There is a fatal problem in returning miscellaneous taxes to regular taxes - that is, officials and gentry have the privilege of being exempted from regular taxes.

Although there are quota limits, time limits, and all these other messy things.

However, in actual implementation, officials and gentry have almost unlimited rights to exempt from regular taxes.

This is why people rushed to donate their acres of land to Xu Jie.

Now that the pilot program is to change the regular tax rate, this is a problem that has to be faced.

Should officials and gentry be tax exempt?

Zhang Juzheng sat quietly on a short pier and listened to the emperor's speech one by one.

Lowering his eyes and eyebrows, he quickly went through the emperor's words in his mind.

It wasn't until the emperor finished saying three things in a row that he didn't say anything more, then he slowly stood up.

Zhang Juzheng thought for a while, then raised his hands and saluted: "Your Majesty, although you only belong to Songjiang Prefecture, after all, you can influence your whole body with one move, and you are watching from top to bottom..."

After the emperor said three things, there was nothing simple.

Consolidating exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes back into regular taxes is simple to say, but it creates many problems.

After the tax rate is increased, how can local governments be restrained and continue to increase their numbers under a different guise?

If we increase taxes on one side and continue to increase rations on the other, how should the people deal with themselves?

You should know that regular taxes are collected by the central government, but miscellaneous taxes are different.

If it is only the land of Songjiang, then it will be spread all over the world, and the government offices in various places will lose their income, and the demons will not dance wildly.

As for the merger of the gentry, there is no need to talk about it.

This has been a problem for thousands of years. If you do it seven times, it would be good if you can achieve two results.

And it is even more difficult for the gentry to pay taxes...

Zhu Yijun nodded without saying anything: "Sir, Prime Minister, Yin and Yang, is well versed in the samadhi, so I have to ask you what you mean first."

In the final analysis, the feudal dynasty's pursuit of local governance was too low, and they were all used to rough and tumble control.

For example, the two most important ones are personnel rights and financial rights.

The former basically retains the right of appointment and removal. As for how to govern when in office? You can do it yourself.

Today's examination method is to take back the power of delegation and assessment that should belong to the center.

The obstacles are numerous and difficult to describe.

There is nothing to say about financial power. Throughout the dynasties, as long as taxes can be collected, everything will be fine.

As for how taxes are collected, what mergers and what kind of tax exemptions for the gentry? It would be good if the tax farming system is not implemented, but how can we care about these things.

What Zhu Yijun wants to do now is to intervene in the distribution of taxes on top of financial power.

The matter was of great importance, so the two of them were naturally cautious in their words.

Zhang Juzheng pondered for a moment and then said: "Your Majesty, the current intention of the Cabinet and the Ministry of Household Affairs is to improve the whipping method. After coming up with a regulation, it will be tried in Songjiang Mansion for two or three years and then gradually perfected."

"Since Your Majesty wants to merge miscellaneous taxes back into regular taxes, you can take advantage of this opportunity to change the name."

"It's just an additional payment on top of the regular tax... I'm afraid it's inevitable."

In addition to the taxes and levies, there are many kinds of additional things such as land tribute and tribute.

The so-called one-whip method, in short, is the integration of taxes and servitude, calculating taxes per acre and paying them in silver.

Since these regular taxes and miscellaneous taxes are all simplified into the collection of silver taels, they can also be used as new regular taxes.

There is no problem in taxing one out of ten or one out of seven.

The main taxes and miscellaneous taxes will all be renamed in the future, and they will be called a whip tax.

However, it is easy to merge the regular taxes, but it is unrealistic to prevent additional local taxes.

The words were not meant to be exhortations, but they also had the meaning of vaccination.

Zhu Yijun naturally understood that this was because he was afraid that his expectations would be too high. If things were to go wrong, he would inevitably have a smoldering feeling in his heart - if taxes were raised but apportionment could not be eliminated, then the people would complain.

It is a common occurrence in the New Deal for officials and subordinates to indulge in treachery, and for people to be trapped by them.

Zhu Yijun thought about it for a moment and asked: "Sir, if we follow the whipping method, taxes and duties will no longer be handled by the li chief but the grain chief, right?"

Zhang Juzheng nodded: "After the tax collection was converted into silver taels, it was directly collected by Songjiang Prefecture and transferred to the treasury. The subsequent transportation matters will no longer disturb the people."

