When he arrived at the Texas Ya, Zhu Ming first went through the formalities for arrival, and then let the officials disperse, only pulling Huang Qi to the backyard of the State Ya.

Puzhou has four counties, one is Wang, two are Shangxian, and one is tight.

The Golden State has five counties, two middle counties, and three lower counties.

Once compared, you will know how poor Jinzhou is, let alone Wangxian, there is not even a county.

However, the state government of Jinzhou is even more magnificent than Puzhou!

The area of the state city is very narrow, and the area of the state government is very large. Together with other yamen, as well as places such as state schools, tribute institutes, and school fields, official institutions accounted for a quarter of the city.

In addition to the government, most of the people in the city are shops, wealthy families and middle class, and the people at the bottom basically live outside the city.

Zhu Ming asked Zheng Yuanyi to set up the wine, and invited Huang Jue to the garden to enjoy the scenery and drink.

After touching a few cups, Zhu Ming asked: "The contemptible person has just arrived, and he is not very familiar with Jinzhou, so he asked Brother Meiying to talk about it." ”

Huang Jue put down his wine glass: "The difficulties of Jinzhou are, first, in the narrow land and poor people, second, in the heavy donations, and third, in the abundance of tribute. ”

"Tugong?" Zhu Ming really didn't expect it.

Huang Jue elaborated: "The tributes of Jinzhou include bran, musk, citrus aurantium, eucommia, white gum, and yellow barberry. ”

Six tributes, five of which are medicinal herbs or spices.

And in Puzhou, where Zhu Ming was in charge before, there was only one kind of tribute: silk cloth.

is already very poor, and there are as many as six types of tribute, and the burden of the people of Jinzhou can be imagined.

In order to distinguish the tribute of the state of Fan, the tribute of the domestic state capital, also known as "Tugong", has a fixed amount every year.

Huashigang does not belong to the tribute, it is called "Jinfeng".

Huang Qi said: "Taking musk as an example, the annual tribute is five catties, but even I don't know the specific amount. ”

In ancient times, the amount of tribute was set by the imperial court very reasonably, not only did not disturb the people, but could stimulate the local economy.

But!

Officials who collect tribute often "take more than they want", collect as much tribute as they want, and reduce prices as much as they want.

For example, Bao Zheng served as the governor of Duanzhou, and the local area was rich in good inkstones, which was listed as tribute. Bao Zheng's predecessor levied dozens of times every year. And Bao Zheng only levied tribute according to the fixed amount, and the name of honesty spread to all directions.

Zhu Ming asked: "Jinzhou Tugong, where does it come from?" ”

Huang Qi said: "Servants, buy." ”

There are four sources of tribute: procurement, government, tribute, and servants.

Purchasing is the government's purchase from the private sector, often at a low price.

The government is supplied by state-owned enterprises, such as the Royal Tea Garden and the government-run silver field.

Gonghu is divided into special household registrations, such as the snake catcher in "The Snake Catcher Says".

The most disgusting example of the forced production of the common people was during the Shaoxing period of the Southern Song Dynasty. Zhao Gou moved south with hundreds of officials, and needed a lot of luxuries to enjoy. In order to quickly gather enough Shu embroidery tribute, even a ten-year-old Sichuan girl was detained to embroider day and night.

One of the tributes of the Golden State, Bran, is gold as thin as wheat bran. This kind of sand gold is generally not smelted, and the price is more expensive than ordinary gold.

Therefore, the gold in Jinzhou, not only Cai Jing, the transfer envoy, the criminal envoy, and the general sentence have to share the spoils, but Song Huizong also has to pay a tribute. The gold output of each quarter is definitely more than 80 taels, because too many farmers are forced to pan for gold, and more than 80 taels is really not enough.

Zhu Ming suddenly laughed, the few catties of gold he seized had already found a suitable reason.

Since the bran is a tribute, the governor has the right to expropriate it, because the tribute is the power and duty of the governor!

