Haisheng Mingdi

Chapter 583
Qingzhou.

At the foot of Phoenix Mountain, beside the Xiaofu River, Bogu County, Yanshen Ancient Town.

Zhao Xiaolou carried a blunderbuss on his shoulder, a marching backpack on his back, and leggings on his legs. He followed the team from the city and headed north along the Xiaofu River.

The autumn is crisp and clear, and the green gauze curtains are gone in the fields by the river.

The autumnal equinox has passed, and the summer corn has been harvested in large areas. All the valleys and slopes, the cornfields are covered with layers of yellow.The farmers are happily harvesting corn in the field, and the corn cobs are filled with willow baskets and straw bags.

The men happily picked up the heavy corn, their faces full of joy of harvest.

After staying in the mountains for a long time, it was rare to come down the mountain. Zhao Xiaolou and his party felt very excited. Seeing the joy of the harvest, they also felt inexplicably happy.

"This year's corn harvest is very good!"

"This corn on the cob is huge."

"It seems that the locusts have little effect."

Team Liu said, "This crop of late corn is harvested, so it's time to grow wheat."

With so much corn harvest, even the officers and soldiers of the Shence Army who passed by felt joy.

Their trip was going to Zhangdian Town, a hundred miles away.

Zhangdian, Jinling, and Yanshen Town were the three most important towns in Zichuan area at this time. At this time, two of the three towns were in Qingzhou Prefecture controlled by Ming Dynasty, and only one Zhangdian Town was under the control of Qing army in Jinan Prefecture.

Now in the autumn harvest season, Shence Town, who has been training hard at Qingshiguan, finally got the mission to send troops to attack Tai'an Mansion all the way, and enter Jinan Mansion all the way.

Zhao Xiaolou and his team went to Jinan and went to Zhangdian.

When the corn was harvested, the Ming army was about to start harvesting grain. They bought grain from the people and attacked the Qing army who went to the countryside to collect grain. They even wanted to seize some township strongholds to further squeeze the space of the Qing army.

"Why is this river called the Xiaofu River? Did any famous filial women come out before?" Zhang Tiezhu asked.

"Didn't Captain Liu say it before, you don't listen carefully,"

"Deputy Liu, tell me more."

At this time, the team had just left Qingshiguan and headed north through Yanshen Town. Although they had entered Jinan Prefecture, this area had actually been under the influence of the Ming army. The nearby gentry and people were also protected by the Ming army. They didn't dare to come, so the common people turned to the Ming army for anything, and everyone was more relaxed.

Even the armor was packed on the back and moved forward lightly.

"Okay, speaking of the Xiaofu River, there is a long-standing myth and legend, which is also related to the fact that Boshan County used to be called Yanshen Town. It is said that there used to be a woman named Yan Wenjiang in Qidi. Young and widowed, he still respected his parents-in-law, served them meticulously, brought sweet water from afar, and was not interrupted by the severe cold and midsummer heat, and finally touched the heavens, so he gave birth to Lingquan in Yan Wenjiang's room.

But when her vicious mother-in-law saw that she no longer carried water, but had water every day, she became suspicious, and found an excuse to send her daughter-in-law out of the house, and went into Yan Wenjiang's room to remove the cover from the Lingquan. woman river. "

Later, it became Lingquan Town. In the Tang Dynasty, someone built a Yan Wenjiang Temple in the town, which was collectively called Xiaofu Temple by Tang people.In the Song Dynasty, some people even said that she was a descendant of Yan Hui. Since then, she has been honored as a holy descendant, and was named Mrs. Shunde by the court, and Yan Wenjiang Temple was also inscribed as Lingquan Temple.

Over time, Lingquan Town was gradually called Yanshen Town again, and it became more and more lively, and my emperor specially designated it as Boshan County.

