Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 440 That Guy, Doflamingo, His Majesty the God Emperor
Fang Xuanling's old steward wisely stepped aside, just out of hearing the three of them talking.

As the old prime minister's close aide, he knew all too well the secrets to prolonging life, which was—

Don't listen to things you shouldn't hear.

Anyway, after reading the letter handed to him by the young Master Fang, the seemingly dying young Master Fang suddenly perked up and no longer needed his help.

It's not just him.

The other colleagues also stood far away, maintaining a safe distance, chatting idly with each other.

Pretend you didn't see those three big shots having a great time there.

Meanwhile, Changsun Wuji was excitedly holding the Emperor's handwritten letter, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

He held it as if it were a newborn baby, afraid that he would tear it with the slightest tremor. He carefully held it while reading it word by word by the light of the roadside lamp.

The lights were dim, but his gaze was piercing, shining brightly.

"Taking luxury goods as the tax base, levying a luxury tax... The rich don't know, the poor can't afford them... They still think that because they're luxury goods, they should be sold at high prices... A hefty 'intelligence tax'... A win-win-win situation, a world where no one is harmed is achieved..."

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

The letter was short, but it contained many "Ming-style quotes" that were somewhat ahead of their time, leaving the reader only half-understanding them.

But Changsun Wuji still read it word by word to the end, and then read it over and over again from the beginning.

"Insightful indeed! Truly insightful!"

He finally closed the paper, as if he had just finished watching a thrilling polo match, and couldn't help but share his thoughts with his companions.

Fang Xuanling remained calm, merely nodding slightly.
"Taxing prices instead of taxes has a subtle and pervasive effect."

"Those who actually bear the tax burden are willing to pay. A luxury tax is indeed a good way to break the deadlock."

Unlike Changsun Wuji, as the emperor's tutor, he was already used to Li Ming's outrageous actions, so he wasn't as shocked.

However, his mental state was clearly much better than before.

His Majesty's personal calligraphy is as miraculous as a magic elixir.

Fang Yize had completely lost his composure and was grinning foolishly.

"That was paid voluntarily by them, not something the imperial court forced them to pay!"

“Yes, it was voluntary.” Changsun Wuji couldn’t help but laugh.

Money can't be eaten or taxed, so it has to go somewhere.

If the rich don't acquire gold, silver, jewelry, and antiques, how will the public know that they are skilled at making money and that their wealth is inexhaustible?
Collecting money at this stage can be done discreetly, minimizing the negative economic and social effects of taxation.

This also cleverly utilizes the limitations of human nature.

Unless the money is taken directly by the luxury goods merchant, the victims are usually unaware of being taken advantage of.

Even if you know the ins and outs, you don't really feel like your hard-earned money has been taken away by the court.

We're luring you into a trap! This is money you donated voluntarily!

His Majesty the Divine Emperor has a complete grasp on human nature; he is truly wicked.

Your humble servant is pleased!

"Now that His Majesty has set the policy, we, as his subjects, should do our utmost to implement it as quickly as possible."

Just a quarter of an hour ago, Changsun Jianguo was practicing Tai Chi, but now he's throwing punches with great enthusiasm.

They wish they could come up with a plan that day, discuss it at the meeting the next day, conduct a pilot program the day after, and roll it out nationwide within ten days!

Fang Xuanling was already prepared to work overtime late into the night.

"That's right. I'll draft a proposal right away, and you, Grand Regent Changsun, will review it for me. The national treasury urgently needs replenishment, and the disaster victims still need relief."

"The people of the South are still eating grass, and the people of the Central Plains are still drinking the northwest wind. Time waits for no one."

The two elders were full of fighting spirit, but Fang Yi had already scratched his head, thinking about practical issues:

"Luxury tax, in the end, is still a tax."

"How should this tax be collected? Should it be raised and funded locally, or should it be managed and arranged by the imperial court?"

The two old men spoke almost in unison:

"It's definitely there!"

Ultimately, this money is intended to alleviate the urgent needs of the disaster-stricken areas in the south.

Once the money is transported to the capital through various transport commissioners, it will be distributed level by level.

The old victims of the disaster have all been reincarnated and are now old enough to run errands.

Fang Yi then asked:

"Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. Once the tax system is established, it is not easy to change it within five to ten years, otherwise it will cause great difficulties for the annual fiscal budget and final accounts."

"But if, as you two suggest, this tax is left in the localities as a local tax for a long time, not only will the distribution be uneven across regions, but if the prefectures have too much money, they will become disobedient to the imperial court. How should we deal with that?"

