Overlord!

Chapter 86 Determining Taxes
The cultivated fields in Qiantang and Fuchun are indeed inferior to the good fields in Wuxian and Wuxi.Most of them can only be counted as Nakata.

In today's troubled times, people below Zhongtian are often abandoned.But the tyrants did not take the opportunity to lower the price, and still gave the price of grain for one acre of Zhongtian and one stone.

Don't think that the tyrants who have been able to rule for hundreds of years are all short-sighted and greedy people.In fact, they know how to assess the situation, and even have a better vision than most ordinary people.

From the current situation, they could see that Sun Ce's occupation of Wu County was a foregone conclusion, and the tyrants did not want to go too far, causing a rift with the powerful.On the other hand, most tyrants have read the decrees issued by the government, and tend to believe that the stability of Wu County is the general trend.With the peace of the territory, production will inevitably resume gradually.It is definitely an excellent time to buy a field at this time.

As long as the tyrants expect to stabilize and there will be no continuous wars, many people are willing to use the grain stored in good years to buy a lot of land in disaster years.

But this is also what Sun Ce expected.The tribes of the Sun, Wu, and Chen clans were all recruited to participate in military campaigns, helping Sun Ce occupy Jiangdong.There is really no energy left to plow the fields.

If the land circulation is not allowed, the tens of thousands of mu of fertile land will be abandoned just like the north.Moreover, it was because of Sun Ce's war in troubled times that led to the creation of tens of thousands of acres of barren land.

And when the tyrants bought these lands, they naturally wanted to develop them with all their strength, not to mention turning the middle fields into upper fields, at least the ten thousand mu of cultivated land would not go to waste.Based on the three shi of Nakata's output, this is more than [-] shi of grain.It can live hundreds of families and thousands of people.

The Sun, Chen, and Wu clans supported thousands of households in total, with more than [-] mu of land. Sure enough, after the final transaction was completed, it was very in line with Sun Ce's expectations. All the upper fields, middle fields, and lower fields were all sold. After that, a total of more than [-] stones of grain and grass were collected.

However, Sun Ce entrusted this transaction to Chen Yue and Sun Ning. He left Sun Ning to command hundreds of guards in Qiantang to assist his wife in trading and selling fields.

He took his mother and tens of thousands of troops back to Wu County first.

With the entire Wu County under control, he finally has a stable county as his foundation!You can govern one county and thirteen counties in Wujun according to your own wishes, and make them the foundation of the king and hegemony, and then support yourself to attack Kuaiji and wipe out Jiangdong.

So after returning to Wu County, Sun Ce immediately summoned all the civil and military officials under his command to start planning to govern Wu County.

Sun Ce attached great importance to this discussion, and it was also the most solemn discussion that he called all civil and military officials to participate in for the first time after he invaded Jiangdong.

The respected prefect Zhu Zhi of Wujun, Cheng Ruizhi of Wujun, Zhang Zhao, the chief historian, Zhang Hong, Lu Fan, and Liu You, the school lieutenants, all attended the ceremony.

In terms of generals, Wei Hongzi, the northern governor of Wujun, Xu Kun, the southern governor, Wu Jing, Sun Ben, Cheng Pu, Chen Wu, Ling Cao, Huang Gai and others also participated.

Others include Tian Cao Sun Shao of Wujun, Gu Yong, magistrate of Wuxian County, Teng Dan, magistrate of Wuxi County, Zhang Yun, governor of post, and others.

It can be said that these people include all camps such as Sun Ce's former army, Wujun tyrants, and Central Plains talents living in the south of the Yangtze River.

Therefore, this discussion can be regarded as the prelude to Sun Ce's plan for the governance of the entire Jiangdong, and it can also be regarded as a summary of the integration of various forces, and clearly guarantees the distribution of interests of each force.

This time, the venue for the meeting was not in Wujun County Mansion, but in Sun Ce's Wutong Garden.

The name Wutong Garden is actually easy to misunderstand, thinking that it is a garden of Yu.It seems that the ministers went to a manor to discuss matters.

In fact, this is not the case. There are a lot of magnificent buildings in Wutong Garden, which is actually a palace area.It is very easy to understand if it is compared to the Ganlu Palace of the Han Dynasty and the Taichu Palace of the Soochow Dynasty.

Sun Ce chose to discuss matters here in order to gradually determine the position of the core of political affairs here.

In the future, important military and political affairs related to the entire Jiangdong will come from this palace.In the future, the officials of the general's mansion will handle the government affairs of Wu County and Kuaiji County here.Until Sun Ce built a new government office and built Kangcheng on the bank of the river.

As a powerful monarch, Sun Ce will naturally arrive at the end.

Before Sun Ce arrived, the hall where the civil and military ministers gathered was already bustling.

It is a happy event for the entire force to just win Wu County.The civil and military officials all talked to each other with joy on their faces.

Zhang Zhao and Zhu Zhi were sitting in the front seats, and they had already begun to imagine how to recruit talents from such a large population.

Zhang Zhao asked solemnly: "Since Emperor He, the country has been restructured, and the county has more than 20 people, and there is only one person named Xiaolian every year. Has Mr. Zhu Fu thought about who Xiaolian will recommend this year?"

