A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 346 Inviting You to Join the Game
Zhao Zhen was aware of the continuous increase in commercial taxes collected by the court by reading the memorials.

He never expected that in Tokyo, right under the emperor's nose, someone would dare to owe commercial taxes.

Especially since it was Fanlou, they were extremely curious about this matter.

The commercial prosperity of the Northern Song Dynasty did not happen overnight.

Instead, agriculture and handicrafts developed further, leading to a flourishing of commerce.

Furthermore, the Northern Song rulers changed the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce that had been in place since the Western Han Dynasty, which elevated the status of merchants and made wealthy merchants even more prominent.

Many officials also engage in business, further expanding the prevailing attitude of laughing at poverty but not at prostitution.

More ordinary people joined the ranks of merchants, hoping to change their lives by making money, and at the same time, they would have the capital to marry into the family of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), further enhancing their family's status.

Although the Kaifeng Prefecture of the Northern Song Dynasty did not keep a record of whether there were 360 ​​trades in the city, Song Xuan had seen the trades that paid commercial taxes and estimated that there were at least 200 trades.

There are more than 4,000 shops of all kinds in Kaifeng County alone, not counting the shops in Xiangfu County, which are at least three thousand.

In the Song Dynasty, shops could be opened everywhere in cities, so the city tax was changed to a residence tax, with a tax rate of two percent.

A transit tax is levied on goods, with a tax rate of three percent.

The commercial taxes levied in the Song Dynasty covered a wide range of objects, mainly falling into three categories:

Transaction tax on daily necessities such as food and clothing for ordinary people;
Transaction taxes on means of production and residences such as farmland, shops, and houses;
Tax on the transaction of transportation vehicles such as cattle, horses, donkeys, mules, and camels.

Of course, there are also secondary markets, towns, or fairs.

For this type of situation, the government allows merchants to engage in tax farming.

Merchants who paid a deposit to the government obtained the right to levy taxes.

Then the contractors declare their own tax amount, and the highest bidder wins the right to pay all taxes; this is a "buying and selling" system for taxation.

The Northern Song court already had a strong awareness of cost and benefit.

Regarding the establishment of tax authorities, in areas where commercial tax revenue was meager, the government did not set up tax offices, but instead encouraged private individuals to purchase contracts.

In this way, the administrative expenses incurred by setting up tax agencies can be saved, and the government can also obtain a portion of the tax revenue by transferring the power to collect taxes through private contracting, thus increasing fiscal revenue without any omissions.

However, tax collection is a highly policy-driven task, and most of those who obtained the right to collect taxes in the Song Dynasty were local bullies and thugs.

Various conflicts are bound to arise between the two sides.

The imperial court doesn't tax everything; it always leaves some loopholes.

For example, in daily life, taxes on cloth, firewood, vegetables, and other commodities can be exempted to promote the circulation of these goods and thus ensure the supply of daily necessities for the people.

At the same time, taxes were waived for small vendors such as peddlers and street vendors, so that they could have the most basic means of survival, support their families, and make a living, thus preventing them from losing their way of life and taking risks to unite and revolt.

Of course, the imperial court also needs to see if you have "united front value"!
Since the signing of the Treaty of Chanyuan, the imperial court began to reduce or exempt taxes on farmland in Hebei, encouraged merchants to sell oxen to the north, and promoted the advanced treadle plow technology used in the south.

During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Song, the annual commercial tax was around four million strings of cash.

By the middle and later years of Emperor Renzong of Song, commercial taxes had reached 12 million strings of cash.

Even after its gradual decline, it remained at around ten million strings of cash, becoming an important source of revenue for the imperial court.

Today, Zhao Zhen's imperial treasury is so empty that even an empty mouse could run around in it. However, during Emperor Huizong's reign, the imperial treasury held eight million silver ingots and three million gold ingots.

The two sides were simply not in the same league in terms of enjoyment.

In response to Zhao Zhen's question, Song Xuan extended his arm:

"I originally wanted to settle this with my fists. If they didn't pay my taxes, I would make sure Fanlou couldn't do any business and see who suffered more losses. But they chickened out beforehand and now they've obediently handed over the money."

Hearing Song Xuan's words, Zhao Zhen was like: ? ? ?

Li Junyou couldn't tell whether Song Xuan was joking or not.

Should I be happy at this moment?

Guo En's eyes gleamed.

So this is how powerful fists are!

