Xingyang. It is named after its location on the south bank of Xingshui River on the west bank of Xingze, with paddy fields and dry fields each accounting for half of the area.
When she saw the tax figures of previous years, Song Jinxiu frowned even more. Xingyang was not a small county. Its tax revenue over the years was the highest among all the counties.
Song Jinxiu flipped through it roughly, but saw an IOU at the back.
There were names written all over it. Among the various taxes such as transaction tax, land tax, and craftsman tax, how much Zhang owed and how much Li Si owed were all clearly marked, and the total amount owed over the years was more than 104,700 taels.
Song Jinxiu almost laughed out of anger, can taxes be paid in the form of IOUs?
When Qian Dai, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, heard that Princess Kangle had come to the Ministry of Revenue, he dove into the account books to check the tax accounts without saying a word and hurried over.
Song Jinxiu pointed at the IOU and asked coldly, "What's going on? Can national taxes also be issued in IOUs?"
Qian Dai looked at the account book and found that it was Xingyang. Zhong sighed and said:
"This is an IOU submitted by Xingyang for tax revenue last fall.
It is said that in previous years, the tax revenue was robbing Peter to pay Paul, and over the years, there was really nothing left to pay last year, so they just gave up and handed in this IOU.
The county magistrate was already in prison, and all that was confiscated from his property was tattered and broken. There was really nothing he could do but to put the IOU into his account. ”
After Qian Dai finished speaking, he looked at Song Jinxiu and asked, "Did the princess hear anything from someone? Why did you think of checking the tax accounts in Xingyang?"
Song Jinxiu frowned and looked at him: "I am a first-rank cabinet minister, in charge of inspecting all officials. Why can't I come and take a look?"
As she spoke, she pointed at the IOU with her finger.
"With such a bad debt, didn't the Ministry of Revenue think of investigating the reason? How could such an IOU be so bad?"
Qian Dai had a wrinkled face and seemed to be hesitant to speak.
Song Jinxiu raised her eyebrows, "Mr. Qian, we are familiar with each other, so we should just talk about whatever we want to say."
Qian Dai looked at the door, came closer and lowered his voice and said, "Although Xingyang is small, the county magistrate has something good to say."
"What?"
"In a temple, there are many evil spirits, and in a shallow pond, there are many turtles."
Song Jinxiu raised her eyebrows. Was this a hint that there was a big man in charge of Xingyang? More than one?
Qian Dai smiled bitterly and said, "Princess, just ignore it. There are only some untouchables in there."
Song Jinxiu's face darkened: "If you are an official and don't serve the people, you might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes. This is related to the suffering of the people. You and I are both officials who are the parents of the people. How can we ignore it?"
Seeing that Princess Kangle was getting serious, Qian Dai's eyes flickered. 놛 was the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, in charge of taxation.
I know all the shady taxation practices in various places, but I am powerless to deal with some high-ranking officials. I have been looking forward to someone to stir up this hornet's nest, but if it is the girl in front of me, I am a little hesitant. To be cautious, I deliberately pour cold water on her:
"My Lord Princess, it is easy to dodge an open attack, but it is hard to guard against an arrow from behind. There are things that can be done and things that cannot be done. The matter of the Xingyang Customs is something that cannot be done. Why do you want to wade into this muddy water?"
Song Jinxiu knew a little about Qian Dai.
This is a capable minister who can do his job seriously.
I didn't expect such a capable minister to keep shirking responsibility and making excuses for the matter of Xingyang. I couldn't help but feel annoyed and shouted loudly: "Qian Da is great."
"떘官놇."
Qian Dai was caught off guard and was so frightened that he trembled and almost fell to his knees.
"I will investigate the matter in Xingyang. If you know anything, you may as well tell me first."
The assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Qian Dai, was beating his chest with excitement.
To be honest, if it were someone else, I would have nodded in support without saying a word, but this girl, I watched her jump from a clan leader to the position of Princess Kangle of Cangwu.
Although this child is smart, he is not related to the people, and is also deeply loved by the saints.
But she is too young, can she defeat these old monsters?
With a feeling of trepidation, the Minister of Revenue told the story.
“Princess, do you know that Xingyang was once a land of plenty? But because rice was expensive, most of the farmland in Xingyang was divided up by nobles.
The Queen's mother's family is the Marquis Cheng'en Mansion, the Queen Mother's family is the Marquis Qingping Mansion, the Grand Princess's Mansion, the Sima family, the General Dingguo's Mansion, and the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion.
We all have farms in Xingyang.
Our farms account for more than half of the farmland in Xingyang, and all of them are tax-free or very tax-free.
With so many fields exempt from tax, where does the country's taxes come from? We can only learn from the common people.
Not only did the taxes on civilians increase, but tenant farmers also had to pay extra taxes in addition to rent.
If you can't pay it, you can only write an IOU. ”
"Don't noble families pay taxes?"
Song Jinxiu thought of the great wealth of the Grand Princess's Mansion. No wonder they didn't have to pay taxes and could even enjoy the support of the common people's taxes. It turned out that this was how they became rich.
And now, don’t I have to pay taxes on the land at home?
Seeing Song Jinxiu thoughtful, Qian Dai blinked and continued: "The reason why our Cangwu treasury is empty is because most of the money and grain go to the homes of the nobles and wealthy families.
If the princess wants to take charge of the Xingyang Customs, she will inevitably have to touch these interests. Princess, do you still want to care? ”
Song Jinxiu looked at him with a smile: "Actually, you really want me to take care of you, right?"
Qian Dai felt a little intimidated by Song Jinxiu's gaze, and smiled and shook his head, "Forget it, forget it, Princess, just don't bother with it."
Song Jinxiu smiled without comment, and strode out of the Ministry of Revenue.
She was willing to be the emperor's gun, because who made the emperor treat her well?
But if a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue wants to use himself as a gun, you are not qualified.
However, the land tax had to be reformed, but she did not want to take the lead in this and go against the powerful forces. This matter had to be handled by the emperor himself.
Just now she was looking at the Xingyang fish scale book, and by the way she also looked at the Lunxian fish scale book.
Every year, the land of the people might change, but these fish-scale books were all outdated, and it was unknown how many years had passed since a census of land had been conducted.
Considering the situation of Li Cuiya's family, the number of people left would not be small, so a census of the land is imminent.
You must know that in Cangwu, land tax is the main source of national fiscal revenue. Only by mastering the land resources situation throughout the country can the government ensure the fair collection of land tax and thus guarantee the stability of national fiscal revenue.
Song Jinxiu walked and thought, the land census should not only check the common people, but also the rich and powerful families.
Paying taxes and levies according to facts is the obligation of every citizen.
What about the Earl? So what if she's a princess? Appropriate tax reductions and exemptions are enough, but it is impossible to be stingy!
One should do his job well and fulfill his responsibilities. As a first-rank official, Song Jinxiu is most willing to do things that benefit the country and the people.
I went home and looked up information on successful reforms in various dynasties on my computer, then lay in bed thinking all night. After the morning court the next day, Song Jinxiu came to stay.
"Your Majesty, I took on a case, so I went to the Ministry of Revenue to check. I didn't know until I checked, and I was shocked..."
Song Jinxiu kept talking and talking, looking up with her face full of nonsense.
Immediately afterwards, the emperor convened a cabinet meeting to discuss a land census and tax reform.
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