Please call me Your Majesty!

Chapter 117 If the bandits can go, I can go too!

From Wang Ruizhen's land case, Chu Shizhao had more or less understood a type of problem that had arisen in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

That is, the tax burden between landlords and farmers was not balanced.

Otherwise, the practice of land donation would not have emerged. The literati and officials helped the people to evade taxes in order to make profits for themselves. In this way, the people paid less taxes, and the literati and officials stole the benefits that did not belong to them from the people and the country.

The current situation is that the landlords and officials who are relatively wealthy can pay less taxes and earn more money, while the poorer common people have to pay the basic taxes required by the country for this group of people.

It is equivalent to saying that the rich get richer and the poor have to support themselves all their lives just to satisfy all the classes above them.

The truth is that most rulers regard landlords and officials as their main supporters, but ignore the working people who are more numerous.

Until his death, Chongzhen never took action against the aristocratic families and royal relatives. He always borrowed money and grain from these people to ease the crisis.

What’s funny is that Chongzhen didn’t borrow anything from them at all, and in order to maintain the rule of the system and quell the rebellion, he had to increase the exploitation of the lowest level of people.

By the time Li Zicheng, the King of Rebellion, broke into the capital, he had obtained a total of about 7000 million taels of silver simply by plundering the Ming Dynasty's dignitaries and officials.

In fact, Chu Shizhao also sympathized with Chongzhen, because even if Chongzhen found out that the landlords and gentry were the wealthy party, he had no ability to rob money from them.

Looking at the series of actions that Chongzhen took when he came to power, if he had done the same thing again, killing all the landlords, officials and gentry, he would have offended everyone in every way.

Maybe you'll die even faster.

Therefore, the Lu-Ma Rebellion, a seemingly far-reaching political rebellion, cannot be said to be a completely bad thing for Chu Shizhao and the Zhou Dynasty.

This gave Chu Shizhao a chance to reshuffle.

The biggest problem with land annexation is the problem of resource allocation.

What is the fastest way to reallocate resources is to actually fight an internal war.

At least, before the Lu-Ma Rebellion, Chu Shizhao did not dare to implement the "Single Whip Law" and did not have the conditions to do so.

After all, according to the law of conservation of energy, if one side benefits, another side must suffer. If the people pay less taxes, the landlords and officials will have to pay more.

Chu Shizhao did not have sufficient strength, and one can imagine the resistance he encountered during the reform process.

However, the civil unrest caused by the Luma Rebellion not only redistributed the land in some rebellious areas, but Chu Shizhao also used this process to strengthen his own ruling power and military strength. This was the capital that gave Chu Shizhao the courage to reform.

No matter whether you accept it or not, if you don’t accept it, then use your fists to speak.

Chu Shizhao’s main concern now is that many of his supporters are actually mainly landlords and officials.

For example, Huan Sheng, the biggest contributor to Chu Shizhao's coup, was not only the largest landlord in Liangzhou, but also one of the most powerful families.

Therefore, Huan Sheng wanted to reform the country and strengthen the country, but his reforms were never on point, because Huan Sheng's starting point was still based on the perspective of the aristocratic families.

Chu Shizhao naturally would not demand that his subordinates be fair, selfless and selfless, but Chu Shizhao must resolutely implement his ideas.

The main thing is, if Chu Shizhao's generation doesn't die, the Great Zhou Dynasty can continue, but what about Chu Shizhao's next generation?

If Chu Shizhao does not reform and become stronger, his children will be the ones who suffer in the end.

Chu Shizhao had long begun to lay out the prerequisites for the "Single Whip Law". He repeatedly cleared out the forces that did not support him in the government and the country and cultivated a new bureaucratic group, all for today.

Otherwise the policy cannot be implemented at all.

Wen Yu and Guo You's status in the court rose rapidly, but they were of relatively humble origins and were relatively resolute in enforcing the "One Whip Law".

Their interests will not be harmed, the country will become strong, and they will also be remembered in history. For ministers like Wen Yu, this is simply the realization of their ideal, so why not do it?

