royal palace.
In Tianxia Palace.
Emperor Xia sat on the dragon chair. After all the ministers kowtowed, they began to discuss matters.
This is the central place of the Great Xia Dynasty. The people standing under the dragon chair are all important officials of the Great Xia Dynasty, and they are all people who can determine the political direction of the Great Xia Dynasty.
Emperor Xia glanced at him and said, "Dear ladies, what are you going to do today?"
Before he finished speaking, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue came out with a sad face and said: "Your Majesty, please resign!"
Emperor Xia was stunned: "Why?"
The Minister of the Ministry of Revenue knelt down and said with a headache on his face: "There have been constant natural disasters this year. There are many tax arrears in various places, and many cannot be paid. As a result, the national treasury is now empty, and military pay and salaries can hardly be paid!"
"What's even more urgent is that the money to compensate the Sirius Empire has not yet been secured. I have few talents and limited knowledge, and cannot help you with your worries. I would like to resign from the post of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, please give me your permission!"
Now, it is common knowledge that the treasury is empty!
Now, the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue is just like the position of the Minister of the Ministry of War. It is a hot potato.
Emperor Xia was noncommittal and asked with a deep look on his face: "Prime Minister Zuo, if there is no silver in the national treasury, the world will be in chaos!"
"What do you think we should do?"
Prime Minister Zuo Sima Jian came out and said: "Your Majesty, 80% of the taxes collected into the treasury now come from land taxes, 10% from business taxes, and 10% from other sources."
"In recent years, due to the annexation of land by powerful, aristocratic families, and clans, and the concealment of the amount of land, the talents that turn over the most to the national treasury have been reduced year by year. This has resulted in the treasury being empty and unable to make ends meet!"
"The veteran believes that the imperial court should re-measure the land belonging to the powerful, aristocratic families, and powerful families, and increase the land tax for those with more than ten acres of land per capita to relieve the pressure on the state treasury."
Emperor Xia nodded, what did he want to say?
suddenly.
Right Prime Minister Cao Wei came out directly and said: "Your Majesty, I think this is not allowed!"
Emperor Xia frowned slightly: "What good plan does Cao Aiqing have?"
In fact, Cao Wei didn't come up with a good idea!
However, as long as it is the method proposed by Prime Minister Zuo Sima Jian, he must oppose it!
Cao Wei thought for a while and said: "When the country was first founded, the imperial court had the support of powerful people, aristocratic families, and nobles from all over the country. Only then could it smoothly go through the period of power transition!"
"Back then, the imperial court also promised that it would treat them well!"
"With the severe disaster this year, it will be difficult for them to feed their own people. If we impose heavy taxes on them, it will inevitably be said that the court is unkind and unjust, and it will inevitably make them alienated from morality. Therefore, I think it is not advisable!"
Emperor Xia sighed softly, as if he was a little worried: "What should Cao Aiqing do?"
Cao Wei's eyes lit up: "Your Majesty, I think we can increase the types of taxes. For example, we can increase the capita tax. If you give birth to a child, you will pay a capita tax of one tael of silver. If you marry a wife, you will be charged a wedding tax."
"If you die, you will receive a coffin tax, if you plant trees, you will receive a wood tax, if you raise pigs, you will receive a pig tax, if you raise cattle, you will receive a cow tax, etc. In this way, there will be no difference between common people, powerful people, aristocratic families, and noble families, and everyone will have nothing to say. ."
"In this way, the national treasury will definitely be filled!"
As soon as Cao Wei said this, the eyes of all the ministers in the palace lit up... It sounds good!
Most of the people who can stand here are from powerful, aristocratic families, and noble families, and they are all spokespersons of the nobility.
If the taxes were only imposed on powerful people, aristocratic families, and wealthy families, that is, they would be levied on them, which would naturally make them uncomfortable.
Now, both the rich and the poor will be levied together, and they will be much more comfortable!
Moreover, these new taxes are just a drop in the bucket to them, it doesn’t matter!
As for whether the civilians at the lowest level can bear it?
Do they have a choice?
The Sima family is the largest family in Daxia. As soon as Cao Wei said this, although he disagreed, he did not object!
If he objects, he will be opposing his own family and provoking the powerful, aristocratic families, and powerful families in the world!