Zhu Ming asked again: "The five counties of Jinzhou, can there be a famous family?" ”

Huang Jue shook his head: "Jinzhou has not produced Jinshi for a hundred years, although this place is rich in gold, but there is no one who gets rich with gold." The few wealthy merchants are also tea merchants, and since the tea introduction system, even the tea merchants have been getting worse. The land here is barren, and the wealthy merchants are not very enthusiastic about acquiring land, and only buy a small amount of land along the river valley. The richest man in the state is just a fortune. ”

It's really poor, and the richest man has a lot of money.

Zhu Ming thought for a while, and then said: "Of the six kinds of tribute, five medicinal materials account for five, there should be a lot of pharmacists here, right?" ”

"There are a lot of pharmacists," Huang said, "but the tribute is overpurchased, and even other medicinal materials are classified as miscellaneous tributes." The government forced them to buy and sell, the pharmacists were miserable, and there were many people who went bankrupt because they couldn't make ends meet. ”

Zhu Ming had already understood that before his arrival, Zhizhou borrowed tribute to make money, and the general sentence borrowed gold to make money.

Each takes what he needs and does not interfere with each other, and he is a bad rule.

After chatting with Huang Jue for an afternoon, Zhu Ming returned to the study to write a governance plan-

First, we should comprehensively promote corn and sweet potatoes, so that the five counties of Jinzhou, where flat land is scarce, can make more use of mountainous areas to grow grain.

Second, the focus is on the development of tea planting and processing, and he cannot control the heavy taxes of the tea and horse division, but the private columns (toll stations) in the territory must be abolished.

Third, focusing on the development of the medicinal materials industry and abolishing private columns is also enhancing the competitiveness of pharmaceutical companies.

Fourth, we should first spend a year to enhance our prestige, and next year we can organize the people to build water conservancy.

Fifth, encourage the development of the shipbuilding industry, focusing on building small and medium-sized inland waterway vessels. One can revitalize the water transport business in Jinzhou, the second can promote commercial development, and the third can prepare for the construction of the Han River water division in the future.

Sixth, encourage the development of the iron-smelting industry.

Until then, the rule of officials must be rectified!

In the evening, Zheng Yuanyi walked into the study: "Xianggong, it's time to eat." ”

Zhu Ming put away the pen and paper and asked, "Is the back house settled?" ”

Zheng Yuanyi said: "I recruited a few servants, and Bai Sheng did it. ”

Zhu Ming took Zheng Yuanyi to dinner, and called Bai Sheng after the meal: "Go find a carpenter tomorrow." ”

Two days later, Zhu Ming came to the gate of the state government with his entourage.

"Stay away from the main gate and avoid the sight of the gatekeepers." Zhu Ming commanded.

Zhang Bo was holding a wooden box in his arms, and Li Bao was carrying a hammer in his hand. The two found a wall and pinned the box to the wall.

Zhu Ming said again: "Zongru, you go and write." ”

Liu Shiren, as a secretary, finally received the first task.

On the wall, he first wrote the words "public opinion box".

He also wrote: Knowing people is philosophical, and capable officials. An people are beneficial, and Li people cherish it. The people of the five counties of Jinzhou, those who have a strategy enter it, and those who are wronged speak out. Books can be put in the box, and they are too open and read every day. The signatories come first, the anonymous ones come later, and the words of the Sinar and so on.

Zhu Ming said: "Bai Sheng is in charge of the key to the public opinion box, and Liu Shiren is responsible for reading, sorting out, and summarizing the letters. ”

Zhu Ming took people back to the state office, and the officials came to check on the news, and soon even the county officials came, whispering around the public opinion box.

"Don't call for money!"

Zhu Ming returned to the Yellow Hall and immediately instructed his subordinates.

Changshi, Sima, and Beijia are all subordinate officials of Zhizhou, without any actual positions, and are usually used to place high-ranking officials who have been demoted.

Zhu Ming flipped through the directory of officials and found that he actually had a driver under him.

Qian Chen is watching the public opinion box, he is from the Qian family of Liangzhejiang. It was a big surname, which was divided into many branches in the Wuyue area, and Qian Chen's family was engaged in business.

