The old man squinted his eyes and took a sip of wine. "The damned emperor collecting taxes from the gentry will definitely cause dissension among them. We can take advantage of this opportunity.
Most of the members of the White Lotus Group are commoners. With the support of the gentry, we can definitely overthrow the fake dynasty. "
"When the time comes, we can use the name of the leader of the White Lotus Group."
The woman glanced at the old man and smiled. "I'm Tang Saier's reincarnation."
The old man nodded and smiled. "I've already sent people to spread the news. Back then, Tang Saier stood high in Shandong and shocked the fake dynasty. However, she failed on the verge of success. We can definitely succeed this time."
The father and daughter had been plotting for a long time. They were very confident and rubbed their hands, ready to go all out.
In reality, the White Lotus Group had been developing secretly. However, they hadn't made much progress in the past few years. Ever since Long Qing ascended to the throne and Zhang Juzheng took over, the court was still doing its job despite the many disasters.
Due to the relief, the commoners' lives were much better. This made the development of the White Lotus Group very difficult.
However, the White Lotus Group saw an opportunity this time. The court's action would definitely cause dissatisfaction among the gentry, giving the White Lotus Group a chance to stir up trouble.
In the eyes of the White Lotus Group, most of their members were poor commoners. If the gentry joined them, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.
With the poor commoners as followers and the gentry, they would definitely be able to conquer the world and destroy the foundation of the fake dynasty.
This was obviously the result of Zhu Yijun's little wings. In reality, Zhu Yijun didn't care about the White Lotus Group at all.
In the history he was familiar with, the White Lotus Group didn't stir up trouble during this period.
It was only when the Fragrance Sect rose in Shandong and Hebei that the White Lotus Group made trouble.
However, what Zhu Yijun didn't expect was that while he was thinking about reform, the White Lotus Group was thinking about taking advantage of the loophole to rebel. This time, they wanted to make things even bigger. The whole thing was developing in an unpredictable direction.
Qufu, Kong Family.
Kong Shangxian lay on his side on the bed. The servant girl massaged his legs while the steward stood respectfully beside him.
"That eunuch still refuses to leave?" Kong Shangxian glanced at the butler and asked casually with an expressionless face.
Offering sacrifices to Sage Confucius on behalf of the emperor was something that couldn't be helped. They had to receive him according to etiquette, but the Kong family didn't need to give face to a eunuch.
The Kong family had existed for so many years, from the Spring and Autumn to the Han and Tang dynasties. Even after so many dynasties, the Kong family was still the Kong family.
No one in this world could touch the Kong Clan. This was the Kong Clan's confidence. He was just a eunuch, why would the Kong Clan need to give him face?
"He only eats, sleeps, sleeps, and eats all day long. He strolls around in a leisurely manner. He doesn't seem to be in a hurry at all." The butler bowed slightly and said.
"Not in a hurry?"
Kong Shangxian sneered disdainfully, "He's not anxious, but someone else is. Have people come to visit our residence these days?"
The housekeeper nodded. "All the gentry in Shandong are here. Now that the imperial court is going to collect taxes from the gentry's fields, they are all anxious.
But it hasn't started yet. Most of them are watching our family. "
Kong Shangxian was naturally aware of this point. He couldn't help but curse in his heart, "A bunch of trash."
However, Kong Shangxian could only curse in his heart for having such thoughts. The Kong Clan's current status was all because of these people.
If it wasn't for these people, would the imperial family take the Kong Clan seriously?
There was another reason why these people were looking at the Kong Clan. It was because the Kong Clan had a lot of land!
In the entire Shandong prefecture, no one had more land than the Kong Clan. If the imperial court wanted to collect taxes from the gentry in Shandong, the Kong Clan was a hurdle that couldn't be avoided.
If the Kong Clan paid the taxes, the gentry in Shandong would definitely have to pay as well. If the Kong Clan didn't pay, it would be a joke for the officials and gentry to collect taxes together.
This matter was known by the imperial court, the officials, and of course, the Kong Clan.
