There is no such thing as "Suzhou and Hangzhou" in the Ming Dynasty. At this time, Hangzhou was not yet full of classes. Together with Suzhou, it is called Songjiang Prefecture.
The so-called "Susong" is the richest place in the Ming Dynasty, and it is also the place with the heaviest taxes.
This is not an exaggeration. The Ming Dynasty tax has a fixed amount, covering two capitals and thirteen provinces. The total annual tax payment totals more than 29.43 million shi. Among them, the province with the highest tax rate is Zhejiang, with a total of more than 2,752,000 shi.
However, the annual tax amount in Suzhou is more than 2.8 million shi, and that in Songjiang is more than 1.29 million shi.
Zhejiang¡¯s tax revenue accounts for one-tenth of the world¡¯s tax revenue, but it is still less than Suzhou. Therefore, it is said that Suzhou's tax burden is onerous and the highest in the country.
Although Songjiang's tax amount is only half of Suzhou's, compared with Suzhou's seven counties in one state, Songjiang only has two counties, Huating and Shanghai, and its registered fields are only a quarter of Suzhou's. Therefore, Songjiang's taxes are actually higher than Suzhou's. Still heavy.
¡°Perhaps this is the reason why people in Songjiang rushed to donate to the Xu family.
The Ming Dynasty gave preferential treatment to scholar-bureaucrats, and they were exempted from certain land tax and labor service starting from the level of student member.
With the improvement of fame, the amount of tax exemption is also increasing. This preferential treatment was even more magnified for high-ranking officials. From the day Xu Jie entered the cabinet, Songjiang Mansion no longer levied land taxes and assigned labor from the Xu family.
Therefore, the common people and gentry in Songjiang Prefecture all tried their best to beg the Xu family to accept them as slaves, adopted sons, or even adopted sons. Once you become a member of the Xu family, you no longer need to perform labor services for the Xu family.
If the property is placed in the name of the Xu family, it will naturally become tax-free. Although he had to pay a large tribute to the master's family every year, it was still much more cost-effective than before.
And they became the Xu family. They were superior to others in Susong and even the two capitals in Jiangnan. They were the only ones who could bully others, and no one dared to bully them.
Although the threshold for becoming a member of the Xu family is getting higher and higher, it still cannot resist the enthusiasm of the people of Songjiang and even Suzhou to embrace each other and recognize their godfather
Especially in Huating County, Mr. Xu Ge¡¯s hometown, the Xu family now accounts for a full quarter, and two-thirds of the land is under the Xu family¡¯s name.
¡®Xu Huating¡¯ definitely lives up to its name.
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Huating County is also the capital of Songjiang Prefecture.
Of course, the person who has the final say in Huating County and even Songjiang Prefecture is not the prefect or county magistrate, but the old man who lives in Tuisi Garden in the east of the city.
Since the thirty-seventh year of Jiajing, the descendants and servants of the Xu family have begun to build gardens for Mr. Xu Ge to support him after he became an official.
Mr. Xu Ge chose the latter, so the Xu family demolished hundreds of households in the east gate of the Xu Mansion in Nanchan Temple and spent huge sums of money to build this huge garden covering an area of ??more than 300 acres for him. .
This garden drawing was Wen Zhengming¡¯s last work. According to Xu Ge¡¯s wishes, less carved beams and painted buildings were used, and more natural objects were used to create the scenery. The scenery in the garden is beautiful and charming. It is like a graceful pastoral landscape painting.
Xu Ge has been homesick since he saw the "Retreat to the Garden" painted by Wen Zhengming. This garden suited his liking so much that he often inquired about the progress of the project in Beijing, demanding that nothing be carelessly done.
As a result, it took ten years and a million taels to complete.
Mr. Xu Ge retired early this year. Although there were various reasons, this retreat garden that he had been thinking about for ten years definitely played a huge role.
So as soon as he returned to his hometown, he moved into this garden and has not yet left the house.
At this time, Mr. Xu Ge was boating on the lake with visitors.
The lotus flowers in the lake are in full bloom and the fragrance is fragrant. Surrounded by flower gardens, waterside pavilions, stone bridges and leaky windows, it looks like "a boat is sailing on the blue waves, and people are swimming in the middle of the painting".
