Chapter 94: Urgent Report – Jiangxi Planning to Rebel?

Zhu Yunwen looked at Xia Yuanji and inquired, “Minister Xia, in your opinion, how much harm would increasing the business tax cause?”

Xia Yuanji’s gaze was steadfast as he looked at Zhu Yunwen, and he solemnly replied, “Your Majesty, by lifting the ban on merchants and allowing them the freedom to conduct trade, lies great potential for profit. Although the shift from a business tax rate of 1/30 to 1/15 seems like a significant increase, like the single whip method, this is akin to merging multiple taxes into one. Upon careful calculation, the actual increase in business tax revenue would be quite limited. I believe it is feasible.”

If one were to simply view the tax rate on businesses during the Ming Dynasty, it could be argued that it was relatively low compared to other historical periods.

However, upon deeper examination, this perspective might not hold.

Zhu Yuanzhang initially set the business tax rate at 1/30, which was already lower from the 1/20 rate during the Yuan Dynasty.

If you were doing business during the Ming Dynasty and sold goods worth ten taels of silver, the nominal business tax would appear to be just over three hundred wen.

But is it really so?

Perhaps not.

Keep in mind that while conducting business, you often have to travel through various regions. If you want to enter a city, you need to pay a city gate tax. If you’re traveling by water, you might have to pay boat passage tolls or boat fees.

If you get tired and decide to rest at an official inn for a couple of days, that also comes with a tax.

If you want to sell goods in a particular place, you usually need a shopfront. Even if you’re selling something as small as chicken feathers with a small basket, it still occupies space, doesn’t it?

This requires you to pay a market stall tax.

And what if you feel that your goods are too much to display all at once and need to be stored in a warehouse? Well, that’s subject to a storage tax.

And if your goods aren’t selling well, no problem. You can approach a trading firm (牙行) to help facilitate the trade, but guess who’s footing the trading firm tax? You get the idea.

Although the early Ming Dynasty’s business taxes weren’t numerous and the types of taxes weren’t complex, as the Ming Dynasty developed, the volume of business taxes increased. By the time Zhu Yunwen was ruling, multiple layers of taxes had been introduced at some checkpoints to maximize tax collection.

And the revenue from these business taxes wouldn’t necessarily make it into the national treasury.

Xia Yuanji knew very well that the new commercial policy wasn’t just about five words; it involved a series of tax cancellations and regulations. For instance, the new commercial policy directly abolished the city gate tax. This might seem insignificant, but for merchants, this was a huge benefit.

For example, when a guard inspects your goods and decides there’s an issue, denying you entry into the city, you’re at a loss and must comply, paying up and being courteous.

Furthermore, city gate taxes lack consistency; they can be very arbitrary. Today, you might be charged fifty wens, while tomorrow it could be three hundred wens.

Completely abolishing them is a great boon for merchants.

And there are more improvements in the new commercial policy. It not only cancels the city gate tax but also regulates the tolls paid at checkpoints, removing trading firm taxes, and the like. These policies, once enacted, won’t make Suzhou Prefecture a high-tax area. Instead, it will become a haven for low-tax commerce!

At that point, Suzhou prefecture’s commercial prosperity would be inevitable, causing neighboring regions to follow suit. Eventually, the new commercial tax policy of the Ming Dynasty would be fully implemented.

Xie Jin suggested to Zhu Yunwen, “Since Suzhou prefecture has the courage to implement this, give them a chance to try it out and assess the results. Then we can decide whether to expand it to both capital and the thirteen provinces.”

Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly and said, “I have granted Yao Shan’s request. However, it shouldn’t be limited to Suzhou Prefecture alone. Beiping prefecture’s Zhang Bing and others have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. The merchants have been eager as well. It might be wise to implement the new commercial policy simultaneously in the south and north.”

Xie Jin, Huang Zicheng, and Xia Yuanji all answered in unison.

After confirming the new commercial policies for both the south and north regions,  Zhu Yunwen shifted his gaze towards the policy of preventing the land consolidation and inquired, “I’ve heard that the implementation of the consolidation policy has been relatively smooth in Jiangsu and Zhejiang region, but in Jiangxi, there have been obstacles and slow progress. How do you view this?”

“Your Majesty, Jiangxi has many local gentry, and the quantity of land holdings to be consolidated is quite substantial. While the progress is slow, there haven’t been significant disruptions so far.”

