Liu Sanwu nodded, but before he spoke, the people around him spoke up first.
Fang Xiaoru was seen standing in front of the window, asking Zhu Yunxi of the school.
"His Royal Highness King Wu just said that most of the land in the Yuan Dynasty was concentrated in the hands of a few people. This is sobering, and I agree. But throughout the ages, hasn't the land of any dynasty been concentrated in the hands of a few people? Land
Why concentrate on a few people?”
"Good question!"
Zhu Yuanzhang secretly thought that since he was a farmer, he was most concerned about land issues.
In today's Ming Dynasty, the land is still in the hands of a few people. The powerful in each place own the most fertile land and the most tenants. Even if the people farm for a year, they still don't have enough to eat under the pressure of very high land rent.
.
After Fang Xiaoru finished speaking, he looked at Zhu Yunxi quietly.
His question was very complex and far-reaching. He hoped that Zhu Yunxi could give him a different answer instead of the same old answers.
Zhu Yunxi thought for a moment and then said, "From the student's perspective, China's problem has always been the land problem!"
"Huh?" Liu Sanwu and Fang Xiaoru looked at each other, their eyes full of surprise in addition to deep shock.
Land is the most important issue for a country, and it has always been the most important issue in history, leading to the destruction of the country.
The initial website is https://m.
How many years of history books did they have to read before they could come up with the answer to this question?
But now, King Wu actually said it without thinking.
"Since the Qin Emperor unified the world, all dynasties have been strong and prosperous at the beginning, but later became weak. Why?" Zhu Yunxi said, "Because in the early days of the dynasty, the population dropped sharply due to the war and the land was redistributed. In addition to the landlords, the country also had
Lots of yeoman farmers!”
"But as the country became peaceful, land began to be annexed. Local powerful officials and dignitaries would always hoard land when they had money. Land annexation resulted in the people having no land to farm. Coupled with the population growth during the peace years, there was even less land.
.”
"It's like an old man whose family has 20 acres of land and can support his three sons. But when it comes to his three sons, each of them can only get seven acres of land. Can his sons support three more sons?"
"People who have no land to farm can only become tenants of the rich. Gradually, from generation to generation, they become tenants of the wealthy local landlords. In other words, they are slaves."
“Whenever there are changes in the country, natural or man-made disasters, or when taxes need to be raised to defend against foreign enemies, these tenant farmers become a hidden population, and those people who cannot afford to pay taxes will sell their fields to large households at low prices to avoid the court’s taxes.
"
Zhu Yunxi said slowly while thinking deeply.
Peasants in this era have no ability to withstand external risks. If there is a famine or war, they will become impoverished. In order to survive, they can only lose their land.
"Population growth is accompanied by land annexation. The consequences of land annexation are the financial regression of the entire country and social unrest!"
Zhu Yunxi continued, "Just like the previous Dynasty in the Yuan Dynasty, most of the land was in the hands of officials, landlords, and temples. These people did not have to pay taxes. The taxes needed by the court had to be added to the farmers. One would decrease and the other would increase. The more their land became, the more taxes they needed.
There are more and more people coming! And the people are getting poorer and poorer, and the national strength will also decline."
"This is a strange circle, and all dynasties have never been able to escape from this strange circle!"
Everyone outside the window frowned nervously, thinking about Zhu Yunxi's words.
Liu Sanwu and Fang Xiaoru thought as ministers. Zhu Yunxi's argument was novel, but very reasonable.
Regarding the problem of population growth and land annexation, the sages of the past dynasties have thought of countless ways, but they have not come up with an answer. There will definitely be land annexation in the peaceful and prosperous age, and the consequence of land annexation is to end the peaceful and prosperous age.
They are all people who have experienced troubled times and have a deeper understanding of the land, but they have never thought deeply about the reasons for land annexation.
Now, Zhu Yunxi gave a different answer to why the land is in the hands of a few people.
Zhu Yuanzhang outside the window was thinking about another question.
When there are too many people, there is not enough land for farming, and combined with annexation, the people will have no way to live. He himself is one of these people who have no way to live, and he does not want his country to follow this path.
