Prince of Chaos

Chapter 400 Revolution is not easy to do
Seeing Fang Shoushi come in, wait until Fang Shoushi finishes saluting.

Zhu Changluo said: "Fang Fu Yin sit down."

Then, Zhu Changluo said to Wei Zhongxian: "Prepare a new pair of bowls and chopsticks for Fu Yin."

Fang Shoushi was overwhelmed by flattery, and hurriedly said: "I dare not."

Zhu Changluo said: "It's okay, today I suddenly let Fangfu Yin rush to Tianjin Wei from the capital, Gu is already a little bit sorry. Now it's time for dinner, if I don't prepare a meal for Fangfu Yin, I guess the outside world should be treated harshly I'm down."

Fang Shoushi said: "Your Highness is as gracious as heaven, no one will say that about Your Highness."

Zhu Changluo smiled and said, "I don't care if I say it or not. I called you here today because I actually have an important matter to discuss with you."

Fang Shoushi said: "Please speak, Your Highness."

At this time, Wei Zhongxian had also prepared new bowls and chopsticks.

Zhu Changluo said: "Sit down first, and chat while eating."

Fang Shoushi wasn't shy at the moment either, he sat down on a small table on the right under Zhu Changluo's steps after paying a salute to thank him.

It can be seen that Zhu Changluo used the meal sharing system when eating with his subjects.

But in fact, the meal sharing system was not very popular in the Ming Dynasty.

The main reason for this is the change of food culture.

Before the Song Dynasty, during the rule of the Han Dynasty, the meal sharing system was the mainstream of culture.

However, after the invasion of foreigners such as the Liao, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties, and the poverty and weakness since the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties, the meal-sharing system culture of the Han people was gradually assimilated by the meal-sharing system of these ethnic minorities. .

There are two reasons why they can be assimilated so thoroughly. The first is because the Yuan Dynasty ruled the Central Plains for a hundred years. During these hundred years, the influence brought by the Yuan Dynasty people has always affected the cultural atmosphere of the entire society.

Meals are just one of them.

In fact, what's even more perverted is that because the Yuan Dynasty preferred its own ethnicity for officials, this also led to people who aspired to become officials and make a fortune in the Yuan Dynasty changed their family surnames to Mongolian surnames, thus achieving The purpose of being appointed as an important court official by the Yuan court is to pretend to be a fake.

This also led to the Yuan court's repeated orders to prohibit Han people from changing their surnames. It is conceivable how magical the society was at the time.

Therefore, the meal system was changed, in addition to the strength of the status of the Yuan people, there was also the obedience gene of the Han people.

And that's the second reason, a very shameful one.

However, after hundreds of years, the combined meal system has been applicable, and the reason for this cannot be said to be the difference between the foreign Han people. After all, the world is already under the Ming Dynasty, and Da Ming is the master of the world, so everything in the world is naturally different. It's Daming's.

Therefore, the combined meal system that has become a habit is naturally one of the food culture of Ming Dynasty.It has nothing to do with Yuan Ren.

But in the royal court banquet, the meal sharing system is still the mainstream.

The reason why the royal family insists on the meal sharing system is not because the royal family insists on the Han people's dining customs, but because of safety considerations.

After all, the meal sharing system can greatly guarantee the food safety of the royal family members.

Therefore, the meal sharing system will naturally continue to be used.

Zhu Changluo chewed and ate the meal in front of him slowly, and asked, "What did Fangfu Yin see along the way?"

Fang Shoushi didn't understand why Zhu Changluo asked such a question, but he followed the principle of answering honestly and not being smart.

Fang Shoushi answered Zhu Changluo's question honestly.

"The minister came all the way and saw nothing wrong."

Zhu Changluo said: "The last time Gu asked you to check the number of households in Shuntian Mansion, you reported to Gu that there are nearly one million households in Shuntian Mansion. The total population should be between 350 million and 400 million, right?"

Fang Shoushi said: "Return to Your Highness, yes."

Zhu Changluo said: "Let's take it as 350 million people. One-third of the old and one-third of the young are removed from the 350 million. There should be 1107 million people left. Subtract three points from the 1107 million people. One of them is a commercial worker in the city. There should be 78 people farming. If these 78 people farm and farm honestly, one person should be able to plant ten acres of land. Ten acres of land means that Shuntian Prefecture should There are 780 million mu of land being planted. Based on the estimated yield of 780 catties per mu of land, Shuntian Prefecture should receive 400 million catties of grain a year. The imperial tax is 6000% Ten, this means that Shuntian Mansion should pay the imperial court a tax of 40 catties, which is equivalent to 52 shi of grain. However, how much grain can Shuntian Mansion collect every year?"

Fang Shoushi never dreamed that Zhu Changluo would settle this score with him.

The actual land reclaimed by Shuntian Mansion is definitely more than 780 million mu, the actual number is even bigger than this.

However, most of these lands are concentrated in the hands of the royal relatives and noble families, and they do not pay taxes.

Therefore, Shuntian Mansion has almost no other income except for collecting the commercial taxes and entry fees of the two cities in the capital.

Moreover, the capital has a population of one million, and these people need food and drink from outside the capital.

Take grain as an example, more than [-]% of the food for the people in Beijing is transported from the south by the canal.

So, if I wanted to ask Fang Shoushi where the food went, Fang Shoushi couldn't answer.

What's more, the crown prince in front of him is the biggest landlord in the capital.