No wonder the official always urges himself to strengthen his muscles and practice martial arts!
Sang Yi wanted to maintain her image in front of Guo En, but unfortunately, she suddenly spat out the rice in her mouth.

"Ahem, hahahaha."

Is that so?

Zhao Zhen felt that what he heard didn't seem to be true.

"Yes." Song Xuan took a sip of the meat soup:

“You all don’t know, back when I was in my hometown, I saw Old Zhao’s family collecting taxes, and they were so powerful.”

"Who would dare not pay taxes?"

"Now that I am the magistrate of Kaifeng County, I must take strong measures against those shops that deliberately do not want to pay taxes."

"That day I originally intended to overturn the table and make a scene after dinner, but it was thanks to the intervention of Privy Councilor Zhang that he guaranteed that it would be delivered to me today, so I didn't lose my temper."

Song Xuan picked up his chopsticks and said:
"Fanlou's daily turnover could pay off this tax arrears, but it's only been delivered at this hour. I think they're unwilling to do it. Let them be exposed to the scorching sun for a while."

Li Junyou certainly knew how powerful the merchants in those markets who handled tax collection were.

In fact, the tax collectors in Kaifeng City were practically untouchable.

However, it mainly targets ordinary people or merchants from other places.

Even if they were faced with a behemoth like Fanlou, they wouldn't dare to provoke it.

Otherwise, Fanlou wouldn't have been in arrears with taxes for so long.

Now that they've encountered Song Xuan, who only takes money from whoever has it, they're all scratching their heads.

No matter how you look at it, the advantage is mine.

"Now that the imperial court is levying more and more commercial taxes, I thought no one would owe taxes."

Zhao Zhen smiled and picked up another piece of pork rib. At his age, he also wanted to eat more.

"If all the taxes are paid, the commercial taxes from Tokyo alone would be enough to do many things."

Song Xuan wiped his mouth and said, "You guys eat slowly, I'm going to lie down for a while."

Qi Lecheng stood in front of Manager Qian and said:

"The master is eating. You'd better wait in the courtyard. You've come at a really bad time."

Manager Qian understood perfectly well what he meant, and he quickly took out a handful of copper coins, intending to stuff them into Qi Lecheng's hand.

"What?"

Qi Lecheng jumped back, almost dropping the meat bone in his hand: "Are you trying to kill me?"

Manager Qian never expected that a mere gatekeeper would find money too hot to handle!

"How could I dare? I just wanted to ask you to inform him again that Fanlou has come to deliver money to the master."

With a smile on his face, Manager Qian grabbed another handful of copper coins, trying to stuff them into his hand.

Qi Lecheng ignored him completely; the amount of money wasn't worth the trip.

Not to mention, the official directly gave him a gold leaf, making him realize what it means to die for someone who understands you.

Even Prefect Liu is more generous when he comes to the county government than you, Fanlou. Are you begging with this attitude?

"I've already said it," Qi Lecheng said with extreme seriousness.

"The master said he knows, and he's eating now."

"I told you to wait, so just wait!"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

Faced with the yamen runner's sudden change of attitude, Manager Qian was stunned and stood there dumbfounded.

He had never encountered such a tough yamen runner before.

He didn't come to his senses until Qi Lecheng walked away with a smile and ate with the other guards.

"Shopkeeper, let's leave instead of putting up with this."

"What are you going to do?"

Manager Qian sat down on the steps to the side in a huff.

He knew, of course, that this was a show of force.

Moreover, it was specifically targeted at Fanlou.

If I had paid this amount earlier, I might have received the same treatment as at Baxianlou Restaurant.

Now he understands.

Most people make an example of someone to warn others, but Song Xuan, the top scholar, preferred to make an example of someone to warn others.

Only in this way can we make all the chickens obedient and not dare to resist.

From Liu Congde, the first maternal relative of the Song Dynasty, to the current show of force at Fanlou, Manager Qian suddenly understood.

Otherwise, how could he have the ability to manage Fanlou?

"All of you stay here and behave yourselves."

Manager Qian understood that Song Xuan wasn't targeting him.

Instead of beating the dog, Master Song directly beat the dog's owner.

I don't even deserve to be beaten in front of him.

If I dare to leave, the consequences will be even worse.

Having figured out the reason behind this, Manager Qian waited there obediently, not daring to utter the slightest complaint.

On the contrary, several of the men showed signs of dissatisfaction.

