Yunshan Courtyard, Li Residence Main Hall.
After County Magistrate He heard Li Zexuan's words, he couldn't help but jump in fright. Reversing the ratio of agricultural tax and business tax, this was something that no one had ever dared to think of since ancient times!
China was an agrarian society in ancient times. Every dynasty emphasized agriculture and suppressed business. Of course, this suppression did not refer to levying more business tax, but the various restrictions on the status of merchants. The classes of scholars, farmers, workers, and merchants were divided into classes, directly nailing the merchants to the lowest level of society!
However, although the Tang Dynasty followed the previous dynasties and stipulated that merchants or ancestors who were merchants could not become officials, and also limited the color of their clothing, in real life, merchants could enter the palace and interact with high officials and nobles. There were even some who could pass the examination to become an official. Compared to the previous dynasties, the status of merchants in society was gradually increasing.
Although the laws of the Tang Dynasty prohibited the nobles and bureaucrats from competing with the people, but they could not resist the temptation of huge wealth. The nobles and bureaucrats all entered the business world and engaged in business operations.
It was because of this that the ratio of business tax in the Tang Dynasty was so low. This was because the nobles and bureaucrats who had already gained benefits would oppose the ruler's' competing with the people '! Moreover, if the nobles and bureaucrats wanted to avoid paying taxes, it was simply too easy. This directly led to the annual business tax revenue of the imperial court not even being a tenth of the agricultural tax. Over time, the ruler's emphasis on business tax became lower and lower!
This problem was not only present in the Tang Dynasty, but also in many dynasties before and after the Tang Dynasty!
Therefore, when County Magistrate He heard this, he was so shocked!
"Marquis! If you rashly change the ratio of business tax, I'm afraid that all the shops in Lantian County will move away. Moreover, the aristocrats in the city may all oppose it. When that time comes, I'm afraid that the business tax we receive will be even lower! "
County Magistrate He had been an official for so many years, his experience in governance was much richer than Li Zexuan. He almost instantly thought of the consequences of increasing business tax.
Li Zexuan smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Let's not talk about this first. In the future, this Marquis will naturally have a way to make the merchants in the county voluntarily pay more tax! This Marquis will first familiarize himself with the situation in Lantian County before saying anything else. Otherwise, it will really be just an armchair strategist! "
Hearing this, County Magistrate He couldn't help but have a good impression of Li Zexuan. Actually, before he came, he was worried that Li Zexuan would act according to his wishes and arbitrarily implement government orders. If that was the case, he couldn't do anything about it. After all, Lantian County had completely become Li Zexuan's fief. As long as Li Zexuan didn't rebel, no one could control him!
Now, it seemed that although Li Zexuan had the intention of "reform", he did not force the "reform" by force. That made him feel a little relieved!
Regardless of whether it was in ancient times or modern times, a department was most afraid of a leader who didn't know anything and liked to give orders blindly!
"Marquis, you're too modest! Over the next few days, this lowly official and the deputy magistrate of the yamen will organize the situation of the various villages in Lantian County into a book. When the time comes, I will send it to you, Marquis! "
County Magistrate He cupped his hands and said.
"Then I'll have to trouble you!"
Thinking that he had become the "King" of Lantian County and could give orders, Li Zexuan couldn't help but feel slightly excited. In his previous life, he had played "City Skyline" and other similar city simulation games. He felt that being a mayor, planning a city, and giving his citizens a good life was a very satisfying thing. Now, he had directly become the "King" of a piece of land, controlling the life and death of tens of thousands of people. The excitement in his heart was something that couldn't be compared to in the game.
Of course, after the excitement, he felt the heavy responsibility on his shoulders. He wanted to give his fief's citizens a good life! He wanted Lantian County to become the richest county in the entire Tang Dynasty, and even the entire world!
County Magistrate He hurriedly waved his hands, indicating that there was no need to stand on ceremony. Then, he seemed to have thought of something and said,
"Right! Marquis! The location of your residence in the county has already been planned. The county yamen will be recruiting craftsmen to help you renovate the residence. If you have any needs or requests, just send someone to inform this lowly official! "
Although Li Zexuan had residences in Chang 'an and Yunshan, now that he had been granted the entire Lantian County, he had to buy a residence in the county. Firstly, it was to announce his identity as the owner of Lantian County. Secondly, it was to make it easier for the county yamen officials to report to Li Zexuan!
Li Zexuan thought for a while and said, "There's no need for the county yamen to provide manpower or money. This Marquis will send someone to build it myself in a few days. There's no need for County Magistrate He to worry about it!"
County Magistrate He hurriedly said, "How can this be? Since Marquis has been granted the title of Lantian County, renovating a residence for Marquis is the responsibility of the yamen. How can we let Marquis spend money? "
Li Zexuan waved his hands and said with a smile, "That's enough! This Marquis doesn't lack that bit of money. If County Magistrate He really feels apologetic, take the money that was originally given to this Marquis to renovate the residence and give my brothers in the yamen double their monthly salary! Just treat it as a token of my appreciation! "
Others would be strict with new officials, but Li Zexuan was giving everyone a piece of candy as soon as he took office. However, his "candy" wasn't that delicious. In the future, if he discovered that someone in the county yamen wasn't doing their job well, he wouldn't hesitate to take it back by double.
County Magistrate He thought of Li Zexuan's current wealth and couldn't continue to persuade him. He could only cup his hands and say, "Then this lowly official will represent everyone in the yamen in thanking Marquis!"
County Magistrate He said his goodbyes after he finished explaining the matter and did a preliminary handover of some affairs in Lantian County.
He was very satisfied with the outcome of this negotiation. Li Zexuan did not make things difficult for him, and for the time being, he would not interfere with the county yamen's "personnel structure" and government decrees. Lantian County would also not be thrown into chaos because of a sudden arrival of a new master!
…
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month — the Lantern Festival, also known as the Lantern Festival, the Lesser First Lunar Month, the Lantern Festival, or the Lantern Festival!
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month was the first full moon of the year. It was also the night when spring returned to the land. People celebrated it and also celebrated the continuation of the new year. Sima Qian created the Taichu Calendar and listed the Lantern Festival as a major holiday. Since the Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties, it had flourished.
"Fiery trees and silver flowers combine, the iron locks of the Star Bridge open. An Chen left with the horse, and Ming Yue chased after the man. The roaming horsemen all trotted to the Li, and the song ended with the plum blossoms. Gold doesn't stop the night, and jade doesn't rush it. "
From the Tang people's "Fifteenth Night of the First Lunar Month", one could roughly see how the Tang people celebrated the Lantern Festival.
Actually, since the fourteenth night of the first lunar month, Chang 'an City had already lifted the curfew. On the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth, the people in the city could go out to enjoy the lanterns for three consecutive nights. It was called "Night Release".
Therefore, in these rare three nights, from the nobles to the peddlers, everyone went out to enjoy the lanterns. As a result, the streets of Chang 'an City were filled with people and carriages. It was very lively.
As for Li Zexuan, because he was trapped in Yunshan, he naturally couldn't feel the liveliness in Chang 'an City last night. However, early in the morning, someone rushed from Chang' an City to Yunshan.
…
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