Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 111 Queen: You are fake

Kaifeng, Henan.

The night was as dark as ink. In the residence of Governor Zhang Ding, only the study was lit with candlelight. Zhang Ding sat on a chair, his face ashen, with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

Opposite him stood a man, the candlelight was too dim to see his face clearly. The man said in a low voice: "Master Zhang, how did you persuade Wan'an to die? So, I don't need to say more, right?"

Zhang Ding was silent for a while, then said, "No need. I knew this day would come. Should I use poison or a knife?"

The man shook his head, took out a brocade bag from his pocket, and said, "It contains the method of your death. Sir Zhang, I will return to the capital and wait for your death news in the capital."

After saying that, the man jumped out of the window and disappeared into the night.

Zhang Ding opened the brocade bag with trembling hands and glanced at it quickly. He suddenly laughed: "Hahaha, you even want to use my death. Good, good, dying this way is better than being poisoned."

He slumped in the chair, his entire life flashing through his mind. Then, he remembered the time when he forced Wan An to death.

"It's not that I don't want to take revenge, it's just that the time has not come yet." He smiled coldly.

At this time, the governor's residence.

Yang Guifang, the imperial envoy, was drinking with the provincial governor Liu Dingzhi. Liu Dingzhi was really happy and raised his glass and said, "Sir Yang, I feel relieved that you can come to Henan."

"No, no, no, I'm the imperial envoy, I'm just here to give you some support." Yang Guifang waved her hand, "Don't put the blame on me, you need to do it yourself."

Liu Dingzhi gulped down a glass of wine and said, "Give me some advice. Although there are fewer officials opposing the new policy, it is still difficult to implement it. At the county level, the clerks are the ones doing the work. They say one thing and do another, and they will never seriously implement it."

Yang Guifang took a sip of wine and said, "I was going to write to you, but now that I'm in Henan, I'll tell you my few immature suggestions."

Liu Dingzhi quickly moved closer: "Hurry up and tell me."

"This idea was my idea, but the lyrics were written by His Majesty. You must thank His Majesty when the time comes." Yang Guifang said.

Liu Dingzhi was even more confused after hearing this. How could there be any words?
……

The next day, Kaifeng Prefecture posted new notices everywhere:
Listen carefully, I, following the order of His Majesty, exempted Henan from the head tax. No matter how many people there are in your family, you don't have to pay the two-cent silver tax per person per year. So, where did this two-cent silver tax go? It went to the fields. From now on, an additional two-cent silver tax will be collected for each mu of land. Those with more land will pay more, those with less land will pay less, and those with no land will not have to pay.

This is called distributing the tax according to the land area!
I know that if this happens, those who have more land will be unhappy and will find ways to avoid paying taxes. Then you just wait for me!

You have land, I have power; you have money, I have soldiers. All land under heaven belongs to the king. You cultivate your majesty's land, how can you not pay taxes? If you don't pay taxes, how can the court govern the country and support the army? From tomorrow on, you will all register at the government office and pay taxes truthfully. If you don't pay taxes, I will send all the soldiers and officials supported by the court to your homes to eat. If you don't pay for one day, I will send ten people to eat. If you don't pay for ten days, I will send a hundred people to eat until you pay taxes. I have issued a warning, you can do whatever you want.

"This is the first time I've seen a government notice like this."

"It's straightforward. We ordinary people understand what it means when we hear it."

"I hope the new governor will keep his word. Then we ordinary people will obey him."

While they were discussing the notice, they soon heard a group of beggars on the street singing while playing clappers:

Today I won't put any other watches.
Let’s sing a song about the new policy of allocating land tax to each household.

There is a Li Agou in the north.
There is not a single piece of land.

I earn a few hunks from threshing.
It’s very worrying to find a wife.

Very sad, but also like,
There is help in continuing the family line.

In the first year, a big fat baby was born.

The next year, another fat boy was born.

The third year, the fourth year, gurgling,

After she farted, two more little ones were born.

Don't look at the tattered flowered jacket she wears.
The five sons were running around.

No food, no clothes, no matter what.
The only thing I can’t pay is the poll tax.

Two coins for each son,

Where can I find five for one ounce?

The poor are poor, the rich are rich,
Empty the Ming treasury,
There is no money for the soldiers in the northern border.
The Yellow River floods and it is difficult to rescue.

His Majesty is anxious.

