Chapter 271 The government controls capital
"Have you heard that Ge Laocai's family built three more rooms, all with cement-coated walls, tsk tsk!" Xue Jinzhe, a hundred-year-old man in Guangzhou, said to his friend Horn in a tea shed outside.
"Of course I heard about it. My elder brother came back and said that the government said that even if cement and bricks are used on the land and the road and dam in front of the house, double the compensation will be paid. Now the government has money, and because the emperor When we are in Guangdong, the officials below do not dare to be too bad to the people! That's why they are so generous. By the way, have you built a house yet?" Horn also took up the topic.
"I just borrowed money to build a house, and I'm waiting for the government to pay for it. Anyway, we common people can't resist the government. They have to move, so it would be good to pay more!" Xue Jin replied with a smile.
"No, I plan to go to my uncle's house in the neighboring village to borrow some more silver coins, plaster the ground with cement, and plant more trees. Anyway, the government notice said that the trees will also have to be compensated," Horn said.
……
Villagers throughout the Guangzhou Port area to be relocated started discussing after dinner.
Even some big clans are paying attention to this matter.
Shi Bangzhu, who lives in the area where Guangzhou Prefecture is to be relocated, also heard that the government was going to build Guangzhou Port and his village was going to be demolished. However, as a concubine of the Shi family, he naturally could not make the decision whether to build more houses or not. .
What's more, if the clan disagrees, he himself doesn't have the financial resources as a concubine.
But at this time, Shi Juren, the direct eldest brother, personally called Shi Bangzhu: "Fifth brother, the clan heard that your family has a large population and a difficult livelihood, and has no money to build a new house. Brother Yu discussed it with several elders in the clan. After a while, I decided to summon the clan members to help you build a house on your land, but if you get half of the compensation in the future, it will be returned to the clan as clan property. Are you willing?"
When Shi Bangzhu thought that his family was poor and made a living as a coolie on the dock, living in a straw hut, which was not worth much in the first place, even if half of the compensation was given to the clan, it would still be a good deal for him, so he agreed.
As a result, the Shi clan used its entire clan strength to prepare to help Shi Bangzhu and other poor members of the clan build cement brick houses.
Soon, Kuang Zhou, a local squire in Guangzhou who served as a county magistrate, found this Shi Juren: "Friend Shi, I heard that your clan is building a lot of houses. Although Brother Yu is not blessed with this, he does not have the land in this area. However, you have to use our cement and bricks, and you will benefit from it, Brother Yu.”
"Please forgive me for this, Mr. Kuang. I have promised my wife, Luo Hanlin, to use their cement bricks."
Shi Juren said apologetically.
……
This phenomenon continues to occur in the Guangzhou area.
The common people built more houses, and the gentry also took the opportunity to open factories and workshops to make money.
And because of this.
It didn't take long.
The gentry and common people in Guangzhou Prefecture have no spare money.
The gentry with middle and upper incomes used their money to buy public bonds or open factories.
People with middle and lower incomes used their money to build houses.
Even the poorest people at the lowest level also spent the meager income they earned every day with the help of the clan.
Almost all private capital has been transformed into bricks, cement and furniture, as well as 2 taels of freshly cut pork and half a basket of fresh fish in the hands of workers.
……
About half a year later, almost all private capital had been transferred to industries such as cement, bricks, and wood processing. At this time, the chief secretaries of Guangdong and Guangxi also began to issue edicts to calculate the total amount of demolition funds needed.
Yun Lizheng from Sanhe Village came to the fisherman Lin Fu's house with his account books and ink, and asked Lin Fu directly: "Dad Lin, how many cement brick houses, how many trees, how many boats, how many people, how many acres do you have?" Field! ”
"Back in Lizheng, my family only has a cement brick house, three trees, a boat, and three people! Five acres of land, three acres of land!" Lin Fu replied.
"Nonsense, yours is obviously two and a half rooms. Let me test it for you. The trees in your house must be four, no, six. These two saplings can also be counted as one. There are naturally three boats, one for each person. There are only three or four chickens and ducks in your house, so just fill them with five each.”
As soon as he said this, he started to measure, and then wrote in his account book: "The head of the household in Sanhe Village: Lin Fu, there are three cement brick houses, a total of 20 feet and seven square meters, there are eight trees within 100 meters of the residence, and the boat Four, seven chickens, six ducks, four people in the family, seven acres of land, and six acres of land.”
After finishing writing here, he added: "Dad Lin, look, is this the number? Don't under-report. It's okay to over-report. Don't let yourself suffer. The government is paying money on both sides. If so, just press your fingerprints." .”
Lin Fu didn't dare to commit adultery at first, but after hearing Li Zheng's reminder, he hurriedly said: "It seems that there is more than half an acre of mountainous land at home. I originally planned to plant it, but I can't afford it."
"Why did you forget this? I saw that your mountainous land is just over half an acre. Your land is obviously high-quality dry land, a full two acres!" After that, he added three acres to the account book. Then he asked Lin Fu to confirm.
Lin Fu didn't know how to read, and because he knew that he had benefited from Li Zheng's care, he hurriedly stamped his fingerprints happily: "Thank you Li Zheng, why don't you leave after dinner tonight, just in time for me I’ll catch you a fish!”
"No, I have to go to another place. The boss is pressing me hard! I have to finish the registration as soon as possible." As he said this, he left.
Within a few days, the official account books here arrived in the hands of Tai Dianli of Guangzhou Prefecture: "Master Dianli, these are the account books of Sanhe Village. Please take a look at them!"
