The heavens start with letting the bullets fly

Chapter 498 New Salt Law

"All of you here are well-informed people. You must know that ten days ago, His Majesty issued a decree to reward the Censor and this official. Now the decree is still on the way."

In the face of hundreds of rich merchants, gentry, and dignitaries, Chen Zhao talked eloquently: "Although the decree is on the way, a copied copy of the New Salt Law was sent early. Your Majesty did not reveal whose memorial it was, just for the purpose of being able to do so on this day." Discuss with you to see if it can be promoted to the world."

"New salt law?"

The other people present were fine, but the faces of the Yangzhou salt merchants changed drastically.

Although the Zhao clan was exterminated, their official salt industry, which accounted for [-]% of the world, did not fall into the hands of these people. Instead, it was shared privately by several government offices in Yangzhou - and then distributed to those with more money.

The salt merchants were uneasy about this matter, for fear that the Yangzhou government would conspire to deprive them of their rights little by little, so they were all uneasy when they heard the new salt law.

Liu Qingyun, the head of the Liu Family, the great salt merchant who suffered the most losses during this period, but was lucky enough to escape the catastrophe, hurried forward a few steps, cupped his hands and asked, "Dare to ask Mr. Chen, what new salt law has been introduced by the imperial court, and what is in it?"

"It's actually very simple, that is, change quotations into tickets." Chen Zhao walked in the field, his tone was indifferent, as if he was just talking to the people around him, but the voice came to everyone's ears in the hall, as if he was right next to everyone Talking at the same time is the same.

"As you all know, Guochao produces 8000 million catties of salt a year, and the price of a catty of salt is three qian, which is 2000 million taels in total. Among them, Lianghuai Huai salt occupies 1000 million catties, which is one yuan. 80 million taels of silver. According to the tax rate of ten to one in the country, one can get [-] taels of tax silver. But last year, only [-] taels were collected, not even half of the reasonable tax silver."

Having said that, the attention of everyone in the hall has been focused on Chen Zhao.

Listening to his Hongguoguo directly announcing the tax evasion amount of Yangzhou salt merchants, everyone was shocked.

We have worked so hard to evade taxes of up to 10 taels a year, thinking that our family is extremely wealthy, but these salt rats do nothing, and they actually evaded taxes of more than 1000 million taels!

The money came too easily!

No wonder these salt merchants live a luxurious life, comparable to royals!
Not only the gentry thought so, but also the officials present were shocked.

I used to get thousands of dollars from these salt merchants, and I already felt that these salt rats were too rich, but I didn't expect that this was less than one ten-thousandth of their tax evasion.

This is not filial piety to the officials at all, it is simply charity to the officials.

These salt rats really deserve to die.

This gang of salt mice, they have been beaten too little in the past!

Only those salt merchants wanted to cry but had no tears.

What Chen Zhao said was good in theory, but in fact it was not the case.

There are many reasons for the loss of salt tax, such as private salt, old salt introduction, and salt consumption, but the real cause of the loss of salt tax is the exploitation of the powerful forces behind these salt merchants.

Behind these big salt merchants, which one is not a wealthy family at the level of prime minister, prince, or minister?Otherwise, it would not be able to stand for many years.

Behind the fallen Zhao family is not only the Supreme Emperor, but also the nobles of this family and that family.

The endless exploitation of these dignitaries, the salt merchants must also endlessly make donations, zhexie caused a large loss of salt tax.

Even if all the big bosses behind the scenes are removed, if the salt law is not fundamentally changed, a new batch of salt merchants will only be re-cultivated, and a new batch of dignitaries will be born behind the scenes.

At this time, there were already noisy voices in the hall, but Chen Zhao was unmoved, and continued: "I have studied the memorial sent by Beijing Central Committee carefully, and the main content seems to be—abolish the The Yanyin Woben, which can be passed down from generation to generation, was changed to selling salt with salt tickets. The Ministry of Households established a salt ticket sales supervision department directly managed by the imperial court. Anyone can go to the supervision sales department to pay taxes and buy tickets, and then sell salt with tickets. Get the salt, and you can ship it to any place for sale. In this way, those people who don’t have salt and other merchants can also pay taxes and sell salt, and those people can legally sell salt, and they don’t have to risk their heads. Selling private salt, at the same time, the salt tax of the court can also be collected directly, and the hole for the loss of salt tax is also blocked."

"what?"

"This is to dig our roots!"

"This salt tax is too vicious, don't be a son of man, don't be a son of man!"

The faces of many salt merchants present all changed, and they roared in their hearts.

They are too proficient in salt politics.

As soon as you hear this new law, you know that it is extremely targeted.

Once this new salt law is implemented, anyone can sell salt and sell salt. For the court, it can indeed reduce illegal salt and stop the loss of salt tax, but for them, it will deprive them of their monopoly on salt sales. privilege!Without a monopoly, what else do they use to make huge profits? !

The salt merchants were furious, but it wasn't just the salt merchants present.

There are also other businessmen, gentry, and even wealthy families from Jinling, Suzhou, and Hangzhou.

The highest grade among them is Zhen Shicheng, the chief steward of the Zhen family in Jinling.

