scourge the qing dynasty

Chapter 147 Drug War

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With Aobai's support, all Xiao Mazi's worries finally dissipated, so, under Xiao Mazi's direct instruction, there was a sudden wave of impeachment against the Eight Banners' drug tax quota , the six ministries and nine officials in the capital, the head of the minister, the inspector of science and technology, the official censor, and the supervisor of the Imperial Academy all scrambled to hand over the memorial, and all of them impeached the local governor of Yunnan and Guizhou for allegedly engaging in fraud and fraud for private interests in deciding the tax amount of the Eight Banners Fushou Gao. What's more, they simply pointed the finger at the Eight Banners drug plantation owners in Yunnan, accusing them of bribing local officials by all means for personal gain, tax evasion, and tax evasion.

The old cat and the criminal dog wear the shackles, our poor Lu Yifeng Lu Sanhao Lu Fatty, because he holds the only Qujing Mansion in Yunnan that allows the private cultivation of Eight Banners medicines, so he is also innocently the target of this impeachment, and it is still the main target—— —Do the vast majority of officials dare to directly impeach Wu Sangui for bribing local governors for tax evasion?
Although Fatty Lu's few conscientious friends such as Wang Xu and Jackie Chan and other Beijing officials argued with reason, pointing out that the possibility of Fatty Lu bribing Shangguans to help poor people evade taxes is almost zero, but Fatty Lu still Breaking a personal precedent of his own, being impeached for the first time by a group of censors who are full of food and nothing to do, and being slandered and slandered by a group of people in the Qing court for the first time - Fatty Lu can swear by his conscience that he I was really slandered and slandered once.

Xiao Mazi is definitely a smart pockmark. In history, before he was about to attack Oboi, there was no word about it. He suddenly killed Oboi by surprise, so that after he captured Oboi, many officials in Beijing were shocked. I couldn't believe my ears, and suspected that I had heard the wrong news.But soldiers are unpredictable, and water is unpredictable. This time, because of the absolute support of Oboi to attack Wu Sangui, and because Oboi's attitude is not firm and resolute enough, Xiao Mazi naturally had to let the wind out in advance to create public pressure and force Aoboi started - didn't you, old man Ao, pretend to clear the pillars for me?Now is the time when I need you, do you still want to shrink and hide?dream!

So, under Xiao Mazi's direct instigation and secret instigation, the impeachment of the Eight Banners' drug tax was too low and the memorials for re-ruling and re-taxation naturally flew all over the sky, flying into the cabinet's study room like snowflakes, and flew to hold Oboi in his hand. In front of them, it was as if most of the civil and military officials in the Qing Dynasty had suddenly been bewitched by evil spirits, and they just kept making a big fuss about the taxation of the Eight Banners drug products, forcing Oboi and Xiao Mazi to re-rule the tax amount and impose heavy taxes again. .

Xiao Mazi's little trick, of course, cannot be hidden from the eyes of the old fox Oboi, who has experienced a lot of troubles, but considering that if he wants to re-rule the tax amount of the Eight Banners drug products, he must rely on the pressure of public opinion to create a teacher, so Oboi has no choice but to pretend I don’t know this trick, but I just selected many memorials impeaching Wu Sangui for bribing the local governor for tax evasion, withholding official positions and names and re-transcribing several copies, and then sending them to Wu Sangui, Gan Wenkun, Zhu Guozhi and others through the post station, asking them to Write a defense to prove your innocence, thereby knocking mountains and shaking tigers, and laying the foundation for the next step.

Limited by the speed limit of news dissemination, the turn of public opinion in the capital and the pressure exerted by Oboi and Xiao Mazi, it will naturally not spread to Yunnan in a short while, but Wu Yingxiong, the eldest son of Wu Sangui who was a hostage in Beijing, sniffed out the news immediately. The situation was not right, so he hurriedly used a faster secret channel to report to Yunnan, and then secretly came to the Ao Mansion to ask for an interview, and accused Aobai of his treachery in person.

"Master Ao, isn't it a little too much for you to do this?" As soon as we met, Wu Yingxiong asked Aobai with a livid face: "Since the secret alliance in the eighth year of Kangxi, our Pingxi Palace has not only never done a single thing. I'm sorry about your matter, and I don't know how much I have helped you in the open and in the dark. Even the emperor's secret plan against you, which we found out with great difficulty, we provided it to you without reservation, and we have done our utmost to you. Now, are you going to repay your friend like this?"

