In the past Qingming Dynasty, in the autonomous area of the Chamber of Commerce outside Chang'an City, the peonies transplanted from Luoyang, Kanto, competed for beauty. Taking advantage of the bright spring, the activities of walking, juju, swinging, and kite flying continue until the end of April, and the cockfighting has been fighting from Qingming to the summer solstice.

There is a lively and vigorous scene everywhere, but the newly opened Chang'an Relief Department is a bleak scene. The imperial court allocated 400,000 yuan in relief money in advance, but after the relief office was established, it was found that the workers and apprentices were all under the control of merchants in the workshop, and the contract stated that the wages would be deducted if they went out without authorization. Workers were not allowed to come out, and even officials were not allowed to trespass into the workshop. At the beginning, the people of the Chang'an Chamber of Commerce often came to complain, wanting to embezzle this batch of relief money to resettle the poor people in the autonomous area, but seeing that Yuan Xingzong was very tight-lipped, he quickly lost interest, and the door of the relief department quickly fell into the cold.

A few large elm trees were full of black-pressed crows, and the ground in front of the door was full of bird droppings. This land was originally a mass graveyard, and the merchant bought the land at a low price and built dozens of houses. The location here is close to the area where the workshops gather, and the price is much cheaper than usual, and several people have been asked to raise the price. Fu Zhiren, a Guanzhong official who was ordered to purchase the premises of the government office, was not afraid of fraud, so he bought it in one bite. Now, just across the road, there is not a single crow on the big tree in front of the shop opposite, but the Chang'an Relief Department is densely packed as if it is a crow's nest. The officials of the Relief Bureau are now privately nicknamed "crows" by merchants in Chang'an, and their notoriety is on a par with the "black dogs" of the tax collector Cao.

In the signing room of the government office, the relief bureau ordered Yuan Xingzong to sit on the upper seat, and the two subordinate officials below, Fu Zhiren and Chen Youyi, reported to him the results of going to the East and West City Chamber of Commerce this morning.

Fu Zhiren's face was now more stinky than bird feces, and he said in a deep voice: "Lord Yuan, the East City Chamber of Commerce is still the same, if you want to help the apprentices, you can only send food to the workshop." "The chamber of commerce's attitude towards the Relief Department is lukewarm, such a soft resistance, coupled with the fact that the house was pitted, really made the original Xihe inspector angry. He hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Zhou Huishou said that the authority of the Chamber of Commerce to intervene in the workshop is too small now, and if it is expanded a little, maybe it will be able to serve the imperial court more." ”

Yuan Xingzong snorted coldly and said, "He thinks beautifully." Seeing that Fu Zhiren seemed to be a little moved by Zhou Huishou's proposal, he said, "Originally, the Chang'an Chamber of Commerce was extremely powerful, and it was controlled by several wealthy businessmen. Thirty years ago, Prime Minister Lu Cheng realized the disadvantages and pushed the Zhuguo government to implement the "self-defense of the city", stipulating that neither the government nor the chamber of commerce could forcibly interfere with the contract transactions of merchants. When this law was first introduced, the chamber of commerce opposed it and obstructed it in every way, which is similar to the current work of apprentices. However, the imperial court finally implemented this law, and since then, the head of the chamber of commerce has been removed from various places to control the market, and all industries are prosperous and prosperous far more than before. He paused, "When this law was first implemented, I was still a small official, and I knew that this chamber of commerce was too powerful. This tiger in a cage must not be released again. ”

Fu Zhiren no longer insisted, and only slandered: "It seems that since then, the profiteers in the Kanto region have come over with great fanfare." ”

Yuan Xingzong asked Chen Heyi again: "What is the attitude of the West Market Chamber of Commerce?" ”

Chen Youyi said with an angry face: "It's similar to Dongshi. I think they must have colluded in private. ”

Fu Zhiren also said: "These merchants have made a good plan and went to the workshop to help, and if the imperial court supports them with apprentices, how can there be such a cheap thing in the world?" He calculated that he could barely support an apprentice to work, and it would cost at least twenty yuan a day to eat, which was more than six yuan a year. The profiteers want to save even this little money in every possible way. He is most unaccustomed to the face of profit-seeking, and these days he has been in a position to deal with the head of the Chamber of Commerce, and he is really holding back his anger.

Chen Youyi said angrily: "How can you be so tolerant of adultery? "He was born in the family of the official eunuch in Kwantung, and his words were extremely dissatisfied with the Xia court.