The Zhen family in Jinling was a powerful family in the imperial dynasty. When the Supreme Emperor was still the emperor, he made six tours to the south and visited the Zhen's residence four times, which is enough to show the strength of the Zhen family.

Usually, if there is any business in Yangzhou, Zhen Ruyun's execution is usually enough.

It's not that Zhen Ruyun was arrested, the reason is that the Japanese pirates communicated with the salt merchants and bribed the government together.

So while the Zhen family quickly abandoned Zhen Ruyun, they sent Zhen Shicheng here.

Because the Zhen family and the Jia family are family friends, when Zhen Shicheng came to Yangzhou, he made a special trip to visit the Lin family and kowtowed to Jia Min - of course Jia Min couldn't bear it.

Therefore, other gentry and merchants may be afraid to speak out, but Zhen Shicheng is not afraid, he has already felt the huge profits of the salt industry, so he blurted out and asked: "Master Chen, is this new law true or false? "

When this question was asked, the other businessmen were all startled and looked at Chen Zhao together.

If they switch to the new salt method, they can also make a fortune.

You don't have to watch the Yangzhou salt merchants make money.

"This is a secret memorial that His Majesty ordered someone to transcribe. How could it be fake? Although I don't know who made the memorial, and I don't know whether this method is beneficial to the country and the people, but a heart must be beneficial to the country and the people."

Chen Zhao took out a memorial from his bosom, and said: "This copied memorial is here. Your Majesty is in the palace, and you can see thousands of miles away, so I let this official take it here, just to let you Yangzhou salt merchants also see it." Let’s discuss and see if it can be implemented?”

As he spoke, Chen Zhao handed the memorial to Liu Qingyun, a great salt merchant who was closest to him.

Liu Qingyun's face was pale and his whole body trembled, showing his inner restlessness. After he finished reading this memorial, he almost collapsed on the ground.

After the other salt merchants read the memorial, they all looked ashen and despaired.

But the other wealthy families and merchants looked overjoyed and excited.

Because they discovered that their family could open up new industries.

Maybe he will be richer than Yangzhou salt merchants in the future!
If this new salt law is implemented, almost everyone in the court will benefit, and no one with enough weight will come forward to oppose it.

Those rich and powerful gentry will even more strongly support it.

As for the objections of the Yangzhou salt merchants, I am afraid that the people behind them will not listen to them.

Chen Zhao didn't seem to see their faces, and continued: "Everyone, in my opinion, the imperial court wants to implement the new salt law because of the serious loss of salt tax at this stage..."

"Pfft!"

"Pfft!"

Before Chen Zhao finished speaking, those big salt merchants were already scrambling to kneel in front of him, Liu Qingyun, Li and Wang, all of them could not care about others.

"Master Chen, we promise to patrol the salt censor's yamen that we will pay [-]% of the salt tax every year, build roads and bridges for the local government, and donate for disaster relief. We will never fall behind,"

"Four percent?"

All the people present were shocked, and the officials at all levels in Yangzhou were even more stunned.

Forty percent of the salt tax is 480 million taels.

Equivalent to one-fifth of treasury revenue.

Last year, they only handed in 80 taels.

Chen Zhao just moved his lips and took out a memorial from the court, and these salt merchants cried and shouted to pay an extra tax of 400 million taels.

The contrast has changed too much.

Chen Zhao nodded slowly, knowing in his heart that the profits obtained by these salt merchants had to be filial to officials at all levels, and they had to pay for their behind-the-scenes forces and pay [-]% of the tax. They had already tried their best.

Of course, it was the existence of all levels of government from the court to the local government that the salt tax in the Great Zhou Dynasty was so low.

Chen Zhao nodded and said, "Since the salt tax can be paid in time, the court will naturally not rashly change the new salt law. However, His Majesty was enthroned last year, and the salt tax was so low last year, His Majesty Longyan was furious..."

"Master Chen, don't worry, last year's salt tax, our Yangzhou salt merchants also pay [-]%!"

After discussing with several big salt merchants, Li Zhaohe, the fat man who was closest to Chen Zhao, said with a mournful face.

At the same time, he sighed in his heart: "This Chen Zhao is not only strong in martial arts, but also proficient in the use of Taoism in the officialdom! The Zhao family is planted in his hands, and it is not wronged!"

"Oh, although I'm just a small inspector, I still admire you and other loyal salt merchants! Within a month, the Yangzhou Salt Patrol Censor's Yamen will receive last year's salt tax payment. Shi Yamen must truthfully tell His Majesty that this new salt law will not be implemented within three years."

Chen Zhao, the inspector of Yangzhou Yushi Yamen, said with a smile.

For a moment, the entire hall was silent, and everyone looked at Chen Zhao with complicated eyes, full of admiration.

Although everyone knows that the official position of inspection is not popular at all, it is just a small nine-rank sesame official.

And those Yangzhou salt merchants usually just bowed and held hands when they saw the magistrate, but kowtowed repeatedly in the face of a patrol inspection.

Chen Zhao, a real hero.

Gao Liangyu, the magistrate of Yangzhou, sighed again and again: "This son is a dragon and a phoenix among people. He must have a bright future in the future. Don't underestimate him! Don't underestimate him!"

(End of this chapter)