"say clearly!"
Zhu Yunwen said majestically.
The Shipping Department is an important channel for Zhu Yunwen to make money. The reason why foreign trade is so popular is that there are profits to be found. It is profitable for merchants, and it should also be beneficial for the shipping department. This part of the profits should be used to support the Ming Dynasty's finances. This is Zhu Yunwen's idea.
Although it is hard to say that import and export trade was the carriage of Ming Dynasty's finance, it should at least be a handcart.
What is it now, just a pile of firewood?
Zhu Yunwen began to understand Zhu Yuanzhang a little bit. If the shipping company does not make money, it will lose money every day. No one will do this business. It is a good thing to close down...
Fang He felt a cold wind blowing, and his body was as cold as if it were exposed. He couldn't help but shiver: "How about we change places and explain in detail?"
"right here!"
Zhu Yunwen's tone was irresistible.
Fang He had no choice but to rub his face and said: "Shibo Company originally had some surplus, but it was all given away because of the price draw."
"The price will be determined by drawing points?"
Zhu Yunwen frowned slightly.
Xia Yuanji hurriedly explained: "When foreign tribute envoys come, in addition to tribute, they often also bring private goods. During the reign of Emperor Taizu, the court accepted tribute and gave items of equal value as rewards. For non-tribute and other private goods, Then all the ships were purchased at a price, so that they would not be tired in the trade. Later, it was changed to a draw-point system. Nowadays, most shipping companies follow the rules of the Hongwu period. I am afraid that the rule of officials drawing six points and paying the price is still implemented. .”
Fang He looked at Xia Yuanji with some surprise. This person actually knew so much about the operation of the Shipping Department, and nodded repeatedly: "That's right. It's just that in order to reflect the preferential treatment of the Celestial Empire, the official prices often exceed the market price by a lot, and even It is three to five times the market price of its goods.”
"That's not true. When envoys see the huge profits from private goods, they will bring a large amount of private goods when they come to pay tribute. In the past, it was only equal to the tribute, but now it is several times the tribute. The Shipping Department still needs to take a share of the price and pay a large sum of money. 60% of the money is used to buy his private goods, and the price is always high. It’s surprising that the shipping company can keep the profits..."
"That's unreasonable!"
Zhu Yunwen couldn't help shouting angrily, "What the hell is this? Do you think you are being taken advantage of?"
Xia Yuanji and Yang Shiqi watched without any pressure. If your emperor loses his temper, you can't blame us two. If you want to settle accounts, you have to go to Lao Zhu. This is the rule he set.
Zhu Yunwen was very depressed. The points drawn seemed to be a government tax, but in fact it was an arranged sale, and it was bought at a loss. According to this method, it would be strange if the shipping company did not close down.
"Isn't it okay not to draw points?"
Yang Shiqi asked.
Fang He shook his head bitterly: "If we don't draw points, their goods will need to be sold at the Shipping Department or the Joint Hall of the Capital. If they are sold at the Shipping Department, it will be okay. If they can't be sold, the Shipping Department will still have to sell them." People need to be arranged to help him carry the goods to the capital, and it costs a lot along the way. Moreover, most of the tribute envoys come from thousands of miles away. If the court does not give them benefits, how can they come again? The emperor wants all nations to come to congratulate him. , as officials, shouldn’t we still have to satisfy the emperor even though we suffer a loss?”
Zhu Yunwen's face turned dark. Is this loss in love all caused by his own vanity? However, Fang He did point out a fact. If there is no benefit, who will come to Ming Dynasty?
When people come with goods, travel such a long way, and take such a long time, aren't they just trying to make a profit? Do you really think it was because the Ming Dynasty was so powerful that it attracted people?
no!
Everything is a benefit!
Therefore, if the imperial court does not give benefits to envoys, does not give quotas, pay high prices, and does not give heavy rewards, they will not be willing to come to the Ming Dynasty. By then, trade and tribute will gradually disappear.
