Chongzhen was full of doubts, and asked Li Xiao again: "Your suggestion, at the beginning of this year, there was a martial artist Li Jin, who once played to me in Shuzhang, saying that he wanted me to scrape the rich households in the south of the Yangtze River, so that the registration of the official will be lost, and the method of the first real book will be lost, so as to realize the emptiness of the treasury." Pen ~ fun ~ Pavilion www.biquge.info result, but it was the opposition of the government and the opposition, and many courtiers wanted to ask Li Jin under the criminal department, but fortunately, Li Jin had the ability to speak out, so he was only exiled. If Li Xiao acts like this, I am afraid that it will be difficult for you to gain a foothold in the court. ”

Li Xiao listened to Chongzhen's suspicious question, and fell silent for a while.

He who skimmed a little bit of the history of the Ming Dynasty knew that what Chongzhen said was not a lie, just in March this year, after Li Jin, a martial artist, proposed to Chongzhen this suggestion to let the wealthy households in Jiangnan lose their taxes, almost all the officials in the court who owned industries were strongly opposed, especially the first assistant Wen Tiren, the university scholar Qian Shisheng, the imperial historian Zhan Erxuan and others, were even more fierce, and they were bound to take Li Jin to the prison of the Criminal Department, and they were willing to stop. Fortunately, Chongzhen tried his best to protect this person and exiled him to Yunnan, so he settled the matter.

The views of these people are most representative of Qian Shisheng's Shangshu, who said in the Shuzhang: "Since Chen Qixin, in the matter of self-sufficiency, said absurd remarks such as attacking scholars and asking for the suspension of the imperial examination, there are many villains in the court who have spoken so wildly, thinking that it is the order to invite favor. Among them, Li Jin is especially the most absurd and presumptuous, saying that there are nearly one million wealthy families in the south of the Yangtze River, but the tax payment is almost nothing, which is really absurd. In fact, from the perspective of the ministers, the responsibility of the rich is very heavy, and it is really not appropriate to increase taxes. And there are rich families in the county, which is the source of food and clothing for the poor. The local flood and drought, there are commanders of rich households to pay money, all of them help the hungry, once the police, then order to help the city to protect the palace, this is the work of the rich households. If Your Majesty believes Li Jin's fallacy, then Jiangnan will be uneasy from now on! If the rich are defeated, don't they want to turn the poor people of the whole world into gangsters to poison the country? (Note: For readers to better understand, there are slight differences between this and the "Chongzhen Record", and the sentences are more straightforward.) ）

Of course, Li Xiao knew that by doing so, he was almost going against the entire court officials. After all, most of the officials in the court are officials in the south of the Yangtze River, and basically all the officials have private properties in their families. Therefore, all the courtiers will immediately attack Li Xiaoqun.

Li Xiao, who has read the history of his previous life, knows that although these people are so righteous and awe-inspiring, and they look worried about the country and the people, Li Xiao knows in his heart that they are moral gentlemen on the surface, but what is the real situation.

Chongzhen, who is good-faced and suspicious, has no way to deal with them, but Li Chuang, who later entered Beijing, is not as weak and benevolent as Chongzhen, but directly kills them as pigs, just tortures officials and rich households in Beijing, and takes 70 million taels of silver, Li Zicheng and others instantly become nouveau riche.

Later, when the Qing soldiers broke through the south of the Yangtze River, they casually stole the silver from the house of a landlord and gentry, and the silver was also more than 100,000 to 200,000 taels.

In contrast, when Li Zicheng raided the treasury of the Ming Dynasty, he only obtained more than 2,300 taels of silver, and some gold and rhino cups and clothes. Li Zicheng was furious, thinking that the treasury guard had hidden gold and silver, so he took Zhao Shijin, the official guarding the treasury, to ask, but Zhao Shijin replied that there was only this bit of silver left in the treasury, and two thousand taels of it were allowed to be used to build a tomb for the princess of the Ma family. The other three hundred taels are the three hundred taels obtained by the Baoyuan Bureau's exchange of money, which should be used as military funds to defend the city.

Li Zicheng, who heard the news, sighed and left silently.

