Chapter 233

Xiande Hall.

As the new year approaches day by day, Li Shimin looks more and more haggard.

Since the fourth day of June, he has been in charge of Datang for half a year, and he has been rushing about one thing without stopping for a moment.

"When I was young, I liked to draw a bow and shoot arrows. I thought I knew a little about the quality of bows and arrows. A few days ago, I got a dozen good bows and arrows, and I showed them to the bow master. Well, I was very surprised and asked why. The bow master said that if the heart of the wood is not right, the meridians are all evil. Although this kind of bow looks strong and powerful, the arrows it shoots are not straight, so it is not a good bow."

The emperor paused when he said this, and glanced at the important officials in the palace.

"If I realize something, I will win the world immediately, and I have used countless bows. However, I still don't know the essentials of distinguishing bows and arrows, let alone the time since I got the world is still very short. As for the principles of governing a country, Certainly no more than I know about bows and arrows."

The minister did not expect that the emperor would start today's court meeting with such an opening remark.

"There are specialties in the art industry, and everyone has their own strengths, so I have to listen to the opinions of professionals when it comes to professional matters."

"Although Huailiang is young, many people used to look down on him, including me, who thought that this kid was just brave and energetic, and he did things with enthusiasm and vigor. It all shows that this kid is a genius, especially when it comes to economics, he is more savvy."

The emperor's words made everyone understand that today's key is Qin Lang and the transshipment department.

In fact, the establishment of the transshipment department was completely determined by the emperor. In the Xiande Hall and the Zhengshitang, the important ministers did not reach an agreement on the establishment of such a transshipment department, and most of them still opposed it.

The power of this transshipment department is too great, and almost all of the country's finances, taxation and economy have fallen into his hands. Like Zhen Fusi, the Si still belongs directly to the emperor, and it is difficult for the prime ministers in the Zhengshitang to interfere. This is undoubtedly an infringement of the power of the prime minister.

Firstly, the prime ministers felt that their power was being robbed, and secondly, they were even more worried that Qin Lang, who was so young, had the economic lifeline of the Tang Empire in his hands. This was not a good thing, it was too dangerous.

Too many unknowns.

Out of fear of the unknown and out of concern for Datang's future, they were all against it.

But their emperor was still too rigid, he still forcibly set up the operation department, and forcibly appointed Qin Lang as the transshipment envoy.

Not to mention, almost following the trend and forcing the establishment of 15 departments in the world, each department set up an observation department and a Changping department. It is directly stationed by the transfer envoy.

"Recently, many ministers have said that the imperial court already has the Ministry of Finance in charge of finance and taxation, the Si Nong Temple manages the storage of grain, the Taifu Temple manages the treasury of money and silk, and the Shaofu supervises the handicraft workshops, salt and iron mines to make money, etc. Why should there be a transshipment Division? Originally, the imperial court set up various divisions to perform their own duties to prevent mistakes, but now the problem is that the imperial court's finances have reached a collapsed situation, and the original structure has been difficult to adapt to the current situation. , Good performance in overcoming difficulties together, but instead of passing the buck to each other, powers and responsibilities are unclear, because of this, I have to cut the mess quickly and set up a transshipment department to consolidate powers, in this difficult period, it is a special time."

"I hope you can understand, and if you can't understand, you have to figure it out!"

"I have already granted Qin Lang a comprehensive appointment and transfer department. The division of powers is clear. Each department must cooperate with each other. Even the Zhengshitang, the three provinces, six departments and nine temples must also fully cooperate. If anyone is still there deliberately blocking the excuse, I will punish severely!"

With the establishment of the Transshipment Department, Qin Lang did two things for the emperor. He quickly borrowed one million coins by issuing bonds, and then directly obtained another one million coins from monks by selling certificates.

For the emperor, it was so effective that it fully demonstrated that Qin Lang's transshipment department was qualified, and it also showed the necessity of establishing a transshipment department.

Today, the princes of the Zhengshitang, as well as the six ministers, nine ministers and five supervisors were called to come here, also to unify their thinking and let them fully cooperate with the actions of the Transshipment Department.

Qin Lang came out with the emperor's appreciation.

"Everything can't be broken or built, broken and then built. Although my Tang Dynasty has been established for nine years, in fact, these years have been busy in the battle of unifying the world. Even now, there are Shuofang Liangshi who have not surrendered, but it can be said that, Wu Dechao and my Tang monarchs and ministers worked together and worked together, and finally created the Tang Dynasty, ended the chaotic situation after the end of the Sui Dynasty, and brought the world back to unity."

An old era has passed, and a new era has arrived.

But Datang has also passed the first stage, which is the stage of the unification war, and will now enter the stage of comprehensive construction.

The times are different, and the problems we face are also different.

