Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

Qianqing Palace.

"So it turns out that what you're all gritting your teeth about isn't Minister Gong, but rather the new policy of the imperial court requiring everyone to perform duties and pay taxes equally, is that right?"

Emperor Jingsheng's gaze darkened, and he asked in a cold voice.

The new policies currently being implemented in Jiangnan mainly consist of four aspects: unified service and unified tax payment, merging the poll tax into the land tax, abolition of fire tax, and the Single Whip Law. As for the reform of native chieftains into centrally appointed officials, it is mainly being implemented in the southwest region.

Of these four, the one most opposed by gentry and officials was naturally "serving the same duties and paying the same taxes."

This is because it directly touches upon the core status privileges and economic interests of the Han Dynasty's official and gentry class.

In contrast,

Although the imperial policies such as "integrating land tax into poll tax," "returning fire tax to the public treasury," and "the Single Whip Law" did affect the interests of officials and gentry, it was difficult for them to openly oppose them under a respectable banner.

For example, the "equalization of land tax and poll tax" and the "return of fire tax to the public" reforms mainly targeted land and economic interests.

Whether it was taxing based on land area or regulating fire loss, they were all ostensibly based on the banners of "fairness," "transparency," and "compassion for the people's livelihood," and in reality, they could even be considered benevolent policies of the imperial court.

To openly resist these two measures would be tantamount to admitting that officials and gentry wish to continue enjoying privileges and profiting from them.

This is morally untenable, so the only option is to resist covertly.

Needless to say, the Single Whip Tax Reform was a tax reform whose core purpose was to "simplify the tax system and unify collection," allowing the imperial court to manage tax revenue more effectively.

It was essentially a technical administrative reform that combined land tax and corvée labor into one collection, surveyed the land, expanded the tax base, and was a good policy that benefited the country and its people.

Officials and gentry also found it difficult to find a plausible reason to object, otherwise they would appear to be opposing "improving administrative efficiency".

Therefore, the only way they could obstruct these matters was by resisting the cold and impersonal "land survey" process, which was a covert act of outward compliance but inward resistance.

The main objection that could be openly voiced was the requirement for officials and gentry to perform the same duties and pay the same taxes. In essence, this reform was a process of imperial power co-opting and reshaping the power of the gentry.

It attempted to transform the official and gentry class from a local power with a special status into pure "subjects" who paid taxes and served the state.

It can be said that this infringed upon and damaged the fundamental interests of all officials, gentry, and scholars.

Since the Qin Dynasty, officials, scholars, and other gentry have enjoyed the privilege of exemption from corvée labor and taxes, allowing them to transfer their own taxes and corvée labor to ordinary people.

This is not only about economic interests, but also about the privileges and superior class status enjoyed by officials and gentry.

Opposing from this point of view is speaking for officials, gentry, and scholars, and it is a just act that will inevitably gain widespread support from the official and gentry classes!

Just like the new policies implemented by Emperor Yongzheng in later years, the most opposed one was the policy of "serving the same people and paying the same taxes," which even led to various chaotic situations such as students in Henan boycotting the exam.

After Emperor Qianlong ascended the throne, he did not make much change to several other aspects of his father Emperor Yongzheng's new policies, but he immediately abolished the policy that required officials and gentry to perform official duties and pay taxes together. This shows how great the resistance and difficulty was in implementing this policy!

in fact,

Emperor Jingsheng was well aware of the difficulties in implementing this new policy; it was only after Jia Jing's victory in the Northwest that he gained unprecedented confidence.

Thinking that he had the advantage of a great victory to implement reforms, and that such an opportunity was rare, he would not be so eager to try it out in the important city of Jiangnan.

But he never expected that these officials would be so audacious, abandoning their usual respectful demeanor, and daring to join forces to force the emperor to abdicate in order to resist the new policies.

How is this any different from Wu Xun's actions during the Jingnan Campaign?

Even the formation of factions among civil officials had a far more detrimental impact than Wu Xun's rebellion!

