This time, the Yushitai and the Ministry of Punishment officials acted very quickly, and Li Cunyi, Li You and others were arrested directly.
In less than two days, the entire case came to light and all confessions were complete.
"What a group of civil servants, they can investigate the case faster than the Imperial Guards. In just a few days, they found out that Grand Master Li Shanchang participated in Hu Weiyong's rebellion. The evidence is conclusive, and the Grand Master can't defend himself at all!"
Upon hearing the news from the capital, Zhu Di changed from anger to shock.
"Guo Qing, Grand Master Li Shanchang will really rebel?"
Guo An smiled bitterly and said in a low voice: "Your Highness, Grand Master Li Shanchang's son Li Qi married Princess Lin'an and is my consort of the Ming Dynasty.
And that Li You was just the grand master's nephew and Hu Weiyong's niece-in-law.
People must love their biological sons more than their brothers' sons. How could the Grand Master and his son follow Hu Weiyong in rebellion when they already enjoy complete wealth? "
Zhu Di sneered: "So, it's Zhan Hui and other civil servants who have great powers?"
Guo Andao said, "Your Highness, please forgive me for being clumsy and talking nonsense. Please don't take it seriously!"
Zhu Di glanced at Guo An helplessly and said, "This is the palace of Prince Yan. How can Zhan Hui harm Guo Qing because of Guo Qing's few words?"
Guo An sneered, you don't know how scary these people who are self-sufficient are the embodiment of legal justice!
However, what happened a few days later made Zhu Di unable to calm down anymore.
After the imperial censor Zhan Hui of Zuodu and other officials tried their best to persuade him, Grand Master Li Shanchang hanged himself at home.
More than seventy members of his family were executed.
Military generals such as Ji'an Marquis Lu Zhongheng, Yan'an Marquis Tang Shengzong, Pingliang Marquis Fei Ju, Xingyang Marquis Zheng Yuchun, Yichun Marquis Huang Bin, Henan Marquis Lu Ju and other military generals, and even Nanxiong Marquis Zhao Yong who returned home, did not escape, and were all implicated in the Hu Weiyong case until their death.
"These traitors!"
Zhu Di was furious, "We are going to write a letter to the emperor. How could Grand Master Li Shanchang, Marquis of Ji'an Lu Zhongheng, and Marquis of Yan'an Tang Shengzong rebel?"
"Your Highness, calm down!"
Guo An and Zhu Fu quickly dissuaded him.
Zhu Di said angrily: "We are King Yan of the Ming Dynasty, and we cannot let those treacherous ministers in the court act recklessly and undermine loyalty!"
Guo Andao said: "Your Highness, your majesty is so wise and powerful, how could you be deceived by treacherous ministers? Moreover, with the presence of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, how could you let treacherous ministers run rampant?"
Zhu Di took a long breath and asked: "Guo Qing, is it possible that Li Shanchang, Lu Zhongheng and others really have the intention to rebel?"
Guo An nodded slightly, "Your Majesty, if Your Majesty wants to kill them, they must have a way to kill them!"
Zhu Di: "..."
After a long while, he said leisurely, "Guo Qing is indeed my loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty!"
Guo An's expression remained unchanged, and he said sincerely: "Your Highness, I am just a small official, I just want happiness and health in my life!"
"Ah……"
Zhu Di sneered again.
Then he stood up and walked out.
"I am feeling depressed and want to go to the farm to have a look. Can Guo Qing and Zhu Qing go with me?"
Zhu Fu and Guo An quickly raised their hands and saluted, "I am willing to go."
…
farm.
Two hundred acres of lush green rice with excellent growth;
Farther away, there are nearly a thousand acres of tender alfalfa;
On the other side, it has been expanded to two hundred acres of orchard, full of fruits;
As for further distance, on more than a dozen mountains, there are countless herds of sheep, cattle, and sheep, leisurely munching on green grass all over the mountains and plains...
Very healing!
"Guo Qing, this year will definitely be another good year for our Beiping Mansion!"
"Your Highness is wise, our Beiping Mansion will definitely have a good harvest!"
Zhu Di and Guo An were talking, and Ding Shang trotted over from a distance with a happy face.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, another cow fell to death on the mountain for some reason!"
Guo An subconsciously looked towards Niu Mountain.
Zhu Di smiled heartily, "Bring half a head back to me. I haven't eaten beef for a long time!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Ding Shang ran away with a happy face again.
…
Following the death of Ming Dynasty dignitaries such as South Korean Duke Li Shanchang, Ji'an Marquis Lu Zhongheng, Yan'an Marquis Tang Shengzong and others who were implicated in the Hu Weiyong case.
The entire Ming Dynasty officialdom fell into silence again.
Even the gentry, big and small, have become a lot more honest during this period of time.
They were afraid that if they said the wrong thing, they would be implicated and their family would be ruined.
This day.
After looking through Chang Shisi's grain records and land account books.
Guo An looked for Zhu Di with a heavy face.
"Your Highness, I would like to summon all the gentry from Beiping Mansion."
"oh?"
A glimmer of light flashed in Zhu Di's eyes, "What kind of magical object has Guo Qing researched?"
Guo An slowly shook his head and said, "Back to Your Highness, the minister is due to the land issue!"
"Acres?"
Zhu Di was stunned.
Guo An said slowly: "Your Highness, Wei Chen has discovered that in the past few years, the acres of land owned by many gentry families in our various states and counties in Beiping Prefecture have been increasing at an extremely fast rate.
