In the past two days, the news has spread throughout Chang'an. The Bashu states collectively boycotted the imperial court's abolition of slavery and slave tax. Not only did they resist among the people, but many states also issued statements that the abolition of slavery and slave tax were invalid in their respective states, openly confronting the imperial court.
Bashu maintained stability and tranquility during the Anshi Rebellion, but did not expect that a serious political crisis would occur more than ten years after the Anshi Rebellion.
For three days in a row, people in the streets of Chang'an were talking about this incident, and officials in the DPRK and China spread the news even more.
At noon that day, the Danfeng Restaurant was full of officials who had come to have lunch. The political crisis in Bashu was naturally the key topic in the restaurant.
As the saying goes, laymen watch the excitement, and experts watch the door. The people of Chang'an were talking about the abolition of slavery, but the court officials saw it more deeply.
Several officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs were sitting together chatting. Sun Shaokan, a member of the Ministry of Household Affairs, said worriedly: "There are rumors that the imperial court sent Taichang Qingtian Shengong to negotiate with Bashu. Is it true or not?"
An official from the Ministry of Revenue snorted, "You are mistaken! Tian Shengong went to Nanzhao to attend the enthronement of their new king. How is it possible to negotiate with Bashu?"
"Why isn't it possible?"
Sun Shaokan said angrily: "I went to Nanzhao in name to attend the enthronement ceremony, but in fact I went to negotiate. Isn't this kind of thing rare?"
"Then who do you want to talk to? Court officials and local officials? It's simply ridiculous!"
"Of course we are negotiating with Guo Xiang, the governor of Hezhou. He is the initiator of the declaration of the Bashu states. Who doesn't know his background?"
Next to him, Liu Jianning, a doctor from the Ministry of Revenue, picked up a cup of tea and sneered: "Brother Shaokan, you are really wrong this time. This boycott of the abolition of slavery is a continuation of the last salt tax case. The key is that the court finally compromised on the last salt tax case.
, they think the court will continue to compromise, just watch! This time the court will definitely be completely liquidated."
Another minister of household affairs also laughed and said: "It is estimated that the wealthy families in Bashu thought that they could reach a compromise with the court by releasing a few old and weak slaves in a symbolic way. It can only be said that they did not realize the seriousness of the problem at all. The court had previously asked
The Jiannan Governor's Mansion increased its troops by 30,000 and appointed Li Sheng as the Governor of Jiannan. It is clear that they are going to be liquidated, but they don't know it?"
Sun Shaokan slapped the table and said, "Brother Liu, I bet you, what if you compromise this time?"
Liu Jianning smiled slightly, "Let's bet ten dollars! If I lose, we will cancel the ten dollars you owe me. If you lose, then you have to pay me twenty dollars. How about it? Do you dare to bet?"
Sun Shaokan gritted his teeth and said, "Just bet, everyone can testify!"
"What bet?"
Liu Yan, the Minister of Household Affairs, suddenly appeared in front of everyone and said angrily: "You dare to use your lunch time to gamble?"
Everyone was so frightened that they stood up together. Liu Jianning smiled and saluted: "To the Prime Minister, we are making a bet, will the imperial court compromise with the local forces in Bashu like the last salt tax?"
Liu Yan snorted, "The last compromise was because the war in Hebei was not over. Will you compromise again this time?"
"We got it!"
Liu Yan glanced at the jug, then glared and said, "Drinking is not allowed at noon, don't you know?"
"Xiangguo, this is not wine, this is tea. We are just putting it in a jug to show off."
Liu Yan snorted, "Hurry up and finish your meal and go back to the court room. The report for the first half of the year has not been compiled yet, and the right minister is urging me!"
"We'll go back right away and we'll complete the collection today."
Liu Yan turned around and left. Everyone wiped the sweat from their foreheads. Liu Jianning smiled again and said: "Brother Shaokan, do you want to continue the bet?"
Sun Shaokan said with a dismayed face: "Let me think about this again!"
Everyone burst out laughing.
In the imperial study, Li Ye slowly said to Wei Jiansu and Zhang Lida: "I have always regretted the concession of the salt tax. This time I decided to use the abolition order to attack Bashu, and immediately informed Wang Wei to withdraw his subordinates from all over the country to Chengdu.
, the officials should also be prepared to send a large number of officials to take over Bashu. It is best to go to Hanzhong to wait and enter Shu at any time."
"Has His Majesty decided to clean up Bashu officialdom on a large scale?" Wei Jiansu asked.
"Of course!"
