Liu Zhenmin, the prefect of Huai'an, has been really fed up recently.
Since the establishment of the "United Shipping Company" three months ago, the income of him and his officials has dropped significantly!
In the Ming Dynasty, the life of local officials was relatively prosperous. In addition to daily corruption and bribery, they also had three additional stable incomes, namely "fire consumption", "skewed grain", and "private taxes"!
The so-called "fire consumption" refers to the time when Zhang Juzheng implemented the "One Whip Law" and all taxes were levied on silver and turned over to the national treasury. When the local government melted the people's broken silver and recast it into silver ingots, there was "fire consumption".
If the "fire consumption" levied during taxation is greater than the actual "fire consumption", the difference will be attributed to local officials.
The so-called "skewed grain" refers to the fact that when local officials collect autumn taxes, they will secretly tamper with the scales. The people obviously handed over a hundred kilograms of grain, but the scale only showed ninety kilograms, so the people had no choice but to hand over a hundred kilograms of grain.
Ten more kilograms of grain were handed over, and this extra grain also belonged to local officials.
As for "private tax", it is even simpler. Local officials set up private tax stations to collect toll taxes from passing people and merchants. Naturally, this revenue also belongs to local officials.
These three incomes, coupled with daily corruption and bribery, are really a source of wealth. In some wealthy state capitals, the so-called "three years to clear the prefecture and one hundred thousand snowflakes of silver" is definitely not an exaggeration!
Huai'an Prefecture is a place that must pass through the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It has close control of water transportation, salt transportation, river engineering, Guanguan, and postal facilities. It is naturally a wealthy place. It is precisely because of the existence of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal that Huai'an Prefecture is in the "
Among the three types of revenue, "fire consumption", "inclined grain" and "private tax", "private tax" has always been the most important.
However, since the establishment of "United Shipping Company", relying on the Ministry of Household Affairs as the backend, there is no need to pay toll tax to Huai'an Prefecture. When merchants saw the convenience of "United Shipping Company", they also chose "United Shipping Company" one after another.
To carry goods, even ordinary people will choose to take the "United Shipping Line" ships. In this way, the tax station in Huai'an Prefecture will no longer receive passing money. In the past three months, the private taxes collected by Huai'an Prefecture have
A total loss of nearly 70%! This loss alone caused Huai'an Prefecture to lose nearly half of its income!
Before that, in order to clear the way for him to become the prefect of Huai'an, Liu Zhenmin gave away nearly 100,000 taels of silver. Only then did he get the chance to join the chief minister Shen Changmao, and finally got his wish and got the job of the Huai'an Prefecture. But he just sat here
Less than half a year after he had been in the position, and before he had time to make money to recoup his losses, his financial resources were suddenly cut in half and continued to decline. How could Liu Zhenmin not have a headache?
It's not just Liu Zhenmin who has a headache. The officials under Liu Zhenmin are also resentful that the "United Shipping Company" has cut off their financial path. If there had not been the emergence of the "United Shipping Company", they, the petty officials and petty officials, would have been able to share the profits on weekdays.
After receiving some benefits, life is naturally comfortable, but now that there is no way to make money through "private tax", everyone's income has been halved, so naturally it is not happy.
As the saying goes, "It is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality"! After the income is halved, if the Huai'an officials want to maintain their previous living standards, they will soon be left with nothing. If they want to lower their living standards, they will have nothing to lose.
They were unwilling to give up, so everyone in the Huai'an government complained all day long. Liu Zhenmin only served as the prefect for half a year, and gradually he could no longer control the situation.
*
"Oh! Why am I so unlucky!"
That night, in the bedroom of the government back office, Liu Zhenmin complained again to his first wife, Mrs. Zhang.
This is already the eighth time Liu Zhenmin has complained tonight.
After hearing Liu Zhenmin's complaint, Mrs. Zhang felt a little helpless and said: "Sir, since the United Shipping Company is so annoying, as the prefect of Huai'an, you are tight on the secrets of shipping, so you should try to find a way to punish the United Shipping Company.
It's just a stumbling block. After the United Shipping Company suffers a loss, it will naturally not dare to embarrass the master, and maybe it will obediently hand over the money!"
Hearing Zhang's suggestion, Liu Zhenmin said angrily: "Young woman, what do you know? The backstage of 'United Shipping Company' is Zhao Junchen, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue! That man has always been very ruthless and has brought down two cabinet ministers in succession.
If I make things difficult for the United Shipping Company in private and let them target me, not to mention that my position as the prefect of Huai'an will not be preserved, I'm afraid even my life and property will be in danger!"
