There were two specialties in the Ming Dynasty. One was that the salaries of officials were extremely low, and the taxes were pitifully low. The salaries of officials were as low as those of a first-rank county magistrate who was almost the same as a groom. The Qing Dynasty official Hai Rui was honest and could not afford to eat meat and was so hungry that he was as thin as a hair. His mother cut two kilograms of meat on her birthday, which caused shock in the officialdom. The tax rate for the people was thirty-one. Take the Wanli period as an example. The total population at that time was about 60 million, and the average person was responsible for the national tax payment of 0.033 taels of silver per year. The light tax was said to be rare in all dynasties.

However, the people of the Ming Dynasty did not get much benefit. In the early days of the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the Zhu family was a poor man and did not understand the economy. They issued the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes only, but did not collect them. The treasure banknotes were easily worn out and depreciated quickly. After all, the Zhu family exchanged pieces of waste paper for real money and silver in the hands of the people, and plundered the people's wealth in disguise. Maybe the people who sold cattle today got a few treasure banknotes, but in a few days they could only buy one chicken. As for how much treasure banknotes were issued, the people in power had never counted them. Anyway, they would print them when they wanted money, and they would print them again and again. Anyway, the paper was not expensive, and the ink was not expensive, as if they could get as much as they wanted.

The most ruthless use of the treasure money of the Ming Dynasty was Emperor Yongle. After he successfully obtained the throne, he could be said to have achieved extremely brilliant achievements, such as cutting the vassal states, voyages to the West, cultivating the Yongle ceremony, dredging the Grand Canal, establishing the Nuergandusi, five expeditions to the north of the Mo, 800,000 troops to conquer Annan, and moving the capital to Beijing. Although the economy has developed, it is not enough to cope with the huge expenses. It is relying on the issuance of treasure money to overdraw people's wealth and overdraw the credit of the Ming Dynasty. The people are suffering. What is regrettable is that the people of the Zhu family are worse than those of the generation. Those who like to play crickets, those who like to do carpenters, and those who are obsessed with wet nurses have even been emperors for 30 years. It can be said that there are all kinds of things.

Local officials are not vague. The salary is too small, corruption is a trend, and there are many taxes and taxes like cow hair, slapped and kicked, fire consumption, fuel consumption, etc., making a lot of money. The gentry and landlords also exploit the people at all times, and even the small heads handed over to the country, and the big heads fall into officials at all levels. Sometimes, the fire consumption is higher than the regular tax. In addition, the Liao salary that is levied on the head is also a heavy burden. After a while, can the burden of the people not be large?

This is the reason why Lu Haoshan and Zhang Yunhui shook their heads together.

"After collecting the taxes for the whole year, we have to collect the Liao salary together. The people in Jiangyou County are mainly farming, and they have no side jobs, so there is no extra income. The lord is not a lord who speaks nonsense, but I am afraid it is not easy to collect them. The local yamen runners are all locals, and the villagers in the village can't really force them to death. You are the parents of more than 50,000 people in Jiangyou, so they just point to the adults to take charge of them." Zhang Yunhui refused to give up. Everyone in the county knew that he was responsible for the tax. If something really happened, he would be scolded by someone pointing at the back.

Lu Haoshan said with some embarrassment: "Zhang Zhubu is not the official's engraving book. He is not good at treating the people well, but the sage order is hard to violate. Now the Ming Dynasty is in dire straits, I am afraid that we cannot explain this. Besides, this is the emperor's will. We little people can only act on orders. Otherwise, we are afraid that we will not be able to bear the emperor's thunder and anger."

After saying that, Lu Haoshan said with some concern: "Zhang Zhubu, I know that you are a native of Jiangyou. I have been an official for many years and know everything about Jiangyou. How confident are you to the tasks assigned by the court?"

"Sir, if the weather was good in the past, the officials were still somewhat sure. Unfortunately, the weather was not good, and they lost their income year after year. The people had already lived a life of tightening their trousers. Not to mention the annual tax, even half a year of taxes would be extremely difficult. Moreover, they had to pay Liao pay, so they really couldn't get it. This is also the reason why the officials asked the officials to discuss it. It is no exaggeration to say that if they were forced to collect, they would cause trouble. The officials beg the adults to write a letter, can they slow down and give Jiangyou's fellow villagers a chance to breathe."

Zhang Yunhui spoke with great emotion, and he almost knelt down for Lu Haoshan.

"It's not that I don't sympathize with the people, but that I just say something lightly. This is the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Revenue also acts according to the emperor's will. I'm afraid that this matter will be useless even if I plead with Shangguan." Lu Haoshan said with some embarrassment.

When it comes to this, the county magistrate still didn't let go. It seems that he has to follow the order. Zhang Yunhui sighed and said, "Oh, I just hope that the people can survive this level. I hope that there will be no trouble."

Lu Haoshan was walking in the hall, feeling worried. After a while, he said in a low voice: "Zhang Zhubu, it is related to people's livelihood. Can the county government protect the wealthy people in the county be the first to take the bribe first and return it when harvesting summer grain. Do you think this matter is feasible?"

"No," Zhang Yunhui quickly rejected it, shook his head and said, "Sir, there are no outsiders here. The official has told you the truth. These gentry and wealthy people want to take advantage of the chaos to eat the little land in the hands of the people. Even if the county government is willing to protect it, it will be difficult to raise any money and food from them. Even if they use both soft and hard, they will ask them to take out the money first. I am afraid that the interest will not be low. When the people cannot repay the loan, the fields will still fall into the hands of those gentry and wealthy people."

