Chapter 305 Ashamed Liu Bei

The expert means that new reform measures will be implemented in the south.

The specific reform content is actually similar to the reform content of successive dynasties over thousands of years.

Nothing more than the following points.

First, suppress powerful families, measure the land, return farmland to the common people, and reduce landless refugees.

Second, strictly investigate the phenomenon of tax evasion by the bureaucratic family class, make officials and the people pay taxes as one, and cut off all privileges.

Third, prohibit exorbitant levies and miscellaneous taxes, reduce taxes on corvee services, and collect only two taxes, namely the Ding tax and the Mu tax, to rest with the people and never increase taxes.

Fourth, abolish the slavery system, not allow hidden households and property, compile household registration, liberate the population, and increase labor productivity.

Fifth, rectify the administration of officials, select talents, establish an official evaluation system, and establish a new supervision and inspection system.

Sixth, streamline the army, reduce the old and weak, strengthen the army and the country, and create an elite force capable of fighting.

Seventh, reform the talent selection system, reduce the number of talents in the imperial examination system, and parallel the assessment system. Scholars can choose to actively sign up for the annual official examination.

Eighth, increase business taxes, and at the same time actively promote business development and establish business groups led by the government to ensure people's livelihood.

Among them, many people will think that the second article is a huge reform measure, but in fact, officials and gentry have paid taxes since ancient times, including the Ming and Qing Dynasties. However, in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there was a tax exemption policy for officials and gentry above the imperial examination. As more and more officials and gentry were promoted to Jinshi

, there are more and more tax exemptions for contributions, which has led to serious land mergers.

In the Han Dynasty, aristocratic families hid their fields and population. The two taxes at that time were land tax and head tax. The aristocratic families concealed these fields and population, turning people and fields into their own private property, thus avoiding the court's taxes.

Therefore, as long as the hidden properties of hidden households are checked, more fields and people are liberated, and registered, tax revenue will naturally continue to flow.

In addition, the last commercial tax is more controversial. Zhuge Liang once considered whether doing so would cause a lot of trouble. For example, if the government personally went to do business, would it lead to the birth of special privileges.

However, Shen Chen emphasized that only government trading houses for rice merchants and salt merchants should be established, and other governments would not intervene. This was done to lower the price of grain and salt. The government would collect grain and control the salt fields to achieve the purpose of stabilizing prices.

Zhuge Liang agreed when he heard that they were just making rice and salt.

This is because both Han Dynasties did this. In the Han Dynasty, salt and iron were monopolized. The state controlled salt to keep the price of salt low. At the same time, granaries were built in various places. The granaries were filled with new grain every year, and the old grain was sold in the market to stabilize prices.

For example, in the Wenjing period of the Western Han Dynasty, due to good weather and good government, the price of rice at that time was even as low as more than ten yuan per stone, which was more than ten times lower than the normal price of about two hundred yuan per stone in the Eastern Han Dynasty. This shows the importance of the government's control of rice and salt.

sex.

It is a pity that any system is good at the beginning, but if it does not change for a long time, it is easy for people to take advantage of loopholes. For example, if the grain in the granary is sold by the officials in charge, and when it is inspected by superiors, the evidence will be burned immediately.

Mi Fang and Shi Ren should be very familiar with this.

Therefore, the contents of Shen Chen's reforms are nothing more than strengthening centralization, enriching government finances, reducing the burden on the people, improving national defense capabilities, promoting the development of the commodity economy, etc.

These are all reform plans that have been in place for a long time in all dynasties.

For example, Shang Yang's Reform, Emperor Xiaowen's Reform, Qingli's New Deal, Zhang Juzheng's Reform, etc. are all taught in junior high and high school history books, so they are just copied homework.

It's not that Shen Chen can't think of new methods, but that these methods are already the best solutions in the feudal era. They can be regarded as a kind of expedient method that can cure the shortcomings of the problem.

