novelhk Page 2627
Page 2627
During the Tang and Song dynasties, the Chen family of Yimen in Jiangzhou had the privilege of being exempt from corvée labor.
However, during the Ming Dynasty, not only was this privilege lost, but the poll tax was also converted into land tax, and poll taxes were levied based on the amount of land owned.
How could they not conceal their land holdings?
The villages controlled by the Chen family were impenetrable, and officials who went to the countryside to measure the land could not act freely. Some of these officials were even members of the Chen family or their henchmen.
Wei Liangchen didn't come to kill; he came to solve a problem.
If we keep pushing the Chen family to the brink, the land surveying work in Jiangxi will only be delayed further.
“I’m giving you a chance,” Wei Liangchen said with a smile, “a chance to redeem yourselves. It’s up to you whether you can seize it.”
Immediately, an elder of the Chen clan cautiously asked, "What does the Governor-General want us to do?"
Wei Liangchen said, "I need three hundred people who can write and calculate, and they must be young men under the age of 25. Come with me to other prefectures and counties to survey the land!"
The Chen clan elders were dumbfounded.
This job is a hot potato!
They sent young men from the Chen family of Yimen in Jiangzhou to other prefectures and counties to survey land.
If a thorough land survey is conducted, it will inevitably offend other powerful clans.
If they try to cover it up, Chen will be guilty of an even greater crime.
Moreover, after the land survey was completed, the Chen family went from being the initial "victims" to becoming accomplices in the governor's oppression of powerful families!
Wei Liangchen asked, "You're not even willing to atone for your crimes through meritorious service? Then I'll have no choice but to thoroughly investigate the evidence against Chen."
"We are willing!"
Just as Wei Liangchen got up to leave, the elders of the Chen clan called out to him.
For the sake of the Chen family of Yimen, we have no choice but to offend other families.
Moreover, my Yimen Chen clan has been investigated for land expropriation, so why aren't your families being investigated?
Let's all suffer together!
.....
Wei Liangchen left 150 soldiers behind to protect the land surveying officials and prevent any members of the Chen family from going astray.
Then, he led the remaining soldiers and three hundred members of the Chen clan to set off.
Next stop, Fengxin County!
We took a boat back to Poyang Lake and then turned onto the Xiushui River. When we were almost at Jianchang County, we turned onto the Hualin River, a tributary of the Xiushui River.
Ahead lies the location of the Hu family of Hualin.
During the Song Dynasty, the Hu family of Hualin produced 3 top scholars (Zhuangyuan), 2 second-place scholars (Bangyan), 6 third-place scholars (Tanhua), and 55 Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). Countless members of the Hu family held high-ranking positions, including the Three Dukes, the Three Junior Dukes, Grand Secretaries, Ministers, and Prefects.
Currently, there are two people serving as high-ranking local officials in the Ming Dynasty.
One was Hu Zhiru, the Right Provincial Governor of Sichuan. Historically, during the Jingkang era, he led troops to defend the emperor, killing over a thousand irregular Jin soldiers.
Chapter 3581 Are You Planning a Rebellion?
Then, he led his troops in a lone battle, where they were surrounded and captured by the Jin army.
One of them was named Hu Jiaoxiu, the Provincial Education Commissioner of Hebei.
Historically, when Wu Jie was in charge of Sichuan, he needed to transport money and grain by land. In order to achieve political achievements, local officials arbitrarily conscripted laborers, resulting in a mortality rate of 30% to 40% among the laborers.
Hu Jiaoxiu's regulations on conscripting laborers not only effectively reduced the mortality rate but also lessened the disruption to agriculture.
As soon as the fleet docked, Hu Jiaoye, the clan chief, led his clansmen to greet them.
In addition, there were thousands of scholars...
You read that right.
Scholars!
Thousands!
The Hu family of Hualin settled here as early as the Liu Song Dynasty, more than 700 years ago.
During the Southern Tang Dynasty, a school was built to teach the children of the clan, with over a hundred classrooms and dormitories.
