My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 203: Gentry don’t pay taxes? Who the hell told you that!
Then, Xue Guoguan looked at Xue Youwei with a sharp gaze and said:

"Since you've read the letter your father wrote to you, you should know that His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince are currently vigorously rectifying taxation!"

"Before it was the commercial tax, the next one will definitely be the land tax!"

"Why do you still act like this?"

Xue Youwei still stiffened his neck, looking nonchalant:

"Father! Even if His Majesty and the Crown Prince really want to rectify the land tax, it won't affect our family, right?"

"Confused!"

Xue Guoguan shouted angrily!
Just when he was about to say something, the door that had just been closed was suddenly pushed open, and a person walked in.

The man was wearing a blue official uniform and was about forty years old. He was Xue Guoguan’s eldest son, Xue Zhiqi, a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue!

Xue Zhiqi has only returned home now because of official business.

As soon as he stepped into the house, a servant announced that his younger brother had arrived. He also said that the father and son had just quarreled at the dinner table, and Xue Guoguan was very angry.

Xue Zhiqi keenly sensed that something was wrong.

So he hurried over, and then he saw the scene in front of him:

Xue Guoguan looked pale, with beads of sweat on his forehead, while Xue Youwei lowered his head, looking unconvinced.

Xue Zhiqi was startled and quickly walked to his father's side. He reached out and gently held Xue Guoguan's arm, saying with concern:

"Father, what happened? Don't worry, I'm here, nothing will happen."

After saying this, he looked at Xue Youwei beside him and said:

"What's going on? What did you do? Why did you make your father so angry just after arriving?"

After all, he is the eldest son. When Xue Zhiqi said this, Xue Youwei was frightened and his face changed instantly. Then he stammered and told him everything that had happened before.

After listening to this, Xue Zhiqi frowned and his expression became serious.

After thinking for a moment, he raised his head and looked at Xue Guoguan again, and said seriously:
"Father, please calm down. In my opinion, although this matter is serious, it is not hopeless."

Xue Guo looked at his eldest son in front of him and knew what unknown words he might say next.

But before he could open his mouth, Xue Guoguan interrupted him and said:

"Help your father go to the study, we will go to the study to discuss in detail."

After a pause, Xue Guoguan looked at his youngest son with disappointment.

"You come too!"

Immediately afterwards, Xue Zhiqi and Xue Youwei supported Xue Guoguan on the left and right, and then came to the study.

Inside the study, the flickering candlelight illuminated the faces of the three people, and the atmosphere unconsciously became a little solemn.

Xue Guoguan was the first to speak:
"After this battle, the prestige of Your Majesty and the Crown Prince will reach an unprecedented level, and previous events have proven that they attach great importance to taxation."

"First, the commercial tax, and next will surely be the land tax. Evading taxes at this time, isn't that a slap in the face of His Majesty and the Crown Prince?"

"If this matter is really investigated, what good will happen to our family?"

After hearing this, Xue Youwei couldn't help but muttered:

"Dad, it's not that exaggerated, right? You are the Prime Minister of the Cabinet."

Xue Guoguan sneered, his smile carrying a hint of bitterness and helplessness, and then said:
"Isn't Zhou Yanru also the Prime Minister of the Cabinet? Can't he be killed just like that?"

"One of the charges against him was tax evasion."

"Go back early tomorrow morning. Once you get back, dig a pit in advance to bury your father and me. Then dig a few more pits to bury you too!"

"Anyway, if this matter really gets out of hand, I guess no one in our family will survive."

Xue Youwei was completely frightened this time. His eyes widened. He never expected that things would be so serious.

After all, in his understanding, they had never had to pay taxes in the past and had always been safe and sound. How could it suddenly become so scary?
At this moment, Xue Zhiqi, who had been silent all this time, spoke up. He comforted Xue Guoguan in a calm tone:
"Don't worry, father. Things haven't come to that point yet."

"Summer grain production won't be finished until the eighth lunar month, and it's only the sixth lunar month now, so there are still nearly two months left."