They live in Fanlou, a place many people envy but can't even get into to serve dishes and wash dishes.

Many high-ranking officials in the imperial court treated them with great courtesy.

Or rather, there are very few troublemakers in Fanlou.

Manager Qian had no interest in correcting his subordinates' minds; he hoped to have as many brainless subordinates as possible.

He just hoped this matter could be put to rest, otherwise he would be the one suffering, caught in the middle, getting upset from both sides.

After being exposed to the sun for a full hour, Manager Qian was finally called inside.

Upon arriving at the back hall, Manager Qian respectfully bowed to Song Xuan.

Regardless of Fanlou's background, Song Xuan is now an official, while he himself is a commoner.

If a commoner dares to disregard the officials, they have plenty of ways to deal with him, without the officials even needing to personally intervene.

"This humble subject greets Lord Song."

Manager Qian noticed that Song Xuan had slightly opened his eyes and looked him over a few times.

He slowly stood up and yawned:
"I fell asleep just now and forgot about Manager Qian."

"My lord has just woken up and summoned this humble subject. It is truly an honor for this humble subject."

Manager Qian was already parched. Even though there was some shade, the temperature outside was still extremely high at midday.

Song Xuan gestured for Manager Qian to hand over the booklet, took it, and pointed to its contents:

"Fanlou's annual revenue is only 100,000 strings of cash?"

According to this calculation, it would cost 300 strings of cash per year.

In reality, Fanlou's revenue is much higher than that.

Hearing Song Xuan's question, Manager Qian wiped his sweat again:
"So that the great sir may know, Fanlou has a large operation, and the accounts don't look good, but the most popular product is still wine."

"It's mainly the liquor tax. Fanlou pays it every day and never dares to be late."

"So you're planning to pay me nine hundred strings of cash in taxes?"

"No, no, no," Manager Qian quickly stretched out his hand and said, "There is also a late payment fine of one hundred strings of cash."

Song Xuan closed the ledger:

“I estimate that your Fanlou’s annual revenue is in the millions of strings of cash. Just a regular meal costs seven or eight strings of cash, not to mention that wealthy merchants and nobles can easily spend over a hundred strings of cash per meal.”

"Manager Qian, do you really want me to investigate the accounts of your Fanlou restaurant?"

"Or is it your master who thinks I shouldn't be collecting this tax?"

"No, I wouldn't dare. No."

Manager Qian quickly lowered his head, his face showing bitterness.

It seems that Song Xuan really doesn't intend to let this go easily.

"This amount of tax is nothing more than a drop in the ocean for your Fanlou."

Song Xuan stood up and walked up to him:
"So I don't understand how your masters could be so stupid."

"Since you've chosen to bow down and pay, why do you have to be so cunning about it, taking a little and deducting a little, just to disgust me? You're so stingy."

"Does your Fanlou restaurant also belong to a woman-run establishment, just like Sun Yang's Zhengdian?"

Manager Qian glanced at Song Xuan, then spoke:

"My lord, that's how the accounts are indeed calculated. I've done my best."

Song Xuan understood the meaning behind his words:

"As women in charge of their own households, look at how Sun Yangzheng's store operates; they handed over the money without hesitation."

Manager Qian continued wiping his sweat, not daring to respond.

Sun Yang Zhengdian was neither first nor second in line, but rather placed in the middle of the tax payment time with great tact.

Song Xuan summoned Qian Gansan and asked him to count the money. He also asked County Magistrate Zhou to write a notice of tax arrears and post it at the entrance of Fanlou.

Make sure every customer who enters the store knows this.

County Magistrate Zhou readily agreed and hurriedly went out to carry out the task.

Manager Qian stood to the side, bowing deeply, not daring to utter a single word.

Anyway, even if he tried his best at this time today, he failed.

The people behind Fanlou were unwilling to bow down easily, and he had no choice but to accept it.

If you're going to have a fight, then go ahead and fight.

No one was willing to bow their head.

Song Xuan gestured to Tao Hong to pour Manager Qian a cup of cold tea so that he could drink it before leaving.

Shopkeeper Qian accepted the herbal tea with profuse thanks, drank it all in one gulp, and immediately felt much better.

He quickly thanked Tao Hong, bowed to Song Xuan, and then left.

Manager Qian believed that Song Xuan understood his predicament, which was why he didn't make things difficult for him.

