A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 672 Shopkeeper Hou Dongjia
Sanyuan County Government.

Many red-clothed officials and soap-clothed servants are queuing up,
Queue up to receive money and food.

The first phase of Sanyuan's trial of the new tax law has been successful, and Prime Minister Wu should be rewarded for his words.

From the county magistrate, the county prime minister, the county lieutenant, to the doctor recording cang governor and city magistrate, to the assistant historians, as well as the non-staff writers, the third class yamen servants, etc., including the strong men who had their turn to work in the yamen during this period, everyone There are rewards.

This reward was paid out from Huohuo and Dingliang.

The newly harvested summer grains include wheat, millet, millet, corn, and even some potatoes and sweet potatoes, coarse and fine grains. In addition to grains, this time we also distributed some oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, fish, and money.

"Oh, this is unprecedented."

"No, I have been wearing this kind of crimson clothes in the Yamen for more than ten years, and I have never seen it before."

"Don't tell me that you have been in the government for more than ten years. I have been in the Yamen for 50 years and have never experienced this."

"Mr. Wu, this is so generous."

"I thought that the reward was just verbal, but I didn't expect that the real reward would be so much."

"No,"

Everyone was pleasantly surprised. The benefits were really too great this time.

Although the subordinate officials are busy collecting taxes after the summer harvest every year, it is actually a rare welfare season. They can take the opportunity to get a lot of surplus, and they can also get a lot from inside and outside.

But after all, it's not something that can be done in public, unlike this fair reward.

Not only the official staff of Sanyuan County, but also the officials from Chang'an who were seconded to the countryside this time, the students in the county school, and the village elders and fellow villagers of Lizheng Village also participated.

Fan Zhiheng brought a list to Wu Huaiyu.
"This time I really got a lot of money and food."

Wu Huaiyu took it and looked at it for a few times, "They are all issued according to the number, there is no deduction, right?"

"Never."

"You wouldn't mix old grain with new rice, or even mix it with sand or something, right?"

"Don't dare."

Wu Huaiyu looked at the happy faces of those who had received the money and food, and reminded Fan Zhiheng, "Everyone has been working very hard during this period, and this year's tax collection has been extremely smooth. If you have merit, you will be rewarded, and the reward will not be overdue. I promise We will not discount it, and I hope you can maintain it and continue to maintain it."

It was quite astonishing to issue such a large reward this time. Zhao Ren thought it was too much, but Wu Huaiyu had always been bolder.

In his words, subordinates originally had to make a fortune during the tax collection season, or even more, but now that rules have been established to prevent them from infringing on the people, they have to compensate for it.Even if the salary is increased a little, it is still not much.

Rule always has a cost, and it is impossible for anyone to change it with a single order. The cost will not disappear, but will only be transferred.

Now that Huo Hao has returned to the public, we should also provide a benefit to the officials, otherwise they will turn around and exploit the people again, and things will be even worse.

"With money in the local government, it is indeed easier to do things, and people's hearts are unified." Liu Rengui looked at this scene and admired Wu Huaiyu even more.

In fact, the money is still the same money, it all comes from the common people, but the fire consumption is fixed and returned to the public, and the small amount of silver is spread into the fields. In fact, the burden on the common people is lightened, especially for ordinary people, who have collected the money. The money is a bit too much.

Although the fire consumption part is now turned over to the state government, this money is put into the county government account and used. Now it is distributed by the government to the subordinate officials. The officials also have a share, and they collect and share it privately, and share it with the government account. Distribution is still very different.

"Have you made any arrangements for Beitianfang?"

"It has been prepared for a long time. Salt, oil, rice, noodles and some firewood and cloth will be sent over today."

"Well, the elderly people over 70 years old in the county should also send some rice noodles to express condolences."

"Also, our government soldiers and rural soldiers in Sanyuan County should also send some rice and noodles to express our condolences."