"As long as I go back and pay the taxes, everything will be fine."

As he said this, he turned to look at Xue Youwei, and said with a hint of reproach in his eyes:
"Little brother, you are also confused. How can you disobey your father on such a matter? Go back tomorrow morning and pay the tax exactly as you should."

"And remember to pay all the arrears in taxes from the first year of Chongzhen until now. That way, even if others want to cause trouble for your father, they won't be able to find him!"

Xue Youwei was about to agree when he heard this, but suddenly he thought of something and said with tears in his eyes:
"But father, brother, if you add up all these taxes, it would be more than 100,000 silver coins!"

"Besides, doesn't the imperial court have a rule that gentry don't have to pay taxes?"

Xue Guoguan sneered when he heard this:
"Who told you that the gentry in the Ming Dynasty no longer have to pay taxes?"

When Xue Youwei heard this, he was instantly confused.

Not
Isn't it common knowledge that gentry don't have to pay taxes?

Why did my father say that?
Just as he was curious, Xue Zhiqi beside him suddenly said:

"Little brother, the imperial court has never stipulated that gentry are exempt from paying taxes. The policy set by Emperor Taizu only exempted the gentry from menial duties, but never exempted them from taxes!"

"During the Hongwu and Yongle eras, there was never any talk of gentry being exempt from paying taxes. Everyone had to pay taxes!"

"It's just that after you gain merit, you can be exempted from some of the land tax, but the amount is not much, only a few dozen acres at most!"

"However, as time went on, the government became corrupt, and the gentry colluded with officials to manipulate policies and evade taxes, which eventually led to the saying that the gentry did not pay taxes."

"Although several subsequent emperors wanted to change this situation and make the gentry pay taxes again, they were unable to do so due to various pressures. Even now, the gentry's exemption from taxation has become a so-called imperial decree."

"But from beginning to end, the imperial court never issued a formal imperial edict or document acknowledging this matter!"

"So, according to Ming Dynasty law, gentry actually need to pay taxes!"

Xue Youwei was stunned when he heard this, because before this, he always thought that it was a court regulation that gentry did not have to pay taxes, but he didn't expect that it was not the case!
Seeing Xue Youwei like this, Xue Guoguan stomped his feet in anger.

"You're such a rebellious son! I told you to read some books but you just wouldn't. Now you don't even know about this kind of thing!"

"I'm telling you! If your father and I are dead, not only will we lose all this money, but we might even lose our entire family's lives. What good will this money do us then?"

Xue Zhiqi also added:

"Little brother, stop being confused! This matter concerns the lives of our entire family. You must pay all these taxes when you return."

"If you don't have enough money back home, we have some here. You can take it back tomorrow. In short, we must pay these taxes no matter what!"

"You must remember, as long as father is still the Prime Minister of the Cabinet, our Xue family will be rich and prosperous forever. Even if father retires in the future, I, your brother, will be able to protect our Xue family's wealth!"

"But if Dad loses his position as Prime Minister because of this little bit of tax, or even ends up in prison again, then our Xue family will be completely finished!"

Hearing this, Xue Youwei was instantly frightened and turned pale. He quickly knelt down and kowtowed to Xue Guoguan.

He banged his head heavily on the ground, making a 'bang bang bang' sound, and then repeatedly assured:

"Dad, brother, don't worry! I'll go back and pay the tax tomorrow morning."

"I will definitely pay back every penny of the taxes I owe over the years!"

Xue Guo looked at his disappointing son and glared at him with a look of disappointment, anger and helplessness in his eyes.

But in the end he said:
"Have a good rest tonight, and go back to pay your taxes tomorrow. Not a penny less!"

Xue Youwei nodded repeatedly, then retreated in disgrace.

Immediately afterwards, only Xue Guoguan and Xue Zhiqi were left in the study.

Xue Guoguan pinched his forehead with a headache, then looked at Xue Zhiqi and asked:

"Regarding this year's summer taxes, is there any news from the Ministry of Revenue?"