[In May of the second year of Kaihuang, during Chu Shizhao's reign, a large number of officials were dismissed simply because of their work style problems. This indirectly eliminated redundant officials and staff in government agencies, which was beneficial to the operation of the country.]

[In June of the second year of Kaihuang, Chu Shizhao sent Wen Yu to Fujian to conduct a pilot test of the "One Whip Law".]

[In July of the second year of Kaihuang, Wen Yu began to survey the local land as soon as he took office, laying a solid foundation for the "One Whip Law".]

[In March of the third year of Kaihuang, after Chu Shizhao checked for deficiencies and made strict investigations and sorted out the land across the country, all the new land that had been reclaimed over the years was filled in the register. With the increase in the actual number of acres of land, and Chu Shizhao's efforts to crack down on the nobles and gentry who concealed their land and evaded taxes, the land tax revenue of the Great Zhou Dynasty increased greatly.]

【Since Chu Shizhao took over as regent in the 31st year of Yongjin, he has been committed to measuring the land. This method enables the court to have a relatively comprehensive and accurate grasp of the amount of land in the country, which has played a positive role in increasing fiscal revenue.】

[This move is also one of the most important conditions for implementing the "One Whip Law."]

[Wen Yu was in southern Fujian, Dong Feng was in Zhejiang, Guo You was in Qingzhou, Shandong, and Huan Sheng went to Fanyang. They all followed Chu Shizhao's request and began to carry out the reform of the "One Whip Law".]

[In July of the third year of Kaihuang, in order to provide for military expenses and ensure the stability of military strength, Chu Shizhao reduced unnecessary expenditures, stopped the Ministry of Works from collecting wood, lived in a simpler manner in the palace, and did not repair the palaces that had fallen into disrepair.]

【Chu Shizhao issued a lenient order to exempt all kinds of arrears. At the same time, he recruited refugees from the Lu-Ma Rebellion. All the people from the Lu-Ma Rebellion area were exempted from taxes and corvée for one year to ensure that they could resume production.】

[In addition, Chu Shizhao stopped the court's external purchases and reinstated the officials who had previously worked with Yin Shangxian and Gao Qin.]

[Su Fu was transferred to the capital by Chu Shizhao and served as the Imperial Censor.]

[In September of the third year of Kaihuang, Chu Shizhao had always attached great importance to the northern defense line. He discussed the gains and losses of previous emperors with his ministers many times and believed that the Central Plains was weak and would be besieged by foreign races.]

[In terms of national defense, Chu Shizhao actively recruited generals, selected brave and intelligent generals, and gave them high salaries and ranks. He selected those generals who were both wise and brave to guard the border. In order to comfort their hard life, Chu Shizhao gave these generals who guarded the border generous preferential treatment.]

[At the same time, Chu Shizhao nurtured the people and stabilized the country, cared for and supported the soldiers under his command, trained them regularly and provided them with the best equipment.]

[In order to prepare for war, Chu Shizhao stored a large amount of food, emphasized agriculture and saved money, so as to ensure that there would be sufficient food and grain for the battle at the critical moment.]

[In December of the third year of Kaihuang, the Beiwei Army expanded to more than 3,000 soldiers. Most of the horses they used were produced in Liangzhou. Chu Shizhao carefully selected armor and weapons for them to use in battle, maintained them day and night, and ensured that they were needed during wartime.]

[In the same month, Chu Shizhao thoroughly checked the list of soldiers in the three prefectures who were drawing salaries without doing anything, and cleared out many fictitious names.]

[In May of the fourth year of Kaihuang, Chu Shizhao personally led the Beiwei Army to conduct a series of patrols at the border to ensure that the Xiongnu would not dare to invade.] [In July of the fourth year of Kaihuang, Huan Sheng was surprised to find that under the implementation of the "One Whip Law", the economy of the Great Zhou Dynasty was recovering rapidly in a powerful way. He took advantage of the situation and held a secret meeting with Chu Shizhao to discuss state affairs. He strongly suggested that Chu Shizhao strike while the iron is hot and immediately implement this policy throughout the country.]