However, the acres of land originally owned by some farmers are decreasing, and many farmers, even wealthy households, are gradually turning into black households. "
"Black households?"
Zhu Di's expression suddenly became solemn, "But there are evil gentry oppressing the people in our Beiping mansion?"
Guo An sighed softly, "Your Highness, it shouldn't be bullying. Otherwise, with so many caravans from Prince Yan's Palace running around in various villages all day long, Wei Chen would have received the news long ago."
"Then why is this?"
Zhu Di looked confused.
"Dedicate!"
Guo An said quietly.
"Contribute?"
Zhu Di frowned, looking confused.
Guo An explained: "Your Highness, the contribution is when some farmers sell their fields to the gentry with a good reputation at a low price.
Some people even donated all their land to the names of those distinguished gentry without paying a penny.
Not only does it cost no money, but it also gives land rent to those gentry every year! "
"How can this be?"
Zhu Di was full of disbelief, "Guo Qing, those common people are not fools. The acres they cultivated with so much hard work were given to the famous gentry at a low price or even for free, and then they paid back the land rent to those gentry every year. They got it." Is it hysteria?"
"Guo Qing, were you deceived by those people below?"
Guo An said: "Your Highness, our court gives preferential treatment to distinguished scholars and officials. No land tax is collected on the fields in their homes.
Some gentry and officials even colluded with each other and cooperated with each other to be exempted from all taxes and corvees! "
"Um?"
Zhu Di's expression couldn't help but become solemn.
Guo An continued: "After those wealthy households dedicated their fields to the gentry, they no longer had to pay taxes and corvees, nor did they have to pay dingyin, let alone labor money!"
"A bunch of traitors!"
Zhu Di said bitterly, "My Ming Dynasty gave them fields, and suppressed martial arts and gentry for them. But in the end, they actually sold their fields to those distinguished gentry in order not to pay taxes to the court and do hard labor. ."
Guo An sighed slightly, "Your Highness, don't be anxious. Now there is just a hint. I will go talk to the gentry and let them understand the truth, and then this matter will be stopped."
Zhu Di asked: "Why not punish those traitors?"
Guo An explained: “Your Highness, everyone is driven by profit.
To farm for the imperial court, you not only have to pay taxes, but also dingyin and labor, which is a lot of money.
And if it is farmed by those distinguished gentry, they will only pay a very low rent, so they can save a lot of money.
No one can resist such temptation!
More importantly, there are too many farmers, and punishing them one by one will not be enough! "
"These traitors!"
Zhu Di was furious, and then looked at Guo An: "I wonder if anyone in Guo Qing's family has donated land?"
Guo An hurriedly explained: "Your Highness, don't worry, there is no one in Weichen's family who is famous. In addition, Weichen's family has a lot of acres of land passed down from ancestors, and the family property is also quite rich."
"So good!"
Zhu Di nodded slightly, Guo An never lied to him.
…
The second day.
Guo An invited all the gentry under the Beiping Mansion to the Yan Palace, especially the ten gentry who had just obtained Jinshi last year.
Since their son became a Jinshi, Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and others' lives have become more and more comfortable.
In the past, they would bow their heads in front of some petty officials. Now, they are often invited as guests by some officials in Beiping City.
As for those gentry who have no fame, their status is even higher.
In the tribe, the tribesmen rushed to donate to them, dedicating to them the fields that needed to pay taxes, and even all their fields.
They all happily accepted this.
In this way, he not only helped the people in the clan, but also earned a lot of food for free. This is the benefit brought by fame.
Now that Guo Changshi is looking for them again, something good will definitely happen!
As for Guo An, he waited until all the gentry arrived before walking in.
Seeing Guo An, all the gentry stood up quickly and greeted him attentively.
"See Guo Changshi!"
"All you fellow gentlemen, please get up quickly."
Guo An also had a gentle look on his face and chatted with the gentry for a while.
Then he asked: "Your Highness heard that since the children of your family have achieved fame, thousands of acres or even tens of thousands of acres of fertile land will be added to your hometown one after another?
Then, these acres will appear in your name? "
As soon as these words came out, all the gentry looked stiff.
Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and others couldn't help but look at each other, and then sneered and said: "Guo Changshi, His Highness must have misunderstood. The villain and others are all good gentry, how could they occupy the fields of the villagers? "
"Your Highness and I both know your character."
Guo An nodded slightly, "Otherwise, we wouldn't let the children of your family enter the academy or even the small classroom!"
"Exactly, exactly!"
Huang Bi, Zheng Jun and other gentry agreed repeatedly.
Guo An continued: "It's just that those fertile fields that are suddenly and rarely registered are real. I wonder if you can explain them?"
All the gentry could not help but laugh with ridicule.
Guo An leisurely said: "Yes, we are all members of the same clan, with the same ancestors. If one family rises, we should help the rest of the clan.
They dedicate their land to you, and they can be exempted from land taxes, taxes, silver, and labor...
In this way, if they do not pay taxes or perform labor services, these will be distributed to other people. "
The expressions of all the gentry changed slightly.
Guo An continued: "We know that according to your abilities, half of the people in the entire Beiping Mansion can donate.
In this way, you will definitely be able to own thousands of hectares of land, lay a foundation for future generations, and benefit the entire clan. "
"However, the remaining people who did not contribute will have to double their taxes and labor.
If things go on like this, they will all have nowhere to live.
They will also dedicate all the fields in their homes to the gentry who have a good reputation in their families. "
…
(End of chapter)
