White-robed Minister

Chapter 110 0108 [What a Huge Mess!]

Xihuamen Street, outside the right wing of the shop and residence.

Xu Lai jumped off the donkey cart, cupped his hands and said, "Brothers, please wait a moment, I'll go in first."

Yang Shu and Yu Shanyuan sat in the car and watched Xu Lai walk into the low-rent housing management office.

"Can it really work?" Yang Shu asked.

Yu Shanyuan had seen too many messes of things. He shook his head with a wry smile: "The Xie Enyin (a type of government grant) might really be canceled, but the public housing issue will most likely just fizzle out."

Reforming Tokyo's low-rent housing system is a hundred times more difficult than abolishing the gratitude allowance!

Xu Lai entered the right wing of the inn's residence office, and was quickly stopped by a clerk who asked, "Are you here to rent a room?"

"I'm looking for your Supervisor Chen," Xu said.

When the officials saw that he was dressed in a long robe and wearing a turban, and that he was young but had a great presence, they did not dare to ask him any questions. Instead, they took the initiative to give Xu directions.

In Tokyo, the store management is divided into two parts: the left and right wings.

Taking one of the sections as an example, the composition of the officials is as follows:

The two supervisors, one a civil official and the other a military officer, were similar to a general manager.

There are two people, one with administrative skills and the other with military skills, similar to a deputy general manager.

There is one "undercover officer," similar to an executive manager.

There were two officials in charge of espionage, similar to the heads of special affairs departments.

Xu Lai came to visit Chen Shouyue, the administrative general manager of the right wing, today.

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Upon seeing Ouyang Xiu's note, Chen Shouyue's attitude immediately became extremely enthusiastic: "To think that the top scholar himself has come! Please come in and have a seat!"

"I apologize for bothering Supervisor Chen," Xu Lai said, bowing.

Chen Shouyue instructed his servants to brew tea and then took Xu Lai to his office for a chat: "What important matter brings you here today, Scholar Xu?"

'

Xu Lai said, "Just browsing and chatting."

Chen Shouyue smiled and said, "Speak your mind if you have something to say. Is it about renting a public housing unit long-term? I'll try my best to find a good one for the top scholar."

"Supervisor Chen is a senior, you can just call me by my courtesy name," Xu said.

Chen Shouyue was a government official in the capital!

Not only were they officials from the capital, but they were also officials with local experience. This was because the imperial court had strict regulations that the general manager of the Tokyo low-rent housing system had to have served as a county magistrate before being eligible to take the position.

For example, the famous minister Su Shunqin once held this position.

Back then, Su Shunqin had a coveted job; many people vied to be the supervisor of the store's affairs. Now, it's just a job to coast along; everyone despises being this lousy general manager.

Chen Shouyue carefully observed Xu Lai's expression and said with a smile, "Then I'll take the liberty of calling out 'Xingzhi.' Xingzhi doesn't seem to be here to rent a room?"

"No," Xu Lai asked, "how many years is the term of office for the position of Supervisor of Shop and Residence Affairs?"

Chen Shouyue said, "It shouldn't exceed two years. It used to be a lucrative position, but if you stay too long—hehe."

Judging from the general manager and deputy general manager positions, one civilian and one military, it's clear that these were initially lucrative posts. The system of checks and balances between civilian and military officials was fully utilized.

"Is it difficult now?" Xu Lai sensed the unspoken meaning.

Chen Shouyue smiled but remained silent.

Xu Lai said, "I have not yet been appointed to an official position, so please feel free to speak, Supervisor Chen."

Chen Shouyue thought about the note from Ouyang Xiu, and considering Xu Laixin's status as the top scholar in the imperial examination, he finally agreed to tell the truth:

"The affairs of the government offices used to be too lucrative, and officials loved to keep a close eye on them. Although that's no longer the case, officials still keep an eye on them. There are more and more rules, and all the loopholes have been plugged."

The rules are so strict that officials can't find loopholes; they can't get any extra money and are easily impeached by censors.

It was indeed very difficult.

"May I look through the documents and accounts of the shop's operations? I don't need to see the details," Xu said.

