Now that the properties of corrupt officials had been seized, the national treasury was filled!
However, this was not enough!
To make the Great Zhou Empire last forever, to punish corruption and implement the new tax law was only the beginning!
"Let Cao Zhengchun and Wei Zhongxian see me.”
"I accept your decree!"
Cao Zhengchun and Wei Zhongxian arrived outside Yangxin Palace Hall one after another.
The two of them were proud of themselves and their faces were filled with joy.
They had already heard the news of the victory at Three Rivers Pass.
During this period of time, Eagle Claw of the Eastern and Western Regions had already started investigating the corruption of all the civil and military officials.
However, there were too many civil and military officials.
This was an incomparably huge project.
However, the two of them already had information about the corruption of the officials. They had evidence and could not deny it.
"I am Cao Zhengchun!"
"I am Wei Zhongxian!"
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
"Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"I asked you to investigate the corruption of the civil and military officials.”
Wei Zhongxian was one step ahead of Wang Zhen and handed over the information he had obtained from the West Hall.
"Your Majesty, this is what I have found temporarily. It's all here!”
"Your Majesty, the East Chamber has also found out that many officials in the court are corrupt!" Cao Zhengchun was half a step slower.”
Wang Zhen handed the memorial to Ji Hao.
Ji Hao finished reading the report from the west branch, then read the report from the east branch.
Bang!
Ji Hao's face was filled with killing intent as he threw the two memorials on the table in front of him.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. Your dragon body is more important." Shangguan Wan 'er advised from the side.”
Cao Zhengchun and Wei Zhongxian were in fear and trepidation, their faces full of worry." We didn't know that these people were so bold. The Minister of War, Shi Chong, and the Minister of Revenue, Jia Sidao, colluded with each other. The two of them occupied more than 720,000 hectares of land and embezzled a total of 10 million taels of silver…"
"Who gave them such courage! If they were allowed to continue doing whatever they wanted in the long run, in a few years, they would be another Yan Song!”
"This bunch of bastards actually managed to become ministers. Which minister isn't my subordinate? Is this how my subordinate repays me?”
" Your Majesty, Shi Chong and Jia Shidao are too arrogant and have no regard for Your Majesty. I will definitely take them into account when I go to court!”
"Your Majesty, this subject will also consult these two!”
"In court, in front of all the officials, I will kill a batch and imprison a batch to correct this corruption!”
Ji Hao's eyes were filled with killing intent!
As ministers, Shi Chong and Jia Shidao had taken more land and money than Yan Song!
After reading Wei Zhongxian and Cao Zhengchun's memorials, Ji Hao became even more determined to implement the new tax law proposed by Zhang Juzheng!
These two ministers had cultivated more than 720,000 hectares of land.
According to the Great Zhou's calculations, one acre of land was equivalent to fifteen acres.
Just Shi Chong and Jia Sidao alone had nearly eleven million mu of land!
The taxes Shi Chong and Jia Shidao paid were only ten acres of land.
What a joke!
Kill!
Kill!
Kill!
Ji Hao's imperial edict left the imperial palace and caused an earth-shaking change in the entire Chang 'an City!
One batch after another of corrupt officials were beheaded in public, their houses confiscated, and thrown into prison!
However, Ji Hao knew that he still needed to be in the imperial court if he wanted to be promoted to the position of two ministers.
Let them die willingly!
Only then could it have the effect of intimidating all the officials!
The next day, morning court!
The Emperor issued an imperial edict at night, ordering the Eastern and Western Halls to capture some corrupt officials and envelop the entire court.
Even though Cao Zhengchun and Wei Zhongxian had only captured those below Rank-3.
However, as officials of the same dynasty, without these people, there were many empty seats.
Those who did not come to court.
Or they would commit suicide after seeing the eagle claws of the East and West Plants.
Or they would be executed!
Or be imprisoned!
It would be difficult to turn over a new leaf for all eternity!
"If you have a report, you will retreat!"
Zhang Juzheng strode out from the crowd of officials."This subject Zhang Juzheng has something to report!"
All the officials were stunned.
How important could a small assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue have?
This was simply nonsense!
The Minister of Revenue, Jia Shidao, did not like subordinates like Zhang Juzheng.
However, Zhang Juzheng was the former emperor's benefactor, and he was ranked second on the golden list.
The late Emperor had made him the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, so even if Jia Shidao had a problem with it, he dared not say anything.
However, Zhang Juzheng was being ostracized by Jia Shidao, and his days were not good.
"Yes."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I think that the annexation of land in the world is becoming more and more serious. The previous head tax is no longer suitable for the Great Zhou Dynasty. The people of the world had lost their land. Once they encountered floods, droughts, locusts, and other disasters, they would become refugees in order to avoid paying taxes. The White Lotus Society was difficult to eradicate precisely because they could feed the refugees.”
"I implore the emperor to implement a new tax law and pay taxes according to the mu. This way, even if the commoners don't have land, they won't be displaced and become refugees because they can't afford to pay taxes.”
"Resettling the refugees has become a very serious problem for the various provinces.”
"Some prefectures don't even allow refugees to enter the city. In order to fill their stomachs, it's not uncommon for refugees to swindle and rob.”
