In July, the rain subsides and the scorching sun shines in the sky.
Although the Huangmei rainy season has ended, the water in the Yangtze River has not decreased by half and is still surging.
The merchant ships on the Yangtze River are becoming more and more crowded.
Businessmen from Huizhou and Shaanxi couldn't wait to take advantage of this quiet moment to make profits.
After passing Jiujiang, Zhang Shenyan had some emotions.
Although Zuo Liangyu is greedy and despicable, he is not an unintelligent person. He has been entrenched in Jiujiang for a long time. He has long regarded this place as his own territory and has not exhausted his fishing.
However, after last year's battle, his military strength was reduced by half, but his situation has eased a lot, and his rule has gradually become more prosperous.
Especially the trade between Huguang and Jiangnan allowed him to collect tariffs and became a lot more comfortable.
"Jiujiang is an important place in the south. It's a pity that Zuo Liangyu turned the merchants' rush to such an end."
Zhang Shenyan was sitting on the boat, walking around and looking at the dilapidated appearance of Jiujiang City, and couldn't help but sigh.
"Sir, the toll for the few of us alone costs thirty cash, which is too expensive."
The servant on the side muttered: "Nanjing City Gate only has three letters."
The guards, servants, and myself cost ten coins each, which is indeed a sky-high price.
Zhang Shenyan shook his head and said, "If it weren't for the fact that so many people were relying on the imperial court, Zuo Liangyu would have been withdrawn long ago."
The boat rocked, and Zhang Shenyan's dislike for Zuo Liangyu expanded again. Looking at the withered villages on the shore, he felt even more regretful.
The vassal town with such ambitious ambitions and disobedience to orders like Zuo Liangyu should be completely eradicated.
"Sir, be careful what you say!" At this time, the steward on the ship was passing by. Hearing this, he couldn't help but interject:
"Everyone under Zuo Jun's command is like a hungry wolf. Whenever they get a chance, they can't wait to peel off their skin, cramp their muscles, and suck their blood and marrow."
His face was full of hatred and he said: "Damn it, if you rely on these gangsters, if you don't give them enough money, the whole boat can be taken away."
Zhang Shenyan shook his head and sighed, Zuo Liangyu was indeed angry and unpopular, no wonder he returned in defeat.
Immediately after passing the tax card, several groups of people came over one after another, carrying weapons and collecting tolls.
Zhang Shenyan counted the numbers and found that if they were added together, they would have to collect taxes at least five times.
Naturally, the businessmen did not dare to refuse to pay, and after enduring layers of exploitation, they finally left Jiujiang.
Everyone on the boat breathed a sigh of relief.
The steward said casually: "I finally left Jiujiang."
Zhang Shenyan wondered: "Is Huguang better than Jiujiang?"
In his impression, the so-called King of Hanyang was just an ambitious member of the clan. He was named a county prince, and many people in the court were aggrieved.
If it weren't for the cabinet's insistence on having its own way, there would never have been any discussion of the title of king.
When the steward saw that he was handsome, elegant and easy-going, he must be someone with status, so he couldn't help but said: "Huguang is now under the control of King Hanyang, so it can be considered peaceful."
As he said that, he shook his head, looked at Zhang Shenyan carefully, and said with a smile: "Sir, he must be from the south of the Yangtze River. There are many rumors about King Hanyang there. No matter how much I say, it's not as good as seeing it with your own eyes."
"Next, just watch!"
Zhang Shenyan did not comment, so he just stood on the boat and looked around.
A large number of merchant ships sailed on the Yangtze River in an orderly manner. After leaving Jiujiang, they arrived at Huangzhou Prefecture.
Scattered fishermen can be seen on both sides of the Yangtze River. They avoid merchant ships and carefully catch fish, no different from the fishermen in the south of the Yangtze River.
After walking for a few more hours and eating fish soup on the boat, we arrived at Xinkai Town.
A large number of ships were queuing up, waiting to pay their taxes.
"I haven't heard that Huguang has a tax card?"
Zhang Shenyan said calmly, but sighed in his heart, as expected, the King of Hanyang was ambitious and set up a tax card privately. Isn't this trying to gain profits from the people?
"Now, there is no tax card anywhere."
The steward heard this and said softly: "However, Huguang is better than Jiujiang or even Jiangnan. We only charge you once here, and the rest will be smooth sailing."
Zhang Shenyan was quite unconvinced.
After a long time, I saw a tax collector in black clothes. He took the account book and checked it, and then said: "One thousand pieces of silk, one hundred pieces of linen and other fabrics, two thousand pieces of porcelain...Ten taxes on silk are two, and the other ten taxes are one, totaling
One thousand five hundred and forty taels."
As he said this, he actually took out the account book and looked at it with the ship steward.
The steward took the abacus and calculated carefully. After a while, he said with a smile on his face: "Yes, yes, your calculations are always accurate."
As he said that, he took out a box of silver.
The tax collector took out a scale and weighed it.
It took a full quarter of an hour for the tax to end.
The other person took out a piece of paper, wrote down the goods, tax, signature, seal, etc., and handed it over to take care of it.
Only in this way can we understand.
Zhang Shenyan was watching with great concern.
It's orderly and the rules are clear, which is completely different from the extortion and extortion in Jiujiang.
Afterwards, the steward carefully put away the tax form with a smile on his face.
Zhang Shenyan asked in surprise: "What is that piece of paper?"
"This is the tax bill." The steward said in a good mood, "With it, we can have a smooth journey without having to pay taxes. Moreover, we have to rely on it after unloading the goods, otherwise it will be tax evasion and we will be fined a lot of money."
"One tax per ten is against the ancestral system of the imperial court."
"In these troubled times, there is no ancestral system!"
The steward shook his head and sneered: "According to the ancestral system, it is the court that must collect taxes. Zuo Liangyu is still a military commander, and he openly violated it, and the court did not stop him."
Zhang Shenyan wanted to borrow it for a look, but in the end it was too abrupt.
When he came to the deck, he saw a large number of ships lingering across the entire river, waiting to pay taxes.
Hundreds of uniformed tax collectors, in teams of two, boarded the ship one by one and collected taxes without boredom.
"These people are from the Transportation Department."
Seeing his curiosity, the steward said softly: "It belongs to the King of Hanyang and is responsible for collecting taxes. It doesn't matter whether you are a scholar or an official, you can't escape."
"Look over there!"
Zhang Shenyan took a look and saw about five hundred people, holding blunderbuss and swords, glaring at them eagerly.
"If you don't hand it over, you'll be waiting with guns blazing. By the time you bring in reinforcements, the day lilies will be cold."
Hearing this, Zhang Shenyan remained silent.
On the tax card, there is an army that is no less than an elite one. The King of Hanyang seems to be severely short of money, making it difficult for him to be a benevolent and righteous king.
Presumably, Xiangyang and other places are already in a mess!
With such a mood in mind, Zhang Shenyan entered Huguang.
As the steward said, as long as there is a tax bill on the tax card along the way, tax will no longer be collected.
And if not, then the punishment will be doubled and extra severe.
The local people's sentiments were different from what he imagined.
Although it is still dilapidated, the people are not in despair, but their eyes are full of longing.
After asking, I learned that it turned out that the tax for the second half of the year had been reduced.
Huangzhou Prefecture, Wuchang Prefecture, Dezhou Prefecture, and dozens of villages are all like this.
Zhang Shenyan suddenly realized: "It turns out that commercial tax is used to make up for the loss of land tax."
With this reversal, the image of a wise king who valued agriculture over business was vividly displayed on the paper.
The curiosity in my heart became more and more intense.