Prince of Chaos

Chapter 702 Boss Cao Calls Experts Directly
Zhong Huamin's heart was shocked, he really didn't expect His Highness the Crown Prince to cut off his words immediately, and lead the topic to him again.

The five years in Lanzhou were definitely the brightest moments of Zhong Huamin's life. His achievements in these five years are already comparable to the disaster relief in Henan that year.

Moreover, with the passage of time, his achievements in Lanzhou will definitely become a good story that has been passed down through the ages, and he will even become a generation of famous ministers commemorated by Lanzhou for thousands of years.

However, at this juncture, it is definitely not a good time to express my credit in front of the Crown Prince, the Cabinet and the Military Aircraft Department.

If it was changed to the Dachaohui, Zhong Huamin would definitely show off his hardships and achievements in Lanzhou for five years with great satisfaction.

However, speaking of this achievement at this moment is definitely not showing off all the time, but an attitude.

Therefore, Zhong Huamin was a little startled at this moment.

After all, in the final analysis, Zhong Huamin is still a Confucian sage inside and a king outside. Although he is also a loyal and patriotic minister of Zhuguo, his heart is still on the side of the scholar-officials in the final analysis.

Now the crown prince insists on implementing the same tax system in the north and the south, and adding to the "low businessmen" in the world. To put it seriously, this is shaking the foundation of the country!
In the eyes of scholar-bureaucrats, which decent dynasty would build its foundation on cheap merchants?After collecting the taxes from lowly merchants, isn’t it necessary to admit that these lowly merchants are the same as honest farmers?
This will make the majority of scholar-bureaucrats unbearable.

After all, the classification of the four classes of scholars, farmers, businessmen, and businessmen has penetrated into the bones of everyone in this era. If the tax of merchants is raised to the point where it is as heavy as that of farmers.

Doesn't this mean that the imperial court should pay more attention to merchants, and how will these literati and bureaucrats deal with these humble merchants in the future?

It can be said that such ambivalence has existed since the emergence of the feudal scholar-bureaucrat class.

While the scholar-bureaucrats despised the status of the merchants, they both wanted and wanted the interests of the merchants.

Now, once the tax system between the north and the south is unified and a national policy is formed, from now on, how can those businessmen who depend on the scholar-officials to survive will still be as submissive as they used to be?

They will definitely rely on their tax contributions to the imperial court and demand a higher status. When the time comes, as the first-level taxis of scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, how can they tolerate the ban in their hands becoming a prickly prickly pear?
It can be said that this answer really hit Zhong Huamin's seven inches.

Zhu Changluo quietly took a sip of water and then glanced at Zhong Huamin. After Zhong Huamin was swept by Zhu Changluo's eyes, he involuntarily lowered his body again.

Then he opened his mouth with difficulty and said: "What I did in Lanzhou is all the grace of His Highness. Without the great grace of His Highness, I would not be able to raise the city of Lanzhou in just five years."

Zhong Huamin performed Tai Chi again, and attributed Lanzhou's success to Zhu Changluo.

Hearing Zhong Huamin's answer, Zhu Changluo looked at Zhong Huamin again, his eyes filled with disappointment.

I really didn't expect Zhong Huamin to be so pedantic. Such a person is really not suitable to be placed in the center, let him do things in the center, and the issues he considers are not based on the needs of the court.

It seems that these years of sitting on the bench and five years of experience still failed to change his mind. It would be great if he could be as sensible as Dong Qichang.

It's a pity, as a rigid person deeply influenced by Confucianism and scholar-bureaucrat thinking, how could he be so flexible.

Now, Zhu Changluo is also a little rejoicing that he only took Zhong Huamin to the position of secretary of the Ministry of Punishment, not other ministries. Otherwise, with Zhong Huamin's rigid thinking, sooner or later he would force Zhu Changluo to kill him.

Zhu Changluo put down the teacup in his hand, and said, "Since Zhong Qing is too embarrassed to speak, let Gu speak."

Zhu Changluo directly blocked Zhong Huamin's path.