In the early Northern Song Dynasty, the family study hall was expanded into an academy.
Hualin Academy boasts a collection of over ten thousand books, employs renowned teachers from all over the country, and allows people from other families to study there.
In a short time, thousands of students came to seek knowledge, and scholars from several surrounding provinces flocked to the area.
During the Ming Dynasty, Hualin Academy added subjects such as mathematics and physics, and even went to Kaifeng to hire famous teachers.
Currently, Hualin Academy is not only the top educational institution in Jiangxi Province, but it also attracts scholars from Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, and Huainan to study there.
From the top of Hualin Mountain to its surrounding area, the entire area belongs to the academy.
Classrooms, dormitories, and libraries are scattered among the mountains, and the school's land area exceeds 3,000 mu.
Although the Chen family of Yimen in Jiangzhou were tough nuts to crack, they were nothing to Wei Liangchen.
Because the Chen clan has not produced any high-ranking officials in the past two or three generations, the highest position they hold is currently only a prefect.
The Hu family of Hualin has a large number of members who are of the sixth rank or above!
Wei Liangchen scanned the scholars standing around him and estimated that there were about three or four thousand of them.
Young people are easily swayed, and most of them are not from the Hu family; they come from several provinces.
If someone incites someone to cause trouble, although it can be suppressed, the consequences can be very serious.
"This old man greets Governor Wei in person!" Hu Jiaoye said with a bow.
Wei Liangchen returned the greeting and said, "This junior pays his respects to Headmaster Hu."
Upon hearing this title, Hu Jiaoye felt reassured, and Wei Liangchen did not reveal his identity as governor.
Everything seems negotiable.
Unexpectedly, Wei Liangchen suddenly introduced, "Behind me are three hundred young men, all members of the Chen family of Jiangzhou. They are here to help me survey the fields."
Hu Jiaoye's mind was racing, but it was already showing signs of crashing.
The Chen family of Yimen sent people to assist the governor in investigating the land owned by the Hu family of Yimen.
"Yimen" was not originally a place name, but a family business model.
They call themselves "righteous," providing free education and medical care for their clansmen, and offering free support to the widowed, orphaned, and lonely in their villages. They also have a special poverty alleviation fund.
When faced with natural disasters or man-made calamities, they will genuinely provide food relief to the victims.
The Hu family of Hualin in Fengxin County is also known as the Yimen Hu family.
Hu Jiaoye looked at the young people from the Chen clan, and the Chen clan members all lowered their heads, not daring to meet Hu Jiaoye's gaze.
Wei Liangchen added, "The head of the Chen clan of Yimen in Jiangzhou and several elders have committed serious crimes and have been handed over to the three judicial departments in Nanchang for joint trial."
Wei Liangchen arrived too quickly; the news of the arrest of the Chen clan chief had not yet reached Fengxin County.
Hu Jiaoye was shocked and knew that this matter could not be resolved peacefully, so he hurriedly asked, "What crime has Chen committed?"
Wei Liangchen said ambiguously, "The charges could be serious or minor, and the case is still under investigation. Once the charges are verified, it might lead to the extermination of the entire clan."
"Exterminate the entire clan?" Hu Jiaoye's mind was increasingly failing him.
With a sincere expression, Wei Liangchen nodded and said, "It means exterminating the entire clan, since they are suspected of the serious crime of treason."
"All three thousand members of the Chen clan in the five counties of Jiujiang Prefecture must be executed without exception. Who told them to never separate their families?"
Hu Jiaoye forced a smile: "Governor Wei is joking."
"Treason is a serious crime, not something to be taken lightly!"
Wei Liangchen, who had been amiable and approachable since disembarking, suddenly spoke with righteous indignation and unwavering resolve: "As the governor-general, I was ordered by the emperor to inspect Jiangxi, precisely to investigate this major case of popular uprising."
"Although the civil unrest has been quelled, we must thoroughly investigate who instigated it."
