At this time, in Pingliang, only the three counties of Zhenyuan, Guyuan, and Jingzhou were in the hands of the government, and the rest of the prefectures and counties fell into the hands of thieves. Xu Liang, the newly appointed Pingliang Tongzhi, convened a meeting of his subordinates, but in fact, there were only a few people present.

Huang Daozhou of Yazhi County, Zhenyuan County, Guo Tianxu of the county, He Cheng of the Dian Shi, Mao Yujie, the head of the household, Lin Jialuo of Jingzhou Zhixian County, Zhang Fengqi of Guyuan Zhizhou, in addition, there is Hong Chengchou of Shaanxi Province.

Guyuan Zhizhou, also from the official position of Wupin, Zhizhou Zhang Fengqi, Xu Liang is still the first time to meet. Zhang Zhizhou had thick eyebrows and big eyes, a dignified appearance, and did not smile, entered the conference hall and saluted Hong Chengchou and Xu Liang in a proper manner, and then sat in his seat, without saying or laughing.

When Xu Liang saw that everyone had basically arrived, he lowered his voice and explained the causes and consequences of imposing a wartime tax on merchants in Pingliang Mansion, and asked for the opinions of several adults. Of course, the main thing is to know the opinions of Zhang Fengqi of Guyuan Zhizhou and Lin Jialuo of Jingzhou Zhixian.

After Xu Liang finished smiling, he stopped and waited patiently for Zhang Zhizhou and Lin Zhixian to express their opinions. The room was quiet for a while, and several adults picked up tea from time to time, blowing the tea foam floating on the water, and took a sip from time to time.

Guyuan Zhizhou Zhang Fengqi was silent. Lin Jialuo, the magistrate of Jingzhou, is a real person, and when he saw Xu Liang moving his gaze, he said happily: "My lord, you are the same acquaintance of Pingliang Mansion, what you say, what the lower officials will do." ”

Xu Liang glanced at Lin Zhixian appreciatively when he heard this, and secretly said that Lin Zhixian was a person who had a relationship with him, and he could stand on the same front with him at a critical time.

Xu Liang then set his eyes on Zhang Fengqi, Guyuan Zhizhou, and asked loudly: "Zhang Zhizhou, what is your opinion?" ”

Guyuan Zhizhou Zhang Fengqi took a sip of tea elegantly, slowly put down the cup, and then carefully closed the lid, and then looked up at the officials in the room. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and he squeezed out a smile, and he said, "Since Lord Tongzhi asked the official to say a few words by name." The official reluctantly made it difficult and put forward his own opinion. He also arched his hand towards Hong Chengchou, who was sitting at the head of Shaanxi: "It just so happens that Hong is also here." It's okay to be a witness. ”

Xu Liang listened to Zhang Zhizhou's first few words, and suddenly felt uncomfortable, why do you want me to say two words by name, and you just say two words, and you are still embarrassed? What testimony does Hong Chengchou have to do if he wants to participate in politics? That's the way it started at the beginning, and I guess there's nothing good to say about it later.

Sure enough, Zhang Zhizhou sighed and said, "Xu Tongzhi's original intention of raising wartime taxes is good. However, Mr. Xu had just come to Shaanxi and did not have an in-depth understanding of the people of Pingliang Mansion. Alas, my cool people have a hard time. Since the beginning of the fifth year of the Apocalypse, there have not been a few serious rains in Shaanxi, drought year after year, the land harvest is not as good as a year, and the life of the people is becoming more and more difficult, and the people in some areas are already poorly clothed. Starving. What's more, in order to survive, Yi Zi eats ...... Ladies and gentlemen. Have you ever thought about it, the people of Pingliang have long been overwhelmed, if you increase any wartime taxes, if you are careless, it will cause civil unrest, how is it good? ”

Zhang Zhizhou said with an indignant face, although it was the adults who criticized, his eyes only fell on Xu Liang alone, obviously. In his eyes, Xu Liang was the initiator. The sin is terrible.

Xu Liang frowned and explained, "Lord Zhang is serious. The collection of the wartime tax was not aimed at the people of the city, but only at the merchants......"

"That's even more inappropriate!" Before Xu Liang finished speaking, Zhang Zhizhou immediately refuted: "Since ancient times, farmers and businessmen have a low status, and they are inferior to farmers. My Ming Dynasty has always despised businessmen, and businessmen have long held grudges and grievances about their situation and status. Lord Xu didn't want to be appeased, but intensified his efforts and imposed wartime taxes on merchants! In the eyes of the whole world, those who know will say that Pingliang knows what Lord Xu means, and those who don't know will misunderstand that the officials in Pingliang Mansion collectively squeeze the hard-earned money of businessmen! ”

Zhang Zhizhou said spittle, Zhen Zhen resigned, Xu Liang was angry, the heart of the peasants is poor, we understand, it is not good to add endowment to them, but the businessmen are not poor, in fact, all those who do business, have some family property in their hands, compared to the farmers who farm the land, the situation is more than one or two times? Shinong businessmen, businessmen have a low status, and that is not caused by me Xu Liang!

Zhang Zhizhou actually used this kind of unworthy reason to talk about things, it is really unreasonable!

Xu Liang felt that this was unreasonable, and there was another person in the room who was even more angry. Mao Yujie, the head of the Zhenyuan household, looked at Zhang Zhizhou's eyes at this time, as if he was looking at the enemy who killed his father, and he was furious.

