I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 719 Operation Wind and Thunder!

The Western Expedition Army fought brilliantly in the southern Tianshan Mountains and the eastern foothills of Jinshan Mountain, and the fighting in the capital was equally exciting.

In the Ziguang Pavilion of the Western Garden, Zhu Yijun finished reading the document in his hand, gently placed it on the table, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes to rest.

Pan Yinglong, who was sitting in the lower seat, held his breath and felt a little nervous.

Wang Yi'e took a gamble on the policy of converting natives into officials in western Hubei, western Hunan and Guizhou, and came up with a brilliant plan to remove the Yang family of Bozhou, one of the biggest obstacles to the policy of converting natives into officials in the southwest. He won the gamble, became famous, and was called the most capable minister of the Ming Dynasty.

You have to give it a try too.

The document presented to the Emperor today was a gamble, but I don't know whether I won or lost.

"Feng Wu, do you go to the Prince Consort's Mansion often?"

Zhu Yijun's voice suddenly rang out, bringing Pan Yinglong back to his senses.

Prince Consort's Mansion?
His mother-in-law is Princess Ning'an, his father-in-law is the Prince Consort Li He, and the Prince Consort's Mansion!
"In reply to the emperor, I will accompany my wife back to the Prince Consort's residence every day on my day off. I am alone and have no relatives. My father-in-law and his family are my closest relatives in the world."

"Go to the Prince Consort's Mansion every day off? Well, you are a good son-in-law. But I am not a good son-in-law, or rather, I can never be a good son-in-law."

Zhu Yijun opened his eyes, pursed his lips slightly, and murmured.

Pan Yinglong said nothing.

Zhu Yijun didn't expect his answer and continued talking.

"I am not a good husband either. I don't know if I can be a good father in the future. Feng Wu, do you know why?"

It’s a direct question, and I have to answer it.

Pan Yinglong replied: "Your Majesty, I am stupid and I don't understand."

“You can’t have your cake and eat it too!”

Pan Yinglong looked at Zhu Yijun's face, which was very young but not at all childish, and understood the meaning of his words.

The light of imperial power is too bright, overshadowing family affection.

"Feng Wu!"

"Chen is here!"

"You have a family now. In the eyes of the old-fashioned people, if you don't have a family, you are not reliable and can't take on important responsibilities. If you don't have children, you don't understand the hardships of the world and can't take on important tasks.

Now that you have a family, live a good life with your cousin Suer and give birth to a child soon."

Pan Yinglong replied: "I obey your order."

Zhu Yijun patted the document Pan Yinglong handed over with his right hand. "Mr. Hu is still in the hospital. The position of General Military Affairs is vacant. You, Pan Fengwu, are a counselor and have the right to make policy recommendations. Tell me, who do you recommend to take over?"

Pan Yinglong's Adam's apple trembled up and down.

The emperor asked a crucial question, which might be a proposition, so I must answer it carefully.

"In reply to your Majesty, I think Mr. Tan Lun, the Grand Secretary, Assistant to the Cabinet, and Minister of War, is the most suitable person."

Zhu Yijun looked at Pan Yinglong without saying anything.

Pan Yinglong felt a little uneasy, wondering whether his answer would satisfy the emperor.

"But some people criticized that since Mr. Tan was a member of the cabinet, how could he be in charge of the military government? They also said that civil officials should manage civil affairs, and nobles should manage military affairs, which was the ancestral system established by Emperor Taizu.

Feng Wu, what do you think? "

No, this is the key point.

But Zhu Yijun's gaze did not give Pan Yinglong much time to think. He thought quickly and replied in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I think these criticisms are ridiculous.

The civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty were divided into the cabinet, the military government, and the imperial court. Could it be that they were divided into the Imperial Censorate and the Imperial Academy? Aren't they all subjects of the emperor?

