Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 316 What Hong Qing said is very much in line with my wishes.

A fierce debate concerning the future of Jiangnan has reached its climax among the three, the emperor and his ministers.

He remained silent for a long time after meeting the emperor.

"Your Majesty!" Sun Chuanting's voice carried a hint of earnestness and heaviness, "The situation in Jiangnan has been stabilized. The malignant tumors such as salt smugglers, nobles, and princes have been eradicated. The world is terrified, and the people yearn for stability."

Your Majesty, I believe that at this juncture, we should implement benevolent governance, demonstrate Your Majesty's grace, and allow the people to rest and recuperate. If we were to repeat the previous tyrannical actions, readily ordering massacres, it would likely chill the hearts of the people and cause widespread anxiety in Jiangnan, which would be detrimental to long-term stability and peace!

His words resonated deeply: now that the world is at peace, we should cease military campaigns and focus on civil administration, using virtue to influence the people.

"That's incorrect!" Hong Chengchou immediately retorted without hesitation, his voice hoarse and shrill.
"The people of Jiangnan have not yet submitted! Those gentry and wealthy merchants are merely hiding temporarily out of fear of His Majesty's might! Their hearts are like poisonous weeds, which cannot be extinguished by wildfire and will grow again with the spring breeze! What I have seen in Jiangnan is that there are countless people who outwardly comply but inwardly defy, and countless people who secretly collude!"
If we do not seize this opportunity to use severe punishments and swift, decisive measures to completely break their backbone and instill fear in them to the core, the new policies will surely collapse within ten years, and Jiangnan will remain their Jiangnan, not His Majesty's Jiangnan!

Hong Chengchou's words were filled with the atmosphere of blood and fire, and every word was ruthless and resolute.

This looks like the iron fist of Legalism, an extreme manifestation of using harsh measures in chaotic times.

Sun Chuanting frowned as he listened, about to speak again to emphasize the importance of public opinion.

Zhu Youjian, the supreme arbitrator who had remained silent throughout, finally made a move at this moment.

"Attsu."

A soft sound rang out clearly in the warm room.

The argument between Sun Chuanting and Hong Chengchou came to an abrupt end. The two men held their breath and turned their gazes toward the dragon throne.

Zhu Youjian slowly raised his eyelids, his gaze passing over Hong Chengchou and landing directly on Sun Chuanting.

“What Hong Qing said is exactly what I thought.”

These eight words were like a thunderbolt from the heavens, striking Sun Chuanting squarely on the head!

He froze abruptly, his body swaying almost imperceptibly. In that instant, he felt his limbs become cold and stiff.

He stared blankly at the emperor.

how come?
In Sun Chuanting's mind, this young emperor was indeed a decisive and ruthless ruler, but all those killings and iron fists were necessary evils that had to be done in order to fight against those deeply rooted interest groups in the process of sweeping away the chaos and restoring order to the world.

But now that the overall situation of the world has been settled, the salt merchants have been brought to justice, the nobles have been imprisoned, and the princes have been stripped of their power, the sinking ship of the Ming Dynasty has finally been saved by His Majesty's efforts and its course has been stabilized. It is time to repair the ship and appease the passengers. Why... why does His Majesty still crave such bloody and cruel methods?

He couldn't quite understand why the wise monarch who had once talked with him all night about how to "store wealth among the people" and how to "start anew with the world" would choose what he considered the most dangerous and unpopular path at this moment.

In stark contrast to Sun Chuanting's feeling of being plunged into an ice cave, Hong Chengchou felt as if he had been injected with molten lava after hearing the emperor's affirmation!

Surprise! Ecstasy!
An indescribable surge of excitement instantly overwhelmed his reason, turning his weathered face bright red.

He felt that all his toughness, all his ruthless views that were not understood by his colleagues, and all the infamy of being regarded as a "butcher" and "cruel official" had received the highest affirmation from the most noble and authoritative person in the world at this moment!
It was worth it! It was all worth it!

