Autumn of the 17th year of Chongzhen

Chapter 125 Loyalty and Filial Piety, Father and Son Gap
With the efforts of Emperor Longwu, Wang Yan and many other ministers, the collection of sea tax has become a foregone conclusion, but just as Zheng Zhilong thought, he has thousands of ships in his hands, and the Zheng family is also on the sea. For many years, the imperial court wanted to collect taxes, but no matter what, they couldn't get around his Pingguo Gong Zheng Zhilong.

This point, Emperor Longwu, as the Son of Heaven, and Wang Yan, Zuo Maodi, Huang Daozhou and others as the ministers of the country, will naturally not forget it, so deciding to collect taxes is only the first step, the key is whether the taxes can be collected.

Although the Fujing Longwu court has been recognized in Guangdong, Guangxi, southern Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, and Yunnan in name, there are not many forces that can really be mobilized. In the Fujian waters, almost all naval divisions obey the orders of the Zheng family. , so to collect sea tax, you have to start with Zheng.

"Old Shiqing!" Emperor Longwu let many ministers die, and suddenly said to Zheng Zhilong, whose expression kept changing: "The current court has decided to levy a tax on maritime trade. Old Shiqing lives in Fujian and has a high prestige. How about old Shiqing presiding over the tax collection?"

"This~" Zheng Zhilong was in annoyance, when he heard the emperor's words, he couldn't help being stunned, but then he couldn't help sneering in response: "I am willing to share your majesty's worries!"

Zheng Zhilong originally thought that Emperor Longwu would send his confidants to preside over the collection of sea taxes, but he didn't want Longwu and his courtiers to fight with him for so long, and finally returned the power to him.

Back then, the Donglin party members were able to turn the tea tax of more than 20 taels into dozens of taels. Then he could learn from the Donglin party members and do some tricks on the tax. Wouldn't the Zheng family's interests be preserved?
For a while, Zheng Zhilong couldn't help sneering in his heart. Although he was suppressed in the court, as long as the military power was in his hands, the Longwu court would always be a tool of his Zheng family.

"Old Shiqing, I am so relieved to accept this order!" Seeing Zheng Zhilong agreeing, Emperor Longwu couldn't help nodding slightly, and then said to Wang Yan: "Wang Qing is the governor of Guangdong, on the Guangdong Sea, collecting taxes and suppressing bandits. Naturally, there is no shirking the responsibility, so I will entrust the matter of tax collection for the Guangdong-Hai Commerce to Qing!"

"Your Majesty, Wang Yan, takes orders!" Wang Yan bowed in front of the ranks, "I will live up to your majesty's trust. If I enter Guangdong, I will devote myself to the business. Within a year, I can release 100 million taels of sea tax from the imperial court. To pay for the army!"

"Beautiful!" Many officials in the court heard Wang Yan's words, they couldn't help cheering up, and they all praised him.

Zheng Zhilong was already unhappy when he heard that the emperor handed over the affairs of Guangdong to Wang Yan. Now that Wang Yan was uttering wild words, he wanted to release millions of tax dollars from the imperial court to force him to express his opinion, Zheng Zhilong's expression turned cold.

"Wang Qing's ambition is as high as the sky, and I am very strong!" Emperor Longwu praised him immediately, then looked at Zheng Zhilong and said: "Old Shiqing?"

Zheng Zhilong heard the emperor's call, but he didn't speak, but stood there like a log.Asking Zheng Shi to give up a huge profit of one million is like drawing blood and cutting flesh for him, and he will never allow it.

Seeing that Zheng Zhilong did not express his opinion, Emperor Longwu couldn't help but his face darkened. The atmosphere in the court hall also fell to the extreme because Zheng Zhilong turned a deaf ear to the emperor's questions.

Seeing this, Wang Yan lightly touched Zheng Sen who was standing beside him with his elbow, causing his body to tremble slightly, and Emperor Longwu's eyes were cast on him at this moment.

One is king, one is father, one is loyalty, and one is filial piety.

Zheng Sen has violated Zheng Zhilong's will many times in the court hall today, making his heart full of entanglement and pain of choice.

At this time, he was reminded by Wang Yan, and he felt the emperor's gaze again. He couldn't help but weigh in his heart. In the end, he kept his promise to the emperor and chose to be loyal to the emperor and serve the country. Under Zheng Zhilong's angry eyes, he went out to worship: "Qizuo Your Majesty! I have a little knowledge of maritime affairs, and I am willing to assist my father in collecting sea taxes. Within a year, I will donate millions of tax silver to the imperial court to enrich the household department!"

