90. Chapter 90
"none"
Qi You's carriage suddenly stopped outside Shenwu Gate. Immediately, the Prince of Zhi appeared at the door, grasping it and moving swiftly, sending a gust of cold wind blowing directly into people's faces.
"Brother, please slow down!" Qi You raised his hand to block the wind, speechless.
Prince Zhi spun around and sat down, carrying Qi You along as the carriage jolted and swayed. He grinned and said, "Seventh Brother, you're amazing! You even have this trick up your sleeve! You actually have the customs clearance documents!"
Qi You lowered his arm and patiently explained, "Brother, I didn't hold back. I was just following the rules."
Zhijun Wang Chaoqiyou rolled his eyes. If it were him, he wouldn't care about the rules or not.
What's more, buying food to feed the poor is a good deed. Even if we don't announce it to the world with drums and gongs, at least Kangxi should know about it.
As for the yamen checkpoint, anyone who dares to stop him without seeing the situation is looking for trouble with him, the Prince of Zhi, and wants to die!
Prince Zhi was stunned for a moment, and the excitement that had made him want to talk to Qi You after watching such a good show gradually dissipated.
For a moment, Prince Zhi looked at Qi You with a complicated expression and said, "Seventh Brother, have a heart-to-heart talk with me. You've done so many things, and anyone with a discerning eye can see clearly whether you're doing it for yourself or for others. But you haven't gained anything, and you've even been wrongly accused. What are you trying to achieve?"
Qi You slowly smiled and said seriously, "Brother, I'm not as strong as you say. In fact, I'm doing this for myself. Look, in our lifetime, if we can live to sixty years old, which is the age of knowing one's destiny, it can be considered a long life. After we die, our descendants will be left behind, and they may still be alive at that time. We only care about our own good life and do everything to the extreme, killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Isn't that too selfish?"
Prince Zhi thought of his children, smiled bitterly, and said, "Indeed, all the hard work we do throughout our lives is for the sake of future generations."
Qi You slowly shook his head and said, "It's not just for the sake of future generations. We live in luxury and enjoy rights and food that ordinary people cannot enjoy. We know very well where all this comes from. To put it simply, if we don't give salaries and benefits to those who work for us and serve us, can they still work hard? If you understand this basic principle, you will understand what I am trying to achieve."
Whether they were slaves or subordinates, who would be willing to give up everything and work wholeheartedly for them? Either for wealth or for a better future.
But the people who actually support them don't give them any benefits, only want to exploit them, and even don't give them enough food. In any case, it is really unacceptable. Over time, they will rebel, and dynasties will change because of this.
Prince Zhi quickly figured out the key to this. He sighed and said, "It makes sense, but how many people can actually do it? Old Seven, I don't think I can do it myself, so I admire you all the more. But Old Seven, you won that lawsuit earlier, but the other party certainly won't let it go."
Qi You smiled indifferently, "If they won't give up, just let them do it. I've never been afraid."
"Yeah, who's to be afraid of!" Prince Zhi swung his hand majestically with such a mighty aura that it looked like he could knock the enemy down in one blow.
As soon as he finished speaking, the Prince of Zhi came over and lowered his voice, "By the way, do you know who is trying to harm you? I was about to tell you, but your servant interrupted me. Oh, that's not right. You said in court that you know who that person's master is. Old Seven, who is it?"
Qi You said calmly, "Brother, whoever you think it is, it is it."
On the way to the Infantry Governor's Office, Zhuo Qi sent someone to deliver a secret letter containing the previous resume of Manager Ma.
Zhuo Qi is old and retired two years ago, leaving his eldest son Deyou to take over his duties.
In the past, Zhuo Qi worked as the treasurer of the Imperial Household Department and a financial officer. He knew every expenditure of the Imperial Household Department and the harvest of the imperial farms like the back of his hand.
Financial records sent by the head of the imperial estate required a name to be recorded. Although pawning banner land was prohibited after the imperial estate was awarded, it was not uncommon for unsuccessful descendants to sell it privately. There were also more shady transactions, such as the quiet transfer of land from the emperor's bestowal.
