Making money, no matter what era, is an international problem.

Prince Zhu Cixi vigorously and resolutely implemented a series of new policies in the south of the Yangtze River, which doubled the tax revenue. Although there were successful cases in front of him, Chongzhen could not follow the implementation.

First of all, it was his reluctance out of pride. As a young and promising emperor, he had to learn the policies of the Communist Party of China in everything. If this spread, how would the emperor's face be saved?

What's more, Yang Sichang and other civil servants would not agree. They still insisted on collecting taxes from the people, and would rather offend the people than touch the interests of the gentry and landlords. In the end, the officials in the court were the protective umbrella of those people, and they also benefited from them.

How can you jeopardize your future?

The discussion in the Huangji Palace lasted for half an hour, but the officials did not come up with any quick way to make money.

Finally, Chen Xinjia, Secretary of the Ministry of War, proposed: "Your Majesty, I suggest that the levy and suppression of pay be reintroduced!"

The levy was a fee specifically levied to suppress peasant uprisings. The total amount was 2.8 million taels, mainly from the fields. It was originally proposed that the levy would only be for one year. In fact, it started from the 10th year of Chongzhen until the 12th year of Chongzhen when Li Zicheng entered Shangluo.

It stopped after the mountains.

Chongzhen looked worried. He was worried that the resumption of the pay collection would make others say that he had gone back on his word and had broken his promise to the world.

Regarding the emperor's concern about breach of trust, Chen Xinjia said: "Your Majesty, there is no obstruction. The tax comes from the land. And those who own the land are mostly large landlords. For hundreds of acres of land, only three or four taels of silver are levied, which is only a small amount!"

Chongzhen was still struggling with whether he should reintroduce the levy and suppress the pay. At this moment, the eunuch sent a letter from Yang Sichang to Beijing urgently.

Chongzhen opened it and took a look. After a few glances, his expression turned from worry to joy, and he praised, "Yang Qing is still considerate of me..."

All the ministers in the palace were staring at each other. The emperor's top priority right now was the lack of money. What could turn the emperor's worries into happiness must have something to do with money. Could it be that Yang Sichang suddenly became rich and no longer needed help from the court?

Everyone waited eagerly for the emperor to explain what made him so happy.

Chongzhen handed the memorial to Wang Chengen and asked him to read it in court.

It turned out that Yang Sichang proposed to recruit soldiers for training, which was nominally to train frontier soldiers, strengthen the defense forces of the towns on the nine frontiers, and deal with the slave establishment, but in fact it was to deal with the peasant uprising.

The training salary was still collected from the talent, similar to how the land tax was divided into acres, and one point was added to the land tax per mu. Yang Sichang even calculated the total in the memorial, and it could collect more than 7.3 million taels of silver every year.

Chongzhen was thinking that now that Li Zicheng was rebelling again and the situation was in ruins, to wipe out his tribe, the amount of food and salary needed might reach astronomical figures. If three rates were collected, combined with Liao rates, suppression rates, and Lian rates, the national treasury would be able to increase the amount by one yuan every year.

Sixteen million seven hundred thousand taels.

As long as you have money, you can train a large number of new troops without fear of bandits.

According to Yang Sichang's calculations, the talent of the Ming Dynasty was extremely low. Even if three additional taxes were levied on each mu of land, it would only cost a few more kilograms of millet, which was far from the standard of "heavy taxation." This was the reason why Chongzhen turned his worries into joy.

After hearing this, Feng Ying, the Minister of Punishment, changed his expression and said: "Your Majesty, I have this memorial!"

Chongzhen frowned slightly, secretly wondering why it was this old guy again? Maybe he agreed to collect three salaries?

Feng Ying knelt down directly on the ground and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty must never implement the collection of training salaries. If this is done, what is the difference between exhausting the lake and fishing?"

Emperor Chongzhen sat on the dragon throne, looked at Feng Ying coldly and said: "If this strategy doesn't work, why don't you think of a way for me to solve this urgent problem?"

However, Feng Ying did not continue, and continued: "In the forty-sixth year of Wanli, the two capitals and thirteen provinces in the country increased the Liao tax, and the tax rate increased by nine cents per mu of land. In the fourth year of Chongzhen, the tax increased to one cent and two cents, and in the tenth year of Chongzhen

There will be an increase in wages every year. If we levy this training fee and add another cent of tax money, the people will suffer a lot!"

He said flatly and bluntly, "With such layer upon layer of tax increases, the people are miserable, and there have been natural and man-made disasters in successive years. If taxes are increased, the people will be overwhelmed and their marrow will be peeled off. As a result, the people will become poor and robbed, and the world will be even more chaotic."

ah!"

Feng Ying's words are very clear. Now that the people can't even eat, it would be strange not to rebel.

Chen Xinjia, however, disagreed and said: "What an alarmist! Prime Minister Yang's proposal to levy additional taxes is also an expedient measure. It will only be collected for this year to solve the urgent need. If there is no levy next year..."

Feng Ying let out a long sigh and said: "Although Yang Xiang's proposal of raising taxes has solved the current big problem, he has never thought about the fact that the land in various places is fertile and poor, and the yields vary. A unified taxation based on acres will cause a large number of

Tragedy!"