Zhu Changluo said: "Lanzhou's achievements in the past five years are incredible achievements in the world, even in ancient and modern times. Although there are a lot of support and help from the imperial court. But in the final analysis, this is an achievement that belongs to Lanzhou and Zhong Qing. This little credit , I don't even bother to hold onto myself and steal the merits of my subordinates."

Zhu Changluo's first sentence set the tone of Zhong Huamin's achievements, which made all the officials in the hall envious. After all, everyone is an official, and they are all already in important positions in the central government.

At this time, who doesn't want to have some nice behind-the-scenes names passed down through the ages.

After saying this sentence, Zhu Changluo said again: "However, Lanzhou's rapid rise is not accidental, nor is it the work of one person. The rise of Lanzhou is the result of the Ming Dynasty's New Deal."

"Since the Battle of Ningxia, the isolated Xishan Huangzhuang has borne the imperial court's military expenditures on the Nine Borders and North Korea and other battlefields. The money is not blown by strong winds. Of course, this is not the people who searched Xishan Huangzhuang alone Got it."

"How did the money come from, even if Gu doesn't say it clearly, Qing and others should know it well. Xishan Huangzhuang started with the fairy happy water, which has become popular in Ming Dynasty to this day, but Gu did not spend all his income like other owners of Huangzhuang. Put it in your pocket."

"Gu is the eldest son of the emperor, and as the crown prince of Ming Dynasty, the family and the country are naturally one. Gu's money belongs to him, as well as Daming's. Therefore, Gu also set an example by paying a certain amount of taxes to the imperial father's internal funds. "

"At the same time, Gu also made all the people who cooperated with Xishan Huangzhuang pay the same taxes according to Gu's share. These taxes will not only support the court war, but also greatly ease the court's pressure. financial difficulties."

"Droughts and floods in Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi, and Anhui over the years, as well as the national water conservancy infrastructure under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry, don't most of the money spent come from here?"

"With the establishment of the national policy of reopening the Western Regions and the reform of the tea and horse trade, although the imperial court's investment in the Nine Sides is increasing day by day, the effect of the withdrawal is clearly visible."

"Nine Frontiers has grown from barrenness to self-sufficiency now, and many new industries have emerged. The Han people and grassland people who participated in these new industries have also enjoyed the gifts from the imperial court."

"To put it bluntly, Gu thinks that today's Nine Sides are the most prosperous compared to the 200 years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. Even if they look at the Han and Tang Dynasties, their achievements in the north are not as good as those of Gu and Qing. .”

"And what laid the foundation for all of this is the commercial tax that we have been neglecting! Scholars, farmers, businessmen, and merchants are the last, but their weight cannot be underestimated!"

"Ordinary people see scholars, farmers, industry and commerce as a four-tiered class, but in the eyes of a lonely person, scholars, farmers, industry and commerce are an integral part of the imperial court's governance of the world."

"Gu believes that the scholars, farmers, and businessmen should be like this. As the representatives of the imperial court, the role of scholars should be to set an example and regulate. The representatives of agriculture, industry, and commerce should be stable, rich and dynamic!"

"Since ancient times, the rise of dynasties in the world has been inseparable from these three laws. One is: 'No agriculture is not stable', the other is: 'There is no wealth without work', and the third is: 'No business, no life'."

"I won't go into details about Nong's importance and loneliness. Without Nong's contribution, there would be no stable dynasty, let alone the so-called prosperous ZTE."

"As for industry and commerce, the role of this part has been neglected for a long time. Now the example of Xishan Huangzhuang is in front of us. Those landless people who make a living in Huangzhuang, although they are not engaged in farming, but Their contribution should not be underestimated."

"At the same time, it is precisely because of their efforts that Xishan Huangzhuang has the scale it is today, the Beijing-West Expressway, and the Beijing-West Railway. Moreover, it is precisely because of the creation of these new things that these infinite The workers of the land also get their due rewards, which drives the private business of your family."