Xue Zhiqi frowned and said with a serious expression:
"Nothing serious, everything is normal."

Xue Guoguan had just breathed a sigh of relief, but suddenly he seemed to realize something and his face instantly became extremely ugly.

Because he knows in his heart that in today's situation, "very normal" often means abnormal.

The so-called "very normal" actually means that this year's summer taxes are the same as before.

This seems like it would be fine, right?
But you have to know that the court had already exempted the three taxes. But if that were true, wouldn’t this year’s summer tax be only half of what it was before?
Looking up at Xue Zhiqi again, Xue Guoguan saw that he had a conflicted look on his face, as if he wanted to say something but didn't dare to.

Xue Guoguan understood it instantly, because his eldest son was a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue.

Even as the chief minister of the cabinet, he could not easily interfere in the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue.

In the past, Xue Guoguan might not have asked, so as not to embarrass his son.

But now he was really unsure, and inexplicably frightened, so he hurriedly asked:

"Just say whatever you want to say. Tomorrow morning, I will talk to the Minister of Revenue, Lord Ni, about this matter. He will definitely not make things difficult for you!"

"Besides, this is a matter of imperial tax revenue, so the cabinet will definitely be involved!"

Xue Zhiqi heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this, and then he said:

"The Ministry of Revenue just received reports from various provinces today. This year's summer taxes total only 5 million dan of rice, 1 million dan of wheat, 700,000 taels of silver, 100,000 taels of gold, and a few other items."

what?
Hearing this, Xue Guoguan felt dizzy and almost fainted.

The tax revenue for the entire Ming Dynasty in half a year was only this much?
If the emperor and the prince knew about this, everyone would be in big trouble!
It is obvious that the gentry in the south are still evading taxes unscrupulously!
It goes without saying that the north has less taxes. After all, the north has been wreaked havoc by Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong, so it is barely understandable that the taxes are less.

But what the hell is taxation in the South?

You know, the South has always been stable and there has never been any peasant uprising.

But this year's tax revenue in the south is only five million dan of rice?
Isn’t this nonsense?
You should know that during the Hongwu period, the summer tax in the south alone was as high as 13 million shi!
Even though taxes in the south were later lowered, the summer tax was still around 10 million dan!
It seems that the summer tax during the Hongwu period was only half of that during the Chongzhen period?
But that’s not the case.
Because the court later raised the tax rate again. During the Hongwu period, it was 20% tax, and it increased a little bit in the middle, almost to 15% tax. By the end of the Chongzhen period, that is, now, the court actually stipulated that the tax rate was 10% tax!

This is the normal tax exemption after the three taxes.

In other words, at this time, the summer tax that the imperial court wants to collect from the south should actually be 20 million shi!

But actually?
There are only 5 million koku! ! ! !

It’s three times less than what the court stipulated! ! ! !
And you should know that not all of these taxes are transported to the capital.

First, the local government would keep a portion to pay salaries to local officials, then allocate a portion to the army locally, and the rest would be transported to the capital.

In other words, the summer tax that can be transported to the capital this year may be only one or two million shi!
Moreover, the grain discount for tax is not the market price, which is generally about seven coins of silver per stone. After conversion, the summer tax this year that can finally reach the capital is only more than one million taels of silver!

To be honest, this amount of money is not even enough to pay the salaries of the civil and military officials in the capital.
If you were the emperor, would you be angry?
Xue Guoguan actually didn't expect the gentry in the south to pay 20 million shi of grain, but no matter what, it shouldn't be so little, right?

This is no longer just a slap on the faces of Chongzhen and Zhu Cilang, but rather pressing their faces to the ground and rubbing them repeatedly!
Can they tolerate this?
If it were in the past, Chongzhen might have really endured it. After all, there was no prince to give advice at that time. What else could Chongzhen do if he couldn't endure it?
But things are different now!

Because the prince stood up!
Moreover, with the great victory in Liaodong, the reputation of Chongzhen and the prince has reached its peak!
In addition, the emperor personally took back the military power.

