The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Outside the palace,

Yan Chengjin was waiting for Emperor Hongzhi to read the memorial to announce him, when suddenly someone patted him and turned around to see him.

Zhu Houzhao stood behind him with his hands behind his back and asked with a smile: "Lao Gao, you came just in time. I will climb over the wall and go out to find you in a while. Please wait for me."

"Your Highness, concentrate on your studies and don't think about playing all day long." Yan Chengjin showed the majesty of a teacher.

Zhu Houzhao was unhappy: "Did my masters teach me my knowledge?"

"yes."

"Are their knowledge better than mine?"

Yan Chengjin nodded.

Zhu Houzhao almost choked him to death with his next words: "Then what else do I need to learn? When I become the emperor, I will let you work."

Yan Chengjin greeted Zhu Houzhao's family, from Emperor Gao to Emperor Hongzhi.

At this moment, the little eunuch came out and announced: "Master Yan, your Majesty lets you in."

Yan Chengjin almost forgot what he said when he was ready to meet the saint. He straightened his clothes and strode into Fengtian Hall. Zhu Houzhao followed him in.

Emperor Hongzhi obviously didn't expect this guy Zhu Houzhao to come to Fengtian Palace. He frowned and said, "If you don't study in the East Palace, what are you doing here?"

Zhu Houzhao was walking around the palace, and when he saw Yan Chengjin, he followed him. He rolled his eyes and said plausibly: "If you have any questions, please ask Master Yan for advice."

Emperor Hongzhi was in no mood to pay attention to him, his eyes fell on Yan Chengjin, and he said coldly: "I have asked people to investigate Xu Hong."

Yan Chengjin said: "I came here this time for Liangxiang. If I haven't investigated Xu Hong enough, I would like to ask your Majesty to remove him from the position of tax supervisor of Liangxiang County."

Emperor Hongzhi frowned: "No tax inspector?"

"I think that in the future, the commercial taxes in Liangxiang County will be converted into silver, and goods will no longer be delivered. As a censor, I will let Liangxiang County pay the tax silver." Yan Chengjin raised his head slightly and glanced at Emperor Hongzhi's face.

The business tax of the Ming Dynasty was one per thirty.

Vendors from various places use miscellaneous goods to pay taxes.

This tax law has many disadvantages for the court and the people.

If he really wanted to make down quilts and sew thirty duvets, he would have to give one to the court. Why would the court need a duvet?

If you take it to sell, you can only collect a few pieces of goods, and you can't sell them in large quantities.

In addition, transporting goods from various places to the capital requires water transportation, which incurs a large amount of freight and labor.

On the contrary, it increases the burden on the people.

This is one of the important reasons why the imperial court cannot receive money.

Silver is much easier to carry.

If Xu Hong is beheaded, Your Majesty will send another eunuch.

Yan Chengjin's plan was to be implemented in Liangxiang County. Without the tax supervisor, Liangxiang County would be a free place independent of the Ming Dynasty.

During the Zhengtong years, some places used the cash collection method to collect gold, flowers and silver, converting some levies into silver and delivering them.

It was earlier than the one-whip method, but it was not widely implemented.

Emperor Hongzhi frowned.

"Call the cabinet and the six ministries!"

After a while, Li Dongyang, Liu Jian and others entered the Fengtian Hall. Before they could salute, Emperor Hongzhi asked: "Liangxiang abolished the old system of thirty and paid one tael in tax and replaced it with taels of silver. What do you think?"

"This...how does this work? Your Majesty, may I ask who proposed this method?" Fu Han, the Minister of Rites, asked.

Yan Chengjin shrank back and pretended not to hear anything.

I heard from Wang Yue that Fu Han's family has a big business, so if they use money, they will probably have to pay a lot.

In the past, the tax was 1 for thirty, so no matter whether the goods were broken or broken, just give them one piece.

After the tax law was changed, you have to pay the full amount of money, and the money must not be tattered.

