Fu Shifeng

Chapter 150
When Cui Duo heard Changqing's words, he couldn't help feeling emotional.

He was born in the Cui family of Boling, sticking to the land of his ancestors, and has always attached great importance to adhering to Confucianism and passing on poems and books to his family.The expectation of myself is also to support the king and rectify mistakes when I am in court, and to repair my family business and care for my neighbors when I am out of office.

Cui Duo is very strict with himself, he will never forget his self-cultivation just because he was born in a famous family.The kind of behavior that only knows how to accumulate money and indulge one's temperament can only be done by people who are rich and expensive at the beginning, and whose family education is shallow.

Therefore, in Cui Duo's eyes, the servants of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are nothing more than a group of treacherous people who suddenly wield great power. Extremely.

When Cui Duo learned that the Ministry of the Interior came to visit, he actually had a somewhat generous plan in his heart. If they really wanted to arrest him, the crime of rebelling against the party could still be upheld.

If the Ministry of Internal Affairs wants to take this opportunity to blackmail itself, there is really no need to do so. Cui Duo does not believe that this group of people really cares about the disaster and starvation of the people.

"Do you know that in addition to the annual rent adjustment, household tax, and special property tax, the local villagers also have to pay rice and millet after the autumn harvest to enrich the prefectural and county warehouses?"

Cui Duo thought about it for a long time, looked around the crowd solemnly, and finally set his sights on Changqing: "The Yicang land tax is the old system of the previous dynasty. This dynasty has been in place for nearly a hundred years, and the warehouse millet is collected every year. It is said that once a flood or drought occurs in the local area In the face of a catastrophic disaster, the prefecture and county where it is located should open the charity warehouse to provide relief to the people, why should we second it?"

Changqing was silent for a while, Cui Duo looked at County Magistrate Zhang: "My old man remembers that since Prime Minister Lu came to power, the taxation of righteous warehouses has changed from the level of households to the amount of land. There is plenty, and the price of food in the eastern capital is even as low as seven or eight pennies a bucket, and all officials praise this as an unprecedented prosperous age. But why, in just a few years, the county's warehouses are empty and it is difficult to provide food?"

Faced with this questioning, County Magistrate Zhang broke into a cold sweat. Although the righteous warehouses in the prefectures and counties are not under his control, he can roughly know where the grain goes. .And for the convenience of scheduling, almost all of them were sent to the big warehouse near the canal for hoarding.

A small official at the level of Zhang County Magistrate is not qualified to get involved in that kind of business. He is just covering up the news about the transshipment of the county's grain, so as to get some meager profit. He can't even afford a horse for travel!
Cui Duo continued: "The old man didn't mean to complain. If we talk about saving grain, I, the Cui family of Boling, have known farming for a long time, and I am definitely not the kind of flashy people who don't know the basics. They call on the neighbors to provide enough grain to survive the disaster year. But no matter how rich my family is, I can't stand such years of exploitation."

"Then I don't know how Cui Shilang is willing to lend food?" Changqing asked.

"Since it is a loan, then there must be a loan and a repayment." Cui Duo said clearly: "It is the responsibility of the government to provide relief to the victims. I don't ask why the charity warehouse is empty, but this secondment means that I have paid taxes in advance. According to the payment How much should be reduced or exempted from future taxes."

As soon as this remark came out, Zhang County Magistrate's face changed suddenly, and he said quickly: "Cui Shilang, I can't be the master of this matter! If you can't pay the taxes and taxes on time, this position will be lost!"

"You can't be the master, but someone can." Cui Duo said coldly, although there was no explicit indication, but everyone looked at Afu involuntarily.

"Don't look at me, I can't make the decision." Afu showed an innocent expression, like a weak woman: "It is the responsibility of the procuratorate to inspect the disaster situation and provide relief. The Xuan Fu envoy will report to the court after the accounting is clear. These matters are not under the control of our internal servants."

"Then you can go find someone who can make the decision." Cui Duo said.

County Magistrate Zhang kept silent, he didn't know where the Xuanfu envoy was now, and he might not even come to Anping County.And judging from past cases, in addition to helping the victims, the Xuan Fu envoy will also patrol the counties and counties to investigate whether the local governor is effective in disaster relief.

The uncles of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are already difficult enough to serve, and if another envoy is added, Zhang County Magistrate may be charged with ineffective disaster relief. The county magistrate was probably dismissed, questioned, exiled, and then died on the road to the smoky and evil land of Lingnan, becoming an unknown skeleton beside the official road, used to feed the stomachs of wolves and beasts.

Thinking of these situations, County Magistrate Zhang trembled secretly, he didn't want to get into trouble, whoever wanted to stand up would go!

"This matter... I will personally explain to Chen Xuanfu that Anping County will be listed as one of the prefectures and counties for rent reduction and tax exemption." Changqing gritted his teeth and said proactively.

