prosperous age

A saying that circulated widely in the market afterward was, "No agriculture, no stability; no industry, no wealth; no commerce, no life."

Although it is recognized as a proverb, it was not passed down from the ancients; it was actually said by someone during the reform and opening-up period.

This proverb emphasizes that agriculture is the foundation of a stable society through "no agriculture, no stability," highlights the key role of industry in wealth accumulation through "no industry, no wealth," and clarifies the function of commercial circulation in activating the economic cycle through "no commerce, no vitality."

Originating in rural reform practices in Jiangsu in 1978, it was formally interpreted by Vice Premier Wan Li of the State Council in 1984, becoming an important theoretical basis for guiding economic policies in the early stages of reform and opening up.

The New York Times described it as a "strategic slogan put forward by the CPC Central Committee," reflecting the dialectical logic that agriculture, industry, and commerce are indispensable.

In September 1978, the Huanghai Farm of Jiangsu State Farms first proposed this idea when exploring the path of rural reform. Later, it was refined by grassroots cadres in southern Jiangsu into the popular expression "agriculture is a bowl of rice, sideline businesses are a table of dishes, and industry and commerce are also part of the sideline business".

In 1984, then Vice Premier Wan Li of the State Council explicitly quoted and explained its meaning during his research visit to Yantai, pointing out that the development of township enterprises should be combined with the agricultural base, and promoted the proverb to the level of national policy guidelines.

At that time, there was no concept of industry, so Wei Guangde did not mention industry. Instead, he paused to present his own ideas, which were actually consistent with the reform and opening-up policy of later generations.

Wei Guangde's words were undoubtedly a reminder to Zhang Siwei of how they had made their fortune.

To be honest, later generations always say that the so-called budding capitalism appeared in the Song and Ming dynasties, but based on Wei Guangde's observations during this period, it's all nonsense.

During this period, industry and commerce were not separated in the Ming Dynasty. After becoming wealthy, merchants did not think about expanding their capital, but rather, like gentry families, they cultivated a scholarly atmosphere in their families, became cultured, and then bought land and property.

Therefore, without external stimulus, it is almost impossible to transform into capitalism on its own.

Ultimately, the influence of traditional Chinese culture is too strong. Everyone thinks that "if you are good at business, you can become an official." Even when merchants began to interfere in the court at the end of the Ming Dynasty, it was mostly to protect their own interests.

After all, for thousands of years, merchants have been at the mercy of officials, powerless to fight back.

Cultivating scholars to protect their own interests is merely a matter of instinctive self-preservation for businessmen.

Zhang Siwei was naturally a sensible man, and moreover, Wei Guangde had been promoting the development of industry and commerce in the Ming Dynasty for many years. Zhang Siwei was not blind or ignorant, so he was well aware of this.

"Grand Secretary Wei, if this matter is truly settled like this, do you know the consequences?"

Zhang Siwei still reminded him.

"At least the people no longer have to worry about the heavy taxes and levies, and can live a peaceful life farming, right?"

Wei Guangde spoke calmly.

At that moment, all four cabinet ministers simultaneously recalled that scene.

The common people work at sunrise and rest at sunset. As long as they don't commit crimes, the government has almost no involvement with them.

Yes, all taxes and corvée labor were handled by the gentry and powerful families who directly dealt with the government, and they were the ones who paid the taxes.

Of course, farmers who still own land, namely self-cultivating farmers, have to pay their own taxes.

However, the Single Whip Law fixed the land tax, so they naturally knew how much summer tax and autumn grain they should pay and how much land they owned, and they had to pay it themselves.

In previous years, why were self-cultivating farmers willing to give up their land, or even actively sell it to gentry and wealthy families? It was because they were worried about being taxed by the government and having to bear the hidden taxes.

They sold the "land bottom" to gentry and wealthy families, letting them deal with the government, while they only needed the "land surface" rights. Although they paid some land rent, they were not at risk of their families being ruined by taxes and levies.

If the new law is implemented and the land tax is fixed, the risk will naturally be smaller, and it will be more difficult for gentry and powerful families to continue to annex land.

Wei Guangde had no intention of breaking the existing pattern of separation between ownership and usage rights. In fact, this was for the best. Although he was misunderstood by later generations, it didn't matter, as long as agricultural stability could be maintained.

Back then, tenant farmers only needed to manage their land as if it were their own land, and they didn't have to worry about anything else; self-sufficient farmers were also protected.

With agriculture preserved and the country enjoying stability, it can then focus on developing industry and commerce, thus achieving the goal of national prosperity and strength.

"These are all taxes that should be paid. Is it wrong for the imperial court to collect taxes?"

Wei Guangde suddenly said something.

Zhang Siwei was at a loss for words, and Zhang Juzheng and Shen Shixing both nodded slightly.

"By formulating the Single Whip Law, the needs of local governments are also taken into account. In the future, officials will no longer need to levy miscellaneous taxes to support the operation of their offices. Instead, these taxes will be collected through the Single Whip Law, which will also make things easier for those below them."

