The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 194 Differentiation

Shaoliang (now Sunshine Coast, Australia) is the most important city in Handong Province. It is famous for its beautiful coastal scenery. The coastline stretches for dozens of kilometers and is composed of more than 20 large and small beaches. It not only has beautiful beaches, but also its elegance The sparkling color of the lake is endless on the way, making many tourists linger and forget to return after passing here.

Under the slanting light of the setting sun, a gorgeously decorated four-masted sailboat anchored on the sea several miles away from the shore. The colorful sunset, the sparkling water, the white sails, and the indigo mountains and forests on the shore in the distance formed a picture. Beautiful picture.

"The country is so picturesque!" Qi Hongda, a deacon of Shaoliang General Chamber of Commerce and owner of Heshengji Trading Co., held the side of the boat and looked at the sea dyed red by the rays of the sun, and couldn't help but praise loudly.

"Yes, the country is picturesque, and there are so many heroes at one time!" Teng Shikui, the owner of Taixing Trading Company who smelled of alcohol, echoed with a smile, and connected it with a poem from Su Shi's "Red Cliff Nostalgia".

"Hahaha..., does Shopkeeper Teng mean that we are all heroes?" Yan Junchang, the owner of Shengping Cotton Spinning, couldn't help but laugh after hearing this.

"Except the Qin State, we merchants cannot be called heroes." Teng Shikui said: "But in our Qi State, we merchants who have not been on the stage since ancient times may really be heroes for a while. You guys I'm afraid you don't know, but a few days ago, thousands of workers in Xunyang County gathered at the county government, demanding that the government consider the workers' livelihood, remove tax inspectors, and resume normal production at the factory. Hey, the local government was caught off guard by this, don't mention it. How embarrassing!”

"What does Shopkeeper Teng mean that those workers were instigated by many industrial and mining owners in Xunyang County?"

"What do you think?... How can a group of workers organize such a battle if they want money but no money and no power? Not to mention, the businessmen in Xunyang County are really smart and dare to ask the local government for help. Officials exert pressure to protect their own interests.”

"Why, shopkeeper Teng seems to agree with the behavior of the merchants in Xunyang County?" Qi Hongda asked with a smile.

"Well... I can't say I agree with it. However, their actions make me admire them a lot." Teng Shikui burped, shook his head, and said loudly: "Take a look. , local businessmen joined forces, supported each other, stopped work and business, and directly expressed their attitude to the government. Businessmen are not at the mercy of others. Now, they can also control the fate of those workers and encourage them to gather in front of the government Petition. No, this should be a fucking demonstration! If this is not handled well, there may be local civil unrest. Hey, the officials in Xunyang County may not be able to sit safely in their seats!"

"Isn't it? Just how much tax can those workers pay to the government? Even if more farmers are added, they won't be able to make a big contribution, right?... The country's finances don't rely on us businessmen. Hold it up!"

As a deacon of the General Chamber of Commerce and the largest trading house in Shaoliang Mansion, won’t you, Shopkeeper Qi, step forward?

We need to raise our merchants’ voices to the government!

In the entire prefecture, no less than 30 trading, industrial and mining enterprises have been found to have evaded taxes by tax inspectors. All of them have issued official documents requiring them to pay back taxes and fines within a time limit, which has aroused lamentations from the business community.

"That's what Shopkeeper Teng said." Hearing this, Zhuo Renchun, the owner of Heyuanji Trading Company, immediately felt the same and said with a grimace: "Several of my accountants have given me a thorough explanation. According to the tax audit standards, I'm afraid I will have to do it." My wife paid more than 20,000 yuan in taxes. Plus the corresponding fines, this will cost me my life, and it will almost equal my four or five years of profits. If I don’t talk about it, this tax audit should Set a number, for example, it shouldn’t exceed five years, or eight years, that’s all you want, there’s no need to kill the goose that lays the egg, right?”

"Do you really think that the government relies on us businessmen?" Qi Hongda looked at everyone sarcastically, "Don't you think that without us businessmen, the Shaoliang Mansion and even the entire country cannot function?"

"Having said that, we businessmen can't let the government manipulate us! If we want to check taxes, we can check taxes, and if we want to impose fines, we can fine them. If this continues without any thought of resistance, won't it mean that our businessmen in Qi will become the same as those of all dynasties? In that way, become a fat pig slaughtered by the officials?"

"Shopkeeper Teng also wants to follow suit?"

"Who says it's not the case? If we all follow the practices of the businessmen in Xunyang County and all join forces to shut down work, I'm afraid the entire city will not be able to function! Hey, I'd also like to see what those tax inspectors who show off their power should do How does it end?"

