Judge of the Song Dynasty Chapter 755: The shit-stirring stick appears
Chapter 755 The Stirring Stick Appears
After the Hongmen Banquet, the dignitaries in the DPRK just symbolically sold out all the grain in the grain store, and then chose to close the shop, assuming a posture of fighting to the end.
It’s not illegal if you don’t sell it!
Isn’t it just warehouse tax? I just pay it. What the hell!
After that, only food stores that cooperate with WFP will be open.
However, after more than two months, some grain shops in the city began to open their doors one after another, with prices set at thirty-eight cents.
At the same time, Cai Jing raised the price of grain to 40 cents.
This is not to say that he is out of kindness, but because the court's food is indeed useful and can only be used in emergencies at critical times.
In this way, those people who are forced to make a living and participate in the work-for-relief program naturally choose to buy food from these grain stores, which is two cents cheaper after all.
But only them.
Most people still don't buy it.
That's it?
No sincerity.
They believe that food prices will fall again, and even if they want to buy, they will only buy in one or two days.
Everyone knows that there is still a lot of food that has not been released.
This is really a good reincarnation, no one will be spared by heaven.
The more times this happened in the past, the more these big landowners held back on selling their grain, and unless they sucked up all the people's land at the lowest price, they would never sell it.
But this time, that time.
Don’t you love hoarding food?
You guys can stock up.
We would rather eat porridge every day than buy it.
Don't tell me, some people really think so, and they try their best to persuade others not to buy it.
However, as these small and medium-sized owners began to sell grain to others, the large landowners gradually became unable to bear the burden.
They were really starting to get anxious.
Because they know that if this continues, the imperial court will definitely be able to survive until the beginning of autumn. The key is that it does not trigger a panic to grab food, and everyone is still rushing to buy.
Any shop!
"It's over! It's all over!"
Liu Ping looked at the newly opened grain stores downstairs, and immediately became discouraged and collapsed on his chair, his eyes gradually becoming dull.
Cao Huaidao: "Brother Liu, what did the above say?"
"Above?"
Liu Ping glanced at him and said, "Above, haha, I wanted to ask yesterday, but I was scolded by them. Now they can get angry at me."
Chen Xiang said: "What should we do now? In the year of famine, the price of grain was only thirty-eight cents. It was not as good as when the economy was in recession. It was too low. Let us sell grain, but we can't do it like this!"
Cao Huai said heartily: "Otherwise, we spend a lot of money to buy all the grain from those small and medium-sized households?"
Liu Ping and Chen Xiang looked at him at the same time.
It seems to say, do you buy it?
In fact, those small and medium-sized landowners have hinted before that they are willing to sell their grain to them. If you don't buy it, then we will sell it to others, but we can't hold it anymore.
But they are not stupid either. The current situation is very unfavorable to them. At this time, they have to buy grain on a large scale. As long as the court lasts until the beginning of autumn, it will really cost them both their wives and their troops.
These powerful people are all very snobbish. How could they be willing to help these small and medium-sized households take risks?
Royal Palace.
"Madam, there are people from the Wang and Li families here again."
Empress Dowager Gao carefully spoke to Empress Dowager Cao who was lying on the collapse.
With the support of her maid, Queen Mother Cao slowly sat up and asked, "What's the matter?"
Empress Dowager Gao said sarcastically: "It's still about the warehouse tax. They hope that the officials can be accommodating."
Empress Dowager Cao said: "I have also heard about the warehouse tax. This is not to rob them of their food, but to let them sell the food. Can their family eat so much food?"
Empress Dowager Gao said: "But they said that the time is too tight and they can't be sold out at all."
Empress Dowager Cao said: "Then you go and ask them how you want me to tell the officials that our relatives in the Song Dynasty all have hundreds of thousands of grains in their homes, and they can't even sell them all. Give it to them. Can you be accommodating? If an official asks me why my relatives keep so much food, how do you want me to answer?"
Empress Dowager Gao added: "But there are also many complaints from the clan?"