Now Chongzhen and the prince have everything they want, including reputation, money, soldiers, and everything else!
You insist on jumping out to cause trouble at this time, and the issue is about tax revenue that concerns the safety of the country. Aren't you courting death?
For a moment, Xue Guoguan didn't know what to say.
Then at this moment, Xue Zhiqi continued:

"Father, tomorrow morning, the Minister of Revenue, Lord Ni, will go to the cabinet to discuss this matter."

"This matter is of great importance. Even the Ministry of Revenue cannot make a decision. The only one left for the Cabinet to decide is this!"

Hey!
Xue Guoguan sighed when he heard this, and the sigh was full of helplessness and fatigue.

Then he shook his head and said:

"There's nothing to discuss. No matter how we discuss it, many people will still die!"

"How dare they do this? The imperial court is already in such a state, why are they still evading taxes?"

Having said this, Xue Guoguan suddenly couldn't continue, because he suddenly remembered that he had also evaded taxes before.
Although it was his son who did this, to others, it was actually no different from what he did.

In an instant, Xue Guoguan felt a chill suddenly surge into his heart.

Then he suddenly shouted:
"Someone! Someone! Come quickly!"

Hearing these urgent calls, the servant guarding the study door quickly pushed the door open and walked in.

"Master, your orders!"

The servant said respectfully.

Xue Guoguan's voice became a little hoarse due to anxiety, but he still said:
"Go wake up the Second Young Master right now and have him return to his hometown to pay the taxes and back taxes. If you're even a second late, I'll be the one collecting his body."

The servant was frightened by the sudden order and Xue Guoguan's expression. Without any hesitation, he ran out crawling.

For a moment, the father and son in the study were silent.

Because they all knew in their hearts that the imperial court would probably launch an unprecedented storm, and many people were bound to die as a result!
That night, the capital city seemed to be shrouded in a thick layer of ink. Everything was silent, with only the occasional sound of the night watchman's beat floating in the silent night.

In the Xue Mansion, the lights had long been extinguished, with only a room in the main courtyard still showing a faint light.

Xue Guoguan lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

In this seemingly peaceful night, his heart was in turmoil, with anxiety and fear intertwined.

After a long time, Xue Guoguan finally fell asleep.

Just when Xue Guoguan finally fell asleep, a dark shadow quietly appeared under the east wall of the mansion.

The black shadow first looked up and around, and after making sure that no one noticed, he kicked his feet hard, grabbed the wall with both hands, and flipped over neatly.

After landing, the black shadow did not stop, but quickly merged into the darkness, moving through the narrow streets like a ghost.

The moonlight occasionally shines down, illuminating his black suit and outlining his agile figure.

Soon, the black shadow arrived in front of a majestic government office. On the plaque hanging high above the gate, the large characters "Northern Pacification Office" were faintly visible under the dim moonlight.

At this moment, inside a room.

Jinyiwei Commander Luo Yangxing was wearing a Feiyu suit and sitting at the table with a serious expression.

Several spies in black were kneeling in front of him, not daring to breathe.

At this moment, the man in black who had just rushed over from Xue Guoguan's house suddenly pushed the door open and walked in.

Then he walked straight to Luo Yangxing, leaned close to his ear, lowered his voice, and reported the information he had heard before at a very fast speed.

Luo Yangxing frowned slightly as he listened, and a hint of shock and worry gradually appeared on his already solemn face.

It turned out that the reason these men in black came tonight was all about the court's tax collection this year.

Luo Yangxing never imagined that the amount of summer tax collected by the court this year would be so ridiculously low. It was really beyond his expectations.

To be honest, Luo Yangxing really didn't dare to report this news to Zhu Cilang.

Because he knew that Zhu Cilang attached great importance to taxation. If he knew that the tax revenue this year was only this little, he would be extremely angry.

But then again, taxation is a matter of vital importance to the country. If it is delayed, he will lose his life!

So we must tell Zhu Cilang about this matter no matter what, and it must be done quickly!

