Chen Kan made the final decision, and Zhu Zhanji couldn't say anything else.
Yuncheng stepped forward with a smile and began to discuss the price with the dull man.
There are about twenty chariots in the square here. A chariot costs twenty coins to go up the mountain. The people who carry the chariots each have ten coins. The chariots are not counted as money. Twenty chariots cost four hundred coins. money.
If it still needs to be carried down the mountain, an additional ten cents will be required for each chariot, and an additional twenty cents will be added for lost time. This is the price for two trips a day.
Added up, the total is a total of money.
When the amount of the price negotiated between Yuncheng and the dull man reached the ears of the Zhu brothers, both Zhu Zhanji and Zhu Zhanhe fell silent.
Before this, it was hard for them to imagine that with just the same amount of money, they could hire forty adults to follow them around for a whole day.
After all, they are the ones who really spend a lot of money. Even if they go to Jude Building to book a banquet, it will cost at least ten thousand dollars.
Zhu Zhanji bowed his hands to Zhang Yuanchu in a somewhat depressed manner and said, "I misunderstood you, I'm sorry."
Zhang Yuanchu was stunned and hurriedly returned the greeting: "Your Majesty... what are you talking about, noble man? Convenience for others is convenience for yourself. It is a trivial matter that is not worth mentioning."
After Yuncheng and the man calculated the money, they took out the copper coins and prepared to give the money first.
It is a constant amount of money, and these common people still have to divide it. Naturally, it is more convenient to use copper coins. The amount of treasure notes is too large, and it is difficult for them to divide it.
After receiving fifty cents, every citizen had a heartfelt smile on their face.
Fifty cents doesn't sound like much, but today's trip is equivalent to their income from working for three to five days in the past.
After all, not every noble person who comes to visit Longhu Mountain will rent their chariot.
In fact, the nobles who can come to Longhu Mountain will bring their own chariots. They also look down on the simple wooden frames of the common people.
Only a few small officials and officials who did not have enough wealth to buy a chariot, but who firmly believed in Taoism and had to go to the mountains to worship the founder of the Three Qing Dynasty, would use them.
Zhu Zhanji sat on a chariot with an unhappy face, and saw a lingering smile on the face of the man carrying the chariot.
He couldn't help but roll his eyes and asked: "Like you, if you make a living by walking every day, you will have enough wealth in the year. In addition, where does the food for the solar eclipse come from? Why don't you want to cultivate the land well? ?”
"The noble man is joking. The villain and others make a living by walking. Although it is a bit hard, at least they can barely fill their stomachs. If they go back to farming, I am afraid that not only will they not be able to make ends meet all year round, but they will also have to owe the government taxes and grains. As for The daily solar eclipse will save my wife, children, and mother from suffering at home, and I can pick some wild vegetables from the mountains to make my stomach happy."
The man must have met a lot of noble people, and he answered these questions fluently without any signs of drowsiness. He even had a simple smile on his face as he spoke.
Zhu Zhanji nodded, with no expression on his face. He just asked thoughtfully: "I remember that the agricultural tax rate in my country did not seem to be high. How come I still owe food taxes after planting the land for a year? But Is the government harsh and imposing exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes?"
The man was working hard to climb the steps with the chariot. When he heard Zhu Zhanji's question, he suddenly laughed and said, "Isn't the young master a nobleman from the capital?"
Zhu Zhanji was surprised and said: "Why would a strong man ask this question?"
The man shook his head and said with a smile: "I can meet noble people like you a few times every year. Every time I come, I will inquire with the villain and others whether the local government collects excessive taxes and miscellaneous taxes. I am used to it."
"Uh~"
Zhu Zhanji was stunned. After thinking for a moment, he understood what the man meant.
I think what the man is talking about is the censors from the Metropolitan Procuratorate.
The court monitors the local government, which is divided into the overt side and the covert side. The covert side is naturally several spy agencies. As for the overt side, it is the undercover imperial envoys composed of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Personnel.
Although Longhu Mountain is not under the rule of Yingtian Mansion, it is not far from the capital, so it is not unusual for a man to have such knowledge.
Seeing Zhu Zhanji's silence, the man stopped trying to keep things secret and said bluntly: "Young master, you are wrong. Since the emperor has become the emperor, how can the government dare to collect excessive taxes and miscellaneous taxes? What the villain said is not owing taxes and grain." Exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, but taxes seriously levied by the imperial court."
Zhu Zhanji frowned. Are the court's taxes so high? Why doesn't he know?
The man turned back and glanced at Zhu Zhanji. Seeing that his expression was not very good, he couldn't help but lower his voice and said, "Young master, you don't know how many people there are in Jiangnan, right?"
"The taxes set by the imperial court are actually not high. The blame lies in our Jiangnan. It is a good place with too many people, and the number of people is getting more and more."
The man's words were full of sighs, but Zhu Zhanji's face was even more confused.