But after he stepped out of the room, he felt that the person who had handed him the herbal tea was someone he vaguely recognized, but he couldn't remember who it was.

However, Manager Qian quickly put the matter out of his mind.

This was Song Xuan's first time visiting Fanlou, so how could his entourage have ever been there before?

What's really bothering him right now is that the issue remains unresolved and has instead escalated into another controversy.

In business, harmony is paramount, but those in power are always eager to prove themselves.

No matter how you look at it, Manager Qian doesn't think he has the advantage. So what if you have a powerful background?

The top scholar Song didn't buy into that at all.

Moreover, he is the local official of Kaifeng County. If he wanted to catch you for tax evasion, it would be a piece of cake for him.

Fanlou has now become a landmark of the Song Dynasty. If such a scandal were to occur, even Manager Qian would feel it would be beneath his dignity.

The most basic logic is: what can a "businessman" use to fight against officials?

Manager Qian couldn't understand why she was so stubborn and insisted on putting down Scholar Song's arrogance.

Did Liu Congde, the Prefect of Kaifeng, or even members of the imperial clan gain any advantage?

When Manager Qian arrived at the door, he saw the county officials calmly counting money. He called over his trusted aide and gave him a few instructions, telling him not to be foolish and cause trouble.

Master Song is still angry; don't cause yourself any trouble.

After giving his instructions, Manager Qian politely bowed to Qi Lecheng before returning to Fanlou alone, intending to report the matter to his superiors.

A tea stall outside the county government office.

Ren Fu and his men rested and drank tea here, their eyes occasionally glancing at the county government office.

He knew that once the official went in, he never came out again.

They were all eating just now, so the Emperor must also be eating and hasn't left.

Ren Fu never expected that the emperor would sneak out without even a few guards by his side; he was truly audacious.

If he hadn't known, that would have been fine, but now that he knew about the Emperor's actions, Ren Fu absolutely wouldn't allow the Emperor to make any mistakes in front of him.

Ren Fu glanced at the person next to him who was also occupying the tea table.

These three people have been sitting here the whole time, staring at the entrance of the county government office.

Not sitting!

Xiaofeng, the leader of Wuyou Cave, has also been keeping an eye on the county government office.

He had already noticed several Imperial Guards sitting nearby, but Xiaofeng didn't care; he had a "legitimate" status.

At this time of year, it's perfectly normal to sit at a tea stall, drink some hot tea to cool off and avoid the scorching sun!
Xiao Feng just couldn't understand why the leader of the Imperial Guards always looked at him with such hostility.
The manager of Fanlou got into the donkey cart and told someone to drive it back immediately.

The donkey driver had just moved the cart to this shady spot and had some tea when he learned that Fanlou had come to deliver overdue taxes to Kaifeng County.

Ren Fu wondered if Fan Lou, with his keen insight, also knew the official's identity.
Xiaofeng felt that even Fanlou had bowed down, so it seemed that Canglin was right.

Song Xuan is truly no pushover.

The chances of getting my money back are becoming increasingly slim.

Xiaofeng picked up his teacup and took a sip. He glanced at the Imperial Guards beside him again and noticed that the leader of the guards was staring at him from time to time.

Based on his experience, at this point, one must not feel guilty and leave, but must remain seated to the end.

Otherwise, he would definitely interrogate me.

Ren Fu had a gut feeling that the person sitting next to him was definitely not just sitting there drinking tea to escape the heat, but he couldn't find a suitable reason to question him.

What if he felt guilty and just left?
They didn't give them even the slightest chance.

Ren Fu pondered in his mind what topic to use to probe the other person's background without revealing his true intentions.

After seeing that Magistrate Zhou had finished writing, Song Xuan gave it to him for review.

He stamped the document directly and ordered Magistrate Zhou to send someone to the entrance of Fanlou that evening to spread the word for an hour.

If Fanlou dares to drive them away, they will be arrested and imprisoned.

Tomorrow, we'll form a new team of prisoners to clear the mud; we must catch as many as possible to form a team.

"Yes, I understand."

At this moment, Magistrate Zhou straightened his back.

He became increasingly convinced that this young man in front of him genuinely enjoyed direct confrontation.

That's all, just obediently follow the instructions. After the others left, Zhao Zhen finally spoke:
"Twelfth Brother, who controls Fanlou?"

"How did you determine just now that it was in charge of a woman?"

