Zhu Di could feel Zhu Yunwen's sharp gaze and changed the subject: "This is the proposal of the Heroes Chamber of Commerce and the Shanxi Chamber of Commerce. I am just relaying it on my behalf."
Yao Guangxiao glanced at Zhu Di. If Chang Baiye and Shen Yiyuan were here, they would probably be able to kill Zhu Di. Where can there be such help? But looking at Liu Changge next to him, it is better to be honest than to hide.
Zhu Yunwen smiled solemnly and asked: "Uncle Yan Wang actually interceded for the businessman, which really surprised me. How many benefits did the businessman give?"
Zhu Di "betrayed" Yao Guangxiao very simply: "I didn't get a cent, it was all because of Yao Shaozhan's intercession that I entered the palace..."
Seeing Zhu Di like this, Yao Guangxiao shook the hand that was holding the beads slightly. He met Zhu Yunwen's majestic eyes and said, "I didn't take any advantage, but if the property of Cao Youshan, Liang Wenxing, and Zhou Dajiang were confiscated, it would definitely be a huge fortune. The imperial court spends money in many ways, so it would be great to take this opportunity to punish the merchants."
Xia Yuanji thought about it. Yao Guangxiao supported moving the capital. What he meant was to seize three houses and use his family wealth to support the cost of building Beiping. Although the wealth of these three families is definitely not enough to cover the expenses of building Beiping City, it should still be enough to support the first year's expenses, especially Cao Youshan and Zhou Dajiang, both of whom are wealthy businessmen.
Zhu Yunwen understood the intentions of Shen Yiyuan and Chang Baiye. They wanted to "throw away the car to protect the commander" and abandon these three companies in order to prevent the court from spreading the trend. But the question is, do Shen Yiyuan and Chang Baiye still use "lose the car to save the handsome"? The three people interfered in the government affairs, and they were going to be beaten completely. The house confiscation was a definite matter, but they were still talking about it?
Rujun saw through the plans of Huizhou merchants and Shanxi merchants, and objected: "The three people overstepped their bounds and attempted to interfere in the government affairs. Their crimes are unpardonable, so how can they be spared lightly? The heavy punishment was originally done by the imperial court, so why did they become Shanxi merchants and Huizhou merchants?" Business bargaining chip? I believe that merchants have been active in recent years and have committed many illegal acts. We should expand the trend and give all merchants a painful punishment!"
Zhu Yunwen nodded and looked at Xia Yuanji: "Do you have any punishment method?"
Xia Yuanji saw that Zhu Yunwen seemed to be hinting, and he understood it in his heart, and calmly came up with a punishment plan: "Your Majesty, I think that business has developed too rapidly in recent years and lacks restraint, and it has become a wild horse, and now it dares to trample it The bottom line of the imperial court is proof, so we might as well take this opportunity to put a halter on it!"
Yu Xin frowned and asked, "How to add a halter?"
Xia Yuanji joked: "Nothing but floating tax rates!"
Zhu Yunwen looked at Xia Yuanji who was talking eloquently and smiled.
The concept and design of the floating tax rate had come up as early as the second year of Jianwen when Zhu Yunwen privately visited Suzhou and Hangzhou. However, given that the ban on business had just been lifted, the power of businessmen was still too weak, and the business foundation was not yet solid, so it was not launched.
Whether a large economy or a small industry, it must first go through barbaric production and extensive development to form a certain foundation before it can transform and embark on the path of refined development. This is an inherent law of the economy.
After more than four years of development, especially the lifting of the ban on the sea, Nanyang trade has flourished, and with the merchant collective behind the Annan War, merchants of all sizes have formed a scale. Even if Cao Youshan, Zhou Dajiang and others did not interfere with the government, Zhu Yunwen would still find The opportunity to introduce a floating tax rate gave Zhu Yunwen a better opportunity.