Although Boshan is a county, it is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and the land is sparse and barren. There are also many mines, coal, iron, lead and other minerals. In the Ming Dynasty, because it was located in a remote mountainous area, the private mining industry was very developed. A few families, three or five picks, a few lamps, a few ropes, and a wheel. Coal can be mined, so there are a large number of privately owned small mines and a large number of miners.

The private mining industry is developed, which also drives the ceramic kiln industry here. The clay near the coal seam is an important material for firing porcelain, and coal is a good fuel for firing porcelain.

Yanshen porcelain is cheap and hard, so it has a great market in Shandong.

After the Shence Army entered Yanshen Town and Qingshiguan, the place quickly returned to its former bustle. Even the relocation of the capital to Dengzhou made this place more prosperous. The imperial court's support for mining, porcelain kiln and other industries and businesses made this place even more prosperous. new heights.

After the influx of a large number of refugees from Shandong, the imperial court recruited refugees here to cultivate and promote the planting of corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sorghum, etc. Miscellaneous grains were planted everywhere in the mountains and slopes, and there were also people from Qingdao, Laizhou, Haizhou, etc. The food that is continuously transported from the ground has greatly made this place prosperous.

Therefore, not only Yanshen Town, but also these villages on the border with Jinan are very supportive of Daming.

There were locusts twice this year, and there was another flood in summer, flooding the yellow flooded area, and the people suffered a lot.

However, Daming was active in disaster relief, especially issuing orders to encourage the common people to catch gnats and exterminate locusts and dig eggs, and transport food to buy locust gnats and locust eggs from the victims.

Food can be exchanged for locusts, and it can also be exchanged for money.

Three catties of locust gnats, one catty of food.For one catty of locust eggs, three catties of food were given.

They also sent people everywhere to spread the method of catching locusts and exterminating locusts, such as digging up the soil in the flooded river beach to find insect eggs. When the locusts just hatched, they were in the stage of nymphs. They are lured by digging ditches and burning fires, then they are caught with nets, soaked to death in water, dried in the sun, and exchanged for food.

The Shaotian Dynasty not only set up locust collection points on the border of the Qing-occupied area, but also sent people to collect locusts in Shandong and Henan in the Qing-occupied area.

Locusts can be exchanged for food. For those people, who is not happy? Under this stimulus, it is difficult to effectively organize the extermination of locusts in the originally turbulent and chaotic Central Plains, but in the end, this kind of locust food exchange in the Shaotian Dynasty was abrupt. It was brought under control. Although locusts appeared sporadically in various places, it did not form a huge locust plague sweeping the Central Plains.

Otherwise, there would be no harvest for these corns connected to the Xiaofu River, and the locusts like to eat these greens the most.

The corn farmers on the roadside saw Zhao Xiaolou and the others passing by, and greeted them with a smile, asking them to pick some corn.

Li Baoquan waved his hand.

Training every day, not only practicing martial arts, but also always emphasizing military discipline, but no one dares to take things from ordinary people casually.

Seeing that they didn't pick it, the farmer came over with the basket on his back and stuffed it directly into their arms, which made them refuse again and again, you pushed and I gave in.

"Furious, sing!" Captain Liu led everyone to sing and continue marching.

In autumn, on the mountain road beside the Xiaofu River, the Ming army's Imperial Battalion Shence Army in red uniforms meanders like a fire dragon, adding a touch of color to this golden late autumn.

When Zhao Xiaolou and the others arrived in West Village, an order came from above to let their battalion rest and station in West Village.

It was still early, and the officers ordered the auxiliary soldiers to set up tents outside the village.

There happened to be a security chief in the village organizing the grain collection. This is Zichuan County, Jinan Prefecture, but the security chief was appointed by Daming. The local Baojia and the formation of township groups were all under the orders of Boshan County.

When the autumn harvest began, the security chiefs began to go to the village to collect grain.

No matter it is corn or wheat, etc., the grain will be harvested as soon as possible during the harvest season.

The people also handed over land and silver to Boshan County, kept enough rations, and sold the rest to the county.

