Jingming

Chapter 309

The Nanjing household department has a lot of things to do this year, very busy, no problem, add people!

Once again, the yellow book was created, and this time it was necessary to lay a good foundation for the new law of the Jiajing Dynasty. No problem, add money!
"...The yellow book is a serious matter. The Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs has proposed to accept it. Please add more officials and allocate another special bank for the quasi-state affairs hall. Xia Congshou is diligent, loyal and able to advise. Yin's son entered the Nanjing Guozijian and awarded Zide as a doctor..."

Xia Congshou knelt in front of Zhang Jin, listening to the content of the imperial decree, his heart sank.

Faced with such a major event and such a large sum of money, is this the efficiency of his briefing and resolution in Beijing as soon as it arrived?

No, just wait for the Nanjing household department to make a move.

Now Xia Congshou made a move, but on the surface it was purely out of work needs, so he was praised and rewarded by the emperor.

But the matter of the yellow book library underneath will be in charge of the newly added Department of Land Purification and Officials of the Ministry of Households in Nanjing?This department has not yet sent a doctor, but the full-time head of the yellow book storehouse, the storehouse... are all officials sent by Beijing.

Xia Congshou naturally has the right to arrange how people are managed and how money is spent.However, can he make random arrangements?Is the rhetoric of upper and lower right?

Xia Congshou also had to thank him: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for understanding the situation and granting this kindness, I am ashamed..."

A virtuous doctor with the top-ranking title of the second grade, and a favor from the Nanjing Imperial College: If you want to guard the authority of the Nanjing Household Department, you should stay in Nanjing forever.

Zhang Jin smiled and waited for him to thank him for receiving the decree. After he got up, he said: "Xia Shangshu, since the Yellow Book Library has a new head, before the arrival of the head Zhan, our family told the servants under him to guard the door first."

"...As it should be."

"Congratulations Xia Shangshu."

"... Please trouble Eunuch Zhang." Xia Congshou handed the edict to his son with both hands, and then took a calligraphy and painting from the housekeeper, "It's not a respect, but I hope Eunuch Zhang will not be disgusted."

"How dare you dare."

Zhang Jin took the things over.

He used to be the chief inspector of ceremonies, and now he is guarding Nanjing, there are not many people who are qualified to thank him for delivering the decree.

Zhang Jin knew how to greet and send off these characters with him, not to mention what the emperor's decree meant, could Xia Congshou not understand?
Seeing that he handed over the calligraphy and painting to the little eunuch behind him, Xia Congshou felt a little relieved.

I am willing to accept it, which shows that my temptation has not turned the road into a dead end.

At this time, he had a wry smile on his face: "Officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs in Nanjing, this time they met with the Beijing Inspectorate in addition to their heavy official duties, so they complained a lot. I am really ashamed that I am new in Nanjing.

In front of the emperor and his relatives and ministers, Fei Hong was the chief assistant.

At other times, Fei Hong is the master.

The difference between one word and another is the exquisiteness in officialdom.

Xia Congshou hurt himself in front of Zhang Jin, and also intended to complain, indicating that this time the Nanjing Ministry of Households complained due to various reasons, and he just had nothing to do as the leader of everyone.

Zhang Jin smiled all over his face: "The ministries in Nanjing, it's like this, Xia Shangshu is also difficult to do. This point, His Majesty and Fei Zongfu are both considerate. Xia Shangshu, once the order is received, please submit the thank you form as soon as possible."

"Naturally...naturally..."

After seeing off Zhang Jin, Xia Congshou stood blankly at the entrance of the main hall in the house.

"Father, Your Majesty knows that things in Nanjing are going to be difficult. That grace, let Saburo..."

His son's happy voice and footsteps appeared behind him, Xia Congshou suddenly got angry, turned around and slapped him: "Idiot!"

After the crisp sound, his son covered his face and looked at his father in bewilderment, not understanding why he likes to comment on being a fool.

Granting the title of grace and Yinzi, isn't His Majesty praising his father?

After Xia Congshou finished beating his son, his palms were shaking and his footsteps were heavy.

Early in the morning, Zhang Jin came over to announce the decree before he went to the household department.

The decree comes faster than the official documents of the court.

Right now in Nanjing, those who know the decision of the imperial court, and that there are more than a hundred people who will be appointed as the Nanjing household department, how many people are there?

What is certain is that the Ministry of Finance only knows about it!
The reward is given, the thank you gift is accepted, what will you do Xia Congshou?
But what are His Majesty, Fei Hong, Yang Tinghe planning to do!Is it true that the insidious lies in the yellow book library should be thoroughly investigated and aired?
The additional allocation is only 70 million taels of silver, but the total number of fields that have been tricky and have problematic records have been accumulated over the years. Is the total number hundreds of thousands of hectares, or has it reached a million hectares?

