Gao Gong hurriedly defended: "Lord Xiao, I didn't say that a scholar has one thing in his mouth and another thing in his heart!" Don't slander me! ”

Xiao Feng said in surprise: "You clearly said that if the imperial court narrowed the policy of benevolence for scholars, and the scholars did not say it, they were dissatisfied in their hearts, isn't this one thing in their mouths and one thing in their hearts?" ”

Gao Gong thought about it, this is really difficult to refute, so he simply stopped arguing and changed the track.

"Lord Xiao, there is no point in you and I arguing over words, you can ask all the adults in the hall to see if there are more people who agree with the policy change or disapprove of the policy!"

Xiao Feng thought for a while: "The affairs of the imperial court, is it to win more?" Whichever side has the most people is right? ”

Gao Gong nodded and said: "There is a lot of help for the righteous, and little help for the unjust, that's exactly the case." Otherwise, is everyone wrong, only you? ”

Gao Gong stared at Xiao Feng, he dug a pit and was waiting for Xiao Feng to jump in. He felt that Xiao Feng would definitely cite the example of the Yan Party.

Because any normal person, when he heard his words, his first reaction must be to think of the fact that the Yan Party controlled the court and the officials looked at the scenery.

But for Jiajing, this is not what he wants to hear. This is not a glorious thing after all, it proves that he was deceived by Yan Song's father and son, and he played with it!

If Xiao Feng uses this example to reason with himself, then he can grab Xiao Feng's pigtails and pick them up fiercely so that his feet don't touch the ground......

Xiao Feng sighed and said, "Since there is a lot of help from the righteous and little help from the unjust, then please ask Lord Gao."

When Long Live wanted to rule the world with filial piety and honor his parents, were there many people in the court who were in favor or against? ”

The ministers were suddenly silent, and they all wanted to stuff their heads into their stomachs, and Gao Gong was also dumbfounded, not knowing why Xiao Feng's thinking was so jumping.

At the time of the Great Rites Discussion, almost the entire court was opposed to Jiajingzun's father as emperor. But Jiajing did not flinch, and beat the butts of countless civil officials with a board, and also played his own authority.

This incident was a watershed in Jiajing's judgment of his friend and enemy, and Xia Yan and Yan Song also changed their attitudes later and became Jiajing's friends.

But it is absolutely true that the vast majority of civilian officials were beaten at that time. In other words, there were very few people on Jiajing's side at that time, and he was completely one against a hundred, winning more with less!

Gao Gong opened his mouth several times, but he didn't know how to speak. Xiao Feng said sincerely.

"Master Gao, you said that there is a lot of help for the Dao, but there is little help for the unjust, so do you say that Long Live at that time was the Dao or the Dao?"

Gao Gong hurriedly said: "Get the way, get the way, get the way." "It's insincere to say something important three times, and to say it less once.

"That tall man, who has received a lot of help from the righteous and has little help from the unjust, can it be used as a standard for judging whether a thing is right or not?"

Gao Gong gritted his teeth and decided to change the track again: "No. But Lord Xiao, now the Ming Dynasty is prosperous and thriving.

Why should the imperial court bother with that little bit of land tax and servitude, but to make the world's scholars disappointed in the imperial court, resulting in a sluggish literary style?

Even if the people have the wind of taking refuge, but the grain is not less, but the wealth is hidden from the people, and the wealth is hidden from the people, isn't it good? ”

This is a relatively high level. At any time, hiding wealth from the people is a high-sounding statement, and even the emperor is not easy to refute.

What's the matter, when you become the emperor, you have fine clothes and food, three palaces and six courts, do you have to make the common people can't wear pants and can't afford to marry a wife?

Therefore, all the ministers of the Xu Party cast approving glances at Gao Gong, feeling that now they occupy the commanding heights of morality and are stable!

Xiao Feng sneered: "It is naturally good to hide the wealth from the people, but the current policy, it is not the people who are rich, but those gentry!"

They intercepted the taxes and servitudes that belonged to the imperial court, and made the people work and pay taxes for them. They are not the people, they are silverfish between the people and the court! ”

Gao Gong shook his head and said, "Lord Xiao's words are wrong. Even if some of the gentry took advantage of some loopholes, they only collected half of the imperial court's taxes.

The people also saved half of their taxes, and naturally they became richer than usual. Isn't this hiding the wealth from the people?

