It was a common thing in the Ming Dynasty that the gentry were overtaxed and had a deficit in taxes and grain.
It is not unique to Zhu Youxiao after he became emperor.
Historically, some emperors would even avoid paying taxes due to the deception of civil servants on the grounds of loving the people.
Therefore, the gentry did not take the lack of wealth as a serious matter.
After all, many local civil servants would not let the yamen go collect the money in order to consider the dignity of the gentry.
But this time, because Emperor Zhu Youxiao was too harsh on civil servants, especially Donglin civil servants after he ascended the throne, the phenomenon of excessive taxation became more serious, and there was even a shortage of grain.
These civil servants thought that this was like flexing their muscles like the emperor, proving the importance of these people.
However, these civil servants did not expect that His Majesty the Emperor would use this trick after the grain supply was cut off, and directly form the West Factory with arrogant soldiers to go to South Zhili to collect taxes.
They originally thought that the emperor would use a very gentle approach, such as making appropriate compromises in order not to force people like them to rebel.
After all, this method is equivalent to directly drawing the sword, which is equivalent to directly forcing the civil servants and gentry to rebel.
It's like playing cards with each other.
The gentry thought that after showing a few cards, the emperor would relent.
Because although we are divided into monarchs and ministers, we are all rulers. There is no need to get into a tense situation and fight to the death.
Only common people who can't survive would resort to this life-and-death game and flip the table over.
But the gentry did not expect that the emperor would actually flip the table. Relying on the fact that he was the emperor and had the power, he would directly use troops to rob the rich themselves.
It is equivalent to directly risking one's life and forcing others to resist.
But when Zhu Youxiao did this, they didn't dare to rebel.
After all, the risk of rebellion is too high. Those who are familiar with history books know that the success rate of rebellion is very low. Therefore, who dares to risk their lives!
It's not like common people can't live anymore.
It's better to pay all the taxes honestly and still live a good life as an official collecting land rent. Anyway, the privileges of the gentry are still there.
What's more, those who rebel may be killed before they leave the capital. After all, the emperor still has the final say in the capital.
Therefore, these civil servants simply begged for mercy directly, keeping only their hatred for the emperor in their hearts.
…
"I know that they are begging me now not out of their original intention. They must hate me in their hearts, but they can only keep it in their hearts! But I just want them to hate me but they can't do anything to me!"
When Zhu Youxiao learned that these civil servants from Southern Zhili were kneeling to beg at Zuoshunmen, he sneered, muttered a few words to himself, then stared deeply at the civil servants kneeling outside the palace wall and said:
"If they dare to cut off my water transportation, I will seize their power and position! Send a decree to these kneeling officials. Xichang only collects the taxes that should be collected. There is no such thing as bullying the gentry. As long as the gentry pays taxes properly, they will There is no fault in Huiqiu, let them leave quickly. If they want to blackmail me and threaten the imperial court to depose the West Factory, then on the grounds of resisting the decree, they will be killed without mercy!"
Zhu Youxiao said with a cold face and then let the snow fall on his sleeves.
"My slave obeys the order!"
Wei Zhongxian replied, went down from the tower, came to Zuoshun Gate, and shouted loudly to these civil servants.
Shen Yongmao and other civil servants were naturally extremely angry and disappointed in their hearts. They all looked up at the palace wall. They knew that the emperor must be hiding on this palace wall.
The imperial censor Li Yingsheng shouted loudly first: "As the saying goes, in the Ming Dynasty, all gentry were courteous and virtuous. Therefore, in the Ming Dynasty, we exempted the gentry from labor service to preserve their dignity. The gentry will also abide by the national laws, pay grain taxes, and set up the Western Since the factory is humiliating the gentry, it is also because Your Majesty does not trust us gentry. I, the gentry and civil servants, have failed you at the top, failed my parents at the middle, and cannot command the respect of the common people below. In this case, I have no choice but to die!"
When Wei Zhongxian saw what Li Yingsheng said, he could only wave his hand.
Immediately, two teams of Jinyi guards rushed out holding torches and embroidered spring knives.
