Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"It's different. The situation with the Ministry of Revenue is quite extensive, even involving class conflicts. If we want to address it thoroughly, we need to account for decades of records."
"Is it that serious?" Qi Xiaomian asked curiously. "Tell me more."
"Did you know that the Ministry of Revenue has two sets of algorithms regarding land area? Both are quite complex, and they start off identical, but in the final steps, there's a discrepancy. With just a slight twist, one mu can turn into several tian."
Qi Xiaomian understood Sang Qingxiao's implication. "So, some people have paid extra taxes because of this algorithm."
"This extra tax ends up in certain pockets, and on the books, the additional payments are hardly reflected at all. It can almost be said to be a low-risk form of embezzlement."
"You mentioned this involves decades of accounts. After so long, surely someone must have noticed?"
"The Ministry of Revenue colludes with local officials, taking advantage of the illiterate common folk. They are merely skilled farmers who know nothing about calculations; they probably can't even recognize numbers."
"When the common people buy land, the government makes them sign two different documents with their fingerprints—one showing a larger area for the people and another with the correct figures for government records."
"The common folk treasure such important documents and wouldn't easily show them to others or question what the government says."
"And if by chance someone does complain or tries to raise an issue, there are always methods to silence them—either through bribery or threats. A mere commoner will always find themselves silenced."
Qi Xiaomian was puzzled. "If they're deceiving the common people, why create such a complicated algorithm? They could just state a number, and the people would likely believe it."
Sang Qingxiao replied, "I suspect it's because this person is meticulous in their work. If discovered, they could demonstrate the calculations on the spot; since the two algorithms are very similar, they could claim it was just an error to lessen their culpability."
"That's just my guess. If you truly want to pursue this case, you can ask him directly."
"Who is he?"
"Shang Sibian's deputy—a man named Ma Wen—who oversees national land tax collection. This algorithm was created by him when he was still a small tax official in a local area. He profited immensely from this method, and as his position rose, he promoted this algorithm nationwide."
"He personally selects individuals to teach; his disciples profit while he receives tributes in return. Don’t be fooled by his seemingly honest demeanor; his family may appear modestly wealthy, but in reality, his treasury supports a royal tomb project comfortably."
"Plus, with a whole string of corrupt officials under him, the national treasury could become significantly more prosperous."
Qi Xiaomian asked again, "How did you learn about such a cunning profit-making method? Could it be that he was involved in plotting against the Sang Family?"
"He has nothing to do with the Sang Family. I learned about it during my time outside and kept it in mind. If they were targeting wealthy families, I would simply look the other way."
"But they specifically target the poor. Even when they're suffering so much already, they still squeeze every last bit out of them. Often because of these land taxes, entire families have lost their lives—I simply cannot stand by and watch."
"This matter is actually quite difficult to handle. If we fully expose it, will we also have to refund those extra taxes collected over the decades to the common people?"
"The amount from each piece of land isn't much on its own, but when multiplied across countless plots over several decades, it could drain the national treasury dry—even affecting royal finances."
"Therefore, handling this matter requires careful consideration. I'll leave it for you court officials to discuss."
"Miss Sang," Qi Xiaomian laughed, "you've really given me a tough piece of Dongpo Pork to chew on, glistening and rich, making my mouth water."
Sang Qingxiao grinned mischievously. "How about I give you another idea?"
Qi Xiaomian quickly replied with humility, "Please enlighten me, Miss Sang."
"If you truly want to expose this matter, you can start from Yingzhou. The Tremor in Yingzhou has altered the terrain in many places. During the reconstruction, the severely affected areas will have their fields re-measured."
Comment 0 Comment Count