Chapter 131 Your Majesty, there are more than 10 million!
Needless to say, the person who came was naturally Chu Yi, who had traveled all the way back at starry night. Chu Yi’s journey could really be said to be full of dust. Originally, according to Chu Yi’s plan, he was planning to accompany the army all the way to Tianjin Wei.
It would be nice to go and meet the Governor of Water Transport for a while.
As a result, it was difficult to disobey the emperor's order, and Zhu Houzhao sent a secret edict to recall him. He returned in a hurry and rushed to see Zhu Houzhao as soon as possible.
In this leopard room, Chu Yi, Gu Dayong, Zhang Yong and other favored eunuchs of Zhu Houzhao could pass freely. Except for a few places, other young eunuchs would not stop them if they saw them.
Therefore, Chu Yi went straight into the main hall and walked outside the main hall. With Chu Yi's internal skills, he was naturally able to clearly hear the conversation between Zhu Houzhao and Gu Dayong in the main hall.
Taking a step forward, Chu Yi's figure appeared at the entrance of the hall, and Zhu Houzhao saw Chu Yi coming from afar.
Taking a few steps forward, Chu Yi bowed respectfully and said: "Greetings to your Majesty, I'm back!"
Zhu Houzhao looked at Chu Yi with surprise on his face, exhaled slowly, passed the writing desk and walked to Chu Yi, helped Chu Yi up, looked at Chu Yi for a long time, and then said in a slightly hoarse voice: "Chu Daban,
You are much thinner!"
Chu Yi shook his head with a smile on his face and said: "Thank you for your Majesty's concern, but Chu Yi has made Your Majesty worried!"
Zhu Houzhao took a look at Chu Yi. Even if he was an innate strong man, he would rush back all the way. Even the official road was dusty, so Chu Yi really looked a little embarrassed.
"Hahaha, I'm covered in dust. Please go wash up and I'll talk to you again!"
Chu Yi lowered his head and looked at himself. Sure enough, he was covered in dust. He smiled bitterly and saluted Zhu Houzhao before retreating.
In the Leopard Room, Chu Yi had his own place to live. Although he had been away from the capital for a while, the windows of this place were bright, and it was obvious that there were people cleaning it for a living.
After washing up and changing his clothes, when Chu Yi saw Zhu Houzhao again, a sumptuous table of dishes had been prepared. When Zhu Houzhao saw Chu Yixing coming, he waved to Chu Yi and said, "I'm afraid I'm hungry too."
, I ordered people to prepare meals and accompany me to eat!"
Zhu Houzhao never had any airs when getting along with the people around him. Even when he was having a meal, he would often bring Liu Jin, Chu Yi, and Gu Da with him, and he rarely showed any airs of the emperor among them.
It is precisely because of Zhu Houzhao's temperament that Chu Yi has regarded Zhu Houzhao as an excellent friend over the years.
Gu Dayong was sitting there, but he didn't move his chopsticks, obviously waiting for him to arrive.
Noticing Chu Yi's gaze, Gu Dayong smiled at Chu Yi and said: "Brother Chu Yi, you are finally back. Without you, His Majesty has lost a lot of smiles these days."
Chu Yi nodded towards Gu Dayong and said, "Aren't you guys accompanied by Brother Gu and several others?"
Zhu Houzhao sighed softly and said: "Chu Daban, Liu Daban is dead. I know he deserves it, but as the emperor, I can't even keep a servant by my side."
Seeing this, Chu Yi said: "Your Majesty, it is our blessing to miss our old friendship. I think if Liu Jin is alive in heaven, he can rest in peace."
After sorting out his mood, Zhu Houzhao waved his hand and said: "Today Chu Daban is back, let's talk about some happy things, not these."
As he spoke, Zhu Houzhao signaled to Gu Dayong and Chu Yi to eat and said: "Let's all eat first. Later, I will listen to Chu Dayong tell me what happened during Chu Dayong's inspection."
Chu Yi was really hungry. Faced with the table full of delicacies, he naturally had a full meal.
In the spacious study room, Zhu Houzhao took the tea from the hands of the young eunuch, then motioned to Chu Yi and Gu Dayong to sit down and said: "There are no outsiders here. You two elder companions don't be polite, please sit down."
The two of them sat down and saw Zhu Houzhao looking at Chu Yi with some excitement and expectation and said: "Chu Daban, I saw the general process of your trip to Jiangnan from the secret memorial. Did Daban really go on a killing spree in Jiangnan?"
?”
Chu Yi looked solemn and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, Chu Yi is guilty. He killed thousands of people in Jiangnan without asking for your Majesty's instructions."
But Zhu Houzhao shook his head and said: "When I ordered you to inspect the place, you represented me and were the imperial envoy. As an imperial envoy, you naturally have the right to kill first and report later, so everything you did in Jiangnan was reasonable and legal. Otherwise, what would Wei Guogong and the others do?
Maybe he didn’t stop Da Bian because everything he did was within the legal principles.”
After all, Zhu Houzhao was trained in the orthodox emperor's art since he was a child, so Zhu Houzhao did not lack the basic qualities of an emperor at all.
Liu Jin could be pushed to compete with the civilian group. Although Liu Jin failed to live up to his expectations, the civilian group seized the opportunity to counterattack, causing Zhu Houzhao's painstaking arrangements to fail. However, Zhu Houzhao then decisively chose to seize military power. This was simply the result of a fatuous master.
It can be done.
Of course, without Chu Yi, Zhu Houzhao still missed a move in the end. Just when he was about to secure military power, an inexplicable accident caused Zhu Houzhao to fall into the water, and a generation of emperors collapsed in the palace.