Li Yingsheng's eyes widened when he saw this, and then he ran away.
Other civil servants also dispersed like birds and beasts.
Only a few civil servants were stabbed in the back.
Seeing this, Zhu Youxiao raised the corner of his mouth slightly.
…
"There's no point in begging and admitting my mistake. The Emperor refused to dismantle the West Factory! He even asked the Jinyi guards to drive us away with knives!"
After Shen Yongmao arrived at the secret gathering place where Qian Qianyi and other Donglin officials were meeting, he spoke quite disappointedly.
"Are we really going to sit back and watch the Xichang collect taxes while the gentry like us are humiliated at will by those Qiu Ba in the Xichang?!"
Zhou Qiyuan spoke excitedly at this time.
"Otherwise, do the princes still have to return to their hometowns to organize soldiers to remonstrate in the palace, or contact the vassal kings to raise troops and establish a new emperor? We are not those illiterate bandits! We can ignore loyalty and filial piety and betray the country! We can do anything, even to be cut into pieces! "
Qian Qianyi asked, and then said: "I have submitted my resignation letter! In this way, the court is determined to benefit the gentry. If you stand in the court in the future, you will only be complicit, otherwise it will be difficult to move forward!"
"Why not raise an army to force the palace! Now that the emperor is so violent and ungrateful, how dare we, the gentry, let him slaughter us! Since ancient times, such kings have been punished by everyone!"
Man Chaojian, the doctor of the Ministry of Punishment, slapped the table, said angrily, and then looked at the Donglin officials.
But no one responded to him.
Even Li Yingsheng, who had just narrowly escaped death, did not speak.
Because not all Donglin officials dared to recommend such a radical approach to the Manchu Dynasty, like this radical official who was preparing to bring Huguang troops to Beijing to admonish Tianqi troops in history.
Maybe others don't want to rebel against Zhu Youxiao, but no one wants to be the first person. They all want to follow the trend when the overall situation is determined.
"Recommended by the whole court! What are you talking about? Do you believe it or not? As long as you dare to do this, I will be the first to not tolerate you!"
Zheng Sanjun even got excited and scolded Manchu Jian because of this, and he was very righteous. He was the left minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and he wanted to be a minister. Naturally, he didn't want anyone to know that he was ambiguous on such a big issue. Unclear attitude.
Man Chaojian had no choice but to sit back.
"Today, we cannot deal with the emperor as an ordinary emperor. We cannot deter him by raising troops and forcing him to the palace. Our majesty is extremely determined and has even been prepared to die together!
You should have noticed that the emperor did not think about getting any reputation for his behavior. He was risking his life from the beginning. It seems that in his eyes, the Ming Dynasty only has 20 or 30 years of national destiny, and the Ming Dynasty will soon perish, and he will do the same. I am too lazy to be the emperor of peace, regulate yin and yang, be gentle and appeasement, but simply govern the country with iron blood, implement strict government, and uphold the law!
Nowadays, the clearing of land and the payment of taxes are examples. I heard that it will become a legal practice! Think about it, can we threaten such an emperor? His Majesty governs the country with hardness, so we can only use softness to control the other side. It is said that it is better to overcome toughness with softness. Therefore, as Qian Mou sees it, it is better to tolerate it first and wait for him to change. . "
Qian Qianyi started talking at this time, and all the Donglin officials listened.
Qian Qianyi seemed to have become the think tank or military advisor of these Donglin officials, so he continued to talk: "But since ancient times, it has been impossible for the dynasty to have a prosperous national fortune. The Ming Dynasty has enjoyed the country for more than two hundred years, and the world has been in a state of decline. , it cannot be solved by urging us gentry to pay taxes. The number of people is increasing day by day, but the land has not been increased, so the number of refugees has increased. The Ming Dynasty has been in chaos not long ago. In addition, the number of clans is increasing, and the burden on the court is getting heavier and heavier."