And Zhao Shijin, who later escaped from the army and recorded this incident in "Chongzhen Ye Ed.", sighed in the book: "Woohoo, the poverty of the country is even here!" “

Looking back on history, Li Xiao sighed in his heart.

In the final analysis, the reason why those wealthy businessmen and magnates, the powerful people in the DPRK and China, refused to pay taxes until the death of the Ming Dynasty was because Chongzhen tied his hands and feet, had no opinions, and was too weak, so he was calculated and used by the ministers and abandoned the rebellion.

In the end, Chongzhen hung himself on the coal mountain, and the Ming Dynasty died. According to the history books, it seems that at this time, he began to regret and be angry, and said that Wenchen was all angry, but what was the use of regretting it at this time.

Perhaps, for these people, only the cold and sharp blades of Qing Tartar and King Li Chuang can make them sincerely take the initiative to pay taxes and grain, and they dare not have a word of objection.

This is the so-called no coffin without tears.

Li Xiao understands his situation.

If he single-handedly went against a group of courtiers, he believed that his fate would not be better than that of Chen Qixin or Li Jin.

It's just that Rao is so predicamented, but Li Xiao doesn't want to give up his thoughts.

Because he knew that if there was no sufficient supply of money and food, even if he negotiated peace with the Qing Dynasty, it would be very difficult to wipe out the rogues.

Unless the official army can kill all the rogues every time they defeat the rogues, they will not be left behind. And to do this, it is too difficult for the Ming official army, whose combat power is only slightly higher than that of Liukou.

And if we can't come up with a practical way to properly settle the surrendered rogues and poor people, then, in the Ming Empire, large and small bands of rogues will be like weeds in spring, cut and grow, and will never be eradicated.

And if the rogues are not eliminated, the internal troubles of the Ming Dynasty will not be completely solved, and it is not empty talk to recuperate and compete with the Qing Dynasty again.

Now that Chongzhen has said such doubts, Li Xiao also knows that if he tries to persuade Chongzhen, a person who is weak and suspicious by nature, to adopt his own point of view, it will only be a matter of seeking fish.

After all, for Chongzhen, who has a good face and loves fame, it is too difficult for him to stand hard opposite almost all the courtiers.

It seems that you can only be righteous and upright.

Since his own proposal cannot be implemented nationwide, but if it can be solved in Shandong Province, Li Xiao believes that with this window effect, it may affect and change the current difficult situation.

When Li Xiao was helpless, he could only retreat.

"Your Majesty, if you are worried that this law is difficult to implement, the minister asks Your Majesty to agree, you can hand over a province of Shandong to the management of the subordinates, and you can try this law in Shandong first, if this law is feasible, then the minister will ask your majesty to travel in Jiangnan and Shanxi and other places where there are many rich and wealthy families, but what?"

Li Xiao asked Chongzhen sincerely, but Chongzhen was still silent.

There was an oppressive silence in the room.

"Aiqing, this matter is important, it's better to think long-term." Chongzhen stood up, and then said to Li Xiao: "And after Rong Zhen consults with the courtiers, let's make a decision." ”

Li Xiao's heart sank, and his hope froze for a moment, and finally he had to say helplessly: "Minister, obey the holy order." ”

Subsequently, Li Xiao hastily drank and feasted with Chongzhen for a while, and Chongzhen ordered Cao Huachun to send Li Xiao back to the camp.

Back in the barracks of Yongdingmen urn, Li Xiao did not have the slightest joy of meeting the emperor in his heart, but he had unspeakable worries in his heart.

After Li Xiao left, Chongzhen returned to the Qianqing Palace, and then summoned the first assistant Wen Tiren to the palace for a secret talk.

Chongzhen still attaches great importance to the opinion of the Shousuke who he trusts the most.

After relaying the content of the conversation with Li Xiao to Wen Tiren in a brief way, Wen Tiren's face changed drastically, and there seemed to be sweat oozing from his forehead.

Regarding the matter of letting Chongzhen and the Qing court negotiate peace by marriage, although Wen Tiren frowned, he did not object, but when he heard that Li Xiao wanted Chongzhen to collect large taxes from wealthy households in Jiangnan to fund the treasury, Wen Tiren couldn't help but be furious.

What a Li Xiao, he actually moved the knife on Lao Tzu's head, it's really against you!