Song Xuan took a sip of herbal tea to moisten his throat.
"Zhang Qi and Liu Congde have to take a backseat to control Fanlou. I think you can count on your fingers the number of people in the court who are more powerful than the two of them."

"As for judging that it is a woman, it is mainly because of her indecisiveness, lack of generosity, and tendency to annoy people with trivial matters."

Listening to Song Xuan's explanation, Li Junyou couldn't think of any other woman in the entire court who wielded more power than these two.

Could it be the Empress Dowager?
Li Junyou's face showed a strange expression. The Empress Dowager had been terrified of poverty before, but since following the late Emperor, she had never lacked money again.

How can I get involved here?
As Zhao Zhen listened to Song Xuan's description, a woman immediately flashed into his mind.

That was Madam Lin, the most trusted female official by the Empress Dowager's side.

Only she could make Zhang Qi and Liu Congde obedient.

After all, sometimes Madam Lin's stance represented Liu E's stance.

There are some things that the master cannot say, but those around her must speak on her behalf.

"It's Madam Lin."

Zhao Zhen was directly exposed by Song Xuan. He pondered and said, "Only this person fits the suspect that Twelfth Brother mentioned."

"Mrs. Lin?" Li Junyou narrowed his eyes.

Madam Lin had a husband and son. Although they were not as flamboyant as Liu Congde in Tokyo, they had still amassed considerable wealth.

Everyone surrounding Liu E was a sucker of the Song Dynasty court, desperately trying to line their own pockets.

They fear the consequence of having power but not using it, only to have it expire and become worthless.

"Yes, she is a female official serving the Empress."

Song Xuan exclaimed, "I really didn't expect her to be a lady-in-waiting by the Empress's side."

Zhao Zhen did not believe what Song Xuan said; he thought Song Xuan was just trying not to say anything more unpleasant.

"This person is still a bit troublesome."

Zhao Zhen did not hide his identity from Li Junyou, because he felt that he had already revealed too much information.

At least on Song Xuan's side, Li Shiheng was definitely not a member of the Empress Dowager's faction.

"She knows everything about what's going on inside the palace."

Hearing Zhao Zhen's words, Song Xuan tapped his fingers lightly on the table:
"Sixth Brother, can the Imperial City Guard investigate their family's businesses?"

"I suspect their family is colluding with Wuyou Cave, otherwise Fanlou wouldn't have so many prostitutes."

Song Xuan immediately started labeling people.

Li Junyou appeared somewhat nervous.

This matter didn't bypass him; instead, it was about getting him involved. It was obvious that his brother-in-law wanted him to do something.

Serving the government was an opportunity Li Junyou desperately wanted.

I never imagined it would end up in my mouth so soon.

He appeared to be trembling slightly.

If he still doesn't understand what Song Xuan means, then he's been wasting all these years on the streets of Tokyo.

Zhao Zhen glanced at Li Junyou but did not refuse:
“What Twelfth Brother said makes sense. Relying solely on the Imperial City Guard might take a long time to investigate, because they are not professionals in this field.”

"Sixth Brother!"

Li Junyou shouted excitedly, then took a deep breath: "I can do this kind of thing."

Zhao Zhen sat upright on the throne. He was not a wooden man; he was also diligently learning the ways of an emperor.

Therefore, upon hearing Song Xuan's words, he immediately understood and looked at Li Junyou:
"Are you really capable?"

"capable!"

Li Junyou pounded his chest with his fist:

"I would gladly die for you, Sixth Brother!"

"it is good."

Hearing Li Junyou's assurance, Zhao Zhen was very pleased, and he said in a very generous manner:
"I'll leave this matter to you. I'll have the Imperial City Guard secretly monitor their strongholds that are colluding with Wuyou Cave."

"Thank you, Sixth Brother."

After bowing, Li Junyou looked at Song Xuan with great gratitude.

As expected, Grandpa's judgment was correct, and he advised me to have more contact with Song Xuan in the future.

With this relationship, there will surely be a good outcome.

He hadn't expected the good outcome to come so quickly, and he joined the Imperial Party ahead of schedule.

Even ordinary people who want to join the Imperial Party don't have to meet any requirements!
It really comes down to following the right person and clinging to the right powerful figure.

Li Junyou couldn't wait to express his opinion, saying that he would get to work right away.

After everyone left, Zhao Zhen took the initiative to speak:
"Twelfth Brother, is Madam Lin all-powerful in the palace, and just as powerful outside of it?"

