Chapter 1247: Carrying on the Past and Opening up the Future (One Hundred and Thirty-Seven) There Are Policies From Above and Countermeasures From Below

In the Ziyang County House, in the lobby of the Houya, the county magistrate Guo Qingzheng held a banquet to entertain Lu Dafang, the imperial ambassador sent by the imperial court to supervise local reforms. Naturally, there were only a few people sitting with him, but all of them were prominent figures in Ziyang County.

Speaking of which, Lu Dafang is very closely related to Ziyangyang. He is from this county, and he is also the only official in Ziyang County who is currently serving as an official in the imperial court. It is also very ironic to say that Lu Dafang is Li After Confucianism reformed the official system of the Qin State, the first batch of officials who passed the examination can be regarded as the earliest supporters of the Li Confucian school. However, when the Li Confucian school lost power and fell, he was also the first to switch sides.

Although Fan Sui, who was re-appointed as the chief minister, was not ashamed of this person's integrity, he had to hold his nose and reuse this person. He could be regarded as a rich man's horse bone. He divided, attracted, and disintegrated the original Li Confucian school and gathered these people. When you come under your own banner, it doesn't matter whether the person is virtuous or not, as long as he can be useful.

Lu Dafang changed to Shanmen. Not only was he not demoted, but he was promoted. This time he returned to Shu County as an imperial envoy to supervise the local reforms in Shu County. After getting promoted and making a fortune, he naturally wanted to return to his hometown in fine clothes and show off in front of his hometown people. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be like walking at night in brocade clothes? Lu Dafang only stayed in the county for a few days, and then decided to make his first stop in Ziyang County.

In fact, there is another famous figure in Ziyang County. If you really want to talk about it, this person can be regarded as the pride of Ziyang County. He is the former commander of Heibingtai who has returned to his hometown, the old man Zhongli Zhong, the Marquis of Guannai. But there is only one emperor and one courtier. Now that Mr. Zhong has returned home from his official career, he cannot leave the front door or take any steps forward. He concentrated on being his old man in the house. During the Chinese New Year last year, even the county magistrate came to visit him to pay New Year greetings, but he was rejected. However, all official figures, Mr. Zhong, was nowhere to be seen.

However, Mr. Zhong can handle this face and scene, but the rest of the Zhong family cannot, and it must be on this three-thirds of an acre of land. Now that the old man has retired from office, he no longer has the power he once had. If the Zhong family wants to live a prosperous life, it is natural to have a good relationship with the county magistrate. Therefore, at today's banquet, Zhong Kui, the head of the Zhong family, was invited by Magistrate Guo to welcome the Lu imperial envoy.

The scene in the back hall. Compared with the current extremely depressed situation of Ziyang County, it is naturally different. There are singing, dancing, delicious food, and everything you want. It is said that wine and meat in a wealthy family stink, and bones are frozen to death on the road. This is nothing more than this.

Guo Qing and Zhong Kui, the two leaders, frequently raised their glasses to toast Lu Dafang. This time, the top-down reforms were coming fiercely, and both of them felt uneasy in their hearts. Judging from some information and intelligence obtained in advance, it is extremely bad for a big business like them. They are not afraid of eliminating redundant officials, but an order to equalize land is enough to make them tremble. Whether it's the Guo family or the Zhong family, they are both big families in the local area, and no one of them doesn't have tens of thousands of acres of land under their name.

"Master Lu, what exactly is the charter of the imperial court this time? Speaking of which, we people are the backbone of the imperial court. But if Fan Shoufu does this, doesn't it mean that we have no way to survive?" Zhong Kui held the wine glass. Taking advantage of his drunkenness, he looked at Lu Dafang and asked.

Lu Dafang did not dare to neglect Mr. Zhong.

Even though Mr. Zhong has retreated, he is still powerful even if he dies. Although the old man can't get out of the door or take a step forward, if he really wants to compare it with reality, he's afraid that he hasn't seen enough.

"Mr. Zhong, what do you mean by this matter?" He asked Zhong Kui with a smile, "When we set off from Xianyang, Fan Shoufu repeatedly told us to discuss this matter with Mr. Zhong. I am just I’m going to choose a good day to visit Mr. Hou!”

"Master Lu is interested, but you better not bother with it. The old man didn't like to show up in public, and now he doesn't see outsiders. You won't be able to see him even if he goes there." Zhong Kui shook his head repeatedly.

Lu Dafang smiled and said, "The old Marquis is really honest and upright now. Are all the affairs of the Zhongzhu Association left to Dalang to take care of now?"

"Yes, the old man doesn't care about anything now." Zhong Kui nodded.

"Da Lang is in his prime, with both talents and virtues. It's no wonder that the old man has given up. This is to reassure Da Lang. It's a pity that Da Lang doesn't serve as an official, otherwise he will definitely be a slave to the imperial court!" Lu Dafang continued to compliment Zhong with a smile. Kui.

Zhong Kui couldn't be happy when he mentioned this. It wasn't that he didn't want to be an official, but that Zhongli didn't allow him to go out to serve as an official. At this point, he had a lot of resentment towards the old man in his heart. If the old man allowed him If he were to become an official, would he still need to be so respectful to Lu Dafang? There is still an old man in the Zhong family, so no one dares to offend him, but once the old man is gone and there is no one to support him, I am afraid that with the current family business of the Zhong family, it will immediately become a delicacy in the eyes of many people.

