Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

Zhu Gaochi was stunned and asked quickly: "What's Mr. Yang's clever move?"

Yang Shiqi nodded slightly and said: "Since it is the law of dynasty cycle, then we only need to trace the history. In the unified dynasty, look for the measures of the long-lasting dynasty of Guozuo in terms of land annexation, and then compare the measures of the short-lived dynasty of Guozuo. A relatively better and more mature solution can be obtained.”

Yang Rong nodded secretly, looking for experience and learning lessons from history. This was obviously a mature proposal for seeking a country.

"this"

Zhu Gaochi was a little surprised. He didn't expect Yang Shiqi to come up with a feasible strategy in such a short period of time.

"This coincides with the minister's "Ten Strategies for Peace"."

Xie Jin interjected: "Eight hundred years ago, the Zhou Dynasty was naturally the longest dynasty in the country. When he was serving Emperor Taizu Gao, he proposed to restore the well field system. In this way, the emperor of the kingdom and the earth would have everything in the world. Naturally, the so-called problem of land annexation no longer exists.”

As soon as he said this, not only did Zhu Gaochi's palms become sweaty, but even Yang Rong couldn't help but glance at him and secretly cursed his stupidity.

Yang Shiqi was speechless for a moment, and said coldly: "Wang Mang of the new dynasty restored the well field system. The new dynasty existed for fourteen years. Together with the Qin Dynasty, it was the shortest among the unified dynasties."

Xie Jin was speechless due to the rebuke, and simply stopped talking in anger.

Yang Shiqi ignored him and continued his reasoning.

"Four hundred years after the Han Dynasty, the Qin system was inherited at the founding of the country, that is, the land could be bought and sold freely, and the landowners were required to pay farmland tax to the state. The tax rate was one-fifteenth or one-thirtieth of the yield per mu. By the time of the Yuan Emperor, It’s broken.”

"In the three hundred years of the Tang Dynasty, in terms of the land system, in the early stage, the military system inherited from the Western Wei, Northern Zhou Dynasty and Sui Dynasty was implemented, in the middle stage, it was rent-yong modulation, and in the later stage, it was the two-tax law."

“In the two Song dynasties, for three hundred years, no land system was established, and land annexation was not suppressed. This is the so-called ‘rich and poor have no fixed status, and the fields and houses have no fixed owners.’ At the same time, the exclusive ownership of official land was implemented.”

"As for the Ming Dynasty, the 'double volume' system of yellow volume and fish scale volume is currently implemented, and the fields, grains and Dingkou are integrated into one."

Yang Rong endured it and did not speak, while Zhu Gaochi pondered for a moment and then asked.

"So judging from the systems of the Han, Tang and Song dynasties, they are actually all different and have nothing in common, right?"

"Yes and no, there is always something in common."

Yang Shiqi explained seriously: "There are no more than four types of land systems. The first is like the well-field system in the Zhou Dynasty and the equal field system in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, where the fields are owned by the emperor or the country; the second is like the Qin, Han and Song Dynasties, where the fields are completely exclusive. ; The third type is like the rent-yong modulation in the mid-Tang Dynasty, Wang Anshi's reform of the Song Dynasty's "Fangtian Tax Law" and the Ming Dynasty's "Double Book" system, which tied the fields, Dingkou, and taxes together; the fourth type is like this The Two Taxes Law in the late Tang Dynasty replaced land tax and corvee with household registration tax."

"So, which one does Mr. Yang think Ming Dynasty should learn from? In other words, the current 'double book' system does not need to be changed."

Mr. Yang, whom Zhu Gaochi wanted to ask, did not speak, but the other Mr. Yang finally couldn't help it.

"Your Highness, we will discuss which one we can learn from later. The solution Your Majesty wants is definitely not the first or second solution!"

Yang Rong said what he was holding in his heart and felt comfortable just now.

Zhu Gaochi thought for a while and agreed with Yang Rong's point of view. This was obviously the answer Yang Rong came up with after trying to figure out Zhu Di's psychology.

The previous failure of Jie Jin to return without success meant that Zhu Di did not agree with the restoration of the state-owned land system such as the well-field system or the equal-field system.

