It was written on the paper that all merchants who came to Yangzhou to do business would be taxed at 30% of the selling price. Other than that, there were no other taxes.
This made the two unable to stop themselves. This was because the tax for merchants was simply sky-high!
Why did they say this? Because merchants had no status. Take Jing Province as an example. Although the Jing Province Magistrate's Mansion didn't say how much the tax was, it didn't mean that you didn't have to pay taxes. This was because if you didn't pay taxes, then what would the officials in Jing Province eat?
Where did the taxes come from? It was in all kinds of checkpoints and all kinds of filial piety.
Fatty Liang and Wu De had shops all over Jing Province, and they also used granaries. This granary wasn't just for the convenience of collecting grain, it was also to avoid taxes at checkpoints. For example, in Jing Province's largest city, Xiangyang, if you wanted to send grain to your own granary, you would have to hand over 30% of the grain. This was the entrance fee. In addition to the 30% that was handed over to the Xiangyang government, there was also the filial piety to the guards at the gate. This was because if you didn't hand over the 30%, then people would casually say that you were hiding a Yellow Turban remnant or a murderer. If that happened, then you wouldn't be able to do business anymore.
After that, it was time to talk about the city's backers. Those backers also had to be given a level of respect. For example, Fatty Liang had a middle-level official in the Xiangyang City Guard Office in Xiangyang City. He also had to be filial to him.
In addition to the cost of collecting grain, there were also other profits. If Fatty Liang could get 40%, then he would be very lucky. This year's harvest could be considered a bumper harvest. Most of the time, he could only get 30%.
Now, Liu Mang deducted all the gate taxes. As long as the government collected 30% of the tax, as long as you showed the official tax receipt, then all the gates would be unimpeded. Of course, there was still a routine inspection. If someone collected the gate taxes, then you could submit it to the local government to complain. If the local government was covering up, then you could report it to the higher-ups.
In this way, after deducting the travel expenses, the merchant could earn 60%. This was definitely a very high harvest. This was why the two people were shocked.
This was only the first rule. What was even more shocking was the second rule. All the merchants who moved their businesses to Yangzhou would be exempted from taxes for three years.
Tax exemption! That was a real profit. There was no need to be deducted by the government. Just like before, if someone came looking for trouble, then you could also report it to the government.
Three years of not having to pay a penny, was this possible? Fatty Liang and Wu De looked at Jia Xu doubtfully.
Jia Xu nodded, making the two feel relieved. The two people were worried that Yangzhou would go back on its words. However, Liu Mang guaranteed that it would not. This was because as long as you put your business there, then for Yangzhou, this place was a place where you could make money. It was just that you were exempted from taxes for three years. If you did not manage it well, then you would be finished in three years. Then, Liu Mang would not care much about it, and the one who would lose the most would be you. If you managed it well, then you would definitely be able to take root in Yangzhou. Then, three years, five years, or even ten years, it was just three years of tax exemption. You would have to pay for most of the time. If you made a lot of money, then Yangzhou would also make a lot of money.
The third rule was that all merchants who came to Yangzhou to do business would be exempted from taxes for half a year. The more merchants you introduced, the more you would be exempted from taxes. Of course, this was only for merchants of the same scale. It was not like a big merchant bringing a group of small merchants would exempt you from taxes. Naturally, this could also be stacked. As long as the small merchants' net worth was the same as the big merchant's, then they would also be exempted from taxes for half a year.
On the side, Fatty Liang was already planning. If he went to Yangzhou to do business, he would bring along other merchants. Jingzhou prohibited the transportation of food, but it didn't prohibit other things. This was because it couldn't be prohibited. The reason why Jingzhou was so prosperous was because of these merchants.
The fourth rule was the official merchant system! Being an official merchant was equivalent to working for Yangzhou. The place where you stayed was where the Yangzhou government was located. For example, Liu Mang was preparing to sell cement so that the people in other places in Yangzhou, such as Lujiang, could use cement to build houses. They could also use cement to make other things, such as dams and canals. These were all businesses. Liu Mang needed people with the mind of a merchant to do business and bring money to Yangzhou.
There were also some things like weapons that needed to be made by an official merchant. When the weapons were made, the government would come to buy them. The price also needed to be negotiated.
"Isn't this forcing people to do things that are difficult?" Fatty Liang listened to Wu De's explanation of the official merchant system. If you want to be an official merchant, then you can't do other businesses. You have to sell all of your businesses. You can't do other businesses. You can only do business given to you by the Yangzhou government. This is to prevent you from abusing your power for personal gain.
