Sign In a Lu Bu Fengxian at the Beginning

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Zhou Chen frowned as he looked at the measurements and statistics of land in various places submitted by Xun Yu.

The landowners of the aristocratic families have annexed so much land and have the right not to pay additional taxes. This has also led to the tax revenue of Da Zhou declining year by year.

Of course, Dazhou's taxation is not only land, but also other aspects of taxation.

However, land occupies the bulk.

The only way to solve the land tax problem is to abolish the right of aristocratic landowners not to pay taxes.

If Zhou Chen abolishes the tax-free privileges of aristocratic landowners and collects taxes per acre, he will pay as much tax as he has land...

In this way, no matter how much land the aristocratic landowners annex, they cannot evade taxes and can only pay taxes in accordance with the regulations of the court.

In this way, the court's tax revenue will be restored.

Zhou Chen put down the memorial in his hand and looked at Xun Yu; "Wen Ruo, you are the one who measures and counts the land in various places. You should have the deepest understanding of this."

"What good solution do you have for the land tax issue?"

Zhou Chen looked at Xun Yu and asked.

"Your Majesty, land annexation is serious nowadays. Common people own less than 20% of the land, but aristocratic families occupy 80%, and they also have the right not to pay taxes."

"So, if we want to solve the land tax problem, we can only first abolish the tax-free privilege of landowners from aristocratic families who do not pay taxes."

Xun Yu's words made Zhou Chen's eyes flicker inexplicably.

This coincides with Zhou Chen's thoughts.

However, as an emperor, Zhou Chen could not easily abolish rules passed down from his ancestors.

But Xun Yu happened to express what Zhou Chen was thinking.

Zhou Chen pondered for a moment and did not express his thoughts. Instead, he looked at Cao Zhengchun who was standing beside him; "Cao Zhengchun, please immediately tell Xiao He, Fang Xuanling and other ministers to enter the palace."

Such land annexation and taxation matters were major matters for the court.

Before, Zhou Chen had asked Xiao He and others to discuss the issue of land taxation first.

Now that Xun Yu is back, Zhou Chen should also summon Xiao He and several other important officials in the court to discuss it together.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Cao Zhengchun bowed, immediately turned around and walked out of the Yangxin Palace, and sent someone to tell Xiao He, Fang Xuanling and others that they had entered the palace.

After Cao Zhengchun left, Zhou Chen asked Xun Yu about other things in the place.

You know, Xun Yu's order to measure the land of the world this time was not just as simple as going to various places to measure and count the land.

Xun Yu was also the temporary eye of Emperor Zhou Chen. He looked at the situation of the people in various places on behalf of Emperor Zhou Chen.

Xun Yu described some situations in various places, and Zhou Chen listened carefully.

Zhou Chen now has no time to go to the people to understand the people's sentiments, so he can only understand the people's sufferings and sufferings through this method.

…

Half an hour later.

Xiao He, Fang Xuanling and other important officials in the court all entered the palace.

"I have met His Majesty."

After entering the Yangxin Hall, Xiao He and the others bowed respectfully to Zhou Chen who was sitting on the dragon throne.

"Everyone is free of charge!"

Zhou Chen waved his hand, looked up at Xiao He and the others and said, "Because of the year-by-year decline in tax revenue in the Great Zhou Dynasty, I asked Xun Yu to take the Ministry of Households to measure and make statistics of the land in the world."

"Now, Hubu has fulfilled my will."

"This is Xun Shangshu's measurement and statistics of the land in various places. You all should take a look!"

Zhou Chen expressionlessly handed the memorial on the dragon case to Cao Zhengchun who was standing next to him.

Cao Zhengchun held this thick memorial that recorded the situation of the world's land and sent it to Xiao He and others.

Xiao He and Fang Xuanling took turns looking at the land situation in various places in the memorial.

After everyone read it, they couldn't help but raise their eyebrows.

Especially the three ministers, the Minister of Punishment, the Minister of War, and the Eight Sages Wang Zhou Xian, felt like their eyelids were twitching.

They all knew that the land annexation in Dazhou was serious, but they did not expect it to be so serious.

Landlords from aristocratic families actually occupy 80% of the land in the Great Zhou Dynasty. This figure is somewhat shocking!

Zhou Chen saw Xiao He and others taking turns to read Xun Yu's memorial, and said, "You have also seen the situation of the land in various places in the world."

"I didn't expect that the degree of land annexation in Dazhou would be so serious."

"Eighty percent of the land is in the hands of aristocratic landlords, and less than 20% is in the hands of ordinary people."

"No wonder my taxes are declining every year."

Zhou Chen glanced at the six ministers, Xiao He and the others; "I summoned you to the palace to discuss this matter."

"Eighty percent of the land is in the hands of aristocratic landlords, and they also enjoy the right not to pay taxes."

"If this continues, Dazhou's tax revenue may one day not be able to collect even half of the tax revenue."

