Poverty Alleviation in Qin: A Sky-High Review of "I Am the Female Prime Minister of All Time&qu

Not long after the celebration banquet ended, the various troubles that Song had worried about before indeed began to emerge one after another.

Many grain merchants in the city, seeing that farmers had a bumper harvest and plenty of grain, secretly colluded to lower the purchase price, planning to hoard grain at low prices and then resell it at higher prices for profit.

Many ruffians and idlers also mingled in the streets and alleys, spreading rumors everywhere, falsely claiming that the county government would increase taxes next year, and inciting the people to resist paying public grain.

Furthermore, a few remnants of the old aristocracy took advantage of the matter of standardizing weights and measures to stir up trouble and mislead people everywhere, saying that the court's change of measuring measures was simply a way to collect more rent and grain.

Chaos broke out everywhere, and the Song Dynasty showed no leniency whatsoever.

In response to grain merchants who maliciously lowered prices, Xiao He led his men to check the account books one by one and collect evidence. After verification, they were fined double the amount according to regulations, and all the grain shops involved were ordered to suspend business for three days for rectification.

As for those scoundrels who spread rumors and caused trouble, Liu Ji personally led men to arrest them and bring them back to the county court.

Song also interrogated the person in court, and in just a few words, he found out who had instigated the trouble. After punishing him with a cane according to the law, he put on shackles and displayed him in public in the market as a warning to others.

As for those remnants of the old aristocracy who were secretly stirring things up, Song didn't even show his face, and directly assigned Cao Can to deal with them.

In just one day, these men were terrified and left Pei County in a hurry.

In less than ten days, all the incidents were quelled and handled swiftly and decisively, leaving no hidden dangers.

After this incident, the people of Peicheng truly saw through this young magistrate. He was always smiling and easy-going, and he would even stop to chat with the people on the street.

But if anyone crosses the line and tries to oppress the people or challenge the government and the law, she will show no mercy whatsoever.

The people's views on Song Ye are quietly changing.

......

Three months passed in the blink of an eye, and Peicheng was greeted by a heavy snowfall.

The snow fell heavily and rapidly, and overnight, the rooftops were all covered in a thick layer of white.

The stone-paved path inside the county government compound was covered with a thick layer of snow, and it crunched underfoot.

As soon as it was dawn, Old Zhao got up with a broom and started sweeping the snow, clearing a narrow path between the courtroom and the backyard.

Song, wrapped in a worn cotton robe, stood at the entrance of the courtroom, exhaling a puff of white breath.

She had been in the Qin Dynasty for almost half a year, and this was the first time she had encountered such heavy snow.

I've seen heavy snow in my past life when I was helping people in the mountains, but back then I had down jackets and hand warmers. Now, this cotton robe I'm wearing is so thin that the cold wind seeps right into my bones.

"Sir, the brazier is lit inside. Come in and warm up." Old Zhao held the broom, his nose red from the cold.

Song shook his head, reached out and caught a falling snowflake, watching it land in his palm and instantly turn into a drop of clear water.

She hasn't rested since the autumn harvest ended.

Building community granaries, dredging irrigation canals, settling the elderly and infirm, mediating disputes among grain merchants—they were busy every day.

Winter finally arrived, and outdoor farm work stopped, allowing us to breathe a sigh of relief.

But before they could catch their breath, new troubles came knocking.

"My lord! My lord!"

"What happened?"

Xiao He handed over the bamboo slips, and after catching his breath, said, "The prefectural government has sent an official document."

Song also took the bamboo slip and unfolded it to read. The content was not long, but it was a grand and dignified scheme.

The gist of the argument is that the prefect used a twisted set of logic to pressure people: the greater the local power, the greater the responsibility one should bear. Pei County has had a bumper harvest this year, far exceeding that of ordinary counties, which is enough to show that Pei County is prosperous and its people have surplus grain.

The prefecture is currently facing a shortage of food supplies. Therefore, it is hoped that the people of Pei County will understand the greater good and voluntarily contribute more grain to subsidize the prefecture's public expenses. At the same time, Pei County is strictly ordered to pay the original taxes in full and on time, without any delay or shirking.

To put it bluntly, they are envious of Peixian's bumper harvest and want to shamelessly increase taxes under the guise of "taking on the greater good," thus reaping the hard-earned grain of the people for free.

Xiao He, standing to the side, couldn't help but speak up: "The prefect's argument is utterly unreasonable! A bountiful harvest is the result of the people's hard work, not something that comes out of thin air. Why should we have to pay more grain just because the harvest is good?"

