Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 4 Life Is Like an Onion

Kuizhou Fucheng is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and various houses are lined up one after another, continuing upwards in turn.The southern city wall is on the embankment near the river, while the government office is on the top of the hill, and there are watchtowers built there.

Standing on the attic and looking down, from the river embankment ferry outside the city wall to the restaurants, restaurants and shops that can be seen everywhere on the heights, you can see it clearly and clearly.Behind the government office is the north gate, which leads directly to the lotus pond, which is the official residence of the governor of Kuizhou.

The huge height difference in the city means that it is not as boxy as Chang'an, nor as clear-cut as a large city, nor does it have numerous defensive fortresses, nor even a fixed market. Instead, it is full of vitality and vitality, and A strong and abnormal commercial atmosphere.

Pedestrians, vehicles and boats come and go, and porters who transport goods can be found everywhere.

The ferry on the river embankment is of a huge scale, and there are many fleets of ships filing in. Several rows of large and small ships are parked along the bank. The water workers unload the goods on the ships, and the porters in the city are waiting in line to pick up the goods into the city.

There are also many fishermen and boatmen who use special square stoves to light fires and cook meals on board.

It can even be said that the entire Kuizhou City is a giant market!

With breath, with energy.

Fang Chongyong looked at this wonderful scene in the world from the attic, feeling a little emotional in his heart.

"Guarding a golden mountain and still complaining about poverty is like a rotten tree that cannot be carved."

Fang Chongyong said with a sigh.

Zheng Shuqing was a bit beyond his expectation. In Fang Youde's eyes, maybe this was a real corrupt official, but in Fang Chongyong's view, such local bureaucrats were rare to encounter in the feudal era.

No one can escape the limitations of the times.

But the really powerful one is Li Linfu behind him!All kinds of governance strategies of Kuizhou were inspired by Li Linfu.

Fang Chongyong yawned and stayed awake all night. He asked Zheng Shuqing about the people's sentiments in Kuizhou that night. A strange thought suddenly popped into his mind:

It has been a month since the tariff was robbed. It is hard to imagine that the court center in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty would not deal with Zheng Shuqing's loss of the Kuizhou Jiangguan tariff!Not to mention that the misappropriation of tariffs was half a year ago!
What is certain is that not only Li Linfu knew about this matter, but it can even be judged that Li Longji must also know about it.

However, until now, Zheng Shuqing is still firmly serving as the governor of Kuizhou, and no one has taken him down!So this can show that this matter is within the scope of the imperial court's tacit approval, and it may even be "not a matter at all"!
Fang Chongyong had a guess in his mind, but he was not sure.Because it was too arrogant and bizarre, beyond the limits of what people could imagine.But various signs kept pointing to that conjecture, making him extremely anxious.

Fang Laique was taken hostage by Zheng Shuqing. Within three days, Fang Chongyong had to find a way to make money... He knew very well that he got this opportunity because his father Fang Youde was the supervisory censor, so Zheng Shuqing was willing to cooperate. , if he were just an ordinary civilian, I'm afraid he would have been brutally murdered by now.

A high-ranking official is in charge of the military and civil affairs of a state. Who is willing to be at the mercy of a child with no official position?
Before breaking out, Zheng Shuqing could give Fang Youde some face. This was the official rule.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Suddenly there was a loud drum in the city!

"The Liao people burned the mountain!"

"The Liao people burned the mountain!"

"The Liao people burned the mountain!"

Someone in the government office yelled loudly.

Following these shouts, as if they felt something in their hearts, the pedestrians who were still wandering around in the city entered the nearest wine shop in an orderly manner, while the porters rushed to the ferry.

The originally bustling streets were suddenly empty, and all kinds of shops were closed in a very short period of time.

"It turns out that you are still here, but it will be easier for me to find for a while."

Zheng Shuqing's voice came from behind, as if he was relieved.Fang Chongyong turned around and said to him: "I see that Kuizhou's capital city is prosperous, and it is not difficult to make up for the tariff payment. I already have an idea, but I still need time to research it."