Chen Shouyue laughed and said, "The thing that shopkeepers fear least is having their accounts scrutinized. You can take a closer look if you like, please come with me."

Forty years ago, there was an official named Zhu Changfu who created a management system for shop and residence affairs. The accounts were so meticulous and strict that all loopholes were plugged.

In addition, the imperial court regularly sent people to audit the accounts, so the Department of Shops and Residences was probably the most "clean" government office in the country.

Xu Lai didn't bother with the detailed accounts; he simply flipped through the rough records from previous years: "Fifty years ago, there were over 12,000 public housing units in the right wing, with annual rent approaching 70,000 strings of cash. Why is it that ten years later, with over 1,000 more public housing units added, the rent has actually decreased?"

Chen Shouyue said, "Because Emperor Renzong ascended the throne. The late emperor was benevolent and loved the people, often reducing or waiving rent, and the people all benefited from his kindness."

"Why have more than 3,000 public housing units in the right wing decreased from thirty years ago to now?" Xu Lai asked again.

Chen Shouyue said, "The place has been in disrepair for years and is no longer habitable. The rent is too low, and we still have to pay taxes to the three departments. We don't have the money to repair the shop."

The rent from these low-rent housing units is turned over to the national treasury, with only 5% reserved for repairs and maintenance.

Moreover, the shopkeepers' office supported a large number of salespeople, and they had to pay these staff members' salaries themselves. After paying the salespeople's salaries, how much was left?

Xu Lai carefully examined the various rules and regulations: "Ordinary people can repair their own public housing, so why are they no longer allowed to do so?"

Chen Shouyue said, "Some people repaired their houses and ended up causing them to collapse. Others took advantage of the repair work to illegally expand their buildings and encroach on the street. This caused too much trouble, so we simply banned it. Actually, we wouldn't interfere with minor repairs."

"What are the 'formal households' mentioned in this rule? How are they allowed to build privately?" Xu Lai noticed a supplementary rule.

However, some people were building houses on the foundations of the collapsed low-rent housing, either renting them out or living in them themselves. This obviously illegal behavior was not stopped by the imperial court; instead, they decided to charge these people "high" rent.

Chen Shouyue smiled and asked, "Who do you think are the people who can be called 'successful people' in the capital?"

Xu Lai cursed inwardly: Damn it!

Who else could it be?

Of course, it refers to meritorious officials and senior ministers.

For example, some of Xu Anshi's uncles colluded with scoundrels in Tokyo to occupy land designated for low-rent housing and build houses for rent. Some officials impeached them, but Song Xiang was shameless and had already been dismissed from office, so the matter was dropped.

And those descendants of the founding nobles, their sons and grandsons all intermarry with the royal family. Who dares to stop them from encroaching on the land?

So Chen Shouyue was truly bitter. He couldn't stop the powerful and wealthy from encroaching on his property, yet he was impeached by the censors for dereliction of duty. He was impeached countless times a year, his future was already ruined, and he was as indifferent as a dead pig that had nothing to lose.

This lousy general manager job, let whoever wants it take it!

Xu Lai then asked, "With public housing rents so cheap, are people subletting without permission?"

Chen Shouyue said, "According to the law, one hundred strokes of the cane is enough, but it won't stop them. Many people have lived there for generations. It's called public housing, but it's actually inherited by sons after fathers die, and they've long regarded it as their private residence. The law doesn't punish the masses, and if this gets out of hand, I'll definitely lose my job."

The powerful and wealthy have no power to control the situation, and the common people dare not challenge it. This low-rent housing is a complete mess!

"Supervisor Chen, could you arrange for someone to take me around to see the public housing?" Xu Lai asked.

Chen Shouyue immediately summoned a personal attendant.

The "Rental Officer" is not an official, but a low-rent housing salesperson, responsible for finding tenants, collecting rent, and posting rental notices.

The official in charge of the marriage was named Han Tao. Upon hearing that Xu Lai was the newly appointed top scholar in the imperial examination, his attitude suddenly became extremely enthusiastic. He followed Xu Lai back to the donkey cart and then bowed with his hands clasped in greeting to Yang Shu and Yu Shanyuan.

