Chapter 760 (1/2)
In the imperial library, Zhou Ze only waited for less than half a column of incense. Then Wang Chengen led an old man with bent body and silver hair to come in.
”Your Majesty, Wei Zhongxian has arrived!”
”Well! Let him in Zhou Ze nodded and put down the brush he was playing with.
”Old slave, see your majesty!” Today's Wei Zhongxian, the disaster of many days in prison makes him look very tired, but at the moment of seeing Zhou Ze, his spirit is extremely excited, and he desperately wants to seize the last straw.
”Wei Zhongxian, civil and military officials have urged me to order you to be executed several times. Do you know why I have not ordered you to be executed?”
”The old slave... The old slave is stupid. I hope your majesty will elaborate.”
Zhou Ze looked at the old man who kept kowtowing on the ground. After a long time, he began to speak slowly.
”When the imperial brother passed on the throne to me, he told me that loyalty and virtue could ensure the stability of the throne. I have never understood this sentence. Can you explain it to me, Duke Wei?”
”Your Majesty, do you know why the late emperor was so addicted to carpentry that he did not want to go to court?” Hearing Zhou Ze say the first emperor, Wei Zhongxian looked excited.
”Oh? Talk about it
”When the first emperor ascended the great treasure, he also wanted to be a famous Ming monarch in the history of history. Unfortunately, the Ming Dynasty has been in a state of uncertainty. In the imperial court, there are many corrupt scholars who boast and have no real material. They often ask the sage to say that they have to retreat to the Imperial Palace and indulge in carpentry.”
”Only when the emperor had no choice but to cultivate the old slaves against the corrupt Confucians in the imperial court!”
”Sire, the old slave is a dog kept by the royal family. If your majesty wants to kill the old slave, he can easily deprive the old slave of his power and kill him with a will. The old slave has no resistance at all!”
”But has your majesty ever thought that when the old slave is dead, who will share the firepower of those corrupt scholars in the court hall for your majesty? Without the old slave, a vicious dog, those who seek fame and reputation but are actually prostitutes will aim at your majesty. ”
”At that time, your majesty, would you like to be a wise king in the mouth of the courtiers and act under their control, or will you be a faint one and hide in the back palace and ignore the affairs of the court?”
Wei Zhongxian's eyes are full of expectation, looking at Zhou Ze, he has said so thoroughly, so barefaced, if the emperor wants to kill him, then he also admits his life.
Zhou Ze was silent for a long time. Finally, he stretched out three fingers.
”Three demands!”
”Your Majesty, please speak!” Hearing Zhou Ze's request, Wei Zhongxian felt relieved. He was not afraid of the emperor's request. He was afraid that the young emperor was a fool and did not understand the emperor's weighing skills.
”First, I need money, a lot of money. You can't take it from the people! This one, maybe finished? ”
”Don't worry, your majesty, there are so many powerful and rich gentry in the Ming Dynasty, especially in the south of the Yangtze River! The wealth in the hands of these families ranges from hundreds of thousands to millions of silver. The old slaves only need to find a few families with serious crimes to take over their families every year, which will be enough for your Majesty's money and wealth. ”
Zhou Ze shook his head. ”This is not a long-term law. I need you to push forward the business tax. No one can stop it!”
On hearing this, Wei Zhongxian frowned, ”Your Majesty, you may not know that when the first emperor was here, the old slave had carried out the business tax according to the emperor's will, and it was still a very slight tax of 20:1, but as a result, the tax collectors sent to collect taxes were killed by the common people just after they arrived in the south of the Yangtze River! I'm afraid the merchants will not accept the ten taxes and one tax demanded by your majesty! ”