Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 260 I Didn’t Reject Your Marriage

Wang Hua threw the gift to Chen Ce. Even though Chen Ce didn't want it, he still forced it on Chen Ce. Then he expressed his gratitude and left Chen Ce's courtyard.

As soon as he left the courtyard, he saw the Minister of Revenue Qin Hong standing there in a daze.

"Your humble servant greets Lord Qin. What are you doing?"

Qin Hong finally reacted and said, "I want to ask Chen Ce something."

Wang Hua had a complicated look on his face. This was the Minister of Revenue, whose rank was much higher than his own, yet he came here to ask about Chen Ce's affairs.

This kid... is truly unfathomable!

"Then I will not disturb you, Lord Qin."

Qin Hong nodded, then walked into the courtyard with his hands behind his back. Wang Hua looked back, still somewhat shocked.

Won’t it alarm the emperor to come visit him one day?

After Qin Hong sat down, he looked at Chen Ce in a daze. It was only after Chen Ce called him a few times that he reacted.

"Master Qin, do you want to see me?"

As for Qin Hong's identity as the Minister of Revenue, Chen Ce had already asked people from the inner factory to check it, and it was not difficult to check the other party's identity.

But Qin Hong was confused. He didn't seem to have told him his identity and surname. How did he know? Did the Crown Prince tell him?

Qin Hong didn't pay much attention to these details. He looked at Chen Ce and asked, "Did you recommend Wang Shouren to go to the southwest?"

Chen Ce did not comment and asked Qin Hong, "What do you want to talk to me about, sir?"

Obviously he didn't want to argue about this matter with Qin Hong.

Qin Hong did not force it, as he also had something important to ask Chen Ce. Now the commercial pilot project had been launched in Weinan County, Shaanxi Province, and there were still many things he could not figure out, such as how small vendors collected taxes based on profits.

Chen Ce suggested that small vendors be taxed according to their turnover. If too much tax was levied on these individual businesses, the people would not be able to bear it, so they could only be taxed preferentially according to their turnover.

Qin Hong nodded, and asked Chen Ce how to prevent tax evasion and other problems among many big merchants. Chen Ce suggested legislating and establishing tax laws to impose fines on businesses that evade taxes, and to include serious cases in the criminal law.

The Ministry of Revenue has not thought about this yet. The laws of all dynasties were established to target criminal laws, and economic laws have never been established. This is undoubtedly epoch-making. Whether or not to legislate in the future still needs to be discussed carefully by the six ministries of the cabinet.

As for how large businesses should conduct regular audits, Chen Ce suggested that these businesses should have a fixed office location. Before doing business, they need to go to the Taxation Bureau to register their business address and owner's personal information to facilitate regular audits by the Taxation Bureau.

It is impossible to talk about all the issues concerning tax audit and business norms in one go, and they still need to be continuously improved in practice.

However, these suggestions were enough to benefit Qin Hong greatly.

Qin Hong actually always had a question but he was too embarrassed to speak it out. Why didn't someone as quick-witted and intelligent as Chen Ce take the imperial examination?
Isn't it a piece of cake for him to pass the imperial examination?
……

After dinner, strolling along the Tongji Canal, feeling the spring breeze and the fresh smell of the river water, is inevitably pleasant and refreshing.

There are not many relaxing days like this left, and Chen Ce wants to experience the beauty of life.

As for why Chen Ce wanted to discuss business development with Qin Hong, he had actually already started planning.

Land annexation has been something that could not be stopped in feudal society for more than two thousand years. If the country is still a small peasant society, then land is a huge source of wealth and land annexation will continue to occur.

If we want to get rid of this constraint and completely get rid of land annexation, to be honest, it is not realistic at all to have officials and gentry pay taxes and grain together.

Unless... the social system changes from an agricultural society to a commercial society. In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, during this period, the beginnings of capitalism had actually begun to emerge in the Ming Dynasty, and employment relationships were everywhere.

When commercial interests are greater than the profits from land, society will force big landowners and bureaucrats to develop in the direction of business. As long as the commercial profits are large enough, the importance of land will gradually be replaced by business, and land annexation will gradually ease.

This is also the reason why Chen Ce is willing to talk to Qin Hong about business and enriching the country...

Just as Chen Ce was strolling leisurely on the embankment of Tongji Canal with his hands behind his back, Liu Hong found Chen Ce and told him that Tang Yin had encountered some trouble in Suzhou Prefecture.

His wife wanted to divorce him, and Tang Yin was dealing with the divorce.

Chen Ce said "oh" and asked Liu Hong, "Why?"

Liu Hong smiled bitterly and said, "It's all about money. Tang Yin was a juren before, and he was very successful. Although he is still a juren now, he has returned all his earnings to Xu Jing, and he is unwilling to use his juren status to buy land. If his family doesn't send him a penny, his wife will naturally divorce him."

No wonder this guy hasn't come to the capital for so long.

Chen Ce thought for a moment and said to Liu Hong, "Go and give Tang Yin some money so that they can live a good life. Tell Tang Yin to comfort his wife and leave his salary to her regularly. A husband and wife should be grateful to each other for a hundred days. Don't think about divorce on impulse."

Chen Ce was not too concerned about Tang Yin's family affairs. "Let him come to Beiping after he has dealt with them. If he doesn't want to come, he can work at the express post station in Suzhou Prefecture. It's up to him to make his own choice."

Liu Hong nodded and said, "Okay! I'll send someone to talk to Tang Yin right away."

"Ah."

The restaurants and mansions on both sides of the Tongji Canal lit up their lights, illuminating the embankment as bright as day. Gradually, more and more people came, and young men and beautiful women walked side by side along the bank of the Tongji Canal, talking and laughing.

Chen Ce sat on the stone bench under the willow tree, admiring these young ladies and gentlemen with a longing smile on his face.

If I were not sick, I would be strolling here with my lover, chatting and laughing, enjoying this rare peaceful time.

pity.

Ning Zhijun appeared beside Chen Ce without knowing when. Chen Ce looked up at her and asked in confusion: "Miss Ning? Is there something wrong?"

Ning Zhijun mustered up the courage to ask Chen Ce, "I don't know how you painted the painting in the Plum Garden that day. I tried to use a brush, but the lines were too delicate and I couldn't paint it at all."

Chen Ce: “…”

So it's just because of this? But on second thought, what else can these daughters of officials worry about besides these things?

Chen Ce said casually: "I don't paint with a brush, I use a pencil."

"lead?"

"Well, pencil...or rather, a mixture of charcoal and clay. This way the lines will be more delicate."

Ning Zhijun pursed his lips and asked softly, "Can you teach me? Your figure paintings are so lifelike, I really want to learn."

Chen Ce smiled and said, "Okay, let's wait until we have time."

"gone."

Chen Ce stood up, waved to Ning Zhijun, and walked towards his home with his hands behind his back. Ning Zhijun was about to say something but stopped. He stared blankly at Chen Ce's back, not knowing what he was thinking. Finally, he murmured, "Don't you want to ask about our marriage? My father rejected you, and I didn't..."

(End of this chapter)