Li Shimin took a deep breath and suddenly spoke in a deep voice: "I, I have decided to dig the Yellow River. The request of King Zhao of Yunxi Prefecture to recruit three million civilians..."

The ministers did not object.

But he sighed bitterly.

The recruitment of three million civil servants is probably only the first batch. It is not something that three million civil servants can do to dig the Yellow River and build 500 giant trunk channels.

Maybe three million will be collected every year.

Since ancient times, when recruiting civil servants, the first thing to do is to give them food. Three million civil servants every year, it is a matter of numbness on their scalp.

This is just food rations, and no financial expenditure is calculated.

Although there was a saying in the Tang Dynasty, it was impossible to use corvee every year. Except for the first year, you can use labor for free and you have to pay the civilians every year. How much expense will be? Even the Minister of Revenue cannot calculate it for the time being.

The only thing that can be expected is that the Tang Dynasty may really be dragged down.

...

Li Yun understands the ministers' worries.

Li Yun also understands Li Shimin's hard support.

It is precisely because he understands that Li Yun must give everyone a reassurance.

He slowly walked to the edge of the sand table, suddenly smiled and attracted everyone, and asked lightly: "Why must we recruit civil servants? Can the people take the initiative?"

uh-huh!

Let the people take the initiative?

The ministers present looked at each other, and had never thought of such a thing before.

Wei Zhengyu said with hesitation: "Since ancient times, the court often had to recruit civil servants, either to use corvee labor or to pay remuneration, but regardless of corvee labor or to pay remuneration, the people never took the initiative to participate."

He smiled bitterly and sighed with emotion: "The people are not cold-hearted, but are too short-sighted. Even if it is a matter of benefiting the country and the people, they will only take care of the situation."

Li Yun smiled and said, "That's just the past, now is now. I promise that the people will take the initiative. If Lord Wei doesn't believe it, we can make a bet..."

"Gambling again?"

Wei Zheng was stunned for a moment, then waved his hands repeatedly and said, "I never like gambling if I don't gamble." Then he was curious and looked at Li Yun and asked again, "I see that King Zhao is confident, can you already have a good idea in your heart?"

Li Yun smiled and bent down and picked up Li Zhi again. He did not answer Wei Zheng's words directly. Instead, he hugged Li Zhi to the edge of the sand table and said, "Brother Zhinu, you have shattered the Yellow River. After the Yellow River has shattered, the entire northern Central Plains will suffer disaster. This is your fault, you need to make up for it."

This is simply incredible. It was obviously a game just now.

All the ministers present looked confused, and even Li Shimin could not guess what Li Yun meant.

Li Zhi was obviously a little scared and lay in Li Yun's arms and defended weakly: "Brother, you said you were just playing games."

Li Yun laughed, reached out to pinch his little face, and said, "Although it is a game, it is also a reality. If you break the Yellow River, you have the responsibility to make up for it."

Li Zhi pursed his lips.

But seeing Li Yun bent down slowly and gently put Li Zhi on the ground, he slowly stood up and pointed to the sand table in front of him and said, "It is not a day's work to dig the Yellow River and build the main canal. It requires perseverance. It may take two or three generations to succeed. This will definitely not be levied every year."

He stopped here and then said, "So I have a plan. We don't recruit civil servants. I plan to subdivide this project and issue it to each place for their own responsibility. For example, there is a county on Hebei Road and there is a section of the main canal in the county that needs to be dug. Then the court will directly issue the task to the county, so that the county canal canal can be excavated by private levies!"

"People's levy?"

The ministers present looked at each other, and soon someone questioned, saying, "It's obviously still corvee."

Li Yun did not answer and continued: "When the people are entrusted, the court will strictly order, and construction will not be allowed during the busy farming season. Only in the cold winter can it be. At that time, it is slack farming, and the people are idle. Even if they only dig a few hundred feet a year, they cannot delay the people's land and farming."

He started to answer the question just now, saying: "Because the people have to pay tribute, the people must have complaints, so the court needs to make up for it. Guess how I plan to make up for it?"

No one can answer him.

Neither the emperor nor the minister can keep up with the idea.

Li Yun could only sing a one-man show by himself, and chuckled, "There are two types of compensation. The first is that farmers have no taxes, and merchants have to pay farmers. Throughout the dynasties, the court has to collect agricultural taxes. The people are the most pitiful. They have to pay various taxes, land taxes, and cap taxes, all kinds of taxes, and a total of 50%. If they are gone, the people don't have to pay any taxes. Not only do they have to pay, but they also have to provide subsidies for farming..."

These words stunned the ministers, and many people secretly went to see Li Shimin's face.

It is natural for people to farm and pay taxes. When you come here, you are exempt from taxes. Not only do you have to pay the tax on the other hand, but you have to pay the money in turn. Good guy, even if this matter is really feasible, have you ever thought about who to say this?

This is what the emperor can say.

Fortunately, Li Shimin spoke in time to dispel the worries of everyone present and smiled: "The King of Zhao had told me before that I had expressed my consent at that time, but the national strength of the Tang Dynasty was not enough to support it, so I did not inform everyone in the court."

This has given Li Yun a step forward.

Li Yun bowed and thanked the emperor, and then said again: "There is no tax for farmers, and merchants will pay for farmers. To put it bluntly, the people will no longer pay taxes for farming. The tax losses of the treasury will be compensated by the commercial tax. In the past, everyone said that merchants were a cheap business, but now do anyone think so?"