Asked: "There are so many people, why can't they still pay taxes?"
The man smiled bitterly and said: "There are more people, but there is less land. Our Ming Dynasty pays taxes on a per-capita basis. There are more and more people, but there is only so much land. The land allocated to each person is not enough to live on. How can there be extra food for payment?" Tax."
Listening to the bitterness in the man's words, Zhu Zhanji's brain felt as if something had hit him, and a look of enlightenment instantly appeared on his face.
He got it.
So that’s it!
He couldn't help but subconsciously cast his eyes on Chen Kan who was on the other chariot.
So, is this the second purpose why the teacher must come to Longhu Mountain?
Did the teacher want to use this incident to tell him that there was something wrong with Ming Dynasty's tax law?
The more Zhu Zhanji thought about it, the more he felt it was possible.
What the Ming Dynasty now implements is the Dingkou tax, which is what men call per capita tax. To put it more bluntly, it is the traditional tax collection method of renting mediocre taxes.
There is a standard for how much food each adult is required to pay each year and how many days of labor they must serve.
This kind of taxation method, in the early days of the dynasty, was a very powerful impetus for the development of the dynasty.
When the dynasty was first established, there were many wastes waiting to be renovated, and there were many people but few people on the land, so there was no problem in collecting taxes based on Dingkou.
But as the development of the dynasty enters a certain stage, the population will definitely usher in explosive growth. Especially in places like Jiangnan, which has a warm and humid climate and fertile land, the population growth will only become faster and faster.
As the population increases, the per capita arable land area decreases. Coupled with the land annexation by powerful landlords, the land in the hands of the people is getting less and less. At this time, collecting taxes based on head count is pure hooliganism.
If people cannot pay taxes, they have only two options: either leave their homes and become refugees and go begging for food elsewhere, or they can sell themselves into slavery and become tenants of powerful landlords.
The wealthy landowners of the Ming Dynasty did not pay taxes.
The final result was that the government could not collect enough taxes, so it could only target the already poor people and levy various exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes under clever names.
But there were fewer and fewer people, and more and more refugees and slaves. The more exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes the dynasty imposed, the less money they had.
Once such a vicious cycle is formed, the only result is to change the dynasty and redistribute interests!
Zhu Zhanji is smart enough, so he can figure these things out quickly.
As for why I didn't think of it before, I can only say that there are some things that need someone to click on. Once they click, the whole thing will become clear. If no one clicks on it, it will be impossible to figure it out in a lifetime.
Just like a certain diligent emperor in later generations, if someone can give him a little click, maybe the things he does will have some effect.
This man has no conflict of interest with Zhu Zhanji, so Zhu Zhanji doesn't have to worry about any traps he says.
But the trap is gone, replaced by a big pit.
Zhu Zhanji looked away, feeling extremely bitter in his heart.
No wonder, no wonder that along the way, the teacher's behavior would be so strange. Not only did he want him to experience the sufferings of the world, but he also wanted him to go deep into the place to see, think, and feel the same.
It turned out that a big hole was dug here waiting for him.
Taxation, since ancient times, taxation has been the biggest cake and the fattest piece of fat in a dynasty from top to bottom.
Whether it is the central government, local governments, or even the clan, the entire Ming Dynasty relies on the tax system to operate.
Don't look at it now that Ming Dynasty seems to be bringing back endless wealth from overseas.
But those wealth will always only be in the pockets of a few people, and actually have little to do with ordinary people.
The real big head of the Ming Dynasty was still the Dingkou tax.
And for a long time in the future, the status of Dingkou tax will not be replaced by commerce.
It's just such a piece of fat meat, but it's made from the bone oil of ordinary people.
Not to mention that he is just a grandson of the emperor now, even if he has ascended the throne for the ninth time, if he dares to say that others are not allowed to eat this piece of fat, I am afraid he will be torn into pieces.
His heart was filled with bitterness, and Zhu Zhanji suddenly felt a little confused.
This question is too difficult and he doesn't seem to be very good at it.
He turned his head again and glanced at Chen Kan, who was lying on the chariot with his eyes closed and concentrating. Zhu Zhanji suddenly felt that it would be good for his second uncle to inherit the throne.
The man stopped talking, and Zhu Zhanji stopped asking questions.
Two Taoist priests led the way, and a group of nobles headed by Chen Kan was carried up the mountain by more than twenty chariots.
The mountain of Longhu Mountain is not high, but it is extremely steep. Moreover, Chen Kan and others plan to go to the Great Shangqing Palace to offer incense, which requires them to climb several mountains.
So, progress is slow.
We started climbing the mountain at noon, and it took us two full hours to reach the gate of the Great Shangqing Palace.
On the main peak of Longhu Mountain, the palace is hidden among the trees, with curls of sandalwood smoke lingering. From the main hall, the Shangqing Palace, there is a faint singing sound with a very charming charm, coupled with the melodious bells, it makes the slightly... The entire restless team calmed down unconsciously.
