Daming: Stealing Chen Yuanyuan at the beginning

Chapter 111 Once the Wind Blows, Kyushu Clouds Shake
Li Cunming left the barracks and hurried back to the upper study of the palace. He wanted to summon Zhang Guowei.

Zhang Guowei repaired rivers in various places in the south and traveled all over the mountains and rivers. He must have a good understanding of the sufferings of the people.Li Cunming attaches great importance to his knowledge among the people.

At the beginning of Youshi, Zhang Guowei entered the palace to meet the emperor.

Li Cunming greeted the gate of the hall, seeing Zhang Guowei's dark skin and thin body, like an old farmer, he said sincerely:

"Zhang Aiqing, thank you for your hard work! I sent Jin Yiwei to bring your family to Nanjing City earlier. Have you ever returned home to meet your family?"

Zhang Guowei is from Dongyang, Zhejiang. When he repaired and strengthened the embankment of Qiantang River, he never went back to his hometown once.When Li Cunming heard about this incident, he made a special decree to bring his wife and children to live in Nanjing.

"Thank you for your majesty's concern, I have no time to return home." Zhang Guowei said.

Li Cunming said: "I still remember the time when you and Song Yingxing came to Xuzhou to see me. It took more than a year. Song Yingxing went to Foshan, and you were running around. I have loyal ministers who are diligent in state affairs in the Ming Dynasty. Why don't you worry about being revived?" Woolen cloth?"

Immediately, he ordered Wang Chengen to prepare a banquet, and the monarch and his ministers had a drink in the upper study.After some pleasantries and small talk, Li Cunming said: "Zhang Aiqing, you are walking among the people, tell me what you have seen and heard."

Zhang Guowei put down his wine glass and said frankly: "The minister is blunt! In the past year, the southern provinces have been relatively peaceful, especially after the promotion of potato and corn planting, the grain production has increased significantly, which is gratifying."

"However, the common people still live a very hard life. The main reason is that the contradiction between people and land is very prominent. Although the emperor exempted the three salaries, the poll tax and various miscellaneous labors are still heavy. Especially the gentry have various preferential exemption rights. Many Taxes and labors fall on the poor common people."

"The rich man's fields are connected with rice fields, but there are few farms, and the poor have no land, so they have more corvees. In a word, the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. This phenomenon is getting worse and worse. It is really a big hidden danger in our dynasty. !"

"Take Jiaxing Mansion in Zhejiang as an example. When I left Zhejiang, I heard that there was a dispute for land here, and several slave rebellions broke out."

Li Cunming said angrily, "Why didn't you see the report from Jiaxing Mansion?"

Standing up, pacing, sighing: "Looking at the history of the previous dynasty, which dynasty did not have sharp conflicts between people and land at the end? The reason why I have been reluctant to send troops to the north is because of the domestic crisis. You must settle down first!"

"I have long planned to solve the contradiction between man and land at the root, and narrow the gap between rich and poor. Because the Tartars are eyeing them, and war may break out at any time, I have not been able to make up my mind."

"After listening to your words now, I understand that the reform should be done sooner rather than later. If we continue to delay, I'm afraid the next Li Zicheng will appear in the south!"

Hearing the emperor's seriousness, Zhang Guowei stood up and asked respectfully, "Your Majesty, how do you plan to reform?"

"I have a plan long ago and have been waiting for the right time. Zhang Aiqing, after you return home, write a memorial overnight to introduce the situation in the south in detail."

It was also decreed to appoint Zhang Guowei as Minister of the Ministry of Industry, a Bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion, and a value in the Department of General Affairs.

After Zhang Guowei left the palace, Li Cunming wrote down his reform plan in the upper study, and stayed up all night.

The lights in the study room were brightly lit, and the emperor's figure was projected on the ground, a little majestic and resolute, but a little lonely.

……

At Yinshi the next day, when Yan Ermei and other ministers came to the Department of General Affairs, they saw that the emperor had arrived ahead of schedule.The emperor's eyes were red, and the dark circles under his eyes were very obvious, but his spirit was high and excited.

