Li Bi did not tell Kong Shaoan what to do at first, but based on his own experience in the Manchu officialdom, he explained in detail how the government did it, so as to make the other party realize how deep the water was;
If you try to please someone, you will get scolded by the people, which will affect the reputation of Beihai Town.
The official disaster relief in the Qing Dynasty, also known as the "famine policy", mainly adopted four methods: postponement of taxes, relief, pensions, and food adjustments. In terms of measures, it was actually no different from that of later generations. It was nothing more than administrative execution.
Different on.
Since the "Gansu Relief Case" in the 46th year of Qianlong's reign, a large number of officials, including Li Bi, have been punished. Among them, 47 officials were executed, 82 were dismissed and imprisoned, and 11 were convicted of stolen goods.
His son was exiled to Yili. Min Eyuan, the then governor of Jiangsu Province, was also demoted to the third level because he hid three taels of stolen silver for his younger brother, and his payment of Yanglian silver was suspended for three months.
However, after the incident, although local officials in Gansu took warning and did not dare to falsely report famines or risk relief, many abuses were still common in other places during the disaster relief process, from reporting disasters, investigating disasters, to selling goods, lending, and swindling.
, transfers, exemptions, exemptions, and drawbacks are everywhere. The people involved in fraud include officials, subordinates, libao, gentry, wealthy businessmen, health supervisors, servants, local sticks, and other people of all kinds, and the methods of fraud are even more
There are so many tricks, and they are all used to their best.
Kong Shaoan asked doubtfully: "What is a stick? Can't we distinguish between those who are fleeing famine and those who have enough to eat?"
"The local sticks are idlers, and these people are the most aggressive and aggressive. If there is a relief operation, they will make noises and cut off the rice. They will also forcefully ask for relief tickets from hungry households, and they are not allowed to conduct door-to-door house checks.
If things don't go as planned, bricks and stones will be thrown, water will be splashed and mud will be splashed, boats will capsize and bridges will be destroyed..."
Yu Shun interjected: "I have seen something worse before. More than 20 people drove people sent from the government into an empty house, poured several buckets of dung into the house, and refused to let them out if they didn't agree.
.”
Li Bi smiled bitterly and said: "There are many disadvantages here. Those rich households don't have to come forward at all. They will collect homeless beggars from all over the country, or let their servants come to collect them, and then share the profits privately. Furthermore, since Jiaodong was hit by the disaster last year
, the grain stored in the Changping warehouse must not be much, or even none."
"Damn! They all should be shot!" Kong Shaoan cursed through gritted teeth, and then asked: "How to determine who needs relief?"
Li Bi looked at the other party's face, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and then said: "Household review. In a county, the people who are most familiar with the situation in eight villages and ten miles away are the household residents and government officials, as well as the local Jiamen.
long."
"Household review?" Kong Shaoan asked: "Is it just a household census? Determine the number of people affected by the disaster?"
"Exactly." Li Bi continued: "There are two purposes for reviewing households. One is to verify the disaster-stricken households and register them for record. The other is to issue relief tickets according to the extremely poor, sub-poor and large and small households.
As a basis for receiving relief in the future. In addition to omissions and misreporting, the most common method used by government officials and precedents is to make false claims and create false names."
"For example, if one household is divided into several households, or if one person is moved to another, there is a name on the household registration book, but there is no one there. Or if there are more households under the same household, all you need to do is bribe the government officials. For example
There are those who mix the servants and tenants of the squire's family into the Ding register in an attempt to pretend to be the leader; there are those who list the county government office; there are also those who include deceased people and even homeless beggars in the Ding register, and then divide the wealth privately; there are also those who will
There are many people who are engaged in business and trade and pretend to be hungry people to take charge of them on their behalf."
Kong Shaoan roughly understood that it was actually to classify poor households into different levels, and then determine the standards for relief based on the different levels. Since the level classification was determined by officials, there was room for fraud.
