196: Natural resources and treasures

Chapter 195 Heaven And Earth Treasure

"Official taxes..."

Zheng Yi also began to ponder. Back then, the reason for implementing official taxes, besides replenishing the national treasury, was most importantly to force those large landowners and large families to rebel.

Now it seemed the effect was quite good.

A series of national policies such as official taxes caused those large landowners, major families, Sects, or those who had long harbored rebellious intentions in their hearts to all rebel.

For example, forces like the Wang Family, Xu Mujun, Tianlong Temple, Tuoba Family, Yuanhe Mountain, and others.

In over two years, the world was in chaos, and those who should rebel had all rebelled.

Those who could stay were either truly loyal to Great Yu, or their own interests were bound together with Great Yu, unable to extricate themselves anymore.

For example, people like the Taiyi Sect, Lu Xiangqing, Xu Mujun, and others.

Since the predetermined goal had already been achieved, the policy of official taxes... still could not be revoked!

Changing policies morning and night was a major taboo.

Although this policy had been implemented for five years, it also represented Zheng Yi and the dignity of the royal Family, and could not be easily rescinded.

However, regarding this matter, he already had a way to deal with it.

Zheng Yi said, "The matter of official taxes cannot be easily revoked, but reductions and exemptions can also be made through other methods."

"Reductions and exemptions?"

Lu Xiangqing asked curiously, "I wonder how Your Majesty plans to carry out these reductions and exemptions?"

"It is very simple." Zheng Yi said, "Official taxes must be paid. This is to treat everyone equally and let the common people of the world have a way to survive."

"Officials must pay taxes just like common people and merchants."

"However, officials are personnel assisting Us in managing Great Yu, studying the words of the Saint, and setting an example with their own actions."

"When officials pay taxes, reductions and exemptions can be made through methods such as rendering meritorious service, charity, and donations."

"Meritorious service? Charity? Donations?"

Several people remained silent, pondering the feasibility of this strategy in their hearts, and finally nodded gently.

Just as Your Majesty said, since the official tax policy had been implemented, it could not be revoked.

At the very least, it could not be revoked in recent years.

But certain reductions and exemptions could be made through other ways.

Since that was the case, Lu Xiangqing could only say with heartfelt submission, "This subject obeys the decree."

Zheng Yi nodded and said, "Alright, regarding the policies for the Second Five-Year Plan of Our Great Yu, you lords can go back and discuss with the officials of various ministries. In three... never mind, submit a memorial to Us in a week, and We will ponder it carefully."

"This subject and others obey the decree...!"

Everyone bowed and retreated, and Zheng Yi also let out a long sigh of relief.

Compared to so many tedious affairs of state, he still felt that to Cultivate was somewhat interesting.

"Your Majesty, this old servant requests an audience."

Suddenly, a figure appeared at the door, and Zheng Yi's eyes lit up: "Old Chen? Come in."

Soon Chen Liancang's figure walked in and respectfully said, "This old servant greets Your Majesty!"

"Old Chen has come out of seclusion? How is your cultivation?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, this old servant has low root bones, and until now is still only at the first layer of the Qi Refinement Phase."

Ever since Chen Liancang obtained the Yellow Springs Scripture from the trip to Emperor Taizus Mausoleum, he had been in closed-door cultivation inside the imperial mausoleum.

If one wanted to Cultivate the Yellow Springs Scripture, they had to be in a place of extreme yin.

And that area of Emperor Taizus Mausoleum was undoubtedly the best place to Cultivate.

After several months of cultivation, Chen Liancang had only just stepped into the Qi Refinement Phase.

One could imagine that his Spiritual Root Aptitude could only be considered ordinary.

"Diligence can make up for clumsiness. Old Chen need not be discouraged, and must still be diligent."

"This old servant thanks Your Majesty!"

Chen Liancang respectfully said, "That's right, Your Majesty, this old servant has an important matter to report here."

"Oh? What matter?"

"Ever since White Long Eagle advanced to the Innate realm half a year ago due to a special fruit under a cliff, Your Majesty once ordered this old servant to search for Spiritual Plants and spirit fruits within the Jingji Area."

"Heaven does not disappoint those who try. The Shadow Guard and Jinyi Guard were all dispatched, and a total of seven plants suspected of being Spiritual Plants and spirit fruits were found within the Jingji Area."

