"Now that I've said this, I have another strategy, let's try it out too!"
Chongzhen glanced at the military generals who were about to move, and then looked at Liu Hongxun, the newly appointed Chief Secretary of North Korea.
"Liu Aiqing, Yuan Chonghuan tried to implement Huohuohui in Liaodong, so you can try to implement the government and gentry in North Korea to pay for the food and work as errands together!"
"Can you understand this strategy?"
"I understand!"
Liu Hongxun's face became solemn and he said in a deep voice: "The Ming Dynasty has given preferential treatment to officials and scholars since the time of Taizu. Scholars even have six major privileges, such as exemption from labor and tax, preferential treatment by law, privilege by etiquette, etc.
If a scholar is like this, then officials will naturally receive a higher salary than a scholar!
Your Majesty's plan to pay taxes and work as a servant is to abolish the privileges of officials and gentry, so that officials and gentry can pay taxes and perform labor services like ordinary people, but labor can be paid in silver! "
"Yes, that's what I mean!"
Chongzhen picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, and said slowly: "Dear ladies, do you know why?"
Listening to the emperor's words, everyone in the hall fell into deep thought.
The generals also looked a little shocked. The return of Huo Huo just now had nothing to do with them, but now the one-stop payment and one-stop service had a direct impact on their interests, but then they became indifferent.
With their rank and salary, the tax is nothing to a small amount of silver.
Although the emperor asked them, everyone knew that he was actually inspecting Liu Hongxun.
After a while, Liu Hongxun said softly: "Your Majesty, I have less than 20,000 officials in the Ming Dynasty. Although there are more scholars, they are not too many compared to the huge population of the Ming Dynasty. Their combined taxes and silver are at most more than 100,000 taels." That’s all.
Although more than one hundred thousand taels is a lot, compared to the Ming Dynasty, it is only a drop in the bucket.
However... among the officials and scholars who have been thoroughly investigated since His Majesty ascended the throne, there are a large number of land holdings on behalf of others.
Many wealthy businessmen linked their fields to the homes of officials and scholars, so that they could save a lot of taxes.
After the eight major locust traders were thoroughly investigated, the Shanxi provincial officials and the scholars implicated had millions of acres of farmland. What a terrifying figure.
Based on this estimate, the entire Ming Dynasty will lose at least three to four million silver in taxes every year, or even more.
I think that your Majesty asked me to try out the strategy of paying food and serving as errands in North Korea in order to put an end to tax evasion and enrich the national treasury! "
"right!"
Chongzhen nodded.
After listening to the emperor's response, the generals understood the twists and turns involved.
Yuan Keli and Liu Hongxun had worried looks on their faces. They were completely on the opposite side of the officials and scholars of the Ming Dynasty.
If they stir up the wind and rain, they won't mess up the situation, but they will consume too much energy.
"Your Majesty, although this is beneficial to the country and the people, but..."
"Liu Aiqing, how could I not know your concerns? That's why I asked you to try it out in North Korea. Anyway, North Korea is now almost in ruins, and order can be re-established and implemented better.
After you have perfected it here and summarized the experience that can be fully applied, you can then implement it in Ming Dynasty. "
Chongzhen waved his hand, still looking calm and calm: "Even if officials and scholars make trouble and incite the people, will the people stand on their side?"
Liu Hongxun woke up instantly with a light question. He was really in the middle of it and couldn't see the overall situation clearly.
What the emperor did was benevolent government and brought the wealthy merchants and gentry to the same level as the common people.
It cannot be said that all the people hate the rich and the powerful, but most people can't stand those who are domineering and domineering. If they no longer have privileges, then they will naturally be happy.
Of course, it is not ruled out that some common people will hang their fields in the homes of scholars, but this is very rare. After all, scholars may not necessarily be able to appreciate poor people.
What the emperor has done in the three years since he ascended the throne has made his prestige infinitely higher in the hearts of the people. The emperor, ministers, and scholars believe in the emperor even more.
"I am worried too much!"
"This strategy is just a rough idea. You, Yuan Aiqing, Li Aiqing and others will slowly improve it in the past few days. It would be best if you can make it before I return to Beijing.
In the future, the entire trial process must be recorded, including the resistance encountered, the reactions of the common people, gentry and wealthy businessmen, points of success, etc.! "
"Yuan Aiqing, the same is true for your Huo Xiaogui Gong in Liaodong!"
"I obey the order!"
Yuan Keli, Yuan Chonghuan, Liu Hongxun and other three people immediately stood up and saluted Chongzhen.
Seeing that both Liaodong and North Korea had made arrangements, Tulu Baihu, who was at the back of the row of generals, became anxious.
It had been seven or eight days since he surrendered, and the emperor had not once talked to him about the affairs of the Mongolian tribes.
After thinking for a while, he gritted his teeth and stood up, bowed towards Chongzhen, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, does my... minister's Heshuote Ministry and Mongolian tribes also have a new policy?"
"Not yet!"
Chongzhen naturally understood the meaning of Tulu Baihu's words, but this was true.
The Mongolian tribes had no land and could not even collect taxes. He couldn't just say that he should pay according to the number of cattle, horses and sheep he raised. How to pay, how much to pay, etc., could not be decided by just patting his head.
"Tulu Baihu, I will honor what I promised you in my letter, but how to conquer the Mongolian tribes is your business, and the court will not interfere.
What I want is a surrendered Mongolia. Remember to surrender completely, not just verbally.
Of course, you can also cause trouble and see if I can deal with you! "
As soon as these words came out, the corners of Tulubaihu Khan's eyes twitched unconsciously, but he did not speak.
"Three days later, you leave with your sergeants from the Shuote Division and arrive at Tongliao via Xinmin and Zhangwu. Sun Zushou, the commander-in-chief of Jizhen, is waiting there.
When the time comes, Tumote's fortune-telling rabbits will also be there, and they will assist you in reorganizing the Mongolian tribes.
The integrated Mongolian tribes will be called Eastern Mongolia. You serve as the Prime Minister of the Eastern Mongolia Branch of the Council of Lifan.
When the rest of the ministers arrive, you, Sun Zushou and Bu Shitu will discuss it and submit it to the Ministry of Personnel. "
"You have to remember that rectification is a long-term process and cannot be achieved overnight. If Mongolia wants to live and work in peace and contentment like the people of the Ming Dynasty, order is the first priority.
You are used to freedom and arbitrariness, but if you don't follow any rules and plunder at will, do any merchants dare to go to your place?
Raising cattle, horses, sheep, etc. is your specialty. All kinds of furs, medicinal materials, etc. are needed by the people in the Ming Dynasty, but tea, salt, ironware, etc. are all in short supply for you.
You must use your advantages and strengths to do business with merchants in exchange for what you need, forming a virtuous cycle. You must understand this!
Divination Shitu will tell you exactly how to do it when the time comes, and the court will also send people to assist you throughout the process.
If you still can't do it well and can't control the people, then don't blame me for not giving you a chance! "
"I understand! I will live up to His Majesty's great trust!"
"Wrong, it's not about living up to me, it's about living up to the expectations of millions of your people. You must know this!"
"I will obey His Majesty's teachings!"
Chongzhen waved his hand, then stood up, his dull expression slowly turned sharp: "The follow-up development of the three parts has been arranged, but the premise is that we can completely control it!"
