Chapter 810: Black Hole of Interests, Stirring Up a Hornet's Nest
Xiong Jia did not enter the reception room, but stood outside.
Xiong Lou, who was standing by his side, said, "Grandfather, why don't you go warm yourself by the fire?"
"I'm not cold." Xiong Jia was looking at the structure of the front yard, as well as the clothes and expressions of the servants.
Hu Zongxian was on the other side, and he said to Xu Wei, "Xiong Jia is an old official with a unique vision. He wants to see the layout of the Earl through the layout of the Earl's mansion and the servants."
"Master's vision..." Xu Wei couldn't help laughing, "Master has no vision at all."
Hu Zongxian also laughed, "Master has only one requirement for the mansion, simple and comfortable. I'm afraid Xiong Jia will be disappointed."
"My uncle is here."
Jiang Qingzhi personally went out to greet him and gave him enough face. "Mr. Xiong, you are a rare guest. I just happened to have some good wine prepared. Did Mr. Xiong smell it?"
"exactly."
Xiong Jia cupped his hands and said, "This front yard looks simple, but it is grand. Although the servants are respectful, they do not look humble. Long Wei Bo's vision... is admirable."
Uh!
Xu Wei was stunned.
Hu Zongxian smiled, "My Lord just followed his heart, but I didn't expect that this old official would think it was quite grand."
Jiang Qingzhi was also a little surprised. The front yard was simple because he didn't like that kind of luxurious decoration style. As for the servants, they didn't look humble...
People in later generations have the concept of equality for all in their bones. Although classes will always exist, the attitudes between classes are not so clear-cut.
Therefore, the servants in Jiang Qingzhi's team are very easy-going. Since the master of the house is so easy-going, the servants are naturally in high spirits.
Jiang Qingzhi brought Xiong Jia into the cafeteria. Xia Yan stood up but waited.
He was the former prime minister. When he was at the height of his power, Xiong Jia had to take the initiative to salute him whenever he saw him.
Xiong Jia looked at Xia Yan motionlessly.
These two stubborn old men started to argue.
Jiang Qingzhi didn't care. He sat down and poured himself some wine. He sniffed it and said, "It's worthy of being the imperial palace wine. It's beautiful."
Take a sip of fine wine and a bite of braised pork trotters, "soft and glutinous, melts in your mouth."
“The chicken is lean but not dry.”
"Hmm! It's rare to have fresh vegetables at this time of year!"
Various aromas came, and coupled with Jiang Qingzhi's words, the two old men's throats were filled with pain.
"That's all." Xiong Jia bowed, "Greetings, Lord Xia."
Old Xia Yan then lowered his head slightly and bowed, "Mr. Xiong."
The two sat down, poured themselves some wine, and raised their glasses.
"I haven't seen you for a long time, Mr. Xia is still as stubborn as ever." There was a sharpness in Xiong Jia's words.
You, Xia Yan, were almost killed because of your stubbornness and pride, and now you still refuse to repent!
Xia Yan laughed, "If it weren't for Qingzhi, the grass on your grave would be three feet high. It would be fine if you were barely surviving now, but you've learned to be a scumbag, which is despicable."
"Xia Yan, you refuse to return home and stay in the capital. Isn't it because you are worried about not being able to face the elders in your hometown? Isn't this just a mean thing?" Xiong Jia was not willing to be outdone and even ate a tendon. "Hmm! It is indeed soft and sticky, just suitable for a person like me who has few teeth."
Xia Yan said calmly, "I don't believe that you, Xiong Jia, don't know that the Ming Dynasty is in crisis right now. Yet you came up with an excuse to ask your grandson to become your disciple to take sides. You are playing both sides."
"I have children and grandchildren at home."
"Everyone has children and grandchildren." Xia Yan sneered, "Tomorrow is the child's full moon banquet. But the outside world sees it as a gathering to take sides in the new policy. The war is about to begin. Do you dare to come tomorrow, old man?"
"This old man..." Xiong Jia clapped his chopsticks, "Why don't I dare to come?"
