The night is sultry, the lanterns under the eaves of the Jeguo Mansion are bright, and the guards are holding guns and knives, not moving at all, and they are heavily guarded.

Fan Zhong entered the gate of the Jeguo Mansion with a heavy heart, and was ushered into the lobby by the guards. Zhao Hong was in the main seat, and Zhou Ping and Xu Liang sat in the lower seat, respectfully.

"Chen Fan Zhong, knock on my Great Song Emperor! Hooray, hooray, hooray! ”

The emperor summoned him in the palace and was very respectful.

"Fan Zhong, sit down. There are no outsiders here, you can speak freely. You used to be a local official, in your opinion, how are the people of my Great Song Dynasty doing? ”

Zhao Hong nodded, and looked at the black, thin and straight officer of the Criminal Department.

This person has been an official for many years, is in his early fifties, has been a doctor of martial arts, a general judge of Taipingzhou, and a governor of Huizhou, and has been a member of one party, but he is still poor, and his personal ethics are self-evident.

It is said that it is hard to be an official just to make money for yourself. This Fan Zhong can be described as a breeze with two sleeves, a strange flower.

As for the two people summoned at the same time, one is his brother-in-law Zhou Ping, and the other is his hair junior Xu Liang, both of whom are non-governmental figures, young and enthusiastic, and can be the backbone of the anti-corruption campaign.

In anti-corruption matters, you are not afraid of making mistakes, as long as you have enthusiasm and courage.

"Your Majesty, this ......"

Zhao Hong's words made Fan Zhong hesitate for a while.

To be honest, he couldn't figure out the path of the new emperor.

He asked himself, if these things were told the truth, wouldn't they make Long Yan angry?

"Fan Zhong, I heard that you have been an official for many years, but you still can't even afford a small courtyard in Lin'an City, and you are still renting a house in the capital. If you are honest and honest and love the people like a son, can't you tell the truth to the people of the world in front of me? ”

Zhao Hong smiled slightly, and stirred up Fan Zhonglai.

"Back to Your Majesty, how difficult the livelihood of my Great Song Dynasty is, so the ministers are shocked, so I don't dare to say it clearly!"

Sure enough, Fan Zhong's face turned red and blurted out.

"Fan Zhong, don't hesitate, I want to clarify the rule of officials and implement a new policy, what I want is slander, not harmony. You're not going to let me down, are you? ”

Zhao Hong frowned, and his voice came out coldly.

This Fan Zhong won't be a wasted name, right?

"Your Majesty, listen to the minister."

Fan Zhong bowed and continued.

"Your Majesty, not to mention the monopoly of wine, tea, salt and vinegar, etc., the tax rate is extremely high, and all localities are engaged in heavy levy, and the rice bundle salary, sporadic vegetable tomato are also among the taxes, and the tax amount is more complicated, so that the tax field has the notoriety of "large and small law fields". ”

Zhao Hong nodded and said with appreciation:

"Go on!"

The commercial tax of the Great Song Dynasty accounted for three-quarters, and the land tax was only one-quarter, which was far different from the previous dynasties.

"The people have to pay taxes when they carry the rice and grain they grow, and they have to pay taxes when they sell chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep, cloth, and native products, and merchants who leave the territory with copper coins. In addition to the positive tax, there are also miscellaneous taxes such as economic money, general money, monthly pile money, and royale money, and the people are overwhelmed. ”

Fan Zhong talked eloquently, his black face flushed, and saliva flew sideways.

"Your Majesty, let's just say that the timber trafficking in this Hui and Yan Prefecture to Lin'an must be taken three points, and its tax can be described as heavy. Items such as bamboo, wood, bricks and tiles, one out of ten, is called a tax draw, and the tax rate is one percent, which is far higher than the tax rate of two and three. ”

He bowed and pleaded with Zhao Hong.

"Your Majesty, the harsh government is fiercer than the tiger. I also ask Your Majesty to make a holy judgment for the well-being of the people of the world and to show grace to all people. ”

Zhou Ping traveled all over the world and was well-informed, and then Fan Zhong said it.

