When a governor first arrives in his jurisdiction, he has to take care of many tasks.
In addition to meeting the main officials of the prefectures and counties under his rule, he naturally also had to show his face in front of the people.
Shao Xi looked solemn.
Yang Shen was visiting the gentry in Guangdong. What was the meaning of Yan Song, the governor, who personally went to the fields to care about the people's harvest?
When serving as an official in the Ming Dynasty, unless they were promoted to court for trial or some other temporary circumstances, those above the seventh rank rarely took the initiative to deal with the poor people directly.
Yan Song's appearance now reminds people of Yang Shen squatting in the fields in the "Lingnan Travel Collection" published by the three great talents in Wuzhong.
The news coming back from Jiangxi is that Yan Song had a happy chat with officials and gentry from all over the country, right?
Yan Song is the governor. As long as he doesn't do anything out of line in Zhejiang, no one can stop him. What's more, he just took people to the outskirts of the county "on a temporary basis" and summoned the first old farmer working in the fields he met.
ask.
This scene of big and small officials and their entourage surrounding a trembling and cowering old farmer is too Guangdong.
Yan Song looked at the farmland in front of him that was about to start harvesting and nodded with a smile: "Brother, don't panic, you didn't say anything wrong, and you didn't say anything nonsense. I will come back to Jiangshan County next year and ask you how your life is going.
So, is there anyone oppressing you?"
After finishing speaking, he glanced at the officials from Quzhou Prefecture and Jiangshan County.
Back in the county town, the governor will rest in Jiangshan County today.
Yan Song made a gesture, but did not continue to show off his high airs during the dinner.
He calmly accepted the arrangements made by Quzhou Prefecture and Jiangshan County.
During the dinner, Shao Xi asked him to first declare his holy will and instruct local officials in Zhejiang. Yan Song sat and pondered for a moment before speaking: "Zhejiang, a place with seven mountains, two rivers and one farmland, is smaller than Guangdong. It should pay taxes every year."
But it is more than three times greater. The difficulty in this cannot be said to be that Zhejiang is not doing its best."
Coming down from Shao Xi, everyone couldn't help but feel relieved after hearing this, but they didn't dare to relax completely.
Because Yan Song hadn’t finished speaking: “In addition to the military salaries and officials’ salaries in Zhejiang, the grain reserves in Zhejiang also provide rations for orphans and teachers and students. The income from miscellaneous affairs includes sacrifices, imperial examinations, transportation, writing and handicraft food.
Support, rescue... In this village, drinking ceremonies and celebrating welcome and farewell events cannot, as a rule, be paid by the reserved grain, but can only be paid by the reserved money. Nowadays, for miscellaneous affairs, there are money, banknotes, and silver, and the total is not large.
, Is it the wealthy gentry and wealthy households in Jiangshan County who are spending money again today?"
"... Futai came to Zhejiang from Jiangshan County. He understood the situation and cared about the countryside. The whole Jiangshan County was sincerely happy. A little wine is not enough to say that it was a waste."
Yan Song smiled slightly: "If the law on the treatment of officials can be implemented in all provinces, there will be no need for the wealthy gentry to spend money on the many expenditures between the government offices. As the saying goes, you can only eat what others say. The local difficulties.
, I know it from the facts. Come on, this first glass of wine, I would like to present it to you, my hosts."
"Don't dare! Don't dare! Futai said something harsh!"
Representatives of Jiangshan County's gentry and wealthy households who were "lucky" to be seated and had spent money and money quickly stood up.
Officials at all levels in Zhejiang couldn't help but think to themselves: The governor knows the place very well.
So is it just him who understands, or does His Majesty and Mr. Yang Ge also understand?
Yan Song made it clear in just a few words the difficulties in local operations, and it was also another reason why the officials and gentry were not called upon to pay taxes or forced to do corvee work: local gentry and wealthy households often came to help bear local financial expenditures.
To put it bluntly, the taxes that can be collected by local governments are two types of currencies: physical goods and copper coins and treasure notes. To be honest, the circulation of silver is now prohibited in the Ming Dynasty.