"If the emperor really wants to continue to be so tough and carry out drastic reforms, then there will only be more people offended in the future, and it will not be limited to me, the Jiangnan gentry! By then, there will naturally be more opponents, and then our opportunity will come. , It is hard and easy to break, and your majesty, a tough king, will break it sooner or later!"
Qian Qianyi said, clapped his hands on the chair and gritted his teeth.
"Yes, the emperor is going against the trend, and sooner or later it will fail!
The most important thing now is that we scholars are united. The reason why the grain supply is cut off this time does not threaten the imperial court. What is more important is that we scholars are not united. For example, the governor of Shandong in Jin Dynasty actually prepared three million stones of grain and grass in advance. , solved the urgent problem of grain shortage! Now he has been promoted to Governor of Jiliao!
In the eyes of these officials, they only have his personal merits, regardless of the dignity of the scholar. In name, they are for the peace of the world, but in fact they are just public servants, without the elegance and integrity of the scholar-bureaucrats. The emperor's family values reality over virtue! "
Zheng Sanjun echoed Qian Qianyi's point of view, and also elaborated on his personal views on Wang Zaijin, and then said:
"So, the key now is for the scholars to work together to let the world's scholars understand that there is a distinction between scholars, peasants, industry and merchants, and scholars should treat them with courtesy and not with strict laws. The gentry is the benchmark for local morality, how can it be compared with The common people agree on the same opinion, but are restrained by laws?
We must make the world's gentry reach a consensus that using the Western Factory to collect taxes and not treat the gentry differently is cruelty to the gentry and detrimental to the virtues of the Holy Dynasty. We must make everyone in the world regard courtesy and virtuous corporals as the right way. As long as all scholars regard us as literati. If you follow the path of heaven, you will just have to wait for the heavens to change! "
"Your Majesty, I understand. What Mr. Qian and Shao Sinong said made my Majesty enlightened!"
When Man Chaojian started talking, he sneered and said: "When the emperor or the court changes, the new emperor who ascends the throne will learn the way of courtesy to the virtuous and corporal officials, and the officials he will use will also learn the way of courtesy to the virtuous and corporal officials. It’s still a time when everyone is in full swing!”
"So, Qian decided to resign and return to his hometown to visit Dong Qichang, Chen Jiru, Huang Zunsu, Liu Zongzhou and other famous people. In addition, he went to Wuxi Donglin Academy to visit Ye Maocai, Gu Xuancheng and other Donglin gentlemen, so as to develop and strengthen the righteous way advocated by Donglin! So that in the future all the scholars in the world will be from my Donglin family, and they can work together to promote the pure and eliminate the turbid!"
Qian Qianyi smiled and said that he meant to continue to grow the Donglin Party and allow the Donglin Party to take over the power of the government when the emperor or the court changed in the future.
Other Donglin officials agreed and supported what Qian Qianyi was about to do.
"I have approved Qian Qianyi's resignation, but your Dongchang has to keep a close watch on him. Now that the imperial court is strictly pursuing Fu Fu and clearing land ownership in Nanzhili, it will inevitably cause great dissatisfaction among the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River. Their courage makes it impossible to rebel directly, but we do not rule out using methods such as forming associations and opening forums to stir up public opinion and stir up trouble. Dongchang must keep a close eye on them. If necessary, I will use your Dongchang to use thunderous measures against them!"
Zhu Youxiao gave instructions to Wei Zhongxian here, and said to Fang Shihong who had entered the palace: "It's the same here at Chongwen Temple. We have to use various means to build momentum so that the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River cannot be twisted into a rope and let the world know about public opinion. People have formed the consciousness that paying taxes is a must, and it even makes the world think that the more active you are in paying taxes, the more glorious it will be!”
"My slave obeys the order!"
"I also obey the order!"
Wei Zhongxian and Fang Shihong both replied.
At this time, Fang Shihong handed over Dong Qichang's confession: "Your Majesty! I dare not live up to your entrustment. After letting Ruan Dacheng, the prime minister of Nanjing Chongwen Temple, patiently defend and preach to Dong Qichang, Dong Qichang has deeply realized his previous mistakes. , and felt very remorseful, so he wrote a proclamation advocating that the gentry all over the world actively pay all taxes, and also wrote a book of confession, which he asked to be submitted to the Emperor of Chongwen Temple for your Majesty's reading."
