Zhang Yanling chuckled and said: "Are you capable? Some things don't require any special skills. The fact that our Ming Dynasty's finances have been reduced is actually obvious. Everyone sees it, but it's just
There’s just no one to do it.”
Liu Jin suspected that Zhang Yanling was mocking herself. She couldn't see the crux of what was on the surface but couldn't see the crux of it? Wasn't this mocking her own ignorance? However, Liu Jin really wanted to know what Zhang Yanling was talking about on the surface. So she didn't move.
He asked in a tone of voice.
"I have nothing to do, but I would like to ask Mr. Hou, what is the reason why our country is so financially strapped? We would like to hear Mr. Hou's advice."
Zhang Yanling chuckled and said, "Eunuch Liu, why do you need to ask questions knowingly?"
Liu Jin said in a deep voice: "Master Zhang Hou, just say it and let our family verify it to see if you and I have the same idea."
Zhang Yanling secretly laughed in her heart. Even though this guy knew nothing, he still refused to lose face and put on a show. However, Zhang Yanling wanted to lure him into asking questions, so she would not refuse.
"Eunuch Liu, everyone knows that the imperial court's fiscal deficit is over 8 million taels. As far as I know, this year's fiscal deficit is more than 8 million taels. Next year will be another year when the border troops and the Beijing camp will replace armor and weapons. By the end of next year
, I am afraid that I will lose all my fiscal and tax revenue for the next year. If this continues, it will be a vicious cycle, and the court will eventually fall into a situation where there is no money or food."
"Master Zhang, you don't need to tell me about this. What we are asking is the reason." Liu Jin said in a deep voice.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Well, there are actually many reasons. As we all know, there are only two ways to ensure the stability of fiscal and tax expenditures and solve the deficit. One is to increase revenue, and the other is to reduce expenditure. Now many people are saying that the Ming Dynasty spends too much money.
Promote frugality and put an end to extravagance and waste in order to save money and food. Tell me, that’s all nonsense.”
Liu Jin chuckled and said, "Oh? Isn't it necessary to be frugal?"
Zhang Yanling said: "It is necessary to be frugal, but what use is the little money saved? There is only a little water in the pool, and even if everyone endures thirst and does not drink water, the little money saved will only be a little water.
That’s it. Without a source of running water, the water in the pool will still be exhausted. When the late emperor was in power, he had a simple meal every day.
Fang Zhun burned firewood to keep warm, and was reluctant to light candles at night. When the late emperor was buried, he couldn't even find a new robe to change into. There were only three sets of outer robes, and the queen mended them again and again. Is this frugal enough? However,
So what? The fiscal and tax deficit cannot be plugged every year, and the hole is getting bigger and bigger. Now that the emperor has ascended the throne, this big hole cannot be blocked."
Liu Jin was silent. He knew that Zhang Yanling was telling the truth. Emperor Hongzhi advocated frugality during his reign and was very harsh on himself. But the little money he saved was of no use and could not make up for the growing financial deficit. The imperial court
Fiscal and tax revenue is getting less and less year by year, and it is becoming more and more stretched. It can be seen that relying on frugality will not succeed.
"Perhaps we, all the subjects of the Ming Dynasty, can save a lot of money by being frugal together," Liu Jin said.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Eunuch Liu, are you talking nonsense? People are frugal, so the money they save belongs to the imperial court? Unless you, Eunuch Liu, call on all the officials from all over the Ming Dynasty to take the initiative.
You don’t need the salary and salary from the imperial court. Maybe you can save a lot of money for the imperial court.”
Liu Jin smacked his lips and said, "How can that happen? Wouldn't it cause a huge commotion? These people also need to eat."
Zhang Yanling said: "Yes, so this method is useless. The most important thing is to open up sources and increase the court's fiscal and tax revenue. Once the source is revitalized, money will flow into the court treasury, which can greatly alleviate the financial pressure on the court.
."
Liu Jin nodded and said, "That seems reasonable."
Zhang Yanling said: "Of course it makes sense, that's the fact. The reason why our Ming Dynasty's finances are tight is that the fiscal and tax revenue decreases every year. In the last years of Chenghua, the annual fiscal and tax revenue could still reach 40 to 50 million yuan, but now it is 30% less. This is short-term
In a short period of one or twenty years, every day in our Ming Dynasty
The area of newly added cultivated land every year is still expanding, land cultivation has not stopped, the population is also increasing, but tax revenue is still decreasing. Mr. Liu, what do you think this means? Millions and tens of millions have been reduced every year in the past twenty years.
Where did the two pieces of silver go? Father-in-law, have you ever thought about it?"
Liu Jin frowned and said: "Master Zhang, please don't try to hide your feelings, just say so."
Zhang Yanling chuckled and said: "Okay. Let's not sell it. Eunuch Liu should know where the main sources of fiscal and tax revenue in our Ming Dynasty are. Shops, mines, salt taxes, tea taxes, workshops, shipping, etc., of course, also have taxes, but in terms of the overall fiscal revenue of our Ming Dynasty,
It only accounts for a small part of it. Eighty percent of the source of my Ming Dynasty’s finance and taxation comes from here.”
Zhang Yanling pointed to her feet. Liu Jin blinked and said, "What?"
