Survival countdown

Seven days ago, the Kyoto Prefecture Metropolitan Tax Division.

Three poles in the sun.

The deputy tax envoy glanced at the sun above his head, and glanced quietly at Zhao Baiyu, who was drinking tea in the Taishi chair next to the Eight Immortals table in the main hall behind him. After torturing others so that they couldn't sleep, he went back to the county palace and slept soundly with Fu Lang in his arms.

I went to the Taxation Department early this morning. I was told that I had read a book and then I reflected on myself. I knew I was wrong, so I decided to report every day from today onwards.

God knows that when the deputy tax envoy came in with his head slumped, he saw Zhao Baiyu with his eyes. He was so surprised that he was so excited that he was short of breath. money!

The deputy tax envoy used to hate the dental workers who came to report on time every day, but today he looked forward to it and waited anxiously, until he found the back door was quiet after the hour, and his enthusiastic mood was like being poured with cold water in the cold winter months , My heart is completely cold.

Holding the door frame, he asked Yan Bing at a loss: "Little Lang, why didn't the dental workers come today?"

Yan Bing: "Ah? Dental shops, they were all hired away by other people. I don't know who it was, they paid so much, the workers of several big dental shops in the mansion were hired away, and I heard that they were hired for seven days in a row."

The deputy tax envoy was anxious, "How can this be? Don't you understand the principle of first come, first served? And those dental workers, we have been taking care of the business for so long, shouldn't we take care of us first?"

Yan Bing said strangely: "But they offer a salary of 250 Wen a day! Tsk tsk, to be honest, even I am tempted. Our yamen only pays [-] Wen a day because the work is relatively leisurely. In fact, the market price is [-] Wen a day. , these three hundred texts are all higher than the market price."

The deputy tax envoy quickly corrected it: "It's not our yamen, it's mine, my money, the money I paid in advance."

Yan Bing: "Hey, I know, my lord and I both remember the merits of Lao Fushi, and we will never forget."

The deputy tax envoy opened his mouth and wanted to say that he didn't care about credit, but only wanted to know when to pay him back, but Yan Bing had already run into the hall to exchange tea for Zhao Baiyu.

The deputy tax envoy turned his head to look at the blue sky, his face full of tears, and then he realized that the dental worker was hired, which meant that Zhao Baiyu had no one available, so it was a good time for the tank boat to enter and exit?

So he found an opportunity to slip away quietly and told Staff Officer Yang about the incident.

Staff Officer Yang glanced at him indifferently, and gritted his teeth: "Do you need to remind me? It's a dental worker hired by His Highness! I paid the money in advance!"

It's all to blame for this idiot, but Zhao Baiyu inspired the fifth prince instead, causing him to bleed heavily.

"..."

The deputy tax envoy showed guilt on his face, and after seeing off Staff Officer Yang, he patted his heart and muttered to himself: "Suddenly, I don't feel so heartbroken."

***

When Yanbing ice was exchanged for tea, the deputy tax envoy ran away.

"It looks like a tip-off!" Yan Bing brought Zhao Baiyu fried chestnuts from the market.

Liu Dujian was worried: "I can't hire dental workers, and just a few ministers from the yamen can't handle the tank boats in the government." He shook his head and said with emotion: "The fifth prince stumbled on his front foot, and immediately made moves on his back foot. With so many forces, it is easy for us to fall into a passive position.”

He didn't want the Water Transport Yamen to die quickly after a good start.

Liu Dujian remembered the identity of the Princess of Zhao Baiyu County, and the Prince of Lin'an Xiaojun was so famous that he might be able to mobilize the imperial army to help... No way!It is a taboo to mobilize the imperial army privately without an edict.

This way is blocked, Liu Dujian really can't think of a good idea: "My lord, do you have a countermeasure?"

Zhao Baiyu drank tea calmly: "This trick will break the ice."

Yan Bing was at a loss: "Me? What supernatural powers can I have?"

Zhao Baiyu: "Aren't you familiar with the rascals and rangers inside and outside the capital? They are the most loyal, jealous of evil, and hate corrupt officials. They are similar to the chivalrous men in folk tales. As long as you say they are fighting officials, they will definitely respond to everyone." .”

Yan Bing slapped his head: "Why did I forget about them! Goro, I'm going to find them now?"

Zhao Baiyu: "Go."

Yan Bing ran to run an errand happily.

Liu Du couldn't help but sigh with emotion, Mr. Zhao is really extraordinary. People without extraordinary talents are afraid that it would be difficult to resist such a series of tricks. Being able to use it for him is his winning trick, and it is impossible not to admire it.

