Eternal Life as False Emperor-Chapter 163 - 131: Rebellion

On the day of the Great Court, Lord Wang Anshi's remarks were exceedingly shocking.

There's no issue with inspecting the nation's farmland, and no issue with inspecting the national population.

There's no issue with easing labor burdens, and no issue with abolishing exorbitant miscellaneous taxes.

But under no circumstances should your hand extend to the powerful noble families, high-ranking officials, and wealthy merchants!

Each of them is as rich as a nation, each has encroached upon countless interests.

And now, Wang Anshi actually wants to inspect them and make them pay taxes—how could this be possible!

"Your Majesty! This precedent must never be set!"

"Your Majesty! We are disciples of the sages, extremely upright, truly have no money to pay taxes!"

"Your Majesty! A king does not speak of gain, dukes do not speak of quantity; those who eat from the state do not compete with the people for benefits."

"Your Majesty! Taxing merchants will lead everyone in Great Yu to pursue profit, inevitably causing chaos in the Imperial Court!"

"Your Majesty! You must not believe slander and be deceived by villains!"

"Your Majesty! Allow me to kill Wang Anshi, this treacherous villain!"

"Ah...!"

In an instant, a brawl broke out in the entire Imperial Court.

Seven or eight old men surrounded Wang Anshi and pounded him. Wang Anshi respected elders and cared for the young, thus did not resist but kept dodging and retreating.

However, when facing some young officials, he fought back, making quite a few officials cry out for their fathers and mothers.

Wang Anshi had fought his way out from the chaos in Yongzhou and naturally had some martial skills.

This commotion continued until Zheng Yi ordered Xu Mujun and others to separate the many officials.

Left behind in the grand hall were a batch of torn clothes, boots, hats, and such, lying on the ground, extremely tragic.

"My dear officials, please do not be agitated."

Zheng Yi calmly said: "Lord Wang's proposal, I also feel deeply moved. For the sake of Great Yu, reform is imperative."

"Wang Anshi, listen to the command."

"Your servant is present!"

"Promote Wang Anshi to Vice Chief of the Cabinet, Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, to carry out this reform, by Imperial decree!"

As soon as the words fell, many courtiers present cried out in despair.

"Your Majesty! It must not be!"

"Your Majesty! You are deceived by a villain!"

"Your Majesty...!"

Seeing that many old ministers were about to rush forward, Zheng Yi immediately stood up and quickly left.

Liu Cheng'en hurriedly followed, shouting, "Dismiss the court!"

"Quickly dismiss the court!"

"Your Majesty!"

Liu Cheng'en quickly caught up, hesitantly saying, "Should the Ritual Department assist Lord Wang? Your servant fears he won't be able to hold on his own."

"Indeed."

Zheng Yi nodded and said: "National reform, this matter involves much. Dispatch Grandmaster Realm Martial Artist from the Martial Arts Department to protect closely, ensure Wang Anshi's safety."

"Additionally, summon Wang Anshi for an audience."

"Yes!"

Very soon, within Baiyu City, Zheng Yi received Wang Anshi along with Yuan Qichang and Cai Dashi.

"Your servants greet Your Majesty, wishing the Emperor longevity!"

"Rise."

Zheng Yi casually said, "Reform begins today, do you three have any objections?"

"Your servants have no objections!"

"Good!"

Zheng Yi clapped: "You three boldly proceed with this strategy, I will support you from behind."

"Any memorials intending to harm you three, I will disregard."

"I trust my dear officials, and I hope you won't disappoint me."

The three respectfully said, "We are willing to die for Your Majesty!"

"Good!"

Zheng Yi said, "Great Yu has many enduring ailments, it requires strong remedies. All depends on you."

"On a selected day, I will issue a Holy Decree."

"Yes!"

For several days thereafter, many ministers scrambled to see Zheng Yi, hoping he would rescind his decision or change the reform's content, but Zheng Yi rejected them all.

Since that Great Court day, Zheng Yi shut himself in Baiyu City, seeing no one.

This lasted for half a year until after the Lantern Festival, when all officials recognized the reality.

Reform is imperative!

And just after the Lantern Festival ended, Zheng Yi issued a decree, solidifying the implementation of the reform.

8th Year of Zhengyong, January 15th.

"By Imperial command, the Emperor decrees: appoint Wang Anshi as Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Vice Chief of the Cabinet, with full authority to manage Great Yu's reform affairs."

