General Constitution of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 212 Tax System
"You all came out of the village with my man, are you so cruel?"

"Give birth to his mother, we have to live, so you can go."

"Then how do we live?"

"This, this is also his greed for petty gains."

"A catty of rice costs eight cents, and there are so many people in the family to support, and you also have a family. Do you think he is greedy for petty gain and does not lose his conscience?"

Before the woman finished speaking, Hu Er, Hu Shan's entourage, came over and urged, "Are you here to reminisce about the past?"

"The two elders, Yan and Xu, are my master's mentors. Eight of the six ministers in the two capitals are my grandfather's old friends. Among the three close ministers in the East Palace, Zhang and Ning are the same year as my master will take the exam."

"Which funeral do you fall in love with?"

Hu Er said so, but he didn't dare to look at the widows of the three families. He just looked at the laborers behind him and said, "Do you still want the eight taels of silver? Do you want to do it?! "

The laborers who were ordered to drive away the three families looked at each other.

Without further ado, the three corpses and the widow were blasted out, and the mournful howling echoed in Liujiagang, but even if the three families exhausted their strength, the crying could not cover the busy wharf .

Go until you come to the corner.

Those few people started to grope around, each took twenty or thirty copper coins, and placed them in front of the three widows one after another.

The laborers on the wharf have no way out, making a living is always the top priority.

It's just that after the laborers left, the three women found that there was an extra note in the handful of copper coins. After returning home, after people inquired, they found out that the note was to remind them to go to the Yamen. To file a complaint, you must ask for a document from the county magistrate.

"We brothers can't do much, that's all we can do. Don't come to this ancestral hall. These masters can't possibly care about you. Go and sue."

"Where can we sue?"

"Go to the county government, go to Fucheng, go to Yingtian, go to the palace, there will always be someone who can cure them."

"But the dignitaries they mentioned..."

"This is the way we are all our lives, don't the kids have to live?"

The widows of the three households left Liujiagang one after another, looking for a way to survive with the pleadings they had painstakingly obtained.

Even so, no one cared about such a thing. After all, such things have long been common after the new law.

"This case is not under the jurisdiction of this county."

"Women don't know etiquette. Isn't this Liuyang Town under the jurisdiction of our Chongming County?"

"But this case happened in Liujiagang. Liujiagang has a city bureau, guarding eunuchs, and in the future there will be a supervisor's office. This county can't say anything about it. You'd better go home."

Hearing this, the eyes of the three women dimmed immediately.

"I also ask my old parents to issue an official letter, allowing me to go up to the state capital and find a way out."

The county magistrate's face darkened when he heard the words, and then he said: "But according to the government's regulations, if you want to take this official letter, you have to eat twenty sticks."

"Your Majesty the county, there are always this..." The officer hadn't finished his sentence before he was stared back by the county magistrate.

The three women looked at each other, and one of them leaned forward and said, "There are three of us, I will accept the twenty sticks from the Chongming County Government."

After retreating, the county magistrate saw Hu Shan who was drinking tea in the back office.

"Hu Xueluo, did you hear that?"

"I heard."

"Then you are still reluctant to part with such a little money?"

Hu Shan took a deep breath, and said in a low voice: "This is not about money, it's Laosun County Honor."

After all, Hu Shan got up straight away, leaving only a small ingot of gold on the table.

Twenty sticks later, the three women left the county government with a bloody official letter, supporting each other.

Not long after walking out of the county office.

But it was a young man dressed as a scholar walking towards him.

"Our newspaper is seeking manuscripts, and I can help you."

The already numb woman raised her head in a daze, and sat in the tea shed accompanied by the scholar, and told in detail what she had encountered in Liujiagang.

In the early morning of the next day, various tabloids that have sprung up like mushrooms after the new law rushed to report on the matter.

The degree of popularity has risen beyond the ordinary.

Every dock, weaving field, and kiln worker who has free time will go to the singing and newspaper office to inquire.

Various tabloids rushed to report, and finally the three widows had enough energy to continue suing.

In a certain sense, this is the first time in history that so many people have paid attention to such a case.

Hu Shan's wrongdoing, government officials' evasion at all levels, and almost every accident happened in the place where these laborers feel most empathetic.

Chongming County is not accepted, Taicang Prefecture is not accepted, and Suzhou Prefecture is not accepted. These local officials in Jiangnan seem to have negotiated.