"Compared to the previous dynasty, the national salary is much meager, but the court has never treated any imperial officials badly in terms of taxes. Nowadays, except for a small number of people who are not good at management, the officials of the Ming Dynasty have not been involved in business. Absolutely most of the officials How can there be no business?"

"I said this today not to accuse Qing and others. I just want Qing to see clearly the importance of what you are doing."

"You can't earn all the money. Paying some taxes properly will not only benefit the stability of the court, but also better circulate the court's policies. Willn't the family fortunes of Qing and others rise accordingly?"

"Therefore, the prosperity of the Nine Sides is well-founded. As long as Qing and others clear the short-term clouds in front of them, they will naturally be able to see a broader sky."

"Da Ming's ZTE is unstoppable, and Gu's determination is also unstoppable. Today, Gu is not condemned by the people of the world! Even if you are hesitant about business and taxation, Gu has to act arbitrarily."

"But there are people who dare to hinder ZTE's great cause, no matter who they are, they will be killed!"

Zhu Changluo's last words were full of murderous intent.

All the ministers in the hall immediately felt a chill in their necks.

Especially Wang Xijue and Shen Sixiao were even more panicked.

The two of them have reached the age of seventy, if not for the crown prince's repeated attempts to keep them, they should have retired and returned to their hometowns long ago.

They have also been intoxicated and excited by the image of the prosperous age in these years, but in the final analysis, what they want is the fame before and after.

Now because of the outbreak of the Ye Xianggao case, the issue of the North-South tax system has become the hottest topic at the moment.

As the leaders of the cabinet and the military aircraft department, these two are also representatives of the government and the public and the gentry of the world. They naturally understand the importance of the tax system.

If they can't stop the crown prince's determination to unify the tax system between the north and the south, then in the eyes of the gentry all over the world, they will be traitors to the two saints of Confucius and Mencius!

However, the crown prince is now having a showdown with them.

At this time, if they still respond ambiguously, let alone whether they can have a happy old age, whether their family can continue is also a problem.

Because they have more or less been involved in the things that Ye Xianggao committed in Jiangnan, and some even went beyond it.

If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince uses the Ye Xianggao case as an attack, then maybe there will be an empty seal case similar to the Hongwu period!
But Ye Xianggao will definitely not be the only one who will be killed, but tens of thousands of people!
Thinking of the people present here, everyone shuddered!

If it were ten years ago, they might have dared to refute one or two with "the righteousness of the world" and remonstrated to the death, so that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would take back his order.

It's a pity that times have changed, and the current crown prince has become the supreme emperor in the world, and his power and power are far ahead of the previous emperors, catching up with Taizu Hongwu!

At this time, no matter how irrationally use the original set of remonstrance, the end result will definitely be bloody killings!
After all, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is the least tolerant of corrupt people!
Back then when the capital was anti-corruption, there were not many people who were taken down by Zhulian. Although these people were all big officials, their fate is still fresh in their memory.

Now that Ye Xianggao has stumbled because of corruption, how can they still have the fluke mentality of not being a doctor?

If, at this time, there is still a little bit of luck in the heart, then the family will be ruined and the family will die!

Wang Xijue and Shen Sixiao glanced at each other quietly, and their figures immediately softened. Before Dong Qichang, a professional, could respond to Zhu Changluo's words, they immediately knelt down and said, "Your Highness, you are wise! I have shallow eyes, no I can understand His Highness's Tianxin, but I can't see clearly the general trend of Ming Zhongxing, I am ashamed, I hope His Highness can punish my short-sightedness!"

After being robbed by Wang Xijue and Shen Sixiao for a while, Dong Qichang was stunned. Why did these two old people rob his lines?

But who is Dong Qichang, since he was robbed of his lines, he must find it back.

After all, as the number one minister in the crown prince's heart, Dong Qichang still had to actively respond to the crown prince's wishes.

Dong Qichang then knelt down and said, "Your Highness, after listening to His Highness's words, I feel like a drum in the evening and a bell in the morning, like a divine enlightenment! Especially the three maxims that your Highness said 'no agriculture will not be stable, no industry will not be rich, no business will not be alive', It is even more deafening, pointing directly to the essence of the prosperous age!"