Of course, it is definitely wrong to evade the court taxes, but the court can restrain it, and there is no need to generalize and leave no dignity! ”

Xiao Feng suddenly realized: "Oh, yes, I see. Even if the gentry take half of it, the people can save half of it!

No wonder except for Songjiang Mansion, the people in other places refuse to sue, it turns out that they are really rich from the people, and the people must be grateful to these gentry. ”

Gao Gong nodded again and again: "Yes, that's exactly what it means." The world can't be blamed, it's too much, like Xu Fan, Haida people are naturally right to investigate and deal with it.

But if the scale of other places is very small and has little impact on the imperial court, the imperial court can actually be more lenient and benevolent. ”

Xiao Feng said with a smile: "Those people are grateful to the gentry who have undercharged their taxes, and naturally they have no good impression of the court in their hearts.

It was obviously the tax of the imperial court, which was distributed to the people and gentry to enjoy, but what the court reaped was the ridicule and complaints of the people.

In this way, these people only know how to be grateful to the gentry, but not to the court, and their luck will naturally not be used by the court.

Instead of this, the imperial court should directly reduce the taxes of the common people and also reduce the privileges of the gentry, so that the people will naturally be grateful to the imperial court, not the gentry.

In this way, it not only hides the wealth of the people, but also makes the luck of the people of the Ming Dynasty use the court, isn't it better? ”

Jiajing was triggered by the keyword, opened his eyes and looked down, nodded slightly, and felt that it made sense.

It's not impossible to hide the wealth from the people, but the court collects less money, and the people should naturally be grateful to the court, how can they be grateful to those second-class dealers?

Gao Gong was anxious: "Lord Xiao! At this time, the Ming Dynasty was constantly fighting, and it was the time to use money.

It is good to be lightly endowed, but if the income falls by half, the Ming treasury is empty, how to cheer up? ”

This is indeed a real problem, the emperors of the past and present, except for the top faint monarchs, in fact, there are few who do not want the country to be rich and the people strong, and they all understand the truth of lightly paying for the meager and hiding the wealth from the people.

But how hard is it to do it? Qin Shi Huang built the Great Wall and dragged down Great Qin, but was it really because he liked the construction industry? He also had no choice but to guard against the nomads.

Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty repaired the canal and dragged down the Great Sui, but was it really because he liked to take a boat? He also has no choice, if you want to get rich, you must first build roads and have fewer children......

Emperor Qianlong went to Jiangnan six times and spent all the money in the treasury, but was it really because he liked the beauties of Jiangnan? He was also forced to do so...... He probably really liked it.

Therefore, only when the emperor catches up with the good years when the wind and rain are smooth and there are no opponents, can it be possible to achieve light punishment and hide wealth from the people.

The days before the Ming Dynasty were not too good, there were not many times when there were no enemies, and there were not many times when the wind and rain were good, and it was only in the past two years that they began to get better.

So at this juncture, will it be a little more radical to be light-hearted? Jiajing also turned his questioning gaze to Xiao Feng.

Xiao Feng said indifferently: "The treasury needs money, but the land tax is the mainstay, which not only has limited money, but also discourages the enthusiasm of farmers to farm and buy land.

Lightly paying for the meager endowment can make the people's lives more relaxed, and it will be easier to buy land and land. People have constant production, only then can they have perseverance.

Only in their own land can they do more energetically! And the people who have a constant production will be more resistant to rebellion.

Not to mention the White Lotus Sect and other instigated wealthy peasant households, even the Japanese invaded, and the fiercest resistance was also the common people with property.

The people live and work in peace and contentment, and the Ming Dynasty will be as solid as a rock. If there is a foreign invasion, the people will be much more enthusiastic when they are recruited, because it is to protect their own industry.

As for the need for money for the state treasury, Guofang is to solve this matter, the opening of the sea ban is to solve this matter, and the change of rice to mulberry is to solve this matter.

When the people have money, they will spend it. Everyone wants to live a good life and use good things, and the money will eventually go back to the state.

Stabilize the world with agriculture, fight the world with industry, and enrich the world with commerce, this is the way of the Ming Dynasty to make the country rich and the people strong, and this is the way to the Ming Dynasty's national fortune! ”

Jiajing went through Xiao Feng's words in his mind, as long as he focused on the way of governing the country, Jiajing was not stupider than any emperor, and he quickly figured it out.

