Fu Shanhe

Chapter 481 Killing

"As expected."

The imperial court wanted to levy taxes, but they didn't want to pay them, so naturally they had to jump out and make trouble.

In the early stages of tax reform, in order to reduce resistance, many taxes were temporarily levied under the guise of suppressing rebellions.

The imperial court later attempted to revise the tax law and make the reforms a regular practice, but this was met with collective opposition from the gentry in the south.

The retired emperor could not withstand the pressure and chose to compromise.

This has left many people with unrealistic fantasies.

Wan Huaijin said expressionlessly.

The gentry in Jiangnan dared to cause trouble largely because they relied on loopholes in the law.

Although the Great Yu Dynasty never truly ruled by law, when it was in their own interest, the gentry were willing to be at the forefront of promoting the rule of law.

According to past practice, temporary additional taxes should be lifted after the suppression of the rebellion is over.

"Lord Wan, the merits and demerits of the Emperor Emeritus have long been settled by the world."

Bringing him up now is pointless.

The provincial governor Zheng Zonghan, who was standing nearby, chimed in.

Most of the mess left over from the reign of Emperor Yongning was a legacy of the Dayu Dynasty.

The emperor, who led the empire from prosperity to decline, was not well regarded by either the court or the public.

Especially in the southern regions, there was a deep-seated hatred for this emperor who had made reckless moves that led to the proliferation of the White Lotus sect.

No matter how much you hate it, you can only curse it in private at most, which doesn't solve any real problems.

"Ok!"

"There's no need to bring up the past, but the current problems must be solved."

The imperial court is desperately needing funds and provisions to save its life; no matter what has happened, taxes must be collected in full.

Have you communicated with the gentry about whether there's any possibility of a peaceful resolution to this tax resistance movement?

Wan Huaijin asked with a serious expression.

Collecting tax payments is a job that no human being can do.

Given any other choice, he would not want to stand against the gentry of Jiangnan.

"They want the imperial court to restore tax revenue to pre-White Lotus Rebellion levels and severely punish General Yun and his associates..."

As soon as Zheng Zonghan finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room became heavy.

They could never agree to the demands of the gentry in Jiangnan.

The tax collection model was restored to the pre-reform version, and the Great Yu Dynasty went bankrupt on the spot.

Without sufficient funds and provisions to cover the ever-increasing costs of governance, the Great Yu Dynasty would collapse.

Severely punishing those responsible in the military is also beyond their capabilities.

Even if it means betraying your teammates, you should wait until things are over.

If they betray their allies now, they'll probably all die suddenly in Jiangnan.

The subsequent requests for special privileges were ignored by everyone.

The two sides' demands are too far apart, making compromise impossible.

"Gentlemen, since there is nothing to discuss, let's try a different approach to resolve this."

Those unscrupulous merchants wanted to stage a market strike in Nanjing, so let's just go with the flow and make it a big one.

If they're lucky, the embezzled funds from the confiscated property of these unscrupulous merchants might just be enough to meet this year's autumn harvest quota.

However, these are only temporary solutions; to truly solve the problem, it is necessary to strengthen the authority of the imperial court.

I propose that we submit a memorial to the court to request the transfer of troops from the north to the south of the Yangtze River.

"Use swift and decisive measures to deter all forces in the Jiangnan region and ensure the smooth progress of the requisition!"

Seeing that everyone remained silent, Yun Xiangwen spoke with murderous intent.

As the situation continued to deteriorate, even someone with little political knowledge knew he had made a huge blunder.

Even without his intervention, the anti-tax movement would still have erupted, but it certainly wouldn't have developed as rapidly as it has now.

Troublesome as it may be, he was not afraid.

In officialdom, making a mess is never the most fatal thing; what's truly fatal is being unable to clean up the mess.

If you create trouble yourself, you should take responsibility for resolving it; that's the same as having no trouble at all.

"Move troops south!"

"Move troops south!"

……

Everyone couldn't help but silently recite it in their hearts.

Given the current situation, they strongly suspect that Yun Xiangwen's previous actions were deliberately designed to escalate the conflict.

If things were to develop normally, even if the nobility could profit from it, the gains wouldn't be significant.

Debt collection is the task of the imperial envoy; even if everyone is cooperating, there's no need for someone to be the first to stick their neck out.

Only by escalating the situation to the point where all parties are unable to control it can the aristocratic faction profit from the chaos.

"inappropriate!"

"Forcibly collecting debts may seem to solve the problem, but in reality it only exacerbates the conflict."

The gentry of Jiangnan are the pillars of the nation; if they are forced to become disloyal to the court, it will cause great chaos!

Governor Zhuang Yuanjia resolutely objected.

The gentry of Jiangnan were not just nouveau riche; they wielded considerable influence among the common people and were equally powerful in officialdom.

The escalating conflict will inevitably intensify the factional struggle within the government.

The situation continues to deteriorate, and the only beneficiaries are the noble faction.

If relations between the two sides sour, the only option is to use stronger military force to suppress them, which would inevitably increase the court's military expenditure.

In this respect, it is somewhat similar to the situation in the north.