Oboi, who was wronged, was silent, and said after a while: "It has nothing to do with the truth, it was decided by the civil and military officials themselves, although there may be orders and acquiescence from the emperor, but the truth can swear to the sky, there is absolutely no one of your own." Come forward and order an official to do that."

"Then Prime Minister Ao, can't you come forward to suppress it?" Wu Yingxiong said under pressure: "As long as you come forward and punish the officials who took the lead in making trouble, how dare the other side of the wall be so rampant? Now, Prime Minister, not only do you not To put it bluntly, sending the copy to Yunnan and Guizhou is not encouraging them to do so in disguise, right?"

Aobai was speechless again, and after a long while he said again: "As for the ruling on the tax amount of the Eight Banners Fushou Gao, you did it yourself, and you know in your heart that you have gone too far. If you are not convinced, all civil and military officials will have something to say. How can the truth suppress their heartfelt words? How can they punish their loyalty?"

"Master Ao, don't come here..." Wu Yingxiong almost exploded on the spot, after trying to suppress his anger, Wu Yingxiong sneered and said, "Master Ao, I think you are very clear that these people accused Baqi's drug tax ruling of being too low , Is it really out of loyalty to the Qing Dynasty? It seems that there are more memorials asking the court to force my father to hand over the seeds? There are also those censors, inspectors of science and roads, no matter how high the tax of Baqi drug is , They don't have a penny in their pockets, no one secretly instigates them, they are full and they are unhappy with our Pingxi Palace?"

Aobai fell silent again, Wu Yingxiong also knew that his anger was growing, so he tried his best to suppress his anger, and said in a low voice: "Master Ao, my nephew will not hide from you, the power my father gave my nephew is a Two Eight Banners Fushou Gao is one penny, as long as you settle the matter for our Pingxi Palace and maintain the tax amount decided by Gan Wenkun and Zhu Guozhi, then every time Yunnan produces one Liang Eight Banners Fushou Gao, there will be one penny in the profits generated. The silver belongs to you, Xiangye. Xiangye, 10 taels of silver a year is not a small amount."

"Nephew, do you seem to underestimate this old man?" Obai sneered and said, "If this old man is a man who loves money, why do he need to live in a small house here in Dongtangzi Hutong? My nephew can come as much as he likes." Take a look in the capital, randomly pull out a Prince Baylor, Shang Shutang, the house of that family is not bigger than the old man's? Is the house of that family not more luxurious than the old man's?"

"Old man Ao took the wrong medicine today? Why does his speech seem to have a smell of gunpowder?" Wu Yingxiong was stunned, and then asked unwillingly: "Master, if you still think it's too little, then just ask as much as you want, little nephew." I have never been stingy with my father in this regard, and we can discuss it."

"The old man has already said that the old man does not love money." Obai stood up and said coldly: "Nephew please tell your lord that if you are smart, it is best to follow the imperial court's new ruling on the tax amount of the Eight Banners Fushou cream and pay back the tax. Otherwise, the old man will be very embarrassed and difficult to handle as the chief assistant of the imperial court and an important minister in charge of Gu Gu."

"Old man Ao must have taken the wrong medicine today, it must be." Wu Yingxiong came to a conclusion secretly. After a little thought, Wu Yingxiong also stood up and said in a slow tone: "My nephew is too anxious today, and his words are a little rude. place, but my nephew still asks Xiangye one more question, is there no room for redemption for today's matter?"

Aobai thought about it for a while and replied: "Yes, there are two options for you to choose. One is to cut down all the troops you have secretly expanded and restore the original [-] troops. Erhai, Chuxiong, Xinxing, and Nule Peak camps. The second road is to let go of the monopoly planting of the Eight Banners medicines and hand over the seeds and planting technology. These two roads, no matter which one you take, the truth will be fine. reconsider."

"You are dreaming! You clearly want my father's life!" Wu Yingxiong roared in his heart.Infuriated, Wu Yingxiong couldn't help sneering and said: "Master Ao is really fair and honest in his actions. In the past, when Yunnan and Guizhou were so poor that people had no three cents of silver, we didn't see Mr. Ao reducing taxes by one penny in Yunnan and Guizhou. Now the days of Yunnan They just got better, and they will be forced to increase food and taxes, and even uproot them, so that Yunnan and Guizhou can go back to live in poverty. My nephew only found out today that Prime Minister Ao treats his allies so kindly!"