Noble? Lord Tan was conferred the title of Marquis of Dongning for his military merits, and the title is hereditary, so he is no longer a noble? Could it be that in their eyes, the titles conferred by their ancestors are noble, but the titles conferred by the emperor are not?"

Zhu Yijun laughed out loud: "Well said, Fengwu said it very well."

Pan Yinglong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhu Yijun patted the stack of documents on the imperial desk again, "Fengwu, do you believe that the nobles behind Xiu Qiguang and Zhao Junhai are these two?"

Pan Yinglong said respectfully: "In reply to the emperor, I am not sure about this matter. I have to investigate it to find out the truth."

"Yes, we have to investigate to find out. The most feared thing in this world is the word 'seriousness'. As long as we investigate everything seriously, the truth will come out.

Do you know how to investigate the case of Xiu Qiguang and Zhao Junhai?"

Isn't investigating a case supposed to be done openly and aboveboard?

I have come to the Western Garden today to present a report, hoping to obtain the Imperial Sword from the Emperor so that he can conduct an open investigation.

Why does the emperor still ask this? Doesn't he understand what I mean?
It's impossible. The emperor is such a smart man that my little tricks are invisible to him.

Then why does the emperor ask this?
However, the emperor is different from Emperor Sejong. If you have any questions, just ask him directly. The emperor will never give you any guessing games.

"Your Majesty, I am stupid and don't know how to check for the moment."

Zhu Yijun suddenly laughed, "Even someone as smart as Feng Wu doesn't know how to investigate. This shows that this matter is not only complicated, but also involves a wide range of people. A small move can affect the entire body."

Pan Yinglong immediately took advantage of the situation and said, "I am stupid, but I know this case is too complicated. I am worried that it will cause trouble and affect the government, so I ask the emperor for advice."

"Ask for instructions? What instructions? You are just trying to find out my attitude. Feng Wu, you don't need to find out. My attitude has always been the same.

Criminals must be severely punished and evil deeds must be stopped. There is no room for maneuver."

Pan Yinglong was about to open his mouth to defend himself, but Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said, "Fengwu, I know what you mean. You also understand my attitude, and you have no intention of bending the law. You just want to test my attitude towards those people so that you can handle this case properly."

What can i say!
Pan Yinglong cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"

"What kind of wise and enlightened are you? I am just trying to balance the waters. I feel like I have become the best balancer in the Ming Dynasty."

Your Majesty, you are so polite! Not only in the Ming Dynasty, but in the whole world, you are number one.

After a dozen seconds of silence, Zhu Yijun asked, "I have issued an edict to summon Mu Chaobi, the Duke of Qian, to the capital. Does Fengwu know about this?"

"I know."

"Wang Yi'e sent an urgent message eight hundred miles away, saying that two fast ships loaded with gold, silver and jewels had passed Wuchang, went straight to Guazhou, and turned to the Grand Canal.

Wang Yi'e also said that he had found out that the two ships were from Mu Chaobi's trusted confidants, who had brought valuables to the capital first to help Mu Chaobi with his affairs.

Fengwu, you are young and promising, and you often go in and out of the Western Garden, so you are in the emperor's heart. You must have a share of the wealth of the two official ships. Remember to split it with me in a 30:70 ratio. I will take 70% and you will take 30%. "Pan Yinglong didn't know whether to laugh or cry at Zhu Yijun's joke.

Your Majesty, your joke is not funny at all.

Pan Yinglong replied righteously: "Your Majesty, I will never accept these bribes. The salary and allowances given to me by Your Majesty and the court are enough to ensure that I have no worries about food and clothing."

Zhu Yijun looked at it with a smile on his face, "You can't have it even if you want it. I have secretly told Taiyue Gong to ask the Ministry of Revenue's Taxation Inspection Bureau to seize the two ships' property in Jiangdu.

Without a tax clearance certificate, the Audit Office has the right to find out where it came from.”

