Chapter 1453 The benefits of salt and iron must be taken back
Han Du had no choice but to explain: "Your Majesty, sea trade tax is based on the goods that go out to sea. As long as more and more goods go out to sea, it will naturally increase year by year. But as the lives of the people of Ming Dynasty get better and better, the demand for goods will increase.
will become bigger and bigger. At this time, if the overseas market begins to be saturated, the price of goods will inevitably drop. Going to sea is risky. Once the risk and profit do not match, maritime merchants will be unwilling to take goods to sea again.
.At that time, your Majesty, won’t the maritime trade tax from the Shipping Department be reduced?”
"Also, as long as there is enough food, the number of people will indeed increase. But please don't forget, Your Majesty, that the late Emperor gave preferential treatment to talented people and scholars, and they can all enjoy certain land tax exemptions."
Zhu Biao suddenly laughed, shook his head, and said, "Are you worrying too much? There are only so many scholars in the world, how much land tax can they reduce?"
Han Du looked at Zhu Biao, who was not worried about any problems with the land tax. He would not have thought that more than a hundred years later, the Ming court would be unable to collect any taxes due to this.
"Your Majesty, if they follow the tax-free farm rules, it will naturally be nothing to the Ming Dynasty. But I am afraid that they are greedy and will crazyly force the people to donate. In that case, even if the Ming Dynasty has land all over the world, it will not matter.
Not enough for them to embezzle."
Zhu Biao's face suddenly darkened and he said: "Then I can issue a decree that all tax-free acres must meet the prescribed number of acres. Anyone who dares to accept donations from the people without authorization will be deprived of their merit and reputation."
Han Du shook his head slightly and said: "The emperor's move will have a certain effect, but it cannot be done once and for all. As long as the taxes on the people are still so heavy, then for their own benefit, they will definitely choose to collude with those who have a good reputation and do everything possible.
A way to evade taxes from the imperial court. As long as both of them deny it at the same time, this kind of thing is actually not easy to verify.
If the Ming Dynasty had a Ming Dynasty, then it would not be a big problem. But does the Emperor think this is possible?"
Although Zhu Biao also wanted his descendants to be wise kings, even he knew in his heart that this was impossible.
"Alas! What can you do?"
Han Du immediately replied seriously: "I believe that the tax structure needs to be changed so that the court can no longer rely too heavily on land tax and sea trade tax."
"go on."
Han Du nodded, "I believe that in addition to land tax and sea trade tax, the imperial court should also increase the current proportion of commercial tax."
"Don't you want to raise commercial taxes? I'm afraid there's something wrong with this." Zhu Biao was a little reluctant.
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"There is no need to raise business taxes."
Han Du replied with a smile.
Zhu Biao became more and more strange and couldn't help but ask: "If you don't increase the commercial tax, how can you increase the proportion of commercial tax?"
Han Du glanced at Zhu Biao meaningfully before speaking: "Actually, goods come not only from common people and businessmen. Since the establishment of workshops, many princes and ministers of the Ming Dynasty have built various workshops.
, but the goods in these workshops do not need to pay commercial taxes. One household can only weave a dozen pieces of cloth a year, but these workshops can weave tens of thousands of pieces of cloth in a day, which is equivalent to hundreds of thousands of households.
.If these workshops can be made to pay commercial taxes, then commercial taxes will inevitably increase significantly."
Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment, raised his finger and pointed at Han Du's nose, shouting loudly: "Hey, Han Du, it turns out that you have been talking for a long time and you are trying to trick me?"
Since the use of steam engines and spinning machines in the two weaving workshops left behind by Empress Ma, the weaving efficiency has been terrifying. Han Du is not exaggerating that tens of thousands of pieces of cloth can be woven in one day.
"Your Majesty, I am not playing against the Emperor's ideas, but in order to allow other workshops to pay taxes in the future." Han Du smiled and shook his head, explaining: "Your Majesty, don't look at the fact that other princes and ministers have not built many workshops now, but as long as
When they taste the benefits of building workshops, they will definitely build workshops on a large scale. By then, if the emperor has to pay taxes, how can they be willing to hand over the taxes? On the contrary, if even the emperor has to pay taxes, then who will
How dare you not pay?"
Zhu Biao knows better than anyone how much profit the workshop can bring. When his mother gave the workshop to him, he was shocked. A workshop covers an area of less than a hundred acres and looks inconspicuous at all, but the profits gained
The profit is thousands of times that of farming.
When he thought of the huge profits from the workshop, Zhu Biao couldn't help but agree with Han Du. Now everyone is making a fortune in silence, and neither he nor those who have established workshops will tell others about the huge benefits.
But it is completely impossible to keep this secret forever. I'm afraid it won't be long before there are more and more workshops, and this secret will be known to the world.
