Overlord!

Chapter 93 Collection of Commercial Tax
After all, Sun Ce still didn't have a road with Zhou Cheng in the wild. All he can think about now is the wealth of Wu County, how to build roads and let the wealth circulate.

Early the next morning, he found Zhu Zhi, the prefect of Wu County, and planned to talk to the county government about the construction of roads in one county and thirteen counties in Wu County.

To get rich, build roads first.

In fact, Wu County already produced a lot of wealth itself, but it was underdeveloped, which made it impossible for these wealth to circulate at all.

To revitalize this economy, the most basic condition is to build a flatter road system throughout the county, so that the closed materials in each county can communicate with each other.

At least at least in Wu County, a large and wealthy county, food can be mobilized quickly.

Sun Ce believes that in a land of fish and rice, as long as the land of fish and rice can maximize its benefits and all kinds of grain flow into the market instead of being deposited in warehouses or corrupted at the wharf, the government treasury will surely be able to gradually accumulate a considerable scale of grain storage.

Because he wanted to talk about the affairs of the county, Sun Ce left Yuan Yu with his personal guards early in the morning and entered the town of Wu County.

The group walked through the south gate. As soon as they reached the city, Sun Ce found that there were long queues in front of the city gates, guards guarding the gates, and collecting city taxes one by one, that is, sitting tax and gate tax.

Wu County is also the most prosperous city in the southeast. There are more than one city gates on the city walls in each direction, and three city gates are set up on the city walls facing the east and north.

Looking at the long queue that suddenly formed, Jiang Qin took a deep breath and said, "What's the matter? You didn't need to pay taxes when you entered the city before! Which corrupt official is this extorting money?"

Sun Ce also didn't get a clue for a while, taxation is a major national event, and he is very sure that he has not issued a tax increase order.Moreover, the taxation of entering the city is obviously not in line with Sun Ce's concept of free trade.

In fact, there was a lot of noise in front of the city gate, and many people were extremely resistant to the sudden taxation.

Especially for a caravan with dozens of carts of goods, the leader of the caravan spoke fiercely to the gatekeeper officials.

"When Sun Lang entered Wu Commandery, he agreed with me and other gentry and heroes! Apart from land taxes, all kinds of exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes were excluded. You are collecting taxes without authorization. Where is Sun Lang's prestige? What is the majesty of the government? How can I convince the elders of Wu Commandery? "

As soon as the voice fell, countless people cheered and cheered.

"Cai! Well said!"

"A man cannot stand without faith, a business cannot prosper without faith, and a country cannot prosper without faith! If you speak like this without faith, will you not lose the hope of the world?"

"I'm going to see Sun Lang! Ask him why he's going around like this?"

Following the quarrel, a group of people gathered around the city gate soon.

The little official who was questioned immediately became angry from embarrassment, and shouted: "Dare to despise the senior official, come here, let me take it down!"

Two servants holding a stick immediately stepped forward to take down the leader of the team.

In the face of the authority of the government, even the hundreds of members of the powerful caravan did not dare to move, and the people onlookers were frightened into silence and retreated one after another, fearing that they would be implicated.

Jiang Qin was furious immediately, he raised his whip and was about to go forward to whip the petty official.

It was hard for him to gain a foothold in Wu County, and he worked hard and strictly enforced military discipline, lest he lose the hearts of the people in Jiangdong, so he won the support of hundreds of thousands of people.

But there are such brutal people who work in the way, greedy and cruel to the people, and corrode the foundation.As long as there are a few such moths, it is enough to destroy the hearts of the people of the entire force.

But before Jiang Qin had time to get angry, another petty official at the side grabbed the right hand of this petty official who was raising the stick, and said, "Forget it, Brother Zhang, don't get angry. Didn't Captain He just say that, Don't worry about it like Xiaomin? It's not worth getting angry and hurting your body. When the shift is over, I'll invite brother Zhang to go to the Qiting wine shop for a drink to calm down."

Seeing that the other party moved out Captain He, the petty official had no choice but to restrain his anger, borrowed the opportunity to get off the donkey, and said: "For the sake of brother Wang, I will let these arrogant people go. Pay your taxes honestly, get out if you don’t want to enter the city, don’t get in the way here!”

Jiang Qin scratched his head in doubt, and looked at Sun Ce: "Why is there another captain? General, when will there be another Captain He in our army?"

And...it doesn't seem like the petty official is extorting money and extorting miscellaneous taxes. This should be a government order officially issued by the county government officials.