"How do you think this matter should be resolved?"

Speaking of this, Zhou Chen looked at Xiao He.

"Xiao Xiang, I asked you to discuss land-related issues with Fang Xuanling and others before. Did you come up with the result of your discussion?"

Xiao He heard this, raised his hands and said, "Your Majesty, land annexation is serious and tax revenue is declining year by year. The reason is that the landowners of aristocratic families have the right not to pay additional taxes."

"I, Minister Fang, and several other ministers believe that if we want to solve the land tax problem, the first thing we need to do is to abolish the tax-free right of landlords from aristocratic families."

Xiao He's words caused the expressions of the Eight Sages King Zhou Xian, the Minister of War and the Minister of Punishment to change involuntarily.

Abolish the tax exemption rights of aristocratic landowners.

This is no small matter.

You must know that the privileges enjoyed by landlords from aristocratic families are regulations handed down from the Great Zhou Dynasty.

If you want to abolish it, you are breaking the rules of the Great Zhou Dynasty for thousands of years.

This one is not good, but it will cause great turmoil.

Zhou Chen's eyes flickered.

Unexpectedly, Xiao He and the others went together with Xun Yu, and they all thought of abolishing the privileges of wealthy families.

"That's right, Your Majesty."

"Abolition of the tax-free rights of wealthy families will not only restore tax revenue, but also inhibit land annexation."

"The reason why wealthy families annex land unscrupulously is because they think they don't need to pay taxes if they have too much land."

"As long as Your Majesty abolishes the tax-free rights of wealthy families, the land owned by wealthy families will also have to pay taxes in the future."

“Furthermore, the more land there is, the more taxes will be doubled.”

"In this way, if a wealthy family wants to continue to annex land, they have to think about how much tax they will pay."

Fang Xuanling also stood up and said.

Fang Xuanling's words made the Eight Sages King Zhou Xian, the Minister of War and the Minister of Punishment take a breath of air.

If Xiao He's words were to weaken the power of the wealthy family, then Fang Xuanling's words were to undermine the foundation of the wealthy family.

Not only do wealthy families have to pay taxes, but they also have to double the amount of land they own?

Isn't this an attempt to dig into the family's strong foundation?

You know, the wealthy family now occupies 80% of the land in the Great Zhou Dynasty. If this is according to Fang Xuanling's wishes, the tax will double as the amount of land grows.

Some landowners from aristocratic families may be able to wipe out their entire wealth.

"Your Majesty, it's more than that."

"Your Majesty should also decree that those landlords from aristocratic families who seize and annex people's land by force should be dealt with separately according to the seriousness of the crime."

"If the crime is small, let them double the taxes on the land they have occupied and return the occupied land to the people."

"Those who are guilty of serious crimes will have their homes confiscated and their families exterminated to serve as a warning to others."

Du Ruhui and Liu Ye also stood up and said.

This problem of land taxation is a stubborn problem.

Strong medicine is needed to cure it.

This requires both killing and caressing.

It takes hardness and softness at the same time.

Zhou Chen nodded silently in his heart. Xiao He, Fang Xuanling and the others almost expressed 70% to 80% of what Zhou Chen was temporarily thinking.

As an emperor with two generations of memories, even if Zhou Chen is not proficient in state affairs, he has insights and ideas about land taxation that go beyond historical limitations.

"Your Majesty, you must not do this."

After hearing what Xiao He, Fang Xuanling and others said, Li Yuan, Minister of War, stood up immediately.

"Your Majesty, land annexation is serious. There is no problem in checking the land."

"But it is absolutely impossible to abolish the tax-exempt rights of aristocratic landowners."

"Since the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, Taizu has issued such a decree. Landlords from aristocratic families enjoy the right to tax exemption."

"Furthermore, the right of aristocratic landowners to be exempted from taxes has been passed down to this day and has become a regulation."

"If Your Majesty rashly abolishes the tax-free rights of landlords from aristocratic families, he will be opposed by landlords from aristocratic families all over the world."

The Minister of War said anxiously.

He didn't want to see Da Zhou lose everything in one fell swoop after finally reaching the situation he was in today.

Abolition of the tax-free rights of aristocratic landlords will not only deal with one or a few wealthy aristocratic families, but also all the wealthy aristocratic landlords in the world.

The Minister of War admitted that today's Great Zhou Dynasty is no longer the same as before.

Even in the face of the four great clans, the Zhou court was not afraid.

But the combined strength of the world's aristocratic families, landlords and wealthy families is not something that the four families can match.

Once all the wealthy landlords and wealthy families in the world unite, it is possible to overthrow the entire Zhou Dynasty.

"Yes! Your Majesty."

"Abolition of the tax exemption rights of aristocratic landowners is a violation of the etiquette regulations that have been established for many years in the Zhou Dynasty. It is absolutely impossible."

"In the matter of land annexation, the court can order an investigation of the landowners of the aristocratic families."