Why does this kid keep asking questions that seem easy to solve at first glance, but are actually very difficult to do in practice? Changsun Wuji scratched his head.

The power struggle between the imperial court and local authorities has existed in every era, and the Ming Dynasty was no exception.

The common dilemma faced by every central bank manager is the fear that their child will starve if they don't have enough money, and the fear that they will squander too much money.

Fang Xuanling, ever the wise man, offered a compromise:
"You're still too rigid in your approach to things."

"The luxury tax is of course collected and distributed by the imperial court, but now we can make special arrangements and establish a governor's office under the direct management of the imperial court in Huainan Province first."

"The luxury tax collected from various prefectures and counties was directly transferred to the Huainan Governor's Office under the guise of a special disaster relief project, instead of going into the prefectural treasury. Instead, it was included in the budget by your Ministry of Civil Affairs."

"Once the disaster is over, the Governor's Office will be abolished, and this money can rightfully go into the national treasury."

The other two discussed it and agreed that the idea was feasible.

“But I have another question,” Changsun Wuji said.

The three money-making giants worked overtime by the carriage outside the yamen, enthusiastically discussing a "grand plan" that might save the Ming Dynasty's finances.

…………

The next day.

Liu Ji yawned and strolled into work.

I saw Fang Yize from a great distance.

Enemy road is narrow.

"cut!"

Liu Ji resigned himself to his bad luck, pretended not to see it, and lowered his head, intending to take a detour.

However, Fang Yize also saw him and quickly came to greet him.

What exactly does that kid mean? I've already put away the belt buckle, why is he still targeting me? Is he deliberately trying to cause trouble? ... Liu Ji repeatedly checked that his clothes were "proper," and mentally he was vehemently criticizing himself.

Now that things have come to this, we can no longer pretend we didn't see it.

He forced a smile, as if nothing had happened yesterday, and casually bowed to Fang Yize:

“Ji Xiang”.

But Fang Yi remained relentless and walked straight up to Liu Ji.

Liu Ji tensed up, bracing himself for a verbal battle, his tone somewhat angry.

"Minister Ji, may I ask what brings you here?"

Fang Yi's face was as white as paper, with prominent dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that he had been engaged in another all-night battle.

Fang Yize in this mental state is the most aggressive.

"Where is your jade belt buckle?" Fang Yize asked bluntly.

Overwhelmed by this imposing presence, Liu Ji subconsciously pointed to his belly.

"I...I'm using a regular buckle today."

"I asked, where is the jade belt buckle you wore yesterday?" Fang Yize repeated, his tone even more forceful.

Liu Ji started sweating profusely.

He personally witnessed the Prime Minister and the two prime ministers working overtime all night at the entrance of the government office last night.

He was already showing signs of being irritable, and having stayed up all night, it was hard to say what his mental state was like. "Um, I already threw away that button, no, I donated it...no!" Liu Ji stammered, slowly calming down.
"What business is it of yours what I own? Why should I report to you about my things!"

"You're not Di Renjie or Lai Junchen..." he added in his mind.

Fang Yize stared wide-eyed at Liu Ji.

"Donated?"

Those bloodshot eyes made Liu Ji feel very uneasy. He swallowed nervously and mumbled a weak groan.
"Hmm."

Fang Yize glared at him, sighed, and a genuine regret appeared on his stiff face:
"What a pity, that jade belt buckle was quite nice."

what?
Liu Ji was stunned, wondering what Fang Yize was up to.

"You consumers of luxury goods are the benefactors of the national treasury."

Fang Yize's deadpan face was now filled with deep affection as he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Liu Ji.

"Please keep it up."

What?!

Yesterday they called me a heinous criminal who danced on the graves of disaster victims, how come I'm a savior today?

Liu Ji was completely baffled, staring dumbfounded at Fang Yize's departing figure.

"Lord Liu, what's wrong?" His colleague Tang Jian tugged at the petrified Liu Lang.

Liu Ji hadn't recovered yet, and murmured:
"Will working too much overtime turn you into someone like him?"

That's terrible! Your Majesty was right after all; we must pay attention to balancing work and rest...

…………

The trend of making money swept through the entire Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Everyone managing the national treasury is almost as driven crazy by the tight budget as their budget minister, Fang Yize.

Upon hearing about a new way to make money, everyone displayed an incredibly high level of work efficiency.

This new tax, called the "Luxury Goods Tax," was rapidly rolled out across the country.

However, this celebration within the fiscal system did not cause much of a stir within the bureaucratic system.

