Volume 3: Confrontation! The Run of Civilization Chapter 426 State Administration for Industry and Commerce
"So, although these big businessmen were full of resistance, they still had to accept it anyway?"
"Yes, although there will definitely be some people who pretend to obey but actually disobey the new law after it is promulgated next year. But at least today, everyone still unanimously supports the court to promulgate the Labor Law and is willing to pay commercial taxes. Moreover, everyone has signed the minutes of today's War Foundation shareholders' meeting."
"Humph, I'm not afraid of them pretending to obey but secretly disobeying in the future, as long as they sign it. If anyone is not honest at that time, I will first kick him out of the shareholders' meeting, then deal with his backers, and finally make him bankrupt! Sanxi, if a person is rich and has lived a luxurious life for many years, and suddenly becomes penniless... wouldn't it be more painful than skinning him alive? Hmm?"
That night, Cao Sanxi went to the palace to report to Zhu Youdong the results of the daytime meeting. Originally, the atmosphere between the monarch and his subjects was relatively good, but suddenly, Zhu Youdong blurted out such a statement, which made Cao Sanxi break out in a cold sweat.
"Your Majesty, if I hadn't been selected by you, I would have been a tofu seller in my lifetime. After I came under your command, I was able to fully display my abilities. I also learned a lot from your side. At this point in my life, I am completely satisfied and have no regrets. So please rest assured , Your Majesty, although I was born into a merchant family, I will strictly implement your Labor Law and conscientiously collect business taxes."
"Haha... Sanxi, you think too much."
In fact, every leader will play this game on his subordinates. When you are not a leader, you will hate this game. But when you become a leader, you will unconsciously play this game on your subordinates.
It's nothing, this is the result of the butt determining the head. People will eventually become what they once hated the most.
Putting aside Zhu Youdong's own political tactics, when he faced Cao Sanxi's statement and volunteered to take on the work of labor law enforcement supervision and taxation, he just laughed: How could the financial power and taxation power be given to one person?
"What does the Emperor mean?"
"The Tianqi New Deal will first start with economic reforms, and then reform the official system. This will minimize the risk to the country. However, since there are already new things in the economy, the official system still needs to be fine-tuned quickly. I have decided to set up a new government office, temporarily called the 'General Administration of Industry and Commerce', which will be affiliated with the Ministry of Revenue. The chief officer will be called the director, with a fifth-rank title. Starting next year, they will be responsible for the implementation of the Labor Law and the collection of industrial and commercial taxes."
"Uh..." It would be a lie to say that he didn't feel disappointed at not getting this power, but he wasn't really that sad. On the contrary, Cao Sanxi felt relieved at the moment: having too much power in one's hands is not a good thing, and he quickly realized this.
"Then may I ask Your Majesty, who is the first Director of the General Administration of Industry and Commerce?"
"Hahaha, you came at the right time. Well, sit for a while. They will be here soon."
"them?"
After a while, three young men walked in with their heads held high. The leader was about thirty years old, and the two who were two steps behind were both in their twenties.
"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you."
"No need to be polite. Come, let me introduce you. You all know this person, right? Cao Sanxi from the bank, the God of Wealth. Sanxi, the leader of these three is Li Guojun, the head of the mathematics department of Fangshan School. This tall man is called Wang Huaqin, with the courtesy name Zhenzhong. He was a Jinshi in the 45th year of the Wanli reign and is now in the Ministry of War. This man is also surnamed Wang, called Wang Zhi, with the courtesy name Zhiyou. He was also a Jinshi in the 45th year of the Wanli reign and is now in the Ministry of Justice.
"Sanxi, I plan to let Guojun be the director of the new General Administration of Industry and Commerce, responsible for all affairs of the bureau. Zhenzhong will be the first deputy director, commanding the tax police, responsible for collecting industrial and commercial taxes, investigating tax evasion, and protecting the rights of merchants who pay taxes according to the law. Zhiyou will be the second deputy director, responsible for protecting workers and coordinating the relationship between the court, government agencies at all levels and merchants."
After listening to Zhu Youdong’s introduction, Cao Sanxi shouted WC in his heart!
Why was I so stupid just now? I actually took the initiative to ask the emperor for the right to tax? Is it because the banks have been making more and more profits in recent years that people are getting carried away?
Look at these three people! They are all from the Fangshan School! Li Guojun was born in a clerk family, but he is extremely talented in mathematics. Since the death of Matteo Ricci, he has been one of the top mathematicians in the Ming Dynasty. And because of his family background, this guy knows all the sneaky things at the bottom! If he is the director, it will be too difficult to evade taxes!
As for the remaining two, well, President Cao also had his own servants to find out all kinds of information. So although the emperor didn't say it, Cao Sanxi knew that these two were Fangshan's students, the real disciples of the emperor. The relationship between the emperor and his subjects plus the relationship between teachers and students plus the grace of rebirth. The loyalty of this group is beyond doubt.
