Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 194 Who do you think you are?

Within the Cao Army, there are also those who are unable to adapt, and those who are beginning to be affected by this year's many "new policies".

It just delays their earning money.

In fact, last year Chen Ju bought the excess white grain, and last year Changming Grain Store bought half of the contraband goods smuggled on many grain ships. Now the information is naturally exposed.

The emperor might indeed be quite aware of how serious the Cao army's tricks were.

This year, not only are there fewer big merchants "cooperating" with the Cao Army, but most of them are "big customers" - because only big customers have enough information channels to know what power is behind the Changming.

Although a year has passed, the information is still asymmetric, and quite asymmetric.

There were still a large number of canal soldiers and civilian merchants who had no idea about the Changming. Although these small merchants suddenly found that they could use the canal army more often this year, trust took time to build. In just one or two months, a considerable proportion of the canal ships were not fully loaded with contraband.

Therefore, there was an excuse that Jiangnan was delaying the transportation of grain, so many grain ships slowly crowded near Yangzhou, with the idea that they could do nothing but fight to the death.

Li Sancai also came here to "supervise the transport". He asked his subordinates in surprise: "Two generals are moving together?"

"That's right. I just sent a letter to Yangzhou Prefecture, hoping that they can send more boatmen to pull the boats through the lock."

Li Sancai was curious about how Wang Chengxun did it.

Could it be that there was something in it, just like the handwritten imperial edict that I received?
The two men have been here for more than three days. Wang Chengxun is in charge of transporting the troops, while Li Sancai is supervising the banknote customs, water warehouses along the way, and local prefectures and counties.

"What does Yangzhou Prefecture say?"

"The Yangzhou government is naturally complaining," said his subordinate. "Every year, we have to collect a certain amount of labor service silver and hire a certain number of trackers. This year, given the current situation, we will have to work until after April. The wages..."

Li Sancai frowned and thought for a while.

Yangzhou Prefecture had good reason to complain about this. Not only Yangzhou Prefecture, but also any place along the Caohe River where there were locks or difficult passages, where boatmen were pulling boats, could complain about this.

The pulling time is longer this year, but the labor service silver collected is fixed.

"You should send a letter to Yangzhou Prefecture and all the prefectures and counties along the Caohe River. If the wages required this year are too high and the labor silver is not enough, please report the shortfall and the Governor-General's Canal Transport Department will pay for it."

"Lord Caotai, this..." The official seemed to have heard it wrongly.

"That's it." Li Sancai waved his hand, "When the grain is delivered, I will submit this request to ask for the money."

The official still didn't understand: "It's not that we are not doing our job well..."

Li Sancai frowned: "You only sent a letter to pass on the message, what are you worried about?"

"...Yes, I will draft the document right away."

He couldn't figure it out, but he still drafted an official document and asked Li Sancai to use it and print it out.

He personally delivered it to Yangzhou Prefecture.

"...Did Caotai really say that?" the Yangzhou prefect confirmed with him.

"That's what the governor said." The official was very surprised. "Isn't there an official document?"

The Yangzhou prefect frowned in thought but said nothing more.

"Your Excellency, this matter..." The advisor of the Yangzhou prefect wanted to speak.

"I know." The Yangzhou prefect sighed, "Send the official documents from the Governor-General's Grain Transport Department to all counties and prefectures. Most of them are experienced people."

"But there are two new officials..."

"No matter. Whether they can see through the mystery is their ability. If they can see through it, what they do is another matter."

After saying this, the Yangzhou prefect read the document again, his brows furrowed.

Was it true that every penny of the military service silver was spent on both sides of the Caohe River?
Of course, this is not the case with most counties and states. They have always been "lenient" in collecting taxes, and the reason for this is: who can guarantee that the transport troops will not miss the crossing of the Huai River?
If the deadline is missed, the transport troops should be held responsible. However, the local prefecture and county that helped pull the boats should not be held responsible. The more late the boat is, the more they should try to clear themselves of the responsibility.

