The most reckless man in the Ming Dynasty

Zhu Dangqie was beaten.

And Tang Hao clearly made a heavy move.

So much so that when the King of Guishan spoke, his teeth leaked.

Zhu Yangzhu looked at Tang Hao with a slightly sad look. He was his own son after all, so why did he hit him so hard?

"Marquis Tang, I heard that Qufu is also besieged. You..."

After all, Qufu is a holy land of Confucianism, the hometown of the most holy teacher. There are such holy places as the Confucius Temple and the Confucius Forest there.

Could it be that the Marquis of Zhongshan in front of him really dared to watch the Kong family being massacred by the rebels and the Holy Land being harmed by the rebels?

Hiss... He seems to really dare!

Tang Hao threw away the leg of lamb in his hand and looked at Zhu Yangzhu with a half-smile.

"how?"

"Does Prince Lu want to rescue the Kong family?"

"You can go. Anyway, you, King Lu, have a lot of guards. It is more than enough to defeat those rebels."

Zhu Yangzhu was stunned when he heard this, and then shook his head subconsciously.

"Tanghou is joking."

"My king's bodyguards are no more than a hundred and ten people. How dare I provoke these rebels?"

"As long as the rebels don't come to attack Yanzhou City, it won't matter to me. It's just that the Kong family sent people to ask for help..."

It is normal for the Kong family to send people to Yanzhou to ask for help. After all, Yanzhou is the capital of the state and is governed by the government in name only.

Qufu City is a Confucian holy land and has always been controlled by the Kong family. Let alone Qufu City, there is not even a decent garrison nearby. They are now surrounded by rebels. Naturally, they will frantically ask for help from all around, and Zhu Yangzhu's subordinates The guards of Prince Lu's Mansion are the only hope.

It's a pity that Tang Hao came to Yanzhou Prefecture, which means that, if nothing unexpected happens, no one will dare to rescue him.

"Prince Lu, speaking of it, Qufu is quite famous."

"The fields either belong to Prince Lu's Mansion or Confucius' Mansion. Anyway, it's impossible for the court to collect taxes, right?"

As soon as these words came out, the faces of Zhu Yangzhu and Zhu Dangqi changed drastically.

Even a fool can hear the hidden meaning behind the words of the Marquis of Zhongshan at this moment.

All the powerful people in the world are doing things like annexing land, and Prince Lu's Palace is no exception.

Furthermore, Zhu Yangzhu's salary was cut by two-thirds by the court because he gathered people for lewdness. If he couldn't find a way to annex more fields, where would he have the money and food to support the palace's expenses?

After all, we are also nobles, so we can't lose the prince's favor and eat chaffy vegetables every day, right?

Therefore, Zhu Yangzhu never thought there was any problem with annexing land.

But now that Zhongshan Hou mentioned this matter pointedly, the problem here is huge.

"Forgive me, Marquis Tang. The little king did not annex the fields, but the fields were donated by the people on their own initiative. That's why I, Prince Lu, will..."

Well, it wasn’t me who took the initiative, but they took the initiative.

The reason why the common people wanted to donate their fields to Prince Lu's Mansion was naturally to avoid the exorbitant taxes and levies imposed by the imperial court that were increasing year by year.

In the final analysis, the root of the problem still lies with the court itself.

If the local government did not apportion, if the local government collected taxes strictly in accordance with the thirty-one tax set by Emperor Taizu Gao, then the common people would be crazy and foolish enough to donate their fields to the powerful, and would rather be tenants of the powerful and depend on others. !

"Speaking of which, Prince Lu's Mansion has done a lot of good deeds!"

Tang Hao sneered, then took out a book and threw it over.

"This is what Jin Yiwei collected. Sixty percent of the land in Yanzhou Prefecture belongs to the Lu Palace, 20% goes to the Confucius Mansion, and 15% belongs to official fields and military villages. In other words, less than half of the fields truly belong to the common people. of."

"Prince Lu, it is indeed not easy for your Prince Lu Mansion to pass on to this day. I don't know how many methods were used to annex these fields, and how many common people's families were destroyed?!"

Tang Hao's tone was extremely harsh at the last sentence, which made Zhu Yangzhu and his son's hearts tremble.

The Marquis of Zhongshan really came with bad intentions. He must be polite first and then attack with force! This is it!

Zhu Yangzhu opened the booklet and took a look, and instantly felt his scalp numb.