"Then there is the need to demand and extort prices. Originally, the Qing government stipulated that the plate fees, meals and paper money for relief workers should be paid from public funds. However, borrowing expenses, extorting registration fees, and extorting ticket prices have been repeatedly banned. This is a problem during disaster relief. It is a major public nuisance. When checking households for shortages, registers, sales tickets, meals, paper, and fodder for husband and horse must all be distributed according to the household division."
Yu Shun on the side interjected: "I saw it during the great disaster in Henan in the 51st year of Qianlong's reign. When the police went to the countryside, farmers who wanted to report hunger had to give 'envoy money', and to receive relief tickets, they had to give 'voucher money' If anyone dares not to give, his family will be included in the deletion. Even if the food for disaster relief is piled in the Changping warehouse, you still can't get the food if you don't have money to buy tickets."
Li Bi sighed and said: "It is exactly these words that Li summed up into fourteen words: only bribery is to be regarded, bribery is to be included in the register, and no bribery is not to be included in the register."
Kong Shaoan couldn't help but shook his head, got up and walked a few steps in the cabin, stretched his somewhat stiff neck, and said, "Is there anything else?"
Li Bi then went on to talk about the various squandering methods used in the disaster relief process, such as "debit and deduction", "silver is divided into taels, and money is short of quantity", "mixing chaff with chaff, shortage is rising", and " "Preliminary collection of deposits" and so on. It can be said that they are using all possible means and playing horrifying tricks.
Kong Shaoan felt sweat dripping down his spine after hearing this. He thought to himself that if the other party hadn't talked about so many disadvantages and opened a warehouse to stock up on grains as he had thought before, he would have easily been tricked by those big businessmen and petty officials down to his underpants.
Everyone talked for almost two hours. Seeing that it was getting late, Kong Shaoan finally concluded: "In this case, Mr. Li should write a pamphlet on relief matters and write down all the methods used by subordinate officials to deceive and kidnap them. , let the troops and work teams serve as a reference.”
"It is better to obey orders than to be respectful!"
At the same time, the four gates of Rongcheng County were closed late at night, and lanterns were hung on the city walls and torches were lit. In addition to the three squads of government officials, there were also some young men recruited temporarily, holding swords, guns, bows and arrows, and nervously watching the people outside the city. Movement. Curfews have also been implemented in various parts of the city. People are not allowed to walk around on the streets at will. The chiefs of each neighborhood have arranged manpower to patrol the streets at night. If anything happens, they will sound the gong and call the police.
A few hours ago, the rumbling of artillery in Yuchiwan was faintly heard in the county seat. Later, as the Qing army that had a chance to escape returned collapsed, the news of the arrival of the Northern Navy quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys. While the city gate was still open, It was not closed, so many people outside the city fled with their families into the city to avoid the disaster.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Four years ago, Beihai Town removed nearly 100,000 people from Rongcheng and Wendeng. Although this small number of people is not enough for Dengzhou Prefecture, which has a population of more than 3 million. It's really nothing. There is still no news about those people who left, which has also triggered various speculations among the people. Some people say that those people were sold by short-haired people to red-haired people in the far north, while others say that they went to He became a pirate on the outer island and lived a life that was worse than a horse every day. Coupled with the government's encouragement and folk rumors, people all over Jiaodong regarded Beihai Town as a devil.
The lights were brightly lit in the county government's Tuisi Hall. The newly appointed magistrate Yang Naiming, who was sitting on the main seat, had a worried face and a frown on his face. Under him sat the chief registrar, the county school teaching edict, as well as the Bi family, the Ding family and others.
Every one of the wealthy gentry and elders in the family sighed.
Rongcheng is located on the easternmost side of Shandong, facing the sea on three sides. The military relies entirely on the mountain flood garrison camp, and there is no regiment training in the county. Now the North Navy has come up and destroyed the water stronghold, and is about to attack the county tomorrow. Although
Yang Zhixian has sent people to Wendeng, Jimo and other places to call for help, but water from afar cannot quench the thirst nearby, and it is not certain whether they can survive tomorrow.
"The pirates from the North Sea are attacking. Do you have any strategies to repel the enemy?"