"Pretty much, just more deeply hidden."

Song Xuan clicked his tongue twice:

"As expected, women are quite adept at palace intrigue. They perfectly stayed behind the scenes, pushing the more outrageous Liu Congde to the front to draw attention."

“I now suspect that the Lin family is behind the corrupt things Liu Congde did, and he is the scapegoat.”

Emperor Renzong (Zhao Zhen) also had some knowledge of Liu Congde:

"He really has no talent; he was able to live a carefree and unobstructed life for the first half of his life purely because of his connection with the Empress Dowager."

They're even more carefree than I am.

Zhao Zhen could never forget his so-called "first love," but in the end, she became someone else's wife.

"Liu Congde's reputation is well-known, and besides his own personal reasons, there must be a behind-the-scenes manipulator pushing him to cover up his own misdeeds."

Song Xuan snapped his fingers:
"Sixth Brother, Madam Lin is the real venomous snake hiding deep within!"

"Yes." Zhao Zhen agreed with Song Xuan's words.

"I'm starting to wonder if she's the mastermind behind the Worry-Free Cave."

"Then we'll need the Imperial City Guard to investigate carefully."

Song Xuan then told Zhao Zhen about the Liao spy they had previously discovered, who had also conducted transactions at the black market held at Wuyou Cave.

"The Khitans all know about the Worry-Free Cave."

Zhao Zhen sighed softly, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

“Worry-Free Cave sells many prohibited items, so it is quite normal for Liao spies to purchase them through this medium.”

Song Xuan explained to Zhao Zhen, "If I were a spy in the Liao Kingdom and discovered such a loophole, how could I not take advantage of it?"

"Our Great Song Dynasty also sent many spies to the capital of Liao."

Zhao Zhen revealed the truth to Song Xuan:

"But the messages they sent back weren't very valuable."

The Khitan nobles all had shaved heads, and many of their ministers had their own networks of connections.

It would be very difficult for Han Chinese to climb up there.

Although the Liao Dynasty also adopted Han Chinese customs and had an imperial examination system, it did not have the same opportunities as the Song Dynasty, where many commoners could enter officialdom.

Their imperial examination system was not open to everyone; many Khitan people were excluded, and most of the successful candidates came from Han Chinese in the Hebei region and Bohai people.

Such measures were also intended to enable these people to help the Liao Dynasty strengthen its control over the agricultural areas in the south (Hebei region) and to leverage the wisdom of the Han people for economic and cultural integration.

This even led to the "one country, two systems" approach, which did not require Han Chinese residents to shave their heads, but instead allowed them to continue their traditional dress habits, wearing wide-sleeved robes and square headscarves.

To put it bluntly, the Han Chinese people in the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and other places had value for the Liao Dynasty in uniting the people!
If they were to join the Song Dynasty, it would be a huge blow to the Liao Dynasty, as they would never have another chance to invade the Central Plains.

However, very few of these people were able to occupy a niche in the Liao Dynasty's upper echelons.

Most of the officials in the Liao Dynasty were either hereditary or elected.

The selection of prime ministers in both the North and South followed a hereditary system.

Specifically, the prime minister of the Northern Court had to come from the empress's family, while the prime minister of the Southern Court was limited to members of the royal family.

This system means that even if an individual is exceptionally capable, they are completely ineligible for these two important positions if they do not belong to one of these two specific families.

It can be said that the Liao Dynasty followed the same path as the powerful clans of the Tang Dynasty.

Many people, despite their talent, lack opportunities for advancement.

As long as you come from a good family, it doesn't matter if you don't have any special skills; you will definitely be able to occupy a high position in the future.

Many important positions are so desirable that even those who are capable of sitting in them cannot.

With official positions becoming rigid, it was quite normal for the three Xiao families to control three different regions and monopolize power.

After all, the entire territory of the Liao Dynasty was divided into five circuits.

Under such circumstances, it would be virtually impossible for Song spies to infiltrate the Khitan high command.

"It's alright, there's no rush. We'll be able to use it in the future."

Song Xuan didn't think those spies would be very interested, after all, the two sides hadn't fought for many years.

It's normal for them to try to earn some money, get married, have children, and settle down locally.

Zhao Zhen nodded, then asked, "Twelfth Brother, what do you think of the money-making method Li Junyou mentioned earlier? Is it feasible?"