With natural disasters and man-made calamities constantly occurring, the imperial court had already lost all popular support in the northern provinces through a series of upheavals.

Starvation was rampant, and peasant uprisings broke out one after another.

There was no major chaos; it was purely the result of heavy military suppression.

Relying solely on violent means to suppress the crisis only postpones its outbreak and does not truly resolve it.

If this continues indefinitely, the regime will eventually collapse because the cost of maintaining it is too high.

"Your Excellency, we have no choice now."

We are both aware of the situation in the North.

If the autumn taxes in the Jiangnan region cannot be collected smoothly this year, the imperial treasury will surely collapse.

You may not have noticed, but a large-scale protest against unpaid wages occurred in northern Xinjiang a few days ago.

If the imperial court hadn't intervened in time, who knows what might have happened.

Yun Xiangwen said calmly.

The purpose of this long-term plan was to divide the civil service group and facilitate the return of the nobility to Jiangnan.

The Dayu region had a system for avoiding officials based on their place of origin, and this was especially strictly enforced in regions like Jiangnan where clans were powerful.

Most of the officials present were from the north, with a few from the southwestern border region.

Although there were connections of interest with the gentry of Jiangnan, it was mostly for work purposes, and the bond between the two sides was not very deep.

If the noble faction cannot win the support of these people, it will become very passive politically if it forces its way back to Jiangnan.

Armed groups lacking political support are also known by a more easily understood term—warlords.

Their noble birth helped them advance in their careers, but it also limited their behavior.

Even if you don't consider yourself, you must also consider the family's reputation; you can't just act on impulse.

Of course, the generals with this awareness were mainly older.

Young generals, having not experienced setbacks, are in the prime of their lives and lack a comprehensive understanding of issues.

Once anger flares up, they're capable of anything without considering the consequences.

"Transferring troops from the northern frontier to the south involves too many issues; the weight of our few memorials is not enough."

Unless they enlist the help of the six ministries in Nanjing to jointly submit a memorial, there is no chance of withstanding the resulting political risks.

Wan Huaijin shook his head and said.

He was well aware of his own political weight.

Even with the addition of the governor and provincial governor of Southern Zhili, their influence in the court wouldn't increase much.

As for General Yun Xiangwen, he can be completely ignored.

Military officers generally have a limited voice in political matters.

Being born into a noble family does not automatically make one a noble; only after acquiring a title can one transcend the boundaries between civil and military affairs.

Even a powerful figure like Li Mu, when he served as a general, never interfered in the affairs of the court.

It wasn't until he was awarded a noble title for his military achievements and took over as Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi that he truly became a powerful figure in the imperial court.

If the six departments in Nanjing are not involved in sharing the risks, and their memorials are submitted, triggering the first wave of political storms, they could be buried alive.

Most officials in Dayu are giants in words but dwarfs in deeds.

They're always concerned about the country and its people, spouting grand slogans, but when it comes to concrete implementation, they all cower in fear. These seasoned veterans avoid risky political struggles whenever possible, and would never willingly wade into such murky waters.

“Your Excellency, since that is the case, then this humble general is powerless to help.”

I've heard that things are not peaceful in Southeast Asia, and soldiers are dying on the battlefield.

I will now submit a memorial to the imperial court, requesting permission to go south to serve the country.

"I'll leave the affairs of the Jiangnan region to you gentlemen!"

Yun Xiangwen said calmly.

He caused the mess, but that doesn't mean he has to stay and bear the consequences.

He simply packed his bags and left. No matter how much the gentry of Jiangnan hated him, they would never go to the Annam Protectorate to settle scores with him.

Whoever wants to clean up the mess left behind can do it; it's none of his business anyway.

The dismissive response infuriated the civil officials.

This isn't a discussion; it's clearly a coercion.

Once Yun Xiangwen escapes, the nobility faction will be able to extricate itself from the storm.

The gentry of Jiangnan were mainly driven by self-interest; as long as they could achieve their goals, the death of one unfortunate companion was nothing to them.

Without the support of the military, these officials responsible for collecting taxes were completely at a loss.

"General Yun, now is not the time to be stubborn."

The affairs of Jiangnan still cannot be separated from you.

As for other issues, we can discuss them gradually.

Wan Huaijin quickly reassured him.

The local government was effectively controlled by the gentry, and the only force they could rely on was the army under Yun Xiangwen's command.

The gentry and powerful families kept a low profile and incited their subordinates to cause trouble, precisely because they feared the threat of this sharp blade.

If we lose this weapon, I reckon they would have already used their ultimate attack at point-blank range.

What imperial envoy? They can simply pretend they don't see it.

"Your Excellency, rest assured, I will definitely help you stabilize the situation in Nanjing before I leave."

The soldiers below have been mobilized, and the unscrupulous merchants who participated in the tax resistance are being apprehended one after another.

Within three days, the market will be back to normal.

Yun Xiangwen answered calmly.

There's a way of handling problems called—acting first and reporting later.

Since he had already offended the gentry of Jiangnan, he didn't mind offending them even more severely.

At the very least, taking advantage of the opportunity to stabilize the market, they can still make a fortune by raiding other people's homes.