Even when they saw these three people face to face, it was a slap in the face.

Until someone reminded them that a Haixian priest came to Xishan's hometown to make decisions for the people.

Liujiagang, Huiguo Wengong Ancestral Hall.

Hu Er took a brand new tabloid and ran into the ancestral hall.

"Master, this matter has become a big one. If it continues like this, even the emperor will know about it."

"I know, the newspaper has my shares."

Hu Er, who originally wanted to persuade Hu Shan for the three women, immediately shut up.

"Yes, do you have our shares?"

Hu Shan snorted coldly, and then said leisurely: "If you don't let them use all their energy, won't my troubles be in vain, sir?"

"Let them sue." Hu Shan stood up holding a purple sand teapot and said proudly: "Master, I'm afraid they won't sue!"

"Go down and pack your things."

"Master, what are you doing packing up?"

"Go to Yingtian and order some more cloth."

Hu Er couldn't help showing embarrassment: "Master, there's such a fierce commotion outside, isn't it because we went to Jinling that we were thrown into the net?"

"What a panic? Master, didn't I tell you clearly earlier? The elders Yan and Xu are my benefactors, and eight of the sixteen ministers in the two capitals are my father's old friends! Go clean it up!"

Hearing what Hu Shan said, Hu Er went to clean up.
-
Jinling Street.

The bored Ning Jue casually walks into a newspaper shop.

It's just that as soon as Fang entered the door, a clerk from the Metropolitan Procuratorate walked over to meet him.

"Hey! Isn't this Ning Qianxian? Why are you free to sit today?"

The clerk suddenly yelled, which really startled Ning Jue. Ning Jue pulled a stool out of his ears and sat down.

"The minister of Fengxian must go deep into the people."

Ning Jue sat down with him, but unexpectedly the newspaper office in front of him had become completely silent.

Everyone in the newspaper hall stared at Ning Jue with wide eyes.

Ning Jue touched his face subconsciously, looked at the clerk cautiously and asked, "Is there nothing on my face?"

The clerk could only smile and said: "No, listen, there is still something to do in the department, so I will resign from the humble position first."

"Hey, then tell your story, don't worry about me, I'm just here to listen to the newspaper."

Everyone in the newspaper hall looked at each other, and immediately two people got up and said: "Well, buddy, I suddenly remembered that there is still something to do in the weaving field, we have to go back first, can the tea money be refunded?"

"Oh, my daughter-in-law asked me to accompany him to cut clothes, everyone, listen, I have eaten all the tea, so there is no need to return it."

"..."

Everyone in the newspaper hall got up one after another.

That guy also ran up to Ning Jue cheekily.

"Qian Xian, it's unfortunate that you came, our newspaper has already finished singing today."

Ning Jue frowned.

"Nonsense, I used to sing until the first moment of Xu hour every day, and I didn't come here for a few days. Didn't I stop singing before the sun went down?"

"If you don't sing, I will sit here too! Sing!"

Hearing what Ning Jue said, many people in the newspaper office sighed and got up to leave.

The guy looked distressed and then ran up to the stage and whispered something in Mr. Singer's ear.

Mr. Duna Changbao clapped his Japanese fan, and said loudly: "Everyone, I have another piece of news!"

"The leader of Qingliu in the early years, Mr. Xu Shaohu and Xu Ge, has a fortune of billions!"

As soon as the words fell, everyone in the newspaper hall sat down.

"Mr. Wu, please elaborate."

The singer could only shake his head and sighed: "Someone is willing to risk his life to go to Songjiang to find out about Mr. Xu Ge's family business. This is the first-hand news that he just got."

"Shocking, shocking!"

"The [-] mu of paddy fields have all been planted with cotton."

"Xu's family has another weaving farm, and there are 6 or [-] weavers alone! The largest cloth merchant in the south of the Yangtze River is Mr. Xu!"

There was a lot of scolding in the newspaper hall.

"..."

"For so many years, so many people have spoken for Xu Xianggong, who would have thought that this Xu Xianggong is also a raccoon!"

The Mr. Singer slapped the Japanese fan again with a "snap".

"That's right! Who would have thought that it was a chicken of the same feather?! But I, Wu, just don't believe that these people can cover up the sky of my Ming Dynasty!"

Hearing this, even Ning Jue couldn't help standing up and applauding.

"it is good!"