"I think His Highness's words are extremely wise, and His Highness's thoughts are extremely wise! I kneel down and ask Your Highness to immediately issue an order to announce the same tax system in the north and south of the world. I am willing to set an example and actively cooperate with the imperial court's decree to let the Dong family pay according to the nine-sided tax system. Taxes, enrich the treasury, and prosper Ming Dynasty!"

Dong Qichang was even more straightforward. He didn't play tricks or play word games. He just knelt down and begged for the same tax system in the north and the south.

From Zhu Changluo's point of view, whether this statement caters to Shangyi or other thoughts, at least it is a positive expression.

Zhu Changluo looked at Dong Qichang with a smile, and said: "Master Dong cares about the country, he is worthy of being a minister of Ming Dynasty, and he is worthy of being a lonely gentleman. I am proud of having a gentleman like Master Dong!"

The rest of the people immediately understood their attitude. No matter what they thought in their hearts at this moment, they had to follow the wishes of the first assistant, the chief and Dong Qichang.

"The ministers and others support the unification of the tax systems in the north and the south. The ministers and others are willing to set an example, actively cooperate with the imperial court's will, and promote the unification of the tax systems in the north and the south!"

After Zhu Changluo heard everyone's answers, the burden in his heart was relieved.

To be honest, Zhu Changluo was really worried that these ministers of the Zhu Kingdom who were assisting the government would stand up against his ideas. Once this situation occurred, even if Zhu Changluo forced it, the final result would definitely be bloody.

And Zhu Changluo is not a bloodthirsty person, if he can solve the problem with less bloodshed, Zhu Changluo is still willing.

After all, stability is the foundation of ZTE, and stability is the cornerstone of development.

Once the people in the government and the opposition are plunged into fear, even if things are done, by the day Zhu Changluo dies, everything he has done now will inevitably be completely overthrown.

Therefore, it is very good to be able to achieve the goal in this way.

Zhu Changluo said: "Since the cabinet and the Military Aircraft Office have recognized the meaning of the same tax system between the north and the south, Gu also followed suit."

When Zhu Changluo said a word, he put the suggestion of aligning the tax system between the north and the south on the cabinet and the military aircraft department, but he just followed the good advice.

It can be seen that Zhu Changluo now understands the emperor's art.

Hearing Zhu Changluo's words, everyone couldn't help feeling bitter. After they came out of the Ciqing Palace, and after the decree of the north and south tax systems was issued, it must be a storm for the scholar bureaucrats all over the world to meet them!

Just when everyone was feeling bitter, Zhu Chang Luofeng said another sentence in a detour: "But!"

Hearing this "but", everyone is like hearing the sound of nature. Generally, the use of such turning words will basically be a 180-degree turn that everyone is happy with!
Zhu Changluo took a sip of the tea cup calmly, "It's cold."

After hearing Zhu Changluo's greeting, Sun Xian, who was waiting on the side, was shocked immediately, woke up from the sound of the crown prince's killing just now, and immediately walked on the road with small steps, "I will replace this servant with a new one."

Sun Xian took Zhu Changluo's teacup and went to get new tea.

At this time, Zhu Changluo turned his attention to the officials in the hall again, and Zhu Changluo continued to say "but" just now.

Zhu Changluo said: "It is a big matter to have the same tax system between the north and the south, and it cannot be promoted smoothly with a single decree of the imperial court. Therefore, I feel that it should be done slowly at this time."

Hearing the sound of Xu Tuzhi, everyone's hearts were instantly filled with joy, the crown prince is a mighty blessing from heaven!
Everyone bowed one after another: "Your Highness is holy!"

Zhu Changluo raised his hand and pressed, "Wait for Gu to finish speaking."

Everyone looked at Zhu Changluo excitedly, waiting for Zhu Changluo's next words.

Zhu Changluo first set the tone and said: "It is an imperative policy to align the tax systems between the North and the South. This is not an irreversible national policy."