"Your Majesty, what Fan Gong said is light. Due to excessive taxes and miscellaneous taxes, the people are overwhelmed, so it is not uncommon for people to abandon babies, and many babies are drowned or thrown away when they are born, which is really sad! ”

Zhou Ping's words made Zhao Hong's heart sink.

"Is it that serious?"

Doesn't it all say that the Great Song Dynasty is splendid and romantic, what is the era that you want to cross the most, the happiest era, why do the people live so hard?

These shit days of pseudo-experts pseudo-public knowledge!

"Your Majesty, what Uncle Guo said is very true. The ancients carved and peeled the law, and this dynasty has all the preparations. Let's just say that this body of money is as high as three times the summer tax. The people can't afford Ding Fu, so they can only be abandoned babies. ”

Xu Liang then spoke.

Shen Ding Qian, also known as population tax, or Ding Qian, was the main tax in the Song Dynasty. Men are twenty or twenty-one years old, and sixty years old. Households pay money or silk according to Ding every year, and they are generally called Ding money. It is levied on all roads in the south outside Sichuan, regardless of the main household and customers, and must be paid.

"Sure enough, the era I want to go through the most!"

Zhao Hong sneered.

"Fan Zhong, did you say that all these harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes collected by the local government went into the imperial court's treasury?"

Cutting leeks and wool, the people's hard-earned money has gone to the hands of corrupt officials and corrupt officials, and this food is too ugly.

"When I returned to Your Majesty, most of them went to the treasury of the local officials and the government. Layer by layer, in the end, the household received less than 30%. ”

Fan Zhong pondered and said.

Sure enough, they deceived their superiors and subordinates, and their hands were up and down, filling their own pockets, not to mention the increase in the burden on the people, and the government of officials became more and more corrupt.

"Dong Songchen, the proposed decree is to exempt the common people from all taxes on cloth, silk, grain, fruits, vegetables, bamboo, wood, and grass. As for the body tax, after the implementation of the meridian law, the tax will be abolished. ”

Zhao Hong groaned and spoke.

His abundant salary and all kinds of illegal income are not arrogant and lascivious, and he will devour the people's fat and ointment. These bloodsuckers are insatiable and disgusting.

"Spread into acres ......"

Not only Zhou Ping and Xu Liang were stunned for a while, but Fan Zhong's eyes also widened.

"Apportionment into mu, in fact, is very simple, that is, to abolish the body tax, the body tax into the field to collect, according to the mu of equal tax sharing. How much you plant, how much you pay! ”

In fact, it was not only the Qing Yongzheng period that was apportioned into the mu, but the Song Dynasty has been trying to apportionment into the mu, but due to various reasons, mainly the obstruction of the landlords and the powerful, it has not been implemented.

"Your Majesty Shengming!"

"Your Majesty is very true!"

Fan Zhong saluted together and complimented Zhao Honglai.

If it can really be promoted, many stubborn diseases of the Great Song Dynasty will be solved.

"Don't be a sycophant. I have called you here today not only to talk about the exorbitant taxation and miscellaneous taxes, but also to fight corruption and clarify the rule of officials. ”

Zhao Hong finally brought up the topic of anti-corruption.

"Anti-corruption, anti-corruption, and clarifying the rule of officials?"

Fan Zhong was stunned for a moment, then shook his head slightly, and smiled bitterly on his face.

"Your Majesty, since the founding of the Song Dynasty, there is no way to talk about the matter of greedy ink. Thousands of miles of officials, just to get promoted and make a fortune, Manchu officials, ten people and nine greedy. Officials come and go, colluding up and down, how to prevent and control greed? I'm afraid it's the morning killing and the twilight, and the twilight ending and the morning begining. ”

Looking at Fan Zhong's expression, he seems to be pessimistic about Zhao Hong's anti-corruption and clean government.

"Your Majesty, what Fan Gong said is very true. Officials and officials defend each other, one is prosperous, and one is lost. I am afraid that when the time comes, they will be complicit, like a friend, and it will be even more difficult to control it. ”

Xu Liang also shook his head, the same attitude as Fan Zhong.

"If Your Majesty wants to implement anti-corruption and anti-corruption, the ministers are willing to be pawns and share worries for Your Majesty."

