The days when I ransacked the house in Jinyiwei

Chapter 289: Educating Master Le Chang

Emperor Zhengde was selling straw sandals next to Liu Jin.When he saw Chang Feng asking Liu Jin whether the melon was cooked or not, he knew that Chang Feng was getting into the act.He watched the melon stall deal with great interest.

Liu Jin smiled and said: "Look what the official said, I set up a stall to sell melons, can I sell you raw melon eggs?"

Chang Feng sneered: "Hey, what if I'm not familiar with it?"

Liu Jin suppressed her smile: "If it's not familiar, I'll eat it myself."

Chang Feng sat on the small bench in front of the melon stall: "Cut it for me! I am the yamen servant of Shuntian Mansion. If you are not familiar with the melons, I will put you in the yamen prison and lock you in the urine bucket."

Emperor Zhengde and Liu Jin immediately understood that Chang Feng had found a role for himself - a yamen servant.

Liu Jin cut the watermelon for Chang Feng.Chang Feng picked it up and ate it all.After eating, he threw the melon rind on the ground, touched his mouth and raised his legs to leave.

Liu Jin quickly said: "Master, you have eaten two kilograms, so you have to pay thirty coins. Thank you for the reward!"

Chang Feng's face was straight: "I don't even pay for restaurants in the city, let alone eating some rotten watermelons from you!"

"Zhu Shou" who was selling straw sandals on the side couldn't stand it anymore!Since it is acting, the characters must be personified. The character of "Zhu Shou" is a mat weaver and shoe seller who hates evil and has a sense of justice.

Emperor Zhengde interjected: "It's only right to eat melons and give money. You are so unreasonable, and you are still an errand in the government!"

After Chang Feng heard this, he put his foot on one of Liu Jin's watermelons and kicked it to pieces: "It's only natural for the errands in the government office to collect taxes from you poor bunch! You stinky melon seller, and you stinky one." Those who sell straw sandals, have you paid taxes? Are you coming to the capital to beg for food without paying taxes?"

"Minato beggars!"

Emperor Zhengde said angrily: "You are unreasonable, so you are not afraid that we will sue the officials?"

Chang Feng laughed dumbly: "Officer? I am an official! How dare you sue me, a little troublemaker? I will take you back to the government prison and lock you in a urine bucket!"

After speaking, Chang Feng picked up a straw rope from the melon stall, grabbed Emperor Zhengde's hand, and made a gesture to tie it up.

Emperor Zhengde Long Yan was furious and shouted: "Chang Feng, you are so bold. How dare you bully the people in front of me and make unreasonable troubles?"

Emperor Zhengde claimed to be "I", which meant he stopped acting and resumed his identity.

Chang Feng knelt down to Emperor Zhengde and said, "Your Majesty, the common people are having a hard time making a living. Officials, officials, and servants regard the common people as nothing more than fish and meat. If the Emperor wants to create a prosperous age, he needs to know the hardships of the common people."

Chang Feng was using his own way to advise Emperor Zhengde to love the people.

This is much more vivid than the dry preaching of Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian.

Emperor Zhengde understood the profound meaning of Chang Feng's play and praised: "My uncle should replace Liu, Li, and Xie and become the emperor's master."

Chang Feng held up his hands: "I don't dare. Does your Majesty know about the Cangchang case in the third year of Hongzhi's reign?"

Emperor Zhengde said: "I was not born yet. No one mentioned the Cangchang case to me."

Chang Feng explained: "In the second year of Hongzhi, the late emperor wanted to do something big. So he came up with a major policy that could benefit the country and the people - grain accumulation. That is, taking advantage of the good years, he ordered the local governments to stock up on grains to prepare for disaster years. .”

"However, in the next year, unscrupulous officials, clerks, and servants at all levels exploited the people through this imperial edict. Eventually, in the third year of Hongzhi, the Cangchang Case occurred."

"Since then, the late emperor has understood two truths. The first truth is that governing a big country is like cooking small dishes. For the people, an emperor who does not bother is a good emperor."

"The second reason is, don't underestimate the shamelessness and greed of officials, officials and servants in the world."

Emperor Zhengde thought for a long time and sighed: "Uncle, I have learned a lesson! You seem to be acting and having fun with me today, but you are actually teaching me how to be a good emperor."

