When Liang Menglong asked about paying taxes, the seller scratched his head and said, "Businessmen in Tianjie are all merchants, and we have a shop here. From the time of Taizu, the emperor's grace has been so great that we have paid taxes of thirty to one." "
Liang Menglong frowned when he heard this. He turned to look at Xu Zhenming and asked, "How was the situation in Guangdong last year?"
The people around him were confused by this question, but all the ministers understood it. Last spring, Zhu Yijun asked Zhang Siwei to initiate tax reform. Zhang Siwei obeyed the emperor's wishes and came up with an "eight taxes and one tax" plan, which has been trialled in Guangdong for one year.
Xu Zhenming smiled and said: "This year, Guangdong Panku and Shangjie Taicang silver will definitely double, but the complaints are endless, and the merchants and people are overwhelmed."
Liang Menglong frowned again when he heard this. When the Zhengshitang was studying tax reform last year, he did not agree with placing the tax reform pilot in Guangdong - it is so far away from the center, and policymakers may not be able to understand the key issues encountered during the pilot.
How can local officials talk nonsense about such a major policy that can shake up the country? Even if inspectors, censors, or even imperial guards are sent, if the information obtained can sort out the whole picture, it will be okay. If the reported contents are contradictory, if the court accepts the wrong information, the consequences will be disastrous.
But since he was not the prime minister last year, his objections were ineffective, so Zhang Siwei still placed the pilot in Guangdong. From Liang Menglong's point of view, this is irrefutable evidence that Zhang Siwei was obstructing the tax reform despite his yin and yang. He knew clearly that the emperor was going to carry out tax reform and would set the pilot in Guangdong, which was a shameful move. But why the emperor could agree to go here first, Liang Menglong still hasn't figured it out.
At the beginning of spring today, Pan Sheng adopted Liang Menglong's opinion and opened a new pilot project in Linqing, Shandong Province. However, the trial operation lasted only half a year, and it is difficult to say the pros and cons.
Xu Zhenming said that the Guangdong vassal and Shangjie Taicang silver had doubled, and the onlookers understood what he said. A scholar who was watching the fun interrupted and said, "The prime minister is talking about tax reform? What are the details of Guangdong?"
Liang Menglong smiled and replied: "You don't need to worry about this. Tianjie is our Ming Dynasty's 'Chao Market', a place where commerce from all over the world converges. Meng Lang must not be allowed in the political hall." He thought to himself: "A little scholar dares to ask the prime minister directly. In recent years, the people's wisdom has gradually broadened, and the people in the capital are really arrogant!"
Recalling that he was shouted at by the people to put away the honor guard just now, Liang Menglong felt a little mixed in his heart. He didn't know what it felt like - probably a combination of pride and anger, a bit like the mentality of being quarrelsome with his own son when he first met him. .
Unexpectedly, the scholar refused and said: "I saw in the Xinmin Daily that Guangdong's tax reform was the best in Guangzhou. The prefect Sui Yong changed the two tax categories of businessmen and merchants, and added seven or eight new tax categories. But real?"
Seeing that no one in the political affairs hall answered his question, the scholar said angrily: "Since the beginning of the country, our government has been light on corvee and low on taxes. We have only reduced taxes and not increased taxes! Now that the country is in great power, His Majesty the Emperor does not manage the palace, and it is not easy to travel. Hunting, why did the imperial court impose additional levies?"
After he said this, the people around him all nodded in approval. The scholar had a smug look on his face, but before he could say anything more, Liang Menglong had already led the accompanying ministers into the depths of Tianjie.
After Liang Menglong saw Tianjie, Wang Tingzhan, Yin of Shuntian Prefecture, invited everyone to have dinner at Liuquanju. Xu Zhenming suggested with a smile: "Mr. Mingquan, I heard that the 'Hui Cui Lou' in Zhengyangmen gathers famous dishes from the north and the south. Since Da Jingzhao intends to spend money, we might as well go to Hui Cui Lou and have a good meal."
At this time in the capital, people had eating habits of eight floors, eight residences, and twelve squares. Although all major cuisines were available, Shandong cuisine accounted for the majority.
Anyone called "Lou" has many lobbies, private rooms, and private rooms. The food is outstanding and the food prices are expensive. For example, "Hui Cui Lou" brings together Huai and Shandong flavors and is the favorite of the capital's gourmets. Anyone called "Ju" has no There are only private rooms or private seats in the lobby. Although the taste is not as good as the ones called "lou", it is not much different. The main reason is that the environment is quiet and secret, and most of the customers are officials and wealthy businessmen. For example, the "Taibai Residence" where Feng Bao often visited has a garden lined with corridors - it is difficult to see each other among the customers.
