Chapter 198: Sencha with snow and ice wine

Long sky, who is this?

Youyou Heaven, what kind of person is this?

This is a simple question from the Book of Songs. If taken out of context, it does not contain too strong emotional connotations.

But the content of this banner is already considered a naked insult.

Who is this person who orders the land to be cleared but favors his own property outside the law? who promotes the liquidation of households but protects his relatives for personal gain?

Or to put it more bluntly, this is not a human being.

Or deliberately unfurling banners where the emperor passes, what is the difference between pointing at the nose and insulting him?

This is no longer an ordinary scholar!

There was no need for the emperor to say anything, and the dragon boat slowly docked at the Wuqing Hexi Station unplanned on the grounds of minor repairs.

The officials of the Six Departments attached great importance to it. The chief eunuch of the Bureau of Ceremony made important instructions. Hu Zhili, the governor of Shuntian, and Wang Zhiyuan, the governor of the palace, deeply understood the importance of the situation and started working quickly. Together with Jinyiwei and Dongchang, they went all out to solve the problem as soon as possible.

Inside, a group of scholars were "invited" over.

…

"Four Doors Club?"

In the room on the second floor of the inn, Zhu Yijun sat on a chair covered with layers of satin and fur, and asked Hu Zhili in surprise.

Before the emperor summoned them, it was necessary to confirm the danger of these scholars. Strip searches, identification, and simple interrogations were all essential.

Therefore, regardless of whether they are interested or not, the Liubu Hall officials, Jin Yiwei, Si Lijian and others are gathered in the lobby of the post station downstairs for a meeting.

Only Governor Suncheon went upstairs to make a simple report.

The ministers and Zhongshushe in the room were looking at each other. Xu Jie, who was standing next to the emperor, couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in surprise when he heard Hu Zhili's words.

Facing the emperor's questioning, Hu Zhili turned to the door, stood respectfully opposite the Eight Immortals Square Table, bent down and replied: "Your Majesty, this is an association founded by a fugitive garrison wanted criminal named Liang Ruyuan."

"The seven scholars who spread rumors today are all subordinates of the Four Gates Society."

"It's a pity that Liang Ruyuan was not caught."

Regarding the troubles that occurred in the country, Hu Zhili did not hesitate to advance or retreat, but remained calm and tried his best to deal with the aftermath.

Governor Hu was a Jinshi and started at the local grassroots level. When he was a promotion official in Baoning Prefecture, Sichuan, he had a reputation for "catching traitors and subduing them, and being strict in power and law".

After that, it worked hard for decades in the central hub. Although it is not well-known, the quality is excellent, especially in Sichuan and Hexi areas. It is almost as famous as Hai Rui. Nowadays, the central hub has experienced several waves, and more and more people like this are coming to the fore.

.

After hearing what Hu Zhili said, Zhu Yijun felt that it was expected. The association founded by wanted criminals was indeed not an ordinary scholar.

But the name Liang Ruyuan seems a bit familiar.

Zhu Yijun recalled it for a moment but didn't remember it, so he said, "Hu Qing, please tell me in detail."

Hu Zhili had prepared a draft before going upstairs.

When the emperor asked at this time, he did not hesitate and said: "Your Majesty, Liang Ruyuan was born in a wealthy family in Yongfeng County, Jiangxi Province. He obtained the title of civil servant. Later, he went astray, abandoned the imperial examination, and indulged in heresy and lewdness."

"Around the 30th year of Jiajing, he founded the Jutang Hall within the clan to collect grain and pay the rent. In the 38th year of Jiajing, he led his tribe to resist taxes and killed six officials, including Wu Shanwu, and was sentenced to death by hanging."

"Afterwards, Hu Zongxian went to the Jiangxi governor's office to plead for mercy. Jiangxi governor He Qian privately exempted him from hanging and moved him to garrison in Guizhou. But even so, Liang Ruyuan did not garrison in Guizhou and ran away halfway."

Halfway through his words, Hu Zhili paused to give the emperor time to remember and react.

When Zhu Yijun heard this, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

The strength of local wealthy families is truly reflected in all aspects.

The tax resistance mentioned by Hu Zhili was very common in the Ming Dynasty. After all, there were so many exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes. If you really want to abide by the law and pay taxes, you will never live that day.

Because of this, it is very common for Liang Ruyuan, as a local powerful family, to have conflicts with the government. Such conflicts can range from gentle negotiations to fierce fighting.

Likewise, the outcome of this incident is also very common, or rather typical.

Local wealthy families attack hard, and ordinary county and government offices often can only suffer in silence.

Just like Liang Ruyuan, after he killed six officials, not only did he change his execution from hanging to exile, he didn't even have to serve a real sentence.

So, what will the colleagues of the deceased think, and what will they do if a wealthy family resists tax collection next time? That depends on the opinion of different people.

Zhu Yijun couldn't tell who was the vulnerable group for a while.

Taking advantage of this gap, Xu Jie, who was behind the emperor, suddenly interjected: "Your Majesty, I have heard a thing or two about this matter. The so-called tax resistance is Liang Ruyuan's invasion of the emperor's wood and silver."

Zhu Yijun turned around and glanced at Xu Jie.

