Chapter 444 - Undertaking Taxes
Wang Zhaomin poured out his grievances about the problems that had plagued the county since the Liao Supplies levy began. In his view, the court's insistence on collecting silver was simply harmful without benefit for a remote small county like Lingao. Every time silver was levied, it caused turmoil and disturbed the people tremendously.
"Lingao is nothing like Southern Zhili, nor can it compare to Henan or Hebei! Where can the common people in such places find silver to pay? It's nothing more than selling grain and cloth at rock-bottom prices, fattening the merchants for nothing." Wang Zhaomin sighed heavily.
Listening, Wu De understood that this was another headache for the county. Lingao and Xuwen or Haikang across the strait were practically two extremes. On one side, due to sugar cane production, the commodity economy flourished, with expensive grain and cheap silver. Here, the economy was almost purely natural, and silver was rarely seen in the market.
"I've heard that in Xuwen across the strait, because of the abundant sugar cane production, rice is expensive and silver is cheap. Why not transport grain there to sell for silver?"
"If only it were that easy!" These words triggered another flood of complaints from Wang Zhaomin.
When Wu Mingjin first took office, he too had entertained this idea and even sent family members to Xuwen to inquire about market prices. But transporting grain required having a batch of grain on hand for turnover—and there was no source for it. Lingao's annual grain tax was barely completed, and the Ever-Normal Granary held no surplus grain for adjustments. Furthermore, transporting grain across the sea involved considerable shipping costs. If the boats capsized, no one could afford the compensation. After the freshness of Magistrate Wu's new appointment wore off, he finally abandoned the idea, adopting the mindset that avoiding trouble was better than creating it.
Also needing to pay taxes, Haikang and Xuwen had it much easier than Lingao. Their local yamen obtained substantial revenue from the sugar trade. With silver, they didn't worry about being unable to buy grain—but having grain didn't necessarily mean being able to exchange it for silver. The worst part was that Lingao's agricultural productivity was inferior to Xuwen and Haikang, simply unable to exchange for the required silver through large-scale grain exports.
For the government to complete the tax quota, they could only coerce villagers to sell their products at depressed prices. Though collecting taxes in currency played an important role in disintegrating the natural economy and establishing a commodity economy, for places like Lingao—with frequent natural disasters and low productivity—it proved deeply destructive.
Unexpectedly, separated only by a narrow Qiongzhou Strait, they were two completely different worlds. Wu De lamented the vastness of China and the complexity of its national conditions, feeling a measure of awe for the first time regarding the weighty hat of "Civil Affairs" that sat upon his head.
However, having talked this far, Wu De felt it was sufficient. He had received full authority from the Executive Committee and could now reveal his cards to Wang Zhaomin.
He began: "Private Secretary Wang, actually, regarding the grain tax matter, you need not worry—"
"Much obliged!" Wang Zhaomin hurriedly thanked him.
"Wait!" Wu De said slowly. "Regarding my Australian group paying tax, I can make this commitment here: five hundred mu of paddy fields, not a single grain less. Not only that—for Lingao County's autumn tax this year, whether it's land tax, poll tax, or Liao Supplies, we will undertake and pay it all."
"What?!" Wang Zhaomin was dumbfounded, utterly unable to process what he had heard. "The whole county's grain tax!" This was far too unexpected—someone was actually proposing to pay the whole county's autumn tax on everyone's behalf!
"The whole county's grain tax?" Wang Zhaomin repeated in disbelief.
"Exactly." Wu De nodded.
Wang Zhaomin's mind raced. These Australians are too audacious! Just the principal quota of grain for the whole county approaches eight thousand shi. Add the various wastages in collection and transport—even if every handler in this county were crystal clear and mirror bright, it would still take ten thousand shi of brown rice to manage. Not to mention the more than eight thousand taels of silver for Liao Supplies.
The Australians were still collecting 'Reasonable Burden' throughout the county after the Spring Festival—how did they become so generous in the blink of an eye?
"This year, we will serve as the General Tax Farmer for the whole county." Wu De stated clearly, his tone brooking no doubt.
Wang Zhaomin was speechless. This was an outcome he had absolutely not anticipated. He had thought the Australians might refuse the request and not pay a single grain of rice, or perhaps demand an exorbitant price, or maybe even ask the county yamen to collect "Reasonable Burden" on their behalf. But undertaking the whole county's taxes—this request was truly too unexpected. Even at the peak of the Gou brothers' power, they had never conceived of such an idea.
"You truly wish to undertake the whole county's taxes?" Wang Zhaomin couldn't help asking again.
"Of course." Wu De nodded and said calmly, "We always mean what we say. When have we ever broken faith?"
Wang Zhaomin's brain spun furiously. Was this ultimately beneficial or harmful to him and Wu Mingjin? For the moment, he couldn't form a judgment.
Yet he instinctively felt that this request concealed evil intentions.
"The dynasty's grain tax has thousands of threads and loose ends; the tricks within are extremely numerous. Moreover, that person Chen Minggang is extremely treacherous and wicked..." Wang Zhaomin began posing difficulties.
