Imperial titles were always conferred upon those who had rendered meritorious service in supporting the emperor or those who had saved the Great Xia Dynasty from collapse.
Since the Sun family was stationed in the north, the only battle they fought well was the Battle of the North, but it wasn't their biggest achievement.
The one who deserves the most credit is still being ignored by His Majesty.
If the Sun family, who deserves the second greatest credit, were to be granted a title of nobility as a result, they would truly be the first family in history to achieve this.
Moreover, the reason he was granted the title of Marquis was not because of fighting, but because he paid for the border defenses out of his own pocket!
Speechless.
His Majesty will do anything for money!
While inwardly criticizing the old emperor, Eunuch Su slapped himself in the face.
He's gone mad, daring to slander His Majesty.
But thinking about it this way, now is indeed his opportunity.
In prosperous times, eunuchs interfering in politics would naturally lead to their demise, but the situation is different now.
He might as well give it a try.
Moreover, to be honest, it was the young mistress of the Marquis's mansion who came up with the idea. Even if His Majesty was furious, it was the young mistress of the Marquis's mansion who died first...
Besides, is General Sun the only loyal minister and filial son?
He is too!
To be a subject, bah! To be a slave, if not now, when?
As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold...
I'd rather fight for pride than for a steamed bun. Do I really want to be suppressed by my powerful father-in-law for the rest of my life and never be able to rise up?
"Godfather, please don't scare your child!"
When Eunuch Su looked up, he saw the little eunuch staring at him with fear. The little eunuch was slapping himself while muttering incantations, looking quite terrifying.
"Godfather, what's wrong? Are you alright?"
"fine."
They just intend to interfere in politics.
Are you scared? Are you surprised?
He stopped drinking tea and asked his godson to prepare a glass of strong liquor for him. Under the gaze of his godson, who thought he was courting death, Eunuch Su drank the liquor in one gulp before mustering the courage to kneel behind the jade bead curtain.
"Your servant, Xiao Su, has something to report."
"..."
After waiting for a long time, just when Eunuch Su thought the old emperor had completely forgotten about him, the summons finally came from inside.
Trembling, Su Gonggong got up, pretending not to see the murderous look in the eyes of the Grand Eunuch. He knelt down in front of the old emperor with a thud. He didn't mention the commercial tax at first, but instead brought up the perfume workshop.
"Is that so? If we can make fragrant nectar, that would be a good thing."
The old emperor's listless spirits lifted; this was one of the few pieces of good news he had heard in recent days.
Poor thing.
The emperor, a man of great stature, never speaks of matters of state or military importance, but only of money.
"Indeed, our young mistress is truly intelligent and kind-hearted. Although she is a woman, her loyalty to the country is no less than that of a man."
"She is a thoughtful person. If the perfume workshop succeeds, I will certainly remember her contribution. However, her efforts are too far away to solve the immediate problem!"
The old emperor had a terrible headache as he looked at the money requests on the table.
This is only the beginning of autumn; if it comes to winter, the imperial court and local governments will have even more places to spend money.
They disagree with raising taxes.
This is really driving him crazy!
"Indeed, the young mistress has also heard about the tax increase. She also heard that the border troops in various places are asking His Majesty for money, and they are so worried that they can't eat or drink. The young mistress feels very guilty, saying that she can enjoy wealth and luxury in the capital because our Great Jing soldiers are stationed on the border. If the soldiers can't get enough to eat, she won't enjoy her meals either. Not to mention that in the past two years, the people's families have had little surplus grain. If taxes are increased, it may cause unrest among the people."
"...The people's hearts are in turmoil?" Instantly, the politically astute old emperor looked over. "You actually discuss these important national affairs in private?"
His voice even carried a hint of laughter, yet the head eunuch had already shouted, "How dare you! Guards! Drag this villain out and beat him to death immediately!"
"His Majesty!"
Eunuch Su interrupted Eunuch Zhang, and crawled like a madman to the old emperor's feet, hugging the old emperor's leg.
"Your Majesty, a 10% tax on commerce is far too low. After all this time, do you not know whether merchants have made any money or not?"
These words saved Eunuch Su's life. With a wave of the old emperor's hand, the guards who had rushed in like wolves and tigers instantly retreated like a receding tide.
It's impossible for a merchant not to know whether he makes money from this stuff or not, after all, he has received quite a bit of tribute from Donglai Street these days.
But that's the glass business. Are other businesses that make money in the same way?
The old emperor, who had studied the art of rulership and the ways of imperial power since childhood, was stumped; this was a blind spot in his knowledge.
For thousands of years, including the previous and even earlier dynasties, the imperial tax system primarily consisted of household tax, land tax, and poll tax, supplemented by commercial tax and market tax.
The former is the main source of national tax revenue, while the latter is insignificant.
For example, last year, the total fiscal revenue of the Great Jing Dynasty was more than 26 million taels, with agricultural taxes accounting for nine-tenths.
Miscellaneous taxes amounted to several million taels, while commercial taxes combined didn't even amount to the miscellaneous taxes, totaling only two million taels.
Therefore, even if taxes are increased, they are all agricultural taxes.
This was the first time he had ever heard of a business tax.
"Is it really the increase in commercial tax that the young mistress of the Marquis's mansion mentioned? From ancient times to the present, commercial tax has always been one-thirtieth, occasionally one-fifteenth or one-twentieth, but it doesn't add up to much money."
He now has a famine of ten million, plus the military pay for border troops in various places.
It's hard to believe that commercial taxes could fill these gaps.
Although the amount of silver transported from Donglai Street these times was quite substantial, it was nothing compared to his famine—a drop in the ocean, insignificant in comparison.
"To be honest, Your Majesty, that's what I think too. Commercial taxes are only a few coins. If commercial taxes could really bring in money, why did the previous dynasty force the people to live in misery? However, I can't help but think of the confidence in the young mistress's words when I was a child, which reminds me of the days when I worked as a farmhand for a wealthy merchant."
“Those wealthy merchants have been running their businesses for generations and are all rolling in money. Even if they can’t fill the ten million in famine, they can at least give His Majesty a breather. Even a small amount is still something, and no matter how much, it can help in an emergency.”
The old emperor liked to hear these words.
Even a mosquito is still meat, no matter how small. He's so poor that he's even putting his usurious loans into the national treasury. Thinking about it, increasing commercial taxes doesn't seem so outrageous.
However, raising taxes is a major national issue, so it's best to be cautious. Therefore, the old emperor summoned his trusted ministers overnight.
"What?"
"Add a commercial tax?"
Upon hearing about the increase in commercial taxes, the ministers were dumbfounded.
These trusted ministers were divided into two factions, one of which consisted of aloof and virtuous scholar-officials.
Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—these scholar-officials would only utter the word "merchant" once it came to their lips, yet they knew nothing of the profits involved in doing business.
Moreover, the phrase "tax increase" is inseparable from the idea of "competing with the people for profit," regardless of whether it involves agriculture or commerce.
Which scholar-official who wanted to be remembered in Qing history would want to be associated with these four words?
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable! In a year of bad harvests, merchants and the people should be allowed to rest and recuperate. How can you so easily raise taxes?"
"His Majesty is trying to force them to their deaths!"
Oh shit!
You're going to force me to my death if I don't raise taxes!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