“But we cannot break the rules and abolish the tax exemption rights of family landlords.”

The Minister of Punishment also stood up and objected.

The Minister of Punishment himself was from an aristocratic family, but he was also conscientious towards Zhou Dynasty.

In the view of the Minister of Justice, it is not feasible for the aristocratic landowners or the current court to abolish the tax exemption rights of the aristocratic landowners.

Therefore, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice followed closely the Minister of the Ministry of War and opposed the abolition of the tax exemption rights of the landlords of aristocratic families.

"Your Majesty, I also object."

The Eight Sages King Zhou Xian stood up and said, "Your Majesty, the tax exemption rights of this wealthy family have always been my rule."

"If Your Majesty rashly abolishes it, you will be breaking the rules I have established for many years."

"This rule was set by Taizu. Once it is broken, it will have a huge impact on my royal family."

"Your Majesty, please think again."

The Eight Sages King Zhou Xian didn't say much, he believed Zhou Chen understood what he meant.

This regulation has existed since the founding of the Zhou Dynasty.

It was also set by Emperor Taizu of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

As a descendant, if the prescribed etiquette and laws set by Taizu were rashly abolished, the impact on the royal family would be considerable.

Zhou Chen heard the objections from the Minister of War and the three others, but his expression remained unchanged.

Zhou Chen knew that not everyone would agree to abolish the tax exemption rights of aristocratic landowners.

However, what surprised Zhou Chen was that the Eight Sages King Zhou Xian also opposed this matter.

Zhou Chen looked at the three of them, Minister of War, and said calmly, "I just want to ask you, if abolishing the tax-free rights of landlords from aristocratic families would bring more benefits than disadvantages to Great Zhou, or would the disadvantages outweigh the benefits?"

The Minister of War, the Minister of Punishment, and the Eight Sages Wang Zhou Xian looked at each other, not knowing how to answer.

It is clear.

Abolition of the tax exemption rights of aristocratic landowners would do more good than harm to the Zhou Dynasty.

"It seems that you all have the answer in your mind, so I don't need to say more."

Zhou Chen glanced at the Minister of War and the three of them and said.

"I don't care about any rules, nor do I care about ancestral etiquette, nor do I care about the objections of landlords from aristocratic families."

"As long as it is beneficial to Dazhou, I will do it."

"Previously, Shangshu Xun also proposed to me the abolition of the tax exemption rights of landlords of aristocratic families."

"I think the proposal to abolish the tax exemption rights of aristocratic landlords is a good one."

Zhou Chen's words had already sealed the result.

No amount of opposition is of any use.

Because the emperor's will is the court's will, and opposition is useless.

After hearing Zhou Chen's words, Xiao He and Fang Xuanling glanced at Xun Yu.

They did not expect that before them, Xun Yu had already suggested to Zhou Chen the idea of ​​abolishing the rights of landlords of aristocratic families.

After hearing Zhou Chen's words, the three of them, the Minister of War, Zhou Xian, the Eight Sages, and the Minister of Punishment, wanted to say something, but in the end they held it back.

Although the three of them still opposed this matter in their hearts, they knew that once Zhou Chen made the decision, it would be meaningless for them to object.

"However, this abolishes the tax exemption rights of aristocratic landowners, and it cannot be cut off with a single blow."

"Those who have done meritorious service to the Great Zhou Dynasty and have not robbed or occupied other people's fields can be given some preferential treatment."

"In addition, there are other taxes, such as salt tax and tariffs, which must also be resolved."

Having said this, Zhou Chen picked up a memorial on the dragon case and handed it to Cao Zhengchun, who was standing next to him. "These are some of my thoughts on land and taxation. You can all take a look."

"You are all talented people. I don't have the talent like you, but you can refer to some of my ideas."

These are some of Zhou Chen's thoughts on land and tax issues written in advance, combined with the memories of two generations.

Zhou Chen knew that these ideas could not be completely applied to today's Da Zhou.

Therefore, Zhou Chen asked Xiao He and Fang Xuanling to refer to it.

Xiao He and Fang Xuanling are all outstanding people. Zhou Chen believes that with the talents of Xiao He and Fang Xuanling and after referring to some of his ideas, they will be able to come up with a strategy suitable for today's Zhou Dynasty.

Cao Zhengchun took the memorial handed over by Zhou Chen and sent it to Xiao He and the others.

Xiao He and Fang Xuanling also curiously opened the memorial and read it.

They wanted to see what Emperor Zhou Chen thought about land and taxation.

When Xiao He, Fang Xuanling and others saw the thoughts written by Zhou Chen in the memorial, they all frowned.

Zhou Chen's thoughts on land and taxation can be said to be very novel and fascinating.

The most important thing is that there are some ideas that even Xiao He and Fang Xuanling find incredible.

For example, abolish tariffs, encourage business, and increase business taxes.

There is also land tax per mu and reform of land tax.

This is beyond the imagination of Xiao He and Fang Xuanling.

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