"Your nephew can think whatever you want, but your nephew is wrong. Life in Yunnan is no longer easier, but has almost surpassed Jiangnan." Obai, who had already made up his mind to deal with Wu Sangui, didn't bother to talk to Wu Yingxiong. He said directly: "The old man still has official business, so I won't leave my nephew for dinner. Please come and see off the guests at your own convenience."

As soon as the words fell, two guards of the Ao Mansion immediately came in outside the door, gestured together and respectfully said to Wu Yingxiong: "Master, please."

Wu Yingxiong went out angrily, but before the hall door, Wu Yingxiong turned around and asked: "Master Ao, if we have offended the Pingxi Palace in any way, then please make it clear that we should compensate and apologize. I will pay compensation and apologize. But my nephew finds it hard to understand that Xiangye has cut off the good relationship with our Pingxi Palace in such an unreasonable manner, and also feels that he is too confused."

Aobai hesitated for a moment, and finally replied: "My son, please report back to Pingxi Prince. As an important minister and the chief assistant of the imperial court, Aobai must always consider the sake of the Qing court. If he doesn't go too far on some things, Aobai will Bai can turn a blind eye or close one eye, but if he goes too far and directly threatens the country and society of the Qing Dynasty, Obai can't just sit idly by. When that time comes, the one who regrets it will be Your entire Pingxi Palace!"

Although Oboi's words were cryptic, the meaning was already very firm—if Wu Sangui did not make concessions this time, allowing the court to weaken his power so that he could not threaten the security of the Qing court, then Oboi would never give in. We must weaken Wu Sangui at all costs, and even eradicate the entire Pingxi Palace!After comprehending the meaning, Wu Yingxiong was amazed at why Aobai was so unfeeling, and inevitably also a little frightened, so he bowed his hands to Aobai, turned around and left Aoboi's mansion.

As soon as Wu Yingxiong left, Bumble Shan, the chief think tank of the Ao Party, stepped out from the back hall, frowning and said to Ao Bai: "Mr. It's not impossible, why bother provoking Wu Fan again and again, leading to unforeseen consequences?"

"Since the old man has made up his mind, going around with Wu Yingxiong will only waste time." Obai said decisively: "Instead of that, it's better to have a showdown with Wu Sangui, or he will voluntarily surrender, and go back to the past. In the case of a crime, otherwise, the old man will directly attack and eradicate him completely!"

"Enxiang, I admire your loyalty to the Qing Dynasty very much." Bumbleshan said solemnly: "But the students still have to think twice about your kindness, although for Enxiang, it is not enough to gather the power of the whole country to eradicate the Pingxi Palace. It's difficult, but once Enxiang directly strikes at Pingxi Palace and eradicates it by force, then Jingnan Palace and Pingnan Palace will inevitably have dissent. At the same time, Zheng Ni in Taiwan will definitely fish in troubled waters, and the world will definitely be in chaos, and the peaceful situation in the world that you have painstakingly managed over the years will also be destroyed."

"Of course I have considered these issues." Oboi sat down and said slowly: "So these days, the old man has allowed the emperor to create public opinion, just to make a fuss about this and try to eliminate future troubles."

"The meaning of Enxiang is..." Bumbleshan is Oboi's confidant, after a little calculation, his eyes lit up immediately, and he said pleasantly: "Could it be that Enxiang intends to use the Eight Banners drug as a target to completely isolate Wu Sangui? Using the Eight Banners drug ointment as a bait, and then pull Jingnan Palace and Pingnan Palace into the water, and jointly destroy Wu Sangui?"

Aobai smiled, as a tacit consent, and said slowly: "Do you think that Shang Kexi and Geng Jingzhong won't be envious of such huge profits as the Eight Banners drug cream? Don't they covet it?"

"Of course I'm jealous, and I'll salivate!" Bumbleshan said pleasantly: "No wonder Enxiang just asked Wu Sangui to hand over the seeds of the Eight Banners Fushou Ointment. He originally wanted to expand this matter so that Monk Geng Jingzhong can see it The hope of huge profits from the Eight Banners drug pills lured them into the bait, and made them dissatisfied with Wu Sangui who refused to hand over the seeds of the Eight Banners drug pills, and then induced them to send troops to join forces with the court to destroy Wu Sangui! Enxiang was so far-sighted, and the officials really admired him. "

"What far-sightedness? I just thought of it on a whim." Oboi laughed at himself, "Otherwise, the old man would have a headache. How can I appease Geng Jingzhong and Shang Kexi while suppressing Wu Sangui?"