What are you looking at me for?I don't know any more than you!Sun Ce glared back at him angrily, "You always look at me, and I can't give you an answer."If you have this time, you might as well call a small official to come over and ask.

But at this moment, the little official surnamed Wang took the initiative to shout to everyone: "It is a notice issued by the city captain to collect taxes in the city. Here is an official document that has been approved by Sun Lang. The city captain Captain Sihe can do things cheaply. It's not that we collect taxes without authorization and extort money."

But some people were still dissatisfied and hid in the crowd and shouted: "But Sun Lang has already made three chapters with my father of Jun Wu to exempt all exorbitant and miscellaneous taxes. It will be less than three months before he breaks his promise and becomes fat?"

The little official surnamed Zhang was furious: "Who is hiding his head and showing his tail? Dare to mock the speaker, I think you are tired of work!"

The same little official surnamed Wang took a step forward and explained loudly: "This is definitely not a promise to get fat. It is an iron law to only collect agricultural taxes for ordinary people and farming households. Pedestrians can enter the city without hindrance, and they can still pass. You can see with your own eyes that even if I wait here to quarrel, the people on the side can still enter and exit through the city gate. However, only collecting agricultural taxes on agriculture does not mean that commercial taxes are prohibited. People with twenty stones have to pay commercial tax when they enter the city. Only then can it be said that they are treated equally, farmers and merchants register as households and pay taxes for them.”

When this statement fell, the common people were divided immediately.

Politics always divides opponents and draws the majority against some.

Seeing that his own interests were not harmed, Xiaomin immediately stood on the same front with the government.Those powerful families and caravans of wealthy households occupied so many materials and earned so much wealth through commercial exchanges.We have to pay taxes for our hard work in farming, so why do they not have to worry about taxes at all in their business dealings?

It’s not about hating the rich, but essentially, in this era, people generally think that scholars, farmers, workers, and merchants are four different household registrations.Agricultural registration and business registration are not in the same position. Why should agricultural registration pay taxes to support officials and troops and build road schools, while commercial registration enjoys the benefits?

Even Jiang Qin was confused, and asked in a ignorant manner: "General, what this person said seems to be reasonable. Then, are we counting as reneging on our promises and gaining weight?"

Sun Ce said with a smile: "We don't think it counts, so it doesn't count."

Do you listen to the promise of a prince?Isn't that how it is beneficial to him?
It doesn't matter whether it's reneging on one's word or getting fat.

If you insist on being serious, you must be breaking your promise and getting fat.After all, Sun Ce said with certainty that he would not levy exorbitant and miscellaneous taxes except for the agricultural tax.Miscellaneous taxes must include commercial taxes.

But the right to interpret this kind of thing is in the hands of the government after all. The government even declared that the three chapters of the contract are aimed at agriculture, and the tyrants can't help it.Either you don't engage in business, then there must be no miscellaneous taxes that can be collected on your head.The content of the three chapters of the contract is extremely strict, and the government implements it meticulously. The only tax announced is the agricultural tax, which will be collected in October.

But if you want to run a business, you have to bow your head, accept the government's explanation, and pay taxes honestly.

The key is that the majority of registered households clearly support this policy, or do not oppose it.Then it won't make any waves.

In the end, the tyrant who was blocked in front of the city gate still lowered his head and paid the commercial tax for dozens of carts of goods entering the city, which was worth a hundred shi of grain.Obviously, these hundreds of stones of grain are still not comparable to the wealth he can trade with dozens of carts of goods.In terms of wealth accumulation, farming will never compare to business.

Sun Ce also finally remembered who this Captain He was, and it should be He Kui, the Captain of the City Division he had just appointed to form the City Division.

When the flow of people resumed, Sun Ce and other talents rushed forward.

The little official surnamed Zhang also looked forward as usual, and was shocked when he saw the double imprints of the government and general's houses on the horse's belly.

"Sun...Sun Lang?"

He had already seen this group of cavalry, and thought it was some small school going out.After all, it never occurred to him that Sun Lang, the general in charge of the army and the Lord of Wu County, would line up behind the crowd with his personal guards.

Sun Ce looked him up and down, and said, "You are so arrogant and indulgent, and you threaten and insult the people so often, you will suffer from it sooner or later. If everyone bullies the weak, then the strong will be humiliated by the stronger. I hope you can do it yourself." "

To him, Sun Ce just reprimanded him.Punishment of petty officials is not what Sun Ce should do as a monarch.Some officials will clear up the atmosphere.

Moreover, in today's era, this is the virtue of officials.When Xiaomin sticks to the head and puts the end in order, they dismiss it lightly.Once Xiaomin rioted, they were terrified.

