Chapter 49: Confrontation

In this era, overseas is a wild place at all, not to mention that the fire of Western civilization has not yet been ignited. Still in the middle of the long night of the Middle Ages. It is simply said that in the hearts of the Ming people, the concept of the Heavenly Empire exists. I don't want to go overseas to make a living unless I have to.

Not to mention. The place where Guo Huan is located is Hangzhou, where there is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. It can be said to be one of the best places in Daming.

Where is Guo Huan willing to go overseas.

When the time comes, in the company of savages, I am afraid that even if he has a lot of money, he will not be able to enjoy what he enjoys now.

It's just that things have come to this point.

Guo Huan is already cornered.

Not to mention, Guo Huan knew that if he committed something, it would be revealed to the world. His fate was only death, and he died a miserable death. Or live or die. Not to mention, sometimes the person who wants him to die may not be Zhu Yuanzhang, but some people behind him.

After all, he was not the only one who committed such a big thing. But many people hope that Guo Huan will bear it alone.

The living may not be able to, but the dead cannot speak.

Guo Huan only has this way in front of him.

In the early stage of Hongwu, the policy of banning the sea was not strict. Not to mention, what kind of place is Zhejiang.

In the Yuan Dynasty, it was one of the maritime bases, and the Ming Dynasty had only been open for more than ten years, and the maritime merchants of the Yuan Dynasty had not yet died. Guo Huan can naturally find the right candidate. It's just that this determination is not easy to make.

Guo Huan also looks forward to better news.

It's just that he's delusional.

After three days of waiting, there was no news at all.

Guo Huan couldn't hold back any longer. So he packed up the gold and silver, took his family with him, and prepared to board the ship from Hangzhou, first to Ningbo, and then to the sea, first to rest on the desert island on the sea, as for where to go. I don't know yet.

Just when Guo Huan wanted to get out of the city. Suddenly, someone came to report. He Xi He came to visit.

Guo Huan was shocked and hurriedly asked, "How many people did he bring?" ”

The servant replied and said, "I only brought two companions." ”

Guo Huan got up and wandered back and forth, called his cronies around him, and said, "You go to Lord Wang immediately, just say so." ”

The cronie immediately got up and went away. Guo Huan tidied up his robe and went out.

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He Xi had already been drinking tea in the living room. Xu Baoer and Wang Qianli stood behind He Xi. And Xu Bao'er still has some city mansions, and his expression does not change, but Wang Qianli is very nervous, his hand has been pressed on the waist knife, and the green tendons on the back of his hand have burst out, which seems to be calm, but in fact, he used force.

Guo Huan did not arrive, and the sound came first. Hearty laughter came from the back of the house. said: "Lord He, haven't you already returned to Beijing?" How did it turn back again. But what have you forgotten to explain? ”

Guo Huan came in from behind and greeted He Xi. Fluid in action. There is not a trace of unnaturalness. He Xi couldn't see from Guo Huan's face what he wanted, such as panic and uneasiness. Worry or something.

This alone is enough to make people admire.

If He Xi hadn't known through Mao Xiang's intelligence system, Guo Huan would have to smear oil on the soles of his feet. He probably couldn't see it.

He Xi said: "Lord Guo." Don't you know what I'm going to go and come back for? ”

Guo Huan said sincerely: "I really don't know, please ask Lord He for advice." If Guo has done something wrong, please forgive me. Or if you are promoted to the Beijing Division, what do you need to do, and please ask Master He to show you the way? ”

"That's right. Lord He went and returned, is it really for this? ”

He Xi was silent for a while, and said, "I heard that Lord Guo is preparing to move?" ”

Guo Huan said: "Yes, I have been in Hangzhou for many years. Breaking a home is worth a lot, to be honest. A lot of them I can't bear. It's not like I'm going to Jingshi. The things here are left for the next one, and I don't think anyone wants them, so I want to send these stupid and stupid things to my hometown in advance. Pack light and go to Nanjing. ”

He Xi said: "Is this really the case? ”

Guo Huan said: "Could it be that Lord He thinks it's not? ”

He Xi didn't want to fight with Guo Huan anymore.

In fact, both people understand what the other knows. And the reason why He Xi came over was actually to drag Guo Huan a little.

After all, Guo Huan has been operating in Hangzhou for so long, and it is estimated that he has already pulled Hangzhou up and down. He Xi and Mao Xiang did not enter outside the city, which is the reason. Waiting for someone. Mao Xiang is waiting for Suzhou, and thousands of households are here. And He Xi has his own people to wait for.

And at this time, Guo Huan showed signs of running. Let them have to do it in advance.

He Xi felt that he had come to see Guo Huan, while Mao Xiang acted in other aspects.

He Xi originally wanted to drag on time with Guo Huan, but after saying a few words, he felt that it was wrong. On the one hand, Guo Huan has something to say, and on the other hand, he doesn't tear his face, and it seems that he is also dragging time.

He Xi changed his mind and said, "Master Guo, I respect you as a character. Needless to say, if you go around in circles. Actually, I've met with Mr. Guo a few times. But I believe in one thing, Lord Guo really has the talent of the household department, no, there is the talent of the prime minister. It's a pity that it has come to this point. ”

"I really feel sorry for Master Guo."

