Chapter 254: The Legislative Assembly that Ended in a Year of Argument

Either Chen Gu can go to Guangyuan himself to take charge. Anyway, Lao Piao is unwilling to stay in Guangyuan any longer. No matter how Chen Gu arranges it, he will leave before the New Year.

After Chen Gu read Lao Piao's letter several times, he could only smile bitterly.

A forced melon is not sweet. Since the other party really doesn't want to stay in Guangyuan, if they want to come back, then let them come back. So Chen Gu signed two transfer orders, letting Sanlang garrison in Guangyuan, and Lao Piao return to Chongqing to celebrate the New Year.

The transfer order first arrived in Zizhou. Sanlang was quite happy after receiving the order. After all, leading an army alone meant a promotion.

Lao Piao didn't care about his official position. After all, he was originally one of the leaders of the mountain stronghold, and his status was far higher than Sanlang and others. Later, he discovered oil and followed Chen Gu to kill Delentang in Jiangjin County, and they experienced life and death together.

So even if people were throwing tantrums at Chen Gu, he would have to put up with it. But San Lang couldn't do that. He would naturally seize the opportunity for promotion.

By the time Sanlang rushed to Guangyuan and Lao Piao returned to Chongqing, the Chinese New Year was almost approaching.

Knowing that Chen the Assassin would not greet him at Chaotian Gate, Lao Piao did not act pretentiously. He went ashore directly upstream and prepared to enter the city from Tongyuan Gate. When he passed by the Legislative Assembly Hall, he even went in to take a look.

Although a whole year has passed, there are still endless arguments in the Legislative Assembly Hall every day. Today's discussion is about commercial taxes.

The tone set by Chen Kui is to fluctuate between 3% and 20%, and the key to determine the tax amount is the profit of the goods.

For example, the profits of various oil derivatives, silk, and tea are relatively high, so the tax rate is naturally the maximum of 20%. For example, the profits of food are relatively low, so the tax rate is naturally the lowest of 3%.

As a result, before the specific tax rate for the cooperative products was discussed, an argument broke out over whether the tax rate should be set according to the selling price or the cost price.

Merchants and wealthy families naturally want to set the tax rate based on the cost price. For example, if the cost of a silk garment is two taels of silver, even if the tax rate is 20%, it would only cost four silver dollars.

But if a silk garment is embroidered, it can be sold for ten taels of silver or even more. Even if it is calculated based on ten taels of silver, a tax of two taels of silver must be paid. With this calculation, the cost is directly doubled, which is difficult for merchants to accept.

But the representatives of each town didn't care about that. They just felt that the more expensive something was, the more taxes they should pay.

Otherwise it would be unfair to the floating tax rate set by the leader. You rich people don’t pay more taxes, so do you want us poor people to pay?

The poor work hard in the fields for a year and still can't buy one of your good clothes, and you still want us to pay more taxes. That's definitely not possible.

Lao Piao got a gourd of Maotai Shaochun and drank it while watching the two parties quarreling. He watched with great interest. The big families and businessmen argued with examples from classics, and the ordinary people from various towns and villages obviously could not win the argument.

But there are enough ordinary people from the market town, and they start rolling up their sleeves when they get anxious.

"Wow, a fight is about to start, go ahead and get him!" Lao Piao's face was full of excitement, and he felt it was more exciting than killing enemies on the battlefield.

In order to pay less tax in the future, the merchants and representatives of the big families were not afraid at all. They just put their faces close to him and shouted, "Go ahead and hit me, if you have the guts, hit me!"

"This is intolerable, absolutely intolerable. I will have to dig coal for three months to beat you up." The provoked man roared, raised his fist and rushed forward.

"Haha, the two groups really started fighting!" Lao Piao laughed.

Unfortunately, the fight didn't last long. Soon, the guards rushed in with water and fire sticks, separated the people, and arrested the first person who started the fight. Lao Piao waved to Chen Qi, who was leading the arrest team, and when Chen Qi came over, he asked, "Does the arrested person really have to work as a coal miner for three months?"

"Of course it's true. The Legislative Assembly is such a sacred place, fighting will naturally be severely punished." Chen Qi said with a smile.

"Does he dare to do that?" Lao Piao couldn't help but ask.

Chen Qi shrugged and said nonchalantly, "Basically, they fight every two or three days, and sometimes they arrest more than ten people a day. Especially when discussing taxation, fights often break out.

There is no other way. If we don't fight now, we will suffer in the future, and even our descendants will suffer. If we collect more taxes on valuable items, we can collect less taxes on ordinary goods.

For example, if cloth and silk are taxed a little more, linen will definitely be taxed a little less, and ordinary people will spend less money. If various spices, beef and mutton are taxed a little more, then salt and pork will be taxed a little less.

Do you want to fight for it?"

"That's the truth!" Lao Piao nodded involuntarily. As everyone was born in the mud, he naturally understood this truth. However, he was surprised that ordinary people would actively fight for it, even at the risk of being punished.

"It's pretty good. It's worth it to follow Chen Gui in the rebellion!" Lao Piao sighed at last.

Chen Qi smiled and said, "The leader has been waiting for you in the government office!"

"Just let him wait. He has left me in Guangyuan for more than a year. Can't I let him wait for me a little longer?" Lao Piao said with a smile.

"You have a lot of face, so anything is fine with you, as long as you are not afraid of being on the bench next year!" Chen Qi said with a smile.

Lao Piao couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and asked, "Is Chen Ju going to send troops next year?"

"We have never stopped fighting, right?" Chen Qi thought for a moment and said, "In the big picture, we should still be confronting the imperial court, but Guizhou may speed up its offensive. Of course, this is just everyone's guess. The specifics still depend on the leader's decision."

A gleam of light flashed in Lao Piao's eyes. He put away his wine gourd, stood up and said, "I'll go see Chen the Assassin right now."

Not long after, Lao Piao arrived at the government office. The bailiff at the door did not recognize Lao Piao. When he saw such a tall man striding towards him, he could not help but clench the water and fire sticks in his hands.

Although the opponent was of great stature and walked with the gait of a dragon and a tiger, the two yamen runners were not afraid. After all, this was the government office, where the leader stayed. Although there were only two yamen runners holding water and fire sticks at the door, there were guards holding rifles inside the door.

"Who are you?" one of the bailiffs asked sternly.

"Haha, so brave!"

Lao Piao laughed loudly and was about to reach out his hand, but the two yamen runners made way for him. Lao Piao was stunned. He looked back at Chen Qi in the distance and entered the government office.

Zhang Zhe saw Lao Piao coming in and said with a smile, "The leader is waiting for the general in the lobby!"

Lao Piao looked at Zhang Zhe who was wearing a bulletproof vest, frowned and asked: "Aren't you a clerk? Why did you become a guard?"

(End of this chapter)