Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

“This… allow me to take a look…”

Xu Pu met Zhu You樘's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, and his heart shrank violently. He quickly shifted his gaze.

Xu Pu looked at the account book in his hand: "Your Majesty, the summer tax in Southern Zhili is 7,414 taels of silver and 2.14 million shi of rice."

"The summer tax in Zhejiang is 4,674 taels of silver and 1.17 million shi of rice."

"The summer tax in Jiangxi is 2,487 taels of silver and 1.65 million shi of rice."

Listening to these numbers, Zhu You樘 laughed in anger: "Grand Secretary Xu, you are from Southern Zhili, you should be very familiar with the situation there."

"Given the land, population, and economic conditions of Southern Zhili, is this all the summer tax that can be collected in a year?"

"Southern Zhili, a land of fish and rice, a fertile land, only collects so little tax in a year. Don't you find it ridiculous?!"

Xu Pu lowered his head and wiped the sweat from his forehead, and stammered: "This… this is because our Ming Dynasty has low taxes to support the people, hides wealth among the people, and does not compete with the people for profit…"

"The harvest in Southern Zhili… is not particularly good. This year, the Yangtze River flooded, inundating a lot of fertile land."

"Moreover, according to convention, governments at all levels will pre-emptively withdraw… next year's salaries, and some grain… must also be stored in local granaries for emergencies…"

"Moreover, the local princes will also withdraw next year's stipends, and… princes and nobles can be tax-exempt…"

Zhu You樘 sneered: "So, in my hands, there are only these seven thousand taels of silver and two million shi of rice, right?"

Xu Pu fell silent.

No matter how many excuses and reasons he could come up with, the data was there.

Southern Zhili, as the wealthiest place in the Ming Dynasty, only had this little summer tax in a year, which was really unreasonable.

The main reasons why the Ming Dynasty's tax revenue was so low were the following four points.

The first point is that the tax rate is simply too low, and most of it is collected in kind.

The second point is that princes, nobles, relatives of the emperor, and wealthy landlords have the right not to pay taxes.

The third point is the lack of reasonable and effective means of supervision. The actual income of merchants and farmers is unknown, especially the silver from commercial taxes, which the imperial court cannot collect at all.

The fourth point is corruption.

Among them, the second point is particularly fatal.

The princes not only owned a large amount of tax-exempt fertile land, but also received a considerable annual stipend.

The nobles and landlords, because they did not have to pay taxes, illegally annexed a large amount of fertile land through various means.

There were even self-cultivating farmers who voluntarily dedicated their fertile land, giving the land to the nobles and landlords, and then renting it back.

In this way, they only needed to pay taxes to the nobles and landlords, and not to the Ming Dynasty.

In the early years of Hongwu, the Ming Dynasty had more than 800 million mu of land that could be taxed.

By the Hongzhi period, the Ming Dynasty only had more than 400 million mu of land that could be taxed.

In more than a hundred years, the nobles and landlords had illegally annexed half of the Ming Dynasty's land, which was simply lawless!

At the same time, the Ming Dynasty also collected poll tax, collecting corresponding taxes according to the population size.

It was conscripted by local officials and not turned over to the Ming Dynasty. In fact, this income mostly fell into the pockets of officials.

This tax greatly hindered population growth and also gave lower-level officials the opportunity to use preferential treatment to conceal the population, increasing the burden on ordinary people.

And the most important point is that the imperial court can no longer control the Jiangnan area.

The wealth of the Jiangnan area fell into the hands of Jiangnan landlords and scholar-officials.

"The Ming Dynasty's tax system needs to be changed."

Zhu You樘 said calmly, causing the faces of the three ministers present to change drastically.

The last time Zhu You樘 reformed the currency system, it made the officials in the capital cry and wail.

This time, he was going to change the Ming Dynasty's tax system again. Was he going to target them again?

Zhu You樘 pondered for a moment, and then ordered: "Starting tomorrow, the Ministry of Revenue, together with the Censorate and the West Factory, will clear and measure the land throughout the country."

Xu Pu's face instantly turned as pale as paper. He wanted to open his mouth to dissuade him, but after raising his head to meet Zhu You樘's sharp gaze, his throat seemed to be pinched, and he could not make any sound.

