Chapter 284 Suffering and Snake (No. 2)
The dusk is like a layer of gentle gauze, slowly spreading on a tax-collecting desk in a certain village in Yingtian Prefecture.
This is also next to the tea stall.
Li Xiuwen, a 40-year-old new household official, was checking the tax bill in this hazy light.
He was a poor child who failed the exam three times. The bitter fragrance of medicine he had made from his sick wife at home was still left on his cuffs, and his lingering strands were lingering.
In fact, even Yan Shan, who is responsible for the party affairs of the Restoration Society, has never realized that there are many invisible thresholds for joining the Restoration Society.
Neckly relationship, expensive membership fees, and even whether they are fellow villagers in Jiangning, these conditions are like invisible barriers, constantly keeping people like Li Xiuwen out.
Li Xiuwen has always been full of yearning for Fushe and longs for being one of them, but he has always been unable to get it and can only sigh helplessly.
Fortunately, Xu Liushou implemented the official selection examination and implemented the measures to merge officials. This was undoubtedly like a beam of light, illuminating the career path of people like Li Xiuwen.
Otherwise, they may have difficulty entering the officialdom for a lifetime.
Even as a living member, his status is much higher than that of ordinary people in arable land.
But if you cannot enter the officialdom, even if your life can be maintained, you will be full of pain and helplessness in your heart because you have read books and have a broader vision, and your heart is full of pain and helplessness that cannot be displayed, just like a The birds trapped in the cage have wings but cannot soar in the sky.
Xu Qing once said during his lecture at Fushe that people have two types of "foods", one is at the material level, which is used to maintain the existence of life, which is indispensable; the other is It is on the spiritual level, which determines who you are and gives life a unique meaning.
Li Xiuwen accidentally heard this passage, just like a person who had been groping in the dark for a long time, suddenly found a bright lamp, and was deeply touched in his heart and could not calm down for a long time.
After successfully passed the imperial examination, Li Xiuwen received an unexpected surprise.
The yamen was considerate of his difficulties and arranged a simple job for his sick wife in a nearby workshop.
Although the wage is meager, it just offsets half of the monthly medical expenses. If you buy medicine at a pharmacy that is jointly managed by the government, you can enjoy more discounts.
This is a benefit carefully prepared by Xu Qing for the new officials - the government will come forward to solve the difficulties of the new officials' personal family.
As a pilot area, Yingtianfu has sufficient ability to carry this care.
After all, these benefits are not much cost after careful calculation.
Moreover, for an official, if he has a bad idea and abuses his power, he will seek more than just oneself.
Xu Qing also discussed this issue specifically in the inner court.
He knew very well that greed is a part of human nature and is difficult to completely eradicate, but the degree and method of greed are vastly different.
Some officials are not born without conscience, but are forced by their family background. Under the pressure of life, they occasionally have to break through the bottom line of the law. Once the bottom line is broken, they will be pulled down step by step and join forces with each other.
This group of people is something that Xu Qing needs to strive for and reuse, and he cannot sit idly by the gentry and nobles.
Moreover, to maintain the stability of the country and the dynasty, the role of the lower-level officials is crucial.
Ensure their basic lives is equivalent to stabilizing the foundation of the rule of the state.
As long as these people are properly appeased, even if the gentry and nobles try to rebel, it is not scary.
"Stability is more important than anything else!" This is the core program for Xu Qing to stick to current governance.
The Dayu Dynasty is now full of internal and external troubles, and the situation is complicated. Because of this, stability seems particularly precious, just like the Dinghai Sword Needle in the Storm.
Xu Liushou has tough methods, like a sharp knife, but he is not a bloodthirsty person and does not abuse his power easily.
So once someone hits his knife, you have to reflect on what mistakes he made.
Li Xiuwen is one of many scholars who respect Xu Qing.
There are many scholars like him who come from poor families. After receiving the benefits of new officials, their respect for Xu Qing increased day by day, like a surging river, endless.