Xie Jin replied promptly.

Zhu Yunwen shook his head and said solemnly, “The presence of numerous local gentry is not an excuse to resist the policy. These individuals are exceedingly greedy, with significant financial resources at their disposal. If unrest were to arise, the consequences would be unimaginable. I intends to give them a warning.”

“A warning?”

Xie Jin and the others exchanged glances, somewhat puzzled.

Zhu Yunwen nodded earnestly and continued, “Liu Chen, as the provincial administration commissioner of Jiangxi, has not performed his duties well. He will be demoted to advisor position, and Lu Yi, the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, will replace Liu Chen and oversee the implementation of the land consolidation policy in Jiangxi. What are your thoughts?”

“Your Majesty, Liu Chen has always been loyal and capable. The slow progress of the policy is due to various reasons. However, if his demotion leads to further complications, it might be difficult to maintain stability.”

Huang Zicheng expressed his concerns.

Xie Jin chuckled and addressed Huang Zicheng, “Minister Huang, you worry too much. His Majesty’s decision is advantageous. Firstly, it will serve as a warning to officials at all levels in Jiangxi. If they fail to diligently implement the policy, the next official to be demoted could be them. Secondly, once Jiangxi successfully implements the policy and Lu Yi returns, Liu Chen will still hold his position as the provincial administration commissioner in Jiangxi. This way, no harm is done.”

“Your Majesty?”

Huang Zicheng looked towards Zhu Yunwen.

Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly and smiled, saying, “Exactly so.”

Huang Zicheng agreed, “In that case, I have no objections.”

Zhu Yunwen’s brow furrowed, and he said, “Jiangxi is facing difficulties, and I am well aware of it. Some criticize me, and I am also aware of that. But there’s no other way. For the sake of the prosperity of Great Ming and its people, I cannot afford not to promote the national policy!”

“Is Your Majesty concerned about instability in Jiangxi?”

Xie Jin keenly sensed something and asked in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, both Huang Zicheng and Xia Yuanji looked at Zhu Yunwen with surprise.

If Xie Jin’s speculation was correct, then Zhu Yunwen would undoubtedly take additional measures, rather than simply replacing the administration commissioner.

Zhu Yunwen nodded gravely and said, “The local gentry in Jiangxi may not be willing to part with their interests so easily.”

Xie Jin and the others looked a bit bitter at the corners of their mouths. It was true; while it’s easy for people to want to take money out of someone else’s pocket, no one wants their own pockets to be emptied.

“Your Majesty, Liu Changge from the Bureau of Security seeks an audience.”

Shuangxi quickly reported.

“Oh? Let him in.” Zhu Yunwen said.

Liu Changge swiftly entered and, after saluting, said solemnly, “Your Majesty, an urgent report from the Raozhou branch of the Bureau of Security in Jiangxi. Affluent families in Raozhou have covertly formed connections with local factions, intending to resist the consolidation policy. The individuals involved in this plot number more than three hundred.”

“Haha, good!”

Zhu Yunwen burst into laughter, enraged.

Xie Jin, Huang Zicheng, and Xia Yuanji were all taken aback.

Could it be that the local gentry in Jiangxi are plotting a rebellion?

“Summon Ru Chang, Liu Jun, Xu Huizu, Zhu Di, and Song Cheng!”

Zhu Yunwen’s voice became stern.

Shuangxi acknowledged and hurriedly left.

Xie Jin took the report from Liu Changge’s hands, his brow furrowed.

If this were true, it couldn’t be taken lightly. While the consolidation policy impacted the interests of the gentry, in the long run, it was designed to protect those interests. After all, the court didn’t prohibit land transactions, but merely increased requirements and regulations to ensure fair land deals.

As long as these gentry were willing to buy and sell land fairly, their land holdings would still grow, and taxes still needed to be paid.

Even so, they were still benefitting. They shouldn’t be resisting the consolidation policy, let alone rebelling.

Relying solely on their gang of ruffians and hoodlums, they dare to confront the court?

Even without deploying the imperial army, the local garrisons under the command of the regional authorities are enough to crush them.

What are these people thinking?

The court merely intends to slice a piece of meat from them, but they insist on extending their necks. If a blow is struck, it won’t just be a matter of a piece of meat anymore…”

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