"Enxiang, since this is the case, then we either don't do it, or if we want to do it, we should make it louder." Bumbleshan suggested: "Let the emperor make a clear decree, using the excuse that the Eight Banners Fushou Ointment is a gift from heaven to the world. One family monopolizes it, ordering Wu Sangui to pay [-] jin of Eight Banners Fushou Ointment seeds to the imperial court, and the imperial court distributes them to the princes and governors of various places for trial planting! Then this decree will be entered into the residence newspaper, and it will be published to the world. Once Wu Sangui refuses, it will immediately complete the world The enemy of the vassal governor."

"It's a good idea, you go to the palace to do it." Obai was very satisfied, and immediately nodded in agreement.At the end, Oboi urged: "By the way, tell our emperor that Wu Sangui is a Han. We don't have to worry about anything when he rebels. The only thing we worry about is that he will take advantage of his status as a Han to play 'Anti-Qing and Fuming' and 'Prosper Han and Anti-Manchu'. The two flags of treason and injustice are inciting the Han people all over the world to rebel and respond, and it will inevitably cost more hands and feet and hurt more innocent people."

"So, in terms of the reason for the war, we can only make a fuss around the Eight Banners drug, and use the world's jealousy and dissatisfaction with Wu Sangui's monopoly on the profiteering of the Eight Banners drug, and use the excuse of seeking happiness for the people of the world to go to war against Wu Sangui. Support and weaken Wu Sangui's support. Simply put, it is to turn this war into a drug war!"

"Your Majesty understands, please rest assured, Enxiang." Bumbleshan agreed, and then said respectfully: "Enxiang, how much do you think the imperial court should re-rule the tax on the Eight Banners drug and life cream?"

"One tael of Eight Banners Fushou cream, eight qian qian tax silver." Aobai answered without thinking.

"Eight qian for one tael of happiness cream? Is it too low?" Bumble said worriedly: "Wu Sangui's one tael of Eight Banners for longevity cream can make a profit of more than two taels, so the tax of eight qian is set. Wu Sangui Will you just agree?"

"It is absolutely impossible to agree." Obai said with a sneer: "You have forgotten what you proposed? Wu Sangui handed over the seeds and let the world plant them widely. How can he maintain the huge profits of the Eight Banners medicine?"

"We only collect eight dollars in tax and silver. It seems that Wu Sangui has taken advantage of it. We only have the moral advantage and blocked the mouths of the world. But in fact, Wu Sangui, who understands that once the support of Baqi Drugs continues to expand, the price will inevitably plummet. Impossible to agree! Then he will inevitably bargain with us, and we will temporarily stabilize him, take the opportunity to dispatch troops to prepare for the war, and then reject his bargaining, turn him back, and finally kill him Strangled to death in Yunnan and Guizhou to prevent the war from expanding and causing disasters to other provinces!"

………………

With the strategy suggested by Ao Bai, Bumbleshan was worried about Dading, so Bumbleshan immediately passed the card into the palace, conveyed Aobai's instructions and requests to Xiao Mazi, and asked Xiao Mazi to follow through.And although Xiao Mazi is well aware that Oboi's strategy and advice are old-fashioned words for the country, and the arrangements are well-planned, but Xiao Mazi is still jealous, hateful and unconvinced. His strategy must be better and more perfect than that of you old thief Oboi!"

Hypocritically and affectionately, he sent away Bumbleshan, the number one running dog under Oboi's command, and cursed viciously at Bumbleshan's back, Xiao Mazi finally turned his eyes to the few confidantes present, and asked: " What do you think of Aobai's proposal? Is the tax amount determined appropriate?"

"Your Majesty, I feel that Ao Zhongtang is indeed a rare genius in this respect." Mingzhu said with incomparable admiration, "Those who have considered it extremely carefully and arranged it just right, if we act according to this strategy, we will definitely be able to destroy Wu Sangui's treacherous king with the least cost The loss of my Qing Dynasty was minimized."

"Especially the fact that this war is defined as a drug war is the most wonderful." Although he hated Oboi from the bottom of his heart, Suo'etu echoed in admiration: "Using the Eight Banners drug as an excuse to start the war can avoid Wu Sangui's treacherous king played the two rebellious banners of "prospering the Han and opposing the Manchus" and "anti-Qing and restoring the Ming" to confuse people's hearts. It can also win the support of the Han people all over the world for our Qing court, and in turn minimize the chances of Shang and Geng's rebellion following Wu Sangui. Possibly, it can serve multiple purposes, which is wonderful.”

