First Minister of Ming Dynasty

"My lord, there is no need to do this, I just don't feel so relieved... Chuzhou is bigger than Haozhou, and it is also a key place for commerce and business. There is an endless stream of businessmen. If this place is used well, it is definitely the best place for the lord to start a business." Good place. It will be much more convenient for what to do next."

Zhang Ximeng endured the pain and explained to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Finally, they arrived at Shuai Zhang, and after they were seated, Old Zhu said: "What you have taught me, sir, is that we are preparing to attack immediately. If you have anything you want the big guys to pay attention to, tell them!"

Zhang Ximeng said: "That's right. I won't talk about the location of Chuzhou. Just to mention one thing, I heard that there are many blacksmith shops in Chuzhou, but is that so?"

This time Li Shanchang answered, "Yes, there are indeed quite a few. In order to cross the river, the Yuan army smelted iron and made weapons in Chuzhou and other places. After so many years, there are many blacksmiths in Chuzhou."

Zhang Ximeng nodded, "That's it... The Yuan court restricted iron and weakened the Han people. Most of the weapons used in the army today are captured weapons, but if they want to last long, they must have their own iron smelting workshops that can produce ordnance. This matter Not much smaller than grain and grass!"

It seems that Zhang Ximeng said some nonsense, can we not need ordnance for war?But I'm sorry, no matter whether it is Haozhou in front of us or Dingyuan that Lao Zhu has already won, there is no way to make iron on a large scale.

There are no workshops, no craftsmen, and no raw materials, so don't even think about it!

The most is to take the iron pot and shovel and return it to the furnace to make a sword, that's all.

But Chuzhou is different. This place is close to the Yangtze River, so merchants can easily communicate with each other. It has valuable iron smelting workshops, and the scale is not small.If it is used well, it will undoubtedly greatly increase Zhu Yuanzhang's strength.

Lao Zhu couldn't help but frowned slightly, as if he realized something, was his actions too reckless?

"Sir, since the iron-making workshop is important, can you just collect it?"

Zhang Ximeng couldn't help but smile wryly, he came in such a hurry, his thighs were worn out, wasn't he just worried about it!

"My lord, it is certainly possible to expropriate, but Chuzhou may need to purchase iron ore... Our current land is still too small, and it is difficult to be self-sufficient. There are too many copper and iron, medicinal materials, salt, silk, tung oil, horn tendon, etc. All things require the efforts of merchants. Chuzhou is different from Hengjian Mountain, and it is not comparable to the small Dingyuan County. You must be careful and not careless!"

"What we want is a complete Chuzhou, a Chuzhou city that can run in an orderly manner and allow us to grow rapidly! Not a depressed and desolate Chuzhou!"

After Zhang Ximeng finished talking, everyone fell silent for almost an instant.

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and fell into deep thought.

What happened in the past made it impossible for him to forget.

He hates corrupt officials, shameless profiteers... Now that he has a butcher knife in his hand, he really wants to kill him to his heart's content.However, Zhang Ximeng rushed over after galloping three hundred miles, just worried that he would do this.

And Zhang Ximeng's reasoning is indeed reasonable.

After a long time, Zhu Yuanzhang stood up slowly, and said to the crowd: "Mr. said what he meant, and we think it makes sense. How to treat the merchants in Chuzhou must be reasonable and not reckless!"

As soon as Lao Zhu finished speaking, Li Shanchang couldn't help bowing deeply.

"The superior is wise!"

At this moment, Li Shanchang is also honest, he is really inferior to Zhang Ximeng, not only in the degree of intimacy with Lao Zhu, but also in his vision.

If he could have thought of this, he could have persuaded Zhu Yuanzhang a long time ago, so why wait for Zhang Ximeng to come to speak earnestly?

But no matter what, it is a great thing to make Lao Zhu change his mind.

"Your Majesty, Mr. Zhang's thoughts are indeed mature and prudent, with wise words. This matter really needs to be carefully considered and weighed." Li Shanchang was finally able to speak.

Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a while, nodded and said, "Just according to Mr. Li's opinion...then what should we do?"

Li Shanchang was at a loss for words for a moment, he hadn't thought of it yet.

At this time Zhang Ximeng spoke again, "My lord, we used to expropriate the land of landlords and distribute it to the common people. Can the real estate, shops, various workshops, and businesses in the city be expropriated?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was extremely sensitive about other things, but he was a little dull when dealing with merchants. After thinking for a long time, he said: "If there is any trickery or plundering or doing evil, it will naturally be severely punished!"

