scourge the qing dynasty

Chapter 144
After thinking about it all night, whether Zhu Guozhi should hide from Wu Sangui and Wu old traitors about Zhu Guozhi asking him for the tax quota of Baqi drug, after careful weighing, Fatty Lu, who has always been strong-willed, finally changed his original intention.Because among other things, just Zhu Guozhi's virtue of selling his mother's belly pocket as long as he has money, makes Fatty Lu absolutely uneasy--Old traitor Wu Sangui is not stupid. The traitor invested in the Pingxi Palace or betrayed himself under the money offensive of the traitor, and brought this matter to Wu Sangui. Then Fatty Lu's vicious intentions of deliberately concealing this matter and forcing Wu Sangui against Wu Sangui were also exposed in front of the old traitor Wu?

However, deciding not to hide this matter from the old traitor Wu does not mean that Fatty Lu gave up his plan to use the Baqi drug taxation to force the old traitor Wu to rebel, but that Fatty Lu came up with a more comprehensive strategy based on various situations. Although the effect of the insidious and vicious trick is still unknown, Fatty Lu feels that it is more effective than the plan he prepared before.

This plan comes from a story that Fatty Lu inadvertently remembered. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, there was a monkey raiser who could only give each monkey seven chestnuts a day because of his lack of money. At first, he told the monkeys, three chestnuts in the morning. Four chestnuts in the evening, the monkeys were very unhappy and strongly opposed it. Later, the monkey breeder said that the four chestnuts in the morning and three chestnuts in the evening, the monkeys turned their anger into joy and obeyed the monkey breeder.

The number of chestnuts has not changed, but the distribution method has changed, and the monkeys are satisfied and happy. Whether it is because the monkeys are too stupid or what, Fatty Lu does not intend to go into it. Fatty Lu just has such an idea—if Gan Wenkun and Zhu Guozhi, the local officials responsible for negotiating the tax amount, first set a tax amount for Wu Sangui's Eight Banners drug that Wu Sangui was very satisfied with, and then Xiao Mazi suddenly overturned this decision, withdrew the tax ruling power, and set a new tax amount for Wu Sangui. high tax.So, in this situation, what would Wu Sangui and his wolves, tigers and leopards think?
At that time, even if Xiao Mazi’s tax quota for Baqi Fushou Gao is more reasonable, it would be acceptable if it was proposed at the beginning by Old Traitor Wu. They are happy first and then angry, and when they are greatly disappointed, what action will they take?Will it detonate the first Opium War 200 years in advance?
After making up his mind, Fatty Lu immediately put on his clothes and got up, went to the Qujing County Government overnight, and sent Wu Sangui to monitor him, but the current Qujing County Magistrate Chen Dou, who was basically on his side, got up from the bed, and talked with him at night by candlelight. In the middle of the night, when the sky just dawned the next day, a snow-white carrier pigeon rose from the backyard of the Qujing County Government Office, spread its wings in the early morning light, and headed towards Kunming in the south.

Of course, the speed of the carrier pigeon is much faster than that of the war horse. Only at noon that day, the news jointly reported by Fatty Lu and Chen Dou had already been delivered to Wu Sangui and Old Traitor Wu. After reading the report, Old Traitor Wu was overjoyed and slapped On the silver case in front of him, he said happily: "Okay, it turns out that the imperial court was not sure how much tax should be levied on Baqi Fushou Gao, and handed over the power to determine the tax amount to Gan Wenkun and Zhu Guozhi. Now things will be easier to handle."

"Father-in-law, is there such a good thing?" Hu Guozhu and Xia Guoping were also overjoyed, and hurriedly asked together: "Father-in-law, is the news about Yifeng reliable? Is it hearsay or accurate news?"

"It's absolutely reliable. Zhu Baidi personally told Yifeng this news." Wu Sangui said happily, "Yifeng gave him 5000 taels of silver as soon as we met, and promised to give him so much every year. This idiot treats Yifeng as his confidant." , and even asked Yifeng for his opinion, asking how much tax Yifeng thinks is more appropriate for Baqi Drugs."

"Great, this is really pie in the sky." Hu Guozhu exclaimed delightedly—although Hu Guozhu is not as weak as his father-in-law Wu Laohan, but it is a great thing that he can use a little money to send the Qing court to avoid the complete intensification of conflicts , Hu Guozhu is still very willing to accept.

