Li Tai has no choice.

He had nodded.

In fact, even if he didn't nod, based on his understanding of Chen Zhengtai, Chen Zhengtai would definitely start doing it in his name.

Chen Zhengtai immediately recruited people.

Manpower is ready-made, as long as you have money, it’s fine.

Chen Zhengtai can pay this money for the time being.

Lou Shide directly recruited 500 people, but 500 people were not a large number, especially for the starting point of canals like Yangzhou, where such places... require a large amount of tax officials.

In addition to tax officials, there are just a group of tax collectors who can write and calculate. Yangzhou Tax Camp has been established with a sign.

The place where it was established was very simple and no one came to celebrate.

As the deputy envoy of the tax camp, Lou Shide's duty is to assist the general tax officer in formulating and collecting the tax system.

At the same time, Chen Zhengtai wrote in detail the story of suppressing the rebellion and some of his own ideas into a report, and then sent it to the capital with rushing force.

A few days later, Li Shimin received the memorial sent by Kuaima. After receiving the memorial, he looked down and looked carefully.

It's that gunpowder again...

Li Shimin suddenly understood something.

The power of gunpowder is very huge and can even replace crossbows in the future.

Of course, this is not the most important thing. What is important is that gunpowder is a thing that is often seen, its power is only killing, but for many people who have never seen these things before, it is nothing more than a magical tool from heaven.

It is completely conceivable that those rebels were afraid that they would have been scared when they heard the roar.

But Li Shimin knew that gunpowder alone was not enough to turn the situation around. After all,... the disparity on the battlefield was too great.

After all, it was the result of these soldiers willing to use their lives. Su Dingfang was a talented person, and all the cavalrymen under him were death-death men, and they should not be underestimated.

Li Shimin had to sigh in his heart, it was really the next wave of the Yangtze River pushing forward.

Li Shimin felt both relieved and a little touched. When he was a big shot on the battlefield, who could have expected that these unknown newcomers who emerged today could make things happen?

This kid Chen Zhengtai... has a unique vision!

Li Shimin's eyes were immediately attracted by another thing, and his face suddenly became solemn.

Taxes...

Taxation is of course the most important, but in the Tang Dynasty, taxation was very rough.

When Li Yuan was in power, he implemented the rent-in-one system.

That is, to all males, twenty acres of Yongye land and eighty acres of quintile land are granted, and each male is only required to pay two dans of grain every year. In addition, males are required to serve twenty days of corvee service.

It seems that such a tax system is very generous, and the Tang Dynasty did not ban wine and did not include salt and iron.

At least in theory, this tax was extremely generous, and during the Wude period, due to the long-term wars, the population decreased drastically, and there were barren land everywhere. At least... this tax system was implemented on the surface for a period of time and had some effect.

But... it has been more than ten years since the beginning of the Tang Dynasty. In the past decade, a whole generation has been born. At this time... the population of the Tang Dynasty has increased a lot, and the land granted originally began to be insufficient.

Of course... this is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that this theoretically perfect field teaching system soon suffered huge damage.

Chen Zhengtai reposted the words of Lou Shide, the former magistrate of Gaoyou County, that during his time in Gaoyou County, the rent-in-one regime could not be implemented.

Because there is a lot of room for operation here, after the population increases, there is no land granted at all for twenty acres of Yongye Field and eighty acres of quintile land, so the number of fields began to decrease sharply. In Gaoyou, only ten acres of Yongye Field and thirty acres of quintile land can be divided.

Of course, if there is really so much land, there is no need to worry. At least the people can still make a living by relying on these lands.

But in the actual operation, ordinary people would rather commit to a family like Deng than receive land granted by the government.

Because during the execution process, people often find that the land they allocate is often some land where no crops can be planted at all.

There are even a lot of land, which may be in the next county when they are divided.

In this era of underdeveloped transportation, your family lives in Hedong, but you find that your land is in Hexi, a neighboring county. You set out in the early morning and catch a day to reach your fields. When you want to do crop work, you are afraid that the daylily will be cold.

