Gao Xiang nodded.

But he smiled and said: "Speaking of customs, Yu Qian has a next official document." ”

Customs, like the Taiping Mansion, are subordinate to the Junwang Mansion, and theoretically do not belong to the subordinate government offices of the Taiping Mansion, so if they want to negotiate with the Taiping Mansion, they only need to issue official documents, but they do not need to report it.

Zhang Anshi is the most concerned about the news of the customs.

After all, it's about money.

Therefore, Zhang Anshi said with interest: "What official document? ”

"At the customs, I asked the Taiping Mansion if it could allocate a piece of land, about 300 acres, to prepare for the construction of the school."

Zhang Anshi listened to it, and couldn't help but say: "If you want to build a school, you don't want to play this king first, this Yu Qian, what kind of famous hall is it." ”

Gao Xiang smiled and said: "It should be just a draft, and there is no complete charter yet, so now I just ask about the attitude of the Taiping Mansion first." ”

Zhang Anshi knew in his heart that most of the people up and down the Taiping Mansion are like this now, because of the shortage of talents, many industries that have emerged need a lot of manpower.

As a result, people have also begun to follow the model of government schools, such as the current customs, which requires a group of anti-smuggling personnel and strict discipline. These people are not only used as a force guarantee, but also need to be able to read and hyphenate and have enough arithmetic ability.

In this case, if you hire someone in the market, it will be time-consuming and laborious, and you may not be able to recruit the person you want to use.

Because of this, a special school was set up to recruit students, and it was promised that these people could directly enter the customs after graduation in the future.

Zhang Anshi couldn't help but say at this time: "Three hundred acres of land, the scale of this school is not small, Yu Qian, this guy, has a big heart!" ”

Gao Xiang said: "On Xiaguan's side, the land can be allocated in a way, but as His Highness said, this area is too large. ”

Zhang Anshi thought for a while and said, "Wait for his charter to be reported to the county king's mansion, and then think about it." ”

Gao Xiang nodded, but he raised his eyes and glanced at Zhang Anshi, and said, "There is one more thing ......."

Zhang Anshi said: "You just say it." ”

"In various prefectures and counties, many people have come to question ...... below"

When Zhang Anshi heard this, he couldn't help frowning, and snorted coldly: "We have nothing to do with other prefectures and counties, what are they going to do next?" These people, don't bother. ”

Gao Xiang said: "Yes." ”

Gao Xiang's report does involve the problems of various prefectures and counties, and a large number of overseas specialties have flowed in, from peppercorns to cane sugar, spices, etc., and because of the large-scale inflow, the price has been able to be accepted by ordinary people.

Coupled with the introduction of a large number of cotton from Tianzhu country, the Tianzhu land is fertile, and the sunshine conditions are good, so a large number of cotton fields are widely planted, and the price is low, the characteristics of cotton are light in texture, so a sea ship carries more cotton, if the transportation cost is amortized, it is still profitable.

On Qixia's side, many workshops spin this cotton and then make it into cloth, and the price is much lower than the current cloth.

A large number of production raw materials into the Taiping Mansion, after the production and processing of the Taiping Mansion, the goods can be described as piled up, in addition to the use of the military and civilian people in the Taiping Mansion, then the most important thing is to export.

But at the moment, Zhili is okay, after the implementation of the new policy, all kinds of commercial goods have entered thousands of households, but other prefectures and counties have begun to find that many goods have begun to slowly penetrate.

Cotton cloth with better texture and lower price, which used to be expensive, is now slowly becoming more affordable for cane sugar, spices and peppercorns.

Especially cotton cloth and cane sugar, the former can make people warm, while the latter, for the people at this time, sugar has always been a luxury, which can be equivalent to meat.

And the sugar food at this time, for people in this era, is rich in nutrition, and it is about the same as that of an old hen.

The price of sucrose is different from what it used to be, and it is no longer unattainable.

Many prefectures and counties, especially the local parents, obviously have a natural aversion to the goods in Taiping Mansion, and the officials below simply set up cards at the wharves everywhere. Therefore, many businessmen complained.