The imposition of wartime taxes on businessmen was proposed by Director Mao, and with this Jian yì Xu Liang also promoted him to be the director of the Pingliang Taxation Bureau, although it is said that the director of the Taxation Bureau of the local government and county is a petty official who does not enter the stream, but in the end it is a person who belongs to the category of officials, with this step of the director of the Taxation Bureau, plus the hard work of Director Mao himself, the old teacher Huang Daozhou pointed, and the big leader Xu Liang was promoted, and within two years, he Mao Yujie could also mix with the rank of the court official.

Now, Zhang Fengqi, the prefect of Guyuan, actually put up a bunch of reasons to oppose the imposition of wartime taxes, doesn't this block the road to promotion for his head Mao?

Director Mao blushed and had a thick neck, and said angrily: "Lord Zhang's words are wrong, the so-called world is bustling, all for profit, businessmen pursue profits, and the family has surplus wealth, and now they are levied wartime taxes, which is also to ask them to contribute to the country." Moreover, the share of the wartime tax levied this time was only 1 out of 30, which was equivalent to the commercial tax, but the commercial tax was excluded, and all commodities were included in the collection. ”

Zhang Zhizhou turned his head and saw clearly that the person who spoke was a miscellaneous official with no grade or rank, and couldn't help but raise his sleeves and shouted angrily: "Bold! I wait for the court ministers to discuss matters, how can you have the share of a tasteless and levelless official to speak? I don't know the etiquette, I don't know the rules! ”

Director Mao's face turned even redder, and he trembled with anger.

Xu Liang finally couldn't bear it anymore, pointed at Director Mao, and said loudly: "Lord Zhang, this is Mao Yujie, the new director of the Pingliang Taxation Bureau. What Director Mao said, the official thought so. The wartime tax was levied this time because Pingliang fell, the treasury was empty, and there was no money and food to recruit soldiers and horses in order to recover the lost territory. For this reason, I would like to ask for your understanding and support. ”

Zhang Zhizhou snorted coldly, looked at Hong Chengchou, who had been silent in Shaanxi, and shouted with a stiff neck: "Even so, it seems that such a temporary increase in taxes cannot be the master of our house alone, and we must submit it to the Trilateral Governor's Office, report to the Ministry of Household for approval, and report it to the emperor." ”

Xu Liang listened, turned to Hong Chengchou, and said, "This official has also asked Lord Hong for instructions on this matter before, and Lord Hong has no objection. ”

Hong Chengchou nodded and said in a deep voice: "Yes, Lord Xu's suggestion, the trilateral governor Lord Wu did not object. ”

Zhang Zhizhou listened, the corners of his mouth twitched a few times, and he still asked without giving up: "What about the household?" Can there be an approval from the court? ”

The anger in Xu Liang's heart rushed upward, staring at Zhang Zhizhou, his face was cold, and he shouted in a calm tone: "This official summoned you here this time to ask you to raise some suggestions in the process of collecting wartime taxes, and it is by no means to discuss the question of whether to collect or not. In any case, from tomorrow, the counties of Binh Liang Province will begin to collect wartime taxes. ”

Seeing this, Huang Daozhou and Lin Jialuo hurriedly got up, walked to the hall, and arched their hands to Xu Liang and said, "The lower officials obey orders." ”

Zhang Zhizhou's face turned pale, he snorted coldly, and said, "Since Lord Xu has already planned, then what else is there to discuss with us, just issue a document and implement it directly!" Summoning us to discuss matters today is purely superfluous! There is still urgent official business to deal with in the Xiaguan Prefecture Ya, so I have resigned! With that, Zhang Zhizhou bowed his hand to Hong's participation in politics, turned around and strode away.

The officials who remained in the room looked at each other, carefully paying attention to Xu Liang's face.

Xu Liang's face was very calm, and after Zhang Zhizhou left, he looked at everyone casually and said, "This matter is so decided, after you return to the Yaya, you should carefully implement it as required." Let's disperse. ”

The officials received the order and got up and left. Xu Liang accompanied Hong Chengchou to the outer courtyard of Xu's mansion, and watched Hong Chengchou get into the carriage outside the gate of Xu's mansion and disappear at the end of the street.

Huang Daozhou, the magistrate of Zhenyuan County, did not go far, he came closer, and looked at the direction in which Hong Chengchou left, and said faintly: "Zhang Fengqi, the governor of Guyuan, was a jinshi in the thirty-eighth year of Wanli, and he was originally an official with outstanding political achievements. There is still a reason why Lord Zhang is so uncooperative this time. ”

Xu Liang turned around and asked, "What is the reason?" ”

Huang Daozhou said: "Originally, the prefect of Pingliang was held by Zhang Fengqi, but somehow it was concurrently served by Lord Hong for a period of time. Now that Lord Hong's position as prefect has been removed, and Lord Xu has become the governor of Pingliang, the position of the prefect is vacant, and Lord Zhang still can't move it. Under such circumstances, Lord Zhang will inevitably be dissatisfied! ”

Xu Liang sighed, and secretly said that there was still this meaning, no wonder this Zhang Zhizhou saw himself, his nose is not a nose, and his eyes are not eyes. Dare to love yourself and unconsciously block the way of others. (To be continued)