Thinking of this, Luo Yangxing said to the men in black in front of him:

"I already know what you are talking about. I will inform His Royal Highness the Crown Prince immediately."

"You guys go back and continue to closely monitor their every move. If there is any unusual movement, report it immediately."

When the men in black heard this, they all responded in unison:

"As ordered!"

Then they filed out, each disappearing into the night, returning to their hiding places.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard has always been a sharp sword in the hands of the emperor, and Zhu Cilang is well aware of this.

So before this, he ordered Luo Yangxing to arrange for the Jinyiwei to lurk in the homes of many high-ranking officials in the capital and observe their movements at any time.

Of course, the Jinyiwei spies were not only stationed in the homes of officials, but also in the six ministries.

But it is also because of this that we were able to obtain such crucial information!
Then, Luo Yangxing did not dare to delay any longer.

He casually tore off a piece of rice paper, picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and then wrote quickly on the white paper, detailing the ins and outs of the tax issue in the letter.

After the ink dried, he carefully put the letter into the envelope, then took out an exquisite box from the cabinet beside him, opened it gently, and put the letter into the box.

Then he took the wax block, melted it with fire, and carefully sealed the box.

After doing all this, Luo Yangxing shouted loudly:
"come in!"

Immediately afterwards, a Jinyiwei dressed in a Feiyu suit and with an embroidered spring sword on his waist pushed the door open and walked in with steady and powerful steps.

Luo Yangxing solemnly handed the box in his hand to him and said with a firm look:
"Ride with all your might and deliver this letter to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Remember this! This matter is extremely urgent and there can be no delay!"

The Jinyiwei took the box with both hands and said hurriedly:

"Don't worry, sir. I will definitely fulfill my mission!"

Then turned and left.

Looking at his departing back, Luo Yangxing still felt a little uneasy.

He slowly walked to the window and opened it. A cool breeze blew in, ruffling the corners of his clothes.

Luo Yangxing looked out the window at the dark night sky and muttered to himself:

"Next, the imperial court will probably start another bloody storm."

Time passed quietly in anxiety and uneasiness, and in the blink of an eye it was the next morning.

Xue Guoguan had already woken up at this time, but his eyes were full of fatigue!
He didn't sleep well the whole night and woke up several times in the middle of the night because of nightmares.

Every time he woke up from a nightmare, he was sweating profusely and his heart was pounding like a drum.

Because the scene in the dream was so terrifying!

Their entire family was taken to Caishikou to be executed, and the charge was tax evasion!

This terrified him so much that even when he woke up, there was still deep fear in his eyes.

Fearing that his youngest son would not listen and might tamper with taxes, Xue Guoguan had his eldest son Xue Zhiqi woken up before dawn.

Then he asked him to go back to his hometown in person and supervise Xue Youwei to pay all the taxes he owed!
After all, this is a matter of life and death for the entire family, so Xue Guoguan dare not be careless at all.

Xue Zhiqi actually didn't sleep well last night. He was worried all night about what his younger brother would do next.

So when he heard Xue Guoguan's words, he did not hesitate. After packing up simply, he went to the Ministry of Revenue to ask for leave, and then hurriedly left with his men.

In fact, it was not just Xue Guoguan and his son who did not sleep well last night.

Most officials in the Ministry of Revenue also did not sleep well, and some even had nightmares all night.

Because everyone knows that the sky is really going to fall!
At the morning court session, Minister of Revenue Ni Yuanlu forced himself to stay alert and stood in the court. His eyes met with other officials from the Ministry of Revenue from time to time, and they could see the worry in each other's eyes.

However, he did not tell this matter in the court, because he knew that once this matter was made public, it would cause panic in the court and the situation would be difficult to control.

Besides, it would be useless to talk about this matter in the court, as the final decision would have to be made by the cabinet.

So as soon as the morning court ended, Ni Yuanlu went straight to the cabinet in a hurry.

His footsteps were so hurried as if he was escaping from an impending disaster.

(End of this chapter)