"I don't know how the villain offended this nobleman, please make it clear that the villain must apologize?"

Li Dade shouted as he stepped back.

He could feel that the somewhat fat strong man in front of him really wanted to kill him.

"You can kill people at will, and this palace can kill you at will!" Zhu Gaochi said angrily.

Li Dade hurriedly said: "This nobleman, I am different from these untouchables, I have read the book of sages, I am the grain chief here, I collect grain for the imperial court, my father has also entered the Beijing Division, I have seen Emperor Hongwu, the villain and the county honor, as well as those gentry and lords in the county, all have friendships!" ”

Zhu Gao said sharply: "So, you can charge more taxes at will and deliberately exploit your neighbors?" ”

"This noble man misunderstood the villain, these taxes for the villain are collected according to the name issued by the imperial court!"

Li Dade hurriedly explained, his face full of sincerity.

"The name issued by the imperial court?"

Zhu Gaochi was even more angry, "When did the imperial court issue the name of collecting taxes such as car foot money and yellow grain money?"

Tell me, is it the Ministry of Households, or the Department of Taxation? ”

"This ......"

Li Dade was stunned for a moment, and looked at Zhu Gaochi in a daze.

"Dare to ask the nobleman, who is it?"

"Bold!"

A lieutenant scolded angrily, "Your Highness is asking you, you just need to answer!" ”

"Your Highness?"

Li Dade's brain was confused, his legs were a little weak, is he the king of the domain, or the king of the county? Or which grandson?

"How daring, you old thief dare to be so rude, when you see Your Highness, you don't reply or see politeness, but you want to rebel?"

The lieutenant, who had long been angry with Li Dade, stepped forward directly, kicked Li Dade, kicked Li Dade to the ground, and then returned with the same words.

"No, the villain doesn't dare!"

After coming back to his senses, Li Dade hurriedly got up from the ground, ignored the pain in his body, and kowtowed to Zhu Gaochi again and again.

"Please also ask Your Highness to spare your life, the villain has eyes but no beads, I don't know that His Highness is coming, and I can't meet him from afar!"

Then, Li Dade asked cautiously: "I don't know who His Royal Highness is......"

"Presumptuous, Your Highness's identity, is also something that you, a small citizen, can inquire about?"

The lieutenant rebuked again.

"Yes, yes, the villain has a lot of mouths, and the villain doesn't dare to ask more!"

Li Dade no longer had the arrogance and domineering he had just now in front of the people, and his face was full of humility.

"Your Highness is coming from afar, the villain is brave, please go to the villain's house and rest for a while, the villain will definitely entertain His Highness!"

"The money in your family, but you exploited it from these people?"

Zhu Gaochi asked coldly again.

"Your Highness Mingjian, since the villain took office as the chief of grain, he has always been diligent and conscientious, and he has never dared to exploit the people......"

Li Dade hurriedly said.

It's just that without waiting for Li Dade to finish speaking, Cui Daniu, who had been rescued, directly puffed, knelt in front of Zhu Gaochi, and wailed loudly.

"Your Royal Highness Mingjian, Li Dade is a thief, relying on his Li family to be a big family in Jiading County, and after becoming the grain chief, he often increases taxes at will.

When the first emperor was still there, it was better, and after paying the taxes, we could barely make ends meet.

However, with the accession of His Majesty to the throne, the taxes here, all kinds of taxes are getting higher and higher, and now he has begun to raise the fertile land in the homes of our people! ”

"Please also ask Your Highness to uphold justice for the small people......"

"Your Highness, these people talk nonsense, villains never dare to increase taxes at will, let alone exploit the people!"

Li Dade panicked and hurriedly explained.

Zhu Gaochi sneered and stared at Li Dade, "Then you tell this palace, who asked you to collect those messy taxes you said?" ”

"Hongu ...... His Royal Highness the Crown Prince? ”

Li Dade still didn't reply, but stared at Zhu Gaochi with wide eyes, his face full of disbelief.

How can it be His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?

The grain chief, in Daming, is a grass-roots semi-official who collects and releases grain, and his status is higher than that of some officials.

Especially in these provincial capitals in the south, in the fourth year of Hongwu, Lao Zhu also stipulated that in Zhili, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Huguang, Fujian and other places, the places that pay about 10,000 stone of grain are regarded as one district, and he also appoints the chief of the large household Shichong grain to be responsible for collecting and reconciling the grain in the field.

In addition, the chief of grain also has the authority to draw up sections, compile atlases, report disasters, report tax evasion, and urge the handling of grain shortages.

Even, some grain chiefs can also enter Beijing to see the emperor, if they do a good job, they can also be praised, and be awarded an official, and ascend to the sky in one fell swoop!

With these, these big grain chiefs are simply the overlords of the townships, who can use their power to oppress the villagers at will, fill the taxes, and scoop up all kinds of oil and water!

Li Dade inherited the position of grain chief from his father, and he also read some books, and he is friends with many famous scholars in the county, so he naturally has a lot of knowledge.

At this moment, after coming back to his senses, he finally figured out what the sentence 'Bengong' in Zhu Gaochi's mouth meant.

However, the more frightened it became.

Even, the mixed body is trembling.

If it is another vassal king, a county king, or a grandson, he can still deal with the past.

However, this is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the Prince of the Ming Dynasty......

"Huh?"

Seeing this, Zhu Gaochi's face was even more gloomy, and he no longer had patience, looking at Li Dade with cold eyes.

"If you don't say anything, don't blame this palace for executing you!"

In an instant, there were two lieutenants who walked to the left and right sides of Li Dade.

"Your Highness, villain, villain......"

Li Dade shuddered, glanced at Zhu Gaochi in horror, and then said: "Back to Your Highness, it is the name issued by the county!" ”

"Really?"

Zhu Gaochi smiled lightly, and then his face turned cold, "Come on, go and summon the magistrate of Jiading County, the canonical history, the county cheng, the main book, and the ambassador of the Tax Bureau to this palace!" ”

"The last general obeys!"

A team of lieutenants went directly to the order.

On the ground, Li Dade's face turned pale.

However, all the people around were full of joy.

At this time, a lieutenant had already moved the chair and even the table that Li Dade was sitting on just now and placed it in front of Zhu Gaochi.

Zhu Gaochi flipped through the account book, read a few pages, and then became furious, stared at Li Dade, and asked in a cold voice: "Li Dade, let's want to know, how much tax you have raised, and how much can you increase the original tax by more than two times?" ”

"Twice?"

Around, Cui Daniu, Dashi and other people were all shocked, and then glared at Li Dade angrily, gritting their teeth, eager to skin Li Dade alive and cramp.

"Why are you so vicious and quadrupling your taxes?"

"Li Dade, you Li family is still a big family in my ten miles and eight townships, and you are respected by the big guys, but I didn't expect you to be so lacking in virtue and so cruel to the people of our neighbors......"

Li Dade ignored the people who were shouting and insulting, as long as Zhu Gaochi was dealt with, he, Li Dade, could manipulate these people at will.

Therefore, he just defended vigorously, "Your Highness Mingjian, the villain has no choice."

The villain is responsible for drawing up the rules, compiling the atlas, declaring the disaster apology, reporting tax evasion, and urging grain collection, all of which require a lot of manpower, and the villain needs to leave some loss from the tax to hire these manpower.

Not to mention anything else, the loss of grain transportation alone is very ......"

"Okay, don't be clever and justify!"

Zhu Gaochi glanced at Li Dade lightly and said, "Grandpa Huang has seen the insatiable greed of those evil gentry and evil officials in the former Yuan, and the ruthlessness of exploiting the people.

Therefore, in the early years of Hongwu, I felt that you and others were all villagers and their own people.

It will not be too difficult for one's own people to collect taxes for their own people, and they will not bully men and women and exploit the people.

That's why I specially let you, the big families, be the grain chiefs of a district, and I have to meet you big grain chiefs once a year.

Unexpectedly, you big grain chiefs are even more ruthless and greedy!

It's only been a few years, and you've already thought about letting them mortgage the land and let their family ruin, so if it takes a few more years, won't all the people here become the slaves of your Li family......"

Li Dade was even more sincerely afraid in his heart, and he was exactly like that!

"Who dares to trouble my Li family......"

At this time, a group of strong men ran over from a distance, and the people dressed as guards in front of them were all cold and shining steel knives in their hands.

Behind them, there was also a group of linen clothes or tenant farmers with holes, holding all kinds of shovels and rakes in their hands!

A young man in silk clothes, as well as a few middle-aged people, walked out of the crowd angrily, and just scolded angrily, he noticed that something was wrong, and stared wide-eyed!

"Zhao'er, the third, the fifth, why don't you come and kneel down quickly?"

Li Dade hurriedly shouted.

Li Zhao looked suspicious: "Dad, what are they?" ”

He just heard that when his father led people to collect taxes, there was a group of people making trouble, so he hurriedly brought people over, but he didn't expect it to be a group of soldiers?

"Presumptuous!"

A lieutenant glared angrily, "You dare to show your sword to Your Highness, but you want to rebel?" ”

"Boom!"

As the words fell, a group of guards behind him drew out the steel knives on their waists, and even some took out bows and crossbows to surround Li Zhao and the others.

"Lay down your weapons quickly, or shoot or kill!"

"Put it down!"

"Let go of ......"

"Daddy?"

Li Zhao and the Li family's guards and tenant farmers suddenly weakened their legs, and their faces were full of horror!

They just want to support their lord and be strong and powerful, why did they provoke a highness and be called a rebel?

Although there are many of them, the group of soldiers in front of them who are full of evil spirits look like killers who kill without blinking, if they kill them, they will definitely not survive.

Moreover, even if they are killed, they will die in vain, and they will even implicate their families!

Behind, several tenant farmers with hoes and shovels were already sitting on the ground in fright, throwing the hoes and shovels aside, and a water stain slowly appeared under them.

"This is His Royal Highness the Prince, if you want to find death, you can't find death, quickly throw down your weapons and kneel down obediently!"

Li Dade roared urgently.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

"Puff puff ......"

Li Zhao and the others were even more frightened, and hurriedly threw down the knife in their hands and kowtowed to Zhu Gaochi again and again.

"The villain has seen His Royal Highness the Prince!"

"I've seen His Royal Highness the Crown Prince......"

"Huh!"

Zhu Gaochi smiled coldly, "The Li family is really majestic in this area!" ”

Li Dade broke out in a cold sweat, and said in fear: "The child is reckless, and he collided with His Royal Highness the Prince, and I ask His Royal Highness for forgiveness!" ”

"It doesn't matter! Little things ......"

Zhu Gaochi waved his hand slowly, not too concerned.

Because of this, the guards on the side have already collected all the steel knives in the hands of the Li family's guards.

Li Dade breathed a sigh of relief.

"The most important thing is that these extra taxes, you can hide it, at most you will suffer more flesh and skin, since this palace has come to Songjiang Mansion, it must be thoroughly investigated ...... this matter."

“……”

Li Dade stiffened, but he still didn't say anything.

And Zhu Gaochi didn't continue to ask more, just slowly lowered his head and continued to look at the account book in his hand.

After reading it, close the ledger.

"Come on, go to Li's house!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The lieutenants hurriedly responded.

"In addition, if these people who pay taxes have nothing to do, they can also follow, and we will have to interrogate these officials and grain chiefs in Jiading County in a good trial!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

"Your Highness's Mercy ......"

The people, all with their faces full of joy, hurried to follow.

Even if they pay their taxes, they still have to work to make money, and it will be impossible to go.

Regarding Zhu Gaochi's arrangement, Guo An has been standing aside and silent.

It's a check from anywhere, anyway, this time, most of the officials in Songjiang Mansion should not be able to run!

Their family members and relatives will become the people of their Guozhou!

Thinking about it, Guo An inexplicably felt full of motivation.

……

The Li family is actually a big manor, covering an area of at least three villages, and it is really a big family.

As a group of guards raided, a group of chickens and dogs jumped.

Half an hour later.

The two lieutenants came to Zhu Gaochi's side with strange faces.

"Back to His Royal Highness, the Li family found a total of more than 10,000 taels of silver, more than 30,000 copper coins, more than 70,000 taels of treasure money, and two large boxes of various jewelry...... In addition, there is food, more than 32,500 stones! ”

"Thirty-two thousand five hundred stones?"

Zhu Gaochi's eyes widened directly, his face full of surprise, "There is still so much money, how can a big family in the countryside save so much money and food?" ”

"Bang bang!"

And Li Dade on the side, as early as after the two lieutenants finished speaking, knelt on the ground very simply and knocked a few times fiercely.

"His Royal Highness the Prince, when Emperor Hongwu was in charge, the grain chief was in charge of the herdsmen's rent, so as not to have the disadvantages of the department's interference, and the grain chief committed a crime, and promised to pay money to atone for his sins!

The villain knows that he has committed a great sin, and he is willing to use all the money and food in the family to atone for his sins! ”

"Atonement?"

Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but glance at Li Dade sarcastically, "You will think of good things, Hong Wunian, the imperial court will indeed treat the grain chief well, and you can reduce the crime by one degree, and even spend money to avoid punishment."

However, it can only redeem miscellaneous criminals, and if they abuse their power for personal gain, pervert the law for bribes, or commit the crime of exploiting and oppressing the people, they will only increase their sins! ”

Li Dade was paralyzed, and his eyes were full of despair.

Zhu Gaochi instructed the guards: "Register all the money and grain, and wait until Your Majesty sends someone to receive it!" ”

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The Praetorian guard departed.

Li Dade suddenly remembered something, and his face was full of excitement, "Your Highness, although the villain has exploited the people, but those people are a group of people, thinking about how to evade taxes all day long, the villain Li family has no credit to the Ming Dynasty, and there is hard work."

Moreover, the villain Li family also pays taxes to Daming, and they pay a lot of ...... every year This year, I still paid more than 200 stone of grain! ”

"How many acres of land does your Li family have?"

Zhu Gaochi asked.

Li Dade's expression was stunned.

On the side, Guo An had already sorted out the Li family's acres of land and money and grain, and said directly: "Your Highness, the Li family has a total of 700 acres of paddy fields and 1,200 acres of dry fields.

In addition, the tax quota given by the imperial court here is only 13,000 stones, but the tax quota set by this house is as high as 32,000 stones. ”

Li Dade's eyes widened and he looked at Guo An with a frightened face.

How could this person calculate so quickly?

Zhu Gaochi's face was suddenly gloomy, "Come on, detain everyone in the Li family, and don't let one go!" ”

"The last general obeys!"

A lieutenant was ordered to leave.

Li Dade's face changed greatly, and he hurriedly howled, "Your Highness spares your life, villain ......"

"Shut up!"

Zhu Gao shouted angrily, "We don't want to listen to your traitor's quibbles!" ”

On the side, a janissary took out a stinky cloth out of nowhere and stuffed it into Li Dade's mouth.

The entire Li family's main hall suddenly fell silent.

A moment later.

The magistrate of Jiading County, the main book, the canonical history, the county cheng, and the officials of the tax bureau all hurried over.

"Weichen Jiading County Magistrate Chen Ye see His Royal Highness the Prince!"

"Weichen Jiading County Cheng Jia Quan, see His Royal Highness the Prince!"

"Weichen Jiading County Classic History ......"

"Ladies and gentlemen, no courtesy!"

Zhu Gaochi smiled gently, and said: "This time, the palace came to inspect, and I didn't notify you in advance, so I didn't disturb you!" ”

"It is a great honor for His Royal Highness to come to the rule of Wechen!"

Chen Ye, the magistrate of the county, hurriedly said, but he noticed that Li Dade, who was wearing a stinky cloth in his mouth and his face was full of despair, but his heart was full of panic.

"Really?"

Zhu Gaochi smiled lightly again, "However, you are giving this palace a big shock!" ”

Chen Ye, Jia Quan and others couldn't help but be shocked.

"Weichen is frightened, I don't know if His Highness has misunderstood something?"

"Humph!"

Zhu Gaochi picked up the ledger and smashed it directly at the magistrate Chen Ye and the others, "We want to know, Dingfu money, Dianjia money, God and Buddha money along the river, car foot wallet, Yuntou rice money, subscription money, yellow grain money, book money, bamboo basket money, and food money...... Who set these 20 additional taxes? ”

"Also, the grain chief, who only collects a tax quota of 13,000 stones, can receive 32,000 stones?

Parents, who is the one who appoints these?

Do you have to force these people under your rule to sell their fields and houses, sell their children and daughters, and their families are ruined, so that your political achievements can be revealed? ”

"Your Highness is angry!"

When Chen Ye, Jia Quan and the others heard this, their faces suddenly changed greatly.

Hurriedly picked up the account book in front of him and pretended to look at it.

Actually, they don't need to look at it, they also know that what Zhu Gaochi said is true.

The grain chiefs of various states and counties collect taxes privately and fill their own pockets, and they all know something.

However, they never imagined that these grain chiefs would be so ruthless and dare to charge so many additional taxes!

…… (End of chapter)