Feng Xi had indeed read the first few hundred thousand words of the original work, which also briefly talked about the entanglement between Qi Xiao, the protagonist, and the original owner, the legitimate princess of Da Zhao.
It's just that most of the plot is about the original owner's unreasonable abuse of Qi Xiao, or his obsession with Mu Qingze. The other descriptions of the original owner can be said to be extremely vague.
Just like today, if Tianxi hadn't mentioned it, she wouldn't have remembered this fiefdom at all, let alone knew that this fiefdom was called Mingzhou, which was a famous large state in the south. The state governed five counties and had rich tax revenue.
It can be said that Emperor Shengde did indulge in her daughter. After all, even the princes of previous dynasties could only look at such a fiefdom, but could not obtain it.
Of course, this is probably also the reason why a silly princess like her only collects taxes but does not interfere in the government affairs of the fief.
Those officials in Mingzhou were indeed responsible for her, but they were not completely responsible for her.
In short, in the original owner's mind, apart from asking for money from the fief every year, he had no intention of managing or paying for it.
But no matter what the idiot original owner thought, Feng Xi now felt that the average tax revenue of more than 5,000 taels per county per year was absolutely abnormal.
"How much were Mingzhou's taxes in previous years? Does the Princess Mansion have records?"
Seeing that his princess suddenly asked about this matter, the smile on Tianxi's face couldn't help but fade, and he hurriedly sent someone back to the house to get the account books.
As the chief steward of the Princess Protector's Mansion, he could memorize important matters such as the annual fixed income in the mansion, even if he didn't have account books.
"Going back to the princess, although Mingzhou was a treasured land in the past few years, because Da Zhao was weak, it was not in a hurry to pay you a tribute. Therefore, the tax revenue will only come to you after you established your palace and left the palace. "
Tianxi knows the nature of his princess, so he talks about everything from the beginning.
Mingzhou is a rare and prosperous place in Dazhao. Using Feng Xi's mind to understand it, it is probably the Jiangnan of Dazhao.
Because the late emperor was ignorant and liked to be extravagant and wasteful, even though Mingzhou was granted to the original owner when he was born, the original owner lived in the palace for the next twelve years, and Emperor Shengde never became short-term. increased her food and clothing expenses.
Therefore, this part of the tax revenue was basically used to fill the hole created by the late emperor. It was not until the year before the original owner left the palace and opened a mansion at the age of 12 that it completely fell into the hands of the original owner.
Therefore, including the sum of money in her hands now, Mingzhou has been paying taxes to the Princess Protector's Mansion for five years.
"Five years ago, Mingzhou's tax revenue was about 1,780 taels of silver. In the first year after you opened your mansion, it was not much different, which was 19,214 taels."
From the second to the fourth year, it increased steadily, from just over 20,000 to about 23,000 taels.
What is now being sent to Feng Xi is Mingzhou's tax revenue from last year. The reason why it was sent almost to the end of April is because the state first needs to collect it, then unify it, and then there are a series of procedures.
In short, the tax this time is surprisingly high, more than three thousand taels more than last year.
In the eyes of the princes and nobles, this is just a number, or a relatively large expense for them, but Feng Xi knows that this is the blood and sweat of the people, and it is the real wealth of the people.
"The average annual tax revenue per county in Dazhao is two to three thousand taels. Even if Mingzhou is richer, it can reach around three thousand or even four thousand taels. Isn't the more than 5,300 taels reported now too outrageous? "
Tianxi looked blank for a moment, then knelt on the ground with a plop.
It wasn't that he had ever taken bribes, but after hearing what their princess said, he felt that the tax revenue of 5,300 taels per county was really too much.
And from the tone of their princess's voice, even the tax of nearly four thousand dollars was unusual.
This means that he probably made some mistakes in his errands, causing their princess some big trouble that has not yet been seen, but may actually already exist.
"Princess, the slave is at fault, the slave is sloppy..."
Feng Xi glanced lazily at Tian Xi, who looked remorseful, and saw that not only was he not worried about her safety, but he also looked like he was ashamed of herself, Feng Xi was also speechless.
"Get up, even if there is a mistake, it's not your fault."
She is not excusing Tian Xi, but Tian Xi is a eunuch who works as a housekeeper. He only needs to manage the income, expenditure and other affairs of the princess palace.
As for the fief, that was a matter that the original owner didn't even bother to take care of and left all the power to the fief officials.
Therefore, all Tianxi can do is collect the money sent from below every year, and then keep the accounts and present them to the original owner, who probably didn’t look at them seriously...
Tianxi is not even his master Zhao Xi, who has keen intuition and talent in politics.
To put it bluntly, Emperor Sheng De didn't expect the original owner to have any future, so he had the idea of letting the original owner hang on to Qi Xiao's thighs.
Therefore, the slaves that Tianxi sent to serve as the arms of the original owner were mainly loyal to protect the owner, upright and upright.
As long as he can take good care of the original owner's food, clothing, housing and transportation, avoid corruption or bribery, and remain loyal to the original owner, he has completed his mission.
As for tax issues...
If Qi Xiao could have taken power in the Princess Mansion two years ago, he might have sent someone to investigate this matter long ago.