After Zhu Yunxi finished speaking, he found that there was silence around him. The princes, emperors and grandsons did not understand, but they all looked at him with admiration. Several Hanlin bachelors were meditating quietly, not knowing what they were thinking.
A gaze kept looking at him, full of suspicion.
Zhu Yunxi smiled toothily at the other party, and the person who was looking at him, Zhu Yunwen, looked away.
Suddenly, a voice sounded outside.
"Then tell us how to deal with land annexation?"
"See Your Majesty!"
"Meet the Imperial Grandfather!"
"No need to salute!" Zhu Yuanzhang stopped everyone in the school from getting up and kowtow, and said to Zhu Yunxi, "Third brother, what do you want to say to us?"
Zhu Yuanzhang is here? Did he hear all those words just now?
This was not the time to think about these things. Zhu Yunxi knew that if he could not answer this question well, it would definitely affect his status in the emperor's heart.
After pondering for a long time, Zhu Yunxi said, "My grandson heard that the emperor's grandpa ordered a census of the population of each province, prefecture, and county! Population breeds land annexation, but land annexation can also start from the population!"
"Check the population in various places, find out the people hidden in the local wealthy and powerful families, and let these hidden people become self-sufficient farmers! Now the Ming Dynasty is rising, and there are a large number of ownerless fields, rather than being occupied by local governments
, it is better to leave it to the people!"
Zhu Yuanzhang thought about it, "How can it be so easy to investigate and the local big family is willing to let him go?"
Although he is the Supreme Being, the world cannot act according to his wishes. Of course he wants to distribute the land to the people, but what about the local officials? It’s okay not to say so!
"Grandpa Emperor, please forgive your grandson for speaking nonsense!"
"We are talking about family life, let's talk about whatever we want!"
Zhu Yunxi said sternly, "My Ming Dynasty now collects a small tax on population!"
In these days, Zhu Yunxi made some secrets about the sources and structure of taxation in the Ming Dynasty. Just like the previous dynasties, everyone had to pay taxes to the court officials when they were born, which was called Ding tax.
Ancient times were not as beautiful as modern TV. People had to pay a small tax. Many poor people did not pay the tax and paid less. Their sons were left behind but their daughters drowned.
Zhu Yunxi looked around and continued, "What if we don't collect Ding tax but land tax?"
"King Wu, be careful!"
Fang Xiaoru said loudly, regardless of Zhu Yuanzhang's presence.
Reforming the country's tax system is inherently offensive, and the land tax mentioned by Zhu Yunxi involves many problems.
Although the contact time was not long, Fang Xiaoru already liked this student, and he did not want this Huang Ming's direct grandson to be hated by others.
Zhu Yuanzhang also looked at Zhu Yunxi and said seriously, "Xie'er, you can talk to grandpa after you think about it!"
Zhu Yunxi met his gaze. The old man's gaze was encouraging, but also worried, joyful, and melancholy. He asked Zhu Yunxi to think about it before talking, which was a kind of encouragement and tolerance.
There is also a kind of worry! He is afraid that if his grandson tells it, he will be criticized!
"Grandpa Huang, my grandson is your direct grandson!" Zhu Yunxi said loudly, "My grandson will not be timid because of fear of criticism from others!"
"Okay!" Zhu Yuanzhang laughed, "You say it!"
"My grandson thought, if taxes were collected based on land, for example, one acre of land would be paid at the same rate, and people would pay as much tax as they had land, and the small tax that the people could not afford would be cancelled, would the people be more willing to own their own land?
Become a yeoman farmer!”
"If everyone has to pay land tax under the Ming Dynasty, and 10,000 acres of land costs 10,000 guan, then while the country is strong, will those who want to desperately buy land because they don't pay taxes also consider it?"
After saying that, looking at everyone who was meditating again, Zhu Yunxi continued, "This is just my grandson's humble opinion."
After pondering, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his grandson with joy.
"A little knowledge? You have such a little knowledge in the court, and no one dares to say it! With your courage, you are our good grandson!" He said with a joking smile, "A little knowledge? Do you have two more points?
"
"have!"
Everyone was shocked and saw Zhu Yunxi standing tall and tall.
"Fight it out!"
“When the country’s land is not enough for distribution, fight it out!”
This chapter has been completed!