Although he knew that he could no longer change anything, Qi Tai was still full of dissatisfaction.
Staring at Han Du hatefully, he sneered, "Although you, Marquis of Zhenhai, can make money, the taxes in the world mainly come from the people's land taxes. You don't want to increase the people's taxes and take away the people's wealth, right?"
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable." A supervisory censor stood up, "If we rely on plundering the people, then what's the use of an additional 10 million yuan in taxes? It's just to make the world poor and the court rich.
, I’m afraid the late emperor wouldn’t agree even if he still has a spirit in heaven.”
Several officials also agreed with the supervisory censor's views.
Han Du raised his hand to signal and said to several officials who objected: "I promise that the taxes paid by the people will not be even a little bit more than they are now."
After Zhu Biao heard Han Du's assurance, he immediately laughed and said to the supervisory censor: "Shi Aiqing, what do you think?"
"If this is the case, I have no objection." The censor surnamed Shi was originally worried that Han Du would impose some exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes on the people. Now that Han Du had made a guarantee, he naturally had nothing to say.
The censor retreated, but Qi Tai was still unwilling.
Han Du looked at him with a smile and said directly: "I just change the way of collecting taxes, and I can increase the world's taxes by ten million yuan. Do you believe it, Lord Qi?"
Qi Tai couldn't understand what Han Du said. How could changing the tax collection method increase taxes by 10 million yuan? Isn't this a fantasy? Can money fall from the sky?
"Okay, if the Marquis of Zhenhai can do it, I will personally apologize to the Marquis at that time."
Han Du smiled and nodded, "It's a deal."
Seeing that no one had any objections, Zhu Biao said in a deep voice: "In this case, from now on, Han Du will serve as the Minister of Household Affairs and retire from the court!"
"I respectfully send you off to the Emperor. Long live my Emperor! Long live the Emperor~"
After Zhu Biao left, the ministers turned around and walked out of the palace gate one by one. As soon as they walked out of the palace gate, the ministers couldn't help but started talking about what happened during the court meeting.
Most of them did not believe that Han Du could make the court collect an additional 10 million yuan in tax revenue without increasing taxes.
Even the officials who came from the academy couldn't help but worry about Han Du. If there were not so many restrictions, they were confident that they could do it, but now they are not sure.
Fang Xiaoru and Wang Yuanji came to Han Du with more than a dozen officials from the academy. Fang Xiaoru was the first to speak: "Han Du, are you too trusting? Without increasing the people's taxes, you want to increase
With an annual income of 10 million yuan, how is this possible?"
Wang Yuanji also said with a worried look: "Sir, students are also taxed. If you are in the overseas governor's palace, you can also mine and do some business. It is not difficult to make ten million yuan with your skills. But this is here
In the Ming Dynasty, mining and business are not allowed, so how can you increase your annual income by 10 million yuan?"
Han Du glanced at the worried expressions on everyone's faces, paused and said, "Instead of worrying about whether I can do it, you might as well just wait and see."
Wang Yuanji glanced at Fang Xiaoru with some hesitation.
Fang Xiaoru waved his hand to stop him, nodded to Han Du, and said: "Since you are confident, you always have a lot of wild ideas and can always surprise people, so let's take a look at how wonderful you are.
means."
"Haha, you still understand me."
After saying that, Han Du was about to leave the palace with the two of them. However, a young eunuch chased behind him. After stopping Han Du, he said softly: "Master Marquis, the emperor has summoned you."
Han Du immediately said to Fang Xiaoru and Wang Yuanji: "Then you go first. I'll go see why the emperor summoned me."
Fang Xiaoru nodded and said: "Go quickly, don't make the emperor wait, don't worry about us."
After saying that, he picked up his sleeves and robe with both hands and walked away.
Wang Yuanji also bowed to Han Du and said, "Sir, that student is leaving first."
"Sir, let's go first~" Others followed Wang Yuanji and slightly arched their hands towards Han Du.
Han Du smiled and waved to them, looking at these officials who came out of the academy with satisfaction. Of course, there were more officials coming out of the academy than just the past ten days, but they were the ones with the highest official positions, and the others had lower official positions, so they did not need to participate.
Early morning.
Lords of heaven and earth, teachers and mentors, these people are your strong backing.
Han Du then turned around and said to the young eunuch: "Let's go."
"Master Marquis, please!"
Han Du came to Qianqing Palace and saw Zhu Biaozheng and Han Jingyun sitting together.
Seeing Han Du walk in, Zhu Biao quickly waved to him before Han Du could kneel down and said, "Han Du, come here and sit down."
Seeing this, Han Du had no choice but to cup his hands and say: "Thank you, Your Majesty, Your Majesty."
Han Jingyun smiled slightly and said: "Brother, can you stop calling me empress? Isn't it better to call me Jingyun like before?"
