Chapter 320: Imperial Kinsman Zheng, Let Us Discuss the Commercial Taxes (5600

Jinling City, the West Garden.

After the midday court session ended today, Zhu Cilang did not return to Yongchun Pavilion to review memorials. Instead, he took his three wives — the pregnant, sweet-but-naive Wu Sanmei, the little fox-spirit Fei Zhen'e who shared such "deep sisterly affection" with Wu Sanmei, and the ever more aloof elder sister Ning Xiangyu — and went together to the West Garden where the Chongzhen Emperor resided. It was not to pay his respects (Zhu Cilang went to the West Garden every day before the midday court to greet Chongzhen and Empress Zhou), but to meet the new bride, Zheng Chagu, together with Chongzhen and Empress Zhou.

Judging by Zheng Zhilong's looks, Zheng Chagu was very likely a big, coarse, dark-skinned girl. But an ugly daughter-in-law still has to meet her in-laws! Besides, she had only entered the palace by attaching a million mu of dowry land!

At such a price, even if she were a sow, Zhu Cilang would have to sacrifice his own charms!

The venue for Zhu Cilang's meeting with his bride was formally set in the main hall of the West Garden, now called the Hall of Diligent Governance — a name Chongzhen himself had given it. Although he now had no governance to be diligent about, in his heart he still harbored the notion of striving for the country for a few more decades.

While waiting for Zheng Zhilong, Chongzhen casually, or perhaps not so casually, brought up matters of state.

"Chun'er, have the common people been complaining lately that the court's taxes are too heavy?"

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Imperial Father must be confused. The court has already forgiven the southeast's accumulated arrears and exempted taxes for five years. The people of the southeast are all cheering His Majesty's boundless grace — how could they say the taxes are too heavy?"

"Not everything has been exempted," Chongzhen said. "Military colonies and official lands are not included in the exemption, are they?"

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Military colonies and official lands were never taxed in the first place — what is collected is rent! The land belongs to the court; should tenant farmers not pay rent for tilling it? Exempting taxes is one thing, but exempting rent is quite another. Those whispering in Imperial Father's ear — do they themselves waive rent for their own tenants?"

The one whispering in Chongzhen's ear was, of course, Zhu Cilang's maternal grandfather, Zhou Kui. Zhou Kui was a Suzhou man, with three hundred thousand mu of land in Suzhou Prefecture! He was one of the few southern-arrived magnates who possessed great wealth in the southeast.

But the provenance of all this land was questionable! Only a small portion had been granted by the Chongzhen Emperor; the vast majority consisted of official lands, hidden fields, and properties fraudulently registered under his name.

Now, because of the five-year tax exemption, the fraudulently registered properties under Zhou Kui's name yielded no rent. And the official lands he had encroached upon faced reclamation by the military colony guards! Even the hidden fields might well be discovered.

The silver State Uncle Zhou had hidden in Beijing had already been distributed away by Zhu Cilang, and these three hundred thousand mu of land in Jiangnan now faced being stripped away by Zhu Cilang through various means. How could the old man not be frantic with worry?

But apart from whispering in the ear of a son-in-law who had long since lost power, this State Uncle did not know what else he could do.

The Chongzhen Emperor, having been rebuffed by Zhu Cilang, was not angry — he had long grown accustomed to being rebuffed. So he smiled and continued probing. "There are quite a lot of military colonies and official lands in the southeast, are there not?"

Zhu Cilang said, "There are indeed a great many! So far only a portion has been cleared. If all of it were cleared out, there would be at least seventy or eighty million mu! And if hidden fields were added, it might well exceed a hundred million mu!"

"All of that hundred million mu is to be taken back by the military colony guards?" Chongzhen asked.

"Naturally!" Zhu Cilang said. "With private lands now exempt from taxes for five years, if official lands and military lands are not properly cleared, how is the court to sustain itself?"

"And what about the commercial taxes?" Chongzhen asked again.

"Commercial taxes?" Zhu Cilang smiled. "Heh heh."

That was all? Chongzhen looked at his son, thinking: Do you think We do not know what is on your mind? First deal with the salt merchants, then the ennobled houses, then investigate the official lands, military colonies, and hidden fields — and in the end it will surely be the commercial taxes' turn! Every last bit of benefit our ancestors granted the Ming scholar-officials, you intend to take back, one by one.

You — you truly do not know how formidable those people are! Your second brother back then died mysteriously precisely because We wished to confiscate the property of the Marquis of Wuqing's family. What you, the Crown Prince, are doing now is far more drastic than what We did in those days! Are you not afraid of being murdered?

But then again, why has no one tried to harm you so far? Could it be that those people are still plotting in secret, hoping to stage a palace coup?

"Chun'er," Empress Zhou said at this point, frowning, "be forgiving where you can. The southeast is, after all, their territory; you must not offend those local powers too grievously."

