"This official thinks it's feasible!"
Hai Rui nodded his head. "It's better for the people to earn money than those profiteers."
Zhu Yijun glanced at Hai Rui and nodded his head. He had thought about this matter for a long time, but in the end, he rejected the idea of developing capitalism. Owning the country was the way to go.
Although there were many scoldings in the future, Zhu Yijun felt that the planned economy at the founding of the country laid a solid foundation for the subsequent reforms.
Because of the planned economy, the country was able to concentrate its strength to do big things. It turned the country from a country with nothing to a country with some industrial foundation.
Comparing the quality of the people at that time to the quality of the people now, Zhu Yijun felt that it was better to start the country first!
If he was Li Zicheng, he would definitely beat up the local tyrants and divide the land. However, he was the Daming Emperor. The foundation of his rule was different.
If he really became disloyal to the gentry, the world would not be far from falling apart.
In a feudal society, the foundation of governance was the landlords and gentry. 90% of the resources in society were in the hands of these people.
It was not that Zhu Yijun did not want to rely on the peasants. It was because he really could not rely on them. He could definitely rely on them if he rebelled, but as the Emperor, if he did that, he would really die miserably.
Things needed to be done step by step. What Zhu Yijun needed to do now was to take the first step.
Xu Wenchang glanced at Hai Rui and nodded his head in agreement. "This is a good idea."
Although the two of them had different personalities and many different viewpoints, they had the same attitude towards merchants. To put it bluntly, merchants did not have any status in their eyes.
It was not a matter of a day or two that the gentry looked down on the merchants.
"Then the question comes back. Seeing a workshop requires capital. Where does the capital come from?"
Zhu Yijun looked at the two of them. He stretched out his hand to pick up a painting and hung it on the wall. There was a big "tax" character on it. It was really big.
Zhu Yijun did not beat around the bush and asked directly, "Why does the imperial court want to collect taxes?"
"Regarding taxes, we can sum it up in eight words. That is, 'Take it from the people and use it for the people'."
"The imperial court collects taxes. Whether it's repairing bridges and roads, controlling floods and rivers, or training soldiers and pacifying the people, the money comes from taxes."
Zhu Yijun knocked on the word 'tax' on the board and said, "Therefore, paying taxes is the duty and responsibility of every citizen of the Daming."
"This includes everyone, including me. The properties of the royal family should also pay taxes. No one is an exception."
As soon as Zhu Yijun finished speaking, Hai Rui stood up abruptly. His entire person was immersed in an inexplicable excitement as he loudly said, "Taken from the people, used for the people. With these words, Your Majesty has become a wise ruler."
"Yes, yes, it is taken from the people and used for the people. Taxes are the people's blood and sweat. Yes, yes, the people's blood and sweat should be taken from the people and used for the people."
Zhu Yijun looked at Hai Rui and sighed helplessly. Then he turned his head to look at Xu Wenchang. Seeing that he was not crazy, he said to Xu Wenchang, "Let me ask you, what do you think of my idea?"
"Your Majesty's idea is good, but there are so many people in the world who are exempted from taxes!"
"From the royal family by marriage to the vassal lords' relatives, from the Honours to the gentry and scholars, there are so many of them."
Xu Wenchang said worriedly, "Minister Zhang is only clearing the accounts and land, but there are already many complaints. If Your Majesty wants to collect all the taxes, I am a little afraid."
Hai Rui glared at Xu Wenchang and said loudly, "What are you afraid of?"
"For the people, for the Daming, what is there to be afraid of?
Your Majesty, Hai Rui is willing to do this for Your Majesty. "
After saying this, Hai Rui directly knelt on the ground and put his head on the ground. He did not get up, nor did he speak.
Zhu Yijun walked to Hai Rui's side and reached out to help Hai Rui up. "You, sit down and talk, sit down!"
Turning to look at Xu Wenchang, Zhu Yijun said with a smile, "I have thought about these things. Emperor Taizu's tax exemption is to take care of the poor scholars. I think it is better to directly give them money!
According to the tax exemption of the Honours and scholars, they will be found out directly. "
"The tax exemption for the County Scholars and High Scholars should be given directly to them. This should be enough for their expenses. If appropriate, we can increase it a little. This is not against the ancestral rules, right?"
Xu Wenchang was stunned. He did not expect Zhu Yijun to come up with this idea. But after thinking for a moment, Xu Wenchang nodded and said, "Good, this is a good idea. In this way, many people will not cause trouble."
"Those who hide in the land will not all follow suit if they want to cause trouble."
Zhu Yijun said with a smile, "The treatment that the court should give should not be less. I still sympathize with the scholars in the world."
Although this was what he said, all three of them knew that if they really did this, the scholars at the bottom might not feel it clearly, but the gentry at the top, those who had a lot of land, would definitely cry for their parents.
For example, Xu Jie, his Xu family had 800,000 mu of fertile land. Do you think he paid taxes?
But according to Xu Jie's rank and the treatment of the Prime Minister, how much money could he get?
