Han officials

Chapter 300 An Unexpected Event in a Chaotic World [4.5K]

"Mi Zizhong is qualified to be the Grand Minister of Agriculture!"

This was Guo Yuan's evaluation after reading it, and Xun You agreed with it.

After all, the Grand Minister of Agriculture's authority was to manage taxes, grain, salt and iron, and the national fiscal revenue and expenditure.

Mi Zhu was born into a merchant family and, like Sang Hongyang, was naturally skilled in economics.

The suggestion to establish "ever-normal granaries" and "charitable granaries" shows that they have a good understanding of agricultural affairs.

If he were to become the Grand Minister of Agriculture, the burden on the three ministers would be much lighter.

Wei Zhe wholeheartedly agreed with the two men's assessment.

Professional matters should be handled by professionals, or at least those who are not professionals should have sufficient knowledge of them.

It would be a disaster to appoint someone who doesn't understand economics to a position like the Grand Minister of Agriculture, who controls the nation's finances.

However, it is too early to talk about these things now; Wei Zhe is more concerned about practical issues at the moment.

"How is it? Is this plan feasible?"

Guo Yuan nodded slightly upon hearing this:

"It's generally acceptable, but the details still need some work."

Xun You then said in a deep voice:

"Although there are precedents for the Ever-Normal Granary, the measures of the past also had their drawbacks, and we cannot completely copy the stories of the previous dynasty."

"Moreover, since the charity granary is newly established, we should proceed with caution in determining how it should be operated."

For example, Mi Zhu categorized the taxes on wealthy merchants into five levels: one-fifth, one-tenth, one-fifteenth, one-twentieth, and one-twenty-fifth. Grain was collected from these wealthy merchants according to their level and stored in charitable granaries to prepare for famine years. This plan seemed ideal, but any official with governance experience knew how difficult it was.

If the implementation of the "charitable granary" policy is too difficult, then its widespread adoption will inevitably fail.

At this point, Xun You couldn't help but sigh:
“If Mi Zizhong had not thought of drawing on the method of ‘calculating the amount of money’, the plan of public granaries would have been nothing but a castle in the air, with no possibility of implementation, and might even have turned into a bad policy.”

Upon hearing this, Guoyuan deeply agreed.

Having governed local areas for so many years, he knows all too well how big the difference is between policy and implementation.

Sometimes, even if the court's intentions are good, their implementation often results in bad policies.

Ultimately, the problem is the lack of a policy foundation, making effective implementation difficult.

Take the most basic issue of tax collection for the public granary as an example; the merchants were certainly unwilling to accept it.

The Suanmin Decree was originally a property tax levied by the state on merchants during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Former Han Dynasty, but why was it not continued?

The root cause lies in the inherent greed of merchants; the vast majority of them conceal their income.

Therefore, in the third year of Yuanding (114 BC), Emperor Wu of Han extended the Suanmin Decree to include the Gaomin Decree.

This policy encourages those who report false information about the calculation of wealth. If the report is found to be true, all of the accused's property will be confiscated, and they will be sentenced to one year of border service. The informant will be rewarded with half of the confiscated property.

As it turned out, this method worked very well, and soon reports of corruption spread throughout the land, with almost all merchants and wealthy families being denounced.

Emperor Wu dispatched imperial censors and officials under the Court of Justice to various prefectures and kingdoms to clear and dispose of the assets confiscated from those who had reported their wealth. The amount of money confiscated from the people was in the hundreds of millions, and the number of slaves was in the tens of millions. The amount of land confiscated in various places was tens of thousands of acres in large counties and about 10,000 acres in small counties.

The proportion of manpower and resources controlled by the imperial court increased dramatically, and Chang'an's control over the country was rapidly strengthened.

To be honest, Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu would be moved to tears by Emperor Wu of Han's control over the world.

I can't help it, I'm just too envious. This is a "true emperor"!
However, Emperor Wu of Han's move had serious side effects, causing most of the middle-class and above merchants to go bankrupt.

The key issue is that it has also had a significant impact on people's livelihoods, leading to a situation where "there are few merchants and prices are high."

In this way, although the country becomes rich, the people are not strong.

Because Emperor Wu used the confiscated money to fill financial loopholes and cover military expenses, but did not benefit the people.

The land collected through land surveys was distributed to agricultural officials appointed by institutions such as the Water Balance Bureau, the Imperial Household Department, the Imperial Stud Bureau, and the Agricultural Bureau, who were responsible for managing the confiscated land in the prefectures and counties.

