scourge the qing dynasty

Chapter 143

(PS: At the beginning of the month, ask for a monthly pass again.)
After noon on the ninth day of August in the tenth year of Kangmazi in the Qing Dynasty, Zhu Guozhi, Zhu Zhongcheng, the governor of Yunnan who was touted by later generations as greater than their ancestors and was recognized as the most shameless and corrupt official in the Kangmazi years, finally arrived. Sanchakou Pass, the southern throat of Qujing Mansion, and at this pass, for the first time, I saw Lu Yifeng Lu Fatty, also known as Lu Sanhao or Lu Caishen, who was recognized by later generations as the number one scourge of the Qing Dynasty and the current prefect of Qujing in Yunnan.

Different from the last time he came to Qujing, Zhu Zhongcheng's mood in Qujing this time is obviously much better, because the last time Zhu Zhongcheng was greeted by the Qujing Mansion, there were people crying for injustice all over the mountains and plains, rotten eggs and rotten cabbage flying all over the sky, and those brave people. The ferocious Yi Miao campfire drew his sword at each other if he said something wrong.But this time, Zhu Zhongcheng was greeted by an orderly army of officials, soldiers and civilians, as well as Lu Yifeng, who was known as the number one minister of the Qing Dynasty and the number one god of wealth in the Qing Dynasty, Fatty Lu. This feeling was really good.

"Lu Yifeng, a humble prefect of Qujing, leads all the civil and military officials of Qujing, military and civilians, and welcomes Mr. Zhongcheng of this province to visit." While Fatty Lu led the officials and people of Qujing to salute, Zhu Guozhi took the opportunity to carefully scrutinize this famous direct subordinate, What made Zhu Zhongcheng overjoyed was that the Fatty Lu in front of him looked very similar to himself. They were all white and fat and smiled at a Maitreya Buddha. Their eyes were also very small and they liked to squint. The type of corrupt officials who like to suck people's fat and people's ointment - this is also Zhu Zhongcheng's favorite type.Basically, corrupt officials like to bribe bigger corrupt officials, don't they?

"Lord Lu, please hurry up, and all your lords and folks, please also please." Zhu Zhongcheng personally helped Fatty Lu, and said hypocritically: "Lord Lu is too polite to run to such a far Sanchakou Guan came to welcome me, it's too polite, really too polite."

"Lord Zhongcheng is too modest." Fatty Lu said even more hypocritically: "Lord Zhongcheng took time out of his busy schedule to visit Qujing. The truth of ten miles? Moreover, in order to express his admiration for Mr. Zhongcheng, I specially prepared a small gift for Mr. Zhongcheng. Lord Wang Zhongcheng, please don't refuse."

Fatty Lu offered to give gifts as soon as they met. Zhu Zhongcheng, the first corrupt official in the Qing Dynasty, laughed so hard that he could hardly find his eyes. Mr. Lu is famous, recognized by the government and the public as the number one capable minister of the Qing Dynasty, and the number one upright official in Yunnan and Guizhou, seeing him today is indeed a well-deserved reputation, it is better to meet him than to be famous."

With a smile, Zhu Guozhi couldn't wait to ask again: "By the way, Master Lu, I heard that you have found a huge silver mine for the soldiers and civilians in Nanning within a month of your trip to Nanning, with silver reserves as high as 4000 million yuan. Two, was this rumor wrong?"

"Your Excellency Zhongcheng has won the prize, and I am ashamed of my lowly position." Fatty Lu said hypocritically and modestly: "As for the Nanning silver mine, it is really just a fluke. I may not believe that Mr. Zhongcheng said that the lowly position is actually looking for a tin mine in Nanning , It’s just that I found a huge silver mine by mistake, and I’m really ashamed of my reputation.”

Of course Zhu Guozhi didn't believe it—coax the ghosts to go!Looking for tin mines has turned into silver mines, why don't you say that the Baqi drug cream is only for beautifying the environment? !At that moment, Zhu Guozhi said with a smile: "Lord Lu is humble, he is too humble. I believe that Master Lu will return to Qujing to take office this time, and he will definitely create miracles like the Eight Banners Drugs and Nanning Silver Mine for Qujing again. I am ashamed of you." Shangxian, I can also follow you to gain some glory and leave a strong mark in my history books of the Qing Dynasty."

