The Imperial Garden is a riot of colors, the flowers are in full bloom enjoying the scorching summer sun, the cicadas are busy calling the butterflies, and the bees are flying around filled with the fragrance of the flowers.
But in the Fengtian Hall next to the Imperial Garden, the atmosphere was a bit cold. The old man was sitting on the dragon chair with a frosty look on his face. The ministers of the six departments and nine ministers below him all lowered their heads respectfully and did not dare to raise their heads.
The screams of the courtiers could be heard from time to time outside the palace. It was a few inspectors and censors who were talking nonsense, and the bachelor was being tortured with a cane.
Under the cold atmosphere and amid the screams of their colleagues, many of the ministers in the palace had their backs soaked with cold sweat, and their hearts were filled with palpitations and fear.
The emperor suddenly said that he would impose an additional commercial tax, which naturally aroused criticism from both the government and the public. Opposition was heard endlessly, and scholars and officials wrote letters one after another. They cited scriptures, starting with the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and talked about the national conditions and people's livelihood. It was nothing more than that the commercial tax could not be increased. How could the court
Able to compete with the people for profit.
However, there was also another group of officials who supported the increase in commercial taxes and stood on the side of the emperor. The officials from the two groups started fighting each other and turned into attacks on each other. There was a quarrel in the court.
Their noisy annoyance annoyed the emperor, who had dispatched and dismissed many officials over the past few days. Even some who thought they were stubborn were punished.
The screams outside suddenly reminded the ministers in the palace of one thing. That is, the emperor they were serving was definitely not a patient emperor who was willing to accommodate his ministers.
In the cold and silent atmosphere, Ling Han, the official minister, said, Your Majesty, I think it is feasible to increase taxes. In the past thirty years of the country, the people have been recuperating and recuperating with light corvee and low taxes. Now in the great tomorrow, the world is peaceful and the people are living and working in peace and contentment, without worries at home.
There will be no external troubles. Although light corvee and low taxes are virtuous policies, in the long run the country's finances will be empty. It is a century-old plan to increase business taxes in the world!
Hearing what Ling Han said, the old man's expression softened a little and he nodded slightly. What you said is similar to what we thought. In the past, taxes were not collected because the country was new and it was not easy for the people. Now the country is stable, the people are rich, and the court's expenses have increased year after year.
increase.
We have heard people say that if commercial taxes are not collected now, they will not be collected in the future. The financial burden of the country will still be on the peasants. By then, good governance may turn into bad governance!
Your Majesty! Among the ministers, the Hanlin Academy tried to teach bachelors, and the Imperial Academy offered wine. Hu Jian said, "I think it's better to wait a little longer. After all, tax collection is a national matter. There is no precedent in this dynasty, so naturally we can't act too hastily!"
Hu Ji'an is a very prestigious figure among Jiangnan officials. As soon as his words came out, other officials immediately agreed.
When should we wait? The old man's voice was a bit impatient and he sneered, "In the Ming Dynasty, there was nothing to do if you waited and it became routine. Isn't that rare? There is no precedent in the Ming Dynasty?"
We are the founders of our country, and what we do sets a precedent!
We know what you are thinking, business taxes have been a thing for a long time. It’s not that we are out of our imaginations, let alone that we are crazy poor and want to ask for money from businessmen. Not to mention, during the Yuan Dynasty in the previous dynasty, we relied on Jiangnan
Finance and taxes!
Oh, the Yuan Dynasty imposed taxes on various roads in the south of the Yangtze River year after year. It would be fine to raise taxes. But what about our tax collection?
Hu Jian's forehead was covered with cold sweat. He quickly bowed his head and said, "My lord, I never meant this!"
I don’t understand. It’s just a re-collection of commercial taxes, not an exorbitant levy. Why are you all jumping up and down like you’ve stepped on your tail?
The old man squinted at the officials from the Jiangnan faction and said coldly, "Collecting commercial taxes does not conflict with frivolous corvee and small taxes. The court's expenses have increased year by year. If commercial taxes are no longer collected, where will the money come from? If the court has no money, frivolous corvee and small taxes will come from."
Isn’t it just a piece of paper that has become a matter of face?
We know what you are thinking. You are all from Jiangnan. What you are afraid of is that the commercial tax will be collected on you in the end!
As he said that, the old man sneered twice again, and his words became more and more harsh. We know that you are from Jiangsu and Zhejiang and want to protect your hometown. But you must know that you are officials of the Ming Dynasty. Everything you have is because of us.
Given by the emperor!
Earlier, we heard people say that the officials in Jiangsu and Zhejiang in the DPRK were too deeply involved with the local areas and always spoke for local wealthy businessmen. We were half-convinced before, but now it seems, huh, that’s really the case!