Changsun Wuji spoke at the right time and said: "Last year, the commercial tax in the Tang Dynasty was as high as 12 million guan. For two years, the treasury could only receive 3 million guan by the agricultural tax. I can give my colleagues a reassurance, even if the agricultural tax was exempted from the Tang Dynasty's treasury."

The ministers present suddenly became eager.

No taxes for farmers!

What is this concept?

This is a prosperous era that has never been heard of in the ages.

If this is done, what would later history books say?

Not only the ministers were eager, Li Shimin also became eager. The emperor took a deep breath and suddenly spoke: "This matter is settled!"

From today on, there will be no agricultural tax in the Tang Dynasty.

Li Yun smiled, as if he had guessed that this issue would be successful. He continued to stand on the edge of the sand table and said again: "There is no tax for farmers, and the burden on the people will disappear directly. Farming will no longer pay taxes, and there will be rewards. With this premise, it will be easier to dig the Yellow River. In the future, farming and feeding all your own food. Do you think the people are willing to build the main canal to their doorstep?"

yes!

The dry canal was dug, and the dry land was turned into water to irrigate the fields.

Watering the fields can increase grain production, and all the grain produced is own...

In this way, the government only needs to carry out publicity. Once the people of the people know this, who would be lazy at home and not dig the main channel?

It turns out that what King Zhao said about the people being proactive and proactive is this.

Wei Zheng was still thinking about Li Yun’s words just now, and suddenly spoke and asked again: “Your Highness just said there are two kinds of compensation, I don’t know what the second compensation is?”

Li Yun laughed, suddenly bent down and hugged Li Zhi again, and said leisurely: "The people took the initiative to dig the main canal, but they cannot dig it randomly. This requires someone to give a charter, or even take the lead in doing this. For example, the younger brother of Zhinu who was holding in my arms, who had broken the Yellow River and needed to make up for it..."

The ministers all laughed and joked: "The King of Jin was teased by you and played a game. Now it seems that he has spent the rest of his life in it."

Li Yun looked down at Li Zhi and smiled and said, "As a royal descendant, he is responsible on his shoulders. Although Zhinu's younger brother is still a child, he is still the title of the Tang Dynasty no matter how young he is."

These words made everyone present hesitate, and for some reason they all felt that Li Yun had something in his words.

Li Shimin's eyes flashed and suddenly asked, "What do you want to do?"

Li Yun smiled and hugged Li Zhi and said, "The fief of Zhinu's younger brother is in Jin, so I will hand over the task of Jin territory to him. In the future, the people of Shanxi will have to dig a dry canal, and Zhinu's younger brother must lead the way to do this!"

He stopped and then said, "He has to learn to organize manpower. He has to learn to formulate regulations. Where should he be digged, where should he not be digged, where the main canal passes through, and how much water can irrigate the fields. He has to learn all these things and make plans before starting construction..."

Li Shimin was a little surprised and couldn't help saying, "I'm still young, so he may not be able to learn these things. Moreover, digging the main canal is a big deal. How could he endure the hardship, a little baby?"

Li Yun's face suddenly became straight and said in a serious tone: "If the royal family does not take the lead, how can we expect other students to take the lead? If there are no scholars who know knowledge to organize, how can the people know where to dig the main channel?"

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, and suddenly said thoughtfully: "I seem to have heard your plan. Do you want to train a group of canal digging leaders?"

"It's not just digging the canal!"

Li Yun smiled mysteriously, suddenly looked down at Li Zhi in his arms, and said, "Congratulations to brother Zhinu, you have to learn a lot. Brother, you are going to build a college in Hebei. You will be the first group of students at the start of the college."

These words shocked the ministers present, and some people blurted out: "The King of Jin is still a child, how can he leave Beijing easily?"

Li Zhi was very excited and asked Li Yun happily, "Brother, do you want to take me to Fanyang? Do Zinu need to prepare for money?"

Li Yun laughed and pinched his little face and said, "Don't bring anything, at most, only a small package is allowed for you."

Only one small package is allowed?

How much does a small package contain?

Although Li Zhi is a child, he is a dignified king. The king must at least be equipped with a ceremonial guard when he leaves Beijing. Underages also have to bring the concubines to serve him. Even so, it will be considered harsh when it is spread.

The ministers present subconsciously looked at Li Shimin, wanting to see what His Majesty thinks about this matter.

At this moment, a female voice suddenly sounded not far away, and said firmly: "Since only one small package is allowed to be prepared, then I will only pack a few clothes for the Zi Nu. Apart from that, there are only books..."

This voice is familiar to everyone, and it is clearly the tone of Queen Changsun.

Everyone turned around and saw the queen standing not far away. The queen looked at this side with a smile on her face, and suddenly asked, "Your Majesty, can the main thing be discussed? If the talk is over, I will ask if the flower appreciation conference will be completed?"

Flower viewing conference?

This must be done!

The court officials' legitimate son and daughter have arrived, and the royal princes and princesses have also arrived. In name, it is a flower viewing party, but in secret it is a marriage club.

This matter is not necessarily easier than digging the Yellow River when viewed in court.

No wonder Empress Changsun would come to urge her.

Li Shimin laughed and looked at the ministers present and said, "Dear friends, are you playing in the garden?"

All the ministers nodded, stood up and followed the emperor.

Li Shimin led the way, suddenly turned back and stared at Li Yun and scolded: "Where are you going to run? You dare to run one today..."

Li Yun looked disappointed and took back his foot that wanted to escape.

...
Chapter completed!