After talking so much nonsense, Fatty Lu finally found a way to invite Zhu Guozhi's team to get up and stay in Qujing City with him. Zhu Guozhi readily agreed, and now Zhu Guozhi's team and Fatty Lu's team got up and went north to return to Qujing City .On the way, Zhu Zhongcheng, who had been a bureaucrat for many years, still had to go down to the field in person in a hypocritical manner, and under the guidance of Fatty Lu, he inspected the harvesting of the Eight Banners drug.

Speaking of which, because the vassal land directly under the Pingxi Palace exclusively monopolizes the cultivation of Eight Banners Fushou Gao, Zhu Zhongcheng is really the first time to visit the harvesting process of Eight Banners Fushou Gao. During the days when he left Qujing, Zhu Zhongcheng, who had suffered a lot in Qujing, really didn’t dare to come to visit, so when he witnessed the harvesting process of Baqi Fushou Gao this time, Zhu Zhongcheng was inevitably surprised and unbelievable. It was also unexpected that the black ointment made from the thick white juice would be worth more than white money.

"Lord Lu, how much of the Eight Banners' medicines can be harvested per mu of land in a year?" Zhu Guozhi asked curiously and impatiently: "How much of the Eight Banners' medicines can the entire Qujing Mansion be able to harvest?"

"Master Hui Zhongcheng, this is a fertile field, and one mu of land can probably harvest more than 30 taels." Fatty Lu explained: "If it is a mountain field or a dry field, it can generally only harvest about 1000 taels. Qujing Mansion has planted a total of 25 taels this year. There are more than 278 mu of Baqi Fushou Gao, and the fertile and thin fields are stretched. On average, one mu of land is about [-] taels. If there is no accident, the Qujing Mansion will be able to collect about [-] million taels of Baqi Fushou Gao this year."

"How about the profit? Compared with growing grain, how much more will you earn?" Zhu Zhongcheng asked impatiently.

"It's not bad." Fatty Lu pinched his fingers and said: "If the land is used to grow food, one mu of land usually costs about eight renminbi a year, and thin land is only a little more than six renminbi, which is used to grow the Eight Banners. Even if the average income per acre of land is only 25 taels, according to the current purchase price of four renminbi a tael, you can still earn ten taels of silver, and the income is more than ten times that of growing grain."

Speaking of this, Fatty Lu paused, and then said: "But you also know, Mr. Zhongcheng, that the real big money from the Eight Banners Fushou Gao is the trafficking. The prince bought the Fushou Gao at the price of four coins and one tael, and shipped it to Guangzhou last year. It can be sold at the price of two or four taels of silver in Hong Kong, and it can be sold for about two or two taels of silver when transported to Haiphong Port in Annan. The price ranges from five qian to three liang of silver, it's really a lot of money."

Although he had known about the crazy profits of Baqi Fushou Gao for a long time, when he heard the crazy profits of Baqi Fushou Gao from Lu Fatty, the patriarch of drug trafficking, Zhu Zhongcheng swallowed hard and said in a voiceless voice: "So high? What about Ping Xi?" Your lord can't earn hundreds of millions of taels of silver just by relying on this Eight Banners medicine for a year?"

"Master Zhongcheng, what is this?" Fatty Lu shook his head, as if he still said disdainfully: "The price has come down now, if it is changed to the seventh year of Kangxi, the profit of the Eight Banners Fushou Ointment is crazy. In Guangdong, it can be sold for three or eight taels of silver, and when transported to Beijing, it can be directly sold for five taels of silver!"

Zhu Zhongcheng swallowed heavily again, and couldn't help fantasizing in his heart - if the imperial court withdrew the vassal and let Wu Sangui go back to Liaodong, then these Eight Banners medicines would be purchased and sold by the Yunnan government. ah?Damn old Wu Sangui, why isn't he dead yet? !

Back in Qujing City, Fatty Lu had to throw a big banquet, and warmly entertained Zhu Guozhi and his entourage with the best wine and dishes, while Zhu Zhongcheng, the first corrupt official in the Qing Dynasty, kept lamenting, "Qujing is better, Every household, military, civilian, and common people are very rich." "The wine is good, and the food is good. I have seen this kind of wine and food in Kunming. Qujing is better." "Tsk tsk, look at this Yellow River carp, so far away. When transported, they are still alive and kicking. Such a large-scale carp is really rare even in Yangzhou, which is known as the world’s richest. What? Isn’t it the Yellow River carp? Impossible, there are still some in the Bada River in Qujing. Such a big carp?"

