On April 12, the court meeting began in the Huangji Hall of the Forbidden City.
The civil servants in the court had already received letters from the civil servants in Tianjin, and they all knew that Li Zhi wanted to collect land taxes on behalf of the government. Not only that, Li Zhi also wanted to take action against the gentry and collect taxes from the gentry who did not pay taxes.
!
This is really news like a bolt from the blue. The anger and resentment caused by Li Zhi's collection of business taxes has not subsided, and something like this happened again. As soon as Li Zhi was named the uncle of Xingguo, he immediately took action against the gentry. It can be seen that this Li Zhi is the gentry of the world.
If he is allowed to act as he pleases, Li Zhi will definitely expand the commercial tax and gentry land tax to the whole country.
All the civil servants in the court are gentry. Which one does not have thousands of acres of fertile land? If Li Zhi's gentry land tax is increased and the gentry loses their privileges, won't those ordinary people who brought their fields to donate their land have to leave one after another? All the officials will
He was beaten back to his original shape and became a pauper. Li Zhi wanted to collect land taxes from the gentry, and he was bleeding their blood!
And not only do they have land at home, they are also the spokespersons of the gentry in the world. Which gentry with extensive land does not give money to officials? The reason why the gentry can be exempted from taxes is on the one hand the social atmosphere, and on the other hand it also depends on the gentry's attitude towards
The officials pay tribute with filial piety. Every year, a large amount of money flows from the tax-free fields into the pockets of the gentry, and then from the hands of the gentry into the pockets of the officials.
At least half of the land in the world does not pay taxes. The chain of interests is so huge, how can it be taken lightly?
The gentry and officials are basically a community of interests. Li Zhi's taxation of the gentry is to cut off the officials' financial path. The so-called cutting off people's financial path is like killing their parents. The civil servants in the court were already indignant.
If it weren't for Li Zhi's powerful troops, these civil servants would have killed Li Zhi long ago.
The officials of Honglu Temple cracked their whips and sang: "If you have something to do, go to court, if nothing happens, leave the court!"
Hu Ke came out with a tooth sign in his hand and said, "Your Majesty, Peng Youde, has his own merits!"
The eunuch beside Emperor Zhu Youjian sang: "Play!"
Peng Youde said loudly: "Li Zhi, the commander-in-chief of Tianjin, violated the law arbitrarily and overcame his servants to collect land taxes. His criminal behavior has exceeded the laws of the court. I believe that Li Zhi should be dismissed from his post for treason and sent to prison for questioning!"
After hearing what Hu Kedu said to Shizhong, all the officials looked at him with admiration, and their eyes were full of encouragement. The drama of attacking Li Zhi in the court was about to begin, and this Peng Youde was at the forefront.
, just like the warriors who bravely fight against the enemy.
Hearing Peng Youde's words, Zhu Youjian didn't say much, but just said lightly: "I know!"
But the civil servants were unwilling to let the emperor go, and began to perform memorials one after another.
He Shishou, the Minister of Rites, has always been the main force in attacking Li Zhi. I don’t know whether he was upset because he promoted Li Zhi by mistake, or because he wanted to draw a clear line with Li Zhi. In short, he was always the first to criticize Li Zhi every time.
He Shishou held up a placard and said: "Your Majesty, Li Zhi not only wants to collect taxes on behalf of the government, but also collects land taxes from the gentry all over the world. Is Li Zhi's move trying to shake the foundation of the Ming Dynasty?"
Zhu Youjian looked at He Shishou but said nothing.
Zhu Youjian's interest pattern is different from that of these civil servants. Although he received a civil service education since he was a child, reading Confucian classics and learning the subtle words of saints, Zhu Youjian has been a family member for fourteen years after all.
I know that the world is not as simple as the civil servants say. And these civil servants are not as upright as they say.
Zhu Youjian was not unhappy when Li Zhi attacked the gentry.
Zhu Youjian said to He Shishou: "What is the foundation of Ming Dynasty?"
He Shishou said proudly: "Ruling the world with scholars is the foundation of our Ming Dynasty! If this foundation is shaken, the country will be unstable!"
Zhu Youjian looked at He Shishou and said coldly: "He Qing's words are serious."
After He Shishou finished speaking, Fan Fucui, the first assistant, held up a placard and said: "My minister Fan Fucui has his own memorial!"
"Play!"
"I believe that if Li Zhi is left alone, Li Zhi will become more arrogant and disrespectful of the court in the future. Li Zhi has a heavy army and has repeatedly disobeyed the imperial edict. He is undoubtedly a warlord. If he is allowed to collect land tax, he will hand over the land tax of a town in Tianjin.
In his hands, Tianjin will become a state within a state, and the imperial court will no longer be able to interfere in the slightest."
"If this is the case, Li Zhi will become more evil-minded and may go one step further to covet the unification!"
"At this moment, Emperor Chengyi sternly warns Li Zhi to let him understand the consequences of knowing the law and breaking the law. Now that the thieves have been pacified, tens of thousands of thieves-suppressing troops can be mobilized at any time. If Li Zhi misbehaves again, a large army can be mobilized to encircle and suppress him!"
Fan Fucui knew that the emperor would not be tempted by the interests of the gentry, so he used the Ming Dynasty's country and country to warn Zhu Youjian.
Zhu Youjian thought for a while and said nothing.
However, before Fan Fucui finished speaking, three or four civil servants jumped out together.
"I have my own notes!"
"I have a memorial!"
Zhu Youjian looked at the frustrated civil servants and did not ask them to report any more, but said calmly: "I am tired and will withdraw from the court today!"
Before the civil officials finished speaking, the emperor left. Under the surprised eyes of all the officials, Zhu Youjian exited the Huangji Palace with a guard of honor.
Back at Qianqing Palace, Zhu Youjian was pacing back and forth in his study, looking relaxed.
With a flick of the long sleeves of his dragon robe, Zhu Youjian slowly sat on the throne, with a thick smile on his face.
Looking at Wang Chengen, Zhu Youjian said calmly: "Wang Chengen, today is such a good day!"
Wang Chengen looked at the smiling emperor, unable to react, and raised his hands and asked: "Your Majesty, the civil servants in the outer dynasty are all upset, why is your Majesty still so happy!"
"Good job frying the pot! Let these civil servants dance!"
Wang Chengen was stunned, not knowing what to say.
Zhu Youjian looked at Wang Chengen, who looked confused, and said with a smile: "Li Zhi has a strong army and a strong horse, and I have always been worried that he will not lose his tail. Now that the world is basically fine, what I usually worry about most is that Li Zhi has a rebellious intention. But today he
Li Zhi has offended all the gentry in the world, so I won’t worry about him anymore!”
"He is an enemy of the gentry in the world, and the gentry is eager to eat his flesh. He no longer has the qualifications to covet the world."
"As an enemy of the world's gentry, he can only rely on his own 20,000 troops to defend Tianjin. How can he command the world?"
"My country, the Ming Dynasty, is as solid as gold!"
"As for the taxes in Tianjin, they are the same no matter who collects them. In the former dynasty, the li long tax was collected, and later the government officials were asked to collect taxes. It is all the same. The key is not to default. I don't mind if Xing Guobo collects the land taxes in Tianjin.
."
"I will not help Uncle Xing Guo, nor will I help the civil servants. Let them fight. The more fierce the fight, the better! It is best to forge a bloody feud and become enemies of each other from now on, so that Li Zhi will never dare to leave Tianjin.
"
"I can take some time off and stay out of the action and watch the excitement!"
Wang Chengen looked at the Emperor in surprise, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses. He turned his thin body ninety degrees and sang: "The Emperor is Holy Might!"
