Chapter 58 Customs Reform

  Everything is the same, what can't be obtained is always the best. The more Hope Academy refuses to accept students, the more attractive it becomes, so that every day there are many families waiting at the gate of Hope Academy, asking to send their children to school, making Bai Ziyun and other scholars dare not leave the house.

  When Yinzhen brought Bao Fuquan, Da Chun and others to the main entrance of the alley, Bai Ziyun had already arrived at the entrance with all the children and Mr. Hou, having received the news earlier. Seeing this scene, Yinzhen couldn't help but laugh and cry, this scene was too familiar, just missing a child holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand. No wonder during primary school days, teachers asked us to welcome leaders' inspections like this, it turned out that there was already a tradition. He cursed silently "nonsense", then beckoned Bai Ziyun over, "Hurry up and let Mr. Hou and the children go back to class as usual, no need to make such formal welcomes."

  Bai Ziyun didn't expect to flatter and ended up getting kicked, so he immediately turned red with embarrassment and had the gentlemen take the children back. Later, he hurried over to apologize and make amends. Yinzeng didn't blame him and casually asked about the situation at the free school.

  Baiyun Mountain briefly summarized the situation of the past six months on the spot, emphasizing the refusal to accept it.

  After listening to Bai Ziyun's report, Yin Zhen fell silent for a moment. The original plan was to enroll only 300 or 400 students, but now they had already received 400 students and it was indeed overcrowded. They had the silver to expand, and there were vacant lands around, but the problem was Kangxi's attitude - would further expansion trigger Kangxi's backlash? After all, the original intention was to cultivate mapping talents under the guise of education, and although Kangxi himself studied Western learning, he opposed civilians studying Western learning. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke up, "Maintain the status quo for now, let's talk about it next year."

  Yin Zhen glanced around, comforted the gentlemen and then returned to his own Beile Mansion. As soon as he entered the mansion, he found out that Zheng Shichang and Min Mingyi had been waiting for him for a while. After thinking for a moment, he ordered, "Call Min Mingyi first."

  Min Ming, since I got in touch with Yin Zhen, my position among the missionaries has been rising day by day. Now, every move of Yin Zhen is particularly concerned. After coming to pay his respects, he briefly reported to Yin Zhen on the situation of missionaries in Beijing and Guangzhou.

  When Min Ming reported that the missionaries in China were recruiting a large number of artisans, sailors and Western scholars in Europe, Yin Zhen was delighted and offered warm encouragement.

  For Zheng Shichang, Yin Zhen put forward many requirements, asking him to pay attention to the selection of talents, the implementation of the system, and not to slack off in the improvement of papermaking and printing. He also asked him to try making silver coins according to the standard of one qian, two qians, five qians, and one tael.

  After sending the two away, Yongzheng hurried to the palace, since he planned to leave Beijing the next day, he naturally had to go and bid farewell to Kangxi.

  Kangxi met Yin-zhen as usual in the Xiqin Hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

  After the routine greetings, Kangxi inquired about the situation in Shanghai in detail. Yin Zhen thought that he must have had eyes and ears in Shanghai, so he didn't dare to hide anything and reported everything truthfully, no matter how big or small.

  Kangxi listened very attentively, and after Yin Zhen finished speaking, he smiled and said, "The customs system you have established, I have looked at it, the laws are strict and clear, detailed and comprehensive, management is strict, supervision is effective, it's not bad. My intention is to promote it nationwide, what do you think?"

  You're going to get me killed, don't you think I've offended enough people already? If this is implemented nationwide, how many people's livelihoods will be ruined? Those customs supervisors and managers, aren't they all your trusted officials? If we implement this now, won't that put me on the fire? Thinking of this, Yongzheng calmly replied: "Replying to Your Majesty, even the most perfect system is still executed by humans. Whether or not this system works remains to be seen. I think it's better to first try it out in Jianghai Customs for a year, one to see the effect and two to cultivate some talent. If we implement it nationwide later, at least we won't have people misinterpreting good policies."

  "A good monk with a twisted mouth recites scriptures." Kangxi chuckled and said, "Less than half a year has passed, but you've learned to be oily-mouthed and smooth-tongued."

  "The Emperor receives his ministers from dawn till dusk, always with a serious and solemn expression. If I can make the Emperor smile, it is also a way for me to show my filial piety."

  "Flattery will get you nowhere." Kangxi scolded with a smile, but his mood was excellent. This old fourteen not only knew how to make money, but also had outstanding talent. Last year he proposed the Agricultural Academy, and this year he came up with the Customs System, all of which were matters of national policy. What's more, he had a filial heart, sharing worries for me, if every son was like him, life would be much easier.

  After taking a sip of tea, Kangxi continued to say, "If you can come up with this customs system, you should have a comprehensive consideration for the country's customs. Don't hide or conceal anything, pour it all out and let me hear."

  I came to bid farewell today, how did I end up writing such a big article about the customs? Yin Zhen secretly sighed at his bitter fate and slightly furrowed his brow: "Imperial Father, this matter of the customs is very complicated. Your son has not fully considered it yet. Allow your son to return and carefully deliberate on it again before submitting another memorial, would that be alright?"

  "It doesn't matter, I'm free now, let's talk about it." Kangxi still smiled, but didn't plan to drop the subject.

  As Kangxi insisted, Yin Zhen could only utter a few words of self-deprecation and had no other choice but to speak up: "In the past hundred years, Western navigation and shipbuilding technology have advanced by leaps and bounds, and the volume of maritime trade has also expanded year by year. After our Qing dynasty's ocean-going fleet and trading ships are launched, our country's maritime trade will surely experience a remarkable prosperity. With the development of maritime trade, customs revenue will naturally increase, and it is estimated that at least 30% of tax revenue has been lost due to corruption and tax evasion in the Jianghai Customs. This is a huge loss for the Imperial Household Department, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Customs."

  "I have a preliminary idea, to put the customs under the Ministry of Revenue, establish a General Administration of Customs, and exercise vertical leadership over all customs offices nationwide. The officials of the customs will be appointed by the Ministry of Personnel. In this way, it will greatly alleviate the current tense situation in the national treasury."

  Historically, 25% of the customs revenue was allocated to the Imperial Household Department. Each year, a fixed amount of funds from each customs office were also submitted to the Imperial Household Department's Construction and Management Office to support the imperial family's finances. The customs supervisors and local governors in the four major customs offices also made significant contributions each year. The Guangdong Customs was even known as the "Southern Treasury of the Emperor". It can be said that the four major customs offices were actually the emperor's "small treasuries". This allocation to the Ministry of Revenue would directly affect the imperial family's interests, which is equivalent to cutting off their "small treasuries" without realizing it. Would Kangxi dare to speak lightly? After a moment of contemplation, he calmly asked, "In that case, wouldn't the Imperial Household Department lose its source of income?"

  "Your Majesty, the tax silver has been received by the Ministry of Revenue. The specific allocation ratio will naturally be decided by Your Majesty's wise decision. What I am worried about now is another issue."

  Seeing that the so-called reform did not involve his own "little treasure", Kangxi had completely put down his mind, and suddenly asked with some curiosity: "Is there anything else?"

  "Since the opening of the sea, trade has increased year by year. Because our Qing dynasty sells more goods and buys fewer goods, a large amount of silver has flowed into the domestic market. In the short term, this is a good thing, but in the long run, it will inevitably lead to an imbalance between silver and copper coins, causing prices to rise and ultimately harming the ordinary people at the bottom."