***

The third division, the household department.

Staff Officer Yang passed over the officials who were on errands, came to the fifth prince's errand, whispered a few words in his ear, and the fifth prince's face immediately changed: "Come with me."

Turning around, he went to the Xiaohua hall next to the yamen of the Ministry of Households. After making sure that there was no one around, the fifth prince questioned: "Have Zhao Baiyu caught all the tank boats that were sent out to test? have they gone?"

Staff Officer Yang had a bitter expression on his face: "Humblely, I ensured that the workers in the prime of life of several major dental firms were hired, and I also specially asked people to visit other small dental firms. I am very sure that Zhao Baiyu did not hire anyone again at the dental firm. He has been monitoring the Water Transport Yamen, Zhao Baiyu didn't ask him to pay in advance, and stayed in the Yamen all day long to do errands. He didn't know where he came from, but he crossed several defense lines of the household department and found a group of people who didn't know how to fight. Where are the people who can hide and have some skills, they can always jump out suddenly when the tank boat sets sail, it's like a ghost!"

The fifth prince was suspicious: "Several dental workers are really hired?"

Staff Officer Yang's eyes widened: "Your Highness doesn't believe in humbleness? The money that humbleness has saved in the past few years has been spent."

The fifth prince coughed twice, and changed the subject casually, trying to cover up the incident.

Staff Officer Yang felt aggrieved and felt ominous, always feeling that His Highness would renege on his debt at any time.

At this time, someone came to report to the deputy tax envoy of the Water Transport Yamen to ask for an interview, and the fifth prince hurried to let someone in.

As soon as the deputy tax envoy came in and saw that Xiaohua Hall was filled with his own people, he hurriedly told about the fact that Zhao Baiyu recruited local ruffians to play the role of former dental workers, lurking at various ferries and water gates to catch the boats.

The fifth prince was stunned: "He is a fifth-rank court official colluding with local hooligans? He is really sick!" It is hard to understand, and even feels absurd: "Even if he went to Huainan as an imperial envoy and went to the disaster-stricken area, it was for errands, For the sake of the people, he made friends with the people, doctors, doctors and officials, but what is he doing now? Isn’t he colluding with local ruffians to tarnish the reputation of officials and humiliate them?”

While he couldn't understand Zhao Baiyu's willingness to degenerate, the fifth prince also felt that he had caught Zhao Baiyu's handle.They are villains who are less popular than the lower class. They are despicable, dirty, and not doing their jobs properly. Zhao Baiyu and these rascals hook up shoulder to shoulder to call them brothers and sisters, and to ruin the reputation of Dajing court officials. The disciples of the son of heaven who are upright in the eight classics are equivalent to rogues, how can the scholars and scholars in the world accept it?

As long as it is used properly and the emotions of literati and scholars are incited, it is impossible to use public opinion to dismiss Zhao Baiyu's official position!

Thinking of this, the fifth prince got up and prepared a comprehensive plan as soon as he got excited, but was interrupted by the prince who came quietly: "You don't think it's embarrassing enough?"

The fifth prince stopped in his tracks, with a panicked expression: "Second brother..."

The prince yelled at the others: "Go down."

When there were no outsiders in the house, the prince showed a tired face and said: "Don't fight with Zhao Baiyu, you can't fight. I found someone to check the so-called local hooligans, many of them are knights wandering around the ruined temple. There is a chivalrous man who has a good reputation among the people and among the officials' children. Some officials in the capital invited him to be a guest several times but was rejected. Such a chivalrous man is willing to be driven by Zhao Baiyu. Do you think it is troublesome? When it grows up, who will the public opinion help?"

The fifth prince's face turned pale, and then he said viciously: "The gang of idiots who eat nothing, came here to claim credit for half-yin news, and almost caused me to lose another game!"

"Okay!" The prince has a headache. Things have not gone well recently, and he really has no patience to indulge his brother's stupidity: "Continuing to fight with Zhao Baiyu will only hurt both sides. Alas, since the emperor ordered Zhao Baiyu to be the tax envoy When the water transport was carried out to the Yamen, I knew that the tax and bank of the water transport in the mansion would not be guaranteed."

The fifth prince was in a hurry, "Second brother, do you really want to give up the water transport tax money? This is the fastest way for us to get money right now! Huainan was hit hard, and the water transport in other provinces had to rein in their edge, but the northwest is very tight on money. , our pockets are empty now, if we don’t look for subsidies from other places, are we really going to pawn the things in the treasury?”

