The mountain monk cannot count the number of jiats, and he knows the autumn of the world when one leaf falls.
Jia Qi was in the court. When he heard this, the first thing that came to his mind was not the suppression of bandits, but climate change. The output of grains and grains had been greatly suppressed, and the people had to go up to Liangshan due to the pressure of their livelihood.
Guessing that this was the case, he felt more sympathy for the bandits, and his thoughts of strangulation became less intense.
However, he was stunned, and others may not want to make meritorious deeds, and soon someone came out of the queue.
"I am going to report to the Emperor, I have my own intention to report!"
It was Cabinet Minister Fan Yuanhe. Emperor Mingkang nodded and said solemnly: "Say it!"
Fan Yuanhe's face did not change, and he replied respectfully: "I am reporting to the Emperor that I believe that the Shanxi bandit rebellion has reached a large scale and must be guarded against. There is a saying that a thousand-mile embankment collapses in an ant nest, and a hundred-foot room can break through." The smoke of the gap is burning. Nowadays, there are bandits everywhere, and there are a lot of them. If the imperial court cannot kill chickens to scare the monkeys, and cut the knot with a sharp knife, various places will definitely think that the imperial court is powerless and follow suit one after another. When the smoke of war breaks out in our country, maybe There is a risk of overthrow!"
Emperor Mingkang nodded secretly. Although Fan Yuanhe was a member of Emperor Taikang, he was a little unhappy, but he had to say that this old guy was still very experienced in certain things.
After saying this, someone stood up again, but it was another cabinet minister, Wang Xiren.
"Let's start the report to the Emperor. I have something to report!"
Emperor Mingkang nodded, "Go ahead."
Wang Xiren said: "I was heartbroken when I first heard about the incident in Shanxi. However, there must be a reason for everything to happen. How can it be groundless? Regarding Master Fan's words, the veteran has different views. It should be noted that in the country, the people are the most important. The king, the boat, and the people's water Also, water can carry a boat or capsize it. I ask you to investigate the reasons for the banditry in Shanxi and understand the truth of the matter. The bandits should be suppressed, but the reasons behind them are more important. The court must take a warning. If it is because of If officials are greedy and greedy, plundering people's fat and anointing, provoking civil uprisings, and going up to the mountains to become bandits, they should check the officials' governance, kill chickens to scare monkeys, and restore the innocence of local officials. If the local people's thoughts are impure, they should vigorously promote the ways of saints and build schools to make the people obey. King Dao, if this is the case, the bandits from all over the country will surely return home knowing the imperial court's intentions."
After hearing Wang Xiren's words, Emperor Mingkang nodded affirmatively, "What Mr. Wang Ge said is true~ If you have any other opinions, please tell me~"
Then several people added a few words, mostly about the specific details of these two cabinet ministers. Emperor Mingkang also nodded. Of course, there were also people from the Wuxun lineage who asked for orders to suppress bandits. Emperor Mingkang did not refute them. .
When he saw Jia Qi, who was at the front of the left side of the civil and military officials, he felt happy in his heart. Behind a young man stood a group of big men. How can I put it this way? Anyway, he was happy in his heart. He couldn't usually command those bastards. If you don't move, you should let them taste this humiliation.
Seeing Jia Qi standing there like a gun, maybe he was thinking about it, so Emperor Mingkang casually asked, "Marquis Champion, what do you think of this matter?"
When the officials heard Emperor Mingkang's question, their eyes suddenly came together. Jia Qi was also stunned. He never expected that Emperor Mingkang would ask him. With his current achievements, even if he suppressed bandits, it would not be his turn. If he stood up again, For meritorious service, what did Emperor Mingkang reward him with? A different surname? The possibility is slim.
But after asking, Emperor Mingkang also had some regrets. Jia Chu's guess was right. This is what Emperor Ming Kang thought. Jia Chu's achievements were enough. Even if the court really sent people to suppress the bandits, it would not be the case. If Jia Qi misunderstood what he meant and took the initiative to ask for help, how could he refuse?
Fortunately, Jia Qi was not a stupid young man who didn't understand anything. He did not mention sending troops to suppress the bandits, but talked about another thing. Jia Qi thought that this matter would be overturned in the end anyway. Coming out a year and a half in advance is nothing.
After thinking about it, Jia Qi walked out of the queue and said in a deep voice: "Back to the emperor, I have no objections here. I have done everything you said, but there are only two problems."
