Yunxi, who had temporarily appeased the ministers, continued his reforms. Yunxi implemented Guan Zhong's economic line and canceled the entry tax on thirteen kinds of raw materials or daily necessities such as vegetables and wood. He also abolished some banknote customs and reduced the tax rate.
A burden for farmers or small businessmen who just do some small business.
However, those who do not have fixed shops still have to go to designated markets to sell goods in the city. Markets set up without permission outside the city are also prohibited by Yunxi. Yunxi does not require high commercial taxes, but they must be able to collect a fixed amount.
inside.
What he is most concerned about is tariffs. Compared with domestic commercial taxes, tariffs are really easy to collect. In the 31st year of Hongwu, even if the sea was opened for less than half a year, the tax revenue was more than one million yuan; Jianye Yuan
The total tax revenue for the year exceeded three million dollars, comparable to the gold Fang Mingqian brought back from Jinning.
Taking advantage of the promotion of Guan Zhong, Yunxi officially implemented a differential tax system, raising the tariff on some luxury goods to 30%, and the prices of some goods to 20%.
These products are all carefully selected by Yunxi. The sales of products with a 30% tariff will never be greatly reduced due to the addition of these tariffs, and the same will be true for those with a 20% tariff.
After that, Yunxi pushed the reform to other places. However, Yunxi was still extremely cautious. After careful selection, he chose Hangzhou as the place to imitate the reform of Tianfu.
Hangzhou is a city with a very developed economy, similar to Beijing. Minister Lian Zining, whom Yunxi trusts more, is appointed as the chief envoy to Caojiang. Hangzhou is close to the capital and Jin Yiwei can report any problems at any time, so Yunxi chose Hangzhou.
A pilot city for the next subordinate—the police.
=============================================
Hangzhou, Chief Envoy Si Yamen.
Lian Zining put down Yunxi's imperial edict and said happily: "I, Lian Zining, finally don't have to wait any longer."
The scribe on the side did not know what was written in the imperial edict, but he knew from Lian Zining's words and expression that the content of the edict was a good thing for Lian Zining.
So he immediately smiled and said: "Congratulations, sir."
Lian Zining smiled and said: "You know what happened? Congratulations to me?"
"No matter what it is, since the Lord is so happy, it must be a good thing." The scribe said.
"It's all yours no matter what." Lian Zining scolded with a smile. "But this time it's really a good thing. His Majesty chose Hangzhou as the experimental city for reform."
"What reform?" the scribe asked immediately.
Lian Zining glanced at him. Although this clerk came to him immediately after he became the chief envoy of Caojiang, Lian Zining knew that he was probably from one of the richest families in Hangzhou.
However, this matter does not need to be hidden from the big families in Hangzhou City, and it cannot be hidden for a few days. Lian Zining said: "His Majesty decreed that the police reform of the subordinate officials who were previously in the capital should be implemented in Hangzhou."
'What is a subordinate officer - police reform?' the clerk thought to himself. He did not ask out loud because Lian Zining would never explain it to him.
The clerk was then sent out to work. Lian Zining looked at his back and said, "I don't know if the family behind you is willing to cooperate with the imperial court. But even if you don't cooperate, it doesn't matter. I will use your majesty's methods."
Not allowed?"
"It's just," Lian Zining picked up the imperial edict again and looked at the two names on it, "it's just that less than half a year after I left the capital, several new scholars in this subject have caught His Majesty's attention. These two
I was personally sent by His Majesty to assist me in carrying out reforms."
Lian Zining actually welcomed people coming to help him carry out his reforms. When he was in Hangzhou, he could only know what the reforms in the capital were going on through the Di newspaper and letters from friends. He couldn't help but feel like seeing flowers in the fog, and he was also afraid of everything.
Once it fails, someone is welcome to help him.
But he was worried about his holy family. A large number of new scholars entered the court, and six people entered the inner court, which made him feel the crisis.
'When this reform is completed, I will ask His Majesty in person to be transferred back to the capital, even if it is to serve as Ying Tianfu Yin.' Lian Zining thought.
…
…
In a large house in the city of Hangzhou, a middle-aged man with about fifty people said to the scribe Wen Yan: "I understand. Your news this time is very important." He then ordered the servants around him: "Take him
Go to the accountant and be rewarded with twenty taels of silver."
The scribe immediately knelt down and said happily: "Thank you, Master!" My God, twenty taels of silver is enough for a year in Hangzhou.
After the servant led the scribe out, he said to a man in his thirties who was sitting on the side: "Runcheng, in your opinion, what should our family do?"
Runcheng thought for a while and said: "Father, from my son's point of view, our family actually doesn't have much room to intervene."
"Which of these subordinate officials has never accepted a bribe? The imperial court also has Jinyiwei and Zhensi. If you want to find something, you can't find it? I guess it all depends on the chief envoy. He can keep which subordinates he wants to keep.
Subordinate officials. Our family can have some influence through scribes, but my son doesn’t think it will be of much use.”
"With disabled soldiers as police officers, our family is even more incapable of participating. The military has always had no contact with the people, and no one in our family is an official in the military, so we can only watch."
"In your opinion, our family can only wait for changes?" the middle-aged man asked.
"Father, my son feels that although we can't do much to reform the subordinates and the police, we can make our shops in the city prepare in advance, and the big backbone of our family also hide in advance. At worst, we can help them before the reform.
Regarding the household registration in Hangzhou City, buying a house and settling in, we will wait until the news has passed."
"Haha," the middle-aged man stood up, "Runcheng, you still know too little. The big bones that support our family can no longer be saved. Immediately send someone to destroy the documents related to our family, and then send someone to protect the big bone family.
, that’s it.”
"Do you think that when the reform is about to begin, Lian Zining will not track down the people who changed their household registration during this period? It is useless to apply for household registration at this time."
"Besides, His Majesty issued a decree last month prohibiting beggars in the city. Lian Zining did not announce it to the whole province or the provincial capital before. He probably waited for today. Without the beggars under his command, what is the use of a few leaders? Protect the country.
Gu’s family is just to prevent him from being ruined.”
"Then father, what should our family do?" Runcheng asked.
"Let the ambassador at the city gate listen to us!"
"ambassador?"
"That's the ambassador! My father studied the changes in the capital before and found that the only official who has not changed is the ambassador of the Tax Division. Even though all his subordinates have been dismissed, the ambassador has been retained."
"Huang Huai probably thinks that an ambassador is of little use when none of his subordinates are close confidants. Huang Huai's idea is also good. A single ambassador is of little use in most cases. But in some cases, it is not clear.
