Zheng Lang's selfishness, just look at Zhao Zhenxing spreading his wings and walking in front excitedly. ,!

Satisfy Zhao Zhen a little -- let him listen to his own ears -- listen to the approval of the people, and by the way, let Zhao Zhen look -- look -- some difficult households, not be arrogant. 520xs.

Besides, this is the capital, not a wild area, and there are more than 100 guards guarding both sides, how can something happen? Unless Zhao Zhen is fine, he comes out for a walk every day.

But tomorrow, when Yanchen is impeached, look at the people lying on both sides, you will know that it is indispensable, walking down the street, and a good one will emerge -- an emperor, clear the road in front, and bow down in the back, and the crime of worrying about the people will not be able to hide if you want to.

After walking to the east, it is Shili Street, also known as Tushizi, and from Shili Street to the south, it is the most lively place in Tokyo's night market, and it is even more prosperous to the north, which is the most lively place in the capital, Mahang Street. These two locations are day and night, day and night pedestrians, Zheng Lang did not dare to take Zhao Zhen anywhere, the front - the belt, the back can let Yan Chen trample himself to death, although this will be more satisfying Zhao Zhen's curiosity.

Further east, is the Cross Street. There are many wine shops in this section, and they are still very lively. But Zhao Zhen heard and saw - Xiaoban, where are all the people kneeling, what can they see? After crossing the cross street, the commercial atmosphere gradually decreased, and it was mostly a residential area.

Don't take it forward, Zheng Lang took Zhao Zhen into the residential area, his house was to the west, and occasionally he came to walk with his family, and he was very familiar. Advanced--In areas where people are concentrated, Zhao Zhen was directly brought to several households.

Let Zhao Zhen talk to these people, over the years, there has been no major civil strife, although there are many disadvantages in the country, in general, the people's lives have become better, what can these people say, some people are too scared to speak, and some people are bold, nothing more than to thank the emperor for the government and the party.

Walking out, Zhao Zhen was a little complacent.

Not only was he satisfied, but he was also very happy to be a guest at the homes of ordinary people for the first time, even though he had only sat for a while.

Then go forward, not far from the foot of the inner city wall, and then go to the temple of General Shan, that is, the cemetery of Shan Xiongxin. Han Qi and the others changed color a little, and said, "You can't go any further." ”

"Why?" Zhao Zhen asked.

"Ahead is a mixed land."

Zheng Lang said on the side: "It is not a mixed place, but a place for real ordinary people. ”

"Han Qing don't have to stop ......," Zhao Zhen listened to the interest, striding forward, and the next few bigwigs complained about Zheng Lang again.

Finally saw the place where ordinary people lived, and there were slums. After walking a few households, the smile on Zhao Zhen's face gradually disappeared, and it was just when he was having dinner that Zhao Zhen actually saw that some people could only eat some millet porridge and wild vegetable cakes, and the clothes on many people were also patched one after another, just like a hundred clothes. I still thank the imperial court, but this thank you is not very comfortable in Zhao Zhen's ears. Turning his head, he asked, "How much of the capital is occupied by people like this?" ”

Zheng Lang replied lightly: "―More than half." ”

"―Half," Zhao Zhen lost his mind slightly.

"Your Majesty, if it weren't for Your Majesty, their living conditions would be even worse."

Zhao Zhen was silent and did not answer, he had just come from a house, and in order to provide for the elderly and children in the family, the man was selling coolies on the wharf, and his daughter-in-law went out to stand on the street to make pheasants, so that the family could barely survive. Seeing this situation, Zhao Zhen laughed.

―Pedestrians walking back in displeasure.

Chen Xu and a few other ministers had heard the news, and hurriedly ran over, and when they met, they scolded Zheng Lang: "Do you want to harm Your Majesty?" ”

I almost wanted to pounce and punch and kick Zheng Lang.

"Chen Qing, don't say more, I also want to thank Zheng Qing for letting me see a capital city that really spreads its wings, not a capital that sings and dances before the Lantern Festival."

After Zhao Zhen finished speaking, he grimaced and walked back.

A few Yanchen didn't know what was going on, so they had to follow behind.

Coming to Zheng's house again, Zhao Zhen said: "Zheng Qing, what should I do?" ”

"Your Majesty, the minister has a way, and now the annual state revenue has reached more than 100 million yuan, but this is the income of the state, and all the income of the people has not been levied."

Chen Xu rolled his eyes, isn't this nonsense, -- the people who came up from the expedition drank the northwest wind.

"The ministers estimated in their hearts that about fifteenths of the people's income was less than one-twentieth of the people's income, and more than twenty-tenths of the people's income."

