Chapter 54

The imperial court has numerous names for its taxes and levies, including silver, grain, and labor services. The categories are complex and troublesome, both for those who pay and those who collect. Moreover, there are many opportunities for manipulation.

About twenty years ago, the Chief Cabinet Minister, Zhang Juzheng, implemented the Single Whip Law, which converted all forms of payment—silver, grain, and labor—into a single silver tax. This meant that people only needed to pay silver, and the court would use this silver to purchase grain and hire labor.

The Single Whip Law did indeed increase the amount of silver the court collected, but while it made things easier for the government, it did not consider the practical situation of the people.

In rural areas, households farm and weave, living self-sufficiently. They occasionally need miscellaneous goods, which they usually trade for with other goods. Silver and copper coins are rarely kept in large quantities. Not only farmers but also many small and medium landowners store grain and goods rather than silver.

With the implementation of the Single Whip Law, the autumn taxes could no longer be paid in grain but had to be paid in silver. They had to sell their grain to get the silver, but due to the shortage of silver, the price of grain dropped. Farmers and small landowners had to sell large amounts of grain to meet their tax obligations.

After the autumn, during the winter, spring, and early summer, they relied on their stored grain to survive, a period known as the "lean season." To pay the taxes, they had to sell more of their harvested grain, leading to a shortage of stored grain. Without enough food, people would starve, and the only option was to borrow money to buy grain.

During the lean season, when food is scarce, grain prices soar. Borrowing money was difficult, and many had to resort to high-interest loans. Few could afford to pay back these loans, and in the end, they had to sell their land and become tenant farmers, leading to complete ruin.

"...In the autumn, they were stripped of one layer of skin, and in the spring, another. Many wealthy households could not survive. Your grandparents were worn out by this, and even our family, which was originally a hundred-household family, suffered. Others fared even worse..."

He Cuihua grew up in the countryside outside the city and had seen many such cases. As she spoke, her expression and tone became distant, clearly lost in her memories.

Before she finished, after Zhang Juzheng's death, his family was persecuted, with some starving to death and others committing suicide. The Single Whip Law, which he implemented, was also abolished. However, the silver taxes were not reduced; the government continued to collect the same amount as before, and the various miscellaneous taxes were reinstated. This double burden was even worse than before.

"...Fortunately, your grandfather sold all the land to others. A year later, the family that bought the land also sold all their land, and the entire village became tenant farmers for others. Many large landowners took advantage of the situation to acquire more land..."

While farmers and small landowners went bankrupt, the literati, who were exempt from taxes, benefited greatly. Many families directly donated their land to the literati, willing to work as tenant farmers or laborers. Even many landowners without official titles did the same.

"...The real beneficiaries were the large landowners. Their power and wealth did not just come from the land they owned but also from their connections to officials. Some were themselves officials or nobles. They used these connections to acquire more land and, with their tax exemptions, avoided paying taxes, thus increasing their wealth and power exponentially."

As for the military garrisons, the commanders and several thousand-household leaders used similar means to take over the land of the military households, turning them into their own serfs.

"...Your grandparents did not want to give up the land passed down from their ancestors, so they worked day and night, exhausting themselves..."

He Cuihua was speaking when she heard Zhao Zhentang's impatient voice from outside the door, "What are you rambling about? You're keeping the child awake. Come back here!"

"You can talk, but I can't," He Cuihua said, smiling and patting Zhao Jin's head. "It's late, Xiao Jin, go to sleep."

He Cuihua tucked Zhao Jin in and then went out, still hearing her and Zhao Zhentang talking, "The child was already asleep, but your shout woke him up."

"Why bring up those old matters? Life is different inside and outside the city..."

Their voices faded away, and the oil lamp light shining through the cotton curtain went out. The night was incredibly quiet, with the occasional dog bark only emphasizing the stillness.

Zhao Jin, who had been tired from the day's work, did not fall asleep as he usually did. He lay in bed with wide-open eyes, excited and unable to sleep.

"Buying grain at low prices in the autumn to pay taxes and then buying it back at high prices in the spring to survive the lean season." The low-buy, high-sell strategy contained countless tragic stories and harsh realities, including his own family's history. Zhao Jin, however, saw only the potential for profit.

Despite going to bed late, he woke up early the next day and ran two extra laps. The gatekeeper, who was sweeping the entrance of the Wang family, looked at Zhao Jin curiously, wondering why the usually calm young man was so happy today.

After breakfast, Zhao Jin and the little girl went to his second uncle, Zhao Zhenxing's house to learn martial arts. On the way, Zhao Jin thought excitedly that his life would no longer be so monotonous and routine.

He cautiously and tactfully suggested at the dinner table that since the family had a lot of silver that was not being used, they could use it to buy and store grain, which could be turned over several times a year, growing like a snowball.

"You know a lot for a child," Zhao Zhentang said, smiling and patting his head. He Cuihua smiled and served more rice, but no one continued the conversation.

Several days passed without any response from his parents. Zhao Jin then went to his second uncle, Zhao Zhenxing, to discuss the matter. He knew his second uncle took him seriously and would not dismiss his ideas as childish.

"You're still a child, thinking up wild ideas," Zhao Zhenxing said, which further discouraged Zhao Jin. He tried different approaches, but Zhao Zhenxing remained unmoved. Zhao Jin felt helpless, having hoped his second uncle would persuade his parents, only to find his ideas so disregarded.

After several setbacks, Zhao Jin turned to his last option, discussing the matter with the other young men. The Wang, Chen, Sun, and even Dong families had the financial means to do this.

However, they were indifferent, showing no interest. Zhao Jin felt disappointed and puzzled. The low-buy, high-sell strategy, with its layers of profit and exponential growth, seemed so tempting. Why were they not interested?

About ten days later, Zhao Jin learned at the dinner table that his father, Zhao Zhentang, said with disdain, "The Sun family must be out of their minds, actually lending money and buying grain. Yesterday, the tax collector, Zheng Hushu, led people to check their accounts and taxes. They dared to meddle in matters handled by the government. If it weren't for some influential relatives of the Sun family in Fengyang, they would have been robbed and killed in the middle of the night."

Zhao Jin shuddered, finally understanding why his suggestions were ignored.

The next day, at the cargo yard, Sun Dali, who never missed a day, was absent. When Zhao Jin mentioned this during a casual conversation, Wang Zhaojing said, "Lending money, buying grain, and acquiring land are things done by officials and local tyrants. Anyone else who tries it is asking for trouble. I thought the Sun family was shrewd in business, but they turned out to be so shortsighted."