Zhang Ximeng nodded, "That is to say, honest businessmen can continue to operate?"

"That's natural!"

"Do you need to pay taxes?" Zhang Ximeng asked again.

Old Zhu was stunned, and after thinking about it, he said: "It seems that it should be, but we don't know how to collect business tax!"

Zhang Ximeng said with a smile: "My lord, you only need to make a rough plan. I will discuss this matter with Mr. Li."

Li Shanchang hurriedly bowed, and said humbly: "The superior, Mr. Zhang is right, and the humble officer is willing to help Mr. Zhang."

After some more discussions, they finally reached a consensus... After entering the city, they are not allowed to enter the houses, and they are not allowed to disturb the people.

The household registration, atlas, and armored soldiers in the city are all sealed up for inventory purposes.

The Red Scarf Army protects legal operations and adopts a progressive tax system. All businessmen only need to pay taxes according to the rules.As for all the exorbitant and miscellaneous taxes imposed by the Yuan court, they were all abolished.

Yuan court scribes and yamen servants who have committed evil deeds will be severely punished, and the common people can take the initiative to report... If they are really innocent and have good conduct, they can stay in office, so there is no need to panic.

Zhang Ximeng and Li Shanchang drew up a total of ten articles, and after Zhu Yuanzhang's approval, they were soon spread into the trembling Chuzhou City.Soon someone sneaked out of the city to visit Lao Zhu.

The leader is surnamed Zhou, who owns a large restaurant in Chuzhou, and also runs a horse and horse dealer... Zhu Yuanzhang recognized him at a glance, and couldn't help but angrily said to Zhang Ximeng: "See, it's this thing, let's go!" For alms, he said that the rest of the food was fed to the dog, so let’s not look forward to it. Their family’s dog-eating meal is a one-pot meal for humans and dogs! Do you think you’re an asshole or not?”

Zhang Ximeng could only grin bitterly, "Master, Daye, Daye is important!"

Chapter 69 Gentleman Leopard Transformation

Anger welled up from the bottom of his heart, rushed straight to his forehead, suppressed it, and rose again... Zhu Yuanzhang just flicked his sleeves and walked away.

He also wants to show courtesy to the corporal and give a good performance, but I'm sorry, his old Zhu can't see the face of these merchants, we are such a man!

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Lao Zhu turned around and strode towards the camp.Zhang Ximeng had no choice but to grin bitterly at Li Shanchang, and he followed suit.

In the end, Li Shanchang was left with a few businessmen, looking at each other in blank dismay, what's going on?

"Master Li, do you see?"

Li Shanchang's face was also red, and he snorted with his nose, "The superior can take a look at you, even if it's a face to you, you didn't do anything, and you pointed at the superior to greet you backwards? Go to the tent next to me." Stay and go!"

Li Shanchang asked these people to be taken away, he was stunned, showing a sad expression, it is really not easy to serve Zhu Yuanzhang, the boss.

He didn't go to Zhu Yuanzhang either, but came to see Zhang Ximeng.

At this moment, Zhang Ximeng was changing the dressing on the wound in his leg. Even though it was just a scratch, the one on both sides was the size of a palm, and it was really uncomfortable.

It took about a quarter of an hour before it came out.

Li Shanchang sat there, drinking cold tea, and his heart couldn't warm up.

"Mr. Zhang, I just thought about it. This commercial tax is not easy to collect, and there are many difficulties in it. I'm afraid that if I tell the superior, he will be angry again. Let's go into the details first?"

Zhang Ximeng smiled and said: "Just right, I also want to tell Mr. Li about this. My lord doesn't want to see these people, but if I can collect taxes and see the money, my lord will not really do anything to them. You say yes No?"

Li Shanchang nodded, but he was helpless, "It's like this. In a commercial store, how many things they can manage and how much money they sell, this outsider doesn't know! Even if they are asked to hand over the accounts, they must have been modified. Let's talk , we don't have so many people now, and it is too difficult to calculate the tax amount clearly. Mr. Zhang, can you take a break for a while, or find a way?"

Zhang Ximeng still smiled, beckoning someone to deliver a pot of hot water, and then said to Li Shanchang: "Mr. last time he talked about Juntian, which opened Wansheng's eyes and learned a lot. Now Mr.'s high-level remarks not only remind me of Last time...is there really no way to confiscate it?"

Zhang Ximeng seemed to be smiling but not smiling. Last time he was tricked by Lao Li, but now that he brought it up again, it was tantamount to breaking Li Shanchang's mind, which made him a little embarrassed.