Prince: "When the time comes, you should do it. You don't feel ashamed." He glanced at the fifth prince, and he knocked on the table and said: "The Ministry of Households is in charge of the taxation of the world. However, in general, the tax department is still under the jurisdiction of the third department, and the household department has been in operation for many years, and it is not ineffective.

The Fifth Prince: "I think so too, I'm not afraid that Zhao Baiyu will move the family's muscles, but the big fish transported by water is too fat..."

Prince: "You can't give up all the water transportation, at least [-]% must be kept in the hands of the Ministry of Households."

The fifth prince hesitated: "We will make concessions, but will Zhao Baiyu agree?"

"He will agree." The prince said: "Find a time to meet with Zhao Baiyu."

***

Du Gong was first called into the Wende Hall, with his hands hanging by his sides, standing still respectfully.

Emperor Yuan Shou was at the head, with his hands behind his back, his back to Du Gongxian, staring at a calligraphy and painting on the wall that said "upright and bright", turned around as if he had recovered for a long time and said: "Tell me, Zhao Baiyu What did you do those days?"

Du Gong first explained the fight between Zhao Baiyu and Hubu one by one. The rich words and the ups and downs of the plot made Emperor Yuanshou listen to it fascinated.

Du Gong finished speaking first, and Emperor Yuanshou still had some ideas.

"The workers of the hiring shop hang around the pier all day long, staring at the passing tank boats. The merchants in the mansion changed their faces when they heard the news. The water gate staff did not cooperate with him, the floating boats at the pass were wide open, and the tank boats were unimpeded. Manpower is unstoppable, but he can rely on a few Tiesuo stopped hundreds of tank boats—he also transported all the people who settled accounts in the water transport yamen to the ferry, and collected taxes directly in the middle of the river? The fifth bought out the dental workers, but Zhao Baiyu came up with an evil idea Trick, seek help from the Ranger of Kyoto? Ha,"

Emperor Yuanshou shook his head and laughed, the more he thought about it, the more funny he became: "Hahaha..."

Du Gong first said cooperatively: "It's a bit of a scoundrel to act, I'm sorry for the way of a sage."

Emperor Yuanshou disagreed: "An official is not a teacher who should be a teacher. He should be in charge of power. Why should he follow the way of a sage? It is also because of this that I know that water transportation is so profitable."

He changed his face: "At most, the annual tax was only 150 million, and the amount of tax was only under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Households. I thought it was a poor business. I thought it was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Households. Recently, I was thinking about whether to abolish it Get rid of this useless new yamen, and hand over the water transport in the mansion to the household department again. Du Qing's family, do you think that I have been too soft-hearted these past few years, so that everyone can ride on my head? Last year's Jiangnan Branch Is the major case of the examination and the major case of Huainan not enough to deter the ministers of civil and military affairs? Do I have to force me to kill all the people before I know the real fear?"

Du Gongxian quickly knelt down: "Your Majesty is happy and angry."

Emperor Yuan Shou looked at Du Gongxian with a cloudy expression. He no longer wanted to guess Du Gongxian's intentions. He is the emperor, and finally the people.

The issue of water transportation and commercial tax has always been there. It was controlled by the Ministry of Households before, and Du Gong must not exceed his authority to manage it. It is understandable to keep silent.

Afterwards, the water transportation in the mansion was assigned to the taxation department, and Du Gongxian managed it for a few years. He must have understood the secrets and chose to remain silent.

Emperor Yuanshou didn't bother to guess what changed Du Gongxian's mind and made him plan to expose the secrets of the water transportation in the mansion. He only knew that even if he wanted to expose this matter, he would not dare to offend others, so he recruited Zhao Baiyu. Let him do the work.

Zhao Baiyu is undoubtedly the best candidate. He is a good sharp knife. He has no family or party behind him. He has a savior and the Huainan case in front of him. He has the reputation of Xiao Qingtian. It won't do too much damage to your body.

Du Gong first wanted to change the serious problem of corruption in water transportation in the mansion, and he also sincerely admired Zhao Baiyu and intended to cultivate it, but he was merciless in calculating and using Zhao Baiyu.

The way to be an official is to balance, how to maximize the benefits and minimize the damage. Du Gongxian can be considered as an official to the extreme.

"How much has the East Palace infiltrated with regard to water transportation?"