What He Xi said is a bit exaggerated, but it is not wrong.

In the matter of corruption, Guo Huan can put all the officials on the table. I can operate up and down, and there is no leakage. This ability, if used in the right way, is not necessarily impossible to be a household secretary. Even being a prime minister may be a bit too much. But not all prime ministers in the world are capable. Guo Huan is always a little stronger than those who are prepared for the three decrees.

Guo Huan's face remained unchanged and said, "It's a pity that Daming doesn't need a prime minister." ”

He Xi said: "Can you tell me why?" ”

Guo Huan said: "Why? For the sake of political performance. ”

He Xi was stunned, this answer was beyond He Xi's expectations. He thought about it a lot. For example, Guo Huan had a miserable childhood, he needed money and something like that. But He Xi never expected that Guo Huan was actually for political achievements.

It's simply the opposite.

Who doesn't know Zhu Yuanzhang's zero tolerance for corruption, a person who wants political achievements and wants to be promoted. Why such a mistake was made.

It's just a joke.

Guo Huan sneered a little miserably and said; "How not to believe it. Do you know how many officials the Ming Dynasty has? Guo Huan didn't wait for He Xi to speak, and said: "The Jingshi plus the locality, there are about 12,000 high-level officials. Do you know how many officials there are in Hangzhou, just in the city of Hangzhou, there are only four or five hundred. Is it much? Not much at all. You know how many things are going on in Hangzhou alone, not to mention Zhejiang. The land tax had to be levied, the city wall had to be built, and the tide of the Qiantang was fierce, and the embankment needed to be built. The streets of the city need to be cleared and the roads repaired. Levy commercial tax. There are also lawsuits with various names, as for the construction of water conservancy, persuasion and so on, I don't know how many. How many people do you need to do this? ”

"How many in-service officials are there in Hangzhou? And how many servants are there who run for the yamen? ”

"In the entire city of Hangzhou, there are more than 10,000 white-clothed people running for the yamen. That's still the minimum. ”

"These people want money."

"The imperial court levied taxes, although they were kept in various places, but this was very limited. Moreover, the transfer of various places directly allows the county to connect with the health centers in various places. Or docking with the imperial court, and the grain chief will transport my dignified political envoys, and the money and grain in his hands are very limited. But if you want to do something, how can you do it without money. ”

"Where does this money come from?"

"Misappropriation from all over the place, let the big ones donate."

He Xi sneered and said: "But Zhejiang has a deficit of at least one or two million stone grain, and your account to the imperial court is also very empty." This is the achievement you are looking for? ”

He Xi doesn't know much about the grassroots of Daming. But there are some situations that he still knows.

Guo Huan was right.

Zhu Yuanzhang's financial system is very bastard.

The biggest problem is that Zhu Yuanzhang treats the development of things as static. And not dynamic. It is even more distrustful of officials to the extreme. For these two reasons. Zhu Yuanzhang designed the fiscal policy.

First of all, it's stiff. For example, the grain tax in various localities is not transported from the county to the prefecture, the prefecture to the province, and the province to the central government. Rather, the county directly corresponds to a certain unit that consumes food, such as a certain health center. Or a warehouse in Beijing. Without going through the hands of officials.

In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, this method allows the people to do their own thing, which can reduce the harm of corrupt officials and corrupt officials to the people.

Secondly, there is no system at all.

Although in the county government taxes have retained. But where is the retention counted? It is the sum of the various expenses in the prefecture that were originally scheduled. If the various expenses of the county in a previous year were 10,000 koku, then the county will keep 10,000 koku and use the rest. What's more, this 10,000 stone was previously allocated. How much is the county office, the inspection department says yes, how much does the county learn, and so on.

In other words, there is little fiscal freedom in various regions.

Don't talk about the prefectural order. Even if it is a political envoy, he doesn't have much money that he can spend flexibly.

It's like treating officials as thieves.

Well, in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, this official is a thief. Ruthless than a thief. Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang fixed all the money and food as much as possible, reducing the room for officials to work on their own hands. This is also Zhu Yuanzhang's love for the people.

Because in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, if officials are given discretionary powers, officials will definitely use these discretionary powers to do bad things. Even in modern times, the face of some local bureaucrats is the same.

It's just that this is also a great side effect.

Everything costs money. Even when an official wants to make a difference, he has money. Officials don't have free money. That's not going to do anything. Therefore, Guo Huan said this, which may not be unreasonable.

But. It makes sense, and this is one of the malpractices of the Ming Dynasty. But look at Guo Huan like this. knows that it makes sense for Zhu Yuanzhang to design the system in this way. Zhu Yuanzhang has already treated officials as thieves to guard against them. As a result, there was a shocking thief like Guo Huan.

If Guo Huan is really for political achievements, he can do it a little bit, and then make up the money and food.

But millions of stone money and grain were enough for Zhu Yuanzhang to fight another battle of Poyang Lake. Is this for political performance?