Zhu Yunwen looked at Xia Yuanji and asked, "Shilang Xia, how harmful do you think it will be to increase the business tax?"
Xia Yuanji looked at Zhu Yunqi with determination and said solemnly: "Your Majesty, lifting the ban on merchants and allowing them to do business freely will be of great benefit. Although the business tax has been raised from 30 to 15 taxes per day, it is still like a whip. , integrate multiple taxes into one, and unify them as business taxes. After careful calculation, the increase in business taxes will be extremely limited. I think it is feasible."
If we simply look at the commercial tax rate in the Ming Dynasty, it can be said to be a very low dynasty among historical dynasties.
But upon closer inspection, this view may not be tenable.
Zhu Yuanzhang set the commercial tax at 30 taxes per 1, which was much relaxed compared to the 20 taxes per 1 in the Yuan Dynasty.
If you were doing business in the Ming Dynasty and sold goods for ten taels of silver, the commercial tax charged would only be a nominal amount of more than three hundred taels of silver.
But is it really so?
not necessarily.
You need to know that many of the transactions are not done locally. You have to travel across the state. If you want to enter the city, you need to pay the city gate tax. If you take the waterway, you also need to pay shipping money or shipping money.
When you are tired from walking, you can check into an official hotel and rest for two days. This also requires you to pay a certain tax.
If you want to sell things in this place, you always need a front store. Even if you stick a chicken feather and carry a small basket, it still takes up space, right?
This requires paying store gate bills.
If you feel that you have too many goods that cannot be placed at once and need to be placed in a warehouse, well, this will require a house tax.
A collapsed house is a warehouse.
By the way, if the sales of the goods are not smooth, it doesn't matter. You can go to Yahang and Yahang will help you negotiate the deal, but you know who pays the Yahang tax.
Although there were not many commercial taxes and the categories were not complex in the early Ming Dynasty, with the development of the Ming Dynasty, the number of commercial taxes increased day by day. By the time of Zhu Yunwen, several levels of checkpoints had been added in some places in order to collect more commercial taxes.
This part of the commercial tax income will not enter the central treasury.
Xia Yuanji knew very well that the new business policy was not just a simple five words, it involved the cancellation and regulation of a series of commercial taxes. For example, the new business policy directly canceled the city gate tax. This may seem inconspicuous, but for businessmen For the group, it will be a great benefit.
A little city gatekeeper says there is something wrong with your goods and won't let you into the city. You really have no choice but to pay and serve him well.
Furthermore, the city gate tax is not accurate and is too subjective. If I charge you fifty cash today, it may be three hundred cash tomorrow.
Take it away entirely and there will be only attraction for businessmen.
What's more, the new business policy not only abolished the city gate tax, but also standardized the shipping materials in banknote tariffs, canceled the Yaxing tax, etc. The implementation of these policies will not only not make Suzhou a high-low commercial tax, but will instead become a Low-lying commercial and tax area!
By then, Suzhou Prefecture's commercial prosperity will be an inevitable result, and other surrounding prefectures will follow suit. By then, the Ming Dynasty's new commercial tax law will be fully rolled out.
Xie Jin suggested to Zhu Yunwen: "Since the Suzhou government has the courage, let them give them a chance to try it and see the results before deciding whether to implement the two capitals and thirteen provinces."
Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly and said: "I agree to Yao Shan's request, but it can't just be Suzhou Prefecture. Zhang Bing of Beiping Prefecture has been waiting for a long time. The merchants have been longing for it for a long time and it is not appropriate to delay it any longer. It is better to implement the new business simultaneously in the south and north. Let’s do something about it.”
Xie Jin, Huang Zicheng, and Xia Yuanji agreed in unison.
After determining the policy of new business in the north and south, Zhu Yunwen turned his attention to the national policy of curbing annexation and asked: "I heard that the implementation of the national policy in Jiangsu and Zhejiang is relatively smooth, but in Jiangxi, it has encountered obstacles and progress is slow. What do you think?"