And since Zhu Di clearly stated that the core of the dynastic periodic law is that land annexation intensifies the contradiction between man and land, it also shows that Zhu Di does not support land annexation, or unconditional free annexation.

Yang Shiqi also signaled him to speak first, and Yang Rong continued: "The third type can actually be eliminated. Let's not say that His Majesty means to change it after asking."

"Not to mention the 'Fang Tian Jun Loss Method' of Wang Anshi's reform in the Song Dynasty. What Wang Anshi failed to do, our Ming Emperor Gao did, and the current 'double book' system is running fairly smoothly."

"But the problem is, just like the rent-yong system will gradually fail in the process of land annexation, I boldly ask, who can guarantee that the 'double-book' system will not change in another hundred years?"

After Yang Rong finished saying what he wanted to say, he leaned back in his chair and drank the half cup of tea that he had just not finished.

Zhu Gaochi remained silent.

In fact, Zhu Gaochi was not unaware of the tricks played by the gentry. He had experience in governing local areas.

During the Jingnan period, Zhu Gaochi was in charge of the Yan army's logistical supply of food and fodder and the management of the Yan-occupied areas. He knew very well that even in the land of Youyan, which had just been restored a few years ago, the two-volume system was somewhat inconsistent after a generation. Damn it, let alone another hundred years, it may be completely out of shape in fifty years.

Therefore, the ‘double-book’ system is likely to become another institutional design of Zhu Yuanzhang that was only temporarily successful.

"So, we only have the fourth option, right? For example, in the Two Taxes Law of the late Tang Dynasty, household registration tax was used to replace land tax and corvee service." Zhu Gaochi asked.

"It's also possible that there's nothing we can do about it!"

"Didn't all the famous ministers and good ministers in the past come up with solutions?"

"If there was a way, why didn't the Han and Tang dynasties last until now?"

"This is an unsolvable problem!"

"Jiang Xinghuo brought it up just to make people angry!"

Xie Jin kept questioning a little awkwardly.

Obviously, the disapproval of his colleagues and the momentary embarrassment made Xie Jin, who had always been proud of his talent, undergo a slight change in his mentality.

Of course, judging from the current situation, although Xie Jin's words were a bit depressing and typical of a defeatist counselor, it was not impossible.

All options have been eliminated, maybe there is nothing we can do? The two tax laws have not been in effect for long.

After all, if the methods thought up by people in the past were reliable, then the current country would not be Ming Dynasty.

Similarly, Xie Jin didn't think Jiang Xinghuo would do anything about this issue.

"enough!"

The eldest prince Zhu Gaochi was extremely angry.

"Xie Xie, you haven't sobered up yet, go back to sleep and sober up!"

Xie Jin knew he had lost his composure, so he pretended to be calm to cover it up, turned around and walked out.

There was a long discussion in the flower hall, and it was not until the lanterns came on that Yang Shiqi and Yang Rong left under Zhu Gaochi's personal farewell.

Looking at Er Yang's leaving figure, Zhu Gaochi breathed a long sigh of relief.

Perhaps the improved land system based on the Two Taxes Law would satisfy my father.

Zhu Gaochi then naturally thought about what kind of person this Jiang Xinghuo was, who could actually come up with such earth-shattering principles as the dynasty cycle law. It would be great if he could meet him in person and communicate with him in person.

It's a pity that his father kept him under wraps and refused to expose him directly so that he could meet him.

If Zhan Ji hadn't been a smart kid and heard the name "Jiang Xinghuo", I might still be confused now.

And the second brother Zhu Gaoxu is in prison. All this is probably inseparable from the second brother who is eyeing the position of prince.

"Father!"

The little Zhu Zhanji ran over in his middle coat. Zhu Gaoxu could even see that the child's eyelids couldn't stop sinking, as if he was extremely sleepy but had been waiting for him to finish the meeting.

Zhu Gaochi bowed slightly and wanted to hug Zhu Zhanji into his arms.

But suddenly he felt dizzy. If the eunuchs hadn't tried their best to support him, he almost fell to the ground.

The moment he felt he was about to fall, the thought that ran through Zhu Gaochi's mind was that it would be a pity if Jiang Xinghuo, a rare talent like Jiang Xinghuo, could not be used by the country.