Chapter 648 One mountain cannot tolerate two tigers
time.
After pulling the refugees back to their knees.
Emperor Xia and all the ministers were very curious, what exactly did the refugee want to complain about?
What big thing could happen to a small refugee that requires him to complain to the emperor?
Just listen to the refugee kneeling on the ground and saying: "The grassroots are people from Yangzhou City!"
The prince frowned, feeling bad in his heart: "Why do people from Yangzhou wander here?"
The princeling also had a bad feeling in his heart!
Emperor Xia looked at the prince deeply: "What are you trying to sue?"
Then, Emperor Xia took another deep look at Xia Tian!
This is interesting!
The eyes of all the officials in the audience were going back and forth between Xia Tian and the Crown Prince, each with their own thoughts in mind! m.
Will the drama of two dragons fighting for the East Palace continue?
"His Majesty!"
Just listen to the refugee saying slowly: "My name is Liu Zhi. He lives in Liujia Village outside Yangzhou City. His family originally had ten acres of thin farmland and six rooms. He is considered a rich man in the village!"
"There is also some food stored at home, and a hundred taels of silver!"
Emperor Xia frowned and looked at his tattered clothes and said: "Logically speaking, your family is so well-off. Even if there is a natural disaster this year, your family will be able to survive it. Why did you become a refugee? "
"Woooooooo..."
Upon hearing the emperor's question, the refugees burst into tears!
"Your Majesty!"
He wiped away tears and said in a pitiful voice: "Originally, ordinary people thought that with their family's money and food, they would be able to survive this year's famine!"
"Unexpectedly, the court suddenly imposed more taxes!"
At this time.
Prime Minister Zuo Sima Jian, who was watching, said: "Even if the court imposes additional taxes, based on your family background, you can still support it and you won't become a refugee!"
"What exactly happened in this Yangzhou tax collection?"
"Don't cry! Speak quickly!"
"Your Majesty is here. He is the head of the Great Xia Empire. It doesn't matter if you just say it!"
Emperor Xia was a little upset by the crying of the refugees, but he said gently: "Prime Minister Zuo is right, I am the emperor of the Great Xia Empire. If the Great Xia Empire is compared to a big family, then I really deserve it. The head of the family said, I will make the decision for you!"
Only then did the refugee stop crying: "Yes!"
"This time the imperial court increased taxes, the ordinary people gritted their teeth and spent their wealth to get through it!"
"However, when Yangzhou imposed additional taxes, they were three times heavier than the taxes promulgated by the imperial court..."
What he means is that it is three times more than the tax collected by the imperial court!
Although the refugees made it unclear!
However, everyone present is smart and understands it as soon as they hear it.
"What?"
Xia Diying's eyes flashed with light, and he glared at Prince Xia Bao fiercely: "How did you know?"
"Originally, the grassroots people didn't know."
"Later, the common people fled to the imperial capital to seek for their lives. Only when they saw the notice from the imperial court did they understand all this!"
Emperor Xia stared at Prince Xia Bao and asked: "Prince, Yangzhou is your fiefdom, why don't you collect taxes according to the imperial court's instructions and collect three times more taxes?"
"This this......"
The prince hesitated and couldn't tell the reason: "Father, my son and I don't know very well. After I return, I will investigate it carefully and give my father an explanation!"
Emperor Xia narrowed his eyes: "You are the prince and the future prince. You not only have to give an explanation to me, but you also have to give an explanation to the court and the people of Yangzhou."
After saying that, Emperor Xia pointed at the refugees on the ground and said seriously: "I want to give him an explanation!"
"yes!"
Cold sweat broke out on the prince's fat face: "I will find out this matter after I go down!"
Emperor Xia turned around and asked: "Prime Minister Zuo, Minister of Household Affairs, how much did Yangzhou pay for the additional taxes levied by the court this time?"
The Minister of the Ministry of Revenue came forward angrily and said: "Your Majesty, I have not paid all the taxes in Yangzhou. They say it is difficult to collect taxes and cannot collect them. Only half of them have been paid into the national treasury!"
Emperor Xia's face darkened: "Prince, your tax on the people of Yangzhou is three times higher than the imperial standard, but you can't even pay the taxes required by the imperial court... Where are the taxes you collected?"
"Plop..."
The prince knelt down directly and said with fear, "Father, I really don't know about this matter!"
"But Father, you can't just listen to this refugee's words!"
"Maybe his family is the only one in Yangzhou like this?"
The refugee surnamed Liu raised his eyelids and looked at the prince without any sign of weakness and said: "Your Highness, countless people in Yangzhou have lost their families and families because of this taxation, and there are also countless people who have been exiled to the imperial capital!"
Hearing these words, the prince's heart sank.
Not good!
really.
The refugee pointed at a group of refugees blocked by the imperial army and said: "Your Majesty, they come from Yangzhou City and the counties under Yangzhou. The experiences of all of them are roughly the same as those of ordinary people. They all had their families destroyed and were forced into exile!"
At this time.
All the refugees knelt down and said in unison: "Your Majesty, what Liu Zhi said is true. This is how we became refugees in the imperial capital with our family and family ruined."
"Your Majesty, please make the decision!"
Xia Tian spoke: "For those who are coming, check their directions and verify their identity!"
"yes!"
The guards of Huangzhou Palace immediately stepped forward to carry out the king's order!
Hear this.
The prince glared at Xia Tian fiercely, his heart roaring: "Damn old Jiu, you are so cruel!"
"Is this the game you arranged?"
"definitely is!"
He opened his mouth and said: "Father, I have a bet with the Nine Princes. It may be unfair if we use Huangzhou's personal guards to verify it!"
"My son suggested that we use the Imperial City Department to investigate!"
Xia Tian Bu Zheng: "Your Majesty, since His Highness the Crown Prince is worried, please ask the Imperial City Secretary to work hard!"
Emperor Xia agreed: "Okay!"
"Old man, your people are going to verify the identity. We must not let the prince be wronged!"
Then.
Emperor Xia looked at the refugees and said, "Keep talking!"
"As long as what you say is true, I will make the decision for you!"
"yes!"
The refugee looked at death with an expression as if he had returned home. He glanced at the prince and said, "Later, we heard that... the prince had raised a private army in the mountains of Yangzhou and needed food and grass to feed it, so he treated us, the people of Yangzhou, So much tax collected!”
As soon as this statement came out!
Everyone was shocked!
The prince's spine went cold and he almost fainted!
How did this refugee know that he was raising a private army in the mountains?
If this matter is confirmed, he will be the third deposed prince!
This is absolutely impossible!
no!
at this time.
The prince gained wisdom out of desperation!
He glared at Xia Tian with an angry expression and said, "Brother Ninth Prince, was this person ordered by you to frame Gu?"
"If you want to be a prince, just tell your father directly!"
"Why did you frame me?
now.
Eunuch Wei returned: "Your Majesty, those refugees are indeed refugees from Yangzhou, and there is no problem with their identity!"
"I know!"
Emperor Xia remained calm and looked directly at Xia Tian: "Xiao Jiu, the prince said you framed him...what did you say?"
at this time.
The eyes of all the important officials in the court wandered between the prince and Xia Tian.
It is true that one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers, and one sea cannot accommodate two dragons!