Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

The bloodshed and turmoil in the capital seemed to have temporarily come to an end with the establishment of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

But Xiao Chen's gaze had already passed over the towering palace walls and locked onto that prosperous yet deeply intertwined region—Jiangnan.

The great victory in the northern frontier relieved the immediate crisis, but the national treasury had long been emptied by years of war and corruption.

Compensation payments, reconstruction funds, army uniform replacements, the establishment of the Embroidered Uniform Guard... each of these was a money-devouring behemoth.

Confiscating the property of Han Yu and the Qian family is merely a drop in the ocean, and has already been used to fill the immediate financial hole.

To support the grand blueprint ahead, to build a truly invincible army, and to expand overseas, a continuous and massive influx of silver is essential.

Jiangnan, a fertile land that contributed 70% of the empire's tax revenue, was also the region where powerful families hid their land and tax evasion was most rampant.

Those gentry and wealthy families, who occupied thousands of acres of fertile land, only paid taxes on a few bushels of rice, or even none at all.

The burden of the state fell entirely on the powerless and vulnerable self-cultivating farmers, leading to widespread public resentment and a surge in displaced people.

"To strengthen the nation, first manage its finances. To manage its finances, first conduct thorough land surveys."

In his study, Xiao Chen looked at the map showing the dense network of lakes and waterways in Jiangnan and made his decision.

This time, he could no longer send those rule-abiding officials from the Six Ministries.

He needs a sharp and ruthless blade, someone who can both intimidate Jiangnan and not be easily corrupted by the local social networks.

"By imperial decree, the newly appointed Minister of Works, Shen Wanshan, is hereby appointed as Imperial Commissioner to travel south to Jiangnan to oversee water conservancy and conduct tax and grain audits."

Xiao Chen's voice was calm yet authoritative: "I hereby order Mo Qi, the commander of the Northern Garrison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, to lead three hundred elite Embroidered Uniform Guards to accompany and protect the area. Anyone who obstructs the land survey or resists tax payment, whether official or civilian, may be arrested first and reported later!"

The imperial decree caused a stir throughout the court and the country.

Shen Wanshan, Minister of Works, was a technical official, but he was known for his incorruptibility and arithmetic skills. More importantly, he came from a humble background and had no connections in Jiangnan, so he was not afraid of favors or requests.

Mo Qi and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were an even more fearsome combination.

Jiangnan, Suzhou Prefecture.

The Humble Administrator's Garden, which is usually filled with the sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments, is now shrouded in a low-pressure atmosphere.

Although Han Yu, the former Grand Secretary and leader of the gentry in Jiangnan, had been demoted, his influence in Jiangnan remained deeply entrenched.

The gentry alliance, centered around the "Jiangnan Hometown Protection Association," quickly convened a secret meeting.

"Gentlemen," said Han Weiye, Han Yu's nephew and the largest landowner in Suzhou Prefecture, his face grim, "that man surnamed Shen and that murderous Mo Qi have arrived in Changzhou. Wherever they go, they are measuring fields and checking the land registers. Anyone with hidden land is being pursued for back taxes and fined! Three families have already sold their ancestral homes to raise the money!"

"Hmph, Shen Wanshan is just a craftsman; what does he know about the rules of officialdom?"

An old scholar with white hair sneered, "Jiangnan is a land of great wealth and power. If we are of one mind, let alone a mere minister, even the emperor himself would have to think twice before acting."

"Think it over?"

A sharp voice rang out. It was Wang Donglai, a major salt merchant from Songjiang Prefecture. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Who is that Mo Qi? He's a living Yama who crawled straight out of the execution ground! His Imperial Guards are three ranks higher than any official. If they arrest someone, they'll give them thirty lashes as a warning!"

I just received news that a disgruntled scholar in Changzhou Prefecture gathered a crowd to resist taxes. Mo Qi publicly stripped him of his clothes, gave him forty strokes of the cane, stripped him of his academic honors, and exiled him three thousand li away! These remnants of the eunuch faction really dare to kill!

"Then what can we do?"

Han Weiye looked at everyone, "Are we just going to sit here and wait to be killed, letting them search and confiscate our property?"

"We can't force it."

A steady voice rang out; it was Zhou Wenyuan, the Vice Minister of Rites in Nanjing and a cousin of Zhou Xianzong: "To resist head-on will only lead to ruin, like the Qian family, where they were destroyed and their families perished. We must 'resist gently'."

"Oh? What insightful opinion does Lord Zhou have?"

"Firstly, procrastination."

When Shen Wanshan wanted to check the Fish Scale Register, we said that it was from a long time ago, the register had been lost, and we needed to verify it slowly.

This delay could drag on for half a year.

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Zhou Wenyuan's eyes. "Secondly, division. Shen Wanshan may have friends around him. His followers and clerks, as long as the money is right, can always find loopholes. Thirdly, and most importantly..."

