I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 194: Redundant Officials, the biggest gold-swallowing beast in the Song Dynasty

afternoon.

Along the rural road, work continues.

After eating and drinking, Zhao Zhen became familiar with some tools and techniques, and the speed of digging water from the well improved significantly.

But Ouyang Xiu was too weak, and he was out of breath not long after he worked.

Moreover, Ouyang Xiu fell in love with the scene and suddenly became poetic.

Occasionally, I would stare into the distance in a daze, brewing poems in my heart.

Not long after, two poems reflecting the sufferings of the people came to mind, and a smile appeared on his face.

And all this was seen by Manager Liu.

What Manager Liu saw was that Ouyang Xiu was too weak. He occasionally giggled and seemed to be a little confused.

In order to prevent Ouyang Xiu from looking up into the distance and being in a daze, he ordered Ouyang Xiu to dig a tree pit.

Ouyang Xiu originally thought that throwing trees into pits would be an easy job.

Never thought that the land was so hard that he might not be able to dig half of it even if someone else digs three.

not far away.

Su Liang looked at Zhao Zhen who was carrying water and Ouyang Xiu who was bending over to dig a hole, and then at himself who was covered in mud, and couldn't help laughing.

If all the officials in the court saw the five of them looking like this, it would be absolutely impossible for them to recognize them.

Su Liang even felt that Tang Wanmei and Su Zimu might not be able to recognize him at the moment.

Although he was a little tired, Su Liang was in a happy mood.

When you are immersed in planting trees, you don't have to think about anything. This is much more pleasant than quarreling in the court.

……

Gradually.

The sun slowly sets over the mountain.

The day's work is over.

Manager Liu brought a large basket of copper coins and began to distribute money to the farmers.

The farmers were all very happy. After receiving the money, they walked towards their homes with smoke coming from the kitchen in the distance.

Followed by.

Su Liang, Cao Hu, Zhang Maoze, and Zhao Zhen all received what they got today: one hundred coins.

This hundred cents is of extraordinary significance.

Zhao Zhen has planned to put it in Tianzhang Pavilion as an offering.

At this time, Manager Liu walked up to Ouyang Xiu and said, "This is 120 Wen, take it!"

"I...why do I still have twenty more coins?" Ouyang Xiu couldn't help but be stunned.

He felt that compared with others, he was worth at most fifty coins.

"I beg you, please don't come tomorrow. Go somewhere else to cause trouble. I really have never met a man as weak as you. You are suitable to be an examiner!"

After that, Manager Liu strode away.

Ouyang Xiu bit his lip and his face turned red.

He didn't resent Manager Liu for saying these insulting words.

I just feel that I am really too weak and too embarrassed.

Especially in the afternoon.

The officials were all working hard, but he couldn't even lift the shovel.

aside.

Zhao Zhen and others looked at Ouyang Xiu standing there holding the 120 yuan, and they all couldn't help laughing.

It's not easy to see Uncle Ouyang Yong deflated.

……

That night.

After returning to the city, Su Liang asked someone to ask Manager Liu to resign from his job.

This kind of life can be experienced in just one day.

Besides, the officials have heard the voice of the people, and Su Liang no longer wants to drink the bitter pot of hot vegetable porridge.

The next day, it wasn't until three o'clock in the morning that everyone got up.

Except for Cao Hu, everyone suffered from back pain.

If you haven't done any physical work for a long time, and you suddenly exert too much force, your body can easily become overwhelmed.

afternoon.

Su Liang took everyone around Changqing County.

Everyone saw the Qizhou State Newspaper.

I heard many people praise Wang Anshi and Sima Guang.

They also saw the field irrigation and reclamation techniques designed by Wang Anshi... These two people completely listened to Su Liang's words, "With the changes in Qizhou, we can create changes in the world." All reform strategies and implementation methods can be found in Expand elsewhere.

……

The next day, it was just dawn.

