Daming Town Haiwang

Chapter 966, Regulating Jiangnan Officialdom

In the capital, the study room of the Shang of the Qianqing Palace.

"Your Majesty, the south of the Yangtze River has always been an important taxation area for my Ming Dynasty, but judging from the tax money paid by Nan Zhili this year, the tax money paid by Nan Zhili is less than one-tenth of the revenue of my Ming Dynasty treasury. One, it is far different from Beizhili.”

"Although there are many factors in this, the most important factor is that the merchants in Nanzhili are evading taxes, and tax evasion is extremely serious, and the government offices of the prefectures in Nanzhili are extremely uncooperative in tax collection."

"That's why I believe that a capable minister must be placed in the position of the chief envoy of Nanzhili to reverse the situation in Nanzhili, ensure the stability of our Daming Jiangnan's tax revenue, and at the same time promote the development of Jiangnan and the entire south of Ming Dynasty and along the Yangtze River. the development of cross-strait regions."

Liu Jin held a list in his hand. As the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, Liu Jin had the most say in the appointment, removal and assessment of officials of the Ming Dynasty. According to the system of the Ming Dynasty, the Minister of the Ministry of Officials could directly appoint and dismiss officials of the fourth rank and below. official.

The appointment and removal of third-rank and second-rank officials first needs to go through the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, and then discuss it with the cabinet and the Ministry of Officials, and finally submit it to the emperor for review.

It can be said that the power Liu Jin holds is already very huge, and the level of fourth-rank officials is basically at the level of prefects and prefects in various state capitals.

A few days ago, Emperor Hongzhi dismissed and deposed dozens of second-rank officials at once, and Liu Jin was busy all of a sudden. Dozens of second-rank officials were related to dozens of officials in the frontier. Moreover, they are all top leaders in various places, which naturally requires careful selection.

"Hmm~"

Emperor Hongzhi nodded slightly. He was very clear about the situation in Jiangnan.

Before this time, almost all officials from Jiangnan were already half the sky of the Ming Dynasty. No matter what kind of policy was unfavorable to businessmen, landlords and gentry in Jiangnan, they would almost always be abolished and strongly opposed.

As long as any official mentions commercial tax, he will be killed by officials from Jiangnan, so that everyone knows that the court has no money and can't do anything, but still no one dares to levy commercial tax.

If it weren't for the following big cases that severely hit Jiangnan officials, it would be almost impossible for Liu Jin to want tax reform later. You must know that at the time of tax reform, the memorials to impeach Liu Jin were like snowflakes It usually flew to the desk of Emperor Hongzhi.

In Emperor Hongzhi's view, this Jiangnan was not the Jiangnan of his old Zhu's family at all, but the Jiangnan of those merchants, earthquakes, gentry, and big families.

Here, the imperial government's decrees are not as easy to use as the words of a gentry, and many of the imperial court's policies here are almost difficult to carry out.

For example, in the past, the salt import system during the opening of the grain collection was basically rotten. The frontier army had no food, and the court had no money. Both households and ordinary people did not enjoy many benefits.

However, these salt merchants and big families in the Jiangnan area have been fattened, so that they have formed huge interest groups such as Huizhou merchants and salt merchants. Relying on these interest groups, they have formed a terrifying force that can influence the situation of the Ming Dynasty .

"Do you have any good candidates to recommend?"

Emperor Hongzhi thought for a while and asked.

The position of the chief envoy of Nanzhili is very important. He is the most powerful official in the Jiangnan area, not the biggest official, because there is a whole team in Nanjing, and the six ministries in Nanjing have ministers and ministers.

However, the six teams in Nanjing are all nursing homes and have no real power. They are mainly used to place embarrassing officials, or officials who have offended the emperor.

"I recommend Wang Shouren!"

Liu Jin pondered for a while, thought for a while and said.

Wang Shouren and himself both passed the Jinshi examination in the twelfth year of Hongzhi, and they have been following him in all these years, so their talents and abilities are naturally beyond doubt.

Compared with the many disasters and disasters in history, because Liu Jin, the traverser, the current old king, has a prosperous official career and is now a third-rank official, and because of his repeated military exploits, he was also named The Duke of the State can be said to be a rising star in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty, that is, he is a little bit worse than Liu Jin.

"Wang Shouren?"

When Emperor Hongzhi heard it, he couldn't help but nodded slightly after pondering for a while.

He had noticed Wang Shouren a long time ago, and even put him and Liu Jin together. Before the operation, he had even made it clear to Zhu Houzhao that Liu Jin and Wang Shouren were truly talented and virtuous ministers and must be reused.

Being capable of writing and martial arts, writing can govern the country, and martial arts can expand the territory, is also an extremely rare talent.

"He is a very good candidate."

Emperor Hongzhi thought about it and expressed his approval.

Sending Wang Shouren to Nanzhili as the chief envoy, by the way, can give a good overview of these problems in Jiangnan.

"It's just that Wang Shouren is from Zhejiang. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for him to go to Nanzhili?"

Liu Jian next to him thought for a while and said.