It was fine for small merchants, but for big merchants like them, how could they be willing to do that?
"Haha! For you to be willing to do something, there must be something better behind it! "Jia Xu said with a smile as he drank tea.
Wu De continued to read the following things. "The official merchant is regarded as a nobleman. If your performance is outstanding, you will be rewarded with a noble title!"
"Noble title! Nobleman! " Suddenly, the two people's eyes lit up. They worked so hard to change their status and become noblemen. Now, there was a noble title. A merchant could get a noble title? This was simply unimaginable. In history, there was only one merchant who got a noble title. That person was called Lu Buwei! ‘
This person was a merchant who plotted against the country. Lu Buwei was a big merchant in Yangdi. He traveled to various places, buying at low prices and selling at high prices. That was how he accumulated a fortune. The crown prince died in Wei and was sent back to Zhiyang to be buried. In the 42nd year of King Zhao's reign, his second son, An Guojun, was made the crown prince. An Guojun had more than 20 sons. An Guojun had a favorite concubine. He made her his wife and called her Lady Huayang. Lady Huayang did not have a son. An Guojun had a middle son named Zi Chu. Zi Chu's mother was called Xia Ji, who was not favored. Zi Chu was sent to Zhao as a hostage of Qin. Qin attacked Zhao many times, and Zhao did not treat Zi Chu with respect. Zi Chu was the grandson of the King of Qin. As a hostage in Zhao, his carriage and daily expenses were not rich. He lived a poor life and was very unhappy. Lu Buwei went to Handan to do business. When he saw Zi Chu, he liked him very much and said, "Zi Chu is like a rare commodity that can be hoarded. To be sold at a high price. "
That was how rare commodities came to be! After that, Lu Buwei assisted Zi Chu and became the Prime Minister of Qin. Later, his Lu family's Spring and Autumn Annals were also praised by everyone. He even changed every word and every word was worth a thousand gold.
Only such a person could be conferred the title of Marquis, become a noble, and have a noble title. How many Lu Buwei could there be in this world? Most of them were the lowly merchants that Cai He had described as such.
But now, Liu Mang gave them hope. If they become an official merchant, then they will be nobles. They will be able to ascend to the Great Hall and not be the lowest class in the Great Hall.
"I don't know what this official businessman wants?" Fatty Liang felt that his lips were about to split open. He licked his lips and breathed heavily.
"Oh, you two are now under the Lord's command and working for Yangzhou. Isn't that the same as official businessmen?" Jia Xu said to them with a smile.
"Ah, ah, ah, ah!" "Wu De and Fatty Liang couldn't believe that happiness had come so suddenly. They were now government merchants?
"Of course, you are only official businessmen now. You are not nobles and don't have a noble title. It all depends on your performance!" Jia Xu said to the two of them. It was impossible to satisfy the two of them directly. Only a hungry dog would bite for its master and guard the door and home.
"We will definitely live up to the Lord's trust!" Fatty Liang and Wu De were full of motivation. When people had hope, they naturally had motivation. Now that they heard Jia Xu's words, they burst out with enough motivation.
There was still one last thing left, and that was the association.
Liu Mang let these businessmen form a chamber of commerce. This chamber of commerce was the representative of all the big and small businessmen. The leaders of these chambers of commerce had the right to meet Liu Mang directly. They could tell Liu Mang about the needs of the businessmen. They could also talk to Liu Mang about the obligations of the businessmen. They could even help other businessmen to protect their rights. Naturally, the president of this chamber of commerce could not be lifelong. He had to be elected by the businessmen. At most, he could only be elected for two terms.
The position that Liu Mang gave to the merchants was greatly increased. Basically, it was no longer the rank of a peasant, a merchant, or a nobleman. Even a merchant could become a noble.
"Oh right, the Lord also said that all the businessmen who have their businesses in Yangzhou, their children can enter Yangzhou's government school and receive the teachings of the great scholars in the government school. In the future, whether they want to be a businessman or an official will be determined by the examination!" Jia Xu suddenly threw out a heavy bomb.
These businessmen did not have any status because their children could not enter the government school. The government school would not accept them. They could only find some private teachers. However, even if they studied, they could not enter the government school. Even some farmers and workers could enter the government school, but the businessmen could not.
Now, Liu Mang opened this mouth. The children of the businessmen could not enter the government school, but the businessmen in Yangzhou could. As long as their businesses were in Yangzhou, they could let their children enter the government school. When this news was released, it would definitely spread throughout Jingzhou! No! It should be that all the businessmen in the world were boiling!
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
