Han official!

Chapter 133 City Rent
Counties in the Western Han Dynasty were divided into capital counties, large counties, and small counties.

There is only one Jing County, which is Chang'an, the capital.

The difference between a large county and a small county lies in the population of the county.

A county with a population of more than 10,000 households is a large county, and the county chief official is the county magistrate, whose rank is 1,000 to 600 shi.

A county with a population of less than 10,000 households is a small county, and the county magistrate is the county head, with a rank of 500 to 300 shi.

The county lieutenant of a small county was paid no more than 200 dan.

For Guo Jie, this was a major breakthrough. He stepped over the threshold of a subordinate clerk and officially became a senior official.

Yin Qi exclaimed in admiration, "When the Lord Zhao finds an official he admires, he spares no effort in promoting him. He even thought of recommending Guo Jie to be the magistrate of a small county."

Zhao Yu was very pleased with this and said with a smile, "You two had the opportunity to be promoted to county lieutenants of this small county long ago, but you stayed with me and refused to leave. Now Guo Jie has come from behind and taken the lead. Do you regret it later?"

Yin Qi and Wang Wenshu looked at each other and smiled without saying anything.

Although the county officials were good, they were not as good as the officials in the capital, not to mention that they were both highly trusted by Zhao Yu.

The tide is rising.

By the time Zhao Yu was promoted to Right Internal History, two of the five offices in the county government's temple had been reserved for the two of them, leaving only three offices.

There were not many officials left in the five offices of the Chang'an government with hundreds of subordinates.

"Ok?"

Zhang Tang hummed softly, seeing Zhao Yu's true intention. "Lord Zhao is probably testing Guo Jie. If he can handle the Gongcao position, once Lord Zhao becomes the You Neishi, he can directly promote Guo Jie to the position of Menxia Wucao of a prefecture."

Cruel officials were required to abide by Han laws more than any other officials.

There are strict regulations on the appointment and removal of officials.

Officials with a salary of 600 dan or more were appointed and dismissed by the emperor.

Officials with a salary of 200 dan or more were appointed and dismissed by the prime minister.

The remaining minor officials with a rank of 100 stones can be recruited by the county governors and county magistrates on their own. However, it is only a preliminary selection and they can only be officially appointed after review by the court.

Only minor officials with a salary of less than 100 shi could be appointed or dismissed at will by the prefect and the county magistrate.

No need to invite me.

Guo Jie was previously just a county chief. He was directly promoted to the position of a county official, or one of the five officials in the imperial court. His resume was too thin and would definitely be rejected by the court.

It was different when Guo Jie served as a minister in Chang'an, even if it was only for one day.

The resume is also rich enough.

"Mr. Zhao."

At this time, Lingxia walked into the back hall and said respectfully, "Guo Jie wants to recruit a few bandit catchers."

Recruit thieves to catch them?
This is to arrest someone.

Zhao Yu raised his eyebrows and asked, "Guo Jie is arresting people right after taking office. Which official does he want to arrest?"

Just go and get the ordinary common people, no need to report to Zhao Yu.

With Guo Jie's reputation as a thief catcher in Chang'an, he could arrest anyone with just a word.

Guo Jie found Ling Xia and specifically said that he was going to arrest someone, probably an official.

Lingxia said the official's name, giving Zhao Yu a surprise.

"Zhao Bu, the flag chief of Gao City."

Lingxia felt sad in his heart that Guo Jie was on the same level as the flag chief Zhao Bu. They were both chiefs, but now he could arrest the flag chief and bring him to justice.

Zhao Bu?

The cousin of Zhao Meng, a city official in the Chang'an government.

"The flag chief of Gao City?"

Zhao Yu's expression was filled with surprise. "Guo Jie has only been sitting here for half a day, and he's already found Zhao Bu?"

Not only Zhao Yu, but even Zhang Tang was surprised.

It is really unexpected that Guo Jie, a rough and rude man, is so good at handling official affairs, and so quickly.

Before he could even sit down, the investigation had already led to Zhao Bu.

Guo Jie's weight in Zhao Yu's heart became even heavier.

"Yin Qi."

Zhao Yu directly ordered Yin Qi, a clerk in the Thief Division, to accompany them in the arrest, demonstrating his importance to Guo Jie: "Stay with Guo Jie and record the entire process of his interrogation of Zhao Bu. Return and report this to me and Zhang Tang."

Yin Qi was surprised, bowed, and walked out of the back hall of the hearing room.

"Why did the superior officer call the subordinate officer?"

Zhao Tingzhang was wearing a silk jacket and trousers, and his palms had no calluses. He did not look like a military officer who was familiar with the five weapons, but more like a civil official sitting casually. He walked into the door and sat down, then bowed to Guo Jie nervously.

It is unknown which month's monthly record contained a mistake, which caused Gongcao Guo Jie to call him in.

Said he was called.

In fact, they were dispatching the thief catcher to catch him.

The thief catcher went to the flag pavilion in Gao City. Except that his hands were not tied behind his back with hemp rope and his ankles were not shackled, he almost took Pavilion Chief Zhao into custody.