Kong Shangxian looked at the housekeeper and said indifferently, "Tell them that we aren't in a hurry. Just drag it out."
Kong Shangxian understood the entire situation. He wasn't stupid, so he naturally knew what was the best choice.
The current situation was that the entire country was looking at Shandong, and Shandong was looking at the Kong Clan.
There was no need for the Kong Clan to go out and forcefully resist. They could just drag it out.
If the taxes weren't raised, what could they do?
Rush to the Kong Clan and rob it?
Kong Shangxian didn't believe that anyone in the world would have the guts to do so.
Of course, the housekeeper understood what Kong Shangxian meant. He didn't show any surprise on his face. He nodded and said, "Yes, Master!"
After saying this, the housekeeper turned around and walked outside. Kong Shangxian pulled the maidservant onto the bed.
Capital, Forbidden City, Wenhua Hall.
Zhu Yijun looked at the secret letter in his hand and sighed helplessly.
As he had expected, the Kong Clan was indeed unwilling to cooperate. He had asked Xu De to go to the Kong Clan, but they didn't even want to meet him.
Originally, he had wanted to give the Kong Clan a chance. It seemed that there was no hope for this matter to be settled amicably.
Glancing at Zhang Jing, Zhu Yijun asked, "Has Professor Kong come?"
Zhang Jing hurriedly bowed and said, "In reply to Imperial Majesty, Professor Kong is already waiting outside!"
The Professor Kong that Zhu Yijun mentioned was actually Kong Shangqian, the Professor of the Five Classics of Hanlin Academy. In terms of seniority, he was of the same generation as Duke Yan, Kong Shangxian.
At the same time, he was also the head of the Kong Family of the Southern School, and a hereditary scholar of the Five Classics of the Hanlin Academy.
Speaking of which, the difference between the Southern Sect and the Northern Sect was like heaven and earth.
The cause of the matter had to be traced back to the Song Dynasty. In the later period of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Nüzhen tribe went south. Zhao Gou crossed the river and established the Southern Song Dynasty in Lin 'an.
Kong Duanyou followed Emperor Gaozong and moved south in the second year of Jianyan. He settled in Quzhou (now Quzhou, Zhejiang Province) and became the Southern Sect.
You Kong from the Southern Sect who attacked Saint Duke Feng Yan?
, hole?
Kong Wenyuan, Kong Wanchun, Kong Zhu and the others.
After the Song court moved south, Liu Yu established the puppet Qi regime. In the third year of Fuchang, Kong Duanyou's younger brother Kong Duancao's son Kong Duancao was conferred the title of Emperor Kong.
He presided over the Qufu Temple of Confucius for Duke Yan.
After the puppet regime of Qi was overthrown, Jin Xizong succeeded as Emperor Kong in the third year of Tianyi.
It was Duke Yan.
After them were Kong Zheng and Kong Fu.
From?
Admit it?
Yes, sir.
Pretty?
Rime.
Later, because of the Mongols, Kong Yuancuo moved to Bianjing with the Jin regime. The Qufu Temple of Confucius was presided over by his brother Kong Yuanyong.
The Mongols occupied Qufu and appointed Kong Yuanyong and Kong Zhiquan as Duke Yan.
In this way, the three dynasties of the Song Dynasty had a Duke Yan.
Although there was a Duke Yan in each dynasty, the Duke Yan of the Yuan and Jin was actually of the same bloodline. The Northern and Southern Sects of the Kong Family were also brothers.
In the fifth year of Emperor Taizong, the Mongol cavalry took down the capital of Bianjing. The Jin Saint Duke Yan, Kong Yuancuo, was taken over by the Yuan regime. Kong Yuancuo was still given the title of Duke Yan and Kong Zhiquan was given the title of Qufu Magistrate.
At this time, the Northern Sect of the Kong Family completed the unification and officially became the Northern Sect.
After the unification of the Yuan Dynasty, Khubilai visited the descendants of Confucius in the nineteenth year of Zhiyuan and summoned Kong Zhu to the capital. Kong Zhu was given the position of Zongzi in Qufu. Khubilai praised Kong Zhu and said, "You are a true descendant of the Sage.
