Northern Song Dynasty Justice

Chapter 243 Taxes and Goodness

Chapter 243 Taxes and Goodness

After Zhao Xu pretended to be coercive, Wang Anshi stood up: "Your Majesty, this case was brought about by the tenants, and during the trial, the other party also shifted the responsibility to the tenants and the court for a time, which brought shame to the court.

Therefore, the minister suggested that the court should legislate to stipulate that the land should be paid anywhere, and the court should collect taxes from whomever the land belongs to, instead of transferring the tax, so as to avoid misunderstanding between the court and the people. "

Zhao Xu nodded, and before he could speak, Gu Ji, who was sentenced to the Taifu Temple, stood up and said: "I object. The rent is a contract of the people. The government has political laws, and the people follow the private contract. If the court intervenes rashly, it may make the principal household Tenant farmers can’t find land to farm, and tenant farmers lose their livelihoods.”

Wang Anshi immediately retorted: "This is not a private contract, but a mutual contract. According to the existing laws, those merchants and head households can force the court to collect taxes from whomever they rely on a contract, and the court will become their accomplice instead." However, what is the meaning of the tax law established by the imperial court? This is really a big joke in the world.

Moreover, many main households are in the middle, which is to take advantage of it. In case of crisis, it can also provoke the relationship between the court and the people, which is a major hidden danger and cannot be dealt with. "

Zhao Xu nodded and said: "Xueshi Wang is right. The imperial court has already lenient them and asked them to pay the deed tax so that they can forget the past, but they don't know what to do and instead threaten the imperial court with tenant farmers.

And in those white deeds, they have already taken at least half of the taxes from the tenant farmers, but they have also shifted all the responsibilities to the court and the tenant farmers. "

The tone is very firm.

Sima Guang suddenly stood up, "Your Majesty, I also think that this law has many disadvantages and needs to be revised. However, the existing leases and taxes are all related to tenant farmers, and the number of people involved may be millions. This is not a trivial matter. The imperial court should handle it carefully so as not to cause more misunderstandings."

Wang Anshi snorted and said, "Scholar Sima is a bit alarmist, but he just asked those principal households to revise a contract. How difficult is this?"

Sima Guang said: "I'm definitely not scaremongering. If the court orders, the lease contract must be amended immediately. If the head household is unwilling to bear the burden and would rather farm the land by themselves, can this be an excuse to dismiss the tenant? This is the court's decision." needs to be considered."

Wang Anshi said: "Then let them go. If the field is left unplanted, it's not just the tenant farmers who will suffer."

Sima Guang said: "You can't say that. If too many tenants are dismissed in a short period of time, it will not only be a simple loss, but will also add a huge burden to the court. The gain outweighs the loss."

"That's the reason again."

Wang Anshi said with a sneer: "You are tolerant to them, but in return you will only make progress. When you stop and stop, you will be disturbed by it."

Sima Guangdao: "I am not opposed to amending this law. I suggest that the imperial court should consider it carefully and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. The law of the ancestors is to prevent things and control them."

Wang Anshi spread his hands, "If it drags on, I'm afraid it will be nothing."

Sima Guang said: "I never said that it would be delayed. The imperial court can immediately order that from now on, the signed lease contracts can no longer be handed over to the tenant farmers for taxes, but the lease contracts that have been signed before, the imperial court should also Give head households and sharecroppers some time to prepare."

Han Qi stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I think what Bachelor Sima said is reasonable. Regarding the problems of tenant farmers and government officials, the imperial court has given solutions to these problems before.

Although the method is good, it is often implemented for a period of time and ends without a problem. If His Majesty makes up his mind, he should consider it carefully and make sufficient preparations to avoid repeating the same mistakes. "

Fu Bi and Wen Yanbo stood up one after another and expressed their support for Sima Guang.

Lu Huiqing saw that the other party did not talk about martial arts, so she immediately stood up and said: "Your Majesty, this question is very simple in the eyes of the minister. It is a test of the court's determination. If the court does not make a decision immediately, it will give them illusions. The greater the resistance, the more it is delayed, the more unfavorable it is to the court."

There are reasons for both factions to consider.

Since the Northern Song Dynasty did not suppress land mergers, owner farmers are disappearing in large areas, while tenant farmers have gradually become the main body. This is not a problem of a small number of people, but a problem of the main body. It cannot be imagined to be too simple. Once a problem occurs, it will be very troublesome. well considered.

But Wang Anshi believes that this problem does involve many people, but this problem is very simple, and the solution is also very simple. Once you think carefully, things will become very complicated.

It was really difficult for Zhao Xu to control such a group of people.

But he was clear that this problem had to be solved immediately, which was related to his authority. After thinking for a while, he asked Sima Guang, "Scholar Sima, can it be completed within this year?"

This year?

It's only half a year.

Sima Guang is one of the first two big, but Zhao Xu's tone is to imply him, if you say no, then I will hand it over to Wang Anshi, he cupped his hands and said: "I will definitely do my best."

Zhao Xu nodded and said, "This law will be handed over to the Trial Court for revision."

After speaking, he said to Wang Anshi: "Scholar Wang still needs to focus on the new law."

Wang Anshi cupped his hands and said, "I obey."

Once this matter is settled, the meeting will come to an end.

Judging from the expressions of many ministers shaking their heads and sighing, it can be seen how badly they lost this time.

They never expected that the emperor would play this trick.

It's really a dog.

After they left, Wang Anshi and Sima Guang walked out of the hall slowly.