"Land. Are you still asking this? I even suspect that Eunuch Liu is not pretending to be confused, but is really confused." Zhang Yanling said.
Liu Jin's face was burning, and he was cursing in his heart. Zhang Yanling was nakedly laughing at himself. But at this moment, he was eager to hear the follow-up, gritting his teeth and swallowing his anger.
"Don't we know this? Most of our Ming Dynasty's finances and taxes come from the output of acres of land. The Marquis said that our Ming Dynasty's acres increased and the population increased, so why did the tax revenue decrease?"
Zhang Yanling said: "That's because a lot of land is no longer in the hands of the people who cultivate the land. Although the acres have increased, the acres in the hands of the people have decreased. The officials, scholars, monks, princes and nobles of the Ming Dynasty do not pay taxes.
Yes. Even if you pay
The tax is only a small and symbolic part. With a large amount of land in the hands of these people, the court cannot collect any tax. On the contrary, as the number of acres in the hands of the people who cultivate the land decreases, the fiscal and tax revenue will naturally decrease. This principle is not yet clear.
Is it simple?”
Liu Jin chuckled and said: "Master Hou, what you mean by this is that these people who don't pay taxes will also pay taxes? Master Hou himself has tens of thousands of acres of land. Could it be that you, Master Zhang, want to
Do you want to take the initiative to pay taxes?”
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "It's not impossible for me to pay taxes, but other people have to pay them too, so I will pay them. Otherwise, if I pay taxes alone, wouldn't I become a special case? Wouldn't I be regarded as a thorn in others' eyes?"
Liu Jin sneered and said: "Master Hou wants our family to do such an offending thing? Master Hou is really kind-hearted."
Zhang Yanling shook his head and said: "I didn't ask your Eunuch Liu to do such a thing, I just analyzed the reasons. I'm afraid Eunuch Liu doesn't have the ability to make the officials and princes of the world pay taxes according to the land area."
Liu Jin said: "You don't need to provoke our family, we really don't have this ability."
Zhang Yanling nodded and said: "Eunuch Liu is self-aware. However, there are many ways to increase taxes, and there is no need to offend officials and princes. Nowadays, taxes are very heavy, and many people can barely make ends meet. In years of famine,
They had to sell the mortgaged acres of land to others in order to make a living. After that, they became tenants or farmers.
Refugees. Some even turned their weeds into thieves, causing trouble. My manor in Baodi County suffered from insect pests and floods that reduced production. The people could not pay taxes and had to sell their land to me. They also became
My family's tenants have 40,000 acres of fertile land. From then on, the imperial court lost the tax revenue from these 40,000 acres of fertile land. This is proof."
Liu Jin chuckled and said, "Master Hou is getting an advantage and acting well. What do you mean by this?"
Zhang Yanling said solemnly: "Eunuch Liu, what I mean is that if the imperial court prohibits private farming, the people will not go bankrupt. Even if the tax revenue cannot be collected in one year due to drought, floods and insect pests, the tax revenue for that year can be reduced or reduced, and the tax revenue can be saved."
The land of the common people. In the second, third, and even later years, it can still be
Taxes are raised. This is a way to ensure that the situation does not get worse. Of course, the acres that have become the homes of princes and nobles cannot be recovered, but at least from now on, these people can be prohibited from annexing land? This is not to let these people
Who can object to handing over the land? What reasons are there to object?"
Liu Jin frowned and thought to himself: "This is indeed a way. It prohibits people from selling their land and prohibits them from becoming tenants or refugees. As long as they are still farming, the court will always have taxes to collect. This is indeed a way to prevent the situation from getting worse.
There is no way to go down. If you do this, there will be no reason for others to object."
"But this is not an open source method. It is just a way to maintain the status quo and not worsen. What about the open source method you are talking about?" Liu Jin said solemnly.
Zhang Yanling said: "The method of open source must offend some people. Since the princes and nobles, Eunuch Liu, feel that they cannot be offended, other people must be offended. Tigers cannot be hit, and flies do not dare to be hit, so there is no way.
."
Liu Jin said in a deep voice: "How do you kill flies?"
Zhang Yanling said solemnly: "Military expenditures are a huge burden. Our military garrison system in the Ming Dynasty is a wise strategy to ensure the supply of the army and reduce the burden on the court. Unfortunately, it is now in name only. The military garrison acres in various places have been seriously occupied, and less than ten percent of the land is left.
23. If we can rectify the military settlements, we can curb land annexation and increase the court's income. It can also improve the army's supplies. It can also reduce the number of refugees and stabilize the morale of the army, ensuring the long-term stability of the Ming Empire."
Liu Jin walked slowly, with a solemn look on his face, without commenting.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Most of the military camps were occupied by local officials and some generals in the army. Although it does not involve the important ministers of the court and the princes and princes, it is indeed something that offends people. This matter will naturally offend some people. Liu
Father-in-law, I'm just talking. Don't say that I'm encouraging you again.
Offends people. However, if the military canton reorganization is successful, the court will save at least several million taels of military expenses every year. Once successful, not only will the morale of the military be stabilized, but the financial pressure on the court will also be greatly relieved. If a million-strong army can be self-sufficient, if military households can live and work in peace and contentment
, that is such a great achievement.”
Liu Jin frowned and groaned, breathing a little faster.