"In the past, under the system of land equalization, rent-yong adjustment had its advanced nature and convenience, and it was very suitable for the unification war period. However, under the unification today, the times are different, and we are facing a new era. Not to mention other things, In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, according to relevant reports, only half of Hedong in Zhonghe had a household registration of less than one million, but now the country has more than three million household registrations. The number is no less than five million, but because of the war and other reasons, there are too many hidden households and escapees. Because of this, the imperial court urgently needs to conduct a one-year census, census of household registration, population, and the number of acres of land in the country. The situation of salt, iron, copper and other minerals in the whole country, statistics of the number of livestock such as cattle, horses, donkeys and mules in the whole country, etc..."

"This large-scale census is extremely necessary. The household registration population, fields and acres of mines will become the basis for the imperial court to formulate policies for the next stage."

The prime ministers and ministers were all listening to the speech of the young Duke Yi, and they also admitted that this young man Qin Lang was indeed talented, and what he said hit the nail on the head.

I think that after the establishment of the Sui Dynasty, it was first to carry out the big survey, census of household registration, and clear up those false household registration problems such as fraudulent old and small, and then increased the number of households by millions, which increased a large number of tax sources for the court.

In the past, the imperial court was busy fighting wars and did not conduct a comprehensive and serious household registration check. As a result, there are indeed serious problems in the current household registration situation. However, Ding's official household registration is still middle-aged or young, which caused many problems.

It's just that Qin Lang's census was a little different from that of the Sui Dynasty. It was not only to check the registered population, but also to check the land and minerals.

Qin Lang's purpose was to be exact.

Tell all the officials in the world that they need to check the land, minerals, etc., confirm the rights and issue certificates. Once the right is confirmed, the official will issue the deed as a permanent certificate.

On the surface, of course, doing so can reduce many future disputes and troubles, and the people are definitely willing to do so. After all, wars and other situations will inevitably lead to many problems, and there will be conflicts and disputes. Now it is up to the government to figure out these things , It is a good thing to establish ownership and issue deeds.

But to Qin Lang, definiteness is actually just a means, not the real purpose.

The real purpose is to find out the data of these important resources such as land acres and minerals across the country, and the next step is to introduce some normative measures based on this.

For example, the land-restriction order issued by the imperial court's order on land equalization should be implemented in an all-round way, so as to combat land mergers, and some problems of occupying the country and other people's land while taking advantage of the chaos should also be investigated.

Next, what Qin Lang plans to implement is taxation. Land tax is levied, and salt and iron mines are subject to mining tax.

In fact, the land tax is to be levied on the basis of the existing free warehouse grain. The current free warehouse grain has actually changed from a spontaneous nature of the people at the beginning to a nature of government-led grain storage and payment. Therefore, Qin Lang intends to follow the historical trend. Change him to land tax in advance.

Grain is levied on the basis of mu. In addition to the land rent for rent adjustment and taxation, land tax is levied according to the actual amount of land owned by the people. The land tax goes into a special warehouse. The place is not transferred to the big warehouses of the imperial court.

The land tax and grain in the warehouse will be mainly used to prepare for local famines and military needs such as nearby wars.

In order to avoid another food shortage crisis like this year.

"This is a tax increase, which makes the burden on the people even heavier!"

Qin Lang's plan was indeed opposed by ministers immediately, and it was Dai Zhou who opposed it. He believed that the Yicang was originally a disaster relief warehouse organized by the people spontaneously. Now that the court takes over the Yicang, it should be an expedient measure. After the disaster, the Yicang should be relocated Give it back to the people.

And Qin Lang wants to set up a land tax, just playing hooligans with the common people.

"The minister's plan is to collect grain according to the number of acres of land owned. From the princes to the common people, regardless of high or low, there is no tax of two liters per mu, and it will be put into the communal warehouse. Special grain is used to prepare for famine relief in disaster years. As for merchants and households without land, according to Households, etc., the ninth class pay taxes, the upper and lower households are taxed with five shi, and the lower and middle households are taxed with five dou, and the lower and lower households are exempted."

Dai Zhou continued to object.

Qin Lang ignored him, and then said a number.

"According to the data I found at the Ministry of Households, the national household registration is about 2 million households, with a population of more than 8 million people, and the actual number of households is only about 1.2 million. It is adjusted according to the rent, and each person is paid annually. Two stones of millet and two feet of silk, in fact, the imperial government’s annual rent income is only 2.4 million stones, which is only 600,000 pieces of silk..."

"However, according to my estimation, the real number of household registration in the world should be around 5 million, and the population should be more than 20 million. If after the household registration check, there should be 3 million Ding, then the annual official tax will be 6 million shi Millet, 1.5 million bolts of silk and some cotton..."

"According to the number of acres of cultivated land in the country during the Sui Dynasty, there should be more than 8 million hectares (about 700 million acres). Although after more than ten years of war, many places were barren, especially in the border areas, but according to my calculations, If the land tax is levied throughout the country, even if the fields that do not grow grain are excluded, at least 12 million shi of land tax and grain can still be collected a year!"

As soon as these numbers came out, everyone from the emperor to the prime minister breathed heavily.