"Brilliant! That's quite a practical approach. His grandfather, Li Shiheng, was a master at making money. How could he not have passed on his family's secret techniques to him?"

Song Xuan thought Li Junyou's words were quite good, especially the part about charging monks money, which was something he hadn't even thought of.

"In particular, many people are extremely generous when it comes to paying respects to Buddha."

“When I was in my hometown, I heard that someone from the neighboring county donated 2 million to build a main hall, 1.5 million to build a monks’ hall, 300,000 to build an abbot’s room, 500,000 to build a bathhouse, and 400,000 to purchase statues of Bodhisattvas and Maitreya, etc.”

"As a result, their incense offerings became even more prosperous, and they had so much money that they used it to lend out at high interest rates."

"I think we should tax usury."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Zhao Zhen's eyes widened, and he decided to tax usury.

"Is this okay?"

"Either lower interest rates or accept taxes."

Song Xuan pointed in the direction of the Great Xiangguo Temple:

"The interest they receive each month is outrageously high, so what's wrong with the imperial court collecting some taxes from them?"

"Since the imperial court can't prohibit usury anyway, we might as well fuel it."

"When a large number of bad debts and defaults occur, this trend may slow down considerably."

"If the Daxiangguo Temple charges protection money to the people, why can't the imperial court charge them protection money as well?"

"Do they also want the Song Dynasty to follow the example of the Three Wu and One Zong emperors in suppressing Buddhism?"

Zhao Zhen subconsciously swallowed.

He had never considered the idea of ​​persecuting Buddhism.

However, Zhao Zhen was aware of the temple's prosperity.

Many temples survived by claiming royal status; the birthplaces of Song Dynasty emperors would become temples, hoping for divine protection.

Emperor Zhao Zhen also had his own temple.

Liu E's temple was Chongfu Temple in Changlu, where a highly respected monk, said to have helped her, was renowned throughout the Jianghuai region. Even the current Daxiangguo Temple could not compare to it until Liu E died.

This was true not only for emperors, but also for many members of the powerful and wealthy classes.

Shi Shouxin and a large number of other military generals, as well as the concubines in the harem, all liked to build temples and spend money on them.

The more economically developed a region is, the more numerous and luxurious its temples are; in contrast, temples are scarce in other less economically developed areas during the Northern Song Dynasty.

“What Twelfth Brother said makes sense. I’ll think about it. However, it would be easier to accept if we made them pay taxes on their land first.”

Zhao Zhen felt that the temples occupied a lot of land and were frequently given as gifts, not just by the royal family.

Other officials and merchants not only spent money, but also donated land.

These fields were top-quality fertile land, and in Zhao Zhen's view, it was perfectly normal to collect taxes on them.

"you sure?"

Song Xuan coughed and said, "As far as I know, the Empress Dowager is fond of Buddhism, and she has repeatedly broken the ban on temples and Taoist temples buying land."

"She still used your personal treasury, Sixth Brother, to donate money to the temple in your name so that they could buy land."

"Nowadays, the largest household in Kaifeng County that owns land is the Liu family, followed by the Daxiangguo Temple, then the Yuqing Palace, and then another temple."

Zhao Zhen sighed again. The little treasury his father had left him wasn't much to begin with, and his mother had taken it out and squandered it recklessly.

"There was no forced plundering, but I don't think the people had any chance to refuse."

Song Xuan spread his hands and said, "I wonder how confident Sixth Brother is in persuading the Empress Dowager to allow the collection of taxes from temples and Taoist monasteries?"

"I really don't know how to bring this up."

Zhao Zhen rubbed his temples: "Actually, I feel uneasy whenever I see the Empress Dowager, and I really want to escape from her side."

“You don’t like her, you’ve always been like this since you were little, which is why you’re resistant to getting close to her now that you’re older.”

Song Xuan snapped his fingers again: "Children are actually quite sensitive. When you were little, you should have been able to sense that she didn't like you, so you always wanted to escape that scene."

Zhao Zhen didn't know the reason before, but after learning his true identity, he understood that everything Song Xuan said was true.

The Empress Dowager has never liked me.

Perhaps the person she loved most in her entire life was not my father, but herself.

So the problem isn't with me?

Zhao Zhen quickly realized: "So what should I do?"

"Of course it's acting."

Song Xuan fanned Zhao Zhen twice with his fan:
"Your Majesty need not be so nervous. You already know the true nature of your relationship."