Zhao Zhen was dazed, and looked at Fu Bi and Han Qi Pang Ji, and the three of them were also a little dazed, and Fu Bi said uncertainly: "It's about the same." ”

"By multiplying this, the total annual income of the people of our dynasty is about two billion yuan. -- More than 10 million households, including hidden households, and the number of barbarian households in various localities, no matter what is counted, will not exceed 15 million households, and if this wealth is distributed equally, the annual income of each household will be -- 130 yuan, which is enough to keep all the people fed and clothed. ”

"Xingzhi, do you want to learn from Wang Xiaobo and Li Shun, these two traitors?" Han Qi said angrily.

"Xingzhi, you're not kidding, are you?" Fubi's eyes were also wide-eyed.

Theoretically, Zheng Lang's statement was more correct, and later someone counted the annual average of the people in the Song Dynasty. It was $2,500, or nearly six people, or $15,000, a slight overestimate. Then, under the impetus of Zheng Lang over the years, if the total income of all the rich and poor families was divided equally, there would be no difference between the 130 yuan. It's just that the richer the richer, and some people's annual income will exceed one million yuan, and the poorer they are, the poorer they are, and their income will only be twenty or thirty yuan.

Zheng Lang smiled and said: "It's not appropriate to say this, if it is really rich and poor, and those who do things benefit the same as those who don't, who will do things?" ”

"Exactly," Pang Ji also breathed a sigh of relief. If it really comes -- everyone is rich and poor, the country will immediately be in chaos.

Zheng Lang pinched his nose and said, "In fact, the real fairness is to work more and get more, and work less to get less." Is that okay? ”

The truth is this, but there is no personal voice.

Zhao Zhen looked at Zheng Lang suspiciously, and Zheng Lang continued: "But I don't understand, then all rich households are hardworking, and all poor households are lazy?" ”

This circle is very big, and everyone still doesn't quite understand what Zheng Lang is going to say.

Zheng Lang looked at Zhao Zhen again and said, "Your Majesty, don't blame yourself. His Majesty was not in charge of the government at the time of the Heavenly Sage, it was the Empress Dowager Zhang Xian who was in charge, and the country was also considered to be peaceful, and there were several prime ministers who faintly had the wind of ancient sages to help. However, at that time, His Majesty was going to watch the residential areas of the people in the capital, and compared with now, His Majesty would be able to feel gratified. Although there are all kinds of fly in the ointment, there is not much time in history that can be compared with the current dynasty, either the literary scene or the time of the opening of the Yuan Dynasty. ”

Pang Ji also comforted: "Your Majesty, the minister's family was also very poor when he was young, and if there was no court, there would be no minister in any previous dynasty." ”

Han Qi and the others echoed one after another, especially Han Qi, who glared at Zheng Langgen and lowered his eyes, look at what you have done.

When the dishes came up, Zheng Lang instructed Cui Xian just now, his house is not far from Fan Lou, the ingredients taken from Fan Lou, and the chefs invited can be said to be all delicacies from the mountains and seas. Xiao Su also came over, looking at these dishes, he was a little dazzled, even if the emperor came, he couldn't be so extravagant and wasteful. But there was no room for them to speak here, and so many bigwigs and the emperor sat down obediently at the bottom after giving the salute, and they didn't say a word. It's not bad, but if you were someone else, you probably wouldn't be able to sit here.

Zhao Zhen was also suspicious and said, "Zheng Qing, what is this for?" ”

Such a sumptuous banquet is more extravagant than a state banquet, but Zheng Lang is definitely not a mechan, the medicine sold in the gourd?

"Your Majesty, it's not much, if you eat such a meal in Fan Tower, you will have to pay at least a few thousand yuan, and if you change it to the palace, I'm afraid it will be close to thousands of yuan, but if you do it in the minister's house, it will only cost about two hundred yuan."

It doesn't seem to be much, but after seeing so many poor people just now, Zhao Zhen sighed and said, "That can also feed several families." ”

"Your Majesty is wrong, if Your Majesty wants the people to live well, it is not this--200 yuan, in recent years, Your Majesty's handling of government affairs has gradually been worse than at the beginning, after the defeat of the Liuta River, the treasury has checked the accounts, and the country has gradually lost its surplus, there are the mistakes of the ministers, and there are also the mistakes of Your Majesty's neglect of government. This alone is the waste of tens of millions of dollars of the state, what is this meal? ”

Big and small Su and a few ministers -- opened their eyes wide, could this also be regarded as a kind of admonition?

Zhao Zhen was dumbfounded.

After the death of Zhang Guifei, Zhao Zhen was hit hard, and Zheng Lang didn't want to say more, even the current Zhao Zhen could not be regarded as a bad emperor. He also said: "Your Majesty, why is it that a meal is made in the courtier's house, and it only costs two more money, and the cost is low. Placing it in the palace is cumbersome, and the cost becomes high. When placed in Fan Lou, all kinds of tableware are made of silver or ivory, because there are many additional costs, so the cost is higher. ”

"Zhongye, Zheng Qing, do you want to talk about the law?"

