The salt tax is an indirect tax, and it is levied on salt merchants. It is not taxed on the actual salt. In other words, the salt monopoly is only controlled by the court and is not engaged in sales.
Zhao Xi is very aware of this. His decision to open up the market is equivalent to allowing some salt merchants to participate in the import and export trade. This is nothing in itself. In the southeast, a large number of sea ships are engaged in import and export trade.
The most troubling thing here is nothing more than the issue of salt monopoly. I am worried that once the salt trade is liberalized, it will impact the entire salt tax system of the country.
Sure enough, Zhao Xi was stunned after saying these words.
What His Highness the Crown Prince said seemed to make sense, but it also seemed that what he said was not the same concept as what they thought...
"Your Highness, once the purchase of salt is liberalized, the imperial court will not be able to control the total amount of salt in the country, and the salt tax will become a rootless tree."
"Secondly, green salt is cheap and has low manufacturing costs. The high price of salt in the country and Korea is determined by the cost of salt production. Once the salt trade is liberalized, the government-run salt industry in the country and Korea will be unable to make ends meet."
Alas... after all, there are still limitations! Whether it is Han Qi Fubi, Wen Yanbo, Zeng Gongliang or Sima Guang, these are all amazing talents today, but their thinking is still solidified.
"My dear sirs, is it possible to control the total amount of salt by relaxing effective barter controls? Or is it better to control the total amount of salt due to the apparent ban on salt trading and the prevalence of private salt sales?"
"As for the issue of the imperial salt industry's inability to make ends meet, the first point is that I have stated that it is up to the Third Secretary to calculate what kind of entry tax can ensure the sustainability of the domestic salt industry, which is the issue of green salt pricing."
"Secondly, improving the efficiency of the imperial salt industry, expanding its scale, and reducing costs are fundamental."
"I would also like to explain that in trading with Xixia, the imperial court can win with scale, use volume to drive price, earn high profits, and use the profits generated to subsidize the imperial salt industry and improve the manufacturing process of the imperial salt industry..."
"Of course, it does not mean that anyone can engage in salt sales. At this point, the imperial court must formulate detailed qualification assessment rules to review and approve what kind of trading companies are qualified to engage in salt sales."
The court should be separated from specific affairs and focus on approval and supervision.
There are some things that Zhao Xi can't tell all at once. It's not that Zhao Xi doesn't understand them clearly, but that no one can accept them.
Just like now, Zhao Xi only talked about the direction and did not explain the entire operability details in detail.
When the Zhengshitang understands and understands, then it is truly understood.
Zhao Xi is not an imperial edict, it is just a suggestion during the meeting. The ministers have no reason to refute, and there is no refutation. In other words, regardless of whether it is successful or not, the Zhengshitang has to calm down and study it.
As long as he is serious about studying it, Zhao Xi is not worried about its implementation.
Zhao Xi has never been an emperor, but he has more than a thousand years of experience than this era, and he also knows how to be the leader who sets the direction.
To put it bluntly, this is not a debate, it is just about expressing your own thoughts. No one will ignore what the political hall and even the court will do in the end. This is a major matter where foreign affairs interfere with domestic affairs.
The key is that the interests involved are so great that no one can bear to take them seriously.
It is ethical to stand from the perspective of the country and the court when negotiating, but in private, everyone will carefully calculate how they can profit from this feast.
Even after understanding the benefits, when formulating the detailed rules, some holes will be left without leaving a trace...
Zhao Xi understands people's tendency to seek profit, and he is not worried about the final implementation, because he knows that even if it makes some people rich, it will also benefit the court and even the people.
At this time, no one can continue the topic and cannot argue, because there are differences in the overall situation and the outcome of the argument cannot be achieved.
But it’s hard for the ministers to say clearly and let the officials decide...~
Zhao Zhen knew his role very well. After listening to the exchange between his son and his husband, he looked at Chen Lin.
Good...just one word!
Zhao Zhen really felt a little emotional that his son was different from him. His governance was more based on gathering opinions from the public, but his son made the court have to accept his own strategy.
The word "kind" also made the husband temporarily stop thinking about continuing.
"The official, Your Highness, has another matter. After the trial of the attack on His Highness, which was organized by all parties, due to the wide range of involvement, more than ten officials of sixth grade or above have been implicated."
"The laws of our ancestors prohibit the use of torture on scholars, so it will be difficult for the case to progress."
This matter involves His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and is a serious crime of rebellion. Otherwise, the Political Affairs Hall would have stopped it long ago.
Even if this is the case, Zhengshitang also has the intention to stop it and believes that the most appropriate way is to stop it in moderation.
The attack on His Royal Highness did not have serious consequences. Now, excluding nearly 10,000 soldiers, nearly 60 civil and military officials have been involved. It is already a situation where everyone is in danger, and there is no need to continue.
No torture? This should be their biggest strength, right?
Not to mention that you won't answer any questions, I'm afraid there is no evidence of involvement in this matter even now, right?
When the time comes, if the rebels' confessions cannot be used as evidence, and then push forward, it will be nothing more than demotion... ~ Good calculation!
Zhao Xi looked at the princes, but no one answered. After Fu Bi stated the current situation of the matter, no one spoke.
Is it difficult? Maybe you want to push the problem away, right?
If this matter had been left in the past, given the current situation, I guess dad should have stopped it. Then, he would have carried out a large-scale demotion of all those who might be involved to show the prestige of the imperial power, and then forget it.
As for now...
Zhao Xi also looked at his father.
Check...it's still a word.
But how to investigate? Using troops to attack the prince, as an official who supported Yicheng, I understand this decision.
The problem is, if the mouths of these officials can be pried open, there is no need for the political hall to bring the issue to the table for discussion.
Zhao Zhen knew very well that he knew everything about the officials who committed crimes, the people behind the scenes, and these princes.
If he was still healthy, maybe it would be over like this, but now, Zhao Zhen didn't want to leave a tail for his son. This matter must be investigated thoroughly.
As for how to investigate, that is something the court should consider.
"Chen Adventist, ask the Imperial City Department's people on the task force to find Li Mingzhong in Gongfang City and ask Li Mingzhong to build twenty confinement rooms measuring one foot square."
"My dear sirs, there is no need to use torture. We only need to imprison the relevant criminals in the solitary room. Whoever explains clearly will come out of the solitary room."
The guard camp has a solitary room. Everyone has tried it and experienced it. No one can withstand it for three days.
Zhao Xi really wanted to see how long these tough-talking civil servants could last in solitary confinement on the grounds that they could not use torture.
Want to play with me? Then let's have fun.
"The soldiers of the guard camp are familiar with the operating procedures of the solitary room, and the soldiers of the guard battalion can be responsible for the supervision of the solitary room."
"My dear sirs, the Political Hall can send someone to accompany you. If the soldiers of the guard camp do not violate any rules during the whole process, the accompanying personnel must not speak or make any noise, otherwise they will be considered guilty of the same crime."
"No punishment?"
"No punishment is required, just a change of detention environment."
In the end, they will understand that not using torture is more terrible than using torture.