Chapter 141 Fu Fu
The heads of the gentry Gu Xian and other gentry fell to the ground and fell from the city gate. Their brains were shattered and their brains were shattered beyond recognition.
The Jiangnan scholars outside the city gate were greatly moved.
Some people couldn't bear to look at each other and covered their faces with their sleeves, feeling that it was really insulting to the gentle people.
You know that these gentry colluded with pirates and bandits, and you regret that they are gentry and rich, but why are they not satisfied and doing this kind of thing secretly?
There were also those who were full of indignation and felt that the court officials were not lenient towards the gentry.
However, for the common people who were also outside the city gate, they turned a blind eye to it.
In their eyes, whether they were the gentry who were beheaded or the officials who enforced the law on the city wall, they could not afford to offend them, so it did not matter to them whoever died, and they even just felt that it was exciting and novel, and they were secretly glad From now on, the place where I live will lose a domineering master!
Many common people wished that all these gentry gentlemen would die, because many of them were tenants or long-term and short-term laborers of these gentry gentlemen. If all these gentry gentlemen died, they would be able to pay less rent.
Even some common people who have suffered from the exploitation of the gentry have not quietly said that they deserve it.
Generally speaking, the execution of the gentry by Wang Yangming, the governor of Southern Zhili, in Nanjing City at this time is still an internal struggle within the ruling class. The people still don't care about it. They are still indifferent. As long as the court does not let them get beaten in the stomach, they can do whatever they want. Why does your court kill people?
At this time, Yuan Zhongan was lying on the ground at the gate of the city. He was now very scared and even started to cry. Especially when he thought that he was about to die, the fear made him collapse even more.
"Master Futai! Have mercy on me! Please! I was wrong! I was really wrong. I shouldn't have taken advantage of the tax bureau. I shouldn't have thought of colluding with the courtiers to make profits for myself. I really don't want to die! Woohoo!”
Yuan Zhongan cried so hard that his heart broke out, especially when he saw the heads of the gentry Gu Xian and others fell off, he shouted in panic.
But now no one pays attention to him. Even the gentry of the same class as him can only watch silently at this time.
The chains were dragged by the carriage, and Yuan Zhongan's arms and legs were gradually pulled up. Yuan Zhongan shouted heartbreakingly again: "No!"
ah!
ah!
ah!
Screams resounded throughout the city of Nanjing, and Yuan Zhongan ended his sinful life.
The case of the massacre of the tax bureau came to an end. However, Wang Yangming, the governor of Southern Zhili who was in charge of the case, was not happy at this time because he did not understand why these gentry had to collude with the bandits just because they were from wealthy families. How can they be satisfied with paying a business tax of thirty to one and not be so greedy!
The other gentry in Jiangnan were indeed shocked by this, but at the same time, they also had seeds of hatred for Wang Shouren and even the court behind him planted in their hearts.
Many of the gentry among them did not think that scholars should be punished in this way, or even be forgiven. If scholars kill people, can they be called harm? That is to eliminate violence and bring peace to the people!
Besides, weren't we just massacring some tax supervisors and tax collectors? The lives of those eunuchs and warriors were already cheap, so if they were killed, they would be killed. Why should we use the lives of the gentry to compensate!
After all, as the saying goes, a doctor cannot be punished by punishment, and this is especially true in a sagely dynasty! But now, the court is doing this, which shows that the court is unethical!
At this time, Gu Xinlei, who was in the crowd outside the city gate, thought so. He didn't understand why the court wanted to execute his father so cruelly, and even forced Yin Shangshu to hang himself.
But it is undeniable that Zhu Houzhao and Wang Shouren did the right thing. Hundreds of people from the two taxation bureaus were killed, and these people can be regarded as national civil servants. If the court does not make the decision for them, who will dare to do so in the future? Collect taxes for the court.
As for Yin Qian, if Zhu Houzhao listens to his slander and deposes Wang Shouren, will the next governor of Southern Zhili first please Yin Qian and obey Yin Qian's orders, and will Yin Qian become the local emperor of Jiangnan? Local officials will begin to deceive superiors and deceive subordinates, and official administration will become corrupt day by day.
However, Zhu Houzhao also knew that if he did this, he would naturally make more Jiangnan gentry dissatisfied with him. However, Zhu Houzhao was not willing to stop his pace of reforming and revitalizing the Ming Dynasty and asked Wang Yangming to come to Jiangnan to execute and participate in the tax collection for him. The massacre of the gentry in the classroom was just a prelude to his coming to Jiangnan.
His real purpose was to recover the wealth belonging to himself and the Ming Dynasty in Jiangnan and to declare the majesty of the court to the local officials and gentry in Jiangnan.
Therefore, for the Jiangnan gentry, the nightmare has just begun!
For Zhu Houzhao, the drama has just begun.
Zhu Houzhao did not come to Nanjing alone this time. Ma Wensheng, the chief minister of the cabinet, Liu Jin, the eunuch in charge of rites, and Wang Shu, the official minister, also followed him to Nanjing. This was equivalent to the Ming Dynasty temporarily moving the empire's center to the south. It was natural. It is convenient to handle the affairs of Nanzhili. On the day that Gu Xiantong, Yuan Zhongan and other Jiangnan gentry were executed, the cabinet issued a decree to re-plan the southern Zhili region. On the same day, it reached the hands of the Ministry of Personnel and Governor Wang Yangming. Wang Yangming immediately announced it to all prefectures and counties!