"Hahahaha!" Xia Yan laughed and then drank it all in one gulp.
"You old bastard, you actually tried to provoke me!" Xiong Jia pointed his halberd at Xia Yan, seemingly furious. However, when he saw Jiang Qingzhi smiling, he asked, "Is Chang Wei Bo gloating over other people's misfortunes?"
Jiang Qingzhi said with a smile: "In ancient times, a saint argued with two children about the sun. Now I am watching two old men perform. It is very interesting and should be made clear."
"Hahahaha!" Xiong Jia couldn't help laughing and raised his glass to drink.
Xiong Jia originally intended to let his grandson come tomorrow and not come himself. But after listening to Xiong Lou's words, the old man's passion and sense of responsibility were aroused, so he came to the Bo's house to express his position.
But after all, his previous attitude showed some hesitation, and the old man was too embarrassed to sheath his sword.
Xia Yan saw his embarrassment and provoked him. Xiong Jia went downhill...
In the eyes of young people, the world is simple, but in the eyes of these experienced old people, the world is full of pits.
After a round of drinking, Xiong Lou was eating outside and shouted, "Grandfather, my father told me to watch you and not drink more than three cups."
"Got it." Xiong Jia raised the sixth glass of wine and drank it with a sizzle. Beautiful!
"Administrative governance is the focus of the new policy." Xiong Jia had opened up his heart and no longer hesitated. "But to be honest, those officials...what did Long Wilbur say? What...vested interests?"
"Yes!" Jiang Qingzhi nodded. "Those officials serve as officials outside. A post as a prefect in Qing Dynasty can earn 100,000 silver coins. Even if they are not greedy, they already have countless fields and servants at home."
Xu Jie is an example. This later Prime Minister seemed to be full of integrity, but this was just a trick. The Xu family was called Xu Bancheng by the locals, which shows how fierce they were in annexing land and population. The Prime Minister took the lead in annexing land and population, so how could the literati be willing to fall behind? So everyone was brave and crazily sucked blood from the Ming Dynasty.
"It's the same no matter who I am. I have been in the Ministry of Personnel for many years. At first, I hated evil, but after changing positions, I found that they were basically the same. In the end, I had to pick the tallest among the short ones!"
Xiong Jia took a sip of wine, picked up a piece of pig's trotter, and ate with great relish.
Jiang Qingzhi was worried that the old man's blood lipids would explode, "Eat less of this stuff."
"When I was young, I could eat five in one meal!" Xiong Jia spread out his five fingers, with a look on his face that said these were all leftovers from his play.
Stubborn old man, stubborn old man, that's what I'm talking about.
The older you get, the more stubborn you become.
Xia Yan put down his chopsticks, picked up the wine glass and said, "The first place to be affected by the new policy is the South. The South is the money bag and grain bag of the Ming Dynasty, but these two bags have been intercepted by others. If we don't touch this, there will be no talk of a new policy. What do you think, Old Xiong? Don't play dead. Where is the Xiong Jia who contradicted me back then? Where is his courage?"
Xiong Jia smiled bitterly. He just happened to eat some tendons. He chewed slowly, swallowed it, and drank a glass of wine. "Commercial tax is a big problem. Your Majesty once expressed some intention, and immediately aroused opposition from the ministers. You once ruled the Ming Dynasty, and you should know the power of those scholars and wealthy merchants."
"There are many southern officials in the court, and many of them speak out for them." Xia Yan said, "Qingzhi has done some research and found that at least 70% of the officials are engaged in business. In other words, once business taxes are collected, 70% of the officials will definitely be the mortal enemies of the new policy. In addition, southern officials will also be asked by various people in their hometowns, and for a while, I'm afraid the public will be very excited."
A hornet's nest is not enough to describe the huge black hole of interests called commercial tax.
Xiong Jia pointed at Jiang Qingzhi and said, "This lord wants to stir up a hornet's nest. Do you think this is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, or is it fearless?"
Xia Yan smiled, and Jiang Qingzhi smiled as he drank his wine.