As for the confiscated slaves, they were not released back to the people, but were used to raise dogs, horses, birds and beasts and to perform miscellaneous tasks in the government.

The imperial court controlled enormous resources, but the common people did not benefit, which led to the failure of the system of calculating and rewarding those who had lost their wealth.

However, the failure of the tax collection order does not mean that the practice of levying taxes on the property of wealthy merchants was wrong; it simply means that the methods used still need to be carefully considered.

We should thank the Chinese for their tradition of recording history, which has resulted in a great many research cases in later generations.

Xun You was well-versed in history books and often discussed these matters with his elders and relatives.

At this moment, when the infamous "Decree to Report Wealth" of the Former Han Dynasty was mentioned, he actually expressed considerable admiration:

"Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; this order is too hasty and impatient for results. Otherwise, it would be a good policy."

"For example, right now, this order can be combined with the public granary. If wealthy merchants conceal their wealth, the local villagers can be allowed to report it. The grain obtained will be deposited into the local public granary, not into the reporting party's, for use in disaster relief during famine years. This is a win-win situation."

Upon hearing his words, Wei Zhe suddenly seemed to be deep in thought.

Indeed, in this way, although those who surrender their wealth do not receive direct benefits, they have an additional disaster relief insurance.

This gave them sufficient incentive to cooperate with local officials, while also reducing the risk of things getting out of control.

By leveraging the local populace to suppress wealthy merchants, the continued operation of the charitable granary could be ensured as much as possible.

Most importantly, this is a good deed that benefits the local community, bringing benefits to the people and fame to the merchants.

Even if this policy is compromised during its implementation, the lower limit will not be too low.

After listening to Xun You's supplementary advice to Mi Zhu, Guo Yuan couldn't help but praise:

"The way of Heaven is to take from those who have more and give to those who have less; how true this is!"

Guoyuan then pointed out some easily overlooked aspects based on his rich experience in governance.

For example, the issue of distributing grain in granaries during years of famine.

If there is any delay or shirking, the trust of the villagers will be lost instantly, and the charitable granary will inevitably become a mere shell of its former self.

In addition, there are issues regarding the jurisdiction and supervision of the charitable warehouses.

The key questions are: who has specific jurisdiction over the preservation of the property, and who is responsible for its supervision?

At this point, Guoyuan couldn't help but shake his head and say:
"If there is no supervision, local officials will inevitably become corrupt and embezzle funds, and nine out of ten grains from the public granaries will be resold for profit."

"Once the grain is all misappropriated by officials, what will become of the government's authority?"

Guoyuan had seen far too many cases in this regard. Over the years, he had ordered the execution or punishment of hundreds of corrupt officials in the land reclamation system, many of whom were actually quite capable.

Upon realizing this, Guoyuan couldn't help but sigh:
"If this is the case, the public granaries will be difficult to sustain in the future. It is not that the people are cold-hearted, but that they are truly disheartened!"

It must be said that these two are both talents of the state, and they have a thorough understanding of the system of public granaries in the blink of an eye.

After listening to their analysis, Wei Zhe didn't offer any comment, but instead turned to look at Lu Su, who was standing by:
"You've written it all down?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Su quickly brought the files on the table to Wei Zhe, his eyes filled with excitement.

He knew he could learn something by following General Huo Qubing, and now it seems he really made a great deal.

Lu Su, who was only twenty-two years old at the time, was not yet the "honest man of Eastern Wu" he would become later. He was just a man with a lot of knowledge but little practical experience in governing and leading troops. However, serving Wei Zhe made him gain a lot.

Moreover, what he has learned during this time is something that is not found in the family's classic texts, making it extremely valuable.

Wei Zhe also intended to cultivate him, otherwise he would have had him serve by his side and manage paperwork.

Seeing Lu Su's reaction, he immediately stroked his beard and smiled:

"In that case, you shall deliver the annotations to Qingzhou."

After a brief moment of contemplation, Wei Zhe casually created a new position, saying:

“Let him be called ‘Governing Grain Observation Commissioner’. You will stay in Qingzhou and observe Mi Zizhong’s actions.”

"Remember, regardless of the outcome, all reactions from all parties must be fully recorded and reported regularly."

Lu Su was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately bowed to accept the order: "This humble servant understands and will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust!"

Then Wei Zhe said to Guo Yuan and Xun You:

"Let's take Qingzhou as a pilot area for now and let Mi Zizhong try it out."

