"All of you here are well-informed people, and I think you must know something about it. Ten days ago, His Majesty issued a decree to reward my father and me, and now the decree is still on the way."
Facing hundreds of wealthy businessmen, gentry, and dignitaries, Lin Zhao talked eloquently: "Although the decree is on the way, a copy of the New Salt Law was sent over early. Your Majesty did not reveal who wrote it, just for this day.
I can discuss it with you and see if it can be implemented in the world."
"New Salt Law?"
As for the other people present, the faces of the Yangzhou salt merchants changed drastically.
Although the Wei clan was destroyed, the official salt industry, which accounted for 30% of the world, did not fall into the hands of these people. Instead, it was shared privately by several government offices in Yangzhou and distributed among them to those with more money.
The salt merchants were originally uneasy about this matter, fearing that the Yangzhou government would collude to deprive them of their rights bit by bit, so when they heard about this new salt law, they all felt uneasy.
The fat man Tong Zhaohe hurriedly asked: "May I ask Lin Dianshi, what new salt law was introduced by the imperial court and what's in it?"
"In fact, it is very simple, that is, changing the quotation into a ticket. Lin Zhao walked in the field, his tone was indifferent, as if he was just talking to the people around him, but this voice appeared in the ears of everyone in the hall, as if it was in everyone's ears
It's like talking at the same time.
"As you all know, the country produces 600 million jins of salt a year, and one jin of salt is sold for three taels of silver, a total of 180 million taels of silver. Among them, two Huaihuai salts account for 400 million jins, that is,
One hundred and twenty million taels of silver. According to the country’s tax rate of one out of ten, we should be able to get twelve million taels of tax silver. But last year we only collected 1.5 million taels, not even a fraction."
Having said this, everyone in the hall had focused their attention on Lin Zhao.
Everyone was shocked when they heard him directly announce the amount of tax evasion committed by Yangzhou salt merchants.
We have worked so hard and evaded hundreds of thousands of taels in taxes a year, and we think we are extremely rich. But these salt rats do nothing and actually evade taxes of more than 10,000 taels!
This money comes too easily!
No wonder these salt merchants lead a luxurious life, comparable to that of the royal family!
Not only the gentry, but also the officials present were shocked.
Usually, I get a thousand or eight hundred silver from these salt merchants, which already feels too rich, but I didn't expect that this is not even one ten thousandth of the tax evaded by others.
Wouldn’t their income be higher?
These salt rats, too little has been done to them in the past!
Only the salt merchants wanted to cry but had no tears.
What Lin Zhao said is good in theory, but in fact it is not the case.
There are many reasons for the loss of salt tax, such as private salt, old salt imports, and salt consumption. But the real cause of the loss of salt tax is the exploitation of the big forces behind these salt merchants.
Behind these big salt merchants, which one is not a prime minister, a prince, or a minister? Otherwise, they would not be able to stand for many years.
It also caused a large loss of salt tax revenue.
Even if all the big guys behind them are eliminated and the salt law is not fundamentally changed, a new group of salt merchants will only be cultivated, and a new group of powerful people will be created behind the scenes.
At this time, there were already noisy voices in the hall, but Lin Zhao was unmoved and continued: "I have read the memorial sent from Beijing carefully. The main content seems to be to abolish the memorial that you have in your hands for generations.
According to legend, salt was introduced to the market by selling salt with salt stamps. The Ministry of Household Affairs established a salt stamp sales supervision department under the direct control of the court. Anyone could go to the salt stamp sales supervision department to pay taxes and buy salt, and then receive salt with the ticket.
, the salt can be transported to any place for marketing. In this way, those unscrupulous people and other merchants who do not have salt can also pay taxes and sell salt, and those unscrupulous people can sell salt legally without risking their heads.
Selling private salt, and at the same time, the court's salt tax can be directly collected, and the leakage of salt tax has been blocked."
"What?"
"This is to dig out our roots!"
"This salt tax is too cruel. You are not worthy of being a son of a man. You are not worthy of being a son of man!"
Many salt merchants present changed their expressions and roared in their hearts.
They are very proficient in salt administration.
As soon as I heard about this new law, I knew it was extremely targeted.
Once this new salt law is implemented, anyone can sell salt. For the court, it can indeed reduce illicit salt and cut off the loss of salt tax. However, for them, it will deprive them of their monopoly on selling salt.
Privileges! Without monopoly, how can they make huge profits?!
The salt merchants were furious, but it was not just the salt merchants present.
There were also other businessmen, gentry, and even wealthy families from Jinling, Suzhou, and Hangzhou.
The highest-ranking person among them is Zhang Cheng, the chief steward of the Zhen family in Jinling.
The Zhen family in Jinling was a powerful family in the country. When the Emperor was still the emperor, he visited the Zhen Mansion four times on six tours to the south, which is enough to show how powerful the Zhen family was.