His Xishan Huangzhuang almost covered the land of two counties west of the capital, and the population of such a large piece of land had already reached 50. However, Xishan Huangzhuang did not pay a grain of grain.

So, when Zhu Changluo asked Fang Shoushi where the food was.

Fang Shoushi's heart was broken.

I can't answer this question.

However, since it was the Crown Prince who asked the question, Fang Shoushi definitely had to answer it.

Therefore, Fang Shoushi said: "Your Highness, Shuntian Mansion cannot receive land taxes."

Hearing this, Zhu Changluo raised his eyebrows. He looked at Fang Shoushi and said, "Why can't you accept it?"

Fang Shoushi said: "Most of the land in the capital is occupied by honorable families and relatives of the emperor, and some of it is the land in the palace. The people in the capital don't get much return from farming, so they either don't farm anymore. To make a living in all kinds of industries in Beijing, or to dedicate yourself to farming for big households. To cultivate food for big households, they don’t have to pay anything other than a certain amount of rent.”

Zhu Changluo was also silent for a moment after listening to Fang Shoushi's words.Because what Fang Shoushi said was true.

Zhu Changluo said: "Why do you say that you don't get much return from farming? I just saw that the land tax collected by the court is only one-tenth of the annual harvest. But for the big households, the annual rent alone is about [-]%. Why don't they want to farm their own land?"

Fang Shoushi saw Zhu Changluo asking this question, Fang Shoushi hesitated, and then said: "Because of taxes, miscellaneous taxes."

Taxes and miscellaneous taxes, this Zhu Changluo knows, are local taxes set by themselves, and the imperial court is not too binding on it. After all, although local officials nominally obey the instructions of the central government.

However, in actual operation, especially in the era of feudal dynasties that did not pay much attention to the economy, the power of these local officials was actually terrifying.

Therefore, when they cleverly set up a name to collect miscellaneous taxes, the court almost ignored them.

Moreover, for the benefit of their own departments, the six ministries of the imperial court will also use their power to collect taxes across the country, and these taxes are still collected by themselves, bypassing the Ministry of Households.

It can be seen that the miscellaneous tax items of the Ming Dynasty are really rare.

Zhu Changluo said: "I know."

But after a while, Zhu Changluo continued: "Now the rank of your Shuntian Mansion is equal to the six departments of the imperial court, so I have to give you a decree. From now on, all taxes that are not collected by the Ministry of Households will be rejected by the Shuntian Mansion, and If Shuntian Mansion wants to collect any taxes or set up any projects, it has to ask Zhili Governor’s Yamen for instructions. Can you do this?”

He was shocked, because this decree was against the Six Departments of Beijing Central Committee.

But when he saw the firm gaze in Zhu Changluo's eyes, Fang Shoushi mustered up great courage, "I can do it."

Zhu Changluo said: "Very well, as long as you can do it, Gu will not treat you badly."

Fang Shoushi bowed: "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kindness."

Zhu Changluo said: "After I go back, I will ask the cabinet to issue you a decree, and you will take the lead in re-surveying the land details of Shuntian Mansion. Which ones belong to the palace, which ones are nobles from aristocratic families, and which ones are common people. You have to register with Gu. Gu has to touch the bottom of Shuntian Mansion. Otherwise, the most benevolent place under the feet of the emperor is also a mess, and it will make people laugh if it is said."

Listening to Zhu Changluo's words, Fang Shoushi was secretly startled, because what the Crown Prince said to him just now had a taste of a whipping method practiced by the Ming power traitor Zhang Juzheng more than ten years ago.

However, the difference is that His Royal Highness only asked to measure the land, and didn't say anything else.

However, not saying does not mean not doing.

After all, everyone is not stupid, and the continuity of some things is connected together.It's not because if you don't say it, you won't do it.

Therefore, Fang Shoushi was a little frightened.

This is going to be a big deal.

However, after thinking about it, His Highness the Crown Prince will soon be in charge of the country for a year, so it is reasonable to have his own ideas.

I hope that His Highness the Crown Prince will not act too hastily and cause Zhang Juzheng's chaos.

Fang Shoushi said: "The minister must complete His Highness's errand according to the will."

Zhu Changluo said: "Okay, let's go down. You've been exhausted a lot along the way, so take a good rest and inspect the Zhili Navy with me tomorrow."

Fang Shoushi replied: "I obey the order."

Then, Fang Shoushi left Zhu Changluo's place and went to Tianjin Wei's posthouse.

After Fang Shoushi left, Zhu Changluo couldn't help but sigh.

The fact is that reform is too difficult, and it is far less simple than overthrowing and starting over.

However, my current position does not allow me to overthrow and start over.

Therefore, all Zhu Changluo can do is to perform local operations first.

After the capital is completely controlled, there will be a chance to spread it to the whole country, thus changing the corrupt status quo of Daming.

Otherwise, even if he became the most powerful crown prince of Ming Dynasty, or even the emperor.

He still can't open the door to change the life of the old interests.

After all, the reason why these people are like this is because they are freaks born under the imperial power.

If he wanted to get rid of this freak, unless Zhu Changluo didn't want his own life.

Therefore, at this time, you still have to endure, and when you endure until your strength is strong enough, then it will be much easier to wipe out the lives of these old interests with the momentum of the autumn wind sweeping the fallen leaves.

　Chapter 2 arrives! ! ! !

　　
　
(End of this chapter)