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Fei Rumei blinked and said, "I'm sure I know magic tricks, otherwise how can I do magic tricks?"

Pan Qimei thought carefully, and finally said: "I guess you are lying to me."

The princes and princesses were having fun together and didn't even know what illusion was. After Zhao Han sat down, he ordered, "Let's start."

"Start performing illusion!" The guard shouted loudly.

There are audiences around the stage, watching the magic show in groups. This is a great test for the performers, and it is easy to see if the movements are not clean.

Today is to perform in the palace, Zhang Jiuzhi specially wore a Taoist robe, which is the ancient home casual clothes.

This person is about 40 years old, with a dry and thin build, but extremely tall.He paced onto the stage, seeing nothing unusual. When he reached the center of the stage, he turned to the emperor and queen and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty, ladies, princes and princesses. This trick must be fake, and it's all hidden on the body." Take it with you, and open it for all the nobles to see."

While speaking, Zhang Jiuzhi lifted the hem of the Taoist robe, revealing two long legs that were close together, and there was nothing inside.

And the pants are pretty tight.

After the display, Zhang Jiuzhi said: "Your Majesty helped the Han family and the country, so that all the people in the world can live. Zhang Benshu, a grassroots man, has not read a few days of books and can't read a few words, but he also knows that your majesty is an eternal sage. I have the honor to meet you today. Saint, I congratulate Your Majesty for dominating the country!"

As he said that, he bent down again and opened his legs, and his lower body turned into a squatting posture.

The hem of the Taoist robe was lifted again, and Zhang Jiuzhi violently lifted out a bucket with a rockery made of old ginger in the bucket.

A bucket of ginger mountain.

Fei Rumei blinked, then shook her head: "How did he conjure it?"

Liu Rushi was also very puzzled: "You haven't lifted the Taoist robe just now, could it be that you are hiding behind your back?"

"Behind him in the audience, there were many court ladies standing watching, and those court ladies did not notice any abnormalities." Tian Xiuying said.

Zhao Han was very happy whether it was the performance technique or the implication of unifying the country, he clapped his hands and praised: "Good trick!"

"it is good!"

Zhao Kuanghuan and other princes and princesses were all crazy with joy at this moment, and they stopped fighting with each other, and sat beside their mother to watch in an orderly manner.

Zhang Jiuzhi yelled towards the lower side of the stage: "Disciple, put on the colorful scarf!"

The apprentice came to the stage holding a colorful square scarf, and handed it to Zhang Jiuzhi respectfully: "Master, the colorful scarf is here!"

Zhang Jiuzhi took the scarf, shook it loose and opened it. It was about one meter long and wide.He covered the colorful scarf in front of him, and began to talk to the emperor: "The Tartars ravaged the Central Plains and disrupted our Han family. Your Majesty drove out the Hulu and saved the people of Shenzhou.

Truly a hero of the world.Now that the Tartars are trapped in Jianzhou, our soldiers will wipe them out one day. The grassroots wish the soldiers of Datong victory and peace in all directions! "

After finishing speaking, he quickly uncovered the colored scarf.

In front of Zhang Jiuzhi, there was a knee-high porcelain vat with four flags planted in it.At the moment when the colorful scarves were lifted, the audience with good eyes could even see that the flags were erected together before they suddenly spread out in four directions.Meaning: victory with the first flag, calm down the Quartet.

Zhao Han, who has seen a lot of modern magic,

They were all shocked by this hand, couldn't help sitting up straight, and began to think about how these things were brought to the stage.

"Wait!"

Fei Rumei didn't look like a concubine at all, she left her seat, ran to the other side of the stage, and asked the maid standing there: "Did you see him hiding something just now?"

The maids shook their heads one after another, and one of them said: "The Taoist robe is wide, I only saw him standing there in the Taoist robe, half a step away, there are porcelain jars and flags."

The performance was still going on, and the apprentices pulled out the flags and planted them around the stage.

Zhang Jiuzhi lifted the porcelain jar, turned it upside down to show that there was nothing in it, and turned the mouth of the jar to the emperor and concubines,

It was really clean inside.

After the apprentice planted the flag, Zhang Jiuzhi stretched out his arms and asked the apprentice to roll up his sleeves.

Then, Zhang Jiuzhi raised his arms, the sleeves had been rolled up to the elbows, and it was impossible to hide things in the sleeves.He also said to the emperor: "Your Majesty is benevolent in governing and loving the people, and the world is rich and prosperous. Just like this silver dollar, it is inexhaustible and inexhaustible..."

As he spoke, he dug into the porcelain jar.

First he took out a piece of silver dollar, then he took out a handful of silver dollars, one after another, and finally he took out silver dollars all over the floor.

When everyone was stunned, Zhang Jiuzhi asked his disciples for a colored scarf, completely covered the porcelain vat, and then lifted it suddenly: "It's like this rice, every family piles up the granary, and it can't be eaten for five meals a day! "

The moment the colored scarf was lifted, the porcelain jar was filled with white rice, which spilled out onto the stage.

Liu Rushi was so startled that he stood up straight away, muttering in his mouth: "It's amazing, it's amazing..."