An imperial edict arrived in Henan.

The people were exempted from head tax.
Two cents of tax silver is paid from the fields.

What is this Dharma?

This is called spreading the poll tax onto the land.

……

Within a few days, the whole Henan province was covered with such notices, and even people sang songs. The people immediately understood what the land tax distribution meant, and as for "serving as one and paying taxes as one", it was easy to understand, and the people knew it very well.

The people all knew that this new policy was good for them, and people from all over Henan supported the new policy. Yang Guifang also gave Liu Dingzhi an idea, which was to evaluate the clerks and select those who understood the new policy thoroughly. Some counties replaced the newly elected clerks, and the speed of the new policy was indeed accelerated.

Liu Dingzhi finally breathed a sigh of relief and bowed to Yang Guifang, "It has to be you. If you hadn't come, I would have embarrassed His Majesty."

Yang Guifang smiled and said, "Old Liu, the trouble is still with those Jinshi who want to boycott the exam. The special examination is coming soon, and if they don't come to Beijing, they will miss it."

"Scholars are all shameless people." Liu Dingzhi cursed, "They talk a lot all day long, and they are actually just for their own selfish interests."

Yang Guifang covered her face and said, "Old Liu, why are you scolding yourself? You are also a scholar."

Liu Dingzhi glared: "You are the only scholar, your whole family is scholars!"

Yang Guifang: “!!!”

He couldn't help laughing. Liu Dingzhi had never been so angry when he sued the vassal king. It seemed that the gentry in Henan had really driven him crazy during this period.

"Old Liu, you should be braver." Yang Guifang spread her hands. "Aren't you going to meet those candidates who are boycotting the exam tomorrow? I'll lend you the royal flag. You have to arrest those who should be arrested, or even kill them."

Liu Dingzhi frowned and said, "At most, they can be charged with disorderly government, but how can they be killed? They are all scholars, so I will try my best to persuade them. Even Your Majesty cannot offend scholars in the world."

Yang Guifang hesitated to speak, and finally nodded.

What he actually wanted to express was, for the sake of the new policy, what if he killed people? As long as the new policy was implemented, at worst, His Majesty would just kill you.

Isn’t that what happened to Shang Yang during the Qin Dynasty?
May the sins of heaven and earth be all on me! Yang Guifang could do it, but Liu Dingzhi might not. So, he didn't point it out in the end. If he had to point it out, he would wake Liu Dingzhi up.

Even if you die in Henan, you must implement the new policy.

……

The next day, at the Governor’s Office.

Hundreds of candidates gathered. Today they had to face the governor Liu Dingzhi and ask him to abolish the new policy of "serving as one and paying taxes as one". The reason they chose the governor's office was because the governor Zhang Ding supported them.

"When Liu Dingzhi comes, let's show him our power and make him kneel down before us."

The leading scholar was holding up a sign that clearly read: The seat of Confucius, the Great Sage, Teacher and King of Culture.

They brought out the saint's tablet in order to suppress Liu Dingzhi and accuse him of disrespecting the great saint. Soon, the sound of horse hooves was heard, and the governor Liu Dingzhi led a group of people to come.

When Liu Dingzhi walked into the government office, he saw hundreds of candidates standing in a line, each holding a burning incense stick in their hands, with a respectful and pious look on their faces. The candidate at the front held the tablet of the saint in both hands.

"Liu Dingzhi, why don't you kneel down and pay homage to the great sage teacher?" the man yelled at Liu Dingzhi.

As a person who read the books of saints, Liu Dingzhi could only kneel down and worship when he saw the tablet of the saint. Hundreds of candidates saw him kneeling down, and they were secretly happy, and some even couldn't hide their smiles.

After Liu Dingzhi finished his kowtow, he stood up. The leading candidate was about to speak out that he would punish Liu Dingzhi for whipping and insulting scholars in front of the saint's tablet.

"Wait a minute!" Liu Dingzhi waved his hand fiercely, glanced over, and shouted in a deep voice, "Please give me the flag of the king!"

The soldiers behind him lifted up the royal banner. A cold look flashed in his eyes: "Here is the royal banner. If I were here in person, why don't you kneel down?"

Hundreds of candidates were stunned and could only kneel down. At this moment, Liu Dingzhi finally realized that it was impossible to persuade these people. He raised his arm and smashed down: "Zhang Qi, Wang Zhong, Li Si, have ulterior motives and disrupt the new policy of the court. Come, take them down!"