With the cabinet and officials in charge, the plan led by Governor Wang Yangming this time was quite severe. A dozen officials who had owed taxes worth more than 100,000 kilograms in three years were immediately reported to him for dismissal! In addition, several local officials who were corrupt or abused the people were also reported to him for dismissal and questioning.
The cabinet and the Ministry of Civil Affairs all approved it.
"Your Majesty, this is the amount of Fu collected by various prefectures and counties in Southern Zhili submitted by the Governor of Southern Zhili. Among them, Suzhou Prefecture has reached two million shi in three years, and Songjiang Prefecture has 1.5 million Shi Fu in the 18th year of Hongzhi!"
At this time, Ma Wensheng, the chief minister of the cabinet, handed a memorial to Zhu Houzhao.
Zhu Houzhao was also very surprised after hearing this. He thought that although the court's taxes were calculated in terms of grain, even if it was one tael and one stone of grain, the Suzhou Prefecture alone owed two million taels in taxes. He didn't know how much income the court had. Flowed into the pockets of these Jiangnan squires.
"Ma Aiqing, what do you think?" Zhu Houzhao did not express his opinion directly but asked Ma Wensheng first.
"Reporting to Your Majesty! It is common for various places to accumulate Fu Fu every year. Naturally, the common people do not dare to owe the tax, and those who owe the tax are mostly Shengyuan and Jin gentry. The local government does not dare to collect it. Therefore, these Fu tax must be from Shengyuan and Jin Gentry. Place If the debt is owed, it will be difficult for the court to recover it, for fear of offending the scholars again. Since there are always many gentry in Suzhou Prefecture, it is normal for them to have a lot of wealth. According to convention, it can be avoided if possible. "
Ma Wensheng replied.
Zhu Houzhao thought and sighed to himself, no wonder he read historical materials in his previous life and found that the emperor frequently waived taxes. At that time, he still wondered why the taxes owed by the court would not be collected but waived? Now it seems that if you don't want to collect it, you can't collect it, because the people who owe taxes are all gentry. How can you collect it?
"Recover it, it must be recovered! I don't care about the past. Since the late emperor issued the decree to exempt it, I also admit it, but the Fu Fu from the first year of Zhengde must be recovered! Send the decree to the governor of Nanzhili, ordering everyone to recover it. The magistrates of the prefectures and prefectures will recover the Fu tax after the first year of Zhengde. Those who fail to recover 70% will be punished and exiled, and those who do not recover 80% will be dismissed! Those who do not recover 90% will be punished with a lower salary!"
Zhu Houzhao had no intention of being polite to these gentry who owed taxes. In his opinion, the court had treated them well enough. They had tax-free land and did not have to bear the burden of corvee. Now they are not willing to pay even thirty-one taxes. It is simply not too much.
However, at this time, Ma Wensheng could not help but advise: "Your Majesty, please think twice! Doing this will only make the Jiangnan gentry more resentful, and may not be a long-term solution for peace and stability."
"Is letting them evade taxes a long-term solution to peace and stability? If they continue to fail to pay their taxes, the military expenditures of the imperial court, the salaries of officials, and the costs of river control and disaster relief will only fall on the people, and the burden on the people will only become more and more serious. Seriously, what will we do if the world rebels because of this?”
Zhu Houzhao asked Ma Wensheng.
Ma Wensheng didn't know how to answer, so he had to say: "Your Majesty, can you give these gentry a face and make a decree to let them consciously pay the taxes they owe? If they don't pay, let the government force them to recover it. That's it." It won’t hurt people’s feelings. Even if it is forced to recover, there will be an explanation.”
Zhu Houzhao said nothing.
At this time, Wang Shu also tried to persuade him: "Your Majesty, what the chief minister said is true. It is not the old minister who talks too much. Although your Majesty is young and ambitious, he has the intention to rectify the imperial court, but in everything, he must be polite before fighting, tolerant and helpful, and these gentry are all They are scholars who know etiquette and reason, and should be able to understand the court’s painstaking efforts.”
"In this case, as you said, I will first draft a decree and ask the governor of Southern Zhili to make public the taxes owed to the households in each prefecture and county, and order them to pay back the taxes they owe within three months. If they can do it, the imperial court will Not to be held accountable, otherwise it will be an honor To show the court's forbearance, since the first year of Zhengde, the tax owed is less than five hundred dan, which can be waived. Such a poor family will not be burdened by this! ?”
Zhu Houzhao did compromise a bit. After all, he also knew that he had killed too hard before. Now he only uses five hundred stones as the standard, and it is only after the first year of Zhengde. He even makes you voluntarily surrender, which is very embarrassing in front of these gentry. The government came to seize him by force.
"I would like to thank Your Majesty on behalf of the Jiangnan gentry! Your Majesty's move will make the poor people in Jiangnan worry-free!"
Seeing Zhu Houzhao like this, Ma Wensheng felt very relieved, thinking that His Majesty was finally mature and stable, and knew how to show kindness to others. Wang Shu also handed over his hand and said: "Although people's hearts are unpredictable, I think that these Jiangnan gentry are also Those who read the books of sages will not be ignorant of the favor of the court, and they will faithfully hand over the taxes they owe! ”
Soon, Wang Yangming, the governor of Southern Zhili, asked all prefectures and counties to convey the imperial decree and persuade these Jiangnan gentry to hand over the large sums of money.
But.
A month has passed, and no gentry from any prefecture or county has come to pay taxes!
Two months have passed, but no gentry from any prefecture or county has come to pay taxes!
Three months have passed, and Zhu Houzhao's ceremony of offering sacrifices to Xiaoling has ended, but still no half-stone gift has been handed over by the gentry!
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(End of chapter)