The imperial farm where Manager Ma originally worked had changed hands several times in secret and was now under the name of the Ninth Prince.
It's not just the Ninth Prince's family, there are other people behind the scenes who are pushing the situation.
They were scared.
Seeing Qi You unwilling to speak, Prince Zhi muttered that he was bored and said repeatedly: "Alright, alright, if you don't want to talk, there's no point in forcing you. I like this about you, you keep your mouth shut. Even if it's your enemy, you won't gossip about them behind their backs."
Qi You smiled, looked up at Prince Zhi, and asked, "Brother, if someone sues you in the future, will you blame me?"
The Prince of Zhi was stunned for a moment, his face darkening. He stiffened his neck and said arrogantly, "Why would I blame you? If anyone dares to sue me, I will kill him. I'm not as easy to talk to as you, or as kind-hearted as you!"
Qi You was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.
The Prince of Zhi made no secret of his tyranny; it was rare to see someone like him bully others without question. Compared to those who sought both fame and power, Qi You couldn't tell which was better.
"Look at you, I came to see you and haven't even discussed business yet, Old Seven." Prince Zhi suddenly became serious and said, "You've gotten into so much trouble and offended so many people. You better be careful. Even though Khan Ama is protecting you, he has more than one son."
Qi You felt warm in his heart and said, "Brother, I understand. Thank you very much."
Prince Zhi glanced at Qi You, curled his lips and said, "Don't I understand you? Even if you knew, you would still be the same and would not change."
Qi You smiled in a good-tempered manner and did not argue.
Prince Zhi rolled his eyes and said bluntly, "Since you want to thank me, then give me some tangible benefits. Seventh Brother, you must give me some advice. Look, the fourth brother and the others have all been assigned tasks, and I'm in the capital all day long. There's really nothing to do, and I'm almost bored out of my mind."
Qi You frowned slightly. When Prince Zhi saw that the Fourth Prince had received the task, he probably started to feel jealous again.
But what should he do?
The key is that no matter what he does, he must prevent the prince from making trouble.
Prince Zhi said gloomily, "Look at you. You've been back in the capital for so long, and even if you don't do anything, trouble still comes to you. This capital is really not a place for people to stay. Seventh Brother, what do you think I should ask Khan Ama for an assignment abroad?"
Qi You lifted the curtain and looked out. The carriage had already arrived in front of the Shenwu Gate. He hesitated for a moment and said, "Brother, I have to go into the palace now. Please let me think about it carefully and then give you some advice. Is that okay?"
Prince Zhi smiled and readily agreed, "Okay! If you need my help with anything, just ask. I'm pretty free anyway."
Qi You laughed, got off the carriage behind Prince Zhi, said goodbye to each other and entered the palace.
After passing through the Shenwu Gate and arriving in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Ninth and Tenth Princes came together. They were originally talking in low voices, but when they saw Qi You coming towards them, they glanced at each other and stepped forward to greet him.
The Ninth Prince was not shy about it. He looked Qi You up from head to toe and asked, "Where are you going, Seventh Brother? Are you going to see Khan Ama?"
In the yamen, the last words Qi You asked Manager Ma were probably already spread.
Qi You's eyes were calm, without dodging or evading. He met the Ninth Prince's gaze, looked back, and glanced at the Tenth Prince in passing.
The Ninth Prince's Adam's apple rolled, he put his hands behind his back, and moved his feet inadvertently.
The Tenth Prince leaned towards the Ninth Prince, put his hands into his sleeves, and said dryly, "I'm so cold."
Qi You looked at the two people who were obviously uncomfortable and said with a smile: "This is the Forbidden City. I will go to see Khan Ama."
The Ninth Prince hit a snag with his neither hard nor soft approach. He paused for a moment and said dryly, "I heard that the Seventh Brother was involved in a lawsuit. I thought he was still busy, but I never expected the case to be closed so quickly."
The Tenth Prince immediately laughed and said, "Ninth Brother is right. Seventh Brother is a prince. Standing in that government office is a huge honor for them."