Zhu Yijun also said seriously: "The area chief and the grain chief are beyond the reach of the central whip, but if you go to the county, you can control one or two."

"Let's give it a try first, take your time in each province, and the boat will be small enough to turn around."

Zhang Juzheng could only give a warning, but when the emperor listened, he stopped trying to persuade him.

He bowed and agreed: "I will discuss the specific matters of merging the main taxes with the Ministry of Revenue before reporting to Your Majesty."

Everything will be done if it is not done in advance.

How much of the regular tax should be determined, how the miscellaneous taxes should be converted into silver, and how the servants should be converted should be carefully prepared.

Thinking of this, he inexplicably thought of the next two imperial examinations - he should fill in more officials for the Ministry of Household Affairs, otherwise he might not be able to be busy by then.

Zhang Juzheng suppressed his divergent thoughts, collected his mind, and continued to write: "Your Majesty just said the second thing, allowing the common people to cooperate in production..."

He paused, his meaning unclear: "I wonder which people your Majesty is referring to?"

This is also a thorny issue.

Xu Jie had already become an official, couldn't he call himself a commoner?

Or, even if you are an official and a gentry, there is always someone in your family who is white.

Hiding behind the scenes will make sense in name, but so what?

Zhu Yijun felt a little regretful and glanced at Zhang Juzheng cryptically.

As a gentleman, even if he has never known the place, he is so aware of the disadvantages of these places.

That is to say, the official career of the Ming Dynasty was not scientific enough. Most of the chief ministers of the cabinet were in the Hanlin Academy, working in the six ministries and had no local experience.

If Zhang Juzheng really struggled all the way from the county government to the central government, I don't know how elegant he would be.

Zhu Yijun was thinking in his heart, but without any pause on his face, he continued Zhang Juzheng's words: "The common people are naturally the common people who own land and farm their own land."

"The so-called cooperative production should be in the form of Zongxue and Zongtian."

"Landowners who hire tenants must never be annexed."

In other words, the means of production can be combined, but only in the form of joint holdings.

The way that landlords merge and exploit the people must be severely suppressed.

The original intention was that Zhu Yijun was unwilling to curb economic vitality, but wanted to prevent wanton mergers and the formation of a gentry oligarchy.

It would be fine if the means of production were used to expand reproduction, but if they were used for enjoyment, the emperor would not be happy.

Of course, the idea is good, but it’s hard to say how effective it will be.

Again, Zhu Yijun is still young, and there is still a lot of time for trial and error. Every step is experience, and you can slowly move forward with each step.

Zhang Juzheng understood immediately.

It is not difficult to distinguish from the ownership point of view.

The difficulty lies in how to implement it - the resistance from top to bottom will probably not be small.

Zhang Juzheng was silent for a long time before slowly nodding.

He was about to discuss the issue of the gentry's payment of grain when the emperor stood up and waved his hand to him: "I feel a little sleepy after sitting in the afternoon. I went out for a walk. I said on the way."

After saying that, Zhu Yijun walked closer, took Zhang Juzheng's arm, and pulled him out.

Zhang Juzheng had no choice but to keep up.

The two walked out of Chengguang Hall, and Zhang Hong from the side hall, as well as Jiang Keqian and others on duty outside the hall, immediately followed them.

After the emperor waved people to follow him further, Zhang Juzheng continued to talk about business, which was what he had just mentioned, the matter of officials and gentry receiving food.

Zhang Juzheng looked a little serious and said seriously: "Your Majesty, I also know that most of the taxes in this dynasty are kept by the officials and gentry."

"I also understand your Majesty's concerns - if taxes and taxes are simplified, it may become worse."

"I know this very well, but I still have to advise Your Majesty..."

"The time is not yet ripe for officials and gentry to pay their bills."

Compared with the gentry's payment of food, the matters originally discussed can be said to be nothing more than dust.

The previous incidents had at most caused resentment from the county government, gentry and landlords, and could even be controlled within the borders of Songjiang Prefecture for the time being.

But the gentry's payment of grain, even for a single county, would cause an uproar.

As long as a little bit of news is revealed, it will be the enemy of all officials in the world!

Why do court officials frequently ask for appointments?

Why hasn't Lu Shusheng come to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to take up his post?
To be continued...