Zhou Ping was noncommittal about the success or failure of anti-corruption, but just stepped forward to receive orders.

Zhao Hong wants to implement the new policy, and he, a relative of the emperor, has an unshirkable responsibility and must stand up.

"If we don't fight corruption and advocate clean government, the Great Song Dynasty will not be able to climb out of the quagmire, and can only bring about its own destruction."

Zhao Hong looked at a few people and smiled coldly.

"I still say the same thing, in my world, there is only rampage, no retreat and no compromise. I did not call you to consult with you, but to ask you if you would like to carry this burden. If you don't think you can do it, just say it! ”

Several people looked at each other, and Xu Liang couldn't wait to speak first.

"I am willing to share my Majesty's worries!"

From a commoner to an important member of the imperial court, his snobbish and rude father shouldn't be abusive and foul language against him anymore, right?

"I am willing to share my Majesty's worries!"

Zhou Ping followed and spoke. With Zhao Hong in front of him, what is he afraid of.

"The minister is willing."

Fan Zhong also spoke.

At this time, can he say no?

It's not that he's afraid of taking responsibility and offending people, but he's just worried that the anti-corruption campaign is just a hot-headed emperor and can't last.

"Zhou Ping, I asked you to find some people with good conduct and rich experience from the people, how is it now?"

Zhao Hong's gaze turned to Zhou Ping.

At the beginning of his accession to the throne, he asked Zhou Ping to be busy with this matter, and it has been two months, and he already has eyebrows.

In other words, three-legged toads are hard to find, and two-legged people are all over the street. People who want to do things, everywhere.

"Your Majesty, according to Your Majesty's instructions, more than 20 people have been found, and you can face the saint at any time."

Everyone suddenly realized that Zhao Hong had prepared these people for the anti-corruption incident.

"More than 20 people, it's too few!"

Zhao Hong shook his head and groaned slightly.

"Zhou Ping, you go to Li Tang, select two hundred people from the forbidden army of the front division of the palace, as the executive servants of the anti-corruption department, follow you, and Keri takes office. The forbidden army is highly skilled in martial arts, and it can just carry out those messengers of stalking, reconnaissance, and arrest, and it also saves you a lot of trouble. ”

The Anti-Corruption Department is not a simple matter of copywriting, and many things must be carried out by force. Just like there are not many officials in the yamen, there are many soap officials.

It can be said that the Anti-Corruption Division has to do things, and the guarantee of force is indispensable.

"In addition, because private employees lack experience in handling cases, several officials from Dali Temple and Huangcheng Division can be transferred to the Anti-Corruption Department to assist you in handling cases. Remember, they are the helpers, and you are the main ones. If an official is ineffective or slack, you can report it directly to me. ”

"Your Majesty Shengming!"

Zhou Ping and others admired. Zhao Hong was thoughtful, but he solved their worries.

"Zhou Ping, Xu Liang, Fan Zhong, you all listen, from today onwards, the Great Song Anti-Corruption Division was officially established. Zhou Ping is the director of the Anti-Corruption Department, in charge of anti-corruption matters on Jiangnan East Road, taking into account all aspects of the Great Song Dynasty. Xu Liang and Fan Zhong are the deputy directors, who are in charge of anti-corruption matters on Liangzhejiang Road and Sichuan Road respectively. ”

Zhao Hong looked at a few people, full of smugness and expectation.

"The expenses of the Anti-Corruption Division will be paid by the pile sealing warehouse for the time being. When the anti-corruption is on the right track, it will be paid by the household department. ”

The sealed pile vault is the emperor's private small treasury, and Zhao Hong pays for the expenses of the anti-corruption department, which also shows Zhao Hong's confidence in fighting corruption.

He originally wanted to adapt measures to local conditions, transfer elite soldiers and strong generals from the Imperial Historical Observatory, and set up the Metropolitan Investigation Yuan, which was in charge of supervision, impeachment, and recommendations. But Fan Zhong and Xu Liang's worries made him make a decision immediately.

He still decided to follow the example of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which was later in the Redbud, and set up an anti-corruption department to preside over anti-corruption matters.

Anyway, it's already a lot of drawbacks, so let's be a dead horse and a live horse doctor.