Fu Shanhe

Chapter 476: Endless Internal Fighting
"Is it that they're finding it difficult to get results, or do they simply not want to investigate at all?"

The Marquis of Zhendong, standing to the side, chimed in with a mocking remark.

You only know the pain when the paddle hits you.

The sharp decline in fiscal revenue in the southeastern provinces was essentially a response to the decline of imperial power.

After the retired emperor's personal expedition failed, the court did not carry out a major purge of the Shanxi merchants, which revealed the court's weakness to many.

The relationship between the gentry and the imperial power was like a seesaw.

When imperial power was strong, they were the emperor's loyal ministers.

Once imperial power declines, these guys will transform into cannibalistic demons, gradually eroding the foundation of the empire.

Even if some loyal ministers stand up and dedicate themselves to the empire, it cannot change the overall depravity of the group.

Compared to previous feudal dynasties, the political system of Dayu was much more mature.

Even the most mature system needs someone to maintain it.

The gentry class that supported the foundation of the empire had long since degenerated.

The other major pillar, the aristocratic group, has also fallen into a decline after a sudden surge.

The younger generation of sons of noble families were quickly corrupted after entering officialdom.

The officials, both civil and military, sang fervently about their country and its people, but their hearts were filled with nothing but business.

"My lord, that's going too far."

"The southern provinces contribute more than 70% of the imperial court's tax revenue. Now that they are facing difficulties, it is normal for some of it to be reduced."

The imperial court must give everyone a chance to breathe; otherwise, how can the people survive if the high pressure continues?

In my humble opinion, it would be better to reduce taxes in some of the southern provinces, allowing the people to recuperate and rebuild their lives.

Fei Xinyuan, the Minister of Justice, spoke up in defense.

Identity determines one's stance; when faced with the interests of the group, national interests must take a back seat.

He was able to get to his current position because Qingliu Group pushed him forward.

Even though deep down he did not support the gentry evading taxes, he now had to stand up and support the gentry of Jiangnan.

They dare to propose tax cuts because they have something to rely on.

The reduction of taxes in the southern provinces benefited not only the supporters of the Qingliu Party, but also the supporters of the Zhejiang and Hubei parties.

Officials from both parties, even if they don't support it, can't stand up and oppose it.

"It seems the Ministry of Revenue is quite wealthy, able to reduce taxes. Shouldn't the various outstanding fees be allocated first?"

The Grand Secretary immediately mocked.

Although the finances of the Great Yu Dynasty have improved, they are far from wealthy. High military expenditures have always been the biggest problem plaguing the empire.

With the internal and external troubles in the north still unresolved, some people have proposed tax cuts for the southeastern provinces.

If this policy is implemented, the existing defense structure of "southern provinces providing funding and northern provinces sacrificing lives" will be disrupted.

In the blink of an eye, the assembled officials split into two groups.

Officials from the north were firmly opposed to tax cuts.

Some officials from the South supported tax cuts, while others remained silent.

The expenses of the imperial court cannot be reduced.

The tax revenue lost in the south will be passed on to the north.

Given the situation in the northern provinces, even if tax reform were initiated immediately, it wouldn't generate much additional revenue.

Continuing to impose levies on the people will only lead to chaos.

Officials may not care about the lives of ordinary people, but they absolutely cannot stand idly by and watch the world descend into chaos.

"All right!"

"Today we are discussing tax reduction, not tax increases or decreases. Let's not get off topic."

Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Grand Secretary Jiang Shuhan interrupted.

The interests of our hometown elders must be considered, but the fate of the nation cannot be ignored.

The imperial court cannot function properly without financial support.

Only an idiot would think that all tax cuts are a good thing.

Proposing tax cuts at this time is clearly ill-intentioned.

It's easy to lower taxes, but it's difficult to raise them again.

To prioritize short-term gains at the expense of the nation's stability is a classic example of shortsightedness.

Once the Great Yu collapses, everything we've taken in will have to be given back.

The main reason was that the Great Yu Dynasty treated its officials too well, to the point that many people took it for granted that they were entitled to special privileges.

When preferential treatment becomes taken for granted, people will inevitably want to obtain even more privileges.

Even at the cost of national interests, we are willing to do so.

In the past, even with such low fiscal revenue, we could still make ends meet.

Many people do not believe that Dayu will collapse due to a decrease in fiscal revenue.

They completely ignored the fact that the present-day Dayu and the previous Dayu are two completely different concepts.

When recruited soldiers replaced garrison troops and became the cornerstone of maintaining the stability of the empire, the expenditure of military pay and provisions became a necessity.

There are rebels within that need to be eliminated, and there is the powerful enemy from the north that needs to be held back by government troops.

In this context, any reduction in military spending could lead to an uncontrollable crisis.

Besides military spending, which is a major expense, administrative expenses also cannot be reduced.

The bureaucratic system of Dayu has long been corrupt; they are not inclined to endure hardship.