"Therefore, Kong Zhu was appointed as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, the Minister of Administration and the Promotion of the Eastern Zhejiang School. He was given the seal of the Lin Temple and removed the title of Duke Yan.
From this time on, the title of Duke Yan completely fell into the hands of the Northern Sect of the Kong Family and had nothing to do with the Southern Sect.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the world was in chaos and the Jianghuai region was in chaos. The Mongols, Zhang Shicheng, Chen Youliang, and Zhu Yuanzhang fought in Jianghuai. During the chaos of war, the Southern Sect of the Kong Family declined even more.
In comparison, the Northern Sect was much less disturbed by the war. When Zhu Yuanzhang went on the Northern Expedition, the Northern Sect was not affected too much.
In the seventeenth year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang gave the title of Duke Yan to the Northern Sect of the Kong Family. The Northern Sect of the Kong Family once again became the Daming Duke Yan.
Regarding this matter, Zhu Yijun had heard of a rumor in his previous life. It was about the DNA of the Northern Sect of the Kong Family.
After testing, it was found that the Northern Sect of the Kong Family was no longer a descendant of Confucius, but a Mongolian called Zhang Renyu.
In fact, Zhu Yijun did not know whether it was true or not, but it was certain that the Northern Sect of the Kong Family was related to the Yuan. As for the matter of Kong Zhu abdicating the title, Zhu Yijun just laughed it off. Whoever believed such a thing would be a fool.
What was the identity of the Southern Sect of the Kong Family?
What about the Northern Sect of the Southern Song Dynasty?
It had always been in the North.
This branch of the Kong Family was the Kong Family of the Yuan Family. Now that the Yuan Family had unified the world, would they make the Southern Sect's Kong Family Duke Yan?
What a joke. If Kong Zhu did not agree, the entire Kong Family of the Southern Sect would probably be destroyed.
In fact, the Northern Sect of the Kong Family had been suppressing the Southern Sect all these years. This was an undeniable fact.
During the chaos of war in Jianghuai, the Northern Sect did not lend a helping hand. When the Daming unified the world and made the Northern Sect Duke Yan, they did not help the Southern Sect either.
One had to know that the Southern Sect was conferred a title by the imperial court during the Hongzhi era.
In the eighteenth year of Hongzhi, the prefectural magistrate of Qu Province, Shen Jie, presented a memorial: "After Kong Zhu abdicated his title, the Qu Province's holy temple, in terms of attire and etiquette, became vulgar and vulgar.
Today I am paying a visit to Zhu's sixth generation grandson, Yan Sheng. Please confer me an official position to be in charge of the sacrificial ceremony. "
He continued, "During the early years of the Hongwu era, a light punishment was imposed. Later on, a heavy tax was imposed. Please change the punishment to a light one, as a sacrifice fee."
Emperor Kezhi, in the first year of Zhengde, Yan Sheng was conferred the title of Professor of Five Classics of the Hanlin Academy, which was hereditary to his descendants, and the tax for offering sacrifices to the fields was reduced.
From this record, it could be seen how miserable the Southern Sect of the Kong Clan was. The description of "wretched and despicable" was enough to explain it.
It could be seen that not only did the Southern Sect not receive any help from the Northern Sect, but they were also being suppressed.
Even if there was a memorial, it was only a hereditary title of Professor of the Five Classics in the Hanlin Academy, some sacrificial fields, and a reduction in the tax for the sacrificial fields.
Originally, Zhu Yijun did not want to make a big fuss. He let Xu De go because he wanted to tell Kong Shangxian not to go.
Nse, the Kong Clan doesn't only have your clan, there's still the Southern Sect.
If you don't agree to pay taxes this time, then I'll cripple you.
However, Kong Shangxian didn't even want to see Xu De, so there was no way to threaten him.
At this moment, Zhu Yijun was angry. He was really angry. The spineless Kong Clan dared to be so arrogant, not even giving face to the Emperor. Zhu Yijun really wanted to grab Kong Shangxian by his collar and ask him, "Who are you talking to?"
