Chapter 61 Quarrel
After Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, Ma Wensheng, the Minister of Civil Affairs, and others did not speak again. The Qianqing Palace seemed particularly quiet, with only the rustling wind outside still blowing.
Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao also knew that although he had only added a little depth to the reform, this had already shocked several senior civil servants present.
However, Zhu Houzhao has always believed that Ma Wensheng is not a selfish official who only protects his own class interests, so he feels that Ma Wensheng should not be too opposed. If Ma Wensheng is opposed, then he really needs to find officials who can support his reforms. .
"Your Majesty wants to increase the intensity of punishment, and I think it is okay. Harsh punishments can better deter officials who want to corrupt. However, the salary is linked to the official's performance. Although it can indeed encourage officials to do more things that benefit the country and the people, such a situation In the future, the burden on the court will also increase. Nowadays, the salary distribution is still insufficient. If the salary income of diligent officials is increased, there will be no money or food to reward them. ”
Ma Wensheng expressed his doubts. Just as Zhu Houzhao expected, he did not object to the idea proposed by Zhu Houzhao, but he did not just flatter him and said that there must be no problem if the emperor Zhu Houzhao proposed it.
"In this way, if you want to curb the corruption of officialdom, you must first increase the income of the court. Do you have any good strategies to increase the income of the court?"
Zhu Houzhao actually thought that increasing the income of officials would definitely increase the burden on the court, but this would also require an increase in court revenue, that is, treasury revenue.
However, whether it is increasing the revenue of the treasury or increasing the income of one's own internal funds, it will harm the interests of the gentry and the common people, so they will encounter great opposition from below, so no one dares to propose reform measures to increase the income of the imperial court.
Since tonight we only talked about how to reform the administration of officials, Zhu Houzhao did not mention anything about increasing the court's income at the beginning.
After Zhu Houzhao took the initiative to ask for advice, Ma Wensheng, the official minister, hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to speak out his inner thoughts:
"Your Majesty, I have also mentioned to Emperor Xiaozong about increasing the salary of hundreds of officials. In the Ming Dynasty, there were few officials and their salaries were thin. Relying on virtue is not enough to make people's hearts righteous. Raising them with profit may help to improve integrity. I even suggested that we could increase the number of businessmen. The tax is used by Your Majesty to support the army and officials. This does not harm the common people but only the businessmen. However, the resistance is great, so I only propose the examination method. "
Jiao Fang gave Ma Wensheng, the Minister of Civil Affairs, a meaningful look. He couldn't help thinking that you, Minister Ma, have only been engaged in military and political affairs in your life, but not in commercial transactions. Of course, you don't care about the amount of commercial taxes collected, and if you levy more commercial taxes to increase the official salary, it will naturally be good for you. There are benefits, but now there are not a few officials with Shanxi, Huizhou, and Zhejiang merchant backgrounds in the DPRK. How can you allow His Majesty to collect more business taxes?
Although Jiao Fang thought that Ma Wensheng's idea of levying commercial taxes was fanciful, it was not that he had not considered how to increase revenue for the court. Now after seeing Ma Wensheng's words, he also hurriedly said:
"Your Majesty, I have been a prefect and know some of the rules for paying taxes in the imperial court. From my perspective, the best way to increase the income of the imperial court is to return the fire consumption to the public, collect it exclusively by the court, and then distribute it to the upright officials who have performed well. Honest officials can complement each other in this way!”
Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but smile slightly. He didn't expect that Jiao Fang would propose the idea of Huo Huo returning to the government. He thought that it was not unreasonable for the prime minister to start from the state department. Someone who had been a local official could really propose some new ideas that later reformers had done. Action comes.
But at this time, Xu Jin, the Secretary of the Ministry of War, could not sit still: "Your Majesty, I think what Jiao Shaozai said is inappropriate. Returning the fire to the public is the main income of the local government, and the local affairs all depend on it for survival. If you return it to the public rashly, I'm afraid there will be consequences." It increases the pressure of local apportionment and makes the common people suffer more from their exploitation! ”
Zhu Houzhao also felt that Xu Jin was right. Fire consumption was indeed the main financial revenue of local governments. Although a large part of it went into the personal pockets of officials, it was undeniable that most local government affairs were funded by fire consumption. consume income.
"Da Sima, I think that the imperial court can strictly prohibit local governments from increasing apportionment. Besides, not all of the revenue from fire consumption can be used as rewards for officials. Some of it can also be allocated to local affairs." Jiao Fang has always been straightforward and forthright, so Xu Jin retorted. I also pushed back directly.
And Xu Jin did not show any weakness: "Does Jiao Shaozai think that this can stop the increase of local officials? If local officials increase their positions without permission and cause a civil commotion, it will endanger the society!"