In Li Xiuwen's eyes, Xu Liushou never swears that he wants to create a peaceful and prosperous era, nor does he use the Confucian concept of great harmony and well-off society to confuse everyone.
He just keeps his feet on the ground and promotes the world's changes step by step.
Perhaps in the process of change, some places will experience short-term chaos, which seems worse, but in the long run and overall, the whole society is moving steadily in a good direction, Like a giant ship that breaks through the waves in the rough sea, although it will encounter storms, it will always sail towards the target port firmly. "Brother-in-law, your family has five acres of paddy fields. According to regulations, one stone should be paid for two dou of grain. It is definitely not the two stones that were taxed last year. Now the court has implemented the one-whip method, which is equivalent to silver coins..." Li Xiuwen reached out to stop him. A trembling old farmer, his movements were gentle and calm, soothing the uneasiness and fear of the old farmer in front of him as much as possible.
He took out the "Fish Scale Book" written by Fushe from his bag, carefully opened it, pointed to the paragraphs that were drawn with red pens, and patiently explained: "I read it for you to listen to it," , Here is a detailed explanation of your land, do you see if it is suitable..."
Li Xiuwen cherishes this opportunity to do things in a real way, and does not miss every detail, every time All the communication with the people is devoted to it.
The "Basic Tips for Discerning the False" distributed by Xu Qing to the new officials is like a compass for their actions, and is a rule that must not be violated.
In this regard, Xu Qing was firm in his attitude and gave the local government no room for freedom to play.
Everything is based on "The Essentials of the Fish Scale Book" as the criterion. Perhaps in the eyes of outsiders, this approach is somewhat dogmatic, rigid, and lacks flexibility.
But Xu Qing knew in his heart that every time he implemented a new law, the most terrifying thing was that the regulations were unclear. Once the officials below had room for discretion or wanton acts, the consequences would be unimaginable.
For example, if a county magistrate abuses the power in his hands and acts willfully, it may lead to the destruction of the families of hundreds of ordinary farmers and the separation of their wives and children.
The people of the Dayu Dynasty, especially farmers, lived too hard.
After two hundred years of land annexation, the only remaining self-cultivated farmers now have as thin as paper. If there is any slight disturbance, they may become the last straw that crushes their family.
The regulations introduced by Xu Qing may not be completely in line with the actual situation in some special areas, and may even appear a bit harsh. But overall, for the vast majority of people, it can still be called good governance. .
Just like in a barren desert, although the water source is limited and the acquisition is difficult, it always gives people hope to survive.
Xu Qing is now increasingly understanding what the old chief assistant Zhang Tai'a did at the beginning.
It is inevitable to exploit the world if you are in a high position in the temple and maintain the huge operation of the court.
This is like a helpless "doing evil", but the key is how to "doing evil" can be more beneficial to the court, and how to minimize harm to the people while maintaining rule.
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A Cui, the owner of a nearby tea stall, eavesdropped on the side with a copper pot for a while, and finally couldn't help but interrupt, "Li Shu" Don't have silver coins on hand, and if you want to change, you have to go to Mr. Liu's house. But his food collector..." She said, lowering her voice and gestured a tilted slantingly Gestures suggest the tricks in it.
After hearing this, Li Xiuwen's spine suddenly froze, as if he was hit by an invisible force. The scene that happened in the warehouse three days ago appeared in front of him: he discovered the mezzanine bucket and took the yamen runners to seize it overnight.
At that time, the sinister laughter of Lao Zhao of the Cang official seemed to be still echoing in his ears: "I have read Liu Zongyuan's "Saying the Snake Catcher"?" >
The laughter seemed to hide endless ridicule and threat, which made people shudder.
Now, these silver coins are those snakes.
At this time, the old farmer trembled and took out the silver coins that he was preparing to pay taxes. In order to collect the silver coins that were converted into one stone and two dou of grain according to the one-whip method, he spent three stones of grain.
He went early and took some initiative. Those neighbors who went late suffered much more losses than their family, but even if they were full of grievances, they could only endure it silently, knock off their teeth and swallow it in their stomachs, and dared not have any complaints.
