Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 47 The Quantification of Political Achievement (Part [-])
After the disciples left, Gao Gong didn't leave, and asked Gao Yushi to stay too. Gao Yushi knew that the third uncle must have something to say to him, so he didn't think it was strange.

Sure enough, Gao Gong stroked his famous beard, and said, "Pragmatically, the grievance between Xu Jie and me, in the final analysis, is not a difference in how people behave, but a disagreement in political views. You should know that." .”

"Nephew knows." Gao Wushi nodded, but said again: "The reason why my nephew doesn't want Sanbo to fall at this time is mainly because of Sanbo's reputation."

Gao Gong said indifferently: "Are you afraid that I will make everyone panic?"

"People may not be panicked, but there must be a lot of people who are dissatisfied." Gao Yushi sighed out of age: "Sanbo is unparalleled at the moment, and it is true that he is not afraid of people's words, but after all, Xu Jie has been in power for many years. No matter the center or the place, there are countless disciples and old officials. No matter what you do, Sanbo, it is impossible for you to dismiss them all. It is easy to defeat Xu Jie today, but how to deal with the countless disciples of the Xu family? These people are hidden dangers. If the situation changes slightly, they will inevitably jump out and counterattack."

Gao Gong raised his eyebrows: "Because they are worried about counterattacks, they let these people imitate Xu Jie's slack and lazy administration in the past, and only focus on being officials and high officials? Then what does the cabinet need to help ministers? Wouldn't a bodhisattva be better?"

Gao Wushi shook his head when he heard the words, "If you don't defeat Xu Jie, it doesn't mean you don't oppose Xu Jie's actions."

"What's the use of objecting in your heart?" Gao Gong also shook his head: "If you want to refresh yourself, there are certain things that must be done."

Gao Yushi thought for a while and replied: "Naturally, a gentleman should do something, but my nephew thinks that the so-called righteousness can make the words smooth, and the third uncle opposes Xu Jie's way of governing, so it's best to start with the way of governing. You don't have to pay too much attention to Xu Jie."

Gao Gong frowned and said, "Just now you said that Xu Jie's disciples and former officials are all over the world, but now you say that you should start with the way of governing. Isn't it a contradiction? Since his disciples and former officials are all over the world, I will arrest a few people who are lazy and lazy. , How much can I catch? But if I directly kill Xu Jie, how can those people not be afraid?"

Gao Wushi shook his head and said: "No. Of course they will be afraid, but they are afraid of the wrong place. Sanbo, Haigong is currently fighting with Xu Jie over the case of the Xu family's land occupation. In the final analysis, this case is a corruption case. Corruption may not even be formed, it can only be said to be plundering. Even if Sanbo used this to overthrow Xu Jie, it would only have a deterrent effect on the purge of officials, and it would not have much significance for officials to correctly face their responsibilities. Even because of the quarrel between you and Xu Jie back then, the internal and external officials may just regard it as an official rivalry between you and Xu Jie, which not only does not help the overall situation, but also damages your prestige."

Gao Gong frowned and thought for a moment, then asked: "You mean, not only should I not kill Xu Jie, but I should also show a magnanimous attitude as much as possible?"

Gao Wushi nodded and said, "Yes."

"Then it doesn't help the overall situation?" Gao Gong asked.

"So this is not all Sanbo has to do." Gao Wushi said: "According to my nephew, the problem of superfluous officials cannot be solved by defeating one person. The most important thing is to form a new evaluation method." system."

There was a flash of light in Gao Gong's eyes: "What kind of system?"

Gao Wushi thought for a while, and said: "The specifics, my nephew has not thought about it in detail, but I have two principles."

"Let's listen to it." Gao Gong said without hesitation.

"First of all, we must quantify the achievements of officials."

Gao Gong frowned: "What is quantifying an official's performance?"

Gao Wushi said: "Sanbo, this issue is very complicated. Let's take a county as an example. What do you think?"

"Huh?" Gao Gong waved his hand: "Let's talk and listen."