At this time, everyone in the hall heard the county magistrate asking, you look at me, I look at you, no one said anything. When Yang Naiming saw this, he felt anxious and angry. He stood up and was about to call the name, when he saw Master Qianliang suddenly walked out of the door.
Someone came out and winked at him. He knew something was going on, so he excused himself to change clothes and went to the back hall. After a while, the master followed him.
"Master Zhou, what did you mean just now?"
"Sir, I know a thing or two about this matter. Everyone in the hall actually has an idea, but no one can say it."
"Oh? How do you say this?"
"I have just arrived here not long ago, and many inside stories are unclear. I just found out what happened from the housekeeper of the Bi family. Four years ago, pirates from the North Sea came to Rongcheng, and robbed nearly 100,000 people from Rongcheng and Wendeng counties.
, some villages were completely deserted and looked like ghosts. The former magistrate of Li County later submitted a letter to the governor, and then the refugees were transferred from Yanzhou, Taizhou and other places to make up for the loss."
Yang Naiming's eyes lit up and he said, "You mean, are the North Sea pirates here just for Dingkou?"
Master Zhou said: "I think I have to send someone to negotiate with the North Sea pirates to find out whether it is true or not. If it is just for Dingkou, then we should make an agreement not to attack the county town, and let them do whatever they want outside the city. As long as the city is
Don’t worry, the county magistrate can also have an explanation with the governor."
Yang Naiming asked strangely: "Why didn't everyone in the hall just say anything?"
Master Zhou said: "I was afraid of getting involved even if I thought about it, so I just waited for the county magistrate to speak. At present, the court imposes very severe penalties on those who have liaison with Beihai pirates. Once confirmed, they will be arrested and imprisoned. Those who will be punished will be exiled to the northwest, and those who are serious will have their homes confiscated and executed. So...
....”
"Alas!" Yang Naiming sighed, thinking that he still had no money. If he had money for activities, he would never come to Rongcheng.
"I have been favored by the Emperor and promoted and appointed. Just when I am trying my best to repay my favor, I have no soldiers at my disposal. Otherwise, I really want to fight the Northern Pirates to the bitter end!"
Master Zhou knew that the other party was being hypocritical and wanted to be a bitch and wanted to build a memorial arch, so he comforted him: "What you said is not true, but it is just not feasible in this world. The so-called 'people who seek good fortune and avoid evil'
If you are a gentleman, your city will be safe and you will be able to serve the court better in the future."
After that, Yang Zhixian returned to the hall alone and saw that everyone was eagerly waiting for him, so he made the decision. The head of the Ding family went to Chengshanxun early tomorrow morning to contact Bei Haijun, and wrote a letter to the magistrate in person in front of everyone.
He stated the "strategy to retreat from the enemy", sealed it, and ordered people to be sent to Dengzhou overnight. Only then did several large households drop a stone on the ground. They praised Mr. Yang for his dedication to the people. Afterwards, they decided to organize the people in the county to offer the Ten Thousand People's Umbrella.
Of course, filial piety is also indispensable.
However, the Northern Navy's trip was destined to exceed the expectations of the officials and gentry. Just after four o'clock in the morning the next day, the large troops began to disembark under the illumination of the searchlights on the ship and the torches on the shore. After the transfer of defense procedures, the two troops who landed yesterday
A company was immediately dispatched, led by two forts who surrendered to the Qing army, and headed straight for the county seat.
More than two hundred soldiers from the Northern Navy ran so fast that the surrendering Qing army leading the way couldn't keep up. In the end, they were dragged along by two soldiers and ran wildly. By the time they arrived outside the south gate, they were exhausted and out of breath.
At this time, the officers and young men on the city wall had been taking turns to guard the city all night. It was the time when their spirits were at their lowest, and they were all so sleepy that they did not even notice that someone was swimming across the moat to plant explosives.
At 6:05 in the morning, when the fuse burned to the end, there was only a loud noise that shook the earth. Countless wood chips exploded towards the inside and outside of the city gate. A big hole was blasted in the heavy city gate. There was no trace inside the city.
Men, women, and children suddenly woke up from their sleep!