One hectare, one hundred mu, and one mu of land ranges from taels of silver to 20 taels of silver. What is the total amount of interest involved?There are officials and gentry on one side, and ordinary people on the other. If the court is so confident that it will take over the Nanjing Yellow Book Bank with such great fanfare, there will be no major problems?
With only an extra 70 million taels of silver, he Xia Congshou can properly handle the matter of rebuilding the yellow book this time, and help the court safely through the difficulty of completely clearing the land and land that many people will die and many things will happen in the past dynasties.

This is Xia Congshou's reliance, but this imperial decree told him: You are too small.

"...Crazy, crazy..."

Xia Congshou muttered to himself, his son also thought his father was crazy, why did he suffer from hysteria after slapping himself?

Xia Congshou did suffer from hysteria, he didn't know how to choose.

impossible.The idea of ​​the emperor and the imperial court was to direct the anger of so many officials and gentry fighting for the ownership of the land to his Xia Congshou: it was the Nanjing Household Department who asked for more money to complete this important matter of rebuilding the yellow book.

There are so many officials who need to be forced to spit out the land they obtained in dirty ways before, and so many officials who have participated in tampering with the yellow books at the county, prefecture, province, and ministry levels before.

Competing for the power of the Nanjing Ministry of Households?This is no longer the problem.

The greatest power of the Nanjing Ministry of Households is the collection of food and taxes from the four provinces, transshipment, Nanjing yellow book storehouse, and salt quotations.As much power as before, so much responsibility now!

Xia Congshou's face became paler and paler: When I went to the household department today, how could I tell the officials below what to ask them to do?
Zhang Jin has already stated that during this period of time, the yellow book store is closed first, and no one should go in and do anything.

Just keep the status quo?Those lands that are now owned by officials, gentry, and wealthy households have lowered their psychological expectations, and they are ready to pay land taxes every year in the future. Isn’t that all right?

Xia Congshou didn't have much time, because the official documents of the State Affairs Hall and the Beijing Ministry of Household Affairs must also be on the way.

No matter how high the priority of the imperial decree is, it will not be much faster than the official documents delivered by the Tongyi Bureau today.

With only one day, at most two days, he has to make a decision.

... No, now Beijing, and now the northern provinces, are already looking at the Nanjing household department from a distance to see what the Nanjing household department is doing.

Xia Congshou, who received the award, did he obstruct it or did he make contributions to the emperor?

"...Prepare the sedan chair and go to the governor's office!"

……

During that day, Yang Ting and Xia Congshou in front of him remained calm and held Zhizhu in his hands.

Today, after the sedan chair of Minister of the Household Department stopped at the gate of Governor Yingtian's courtyard, Xia Congshou entered the courtyard with a heavy heart.

After Yang Tinghe saw him in the official hall where he met officials and treated guests, Xia Congshou was very straightforward, very sad and angry, and knelt down to worship him.

"The lower officials have a public heart! Getai naturally knows how important it is to rebuild the yellow book. Now the Ministry of Households has set up a special department for cleaning up officials. Nearly [-] new officials have come to Nanjing, and the next officials are appointed to the Nanjing Household Department. I don't know what strategy your Majesty and the imperial court have. What clever strategy is there to solve the fierce competition for land and land in various provinces! I am a second-ranker and know nothing. Getai taught me, what should I do?"

He was kneeling, but his words were very sad and indignant, not like his posture in front of Zhang Jin.

It was as if Yang Tinghe was his own person and could speak his mind.

A dignified second rank, I don't understand what the court has to rely on to pick such a thing, is Xia Congshou wrong?

"...Why is it like a mountain? Get up first."

Yang Tinghe recalled his sentence "the lower official has a public heart", and personally went over to help him up, and invited him to sit down.

That's right, the possible conflict of interests involved in the yellow book library is his reliance, so it is also his reliance to ask for a "good" old book later and ask for an extra 10 taels of silver.

Can anyone deny that making the Yellow Book as clearly as in Hongwu and Yongle years is creating a crisis?

But Xia Congshou's last words were his real complaints to Yang Tinghe, to the court, and to the emperor: As a second-rank high-ranking official, why are some people in the counselor's office and some people away from the center and being pinched for fun?
Who is worse than whom?

Beijing is reforming the government office, and since the 16th year of Zhengde's central power distribution, there will always be winners and losers.