Zhu Zhi showed joy, put his hand on his chin, and replied with a smile: "It depends on the final population statistics, and how many people should be elected this year. I thought there might be 40 people, and there are two people who are filial and honest at the age of [-]." .”

Zhang Zhaoye's eyes brightened. The Han Dynasty prefecture has 20 people, and there is only one person who is Xiaolian at the age of one. There are 40 people, and there are two people who are filial and honest.There are as many as one million and 20 people, and there are six people who are filial and honest.

"Master Zhu has such confidence in the total population?"

Zhu Zhi nodded, not without expectations: "According to the current statistics, the population may be a surprise, exceeding everyone's expectations."

On the other side, the generals also surrounded the northern captain Hongzi.

Cheng Pu asked curiously: "Lieutenant Hongdu, after I returned to Wu County, I kept hearing that you drove around the northern counties, and the results were very good, and you raised a lot of food and grass. May you reveal the name? I'll wait for the time to train, Prepare to conquer Kuaiji."

Hearing Cheng Pu's inquiry, the generals all turned their concerned eyes over.

Wu Jun now has tens of thousands of elite troops under his command, and he only practice how to cut people every day.Such an elite army is restrained and cannot gallop.In the final analysis, isn't it caused by the shortage of food and grass?
Otherwise, the army has already reached Zhejiang, why not just cross Zhejiang and attack Kuaiji?
You must know that as long as you cross Zhejiang, the south is the territory of Kuaiji County.

Hongzi smiled proudly, and said, "It's inconvenient to disclose the exact amount in advance. But if it's only for military use, it's definitely more than enough."

While everyone was talking, the majestic voice of the embroidered clothes guard came from outside: "Lieutenant Huaiyi and General Xingkou have arrived!"

The bustling hustle and bustle in the house suddenly stopped, and everyone stood up neatly to salute: "Meet the general."

Surrounded by his personal guards, Sun Ce strode towards the main seat, slapped the long knife directly on the table, and looked at everyone calmly.These civil and military heroes are the most important capital for him to stand alone in Jiangdong and then fight for hegemony in the world.

Whether the feudal town can be domineering and the sovereignty can be transferred down depends on whether these people fully support themselves.

And looking at all the respectful and even happy courtiers, Sun Ce can be sure that these people are all loyal to him.It was I who selected them and entrusted them with important tasks one by one.

No matter the emperor of the Han Dynasty or Yuan Shu in Huainan, their influence on them is not as good as his own orders.

In fact, Jiangdong and Wujun have become a highly independent town under the command of the general's mansion.

Then Sun Ce said loudly: "Excuse me, please take your seats."

After everyone was seated, Sun Ce took the initiative to speak: "Now the country is in chaos, and there are turmoil everywhere. It is the time when heroes work hard, and Wu County can be ruled from chaos. The merits of the kings are the best in Jiangdong."

"However, the country's progress has been difficult for a long time, and the management of the world has failed. Since the fall of chaos, the people have lost their homes. Although they are safe now, they are less and less obedient to the teachings. I heard that no long-term plan can make great achievements. Today, I convene you to seek a cure with an open mind and to seek a miracle. Seek great paintings to help those in danger and those in need, and stabilize Jiangdong."

Everyone nodded slightly, the general's words were undoubtedly very accurate.

Although Wu County has been pacified by force, it is definitely not stable internally.Nearby, there are powerful and powerful families running rampant in states and counties, and far away, there are Yan Baihu and the roar of Shanyue gathered in the mountains and forests.Wu Jun can be said to have quelled the turbulent times, and it is still far from the harmony of the government and the people.

Sun Ce was also the first to pay attention to this aspect, saying: "Your lords used their illustrious martial arts to pacify Wu County in ten months, but even though the enemy is gone, the bandits are still raging. Fighting soldiers to fight against the chief officials, wandering wildly in the forest, going up the mountain to go Dangerous, there are countless people who gather in the mountains and forests. How do you think the thieves should be eliminated?"

This is also a unique custom of Wu County or Jiangdong.The land here is sparsely populated, and there are many mountains and forests. Except for Wu County and Wuxi, which are a few prosperous counties surrounding Taihu Lake, the civilization level in the other counties is not high.Especially in troubled times, many people gather in the mountains and forests.

At this time, Zhang Zhao was the first to speak: "General, I think the common people are ashamed, and very few people are willing to take the initiative to become a bandit if they have no choice. Once they fall into the grass, they will be bandits for the rest of their lives. This is often regarded as a pity by our Xias." , is similar to a misstep that will lead to eternal hatred."

"The reason why the people are robbers is mostly because taxes are heavy and the officials are greedy. The wealth is exhausted and the money is endless, and the people are poor and the taxes are more urgent. The hunger and cold are close to the body, so they have no time to take care of their integrity. They have to be robbers. They are rampant. In Zhouzhou County, those who gather in the mountains and forests are mostly of this kind."

It is indeed the top internal affairs talent of Soochow that can be compared to Shu Han Zhuge Liang and Cao Wei Xunyu.