Wen Tiren is a native of Wucheng, Zhejiang, who has extensive wealth in his hometown, and has been an official for many years, making a lot of money in oil and water, buying acres of land and setting up industries in his hometown, and is already the richest family in Wucheng. In his opinion, Li Xiao's suggestion is simply red. Bare. Naked take yourself to the knife!

Li Xiao, the old man was very blue-eyed to you that day, and tried to support you in your career, but I didn't expect that you were a person who forgot his gratitude and righteousness, crossed the river and demolished the bridge!

Hmph, if you want to follow in the footsteps of that madman Li Jin, then the old man will fulfill you!

"Wen Aiqing, according to your opinion, Li Xiaozhi's suggestion, but is it okay?" Chongzhen, who was on the dragon chair, asked softly.

Wen Tiren, who was already sitting on a small stool on the side, heard Chongzhen's question, so he immediately turned over and knelt down, and at the same time said loudly to Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, in the eyes of Weichen, Li Xiao's suggestion is really absurd and extremely paradoxical!" Please Your Majesty reprimanded this person to thank the world! ”

"Ahh

Chongzhen couldn't believe his ears when he heard Wen Xiuren's words.

"Changqing, Li Xiaozhi's suggestion, I think it is quite meritorious, why did you make him so unbearable?"

"Your Majesty, from the perspective of the ministers, Li Xiaozhi's suggestion is obviously to relieve the crisis of the saint, but it is really just the wolf's ambition and clever words, Your Majesty must be careful to investigate it!" Wen Tiren said this, with a look of regret: "It's a pity, even Weichen has suffered from it, and I have always thought that he is a loyal minister of the country, and the court leans on the pillar, but I didn't expect that this person is so harboring evil intentions, and he is like a traitor, but Weichen is not investigated!" ”

"Changqing, what you said is too much, what is the evil intention of Li Xiao's words, you get up and talk about it in detail." Chongzhen lowered his face.

"Your Majesty, that Li Xiao, the first suggestion is to let Your Majesty marry the daughter of the Tartar as a concubine, so that the Ming and Qing Dynasties can reconcile, and the ministers will look at it, which is a big fallacy!" Wen Tiren got up, sat back on the stool next to him, but continued in his mouth: "From the perspective of the ministers, if Your Majesty does this, he will definitely lose the hearts of the countrymen. My loyal and patriotic soldiers of the Ming army are still fighting bloody battles for the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty, but I heard that His Majesty wants to negotiate peace with the Qing court, how disappointed I will be! And inside and outside the government and the opposition, what will the scholars and officials in the Ming Kingdom think of His Majesty? The minister is only afraid。。。。。。 “

"What are you afraid of?!"

"The minister is only afraid, I am afraid that there will be people who are angry with words, and compare Your Majesty to the Song Gaozong who negotiated peace with the Jin people that day and survived the south of the Yangtze River!"

"You 。。。。。。" Chongzhen jumped up from the dragon chair, and his face turned red in an instant: "I surrendered myself like this and married a Tartar girl, it's not for the country!" Moreover, Li Xiao also said that if you can save the country, what is it if you are famous? ”

"Hmph, Your Majesty, then Li Xiao said it lightly, he thought that if he married the daughter of the Tartar chieftain, those Tartars would stop their soldiers and make friends between the two countries, how could it be so easy! The minister is only afraid that the Qing court may not pay much attention to such a compromise and seek peace, and it will definitely enter the territory of our Ming Dynasty again in the coming day to plunder and make trouble, and by then, His Majesty's reputation has been lost, but he cannot stop the war, what should he do? ”

Chongzhen was stunned by Wen Tiren like this, and his throat was surging, but he couldn't speak, so he had to sit down sullenly.

"Let's talk about the second point, that Li Xiao, in order to fill the deficit in the treasury, actually wants to take the rich people in the south of the Yangtze River, which is really a wolf's ambition, and his heart can be punished! Now I am in the Ming Dynasty, Zhongzhou is bandang, the rogue is vertical, Jiangnan is the country's largest source of taxes, and there must be no more mistakes. If you want to force the rich households in the south of the Yangtze River to make trouble and form a union with the Liukou in Zhongzhou, then the ministers are afraid of my Ming, and I am afraid that I am really powerless! ”

Wen Tiren's two words were even deceived and frightened, leaving Chongzhen speechless.

