My life skills in Daming Liver

It has to be said that Eunuch Jiao, the tax inspector sent to Shandong, is a capable bad guy.

With his efforts, the silver mines in Shandong were not mined, and the first month's mining tax was sent to the capital.

Emperor Longqing was overjoyed when he saw the white money, and immediately ordered to commend Eunuch Jiao, and once again suppressed all the memorials impeaching Uncle Jiao.

Not only that, Emperor Longqing also ordered again to dispatch mine supervisors to Huguang.

The cabinet and the six ministers naturally objected fiercely, but the emperor once again proposed that sending mine supervisors was an ancestral law, and the world's mineral resources were originally the emperor's private property. It was natural for the emperor to send his own slaves, eunuchs, to collect mining taxes.

The officials were helpless when it came to the emperor's rogue behavior.

The eunuch sent to Huguang this time was named Chen Kuang. This eunuch Chen had struggled in Yeting for many years and finally got the chance to take over.

Eunuch Chen relied on Feng Bao's line, and this time he got an important job as the mining supervisor and eunuch of Huguang. After he was appointed, he immediately packed his bags and went to Huguang to take up his post.

Eunuch Chen stayed at the inn all the way, and even asked the civilian husband at the inn to carry his sedan chair, and he quickly rushed from the capital to Huguang.

But Eunuch Chen is fast, and there are people faster than him.

Before Chen Kuang arrived in Huguang, a scholar who had settled down stopped him on the road.

This scholar's name was Wu Chao. After failing in the imperial examination for many years, he began to work as a litigator.

But although he has a sharp tongue, he has no fame and business is very bleak.

Wu Chao often dealt with businessmen and was well-informed. He soon learned about the mine supervisors in Shandong and the news that the emperor had sent mine supervisors to Huguang.

After getting the news, Wu Chao waited on the main road to Hanyang, and expected Eunuch Chen.

Chen Kuang also valued this scholar who came to his door very much.

He was just a small eunuch in charge of Ye Ting in the palace. He had no idea how to collect mining taxes, and he had no understanding of the situation in Huguang. When Wu Chao came to join him, Chen Kuang immediately recognized him as his official. Son, and appointed him as director of Jingxiang mining tax.

Wu Chao respected Chen Kuang as his godfather and immediately introduced the situation in Huguang.

Chen Kuang was most concerned about the mining errand. He immediately asked: "Is there a big mine in Huguang?"

Wu Chao shook his head and said, "I've never heard of any big mineral deposits in Huguang."

Now Chen Kuang said anxiously: "How can we collect mining tax if we don't have a mine?"

Wu Chao had obviously done some homework. He immediately said: "Godfather, there is no mining tax. You can set up a card to collect the tax."

"Set up a card to collect taxes? Is this possible?"

Wu Chao obviously knew the local situation very well, and he immediately said: "Of course it can be done!"

"Daddy, you are a nobleman in the palace. I don't know the situation in this place. It is very common for local gentry to set up cards to collect taxes. Especially in Huguang, one household often occupies an important position and sets up separate cards to collect taxes. Each family Each household also has different taxed products, and others can’t get in at all.”

Chen Kuang immediately became interested. He asked, "Is there such a thing? No wonder the imperial court's banknote customs tax cannot be collected."

In Gao Gong's New Deal reforms, banknote and tariff reform is also an important part.

But except for the Gyeonggi and Kyubian areas, even Shanxi, which is close to Gyeonggi, cannot collect tariffs on incoming banknotes.

Regarding this matter, local officials naturally said that the businessmen were cunning tax evaders, or they used the same old saying that banknote tariffs were an evil law that harmed the people and competed with the people for profit.

Although Gao Gong controls the Ministry of Personnel and the Metropolitan Procuratorate, it is impossible to send censors everywhere, not to mention that there are many officials who oppose the tax.

Chen Kuang also knew that it was difficult to collect commercial taxes, but from what Wu Chao said, it was not that commercial taxes were difficult to collect, but that the money was not in the pockets of the court at all!

Wu Chao, who has been hanging out in the local area for many years, knows the local situation best. He said:

"Reputable gentry in the local area often set up tax cards to collect taxes privately. Some people gathered dozens of people to set up tax cards like gangsters blocking the road. Local officials colluded with them and often turned a blind eye. .”

"So rampant? How can these people replace the imperial court in collecting taxes?"

"It's not a tax, it's a toll. If a caravan passes through these places, they will extort a sum of money. And if the caravan refuses to pay, it will be even more uneconomical to go to court locally. The gentry and the people from the yamen We are familiar with it. If a businessman files a lawsuit, he will have to peel off another layer of skin, so he can only pay the money and settle the matter."

"There are many powerful gentry in Huguang, and the newly promoted gentry may not have the opportunity to collect tolls."

"For example, the Zhang family in Jingzhou Prefecture, Zhang Ge's hometown, now also sets up a card in Jingzhou to collect tolls from passing cotton."

Eunuch Chen stood up and said, "The country is in such danger! These gentry don't serve the country properly, and they also set up local cards to collect taxes. Every time His Majesty wants to use money, these scholars still try to stop him in every possible way. This is so unreasonable!"