"We understand this," Wu De said, not intending to discuss specific details. He simply stated his side's conditions:
"As for how much tax should be paid, presumably Private Secretary Wang knows clearly enough not to deceive us outsiders for being ignorant." Wu De's eyes fixed intently on Wang Zhaomin. "Exactly how much is the principal quota, how much is the wastage rice, and how much benefit should be in it for the yamen—you may state it all. No need for delicacy."
"This—no need, no need..." Wang Zhaomin was already flustered. "This matter must be discussed with my employer before any decision can be made."
"Discussion is natural. However—" Wu De's voice took on a threatening edge. "Autumn grain is a major event in county administration. I trust Master Wu understands this reasoning perfectly."
The implication was unmistakable: if they weren't permitted to undertake the autumn tax, don't even think about collecting Lingao's grain.
"Yes, yes—naturally he understands." Wang Zhaomin was sweating profusely.
"So the Hair Bandits are determined to undertake the whole county's taxes?" Wu Mingjin asked with a frown.
"Exactly, East Lord! This bandit chief surnamed Wu spoke rudely, implying that if we don't let them undertake it, they will make the county's autumn grain impossible to collect!"
"Old Master, what are the Hair Bandits trying to do?"
"Probably they want to take the opportunity to accumulate wealth." Wang Zhaomin had thought it over repeatedly; only this possibility seemed to exist. "Yet it doesn't quite seem like it—very suspicious."
"Exactly," Wu Mingjin nodded. "Accumulating wealth requires money and valuables. What use do they have for so much grain? Besides, obtaining grain and money is extremely easy for them—just tell the local rich landlords to hand it over, and who dares refuse? Why go to such trouble, first making a spectacle of undertaking taxes?"
Undertaking taxes wasn't easy work—not only troublesome but also complicated and difficult. If the Crossing Group wanted to get rich from this, it seemed rather implausible.
The two thought back and forth but couldn't divine where the motive lay. Naturally, they unanimously agreed the Australians "harbored no good intentions."
Regardless of intentions, Wu Mingjin didn't have many choices. Either he agreed to let the Australians undertake it, or he disagreed and waited for the Australians to make trouble. It had to be one or the other.
The result of the choice was obvious. Wu Mingjin had to agree. Judging by the Australians' usual conduct, they had always kept their promises. If they said they would undertake taxes, they absolutely wouldn't play the trick of collecting grain but failing to remit tax. If taxes could be collected in full and on time, it was actually a good thing for Wu Mingjin. At most, the Australians would raise the wastage rice and floating collection to extract a few more shi of grain—but that was the commoners' concern, irrelevant to him.
"I fear the proceeds this year will be much reduced," Wang Zhaomin reminded his employer.
"That too is unavoidable." Wu Mingjin sighed. Though intuitively he felt it probably wouldn't be less, he still had to put on a helpless expression. "Avoiding trouble is better than creating it. I only seek to finish this term as Magistrate peacefully. After leaving office, I'll return to my hometown immediately..."
Wang Zhaomin had no reply, so he took his leave first. He thought to himself: the East Lord said "unavoidable," but he still had to figure out a way to extract sufficient benefits from this year's autumn grain for him—after all, this also directly concerned his own income. He told his concubine to brew a pot of tea and carefully thought through the causes and consequences. Regardless of what evil intentions the Australians harbored in undertaking taxes, right now it did no harm to Wu Mingjin or himself.
Grain taxes could be paid in full and on time, and he wouldn't need to deal daily with the tricky Revenue Section clerks and their hundred schemes. As for the "obstinate people" in the county—naturally, the Australians' fast guns and bayonets would deal with them. Wang Zhaomin suddenly found himself hoping the Transmigrators would properly fix those fellows who had always despised his authority.
The next day, he met Wu De again, and both sides reached agreement on the issue.
The Australians would undertake the whole county's taxes—including grain tax, land-poll tax, miscellaneous taxes, and Liao Supplies. All would be paid to the county yamen in full and on time.
"The deadline for autumn grain is the end of the eleventh month," Wang Zhaomin reminded him. "However, sooner is better than later. After collection, the county still must ship it out to complete the tax payment. Large-scale transport of money and grain involves a difficult journey, and Lingao involves crossing the sea. The time spent in transit is considerable, so it's best to pay in full by the end of the tenth month—that way things can proceed more comfortably."
Money and grain shipped to the capital were the responsibility of the Grand Canal troops in Southern Zhili. There were many tricks involved, as Wang Zhaomin had witnessed. Qiongzhou Prefecture had no Grand Canal transport duties; the county was responsible for transport itself, inevitably dealing with transport households.
The earlier the money and grain were shipped, the cheaper the freight. As the deadline approached, transport households knew the government couldn't miss its deadline and would deliberately dawdle to extort higher fees.
"...At such times, if 'wastage rice' proves insufficient, we'd have to conscript commoners to serve corvée labor for grain transport. Laboring the people and wasting resources is a tremendous abuse. Please be mindful, gentlemen!"
"Is this county's money and grain shipped to Qiongzhou Prefecture?"
"It's complicated," Wang Zhaomin said. "This county's autumn tax goes to several destinations."
Of the total 7,686 shi, 7 sheng, 9 he of autumn grain, 6,489 shi was Capital Warehouse Official Rice—the portion that had to be shipped out.