Cui Duo raised his eyes and looked at Changqing, slightly puzzled: "How can the Xuanfu envoy sent by the imperial court follow the arrangement of a Taoist at will?"

"Chen Xuanfu is... a student of my father." Changqing felt ashamed in his heart, he dared not meet Cui Duo's eyes, and cupped his hands and said, "The junior's surname is Lu, I didn't say it clearly just now, please forgive me, Minister Cui."

The thing Changqing hates the most is revealing that he is the son of Prime Minister Lu. He never thought that he would not be able to get rid of this identity if he wanted to accomplish something.

No matter how good Cui Duo's self-cultivation skills are, it is still difficult to hide the shock on his face this time, but he calmed down as usual in a blink of an eye: "I never thought that Lu Xiang's son would have such a responsibility. This old man is stuck in his old ways."

Changqing bowed deeply, and Cui Duo sighed softly: "Since you took the initiative to promise, then this old man will help this time. Liansheng, you go to Shiyin Township and invite those village elders here."

The eldest son Cui Yi who stood beside him said yes, then left the front hall.

"Thank you Cui Shilang!" Changqing immediately thanked him when he saw this, and Zhang County Magistrate secretly heaved a sigh of relief when he saw this, and wanted to persuade these aristocratic families, he had to be a scholar like Mr. Changqing.

"The old man has already retired, so there is no need to call him a servant." Cui Duo was much gentler when he said the same thing to Changqing.

Cui Duo didn't like Lu Yan. He felt that this man was born as a petty official, and he didn't know how to read. He only knew how to search for money.In order to please the sage, this kind of people must try their best to recruit them to show the country's wealth.

It's just that Lu Yan's son has a completely different temperament, and he is willing to take the initiative to ask for the disaster-stricken people.

"Magistrate Zhang." Changqing turned back and said, "The matter of borrowing food cannot be neglected. How much to borrow from Cui's villagers and how much to give to each household of the victims should be recorded and set as the basis for post-disaster tax relief. "

"The lower officials have already brought in several civil servants to make sure that the records are complete." County magistrate Zhang dared not be negligent, and just don't let himself take the blame when something happens.

……

"Lu Xiang's new son is kind-hearted."

On the one hand, Kong sat under the shade of a tree in the countryside, looking at Changqing who was talking with Cui Duo on the ridge of the field in the distance.

Mu Yuan stayed aside and didn't respond for a long time, Kong Yifang paid attention to it secretly, rubbing his fingertips lightly, no one could guess what his intentions were.

After a while, Mu Yuan made a sound: "Is there anything important?"

"Are you busy?" Kong Yifang said, "There is nothing urgent, I just feel that Cheng Sanwu seems to have a close relationship with Lu Xiang's son."

"When they were in the Western Regions, they experienced life and death side by side." Mu Yuan seemed to be absent-minded: "With Cheng Sanwu's temperament, is this not surprising?"

"I heard before that Cheng Sanwu is not as reckless as he appears on the surface." Kong Yifang asked: "Is it possible that he joined the Ministry of Internal Affairs and approached Lu Changqing with ulterior motives?"

"Wu Yingzi also said similar things." Mu Yuan sighed: "You can go to Master Wen to tell these things, I'm too lazy to bother."

Kong Yifang clasped his fingers secretly, and a subtle and unpredictable energy, like a thread in the wind, slowly approached the wooden kite, trying to get into the wooden kite.

"If you want me to say..." Mu Yuan suddenly said, the person behind it seemed to be busy with other things, and said casually: "Cheng Sanwu is probably afraid that we will trouble him again one day, so he plans to use the power of the imperial court to protect him." Own."

"It does make some sense." Kong Yifang nodded again and again, and at the same time slowly stimulated the subtle energy mechanism, paying attention to the changes in Muyuan: "However, I think it may not be a good thing to let Cheng Sanwu be in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Especially in the current situation , I vaguely feel that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has gradually merged with the mainland in the implementation of the new policy."

"Huh? What are you talking about..." Mu Yuan's intermittent voice came.

Kong Yifang glanced down, then withdrew his Qi machine and asked, "What's wrong? I didn't hear clearly."

"It's probably because this wooden kite is a bit old and needs to be replaced." The wooden kite waved its wings: "Then I'll let this wooden kite go away for a while, can you monitor Cheng Sanwu alone?"

"If he doesn't run around, I guess I can keep an eye on him for a while." Kong Yifang smiled and said, "You know, my martial arts are mediocre, if something really happens, I still have to ask Master Wen and the others to solve it."

"You are one of the nine commanders anyway, how can you be mediocre in martial arts?" Mu Yuan fluttered her wings and took off: "Well, wait for me for a few days, and a new Mu Yuan will come over. Anyway, Cheng Sanwu and the others are here to arrest you. The goddess of pure light will not go to the sky."