"Your Majesty, there are many gentry in Jiangxi, and the amount of annexed land is rare. Although the progress is slow, from the current point of view, it has not caused major turmoil."
Xie Jin quickly replied.
Zhu Yunwen shook his head and said seriously: "The presence of more gentry is not an excuse to resist national policies. This group of people is greedy and has a lot of money and food. If there is chaos, the consequences will be disastrous. I intend to give them a warning."
"warn?"
Xie Jin and others looked at each other, a little confused.
Zhu Yunwen nodded seriously and said: "Liu Chen was the chief envoy of Jiangxi. He was not successful in his work and was demoted to participate in politics. Lu Yi, the left minister of the Ministry of Personnel, will replace Liu Chen and take charge of the implementation of Jiangxi's national policies. What do you think?"
"Your Majesty, Liu Chen has always been loyal and capable. There is actually a reason for the slow implementation of national policies. If he is affected by this, it may not be easy to reassure people."
Huang Zicheng said with some worry.
Xie Jin smiled easily and said to Huang Zicheng: "Master Shangshu is worried, and the emperor's move can be said to be beneficial. First, it can warn officials at all levels in Jiangxi that if they do not implement national policies seriously, they will be the next to be demoted. Second, once Jiangxi After completing the national policy, Lu Yi is transferred back, and Liu Chen is still the chief envoy of Jiangxi. In this way, there is no harm."
"emperor?"
Huang Zicheng looked at Zhu Yunwen.
Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly and said with a smile: "That's how it should be."
Huang Zicheng agreed: "If this is the case, I have no objection."
Zhu Yunwen frowned and said: "I know that Jiangxi is in trouble. Some people scold me, and I also know it. But there is no way. For the sake of the Ming Dynasty and the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty, I have to promote national policies!"
"The Emperor is worried about Jiangxi's instability?"
Xie Jin felt something keenly and asked softly.
After Huang Zicheng and Xia Yuanji heard this, they both looked at Zhu Yunwen in surprise.
If Xie Jin's guess is correct, then the emperor will definitely take other measures, not just as simple as changing the chief envoy.
Zhu Yunwen nodded solemnly and said, "Gentlemen may not be willing to cut their flesh easily."
Jie Jin and others had a bitter taste in their mouths, it was true, only people wanted to take away the money from other people's pockets, no one wanted others to take away the money from their own pockets.
"Your Majesty, Liu Changge of the Security Bureau would like to see you."
Shuangxi reported quickly.
"Oh? Let him in."
Zhu Yunwen said.
Liu Changge walked in quickly, saluted, and said solemnly: "Your Majesty, a report from the Raozhou Security Bureau branch in Jiangxi Province. The rich gentry in Raozhou are secretly entangled with the township party and intend to resist the national policy. More than 300 people are involved."
"Oh Well!"
Zhu Yunwen laughed angrily.
Xie Jin, Huang Zicheng and Xia Yuanji were also surprised.
Could it be said that these Jiangxi gentry still want to rebel?
"Biography of Ru Yu, Liu Jun, Xu Huizu, Zhu Di, Song Sheng!"
Zhu Yunwen said sharply.
Shuangxi agreed and left in a hurry.
Xie Jin took the report from Liu Changge and frowned.
If this is true, this matter cannot be taken lightly.
Although the national policy touches the interests of the gentry, in the long run, it is to protect the interests of the gentry. After all, the court did not prohibit land sales, but only increased the threshold and restrictions to make land sales more fair.
As long as these gentry are willing to buy and sell equally, their land will still grow, but taxes will still have to be paid.
Even so, they still have an advantage, and they won't resist the national policy or even rebel, right?
How dare they confront the imperial court with just their gangsters?
Not to mention using the imperial army, even the guards under the local capital were enough to flatten them.
What do these people think?
The imperial court just wanted to cut a piece of meat from them, but they insisted on stretching their necks. If the knife was cut, it would not just be a piece of meat...