At that moment, Hu Guozhu quickly suggested: "Father-in-law, the son-in-law suggested that we hurry up and make arrangements, prepare more money to send Zhu Baidi, and ask him to set the tax on Baqi Fushou Gao as low as possible. There is also Yifeng, who also wants to pay The quota for taxation is said to be less, and we must act with us.”

"Very well, I'll leave everything to you to arrange." The old traitor Wu still had great trust in his eldest son-in-law, Hu Guozhu, and he threw the most important matter related to the most important financial revenue of Pingxi Palace to Hu Guozhu with a flick of his hand.At the end, the old traitor Wu asked again: "Then do you think it would be better for Yifeng to answer Zhu Baidi, and suggest that Zhu Baidi set the tax on the Eight Banners drug?"

"Needless to say, of course, one tael of Eight Banners Fushou Cream is only charged one cent!" Xia Guoxiang was the first to exclaim.Then Wu Yingqi yelled, "It's too high, it's too high. In my opinion, only one cent of silver is charged for Erliangbabanner's medicine, which is more than enough."

"It's a good idea." Wu Sangui scolded with a smile, "The two-two-eight-banner fushou cream only charges one cent of silver. You are idiots as the imperial court and Emperor Mazi, and you will agree at once? Guozhu, how do you think Yifeng should answer?"

"Father-in-law, Yifeng has a special status. Emperor Mazi still believes that Yifeng is loyal to him. This is an advantage that we can't give up easily." Hu Guozhu mused, "That's why my son-in-law thinks that we can't let Yifeng's report be too low. , causing the imperial court to become suspicious of him again, we should let him report our minimum limit to Zhu Baidi, and levy one cent and two cents of tax silver for every tael of Eight Banners drugs. To achieve the effect of maintaining a tie and winning, on the basis of the lowest limit, minimize the loss as much as possible."

Old Traitor Wu thought for a moment, then nodded quickly and said: "Very well, I will leave it to you, and tell Yifeng by the way, let him go back to Kunming as soon as he has time, I have a lot of important things to discuss with him. It’s time to take time to do what I promised him last time. Also, tell him to take time to study the situation in Yunnan and Guizhou, and see if he can find a big silver mine.”

With this crucial news reported by Fatty Lu, the people of the Pingxi Prince's Mansion were convinced that Zhu Guozhi, who had eaten enough in Qujing, had just returned to Kunming, and was immediately invited to Wuhua Mountain by Hu Guozhu himself. It was to send a beautiful woman. It was not until Zhu Guozhi was dazzled by the mung beans that he was so surprised that Hu Guozhu showed his cards to Zhu Guozhi, saying that he had received the news from the capital, and pointed out that Xiao Mazi had already taxed the Eight Banners drug. The power to determine the quota was delegated to Gan Wenkun and Zhu Guozhi, and Zhu Guozhi was asked to make a concession on the issue of taxation of the Eight Banners drugs.

As for our Zhu Guozhi Zhu Baidi Zhu Zhongcheng, he is a man who can't find a single shining point in his whole body with a lantern. In front of the silver as high as the mountain and the beautiful women who are more delicate than flowers, it is natural to immediately show loyalty to the king and love him. Qing Shengren's teachings were thrown back into the old lady's stomach, and he only had a few words of hypocrisy with Hu Guozhu, and immediately agreed to Hu Guozhu's request, and tried his best to persuade Gan Wenkun to accept his suggestion, and set the tax amount of Baqi Fushou Gao as every two Baqi Drugs are taxed for eight cents!

In addition, Hu Guozhu also secretly promised Zhu Guozhi that as long as the taxation of every two Baqi Banners of Fushou Gao is controlled within one cent and one penny of silver, the Pingxi Palace will take out every two Baqi Banners of Fushou Gao, excluding those handed over to the court. Four cents of silver will be rewarded to Zhu Zhongcheng!One tael of Eight Banners Fushou Gao Zhu Zhongcheng received four cents of silver, which sounds like a small amount, but when converted to the total output of Yunnan Eight Banners Fushou Gao, it is not a small amount, but our Zhu Bai's Zhu Zhongcheng has always been famous for being big, and After some bargaining, Hu Guozhu finally changed the price to six cents!
With the money to be earned, Zhu Zhongcheng was naturally very energetic and busy. He went to Guiyang to meet Gan Wenkun in person, and tried every means to persuade Gan Wenkun to agree to the plan of collecting eight cents of silver for every tael of drugs. Although Gan Wenkun knew that the amount was extremely low It's like talking, but it can't stand Zhu Zhongcheng's earnest persuasion, and the money offensive of Pingxi Palace - Gan Wenkun himself doesn't accept money, but his son Gan Guocheng and his confidant brother Gan Wenjiong accept it. In the transaction, Governor Gan finally made a concession and decided to levy a tax increase of one penny for every two taels of Eight Banners drug. The price paid by the Pingxi Palace was naturally that Gan Wenjiong and Gan Guocheng also participated in the share.