In terms of the system, apart from the part that is handed over to the court, the rest of the grain collected is useful; the government's expenses can only be calculated from the saved copper coins and treasure banknotes. Under the Zese system, part of the physical goods
There are people who can fold copper coins and silver coins, but no one dares to say in official business that they will not fold or accept precious coins.
But the precious banknotes are so worthless now? Over the years, if local governments have not set up many projects to increase miscellaneous services, the real purchasing power of the miscellaneous taxes collected has actually been declining.
As the days of peace get longer and longer, there will be more and more receptions and receptions, and the trend of comfort and luxury will naturally become more and more popular. As long as there are such banquets and receptions, the ones who pay for them are the local gentry and wealthy people.
household.
Yan Song only talked about taking advantage of other people's short mouths, but he didn't say that he was soft on other people's hands.
Over time, the current situation naturally formed: although the wealthy gentry did not bear all the taxes, their actual expenditures were also quite large.
It's just that if you calculate this, it's nothing more than that they finally obtained more fields, industries, and manpower, and their income exceeded their output.
The price was eventually transferred to the poor people and the government's finances.
Now Yan Song was toasting to the wealthy gentry, and everyone was in a state of confusion when they heard that the topic turned to taxes and expenditures.
"Your Majesty is actually broad-minded." Yan Song talked about something else, "Zhu Yunming wrote "Wild Notes" after drinking in the past, which was used by the rebels many years later. Although the Jiangnan scholars discussed Taizong's old affairs the year before last, Your Majesty only ordered
Zhu Yunming admitted that his fallacies had spread to the world, but he was still a Jinshi. In the preface of "Lingnan Travel Collection", Zhu Yunming confessed his thoughts and admired him deeply. When he went south to Jiangxi, he even heard some scholars ridiculing the three talented people in Wuzhong for being late.
, the song is charming."
"...This generation's ignorant fallacies only make people laugh." Shao Xi didn't understand why he talked about this again, so he echoed it, as if to express his stance.
Yan Song just smiled and cupped his hands to the north: "When I was the governor of Renri and talked about daily life and officialdom, His Majesty often said that thousands of years later, right and wrong will be decided by oneself. However, whether it is me, the other advisers, or Uncle Taihe, in fact,
We all know it. Your Majesty holds in your heart the great Ming Dynasty, the country, and the trillions of people in the two capitals and thirteen provinces. This is real. Although Your Majesty disdains to argue with some ignorant scholars, he really forgets the teachings of saints for the Confucian disciples.
Very disappointed.”
He paused for a moment before sighing: "It is because your Majesty was so angry that you killed Zheng Cunzhong, the son of Guangdong Province, so I asked your Majesty to welcome Duke Zhongwu to the Imperial Ancestral Temple."
All the officials and gentry in the room suddenly became solemn and stood up together to bow to him and salute him: "Futai's act of asking for orders for Confucianism will equal the merits of the sages and his virtues will last forever!"
Yan Song raised a hand and asked them to sit down, shook his head and said helplessly: "Your Majesty is a young hero, but the Ming Dynasty is already plagued by ills. Mr. Yang Ge advocated reform, and your Majesty really hopes that the Ming Dynasty will take on a new look, the people will live and work in peace and contentment, and the soldiers will be able to fight well.
.This time the Japanese pirates, with only a hundred or so people, are in Zhejiang as if they were in an uninhabited land. How can Your Majesty not be angry? Mr. Yang Ge Lao denounced the corruption in Zhejiang, which is probably not inferior to that in Guangdong. I am here this time, and I only hope that you will work together.
It relieves the king's worries and brings peace to the people's livelihood."
The officials immediately expressed their opinions one after another, while pondering his behavior and words today.
Then Yan Song had a new behavior. After toasting the officials with a second glass of wine, he led everyone to toast the poor people of Zhejiang with a glass of wine, and then left to rest in the post house.
