False eunuch in late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 73 Zhu Youjian Wants to Increase Taxes
It's also Luo Qing's bad luck that he ran into Cao Qing the first time he raised an incident.If he met other soldiers and horses, maybe this time he really made things happen.Calculating intentionally but not intentionally, although the combat power is not strong, it is not impossible to besiege thousands of unsuspecting Ming troops with a number of nearly ten thousand.After all, the Ming army at this time has already begun to decay.The peasant rebellion that swept through Daming a year later fully illustrated this point.

But after Cao Qing came, history has changed, and there was an extra guard battalion in the Ming Dynasty.Although it is not enough to change the situation of the entire Ming Dynasty.But it injected a spring breeze that turned decay into magic into this decadent Ming Dynasty.

"Master, I clicked, and there are only more than 600 people left, and I don't know how many brothers have escaped. The teaching circle will never return. The government and the army have arrested so many of us, and there must be some who are not firm in their will. As soon as they made a confession, they set up an ambush in the teaching circle, and when we went back, we just fell into a trap." Hao Baozi said.

"There are more than ten thousand people. After the first battle, they lost so many without even seeing a single enemy. How are we going to fight this battle?" Luo Qing was a little frustrated.The ideal is beautiful, but the reality is very skinny.

Chuantou Lu Yan comforted: "The leader is very relieved. Victory or defeat is a common matter in military affairs. If there are green hills left, are you afraid that there will be no firewood? Now the heroes of the world are rising to resist tyranny. It's just that the capital has sufficient troops, and most of them are capable of fighting. I found out clearly that the army we encountered was a guard battalion that was recently formed. It was formed by the emperor's son spending a lot of silver. Most of the guard battalions were members of the Ming army. Elite. This is also our luck. We can move to other places. Go to areas where the Ming army is weak. I heard that there is an uprising of hungry people in Guanzhong. If we go there and take them in, we will definitely be able to make a comeback soon."

Luo Qing was also moved by Lu Yan's words: "Today's revenge must be avenged in the future. I will remember! Guard battalion!"

Luo Qing immediately led the remaining troops to flee to Guanzhong.

What Hao Baozi said was right, Yang Danian and Zhou Wanzhong had indeed figured out the location of the main altar of the White Lotus Sect, and they each led more than a thousand people to guard the main altar of the White Lotus Sect.After waiting for a day or two, they captured the broken remnants of the White Lotus Sect. These people had some fighting strength, but they couldn't make any waves under the sword.However, the guard battalion was damaged.When rounding up a remnant force, these people struggled desperately, and finally killed and injured more than ten guards before killing them all.

After all, the guard battalion has only been training for a few months, so there is no big problem with the musket, but the ability of individual soldiers to fight is still very lacking.The people rounded up were all people from the Jianghu, desperadoes with blood on their hands for a long time, and their desperate methods emerged one after another.Once it became close combat, the guard battalion was at a disadvantage.Fortunately, the number of guard battalions is dominant.Plus the sharpshooter flag sniper worked.Only further casualties were avoided.Even so, Yang Danian and Zhou Wanzhong were quite annoyed by the casualties of more than a dozen people.

"It seems that after going back, we need to strengthen training. This is just a rogue. If we fight with the Tartars in the future, I'm afraid we will suffer even more." Yang Danian said.

Zhou Wanzhong nodded: "The sharp spear flag is also very effective, and the sharp pitcher flag is even more effective. In the future, it seems that these bastards should practice hard."

But after waiting for a day or two, the leader of the White Lotus Sect did not arrive.

"The leader of the White Lotus Sect is very cunning, and it seems that he has seen through our strategy. There is no point in waiting here. It is better to destroy this place, and then go back and report to Eunuch Cao." Zhou Wanzhong said.

Yang Danian also nodded: "It's really bad luck. The leader of the thief was not caught, but lost more than a dozen brothers in vain. It's really embarrassing. If the leader of the White Lotus Sect is caught in the future, he must be cut into pieces."

Zhu Youjian learned that Empress Yi'an was ambushed on the way, but fortunately the guard battalion fought bravely to defeat the enemy, and escaped the danger.Extremely annoyed, he issued an order to wipe out the remnants of the White Lotus Sect everywhere.Zhu Youjian didn't care too much about the fact that Empress Yi'an went to the steel factory after being cured.With the escort of Cao Qing's guard battalion, Empress Yi'an and the princess will be fine.Moreover, things in the court are extremely troublesome now.You don't know if you don't take charge of the government, but you only know it when you take charge of the government. There are a lot of troubles in it.Although Wei Zhongxian was hateful, he did block a lot of trouble for himself.Of course, even if it is to do it all over again, Zhu Youjian will still bring down Wei Zhongxian without hesitation.There is a difference between being in power and being a puppet.However, Zhu Youjian's original plan to liquidate the eunuch party is no longer going to be implemented.In Cao Qing's words, eunuchs are not a good thing, but all the clean streams in the court may not be clean.

Rats can already run away in Taicang. If Cao Qing hadn't recently bought colored glaze and sent a sum of money to the palace, Zhu Youjian would not have known how to deal with the disasters reported from various places.

Zhu Youjian is also really unlucky.As soon as he came to power, he encountered a protracted drought in history, which is rare for its large scope and long duration.This is also a very important external cause of the demise of the Ming Dynasty in history.

At this time, severe drought has already occurred in many places. For example, the Guanzhong area of ​​Shaanxi has not rained for more than a year.