"The number of refugees is increasing day by day. Only by implementing the new tax law can we solve this problem from the root!”
Zhang Juzheng spoke passionately, his face full of excitement. He talked about the drawbacks of the old tax law and the advantages of the new tax law.
Zhang Juzheng's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing a thousand ripples.
All the officials were gnashing their teeth at Zhang Ju Zheng.
This new tax law of yours is to snatch the wealth of the world's wealthy families and the hands of all the civil and military officials!
"Dear ministers, do you have any objections?"
At this moment, almost all the officials looked at Prime Minister Li Si!
If one were to ask who had the most land in the world, it would naturally be Prime Minister Li Si.
However, Li Si was expressionless as if the new tax law had nothing to do with him.
Jia Shidao, the Minister of Revenue, was the first to step forward.
"Do you have any objections?"
"I have no objections to pushing for the new tax law. I want to refer to Zhang Juzheng, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue.”
"Yes."
Jia Shidao said impassively and righteously,""As the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Zhang Ju Zheng ignored the court's etiquette and often went to the Pleasant Red Court to stay with the women of the brothel. I advised him many times, but he still didn't change. It is really an insult to the culture. I beg Your Majesty to remove Zhang Juzheng from his post as Minister of Revenue.”
Hearing that, Ji Hao's face turned serious. As an official of the imperial court, he dared to stay in a brothel. He said angrily,"Zhang Juzheng, is that true?"
"Emperor, this subject Zhang Juzheng and Ruyan of the Pleasant Red Court only admire each other and did not cross the line. This Ruyan was originally the daughter of a rich family, but her family's property was robbed by refugees, so she fell into the dust. However, she sold her skills and not her body. The new tax law that I proposed was inspired by her.”
"There's actually such a strange woman in the world. I'd like to take a look. However, as an official of the Imperial Court, Zhang Juzheng often goes to brothels and is deprived of half a year's salary.”
Zhang Juzheng didn't dare to defend himself.”
Cao Zhengchun stepped forward and said respectfully,""Your Majesty, I have something to report!"
"Yes."
"I and Supervisor Wei have already arrested Zhao Feng, Li Ru, Sun Ji, Zhu Feng, Han Gao, Sima Zhao, and other corrupt officials. The amount of money confiscated is as high as 4.85 million taels.”
All the officials heard the familiar names one after another.
He was instantly shocked and afraid!
Many of the officials in the court were on good terms with them!
He didn't expect that he would be separated by Yin and Yang today, when he was still chatting and laughing in the palace yesterday!
Ji Hao narrowed his eyes slightly, looked down at the officials and said,""4.8 million taels, that's almost a year's worth of tax revenue for the national treasury. These people are really my good subjects!”
All the officials felt the Emperor's anger and could not help but lower their heads.
They were afraid that the East and West Chambers would be the next to find them.
"I also found out that Minister Jia Sidao of the Ministry of Revenue and Minister Shi Chongshi of the Ministry of War are secretly colluding with each other. With the identities of the two ministers, they had taken over the land. The total amount of land in their homes had reached more than 720,000 hectares. The dirty silver they had embezzled had already reached 10 million taels of silver!”
Minister of War Shi Chong felt a chill down his spine as he broke out in a cold sweat."Your Majesty, Cao Zhengchun and Wei Zhongxian have never been on good terms with me. I didn't collude with Jia Shidao, and I've never occupied any land, so it's impossible for me to take so much silver. Your Majesty, please investigate!"
Jia Shidao, the Minister of Revenue, was terrified.""Your Majesty, I have always been at odds with Wei Zhongxian and Cao Zhengchun. They are purely slandering me and Shi Chong. Your Majesty, please investigate!"
"Emperor, this subject Cao Zhengchun is loyal and loyal. Shi Chong and Jia Sidao, the two men in my hands, have no respect for the law. They bully the people, occupy land, and take bribes. The evidence is already outside the hall.”
"Bring it over."
"Yes."
"Bring it up!"
The 16 Eagle Claws of the East and West Chambers were all good hands. They carried a total of eight redwood boxes inlaid with silver to the main hall.
Ji Hao walked forward, picked up a book, flipped through a few pages, and was instantly enraged,""What a good Minister of War, what a good Minister of Revenue. The two of you are my trusted subordinates. Who gave you the courage to be so arrogant?”
There was irrefutable evidence!
Shi Chong and Jia Shidao could not deny it.
"Your Majesty, Shi Chong and Jia Shidao even gave me and Supervisor Wei two hundred thousand taels of silver each, trying to bribe us! Here are the banknotes!"
" Immediately remove Shi Chong and Jia Shidao from their official positions, execute them by a thousand cuts, exterminate their three clans, seize their property, and return them to the national treasury!”
"Spare me, Your Majesty! Spare me, Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, please spare me! Your Majesty, please spare me!"
Shi Chong and Jia Shidao were dragged away by the imperial guards as if they were dead dogs.
At this moment, Ji Hao looked down at all the officials and said coldly,""I think Zhang Juzheng's new tax law is very good. Immediately abolish the old tax law and replace it with the new one.”
Silence!
The entire imperial court was silent.
Prime Minister Li Si strode out from the crowd of officials and cupped his hands.""I, Li Si, have something to say!"
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