This time, they offended even more people and caused even more trouble, but the political impact was actually smaller.

In the social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, a merchant's life was worthless, and his wealth was not protected.

"you you……"

For a moment, Wan Huaijin was so excited that he didn't know what to say.

Also kidnapped were a group of officials from the governor's office.

Anyone with a brain knows that Yun Xiangwen couldn't possibly act in his own name; he would definitely have to do it under the guise of the imperial court.

Once the confiscated money is mostly handed over to the imperial court, the debt will fall on their shoulders.

Explanations are meaningless; outsiders will assume they instructed them to do it.

……

While everyone was discussing the matter, a group of wealthy merchants in Nanjing suffered a series of misfortunes.

The strike involves too many people, and everyone's interests are different. The internal coordination alone cannot be finalized in a short time.

The action is fueled by hatred, and according to the agreement among all parties, the strike will not be launched in Nanjing until next month.

To avoid the imperial court taking drastic measures, they are organizing manpower to secretly transport the supplies stockpiled in the city away.

Prior to this, everyone planned to gradually drive up prices and make a quick buck.

All of these are normal business practices, and Dayu has relatively lenient management in this regard.

Before the strike was launched, the government could not find a reason to provoke them.

Unfortunately, these common-sense rules only apply under normal circumstances, and we are currently in an abnormal situation.

Since the term "uncouth brute" has been used, these brutes naturally don't need to follow the rules that the government follows.

Faced with the sudden intrusion of government soldiers, the merchants had no idea what was happening and were all imprisoned.

After the news spread, the gentry of Jiangnan were thoroughly enraged.

Those whose interests have been harmed are especially filled with hatred.

Under the planning of a group of gentry, scholars from all over the country set off for Nanjing, hoping to demand an explanation from the imperial envoy.

Influenced by the atmosphere, the originally stable situation in Jiangnan also became chaotic.

Public security deteriorated rapidly.

In an effort to control the impact, the governor's office sent officials to various localities to intercept the orders, which ultimately rendered the orders ineffective.

The constables responsible for carrying out the task not only failed to intercept the scholar, but also made things easy for him.

"Brother Yu, in a few days we will be able to enter Nanjing and eliminate traitors for the country."

In such a prosperous era, why are you so gloomy?

Hearing his companion's words, Yu Wugou's face showed bitterness.

What kind of talk is this about eliminating traitors for the country? It's clearly just a bunch of nonsense to fool people.

He might be able to fool a group of pedantic scholars, but someone with his broad knowledge could see through the true nature of things at a glance.

If it were really that prestigious, the scions of powerful families would have fought tooth and nail for such an opportunity to make their mark on history.

"Brother Zhou, I am just saddened that this beautiful land has fallen into the hands of wicked people."

Yu Wugou gave a perfunctory reply.

Deep down, a voice kept telling him to get out of there and not get involved in this mess.

But the hardest debt to repay is the debt of gratitude. Before passing the imperial examination, he had received financial assistance from local gentry, and now it was time to repay that debt.

If I retire now, I won't be able to stay in this industry in the future.

"It's alright, everything will be fine once we enter the court and become officials."

The scenery on the hill ahead is quite nice; how about we each compose a poem…

No sooner had the young man finished speaking than an arrow landed in front of the attacking force.

"This mountain is mine, these trees are mine, if you want to pass, leave your toll!"

In the blink of an eye, a group of masked men blocked the convoy's path.

Upon realizing they had encountered highway robbers, the group of scholars were instantly enraged.

Their privileges included not only tax exemption and exemption from bowing to officials, but also special protection from the imperial court.

If any scholar were to suffer an accident, the local government would immediately mobilize a large army to besiege and suppress any mountain strongholds within a radius of a hundred miles.

Although there were many bandits and outlaws in the Great Yu Dynasty, it was rare for them to rob scholars.

"Heroes, we are not a caravan."

The caravan was full of scholars heading to Nanjing. Their mission was to protest against the tyrannical officials who levied exorbitant taxes and to seek justice for the millions of people in Jiangnan.

......"

Before the middle-aged man could finish speaking, his head had already flown off.

The unexpected scene completely stunned everyone.

In the past, when encountering this situation, as long as one identified themselves, the person blocking the road would run faster than a monkey.

After all, people rob others only to make money, not to seek death.

"Enough with the nonsense, I'm a kidnapper, I don't care who you are."

Those who don't want to die, stay put and wait for us brothers to tie them up.

Go back and tell those gentlemen to prepare the ransom.

Ten thousand taels each. If the money isn't there by this time tomorrow, the hostages will be killed!

The masked man who had committed the murder pointed at a servant and gave the order.

The group of scholars, who had just been full of vigor, instantly turned ashen-faced.

I've run into someone who doesn't know the rules!

They watched the messenger leave, but instead of being bound by the thieves, they were met with a hail of arrows.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

"what!"

The sounds of arrows and screams mingled together, creating chaos at the scene.

This wasn't a kidnapping; it was clearly a murder plot.

They deliberately let a servant go to deliver the message, just to create the scene of a kidnapping.

(End of this chapter)