At this carefully prepared banquet, he only drank three glasses of wine, thus ending his first appearance in Zhejiang.
How can other people eat it?
Yan Song left them to figure it out on their own, and called Xu Jie over when they returned to the post house.
"You are newly married. You can't go back to Beijing to enter the Hanlin Academy, but I summoned you to Zhejiang to have an experience. Do you feel unhappy?"
Although Xu Jie was placed in the first class by Yan Song this time, he was later changed to the second class by his Majesty for some unknown reason, which was the same as Yan Song's ranking back then. In the previous subject, your majesty did not change the ranking at all, and this time too
It only changed Xu Jie's ranking.
Yan Song felt that the emperor was indicating that he knew about the relationship between Xu Jie and him, and deliberately pointed him out, although Yan Song still didn't understand what the emperor wanted to point out.
For Xu Jie, it is quite good to be admitted to the second-level and second-level high schools. Originally, he could go directly to the Hanlin Academy to become a scholar, but now Xu Jie just said gratefully: "How can students not be happy? Government officials.
The experience of being an envoy is from the sixth grade, which can be regarded as the number one scholar. The student is afraid that he will not be able to do a good job and make the experienced officer unworthy."
"One is Qingliu and the other has entered the local area. I can't say which one is better." Yan Song said with a smile, "Under you, there is only one person in the Experience Department. You are in charge of sending and receiving official documents and approving them."
What is there to worry about when writing documents for officials dispatched to the capital such as the Inspector of Patrol and the Censor of Salt Patrol?"
Xu Jie replied humbly: "To be supported by my mentor, the student only hopes to live up to his mentor's expectations and learn more."
"The first thing you have to learn is that you shouldn't come today." Yan Song put away his smile, "Now that you have served as the governor of the feudal lord's office, there are many official documents exchanged in Zhejiang, and you and Shao Youshi will go together as soon as you take office.
Come to greet me?"
Xu Jie was stunned and said hesitantly: "But the vassal is destined..."
Yan Song sighed: "Although you were recommended by me, you didn't know how to evade suspicion. Firstly, you were taken advantage of. Secondly, you delayed your official duties and gained yourself a reputation for being ingratiating with your teacher. Thirdly, it prevented me from investigating Zhejiang as soon as possible.
Various matters will leave a reason for impeachment in the future."
Xu Jie, who was new to officialdom, suddenly panicked.
"I'm just talking to you, so it's not a big deal." Yan Song smiled again, "Can you understand these three points?"
If Zhu Houcong knew that Yan Song was teaching Xu Jie here, he would probably feel very strange.
But for Yan Song, apart from Xia Yan, Nie Bao, Xu Jie and others, his accumulation is not deep after all. But he is quite optimistic about Xu Jie's potential, so he wants to give him more support.
Now Xu Jie thought about it carefully and then said: "In addition to being used to pay off the students and let Zhejiang people deal with some old things before the teacher arrives, they also want to use the students to test the teacher's attitude after he takes office?"
Yan Song nodded: "I didn't have anything to say to you during the day. Now that I've summoned you, you might as well tell them clearly that I just don't worry about what bad things have happened in Zhejiang for so many years. You Xu Jie, I am Yan."
A nail placed in the feudal government office!"
What he said was quite domineering, and Xu Jie couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.
"Do you understand why my master only calls you again at night?"
Xu Jie did not shake his head immediately, but began to think carefully again.
Yan Song waited patiently for him to think, and after a while Xu Jie answered: "Not revealing this in front of the gentry during the day is to make the gentry think that the mentor has no intention of cleaning up Zhejiang and promoting new officials. When summoned at night, he just told the Zhejiang Third Division,
There are some things that you don’t need to avoid, why not discuss them with your mentor in private?"
"Excellent understanding." Yan Song nodded approvingly, "Don't think that the local area is not as noble and noble as the Hanlin Academy. In the future, if you don't have the experience of governing a local area, I'm afraid there will be no chance to participate in national policies."
Xu Jie was shocked: "Students please be taught."
