Su Ce slowly brewed the tea and explained to Zhu Houzhao in an orderly manner, as if he was talking about a trivial matter.
"If what I did just now was done, the big merchants and bureaucrats would have sold the salt to the ordinary people at a discount.”
"The salt in the hands of the common people will eventually need to be replaced by real salt from the imperial court, right?”
Zhu Houzhao nodded.
It had been a hundred years since the salt introduction system was established. There was too much salt in the hands of merchants, bureaucrats, and dignitaries. It had far exceeded the production of salt.
The primary task of the Ming Empire's salt was to ensure the practical use of the common people. There was too much salt now, and the Ming Empire owed too many old debts.
If he exchanged all of them, he would immediately empty all the salt in the empire. This was also the key reason why it was difficult to exchange salt for salt.
This didn't change with the transfer of salt.
In layman's terms, the salt that was transferred to the hands of the commoners was still a huge debt owed by the Ming Empire.
However, the debts owed by the big bureaucrats and merchants needed to be repaid, and they had to be repaid. Otherwise, this group could affect the credibility of the imperial court.
But I don't need to return it. This was because people at this level did not have the right to speak and could not affect any decisions and credibility of the imperial court.
At this point, Zhu Houzhao frowned slightly. Wei Hongying, who was listening attentively on the roof, looked unhappy.
What was this?
Aren't you still not treating the toiling masses as humans? Should they bear the consequences for the country and the nobles?
However, Su Ce quickly explained.
The debt owed to the people could not be repaid with salt, but it could be repaid in another way.
I will gladly accept this method, which is to exempt the land tax!
Whether it was a year, two years, or several years, as long as the land tax was exempted, they would definitely take the initiative to exchange salt for this policy that was most beneficial to them.
This was something that the imperial court could only do to the commoners.
It couldn't do it to the big bureaucrats, big landowners, dignitaries, and even big businessmen.
The reason was very simple. This group of people had class privileges. As long as there was a Juren in their family, their land could be exempted from taxes.
And for those who could reach this level, how could they not have Juren or Jinshi in their families?
Their land didn't need to pay taxes, so they didn't need it.
However, millions of ordinary people had a great need for this.
Su Ce tried his best to use a calm tone to hide his helplessness.
Although this helped the commoners avoid taxes, it was also the sorrow of the commoners under the empire.
When you were at the lowest level, other than being exploited, you were helpless against your fate.
Su Ce was a human, not a god. What he could do was to help the people as much as possible within the rules and maximize the benefits they could get from this scheme.
Of course, the commoners would never know what Su Ce had done.
This was a huge scheme. Every step seemed simple, but it was very difficult to implement. Even if he controlled the entire scheme, the people might not know why they were exempted from taxes. Who helped them exempt the land tax? They would be grateful to the court, the emperor, and the crown prince.
They would never know that there was a sickly and handsome Langjun in the small courtyard of the Green Vines who was quietly deliberating the future of the empire and changing their fates.
"Ahem."
Su Ce said a lot, but he spoke very slowly. At the end, he sighed softly, and he couldn't stop coughing. His heart was haggard.
The princes in the court were good, the emperor was good, and they were good at governing the country, but no one really considered the needs of the ordinary people. They faced more scholars and nobles.
Since ancient times, it had been said that the commoners were important. The Confucians boasted, the Imperial Family boasted, but how many of them were truly considerate of the commoners?
When Su Ce finished speaking, the courtyard fell into absolute silence.
Under the layers of skin, when Su Ce's final plan surfaced, Zhu Houzhao fell silent for a long time.
Wei Hongying, who was lying on the roof, also froze. For some reason, her heart ached for Su Ce.
Perhaps only such a great person could do such a thing. Perhaps only such a person with an insane IQ could play the world in his palm and change the entire game of chess with every move he made.
But he was still sick. Why did he have to worry about this instead of recuperating?
In the beginning, the Commander of the Brocade Guard had sent Wei Hongying to protect Su Ce. At that time, Wei Hongying did not understand. Now, she understood what kind of huge effect this sickly person had on the entire country!
Perhaps no one would know what he had done in the next hundred or thousand years. But he still did it without hesitation.
If later generations mentioned the revival of Hongzhi, they would only mention Zhu Youtang, Liu Jian, Xie Qian, and Li Dongyang. Who would mention the sickly young man in Huaihua Lane?
He might not even leave his name in the annals of history, right?
Wei Hongying felt a little sad for some reason. The commoners should build a shrine for him!
Zhu Houzhao clenched his fists in his sleeves. His face was solemn as he said,"Brother Ce, I understand."
"I was just thinking that you're harming the people. I apologize to you. I'm sorry."
He stood up, cupped his fists, and bent his waist. He did not get up for a long time.
If one were to say that the driving force behind his actions was to see the commoners praise him for being a great crown prince, then he would have to do so.
Then what about Brother Ce? Who knew? He truly cared about the people.
Su Ce smiled and waved his hand.""Hai, I'm just saying. It's hard to say whether the Emperor will carry out my idea or not.”
"Brother Ce, actually…" Zhu Houzhao shook his head.
Actually, I'm the Crown Prince. I can do it. I definitely can.
Su Ce grabbed Zhu Houzhao's wrist and said,""I understand. Your father is very capable. En, en, I believe you.”
He stopped Zhu Houzhao from speaking.
If you were to speak, it would not be fun anymore.
Su Ce still had a hint of childlike innocence.
Zhu Houzhao nodded heavily.
After dinner, Zhu Houzhao was not in a hurry to leave. He said,""Brother Ce, it's been a long time since I've bathed in your pool or steamed in your saunas.”
" I want to go swimming. Awoooo!"
Su Ce was speechless.
"Wait, are you sure?"
"What's there to be uncertain about?"”
Alright, if you're not afraid of shame, then go ahead and bathe. Also, the one on the roof, don't feel that it's too eye-catching.
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