I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 260 The third meaning

Chen Rong said with emotion: "For such justice, I should be counted among them!"

Zang Hong looked solemn: "I am the Yilang at the beginning of this year. If there is no response to this matter, I should write a letter to say so!"

"It's not advisable to act too hastily." Cui Yan refused and explained, "Not to mention that this letter is a matter of duty. Grand Tutor Lu Gong is a virtuous person and will not cover it up for his disciples. The only people I worry about are villains with their own hearts. If this happens, it will not be too late for you to impeach me."

"What Ji Gui said is true!" Chen Rong thought for a while and felt that it made sense. Neither he nor Zang Hong thought that Cui Yan wanted to take all the credit. After all, he was the first to find out about this matter and file a letter.

While talking, both Zang Hong and Cui Yan felt that the other person was a gentleman who adhered to the teachings of the saints. The so-called friendship between gentlemen is as light as water. When they first met, they both had the intention of getting along with each other.

In history, one of these two people was unjustly killed by Yuan Shao, and the other was unjustly killed by Cao Cao. Now that they are together, it is considered fate.

When the matter came to an end, Zang Hong asked again: "Ji Gui just said three meanings. I wonder what the third meaning is?"

Cui Yan said to Zang Hong: "This article is also related to the imperial students and local officials."

Zang Hong had been working in Langya Kingdom before, and he had heard a lot about Tai students serving as village officials. He had also exchanged letters with Chen Rong, so he knew a lot about it.

He said: "Nowadays, most of the Taisheng's village officials are around Luoyang and the three assistants in the field. Now that this policy has been implemented for three years, I'm afraid the Sili School and Wei Department has not spread all over!"

Cui Yan nodded in approval. Zang Hong hit the nail on the head when he said that the biggest problem for Taipei students and rural officials was quantity.

He said: "My original township in Zhi County was well-established. It was eleven miles away, and I was the only one from Taixue. I am not bragging. I have been in my original township for one year and made it better than the other two townships in Zhi County. But it is better. Although the township officials have selfish motives, they are generally doing well."

"Then when I returned to Luoyang, I saw the gap. At that time, I thought that if I had three or five imperial students under my administration, I would be able to do better."

Zang Hong and Chen Rong nodded together, both of them knew that what Cui Yan said was the truth. Compared with ordinary students who passed the examination, the gap is still obvious in terms of moral level and practical ability. Some of them even have better practical experience.

In fact, there were not too many townships in the Han Dynasty. There were more than 1,100 counties and 3,600 townships in total. On average, one county only had more than three townships.

Among them, the three elders among the Baishi Township officials need to be reputable local clan elders, and the remaining ones include Youzhi (Qiangfu), Youjiao and the subordinate Xiangzuo Xianggan in the township.

These official positions don't seem to be many, and they have to leave positions for locals, but Liheting also needs to be included!
There is a difference between the countryside and the pavilion.

Under the countryside are li. The original principle was that one hundred households constituted a li, and ten li constituted one township. As the population increased, it was common to have one or two hundred households per mile near Luoyang.

The township level is responsible for household registration, taxation and other civil matters.

As for the "Ten Miles and One Post" pavilion, it is different from the civilian governance structure of the township. Instead, together with its subordinate "Five Miles and One Post", it serves as a specialized public security agency and is also responsible for delivering government orders.

It is worth mentioning that the li of a pavilion is not the li of a hundred households, but refers to the distance. It is normal to have three or five pavilions in a township. There is theoretically no subordinate relationship between townships and pavilions. Townships and pavilions each have the power to decide lawsuits, and they are only partial in civil and criminal matters. In practice, there will be cases where both parties decide cases together. Of course, some serious crimes still have to be tried by the county court.

For example, in more common economic dispute cases, whether it is money owed or unfair sales, the township leader (Qiang Fu) and the pavilion chief can adjudicate the case.

And Li Kui, also known as Li Zheng, is closest to the people.

These positions always affect the quality of grassroots governance. Therefore, the township in Luoyang County, which has the largest proportion of minor officials and middle school students, has the best governance.

For some imperial students, being a township official with a hundred stones is enough, but if they are asked to be a likui, responsible for only one or two hundred households, they are unwilling to do so.

Cui Yan explained: "I visited the teacher before and heard that the number of Tai students who passed the examination last year and the year before was getting worse every year. Last year there were more than 400 students, and this year there are only 300. I want to It is far from enough to enrich the countryside.”

Compared with the first test, it was more than 40% less. In the final analysis, the people who participated could only come from Tai students, and the cultivation speed of Tai students who were willing to take this path could not keep up with the recruitment speed.

Chen Rong was puzzled: "This is naturally a contradiction, but what does it have to do with us joining the Xiyuan Army?"

Cui Yan did not answer directly, but continued: "People in the world often make friends based on their place of origin. Many counties and counties have xenophobic behaviors. In the past, there were people who expelled elder officials, let alone township officials? Previously, township officials were mostly composed of local people. We can easily do it, but in fact, the place is not far from the emperor's rule, and the relevant king has been ordered to eliminate evil. Therefore, for more than two years, the officials of Taisheng Township have only served in the Sili Xiaowei Department. It’s not just because those who have passed the test are not enough.”

Zang Hong was also deeply touched by this: "When I was in the county, I saw officials breaking the law. After they resigned and were punished, they could only choose local villagers to take over. I knew that they were related to each other by in-laws and old friends, but I could only choose to use them."

"That's right! As far as I know, the Xiyuan Army is different from the fifth battalion of the Northern Army, which is almost succeeded by father after death. When it was formed, it recruited strong men from many counties and counties in the world." After laying the groundwork for a long time, Cui Yan finally said what he thought was the third meaning——

"Privately, Your Majesty intends to use military veterans as rural officials. In the past, there were people who served as pavilion elders with meritorious services. This time, Your Majesty may be said to be imitating this move, and wants to try it a little bit on rural officials. ”

Chen Rong was startled when he heard this. He only thought that the emperor intended to expand the army based on the Xiyuan Army. Cui Yan was indeed thinking from an angle that he had never thought of. But thinking about it carefully, it is not a secret that the treasury is empty now. Looking around, there is no need to continue to expand the army. On the contrary, what Cui Yan said makes more sense.

He said calmly: "Brother Ji Gui is a great talent, I am not as good as him."

Chen Rong added: "I have heard veterans complain before. Although they have been in the army for a long time, their monthly salary can support their families, but they have been away from home for a long time. Once they are injured or old, they have to return home. But they are in the army every day. Following the military law, all I have learned is the art of killing, but it is not easy to start farming again after returning home. "

"There are those whose families are poor and have no heirs, and there are also those whose children are unfilial and often have no one to rely on when they grow old."

Zang Hong also agreed: "This is exactly the reason. Veterans are old and cannot go into battle to kill the enemy, but they cannot be discarded as worn-out shoes. If they can continue to serve the country in the countryside and receive a salary as a livelihood, it is also a good idea. A good deed!”

"It's just that from what I've seen, there may not be many veterans who are qualified to serve as rural officials!"

(End of this chapter)