Fu Shanhe

Chapter 488 The Canal is Interrupted
Nanjing City.

As time went on, news of the Jiangnan Academy massacre quickly spread throughout China.

Before the investigation had yielded any results, a joint coup by the gentry of Jiangnan had already begun.

In the past, they only engaged in non-violent non-cooperation, but now they have gone a step further and are causing trouble for the imperial court everywhere. In some places, there have even been instances of local officials being expelled.

Faced with the out-of-control situation, the governor's office was completely unable to handle it, and the entire Nanjing Six Ministries were drawn into the mess.

"Lord Lu, when will the investigation results be available?"

Wan Huaijin asked with concern.

The relationship between the imperial court and the gentry was so strained that tax collection was out of the question.

Using force to collect debts is only a temporary solution and does not address the root cause.

Raising the butcher's knife to kill the chicken to scare the monkey, and to intimidate the gentry, will also plant a time bomb for one's own career.

"Your Excellency, the case has already been investigated and found to be the work of the White Lotus Rebels."

Unfortunately, the gentry refused to accept the results of our investigation!

Lu Haizhi said with a helpless expression.

This is not because he is deliberately protecting anyone. Based on the existing evidence, the academy massacre was committed by the White Lotus Sect.

The local people all heard the White Lotus sect members shouting slogans.

Some of those who created chaos in the city to cover the thieves' actions were also members of the White Lotus sect.

After being subjected to severe torture, these traitors confessed to their crimes in prison.

With so much evidence, this would have been a closed case long ago in the ordinary case.

As for other suspicious points that arose during the investigation, he could only selectively ignore them.

After all, investigating a case requires evidence.

Direct evidence can pinpoint the killer to be the White Lotus Cult, so why dwell on those other suspicious points!

If we delve too deeply into the matter, we risk becoming pawns in factional struggles, which is detrimental to everyone.

"Since the evidence is conclusive, let's close the case as soon as possible!"
If the gentry are not satisfied with the investigation, then let them produce the evidence.

Minister of Justice An Jingzhi immediately made the decision.

The sooner the case is closed, the sooner we can relax.

The longer it drags on, the more complicated things become.

In any case, the government strictly followed the procedures in this case, and the Ministry of Justice also fulfilled its supervisory responsibilities.

Even if there were oversights, it was because the thieves were too cunning, and it had nothing to do with the Ministry of Justice.

The case should be closed as soon as possible and reported to the capital. All the hundreds of rebels captured should be executed, which would be an explanation to the people.

"Subordinate to obey!"

Lu Haizhi glanced at everyone and, seeing that no one objected, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Immortals fight, mortals suffer.

The local officials in Jiangnan were under the greatest pressure as they battled against the imperial court.

They couldn't afford to offend the local bullies, and they certainly couldn't go against the imperial court.

Any flaw, however small, can be magnified infinitely.

"The vanguard of the Northern Frontier Army has arrived in Yangzhou Prefecture and will reach Nanjing City tomorrow."

Let's come up with a strategy for what to do next!

Minister of War Shi Qingchen suddenly spoke up.

Given the normal troop deployment efficiency of the Great Yu Dynasty, it would be impossible to reach such a long distance between the north and south without taking several months.

The reason why the Northern Frontier Army moved south so quickly was entirely due to poverty.

The imperial court was unable to distribute money and grain on time, and the tribes in the northern frontier were all living on porridge, with each tribe suffering more hardship than the last.

In order to make money, many generals were forced to engage in smuggling.

Unfortunately, the Northern Barbarians turned to attacking Goguryeo and directly relied on the enemy for food, thus greatly reducing their dependence on Dayu's resources.

As a result, the profits from smuggling trade have also shrunk.

Upon receiving the order to head south, everyone set off before the imperial court could even distribute the necessary funds for their departure.

No matter what, once you get to the Jiangnan region, you're sure to have a good meal.

Even if the imperial court doesn't provide it, they can find their own way.

Unlike the northern Xinjiang region, where the local economy has collapsed and there is no longer any profit to be made, the situation in many areas has changed drastically.

They want to take initiative, but they don't know who to ask for money from.

Troops with cavalry were better off, as they could occasionally take a stroll on the grasslands.

If you're lucky, you might be able to bring back a herd of cattle and sheep.

Pure infantry is in a terrible situation; two-legged soldiers can't keep up with four-legged soldiers, and they don't even have the means to go out and be self-reliant.

"The imperial court is pressing us hard; let's collect the autumn taxes first."

We'll deal with the other issues later.

Anyone who opposes the tax will be targeted!

Wan Huaijin said with a solemn expression.

As the imperial envoy tasked with collecting taxes, he had to play the villain.

If the autumn tax cannot be collected, the finances of Dayu will go bankrupt by the end of the year.

"Your Excellency, given the current situation, it seems difficult to collect taxes."

