Yue Yang's words immediately caused an uproar among the officials, because as soon as this guy opened his mouth, he told everyone, brother is coming to smash the field this time, you all have to be careful, such an arrogant attitude immediately angered a large number of people.

An official wearing a cyan official robe immediately stood up and arched his hand to Yue Yang, and said proudly: "Marquis Yue, I heard that you have always led troops well, but I didn't expect you to be so experienced in governing the country, but the lower officials don't know what kind of way to do the errand you are talking about?" ”

"Oh!" Yue Yang squinted at the official who stood up, this official was not about thirty years old, with no beard under his chin, he looked white and pure, and he looked like a typical white-faced scholar, but the corners of his mouth were always a little stubbornly upturned, and at first glance he was the kind of person who was more aware of death.

Yue Yang asked quietly: "Who are you, don't you know that you have to report your name and official position before talking to Shangguan?" Where have you learned the etiquette of officialdom? ”

"You ......"

This young official was reprimanded by Yue Yang on the spot, and his originally white face immediately turned red, and he wanted to refute but found that he was not at all polite, and he was so anxious that he forgot the etiquette of officialdom for a while. Thinking of this, he temporarily put away his unwillingness and anger, and reluctantly made a muffled voice towards Yueyang: "Master Hou forgives the sin, it is appropriate for the lower official to be rude, the lower official is the governor of Shandong stationed in Jinan, Yan Hongfeng, who has seen the governor!" ”

Seeing that this inspector of the imperial history did not call himself a knighthood but an official position, Yue Yang smiled slightly and did not speak, and Ke Zhennan, the political envoy on the side, hurriedly scolded: "You are bold, how can you call Marquis Yue like this?" ”

Yue Yang knows why Ke Zhennan drank this inspector of the imperial history, because this is a bad habit of the Chinese people, the Chinese people like to call people when they call people, especially Shangguan, for example, in the society of modern time and space, people always intentionally or unintentionally remove the sub-word when calling a certain deputy position, which not only looks good, but also satisfies the vanity of some people. The same was true in ancient times. It stands to reason that among the many titles on Yue Yang's body, the title of the Marquis of Zhongyong is the most noble, after all, he is the Marquis who lives with the country, so everyone always subconsciously calls him the Marquis when they call him, but this is good, he was stunned and called Yue Yang in public as the Governor, if this is heard in the ears of ordinary officials, it will have the meaning of deliberate ridicule, and it is Ke Zhennan who stood up and reprimanded him.

However, I don't know if this Ke Zhennan is really confused or intentionally so, he was stunned and said: "Lord Ke's words are wrong, Lord Yue is the highest parent official in my Shandong, is it wrong for the lower official to call it so?" ”

"You ......" Ke Zhennan saw that Yan Hongfeng dared to contradict him. Angry enough to blow his beard and glare, just as he was about to stand up and scold, Yue Yang waved his hand and motioned for him to sit down.

I saw Yue Yang say to Yan Hongfeng: "Master Ke, don't be impatient, don't get angry first, since this Yan Yushi doesn't know what this official is here for, then this official can tell you again in person." ”

After coughing lightly twice, Yue Yang said with a smile on his skin: "This time Benhou came to Shandong for a few things: apportioning the land into the mu, returning the fire consumption to the public, the official gentry and the gentry as an errand and paying for grain, and reopening the sea ban, as long as these few things are done well, the envoy who came here is also completed, do you understand?" ”

"Got it!" The look of contempt in Yan Hongfeng's eyes flashed, and he said to Yue Yang: "Governor Yue." Which of the things you mentioned about spreading the land into the mu, returning the fire consumption to the public, the integration of the officials and gentry as errands, and even the reopening of the sea ban is not a major event that shakes the government and the opposition? Let's not talk about anything else, let's just say that the officials and gentry are one and pay for the grain as one, our Emperor Taizu has already set the rules. But all scholars with merit can be exempt from taxes, and there is no need to pay grain for the fields under their names, this is the ancestral system, but now you want to break this rule set by the great grandfather. This is a great rebellion, and the lower officials will never dare to agree! ”