Du Gongxian: "Jingdong, Huainan, Hebei, Hedong and Kyoto are all under the control of the household department. Among them, Jingdu and Huainan are the most developed water transportation. After the Yellow River flood and the Huainan case, there are also night markets. Driven by openness and commercial prosperity, the corruption of water transportation business and taxation in other provinces has been curbed. As for the water transportation in the government...it is not so much the infiltration of the East Palace, but it is closely related to the officials."

Emperor Yuanshou: "Speak carefully."

Du Gong first explained the current situation that the salaries of hundreds of officials are not enough to support the whole family, and people have to privately operate and engage in various businesses to maintain a relatively comfortable daily life.

Emperor Yuanshou: "In the early days of Dajing's founding, there were internal and external troubles, and the country was short of money. It was true that it could not give too much salary. However, Dajing restored the post system that was abolished by the previous dynasty. Every court official can get a certain number of posts according to their rank Tian, ​​to supplement officials' salaries, isn't it enough to satisfy their appetites?"

Du Gongxian: "Although there are job fields, the tax is even heavier!"

The muscles on the cheeks of Emperor Yuanshou's jaws were extremely tense, obviously in anger: "So, it's still the fault of the court not being kind enough?"

Du Gong kowtowed first, and said without fear, "Your Majesty is terrified. But as your Majesty said, Dajingkai has domestic and foreign troubles, natural disasters and man-made disasters continue, and the national treasury is seriously short. The opening of the night market in the hope of supplementing the national treasury with commercial taxes and improving people's livelihood, but the prosperity of commerce does not happen overnight. The national treasury is the wealth of the whole country, and wealth comes from the people. Taxation among the people is heavy, and hundreds of officials have jobs rewarded by the court. It is still difficult to survive, and the common people have no officials and nobles. They rely on the four seasons of the weather to determine whether they can have enough food in the coming year. Save another big province that is suffering from natural disasters, but these should be solved by the country and the imperial court, and not let the people bear the burden, and the people should not even have enough to eat."

Emperor Yuanshou: "This has something to do with the Ministry of Households being greedy for tax money in water transport? If there were no Ministry of Households that had not been greedy for tax money in the past few years, the tax money handed over by water transport in Guangfu would be enough to solve some of the urgent needs of the treasury and the internal treasury, without increasing the taxation of the people."

Du Gongxian: "Although the amount of tax and silver for water transport is considerable, it is still a drop in the bucket. And from the small to the big, the small to the small, the people are heavily taxed, the names of commercial taxes are confused, and there are many miscellaneous taxes. I have heard that every ten miles of counties under the jurisdiction of the capital There is a field office stationed to collect road tax from passing merchants. The merchants are often oppressed by miscellaneous taxes before leaving the province. Instead, the Ministry of Households has set the tax name, stipulating that no matter whether it is water or land, merchants only need to pay a certain amount. The business tax can go all the way unimpeded. The water transport tax bank was corrupted, but the household department did not touch other business taxes..."

In the Hall of Wende, Du Gong spoke in a calm manner.

***

At this time, in the backyard wing of a restaurant in the Kyoto Prefecture, which was deserted, the East Palace and the Fifth Prince were hosting a banquet for Zhao Baiyu.

Today, none of the three of them are wearing official uniforms, the first two are wearing light straight gowns, covered with a delicate cloak, they can be seen as officials at a glance.Looking at what Zhao Baiyu is wearing today, he wears a cross-collared white shirt inside and an apricot yellow straight-sleeved shirt on the outside. He looks both like a literati and a layman at home. It is rare to wear fresh and tender clothes, which suits him so much A bit lively.

"Zhao Qing, sit down." The prince poured out a glass of wine and handed it to Zhao Baiyu himself.

Zhao Baiyu took the wine glass in a panicked gesture, didn't drink it, and asked straight to the point: "Is your Highness inviting the minister here for a private or official business?"

Prince: "Both."

Zhao Baiyu lowered his eyebrows and lowered his eyes, making a docile gesture, but his words were not polite at all: "If it's a private matter, I have no personal relationship with His Highness, let alone any personal relationship, and there is no personal matter to talk about. If it's a business matter, please Your Highness is going to the Taxation Department to find Weichen."

The fifth prince raised his eyebrows upside down: "Zhao Baiyu, you don't babble, you don't have any, you know why we came here! Since you are straight to the point, I will tell you bluntly, the tax on the tank boat merchants in the mansion can belong to you The water transportation yamen is in charge, but the household department must also be allowed to intervene!"

Zhao Baiyu put down his wine glass and said mercilessly, "Then there is nothing to say, so don't waste time, I will leave first." After saying that, he got up and was about to leave.

