Chapter 85 It is a blessing for the household to have you
Xia Yuanji looked at the seven boxes filled with money, feeling vaguely suspicious and uneasy.
After hesitating for a long time, he continued: "Your Highness, I cannot accept this tax money!"
After finishing speaking, Xia Yuanji puffed up his chest and looked determined to fight to the death.
He had just been appreciated by His Majesty this year and was promoted from the Imperial College to the Head of the Household Department. He did not want to be driven back to the Imperial College to study just because he had collected tax money from the Prince of Huaiyou County.
Zhu Yunxi was anxious.
Paying your own taxes is more difficult than asking for money.
He glared: "Brother Wei Zhe, you have to take the seven hundred taels of tax money today, whether you want to or not!"
This is the first step towards reforming the tax system in the future. If it is not implemented properly, how can it be turned into a sharp weapon for tax reform in one's hands?
Xia Yuanji gritted his teeth and stopped in front of Zhu Yunxi: "Your Highness, if you really want to pay these 700 taels of tax money today, you must give your subordinate a reason to accept the tax money!"
Now, for the first time in his life, Xia Yuanji felt such a ridiculous feeling.
The Ministry of Revenue is obviously responsible for collecting taxes from all over the world and adjusting the economy of the Ming Dynasty. On weekdays, it racks its brains, thinking of collecting a few more taels of tax money from local areas to fill the bottomless pit of expenditures of the Ming Dynasty.
But today, the Prince of Huaiyou County came over with 700 taels of tax money. In Xia Yuanji's eyes, this money became like a hot potato, and he had no idea of daring to take it under his control.
He had already thought clearly that if Zhu Yunxi couldn't give him a reasonable explanation, he would try his best to offend the young emperor's grandson and refuse to take any of the 700 taels of tax money.
Zhu Yunxi suddenly laughed out loud as he looked at the seven hundred taels of tax silver like a ferocious tiger and beast, loyal and unyielding, and determined to die.
He waved his hands and said: "Mr. Xia, let me ask you, has the country promulgated laws on the payment of commercial taxes?"
Xia Yuanji nodded: "Your Highness, yes."
Zhu Yunxi clapped his hands: "Since there is, then I sell ice food and ice jade jelly, but I am doing business? Since I am doing business, I naturally have to pay taxes."
Xia Yuanji's cheeks twitched: "But there is no regulation that the clan needs to pay business tax..."
"Can't we pay it if there are no regulations?" Zhu Yunxu asked back, and then said: "Brother Wei Zhe, you are now the head of the Department of Cleaning and Officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs. I heard that you have many opinions on taxation matters. How can you be so complacent?
?Since I am a businessman, I have to pay this tax like others. The truth is, if the prince breaks the law and the common people are guilty, how can I stay out of it?"
He just made the deduction correctly. He is engaged in business activities, and he has to pay taxes after making profits.
Xia Yuanji sighed, looked at the seven boxes, and said feebly: "But this is too much..."
Zhu Yunxi hummed and said quietly: "Similarly, the court didn't say you can't pay more taxes."
At this time, Xia Yuanji was completely speechless.
If it were any other merchant in Yingtian City who came to pay the excess tax money, he would definitely think that the other merchant was crazy.
But Prince Huaiyou is definitely not crazy.
Xia Yuanji sighed, looked at Zhu Yunxi and said solemnly: "Okay! Since His Highness wants to pay this tax, I will accept it today..."
Zhu Yunxi nodded with satisfaction: "That's great!"
Xia Yuanji immediately said: "However, His Highness must leave a certificate so that our Ministry of Accounts can safely accept this tax money."
It is written in black and white that this tax money was voluntarily sent to the Ministry of Revenue by the Prince of Huaiyou County, and it has nothing to do with Xia Yuanji.
Zhu Yunxi followed the good example and agreed.
Xia Yuanji has already asked the clerk to get pen and paper.
He glanced at Zhu Yunxi, then leaned over to write.
‘In the summer of the 24th year of Hongwu, the king of Huaiyou County sent 700 taels of tax money, which was 10% of the profit from selling iced food, to the Ministry of Household Affairs. This voucher was made and kept in the Ministry of Household Affairs’ archives.’
With just a few strokes, Xia Yuanji put the cause and effect of the matter on paper.
Finally, he dried the ink and sent the ink pen to Zhu Yunxi.
Zhu Yunxi looked at the handwriting on the paper, but he was very satisfied.
Sure enough, Xia Yuanji helped me!
The three characters Zhu Yunxi were written down one by one by him.
Xia Yuanji, who saw Zhu Yunxi leaving his name, finally breathed a sigh of relief. He was freed from this incident. Whatever happened afterwards had nothing to do with him.
However, at this time, Zhu Yunxi suddenly said: "Mr. Xia, since I left my name, should your household department also leave a voucher on this paper so that it can be archived?"
Xia Yuanji had no choice but to have someone get the official seal of the voucher from the Department of Civil Affairs of the Ministry of Revenue and stamp it on the voucher.
After that, he held up the certificate and looked at Zhu Yunxi: "Does His Highness have any objection to this?"
Zhu Yunxi laughed and patted Xia Yuanji on the shoulder: "I'll put the money here and my things are done. Brother Wei Zhe, do you want to give it to me?"
Hearing the Prince of Huaiyou call his name again, Xia Yuanji's mouth twitched, and he handed the certificate to the clerk for filing, and then bowed in front of Zhu Yunxi: "I respectfully send you to Your Highness."
After completing this matter with no apparent problems, Zhu Yunxi stepped out of Xia Yuanji's cell with satisfaction.
The two of them walked in front, with Xia Yuanji half a step behind.
Sun Cheng and others followed at the back.
Xia Yuanji, who was half a step behind, was completely confused at this time.
He didn't understand at all what the reason why the Prince of Huaiyou County did such a thing today.
And...
It was only the first time that I met him, and the county king addressed me in such a...intimate way.
Why is this?
Xia Yuanji, who followed Zhu Yunxi with his head lowered, kept thinking in his heart.
Suddenly, Zhu Yunxi in front spoke in a low voice: "Brother Wei Zhe, what do you think of the Ming Dynasty's tax system?"
Xia Yuanji, who was thinking about why Prince Huaiyou treated him so intimately, stopped immediately when he heard this.
He raised his head blankly and looked at Prince Huaiyou who had turned around and stared at him at some point.
This is a big problem.
Xia Yuanji saw that Zhu Yunxi didn't want to be anxious, so he pondered.
After a while, he sorted it out before he slowly said: "The taxation system of the Ming Dynasty can be said to have clear regulations, simple subjects, and many benefits to the people."
Zhu Yunxi nodded, Xia Yuanji's words were true.
In the Ming Dynasty, because of the old man's background, when the country formulated taxes at the beginning of the country, everything was based on the people's perspective, focusing on simplicity and convenience, and it also benefited the people with benevolent governance.
"But..." Xia Yuanji hesitated for a moment, and after seeing that Zhu Yunxi had no unusual expressions, he continued: "With the benevolent government of the country, if there is no clear and bright court and government, and without the performance of local officials, the tax revenue of future generations of our Ming Dynasty will be
It’s extremely difficult!”
When he said these words, Xia Yuanji's heart almost rose to his throat.
This is a bold speculation and deduction on his part, but it definitely agrees with his own expectations.
Zhu Yunxi was also stunned for a moment, and then said in a deep voice: "Brother Wei Zhe, it is a blessing for the Ministry of Finance to have you!"