"What Lord Yan said is extremely true!" A middle-aged official, who was also wearing a cyan official robe, also stood up and said: "Xiaguan is the county commander of Fangzi County, and Xiaguan thinks this move is a move to compete with the people. Don't you hear about the disaster of the Wanli Dynasty's tax collection? The envoy of the conquest spine, anxious for the spark, and the order of the search is as dense as a cow's hair. The scoundrel is dead, and the winged tiger wolf is attached. Shandong is already poor, the old gentry do some business is not easy, if the loyal and brave marquis and even the gentry are also taxed together, only afraid of Longwangshu, today to levy ten wen, tomorrow to levy a hundred wen, the day after tomorrow to levy a hundred taels, then I am afraid that the family is ruined and the death is in front of me, accustomed to thinking that this move is absolutely impossible. ”

"yes......"

"What Lu County's order says is very true, this is a move to compete with the people for profit, and it is not feasible!"

Since someone took the lead, the surrounding officials also spoke one after another, and some said in a soothing tone that this move was too impatient, and it was necessary to discuss it carefully. The anxious person almost didn't directly say that Yue Yang was mediocre, in short, he said everything, and it looked like this move was absolutely impossible.

Seeing that all the officials below spoke in unison, Ke Zhennan, the political envoy, Ma Ke, the envoy of the inspection, and Lu Zhili, the commander of the capital, and other highest-ranking bigwigs in Shandong, although they squinted their eyes and did not speak, a glimmer of light flashed in their eyes from time to time.

After all, in their opinion, Yueyang's move is simply too nonsense, not to mention this dynasty, even in the Yuan Dynasty ruled by the Mongols and even traced back to the Song Dynasty, they did not say that the gentry should pay taxes, and this one even went further, directly apportioned into the mu, that is to say, from now on, the court does not collect taxes according to the capitation, but according to the actual number of acres, isn't this nonsense.

And the most bastard is the fire consumption to return to the public, the so-called fire consumption is to point out that after the implementation of a whip law in the middle of the generation, the common people pay taxes not in kind but pay the silver in a unified manner, originally this is convenient for the government to collect taxes in a unified manner, but in practice it is more difficult, because the silver paid by the people is not too much in taxes, most of them are mainly small pieces of broken silver, when the state and county governments summarize and hand over to the treasury, the broken silver will be smelted into large pieces, and some necessary losses will occur in the process of smelting the broken silver. Therefore, the state and county officials asked the people to make up for it, so in addition to the tax silver, the taxpayer had to pay more, and the overpaid part was called "fire consumption", which was used to compensate for the loss of smelted silver and transportation costs. According to the law of loss in the smelting of broken silver, the general loss rate is about 1%-2%, but the state and county officials have levied more than one dollar, and the additional tax has reached 20%-30% of the positive tax for every two or three yuan, and some states and counties have even reached 30%-50% of the positive tax. This has also become a common means for officials to amass wealth. If Yue Yang does this, it will be tantamount to cutting off the official's financial route.

Since your surname Yue wants to overturn the table and prevent everyone from eating, then don't blame us for being ruthless, I want to see what waves can be set off in Shandong without the help of our people, after all, no matter how ruthless you are, it is impossible for you to go to the countryside alone to collect taxes, and this tax has to be collected by the officials below.

Everyone was noisy and shouting for nearly half an hour, and Yue Yang also listened to them for half an hour, and finally gradually quieted down. Everyone looked at Yue Yang with smug eyes, and they all wanted to see what this menacing Marquis Yue was going to do when everyone was unanimously opposed.

"Are you all done?"

A fluttering voice spat out of Yue Yang's mouth, and Yue Yang looked at the people who were spitting and even flushing with excitement and said slowly: "Maybe you haven't figured out one thing, Benhou Shicai is not asking for your opinion, but ordering you to handle it according to this charter." If you feel that you can't do it or you can't do it, even if you submit your resignation, Ben Hou will immediately approve his resignation, to put it mildly, it is not easy to find a three-legged toad in the first few years, but there are many two-legged people. You don't do it, some people do it, do you understand? ”

Hearing this, everyone's faces all changed, Yue Yang's words were too arrogant, he was simply telling everyone, this matter has been decided, you agree to do this, if you don't agree, you have to do it, if you don't do it, I'll do it again.

