"Su Chen, if you have any good ideas, please ask us for advice. You have never seen the disaster victims!

The disaster victims are suffering! Your uncle Fang, I have personally seen babies less than one year old starved to death!

One or two-year-old children, eating tree bark... chewing mud!"

Fang Xuanling cried and wiped his tears while crying, and did not forget to secretly observe Su Chen's face.

Su Chen was amused by Fang Xuanling's trick.

He had never seen the disaster victims, but he could see that Fang Xuanling was acting for him.

Helplessly, Su Chen had to comfort him:

"Uncle Fang, please relax. If there are only 30,000 or 50,000 disaster victims, I can settle them this time."

Li Shimin and others heard that Su Chen had taken the matter.

The matter about the disaster victims was settled.

"Okay, okay, Su Chen, I was right about you!"

Li Shimin was resurrected with full blood again.

...

"Boy, tell me about your road construction!"

Li Shimin came here today, the main purpose is to ask about the road construction.

"Your Majesty, for this road I want to build, does the court need to give an approval document or something?

If the government stops the construction at that time, it will cause a lot of trouble."

Su Chen didn't know whether the Tang Dynasty had any operating procedures in this regard.

Li Shimin looked at Dai Zhou, and Dai Zhou shook his head, saying that this is not my business.

"There are regulations in the Tang law for the people to build houses, but there are no clear regulations for building roads...building roads and bridges is a good deed."

Du Ruhui thought about it and said as if talking to himself.

The Tang Law at the beginning of the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty was drafted by him and Fang Xuanling.

Su Chen heard him say that there was no regulation, that's good, and the last thing is the salary.

"Uncle Du, I would like to ask, how much does it cost to hire a strong man to do physical labor for a day?"

Du Ruhui thought for a moment, and there was no specific regulation in this regard.

"Su Chen, you may not understand that according to the Tang Dynasty law, the taxes paid by the people include: 'rent, labor service, and tax'.

Rent: two shi of millet per year, labor service: twenty days of labor service per year, and tax: two zhang of silk per year.

People are allowed to pay silk instead of labor service, and pay three feet of silk every day. You can refer to this!"

Du Ruhui slowly told Su Chen.

Su Chen nodded after listening, but didn't understand anything, "Uncle Du, how much is three feet of silk?"

Du Ruhui frowned and calculated quickly: "One piece of silk is four zhang, 10 feet is a zhang, and it is worth one tael of silver."

Du Ruhui didn't want to calculate it anymore, so he asked Su Chen to calculate it himself.

Su Chen calculated it after listening, three feet is 75 copper coins.

In other words, if you want to be exempted from labor service for one year, you have to pay 1,500 copper coins.

The salary he gave to the villagers in the manor was 30 copper coins per day, which was a bit high.

We need to discuss with the ministers and come up with a minimum wage standard, or just like corvée, 25 wen per day.

"Boy, in fact, ordinary people don't use silver and money very often, and usually trade with equivalent physical goods."

Li Shimin added that he also paid the ministers wages in two parts, money and goods.

Su Chen nodded, "Your Majesty, I know roughly that I will ask the people to work on this road, and provide three meals a day for 25 wen.

Your Majesty, do you have any different opinions? 25 wen is equal to the people's exemption money.

I don't know the current prices and wages."

Du Ruhui had never heard of the exemption money, "Su Chen, what is the exemption money?"

Su Chen frowned, "Didn't Uncle Du just say that paying three feet of silk every day can exempt one day of corvée, so I call it the exemption money."

Fang Xuanling nodded when he heard it, "Exemption money, it's a good use!"

At this time, Li Shimin had a different opinion.

"Su Chen, for a road construction project, why don't you recruit corvée labor? Why do you pay silver money on a daily basis?"

Su Chen was stumped by this question. He had an idea, which was the relationship between productivity and production value.

