Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

Zhu Biao's eyes showed determination, and he nodded solemnly: "I understand. If the Supervisory Department conducts a secret investigation, officials will naturally not dare to be perfunctory."

At this time, an attendant came quickly and reported: "Your Highness, Prince, the people in the county learned the results of today's meeting and gathered outside the county government office to express their gratitude."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao looked at each other and smiled. Zhu Biao walked to the gate of the county government first, and saw the people kneeling on the ground. He raised his hand and said, "Fathers, please stand up! The policies of the court are all for the people. You don't have to do this."

An elderly man stood up tremblingly, tears in his eyes and a trembling voice: "Your Highness, Prince, I have lived for most of my life and have never seen the court so compassionate to the people. What happened today is enough to comfort our ancestors!"

Zhu Biao stepped forward to help the old man up, and said in a gentle voice: "The court governs the country, and the people are the foundation. If you don't sympathize with the people, how can you have long-term peace and stability? Don't worry, this policy will definitely be persistent. If there is any injustice, you can report it. This palace and the prince will definitely make the decision for you!"

Upon hearing this, the people burst into tears of gratitude and shouted in unison: "The prince is benevolent, the prince is wise! Long live the Ming Dynasty!"

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the street. Zhu Han and Zhu Biao stood in front of the county government office, watching the people gradually disperse, feeling filled with emotion.

Zhu Han sighed softly, his eyes far away: "Biao'er, the trust of the people is the most precious. Are you willing to do this without fear of hardship?"

Zhu Biao slowly clenched his fist, his eyes firm: "Uncle, I am willing to spend my whole life to ensure that our Ming Dynasty is stable and the people live and work in peace and contentment."

After hearing this, Zhu Han nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "Okay, with this determination, you will definitely have a place in the court in the future."

He slowly turned around, looked at Zhu Biao, and said with a smile: "Biao'er, although today's matter has been settled, you know that the real challenge has just begun."

Zhu Biao looked calm, and after a little thought, he said, "Uncle, I understand that the matter of measuring the land is only the tip of the iceberg of governing the country. If we want the people to truly live and work in peace and contentment, it is far from enough to rely on temporary policies alone."

Zhu Han nodded slightly, his tone revealing some consideration: "Yes, the trust of the people cannot be gained overnight. When I go back tonight, I will draft a memorial to report to my father in detail about the land measurement in Changping, especially the issues of taxation, storage, farming efficiency, etc. In governing the country, we cannot only see the trees but not the forest."

Zhu Biao nodded solemnly, then turned his eyes slightly and asked softly: "Uncle, then next, should we go to other pilot areas in person? Changping has a flat terrain and simple folk customs. If we can implement it in areas with complex terrain, we can get a glimpse of the overall situation."

Zhu Han smiled and patted his shoulder: "You are impatient. Don't rush into anything. Although Changping's land reclamation has achieved results, the situation in different places is different. We must first take steady steps and then expand. Do you know why I chose Changping as the first?"

Zhu Biao thought for a moment and frowned slightly: "Changping is close to the capital, easy to control, and convenient for the emperor to dispatch at any time. But the emperor's uncle's intention must be more than that."

Zhu Han smiled slightly, his eyes deep: "Yes, Changping is the gateway to the capital, and it is also a microcosm of the world's taxes. If it can be successfully implemented here, it will not only reassure the people, but also build confidence for the court. The next step should be Shuntian and Nanzhili, which are important granaries."

Zhu Biao nodded thoughtfully: "Uncle, you have taken good care of it. However, there are so many gentry in these places. If they are unwilling to cooperate, I am afraid it will be difficult to implement it smoothly."

Zhu Han's eyes darkened slightly, and he said calmly: "The gentry have their own ways, and what they value is nothing more than profit. If they can see that after measuring the land, the taxes are fair, the people are stable, and the trade is smooth, they will naturally stand on the side of the court. This matter requires wisdom and cannot be done with just an imperial edict."

After hearing this, Zhu Biao suddenly realized something and said slowly, "What the emperor's uncle meant is to persuade people with reason and benefit?"

Zhu Han smiled without saying anything, his eyes fixed on a field in the distance, and he said quietly, "To govern the world, one must pay equal attention to civil and military affairs, and use both kindness and severity. You still need to learn more." After a pause, he suddenly changed his tone, "Tomorrow, let's go to the warehouse to take a look."

Zhu Biao was slightly startled and asked in confusion: "Warehouse?"

Zhu Han nodded gently, his tone steady: "Granaries are the foundation of the country. After measuring the land and paying taxes, how to properly store and distribute them can ensure the long-term stability of the Ming Dynasty. Many local officials are greedy for temporary success and only care about collecting taxes, not storage, which leads to no rice to provide relief in years of disaster."