From this year onwards, in the entire Shaotian Dynasty-controlled area, grain will no longer be exchanged for silver, but will be expropriated and paid for what is planted.

Expropriation is also very simple. First, the size of the land is unified into the standard mu, and then the upper, middle and lower fields, as well as the land and beaches, are all converted into the standard mu.

For each mu, you can collect millet, wheat, or grain, whatever you plant, you can collect two buckets of land tax per mu, and two liters of silver for sharing. combine.

Different grains are converted into rice and wheat in proportion.

In addition, there are no other collections, such as donations, levies, three rates, and surcharges, all are gone, very simplified, and most importantly, the actual burden is much less than in the past.

In the past, even though the tax per mu of land on the surface was only a few times, the various additions, especially such as floating income and consumption envy, were often several times the regular tax, and the people suffered even more.

The current service is all converted into Dingyin, which is levied according to the mu, and it is still a fixed amount. Although Ding is added, it will never be added.

Even corn and sweet potatoes can be converted into staple grains such as grain and wheat, which is still a unified conversion standard.

For the people who own the land, the amount of land that is less than two and a half buckets of land per mu is actually less than one-tenth of the output, and they can be paid in two seasons.

The tenants without land don’t even need to pay the land, they just need to pay the rent to the landlord, and they don’t have to worry about the landlord spreading the land to them again, because the government stipulates that the landlord and the tenant share four or six points for the autumn harvest, and the summer grain goes to the tenant .

The landlords' land, after the harvest is handed over to the landowners, about [-]% can be left.

After the people worked hard to cultivate, even though they paid [-]% of the rent, they could still live at last.

When the Tartars took control of this place before, there were many items of food requisition, such as post stations, tribute feet, land rent, storage warehouses, salary workers, restoration of consumption, etc. There were also white grain, black beans, water folds, shirt orphans, etc. in the grain items. Consumption and half, foot fees, public expenses, pond labor donations, grain accumulation, and student donations.

There are also Liao pay, suppress pay, and practice pay.

The three salaries already included training salaries, but the local government also collects salaries at five cents per mu, which is called the rural construction group.Then there are river fees, and there are many other items such as self-government donations, charity donations, household registration donations, and even Qingzhang fees and collection fees.

These additional fees are more than twice as high as the regular tax, and when paying the grain, the biggest head is floating income. Ordinary people pay grain, they use various methods, and finally pay one stone for the grain, but in fact they have to pay more than two stones .

Sometimes it is necessary to fold silver, and the result is that the burden is increased.

The common people don't know how many items there are in these tax increases. Anyway, the yamen assigns them at will. No matter what they do, they just charge the people directly. consumption.

Anyway, the final actual payment often exceeds half of the output.

Naturally, the common people were miserable, and many of them abandoned the land and fled. Those who did not escape had to bear the tax of fleeing, and were not given a way to survive.

Since the arrival of the Ming army, taxes have been simplified.

All kinds of services and fees in the past were all unified into Dingyin, and a fixed value was set. For every stone field, a bucket of Dingyin was levied.

No matter how many local laborers there are, how much office fees are needed, etc., the Ding Yin and the land tax will not change.

Finally, [-]% of the fire consumption is added, and there are no other kinds of fees, fire consumption, consumption consumption, floating income, etc.

All kinds of fields, slopes and forests, large and small mu are also uniformly converted into standard mu for collection.

This year, it will be directly expropriated in kind, and expropriated in the countryside.

In the Chongzhen period before, and in the Tatars, the common people had to pay [-]% to [-]% of the land or even more, but now, after simplifying and reducing the burden, the actual control is within [-]% of the land harvest, and there is even a reduction in the event of a famine.

Therefore, the people are very active in paying food.

After the grain is harvested and dried, it starts to be paid immediately, and the grain department also sends people down to Baojia in various places to take charge of the collection first, and finally collects it in the grain stations of each township, and then transfers it to the granary in the prefecture and county.

