allonlinenovel Chapter 174 You're marrying a princess, everyone else is marrying a princess, it's not the
Chapter 174 You're marrying a princess, everyone else is marrying a princess, it's not the
If calculated according to Zhu Biao's algorithm, the entire Ming Dynasty would fall into a vicious cycle.
Suppose the imperial court spends one million taels of silver to repair roads. Even ignoring all intermediate processes, and assuming that all one million taels of silver ends up in the pockets of the people, and further assuming that the people are very willing to spend money and take out 800,000 taels of silver for shopping, merchants can earn 800,000 taels of silver by ignoring costs. According to the tax rate of one-thirtieth in the early Ming Dynasty, 24,000 taels of silver will eventually flow back to the Ming Dynasty's treasury.
Then, the imperial court could only barely make ends meet with 24,000 taels of silver.
On the surface, Zhu Biao's calculations were not wrong, and in fact, when the Ming Dynasty finally collapsed, the national treasury was indeed in a state of depletion, which was consistent with Zhu Biao's calculations.
However, commerce and commercial taxes are never the same thing, and it's not something that can be encompassed by such a simple calculation.
Even using the simplest calculation: the imperial court spends one million taels of silver to build roads, of which 800,000 taels are used for various building materials, 200,000 taels for labor, and of the 800,000 taels, 240,000 taels are returned to the imperial court as commercial tax. The 200,000 laborers are earned by the people and then half of that is earned by the merchants, and of that, 3,000 taels of commercial tax flows back to the imperial court.
Of this, the 800,000 taels allocated to various building materials will spur and support various related industries, which will also be subject to taxation. As these industries proliferate, they will create employment opportunities, allowing ordinary people to earn wages and merchants to make money, which will then require the payment of taxes.
Simply put, the taxes that flow directly back to the national treasury are definitely a loss, but the various industries that are spawned as a result and the taxes generated as a result can generate far more money than the national treasury's expenditure.
Give the simplest example.
Yang Shaofeng bought thirty chicks for five coins each. During this process, the people who sold the chicks could earn one hundred and fifty coins, and the government could collect five coins in tax. Then, after continuous hatching, Yang Shaofeng gradually had one hundred chickens, each of which could be sold for thirty coins, which was three thousand coins. During this process, the government could collect one hundred coins in tax.
In the process of raising chickens, Yang Shaofeng will inevitably purchase feed and grain to feed the chickens, and this transaction will generate another portion of tax revenue.
When all the commercial taxes from each stage are added together, the total may exceed 150 coins or even more.
After briefly explaining the relationship and differences between commerce and commercial tax to Zhu Biao, Yang Shaofeng added with a smile, "Of course, the actual tax collection process is much more complicated, and it's difficult to guarantee that no problems will arise during the tax collection process."
"Furthermore, I cannot guarantee that this calculation is correct, nor do I know how to solve the various problems in the tax collection process, including the setting of tax rates. These are matters beyond my expertise. Your Highness should consult His Majesty and the officials of the court."
"However, one thing is certain: a tax rate of one-thirtieth is far too simplistic and brutal. Take silk, for example. It is not a necessity for ordinary people. Many people may not be able to afford a single piece of silk in their entire lives. Take grain, for example. People need to eat every day, but if it is taxed at one-thirtieth, those who sell silk will inevitably make more money than those who sell grain. This way of taxing is wrong."
Zhu Biao nodded thoughtfully, then stopped talking about commerce and commercial taxes, and instead had Yang Shaofeng continue to lead them around the city.
It wasn't until he was resting in the evening that Zhu Biao began to write furiously to Zhu Chongba: "The original commercial tax is too simple and must be changed... Different goods should have different tax rates, and the roads between various prefectures should also be started so as to speed up the flow of goods."
After writing several thousand words and letting the ink dry before sealing it, Zhu Biao immediately summoned a trusted guard and instructed him: "Have someone send it back to the capital by fast horse and deliver it to Father Emperor. There must be no mishaps in the process, and no one should be allowed to see the contents of the letter before Father Emperor."
Ever since listening to Magistrate Yang's theories on commerce and commercial taxes, Zhu Biao had felt that something was amiss.
However, based on Zhu Biao's current knowledge and experience, he couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly was wrong.
He wanted to ask Empress Ma, but she also had a thoughtful expression on her face.
Left with no other choice, Zhu Biao could only write down everything he heard and thought, and have it sent by fast horse back to the capital to Zhu Chongba, so that his knowledgeable and omnipotent father, Zhu Chongba, could find a solution.
……
Yang Shaofeng, the magistrate, never expected that Empress Ma, who said she was just coming to Ningyang County for a visit, would actually only stay for three days from arrival to departure.
If they had traveled quickly on their way back, Empress Ma and her entourage might have even arrived in the capital on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the day before the Lunar New Year.
Then, Magistrate Yang began a life of utter darkness.
Before dawn, the dead eunuch arranged by Zhu Chongba would yell at Yang Shaofeng to get up, and then, regardless of whether Yang Shaofeng wanted to or not, he would send several palace maids to help Magistrate Yang change his clothes.
After he finished changing his clothes and was a little more energetic, that dead eunuch would have someone bring him breakfast. After he finished eating, the eunuch would throw him to the officials sent by the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs, and have them teach him the so-called etiquette and rules.
How to lift your leg, how to take a step, how to wave your hand, how to wave your sleeve, how to turn around, how to speak, how to bow, how to kneel—whether Magistrate Yang had thought of it or not, whether he had heard of it or not, these people taught him all of these things meticulously. If he couldn't learn it the first time, they would teach him twice, and if he couldn't learn it twice, they would teach him three times.
As for Magistrate Yang's complaints and grievances, these people completely ignored them, as if they were deaf, and just patiently taught him again and again.
Even when Magistrate Yang was driven to desperation and beat the dead eunuch, the dead eunuch didn't care at all and even dared to threaten Magistrate Yang: "As long as you can vent your anger, it doesn't matter if you beat me to death."
The officials in the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs were the same; they ignored all complaints and accusations of being overworked and scolded, and even when they were physically attacked, none of them dodged or fought back.
No, what the hell is going on?
Magistrate Yang grabbed the dead eunuch by the collar and asked viciously, "You damn well better tell me honestly, do other men who want to marry princesses have to go through all this trouble? Or are you bastards deliberately trying to torment me? Damn it, I've been walking for over ten years, how come you make me forget how to walk after just one word? A bunch of dogs, if you really push me too far, I'll have you all buried in the ground!"
The dead eunuch had a rather nonchalant attitude, remaining unfazed even when threatened by Magistrate Yang to be buried alive. He even answered Magistrate Yang's question in a steady voice: "Your Excellency, since ancient times, only you have married princesses, and you have married two princesses. Other princes-in-law are called 'marrying princesses,' not 'marrying princesses.' Therefore, the etiquette you need to learn is different from that of anyone else."