Captain Zhao stood under the corridor at the entrance of the private room, trembling with fear. From time to time, he stretched out his silk sleeves to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

He has something to hide.

"Don't be nervous."

Guo Jie could tell at once that Chief Zhao was in a bad mood and asked casually, "In the past few months, the monthly records in Gao City have recorded that 16,200 pieces of cloth were required to be paid as rent. Is this true?"

Market rent is a business tax.

There are two ways for Gongcao to check and verify whether the records in Yueyan Book are accurate.

Have there been any cases of false reporting or concealment?

One method is to refer to the monthly records of different officials, check them one by one, and see if there are any inconsistencies.

The second way is to go directly to the field for investigation. For example, Guo Jie went to Gao City and found the merchants who paid the city rent according to the records in Gao City's monthly book to check whether they had actually paid the city rent.

The collection of rent from the flag pavilions was under the jurisdiction of the city officials of the Chang'an official temple.

The monthly report book submitted by Zhao Bu, the flag chief, recorded the urgent delivery of 16,200 pieces of cloth.

The monthly report book submitted by Zhao Meng, the city official, only recorded that Gao Shi had demanded the delivery of 16,000 pieces of cloth.

There was a shortage of 200 pieces of cloth.

It's not a small amount.

The city clerk is responsible for maintaining market security, collecting rent and taxes, and stabilizing prices.

Since Zhao Tingzhang and Zhao Shiyuan were both from Wushili, one could not help but suspect that there was something shameful about the two of them collecting the city rent.

"So it's to collect the city rent."

Zhao Tingzhang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, stretched out his silk sleeve, wiped the last bit of cold sweat, and relaxed completely: "It may be that some merchants did not pay the market rent on time, and were delayed for a few days. In the next month, the record of the market rent payment was written in the monthly record book of the next month."

The monthly record book is a record of every month.

If the city rent is not paid on the 30th day of the last month, it will be paid on the first day of the next month.

The city rent of the previous month will be recorded in the monthly record book of the next month.

Guo Jie stared coldly at Zhao Tingzhang, not believing what he said at all. This set of rhetoric was too familiar, and it was obvious that he was just passing the buck.

Chief Zhao pushed the responsibility onto City Official Zhao.

If Zhao Shiyuan is called over, the responsibility will be pushed onto Zhao Tingzhang.

"You won't tell the truth?" Guo Jie didn't waste any words. He walked towards the door, holding his ring-handled sword. "Let's go to Gao City together. Since you won't tell the truth, let's go to Gao City and find the merchants to compare one by one."

There are nine markets in Chang'an, including West Market, East Market, Liu Market, etc., as well as some small markets, Gao Market is one of them.

Guo Jie found that the accounts in the two monthly books did not match, so he did not stay at his door and argue with them, but went directly to Gao City for an on-site inspection.

No matter how much you say.

It’s better to go there in person.

When Zhao Tingzhang heard that Guo Jie was going to Gao City in person, his body stiffened inside his silk jacket and trousers, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead again.

"Guo Guo Gong Cao."

Zhao Tingzhang was anxious and said quickly, "There are many merchants demanding payment of rent, and it will take more than a day or two to check them all. The superior official doesn't need to go there in person. Just hand this small matter over to the junior official. He can give the superior official a satisfactory reply within three days at the latest."

three days?

Guo Jie scoffed and said, "Forget three days, even an hour is impossible. It seems there's something wrong with the accounts for collecting the city rent. If there's nothing shady going on, why are you so nervous?"

It was no use for Captain Zhao to be anxious.

Guo Jie did not look like a military official at all, but rather like a civil official, and an experienced one at that.

He is well aware of how to check the monthly records of the Qingguan Temple.

Zhao Tingzhang followed behind, feeling very uneasy. He was not worried about being punished himself, but he would lose his position as Tingzhang of Gaoshi Banner.

I’m afraid that because of what happened today, Wu Shili will be implicated.

Guo Jie was clearly targeting the host Zhao family.

There were many Chinese toon trees planted at the gate of Gao City, which were used as horse posts. Some Hexi horses and stable horses were tied to the Chinese toon trees. A young slave who was watching the horses stood beside them, bringing some water chestnuts and feeding the horses. When he saw Zhao Tingzhang appear at the gate, he looked at him with fear.

Zhao Tingzhang followed another official, his face full of anxiety and trembling with fear, and he was very afraid of the official walking in front.

When Guo Jie walked into the gate of Gao City, he attracted many people's surprise. Even Zhao Tingzhang, who usually acted arrogantly, was frightened one day.

Zhao Tingzhang was not only the flag Tingzhang of Gao City, but his cousin Zhao Meng was also the mayor who was in charge of all the cities in Chang'an.

Guo Jie's identity caused misunderstanding, and he was mistaken for a senior official in the Chang'an government.

Only a senior official can make the city clerk's cousin afraid.

The other county officials in the Chang'an government were of the same rank as Zhao Shiyuan. Zhao Bu and Zhao Meng came from powerful families, and Zhao Tuo was even a guest of Prime Minister Dou Ying.

When Zhao Tingzhang saw the county magistrates in the Chang'an government, he often looked like someone from a noble family.

