"In the 25th year of Hongwu, the Ministry of Household Affairs of the imperial court had statistics. At that time, the official land was about 1.3 million hectares, accounting for less than 20%. The private land was about 7.5 million hectares, accounting for more than 80%. The total was about 8.8 million hectares. It was private land. A pattern of more official land and less official land.”
Jie Jin glanced at Xu Qin, paused deliberately, and then said:
"The main sources of official land are, first, the official land inherited from the nobles of the Yuan Dynasty, and the second is the confiscated land of Chen Youliang, Zhang Shicheng and other separatist forces."
"In addition to these confiscated properties being classified as official land, most of the evil rich and wealthy people in Susong, Jiahu and other prefectures in Jiangnan also had their properties confiscated due to consecutive convictions."
Xu Qin knows the so-called evil of the rich and the rich.
It refers to the tradition passed down from the late Song Dynasty to the late Yuan Dynasty and entrenched in Susong, Jiahu and other state capitals in the south of the Yangtze River, where the local scholar-bureaucrats and high-ranking wealthy families lived.
"In addition to the land owned by the royal family, vassal kings, nobles, etc., there are also many farmlands in the official fields, which are divided into military villages, merchant villages, and civilian villages."
"There are only a small number of merchant villages and civilian villages, and they mostly refer to the privately opened wasteland next to homesteads." "And farmland mainly refers to military villages, which were cultivated by various guards to provide salary and food for the officers and soldiers."
"The so-called private farmland refers to the farmland reported by the statistics of each township and village and belongs to the gentry and landlords in various places."
Xie Jin thought for a moment and then said:
“In terms of the ownership rights of farmland, cattle, seeds, etc. in the Ming Dynasty now, the official land belongs to the court and is allocated to the vassal princes, nobles, and the army for use.
“Private lands, on the other hand, belong to the gentry and landowners.”
“In addition to the gentry and landowners, the main landowners in towns and villages are also homesteaders, and the vast majority are tenant farmers.”
Xie Jin spoke in detail.
He is worthy of being a contemporary wizard, he even remembers the data clearly.
It is obvious that he has worked hard in this area, and he is not just a Qinhuai drifter who only writes poems and couplets.
Although the data is not clear, Xu Qin, who is well versed in history, is still familiar with the land tax system of the Ming Dynasty.
At this time, his attitude towards the seemingly arrogant and rebellious Xie Jin also changed somewhat.
Zhu Gaoxu also knew something about the land and land tax system of the Ming Dynasty.
"Mr. Xie said it very well. Next, let's briefly analyze the differences between the Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, and Yuan Dynasty according to the differences between the dynasties and the present, so as to understand the land system reform."
"Your Highness, these humble ministers are here to answer."
As soon as the prince finished speaking, Yang Shiqi stood up with his fists clasped and spoke first.
He is the Vice-Cabinet's Grand Bachelor, so Xie Jin can't have all the limelight.
"During the Zhenguan period of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, the Guanlong Xungui Group inherited the land equalization system from the Western Wei, Northern Zhou, and Sui Dynasties, and adapted to the sharp population decline after the war in the late Sui Dynasty."
"In the middle and late Tang Dynasty, the expansion of vassal towns led to the Anshi Rebellion. In order to reduce the burden on the people after the war, the court carried out the two-tax system reform."
"Generally speaking, in the early Tang Dynasty, land was owned by the imperial court, in the middle and later periods it was shared by the imperial court, landowners and peasants, and finally by big landowners and prominent families."
"The imperial court's land tax system also changed accordingly."
"In the Song Dynasty, due to territorial turmoil and loss, the centralization of the imperial court weakened, land annexation, etc., the land was greatly reduced. It was basically owned by landlords and supplemented by owner-cultivators."
“It was the land grabs and mergers carried out by powerful families that led to the bankruptcy of a large number of homesteaders.”
"So, Wang Anshi implemented the Young Crops Law, trying to subsidize the farmers and curb land annexation through policies."
"But it is a pity that Wang Anshi faced the entire wealthy and powerful class, touched the interests of the powerful and wealthy people, and ultimately ended in failure."
"As for the Yuan Dynasty, everyone here knows it very well."
"The land system of the Northern Yuan Dynasty implemented the two-field system, and the taxation was a tax package system, which satisfied the interests of the aristocratic class of the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty."
"The Mongolian and Yuan aristocrats stripped off one level, and the Han officials knocked on the bones and sucked out the marrow. They stripped off another level. Not to mention the tenant farmers couldn't bear it, even the owner-peasant class was squeezed to the point where they couldn't survive."
"The proletariat such as the yeoman class and tenant farmers are expanding infinitely, and hunger will inevitably lead to rebellion. There is nothing to say about this."
After listening to Yang Shiqi's explanation, Xu Qin also thought it was wonderful, and his actual level was no less than Xie Jin.
No wonder he became the chief minister of the cabinet during the Zhu Zhanji period.
"Gentlemen, we are all familiar with the land system of the Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties. The tax system follows the land and is collectively called the land tax system."
"Your Majesty asked us to discuss a land tax system for the Yongle Dynasty, to dig out the dregs of the equal land system and the two-field system, and to make systematic improvements."
Zhu Gaochi paused, took a breath, and continued:
"Gentlemen, please speak freely without any worries."
After saying that, he coughed a few more times.
Zhu Gaochi is too obese and must be suffering from rheumatic heart disease, high blood pressure and other diseases.
If he exerts too much force or talks too much, he will suffer from short-term 'hypoxia' and have to stop and take a breath.
As soon as the prince said these words, there was silence again, and everyone looked at each other in confusion.
It’s not difficult to understand if you think about it.
Whether it is the genius Jie Jin or Yang Shiqi, they are the chief editors or editors of the Hanlin Academy, and they can memorize all the contents in the historical records and historical records.
Even if it is an unpopular content, they are very familiar with it and can learn it by heart.
But it would be difficult to put forward a substantive policy agenda or relevant system construction on the spot.
Because among the seven of them, none of them had spent a year in the government affairs office.
In these years, they all worked as clerks in the Hanlin Academy.
"Your Highness, I would like to say a few words first to make some suggestions."
Xu Qin was well aware of this situation, so he stood up and spoke humbly.
"Okay, it doesn't matter if you don't talk about it but say it."
Zhu Gaochi also knew something about it.
These bachelors have no actual experience in sorting out government affairs.
But it is possible to talk on paper.
Is Wenyuan Pavilion originally an institution that discusses politics and is pragmatic?
"Masters."
Xu Qin did his part and began his speech.
"Looking at the evolution of the land system in past dynasties over the past thousand years, especially the Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties, the two bachelors just made it very clear."
"We can come up with a simple pattern."
"Land determines taxation. With the land system, taxation policies are introduced. The ratio of landlords to peasants determines the court's tax base, which determines the rise and fall of the dynasty."
"Your Highness, I have sorted it out and believe that our government's land tax reform can be summarized into the following three specific policy measures."
"Everyone is assigned to the farm, corvee service is outlawed, and the officials and gentry all pay the grain and serve as errands."
Xu Qin advanced the reform plan of the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty to the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty for implementation.
The reason is also very simple. A purely agricultural economy should evolve into a semi-agricultural, semi-industrial and maritime economy, and the empirical laws of agricultural dynasties should be accelerated.
First, rationalize the land tax system, strengthen food production and storage, reduce or eliminate hunger, and increase population and national strength.
Regarding these three major measures, Zhu Gaochi was confused.
Xie Jin and Yang Shiqi were even more stunned.