Seeing that Cao Wei was safeguarding his own interests, a large number of important ministers agreed: "I second the proposal!"
at this time.
Only Taiwei Li Jian and a group of censors in red official robes did not move.
Emperor Xia looked at Li Jian, who had a gloomy look on his face, with curiosity in his eyes: "What does Lieutenant Li think of Prime Minister Cao's proposal?"
Li Jian came out and said: "Your Majesty, I think it is very inappropriate!"
Emperor Xia's eyes flashed with interest.
Didn't Li Jian and Cao Wei wear the same pants?
OK?
Li Jian said seriously: "There have been many natural disasters this year. Snowstorms, floods, and droughts have made it impossible to harvest grains in some areas of Great Xia. Grain production has been reduced in most areas. The people have been in dire straits. Countless families have sold their children and daughters to survive. It has become Refugees.”
"If more taxes are imposed, those civilian families that can barely survive will definitely collapse, and there will be more and more refugees in the world."
"In the end, those refugees who can't survive will riot!"
"By then, all life will be in ruins and Daxia will be in chaos!"
"Therefore, I believe that instead of increasing taxes on ordinary families, we should reduce taxes so that ordinary families can survive this year of natural disasters!"
The new crown prince Xia Yu and the right prime minister Cao Wei are a little confused!
Isn’t Lieutenant Li one of our own?
Why do you openly disagree in court?
Is this also the doubt of many ministers?
A hint of brilliance flashed deep in Li Jian's eyes.
It's time to raise the flag for the prince!
It's time to formally form the Huangzhou team in the court!
"Your Majesty, when we were in Huangzhou, the Ninth Prince once said something, and I thought it made sense!"
Emperor Xia became even more interested: "What did Xiaojiu say?"
Li Jian said seriously: "He said that if the imperial court is regarded as a big ship, the captain at the helm is Your Majesty, who determines the direction of the ship and where it will sail?"
Emperor Xia nodded.
This metaphor is apt.
"And the people of Li are like water, deciding whether there will be waves?"
“If there are no waves, the boat can travel fast and far!”
"If there are small waves, the boat can only go slowly and get closer!"
"If there are strong waves, it will capsize the boat!"
"The Ninth Prince said that water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. The king is of utmost importance, but the people are of great importance. Therefore, we must be kind to the people of the world!"
There was light in Li Jian's eyes when he said this, and the echoes echoed around his ears, surprising all the ministers!
Emperor Xia murmured: "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it!"
"Xiao Jiu is right!"
"but......"
Emperor Xia sneered and said: "Prime Minister Cao believes that taxing powerful people, aristocratic families, and powerful families will alienate them from me, which is not advisable. We should treat everyone equally to make powerful people, aristocratic families, and powerful people feel comfortable!"
"Li Taiwei believes that if more taxes are imposed on ordinary families, the world will be in chaos!"
"What you two dear ladies said makes sense!"
"So, no matter who you tax, it's the court's fault!"
"Then tell me, who should the court tax?"
"Tell me, how can we fill the treasury?"
"Tell me, where can I get the money to compensate the Sirius Empire?"
"Who can tell me how to conjure silver?"
"What do you think?"
"Plop..."
The king was so angry that all the ministers in the Tianxia Palace knelt down in fright: "Your Majesty, please calm down and I will die!"
Emperor Xia was furious: "Say what?"
"Besides dying, what else can you do?"
"Tell me, what should the court do rightly?"
All the ministers were speechless!
suddenly.
Xia Tian's eyes full of wisdom appeared in Li Jian's mind!
Maybe, only the prince has a good solution for this kind of thing!
At this time.
Emperor Xia turned his attention to Xia Yu: "Prince, you are the future crown prince of Great Xia. Do you have a way to solve the emptiness of the treasury?"
The new prince Xia Yu was stunned!
Why ask him?
What can't be solved even in court meetings... What good solution can he come up with?
But if he can't answer it, the prince's image will plummet, right?
what to do?
At this moment, Xia Yu's eyes flashed with excitement, and he raised his head and said, "Father, this is a humiliating treaty negotiated between the Nine Emperors and the Sirius people. I think that the Nine Emperors should give advice on this matter!"
"He caused the trouble and it should be solved by him!"
"What should I ask him to do?"
Emperor Xia: "..."