When the official document jointly signed by Gan Wenkun and Zhu Guozhi was promulgated, the people in Pingxi Palace couldn't even close their mouths with smiles—every tael of Eight Banners Fushou Cream was only levied a tax of one penny, compared with the profit of more than two taels of silver for every two Baqi Banners Fushou Cream. When I got up, it was as low as my grandma's house.So on the second day after the official document on the taxation amount was promulgated, the Pingxi Palace sent a small amount of tax money to the governor's office in Yunnan, and received a receipt from the governor's office in Yunnan.At the same time, Fatty Lu also officially posted a notice to levy an increase in taxes on the Eight Banners drug products from the people of Qujing.

………………

Just when the Qujing Mansion began to levy tax increases for the cultivation of Eight Banners medicines, Fatty Lu reported to Xiao Mazi the secret report of impeaching Zhu Guozhi for being too greedy and being too humble to Wu Sangui through the secret channel of Suo'etu.Although there is no mention of the taxation of Baqi Fushou cream in this secret book, after reading this secret book, Xiao Mazi still patted the forehead on Ma's face, and repeatedly complained: "It's a mistake, it's a mistake." Oh, why did I forget the virtues of Zhu Guozhi, a slave (Zhu Guozhi is a banner man)? And the power to determine the taxation amount of the Eight Banners' medicines was delegated to this slave and Gan Wenkun?"

"Returning to the emperor, in fact, when Master Xiong suggested that Zhu Guozhi be sent to Yunnan as the governor, the servant felt that it was very inappropriate." Suo'etu said respectfully: "This person has a very bad reputation. As early as when he was appointed as the governor of Jiangsu, He was already named Zhu Baidi because of excessive corruption, and was demoted five levels by Ao Zhongtang, such a person, even Oboi would look down on him..."

Speaking of this, Suo'etu dared not continue, because Suo'etu suddenly remembered that it was true that Xiong Cilu recommended Zhu Guozhi at the beginning, but it was still a small matter to really make up his mind to use Zhu Guozhi under the pressure of Oboi's party. Mazi himself—this would mean that Zhu Guozhi is not expected to be the governor of Yunnan, what is it if he doesn’t slap Xiao Mazi in the face?
Fortunately, Xiao Mazi is not in the mood to pay attention to Suo'etu's slip of the tongue at this meeting, but just calculates and analyzes it on his forehead. After thinking for a long time, Xiao Mazi suddenly stood up and ordered: "Draft the decree, hurry up for six hundred miles." Pass it to Yunnan, and order Gan Wenkun and Zhu Guozhi to stop adjudicating the amount of the Eight Banners drug tax, and wait for the imperial court to send another imperial envoy to Yunnan for investigation and ruling."

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid it's too late?" Mingzhu said worriedly, "It's already September, and all the Eight Banners Fushou Gao in Yunnan have been harvested and put into warehouses. It's time for Gan Wenkun and Zhu Guozhi to decide the tax amount and start collecting it. If the decree is sent from the capital to Yunnan, it may be too late. If the tax amount has already been determined and collected, and the emperor feels dissatisfied and asks for an increase, how will Pingxi Palace react?"

Xiao Mazi was speechless, and slapped the dragon case hard, and said helplessly, "Could it be that we will have to wait until next year to weaken that old Wu Sangui?"

