Save the Bachelor of Heaven

Time flies.

In the twenty-eighth year of Tiantong, news came from the Western Region that Princess Mingyuan was suffering from illness, but she finally escaped.

When the news came, the Empress Dowager was extremely sad.

Fortunately, Qu Xiaofeng was here, and Toyo Chao and Xi Zhou were still in-laws, so the relationship did not become turbulent.

What's more, now that Danchi has been destroyed and King Shoboliton has died, the ministers and princes in the country have been fighting endlessly for the throne of the king, and the winner has not yet been decided.

Such protracted internal fighting has caused Shuobo's vitality to be severely damaged, people's livelihood to be in decline, and it will no longer be known as the second most powerful country in the Western Region. As one goes and the other goes, the influence and control of the Toyo Dynasty in the Western Territory will naturally be greatly strengthened.

After the death of Princess Mingyuan, the Toyo Dynasty sent a delegation to express condolences.

Qu Xiaofeng also took the opportunity to prepare three large cars as gifts for King Xizhou.

Such as glass mirrors, glass statues, telescopes, magnifying glasses, golden clocks, perfumes, soaps, icing sugar, etc. produced by Tiangongfang.

She has been coming to Toyochao for several years and has never been back once.

She also knew that it would be difficult for her to go back. After all, the return of the married princess to her mother country would herald turmoil in the relationship between the two countries. Either he will be deposed or his country will be subjugated.

Since she couldn't go back, she could only ask someone to take these gifts back.

Xiang Nan knew about her homesickness, so he specially picked up a paintbrush and helped her and her daughter, Princess Zhixian, draw a group photo of the three of them.

He uses Western oil painting methods, which are more realistic and lifelike, just like living people.

"Wow, it's so similar, it's like it's printed on it." No matter who looked at that group photo, they thought it was so wonderful.

…

A month later, the mission returned to Toyo Dynasty and brought back letters and gifts from King Xizhou to his daughter.

The letter said that the King of Xizhou was very happy when he saw the portraits of his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, saying that his daughter had grown up and looked like an adult. He asked her to take good care of her husband and children and continue to work hard for peace between the two countries.

Reading his father's reply to him, Qu Xiaofeng couldn't help but shed tears.

Also returning with the mission was Gu Jian.

"Cousin~" Xiang Nan bowed her hand to him.

"His Royal Highness~" Gu Jian bowed and saluted when he saw Xiang Nan, looking a little embarrassed.

"What happened in the past is in the past." Xiang Nan said upon seeing this, "Xiao Feng is very happy now, and our relationship has always been very good. Maybe you don't know, but she is now a mother."

Gu Jian nodded.

Although he is far away in the Western Region, he actually knows all these things.

"From now on, follow Mr. Chai and work hard." Xiang Nan asked.

Today's Hidden Dragon Envoys have spread all over the country, numbering in the thousands, and have become a force that cannot be underestimated.

Xiang Nan naturally has to firmly grasp this power.

Gu Jian nodded.

…

In the twenty-ninth year of Tiantong, Li Hao's health gradually deteriorated.

He had headaches from the beginning, which have gotten worse as he got older in the past few years.

Xiang Nan knew that he suffered from migraine and high blood pressure, so he originally wanted to avoid alcohol, oily and spicy food.

But as an emperor, he lived in luxury and had heavy meals three times a day.

Like Li Shi's usual breakfast, there are five types of breakfast: tea, roasted pot, phoenix chicken, double stick bones, large silver ingots, large oil cakes, three kinds of soup, double steamed buns, horse meat rice, and wine.

It’s stick bones, fried cakes, chicken, and horse meat rice...it’s obvious how much fat there is and how strong the taste is.

If you continue to eat like this, even a strong-willed person will be unable to hold on, and your body will become increasingly weak as a result.

The headaches became so severe that he couldn't even endure morning rituals. He felt dizzy mid-morning and had to stop temporarily.

