"Your Majesty, Jiangnan has always been a tax-heavy area for our Ming Dynasty, but judging from the taxes paid by the Southern Zhili this year, the tax paid by the Southern Zhili accounts for less than one-tenth of our Ming Dynasty's treasury revenue. , compared to Beizhili, there is a profound difference."
"Although there are many factors involved, the most important factor is due to tax evasion by businessmen in South Zhili. Tax evasion is extremely serious, and the prefectural government offices in South Zhili are extremely uncooperative in tax collection."
"Therefore, I believe that a capable minister must be placed in the position of the Chief Envoy of Southern Zhili to reverse the situation in Southern Zhili and ensure the stability of our tax revenue in Jiangnan during the Ming Dynasty. At the same time, it will also promote Jiangnan and the entire southern Ming Dynasty and along the Yangtze River. The development of cross-strait areas.”
Liu Jin held a list in his hand. As the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Liu Jin had the most say in the appointment, removal and assessment of officials in the Ming Dynasty. According to the system of the Ming Dynasty, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel could directly appoint and remove people of the fourth rank and below. officials.
The appointment and removal of third-grade and second-grade officials first need to go through the Ministry of Personnel, and then be discussed by the cabinet and the Ministry of Personnel, and finally submitted to the emperor for review.
It can be said that the power Liu Jin holds in his hands is already very huge. The level of fourth-grade officials is basically the level of prefects and prefects of various prefectures.
A few days ago, Emperor Hongzhi suddenly dismissed and demoted dozens of second-rank officials. Liu Jin was suddenly very busy. There were dozens of second-rank officials, which affected dozens of frontier officials. Moreover, they are all top leaders in various places, which naturally requires careful selection.
"Hmm~"
Emperor Hongzhi nodded slightly. Emperor Hongzhi was very clear about the situation in Jiangnan.
Before this, officials from Jiangnan were almost half of the Ming Dynasty. No matter what kind of policies were unfavorable to the merchants, landlords and gentry in Jiangnan, they would almost always be abolished and strongly opposed.
Any official who mentions commercial taxes will be killed by officials from Jiangnan, so that everyone knows that the court has no money and nothing can be done, but still no one dares to start the matter of collecting commercial taxes.
Had it not been for several major cases that followed, which dealt a severe blow to Jiangnan officials, it would have been almost impossible for Liu Jin to want tax reform. You must know that during the tax reform at that time, the memorials to impeach Liu Jin were like snowflakes. General flew to the desk of Emperor Hongzhi.
In the view of Emperor Hongzhi, this Jiangnan was not the Jiangnan of his old Zhu family at all, but the Jiangnan of those businessmen, earthquakes, gentry, and big families.
Here, the court's decrees are not as useful as the words of a gentry, and many of the court's policies here are almost difficult to implement.
For example, in the past, the salt quota system in Naikaizhong was basically rotten. The border troops had no food, the court had no money, and the households in the salt fields in the Jianghuai area were squeezed to death. It can be said that neither the court nor the people at the bottom Households and ordinary people have not enjoyed many benefits.
But it happened to enrich these salt merchants and big families in the Jiangnan area, so that huge interest groups such as Hui merchants and salt merchants were formed. Relying on these interest groups, they formed a terrifying force that could influence the situation of the Ming Dynasty. .
"Do you have any recommendations for good candidates?"
Emperor Hongzhi thought for a while and asked.
The position of the Chief Envoy of Southern Zhili is very important. He is the most powerful official in the Jiangnan region. He is not the biggest official because there is a whole team here in Nanjing. There are ministers and ministers in the six departments of Nanjing.
However, the six-department team here in Nanjing, Nadu Nursing Home, has no real power. It is mainly used to house some officials who are embarrassing the emperor, or officials who have angered the emperor.
"I recommend Wang Shouren!"
Liu Jin pondered for a while, thought for a while and said.
Wang Shouren and himself both passed the Jinshi examination in the twelfth year of Hongzhi's reign, and they have been following him on his expeditions over the years. There is no doubt about his talent and ability.
Compared with the troubled experiences in history, because Liu Jin, a time-traveler, is now Lao Wang, his official career was prosperous and he was rising through the ranks. Now he is already a third-rank official, and because of his repeated military exploits, he was also granted the title of
The Duke of Guo can be said to be a rising star in the Ming Dynasty's officialdom, but he is a little inferior to Liu Jin.
"Wang Shouren?"
When Emperor Hongzhi heard this, after pondering for a while, he couldn't help but nod slightly.
He had noticed Wang Shouren for a long time, and even put him and Liu Jin together. Before the operation, he had even made it clear to Zhu Houzhao that Liu Jin and Wang Shouren were truly talented ministers who must be reused.
He is also an extremely rare talent who is capable of both literary and military skills. He can govern the country with his literary skills and secure the country with his military skills, and he can expand the territory with his military skills.
"He is a very good candidate."
Emperor Hongzhi thought for a while and expressed his approval.
By sending Wang Shouren to Nanzhili as the chief envoy, he can sort out these problems in Jiangnan.
"It's just that Wang Shouren is from Zhejiang. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for him to go to South Zhili?"
