The imperial tax system cannot be changed easily.
If taxes are directly lowered in Suzhou, what will happen in other places?
If everyone is like this, the Minister of Household Affairs will probably give up the job.
If he takes ten thousand steps back, he can ask Lao Zhu to give Suzhou an extra favor and exempt him from taxes for a year.
That can only relieve temporary worries.
What's more, given that Suzhou's tax burden is such a large proportion, it is no easy task to grant it tax exemption.
But as long as Suzhou's total taxes remain unchanged and there is flexibility within this framework, he, as the supervisor, can make his own decisions.
In fact, the more developed the commodity economy is, the less land taxes need to be levied.
After the Qing Dynasty was forcibly opened by foreigners, in the later period, although the society became more and more decadent, the court's tax revenue increased significantly without imposing additional land taxes.
From customs alone, the annual revenue is as high as tens of millions of taels.
Later generations of society were able to completely abolish agricultural taxes because the state no longer relied on them for taxes.
Suzhou has a solid commercial foundation, unique geographical advantages, and the conditions to vigorously develop commerce.
Prior to this, the imperial court's policy of focusing on agriculture and suppressing business seriously hindered Suzhou's commercial development.
Even so, Suzhou has developed a fairly mature business society.
The number of wealthy businessmen, even after rounds of suppression by the imperial court, is still far greater than that of other places.
The current predicament is only temporary.
With the implementation of a series of policies such as the opening of maritime restrictions, the liberalization of business qualifications, and the unified taxation of invoices, Suzhou will once again usher in the prosperity of business and trade.
But in this era, the dominant people are not businessmen after all, but scholars.
Influenced by Confucian etiquette, most scholars have always looked down on businessmen who value profit over separation.
What Zhu Yunxuan was most worried about was that local officials and squires would suppress business and merchants intentionally or unintentionally.
In Ming Dynasty, this was almost everywhere and unavoidable.
That's why he came up with this method.
In this way, the local government in Suzhou and the scholars in Suzhou must vigorously encourage the development of commerce and promote commercial prosperity in order to allow merchants to bear the taxes of all Suzhou and to no longer pay land taxes.
The land tax problem in Suzhou can be solved, and business will take off as a result.
Another strategy that has the best of both worlds.
Liu Hanmo thanked him and said: "Your Highness Taisun's kindness will be remembered by millions of people in Suzhou. Please rest assured that Your Highness Taisun will do his best during Liu's tenure to promote the prosperity of Suzhou's commerce and reduce land taxes." Heavy endowment.”
If it were any other place, with the current productivity level of the Ming Dynasty, it would be a fantasy to rely on commercial tax to replace land tax.
But Suzhou is different.
Suzhou was originally the commercial and trade center of Jiangnan.
Prior to this, due to the influence of the Ming Dynasty's policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce, Suzhou's commercial potential had not been fully utilized.
Despite this, even though the commercial taxes previously set by the Ming Dynasty were very light, the commercial taxes collected were still quite large.
Commercial taxes were levied and after the reform of the tax system, commercial taxes increased even more.
It was only later that a series of changes put Suzhou into trouble.
Zhu Yunxuan nodded, and then said very seriously: "The development of commerce is of great importance."
"We can only rely on five hundred new troops to quell the rebellion of tens of thousands of Japanese pirates and rebels, all thanks to the power of guns. You must have heard about this."
"Tiger and leopard roar in the mountains and forests, fish and dragons leap in the rivers and seas, and birds soar in the nine heavens. Human beings don't have the courage of tigers and leopards, the power of fish and dragons, and the wings of flying birds, but they can be the leader of hundreds of spirits. What's the point of human beings? Those who are good at false things are better than others."
"If I couldn't invent the flintlock gun, I wouldn't be able to destroy tens of thousands of Japanese pirates and rebels with an army of five hundred."
"The purpose of establishing the Technical Research and Manufacturing Bureau is to invent more things, not only for military warfare, but also for production."
"With the development of technology in the future, society will become completely different, and commerce will become more and more important."
"China has developed for thousands of years since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Today, it has accumulated enough. In less than ten years, it will usher in major changes that have not been seen in thousands of years."
"The imperial court must change, and the world must change."
"This is the root of why Gu wants to vigorously develop commerce."
"I shouldn't have said these words to you in the first place, but I see that you are still a talented person and you are willing to do things sincerely, so you do it with sincerity."
"I hope you don't have to live up to your expectations."