That's right, Pan Yinglong knew that there was a provision in the Commercial Tax Law that the Tax Inspection Bureau had the right to investigate any property within the territory of the Ming Dynasty or related to the Ming Dynasty to ensure that it had been traded and taxes had been paid.

In simple terms, the Tax Inspection Bureau has the right to check all the money and goods in the world to verify whether they are in the territory of Ming Dynasty or have been traded with the people and businesses of Ming Dynasty.

If there is a transaction, the tax must be paid. If the tax is not paid, the tax must be paid plus a fine.

This clause is followed by an additional clause: whether the transaction is legal or illegal
At first, Pan Yinglong didn't quite understand what this article meant, so he asked a lawyer from the Law Courts to find out. It turned out that the Tax Inspection Bureau had no responsibility to determine whether a transaction was legal or illegal. It only cared about whether you had a transaction, and that if you had a transaction, you had to pay taxes.

Whether the transaction is legal or illegal is determined by other departments, and it is only responsible for collecting taxes.

Too bad!
This clearly shows that bandits and pirates have to pay taxes after robbing and passing by.

Dare you not hand it over?
The Taxation Inspection Bureau has a Taxation Police Corps under its purview. In addition to combating smuggling, it is also responsible for collecting unpaid taxes. The backbone of the corps is a part of the Jinyiwei and some of the navy.

You really can't beat ordinary bandits and pirates.

Even if its tax police corps cannot defeat it, it can still call on people!
One arrow pierces the clouds, and thousands of troops come to meet!

With just one document from the cabinet, the Guards, Battalion Guards, and even the Navy and Marines must respond quickly!
Don't move? Do you still need food and money?

Pan Yinglong couldn't help but mutter in his heart, the emperor is really too cruel
Mu Chaobi has always lived in Yunnan, far away from the inland and the central government, and many new trends have not reached there. How could he, a country bumpkin, have ever seen such a method!

The Taxation Bureau will check your property, but it does not confiscate your money. If you pay taxes, they will return it to you. It just depends on what kind of instructions the Taxation Bureau receives, whether the investigation takes one month, three months, or half a year.

But do you, Mu Chaobi, dare to dawdle on the road for half a year? In less than three months, the emperor will find a reason to deprive you of your title!

Moreover, you, Mu Chaobi, knew on the way that your property had been seized by the "relevant departments" of the court. If you were smart, you would understand that this was a warning from the emperor, so you should walk faster and it would be better if you could grow wings.

If you don't want to eat when you are beaten, do you want to be beaten with a stick in the court?
But why did the emperor mention Mu Chaobi for no reason?
Mu Chaobi, Duke of Qian!
A line of nobles ennobled by Emperor Taizu.

Understood.

So this is what the emperor meant.

Pan Yinglong tentatively replied: "Your Majesty, the wealth of Mu Chaobi's four ships must have been the people's hard-earned money. Moreover, it is an open secret that the nobles do not pay taxes on mining and trade. We should investigate.

The emperor had always stressed that taxes were the foundation of the Ming Dynasty, and that it was taken from the people and used for the people. However, some people took advantage of the honors given by the court to evade taxes.

Tax evasion is really abominable. It not only undermines the foundation of the Ming Dynasty, but is also unfair to other people who pay taxes according to the law. It is unfair and goes against the emperor's teachings that the world should be for all!

This trend must not be allowed to continue.

By the way, I recall that last month the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Justice jointly issued a document, repeatedly emphasizing the need to vigorously promote publicity on paying taxes in accordance with the law in local areas, and also requiring local areas to intensify the investigation and crackdown on tax evasion and tax arrears.

Shuntian Prefecture is the best place in the Ming Dynasty, a prosperous and strategic place, but tax evasion and tax arrears are everywhere. The Ministry of Revenue has criticized Shuntian Prefecture by name several times. As the governor of Shuntian Prefecture, I am very incompetent, and I have failed the emperor's grace and the important responsibility of the court. "

Zhu Yijun nodded, "Knowing shame leads to courage, so what are you going to do?"

