Chapter 230: Chen Minggang's Calculation

Chen Minggang thanked him and sat down, his eyes darting across Xiong Buyou’s face.

“Master Xiong, please speak your mind.”

“Old Eighth!” Xiong Buyou addressed him with the same familiarity as Wang Zhaomin, showing closeness without demeaning his own status. After all, even the county’s gentry had to call him “Old Eighth.”

“I have a matter to discuss, and I need you to be straight with me,” Xiong Buyou said, getting directly to the point. Given their communication gap, being direct was the easiest way.

He recounted Wang Zhaomin’s request and then asked, “What’s the problem with the county’s autumn tax collection?”

“There are problems, of course,” Chen Minggang replied, seemingly having anticipated this question. His calm expression told Xiong Buyou that he was already aware of the situation.

“Master Xiong, do they also collect grain taxes in Australia?” Chen Minggang asked.

“Imperial grain and state taxes are collected everywhere under Heaven. Australia is no exception.” Although agricultural taxes had been abolished in their original time, it had only been for a few years.

“Does Master Xiong know how Australia collects its grain tax?” Chen Minggang inquired. “Are there any drawbacks?”

Xiong Buyou, of course, had no idea. He figured the government had abolished the agricultural tax partly to benefit farmers, but also to eliminate the corruption that plagued the system. He could only say, “I’m not very clear on that. I suppose there might be.”

“That’s just it. Every trade has its difficulties,” Chen Minggang said calmly. “Take the Great Ming, for example. The summer and autumn levies are the court’s main source of revenue. However, in every county, there are always some stubborn people who resist paying. If the county presses them too hard, they abandon their fields and flee to other places. For the sake of his performance review, the county magistrate can’t be too aggressive…”

This explanation was quite different from what Xiong Buyou had learned in his lectures on Ming society. Besides, would the large, tax-evading households really be willing to just abandon their land and flee? On second thought, the lectures discussed the systemic flaws, and Chen Minggang was one of the system’s biggest beneficiaries. Why would he speak ill of it? He decided to listen for now.

“The county’s population and number of households are part of the magistrate’s evaluation. If the population decreases during his tenure, it looks bad on his record. So, he can’t pursue these stubborn people too relentlessly. He takes what he can get.”

“And what about the county’s gentry? Do they pay their taxes in full?”

Chen Minggang nodded. “Master Xiong has hit the nail on the head. According to the dynasty’s rules, the gentry naturally enjoy tax exemptions. However, they tend to take full advantage of this imperial favor. An exemption of a few shi becomes a dozen, and a dozen becomes several hundred. Master Xiong must have heard of ‘fraudulent entrustment’.”

Xiong Buyou recalled his study materials and nodded. He was beginning to understand.

“Has anyone recently offered their land to your esteemed group?”

“Not that I know of.” As the primary liaison with the locals, Xiong Buyou was supposed to be informed of such matters.

“It will happen soon. Just before the autumn tax collection begins, people will likely start coming. Master Wu is worried about this, which is why he sent Master Wang to speak with you.”

“So that’s how it is!” Xiong Buyou now fully understood. The county’s biggest fear was that a group of “stubborn people” would rely on the transmigrators’ power to avoid paying the autumn tax. That’s why they were in such a hurry to have Wang Zhaomin negotiate the tax payment with them.

If the transmigrators were willing to take the lead in paying the autumn tax, it would send a shockwave through Lingao. Those who had hoped to use the transmigrators’ presence to pay less, or no tax at all, would have to reconsider.

However, Xiong Buyou thought, it wasn’t that simple. He said casually:

“So, this year’s autumn tax will be difficult to collect?”

“Of course, it will be difficult,” Chen Minggang answered without hesitation. “As you probably know, in a place like Lingao, where the heavens are high and the emperor is far away, the stubborn people are always more audacious. Without a villain to keep them in check, it’s really not easy to get things done.”

Xiong Buyou wondered, who was this “villain”? Of course, it was the Gou brothers. The two had often undertaken the collection of Lingao’s grain tax, becoming the county’s notorious “tax enforcers.”

“Tax enforcers” weren’t necessarily yamen runners. They were often local “villains,” who might have their own businesses or simply be local ruffians. They were all connected to the county’s Household Office clerks. When the yamen began collecting taxes, they would assist the runners in going to the countryside to collect rent, using the opportunity to extort money and profit.

Initially, these “tax enforcers” were merely the clerks’ thugs. Over time, some powerful local landlords and gentry also got involved, using their influence in the countryside to monopolize tax collection, bullying the common people and exploiting the farmers. While they collected the imperial taxes, they also made a fortune for themselves. Some were even more brazen, collecting taxes from the common people but holding onto the money instead of turning it over, causing the county to be in arrears every year. In the late Ming and early Qing, the problem of tax arrears in the various prefectures and counties of Jiangnan was extremely serious. When the Qing court was clearing up old debts, someone once stated clearly: the common people don’t owe taxes; it’s the gentry and landlords who “monopolize tax collection” that do.