One by one, it clearly records how many fields donated by the gentry and gentry have been accepted by the Lu Palace over the years, and how many fields of the common people have been taken away by force.

If the gentry and the gentry are affiliated with the Prince of Lu's Palace, it is naturally impossible for them to pay taxes to the court, and they basically don't have to pay taxes to the Prince of Lu's Palace. This is like a cooperative relationship, hello, me, hello, that's all, but Those tenants who took the initiative to contribute their fields would definitely have to pay taxes.

You have become a tenant. Helping the palace to cultivate the land is equivalent to free labor. You have worked hard for a year. When the harvest comes, someone from the palace will naturally come to collect rent.

As for the rent, it all depends on Prince Lu's house. The servants below will also search for it step by step, leaving at most one or two mouthfuls of food for these tenants to ensure that they will not starve to death. After all, these tenants will continue to farm in the coming year!

After all, being a tenant to the powerful can only guarantee that you will not starve to death.

But if you continue to be a farmer and pay taxes to the court, it will not be as simple as starving to death. You may even be forced to sell your land, sons and daughters by those exorbitant taxes!

"Marquis Zhongshan, this..."

"No more nonsense!" Tang Hao waved his hand impatiently, "For the sake of the clan, we don't have to pursue other matters, but 30% of the 60% of the land of Prince Lu's Mansion must be allocated, and the imperial court will send royal guards. Come and receive it!"

"Thirty percent of the land, at least a thousand acres, is enough for your Prince Lu Mansion to continue to eat, drink, and have fun, and have no worries about food and clothing. Do you understand?"

As soon as the Marquis of Zhongshan opens his mouth, he will take away half of the fields of Prince Lu's Mansion!

However, Zhu Yangzhu, the fourth generation Lu king, did not dare to object or refuse, but nodded with great pain.

What can he do if he doesn't agree?

Now Tang Hao was looking for the face of this meal, so he took the initiative to let him cooperate in handing over the land.

If Zhu Yangzhu is not wise, then the damn Marquis of Zhongshan can simply raid their homes and seize them. Not to mention the remaining 30% of the land, Prince Lu's palace will even decline because of this, and he will not be able to save even half of his family wealth!

After all, the person in front of me is His Majesty the Emperor’s number one official, the Marquis of Zhongshan in the Ming Dynasty!

"good!"

"Three makes three percent!"

Zhu Yangzhu gritted his teeth and nodded very clearly.

This saves Tang Hao from being such a villain again.

"Prince Lu is indeed very wise!"

"In this case, I won't stay any longer."

Tang Hao smiled and then looked at Zhu Dangqie.

"Zhu Dangqi, you are a pretty good boy. Are you interested in joining me on the battlefield?"

Hearing this, Zhu Dangqi's face was full of joy, and he almost subconsciously accepted the invitation of Marquis Zhongshan.

However, Zhu Yangzhu's expression changed drastically. He glared at the traitor fiercely, and then looked at Tang Hao with a solemn expression.

"Marquis Zhongshan, this is inappropriate!"

"It belongs to the clan and was ordered by Taizu. The clan is not allowed to participate in the cause of the four people, let alone... command the army!"

Zhu Yangzhu had already said this with great restraint.

Emperor Taizu Gao set strict control measures on the Tian family, the most stringent of which was not to compete with the people for profit!

In the Ming dynasty, the officials of the Ming dynasty distributed feudal lands but not the land, gave titles to the nobles but did not visit the people, took salary but did not manage affairs, and could not participate in the four people's industries (that is, scholars, farmers, industry and commerce), and could be hereditary.

After all, Emperor Taizu Gao, who loved his people like a son, was thinking about the people.

After all, Lao Zhu's family has gained the country, and if they get involved in the business of the four people, how can they live?

However, no one expected that after Emperor Taizu Gao, there would be a civil war. King Zhu Di of Yan suddenly conquered the world with one place, overthrew Zhu Yunwen's Jianwen court, and then ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor Yongle. emperor.

Compared with the stupid young Jianwen who violently cut down the vassal state as soon as he came to power, Emperor Yongle's methods of cutting down the vassalage were much more clever. He deposed each of the vassal kings and moved them inland, and there were large armies around them to suppress them. Make any waves.

Since Yongle, the vassal kings have completely become pigs imprisoned in their fiefdoms, living a useless life of eating and waiting to die. Even if they have any ambitions, they dare not show them at all.

