There is no such thing as the Kangxi and Qianlong eras

Chapter 97 Drawing fire from the bottom of the cauldron
Feng Xiuyong looked at the new tax law in his hand, thought for a moment and said, "General, you are really going too far by doing this."

"Mr. Feng, please sit down first. There's no need to be so anxious." Nie Yu said with a smile.

Feng Xiuyong could no longer sit still. Even the land-based tax system of the Yongzheng Dynasty had caused fierce resistance from the gentry class, let alone this super-progressive tax system. If those local gentry knew about it, they would probably turn the tables on him.

Nie Yu looked at Feng Xiuyong, who refused to sit down, and did not force him to do so. "Mr. Feng, do you really think this new tax system cannot be implemented?"

Feng Xiuyong nodded: "Of course."

Nie Yu asked: "Why not?"

This question is a bit difficult to answer!
Feng Xiuyong froze for a moment, and the other secretaries below also looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

These secretaries were naturally loyal to General Nie Yu, but loyalty did not mean being devoid of second thoughts. Everyone would think for themselves, just as they had previously suggested to Nie Yu that civilians be appointed to oversee the army to curb the rise of military generals. This was an attempt to gain political benefits and to try to get involved in military power.

But the plan failed before it even began.

This is also common sense. Any founding leader will hold military power tightly. It is difficult for civil officials to control military power in the early stages, and it is extremely difficult to get involved.

But this tax reform is different. The new excess progressive tax system is similar to the previous land-based tax system, which causes great harm to the landlords and gentry, almost like cutting flesh and bleeding.

The gentry are the foundation of the dynasty. Once the gentry are forced away, there will be big problems!
Seeing Feng Xiuyong wouldn't say anything, Nie Yu simply stopped pretending and said, "Mr. Feng, what do you think the Han army, how did I, a great anti-Qing general, gain the three states we have today?"

Feng Xiuyong opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but all that came out were six words: "divide the land, reduce taxes, and free the slaves."

In fact, all the secretaries present knew very well how the Han army grew rapidly and how the people under its rule were so obedient. It was all thanks to these three points that it gained the support of the grassroots people.

Nie Yu suddenly laughed and said, "Haha, so you know that the Han army's growth didn't rely on the gentry!"

Then he changed the subject: "Since we're not relying on the gentry, then why are you objecting? Or is it that you, Mr. Feng, have thousands of acres of fertile land and countless slaves and concubines?"

This question is about if they had a fortune of thousands of acres of fertile land, wouldn't they have to serve as advisors and spend their own money to bribe people to buy official positions?
Feng Xiuyong shook his head and didn't speak this time.

Nie Yu ignored him and continued, "Your family doesn't have thousands of acres of fertile land, maybe even less than a hundred acres. You're all secretaries in my general's mansion, so naturally you can't have that much real estate, nor can you have so many servants and concubines. So the question is, why are you still pleading for those gentry who have thousands of acres of fertile land? They promised to give you thousands of acres of land, or to marry their daughters to you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Xiuyong's face changed slightly. This was already a heart-breaking statement.

The implication can even be understood as that these secretaries are colluding with the gentry outside and accepting bribes to help them seize power.

Feng Xiuyong reacted quickly and knelt down immediately: "I dare not!"

The other secretaries were a little slow to act, but they could understand the hidden meaning and quickly knelt down.

"I don't dare!"

"If you don't dare, then why are you trying to persuade me now?"

Nie Yu, however, had no intention of letting these people off the hook. "This new tax law I've devised isn't so much a new tax law as it is a simplification and consolidation of all the previous miscellaneous taxes. From now on, everyone, including the gentry and the common people, will only have to pay one type of tax: landowners pay a land tax, while those without land who engage in business will pay an industrial and commercial tax. The tax rate will be determined by how much you earn. Isn't that a good idea?"

Feng Xiuyong's prepared speech was already wavering at this moment: "This..."

The general was right. He did not have that much land, and the Han army relied on distributing land to gain the support of the people. Now, it seems that simplifying the tax law and progressive tax rates are really good.

Feng Xiuyong didn't dare to speak, but a young and energetic secretary couldn't help but say, "General, you are too hasty. Our Han army only has three states now, and you are rushing into reforms like this. What if..."

Nie Yu interrupted with a wave of his hand and asked with a smile: "Haha, putting aside the possibility of an accident, what's your name?"

"Your servant Liu Jun is honored to be a clerk in the Secretariat." Liu Jun thought he was going to be punished, so he said it very firmly.

Nie Yu continued with a smile, "Good, you're brave enough to speak out so frankly. You're no longer just a clerk today. Follow Mr. Feng and work together!"

what?
Liu Jun was a little surprised. He just couldn't stand it anymore. Seeing that the few colleagues who could speak didn't dare to advise him, he just spoke his own opinion in a fit of anger. As a result, the general not only didn't get angry, but also promoted him.

Working behind Secretary Feng, the meaning is very clear. He will directly become the second-in-command of the Secretariat. If the Han army conquers the world in the future, his future will be even brighter.

For a moment, Liu Jun actually forgot what he was about to say. Instead, he was impressed by Nie Yu, who was a good horse that met a good master. He was so good at selecting and appointing people to positions, and was able to listen to what his subjects said. He was simply inheriting the legacy of Emperor Gaozu!
After pacifying Liu Jun and seeing his face filled with respect and gratitude, Nie Yu continued, "I know what you're trying to say. It's just that pushing for the new law now will offend the gentry. But the problem is, even if I don't push for the new law, won't the gentry still hate me and my Han army?"