Zhou Wenyuan lowered his voice: "I've heard that the Emperor intends to implement the 'equalization of land tax and poll tax' and the 'return of the tax to the public treasury' in Jiangnan. This would shake the very foundations of the empire. We've jointly submitted a memorial, arguing that 'instability in Jiangnan could lead to popular uprisings,' to force the young Emperor in the palace to rescind his decree. If the tax reform fails, his position as imperial envoy will be powerless!"

Everyone's eyes lit up, and they all nodded in agreement.

However, they underestimated Xiao Chen, as well as Shen Wanshan and Mo Qi's determination.

One month later, in Jiaxing Prefecture.

Shen Wanshan did not go directly to the yamen. Instead, he changed into plain clothes, took a few attendants, and went to the fields to visit the actual farmers.

"Grandpa, how many acres is your land registered with the government?" Shen Wanshan squatted down in front of an old farmer and asked kindly.

The old farmer looked at him warily, and a local gentry who looked like a village headman quickly interjected, "Sir, this Mr. Zhang's land is recorded as five mu in the official register."

Shen Wanshan looked at the endless rice paddies around him, and then at the old farmer's calloused hands with only three fingers (the other two were severed to pay off debts under the heavy burden of taxes), and he understood what was going on.

He didn't say anything, just smiled faintly: "Oh, five mu."

That night, Mo Qi led ten Imperial Guards and quietly sneaked into the village head's house.

Without alerting anyone, they simply stuck a bloodstained dagger next to the village head's pillow, with a note beside it: "Report the exact number tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM). Otherwise, you will meet the King of Hell."

The atmosphere at the land survey in Jiaxing Prefecture the next day was eerie.

When Shen Wanshan asked the village head, the village head was sweating profusely and stammered, "Sir... I remembered last night that there was an error in the registers from a few years ago. Master Zhang's land should be... twenty-five mu!"

A commotion erupted around them.

The old farmer looked up in astonishment at the village head, who usually acted arrogantly and domineeringly, and for the first time bowed his head before him.

Shen Wanshan recorded the numbers expressionlessly, then looked up, his gaze sweeping over all the gentry present.

"Gentlemen, I don't care what you did before. From today onwards, concealing one acre will result in a fine of ten times the tax. Concealing ten acres will lead to the confiscation of your property. Concealing more than one hundred acres will result in immediate execution! The Imperial Guards are waiting outside. Anyone with objections may raise them now."

No one dared to speak out.

Mo Qi appeared at the opportune moment, followed by a group of cold-eyed Imperial Guards, their embroidered spring knives gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

Meanwhile, in Nanjing.

The ten-thousand-word petition jointly drafted by Zhou Wenyuan and others was being prepared to be sent to the capital by express courier via post stations.

However, the letter was intercepted by a group of Imperial Guards halfway out of the post station.

The leading officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard coldly tossed the letter back to Zhou Wenyuan's steward: "Go back and tell your master that His Majesty has decreed that tax reform in Jiangnan is a national policy. Anyone who dares to obstruct it will be a second Han Yu."

In addition, Minister Shen has already verified that Vice Minister Zhou's 800 mu of hidden land in Changzhou owes a total of 120,000 taels of silver in taxes and fines.

If he doesn't pay in full within three days, he'll be writing a lengthy petition in jail!

Upon hearing the news, Zhou Wenyuan couldn't catch his breath and fainted.

In just three months, Shen Wanshan and Mo Qi worked together like a comb, thoroughly investigating the hidden fields in several prefectures in Jiangnan.

The taxes and fines that were paid were transported to the capital in a continuous stream via the Grand Canal.

It is estimated that in the Jiangnan region alone, the amount of hidden farmland uncovered in this investigation exceeds two million mu!

The amount of silver to be paid in arrears was a staggering eight million taels!

This is just the beginning.

Xiao Chen looked at the latest report submitted by the Ministry of Revenue, a cold smile curving his lips.

"Not enough."

He said to Mo Qi, "Send a message to Shen Wanshan, tell him to speed up the process and first implement the 'land tax reform' in Suzhou and Songjiang. Tell the gentry in Jiangnan that my sword has only just been raised."

"Furthermore, instruct the Ministry of Works to expedite the production of three thousand new-style tiger-squat cannons and five thousand flintlock muskets using this money. I want the Great Xia army to hear the cries of the enemy, rather than see the blood of their comrades, on their next campaign."

"Yes!" Mo Qi accepted the order and left.

The tax reform in Jiangnan is like a war without gunpowder.

Xiao Chen has already raised the most sufficient military funds for this war.

Driven by money, the empire's war machine once again let out a chilling growl.

Who will be the next target? The entire court and the public are holding their breath in speculation.