Zhu Zhongcheng kept praising the good wine, good food, and Qu Jing's intentions. Of course, Fatty Lu knew it well. When it was time for the banquet, when Fatty Lu and Zhu Zhongcheng went into the back hall alone for a secret talk, Fatty Lu immediately asked someone to bring in two large boxes and open them. Showing two boxes full of white flower pattern silver, he nodded and bowed to Zhu Guozhi and said, "Master Zhongcheng, this is a little local local product prepared for you by the humble official. It's a bit meager. I hope Lord Zhongcheng don't dislike it."

Of course, Zhu Zhongcheng would never refuse such a local product. After quietly estimating that the two boxes of silver were at least 5000 taels of silver, Zhu Zhongcheng's fat face, which was fatter than Lu Fatty, suddenly burst into laughter, and said repeatedly: "Lord Lu, you are welcome. You're being polite, I've always been a clean and honest official, so I can't accept your things logically, but since it's just some local local products... then it's not an exception."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhongcheng, for your reward." Fatty Lu nodded and bowed his head and said, "Please rest assured, Mr. Zhongcheng, as long as the humble official is still serving as the magistrate of Qujing, during the holidays at the end of each year, the humble official will definitely honor two boxes of such local products for the Chinese government. Master Cheng is for Chinese New Year tasting. As for the two boxes of native products, it’s just a gift for meeting, meeting gift.”

"Lord Lu, you are polite, you are polite." Zhu Zhongcheng smiled even more happily, and quickly said: "Lord Lu, please rest assured, as long as I am still serving as the governor of Yunnan, my lord, the post of prefect of Qujing is on the iron plate." The nail is fixed—unshakable. If there is another person like Li Suzu who seeks trouble with Mr. Lu, Mr. Lu can still ask this official, and this official will definitely uphold justice for you. "

"Since that's the case, I'll thank Mr. Zhongcheng first." Fatty Lu quickly saluted respectfully.While returning the salute, Zhu Zhongcheng muttered to himself, "This Fatty Lu is very sensible, and he is also generous in his actions. How could he have such a big disturbance with Li Suzu before? I also heard that when Gan Wenkun first came to Yunnan and Guizhou, he also had a relationship with him. It was very unpleasant, and the relationship got better later? Could it be that Fatty Lu has bumped into a lot of nails and is now sensible? If so, it will be cheaper for the old man, and how much trouble will be saved?"

After accepting Fatty Lu's money, Zhu Zhongcheng, who had a good attitude towards Fatty Lu, smiled even more kindly, and said kindly: "Master Lu, although you were promoted from Qujing County Magistrate, you are very familiar with Qujing's situation. But I still want to remind you that the autumn harvest is almost over, you must pay more attention to the collection of taxes, money and food, otherwise, it will be very difficult for me when the performance appraisal is held at the end of the year. Tell the court."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhongcheng, for your guidance." Fatty Lu replied respectfully, "But please rest assured, Mr. Zhongcheng, it's not arrogant. I can't say [-]% of the money and food collection in Qujing this year. I'm sure it's [-]% to [-]%. "

Speaking of this, Fatty Lu paused again, and added: "However, please forgive me, Mr. Zhongcheng, there is too much rain in Qujing this year, and the Badahe, Niulanjiang and Cuizejiang rivers have flooded. Thousands of acres of fertile land were destroyed, tens of thousands of people were affected by the disaster, and two people were drowned. If Mr. Zhongcheng can transfer to the household department on his behalf and ask the household department to reduce some money and food for Qujing, then the humble official will thank the people of Qujing. Master Zhongcheng's great kindness."

"Master Lu is really good at joking, Qujing Mansion also needs to reduce or exempt money and food?" Zhu Guozhi laughed and said, "Who doesn't know that thanks to Lord Lu, Qujing Mansion is the only place in the whole Qing Dynasty that allows the people to grow the Eight Banners Fushou Gao?" In the state capital, the common people are so rich? Not to mention just flooding a thousand acres of fertile land, even if three thousand acres of fertile land are flooded, Mr. Lu, if you transfer a part of the surplus business tax, you can still pay [-]% of it. Is it still necessary to ask for a reduction?"

