"It's very simple." Zhao Jiu patted the other person's shoulders with both hands, but he kept shaking his head. "I have already prepared some countermeasures for the taxes in Jiangnan, but after waiting here for five days, I have only seen some knowledgeable middle-class families, and I haven't seen any farmers or weavers at all... This is actually expected... But the hundreds of scholars, monks, Taoists and wealthy merchants who should have spoken for these people, but no one specifically mentioned the heavy taxes on the lower classes that I am most concerned about, which makes me very angry. Fortunately, there are conscientious scholars like you who are willing to tell me clearly that the burden on the common people is heavy and taxes should be reduced... And you also know that the Vegetable Eating Demon Cult are all poor people, and advised me to deal with them leniently... Just for this matter, you can be regarded as a role model in this southeast area for five days!"
Having said this, Zhao Jiu turned around and looked at Lu Yihao.
Lu Yihao understood, put away his previously somewhat out-of-control expression, stood up, and looked at him coldly in front of the imperial desk: "The emperor knows that the taxes on the surviving people in Jiangnan are extremely heavy, so that the people have become accustomed to killing their babies, cremating them with fire or water, and abandoning their land and property. Therefore, a special decree has been issued. From today onwards, there will be no additional taxes for the increase in the number of people in the world... The taxes on the surviving people in any county and prefecture will never be increased, no matter how the population increases. The old rules will be followed, and the people will be allowed to live freely!"
After hearing this, the 'for consultation' people who were scolded below, some were stupid and didn't understand what it meant at all, while some were smart and digested the news instantly, but didn't dare to step forward easily... For example, the monk Dahui, seeing that his old friend was finally turned around, gave up the idea of rescuing him and just wanted to continue practicing the silent meditation.
However, these people don’t say it, but some people say it’s not enough.
"In addition to the fixed personal tax and corvée silk, there is also a 'tax on land' that must be implemented together." Zhao Jiu stood at the side of the desk, listened quietly to what the other party said, and added almost lightly.
Lu Yihao was stunned for a moment, and he looked at him seriously and whispered, "The government... originally it was agreed that we would 'never increase taxes' first, and appease the people in the southeast, and then 'distribute taxes according to the amount of land' after the Northern Expedition?"
"No need." Zhao Jiu shook his head. "After this outrageous scolding, I finally understood that everything must have a beginning, and everyone must have a beginning. Where is my beginning? Is it the hundreds of scholars, wealthy monks and Taoists today, or the people who only one person seriously mentioned in this five-day meeting? Fortunately, since ancient times, officials and gentry in this dynasty have paid taxes together, and no one dares not to pay taxes, which saves a lot of trouble..."
"but……"
"I will stay here in Fenghuang Mountain, and have Yue Fei send 10,000 front troops of the imperial camp to Jinling for garrison. Then I will watch from here with my own eyes, and see how this matter starts from Liangzhe and spreads layer by layer, and see who can really link up a reactionary group for me!" Zhao Jiu looked at him coldly, with a stern tone. "The huge Central Plains and Guanxi have been recovered, even if the southeast is in rebellion, I can also take it back! And Mr. Xu is also used to doing this kind of thing in the Central Plains, let him help you!"
Xu Jingheng stood up quickly, and Lu Yihao hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded, then turned around and announced loudly and coldly in public that after "in prosperous times, the population will increase and taxes will never be increased", he would also distribute the tax according to the amount of land.
As the name suggests, the "tax on land" is to transfer the population tax to land, so that landlords will bear the social burden that they should bear, thereby further relieving the burden on the lower classes.
This is what is called clearly targeting the landlord class.
But to be honest, both Lu Yihao and Zhao Jiu still overestimated these "for consultation". They listened in a daze for a while, but the stupid ones still didn't understand what was going on, and the smart ones understood but didn't dare to say anything.
However, Monk Dahui no longer felt any burden at this time. He was a monk from Tokyo, so what business did the tax collection have for him? Besides, his old friend Zhang Wujiu was still standing awkwardly on the stage, so he decided to rescue him.
However, when the monk just stood up and was about to recite a jingle to praise Emperor Zhao's benevolent rule, Emperor Zhao turned his head and saw him standing up. He immediately realized what was happening and directly reminded Lu Yihao:
"Don't forget, monks have a one-time population tax... No matter what happens, let the monks pay the exemption fee again, and then check their land! The land tax will be distributed according to the land, starting from the 480 temples in the southeast!"
Lu Yihao nodded again and glanced at the monk who stood up.
Poor monk Dahui had sharp ears and didn't know how to explain to the abbot of Jingshan Temple when he returned. He was also frightened by Lu Yihao's dark face, so he swallowed the jingle obediently, sat back and continued to practice silent meditation.
Just like that, as the sky gradually darkened, no matter how bad things were, they had to come to an end.
Finally, Emperor Zhao issued a special decree, granting Zhang Jiucheng the title of Jinshi for his first place in the imperial examination, and appointed him as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, and immediately sent him to Tokyo to participate in official duties. After the decree was issued, Emperor Zhao went straight back to the Phoenix Mountain Palace, but unexpectedly, as soon as he set off, a cloud of crows returned from the north at sunset, and then covered the sky and scattered into Phoenix Mountain, and then the mountain was filled with twilight, and the crows still cried.
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