When he arrived at the place, Chen Kan finished closing his eyes to rest and took the lead in getting up on the chariot.
Zhu Zhanji and Zhu Zhanhe were pregnant women Chang Ning and Yun Niang.
Chen Kan looked at the majestic palace in front of him with his hands behind his back, and couldn't help but sigh: "The cranes and apes sing clearly, and the dragons, pans, and tigers sit on the green screen. A real person smiles with plum blossoms, and the spring is different in the thirty-sixth day."
The Song Dynasty poet Pan Lang's poem "Visiting Longhu Mountain to Present a Gift to the Celestial Master" can be said to have exemplified the majesty of Longhu Mountain as the ancestral home of Taoism.
Although Chen Kan only read the second half of the sentence, it still made everyone nod frequently.
The two Taoist priests, Big Zhang and Xiao Zhang, looked honored, as if they were the ones Chen Kan was praising.
After Chen Kan finished his emotion, Zhang Yuanchu stepped forward, bowed his hands, and asked: "Your Excellency, the Jade Emperor Pavilion has vegetarian hospitality. Why don't you go to the Five Zang Temple first and then offer incense to the Great Heavenly Lord?"
The Great Heavenly Lord mentioned by Zhang Yuanchu does not refer to the Jade Emperor of later generations, but to the Great Sage Yuchen Yuanhuang Daojun, one of the Three Pure Ones of Taoism.
Although the Great Shangqing Palace is dedicated to the Three Pure Ones, the main worshiper is the Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun.
As for the Jade Emperor, he is the chief priest of the Jade Emperor Pavilion.
At the same time, Yuhuang Pavilion is also the dining hall for the Taoist priests of Longhu Mountain.
Hearing this, Chen Kan nodded and returned the greeting: "Excuse me, Taoist Master, to lead the way."
Zhang Yuanchu nodded, and a group of people headed towards the Jade Emperor Pavilion.
Suzhai, as the name suggests, is a vegetarian meal specially used to entertain pilgrims and believers on the mountain.
Although the Taoist sect does not avoid eating meat, it does not talk about killing at any time. Most of the time, Taoist priests like to be kind to others.
Arriving at the Yuhuang Pavilion, the young Taoist priest Zhang Benchu led the servants of the Hou Mansion and the common people carrying the chariot to the side hall for dinner.
Zhang Yuanchu led Chen Kan, Xiao Zhu, Chang Ning and Yun Niang into the main hall.
In the main hall, many Taoist priests were queuing up holding wooden dinner plates. They were very quiet and made almost no sound.
When he saw Zhang Yuanchu, he just nodded slightly.
As for Chen Kan and others, they were ignored by them gorgeously, or rather than ignored, Chen Kan and others could no longer influence their minds.
Following Zhang Yuanchu around the hall, a group of people arrived at a large room.
In the room, a kind-hearted old man was already waiting.
After seeing Chen Kan, the old Taoist priest stood up and saluted several people and said, "Believers, you are so polite."
One look at the old Taoist's clothes, Chen Kan already knew the identity of this person.
He immediately returned the courtesy and said, "I have seen the great master Wuwei Chanzu Guangfan."
The old Taoist is Zhang Yuchu, the great celestial master of the 43rd generation. "Wuwei Chanzu Guangfan Da Zhenren" is the title given to Zhang Yuchu by the court in the eleventh year of Hongwu.
During the Jianwen period, Zhang Yuchu was deprived of his position as Heavenly Master and was exiled.
After Zhu Di came to power, under the banner of restoring the ancestral system, all the policies of the Jianwen Dynasty were abolished, and Zhang Yuchu was restored to his official position.
After the two greeted each other, Zhang Yuanchu stepped aside.
Zhang Yuchu asked Chen Kan and others to sit down, and his eyes stayed on Zhu Zhanji for a long time.
Zhu Zhanji and Zhang Yuchu looked at each other for a moment and lowered their heads subconsciously.
Now he had too many thoughts in his heart, and he even suspected that this was a trick made by his teacher and Longhushan for him.
But what the purpose is, he can't think of it yet.
Feeling that Zhu Zhanji's mood was not right, Zhu Zhanhe subconsciously moved closer to him.
Seeing Zhu Zhanhe's movements, Zhu Zhanji couldn't help but feel warm in his heart, and then sat down next to Chen Kan.
Naturally, there is no meat or wine in Daomen Suzhai. Chen Kan came to Longhu Mountain this time not to eat meat or drink wine, so a group of people just immersed themselves in the meal.
After having a full stomach, Chen Kan burped, and then he cupped his hands towards Zhang Yuchu and said, "Thank you for your hospitality today, Master Da Da. I also want to thank Daoist Zhang for leading the way for us."
Zhang Yu shook his head and said with a smile: "It doesn't matter, Pindao is just curious. If Chen Shanxin doesn't go to Yunnan, what is he doing in Longhu Mountain, Pindao?"