Besides, this is such a good reason, we can always send and receive more.

The amount collected is often more than what is paid; the money used to hire people is often calculated to be more when the cards are revealed, but less is paid when it is actually paid.

Therefore, this official document from the Governor-General’s Grain Transport Department was a trap.

If it is really reported, who knows if the extra wages will not be used to reversely calculate the amount of labor service silver levied by the prefectures and counties later, which is unreasonable?

Only the local prefectures and counties can be "loyal and patriotic" and find ways to relieve the emperor's worries.

This money must also be included in the local accounts and cannot be absent.

How to balance the accounts? Under the current situation, the best thing is to keep more money locally. Local governments have "extra resources" so there is no need to make special expenditures from the national treasury.

We still need to strictly implement preferential treatment!
The prefectures and counties south of the Yangtze River no longer had to worry about grain transport, as the grain ships had already sailed away. Only Changming Zhayang Company was still waiting in Suzhou Taicang for all the grain to be loaded onto the ships.

Loudong and Taicang are the important ports of Wu, bordering Fujian and Guangdong and controlling the barbarians of Jing.

Wang Xijue's hometown, Liujiagang in Taicang County, was actually the earliest and largest seaport in the Ming Dynasty. Originated in the Song Dynasty and flourished in the Yuan Dynasty, Liujiagang, which is close to the river and the sea, was at its most glorious during the Yongle period.

When Zheng He sailed to the West, he started from here.

This is also a rich place. In the 26th year of Hongwu, Taizu ordered the construction of a warehouse at the South Wharf of Taicang. More than 900 warehouses were built, storing hundreds of thousands of tons of grain from Zhejiang, South Zhili and other places. It was called "Million Granary" and "the most prosperous warehouse in the world". As a symbol of wealth, the Ministry of Revenue later named the warehouse Taicang.

Today, Taicang warehouse is still the largest among the Ministry of Revenue's "national treasury", but Taicang itself, especially Liujiagang, is no longer as prosperous as it used to be.

As the port gradually became shallower, the starting point of maritime trade also moved south to Ningbo, Yuegang and Guangzhou.

And there were no more treasure ships sailing to the West.

But this year, Liujiagang is full of boats.

"Everyone, if Chang Xingshuo said this, Taicang County will definitely become more prosperous. If the docks are cleared of silt, everyone in Taicang will benefit in the future. Why let Zhayanghang pay this money?" Taicang County Magistrate Ge Qingyuan looked at everyone helplessly and asked Wang Dingjue, "He Shigong, do you think this is the truth?"

Wang Dingjue retired as a third-rank official, and he resigned voluntarily to avoid being criticized by others for being Wang Xijue. Needless to say, how high his reputation was in Taicang.

Ge Qingyuan respected him, but Wang Dingjue was not very respected in Taicang at the moment, and was even being ostracized.

Chang Qing'an also looked at him.

After traveling throughout Southern Zhili, Huguang, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang, he only recently settled in Taicang.

The white grain that should be shipped is gradually arriving.

Today it was mentioned that the siltation at the docks of Liujiagang is becoming increasingly serious and the water level is becoming increasingly shallow. Should we find a way to clear the silt? It was also proposed that the Zhayang Company should use Taicang Liujiagang as its home port for shipping additional gold and silver, five prefectures' white grain and other goods in the future. However, many wealthy gentry in Taicang are unwilling to donate silver for the construction.

If it is said that the Zhayang Company needed it, then the Zhayang Company should pay for it. Or if it is said that the Taicang County Magistrate wanted this achievement, then he could have petitioned the higher authorities to allocate silver or imposed additional taxes. Anyway, why did each household have to donate silver for the construction?
Chang Qing'an knew that Wang Dingjue would not object, and now he wanted to hear what he had to say.

After all, other people didn't seem to buy Ge Qingyuan's account.