This also shows how corrupt the officialdom had become, to the point that the imperial power had completely lost its authority!

Thinking of this, Emperor Jingsheng couldn't help but recall the words in his will he left behind when he hanged himself on Coal Hill in his dream.

"I have no face to meet my ancestors in the afterlife. I will cover my face with my hair and let the rebels tear my body apart. You may kill all the civil officials, but do not damage the mausoleum or harm a single one of my people."

Yes! Civil officials are indeed all deserving of death!

The fierce look in Emperor Jingsheng's eyes grew increasingly intense!

The three people, including Xu Zhuo, felt a chill run down their spines when faced with Emperor Jingsheng's cold gaze.

In fact,

After the battle in the Northwest, Emperor Jingsheng had gained considerable prestige in the court, and there were even rumors among the people that he was a "restoration emperor." The three of them did not want to stand out and oppose Emperor Jingsheng.

However, there are many things they can't avoid doing just because they don't want to.

Not to mention that they had received too much tribute from the Jiangnan region in the past, they now had no choice but to stand up and cheer for them.

They themselves are large landowners with many acres of land. How could they just stand by and watch the new policy harm their own interests?

Therefore, they had no choice at all; the new policy directly conflicted with their family interests and personal future!

Of course, the only thing that gave them some comfort was that...

Although this matter would require facing the wrath of Emperor Jingsheng and even risking dismissal from office, the rewards would be substantial if it were successfully accomplished.

Not to mention the widespread support he received from scholars and gentry throughout the country, it's easy to imagine that he would be universally praised by scholars and intellectuals.

Once you have a reputation, why worry about your future?

That's how it is in the Han Dynasty's officialdom: the more you stir things up, the bigger your reputation becomes, and the easier it is to get a good official position later.

Moreover, the more than two hundred people outside the Meridian Gate are the source of their confidence to speak out righteously at this time.

The principle of "the law does not punish the masses" was also an unspoken rule in the Han Dynasty's officialdom. It is likely that even if Emperor Jingsheng did not agree to abolish the new policies, he would not persecute loyal officials or punish them too harshly.

If it were just a beating in court, that would be a glorious thing to be remembered in history!

Thinking of this, Lu Shengnan felt a surge of pride and replied firmly:

"Yes! His Majesty's decision to have Gong Dingzi implement the policy of unified service and unified tax payment in Jiangnan was not a feasible plan to begin with."

"Otherwise, why would all the civil and military officials in Jiangnan disagree? What's worse, Gong Dingzi disregarded public opinion and insisted on being cruel."

"It caused scholars to lose all face and destabilized the foundation of the nation."

"I have also heard that Gong Dingzi, under the guise of promoting new policies, is actually using the investigation as a pretext to eliminate dissidents."

"Anyone who had a grudge against him in the past was punished for 'embezzlement'; anyone who associated with his party was dismissed on the grounds of 'obstructing the new policies'."

"Most of the confiscated property went into their own pockets; the officials they dismissed were not from their faction. They claimed it was a matter of state, but it was actually a matter of personal vendetta."

"In this corner of Jiangnan, taxes account for six or seven tenths of the nation's total, and grain tribute, salt tax, and customs duties all depend on it."

"Gong Dingzi is now acting perversely in Jiangnan, causing the gentry to become disaffected, merchants to hesitate, weavers to lose their jobs, salt smugglers to run rampant, and the White Lotus to lurk in the shadows."

"If Jiangnan falls, the source of the nation's revenue will be cut off. How will the military pay for the nine border regions? How will the salaries of the officials be paid? This is not the fault of a single official; it is a disaster that shakes the very foundation of the nation!"

"Moreover, the practice of gentry not having to perform official duties or pay taxes has been established for thousands of years."

"Your Majesty, please uphold the ancestral system, dismiss the treacherous official Gong Dingzi, and abolish the corrupt practice of requiring everyone to serve and pay taxes equally. Then the world will be at peace! Your Majesty, please think it over!"