Chapter Nineteen: Greedy Number Nine in the Ming Dynasty (1)
"Xu Chongyuan, who came here is not good? Who do you think is bad?" Zhang Dun asked in a deep voice.
Xu Jiang hesitated for a while and replied: "Mr. Zhang knows what Xu means. The person who planned this big case is not good. And the officials seem to have no intention of settling the matter."
"Why do you want to keep things quiet?" Zhang Dun asked back.
Xu Jiang didn't say anything, so Zhang Dun answered on his own.
"Perhaps it's God's will. Since the official took the throne last year, except for continuing the military reform and maintaining the same troops for Xixia, there has been only rumors and no major actions in political affairs... Everything is preparing for this year's new yuan restructuring."
Zhang Dun paused and asked, "Chongyuan, do you know what is the first major event after the Shangyuan Festival when the three provinces and local government offices issue seals?"
General Xu replied without hesitation: "The meeting of the Shimen to eliminate evil and strengthen the righteousness will be held on the 25th."
"That's right. This is the meeting on the 25th. To investigate the illegal temples and punish the scum of the Buddhist sect. The evidence is conclusive. Under the turbulent public opinion, the Buddhist sect and the many forces behind it dare not say anything more. But this is a meeting to clean up the evil and correct the evil.
, it really goes straight to the foundation of Buddhism.”
Zhang Dun's voice was a little hoarse, but still deep and strong.
"Pursuing Buddhism in a pure way and not touching the secular world. These are the precepts that Buddhists should abide by. But are the many monks who have gained money and the people behind them willing?"
Of course General Xu knew why the Buddhist temple occupied so much fertile land? It was because the imperial court gave it preferential treatment and could exempt it from taxes.
As a result, many local wealthy families colluded with the temple and donated the land under their names as temple property, thus exempting them from taxes. Of course, the remaining taxes were divided privately between the temple and the wealthy families.
Or a wealthy family would spend money to build a temple in a nearby mountain, and then spend the money to buy an ultimatum for their children, nephews, and relatives, and then the fields under their name would become one with the temple.
Now the government is going to cut it all off and confiscate all the property in the temple. In the future, Buddhist temples will not be allowed to retain their property, and they will only be supported by the offerings of believers and "appropriations" from the government.
Many monks will definitely not agree, and many local wealthy families will not agree either. Of course, these forces are involved in this major rebellion.
"There are four hundred and seventy-nine criminals involved in the case, and the principal criminals are forty-three... There should be new criminals and principal criminals joining them. Chongyuan, you see, before the Shimen Cleansing Evil Rectification Conference, a number of people will be killed
of."
Zhang Dun's voice became hoarse, filled with deep exhaustion.
"Li Bangzhi (Li Qingchen), why do you need to get involved in this unfathomable case? I can save you once, but I can't save you twice."
Xu Jiang opened his eyes and asked with a trembling voice: "Xiang Zhang, do you think the government will use these people to... establish their authority and intimidate Shimen and the wealthy families behind it?"
"Yes!" Zhang Dun replied decisively.
"Zhang Xiang, 479 people, including not only former prime ministers like Li Bangzhi, but also world-renowned celebrities like Lai Zhishao, Ma Shijun, Lin Dawei, Quan Zongyuan..." Xu Jiang exclaimed,
"How can officials use their heads to establish intimidation and intimidation?"
"In addition to them, there are also royal family members such as Wang Yuwang's Prince Consort and King Zhao Xiaoqian of Jinkang County! 'Heaven and earth are unkind and regard all things as stupid dogs!' Unkindness is great benevolence! In the eyes of officials, I'm afraid there are only two kinds of people.
, a law-abiding person, a person who violates laws and disciplines. There is nothing he dares not to kill!"
Hearing the word "kill" come out of Zhang Dun's mouth, beads of sweat dripped from Xu Jiang's forehead.
After a while, General Xu said slowly: "Mr. Zhang, are you too harsh and brutal in your governance?"
Zhang Dun stretched out his hand to open the curtain on the car door window. Through the window glass, he could see the brightly lit streets of Kaifeng City outside, as well as the laughing and playing people.