Hearing this, Zheng Shuqing was overjoyed. He didn't care about his superiority or inferiority. He grabbed Fang Chongyong's arm and said excitedly: "Come on, come on, come with me to watch the show. If your subordinates make trouble, watch us kill them!"

Liao people make trouble?

Fang Chongyong was taken aback for a moment, he was very suspicious, because he didn't read much, and Governor Zheng was lying to him as a fool!Just now, when I saw the residents and tourists in the city calmly avoiding their houses, I knew that such things would happen every few days.Zheng Shuqing probably thought that he could make military achievements by messing around casually?

This is neither Lingnan nor Annan!This is the throat between Shu and Jingxiang, the core place where Han'er lives!
Why are the officials causing trouble? Are you not afraid that Feng Da will flash your tongue?
"Zheng Shijun, false reporting of military exploits is a serious crime. The imperial court did not pursue the case in the past and just treated it as a child's play. This does not mean that it will never pursue the case."

Fang Chongyong retorted unceremoniously.

The straightforwardness of speaking will make Zheng Shuqing let go of his guard, so that he will not say "this coin is very special and must not be kept" after the matter is completed.

Sure enough, Zheng Shuqing's anger flashed across his face, and he immediately explained: "The elite soldiers of Dongyang Mansion (Fu Bingjun Mansion) in Wushan County, east of Kuizhou City, did not listen to the governor's orders. Only the united troops in the city can be of great use. Liao people make troubles from time to time, but our house still has some merits in defending the land."

The implication is that Liao people often make troubles, but in fact they can't do anything. I just go to brush up the sense of existence. If there is no credit, there is still some hard work.

"My lord, in Kuizhou, as long as the political achievements that have nothing to do with money and silk can be ignored, why do you give up the big and look for the small?"

Fang Chongyong looked at Zheng Shuqing helplessly and asked, Zheng Shuqing couldn't see what he could see. Didn't the court know that there was no "military disaster" in Kuizhou?If you don't have military merits and go to brush hard, your mind will be caught by the door.

"How can you, a childish kid like you, understand the ways of being an official? Why don't you keep silent!"

Being exposed by a word, Zheng Shuqing reprimanded with a look of surprise, but he was relieved in his heart.

A child prodigy is a child prodigy, and he is not taboo about speaking out, so there is nothing to worry about.When he arrives in Chang'an, this son can be manipulated by himself.

Fang Chongyong sighed softly, listened to the persuasion, and had a full meal. This Governor Zheng really didn't have a good brain.He already understood last night that the situation in Kuizhou is completely out of line!He talked with Zheng Shuqing in detail all night, and got a clear picture of the situation here!
Not to mention that Kuizhou has many mountains and few fields, the "red lotus rice" planted in the hundreds of hectares of paddy fields near the mountain springs are all royal tributes, and not a single grain of rice is left for the local area!Officials directly appointed by the imperial court were responsible for daily management, harvesting and shipping, and they were simply in the hands of Zheng Shuqing, the governor of Kuizhou.

The governor of Zheng also wanted to know what red lotus rice tasted like. When he was in Chang'an, he once heard a member of the clan say that after eating the rice made of red lotus rice, there was an aroma in the bowl, which lasted for a long time. Scatter!

What a luxurious experience!

Of course, it's okay not to mention the coquettish stuff like red lotus rice.It's just that Datang is now implementing the "rent and adjustment" system, and there are fixed numbers for how much food and cloth each household pays!
Ordinary people in Kuizhou Mansion don't even have land, or there are not enough land, so what should they pay rent?
The imperial court did not stipulate that those who have no land can not pay the rent. As long as the "account book" of the imperial court says that you have land, then you must have land!

As for whether it actually exists, it doesn't matter, at least it is not an issue that the imperial court center needs to care about!