The number one scholar, Wei Zaode, immediately joined Chen Xinjia and said: "Your Majesty, I believe that the imperial court needs to implement an iron-handed approach to impose an additional three rates. No matter how painful the taxation is, there is still hope of reviving the Ming Dynasty. However, if there is no taxation, the bandits in various places cannot be completely wiped out. In the end,

It will be a serious problem."

Chen Xinjia nodded repeatedly after seeing this, and secretly thought that this person named Wei is pretty good. Not only is he good at reading, he is also very discerning. He is a talent!

Chongzhen thought deeply and finally made up his mind. He sighed: "I will send an edict to start a three-pay levy, which will temporarily burden our people for one year. I hope that after the bandits are wiped out, the world will return to peace and the people will live and work in peace and contentment."

Feng Ying felt cold in her heart. Although it was tentatively scheduled for one year, she was afraid that it would be customized in the future.

The emperor only looked at the superficial tax rate, charging only a few cents per acre of land. The tax rate was no more than 10% at most, and the people should be able to bear it.

But he didn't know how much the people's burden would increase when they got down there. Corrupt officials at all levels would never let go of this great opportunity to plunder and loot, and secretly sent more people, who didn't know how many millions they had.

There are more private factions than official gifts, several times or even dozens of times.

Feng Ying has been in charge of the Ministry of Justice for many years and has seen many cases of corrupt officials. After some local officials made money, they used the excuse that the people were burdened and could not bear to take it, so they withheld the money and did not turn it over to the court, so they could enjoy it themselves.

He had also seen a recent case file in which some officials in Shandong actually paid six times as much tax privately!

The levy of three rates was originally intended to maintain the stability of internal and external order, but such an approach of killing the goose and laying the eggs undoubtedly forced the common people to take desperate risks. The extra troops forced the people to become bandits, and if they wanted to defeat the bandits, they had to add more troops. This was a vicious cycle that the Ming Dynasty could withstand.

?

Feng Ying quickly stood up and said: "Your Majesty, the annual official tax in the country is only four to five million taels, and the additional supplementary tax is as high as more than ten million taels. The most important thing is that most of the fields registered in the Ministry of Revenue belong to the vassal king.

Many of the nobles, gentry and officials, and scholars and scholars do not pay taxes or evade taxes! If the distribution continues like this, the final burden will only be passed on to ordinary people!"

As soon as these words came out, all the ministers were in an uproar. Feng Ying was so courageous that he even dared to tell such a truth. Did he not want to be fooled?

The prince abolished the tax privileges of all classes in several provinces south of the Yangtze River, but the northern provinces continued as usual. Many people avoided talking about this matter, but Feng Ying spoke out in public!

Emperor Chongzhen was also frightened and angry. He stared at Feng Ying with murderous eyes, but did not say a word for a long time. He told such a truth, and for a while he really didn't know the reason for killing him.

Seeing the emperor's hesitation, Chen Xingjia said: "Your Majesty, if we don't fight now, in a few years the Li thieves will be so powerful that they will be unable to be contained, and they won't be able to conquer them even if they want to!"

Chen Xinjia's words were like a thunder, which shocked Chongzhen. He suddenly thought that there were a total of 180,000 troops from the nine sides and all parts of the Central Plains. If there was a slight defeat, it would be doomed.

Chongzhen was very decisive and immediately said: "Publish the decree and immediately levy three additional taxes. Regardless of wealthy people or people from three religions and nine schools, whoever dares to resist the tax will be killed without mercy!"

Seeing that the important matter had been decided, Chen Xinjia and others sang: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Although the emperor said this, when it comes to the lower level, local officials dare to collect taxes from the lords and gentry? Are you afraid that you don't want to walk on your legs?

In the end, Feng Ying gave up completely, knelt on the ground and shouted: "Your Majesty, you must not do this. The court is suppressing thieves while raising taxes. It will only make it impossible for the people to survive. In the end, they will be taken away by the thieves. The result will only be

The more thieves are suppressed, my Ming Dynasty is in danger!"

Chongzhen suddenly became angry and shouted: "You are putting the Ming Dynasty in danger with one mouthful. What are your intentions? Come on, put him on death row!"

Being dragged away by two royal guards, Feng Ying felt no fear and still shouted: "It's just to drive the people to think they are thieves, how can there be any thieves! Why doesn't your majesty not understand this truth!"

Chongzhen watched him being dragged away coldly. He was also curious in his heart. There were so many acres of land registered and the burden on the people was not heavy at all. Why did they always resist or even rebel?

Having no time to think so much, he snorted coldly and said: "This matter has been settled. The cabinet will draft a charter and implement it as soon as possible!"

Chen Xinjia breathed a sigh of relief. If he could get the money, Yang Ge Lao's war in Henan would be stabilized. After Yang Ge Lao wiped out the bandits and achieved unparalleled achievements, and after the class teacher returned to the court, it would be time for him to join the cabinet!

As for whether disaster victims would join the bandits on a large scale, Chen Xinjia did not take it seriously, or he pretended to be confused because he understood.

After the court meeting, when Chongzhen had just returned to Qianqing Palace, he heard the eunuch of Cining Palace coming to report in tears: Concubine Zhao has passed away...
Chapter completed!