We have made up our mind to re-levy commercial taxes. Whoever dares to make noises with us again should be careful! At this point, the old man sneered again. We, a tiger, have only been vegetarian for a few days, and yet someone dares to stroke our beard.
Son? When will it be the turn of others to point fingers at what we decide?
I obey your orders!
These words were extremely serious, and the opposing ministers suddenly realized that the emperor was still the emperor who killed people without batting an eyelid, and he was still the emperor who liked to talk things over. They did not dare to resist against the mighty power of God.
Suddenly, several tragic and high-pitched screams were heard outside the hall.
Pu Bucheng walked in quickly and knelt down the aisle, Your Majesty!
What's wrong? The old man asked coldly.
Several of the adults who were being tortured couldn't bear it and died!
The officials suddenly became even more frightened. The young and arrogant imperial censors who were being tortured and had used their strength to contradict the emperor were actually beaten to death.
Thinking of the emperor's various methods, the officials who opposed the tax increase suddenly turned pale and complained in their hearts.
Many people thought in their hearts that they could no longer go against the emperor, otherwise this would be their fate! Hey, if the emperor's grandson was still in the capital, the matter might be slowed down, but now we can only listen to the emperor's judgment!
If he dies, he will be pulled out and his family will collect the body and bury it! The old man spoke again and cursed, our tolerance has actually brought up these things that do not know the difference between right and wrong and do not know life and death. Look at what the brochures they said said that we should collect the body.
The business tax is Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty, and it will be easier for them to kill him!
Just as Pu Bucheng was about to retreat, he heard footsteps coming from outside the hall. A guard with a feather on his helmet knelt outside the hall, holding up the yellow seal memorial in his hand.
Your Majesty, the express service is 800 miles from Datong! The express service is 800 miles from Liaodong!
Datong should be about war, but what about Liaodong?
The old man squinted his eyes and brought it up!
A moment later, the memorial was delivered to the old man. After looking at it for a few times, the ministers noticed that the old man's expression became brighter.
Yeah, does this kid have this ability?
What the old man was looking at was Fu Youde's memorial of meritorious service. The Datong War had come to an end, and the one who had made the greatest contribution was Cao Guogong Li Jinglong. Not only did he make a long-distance attack, but he also burned down the Beiyuan camp in Ulanqab and burned the weapons and supplies. What's even more rare was that he was arrested.
A prince of the Northern Yuan Dynasty killed a Taiwei.
The ministers didn't know what was written in the memorial. Seeing the old man's expression change, Shen Shu, Minister of War, said, "Your Majesty, is this about war?"
Datong was a great victory! The old man looked at the memorial and smiled and said, Cao Guogong took the retreat of Bei Yuan, Wei Guogong cut off Bei Yuan's water source, Fu Youde led the army to cover up the attack, and all three groups came out to break Bei Yuan. Thirty thousand enemies were killed and eight thousand were captured.
The remnants of the Northern Yuan Dynasty outside of Datong were so severely injured that they no longer dared to look northward to the Central Plains for ten years!
I congratulate Your Majesty!
What's the point of congratulating me in this little fuss? The old man smiled and said to the guard delivering the memorial, had this memorial been delivered to the emperor's grandson quickly?
The guard replied loudly outside the palace, "He has been sent to Fujian immediately!"
The old man nodded, opened the military report of Liaodong, and his expression suddenly changed.
Damn it, I really shamed him!
The emperor cursed in the street, which was unbecoming. The officials were surprised and didn't know why.
The rebellious minister of the Li family in North Korea, we have already given him enough face, but he dares to push an inch further? Old man An took the memorial, and his hair and hair were all angry. North Korea used the Jurchens to invade the border as an excuse, and used the Yuan Jiang general Donghu as the vanguard, leading an army of 15,000
, sent troops to cross the Yalu River. Swallowed three Jurchen tribes, plundered 500 Jurchen households, and built a city by the Yalu River!
With that said, the old man threw the memorial directly on the ground and said angrily, "Someone, come and write a letter to the Li family of North Korea. Tell them to return all the Jurchens who were kidnapped and the North Korean soldiers and horses to go back, otherwise... hum."
snort!
(I will also tell God that I will attack the east and send snow to the two ends of Jue. If the army does not have to go to Sanhan, send the whole family of the Jurchens who have been lured and send them back to the previous Jurchens. Our army will not enter.
)
(It is not impossible for me to defeat them. As the ancients said, if you don’t keep your troops diligently at a distance, you won’t be able to improvise your troops.)
Hearing this, all the ministers were angry.
Shen Shu, Minister of the Ministry of War, picked up the memorial, glanced at it quickly, and said loudly, North Korea is a cunning person who is rude to a large neighboring country. Please tell your majesty to send troops to destroy it!