Do you know: I am the crown prince

Chapter 417: Impartial Sheng Changbai

Zhao Xing didn't care about these things, but did some calculation in his mind.

The grain yield of one acre of land is about one to two stones.

Even if it is one shi on average, more than 50 million mu of land would produce more than 50 million shi of grain.

The imperial court occupied 40%, which was more than 20 million stones.

The Song Dynasty was wealthy, but prices were also high. Each dan of grain cost about five or six hundred coins.

Converted to silver, it is worth about 10 million taels of silver.

It already accounts for nearly one-tenth of the Song Dynasty’s fiscal revenue.

Of course, it cannot be said that the land inventory directly brought a one-tenth increase in fiscal revenue for the court.

After all, the people who rent and farm the land need to pay taxes, and part of this is the taxes they should bear.

But this matter cannot be calculated by money. What is important is that the imperial court can have a lot more grain every year.

For the imperial court, money is important, but food is the foundation.

Originally, the grain collected by the Song Dynasty through taxes was enough for normal expenses, but it would not be enough if a war or a natural disaster occurred.

And when these situations occur, grain traders will raise grain prices.

The additional 20 million shi of grain is the most important thing, whether it is for fighting or for stabilizing grain prices internally.

In addition, having land to farm can better stabilize people's hearts.

Zhao Xing even thought about allowing those landlords and powerful people to annex land, and then he would investigate the hidden fields. Through this method, he would be able to nationalize most of the land in the world.

But this idea is just thought, it is a bit too cruel.

After all, when those landlords and powerful people annex land, it will cause many families to be broken up and their lives to be destroyed.

"Mr. Sea!"

Zhao Xing looked at Hai Wenyou and said, "You have made great contributions in this land survey, and you have been promoted to Tongpingzhangshi. I will grant you three days of vacation to have a good rest before you take up your post again!"

"I obey your order!" Hai Wenyou bowed.

"As for Mr. Yu..."

"His Majesty!"

When Yu Xianggong saw Zhao Xing looking at him, he bowed and said, "I am old and I would like to retire and return home!"

"There is no rush to retire and return home. Wait until I decide on a candidate to replace Prime Minister Yu." Zhao Xing said.

Yu Xianggong is still the Xianggong, and once he retires, the position cannot be left vacant.

Zhao Xing couldn't find a suitable candidate for the time being, so he could only delay it for the time being.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Yu did not insist. Yu Yanran had just become pregnant not long ago, and he was not in a hurry to return home in the short term. He wanted to wait until Yu Yanran gave birth to the baby before returning home.

Zhao Xing looked at Sheng Changbai and Qi Heng behind them. Sheng Changbai was okay, he was not very white to begin with, and now he just looked a little darker than before.

But Qi Heng was different. He was a nobleman, used to a life of luxury. He had followed Mr. Yu for more than a year, traveling all over the place. He looked darker than Sheng Changbai, with rough skin, and did not look noble at all.

However, the two men had bright eyes and a steady demeanor, which showed that they had grown a lot after following Mr. Yu and Hai Wenyou to investigate the land.

"You two have worked hard. Just rest at home before the New Year. I will have my own appointment after the New Year." Zhao Xing said.

After the new year, he planned to transfer the two men to local areas to serve as heads of a state.

Judging from qualifications alone, the two are indeed not qualified.

After all, both of them have only been in officialdom for more than two years.

However, the Tongpan of a state is only of the sixth rank. Given his low rank, it would not be a big problem to promote him out of turn.

After the two have gained some experience in the local area for a few years and made some political achievements, they can be transferred back to Bianliang to take up important positions.

However, Zhao Xing had not yet decided where to assign the two men to serve.

"I obey your order!" Sheng Changbai and Qi Heng bowed. "My dear ministers, please go back and rest for a while. I will hold a banquet in the palace tonight to celebrate your success!" Zhao Xing said with a smile.

"Your Majesty, please leave!"

The four of them saluted and retreated.

After leaving the palace, Sheng Changbai bid farewell to his father-in-law and Yu Xianggong, and then took a carriage home.

The carriage stopped at the gate of Sheng. Before I got off, I heard Madam Wang's excited shout.

As soon as Sheng Changbai got off the carriage, he was hugged by Madam Wang.

"Son, if you don't come back you will never see me again!" cried Mrs. Wang.

"That's enough. It's not proper to cry outside. Let's go inside first!" Sheng Hong frowned.

Madam Wang then let go of Sheng Changbai and looked at her son with tearful eyes. She said, "Bai'er has become thinner and darker. He must have suffered a lot."

"I am an unfilial son. I have not been able to serve my parents for such a long time, and I still make them worry about me!" Sheng Changbai bowed.

"Serving the country is loyalty. Loyalty is greater than filial piety. How can there be any talk of unfilial piety?"

Sheng Hong looked at his son, nodded with satisfaction and said, "Your grandmother is still waiting, go and pay your respects to her!"

He was the only one in the entire Sheng family who knew how important Sheng Changbai's qualifications were in following Hai Wenyou to investigate the land this time.

Sometimes, seniority is not just about how many years you have been in the officialdom or what positions you have held.

It also depends on the things you participated in and the people you followed.

Not to mention that Sheng Changbai is the emperor's companion and Hai Wenyu's son-in-law.

I have two younger sisters in the palace, and also a cousin.

With all the connections and experience, Sheng Changbai has a good chance of becoming a husband in the future, even a senior husband.

Sheng Hong himself has no hope. How high the Sheng family's status will be in the future depends entirely on Sheng Changbai.

"Yes!"

Sheng Changbai responded, but didn't even have the chance to greet his wife. He could only look at her apologetically before being pulled in by Madam Wang.

When he arrived at Shou'an Hall, Sheng Changbai knelt down directly. When he kowtowed for the second time, he was helped up by Old Lady Sheng.

Old Mrs. Sheng excitedly pulled Sheng Changbai aside and talked for a while. Seeing that he looked tired and knowing that the young couple had no time to talk, she let Sheng Changbai go to rest.

The couple finally spoke after returning to the yard.

Before he could say a few words, the servant came to report that Madam Wang had arrived.

As soon as the two of them came out of the inner room, Madam Wang had already entered the hall.

"Son, you have to help your mother. Your father wants me to go back to my hometown in Youyang and live there for a few years. The conditions there are difficult and it's not a place for people to stay." Madam Wang cried.

Sheng Changbai helped Madam Wang sit down and said, "I already know what happened. I think my father did nothing wrong."

After Molan was arrested, Sheng Hong was frightened for a long time, but the court did not do anything to the Sheng family. Gradually, Sheng Hong came to realize that the government had no intention of pursuing the matter.

However, since Zhao Xing did not pursue the matter, the Sheng family could not remain silent. Moreover, Sheng Hong was very dissatisfied with what Madam Wang had done this time, so he proposed to send Madam Wang back to her hometown in Youyang for a few years.

On the one hand, he wanted to give Zhao Xing an explanation, and on the other hand, he also wanted Madam Wang to go to Youyang to avoid the limelight.

Old Madam Sheng also agreed to this matter. Although Sheng Changbai was not in Bian Jing, he had been exchanging letters with Hai.

Hai had already told Sheng Changbai what happened at home.

"What did you say…"

Mrs. Wang looked at her son in disbelief.

The reason she stayed until now was because she told Sheng Hong that she wanted to see her son and hoped that Sheng Changbai would plead for her.

Who would have thought that Sheng Changbai would actually say that Sheng Hong was right.

(End of this chapter)