Not every proposal to reduce or exempt taxes was approved by the Imperial Court.
"The treasury is empty. Reducing taxes will place even greater pressure on the Ministry of Revenue," Chen Xun said. "If taxes do not come from the farmers, then they can only be levied on merchants. But at the start of the year, the Imperial Court issued policies encouraging trade. If we now raise merchants' taxes, would that not be changing orders morning and evening?"
Pan Yun said, "When local regions suffer disasters, reducing taxes is also a means of relief. Otherwise, if the people cannot survive and are driven into rebellion, the troops, military pay, and provisions needed to suppress that rebellion will cost a hundred or a thousand times more than the taxes exempted."
Pan Yun shook her head solemnly. "Treating a nation is like treating a person: prevent illness before it arises. It costs less and causes less suffering. Must we wait until the disease has seeped into the marrow before resorting to so-called treatment for the symptoms?"
Yu Qian stepped forward. "His Majesty, this minister agrees with the Imperial Preceptor. Last year, great winds swept South of the Yangtze. Zhejiang and the Southern Metropolitan Region suffered severe damage, with countless dead and wounded. Because the Imperial Court's disaster relief did not arrive in time, disaster victims in some regions answered Deng Maoqi's rebellion. That was why the great army could not put down the revolt for so long. When the late Emperor personally campaigned against the Oirats, the battlefield in South of the Yangtze tied down many troops."
"Let the overturned cart before us be the teacher for the road ahead. This time, the Imperial Court should respond early and soothe the people. Moreover, most of the affected areas are prefectures and counties