Jia Yan knitted his brows in deep bewilderment and asked, "Your Majesty, what is the deeper meaning behind this structural reform?"
Zhao Zheng's lips curved into a smile. "I am well aware that exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous levies within Dazhen are as numerous as the stars, and the poll tax in particular weighs heavily upon the shoulders of the common people, making their lives utterly miserable."
"Now, I am combining the poll tax and the land tax to implement a new system. Those with vast tracts of land must naturally shoulder more responsibility and pay more taxes, while peasants with little or no land are relieved of this heavy burden, putting an end to the rampant practice of land annexation. In this way, we can lift the heavy burden from the shoulders of landless and landpoor peasant households in Dazhen, while cutting off the greedy hands of corrupt officials who seize the opportunity to line their own pockets."
Chapter 88