Liu Hanmo was shocked. He looked at Zhu Yunzhen with his eyes frozen, as if he had lost his heart and soul for a moment.
After a long while, he suddenly came back to his senses, kowtowed heavily and said: "His Royal Highness Taisun's great kindness, although it is difficult to repay Hanmo's death, I will repay His Highness my heart and soul."
As a scholar, he, like most scholars, looks down on businessmen and does not pay attention to the development of business.
Businessmen smell of copper all over their bodies. This is the perception of most scholars.
Although many of their family members make money by doing business.
It has even become the main source of income for the family.
But it still doesn't stop them from despising the businessmen from the bottom of their hearts.
It's about the same as Junzi Yuanbaochu.
A gentleman is kind-hearted and cannot kill animals when he sees them, so he keeps away from them.
But you still have to eat.
Food, sex, and sex.
Just don't do it yourself.
Out of sight is pure.
It's a bit self-deceiving and deceiving others.
But they don’t feel it themselves.
After Zhu Yunxuan said these words, Liu Hanmo's mentality suddenly changed greatly.
People say that His Highness Taisun is the reincarnation of a god.
He had read the books of sages and sages, but he did not take this seriously.
However, His Highness Taisun has extraordinary talents that are beyond the reach of others, but Liu Hanmo has no doubt at all.
After all, the seven-year-old grandson in front of me was a great talent who wrote "The Rolling Waters of the Yangtze River Passing East".
He is also a peerless general who can defeat tens of thousands of Japanese pirates and rebels with five hundred new troops.
What he had just seen with his own eyes, while talking and laughing, he came up with a way to solve Suzhou's predicament by providing work for relief.
Liu Hanmo asked himself that he had never seen such a monster in his life.
What he said just now is shocking.
A major change not seen in thousands of years?
If anyone else were to say it, he would definitely think it was absurd and alarmist talk.
If he hears it on the streets, he will definitely find out who said it, and he will be convicted of deceiving people and disturbing people's hearts.
At least give it a good beating.
But coming from His Highness Taisun, Liu Hanmo had to treat it with caution.
Considering His Highness Taisun's amazing talent, these words must not be made out of thin air.
How could this not shock him?
In addition, Liu Hanmo also heard from his words that his grandson valued him highly.
His Highness Taisun is the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty and the person who will inherit the throne in the future.
He was immediately flattered that he was treated with such high regard.
Zhu Yunzhen observed the change in his expression and was quite satisfied.
He must cultivate a group of his own people.
This is no easy task.
Using one's own historical knowledge to win over people whose abilities have been proven by history is certainly one aspect.
On the other hand, we cannot be completely trapped in the limitations of history.
A person's ability to grow up and leave his name in youth history depends on both his own efforts and the influence of the external environment.
Times make heroes, and heroes come at the right time.
The two inherently coexist with each other.
Internal and external factors work together.
Do characters who are not recorded in history books really have no ability?
not necessarily.
Maybe it was just bad luck.
If the environment changes, the names of characters in history books may undergo earth-shaking changes.
Liu Hanmo gave him a good impression and it can be used.
Zhu Yunzhen tried to win over him.
Perhaps, he can be cultivated into a figure who will be famous throughout the ages from being unknown in history.
It's challenging and fun.
Zhu Yunzhen didn't force it, he just tried it casually.
Moreover, the methods he used were very clever.
It's not a big reward, but a "heartfelt" speech.
This is the advantage brought by the superior.
As the crown prince, he showed his sincerity to an official, which was the greatest favor he could give him.
It is equivalent to telling him that I regard you as my confidant.
The grandson is the future emperor. Which official doesn't want Jane to be in the emperor's heart?
Moreover, Zhu Yunzhen's words had another meaning.
If Liu Hanmo can win over him and is willing to be surrendered, that would be great.
If he disapproves, is unwilling to submit, and does not believe his own words, then it is just a matter of using his mouth to spread the word about "great changes not seen in thousands of years."
It provides a psychological foundation for the people, officials, and the government and the public.
Lay the foundation for drastic reforms in the future.
After Liu Hanmo kowtowed, he looked up at Zhu Yunxian and said, "His Royal Highness Taisun thinks so highly of this official that I dare not hide anything from His Highness anymore."
"If we want to vigorously develop Suzhou's commerce, there is still a problem that needs to be solved urgently, and that is the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes!"
Four updates completed today!
(End of chapter)
