Chapter 272 Commercial Tax
One day later. ReadМ
Feihuguan cavalry arrived at the Yancheng palace.
After listening to the cavalry's story, Zhao Xu said: "Go back and tell them not to take care of the Xiliang soldiers. Don't act rashly and fall into the trap of the Xiliang people. As for the people, let him send a team of cavalry to guide the people to Yancheng."
"Yes, Your Highness." Hearing this, the cavalry bowed and left.
Liu Fu was reporting to Zhao Xu on the government affairs of the four counties at this time.
After hearing this, he said: "Your Highness, these more than 200,000 people have poured into Shanggu County, but there are more than 200,000 mouths."
After a pause, he said: "This does not include the people sent from Jinhe. The food from the fief is enough to help the people in the four counties, but if we add these people, we will not be able to survive for a few months."
Zhao Xu nodded, Liu Fu's question was a very realistic one.
In ancient times, famines often occurred, especially in the north.
The reason lies in the insufficient grain production in the north.
If there is a flood or drought, there will basically be famine.
This place is Yanzhou.
When the weather is good, the food grown by the people is barely enough for their own use.
What's more, the four counties are now in dire straits, and their own food production is in a mess.
Now hundreds of thousands more people have been added, and more importantly, these people are not used for farming, but are intended to be used as industrial people.
Once they arrive in Yancheng, he will arrange them into various workshops.
Promote the prosperity and development of the handicraft industry in the four counties.
In this way, the hundreds of thousands of mouths that do not produce food are indeed a pressure for him.
After all, the total output of the four counties has not increased much, but there are more people.
"I have figured out what to do." Zhao Xu sighed leisurely to Liu Fu.
"Oh? What's your magic trick, Your Highness?" Liu Fuzheng was worried, but his eyes lit up at this moment.
"The food in the world comes from the Xie family. As long as we get the support of the Xie family, the food of the four counties will be worry-free. However, in contrast, I will give gifts to Queen Xie and the deposed prince." Zhao Xu said.
"Your Highness has decided to support the deposed prince in his bid for the throne?" Liu Fu was shocked.
Zhao Xu looked far away, "Exactly, the Xie family originally intended to win over me. By sending this favor now, I and the Xie family can support each other. Is it not a problem to give me some food and grass?"
After pondering for a while, he said: "According to my understanding, among the princes, the emperor does prefer the deposed prince, and supporting the prince will also gain the emperor's favor."
"That's what I said, but His Highness didn't..." Liu Fu frowned, and the words stopped abruptly.
Zhao Xu looked at Liu Fu after hearing this. Liu Fu's head immediately lowered, as if he had done something wrong.
He understood that Liu Fu meant nothing more than to join him in the fight for the crown prince's position.
He said: "The trees that are beautiful in the forest will be destroyed by the wind. I am now at the forefront of the storm. If I don't know how to hide my strength and bide my time, I am afraid that what will happen to us will be catastrophe."
He came to the door of the study room with his hands behind his back and said: "Moreover, please remember that an emperor cannot be called an emperor just by wearing a dragon robe. As long as he has absolute strength, he can become a king without being a king. You and I only need to manage the four northern counties well."
"Be a king without being a king?" Liu Fu thought, and then suddenly realized, "I understand."
Forget about it.
Zhao Xu and Liu Fu returned to government affairs issues.
Winter is about to pass and the snow is about to melt.
The rejuvenating spring is coming soon.
In this season, all things revive, and the four counties will naturally revive and enter a state of comprehensive development.
The two people were discussing the construction planning issue reported by Liu Fu this time.
Of course, he taught the word construction planning.
Liu Fu came to the Government Affairs School when he had time.
Sometimes he would even come in the evening to ask questions that he didn't understand.
"Your Highness has abolished the corvee, but the land in the four counties needs to be reclaimed, the rivers need to be dredged, and even if the food is transported during the war, civilian labor is still needed. The lower official feels that this is really inappropriate and should reintroduce the corvee." Liu Fu said.
"How can we win the trust of the people if orders are changed in the morning and evening? If the people don't believe it, then the official words will be invalidated." Zhao Xu immediately rejected Liu Fu's advice.
Corvee is something that makes people complain.
Recruiting corvees means that the people have no wages and work for the government in vain.
And sometimes, in order to keep up with the progress, officials would even punish the people and force them to work day and night.
In every corvee, people will die.
What's more, corvee can also lead to corruption.
The official in charge of the corvee cashier exempted some people from the corvée service and showed off the corvee service to those who did not need to perform the corvee service.
Although the officialdom of the four counties under his rectification was much cleaner and fairer than that of Dasong.
But there is no guarantee that some local officials will not do this.
After all, these officials are very capable and have many ways to conceal the dirty things they have done.
Therefore, corvee can never be carried out any longer.
But building things like water power requires people's power, which is indeed contradictory.
After thinking about it, he said: "The government can contract out the construction matters to merchants and send officials to supervise them. For example, building a bridge. How much silver is needed for the bridge? Let the merchants come and compete for the price. The one with good quality and low price will get it. In this way, no The need to collect corvees can also promote the development of the four counties."
"However, the government office will have to spend another amount of money." Liu Fu sighed.
Zhao Xu laughed when he heard this, "You, you still have to continue your studies in the Government Affairs School, you are really short-sighted."
Sitting back at the desk, he said, "But if these silvers flow to the people, the people will become rich. The rich people can send their children to school, can afford to eat meat, and can afford to buy commercial goods. Wouldn't this promote the development of commerce in the four counties?"
"But isn't it just businessmen who are so rich? The people make very little profit." Liu Fu's point hit the nail on the head.
"Therefore, the government office must collect taxes on commerce, especially on merchants. The richer the merchant, the heavier the tax. This is what your government office should do. You must not go along with the merchants, only collect taxes from the people, and condone the merchants to evade taxes." Zhao Xu said seriously, "After collecting these taxes, they can be invested in the development of the four counties. For this, the government office has a special agency responsible for commercial taxes."
Liu Fu fell into deep thought after hearing this.
In Dasong, the most important thing is of course agricultural taxes, there is no doubt about this.
But at this moment, the commercial tax proposed by the King of Yan seemed to be full of temptation to him.
He didn't know whether the King of Yan was right or wrong to value commerce so much.
But now he can only follow the path designated by the King of Yan.
Perhaps he can witness a four northern counties of Yanzhou that is different from any place in Dasong.
"I understand, I will plan this matter when I go back." Liu Fu said.
Zhao Xu nodded, "There is also the matter of the people in Jinzhou. Prepare the porridge stalls and other things in the next few days, and notify the county governors of each county. They will lead the counties to arrange the remaining things picked by the king's palace."
"Yes, Your Highness." Liu Fu responded again.
Two days later.
The endless crowd of people arrived in Yancheng under the escort of the soldiers of the king's palace.
Zhao Xu went out to greet them.