Zhang Ximeng said simply: "Mr. Li, you agree with my lord in front of my proposed progressive tax rate, but now it is inconvenient to implement it... Then I might as well talk about my own ideas, is it really that difficult?"

"Mr. Li, how big is the place and how many people do we put together? Small households naturally don't need this, and the rest of the big households that can levy business taxes are nothing more than a few things. Salt, tea, copper, Iron, porcelain, cotton yarn, silk, grain, wood, bricks and tiles... how many of these things are brought in from outside, and how many are sold in shops, is there an approximate number? It's not difficult to make a rough estimate. And we can collect taxes and cultivate talents at the same time. If we don't make preparations now, we will cross the river in the future and seize Jiqing. It is an important town in the south of the Yangtze River with a population of one million. How should we deal with it? Difficult Can't we just rely on land tax to maintain expenses?"

Zhang Ximeng paused for a moment, then continued: "Mr. takes refuge in the lord. He uses Han Gaozu to encourage the lord, and the lord sends it to Xiao He. Naturally, I hope that the gentleman can plan a strategy and manage the money for the lord. The gentleman can make it so clear that the soldiers in the government are equal to the land. Song’s business tax is naturally clear. We are just laying the foundation for the future. If we don’t make preparations now, when the Lord opens the government and builds his teeth, or even becomes emperor, who will be responsible for collecting business tax? Do you want to give up this tax?"

Zhang Ximeng said again: "Mr. Li has been working in the yamen for a long time, so I would like to ask one thing, how to calculate the expenses of the yamen? Is it within the means?"

The corner of Li Shanchang's mouth twitched slightly, "This...it doesn't seem to be."

"That's right, the Yamen always collects the money first, and then thinks about how to spend it... By the way, this is what Boss Jia told me."

Li Shanchang was even more embarrassed, and he could only say: "Since it is what the boss said, it cannot be wrong."

Zhang Ximeng followed Jia Lu to make up for a period of time. It is true that his skills have improved rapidly. Not only is he ahead of this era in general, but he has also gained practical experience.

The financial budget is not a matter of calculating how much to spend and then how much tax to collect... In fact, the officials in charge of tax collection are doing everything possible to collect more.The more money in hand, the more disposable wealth and power.

As for how to spend money, it is not easy!

Hold some celebrations, give some benefits to the officials, and reward the armed forces...Anyway, you can always find a name to spend it on, so there is no need to worry.

What really needs to be worried about is not being able to collect it.

Even in the Ming Dynasty in the future, due to the fact that commercial taxes are basically in a blank state, coupled with land mergers, and the unreasonable division of local and central finances, the household department has only a few million taels of silver, crying for land, in addition to paying some salary, Paying soldiers, repairing the palace, maintaining the river...the rest can't be done, and it will be a deficit at every turn.

Even Zhang Juzheng only dared to use a knife on the land tax when he reformed, and he didn't even dare to touch the commercial tax.

"Mr. Li, Wansheng has a few things in his heart. If he wanted to tell Mr. Li, he was afraid that he would blame him if he said something shallow..."

Li Shanchang hurriedly said: "Don't say that, Mr. Zhang is a confidant of the superior, and he comes from a famous family. His knowledge and knowledge are far better than those of his elders. I just ask Mr. Zhang for advice!"

Zhang Ximeng sighed slightly, "Does Mr. Li know about my lord's experience?"

Li Shanchang nodded, "I know, the lord experienced misfortune in his early years, which is really embarrassing... As the saying goes, when the heavens will send great tasks to people, they must first suffer from their hearts and minds, exhaust their muscles and bones, and starve their bodies... I think the lord will definitely be able to achieve great things." !"

Zhang Ximeng nodded and said: "That's true, but Mr. Li should also know that because of this, our lord hates the evil, sympathizes with the weak, loves the common people, and hates corrupt officials, tyrants and profiteers. Mr. Li's family background is very good, and he has done more than ten I was a scribe in the middle of the year, and because of this status, my lord can't help beating me from time to time, do you think so?"

Li Shanchang's expression changed, he was stunned for a long time, and finally let out a long sigh, showing helplessness.He chose the right protagonist, but he was not the right one. Could it be that God is playing tricks on him, Li Shanchang?

Zhang Ximeng looked at his words and said with a smile, "Does Mr. Li understand "Yi"?"

"I don't quite understand." Li Shanchang said humbly.

"I don't understand either...but there is a Ge hexagram in the Book of Changes. There is fire in the lake, and the water is dry and the grass is withered. The hexagram of Ge emphasizes that adults change from tigers, villains change their faces, and gentlemen change from leopards! Mr. Li, do you think so?"