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Imperial Mother, is not the greatest local power in the southeast the Zheng family of Fujian? Zheng Zhilong is delivering his daughter to your son today, along with a million mu of dowry land! The rent from that million mu alone comes to three to five hundred thousand shi a year. If used to support troops, it could maintain at least two divisions!"

Chongzhen thought to himself: Zheng Zhilong's daughter must be unspeakably ugly, which is why he is attaching so much dowry to give her to you, you unfilial wretch!

Just as Zhu Cilang was speaking, Huang Dabao, the seal-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, came in at a quick pace. "Your Majesty, Her Majesty, Young Master — Regional Commander Zheng Zhilong of Fujian has arrived."

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Dabao, from now on you should call him 'Imperial Kinsman Zheng.'"

"This slave understands."

Zhu Cilang waved a hand. "Go and invite him in."

"Yes."

Huang Dabao turned and left, and before long led three people into the Hall of Diligent Governance. The first to enter was a swarthy, powerfully built man — none other than Zheng Zhilong. Following behind Zheng Zhilong was a fair-skinned, medium-built, slightly lean young man — Zheng Sen. And behind Zheng Sen was a young woman in white, tall and slender, almost as tall as Wu Sanmei, yet without that rough boldness of a general's daughter. Her brows and eyes were like a painting, her gentle charm carrying a touch of the delicate grace of a Jiangnan woman, and her skin was as fair and lustrous as white jade.

This was clearly a rare beauty! This time he had truly profited.

Zhu Cilang thought: Well done, Zheng Zhilong — you yourself are as black as a lump of charcoal, yet the daughter you produced is as lovely as a flower, and she is smiling too, and her smile is truly pleasing!

It turned out that the flower-like Zheng Chagu was also looking at Zhu Cilang — there were only four people seated in the great hall: Chongzhen, Empress Zhou, Zhu Cilang, and Wu Sanmei. Chagu was clever enough to spot the handsome young Zhu Cilang at once. A beauty looking at a handsome man naturally grows fonder the longer she looks — besides, this handsome man was also a wise and mighty leader of a feudal state!

"Chagu, kneel!" Zheng Sen, already half-bowed, noticed his sister standing there foolishly and quickly whispered a reminder.

Only then did Zheng Chagu realize she had been somewhat carried away. She hurried forward two steps, and only when she reached Zhu Cilang did she kneel and kowtow, her head striking the floor three times with a thud-thud-thud. "Your servant Zheng Chagu kowtows to His Majesty, Her Majesty, and His Highness the Thousand Years — may you enjoy ten thousand fortunes and peace!"

The Chongzhen Emperor frowned at the sight of this girl. How could she be so beautiful? All for that unfilial wretch... And why are you kowtowing toward the unfilial wretch? You should be prostrating yourself toward Us! We are still the Emperor!

After finishing her obeisance, Zheng Chagu did not remain prostrate as protocol required, but straightened up and gazed smilingly at Zhu Cilang before her.

This manner was somewhat like Wu Sanmei's — another girl with little regard for the rules. Her family were sea bandits, and in matters of etiquette they were even less proper than the Wu family! Moreover, old Zheng had not previously thought of sending his daughter into the palace. Once he conceived the idea, he had spent some effort training the girl, but now that she was meeting her in-laws, she still showed little decorum. Yet it happened to suit Zhu Cilang's taste.

"Good, good," Zhu Cilang said with a smile. "Rise, all of you rise. Grant them seats! We are all family now, no need for ceremony. Imperial Kinsman Zheng, Senior Brother, both of you be seated. Chagu, you sit too — sit here beside Us."

Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Sen both rose and took their seats, while Zheng Chagu was summoned by Zhu Cilang to his side — judging by this, she would probably be attending his bedchamber tonight?

Watching Zheng Chagu, her fair face flushed red, seat herself on an embroidered stool beside him, Zhu Cilang then turned his head and looked smilingly at Zheng Zhilong. "Chagu is indeed a rare beauty. We would like her to enter the palace at once and first learn some etiquette. What does the Imperial Kinsman think?"

He was already calling him "Imperial Kinsman" — what could Zheng Zhilong do? He naturally agreed. Besides, his daughter Chagu was not to be the Crown Princess, but merely a junior consort — a concubine!

Seeing Zheng Zhilong nod, the smile on Zhu Cilang's face was nearly overflowing. He said with a laugh, "Imperial Kinsman Zheng, since we are now one family, there is a matter We would like to consult you about."

Consult? What matter?

Zheng Zhilong's brow furrowed slightly. Something seemed off!

"Imperial Kinsman Zheng," Zhu Cilang said with a smile, "We simply wish to ask: how should the commercial taxes and customs duties of the southeast be collected? And how much should be levied?"

(End of Chapter)