A dozen soldiers rushed up and tied up three people in the team. At this time, the governor Zhang Ding rushed out of the house and shouted: "Master Liu, you can't do that, they are all scholars."

Liu Dingzhi looked at Zhang Ding coldly and snorted, "Master Zhang, you are not hiding anymore, are you? Scholars who disrupt government affairs must be arrested and thrown into jail."

The soldiers took the three away, and the rest of the candidates were all numb. Liu Dingzhi sneered in his heart, Yang Guifang was right, these people had no blood at all, they were dreaming about their own Spring and Autumn period all day long, and said some inexplicable and irrelevant empty words to deceive the world and steal fame.

"I'm telling you, if you have the ability, take the exam and become a Jinshi in this special examination." Liu Dingzhi said coldly to the candidates, "You have studied hard for decades, and you are just following others to skip the exam. Do you have pig brains? Others who skipped the exam still have ways to go, but what about you? You are powerless and have to rely on your parents? I'm telling you, if you still want to skip the exam, I will cancel your qualification to take the exam."

After saying that, he rode away.

Hundreds of Jinshi scholars were standing there, looking at each other with panicked expressions.

The governor Zhang Ding suddenly roared angrily: "A cruel official, a cruel official, I don't believe it, can he cover up the sky of Henan with one hand? Even if I die, I will expose this cruel official."

The next day, a horrific news came out.

Henan Governor Zhang Ding died, forced to death by Provincial Governor Liu Dingzhi. Zhang Ding died to make his will known, and submitted a will, asking the emperor to punish Liu Dingzhi. ...

Beijing, Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Qizhen was devastated after reading the memorial Yang Guifang sent from Henan. The memorial said Zhang Ding was dead, and died on the night Liu Dingzhi led his troops to the governor's office. Now, the whole of Henan was saying that Governor Zhang Ding was forced to death by the governor Liu Dingzhi. How could a governor force a governor to death? Why?
Because he has the king's flag in his hand!

This was tantamount to directing the spearhead directly at the emperor, because the emperor wanted to implement new policies, and the people below, in order to cater to the emperor's will, ignored the lives of scholars and even forced the governor of a province to death.

"Where is Zhang Ding's posthumous memorial?" Zhu Qizhen asked.

Eunuch Cao Jixiang handed over a white memorial. Zhu Qizhen opened it and glanced over it:
I, Zhang Ding, am wronged and now submit this memorial to Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to listen to me. I wanted to devote myself to the cause until my death, but the governor Liu Dingzhi is a cruel official. He has the final say and is tyrannical. The people of Henan are full of complaints.

Liu Dingzhi forced the gentry to repair the river embankment, ignoring the suffering of the people. He also whipped scholars, destroyed culture, and damaged morality, which made people feel sad and angry. I have repeatedly wanted to impeach him, but his power was too great and my power was too weak, so I was unable to do so. Now I have been forced to death, which is actually caused by Liu Dingzhi.

My death is not a pity, but I hope Your Majesty can see clearly and punish Liu Dingzhi's crime, so as to comfort my soul in heaven and bring peace to the people of Henan. I, Zhang Ding, bow my head and kowtow again, and I will report it respectfully. I hope Your Majesty will have mercy on me and severely punish the cruel officials to rectify the government and bring peace to the world. I can die with my eyes closed.

"Humph, I thought Zhang Ding would list out Liu Ding's ten crimes, but that's it?" Zhu Qizhen's eyes were sharp.

He guessed that there must be something strange about Zhang Ding's death, but now everyone in the court and the public would say that Liu Dingzhi forced Zhang Ding to death. The ministers who opposed the new policy would definitely not miss this opportunity and would definitely impeach Liu Dingzhi.

"This time it's really troublesome." Zhu Qizhen held his forehead with his hand.

At this time, the commander of the Imperial Guard, Shi Biao, came in hurriedly, holding a memorial in his hand, and said, "Your Majesty, this was sent urgently by Yang Guifang from Henan, eight hundred miles away, by a courier from the Imperial Guard."

Zhu Qizhen was shocked and took it quickly. Looking at the time, it was the day after Yang Guifang sent the first memorial. It was sent at an express rate of 800 miles, so it must be an extremely important matter.

