Lost and Spy

Chapter 2089 The new county magistrate
This official seemed to be a bit interesting, at least his behavior was not pretending.

"Don't cry." Meng Shaoyuan remained indifferent: "Gao Yushan has been executed for taking bribes and breaking the law. Officials at all levels who have accomplices will be severely punished. However, if you don't join forces, I won't wrong a good person.

This commissioner came to Henan this time, one is to investigate the 2000 taels of gold theft, and the other is to deal with the disaster in Henan.Gao Jianzhi, is there anything you want to tell me? "

Seeing that Gao Jianzhi was still hesitant, he smiled:

"I'll just give you this one chance to defend yourself, and I won't waste too much time on you."

"Congratulations Commissioner."

Finally, Gao Jianzhi plucked up his courage: "Although I am Gao Yushan's cousin, I am not his kind. I used to be a teacher and helped Gao Yushan. After Gao Yushan became the county magistrate, he got rid of me to this position.

Originally, I really wanted to do something for Wuhe County, but Gao Yushan and his accomplices committed crimes, made a good Wuhe County a mess, and tried to drag me into the water.

I am a scholar, and I am a teacher. I still have the integrity of a scholar.I only take what I should be paid, the rest is not mine, and I don't take a cent.Gao Yushan wooed me several times, but I sternly rejected them all. "

Meng Shaoyuan asked: "Since you are not ashamed to be with them, why don't you resign? Since you are not from Gaoyushan, can he tolerate you staying in this position?"

"Although Gao Yushan is a beast, he treats his eyes with the utmost filial piety." Gao Jianzhi sighed: "His mother repeatedly told him that I helped their family and he should treat me well. Gao Yushan complied with his mother. So he also Regardless of me, knowing that I can't make any waves.

I wanted to resign several times, but he refused to allow me to stay in this position anyway and let me fend for myself.Originally, his mother could control him a bit, but since his aunt died, this person has become unscrupulous. "

Not lying.

Meng Shaoyuan asked again: "At any rate, you have a salary, how did you end up in this state, and your wife and children started to eat dry firewood?"

"Commissioner Zhu, what can you do with that little salary." Gao Jianzhi smiled wryly: "In peacetime, if you are not greedy or black, it is enough to barely get by. But the war in Henan continues, and the devaluation of the French currency is serious, this salary is really unbearable. up.

At the beginning of the year, the disaster started and the situation became more serious.What can we buy with our salary, how do you let me live?I also want to eat white flour steamed buns, but where can I find them? "

Meng Shaoyuan nodded slightly.

What Gao Jianzhi said was the truth.

The main reason is that the legal currency has depreciated too quickly, but the salaries of grassroots officials have basically remained unchanged.

Especially from 1931 to 1942, during the 11-year period, Henan's military ration contribution ranked first in the country.

Grain requisition has remained high for more than ten years, Huayuankou's embankment burst, "water replaced soldiers", and famines began. All these have led to the soaring speed of Henan's commodity prices, far exceeding any province in the country.

During the period of the Republic of China, the salary of appointed civil servants was divided into twelve levels, the highest level was 220 yuan per month, and the lowest level was 45 yuan.

The county magistrate recommends a salary of 380 yuan for the first level, and 320 yuan for the second level.

Taking a county magistrate as an example, before the Anti-Japanese War, 1 yuan could buy 20 catties of rice and 4 catties of pork.

The salary of the county magistrate can be regarded as a high salary.

After the Anti-Japanese War began, with the rapid inflation of the currency, the salary of the county magistrate was really meager.

Due to rising prices, the government began to implement a living allowance system for civil servants.

1941年9月起，各级公务员月薪50元以下者，津贴40元；50到100元者，津贴30元；101到200元者，津贴20元；200元以上者，不予津贴。

But these allowances simply cannot keep up with the soaring prices.

The magistrate of a majestic county, with a fixed salary and allowances, plus the gray income of local favors, still cannot make ends meet.

Why?In addition to price reasons, the Republic of China implemented the county magistrate contract system.

A county government has about 30 people. In addition, the provincial government generally allocates very little funds, and all public expenditures and expenditures for hiring people to handle affairs must be paid by the county magistrate.There is no way to maintain this relying on the county magistrate's salary alone. Therefore, many county magistrates have taken risks to seek money, and many of them lost their lives.

The "contracting system" of county magistrates during the Republic of China also meant that when a county magistrate took office or left office, not only did the entire team come and go with him, but he also had to bring his own office supplies, and he had to fully account for the financial revenue and expenditure when he was dismissed.All expenses incurred during the transfer period shall be borne by the county magistrate himself.

In addition, during the period of the Republic of China, the county magistrate changed frequently. Under such circumstances, the handover became a huge additional expense, which was far beyond the scope of the county magistrate.

Gao Yushan stayed in the position of Wuhe county magistrate for so many years, and he was unwilling to go to bribes and promotions. Apart from the fact that Wuhe county was regarded as his own small kingdom, one of the reasons was the huge cost of handing over.

If this is the case for the county magistrate, let alone the staff at all levels.

"It's really hard to be an official." Meng Shaoyuan also felt a little helpless: "Gao Jianzhi, the officials of Wuhe County were almost taken over by me. Now that the disaster has come, Wuhe County urgently needs a county magistrate to stabilize the situation. I Acknowledging your fate as the magistrate of Wuhe County, can you do it?"

"No." Gao Jianzhi said decisively: "I am the county magistrate, where can I get money to form a county government?"

"You don't have to worry about this, I'll help you find a solution." Meng Shaoyuan has already thought about it for him: "I will leave some of the money that officials at all levels got through corruption and perverting the law for you to form a team. Gao Jianzhi , more and more victims, Wuhe County needs a county magistrate."

"If that's the case, I'll do it." Gao Jianzhi didn't push back any more: "It's a big deal, if I can't do it well, I'll just leave."

"You can't do it badly. You must do a good job with the county magistrate." Meng Shaoyuan said slowly, "You don't have the ability to settle the victims and alleviate the disaster. What you have to do is to make Wuhe County not chaotic. .

No matter how serious the disaster is, it will pass sooner or later.On the opposite side, there are countless Japanese troops. If Henan is not to fall, apart from the army fighting hard, it depends on you grassroots county magistrates! "

"I see, Commissioner Zhu, I will always do my part."

"Be yourself, Gao Jianzhi, and don't be like Gao Yushan." Meng Shaoyuan specially instructed: "Certainly, absolutely."

Gao Jianzhi still lived up to Meng Shaoyuan's expectations.

After he became the county magistrate, in the face of the intensifying famine, Wuhe County was like a lone boat in the raging waves, struggling to stay unsinkable.

He is also willing to stay poor, living hard with his wife and children, and has never been a corrupt official like his cousin.

It wasn't until 1943 that the national government's pension fund appeared. Gao Jianzhi, as a third-class county magistrate, received an extra 3500 yuan in the pension fund every month, and his life was considered easier.

(End of this chapter)