The first squad to rush into the city quickly attacked the city wall, and sporadic gunshots rang out. After a while, the suspension bridge suddenly fell, and the Northern Navy hidden outside the city swarmed in. Not long after, in
Several families who were observing the situation outside near the South Gate noticed that a red flag had been erected on the wall of the South Gate. In the middle was a white five-pointed star, and there was a concave and convex white circle outside.
strangeness......
At noon that day, Zhao Xin, who was in charge of the Northern Navy Staff Headquarters, received the telegram from the "Jiaodong Detachment". He handed the telegram back to the staff officer for filing without taking it seriously, walked to the map hanging on the wall, and looked at the various people under his rule.
The area looked up.
In 1792, Zhao Xin was destined to be busy. Let alone official matters, family matters alone were enough to keep him busy.
In March of this year, good news came from the family of "Prince Zhao". Shen Xuan, who had been silent for a long time, was pregnant again. Just as the Shen family and Zhao's parents were rejoicing, a phone call from Fuldan City shocked the family.
After marrying Zhao Xin, Tang Xiao became pregnant.
Both women were pregnant with their own children, which ruined his original plan to go to India. He could only run to Annan to leave a batch of supplies, and then ran back again.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! In early August, Wang Zhenyi and A Miao, who were deceived by Zhao Xin into going to Siberia to see the stars, also returned to Beihai Town. Wang Zhong did not come back with them, but stayed behind
In Red Rock City, together with Jiang Fan and Jiuzang, he participated in negotiations between Beihai Town, the Cossack Emirate and the Tsarist Empire.
After more than a year of fighting, the Cossack Emirate pushed its territory to the Ob River line and bordered the Kokand Kingdom in the south. With the support of the Northern Navy, the Russians failed to achieve success in several attacks. In the end, they had to seek a negotiated solution and recuperate their energy.
sharp.
However, when people from the Tsarist Russian mission saw Krutogorov, who claimed to be the son of "Peter III", appearing at the negotiation site in Red Rock City, they protested angrily on the spot, claiming that the negotiations could not proceed unless this man left.
Now the three-party negotiations have been going on intermittently for two months, but there is still no result.
When Zhao Xin was looking at the map, the voices of other people around him were much lowered, for fear of disturbing him. Many of the previous battle plans of the North Navy were formed during the process of looking at the map in such contemplation and silence. People from the staff department
Everyone knows that once Prince Zhao figures out someone, that person will probably be in bad luck.
However, Xu Funan, as the confidential secretary, was obviously an exception. At this time, he strode to two meters behind Zhao Xin and coughed lightly. Seeing Zhao Xin frowning and turning to look at him, he walked closer and whispered
Said: "The island country has found out that Zhao Pingtai and Katsuyama Denzo have often met with people from the Tokugawa shogunate this year. From the beginning of last year to his return before the year before, they met with people from the shogunate for a total of twenty-three times.
At the time, the Iwasakikan in Gion Kobe, Kyoto was the place where they met most often, as well as Osaka and Nagasaki.”
"What specifically did they talk about?!" Although Zhao Xin had already had a premonition, he still didn't want to believe it.
Xu Funan sighed inaudibly, took out a stack of bound booklets from his briefcase and handed them over.
This is a complete report on Pingtai's activities in the island country last year. It records the time, location and number of participants of all meetings between him and the shogunate. The relevant conversation content is not very detailed. Some are densely written, while others are sparse.
Number words.
Zhao Xin read it very carefully. By the time he finished reading it all, more than half an hour had passed. Xu Funan noticed that although Zhao Xin's face was expressionless, the big hand holding the report had veins popping out, as if it was in his hand.
That thing weighs as much as a thousand pounds. Anyone who is betrayed by one of his subordinates will not feel comfortable, let alone a close confidant.
"When will we do it?" Zhao Xin let out a long sigh and closed the report, but did not hand it back to Xu Funan, but held it tightly in his hand.
"Our people are all in place, just waiting for your order."
Zhao Xin walked to the map with his hands behind his back and looked at the direction of the island country above without saying a word. Behind him, Xu Funan felt that the atmosphere in the general staff was tense and oppressive.