I

At the foot of Hanzhu Mountain, in a thatched house.

Zhao Han and Xu Ying both passed the Tongsheng examination this year, but they did not find another Confucian teacher and continued to study with Pang Chunlai.

Master Pang’s classic is the Book of Songs, so they can only study the Book of Songs.

Fei Chun read from the account book: "Dingshenglou sold 48 copies, Hekou Pier sold 11 copies, and Hanzhu Academy sold 65 copies. A total of 124 copies were sold, and the silver was 1 tael, 2 cents and 4 cents. Invite the store clerk to dinner , and asked them to help promote it, and 3 silver coins have been spent."

"It's too cheap," Fei Ruhe complained. "The more you sell, the more you lose!"

Fei Yuanjian echoed: "Yes, if we publish a few more ten-year issues, we will lose all the money we invested."

"Take your time, don't be in a hurry." Zhao Han said with a smile.

The first printing of "Ehu Xunkan" is 500 copies. If all of them are sold, not counting the money spent on treating the waiters to dinner, there will be a net loss of 13 taels, 5 cents and 8 cents of silver.

Well, net loss!

To make money, the selling price must be multiplied by five.

By then, the price of each magazine will be as much as an old hen, and you can buy a copy of "Four Books Annotations".

Just because the cost of "Collected Commentary on Four Books" is low, tens of thousands of copies can be printed at one time, and the stack can be sold for several years. The printing volume of "Ehu Xunkan" is too small, and the number of words in the novel is quite large. Even if it uses cheap paper, it is still difficult to keep the production cost down.

"What's the evaluation of the academy's students?" Zhao Han asked.

Xu Ying replied: "Most people like to read novels, followed by my husband's "Liaodong Theory", and there are also people who like to read ancient prose. Your article is quite controversial, and the main argument is in the third article. Equality between men and women, equality in all walks of life, and many Everyone agrees, but equality between good and bad is not accepted.”

"You don't accept it either?" Zhao Han asked with a smile.

Many times, the butt determines the head.

Although Xu Ying's family is poor, they are still good people. In terms of legal status, they are naturally higher than those of low status.

Xu Ying quickly denied: "Good people and bad people should be equal. Of course I accept it."

Fei Chun was Fei Ruhe's school boy, and Fei Yu was Fei Yuanjian's school boy. Both of them were lowly.

The two of them did not dare to speak at this moment for fear of incurring the dissatisfaction of their master, but they supported Zhao Han's point of view from the bottom of their hearts.

Who wants to belittle and belittle oneself?

Maybe some have been brainwashed, but young people must still have illusions.

Zhao Han asked Fei Ruhe and Fei Yuanjian again: "Where are you?"

Fei Ruhe scratched his head and said nothing.

Fei Yuanjian said: "The master is the master, and the slave is the slave. If they are all equal, then who should be the master?"

Fei Yu suddenly felt sad and felt very sad. The young master usually treated him well, but he didn't expect to be treated lightly.

Fei Chun is similar. Fei Ruhe doesn't say anything, which means he doesn't recognize the equality of good and bad.

Zhao Han proposed the "three equalities". Equality between good and bad is the most radical, while the other two are more acceptable.

Equality between men and women, only for gender.

All industries are equal, only division of labor is concerned.

Equality between good and bad directly points to the class contradiction - the contradiction between slaves and slave owners!

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Fei Chun quickly changed the topic: "Brother, why not cancel the poetry and opera? Those contents are purely redundant."

"Yes, opera is not required," Fei Ruhe continued. "Who in Jiangxi can't sing a few lines of opera? Unless new operas can be published, it will not attract readers at all."

Xu Ying said: "Although some people read poems, they are also dispensable."

"Okay, then cancel it." Zhao Han followed suit.

The first issue was just a test of the waters, and the elimination of two sections was just enough to reduce costs.

From now on, the magazine will only have the following content: Zhao Ziyue, Liaodong Theory, selected ancient texts, and serialized novels.

As for Thai and Western mathematics, we will add it when sales increase.

Xu Ying suddenly said: "Nowadays, the most troubled thing in the academy is not the articles in the ten-day issue."

"What is that?" Fei Ruhe asked.

Xu Ying explained: “This year’s autumn grain harvest in Jiangxi has officially canceled the exemption for new students.”

Everyone was shocked.