Imperial wood refers to the wood purchased for the emperor. In "Jin Ping Mei", Ximen Qing discovered that officials had embezzled imperial wood.

The money spent on purchasing royal wood was deducted from local tax revenue - when officials from the outer Yamen purchased various materials, wax, royal wood and other items, they all received silver from the original place, which was deducted against taxes and levies.

Logically speaking, taxes should not be collected from the people again.

Then the reason why Liang Ruyuan resisted the tax is worth discussing.

Apparently, it was the local government's extra tax on imperial wood that triggered Liang Ruyuan's wealthy family to confront the government.

The laws and regulations of the Ming Dynasty were very rigid, especially reflected in the legal provisions, which were extremely complete.

Since taxes are illegally collected, how can it be said to be tax resistance?

The laws of the Ming Dynasty were very flexible, especially in terms of discretion.

The government made a mistake in the first place, and the people rose up to resist. They just accidentally killed someone during the conflict. How can they be guilty? Not only is they not guilty, but they also deserve to be called Confucian Xia!

So, when Xu Jie said this, was he simply supplementing the cause and effect, or was he exonerating Liang Ruyuan?

Zhu Yijun had doubts in his heart, but did not reveal it. He just motioned for Hu Zhili to continue.

Hu Zhili glanced at Xu Jie with some dissatisfaction.

Then he withdrew his gaze and continued: "After he escaped the sentence of guarding the border, he sneaked into the capital under the pseudonym He Xinyin, and then founded the Four Gates Guild Hall. Under the name of the Four Gates Guild, he gathered together to spread heresy and obscenity..."

Halfway through the words.

I saw the emperor looking like he suddenly realized something and said "Oh."

"Oh! He Xinyin!" Zhu Yijun interrupted Hu Zhili, turned to look at Xu Jie, and sneered, "No wonder Master Xu has heard a thing or two about it."

He didn't know much about Liang Ruyuan, but when the name He Xinyin was mentioned, he immediately recognized it.

Daqing is a pseudonym.

If it is He Xinyin, then it is no wonder that Hu Zhili speaks heresy when he opens and shuts his mouth. His philosophy really deserves this title.

He Xinyin advocated that monarch and minister, father and son, husband and wife, brothers, these categories cannot reflect people's "perfect goodness", only "friends" can.

Fathers and sons, monarchs and ministers cannot escape the ordinary narrow barriers. Only the friendship between friends is acquired and innate. It can be said that friendship is the ultimate expression of social relations and the foundation for people to realize the transcendence of self-awareness.

Since friends are so important, how do you kiss your friends, that is, how do you practice it?

That is to break away from ordinary net worth and establish a friendship relationship that goes beyond net worth. People with the same ideals should come together to make friends based on common aspirations. He calls this "meeting".

Different ideas can gather different "assemblies" to govern the world.

The families of scholars, farmers, industry and commerce all over the world are all hidden in the guild, and scholars, peasants, industry and commerce, and even the emperor are just different statuses and professions in the "hui", regardless of high or low - of course, not all identities can be included, just like

He Xinyin thought that the nobles were industrious, indifferent, had neither talent nor virtue, could not be considered a profession, they were just parasites, and were not qualified to join any society.

This kind of theory is evaluated as deviant and should be treated lightly.

For those who have begun to show signs of overthrowing the emperor, as long as the government has a respectful heart, they will consciously arrest him.

But.

After this kind of Confucian knight-errant gathers a certain amount of power, social relations cannot be simplified even if you want to simplify it. Just like the hero Shao Yi and Fang Yushi are secretly Gao Gong's minions, after He Xinyin gathers power, there are also people to win over him.

Lu Guang, a member of He Xinyin's sect, was Xu Jie's guest.

He Xinyin's retainer, the alchemist Lan Daoxing, was the trigger for Yan Song's overthrow - Lan Daoxing translated the immortal words to Emperor Shizong, which said, "Song is traitorous but Jie Zhong is loyal." Everyone said that it was Xu Jie who instigated it.

The yamen was naturally wary of such unclear information, so they turned a blind eye to He Xinyin. Anyway, the emperor could not know everything about the world.

As for Xu Jie, who was suspected of holding an umbrella for him back then, I'm afraid it wasn't as simple as just hearing about it.

Facing the emperor's sneer, Xu Jie's eyelids twitched.

The emperor had clearly shown no understanding before, so he followed his habit for many years and took the opportunity to speak quietly.

Who would have known that the emperor would change into the clear-cut expression in the blink of an eye.

Xu Jie quickly clarified: "Your Majesty, I only heard about him when I was assisting in the cabinet, but now I have not heard about him for more than ten years."

It's not a taboo to mention cause and effect casually, but it would be unethical if you have to hold your neck to help.

When Zhu Yijun heard this, he did not comment.

He turned his head and looked at Hu Zhili: "Then why did this person lead the members to insult me?"

In the field of public opinion, the stronger the person, the weaker the person, and the weaker the person, the stronger.

The imperial censor Tan Yao could only secretly slander and ridicule the court in order to arouse the resonance of some people; and these scholars in the opposition could assassinate the emperor, and the scholars would naturally identify with him; if it were the common people who scolded him, the public opinion of the world would be affected.
To be continued...