Zhao Han was thinking hard about where the hell was hiding.

Before and after, a lot of things were conjured up, and there was no extra preparation for the performance in the middle, but the apprentices came to the stage to help pass the colored scarves twice.

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Jiuzhi conjured up five more plates, which contained rice, millet, millet, wheat, and bean.Due to this year's flood in the north and drought in the south, he wished that next year there would be a bumper crop and that the people all over the world would have no worries about food and clothing.

Probably because they were afraid of frightening the concubine and the prince, they didn't show off the head-cutting technique.

After changing the things carried on his body, Zhang Jiuzhi kept playing with the ball. He played with the wooden ball the size of a baby's fist very well.And still rolled up the sleeves, the wooden ball suddenly disappeared, and the two hands did not open,

Immediately removed from various places on the body.

The most commendable thing is that his hand speed is very slow, or deliberately slow, but it is hard to see how to hide the ball.

After some performances, Zhao Han finally asked, "Did you hide all those things on your body?"

Zhang Jiuzhi stepped forward and bowed: "Report to Your Majesty, and hide them all on your body."

"Is it heavy?" Zhao Han asked.

Zhang Jiuzhi said: "One hundred catties, short and weak, definitely can't act."

Zhao Han nodded appreciatively: "Your tricks have become very good, take more apprentices, don't let it be lost. In the future, if you have free time,

I will invite you to perform in the palace again. "

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhang Jiu pointed to joy.

Zhao Han thought for a while, and then said: "My family is happy to see it, but the frontline soldiers have never seen such a wonderful trick. How about it, you go to the labor force to perform with the mission team, and you will be paid every month. All divisions will perform once, and you will return to Nanjing to perform for the common people. How about it?"

Zhang Jiuzhi bowed and said: "The grassroots obey the order!"

It is estimated that Lao Jun's performance will be delayed for a year or two, but it is good for Zhang Jiuzhi.

The emperor likes to watch magic tricks, and the generals like to watch magic tricks. Who will dare to trouble him in the future?As long as he doesn't break the law, he can walk sideways all over the country.

Zhao Han continued: "Choose a few musicians to go with, and the song has been arranged, and they are all performed for the frontline soldiers to see. By the way, pick a few apprentices from the military mission team and teach them your tricks." Don't worry, I won't steal your job, the mission team only performs in the army. The musicians will teach the mission team the song that breaks the battle."

Zhang Jiuzhi flattered and said: "Your Majesty cares about the soldiers, no wonder our Datong army is invincible!"

"Go down." Zhao Han waved.

The master and apprentice left the palace happily, while Zhao Han accompanied the concubine and children to play in the imperial garden.

After lunch, I continued to work. Although the officials took turns to rest today, the emperor had to take the initiative to work overtime.

Shi Weixian, the chief inspector of ceremonies, came to report: "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites and the Qintian Court have given an auspicious date for the auspicious day, and the concubine should be accepted on the eighth day of the next month."

Zhao Han said, "Go and make arrangements."

Shi Weixian did not back down, but said: "The daughter presented by the Lord of Brunei is 15 years old this year, whether..."

"Just accept it tonight, you choose a concubine number for her." Zhao Han had already forgotten about this woman, she was only 12 years old when she first offered it.Princess Fanbang can't return the goods, otherwise the king must think too much.

Even now, Zhao Han doesn't know what the other party looks like, but thinking about it, he shouldn't be ugly, otherwise the King of Brunei would dare to offer it up.

In the evening, Zhao Han finally got off work and was led by a female officer to a side courtyard.

The conditions are quite shabby, after all, she has not been formally titled yet, so relying on her status as the princess of Fanbang, she has her own separate courtyard and a maid to serve her.

"Meet Your Majesty!"

The palace lady greeted her happily but nervously. She had been told that the emperor was coming, and finally she would no longer be a little transparent.

Seeing his nervousness, Zhao Han smiled and said, "Don't be afraid, I don't eat people."

The palace maid led the emperor into the courtyard and said: "Your Majesty... the lady has washed and dressed, and the room has been decorated. Your Majesty, please come in and rest."

With the power in his hands, Zhao Han has degenerated, and is no longer the innocent young man he was back then.

Two red candles were burning in the room, and the Brunei princess was sitting by the bed with a red hijab on her head.

Zhao Han casually picked it up with a scale, revealing a western face.

Chapter 624 [Population Growth and Tax Reform]

The girl's body made the emperor a little reluctant, and he was half an hour late for work.

The female officer of the Supervisor of Ceremonies has long been waiting with a memorial, and Li Xiangjun singled out one to place: "Your Majesty, the household registration population of each province has been reported..."

It is a national census, which is actually reported according to household registration, otherwise the floating population cannot be counted at all.

Three Zhao Han opened it, and suddenly felt happy in his heart:

Jinling Mansion (directly under the Central Government): 263 million.Beiping Prefecture (directly administered): 39 people.

江西省：915万。安徽省：704万。江苏省：778万。浙江省：641万。四川省：930万。

湖南省：622万。湖北省：533万。广东省：608万。广西省：382万。福建省：594万。

山东省：266万。河南省：245万。河北省：103万。山西省：184万。陕西省：166万。

Liaoning Province: 114 million.Yunnan Province: 302 million.Guizhou Province: 288 million.