Shibosi couldn't afford this result, so he could only bite the bullet and pay for it. But Zhu Yunwen couldn't bear the consequences of Shibosi's buying, buying, buying. He wanted to make Shibosi make money, not make Shibosi lose money. Yes, the Ministry of Household Affairs cannot always be a wet nurse for the Shipping Department.
"Also, the businessmen are also very dissatisfied with the foreign envoys, and there have even been some conflicts. You are from the Security Bureau. Please tell the emperor to change the rules."
Fang He took the opportunity to speak.
Zhu Yunwen was speechless and asked: "You are the head of the shipping department, can't you submit a letter?"
Fang He shook his head: "How can a little person like me have the right to submit a letter? Even if I write a document and hand it to Tiji, Tiji will detain it and will not deliver it. What's more, if these memorials are sent up, they will be kept by the cabinet. Well, after all, such a trivial matter is not worth the emperor’s trouble.”
The corner of Zhu Yunwen's mouth was a little bitter. This person said the same thing. Zhu Yunwen was not Zhu Yuanzhang. He could handle everything no matter how big or small. After having the cabinet, Zhu Yunwen devoted his main energy to the general direction and grand strategy. Some small matters could be handed over to the cabinet. Cabinet.
For matters that were not too important, even if the cabinet handed it over, Zhu Yunwen would only take a look at it and print and implement it according to the cabinet's approval without much interference. As long as it does not happen in the capital, it is really difficult to send a small matter like the Shipping Department. Go to the desk in Wuying Hall.
"Then tell me, why do businessmen conflict with foreign envoys?"
Zhu Yunwen asked.
He Fang shrugged: "Why else? Naturally, envoys' ships are not taxed, and their goods are not taxed. Merchant ships are taxed, and goods sold are also taxed. When the two meet, merchants will inevitably be unbalanced."
"The envoy's private goods are not taxed?"
Zhu Yunwen was a little surprised.
The imperial court paid 60% of the envoys' private goods to buy them, and the remaining 40% of the private goods were not a small number. The imperial court did not receive a penny of tax on the sales of these goods?
Xia Yuanji felt a sharp gaze. It was obvious that Zhu Yunwen was asking what the Ministry of Household Affairs was doing and why it was not paying taxes. Xia Yuanji had a headache, so he had to explain: "In the fourth year of Hongwu, Taizu issued a decree that seaborne goods They were all exempted from taxation to show their kindness. Later, officials repeatedly expressed their hope that the imperial court would collect taxes on envoys' private goods, but Taizu refused..."
Zhu Yunwen raised his hand and rubbed the center of his brow. My grandfather, you are too generous. You are so generous with your money. No wonder businessmen can't stand the envoys. They enjoy the tax-free policy, but they have to be taxed once. It doesn't make sense. If the envoys don't speak well and show off their bad taste, it would be strange if there is no contradiction...
Fang He continued: "Because the private goods on the envoys' ships are not taxed, some merchants are already currying favor with the envoys, hoping to ship the goods on the envoys' ships, which will exempt them from the ship tax and the goods." You can get more profit by selling merchant tax. This is not the case. One ship is enough for an envoy from the small country of North Korea, but now there are as many as four ships..."
Zhu Yunwen turned to look at the envoy's ships: "You mean, there are one or two ships of private goods that were anchored by merchants under the envoy?"
Fang He nodded: "How many people can come from a mission, and why four ships? If there are no merchants, then there is really something wrong."
Zhu Yunwen understood that if this kind of thing is not managed, all merchant ships will become mission ships in the future. By then, the Shipping Department will really be in a loss. Not only will it not be able to collect a penny, but it will also need to spend a lot of money. The money is divided among the prices.
Fang He hesitated for a moment and said, "If you really can go up to heaven to hear it, please tell the Holy One that the shipping department's method of taxing ships is too inappropriate and should be corrected in time."
