Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 142: Immediately arrest the gentry who owe taxes

"Tell me, what should we do? My dear ministers, you are all experienced people who are good at planning for the country."

Zhu Houzhao looked at the Chief Minister Ma Wensheng and the Minister of Personnel Wang Shu who were silent in front of him.

Ma Wensheng didn't know what to say. He couldn't help but stroke his forehead with his hand, and then looked at Zhu Houzhao who had a smile on his lips. He was actually very disgusted with Zhu Houzhao looking at him in such a semi-sarcastic way, as if he, an old minister, was also despised by him. He didn't understand why Zhu Houzhao really spoke highly of the behavior of these gentry. They were really a group of people who wouldn't cry until they saw the coffin.

Wang Shu narrowed his eyes and said nothing.

"I will personally lead the troops there and raid a few houses. These Jiangnan gentry may really need to see the sword and the sword before they know the authority of the court!"

At this time, Wang Yangming, the governor of Nanzhili, suddenly stood up, bowed and was about to leave. The gentry had been unwilling to pay the arrears of taxes, which made him very angry.

"you come back!"

Ma Wensheng called out. As the Prime Minister, it was natural for him to order a governor. Therefore, Wang Yangming turned around and said, "Prime Minister, what can I do for you?"

"You are so impatient! His Majesty hasn't spoken yet. Why are you so anxious? Can you be more calm and steady like your father?"

Ma Wensheng criticized Wang Yangming in front of Emperor Zhu Houzhao, and then he politely asked Zhu Houzhao with a smile: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, these gentry may not be unwilling to pay the arrears. They may need the court to give them some face. After all, they are different from ordinary people. The wise courts have always been respectful to the wise and humble.

Wang Shouren is the governor of Nanzhili. Many of these Jiangnan gentry are students and former officials of his father Wang Hua. In my opinion, it would be better to let Wang Shouren, as the governor, personally visit several prestigious Jiangnan gentry. As long as these Jiangnan gentry are willing to take the lead in paying the arrears, other gentry will naturally follow suit, and the matter will be resolved, and it can also avoid the court from tearing its face with them. "

"Prime Minister! Your Majesty! I really can't persuade them. I have always believed that a king should pacify the world with a sharp sword! How can I persuade a thief to surrender with kind words? I really can't do it. I didn't even give face to my father, so how can I be humble to them!"

Wang Yangming became anxious when he saw this. He had always been a proud man. He agreed very much with Zhu Houzhao's words "The Ming Dynasty belongs to the era of young people". He also wanted to do something big. He even looked down on saints and wanted to be a saint himself. Later, even high-ranking officials in the court looked down on him and wanted him to be a good minister. Now Ma Wensheng asked him to beg these Jiangnan gentry to pay their arrears of taxes, which made him more uncomfortable than killing him.

"Your Majesty! I think the Prime Minister's proposal is feasible. Since Wang Sheng wants to be a good minister in a prosperous era, he should have such a broad mind. If you can avoid bloodshed, scholars all over the world will be grateful to you."

Wang Shu also stood up and bowed to Zhu Houzhao and said something. Then, he walked over to Wang Yangming with his cane and reminded him in the tone of an elder to a younger person:
"When the time comes, those who should be called uncle will be called uncle, and those who should be called uncle will be called uncle. If you use your status as the governor to persuade them, this matter may be accomplished!"

"Your Majesty!" Wang Yangming looked at the Zhengde Emperor Zhu Houzhao. He was really unwilling to beg the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River to pay their arrears of taxes. He even didn't understand why the government could just beat and scold the common people or even confiscate their homes and kill them when they owed taxes, but these gentry would tolerate it like this. Even Buddha said that all worldly laws are equal, but why was it different for the gentry?

Zhu Houzhao felt a little sorry for Wang Yangming. He could see that Ma Wensheng, Wang Shu and other old ministers were insisting on giving face to these Jiangnan gentry. Moreover, it was impossible to force himself, the emperor, to make concessions. It would be better to force Wang Yangming, the governor who was directly responsible for the matter, to make another concession.

But Zhu Houzhao really wanted to understand what the gentry were thinking. As the saying goes, knowing yourself and your enemy will ensure victory in every battle. Before using imperial power and violence, he had to find out where the bottom line of these gentry was, and when they would compromise and be willing to give up some of the interests that did not belong to them.

Therefore, Zhu Houzhao said: "Go ahead. I will go with you in casual clothes. You should also go in casual clothes to show these Jiangnan gentry that you, as the governor of Jiangnan, can not only kill people, but also condescend to give them face. If they don't pay the arrears of taxes truthfully, you will definitely offend many of your father's friends. Then you can explain to your father, so as not to be beaten when you go home!"