Zhu Guozhi's words can't be more truthful. Qujing was originally the throat of Yunnan and Guizhou, with developed commerce and commerce, and rich business taxes—otherwise Lu Yifeng would not have spent 5000 taels of silver to buy the county magistrate of Qujing. , now there is the cash cow of Eight Banners Drugs, and Fatty Lu also asks for a reduction of money, food and taxes, which is completely shameless.

However, Fatty Lu’s purpose was not here, he just shook his head desperately, and said with a mournful face: “Lord Zhongcheng, it’s logically true, it’s just that the prefect of Qujing, who took over at the end of July, is where the surplus of the business tax collected before is. Presumably, Mr. Zhongcheng is well aware of it. It is really not easy to do this job without the surplus to fill up, but also to leave the predecessor with flood disasters to wipe his ass."

"Then why doesn't Mr. Lu think about it and collect taxes from the Eight Banners Fushou Gao?" Zhu Guozhi hit the snake on the stick and said immediately: "Mr. Lu knows better than this official how profitable the Eight Banners Fushou Gao is. If Mr. Lu If you can go to the imperial court and ask the imperial court to allow you to collect taxes for planting Eight Banners medicines from the people in addition to the land tax and small tax, then the old man will not only fully support you, but you will no longer need to collect taxes on the matter of tax collection, Mr. Lu. I'm worried."

"Ha, I believe that at that time, with your outstanding political achievements, Mr. Lu, wouldn't it be easy for a vassal to become a leader in Taiwan?"

"Master Zhongcheng is just joking." Zhu Guozhi pushed himself to the forefront of the storm as a bad idea. Of course, Fatty Lu shook his head and said repeatedly: "Master Zhongcheng is joking, joking, Qujing suffered floods this year, and the people have died The suffering is unbearable, the suffering is unspeakable, and the lower official even asked the court to add miscellaneous taxes in addition to the regular tax, why can't I bear to say that Qujing's fathers and villagers should tear up the lower official?"

"Lord Lu loves the people like a son, I am very pleased." Zhu Guozhi said in an official tone again: "However, Lord Lu can't just forget about the court just because of his private name. According to this official, the Eight Banners medicine is so good. Huge profits, not to mention the collection of plantation taxes, even the collection of road tariffs, common people and merchants can still bear it, and there are still huge profits to be made. At present, the world is tentatively determined, there is Galdan in the north, and Zheng Ni in Taiwan in the southeast. Hands are bound, and money is used for everything. If Mr. Lu can be anxious about the urgent needs of the court, think about what the court thinks, and advocate taxation as a reinforcement for the country and benefit the country and the people, then Mr. Lu will definitely be a great master who will be famous forever. Qing Mingchen."

"Damn, then why don't you be this early bird? Aren't you afraid of offending old Wu? You want me to be this early bird. It's a dream!" Opening up a source of wealth is such a good thing to be loyal to the emperor and serve the country. Of course, the lowly position is something you can't ask for, but you also know, Mr. Zhongcheng, that the floods in Qujing have been severe this year, and the people have suffered so much. , ruined the emperor's love for the people, let the emperor and the court bear a bad name."

After speaking, Fatty Lu quickly changed the subject and said, "Besides, there are not many Eight Banners Fushou Gao in Qujing. The entire Qujing Mansion only planted more than 1000 mu of Eight Banners Fushou Gao. Compared with the Baqi Fushou Gao planted by the prince, It’s not even counting as a little witch seeing a big witch. ——If Mr. Zhongcheng can persuade the prince to ask the court to increase the tax on the Eight Banners drug, then the humble job will be much better.”

"It's because you planted less and Che Xiao is easy to turn around, so I let you ask the court to increase taxes." Zhu Guozhi was also determined to push Fatty Lu out as a shield and an early bird, and said: "As long as you Here it plays a leading role, and the prince's side is much easier to handle, don't you understand this truth?"