This product is an official fan, after inheriting the family property, he spent money to buy food and donated 8,000 stones, and finally got the official position of individual driver. Then he threw the family property to his younger brother to take care of, and happily came to Jinzhou to be an official.

(Note: There are three sources of state driving.) The first is to serve as a degraded official, the second is to serve as a third-class envoy over 70 years old, and the third is to fill the post for those who donate more than 8,000 stone of grain in the years of famine. ）

Although he does not have any functions, Qian Chen has done a different job, but he is more dedicated than everyone else.

He clocks in and out every day, never arrives late or leaves early, and always wears an official uniform and hat. Read the newspaper carefully and write to Zhizhou to give advice.

The monthly income is not enough for his own expenses, but he happily sticks money to become an official.

"Don't drive the money, it's too guarded!"

Qian Chen, who was standing in the crowd, suddenly turned his head and said in surprise: "Zhizhou called me?" ”

The state official said, "Please keep it too much." ”

Qian Chen was overjoyed, and quickly ran back to the state office, and when he arrived outside the Yellow Hall, he carefully sorted out his appearance.

He has been in Jinzhou for two years, and it is the first time he has been summoned by Shangguan.

Even if it was a normal banquet, it was difficult for him to get an invitation. Even if you attend, you sit in the corner. Even the officials always made fun of him, regarded him as a wronged leader, and pleaded him to dinner.

"Xiaguan Qian Chen, meet Taishou!" Qian Chen trembled with excitement.

Zhu Ming beckoned: "Come and sit down." ”

"Yes!" Qian Chen dragged the bench over.

"Closer." Zhu Ming said with a pleasant face.

Qian Chen was even more excited, and he was finally looked at in the eyes.

This is a fat man, usually the food should be very good, fat like a toad, you can't find that kind of on your neck.

Zhu Ming asked: "Jun is not an official of the Beijing Dynasty, but he serves as a different driver, presumably he is an official who donates grain, right?" ”

"Eighty thousand stones of grain for disaster relief, and the court's reward is a farewell." Qian Chen felt inferior when he talked about this, and his waist bent down unconsciously.

The one in front of him is Tanhualang, and Qian Chen looks at it in his eyes, as if he is radiant.

Zhu Ming asked again: "Don't ignore the practice of driving, and the salary is also very low." has no power and no profit, why does you donate food to become an official? ”

Qian Chen replied honestly: "Only when you are an official can you shine on the lintel and return to your hometown." ”

"That's it? Haven't you wanted to benefit the people? Zhu Ming said, "If it is for the benefit of the people, then the people of one side will admire and respect." ”

Qian Chen said: "I want to too, but don't drive without authority." ”

Zhu Ming said: "Changshi, Sima, don't drive, the rule of the imperial court is that you can't sign official affairs without a license. In this case, if you have a license, you can sign the official business. This concession is not clear, it can be an official franchise or a Taishou concession. As a Taishou, how about allowing you to sign official affairs? ”

Qian Chen stood up and said in disbelief: "Isn't Tai Shoumo coaxing me?" ”

"What are you doing?" Zhu Ming said, "I don't agree with Cai Jing, if you agree to sign an official business, it means that you will be my person in the future, and Cai Dang may take revenge on you." Think clearly before replying. ”

Qian Chen didn't think about it, and said: "If you provoke too much reuse, Chen will die to repay." Chen's family has hundreds of thousands of dollars of money and is not an official for profit, but only for the glory of the lintel. If it is reasonable and practical, it will benefit the people! Chen Ke swore to the sky that if there was favoritism, the sky would thunder and the descendants would be cut off! ”

Zhu Ming said with a smile: "Then give you an errand, I will order to stop Huashigang and collect Tugong with a fixed amount." The decree has been transmitted to the counties, and perhaps some county officials have violated the law, and you will inspect the five counties of Jinzhou on my behalf. By the way, if anyone dares to tear up the notices, especially about the opinion box. ”

"Chen will not be dishonored!" Qian Chen's blood surged, and he was full of energy.

(Sorry, Carvin.) ）

(End of chapter)