The Ninth Prince exclaimed, "Look at my brain, I had never thought of this. When I heard that Li Guangdi and other court officials had already gone, I thought this case was very complicated and would take a long time. I really didn't expect it to be resolved so quickly. Seventh Brother, let me say congratulations in advance, you have finally been cleared of your injustice."
Qi You said calmly, "The case is very simple. It was just complicated by someone behind the scenes. Besides, the laws of the Qing Dynasty are there. No matter who goes to court, as long as they haven't broken the law and the case is tried fairly and impartially, there is nothing to be afraid of."
The Ninth Prince forced a smile and said, "Seventh Brother is right. Seeing that you seem to be busy, we won't keep you any longer. See you later!"
Qi You said goodbye to the two of them and walked towards the Qianqing Palace without looking back.
The Ninth and Tenth Princes turned back together and stared at Qi You for a long while. Then, they looked at each other, whispered a few words, and hurried away.
The case from the Infantry Governor's Office had already been delivered to Kangxi verbatim. After reading it, he sat in his chair for a long time without moving.
The last words Qi You said to Shopkeeper Ma in court were spoken to the person who was behind the attack, as well as to himself.
Now, looking at this lawsuit from the outside, from its beginning to its end, Kangxi, with his intelligence, can see it particularly clearly.
Qi You offended someone. He did not fight for power or profit with others, but he prevented others from making money.
Kangxi thought of Qi You's recent actions. He arranged for those bondservants to accompany the Fourth Prince to patrol the river. There were many tricks involved in the money on the river, and he guessed that this was the main reason why he was targeted.
Regarding the impeachments against Qi You, including the one about women not being able to work, they should have also come from them, all to keep the river repair issue unclear.
Previously, Kangxi allowed Qi You to stand in the court, refute them openly and give them some warnings.
Now that I think about it calmly, I feel that I was inappropriate.
The court needs stability, there cannot be chaos!
Kangxi was depressed and angry at times, and all these emotions intertwined, finally turning into deep helplessness.
At this time, Liang Jiugong came in from outside, bowed forward, and reported in a low voice: "Your Majesty, Prince Chun is here."
Kangxi took a deep breath, managed to pull himself together, and said, "Let him in."
Qi You followed Liang Jiugong into the house, went forward to greet him, and looked at Kangxi's face, which seemed to be even uglier than before.
Qi You thought for a moment and realized that Kangxi must have learned about the lawsuit and was upset.
Kangxi invited Qi You to sit down and said angrily, "I already know about the lawsuit. I can't believe these bastards are so abominable and arrogant that they dare to fabricate and wrongly accuse you!"
When your child makes a mistake outside, the other parent comes to your house and scolds your child first, so the other parent feels embarrassed to say anything more.
Qi You's heart grew colder and colder, and he listened quietly to Kangxi getting angry.
Kangxi cursed for a moment, then sighed deeply. "I'm afraid we won't be able to find the person behind this. I heard earlier that the person who went to look for those people has died in the dry well. The clue ends here. Since you've already won the case, the criminals should be dealt with according to the law."
When the prince breaks the law, the common people take the blame.
Qi You's eyes flashed with sarcasm, and he lowered his eyes and said, "It's such a pity that he died so quickly. The clues are gone. But there's nothing we can do. This is the only way."
Kangxi's expression relaxed slightly, and he said, "I'm glad you think so. What you said earlier in the yamen will lead to many people's speculation. Alas, it will cause another storm."
Qi You said: "No matter what they think, I can't do anything about it."
Kangxi glanced at Qi You, forced a smile, and said, "It's getting late outside, and you must be tired after the day. Go home and rest early. In a couple of days, when the weather gets better, I will move to Changchun Garden... Oh, come to think of it, you haven't been to Changchun Garden yet, have you?"
Changchun Garden has been under construction for such a long time, but Qi You has never been there, and there is no courtyard of his in the garden.
The better farms around here were all divided among the other sons who had established their own families earlier. When it came to Qi You, the remaining farms were not as good and were far from Changchun Garden.
Kangxi looked up at Qi You, his eyes full of guilt. "I'll leave you a nicer garden next door. When you go back, send someone to repair the house so we can move in together and get acquainted with the way to Changchun Garden."