"Tomorrow, the Grand Secretariat will draft a list of officials to clear and measure the land throughout the country for me, including officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Censorate."

Xu Pu lowered his head, his mouth full of bitterness: "Yes, Your Majesty."

In fact, Zhu You樘 had long wanted to make a move on the Ming Dynasty's tax system.

Or rather, the currency reform that was carried out first was a preliminary preparation for the tax reform that would be implemented next.

The two are complementary and interlocked.

According to Zhu You樘's vision, this tax reform should be divided into three steps.

The first step is to clear and measure the land throughout the country.

The second step is to abolish the poll tax and incorporate miscellaneous taxes such as Dingyin into the land, and uniformly collect taxes according to the amount of land.

The third step is to abolish the tax-exempt power of anyone.

The only person in the entire Ming Dynasty who has the right not to pay taxes is朕 (Zhen, I - the emperor)!

Subsequently, when the land tax reform is completed, the commercial tax can be touched.

Zhu You樘's set of reform methods simultaneously absorbed the advantages of the Single Whip Law and the Dividing Population into Land, and is the most suitable tax law for the current Ming Dynasty.

However, these reform plans are still in the initial stage, and Zhu You樘 only has a general direction of reform in his mind.

As for the details of how to implement it specifically, Zhu You樘 has not yet figured it out.

But the matter of clearing and measuring the land throughout the country can be put on the agenda.

After the beginning of spring next year, while promoting the currency reform throughout the Ming Dynasty, the tax reform will also be promoted simultaneously.

However, at that time, I am afraid it will be another bloody storm.

Zhu You樘 took a sip of hot tea and turned to look at Minister of Works Jia Jun.

"Minister Jia, how is the construction of my palace going?"

Jia Jun quickly replied: "Your Majesty, the construction period is gratifying."

"The damaged parts of the three main halls of Fengtian have all been cleared."

"We are only waiting for the thick Phoebe nanmu from the southwest to arrive before we can start repairing."

"Your Majesty's Hall of Mental Cultivation has also completed all the preliminary work and has begun construction."

"The construction wood is divided into Huanghuali, Phoebe nanmu, and Zitan inlaid with Phyllostachys bambusoides."

"According to this construction period, it can be repaired around the beginning of spring next year."

Zhu You樘 nodded and looked at Liu Daxia again.

"Minister Liu, has the north been peaceful recently?"

Liu Daxia took a step forward and cupped his hands in reply.

"Your Majesty, since Your Majesty annihilated the Tatar army of 100,000, the nomadic peoples of the northern grasslands no longer dare to go south to graze horses."

Zhu You樘 stretched out his hand and picked up two dried fruits and put them in his mouth.

"Winter is coming, and it is not guaranteed that the Tartars in the north will jump over the wall in desperation and cause something to happen."

"Let the soldiers guard the Great Wall for me."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Besides the north, are there any changes in other border towns?"

Liu Daxia was full of confidence: "Your Majesty, everything is as usual."

Zhu You樘 waved his hand: "Okay, let's talk about it today, everyone go back."

"Yes, Your Majesty, this humble minister takes his leave!"

The three bowed and saluted, and quickly exited the Hongde Hall.

Zhu You樘 picked up the hot tea beside him, took a sip, and felt comfortable all over.

He opened the window slightly, blowing the cold wind outside, the room was warm as spring, it was really pleasant.

After Zhu You樘 rested for a while, a little eunuch suddenly came to report.

"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager Wu invites you to Chuxiu Palace for a meeting."

Zhu You樘 raised his eyebrows. He really hadn't been to the harem recently.

He almost forgot that the Chuxiu Palace was still selecting concubines for him.

Zhu You樘 stood up: "Prepare the carriage."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Zhu You樘 left the Hongde Hall, and immediately an eunuch put a thick cloak on him.

Sitting on the dragon chariot, it didn't take long for Zhu You樘 to arrive at Chuxiu Palace.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Zhu You樘 walked into the Chuxiu Palace, and the surrounding eunuchs, maids, and young women all knelt down and saluted.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After everyone stood up, Empress Dowager Wu waved to Zhu You樘.

"Your Majesty, come and see if there are any of these young women that please you?"