This summer, the yamen's taxes were almost several times higher than those in previous years. This was mainly caused by the large number of nobles and scholars who were exempted from classes. This year, although the taxes were still collected according to the old method of renting and yongming, Wu Huaiyu, Li Jing and others took the lead, and some Mr. Li's tragic end,
Whether they are nobles, officials, or soldiers of the Forbidden Army, those exempted from classes have taken the initiative to pay rent according to the new tax law this year. Each exempted person is only exempted from the tax of a hundred acres.

All of a sudden, Sanyuan County's rental income exploded.

We must know that there are more than 50 acres of cultivated land in Sanyuan County. If each mu is given three liters of grain, it will be 5000 shi, and if each mu is given two liters of free grain, there will still be [-] shi.A small amount of grain is sold for two liters, which is another [-] shi, and the fire consumption is more than [-] shi.

However, in fact, in previous years, Ding households who were exempted from school occupied a large amount of land.

Households without classes actually account for 1% of the total household registration. The actual number of households with classes is 4000 per household. This ratio is very low. There are more than 5000 households. Households without classes account for more than [-], and households with classes are more than [-]. However, The land they occupy is small, and there are still four thousand people in total, but these four thousand people don't have much land.

Those who really occupied the most land were nobles, powerful men, landlords, and soldiers. However, most of these people were exempted from schooling or had no education.

In previous years, these more than 4000 peasants rented two shi of millet a year, and theoretically harvested more than 8000 shi of millet. However, because many peasants had little land, plus stalls and neighborhood guards, it was agreed that there would always be peasants who fled and hid, and If you are in arrears, you will not be able to collect all the eight thousand stone millet.

But now under the new system, nobles, officials, soldiers, disabled people, orphans, widows, etc. were not exempted from taxation. Now they are only exempted from taxation for [-] acres of land, and anything more than that will be taxed.

As for public land, whether it is public land or official land, taxes are now required to be paid per acre, with one code assigned to each.

The land that is truly exempted does not exceed 40 acres, but there are still more than [-] acres of land that are taxed on a per-acre basis. One acre of land for upper fields, together with the land tax, yigangliang, Huohuo, and Dingliang, is one bucket of four-in-one, and the middle and lower fields are reduced separately. Some.In previous years, the eight thousand stones were collected and collected, but not all was collected.

This year, more than 4 stones were collected directly.

The problem is that these more than 4 shi were mainly paid by those with middle and upper households. The original [-] shi were paid in local taxes, free grain, etc. due to the lack of land.

This year, Li Wu and his family took the lead and donated a lot of grain to the warehouse, exceeding ten thousand shi.

This is still July, and more than 5 stone grains have been put into storage.

Not only were taxes collected faster than in previous years, but the amount of grain entering the warehouse was ten times faster than in previous years.

This year, the total grain harvest from the summer harvest in Sanyuan County reached one million dan, and the grain that the Sanyuan County government put into the warehouse actually amounted to [-] dan. This is indeed unprecedented.

Huo Liu and Ding Liang collected more than 1 shi.
After spending half of the money on fire and food for the state government, the Sanyuan County government still had more than 1 shi. In addition to spending on local government officials, salaries for subordinate officials, and expenses for local stations and schools, there was still a lot of surplus.

Sanyuan County Government has never been so wealthy.

What's more, although Yicang grain is a reserve grain and cannot be used outside for the time being, one-third of the land tax is retained by the prefecture and county, and the Sanyuan County government can also keep a large amount.

There was suddenly so much money and food in the account that the subordinate officials didn't even know how to spend it.

Wu Huaiyu directly asked everyone to pay a bonus first, and then express condolences to the school, Beitianfang, the elderly, widows, and soldiers.
"The rest cannot be used at will. In a few days, the county government will discuss it carefully to see what else needs to be spent this year. Make a budget and submit it to Yongzhou and Shangshu Province. If it is passed, money and food will be allocated according to the budget in the future. "

Money is kept in the yamen, but it does not mean that it can be distributed randomly. It must also be supervised by the superior yamen, and there must be a budget and approval before the money can be withdrawn.

Everything is subject to budget and review, just like the current county staff salaries, food and miscellaneous expenses, annual public office expenses and other expenses must be handled strictly in accordance with the process of budget establishment and review of appropriations.

