Late Tang Dynasty: I

Chapter 267
Dazhi two years.

The tax collection in Chang'an Wai Xia is not bad.

The four prefectures of Caizhou, Wuzhou, Xuzhou, and Yingzhou were originally controlled by Qin Zongquan. His Majesty the Emperor watched over [-] Caizhou slaves for spring farming. Affected by the battle with the Xuanwu Army.

Punitive agricultural taxes were added to these four states, and 30% of the land output was levied. In the military camps, military slaves in Caizhou were only allowed to leave a ration of one catty per person per day. He received less than [-] shi of military rations.

However, the grain in Shanguo and the five prefectures in Hezhong was not affected, and the summer tax was levied according to the ratio of ten taxes and two during the war, and the seven prefectures collected more than [-] shi of grain.

Heyang, Luoyang, and Ruzhou, which were originally occupied by the Hedong Army, were somewhat torn down. Affected by the war, Caizhou slaves were in chaos. Excluding rations, they only collected less than [-] shi.

However, Zhengzhou, Huazhou, Songzhou, Bianzhou, Bozhou, and Chenzhou under Zhu Wenkong's rule, although affected by the war, also expropriated 30 shi of grain.

As for Caozhou, the army looted and there was no grass growing, but the court needed assistance.

As for Mizhou, according to Shao Hanqing's report, the food of more than 5000 soldiers in Mizhou does not need to be allocated by the court, and they can be completely self-sufficient.

However, Jinzhou and Shangzhou are mountainous and have little farmland, and the grain collected by the two states is only [-] shi.

Except for Hezhong Mansion, the silk and earth tribute collected by the other prefectures are worth more than 80 guan, but the salt tax collected by Hezhong Mansion in half a year is [-] guan.

The taxation of Xing, Ming, Ci, and Lu prefectures in Zhaoyi is better than last year's. More than [-] shi were collected for grain, and a lot of silk and silk soil tribute. Luzhou is the most prepared food.

But Zezhou collapsed, not only did not receive a penny in taxes, but also had to subsidize a lot of money and food to recruit refugees.

These are only taxes east of Chang'an, excluding Liangchuan, Hanzhong, Longxi, and Guanzhong.

The production in Guanzhong this year is far worse than last year. In the first half of the year, there was a continuous drought. Some production can be guaranteed in places where the ditches reach, but the ditches can’t reach it. receive.

Fortunately, most of the forbidden troops of the imperial court were not in Chang'an, and the number of officials supported was much less than before. Coupled with the import of grain from Hanzhong, it would not be stretched.

Guanzhong, Liangchuan, and Hanzhong are the basic areas of the Tang Dynasty. His Majesty the Emperor must have attached great importance to them. He has always been light on taxes, recruiting people, and developing production.

The taxes in Liangchuan are still based on the Two Tax Law, which is mainly converted into copper coins. Liangchuan has collected more than 150 million guan in half a year, which is similar to the level of previous years. shadow.

In addition, more than [-] prefectures in Sichuan and Sichuan also collected more than one million stones of grain, more than one million bolts of silk, and several kinds of soil tributes.

The power of the Datang Weaving Bureau was manifested at this time. The imperial court received the money immediately for a universal exchange, but the handling fee for universal exchange from Liangchuan to other places was much higher, and [-]% of the exchange amount was charged. , But even so, it is better than transporting these copper coins over mountains and mountains.

"Your Majesty, I have only now felt that the convenience of the Datang Weaving Bureau is unprecedented!"

The emperor smiled and said, "The Datang Weaving Bureau will also open to Hexi, Xuanwu, Luoyang, Zhaoyi, and Hezhong, all states must have..."

Zhang Chengye said: "In this way, it is really possible to connect the world as His Majesty said."

Li Ye is in a good mood. This year's harvest is better than expected. Henan, Caizhou, and Hezhong have harvested millions of grains.