"Oh? Seven?"

Zheng Yi's eyes lit up and he asked, "What are they all?"

Chen Liancang shook his head and said, "Replying to Your Majesty, this old servant does not recognize them, but one of them is very similar to ginseng. As for the other six Spiritual Plants, this old servant also sent painters to draw them and send them into the imperial palace."

"Oh? Portraits?"

Zheng Yi asked, "Are there people sent to guard those Spiritual Plants?"

"Each Spiritual Plant has already had a team of Jinyi Guard or Shadow Guard dispatched to guard it. A radius of one thousand meters around the Spiritual Plant has been established as a Forbidden Ground, and no one is allowed to approach."

Chen Liancang said, "However, most of these seven Spiritual Plants grow among mountain forests where human footprints are rare, so protecting them is very simple."

"There is only one strange Spiritual Plant growing in a village on the outskirts of Wannian County. This old servant has already notified the local magistrate to focus on protecting it."

"Oh? A Spiritual Plant growing in a village?"

Zheng Yi was also somewhat surprised. Heaven And Earth Treasures such as Spiritual Plants and spirit fruits mostly grew in deep mountain forests with dense Spiritual Qi or special terrains, or in famous rivers and great mountains.

It was still rare for them to grow in a village within a populated area.

"Yes, Your Majesty, this portrait is what this Spiritual Plant looks like."

Chen Liancang pulled out seven scrolls from his sleeve, picked one of them, and handed it to Zheng Yi.

Zheng Yi took it and looked, discovering that the Spiritual Plant in the picture was shaped like an octopus, clinging under a withered pagoda tree.

What was bizarre was that the color of this Spiritual Plant turned out to be pale blue.

The tree roots meandered and the leaves spiraled together. Looking closely, it actually looked like a skull.

"Your Majesty."

Chen Liancang said, "This item actually grows in the mass grave outside Wannian County, shaped like a skull, and during its growth, it will also absorb the surrounding plant Life Qi, causing plants such as pagoda trees, hollies, and pines within a range of more than ten meters to wither and die completely!"

"This old servant was afraid that it would also harm Mortals, so he designated the entire mass grave as a Forbidden Ground. The guarding personnel also set up checkpoints around the mass grave, and no one is allowed to enter!"

"This item... is bizarre!"

Zheng Yi muttered, and checked the other six scrolls.

The Spiritual Plants on these scrolls were all bizarrely shaped. Some grew into pentagons, some were as red as blood, and some had sky-blue fruits piled together, which was very strange.

These Spiritual Plants, who knew when they would ripen?

"Your Majesty, there are also classics recording many Spiritual Plants and Spirit Medicines in Emperor Taizus Mausoleum. I wonder..."

Zheng Yi nodded and said, "Those classics are all with Consort Cui. We will have Consort Cui look them up."

"What Old Chen needs to do is to protect these Spiritual Plants and spirit fruits well and not let people harm them."

"In addition, continue to send out search personnel to vigorously search for Spiritual Plants and Spirit Medicines within the Jingji Area."

"Issue a search decree once more. Anyone who discovers special plants like Spiritual Plants or bizarre matters, after reporting it, will be heavily rewarded!"

"This old servant obeys the decree!"

Seven strands of innate spiritual energy gathering in the Jingji Area would inevitably cause drastic changes in heaven and earth, and the quantity of Heaven And Earth Treasures would also surge.

All the Heaven And Earth Treasures here belonged to him, and no one could snatch them away!

A few days later, Consort Cui came out of seclusion.

She had been pregnant for more than seven months, her belly was round, and at this time it was not suitable to continue to Cultivate, so she went out to recuperate her pregnancy.

Through her identification, she quickly recognized the specific names and effects of these seven Spiritual Plants.

"Your Majesty, this Spiritual Plant growing in the mass grave of Wannian County is called 'ghost spirit grass'. It is a Tier 2 Spiritual Plant and one of the main ingredients for the Tier 2 Medicinal Pill 'Condensing Soul Pill'. After taking it, it can repair mental injuries and also increase a trace of Divine Thought power. It is extremely precious."

"And this Spiritual Plant that caused Feihe's younger sister's father's martial arts cultivation to soar seems to be a vermilion fruit."