"In a hundred years of peace, the Song Dynasty Wen Tian was fond of martial arts, enjoyed leisure and luxury, and it has penetrated into his bones. Chongyuan, you served as a stayer in Beijing (Daming Prefecture), and visited more than a dozen states and more than 40 counties in a few months.
I don’t need to tell you what the local situation is like.”
Having said this, Zhang Dun turned around and said word by word: "The Song Dynasty now doesn't need a tolerant emperor!"
Xu Jiang was shocked and understood Zhang Dun's painstaking efforts, but he was still a little worried.
"If the officials are too aggressive, will they make the same mistake as Wang Jinggong?"
"Wang Jinggong's mistake?" Hearing this, Zhang Dun smiled, but his smile was a little bitter.
"Chongyuan, you and I are from the same hometown."
"Yes, Mr. Zhang. You are originally from Jianning Pucheng, and Xiaguan is from Min County, Minzhou. They are not far apart."
"Yuan Chang, where are brothers Yuandu?"
Cai Jing, Cai Bian? Xu Jiang was stunned and guessed the meaning of Zhang Dun's words.
"The Cai brothers are originally from Xianyou County, Xinghua, not far south of us."
"Where is Wen Yubi (Wen Yi)?"
"He is originally from Jinjiang County, Quanzhou." Xu Jiang replied.
"There is also my clan brother Zhifu, who is currently living in Zhongshu Province, Zuo Zizheng. Chongyuan, you are also in charge of the affairs of the Privy Council, and are in charge of the military affairs of the officials; I am the Dazai of Shangshu Province, and are in charge of the affairs of the officials; Wen Yubi is in charge of the Ministry of Personnel
; Cai Yuanchang is in charge of the Ministry of Planning; Cai Yuandu is the right counselor and secretary of the provincial minister. There is also the right servant Huang Anzhong (Huang Fu), my deputy, the left servant of the Shangshu Province Lu Jifu (Lu Huiqing)..."
"The whole dynasty is full of Min sounds!"
Zhang Dun's last words made General Xu's heart beat wildly. There was a lot of Fujianese in the dynasty. If this had happened during the reign of Emperors Shenzong and Zhezong, the censors would have written frantically to impeach him for forming cliques to gain power.
"Mr. Zhang...we are not forming a party!" Xu Jiang said in a trembling voice.
"But some people are already criticizing, and the government is controlled by the Fujian Party!" Zhang Dun's words were like thunder, exploding in Xu Jiang's ears.
In any dynasty, forming a party to gain power is a very serious accusation, and it is also very easy to arouse the suspicion of the king. Once the emperor becomes suspicious, it will be a disaster, and party trouble will arise again.
"Zhang Xiang...this...Fujian Party..." General Xu didn't know how to defend himself. It is an indisputable fact that so many important ministers of Fujian origin are in the imperial court. How to defend him?
"Chong Yuan, our Fujian Party was not formed intentionally by me or you, but was formed quietly by the officials."
Xu Jiang's eyes widened, and an idea flashed in his mind, and he understood the meaning of Zhang Dun's words.
"Zhang Xiang... what should we do?" Xu Jiang asked in horror.
Zhang Dun did not answer his question, but said leisurely: "In Chongyuan, there are words in the imperial edicts of the state, legal edicts come from the Zhongshu province, state affairs and government orders come from the Shangshu province, and supervision and judgment come from the menxiasheng.
The military order comes from the Privy Council... Do you understand now?"
"Xiang Zhang, are you saying that the three provinces, ten ministries, the Privy Council, and you and me are all officials?"
Zhang Dun smiled, "Three heads and six arms? This metaphor is a good one.
Xu Jiang hesitated again and again, and finally asked, "The officials are really not afraid that we will form a party?"
"Form a party?" Zhang Dun raised his head and laughed, his laughter a bit desolate.
Xu Jiang also slowly understood while laughing.
Yes, although the people I just mentioned are all from Fujian and are from the same hometown, they each have their own opinions. Not to mention myself and Zhang Dun, even the two brothers of the Cai family are definitely not of the same mind.
The Fujian Party? People on the outside seem to be one party, but what is the actual situation? Those who are interested know it well!
A clique, a clique within a donkey! This chapter has been completed!