Capital, Forbidden City.
The Royal Garden is a riot of purple and red, with blooming flowers enjoying the scorching summer sun, cicadas calling the butterflies busy, and bees flying around, filling the air with the fragrance of flowers.
But in the Fengtian Hall next to the Imperial Garden, the atmosphere was a bit cold. The old man was sitting on the dragon chair with a frosty look on his face, and the ministers of the Jiuqing Department lowered their heads respectfully, not daring to raise their heads.
From time to time, the screams of the courtiers could be heard outside the palace. It was a few inspectors and censors who were talking nonsense, and the bachelor was being tortured.
Under the cold atmosphere, with the screams of their colleagues, many of the ministers' backs were soaked with cold sweat, and their hearts were filled with palpitations and fear.
The emperor suddenly said that he would impose an additional commercial tax, which naturally aroused criticism from both the government and the public. Opposition was heard endlessly, and officials with scholarly titles wrote letters one after another. They quoted scriptures, starting from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and talked about the national conditions and people's livelihood. It was nothing more than that the commercial tax could not be increased. How could the court
Able to compete with the people for profit.
However, there was also another group of officials who supported the increase in commercial taxes and stood on the side of the emperor. The officials from the two groups started fighting each other and turned into attacks on each other. There was a quarrel in the court.
Their noisy annoyance annoyed the emperor, who had dispatched and dismissed many officials over the past few days. Even some who thought they were stubborn were punished.
The screams outside suddenly reminded the ministers of the palace of one thing. That is, the emperor they were serving was definitely not a patient emperor who was willing to accommodate his ministers.
In the cold and silent atmosphere, Ling Han, the official minister, said, "Your Majesty, I think it is feasible to increase taxes. In the past thirty years of our country, the people have been recuperating and recuperating with light corvee and low taxes. Now in the great tomorrow, the world is peaceful and the people are living and working in peace and contentment, with no worries at home.
There will be no external troubles. Although light corvee and low taxes are virtuous policies, in the long run the country’s finances will be empty. It is a century-old plan to increase business taxes in the world!"
Hearing what Ling Han said, the old man's expression softened a little and he nodded slightly, "What you said is similar to what we thought. In the past, taxes were not collected because the country was new and it was not easy for the people. Now the country is stable, the people are rich, and the court's expenses are
It’s been increasing year after year.”
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"We have heard people say that if commercial taxes are not collected now, they will not be collected in the future. The financial burden of the country will still be on the farmers. By then, good governance may turn into bad governance!"
"Your Majesty!" Hu Jian, the ministers, the Hanlin Academy's probationary lecturers, and the Imperial College's sacrificial wine, said, "I think it's better to wait a little longer. After all, tax collection is a national matter. This dynasty has no precedent, so naturally we can't rush it!"
Hu Jian was a very prestigious figure among Jiangnan officials. As soon as his words came out, other officials immediately agreed.
"How long do you have to wait?" The old man said with a hint of impatience in his voice, sneering, "In the Ming Dynasty, people stopped waiting and dragging on and on became routine. Isn't that enough? In the Ming Dynasty, it became routine.
No precedent? We are the founders of our country, and what we do is a precedent!"
"We know what you are thinking. Business taxation has been around for a long time. It's not that we are out of our imaginations, let alone that we are crazy poor and want to ask for money from businessmen. Not to mention, in the previous dynasty of the Yuan Dynasty, we relied on
Jiangnan’s finance and taxation!”
"Oh, the Yuan Dynasty imposed taxes on various roads in the south of the Yangtze River year after year. It's okay to raise taxes. But it's not okay for us to collect taxes?"
Hu Jian's forehead was covered with cold sweat, and he quickly bowed his head and said, "My lord, I never meant this!"
"I don't understand. It's just a re-collection of commercial taxes, not an exorbitant levy. Why are you all jumping up and down like you've stepped on your tail?"
The old man squinted at the officials from the Jiangnan faction and said coldly, "Collecting commercial taxes does not conflict with frivolous corvee and low taxes. The court's expenses have increased year by year. If commercial taxes are no longer collected, where will the money come from? If the court has no money, frivolous corvee and low taxes will
Isn’t the gift just a piece of paper and just a matter of face?”
"We know what you are thinking. You are all from Jiangnan. What you are afraid of is that the commercial tax will be collected on you in the end!"
As he said that, the old man sneered twice again, and his words became more and more harsh, "We know that you are from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and you want to protect your hometown. But you must know that you are officials of the Ming Dynasty. Everything you have belongs to us.
This emperor gave it to me!"
"Earlier, we heard people say that officials in Chaojiang and Zhejiang are too deeply involved with the local area, and they always speak for local wealthy businessmen. We were half-convinced before, but now it seems, huh, that's really the case!"