From grain stations in villages and towns to granaries in prefectures and counties, there are also many transshipment warehouses on the transportation line. In some important core areas, there are also large storage warehouses, garrison places, and military warehouses.

This brand-new grain purchase and storage network is used to allocate and supply grain for the Daming control area, and to maximize the grain distribution and supply.

"Everyone is very active in paying food, and they are lining up."

"Well, I haven't seen those officials doing power and blessing."

Captain Li Baoquan said with a smile, "In the past, all kinds of local expenses were covered by the food and silver. This was even an important opportunity for them to make money, but it's different now."

Nowadays, officials have a bank for supporting honesty, yamen at all levels have a bank for envoys, and there are budget allocations at the top, which increases the staffing and salaries of officials and officials. Expenses such as post stations and schools are no longer borne by the localities themselves, but allocated by finances. .

Another one is the strict supervision from above.

The matter of grain collection is directly in charge of the grain department, and there are governors, sub-inspectors, governors, chief executives, inspectors, inspectors, and even inspectors and censors. Who dares to stretch their hands indiscriminately.

Especially the punishment is severe.

In the past, collecting food, fighting big and small, and kicking the tip of the dendrobium, who dares to do anything now, it is military law.I'm not afraid that you have the means, but I'm afraid that the higher up will do the real thing.

After everything is simplified, the people will not be confused and confused. They can appeal at any time if they dare to collect more items.

This fixed grain, if you engage in floating harvests such as large and small buckets, and the difference is large, you can also sue.

In the past, they dared to float and harvest more than two shi or even three or four shi for a shi of grain, but now when they weigh a shi of grain, they dare to collect two or three liters more, which is a big deal.

"My hometown in Yanzhou, Zhejiang, has been doing this for a long time. Now the burden of farming is very light. The fire consumption of the land does not exceed [-]% of the harvest, and there are not many seeds. If it is their own land, a family can plant five acres of land. In addition to the expenses of Wandiding and seeds, you can keep enough food for the family, and some can be sold. Then plant one mu of mulberry or two mu of cotton, raise silkworms and weave cloth, which is enough for the family to wear, and can be sold to buy oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar. There are a few taels left."

Zhao Xiaolou has been working hard to save money before, and sent most of the military salary back to his hometown. The land in Yanzhou mountains in his hometown is cheap, so he bought a lot of land. The family is self-sufficient, planting mulberry trees and tea gardens, raising silkworms, weaving silk and growing tea. , there are many economic benefits.

Even during the slack season, the brothers can go to the workshop to do odd jobs to subsidize the family.

Zhao Xiaolou is now waiting for Yuying to send out his wife.

"You said, why did the imperial court levy so heavily in the past, and there was always no money, but now it is so little, and it is enough to support officials and soldiers?" Zhang Tiezhu asked.

"That's because the imperial court now collects industrial and commercial taxes, and there are also monopoly sales of tea, salt, wine, minerals, spices, etc., and customs, as well as handicraft workshops, trade, and shopping, etc. to make profits. Adding likin, the income is almost as much as land. It is said that the conversion of land into silver is only 3000 million yuan, but the other items are also more than 2000 million yuan, such a large amount of income, of course it is enough." Captain Li Baoquan said.

Deputy Liu Dui smiled and said, "Actually, it's not entirely like this. In the past, whether it was during Chongzhen or after the arrival of the Tartars, the burden on the people was heavy, and more than [-]% of the output from the fields was turned over to the state treasury.

The real amount of tax collection is actually very low, and the amount retained by the local government is relatively large, and only part of it is turned over to the national treasury.

Another point is that most of the money paid by the people is actually extras and expenses from various places. These are not included in the national treasury, but most of them are taken away by corrupt officials.

So no matter how much the people pay, the court still has no money.