If we want to find new methods, we must improve productivity and develop science and technology.

And even if productivity is improved, new problems will arise, and adjustments still need to be made according to the situation.

Therefore, the legal system and policies of countries in the new era are changing every moment. The simplest example is that the spring breeze of reform is blowing all over the land. At least more than 99% of the people in the new era can have enough to eat. That is already great.

Therefore, when Shen Chen promoted reform, he could only choose the best solution to solve the problem under limited conditions, thereby alleviating the increasingly acute social conflicts.

Moreover, if we continue to implement it in the South, we will not encounter any resistance at all.

Even Shen Chen, Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, and Xu Shu were involved, otherwise they would not have transferred Jingzhou officials to Yizhou, and Yizhou officials to Jingzhou to implement the separation of the two places.

At this point, Shen Chen was a little envious of Cao Cao.

Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion and Dong Zhuo's Rebellion were the most serious in the north, the power of powerful families was not as strong as before, so in history Cao Cao rarely had to resolve land issues between the family and the people.

It’s not that he did well, it’s that the powerful northern families were weakened by several chaos, and there were no-man’s lands everywhere.

Even Yuan Shao crazily suppressed wealthy families in Jizhou and deprived them of their land.

According to historical records, Yuan Shao destroyed many aristocratic families to supplement military finance and return land to the people.

It caused many wealthy families to flee to the north and join ethnic minorities, which brought the development of iron tools to Xianbei Karasuma, and indirectly made the Hu people strong during the Five Husties period.

This is why the people of Jizhou mourned Yuan Shao's death.

On the other hand, Jingzhou and Yizhou were less affected by the Yellow Turban Rebellion and Dong Zhuo's Rebellion, and the power of aristocratic families was relatively well preserved. There were even a large number of northern aristocratic families who moved to the south and purchased land on a large scale, exacerbating land conflicts.

In addition, the problem of hiding property in hidden households was extremely serious. If Cao Cao had not yet conquered the north and Sun Quan was weak, rectification would be carried out immediately.

In the future, when Cao Cao completely takes over the north and Sun Quan recovers some of his strength, serious land annexation and aristocratic family issues will become the most important weight to bring down Liu Bei's regime.

Therefore, before Liu Bei pacified Yizhou, Shen Chen and Zhuge Liang had already discussed and studied, written down the contents of the reform in a booklet, and started to implement it.

The implementers in Jingzhou were Fazheng and Zhang Song, and the implementers in Yizhou were Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong and Xu Shu.

As for Shen Chen.

He still has to lead troops, and it is uncertain whether he will go to Yizhou or Jingzhou in the future, so he can only give reference suggestions, but cannot carry out the restructuring himself.

However, if they encounter problems, Zhuge Liang and the others can ask at any time. Anyway, with the Yangtze River nearby, Yizhou and Jingzhou don't need long to communicate back and forth. In a few days, or as slowly as more than ten days, they can probably communicate with each other.

After talking about internal affairs reform, Shen Chen talked about the external situation.

Externally, there are only two points.

military.

diplomatic.

Even the economy does not count, because the princes often do not dominate the economy and allow the people to develop on their own.

Shen Chen also has little research on economics. Although he knows that economic warfare is important, he is better at leading troops to fight, so he can only put forward his own suggestions on military and diplomacy.

He looked around at the people in the hall and said softly: "As a layman, I advocate forming a confrontation with Cao Cao. We only confront each other but do not fight. We form a superficial alliance with the Sun family in Jiangdong, but in reality we are annihilating it. We form a substantive alliance with Xiliang Guanzhong to share common interests. Resist Cao Cao's power."

"Destroy Jiangdong and unite with Xiliang and Guanzhong?"

Liu Bei glanced at Fazheng, which was completely different from the strategy discussed by Pang Tong, Fazheng and Xu Shu.