And my sleep is also affected. I sleep less and less and my energy becomes more and more depressed.

Li Hao also knew that his time was probably running out, so he started the great cause of Tuogu.

"Cheng Yin, I'm afraid I'm dying." He took Xiang Nan's hand and said, "Before I leave, I have a secret to tell you."

"Father, please speak." Xiang Nan nodded.

"The Queen is not your biological mother, your biological mother is Concubine Gu Shu..." Li Ze told the truth about the Queen's murder of Concubine Gu Shu. He also recounted the grievances between the Gu and Chen families and Gao Ming.

Xiang Nan nodded, "Father, my child has known these things for a long time. Aunt Mingyuan already told me when my child went to the Western Region."

Li Hao was stunned for a moment, then asked, "Since you already know, why have you pretended not to know for so many years?"

Zhang Meiniang had a grudge against him for killing her mother, but Xiang Nan had always been filial to her over the years. Because of this, he thought Xiang Nan didn't know anything about it.

"Father, it is indeed wrong for my mother-in-law to kill my biological mother. But I can't turn a blind eye to the kindness of raising me for twenty years." Xiang Nan explained, "On the one hand, it is to give birth to kindness, and on the other hand, it is to nourish kindness. My son can only pretend not to know. Affection."

Li Hao was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "In that case, it's up to you."

…

At the end of the 29th year of Tiantong, Li Fu officially gave up and returned to the west.

After Li Fu gave up and returned to the west, Xiang Nan officially ascended the throne as emperor and changed his name to Yuan Tianzhi!

They named Qu Xiaofeng the queen, Zhao Sese the noble concubine, and Gao Ruyi the title Zhaoyi. He promoted Pei Zhao to take charge of the imperial army and made him a general of Shenwu to gain military power.

At the same time, the Qianlong envoy was changed to the Jinyiwei, with Gu Jian as the commander. The banners are divided into thousand households, hundreds of households, and general banners. The lowest rank is the strongman.

The Jinyiwei were under the direct jurisdiction of the emperor and were not restricted by the six ministries. They also had the power of investigation, arrest, and torture. Therefore, they had great power and could control hundreds of officials, which also concentrated Xiang Nan's power.

Subsequently, he promoted system reform, promoted census and land census, and proposed "sharing the land into acres" and "the gentry working together as errands and paying grain".

The so-called sharing every acre means the abolition of the head tax.

This tax has been collected since the Spring and Autumn Period and has lasted for thousands of years. As long as you are a human being, you have to pay, which is a huge burden for ordinary people.

For example, during the period of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, everyone aged fifteen to fifty-six years old had to pay one hundred and twenty coins per year; during the period of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, it was reduced to thirty coins per person per year; during the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, due to the military Expenses increased, so it returned to one hundred and twenty cents per person per year.

This money is a very heavy burden for the people, and it is also very unfair.

After all, the people have no roof to cover their heads and no place to stand, yet they still have to pay so much money. And those nobles, with their fields and luxurious houses, only paid the same amount.

Therefore, the essence of the reform of "dividing a small person into an acre" is to impose the poll tax of the peasant class on the land of the landlord class. The more fields you hold, the more taxes you pay.

This was naturally a great loss to the noble families, princes and ministers, so they were unwilling to carry out the plan and resisted desperately.

However, Xiang Nan did not tolerate them and sent Jin Yiwei to arrest officials who refused to cooperate and put them in jail directly.

In the twenty-seventh year of Tiantong, Jinyiwei's predecessor, Qianlongshi, was already collecting intelligence across the country. I dare not say that I know all the details of officials, big and small, but Xiang Nan knows clearly who is wise and who is foolish, who loves the people like a son, and who enriches the people by enriching themselves.

And those corrupt officials are the main force against the "dividing a small family into an equal share" and "the government and the gentry working together as errands and paying for food". So now it is extremely easy to catch their pigtails.