By cutting spending, the government can shift the losses onto the people.

Public utility spending can also be cut; at worst, a bunch of shoddy projects can be built.

Cannons costing thousands of taels each can be manufactured, and cannons costing one hundred or eighty taels each can also be produced.

Whether the latter can actually launch the shell is another matter entirely.

Compared to military equipment, water conservancy projects are easier to undertake.

It doesn't matter if something goes wrong; just find a few scapegoats.

Subsequent repairs and maintenance can lead to a series of additional projects.

When the imperial court refused to allocate funds, local government offices imposed additional taxes on the people.

The reasons they gave were increasingly sophisticated, with each claiming that not paying was a heinous crime.

Moral blackmail and the suppression of power have always been the tricks of officials.

"Send an imperial envoy to go and urge payment!"
In the Southern Zhili region, where tax revenue reduction was most severe, the governor, provincial treasurer, and provincial judicial commissioner were directly dismissed and investigated.

In subordinate prefectures and counties, those whose offenses are serious will also be dismissed and investigated.

In any case, the taxes must be collected.

Once this precedent is set, the amount of tax revenue that can be collected in the future will decrease.

Second Grand Secretary Bai Jilin spoke slowly.

Tax evasion is nothing new in Dayu.

However, in the past few years, the pressure exerted by the nobility on local governments was high, and tax evasion was not a serious problem.

The total tax revenue in various regions has generally increased year by year, but the imperial court has not felt the effects.

With the downfall of Jing and Li, the power of the nobility was severely weakened, and their deterrent effect on the gentry decreased significantly.

Starting from the tenth year of the Yongning era, tax revenue in many southern provinces ceased to increase.

At that time, Emperor Yongning had just been deposed, and the situation in the court was delicate, requiring the support of local forces.

The cabinet tacitly agreed to halt tax revenue growth.

Having tasted the benefits, by the first year of Fu'an, the appetites of the local gentry and powerful families had also grown.

Instead of increasing, the amount of tax revenue handed over to the imperial court decreased, leading to strong public resistance to the tax reform and demands to revert to the previous system.

Southern Zhili, the province with the largest tax revenue, showed the most significant decline, with the total tax revenue in the first year of Fu'an's reign dropping by 10%.

Other provinces also saw varying degrees of decline.

"Collecting taxes is no easy job."

Ordinary officials simply cannot solve the problem.

Minister Lü of the Ministry of Revenue is from Southern Zhili and is most familiar with the situation there, making him the most suitable person to personally serve as imperial envoy.

As soon as Minister of Rites Yuan Tianyu finished speaking, the atmosphere in the Wenyuan Pavilion became heavy once again.

Not only did they support Bai Ge Lao's demand for tax payment, they also passed the hot potato to the Qingliu Party. Letting the Qingliu investigate the Qingliu Party—regardless of the final outcome, the Qingliu Group will pay the price.

They must either pay back the evaded taxes or dismiss this Minister of Revenue.

When personal interests conflict with group interests, what choice Lü Lingfeng will make remains to be seen.

"I'm afraid Minister Lü alone is not enough."

When investigating and prosecuting officials for dereliction of duty, how can we do without the Ministry of Justice?

I think Minister Fei should also go along, just to be absolutely certain that nothing will go wrong.

Grand Secretary Gao then delivered the final blow.

As a native of Liaodong, he had long abhorred the practices of the Qingliu Group.

Sending the Minister of Revenue alone isn't enough; sending the Minister of Justice as well would better demonstrate its importance.

"inappropriate!"

"The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Justice are both crucial departments of our dynasty. How can the Minister leave them so easily?"

Minister of Works Yue Xiangsong hurriedly retorted.

Of the people present, all six ministers were from the south, and of the five grand secretaries, only the chief minister was from Zhejiang; the other four were from the north.

The North and South have roughly equal influence in decision-making, creating a delicate balance.

The Qingliu Party held three powerful positions among the six ministers, making it undoubtedly the largest faction in the court.

Based on the animosity they had incurred in the past, it's likely that the two of them had their positions snatched away the moment they left the capital.

Fei Xinyuan and Lü Lingfeng will naturally have many titles, but their work location will most likely change from Beijing to Nanjing.

If tax collection doesn't go smoothly, they might not even have a place in the Nanjing Sixth Department.

With the loss of two powerful positions, his position as Minister of Works alone is no match for the Qingliu Party.

Deep down, he cursed the gentry behind the lines.

There are plenty of ways to make money, why keep focusing on the imperial court?

Even if it's tax evasion, at least try to be more discreet. Why be the first to stick your neck out?
"Minister Yue, rest assured."

The operation of the imperial court will not be affected by the departure of one person.

If you're worried, you can come south with me.

"The Marquis of Zhendong said with a smile."

Suppressing the Qingliu Party was the core strategy after the revival of the aristocratic faction.

The idea that scholars are valued and warriors are despised is something these people created.