Wang Anshi looked up at the sky and said with emotion: "My life is really the life of an ox and a horse. I do all the dirty work, but others deserve the credit. Alas..."

Sima Guang couldn't hear his irony, he laughed and said: "Er is not the life of a cow and a horse, but he was born in the wrong era. If you were born in the Han Dynasty, even if you were not Huo Guang, at least you were like Wang Mang. If you were born in the Tang Dynasty, then you are Changsun Wuji, Yao Chong, it's a pity that you were born in our dynasty."

Wang Anshi glanced at him, "You are Wang Mang and his ilk."

He waved his sleeves and left.

Sima Guang's meaning is very simple, it's not that I take your credit, but that the emperor can't let you take care of everything. If you want to be under one person and above ten thousand in my Song Dynasty, that's impossible.

After Wang Anshi left, Sima Guang's face gradually became serious. He knew very well that it was not as simple as he imagined to get this matter done.

As long as this period of time passes, it will definitely come back from the ashes.

For example, Han Qi made several reforms in front of the Yaqian Army, but it was not the same, and gradually returned to the same way as before.

The Fangtian method was not created by Wang Anshi, but was designed by Guo Zi and Sun Lin during the Renzong period. It was implemented several times, and the court did not say it would be abolished, but it finally returned to the original point.

This kind of reform involving interests seems to have a suction force, no matter how far you pull it, it can always be sucked back.

Sima Guang, who studies history, knows this too well, but he is actually not sure. After the revision is completed, it will continue to be implemented like this. On the contrary, he thinks that after a few years, it will change back to the current situation.

He is pessimistic about it.

But as far as the moment is concerned, Wang Anshi is right. Now that the landlord class is already in turmoil, this is an excellent time. They should be pushed up in waves without giving them a chance to breathe, otherwise, it will become even more difficult.

Now there is no need for an imperial decree, those landlords are already preparing to pay the tax of the white deed.

But the problem is that the Bai Qi is only a part of the land in Xiangguo Temple and the land in Situ House. Should these lands be taxed?

If you don't pay, will you sue us?

Not to mention landlords, even the relatives of the emperor are considering this issue.

A lot of people have been asking about this.

The white deed is definitely illegal, but it is definitely legal to put it in Xiangguo Temple to avoid taxes.

Not long after Zhang Fei returned home, Ma Tianhao and Chen Maoqian rushed over before he had time to hold the celebration banquet, and came to consult him about this issue through Xiangguo Temple.

"It's hard to say."

Zhang Fei shook his head and said: "According to the laws of our court, there is a limit to the tax-free land of the Situation House, and monks and Taoists need a certificate issued by the court to be exempt from tax. As long as the court withdraws the certificate, they must pay taxes And the ultimatum is only for individuals, if the court wants to sue, this lawsuit will definitely be filed."

Chen Maoqian said: "That is to say, all these lands have to pay taxes?"

Zhang Fei was very puzzled and said, "My agricultural tax is really not high. I only collect one bucket of rice per mu of land. Except for the two officials, if they are so rich, how can they evade this little tax?"

Chen Maoqian said: "You don't understand this."

Zhang Fei asked: "I would like to hear the details."

"I."

Chen Maoqian suddenly shut up.

Ma Tianhao said carelessly: "It's just the three of us here, so we can't say anything."

After speaking, he said to Zhang Fei: "The agricultural tax is really not high, but as long as we pay the tax honestly, just wait and see. The tax must be paid more and more year by year."

Chen Maoqian nodded: "Those officials are not good men and women, they are all bullying the weak and afraid of the strong, why those first-class households have their families ruined, they are not bullied by the landlord."

They are not the same as scholar-bureaucrats, they are in the middle of the food chain, and they are very likely to be swallowed.

Zhang Fei said: "If you pay taxes according to the law, if you have any problems, you can go to court to solve them."

Ma Tianhao said: "Isn't that more expensive?"

".?"

Zhang Fei was speechless.

Chen Maoqian said: "Lawsuits are also very difficult to solve. There are laws to follow, such as transfer, loss, and change, but this is a bottomless pit. If the court lacks money, can it really enforce the law impartially? "

Zhang Fei frowned and remained silent.

Ma Tianhao said: "We spend so much money in your store every year, you have to help us solve these problems."

Zhang Fei didn't know about these issues. He had studied this lawsuit thoroughly long ago, so he waited for Ma Tianhao's words and pretended to be entangled, "If the two of you are just worried about paying too much taxes, not If you don’t pay taxes, then there is a solution.”

Ma Tianhao hurriedly asked: "What way?"

Zhang Fei said: "Charity."

"charitable?"

Ma Tianhao was taken aback.

Zhang Fei nodded and said, "If you donate all the land, then naturally you don't have to pay taxes."

Ma Tianhao was stunned for a while, and said with bulging eyes: "What's your idea? It's like, if you are afraid of getting sick, and then stab yourself to death, you won't get sick again, but you will die."

Chen Maoqian also nodded.

Zhang Fei said: "You donate to Xiangguo Temple, isn't that also a donation?"

Chen Maoqian said in a low voice: "That's not donation, that's release. There is a contract between us."

"Go, go, go!"

Zhang Fei said: "I don't talk about donations, then release them for charity."

Is it so casual?

Ma Tianhao asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Zhang Fei said: "Don't you understand this? This is the same as your cooperation with Xiangguo Temple. It just turns Xiangguo Temple into a charity organization dedicated to doing good deeds, and then you put the land into it."

(End of this chapter)