Liu Jin spoke to Chang Feng on the side: "In the words of literati, this is called entertaining. It is much more lively than the chanting of old monks like Liu Jian, Xie Qian, and Li Dongyang."

Emperor Zhengde said: "Uncle, if you get the title of Jinshi in the Spring Festival Competition in two years' time, I will make you the Taifu!"

Taifu, the third Duke of the imperial court.This is a very important promise.

It seems like child's play for a young emperor to confer the title of Three Dukes.But Chang Feng did not refuse, but said: "I must prepare hard for the exam, and I will not disappoint the emperor next time in the Spring Festival Competition."

At this moment, Qiu Ju, one of the Eight Tigers, hurried over and said, "Your Majesty, this is terrible!"

Emperor Zhengde asked: "What's the matter?"

Qiu Ju replied: "The three elders of the cabinet and a bunch of civil servants have written a joint memorandum, saying that it is ridiculous for you to open a trading street in Xiyuan, and ask you to immediately drive the traffickers away from the palace. From now on, the palace system will be strictly observed."

Emperor Zhengde frowned: "They didn't say they were going to kneel down to remonstrate, right?"

Qiu Ju replied: "That's not true."

Emperor Zhengde's brows softened: "As long as they don't kneel down to remonstrate, it doesn't matter how they complain to me."

In fact, Liu Jian, Xie Qian and others were not only not disgusted with Emperor Zhengde's business in the palace, they were even a little happy: the young emperor is playful, which is not necessarily a bad thing for us.Just let him have fun and let us civil servants control government affairs.

But these guys keep "morality" on their foreheads all day long.Now that I know about this, I can't help but express my opposition.The meaning of the last joint memorial has become clear.There is absolutely no need to kneel down and remonstrate.

Chang Feng thought, since he can give lectures to the emperor on the trading street.The emperor also liked to "listen" to this kind of class.Why not tell the emperor one by one through a play about the bad governance of officials who exploited the people?
Thinking of this, Chang Feng said: "Your Majesty, I will find a few more people and come to the shopping street in the afternoon to accompany you to live the addiction of ordinary people."

Emperor Zhengde smiled and said, "Okay. I will continue selling straw sandals first."

Chang Feng left the palace and found two people, one was Wang Shouren from the Ministry of War, and the other was Zhai Luan, Chang Ponu's fellow countryman and good friend who was the editor of the Hanlin Academy in the same year.

He explained this and that to the two of them.After that, Chang Feng approached the governor of the East Factory, Gu Dayong, and the internal official supervisor, Ma Yongcheng.

That day, two petty officials wearing ninth-grade uniforms came to the Buying Street.These two minor officials are played by Wang Shouren and Zhai Luan.

Wang Shouren was carrying a sign that read "Collect grain tax."Zhai Luan carries a sign saying "Collect taxes".

Behind the two men were a dozen "servants" pretending to be Han generals.These "servants" may be carrying large dendrobium grains for collecting grain, small scales for collecting tax money, or large sticks of water and fire to maintain order.

Chang Feng was wearing a tax collector's uniform and set up a tax collection shed.

When Emperor Zhengde saw this scene, his eyes were immediately attracted and he came over to watch the fun.

Wang Shouren and Zhai Luan were sitting in the tax shed, drinking tea.

The "dogleg" tax collector Chang Feng shouted: "It's taxing, it's taxing! Those who pay taxes come forward!"

Gu Dayong and Ma Yongcheng from the Eight Tigers pretended to be common people paying taxes.

Gu Da used a pole to carry two large bags of grain and came to Chang Feng: "Sir, I am a grain farmer Gu Xiaoyong. According to the number of acres of land in my family, I should pay a grain tax of one hundred catties."

Chang Feng looked at Gu Dayong: "How much do your two bags of grain weigh?"

Gu Dayong replied: "We just weighed them at home, there are just a lot more."

Chang Feng ordered his men: "Give me seventy kilograms of Xiaoguan Dendrobium."

Several men brought up a small official dendrobium.

Changfeng ordered Gu Dayong: "Pour grain in!"

Gu Dayong filled the cup with official dendrobium.Chang Feng said: "It's not enough! Give me these two bags of food!"

Gu Dayong did as he was told, and after a short time Guan Hu's tip came to a head.The grain is in the form of a small mountain, which is much higher than Hukou.