Liu Jian next to him thought for a while and said.
Liu Jian was also very aware of Emperor Hongzhi's determination to reorganize Jiangnan's officialdom. Logically speaking, it would be most appropriate to send an official from the north to Jiangnan.
If Wang Shouren is sent to Jiangnan, he himself is from Zhejiang, and he is afraid that he will be implicated and affect his actions in Jiangnan.
"Precisely because he is from Zhejiang, he is more suitable and understands the complex situation in Jiangnan better, so he can clear up the officialdom in Jiangnan and reorganize it."
Liu Jin thought for a while and said.
"Well, just as you said, Liu Jin, send Wang Shouren to Nanzhili as the chief envoy. However, the situation in Jiangnan is complicated. If he is just the chief envoy, I am afraid that he will be powerless."
"Give him the power of governor of Jiangnan to inspect Jiangnan for me and reorganize the officialdom and customs of Jiangnan."
Emperor Hongzhi thought for a while and then said after thinking about it.
Obviously, Emperor Hongzhi had great trust in Liu Jin and Wang Shouren's ability. At the same time, he also supported Liu Jin's proposal to reorganize Jiangnan officialdom.
It’s time for Jiangnan to be properly renovated.
Officials in other places are guilty of corruption, fishing, eating without food, etc., but the officials here in Jiangnan are different. In their eyes, there is no emperor of the Ming Dynasty at all, but only their own regional groups.
interests, there seems to be a tendency to form political parties.
This was something that Emperor Hongzhi could not tolerate, and it was also the reason why he always wanted to attack the officialdom in the Jiangnan region.
"yes!"
Liu Jin nodded quickly.
"Your Majesty, the banditry problem in Jiangxi is very serious, especially in southern Jiangxi. Banditry is so serious that it has reached the point of killing people and setting fires in broad daylight."
"Jiangxi belongs to the central region of the south, and southern Gansu is the thoroughfare for four provinces. The imperial court is planning to build the Jiangxi-Guangdong Highway next year. The banditry problem in Jiangxi and southern Gansu must be resolved."
After thinking about it, Liu Jin mentioned the banditry in Jiangxi and southern Jiangxi. The Ming Dynasty was prosperous and prosperous, but such serious banditry happened in Jiangxi. This is seriously inconsistent with the current scene of the prosperous Ming Dynasty.
"Your Majesty, I believe that the banditry in southern Jiangxi has reached the point where heavy laws must be used. If we only rely on the power of the governor of southern Ganxi to eradicate the banditry, it may take a long time and an extremely capable person."
"Therefore, I believe that the garrison in the Jiangnan area should be dispatched to completely eliminate the banditry in the southern Jiangxi area."
At this time, Zhang Mao thought about it and stood up to speak.
To suppress the bandits, to suppress the bandits, the power of the governor of southern Jiangxi is estimated to be very limited. It is faster and more efficient to use the Ming army to suppress the bandits.
"I also thought this was the case!"
When the other ministers heard this, they also nodded one after another. In troubled times, heavy laws are used. Since the banditry in southern Jiangxi has become so serious, it is natural to use the army to clean up.
"Well, then I'll leave this matter to the Fifth Army Commander's Office."
Emperor Hongzhi thought about it and nodded and said to Zhang Mao.
"yes!"
Zhang Mao nodded solemnly.
"Your Majesty, when it comes to banditry, I have to mention the gangs and green forest forces that are rampant in various parts of the Ming Dynasty. In the Beijing-Tianjin area, Songhu, Nanjing, and the ports of Nanyang provinces, gangs are rampant, green forest bandits bully the market, and local groups are rampant."
"I believe that just like the banditry in southern Jiangxi, we should directly use the power of the Ming army and factory guards to carry out a heavy and thorough sweep of these evil forces, return a peaceful world to the people, maintain public security in various places, and at the same time attack local areas,
Gangs, green forest forces."
"At the same time, what is more important is to crack down on the protective umbrella and backers behind these evil forces and restore peace to the people."
Having said this, Liu Jin couldn't help but stand up and say.
To be honest, Liu Jin hated these evil forces deeply.
As long as you get to know them a little bit, you will know how deeply hated these evil forces are. Even though they cannot become a big deal, they do not seem to threaten the rule of the imperial court.
But Liu Jin before the time travel was an ordinary citizen, and he could clearly understand the feelings of an ordinary citizen. These evil forces were like dark clouds above the common people's heads. They only stared at kind people and bullied them, making people grit their teeth.
But there is often nothing we can do against them.
In later generations, before the crackdowns on gangs and evil were carried out, major cities would be in chaos. Blatant robbery and murder were commonplace. Every year, no one knows how many people disappeared and how many beautiful girls were lost.
connect.
After traveling back in time, since I hold great power and can influence the highest-level decisions, I naturally have to do something.
"Your Majesty, I also believe that a special campaign should be carried out to eliminate evil."
Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and others also expressed their opinions that the capital was a little uneasy and it was time to clean it up.
"Well, Zhang Mao and Xiao Jing, you two are responsible for this matter."
Emperor Hongzhi nodded solemnly, and then gave instructions to Zhang Mao and Xiao Jing.