Of course, if there is money in the yamen, you will always feel confident even if you go through the procedures. Otherwise, it would be much more difficult to just ask for money from your superiors.

It is still in the pilot stage, and Wu Huaiyu, the prime minister, is personally in charge. Many review procedures are simpler and do not require layer-by-level approval. Wu Huaiyu has the final say.

"Go to my place for dinner and a drink later." Huaiyu said with a smile.

Zhao Renben and Liu Rengui both smiled and agreed,

The benefits distributed today are good, including copper coins, silk, food and fish. The officials and servants are all different according to their grades, but even the lowest-level slaves are allotted two to three kilograms of pork per knife, and other There is also a lot of money and food,

Those Liu Neiguan also received mutton and chicken.

The people of Longqiao were envious of the great benefits given out by the Yamen today. Many merchants saw the opportunity and hurried to the Yamen to sell goods. They drove trucks to sell pulp, and there were many people carrying burdens and setting up stalls.
I got benefits and then took a vacation.

Because it happens to be July [-]th the day after tomorrow,
This is the Taoist Ghost Festival. Li Tang now emphasizes Taoism, so it has become a legal holiday.

Here in Sanyuan County, there is also the custom of giving sheep to grandsons and nephews from grandfathers and uncles in the middle of July. Those who are rich will give a big sheep, and those who have no money will give some mutton. This day is also called the Sheep Giving Day. It is said that the sheep represents auspicious.

The traditional custom on this day is to worship ancestors and make some offerings of newly harvested wheat to worship ancestors, let ancestors taste new things, and also ask ancestors to protect their descendants.

The imperial court even issued an order prohibiting the killing of fish and hunting during the three days of the Ghost Festival.

The official one-day holiday was given, but Wu Huaiyu gave Sanyuan County three days' holiday and only arranged for a few people to be on duty in shifts.

Slaughtering is not allowed for the next three days tomorrow, so today the county government buys pigs and sheep in advance to slaughter them and distribute the meat and welfare.
Liu Rengui's hometown was Weishi in Henan, and Zhao Renben's hometown was in Hebei. They couldn't go back home to worship their ancestors. Of course, as local officials, they were not allowed to leave the jurisdiction without official duties. They couldn't go back to Chang'an to be with their wives and children.

Huaiyu invited them to Wu's house to celebrate the Ghost Festival, and he wanted to join in the fun.

In the afternoon, the officials began to leave the office one after another, and everyone returned home loaded with loads, whether carried by horses or carts, or carried on their shoulders.

What is rare is that the people outside the county government are not very dissatisfied with this situation.

Of course, Huaiyu and several officials also received a lot of money, food, fish and meat. Although there was no shortage, they would not take it if you didn't take it. The superiors would not take it, and it was not easy for the subordinates to take it.

Anyway, these are public welfare, and it is not a bribe to share the dirty work, but they don't need to take it themselves, they have their own servants to send the things back.

In the evening, the sun goes down and the streets become cooler.
Liu Rengui looked at the bustling Longqiao streets and said, "Our next step is to start taxing merchants and craftsmen, right?"

According to the Two Taxes Law, even if a businessman has no land, he still has to collect taxes. Thirty to one tax. Whether he is doing business locally or doing business in other places, he will be taxed when he comes to do business locally.

However, how to levy the tax specifically needs to be discussed in detail and a practical plan must be worked out.

"Recently, some merchants in Longqiao are running around secretly. They are very dishonest and want to cause trouble." Liu Rengui said to Huaiyu. There was murderous intent in his words. This member Liu has always been ruthless.

Wu Huaiyu, however, walked around and took a look, very interested in the street shops and pedestrians, "Let them dance, kill a member of the Li family, and collect more than 5 stone grains in one go.

At this time, wouldn't it be great if someone from the shopkeeper Hou Dong's family jumped out? "

Liu Rengui couldn't help but smile when he heard him talk about the shopkeeper Hou Dong's family, "It turns out that everything can't escape the eyes of our husband."

(End of this chapter)