However, at first, it was true, but soon, the situation began to slowly change.

Because these officials who ate and took cards soon found that the merchants who used to hold these goods gradually changed, no longer merchants wearing cloth clothes and stepping on cloth shoes, but actually scholars in Confucian shirts and scarves.

These people did not pay attention to the ordinary officials at all, and when the ship arrived on the shore, someone was immediately responsible for receiving the goods, and before the officials could come forward, this person only lightly drew out a famous post, and then ignored it.

These ordinary officials are all native people, only look at the famous post, and immediately dare not slack off, don't say that it is difficult, but I am afraid that I need to pay a salute to the person who comes and shout a master.

As for the county magistrates, county officials, chief bookkeepers, captains, inspectors, etc., although they are not from their hometowns, they are not squeaky after learning about the report.

Although the prefectures and counties use liuguan, the imperial court appoints and dismisses the officials of a county, and the real officials are only a few people, and the entire county, to a certain extent, is actually rural autonomy.

The essence of rural autonomy is gentry autonomy.

For the parent officials, the errand is a local, the gentry is a local, and only he is an outsider, so the first thing he does at the beginning of his tenure is to have a good relationship with the local gentry.

After all, the Ming court did not have the so-called large amount of money allocated to the county, almost all the money and grain, or anything encountered in the county, needed to rely on the gentry to raise.

But these gentry are intertwined in the local area, and after a hundred years of reproduction, there are all kinds of so-called weddings and funerals. The essence of it, whether they are from the east or west of the county, how many miles apart, to put it bluntly, they are all relatives, either the daughter of this family is married to the son of that family, or the son of that family has been mentioned by that family, but is the protégé of that family.

It can be said that offending one is equivalent to offending them all.

Once your parents disobey the local gentry, then you don't have to do anything, and if people want to stumble on you, it's easy.

What's more, most of these people have fame, and there are even some clansmen who are officials outside, and if they really want to turn their faces, people may not be able to afford your mere seven-grade county order.

Because of this, the county order with the name of the post, even if he is disgusted with these goods, or how unbelievable the escort person is actually involved in the children of the scholarly family.

But at this time, he could only pinch his nose and admit it.

At first, this kind of thing was just a cover-up, or rather, it was still a minority, but slowly...... This kind of thing is starting to spread.

The official roads and wharves in the county, as well as a large number of cars, horses and ships escorting goods, have increased much compared to previous years.

There were quite a few gentry families involved.

At this time, many 'people of insight' in various prefectures and counties have begun to gradually have a sense of crisis.

They felt that it was not a way to let it go like this, so they immediately went to the court and implored the court to ban this matter.

As for the gentry, they are not easy to criticize.

After all, it is his duty to report to the imperial court, and negotiate with the Taiping Mansion, so what can the Taiping Mansion do with the official?

But the local gentry are different, everyone is under one roof, and directly opening this mouth is equivalent to tearing the dough, stepping on someone else's tail, hindering others from getting rich, and it is difficult to guarantee that there will be no accidents.

Of course, Zhang Anshi ignores these angry parents and officials, this is their own problem.

At least Zhang Anshi himself learned from Jinyiwei that there is now a certain concept of agency in the Taiping Mansion. That is, the merchants are responsible for production, and the distribution of goods is handed over to the local people in each prefecture and county, who escort the goods back to their hometowns to sell.

As for these agents, what is the way of origin, Zhang Anshi doesn't care, anyway, who sells the goods is not for sale.

Therefore, now Qixia's side is becoming more and more lively, and there is a little more literary atmosphere that only Confucius Temple has, and many scholars have emerged, staying in stores, playing sharp, and listening to dramas, so it is not lively, and even spends money.

This made Jinyiwei's side suddenly come to the spirit.

Now we have to make a head, and there is still a shortage of people in the Hongwen Pavilion in each feudal town.

However, after the investigation, it was found that these popular scholars were holding books from major workshops and many ocean-going ships.

Most of these certificates are issued by local merchants to prove that they have business dealings with each other.

They took out such certificates, and the lieutenants had no choice but to leave.