"Good!" Emperor Longwu breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the words, and then he said with great joy: "Success is really the pillar of the country, and the capable minister of the Ming Dynasty!"

Zheng Sen, the son of the Zheng family, made public statements in the court, which made Zheng Zhilong unable to fight back, and he couldn't reprimand this rebellious son in front of the courtiers and the emperor. The anger that had disappeared in his heart suddenly surged again, turning With a cold "hum" in his mouth, he walked away.

In Fujing City, Duke Pingguo's mansion, Zheng Zhilong was so angry after returning to his mansion, he walked back and forth in the study room, cursing to himself: "Wang Yanpifu, you actually want to take my advantage in the sea. Cutting him into pieces by a thousand knives will hardly solve the hatred in my heart."

Zheng Zhilong was furious when Zheng Sen, who had chased back to the mansion from the court hall, crashed into the house and saluted, "Son, see father!"

"You rebellious son, do you still have the face to come back?" Zheng Zhilong saw Zheng Sen, the anger in his heart was immediately ignited, he picked up an ancient book, and threw it at it.

"Father, calm down!" Zheng Sen was hit in the face, but instead of running away, he prostrated himself on the ground, ready to bear Zheng Zhilong's anger again.

"You naughty son, you are against me in everything!" Sure enough, although Zheng Sen knelt down, Zheng Zhilong's anger did not ease at all, "Nizi, you missed my big deal! Do you understand?"

"My son is dedicated to serving the country, so I don't know what's wrong?" Zheng Sen said.

Hearing this, Zheng Zhilong couldn't help glaring, but in the end he let out a long sigh, "The tax money on the sea is the most important income of my Zheng family every year. As early as the year of Tianqi, my Zheng family traveled to and from the sea, and experienced many dangers and battles. Only then do you control most of the Haikou waters on the sea, so that merchant ships that come and go must pay taxes to my Zheng family, but you, a rebellious son, are lucky to join forces with Wang Yan to seize the foundation created by your father's hard work, it is really unreasonable!"

"Father, the right to take back the sea tax and the annual amount of 100 million taels are all my child's advice to His Majesty, but it has nothing to do with Zhongyonghou!" Zheng Sen heard the words and said: "Now that the country is in crisis, my father should know that when the nest is overthrown There is no end to laying eggs, so you should try your best to protect the court! My son really doesn't understand why father is holding on to the benefits in front of him and keeping those tax money in his hands. If the court is defeated, what is the use of money?"

"What? It's you rebellious son! You actually offered advice to the emperor to deal with your father!" Zheng Zhilong's face flushed suddenly when he heard the words, and he almost suffocated old blood.

"Father is indeed the emperor of Ming Dynasty!" Zheng Sen said angrily, "Both father and son are subjects of Ming Dynasty. If they cannot be loyal to the court, what face will they have to gain a foothold in the court?"

Zheng Zhilong, who was almost vomiting blood, staggered suddenly and almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, Zheng Sen had quick eyesight and quick hands to support him.

Zheng Zhilong looked at Zheng Sen, angry and angry in his heart, but Zheng Sen was his child after all, and because Zheng Sen didn't understand him, and he didn't agree with his father and son, he felt a burst of sadness, "Omu! All these years of painstaking efforts to praise this foundation, for whom is it?"

"If the father is doing it for the son, the son would rather not have these ignorant money!" Zheng Sen said resolutely: "Now that the country is in crisis, the father and the son should work together to revitalize Daming! Doesn't the father understand that there is no country without a family?"

"Ah~" Seeing that Zheng Sen didn't understand his painstaking efforts, Zheng Zhilong couldn't help sighing angrily: "When I was a father, I shouldn't have sent you to the Imperial College to study, and let those rotten scholars turn you into an inflexible idiot! Don't you just watch Won’t you come out? The Ming Dynasty is about to perish! The current Communist Party is just delaying for some time, what nonsense revitalization is there to talk about!”

"Father!" Zheng Sen was stunned when he heard the words: "As an important minister of the court, how can you disregard loyalty, filial piety and righteousness, and say such words, do you have two hearts for the court?"

"Hmph~" Zheng Zhilong sneered and said, "The cunning rabbit still has three caves, let alone a hero in the world, even if he has two hearts as a father, do you still dare to kill his father?"

Zheng Sen's face turned pale when he heard this!
(Thanks to shyion, Danshui Ranger, and Long Min for their rewards, thanks to the starting point ticket Wang Daaizhi's fraternity, and thanks to the book friends of Genesis for their recommendations!)

(End of this chapter)