Those called "fang" refer to ordinary people's restaurants or food processing workshops, which focus on low prices. For example, the "Bianbi Fang" opened in the 14th year of Yongle had no name, it was just a delicatessen processing shop. For more than a hundred years, due to the clean and delicious roast duck and chicken, the takeout has been delivered to big restaurants and the homes of princes and nobles during the Wanli period, and was named "Bianyi Fang" by the people in the capital.
Wang Tingzhan had a simple idea. He chose Liuquanju because he went there often and was used to it. Xu Zhenming's words were actually a disguised reminder - if the prime ministers, ministers and Da Jingzhao of the political affairs hall ate together, if they chose a quiet place with a quiet environment, the matter would be easy to say or not. Wang Tong and others would inevitably write an abbreviation for the emperor to read, but they Why?
Wang Tingzhan just couldn't think about it. When he thought about it, he saw Liang Menglong and others laughing and nodding to tease Xu Zhenming. He quickly expressed his agreement and gave Xu Zhenming a slightly grateful look. He thought to himself: "No wonder the farming county magistrate was able to become the minister in a short time." He thought again, "Even Pan Sheng can think of it. I only left the attendant's office for a few years, and I forgot the word caution."
So Wang Tingzhan quickly arranged for someone to book a few large private rooms, and he accompanied everyone out of Zhengyangmen. Fearing that the time arranged by his subordinates was too tight, he took Liang Menglong to look at one or two alleys outside Zhengyangmen. When the time was almost up, everyone changed into large clothes and went straight to the gathering building in casual clothes.
The gathering building is four stories high. After entering, there is a ceiling-to-ceiling lobby. It is already full of people and noisy. When the shopkeeper heard that the Prime Minister was here for dinner, the fat on his face trembled with excitement. He hurriedly sent someone to call his boss, and then he bent down and accompanied the bosses through the middle aisle and along the stairs to the third floor.
Anyone who opens a hotel in the capital must have several large private rooms to deal with the sudden whims of dignitaries. This is a necessary cost to avoid trouble. Therefore, soon after the people from Shuntian Mansion came over, they made all the arrangements. After everyone was seated in groups according to their official positions, the delicacies from the mountains and seas, as well as the rare delicacies from the north and the south were brought to them at running prices. Because he had to continue working in the afternoon, Liang Menglong did not allow everyone to drink a lot of wine, so he served some light wine to accompany the meal.
After walking for two hours, everyone was so hungry that their chests were pressed against their backs, and everyone ate according to the record. It has been three years since the Prime Minister has been in the cabinet, and everyone is familiar with him. After paying homage to the five internal organs temple, it is inevitable to discuss the recent key tasks of the court.
Wang Tingzhan glanced at the wall of the private room and reminded in a low voice: "Prime Minister Liang, there are many people here and there are many ears, so major political affairs cannot be discussed here." Everyone understood and talked about their experiences, articles and poems from various places. Anyway, here are all well-educated people, so there is no shortage of topics to talk about.
Although Wang Tingzhan is a third-rank official, he is the youngest official in this private room. He only wears his ears to guard the door. Planning to see the prime minister and the minister, he stood up and went to the corridor to find someone to make arrangements.
Seeing that Liang Menglong liked to eat boiled shrimps, he apologized and got up to go out. As soon as I left the private room, I saw Liu Yao, the prime minister of the government, standing outside the door. He was startled and said, "Why are you here?"
Wang Yixiu, the former Prime Minister of Shuntian Prefecture, insisted on leaving after the "robbery case", but Wang Tingzhan was unable to stop him, so Wang Yixiu was able to return to his hometown in Sichuan to rest in peace. Liu Yan, who took over, was ranked second in Longqing's five-year ranking and succeeded Wang Yixiu after several rounds of promotions.
Seeing Liu Yao's earth-colored face in winter and sweating like liquid, Wang Tingzhan's heart skipped a beat and asked, "What happened?"
Liu Yao swallowed and said in a low voice: "Master Fu, there is another unveiling case." After saying that, he handed over a piece of white paper in quarto form.
When Wang Tingzhan opened it with trembling hands, he saw it read: "If you live upright and disgrace the sage, you can admire the wind on the boat, and you can sleep soundly on the dragon bed, the hero is called Zhongxing!"
Wang Tingzhan's vision went dark, and he sat down with a thud!
Thank you Lingxi 009 leader for your reward again!
(End of chapter)