Chang Feng took a few steps back, took a deep breath, and with all his strength, he suddenly rushed in front of Xiao Hu and kicked Guan Hu.

"Crash!" Thirty kilograms of grain that was higher than Hukou fell to the ground.

Gu Dayong quickly shouted: "The grain has been scattered!" He squatted on the ground and held the grain in his hands.But Chang Feng shouted: "Wait a minute! These are all losses! If you pick them up, you are robbing official rations! Robbing official rations is equivalent to rebellion!"

Gu Da looked like he was about to cry but had no tears: "This is one hundred kilograms of grain. I have scattered thirty kilograms, how do I calculate this grain tax?"

Chang Feng said: "Loss cannot be deducted from the grain tax! You go home and fetch thirty kilograms of grain! If you can't get it, it is grain resistance! Grain resistance is equivalent to rebellion!"

Those who are acting are into the drama, and those who are watching the drama are also into the drama.

Emperor Zhengde looked on and was filled with indignation and clenched his fists.How can it be so unreasonable?I was supposed to pay one hundred catties of grain, but the tax collector wanted to collect 130 catties.

Gu Dayong shouted: "Master Qingtian, the heavy snow has closed the door for more than ten days, and there is no rice or firewood at home. I borrowed from here and there on credit to get this hundred kilograms of food! I have borrowed everything I can, where can I get more?" Thirty pounds of grain?”

Wang Shouren, who played the role of the chief registrar of Jiupin County, came out: "It is only natural to pay the grain tax! If there is no grain, I will show you a clear way. Do you have any children at home?"

Gu Dayong replied: "I have a daughter at home."

Wang Shouren smiled and said, "Hey, you have a daughter at home? How old is she?"

Gu Dayong replied: "14 years old."

Wang Shouren said: "Okay! Sell it to me and I will pay you 170 kilograms of grain. Not only will you have the grain to pay the grain tax, but you will also have an extra [-] kilograms of grain for the winter."

Gu Dayong said quickly: "My daughter is my lifeblood, how can I sell it?"

Wang Shouren said angrily: "I'll point you to Yangguan Road and you won't leave. Okay, okay, okay. Come here, this person refuses to pay for food and resists the imperial court. He is a repeat offender of rebellion. He should be arrested and taken back to the county government. Report to the county." Let him be sentenced to death!"

Gu Dayong was shocked: "Ah, I'm selling my daughter, I'm selling my daughter."

Wang Shouren smiled and said, "That's right! I'll write you a document and you'll take your fingerprints."

Emperor Zhengde was so angry that his teeth itched at the scene.A 14-year-old yellow-flowered girl was "bought" by a sinister ninth-grade official like this?
Gu Dayong ended the game, and it was Ma Yongcheng's turn to play.

Chang Feng shouted: "Collect the taxes from the weavers below!"

Ma Yongcheng said: "Sir, I am a weaver. I have two looms at home. As usual, I should pay three taels of silver. This is silver."

Zhai Luan came out: "Hey, have you become sensible this time? Instead of handing over cloth, do you want to hand over cash instead?"

Ma Yongcheng said: "When I handed over the cloth last year, you insisted that the cloth in my house was of inferior quality. I originally handed in three pieces, but you accepted five pieces. This year, the younger ones should pay money."

Zhai Luan said: "Okay, get the money!"

Ma Yongcheng presented three taels of silver with both hands.

Zhai Luan shouted: "Accounting! We can't raise the tax money by raising the Weaver Horse. We still owe one tael."

Ma Yongcheng became anxious: "Sir, you can't tell lies with your eyes open! This is obviously three or two!"

Chang Feng on the side scolded: "What three taels! What you handed over are all broken silver. You have to melt it into official ingots and hand them over to the treasury. Isn't there a fire cost in melting them?"

Ma Yongcheng shouted: "If you pay three liang, it counts as two liang, it's unreasonable!"

Chang Feng shouted: "This person's resistance to taxes is equivalent to rebellion! Take it down, left and right!"

Emperor Zhengde, who was watching from the sidelines, finally couldn't help it anymore: "You are too evil! I will chop you down!"

As soon as Emperor Zhengde called himself "I", everyone knew that the show should stop and fell to their knees.

Chang Feng cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, what I just performed were two major drawbacks of the tax administration. One is 'Landing the tip and kicking the stems', and the other is 'Ze Se Huo Hua'."

