Eastern Jin Dynasty: My powerful father

Chapter 285 Let others comment
Since ancient times, those who engage in politics must have a thick skin, a soft body, and a strong heart.

Therefore, among a group of sensible people, Huan Xi was able to excuse himself as if no one else was around, speaking seriously, as if the issue of giving gifts to the people really had nothing to do with him, but Quan Yi was making his own decisions.

Wang Meng was not surprised. Everything was going according to the script. He said seriously:
“Gong Liang, the so-called taking from the people and using it for the people, Quan Yi’s idea of ​​giving more to the people is also to end this troubled world as soon as possible, so what’s wrong with that!

"Now the people in Guanxi are only allowed to produce two more pieces of cloth every year. Duke Liang can't bear it. Have you ever thought that at this moment, millions of people in Guandong are being enslaved by the barbarians and are waiting for Master Wang day and night!"

Huan Xi was speechless and remained silent for a long time.

At this time, Wang Meng looked at his subordinates in the lobby and swept his eyes across everyone, apparently forcing them to express their stance.

Of course everyone knew that the two were acting. After all, who would believe that Wang Meng and Quan Yi would actually stand against Huan Xi together.

"Mr. Liang! What Wang Lingjun said makes sense!"

"Quan Zhongshu is devoted to serving the country, please ask Mr. Liang to take a closer look!"

Everyone stood with Wang Meng without hesitation. Everyone knew that the person who really benefited from the blessings given to the people was not Wang Meng or Quan Yi, but Huan Xi.

When Huan Xi saw this scene, he seemed to have been drained of all his strength. He waved his hand and said:
"You all go down and leave me alone."

When Wang Meng heard this, he immediately resigned and went back to the Shangshutai to handle government affairs. He was in charge of the general affairs of the Liang Kingdom. If Huan Xi had not insisted that he come to the General's Mansion to perform this scene, Wang Meng would not have wasted time for this matter.

Huan Xi just attaches too much importance to his reputation among the people.

According to Wang Meng, if taxes are raised, taxes will be raised. Why is it so troublesome?

This tax increase is just a household transfer based on the Jin system. The people in Jiangnan have always received three pieces of cloth and three pounds of cotton per household per year. They are not like the people in Kansai who can allocate public land. After so many years, Aren’t the days getting better?

However, it was precisely because the taxes in the Eastern Jin Dynasty were too high that the refugees in Huainan hijacked local officials and defected to Yao Xiang.

On the same day, a conversation between Huan Xi and Wang Meng in the General's Mansion was spread by someone who was interested, and the public opinion was in an uproar.

Of course, it is self-evident who is behind the scenes. Without Huan Xi behind the scenes, even if there were many people at the time, it would not have spread so quickly.

The next day, Huan Xi ordered notices to be posted all over Chang'an City, allowing the people to freely comment on whether taxes should be appropriately increased in order to regain the mountains and rivers.

It is said that public opinion will decide this matter, but in ancient times before the Internet, the right to speak appeared in the hands of Huan Xi, the officials, and the wealthy families, but it was not in the hands of the people.

For the Liang State at this stage, advocating for the recovery of mountains and rivers is the greatest political correctness.

Whether they are officials or wealthy families, they don't care about Huan Xi's tax increase. Even if the household transfer is in line with Jiangnan, it will only collect a little more cloth every year. It is not worth offending Huan Xi for this matter.

Most of the people follow blindly. When the bureaucratic class and the scholar class clearly support the tax increase and give it a lofty mission, the people can only choose to follow the trend.

In fact, Huan Xi also did a little work behind the scenes. He secretly sent people in Chang'an City to constantly preach about the atrocities committed by Later Zhao in Guanzhong before his Northern Expedition, which aroused people's memories of the past and incited them to have a negative attitude towards Guandong. The sympathy of the people.

As for whether there are people who are dissatisfied with the tax increase, of course there are some, but they can only complain at home and curse Quan Yi behind his back. Other than that, they can do nothing.

Because they have no right to speak, they can only initiate riots if they want their words to be heard.

However, this tax increase is not necessarily justified. Under the long-term policy of frivolous corvee and low taxes, an uprising will be launched after a tax increase, which underestimates the endurance of the people.

On the fifth day of the first lunar month in the twelfth year of Yonghe (AD 356), Huan Xi finally issued an edict after listening to public opinions and opinions:

Starting from this year, the household transfer of people in Yong, Qin and Liang prefectures will be upgraded from one piece of cloth and three liang of cotton per household to three pieces of cloth and three jin of cotton per household, in line with the south of the Yangtze River. Liangzhou, as the northwest frontier, paid two-thirds of the prescribed amount according to the Jin system.

The Xiongnu from Xianbei in Hexi, Xianbei in Hetao, and Tiefu paid one piece of cloth for each tent, which could be replaced by animal skins at the same price.

As for the land rent, livestock tax, and business tax that people are concerned about, they have not been increased for the time being.

Once the edict was announced, people everywhere felt relieved. It seemed that the household registration system had increased more than three times, but that was because the number previously set was enough, and only one-third of the household registration system stipulated in the Jin Dynasty was not enough.

Moreover, even if the household registration fee increases, the people can still bear it.

On the day the edict was promulgated, Huan Xi rode a carriage to the Quan Mansion.

Quan Yi received the notice from the manager of the mansion and hurriedly went out to meet him.

Huan Xi asked with a straight face:
"On New Year's Eve, I held a banquet at Weiyang Palace, why didn't you come?"

Quan Yi replied:
"Liang Gong asked me to go home and reflect. The common people asked themselves that they had not woken up, so they did not dare to go out even half a step."

Huan Xi said helplessly:
"Today I made a special trip to visit you. Shouldn't Ziliang invite me in for a cup of tea first? Is it possible that Ziliang still holds grudges against me for removing you from your official position?"

Quan Yi joked:
"Aren't you waiting for Mr. Liang's Lang Wei to search the house first and make sure it's safe before you can respectfully invite Mr. Liang in?"

When Huan Xi heard this, he punched him with a smile:
"Okay! Now that you are so separated from me, right? If I can't even trust Quan Ziliang, I will really become a loner."

With that said, he stepped straight into the mansion, and Quan Yi quickly followed, smiling with the wrinkles in his eyes.

Since Huan Xi has confirmed the strategy of increasing household registration and replenishing the national treasury, and issued an edict to inform the world, Quan Yi, who had previously initiated this proposal, is naturally guilty of meritorious service.

Huan Xi issued an edict on the spot to reinstate Quan Yiguan.

At this time, only about ten days had passed since Quan Yi was dismissed.

Logically speaking, Huan Xi should have awarded Quan Yi a reward for his contribution, but he did not do so.

Huan Xi explained to Quan Yi:

"Now the people of Kansai have to bear three times the household adjustment requirements because of your proposal, but you are rewarded for it. This will only make you more jealous.

"I will keep your grievances in my heart and will never forget them."

Quan Yi knew that Huan Xi was thinking about him, so he burst into tears and said:
"It is my duty to share the worries of Duke Liang. How can I care about my own honor and disgrace?"

Huan Xi shook his head and said:
"Of course you have to care about honor and disgrace. Those who serve as officials are either seeking fame or profit. When you went south to join me, wasn't it just to add something to the history books?"

With that said, Huan Xi promised:

"When the world is unified, the history of the country will give you justice."

　No more today, good night everyone.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)