"You don't want to know where the water transportation tax money collected by the Ministry of Household Affairs has been spent in recent years?" the prince said suddenly.

Zhao Baiyu kept walking: "If you are willing to show me the real account book of the household department, I will be very grateful."

"Affected by the Yellow River's embankment burst, the Ministry of Finance last year spent a total of 200 million water transport tax money, all of which were used for disaster relief and river repairs. The water transport tax money received the year before last was 350 million, which were used for the locust disaster in Zhejiang and Zhejiang, the flood in Shandong, and the war in Dingzhou. .The year before last, the water transportation tax was 370 million, which were used for the military funds of the Northwest Army, the repair of the roads and bridges in the mansion, and the maintenance of the four canals... Do you want to continue talking alone?"

Seeing Zhao Baiyu kept walking, the prince stood up with a groan, and raised his voice: "Zhao Baiyu, you claim to be dedicated to the country and the people, and Gu also admits that you are indeed a prime minister. You are a rare good minister and capable official. You are a sharp sword that can pierce Dajing's officialdom, but the household department is not the household department of a single person, and the water transportation tax managed by the household department is not collected by one person alone. You are the prince of Dajing. Do you think that you are not for the country or the people? The Ministry of Households is in charge of the taxation of the world. There are two departments of Duzhi, Salt and Iron for equal power, and a tax department for checks and balances. Do you think you can be greedy if you want to be greedy? , it is not an isolated sect that can control it at will if it wants to control it!"

"You know the truth of little knowledge. I'm afraid that you can get a glimpse of the whole picture from the fact that the Ministry of Households intervenes in the taxation of water transportation in the government, and blame the Ministry of Accounting for the shortfall of the national treasury and the internal treasury. There are many trade-offs, and money is being obtained from many places, where does the court get the money to go to wars and disaster relief?"

"As far as the imperial court is concerned, the annual water transport tax of three to four million taels is just a drop in the bucket. Even if you allocate it to the national treasury, it will not alleviate much."

Zhao Baiyu stopped, turned sideways, and looked over coldly: "I just want to ask, can your highness guarantee that the annual water transport tax money of the household department will be used for the court and the people's livelihood?"

The prince's cheeks twitched violently, and he gritted his teeth and said: "The rats are beaten every year, and they can't be beaten every year. As long as there are people and right and wrong, the greed in the officialdom can't be caught and killed! When the water is clear, there will be no fish. If you are as smart as you are, you will not fail to understand this truth."

Zhao Baiyu: "How do you know it's not sophistry?"

The prince's anger rose suddenly: "Zhao Baiyu, you are stubborn! Based on your words, you can be punished! The treasury only needs money from the Ministry of Households and never asks how difficult it is to pay taxes to the Ministry of Households." Collection, don’t ask how the household department appeases the people’s grievances, and don’t ask how the household department solves the problem of collecting land tax, commercial tax and miscellaneous taxes under random names! The household department needs to employ people and money. Are they eating dew? Let me tell you, Zhao Baiyu, at least [-]% of the tank boats must be handed over to the Ministry of Households, and if you give it, you have to give it!"

He rushed to Zhao Baiyu in a few quick steps, his face full of anger visible to the naked eye: "Why don't you dare to touch the water transport business tax before you become Du Gong? Because half of the businessmen in the mansion who use water ships to do business are working for various capital officials. Do things, including your most respected Chen Shidao! He is poor, but he and his clansmen also have to eat, and his clansmen use his name to do business outside. To be honest, Chen Shidao and the Ministry of Households also colluded!"

Zhao Baiyu's expression moved slightly, and his gaze quickly focused on the prince's eyes, making sure that he was not lying, he couldn't help frowning.

He took a step back and wanted to say something to refute, but his mind was a little messed up, and he couldn't figure it out for a while.

The prince has regained his composure: "Water transport tax and money are not so easy to collect, commercial taxes and miscellaneous taxes are set up under different names, there is no household department to deal with inside, and your newly opened dilapidated yamen can't manage water transport commercial taxes outside the capital. "

He passed Zhao Baiyu, followed by the fifth prince.

"You can control the inside of the mansion, but you can't control the outside of the mansion! You can kill the corruption you can see, but you can't get rid of the invisible corruption in the world!"

Under the sun and the cold wind, a wintersweet fell from the branch.

Zhao Baiyu reached out to pick it up, looking at the bright red petals in the palm of his hand, his eyes were dark and dark without a trace of light.

***

"A merchant needs a household department, and water transportation needs a household department even more!"