However, in the past two years, this guy was either in the woodshed or the shack. Not to mention the main income of the princess mansion, he could not even touch a piece of silver.
When she came here, Qi Xiao was in power, but this guy was just a top, and he hadn't stopped for more than half a year...
The taxes were only delivered today, so I guess they haven’t even touched them.
"Princess, what should we do now? How about I send someone to Mingzhou immediately to carefully check Mingzhou's accounts?"
Tianxi was in a hurry when he got up. He was more anxious than the princess Feng Xi.
Their princess has finally turned over, but she cannot be burdened by such a stain.
Even though he knew little about political affairs, he also understood that oppressing the people and taking away their wealth was a serious crime.
Even if their princess is a relative of the emperor and a privileged being, there is no way it will sound good if word spreads about it.
Now that they are aware of the problem, they must send people to solve the problem before it breaks out!
As a result, he was jumping up and down anxiously, wishing he could tell his master now and let the master talk to the emperor, but Feng Xi said calmly:
"What are you afraid of? I bet you a bag of gold. This matter will only be more difficult than you think now. At least it cannot be just a tax issue."
Tianxi: "?"
Do you yourself know that the problem is huge?
Then you ask me what I'm afraid of?
Now, instead of being comforted, Tian Xi went crazy with anxiety.
Then Feng Xi beckoned him to come to her. He went and was knocked unconscious by his princess with a knife.
Even after Feng Xi knocked him out, she said to the young eunuchs and maids outside who were called in by her:
"Eunuch Tianxi is suffering from an emergency. Please quickly ask Dr. Bai to take a look at him. If I don't lie down for ten days and a half, I'm afraid he won't recover."
Everyone in the palace: "?"
Have it?
Weren't you so lively just now?
But if the princess says there is, then of course there is.
Moreover, Bai Yi, who came with the order, just glanced at Tian Xi, then opened his eyes and lied, confirming Feng Xi's words, and even prescribed some medicine for Tian Xi to make him drowsy, so that he could wake up after he woke up. Drink it for him immediately.
It was only after the others left that she asked Feng Xi why he was acting like this.
Feng Xi shrugged her shoulders and said helplessly:
"Tianxi is too anxious. I asked him not to be anxious first, but he still acted very anxious. What if others see this look and they don't show it to me? So I have to manually tell him to stop. Anxious."
Bai Yi: "?"
Don't worry, it's okay if you do it manually...
But considering that this man manually "cured" the emperor's sorrow, giving it to Tianxi didn't seem to be a big deal.
Shortly after Tian Xi suffered a sudden illness, Feng Xi's discovery was secretly sent to Emperor Sheng De and Qi Xiao of the lower dynasty.
The two of them were obviously more rigorous than Feng Xi. They immediately checked Mingzhou's tax records from the time of the late emperor to the present in the imperial study room, and found that the county's more than 5,300 taels was outrageous. It was simply unprecedented!
After all, Mingzhou is not the richest Zhongzhou in Dazhao. It is indeed the tallest among the short ones, but what about the real tall ones?
That is to say, the tall man is better at farming, which is incomparable with other state capitals where there is salt and iron, or where rich merchants gather.
Emperor Shengde was not a coward, so he could not give his daughter a place where she would be too nice, too eye-catching, and easily opposed by the courtiers.
Therefore, Mingzhou’s tax is indeed wrong.
If Feng Xi just noticed something was wrong and was suspected of taking away people's support, then people like Emperor Sheng De and Qi Xiao, who knew Da Zhao very well, were already convinced.
"My son believes that the annual tax revenue of each county in Mingzhou is around three thousand. If it exceeds, it will be suspected of taking money, and five thousand three hundred taels will definitely be squeezed."
Qi Xiao looked solemn. Don't think that more than 5,300 taels per county and more than 26,000 taels per state are the limit.
As the saying goes, if the water is clear, there will be no fish, and if the people are careful, there will be no disciples. There are honest officials in various places, but most of them eat and take, and even take bribes.
After all, everything is managed, the cards are taken out, wives, concubines, descendants...
Which of these cost nothing?
The official salary alone is definitely not enough.
The officialdom has its own rules, and the emperor has his own rules.
In fact, as long as these people don't go too far, don't really affect the basic lives of the people, and can pay the taxes stipulated by the court every year, the emperor will turn a blind eye.
Therefore, it is impossible for the people of Mingzhou to only pay the taxes that were handed over to Feng Xi. The more than 26,000 taxes were probably handed over after a round of exploitation by Mingzhou officials.
And this level of oppression is almost enough to bring down a Mingzhou.
"Okay, the ability of many Mingzhou officials to deceive superiors and conceal their subordinates must be specially used to deal with this little fool Zhaoming!"
Emperor Shengde was furious:
"Check! Send the Dark Dragon Guard to Mingzhou immediately. I will investigate this matter strictly!"
However, Qi Xiao, who heard this, shook his head and said:
"Father, the Dark Dragon Guards are all in Shengjing and in various very important positions. We cannot secretly spy on them easily. Since this matter involves the Princess's Mansion, let me send someone to go there."
Those people who want to target his little Phoenix still have to wait and see whether he agrees, right?