A warm current surged from the bottom of his heart and quickly spread throughout his body, making him almost tremble uncontrollably in the solemn and majestic Qianqing Palace.

He raised his head and looked at that calm and profound figure, his eyes instantly filled with unparalleled fervor and worship.

In this life, having one true friend is enough!

And his confidant was none other than the current emperor!
To be able to die for such a monarch, even if it means bearing eternal infamy, what regret is there?

At this moment, Hong Chengchou even felt that Zhu Youjian was not only his emperor, but also the Dao in his heart! He was the ultimate reliance that allowed all his misunderstood political ambitions and iron-fisted methods to be rightfully proclaimed to the world!
However, Zhu Youjian seemed completely oblivious to the dramatic emotional shifts between his two ministers.

His expression remained indifferent, as if his groundbreaking statement was nothing more than a casual remark, "The weather is nice today."

His gaze slowly shifted from Sun Chuanting's astonished face, his tone flat to the point of indifference, as if a master were testing a student with a most basic question.

"Bai Gu," Zhu Youjian called out softly to Sun Chuanting by his courtesy name, "do you know what the 'tax farming system' is?"

"Tax-inclusive system?"

Sun Chuanting's thoughts were interrupted by this sudden question, and he was slightly taken aback.

This word is so familiar, yet it seems so distant.

Like a ghost of history, it is inextricably linked to the oppressive and tyrannical rule of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, a term that any conscientious Han scholar would deeply abhor.

Sun Chuanting quickly composed himself, forcibly suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind. He took a deep breath, bowed respectfully, and replied, "Your Majesty, I know. The so-called 'tax farming system' was a corrupt practice of the former Yuan Dynasty. The Yuan court contracted out the tax revenue of designated areas to merchants and powerful families, who were called 'tax farmers.' The court only cared about the total amount, not the process. In order to reap huge profits, tax farmers often levied several times, or even ten times, the fixed amount, extorting and exploiting the people, causing widespread suffering and unrest throughout the land..."

Sun Chuanting's answer was standard and precise, perfectly matching the definition in historical records and the consistent evaluation of Confucian scholars.

While he was answering, Zhu Youjian made a new move.

He slowly rose from the dragon throne, put his hands behind his back, and strolled toward one side of the warm pavilion.

There, hanging in the sky is an enormous map of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Youjian's figure appeared both small and seemingly integrated with the entire world in front of this huge map.

His gaze fell on the most prosperous and dazzling area in the southeast corner of the map.

Sun Chuanting's voice was still echoing in the warm pavilion when Zhu Youjian suddenly spoke up, interrupting him.

"Bai Gu only knows one side of the story, not the other."

The emperor's voice carried a cold and clear understanding of the ways of the world.

"You may see the Yuan Dynasty's tax farming system as a bad policy, but some people see it as the most wonderful system because it has three unparalleled advantages."

Zhu Youjian extended a finger and pointed heavily at the location of Songjiang Prefecture on the map.

"Firstly, it's called 'private power replacing the law.' Once the court contracts out the tax collection of a region, the tax collector is essentially a king in that area. The tax rate is determined by his word; the collection method is determined by his whim. He can set up his own court of punishment and abuse torture. The laws of the court become meaningless in his territory. Local officials can only rely on him if they don't collude with him. Bai Gu, tell me, isn't it tempting to wield such power and authority on behalf of Heaven?"

Sun Chuanting's heart sank suddenly, his lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Good fingers moved slowly, like a cold snake, winding across the map, finally stopping at Hangzhou Prefecture in Zhejiang.

"Secondly, it is called 'governing by non-action'. The court no longer needs to spend time and effort supporting countless officials to go deep into the fields and collect taxes from house to house. It only needs to set up a tax official in the prefectural city, sit in the hall, and wait for the tax collectors to bring boxes of silver to the door."

