Chapter 598

This is the foundation of a dynasty's operation!

Otherwise, if merchants have money and high status, and also have privileges, then who would go to farm? The same goes for officials; if there are no privileges for being an official and the status is not high, then who would be willing to be an official?

Then what to give?

Tax exemption!

Once a scholar from a humble background passes the imperial examination, merchant families will crazily send money and daughters; the essence behind this is not at all appreciating talent, but the many privileges behind the Juren and Jinshi!

This is the root cause!

"When the land of this group of people is annexed, it no longer belongs to the people but becomes the landlord's; this change seems very small, even insignificant, but it is fatal!"

"The people's land becomes the landlord's land, so there is no need to pay taxes, but the imperial court collects taxes, often directly covering an entire area, collecting taxes uniformly!"

"For example, Guangyang County needs to collect millions of shi of grain; there are more than 50,000 people with land who need to pay taxes, but this year is a disaster year, and 3,000 people cannot survive, so they find the landlord, and their land is annexed."

"Then the next year, the land of these 3,000-plus people becomes the landlord's; according to the imperial court's policy, there is no need to pay taxes, but the imperial court needs money to fight wars, needs money to repair various large-scale water conservancy projects, and the officials of the world need money. Guangyang County handed over one million shi of grain this year; can it be lower than this number next year?"

"Can the imperial court flexibly adjust taxes based on the land of these 3,000 fewer people?"

"The higher-ups want performance, want to report to the Emperor, so they need the remaining 45,000 people to pay taxes."

"In this way, even some people with a relatively solid foundation, who don't need to borrow food from the landlord, will notice over time that the grain they have to pay is getting more and more."

"This is the general trend, no one can stop it; one family can grit their teeth and tighten their belts to get by, but more than 50,000 people will always be unable to hold on over time!"

"When their land is gradually annexed, they will pass this pressure on to the remaining people with a good foundation."

"This is the butterfly effect; if one family cannot hold on, it will affect ten families, ten families will affect hundreds of families, and then thousands, tens of thousands, forming a huge... stampede!"

Gao Yang's hand gripped heavily, and endless sharp light flashed in his eyes.

His voice was cold and indifferent, as if it sounded from the depths of the Nine Netherworlds.

"At that time, under the stampede, no one will be able to escape!"

"And what I said is just for Guangyang County alone!"

"If we look at the entire world, land annexation is happening simultaneously in all parts of the world; this is a very terrifying thing. You must know that dripping water can penetrate stone, and rivers gathering can become a vast ocean!"

"Although the high building is vast and huge, and the insects and ants at the bottom are incomparably small, when these insects and ants crazily gnaw at the foundation of the high building, sooner or later, this high building will collapse with a crash!"

*Hum! *

As the words fell, Yan Wushuang only felt a chill rush straight from his tailbone to his crown, making his whole body stiff and unable to move!

Gao Yang's words were very clear, and he could not refute a single word of them, but precisely because of this, he felt terrified.

Because farmers don't have enough to eat, they have to borrow from landlords; once they encounter a disaster year, their own land will be ruthlessly annexed by noble landlords, and then they will be tax-exempt, but the imperial court cannot lower taxes every year. Once the total amount is kept unchanged, the remaining people will be trampled!"

Then it repeats itself, and land annexation will become more and more serious!"

And the whole process is linked, tight and seamless, and cannot be changed at all!"

Once the tax-exemption policy is abolished, the first to disagree will be the officials, the noble families of the world; this touches the interests of too many people!"

But with the privilege of tax exemption, noble families are increasingly wanting to annex land; this is almost a dead end, just like the situation he is facing now."

Knowing it is a trap, yet powerless to change it!"

Yan Wushuang felt as if he had become a flying eagle in the sky, soaring above the nine heavens, overlooking the whole world, and he could cross space and travel through time."

He could see the evolution of land annexation, see the upper limit of a dynasty's fortune, but... he could not change it!"

He could only watch helplessly, and could do nothing."

This sense of powerlessness is the feeling Yan Wushuang hates the most!"

"Your Highness, in fact, regarding this land annexation, I have an even more terrifying point that I haven't said; do you know what it is?"

Gao Yang asked calmly.

"There is an even more terrifying point?"

"What is it?"

Yan Wushuang's eyes condensed, and he asked repeatedly.

Gao Yang showed a smile on his face, and his voice rang out softly, "The most terrifying point of this land annexation is that the above words are just the formal means I mentioned; the noble families and landlords have not yet used informal means!"

"This is the most terrifying point!"

"Even if there is no foolish ruler, as long as there is no way to curb the speed of land annexation, then the fortune of a dynasty can never exceed three hundred years!"

"This is the great trend of history, no one can avoid it!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Wushuang's mood became even heavier."

The world is bustling for profit, and the world is jostling for profit; noble families often collude with local officials. To want them not to use their privileges to annex the people's land is like asking a dog not to eat excrement!"

But is it possible for a dog not to eat excrement?"

"Lord Gao, your talent is amazing, and your methods are not bad; is there any way to break the situation?"

Yan Wushuang's tone was earnest, and he looked at Gao Yang."

Today's Gao Yang surprised him very much; he was actually so kind as to talk to him about the problem of land annexation."

A good man!"

But since he knew that the upper limit of the dynasty's fortune was three hundred years, this was like a thorn, piercing deeply into Yan Wushuang's heart."

If this is not pulled out, I fear I will have trouble sleeping every night!"

Since Gao Yang sees through land annexation so thoroughly, is there any way to crack this big problem of land annexation?"

For a time, Yuan Xuanlin, Yang Wei, and others looked at Gao Yang one after another, their eyes full of expectation."

Seeing this, Gao Yang shook his head and said, "Land annexation is an unsolvable big problem; throughout the ages, many have perished because of it. This is more like a shackle from heaven!"

"Heaven has limited the fortune of the dynasty, not allowing it to exceed three hundred years!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Wushuang clenched his fists, his face full of disappointment."

Could it be that even Great Qian's number one poisonous scholar, Great Qian's number one living Yama, cannot crack this big problem of land annexation?"

"How can humans defy heaven, unless—"

Gao Yang said with a serious face, suddenly speaking."

Yan Wushuang looked up suddenly, "Unless what?"

"Pay more money!"