This was Yan Song's own judgment. In addition to the participation of the chief of the royal study room and accompanying the readings, the emperor's real team from the bottom should be sent to local areas to handle events, rather than always wandering around the capital.
The common people in the Hanlin Academy and even the Hanlin bachelors, apart from studying history and waiting for imperial edicts as usual in the past, are not much more noble now - His Majesty even selected three people to learn arithmetic from Wang Wensu.
Outside the imperial study, no one knew that the emperor himself was the most open-minded and the real source of the new law.
He is just too young to be able to dominate the world with his own reputation. Once the official system in Guangdong is changed, it will be obvious that those who are capable will be promoted and those who are unable will be demoted. In the future, literary fame, reputation, and reputation may still be useful, but under His Majesty's
Talent definitely comes first when it comes to those ambitious goals.
Your Majesty has always protected Wang Qiong and the others, probably because they can do things well.
Being able to do things is the key. And if he wants to do many major things arranged by His Majesty in the future, Yan Song cannot rely on himself.
So he continued to ask Xu Jie: "What insights have you gained from my teacher's actions and words today?"
At this moment, Shao Xi was also thinking about it. The paper was spread out in front of him, and the pen had been dipped in ink, but he frowned and put it down.
I went to inquire about the farming affairs and reminded the people in Quzhou Prefecture not to cause trouble for the old farmer. He said that he would come again next year, which meant that he would stay in Zhejiang for a long time and not just compete for tribute and plunder for the Japanese mission.
First respect the gentry, then the local officials of Zhejiang, and finally the common people, and then take advantage of the fatigue of the journey to rest. The profound meaning of the words spoken during the dinner may not be as simple as previously thought.
Now he even separately summoned Xu Jie, a new scholar who he recommended to Zhejiang.
The gentry are very important, so they are ranked first? No, he pointed out that the rich gentry paid for transportation to and from places. It was difficult to understand them. In fact, he still told them: the rich gentry paid more, so they naturally wanted more. Zhejiang
With seven mountains, two rivers and one farmland, the people can naturally get less and less.
What about the officials caught in the middle? He talked about His Majesty's great ambition, the three great talents in Wuzhong, His Majesty's disappointment in the Confucian sect, he asked Yu Qian to enjoy the Ancestral Temple, and he also mentioned the treatment of officials... Shao Xi was really confused.
Does Your Majesty have the intention to ignore past mistakes and consider the difficulties? He only mentioned Yang Tinghe once and scolded Zhejiang. The new law only mentioned the treatment of officials. What is the status of Yang Tinghe, his disciple who always calls His Majesty?
The foothold is the people. The implication is that there are only two things that His Majesty really cares about: whether the people can live and work in peace and contentment, and whether the Ming Dynasty soldiers can conquer and fight. Naturally, it also includes whether the Ming Dynasty is rich and whether it can spend money and food.
Ensure that the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty can conquer and fight.
The young hero must seek change...
Judging from Yan Song's situation in Jiangxi, I'm afraid he is not a complete New Party member. Did Yang Tinghe take advantage of His Majesty's desire to enrich the country and strengthen the army?
Shao Xi pondered: If the New Party occupies the national policy meeting, and if the New Party does not go, it would be difficult for someone like Yan Song, who was personally promoted by His Majesty, to enter the cabinet - today's cabinet is no different than before. Although there are more people participating in the discussion of state affairs,
But in actual power, it has obtained the right to review many internal affairs of the Six Ministries.
He finally picked up the pen again and began to write a letter coherently.
Yan Song arrived in Zhejiang in the golden autumn, and he was really ready to pay attention to the autumn grain.
Of course, when he was in Ningbo and Shaoxing, he also inquired about the whole story of the Japanese tribute envoys competing for tribute and looting, as well as the treatment of the victims of disasters in the two places.
No one knows whether he has submitted a memorial to Beijing explaining the situation.
With this string stretched, Zhejiang did not dare to have another problem with the autumn grain issue.
At the end of October, a very special group of people were escorted into Beijing.
