Late Yuan Dynasty: I am the true emperor

Chapter 389 A tough showdown
Shen Rong took a horse-drawn carriage to Suzhou City, but halfway through the journey, he found that there were many wealthy families like him who were rushing to the city to inquire about tax policies. Some were riding in carriages, some in sedan chairs, and some on horseback, and the closer to the city, the more wealthy families there were.

More and more wealthy households gathered and began to discuss the new tax law with each other. They immediately changed from praising Lu Jin to scolding him. Some people who did not dare to scold him directly said that Lu Jin was bewitched by treacherous officials. In short, no one was willing to give up their land easily.

They gradually grew in number and seemed to have gained confidence, as if they could resist Lu Jin's tyranny by sticking together. It was not until they arrived at Suzhou City and saw the red flag of the Shengwu Army flying high on the city wall, the armored warriors standing guard in front of the city gate, and the dried heads of high-ranking officials of the Yuan court in eastern Zhejiang hanging on the wooden stakes on both sides of the city gate that the confidence of these powerful landlords was suppressed again.

"We want to see Prefect Yu!"

"Yes, we want justice. Marshal Gongshu keeps saying he wants to drive out the Tartars and restore China, but in all dynasties of China, there has never been such a heavy tax. A harsh government is more ferocious than a tiger. How can Marshal Gongshu collect more than the Mongolian Tartars? We don't accept it!"

"The new government wants to collect taxes from us, right? Please ask the governor to come out and give us an explanation!"

A group of wealthy families had lost their former dignity and gathered at the gate of the yamen, making a commotion as if they had suffered a great injustice. However, they had never expected that the prefect Yu Yunzhou would stay at home and refuse to come out. After shouting for a long time, a clerk finally came out and bowed to everyone in front of the door.

"My fellow countrymen, if you are here for the new tax law, please wait a few more days. The prefect has just sent a message that Suzhou Prefecture is hundreds of miles in radius. If the gentry from all over the country come one by one, it will inevitably take a lot of time for him to answer them. It is better for everyone to wait until the eighth day of February and come together. Then the prefect will definitely give you an explanation.

"If you meet friends or relatives, please let them know. There is no need to block the door. The prefect will not see anyone before the eighth day of this month. Everyone, go away."

After the clerk had finished speaking, he returned to the yamen and closed the door again, leaving the group of gentry who had come to seek justice staring at each other in bewilderment.

Shen Rong was sitting in the carriage and he lifted the curtain and stuck his head out, just in time to see this scene. When the other gentry around saw that it was Shen Rong, they also hurried forward to greet him.

"Hey, it's Mr. Shen from Zhouzhuang. Mr. Shen, your Shen family is the richest in Jiangdong. Your Shen family owns the most land in Pingjiang Road. You have to say something for us."

"Yes, there is no reason for the land tax in this world to be one-third or one-third. There has never been such a heavy tax in all dynasties. Mr. Shen, why are you leaving?"

Since these people couldn't see the prefect, they immediately wanted to find Shen Rong to be the first to take action. But Shen Rong was not a fool. Even if he wanted to find the prefect, he would definitely do it in private. Coming here to block the door in broad daylight would be embarrassing. He has no etiquette at all. No wonder he can't accomplish anything big.

However, seeing that the group of people surrounded his carriage, he still impatiently opened the curtain and said to everyone, "Didn't you hear what the prefect said? The government is not unwilling to give an explanation. It just asked us to wait a few more days until the nearby villagers have gathered. Instead of blocking the door, you might as well send a message to your own neighbors so that they don't have to make a wasted trip now."

After saying this, he lowered the curtain and urged the coachman to drive to the inn he opened in the city.

Seeing that this person who stood out was not fooled, everyone had no choice but to leave in disappointment.

At this time, in the back hall of the government office, Yu Yunzhou was also receiving a guest. The visitor was none other than Ge Yingze, the current head of the Ge family, a famous medical family in Suzhou. When Yu Yunzhou opened an intelligence station in Suzhou before, the Ge's clinic had always taken good care of him. He might not give face to others, but he still had to give face to the Ge family.

"Yu Fu Yin, can you tell me the truth? What exactly is Marshal Gongshu planning this time? Does he really want to implement this tax law, or is he just trying to deal with certain people? Does it have anything to do with our Ge family? Considering our past friendship, can you be lenient?"

Yu Yunzhou took a sip of tea, then put down the tea bowl and said, "Doctor Ge, why do you have to pretend to be ignorant when you know the truth? Let's be honest. Is the tax law formulated by the Marshal really high? If the registered land is less than 300 acres, it is completely affordable.

"Your Ge family doesn't have much land, only about 3,000 acres, and you have so many children and grandchildren. If you give some to your own nephews and nieces, wouldn't it be reduced to less than 300 acres? Why is Doctor Ge so stubborn?"

