"Last year, because of your incident, the court gave the servants a reward for being exempted from service." Wei Fangyun said, "Now there are many things to be done in front of us, and there are very few people who may be mobilized."

Same situation as last year. ”

Meng Changqing took the teapot on the table and poured tea for Wei Fangyun. "If conscription doesn't work, I'd like to try recruitment."

"So it seems that Beishan County has a good harvest this year?"

"It's not as good as other counties, but it's enough for the people to eat by themselves." Meng Changqing said, "The condition of the city wall in this section of Beishan County is not as good as that of Weishan County and Hongjia County, they can probably wait for the servants, but I really can't wait." ”

"Yu Tai told me about the situation over there, and I really can't wait." Wei Fangyun picked up the tea bowl and took a sip, "Okay, since you decide, then recruit."

It's just that how much grain can your county harvest this year? How is the salary determined? ”

Meng Changqing has thought about this question for a long time, but at present, the grain has not really been stored in the warehouse, and there are always variables in the estimate, "Five to ten wen per person per day, and the specific amount depends on the harvest." ”

"Even if it's five cents a day, it's one hundred and fifty dollars a month, and a thousand people spend one hundred and fifty taels a month, and that's just counting their wages, so it's inevitable that there will be other expenses." Wei Fangyun said, "Just relying on a year's harvest in the field, if you want to do this, it's really hanging."

Let's do it first, this matter will always be reported to the court, and there will always be an appropriation. ”

"Thank you, uncle."

As soon as he came today, Meng Changqing never let go of Wei Fangyun's brows.

"Uncle has something to do."

"That's too many things to say." Wei Fangyun said, "For myself, it will naturally be evaluated in two years, and for the people of Liangzhou, it will naturally be how to have a better life."

Based on this, one thing after another has emerged.

At the end of the day, it's two things.

Money and population.

Compared with the two, the money is better to solve, but the population is really helpless, no one is no one. ”

Wei Fangyun looked at Meng Changqing, "Your Beishan County had a population of more than 2,000 a few months ago, and now it is still more than 2,000 people, so there are dozens of women who have married in the past."

If there are not enough people, it will be difficult to do things, the court has to do things, and the government has to collect taxes, all of which have to come from the people. ”

"I heard my uncle talk about this in the first half of the year." Meng Changqing said: "This year's annual success is good, and there is no conscription before the autumn harvest, hasn't there been an increase in the number of people getting married this year?" ”

"Wow, where can there be more?" Wei Fangyun said, "Labor conscription is all conscription of men, and it stands to reason that there should be more women of appropriate age than men, but in fact, it is the other way around."

There are still more men and fewer women of the right age. ”

It is impossible to be born with a much higher birth rate than a girl.

Because of what, except for the eight directions, everyone else present knows it.

Only Bafang stared at a pair of eyes, looking back and forth between Meng Changqing and Wei Fangyun, hoping that one person would explain the matter.

But no one mentioned it.

Wei Fangyun continued: "There are many widows, but it is really difficult for widows to remarry. ”

Meng Changqing asked, "What's the difficulty?" ”

"If the in-laws refuse, one more person is an extra laborer, as long as the woman does the work, it is impossible to let her out. Second, most women themselves are reluctant to remarry, and moreover, compared with unmarried women, men who marry others will feel at a loss.

This is very difficult to do, because the number of married people is small, and the number of new births is small. ”

Meng Changqing drank tea, she couldn't answer this, and she didn't want to take it.

She heard the meaning of Wei Fangyun's words, he obviously encouraged the widow to remarry, after all, when he got married, he naturally had to have children, and in the final analysis, he just wanted children.

Not the children of rich, powerful families.

In such a family, no matter how much they give birth to, it is impossible to serve.

Looking at the swaying tea leaves in the tea bowl, Meng Changqing thought that even if the government encouraged widowed women to remarry, it was not necessarily a good thing for them.

Anyway, the right to marry or not to marry is not in your hands, and you will always be forced to do things against your will.

"Changqing, Sun Zixiang proposed an idea to me a while ago, and I'm still thinking about it, whether it's feasible for you to listen to this."

"Uncle, please speak."

"If the widowed woman is between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five, has no children under her knees, and has other brothers to support her parents-in-law, she is advised to remarry, and if she is unwilling to remarry, an additional poll tax will be levied every year."

Meng Changqing's right hand on his lap clenched, but the expression on his face did not change, "Uncle thinks this plan is feasible?" ”

"It's a bit radical." Wei Fangyun said, "But it can be imagined that if this order is implemented, many widowed women will have to remarry, and there are still many benefits." ”

He asked Meng Changqing, "In your opinion, how is this plan?" ”

"In my opinion...... As a woman, I really have to do it. ”

Wei Fangyun: "For the sake of big things, there must always be a trade-off. ”

"Uncle." Meng Changqing adjusted his mentality, turned his whole body towards Wei Fangyun and said: "Since you asked me, then I will talk about my immature opinion, according to Sun Tongju's idea, the intention is to encourage women to remarry."

However, the actual implementation of this order has forced women to have no place to live, and it is conceivable that some families will drive women out of their homes before collecting taxes in order to avoid poll taxes.

They will behave contrary to your intentions.

In my humble opinion, since it is to encourage remarriage, it is better to give some benefits to the family who marries this kind of woman. ”

"Benefits?" Wei Fangyun asked, "What benefits?" ”

Meng Changqing knew that he shouldn't say any more, "I can't think of this." ”

Wei Fangyun thought about it and said, "What you said is indeed reasonable, I will consider this matter again." ”

"Evergreen." Wei Fangyun looked at Meng Changqing fixedly, "The population problem in Beishan County also needs to be solved urgently. You don't have time to wait for the population to grow on its own, you have to find a way to pull some people from other counties. ”

Meng Changqing knew this, but it was very strange to say it from Wei Fangyun's mouth, he was the prefect of Liangzhou, even if he was partial to Beishan County, he shouldn't say it on the surface.

Meng Changqing pretended to be stupid, "What does uncle mean, there are still places like Luojia Village?" ”

Wei Fangyun shook his head, "I mean, I can't help you for too long, if you want to do such an unruly thing, you have to do it well in the past two years." ”

"What does uncle mean by that?"

"You should know the rules of appointment of local officials in Daliang, three years for a term, if there are no special circumstances, as soon as the term of office is reached, you must return to Beijing to report on your work, and you will be promoted or demoted according to the evaluation of the Ministry of Officials.

The terrain of Liangzhou is special, and I have been in office for the fourth year, and in another two years, my official position will definitely be transferred, or I will return to the army, or I will return to Beijing, no matter what, it is impossible to continue to serve as the prefect of Liangzhou. ”

"Uncle will be promoted in two years."

Wei Fangyun waved his hand, "Don't talk about my business, what I mean is very clear, two years later, the Liangzhou prefect will be replaced, unless it is replaced by you, otherwise others will come, and many things will be difficult to do." ”

(End of chapter)