"This toll! It can only be collected by the Zajia family! The money must also be turned over to His Majesty!"

Eunuch Chen and Wu Chao discussed countermeasures, and when they arrived at the local level, they used the establishment of mine supervision and transshipment as an excuse to set up checkpoints on land and water routes to collect taxes.

As for the tax cards that collect tolls in those places, Eunuch Chen's idea is also very simple. As long as they don't hinder his tax collection, ignore them and destroy them all that block his tax collection!

Today is the day when Eunuch Chen arrives in Hanyang. Zhang Juzheng, as the highest-ranking official who stayed in Huguang before the Ming Dynasty, although he was full of disgust, still greeted this "angel" outside Hanyang City.

There was no way. Although he was a cabinet minister and a local official, Eunuch Chen was an imperial envoy of the imperial court and came to Huguang to collect mining taxes on the emperor's order.

Eunuch Chen's attitude towards Zhang Juzheng was quite respectful. After all, Mr. Zhang Ge was close to the emperor, had once given lectures to the emperor, and had many soldiers at his disposal.

After chatting with Zhang Juzheng for a while, Eunuch Chen also felt uncomfortable living with Zhang Juzheng in Hanyang. He was also worried that the new southeastern army in Wuchang City would rush out, so he quickly bid farewell to Zhang Juzheng and prepared to leave the Mine Supervisor Yamen to Jingzhou.

Zhang Juzheng had a problem with Xu Xuemo, the prefect of Jingzhou. Since losing Wuchang, Xu Xuemo impeached Zhang Juzheng many times and arrested several distant relatives of Zhang Juzheng's family in Jingzhou, making Zhang Juzheng very embarrassed.

Zhang Juzheng didn't like the eunuch, so he sent Eunuch Chen to Jingzhou.

After arriving in Jingzhou City, Eunuch Chen and his godson Wu Chao immediately recruited local gangsters and even Roadhog water bandits into the Jingxiang Mining Company. They set up checkpoints on water and land routes to support the construction of mines and extorted donations from passing merchants.

The original checkpoints for the gentry in the place, coupled with the checkpoints set up by Eunuch Chen, ordinary small businessmen soon had no way to survive.

There was an old man who sold wicks. He harvested a kind of wild grass called rushes from the wild and peeled off the slender grass stems inside the rushes. This grass stems can be used as wicks for oil lamps and are considered daily commodities for the common people. .

A load of rushes could only earn a little more than one tael from selling all the rushes. This old man relied entirely on selling rushes to support his family.

The old man was carrying the burden. Before he entered Jingzhou City, he encountered three tax cards.

The three tax cards were all set up by local powerful people, and the old man had already spent half a tael of silver before he entered the city.

In other words, if all these rushes are sold, only half a tael of silver can be earned.

It is better to make money than to make money at all. In order to pick these rushes, the old man has been busy in the mountains for more than ten days.

And his old wife almost went blind trying to peel rushes.

The old man gritted his teeth and continued carrying the burden forward, when he encountered the tax card set by Eunuch Chen.

The local gentry checkpoints at least know the principle of fishing from the lake, and they will not impose too harsh taxes on businessmen like the old man who come frequently.

This is not to say that these people are kind-hearted, but that they are doing long-term business and do not want to do things too badly.

But Eunuch Chen is different.

He knew what Eunuch Jiao was doing in Shandong. How long he could stay as a mine supervisor depended entirely on the emperor's wishes.

If he, like Eunuch Jiao, cannot receive the mining tax that satisfies the emperor, he, the mine supervisor, may be abandoned by the emperor at any time.

As for the hatred of eunuchs by those civil servants, Eunuch Chen knew very well. He knew that if he could not get the emperor's protection, he would be dead.

For Eunuch Chen, what is fishing with all his strength? Zajia is about fishing in a sustainable manner!

Eunuch Chen's men levied heavy taxes on passing merchants. Even the old man who did small business was charged half a tael of silver.

Of course the old man refused to pay. He had already spent one tael of silver before entering Jingzhou City. He also had to pay the city tax when entering the city. After entering the city, he set up a stall to buy things and had to be filial to the government officials. This load of wicks If you don’t make a penny, you will lose money!

Seeing that his family relied on these small businesses to support their family, the old man became so angry that he lit a load of wicks directly in front of the mine supervisor's tax card and jumped directly into the flames.

Wu Chao, who was drinking tea at the tax card, was indifferent and instead asked his men to collect taxes more intensively.

Zhang Juzheng, who heard the news in Hanyang, became even more disgusted with the eunuch Chen.

The Zhang family members in Jingzhou also sent people to cry out to Zhang Juzheng, saying that Eunuch Chen had even removed their Zhang family's tax cards.

Zhang Juzheng reprimanded the tribesmen and asked them not to set up tax cards in his own name, but he also made up his mind to take action against Eunuch Chen.

Zhang Juzheng did not write a letter to impeach the eunuch Chen Kuang like other officials in Huguang.

