Chapter 149 Imperial power does not go to the countryside
Zhao Xing doesn’t know whether others are satisfied or not, but Zhao Xing is definitely satisfied.
The Hanlin Academy can be regarded as the emperor’s secretariat, and it is indeed very training.
But Zhao Xing could not wait for Sheng Changbai and others to train in the Hanlin Academy for a few years before using them.
He wants to try out some of his ideas in Kaifeng Mansion to see how much resistance he will encounter.
If he, the crown prince, couldn't do something in person, it wouldn't be possible even if he became emperor in the future.
…………
The next morning, a dozen new scholars wearing ill-fitting official uniforms came to the Kaifeng government office with their appointment documents.
A clerk took them to a public room to rest for a while.
After waiting for about half an hour, the clerk came to the public house and led them to meet Zhao Xing.
"I will pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince!" Everyone saluted.
"No courtesy." Zhao Xing waved his hand and said with a smile: "I didn't give you a holiday to return home and let you take office. You won't blame me, right?"
"I'm waiting for you. Don’t dare!” everyone said in unison.
Some people must have complained about not being able to return home, but how dare they blame Zhao Xing.
"Your positions have been decided. Some will stay in the government office, and some will go to the lower counties to serve. No matter where you are, I hope you can abide by your duties. You are all singles. "I don't want to deal with you personally in the future," Zhao Xing said calmly.
"I must remember His Highness's instructions and live up to His Highness's high expectations!" Everyone said in unison.
"Okay, all of you, please step down. Those who work in the government offices will be taken to your posts. Those who work in the county will rest for a few days. In two days, all county magistrates will come to Bianjing. , when the time comes, you can just go with them and take office," Zhao Xing said.
"Yes, I will retire." Everyone saluted.
"Pan Lun stays." Zhao Xing said.
The rest of the people bowed and left, leaving only Pan Lun standing there.
"Sit down." Zhao Xing said.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Pan Lun thanked him and sat down.
"You are the number one scholar, and you are supposed to be promoted to a sixth-rank official. Even if you don't enter the Imperial Academy, you will be admitted to the sixth ministry. However, I only let you serve as a county magistrate. Do you feel aggrieved?" Zhao Xing asked.
“I don’t feel aggrieved.” Pan Lun said seriously.
Zhao Xing couldn't tell whether what Pan Lun said was true or not. He pondered for a while and said: "I just read the article about how you can try. The article seems to have the intention of reform. Why is it written so obscurely? Yes. Are you afraid that if you write too clearly, you will fail the exam? ”
"It doesn't matter whether I write in a subtle way or directly. The thoughts of the official family and His Royal Highness are the most important." Pan Lun said.
"Oh?" Zhao Xing said with great interest: "So you do support the reform?"
"What I support is not the reform, but a strong country." Pan Lun corrected.
“What’s the explanation?” The smile on Zhao Xing’s face became even stronger when he heard this.
“If the method of reform is correct, it can strengthen the country. But if the method is wrong, it will not only fail to solve the long-standing shortcomings of the court, but will also aggravate the court’s problems.” Pan Lun said.
Zhao Xing's eyes showed appreciation, feeling that he had found a treasure.
Pan Lun’s meaning is very simple. He supports reform, but only if the method is correct.
If the method is wrong, he will object.
This is exactly what Zhao Xing appreciates most.
Zhao Xing pondered for a long time and said: "After you take over as the county magistrate, familiarize yourself with the situation in the county as soon as possible. When the time comes, I will leave something to you."
"Yes!" Pan Lun responded.
"Go ahead." Zhao Xing waved his hand.
"I retire!" Pan Lun stood up, saluted, and retreated.
"I hope you won't disappoint me." Zhao Xing murmured.
He is very optimistic about Pan Lun, but people are fickle. As their status and power increase, not many can maintain their original intentions.
......... A few days passed in the blink of an eye, and more than a dozen county magistrates under the jurisdiction of Kaifeng Prefecture rushed to Bianjing.
Many people were a little wary of His Highness the Crown Prince’s summons.
Several important officials in the Kaifeng government office resigned at the same time, and some low-level officials were arrested, including three county magistrates.
Although their official positions are not high, their sense of smell is very sensitive and they can easily judge the connection.
Except for a few of them, most of them had dirty butts, so they were naturally scared.
However, after Zhao Xing met them, he had no intention of pursuing them.
Just tell them to count the number of acres in the county after they return.
Zhao Xing has also read the Kaifeng government office's farmland files in various counties under its jurisdiction in the past few days.
In places like Kaifeng Mansion, there is basically no land for land reclamation, and the number of acres of land will not increase.
However, from the files he saw, he found that the number of acres in each county was nearly 30% less than the records recorded during Taizu's time.
Hearing the news, everyone had different expressions, but they didn’t pay too much attention.
But what Zhao Xing said next made their expressions change.
"Gu asked you to check. Don't give me a perfunctory report of the number of acres in the county. Instead, send people to go down and count. At that time, Gu will send people to secretly investigate. Once the actual fields are found and you If the reports don't match, don't blame me for being polite," Zhao Xing said calmly.
Everyone was shocked when they heard this. Even if they, the parents and officials, didn't know the situation clearly, they knew something about it.
Some people even received benefits from it.
But no one dared to object at this time.
"Your Highness, do the fields of noble officials also need to be cleared?" A county magistrate stood up and asked.
"What? Aren't the noble officials not ordinary people of the Song Dynasty?" Zhao Xing said lightly: "If anyone is in trouble with you, just come to Gu."
"I understand." The official who spoke bowed.
"I only give you one month. If you can't do it, don't blame me for being rude." Zhao Xing said.
"Yes!" everyone said in unison.
Zhao Xing didn't say anything else. He held a banquet for these county magistrates at noon and sent them back.
Sheng Changbai and others also took office.
This time is a big test for Sheng Shengchang and the others. They have just taken office and are not familiar with the situation in the county, but they have to complete the land inventory within a month.
"Jiefu, how many of these county magistrates do you think will violate the law?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Your Highness killed the chicken to scare the monkeys before. No one of these county magistrates dares to disobey it." Wang Anshi said.
"Jiefu." Zhao Xing said with a smile: "You underestimate the people's hearts. Even if they are afraid, sometimes they can't help it."
"Your Highness is saying that those landlords and squires will Forcing them not to survey the land?" Wang Anshi said.
"It doesn't have to be force, it may also be inducement. Jiefu, you have been a local official. You should have heard that the imperial power does not go to the countryside, right?" Zhao Xing asked.
The imperial power did not go to the countryside, which meant that the imperial power could only be administered at the county level, and below that, it relied on the assistance of landlords, squires and clan ancestors in management.
It can be said that if the county magistrate did not have the support of the landlords and gentry, they would not be able to collect the taxes from the court every year.
Generally, when a county magistrate takes office, he will entertain the landlords and squires in the county.
If things go on like this, even if there is no interest relationship between the county magistrate and these landlords and gentry, they will still favor the landlords and gentry in some matters.
Because taxation is a very important assessment for local officials, and if local officials want to build bridges, pave roads, and achieve political achievements, they also need the support of landlords and gentry.
It can be said that the people really under the jurisdiction of the county magistrate are actually these landlords and squires, and the real people are under the control of the landlords and squires.
Whether they took advantage of the landlords and squires or did something for the landlords and squires, they all had something in the hands of the landlords and squires.
Those landowners and squires will not threaten this as soon as they come up, but these county magistrates cannot be very tough.
The land inventory cannot be carried out at all.
(End of this chapter)