My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 179 The Four Classes of People Advocate for Peace and Request the Imposition of Commercial Taxes
Sitting in Lingji Palace again, the emperor's mood was completely different from last time.

He Xin sat in his study, where the virtuous and learned scholars from various provinces formed two distinct factions.

Southern Zhili, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangzhou, Shandong (which had just opened its port), and Jiangxi (which was known for its thriving paper and ceramic industries) sat together.

The remaining provinces sat on the other side.

The two sides went from being on good terms at the beginning of the Lingji Palace conference to being at each other's throats in less than five days.

He Xinyin once again lamented the immense role newspapers played, highlighting how their differences had become public and how his "New Yuefu Daily" had contributed to the escalation of the conflict.

He Xinyin looked at the high platform outside the hermitage. This incident was naturally fueled by He Xinyin and others, but in essence, it was still a serious disagreement left over from the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

As a region rich in wealth, the southeastern coastal areas believed that they had provided financial support to the imperial court and therefore deserved the greatest benefits.

The northern provinces, on the other hand, believed that it was the soldiers and civilians of the north who used their blood and flesh to block the threat of the northern barbarians; otherwise, how could there be such a stable situation in the south?
Simply put, the South feels they are paying taxes, while the North feels they are paying a blood tax.

He Xinyin wanted to see how the officials in the court would solve these problems.

He wanted to know more about Su Ze's perspective on these issues.

The theme for today's closing ceremony was set by Zhang Juzheng. He picked up a brush and wrote four characters on the stage, after which a eunuch raised a silk banner into the air.

"The occupations of the four classes of people"

Upon seeing this topic, He Xinyin felt a certain admiration for those four senior officials in power.

It's always better to bring up and discuss problems than to keep them hidden. Conflicts won't disappear just because you can't talk about them.

As expected, the scholars in the study were in an uproar upon seeing the title.

They also assumed that the court would not discuss this issue, but rather that they would try to steer the discussion away from it during the debate.

Unexpectedly, the imperial court allowed the discussion to take place publicly, which excited the virtuous scholars present.

The first person to stand up was one of the people in the Southern Zhili team.

He Xinyin took one look and recognized the man as Mao Kuan, the fellow disciple with whom he had debated at Lengyan Temple that day.

Mao Kuan was also one of Yan Jun's disciples. After the conflict with He Xinyin at Lengyan Temple that day, the two went their separate ways.

Unexpectedly, Mao Kuan managed to infiltrate the ranks of virtuous and learned scholars in Southern Zhili.

However, He Xinyin was mixed in with the northern troops, and he was a wanted criminal by the imperial court, so he disguised himself, and Mao Kuan should not have recognized him.

Mao Kuan confidently walked onto the stage, bowed to the emperor and his ministers, and then said loudly:
"All four classes of people are equal, and all are Your Majesty's subjects. Why then do you favor scholars and farmers while neglecting artisans and merchants?"

"Clothing, food, housing, and transportation are the necessities of life for all people. The silk and cotton workshops in Jiangnan work day and night to weave silk and cotton to clothe the bodies of all people in our Great Ming Dynasty; the construction of houses is the result of the hard work of craftsmen day and night."

"Gentlemen say that agriculture is the foundation of the nation. If it weren't for the millions of laborers along the Grand Canal, how would the grain from the provinces be transported to the capital?"

"I believe that industry and commerce are also the foundation of the nation. I request the court to abolish the government's monopoly on these industries and to abolish the miscellaneous taxes on silk, tea, and porcelain, so that the benefits can be returned to the people."

"With this arrival, all people will live in peace and prosperity, and peace will last for ten thousand generations!"

Upon hearing Mao Kuan's words, Zhang Juzheng on the high platform frowned.

As the head of the Ministry of Revenue, he was most sensitive to the nation's finances.

The Ming Dynasty's official iron and salt industry was actually a dead letter, but in many southern regions, government-run ironworks were smaller than those run by private companies.

For the remaining silk and porcelain, the Ming Dynasty also established specialized agencies. For example, there was an imperial kiln factory in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, which was dedicated to producing official porcelain.

In the early years of the dynasty, there was also a manufacturing bureau in Jiangnan, which was specifically responsible for manufacturing royal clothing.

However, these government-run workshops soon became less competitive. For example, the textile bureau in Jiangnan no longer weaves textiles themselves, and even the dragon robes worn by the emperor when he ascended the throne had to be contracted out to private manufacturers.

Meanwhile, the technology of the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen has been surpassed by private kilns, and there has been a situation where the official kilns are inferior to the private kilns.

These are all minor details of national finances, but salt is not.

Salt was an important part of the national treasury, and the state monopoly on salt and iron was a policy that existed since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

No matter how corrupt the salt tax may be, it remains an important part of the national treasury, and it absolutely cannot be abandoned.

As expected, as soon as Mao Kuan finished speaking, a middle-aged Confucian scholar stood up to refute him.