It was estimated to be one percent, or even one in ten million.
In this way, the Emperor could stand on the side of righteousness.
The key was that it was easy to collect taxes. There was no need to consider who it was, and they could pay taxes directly.
Those who did not pay taxes were tax evasion, which was illegal. They could be punished directly. Anyway, everyone in the world had to pay taxes.
Zhu Yijun had thought it through. While Zhang Juzheng's foundation was still there, he could take advantage of this opportunity to implement the tax for all people.
Otherwise, after a few years, it would be really difficult to push it.
If someone made trouble, he could deal with them. Whether it was gentry, royal relatives, or even vassal lords, they could all be dealt with.
Seeing that both of them had calmed down, Zhu Yijun said, "This is a very big matter. We can't push it away rashly. Why don't we find a county and try it?"
After saying this, Zhu Yijun said, "This is the brand-new structure of the county government officials that I have prepared."
"There is one county magistrate, and there is no fixed number of county magistrates. There is one county lieutenant, who is responsible for commanding the bailiffs and arresting the patrolling bandits. There is one tax officer, who is responsible for collecting taxes.
There is also one criminal, who is responsible for all kinds of cases in the county. "
Xu Wenchang looked at Zhu Yijun's blueprint and said hesitantly, "Your Majesty, isn't there a lot of people?"
"A lot of people?" Zhu Yijun looked at Xu Wenchang and said, "If we really do it, you will feel that there are too few people.
In addition, the yamen will not need petty officials in the future. All official positions will be held by scholars. Xiucai can be promoted to the ninth rank and can also be promoted. "
This opening must be opened. Instead of putting a lot of scholars, they should use a lot of petty officials.
Of course, scholars were not enough now. They needed to be trained, but this opening must be opened first.
"The bailiffs and other personnel are all expenses of the imperial court. They will not be borne by the counties."
Zhu Yijun added. If he could collect taxes, he would not be short of money. "In the future, every county must set up an Imperial Censor, who is responsible for local corruption."
Seeing that both of them were deep in thought, Zhu Yijun knew that he had said too much, so he was ready to leave.
"I am going to choose a county to try."
As he said this, Zhu Yijun turned to look at Hai Rui and said, "I have already chosen the county. I will choose Da Xing County in Shun Tian Province.
Da Xing County is a tributary of Shun Tian Province. The location is just right. "
"Most of the fields there belong to the nobles and Honours. I want to see if they will listen to me after the last time."
If he chose too far away, it would not be good for his control. It would also not be good for showing his determination. Da Xing County was just right. There were many high-ranking officials and nobles under Shun Tian Province. It was a suitable place for this experiment.
"Hai Rui, I know that you are old and I can't bear to do it. But I don't know who to choose as the county magistrate!"
Before Zhu Yijun could finish speaking, Hai Rui knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to do it. For so many years, I have been looking for ways to make the country strong and Daming. I believe that it is possible to restore the ancestral system. I even thought that it is possible to set up a well."
"After hearing Your Majesty's words today, I feel that Your Majesty's idea is also feasible. It is worth a try."
"I am willing to give it a try. If it is impossible, I am willing to be Chao Cuo!"
Zhu Yijun looked at Hai Rui and was silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed and reached out to help Hai Rui up. Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "Even if you are Chao Cuo, I am not Emperor Jing of Han. I will not do such a thing."
Xu Wenchang also smiled and bowed to Zhu Yijun and said, "I thought that I would never want to be an official again in this life. I did not expect that today, I actually want to be an official.
Your Majesty, I am willing to be the county magistrate. "
Zhu Yijun looked at the two of them and nodded with a smile. "Good!
Hai Rui will be the county magistrate and you will be the county magistrate. "
After sending off the two of them, Zhu Yijun knew that he had taken the first step. The only thing left was how to take over the cabinet and the six ministries.
In the cabinet, the most difficult person to deal with was Zhang Siwei. Shen Shixing was relatively weak and easy to deal with.
Zhu Yijun even felt that Shen Shixing was definitely suitable to be the Cabinet Chief. In the past, there was a saying, "The three ministers are made of paper and the six ministers are made of clay." If he had a few obedient officials, it would be much easier for him to do what he wanted to do.
As for Zhang Siwei, Zhu Yijun was not worried. Firstly, Zhang Siwei would not be the Cabinet Chief for long. Secondly, Zhang Siwei was not in the mood to care about these things.
Just as Zhu Yijun was thinking about his reform plan, a horse carriage stealthily entered a small courtyard in the capital.
A person was pulled out of the carriage. The person's hands were tied, his eyes were blindfolded, and his mouth was gagged. After being pulled out of the carriage, he seemed to be a little dizzy and fell to the ground.
"What are you doing?"
A sharp voice suddenly sounded. "Hurry up and let him go. How can you do things like this?
Who told you to tie him up?
You bunch of good-for-nothings! "
When Chen Lin heard this, she felt that someone had untied her. First, the cloth gagged her mouth and then the blindfold was removed.