“…” Everyone looked at each other, and no one dared to respond.

Nie Yu reached out and pointed at Liu Jun, who was standing there just now, and asked kindly, "Mr. Liu, tell them what the gentry of the three states think of me."

Liu Jun didn't want to say anything at first, but when he saw the general selecting the troops and his colleagues looking at him, he decided to give up. After all, the general wouldn't blame him. "The gentry of the three states all look down on the general and treat our Han army like insects and maggots!"

Nie Yu asked again: "Why?"

Liu Jun replied: "Because of the land division, the gentry's land was divided up by the general, so they naturally resent the general and the Han army."

"If I don't distribute the land from the beginning, will the gentry of the three states support me?" Nie Yu asked again.

Is that even a question?
It’s definitely not supported.

The gentry are not fools. Before the situation becomes clear, they will not support the Han army unless the Han army has shown the potential to conquer the world.

Then there is nothing more to say.

Nie Yu said, "So, regardless of whether I distribute the land or not, the gentry will never side with me. Similarly, the gentry all view the Han army as insects and maggots. Even if the Han army truly conquers the world in the future and I truly become emperor, they won't consider me a good emperor. They will only secretly curse me as a tyrant behind my back. Because I divided their land and hurt their interests, they will naturally be dissatisfied."

The meaning of this statement is very clear. Since the interests of the gentry will be harmed anyway, and the gentry will be dissatisfied anyway, why should we continue to consider the gentry?

Especially among these secretaries, there are basically few of them who come from gentry backgrounds. They are either staff members or advisors, or they are low-level scholars. For example, Liu Jun, who was outspoken and dared to make suggestions, was a typical scholar from a poor family.

They were from a really poor family, living at the foot of a mountain. They had to farm in the fields themselves, and they had to work hard to make ends meet for their studies and food.

There was no way around it. The people in the Ming Dynasty were relatively open-minded, and reading was an absolute luxury for ordinary people. Moreover, under the closed-minded thinking of the Qing Dynasty, studying for the imperial examinations was very expensive and very costly.

Seeing that everyone was silent after what he said, Nie Yu pretended not to notice and continued, "You think I am rushing into this new law. It's simply because my Han army's territory is too small. You are afraid that if you drive away the gentry, my Han army's foundation will collapse."

"But in reality, the real middle and lower class gentry and landlords will not be greatly affected by the new law. Only the top gentry will be affected. Even if they lose most of their land, they still control a considerable amount of wealth."

"I won't say much else. I have a telegram from Jingzhou here. You can take a look at it first."

Feng Xiuyong stepped forward to take the telegram, and after just a quick glance at it, he felt his scalp tingling.

When the telegram was handed to several people, their faces either showed horror or indignation.

When it was Liu Jun's turn, he started cursing before he even finished reading: "These bastards are so bold! They actually dared to take advantage of this tax collection period to stockpile goods and maliciously manipulate grain prices in the private market for personal gain. Are they really not afraid of death?"

Well, Nie Yu was expanding territory in the south and leading troops to fight. In his hometown of Jingzhou in the north, some gentry in Jingzhou took advantage of the opportunity when the Han army was collecting taxes, and they united to hoard grain on the market and the surplus grain of the people, and started to drive up grain prices.

This hoarding of grain to drive up rice prices is not a rare practice, but rather a common practice among gentry and landlords. Many gentry rely on this method, combined with private lending, to exploit the people year after year.

The reason why this incident caused such a big uproar was simply because the Han army divided the gentry's land. Without land as a means of production, the gentry wanted to make up for their losses through other means.

Very good, well done!

Nie Yu was just worrying about finding an excuse to attack the gentry when one was delivered to him on the spot.

Liu Jun's internal secretaries were almost all shocked and angry. They were shocked that the gentry of Jingzhou dared to do this, and they were angry because they felt betrayed.

I was fighting in the front, helping them implement the new law, and almost offended the general. But you guys are frantically trying to sabotage me and poach my people behind my back, right?
Now, the secretaries didn't want to care anymore. They didn't have much land anyway, and the new law had almost no impact on them.

Nie Yu smiled and said, "I won't kill the gentry in Jingzhou who are driving up grain prices this time. I'll just turn them into tenants of government farmland. And yet you're still wondering if the new law will drive the gentry away. What do you think of the gentry now?"

"Although we are against the Qing Dynasty and for the restoration of the Han Dynasty, the pseudo-Qing Emperor Yongzheng is also worthy of being called an emperor, not a barbarian. Because he really dared to reform, and when the land tax was equalized and the scholars refused to take the exams and the officials resigned, we suppressed them all, confiscated their property, and never employed them again!"

"My territory is still small, and even when I implement the new law, I still face resistance. If my territory becomes larger in the future, or even if I really overthrow the Qing Dynasty, will I still be able to implement the new law?"

"If compromise is enough to accomplish great things, then I don't need to rebel against the Qing. I can just promise benefits to the gentry and ask them to help me drive the Manchu Tartars out of Beijing!"

Feng Xiuyong lowered his head and said nothing. He had already figured it out. The general deliberately took out the things last in order to arouse the people's resentment and make them stop resisting the new law and stop speaking for the gentry.

Take the fire out of the cauldron!
(End of this chapter)