Excluding children under the age of 12, the total population of the country is 8677 million, which is more than 2000 million more than the previous statistics.

The population of Sichuan has skyrocketed by 230 million. There are three main reasons: first, the recovery of southern Sichuan; second, a large number of children who have reached the age of 12;

Both Guangdong and Fujian have increased by more than 100 million. This is because a large number of ethnic minorities have settled down, and Hainan Island and Taiwan Island have also registered households with the same name.Take Hainan Island as an example. Counting the registered Li and Miao nationalities, the population exceeds 120.

Million.

As for Liaoning, not only Mongolia and Jurchen are counted, but even Koreans are counted.

Baozhou, the border area of ​​North Korea, was also placed under the jurisdiction of Liaoning.

The population situation in Jiangxi is particularly embarrassing. Although the number of registered citizens is second in the country, many people are working as officials, doing business, or serving in the army.Moreover, young and middle-aged people continue to immigrate to the north, and there are many teenagers who have just been included in the statistical age, accounting for one-fifth between the ages of 12 and 18, resulting in a shortage of rural labor force. foreign slaves.

The next day, the meeting.

Zhao Han smiled and announced to the officials: "The two prefectures and eighteen provinces in the country have a population of 670, which is even more than when the population was the largest in the previous Ming Dynasty. You have worked hard!"

In fact, Liaoning has not yet officially established a province and is temporarily under the jurisdiction of Shandong, but the population statistics are separated.

"Your Majesty will spare no effort to govern the world with benevolence, so that all peoples can prosper."

"The Holy Son of Heaven is in court, and the people of Shenzhou are blessed!"

"Our Datong New Dynasty has a population of nearly 9000 million at the beginning of the founding of the country. Twenty years later, there will be as many as 20 million people. It is really a prosperous age unheard of in ancient times!"

For a time, all the officials sang praises, and most of them were sincere.

This is China after many years of war, natural disasters, famine, and plague. The registered population is larger than that of the heyday of Ming Dynasty.Moreover, the population in the north is scarce. Even if you don’t do anything now and let it develop, the population will explode. It is estimated that the population will exceed 12 million in a few years (over [-] years old.)

A lot of people is a prosperous age, how to keep the officials from being elated?

Zhao Han said: "There are still too few people in Beiping Prefecture. In the Ming Dynasty, Beijing alone had a population of one million, but now the entire Beiping Prefecture has less than 40 people. No matter what, next year we will immigrate [-] people to Peiping Prefecture, from the most densely populated south. area migration.”

"Your servant obeys the decree!" The officials of the household department came out holding wat boards.

Ai Julius and other missionaries from the Imperial Academy were dumbfounded when they heard the data. Are there so many people in Europe?

The topic of today's court meeting is to talk about the contradiction between man and earth.Mainly discuss the Han and Tang Dynasties, the Guanzhong area had a large population,

There is a serious shortage of cultivated land per capita.For example, not long after Emperor Wu of the Han came to power, he distributed the royal land to the people for cultivation, and then allowed the people to move freely, and a large number of farmers in Guanzhong moved to outside the Guan for reclamation.

He also discussed the land systems of the Tang and Song dynasties, and finally Zhao Han came to a conclusion that after 50 years, China's land would definitely not be enough for farming, and it would be necessary to expand overseas.For example, in Luzon, although the climate is hot and the rainy season is very long, the tropical rainforest can still be reclaimed little by little as long as it is cultivated carefully.

This stuff is not only told to all officials, but also published in newspapers to let the people know, and long-term indoctrination forms a consensus on overseas development.

At the end of the court meeting, Zhao Han said to Fei Chun and Wu Yingji, "You two stay and go to the cabinet together."

The two were in charge of finance and taxation, and they jointly wrote a memorial requesting reform of the fiscal and taxation system.

Zhao Han left the court and went to the cabinet to hold a financial meeting. Five people, Pang Chunlai, Li Banghua, Song Yingxing, Fei Chun, and Wu Yingji, attended.

Zhao Han asked the three cabinet ministers: "Do you all agree?"

Li Banghua said: "I don't think you should completely cancel your true colors, but you can keep a little for emergencies."

The true color is the taxable goods, such as rice, wheat, and wood.Folding color refers to discounted items, such as silver taels and cloth.

In the early Ming Dynasty, the discount tax appeared, mainly to reduce administrative pressure and storage pressure, allowing grain taxes to be converted into silver taels and cloth to be handed over.But the scale is not large, because silver is not a currency in circulation, and the currency at that time was called Daming Baochao.

It wasn't until Zhang Juzheng's whip method that folding color became the mainstream, and true color became an assistant. There are countless copper coins, and a large amount of copper and silver have flowed in from Nanyang, North Korea, and Japan.

In Hubei, the true nature of taxation was completely abolished, and it will be changed to silver dollars and copper coins for tax payment in the future.As for other provinces, they can take their time and are expected to be gradually completed within ten years. "