As soon as these words came out, Ya Que fell silent again in the singing newspaper hall, and everyone looked at Ning Jue who was singing in harmony.

"It's a good scolding of a raccoon in a feather. I've discovered it a long time ago. Isn't that just a bird of a feather... What do you think of me?"

The guy hurried forward.

"Qian Xian, you have misunderstood. This is a village woman's gossip. This is your tea money. You should come back another day."

"It doesn't matter if you scold me, you should tell me what's going on!"

"Qian Xian, the younger one is just a helper, so don't embarrass the younger one."

Just when the guy was arguing with Ning Jue, the clerk of the Metropolitan Procuratorate who recognized Ning Jue first ran back quickly.

"Qian Xian, something happened in the department, you should go back first."

Hearing this, the guy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Qian Xian, you are busy."

Ning Jue turned around and said, "I won't leave, I haven't figured out what's going on here yet."

"Didn't you order it? As long as the Haixian Zun of Xishan is impeached, the humble officials will report to you."

Hearing the name "Hai Rui", Ning Jue came back to his senses.

"Haixian Honor has been impeached?"

"Ah."

"Have you copied it?"

"Prince Xingyuan has already sent the manuscript, it's in the Ministry."

Ning Jue turned his head and glanced at the newspaper-singer on the stage, and the newspaper-singer also turned his head away, and Ning Jue finally followed the clerk out of the newspaper-singing office.

Seeing Ning Jue leave, the newspaper hall immediately resumed its previous enthusiasm.

Ning Jue didn't come to his senses until he returned to the Metropolitan Procuratorate and saw Hai Rui's memorial on the desk.

"Hai Rui impeached me?!"

"Who is this surnamed Hu? Zhang Juzheng, and the officials from the Sixth Department of Nanjing, just let this surnamed Hu use the tiger's skin as a banner?"

The clerk looked at Ning Jue with a look of "I understand".

"Qian Xian, how could this be a big banner made of a tiger's skin? We all know that Mr. Hu is in Jinling. If there is a fake, he would have escaped to sea long ago."

Only then did Ning Jue react.

"No one cares, right?"

"Get out of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, everyone who is out of breath, take the guy, and follow me to Hu's house to get someone!"

"Are you really going?" The clerk said in amazement: "Qian Xian, these three women have sued all the way from Chongming to Suzhou Mansion, none of them dared to take this case, even if you are not, at least half of the remaining ones are true. "

"Better be real!"

The few subordinate officials in the Metropolitan Procuratorate immediately gathered together.

Ning Jue's expression darkened.

"Just how many of you?"

"Qian Xian, don't worry, we'll find someone right away."

All the yamen in Nanjing are idle yamen, and the hall officials do not come. At most, these subordinate officials will come here when they have something to do.

Ning Jue suddenly summoned people, even if he was the head of the team, he couldn't get so many people. Fortunately, the Metropolitan Procuratorate is not far from the other six departments, so he had to borrow people from other yamen.

Originally, the subordinate officials of the other yamen didn't want to take care of them, but they heard that it was the Hu family who had caused a lot of trouble in the city to clean up.

Everyone scrambled to get together.

Although they are subordinate officials, these people haven't seen many big scenes on weekdays, which is a rare thing for them.

A group of people walked out of the gate of the Metropolitan Procuratorate in a mighty manner, and soon, people along the road gathered together, and all the tea drinkers in the newspaper shop ran away.

Singing newspapers is nothing more than one person standing on the stage and saying, there is no benefit to seeing it with one's own eyes.

Not long after, a typical Hui style small courtyard appeared in front of Ning Jue, with white gray and blue tiles and horse head walls, and many bluestone decorations directly placed on the street gate. This courtyard is located in the bustling place of Jinling. So many people gathered here at once, so much so that the official road was blocked.

The clerk who followed Ning Jue just now also ran towards Hu's house with sharp eyes and quick hands, and knocked on the door knocker twice.

The porter poked his head out, only to find that the door was already full of petty officials and melon-eating commoners, and immediately closed the door vigilantly.

"Who are you?"

"Is Master Hu at home?"

Before the scribe finished speaking, Ning Jue flew up and kicked the scribe's ass.

"Is your fucking New Year's greetings?"

"If you don't open the door, just open it!"

"Here!"

With Ning Jue's words, the more than 50 subordinate officials behind him immediately rushed forward and rushed into Hu's house.