Yes, this is in the Ming Dynasty. Even if you, a member of the clan, are extremely talented, even if you, a member of the clan, are a genius, you must never show it or show any ambition. Just stay peacefully and be a dandy. Okay, this is what the court wants to see!

Therefore, when Tang Hao extended an invitation to Zhu Dangqi, Zhu Yangzhu immediately refused.

Not for anything else, because of fear!

Zhu Yangzhu didn't want to cause the entire Lu Fan clan to be jealous and suspicious of the imperial court, to be tolerated by His Majesty the Emperor, and ultimately to be completely destroyed because of a son!

Zhu Dangqi also understood that his status meant that he could never touch the military power, so he smiled miserably and said to Tang Hao unhappily: "Tang Hou, you have also seen that I can only be a soldier in this life. It’s useless, it’s impossible to be a general…”

I wonder what passionate man doesn’t want to gallop on the battlefield and win glory for the country?

However, the vassal measures formulated by Emperor Taizu Gao and Emperor Taizong Wen abruptly destroyed the dreams of all the descendants of the old Zhu family, forcing them to become dandy wastes and wait for death. , I dare not have any other thoughts!

"As long as you want, that's fine!" Tang Hao said solemnly.

"I am well aware of the Zongfan issue. After this rebellion is suppressed, I will discuss the matter with His Majesty when I return to Beijing and try to lift your ban!"

To be honest, Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang initially formulated such stringent measures based on the premise that the clan kings held military power. Therefore, the kings during the Hongwu period were really powerful kings, especially those with military power. The eight kings of the Great Wall, who were heavily armed, were even more powerful!

But Zhu Yuanzhang would not have thought that after he left, the fourth son Zhu Di would be able to overthrow the Jianwen court and become Emperor Yongle.

Emperor Taizong was much better at cutting down vassals. He boiled frogs in warm water and killed people with soft knives. He deposed the vassal kings one by one, then took the opportunity to cut down their military guards, and then moved them all to the interior to join the vassals. This way As soon as the feudal king came, he completely lost power.

If they cannot do scientific research, do business, farm, or work, then what else can these Ming clan clans do?

The powerful people amassed money crazily, the rich people drank and played with women, and the poor people lived on the meager salary from the court. Even in the end, because the court was about to die, it began to default on the salary of these blood-sucking insects, and the Ming Dynasty clan starved to death. Tragedy on the streets.

This is probably something that Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang never thought of!

The reason why Tang Hao came to Prince Lu's Mansion is to understand the actual situation of these Ming Dynasty clans, and then use the incident of Prince Lu's Mansion to start the vassal restructuring and get rid of these blood-sucking insects who only know how to suck the blood and marrow of the people of Ming Dynasty. !

"Tang Hou is serious about what he said?" Zhu Dangqi looked at Tang Hao with hope, "Can the ban on us really be lifted?"

Although Zhu Yangzhu did not speak, his eyes were shining with an inexplicable light.

If given a choice, who would want to be a useless pig waiting to die?

This Daming is the Daming of the old Zhu family!

This Jiangshan Sheji is the Jiangshan Sheji of their old Zhu family!

No clan member is willing to watch the Ming Dynasty decline like this, but they can do nothing, nothing!

Tang Hao nodded again.

"Of course, I never act without aim."

"It would be best if you, Zhu Dangqi, can make a contribution in countering the rebellion. Then I will have a reason to confront those civil servants and gentry."

"How about it? Do you dare?"

Young people are high-spirited and high-spirited, and they can't stand the excitement the most.

So Zhu Dangqi stood up suddenly and laughed and said, "Why don't you dare?"

"Father, my son wants to try it!"

Zhu Dangqie looked at Zhu Yangzhu expectantly and begged: "My son doesn't want to live in a daze like this for the rest of his life, and he can see everything at a glance!"

"Even if Marquis Tang cannot do it in the end, the father can just expel his son from the clan, and his son will never be implicated in the palace!"

Zhu Yangzhu naturally understood his son's determination after he said the words of starting a clan and expelling his family members.

He was once young and arrogant, and he also wanted to start a career for the Ming Dynasty. However, the constraints and shackles of his clan status made Prince Lu's blood immediately cool down before it started boiling. In the end, he could only put down that All the energy that I couldn't muster was vented on the woman...

Zhu Yangzhu looked at the son he didn't like very much, and for the first time he felt proud of this son from the bottom of his heart.

"Go!"

"If something happens, my father will protect you even if he gives up the throne!"