Liu Jian was also very aware of Emperor Hongzhi's determination to reorganize the officialdom in Jiangnan. It stands to reason that it would be most appropriate to send an official from the north to Jiangnan.

If Wang Shouren was sent to Jiangnan, he himself was from Zhejiang, so he might be involved and affect his actions in Jiangnan.

"Because he is from Zhejiang, he is more suitable. He understands the complicated situation in Jiangnan, so he can clear up and reorganize the officialdom in Jiangnan."

Liu Jin thought for a while and said.

"Well, according to what you said, Liu Jin, Wang Shouren was sent to Nanzhili as the chief envoy. However, the situation in the Jiangnan area is complicated. If it is only the chief envoy, I am afraid that he will be powerless."

"Give him the power of governor of the south of the Yangtze River, to patrol the south of the Yangtze River for me, and reorganize the officialdom and customs of the south of the Yangtze River."

Emperor Hongzhi thought for a while, and said after thinking about it.

Obviously, Emperor Hongzhi trusted Liu Jin and Wang Shouren's ability very much, and at the same time supported Liu Jin's proposal to reorganize the Jiangnan officialdom.

Jiangnan, it is time to rectify it.

Officials in other places are top-notch for corruption, fishing, corpses, etc., but the officials in Jiangnan are different. They don't have the emperor of Ming in their eyes, and some are just their own regional groups. interests, there seems to be a tendency to form partisans.

This was something that Emperor Hongzhi could not tolerate, and it was also the reason why he always wanted to attack the officials in the Jiangnan area.

"Yes!"

Liu Jin nodded quickly.

"Your Majesty, the banditry problem in the Jiangxi area is very serious, especially in the southern Jiangxi area. The banditry is so serious that it has reached the point of murder and arson in broad daylight."

"Jiangxi belongs to the central area of ​​the south, and southern Jiangxi is the thoroughfare of the four provinces. The imperial court plans to build the Jiangxi-Guangdong Highway next year. The problem of banditry in southern Jiangxi and Jiangxi must be resolved."

After thinking about it for a while, Liu Jin mentioned the banditry in Jiangxi and southern Jiangxi. The Ming Dynasty was peaceful with singing and dancing, but there was such a serious banditry in this place in Jiangxi.

"Your Majesty, I think that the banditry in southern Jiangxi has reached the point where heavy penalties must be used. If you only rely on the strength of the governor of southern Jiangxi to eliminate the banditry, it may take a long time and you will need an extremely capable person."

"That's why I believe that the garrison in the Jiangnan area should be dispatched to thoroughly eliminate the banditry in the southern Jiangxi area."

At this time, Zhang Mao thought for a while and wanted to stand up and speak.

Suppressing bandits, suppressing bandits, the power of the governor of southern Jiangxi is estimated to be very limited, it is faster and more efficient to use the Ming army to suppress bandits.

"I think so too!"

When the other ministers heard this, they nodded one after another. In troubled times, heavy codes are used. Since the banditry in southern Jiangxi has become so serious, it is natural to use the army to sweep it away.

"Well, then this matter will be handed over to the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies."

Emperor Hongzhi thought for a while and nodded to Zhang Mao.

"Yes!"

Zhang Mao nodded solemnly.

"Your Majesty, when it comes to banditry, I have to mention the gangs and green forest forces that are rampant in various places in Ming Dynasty. The ports in the Beijing-Tianjin area, Songhu, Nanjing, and Nanyang provinces are rampant. Green forest bandits dominate the market and local groups run rampant."

"I think that just like the banditry in southern Jiangxi, we should directly use the power of the Ming army and factory guards to carry out a heavy and thorough sweep of these evil forces, return the common people to a bright future, maintain law and order in various places, and at the same time attack local, Gangs, green forest forces."

"At the same time, it is more important to attack the umbrellas and backers behind these evil forces, and to restore the peace of the common people."

Speaking of this, Liu Jin couldn't help standing up and saying.

To be honest, Liu Jin hated these evil forces deeply.

As long as you have a little understanding, you will know how disgusting these evil forces are. Even though they can't make a big deal, they don't seem to threaten the rule of the court.

But Liu Jin before crossing was an ordinary commoner, and he could clearly understand the feelings of an ordinary commoner. These black and evil forces are like dark clouds over the common people's heads. But often there is nothing to do with them.

In later generations, before the eradication of crime and evil was carried out, the big cities did not know how chaotic they were, and blatant robbery and murder were common things. It is unknown how many people disappeared every year, and how many beautiful girls were lost. connect.

After time travelling, since he holds great power and can influence the decision-making at the highest level, he naturally has to do something.

"Your Majesty, I also think that there should be a special campaign to burn black and eliminate evil."

Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and others also expressed their opinions one after another. The capital is a little uneasy, and it is time to clean it up.

"Well, Zhang Mao and Xiao Jing, you two are responsible for this matter."

Emperor Hongzhi nodded solemnly, and then gave instructions to Zhang Mao and Xiao Jing.

(End of this chapter)