Empress Dowager Cao waved her hands and said indifferently: "It doesn't matter, they only complain about this moment. After all, the officials are not trying to rob them of their food, nor are they trying to give them less food, but to let them If you exchange food for money, you will gradually get used to it."
After a pause, she added: "Also, go and tell King Chang again. This is a disaster and a war. The official family has not had a good sleep for several days. Don't let him." Cause trouble to my brother."
The implication is to let Chang Wang Zhao Hao lead by example.
"Yes."
Zhao Mansion.
"Zhao Zongzheng."
When all the officials saw Zhao Wenzheng coming in, they all stood up and looked at him eagerly.
Zhao Wenzheng sat down, let out a long sigh, and said, "Don't hold out hope in this palace. The Empress Dowager has already said that both the clan and relatives must abide by the warehouse tax."
"Huh?"
All the officials couldn't help but look at each other.
Meng Qiansheng said: "But the clan is under the jurisdiction of the clan and should not be restricted by the Legislative Council."
When relatives outside the clan break the law, they are usually not handed over to the judiciary, but are tried by Zongzheng Temple. This is what Zhao Wenzheng did.
But when it comes to investigation, it’s still the judiciary.
Suppose the procuratorate finds that Zhao Hao has violated the law, but generally it will not be handed over to the imperial court for trial. Zhao Xu's previous restructuring did not involve Zongzheng Temple, which means that this point has not changed.
Zhao Wenzheng said: "Having said that, don't forget that the reason for this warehouse tax is to worry about others' rebellion. Even the prince of the clan cannot bear this crime!"
Dali Temple and Kaifeng Mansion have also tried cases involving the clan, mainly rebellion cases. Once a rebellion case is involved, the emperor will not hand it over to Zongzheng Temple for trial.
Why are you so panicked this time? It’s because of the definition of warehouse tax. Once the tax department finds out, if the amount is shocking, then there will be suspicion of treason, and it will definitely be investigated, and it is not necessarily Zongzheng. The temple will take care of it.
The key point is that Zhao Xu is not good to the clan, because when his father was still alive, he was often oppressed by the clan, and he has been reducing the clan since he came to the throne, so they did not have much hope for Zhao Xu.
This is why the relatives of the clan went to ask Empress Dowager Cao, hoping to give them a clear message. Although the imperial court had no control over them in terms of the system, it might involve rebellion, which made them very scared.
However, the queen mothers of the two palaces are not vegetarians. They know very well that this natural disaster will have an impact on the emperor's reputation, and the warehouse tax is conducive to stabilizing the imperial power.
The key point is that the design of this warehouse tax is interesting. It is exempt from commercial tax and encourages everyone to make money. Don't hoard it. If the food is not sold for money, it will be used for rebellion.
After hearing this result, the officials sitting here couldn't help but feel a little desperate.
"But how can we sell food at this current price?"
"We still don't know how long this disaster will last. If all the food is sold, what will we eat then?"
Zhao Wenzheng said: "If you are afraid of disaster, then pay the warehouse tax. Anyway, you will only collect half of it. If you are afraid of losses, then sell it. Don't come to me about this matter. I have a headache now." Very good."
This is unreliable, and they started to talk sense again.
A dozen well-known squires in the capital ran to the Legislative Assembly and asked Fu Bi how to calculate the Yizhuang?
Hope to get immunity through Yizhuang.
Although Yizhuang was Fan Zhongyan's masterpiece, and Fu Bi respected Fan Zhongyan the most in his life, Fu Bi did not give Fan Zhongyan any dignity in this matter and decisively rejected it.
The reason is very simple. If you really want to take care of the clans in your village, you can deposit the money in exchange for grain into Yi Zhuang, and they can use it to buy grain.
Also, you can send food to them directly.
According to the warehouse tax, if you give all the 100,000 shi of food at home to the villagers, you will not have to pay tax, and you will not be afraid of being fined.
Because it was made very clear at the hearing.
The Taxation Department mainly looks at the right to use the grain and the direction of the final benefits. It is okay for you to give it to others to avoid the penalty tax, but as long as the Taxation Department finds out that the final benefits of the grain you give away will not be the same. If it falls into your purse, or if you use the food, you will be fined.