Fortunately, the situation changed during the reign of Emperor Tianyuan, and the Qingliu Party split further; otherwise, the nobility faction would have had no chance to turn things around.

The current turmoil among various factions in the court is actually the result of the noble aristocracy stirring things up behind the scenes.

No one can withstand the entire civil service.

After the group is divided and weakened, it becomes much easier to target one of the smaller groups.

The conflict of interests between the North and the South presents the best opportunity.

"you……"

"I am ashamed to be associated with you warriors!"

"I said angrily," Yue Xiangsong said.

However, the Marquis of Zhendong was already immune to this kind of attack.

He was a warrior by nature; no matter how much he tried to embellish himself, he could never claim to be a scholar.

It's fine if I don't want to associate with them, since we all dislike each other anyway.

"Just investigating Southern Zhili isn't enough."

"Although tax revenue in Southern Zhili has decreased significantly, it does not mean that Southern Zhili has the most tax evasion."

Tax revenues in Zhejiang and Hubei provinces have also declined significantly; if an investigation is needed, they should be conducted together!

Seeing his colleagues defeated, Fei Xinyuan decisively joined the battle.

There are too many factions in the court who are unhappy with Qingliu, and getting bogged down in the issue of the selection of the imperial envoy would be a huge loss.

Based on the principle that if he himself is not having an easy time, others should not be either, he immediately chose to drag the Zhejiang Party and the Chu Party into the fray.

Either we all go to the local authorities together to recover the evaded taxes, or we work together to suppress the matter.

As for the tax issue, we can send someone else to investigate; there's no need for the bigwigs to get involved personally.

Whether or not the money can be recovered is not important; the key is to first preserve one's own power.

……

Luzon Island.

"How much of the news brought by the Dutch do you think is true?"

After seeing off the Dutch envoy, Governor Rolf hesitated.

As the British Empire, they naturally possessed their own pride.

Spain didn't even consider the other European colonial empires a threat, let alone an Eastern empire.

They didn't take gathering intelligence on the Great Yu region seriously at all.

Looking at the whole world, the only country they truly need to take seriously is their good neighbor, the Kingdom of France.

If they weren't arrogant enough, the proposal to "conquer the Great Yu with an army of 20,000" wouldn't have come up a few years ago.

In comparison, Governor Rolf was already considered pragmatic.

However, it's no use if he pays attention to it alone; the actual work still needs to be done by the people below.

The investigation report on the strength of Dayu shows that Dayu is a replica of the Ottoman Empire, with a very strong army, but its navy is not as strong as that of the Netherlands.

We've only just begun our foray into colonialism and are still in the learning phase; we don't even know how to manage colonies efficiently.

There's no way around it; the intelligence agencies also want to drink and eat, and running out of funds is standard practice.

The intelligence system has not penetrated deep into the territory of Da Yu. It would take a lot of manpower and financial resources to investigate the strength of Da Yu.

In order to save money, a powerful Eastern empire was created out of thin air.

Outside of the European world, the Ottoman Empire was the limit of their imagination.

From the intelligence personnel's perspective, treating the opponent as the Ottoman Empire meant there was absolutely no possibility of underestimating it.

Of course, there is also a bit of truth mixed in with the fantasy.

They still managed to gather intelligence right under their noses.

The methods used by the Annam Protectorate to manage the islands of Southeast Asia did not escape their notice.

However, this kind of meticulous management is clearly a losing proposition in the short term, and from their perspective, it completely contradicts the meaning of colonization.

"Your Excellency, the Dutch are clearly exaggerating."

How many people are there in the entire European world?
If the Great Yu Empire had such a large population and such great strength, they would have already marched all the way to Europe along the Mongol Yuan Empire.

How can we be bullied by a bunch of barbarians!

Cupid said with a mocking expression.

He was in charge of intelligence work, so naturally he couldn't afford to contradict himself at a time like this.

Moreover, his subordinates had repeatedly assured him that their reliability was far greater than that of the hostile Dutch.

If it weren't for their two little brothers, the Netherlands and Portugal, constantly holding them back, the great Spain would have long since dominated the European continent.

The information brought by the enemy will certainly be misrepresented.

"Ok!"

"It seems that the expansion of the Yu Dynasty on Sumatra has put heavy pressure on the Dutch."

In order to drag us into this mess, they went so far as to fabricate a colossal Great Yu Empire.

Even if the Dutch reports were inaccurate, this Eastern empire was still far too powerful.

Once they establish themselves in Southeast Asia, it will be very costly to drive them out.

In Europe, countries chose to join forces in order to contain the Ottoman Empire.

If we were to take down the Great Yu Empire now, even if we could win with our own strength, the price we would have to pay would be extremely high.

The Dutch proposal to organize a coalition was indeed very necessary.

The only problem is that our relations with Britain, Portugal, and the Netherlands are all very bad.

Forming a coalition army will likely be quite difficult!

Governor Rolf said with a frown.

(End of this chapter)