The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Zhao Zhen nodded silently. He couldn't accuse Su Jin of substituting points for faces to cover the whole. Considering the situation of state governments withholding tax money for purchases every year, Zhao Zhen can basically conclude that Su Jin's speculation is accurate.

Every year, all departments of the imperial court have to draft a purchase list. Inside and outside the imperial palace, the three departments of the two governments, and the twenty departments of the six departments of the three provinces will summarize the budgets of each department. Local and state capitals; and the annual procurement budget eventually becomes the most worrying thing.

Take last year as an example, the total fiscal and tax revenue of the year before last was about 800 million yuan, and the money withheld by the local government reached 600 million yuan, but this was not enough. The capital is clamoring for money, saying that the money allocated by the imperial court is not enough, the market price has gone up, and now it still owes money to the people and merchants.

Zhao Zhen is also soft-hearted. Whenever these people talk about the people, Zhao Zhen always disregards Yan Shu's objection and approves the appropriation of Zeng's funds; Qicheng was detained.

Immediately after the losing streak in the Northwest War, pensions, repairs, and disaster relief, unexpected expenditures in various aspects emerged one after another. In the end, even the imperial examination was not completed. After autumn, there was a famine again. The budget for this year has increased, and it is foreseeable that this year will be a year of tight ends.

Su Jin's words reminded Zhao Zhen that no matter what, he couldn't spend so much money last year. The biggest possibility is that many state capitals gave the imperial court's money to ink.

The more Zhao Zhen thought about it, the more frightened he became. He felt that he was being taken advantage of. He couldn't even bear to put a few more lotus seeds in a bowl of lotus seed soup, and he even went so far as to issue a "meal reduction order" to call for saving, but a group of people opened their mouths wide open Biting open one's own veins to suck blood; thinking about it makes one shudder.

"Su Aiqing! I believe that what you said is the truth, so do you have a good strategy to deal with it?" Unknowingly, even the address has changed, from the slightly contemptuous 'Su Sheren' to 'Su Jin' and then When it came to Su Aiqing, it was a triple jump.

Su Jin said in his heart: I know I'm afraid, life is not as comfortable as you think. \

"Your Majesty, there are two ways. One is to rectify the administration of officials, and the other is to reform the fiscal and taxation system. Which way do you think we should go?"

"Why can't we do both?" Zhao Zhen said.

Su Jindao: "The emperor knows better than the ministers. The emperor said which way to choose, and the ministers will analyze and analyze based on this road."

Zhao Zhen thought for a while and said, "Then choose the path of change."

Su Jin smiled and said: "The emperor is wise, but I want to hear the reason why the emperor did not choose to rectify the officials. I want to have a long experience with the emperor."

Zhao Zhen sighed and said: "It's not clever, it's really helpless; now the Song Dynasty is worrying both inside and outside, the western thieves are at war with me, the Liao people are reckless, the country has just experienced a great famine, and banditry is on the rise everywhere; At this time, it is not appropriate to go to war, once internal chaos arises, the officials will be panicked, and if they are not safe inside, they will not be able to fight outside."

Su Jin understood Zhao Zhen's feelings, hated these people, but had to rely on them, it was really helpless.

"I have been taught that it is not appropriate to take supplements when recovering from a serious illness. Instead, it is more appropriate to lie down and recuperate." Su Jin said.

"That's the reason. If the timing is wrong, you must not mess around."

"In this way, we can only change the system and make it more perfect, so that they have no loopholes to exploit."

Zhao Zhen frowned and said: "But I am also very worried, and I have tried several times to change things. For example, after Song Qi wrote the letter, I issued an edict to clear up the wasteful things, but the same is too difficult. .Do you have a better way?"

Su Jindao: "I dare not say how good this method is, but my thinking is different from Song Gong's; the tedious things that Song Gong said are the symptoms of the disease, but he also prescribed the medicine for tigers and wolves, which is strong enough. If it is fierce, the backlash will become more intense; what's more, the three redundant and three-fee things he mentioned are fundamentally an act of rectifying officials and streamlining personnel, and it is expected that opposition will be aroused."

Zhao Zhen asked anxiously, "What is your solution?"

Su Jindao: "My method is to start purely from the fiscal and taxation system and implement the policy of increasing income and reducing expenditure. It is very simple. In terms of expenditure, all expenditures need to be handled by the imperial court to prevent the possibility of local interference. The right to take back the court."

Zhao Zhen said: "Then how to buy supplies?"

Su Jindao: "Order the three divisions du li to set up a purchasing department. The purchasing personnel are appointed by the imperial court. They are not familiar with local officials and merchants. Coupled with strict auditing, every penny can be spent. It is clear and clear; I dare to conclude that at least 500% of the purchase cost can be saved; if the annual withholding tax money is calculated at 500 million yuan, at least [-] million yuan can be saved every year, which is enough for the court to do several things. Big deal."

Zhao Zhen remained silent, pondered for a while and said: "It's a good way, but I'm afraid it won't work."

