After the Qingming Festival, in the autonomous region of Chang'an City Foreign Chamber of Commerce, peonies transplanted from Luoyang, Guandong competed for beauty. Taking advantage of the bright spring, they went outings, cuju, swing, and flying kites to the end of April, while cockfights continued from Qingming Festival to the summer solstice.

There was a bustling and bustling everywhere, but the newly opened Chang'an Relief Office was in a bleak situation. The court assigned 400,000 jin of relief money in advance, but after the relief department was built, it was found that all workers and disciples were controlled by merchants in the workshop. The contract stated that the wages were deducted if they went out without authorization. Workers and disciples could not come out, and even officials could not enter the workshop without permission. People from the Chang'an Chamber of Commerce often came to express their feelings at first, wanting to embezzle this batch of relief money to resettle the poor in the autonomous region. Seeing that Yuan Xingzong was very nervous, he quickly lost interest, and the door of the Relief Office quickly fell out.

A few big elm trees were filled with black crows, and bird shit was everywhere on the ground in front of the door. This land was originally a mass graveyard. After the merchant bought the land at a low price, he built dozens of large houses. This place is close to the area where the workshop gathers, and the price is much cheaper than usual. Several people were found to raise the price. Fu Zhiren, an official in Guanzhong who was ordered to purchase the yamen office, did not expect to be a fraud, so he bought it. Now, just a road away, there was no crow on the big tree in front of the shop opposite, but the Chang'an Relief Office was densely packed with crows. The officials of the Relief Office are now privately nicknamed "crows" by Chang'an merchants, and their reputations are as if they were "black dogs" from the tax collector.

In the yamen signing room, the relief department ordered Yuan Xingzong to sit in the upper seat, and the two subordinates below, Fu Zhiren and Chen Yuyi were reporting to him the results of going to the East and West Chamber of Commerce this morning.

Fu Zhiren's face is now even more stinky than bird shit, and said in a deep voice: "Mr. Yuan, the East City Chamber of Commerce is still the same. If you want to provide relief to workers and disciples, you can only send food to the workshop." The Chamber of Commerce's attitude towards the Relief Department was lukewarm. Such soft resistance, coupled with the fact that buying a house was cheated, really made the Xihe inspector angry. He hesitated for a moment and said, "Zhou Huishou said that the authority of the Chamber of Commerce to intervene in the workshop is too small. If it is expanded a little, it may be able to serve the court more."

Yuan Xingzong snorted coldly and said, "He thought it was so beautiful." Seeing that Fu Zhiren seemed to be a little moved by Zhou Huishou's proposal, he said, "The Chang'an Chamber of Commerce was extremely powerful and was controlled by several wealthy businessmen. New merchants who do business in Chang'an must first ask the Chamber of Commerce to set prices before they can buy and sell, otherwise they will not be able to continue. Thirty years ago, Prime Minister Lu observed the shortcomings and promoted the Zhuguo Government to implement "self-observing the laws of the city", stipulating that both the government and the Chamber of Commerce should not be forced.

The business interfered with merchant contract transactions. When the law was first implemented, the chamber of commerce opposed it and obstructed it in every way, which was similar to the current affairs of workers and disciples. However, the court finally implemented this law. Since then, the chamber of commerce was the first to control the market, and all industries were prosperous and prosperous, far better than before. "He paused, "When I was implementing this law, I was still a minor official, and I knew that the power of the chamber of commerce was too great. This tiger locked in a cage should never be released."

Fu Zhiren no longer insisted and just complained: "It seems that since then, the profiteering businessmen from Kanto came here with great fanfare."

Yuan Xingzong asked Chen Yuyi again: "What is the attitude of the West City Chamber of Commerce?"

Chen Yuyi said with anger: "It's similar to Dongshi. I think they must have colluded in private."

Fu Zhiren also said: "These merchants have made good plans and go to the workshop to provide relief. If the court raises workers and disciples for them, how can there be such a cheap thing in the world?" He calculated that if a worker and disciple can work, it would cost at least twenty yuan a day, which would be more than six cents a year. The profit-making businessman wanted to save even this little money. He didn't like the face of profit, and he had been furious these days. He was really angry.

Chen Yu said indignantly: "How can we tolerate traitors so much?" He was born into a family of officials in Guandong, and he was extremely dissatisfied with the Xia court in his words.