That's right, if the industrial and commercial taxes can be collected in full, the amount collected each year will be several times or even ten times the current annual revenue of the court. Such a large amount of wealth must be controlled by the people of Fangshan, so that the emperor can be at ease.
"You all take a seat." After letting Li Guojun and others sit down, Zhu Youdong said, "Thanks to President Cao's efforts, the shareholders of the War Fund have finally acknowledged that they will take the lead in implementing the Labor Law and paying business taxes. Now that these local business leaders have acknowledged their responsibility, it will be much easier for the small and medium-sized businessmen below to enforce the relevant laws. It can be said that you can truly perform your duties."
"We would like to thank President Cao for his assistance."
"No need to do that. We are all working for the Emperor."
"Okay, stop talking nonsense. The people sitting here today are not outsiders. So I have something to say to you."
"Your Majesty, please give us instructions."
"First of all, this General Administration of Industry and Commerce is just a temporary institution. I have always known that when Taizu gave the farm tax to the Ministry of Revenue, the horse tax to the Ministry of War, and the corvée to the Ministry of Works, how could he not know that this would cause the country's financial resources to be dispersed and the powers to be divided? But at that time, the Mongols were powerful, and if they did not do so, the country would be unstable. Today, how could I not know that it is not a good idea to put the farm tax in the Ministry of Revenue and the industrial and commercial tax in the General Administration. However, I cannot make major changes to the entire court organization for the time being. So this is the only way, but it will trouble you. In addition to dealing with your own heavy work, you also have to fight with the Ministry of Revenue..."
"Your Majesty, rest assured. We know the task is arduous, but we will do our best to get it done."
"Yes. To collect industrial and commercial taxes, military support is necessary, so this is why I asked Zhenzhong to transfer from the Ministry of War to command the tax police. The source of these tax police, well, the former salt soldiers are the foundation, and the veterans who retired after the wars with Siam and Japan are the backbone. The current quota is temporarily set at 3,000. Zhenzhong, is this enough?"
"Your Majesty, that's enough. After all, it is foreseeable that in the short term, the industrial and commercial taxes of the dynasty will mainly be collected in Tianjin, Suzhou and Songjiang. However, my tax police will be subject to military law in the future. Your Majesty, please be aware of this in advance, so that no one will impeach me for having a rebellious heart in the future."
"Don't worry, as long as the number of people does not exceed 3,000, I will let you do whatever you want."
"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty."
After speaking to Wang Huaqin, Zhu Youdong turned to Wang Zhi and said, "Do you know why I formulated the labor law in advance and arranged for someone to implement it despite the huge pressure and opposition?"
"I have some understanding, but it is not very clear. I would like to ask the emperor to enlighten me."
"Speaking of this." Zhu Youdong stood up, and the four ministers also stood up quickly.
"Hmm." After looking at the four ministers, Zhu Youdong walked forward slowly: "Speaking of the Chinese people, they can be said to be the most difficult to manage, or the easiest to manage. The reason why I say they are difficult to manage is that the Chinese people have never accepted their fate or believed in it since ancient times. Look at those who go to various temples and Taoist temples to tell fortunes. If the fortune is good, they will believe it. If it is bad, most of them will spit and say that they don't believe it."
“Hahaha~”
"A few days ago, I was in Japan and listened to Toyotomi Tohide talking about the future governance of Japan. I kindly reminded him that Japan longed for great order after the chaos and should be better to the people. As a result, this guy smiled and told me that it was okay and Japan was easy to govern. Because the Japanese people believe that: 'The son of a frog is a toad'. This sentence means that whatever the father does, the son should also do. At most, it can be slightly improved on the basis laid by the father. To be honest, the people all think this way, and it is really easy to govern.
But what about us Chinese? "
At this point, Zhu Youdong turned around and spread his hands: "My Chinese people believe in the idea that kings, princes, generals and ministers are of different species!"
"Your Majesty~!"
"Eh~" Wuwei waved his hand: "I am not saying that everyone in the Ming Dynasty is a rebellious citizen. Rather, I am saying that everyone in China has a desire to move forward and puts practical efforts into it. Even if they cannot achieve it in this life, they must make sure that their next generation can move up! So!"
He turned around and said solemnly to the four people, especially Wang Zhi: "To govern such people well, the most important thing is to give them hope! The imperial examination system gives hope to all scholars in the world. The Labor Law gives hope to millions of future workers in the world. If this hope always exists and someone succeeds in achieving glory in life, then the foundation of my Ming Dynasty will be stable. If this hope is gone, then, it is impossible to say that the earth will shake!
So, my friend, your new job is also related to the survival of the country, do you understand?"
