Prime Minister

Chapter 248 Prospects
New Year's Eve is approaching, but the capital is not peaceful.

It turned out that the imperial court planned to implement the system of equal taxation of square land in Hebei and Shanxi, but the gentry in Hebei opposed it.

More than a thousand people from Hebei gathered in front of the gate of the third division, begging to stop the tax equalization, and as a result, the capital was once in chaos.

However, Ouyang Xiu insisted on continuing the tax equalization system in the court, clearing up the land.

This incident made Zhang Yu more impressed by Ouyang Xiu's wind power.

Fang Tian’s average tax law existed as early as the Renzong Dynasty, and it was intended to hide the land from Qingzhang. Why?At that time, the rich households merged land and increased day by day, but the tax did not increase. The poor households continued to pawn and sell the land, but the tax did not decrease.

Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the acres of land, re-divide taxes, and clarify the source of national income.

Later, Wang Anshi's Fangtian Average Tax Law was derived from this, and even Zhang Juzheng's Qingzhang Tianmu New Deal in the Ming Dynasty also referred to these.

But doing this is very offensive.But Ouyang Xiu did it anyway.It is true that after time travelling, I know that Ouyang Xiu is not only a master in the literary world, but also has a lot of ideas and ambitions in politics.

Under Ouyang Xiu's initiative, the imperial court had pilot projects in Hebei and Shaanxi, but the end was also seen, and more than a thousand people in Hebei besieged the Third Division.

Not to mention hindering court officials from going to work, but also making trouble everywhere, causing trouble and hindering public order. If there is no force behind it to support secretly, no one will believe it.

Therefore, there is no need to think about this reform, and it must be nothing.

Ouyang Xiu was unhappy because of this, and even Ouyang Fa was in a bad mood. When Zhang Yue saw Ouyang Fa, he was always frowning.

Ouyang Fa privately said to Zhang Yue: "Father's proposal to equalize taxes this time may cause public outrage. It is worse than being demoted to Chuzhou..."

When Ouyang Fa said this, he let out a long sigh, unable to continue speaking for a while.

Zhang Yue thought that the first time Ouyang Xiu was demoted, the excuse was that he had an affair with his sister's step-daughter, but the real reason was a mistake in standing in line.

The same is true for the officials of the Song Dynasty. The real reason will not be put on the table, and they will only use people's private lives to make trouble.

But this time, because Ouyang Xiu advocated the equal taxation of Fangtian, thousands of Hebei people went to the capital to make trouble. People with a discerning eye could see that it was aimed at Ouyang Xiu.

Zhang Yue said with relief: "Uncle is now the deputy envoy of the Privy Council. Not only does he have a high position and authority, but he is also highly valued by the officials. There will be no more incidents in Chuzhou."

Ouyang Fa said: "Maybe so, but it's hard to guarantee... I also persuaded Dad not to implement the Fangtian Equal Tax Law, but Dad didn't listen."

Ouyang Fa said again: "Duzhi, it would be great if you passed the Jinshi exam. Since your father is in power now, you can help him."

Zhang Yue said: "It is my duty."

Not only Ouyang Xiu, but also Ouyang Fa was obsessed with gold and stone antiques, and some of them lost their ambitions, so that they failed the imperial examinations for many years, but it was really good for themselves.

The provincial examination is scheduled for the eighth day of the first lunar month, and the candidates are all preparing, but towards the end of the year, the capital becomes more and more lively.

On the 24th, the people in Bianjing invite monks and Taoists to read scriptures at night, prepare wine and fruit as gifts to gods, and burn family members instead of money papers. Drunk commander.Light a lamp under the bed at night.It's called wasting.

And the noble house, if it snows, it will have a feast, and it is very lively to invite friends and companions.In the courtyard, snow-sculpted snow lions are used, and snow lanterns are installed inside to invite people to watch or go out to meet old friends.

If you are not at home, if you go out for a stroll, you can see that the streets and alleys on the market are full of printed door gods, Zhong Kui, peach boards, and peach charms.