If there are no other reasons, I think this method is feasible, and the loan officer can write a proposal, which the cabinet can then submit to the cabinet based on the facts.

The Beizhili region has already compiled the information on the official positions of its prefectures and counties to the Ministry of Personnel. Next, I plan to have Shandong, Shanxi, and Henan also report the information on the official positions of their respective prefectures and counties to the Ministry of Personnel.

In the south, the Ministry of Personnel in Nanjing was in charge of conducting a survey of the prefectures and counties in provinces such as Zhejiang and Jiangxi, requiring them to report on their prefectural and county structures.

Zhang Juzheng finally spoke.

Other provinces were a bit more complicated, but in Zhili Province, it was still very easy to draft and issue documents, and the documents were received very quickly.

After all, each prefecture and county has a roster of officials, which contains information on all the registered officials in the government offices. It only takes a few days to copy a list and submit it.

Zhang Siwei racked his brains but couldn't come up with a reason to oppose it. Everyone could see that the "equalization of land tax and poll tax" policy benefited the poor but not the landlords.

The effects, of course, include easing social conflicts, strengthening rule, promoting economic development and a slight improvement in people's lives, and most importantly, it seems to also play a role in curbing land annexation.

Labor service is the root of family ruin. Without it, it would be difficult for gentry and powerful families to force self-cultivating farmers into bankruptcy.

However, Zhang Siwei couldn't say these words aloud, nor could he bring himself to say them here. After hesitating for a few moments, he finally sighed and said, "In that case, I don't object."

Zhang Siwei nodded in agreement, thus the cabinet unanimously approved the proposal of "incorporating corvée labor and poll tax into the land tax." Although the term did not yet exist, Wei Guangde had already made the meaning clear: corvée labor and poll tax would be incorporated into the land tax and no longer be levied separately.

"In that case, let Shandai draft the articles of association, and we will review them and submit them."

During this period, each family also spoke with close relatives and friends to try and gain as much support as possible.

Zhang Juzheng began to speak.

No secrets stay hidden forever; the news will eventually be made public. Rather than letting the court be in an uproar later, it's better to release the news sooner and test the court's reaction.

In Zhang Juzheng's view, among the officials in the court, some of the upright officials would likely support this law.

Not all upright officials would support this, because it would have a significant impact on them. Many of these officials were already working in low-paying government departments, where their salaries were meager and they could hardly support their families.

If their subsidies from their farmland back home are cut off, even if they are proud and aloof, they probably won't settle down so easily.

On the contrary, those in the corrupt faction are more likely to see reality clearly. If they see that the cabinet is united in its stance, they might choose to swallow their pride and accept it for the sake of their careers.

Anyway, the farmland in their hometown has limited output, and their main source of income doesn't come from it.

Regardless, Zhang Juzheng believed that the local reaction would be significant, and that officials in the capital would gradually reduce their tributes.

After all, the apportionment tax and the poll tax were local revenues, similar to the local tax portion of the national and local taxes in later generations. After they were incorporated into the Single Whip Law, although local retention was still maintained, the officials' idle wealth was reduced.

Without this income, the tribute sent to the capital will certainly decrease.

After the court session ended, Zhang Siwei and Shen Shixing took their leave, while Wei Guangde and Zhang Juzheng whispered among themselves in the duty room.

"I think that it would be easier to quell the opposition from below if not only the Single Whip Law and the land tax reform were included, but also the salary reform."

Wei Guangde was the first to suggest, "Both the ranks of meritorious officials and those of honorary titles receive corresponding salaries, and the officials receive three times that amount."

If the imperial court's finances subsequently improve, the commutation fee can be gradually reduced, and vice versa.

Now that the door has been opened, it's natural to appease the people below, and giving them money is the best way to do that.

Although local officials could still have surpluses, this right was gone after the reforms, unlike in the past when they could simply apportion expenses. If they wanted to make money through their official positions, they had to be extremely careful with their spending.

After all, the local government's allowances are limited. If they are all spent, there will be no surplus left, and the money won't go into their own pockets.

In this era, there was no concept of large-scale infrastructure construction. Local officials would never squander the funds they had allocated. Bridge and road construction were all done through donations from the gentry mobilized by the government.

So even though officials can still make money, it's much less, and they can't do whatever they want, so it's no wonder they're dissatisfied.

A threefold increase in salaries would be the way to quell discontent.

This benefit was only available to officials; clerks did not receive it.

"And the royal family, I'm afraid we'll have to make arrangements for them as well."

Zhang Juzheng began to speak.

There's no turning back once the arrow is released. These matters are intertwined; either don't do them at all, or do them all at once and handle them properly.

"Let's do it together. First, let's get the general idea out of the memorial, and then refine the details later."

This way, they can win the support of some people, rather than causing a general uproar and widespread opposition.

"While I'm at it, I'll also submit the memorials requesting the opening of the seas in Tianjin and Guangzhou, hehe."

Wei Guangde laughed.