"The junior brother is right! The Cabinet can start to reduce taxes. The policy of nurturing the scholars does not need to be canceled completely, but only needs to be limited by level.

The number of acres of tax-exempt fields, a number of talents, a number of lifters, and a number of jinshi, the tax-exempt endowment can maintain food and clothing.

Their parents, wives, and children are exempt from forced labor, and servants and tenants are exempt. ”

Zhang Juzheng stepped forward and arched his hand: "Long live, since you want to change it, it is better to change it thoroughly." Since Master Xiao mentioned that agriculture will stabilize the world and business will enrich the world.

In addition to the farmland tax and the commercial tax, it seems that other taxes and fees can be reduced. For example, the poll tax and the like are extremely difficult to operate, and the people are afraid to even have children.

The Taoist children in the view of entering the world are all from the original good hall. There are not a few children taken in by the good halls in various places, in addition to the famine and war, this poll tax is also a big reason.

In the Ming Dynasty, there are many federal territories now, and Lord Xiao's intention is to send people to live in mixed places in the future. The Ming people are not prosperous, how to expand the territory? ”

Jiajing thought for a while: "Since you have this idea, you have been thinking about it for a long time. You come up with a detailed plan, and after the cabinet discusses it, if it is feasible, let's implement it together. ”

The new tax policy was soon promulgated and implemented, and Pan Huang's household department and Hai Jui's anti-corruption institute suddenly became the two busiest departments.

The Ministry of Household Affairs is to re-measure the land, and the Anti-Corruption Institute is to strictly investigate tax evasion. The two are combined to deal with various tricks of the folk gentry and the common people.

The best way to deal with it is to deal with the complaints of the people. This kind of gentry who have been taken refuge in is lucky, and they still want to rely on the contract in their hands to lose their land, and feel that the farmers dare not blow up the thorns.

But the peasant households fully demonstrated the spirit of fighting the landlords. You've got so little tax-free land left, and you want to devour our land? Dream!

Besides, the status of a slave cannot be exempted from servitude, so why should I still be your slave? If you dare not break the contract, we will sue you!

Xu Fan is the son of the first assistant of the dynasty, and he has already sung "Tears Behind Bars" in the prison, you are just a retired jinshi, what are you doing?

The really hard ones to deal with were the cunning gentry. They came up with a trick of "buying and selling", which can be called a huge brain.

The specific operation is as follows: for example, if a person lifts a person, he should enjoy a number of tax-exempt land, so he first holds a piece of land and enjoys tax exemption.

Then, when it was time to pay the tax, he applied for tax exemption, sold the land, and bought a new piece of land.

When the tax collector came to collect the tax, he took out the title deed and showed that the land was mine and should be exempt from tax. Tax collectors are often locals, so they turn a blind eye.

This operation focuses on a time difference. If the operation is done properly and the farmers are well colluded, they can also obtain certain benefits, but they are far less than the original benefits.

But the Incorruptible Court did not allow this to happen, they would review the tax exemption records of the household department, and if any of the gentry took advantage of this practice, then Hai Rui would let them spit it out again, and it was super doubled.

The gentry of the world were very sad because of this, they knew that this bad idea of strictly investigating and restricting the land was Hai Jui's idea, so they cursed Hai Jui for not dying well.

And they also know that the source of this matter is Xu Fan's work in Songjiang Mansion, and a commotion has affected the gentry of the world, so Xu Fan's villain was stabbed even worse.

When the Ming Dynasty was changing with each passing day, Xiao Qin, who was far away in Japan, was also preparing for a general attack on the Ming Dynasty.

Although it was judged that the musketeers of the Ming Dynasty had been sent to many vassal states to resist the Japanese, Xiao Qin still did not dare to take it lightly.

He continued to deepen his cooperation with the Franco-Mechanic, and purchased a lot of muskets from the Franco-Mechanic to arm the Japanese army, hoping to defeat the Ming army in one fell swoop.

At this time, a group of Japanese musketeers was training, and Oda Nobunaga was very proud to accompany Xiao Qin to inspect.

"Lord, don't say that now that there are muskets, even swords fight, those Ming troops are not our opponents. We should attack right away! ”

Xiao Qin smiled indifferently: "The army of the Ming Dynasty is not the weak guards along the coast back then. Even if they don't have enough muskets, they won't be easy to fight.