"Huan Yuan, a Confucian scholar from Huguang, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

After Huan Yuan finished bowing, he began to speak:
"The corruption of the imperial salt laws is all due to these unscrupulous merchants. Nowadays, private salt is rampant, and there are even salt smugglers who openly sell salt, monopolizing the salt of a prefecture or county. The profits they make are used to gather a large army, making them veritable powerful tyrants!"

"The salt laws have been corrupted by these unscrupulous merchants. If the salt ban is lifted, it will bring no benefit to the court or the common people, but only to the merchants!"

"Is Mao Sheng implying that there's only one Zhang Shicheng in Jiangnan?!"

This caused an uproar among Confucian scholars throughout the southern provinces!
Zhang Shicheng, who competed with Zhu Yuanzhang for the throne, was a salt smuggler.

This statement is clearly a veiled attack on the heart.

As expected, Huan Yuan said so, and the emperor's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Next, the two sides took turns debating on stage, gradually splitting into two factions.

The South demanded the opening of government-run enterprises, the removal of restrictions based on place of origin, and the equalization of taxes.

The North demanded the restoration of the founding system and strict household registration restrictions, prohibiting all households except those with official, civilian, and a few military registrations from participating in the imperial examinations.

Several provinces, including Huguang, had other requirements. Since Jiangxi and Southern Zhili, which were surrounding Huguang, were major provinces for the imperial examinations and the most difficult regions for the provincial examinations, there were also many imperial examination immigrants from these areas.

Some scholars from Jiangxi and Southern Zhili would try to register their names in Huguang to take the imperial examinations, especially in the southern part of Huguang.

The virtuous and learned scholars of Huguang also demanded the strengthening of the household registration system, prohibiting people from moving around at will, severely cracking down on scholars who registered their residences without proper authorization, and ideally restoring the Baojia system to prevent people from leaving their original place of residence at will.

Seeing such a chaotic scene, after a whole morning, neither side could come up with any new points, and they began to vaguely turn to regional attacks. At this moment, Zhang Juzheng cleared his throat and spoke.

"By His Majesty's decree, this dispute among the four classes of people originated with Su Ze of the Hanlin Academy, and this discussion should rightfully end with you."

Everyone looked at Su Ze in the ranks of officials. Su Ze, whose name was called, remained calm. After being called by Zhang Juzheng, he bowed and stepped out of the ranks, then walked steadily into the meeting hall below.

He Xinyin narrowed her eyes and looked at Su Ze in the venue.

He had long admired Su Ze, and if it weren't for Su Ze, he wouldn't have thought of using a newspaper to spread his ideas.

The New Yuefu Newspaper was almost a copy of the Yuefu New Newspaper. What kind of genius was Su Ze, who created all of this from scratch?
In addition, He Xinyin also supported many of Su Ze's memorials, such as Su Ze's border policies and his request for the court to open ports for maritime trade.

However, He Xinyin disliked Su Ze's "flattery" of the emperor and requested the cancellation of the morning court session and the Lantern Festival. He Xinyin believed that this would fuel the emperor's selfish desires, and then officials throughout the country would harm the people in order to satisfy the emperor's selfish desires.

In short, He Xinyin's attitude towards Su Ze was contradictory; she admired his talent but did not trust his character.

After Su Ze finished bowing, he said:
"Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants are all Your Majesty's subjects. Your Majesty is like a parent to all people. Children should be filial to their parents, and parents should also raise their children."

“Raising children is called nurturing and educating.”

“Those who provide for the people are responsible for ensuring the livelihood of all people and the comfort of their food and drink.”

“Education is called teaching. Parents love their children and hope that they will become successful and virtuous.”

"This is how Your Majesty views all people!"

There was nothing wrong with that statement, and everyone nodded slightly. Su Ze continued:

"Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, the weather has been favorable, and in the event of disasters, relief and tax exemptions have been provided. The people call this a prosperous era, and the way to provide for them has been fulfilled."

This could be considered flattery of the emperor, and the emperor nodded in satisfaction.

Su Ze continued:

"What about the fertile ones?"

"Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants; the imperial court educated scholars to study and improve themselves, and to learn the teachings of Confucius and Mencius."

"The imperial court encourages agriculture and sericulture, promulgates calendars to encourage farmers to cultivate according to the four seasons, and Emperor Taizu's earnest words of encouragement to agriculture are written into ancestral precepts. Your Majesty also personally encourages agriculture in the spring."

"But the merchants and artisans are also His Majesty's subjects, so why are they not taught anything?"

"As the virtuous scholars previously said, merchants are inherently heartless when they are rich. Is this their nature? Or is this simply the nature of merchants?"

"In my opinion, this is a case of a son who has not been properly taught."

The emperor frowned. This argument was indeed correct, and it was a perspective that no one had considered.

As Su Ze spoke, the learned scholars of the southeastern provinces cheered. This argument did not quote those obscure classics, but spoke of the simplest truths, which even the most unassuming farmers could understand.