Inside the Hall of Wende, Du Gong first said categorically: "But the Ministry of Household Affairs cannot be dominated by one family, and should be assisted by it. Only when the imperial court establishes a perfect system can corruption in the officialdom be eradicated."

There seemed to be a dark fire in Emperor Yuanshou's eyes, he stared coldly at Du Gongxian for a long time before he said, "You deliberately calculated this situation, you shouldn't be here to speak for the Ministry of Household Affairs."

Only Du Gong first waited until he was calm on the surface, but cold sweat was already breaking out on his back.

Emperor Yuanshou fiddled with the jade wrench and pondered for a while: "The Ministry of Households is in charge of the taxation of the world, but you only mentioned the four provinces of Huainan, not the two rivers... You want to say that the Ministry of Households can't even control the two rivers?"

Du Gongxian quickly kowtowed and emphasized: "I didn't intend to target the two rivers, but the water transport tax and silver of the Kyoto prefecture alone reached 300 million a year, and the two rivers connecting the two major shipping ports are more than 300 million? The founding of Dajing encouraged private commerce. , and sea transportation has been encouraging trade since the previous dynasty, and the prosperity is not even comparable to that of Kyoto, but now it is only a little more than the tax and silver of Kyoto Prefecture's water transportation. Dare I ask your majesty, is this reasonable?"

Emperor Yuanshou said calmly, "Evidence is still needed to decide the case, do you have evidence?"

Du Gongxian gritted his teeth and said, "I have a reputation for planning!"

Emperor Yuan Shou closed his eyes: "There is no evidence, how can we investigate Liangjiang?"

Du Gongxian: "Your Majesty—"

"Okay!" Emperor Yuanshou scolded first, and then softened his tone: "The gap in the water transport system, the dispute between the tax department's water transport yamen and the household department, I will find the prime ministers in the court to solve this matter, and this matter ends here. Zhao Baiyu has made meritorious deeds in the court, and I will reward him. Let's go down."

Du Gongxian wanted to persuade him again, but Emperor Yuanshou turned his back and waved his hands, making it clear that he didn't want to go deep into Liangjiang, so he had to salute and exit Wende Hall.

Du Gong lowered his head first, and looked hurriedly, when suddenly someone called him from behind: "Du Duzhi is going out of the palace?"

Looking back, it was Huo Jingtang, and Du Gong cupped his hands first: "I have seen Xiaojun Wang."

Huo Jingtang smiled, "Let's go together?"

Du Gong was a little confused at first that the little prince did not reject Huo Jingtang's invitation to go with him.

--------------------

The author has something to say:

Rats are beaten every year, and they can't be beaten every year-the Ming Dynasty.

The next line of this line is: Corrupt officials are killed at all times, and there are corrupt officials at all times.

Minister of Finance: Minister of the Ministry of Households, envoy of the third department, anyone who manages the highest position in the country's money can be called Minister of Finance.A prime minister who is good at counting and managing money.

Knowledge point one:

The development of commercial taxation in the Northern Song Dynasty was a bit reversed. At the beginning, miscellaneous taxes were indeed chaotic, and then they flourished in the middle, and commercial taxes were relatively low. However, after that, various places began to collect taxes randomly, and later wars began, and more taxes were collected. .

For example, in the last chapter, Xiaoyu pulls iron cables on the river to block merchant ships.

Later, it developed into a place where you zip the lock to collect money, and then zip the lock after a while to collect money. If this continues, no one can stand it.

What's even more outrageous is that many provinces and counties compare who collects more taxes.

Really, anything can be compared.

I personally want to say one thing:

For Xiaoyu, this chapter is to tear apart the particularly cruel unspoken rules of officialdom, and he has to compromise.

The first is that the Ministry of Households has swallowed the tax money for water transportation. It is greedy, but it does do things to ensure that the national treasury is short-lived to a certain extent, but it will not be completely inoperable.

The second is to collect tax money from merchants, and the powerful household department helps to solve the messy miscellaneous taxes, so as to ensure that merchants and businesses can develop stably and not be dragged down by taxes.

The third is that court officials voluntarily or have to participate in tax evasion, and it is impossible to kill them all.

4 Yes, the good thing is that Emperor Yuanshou knew about it and would find a way to solve the problem of too many miscellaneous taxes. This is what the emperor should worry about, and it has nothing to do with Xiaoyu.

Finally, do you feel that my "personally want to say" paragraph is explaining the plot?If you don't like it, then I won't talk nonsense later.