This is not the most deceptive thing. What's more deceptive is that the land that the government gives you is often scattered. If there are a few acres in Hedong, a few acres in Hexi, a few acres in Zhuangtou, and a few acres in Nanqiao, then... you will find that these lands cannot be cultivated at all.

You can't plant the land, because after planting it, you find that these barren lands can't grow much crops. By the end of the year, there may be no harvest. As a result, the government urges you to pay two levies of grain tax as soon as possible.

Of course, these laws were well-founded. The laws during the Wude period were: Anyone who distributes land from the mouth and does not have land in the county will be granted to them in the nearby county.

In theory, it is easy to get close to it. According to your household registration, you can give some land close to it. But this is just a theory and can still be granted to it in nearby counties.

So during the late Wude period, the situation in Gaoyou County worsened! Many households quickly sold the land that could be sold, and the land that could not be sold became a hot potato, because the land that was divided belongs to the government, and it was only for you to rent the plant for free, but it would have to be returned to the government in the future.

A large number of people simply began to flee, or received the protection of a family like Deng, and became hidden residents.

During this period, the Deng family's property expanded rapidly, and a regulation involved in renting and mediocre adjustments was involved, namely, royal relatives, princes, first-rank women, third-rank officials, and above-9-rank officials, as well as elderly, disabled, widows, monks and nuns, tribes, guests, slaves, etc., all belong to non-class households.

These people don't have to pay taxes.

You see, on the one hand, ordinary people need to pay taxes, and the land they share is often very poor.

On the other hand, people like Deng’s family have almost no taxes or even no labor service. Even if they are troops, guests, slaves, or slaves in their families, they don’t need to pay taxes. In this case, are you willing to commit yourself to Deng’s family as slaves or are you willing to be an ordinary household?

When this tax was established, it actually seemed fair, but in fact, during the establishment process, Li Yuan obviously made a huge compromise with the aristocratic races, or in other words, this tax system itself was customized by the aristocratic races.

What Chen Zhengtai proposed now is to collect taxes from all the troops, guests, and slaves. These three types of people are not just collecting taxes from them, but essentially asking their masters for money.

Not only that, Chen Zhengtai also requested that corvee labor be changed to tax, which means that the government no longer requisitions the people for corvee labor, but only pays some money as taxes.

Li Shimin looked at the memorial and took a sip of tea before he couldn't help but say, "This Chen Zhengtai is so bold. He really wants me to lift the knife."

Zhang Qian smiled and said, "Your Majesty, you have always been the only ministers who are bad people, and the monarchs are good people. How can you do this like Chen Zhengtai? You have to let Your Majesty be evil people."

Zhang Qian's words are not wrong.

But Li Shimin looked at him coldly and said, "The world belongs to my family. Can I ignore it? Is there any good thing in this world that I have taken all the bad things, but people are responsible for it? Can Chen Zhengtai afford such evil things?"

Seeing Li Shimin's anger, Zhang Qian was so scared that his face turned green. He followed Li Shimin for so long. He thought he had touched Li Shimin's temper, but he didn't know that His Majesty was so moody.

Li Shimin's face then calmed down a little, and he said lightly: "Chen Zhengtai only agreed that the new tax law will be implemented in Yangzhou, so that's good, at least... there will be no trouble for the time being. Let Chen Zhengtai do it first, so as to observe it later. I have been kind enough to confirm this memorial. However... Chen Zhengtai actually wanted to keep Li Tai in Yangzhou and asked me to recommend Lou Shide as the deputy envoy of the tax camp."

Li Shimin did not pay attention to a small person like Lou Shide.

But Li Tai is different. Li Shimin gritted his teeth when he mentioned this rebellious son. Even Empress Changsun, as his mother, did not plead for Li Tai at this time. Instead, he said that Li Tai had violated the national law and deserved to be punished by the Ministry of Justice and did not interfere in the palace.

Now Chen Zhengtai is asking to stay Li Tai, but Li Shimin hesitates a little.

After a while, he nodded and said, "Since that's the case, then that's it. Go and invite Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui to me. Yes, there is also Dai Zhou, the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, to see him."

