The news that the Yuan Mansion was confiscated spread throughout Lin'an City very quickly. The entire mansion was sealed and heavily guarded. Everyone in the Yuan Mansion was taken away, causing a sensation!

For a time, all the powerful gentry and powerful families in Lin'an City gathered outside the palace, and they came to ask for an explanation.

As time goes by, more and more people come.

In the palace, Wen Xu was losing his temper.

"Are you crazy?"

"Who asked you to seal the Yuan Mansion? Who asked you to ransack the house?"

"Didn't you say that you can use more severe measures when necessary?"

Dong Zheng was very dissatisfied.

It was you who asked me to be a bad person, but I became a bad person and yet you said it was my problem.

"But I didn't ask you to ransack your home directly!"

Wen Xu said loudly: "The Yuan family is a large family in the Jianghuai River and has connections all over the country. In the Southern Dynasties today, countless officials are supported by their favors. If you raid the Yuan Mansion, you have stirred up a hornet's nest!"

"And Yuan Heguang is still an important minister of the Southern Dynasty. You...you..."

Wen Xuqi's body and mind trembled.

Nowadays, I don’t know how many gentry and noble families have gathered outside the palace. They all come to ask for an explanation. If it is spread to Huaizhou, I don’t know how much turmoil it will cause.

The main force of the rebellion was these gentry families, which were also the cornerstone of the Southern Dynasty. If Yuan Heguang was moved now, he would destroy his own foundation.

This is an extremely stupid approach, and it is also the reason why Wen Xu has been hesitant.

But he didn't expect that Dong Zheng would directly copy the Yuan Mansion!

This is shocking!

For so many years, the imperial court has been wary of these gentry, and your Majesty will never cause another massacre like he did earlier.

After all, the new dynasty was just established at that time, and everything was still undecided.

But now it was done by Dong Zheng.

Dong Zheng has no such awareness at all, and he will not consider this.

The garrison didn't have much contact with the local area. It was only during the Food Recruitment Administration that they came into contact with these people, and they didn't have much friendship with them.

He is still very excited.

"I finally understand why Your Majesty always keeps an eye on these people. I haven't had time to investigate in detail, but I just took a cursory look... His family is really rich, and this doesn't include the Yuan Mansion's field business.

If this were added up, I don’t know how much it would be.”

Dong Zheng looked amazed.

He turned to Wen Xu and said again: "The imperial court has been cracking down on land annexation in recent years. Your Majesty also hates this. I heard that the Yuan family has tens of thousands of acres of fertile land. Where did this land come from?"

"Are you, the state shepherd, behind this?"

Wen Xu was very embarrassed when he said this.

Some phenomena will always exist. They disappear when the attack hits, and then appear again as time passes.

Fang Chi said: "Now that the matter has come out, it's useless to talk about it. Let's think about how to solve it!"

These three kings are now in charge of the Southern Dynasties, also known as the Big Three. They have a tacit understanding at present and there is no competition for superiority. However, Fang Jie is still naturally the leader.

As the Minister of Household Affairs, Lu Zhengyuan, who also proposed several good strategies, was fortunate enough to join this circle.

The reason is also very simple. They all feel that Lu Zhengyuan is relatively pure and there is no collusion of interests at present.

He is from the Liang Kingdom and has no escape route, so he has no selfish motives in the Southern Dynasties.

Are you really not selfish?

"Let him go."

After a while, Wen Xu said in a low voice: "I'll go tell Yuan Heguang and try to calm this matter down."

The reason why Wen Xu was able to occupy a place in the Southern Dynasties was because he had the support of the gentry group behind him and the local power he represented.

So he must maintain it.

Even if it is a last resort, it cannot be to this extent.

"This...has become such a mess, let's let it go again?"

Dong Zheng asked rhetorically: "Is this appropriate?"

"Whether it's suitable or not, that's the only way to go. Don't you understand that once..."

"I don't understand. I only know that without money and food, there will be no army. We will all be finished."

Dong Zheng directly interrupted Wen Xu.

He really doesn't understand the twists and turns here. Now he only believes in Mr. Lu's words, even though Mr. Lu always laughs at him.

"Master Lu, what do you think we should do?"

Lu Zhengyuan said directly: "The evildoer has already done what he has done, so he will just do it to the end. There is no turning back. Just like we rebelled, how can we achieve anything if we are hesitant?"

"We have compromised now, but it will be even more difficult to accept in the future. Emperor Yuanwu killed everyone in the past, and now King Zhennan is acting vigorously and resolutely. King Zhennan is worthy of this name, and he is really a blessing to the Southern Dynasty!"

Dong Zheng, who was talking in a few words, turned red and could hardly find his way.

I just feel like I have met a soulmate.

Lu Zhengyuan continued: "I looked at the tax rolls that were submitted recently and found that there is a lot of water in them. The taxes collected now are for ourselves, and we are not messing with the court."

"I think we should take advantage of this opportunity to measure the land, inventory the fields, and also inventory the granaries and find out the family background!"

These words made several people look stunned.

Dong Zheng was surprised and said: "Master Lu, if I remember correctly, you came to Jianghuai just to check the granaries."

"yes!"

Lu Zhengyuan said: "Then I was investigating for the imperial court, and now I am investigating for the Southern Dynasty. I have no selfish motives. Everything I do is for the Southern Dynasty."

"The imperial court is implementing the policy of paying grain to both officials and gentry, but no one actually knows how much land there is. Shouldn't this be checked? Both of you have been state pastors, so you should know these things, right?"

Wen Xu and Fang Jie looked at each other meaningfully.

They are local officials, so of course they know.

In order to deal with these problems, the imperial court also implemented the Farm Law, which was actually to divide the land among the local tyrants. However, the war that followed caused a deviation from the normal order.

As the saying goes, there are policies from above and countermeasures from below.

The imperial court's orders are always good, but they change when they are implemented at the local level.

The Farm Law was to obtain money and food for the court, but people were more willing to put the money and food into their own pockets.

After that, there was a long war, and all important matters had to give way to the war. The farm laws still existed, but the annexation of land also existed.

Naturally, it is impossible for local governments to pay taxes completely to the imperial court.

You fool me, I fool you.

Especially in the past few years since the war broke out, there has been no land survey, and no one knows what the situation is now.

"Check or not!"

Lu Zhengyuan said: "Measuring the land, inspecting the fields, and inspecting the granaries are all going on at the same time. I will handle this task and make sure the inspection is clear. We can fool the court, but we can't fool ourselves!"

"Well said!"

Dong Zheng said loudly: "Master Lu, if you have any use for me, just tell me."

He was still sighing in his heart.

This is the important minister of the Southern Dynasty who is dedicated to serving the public good.

Wen Xu shook his head helplessly.

This guy is really good at troubleshooting.

He said helplessly: "What we want to talk about now is the seizure of the Yuan Mansion."

"Is there any doubt?"

Lu Zhengyuan said: "If Mr. Lu is still like this, looking forward and backward, there is no need to continue this rebellion."

“Only by taking drastic measures can things be accomplished.”
Chapter completed!