"Your Majesty, I think that the return of fire consumption to the public is indeed very important. I am afraid that local officials all over the world will be angry. It is better to increase business taxes. Merchants are making huge profits without working, and farmers are busy all day long and only have food and clothing. It can be seen that the profits of businessmen are really unjust. , if you don’t take the wealth of the merchants and give it to your majesty, you can still make peace between the king and his ministers!”
Ma Wensheng also said something at this time, and Zhu Houzhao was almost excited after hearing this, thinking that this seems to be the case. In this era, businessmen are not very powerful, and taking benefits from businessmen is naturally safer than taking benefits from farmers, and he is also If this part of the profits is used to increase the income of the officials, the officials should not object.
But in fact, after Ma Wensheng finished speaking, Jiao Fang had already objected: "I don't agree with what Otsuka Zai said! It's not that I really think that the profits of businessmen are inseparable, but that most of the businessmen in the Ming Dynasty are noble officials and gentry. If your majesty takes advantage of the merchants, it will be equivalent to taking advantage of the gentry. I am afraid it will be more difficult than returning the fire to the public. The return of the fire to the public will only hurt the interests of local officials, and raising business taxes will be an enemy of the entire gentry! "
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"Jiao Shaozai is exaggerating. Why are you an enemy of the entire scholar-officials? I am also a scholar-official. I don't think that increasing business taxes is an enemy of me." Ma Wensheng responded immediately.
"How many scholar-bureaucrats in the world are as powerful as Otsuka Zai who do not enrich themselves through business," Jiao Fang replied directly. Zhu Houzhao felt a headache, not only a headache, but also an earache. He did not expect that regarding reform, he did not expect that there would be such a big controversy or even no agreement after just discussing with the three officials who were interested in reform.
Therefore, Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but think that if he asked all the officials to discuss this, it would mean that they would have to argue for three days and three nights without coming up with a final reform plan, and it was only a discussion about reforming the administration of officials.
At the same time, Zhu Houzhao became increasingly aware that reforming the government was not an easy task.
When Zhu Houzhao saw that his face was red and his neck was thick and his chattering seemed to be unstoppable during the three-day struggle, Zhu Houzhao had no choice but to slap the table: "That's enough!"
When Ma Wensheng, Jiao Fang, and Xu Jin saw Zhu Houzhao's sudden roar, they hurriedly kept quiet, and still restored the respectful and solemn style that an old minister should have.
"How to increase the income of the imperial court is put aside for the time being. This is a matter of the reform of the Ministry of Household Affairs. Then I will find another time to convene relevant officials to discuss. For now, we are still only talking about the reform of official administration, the implementation of the new examination law, and the reform of the hundred Do you have any objections to the linking of official salaries to personal political achievements and military merits and the increase in punishment for corruption? ”
Zhu Houzhao asked.
"I have no objection, but as a result, the extra court expenditures due to the increase in official salaries must be considered," Ma Wensheng said.
"I will find a way, but if it doesn't work, I will use internal funds to make up for it first. You don't have to worry!"
Zhu Houzhao waved his hand and said.
"In this case, I have no objection. Your Majesty is wise!"
Jiao Fang also replied.
"It's not good to take advantage of businessmen, it's not good to take advantage of the people. Now it's wise to take advantage of me. There's no objection, right" Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but roll his eyes at Jiao Fang.
"Your Majesty, it is not my intention to do this. You said so yourself. If Your Majesty does not want to do so, that is fine. Even if Your Majesty really wants to impose a commercial tax, I have no objection. I just ask Your Majesty to consider it. If you rashly impose a commercial tax , I’m afraid the country is really not stable!”
Jiao Fang couldn't help but say.
"Okay, I'm just joking," Zhu Houzhao said and looked at Xu Jin, Minister of War.
Xu Jin quickly stood up and said: "Your Majesty, I have no objection, but I don't know that your Majesty neither increases business taxes nor returns taxes to the public. How can you use your meager income from internal funds to supplement the increased salaries of the officials in the imperial court?"
"I have my own solution for this! Don't worry, we are only talking about the reform of officialdom now, since you have no objections;
From tomorrow onwards, we will officially start the reform of government affairs. After the three cabinet ministers resign, I will immediately let you join the cabinet, and you will still be in charge of the ministry. At the same time, I will establish a special cabinet office to clarify the cabinet system; < br>
At that time, it will be up to you three new cabinet ministers to comprehensively promote the reform of civil service. However, the positions of Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War will have to be chosen by others. Do you have anyone to recommend? It is best to be someone who can carry out administrative reforms! ”
Zhu Houzhao asked.
(End of chapter)