Emperor Zhengde of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 25 Not paying taxes is more hateful than corrupt officials!
Zhu Houzhao looked at the silent three people and said, "Are you three adults curious about how much grain of grain my Ming Dynasty household earns in a year?"

Liu Jian cupped his hands and replied, "Your Majesty, Daming's tax revenue last year was about 450 million shi."

"You are worthy of being the chief minister of the cabinet. You can keep everything in your heart, big and small."

As soon as Zhu Houzhao's words fell, his face changed suddenly. He suddenly turned around and walked to the table, holding a volume of imperial edicts that had been drawn up in his hand.

"Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian accepted the order."

The three of them quickly knelt down.

"The minister waits for the order!"

In Daming, all officials usually bow their hands when they meet, and when the imperial edict goes to court, they also bow their hands. However, if you want to receive the imperial edict, you have to bow down. This is the rule.

Of course, unless the person receiving the order is a royal prince or someone with a status similar to Tietan Shenhou.

You don't need to get down on one knee, just put your hands together.

Zhu Houzhao preached: "Instruct Liu Jian, the chief assistant of the cabinet, Li Dongyang, the second assistant, and Xie Qian, the minister of the Ministry of War, to measure the fertile land in the world and give Shang Fang a sword. Seeing the sword is like seeing me!"

Zhu Houzhao took off the Emperor Sword hanging behind his back.

After reading these two memorials, Liu Jian and Li Dongyang also realized that taxation in the Ming Empire was a huge problem. The poor were taxed too heavily, while the rich were taxed too lightly.

If things go on like this, I'm afraid it will be detrimental to the development of my Ming Dynasty.

"The minister waits for the order!"

Liu Jian accepted the order and took the Emperor's Sword from Zhu Houzhao.

After the three left the palace, they realized that their backs were soaked. They knew very well that His Majesty had conducted an in-depth investigation on the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty.

Obviously, this is the handwriting of Cao Zhengchun, the governor of the East Factory.

His Majesty did not delve into their current property, otherwise they would have no excuse.

The ills of the Ming Dynasty have existed for a long time, and now it is finally time to heal the wounds.

Liu Jian and the other three sighed and made up their minds. They must not live up to His Majesty's expectations of them now. If they anger His Majesty, I am afraid that Liu Jin will be among them next.

After Liu Jin and the others left, Zhu Houzhao opened a memorial on the table.

The memorial reads impressively:

Liu Jian's ancestors produced 25 taels of silver.

Li Dongyang's ancestors produced 9000 taels of silver.

Xie Qian's ancestral property was 500 taels of silver.

These three people are still upright people, otherwise how could they only have such a little silver with such a high status of the three of them?

A eunuch who served by his side earned 10,000+ taels of silver in five years, compared to that, what is this?
Zhu Houzhao would not take back the land in the world, let alone divide it equally, because if the cultivated land was taken back and no one would cultivate it, it would be a big trouble.

What Zhu Houzhao wants to do is just to increase the court tax.

After measuring the fields in the world, taxes are paid according to the yield per mu, and two buckets of rice are collected per mu instead of one stone.

With such taxes, those landowning families will inevitably have to levy more taxes, while poor households will have to pay less taxes.

In the eyes of the Zhengde Emperor Zhu Houzhao, the world belongs to him, not to those officials and gentry landlords. Those officials and gentry families who evade taxes are his biggest enemies in Zhu Houzhao's eyes. In his view, these are better than those who do not pay taxes. Mainly more hateful than the corrupt officials in the palace.

However, this is a legacy issue and a chronic problem of the Ming Dynasty.

The next morning.

Liu Jian, the chief assistant of the cabinet, found the Minister of Household Affairs and launched a vigorous campaign to measure land across the country.

Zhu Houzhao was in the palace, waiting for the results of the three Gu Ming ministers. He wanted to see if they could be his loyal ministers.

Cining Palace.

Bai Xue became nervous. She had just been canonized as a lady by the queen mother. Although she didn't know the rank of a lady, she knew a little bit. From today onwards, her fate would be closely linked with the emperor.