"Luxury items, such as overseas exotic pearls, corals and precious woods, etc., the commercial tax rate should be adjusted to the highest level, and eight taxes and one tax will be implemented, which will be superimposed with the five taxes and one tax of the Municipal Shipping Department..."
Xia Yuanji talked about the floating tax rate in a clear and coherent manner. Yu Xin and Ru Ru always blinked, which meant: Is this thing really a temporary idea?
Yao Guangxiao took a deep breath and added: "For luxury goods, such a high tax rate is already more than three taxes and one tax? Isn't the Ministry of Revenue worried that businessmen will give up this business?"
Xia Yuanji looked at Yao Guangxiao and pointed to the Buddhist beads around his neck: "The Buddhist beads on Master should be small-leaf red sandalwood. Based on this, merchants obtained them from Nanyang and sold them in the capital. The price is at least a thousand taels. We set it as one Thousand taels, even if the tax is doubled, it is only a little more than three taxes and one. After the tax is 320 taels, the businessman ends up with 680 taels. Putting aside the many costs, there is at least a profit of 500 taels. Master thinks , will the businessman really give up such a business?"
Yao Guangxiao was a little surprised. He didn't expect that there was still such a huge profit under the luxury tax.
Zhu Yunwen knew that Yao Guangxiao's beads were precious. After all, they were given by the Queen Mother and were not obtained by greed...
Zhu Di and Yao Guangxiao figured out the bottom line of the court. After leaving the palace, they were invited to the restaurant by Shen Yiyuan and Chang Baiye.
Zhu Di did not give them a good look, and directly told the court's floating tax rate plan, but he did not tell the truth, but raised the standard of the floating tax rate a lot. Xia Yuanji's luxury tax was eight taxes and one tax, and it came to Zhu Di's mouth , directly became two taxes and one...
Chang Baiye and Shen Yiyuan calculated their accounts. If the court continued like this, the profit of this business would be too thin. Once it encountered some risks, it would lose money. The two of them talked hard and promised some benefits, so they could deal with it. Let the imperial tax rate not be so harsh.
When Zhu Di and Yao Guangxiao entered the palace, they did not go to Zhu Yunwen. Instead, they looked at the scenery of the palace, then went out again and continued to discuss with Hui merchants and Shanxi merchants...
Zhu Yunwen is aware of the movements of Zhu Di and Yao Guangxiao. Chang Baiye and Shen Yiyuan need to use these two people to avoid returning to Hongwu to "suppress and devalue business" and ensure that business can develop with a breath. Zhu Yunwen also needs these two people to test the businessmen's feelings. The acceptance of the floating tax rate will ensure that the floating tax rate will not cause widespread grief and a large number of shops to close.
After many battles between Zhu Di, Yao Guangxiao, Chang Baiye, and Shen Yiyuan, the cabinet and the Ministry of Household Affairs fine-tuned the floating interest rate and gave a final plan, which was submitted to Zhu Yunwen. Zhu Yunwen approved the floating tax rate and set it on June 1, the fifth year of Jianwen. Implemented nationwide.
The emergence of floating tax rates has completely broken the fixed business tax.
In order to stimulate the vitality of small businessmen, the imperial court lowered the tax rates on grain, cloth, etc. when designing the floating tax rate, from 15 taxes per 1 to 20 taxes per 1 to ensure that grain merchants and cloth merchants were not affected and would not affect people's livelihood.
Meeting the next day.
Zhu Yunwen was furious when the imperial censor impeached businessmen for interfering in government affairs. He ordered the inspection of three people's homes and severely punished businessmen who interfered in government affairs. At the same time, he issued an almost "inhumane" floating tax rate to restrain businessmen.
Zhu Yunwen did not want to kill Cao Youshan, Zhou Dajiang, Liang Wenxing and their families, but wanted to take away their property. After all, these three people could no longer establish themselves in the business circle. The introduction of the floating tax rate was directly triggered by these three companies. Yes, it is impossible for the businessmen to spread their anger on Zhu Yunwen and the court. They can only settle accounts with these three families, and they will not stop until their families are ruined.