Xia Yuanji's face looked a little ugly. The taxation based on the size of the ships was drawn up by the Ministry of Household Affairs. However, it was said to be inappropriate. Naturally, he was a little embarrassed.
"What do you suggest?"
Yang Shiqi asked.
Fang He smiled calmly: "Simple, tax in kind, and the merchant will discount the price."
Zhu Yunwen was a little interested and motioned to Fang He to explain in detail.
Fang He introduced: "The current method of taxation adopted by the court is to levy one tael and two qian for a one-foot boat. Doubling this, the two-foot boat is two taels and four yuan, but the court did not consider it. The two-foot boat carried grain. , and the one-foot-long ship carrying spices, there is a huge difference in value between the two, and yet a heavy tax is placed on a large ship with a small profit margin, which is obviously inappropriate. "
Zhu Yunwen nodded repeatedly. He initially expressed his opposition, but the Ministry of Revenue and the Cabinet thought it was simple and easy to implement. In addition, the previous Song Dynasty had also implemented this method, and it was put to use. Now it seems that it is indeed inappropriate.
Fang He continued: "In my opinion, the Municipal Shipping Department will never succeed in collecting taxes based only on the size of the ships. The only feasible option is to collect physical taxes, whether it is merchants who went to sea in the Ming Dynasty or merchants who went to sea in the Ming Dynasty. As long as foreign merchants enter the port to sell goods, they should levy a tax in kind. If it is spices, they will charge 20% of the spices. If it is precious wood, they will receive 20% of the wood. The 20% can be collected directly in kind and resold by the shipping department. , the merchant can also convert the money to the shipping department according to the market price."
Zhu Yunwen looked at Xia Yuanji, and Xia Yuanji took a deep breath. This guy is really a genius. He directly extracts physical objects or uses the physical objects as taxes. In this case, the tax revenue of the Shipping Department will probably rise directly. You must know that a ship of spices is pumped. 20%, its value is much more than the tax per ship. Fang He's idea is to pay taxes according to the actual value, not according to the size of the ship, which is simple and crude by the Ministry of Household Affairs.
"how?"
Zhu Yunwen asked Xia Yuanji.
Xia Yuanji thought about it again and again before nodding his head: "This is the long-term solution for the Shipping Division."
Zhu Yunwen smiled. Only by reforming the taxation issue of the Shipping Company can the Shipping Company be profitable. Without profits, it would not be possible in the long run. Overseas trade profits are huge, so a 20% tax is appropriate.
"Go down and let Pei Boxi and Tiju come here."
Zhu Yunwen signaled Fang He to leave.
Although Fang He was a little puzzled, he still saluted seriously: "Please pass this on."
Zhu Yunwen put his hands behind his back, looked at the ship of the North Korean mission, and said seriously: "It is impossible for the mission's private goods not to be taxed. In the future, it should be stipulated that missions are not allowed to carry private goods. If they want to smuggle goods, let them If you bring a merchant ship with you, if it is a merchant ship, you will be taxed according to the new system of the Shipping Department. The Ming Dynasty does not only tax its own merchants and not foreign merchants. It is up to you to draw up a document and hurry up. Send it to the capital before New Year's Day and let the prince inform the envoys of various countries."
Xia Yuanji and Yang Shiqi agreed.
Zhu Yunwen is not Zhu Yuanzhang. He does not want to implement a "friendly and gentle" policy towards envoys, nor does he want to be like Zhu Di. He implements the policy of "those who are generous and those who are distant". If he is an envoy, just be an envoy. If you want to be a businessman, come as many as you can A few people act according to business rules.
If taxes are not paid every year, but instead the Ming Dynasty court takes a share of the price, the result will be that the Ministry of Household Affairs will foot the bill, and a situation will arise where "gifts are awarded every year, but the treasury is empty", and good foreign trade becomes a financial burden. That would be stupid. …
