After listening to Xu Youzhen's words, Menda took out an official document from his arms, then held it in both hands and handed it to Xu Youzhen.
"My fellow disciples, what does this mean?"
"This is the investigation of the Jinyiwei of Shaanxi and Henan about the land measurement and registration of the new tax system. Now that the Xudu Censor has arrived in Xi'an, the lower official hurriedly sent it to the Xudu Censor to ask the Xudu Censor to discuss the new tax system in Shaanxi. , understand something.”
After Xu Youzhen heard this, she went to pick it up without panic: "Prefect Sun has already told me in detail about the new tax system in Xi'an. There is no need to read your official documents."
Menda smiled when he heard this: "The prefect of Xi'an would not dare to tell the censor of Xudu about matters related to the vassal clan."
Prince Qin’s Mansion in Xi’an.
Xu Youzhen's heart skipped a beat after hearing this. Could it be that Jin Yiwei wanted him to come forward to compete with Prince Qin's palace?
"The lower official also knows that other people would avoid such a big event and not want to get involved. But Xu Du Yushi is now here with the emperor's order. Since the vassal vassal has some signs, Xu Du The censor should put a stop to it so that the new tax system can be fully rolled out, otherwise all the previous efforts of the court will be in vain."
After Xu Youzhen heard this, she looked at Menda.
"Why don't you step in."
"If the Jin Yiwei goes to the Prince of Qin's Mansion, it will be equivalent to His Majesty's interrogation and censure. Your Majesty cannot come forward for this kind of thing. After all, it is the Prince of Qin's Mansion. Although His Majesty has always been demanding of the clan and lenient to the common people, we ministers , we still have to consider His Majesty’s saintliness.”
"Your Majesty also knows about this matter now. Lei Ting was furious at first. Fortunately, Li Fuchen and Yu Taibao dissuaded him, so he gave the order to Xiaguan, asking him to come to Xudu Yushi, thinking of handing it over to Xudu Yushi Come and handle it, I will help from the side, it is best to let the prefect's Yamen come out to coordinate, everything is done softly, and no force can be used until the critical moment. I think the censor of Xudu knows much better than the lower officials."
After hearing this, Xu Youzhen nodded. He knew that he could go to reprimand King Ning with an imperial edict after he committed a crime. When King Ning caused a witchcraft disaster, His Majesty the Emperor could also comfort the Ancestral Temple. Deciding to grant death does not mean that His Majesty the Emperor can completely ignore the vassal king, unless the Emperor really does not want his reputation.
In Xu Youzhen's view, there are so many princely clans in the world, but only two. Zhu Jianshen needs to be cautious. One is the King of Qin in Xi'an, and the other is the King of Jin in Taiyuan.
Of course, it was not because the King of Qin or the King of Jin was in Xi'an and Taiyuan and had the power to rebel against the court and local officials, but because of regular legal issues.
Emperor Taizu Gao had five legitimate sons: the eldest son, Crown Prince Zhu Biao, the second legitimate son of Qin Wang Zhu Feng, the third legitimate son of Emperor Gao, King Zhu Fan of Jin, the fourth legitimate son of Emperor Yan, King Zhu Di, and the fifth legitimate son of Emperor Zhou, King Zhu Ji . (The theory of Zhu Yuanzhang's direct son is controversial.) The two lines of vassal kings, King Qin and King Jin, are destined to be different from other vassal kings.
Except for Crown Prince Zhu Biao, the two princes of Xi'an Qin and Taiyuan Jin were ranked before King Yan of Beiping when Emperor Taizu Gao divided the group of kings.
Especially the King of Qin, who was known as the number one vassal in the world at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty.
At that time, the first Zongren Ling in charge of the clan was the King of Qin Zhu Xi. Later, Zhu Xiang was reprimanded and punished by Emperor Taizu Gao for doting on his concubines and killing his wife. He also handed over the position of Zongren Ling to the King of Jin Zhu Fan, followed by Zhu Di, King of Yan, took over the clan order.
According to Emperor Taizu Gao's vision, the clan chief was the executive deputy clan chief of the Ming Dynasty. He was in charge of the nine clans of the Ming Dynasty. He was responsible for amending the jade certificates according to the time and writing down the descendants, concubines and titles of the clan's children. , heirs, births and deaths, marriages, posthumous burials, etc., and they also have to adjust clan conflicts at all times and record the faults of the vassal king and clan.
After Zhu Di became emperor of the Ming Dynasty from the position of Zong Renling after the Jingnan War, he began to downplay the influence of the Zong Ren's Palace. After Yongle, the Ministry of Rites had completely replaced all the functions of the Zong Ren's Palace.
Let the head of the vassal clan manage the vassals in the world so that they can communicate reasonably and legally. This in itself is finding an opponent for the emperor. Unless it is Zhu Yuanzhang or Zhu Di, the emperor can suppress it. Other monarchs are simply unable to do so. There is no way to suppress it.
In Xu Youzhen's view, the other vassal kings have made mistakes, and His Majesty the Emperor can issue decrees and reprimands at will, but only the King of Qin, not the King of Jin, must use gentle means, and these conflicts cannot be brought to the table unless it is absolutely necessary. Come up.
Because the reputation of His Majesty the Emperor is not only important to the Emperor, but also to the ministers who assist him.