Chongzhen was silent for a long time before he spoke: "Then according to Changqing's opinion, how should I deal with Li Xiaozhi's suggestion?" ”

Wen Tiren snorted coldly, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, in the opinion of the ministers, Li Xiao's strategy cannot be cited, and His Majesty needs to summon him, while Li Xiao is still in Beijing, order Jinyiwei to strictly investigate Li Xiao to see if he has colluded with that Qingyu before he can say such a suggestion to harbor evil intentions!" ”

Chongzhen's face trembled, and his face showed embarrassment: "How can this be done." Li Xiaofang made great contributions, and won many heads and prisoners, if half of the credit was not rewarded, but because of his drunken words, and strictly investigated the heroes of my Ming Dynasty, then I am afraid that the hearts of the people of the world will be chilled. This is absolutely impossible to deal with Li Xiao's matter strictly. ”

Wen Tiren pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Your Majesty is benevolent, forgive Li Xiao, but it's okay." After all, the Tartars have not retreated, and Li Xiao still needs to defend the capital, so this matter can be revealed first, as an expedient measure. As for rewarding Li Xiao, the minister thought that His Majesty should be generous to his lord and neglect his duties, and implement the policy of openness and concealment to Li Xiao, so as to guard against his disobedience and prevent him from secretly sitting big. ”

Chongzhen's face was gloomy and he sat like a puppet.

After a long time, he finally asked again: "Then in Yiqing's opinion, how should Li Xiao be rewarded?" ”

Wen Tiren pondered for a while, and then said: "In the opinion of the minister, you can add Li Xiao as the crown prince and young guard, promote the governor of the left, and then award the doctor Ronglu, and give a son of the world a thousand households, and give three generations of one product, it is enough." ”

Chongzhen sighed lightly, and then said: "That's it, let's do it according to Qing's words." It's just that Li Xiao's whole army loyally and bravely killed the enemy and drove away from state affairs, which is really a model for our Ming officers and soldiers. In this way, I will give Li Xiao's entire army as the Tiger Army, so as to show him as the minions of the country. In addition, Li Xiao was ordered to hang the seal of "General Exterminator" to show his merits, and his subordinates made meritorious contributions, etc., were verified by the military department, and their merits were rewarded. ”

Wen Tiren nodded and bowed back: "Weichen respectfully obeys the holy order. ”

The next day, when the eunuch came to Yongding Gate with the imperial decree and read the imperial decree to Li Xiao, Li Xiao shouted long live and knelt on the ground to receive the decree.

It's just that when Li Xiao heard that the imperial court was finally promoted to the false title of Zuo Du Governor and hung up a seal of "General Exterminator", and there were only the crown prince Shaobao, Yinzi Hezu and the like, Li Xiao suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

He already had a hunch that Chongzhen's suggestions to him would probably not be adopted, and the Ming Empire would continue to continue its current downward trend until it was finally finished.

And himself, because of the proposal to collect taxes from the rich, must have angered the vast majority of officials above the court. It is very likely that from now on, he has become a public enemy of the court.

However, Li Xiao's face was still very calm.

After sending the eunuch a little Cheng Yi, the eunuch left happily, but Li Xiao's face was full of gloom.

He suddenly realized that he had actually made a huge mistake when he said this to Chongzhen in his heart.

That is, he overestimated Chongzhen's ability.

It is not easy for a young man with mediocre talents and a weak and suspicious heart to keep his success, and it is indeed difficult for him to take up the burden now, to fight against those treacherous and selfish courtiers, and to change the current crisis of internal and external difficulties.

It's a pity that he was still thinking about letting Chongzhen hand over Shandong to himself as a pilot for taxation, but now that he thinks about it, how ridiculous it is.

Could it be that the Ming Dynasty is going to die, but the number of days?

Li Xiao, who was in a low mood, silently climbed the urn city tower of Yongding Gate, looked south, and only saw the ruins of villages and towns, sparsely populated, and the wilderness was vast.

The autumn wind lifted his bright red cloak violently, hunting like a flag, but making his tall and majestic figure more and more lonely and desolate. (To be continued.) )