Ironically, this kind of argument is the hardest to refute, and the virtuous scholars of the northern provinces are all pondering the flaws in Su Ze's arguments.

Su Ze continued:

"Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants are all Your Majesty's subjects. Why is it that only scholars and farmers possess virtue, while artisans and merchants lack virtue? Isn't this favoring one over the other? Furthermore, the existence of cunning and deceitful artisans and wealthy but uncharitable merchants is also due to the court's lack of education."

The crowd cheered again, but He Xinyin frowned, feeling that there was something wrong with what Su Ze said.

Can morality alone prevent merchants from being greedy and unethical, and prevent artisans from being dishonest and cunning?

impossible?

The sages preached so many principles, yet there are still quite a few scoundrels among scholars.

Su Ze's so-called "moral theory" is more like the argument of a tailor, forcibly using morality to bridge the contradictions between scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants.

This man is quite suitable to be a Grand Secretary.

He Xinyin couldn't help but think.

Su Ze continued, "Therefore, I also request Your Majesty and the court to establish professional ethics and business ethics, and to tell them what they should and should not do."

"Just like raising a child, reward good behavior and punish bad behavior, so that all people in the world can live in peace."

The emperor nodded slightly. Su Ze's theory sounded quite good; at least the virtuous scholars of the north couldn't come up with any objections for the time being.

If the conflict between the North and South can be quelled, the emperor will not punish Su Ze.

Just then, Su Ze said again:
"But work ethics are easy to talk about; it's just about being down-to-earth and hardworking, and striving for excellence in craftsmanship."

"But what virtue do merchants possess?"

"Merchants accumulate wealth and resell goods; profit-seeking is their nature. Does the court intend to encourage them to pursue profit?"

Yes, Su Ze's words made everyone frown, even the virtuous scholar from the South was stunned.

Those selected for the "Virtuous and Wise Literature" were all influential people in the local area, and were unlikely to be poor.

The Jiangnan region is so industrial and commercial that even if these virtuous and learned scholars did not have their own families engaged in business, they had relatives and friends who were. Even their expenses when they came to the capital were funded by donations from local merchants.

Although there is a saying about Confucian merchants in Jiangnan, it is not a systematic one, and most merchants are still driven by profit.

What virtue do merchants possess?

Su Ze then raised an even more difficult question.

But he quickly found the answer himself.

Su Ze said:

"Merchants increase their wealth, build looms to weave clothes for all people, and balance their goods to relieve the people's poverty. This is the virtue of merchants."

"But if that's all there is to it, scholars, farmers, and artisans also say that merchants pursue profit, not for the benefit of the people, but to satisfy their own selfish desires before the public good."

“If the princes are not at peace, then the family will not be at peace. Scholars, farmers, artisans and merchants are all Your Majesty’s subjects, so this alone is not enough.”

The emperor and prime minister nodded repeatedly. Su Ze had brought up the problem himself, and his attitude of wanting to solve it was much more respectable.

Su Ze continued:

"In my opinion, it is virtuous for merchants to increase their wealth."

“The wealth of the world is not fixed. Without workshops, cotton in the fields will not become cloth, and brine in the sea will not become salt.”

"And the salt from the seaside cannot be delivered to the tables of people in inland provinces."

"People say that merchants are immoral, using the term 'immoral' to suppress them. Yet, the lowly merchants earn more money, which makes people even more hostile towards them."

Su Ze paused for a moment and then said:
"In my opinion, to make merchants understand their role in the court, we must not belittle them while allowing them to amass great wealth."

"Even if the law allows merchants to wear fine clothes at night, does that mean the fine clothes no longer exist?"

The Longqing Emperor couldn't help but ask:
"Then, Minister Su, what do you think is the proper way to promote business ethics?"

Su Ze said:

"The common people may not understand the contribution of increasing production and goods, so we must let the whole world see that contribution!"

He Xinyin had a bad feeling.

Su Ze said loudly:

"Your Majesty, I request that a commercial tax be levied! To uphold commercial ethics!"

As soon as Su Ze said this, the entire Lingji Palace assembly fell silent.

The Southern Virtuous Literature faction, which had just supported Su Ze, was now dumbfounded.

The virtuous scholars of the North who had just been calling for Su Ze's execution were now dumbfounded. Which side was Su Ze on?

Is levying taxes on merchants a sign of good business ethics?

Wait a minute, if merchants pay more taxes, the imperial court won't have to tax ordinary people so heavily, so merchants seem to be truly virtuous.

Those present weren't fools; they knew that things like water conservancy, public welfare, education, and other related issues all cost money.

This money either comes from ordinary people or from wealthy families.

If commercial taxes can be collected, the government can use the money in these areas, which seems to be a truly virtuous thing.

The emperor on the throne looked at Su Ze with satisfaction.

But among the senior officials, Zhang Juzheng frowned, wondering how to collect commercial taxes.
(End of this chapter)