And Wang Anshi, also disclosed his reform content, compiled into a booklet, recorded in the Publicity Department's newspapers, distributed across the thirteen states.

The reform memorial, titled "Defining National Affairs," is extensive, but its general ideology pointed directly at large landowners, noble families, and even many vassal kings and sects!

"Reform Article One: Order numerous counties in the thirteen states to thoroughly investigate the specific acreage of farmland within their counties, including people's land, official land, noble family land, vassal king land, and sect land."

"Reform Article Two: Order numerous counties in the thirteen states to thoroughly investigate the specific population of their counties, rebuild household registrations, including tenant households, runaway households, refugees, and others, not missing a single person."

"Reform Article Three: Implement the Single Whip Law, consolidate the land tax, labor service, and other miscellaneous levies of each state and county into one, collect silver taels, and calculate payments based on acres. No arbitrary levies and excessive miscellaneous taxes! Once detected, immediately dismiss and investigate."

"Reform Article Four: Implement the Green Sprout Law, during February and May when food is scarce, the government will lend money and grain to farmers, charging interest of two or three percent every six months, repaid alongside the summer and autumn taxes. To support refugees in local cultivation and increase population."

"Reform Article Five, Implement the Service Exemption Law, change the previous system of household rotation for service duties to the government hiring people instead. Households unwilling to serve will pay a certain amount of gold and silver based on wealth class."

"Reform Article Six: Implement the Farmland Water Resource Law, encourage reclamation, develop irrigation, costs borne by local residents according to wealth class high or low, or seek loans from state-county governments."

"Reform Article Seven: Establish the Commerce Tax Department, levy tariffs on merchants' goods, all goods flow must contribute taxes, except for agricultural products (specified), all other goods are taxed!"

"Reform Article Eight: Official tax. Abolish the saying that people of merit don't pay taxes; any citizen of Great Yu, including but not limited to officials, nobility, and royal relatives, must pay taxes based on their annual income."

"Ninth Article of Reform..."

More than ten various articles, basically covering all aspects of national politics, economy, culture, population, agriculture, and commerce.

The moment the content of the reform was issued, it immediately caused an immense sensation.

Some cheered it, declaring it a strategy for national prosperity that the Imperial Court should vigorously implement.

Even more were filled with anger.

Many people clamored that this strategy was a ploy to exhaust the people and weaken the officials, countless officials sent memorials like snowflakes to Baiyu City, yet Your Majesty kept them all without releasing.

"Your Majesty is deceived by villains! How can you compete with the people for profit!"

"My family followed Grand Ancestor in conquering the world, and we have a share in the Great Yu World; yet, we have to pay taxes!"

"Your Majesty even calls me cousin, yet as a royal relative, I have to pay taxes too!"

"Villains! There are villains around Your Majesty!"

"Treacherous ministers are revealing themselves! Wang Anshi is one, Yuan Qichang is another, and Cai Dashi yet another!"

"Hmph! Your Majesty ignores our loyalty as nothing; this is the sign of a chaotic time!"

"No wonder Your Majesty can't bear a prince, no wonder the Celestial Longevity Mountain constantly makes a dull sound, turns out it's the ancestors of Great Yu cursing Your Majesty!"

"Shh... You're mad! How can you say such things?!"

"It's Your Majesty who is mad! With dire consequences upon the realm, ten princesses are born consecutively; this is calamity indeed!!"

"Clear the corrupt from His Majesty's side! We must clear the court!"

"Your Majesty is unkind... Bearing ten princesses consecutively, such reversal of Yin and Yang will surely lead to hens crowing in the morning, we ought to prop up the impending fall...!"

Throughout the Imperial Court, in the wilderness, in the market alleys, discussions about Wang Anshi's reform were everywhere.

Furthermore, some rumors and incitements targeting Zheng Yi were becoming increasingly rampant, like a storm spreading throughout the Capital City.

Yet, despite all this, Wang Anshi's reform was still proceeding fervently.

Teams of Embroidered Uniform Guard, Revenue Department, and Commerce Tax Department personnel were sent forth, heading to each state county of the Great Yu Thirteen States to implement the new law!

Facing this situation, countless officials also made counterattacks.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, January 28th, eighteen officials submitted their resignations, which Your Majesty did not approve.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, February 5th, twenty-three officials submitted their resignations, which Your Majesty approved.

Their vacant positions were quickly occupied by members of the Emperor Faction.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, February 25th.