Lu Zibu stood up angrily again, and said with an angry face: "Lord Yue, the official positions of Xia Guan and your colleagues are rewarded by the emperor. It's not an adult, I'm afraid it's not easy for an adult to take off the official position of a lower official, right? ”

In Chinese officialdom, when a subordinate speaks to a superior official in this tone, it is almost tantamount to tearing his face nakedly. But it's not good to be on fire, you're going to smash people's jobs, can people not be in a hurry?

However, it is normal for Lu Zibu to be a little arrogant. Because there is a big difference between being an official in the feudal era and being an official in modern times. In today's society, the appointment and dismissal of an official depends on the competent department at your next level, and as long as your boss sees you as unpleasant, he can remove you. But such a thing did not work in feudal times, because in feudal times. However, the appointment and dismissal of officials above the seventh rank are all in the hands of the emperor, and the officials have only one goal of allegiance, that is, the emperor in the Forbidden City.

As a result, officials have far less reverence for their superiors than they do in modern society. It is precisely because of this that the subordinates do not buy the accounts of the superiors, and even sue the superiors, which is a very shocking thing in modern society, but it is not uncommon in ancient times.

Yue Yang looked at Lu Zibu, squinted his eyes and said lightly: "I'm sorry Lu County Order, before Ben Hou came, the emperor gave Ben Hou a right, as long as anyone dares to obstruct Ben Hou from implementing a new policy in Shandong, Ben Hou has the right to remove him, if Lu County Ling thinks that Ben Hou is lying, you might as well try." ”

If Yue Yang was just a threat just now, then now it is a naked threat. He has made it very clear, if anyone doesn't do it, he will get rid of Lao Tzu, and Lao Tzu will find someone else to replace you.

Some people may say that when Yue Yang first arrived in Shandong, if these officials in Shandong collectively strike and paralyze the government at all levels in Shandong, this will make Yueyang have a trap and dare not go too far. Whoever thinks so is wrong, any dynasty will have a shortage of people for any position, but only for official positions. You don't see that in the later generations, even a post of a cleaner with a career establishment has a doctoral student who broke his head to grab it, not to mention these positions of Qipin County Commander or even the prefect of Yizhou, Lu Zibu can be sure that even if these hundreds of officials upstairs go on strike, as long as Yue Yang shouts, there will be several times the number of people who come to pat the fart of this loyal and brave marquis in order to get an official position.

"What? Anyone who wants to quit? You can tell Ben Hou, or you can go back immediately to write your resignation, Ben Hou will never keep it! ”

Yue Yang's cold words echoed in everyone's ears, and he made it clear that if you want to stay and do something, you have to listen to me, otherwise don't blame me for being rude.

Seeing that Yue Yang's attitude was so tough, naturally there was someone who was not afraid of death and stood up, and that person was Yan Hongfeng, the imperial historian of Shandong. I saw him stand up and say angrily to Yue Yang: "Lord Yue, although Xiaguan is only a seven-grade patrol imperial history, but there is still a scholar's backbone, don't use this to scare people, Xiaguan will give the emperor a fold, and impeach you for competing with the people for profit and insulting Sven!" ”

After Yan Hongfeng finished speaking, he sneered and raised his head to look at Yue Yang, showing a look of disdain. But what disappointed him was that Yue Yang didn't show any annoyed and angry expression, Yue Yang just looked at Yan Hongfeng very calmly and said lightly, "Lord Yan." You are a speech official, so this Hou has no right to dispose of you, if you want to leave, the door is over there, please go. If there is any adult who opposes the implementation of the new policy by Benhou, he can stand up now, and this official will fulfill him......"

After Yueyang arrived in Jinan, the first reception banquet ended in an unpleasant atmosphere, and the officials at all levels in Shandong who participated in the reception banquet took advantage of the excitement to return home, and after the meeting, everyone was talking about this domineering loyal and brave marquis, and talking about those fatal new policies.

Yue Yang returned to the governor's yamen, and Chen Zhi and Wu Qing, who had come to Shandong with him, also followed him into the signing room.

