Guide Prefecture was the former Yingtian Prefecture. It was still called Yingtian Prefecture in the Song Dynasty, but it was renamed Guide Prefecture by the Puppet Qi and the Jin Kingdom. On Chen Qing's map, it was also renamed Guide Prefecture, but it was noted next to it.
Next: Qianying Tianfu.
Guide Prefecture is one of the most important state capitals in the Central Plains. It was the former Liangzhou. Before the second year of Jianyan, its grain output ranked in front of Yingchang Prefecture and second only to Kaifeng Prefecture.
Big production state.
However, in the second year of Jianyan's reign, the Yellow River changed its course, and the eastern part of Guide Prefecture was swallowed up by the floods of the Yellow River that burst its banks. Countless people's homes were destroyed, tens of thousands of people died, and hundreds of thousands of people were affected. After the floods of the Yellow River receded, the new Yellow River
The Tao appeared, and the eastern part of Guide Mansion became a barren land.
Songcheng County was Nanjing in the Northern Song Dynasty. Nanjing no longer exists, but Songcheng County still remains. It is located on the west bank of the New Yellow River. Although it was not swallowed by the Yellow River water, the floods also entered the city, and the people fled to the rooftops and city walls.
, it took several days and nights for the water to recede. After the flood came the plague. Songcheng County was also seriously affected, with a sharp decrease of 70% of the population. The third largest city in the Central Plains, which had a population of 400,000 at the time, now has a population of less than 100,000, and people's livelihood is in dire straits.
We, the people's poverty is worse than that of Bianliang.
However, Songcheng has an advantage. It is an important crossing of the new Yellow River, so it still has a somewhat commercial atmosphere. The Jin Kingdom did not exploit it excessively, and it still managed to maintain a little bit of commerce.
Chen Qing's army marched mightily on the official road. There were endless wilderness on both sides. Although there was farmland, it could be seen that the soil was very dry, barren and had no fertility. Chen Qing shook his head. In order to stop the Jin soldiers, Du Chong, who stayed in Tokyo, actually
He dug up the embankment of the Yellow River. He is truly a sinner through the ages. We must build a statue of him and kneel by the Yellow River.
At this time, Chen Qing saw an old farmer digging the ground not far away, so he urged his horse down the official road, and more than a dozen soldiers quickly followed.
The old farmer was so frightened that he wanted to run but did not dare to run. He quickly handed over to Chen Qing and said, "Master, I am almost sixty and can no longer join the army!"
Chen Qing waved his hand and said with a smile: "Don't worry, old man. I'm not looking for young men. I just want to ask about the farming situation."
Hearing that it was not about catching young men, the old man felt relieved and said: "I know about farming, what do you want to ask the general?"
"I see there is no village nearby. Where is my father-in-law's family?"
"My home is in the county. There are no villages around here. These farmlands are cultivated by the people in the city. We all live on this food!"
"How much wheat is produced per acre now?"
The old farmer sighed, "With my little land, I can harvest less than a hundred kilograms of wheat per acre this year. I have harvested more than a thousand kilograms of grain from a dozen acres of land. I will soon have to pay a tax of three hundred kilograms, leaving more than seven hundred kilograms of grain.
It’s too difficult to feed a family of five, so I thought about growing a crop of beans.”
"Are all the people in the city going out to farm?"
"Absolutely! If we don't farm and can't afford to buy food, our family will starve to death. There are a lot of people growing beans, but when they saw you coming, they all ran away for fear of catching the young ones."
Chen Qing raised his head and looked into the distance. There was indeed a crowd of people standing a mile or two away, and they all seemed to be looking this way.
"In addition to farming, what other income does my father-in-law's family have?" Chen Qing asked again.
"My son works as a waiter in a restaurant and earns 30 cash per day. You must know that during the Xuanhe period, I transported goods for people and earned more than 100 cash per day. Now I am working so hard that I only earn 30 cash per day.
, and it’s even enviable, what kind of world is this!”
"Don't worry, old man! We are the Western Army. When the Western Army comes, the world will change."
At this time, someone shouted on the official road: "Your Highness, state officials, and county officials have all left the city!"
"I know, I'll go right away."
Chen Qing got on his horse, cupped his fists to the old man and said, "Thank you very much!"
Immediately, surrounded by people, he urged his horse onto the official road and sped towards the county seat.
The old man was so excited that he couldn't close his mouth for a long time and said to himself: "They are the Western Army! The Western Army doesn't pay taxes when they come, so don't I have to pay my three hundred kilograms of wheat?"
Not long after, people from afar came back one after another, "Brother Wang, who was that just now!"
"He must be the general of the Western Army! What is his name?"
"Brother, Your Highness is the title of Prince. You are confused. That person is most likely King Yong!"
When everyone heard that it was King Yong, they all asked the old man a lot of questions, but the old man was dumbfounded. He suddenly slapped his forehead and said in horror: "I deserve to die! I didn't kneel down to King Yong just now.
salute."