Yuan Xingzong glanced at him and said slowly: "The benefits of industry and commerce are of great importance. The court is afraid of the rats and has to do it carefully." Chen Yuyi blamed his subordinates. Although he did not refute, he was dissatisfied with him. Yuan Xingzong also said, "Our dynasty adheres to the way of farming and fighting and establishes the system of soldiers. There are more than 5.3 million households in the country, less than one million households, more than 3.2 million households are shaded households, and more than one million merchants." He studied national affairs every day in Tiance Courtyard. At this moment, he talked about it as much as possible. Fu Zhiren and Chen Yuyi knew that this was a rare opportunity and listened carefully.

Yuan Xingzong took a sip of tea and said slowly: "The 30% annual income of these more than three million Yinhus worshipped to scholars a year. According to statistics, Cao estimated that the total amount was more than 50 million, but only three points were returned to the camp, three points were returned to the army, and three points were returned to the court. In the end, the court only received seven or eight million yuan from the Yinhus every year. As far as I know, the two taxes in Guandong were nearly 60 million yuan, and most of them were returned to Bianliang."

"Is the court's income so little?" Chen Yuyi said in surprise. He believed that the world's wealth was constant. Since Xia State was lenient to the soldiers, the court's income must be small, but he did not expect that it would be so little. Although the Xia State did not strictly keep these tax figures secret, it would not be announced to the public. Chen Yuyi could only look at Yuan Xingzong with shock and confusion on his face.

"That's right," Yuan Xingzong affirmed, "Kanto uses wealthy families as their country to protect their wealth, and our dynasty uses soldiers as their country to defend their territory. The soldiers receive rent from the landlords that were originally wealthy people, which is also a matter of course. It is just scattered among millions of scholars, and the wealth is not as concentrated as Guandong."

Chen Yuyi nodded and asked, "Where does the salary the court gave to soldiers and officials come out?"

Yuan Xingzong continued: "The 30% annual income collected by less than one million households to the court is more than 24 million yuan. The 30% annual income paid by one million merchants to the court is more than 30 million yuan. The total of the two is more than 54 million yuan. Now the court pays sergeants and officials, and the tax expenses paid by the township teachers are more than 24 million yuan, and the tax expenses issued to scholars with titles are more than 30 million yuan, and the income and expenditures are just offset. In addition, there are still seven or eight million yuan of households who are well-known, the tariffs on incoming and outgoing, mining rights and apprenticeships, etc., to maintain the operation of the court at all levels, as well as to build bridges and pave roads, reward academics, promote profits and eliminate disadvantages, etc.."

Chen Yuyi was silent for a moment. He used to think that only Kanto had redundant soldiers and officials' fees, but he did not expect that the system of soldiers and the financial burden of awarding titles and salaries to millions of scholars would not be lower than that of Kanto. The taxes paid by the Chamber of Commerce were already an indispensable income for the Xia court, so it was no wonder that the two governments were so frightened.

Fu Zhiren asked, "Does the chamber of commerce have to let it go, and the court cannot intervene more?" He picked up the draft of "Relief Laws for Workers and Pupils" written by Yuan Xingzong next to the table and said, "In my opinion, Lord Yuan's proposal is hundreds of times better than those profiteers."

Yuan Xingzong shook his head and said, "There is a benefit, there must be a disadvantage. The court allows the chamber of commerce to implement autonomy, which is also to protect us." Seeing Fu Zhiren's face, he was silent for a moment, and slowly said, "Four years ago, I visited the memorial to the post station and handed it over to the merchants. The court valued it, so I handed it over to me to carry out this matter. One day, a merchant held a banquet and invited me to the banquet because he was an old acquaintance of the Hua County Magistrate, so I went to the banquet. As a result, the merchant brought a beautiful woman covered in pearls and jade to accompany him, and promised a reward of ten thousand taels of gold. As long as the official was willing to hand over more than two hundred post stations on important roads to him to operate. If he said, everything would be done according to the court's procedures, and there would be no mistakes. The beautiful beauty and ten thousand taels of gold belong to me."

"What happened later?" Although Fu Zhiren knew the result, he couldn't help asking.

Yuan Xingzong smiled sarcastically and said in a deep voice: "I have been taught by the saint for thirty years, and have rebuked him and left with my sleeves. However, the words of the merchant have been remembered by me to this day."