Outside the system, at the societal level, it didn't even cause a ripple.

After all, the category of "luxury tax" is too niche.

For the vast majority of ordinary people, it's completely imperceptible.

Furthermore, the "vulnerable population" is not price-sensitive.

Amidst societal indifference, beneath the surface of daily life.

Hayek and Keynes took turns manipulating the flow of funds.

Social resources are being quietly redistributed.

The imperial court itself is also making various fine-tuning adjustments to facilitate this resource allocation at a faster pace.

…………

Rest day.

No rest.

The Ministry of Personnel is working overtime today, along with other departments.

The disaster victims are still crying for food, and His Majesty has personally come to the disaster area to guide the work. How can you sleep soundly?
However, the work atmosphere on overtime days is not as tense as on weekdays.

Officials can still go home on time even at the legally mandated end of the workday.

This avoids the tragic outcome of working overtime during rest days, essentially resulting in "double overtime."

Clatter, clatter... Liu Ji, the Chamberlain of the Secretariat, dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse, left the government office.

Liu Shizhong was in a bad mood, so he spurred his horse and took the lead, using the galloping to relieve his displeasure, while the servants of his mansion followed closely behind.
With insufficient budget, everything he did was hampered, making him extremely frustrated at work.

Even spending my own salary doesn't make me happy.

There was a powerful finance official in the government office keeping an eye on things, and he would expose any extravagance.

A scolding is within the realm of human comprehension, but what's with the contradictory statements the next day, encouraging him to continue his extravagant lifestyle?

Finance, finance... it seems to clash with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Revenue...

"Now that I'm out of the government office, I can't possibly continue to be controlled by that little brat!"

Adults have their own lives.

Instead of heading straight back home, Liu Ji made a turn and led his servants to the western city of Tangzhou.

Although the new Ming Dynasty implemented elegant policies, it abolished the neighborhood system and the corresponding urban zoning.

However, the market forces are still exerting their influence, and wealthy areas and working-class areas have been formed.

Dongcheng is close to the harbor, and ordinary laborers such as porters, sailors, and fishermen live here.

In contrast, Xicheng became a gathering place for "long-gown people" who did not engage in physical labor.

Liu Ji's destination was a belt shop in Xicheng.

People in the Tang Dynasty liked to wear belts around their waists, which were called "diexie belts".

Originally, it was a practical accessory used to hang small items such as hair ornaments, sachets, and seals.

But those who know, know.

The craftsmanship of these items became increasingly refined, and the materials became increasingly luxurious, gradually transforming them into symbols of the owner's status.

The jade belt buckle that caused the controversy belongs to this category.

"With my salary, this buckle wasn't particularly expensive. What's wrong with that guy? Isn't he overstepping his bounds?"

"Even His Majesty doesn't meddle in everything he does."

He muttered to himself as he turned the corner and arrived at the shop.

It was a clothing store specializing in gold, silver, and jade belt buckles and other "high-end" accessories; it was also a typical luxury goods store.

As a store that mainly sells niche luxury goods, it is rare to describe it as "bustling with customers".

But today, there seem to be an unusually large number of customers in the store.

Surrounded by servants, Liu Shizhong pushed his way past the other customers at the shop entrance.

The shopkeeper immediately greeted them warmly.

"Your Majesty! I was wondering why a rainbow pierced the sun today. It turns out that Your Majesty has graced our shop with your presence!"

"I've been longing for your return day and night, and I've specially found some rare items for you. Please take a look!"

A series of practiced auspicious words made people feel comfortable.

Liu Ji's frustration immediately dissipated by more than half.

Although everyone knows that business is business, and businessmen speak in order to make money.

However, this emotional value is worth a reward.

"Hmm, I'll just take a look."

Liu Ji adopted an official demeanor, his face serious and stern.

Then, the shopkeeper presented it with both hands—

A buckle that's similar to the one before.

"This is a jadeite clasp depicting a dragon, phoenix, crane, and mist, crafted from jade that has been submerged for hundreds of millions of years in the mountains of southwest China. Its tinkling sound makes its value immeasurable..."

As Liu Ji listened to the shopkeeper's eloquent boasting, only one question remained in his mind—

Isn't this just an ordinary high-grade jade pendant?
"How much?" Liu Ji interrupted the other person's chanting.

The shopkeeper immediately pretended to be sneaky, looking around furtively, and then mysteriously held up five fingers in front of all the customers.

Liu Ji's eyelids twitched.

(End of this chapter)