He quickly knelt down and kowtowed in the direction where Chen Qingyuan was going, "His Royal Highness, King Yong, I am kowtowing to you!"
Everyone couldn't help laughing when they saw his funny appearance.
When Chen Qing arrived in Songcheng County, the army had already set up camp outside the county. Magistrate Liu Sheng, magistrate Li Hun and magistrate Han Junsheng all came outside the city to welcome His Highness King Yong.
These officials were officials at first, and later became officials of the Puppet Qi Dynasty, and then became officials of the Jin Kingdom, but in general they were not too bad. This was also because Wanyan Wushu eliminated a group of corrupt officials with extremely bad reputations last year.
Most of the officials who could stay under the iron fist of Wanyan Wushu had no bad deeds. It was precisely because of this that Chen Qing did not carry out a large-scale purge in the Central Plains. He only purged a group of corrupt Qi officials and confiscated countless money.
"See Your Highness!" Everyone saluted.
"You don't have to be polite!"
Chen Qing got off his horse and asked, "Who is the county magistrate?"
The county magistrate Han Junsheng hurriedly stepped forward and saluted, "Han Junsheng, the lower official, is currently the county magistrate of Songcheng!"
Chen Qing smiled and said: "My fleet will dock at the Yellow River tomorrow. They are not familiar with this area. Please ask the county magistrate to arrange for someone familiar with the river to guide them."
"I'm going to make arrangements now!" Han Junsheng hurriedly went to find someone.
Chen Qing asked again: "Who is the prefect?"
The prefect Liu Sheng, who was about fifty years old, took a step forward and said, "Prefect Liu Sheng of the Imperial Guard, please see your highness!"
Chen Qing pointed to the large area of land around him and said, "I want to know how much summer wheat there is in Guide Prefecture this year? How much was taken away by the Jin soldiers?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, reporting to Your Highness, the output of Guide Mansion has not been calculated yet. I only know that Songcheng County harvested 250,000 shi of wheat, and Jin Bing has not had time to take it away."
"What about taxes?"
"The tax collection has not started yet. We discussed it and unanimously decided to wait for His Highness's order."
"You have done a good job. I have announced the ten-year tax exemption in all parts of the Central Plains, and Guide Prefecture is no exception. Post the notice! Chen Qing took out a sample and handed it to him. According to this announcement,
Just change Kaifeng Prefecture to Guide Prefecture."
Chen Qing saw that everyone was a little hesitant, so he asked again: "In the harvest, how much grain belongs to the official fields?"
Li Hun, the general magistrate, said quickly: "I am here to answer your highness's question. The grain belonging to the official land is about 38,000 dan. The tenant farmers take half of it, which is a net income of 19,000 dan."
"What about other income? For example, rent or something?"
"The rent is a little, but not much. The annual rental income in Songcheng County is about 2,000 guan."
"How much expenditure does Songcheng County need per year?"
The officials couldn't answer, so they all looked at the County Prime Minister Wei Huan. Wei Huan bowed and said: "I am the Prime Minister of Songcheng County, Wei Huan. I will report to Your Highness that the main expenditures of Songcheng County are salary, county school, and Salesians.
It’s about 15,000 guan every year, and it will be more if there are bridges and roads built.”
Chen Qing did a quick calculation in his mind. Songcheng County's annual non-tax income was about 10,000 guan. Compared with the expenditure, there was still a shortfall of 5,000 guan. I guess they had done the calculations and knew what they were doing. They all seemed very hesitant.
, reluctantly.
Chen Qing smiled and explained to them: "Don't worry, I have been exempted from tax for ten years, mainly direct tax, household tax, field tax, commercial tax, shelf tax, etc., but there are two indirect taxes that are not exempt, salt tax and
Liquor tax, these two taxes are collected by the Salt and Iron Administration and the government. After the tax exemption, the shortfall in government expenditure will be replenished by the Henan Road Appeasement Department. In fact, wasn't this the case in the past?"
Chen Qing's promise made the officials feel relieved. The prefect Liu Sheng bowed and said: "Your Highness is kind and wise. Guide Mansion is devastated. It is time for the people to rest and recuperate for ten years so that people's livelihood can be slowly restored."
Chen Qing went to inspect the city and found an opportunity. The judge Li Hun said in a low voice: "Actually, I am worried about the imperial court. The tax exemption for ten years is the intention of His Highness King Yong, not the attitude of the imperial court. I heard that the imperial court is too poor to open the door."
They can’t even afford the military expenses. How could they agree to tax exemption for ten years? They’re afraid that the order will change overnight!”
"Are you still worried about the court?"
Liu Sheng sneered and said: "Look at which state has ever worried about the court's problems. I'm afraid you are the slowest. Don't worry about the court. Our future court will be in Jingzhao, not Lin'an. The king in front of us is the king we are loyal to. If you don't
Understand this, and you will lose your official title."