Chapter 106: His Majesty's Judgment
Deng Qianqiu's words fell.

Then Zhu Biao said, "Qianqiu, you can't say that about our father. Although he values ​​money as his life, he has his own difficulties."

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

You say Zhu Biao is filial, but he actually followed Deng Qianqiu in slandering his father behind his back.

You say he is unfilial, but he can actually understand the difficulties of his father.

The damn thing is...

Of course, what disappointed Zhu Yuanzhang the most was that the prince actually came in person to plunder the merchants' wealth.

In fact, it is not impossible to plunder the wealth of merchants.

But the prince must never be allowed to do such things. Otherwise, people all over the world will complain, and what prestige will the prince have?

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang's mind was in a thousand circles, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He could no longer hold back his anger and shouted, "Really? I love silver? Who told you that?"

When these words were spoken, the two people sitting behind the desk were startled.

Deng Qianqiu's face turned green and he suddenly felt his legs go weak. He had been kneeling on the ground but now he couldn't stand up.

He spoke ill of the emperor behind his back and was caught by the emperor!

It's just so unlucky.

Zhu Biao seemed to be relatively calm, so he stood up quickly and asked, "Father...what's wrong with the emperor?"

The fact is, even the prince was inevitably a little panicked at this time.

His father's arrival was so unexpected that he was caught off guard.

Deng Qianqiu was still kneeling at the desk. It was not that he didn't want to get up to receive the emperor, but that he couldn't get up.

Zhu Yuanzhang was now as angry as a giant, shouting, "You are really rebellious, doing such a thing behind my back!"

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Zhu Biao and continued, "Zhu Biao, you are the crown prince. What do you want to do by issuing an imperial edict in private? It's fine for you to issue an imperial edict, but why do you have to do it behind people's backs? Well, for more than three months, more than three months, you have kept it a secret from me."

Zhu Biao seemed to have recovered from his shock and said steadily, "Father always taught me to listen to the ministers' advice and make decisions on state affairs. I am following your teachings!"

"I didn't ask you to hide it from me, and you dare to talk back!" Zhu Yuanzhang shouted angrily.

But Wen Yuanji, who was standing behind, was scared half to death. He was in Chunhe Palace and knew that if the father and son quarreled and made the emperor angry, he might not beat the prince, but he might beat the bodyguards.

Wen Yuanji then hurriedly stepped back a few steps before saying with great sorrow, "Your Highness, Your Highness, the Crown Prince, you just need to admit your mistake. This matter... is indeed cruel to the people. The Crown Prince is the heir to the throne, and you should show the world your benevolence and filial piety..."

Zhu Yuanzhang shouted: "Shut up."

"Oh." Wen Yuanji nodded simply and said nothing.

Zhu Yuanzhang continued to glare at Zhu Biao and said, "I want to ask you, is it true that you issued an imperial edict so blatantly to arrest merchants everywhere?"

Zhu Biao thought for a moment and said, "Father, this... I am not familiar with it yet. I am busy counting the silver here. Let Deng Qianqiu explain this matter."

Deng Qianqiu: “…”

Okay, okay, this is how you and your son should play, right?

Of course, what bad intentions could Crown Prince Zhu Biao have?

But Zhu Biao was an honest man and not good at lying, and he really didn't understand the principle behind it.

Deng Qianqiu had no choice but to support himself on the table and barely stood up. Just as he stood firm, he couldn't help but fall down again, so he staggered and smiled apologetically: "Your Majesty, this... this... His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has issued a business tax, but there are still illegal merchants who hide it and don't report it. In this regard, the Hundred Households Office had to take extraordinary measures and hit them hard. Of course, I didn't beat them, I just taught them to make up the business tax and pay the fine."

Zhu Yuanzhang thought he was just making excuses and sneered, "Don't try to fool me with this. Do you think I don't know just because you made up a new name?"

Zhu Yuanzhang could not help but curse: "How foolish! Really foolish! Throughout the dynasties, only cruel officials have done such things, and no heir has ever done such a thing! My Ming Dynasty has only been established for a few years, and you are going to provoke the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people under the feet of the emperor?"

Deng Qianqiu broke out in a cold sweat and said hurriedly, "Your Majesty, this is true. These merchants...are all voluntary. There are only a very small number of...illegal merchants..."

"Don't try to use this excuse."

Deng Qianqiu had no choice but to bite the bullet and said, "If your majesty doesn't believe it, you can just ask a random merchant. If I really do what your majesty said, I would rather die."

Zhu Yuanzhang naturally didn't believe it, and snorted coldly: "You still dare to quibble now, Wen Yuanji, go and invite the merchant just now."

Wen Yuanji asked, "Which one?"

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at him coldly. Wen Yuanji was startled and said hurriedly, "I will go now."

Not long after, Wen Yuanji really called a merchant over, who was the one he met at the door.

The merchant seemed to feel something was wrong, and suddenly felt like an eggplant hit by frost. As soon as he entered the hall, he saw Zhu Yuanzhang being treated like a star by everyone. He was immediately surprised. Although he did not know Zhu Yuanzhang's identity, he knew that the man he had just bumped into at the door was definitely not extraordinary.

He did not hesitate, with a sad face: "I wish you death, I wish you death, I... was blind, I shouldn't have offended you... I..."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned in disdain, and then said coldly: "I am asking you a question now. If you dare to say anything nonsense, I will kill your whole family immediately."