However, the local people in Kuizhou seem to be living a relatively prosperous life, because ordinary people here eat fish and mountain products every day, and rely on the food supply from Shu and Jingxiang to make up for the food gap.There is no rice produced but there is rice in the treasury. Commercialization has reached the extreme!
In a simple summary, Kuizhou is slash-and-burn in the primary industry, the secondary industry is mediocre, and the tertiary industry is abnormally prosperous.

Except for red lotus rice, the rice produced here has no competitiveness in the fierce commercial competition and has sadly withdrawn from the stage.Anyone who has some ideas is not willing to farm!
That's why Fang Zhongyong believed that as long as there is no war, the only meaning of Kuizhou government's existence is to make money!
Whoever can make money and provide enough money to the court is a good official!If more money can be provided, then he has outstanding talent and can be admitted to Chang'an and the center.

Zheng Shuqing thought that he would be able to do business by "defending one's territory and meritorious service". That would be a lot of fun for a middle school boy.

Last night Zheng Shuqing also personally admitted a "secret", which is the content of his father Fang Youde going to court to sue:
The account books about money and food in Kuizhou Mansion are all fake!And it's so fake.

The local rent and mediocrity can't be collected at all, and the rosters in the account books are all fabricated!Many people can't even match the heads, but the total number can match!
Kuizhou cannot mechanically implement the taxation policy of the imperial court. If it is forced, the government will force the people to rebel!
Every year in the past, local people used their earned money to buy grain and cloth shipped from Jingxiang and Shu in the capital of Kuizhou, and handed it over to the government for rent!This is also one of the important reasons for the commercial prosperity of Kuizhou.

Although Kuizhou's aquatic products are developed, they don't have fresh-keeping technology, so they can only eat by themselves, and they can't sell them at any price.The resulting effect is that the catering industry in the city is extremely prosperous, providing enough meat for tourists traveling to and from Shu.

As for the local specialty linen, it has to be sent to Shu and Jingxiang in exchange for a lot of money. Who among the locals would spend their time weaving ordinary cloth and hand it over to the court?

Linen, a specialty of Kuizhou, is loose, breathable and comfortable, especially suitable for wearing in the hot and humid Sichuan and Jiangnan.In fact, Zheng Shuqing's official robes are also made of this kind of linen, not silk official robes like other places.

The account books of Kuizhou Prefecture are fake, but the taxes paid are real, so nothing has ever happened!In other words, Zheng Shuqing, including his predecessor and the previous governor, were all using wrong means to do the right things, and the imperial court only looked at the results in assessment!
Whether it is a real rent or a "rent" that residents use money to buy goods in exchange for, these goods will not have names or sources.

Is it really just those in power who are causing this phenomenon?Who is holding on to the mediocrity that has been implemented for hundreds of years?
Fang Chongyong didn't know how to answer this question.

Zheng Shuqing got Li Linfu's instructions and went one step further, only accepting copper coins and gold, and then using the money to purchase large quantities of cloth and grain from merchants in Shu and Jingxiang, and finally transporting them to other places through the Yangtze River and canals.

Kuizhou has prosperous water transportation and many merchants. It is easy for locals to buy copper coins and even gold and silver, so there is no problem of difficulty in collecting money.

The government comes forward to purchase a large number of things, spend less money, buy more things, and the wholesale price is always lower than the retail price.As for where the extra money went, this is a secret, don't ask too much, don't talk too much, don't mention it too much!

Those are the "legitimate income" of the bureaucracy. Even if someone sues Li Longji for the money he earns, he will not win!Of course, Li Linfu will not let this kind of thing happen, he will take the lead himself!
It has always been a gray area when the government comes forward to "make the difference" and who gets the "profit".The same kind of behavior is, to a certain extent, legal in this day and age.

In order to strive for political achievements, Zheng Shuqing collected taxes. In fact, he only collected [-]% of the imperial quota in exchange for fame and official status!Fang Chongyong believed that in the eyes of the people of Kuizhou, perhaps the governor Zheng was the good guy, and the self-proclaimed incorruptible father Fang Youde was the bad guy.