You are a minister in the court, and the emperor you assist is a good guy with a bad reputation. Today you fight a tiger, tomorrow you go to a prostitute, and the day after tomorrow you go to practice Taoism. When you are excited, you immediately give you a meal. Being a carpenter is outrageous...
The emperor is shameless, and as a minister he must bear the same responsibility...
The Prince of Qin's Mansion is the royal title of Zhu Xi, the second son of Emperor Taizu. It has been passed down to the sixth generation today. Although it is a vassal vassal for the sixth generation, the first three generations were inherited by the brother-in-law method because the prince had no children. The title of prince, so the current King of Qin is higher in seniority than His Majesty the Emperor.
Emperor Zhu Jianshen was the sixth generation grandson of Taizu Gao Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, but the King of Qin at this time was the fourth generation grandson of Taizu Gao Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, and he was also a grandfather.
The three sons of King Qin Yin Zhu Shangbing, Zhu Zhiwen, Zhu Zhijun, and Zhu Zhidu, all inherited the title of king in succession. The first two were childless.
At this time, the name of the King of Qin in the Ming Dynasty was Zhu Gongxi, and he was the eldest son of Zhu Zhi. He only inherited the throne in the eleventh year of Chenghua, and he is only twenty-two years old now.
After Xu Youzhen read the confidential text of Jin Yiwei's investigation, her face gradually became heavy.
Jiangnan and other places were important tax collection areas for the Ming Dynasty. Although princes were enfeoffed here during special periods, they were not actually vassalized. Therefore, when Xu Youzhen implemented the new tax system in Jiangnan, he did not have any conflicts with the clan vassals of the Ming Dynasty. , but it is different in Henan, Shaanxi, Shandong and other places.
The contradiction between officials and gentry was no longer the main contradiction. The main contradiction turned into the contradiction between the clan and local officials.
Although the vassal princes did not have any substantial power, they were the most noble people in the Ming Dynasty. The promotion of the new tax system triggered the interests of the officials and gentry. The government could use force to oppress them, but when it came to the clan vassals, the government would It cannot be treated in such a simple way.
The Prince of Qin's Mansion now has more than 38,000 acres of fertile land, which has been registered. There are more fields that have not been registered, but the actual owner is still the Prince of Qin's Mansion. biquge.biz
If there was only Prince Qin's Mansion, the court officials would just turn a blind eye and pass by. However, under Prince Qin's Mansion, there are four other princely mansions, namely, Prince Yongxing, Prince Baoan, Prince Xingping, and Prince Yongshou. The princes and more than thirty clan generals collectively control no less land and wealth than the Prince of Qin's palace.
In Henan now, Li Bing, the governor of Shaanxi and Shaanxi provinces, is having a hard time implementing the new tax system in the two places. It can be said that only the superficial changes have been made, and not much substantive content has been done.
Of course, this is not because Li Bing was derelict in his duties, but because the imperial court did not formulate legal requirements for the new tax system for the vassal king from the beginning to the end. Now the new tax system has been blowing for several years, and various state governments seem to respond, but the treatment of the clan Sometimes, he is still cautious.
After Xu Youzhen read the secret text, she understood in her heart.
His Majesty asked him to go out to inspect the palace, not because he disliked his clique and tit-for-tat with Li Xian, but because he wanted to beat many vassal kings to make them more conscious, cooperate with the government, and promote the new tax system. Xu Youzhen, who understood this, felt in his heart Slightly relaxed, the depression along the way was caused by the feeling that His Majesty the Emperor disliked me. Now I understand that although it is hard work, I am very happy in my heart.
This secret text records the land and property of Prince Qin's palace. Not only that, the last sentence of the secret text is like a statement or an order spoken by His Majesty the Emperor.
"The imperial court treats the vassals with kindness. If they do not support the new tax system, the favors can be cut off, and the crimes can also be investigated and punished. Starting from the first vassal in the world, King Qin, all princes, princes, generals, and lieutenants of the clan should abide by the decrees of the imperial court."
"Censor of Xudu, have you finished reading?" Menda, who was sitting aside, said with a smile.
Xu Youzhen looked at Menda and said, "I know how to act now." With that, Xu Youzhen folded the secret text and handed it to Menda.
After Menda received the secret message, he solemnly put it into the envelope and sealed it again in front of Xu Youzhen.
Because of Zhu Jianshen's words at the end of this secret message, Menda had to destroy it after leaving Guanyi.
After doing these things, Menda took out another booklet from his arms.
"Almost all the land and property of the King of Qin, the King of Jin, the princes of the Zhou Dynasty, as well as the princes, generals, lieutenants, etc. are recorded. If the princes of these three Taizu families can be persuaded one by one, they can return to the capital. Well, when the time comes, His Majesty sees that the Censor of Xudu has such great achievements, he will definitely value the Censor of Xudu even more in the future. "
Xu Youzhen nodded and said: "I know what I know, and everyone knows it. You have worked hard along the way."
"By the way, this is the letter your Majesty gave to you, the Censor of Xudu..."
After Xu Youzhen heard this, he quickly stood up and wanted to kneel down to listen to the order, but Menda, who acted quickly, helped him up: "Censor of Xudu, when your Majesty handed it over to the subordinate, he specifically said that this is not an imperial order. , this is just a letter, no need to salute, if you kneel down, you won’t be able to explain anything when you return to Beijing."
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