The world was as dark as crows. On that day, Li Xiangcai also cut off all the streams in Huatian Village, intending to make Huatian Village completely eliminate the harvest. In this way, most of the fields in Huatian Village would fall into his hands. That's it. Mr. Lu ran to fight with Li Xiangcai, but was beaten to death by Li Xiangcai. In order to avenge him, Lu Haoshan would be exiled to this point. Unexpectedly, Jiangyou County, which is thousands of miles away, would also have such a situation.

The country is in danger and the people are in dire straits, but these scholars and doctors who enjoy privileges only care about internal struggles and make their own plans. Lu Haoshan has seen it. No wonder the Ming Dynasty has been going downhill, and only with a country can there be a family. But these people are putting the cart before the horse and being submerged in the long river of history, which is reasonable.

Lu Haoshan understood that the source of Zhang Yunhui's concerns was that if the common people's land was annexed by the gentry and landlords, then the land would be transformed into tax-free land, so that the tax would be more difficult to collect, and the people would be burdened more heavier, and the tax collection work would become extremely difficult.

In the past, once taxation was imposed, it would mean all kinds of benefits. A group of oil officials went to collect it happily, but Lu Haoshan, who had secretly visited, knew that the people of Jiangyou really couldn't come up with money. The consequences of force-raising would either become sinners in Jiangyou County, force them to death, or force them to rebel. Therefore, for his small reputation and for his future, Zhang Yunhui repeatedly asked for solutions in front of Lu Haoshan.

After not seeing each other for three days, we should look at each other with admiration. After successfully impersonating the county magistrate, Lu Haoshan has never relaxed for his lofty ideals. He has worked hard on the operation of the county magistrate. After nearly three months of hard work, he can be said to be well aware of the operation of the county magistrate. Seeing Zhang Yunhui so sad, his eyes turned and suddenly said, "Zhang Zhuzhu, I have a solution that is not a solution."

"Sir, please speak." Zhang Yunhui, who was already desperate, was overjoyed when he heard this and asked quickly.

"If the common people cannot move the fields, then move the fields." Lu Haoshan gritted his teeth and said, "Use the fields of officialdom as a guarantee and lend some money from the gentry and rich people. One can complete the task smoothly, and the other can reduce the responsibility of the people to avoid major chaos. The three can also gain a good reputation for us."

Official land? Use it to mortgage?

Zhang Yunhui was startled and suddenly said with a gloomy look: "Sir, in order to help make up for the expenses of the county government, the past county magistrates would mostly make plans on the official land and sell them under various names, so the number of official land was getting smaller and smaller. When the job of the adult, it can be said that the official land was sold for 70% to 80%. The remaining official land now is mostly under the names of the four major charities. These official land also include the charity fields donated by the gentry and the tribe. The daily expenses of these four major charities are maintained by these official land. If these fields are used as mortgage, they will poke a hornet's nest."

The four major institutions refer to the Sales Department, which adopts orphans, the nursing home that cares for orphans, the sick and disabled, the Anjifang that treats diseases and treats injuries, and the Luze Garden, which is responsible for burying the unowned body. It can be said that it includes life, death, illness and death of people, showing the kindness of the Zhu family to the people. The county government has limited funds and many monks and less porridge. Many places use a one-time and all-time method, which is to allocate some official fields to these institutions, and the income from the fields is used to maintain the daily application of these institutions. It can be said that it is a long-lasting flow, and there are also some good people who donate money and materials on weekdays.

In a nutshell, the conscience of parents and officials in one place can be seen from the four major institutions.

Now that County Magistrate Lu actually proposed to use these fields to mortgage them, Zhang Yunhui was shocked: This county master is too bold. If something goes wrong in the middle, he will become a sinner in the county. This is simply playing with fire.

"Zhang Zhubu, you know the situation of the people better than me. Do you have the heart to destroy their families one by one?" Lu Haoshan said in a heavy mood.

"I don't want to, but sir, these official fields are too sensitive. They use them rashly, for fear of being criticized or if Shangguan blames them, for fear..."

Lu Haoshan said lightly: "This matter has been decided. If it is not resolved, the people flee in large numbers and even the officials force the people to rebel, then our responsibility will be greater. Baishui, Shaanxi is the best example. The people are content with their own self-reliance. If they want to deal with those gentry, they are afraid that it will be thankless. The government will have some kindness. Besides, charities in many regions have been in name only recently, and it is not difficult to maintain their storefronts. If something really happens, Shangguan is mostly open and closed. Zhang Zhuzhu is worried. If Shangguan blames the blame, I will bear it with all my strength."

"My dear Lord Yuntian, I care about the people, and I admire him." Zhang Yunhui was happy and thanked him quickly, but instead said with some concern: "But Mr. Lord, even if the official fields of the four major charities are added together, the amount is not large, and the money and food that can be raised is limited. I am afraid, I am afraid that the amount is far from enough."

Charity is not a paradise. If you have food, you will be very kind enough to not starve to death. Therefore, there are not many official fields under your name, and even if you take them out, you don’t have a large number of them. Zhang Yunhui has been the chief clerk for many years and knows these things well. When he thinks about it, he knows that the gap is very big. He says with some concern when he hears this.

Lu Haoshan patted his shoulder and said, "Zhang Zhubu, this is just a temporary measure. It will slightly reduce the burden on the people of Jiangyou. In terms of money, I will come forward to raise money, but you still have to work hard in terms of taxation. I believe that as long as I wait for the wholeheartedness, I will definitely overcome this difficulty."

"Yes, sir." Zhang Yunhui said with gratitude: "Adults are kind-hearted, diligent and loving the people. They are truly worthy of being the parents and officials of the people of Jiangyou. This is the blessing of the people of Jiangyou. Zhang represents the villagers of Jiangyou here and thanks him for his kindness."
Chapter completed!