On August 3rd, at noon, the sun hung high in the sky, scorching the earth on Beilu, which was almost autumn. The weather was still sultry and hot, with the occasional cool breeze blowing by, but it only relieved the temporary irritability.
"The white dew on the head cuts off the grain, and the white dew on the head cuts the jujubes."
In the official hall of the General's Office, Jin Xinpeng warmly greeted Zhang Cheng and Yan Qingrong to eat new dates together.
"Come here, try the new dates in my house, they are so crispy!"
Yan Qingrong ate a date and said: "The dates are beaten during the white dew, and the pears are unloaded during the autumnal equinox. Does Mr. Jin still have a pear tree at home?"
"Haha, if you want to eat, just say so. It won't be possible without your pears."
The three of them laughed and ate the dates together. Zhang Cheng grabbed a handful and put them outside the date basket, saying, "I'll leave some for the two old ladies and ask my mother and aunt to try them too."
"This is not enough for the two old ladies. I will go back and ask the family to send another basket of new dates to the admiral!" Jin Xinpeng said politely.
Zhang Cheng agreed with a smile, without the slightest intention of delaying. He ate another date and said, "It's hard work for both of you, the two elders. We haven't finished the work on the Xiabei Road, and we still have to worry about Zhang Cheng's wedding."
As he spoke, he picked up the teapot and poured tea for Jin Xinpeng and Yan Qingrong. He then continued: "Now, all matters on the North Road have gradually returned to normal. I am also prepared to focus more on training the new army. The emperor's order is with me."
, after all, I dare not delay.
In the future, I may travel between Dushi and Chicheng, and even go to some places outside the North Road. Even if I stay on the North Road, I may not have much time to deal with the government affairs and farming matters on the North Road.
Therefore, I would like to ask you two adults to share more of the affairs of the North Road for Zhang Cheng. I wonder what you two adults think?"
Jin Xinpeng and Yan Qingrong couldn't help but look at each other after hearing this. A trace of surprise flashed in their eyes: What does this mean? Is Zhang Cheng going to delegate power?
Without waiting for them to speak, Zhang Cheng continued: "From today on, all military and political affairs on the North Road will be managed in the name of the Kaiping Guards. All military affairs must be done by the generals and should be fully responsible. They should not be entrusted to others.
But for matters other than military affairs, the two adults have to worry about Zhang Cheng. According to my wishes, Mr. Jin Xinpeng is in charge of all affairs of the Kaiping Wei Department, in charge of personnel audit and promotion; Mr. Yan Qingrong is in charge of the affairs of the garrison and livestock raising.
Also in charge of grain collection, storage and transportation matters.
Then Liu Zhi, the governor of the Wei Division, will be in charge of the criminal and prison cases, and will also supervise the officers and generals in the forts to correct illegal affairs and other matters; so that Cao Jinwang will be in charge of all the records and books of the whole Wei."
Jin Xinpeng was the first to speak: "The affairs of the Wei Department are complicated, and Jin is afraid of embarrassing his duties!"
Zhang Cheng smiled. He looked at Jin Xinpeng with his big eyes, then looked at Yan Qingrong who also had a smile on his face, and said: "Master Jin has been in Kaiping Weisi for a long time, and he is already extremely skilled in all kinds of affairs. Zhang Cheng can't catch up with you. You
Don't shirk it, just let it be settled as such."
Jin Xinpeng continued with a smile on his face: "Then Jin, it's better to be respectful than to obey."
Only then did Yan Qingrong say: "Since Mr. Jin has reluctantly accepted the order, how can Yan dare to refuse?"
"Hahaha……"
The three people in the official hall were laughing together. They had never been so relaxed since Zhang Cheng left the town on the North Road. Kaipingwei also ushered in a new dawn, starting from the harmony between the three of them.
They ate dates and chatted for a while about Wei Si matters.