Xiong Buyou knew that the Gou brothers had monopolized the tax collection for the county seat and surrounding areas for years, making a great deal of money from it.

This Chen Minggang knew the Gou family had been wiped out by them. Why would he specifically say such a thing? He pondered for a moment, and a thought flashed through his mind: could Chen Minggang be hinting that they could also take on the business of tax collection?

What a coincidence of interests! Xiong Buyou felt a surge of excitement. If this clerk had the same idea, they could make good use of him and learn more about Lingao’s tax situation.

But for now, he didn’t give a specific answer, merely showing great interest and staring at Chen Minggang. This reaction left Chen Minggang a bit puzzled. He did indeed intend to pull the transmigrators in to take over the county’s tax collection.

With the transmigrators’ power in Lingao, if they were to step forward—even if it was just lending their name—it would be enough to intimidate the entire county. He, in turn, could make a huge profit. The Gou brothers had been formidable, but there were still many gentry and landlords who refused to bow to them. Now, with the Australians, he doubted anyone would dare to refuse. His personal income would naturally increase significantly.

As for the actual management, the Australians were clueless about the Great Ming’s tax collection. Not just these overseas visitors—in the entire county, besides himself, only Master Wang understood it. And while Master Wang understood the principles, he didn’t have the county’s fish-scale registers. All the specific affairs would have to be arranged by him…

At this thought, Chen Minggang felt a little giddy. With the well-armed Australians as his “tax enforcers,” he, Chen Minggang, could finally deal with a few of the families that opposed him.

Chen Minggang planned to use this opportunity to make a killing in the county. Not only would the common people not dare to complain, but even Wu Mingjin and Wang Zhaomin wouldn’t have the guts to object. If the sky fell, the tall Australians would be there to hold it up. If the Australians managed to establish a long-term presence in Lingao, or even carve out their own territory, he would be a meritorious official for collecting taxes for them. If the Australians were driven out by the imperial court, the blame for the exorbitant taxes would fall on their heads.

“Master Xiong!” he called out.

“Oh, oh,” Xiong Buyou responded. “Old Eighth! You mean, you want us to be the ‘villain’?!”

Chen Minggang smiled without saying a word.

“I’ll have to go back and discuss this,” Xiong Buyou said, feigning hesitation. “This is a major decision.”

“Isn’t grain also a major matter for your esteemed group?” Chen Minggang prompted.

He had gone over this calculation again and again and saw no flaws. The key was how to persuade the Australians. He felt it wouldn’t be a problem. The Australians needed to establish a foothold here, and grain was fundamental. Their extensive land reclamation showed their desperation for food. From the very beginning, they had summoned the leaders of all the villages and stockades in the county to levy grain and conscripts, implementing their “reasonable burden.” This clearly showed their great demand for grain. Why would they refuse such an opportunity to acquire a large amount of grain legitimately?

“Indeed, indeed,” Xiong Buyou said, playing his part to the hilt to get him to reveal more. He put on a hesitant expression. “It’s just that we are from overseas and know nothing about the Great Ming’s tax collection…”

“That, you need not worry about,” Chen Minggang said, feeling he had said enough, and directly revealed his stance.

“Good. With your word, Old Eighth, I can make a proper report,” Xiong Buyou said, cupping his hands to take his leave.

Chen Minggang respectfully saw him out. When he was out of sight, he returned to the private room. Just as he was about to order some snacks to fill his stomach and think things over, his apprentice, a young man named Zhou Qi, burst in frantically. “Master! There’s trouble!” he cried out first.

“What is it?” Chen Minggang asked quickly, seeing his hurried steps.

“Mistress, Mistress—” Zhou Qi stammered.

“What about your mistress?” Chen Minggang had no fondness for his shrewish wife, Zhang-shi, whose ferocity was well-known in the county town. His house was on the street behind the yamen, and his neighbors were almost all clerks and runners. In terms of cunning and viciousness, few in ancient society could compare to these yamen functionaries, but even they all shook their heads at the mention of Chen Minggang’s wife.

Chen Minggang was a man who had his way in the county, but he was helpless against his wife. His father-in-law was the former clerk of the Justice Office, his brother-in-law was now a clerk in the same office, and his younger brother-in-law was a runner in the fast-response squad. They were all part of the same clique. It was a web of relationships woven over generations; even if he disliked it, there was nothing he could do.

“The mistress just went to Qiuhong’s place and started a fight!”

“What?!” Chen Minggang shot to his feet. Qiuhong was a prostitute who had come from the mainland a few years ago. She had set up a private brothel in the county town to receive clients. After he took a fancy to her, she became his exclusive property. Chen Minggang was infatuated with this woman from another region, who was so different from the local women. Fearing his wife’s wrath, he didn’t dare to keep her in a hidden love nest within the county town. Instead, he had built a house for her about a li outside the city, bought her a few maids, and even arranged for men to guard the courtyard, partly to prevent his wife from causing trouble, and partly to ward off any romantic rivals who might try to cuckold him.