If we don't collect taxes now when there are not many workshops, and then we want to collect taxes from workshops in the future when there are many workshops,
I don't know how much more difficult it is than it is now.
Seeing that Zhu Biao began to hesitate, Han Du continued: "What the emperor is paying now is only a small amount of money, which is nothing compared with the huge commercial taxes in the future. With small money to fight for big money, the emperor should know how to choose."
Zhu Biao looked at Han Du speechlessly. Although it was small money, it was still his money! The world belonged to the emperor, but the emperor had to pay taxes. There was no such precedent since ancient times.
However, Zhu Biao had to admit that compared with the big money in the future, he could still grit his teeth and pay the business tax.
"Okay, but this matter needs long-term consideration. I won't hide it from you. The queen is now in charge of the royal industry. You are the queen's brother. You should know her better than me. If you want to take the money out of her hands,
I’m afraid it’s a little difficult.”
As he said that, Zhu Biao gave Han Du a strange look. He didn't know if Han Jingyun was from a family background, but he attached great importance to money. Even if he wanted Han Jingyun to take out the money, she would often complain about it.
.
Han Du was stunned for a moment, and then he thought about how his sister behaved when they were dividing the shares of the coal mine at home. She was a complete money addict. At that time, Han Du was able to suppress her as his elder brother, but now she is
Queen, I'm afraid no one except Zhu Biao will be able to take the money from her.
Smiling awkwardly, Han Du could only say: "It's not urgent, it's not urgent, as long as the emperor keeps it in mind."
Facing Zhu Biao's non-smiling look, Han Du coughed twice and said: "In addition to commercial tax, there are also salt tax and iron tax that cannot be taken lightly."
When Zhu Biao heard this, his expression suddenly darkened, and he said slowly: "The salt tax and iron tax are not much."
"No, this is just that the tax on salt and iron in the Ming Dynasty was not high. Since ancient times, there has been a saying in all dynasties that 'the benefits of salt and iron are enough to support the country', which shows how rich the benefits of salt and iron are." Han Du explained to Zhu Biao.
When Zhu Biao heard this, he sighed and said: "I also know this, but in order to solve the problem of food shortage at the border, my father used salt profits as bait to attract merchants to transport food to the border. How easy is it to take it back now?"
Han Du smiled, shook his head and said, "In my opinion, this is not difficult."
Zhu Biao glanced at Han Du.
Han Du continued: "Since the late emperor used salt to lure merchants to transport grain to the border, this
It's like a business. The emperor gave the merchants the right to sell salt, and the merchants gave the emperor food. Since it's a business, wouldn't it be natural that the emperor doesn't want to do this business with them now?"
Zhu Biao nodded subconsciously, since it is a business, then of course it must be based on your own will. I don’t want to do business with you merchants now, so of course I have the right to take back the salt profits.
"But there is still a shortage of food at the border. If there are no merchants to transport food, what will happen at the border?"
Han Du explained patiently: "At the beginning, the emperor chose to give up salt profits and let merchants transport food to the border. Mainly because the roads were difficult to travel at that time and the cost of transporting food was very high. But at that time, the grassland tribes were unwilling to retreat, and they were always
He always thought about sending his troops south. In order to resist the attack of the grassland tribes, the imperial court had to strengthen its troops and horses. Originally, the imperial court's annual income was not much at that time, and the limited money needed to be spent on the consumption of military supplies and horses. There was no extra money to use for border crossings.
Send food.
Judging from the situation at that time, the emperor's move was quite brilliant, and he solved the problem of food shortage at the border with only one salt."
"But time has changed. Today, the Ming Dynasty has built cement roads leading to the border. It has become much easier to transport food, and the cost is not as high as before. Moreover, the Navy also has a large number of ships that can transport food directly by sea.
To Peiping, and then Peiping dispersed to various checkpoints. Since the imperial court can transport grain to the border gates without spending much money, the power of selling salt must be taken back by the imperial court and must not be handed over to merchants."
Seeing that Zhu Biao was still pondering, Han Du said directly: "There are at least three major harms in handing salt profits into the hands of merchants!"
Zhu Biao suddenly became nervous and asked quickly: "What are the harms?"
"First, when merchants make huge profits, their wealth will inevitably grow rapidly. If they have too much money, they will try every means to keep their money. Not only to keep their money, but also to not be remembered, they will inevitably
They wantonly win over officials. By then, corruption will probably become widespread and they won't be able to kill them even if they want to.
Secondly, if the power of selling salt is in the hands of merchants for a long time, they will probably continue to raise the price of salt in order to earn more money, gradually wiping out the money of the people all over the world, making the people all over the world miserable.
Unspeakable suffering.
Thirdly, if the merchants win over the courtiers and use salt to firmly control the people, does the emperor think that at this point, they will still take the royal family seriously?"