Wei and Jin cooks

Zhang Xie and Xia Houyan were enjoying the flowers and drinking wine in the garden.

In the Wei and Jin Dynasties, wine was the most common drink. Of course, only nobles and wealthy businessmen could afford it. In ordinary people's homes, a bowl of boiled water was the most common. If you could add some salt or sugar to the water, that would be It’s quite a high-level reception.

It's a pity that Fu Tinghan doesn't like to drink. He prefers to drink tea. If not, plain water will do.

It was his rule not to drink during working hours.

So after sitting down in front of Zhang Xie, he declined Xia Houyan who wanted to pour him wine.

Xia Houyan sneered, took back the wine bottle and said, "If you don't drink, I don't want to pour it for you."

He said: "Zhao Hanzhang was very strict and did not allow people to brew and sell wine privately. He said it was a waste of food, so the wine in Luoyang doubled in just three months."

He snorted and said, "I know that half of the wine sold in restaurants now comes from the Zhao family in Xiping and the Luoyang County government."

Fu Tinghan said: "The county government brews wine to control the liquor trade, and to make money to support the people and the army in Luoyang."

He said: "Now the county government is still taking in the refugees passing by. Coupled with the consumption of the army, her treasury is not sufficient."

Xia Houyan said with disdain: "What about the Zhao family in Xiping? Don't think I don't know. That person is her great-uncle Zhao Hanzhang. He is said to be the seventh prince of the Zhao family in Xiping. He took over the wine business and opened a restaurant when he arrived in Luoyang. The restaurant directly supports the entire Luoyang, as well as 20% of the liquor trade in several nearby counties."

"That's the qualification he bought with money," Fu Tinghan said: "One hundred thousand dollars, three years of qualification."

Xia Houyan choked immediately, but he doubted in his heart whether Zhao Hanzhang really accepted the money.

Zhang Xie waited for them to finish their attack and said quickly: "Forget it. Anyway, we can brew the wine we drink at home. There is no need to be angry about this."

Xia Houyan sneered and asked him, "When did your temper become so soft?"

Zhang Xie ignored him and asked Fu Tinghan: "Master Fu has only been in Luoyang for two days, why did he come to my door?"

Fu Tinghan picked up the bowl and took a sip of water. He choked and realized that what was poured into the bowl was actually wine.

Zhang Xie poured this when the two of them were talking. He explained: "Master Fu, please forgive me, but I really don't have boiled water here. This wine is very refreshing, so you can drink it as water."

Fu Tinghan put down the bowl, his face turned red, and he said: "I came here today to collect taxes."

Not only Xia Houyan but also Zhang Xie were stunned, "What?"

Fu Tinghan turned to look at Fu An.

Fu An immediately took out an account book from his arms and handed it over respectfully.

Fu Tinghan opened it without looking at it. He handed it over and said, "This is the tax your family owes this year. It's almost winter now, so it's time to pay it off."

Zhang Xie and Xia Houyan lowered their heads to look with stiff necks.

Fu Tinghan had already read it before coming. The accounts were not complicated and he could memorize them at a glance. He said, "Can you two pay them in full today?"

Xia Houyan's face turned red and he was speechless for a moment.

Although Zhang Xie and Xia Houyan hid in the mountains, they called it seclusion to recuperate.

But their families are still down the mountain, in Luoyang.

They have properties in Luoyang and even in several nearby counties.

Zhang Xie had three sons in total. The second son and the youngest son left Luoyang with their families and his younger brother to escape. Zhang Xie received the news and went to the south.

The eldest son stayed to take care of him and the unsold land.

Now in the household registration book, Zhang Xie is the head of the household, so if you want to collect taxes, you really have to go to Zhang Xie.

Xia Houyan was different. He loved freedom all his life. Although he had wives and concubines, he never married again after his wife died. He had no children, and he was not in a hurry to have children.

At present, he is the only one registered in Luoyang's household registration, but he also has domestic slaves in his name, and the family's property and other properties are all taken care of by his domestic slaves.

What's more, domestic slaves also have taxes, which must be paid by the master's family.

Xia Houyan was stunned for a long time, then went to look at Fu Tinghan's face carefully. When he saw that his face was pale and red, even his earlobes were red, so he asked: "You can't drink enough, so you are drunk now? No, you are drunk." It’s also happening now, why did you bring the account book with you in advance?”

Fu Tinghan looked confused, "I'm just here to collect taxes. What can I bring without accounting books?"

Xia Houyan: "Aren't you and Zhao Hanzhang trying to recruit us?"

Fu Tinghan said: "There is no conflict between recruiting you and paying taxes."

He said: "If your husband is really willing to come down to help Hanzhang, I think she will rush to welcome you and give you the most generous conditions. But this has nothing to do with taxes?"

Zhang Xie's eyes flashed and he asked, "What if we ask Ambassador Zhao to exempt us from taxes?"

"No," Xiahouyan said, "We nobles still need to pay taxes?"

When Emperor Jin was there, no one asked them to pay taxes.

Fu Tinghan said: "Luoyang is now managed by Zhao Shijun. As early as March, she issued decrees and announcements. People under the rule, regardless of status, need to pay taxes consistent with their status and property."

Slaves had their own taxes, farmers had their own standards, and merchants and scholars naturally had their own standards.

Xia Houyan was very unhappy, but Zhang Xie burst into laughter and said several times: "Okay! I accept it!"

"Jingyang!" Xia Houyan looked at him disapprovingly.

However, Zhang Xie raised his hand to stop him and asked his chief attendant to come over and prepare money and food according to the number in the account book.

Fu Tinghan looked at Xia Houyan.

Xia Houyan pursed his lips and remained silent.

There was a system in the Jin Dynasty called the system of land-occupying households for officials.

What does it mean? It means that high-ranking officials own a large amount of land without paying taxes. They can also protect their relatives without having to serve in the army, and their diners are not controlled by the court.

There is so much maneuverability here.

Take Zhao Changyu, for example, when he was the uncle of Cai, in addition to not having to pay taxes on the large tracts of land under his own name, Zhao Hu, Zhao Song and others would also record some fields in his name to avoid taxes.

As for a retainer like Ji Yuan, he only obeyed Zhao Changyu and would not listen to the imperial court's orders.

Now it was Zhao Hanzhang, who was even more powerful. Ever since she took control of Yuzhou, the imperial court had urged her to pay taxes every year, but she had never paid them once, and she even asked the imperial court for support.

She didn't even pay the state's taxes, let alone her own taxes.

After she met the emperor in Luoyang and was officially canonized, she was willing to support the court with some money and food every time. The last time she sent Yuncheng was new money cast by herself.

She did this to the court, but she changed the laws under her rule.

Yuzhou had been replaced by her a long time ago, but there were not many high-ranking officials there, and there were only a few officials who were lucky enough to be in the tax-free ranks. The rest were either killed by her or replaced by her.

The people who come in are all hers, so they must abide by her decrees.

Her decree is that she can give money, houses, and fields to her subordinates, but everyone must pay taxes like ordinary people.

Luoyang is...

Although many people ran away, there were too many aristocratic families and noble families who remained, and they had all been exempted from the tax before.

For example, Zhang Xie and Xia Houyan, one of them has not been an official for many years, and the other has never been an official, but they and the land in their names are exempt from tax.

This is the first time someone has taxed them.

Today’s two chapters are 2,000 words each, keep working hard tomorrow

Good night