The envoy of King Li Yi of Korea, who had been canonized by Zhu Houzhao, sent a group of members of the envoy under Zongshe Qiandao. They broke away from the team after encountering a storm at sea, drifted to the surface of Korea in confusion, and were caught.
Living.
Several months had passed since the incident, and there had been no news exchanges between the Ming Dynasty and North Korea. Li Yi quickly sent them to the capital to express his goodwill to the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
"Does this case need to be tried properly?" Zhu Houcong said calmly in the imperial study, "Robbing places, these people can just be taken to Zhejiang and beheaded in public."
"Then Song Suqing was also taken away?" Li Chongsi asked, "After all, he came here with a congratulatory form from the King of Japan. Besides, with Ryan and others being escorted to Beijing, the whole Zhejiang province might be worried that he would reveal something else.
Come on, let's put this case on hold for now."
"The Shipping Department has been abolished, so what are you doing?" Zhu Houcong glanced at him, "There is no need to say more about the King of Japan here. The Ashikaga Shogunate can no longer restrain the daimyo from various places. Let's wait until they can compete.
To make Yan Song do a better job in Zhejiang, punishing Lai En and the others instead of decapitating them is already a disservice to the people who died in Zhejiang. Using the heads of these Japanese pirates and Song Suqing and others who had no homeland to comfort them can also make Yan Song better in Zhejiang.
It has more prestige in the hearts of Zhejiang people."
Song Suqing originally thought that he would still be eloquent when he arrived in the capital, but Zhu Houcong directly handed him over to Luo An.
After a round of torture, Song Suqing's purpose in causing trouble became clear to Zhu Houcong: what Ogata Muyi said was nonsense, and Tao Yiqing was a native Japanese. He just wanted to use this incident to make the Ming Dynasty nervous and hand over the new dynasty to the Hosokawa family.
The Ouchi clan lost its benefits from the tribute trade with the Ming Dynasty. From now on, it would have to face the siege of the Hosokawa clan, the Mori clan and others.
Relying on the convenience of easier control of the Ashikaga Shogunate, the Hosokawa family had great ambitions to unify Kansai first and then overthrow the Ashikaga Shogunate. In addition, Iwamiyama was really involved, because Ming people like Song Suqing were active in Japan, and they
Plans have been made to use the ash blowing method to increase the silver production of Iwamiyama, which has become another focus of the dispute. Iwamiyama is located in the territory of the Maori family, and the Hosokawa family sits on the mountain to watch the tigers fight.
Zhu Houcong only hoped that they would wear each other out more now. As for the more wars they fought, the Japanese soldiers would be more courageous in the future. Wouldn't the Ming Dynasty's weapon technology improve?
There are many benefits to cutting off tribute.
Now, Zhu Houcong, who had finished the national policy meeting, called Xie Changjie over.
"Have you understood what I told you before?"
Xie Changjie stood there: "Although I haven't understood everything yet, I would like to listen to your Majesty's instructions."
"It's normal that you were so dizzy back then that you couldn't understand everything." Zhu Houcong looked at him, "I wasn't the master of the shipping department, but the punishment I received was more severe. I won't care about the past anymore. From now on.
When you go to Zhejiang and help Yan Song, you will also let the Zhejiang officialdom see that you are watching him. If you are not sure about this, just ask Yan Song."
Xie Changjie had no intention of caring about the fact that he had become a seventh-grade censor, and he was getting worse and worse among his old ministers.
He asked carefully: "Your Majesty, are you really looking at Yan Song? I... don't understand."
After all, it sounds like he is just performing in conjunction with Yan Song.
Zhu Houcong smiled: "What you really want to pay attention to about him is whether he is really greedy because of his acting."
"...I understand." Xie Changjie knew that the previous task of promoting the market maker was given to Yan Song.
But isn't His Majesty worried about Yan Song's integrity? He is now following the example of his great-grandfather Yan Qingcai.
I've been really busy with work lately, so I've been missing a lot in the past two days, and I'll make up for it at the end of the month.