"Perhaps it's the Chen family of Jiangzhou, or perhaps it's the Hu family of Hualin!"
Hu Jiaoye quickly stated his position: "The Hu family of Hualin has always been law-abiding, loyal to the emperor and devoted to the country."
Wei Liangchen ignored Hu Jiaoye and walked towards the thousands of scholars. Standing among them, he said, "His Majesty is wise and powerful, and has always practiced benevolent governance. Tell me, is His Majesty a good emperor?"
Upon hearing this question, the scholars responded in unison:
"Your Majesty is a benevolent ruler of our time!"
"Your Majesty eliminated the six traitors, overthrew the tyrannical Song, destroyed the Jin chieftain, and recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. Even if Li Shimin were to be reborn, he would not have achieved anything like this."
"Li Shimin committed the Xuanwu Gate Incident, imprisoning his father and killing his brother, violating human ethics. The current Emperor Emeritus abdicated in his prime, and Your Majesty is leading troops in the field while leaving the Emperor Emeritus to rule."
"This is a testament to paternal love and filial piety, a revival of the ancient virtue of abdication. The Emperor Emeritus and Your Majesty are the modern-day Yao and Shun!"
Chapter 3582 Why the People Revolt
"In the major corruption cases of recent years, corrupt officials had nowhere to hide, and the people praised them. Your Majesty's wisdom is unparalleled throughout history!"
"..."
Regardless of what the scholars were thinking, at times like this, they either kept quiet or frantically flattered the emperor.
Wei Liangchen raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet. After the scholars gradually fell silent, he continued, "But why did such a wise ruler experience a popular uprising in the second year of his reign?
“When officials force the people to rebel, it must be because of corrupt officials.” The scholar from another province immediately gave his answer.
Wei Liangchen said, "The three judicial departments have reached a preliminary conclusion that powerful families in Jiangxi colluded with officials to conceal information during the land survey."
"Not only did they conceal their land holdings, they even registered them under the names of other gentry and commoners."
"They themselves don't want to pay taxes or grain rations, yet they make others pay more and more."
"The Jiangxi peasant uprising was triggered by innocent people's inability to pay their taxes."
"What do you all think? Should this kind of thing be investigated?"
"We must get to the bottom of this!"
"This is truly an unjust person."
"..."
The topic is politically correct, and no one can refute it.
Wei Liangchen continued, "But the more I investigated, the more terrified I became. It turned out that a powerful family in Jiangxi was suspected of treason, committing the heinous crime of exterminating nine generations of their family!"
"Of course, the investigation is still ongoing, and I hope I made a mistake."
As he spoke, Wei Liangchen turned to look at the three hundred Chen family youths.
The young men of the Chen family were filled with fear and unease, their expressions a mixture of crying, laughing, and constipation.
The thousands of students studying at Hualin Academy dared not say anything more at this moment.
The reason they came to watch the spectacle was because some scholars from the Hu family were stirring up trouble and saying many bad things about the government's arbitrary land surveys.
If Wei Liangchen had taken a hard line from the start, these scholars would probably have already started making a fuss.
However, even now, the renowned Chen family of Jiangzhou is still under investigation for whether they participated in a rebellion.
How could they dare to say or do anything reckless?
Treason! Your entire family will be executed!
Don't let yourself get involved!
Seeing that thousands of scholars were frightened, Wei Liangchen approached Hu Jiaoye again: "The Hu family of Hualin really did not plot a rebellion?"
Hu Jiaoye was also uneasy, and bowed, saying, "There is absolutely no such thing."
Wei Liangchen nodded and said, "I believe that the Hu family of Hualin is loyal to the emperor and devoted to the country."
Hu Jiaoye quickly flattered, "Governor Wei's insight is remarkable; I admire him greatly."
"We haven't even started investigating the Hu family yet, how can we say we're investigating every detail? Since the Hu family acts with integrity, they certainly aren't afraid of being investigated,"
Wei Liangchen turned to the three hundred young men from the Chen family and said,