Your Majesty, please resign again

Chapter 227 It's not easy to be the third secretary! Here we come!

October.

The autumn wind traveled a long distance from the north and arrived in the south of the Song Dynasty, bringing coolness to Guangnan East Road and ripening various crops. Guangnan East Road ushered in the harvest season in the eighth year of Qingli!

Under the organization of the prefecture and county government, an autumn harvest that lasted for nearly a month began with great vigor.

A large number of refugees who had just gone south were organized to participate in the autumn harvest. This was a win-win deal for both the farmers and the farmers.

The newly arrived refugees can take the opportunity to earn some food to support their families, while farmers use cheap labor to help them harvest rice and perform other tasks.

At this time, the migration of refugees on the East-West Road in Hebei Province reached its peak.

When statistics were collected in early November, Guangnan East Road received nearly half a million refugees in October!

In August and September, there were about 2 to 300,000 refugees per month. According to estimates, there may be slightly less in November, but it may also reach 300,000 to 400,000 refugees heading south.

According to statistics from the state government, by around the Spring Festival this year, the population of Guangnan East Road may exceed five million for the first time!

The reason why this efficiency can be achieved is not only due to the efforts of Guangnan East Road, but also the encouragement of the imperial court.

Zhang Heng received a letter from Zhan Chongwen who was in Haizhou. After reading it, Zhang Heng became a little silent.

Zhan Chongwen said in the letter that it was true that the disaster on the East-West Road in Hebei Province was very serious, but it was driven more by people. Originally, this time was a good opportunity for big households to annex the people's land. Originally, the big households in Hebei might have restrained themselves a little, but

Now that Guangnan East Road is accepting disaster victims, they are becoming more and more unscrupulous.

Guangnan East Road was previously called wilderness because the population was too small and development efforts were too small, so it was a wilderness everywhere. But in fact, the land that can be cultivated in Guangdong can feed 20 to 30 million people.

No problem.

Zhan Chongwen felt very angry and believed that Guangnan East Road should not be taken advantage of and take advantage of these vampires. He suggested that Zhang Heng stop accepting refugees as soon as possible.

Zhang Yaozuo frowned even more when he heard this: "So, how much has it dropped compared to last year?"

At the end of the year in Kaifeng, it was already the season when dripping water turned into ice, but at this time, Zhang Yaozuo was sweating on his forehead.

Others would not understand that the Song Dynasty was in turmoil this year, so it was normal for taxes to drop. Instead, they would seize this point to attack him.

Because this is a period of great development, consumption promoted by various investments, income from cash crops is far greater than staple food crops, and aquatic products are also high value-added products. In this way, taxes have increased almost tenfold.

Therefore, it was precisely because of the push of these people that the people had to sell their fields and houses, and then help the elderly and children take a boat south to Guangnan East Road.

Zhang Heng believes that in the next three years, Guangnan East Road may top the list of taxes among all roads in the Song Dynasty!

In Zhang Heng's view, the current level is nothing more than a compromise for development and not worth mentioning at all.

What is this concept?

If you don’t know what this concept is, you can refer to the Liangzhe Road, the highlight of the Song Dynasty. Before the economic development in recent years, the Liangzhe Road was 330 kilometers long at its best!

Since last year, the Song Dynasty has indeed been in great turmoil. The series of reactions caused by Wang Ze's rebellion were huge and there were many followers, causing turmoil in various places. It is normal for this businessman to be unwilling to take risks.

Yandu hesitated for a moment and said, "It's about 20 million yuan."

For example, Zong Baosheng, who has been raising fish for a long time, this year while taking care of his own food needs, after a good harvest in the fish pond, he can add 200 guan to his family's income. After deducting the cost, he can have a balance of nearly 150 guan.

Basically, poverty alleviation has been achieved!

Generally speaking, this year the Song Dynasty is in turmoil and business travel is not possible, so taxes have dropped a lot compared to last year..."

The area that was originally deserted has now suddenly become a populated area.

At the end of the year, there were more things to do in the Third Division, and Zhang Yaozuo also became busy. He signed and signed every day, acting as a diligent human seal, and his life was quite enjoyable.