"This year, we finally got a bumper harvest, and the people could just catch their breath when the county government immediately came to pick up the fruit..."

It's a dead end, both inside and out.

"My lord, what should we do now?" Xiao He was at a loss for what to do.

Song also gazed at the leaping flames in the brazier, the firelight reflecting in his eyes, its brightness shifting.

My past experiences at the grassroots level flooded back, and this cycle of "the better you do, the heavier the pressure" has remained unchanged for thousands of years...

To perform mediocre work is to be a corrupt and negligent official.

If you do outstanding work, you deserve to be exploited at every level.

Hehehe...

We can't just tough it out.

The prefectural government is the direct superior; openly disobeying orders will result in either losing one's position or being punished, which is not worth the risk.

Persuasion is useless; once the prefect is determined to increase taxes, further discussion is futile. Delaying is even worse, as there are strict deadlines for tax payment, and failure to pay on time will only result in more severe punishment.

After much deliberation, there is only one path left to take—

"If he insists on forcing his way in, then I'll break through that barrier."

The wind and snow had not stopped, and the world was a gray-white expanse.

The post horses of Peicheng County were ready, their hooves pounding through the thick snow, kicking up fine snowflakes.

Soon after, an official document, written by Song Ye himself and neatly copied by Zhang Liang, arrived, accompanied by a courier galloping northward toward Xianyang.

......

Meanwhile, in Sishui Prefecture, a hundred miles away, the scene was completely different.

In the main hall of the prefectural government, the melodious sounds of string and bamboo instruments lingered and flowed continuously.

Prefect Zhao Kang leaned lazily against the soft couch, holding a wine cup in one hand and picking up a piece of glistening roasted meat with the other, chewing slowly and deliberately, his lips glistening with oil.

Surrounded by a group of staff and officials, their faces ruddy, they toasted each other, chatting and laughing, creating a lively and extravagant scene.

Several dancers in light gauze dresses danced gracefully to the melodious music below, their slender waists swaying gently, their figures so enchanting that the men in the audience stared in disbelief.

"Gentlemen, please don't be shy! There's nothing else to do today, so just drink to your heart's content and don't leave until you're completely drunk!"

Everyone quickly raised their glasses in response, and words of praise and thanks rose and fell.

A short-bearded aide seized the opportunity to step forward, bowed, and approached Zhao Kang's side with a fawning smile, whispering, "My lord, we have received a reply from Pei County that the autumn harvest accounts have all been sorted out, and the taxes that were originally scheduled to be paid in full will be submitted soon. We dare not delay."

Zhao Kang swallowed the meat in his mouth, casually wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief, and looked indifferent.

"It is their duty to share the burden of the imperial court and make up for the deficit of the entire prefecture, as Pei County is the only place that enjoys a bumper harvest."

The aide quickly bowed in agreement, nodding repeatedly: "Your Excellency's insight is brilliant! Truly a wise and insightful statement!"

Zhao Kang picked up his wine cup again, took a small sip, and lazily looked back at the dancing girls below. He said in a slow and unhurried tone, "However, if this gets out, it will give people something to talk about, and it will be a loss for us."

He changed the subject, his smile becoming more sinister: "But if the people of Pei County are considerate of the court's difficulties and grateful for the government's education, and they voluntarily pay more grain, then it cannot be considered an additional tax levied by the government, much less a violation of regulations."

His words were a wake-up call for everyone.

The aides present exchanged glances, understanding each other perfectly, and knowing smiles appeared on their faces.

"Your Excellency's considerations are thorough! It was our shortcomings that led to this!"

"That's right! It's all because the people of Pei County are righteous and willing to serve; it has nothing to do with the prefectural government!"

"In this way, we can both replenish the county's grain supplies and gain a reputation for loving the people—truly a win-win situation!"

Hearing the flattery, Zhao Kang raised his hand and drank the strong liquor in his glass in one gulp.

He didn't have a deep impression of the young magistrate of Pei County, Song, only knowing that he was quite capable despite being young and having been in office for less than a year.

By cultivating fertile fields and devising numerous new methods, they managed to significantly increase the long-standing low grain production in Peixian County.

But in Zhao Kang's eyes, being capable is one thing, but being obedient is the foundation of one's standing.

There are countless talented young people in the world, but if they don't understand the rules and are out of touch with reality, they will not go far in the end.

He was certain that the young Magistrate Song was a smart man who would know how to make choices and how to choose sides.

Can a mere county magistrate really turn the world upside down?