He Xia Congshou is different from Meng Chun, he is not trying to rebel, he just wants to show his ability, emphasize the value of the existence of the Nanjing Household Department, and want to fight for the power he should have as a second-rank official.

So they sat down two by two, and Yang Tinghe opened his mouth first: "It is clear from the mountains, why should I resign as the chief assistant?"

Xia Congshou's mood jumped out from the half-acted half-real grief and anger before, and he was a little dazed: Yes, if it is about power, isn't the power of the chief minister not fragrant?For Yang Tinghe, that was already within easy reach.

"... I will ask you for advice."

Xia Congshou can't say: You are afraid that you will suffer disaster if you become the party leader for a long time, so you should be wise and protect yourself.

But he still knew very well that at that time, it took a lot of determination to be able to refuse such a temptation, and there must be other considerations.

Yang Tinghe asked him: "Rushan thought that there are prime ministers and ministers of state, governors in all provinces, 24 counselors, and seven people in the state affairs hall. Do these important ministers have more power or burden?"

Xia Congshou didn't answer, just sat there motionless.

"Have you received the order? Now that Rushan knows, the burden is even heavier, right?" Yang Tinghe smiled, "Rushan said that the second rank is in vain and doesn't know anything. Doesn't it mean that those who don't know are not guilty?"

Xia Congshou wanted to answer this question, but Yang Tinghe pointed out his resentment anyway: "The government and the public will not think that the lower officials know nothing! The lower officials are the first to bear the brunt. Are they trying to prevent the officials from Beijing from thoroughly investigating the yellow books and clarifying the ownership of the land in the world? Or are they ignoring the need for the new law to be implemented steadily, so that all the officials, gentry, and servants in the provinces are panicked? The lower officials don't understand. The chief minister wants to eliminate the centuries-old abuses in the land and complete his achievements in one battle? The chaos in Huguang is not far away!"

What he mentioned was Fei Hong, but he was actually referring to the emperor.

Xia Congshou always believed that it would be better for Daming to keep the settings of the various ministries in Nanjing and leave a buffer at a place farther away from the emperor and the central government and in a more convenient place.

Things in the world cannot be black and white, there must always be a buffer zone.

Not only let them pay the land tax, but also beat up the officials, gentry and wealthy households and divide up the land of their ancestors?
Even if it's just the fields that they got dirty, it still belongs to them at this moment.

No one is in a hurry?

How can an emperor always stimulate his subjects to rebel!
"Who said that the yellow book will be thoroughly investigated? Who said that all achievements will be completed?" Yang Tinghe asked strangely.

Xia Congshou was stunned for a moment, and then he became even more indignant: "So, the lower official ranks second rank in vain, and knows nothing!"

Yang Tinghe suppressed his smile, exuded the majesty of the chief minister for many years, and said in a cold voice, "Why don't you become the prime minister, so that you are satisfied?"

Xia Congshou suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

"You came here today, why do you need to do this scene? You have met Ben Du, so you can talk with Ben Du about your actions in the future?"

Yang Tinghe continued to output: "What's the matter? If you become a second grade, you can not obey orders and act according to orders?"

"...that's not what I mean."

"In the 16th year of Zhengde, you were still the right minister of Fujian, and now you are the minister of the Nanjing household department. Did the governor treat you poorly when he was the chief assistant, or did your majesty not know your talents and allow others to be biased?"

"...The lower officials dare not."

But look at Zhang Fujing!
"Dignified second grade, entry kneeling, who do you want these gossips to reach?"

Xia Congshou was sweating profusely: "I really don't have that intention."

Only then did Yang Tinghe ease his tone a bit: "You can think of it, is it possible that all the princes in the court are stupid, and His Majesty is also a foolish king, who doesn't know the pros and cons of it? Do you think that His Majesty rewarded you and forced you to do something? You are smart, and you have not given the petition to His Majesty and the imperial court because of your cleverness."

"Xiaguan..." Xia Congshou felt that he was not so smart now. Could it be that the Nanjing household department and his reaction were also calculated?

"The imperial court decided to implement the new law to the provinces this year to only clear the land and reform the government offices. The final result of clearing the land will naturally be remitted to the Nanjing household department. If the Nanjing household department does not pick this burden, then Beijing will pick it. Now if you want to pick it, then choose it. If you can pick it well, you are the real talent!"

Yang Tinghe looked at Xia Conshou with a smile on the corner of his mouth: "Rushan is willing to carry the burden, so Sacred Heart is very comforted and decreed to reward him."

"...Don't you want to thoroughly investigate the yellow book?" Xia Congshou's voice was much lower, and he looked at Yang Tinghe anxiously.