After being reminded by Cao Qing, Zhu Youjian also discovered a very big problem.The few tax revenues of the Ming Dynasty came from the working people. These people did not have land, but they had to pay taxes.There are also various names for local officials to collect money.The wealthy often do not pay taxes.this is a big problem.So when he was in court, Zhu Youjian wanted to test the ministers in the court.

"My dear friends, I have been in charge for some time. I have a deep understanding of the difficulties of the country. Now the national treasury is empty, and the disasters in various places are serious. I have no heart to love the people, but I am unable to relieve the disaster. I love the people like a child, It is a good thing to reduce taxes again and again. But I have discovered a problem. Poor people pay taxes, but rich and wealthy households can reduce or exempt. The loss is not enough but the gift is more than enough. Do you have anything to say?" Zhu Youjian Said.

The ministers of the Manchu Dynasty did not understand what Zhu Youjian meant by saying this, but one thing was very clear.That is Zhu Youjian wants to increase taxes.

"Your Majesty, I have always been generous to the common people. If I want to add gifts, I'm afraid it will be perverted, and I will be scolded by all people in the future." Qian Qianyi stood up and said.Qian Qianyi's family is one of the largest households in the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Youjian's words are very obvious, that is to collect taxes from these wealthy households.Naturally, it harms his interests.

Zhu Youjian kept his composure and said, "Qian Aiqing, there was a severe drought in Shaanxi, because the local government concealed the report, and finally the officials forced the people to rebel. Now many places are like the situation in Guanzhong. Then you can think of a way for me, how to solve these problems ? You are my minister, and you should also share my worries."

Naturally, Qian Qianyi has no way to solve Zhu Youjian's problems. These problems are Zhu Youjian's troubles, not his Qian Qianyi's troubles.But if Zhu Youjian wants to collect taxes from merchants and increase taxes from landlords, it will damage his interests of Qian Qianyi.The gentry in the world will not agree.

"This, this, I have to go back and think about it." Qian Qianyi said.

"People who don't have land have to pay taxes, but those who have land can be exempted from taxes. Merchants earn huge profits, but only pay meager taxes. This is how tax evasion is extremely serious. When a local disaster occurs, the treasury can't provide disaster relief. Silver. If this continues, I will be the king of subjugation! The matter of Baishui is not resolved now, but you enjoy it with peace of mind. National tax is taken from the people and used for the people. If you get it, it must be a bad thing. If you go too little, it may not be It is a good thing. This increase in taxes and taxation is something that must be done. It is just that the current situation must be reversed first. Change the current situation where the poor pay taxes and the rich are exempt from taxes! You must come up with a charter. I If you understand the words clearly, you will be able to do what you can, and stop what you can't do!" Zhu Youjian said sharply.

After Zhu Youjian finished speaking, he turned his attention to the four members of the cabinet.The four cabinet ministers have more or less relationships with Wei Zhongxian.Zhu Youjian's purpose in keeping them is to make them his own.If they don't seize this opportunity, Zhu Youjian will naturally settle the old score with them.

Shi Fenglai and other cabinet ministers are very clear about the situation they are currently facing.If you want to keep your current position, you must hold Zhu Youjian's thigh tightly.Otherwise, once Zhu Youjian gave up, the Manchu minister would naturally settle accounts after the fall.Therefore, Shi Fenglai was the first to stand up without hesitation.

"Your Majesty is wise. I have an idea. The reason why the poor pay taxes and the rich are exempt is that Ming's tax system is based on the head. In this way, the poor still have to pay taxes after losing their land. In this way These people are completely driven to a dead end. If we spread the tax among the fields, whoever owns the land will pay the tax. In this way, even if the poor have no land, they don’t need to pay taxes. At least give them A way to survive. In addition, no matter who it is, no one can be exempted from taxation. In this way, it can avoid land mergers. Business profits are huge, so taxes should be collected. The previous thirty-one tax is too low. It can be raised to ten. .In addition, salt and iron were originally a national monopoly, but now salt and iron smuggling is serious. There are even unscrupulous merchants who use iron to trade with the Tartars, doing the same for the enemy. It is a traitor to the country! It must be severely cracked down!" Shi Fenglai said.

As soon as Shi Fenglai's words came out, it was like stabbing a hornet's nest.His approach seriously touched the interests of the gentry.

Qian Qianyi quickly stood up: "Shi Fenglai, you eunuch remnant! Aren't you doing this to let the emperor leave an eternal infamy?"

"Shut up!" Zhu Youjian said angrily.This Qian Qianyi is really a little ignorant.Not only did he not cater to his own ideas, but he took the lead to stop them.

Qian Qianyi suddenly found out that he had made a slip of the tongue. Zhu Youjian has not convicted Wei Zhongxian of any crime so far, so he quickly said: "The emperor forgives the crime. The humble minister is also in a hurry. But such an addition will definitely be tolerated by the nobles in the world. "

"Could it be that I have become the king of the kingdom, which is the hope of the world's gentry?" Zhu Youjian's face turned cold.

Who dares to say this?

Zhu Youjian went on to say: "Your so-called gentry is domineering, annexing my land, but exempting me from taxes. My people lost their land, had no food and clothing, and rose up. Is this the purpose of the gentry? So what use would I be for such a noble family?"

In Fengtian Hall, it was so quiet that even a needle falling to the ground could be heard clearly.

(End of this chapter)