Xiong Jia said sternly: "This is a hornet's nest that even an emperor would bow his head to! Once you take action...if you fail, you will die!"
Jiang Qingzhi nodded and was quite impressed with Lao Xiong.
The old man saw through the biggest problem facing the Ming Dynasty at a glance.
"Officials are just a means, the root is money and grain." Jiang Qingzhi said, "In every dynasty, corrupt officials have continued to appear one after another, and they have been repeatedly banned. It's just control. The lack of money and grain is the root cause of the dynasty's decline and even collapse."
As long as the country's finances are sound, even if officials are corrupt or even if meat-eaters take over the land, they can still live a comfortable life.
In later generations, the Eagle Sauce had many internal conflicts and undercurrents, and seemed to be in danger. But they had a channel... Harvesting the whole world to support themselves, that life was called luxury.
With money and food, no matter how many conflicts there are, they can be suppressed temporarily.
But the Ming Dynasty could no longer cover it up.
Jiang Qingzhi thought of following the example of the opening of the Longqing Gate and using the commercial wave to fill the fiscal hole. But if you think about it carefully, the opening of the Longqing Gate allowed silver to flow into the Ming Dynasty, but most of the silver went into the private vaults of the meat eaters. The court watched the benefits drooling, but could not get a share.
Damn!
No wonder those bastards strongly opposed the court's imitation of Zheng He's voyages to the West.
There were even rumors in later generations that someone burned the nautical charts of Zheng He's voyages to the West. Jiang Qingzhi didn't know whether this was true or not, but since there was such a rumor, it can be seen that the government and the public were strongly opposed to the official voyage.
"Then, commercial taxes must be collected." Xia Yan seemed relaxed, but he was reluctant to move his chopsticks.
"I've said before, this is a hornet's nest, it can sting people to death!" Xiong Jia sighed, "For the sake of the Ministry of Personnel, I dare to offend the people of the world, but the commercial tax... Why should I hesitate to take sides? It's because I know that once the new policy is launched, money and grain will be the first to be affected.
I don't know what Lu Song is thinking, but there has been a lot of commotion in the Ministry of Revenue these past two days. By the way, I heard that Chang Wei Bo took over this matter?"
"Yes!" Jiang Qingzhi nodded, "There is no rush for this matter."
Xiong Jia nodded, "You just take a doctor and then ignore it. Those who are secretly involved in the case will definitely panic. This is like waiting for something to happen."
"No." Jiang Qingzhi shook his head. "The corruption case in the Ministry of Revenue is not a big one. But when the army is about to return victorious, His Majesty suddenly asked me to handle the matter. This is a test and also a declaration."
New Deal!
Let’s start with the Ministry of Household Affairs case.
"The army is returning, the Ministry of Revenue is taking action, your Majesty is so courageous!" Xiong Jia's face was flushed, "The Ministry of Revenue is testing, if those people dare to take action, the arrival of the army in the capital will be your Majesty's confidence. Those brave soldiers are waiting for the emperor's call with murderous intent, once they take action... they will all be crushed to pieces! What courage!"
Emperor Jiajing's plan did not escape the attention of the two old foxes, Xia Yan and Xiong Jia.
"The issue of business taxation is imperative," Jiang Qingzhi said in a deep voice, "Without business, there is no wealth, but who has the Ming Dynasty's business enriched? It enriched the wealthy merchants and the officials. Taxes, taxes, are the foundation of a country. If taxes cannot be collected, it is a sign of the country's demise!"
Xiong Jia was moved, "You have the courage, old man..."
He said to Xia Yan, "Aren't you afraid of being implicated, Mr. Xia?"
Xia Yan said calmly: "You are so old, yet you are not afraid of death. People say that it is an honor for a soldier to die on the battlefield. What about a civil official? I believe that if you die for your country, you will die without regrets!"
"Xia Yan, you have such lofty ambitions, then I... come!"
Xiong Jia raised his glass.
His eyes were bright, "This one!"
Jiang Qingzhi raised his glass.
Xia Yan raised his glass.
"For the Ming Dynasty!"
(End of this chapter)