In addition, due to the war between Song and Xia, the Song Dynasty had insufficient border expenses in Shaanxi and ordered large coins to be minted. As a result, various coins were circulated in several states in Shaanxi and Hedong at the same time. The prices were soaring, which led to the economic depression of Shaanxi and Hedong. This year, taxes on these two routes were also significantly reduced.

…”

At the end of the year, Zhang Heng presided over the Guangnan East Road Transfer Department to compile tax statistics on Guangnan East Road for the whole year. After calculation, the statistics obtained surprised everyone.

In addition, the drought in recent years has indeed had a great impact. Basically, the entire north has not had a good harvest in the past few years, and there has been a lack of harvest every year.

In fact, he couldn't figure out what was going on. Yes, it was roughly like this before, but why did it drop when he got here?

Zhang Yaozuo could probably have predicted what these people would say. It was nothing more than "There were turmoils every year before, and there were droughts in recent years. Then why did the taxes increase every year when the other three envoys were in office? How come you are here?"

Declined]?

This Zhang Yaozuo really has nothing to say.

Now that these people are coming here, Guangdong will develop at a faster pace. Maybe within a year or two, there will be tens of thousands more hectares of farmland, and countless villages and towns will spring up like bamboo shoots after the rain.

This has caused problems, because three small copper coins can be minted into one ten-large copper coin, so the phenomenon of privately minting copper coins is very serious, leading to chaos in money laws in Shaanxi, Hedong and other places, and soaring prices.

Previously, Zhang Yaozuo's son Zhang Shanfu was impeached by Zeng Gongliang because of a conflict with Zhang Heng. Later, Zhang Xiuyuan also came out to support Zhang Yaozuo, and Zhang Heng defeated him. In the end, the two parties reached a reconciliation, but it also had a certain impact on Zhang Yaozuo, and he suffered a few times.

years of time.

Zhang Yaozuo was surprised when he heard this: "How serious is it?"

Zhang Heng made the final decision.

Hearing this, Zhang Yaozuo frowned, because it was he who proposed the idea of ​​casting big money. In June, he ordered Pi Zhongrong of Shangzhou to mine the copper mines in Hongyashan, Luonan County and Qingshui, Guozhou, and set up Fumin Mining Co., Ltd.

, two money-making supervisors in Zhu Yang.

Originally, only those who could not survive would go to Guangnan East Road, but now it is these big Hebei households that are constantly annexing and using coercion and inducement to force the people to sell their fields and homes at low prices and take boats to go south.

When an official like him is in office, the people below generally don't dare to play tricks. If something happens, the people below will bear the responsibility. The people below also know it very well. In order to take responsibility for themselves,

Usually nothing happens.

Those in the Cao family believe that land is wealth, while Zhang Heng believes that talents are wealth.

Zhang Heng laughed softly and said: "I thought you people had completely exposed your bottom line, but I didn't expect you to have more bottom lines. Haha, that's great."

In order to give the government more power to help the newly arrived refugees, Zhang Heng put some taxes in the states and counties for use, so the increase in taxes was not so scary.

As for who these big families in Hebei are, Zhan Chongwen secretly gave a hint. They are the group of big families headed by the Cao family, among which the Cao family is the most powerful.

The annual tax of the Song Dynasty had only increased to 80 million guan in the past few years, but suddenly it dropped to 60 million guan. Not to mention Zhao Zhen couldn't bear it, no one in the civil and military circles of the Manchu Dynasty could stand it!

However, Zhang Heng predicts that by next year, the taxes on Guangnan East Road will be a terrible figure.

Zhang Yaozuo looked at Yan Du coming in a hurry and said with some surprise: "Judge Yan, why are you in such a hurry? What's the important matter?"

This is also true. Just this year, Zhang Heng has been constantly asking the court for establishment, and some do not want to establish it. These are the new towns, cities, forts, villages, passes, Tianjin, fields, courtyards, services, wells, etc.

etc. to prepare.

Zhang Heng was silent for a while, and then suddenly laughed.

In Zhang Heng's view, Guangnan East Road in this era is naturally not as good as that of later generations, which can support more than 100 million people. However, according to Zhang Heng's estimation, even if it is pure agriculture, Guangnan East Road can support at least 10 million people.

And you can live quite a nourishing life!