If we forcibly collect the taxes, it will likely cause trouble.

To complete the tax collection task in a short period of time, the only way is to delegate authority to those soldiers.

However, this would severely impact public morale in the Jiangnan region.

"Provincial Governor Zheng Zonghan said with a solemn expression."

Sending the army out to collect taxes would be a huge, catastrophic move.

The reason we did this before was that we had just quelled the White Lotus Rebellion, and there were still a lot of remnants of the rebels in the area.

In order to restore stability as soon as possible, military control is the only option.

After several years of transition, it was only with great difficulty that the military relinquished its taxation rights, and now those rights are being returned, rendering all the efforts of the court officials futile.

According to the previous plan, the army's southward march was mainly for deterrence, but unexpectedly, the aristocratic faction regained power.

Once the power to levy taxes falls into the hands of the military, the influence of the nobility in the Jiangnan region will inevitably increase significantly.

As long as a powerful minister emerges from among the noble families, he can start with the power to levy taxes, gradually expand the power in his hands, and eventually control the entire Jiangnan region.

The destructive power of controlling the Jiangnan region is far greater than that of controlling Liaodong.

If such a powerful minister were to emerge, the Great Yu court would have to be mindful of his feelings.

Even without the emergence of powerful ministers, this violent debt collection would alienate the gentry of Jiangnan from the imperial court.

"You know how serious the aftereffects will be, I know how serious they will be, and everyone here knows how serious they will be."

The imperial court is waiting for rice to be cooked; every day of delay increases the danger.

Besides this method, are there any other ways to collect taxes in a short period of time?

Wan Huaijin retorted irritably.

It's easy to find fault; anyone with a brain can see the flaws.

However, finding fault doesn't mean you can solve the problem.

When there are no better options, even the most serious measures with far-reaching consequences have to be taken.

Drinking poison to quench thirst will kill you, but the poisoning process takes time and is better than dying of thirst immediately.

If you're lucky enough, you might find the antidote before the poison takes effect.

Having revealed the truth, all the ministers chose to remain silent.

In officialdom, not directly opposing something is tantamount to supporting it in disguise.

……

The capital city, Wenyuan Pavilion.

"What are they trying to do by disrupting the canal transport?"

Jiang Shuhan questioned sharply. Faced with the southward advance of the border troops, the gentry of Jiangnan resorted to their ultimate move, attempting to force the imperial court to concede by cutting off the canal transport.

"Prime Minister, the Grand Canal has not undergone large-scale dredging for twenty years, and a large amount of silt has accumulated on the riverbed, which has seriously affected the navigation of ships."

Dredging at this point is a last resort.

Minister of Works Yue Xiangsong hurriedly explained.

Disrupting the canal transport, such an extreme measure, can be done secretly, but it must never be made public.

In any dynasty, it was taboo for local officials to force the central government to abdicate.

Seeing through something but not saying it is the most basic political wisdom.

"Minister Yue, even dredging the riverbed takes time."

It can be done in different time slots; there is no need to close the canal.

The capital needs grain from the south. If the outside world finds out that the Grand Canal is cut off, prices in the north will skyrocket!

For the sake of stability in the north, the canal transport must not be interrupted under any circumstances.

Second Grand Secretary Bai Jilin was the first to speak out.

The tax resistance movement was merely a case of tax evasion by gentry in Jiangnan, but once the Grand Canal was interrupted, the money and grain from Sichuan and Huguang could not be transported to the north either.

The northern lands were already short of food, and the gentry in the south added this trick, clearly intending to make things difficult for the imperial court.

Without the financial and grain support from the southern provinces, not only will the imperial court's finances collapse, but the northern economy will also be severely impacted.

Facing pressure from the cabinet, Le Xiangsong is also under immense pressure.

Disrupting the canal transport was not his idea.

In fact, he was unaware of this matter until the canal transport was interrupted.

This tragedy was mainly caused by the Jiangnan Academy massacre.

So many scholars died, and those executed were all rebels, which naturally could not satisfy the gentry of Jiangnan.

However, the imperial court also felt wronged, and the Six Ministries in Nanjing took action after the case was exposed.

According to the laws of the Great Yu Dynasty, a large number of responsible persons in the prefectural and provincial governor's offices were demoted.

The lower-level officials were dealt with even more severely.

A large number of officials were dismissed, many were even beaten, and those responsible for patrolling the streets were exiled to Lingnan.

Even the Minister of War in Nanjing was reprimanded by the court for the garrison's failure to provide timely assistance.

The officialdom has its own rules, and the court has already given the gentry of Jiangnan enough face by doing this.

Similar dereliction of duty has occurred before among officials from the Jiangnan region.

The court's previous handling of the situation was not this serious.

If we follow the wishes of the Jiangnan gentry and directly execute those responsible, then we will have to reshape the way officialdom works.