Tai Dianli nodded and said nothing. As soon as he left, he gave the official account book to his subordinate secretary: "Old rule, immediately make a new book according to the records on it. All the people, fields and houses All doubled!”
……
Under the operation of the common people, subordinate officials, etc., the demolition funds of the entire Guangzhou Port Construction Zone have been increased again and again.
Because of this.
Although everyone has lost money, they are all living more hopefully than before, and they are all looking forward to getting more money from the government.
And this time.
Officials such as Zhang Run, the governor of Guangdong, and Yao Long, the prefect of Guangzhou, approached Zhu Houzhao: "Your Majesty, the demolition money that needs to be compensated has come out, but the amount of demolition money that needs to be compensated is not small. The balance of more than 4 million has been raised from the sale of public bonds. The silver dollars are completely insufficient to pay for the demolition.”
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, this is all caused by the unruly people and subordinates making false reports. The imperial court treats the people with good governance, but the people are ungrateful and only care about the public benefit! From my point of view, it is better not to ask how many houses there are in their homes. The land will be compensated according to a certain number of silver dollars per household. ”
At this time, Liang Zhi, the patrol censor, couldn't help but say.
Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao said: "It is human nature to pursue profit only. It is natural for subordinate officials to do this when they get this opportunity. You are all people who have read poetry and books, so you should understand that naturally. The evil of subordinate officials has been around for a long time, and there is nothing we can do about it for a while." Be strict, wait Let’s settle the accounts slowly after autumn, but don’t stop eating because of choking. Pay compensation regardless of whether you are rich or poor. That will only be detrimental to both rich and poor people. Besides, the government’s money comes from the people, so there is no harm in using it for the people.”
"Besides, although many of these numbers are false, as long as they are not excessive, just accept them as such. What is certain is that even if the subordinates are cunning and the officials are covering up, even the poorest people will benefit. , so that they will not resent the government, but will feel guilty or even grateful to the government, thinking that the government is very good, and will not cause a civil uprising, and it will be easier for the government to do anything in the future!”
"In addition, I have also said that only by doing this can the government benefit the people and prevent the disparity between the rich and the poor from deepening the people's resentment. As for the money that was transferred from the hands of the unruly people to the subordinate officials, the government will naturally have a way to recover it! The sinful person Corrupt officials must be dealt with more severely! ”
After Zhu Houzhao said this, he decisively ordered: "Compensate in full! If the money is not enough, ask the Royal Bank for a loan! Use the tax money after opening new routes in the future as collateral!"
"I obey the order!" officials from Guangdong and Guangxi replied.
At this time, Zhu Houzhao said: "Before the demolition funds are issued, the construction of high-end residential buildings in Xinjian Port must also start. The number should not be too many, just a few percent more than the households to be demolished."
then.
Soon, when October came, gorgeous houses were built on a piece of official land near Guangzhou Port, all with cement inside and tiles outside, pavilions, courtyard houses with flowers, plants and trees, and Guangzhou Mansion Famous doctors and gentlemen were all moved here, opened medical clinics and schools, and were even directly named Jieyuanfang.
"Have you heard that the big square opposite is a mansion. In order to improve the image of Guangzhou City and compare it with Yangzhou and Chengdu, the mansion left by Pingzhang, a former Yuan Dynasty man, was specially rebuilt into Jieyuanfang. That is Master Kanyu was specially invited to calculate this piece of geomantic treasure land. Therefore, Master Futai wanted to be there. Jieyuanfang was built here to allow more people to live there. It was said that more outstanding people from Guangzhou would be produced. They also specially invited the only Jieyuan Gong Lei in Guangzhou to open a school there, and Guangzhou A total of three gentlemen with Jinshi background in the mansion moved there;
I heard that Mr. Futai issued a notice that ordinary people in Guangzhou can buy his house and become the owner of Jieyuanfang. The name owner is not new, but Liu Xiucai, who bought the house and lived in it, said that there is also a special house with tap water. The property management company also protects the safety of your home. If something in your home is broken, you can ask the property management company to repair it for you. Being a property owner is like being a government official! ”
"There is such a good place to live? There is a medical clinic opened by a famous doctor, so you don't have to worry about seeing a doctor. There is a school opened by Master Jieyuan, so you don't have to worry about studying and building a career. And there are guards? Then you don't have to worry about pirates coming. Damn it, can we commoners really live in such a place?”
"It's true. Liao Mazi, who sells oil in the neighboring village, moved in and became a neighbor to Mr. Xie Yuan. Now his children are attending Mr. Xie Yuan's school. It is said that it was arranged by the government. Mr. Xie Yuan's The school opened is a government-run school, and all the children in Jieyuanfang are arranged to study there. ”
“A place like this isn’t cheap, is it?”
"That's natural. A one-foot-square area costs two hundred silver dollars, and an entire yard costs tens of thousands of silver dollars! Of course, there are small houses, but they also cost thousands of silver dollars! You also have to pay one silver dollar every month. What is the property fee? ”
"One silver dollar is not much. I went to the dock to work for a few days and came back. But this house is too expensive. Even if the compensation is paid, I probably have to pay it all to afford it!"
"Buy it if you can. Once this house is demolished, we will move elsewhere and have no place to live. We have to leave our hometown. It is better to live here. It is close to home and convenient for working at the dock. Anyway, we can live in the same place. Just like Mr. Guan, he doesn’t suffer any loss!
And there are other benefits. Liao Mazi, who sells oil, now lives in Jieyuanfang. There are many people coming to buy his oil and food every day, and they all buy several kilograms at a time to take home. Liao Mazi has now doubled the size of his oil extraction workshop and is making more money than before! ”
(End of chapter)