Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 524

Xidan Archway, Taipu Temple Yamen.

In the past few days, