Author: Spring turns to summer

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, Wei... Wei Chen feels..."

When Xu Jie saw the emperor's eyes falling on him, he couldn't help but panic. He hesitated for a long time without clarifying his thoughts.

Jiajing became a little impatient and immediately looked at Xu Jie and said in a deep voice.

"Xu Jie, you only need to answer me, yes or no!"

Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, Xu Jie was heartbroken and gritted his teeth and answered Jiajing's question.

"yes!"

After Jiajing received the exact answer from Xu Jie, there was not much surprise on his face, but he clapped his hands and said with a half-smile.

"I gave you such a long time, but in the end you just thought about how to fool me!"

When Jiajing said this, he paused for a moment, glanced at Yan Song and Xu Jie, and continued.

"Mr. Yan Ge, Mr. Xu Ge, am I right?"

Hearing the emperor's heart-wrenching words, Yan Song and Xu Jie were immediately shocked. Then they reacted suddenly, knelt down on the ground with a thump, and explained to Jiajing.

"Your Majesty, you misunderstood, we just..."

However, Jiajing was destined not to listen to the explanations of Yan Song and Xu Jie at this time. Jiajing looked stern and looked away from Yan Song and Xu Jie, and said slowly.

"I am fully aware of your wishful thinking."

"Are you thinking that instead of refuting the policy I proposed in person, you would describe to me the difficulties of implementing this policy in a more exaggerated way!"

"The policy is a good policy, but it cannot be implemented for the time being!"

Yan Song and Xu Jie, who were kneeling on the ground, turned pale when they saw that the emperor could see through their thoughts at a glance, and for a moment they didn't know how to respond.

After Jiajing finished speaking, he turned his gaze to the remaining people and asked in a deep voice.

"Where are you guys? Don't you think the same as Mr. Yan Ge and Mr. Xu Ge?"

At this moment, Gao Gong, Zhang Juzheng and Yan Shifan all keenly sensed the meaning contained in the emperor's words.

If they had the same thoughts as Yan Song and Xu Jie, the emperor would really kill someone!

Seeing this situation, the three of them immediately fell into deep thought. After thinking for a moment, Zhang Juzheng stood up, turned his eyes to Jiajing, and reported respectfully.

"Your Majesty, I have an idea, but I don't know if it is feasible!"

Seeing that someone finally stood up, Gao Gong and Yan Shifan couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged glances with each other. They both saw the expression of "survival after disaster" on each other's faces.

When Jiajing saw Zhang Juzheng standing up, his tone softened a lot, he raised his eyebrows and gave instructions.

"Oh, but it doesn't matter."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng roughly sorted out the thoughts in his mind before he spoke.

"Your Majesty, this is what I think. The unified payment of grain by officials and gentry will be of great benefit to the current Ming Dynasty."

Seeing Zhang Juzheng's confident look, Jiajing couldn't help but want to take the exam, and immediately asked.

"Tell me, Zhang Juzheng, what are the benefits of integrating officials and gentry into paying grains?"

As soon as Jiajing finished speaking, Zhang Juzheng responded immediately.

"As you command, Your Majesty!"

Zhang Juzheng looked around and after sorting out his words, he spoke.

"Your Majesty, the unified payment of grain by officials and gentry first ensures the taxation of the imperial court!"

"As we all know, the gentry and powerful landlords in the Ming Dynasty do not pay taxes, or in other words, they have various means to avoid paying taxes to the court."

"It goes without saying that officials have the privilege of not paying taxes, but the landowners and gentry have many different ways of not paying taxes."

When Zhang Juzheng said this, he paused for a moment and then continued.

“Some of them avoid paying taxes by hiding their population and land, some bribe the corresponding officials to pay less or even not pay taxes, and some use some tricks in the process of measuring the land, using some similar methods.

This is a method of shrinking the land to make the amount of land you own appear to be smaller."

"But no matter how the form changes, in the final analysis, they are passing on the part of the taxes they should pay to the people!"

"If His Majesty formally implements the unified payment of grain by officials and gentry, there is no doubt that the tax-free privileges held by these people will also be abolished. Once their tax-free privileges are abolished, the dependence of the people on these people will also be reduced.

Big discount.”

When Jiajing heard this, he already understood what Zhang Juzheng meant, and then added.

"Next, these people who have lost their tax-free privileges will have to rely more on me. After all, everything they have now is given to them by me!"

When Yan Song and Xu Jie heard this, their eyes were full of shock. What they didn't expect was that the emperor's proposal to integrate officials and gentry to pay grain would actually be so thoughtful and include everyone!

At that time, the people will benefit, the country will benefit, and the emperor will benefit. The only ones who will suffer are the gentry and powerful landlords of the Ming Dynasty!

At this moment, Yan Song finally understood why the emperor would pursue this policy so resolutely, even resorting to any means to force him to submit.

Yan Song thought along this line of thought, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt shuddering.

At the same time, there was also a strong feeling of powerlessness in his heart, and he sighed.

"Your Majesty, you are truly a wise and enlightened person. How can we guess his inner thoughts?"

Jiajing agreed with Zhang Juzheng's idea, nodded and encouraged him.

"Well, what Zhang Aiqing said is good, but you only said part of it, and you didn't say the most important part."

"That's how this policy should be implemented!"

Seeing this situation, Zhang Juzheng had no choice but to continue.

"Your Majesty, I feel that this matter should not be taken too hastily. We should spread the word first and see how the gentry and landlords react!"

"Then we will formulate corresponding strategies based on their reactions."

"For those hard-liners, they should be suppressed with thunderous means. As for those centrists, they are the ones that your Majesty should strive for vigorously. You can even promise them certain benefits and let them serve as your pawns!"

"In this way, the entire gentry class will be divided and disintegrated, and then defeated one by one!"

"In this way, the integrated payment of grain by officials and gentry will be implemented very smoothly."

After hearing Zhang Juzheng's thoughts, Jiajing immediately turned his gaze to Yan Song and Xu Jie, who were still kneeling on the ground, and asked slowly.

"Mr. Yan Ge, Mr. Xu Ge, what do you two think?"

Yan Song and Xu Jie looked at each other, and Yan Song took the lead and answered to Jiajing.

"Your Majesty, this method is wonderful!"

"If we can follow the policy, we will surely be able to carry out the policy of integrating government and gentry into paying grain."

Xu Jie, who was on the side, saw Yan Song taking the lead and answering His Majesty's question. He became more and more angry and cursed.

"Yan Song, you waited for me, why didn't I kneel with you for so long without saying anything, and you actually answered His Majesty's question first, you old man, why didn't I take you away when you were sick?

!”

After hearing Yan Song's answer, Jiajing was very satisfied, nodded, and immediately gave instructions.

"Since Mr. Yan Ge thinks this strategy is feasible, then I will leave this matter to you and Mr. Xu Ge!"

When Xu Jie on the side saw this, his face was full of disbelief, and he couldn't help but exclaimed: "Ah!"

Yan Song also reacted quickly and begged Jiajing with tears.

"Your Majesty, I know that I have limited talent and knowledge. If I leave this matter to you, I may miss your Majesty's major events. Please find another candidate."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I am a humble minister with little talent and little knowledge..."

Xu Jie on the side saw this and followed suit.

When Jiajing saw this situation, his face became visibly grim. After a long while, he finally spoke.

"You two, either work for me or die!"

After realizing the strong murderous intention contained in Jiajing's words, Yan Song and Xu Jie were like eggplants beaten by frost, they suddenly stopped and responded feebly.

"As you command, Your Majesty!"
Chapter completed!