But Fu Han probably didn't hear the word Liangxiang clearly.

"It was proposed by the lower official. It will only be implemented in Liangxiang, not the world. Don't worry, Mr. Fu." Yan Chengjin said respectfully.

Fu Han's old face turned red, and his reaction was a bit intense just now.

Hearing that they were toiling in Liangxiang, the ministers felt that there was no need to waste their words. Liangxiang was now full of refugees, and they could not collect any money. They could do whatever they wanted. From the moment Your Majesty allowed the refugees to return to Liangxiang, they I gave up my good hometown.

"Your Majesty, what is the tax system of this good country?"

Emperor Hongzhi originally wanted the six ministers and cabinet to engage in a quarrel with Yan Chengjin, but unexpectedly the ministers were not interested in Yan Chengjin and surrendered voluntarily, and he was not in the mood to say anything more.

"I'm sure."

Coming out of Fengtian Hall,

Xie Qian had always been curious about how Yan Chengjin planned to resettle the refugees, so he asked: "There is no big problem in implementing it in Liangxiang County, but the old system is working well, why do you want to change it, Lao Gao?"

Yan Chengjin's handwriting was weird, and Xie Qian felt awkward in his heart after calling it out.

"After the refugees poured into Liangxiang, all the shop owners ran away. Xiaguan bought many shops. It was too troublesome to take the goods away and pay taxes according to the old system."

Hearing that Yan Chengjin bought three streets of shops, the ministers on the side were secretly dumbfounded.

Thinking about it, I feel like I'm losing money. That damn place is full of refugees, and every day I open it makes me lose money.

Liu Jian frowned: "As the censor of the imperial court, your actions are tantamount to competing with the people for profit."

There are only a few streets in Liangxiang County. Does this mean you have bought the entire Liangxiang County?

"It is also a helpless move to lower the official position. After the influx of refugees, a large number of shops were put up for sale, and the people had to go to the nearest Fangshan County to purchase. If the official buys the store, the people can continue to buy their daily necessities."

The ministers slapped their faces, they were the ones who didn't know how to buy it. Yan Chengjin was too upright. You think about the people and just let the court spend money. Isn't it stupid to spend your own money?

Liu Jian nodded. Although Yan Chengjin bought the shop, he did so for the sake of the people.

These ministers in the court seem to be honest on the surface, but who doesn't have dozens of shops at home? Everyone knows it well, so no one should say anything. If you say anything, you will be ignorant.

Li Dongyang asked worriedly: "It will cost a lot of money, where will you get all this money?"

Zhu Houzhao's face moved slightly, and Master Li, don't worry about it.

Since I went to Yan's house, the money moved into Yan's house is definitely more than what was moved out.

Lao Gao, this guy never suffers a loss, I don't know what he is planning next.

Yan Chengjin said: "Yingkesong Restaurant has made a lot of money, my father has also made money by writing books, so I naturally have a little money."

After going down the jade steps of Fengtian Hall, in the Guangting.

The ministers dispersed and returned to their respective offices, and Yan Chengjin was also ready to return to the duty room of the Duchayuan.

Zhu Houzhao asked, "I know you've fooled my father again. What are you up to, Lao Gao? Don't fool me."

"Why should I hide this? Jinyiwei will know sooner or later. I just opened many workshops in Liangxiang."

Zhu Houzhao looked straight at Yan Chengjin: "Oh, what do you do?"

"Making quilts, monoculars, umbrellas, matches, and duck feather quilts..."

Duck feather quilts?

Zhu Houzhao was stunned. Can duck feathers be used to make quilts?

He was excited. Lao Gao was making trouble again!

In a few days, Wang Bushui recruited many refugees to build workshops.

Yan Chengjin was worried. There were still many goods in the shops he bought. The refugees couldn't afford them, and the local gentry and the people didn't dare to go to the streets.

All those who should run away have run away, and people from outside didn't dare to go to Liangxiang to do business.