Yan Ermei and others are familiar with the emperor's disposition, knowing that the emperor stayed up late last night.Whenever this happens, something big will happen.

Li Cunming and other courtiers saluted, and said bluntly: "Zhang Guowei wrote a memorial, please circulate it, and discuss the matter after reading it."

Yan Ermei took the memorial first, read it carefully, and handed it to Jiang Dejing after reading it, lost in thought.

Li Cunming drank tea, waited quietly for the courtiers to read the memorial, and asked, "What do you think?"

Jiang Dejing carefully said: "Zhang Shangshu's memorial is true and detailed, and the problems reflected are shocking. As early as in Xuzhou, His Majesty mentioned the contradiction between man and earth, and I still remember it."

"Yes, the crisis of the Ming Dynasty is not outside, but inside. If the cultivators have their fields and the residents have their houses, will the common people follow Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong to rebel? Entering the customs?" Yan Ermei said.

Li Cunming said: "How can we get rid of the Tartars and recover the rivers and mountains if we don't get rid of the confidant's troubles? I don't discuss other matters today, but how to solve the conflict between people and land. All ministers and workers, I have a reform plan that has been brewing for a long time. I wrote it in detail last night." Come down, let's see if it works?"

As he spoke, he took out a stack of manuscripts written by the imperial pen and handed them to the courtiers.

The courtiers gathered together and looked down together.The handwriting is flying and dancing, full of tension, which shows how ambitious the emperor was when he wrote down the reform plan.

"Allotment to the mu, the poll tax is abolished. Well, this is a benevolent government!" The courtiers nodded one after another.

Since the Western Han Dynasty had the policy of registering all households, the poll tax has lasted for nearly 2000 years.The taxation of the feudal dynasty in our country is actually two big pieces, one is the land tax, the other is the head tax, and the commercial tax, salt and iron tax, etc. are in the second place.

In the late Ming Dynasty, the yellow book system was useless, and the census work was useless. Today, the poll tax is collected using data from the Wanli period.Rich people are either officials and gentry and do not need to pay poll tax, or they try their best to conceal their population. The poll tax eventually falls on the poor people.

Since the existence of the poll tax is of little significance, and its abolition can reduce the burden on the poor, it can be regarded as a benevolent government, so why not do it?

The courtiers had no objection to this reform measure, but when they saw the next measure, they all looked solemn and remained silent for a long time.

"Why, do you have any ideas about the move that officials and gentry pay food and work as one? But it doesn't matter!" Li Cunming said, his tone was calm and indifferent, as if he had expected such a situation.

In addition to paying various taxes normally, the people of the feudal dynasty also had to undertake a lot of voluntary labor, which was called servants, such as repairing rivers, transporting military rations, maintaining city walls, inns, etc.

Officials and gentry have the right to be exempted, and they don't have to pay food or work as errands, which has been the case since ancient times.Otherwise, how could Chinese people be keen on studying and taking the imperial examination?

Everything is of inferior quality, but reading is of high quality.The truth hidden behind this sentence actually refers to the fact that through studying and obtaining fame, one will have various privileges and be able to become a master!
If the reform measures of government and gentry paying food and errands together are carried out, it will be like touching the cake of scholars and digging the foundation for the survival of officials and gentry. This matter is no small matter, it is equivalent to a major surgery for the Ming Dynasty!

Jiang Dejing knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, think twice! This move is bound to arouse opposition from officials, gentry and thousands of scholars. I am worried about social turmoil and unstable situation."

Even Zhang Guowei was frightened by the emperor's great determination, and he knelt down and said, "Most of the land in the country is occupied by vassal kings and gentry. However, as Jiang Shangshu said, this move involves too many areas, and the officials and scholars will not agree to it!"

Li Cunming looked at Yan Ermei and asked, "Military Master, what do you think?"