At night, the poor in Bianjing who have no money for the festival gather together, dress up as women and ghosts, beat gongs and drums along the street, and go door-to-door to beg for money.

Many of the examinees in Taixue couldn't help playing in the street all day or even all night, feeling that they were not enjoying themselves.

During the period, several groups of people came to Ladrang Yueshang Street to play, but they were all declined.

Zhang Yue sighed that although Bianjing is good, it is really not a place to quietly study and learn.

Not only did Zhang Yue not go by himself, but he also told them not to fight bravely in the streets and cause any troubles. If they were imprisoned by the Kaifeng government or something happened to the examiners, it would be ruined for a thousand years. .

The ten-year cold window is really a waste of time.

Apart from going to Ouyang Fa, Zhang Yue went to Chen Xiang's a few times, just closed his door to study, and he didn't even go to his brother's.

It's not that Zhang Yue is really indifferent to these.

It's just that the self-examination list is posted, and Zhang Yue understands that this provincial examination will focus more on poetry and prose than the interpretation examination, so he is unavoidably trembling.He knew that his poetry and prose were weak, so he kept asking Chen Xiang for advice on how to improve it.

Fortunately, it is an examination room article, as long as it is a stylized work, there is room for improvement.It would be impossible for Zhang Yue to write the handed down works in the poems, but he can still work hard to write an impeccable poem.

As long as the attitude is up, it doesn't matter if you don't improve much, and there are some benefits if you can improve a little.

It's New Year's Eve.

The envoy of Jiaofang led thousands of people in various disguises to drive Chong from the ban to the gate of Nanxun.

And the people's homes are all sitting around the stove to celebrate the festival.

This day Zhang Yue returned home.

The sound of firecrackers was roaring outside. To be honest, I used to spend the holidays at home, but I didn’t think there was much newness. But after two New Year’s Eves in Bianjing, I miss the taste of this festival very much now.

Arriving at home early in the morning, my brother and sister-in-law are all busy, and Zhang Qiu is also helping.

Zhang Yue was going to do things, but he pushed Yu Shi and said to him: "I know you are busy with the big exam, this trip is not easy, don't do things, go to Xi'er's study to rest, and I will call you later when I worship the ancestors."

Zhang Yue came to Zhangqiu's study, thought about it, and took New Year's Eve as the theme, and wrote a poem and a fu respectively.

After finishing writing, there was loud firecrackers in the surrounding area. Zhang Yue put the article into the poetry bag he carried with him, and then left the study room. The family worshiped the ancestors.

Zhang Yue also said that the ancestor worship was still the same, but this time it was more grand than before.

Zhang Yue could hear his elder brother muttering words all the time, so he went to the side and eavesdropped on a sentence, but he heard that his repeated words were to bless him for his provincial high school entrance examination.

Zhang Yue couldn't help being moved.

When it was time for the New Year's Eve dinner, Guo Lin arrived, and Huang Lu arrived a while later.

It was Zhang Yue who invited them here.

It is also not easy for everyone in a foreign land.

Zhang's family, Guo Lin, and Huang Lu had a New Year's Eve dinner together around the stove, and everyone enjoyed themselves happily.

During the banquet, the sound of firecrackers kept coming.

After the three of them finished drinking and set off firecrackers, they wandered into the courtyard, took a bamboo ladder, climbed up the courtyard wall and sat on it to watch the night view of Bianjing New Year's Eve.

During the festive season, three classmates sat side by side on the courtyard wall and chatted, their feet dangling.

Firecrackers lit up the night from time to time, and the smell of gunpowder wafted everywhere along the night wind. Facing this night scene, the three of them talked about the future after thinking about the big exam eight days later.

It's so good to be young, as if everything in the future seems to be at your fingertips.

Everyone is looking forward to everything in their dreams, as if it will come soon.

At this moment, Zhang Yue just wanted to slow down time.

He didn't want to just stride forward, so that he could covet more scenery along the way.He would rather walk slowly, keep all these little bits of beauty in his heart, and then never forget them for the rest of his life.

Just like this moment.

(End of this chapter)