"But Qujing happened to catch up with the floods this year. Otherwise, without Mr. Zhongcheng asking, the humble official would have asked the court to increase taxes." Fatty Lu said shamelessly: "Also, there have been several civil uprisings in Qujing this year, and the troublesome people took the opportunity Looting the seedlings also destroyed quite a few fields of the Eight Banners’ longevity creams, causing heavy losses to the people who planted them, and under such circumstances, we have to raise taxes on them, what is it not to make them worse?”

"Then what about the imperial court?" Zhu Guozhi finally got angry and said angrily, "The Eight Banners Fushou Gao is so profitable, but the imperial court can't collect a cent of taxes. As an imperial court official, how can you feel at ease?"

"Of course I'm uneasy about being humble." Fatty Lu continued to play tricks, and said, "Actually, as early as the eighth year of Kangxi, when the imperial court decreed that the Eight Banners Fushou Gao could be used tax-free throughout the country, it was already considered inappropriate for Baqi Fushou Gao to be so profitable. Can you not collect a penny or a penny of taxes? It’s just that the situation in Qujing this year is really special. It is a natural disaster and a man-made disaster. How about negotiating this matter with Lord Zhongcheng?"

"Wait until next year, the daylily will be cold!" Zhu Guozhi was furious, stood up and shouted: "Lu Yifeng, I am your superior, if I order you to collect taxes on the Eight Banners drug, what will you do?"

"Then please Lord Zhongcheng promulgate the constitution." Fatty Lu stretched out his fat hand without showing any weakness, and said: "If Lord Zhongcheng expressly promulgates that the low-ranking officials levy the Eight Banners drug and life insurance tax increase, then the low-ranking officials must obey."

"You..." Zhu Guozhi was speechless.

It would be great if Zhu Guozhi had the guts to issue this constitutional decree. In the eighth year of Kangxi, when Wu Sangui and Oboi, a male thief and a female prostitute, hooked up to adultery, in order to please their lover, Oboi forced Xiao Mazi to promulgate an imperial decree exempting the whole country from taxation of Eight Banners.Although Oboi never dreamed at that time that Baqi Fushou Gao would still sell so well after expanding its production dozens of times, and the price was still so firm, and now he has regretted it, but the decree of Baqi Fushou Gao's tax exemption has not been abolished, and so has Aobai and Xiao Mazi. I was planning to collect taxes, and I didn't intend to completely turn against Wu Sangui, so Xiao Mazi's order to Zhu Guozhi was also to try to collect taxes. Zhu Guozhi neither dared to disobey Xiao Mazi's order, nor dared to offend Wu Sangui. He made up the idea of ​​letting Fatty Lu be the first bird, but now Fatty Lu insists that Qujing has been plagued by natural and man-made disasters this year. The fat man taxed the Baqi drug cream—didn't that offend Wu Sangui to his grandma's house?

Looking at Zhu Guozhi's face that was so purple and fat with anger, Fatty Lu suddenly smiled, and said in a low voice: "Master Zhongcheng, I understand your intentions, and I understand your intentions. Is it because you are afraid of offending the prince, so you don't dare to go directly to the place and don't dare?" Do you want to go directly to the imperial court to ask for a tax on the Eight Banners drugs? In fact, I feel that this is not a problem, as long as the adults handle it properly, this problem will not be a problem."

"What do you mean?" Zhu Guozhi asked with a livid face.

"Lord Zhongcheng seems to have forgotten that there is a direct superior above us." Fatty Lu said with a wicked smile: "If our Lord Governor issues a constitution asking us to collect taxes or not to collect taxes, then we will not Are there no problems at all?"

"You mean, kick the ball to the governor?" Zhu Guozhi quickly understood what Fatty Lu meant.

"Of course." Fatty Lu said confidently: "Lord Zhongcheng, you can't offend the prince, and you can't offend the prince even if you have a humble position. Then why should we offend the prince? Why don't we find someone who can afford to offend the prince? This matter?"

"What's more." Fatty Lu suddenly let go of his breath again, and said in a low voice with a sly smile: "If Master Zhongcheng kills his humble position, Master Zhongcheng will also go there to find filial piety of 5000 taels of silver every year? It's too much trouble Well, Qujing will continue to be in great chaos next year, and the prince takes the opportunity to take back the right to grow the Eight Banners medicines in Qujing, so Mr. Zhongcheng will suffer even more?"