Then I have to be able to know whether this burden can be lifted!
Bearing the burden is also a matter of posture. How many preparations have you made for the response of the Nanjing Household Department to the Qingzhang Tiantu incident?

"Investigation, of course it is necessary to investigate. What to do after checking the yellow book, it is very particular. The Nanjing household department has been really afraid of the investigation for more than two years. Has Rushan forgotten how he took office in Nanjing?"

Xia Congshou was startled.

Why did the Ministry of Household Affairs in Nanjing suddenly have a tendency to boil when it encountered Jingcha this year?

In the third year of Jiajing, Yin Mengchun of Yingtian Mansion and the Nanjing Household Department planned together and sent official documents to the four provinces and government offices where the Nanjing Household Department collected grain and taxes on behalf of the Nanjing Household Department. Then he was taken away by Jin Yiwei Tiqi and charged with treason.

How many of the remaining low-ranking officials and clerks in the Nanjing household department are actually always in fear?

Could it be that the yellow book is only used to continue to clean up these low-level officials and "officials" in Nanjing?
Yang Tinghe looked at him with deep meaning in his eyes: "You were a second-class Jinshi in the sixth year of Hongzhi, Xixian was the great uncle at that time, and his son Liu Dong was your subordinate official. I am not your teacher, but now I can give you a word."

"...The lower officials are taught, please tell the cabinet clearly."

"You are not from Qingliu, so you should have figured it out a long time ago." Yang Tinghe sighed, "The biggest difficulty for the new law to be implemented is not the officials, but the officials. The reform of the government office, the eighth and ninth rank officials were widely set up in all provinces, and the titles, births, and salaries were given. Could it be that His Majesty and the imperial court are supporting the world officials who are full of the flesh and blood of the village, coaxing them to help implement the new law? Widely open the rural examination Enke, and add a deputy list. That’s why even some second-rank officials can’t fully understand it now! How much better is your Nanjing household department than the sieve?”

Xia Congshou was finally enlightened, and sincerely bowed: "Your official knows how to write a thank-you form, and also knows how to measure this time."

Dealing with those officials who have handled the most official documents from the yellow book does not mean thoroughly figuring out which lands have problems in changing hands and should be forcibly taken back from the current landowners.

But knocking the mountains and shaking the tiger, the officials who helped many people in the localities tamper with the yellow books in the past were punished. Even if they did not take the initiative to trouble some officials, gentry and wealthy households, they would be divided into two categories in order to avoid disasters and for the new rules of the village.

During the long period of this round of only working as officials, there are always those who are wise and try to find ways to get out of trouble on their own initiative, or donate it as official land, or donate it as school land, or sell it at a low price.

The clever ones have transformed themselves into sages, the old problems have been solved, and a new status has been gained. In the end, those who cling to the fields they have obtained by means of means are the next batch of targets to be implicated.

The imperial court played with a blunt knife.

Since the purpose is to be an official, how can it be publicized in advance?Which yamen's official documents don't go through the hands of the clerks first?

In the yamen of the Nanjing Household Department, low-ranking officials with official status are still uneasy, but the officials and servants working in the Nanjing Household Department are still just servants, and do not have the opportunity to obtain official status like other provinces.

"Go to the Qinhuai River tonight and have fun?" The guard at the porter winked. "Recently, we have to take care of the girls' business. The top card in Tingxue Pavilion is willing to see people like us now."

His good friend sighed: "Jingcha is really nice."

As soon as Jingcha came, the officials of the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades did not dare to play around, and the officials of the Kodao spoke everywhere consulted and visited.

Because the Kodao officials consulted everywhere, the officials who might be interviewed in their yamen saw more smiling faces of Shangguan during this period of time than before, and even had some "reward" (sealed) money.

I only hope that there will be Jingcha every year!
"Will the imperial court agree to Si Nong's request?"

"If it is allowed, it is a day when it is allowed, and if it is not allowed, it is a day when it is not allowed." Sipping a sip of tea, he said lazily, "But if it is allowed, the management fee for the copying of the yellow book will also have to increase. Not to mention [-]%, [-]% will it go up?"

"Thirty-five percent?"

Good friends look forward to it.

Of course, it is necessary to hire another person for such a large workload of transcribing the yellow book.If you want to work in the Nanjing household department, it will cost money to ask someone to intercede.If you want to do something in the yellow book, which time you don't have to seal your mouth up and down?

Master Shangshu asked for an extra [-]%, they only asked for an extra [-]%, what a conscience!
"Master Shangshu is here."

The guard on duty outside the gate shouted, and the two quickly changed their expressions and walked out of the gatehouse, ready to welcome Xia Congshou.