Li Ye said coldly: "The governors of the twelve states of Shannan East Province have stated that they do not recognize the abolition of slavery. The seven states of Jiannan Province do not recognize the abolition of slavery. The abolition of slavery was signed by me. If they don't recognize it, don't they mean that they don't recognize me?"
?I have sent five thousand internal guards into Bashu to completely deal with these bastards, and the Guo family and Jia family will destroy their entire clans."
Wei Jiansu and Zhang Li both knew that the emperor was really angry and did not dare to persuade him any more.
Wei Jiansu sighed and said: "I only hope that the battle will be resolved quickly and that innocent people will not die in the war."
Li Ye nodded, "Li Sheng knows what he's doing, and he won't go on a killing spree!"
Li Ye waved his hand again, "How is the situation over there in Jingxiang?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Huang family has converted all their slaves into civilians during the rectification period. The state government has also gone to review. The Huang family has no problem at all. Now there is a one-month gap between their conversion and the promulgation of the slave tax. The state government asked if they should
Don’t you want to pay this month’s slave tax?”
Li Ye asked with a smile: "What's the opinion of Zhengshitang?"
"We suggest that it is best to be reasonable and legal. Zhengshitang recommends that the local slave tax be based on the time when the local slave tax was enacted. It can be tax-free within ten days, and the part beyond ten days must be paid."
Li Ye nodded, "This plan is good, I'm sure."
Zhang Li added: "I heard that the Du family was in a bad situation. They were found to have hid 3,200 slaves and were fined 70,000 yuan. The head of the family, Du Youguang, couldn't bear the pressure and hanged himself. I heard that the internal guards
Let’s go in and confiscate the Du family’s property.”
Li Ye snorted, "If I had known today, why would I do it in the first place?"
Li Ye pondered for a moment and then said to Wei Jiansu: "Let the Xun issue publish the detailed process of the Du family's affairs. There is no need to cover up. It will be published directly under the real name and sent to all parts of the world."
"Wei Chen understands that the Du family is the best example and deserves the vigilance of all wealthy families in the world."
When Li Ye saw Wei Gao appearing at the door, he said to the two of them: "You two prime ministers, please go first! If anything happens, contact me immediately!"
"We say goodbye!"
The two bowed and left. Wei Gaohan reported: "Your Majesty, Liu Wutong wants to see you!"
"Let him in!"
Not long after, Liu Wutong hurriedly walked in, bowed and saluted, "See your Majesty!"
"Tell me! What's the matter?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, we have found Guo Kun. He is in Xianyang County and is under strict surveillance. He can be arrested at any time."
Guo Kun was the second son of Guo Huaiyan. He was studying at Guozixue. The inner guards went to arrest him, but he escaped. Li Ye thought he had fled back to Shu, but he didn't expect that he was hiding in Xianyang County.
Li Ye nodded, "Arrest him immediately!"
Near the west gate of Xianyang County, there is a small house covering an area of three acres. It looks no different from an ordinary house. The house was purchased legally and was purchased three years ago.
Guo Huaiyan's second son, Guo Kun, was studying at Guozixue. Two days ago, he received an urgent notice from his father, telling him to go into hiding immediately.
Guo Kun didn't know the reason, but he immediately took two of his men and hid in Xianyang County, just in time to escape the arrest of the internal guards.
If he had remained hidden, the inner guards would not be able to catch him, but the problem was that he did not know the reason why his father asked him to hide, so he did not know the seriousness of the matter.
He left in a hurry and did not have time to go to the mule and horse stable to get his beloved horse, so he asked one of his men to go to the mule and horse stable to get the horse.
Unexpectedly, the mule and horse farm was already being watched by the internal guards. This morning, Guo Kun's men came to the mule and horse bank to pick up horses. The internal guards followed him all the way to Xianyang County, where they discovered the small house.
The inner guard stood on the west city wall and observed with clairvoyance, and sure enough he found a young man suspected of being Guo Kun in the small house.
As night fell, Liu Wutong personally led a hundred inner guard soldiers to surround the small house in Xianyang. Liu Wutong waved his hand, and more than twenty inner guard soldiers immediately climbed over the wall and entered.
For a moment, there was a fierce sound of fighting in the house, but it soon became quiet.
Not long after, the door opened, and a young man in rich clothes was tied up and led out. His mouth was gagged, and his face was full of horror.
Liu Wutong took a look at him. He was in his early twenties, with a medium build, thin skin and tender flesh, and a good appearance.
"Is it him?"
A classmate who was brought in for identification took a closer look and nodded, "Yes, that's him!"
Liu Wutong waved his hand and said, "Take him away!"
The soldiers immediately covered Guo Kun's head with a black bag and escorted him into a carriage. A dozen inner guard cavalry escorted the carriage and left quickly.