Mrs. Zhang is indeed a woman, and does not understand the important affairs of the imperial court. She just asked blankly: "Sir, your backer is Lord Shen, the chief minister. Besides the emperor, he is the biggest. With Lord Shen supporting you, why is it necessary?"
Afraid of Zhao Junchen?"
Liu Zhenmin smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Shen Shoufu? I regret joining him now! If I could join Zhou Ge's old sect, I would still have some confidence now, but Shen Shoufu may not be Zhao Junchen's opponent!"
"The chief minister of the cabinet is not the opponent of the minister of household affairs? Is there such a thing?" Zhang asked in surprise.
Liu Zhenmin looked helpless and was unwilling to explain any more. He just shook his head and said, "As a woman, I can't explain it to you!"
At this time, a servant suddenly knocked on the door and reported: "Master, there are two scholars, an old man and a young man, outside the Yamen. They are called Li Chuanwen and Xiao Wenxuan respectively. They claim to be the aides of Mr. Zhao, the Minister of Household Affairs."
After hearing that it was just two scholars asking for a meeting, and seeing that it was getting late, Liu Zhenmin planned to refuse directly!
However, after hearing that these two scholars were Zhao Junchen's staff, Liu Zhenmin's expression changed!
Although Liu Zhenmin has been complaining that Zhao Junchen's "United Shipping Company" has cut off his financial path, he does not dare to neglect Zhao Junchen's staff!
So, Liu Zhenmin quickly said: "Please invite them in quickly, I will go to see them right away!"
*
When Liu Zhenmin arrived at the living room of the government office, he saw two Confucian scholars, an old man and a young man, quietly sipping tea. They were both distinguished and calm in their manners.
Therefore, Liu Zhenmin hurriedly walked up to the two Confucian scholars, cupped his hands and said: "These two are Mr. Zhao's aides in the palace? But I don't know why you came to see me so late?"
After seeing Liu Zhenmin appear, Li Chuanwen and Xiao Wenxuan looked at each other, but their expressions were completely different. Li Chuanwen had a warm smile, while Xiao Wenxuan had a cold expression.
Then, the two of them stood up to greet Liu Zhenmin and introduced themselves.
Then, Li Chuanwen took out an account book from his sleeve with a smile, handed it to Liu Zhenmin, and said, "Master Liu, look at this account book!"
Liu Zhenmin was confused and quickly reached for the account book to check, only to find that the contents in the account book were extremely difficult to understand and seemed to be some kind of calculation method.
After seeing the change in Liu Zhenmin's expression, Li Chuanwen said with a smile: "After my Mr. Zhao established the 'United Shipping Company', he also knew that he had cut off the local government's financial resources, and he felt a little uneasy, so he planned to start from the 'United Shipping Company'
From the annual profits, a part of the subsidies are given to the yamen in various places. With the current profits of the 'United Shipping Company' and the status of Huai'an Prefecture, it can subsidize about 100,000 taels of silver every year! Of course, this kind of subsidy is a private matter.
The imperial court didn’t know anything about it. And this account book is the specific plan for this subsidy!”
After hearing Li Chuanwen's explanation, Liu Zhenmin was immediately overjoyed!
Unexpectedly, after Zhao Junchen monopolized the shipping business, he also planned to subsidize the local government with a sum of money! Compared with the annual private tax revenue of Huai'an Prefecture, this one hundred thousand taels of silver is certainly much less, but it is better than getting nothing at all!
With this money, Liu Zhenmin can make up for the loss of opening up his own channels, and can also improve the hearts of his officials, which is naturally a good thing!
However, before Liu Zhenmin could speak, Xiao Wenxuan, with a stern face, also took out an account and handed it to Liu Zhenmin, saying coldly: "Mr. Liu, take a look at this account again!"
Liu Zhenmin was stunned again, and once again reached for the account and looked through it. This time he quickly understood the contents of the account, but his expression changed drastically.
This account clearly records all his corruption and bribery records in the past six months, and there is not a single mistake!
Then, Li Chuanwen asked with a smile: "Zhifu Liu, on one side, he was shattered to pieces with no chance of recovery, and on the other side, he was prosperous and prosperous, rising step by step. Which side do you think is better?"
Liu Zhenmin's expression kept changing, and he quickly guessed the purpose of Li Chuanwen and Xiao Wenxuan's visit.
Then, Liu Zhenmin hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said: "I have always admired Lord Zhao, and from now on I will follow Lord Zhao. I will choose whichever side Lord Zhao tells me to choose!"