Chen Yuyi's face changed slightly, and he asked, "What are you talking about?"

"The money is as high as 100,000 yuan, and it can be used to deal with ghosts and gods." Yuan Xingzong raised his teacup and took a sip. "Since then, whenever he talked about business and profit, my official was trembling, as if he was in the abyss. It is important to know that the tree wants to be quiet but the wind does not stop." His face darkened, and he said in a more intense tone, "Know benevolence and righteousness, this place is not a quiet place. You are both pillars of the court, so you should be clean." What Yuan Xingzong didn't say was that when the post station was changed to a commercial office, several officials were lured and attracted to the traitor, and finally they were investigated and dealt with by Cao Fa.

"Yes, Lord Order." Chen and Yi and Fu Zhiren replied in unison, with a loud voice, which made the dust on the window paper come down. The crows outside the signing room also flew up a few of them, clamoring in the air, making the officials beside him very anxious.

When Zhao Xingde's mansion was paid on a ten-day basis, Li Ruoxue thanked him and said, "I am unable to move around these days, so I have to work hard for Aunt Liu." When she was in the boudoir, Wang often paid wages to the servants and maids in the mansion, so the mistress's posture seemed to be similar.

Aunt Liu smiled and said, "Where is the madam? I have more fairy spirit to stay by the side of a fairy-like figure." She took the three five hundred-wen Jiaozi and put them in her arms.

Zhao Xingde asked, "There are few idle people in the countryside in April, and it's just that sericulture has been planted in the fields. Aunt Liu stays with me all day long, so she hasn't missed the farming time, right?"

Aunt Liu said, "I'm not hiding it with my adults. I have used two short-term workers and my two half-old children, so I can take care of it."

Zhao Xingde nodded and said in a deep voice: "If the family is useless, I can help you here." He knew that some peasants had not yet received land grants because of their age or other reasons, so they invited them to work for these families with insufficient staff during the busy farming season. Because of the busy farming staff, their money would be more than 150 cents per day. In recent years, it was thanks to Aunt Liu who helped her to earn money everywhere, so she could barely cultivate the fifty acres of land grants.

Aunt Liu shook her head and said, "Thank you for your kindness, the old woman can still turn around here."

Li Ruoxue was kind-hearted and worried that she would speak out because of inconvenience in her face. She asked softly: "Is it true?"

Aunt Liu nodded and said, "Thank you, Madam." Seeing Li Ruoxue's concern in her eyes, she couldn't help but feel grateful. In Xia Kingdom, Yinhu must report to scholars to the scholars to decide to pay the specific number of 30% of the annual income. Therefore, Aunt Liu also explained in detail to Zhao De and his wife: "Last year, the weather was good. Twenty-six stones of grain were fed in the fields, and there were twelve sheep raised in the family. In addition, twisting thread and weaving clothes, the old woman helped her to deduct wages for short-term workers, and fifty-six guan of copper coins. The wife was sympathetic to not accepting Yinhu tax, which was enough to spend more than the household expenses."

Li Ruoxue frowned slightly and looked at Zhao Xingde. She was born in an official family. Sometimes she had to use Yiguan coins to buy a book. There was a difference between the copper coins of Xia and the copper coins of Song. Therefore, I don’t know if the fifty cents of this year were enough for farmers.

Zhao Xingde's thoughts flashed slightly and calculated: "A family of four costs 150 yuan a day. Is it really enough?"

Aunt Liu nodded and said happily: "Three young people eat lunch at the teacher's house, and eat five liters of grain a day at home. The chickens, ducks and sheep are raised by their own homes, and the side dishes are grown at home. Sell half of the remaining grain and fattened sheep, plus the old woman's maid's income, and the money is more than 20 cents. The miscellaneous expenses of sauce, vinegar, tea, sugar and salt from the beginning of the year also cost eleven or two cents. In the cold winter, you can buy stone carbon for two cents. There are still five or six cents left, buy a few pieces of cloth, and the family and the family each pulled two new clothes, and they were even all over the year."

Aunt Liu's husband died early. She got up early and went to bed late to pull up the three children. At this moment, she looked proud. Li Ruoxue's eyes appeared in her eyes, and she was afraid that she would be embarrassed and did not show it. Zhao Xingde sighed: "The farmer's family is busy all year round, and in the end she can only be full and warm. The land tax can't be increased any more."
Chapter completed!