Yuan Xingzong glanced at him and said slowly: "The interests of industry and commerce are very important, and the imperial court has to be cautious. Chen Youyi stooped down his subordinates, although he did not refute, but his face was disapproving, Yuan Xingzong said, "I will uphold the way of cultivation and war, and build a sergeant system." There are more than 5.3 million households in the country, less than 1 million scholars, more than 3.2 million shade households, and more than 100,000 merchants. He studied national politics every day in the Tiance Academy, and at this moment he talked like a treasure, Fu Zhiren and Chen Youyi both knew that this was a rare opportunity, and they both listened attentively.

Yuan Xingzong took a sip of tea and said slowly: "The thirty percent of the income that these more than three million shade households pay to the scholars a year, according to Cao's estimates, is more than 50 million yuan, but only three points are attributed to the battalion, three points to the army, and three points to the imperial court, and in the end, the imperial court only gets seven or eight million guan from the yin households every year. As far as this official knows, the two taxes in the Kanto region are nearly 60 million yuan, most of which are attributed to Bianliang. ”

"Is it true that the imperial court has received so little?" Chen Youyi was surprised. He believed in the constant wealth of the world, and since Xia Guo treated the soldiers leniently, then the court would get less, but he didn't expect it to be so little. Although these tax figures Xia Guo did not keep them strictly secret, they would not be announced to the public, and Chen Youyi could only look at Yuan Xingzong with a look of shock and confusion on his face.

"Exactly," Yuan Xingzong affirmed, "the Kanto region uses the rich households to guard the country's wealth, and our dynasty uses the sergeants to defend the land for the country, and the sergeants get the land rent that was originally the rich landlords, which is also the proper meaning." It's just that it's scattered among millions of scholars, and the goods are not as concentrated as in Kanto. ”

Chen Youyi nodded and asked, "Where did the imperial court's gifts for the sergeants and officials come from?" ”

Yuan Xingzong continued: "Less than a million households, the income from the imperial court is more than 24 million. And 100,000 merchants, 30% of the annual income paid to the imperial court is more than 30 million. The two add up to more than 54 million yuan. At present, the imperial court pays non-commissioned officers and officials, and the salary expenditure of teachers in the township is more than 24 million yuan, and the expenditure of knighthood issued to scholars with titles is more than 30 million yuan, and the income and expenditure are exactly offset. In addition, there are still seven or eight million yuan of income from the shadow households, one out of ten out of ten import and export tariffs, mining rights and apprentice money to maintain the operation of the imperial court at all levels, as well as to build bridges and pave roads, reward studies, promote the good and eliminate the disadvantages, and so on. ”

Chen Youyi was silent for a moment, he used to only go to Kanto to have redundant soldiers and redundant officials, but he didn't expect that the system of sergeants, and the financial burden caused by the issuance of knights to millions of scholars for the Xia Imperial Court were no less than those in Kanto. The taxes paid by the Chamber of Commerce are already an indispensable income for the Xia Imperial Court, and it is no wonder that the two governments are so jealous.

Fu Zhiren asked: "Could it be that the Chamber of Commerce can only be left to its own devices, and the imperial court can't intervene more?" He picked up the draft of the "Relief Worker Law" written by Yuan Xingzong next to the table and said, "In my opinion, Lord Yuan's ideas are a hundred times better than those profiteers. ”

Yuan Xingzong shook his head and said, "If the husband has a benefit, there must be a disadvantage. The imperial court allowed the chamber of commerce to exercise autonomy, which was also to protect us. Seeing the puzzled look on Fu Zhiren's face, he was silent for a moment, and said slowly, "Four years ago, this official went to the post station to hand over the folds to the commercial office, and the imperial court valued it, so he handed over this matter to me to implement. One day, a businessman invited him to a banquet, because he was an old acquaintance of Huaxian County, so the official went to the banquet. As a result, the merchant brought a beautiful woman covered in pearls to sit with him, and promised a reward of ten thousand taels of gold, as long as the official agreed to hand over to him the operation of more than two hundred post stations on the main roads. If he said it, everything would be done in accordance with the procedures of the imperial court, and there would be no mistakes, and the stunning beauty and ten thousand taels of gold would be the official's. ”

"And what happened?" Although Fu Zhiren knew the result, he couldn't help but ask.

