Chapter 378: Civil officials are nothing but a bunch that deserves to be killed!

Qian Qing Gong.

"It turns out what you grit your teeth over isn't Gong Qing, but the court's new policy of unified service and tax—right?"

Jing Sheng Di's gaze grew somewhat deep and gloomy; he coldly shouted his question.

The new policies currently being implemented in Jiangnan mainly consist of four items: unified service and tax, labor tax allocation, fire consumption public return, and the single whip method; as for reforming land to flow officials, it is mainly carried out in the southwest regions.

And among these four, the one most naturally opposed by officials and gentry across the realm is "unified service and tax".

Because this directly touches the core identity privileges and economic interests of the Da Han Empire's gentry class.

In comparison,

Although policies such as "labor tax allocation," "fire consumption public return," and the "single whip method" also shake the cheese, the gentry class finds it hard to openly oppose them under a banner of righteousness.

For example, "labor tax allocation" and "fire consumption public return"—these two reforms mainly target land and economic interests.

Whether it's levying taxes by field acreage or regulating fire consumption, on the surface they fly the banners of "fairness," "transparency," and "compassion for the people's livelihood"; in truth, they can even be counted as virtuous policies of the court.

If openly resisting these two, it is tantamount to letting the gentry admit they wish to continue enjoying privileges and profiteering from corruption.

This is untenable morally, so they can only carry out covert resistance.

And as for the single whip method, there's no need to say more—the core intent of this tax reform is "simplify taxation, unify collection," allowing the court to manage revenue more effectively.

In essence, it is a technical administrative reform that combines land tax and corvée labor into a single collection, surveys fields, expands the tax base, and is also a beneficial policy for the state and the people.

Likewise, officials and gentry find it hard to come up with a respectable reason to oppose it; otherwise, they would merely appear to be opposing "improving administrative efficiency."

Therefore, regarding these several items, they can only covertly obstruct by resisting the cold "land survey" segment.

What can truly be openly opposed is mainly the gentry's unified service and tax; this reform essentially constitutes a royal takeover and reshaping of gentry power.

It attempts to transform the gentry class from a local power enjoying special status into purely subjects who pay taxes and serve the state.

It can be said to infringe upon and damage the fundamental interests of all officials and scholars across the realm.

Since the Qin dynasty, officials, recommended candidates, and cultivated talents of the gentry class have enjoyed exemptions from labor and taxes, allowing them to shift their own burdens onto common folk.

This is not only an economic benefit, but also the gentry's privileged, superior-class identity.

To oppose this is to speak on behalf of all officials, gentry, and scholars across the realm, and it is bound to win widespread support from the gentry class as a righteous act!

Just as among the several new policies later implemented by Yongzheng, the most opposed was also unified service and tax, even causing incidents such as the Henan scholars' examination boycott and various other disturbances.

After Qianlong ascended the throne, he hardly touched the other items of his father Yongzheng's new policies, but immediately abolished the gentry's unified service and tax—showing just how great and difficult the resistance to this policy is!

Actually,

In fact, Jing Sheng Di is well aware of the difficulties in implementing this policy; if it weren't for Jia Jing's northwestern victory giving him unprecedented confidence...

Thinking to leverage the prestige of a great victory to enact reform, such an opportunity is rare, and he would not otherwise be so eager to trial this in the important Jiangnan region.

But he never imagined……these officials would be so bold and reckless, completely abandoning their former reverence, daring to join forces to storm the palace and defy the emperor in order to resist the new policy.

How is this any different from the Jingnan Wuxun of the outset?

Even the civil officials formed factions, and their harmful impact far surpasses that of the Jingnan rebellion!

This also shows how corrupt the realm's bureaucracy has become, to the point that imperial authority has utterly lost its dignity!

Upon reflecting on this, Jing Sheng Di couldn't help but recall the line from his last will, left when he dreamed of hanging himself on Coal Mountain.

"I have no face to meet my ancestors underground; let my hair be disheveled, let rebels tear apart my corpse, but have all civil officials slain, spare the mausoleum, and harm not a single one of my people."

Indeed! Civil officials truly are nothing but a bunch that deserves to be killed!

The fierce light flashing in Jing Sheng Di's eyes grew ever more solemn!

And the three Xu Zhuo in the hall, facing Jing Sheng Di's cold gaze, all felt a chill in their hearts.

In fact,

After the northwestern battle, Jing Sheng Di's prestige in court was already high; even among the populace there were rumors of him being the "Lord of the Restoration," and the three of them also did not wish to step forward and oppose Jing Sheng Di.

But many things are not simply avoidable just because they don't want to do them,

Not to mention having previously accepted too many bribes from that Jiangnan side, at this point they cannot help but step forward to wave flags and shout for them.

Just saying that their own families are large landowners with plenty of fields, how could they simply watch as the new policy harms their own interests?

Therefore, they fundamentally have no choice; the new policy directly stands opposed to their family interests and personal futures!

Of course, the sole thing giving them some mental comfort is,

Although this matter requires facing Jing Sheng Di's thunderous wrath, possibly even being stripped of office, yet if they truly succeed, the gains will not be small.

Not to mention fame spreading throughout the land and gaining even broader support from southeastern gentry, just the fact of being universally praised by scholars and literati across the realm is imaginable enough.

And as long as they have reputation, what need fear a lack of future prospects?

Isn't that how the Da Han officialdom works— the more you stir up fame, the bigger it gets, and later office becomes easier?

Moreover, outside the Meridian Gate now there are over two hundred people, which is the basis for their current righteous remonstrance.

"The law does not punish the many" is also an unwritten rule of the Da Han officialdom; one would think that even if Jing Sheng Di does not agree to abolish the new policy, he would not go so far as to persecute the loyal and punish them too harshly.

If it's merely a beating with the court cane, that would instead be a glorious deed recorded in history!

Upon reflecting on this, Lu Shengnan felt a surge of heroic spirit rise in his heart, and he replied in a voice that rang like metal striking stone:

"Yes! Your Majesty having Gong Dingzi implement unified service and tax in Jiangnan was never a viable plan."

"Otherwise, why would all civil and military officials in Jiangnan disagree? It's hateful that Gong Dingzi ignores public opinion and is utterly ruthless."

"It leaves scholars bereft of dignity and undermines the foundation of the state."

"I have also heard that, while Gong Dingzi claims to be implementing the new policy, he in fact uses the pretext of investigation to eliminate dissenters."

"Anyone who once had a grudge against him is pursued on the charge of 'deficit'; anyone who associates with his faction is dismissed on the pretext of 'obstructing the new policy.'"

"The property confiscated from his raids mostly goes into his own pockets; the officials he dismisses are all not his partisans. In name it's state affairs, in reality it's personal vengeance."

"In a corner of Jiangnan, taxes account for six or seven tenths of the realm's revenue; grain transport, salt tax, and tariffs all depend on it."

"Now Gong Dingzi in Jiangnan acts contrary to reason, causing officials and gentry to alienate, merchants to hesitate, weaving households to lose work, salt bandits to run rampant, and the White Lotus to lurk in hiding."

"If Jiangnan is lost, the source of the realm's finances will be cut off; how will the Nine Frontiers' military provisions be sustained? How will officials' salaries be paid? This is not the fault of a single official, but a calamity that shakes the very foundation of the state!"

Moreover, the gentry's improper exemption from service and grain contributions has been a precedent for thousands of years.

Your Majesty, please strictly uphold the ancestral system, dismiss the treacherous Gong Dingzi, abolish the corrupt policy that ties service to grain contributions, and the realm will be at peace! Please think it over, Your Majesty!