Han Du laughed and, at the eunuch's instruction,
Yixiao sat on the right side of Zhu Biao and replied: "The etiquette cannot be abolished. I don't want to supervise the censor to read my book."
Zhu Biao immediately spoke, "It is true that etiquette must be followed in formal occasions, but in private there is no problem for you to be brothers and sisters. In this palace from now on, you should treat each other like brothers and sisters."
"Your Majesty, every time my eldest brother calls me empress, I feel weird." Han Jingyun grabbed Zhu Biao's arm and shook it, then said to Han Du with a smile on his face.
Seeing this, Han Du had no choice but to nod his head and agree, "I obey your order."
He didn't know why Zhu Biao called him here today. After waiting for a while, Zhu Biao didn't mention it. Han Du pondered for a while and asked, "What does the emperor want to see you for today?"
Zhu Biao did not say it directly, but said: "We will talk about this later, let's eat first."
Then he clapped his hands and told Wang Yue: "Pass the meal."
Han Du had no choice but to suppress the doubts in his heart and prepare to eat first.
The royal dishes were brought in one after another with the steps of the palace maids. Looking at the dazzling array of twenty or thirty delicacies, Han Du couldn't help but sigh, how could the three of him eat so much?
Zhu Biao stretched out his hand and said, "I know that the dishes at your home are no worse than the royal meals in the palace, but today the Queen wants to have a meal with you, so you might as well try it."
Han Du suddenly showed a flattered look and quickly blamed himself: "I cannot bear what the emperor said. The emperor knows that I have never been particular about food. As long as it can fill my stomach, I will not be tired of it."
I can eat them all.”
Zhu Biao suddenly burst into laughter, pointed at Han Du and said: "You are telling the truth, but I am not bad either. When you and I went to sea together, did I not eat anything that was difficult to swallow?
"
Just as Zhu Biao and Han Du were recalling the turbulent years when they first went to sea, a sentence suddenly popped up next to them.
"The emperor ate something unpalatable when he went to sea. How come I don't know about it?"
Han Jingyun's beautiful eyes turned and looked at Zhu Biao searchingly.
When Zhu Biao heard this, he immediately smiled awkwardly.
Seeing that the emperor refused to say anything, Han Jingyun turned his attention to Han Du and asked, "Brother, can't you tell me what it is?"
Han Du sighed, put down the wine glass in his hand, and said: "Sometimes knowing too much will not make you happy, but will cause you more troubles. When you go to sea, no matter how well prepared you are, you will never be happy at sea.
You may encounter any situation when the situation changes suddenly. Sometimes as long as you can still have something
It is already a blessing to have something to fill your stomach, so why do you want anything else?"
Since Han Du refused to say anything, Han Jingyun couldn't ask any more questions. He just said to Zhu Biao, "The emperor has suffered."
"It's not bitter, it's not bitter. This can be considered a kind of experience for me. You know, even now, some people are not eating as well as what I ate back then." Zhu Biao said and sighed.
The three of them only had a taste of it and didn't drink too much.
After eating the imperial meal, Han Jingyun stood up and left.
The emperor and Han Du were left here, drinking tea slowly.
After Zhu Biao paused, he said, "Are you too trusting today? Ten million guan is not a small amount."
Han Du smiled and replied: "Since I dare to speak, I can do it."
"That's good. I'm still worried about you even in the court. Since you are confident, I can rest assured."
Han Du took a sip of tea, pondered for a while and then said: "Actually, when it comes to taxes, I am more worried about another thing than ten million dollars."
"What's the matter?" Zhu Biao couldn't help but look a little solemn, and even put down the tea that was about to reach his mouth again.
Han Du rationalized some thoughts and said: "About 50% of the taxes in the Ming Dynasty now come from the land taxes of the people, and the other 40% come from the municipal shipping department. Only less than 10% of the taxes come from merchants."
tax."
Zhu Biao looked at Han Du in confusion and asked, "What's the problem with this?"
Han Du shook his head slightly and said, "I'm not saying there is a problem, but I think this tax structure is unreasonable."
"Tell me carefully." Zhu Biao simply put down the tea cup in his hand, got closer to Han Du, and concentrated on listening to Han Du's next words.
Han Du nodded, "Your Majesty, please think that 90% of the current taxes are the land tax of the common people and the sea trade tax of the shipping department. Such a tax structure will cause the court to rely heavily on the land tax and sea trade tax. If this is the case
If there is no problem with these two taxes, then the world will naturally be at peace. But if there is a problem with these two taxes, what should the court do?"
Han Du thought there was a problem, but Zhu Biao didn't think so.
After hesitating for a moment, Zhu Biao said: "Although the maritime trade tax of the Shipping Department in the past few years has not increased as much as at the beginning, it will increase every year. As for the land tax, as the number of people in the Ming Dynasty increased,
Naturally, the more fields are cultivated, it should also increase, right?"
In Zhu Biao's view, there is no problem at all with these two types of taxes.