Zhu Youxiao nodded. He naturally knew that Dong Qichang must have had to repent under the joint threat of Xichang and Chongwen Temple.
But Zhu Youxiao naturally wouldn't expose it, so he only read Dong Qichang's confession.
"The criminal minister Dong Qichang believes that paying all taxes is the most important thing to practice the teachings of the saints. If any gentry does not actively pay all taxes, they will be a scholar in vain, and they will betray the emperor and abandon the country! They are unfaithful and unfilial! They should be severely punished without credit. ! The head can be cut off and the blood can be shed, but Bu Fu cannot be cut off!"
Zhu Youxiao laughed when he saw these contents, and said: "Very good, after all, he is a scholar Dong from the Imperial Academy. This realization is indeed good. Chongwen Temple immediately published his remarks in Chongming Newspaper. Wei Zhongxian, the Ministry of Rites , engraved Dong Qichang's remarks in the original calligraphy on a stele, and erected a monument in various prefectures and counties, as well as in the Imperial Academy of the two capitals, to let scholars all over the world know that paying all taxes is the most important thing in the saint's teachings, and to preach to the scholars all over the world! "
"yes!"
Wei Zhongxian and Fang Shihong replied again.
…
And because of this.
Dong Qichang's remarks were quickly known to civil servants both inside and outside the court.
"How could Dong Huating write such remarks that go against the teachings of a saint? It is in line with the saint's way to do light corvee and low taxes. When will you pay all the taxes! Heavy taxation and harsh government should be banned immediately!"
"It's unbelievable! It's unbelievable! When did Dong Huating become so ungrateful? How can I, a scholar, have any moral integrity?"
"Even Dong Huating holds fallacies. It turns out that the world is declining and people's hearts are not as old as they used to be!"
Some such remarks began to appear among civil servants.
But because of Dong Qichang's submission, the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River became more and more quiet. They completely surrendered in front of the West Factory who broke up the family and collected taxes after a disagreement, and began to consciously come to the government offices to check whether they had any unpaid taxes and actively paid them. got up.
Especially after learning that His Majesty the Emperor dismissed all the gentry who did not make up their taxes.
Xichang's strong fighting power coupled with the cowardly class attributes of the Jiangnan gentry, therefore, the Jiangnan gentry did not dare to owe taxes anymore.
However, many of the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River, who considered themselves to have a rigid nature, still expressed their dissatisfaction in other ways with the court's treatment of the gentry like common people in terms of taxation.
Take Gu Qiyuan, who was appointed Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Nanjing in the first year of Taichang as an example.
At this time, he said angrily: "Since the imperial court insists on forcibly collecting taxes and is mean to the gentry, I will personally send taxes and grains to the capital to ask for an audience with your majesty, let the world know, and let the treacherous ministers like Fang Congzhe see what the imperial court is doing." Do you want more face?"
"Since they want me to pay taxes and grain, I will personally deliver the grain to the capital without bothering the Cao army. I want to see if the imperial court is ashamed! Let the world see that this is how the imperial court treats its old ministers! "
Zhu Wubi, an official who once served as minister of the Ministry of Industry, also said so.
According to the water transportation system of the Ming Dynasty, grain could indeed be transported to the capital by the people themselves. However, in order to reduce the burden on the people, it was reformed to have grain transported by the officers and soldiers along the canal, but the people had to bear a certain amount of freight.
However, if people want to transport food to Beijing themselves, that is also possible.
Therefore, now, officials such as Gu Qiyuan and Zhu Wubi, who have become public officials, choose to personally deposit tax grains to Beijing instead of spending more money to hand over to the officials and soldiers because of the collection of taxes by Nanzhili.
The purpose of these high-ranking officials is naturally very simple, that is, they think that doing so can embarrass the court, which can be regarded as motivated.
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