"This matter has not been discussed." Zhong Kui was a little downcast, "Master Lu, let's talk about this matter now! Master Lu is one of our own, and the Lu family is also a big family in Ziyang, so I don't have to go around here. Doesn’t the Tianjun Order make us all paupers? We support Fan Shoufu’s reform of internal affairs, but we don’t agree with this approach.”

"Is this what the old man meant?" Lu Dafang asked as he turned his wine glass and stared at Zhong Kui.

Zhong Kui hesitated for a moment, then shook his head, "No, the old man doesn't care anymore, that's what I mean."

The county magistrate Guo Qing continued: "Master Lu, if the land equalization order is followed, large households like us will definitely suffer huge losses. In Ziyang, the current market price of each mu of land is about twenty taels of silver, but the imperial court only agrees to purchase it. If you give out ten taels, you will lose half of it in vain, and then sell it to the common people at only eight taels of silver per acre. The government will provide 20% of the deficit, and the county will subsidize 30%. The remaining 50% must be raised by the local government. , Let’s not even mention that we have made a huge loss. Even this loss is something we will never be able to recover.”

Lu Dafang smiled and said nothing. The price of land in Ziyang would not exceed ten taels of silver if it skyrocketed. This had to be a fertile and fertile land. The magistrate Guo doubled the price in one breath, and he was not afraid of flashing his tongue. Of course he I won’t tell you that my family is also a wealthy Ziyang family.

"That's the reason. We have no control over the government's subsidizing of those poor people, but why should we pay? Isn't this going to bankrupt us?" Zhong Kui said dissatisfied.

"Although the official document from the imperial court mentioned ten taels of silver, there is another clause that can be increased or decreased according to the actual local situation!" Lu Dafang said with a smile: "But the price of twenty taels of silver mentioned by County Magistrate Guo That’s definitely not possible, fourteen or five taels is still acceptable.”

After hearing this, Guo Qing calculated in his mind that he had about 10,000 acres of land at home. Once the price difference of four to five taels came out, it would be 40,000 to 50,000 taels of silver, which he could give to the imperial minister, and then to his superiors. From the cost of traveling, it is a sure thing that I can earn another ten or twenty thousand taels.

"Master Lu, this field is our lifeblood. If nothing else, this time Ziyang rebelled. If our Lu and Zhong families hadn't organized local soldiers from our hometown to resist, Ziyang would have been beaten down by those mud legs. But if we do this, the Mudlegs will have their own land. If anything happens, will we still be able to recruit people? Can we still support the villagers?" Zhong Kui didn't put the money away. In his eyes, he was thinking further, "Besides, if the fields are in our hands, it will be a matter of eternity. Now that the fields are taken back by the court, the money will be wasted. No matter how you calculate it, it is a big loss." . Mr. Lu, haven’t you considered this?”

Lu Dafang coughed a few times. He had already figured out the basics of these two people. Originally, he was most worried about the old man living at home being a ghost, so he would be in trouble. Now it seems that the old man has nothing to do. , this Zhong Dalang, his thoughts are similar to his own.

"This matter is not difficult to say." He glanced at the musicians who were still dancing in the hall. Guo Qing immediately understood and waved his hand to make these people retreat. It suddenly became quiet.

"Master Guo, Mr. Zhong, we are all old people from our hometown, so I won't beat around the bush. This time Fan Shoufu's reforms are also a good opportunity for us to make a fortune!" He chuckled, " Haven’t you two seen through the mystery here?”

Guo and Zhong looked at each other and said, "Please give me some advice."

"County Magistrate Guo, you report a certain number of acres of land to the county every year, right? I don't need to ask, I know there is a lot of water here, I'm afraid there is too much land that has not been reported, right?" Lu Dafang smiled.

Guo Qing laughed a few times but said nothing.

"The imperial court's focus is on these reported acres, but where these lands are located and whether they are good or poor land, isn't it up to you, County Magistrate Guo, to decide?" Lu Dafang said.

Guo Qing's eyes lit up, and Lu Dafang's meaning became very obvious. Poor and abandoned fields could be turned into fertile fields. The price of these fields was only one or two taels of silver per acre at best, but the minimum price for selling them in this way was ten taels. At the price of silver, you can make a lot of money.

"As for the land equalization order!" Lu Dafang lowered his voice, "Your family owns a large amount of land, but from now on, the court will no longer allow large-scale land annexation, but this is not something that cannot be done. Each of your families has There are a large number of tenants, so it’s okay to put these lands in their names!”

"This is a wonderful move! Anyway, it's just to deal with the boss. Since Mr. Lu has set the plate, what do we have to worry about?" Zhong Kui was also overjoyed.

"I heard that thousands of people died in Ziyang County last year because of rebellion. Many fertile fields were left uncultivated and are still ownerless?" Lu Dafang asked.

"This..." Guo Qing glanced at Lu Dafang with some embarrassment. It is true that thousands of people died, but those fertile fields now have owners, of course in the hands of some people.

"Those who have died should not cancel their household registration and put some fields in their names. You two, then your family's field property will not decrease, but increase." Lu Dafang said with a smile. (To be continued)