Zhang Juzheng knew that Eunuch Chen was sent by the emperor to make money. As long as he could send money to the capital, the emperor would not replace him under any circumstances.

Zhang Juzheng inquired about Chen Kuang's practices in Xiangyang, Jingzhou, and learned that Chen Kuang had recruited a group of villains from the Wu Dynasty to help him make money. Zhang Juzheng decided to start with this group of people from the Wu Dynasty.

Zhang Juzheng first invited Chen Kuang to a banquet in Hanyang. At first, Chen Kuang did not dare to attend the banquet. However, Zhang Juzheng invited him many times and Chen Kuang could only put on simple clothes and go to Hanyang to attend the banquet.

Before setting off, Wu Chao also prepared a plan for Chen Kuang. If Mr. Zhang Ge asked about the mining tax, he would say it was His Majesty's will.

After the trembling Chen Kuang went to the banquet, Zhang Juzheng did not mention the mining tax collection. Instead, he praised Chen Kuang for his ability and ability to take care of the emperor's worries.

After three rounds of drinking, Zhang Juzheng even praised Chen Kuang's ability, saying bluntly that as long as he could complete this errand, he would definitely return to the Si Li Supervisor and serve as the eunuch Bingbi!

Chen Kuang also felt the taste of power these days, and Zhang Ju was recognized as a capable minister by both the government and the public. With his praise, Chen Kuang also felt like he was floating.

"Eunuch Chen, you have done well in Huguang, but you just hired the wrong person."

"What?"

Chen Kuang was already feeling a little dizzy while drinking the high-strength wine brought from the southeast.

Zhang Juzheng said: "I heard that you have a alias called Wu Chao, who always does evil under your name. Now all the officials in Huguang are impeaching this scum. This will affect your reputation!"

Chen Kuang was a little confused. He was a eunuch, what kind of reputation did he have?

Zhang Juzheng said: "If Eunuch Chen wants to collect mining taxes in Huguang all his life, then of course he doesn't need to care about his reputation. But if he wants to be the chief eunuch of the ceremonial department, then he must not be impeached by the officials every day, right?"

Chen Kuang nodded. The relationship between the eunuchs and civil servants was delicate, and most officials would not impeach these eunuchs casually.

"This Wu Dynasty always extorts money in your name. It is said that he has married nine concubines and bought land in Jingzhou."

"Most of the money they collect goes into their own pockets, but it's you, Eunuch Chen, who is being scolded by everyone in Huguang, right?"

"In addition, I also heard that Mr. Gao Ge is also dissatisfied with the Huguang Mine Superintendent and is planning to send a patrol to inspect."

Chen Kuang was deceived by Zhang Juzheng. After returning to Jingzhou again, his eyes changed when he looked at Wu Chao.

Chen Kuang quickly found out that Wu Chao had indeed married a nine-bedroom concubine, bought extensive properties in Jingzhou, and lived a more luxurious life than he, a mining supervisor and eunuch.

The Wu Dynasty called himself the Ambassador of Jingxiang Mine Supervision, and he shouted at the grassroots officials, and even the county magistrate did not pay attention.

As Zhang Juzheng said, a lot of the taxes collected by Wu Chao and others were withheld by them, and only a small part was handed over to Chen Kuang.

Chen Kuang became increasingly alienated from the Wu Dynasty. By September, the mining tax paid by the Wu Dynasty was much less than in August.

Now Chen Kuang was even more dissatisfied. The Wu Dynasty had made a big splash this month and recruited a large number of people to collect mining taxes. They were also shouting and drinking when traveling. Even Xu Xuemo, the prefect of Jingzhou, didn't notice.

Why is the mining tax paid less than in previous months?

The Wu Dynasty also said that eunuchs were the emperor's black gloves, and they were the eunuchs' black gloves. If it wasn't profitable, how could these people gather under Chen Kuang's command.

The more people there are, the more mining taxes will be intercepted, and the less will be handed over to Chen Kuang.

Hearing that there was a conflict between Chen Kuang and Wu Chao, Zhang Juzheng knew it was time to take action. Instead of dealing with Chen Kuang, the mine supervisor and eunuch, he directly captured Wu Chao.

The Wu Dynasty had no Ming court fame and was not a member of the palace. Chen Kuang did not protect him, so Zhang Juzheng immediately obtained a confession.

Taking the Wu Dynasty's confession, Zhang Juzheng went over to threaten Chen Kuang. At one moment he said that the imperial court would send a censor to convict him of his crime, and at another moment he said that the palace would hand over Chen Kuang to the people. This made Chen Kuang panic all day long.

After seeing the fate of Wu Chao, Chen Kuang had no one to help him collect the mining tax. Without the mining tax to pay, Chen Kuang was even more panicked.

Chen Kuang was threatened by Zhang Juzheng, and thinking of Yeting's method of punishing erring eunuchs, he hanged himself in the mine superintendent's office.

Huguang officials praised Zhang Juzheng one after another, but Zhang Juzheng did not get any glory.

A small mine supervisor and eunuch made Huguang uneasy. Zhang Juzheng felt that Gao Gong's new affairs movement could not save the Ming Dynasty.