When the merchant heard the man in front of him claiming to be "I", he was so frightened that he almost collapsed.

Later, when I heard that my whole family would be killed, just when I was about to pass out, it was like a shot of adrenaline, and I suddenly became alert.

Perhaps it was the desire to survive that made the businessman particularly clever at this moment, as if all the wisdom he had accumulated over decades was attached to him at this moment.

"I...I will answer all my questions and give you all the answers I know."

Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "Who are you?"

"I am Liu Kang, a commoner from Jiangning. I am in the paper business. My family has a papermaking workshop. On weekdays, I transport goods to Songjiang and Zhenjiang to sell."

Zhu Yuanzhang's face became sullen. He put his hands behind his back, paced a few steps, and said, "You paid this tax on your own initiative. Were you forced? Answer truthfully. Don't worry. If you answer sincerely, I will protect your whole family. But if you lie..."

Liu Kang shuddered with fear, and said hurriedly: "I am sincere, I am sincere... I am here to pay taxes sincerely, no one is forcing me."

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression changed slightly, and he seemed a little surprised.

Wen Yuanji looked unconvinced.

Zhu Yuanzhang then continued to ask: "Since Jiangning County has imposed a new commercial tax, why are you willing to come here to pay it? When you were paying the tax just now, I clearly heard you complaining that your life was difficult."

Liu Kang was immediately ashamed and said, "Since I have paid the money, of course my life is difficult..."

After hesitating for a moment, he continued, "Although the common people feel distressed by the imposition of commercial taxes, this is not inconsistent with our sincere and willing willingness."

Zhu Yuanzhang carefully observed his expression, as if trying to tell if he was lying. He looked at him coldly and asked, "Why?"

"At first, the government notified workshops and merchants everywhere that they were going to impose taxes, and naturally everyone complained. But later, everyone realized that they had to report the commercial tax themselves, bringing the deeds and the gold and silver they had delivered to the Hundred Households Office to report it."

"At first, no one took it seriously, just me. I was thinking, if I don't report it, is it okay even if I don't make any money?"

“But when I inquired later, I found out that those who applied actually received benefits.”

"Is there any benefit?" Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Liu Kang with his eyes flickering.

Liu Kang said, "Of course, Your Majesty, do you know that when we do business and transport goods, we need various road permits and commercial permits? When the goods arrive at the dock, they will be checked at the dock. When passing through the checkpoints, the patrols and waterway patrols will check them. On the surface, there are no commercial taxes, but in fact, if I sell a warehouse of paper to Songjiang, I need to pass through more than a dozen checkpoints and docks along the way, as well as spot checks along the way. You have to take care of everything, and every time there is a search, you have to smile... Your Majesty... You don't know how difficult it is... If you can keep half of this truckload of goods when it arrives in Songjiang, it's good enough. Sometimes, if you run into a ruthless person, it's possible that you will lose everything."

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned and his face became even more serious.

The purpose of Zhu Yuanzhang setting up garrisons and inspection stations in various places was not only to catch thieves and prevent thieves, but also to prevent bandits.

Because at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, there were many bandits, but Zhu Yuanzhang did not expect that these guards and inspection offices that did not bear the responsibility of collecting taxes would actually... be so...

Liu Kang smiled bitterly and said, "But it's different if we declare. Here at the Hundred Households Office, as long as we bring the deed and the information about the goods we are transporting, as well as the quality of the goods, etc. to declare, the Hundred Households Office will give us a note. With this note, it is said that we can be protected from being harassed by the government along the way. In addition, if the merchant's goods are lost or have problems along the way, the Hundred Households Office also promises to investigate carefully and post a notice to the public."

"At first, everyone didn't believe it. But it happened that someone was harassed when he got the pass issued by the centurion. The inspector who stopped them didn't care about the pass, and there was a commotion for a while. Who would have thought that the centurion got news that a general flag officer actually went to the inspector and asked for justice for the merchant."

"In this case, Your Majesty... You said, it is not easy for ordinary merchants like us to sell goods on weekdays. Every time we escort goods, it is like going to the gates of hell. Isn't this Hundred Households Office a timely rain for us? Therefore, although the commercial tax is quite heavy, the common people are still willing to pay it in cash. Besides..."

"Hmm?" Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Liu Kang, and asked with a hint of anticipation: "Anything else?"

Liu Kang said, "Besides, although the Hundred Households Office does not check the accounts of every merchant and teaches everyone to apply for tax returns on their own initiative, they will still conduct random inspections every now and then. Once someone is found to be refusing to pay taxes, they will be fined heavily. Although the probability of being found out in this life is not high, think about it, Your Majesty. We merchants have the protection of the Hundred Households Office after we report taxes. If we don't report, we may really go bankrupt at any time. How can we not take the initiative to do it?"

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang sneered and said, "So, although it is understandable, they still harmed the people? They threatened you to pay the money and come out?"

Liu Kang was actually anxious, so anxious that he even forgot his fear for a moment, and said: "Your Majesty, why don't you understand..."

When he got to this point, he suddenly realized that he had said something wrong. His face suddenly changed and he said hurriedly, "I wish you a thousand deaths. What I mean is... those merchants who have lost everything... deserve it. It should have happened a long time ago. More than 90% of the merchants in Jiangning are happy to see this happen..."

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

…………

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(End of this chapter)