His thorough discussion not only clearly explained the background of the thieves in detail, but also greatly strengthened everyone's confidence.

Zhuxia is a morally oriented nation, not the kind of bandits or pirates.For such things as turning grass into bandits and robbing and looting, everyone's perception is that only scum will do it.

Basically, once an innocent citizen of a good family falls into the grass, the psychological gap is enough for him to collapse for a period of time. After death, he cannot enter the ancestral grave.

With this value recognition, everyone has greater confidence in solving the problem of thieves and grassroots bandits in Wu County.

But in terms of specific implementation, Sun Ce asked: "How does Chang Shi think that we should relieve the thieves and turn them into registered households?"

Zhang Zhao immediately said: "I think that today's affairs should be respectful and thrifty to conquer the world, and rewards and punishments should be used to conquer the world. Order the law and repair teachers, lighten the corvee and lighten the tax. To clarify the government order, tell the people that the government will exempt all exorbitant taxes, exempt Households are taxed and corvee, and corruption and adultery are punished, so as to serve the world.”

"If this is the case, even if the thieves gather more than a thousand people, looking at Jiangdong, and hearing about the general's benevolent government, there will be people who will join the army and say, the Ming monarch is gone, and we are especially against it?"

Zhu Zhi also nodded solemnly, got up and said: "When the people of Cao are in peace, they all stick to their heads and tails, but follow the orders of the superiors. Even the scholars, bureaucrats, and powerful people despise him. But why are they always angry, fighting and rioting? One side? Just because of his disobedience! If the general can pardon his crimes, exempt him from the tax, appoint him with respect and thrift, and punish him with rewards, then there will be people who will be convinced and go to Wu County as a robber."

Sun Ce was as good as he was, and immediately said: "Then the matter will be publicized by the county government, and the thirteen counties of Wu County will be informed again to exempt all exorbitant and miscellaneous taxes. The government will only collect the country's regular taxes. The money will be collected according to the mu."

Speaking of which, everyone is paying attention, how is the country's regular tax planned to be collected?

It is almost time for the autumn harvest in June, and it is time for the government to announce a clear quota for how much tax is levied per mu of land.

And Sun Ce also looked at Zhang Zhao, Gu Yong and others, and asked, "If the tax quota is not announced for a long time, the people will inevitably feel uneasy. Can the tax standard be denied? It is best to announce it together with this edict. to the people."

It was not Zhang Zhao who got up to answer this question, but Tian Caoxuan and Sun Shao of Wujun.

After the surrender of Qu'a, Sun Shao did not resist becoming an official. He was very pragmatic, so he was assigned to the county mansion by Zhu Zhi to take charge of the Tian Cao affairs of the entire Wu County.

He is known as a talented man in the temple, and he is in charge of Tian Cao in a county, which is no problem at all.

So he introduced to Sun Ce: "Since I was in charge of Cao Cao's affairs in the field, in the past few months, I have gone through all the records of Cao Cao in Wu County. According to the output of the cultivated fields in Wu County, the output of the upper field can reach ten stones, the middle field is three stones, and the lower field is three stones." There is also one stone and five fights."

"Wu County's agriculture has never been as good as that in the north. Based on this, it is known that it is a land tax, and it will not be heavy on different counties in the future."

Sun Ce nodded, the Han stone is relatively small, only 27 ten catties per stone.That is to say, one mu of land can only harvest 270 catties of grain.

This data is not to mention compared with the later generations with chemical fertilizers, even compared with the Song and Ming Dynasties.And Xiatian can only harvest 40 catties of grain per mu.

This number is not a matter of how many, it is simply pitiful.

After several months of hard work, one mu of land can only produce 40 catties of grain. After deducting the tax, the rest may not be enough to make ends meet.

So the current agricultural output is definitely the lowest value.When the internal affairs are stabilized, water conservancy projects are started, production is developed, and intensive cultivation is carried out, many of the lower fields will inevitably be improved into middle fields, and the middle fields will be cultivated into upper fields.

Taxes are set according to the current situation, and the tax burden on the people will be reduced year by year in the future.

Sun Ce looked at Zhang Zhao and asked, "How does Chang Shi think we should manage taxes?"

Zhang Zhao said solemnly: "My wife must have a family, and the family must have five members. If the tax is low, it will not be enough to support the car riders. If the tax is high, it will not be enough to calm the people. Taxation must be based on the acres of land, which is a law that cannot be changed in ancient and modern times. "

"The Han Dynasty has a tax of [-] and [-], but there are still additional rents and taxes. In fact, [-] of the [-] taxes are paid. I thought that the generals should go back to the ancient system of [-] taxes and one tax. However, the world is not peaceful. If force is equal, at least the tax must be doubled in order to have enough soldiers and enough food."

"Therefore, one mu of upper field should be taxed forty qian, the middle field tax is twelve qian, and the lower field tax is six qian."

That is, the ratio of 4000 taxes to [-], this ratio is definitely considered light and light.If Wu County reclaimed a million mu of fertile land, it would be a yearly endowment of [-] million yuan, enough to attract the attention of border states like You and Liang.

(End of this chapter)