"Rebirth of the Great Era of Fighting Waves"
Emperor Mingkang couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when he heard the first half of Jia Qi's words. If Jia Qi really asked for the job, he might not be able to get off the stage. However, hearing that Jia Qi had a problem here made him a little more interested.
Emperor Mingkang stood up from the dragon chair, looked down at the ministers below, gently raised his hand and said, "Speak~"
Jia Qi then said again: "May I ask you, gentlemen, who is in charge of the Ministry of Household Affairs? I have a few questions here and I would like to ask the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs to answer them!"
Emperor Mingkang was slightly stunned. He didn't understand what Jia Xi was planning, but he still pointed at a middle-aged man on the side of the civil servants and said: "Jiang Yi'e, the champion has something to ask you. I also want to ask you something." Want to hear it!”
After hearing the words of Emperor Kangdi of the Ming Dynasty, the Minister of Hubu stepped out of the queue, bent down and said, "Xiaguan Jiang Yi'ou serves as the Minister of Hubu. If you have any questions, please ask. I will definitely tell you everything I know." !”
Jia Qi looked at Jiang Yi'e. He was a very ordinary-looking man. He was not conspicuous among the officials. He had a look of deep sorrow on his face. He thought that this person, the Minister of the Ministry of Finance, was not that easy to be. After all, he was not that good in the past few years. There are a lot of things happening in Dakang, and money needs to be used everywhere, and everyone has to ask for money.
Jia Qi then glanced at the ministers and secretly thought in his heart that if he smashed his clapper, he would wake up many people.
"Lord Jiang, how many stones of grain could the imperial court collect through taxes ten years ago?"
Jiang Yi'e was stunned. He had been the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue for less than ten years. Jia Qi's question was a bit beyond the scope. He was stunned for a while.
However, someone soon came out to answer Jia Qi's question, and it was another minister of the cabinet, Zeng Shutang.
"Little Marquis, I served as the Minister of Household Affairs ten years ago. Let me talk about this issue! Ten years ago, my Dakang tax and grain collection amounted to about 33 million shi!"
Jia Qi nodded after hearing this, and then continued to ask: "What about seven years ago?"
Zeng Shutang frowned. Although he didn't know what Jia Qi was up to, he still continued to reply: "32 million stones!"
Jia Qi asked again: "Five years ago, three years ago, and this year?"
The ministers couldn't help but feel a little funny. Why did the champion ask these questions? Is it of any use to suppressing bandits in Shanxi? After all, he is too young and ignorant of political affairs.
However, the expressions of several veterans of the cabinet, as well as Jiang Yi'e at that time, suddenly changed, and they looked at Jia Qi in horror.
Jiang Yi'e replied to Jia Qi's last question, "They are 30 million stones, 28 million stones, and 26 million stones respectively!"
After hearing this number, the officials also came to their senses. From 33 million shi ten years ago to 26 million shi today, Dakang's tax collection has been decreasing year by year, and Dakang's tax burden ratio has also been decreasing. It has never changed, one tax per thirteen.
Emperor Mingkang also looked at Jia Qi with a serious face. Every year he came to power, this year he would be missing 700,000 shi, 600,000 shi. It was not obvious given the huge base, but after ten years, this number made him a little frightened. .
And he quickly understood what Jia Qi meant. Ten years ago, banditry was far less serious than it is today. At that time, Emperor Taikang visited the south of the Yangtze River many times, and the whole of Dakang was a scene of grand events. Now that he is in charge of politics, Not to mention that the Jiubian side has never calmed down, and everywhere is in chaos, with bandits running rampant.
Seeing that they all understood what he meant, Jia Qi said no more.
"I've finished asking!"
But at this time, the entire court fell silent. Although Emperor Mingkang knew that officials at all levels would accept some bribes, no one dared to falsify such national database data, because a lie requires more Lie to make up for it. The gain of lying in this kind of matter outweighs the loss.
Across the country, harvests are declining sharply. This is a very scary thing. If it takes another ten years, Dakang's annual grain collection may drop by 20 million dan. How long will it take? .
Emperor Mingkang's expression turned cold, "Jiang Yi'e, what's going on??"
Seeing the anger that could not be concealed in Emperor Ming Kang's voice, Jiang Yi'e's back instantly covered with cold sweat, and his whole body trembled. In ten years, seven million shi were lost in the food collection. This is not 700 shi. , something big will happen.