"Since it is a national policy, there must be a detailed plan. A few days ago, I asked Xu Dalong, the servant of the Ministry of Industry, to sort out the checkpoint situation of the Ministry of Industry. Gu never expected that the Ministry of Industry would actually be able to collect checkpoint fees from merchants. Moreover, according to the analogy, Gu Yi consulted the government ministries, divisions, monasteries and other yamen, as well as local chief secretaries, state capitals and counties and other yamen road checkpoints."

"This is really an eye-opener for Gu Gu. The tax of the dynasty is the lowest ever. However, not many people can really get these low taxes. Most of the merchants are passing through the roads and checkpoints of various places and the temples of various departments. When you go to checkpoints controlled by the Yamen, you have to pay a part of the checkpoint fee."

"And this part of the cost is not reflected in the imperial court's books. Gu really wants to know where all the money has gone?"

"If the problem of money at this checkpoint cannot be solved, and the imperial court rashly implements the same tax system between the north and the south, how will those small merchants and hawkers who make a living as merchants survive?"

"The sage said that tyrannical government is fiercer than a tiger! I don't want the imperial government's decree to become an evil government! Therefore, before the north-south tax system is implemented on the same track, the cabinet and military aircraft are required to deal with the problem of clearing the world's checkpoint fees."

"Some checkpoints that do not conform to the rules and are not included in the court's general ledger will be abolished one by one. However, those who dare to switch checkpoints privately and block road charges, no matter who they are or who they are involved in, will be punished as the crime of robbery. If the circumstances are serious, they will be punished. Clan! Those who shielded them were exiled for three thousand miles."

After hearing Zhu Changluo's words, the excitement of the ministers present froze immediately.

These checkpoints are all small treasuries in various government offices and places.

Moreover, many checkpoints were set by the guarding eunuchs sent by Emperor Wanli to guard the various places.

Once this thing is abolished, it will definitely affect the whole body.

This is to smash everyone's jobs, and it is more serious than the North-South tax system.

At this time, Sun Xian also came in with new tea. As soon as he entered the hall, Sun Xian immediately felt the heavy atmosphere in the hall. He could not help but shrink his head, and then carefully presented the tea cup to Zhu Changluo's case.

Zhu Changluo picked up the teacup and blew the hot air slightly, then took a small peck, Zhu Changluo raised his head and asked, "Can this matter be done?"

The ministers of the cabinet and the military aircraft department suddenly looked at each other.At this time, no one dared to really come forward.

The tax systems of the north and the south are on the same track, and it may be that they earn less money.

Once the checkpoints privately set up by various government offices in various places are abolished, this will offend all the official groups with vested interests in the world.

These people have offended all of them, but something will happen.

It’s okay to say that they are bad, because they are afraid that they will fan the flames and distort the imperial court’s intention to align the north-south tax system, so that the people below who don’t know the situation will mistakenly think that this is the imperial court’s tyranny, so they will restrain and threaten the court.

If this is not done well, it will kill someone!

Xia Yan, the chief assistant of the Jiajing Dynasty, was taken advantage of by Yan Song's party because his ruling philosophy was too strong, and then the officials in the southeast coast began to play badly, and the problem of the proliferation of Japanese pirates was put on Xia Yan's head superior.

At that time, in order to appease the "popular grievances" in the southeast, the Emperor Jiajing had no choice but to admit that Yan Song's party had charged Xia Yan with the crime of colluding with the Japanese, and directly beheaded Xia Yan, who was the chief assistant.

In fact, Xia Yan Tongwo's accusation, as long as anyone with a little brain can see that this is an unfounded charge, but so what?

For the stability of the court and the locality, and for the stability of the imperial power in the country, Emperor Jiajing could only push Xia Yan out as a scapegoat and kill him.

It can be seen from this that once some government decrees of the imperial court really touch the souls of the corrupt officials below, they are bound to fight back frantically.

If the situation gets out of control at that time, maybe His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will push them out and cut them down, so as to calm the grievances of the people all over the world.

After all, emperors since ancient times have had this kind of criminal record.