Qi You thanked him and said, "It doesn't matter to me. I can live anywhere. Khan Ama, I have something to discuss with you."
When Kangxi heard Qi You's discussion, his heart tightened subconsciously. He stared at him and asked, "What's the matter?"
Qi You said, "Khan Ama, when I saw Ma, the owner of the Jucai Grain Shop, in the court earlier, something suddenly occurred to me. It seems that many shops in the capital have never paid commercial taxes!"
Kangxi was startled and asked sharply, "Do you want to inspect the taxes?"
Qi You simply said, "Yes, I want to check my taxes."
Kangxi looked at Qi You intently and asked, "How do you want to investigate?"
Shops had to pay a deed tax and register it with the government. Opening a shop required paying a store tax. When goods were brought to the shop for sale, taxes had to be paid at the time of production, and there was also a regular tax when they were sold in the shop.
But these only apply to ordinary merchants. As for the powerful and wealthy, few of them pay these taxes.
Especially the nobles of the Bannermen, who did not have to pay any taxes. However, the Bannermen were not allowed to engage in business, and they were not allowed to open shops at all.
According to this regulation, all shops in the capital should belong to Han people.
The area around Zhengyangmen in the capital is the most prosperous, with shops lining the streets and all kinds of business gathered here.
No matter how big a merchant is, if they want to establish themselves and do business here, they must have the support of the powerful behind them.
As for who the shops on the street belonged to, Kangxi probably had a rough idea.
Qi You smiled and replied, "Just check it according to the law."
Kangxi's expression changed slightly, he knew Qi You was still angry.
In fact, Qi You was not really that angry. There were many types of commercial taxes and they were collected in an irregular manner.
The court collected very little tax. In addition to not paying attention to commercial development, it was also related to the fact that merchants evaded taxes under the protection of the powerful.
Although the imperial court was poor, Qi You opposed arbitrary taxation and should not condone tax evasion.
If we want clean government, officials and businessmen must be separated.
Kangxi felt a dull headache when he thought of the uproar the tax inspection would cause. After a moment, he said earnestly, "Seventh Brother, I know you're unhappy, but let's just let this matter go. The court has been making a lot of moves lately, especially with the officials' debts. They've been arguing non-stop. If this continues, there will be chaos!"
Qi You knew that Kangxi wanted to protect his other sons. If the investigation went on, several princes and royal relatives would be the first to be implicated.
"Khan Ama, you are right. We shouldn't be too radical." Qi You took a step back and said according to his original plan: "It is normal for the ministers to have some ideas when they are asked to pay back the silver they owe this time. I think someone should take the lead and set an example for them. How about..."
Qi You paused for a moment and said with a smile: "Khan Ama, leave this task to me."
Officials in debt to the court cried out in poverty day and night, and no one had yet come forward to repay the money. Officials seeking salary increases were flooded with petitions complaining about their misfortunes.
There are some true allegations, but some are pure slander, such as robbing widows, etc., all kinds of dirty water thrown at them.
Both sides were almost blood-thirsty, and although Kangxi tacitly approved and expected this, he still felt exhausted.
Now that Qi You had taken the initiative to collect the debt, Kangxi was overjoyed and immediately said, "Okay, okay, I didn't give you this job because I thought you were busy. Now that you can take over, it's really great. I always trust you to do things, so I'll leave everything to you."
Qi You agreed and said with a smile: "Khan Ama, since you have given the order, I will just take the IOU and ask for the money. When the time comes, please don't be soft-hearted when someone comes to plead for mercy, and stop me from doing it."
Kangxi immediately became alert and asked, "Who are you going to collect the money from?"
Qi You said with a smile: "I will collect the money from whoever owes the most in the capital."
Kangxi stood there in a daze.
The one who owes the most in the capital is the Ninth Prince!
The author has something to say:
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided me with nutrient solution between 2022-11-29 23:40:02 and 2022-11-30 23:21:01~
Thanks to the little angel who threw the shallow water bomb: A Mao 1;
Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: 10 bottles of Balala La; 1 bottle of Haloxylon ammodendron;
Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
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