It won’t be like today, where he was arrogant at first but respectful later, and he would just accompany her carefully.

Many merchants looked at Zhao Tingzhang's frightened look and secretly rejoiced. They couldn't help but curse him in their hearts that he deserved it. He usually used his black clothes to oppress merchants, and now he finally got the retribution.

Gao City was famous for its pottery. Guo Jie turned into the market and stopped at the door of a shop selling pottery cauldrons.

"This senior official?"

The shop owner hurried out and bowed to Guo Jie, saying, "The pottery cauldrons I have in my shop are quite good. If the superior likes them, you can take them and use them first. If you find them useful, you can give me some money. If not, you can return them."

Said to take.

Actually it’s a gift.

The host couldn't afford to offend the flag chief Zhao Bu.

Not to mention that Zhao Bu had to follow the superior official respectfully.

"I am not here to buy the pottery cauldron."

Guo Jie glanced at the person beside him, signaling An Guo Shaoji to open the monthly record book. He then asked, "Why didn't you pay the city rent on time last month? Could it be that you didn't have enough money to pay and needed to delay it for a few days?"

Market rent?

The host was puzzled and said, "I have already paid the rent a long time ago and have never defaulted on it. Why is the official suddenly asking about this? Zhao Tingzhang is right beside the official. If you don't believe me, you can ask Zhao Tingzhang directly."

"Yes."

Zhao Tingzhang hurriedly said, "This merchant has already paid the city rent."

Guo Jie glanced at Zhao Tingzhang and saw that he was still nervous. He knew that the city rent was probably related to something serious.

Otherwise, if there were only errors in the city rent records, Chief Zhao wouldn't be so flustered.

Ever since Zhao Tingzhang was called to sit down at the door, his panic has not subsided at all, but has become more and more serious.

Guo Jie did not expose it either.

He has a lot of experience in dealing with people like Zhao Tingzhang.

Guo Jie continued to question the shop owner, constantly creating pressure, forcing Zhao Tingzhang to be unable to hold on and reveal his flaws.

"Market rent?"

In a tunnel near the north gate of Kaohsiung City, a resident heard that someone was asking about the city rent. His hand trembled and the ceramic bell in his hand fell to the ground, breaking into pieces with a "crack".

The owner of the house quickly squatted down to pick up the broken pieces of the pottery bell, and because of excessive tension, his finger was cut by the fragments.

The innkeeper was wearing a linen jacket and hakama, with ink stains on his cuffs and calluses on his middle finger. There were some wooden tablets beside him, and it seemed that he was a person who read and wrote frequently.

The innkeeper picked up a piece of silk cloth, wrapped his bleeding finger, glanced at Zhao Tingzhang beside him, and did not dare to speak.

Guo Jie gave Wei Guang a look.

Wei Guang was tall and he grabbed Zhao Tingzhang by the collar, dragged him to the entrance of the tunnel, and kicked him in the butt.

"you"

Zhao Ting Da was furious. He was afraid of Gong Cao Guo Jie, but that didn't mean he was also afraid of Wei Guang. He said, "I am from the Dongdao Zhao family of the Wushili. How dare you hit me? Come with me to the official temple and find the senior official Zhang Tang to interrogate him!"

Wei Guang sneered, pointed at the crimson-yellow tiara on his body and said, "Look carefully, I am a lieutenant tiara rider. Not to mention the officials in Chang'an, even if I were the right internal historian, I still can't control the tiara riders of the Northern Army."

Along the way, Captain Zhao was too nervous until Wei Guang said the word "Tiqi".

When Captain Zhao saw clearly that Wei Guang was not a junior official of Gongcao, but a Tiqi of the Northern Army, he was so scared that he shrank his head, laughed awkwardly, and dared not say anything. He could only stay obediently at the tunnel entrance.

Wei Guang walked back and saw the host just taking out a few pieces of cloth and money. He reached out and took the cloth and money and handed them to Guo Jie.

Eleven coins are worth one piece of cloth.

One piece of cloth money is equivalent to eleven three-zhu coins.

To pay the city rent, you can use three-zhu coins or cloth coins.

The vassal states of the Han Dynasty were also able to mint coins, and the private minting of coins continued despite repeated bans. There were many small coins made of elm pods, and cloth coins were actually more useful than copper coins.

At the same time, grains such as millet and sorghum could also be used as money, and the food salary paid by the court was grain.

When the currency system was relatively chaotic, there were a large number of privately minted copper coins on the market, and the purchasing power of copper coins often fluctuated greatly.

Grain money and cloth money are actually more stable and easier to use.

Unexpectedly, the cloth money that the host took out was a kind of low-quality linen.

It is obviously used to fill in the gaps.

To fool people.

Wei Guang was furious and raised his hand, ready to throw the cloth money over.

Refuse to accept cloth money.

"slow!"

"stop!"

Guo Jie and Chong Huangrou's expressions suddenly changed. They quickly stretched out their hands and grabbed Wei Guang's arm as fast as possible to stop him from throwing the cloth money.

"This cloth! Don't throw it away!"

(End of this chapter)