"Your Majesty, everything has been arranged!"
After Yuan Keli saluted Chongzhen, he continued: "Your Majesty, the two prefectures of Xi'an and Fengxiang have a total of thirty-eight counties in two states.
The minister has arranged for officials of the fifth rank and above under the third division of Shaanxi Province to be responsible for each county, and they will be responsible for the sales of cultivated land in each county.
In order to ensure that there will be no public outrage during the sale process, I sincerely request your Majesty to order the deployment of a large army of suppressors to enter the surrounding counties and cities to intimidate! "
"Du Yinxi, write a letter for me and send it to Ma Xianglin as soon as possible, asking him to mobilize troops to the two houses to coordinate and respond. If anything happens, report it immediately. Don't make decisions without authorization!"
Du Yinxi turned and left, and Chongzhen continued: "Yuan Aiqing, do you think those wealthy businessmen will have an overreaction?"
"It doesn't matter if they make a fuss or not, we are all ready to deal with it, but I hope they make some trouble so that it can be convenient for us!"
"Hahahaha, in that case, let's wait and see! In the next few days, you will go over the details, simulate them, and check for any omissions!"
"I obey the decree!"
The people throughout Xi'an were very curious about the emperor's arrival. There was no closure of the city, nor did the emperor go on patrol. Everything in Xi'an remained as before.
On the other hand, officials from the major government offices in Xi'an Mansion left the city one after another and headed towards some county towns.
This made the people sent by the major vassal princes and gentry to pay attention to the emperor in Xi'an City a little confused.
The Shaanxi Chief Secretary's Yamen, wealthy merchants and gentry from Xi'an City and several nearby states and counties were all summoned and gathered together.
The faces of nearly a hundred wealthy businessmen and gentry were solemn, and their eyes were full of anxiety.
After waiting for a long time, the chief envoy Zheng Chongjian came in from the back hall and stared at everyone.
"Calling you all here, I believe you all have guessed the general story!"
"That's right, it's the matter of clearing the farmland. The extra farmland will be confiscated directly. The tax will be traced for ten years and returned tenfold.
The children of the family are not allowed to take the scientific examination for three years, and those who are already in official positions are not allowed to be promoted for three years. "
After hearing the punishment, everyone's expressions changed.
In their understanding, the only thing they need to do is to clear the father-in-law. The most important thing is to pay taxes. Anyway, there are many tenants, so they can just raise the rent a little, and they will not suffer any loss.
But after waiting for two or three months, Yuan Keli still made no move. He thought that it would be forgotten, and the court would just clear the abbot and create a record. However, after waiting for two or three months, what he received was that he would directly confiscate it and pay ten times the amount.
Each of them has a minimum of 80 hectares of cultivated land, some have to pay 780,000 to 80,000 taels of silver, and some have to pay 160,000 to 70,000 taels of silver.
The money is not a big sum for them, but the children of the family are not allowed to refer to the imperial examination and promotion. This is the most fatal blow.
"Mr. Zheng, Chief Ambassador, we accept the demand for ten times the amount, but is it excessive to confiscate it directly?
Even if we conceal it, we bought it ourselves, and the court is not...not..."
"It's not what? Do you want to take it by force?"
Zheng Chongjian's face was cold, and he suddenly shouted coldly: "Cheng Fugui, I am informing you, not discussing with you.
At noon tomorrow, I will not see the land deed. I have killed enough people in Xi'an, and I don't care about a few more! "
"Come here, see the guests off!"
Hundreds of wealthy businessmen were invited out.
Compared with Zheng Chongjian's gentle handling, Hong Chengchou, who was sent to Fengxiang Mansion, handled it in a much more violent way.
Hong Chengchou looked at the nearly a hundred wealthy businessmen and gentry gathered in the Fengxiang Mansion Yamen with a sharp look in his eyes.
Every wealthy businessman who came into contact with his eyes felt a great increase in pressure and lowered their heads unconsciously.
After a while, Hong Chengchou shouted angrily: "Come here, drag these people down and beat them with ten army sticks each!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the sergeants who came with them rushed into the crowd like tigers and wolves. Two of them dragged one away. Anyone who dared to resist would be punched in the stomach.
For a time, ghosts were crying and wolves were howling in the entire courtyard.
"Master Hong, we have committed a crime..."
"ah……"
…
It took a full quarter of an hour for the execution to be completed. The wealthy businessmen lying on the ground looked at Hong Chengchou who was calmly drinking tea in the first seat with angry faces.
I saw Hong Chengchou put down his teacup and said calmly: "Is it enough to conceal the crimes of arable land, size of acres, tax evasion, embezzlement and other crimes?
Not to mention beating you with ten sticks, even if I chop you directly, you are not innocent, but you still dare to scream? "
When everyone heard this, their heads shrank and they immediately did not dare to speak out.
The law of the Ming Dynasty stipulates that those who conceal their cultivated land will be punished with thirty floggings per acre, plus one level for every five acres, and the crime will be punished by eighty floggings.
With the number they concealed, it would be eighty sticks, which could kill them directly.
There is also tax evasion. With this amount, it is directly punishable by death. Now ten sticks are considered a light punishment.
"Okay, I don't want to talk nonsense with you. I will tell you about the punishment from the court, Qingzhang..."
After hearing what Hong Chengchou said about the punishment, the reaction of the wealthy merchants and gentry was similar to that of the wealthy merchants and gentry of Xi'an Prefecture.
With the previous ten sticks, no one dared to say much about confiscation and recovery.
A wealthy businessman said: "Master Hong, we are willing to pay more. Can we be accommodating to the imperial examination and promotion of the family's children?"
"His Majesty is in Xi'an Mansion. Do you want to talk to His Majesty personally?"
There was a playful smile on Hong Chengchou's lips: "Okay, let's all go back. If you don't see the taxes collected on the land deed at noon tomorrow, I'm going to come hard.
If you think you have a stronger background than the King of Qin, the Eight Great Locust Merchants, and the King of Jin, then give it a try. I am an official who will kill you and not bury you! "
"Come here, see the guests off!"
The wealthy businessmen were violently escorted out of the magistrate's office. The people passing by looked at this scene with curiosity.
Hong Chengchou didn't have the slightest worry about the impact of this method.
After the farmland goes on sale two days later, they will just be a wealthy businessman with a little money.
If you're obedient, that's it. If you're disobedient, you'll be investigated. If you violate the laws of the Ming Dynasty, you'll be killed directly.
Dealing with the wealthy businessman was just a small episode during these three days and became a topic for the common people after dinner.
But at the same time, everyone felt that the storm was coming.
In this curiosity, three days flew by.
At the end of Mao hour on the fourth day, the sun had just risen for a while, and smoke was rising in the city of Xi'an.
The sound of gongs resounded through every city and street, and the people who heard the sound gathered one after another.
In the square in front of the south gate of Xi'an Prefecture, Yuan Keli stood on a temporary stage.
The reason why we chose the city gate is because the rural people are too scattered and it would be too troublesome to find them one by one.
Second, the city gate was a place for merchants and people to enter and exit, and people from all religions and professions gathered there. Many people came to the city to buy and sell crops, which facilitated the spread of the news.
Naturally, some officials will go down to the lower counties, towns, and villages to handle these matters.
"Fellow fellow villagers, I believe you are familiar with me!"
"I've called everyone here today because I have some great news to announce to you. Do you want to take a guess?"