He opened it quickly, glanced at the contents, and said with great joy: "Yang Guifang is really capable."

……

The next day, morning.

Sure enough, after the court session, Duke Cheng was the first to report Liu Dingzhi, and his words were fierce: "Your Majesty, a governor was forced to death. This is unheard of in history. This shows how arrogant Liu Dingzhi is. If he can force the governor to death, then wouldn't he be even more cruel to the gentry and the people of Henan? Please punish Liu Dingzhi severely."

A number of ministers echoed this.

This time, they were absolutely sure that they could bring down Liu Dingzhi.

Zhu Qizhen glanced over and said in a deep voice: "I have another memorial here, sent by the Imperial Envoy Yang Guifang. It says that Zhang Ding committed suicide out of fear of punishment!"

"How is this possible?" Duke Chengguo said, "He was clearly forced to death, and he even submitted a will."

"Your Majesty, Yang Guifang must also be investigated thoroughly. Could it be that he is in collusion with Liu Dingzhi?" said Yu Shiyue, the Minister of Justice.

The ministers all agreed.

Zhu Qizhen chuckled, "Are you so anxious to convict Liu Dingzhi that you can't even let me finish what I'm saying? Here is also a will from Zhang Ding, which was given to Yang Guifang by Zhang Ding's wife. Zhang Ding's wife said that a mysterious person went to the capital to meet Zhang Ding, and since then, he wrote down his will. Now, Zhang Ding's wife is on her way to the capital, and we'll know the truth at the first trial. Are you still anxious to convict Liu Dingzhi?"

None of the ministers dared to speak. The emperor's meaning was very clear. If you are in a hurry to convict Liu Dingzhi at this time, then that mysterious man who went from the capital must have been sent by you, right?
"Your Majesty, let's investigate the truth!" The cabinet's chief minister, Wang Zhi, stepped forward. "The Imperial Guard and the Dali Temple, investigate together! Find out who forced Zhang Ding to death."

Zhu Qizhen waved his hand: "Approved!"

……

night.

It is already late autumn, and the wind blows in through the window, bringing cool breezes.

Zhu Qizhen summoned the queen to sleep with him tonight. After a lot of tossing and turning, she was as soft as mud and leaned weakly in his arms, her white arms tightly wrapped around his neck, and the two fell asleep in each other's arms. At this moment, Zhu Qizhen's thoughts were unusually clear. He was thinking about how to arrange for Liu Dingzhi to be promoted to the governor of Henan tomorrow and take full charge of Henan's political affairs.

The queen gently raised her head, her long black hair falling like a waterfall, covering the beautiful scenery in front of her. Her eyebrows revealed a touching tenderness and sweetness, and her pair of dark narrow eyes stared at the emperor. Her eyes moved slightly, and her long and curled eyelashes trembled slightly. She opened her thin lips slightly, blew a breath at the emperor, and whispered a word, which instantly woke Zhu Qizhen up and made him sit up suddenly.

"Your Majesty, I actually know you are fake."

"What did you say?"

The queen was distracted for a moment, then she held up the emperor's face with her hands and sighed softly, "Although you two look the same, he is not as versatile as you. He is very passive."

Zhu Qizhen: “!!!”

Are you praising me or are you praising me?

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Zhu Qizhen pressed her round shoulders, "You need to be punished, right?"

After another half an hour of torment, the queen begged for mercy: "Your Majesty, I want to tell you that I can help you. But you also have to help me. I am a weak woman, and I just want to save my life."

Zhu Qizhen would definitely not admit that he was a fake, and said coldly: "My queen, I will naturally ensure your safety throughout your life."

He wasn't sure what the queen was thinking and needed to observe further.

But first, she has to be convinced!

……

Taxes had already been collected in various places, and since the new policy had not yet been implemented nationwide, Zhu Qizhen felt that he had missed out on hundreds of millions. He also knew that this matter could not be rushed, and that the situation of the gentry and scholars all over the world uniting to oppose it could not be caused.

Zhu Qizhen looked at the memorials from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, frowning: "I always feel that the tax is not right. Jiangsu and Zhejiang are the tax-intensive areas of the Ming Dynasty. Isn't it a little too little?"

Shi Biao, who was standing nearby, was confused. "Your Majesty, I don't understand these things. How about I send people to Jiangsu and Zhejiang to investigate? Who is so bold as to embezzle the imperial taxes?"