Because the Zhen family and the Jia family were family friends, when Zhang Cheng came to Yangzhou, he made a special trip to visit the Lin family and kowtowed to Jia Min, which of course Jia Min didn't dare to accept.
Therefore, other gentry and merchants may be afraid to speak, but Zhang Cheng is not afraid. He has already felt the huge profits of the salt industry, so he blurts out: "Lin Dianshi, is this new law true or false?"
?”
As soon as he asked this question, the other businessmen were all shocked and looked at Lin Zhao.
If they switch to the new salt method, they can also make a fortune.
You don’t have to watch the Yangzhou salt merchants make money.
"This is a secret memorial that His Majesty ordered someone to copy. How could it be false? Although I don't know who submitted the memorial, and I don't know whether this method will benefit the country and the people, but I must have the heart to benefit the country and the people."
Lin Zhao took out a memorial from his arms and said: "This copied memorial is here. Your Majesty is in the palace and has a clear view of thousands of miles. Therefore, I let you get it here because I want you Yangzhou salt merchants to take a look.
, let’s discuss it and see if it can be implemented?”
With that said, Lin Zhao handed the memorial to Tong Zhaohe, the big salt merchant nearest to him.
Tong Zhaohe's face was pale and his body was trembling with fat, which showed his inner restlessness. When he finished reading this memorial, he almost collapsed on the ground.
After the other salt merchants read the memorial, their faces turned pale and despairing.
But other wealthy families and merchants looked overjoyed and excited.
Because they discovered that their family could open up new industries.
Maybe he will be richer than a Yangzhou salt merchant in the future!
If this new salt law is implemented, almost everyone in the court will benefit, and no one with enough weight will come forward to oppose it.
Those powerful and powerful gentry will give strong support.
As for the Yangzhou salt merchants’ objections, I’m afraid the people behind them won’t listen.
Lin Zhao seemed not to notice their expressions and continued: "Everyone, in my opinion, if the imperial court wants to implement the new salt law, it is simply because of the serious loss of salt tax at this stage..."
"Plop!"
"Plop!"
Before Lin Zhao had finished speaking, the big salt merchants were already kneeling down in front of him, including Tong Zhaohe and Zhao Qixiang. One by one, they could no longer care about anything else.
"Lin Dianshi, we promise to the Salt Patrol Yamen that we will pay 40% of the salt tax every year. We will never fall behind in the local government's road and bridge construction and disaster relief donations."
"Four percent?"
Everyone present was shocked, and officials at all levels in Yangzhou were even more stunned.
The 40% salt tax is 4.8 million taels.
Equivalent to one-fifth of the national treasury revenue.
Last year, they only handed over 1.5 million taels.
Lin Zhao just talked and produced a memorandum from the imperial court, and these salt merchants cried out that they had an extra 3.3 million taels.
The contrast changes are also huge.
Lin Zhao nodded slowly, knowing in his heart that the profits obtained by these salt merchants must be paid filial piety to officials at all levels, and must be given to their own behind-the-scenes forces, and 40% of the tax revenue must be handed over. They have already tried their best.
Of course, it was precisely because of the existence of government offices at all levels from the court to local governments that the salt tax in the Zhou Dynasty was so low.
Lin Zhao nodded and said: "Since the salt tax can be paid in time, the imperial court will naturally not change the new salt law rashly. However, His Majesty ascended the throne last year, and the salt tax last year was so low. If His Majesty Long Yan is angry..."
"Don't worry, Lin Dianshi, our Yangzhou salt merchants will pay 40% of last year's salt tax!"
After more than 20 big salt dealers discussed it, Tong Zhaohe, the fat man closest to Lin Zhao, finally said with a sad face.
At the same time, he sighed in his heart: "This Lin Zhao is not only very powerful in martial arts, but he is also very skilled in the ways of officialdom! It is not unjust that the Wei family fell into his hands!"
"Oh, even though I am just a small historian, I have great admiration for you and other loyal salt merchants! Within one month, the Yangzhou Salt Inspector Yamen will receive the back payment of last year's salt tax. I promise to persuade your majesty
, this new salt law will not be implemented within three years.”
Lin Zhao, the official of Yangzhou Yushi Yamen, said with a smile.
Now that the Yellow Emperor has just ascended the throne, his foundation is unstable. After three years, the emperor will be able to sit firmly on the throne and be free to do things.
For a moment, the entire hall was silent, and everyone looked at Lin Zhao with complicated eyes, full of admiration.
Although everyone knows that the official position of Dianshi is not popular at all, and it does not even have a rank.
As for those Yangzhou salt merchants, they usually only bowed and held hands even to the magistrate, but they kept kowtowing in front of a Dianshi who didn't even have a rank.
Lin Zhao is a real hero.
Mu Tianyan, the magistrate of Yangzhou, even sighed repeatedly: "This is the Qilin son of the Lin family. The Lin family in Gusu is prosperous and will not be far away!"