It's just that these recitals were reported to Wenyuan Pavilion and various ministries, but they sparked a heated discussion.

The harm of this kind of thing is not small, especially the inflow of a large amount of cotton cloth, the messenger's original rural cloth has completely lost the market, and the originally relatively peaceful male and female weavers have been greatly destroyed.

Although the cloth of Taiping Mansion is good, it has also been dyed, and the price is relatively low because of large-scale production, which almost makes the homespun cloth in many places directly extinct.

Tenants have lost much of their livelihood, making it even more difficult to afford rent.

Many strong men either go with people to escort goods, or enter the county or capital city to carry goods for people, of course, more people choose...... into Taiping Province.

Among them, the gentry still suffered a lot.

Due to the lack of manpower, the rent of the land had to be lowered again and again before tenant farmers could be recruited to cultivate the land.

Therefore, these people are the most angry.

Some people even made trouble with the county school and the government school, demanding that the school and the county officials severely punish the scholars who colluded with the Taiping Mansion.

Xia Yuanji is still quite worried about this, after all, he is the head of the household.

At this time, he frowned and said with a little worry: "It's not a way to go on like this." If the number of people in the countryside is greatly reduced, a large number of grain fields will inevitably be barren, and in the long run, what will happen to the summer grain in the future? If the court and the people have no food, they will cause great chaos. ”

The Shangshu drank tea separately and seemed to be talking about it casually.

But in fact, everyone has their own thoughts, and the more they talk about big things, the more they seem to be understated.

And the more we talk about small things, the more eager we must be, and the more angry we become.

Because small things are harmless, and they hardly interfere with the interests of others, they can be more intense and show their positions.

But such a major event directly involves the national economy and people's livelihood, which is not fun, and every word and deed is likely to lead to unpredictable consequences.

Hu Guang listened to Xia Yuanji's words, and said: "Indeed, there is no agricultural stability, this is a major matter, and it should not be taken lightly. What's more, many scholars are no different from businessmen now, and they don't know how the academics and teachers in various places discipline them, which is really disgraceful. ”

Hu Guang looked both worried and a little angry.

The crowd fell silent again.

Jin Zhong, the secretary of the Ministry of War, was silent, he was also worried about the problem of food, the new policy could not be implemented, but food could not be missing.

Liu Guan, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, smiled at this time, so in this group of frowning people, it was too different.

Seeing him laughing, everyone couldn't help but be suspicious, Xia Yuanji took the lead in asking, "What is Gong Liu's opinion?" The matter of this scholar is closely related to the Ministry of Etiquette, and if the etiquette collapses, Liu Gong will be unable to escape the blame. ”

Liu Guan said: "The sage didn't say that scholars can't operate, right?" What does this have to do with the collapse of etiquette? ”

Xia Yuanji raised his eyebrows and said, "But it's good to say...... After all......"

Liu Guan said: "If it is a matter of words, it must be controlled, then the purchase of land, is it a word?" Is it profitable to lease land to tenant farmers for farming? If you want to say this, then simply, everyone doesn't say anything, and everyone follows the Taiping Mansion, wouldn't it be good? simply divide all the land, so that it can be regarded as solving the current hidden dangers at the root. It's not profitable anyway. ”

Xia Yuanji's face flushed slightly, and said: "That's not what I said, in this way, Liu Gongmo doesn't think that the current affairs of various prefectures and counties are being reported...... Rightfully so? ”

Liu Guan immediately said: "The old man didn't say that. ”

Xia Yuanji asked, "What kind of statement is that?" ”

Liu Guan said without blushing or panting: "This is okay, that is okay, you argue first, which side is reasonable, and the old man will second." ”

That's a shameless statement!

Encountering such a wall grass, Xia Yuanji was speechless for a while.

To be honest, if it weren't for his colleagues, Xia Yuanji would have wanted to give him two ear scrapers.

"In any case, the problem of food is not a joke, even if it is a scholar's business, it can be postponed, if this causes the land to be barren and the grain production is greatly reduced, if we encounter a famine year in the coming year, we will be sinners for thousands of years."