Li Shanchang was terrified and couldn't help but read: "The gentleman has changed, the gentleman has changed!"

"That's right! Mr. Li, although your master doesn't like your background, but if you can change your mind and work hard to conquer the world for your master and become an emperor, wouldn't it be a great achievement for your master? You will be famous in future generations?" Zhang Ximeng Said: "Chuzhou merchants, although they have an old relationship with Mr., but a little affection, how can they make Mr. forget important things? Besides, even if they talk about slandering Mr., how can the Lord listen to these people's words? They scolded so much The more ruthless you are, the more stable your position will be!"

Li Shanchang was completely stunned, what a revolutionary hexagram, what a gentleman and leopard change!

When the world is changing, it should be like a leopard, changing quickly and following the time.Since I chose Zhu Yuanzhang, I have to put my heart on the great cause of the lord.

In fact, regardless of the previous distribution of land or the current commercial tax, Li Shanchang is a little unwilling, after all, the sword is on his own people.

But hearing Zhang Ximeng's reasoning, Li Shanchang was shaken.

He is now in his forties, what else is unclear?

It's just that I can't bear to do it!

If it is an ordinary time, it is okay to say, but when the world is changing, how can you look forward and backward, procrastinate, and be obedient!

Gentleman leopard change ah!

Li Shanchang stood up suddenly and bowed deeply to Zhang Ximeng.

"Mr. Zhang, thank you for your kindness! If you can assist your superiors in the future and achieve great things, it is all thanks to your advice!"

Zhang Ximeng also stood up, and said with a smile: "Mr. Li, this reasoning is also what Boss Jia meant. He knows you are a talent, but working in the local area for a long time has restricted your vision!"

Li Shanchang nodded vigorously, this is so true!

"Mr. Zhang, let's talk about the business tax... There is nothing wrong with collecting it. We guard all the intersections and arrange people at the city gates. We have a rough idea of ​​how much goods we buy and which ones we want to give them to. Then check regularly to determine the amount of transactions, and then collect business tax. In fact, the progressive tax rate is nothing more than a careful calculation in the last step, not as simple as one for thirty and one for sixty. I will teach it myself and I can learn it.”

"It's clear at a glance how many big merchants and big businesses there are in Chuzhou. Register them, and the rest of the street vendors only need to pay a city tax of ten or twenty yuan per person." Li Shanchang's face flushed and he talked eloquently .This time, he has no reservations.

"Wait a minute!" Zhang Ximeng pondered: "Mr. Li, big households can expropriate, but if ordinary people go to the city to sell some fruits and vegetables, or woodcutters sell firewood and charcoal, they also need to collect money? I'm afraid the lord will not agree!"

"Hahaha!"

Li Shanchang couldn't help laughing, "Mr. Zhang, I'll also teach you a trick...Let's pass on Fanglue, this is for the boss to show his favor! We can't help the boss exempt the small merchants from the tax, right?"

Zhang Ximeng was speechless for a moment, and could only stick out his thumb: "Good advice, sir!"

Chapter 70 Good Officer

Li Shanchang and Zhang Ximeng have joined forces. This is not the cooperation of two ordinary people, but the collusion of two foxes.

It is better than Zhu Yuanzhang did not see the real key point of this set of taxation methods, he only said not to be mean to the people, and every penny must be counted... Therefore, the clauses related to the taxation of small businesses and hawkers were removed.It is only stipulated that to enter the designated market for transactions, you need to pay a penny for the venue, which is used for cleaning.

Lao Zhu thought about it and agreed.

Coming out of Shuai Zhang, the two looked at each other with a heart-to-heart look, and from Li Shanchang's eyes, one could even see the blazing heat.

It seems to say that as long as the two of us work together, we will be successful, and nothing can stop us.

Zhang Ximeng just smiled indifferently and politely.

"Mr. Li, you can look for the tax collectors, but I need a file here to facilitate future supervision and evaluation."

With just this sentence, Zhang Ximeng turned his head and dragged his injured leg, and went slowly but firmly.

Li Shanchang was stunned immediately.

Lao Zhu was negligent, but it didn't mean Zhang Ximeng was also confused.

No matter how good the tax collection method is, in the end, people still need to implement it... May I ask, who in Chuzhou city knows better than Li Shanchang?

Who knows how many of his own people he will mess with.

Even if he is not his confidant, after his promotion, he will become Li Shanchang's confidant.