Zhu Biao looked solemn, and admired these words even more in his heart. He cupped his hands and said, "Uncle Emperor is right. I will go with you tomorrow."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao came to the granary in Changping County together. The granary door was heavy and heavily guarded. When several warehouse officials saw the Crown Prince and Prince Han coming in person, they knelt down and saluted. The warehouse owner, Lord Lin, came forward respectfully and said, "Your Highness, Prince, everything is in order in the warehouse, and there is enough grain. Please check it yourself."

Zhu Biao glanced at the warehouse and said in a deep voice: "Lord Lin, storage is the foundation of the country. I came here today not for a routine inspection, but to carefully check the storage records to understand whether the people have enough food."

Lin Cangzhu's expression changed slightly, and he bowed quickly and said, "Your Highness is right. I have ordered people to sort out all the records. Please have a look."

Zhu Han smiled faintly: "Then please lead the way."

Entering the warehouse, the granary was piled high, and the air was filled with a faint aroma of rice. Zhu Biao picked up a handful of rice and twisted it gently, frowning slightly: "Although the quality of this rice is good, it is old. I am afraid that it is not stored properly and will easily become moldy."

Upon hearing this, Lin Cangzhu blushed and hurriedly explained, "Your Highness, please forgive me. These grains are indeed stored from last year. Because Changping has had a bumper harvest for consecutive years, the surplus grain from last year has not yet been distributed."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han's tone darkened: "The surplus grain has not been distributed yet, why not reduce taxes as soon as possible to provide relief to the people? Do we have to wait until the granary rots before distributing it?" Although his tone was calm, it revealed unquestionable majesty.

Warehouse Master Lin was sweating profusely on his forehead and knelt down hurriedly: "I am guilty! But I have not received any imperial edict before, and I have released the grain rashly. I am afraid..."

Zhu Biao's face darkened and he said coldly, "The court formulates policies to benefit the people, not to let you stick to the old rules and do nothing! If a similar situation happens again, how will we explain it to the people?"

Lin Cangzhu kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Highness, your teaching is correct. I will remember it!"

Zhu Han sighed and said in a slower tone, "Let's not pursue this matter for now. It's the time for summer grain harvest. We need to distribute the old grain quickly and make room for the new grain. We can't delay any further."

Lin Cangzhu was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly: "I obey your command and will make proper arrangements."

Zhu Biao looked around, pondered for a moment, and said softly to Zhu Han: "Uncle, the matter of storage may seem simple, but it is actually related to people's livelihood. If we can formulate a national grain storage system, we may be able to prevent such things from happening again."

Zhu Han nodded slightly and said with a smile: "That's right. After we go back, we will draw up a charter and report it to our father." The two walked out of the warehouse. Zhu Han looked at the bustling streets, a trace of deep thought flashed in his eyes, and he slowly said: "Biao'er, governing the world is by no means an easy task. Your attitude towards the warehousing issue today has shown me your growth."

Zhu Biao smiled modestly and said, "Uncle, you are too kind. I just hope that I can do more practical things for the people."

Zhu Han looked at him and patted his shoulder: "Okay, let's move on and see if there is anything else that needs improvement."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao walked side by side on the streets of Changping County. The shops along the street were bustling with people, peddlers and hawkers shuttled among them, and the cries of vendors could be heard from time to time in the streets and alleys. It was bustling and lively.

Zhu Biao walked slowly, his eyes swept across the shops on both sides, and said softly: "Uncle, look at these shops, the business doesn't seem to be very prosperous. Although the people are hardworking, they can't hide their worries about their livelihoods."

Zhu Han nodded slightly, his eyes fixed sharply on the door of a cloth shop, where several shop assistants were whispering about something, their expressions showing a bit of anxiety. He walked straight forward and asked in a gentle voice, "Boss, has business been going well these days?"

The cloth shop owner saw that the two men had extraordinary demeanor. Although he did not know their identities, he did not dare to neglect them. He immediately bowed and said, "Sir, you are joking. The economy has not been as good as before in the past two years. We are small businesses and it is hard to do business."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao took a step forward and asked in a gentle tone, "May I ask, shopkeeper, why has it been like this in recent years? Is it because the people are short of money, or is there another reason?"

The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Your Highness, to be honest, although the price of grain has been stable in recent years, the cost of transporting items such as cloth, tea, and pottery to the capital has been rising. In addition, the government is urging the payment of commercial taxes, and our meager profits are really difficult to sustain."

Zhu Biao looked gloomy, as if thinking about something: "So that's how it is. It seems that not only the land tax of farmers, but also the commercial tax has become a heavy burden for the people." He turned to look at Zhu Han and said firmly, "Uncle, this matter must be investigated."

Zhu Han nodded slightly and asked, "Boss, have you ever appealed to the county government?"