Gao Wushi said: "Let's assume that my nephew is the magistrate of a certain county, and you are still Tianguan (an ancient name for the Minister of the Ministry of Officials)."

"En." Gao Gong suddenly showed a smile, and he didn't know why.

However, Gao Wuzhen had just started to think about it, so he didn't bother to think about it. He continued: "During my tenure as a county magistrate, the tax that should be paid every year is basically constant according to the past practice. But if we conduct a quantitative assessment of officials' performance, Then if the annual tax paid was 1000 taels of silver, I actually paid 1000 taels of silver. This performance..."

Gao Gong interjected: "If you don't care about the rest, just in terms of paying taxes in full, the evaluation is excellent."

"That won't work." Gao Wushi shook his head: "If there is no increase in the tax amount, this assessment can only be regarded as barely passing, that is, 'OK', and it should not even be able to get 'Good'."

Gao Gong's complexion changed: "You want to use the increase in tax payment to measure the achievements of officials? That won't work. It will definitely lead to the local officials below forcibly apportioning and forcibly raising taxes. In the process, there will probably be officials in charge. The officials and the officials have tried their best to pluck the feathers, and the result can only be riots and even civil uprisings!"

"Don't worry, Sanbo. My nephew has more to say, but let's clarify the tax amount first, and then it's not too late to talk about other things." Gao Wushi said calmly and calmly: "The increase that Sanbo just said The word "quantity" is very good, but for this increment, we don't need a fixed amount, we need to form a percentage to measure and calculate."

"What is a percentage?" Gao Gong frowned slightly.

Gao Yushi explained: "For example, if I paid 1000 taels of tax last year and paid 100 taels of tax this year, this increment is a 1000% increase in the tax payment amount. If I paid 50 taels of tax last year and paid 5.00 taels of tax this year, then it is complete The tax amount has been increased by 100%, and so on. We still calculate by an increment of 1000%. This year I paid tax of 330 taels. If I want to maintain this increment next year, I will have to pay [-] taels of tax .If it is the same in the next year, then you need to pay [-] taels of tax.”

Although Gao Gong is a master of practical learning, but limited by the academic limitations of this era, it is obvious that mathematics is not very good, so he was stunned for a while: "How is this calculated?"

"Uh... This is a long story, but the calculation is definitely not wrong. Why don't we discuss the specific calculation method next time when we have time?" After Gao Yushi finished speaking, regardless of Gao Gong's reaction, he directly followed My thoughts continued: "According to what Sanbo said, under normal circumstances, this is equivalent to adding gifts year after year. If things go on like this, it will definitely lead to turmoil?"

"The number of fields is fixed, so if the tax is increased year after year, accidents will naturally occur."

"Okay, then let's add another evaluation indicator: maintaining stability." Gao Wushi said: "The so-called maintaining stability, as the name suggests, means that I, the county magistrate, must be able to maintain the law and order in this county..."

Gao Gong shook his head and said: "Unless you use a large army to suppress you, the people will be rewarded year after year, and they will have to change their sons to eat. Sooner or later, something will happen? Not to mention how many people will suffer, just say this." Isn’t the military salary that the army needs to pay for suppressing it an expense? If you don’t do it well, the little money you received from the additional tax is not enough to cover the military salary!”

Gao Wushi smiled and said: "Look, in the indicator of maintaining stability, if the expenditure of using the army is also included? That is to say, how much military pay has to be deducted from his tax payment quota. Doesn't this require me, the county? Can Ling find a way to open source?"

"That's fine, but... how to open source?" Gao Gong thought for a while: "No matter what you exchange the tax for, won't it still be paid by the common people in the end?"

Gao Wushi laughed even more happily: "So, as the county magistrate, I have to find ways to ensure the annual increase in tax payment and maintain stability, so I have to find ways to make the people under my rule earn more money. Otherwise, where would I collect more tax!"

　National magistrate: Highly pragmatic, you heretic!Did we mess with you?

　　Gao Yushi: That's not true, but you didn't vote for me.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)