Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 256
In June, the Huguang area ushered in a long-lost harvest.

This is the first bountiful harvest in the Huguang area since Chongzhen 14 years ago.

In the summer of last year, King Yu took over Huguang, but the entire Huguang area was in a mess. After half a year of repairs, Huguang was stabilized again.

One after another grain ships came out of the Yangtze River, but Hanzhong Mansion passed through the Han River and went straight to Xiangyang.

And with the arrival of the summer tax, there was also good news in Prince Yu's mansion. Sun Xuan'er also found out that she was pregnant in early June, and the time was right.

Naturally, the job of a personal bodyguard is impossible, so he can only take good care of the fetus.

Taking advantage of this time, Zhu Yixi slightly mentioned the matter of damselflies, Princess Yu reluctantly agreed with anxiety.

She had already seen something was wrong.

How can my sister-in-law live in my brother-in-law's house all the time.

Therefore, the Prince Yu's Mansion naturally added an eighth wife.

"Huguang's fifteen prefectures pay a total of 150 million shi in summer tax. If you divide it by three or seven, you can get 95 shi."

In the meeting hall, Zhu Yixi sat on top, and Zhao Shu, Zhang Shenyan, and Feng Xianzong sat below him. According to the court rules, they were the cabinet.

However, Zhu Yixi was alone and was not accompanied by eunuchs, which made Daming, who had been plagued by eunuchs, very special.

Zhao Shu is wearing a blue robe with a silver border on the right lapel, and the elegant embroidery highlights his extraordinarily refreshing appearance.

Facing the crowd, he kept a faint smile and spoke fluently, as if he had memorized it in his chest. With his long beard, he had the air of an elder.

Of course, at this time he did not bring his favorite lupine.

Originally, he worshiped Zhuge Liang, and even in the cold winter months, he would never leave his feather fan, but Huideng was so arty, waving his feather fan around.

In order to avoid being ridiculed, he never wears a lupine in general public places, and he feels extremely unhappy.

"The Xia tax of Hanzhong Prefecture is 300,000 shi, and 21 shi are put into storage."

"As for the prefectures in Henan, there are very few, only about [-] shi. They simply stayed in Nanyang and hoarded them for military rations."

"Sichuan Xia taxes 2 million stones, and about one million stones are put into the warehouse, but the chief secretary of Sichuan said that starting this summer, they will also be divided into threes and sevens like Huguang."

"but……"

Having said that, he couldn't help hesitating a little.

Now, those who listened seriously, immediately widened their eyes, sat upright, with their upper body slightly tilted, looking like they were searching.

Even the king of Yu couldn't help being interested. What can be difficult for Zhao Shu who calls himself Zhuge Liang?

"But what?"

King Yu said softly.

"Reporting to Your Highness, after Director Yan went to Sichuan to set up the Transshipment Division, he received unanimous opposition."

Zhao Shu shook his head, with a troubled expression: "As for the Transshipment Department, Sichuan Province reluctantly agreed, but they proposed that the commercial tax should also be divided, and not all should be collected by the shogunate."

"They say that even food can be divided, why can't commercial taxes be divided?"

Now, the scene fell into silence.

Zhang Shenyan stroked his beard, lost in thought.

Feng Xianzong lacked political experience, so even if he had various ideas, he could only remain silent.

King Yu kept tapping the throne with his right thumb, which was very loud in this empty palace.

The reason why the transshipment department was set up was because the grain tax was not enough, and they wanted to rely on commercial taxes to subsidize the shogunate's army. After all, one hundred thousand soldiers and horses cost two hundred thousand taels of silver every month.

Coupled with the bureaucratic class, food taxes are absolutely not enough.

Dividing commercial taxes is no less than cutting his flesh.

However, this is the same as the previous boycott of judges. It is the appeal of local interests. The central and local governments, imperial power and prime minister power are topics that are always discussed in feudal society.

Politics is not a dinner party, but a conflict of interests.

"Xianzong, what's your opinion?"

Zhu Yixi made up his mind, but he didn't want to act arbitrarily.

As a monarch, the most important thing is to learn from others' strong points and draw suggestions, so as to decide the most suitable one.

So literati look down on each other, literati are not the first, self-arbitrary, conceited, and there has never been a founding emperor who was born as a pure literati.

As for literati emperors, there are always few good ones, such as Song Huizong and Emperor Qianlong.

Feng Xianzong was stunned, and when he sensed King Yu's attention, a trace of astonishment flashed across his face, but he quickly covered it up:
"Your Highness, I don't know much about the Jiangnan area, but I do know that Henan is located in Zhongzhou and lacks gold and silver. Jiangnan's silver is as low as four or five hundred coins, while Henan still has as much as six or seven hundred."

"As for Sichuan, since ancient times, there has been a lack of copper coins. The business tax of the transshipment department only needs silver and copper. If things go on like this, Sichuan's coins will be greatly reduced..."

These words did not directly explain, but inside and outside the words were suggestions.

This time, Zhu Yixi's fingers tapped even faster: "What's Zhang Changshi's opinion?"

Zhang Shenyan was stunned for a moment, and then he said calmly: "What Director Feng said is reasonable, but from my subordinate's point of view, the more urgent Sichuan's opposition is, the more persistent the Transshipment Department will be."

"Oh?" King Yu raised his eyelids and became interested.

"Your Highness, you can know the ups and downs by taking history as a guide. There is an old saying that the world is in chaos before it is chaotic in Shu.

"Although Hanzhong is divided into Shaanxi, Sichuan Province should not be underestimated. Concentrating its coins can actually weaken Sichuan Province; moreover, the shogunate is now short of money, and it just happens to absorb Sichuan money to enrich itself."

"Also, judging from Huguang's transshipment department, the commercial tax in Sichuan Province is still worth a million taels a year."

One is sympathetic to the people, and the other emphasizes the interests of the shogunate.

If it were the Nanjing court or the Manchu Qing Dynasty, they would definitely choose the latter, just like the previous Song Dynasty, which suffered from Sichuan for 300 years and was forced to use iron money.

After finally using Jiaozi, it was ruined and completely fell into a money shortage.

However, Zhu Yixi is a time traveler after all. He understands from the long river of history that the will of the people is king.

Furthermore, Huguang is directly connected to Guangdong, and there is no shortage of gold and silver in maritime trade. It is not worth sacrificing the interests of Sichuan.

"The people of Shu have suffered from a shortage of money for a long time!"

King Yu suddenly spoke, with a strong political flavor, the kind left in the history books.

As he spoke, a kingly aura burst out from his chest:

"For the sake of the people, so what if we suffer?"

"Commercial tax is also divided into threes and sevens, but the salary and monthly salary of the transshipment department are also paid by the local government."

"His Highness Shengming!"

Zhao Shu cupped his hands, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, it is impossible for a monarch who can only exploit the disabled to unify the world.

Even Zhang Shenyan showed a trace of relief, and his evaluation of King Yu was even higher in his heart.

"correct!"

At this time, Zhu Yixi suddenly remembered something, and said: "The inland area is different from the silver and copper exchanges in Jiangnan and other places. Silver coins are rarely seen in Sichuan Province. I am afraid that someone will take advantage of the opportunity to make a profit, causing the people of Sichuan Province to lose money in vain."

"Have to guard against it!"

To put it bluntly, one silver in Huguang is equal to five hundred coppers, while in Sichuan it may be six hundred or five hundred and five, and some of them will profit by taking advantage of the information difference.

Troubled times are not like peacetime, and the price of silver is not stable.

(End of this chapter)