According to the consumption of one stone per month per person in the army, one hundred thousand troops can fight for ten months, plus the tax of more than 200 million yuan in the entire Datang-controlled area, there is also money for rewards and pensions.

With the freak of the Datang Weaving Bureau, His Majesty's internal funds can already wrestle with the national treasury.

"Your Majesty, this year's cotton planting area is as high as [-] mu. After this harvest, there will be no shortage of seeds. I never thought that even if it does not rain, the cotton production will not be affected. It is a pity that if the people grow cotton , it won’t be a failure!”

"Have you ever calculated how many acres of these seeds you can plant next year?"

"hundred times!"

"Thousands of acres!"

"Only more or less!"

call!
In this way, after one or two more rounds of planting, the entire Tang Dynasty can be planted with cotton. Although this news is expected, it is enough to make His Majesty excited, but he is afraid that the properties of these seeds will decline.

"Cotton seeds that grow well and those that grow poorly must be separated. The seeds that grow well can only be those that grow well!"

"Returning to Your Majesty, the supervisor of Si Nong held his hands tightly this time, and someone was watching him the whole time."

Li Ye nodded and said, "How about cotton weaving?"

Zhang Chengye said: "Returning to Your Majesty, now there are Datang Weaving Bureaus in Guanzhong and Shu. The two Sichuan Hanzhong are even worse than Guanzhong. More than [-] looms have been built in half a year, and there are now more than [-] looms in Guanzhong. Weaving silk in spring and summer, and weaving cotton and linen in autumn and winter, there are tens of thousands of pieces of silk produced every day, and Chang’an’s warehouse is almost full?”

Li Ye laughed and said, "I didn't expect that there would still be warehouses that couldn't fit. When I was in Chang'an, I said that we would expand the commercial roads in the west of Hexi, connect the countries in the Western Regions, and Yinsui in the north, and exchange these silk cloths with the barbarians on the grassland for cattle. sheep!"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, we are already doing it, but the grasslands can't afford so much silk cloth, so they can only be used as money. The taxes of Liangchuan are converted into silk cloth in Chang'an and shipped to the Tang treasury. In this way, there are more than 70 bolts of silk and cotton cloth in the internal treasury.”

"All of them were transported to Bianliang, and envoys were sent to tell Weibo, Chengde, Hedong and other towns that I can sell these silks and silks to them at a lower price, as long as they are half of their market price, or even thirty percent."

"Your Majesty, the price of silk is not high now. If it is [-]%, there will be no interest!"

Li Ye said with a smile: "It's okay even if it's not profitable. I'm thinking of sending people to the towns to set up businesses, buy silk yarn, and then send people to sell cotton seeds to the towns, and teach them how to grow cotton. What do you think of buying all the commercial firms at high prices?"

How is it, how is it, Zhang Chengye shook his head, so all the towns are rich, only the imperial court can't benefit!

Hey, Li Ye shook his head, Lao Zhang's mind hadn't turned around yet.

"Taking Weibo as an example, Weibo weaving is very prosperous, but they don't have our looms. The price is [-]%, and the court will not be at a loss, but Weibo's weaver girls are definitely at a loss. Just like the weavers in Chang'an, they will feel that weaving The money earned from cloth is far less than silkworm farming. Will they still weave cloth after a long time?
Besides cotton, the imperial court collects cotton at a high price, these people will feel that growing cotton is more profitable than growing grain, they will grow a large amount of cotton and sell it for more money! "

Zhang Chengye suddenly realized, and said: "In this way, they will beg to do business with His Majesty's business, and if His Majesty stops the business, it will be like a mother not breastfeeding a baby, and all towns will be in turmoil."

Li Ye nodded. This is the crushing of productivity and the consequences of dumping. At that time, the economy of each town will be vulnerable to a single blow, and all towns will have to rely on the imperial court.

"Chen, do you want to do it now?"

Li Ye nodded, Xia harvested the granules and returned them to the warehouse, and the matter in Huainan was about to begin.

(End of this chapter)