Yang Ming's promise to reward Du Ruhui with a concubine was not just a promise.
And he was sure that this boy was no longer a virgin. He was already sixteen years old. Coming from such a family, it was impossible for him not to have tasted the taste of women.
Yang Yinjiang was responsible for managing the maids in the inner garden, so Yang Ming asked her to select a more beautiful maid named Ruhua and rewarded it to Du Ruhui.
The maid can only provide the services she can provide, and there is no way for her to have any spiritual communication with Du Ruhui, who has read many books about saints and sages.
And Yang Ming's reward was not to spy on the other party. Du Ruhui was already under his nose, and there was nothing to spy on.
In Yang Yinjiang's view, servants cannot read. Even if you let them read, they have no interest in it.
Just like the rulers of the feudal dynasty, they didn't want to see all the people studying. If they knew too much, it would be difficult to manage them.
Next, Yang Ming will prepare a congratulatory gift for his sister Yang Chan.
It was less than a month before October, and it would be too late if he didn't prepare, and it was impossible for him to be drafted back to Beijing just because Yang Chan got married.
If you don’t give face to the county guard, you still have to give some face to the people behind you.
Yes, Xiangyang relies on the benefits of the Han River. This year, it has collected a lot of taxes on water transportation. Besides building river embankments and building canals for irrigating fields, there are not many major expenditures. A total of only 680,000 yuan has been spent.
, excluding the annual expenses, there will be a balance of about 1.7 million yuan.
"I understand," Du Ruhui nodded quickly, feeling reassured.
Originally, he thought that Yang Ming's first step would be to call Baling Governor Gao Zhu for questioning before making a decision. Unexpectedly, Yang Ming directly asked him to investigate, clearly not giving Gao Zhu face.
What can he give? Yang Ming actually wanted to prepare some more unique gifts, but after much thought, he really couldn't find such a thing.
Murong Sanzang said: "The treasury is abundant this year, and the Jiasheng warehouse in the north of the city is almost full, so it is necessary to build an additional warehouse, which costs about 90,000 guan. There was a flood in Changlin County, and 300,000 guan was needed for disaster relief. There are still three
The county river embankment needs to be strengthened and requires 280,000 yuan."
Then these local officials will come to Jiangling to discuss next year's expenditure with Yang Ming.
Yang Ming's face instantly darkened, and he understood what Du Ruhui meant.
Just check it, if anything happens, you will be there to take care of it.
Should the government investigate the public farmland? How should the aristocratic families be investigated?
So Du Ruhui asked carefully: "Check from top to bottom?"
And the congratulatory gifts he sent should not be too many, because he is a younger brother, not an older brother.
Yang Chan got married, and Yang Ming was relieved of one of his worries. However, there was another thing in the letter from his eldest brother Yang Zhao that made Yang Ming very unhappy.
Originally, in the copy he had prepared, this item cost 250,000 guan, but when he heard that Yang Xuangan's additional official ship would only cost 230,000 guan, he quickly revised it and reduced it by 20,000 guan.
Yang Yinjiang sat aside and said with a smile: "How is it? Isn't it very confusing?"
Yang Ming said blankly: "Then what is the problem?"
However, Yang Ming believes that the marriage between the two will not take place in October, after all, he has not received notification from his parents.
This is how gifts were given during the Sui Dynasty. They basically chose from "food, clothing, housing and transportation". Other than that, there really wasn't much to give.
Yang Ming wrote three words of encouragement to Jiancheng: "Well done."
It would be nice if people could be as worry-free as you are.
That is to say, only the clan has such great courage. If it were anyone else, they would save some face for the prefect of a county. After all, if they can achieve this position, how can there be no one behind them.
The money listed by Murong Sanzang, in addition to offsetting all the taxes paid by Jiangling County this year, also left a deficit of 480,000 guan.
After all, Jiangling County is the capital of Jingzhou, and there are too many places to spend money. These shortfalls can only be made up from other counties.
There are two treasury in Jingzhou area, one is in Jiangling County and the other is in Jiangxia County. The person responsible for guarding the treasury is the local commissioner assigned by Taifu Temple. Yang Ming cannot control them.
"Check! You personally take people to check. First check the total number of acres in Baling County, and then check the whereabouts of these fields. No matter who is involved, they must find out for me."
The money from various treasuries is just sitting there. Who is not jealous, who doesn't want to find more projects so that more funds can be approved.
Surprisingly, Jiancheng also wrote a letter to Yang Ming. The letter was quite bragging, saying that Shimin was disobedient and was beaten by him, although he was beaten by Li Yuan again after that.
, but Shimin is quite afraid of him now and has been trying to please him.
The next day, Du Ruhui obtained the approval document from Yuanwendu and went to Baling County with two hundred guards from the General Manager's Office.
Who said that governing a big country is like cooking a small one? It obviously raises people’s blood pressure.
However, Yang Ming knew better than to be happy too early. Only three of the twenty-two chief officers had passed by now.
This is how children are, the more afraid they are, the more they will find ways to please them.
Du Ruhui said: "I checked and found that the actual tax-paying acres in Baling County are only 300 qing. In other words, these 300 qing people paid a 1,000 qing tax, so where is the tax for the other 700 qing?
Already?"
Then, Yang Yinjiang selected 6,000 pieces of fine brocade, 4,000 pieces of damask, 200 pieces of fine horses, and 5,000 shi of rice.
Yang Ming dragged his tired body back to the inner garden and asked Yang Yinjiang to be called directly.
This discussion lasted until late at night.
He still doesn't know that his departure will create a huge trap for Yang Ming.
Du Ruhui is now the general manager of Fu Hucao, in charge of the farming and mulberry affairs in Jingzhou area, so the land area is within the scope of his duties.
But there is no way, the problems mentioned by the other party are real, and they do require money.