The most famous of them is Chao Cuo, who offered advice to Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty to cut down the vassal. Although, the comments of later generations say that Chao Cuo's death was due to the bewitching of treacherous officials and the unsteadiness of Emperor Jing.

In fact, in the final analysis, this is all caused by the emperor's mind!
Although Emperor Jing's killing of Chao Cuo did not change the outcome of the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion, but after killing Chao Cuo, the rebellion that the Seven Kingdoms still did not lose the justification of the Qing emperor's side.

At this time, Emperor Jing, who seemed passive and in danger, had actually gained the initiative and righteousness by killing Chao Cuo. Therefore, in the later quelling of the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion, Emperor Jing could save the day and solve the chaos.

This is completely playing a psychological tactic of retreating to advance, but the poor little cutie Chao Cuo was used as a gun by Emperor Jing.

Through these stories, it can be shown that Ban Jun is really like a tiger!

If you are not careful, you will become a victim of political struggle and crisis management.

When Boss Cao sees him, he will call him an expert!

Thinking back when Boss Cao ran out of military rations, and wanted to stabilize the team, didn't he just play the game of beheading the ration officer?
With these bloody examples in front of you, can you keep the ministers in the palace from feeling cold?

Zhu Changluo hadn't thought of this at this time, he was just a little surprised by the reactions of these ministers.

Why did their expressions turn out to be even more fearful than when they said that the tax systems in the north and south were on the same track as soon as they finished speaking? What's going on?

Zhu Changluo felt that something was definitely wrong, but, as the master, sometimes Zhu Changluo couldn't directly ask his subordinates what was wrong.

Sometimes you can only guess and think slowly by yourself to understand the key. Therefore, it is really not easy to be a good decision maker.

There was no sound in the hall, and Zhu Changluo quietly took another sip of tea.

After a moment of silence, no one dared to stand up and say a word, and Zhu Changluo naturally began to recall what he said just now and their current attitude.

After a while, Zhu Changluo finally vaguely figured out the key.

Zhu Changluo looked at the people in the hall, closed his eyes, and said: "As for the checkpoint, I also know that it is not a matter of freezing three feet in a day. Therefore, I don't mean to be a one-size-fits-all."

"However, there are some things that I can still set an example for. I know that scholars all over the world have complaints about the eunuchs sent by Da Nei to various places to guard them, and these eunuchs often pretend to be powerful, and use the name of Tianjia to attract people's fat and anoint them to enrich themselves. "

"The most serious problem among them is the checkpoint problem that Gu just mentioned. Sun Xian is also waiting on the sidelines. He is the admiral and eunuch of the East Factory, and he is also the palm seal of the chief of ceremonies. From now on, Ouchi will remove the checkpoints set up by eunuchs from all over the world, but anyone who dares to set them up privately will be punished!"

"Now that the lonely example has been set, the next step is the ministries, divisions, and temples of the imperial court. After the checkpoints on the imperial court side are abolished, it will be extended to the chief secretaries and the prefectures and counties under their jurisdiction. , can’t say it’s difficult anymore?”

Zhu Changluo finally used the method of compromise. After hearing what Zhu Changluo said, the ministers in the palace couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Since Ouchi had set an example first, there was no reason for him to hold on anymore.

Besides, Zhu Changluo also gave time for detours, and did not abolish them all at once, which also relieved them a lot of pressure invisibly.

Therefore, the ministers who were present at this moment also replied along the way: "Your Highness is holy!"

After Zhu Changluo heard this sage, he didn't want to spend any more time with these ministers.

Zhu Changluo said: "Master Dong stays, and the rest of you can leave."

Wang Xijue, Shen Sixiao and the others felt as if they had been pardoned immediately, and hurriedly bowed: "I will retire."

After everyone left, Zhu Changluo looked at Dong Qichang in the hall, and Zhu Changluo said, "Show Master Dong a seat."

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7000 words arrived! ! !

It was supposed to be daily, but today I went to kill the fish and wasted time. . .

(End of this chapter)