"Haha..." Qi Hongda couldn't help but sneered after hearing this, "I'm afraid you are telling the opposite of what you said? Looking at the ninety-year history of our country of Qi, neither His Majesty the Emperor nor the cabinet government has ever acted wantonly in the name of 'unnecessary' Persecuting and squeezing our businessmen? Moreover, has our country of Qi ever established such perfect laws and regulations to favor and protect our businessmen in all dynasties? We must operate according to the law and pay taxes according to the regulations. The cabinet government has clearly informed us decades ago. While businessmen enjoy various policy support and preferential treatments, they must pay due taxes and feed back the country and the government. Only in this way can they be able to have a sustainable future, continue to generate interest, and achieve win-win results."

"Why did Shopkeeper Qi say this?"

"Yes, I'm just afraid of trouble." Qi Hongda nodded and said: "My Qi family has been running in Shaoliang Mansion for decades. Although our family has a big business and a small amount of money, we consider ourselves weak and do not dare to challenge the government. "

"That's right! In our country of Qi, which trading company and industrial and mining enterprise owner do you think has not missed sporadic taxes? This government is supported by our businessmen, so we can't pursue and treat us harshly like this! Otherwise, , we businessmen are all bankrupt, which one pays taxes to the government, and which one will support thousands of workers?”

"So what?" Qi Hongda said coldly: "You think you have paid more taxes to the government, so you dare to ride on the government? Our country of Qi is not the Kingdom of England. Everything is made up of businessmen. It’s up to the parliament to decide!”

"Haha..." Qi Hongda laughed and reached out to point Teng Shikui, "Just because someone from my Qi family serves as a local official, I can have a deeper understanding of the government's strength and methods. You really think that half of the government's finances come from commercial taxes , can you tolerate the wanton behavior of businessmen like us?"

"Even if I want to follow suit, will the General Chamber of Commerce take the lead and unite the merchants in the entire city?" Teng Shikui said, glancing at Qi Hongda.

"Some people want to die, but I, Qi, will not stop me." Qi Hongda said calmly: "As for making trouble in the name of the General Chamber of Commerce and putting all our businessmen on the opposite side of the government, I am determined opposing."

"Oh, if you really want to follow what Xunyang County did, I'm afraid you will all fall into a situation of eternal disaster!" Qi Hongda sighed.

"Shopkeeper Qi Da, what are you afraid of? In our country of Qi, Emperor Taizu has publicly declared many times that private property is sacred and inviolable. No matter what, do we still have to worry about the government confiscating our homes and exterminating our families? Let's get angry with the government appropriately, that is To express an attitude, it is okay to collect taxes, and we support it, but we can’t go back to the past, right? Let’s talk about it. In the past, we started from scratch, starting from a small workshop. Naturally, various institutions were incomplete, and it was inevitable that taxes would be omitted. This tax audit If this happens, no one will have to pay a large sum of money back! Don’t you guys feel sad?"

"Master Qida, who can't say nice things?" Teng Shikui said rather unconvinced: "You can't tilt your butt to the government just because your third brother is an official in Jiangling Mansion (now Geelong City, southern Australia) Alright?"

"Shopkeeper Qi Da isn't so afraid of trouble, is he?" Teng Shikui mocked.

"..." When everyone heard this, they all looked at each other.

"As merchants, we need to know where our current identity and status come from? Do you think that the royal family and the cabinet dare not use violent methods against businessmen who cause trouble? You have a fortune of tens of millions, so you may be able to bribe some policemen And the petty officials, they will be used by you, and they will even let you do things for your convenience. But how can you control the gun barrels of the army? If you want to compete with the government, you may not know how to write the word "death"! "
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"Father, the Shaoliang Mansion sent someone over and invited us to meet at the official hall." Qi Shigao handed a document to his father, then poured a cup of tea by himself, and said loudly while drinking: "These local officials are so ignorant that they just send a small official to summon us. As for me, just ignore them and just leave them there!"

"You bastard!" Qi Bangyou's face darkened and he scolded sternly: "As a high-ranking member of the government and a high-ranking local official appointed by the government, how can you be so arrogant and rude as a white man?" "Father, after all, we are A member of the royal family, even if he is an important member of the government, can he still outdo us?" Qi Shigao said nonchalantly: "As long as the emperor's surname is Qi, no one will dare to bully us, right?"

"Confused! You have to know that in the past three hundred years of the Ming Dynasty, there were hundreds of thousands of descendants of the Zhu family, and they were all supported by the court. In the end, it was possible to protect all the descendants of the Zhu family? There are some who are in danger, and even more who are brutally massacred by the mob. What's more. Then do you think that our Qi family can be so wealthy and prosperous forever? In the past, Emperor Taizu repeatedly warned many descendants of the clan not to be arrogant, extravagant, domineering and public, and not to easily ruin the reputation of the royal family to avoid resentment among the people. , harming our descendants. Besides, our Prince Ping family has been through for several generations, and we have long been indifferent to the royal family. How can we continue to rely on the reputation of the royal family and despise local officials? If you do this, you will suffer a lot sooner or later!"