As for how those tax collectors squeezed every last drop of profit from the land, how they forced ordinary people to sell their children or even hang themselves, they could simply turn a deaf ear and a blind eye. For those bureaucrats who only sought comfort and refused to take responsibility, treating the people like straw dogs, wouldn't that be a kind of relief?

Sun Chuanting's face began to turn pale.

He suddenly remembered the local officials he had encountered more than once in Shaanxi. Even though there was grain in the granaries, they would rather watch as refugees starved to death on the roads outside the city than open the granaries to distribute the grain, simply because they were afraid of offending the local gentry who hoarded the grain.

Those indifferent faces, seemingly unconcerned about anything, are a perfect illustration of this policy of non-interference!

Zhu Youjian's finger finally landed on Suzhou, the city known for its immense wealth, his cold, hard knuckles almost grinding the words "Suzhou" off the map.

"Thirdly, and most ingeniously, it is called 'shifting the blame eastward while enjoying the credit alone.' Who do the people hate? As far as they can see, they only hate the tax collector who came to their door to demand payment and even beat them, and they hate the wicked servants and lackeys who acted as accomplices. Meanwhile, the officials and gentry who actually hid behind the scenes, colluding with the tax collector to share the spoils and taking away seven or eight tenths of the benefits, can watch from the sidelines and continue to play the role of benevolent and virtuous local worthies."

They only need to take a tiny fraction of what they've extracted to build a bridge, repair a section of road, or provide relief to a few impoverished families, and they can earn a reputation for 'benevolence and righteousness.' All the infamy, all the resentment, all the risks—all are borne by the 'evil' tax collector. Isn't this a wonderful thing—gaining both practical benefits and a good reputation?!

After Zhu Youjian finished speaking, he turned around, his gaze piercing Sun Chuanting, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"They collect rent with one hand and taxes with the other. With their left hand they hold clan laws and family rules, and with their right hand they wield the power of national law. When they go out, they are officials; when they stay at home, they are gentry. They hold the positions of landlord, tax collector, and judge all at once. Bai Gu, do you think that, for them, what else in this world is unsatisfactory except that it doesn't bear their name?"

In Sun Chuanting's mind, it was as if a thousand thunderbolts were exploding at the same time!
Everything before my eyes was spinning, and a buzzing sound filled my ears, with only the emperor's cold question echoing repeatedly.

This viewpoint is too crazy, too heretical!

The Yuan Dynasty—weren't they barbarians who were driven out of the Central Plains by Emperor Taizu Gao's iron cavalry?

Wasn't that a dark era of the southward migration of the elite and the decline of civilization?
How could the scholar-official class, who were disciples of Confucius and Mencius, considered themselves "pure stream" and constantly talked about "distinguishing between Chinese and barbarians," possibly miss that era?
This...this is simply the greatest slander against the entire scholar-official class!
but……

But why!
One after another, unbelievable scenes he had personally experienced surged uncontrollably from the depths of his memory.

He recalled how, when the emperor first implemented the "unified tax payment" system in Jiangnan and measured the land, the gentry banded together for mutual support, instigated their clansmen and tenants to violently resist the government, and even forged land deeds to register the land under the names of their long-deceased ancestors.

He recalled how, when the policy of "officials and gentry paying taxes together" was implemented, those learned scholars who usually claimed to be concerned about the country knelt in front of the governor's office, weeping and wailing, claiming that the new policy was competing with the literati for profit and was a policy that would lead to the downfall of the country. But in their own private rooms, they discussed how to incite popular uprisings and how to prevent the government's orders from leaving the prefecture.

He recalled those stubborn, two-faced people, those who were extremely respectful to his face but used any means necessary behind his back.

They... they certainly didn't act like subjects of the Ming Dynasty. They were more like owners of independent kingdoms. In their own territories, they were the law, they were the heavens!