As Zhu Houzhao said this, he left the duty room before Wang Yangming, and Wang Yangming followed him.

"Congratulations to Your Majesty!"

Ma Wensheng and Wang Shu stood up to see him off. Immediately, Ma Wensheng looked at Wang Shu and said, "Lord Wang, do you think these gentry will give Wang Shouren face?"

"I hope so. If not, these gentry will have to be severely punished. Otherwise, the Ming Dynasty will be burdened by them in the future. They don't pay taxes, don't serve in the army, don't farm or weave, and only study and take exams. There will be more and more people like this. How will the country support them?"

Wang Shu said.

……

At this time, Zhu Houzhao and Wang Yangming had already arrived at the residence of Su Ming, the retired Nanjing Guanglu Temple Minister. Su Ming was a fellow student of Wang Hua and had retired at the beginning of the Hongzhi reign. When Wang Yangming came to visit, Su Ming was also very enthusiastic and hurried to personally welcome Wang Shouren in:

"From a public perspective, I have to call you my father, the official. From a private perspective, I have to call you my nephew. I wonder who this person is?"

Su Ming pointed at Zhu Houzhao and asked Wang Yangming.

"My nephew's aide and good friend Zhu Shou," Wang Yangming said, and then he asked directly, "My nephew came to visit me today not for any other reason, but just to ask my uncle, the court is now recovering the arrears of taxes owed by the people in Jiangnan, and as a token of grace, it is only collecting the arrears of taxes of more than 500 dan since the first year of Zhengde, within three months. Why is it that after three months, no one has come to pay the arrears?"

"My dear nephew, you have just come to this place, so you naturally don't know how deep the water is. Although you have started a big case and killed more than fifty gentry, everyone knows that you have evidence of your guilt, and not all the gentry are implicated.
Now the imperial court wants to recover the arrears of taxes, but it requires almost all the gentry in the entire Nanzhili to pay the arrears. How can we gentry do it? Is it possible that the imperial court really wants to lose the hearts of all the scholars in Nanzhili for a few hundred or a thousand dan of grain? Or, is it possible that scholars like us are not worth a few hundred or a thousand dan of grain!

Since you are an official of the imperial court, you should treat the virtuous and humble with courtesy and kindness, and you should not help the tyrant to commit atrocities!"

When Su Ming said that he was aiding and abetting the tyrant, Zhu Houzhao looked at him deeply.

However, Su Ming did not notice this. At this time, Wang Yangming asked again, "But paying taxes is the duty of the people. Otherwise, how can the court provide disaster relief, control rivers and support the army? Are we really going to sit back and watch the country fall? Uncle and nephew are also scholars and know that if the taxes are only paid by the people, the burden on the people will inevitably increase. At that time, the country will inevitably be impoverished and the people will be poor!"

"Therefore, officials should advise the emperor to be frugal. This world belongs to the emperor. If the emperor is not frugal and does not treat the people with benevolence and righteousness, and loses his own country, it is his own fault. We scholars should mourn his misfortune, and if we accept his grace, we should be loyal to him!" Su Ming said.

Zhu Houzhao looked at Su Ming deeply again.

Wang Yangming suddenly stood up excitedly, pointed at Su Ming and said, "Uncle, I don't agree with this. The world should not belong to just one family. Besides, whether we are scholars or farmers and craftsmen, we are all Han people with the same ancestors. We should not let the world go into chaos and even cause the suffering of all people. Moreover, we are scholars and have no worries about our livelihood. We have an even greater responsibility to maintain peace and prosperity. Now that I have come to visit you, I am also here to persuade you to pay the arrears of taxes as soon as possible, otherwise don't blame the king's law for being ruthless!"

Seeing this, Su Ming suddenly slammed the table and said, "What do you want to do! Wang Shouren, since I am your uncle, I would like to advise you not to be stubborn and stubborn. If you offend the scholars in the world in the future, you, Wang Shouren, and even your Wang family will be cursed for eternity!"

"In that case, then Uncle Shi can just wait for his house to be searched and questioned!"

Wang Shouren bowed and left. Zhu Houzhao followed and patted Wang Yangming on the shoulder. "Immediately issue an order to all prefectures, counties and cities to arrest the gentry who owe taxes. If they owe, their property will be confiscated and they will be required to pay three times the amount. If they resist, they will be killed without mercy! Local officials who are negligent will also be dismissed and questioned!"

Thanks to the book friend Smuggling Aircraft Carrier for the 1000 starting coins reward

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(End of this chapter)