Zhang Cheng suddenly remembered something again, and he said to Yan Qingrong: "Sir Yan, we need to make some changes to the collection of grain from the fields on the North Road. If the collection is based on the original standards, it will indeed be a bit unaffordable for the military households.
But a large army always needs grain to feed it. If we harvest too little, we won't be able to support such a large army. What I mean is that the original quota collection will be changed to a certain proportion of the output of the acres planted by each military household.
, what do you think?"
Yan Qingrong raised his hand to brush his beard and thought for a moment before asking: "According to the admiral's wishes, what proportion should be collected?"
Zhang Cheng ate a date and then said: "What I mean is to allocate all the farmland to the military households. In this way, each household will have approximately fifty to one hundred acres of land.
60% will be charged for high-grade mature fields, 50% will be charged for low-grade mature fields, 30% will be charged for newly opened fields in the first year, and 40% will be charged in the second year. In the third year, the field grade will be re-assessed to determine the charging ratio.
The tax rate seems to be a little higher, but it is still looser than the previous quota. Depending on the harvest, each military household will always have some grain left at home, and then plant mulberry and raise silkworms, or do odd jobs to survive.
It will be looser than before.
The two adults have been involved in various affairs of the Wei Department for a long time, and their thoughts and considerations are more comprehensive than mine. I wonder whether my approach is advisable?"
Jin Xinpeng looked thoughtful and refused to answer. Yan Qingrong muttered in his heart again: This old fox!
However, since Yan Qingrong was in charge of the administration and collection, he had no choice but to give his own opinion. He thought for a while and then said: "As your Excellency said, if this is the case, it will be better than the previous collection method."
Be more relaxed.
In fact, there was nothing wrong with the policies made by Taizu at the beginning of the country, and they were indeed beneficial to the country. However, as time went by, they all went wrong. The farms assigned to each army were of different sizes, and they were not good or bad.
Wait, but the grain quota for farming is indeed a policy that will remain unchanged for hundreds of years.
As the garrison administration deteriorated, fertile farmland was gradually occupied, and military households farmed for a year but could not afford to deliver grains. This was actually the biggest reason why military households went into hiding or became slaves.
Today, the admiral can think of this matter and make such a decision, which is really a blessing for our military households on the North Road. As for the collection ratio set by the admiral just now, it is also very loose. According to the officer's opinion, there is nothing wrong!"
Zhang Cheng nodded. In fact, he had been thinking about this matter for a long time, but he never dared to tell anyone. He only raised it with Jin Xinpeng and Yan Qingrong today.
At this moment, another more bold idea was being considered over and over in his mind, and Zhang Cheng continued: "Master Yan also thinks there is nothing wrong with it, so the matter of expropriating grains for farming has been decided."
Zhang Cheng took a sip of tea and grabbed another date in his hand, but did not eat it, but said: "I have one more thing, general, that I have been thinking about for a long time. It is convenient for you two adults to discuss it today."
He stopped here for a moment, and then continued: "When I came from Zhencheng, I had already recruited a thousand new troops. After arriving at the North Road, I recruited more than two thousand new troops.
Wu Zhizhong raised thousands more new troops on the East Road and the capital.
Nowadays, the troops under my command have towns, capitals, and forts on the north and east roads, but they are relatively scattered. At the beginning, I had promised that there would be no pay within three months, and they would only be in camp after March.
Only when the sergeants were in the army did they start to calculate their pay.
But as the March period approaches, the sergeants will eventually be paid, and most of the rations will be sent home by the sergeants to subsidize their families. However, the sergeants come from all over the world, whether it is grain or food.
The transfer of salary and silver has its own inconveniences.
Therefore, this general envisages issuing military coupons to sergeants. With these military coupons, they can be purchased at official stores in fortresses on our North Road, in towns, in prefectural cities on the East Road, in the Acropolis, in the grain stores on our North Road, etc.
In the store, exchange for grain and money."
"I wonder if you two adults think this is possible?"
"Military stamps?"
"I don't know what the military ticket the Admiral is talking about is?"