Zhao Han asked: "When did it happen?"

Xu Ying replied: "In the past two days, the news has spread all over the academy. If you didn't come to class, I'm afraid you still don't know."

Fei Yuanjian had made great progress in his studies in the past two years and had a glimmer of hope of becoming a scholar. He suddenly said something treasonous and outrageous: "Is the emperor crazy?"

"It seems that the emperor was forced to do nothing." Zhao Han couldn't help but laugh.

Twenty-four years after the Jiajing period, as long as you were admitted as a scholar, you could be exempted from two dans of land tax and two men of servitude.

What did Chongzhen do?

Eliminate the preferential exemptions for students, and pluck out two stones of grain from each scholar to replenish the finances.

For children from rich families, two stones of food is nothing, and they have many ways to escape from taxes.

Those who are really affected are all poor scholars!

This measure can only increase income by 300,000 yuan, but it will have very serious consequences.

Poor scholars had a hard time living, so they all attached themselves to the gentry and wealthy families, otherwise they would not have the money to continue taking exams. Many scholars in the north simply ran to join the peasant army because they were resentful of the emperor and faced difficulties in life.

In the third year of Chongzhen's reign, the decree was promulgated, but due to fierce public opinion, provincial governments have been secretly resisting it.

But I still couldn't bear it. This year's Jiangxi autumn grain will finally tax the scholar in full - Chongzhen sent an eunuch to manage the tax!

In the first year of Chongzhen, the emperor tried his best to suppress the eunuchs, and the civil servants cheered.

In the second year of Chongzhen, the emperor suddenly expanded the factory guards. Although the law enforcement power of Dongchang and Jinyiwei has been taken back, the supervisory power has grown day by day. There are factory guard spies everywhere in the capital.

In the third year of Chongzhen, the emperor no longer trusted military generals, eunuchs began to get involved in the army, and the power of supervising the army was enhanced. At the end of the development, any frontline decision-making, civil servants and military generals had to discuss it with the eunuchs.

In the fourth year of Chongzhen, the emperor no longer trusted civil officials, and the eunuchs took charge of the country's finances.

Nowadays, the purse strings of the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Works are all in the hands of eunuchs, and there is a special "Prime Minister of Household Workers" (the eunuch serves as the governor, acting like a governor).

Eunuchs also controlled the minting power. Copper coins produced after the fourth year of Chongzhen's reign were all printed with the words "Employment" and "Emperor" on the back.

Eunuchs were sent to local areas to supervise the tax collection in various provinces.

In the fifth year of Chongzhen, the emperor monopolized power, the eunuchs were powerful, and the civil servants and generals were weak.

No commercial tax will be collected at the end of Ming Dynasty?

After the Tatars broke through the customs, the central government faced financial difficulties, land taxes were increased again, commercial taxes, customs duties, industrial taxes, deed taxes... increased across the board!

The treasury was not much full, but it fed all the eunuchs.

Civil servants, military generals, landowners, businessmen, farmers, and scholars all complained and increasingly alienated themselves from the emperor.

Under such circumstances, who really cares what articles Zhao Han writes?

"Master said, Master said, I'm here to see you!"

Fei Ruyi suddenly came to the thatched house, bringing a handsome boy with him.

Although the master and servant no longer wore fancy clothes, they still looked fancy overall.

Zhao Han cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Brother Changhuai, please come in quickly!"

Fei Ruyi did not bow, but shook hands directly, took Zhao Han's hand and said, "Brother Xian, I'm here to give you a message."

"I wonder what news my brother brings?" Zhao Han quickly pulled out his hand.

Fei Ruyi and Zhao Han put their arms around each other again, looking more like a hug, and said with a smile: "Grandpa went to the county town yesterday and invited the Vice-President to attend your debate at the academy."

"Thanks for the reminder, brother." Zhao Han moved to the side, trying to get away from physical contact.

Fei Ruyi continued to come closer: "The deputy envoy for teaching is not only as honest as water, but also a Taoist gentleman. Dear brother, you should be more careful."

"Definitely, definitely." Zhao Han's hair stood on end.

I'm not afraid of being promoted to deputy envoy.

I am most afraid of you now!

Fei Ruyi did not get away. Xu Ying, Fei Ruhe, Fei Yuanjian and others subconsciously stepped back and looked at this man with horrified expressions.