"Master Hou...... Is it appropriate for you to treat those Shandong officials like this when you first arrived? As soon as the three of them entered the signing room, Chen Zhi asked worriedly.

Yue Yang sat down in the chair and sunk his whole body into the back of the chair. He took a big sip of the tea sent by the maid, and after a long breath, he looked at the two and said, "Do you all think that Ben Hou is too anxious?" ”

Chen Zhi and Wu Qing glanced at each other and nodded, Huaxia officialdom has always paid attention to harmony with the light, hello everyone, hello everyone, hello everyone, so that this official position can be done steadily, if you are too bent on going your own way, I am afraid that you will soon become a loner.

Yue Yang sighed lightly and said earnestly to the two of them: "You guys, you still don't know the current situation, you think you are still in Shanxi." Can the current situation in Shandong be achieved by slowly plotting it? ”

Chen Zhi stopped talking, they were all very clear. Yue Yang is purely here to smash other people's jobs, and in this case, it is unrealistic to expect those officials to willingly work for themselves, after all, many officials are inextricably linked with those gentry.

"It's impossible to expect those Shandong officials to take the initiative to help us implement the new policy, so I can only take a big shot. I don't expect them to help us. But at least we can't take off our hind legs, otherwise don't blame me for being spicy! ”

Speaking of this, Yue Yang's face was also full of determination, and now Da Ming can no longer withstand the toss. If the financial situation of the Ming Dynasty is not changed, this decrepit empire will collapse due to its own reasons, even if it has no external force.

It is true that if Yue Yang had ill intentions towards Da Ming, he would naturally wish that Da Ming would be as chaotic as possible. In this way, he can take advantage of the fire to rob, but now Yue Yang is not too interested in the chair in the Forbidden City, this chair looks attractive, but who knows that once he sits on it, he is likely to be burned by that chair.

It is said that new officials take office with three fires, which refers to the fact that after new officials take office, they often do several things to show their talents and their determination to eliminate the evils of the times. To put it bluntly, it is to give people a damn and convince all colleagues and subordinates.

On the third day after taking office, our Comrade Yueyang sent an official letter to the prefectures and counties, asking them to start measuring the land on February 13 of the 11th year of Chongzhen, and to start preparing for the apportionment of land to mu and the integration of officials and gentry to pay grain, and to demand that all prefectures and counties do a good job of measuring the land within one month, and that he will be sent down to inspect one month later, and that the head of the prefecture and county will be held accountable for any failure to do a good job in the work of the state capital.

As soon as Yue Yang's order was given, Shandong soon moved like a whipped horse. Regardless of whether those prefects or county commanders are willing or not, since the governor has issued an order, then the officials below must move, otherwise if they are caught by the governor in the future, they will suffer from it.

Just when Yue Yang was busy preparing to burn the first fire, an undercurrent began to surge in Jinan Mansion.

Jinan is the capital of Shandong, and it is also a place where almost all the important yamen in Shandong such as the governor's yamen, the political envoy's yamen, the inspection envoy's yamen, and the Caoyun governor's yamen.

Beneath the towering city walls is a wide city gate, under which stand more than a dozen sergeants in green uniforms and armed with muskets, who are watching the pedestrians come and go intently.

Suddenly, a sergeant at the head stopped a caravan that was about to enter the city and shouted, "Stop, get ready for inspection!" ”

The convoy stopped, and soon got down from the convoy a middle-aged man in a blue satin robe, and when he got down, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes when he saw the sergeants in green uniforms in front of him, and then shouted to the sergeant arrogantly: "Which yamen are you, how dare you stop our convoy, don't you know who we are?" ”

The sergeant replied coldly: "I'm sorry, I don't know you, but I have collected business taxes on the caravans entering the city in the name of the governor, now please hurry up and stop for inspection!" ”

"Inspected?"

The middle-aged man seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world, and couldn't help laughing, pointing at the sergeant and scolding: "Which girl's crotch is not locked properly and your kid is leaking out?" Do you know who our lord is, and you dare to collect our taxes? Boy, are you irrelevant, believe it or not, Lao Tzu can let you go home and eat yourself with a word? (To be continued......)