"Father, I just... just feel that the Shaoliang Mansion doesn't take us seriously." Qi Shigao blushed at the words, but he still argued forcefully: "Our Royal Trading Company was assigned by His Highness the Crown Prince to come to the Shaoliang Mansion to serve them. They want to clean up the mess and restore and boost the local economy and people's livelihood, but they act like they are treating us like ordinary businessmen."

"Aren't we merchants?"

"..."

How could this royal trading company be an ordinary merchant?

We are royal merchants!

"I'm afraid you don't know. Two days ago, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has issued a letter to the General Department of Taxation, requesting the Ministry to send personnel to comprehensively inspect the tax collection status of the Royal Trading Company. However, any evaded taxes will be repaid and fined in accordance with the law."

"Ah?" Qi Shigao was stunned when he heard this.

The royal industry actually asked the government to inspect taxes!

No more royal decency! ?

"Shi Gao, you have to know that for our Da Qi Dynasty, sometimes money and wealth are not the most important." Qi Bangyou said sincerely.

This "Da Qi Dynasty" naturally does not refer to the entire empire, but only refers to the royal family in a narrow sense.

What is most important to the dynasty?

That is naturally the permanence of imperial power and the inheritance of the emperor's lineage.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince instructed the cabinet to severely punish the businessmen who instigated and instigated the Xunyang Incident. He also specifically assigned our Royal Trading Company to handle the matter from beginning to end. He did not want the situation to escalate and affect the local economy and people's livelihood."

More than half a month ago, thousands of workers in Xunyang County gathered in front of the government to petition and demonstrate. This immediately shocked the entire Shaoliang Mansion and spread to Chang'an City as quickly as possible.

In other words, in the more than 90 years since the founding of Qi State, there has never been a large-scale civil unrest, nor has there been any serious incident of besieging government offices. The country is prosperous, the people are singing and dancing, and it is a prosperous scene.

Unexpectedly, in these prosperous years, thousands of workers gathered to petition and even surrounded the government offices. If Xunyang County officials had not handled the situation properly and calmed the workers and dispersed first, the earliest "workers' movement" in the 18th century might have happened.

The day after the incident broke out, the Prime Minister of the Cabinet immediately ordered the Shaoliang Mansion to implement a three-day curfew in Xunyang County, and asked the Prince Supervisor to mobilize troops to station near Xunyang County to prevent the situation from deteriorating.

The three military and police departments, the Polling Office, the Gendarmerie Division, and the General Police Department, submitted the investigation report on the entire incident to the cabinet and the Prince Supervisor in the afternoon of the next day.

Immediately, more than 800 officers and soldiers of the Army's Second Mixed Regiment arrived in Xunyang County in military columns and were temporarily stationed outside the city, waiting for further instructions from the cabinet and the military.

Under the threat of strong force, the spies from the Polling Office followed the map and captured more than ten businessmen who instigated the workers to "gather to cause trouble." The entire Xunyang County has maintained a rare calm, with all residents staying at home in compliance with the government's curfew order.

The workers who participated in the demonstrations and petitions were in a deep state of panic, fearing that they would suffer the same fate as the businessmen, being dragged away from their homes like dead dogs by the military police, facing an unpredictable outcome.

However, God's grace was so great that the Prince Supervisor and the cabinet government did not spare much trouble for most of the workers who took to the streets. Except for the two dozen workers who took the lead in "making trouble" and were arrested and sentenced by the police for rushing into government institutions, all All workers were spared.

However, after dealing with the businessmen and workers involved, the matter was not settled.

After being severely punished by the government, some of the trading companies, industrial and mining owners who had previously deliberately shut down operations immediately gave in and were so frightened that they closed their doors and had no energy to operate. As a result, most of the factories and mining enterprises in Xunyang County continued to be in a state of turmoil. Closed state.

As a result, thousands of workers still lost their livelihoods and lacked income, and many workers' families even fell into a situation of lack of food and clothing.

While the local government of Xunyang County was persuading merchants to resume normal production, it reported the situation to the prefectural government and the cabinet, requesting the allocation of special funds to provide basic living subsidies to struggling worker families.

Qi Bangyou came to Shaoliang Mansion on behalf of the Royal Trading Company, intending to purchase several illegal factories in Xunyang County in the name of the trading company, and actively promote the recovery of the local people's livelihood and economy.

At the same time, he also has a special mission, which is to rely on the strong economic status of the Royal Trading Company to use economic means to attack and punish the dozen trading companies and factory owners who were the most popular during the Shaoliang Mansion's tax audit.

You merchants, don’t take yourselves seriously!

(End of this chapter)