Yuwen Ergou, who was originally sent to the frontier as a garrison, came back and became his father's Qianniu backup.
Yang Ming nodded and looked to Yuan Wendu aside:
"record on file."
Yang Ming clenched his heart, and after listening to the other party's account, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"The head is as big as an ox," Yang Ming lay on the bed and said with a wry smile: "These bastards are better at spending money to repair the city gates, and they dare to ask for 40,000 guan, why don't they go and rob it?"
Yang Ming is responsible for reporting these, and then the Ministry of Revenue reviews and submits them to the imperial review. The money that passes will be covered with red. The money that does not pass will be honestly sealed into the treasury and affixed with a seal. Who dares to tear it? Who wants it?
life.
In the house, Yang Ming changed his clothes and got on the bed under the service of Warm Winter and Cool Summer, allowing them to massage his tired body one after another.
Yang Ming hurriedly ordered the congratulatory convoy to go north, making sure to deliver the things before the wedding.
Of course, gold, silver and jade were not a problem. Wherever Yang Yinjiang pointed, a servant would carefully wrap up the item. It didn't take long before a corner of the warehouse was emptied.
Time flies by so fast and it’s almost the end of the year.
Although Yang Ming's instructions stated that no matter who was involved, they must be investigated, but Du Ruhui still didn't understand how big the scale should be.
Du Ruhui was stunned on the spot.
Early the next morning, twenty-two people entered the back hall of the Governor's Mansion and began to discuss matters.
Spending means discussing how to spend money.
Next, Yang Ming asked Du Zha from Xiangyang County to speak.
The various states and counties will start to calculate the general ledgers. The total amount of taxes collected this year will be sealed into the treasury at the end of the year.
"Next year, Ezhou will have only two major expenditures besides daily expenses. One is that Jiangxia Wharf needs to be repaired and ten official ships need to be added. The expenditure for this item is about 230,000 yuan. The other is for the city.
There is a need to build another Buddhist temple in China, which was assigned by Taichang Temple. The money is 280,000 yuan. Apart from this, there are no other expenses."
But Baling County is a major grain-producing county with Honghu Lake in it. It can be said to be a land of fish and rice. The acres of land are definitely enough to be divided. The government must have obtained more land, and the aristocratic families have also divided up a lot. But you can't ask these three hundred farmers to pay their own taxes.
He said that he would have to pay taxes for you, and he still paid three for seven. This was going too far.
Yang Ming felt dizzy after hearing this.
For example, counties located in the northern mountainous areas have a large population but few acres of land, so there is not enough land for distribution.
He was not unaware of the issue of land in various parts of Jingzhou. Common people almost did not have enough land in their hands, some of which was due to geographical issues.
At this time, Yang Ming looked at Murong Sanzang again and asked: "How is the situation in Jiangling County?"
Next, Yang Ming called them by name one by one and asked them to report their expenses.
There is nothing we can do about this. Yu Wenshu is his father's confidant, and his father is now the prince. Sangou has a promising future.
Murong Sanzang was working under Yang Ming's nose, so naturally he didn't dare to make any random reports. After clarifying this year's tax situation, he said:
"Jingzhou Pier also needs repairs and maintenance, which will cost about 230,000 yuan."
Half a month later, Yang Ming received a letter from his mother-in-law Xiao, saying that his sister Yang Chan was to marry Pei Xuanji of Hedong, and the date was set for November 26th.
On this day, Du Ruhui came to Yang Ming with a stack of files in his hand.
"There's something wrong with the fields in Baling County."
Yang Yinjiang waved her hand, signaling Nuan Dong and Liang Xia to step back. Then she took off her boots, got on the couch and knelt aside, gently beating Yang Ming's back:
"Take your time, this is just a bargaining process. How much do they want, are they really going to be approved for it? They are testing you now to see if you can fool you."
He nodded and said: "There are a total of 1,300 acres of open farmland registered in Baling County, of which 300 acres are public land. The number of acres of land subject to tax every year is 1,000 acres, and the tax is paid in full."
of."
The ones who really want to prepare generous gifts are the eldest brother Yang Zhao and the second child Yang Jian.
Yang Ming took Yang Yinjiang to the warehouse and asked her to help choose. Women know women best.
You guys are imposing taxes like this. Once public anger is aroused, what will I do to the higher ups?
Yang Ming nodded and signaled the other party to continue.
The servants of the Governor's Mansion worked hard all day, preparing wine, food and meat, and placed pens, inks, paper and inkstones in front of each chief officer's desk.
After Yang Ming asked him to sit down, he smiled and said, "Speak slowly."
The person who speaks later will be a little afraid and will erase those things that have been prepared and do not sound like they should spend money.
On December 10th, all twenty-two chief officials from the Jingzhou area arrived in Jiangling County, waiting only to be summoned by Yang Ming.
"Okay, okay, everyone will go back to Guanyi to rest first and we will discuss it tomorrow."
Very good, it can make up for the shortfall of Gangneung County.
Yang Ming deliberately chose Yang Xuangan to be the first to report expenses, just to give him a head start, because he knew that Yang Xuangan was not very interested in money, so he would not compile a lot of expenses.
The first was Yang Xuangan. After he stated the tax accounts of the Jiangxia (Ezhou) region one by one, he said:
Yang Ming suddenly frowned: "Don't you understand what I said?"
He's not an adult yet, so it's fine as he says.
Yang Ming said: "Then what should I do according to your words?"
Yang Yinjiang thought for a while: "Regardless of whether it is reasonable or not, cut it all in half and let them find their own way. A piece of cake can be a meal or a day's rations."
Yang Ming smiled and shook his neck: "Down."
Yang Yinjiang smiled sweetly, changed her sitting position, and tapped Yang Ming's waist.