What's more, the Ming Dynasty has many soldiers and soldiers, and we have few people after all. originally wanted to conquer the coastal countries and recruit strong men to replenish the army, but it was cracked by the Ming Dynasty.

Don't worry, it's already fast, and soon we will launch a general attack. Maybe you can't occupy the Ming Dynasty in one fell swoop, but at least you have to occupy Nanjing, confront the Ming across the river, and then slowly try to figure it out. ”

Xiao Qin stopped, beckoned to the trained musketeers, and called a squad leader.

"How's your marksmanship?"

The squad leader saluted proudly: "Lord, I am the best marksman among these people!" I can already hit the seagulls in the sky! ”

Xiao Qin nodded: "Stand twenty steps away and shoot at me." ”

Everyone was stunned, the squad leader looked at Xiao Qin with a blank face, and Oda Nobunaga pressed the knife with one hand and looked at Xiao Qin in confusion.

"Lord, how can this be? This is the sin of great rebellion! ”

Xiao Qin shook her head and said, "I want to test the power of this musket." Rest assured, I'm wearing the armor you gave me. ”

Oda Nobunaga hurriedly said: "Lord, although this armor can resist swords, it is difficult to say about muskets!" ”

Xiao Qin smiled faintly: "This is my will, you must obey." If you're afraid, aim at my arm. ”

After the squad leader confirmed it again and again, he walked twenty steps away in a trembling manner, raised his gun and aimed at Xiao Qin, thought about it, and only aimed at the outside of Xiao Qin's arm.

If it hits, it's just a bruise. Although it will be condemned if it is not done well, it may not be a capital crime.

Xiao Qin's gaze was full of light for a moment, and a fierce expression that did not look like a human appeared on her face.

There was an afterimage around his body, like a person moving too fast, and the squad leader's eyes were a little glazed.

Xiao Qin shouted: "Shoot!" ”

The squad leader gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and pulled the trigger. With a bang, the fire flashed and the projectile shot out!

Everyone's eyes flickered, Xiao Qin had already grabbed the neck of the team leader, and there was no scar on his whole body.

The soldiers were shocked, and suddenly abandoned their guns to the ground, shouting "Amaterasu, Amaterasu!" ”

Xiao Qin let go of the squad leader's neck and took twenty steps back again: "This time, aim at my chest and hit!" Don't wait for me to shout and shoot! ”

The squad leader calmed down, reloaded the gun, and then aimed at Xiao Qin's chest. Oda Nobunaga stood beside him, and a sense of hope suddenly rose in his heart.

He immediately rebuked himself, not to think so, you are loyal, this is your glory! However, in his heart, he honestly thought about it......

"Bang"! This time, the team leader really didn't hesitate, a shot was fired, and everyone's eyes flickered again, and Xiao Qin grabbed the team leader's neck again.

In the shocked gaze of everyone, Xiao Qin opened his other hand and threw a bullet on the ground.

The soldiers went crazy and shouted again, "Amaterasu, the god of martial arts!" Amaterasu, the god of martial arts! ”

Oda Nobunaga was dumbfounded, and the small flame that had sprouted in his heart just now was quickly extinguished, leaving only curling green smoke, just like the musket in the squad leader's hand.

Xiao Qin took out a piece of gold from her arms and rewarded it to the team leader, who took it with trembling hands and knelt down to thank him.

Xiao Qin looked at everyone with a smile on her face: "Remember, as long as it is my will, you must obey it absolutely."

Don't let you point your guns at me, even if I order you to aim your guns at yourself, you must not hesitate, understand? ”

Xiao Qin's gaze swept to Oda Nobunaga, Oda Nobunaga's legs weakened, and he fell to his knees, and the soldiers also fell to their knees.

Xiao Qin turned to leave, and after moving away from the crowd, he opened his hand. There was blood in the palm of his hand, and although he grabbed the bullet, he was still wounded.

Xiao Qin looked at his palm and said softly: "Martial God?" It's not enough. Can't wait any longer, though. ”

On the coast, one big ship after another docked, some Japanese and some Franco. There are also countless small boats around.

If you look down from the sky, the whole of Japan is like a nest of ants that have found food, busily scurrying.

There was smoke everywhere, shouts of killing everywhere, and they turned every piece of iron and every piece of wood into ships and weapons, just waiting for Xiao Qin's order.