An extremely terrifying yet incredibly clear thought, like a black lightning bolt, tore apart all the beliefs he clung to:
What the emperor said... is true.

These people, deep down, do not yearn for the way of sages and saints, but for an era in which they can unscrupulously seize all local power, trample millions of people underfoot, and exploit them mercilessly, while the imperial court is powerless against them!
They really don't care whether the person sitting on the dragon throne is surnamed Zhu or Borjigin, as long as that person can guarantee their privileges as local emperors!

In an instant, Sun Chuanting felt a lingering fear that came from the depths of his soul.

He always thought his enemies were just a group of greedy, short-sighted misers.

Only then did he realize with horror that he might be facing a group of potential enemies who had already betrayed the country in spirit!
Cold sweat poured down his forehead and back, and the evening breeze blew in through the cracks in the window, making him feel a chill to the bone.

On the other hand, Hong Chengchou presented a completely different picture.

His eyes were now frighteningly bright, radiating a hungry light, as he stared intently at Zhu Youjian, completely entranced.

He never thought about the problem from this perspective!

The emperor's words were like a ray of divine light, illuminating all the chaotic corners of his heart.

The fog that had troubled him for so long was instantly cleaved apart by the lightning, revealing the hideous truth behind it!
He finally understood!

The people he faced in Jiangnan were not those bookish pedantic scholars, nor were they loyal ministers and righteous men who cherished the Ming Dynasty. Instead, they were a group of people who regarded a system similar to the Yuan Dynasty's "tax farming system" as a family heirloom!
In their eyes, there is no such thing as a ruler or a father, no such thing as the state; they only care about profit!

Whoever can let them sit back and divide the gold is their master.

Today they serve the Zhu family as their masters, but if the Jurchens offer a higher price tomorrow, they will not hesitate to 'change allegiance and welcome a new master'!
Their bones had long been softened by their unbridled lust for power; their blood no longer flowed with the passionate blood of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, but with the cold liquid of calculating gains and losses.

What's the point of talking about benevolence and morality, or about the teachings of a benevolent ruler, when dealing with such a group? It's like casting pearls before swine.
Only torture! Only the butcher's knife! Only by instilling in them a fear more terrible than death can the words "divine right of kings" be re-imprinted into the depths of their already corrupt souls!
Hong Chengchou's breathing became heavy, and the knuckles of his clenched fists turned white from excessive force.

He became even more determined in his beliefs, and the look in his eyes when he looked at Zhu Youjian had transformed from fanatical worship into absolute loyalty, willing to go through fire and water for the emperor and die without hesitation.

Zhu Youjian took in the entire change in Sun Chuanting's expression, from shock and confusion to terror and then to deathly pale.

For a purely capable and solitary minister like Sun Chuanting, one cannot use power to subdue him; that would only breed resentment. Instead, one must completely shatter his preconceived notions and expose him to a more cruel and realistic underlying logic that he has never imagined.

Zhu Youjian slowly walked back to the imperial desk and sat down again.

He once again concealed that overwhelming imperial majesty within his calm and profound demeanor.

He picked up the cup of fragrant tea on the imperial table, which had already cooled slightly, gently stirred the tea leaves floating on the surface with the lid, and blew on it, as if he were simply savoring the delicate aroma of the pre-rain Longjing tea.

Then, the emperor raised his head and looked again at Sun Chuanting, who was still in a great shock and had not yet fully recovered. In a tone so calm as to be almost casual, he asked the second question.

"Bai Gu, now tell me again, why are the officials, gentry, landlords and wealthy merchants in Jiangnan unwilling to pay taxes?"

This question, though seemingly trivial, struck Sun Chuanting like a heavy hammer blow.

Sun Chuanting opened his mouth, but his throat was dry, and he couldn't utter a single word.

yeah why?
Because by paying taxes, one becomes a subject of the Ming Dynasty.

Without paying taxes, they are the emperors of their own kingdom!
(End of this chapter)