"Just say that you are worried that the Yellow River project will flood Tokyo, and even the imperial palace will not be able to avoid it."

"Since Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries are distributing porridge, why not have them pay taxes collectively, and let the imperial court manage the distribution to help the people get through this difficult time?"

"Because the 100,000 strings of cash contributed by Prefect Liu were not even enough to handle the aftermath."

After listening to Song Xuan's suggestion, Zhao Zhen sat there and pondered for a long time.

"Does Twelfth Brother mean that the attack should still revolve around Liu Congde?"

"Yes, that's it."

Song Xuan casually lay down on the recliner:
"Since the Empress Dowager wants to clean up Liu Congde's mess, then she should help him clean it up completely."

"Anyway, this money didn't come from the Liu family. She bestowed so much money and land upon the temple, so it's perfectly normal for her to ask the temple for help now."

"Even if the temples are unwilling to give up their flesh, they have still offended the Grand Madam. Given the Grand Madam's vengeful nature, do you think she will let these temples and Taoist monasteries off easily?"

"it is good."

Zhao Zhen stood up, strolled around a few steps, and pondered the logic behind it.

There's nothing wrong with it; it's definitely not a case of shifting blame!
It was entirely for the benefit of the Song Dynasty court and its people; it was a win-win policy.

"Then, Twelfth Brother, you wait here for my good news."

Zhao Zhen was unwilling to wait any longer; he wanted to get this done immediately.

"By the way, since you're going to use the flood as an excuse, what if it actually happens? Twelfth Brother, have you stockpiled some grain?"

"I stocked up on some," Song Xuan said with his eyes closed.
“I have already contacted the rice merchants, and they will deliver a large amount of fresh grain tomorrow. We will eat the new grain then, and the old rice in the warehouse will be reserved for the disaster-stricken people.”

Zhao Zhen had just received a definite answer and was about to leave when he stopped in his tracks: "Twelfth Brother, I don't understand."

“I know you don’t understand, but only in this way will most of the rice porridge end up in the mouths of the real disaster victims, instead of being eaten by others who also come to take advantage.”

Song Xuan waved his hand: "Disaster relief has always been a profound subject. Your Majesty can also carefully consider the reasons for doing so."

"it is good."

Zhao Zhen didn't bother Song Xuan any longer. He left the county office with Zhang Maoze, got on a donkey cart, and hurriedly returned to Yuqing Palace, preparing to go to the palace to confront the Empress Dowager.

Outside the county government office.

Ren Fu saw the official get into the carriage and drive away slowly, but did not choose to follow immediately.

Instead, he glanced at Xiaofeng and the others at the next table, finished his tea, paid the bill, and then slowly got up to go on patrol.

Ren Fu didn't want others to know what he cared about.

Xiao Feng felt nothing as the Imperial Guards left, but his two henchmen breathed a sigh of relief.

They still felt considerable pressure facing the Imperial Guard.

In the county government office.

After everyone left, only Tao Hong remained in the room. He picked up his iced tea and took a sip.
"Young master, we've met Manager Qian from Fanlou before. He's gotten quite fat."

Song Xuan opened his eyes: "Is it still him?"

"I'm sure it's him."

"That's quite impressive; Fanlou hasn't replaced him all these years."

Song Xuan slowly fanned himself with his fan:

"However, his master is deliberately causing trouble. If things go wrong, he might be replaced."

Tao Hong nodded.

He was just a little worried that the shopkeeper would recognize him.

After all, being the manager of Fanlou is not easy. You have to remember the faces and names of many important guests, as well as their preferences.

In short, the service staff at Tokyo City are incredibly competitive.

"But it doesn't matter. As long as this kind of person doesn't die, he can still get by in other legitimate shops."

Song Xuan sat up again: "Regarding the matter of collecting taxes from temples to overcome the difficulties, can the Emperor persuade the Empress Dowager?"

Tao Hong first shook his head, then nodded:

“I think it will be difficult. She doesn’t like the current government very much and is afraid that he might offer some useful suggestions.”

"I think it has a chance."

"Why?"

"Because Liu E was fond of worshipping Buddha."

Song Xuan slowly fanned himself with his fan:

"If the order were issued in the emperor's name, those monks and Taoists would surely have great resentment towards the emperor."

"This kind of public opinion is harmless, but it can give Empress Liu another reason to continue ruling!"

(End of this chapter)