"I will immediately arrange for the promotion of paying taxes according to the law and cracking down on tax evasion and tax defaults after I return. Well, I will organize a comprehensive operation called Operation Wind and Thunder. The wind is the spring breeze, promoting the promotion of paying taxes according to the law. The thunder is the spring thunder, cracking down on tax evasion and tax defaults."

Zhu Yijun nodded with satisfaction: "I am confident that Fengwu can handle the matter. Just go ahead and do it!"

"The minister obeys the order!"

After returning to the signing room of Shuntian Prefecture Yamen, Pan Yinglong called Nangong Ye and Shen Wanxiang and told them the draft of "Operation Fenglei" that he had prepared on the way back in the carriage, asking them to think about it and see if there was anything that needed to be revised and supplemented.

Strange things!

Nangong Ye and Shen Wanxiang looked at each other!
The two knew that the prefect was going to Xiyuan, and they also knew what he was going to do.

Why did you plan this Fenglei Operation as soon as you came back to promote legal tax payment and crack down on tax evasion and tax arrears?

The prefect went to Xiyuan and came back with a head full of love potions?
The clerk outside reported: "Your Excellency the prefect, Lord Su, the governor of the Pacification Department, is here to pay a visit."

"Old Su has a keen nose, please come in."

Su Feng walked into the signing room in a hurry and saw that the other two people in the room were Nangong Ye and Shen Wanxiang, both of whom were Pan Yinglong's confidants. There was nothing to be secretive about, so he spoke directly.

"Feng Wu, I have reported this to our Songdu Envoy. His meaning is that Shuntian Prefecture plays the leading role in this play, and we Jinyiwei are just playing drums and gongs on the side."

Pan Yinglong smiled, "Master Su, please take a seat. Why, you Jinyiwei only want to stay in the audience and don't even want to go on stage to sing a supporting role?"

Su Feng chuckled, "Feng Wu, I have nothing to hide from you. Our Songdu Envoy said that this matter involves that side. Our Jinyiwei has a close relationship with that side. Once we go on stage, no matter who we are, we will be embarrassed.

Not to mention singing well, it’s hard to say whether we can continue singing. If we fail to sing well, we, the Jinyiwei, cannot bear such a heavy responsibility. "

Pan Yinglong shook his head: "Your Songdushi is really a cautious person."

Su Feng chuckled and didn't answer.

Nangong Ye and Shen Wanxiang looked at each other and muttered in their hearts, How dare the commander-in-chief of the Jinyiwei not be cautious?

Pan Yinglong and other servants served tea and continued speaking only after they left.

"The Imperial Guards have their own concerns and considerations, which I understand. Since we, Shuntian Prefecture, are the main players, you can help out, but don't just work without putting in any effort!"

Su Feng patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Envoy Song has repeatedly told me to cooperate with Shuntian Prefecture and support Prefect Pan in making this play a success.

Shuntian Prefecture gets the face, and we, the Jinyiwei, get the inside."

Nangong Ye and Shen Wanxiang understood that the Jinyiwei's real strength was to gain approval from the emperor, which was indeed better than any face.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard is the emperor's personal army. No matter how much face they have, it is not as good as gaining a good reputation!

"Since Su Zhenshi has said this, I am relieved that Operation Wind and Thunder will surely proceed smoothly and be fruitful."

Su Feng's eyes lit up, "Operation Wind and Thunder! Just hearing the name sounds exciting. Tell me, how do you want our Pacification Bureau to cooperate?"

When Pan Yinglong mentioned the draft action plan, Su Feng's eyes almost popped out.

"What? You want us to cooperate with Shuntian Prefecture to promote the honor of paying taxes according to the law, and to crack down on tax evasion and tax avoidance?

What kind of wind and thunder operation is this? "

(End of this chapter)