Royal Gold Magistrate

The two were silent for a while, feeling sorry for each other.

After all, it's the first time, if something goes wrong, I really don't know how to solve it.

Seeing that the atmosphere was silent for a while, Fangzheng said, "Your Highness, you came here just to give gifts, right? Don't you usually send them directly from the palace?"

Li Yuanzhao raised his head and said a few words, then slapped his forehead and said: "Don't you say that I almost forgot that you didn't go to court today, and I heard news from the border town that Beirong moved to a new capital and changed it. The country name, they even sent a special person to hand over the credentials."

"Hey, it's such a big deal. What country name?"

"Well... the name of the country is Jin, and it's interesting. But it's nothing, and there are strange things. I heard that in the past two years, apart from the materials commonly used by Beirong people, the most It turned out to be a book!"

Jin Guo...sounds really familiar...

Fangzheng sighed in his heart, and then asked in confusion: "They still like to buy books? What kind of books?"

What is Beirong doing with so many books?Neither food nor weapon.

"Oh, it's interesting to say, those books that we scholars often read. In addition, the name of the country has been changed inexplicably, you think... Are they learning from us?" Li Yuanzhao asked.

After he mentioned this, Fangzheng was overjoyed.

It's not impossible, he has the impression that Paba is very ghostly, open-minded, and cares about many things in the big scene.

If it was he who spoke in front of the emperor of the Kingdom of Jin.This is not surprising.

"Who knows, if they like to learn, they can learn it, and they will be fooled sooner or later." Fangzheng said with a smile.

Li Yuanzhao also smiled: "That's right, the Beirong people probably don't know that we now have cannons and guns on the ground, and heavenly soldiers and generals in the sky. In a few years, the entire army will be equipped with weapons, and the cavalry they are proud of will not be enough." For worry."

"However, guns and cannons are too expensive. I heard that the Shenji Battalion is half assembled, and the military department has already started to call the father poor. I don't know when the cost will come down."

"What would it be like if the whole army could equip one person with two muskets and two short bludgeons?"

Fangzheng nodded silently.

Equip the whole army, that's not even close.However, the Shenji Battalion was only half equipped, and the Ministry of War began to call it poor, which is a bit shameless.

However, cost reduction cannot be solved in a short period of time. Many links in it, including the output of raw materials, must rely on the support of private forces.

"Your Highness, if you want to solve the cost problem, the best way is to let go of merchants and let private resources flow naturally."

"Before the world was short of food, such conditions were not met, but now there is no such problem at all, and the minister is also planning to find an opportunity to write a letter to His Majesty."

Li Yuanzhao frowned and said: "This matter is not easy to handle. Although I support you, the constraints on merchants have been the same since ancient times. I am afraid that the emperor and all civil and military officials will not support it."

Fangzheng nodded: "I think so too, but as long as it's the right thing, you have to do it no matter what."

Regardless of the cost issue, the era of great navigation is coming soon!To cultivate outstanding merchants among the people, when can't we wait now?

It's just that he was busy taking care of his wife during this time, so he wasn't in the mood to do this.

"Your Highness thinks, why does the imperial court restrict merchants?"

"Businessmen value profits, have no fixed place to live, and love leisure and hate work. But this palace does not agree with this point. The merchants in Banshanfang are extremely hardworking."

Fangzheng said: "Your Highness is right, but in my view, this is all superficial rhetoric, just an excuse. There is only one problem with restricting merchants."

"what is the problem?"

"The court cannot collect taxes, or it is difficult to collect taxes."

Li Yuanzhao pondered: "Hiss...you are right, but do you have a way to collect taxes from merchants?"

"No."

"..."

Fang Zhengyi continued: "Your Highness, taxation is actually only a small part of the problem in the eyes of the minister. The food is abundant, and manpower will be released. At this time, the area for taxation will expand, even if it cannot be fully collected, it will be larger than before. The situation is much better.”

"But the key problem here is that the people's business is not going well. The imperial court has a lot of restrictions. If it is too big, it cannot move freely, and if it is small, it is said that the people below take advantage of their positions to blackmail and rob. The people cannot bypass these restrictions, and the court Li officials can use their status to amass money wantonly, which is tantamount to competing for profits with the country and the people."