After saying this, the wooden kite flew away quickly, looking like an ordinary bird from a distance.

After confirming that he was alone, Kong Yifang stood up, brushed his face with his hand, and changed into a face with sharp edges and corners. The clothes on his body also changed into the strong clothes of a martial artist. He took the horse and galloped away towards the northwest.

……

"I didn't expect Cui Weng to be so familiar with farming, this junior has been taught!"

On the ridge of the field, Changqing walked while listening to Cui Duo explaining how to arrange farming according to the seasons and climate throughout the year, from five grains and grains, to various fruits and vegetables, livestock in captivity, as well as mulberry and linen cloth, building equipment, firewood and soy candles , all-encompassing things in the countryside.

Cui Duo even knows that grain starts from the beginning of cultivation, followed by steps such as picking, harvesting, accumulating, beating, and winnowing, which opened the eyes of Changqing who has never worried about food and clothing. Talking for half a day is better than studying for ten years.

"Have you ever read "The Moon Order of the Four Peoples"?" Cui Duo was twirling a dead wheat ear in his hand, caressing helplessly.

"Is it the Yueling Book?" Changqing was a little guilty, he hadn't read it.

Cui Duo smiled faintly: "The Book of Monthly Orders is used by Confucianism to stipulate ceremonies, government orders and various personnel affairs every month of the year, while "Monthly Orders of the Four People" is devoted to agricultural production and family business management. The author is Bo Ling. Cui Shi, the ancestor of the Cui family."

Chang Qing was slightly startled, cupped his hands and said: "Your knowledge is shallow, I will definitely read it later."

"The country takes the people as its roots, and the people take the grain as their life. If the life is exhausted, the roots will be uprooted, and the roots will be uprooted. This is the most poisonous worry of the country." Cui Duo sighed: "The world always thinks that I, Boling Cui, rely on poetry. Books, rituals and music, clothes and hairpins stand in Shilin, but they don't know that the roots are at your feet.

"Since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, most of the nobles did not know the difficulty of harvesting and the preciousness of the five grains. They either lived on their salaries, or made child servants their jobs. They never raised a field, planted a seedling, and did not know how many months they should be receive.

If you don't know your own duties, how can you know the rest of the world?If things go on like this, it won't work to govern officials, and it won't work to manage families, all because of the fault of leisure! "

This talk may sound too long-winded to others, but Changqing himself was deeply shocked.

In many people's minds, Qiwang of the five surnames has long been a scholar of literature who is not involved in common affairs. Relying on his old friends and relatives, and the kindness of his family, he has gained popularity and reputation in the ruling and opposition parties.

But this in-depth discussion changed Changqing's outlook greatly.Cui Duo is not the kind of mediocre person who still misses the power and position after returning to his hometown.Even in the countryside, he still pays attention to farming, regards it as the basic task of people's livelihood, and earnestly follows the teachings of his ancestors.

Perhaps it was because Cui Duo was such a person that Changqing was able to persuade him to lend grain.If he was the kind of tyrannical who was bent on annexation, I'm afraid he could only rely on Cheng Sanwu and the others to resort to force.

"Old man, I heard that the imperial court's new policy will be implemented in all provinces?" Cui Duo asked suddenly.

"Yes." Chang Qing was vaguely uneasy.

Cui Duo raised his eyes and looked in the direction of Chang'an: "The land of Hebei Road is flat and densely populated, and it is also a place of heavy taxation in this dynasty. It must be the key boundary for the implementation of the New Deal. I wonder if the old man can find out a thing or two?"

In the face of the old man's question, Changqing dared not hide: "The new policy generally has the following three items - one is to set up Changping Warehouse to buy and sell goods and provide relief to the people; the other is to dredge the canals to reduce the loss of tax transfer , to facilitate the distribution of food and silk in various places; the third is to check the fleeing households and foreigners occupying land, reorganize households and resettle refugees."

After listening to the narration, Cui Duo was silent for a long time, and sighed: "Open source, dredging, and reducing expenditure, all of them are available, Lu... your father is indeed talented."

In terms of age and seniority, Cui Duo is more than enough to be Changqing's grandfather, and it is not surprising that he regards Lu Yan as a junior and criticizes him.

"However, it is not easy to properly implement the new policy." Cui Duo said: "If it is not entrusted to people, it will not only fail to change the current situation, but may even cause violent turmoil and increase the suffering of the people. Throughout the ages, there have been few reformers, not all Because they are afraid of difficulties and things, they are afraid that the implementation will be biased, which will become a means for traitors to abuse ordinary people."

"But if you don't change it, it will be too late to regret it when the state affairs are in trouble." Changqing insisted.

Cui Duo looked at Changqing, and said for a long time, "The next words should be treated as lies by the old man—the day when the New Deal is successful, it will be the day when your father will be demoted."

(End of this chapter)