"This herb is named blood-coagulation grass, a very ordinary Spiritual Plant, which can be used to refine various Medicinal Pills for recovering from injuries."

"This herb... should be Purple Spirit Ginseng! It is even more precious than ginseng..."

"And this herb..."

Under Consort Cui's identification, Zheng Yi quickly understood the names and specific effects of these seven herbs and the three red fruits preserved in the inner treasury.

Among the eight Spiritual Plants, except for the ghost spirit grass which was a Tier 2 Spiritual Plant, the rest were all Tier 1 Spiritual Plants.

But for Zheng Yi and the others nowadays, they were also extremely precious and could not be underestimated.

Upon learning the preciousness of the ghost spirit grass, Zheng Yi directly ordered to double the personnel guarding this place.

Be sure to ensure the safety of this Spiritual Plant!

Subsequently, Zhuang Yuheng and Yuechan also successively came out of seclusion.

Their pregnancy dates were about the same as Consort Cui's, and they would give birth in another two or three months.

And inside the underground palace, only Dongyun Jie and Dongyun Yu were left.

The two women had been pregnant for only over three months, and there was still more than half a year before giving birth.

Strive to have their cultivation step into the first layer of the Qi Refinement Phase before giving birth!

Taking advantage of this time, Zheng Yi began to let Zhuang Yuheng use the Spiritual Testing Talisman to detect whether the various members of the Shadow Guard in the palace possessed Spiritual Roots.

In the entire imperial city, when it came to the degree of loyalty to Zheng Yi, of course the Shadow Guard cultivated as death-defying guards since childhood were the most loyal.

Next were the many Imperial Guards, members of the Emperors Party, Jinyi Guard, and so on.

The three women recuperated their pregnancy with peace of mind, and Zheng Yi at this time also received the memorials submitted by the cabinet and others.

The draft of the Second Five-Year Plan of the Great Yu Dynasty was all inside.

Zheng Yi carefully reviewed it, then made quite a few modifications, and summoned several people.

"This subject and others greet Your Majesty!"

Inside the White Jade Capital, Lu Xiangqing, Zheng Xuanyue, Li Changfeng, Zheng Zongbing, and Wang Anshi, the five cabinet assistant ministers.

As well as cabinet walking officials like Yuan Qichang and Cai Dashi.

"My beloved ministers, We have already read the memorials you submitted."

Zheng Yi said, "The core policy of the Second Five-Year Plan is actually still to suppress rebels, is it not?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Several people replied, especially Li Changfeng who said, "Your Majesty, nowadays the rebel armies in the world have been mostly extinguished, but there are still a large number of displaced people, rebels, deserters, wandering bandits, etc. causing chaos everywhere."

"Some of them turn from commoners into bandits, gathering in mountains and forests. Horse bandits, mountain bandits, and water bandits cause chaos everywhere, and even hide in deep mountain forests, poisoning and harming people."

"For this reason, this subject requests that even after wiping out the rebel armies of the world, we must not put away our weapons and horses, but instead send troops to continue suppressing bandits, returning Great Yu a bright and clear sky!"

Zheng Yi said indifferently, "So, you are prepared to restart the Provincial Governor System?"

Several people hesitated for a moment, and it was still Lu Xiangqing who said, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Restarting the Provincial Governor System can gather the military and political power of a province into one person, make administrative orders smooth and reachable, have upper and lower levels respond to each other, maximize the driving force, and also mobilize the prefecture soldiers within the province at the fastest speed to wipe out the many bandits."

"Of course, this subject and others do not mean restarting the Provincial Governor System in all thirteen provinces of Great Yu, but rather restarting the Provincial Governor System in some areas with severe bandit infestations."

"For example, places like Qing Province, Jing Province, Shu Province, Yue Province, and others."

"The folk customs in these few provinces are fierce and valiant, the terrain is difficult to travel, and there are alien ethnic groups and evil cults entrenched within them, deeply rooted, making them extremely prone to bandit infestations and separatist forces, which are very difficult to wipe out."

Lu Xiangqing said, "Therefore, this subject and others request to restart the Provincial Governor System within these major provinces to pacify the common people!"

"This strategy..."

Zheng Yi took a deep breath and said, "No."

"Begging for monthly votes!"

"Begging for monthly votes!"

"Begging for monthly votes!"

"Begging for monthly votes!"

"Begging for monthly votes!"