Since Li Xiang had already proposed a solution, Li Shimin handed it over to Fang Xuanling. It would be more appropriate for Fang Xuanling to do this matter. At least Fang Xuanling would not rebel, but it was hard to say what Li Xiang would do in the future.
Li Shimin gave a few instructions to the others and asked them to leave, but he asked Li Xiang to stay for lunch. This had not happened for a long time. You know, the relationship between the grandfather and grandson has been fighting openly and secretly for a while. Although they seem to be harmonious on the surface, the actual situation is only known to the grandfather and grandson.
"The seasonings you sent are really good. If it weren't for these dishes, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to eat them at all."
There were not many dishes on the table. Unlike the Qing Dynasty emperors who would have hundreds of dishes, Li Shimin was still very frugal. There were only eight dishes for each meal, four meat dishes and four vegetable dishes.
"As long as Grandpa is happy eating."
Li Xiang held the bowl and did not intend to drink, but Li Shimin still had someone pour Li Xiang a glass. Li Xiang was confused about what Li Shimin meant and tried to speak as little as possible.
"What's the name of your restaurant? Now I remember, it's called Chengping Restaurant, the same as your nickname. Business is pretty good, right?"
The major families did not pay much attention to the restaurant business, mainly because the profit was not very high, so Li Xiang took advantage of an opportunity and opened one or two restaurants in the capitals of almost all of the 360 states in the country. He opened more than a dozen restaurants in Chang'an and Luoyang, and made a fortune.
Li Xiang didn't think of taking the route of the common people from the beginning, mainly because the common people had very little money. In those days, the common people had just enough food and clothing. Many families still drank porridge, and only had big white steamed buns to eat during festivals every year. So Li Xiang could only take the route of the rich, because the rich were the place to make money.
Li Xiang, coming from modern society, certainly understood the 80/20 rule. He didn't want to earn the 80%; it wasn't that he looked down on ordinary people, but rather that he didn't want to compete with small merchants. So, from the outset, Li Xiang locked in the 20%. Restaurant prices also kept ordinary people out, with several dishes costing over a hundred coins. How could ordinary people afford them? Now, you can buy two steamed buns for a penny.
"My grandson pays taxes according to the law, unlike those people."
Li Xiang didn't understand what Li Shimin wanted to do, so he quickly got himself out of the situation. Nowadays, many bureaucrats also have businesses, but basically they don't pay taxes, and the court will not demand too much from them.
"That's exactly what I want to say. Not to mention the royal family, even a small county magistrate, if his family has a business, will find ways to evade taxes. What do you mean by this?"
If Li Xiang had not mentioned the tax issue, Li Shimin would not have remembered it, but since Li Xiang mentioned it, Li Shimin wanted to get to the bottom of it.
"My grandson did this to set an example for the officials and gentry to pay taxes together."
What Li Xiang said was a bit ahead of its time. You should know that this was only brought up during the Yongzheng period. Looking back at the feudal society for thousands of years, officials did not pay taxes most of the time. Even if you had the title of Juren, the court would not collect taxes from you. Therefore, many businessmen liked to register their businesses under the name of officials, so that they could save a lot of taxes.
In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, society was relatively open-minded, and officials did not all do this. Small merchants still paid taxes honestly. Of course, the proportion of commercial taxes was not very large, and agricultural taxes were the most important aspect. However, with the decline of the Tang Dynasty, this situation would become more and more serious, and the court's income would also be greatly affected.
At the beginning, Li Shimin didn't understand, but after Li Xiang's explanation, Li Shimin finally realized that Li Xiang was making preparations for the future. If this guy became the emperor in the future, he might have to make changes to the tax laws. However, Li Shimin didn't say anything. After all, this was for the sake of the royal family and he was also a beneficiary.
"You are setting an example by paying taxes yourself, which is indeed a good example for others. But doesn't this make the royal family seem a little mean and ungrateful? We need scholars to govern the world."
Li Shimin said with some hesitation that there are still many great scholars in society who are singing a different tune from the court. If it is implemented directly, it will really affect the scholars' interests.
"Grandfather, I don't agree with this idea..."
If someone else had said this, Li Shimin would probably have slammed the table immediately. What do you mean you dare not agree? Not only you, but no one in the world dares to go against the emperor. But Li Xiang was a talented person after all. In addition to being Li Shimin's grandson, some of his ideas did improve many shortcomings of the Tang Dynasty, so Li Shimin was willing to listen to Li Xiang's opinions.
"If you have different ideas, just say so directly. There's no need for us to worry about so much between the two of us. You all can go down. I don't need you to serve me anymore. You can go down too."
Li Shimin spoke to the eunuchs and palace maids around him, and asked Wang De to go down as well. You know, Wang De is the chief eunuch. No matter how confidential the matter is, Li Shimin will keep this guy. But letting him go down today means that there are some things that even he cannot know. For example, if the matter of officials and gentry paying taxes together is spread, it will be a shock to all the scholars in the world. Li Shimin does not want to cause chaos in the world. Although he knows that Wang De is reliable, it is better to have no one to rely on.
Although Wang De was curious about what the grandfather and grandson were talking about, he was more worried about his own head. The emperor asked him to leave sometimes, perhaps to save his head.
"Grandpa, we need scholars to help govern the world, but we don't manage the world together with them. The status of scholars is already quite high. Take some great scholars for example. Not only ordinary ministers, but also our royal family members, we all need to respect them. How can this be possible? What if they become arrogant in the future? Who will listen to whom?"
Since this issue is being discussed today, Li Xiang must make it clear to Li Shimin that although the status of scholars in the Tang Dynasty was not very high, it was not low either. If they develop into the Donglin Party of the Ming Dynasty, they will have nowhere to cry. Therefore, they must be on guard against everything and pay attention to everything for the sake of imperial power.
Before Li Xiang said this, Li Shimin did not feel the effect of these great scholars, but after Li Xiang finished speaking, Li Shimin did feel that it was a bit excessive, and the conversation became more and more interested...