"If there are any faults, correct them; if there are none, strive to improve. It is never too late to expand and broaden our efforts once everything is in place."

Upon hearing Wei Zhe's words, the two immediately nodded in agreement.

Indeed, this is the way to govern a country.

In fact, the practice of designating special economic zones as pilot areas in later generations was originally a method used by our ancestors.

For example, when Guan Zhong was in power in Qi, he first levied taxes on his own fiefdom according to land grade, and only after the success of "assessing land and reducing taxes" did he expand it to the entire territory of Qi.

When Shang Yang implemented his new policies during the Qin reforms, he first carried them out on a small scale in the capital city of Liyang before extending them nationwide.

The same was true during the Han Dynasty. Before Emperor Wu of Han implemented the "salt and iron monopoly", he ordered Sang Hongyang to first conduct a trial of state-run salt and iron monopolies in six prefectures, including Hedong and Taiyuan, and it was not fully implemented until three years later.

As for the later Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties, they all basically used the pilot program mechanism.
So it's really not easy for humanities students who time-travel to other places.

Even those with a bad history might easily embarrass themselves in front of the ancients.

For example, the practice of treating "pilot mechanisms" as scientific achievements of later generations is easily despised by our ancestors.

……

Not to mention how diligently Mi Zhu governed Qingzhou.

With the events in Xu and Yan provinces coming to an end, the Ye City shogunate finally breathed a sigh of relief.

For several days in a row, many people asked for leave to rest during the shogunate's meetings.

In fact, not to mention these officials under the shogunate, even Wei Zhe wanted to rest for a few days.

But there was no other way; the lives of millions of Han people rested on his shoulders, and Wei Zhe dared not slack off.

But despite his thoughts, he was still somewhat listless when he was at work.

Afternoon, the Shogunate's Seijima Hall.

Just as Wei Zhe was feeling a bit sleepy that day, a sudden piece of advice made him wide awake.

Guo Tu said solemnly:
"Your Excellency joined the army at a young age and won every battle; you expanded the territory and your prestige shook the borderlands. When the traitor Dong Zhuo deposed and installed the emperor, you were loyal and righteous, and traveled thousands of miles to Luoyang, which made Dong Zhuo fearful. The old capital was recovered, your name spread throughout the country, and the world was convinced of your loyalty."

"For the next ten years, he fought in the south and north, suppressing rebellious forces. Now he has traversed the north and south of the Yellow River, united eight provinces, gathered heroes and soldiers, and commanded a million troops. He is truly an unparalleled hero!"

"However, the emperor in Chang'an was trapped and the ancestral temples were destroyed. Looking at the various prefectures and counties, although they outwardly claimed to be righteous troops, they were actually plotting against each other. They had no intention of worrying about the country and caring for the people."

"Now that Your Excellency has established a firm foundation, with a strong army and loyal followers, why not welcome Your Majesty to the west, establish the capital in Ye, hold the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, and amass troops to punish those who do not submit? Who can stop you then?"

Upon hearing this, the hall fell into a deathly silence, except for Guo Tu, who stared intently at Wei Zhe.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhe was momentarily stunned.

He hadn't expected that the situation in the world had changed so drastically, yet Guo Tu would still make this suggestion.

Just as Wei Zhe was lost in thought, Guo Yuan immediately frowned and retorted:

"The Han dynasty has been in decline for a long time. Now, if we want to revive it, is it not difficult?"

"Moreover, heroes have risen up one after another, each occupying a prefecture or county, and gathering followers and crowds, numbering in the tens of thousands. As the saying goes, when Qin lost its deer, the first to seize it became king. Now, to welcome the emperor, every move requires a report; to comply is to lose power, to disobey is to defy orders, which is not a wise plan."

As a representative of the Liaodong Yuan faction, Guo Yuan's loyalty to Wei Zhe had long surpassed that of the Han Dynasty.

Of course, judging from Guo Tu's remarks, he wasn't actually very loyal to the Han Dynasty.

The two are essentially on the same path, sharing the same goal, just with different routes.

Xun Chen clearly agreed with Guo Tu's approach.

Upon hearing Guo Yuan's words, he immediately stood up and retorted:
“If names are not correct, then words will not be proper; if words are not proper, then affairs will not be carried on; if affairs are not carried on, then rites and music will not flourish; if rites and music do not flourish, then punishments will not be just; if punishments are not just, then the people will not know where to place their hands and feet.”