Anyway, Ning Qianxian is responsible for the collapse of the sky. It is not common for this kind of thing to personally ravage the powerful.

"Where's the surname Hu?"

The concierge replied tremblingly, "Yes, we are having tea in the front hall."

Ning Jue threw aside the gatehouse, and a group of subordinate officials rushed into Hu's house, and immediately blocked Hu Shan who was having tea in the front hall.

"Who is this……?"

"You are Hu Shan?"

"It's Xiao Ke, are you here for the Liujiagang case? I..."

Ning Jue took a deep breath, and then asked, "Did those people drown to get you something?"

"Yes, but..."

"I don't listen, but after that person died, didn't you just throw him out without paying the money?"

"Listen to me."

"You just have to answer, yes or no."

"Yes, but..."

"That's all right!"

Before Hu Shan could finish speaking, Ning Jue grabbed Hu Shan and dragged him out.

"No, sir, listen to me."

"According to the system, first stick sixty, then fight in the street!"

Until he was dragged outside the house, Hu Shan was still holding his own teacup cover in his hand.

"Just hit it!"

"You've already admitted it, so what if you don't beat me up? How many sticks did the women of the three households eat to sue you? Which dynasty's rule is that you still have to eat court sticks when you go to the Yamen to sue?"

"How many sticks they ate, I will give you a lot of sticks for them today."

Hu Shan was completely dumbfounded.

"No, sir, I have more to say but I haven't finished!"

"Based on the previous points, let's finish the fight first!"

There was a dead silence outside Hu's house, only Hu Shan's screams kept coming and going.

When the rod was over, Ning Jue squatted down, stared at Hu Shan who was lying on the ground, and said, "Now you can report to your family friends, your relatives and friends."

Hu Shan said with a mournful face: "Sir, you listened to me!"

"Those are all made up by me, I don't know anyone!"

Ning Jue roared angrily.

"Stubborn, aren't you?! You still want to protect them when things come to an end, don't you?"

"No one backs you up with the surname Hu. The three of them have nowhere to ask for help, and the troubles have reached the point they are today?!"

"Go on!"

Hu Shan quickly waved his hand and said, "Stop beating! If you beat me again, I'll die!"

"beat!"

"I'll pay! I'll pay them money, right? One hundred taels of silver per life, a total of 100 taels, enough for their family to live on for more than ten years, sir, is it finally over? Stop fighting."

Ning Jue's expression eased a little.

"Where's the silver?"

"Go in and get it! Go in and get it!" Hu Shan desperately winked at Hu Er who was beside him.

Hu Er hurried into the mansion, and took out a wooden box.

"Master, six 50 taels, you order."

"Give it to me, give it to them."

Hu Erxuan even handed over the money to the yamen servant beside him.

"it is good!"

In an instant, there was a burst of cheers from the crowd eating melons.

Hu Shan just used these three families as pawns, but he never expected to meet Ning Jue.

"Sir, you are setting up a private court!"

Before Hu Shan could speak, there was a sound of horseshoes behind him.

After watching the bustling Wucheng soldiers and horses finally gathered together to disperse the people.

"They're all gone! This case is over, why are you all here?! Nandu Road, don't block it, let's go soon!"

Only then did Ning Jue look at the people in front of him and clasped his hands, "Don't worry, everyone, Ning will definitely hand over the 300 taels of silver to those three families."

"If they don't get it, then see you in the newspaper."

Hearing what Ning Jue said, the people who had eaten the melons immediately left one after another.

Only then did Ning Jue look at Hu Shan, who was paralyzed on the ground, and said, "Yes, it is to set up a private court. Go find your old friends and old friends to intervene with me. The lyncher, Ning Jue, is the capital of Nanjing Metropolitan Procuratorate. Censor, don’t mistake the wrong person.”

Hu Shan cried with snot and tears, "Ning Qianxian, what are you talking about!"

"Why don't you understand, those are really made up by me!"

"Shouldn't you be stubborn?" Ning Jue stepped forward and snatched a water and fire ruthless stick.

"They didn't want to protect me! It's a big deal, and Hu has no choice but to let the three of them throw stones to ask for directions!"

Ning Jue's hand holding the water fire ruthless staff immediately froze in place.

"What do you mean?"