One had to know that Zhu Yijun didn't have a good impression of the Kong Clan. If you said that they were fence-sitters, then they would suck up to anyone who came. This included the Jurchens, the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, and even the Great Qing Dynasty. For the sake of their clan's legacy, they had no choice but to do so. It was the imperial family who didn't protect them well.
Furthermore, what kind of clan was the Kong Clan?
They advocated loyalty, righteousness, and reason. Loyalty was ranked first.
They enjoyed the worship of the common people and the courtesy of the imperial family. They were above the common people of the world, but where was their loyalty?
In order to please Khubilai, the Kong Clan sent Zhang Dehui and Yuan Haowen to see Khubilai and kneel to ask him to be the "Great Grandmaster of Confucianism".
The dignified Huaxia's "sacred school" actually managed to invite a chieftain whose hands were stained with the blood of tens of millions of Han people to be the Great Grandmaster. The Kong Clan had truly achieved the highest realm of "returning good for evil".
Out of all the Sacred Dukes in the Kong Clan, Kong Yinzhi was the one who kept up with the times and followed the trend of the times. The Zhu Clan really treated him well. He wasn't a direct descendant, but not only did he receive the title of Sacred Duke Yan, he was also given the title of Grand Protector of the Crown Prince and Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince.
However, when Li Zicheng entered Shandong and was still far from Qufu, the Kong Clan issued an edict ordering people to worship the throne of the Yong Chang Emperor of Great Shun. They also offered horses and silver, and knelt down to receive the imperial seal.
Who would have thought that the change of master would be a bit hasty? Within a few days, the Great Shun army ran away and the Qing army arrived. This Sacred Duke Yan knew his mistake and immediately changed. He immediately submitted the "Initial Report", expressing his loyalty to the Qing court and praising the Qing Emperor, "The mountains and rivers are intertwined with the sun and moon, and the country is as eternal as the universe."
He said, "I am a scholar in the imperial court, and I am insignificant. In the past, I have received the generosity of previous generations. Today, the Qing Dynasty is flourishing, and I look forward to learning from it."
Then, in response to the Qing government's hair-shaving order, Kong Yinzhi held a ceremonial hair-shaving ceremony. He "respectfully set up an incense table and read out the imperial edict," ordering his clansmen to shave their hair.
At the same time, the Qing army was massacring countless people who resisted the hair-shaving order in Jiading and other places.
Later, in order to avoid the taboo of the Qing Emperor, Kong Yinzhi changed his name to Kong Yanzhi, once again showing his loyalty to the Qing court.
Zhu Yijun didn't care about these things. After all, the Daming was dead and the royal family didn't do a good job of protecting them. It was understandable that they wanted to live.
Of course, he still had to look down on them.
Later generations scolded Wu Sangui for being a slave to the three surnames, and Duke Yan's manor was almost the same.
Although he cursed in his heart, Zhu Yijun still knew the big picture. The tax reform this time was very important. If the Kong family understood the situation and followed him in implementing the tax reform, then he could let the Kong family go.
But now, it seemed that they didn't care about him at all. They didn't even meet the people sent by the Emperor and stood him up. This time, Zhu Yijun would let them know that he was very angry, and the consequences would be very serious.
Kong Shangqian walked in from outside the palace. His expression was very serious.
Compared to Kong Shangxian, Kong Shangqian was even younger. He was only in his twenties. If his father hadn't died early, the position of Professor of Five Classics in Hanlin Academy would not have fallen to him.
However, he was not stupid. Back then, when the Kong family fought for the position of Duke Yan in the Northern and Southern Schools, it wasn't just a story. The Kong family and the Southern School had all been passed down by word of mouth.
Now, the court wanted the officials and gentry to pay taxes together, and the Emperor had sent a large number of people to Shandong. Everyone was waiting to see the results in Shandong. These days, the atmosphere in the capital had become much more serious.
Kong Shangqian was not blind or deaf. Naturally, he had heard about it.