And now the industry on Guangnan East Road has started, and commerce is booming. Coupled with the continuous development of agriculture, Guangnan East Road can support more people.

Just when he was feeling happy, Yandu, the judge from the Ministry of Finance, came in a hurry.

Zhang Heng didn't think highly of it, but in the court, it was like a thunder!——

Zhang Yaozuo finally became the Third Secretary-General.

According to what he knew, officials from the East-West Road in Hebei Province were constantly lobbying the court to encourage the court to encourage the victims of the East-West Road in Hebei Province to move south. The reason was naturally to drive away the people here and then occupy their land.

Zhang Heng wants everyone who is not wanted by the big households in Hebei!

Yan Du had a worried look on his face: "This year's tax statistics are out, and they are not ideal. I'm afraid things will be difficult next year!"

Of course, some people will ask, if I could live with 40 million gon before, why can’t I survive with 60 million gon now?

Zhang Yaozuo's good mood for the day suddenly disappeared and he became very anxious, because every year after statistics, he had to report to Zhao Zhen, but now that he has lost 20 million yuan in tax, how should he report it!

Although Zhao Zhen is his niece-in-law, his niece is indeed very favored now. When Zhao Zhen was assassinated at the beginning of the year, it was his niece Zhang Xiuyuan who helped protect him. Therefore, his niece was named Zhang Guifei, and he, Zhang Yaozuo, was promoted as a result.

As the Third Secretary-General, even his mother was canonized as the Lady of the State of Yue, but this did not mean that Zhao Zhen could watch the tax drop.

This is not a small matter. If it is a small matter, he can shift the responsibility to the people below. But except for him, the Third Secretary, no one can handle such a big matter, not even Yandu next to him!

After all, he, Zhang Yaozuo, is the head of these three divisions, so anything must be directed at him!

Nearly ten times the population growth, nearly several times the farmland growth, large-scale industrial investment, and the resulting promotion of commercial consumption, in fact, the growth of this tax has not been as good as Zhang Heng expected.

As for some more special forts, villages, passes, Tianjin, fields, courtyards, services, wells, etc., they will also be organized. Every settlement must be under the control of the government, so that there will be no chaos.

.

What was the level of the original Guangnan East Road?

The original Guangnan West Road ranked second to last among the dozen roads in the Song Dynasty, just a little better than Guangnan West Road. What was the annual tax of Guangnan East Road at that time?

Four hundred thousand dollars.

Zhang Yaozuo had a gloomy face and said to Yan Du in a deep voice: "Judge Yan, please keep the account book first and let me review it first. Don't tell this news to anyone else. I will not announce it to anyone until I have verified it. Do you understand?"

?”

It can be said that this kind of chaos is really due to his own chaotic command. Now that Yandu says this, he seems to be blaming him.

Handling government affairs in this way was naturally relaxing and enjoyable. It only took an hour to complete the day's work. Zhang Yaozuo asked someone to make tea and ordered some refreshments. He happily ate the refreshments and drank the hot tea.

More carefree than gods.

An almost tenfold increase.

The lack of 20 million guan means that the Song Dynasty has a shortfall of 20 million guan this year.

Some of these so-called establishments are recognized by the court, and some are recognized by the state government based on local conditions. They are not recognized by the court, but these do not matter to Zhang Heng. When the time comes, these settlements will

As the number of people increases, we can always adjust to established towns and villages.

And this was only the harvest in terms of food, but the harvest from fish ponds, melons and fruits also gave Zhang Heng a big surprise.

Of course, with the great economic development in recent years, the annual tax on the two Zhejiang roads has reached 8 million yuan, but the tax level of Guangnan East Road has still squeezed into the middle and upper position among the dozen roads in the Song Dynasty.

, it is just inferior to Jiangnan East Road, Huainan West Road, Fujian Road and Jingxi East Road.

A large number of fruits and aquatic products produced by Guangnan East Road are sent northward in large quantities under Zhang Heng's organization. According to the calculations of the state government, Guangnan East Road will export a large amount of fruits and aquatic products to the north this winter, and this part of

The output will increase the income of farmers on Guangnan East Road by nearly hundreds of dollars.

