There are open plains in Beixing Mansion, and there are many deep mountains and dense forests, and they are all steep mountains, and the three eggs have never seen such a scene, lying on the side of the car window and looking at the ground.

Occasionally, after passing through a fairly flat section, Zhu Run, who insisted on riding a horse, would also take the three eggs to run for a while.

Although the three eggs didn't speak, the elemental Sakura saw it, and he was very happy.

Sure enough, there is no boy who doesn't like the feeling of chasing the wind.

On the way, the group could occasionally see abandoned fields overgrown with weeds, as well as vacant houses, some of which had collapsed due to age.

The feeling that the North Star Mansion gives to the Elemental Sakura is that it is desolate, bleak, and not popular.

When they arrived at Guiguang Town, the capital city of Beixing Prefecture, the situation was slightly better, mainly because the political envoy in charge of civil affairs, the military and political envoy in charge of the envoy department, and the prison prison were all out to greet them.

It's no wonder that they have such a big show, Zhuo Fan and Dingxianghou, who went to the post this time, are the top bosses of the political envoy and the commander of the envoy.

In addition, the eldest princess of Anqing and the county lord of Qingyu are also in the team, can they not be warmly welcomed?

Some of the people in the town are probably explained and welcome in a neat way.

But Elemental Sakura noticed that except for a few people who were curious, most of the people looked numb.

Can it not be numb?

How many high-ranking officials of the imperial court came and went in the North Star Mansion?

At first, the people were hoping that someone would change their status quo and give them hope.

However, as the years passed, the officials came and went, and their lives did not change much.

Zhuo Fan and Elemental Sakura are separated from the Dingxiang Hou family, each with their own division, and they all have too many things to do at the moment.

Several political and senators saw that Zhuo Fan and the county lord of Qingyu County held a meeting as soon as they came, to understand the current situation of Beixing Mansion, and they did not dare to be sloppy, so they called competent subordinate officials to bring all the information.

In the conference hall, some officials were a little surprised when they saw the county lord of Qingyu walking with him, women can also participate in politics?

But when they saw that their bosses had no opinions, they didn't say much.

Everyone didn't say it, but Elemental Sakura wanted to give an explanation, and she took out the emperor's edict from the sandalwood box alone:

"This is the Holy Lord's edict, and I am specially allowed to assist during Zhuo Changtian's tenure as the political envoy of the Northern Star Mansion.

Internal officials can only know about this matter, and there is no need to publicize it to the outside world. ”

Several political and senatorial officials reviewed the edict, and then nodded to everyone.

The officials in the hall were extremely shocked, and their eyes were filled with awe when they looked at the elemental cherry blossoms.

For the emperor to give such an edict, how deep the background and ability of the county lord of Qingyu must be.

Elemental Sakura retracted the edict and asked, "Is there the latest population statistics of the North Star Mansion last year?" ”

Senator Xue Xiangnan hurriedly presented the statistical information: "This is the latest statistical document, please take a look at the Qingyu County Lord and Zhuo Fantai." ”

Elemental Sakura and Zhuo Fan looked at it together, and their hearts were extremely heavy.

Cangyuan Province is only one-fifth the area of North Star Province, and the latest population has reached more than 7 million.

In the entire Beixing Mansion, the estimated population last year was only more than one million, including nearly 300,000 permanent troops.

No wonder Beixing Mansion is called poor, and the common people can't even afford to support themselves, so how can they support the army?

Although it is said that the army will be self-sufficient in non-war periods, the backward productive forces, harsh environment, and frequent wars will not even give it a chance to recuperate.

Zhuo Fan looked up at Xue Xiangnan: "This is the real population of the North Star Mansion?" It's all counted here? ”

Xue Xiangnan hurriedly took out another booklet: "Please look at the county lord and the domain, this is the approximate statistics of the black households in the North Star Mansion."

Because the statistics are difficult and have not been updated for two years, there are only approximate figures. ”

Elemental Sakura looks down, good guy! The number of black households is actually more than the statistical population with household registration!

