Da Ming Tai Shi

Chapter 286 Take Shao Ziheng First
If it is said that Yan Zhenzhi's progress in Zhejiang is relatively smooth, Shao Ziheng, who was sent to Guangdong to serve as the chief envoy to participate in politics, is facing a huge crisis.

As soon as the briefing of the cabinet meeting of the Minister of General Affairs and Communications arrived, Guangdong exploded up and down.

Hu Rang, the chief minister of the left, summoned Chen, Li, Lin and Zhang for several days.

If you want to understand the situation in Guangdong, you must understand the clans and several major surnames in Guangdong. At the same time, you must understand the taxation of Guangdong in the past dynasties.

Therefore, "Guangdong Local Annals" is an important document that must be referred to.

During the period of Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty, the central court conducted the first survey of land in Guangdong. At that time, the cultivated land in Guangdong Province was a little over 3000 million mu. How much was Dingkou?Less than 100 million.

Up to now, according to the figures just collected by the imperial court, Dingkou in Guangdong is 300 million, but there are only 300 million mu of cultivated land left. Compared with 800 years ago, Dingkou has tripled, and the land is still 700 million less. mu.

According to the statistics of the Song Dynasty, none of the Ding populations in the counties of Guangdong exceeded [-], and they all had a population of three to five thousand or even one or two thousand!
What about people?

In the Song Dynasty, the imperial court had very little control over Guangdong and Guangxi, especially Guangzhou, and the Sidihu clan with several surnames such as Chen was the real emperor and actual leader of Guangdong.

Even though Hu Rang is the Zuo Buzheng and the top leader in Guangdong, many times, many things need to sit down and discuss with several big clans.

This time, as always.

"The imperial court wants to merge the two volumes, and what kind of tax law reform it wants to do is nothing more than wanting us to divide the family property and turn one family into a hundred."

Chen Xi, who is in his 70s, looks like an ancient well, without any fluctuations due to the news delivered by Hu Rang. He is very calm: "What does the court want to do, and what does Chen Yunfu, the prince's junior teacher, want to do? It’s just a matter of collecting taxes from Guangdong, let’s talk about it, how you plan to deal with it.”

"This family can't be divided."

Lin Wenhan, the patriarch of the Lin clan, is a middle-aged man, and he was the first to express his opposition: "For so many years, after Tang, Song, and Yuan to the present, the reason why our four families are still four is because we are united, because we I'd rather die than break up the family. If the family is divided, people's hearts will be scattered. In the future, we will have to recognize our heads and obey whatever the court wants to do.

In a big way, the ancestral hall of the ancestors can't be kept. Here, several of them are the uncles of my Lin family. Here I am the youngest. Let me make a statement first, my Lin family, there is absolutely no distinction. "

Hu Rang, who was sitting at the top, lowered his eyes. At this moment, the majestic Zuo Buzheng was like a clay sculpture, allowing the patriarchs of the four major families to criticize the court.

Li Shuhong, the patriarch of the Li clan, hummed through his nose: "It doesn't matter, how to pay the tax, five taxes and one tax, wouldn't it kill us."

"He can take as much as he says?" Lin Wenhan snorted, "This year we in Guangdong have 300 million mu of land, next year I will make it 300 million mu, and if not, it will become 300 million mu. , let him take it."

"Yu Scale Book, you treat it as your own account book, so you can change it if you say so?"

"Over the years, haven't the four of us written the Fish Scale Book and the Yellow Book in turn?

This year, my Lin family pays less food and pays less corvees. Next year it will be your Li family, and then the Chen family. Everyone is fair. He, Chen Yunfu, is going to split up. have to suffer. "

Chen Xi coughed twice: "Wen Han, don't worry, you Uncle Li didn't mean that, the family must not be divided, and the tax cannot be paid. The key is how to deal with the court. The cabinet's writing has come down. , You explain that it’s definitely not okay to do it.”

Zhang Yu, the patriarch of the Zhang clan who had been silent all this time, looked at Hu Rang, who had been silent all this time, and called out.

"Fantai, what can you do?"

Hu Rang let out a cry, as if he just came back to his senses, and prevaricated: "The old man has no quick wits, and he can't think of any good solution for a while."

The four patriarchs cursed in unison in their hearts.

This Hu Rang was transferred to Guangdong from the position of Huguang Right Chief Envoy, and he took over from Xu Ben's class. This Hu Rang's root is in Huguang and not in Guangdong.

But if you want to get out of your body, is it that easy?
Chen Xi said in a muffled voice: "If the family is divided, the hearts of the people will be scattered. Once the hearts of the people are scattered, the people below should have thoughts that they shouldn't have. When the time comes, they will scramble and bite, stepping on us. Wouldn't everyone have a headache along with it?"

Hu Rang's eyelids twitched.

Lin Wenhan glanced at Hu Rang, and snorted coldly: "Bite, what the people below can bite out, they only know how many things, I'm afraid there will be someone among us who can't bear it, just like Yan Zhen, just kill a dog!" , for a fifth-rank official status, sell us all to claim credit."

Hu Rang's eyelids jumped even more violently.

Li Shuhong took a sip of broken tea and dusted it off: "Since the seventh year of Hongwu, the imperial court imposed a sea ban, and the Quanzhou and Guangzhou shipping departments have all stopped. The rice in the big guy's pot seems to be getting less and less. Back then Well, our Li family is here to take the top spot in Guangdong. It's a big deal, and my Li family will do it.

Spices, rare treasures, exotic animals, fan girls, whatever the Semu people sell, my Li family will take whatever they earn, and the three of you will enjoy the profits, and everyone will share the money. The old man didn't say anything back then.

This matter now is no less serious than the closure of the shipping company back then. Who will be in charge of this family this year? "

Chen Xi coughed, tapped the table, and a small maid behind her quickly stepped forward to pour water.

"This year is the head of my Chen family, the old man is not in a daze, remember."

After answering, Chen Xi looked at Hu Rang and said, "Fantai, you are our Guangdong official, you have to think about it for us. The 300 million people in Guangdong still rely on you to support their families."

Hu Rang took a deep breath, nodded and said: "I know, ah, right, we have a new right political candidate in Guangdong, and I haven't introduced him to you yet, why don't we meet tomorrow night?"

"Shao Ziheng?"

Chen Xi raised his chin slightly: "Shao Zhi's son, Chen Yunfu's uncle, right?"

"Chen Yunfu sent him here, obviously to gild and make achievements. Once the Guangdong problem is resolved, the position under the Fantai's buttocks will not be safe." Zhang Yu squinted and said, "He wants to make achievements, so we will Give him a credit."

"Didn't the imperial court want the four of us to divide our families? Divide, divide now, in front of that Shao Ziheng."

"This credit is big enough."

"Can he eat it?"

Chen Xi stood up and said, "This year, I will be the head of the Chen family. Whatever matters, I will take care of the Chen family. Everyone, let's go and get ready. Tomorrow, we will clean up the dust for our new right-handed suffragette."

Since Chen Yunfu is not easy to deal with, let's take him first!

(End of this chapter)