"The imperial court levied a tax of [-] cents from the people. From the governor's yamen to the chief envoy's yamen, the prefect's yamen, and the county yamen, all the layers together had to levy a tax of at least [-] cents from the people. Those who were more evil-minded could levy [-] or [-] cents. .”

Chang Feng is engaging in entertaining and educational activities again.He gave on-site teaching on the major drawbacks of taxation to Emperor Zhengde.

Emperor Zhengde frowned: "Don't all the previous emperors know these two major disadvantages?"

Chang Feng replied: "I know."

Emperor Zhengde asked: "Then there is no way to eradicate it?"

Chang Feng replied: "The evils have been deep and the law does not punish everyone."

As an aside, the scheming of officials in the Zhengde Dynasty in collecting taxes was comparable to that of the Chongzhen Dynasty more than 130 years later, which can be called the conscience of the industry.

Officials in the Zhengde Dynasty could collect actual tax of up to [-]% of the tax amount and [-]% of the tax amount.

In the tenth year of Chongzhen's reign, civil unrest broke out all over the place.Emperor Chongzhen was forced to impose a payment of 200 million taels.

In the imperial edict, Emperor Chongzhen stated clearly: "The spread of rogue bandits will bring great devastation to the people. Without gathering troops to suppress them, the thieves cannot be eliminated quickly."

"My people have been suffering for a year, except for the serious troubles in their hearts. After careful consideration, it is definitely not possible. The officials have not implemented it well. The public has only lost one point, and the poor people have been deprived ten times."

The translation of the last sentence is: "I know that I am collecting 200 million taels of salary, and you bunch of dog officials have to exploit 2000 million taels from the people!"

Closer to home.

Emperor Zhengde felt a little desperate after hearing Chang Feng's eight words: "Is there no way to defeat the layers of evil officials?"

Chang Feng said: "During the Hongwu Dynasty, Taizu also wanted to solve this matter once and for all. Taizu's method was just one word 'kill'! The two cases of Kong Yin and Guo Huan killed many officials in the world. .”

"However, corrupt officials are like leeks. Once you cut them, another one will grow. Wild fire cannot burn them out, but they will grow again when the spring breeze blows."

"No one has yet figured out a way to solve this problem."

Emperor Zhengde fell into deep thought.

Although the problem could not be solved, at least Chang Feng made Emperor Zhengde start to face up to the serious drawbacks of the tax policy.This entertaining and educational play was performed very successfully.

After a while, Emperor Zhengde, who was deeply shocked by this scene, had no interest in setting up a stall to sell straw sandals.

He said: "Let's go back to the Qianqing Palace. Oh, by the way, give each of the five hundred traders and footmen on the Buying Street five taels of silver. I can't delay their day's work in vain."

Chang Feng and Liu Jin accompanied Emperor Zhengde back to Qianqing Palace.

Liu Jin took the opportunity and said: "Your Majesty, actually I have a way to eradicate the stubborn problem of corruption and bribery among civil servants."

Emperor Zhengde's eyes lit up: "Oh? Say it quickly!"

Liu Jin replied: "Since nine out of ten civil servants are corrupt, then don't let them assist you in governing the world! Just let the eunuchs replace the civil servants in governing the country! For example, governors are not considered local officials according to the rules, but are appointed by the imperial court to govern the local area. The imperial envoys from the capital. First remove these governors and imperial envoys and replace them with eunuchs and young eunuchs."

"Eunuchs are all people without roots. Without roots, they have no desires and demands, and are only loyal to the emperor."

Chang Feng's expression changed when he heard this.

Chang Feng said: "Eunuch Liu's method is not feasible! Liu Yuan, the later leader of the Southern Han Dynasty, and Eunuch Liu have the same idea. They feel that people without roots have no desires and desires. If they are appointed as officials to govern the place, corruption and bribery can be eliminated."

"So Liu Yun issued an imperial edict that no one except an eunuch could be an official. Officials rushed to leave the palace. The Southern Han Dynasty with a population of 200 million actually had [-] more rootless officials out of thin air."

"What about the other way around? These officials who have lost their roots are still as greedy as they should be. They even get worse because they have lost the most important thing in a man."

"In less than ten years, the Southern Han Dynasty was destroyed! Therefore, Liu Yuan is the 'posterior master'."

(End of this chapter)