"Although the Han dynasty is in its twilight years, it still upholds a great principle. How can such a sacred instrument of the state be sacrificed for petty gains?"

Having said that, he immediately turned to look at Wei Zhe, bowed respectfully, and said:

"Today, welcoming the imperial court is both righteous and timely. If we do not act quickly, someone else will surely act first. For opportunity knocks but once, and success depends on speed. I urge Your Excellency to act swiftly, for delay will be too late!"

In a short while, everyone was arguing about whether or not to welcome the emperor to move to Ye City.

There were those who agreed, those who disagreed, and some who brought up the old issue again.

For example, Geng Wu suggested that Liu Gai, who was fourteen years old at the time, be made emperor.

Although he did not have the same high reputation as Liu Yu, the former governor of Youzhou, he was the King of Hejian in his time.

It should be noted that since Emperor Huan of Han, the imperial throne had been passed down through the line of the Prince of Hejian.

Liu Gai was the nephew of the late Emperor Liu Hong, and shared the same great-grandfather as Liu Xie. Logically, he also had the right to inherit the throne.

However, as soon as Geng Wu proposed this idea, he was fiercely criticized by both Guo Tu and Guo Yuan's factions, and could only retreat in a sorry state.

Seeing the heated debate in the hall, Wei Zhe was also a little troubled.

Since the current situation is no longer the same as in the original history, Wei Zhe thought about it and decided not to make a rash decision. Instead, he began to consider the overall situation of the world at that time.

The idea of ​​"holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords" is nothing new.

Over the years, as Wei Zhe read more and more books from the Dongguan Collection, he discovered that these methods could actually be found in the history of his predecessors.

For example, during the Warring States period, Qin generals Sima Cuo and Zhang Yi debated in front of King Hui of Qin about where to begin expanding the territory.

Sima Cuo advocated attacking Shu first, while Zhang Yi advocated attacking Han first.

Zhang Yi's reasoning was: "...Zhou knows it cannot come to the rescue, and the Nine Tripods and other precious artifacts will surely be produced. By controlling the Nine Tripods and following the maps and records, one can hold the emperor hostage and command the world, and none will dare disobey. This is the way to establish a kingdom..."

Even Guan Zhong's theory of "honoring the king and repelling the barbarians" is essentially the same.

Therefore, Cao Cao also learned from the ancients, and he was not the first to do so.

Long before Cao Cao, Dong Zhuo, Li Jue, and others had also tried this, but they failed to command the feudal lords. This shows that "holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords" is not a panacea. It can only increase one's own strategic advantage. What truly determines success is the strength of both sides.

Furthermore, this tactic is entirely a case of initial success followed by hardship, with both advantages and disadvantages.

Dong Zhuo died at the hands of the pro-Han faction, and Cao Cao suffered the consequences in his later years, having to deal ruthlessly with Xun Yu, Cui Yan, Mao Jie, and others, effectively cutting off one of his own arms.

Now, how Wei Zhe should choose depends on whether this move brings him more benefits or more drawbacks.

Thinking of this, Wei Zhe's thoughts suddenly became much clearer.

Meanwhile, Xi Zhicai watched quietly without saying a word.

He didn't arrive at the Wei residence until that evening, and they spoke in secret in the study.

In the flickering candlelight, Xi Zhicai spoke directly:
"Given your current foundation, it will take you at least a few years, or at most a decade or more, to pacify the four directions and restore peace. Why rush things?"

“If we welcome the emperor into Ye, we will surely be disturbed by him. The senior officials of the Han dynasty are hiding in their offices, and the hidden dangers are lurking in their inner circle. In time, there will surely be great chaos.”

At this point, Xi Zhicai paused slightly, then bluntly stated:

"Moreover, if we were to conquer the world in the name of the emperor, it would be quick, but once the mandate of heaven is bestowed, we would inevitably bear the name of injustice."

"To seek small gains at the expense of greater troubles is certainly not a wise strategy!"

Xi Zhicai suspected that Guo Tu's suggestion was made with ill intentions.

After all, while they certainly hoped that Wei Zhe would become the final winner and thus gain merit for supporting the new emperor, they also did not want the new emperor to be too powerful.

Thus, certain hidden dangers can actually be an advantage for them.

At least their usefulness and value might be significantly enhanced.

After listening to Xi Zhicai's heartfelt words, Wei Zhe finally made a decision...

(End of this chapter)