Yuan Xingzong smiled sarcastically and said in a deep voice: "This official has been taught by the saint for thirty years, so he rebuked him and walked away. However, the businessman's words are still in my mind. ”

Chen Youyi's face changed slightly, and he asked, "What are you talking about?" ”

"If the money is 100,000 yuan, you can serve ghosts and gods." Yuan Xingzong raised the teacup and took a sip, "Since then, whenever it comes to the prosperity of speech, business, and profit, this official is trembling, as if he is on the edge of the abyss. It is important to know that the tree wants to be quiet and the wind does not stop. His face sank, and he said in an aggravated tone, "Zhiren and righteousness, this is not a quiet place, you are both pillars of the court, you should be clean." What Yuan Xingzong didn't say was that the post station was changed to a commercial matter, and in the end, several officials were lured and co-opted, and finally they were investigated and raped by Cao.

"Yes, Your Excellency." Chen Youyi and Fu Zhiren replied in unison, the sound was quite loud, and the dust on the window edge paper came down. The crows outside the signing room also fluttered a few and quacked in the air, making the officials next to them very anxious.

Zhao Xingde's house, it was the time to settle the salary on the tenth day, Li Ruoxue thanked and said: "I have difficulty moving these days, and I have Aunt Liu." When she was in the boudoir, she often used to pay the servants and maids in the palace, so the posture of this hostess also seemed to be similar.

Aunt Liu said with a smile: "Where did Madam say that, I can stay by the side of immortals, and I am also more immortal." She took it and put three 500 pieces of Jiaozi into her arms.

Zhao Xingde asked: "There are few idlers in the countryside in April, so I can only plant sericulture and fields. Aunt Liu stayed with me all day, didn't miss the agricultural time, right? ”

Aunt Liu said: "Don't hide it from adults, I used two short-term jobs, and my two and a half old children, but I can take care of them." ”

Zhao Xingde nodded, and said in a deep voice: "If there is no use at home, I can help one or two here." He knew that some of the children of peasant families, because of their age or other reasons, had not yet reached the time to receive the assignment, so they invited them out to work for the families who were short of manpower during the busy farming season. Because of the shortage of manpower in the farm, the strength and money will exceed Aunt Liu's one hundred and fifty wen a day. Over the years, it has also been thanks to Aunt Liu's maids everywhere to earn money, so she can barely cultivate her family's 50 acres of land.

Aunt Liu shook her head and said, "Thank you for your kindness, the old woman can still turn around here." ”

Li Ruoxue was kind-hearted, worried that she would be inconvenient to speak out because of her face, so she asked softly, "Really?" ”

Aunt Liu nodded and said, "Thank you, madam." Seeing the look of concern in Li Ruoxue's eyes, she couldn't help but feel grateful. In the Xia Kingdom, the shade household had to report the annual income to the scholars to determine the specific amount of the thirty percent annual income, so Aunt Liu also explained in detail to Zhao De and his wife: "Last year, the wind and rain were good, and twenty-six stones of grain were planted in the fields, and there were twelve sheep raised at home that were fattened, plus twisted threads and weaving clothes, old women helped, and the wages for short-term workers were deducted, and there were more than fifty-six copper coins. ”

Li Ruoxue frowned slightly, looking at Zhao Xingde, she was born in an official family, and sometimes she had to use the same money to buy a book, and there was a difference between the copper coins of the Xia Kingdom and the copper coins of the Song Kingdom. Therefore, I don't know if more than 50 times a year is enough for farmers.

Zhao Xingde's heart flashed slightly, and he calculated: "A family of four, the daily cost of one hundred and fifty yuan, is it really enough?" ”

Aunt Liu nodded, and said happily: "The three little ones have a lunch at Mr. Teaching's, and the four mouths eat five liters of grain a day at home, the chickens, ducks and sheep are all raised by themselves, and the side dishes are grown at home." Half of the surplus grain and fattened sheep were sold, plus the income of the old woman's servants, and the money was more than 20 yuan. From the beginning of the year to the end of the year, the miscellaneous expenses of sauce, vinegar, tea, sugar and salt also cost eleven or two dollars. In the cold winter, it takes two dollars to buy charcoal. There are still five or six dollars left, buy a few pieces of cloth, and the family will each pull two new clothes, and it will be flat at the end of the year. ”

Aunt Liu's husband died early, and she got up early and pulled her three children to grow up, with a proud look on her face at the moment. Li Ruoxue had a faint sympathy in her eyes, afraid that she would be embarrassed and didn't show it. Zhao Xingde sighed: "The farmer is busy at four o'clock a year, and in the end he can only be full. Tian Fu is indeed no longer able to be added. ”