If I were to be in previous years, I would collect three or five dou of food, which would be enough to put the family in a desperate situation and put life in an abyss that would never be restored. But now the world is different. During the slack season, you can still earn some money to subsidize your family when you go to the city to sell coolies. If the family is safe, not sick or suffering from disasters, and save money for three to five years, you can save a betrothal gift for your son to marry a wife.
In the heart of the old farmer, such days are like the legendary Huangtian world, so beautiful that it is unbelievable.
By the way, almost all the money earned by working in the city is settled in copper coins. I heard that I could go to the government's money house to exchange copper coins for silver coins, but in the eyes of old farmers and others, they have a humble status and are an "low bitch" who dares to try it easily.
Why do you know how much you will get deducted by using copper coins for silver coins?
No mistakes, one poem, one post, one content, one in 6, one book, one bar, one read!
Moreover, in their perception, those who go to the money shop are all decent people with great reputation, either scholars or rich merchants.
They felt from the bottom of their heart that they were not worthy of stepping into there, for fear that they would get dirty, so they could only look away from a distance.
Therefore, the old farmer, as if he hadn't heard this reminder from the tea stall owner, was still preparing to complete the major task of paying taxes.
For them, paying tax is like a disaster that must be experienced. As long as they survive this level, they will be able to live a relatively stable life.
In addition, the government now requisitions for labor service during the slack farming period and provides food.
I heard from the village tutor that I actually have wages, but I have never heard of anyone who has actually received them.
Although everyone was confused about this matter, they did not dare to ask more questions or speak out everywhere.
In their opinion, it is a great gift to have food during labor service, so how dare you ask for more?
They also heard from the tutors that the provision of meals was specially set by Xu Liusong, the master of Wenquxing.
Xu Liushou, he is really the savior of these poor people, and he always remembers them.
I heard that Xu Liushou has six heads, which can see all the sufferings of the people.
But old farmers can't imagine why people can grow six heads.
Sometimes he attended temple fairs, and the Buddha statues he saw were only four poems and eight arms.
It's so good to be good. Xu Liushou has two more heads than Buddha in the West!
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The house is worth a house in the third day, and there are seven different types of measuring buckets in front of Li Xiuwen.
When he used a vernier caliper to compare the volume of the ninth bucket, he suddenly heard the crisp sound of the tiles falling to the ground.
Push open the window, three masked men are climbing the outer wall of the warehouse under the moonlight, and the sharp-eared knife at their waists is shining with green light. "Catch the thief!" He grabbed the gong and beat it hard, but the hum of the old man Wu came from the darkness.
Until the night guards arrived, the thieves had already fled, leaving only a line of blood written in chalk on the wall of the warehouse: "When will the new dynasty be in the atmosphere?
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A certain province in the northwest.
A young man carrying grain squatted in the corner of the porridge shed counting grains of rice. This was the seventh brown rice wrapped in yellow mud that he had found in three days.
Suddenly I heard a strange noise coming from the grain truck.
The disaster relief officer immediately brought people to surround the grain truck, but saw the old man escorting him suddenly foaming at his mouth and spider-web-like blue spots appeared on his neck.
"It's Miaojiang Gu Poison!" The accompanying medical officer screamed and retreated.
The disaster relief officer pulled off his official uniform and wrapped his hands. When he continued to count, he found that thirty stones of relief grain had been replaced with Chen Mi who had been soaked in water.
Now the imperial army is heading north and can no longer collect a grain of extra food for disaster relief.
Disa relief officials fell into despair.
Similar things were staged in different yamen and convoys transporting disaster relief food.
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Before the army set out.
Xu Qing received news compiled from various places.
What he could not tolerate was that even the yamen of Yingtian Mansion had such a thing.
It seems that he still killed too few people.
Do these people think that his knife is not sharp enough?
Xu Qing suspended the army from his expedition.
This will cause serious losses, but Xu Qing doesn't care about it either.
"Call the Duke of Wei to see me."
(This chapter ends)