Making money, no matter what the era, is an international problem.

Prince Zhu Cihong vigorously implemented a series of new policies in Jiangnan, which doubled the tax revenue, although there were successful cases in front of him, but Chongzhen could not rely on the implementation of the gourd.

First of all, he is reluctant out of self-esteem, as a young and promising reigning emperor, he has to learn the best policy in everything, if this is spread out, how can the emperor's face remain?

What's more, Yang Sichang and other ministers will not agree, they still insist on collecting taxes from the people, and would rather offend the people than touch the interests of the gentry and landlords.

The deliberations in the Imperial Palace went on for half an hour, and the ministers did not come up with any way to get money quickly.

In the end, Chen Xinjia, the secretary of the Ministry of War, proposed: "Your Majesty, the minister suggests resuming the levy and salary!" ”

The expropriation is a special fee levied to suppress the peasant uprising, a total of 2.8 million taels, mainly from the land, the original plan was only one year, in fact, from the tenth year of Chongzhen, until the twelfth year of Chongzhen Li Zicheng drilled into Shangluo Mountain did not stop.

Chongzhen's face was worried, he was worried that the resumption of the levy and salary would make others say that he had gone back on his word and lost his trust in the world.

Regarding the emperor's concern about the issue of dishonesty, Chen Xinjia said: "Your Majesty, if you don't hinder it, the endowment comes from the soil, and the people who own the land are mostly large landlords, and only hundreds of acres of land can collect three or four more silver dollars, and a small amount of money!" ”

Chongzhen was still struggling with whether he should resume the levy and salary, and at this time, the inner servant sent Yang Sichang a letter to Beijing in a hurry.

Chongzhen opened it and took a look, and after a few glances, his face turned from worry to joy, and he praised it and said, "Yang Qing is still sympathetic to me......"

All the ministers in the palace are staring at each other, the most worrying thing for the emperor at the moment is that he has no money, and what can make the emperor turn his worries into joy should have something to do with money, could it be that Yang Sichang suddenly became rich, and he doesn't need the court to help?

Everyone waited for the emperor to explain what made him so happy.

Chongzhen handed the recital in his hand to Wang Chengen and asked him to read it out in court.

It turned out that Yang Sichang proposed to levy and send training salaries, nominally to train border soldiers, strengthen the defense forces of the towns on the nine sides, and deal with Jiannu, but in fact to deal with the peasant uprising.

The training salary is still levied from the talent, similar to the apportionment into the mu, and the field is added one point per mu, Yang Sichang even calculated the total number in the song, and more than 7.3 million taels of silver can be levied every year.

Chongzhen calculated in his heart that now Li Zicheng is against him, the situation is dire, and if he wants to exterminate his subordinates, the amount of food and salary needed may reach an astronomical amount, and if three salaries are levied, combined with the three numbers of Liao's salary, expulsion salary, and training salary, the annual treasury can increase by 16.7 million taels.

As long as you have silver, you can train a large number of new troops, and you will not be afraid of thieves.

According to Yang Sichang's calculations, Daming's talent is extremely low, and even if three salaries are levied per mu of land, it is just a few catties of millet money, which is far from reaching the standard of "heavy endowment", which is also the reason why Chongzhen turned from worry to joy.

After hearing this, Feng Ying, the secretary of the Criminal Department, changed his face and said, "Your Majesty, the minister has a book!" ”

Chongzhen frowned slightly, why is the secret road this old thing again? Perhaps he agreed to the imposition of three salaries?

Feng Ying knelt directly on the ground and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty must not carry out the matter of levying salaries, if this move is done, how is it different from fishing with all your might?" ”

Emperor Chongzhen sat on the dragon chair and looked at Feng Ying coldly: "This strategy doesn't work, but you can think of a way for me to solve this urgent need?" ”

Feng Ying did not pick up, and continued: "In the forty-sixth year of Wanli, the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the country increased the Liao salary, and the tax per mu of land was increased by nine cents of silver, and Chongzhen added silver to one and two cents in four years, and Chongzhen increased the salary in ten years. ”

He said categorically, "Such a layer of tax increases, the people are miserable, and there are natural disasters for many years**, if the taxes are raised again, the people will be overwhelmed, and the fat and marrow will be scraped, so that the people will be poor and steal, and the world will be even more chaotic!" ”

Feng Ying's words are very clear, now the people can't even eat, so it's no wonder if they don't rebel.

Chen Xinjia disagreed, and said: "It's really alarmist! Yang Xiang's proposal to levy additional salaries is also an expedient measure, only this year is collected, which solves the urgent need, and it is ...... not to levy it in the coming year."

Feng Ying let out a long sigh and said, "Although Yang Xiang's salary training has solved the big problem at the moment, he has not thought about it, the land is fertile and barren in various places, and the output is different, and the unified taxation per mu will cause a lot of tragedies!" ”

Champion Lang Wei Zaode immediately stood in line with Chen Xinjia and said: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that the imperial court needs to implement iron-fisted means to implement the three salaries, and no matter how hard the tax is, there is still hope for Zhongxing Daming, but if there is no tax, the rogue in various places cannot be completely eradicated, and it will eventually be a big disaster." ”

Chen Xinjia nodded again and again, and secretly said that this surname Wei is good, not only is he good at reading, but he is also very discerning, and he is a talent!

