Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 294 The Role of Government

At the front of the team, Qi Renli felt very guilty after listening to what Bafang said.

"Sir Meng, I was the one who insisted on taking care of the affairs of Hongfu Village, but I bothered you to come here. I am really useless. I think I didn't pass the imperial examination because I am not talented enough."

Qi Renli's tone became weaker and weaker as he spoke, "I've only been here for a short time, and I've already caused you trouble. Perhaps the Ministry of Personnel saw this in me, and that's why they haven't given me any work for a long time. It's rare that Lord Meng is willing to trust me, but I...

I really shouldn't have done that. I'll write my resignation letter when I get back."

He said it sincerely, making everyone anxious, "Master Qi, it's not a big deal. The young master has already solved it. Why are you saying these things?"

"Baifang." Meng Changqing called him, "Go ahead and clear the way. I want to talk to Master Qi."

Bafang quickly gave up his position.

"Brother Qi, Bafang is right. The issue of Hongfu Village has been resolved for the time being. There is no need to feel guilty about it."

"But you have offended the prefect of Dazhou because of me. Given his character, he will definitely make things difficult for you if he has the chance."

"He is old. How many more years can he serve as an official?" Meng Changqing did not take that man seriously. It was not because she was sure that her plan would succeed, but because she understood the current emperor.

He was even more diligent than the previous emperor. When it came to employing people alone, he basically understood what kind of people he valued in his ministers, what kind of talents they had, and what kind of temperament they had.

People like Wen Ruxu are not in the emperor's eyes.

Since it is impossible for him to move to a higher position, there will most likely be no intersection between us in the future, so there is no need to worry about offending him.

Compared to Meng Changqing's indifference, Qi Renli was very anxious. "After all, he is the governor of a state and can directly report to the court. If he exaggerated what you did in the report, or even distorted the facts, it would be disadvantageous to you."

Meng Changqing said: "We must trust the court and His Majesty, and don't be afraid of these villains."

"Ah..." Qi Renli sighed. It was all his fault. "I would rather offend the prefect of Dazhou than to use your method!"

Meng Changqing chuckled and said, “Everyone has a different way of doing things. It not only has to suit one’s personality, but also depends on whether one can do it.

You didn't know the name of the prefect of Dazhou, and you didn't have any royal guards to protect you. How could you suppress him temporarily?

It's no use just being tough against people like that.

You have to make him feel afraid and let him know that he is nothing in front of you, then he will be willing to listen to what you say.

Besides, Brother Qi is very elegant and can’t learn my style.

If it's a serious conversation, then this text is very difficult to deal with."

After listening to Meng Changqing's words, Qi Renli was silent for a long time. Through this incident, he could clearly see the difference in ability between him and Meng Changqing. Back then, when he was in the capital, he was like other classmates and thought that Lord Meng became the magistrate because of the achievements of his father and brother.

Now it seems that he was extremely wrong.

After walking for a distance, Qi Renli spoke again, his tone very sincerely, "Sir, although I am a few years older than you, I have seen and heard far less than you. If I have any problems in the future, I would like to ask you to teach me more."

"Between you and me, as long as Brother Qi asks me something, Changqing will tell me everything I know.

When Chang Qing asked Brother Qi for advice, he also asked Brother Qi to teach him. Qi Renli thought he was comforting himself, what else did he not know but he knew?

"Brother Qi, the Hongfu Village incident is over. What do you think?" Meng Changqing asked.

Qi Renli thought about it carefully, skipped his own problem, and said, "I think the county government will not give up the rent of those mountain lands. Most likely, they will take them back and sell them to other wealthy merchants, or rent them to the people of Hongfu Village again."

"This is inevitable. Who would be willing to throw away a ready-made channel for making money?" Meng Changqing continued to ask, "Do you have any other ideas?"

"People's lives are difficult, the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer. The world today seems peaceful, but the turbulent waves underground are accumulating more and more, just waiting for the day when the waves will surge up..." Having said this, Qi Renli shuddered and dared not continue.

Meng Changqing didn't expect that he would think in this direction.

But what he said makes sense. Several dynasties were destroyed and reborn under the impetus of such waves.

Retracting his thoughts, Meng Changqing said, "It is true, but there is one thing: why should the government be above the people? In other words, why should the government be given the authority to manage the people?"

Qi Renli answered seriously, "The local governments represent the imperial court, and the imperial court belongs to your majesty. The emperor is the son of heaven, and we manage the people on his behalf."

This answer blocked what Meng Changqing was about to say. Some of the words were said so smoothly that he almost forgot that here, power is not granted by the people, but by the emperor.

Absolutely absurd.

If the ancients really didn't understand, how could they have said that water can carry a boat but can also capsize it?
Rights are always given by the rulers.

There are some things that she just needs to know in her heart. There is really no need to say them out loud and bring disaster to herself and her family.

Meng Changqing reluctantly agreed to Qi Renli's words, and then said: "If the emperor wants to maintain long-term stability, he must naturally avoid the poor and the rich from going to extremes. The government must play a role in regulating this."

Qi Renli asked: "How to adjust it?"

"For poor families, we need to find out the reasons and give them help. For families that are too rich, we need to see where their wealth comes from and whether they pay taxes according to regulations. If their wealth is unreasonable, the government should punish them. If their wealth is reasonable, we need to learn from their experience in getting rich."

Qi Renli nodded seriously. If he wasn't on his horse, he would have wanted to find paper and pen to write it down.

"In Hongfu Village in Dazhou, the conflict between the people and the Hong family was so acute because the Hong family had deprived the people of too many benefits, leaving them with little chance of survival.

But the Hong family had no right to deprive the people of their interests. It was the government's connivance that allowed the Hong family to exercise the government's power.

We in Beishan County should learn from this lesson and safeguard the power of the county government, so that even if the bad guys are scheming, there are laws to suppress them, instead of being like in Hongfu Village, where the Hong family is about to burst the sky, the people are about to suffer, and they still ask outside officials to intervene. "

"I remember what you said."

Meng Changqing cleared his throat and said, "I came here to fight the Hong family this time. Do you have time to inquire about the market price of tussah silk?"

"In Dao County, and even in the entire Dazhou, the sale of silk is controlled by the Hong family. All prices are set by the Hong family based on the amount of silk they collect."

Meng Changqing: "That is to say, the current price of silk in Dazhou is not the real market price."

"Ah?" Qi Renli understood for a moment, "Yes, that's right. We have to wait a little longer."

"Don't worry. We haven't raised silkworms in our county yet. We have to wait for the government to test it before we can popularize it." Meng Changqing said, "We have plenty of time to wait."