Upon hearing this, Ge Yingze was immediately furious and said, "Forcing people to separate is a perverse act that disregards human ethics. How can this be justified in the world?!"

With a bang, Yu Yunzhou slammed the table, "Doctor Ge, what you said is too much. What do you mean by perverse and disregarding human ethics? You are not uneducated. Don't you know what the Enfeoffment Order is? The Han emperor divided the royal family, which was justified. Now the Marshal wants the Ge family to divide the family, which is perverse and disregarding human ethics, right? Do you think that the Ge family is more noble than the royal family?"

As soon as these heart-piercing words were spoken, Ge Yingze was choked and lost his temper. He couldn't really say that he was nobler than Emperor Wu of Han.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit tense, Yu Yunzhou slowed down his tone and said, "Today I stopped hundreds of gentry outside the door and only invited Doctor Ge in. It was because the Ge family helped our army in the past and the Marshal attached great importance to the Ge family. Otherwise, do you think you can enter this government office today?
"The Marshal has high hopes for the Ge family. As long as you are willing to cooperate and accomplish what the Marshal wants, you will at least be a minister in the future. The division of the family property is just to divide the land among the younger generations of your family. Isn't the Ge family's land still divided into acres?

"Doctor Ge, can't you see clearly what is more important? Don't lose the big picture for the sake of the small gains in the future and lose the bright future in front of you."

This made Ge Yingze lose his temper. He gave him a date after a beating. Would you eat the date or not? If you didn't eat it, you would be beaten again. But he was still unwilling to give up. Finally, he asked, "Is there really no room for change?"

Yu Yunzhou shook his head. "The Marshal attaches great importance to land, and he especially dislikes annexation by the gentry. Let me tell you something. The 300,000 troops on the Eastern Expedition have no plans to withdraw this year. They are staying here specifically for this purpose. Anyone who dares to resist taxes will have their family destroyed."

Upon hearing this, Ge Yingze stopped talking.

Yu Yunzhou said, "But the Marshal is not an unreasonable person. Although he cannot annex land, he is quite supportive of merchants, especially those who can organize production. The Marshal has been supporting them since he was in Luzhou.

"However, the Ge family has been passing down medical skills for generations, so they may not be interested in business. But in the future, they may make a living by buying and selling medicinal materials. I think the Marshal will definitely support them, and this is something that benefits the country and the people. What do you think, Doctor Ge?"

He had said all the good and bad things, and now that things had come to this, Ge Yingze knew that there was no point in continuing to pester him. Although Yu Yunzhou was a prefect, he was nothing in front of Lu Jin's mansion. After all, he was just an executor of policies, not a decision-maker. He could only act according to Lu Jin's orders, and it would be useless to say more to him.

However, Yu Yunzhou has done his best by telling him these things today.

Ge Yingze then stood up, bowed and said, "Thank you, Yu Fuyin, for clearing up my doubts. I won't bother you any more. I'm afraid I need to go back and discuss this with my family. Since Marshal Gongshu has made up his mind, we won't cause any more trouble for the Fuyin."

Yu Yunzhou also stood up and said, "It's good that Doctor Ge can think positively. This medicine business is also in your family tradition. Besides, didn't I sell medicine in Suzhou before? The Ge family has inherited medical skills. In addition to the medicine business and the master's appreciation, it will not be difficult to pass on the family business in the future. Why bother with those acres of land?"

"What the prefect said is true. Today I have made a fool of myself. I will take my leave now."

"Doctor Ge, please go. There are too many people outside, so I won't go out to see you off." "Prefect, please stay."

When Yu Yunzhou watched Ge Yingze leave from inside the door, he immediately stroked his beard and glanced at the crowd on the street outside and sneered, "I'll let you know how powerful I am in a few days."

Sure enough, as soon as the eighth day of the second lunar month arrived, all the wealthy and powerful businessmen from the nearby villages and towns came. Today they were not stopped outside the gate. As soon as anyone came, he was immediately led into the gate of the government office. However, there were no tables and chairs or tea. Whoever came was made to stand in the yard in front of the lobby.

Seeing that more and more people were gathering in the courtyard, the prefect Yu Yunzhou had not shown up yet. Some elderly gentry could not even stand still and kept cursing the new prefect for not knowing etiquette. New local tyrants continued to come in.

On the streets outside, seeing so many wealthy people gathering in the government compound, some people ran to the door to watch the fun, but they did not dare to go in.

It was not until a clerk said that the yard was almost full, with more than 200 people in total, including Shen Rong, the head of the Shen family, that Yu Yunzhou straightened his clothes and came slowly from the back hall, followed by a team of Shengwu Army soldiers.

As soon as Yu Yunzhou came out of the side door, he waved his hand and said, "Close the door!"

The gate of the government office was immediately closed by the soldiers inside and outside, and some people were guarding the door with guns and knives. This move immediately caused everyone to exclaim in surprise.