But he didn't know how to explain it, and he couldn't recite it. After thinking for a while:

"Your Majesty, let me give you an example. If Your Majesty mobilizes free corvée labor to build this road.

Let's not talk about the efficiency issue first. After the road is built, the hard-working people will get nothing in the end.

They will still be poor, but the government will save wages.

But if Your Majesty pays wages to the road builders, and the people earn money through labor, can they use this money to buy things to use and eat?

As long as this money circulates, do merchants have to pay taxes? The money for road construction will still slowly return to the court.

The road is still the same road, but the people's lives have improved, and the national tax has also increased. Money must circulate to create value.

Taxes are taken from the people and used for the people. It also has another function, which is to balance the gap between the rich and the poor.

When building roads, officials will not come to work, and merchants will not either. Only ordinary people will do this hard work."

Su Chen didn't know, did he make these three drops of water clear?

Everyone was thoughtful, especially Li Shimin.

In the first year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin wanted to build a palace, but considering that too many corvées were conscripted, he gave up.

Because he wanted to be a wise ruler in the eyes of others, with light taxes and corvées.

"Su Chen, according to what you said, should I cancel corvées in the future and pay wages instead?"

Su Chen was shocked when he heard it. How could this be possible?

"Your Majesty, no, I'm not a professional, I'm just talking about my ideas.

That would be too large a scope. If possible, use Chang'an as a pilot.

If there are problems, the impact is not great, and improvements can be slowly promoted."

Li Shimin nodded and glanced at the ministers.

"My dear ministers, do you think what Su Chen said is feasible? Feel free to speak boldly."

Wei Zheng was the first to agree. He kept staring at the emperor and asked him to be a wise ruler.

"Your Majesty, I agree with Su Chen's pilot project, which is in line with your Majesty's national policy of light taxes and light corvee."

After thinking about it, everyone followed suit and agreed.

"Okay, let's take Chang'an as a pilot project and start with the construction of this cement road. You can do it with confidence. If there is any problem, I will take responsibility for it!"

Li Shimin said excitedly and glanced at Li Chengqian.

"Boy, teach me more about these and other state governance policies in the future!"

Su Chen wanted to say that this cannot be taught.

Don't think that copying some modern things from ancient times will make you advanced.

We are just standing on the shoulders of our predecessors.

We can only refer to and learn from them.

"Your Majesty, I don't know any state governance policies. Ask me if you have something to ask. I am just talking about my own ideas.

You are all big guys. If your Majesty wants to talk about food and daily necessities, then I am OK!"

Thinking: I can only rely on the system except for tinkering with some small things myself.

Su Chen's words made them laugh.

It's not easy for this kid to live to this age!

However, such a consort.

Which emperor doesn't like it?

...

"Boy, I'm back in the palace. If you have time, you can come to the palace at any time!

The silver will be delivered to the manor today. If there is any need, they can send someone to pass the message if they can't make the decision."

Li Shimin patted Su Chen's shoulder for once, and his eyes suddenly became deep.

"Okay, I'll go when the pigpen is built!"

Li Shimin nodded and looked at the second-generation officials again.

"You guys, remember what Su Chen said, 'learn to apply', study hard, and surpass your father in the future."

The second-generation officials bowed and said in unison: "Follow your majesty's teachings!"

Li Shimin nodded, looked at Su Chen again, turned around and helped Li Yuan walk towards the carriage.

After sitting in the carriage, the father and son looked at each other, looking very solemn.

Little Li Zhi was led by Empress Changsun, and he looked back every three steps to look at Su Chen.

Su Chen smiled slightly and waved his hand, saying, "I'll come to play with you in two days!"

Su Chen knew that he must want to remind Su Chen not to forget to bring him fun things.

Little Li Zhi stopped, broke free from the Empress's hand, and bowed to Su Chen.

Empress Changsun saw Li Zhi stop and looked back at him.

Why did her little son bow to Su Chen?

She looked at Su Chen and smiled, and led Li Zhi to the carriage.

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