Zhu Guozhi began to be moved. Fatty Lu is the most generous among the first-level officials of the prefect of Yunnan. His reputation for making money is even more famous all over the world. He was cornered, so he might as well give in for a while, so that he could use his hands to get more and better in the future.Thinking up to this point, Zhu Guozhi smiled and said: "Master Lu is indeed a young hero, a master of Tai Chi, but there is some truth in what he said. We can't afford to offend the prince, so why bother to offend him? Change someone who dares to offend him." Can't people do it?"

"Thank you, Mr. Zhongcheng, for your love. Mr. Zhongcheng's great kindness and virtue, the humble position is unforgettable, and there will be rich rewards in the future." Fatty Lu seemed to have smeared honey on his mouth.

"It's good that you know that I let you go this time, and it really saved your life." Zhu Zhongcheng was not polite, and accepted Fatty Lu's thanks with a grandiose attitude, and reminded Fatty Lu not to forget his great kindness Germany.At the end, Zhu Zhongcheng asked again: "You are an expert, there is one more thing I need to ask for your opinion. If the imperial court plans to levy taxes on the Eight Banners Fushou Gao, how much do you think is more appropriate?"

"Why did Lord Zhongcheng ask about the lowly position?" Fatty Lu asked a little strangely: "The tax quota is set by the imperial court. Why did Lord Zhongcheng ask for the opinion of the lowly position?"

"You don't know something." Zhu Guozhi sighed and explained: "Baqi Fushou Gao is a new thing, there is no precedent to learn from, and Yunnan is too far away from the capital, the emperor and the court only know that Baqi Fushou Gao is very profitable, but The emperor and the imperial court don’t know exactly how much huge profits there will be, so the emperor and the imperial court handed over the issue of the negotiated tax amount to me and Gan Butang, let us negotiate the tax amount according to the actual situation, and then report it to the imperial court for a ruling.”

"After a long time, it turns out that Xiao Mazi is not sure how much tax Baqi Drugs should be charged. If old traitor Wu hears this news, he will probably die of joy." Fatty Lu was overjoyed.However, the purpose of Fatty Lu’s return to Qujing this time is to force the old traitor Wu to rebel. This is extremely beneficial to the old traitor Wu, but it will definitely lead to news that the conflict between the old traitor Wu and Xiao Mazi will ease. Naturally, Fatty Lu will die in his stomach .

Excusing that he also needed to calculate and analyze the taxation amount of the Eight Banners Fushou Cream, after sending Zhu Guozhi back to Xingyuan to rest, Fatty Lu hurried back to his study, and in the study, Zhu Fangdan, the unscrupulous master under Fatty Lu's command, was also waiting here It has been a long time.As soon as we met, Fatty Lu immediately ordered: "Master Zhu, immediately draft a secret document for me to impeach Zhu Guozhi, the governor of Yunnan, for being greedy, being too humble to Prince Pingxi, and suspected of betraying the court in exchange for the prince's favor and rewards. "

"Boss, are you going to impeach your boss again?" Zhu Fangdan hesitated, and blurted out: "Just now the students heard from the back of the hall that although this governor Zhu is a bit greedy, he still treats you well, even when he is angry. Or did you listen to your opinion and not force you hard? Why do you want to bring him down again?"

"Wrong, I didn't intend to overthrow him. This person will be of great use in the future." Fatty Lu shook his head and said, "I just want to make Emperor Mazi suspicious of him, and worry that the tax he set is too low and cheap, my lord." , take back the right to agree on the taxation amount of the Eight Banners drug, so that I have the opportunity to proceed to the next step of the plan, and also prevent this old shameless man from actually accepting the prince's bribe and setting the tax on the Eight Banners drug. It’s cheaper to grow sweet potatoes.”

"The reasoning is not bad." Zhu Fangdan said worriedly: "But Master, don't blame me for talking too much. If you have such an idea, if the prince finds out in the future, it will be bad for you."

"That's right, that's the truth." Fatty Lu nodded vigorously, and said with a smile: "That's why I only impeach Zhu Guozhi for being too greedy and being too humble to the prince. These are all facts, our suspicious pockmark When the emperor saw it, he would naturally become suspicious, wouldn't he?"

(End of this chapter)