That's it, it's just an approximation, and the real number of people is definitely only a lot more.

Elemental Sakura: "......"

Can this North Star Mansion still be good? Are all former officials dead?

Seeing that Elemental Sakura's eyes were not good, Xue Xiangnan hurriedly explained: "County Lord Rongyu, there are actually many problems left over from history.

During the Jingdi Dynasty, there were several forced conscription orders in Beixing Mansion, regardless of whether there was no one to take care of the old and young at home, and no matter how many fathers, sons and brothers were, as long as they were of the right age, they were all forcibly conscripted into the team.

The people had no choice, so they were forced to drag their families and flee into the mountains.

Most of the soldiers who enlisted in the army fled halfway, because they were afraid of being punished when they returned, and they all hid in the barren mountains and mountains that were inaccessible.

After the current saint ascended the throne, the North Star Mansion was already a mess, although every year the funds were allocated to find ways to improve, but the military expenditure was not enough, how could he spend a lot of effort to clean up these black households?

On the contrary, the people who originally had household registration couldn't live in Beixing Mansion anymore, and they also left Beixing Mansion one after another and became refugees who fled to other mansions.

At that time, the incumbent officials asked the government to repatriate these displaced people to their hometowns, but the repatriated displaced people did not want to re-enter the household registration and pay taxes, so they also fled to the mountains one after another.

Now, decades have passed, and some of those black households have gathered into villages, and some have even integrated large cottages with military power.

As for this vague general statistics, it has taken several years for the government to do so.

Some people in the villages ran away when they saw the people from the government, and they did not come out until the people from the government were gone.

Those cottages, large and small, are even more arrogant, and when the family is easy to talk to, they can also chat a few words.

When the family members are not good at talking, sometimes they greet them directly with sticks and guns, and for this reason, many colleagues in the department are injured in the line of duty.

But if you want to directly send troops, first, the consumption is too great, and second, maybe those people will be directly forced to rebel.

There is a clear order from the Holy Saint that the North Star Mansion can no longer be in civil strife, so everyone does not dare to use force easily. ”

Zhuo Fan asked: "The previous political envoys didn't think about the Huairou policy?" ”

Xue Xiangnan's face became even more bitter: "How could I not have thought about it."

The successive feudal lords who were appointed by the saint were deeply entrusted by the saint, and naturally they tried their best.

There are those who divide the land and land, those who build houses, and those who send them to school to study, but they bring back a small number of people, but they are only a very small part.

What's more, to this day, people continue to run into the mountains.

Some may not have gone to the mountains with the whole family, and there may still be one or two people who are outside to occupy the household registration.

Once the tax is levied, it will naturally be able to pay less, and if the policy changes, the person who occupies the household registration can also inform the people in the mountains to deal with it.

It's funny to say, sometimes there are markets in the town, and most of the black households in the mountains come to do business and buy things, but we, the people in the government, have to turn a blind eye and don't see anything. ”

Xue Xiangnan sighed: "In the final analysis, it is still poor and troublesome, and it is difficult for the people to support themselves, where are they willing to pay taxes and levy labor?" ”

But if you want to talk about reducing or reducing the taxes of the Northern Star Mansion, not to mention whether the emperor agrees or not, the magistrates of other realms will definitely not agree.

Why?

Because these armies in the North Star Province are supported by taxes from other regions.

It's like a team of normal people dragging a sick seedling, and it's good to help you share your living expenses, but you still want to do nothing and eat and drink for nothing?

Normal people have to make trouble.

If it weren't for the North Star Mansion to pull back, other prefectures might be able to fight for more benefits for themselves!

This is also why, the emperor appointed Zhuo Fan to serve as the political envoy of the North Star Mansion, and none of the senior officials of the six ministries had an opinion.

Whether it is from the present or in the long run, the Qingyu County Lord's solution to the problem of the North Star Mansion is equivalent to solving the problems of other boundaries.