The shopkeeper smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Your Highness, who would dare? If you appeal, the government will agree to give you a break, but every time they check, they will inevitably find some problems, and the fine will be even heavier. It's better to grit your teeth and bear it."

Zhu Han pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Thank you for your frank words, shopkeeper. The reason why the prince and His Highness are here is to help the people out of their difficulties. We will definitely find out the truth about this matter."

Upon hearing this, the cloth shop owner looked at the two people in front of him in surprise, and immediately showed gratitude: "Your Highness can sympathize with the common people, which is really a blessing for the people!"

Zhu Biao bowed to the shopkeeper and said, "There is no need to make public what happened today. We still need to continue our visit."

After that, the two continued to visit along the street. Every time they arrived at a place, they asked detailed questions. Gradually, problems such as unfair commercial taxes, high freight costs, and insufficient consumption by the people became clearer.

It wasn't until the two of them arrived at a teahouse and just as they stepped through the threshold, they heard several businessmen whispering.

"Have you heard? The capital is going to adjust the commodity tax recently. It is said that it will increase by another 30%. The caravans traveling north and south are going to suffer!"

"Yes, it's not easy to transport goods. The government sets up checkpoints at every checkpoint to collect taxes. The money earned along the way is not enough to pay the fees."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao looked at each other, sat down quietly, and listened to the surroundings. The merchants became more and more excited, and some even slammed the table and complained: "If this continues, I'm afraid I'll have to change my career! The court keeps saying that it wants to enrich the people, but the taxes are getting heavier and heavier. How can we merchants survive?"

Zhu Biao could no longer hold back after hearing this. He stood up and walked to the tables of the merchants, bowed and asked, "Bosses, I heard that you are quite dissatisfied with the business tax. Could you please elaborate on it?"

When several people suddenly interrupted, they were about to scold him, but seeing that he had an extraordinary demeanor, they cautiously bowed in return. One of the middle-aged businessmen asked tentatively, "I wonder who this gentleman is..."

Zhu Biao smiled slightly and said in a deep voice: "I am Zhu Biao, and I have come here to investigate the business tax. If you have any truth, please tell me the truth."

Upon hearing this, several merchants' faces changed drastically. They stood up quickly, looking terrified: "Your Highness... I am sorry, I didn't know Your Highness was here in person!"

Zhu Han waved his hand, motioning them to sit down, and said gently: "Don't be nervous. The prince and I came here to discuss the business tax. Just tell us the truth. If the court is really inappropriate, it will be corrected."

The merchants' expressions eased after hearing this. One of them sighed and said, "Your Highness, you may not know that in recent years, commercial taxes have been increased in various places, especially in the capital area, where there are many checkpoints and taxes are required for every step. Not to mention that some towns and villages have to pay extra so-called 'road maintenance fees' and 'inspection fees'. All these silvers added together are really unbearable!"

Zhu Biao frowned, his eyes deep: "The court's laws do not have such harsh taxes, it seems that there must be something fishy about this matter."

Zhu Han sighed and said slowly: "In this case, we must personally visit each checkpoint to see if there are any discrepancies."

The merchants wept with gratitude and bowed their hands repeatedly: "Your Highness is kind and benevolent. If you can find a way out for us merchants, it will be a great merit for all eternity!"

After leaving the teahouse, Zhu Biao said in a deep voice: "Uncle, over the years, father has focused on farming but ignored the difficulties faced by merchants. If this is not rectified, I am afraid that the difficulties faced by the people in the future will not only be limited to the fields."

Zhu Han nodded slightly and said with a smile: "You finally understand that the way to govern a country is to develop agriculture and commerce simultaneously. Agricultural taxes alone can certainly support the national treasury, but if merchants wither, how can the people live in peace? Next, we will go to various checkpoints and investigate one by one."

The sky was getting light, and the morning light shone through the mist onto the official road outside Changping City.

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao put on simple business travel clothes and walked along the crowded post road. The sound of horse hooves, the creaking of wheels rolling over bluestone slabs, and the shouts of vendors along the street intertwined together, forming a vivid picture of the market.

Zhu Biao held the reins, looked around, and whispered to Zhu Han: "Uncle, it's very lively outside Changping City, with caravans coming and going. But if you look closely, you can notice something strange."

Zhu Han smiled slightly, raised his hand to brush away the dust on his sleeves, and said nonchalantly: "Biao'er, you looked very carefully. Tell me what you found."

Zhu Biao looked around and whispered, "Although these caravans are coming in an endless stream, they are mostly anxious. The cloth merchant just now held the account book in his hand and sighed several times in succession. It seems that the transportation of goods is not smooth. Look at the grain merchant, the guys are also very careful when unloading the goods, as if they are on guard against something." (End of this chapter)