Vice Chief of the Cabinet Lu Xiangqing and Cabinet Minister Li Yuanhao cited age as their reason, requested to retire, yet Your Majesty did not approve.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, March 3rd, Lu Xiangqing and Li Yuanhao again requested to retire, yet Your Majesty did not approve.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, March 5th.

An Imperial Physician went to Kunning Palace to check the pulse for peace, soon overjoyed.

Empress Lu Lin'er was pregnant again.

Your Majesty rejoiced, the harem was shaken, this news immediately spread throughout the Imperial Court.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, March 8th, Lu Xiangqing retracted his retirement memorial.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, March 15th, Li Yuanhao continued to request to retire, which Emperor Zhengyong approved.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, March 20th.

Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice Yuan Fang was promoted to Minister of the Ministry of Justice, becoming one of the Nine Ministers.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, March 28th.

Thirty-five officials submitted their resignations, which Emperor Zhengyong angrily rebuked before approving.

The vacant positions of officials were quickly occupied by members of the Emperor Faction.

A portion of these positions, upon Zheng Xuanyue's request, were occupied by young Upright Officials.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, April 5th.

A Jinggzhou landlord was unwilling to let Ministry of Revenue officials measure farmland, incited tenant farmers to beat the Ministry of Revenue officials to death, and destroy the corpse, yet they were discovered by the accompanying Embroidered Uniform Guards.

Your Majesty was furious, issued a decree to confiscate the entire family, all family assets and land were absorbed into the national treasury.

This not only failed to deter the officials but instead caused a greater backlash.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, April 10th, seventeen landlords and sects in Jinggzhou refused to allow Ministry of Revenue officials entry, expelled Ministry of Revenue officials.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, April 21st, twenty-three landlords, officials, and nobles in Yangzhou refused to allow Ministry of Revenue officials entry, expelled Ministry of Revenue officials.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, May 1st.

Water bandits appeared in Jiangzhou, killing thirty-two Ministry of Revenue officials, causing national outrage.

The Emperor ordered the New Army First Division to enter Jiangzhou to suppress the water bandits.

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, May 5th.

King Shu Zheng Zongxuan declared "The law of ancestors cannot be changed, the statutes of Great Yu cannot be altered", expelled Great Yu officials, commanded the people of the Shu Region, seizing the Shu Region as Dukes.

He then used the name "clear the court" to move from Sichuan to Hanzhong, occupied three counties in Hanzhong, with military force pointing directly at the Capital City!

In the 8th Year of Zhengyong, May 6th.

Prince Ning Zheng Yuanhao issued a decree, following the Imperial Uncle Zheng Zongxuan, also under the name 'clear the court', marched his troops to the Capital City!

Subsequently.

Prince Qing Zheng Yuanlie, King Jinn Zheng Zongyang, King Chen Zheng Zongkai, King Jiang Zheng Zongyue all mobilized their troops, to clear the court!

The same month.

A civil revolt broke out in Qingzhou, countless rebels attacked the government office, shouting "The Heavens are dead, Baiyu rules the world", the White Lotus Sect resurfaced!

At Jiangzhou's Tianlong Temple, a Buddhist light spread throughout, ten thousand monk soldiers expelled county soldiers from Jiangzhou, occupying six counties, declaring "The light of Buddha illuminates, it is Western bliss, untainted by worldly affairs"!

In Yunmeng Marsh, elite martial artists from the Tuoba Family emerged in full force, under their command, ten thousand water bandits looted everywhere, their military force spreading through Jinggzhou, Yangzhou, and Yuezhou, with enormous influence.

In Yongzhou and Youzhou, the Celestial Destiny Sect also resurfaced but was quickly extinguished by new troops.

Subsequently, Celestial Destiny Sect followers infiltrated Shuzhou, joined forces with King Shu, willingly became vassals.

In Haizhou, thirty thousand disciples from Yuanhe Mountain descended, most county soldiers in Haizhou also rebelled, occupying the government office, declaring themselves Dukes!

In Bingzhou.

A mysterious figure attacked the local garrison, Cui Xiawu was unable to resist, severely injured, rescued in a battle where over a thousand enemies were killed!

The attacker claimed to be from the Wang Clan, Bingzhou also rebelled!

In just a few months, out of the Great Yu Thirteen States, at least ten states had instances of rebellion!

And amid such circumstances, far away in the Northern Lands, Wu Country witnessed another major event!