Chongzhen thought for a while, and finally made up his mind, he sighed and said: "I will send an edict to levy three salaries, temporarily tired of my people for a year, hoping that after the bandits are wiped out, the world will return to peace, and the people will live and work in peace and contentment." ”

Feng Ying felt a chill in her heart, although it was tentatively scheduled for one year, she was afraid that it would become customized in the future.

The emperor only looked at the superficial tax rate, and only collected a few cents of silver per mu of land, and the tax rate was only more than 10% at most, and the people should be able to bear it.

Corrupt officials at all levels will never let go of this great opportunity to take a ride and loot, and secretly add millions of people, but I am afraid that there are more private factions than positive endowments, several times or even dozens of times.

Feng Ying has been in charge of the Criminal Department for many years, and has read many case files of corrupt officials, and after some local officials have made money, they can't bear to accept it under the pretext that the common people have a heavy burden, and they don't pay the money to the court, and enjoy it themselves.

He also read a recent case file, some officials in Shandong actually privately paid taxes as much as six times!

The levy of three salaries was originally to maintain internal and external order and stability, but such a practice of killing chickens and taking eggs is undoubtedly forcing the people to take risks.

Feng Ying hurriedly stood up and said: "Your Majesty, the annual regular tax in the country is only four or five million taels, and the additional secondary tax is as high as more than ten million taels, and the most important thing is that most of the fields registered in the household department are feudal kings, nobles, gentry officials, scholars and literati, and many of them do not pay taxes or evade taxes!" If this is apportioned, the final burden will only be passed on to ordinary people! ”

As soon as these words came out, the ministers were in an uproar, and Feng Ying's courage was too great, he even dared to say such a big truth, didn't he want to mix?

The crown prince abolished the tax privileges of all classes in the Jiangnan provinces, but the northern provinces remained as usual, and many people avoided talking about this matter, but Feng Ying said it in public!

Emperor Chongzhen was also furious, his eyes staring at Feng Ying were full of murderous intent, but he didn't say a word for a while, people told this kind of big truth, and they really didn't know what reason to kill him for a while.

Seeing the emperor's hesitation, Chen Xinjia said: "Your Majesty, if you don't fight at this time, in a few years, Li Thief will be too powerful to contain, even if you want to, you won't be able to levy it!" ”

Chen Xinjia's words were like a thunderbolt, shocking Chongzhen, and he suddenly thought that if there was a slight defeat in the Nine Sides and the Central Plains, a total of 180,000 troops, it would be a catastrophe.

Chongzhen was very decisive, and immediately said: "Spread the decree, immediately levy three salaries, regardless of the wealthy people, the three religions and nine streams, who dares to resist taxes, there is no forgiveness!" ”

Seeing that the big event had been decided, Chen Xinjia and others sang praises: "Your Majesty Shengming! ”

Although the emperor said so, but when it really came to the bottom, the local officials dared to collect taxes from the vassal kings and gentry? Are you afraid you don't want to walk on your legs anymore?

In the end, Feng Ying completely let go, knelt on the ground and shouted: "Your Majesty, you must not, the imperial court will suppress thieves and raise taxes at the same time, which will only make the people unable to survive, and finally be coerced away by thieves, the result will only be more and more thieves, and I am in danger!" ”

Chongzhen was suddenly angry and shouted: "You are in danger of being in danger, what is your intention?" Someone, put him on death row! ”

Being dragged away by two brocade guards, Feng Ying was not afraid, and still shouted: "It's to drive the people to think that they are thieves, and how can they be thieves!" Why doesn't Your Majesty know this! ”

Chongzhen coldly watched him being dragged away, and he was also curious in his heart, there were so many acres of land in the register, and the burden of the people was not heavy, why did they always resist or even rebel?

He didn't have time to think so much, he snorted coldly and said: "This matter is so decided, the cabinet will draw up a charter in a while, and implement it as soon as possible!" ”

Chen Xinjia breathed a sigh of relief, if he could get money, Yang Ge Lao's war in Henan would be stable, and when Yang Ge Lao exterminated the Liukou and created an immortal achievement, after the class teacher returned to the court, it should be proper for him to enter the cabinet!

As for whether there will be large-scale disaster victims joining the rogues, Chen Xinjia didn't take it seriously, or pretended to be confused.

After the court meeting, when Chongzhen just returned to the Qianqing Palace, he only heard the eunuch of Cining Palace crying and came to report: Concubine Zhao's old lady Niang Niang passed away......

In February of the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, the concubine of the Wanli Emperor, who spent sixty-four years in the palace, passed away, died at the age of 86 and was buried in Yinqian Mountain, and was called "Xuanyi Kangzhao Concubine".