But now, although our people only turn in about [-]% of the harvest, the imperial court actually gets it, and even the [-]% of the fire consumption is returned to the public for storage. Do you think it can be the same? "

In the past, the tax collection rate was very low, so the people paid more, but the court collected less, especially those gentry and bureaucrats who were exempted, colluded with each other, and the land was unclear. The tax collection by the court was muddled. It has always been those officials who have colluded with corruption and enriched their own pockets, and whoever controls the court.

In the past, the military households in the guards became beggars, and the land was invaded by officers, bureaucrats, and ministers. A large number of military farms could not supply the military food of the guards, and had to be supplied by local governments. Now, after a large number of military farms in the guards have been cleared out, they are sold. Rent and rent, not only can all these fields receive land silver, but also have a large amount of land silver and extra income from land rent.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the number of fields garrisoned by guards in various places reached 89 hectares. During Yongle, the country's guards garrisoned more than 300 million shi of grain and grain, but in the same year, the tax and grain of civilian farms were only more than 100 million shi.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, such a large number of guards could not support the soldiers of the guards, nor could they hand over additional food to the country. They had to rely on the prefectures and counties near the guards to provide monthly food. This is a sinkhole.

How amazing will it be to release more than [-]% of the country's total arable land in the guards?
Even after more than 200 years in the Ming Dynasty, many wastelands reclaimed in various places were actually concealed and never reported, and land taxes were never paid.

Talking and laughing, the battalion officer sent someone to pass the order.

"The logistics department just bought a batch of corn from the village, and the camp let the teams pick it up."

When marching outside, food and other materials can be purchased along the way. Naturally, they have to be purchased locally. The logistics office even purchased a lot of vegetables, some chickens, ducks, pigs, etc.

"Zhao Xiaolou, come with me to the logistics office to get the corn."

The logistics office bought a lot of corn, etc., and several carts were loaded in the auxiliary battalion, and the sentry teams of the war camp went to collect the three-day supply.

The two carried back more than 100 catties of corn cobs, which were still fragrant and sweet after being dried in the sun for several days after harvest. "Cook the corn cobs tonight and eat them, and peel off the remaining cobs. We will have food for the next three days."

"Captain, did you get any pork, chicken or duck?"

"Don't even think about chickens and ducks. I think some pork will be distributed soon. Let's peel the corn first. After peeling, it can be sent to the auxiliary camp to be ground into cornmeal, and then you can make steamed buns."

"Isn't it just ten catties of sticks for each person? It takes a lot of effort, and it will be ready in a while." Zhang Tiezhu looked relaxed.

"The newly harvested corn is delicious," Zhao Xiaolou held a plump corn cob and smelled it. His hometown is Yanzhou, Zhejiang. He has never eaten corn before. This stuff is soft, waxy and sweet, so it is better to cook and eat. Pancakes or steamed buns are also delicious.

"Let me tell you, corn is being harvested everywhere now. Let's go to Zhangdian Town. There is no need to buy it on the way. I have to carry so much on my back. How tired I am. Wherever I go, just buy it and eat it now."

"Don't say a few words, hurry to work, and reiterate that you are not allowed to leave the camp without authorization, let alone harass the people. If anyone violates military discipline and is caught by the military police, he deserves to be whipped or even beheaded, but don't implicate everyone. Be honest with me, take a rest if you have nothing to do, and hurry up tomorrow, but don’t wait a few days before you really have to go to battle, but everyone is listless, and they all become cowards, embarrassing to me.” Captain Li Baoquan divided the corn Stick, while sternly reminding the team members.

"I'll ask Captain Liu to continue teaching with us later,"

"Well, let's talk about the shotgun nine-in-ten-ten series tactics later, especially some precautions when attacking the city." Liu Dui said.

Zhang Tiezhu was dissatisfied, "The marching army is out, and you still have to talk about this trouble at night, so you can't rest peacefully?"

"It's just you talking too much, shut up." Li Baoquan scolded.

　Thank you for the reward of Nianhua Passing Water Friendship, thank you!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)