Northern Song Dynasty: Starting from the son of Song Renzong

Chapter 105 What Does This Have to Do with the People of the World

If you don't participate in politics, you basically just need to do one thing.

Once you enter politics, you never know when someone will come up with something new for you.

Ouyang Xiu was away for two months, during which time he submitted a total of eighteen memorials to the court.

An average of 0.3 servings per day.

If you don't reply to him, he will think you didn't receive it, so he will write to you again and ask if you have seen it.

This guy!
I asked you to measure the land and count the population, but you changed your mind and started writing memorials.

Zhao Xin had no choice but to write a letter to the other party and ask him to do what he should do.

Don't think about anything else.

And in the court...

Although Zhao Xin began to investigate the land and population, people like Wang Gongchen and Jia Changchao did not object much.

after all……

They're not stupid either.

Now the official family only has this one son left.

If you object, then you will not be able to get promoted or make money in the future.

This might be their future official!

therefore……

Even though Zhao Xin had started the idea of ​​measuring the land and counting the population, the resistance in the court was still not very great.

in fact……

At the beginning of the New Policies of the Qingli Period, there was no opposition at all.

If Ouyang Xiu had not reported that there had been no one available in the Censorate in recent years, he would have also said that villains were still in the court.

It would not irritate the nerves of people like Wang Gongchen and Jia Changchao.

You say that he is not a useful person and you also say that he is a villain.

That person will fight to the death with you for his job.

but……

Zhao Xin didn't know all this. He only knew that he had to be prepared at any time to see who would jump out to oppose him in measuring the land and counting the population.

then……

How should he answer then?

……

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

This task of measuring the land and counting the population has to be completed no matter how slow it takes.

After some measurements.

All the numbers became clear.

At least half of the local land and population are concealed.

natural!

It’s still the same old routine, asking the county magistrate and others to write a performance report.

If they really have difficulties, then of course Zhao Xin will not do anything to them, but if they refuse to change and still resist stubbornly, then they will have to be dealt with more severely.

The local county magistrate also had some dignity to himself, so when he was asked to write a performance report, he immediately admitted his mistake and resigned.

Zhao Xin accepted the other party's kindness and made him the first official to be dismissed from office.

I can only say it’s okay!

Even though he had embezzled so much money in the past, Zhao Xin never held it against him.

With the money he had embezzled, he could go to other places, buy some land and some slaves, and still be able to make a living.

Of course! Since this was the first "dismissal" incident, it still caused a lot of discussion in the court.

Because no one knows whether he or she will be the next one to suffer the same fate.

And Zhao Xin...

After finding out the hidden population and land, we still have to deal with the aftermath.

Should we give these hidden populations some land and let them farm the land?
Maybe these people will have to flee.

Because sometimes, you really have to admit that the court's taxes are more severe than the landlords' exploitation.

After the landlord concealed the population, he also had to perform labor service for the court.

However, the landlord could have hidden people help him complete these labor services.

Moreover, the more people there are hiding, the less heavy the corvée will become when the burden is spread out.

But if the people were allowed to obtain land and cultivate it themselves, these corvee labors would directly cost them their lives.

and so……

Zhao Xin felt that this matter must be handled with caution.

Zhao Xin felt a little uneasy about leaving such a matter to Ouyang Xiu, so he quickly asked Ouyang Xiu to come back, and then let Du Yan go.

At least Du Yan looks much more stable.

For this hidden land, of course, you must pay taxes. After all, what you are doing is illegal.

Are you going to be allowed to not pay taxes in the future?
However, the subsequent processing is indeed a bit tricky.

Zhao Xin had no choice but to ask Du Yan: "Du Yan, how do you think this matter should be handled?"

Zhao Xin is now like snatching food from the tiger's mouth of the local landlord. Zhao Xin even feels that it may be more dangerous if he goes to the fiefdom in the future.

This is because landlords usually have thugs, so if they want to do something, it will definitely be more organized and premeditated than a rebellion by ordinary people.

Our ancestors have always said that one should not allow others to sleep soundly beside one's bed. Now that I have discovered their land, they must hate me to death in the future.

But I can't just kill people casually.

After that, we didn't see each other during the day, but met at night. If they suddenly became malicious, I would feel even more unsafe.

This is probably the reason why the land and population surveys in ancient times were often impossible to carry out.

He was just investigating a small county, and it was already like this. He had to consider his own safety. If it was expanded to the whole country, it is conceivable that you would be fighting against the entire landlord class.

Moreover, some of these landlords are officials, so the resistance is naturally great.

If they really investigate further, they might even be able to vote for themselves to replace an official.

Du Yan had a lot of experience in local governance, but he usually handled criminal justice matters. Of course, he also worked as a transport envoy for a period of time, and it can only be said that he did a pretty good job.

After listening to Zhao Xin's words, Du Yan knew very well that the five-year-old Prince Yu was not as simple as he looked.

after all……

A five-year-old child would probably be like Ouyang Xiu, shouting and yelling for killing, but His Royal Highness Prince Yu was surprisingly calm when facing this matter.

This surprised Du Yan very much.

Zhao Xin also continued: "Originally, if you conceal the land, you must pay the taxes that you didn't pay before. Now, how can I say it? It doesn't matter if it can be forgiven, but from now on, you must pay the taxes year by year. In addition, from now on, you are not allowed to conceal the land."

It can be considered as easing the relationship between the two sides.

Du Yan heard this and said, "It is a blessing for the people of the world that His Royal Highness Prince Yu can think this way."

Zhao Xin turned his head and wondered what this had to do with the people of the world.

but……

never mind!

Then, Zhao Xin said, "At the moment, I don't want to make the relationship too awkward. Du Yan, do you understand?"

Du Yan said, "I understand a little."

Zhao Xin said, "If you understand, then go ahead and do it. As for those hidden people, just leave them as they are for now. I am not ready to deal with or resettle them yet. We'll talk about it when the time is right."

(End of this chapter)