Su Liang and his party got on the carriage and left Changqing County, heading towards Caoshi in the north of the city.

The so-called grass market is a market formed regularly among the people.

Food, drink, clothing, and everything you need.

The price is much cheaper than in the county town, and many people can barter, which is very interesting.

After half an hour.

Everyone walked slowly in the grass market.

The grass market is not big, about 800 meters long.

There are straw huts, street stalls, emergency carts, and sellers carrying burdens on both sides.

In terms of liveliness, this place is definitely far inferior to the Wanxing Trading Market in Daxiangguo Temple.

But it smells like fireworks.

Food, clothes, candles, lamps, umbrellas, cloth shoes, rice wine, fodder, dry firewood, flowers...

Everything is available.

At this time, Su Liang said: "There are many grass markets in Qizhou. In addition to the prosperity of commerce, there is also a more important point. There are no miscellaneous taxes in Qizhou. This started in May this year. Wang Jiefu and Sima Junshi have not reported yet."

Hear this.

Zhao Zhen stopped and frowned.

The taxes paid to the common people in the Song Dynasty were mainly two taxes and one person tax.

The two taxes are a summer tax, which collects money, silk, cloth, grass, etc.; a fall tax, which only collects grain.

The birth tax is a head tax, and men between the ages of 20 and 60 must pay it.

In addition, there are miscellaneous taxes.

Compared with the Han and Tang Dynasties, the miscellaneous taxes in the Song Dynasty can be considered to be a bit oppressive to the people.

Taxes on agricultural equipment, cattle hides, silkworms and salt, shoe money, etc. are all miscellaneous taxes, and they are increasing day by day.

The reason why it developed like this.

Mainly because the Song Dynasty had too many officials and soldiers to support, so it had no choice but to constantly create clever names to collect taxes.

Miscellaneous taxes are also the main reason why people often rebel.

"Can miscellaneous taxes be abolished during the Song Dynasty Reform?" Zhao Zhen looked at Su Liang.

Su Liang thought for a while and said: "For the people, we should cancel it; for officials and soldiers, we should not cancel it."

If miscellaneous taxes were completely abolished in the current Song Dynasty, the court would not be able to pay officials' salaries and soldiers' military expenses for up to three months.

On the side, Ouyang Xiu stroked his beard.

"Abolition of miscellaneous taxes is not a radical solution. It is better to lay off officials and miscellaneous taxes can be eliminated."

Ouyang Xiu said what was on his mind.

Zhao Zhen smiled helplessly and said, "Let's go and have a look in front. Let's buy some gadgets too!"

After saying that, Zhao Zhen strode forward.

Su Liang and Ouyang Xiu smiled at each other and shook their heads helplessly.

Since entering Qizhou.

Judging from the merchants' belief that "robbing the rich does not help the poor, and enriching the court does not enrich the people", as well as the effect of the Qizhou Reform on the people to reduce exploitation.

The biggest symptom of the Song Dynasty was always redundant officials.

All strategies are to fill holes for redundant officials.

A series of strategies adopted by Wang Anshi and Sima Guang are all open source strategies.

Taxes were squeezed out from merchants and people and returned to the court.

Just like the suppression of land annexation, after the suppression, many tax-free landlords sold their land to ordinary people, and the court received more tax revenue.

but.

The current official salary is a huge gold-swallowing beast.

In other words-

No matter how it increases revenue and reduces expenditure, as long as this gold-eating beast is not eliminated, the Song Dynasty will never be able to solve the fundamental problem of weakness and poverty.

However, Zhao Zhen had already experienced the failure of Fan Fu's New Deal, and it was obviously impossible for him to attack the scholar-bureaucrats again.

Su Liang, Wang Anshi, and Sima Guang once wrote letters and discussed this point.

If the Song Dynasty is strong, it must be the Song Dynasty that eliminates redundant officials, but they have not thought about this step well.

Whether to kill decisively or to endure it slowly depends on the official's wishes.

(End of this chapter)