"We have made up our minds to re-levy commercial taxes. Whoever dares to make noises with us again should be careful!" At this point, the old man sneered again, "We are a tiger that has only been vegetarian for a few days, and there are still people who dare to scratch it.
Is it our responsibility? When will it be the turn of others to point fingers at what we decide?"
"I obey the order!"
These words were extremely serious, and the opposing ministers suddenly realized that the emperor was still the emperor who killed people without batting an eyelid, and he was still the emperor who liked to talk things over. They did not dare to resist against the mighty power of God.
Suddenly, several tragic and high-pitched screams were heard outside the hall.
Pu Bucheng walked in quickly, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty!"
"What's wrong?" the old man asked coldly.
"The adults who were being tortured couldn't bear it anymore and died!"
The officials suddenly became even more frightened. The young and arrogant imperial censors who were being tortured and had used their strength to contradict the emperor were actually beaten to death.
Thinking of the emperor's various methods, the officials who opposed the tax increase suddenly turned pale and complained in their hearts.
Many people are thinking, "We can no longer go against the emperor, otherwise this will be the end! Hey, if the emperor's grandson is still in the capital, this matter may be slowed down, but now we can only listen to the emperor's judgment!"
"If he's dead, pull him out and let his family collect the body and bury it!" The old man spoke again, cursing, "Our tolerance has actually led to the creation of these people who don't know the difference between right and wrong, and don't know life or death. Look at what they said in the brochure,
He said that if we collect business taxes, we are Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, and it will be easier for them to kill them!"
Just as Pu Bucheng was about to retreat, he heard footsteps coming from outside the hall. A guard with a feather on his helmet knelt outside the hall, raising a yellow seal in his hand.
"Your Majesty, Datong Baili is urgent! Liaodong Baili is urgent!"
Datong should be about war, but what about Liaodong?
The old man narrowed his eyes and said, "Bring it up!"
A moment later, the memorial was delivered to the old man. After looking at it for a few times, the ministers noticed that the old man's expression became brighter.
"Ah, does this kid have this ability?"
What the old man was looking at was Fu Youde's memorial of meritorious service. The Datong War had come to an end, and the one who deserved the greatest credit was Cao Guogong Li Jinglong. Not only did he make a long-distance attack, but he also burned down the Beiyuan camp in Ulanqab and burned the weapons and supplies. What's even more rare was that he was arrested.
A prince of the Northern Yuan Dynasty killed a Taiwei.
The ministers didn't know what was written in the memorial. Seeing the old man's expression change, Shen Shu, the Minister of War, said, "Your Majesty, is this about war?"
"A great victory in Datong!" The old man looked at the memorial and laughed. "Cao Guogong took the retreat of Bei Yuan. Wei Guogong cut off Bei Yuan's water source. Fu Youde led the army to cover up the attack. All three groups came out to defeat Bei Yuan. Thirty thousand enemies were killed and captured.
The remnants of the Northern Yuan Dynasty outside Qian. Datong have been severely damaged and will not dare to look north again within ten years!"
"I congratulate Your Majesty!"
"What's the point of congratulating me in a small fuss?" The old man smiled and said to the guard delivering the memorial, "Did this memorial be delivered to the emperor's grandson quickly?"
The guard replied loudly outside the palace, "We have been sent to Fujian as soon as possible!"
The old man nodded, opened the military report of Liaodong, and his expression suddenly changed.
"What a shame! It's really embarrassing for him!"
The emperor cursed in the street, which was unbecoming. The officials were surprised and didn't know why.
"The treacherous ministers and traitors of the Li family in North Korea, we have already given him enough face, but he dares to push even further?" Old Man An held the memorial and his hair and beard were all bulging with anger, "North Korea used the Jurchens to invade the border as an excuse, and used Donghu, the general of the Yuan Dynasty, as the vanguard to lead the army.
Fifteen thousand, send troops to the Yalu River. Devour three Jurchen tribes, plunder 500 Jurchen households, and build a city by the Yalu River!"
With that said, the old man threw the memorial directly on the ground and said angrily, "Someone, please write a letter to the Li family of North Korea. Tell them to return all the Jurchens who were kidnapped and that the North Korean soldiers and horses should go back, otherwise...
Hum hum!"
(I will also tell God that I will attack the east and send snow to the two ends of Jue. If the army does not have to go to Sanhan, send the whole family of the Jurchens who have been lured and send them back to the Jurchens in the past. Our army will not enter.
)
(It is not impossible for me to defeat them. As the ancients said, if you don’t keep your troops diligently at a distance, you won’t be able to improvise your troops.)
Hearing this, all the ministers were angry.
Shen Shu, Minister of the Ministry of War, picked up the memorial, glanced at it quickly, and said loudly, "It is a cunning fault of North Korea to be rude to a large neighboring country. Please tell your majesty to send troops to destroy it!"
This chapter has been completed!