The habit of eating silently in ancient times is still preserved, and the dishes are still on the ground one after another, but the chopsticks are not moved, so Zhao Zhen simply asked. Eat after you talk about it.

"When the minister went to Taiping Prefecture, he often communicated with Sima Guang and Wang Anshi, and when he talked about some shortcomings of the state, the minister said two points at that time, -- it was to reduce expenditure, and change it was to increase the source. Wang Anshi came up with some ways to increase the source, but Sima Guang retorted, saying that this was not to increase the source, but to seize some of the benefits and transfer them to another part of the people or the country, which would cause a lot of trouble. Neither of them was wrong, but they were also biased. Of course, including the minister's time, he was not very old and his ideas were not comprehensive. This bias is to treat the interests of the state as an inexpandable whole, so that one group benefits and others suffer. But isn't that the case? Just like these dishes, the cost of the minister's house is only 200 yuan, the cost of the palace is thousands of yuan, and the cost of the fan building is several thousand yuan. ”

Only then did I understand that Zheng Lang deliberately prepared this Fenghua dinner, and the meal led to the topic.

"Yes, in fact, this whole can be expanded."

"Your Majesty, for example, if every household has ploughing cattle, good seeds, sufficient fertilizer, and good tools, then the harvest will be higher, and this is true for farmers all over the country, even if the cultivated area does not increase, the total grain output will increase. Another example is commerce, where the state policy is appropriate, the merchants are profitable, the workshops increase, and the income of craftsmen increases. The income of farmers and craftsmen has increased, and they can buy more products for daily use. Or occasionally go to the teahouse and wine shop to consume, which in turn feeds more people. This is a virtuous circle process and a process of expanding the country's economy. When the country's economy grows, it will be able to raise taxes for the military, strengthen the frontier, and protect the people and the country from the enemy. It can be used for water, education, supporting officials, raising the poor and widows, disaster relief, tax exemption, or other livelihoods, and feeding back to the people. As the people get richer and the country gets stronger and stronger, our dynasty will last for thousands of years. ”

"Yes," Zhao Zhen pondered.

It can't be that simple.

"When I left the Chongzheng Hall just now, I had a few arguments with Fu Xianggong, Pang Xianggong, Han Xianggong, and Ouyang Xiu, and said two things, -- the main household and Tian Yintian, and the other was tax evasion and tax evasion. Theoretically, Pang Alcohol said that my dynasty is getting better and stronger, and then we can defeat the Tangut people at any time in the future.

But is it getting better and stronger? With the increase in the phenomenon of Kaneda and hidden fields and the serious tax evasion and evasion, can the country become better and better? The minister first said the peasants. The proportion of the two taxes in the national revenue is getting smaller and smaller, can you dare to exempt all the two taxes? No. Even if the Western Xia were to be wiped out, there would still be Uighurs in the west, Tubo in the southwest, Jiaozhi in the south, and Khitan in the north. Military spending will still not be less. Officials are also indispensable. All kinds of people's livelihood continue to be implemented. Can the two taxes be exempted? ”

Zhao Zhen shook his head with a wry smile.

This is also the bulk of the country's revenue, and it can only be reduced as much as possible, and it is unlikely that it will be completely exempted. Moreover, the cost of reduction or exemption is even higher, and Qiongzhou salt is a special case, and it is impossible for the state to exempt -- tens of millions of yuan in taxes, and it needs to pay -- 100 million yuan, but that is also -- a very good example, for example, the head money and the additional consumption, the actual state will not gain more than 500 million yuan in these two items, and it will be exempted from it, and at least it will have to be reduced by 10 million yuan. Can't figure it out, but it's the truth!

"Your Majesty, not only is it inevitable, but there are two major expenditures of the state at the moment, namely, the Yellow River, the future Western Xia, and ...... Six looked at the north, don't say it, the sixteen states of Youyun! The cost of starting a war with the Khitan is even greater, and he added: "There is almost no way to reduce the two taxes in these years. However, the phenomenon of Kaneda and hidden fields is becoming more and more serious. Often, some large households occupy hundreds of acres or thousands of acres of land, and only pay taxes of a few acres or dozens of acres. However, the two taxes cannot be less, and what can be done can only be apportioned to those poor peasants. For these poor peasants, the fourth-class households can barely get enough food and clothing, and the fifth-class households can only have half food and clothing. There was no money to spare, and the officials changed their methods to increase their taxes, and it was difficult to even eat and drink, and if they had no money to buy cattle, they had to rent if they didn't have to, and if they couldn't afford to rent, they had to use manpower to pull them. Do you have money to buy good seeds, or buy good tools? Without them, food production is even lower. Will there be a virtuous cycle? Moreover, it is also necessary to prevent natural and man-made disasters, as well as marriages, old age, sickness and mourning. What about farmers? ”

The harm is not only that, but Zheng Lang exaggerated it a little, because in the past few years, it is impossible for every household to maintain food and clothing, but the phenomenon of starving to death is almost invisible.

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