Furthermore, these two bills have now become a symbol of the authority of the Legislative Council, and Fu Bi will not let go easily.
Now that things have happened, the powerful people know that there is no way to save the day, so more and more households are selling their grain.
In the evening, as the sun sets, crows cackle on the old trees in the Chai family compound, adding a touch of sadness to the wailing coming from the courtyard.
But I saw a gray-haired old man, looking at the granary as neat as a chessboard in front of him, crying loudly, "Food! My food! Ah——!"
As he shouted, his thin body was swaying in the evening wind.
"Daddy!"
"Grandpa!"
A few young people behind him immediately rushed forward and helped the old man.
"Dad, if the food is gone, it will be gone. We have fields! As long as the fields are not lost."
"Grandpa, what my father said is true. We can keep the green hills without fear of running out of firewood."
After being cheered by several younger people, the old man suddenly stood up straight and said, "You're right, we have fields! Tens of thousands of hectares of land, can we get back the benefits in just one year? What are we afraid of?"
"Yes! What are we afraid of? And no one can say a word about how much land we will buy in the future."
"Well said! Mere grains don't matter. Let's exchange grains for money, and then use the money to buy fields. Our family's grains will only get worse and worse. Food. When I live to this age, This granary is always full and never empty. I am ashamed of my ancestors!"
Finally!
These powerful people gave up their struggle completely and took out all the food in the warehouse.
They didn't dare to bet that the tax department wouldn't find out, because the price was too high. Once found, it might be more than just a fine. If they were charged with treason, the entire family would die.
This was also the first time in history that landowners began to empty their granaries.
As a result, a grand event appeared on the outskirts of the capital.
It's not raining, but the roads are piled with grain as far as the eye can see.
The amount of food is really mind-numbing!
Even the powerful themselves were frightened.
The ministers of the DPRK and China also ran to the suburbs to watch this grand event.
It can be seen that under this natural disaster, there must be a man-made disaster.
Zhang Fei also took his wife to the outskirts for an inspection. Looking up at the endless grain teams on the road, he couldn't help but sigh: "Sometimes, I really don't understand. They save so much grain and don't sell it for money. What are you doing?"
Xu Zhiqian said: "Maybe it's because I like it."
"Like it?"
Zhang Fei turned his head and looked at Xu Zhiqian.
Xu Zhiqian nodded and said: "When my father was an official in Xuzhou, I knew that there was a big landowner there. I would go to the granary every day when I had nothing to do. All of his more than 40 granaries were full, and only a few of them were full. Only what comes out will be sold. It is said that if the granary is not full, he will not be able to sleep."
Zhang Fei smiled and said: "That's it."
This people relies on food.
The ancients have always had a lofty belief in food, and many people even have a fetish for food.
They hold back the food and don’t sell it. It’s not that they all just hoard it, or they just like it.
But considering that I will be fined 50% in vain, I might as well sell it.
While walking, I suddenly met Cai Jing under a tea shed.
"My mentor, my wife."
Cai Jing hurriedly stepped forward to salute.
"Cai Jing, why are you here?"
Xu Zhiqian asked curiously.
Cai Jingdao: "I just finished negotiating business with some landlords."
"Business?"
Xu Zhiqian looked at Cai Jing doubtfully.
Cai Jingdao: "They will sell half of the grain to our WFP at a price of thirty-five cents, but our WFP must ensure that the price of food is stable at thirty-eight to forty cents."
After hearing this, Xu Zhiqian immediately said in anger: "These people are really hateful. They would rather take advantage of the government than the people. You didn't agree to them, did you?"
According to the budget of the Bianjing Law Firm, the price of grain will fall to less than 25 cents. The main reason is that they have too much grain in stock. But if the dignitaries first sell half of the grain to the WFP, and at the same time If the WFP does not release food, then they will have the confidence to stabilize food prices.
Cai Jing immediately sent a signal for help to Zhang Fei.