[In August, the Ministry of Revenue was ordered to formulate eight regulations on the scope, responsibilities, policies, methods, fees, and deadlines for the implementation of the "One Whip Law" to avoid policy errors.]

[In July of the seventh year of Kaihuang, the "One Whip Law" was basically completed in all provinces within the three-year deadline, with a total expenditure of more than 800,000 hectares of new fertile land. The "One Whip Law" has been implemented throughout the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty.]

[Congratulations on unlocking a new policy - "One Whip Law". ]

["One Whip Law": In the first three years of implementation, the public sentiment of all regions will rise by 2 points per round, the probability of triggering good events will increase by 20%, officials in office will grow faster, the population growth of the administrative area will increase by 20%, the population ceiling will be increased, local construction will be accelerated, and tax revenue will increase at a high income growth rate.]

[In the short term, it reduced the burden on farmers and greatly stimulated and developed national productivity. However, in the tenth year after its implementation, the effect was greatly weakened.]

[In August of the seventh year of Kaihuang, Chu Shizhao demanded that the Xiongnu royal court hand over Ma Suan, one of the main culprits of the Luma Rebellion, and his son Ma Wei.]

[For this reason, Chu Shizhao asked the court officials who dared to serve as an envoy, and went to the Xiongnu king's court to find out.]

【The Imperial Censor Su Fu took on this important task.】

[In September of the seventh year of Kaihuang, Su Fu was sent as an envoy to the Xiongnu royal court. He asked the Xiongnu Chanyu to return Ma Suan and Ma Wei, traitors of the Great Zhou Dynasty.]

【But the other party decisively rejected it. 】

[In the eyes of the Xiongnu Chanyu, they handed it over just because your Great Zhou Dynasty asked for it. What do you think of their integrity?]

[What's more, Ma Su'an and Ma Wei took the initiative to surrender to the Xiongnu royal court. If they were handed over just like that, would anyone be willing to surrender to the Xiongnu royal court in the future?]

[Furthermore, since Ma Suan and Ma Wei surrendered to the Xiongnu royal court, they have provided a lot of help, whether it is training soldiers for them in military matters or explaining the tactics of the Great Zhou Dynasty, they have spared no effort.]

[In September of the seventh year of Kaihuang, Ma Su'an heard that the Great Zhou Dynasty had sent envoys to the Xiongnu royal court to make a request to capture him and bring him back to the Great Zhou Dynasty. He was furious and had a fierce conflict with Chu Shizhao's envoy Su Fu in the Xiongnu royal court's tent.]

[As an envoy of the imperial court, Su Fu naturally could not bring disgrace upon the prestige of the Great Zhou Dynasty. He immediately engaged Ma Suan in a bloody battle with a sword in hand.]

[“Even though I die today, in the future, the Great Zhou will surely wipe out the places where you traitors live.” Su Fu knew that he was no match for a warrior like Ma Suan, but behind him was the entire Great Zhou Dynasty. ]

[As a minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty, how could he lose the face of the country and his own integrity? ! ]

[Even if he couldn't defeat Ma Su'an, he would at least draw his sword. This was his attitude, and also the attitude of the Great Zhou Dynasty.]

[Although Ma Suan was easily angered, his temper had been restrained over the years. He also knew that if he killed the envoy of the Great Zhou Dynasty here, it might play into the hands of the other party, so he just went through the motions and did not dare to kill him.]

[However, the Xiongnu prince felt that this was a loss of face for the Xiongnu people. He had to remain silent while watching the other side bully him. The Xiongnu prince, who had been a noble since childhood, had never been treated like this.]

[When Su Fu left the grassland and prepared to return to the Great Zhou Dynasty to report the situation, the Xiongnu prince ambushed Su Fu.]

[Among the envoys, one of the cavalrymen who escorted Su Fu was once an elite soldier who had retired from the Beiwei Army. When the entire envoys were ambushed and suffered heavy casualties, he rode a fast horse and wanted to report the news to the Great Zhou Dynasty as soon as possible.]

