial court is thirty-one tax, but this commercial tax is really not worth mentioning. Although there is a lot of ink added to the account books, , but the commercial tax on income is very low, and the commercial tax on income in October is only 92 guan."
"Ninety-two guans, so few?"
Gu Zhengchen stopped.
Luo Shao nodded solemnly: "That's true. The county magistrate doesn't care that there are many shops in Jurong, and there are a lot of transactions, but the commercial tax collected is really not worth mentioning. Take the previous cloth line, one piece The cotton cloth cost 300 cents, but the tax only paid 10 cents. Even if they sold a hundred pieces of cotton cloth a month, it would not be enough for the tax."
Yang Liang gritted his teeth and said: "The money taken away by businessmen is really too much. The imperial court set commercial taxes without considering the actual situation, and blindly used low commercial taxes to stimulate business. However, in this way, business has developed, but the taxation department cannot collect it at all. How much money does it cost? The common people still pay the majority of the tax every year, but the county magistrate, the businessman's family earns far more money than the common people, but the tax paid by the businessman is too little."
Gu Zhengchen stared.
Agricultural taxes and commercial taxes are major issues related to the country.
Lao Zhu didn't understand economics, he only thought that light corvee and low taxes must be good, so whether it was agricultural tax or business tax, it was all thirty-one tax, regardless of whether you were a farmer or a pearl seller. This rate is taxable.
But this kind of tax setting was a trap for the Ming Dynasty.
Especially in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, agricultural taxes and commercial taxes were too low, resulting in the following results:
The imperial court's expenditure increased sharply, but the imperial court's income remained tepid, maintaining an almost rigid straight line. Even if there were ups and downs, they were very limited.
In future generations, this would be called economic stagnation.
But the reality is not that the economy has stagnated, but that the economy is developing, but the development is among the people. The court cannot collect money through the two tax channels. The wealth is among the people, in the hands of wealthy families, gentry and officials, but not in the hands of the court. , not in the hands of the Ministry of Revenue.
Too low agricultural taxes and commercial taxes are extremely fatal from the perspective of dynasty operation and financial expenditure. In addition, although there are a few dishonest people in the Zhu family and a few weird things, they are always in a certain state. On these issues, we have implemented the "law established by our ancestors and will remain unchanged for thousands of years."
Finance has always maintained a high level and never grown. Another consequence is that the Ming Dynasty was at its peak after the founding of the Ming Dynasty. After Hongwu and Yongle, the economic data always showed poor performance. When something happened, finance began to be tight. When war came, They began to set up additional tax items and levied exorbitant amounts of money...
In fact, as long as the agricultural tax and commercial tax rates are adjusted, the court will definitely be better off. Otherwise, the business tax of the Ming Dynasty was only a few hundred thousand taels or a few million taels, which would not be as much as what could be gained by plundering the homes of a few big families. It would be really embarrassing to say it...
The same goes for Lao Zhu. You have a character that hates rich people. You can't just kill their whole family. You have to learn how to use a soft knife to cut off the flesh reasonably and legally...
"I will consider the commercial tax issue carefully, but this matter involves too many interests, and I need to think clearly before submitting a letter."
Gu Zhengchen said seriously.
It is not easy for Jurong to deal with business tax issues in a special way.
If other places in the Ming Dynasty had a tax of thirty-one, but Jurong was changed to a tax of twenty-one or a tax of fifteen, then the merchants here would definitely run away first as a sign of respect.
We have to find a way to drag all the businessmen into the water...