"Let's not talk about the distance, let's talk about the capital. Before the Jinyiwei was established, the small officials at the city gate would easily let the convoys of high-ranking officials and nobles pass. If they encountered the trucks of ordinary merchants, they would have to exploit them. In the city, the related yamen everywhere are not easy to deal with. After going down layer by layer, there is not much profit left."

"And what about those people with a background? Naturally, they are doing well. How many big businesses in Banshanfang are started by ordinary people? Your Highness should know better than me."

The court's strong control over merchants will inevitably bring about such problems. Any control will inevitably lead to rent-seeking, and rent-seeking corruption will inevitably follow.

Fang Zhengyi couldn't understand this more deeply, so there is no need to mention the difficulties in his early years.

The caravans going out in Taoyuan County are still using fake IDs, and the price of tea should be adjusted...

Li Yuanzhao nodded.

He knows Banshanfang best. Although it is very prosperous now, the real big names and big businesses all have more or less background.

"That's why we should untie the merchants, give them respect, and let them feel at ease. Then they will develop resources and compete with each other. Not only will the firearms be made, but the people of the world will benefit from it, and all costs may be reduced."

"Not only that, but many new products and ideas will be born in the competition. These are the benefits of the country. At present, only when the imperial court regresses can the people make progress."

Li Yuanzhao looked solemn: "You are right, but it is impossible for the court to loosen the ties."

"Hey, I have no idea. But if this matter is started from the household department, there may be a chance of victory. Since I took over as the commander of Jinyiwei, I have been cracking down on illegal exploitation. Officials and businessmen use their power to oppress people. It is estimated that there are many in the court. People are already dissatisfied with me."

"However, the income of the Ministry of Households in the capital should have increased. After all, the methods used by government and businessmen to avoid taxes are all kinds of strange, and ordinary people are much more honest!"

"If the Ministry of Households is willing to cooperate, then the minister is going to ask His Majesty to make a statement. One is to loosen the merchants, and the other is to expand the Jinyiwei to the outside, and the supervision is illegal."

Today's Jin Yiwei is very different from the Jin Yiwei he remembers in history.

Not to mention the scope of functions, the sphere of influence is only limited to the capital city. Although the capital city is the hub of the world, there are still few things that can be done after all.

Li Yuanzhao sighed: "Of course, I fully support you, but I still feel that there is little hope. Tax evasion is common practice, and morality is corrupted. This alone can negate everything."

"That's right, but the meal has to be eaten bite by bite. I will first find a way to let His Majesty choose a place to open a pilot. As long as the pilot is successful, the follow-up will be easy."

"In the final analysis, it is the colleagues in the DPRK who are too short-sighted. The cake can grow bigger and bigger, and they have huge advantages. One day they will find that it is not the people who gain the most, but them!"

Li Yuanzhao raised his head, pondered for a while, and said hesitantly: "Well... um, but you said... If merchants are not restricted, will there be a merchant with great influence in the future, who will monopolize an industry and affect the court? ah?"

Fangzheng was in awe, the prince is so sensitive!

"Your Highness, it's not that there are no restrictions, it's just that some restrictions have been relaxed. And as long as a merchant monopolizes the entire industry by virtue of his integrity, then the imperial court has absolutely no reason to suppress him, unless he uses his position to viciously bully his peers. Otherwise, They will take advantage of their scale and keep lowering prices to exclude all competitors, which is a true monopoly.”

"And there is such a huge merchant, it is convenient for us to collect taxes, and he can't escape!"

Li Yuanzhao said curiously: "Oh, you said the opposite, it should be the price increase, right? If you are invincible after monopolizing, shouldn't you increase the price to make huge profits?"

Fangzheng smiled and said: "Of course, but raising the price is tantamount to cultivating opponents for yourself! Your Highness forgot, what are businessmen most afraid of? The most feared is the public opinion in the world. We have newspapers and public opinions. Under the supervision of the imperial court, we cannot use If one's own advantages maliciously attack the peers, another competitor will soon take advantage of the opportunity, so it is only wise to use the advantages to lower prices."

"Of course, it is not impossible to raise prices after a monopoly. Unless...you have the power to back it up, you can be unscrupulous."

Speaking of this, Fangzheng smiled, and leaned into Li Yuanzhao's ear: "Besides, since ancient times, I have never heard of a businessman who can make trouble."

"If the business is small, it's theirs, if it's big, it's the court's..."

.....

(On the sixth day, I was inexplicably depressed. I checked the information, and it was a bit late. I'm sorry everyone)