"The Empress Dowager is here." At this moment, the eunuch's long shout sounded from behind the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and when Suo'etu and Mingzhu quickly knelt down on their knees, the old witch of Xiaozhuang was indeed supported by Lagu Su Ma and Li Yinzheng. Next, from the back hall to the front hall, Xiao Mazi also hurried up to salute, Xiao Zhuang smiled and waved his hands, and said kindly: "Grandson, grandma came to you today to ask about the taxation of Baqi Fushou cream." What happened to the question? Last time grandma asked you to decree that the power to adjudicate the taxation of the Eight Banners drug and longevity cream should be delegated to Yunnan and Guizhou, should there be an answer now?"

"Let Gan Wenkun and Zhu Guozhi rule on the tax amount of the Eight Banners Fushou Gao, since it was the decision made by the Empress Dowager Lafayette?" Mingzhu and Suo'etu were both stunned, and couldn't help but look at each other, and said together: "How can such a shrewd person as Lafayette be so foolish?"

"Going back to grandma, the road is far away, and there is no news yet." Xiao Mazi smiled wryly, handed over Fatty Lu's memorial, and said: "But before this, grandson received Lu Yifeng's secret letter to impeach Zhu Guozhi, it seems Is it not optimistic to expect them to rule on the issue of the taxation of Banners drug levies?"

"Really? Let the Ai family take a look." Xiao Zhuang remained calm, took Lu Fatty's secret folder and sat down, unfolded it and looked carefully.After reading it, Xiao Zhuang sighed, and said: "As expected, Zhu Guozhi is really unreliable as a slave. However, Lu Yifeng, a slave, is a bit beyond Ai's expectations. It seems that after the incident in Guangxi It's a matter, this slave is much more mature, and knows how to hide his strength and bide his time."

"Why does grandma have such a high opinion of Lu Aiqing?" Xiao Mazi asked curiously.

"Hasn't your majesty figured it out?" Aunt Su Ma interjected, "Lu Yifeng chose to impeach Zhu Guozhi for being too greedy and too humble to Wu Sangui at this time. He is worried. He is afraid that Zhu Guozhi will be bought by Wu Sangui, and he will sell the country for money in the matter of taxation, and there is no evidence to directly prove it, so he made such a note to remind you, the emperor."

"Ah, so that's what Lu Aiqing intended." Xiao Mazi suddenly realized, and said angrily, "It would be great if Lu Aiqing was sent back to Yunnan earlier. I believed in other people's slander and frame for Lu Aiqing, and now I really regret it."

"It doesn't matter, this is what Aijia hopes." Xiao Zhuang said surprisingly, and smiled very mysteriously, as if Zhu Guozhi's plan to sell Xiao Mazi's interests was what Xiao Zhuang really hoped for.

"Grandma, what do you mean?" Xiao Mazi was taken aback.

The old witch of Xiaozhuang shook her head, and then asked slowly: "I will tell you about this later, Your Majesty, judging from Lu Yifeng's impeachment, it is very likely that Zhu Guozhi, a slave, will be bought by Wu Sangui, and deliberately put the Eight Banners Fushou The tax is set at a low level, which is harmful to the public and private interests, how does the emperor plan to deal with it?"

"Back to grandma, my grandson originally planned to use six hundred miles to expedite the decree to take back the tax-setting power of the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, and send another imperial envoy to Yunnan to conduct on-the-spot investigations and determine the tax amount." Xiao Mazi replied in embarrassment: "But Mingzhu reminded me again It is said that it is already September, and the tax quota for Baqi Fushou Gao has already been ruled and collected, and now it has withdrawn this power and overturned the previous ruling, I am afraid... "

"What are you afraid of?" Xiao Zhuang asked back: "What is there to be afraid of? Could it be that because of the fear of angering Wu Sangui, Yunnan and Guizhou didn't collect a penny of tax at all?"

"Grandmother means, do what grandson says?" Xiao Mazi asked in surprise.

"Of course." Xiao Zhuang said calmly: "The Eight Banners Fushou Cream is so profitable, Wu Sangui has already made a lot of money, and he still receives more than 300 million taels of military pay from the court every year. Will the imperial court hand in some? Is it true that the Qing court and the Forbidden City Palace are really going to let us live with our belts tight, and let Wu Sangui eat and drink alone?"

After all, the old hag of Xiaozhuang called Aunt Su Ma to help her up, and said indiscriminately: "Grandson, that's it, you can make an order according to your own decision. If something goes wrong, you will be sad." The family will take care of the aftermath for you. If there is progress in this matter, report it to the Ai family immediately."

