Chapter 1469: Training Arc (8)

Population is made up of living people, who can run and hide. Those with power and ability will conceal people, while population taxes are the main source of income for the court. When the court fails to collect taxes, the financial deficit forces it to levy more taxes on ordinary people who have no power to escape taxation.

If this continues for long, common people can’t survive, leaving them with no choice but to find a way to live.

They have just one option, which is to rebel, kill all current vested interests, break the protective shield of benefits, and thus gain the space to survive.

Mother said, don’t stand opposite the people of the world; the Imperial Family is supported by all people, so it must protect them. Our relation with the people should be complementary, not antagonistic.

Mother also said, those without shoes are not afraid of those with shoes. Back then, the Zhao Family Army were a group of shoeless people, with only one life to wager, so they were not afraid of failure.

"Never compete for the survival capital of common people. When they lose everything, they will fear nothing; never place yourself on the opposite side of the common people."

The new tax measure is a move by the Imperial Family and the court to be gracious to the people.

Taxes have always been linked to labor, which is divided into main labor and miscellaneous labor. Zhao Hanzhang has already abolished miscellaneous labor; currently, only some major main labors remain.

Zhao Mingming said: "Nowadays, wheat yield per mu can reach six shi, and rice yields even higher at seven and a half shi. In the Jiangnan and Jing Chu regions, the average per mu yield is as high as eight shi."

"Our county is a poor county. From previous statistics, every household has iron farming tools, and every year, personnel from the Ministry of Agriculture visit villages to explain new farming methods and cultivation techniques. There have also been many innovative initiatives in the countryside, and the ownership of farming cattle has reached two-thirds. This means that nowadays, one labor force produces about three times as much grain as before."

"What should be done with the extra labor force?" Zhao Mingming said: "Handicrafts, commerce; in our county alone, thirty-six workshops have been established in the past three years, which makes up the sum of the previous twenty-five years before the founding of the nation."

"And our county is still poor. In more developed fortresses with better transportation, in broader plains, and in places with abundant mineral resources, the number of workshops established is only greater, and their economies are faster and more developed." Zhao Mingming looked keenly at Fan Lianyin and Zu Daosheng and said: "And this, is money!"

Fan Lianyin and Zu Daosheng’s eyes also brightened, "The court is going to tax these areas?"

"Exactly, these workshops and trade caravans will earn more money, and artisans and merchants will be wealthier. They use the country’s resources and population, so naturally, they must pay taxes to the country. Therefore, in the future, more of the national finances will be collected from these individuals."

"With money, the state and local offices can hire people to build bridges, repair roads, dredge rivers, and refurbish water conservancy projects."

Zu Daosheng’s heart quivered as he guessed, and asked tremblingly: "So?"

"So, the court wants to abolish main labor!" Zhao Mingming’s eyes glowed brightly: "Just like miscellaneous labor, abolish it completely!"

Zu Daosheng and Fan Lianyin’s mouths hung open, they asked: "Do you mean now?"

"Certainly not now," Zhao Mingming looked at them, seriously saying: "It has to wait until I am in power, because currently, the focus of the country’s tax levies has not shifted, so main labor must remain."

"Mother’s generation will be tougher than ours, and our generation will not have it easy either, but it doesn’t matter. The more hardships we endure now, the more prosperity our descendants can enjoy in the future."

Fan Lianyin contemplated, "So we need to find ways for the people to earn money outside of agriculture, and it must be significant."

Zu Daosheng was somewhat worried, "Wouldn’t this delay agricultural and silvicultural activities?"

Farming is a very arduous task, and Zu Daosheng is willing to call it the hardest labor in the world. He’s participated in spring and autumn busy seasons and truly feels it’s harder than his martial training and blade exercises, even harder than going to battle.

He would rather risk his life fighting on the battlefield than farm.

If people can earn more money from commerce and handicrafts than farming, how many would still be willing to farm?

He thinks both preparation needs to be made, "If people aren’t willing to farm, how will the court ensure food security?"

Zhao Mingming furrowed her brows, clearly not having considered this.

Fan Lianyin said: "Aren’t you overthinking? If one day, people can earn more money from handicrafts and commerce than from farming, the country won’t need to tax land anymore. Taxing handicrafts and commerce alone would suffice for court expenses. At that time, exemption from land rent and tax becomes plausible. I don’t believe no one will farm."

Zu Daosheng: "You’re also imagining things. How can land rent and tax be abolished?"

Currently, the Emperor and Crown Princess say they will incorporate population tax into land tax, eliminating the individual tax project, which he already finds far-fetched.

Zu Daosheng: "The new tax reform is only an idea from Your Majesty and Crown Princess, nothing substantial yet, and now you’re already imagining abolishing land rent and tax."

"I was merely hypothesizing based on your assumption. Besides, before Your Majesty, what’s impossible in this world?" Fan Lianyin said. "Before Your Majesty appeared, could you have imagined the abolition of people’s miscellaneous duties? Could you have imagined every child could attend school, or that military service wouldn’t be something people avoid but actually desire?"

Zu Daosheng couldn’t argue.

He is a few years older than Fan Lianyin and Zhao Mingming. When he was born, the new dynasty wasn’t established yet. Although he doesn’t remember those times, his father often lamented past events with him when he was young.

Moreover, childhood life was far less convenient and prosperous than now, even though his father was Zu Ti, some things were unavailable.

He is quite perceptive; otherwise, his father wouldn’t have sent him to accompany the Crown Princess in the palace, nor could he stand out among many reading companions, becoming one of Zhao Mingming’s closest friends.

Thinking of this, Zu Daosheng glanced at people admiring Zhao Mingming blindly, quietly snorted in his heart, but couldn’t help pondering her words.

From a historical standpoint, new tax reform is difficult to succeed, let alone abolishing land rent and tax;

In reality, currently, seventy percent of national revenue comes from farmers, much more before this, the previous dynasty had over ninety percent of its finances from common people’s population tax and land tax, along with various levies and miscellaneous taxes.

Commerce and handicrafts aren’t as developed as imagined, nor easy to define for taxation.

To want income from handicrafts and commerce to surpass agriculture is difficult, and to have taxes from them offset seventy percent of current population tax, land rent, and various levies and donations is even less possible.

However...

If it’s Your Majesty, Zu Daosheng’s heart ignited, "Perhaps possible."

His voice was low, but Fan Lianyin heard it, raising her head proudly, "How’s that, you can’t deny Your Majesty’s great talents, can you?"

Zu Daosheng: "But this is absolutely not something Your Majesty can achieve alone."

Zhao Mingming: "So there’s me, and you all."

Her eyes sparkled as she said: "Mother said, this isn’t something one generation can accomplish; it requires two generations, three generations, or even more people’s efforts."

So, she not only needs to do well herself, but she also needs to cultivate good descendants and choose a suitable successor to inherit hers and her mother’s policies.

Zhao Mingming’s ambition has ignited, "We will start researching and refining Your Majesty’s policies from now on. When I ascend the throne, I’ll start implementing new policies. By then, you will be my right-hand men!"

Zu Daosheng was startled, instinctively glancing around, whispering: "Crown Princess, speak cautiously, we don’t know if there are secret observers nearby..."

Fan Lianyin had already nodded with shining eyes, nodded ahead of him and affirmed loyalty, "I vow to loyally serve the Crown Princess to the death!"

Zu Daosheng: ...

Zhao Mingming didn’t take Zu Daosheng’s reminder to heart. Her mother taught her from a young age how to be a good emperor, she is the next emperor, so she and her mother never evade this matter.