In fact, it is not impossible to solve this problem, but it is not easily solved by Sun Ce's reprimand or violent killing, but by setting up systems, regulating officials, and promoting morality.

Don't always think about killing people at will and using harsh punishments. If this kind of brutal method works well, then Daming with Jin Yiwei will not be able to perish.

To another small official surnamed Wang, Sun Ce encouraged him a bit, and said with a smile, "Your handling is quite appropriate. Promotion should not be based on one word or deed, but it does not prevent me from appreciating your deeds today. I will reward you with a gold coin." , I bought you a drink."

The other party quickly handed over in surprise, and Sun Lang was indeed as open-minded as the rumors said, and liked to laugh and talk, making people fall in love at first sight. After he thanked him, he did not forget to give his colleagues a hand: "Brother Zhang has a hot temper, and he is definitely a good friend to Sun Lang." Loyalty."

Sun Ce nodded, if it wasn't for the fact that he didn't make any serious mistakes, he didn't just let him go after a reprimand, and then Sun Ce said to him, "Go back and inform Captain He to meet me at the county mansion. .”

To build roads in Wu County, City Weisi's opinion is naturally extremely important. Connecting various markets is the most important thing in road construction.

After entering the city, Sun Ce went straight to the county government.

But this time going to the county mansion was not as smooth as before.

The main reason is that there are various carts, horses and porters on the road. A caravan with dozens of people pushing a dozen cars is enough to make the small dirt road in Wujun City very congested.

There are also many large caravans with heavy traffic, mixed with a large number of pedestrians, making Wu County very lively and crowded.

Sun Ce saw with his own eyes that not only people were carrying fresh melons and fruits, but also carts of pottery, lacquerware, and bamboo ware into the city.

Bamboo ware refers to mats, baskets, silkworm foils, dustpans, etc. made of bamboo skin.

Sun Ce did not expect to see this kind of southern specialties in Wu County so soon, and this powerful family seems to attach great importance to manual production. If there are not a large number of guests in the manor dedicated to production, it would be really easy to wait. Can't get it out.

Sun Ce took a special look at it, and said to Jiang Qin, "Send someone to inquire with this caravan. Where are they powerful? Apart from these, are there any more precious specialties such as porcelain and jade?"

Jiang Qin immediately sent a personal guard to follow him, and then asked Sun Ce: "The general is interested in this, do you want to buy family wealth?"

Sun Ce smiled. He felt that what Zhou Chengxian, a good assistant, said before was quite reasonable. Don't always put yourself aloof, and try to integrate yourself into the county of Wu County.

To develop industrial production, you don't have to rely on others all the time, you can also set up a workshop yourself.Imperial merchants can exist, and imperial factories do not necessarily mean competing with the people for profit.

Sun Ce said calmly: "If it is suitable, I would like to cooperate with him to develop pearl jewelry."

Always giving away baskets of pearls to others is too reckless.And it looks like it's worthless.May I ask a wise man who got three baskets of pearls, how should he react?
Pearls with no economic value are just broken stones secreted from a pile of mussel meat.

In fact, Jiang Dong was starving for guarding Jinshan.

And with a little modification, this is a sharp weapon for harvesting the wealth of the North.Most of the time, pearls are wealth equivalent to jade, gold and silver.

However, this kind of industrial and commercial harvest is only the most insignificant auxiliary means today.

Sun Ce paid a little attention, then quickly rode past and arrived at the county mansion.

Zhu Zhi personally welcomed Sun Ce into the hall, invited him to take a seat, then sat down by himself, and asked respectfully, "What do you want to inspect when the general comes to the county mansion?"

Sun Ce said with a smile, "In a while, I will inspect the counties in the north of the county and inspect the government affairs. This time I am here mainly to discuss with Mr. Zhu about building roads to facilitate people's livelihood."

"Speaking of this, I went into the city just now and found that today there are tax collectors at various city gates to collect commercial taxes?"

Zhu Zhi explained: "That's true, it was the suggestion of Captain He Duwei, the commander of the city."

Sun Ce asked curiously, "Didn't the business tax be collected in Fangshi in the past? Why is it suddenly collected at the city gate?"

Zhu Zhi laughed and said, "General, this is related to the prosperity of Wu County. Lieutenant He is worthy of being a scholar of the state. He adjusted his measures to local conditions and tried his best. Taxes are only collected at the city gate in Wu County."

Sun Ce also became interested, that is to say, only the commercial tax of Wu County is collected at the city gate, and the commercial tax of other counties is still collected in front of Fangshi?
(End of this chapter)