Could it really be that boy?
Until now, Bai Xue still can't believe her eyes.

But when Zhu Houzhao walked into Cining Palace, Bai Xue saw that familiar face.

It's him!

It's really him!

Just like the little brother next door, he saved himself
At that moment, Bai Xue felt that she had seen her relatives. The Compassionate Ning Palace was a very strange place, and the Queen Mother was majestic, and the other court ladies and eunuchs did not dare to say yes with a playful smile.

As soon as Zhu Houzhao appeared, Bai Xue seemed to see a glimmer of hope. She felt that she saw a long-lost relative in a strange place.

In the Palace of Mercy Ning, Zhu Houzhao saw Bai Xue and Ouyang Jing, and suddenly, Zhu Houzhao understood everything.

"Zhao'er, come, come and be by the mother's side."

"Just now I canonized a lady, I think this girl is very nice."

Bai Xue glanced at Zhu Houzhao shyly, lowered her head hastily, and said happily, "My lord."

In the Palace of Compassion and Ning, Zhu Houzhao and the Queen Mother talked to each other, and left the Palace of Compassion and Ning because they had government affairs to deal with.

The next day.

Inside the Forbidden City.

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
After three cleansing whips were sounded, the civil and military officials crossed the Jinshui Bridge, stepped onto the White Stone Square, and came to the Jinluan Hall.

"Your Majesty, my lord, long live my emperor, long live, long live!"

Zhu Houzhao sat majesticly on the dragon chair, not angry.

"All of you, noble family members, will be exempted from the courtesy!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

When all the officials stood up, Zhu Houzhao looked around the hall and asked: "Dear dear friends, do you have any notes to report?"

The chief assistant of the cabinet, Liu Jian, walked out of the court quickly, clasped his hands and replied: "Your Majesty, I have something to play!"

"Prelude!"

"Your Majesty, under the vigorous pursuit of our Ming vassal state and the commander-in-chief of Jiayuguan, Wang Shouren, the Tatars in northern Xinjiang have been completely wiped out."

"There are less than [-] people left, and they have retreated to the hinterland of thousands of miles and entered the deep mountains."

"I boldly propose to rebuild the northwest protection camp and set up another large city as a border fortress."

"In this way, we can resist foreign invaders and prevent sneak attacks, and secondly, we can strengthen communication with the mainland."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Houzhao thought thoughtfully and said: "This method is not advisable. I just see it and put this matter on hold."

He knew to what extent Ming's treasury was in his hands.

There is no refugee uprising at the moment. If there is a large-scale construction project, he may be burdened with another infamy.

But if you think about it carefully, what Liu Jian said makes sense.

Liu Jian's opinion had already been mentioned in the memorial, and this matter can only be discussed later.

However, at this time, Zhu Houzhao thought of a way.

He got up suddenly, and asked the eunuch who was next to him to bring a pen, ink, paper and inkstone.

I write a few words on it, and you ask Wang Shouren to build me a grand pass at the border in the past few years. This problem can be completely solved.

I saw Zhu Houzhao wrote: Zhenyi Pass!
When the eunuch took the words written by Zhu Houzhao and handed them to Liu Jian and others below, their hearts felt like a turbulent sea.

Because the domineering power of a king and the might of a great nation are all reflected in these words.
Vigorous and powerful, the demeanor of a king!
The civil and military officials were still anxious about the emperor's majesty one second, and wept with joy the next.

On the rice paper, there are only a few words, but it is comparable to a million lions intimidating the frontier!
Just as the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were full of praise for this, a burst of trumpets sounded outside the hall.

"Qizou Your Majesty, Yuhuatian, the governor of the West Plant, is already waiting for orders!"

Hearing this, Zhu Houzhao couldn't help looking outside the hall
To the east of Jiayuguan Pass, there is an abandoned Guancheng, which is said to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. There is now an ancient city in Gaotai County called Zhengyi Gorge. According to historical records, it is here.
Zhengyi Gorge originates from Zhenyi Pass.Absolutely true.
　Ask for collection!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)