"The Zhayang Company is willing to ship from Taicang, and everyone in Taicang will benefit. The county magistrate is right." Wang Dingjue did not rely on his reputation, but still addressed the county magistrate respectfully. "Of course, our officials, gentry and wealthy families will benefit more, but with more exchanges, more prosperous docks and the county town, the people will also benefit. In my opinion, the court should allocate some money for this matter, and the Changming Zhayang Company should also donate some money. Taicang petitions to add a department, and the people will also contribute some. The people will contribute less, and we will each donate more."

Ge Qingyuan was stunned: What kind of opinion is this?
Chang Qing'an looked at the other wealthy gentry who had gloomy expressions with a smile in his eyes.

"I don't need to point out what the Wang family's reputation is in Taicang and Jiangnan now. My brother is in the cabinet, and everyone in the government and the public thinks he is the leader of the New Party, so I don't need to hide it."

Wang Dingjue looked at everyone calmly, and then said: "Zhayang will be transformed into a merchant. This is a major plan that has been discussed for a long time in the court. The Liujiagang dredging project must be allocated some money by the court. Chang Xingtou must be willing to donate some money in person, but he is unwilling to bear the full responsibility, is that right?"

"That's what I said to Shi Gong. If Zhayangxing needs it, of course I'm willing to donate some money so that it will be convenient in the future. But Liujiagang is not dredged for Zhayangxing to start shipping from here, and after it's done, it won't be used exclusively by Zhayangxing. If Zhayangxing is asked to bear the full cost, I won't be able to justify it to the head office."

"The court can allocate some, and Zhayang Bank is willing to donate some. There is not much left after the shortage of wages is distributed." Wang Dingjue said calmly, "If the exemption is implemented strictly, each household will have even less. If the gentry and wealthy families in our villages are willing to donate a little more, this additional tax will not be much. As long as each family explains it to the people in each village, they will work in the county in the future, sell some mountain and lake delicacies, sell some silk and cotton, and there will be more work at the docks. I believe that each household will be willing to pay the additional tax."

Ge Qingyuan finally understood: this incident can also be used as an excuse to implement preferential treatment!
Maybe it can become the first law in Taicang County to fully implement preferential exemptions!

A group of wealthy gentry looked unhappy after hearing what Wang Dingjue said.

Having set this precedent, will other taxes be calculated in a different way?
But the Zhayanghang can indeed bring more wealth opportunities to Taicang. Do they have to start shipping from Suzhou Prefecture in Taicang? Or Changzhou Prefecture? Or Zhenjiang Prefecture?
Ge Qingyuan continued to persuade them, saying how much money he could request from the Ministry of Industry, how much the Zhayang Bank could donate, and how much was still needed...

At this time, the county magistrate hurried over from the main hall to the second hall and said, "The government office has sent someone to convey the new decree..."

Re-establish village chiefs, one in each village, and quickly investigate the opposition gentry...

In addition to surrendering and returning stolen goods, the number of cases where officials and gentry harmed the people this year is not included in the number of cases that should be reduced or exempted in various places...

"I protect the officials who work for me..."

"The people who die in this unprovoked dispute are even more my people!"

The decrees were very clear, because the wording was so rough and unrestrained that even Chang Qing'an was shocked.

Most of the wealthy gentry in Taicang County looked pale, as if they saw an arrogant emperor looking down on them: Who do you think you are?

Only Wang Dingjue had a calm expression, as if he had known it for a long time.

Ge Qingyuan keenly sensed something from this, and then said, "Since there is an imperial decree, this matter concerns the future of Taicang, so... we should first recommend it to the government office..."

The county recommended the prefecture for selection. How many townships are there in Suzhou Prefecture?
Every prefect holds a large number of ninth-rank official positions in his hands!

Over in Huzhou Prefecture, Chen Youxue had a smile on his face.

Your Majesty is truly merciless.

What are you worried about? Let's investigate the case!
(End of this chapter)