The matter had already spread throughout official circles, but the memorial to the cabinet had not yet been submitted. They were thinking of submitting it during the New Year so that everyone could have some fun.

Both officials in the capital and local governments could benefit from this, which was a great thing. They would get entangled in reporting it to their superiors. In short, it was a combination of hard and soft tactics, letting them decide whether to accept it or not.

"You mean, first determine the strategy, then work out the details?"

Zhang Juzheng raised an eyebrow and suddenly asked a question.

"If the strategy is opposed, then there are no details, and naturally, the benefits will be lost."

Wei Guangde began to explain.

"hiss"

Zhang Juzheng gasped, "But what if they only eat sweets and nothing else?"

'Then let's follow Uncle's original idea and only incorporate corvée labor and miscellaneous taxes into the Single Whip Law, while keeping everything else unchanged.'

However, let me state this first: the opening of ports in Guangzhou and Tianjin still needs further discussion, and it's unlikely to happen for another three to five years.

With Yuegang and Songjiang Prefecture already established, Wei Guangde was not particularly keen on increasing the scale of port openings.

Ultimately, the addition of the two new ports would only bring him harm, so Wei Guangde was naturally willing to use this as leverage to challenge officials in the capital and local governments.

"Increasing the salaries of those holding minor and honorary ranks will definitely need to be discussed again."

Wei Guangde added.

Well, in Wei Guangde's calculations, these are all interconnected.

Local officials had to pressure the gentry to accept agricultural reforms, such as merging the poll tax with the land tax, before the cabinet would provide benefits for officials.

Originally, this didn't involve the imperial clan. The reason for including the reform of the imperial clan was to avoid trouble. The most important thing is that the stipends that should be paid to the imperial clan in the local levies will be included in the performance evaluation system. In other words, it cannot be delayed any longer, otherwise the performance evaluation will be failed.

For members of the imperial clan, the choice was free: whether to receive the fixed-quota stipend in time or to accept compensation from the court, be allocated land, and establish their own clan. The court didn't care anyway.

The marriage rights of lower-ranking members of the imperial family were also stripped away, leaving them to manage their own affairs, with neither the inner court nor the Ministry of Rites interfering.

"Regarding the issue of the imperial clan, let's discuss it with Shuanglin at Zuixianlou tonight. What do you think?"

Regarding issues concerning the royal family, the cabinet can formulate policies, but it cannot engage with them to understand their feedback.

These matters do have connections within the palace.

They could leak information through people placed in the palace within the various princely residences to gauge the opinions of different branches of the imperial family.

In fact, if we want to get feedback before the end of the year and then discuss and decide on a matter in court, time is already running out.

"I think it's a good idea. Drunken Immortal Restaurant tonight, I'll make the arrangements."

Wei Guangde spoke up.

"Alright, I'll have someone take the invitation to the Directorate of Ceremonial to invite him."

Zhang Juzheng said something and then called someone in. He instructed someone to go to the Directorate of Ceremonial to invite Feng Bao. The two then talked about some things they had discussed earlier.

Since the rules for meeting Feng Bao that evening need to be changed, it's best to inform Feng Bao in advance.

Eunuchs, after all, are sometimes petty and narrow-minded, so it's good to say something early on to show that you take it seriously.

A character like Feng Bao might be difficult to get things done, but it would be too easy for him to gossip in the palace and ruin your plans.

After the court session ended, before getting into his sedan chair, Wei Guangde instructed his attendants to book the best private room at Zuixianju.

With Grand Secretary Wei's name on the table, even if the best private room is booked by someone else, they will have to give it up voluntarily.

After all, who in the capital is more powerful than him?

Wei Guangde didn't have to worry about many things; his subordinates would take care of them.

Whatever he wants, someone will make it and deliver it to him.

From the outside, this appears to be an abuse of power by officials, but in reality, many things are simply a matter of following the rules, and everyone quietly acts in accordance with them.

Even Wei Guangde didn't know if someone had already occupied the private room, nor did he need to know.

That very night, he enjoyed drinks and conversation with Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao in the best private room of Zuixianlou.

At first, he naturally didn't say much, but when the wine was flowing freely, he instructed his men to dismiss those around him and get down to business.

This reform is quite significant. Judging from the external reactions after the land survey, there has been considerable debate among various parties. Feng Bao was naturally aware of this, so he was happy to be one step ahead in understanding the cabinet's plans.

"Taxes will still be levied according to ancestral regulations."

"Miscellaneous taxes, poll tax, and corvée labor were merged into the Single Whip Law, and the poll tax was incorporated into the land tax."

"Salaries will be distributed to those of low-ranking and meritorious officials."

"Standardized rations of rice for members of the imperial family"

The imperial court implemented a performance evaluation system for distributing stipends.

"Lower-ranking clans are encouraged to split into separate branches, and the imperial court will grant them limited land, allowing them to engage in commerce and participate in the imperial examinations."

As he recounted each and every incident, Feng Bao's brow furrowed. (End of Chapter)