[In October of the seventh year of Kaihuang, the Xiongnu prince captured Su Fu. He detained Su Fu and threatened and lured him many times in an attempt to make him surrender. Even with these hard and soft tactics, Su Fu refused to obey even at death.]

[Su Fu believed that Chu Shizhao would definitely avenge him and would definitely fight his way to the grassland, so he kept cursing those Xiongnu nobles in the Xiongnu royal court.]

[When the Xiongnu Chanyu learned about this, he immediately realized that the current situation put the Xiongnu in a difficult position. However, he also felt that the grassland was a large plain and the Xiongnu's home ground, while the main force of the Great Zhou Dynasty was still infantry. Even if they fought on the grassland, it would not be convenient for the Great Zhou Dynasty to display their strength.]

[As long as Chu Shizhao dares to fight, they will dare to retreat and continue to consume the enemy's food and supplies. If the fight continues like this, Chu Shizhao will not dare to waste the country's strength to fight them, and this matter should not be that serious yet. ]

【Especially since the Great Zhou Dynasty was in a state of disrepair and the new emperor Chu Shizhao was still dealing with government affairs and trying to reform and strengthen the country, the Xiongnu Chanyu thought about it and did not think that the Great Zhou Dynasty could adjust so quickly and even restore its national strength in the aftermath of the Luma Rebellion that swept the entire Great Zhou Dynasty six years ago.】

[It must be said that the judgment of the Xiongnu Chanyu was extremely accurate. They assisted Ma Su'an and Lu Yi's rebellion before because they realized that they would suffer unacceptable losses if they fought within the Great Zhou Dynasty, so they reduced their assistance to the two and, after gaining the people of Datong, they retreated brazenly. This not only reduced the losses of the thousand-mile raid and the expedition to the Great Zhou Dynasty.]

[He also provided the entire Xiongnu with more than 100,000 people as slave laborers. The Great Zhou Dynasty was now at an important moment of reform and innovation, and the Xiongnu Chanyu felt that he could be sure of Chu Shizhao's attitude.]

[In November of the seventh year of Kaihuang, upon learning that Su Fu was detained by the Xiongnu royal court, and recalling the Xiongnu's sinister act of burning down Datong City, taking away hundreds of thousands of civilians, and destroying the city, Chu Shizhao angrily slammed the table.]

【"So good!"】

[“In this battle, we will settle all old and new grudges together.”]

[“If the enemy can go, I can go too!”]

【Chu Shizhao swore an oath to his troops in Chang'an. For many years, Chu Shizhao had been promoting the idea of ​​war, which led to the great Zhou Dynasty's generals being full of martial virtue, especially the generals headed by Yang Yanchao. They almost wanted to go to war immediately to repay the grievances of the past years, repaying grievances with grievances, and blood with blood!】

[However, in Chang'an, there were also some civil officials who were prepared for danger in times of peace and lamented the lives of the people. They constantly advised Chu Shizhao not to engage in excessive military expansion and give the people of the world a chance to breathe and some room to recuperate.]

[In response, Chu Shizhao simply said, "Dignity lies only on the edge of the sword."

[“This is the dignity of the country, not the dignity of one individual or one family.”]

[“The people of the world are the people, but the people of Datong are not the people, and the people of the border are not the people?”]

[“I treat all my subjects equally and will never give up on any family or household lightly.”]

[“If you are willing to endure the cold eyes and bullying of others, then there is no need to fight. I only ask one question at this court meeting: Who is willing to go with me?!”]

[At the court meeting, rows of warriors came out one after another. ]

[“We are willing to go with Your Majesty!!!”]

[After the words fell, Chu Shizhao raised his hand and waved. ]

[Under that crown, Chu Shizhao was shining brightly with the demeanor of an emperor, and was filled with an overwhelming arrogance that soared into the sky. ]

[“Then fight! Fight them until they know that our Great Zhou is mighty and inviolable!”]

[“I want to see with my own eyes the Huns kneeling down to pay homage to me!!! Calling me the Heavenly Khan!!!”]

(End of this chapter)