Zhang Fei smiled and said: "You can't say that. If the landlord sells it for thirty-five cents, the people will not buy it and will definitely wait. The price of food will only fall further, but the price of food will It cannot be too low. If it is too low, who will grow food? Landowners also need to pay for growing food, and both sides will lose. This is why the WFP must ensure that the price of food is no less than 35 cents."
Xu Zhiqian curled her lips and said disdainfully: "How come no one told me these truths when the price of food was soared to seventy or eighty cents."
Zhang Fei laughed a few times and glanced at Cai Jing.
Cai Jing immediately made an excuse and ran away.
Not long after Cai Jing left, he met Hou Donglai again.
"Lao Hou, why are you here?" Zhang Fei asked curiously.
Hou Donglai said: "Oh, I'll go to the coal yard to discuss business."
Zhang Fei hurriedly asked: "What's going on?"
Hou Donglai said: "Coal prices have risen sharply recently, and the costs of our movable type workshop have been increasing."
Xu Zhiqian wondered: "Why will the price of coal rise during this period?"
Hou Donglai said: "Madam, haven't you noticed that there are dozens of new iron workshops in the suburbs recently? As more people buy coal, the price of coal will rise."
Xu Zhiqian asked again: "Why are so many iron workshops added?"
Hou Donglai said: "It has something to do with these projects, which require a lot of engineering tools. In addition, many people do not farm, but come to work on the construction sites. The wages are not low. The business of this tea shop and tavern has improved a lot. , and also consumed a lot of coal."
At this moment, two young men walked over from the opposite side. One of them said: "Brother, I want to stay in Chengdu to work, and I don't want to go back to farming."
The elder asked in surprise: "Why?"
“I can barely survive on the few acres of land we have at home. I can work in the city and save some money without worrying about natural disasters. Isn’t that good?”
"You are stupid! This work will be finished one day, and no one will ask you by then, so you will not starve to death."
"Let's learn some skills now, but we can't find anything to do."
After the two brothers left, Xu Zhiqian said: "This looks very much like the Hezhong Mansion back then."
Zhang Fei just smiled and nodded.
As the powerful released food, the turbulent situation finally settled down, but the people were full of complaints.
Because they already know that the rich and powerful sell half of the food directly to the WFP, the low food prices they long for are already gradually going away.
Can they stop scolding the landlords?
You would rather sell it to the WFP at a low price than give it to us. It is them who punish you, not us. You are really a cheap person.
A bunch of bullies who bully the weak and fear the strong.
But the people have no choice but to scold them. They still have to buy the food. The key is that more and more people are buying food.
Food prices rose again, and finally stabilized at 40 cents. Of course, this was also required by the WFP.
The happiest person among them is the emperor.
He can breathe a sigh of relief for the time being. After all, things have stabilized internally.
"Haha, a small warehouse tax has solved this eternal problem. It's amazing, it's amazing! Come on, come on, I'll give you a toast."
"Wait a minute."
Zhang Fei picked up the cup, but did not drink it, but said: "Your Majesty, we will get the credit for this clearly."
Zhao Xu asked: "How?"
Zhang Fei said: "The real solution to the problem is not the warehouse tax, but His Majesty's determination. Your Majesty should be the first to contribute."
Zhao Xu said with a smile: "Stop flattering me. The first penalty will be waived. As long as I am not considered the number one sinner, then I will be satisfied. Come on, come on, do it."
"I respect Your Majesty."
After a glass of wine, Zhao Xu suddenly said: "When I discussed the matter with the Third Secretary yesterday, the Third Secretary said that as long as the drought does not last until the beginning of autumn, this year's tax revenue may not be reduced. The reason is There are many more private shops."
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "Because the people have come to work, they are no longer self-sufficient and need to spend money to buy. In addition, the imperial court issued a ban a few days ago, causing the number of small workshops to increase, and the tax rate will increase." With the rapid increase, I predict that this year’s fiscal revenue will be much higher than last year.”