You don’t understand this. It has always been easy to go from simplicity to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality. In recent years, taxes in the Song Dynasty have been rising, and various expenses have naturally gone up. Now it suddenly says that a lot of expenses have to be given to

It’s been cut, which one do you think is more suitable?

No one is happy to be laid off. The hundred divisions of the Cao Department who have been laid off will have to go to the third division to make trouble. If the trouble gets bigger, it will be the third division that takes care of the losses... Oh, no, it will be him, Zhang Yaozuo, who takes care of the losses!

It's just that it would be fine if he hadn't taken the position of Third Secretary. Now that he is in the position of Third Secretary, but he encounters this kind of thing, he will inevitably be criticized.

Next year all the refugees will be able to cultivate land, and the government will be able to save large-scale agricultural investment. In addition, industrial investment will probably be effective next year. The large-scale growth of the population will also be very scary for the promotion of business. Next year, the government will be able to

The total amount of internal consumption on Nandong Road may be very close to that of export sales. This is the dividend brought by the population itself!

The annual tax revenue of Guangnan East Road reached 3.3 million yuan!

Zhang Yaozuo suddenly took a breath of cold air.

Later, in order to reduce the cost of minting coins, he suggested that large coins should be minted and circulated at the same time as the original small coins. One big coin should be equivalent to ten small coins.

In November, the autumn harvest is basically completed. According to statistics, the food harvested in the autumn harvest can feed five million people until the autumn harvest is completed next year. It can be said that Guangnan East Road has passed the most dangerous period.

Zhang Heng will not watch these settlements evolve into a state of chaos without government. As long as they meet certain standards, he will give them village establishments. If they are larger, they will be given township management.

The name of a town.

"...In addition, the reform of salt laws in Chengdu Fulu and Zizhou Fulu this year met with opposition. Although the results are still good, this year's salt tax has been lost by more than half.

It was the same today. He came early and then worked at his desk, concentrating on signing and sealing. As for the content inside, he only glanced at it briefly - the people below would take care of the matter anyway, so he didn't need to spend more time on it.

Although Zhang Yaozuo relies on his niece to serve as an official, he still has a very positive attitude towards work. He comes to the Third Division early every morning to take charge. Although everything is done in accordance with the original regulations, he never proposes any achievements.

But as long as he is diligent and diligent, he will be steadily promoted, and no one can stop him.

However, Zhang Heng wrote back to Zhan Chongwen: "As long as one person is willing to go south, there is no reason not to accept it on Guangnan East Road."

But after all, he couldn't stand the fact that his niece Zhang Xiuyuan kept whispering in Zhao Zhen's ears every day. No, a few years later, he was still promoted to the position of Third Secretary. People said that there are people in the court who are easy to be officials, but there are people in the palace who are better.

However, Yandu did not mean this, he was just describing a fact.

However, Zhang Heng felt that it was nothing.

Yandu said worriedly: "This year there is a severe drought in Hebei East Road, Hebei West Road, and some areas of Jianghuai. The agricultural and commercial taxes on these three roads have been significantly reduced this year.

There was nothing he could do, he was worried!

This year, in April of the eighth year of Qingli, Zhang Yaozuo became the Third Secretary-General. Although he was impeached by Bao Zheng, he still sat firmly in his seat. Look at Zhang Heng who blocked his way back then. Where is he now?

Where?

Every time Zhang Yaozuo thought about this, he couldn't help but feel proud - It doesn't matter how arrogant you Zhang Heng is, now I am the third envoy, and you are still toiling in the wilderness.

However, there is a lot of water here. In order to encourage reclamation and development, Zhang Heng adopted a low-tax development approach, with industrial tax reductions and commercial tax reductions. The taxes on newly reclaimed farmland are even pitifully low.

Yandu looked at Zhang Yaozuo, hesitated and said, "Can't you tell me from the Du branch? Zhou Hang has told me many times that he wants me to give him the statistics. He is anxious to make the expenditures at the beginning of the year.

"

Zhou Hang was the judge of Duzhi Division.

Zhang Yaozuo's face darkened and he said: "How can I give him unverified data? If I gave him wrong data, will you fill in the gap when the time comes?"

Yan Du quickly said: "I understand, I will follow your instructions, Prime Minister Zhang."

Yandu left the account book behind, and Zhang Yaozuo looked at it with a gloomy expression.

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