In the future, when Zheng Shuqing became popular in Kuizhou and showed his ability to "finance money" to the imperial court, it was also predictable that he would enter the center and make great achievements under the protection of Li Linfu.

Good and evil in the world are so complicated sometimes!
Fang Chongyong couldn't help but sigh and sigh.

However, if Uncle Zheng wants to fly to the top of the branch, he must solve the mess of customs duties in Kuizhou.

No matter in what era, operations such as falsifying account books are illegal operations!If the secrets of Kuizhou Mansion are "revealed", Zheng Shuqing will be peeled off even if he is not dead. There are many things that can be done but cannot be said!
Therefore, the governor Zheng was also controlled by Li Linfu!

Thinking about miscellaneous things in his heart, Fang Chongyong was brought to the north gate by Zheng Shuqing, and saw a group of lightly armed infantry coming towards him.There are Liuhe boots on the feet, black crotchless robes on the body, a knife on the waist, a crossbow in hand, and a quiver on the back, each with fifty arrows.

Fang Chongyong took a glance. There were five people in each row, ten columns in total, a total of 50 people.This is the standard equipment for a team of crossbowmen in the Tang Army, but it looks a bit shabby without armor.

Unity soldiers, not counting soldiers of the Tang Dynasty, cannot leave the state and county, and have to go home to plow the fields after completing their military tasks. The army has no military salary and only has to eat. Having this kind of equipment is very impressive. Fang Zhongyong also understands them situation.

After waiting for a long time, there were only 50 people, plus a leading general, Fang Chongyong was a little stunned for a moment.

With such a small number of people, are they planning to treat the officials like paper?
"Mr. Zheng, it's time for the Liao people to take advantage of the ferocious mountain fire and kill each other. It's better for us to stand on the sidelines and wait for the Liao people to get tired of killing, and then intervene."

The burly general came up to Zheng Shuqing and asked for instructions.

"Good, you have full command."

Zheng Shuqing nodded in a very businesslike manner, expressionless.

The burly general led his soldiers to the city wall, and everyone saw the burning of the mountain fire in the distance, with different expressions.Except for Fang Chongyong who was a little puzzled, everyone else looked relaxed, and no one took this matter too seriously.

"This one is from the champion of martial arts."

Zheng Shuqing whispered in Fang Chongyong's ear, pointed at the back of the general, and said with teasing and ridicule.After getting along with him for a day, he felt that this child prodigy Fang Chongyong was quite interesting and quite to his liking.

"His name is Guo Ziyi?"

Fang Chongyong was shocked. He remembered that Guo Ziyi was born in martial arts, and he was the champion of martial arts back then!
"Guo Ziyi?"

Zheng Shuqing was taken aback, then waved his hands and said with a sneer: "What Guo Ziyi, his name is Yang Ruoxu, he offended Prime Minister Li, and was sent to Kuizhou."

What can I say about Kuizhou? If you are a civil affairs official, you will be easily promoted. It is a blessed place for local bureaucrats.

Because there are not only Jiangguan where you can get customs duties, but also commercial ports where you can get business taxes, and there are no wars and no military expenditures.In this way, how could it be impossible to fulfill the targets set by the imperial court?

Zheng Shuqing was arranged to come here, which means that he is Li Linfu's confidant and got a good job.

But for generals, Kuizhou is simply hated by people and ghosts!
There is no war here, not even civil unrest!Whenever an aspiring general comes here, he can only watch the beautiful scenery on the top of the city, waiting for his youth to slowly pass by without achieving anything.

A good man who has made great achievements should go to the Western Regions, to Tubo!No matter how bad it is, go to fight Khitan, go to Silla Baekje!

Li Linfu sent Yang Ruoxu to Kuizhou, which was really a classic case of killing people in their physical bodies.

　It’s unreasonable for readers in Chongqing not to give me a thumbs up. You must have been deeply touched by what I wrote about, right?
　　
　
(End of this chapter)