This double standard is definitely unacceptable to all factions in the government.

However, the gentry of Jiangnan are now the victims, especially those who have lost members of their clansmen, who are filled with resentment.

Just as the case was concluded, the imperial court began forcibly demanding tax payments, which only added fuel to the fire.

The ultimate result of this act of spite was that it backfired on the canal transport system.

Ensuring smooth canal transport is difficult, but creating trouble is very easy.

Riverbed dredging is a civilized practice; if the two sides cannot reach an agreement, they can simply sink a ship in the river.

"Second Secretary, everyone knows the importance of the canal, but what's done is done."

Even if the imperial court orders navigation to proceed, if the problems in Jiangnan remain unresolved, further issues may arise.

Le Xiangsong said expressionlessly.

Ensuring the smooth flow of the canal was the responsibility of the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner.

The Ministry of Works was responsible for dredging waterways and building dikes, but its main role was to coordinate the work; the actual implementation was left to the local authorities.

Unable to persuade the gentry of Jiangnan to give up, and unable to withstand the pressure from the cabinet, he simply brought the issue into the open.

"Minister Lü, the Grand Canal transport involves the transportation of money and grain, and the Ministry of Revenue is the first to bear the responsibility."

"Don't you have anything you want to say?"

The Marquis of Zhendong suddenly spoke up.

The Jiangnan Academy massacre was carried out by subordinates in secret; these high-ranking members of the aristocratic faction were completely unaware of it.

The government couldn't find any problems, and the local gentry in Jiangnan couldn't find any evidence either, mainly because the soldiers in charge of the operation went to the Annam Protectorate after they finished their work.

In previous battle reports, these people were also recorded as having died in the suppression of the rebellion and their household registration was cancelled in the Great Yu Dynasty.

Everyone was searching for the living, so the investigation was misdirected from the start and they were naturally led astray.

It was precisely because he was completely unaware of the situation that the Marquis of Zhendong was able to be exceptionally assertive and directly target the Ministry of Revenue, which was controlled by the Qingliu Party.

"The canal transport must not be interrupted, but the gentry in Jiangnan also need to be appeased."

The White Lotus Rebellion has resurfaced and must be eradicated as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be dire.

Lü Lingfeng helplessly uttered a bunch of seemingly correct but meaningless words.

He is caught between the gentry of Jiangnan and the finances of Dayu, which are on the verge of bankruptcy.

To side with the imperial court is to betray one's own class.

All the political resources he now possesses will leave him, and he will also face retaliation from the Qingliu Group.

Standing on the side of the Jiangnan gentry would be another political suicide.

After all, the Minister of Revenue is responsible for the finances of the Great Yu Dynasty.

If the imperial treasury collapses, he, as the top official, will have no choice but to commit suicide to atone for his sins.

Furthermore, the suicide had to be committed quickly enough, otherwise the court would punish them, and it might even implicate their clan.

In future history books, he will most likely be classified as a corrupt official, leaving a lasting stain on his reputation.

"In that case, we should send troops to garrison along the canal to ensure the smooth flow of grain transport."

Anyone found sabotaging the canal transport during this period will be executed without exception, and their entire family, including nine generations of their relatives, will be exterminated!

"The Marquis of Zhendong said with murderous intent."

After such a long period of adjustment, he roughly understood the style of Qingliu Group: they were a group of bullies who preyed on the weak and feared the strong.

The more you try to reason with them, the more they take advantage of you.

And by using his skillful sophistry, he achieved final victory.

On the contrary, flipping the table and directly using knives might make these people rational.

"If there are no other opinions, then proceed as proposed by the Marquis of Zhendong."

Under no circumstances should we fail to ensure the smooth operation of the canal transport!

Taking advantage of everyone's deep thought, Jiang Shuhan decisively chose to cut the Gordian knot.

Some things can only be done zero times or countless times.

Since the imperial court could forcibly collect taxes in the Jiangnan region, it could also force the gentry in Jiangnan to ensure the smooth flow of the Grand Canal.

Whoever causes trouble, we'll kill them.

When politics tears away its fig leaf, its true nature—power—is exposed.

……

The imperial order came a little too late.

With a loud bang, a large amount of soil and boulders collapsed from the hills on both sides of the canal and rolled into the riverbed.

When the decree was delivered from the capital to the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, the Grand Canal had already come to a standstill.

Whether the imperial court was willing or not, dredging the waterways was imperative.

"Master, immediately draft an official document to explain the situation to the imperial court."

At the same time, workers were deployed to clear the blocked section of the river as quickly as possible!

Sun Hongsheng gave the order with a solemn expression.

The imperial court issued a direct order, which had to be completed immediately.

But he also couldn't afford to offend the gentry of Jiangnan.

Caught in the middle, he, as the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, was under immense pressure.

(End of this chapter)