Although Xiao Mazi is getting older and more powerful, he still respects and obeys the old witch Xiaozhuang very much. Seeing that the old witch Xiaozhuang has a plan and seems to have a good chance of winning, she no longer insists, and immediately bows and answers: " Please rest assured, grandma, my grandson will immediately decree to take back the right to determine the tax of Baqi Fushou Gao, and send another imperial envoy to adjudicate the tax."

"I don't need to send an imperial envoy." Xiaozhuang suddenly changed his mind again, and said decisively: "Baqi Fushou Gao is Wu Sangui's biggest cash cow, no matter who is sent to adjudicate the tax amount of Baqi Fushou Gao, Wu Sangui will definitely buy it at any cost, try to Lowering the tax amount will harm the country and benefit private interests. So there is no need to send imperial envoys, and the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou should just report the production and profits of the Eight Banners Fushou Cream truthfully, and the court will decide how much tax should be collected.”

Xiao Mazi was stunned for a while, then bowed and agreed, and Xiao Zhuang pointed to Mingzhu and Suo'etu who were kneeling on the ground and ordered: "You all remember, you are not allowed to leak a single word of what the Ai family said to the emperor today, especially It's Oboi's side, don't let him hear any rumors, the Ai family has their own ideas."

………………

It was in Qujing City almost at the same time. After listening to Chen Dou's report on the tax increase and collection of the Eight Banners drug ointment in Qujing County, Fatty Lu couldn't help laughing, and asked: "It's so smooth, the people who grow the Eight Banners drug ointment Inside, isn’t there a tax-resistant person?”

"It's very simple, because the tax is too light." Chen Dou rarely smiled, and replied: "The official purchase price of Baqi Fushou Gao is four yuan and one tael, and the private purchase price is more than six yuan. Well, ordinary people would be so stupid to lose the planting rights of Eight Banners drug ointments in order to fight against this tax?"

"Oh, the common people are happy, but I believe that our pockmarked emperor must turn his nose up when he sees this tax amount." Fatty Lu laughed slyly, and said, "I bet our pockmarked emperor will definitely I would even have the heart to tear Zhu Guozhi apart, regretting why I gave the right to set taxes to Zhu Guozhi, an old white pig..."

"Huh?" Fatty Lu suddenly couldn't stop laughing, and exclaimed, "No, why didn't I think of this before?"

"Master Futai didn't think of that before?" Chen Dou asked doubtfully.

"What I didn't expect was, why did the court entrust such an important matter to the local governor?" Fatty Lu said nervously: "Although there are some special taxes and tax increases, there is a precedent for the local governor to decide the tax amount according to the actual situation. , but such a large tax source for the Eight Banners Fushou Gao is related to the imperial court’s strategy of weakening and restricting the prince, so why is it delegated to the local government, so that Gan Wenkun and Zhu Guozhi can make decisions based on the actual situation?”

"Didn't Zhu Guozhi say that because the Eight Banners Fushou Gao is a new thing, the imperial court didn't know much about it, so it delegated the tax ruling power to the local governments." Chen Dou explained.

"That's the most suspicious point!" Fatty Lu slapped the table, "Now the Eight Banners Fushou Cream Shops are everywhere in the capital, and the profits are so lucrative that they can be clearly grasped in the capital, and there is no need for the local government to rule And the most suspicious point is that Zhu Guozhi, an old fat pig, was a well-known corrupt official in the world as early as the Shunzhi period. He even dared to sell his mother's belly pocket for money. How could the court pay such an important matter with so much money? Leave the matter to him? Make it convenient for him to watch over and steal from himself?"

"Yes, this is very strange." Chen Dou also came back to his senses, and pondered: "Could it be that our pockmarked emperor suddenly became confused and made a foolish move?"

"Impossible!" Fatty Lu said decisively: "Even if Xiao Mazi is still young and hasn't woken up for a while, it is impossible for the two foxes, the Empress Dowager and Oboi, to get out of such a blind game! I am sure that this There must be a bigger conspiracy behind this incident!"

"What kind of conspiracy would there be?" Chen Dou hurriedly asked again.

Of course, Fatty Lu will not be able to answer what conspiracy is behind it, but after pondering for a long time, Fatty Lu suddenly revealed a look of surprise, and said: "Could it be that there are people in the court who have the same idea as us? They have the same purpose ?!"

(End of this chapter)