Xia Congshou didn't look sideways when he passed them, but just nodded with a straight face.

It's really wonderful.If you have an official status, you will have another set of rules.Made a mistake, easy to check.It's just an official, not responsible.

Give the official body first, then get rid of it, let them know that it will be different in the future, that is to establish a new rule.

Xia Congshou originally thought that the imperial court would be embarrassed for a long time about the other 10 taels of silver, but now he suddenly wants to understand why the imperial court is so rich.

In the local counties, how many families from generations of officials are actually richer than the family of the county lord?

Going straight to his official hall, he saw Liu Dong sitting there. After seeing Xia Congshou, he stood up and saluted and said hello: "Da Sinoong."

Then, there was Tong Rui.

"What's the matter?" Xia Congshou sat down and looked at them.

"I heard that Eunuch Zhang went to the Si Nong's mansion early in the morning to announce the decree?" Tong Rui asked solemnly.

"Then I went to Governor Yingtian's Ministry."

Xia Congshou was not surprised. He knew that when the majestic eunuch guarding Nanjing brought people to his residence, he would serve them in a yellow thick dish if there was an imperial decree.

"Your Majesty already has a decree?" Tong Rui asked, of course, the content of the decree.

Xia Congshou slapped his son for a big fight, and he strictly ordered those who were eligible to hear the imperial decree not to talk nonsense. Tong Rui had no way of knowing the content of the emperor's decree.

But Xia Congshou just said dumbly: "The other [-]% of the silver is sure."

"So fast?" Tong Rui was surprised, "The Palace of State Affairs and the National Policy Conference were decided so quickly?"

The Ministry of Household Affairs in Beijing is from the second-rank minister, the third-rank minister, and the fourth-rank general secretary...just look at the content of the reform of the government office, which is to enrich the structure of the government office and directly connect with the provincial governments.

How many reasons does the Nanjing Ministry of Households still have?How much will the authority be reduced?
That being the case, how could Fei Hong and the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs of Beijing agree so readily to the request of the Ministry of Household Affairs of Nanjing?

Xia Congshou continued: "Houhu seals the treasury, and my Nanjing household department will also set up a national land clean-up department. The main task is Zhan Rong, a first-class Jinshi in the new department. In addition, there are 170 six new subjects who are from the south.

Tong Rui opened his mouth, and then said angrily: "If that's the case, why not just set up a new yellow book store in Beijing!"

Liu Dong said in amazement: "With such sharpness, is the imperial court not afraid of the world's discussion and shock?"

"What are you talking about? What are you shocked about?" Xia Congshou glanced at him, "Could it be that the yellow book is really inaccurate now, full of flaws?"

Liu Dong also became like Tong Rui, he opened his mouth but couldn't speak.

There is a problem with the Yellow Book, a big problem, but it is a well-known secret.

Who wants to take the initiative to tell the truth, let His Majesty take advantage of the situation and order a thorough investigation?

"It's just because the Nanjing officials have to respond to the Beijing inspection, and people's hearts are hard to decide, so they sent more people. They are new officials and don't need the Beijing inspection, so they can concentrate on preparing the yellow book and rebuilding things." Xia Congshou said.

"... How good is it to come?" Tong Rui said.

"You are a new official, and I am also a new official. Even if there is something wrong with the yellow book in the treasury, can it be blamed on you and me?" After Xia Congshou finished speaking, his face was not relaxed. "I still have to draw up a thank-you form. Everything will be discussed after the official document arrives, and the person arrives."

Two taels of silver per volume was lower than the budgeted cost in Beijing. Xia Congshou and Tong Rui hadn't thought about making any money from this matter before.They only thought that since they were put in Nanjing, they would have no chance of promotion, and the power of the Nanjing household department could not be cut—that was their hope for future status and influence.

But given the money, and given it to so many people who specialize in this matter, isn't this a seizure of power?Although this right, on the surface, still belongs to the Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs.

Tong Rui knew that now was not the time to discuss, so Xia Congshou finally told him the news first.

Liu Dong was named by Yang Tinghe at the "coordination meeting" before, but now he is more active in connecting.

Is there no one to stand up and say something for Nanjing?Nanjing should be the capital!

If the Xuanfu of Datong is in danger, the Tartar army will immediately approach the city, and the country will be upside down!

Since we have to furnish our troops and wait for the Northern Expedition, why cut off the back road of Nanjing first?
He also returned to his yamen hall, laying out paper and writing.

Now, only an important official like his own father can be deaf and deaf, and rein in the precipice!

Those surnamed Xie don't even want to talk about it, but the Liu family has always had the courage to make decisions!
(End of this chapter)