The visitor was in his forties, with a broad mouth and a dignified appearance. He had three long beards under his chin and his eyes were sparkling. He seems to be a martial arts practitioner and has the air of a scholar. He looks really extraordinary.
"You have also read the letters from Duke Cunzhai, Duke Zhenshan and Duke Qinghui. Can you trust me for once?"
Old man Xu Ge wears a square scarf and a crane cloak, and looks like a rich man wandering in the forest. His face, which always shows no emotion or anger, has a solemn expression.
"The name of the great hero Danyang is as loud as thunder, not to mention the personal letters from Zhu and Liu Gong as proof. How can I not believe you?"
The hero Danyang is none other than the famous Shao Fang, a hero who can be friends with everyone.
Shao Fang was overjoyed when he heard this and said in a deep voice: "Then please allow me to work hard for Duke Cunzhai to make a comeback."
"It's just that I repeatedly asked for my resignation before I was allowed to take up my official position. It's been less than two months since I left Beijing."It's hard to avoid making people laugh if he keeps moving and trying to get up again. "Xu Jie shook his head slightly.
"It is indeed too urgent to revive now, but this matter cannot be done overnight." Shao Fang smiled and said: "Even if I go to Beijing today, I am afraid that Duke Cunzhai will not receive the imperial edict to revive until this time next year."
"Master Cunzhai needs to recuperate his body and mind. One year is enough, right?" After Shao Fang finished speaking, he looked at Xu Jie with bright eyes, trying to find out his true thoughts.
"It's a pity that Mr. Xu Ge's rank is too high. At this time, there is no wave in the ancient well and the darkness is not leaking. How can he let him know his thoughts?"
Xu Jie asked calmly: "The hero worked tirelessly to plan for me, but what do you want to get?"
"If things don't work out, my work will be in vain." Shao Fang is known as a hero, so he naturally has something to say and won't be blind to it. "If we are lucky enough to succeed, please ask the Xu family to help my Danyang Shao family and replace the Lu family's seat among the nine families."
"Oh, what are the nine great families?" Xu Jie's eyes flashed coldly.
"Hahahaha!" Shao Fang laughed loudly and said: "Master Cunzhai is really too cautious. That's all, it's too early to talk about this now. I just said it to dispel Cunzhai Gong's doubts."
"It won't be too late for us to talk when the matter is about to be completed." He said confidently, looked at Xu Jie and said: "Anyway, if you don't lose anything, why don't you give it a try?"
Xu Jie pondered for a long time, and then slowly said: "This is a big matter, and it is really difficult to make a decision. The hero is here with enthusiasm, and I will treat you warmly. Please stay in my humble house for a few more days, so that I can think about it carefully."
"Okay, I'll wait for Duke Cunzhai for three days." Shao Fang nodded. I think this is what the question should mean.
At this time, the boat docked, and Shao Fang said goodbye first. He has many friends and a busy business, so why would he waste time playing chess and singing with an old man?
"Come back in three days to hear Duke Cunzhai's reply."
"It's better to leave without seeing him off." Xu Jie smiled slightly and watched Shao Fang's figure disappear into the path shaded by green bamboos.
Then, with the help of the servant, he slowly walked into the waterside pavilion by the lake.
In the waterside pavilion, a man in his fifties was meditating with his eyes closed. It was Hu Zhi, Mr. Lushan.
Hu Zhi was the leader of the Wangmen Jiangyou School. After giving lectures at Lingji Palace at the beginning of the year, he returned to Susong and continued to promote Jiangyou Xinxue.
This time when Mr. Xu Ge returned to his hometown, Hu Zhi suspended his lectures and came to accompany him to relax and plan the next step.
In addition to being able to "create all things with the heart", Hu Zhi was also a Jinshi in Jiajing, and served as an inspector in Fujian. He was deeply relied on by Mr. Xu Ge and talked to him about everything.
Xu Jie then told Hu Zhi the purpose of Shao Fang's visit just now.
After Mr. Lushan listened and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with his ears, he laughed loudly.
He kept laughing, laughing loudly. He felt that in his decades of traveling as an official and giving lectures, he had never encountered such a person who did not know the heights of heaven and earth.
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