"You are my biological son, Zhu Yangzhu, and you are the seventh generation grandson of Emperor Taizu Gao. No one can touch you!"

At this moment, the pride in Zhu Yangzhu's bones was undoubtedly evident.

Even if those civil servants and gentry wanted to use this as an excuse to criticize the father and son, they would still have to face the wrath of the clans and clans of the world!

Do you really think that the feudal clan was expelled from the center of power so willingly, without any thoughts at all?

If the vassal princes and clans could enter the court, how could the Ming Dynasty let these damn civil servants and gentry control the government?

Zhu Yangzhu stood up and bowed solemnly to Tang Hao.

"Tang Hou, I will leave this traitor to you!"

"Whether it succeeds or not, you are the benefactor of Prince Lu's Mansion!"

Tang Hao accepted the gift with a smile, then got up and left with Zhu Dangqi.

After they left, Zhu Dangpai, the crown prince of King Lu, walked out worriedly.

"Father, you are confused!"

"How could you agree to let me go..."

"So what if I go? What if I don't go?"

Zhu Yangzhu looked at the eldest son who had followed the rules all his life, and sneered: "Do you also want your descendants to be like your father, who have been living around and waiting to die for a lifetime, and still have to fawn over those civil servants and gentry?"

Zhu Dangyao was startled when he heard this, with a sad look on his face.

Hasn't this been the way he's lived his entire life?

"But Father, once Your Majesty becomes jealous and suspicious of us, then..."

"No!" Zhu Yangzhu's eyes were sharp and he changed from his usual slutty look.

"Since His Majesty the Emperor allowed the Marquis of Zhongshan to massacre the gentry, it means that His Majesty has long been dissatisfied with the civil servants and gentry controlling the government, and he is fighting with these civil servants and gentry!"

"This is the opportunity for our clan lords. If the ban can be lifted, if we can enter the court, even if we are allowed to fight with those civil servants and gentry, it will at least be more interesting than being a fucking pig now! "

Zhu Yangzhu gritted his teeth and roared: "The Ming Dynasty is the Ming Dynasty of my old Zhu family, not the Ming Dynasty of those gentry and gentry!"

"I've had enough of this wasteful life, let alone tolerate these civil servants and gentry pooping and peeing on my head!"

Zhu Dangyao looked at his father blankly, finally sighed and stopped trying to persuade him.

The worst thing is that Prince Lu's Mansion will be dealt with by the court again.

Anyway, it is impossible for the emperor to directly abolish the Lu Fan lineage!

"Father, my little brother is over there..."

"Don't worry about it, just die. He is asking for mercy and getting mercy!"

Zhu Yangzhu's eyes were cold and his tone was cold.

"But if he succeeds, my clan will have a chance to re-enter the court!"

"Immediately send an order to all the vassal kings to push forward this matter. This is our only chance in so many years!"

At the same time, outside Qufu City.

Qi Yanming and other rebels waited for a day, and when they saw that there was no movement in the city, they knew that it was impossible for the Kong family to surrender on their own initiative, so they immediately ordered an attack on the city.

During this day, the rebels were not idle, and were constantly building siege equipment.

After all, Qufu is just a county town in the final analysis, with no high-walled city.

Seeing Qi Yanming ordering an attack on the city, Fan Wencheng couldn't sit still.

The reason why he proposed to wait for one day was to allow the imperial officers and soldiers to catch up.

As a result, he never expected that these damn officers and soldiers didn't catch up!

Now how to do?

Do we have to watch these rebels attack Qufu Holy Land and then harm the Kong family?

Fan Wencheng couldn't help but shudder when he thought of the terrible consequences.

If the rebel really did this, then he, Fan Wencheng, would be a sinner of the famous religion for all eternity!

Fan Wencheng immediately found Qi Yanming and tried to prevent the rebels from attacking the city.

He used every excuse, but Qi Yanming was not stupid. If he didn't seize the time to capture Qufu, he didn't know how they would die.

So Qi Yanming pushed Fan Wen away and directly ordered the attack.

At this time, an accident was discovered.

I saw the city gates of Qufu wide open, and the magistrate of Qufu actually opened the city and surrendered!

Seeing this scene, Qi Yanming and other rebels were ecstatic and immediately led their troops into the city.

But Fan Wencheng looked at the Kong family magistrate in a daze, speechless for a long time.

He just felt that there seemed to be something in his mind... shattered to pieces!

That's... his... belief!