"Yu Fuyin, what are you going to do? Are you going to slaughter all of us civilians in broad daylight?"

However, Yu Yunzhou ignored the man who was talking. He glanced at the powerful men in the courtyard who were wearing colorful brocade robes, then walked to the steps in front of the lobby. Today he was also wearing a Song Dynasty style bright red brocade round-necked robe, a black hard-winged hat on his head, with the two hat wings spread out to be nearly one meter wide, black official boots on his feet, and a leather belt around his waist. With the support of armored soldiers around him, he looked like a high-ranking official when he stood there, not inferior to those wearing colorful brocade robes below.

Yu Yunzhou nodded, and the soldier beside him immediately shouted "Silence", which immediately silenced the group of powerful men.

Yu Yunzhou finally spoke, "You elders of Suzhou have come from afar. As the local parents, I am sorry for the poor hospitality. However, you are here to see me today, not me inviting you to come, so there is no need for us to be polite.

“As for why the gate is closed, you don’t have to panic. It’s because I want to tell you something private, not to the ordinary people outside the gate.

"You don't need to tell me anything. If you are also common people, those who can take the initiative to come and stand in this yard today must have at least 500 acres of land at home. Let's not compare ourselves with those refugees, tenants and craftsmen outside."

"We know why we are here, but I wonder what instructions the prefect has for today?" Shen Rong, who was standing in front of the crowd, took the lead and asked. This guy still has the style of a richest man, and he is not vague when it comes to taking the lead.

However, Yu Yunzhou did not give any face and immediately raised his hand to interrupt.

"Silence! I am not here to listen to your complaints today. No matter how miserable you are, it is not as miserable as the common people on the street outside. I am here to explain the policies to you and to inform you of some recent news in the court so that you don't misjudge the situation. Please listen carefully.

“First, collecting taxes based on the wealth of the people has been a practice since the Song Dynasty, and it is not something the Marshal’s Office created. So for those who think that taxes should not be collected based on wealth, this rule does not need to be mentioned.

“Secondly, according to the new tax law, the tax for ordinary people with 30 to 50 acres is less than one tenth. Even compared with previous dynasties, this tax is definitely not high. Even for people with 300 to 500 acres, it is definitely not a heavy tax.

"So, there is no need to say that a harsh government is more ferocious than a tiger. If you don't want to pay heavy taxes, you can just divide the households and the land. The Marshal is not forcing you to death, unless you seek death yourself."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was in an uproar, and some people began to whisper and curse under their breath.

However, the soldiers around Yu Yunzhou shouted again, "Silence", and everyone quieted down again.

Yu Yunzhou ignored everyone's reaction and continued, "Third, the tax law this time is non-negotiable. No one is exempt. You either pay taxes according to the tax rate or divide the land. Of course, you also have a third choice, which is to resist taxes violently or directly start a rebellion."

When everyone heard the word "rebellion", veins on their foreheads suddenly jumped. How could such words be said casually in broad daylight?
However, Yu Yunzhou didn't care what they thought and continued.

"But for those who want to resist taxes or start a rebellion, I have a piece of advice for you. You must listen carefully to what I say next.

"First, the Marshal's Office has just sent a military order that the 300,000 troops for this eastern expedition will be reorganized on the spot. There is no consideration of withdrawing these 300,000 troops this year. Instead, they will be temporarily kept in eastern Zhejiang to maintain local stability, especially to promote the implementation of this tax law!

"Secondly, you don't have to worry about the Marshal's Office. Without these 300,000 troops, can the Marshal's Office still resist the violent Yuan Dynasty? To tell you the truth, in the last ten-day month of last year, the Yuan court in Dadu sent a secret decree to Huaibei, dismissing Prime Minister Tuotuo and exiling him to Yunnan. The Yuan court also ordered the 200,000 troops on the Huaibei front to be disbanded on the spot. Anyone who does not disband his troops after seeing the decree will have his entire clan executed!"

wow——

Everyone was shocked again when they heard this. They didn't expect the Yuan court to do such an outrageous thing. It was simply unjust that the Yuan Dynasty didn't fall.
And Yu Yunzhou continued.

“So if you are counting on the Yuan court to send troops to fight back, don’t even think about it. The destiny has changed, the divine weapons have changed, and Bao Yuan’s luck has run out. They will never come back again.

"In addition, I would like to inform you of one more thing. The Second Front Army of the Shengwu Army in Huaibei has now fully accepted the 200,000 defeated soldiers of the Yuan court.

“The Xuzhou Volunteer Army also brought 100,000 troops and 20 cities to submit to the Marshal. Now my northern troops have reached Shandong, and are only a few hundred miles away from Dadu. So don’t think that the Marshal’s Office has left 300,000 troops in eastern Zhejiang and has no troops available for external attacks.

"If you want to rebel, you should think carefully."

(End of this chapter)