"Qian Xian clearly checked, Liujiagang was the place where the Sanbao eunuch's seven voyages to the West were anchored. It is already the largest pier that can be found in the south of the Yangtze River. Even Liujiagang is silted up to this point. Is there any pier in the south of the Yangtze River that can sail normally? "

"This is the first homicide case in Liujiagang, but it's not the first in Jiangnan. Right now, there is no wharf in Jiangnan that can handle traffic normally! There are several disasters like this almost every month."

"One or two hundred taels of silver is really not a big amount for us, who can bear to do this several times a month! What's more, the big heads are not human lives, but those who are lost in vain!"

The river network in the south of the Yangtze River is dense, and merchants use waterways for transportation. This is equivalent to God repairing the expressway, although there is no shortage of water in the south of the Yangtze River.

However, as the number of merchant ships increased and the draft became deeper, various problems also popped up.

Deep-draft ships need deeper river channels, and busier merchant ships also need wider river surfaces. As a hub port for river-sea combined transport, the carrying capacity has exceeded the limit, and more docks need to be expanded.

Because of the early small-scale peasant economy, this kind of thing was usually taken the lead by the gentry, who led the fellow villagers to work and contribute to the work.

These squires are able to free up the land they want to occupy, arrange what needs to be resettled, and make clear arrangements from top to bottom. Merchants don’t have this ability. The more acquaintances there are, the harder it is to do business. It’s good to have one or two friends in the local area. , There is nowhere to spend money.

Ning Jue frowned and said, "If the pier is not enough, let's fix it. There are so many open spaces in the south of the Yangtze River."

Only then did Hu Shan wailed: "Xiu? If you can really do it, why are you here?"

"We've gone all the way and tried our best. It's nothing more than four words. It's a big deal. We just want to build a pier. I really can't figure it out. Why is it a big deal!"

"I, Mr. Hu, made them trip up, but at most I can do some activities in Chongming County. After leaving Chongming, I went to the state capital. How can I have that ability!"

"It's all because of the seriousness of this matter that the prefectures and counties dare not accept it. It really has nothing to do with me!"

Ning Jue's brows gradually frowned: "So, this is your own business, you dare not explain it to the court, so you deliberately don't give pensions to these widows, force them to make trouble, and force them to risk their lives to help the widows. Are you doing business?"

Hu Shan, who was still lying on the ground and howling, also lowered his voice.

"I... didn't I pay them money, and an ordinary human life is 50 taels."

"Take this person, drag him back to the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and find a doctor to keep an eye on him. When the injury is better, he will stick another [-] sticks, until the stick reaches [-] sticks!"

Only then did Hu Shan really panic.

"Hu Er, try to save me quickly!"

Hu Shan raised his head, only to see Hu Er crying with snot and tears and said: "Master, don't worry, I will find someone to rescue you tonight."

He just said so, but until Hu Shan was dragged away, Hu Er had no intention of going out.
-
After Ning Jue returned to the Metropolitan Procuratorate, he consulted several official letters from various ports in the south of the Yangtze River and the situation of the waterways, and then hurried into the palace.

It's just that when Ning Jue put the stack of memorials in front of him on Zhu Zaiyu's desk, Zhu Zaiyu stopped where he was.

"Master Ning can't approve this memorial, at least it's not yet time for approval."

"Why?" Ning Jue asked suspiciously.

Zhu Zaixun's answer was also very simple and rude.

"Because the imperial court confiscated this money. To repair this pier, it needs to be repaired, maintained and expanded every year in the future. Not only is it as simple as transferring money, but it can be used wherever it is taken. The imperial court can't let farmers all over the world give it Merchants are repairing wharves, and to repair so many wharfs, the first reason is to reform the tax system.”

"Then leather!"

Zhang Juzheng, who was standing by the side, then said: "Brother Ning, in ancient times, all business tax income was collected in the internal treasury. With the reform of the tax system, the business tax must be complicated, so it must be transferred to the household department as in the previous Song Dynasty. Or, like the Han and Tang Dynasties, the foreign dynasties will collect and collect it, and then release it to the internal treasury."

"If it is transferred to the household department, it will be transferred to the internal treasury..." Before Ning Jue could finish speaking, he realized how serious this matter was.

No matter how the tax system was reformed in the Ming Dynasty, it was essentially separating the emperor from the court.

The reason why no county magistrate dared to accept this award was because accepting this award would definitely bring out the problem of cramped piers in the south of the Yangtze River. Whoever accepts this award will be the one who tries to separate the emperor from the imperial court.

(End of this chapter)