"How much more?" Zhao Xu asked: "But the money the people received was also given to them by the imperial court. Could it be that as the three envoys said at the time, this thousand guans can leverage thousands of guans?"
"There is a reason for this, but it is not the main reason."
"What is the main reason?"
"It's just money."
Zhang Fei said: "The landlords released a lot of grain, but they also got plenty of money, but they didn't have much to spend their money on. I predict that there will be a shortage of money on the market at the end of the year.
To pay taxes this year, the people must pay taxes in kind rather than in currency, including tax coins issued by the court. As long as these tax coins are not collected, the court will make millions of dollars this year, and then next year The tax coins will be slowly handed over to the court in the year after tomorrow, but it is not necessarily the case. It also depends on the situation of the coins on the market. If industry and commerce develop rapidly, the tax coins may be postponed, which is the case in Hezhong Prefecture. ”
"That's it, that's it."
Zhao Xu was extremely excited after hearing this. He couldn't help but look at the sky again and thought to himself, God, you must make it rain!
If it rains, it will really turn decay into magic.
If the drought continues, even the gods will not be able to save it!
Zhang Fei seemed to understand what he was thinking and said: "Your Majesty is so kind and righteous for the people, God will be moved."
Zhao Xu did not have much confidence and said: "I hope so."
But Zhang Fei was very confident because he knew that the drought would not last for a whole year, so they dared to do this.
If there is a drought for two years, he may become a sinner.
Zhao Xu suddenly said: "By the way, the Third Secretary also gave me an idea."
Zhang Fei asked: "What do you think?"
Zhao Xu said: "He hopes to expand the city and allow more merchants to build shops, so as to provide livelihood for more people. It just so happens that I also want to expand the imperial city.
He said that as long as the court plans the land first and then sells it to merchants to build shops, even if it spends money to buy houses and shops on the edge of the imperial city, the court will still make money, and the business tax will increase a lot. ”
Zhang Fei understood as soon as he heard that this was about playing real estate, demolishing here and building over there. Of course it was profitable, but this was also very similar to Xue Xiang's style. He also played this way in Hezhong Mansion. But they were playing with salt money and tea horses, and said: "Of course this is possible, but we don't wait until after the disaster."
Zhao Xu nodded and said: "Of course."
Expanding the city, that’s okay. The key is to expand the imperial city. Haha, those ministers are complaining and have nowhere to complain. Now you want to expand the imperial city. If you don’t scold you, you will be bloody. That’s really important. Ghost.
Zhang Fei added: "In addition, the imperial city can be expanded, but there is no need to expand the city."
Zhao Xu asked: "Why is this?"
Zhang Fei said: "Because I don't think anyone will be able to come to the capital in two or three years. Just build it outside the city. There is no need to expand the city wall and waste money. Anyway, our government doesn't have a curfew."
Zhao Xu felt very happy when he heard this, and he laughed out loud.
At this moment, a chamberlain came over and whispered something in Zhao Xu's ear.
Zhao Xu frowned when he heard this, and punched the table hard, "This is unreasonable."
Zhang Fei asked: "Your Majesty, what happened?"
Zhao Xu glanced at Zhang Fei and said with lingering fear: "I was really lucky that I listened to you and didn't go to war with Xixia."
After hearing this, Zhang Fei asked: "Is it possible that the Liao Kingdom is taking action?"
Zhao Xu nodded and said: "Just now news came from Chanzhou that the Liao Kingdom plans to send a special envoy to the capital."
After hearing this, Zhang Fei breathed a sigh of relief. He thought the Liao Kingdom had sent troops and asked, "Could it be because of something else?"
"It's very unlikely."
Zhao Xu shook his head and said: "Because the Liao Kingdom rarely sends envoys to the capital. Usually there are problems and they are negotiated in the border states. Therefore, nine times out of ten, it is because of the Xihe River's expansion of the border. During Qingli, I went to court As soon as the war with Xixia started, they came to take advantage of the situation and raised the annual currency. This time they will definitely use their same tactics again, taking advantage of the situation to rob us and at the same time hinder our use of troops against Xixia."