The three of them thought that they should temporarily unite with Sun Quan, first capture Guanzhong and Xiliang to form a three-thirds of the world, and then develop naval forces to raid Jiangdong to pacify Yangzhou's north and south.

When Fazheng heard this, his face suddenly became serious, wanting to know why Shen Chen would make such a suggestion.

"good."

Shen Chen nodded: "I think strategically, Jiangdong must be eliminated first. Jiangdong is too close to us. How can we allow others to snore next to the bed! Sun's wolf ambition, if not eliminated, will definitely become a disaster in the future."

"But."

Liu Bei hesitated and said: "Shi Yuan strongly advocated sending troops to Guanzhong, imitating our great ancestors and getting the three auxiliaries of Xiliang. After we have the land to raise horses, we can build up cavalry so that we can compete with Cao Cao for supremacy in Guandong."

"Xiaoqing is also from the north. You should understand the importance of cavalry."

Zhang Song also said: "If we cannot have a strong cavalry, we will be much worse than Cao Cao in terms of reconnaissance, attack, pursuit or battle changes. In the vast plains of the north, we need cavalry."

Although Cao Cao defeated so many Wuhuan cavalry, he thought the cavalry was useless.

In fact, Cao Cao defeated Karasuma by relying on the tactics of infantry and cavalry. He used bows and arrows to disrupt the formation of the cavalry, and then the tiger and leopard cavalry rushed into the formation to strangle and divide the battlefield. This was the victory he won.

Otherwise, it will be difficult for pure infantry to win against cavalry. Just like Li Ling, they can only retreat while fighting, and the cavalry will use their mobility to keep them hanging.

Shen Chen also suffered a loss in this regard. Since he had no cavalry, he was chased by Cao Cao's 5,000 cavalry like a rabbit.

If Gan Ning had not relied on Gan Ning to fight to the death, using chariots to form a formation, and Yuan Shao's pressure from the north was too great, I am afraid that Shen Chen would have been wiped out by Cao Cao using his powerful mobility in the Ziyun Mountain battle. .

Therefore, Pang Tong's strategy is correct in a strict sense. If Liu Bei's forces can obtain the horse-producing land, they will change this disadvantage.

Even Shen Chen was able to take out three powerful weapons: bilateral stirrups, high bridge saddles and horseshoes. Coupled with the steel filling method, he could organize a powerful heavy cavalry and a large number of light cavalry in just a few years. Cavalry troops.

In this situation, Cao Cao could not last long.

Fazheng also said: "Moreover, Han Sui is said to have sacrificed his children to Yecheng, and Ma Chao and his family are also in Yecheng as hostages. Gao Gan wanted to flee south and submit to his lord, but they were also blocked. It can be seen that they had already wanted to surrender to Cao Cao and attack Killing Han Sui, Ma Chao and others in Xiliang Pass will not only gain the land to raise horses, but also weaken Cao Cao's strength. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone."

But Shen Chen said: "Both Shiyuan and Xiaozhi are right, but the problem is that you have misjudged the person."

"Did you see the wrong person?"

Everyone was surprised, and Liu Bei asked: "Who did you see wrong?"

"Han Sui Ma Chao."

Shen Chen said.

Han Sui and Ma Chao?

Several people were very puzzled.

Fazheng asked: "Isn't it wrong?"

Shen Chen shook his head: "No, if Sun Quan has Gou Jian's ambition, then Han Sui and Ma Chao have Gongsun Shu's ambition."

Gongsun Shu’s heart?

Zhang Song was surprised and said: "Do they want to separate Xiliang in Guanzhong and become king?"

"good."

Shen Chen said: "So if we send troops to attack them, we will become their enemies. The best way is to wait for Cao Cao to attack Guanzhong and conflict with Han Sui and Ma Chao. We sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, and wait until Han Sui and Ma Chao." When they are defeated by Cao Cao, accept them, and then send troops to Guanzhong to fight against Cao Cao."
To be continued...