Su Jin said: "Why doesn't it work? Are you afraid of people's opposition? Absolutely not; the matter of purchasing is the responsibility of the third department, and the local state government is entrusted to handle it. They have no reason to make a fuss. If they make a fuss, they will expose their old background. They can only pinch it." Hold your nose and make no sound; at most, it's just a secret obscurity."

Zhao Zhen shook his head and said: "I'm not worried about this, I mean that all money and taxes will be deported to Beijing, and then purchased from the procurement department set up in the capital by transportation to the states. ...Take off your pants and fart? You have to send a large group of people to escort them back and forth. I have dozens of state capitals in the Song Dynasty, several times a year, and nearly a hundred escorts. How much manpower and material resources will be spent on the journey? Have you thought about this?"

Su Jin smiled slightly and said: "The emperor is really thoughtful, but I have really thought about this matter. I have a way to let the money come and go freely without labor, military and financial resources."

Zhao Zhen reprimanded: "You dare to lie in front of me, can money and silver grow legs?"

Su Jindao: "I'm not talking big, I have my own clever plan to let money and silver walk on their own, but before that, I still want to implore the emperor to fulfill his promise and come forward to dissolve the engagement between Miss Yan and the Pang family, so that I can keep my word to people."

Zhao Zhen looked at Su Jin and said, "Are you threatening?"

Su Jin scratched his head and said: "Why does the emperor think so, I'm just begging; or treat it as a transaction, I offer advice to the court to save 500 million yuan in fiscal and tax revenue every year, and I will use this 500 million to buy you gold noodles once. How about solving this problem for Weichen?"

Zhao Zhen said: "My face is only worth 500 million yuan?"

Su Jin smiled and said: "You can't calculate it like this. This year is 500 million, next year is 500 million, ten years? One hundred years? How many billions of taxes should I save and how many great things can I do? It's unbelievable to think about it."

Zhao Zhen unconsciously smiled and said, "Are you painting pancakes for me to hear? Are you trying to fool me with an illusory vision?"

Su Jin thought for a while and said: "In this way, since the emperor is not at ease, I will report the matter to you. If you think it can be done, you will help me once; if you think it can't be done, then give up. I will turn around and leave without bothering you anymore." ;how?"

Zhao Zhen sneered and said, "Turn your head and leave? Are you able to leave? If it works, I will help you once. If it doesn't work, you can leave with your body and shake your head. Doesn't what I said just now count?"

Su Jin was very depressed. After going around for a long time, the emperor still didn't forget to ask for his own head; but Su Jin had great confidence in his plan; One catastrophe, maybe it will kill three birds with one stone, and solve the two major issues in my heart at the same time.

I'm so fucking talented!Su Jin is narcissistic.

……

Yan Shu paced back and forth at the gate of the Wende Palace. He had returned directly to the Sansi Yamen after the imperial court was dismissed. Su Jin was summoned by the emperor alone. Angry, protesting against him for being unfairly treated, the emperor will definitely comfort him with gentle words, and then do what he should do.

Now that Su Jin has agreed to Zhao Zhen's conditions, even though he is a lazy person, he will still work hard to win. Yan Shu has even considered asking someone to take his name tag to inform Zhang Fangping, the editor of the History Museum; Su Jin, who is in office, try to give Su Jin more time to study, after all, there is only one month before the big exam, and the time is extremely tight.

But in a blink of an eye, Yan Shu felt that his vision was too far, because not long ago, Fu Bi sneaked out from the Wende Hall and rushed to the Sansi Yamen to report that Su Jin and the emperor It was done in Wende Hall; although no one was allowed to go in to disturb him, but he heard the emperor yelling for beating and killing several times, Fu Bi was so frightened that his soul would fly away, so he hurried to Yan Shu for advice.

Yan Shu was so distraught that he beat his chest and stamped his feet in pain all the way. This Su Jin was simply a thorn in the side, dishonest in front of the emperor, causing the emperor to shout and kill. This was the first time Yan Shu heard of it.

The emperor has always been tepid and tempered, but he was so angry that it shows how presumptuous Su Jin is.

At the gate of the Wende Hall, the servants were not allowed to enter, and Yan Shu could do nothing; the emperor issued strict orders not to allow anyone to enter and leave, and it seemed that Su Jin's life could not be saved; Yan Shu paced back and forth, thinking about how to deal with the aftermath .

If Su Jin is going to be killed, although he may not be unlucky, but the impact is definitely bad; if the person he recommended is killed, it will be a big blow both emotionally and morale, so what do he rely on to compete for the position?But what will happen to Yan Biyun?This girl is soft on the outside and strong on the inside, if she can't think about it, then...

Yan Shu's mind was in a mess, as if someone had stuffed it into a mess, and he couldn't figure it out. When he was at a loss, laughter came from the corridor in the hall.

Yan Shu and Fu Bi turned their heads to look, and they were stunned. They saw the emperor and Su Jin walking side by side, talking and laughing. Su Jin was holding an inkstone in his hand, which seemed to be a gift from the emperor. Seeing the two people smiling The cheerful appearance, where is the scene of shouting and killing just now, it is clearly like a pair of old friends who reluctantly parted ways after having a chat.

The four eyeballs of Yan Shu and Fu Bi bounced around on the ground, and they couldn't get them back.