But since he took over the Ministry of Household Affairs, he has been working conscientiously every moment, not daring to be lazy. He wakes up earlier than a chicken and goes to bed later than a dog. Who would have thought that such a thing would happen. Every time the annual budget is missing by dozens of dollars, Ten thousand stones, compared with tens of millions of stones, even Emperor Mingkang didn't care if there was not a natural or man-made disaster in a year, but after the data for the entire ten years was pulled out, it was not the case.
He hurriedly knelt down and said anxiously: "I don't know! I have been working hard since I became the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and I dare not slack off in the slightest. Every year, the officials below are responsible for the collection according to the procedures, and there are no mistakes. There are also annual collections." The cabinet accounting was approved by Zhu Bi!"
When Emperor Mingkang heard this, his face became even more ugly. Zhu Bi Yu criticized, wasn't that what he did? Isn't Jiang Yi'e saying that he also knows these things? Is this a slap in his face?
"Mr. Fan Ge, tell me?"
Fan Yuanhe's expression changed slightly. He is a cabinet minister. He has participated in these annual calculations, and he has not failed once in the past ten years. If Emperor Mingkang took the opportunity to attack, he would be uncomfortable.
But he didn't know about this. The cabinet was busy with many things every day, so how could he care about those things? If Jia Qi hadn't mentioned it, who would have thought about that? It would be better to think about how to deal with that old fox Wang Xiren!
"I don't know!"
Emperor Mingkang narrowed his eyes and asked again: "Mr. Zeng Ge, what do you think?"
Zeng Shutang also swallowed his saliva. He didn't pay attention to this matter. Anyway, the loss of hundreds of thousands of stones had no impact on them. Seeing Emperor Ming Kang's attack, he sighed in his heart.
"I don't even know!"
Emperor Mingkang continued to ask: "Old Wangge, what about you?"
Wang Xiren also sighed in his heart, he didn't care about this matter.
"I'm ashamed of myself!"
After asking several cabinet ministers, Emperor Mingkang turned his attention to Jia Qi again. He just asked Fan Yuan and them just to find a way out for himself. The responsibility of the cabinet is to assist the emperor in governing affairs. Now they have no He noticed that even if this happened, they should be blamed, so he could take the opportunity to silence everyone.
"Jia Qi, since you brought it up, you should know the reason. What about you?"
Jia Qi saw the reactions of the officials before, so he expected that they didn't pay much attention to this matter, and he had already made plans in his mind. When Emperor Kang asked again, he mentioned another department.
"Go back to your Majesty, the Qin Tian Jian should have an answer to this matter!"
The supervisor of the Qintian Prison was named Li Yanhua. Hearing Jia Qi mention him, he was startled. What does this have to do with them? Taxation is not within the jurisdiction of their Qin Tian Prison.
He walked out of the queue and held up his hand.
"Champion Hou, this matter~"
Before Li Yanhua could finish speaking, Jia Qi said again: "Sir, you might as well sort out the weather and temperatures in the past ten years, and then you will know what is going on!"
Emperor Mingkang heard Jia Qi's words and spoke again: "Jia Qi, since you know, just say it directly!"
When Jia Qi heard this, he hesitated. In fact, the matter would be more convincing after seeing accurate data. However, Emperor Mingkang was eager to know, so he had to change his story.
"Back to the emperor, when I was fighting in Jiubian, I overheard a sentence said by an old farmer. He said that the food produced in the fields was getting less and less. In the past few years, there was less and less food per acre. There were two stones, but now there are less than two stones. Later, I called hundreds of farmers and asked about this problem. They all said that it was the same, and there was also an old farmer who said that the weather had become colder in recent years, which caused the problem. Crop production has decreased. I have speculated that the grain collected is getting less and less. It should be that the weather has changed suddenly in the past ten years and the cold has worsened, resulting in the land producing less and less grain, and the naturally collected grain is also getting less and less!"
Then he also told his speculation about the bandits.
"Mountain bandits have been in trouble in recent years. I guess this matter may be related. Although Taizu set a tax burden of 1 out of 13, in order to meet the annual quota, officials in various places may increase taxes privately, and the output is not much in the first place. , excluding the land tax paid, I am afraid that the rest will be difficult for Hukou, so I have no choice but to go up the mountain to become a bandit! Of course, this is just a guess. What the facts are, we need to investigate!"
After hearing Jia Qi's explanation, all the ministers were frightened and their hearts beat like drums. In this case, those bandits were not common people at first, but now they were forced to become strong men. The officials forced the people to rebel. This was a big taboo. , a sign of national subjugation!
"Li Yanhua, do it quickly, I'll be waiting here~"
