back to ancient times to be emperor

Chapter 535

Lu Chengqi sat on the dragon chair, picked up a cup of fragrant tea, drank it comfortably, and listened to Wang Yuanshi's narration in his spare time.

"Sinmin was originally the head of the royal family in Taiyuan. Since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the royal family in Taiyuan has been very prominent. The family is listed as the five surnames and seven clans..."

Lu Chengqi felt something was wrong when he heard this: "I asked you to tell the truth, why are you talking about these family histories with me?"

Immediately said: "Speak to the point!"

Wang Yuanshi, who was immersed in the glory of the Taiyuan royal family, was woken up by Lu Chengqi's blow on the head, and quickly said: "Yes, yes, yes! Since the current dynasty, the Taiyuan royal family has been reduced to a family of salt sellers, which is despised by the world. Guilty Since Emperor Gaozu of the People's Republic of China, they have been thinking about how to squeeze into the officials. However, since ancient times, there has been a conflict between officials and merchants. Even if they branch out from the royal family, they will not be allowed to conduct scientific research..."

Lu Chengqi also knew that this was indeed Taizu's fault.What happened to the businessman, the businessman will not give the imperial examination, which is a bit unreasonable.Although he knew that this was the Taizu's policy of winning over people's hearts, to be precise, the people of the poor family's children, and deliberately suppressing the nobles of the high family, but it has continued until now, and the nobles of the high family have existed in name only.It is wrong for the court to achieve the political goal but still harm the interests of a class.

Perhaps the merchants at this time did not have much power, but Lu Chengqi knew that once the grievances accumulated to a certain level and the merchants united, the power would be earth-shattering.After all, all businessmen are rich, but they have money but no status. What a deformed structure it is!Could it be that the knowledgeable and capitalistic class is still being fooled around by a group of rice moths?If these rich people are turned against them, it will be more difficult than a bunch of mud legs!
It is understandable that businessmen seek political status.But Lu Chengqi didn't understand why Wang Yuanshi chose to resist the imperial court's policy?Even if the salt ban is lifted and the salt tax is included in the commercial tax, the Wang family will not be hurt?Besides, the Wang family is in high-end business, most of them are engaged in the business of well salt and green salt. Lu Chengqi let the "Dashun Min Bao" publish the sun-dried salt method, and the income is only coarse salt, which has little effect on the refined salt business.

Then why did the Wang family take the road of armed confrontation?Lu Chengqi couldn't figure this out the most.

Wang Yuanshi didn't notice Lu Chengqi's strange expression, but continued on his own: "...the Taiyuan royal family has gone through six generations and wants to reshape the style of the family. However, the children in the family are not successful, and none of them are successful. Fortunately, Your Majesty is magnanimous. , to allow merchants to take the scientific examination, the criminals planned to pay taxes according to the law and obtain the qualifications for the scientific examinations, but the criminals forgot that the Taiyuan Wang family still has a handle in the hands of others..."

Hearing this, Lu Chengqi couldn't help but ask, "The reason?"

Wang Yuanshi nodded, and said: "Your Majesty, blame the people for being confused for a while, and was persuaded by Liang Zhongwen, the governor of Taiyuan Prefecture, to make a descendant of the Wang family change his name and surname, accept losses and donate officials, and become a county official from the ninth rank. Master Book..."

Lu Chengqi was taken aback: "If you donate an official, then donate, what's the crime?"

Wang Yuanshi smiled bitterly and said: "Your Majesty doesn't know that donating millet to officials is a law established by the Taizu, and there is no violation of the law. It's just that this Wang family child is too domineering, and he showed his feet..."

When Lu Chengqi heard it, he understood.This is a typical style of children from a rich family, relying on power and power to run amok.If you don't pay attention, you will be outraged.Sure enough, Wang Yuanshi continued: "...he actually made a mistake in the tax documents of Jinyang City, and in a hurry asked Liang Zhongwen, the Governor of Taiyuan, for help. This Liang Zhongwen was also the leader of the payment of millet. There is no escaping the blame. So Liang Zhongwen helped to build it down and got a fake tax document..."

When Lu Chengqi heard this, he slammed the table and shouted, "How bold!"

Wang Yuanshi was so frightened that his knees gave way, he knelt down on the ground, and kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty calm down, Your Majesty calm down, this is what happened before His Majesty ascended the throne..."

Lu Chengqi restrained his temper, and said in a deep voice: "Keep talking!"

Wang Yuanshi didn't dare to get up, knelt down and said: "Observe the decree! Then Liang Zhongwen took ten thousand guan coins from my Wang family to help cover this matter. Although my Wang family has a great business, I have been repeatedly blackmailed by it. Extortion is also overwhelming. Your Majesty doesn't know anything, just for the matter of accepting millet, my royal family has already donated ten thousand shi of millet, just now in exchange for a small ninth-rank official..."

Lu Chengqi was taken aback, he didn't know about Nasu before, but after making up for it, he finally understood the purpose of Nasu.It stands to reason that if you donate a thousand stones, you can already exchange for a ninth-rank sesame official.Why did the Wang family lose ten thousand stones in exchange for a master book?
Lu Chengqi felt that Wang Yuanshi was lying, and said sharply: "Don't deceive me that I don't understand, just exchange a master book for ten thousand stones and rice grains? Wang Yuanshi, I tell you, if you don't tell the truth, I will definitely make your life worse than death!" "

Wang Yuanshi cried out: "Your Majesty is wronged, every sentence of the criminals is true!"

"Then tell me, why did you donate grain and stones in exchange for a ninth-rank master book?"

"Your Majesty doesn't know that the Taiyuan royal family is originally a merchant's family. If you want to conceal your identity, you have to go around to clear it up, so that you can be a small official safely..."

Lu Chengqi was stunned, he really didn't think of this level.

"You're right, so how does this matter have anything to do with the person who harmed you?"

As expected of being born again, Lu Chengqi was not confused at all, and firmly grasped the crux of the problem.

"Liang Zhongwen can catch our Wang family's handle, how can our Wang family not have his handle?" Wang Yuanshi said bitterly, "Since His Majesty has sealed up the Wang family, the account books in the Wang family's secret room can prove Liang Zhongwen's corruption..."

These words came like a gust of wind, gently stirring the pool of spring water in Lu Chengqi's heart.

"I issued an imperial decree, as long as I hand over the proceeds of corruption, I will forget the past. How do I deal with this matter? There is no way to do it!" Lu Chengqi felt a little tricky, he couldn't slap himself in the face, could he?Lu Chengqi hated corrupt officials all his life, even more hated mediocre officials who didn't do anything, and most hated mediocre officials who didn't do anything but were corrupt.The name Liang Zhongwen has already been firmly remembered by him. Next, the Supervision Department will start to investigate him soon, and maybe he will be invited to the Ministry of Punishment for tea!
Wang Yuanshi shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, there are people behind Liang Zhongwen..."

Lu Chengqi was taken aback, yes, with Liang Zhongwen's background, if there is no one in the court, how could the mistakes in the tax documents be erased?You know, what is the strictest control in Dashun?tax!At that time, there was almost no money to live on, not only the civil and military officials of the court, but also the emperor.How big an official should be to be able to manipulate it, or the tax documents that have already been handed in?

This was unbearable, Lu Chengqi asked bluntly: "Who is it?"

(End of this chapter)