In this case, taking away their money and property and sending it to Annan to farm could be regarded as giving them protection. Zhu Yunwen felt that he was a little guilty now. He took everything from others and thought he was a good person...
The opposition to moving the capital did not disappear, but the actions of businessmen who interfered in government affairs and had their homes confiscated and exiled, and the introduction of floating tax rates, completely shocked businessmen in the Ming Dynasty. Businessmen who originally supported officials' opposition to moving the capital also withdrew their hands, fearing that they would be discovered by the Security Bureau and end up in trouble. The same fate as the three of them.
As the court's discussion about moving the capital became more and more intense, the opposition and support sides tore the court apart, forming an opposition and support faction. Zhu Yunwen noticed this and decided to end the debate.
On April 1, the Imperial College held a debate on moving the capital.
Among the civil servants, Huang Guan, the Minister of Rites, Mao Taiheng, the right minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Lian Zining, the censor of the right capital of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and Xu Wen, the supervisor, opposed the move of the capital.
Imperial College scholar Yang Shiqi, left Chunfang scholar Yang Rong, right Chunfang scholar Yang Pu, and supervisor Huang Kai supported the move of the capital.
Such a battle attracted the attention of all officials in the capital, especially Yang Shiqi who took the stage in person and unequivocally supported the relocation of the capital, which shocked many people.
You must know that Yang Shiqi is different from other officials. He is the imperial minister of the Imperial College. The students who have left the Imperial College to serve as officials have to call him "teacher" when they see him. He has an extensive network of teachers and students. In addition, this person is very effective in governing the Imperial College, and he is deeply respected. The supervisors respected him and he took a stand, and many supervisors subconsciously sided with him.
Huang Guan is the Minister of Rites. Although his official position is higher than that of Yang Shiqi and he is a top student who won three yuan in succession, he also knows that he is not Yang Shiqi's opponent. After all, Yang Shiqi is Zhu Yunwen's key cultivation target. He is the figure who accompanied him during the Northern Tour. He is humble and extremely able.
Yang Rong is not easy to deal with either. He is good at the art of war. From the way he whispers and points, you can tell that he wants to apply the art of war into the debate. Yang Pu is also a troublesome person, and Ru Rui thinks highly of this person.
"Sanyang, it's hard to deal with!"
Huang Guan was just depressed, but Mao Taiheng was faintly afraid.
Sitting on the debate stage of the Imperial College, Mao Taiheng can be regarded as an old man. As early as when he entered the Imperial College as a miscellaneous student, Mao Taiheng sat here, and one of his opponents in the debate at that time was Yang Shiqi.
Zhu Yunwen was present in person, accompanied by cabinet ministers such as Xie Jin and Ru Jin. The officials sat down and all the supervisors could only gather around and listen.
At the beginning of the debate, Huang Guan opposed the relocation of the capital on the grounds of "working the people's strength and depleting the country's children". His arguments were clear and full of emotions, and many officials applauded him.
When it was Yang Shiqi's turn, Yang Shiqi calmly took out a large drawing from under the table. When he opened it, there was a colorful column diagram, which sounded like a bell: "It is said that moving the capital is a waste of people and money, I will take care of it here." There are three sets of data, including the granary project outside Jinchuan Gate, the concrete project from Beijing to Suzhou, and the Huitong River Project."
"Looking at the granary, the Ministry of Household Affairs spent 300,000 taels. In addition to lumber and other purchases, at least 270,000 taels flowed into the hands of a total of 10,000 migrant workers and craftsmen, and these craftsmen and migrant workers spent various expenses within a year. Out of the 120,000 taels spent, the Ministry of Household Affairs will directly recover 8,000 taels through taxes and 23,000 taels through indirect taxes..."
Speaking with data is a new skill of the Imperial College. Listening to such a novel interpretation, the officials understood for the first time that spending money on infrastructure and projects can increase wealth. It seems that large-scale construction is still a good thing...