Xu Lai asked, "How are you doing? Speak freely, I haven't been officially appointed yet."

"Be dutiful and responsible, loyal to the emperor and benefit the people," Han Tao said solemnly.

Xu Lai took out a string of copper coins and threw them into Han Tao's arms: "Tell the truth."

Han Tao smiled bitterly, "Just getting by. It's getting harder and harder to collect rent from the old houses; people often don't pay for six months straight. Rent from the new houses is easier to collect, but there aren't many of them. If we can't collect the rent, we have to accept the penalty. At our peak, we had thirty or forty officials in the right wing alone. Now, many have quit, and only a dozen or so of us are left."

97

"Will there be someone specifically assigned to guard the vacant public housing?" Xu Lai asked again.

Han Tao said, "The guards of the empty rooms are the local militia. In the past, they were willing to do it because they could receive rewards. Now that the rewards can't be paid, the local militia are no longer useful."

Han Tao directed the donkey cart forward, introducing affordable housing whenever they came across it.

"A large family moved into that house in the early years of Emperor Zhenzong's reign. That family has already bought land in the suburbs to build houses and sublet the public housing to others at high prices."

"Can't we do anything about it?"

"I did manage it. One of their old ladies went to the Kaifeng government office and hanged herself. Her descendants wore mourning clothes and wailed at the Kaifeng government office."

"He committed suicide by hanging himself in an attempt to profit from the difference in rent he was subletting?"

"They're capable of anything! That house over there was built a few years ago; the land used to be public housing land. It was built by the Xiang family."

"Which Xiang family?"

"Which other Xiang family could it be?"

"Understood."

"That place up ahead is a headache too. They treat public housing like private property, and they're always late on rent payments. If you press them too hard, they start yelling and cursing. If you bring a few people to collect the rent, they play the victim, deliberately wearing tattered clothes and wailing like crazy. The old, the weak, women, and children all cry together. That's the kind of people you see the most!"

"Are there people who genuinely can't afford the rent?"

"Very few. The truly poor have always received preferential treatment. Just think about it, Scholar. The current rent for public housing is based on the housing prices at the beginning of the Song Dynasty. The rent is so low that if people couldn't afford that, they would have starved to death long ago."

"If the rent were to be increased, how much do you think would be appropriate?"

"It should at least double! Even if it doubles, it will still be lower than the normal market price."

'

Xu Lai did not believe Han Tao's one-sided story.

The next day, he, Yang Shu, and Yu Shanyuan split up. They disguised themselves as scholars who had just arrived in Tokyo and went to contact the tenants of low-rent housing, using the pretext of subletting public housing to extract information.

They carefully inquired about twenty low-rent housing units of various grades.

Back home in the evening, I compiled the intelligence.

Yu Shanyuan said, "That's pretty much what that official named Han Tao said. I'm envious; some public housing in Dongjing City has rents that are as cheap as those in Qingyuan County!"

"There are also extremely poor families," Yang Shu said. "There was a family of nine who originally rented three public housing units. But one person was disabled, one was seriously ill, two elderly people were blind and deaf, and there was an infant still in their arms. To make ends meet, all nine of them squeezed into one room and sublet the other two public housing units. According to the law, this kind of behavior warrants one hundred strokes of the cane, but who dares to actually administer the caning?"

Under the emperor's nose, in the most virtuous place, officials really dare not act recklessly.

In particular, the general managers of low-rent housing are all officials without any background, and they could lose their official positions if they are not careful.

In two days, the names will be announced.

Xu Lai lit an oil lamp and wrote articles through the night. His main purpose was to abolish the "thank-you silver" (a form of imperial favor), and incidentally, to gain fame for his fellow graduates and to benefit future graduates.

Whether the low-rent housing system can be completely reformed depends on the courage of Han Qi, Ouyang Xiu, and others.

If the veteran officials of the Qingli era lack the courage, then we can only wait until Xu Lai becomes prime minister in the future.

Historically, even Wang Anshi couldn't resolve this matter. He had just begun a comprehensive investigation into the situation of low-rent housing in Tokyo when he was dismissed from his post as prime minister due to other issues.

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