Xiaoyao Xiaojunhou

Chapter 67 Hucao
"What! The number of... households that pay taxes?"

Liu Wentong was so shocked that he immediately ignored the funny chart title and leaned his head over to look at the chart carefully.

His expression was extremely serious, as if he was not looking at a picture, but a book of life and death that determined life and death!
Zhu Xiuyuan raised his eyebrows and glanced at Liu Wentong, feeling very surprised.

This Liu Wentong's performance is too exaggerated!
Isn't it just the number of tax-paying households in Jiangzhou? Is this data very special?
Does it represent some special meaning?

Zhu Xiuyuan tilted his head and looked at Liu Wentong who was getting closer and closer. He simply moved to the side.

Give up part of the position so that Liu Wentong can watch more comfortably.

The whole room became quiet.

Lao Gao stood there, maintaining his usual seriousness, but his eyes had moved away and did not fall on the chart.

Instead, he frowned, squinted his eyes slightly, and fell into some kind of thinking state.

strange!
Zhu Xiuyuan's eyes turned and landed on this chart. He looked at it carefully. There was nothing strange about it?
After a long time.

"Liu Shangzuo, Lao Gao, what are you thinking about?"

Zhu Xiuyuan, who couldn't figure it out, couldn't help but ask.

"grown ups……"

Liu Wentong was the first to come to his senses.

However, as soon as he cupped his fists, his eyes widened and he quickly took a step back and exited Zhu Xiuyuan's seat.

"Sir, I'm so rude! I'm so rude!"

But it turned out that it was Liu Wentong who became more and more fascinated as he watched, and almost "turned against guests" and "squeezed" Zhu Xiuyuan out of the seat area.

As a subordinate, this is simply rude!
"Hey! Sir Liu doesn't have to be like this!"

Zhu Xiuyuan waved his hand and said with a smile: "It was just an unintentional mistake. I am not a petty person."

Zhu Xiuyuan likes "exploration", so he is particularly open-minded towards people who "lose themselves due to research".

On the contrary, he believes that people who can achieve this level are talents and deserve respect.

"Subordinate... thank you, sir!"

Liu Wentong bent his waist ninety degrees as an apology.

"Liu Shangzuo, there's no need to be polite. By the way, what were you thinking about just now?"

Liu Wentong's face became solemn, "Sir, the number of tax-paying households in Jiangzhou is decreasing year by year. It is of great importance. Not only for the elders of Jiangzhou, but also for the people who record affairs and join the army. Even for you, my Lord, it is very important. Urgent matter!"

Zhu Xiuyuan looked at Liu Wentong with a strange look on his face, thinking that Liu Wentong was not sick, right?
Lao Gao on the other side, his expression remained the same as before, he looked at Liu Wentong quietly.

"Please tell me in detail." Zhu Xiuyuan also became serious.

"Yes, my lord!"

Liu Wentong rationalized his thoughts and said, "Sir, our examinations for state officials are divided into one small test every year and one big test every three years."

Zhu Xiuyuan nodded, but he didn't know why Liu Wentong got involved in the exam. He gave him a look that meant: "Go on."

"For the examination of state officials, the 'seven things' are used as the criterion. What are the 'seven things'? The first is 'Is it appropriate to be promoted to an official?', the second is 'encourage classes to farm mulberry trees, increase farmland', and the third is 'increase household registration' Damage', the fourth is 'promote benefit and eliminate harm', the fifth is 'factual case investigation', the sixth is 'rectify the punishment and prison', and the seventh is 'the number of thieves'." Liu Wentong said this while shaking his head, obviously he was interested in the officials' examination. Know everything in detail.

"Been taught a lesson!"

Zhu Xiuyuan smiled and cupped his hands, looking like a scholar exchanging knowledge or knowledge.

"Where is it..." Liu Wentong was modest.

Suddenly, Liu Wentong suddenly paused, grinned, patted his forehead, and thought to himself: "I was deceived by the adults..."

"My lord, it can be seen from this that 'encouraging farming and mulberry crops, increasing farm income', and 'account increase and loss' are all major items in the official examination." Liu Wentong hastily added.

After Zhu Xiuyuan heard this, he looked at the chart again. The trend line extended diagonally downwards in a shocking way. It represented that the number of households paying taxes was decreasing year by year!

"So, our Jiangzhou officials have failed in all previous examinations?" Zhu Xiuyuan still didn't understand what Liu Wentong meant.

"Sir, that's the problem." Liu Wentong handed over.

"Oh, what's the problem?"

"Sir, as far as my subordinates know, I, Jiangzhou officials, have basically received a 'good' rating in the examinations over the years!" Liu Wentong bowed.

"Good" means very good.

Zhu Xiuyuan understood, "In other words, they... tampered with the examinations on taxation, increase and loss of household numbers?"

"Sir, we at Kusao have the most original documents. The data that my subordinates have sorted out from these documents is definitely the most correct!"

"What Liu Shangzuo means..." Zhu Xiuyuan lowered his voice and looked around, "Using this as an excuse to unite them?"

Zhu Xiuyuan had known for a long time that almost all of his subordinates in Cang Cao, including Senior Colonel Liu Wentong and senior scribes, were the confidants of his father-in-law.

Therefore, it is normal for Liu Wentong and others to try various methods to trick "them".

If possible, Zhu Xiuyuan wouldn't mind helping his father-in-law. After all, he still has a good thing in mind——

From now on, I will stay close to my father-in-law's lap and enjoy good food and drink in the yamen.

"I'm afraid it's inappropriate, because Lord Governor..."

Zhu Xiuyuan thought about it again and denied his previous conjecture.

Because even the governor of a state is involved, my father-in-law is just a seventh-grade official who joins the army, so he may not be able to defeat them with this.

After all, if they want to completely overthrow them, they will definitely fight back...

"Sir, my subordinates also think it's inappropriate, but..."

Liu Wentong chuckled and said mysteriously: "You can't move the top one, but you can move the bottom one!"

Zhu Xiuyuan was stunned for a second, then his eyes lit up, "Hu Cao?"

"Your Excellency is wise, it is Hu Cao!" Liu Wentong cupped his hands.

Zhu Xiuyuan turned to the side, thinking in his heart: "Gong Cao is in charge of official examinations, sacrifices, auspiciousness, Taoism, Buddhism, schools, appearances, medicine, and furnishings. If you start with official examinations, use merits to start the knife." It's the best, but it involves the governor, it's inappropriate... Hu Cao is in charge of household registration, accounting, roads, rebellious travel, and marriage fields. The household registration is decreasing year by year, and there must be unjust cases among them. Destroy Sihu and join the military!

(End of this chapter)