So it's not that Zhu Houzhao didn't understand anything. In fact, he saw it very clearly. Even what Chu Yi did in Jiangnan, Zhu Houzhao actually knew it well.
Why was Wei Guogong and others unable to impeach Chu Yi? After receiving the news, the civil and military officials in the DPRK were unable to criticize or even impeach Chu Yi for what Chu Yi did in Jiangnan. All this is because Chu Yi acted in accordance with the law and did not do anything.
There is no overstep.
On the contrary, some powerful people and gentry in the south of the Yangtze River have gone beyond the bottom line. They can even besiege the government and assassinate imperial envoys in the street. This makes it impossible for anyone to save them if they fail.
Although he had long known that Zhu Houzhao would not punish him for the Jiangnan incident, Chu Yi still nodded slightly after seeing Zhu Houzhao's attitude.
The excitement on Zhu Houzhao's face gradually dissipated, but he looked at Chu Yi solemnly and said: "Chu Daban, you may be able to get a glimpse of the current situation in Jiangnan during your trip to the south of the Yangtze River, but what can you teach me!"
Zhu Houzhao said with a look of helplessness: "Several ministers in the cabinet all said that the people in Jiangnan are exhausted and poor, so it is not appropriate to increase taxes!"
Chu Yi nodded and then shook his head and said: "The people in Jiangnan are exhausted and it is true that the people are poor. Not only is it inappropriate to increase taxes, but I ask your Majesty to reduce taxes as much as possible!"
Gu Dayong, who had his head lowered on the side, couldn't help but suddenly raised his head and looked at Chu Yi in astonishment, let alone Zhu Houzhao.
Looking at the expressions of Zhu Houzhao and Gu Dayong, Chu Yi said slowly: "Your Majesty, it is true that the people in Jiangnan are poor, but the people in Jiangnan are poor does not mean that Jiangnan is not rich. This time when you go to Jiangnan, you will know what the world is like.
Paradise, a land of fish and rice on the water. When it comes to prosperity, the north is far less than the south of the Yangtze River!"
Gu Dayong still looked confused, but now Zhu Houzhao's eyes gradually showed a look of understanding. Looking at Chu Yi, Zhu Houzhao said: "What Dayong means is that Jiangnan's material and financial resources are concentrated.
In the hands of certain people, the people are left in poverty."
Chu Yi nodded and said: "Your Majesty has seen thousands of miles. This is the current situation in the south of the Yangtze River. In the land of the south of the Yangtze River, merchants, dignitaries, and gentry are all gathered together. Every family has a good fortune. They have cars and horses when they go out, and silk and silk when they go in.
The level of luxury is far beyond imagination.”
As he spoke, Chu Yi looked at Zhu Houzhao and said, "Your Majesty, do you know how much dirty money I got from confiscating homes and exterminating clans in Jiangnan?"
Zhu Houzhao's eyes lit up, and with some hope, he boldly said: "My eldest brother has copied so many wealthy gentry and powerful people, I guess it should be no less than one million!"
In Zhu Houzhao's view, in addition to grain, the national treasury only collects three to four million taels of silver every year. If Chu Yi can get more than one million taels by confiscating his family and exterminating the clan, it will be equivalent to 20 to 30% of the entire country's taxes.
Okay, I think this number is enough.
Chu Yi listened to Zhu Houzhao's guess and sighed in his heart. Except for a very small number of thoughtful people, to be honest, few people could imagine that the wealthy gentry and powerful people in Jiangnan had accumulated such a huge wealth. Even Zhu Houzhao had never seen it.
Is it true that the emperor of a country does not know the true situation in Jiangnan?
Seeing the change in Chu Yi's expression, Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but said: "Why is the big companion like this? I guessed too much, but it doesn't matter. In fact, I hope that the number is as small as possible. At least this can prove that these people are not with me."
The people have sucked too much blood from their bodies."
Gu Dayong said from the side: "Your Majesty is benevolent and loves the people, he is indeed a wise and wise king!"
Just looking at Zhu Houzhao's reaction, it was obvious that the news had gradually spread in Jiangnan. Zhu Houzhao had not yet received the news, so he had no idea that he had brought back more than 10 million taels of dirty silver.
"Your Majesty, Chu Yi confiscated more than ten million taels of dirty silver this time!"
"What, how much do you say!"
Zhu Houzhao suddenly stood up, and the tea cup beside him was accidentally knocked down and spilled on the ground. Zhu Houzhao stared at Chu Yi, his face was not surprised at all because of hearing tens of millions of taels of silver, but his face was livid.
Full of anger.
Chu Yi said slowly: "Jiangnan has more than 10 million, Jining has more than 500,000, to be precise, it should be more than 13 million taels of silver!"
With a snap, Zhu Houzhao slapped his hand on the coffee table, without any concern that his right hand had a wound. Suddenly the wound burst open and the blood was red. Gu Dayong quickly called the little eunuch to prepare medicine.
Chu Yi looked at Zhu Houzhao and said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. It's not worth hurting the dragon's body for these powerful rats."
Zhu Houzhao laughed angrily and said: "The great rat of the country, really the great rat of the country. I really can't imagine how these people can accumulate such a large property. Dozens of wealthy gentry and powerful people can actually have enough."
More than 10 million taels of silver were confiscated. This is what my ministers say about Jiangnan, where the people are in decline!"
[I reorganized my thoughts and realized it’s a little late. If you have a monthly pass, I won’t mind using it for rewards, recommendation tickets, etc.]