Everyone looked at Yang Rong, Yang Rong pondered for a moment, and said, "Princess...... I've only read the report, but I have a copy here. ”

All of a sudden, everyone became more and more silent.

Yang Rong said: "This is Yang Pu, a scholar of Zhan Shifu, who sent it to him, and he ordered some people from Zhan Shifu to investigate in various prefectures and counties, and the above said that in the past, the gentry leased land and handed it over to tenant farmers for farming, and the peasants paid fifty percent of the tenant rent. ”

"In addition, it is also necessary to bear the taxes and servitude of the imperial court, so that what falls into the hands of tenant farmers is only a mere thirty percent of the grain, if it is not a disaster year, these thirty percent of the grain is indeed barely able to make ends meet, but there are prefectures and counties; However, it is necessary to pay 60% to 70% of the tenant rent, which means that there are many people in the land and little land, and the gentry are not worried about the land rent and cannot be leased out. ”

Yang Rong paused, and then said: "Now the reports from various prefectures and counties say that because of the decrease in the number of people and the loss of the income from the homespun cloth, the tenant farmers have no way to continue, so they have to flee one after another. ”

"Secondly, there is still the issue of grain tax, the situation sent by Yang Pu to carefully investigate can be described as shocking, and the grain tax set by the imperial court has never been much. However, there are quite a few local assessments and exorbitant taxes under various names. Not to mention anything else, just talking about the loss, the farmers are required to pay for it, and when it comes to the loss...... Why can Taiping Fu solve it, but why...... The prefectures and counties are levied on the people? ”

After these words, the ministers in the Wenyuan Pavilion were speechless, and they were embarrassed beyond words.

In fact, these things are actually known in everyone's hearts.

However, Yang Rong felt that it was unreasonable, so he proposed.

Some people feel that this has been the case for thousands of years, that it is a tacit rule that cannot be broken.

The people here are all extremely smart people, in fact, even if there is controversy, they all have their own reasons, it depends on where everyone focuses on.

Yang Rong naturally knew everyone's thoughts, and he smiled: "So...... After all, the land is going to be barren, and in my case, if you really want to have land, and you are willing to reduce the rent, are you afraid that there will be no people to cultivate it? In the final analysis, it comes back to the question of Fang Cai, or Yanli. The gentry who sell goods are talking about profits, and the gentry who are angry are also talking about profits, but their interests are different from each other, and no one is superior or inferior. ”

Xia Yuanji was still worried and said: "Having said that, the truth is also the truth, but ...... On the side of the household, there are still some worries......"

Yang Rong said: "Then let's take another look." These notes, when I wait for the draft vote, I still suggest that His Majesty stay in the middle and not send it, and look at the follow-up. ”

Xia Yuanji sighed: "Now it's all about this. That's right, now in the capital, everyone is saying that there is a Yu Qian now. Have you heard of this person? ”

Jin Chun, the secretary of the Criminal Department, said: "I have heard of it a little. This person seems to be in charge of the customs, and he is a man, but he is very bold, and he heard that a batch of goods from the Chengyang Hou Mansion was seized by him a few days ago, and he also ordered the Chengyang Hou to pay taxes......"

When everyone heard what Jin Chun said, they couldn't help but laugh.

"This man is as bold as a fight!"

……

The early summer of the nineteenth year of Yongle.

Yu Qian came to the county king's mansion with a pile of accounts.

For the county king's mansion, he couldn't be more familiar with it, and it is not too much to say that he is going home.

When he saw Zhang Anshi, Yu Qian still saluted as usual: "I've seen Your Highness." ”

Zhang Anshi bowed his head at him and said casually: "These days, this king has been looking forward to you coming, but you don't come and move around much. ”

Yu Qian said: "Customs affairs are complicated, and the lower officials can't get away. ”

Zhang Anshi pointed to the thing he was holding in his hand, and said with curiosity: "What is this?" ”

"The accounts from the establishment of the customs to the present, as well as a large amount of income and expenditure, please take a look at your highness!"

After hearing this, Zhang Anshi was immediately full of interest and said, "Oh, this king has been waiting for a long time. ”