Yan Ermei's face was stern, and she said with emotion: "I really want to cry for a long song!"

"What do you mean?"

Yan Ermei straightened her clothes and made a grand salute, saying: "I want to cry, but it is His Majesty's bodhisattva heart that weep, and the people are crying because they have met the eternal sage! Abolishing the poll tax is already a great gift from God, but Your Majesty still wants to let it go!" Officials and gentry pay food and serve as errands, which is to treat all people regardless of high or low, and Confucius and Mencius are nothing more than this!"

"I still want to cry that Your Majesty was born at an untimely time. If Your Majesty was born in the Wanli Dynasty, why would my Ming Dynasty be here? However, His Majesty is in charge of the universe when wars are raging and internal and external troubles are raging. It is a thousand times more difficult and dangerous!"

"Your Majesty, Jiang Shangshu and Zhang Shangshu have talked about the domestic resistance. What I want to say is that the Tatars are dominating the north. At this time, stability should be the top priority. After the Tatars are driven out and the north is pacified, it will not be too late to implement reforms. "

Li Cunming said: "Junshi Yan does not object to my implementation of the new policy, but feels that the time has not come, right?"

"I really think so!" Yan Ermei said.

Li Cunming got up, looked at the ministers with piercing eyes, and said firmly: "Do you know why I hurried back to Nanjing from Fengyang? In fact, I have already had the idea of ​​implementing the New Deal. As Yan Jun said, I was also worried at the beginning. The situation is unstable, and the officials, gentry, and scholars strongly oppose it, and they have been hesitating."

"But I want to tell you today, I have made up my mind, I will die without regret!"

"I went to the Beijing camp yesterday. The soldiers are loyal and have become a tiger and wolf army. What do I have to fear? When the business tax was increased, the Donglin Party members strongly opposed it. Come on, I still thwarted their plot!"

"And one thing you have to consider is that sooner or later we will have to fight the Tartars to the death. When the war starts, it is human life and money. Once the wheels of war are started, they will not stop. I am implementing the New Deal at this time, in fact It is to solve the problem of money and food at the root.”

"Officials and gentry from all over the country want to make trouble, so go ahead and make trouble. I am not afraid of blood on my hands, nor am I afraid of being scolded by scholars for hundreds of thousands of years! Reforms in all dynasties always start with bloodshed. I will bear the blame and give it to the people of the world. The world is peaceful and prosperous!"

The emperor's words were impassioned, and the blood of the courtiers immediately boiled. Since the emperor's determination is so great, they can only swear to serve.

Yan Ermei said: "After all, I underestimated your Majesty's determination. Your Majesty wants to be the king of Yao and Shun. I am not to be outdone. I am also willing to become a reformed and loyal minister like Shang Yang, Wang Anshi, and Zhang Juzheng! I am not worried about the officials and gentry, but the young and passionate scholars of the world. , are the most vulnerable to instigation and bewitchment, and this group of people should be on guard the most.”

"Military division, military division, I really didn't misunderstand you!" Li Cunming laughed loudly, and then said coldly, "Kai Enke, let the scholars gather in Nanjing City, if they want to make trouble, let them be on my side Let's make a fuss under your nose!"

Hearing this sentence, the hearts of the courtiers rose coldly, thinking to themselves that the emperor's city mansion is too deep, and how many people's heads will fall to the ground.

It was time to walk out of the General Secretary.The east should have turned white, but today the weather is cold and dark, with dark clouds billowing in the sky.

"Junshi Yan, the emperor loves the people like a son, he has great talents, and the new policy is indeed beneficial to the country and the people. But is the emperor too impatient?" Jiang Dejing whispered.

Yan Ermei looked at the sky with her hands behind her back, and muttered to herself: "The wind is blowing, and it's going to rain. Once the wind blows, the clouds of Kyushu will shake! If you have to meet the Holy King, there is a cliff and a minefield in front of you. A courtier should also Go forward without hesitation.”

(End of this chapter)