Son of Song Dynasty

Chapter 33

Zhao Dezhao returned to the mansion, took his wife to the study room, and asked her to serve him with pen and ink.

Wang Xiuzhi polished the ink, laid out the paper, dipped the Langhao brush to its fullness, and put both hands in Zhao Dezhao's.

Zhao Dezhao stared at the white paper in a daze. He didn't write down the pen for a long time, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

Wang Xiuzhi was a little puzzled, waited for a while, and couldn't help asking: "Sir, are you going to write a poem or a lyrics? Ah, I guessed it, do you want to write a birthday poem for the Holy One?"

Zhao Dezhao shook his head and sneered: "What's the fun in writing that kind of smooth and steady style of poetry? My father won't like it either. Besides, writing poems to celebrate birthdays is the work of Hanlin bachelors, I have nothing to do with it. What are they doing in the limelight?”

Wang Xiuzhi didn't realize that her husband was bragging without shame, but felt more and more puzzled: "Then you are—"

"Okay, don't stick close to me, and hinder me from writing."

A beautiful lady was leaning against her side, and the fragrance was coming in. Her long black hair swept back and forth on her neck, which made Zhao Dezhao feel numb on half of his body. people drive away.

"Write something weird, don't let people read it." Wang Xiuzhi muttered in a low voice, and took a few steps back.

Just when Zhao Dezhao finished his thinking, he immediately wrote a line of big characters on the paper. Well, yes, the muscle memory of the original owner is still there, and his handwriting is not bad. In future generations, it is estimated that he will become a calligraphy teacher and lead students in classes.

Wang Xiuzhi was really curious, so she crept up behind her husband and peeked over Zhao Dezhao's shoulder.

I saw a line of prominent characters on the header of the white paper: "Deed Tax Collection Plan Details", followed by another line of small characters: Kaibao Eight Years First Edition.

……

the next day.Morning meeting.

The civil and military courtiers arranged ranks and shifts according to their ranks, bowed to Zhao Kuangyin on the throne, and shouted long live.

The etiquette of courtiers visiting the king in the Song Dynasty was not like that in the Ming and Qing dynasties that required all five bodies to fall on the ground, and their foreheads had to be banged on the ground.

In most cases, the courtiers of the Song Dynasty just bowed to the emperor, and the emperor would not treat his courtiers as slaves who could be humiliated at will.

Zhao Dezhao was crowned queen of the county, and the shift schedule was advanced a lot, and the shift position was already very close to his uncle.

Jin Wang Zhao Guangyi was the one who stood the most front and the closest to his emperor father.

After the ceremony was over, Zhao Kuangyin brought up the highlight of today's court proceedings: the imperial court is unable to make ends meet, and the national treasury is about to bottom out, so should we temporarily levy a summer tax of half a bucket per mu on Henan Road and Henan Province in Xijing, so as to To alleviate the current financial difficulties of the imperial court?

As Zhao Dezhao expected, the question raised by the emperor's father was like throwing a bomb into a rat's nest. After the rat's nest was blown up, the rats immediately divided into two factions and began to bite each other.

One faction is dominated by ministers and servants of the two ministries of household and industry. Their work is directly related to the state's finances. Naturally, they strongly support any proposal that can increase the fiscal revenue of the imperial court.

The other faction is dominated by Yushitai, who are basically Qing rumor officials, and they are full-time to give opinions.

In the eyes of this group of people, the common people are already living in a very difficult situation, so as long as there is a tax increase, no matter how it is increased or how much it is increased, it is an "evil government" and must be strongly opposed!
Zhao Dezhao listened carefully to the speeches of the two factions, and felt that both sides had their own reasons.

There are good reasons for "supporting additional recruitment":
The level of land tax in Henan Province and Xijing Prefecture is currently the lowest among all provinces and prefectures, only one bucket per mu!The Jiangnan area is much higher, and even some places charge three buckets per mu!This shows that Henan Province and Xijing Prefecture have a lot of room for additional taxation.

According to their estimates, the addition of half a bucket of summer tax per mu in these two places can increase the treasury’s income equivalent to nearly 200 million yuan, which is enough to alleviate the financial difficulties of the imperial court this year.

Moreover, this is only a temporary policy for this year, and it is not a permanent levy. It only involves one district and one prefecture, and only half a bucket per mu is added. It is not a collection of more than 20 provinces across the country. It doesn't have much impact. Is there any need to object like this?
The reasons for the "opposition to expropriation faction" are equally tenable:

Can the output per mu of Henan Province and Xijing Prefecture be at the same level as that of Jiangnan?Since the output per mu cannot be compared, why should the tax levels be compared together!

Don't talk about "temporary tax increases". Things like "temporary tax collection" will become permanent when they happen. We have seen this kind of routine a lot.

As for your saying that only one province and one government are involved, the impact will not be significant?Really not big!Henan Province is the key point of Gyeonggi, and Xijing Prefecture is the heart of the Central Plains. The reason why the imperial court implemented light taxes and low taxes in these two places is to stabilize the hearts of the people in these two key places. If tax increases make these two places full of complaints, If something goes wrong, who can take the responsibility?Is it worth taking this risk for a mere 200 million yuan? !
Zhao Dezhao was not in a hurry to act, he watched the fierce debate between the two factions with a smile on his face, and found it interesting, predictable and interesting.

At this time, the Song Dynasty had not been established for a long time, and the political atmosphere was still relatively clear. Zhao Kuangyin was also very powerful in controlling the court. Therefore, although the courtiers and ministers had different factions, they did not have the tendency of party struggle, and basically they could still discuss issues as they stood. , not very popular "ginseng rooster" set, far from the later Shenzong, Zhezong years, the old and new parties were so outrageous that the two parties fought to the death.

Tired of hearing the spiel and debates between the two factions, Zhao Dezhao looked up at the emperor's father who was sitting on the throne, and found that the father was lowering his head and resting his hand on his forehead. He didn't know whether it was a headache or a brain pain?

"Ting Yi (Zhao Guangyi's word), what do you think?" Zhao Kuangyin finally put his right hand down from his forehead, and pointed directly at Zhao Guangyi who was standing closest.

In an instant, the chaotic hall, which had been in a pot of porridge, quieted down, and everyone's eyes were cast on Jin Wang Zhao Guangyi.

(End of this chapter)