Zhang Qian hurried away. After a while, Fang Xuanling and the other two entered the hall. Li Shimin asked them to sit down. Instead of handing over Chen Zhengtai's memorial to the three of them, he mentioned the current drawbacks of the tax system.

Fang Xuanling said: "Since the Martial Demonstration, the population of our Tang Dynasty has increased. The originally barren land has been reclaimed, and the fields have also increased. However, what Your Majesty said is right. Now, the rich have begun to annex the land, and the taxes borne by the people are increasing day by day. I have to abandon the land and commit as slaves. These things have also been heard of!"

"Just judging by the increase in taxes of the Ministry of Civil Affairs in recent years, the tax growth in the Wude period was the fastest, but recently, the growth of taxation has been slower, which shows how serious the problem has reached."

Du Ruhui nodded and expressed his support.

Only Dai Zhou couldn't help but become alert. A few days ago, His Majesty was furious. The direction of the court was a little wrong. Now... he suddenly mentioned the tax system again. Could it be...

As he thought about it, his heart skipped a beat. It seemed that the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs could not continue. Wouldn't he be a big villain?

Li Shimin said to them leisurely: "I plan to change it. Of course, it is not implemented throughout the world. Instead, it is ordered King Yue to make tax changes in Yangzhou, including the division, guest daughter, and slaves in the tax collection, and their taxes are collected according to the population. In addition... the masters of the division and slaves can temporarily file taxes and then make them verify. Once they find that there is a false report and false report, they will be severely punished and the head of the family will be punished. What do you think...?"

Dai Zhou: "..."

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui didn't say anything. They knew how powerful they were here, but they felt a lot of doubts. King Yue was convicted a few days ago, why did he ask him to stay in Yangzhou now?

And why did Your Majesty suddenly start from the tax system?

Could it be...

They thought of someone at the same time...

"Why don't you say?" Li Shimin smiled. He was like a dangerous old fox. Although he was smiling, something seemed to be hidden behind his ridiculous look?

"Your Majesty." Dai Zhou said tremblingly: "I have recently relapsed with my old illness. My old age is old and my eyes are dizzy, and I can't tell the words. I originally wanted to write a letter and say he wanted to say he was old..."

Li Shimin opened his eyes and looked at Dai Zhou, who had just become powerful. In a flash, he looked sick and said, "Do you want to call a teacher?"

Dai Zhou said tremblingly: "I... I really hope to serve Your Majesty and do my best to do my best. But..."

Li Shimin said lightly: "You are my humerus and should die in office. I will bury you in my tomb to show my honor. How can you still be a scholar?"

Dai Zhou was almost scattered when he heard this. He was buried around the emperor's tomb. The glory of his ministers was the glory of his ministers, but he didn't want this glory!

But His Majesty's words are very clear. If you want to jump ship, then go to die.

Li Shimin then continued lightly: "My mausoleum was built in the second year of Zhenguan, and a hole has been left for Dai Qing. Dai Qing doesn't have to lie in rush to lie in."

Li Shimin spoke very easily, but Dai Zhou's face turned pale. He didn't dare to object, but instead forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty is so kind and honorable, I am overjoyed."

Li Shimin immediately said, "Since everyone has no objections, then implement it like this. Order the on-duty service members to draft the decree. The Ministry of Civil Affairs must be concerned about it."

After saying that, Li Shimin looked at Fang Xuanling: "Does Fang Qing think I did the right thing?"

Fang Xuanling sighed: "In recent years, there have been signs of a reduction in the taxes of the court. However, I saw that people were waving a lot of money to purchase stocks in the exchange. Sometimes I couldn't help but wonder whether the world is poor or rich. Since Your Majesty wants this, you must have your Majesty's deep meaning. I will be ordered by you."

Li Shimin seemed satisfied, and he stood up: "You do your best to do your business, don't pay attention to the rumors outside, learn more about Chen Zhengtai. Look at Chen Zhengtai, have you ever cared about the things outside? I plan to go to Yangzhou again in October, and this time I will take the Qing family with you. You should also go and see the people I have seen. After seeing them, you will know their situation."

After saying this, Li Shimin sighed.

Fang Xuanling couldn't help but feel curious when he heard this.
To be continued...