Kong Sizhen and Xiong Cilu, who had fallen out of favor seriously recently, did not dare to speak, but they still admired Oboi's arrangement in their hearts, and although Xiao Mazi was unwilling, he still snorted coldly: "Then let's do this, Xiong Cilu , you can draw up an order to ask Wu Sangui to pay [-] catties of Eight Banners Fushou Gao seeds. Remember, it must be clearly stated that after these seeds are paid, I will distribute them to the governors of the world and Geng Shang's second vassals for trial planting."

"Observe the decree." Xiong Cilu respectfully agreed, and was about to go to the side room next to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to draw up the decree, Xiao Mazi suddenly shouted: "Wait a minute, add one more sentence——by Aobai!"

"Obey." Xiong Cilu agreed again, and sneered in his heart: "It's still the emperor's wisdom. Adding this sentence is tantamount to telling Wu Sangui that everything is Oboi's idea, and let Wu Sangui hate Oboi until his teeth itch. The emperor just sat next to him and watched the tigers fight."

When Xiong Cilu was ordered to draw up the decree, Xiao Mazi had to discuss with Mingzhu, Suo'etu and others about the military situation of exterminating Wu Sangui. Since this is a prepared extermination war, the purpose is to strangle Wu Sangui's forces in Yunnan and Guizhou. It is unavoidable to talk about the issue of attacking the fortifications, and the most effective attacking weapon in this era is undoubtedly the Hongyi cannon that was all the rage in the early Qing Dynasty.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Nan Huairen was assassinated." When mentioning the current casting progress of the Hongyi cannon, Xiao Mazi inevitably sighed again, and said, "Otherwise, if there were priest Nan, our Hongyi cannon in the Qing Dynasty would be destroyed." Why is the casting so slow? There is also the Western tribute cannon, and it is not necessary to imitate it until now."

"Your Majesty, the cannon that Xiyang paid tribute to last year? Hasn't it been cast yet?" Suo'etu asked in surprise, "If my servant remembers correctly, your Majesty, you have issued an order to the governors of the provinces in the south of the Yangtze River to ask them to visit Xiyang's cast iron. Cannon craftsmen pay tribute, just to imitate this kind of mother-in-law cannon."

"I found a few, but unfortunately they didn't work. I didn't make them for more than a year. It was a waste of my money." Xiao Mazi snorted coldly.

"Your Majesty, it happens to be today." At this time, Xiong Cilu, who was drafting an edict, suddenly raised his head and said cautiously: "I saw in the upper study room that Zhejiang Governor Fan Chengmo mentioned in the greeting booklet. , He found a former Ming cannon maker in Qiantang, Hangzhou, surnamed Dai Mingcang, who once forged Hongyi cannons for the former Ming Dynasty, I heard that he is quite famous, I wonder if the emperor has paid attention to it?"

"I haven't read that brochure yet." Xiao Mazi shook his head, then pondered again: "Dai Cang? Can this barbarian gunner make a mother-in-law cannon that no Westerner can make?"

"I remember now." Being reminded by Xiong Cilu and Xiao Mazi, Kong Sizhen suddenly remembered an important event, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, I know this person. When my father was casting the Hongyi Cannon with Sun Yuanhua in Dengzhou, This Dai Cang once participated in the casting, and I heard that he did a good job, and Sun Yuanhua praised him very much. Therefore, after the servant's father entered the pass from Long, he also searched for this person everywhere, intending to take it for his own use, but unfortunately he was unable to find it. "

"Really?" Xiao Mazi was overjoyed, and hurriedly ordered: "Then let the dead horse be treated as a living horse doctor, Xiong Aiqing, and you make another decree for Fan Chengmo, asking him to send this Dai Cang to Beijing, to Longtan Working in the gun factory."

"Observe the order." Xiong Cilu respectfully agreed, and then said: "Your Majesty, Fan Zhongcheng also mentioned in the memorial that Dai Cang had a son named Dai Zi who was influenced by his father and was also proficient in firearms. He made very exquisite firecrackers and fireworks. There is a lot of talent in the south of the Yangtze River, do you want to introduce him to Beijing as well?"

"What's the point?" Xiao Mazi said viciously: "As long as it can destroy that bastard Wu Sangui, no matter what kind of talents, I can use them eclecticly, and let Dai Cang, Dai Zi and his son come to Beijing together!"

(End of this chapter)