Zhu Qizhen held his forehead with his hand and said: "Alas, the Ming Dynasty lacks economic talents."

At this time, he certainly didn't have the energy to check the taxes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, so he would wait until he understood the situation in Henan. He raised his eyes and asked, "Is Zhang Ding's wife going to the capital soon?"

"It should be the day after tomorrow." Shi Biao said, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I have ordered the Jinyiwei to keep a close watch on him. Nothing will happen."

Zhu Qizhen nodded with satisfaction.

Yang Guifang was not around, so he could only use Shi Biao, a rough warrior. He thought for a moment and said, "When that woman arrives in Beijing, you can find Luo Qi, the Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple, and Yang Shan from the Censorate to interrogate her together."

He had an impression of Yang Shan. At that time in the court, Yang Shan reported to the Minister of Personnel Wang Wen, and was very sharp.

"Your Majesty, do you want me, the Jinyiwei, to handle this case alone? Okay...easy to do." Shi Biao said.

"Will the ministers be convinced?" Zhu Qizhen stared. "The key is that the ministers are convinced, do you understand?"

Shi Biao bowed and said, "I understand!"

Zhu Qizhen frowned.

Did this crude warrior really understand? Did he realize what I meant? There are some things I cannot say directly.

……

Kunning Palace.

Zhu Qiyu, the Prince of Qin, came to pay his respects to the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother dismissed all the eunuchs and palace maids and asked coldly, "I only need five million taels. The small inner treasury I let you run should be enough, right?"

"Well, there is still some shortfall." Zhu Qiyu looked embarrassed. "Queen Mother, you also know that this money has to be taken from the taxes collected from various places. His Majesty is keeping a close eye on us now, and our safety is our top priority."

The queen mother's face was as cold as ice, and she said in a cold voice: "That's enough. I know you want to divide it! I don't want the small inner treasury to affect the finances of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Qiyu bowed again: "Don't worry, Queen Mother. I am also a member of the Zhu family. I will not seek death for my own kingdom."

The Queen Mother didn't believe him, but there was nothing she could do. She sighed softly, "I will do what I promised you, and I just want my son to be safe. I hope you remember what you promised me."

"Empress Dowager, I will keep it in mind." Zhu Qiyu bowed respectfully.

“I have one last word to say. Don’t go too far. This is your Zhu family’s kingdom.” The Queen Mother’s voice was as cold as ice.

Zhu Qiyu bowed sincerely and left the hall. He walked on the imperial road, the afterglow of the setting sun fell on him, and a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Queen Mother, now that you are in my hands, you still want to control me? You underestimate me too much."

Not long after he walked out, he ran into Emperor Zhu Qizhen. He hurried forward to pay his respects and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."

Zhu Qizhen raised his hand and said, "Second Brother, are you here to pay your respects to the Queen Mother? What are you talking about? Why are you so happy?"

Zhu Qiyu shook his head, with fear in his eyes: "Brother, you know that I have been afraid of the Queen Mother since I was a child. Every time I come to pay my respects, I am always nervous, afraid that she will test me again."

"Are you still so scared?" Zhu Qizhen smiled.

Zhu Qiyu was not only afraid of the Empress Dowager, but also afraid of his mother, Concubine Dowager Hu Shanxiang. Everyone in the palace knew it.

"Royal brother, you are not much better than me, so stop making fun of me." Zhu Qiyu rolled his eyes.

"Hahaha, I'm not afraid now." Zhu Qizhen waved his hand, "I'm leaving. I'm going to Kunning Palace to have dinner. Second brother, bring your wife and children to the palace some other day so that we can have a family reunion."

Zhu Qiyu shook his head and refused: "Forget it, that would cost me my life. My Royal Brother, if you want someone to drink with you, I will accompany you."

The two chatted for a while and then separated. Zhu Qizhen came to Kunning Palace and felt like he was back home. He shouted, "Is the meal ready?"

The Queen Mother held a book in her hands and glanced at him coldly: "Put on your shoes for me. How can this be so embarrassing?"

He walked barefoot to the Queen Mother and raised his feet. The Queen Mother saw it, picked up the feather duster next to her and hit him, saying fiercely: "Stop! You dare to run?"

She chased for a few steps and suddenly felt dizzy. She fell to the ground with a thud and fainted.

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(End of this chapter)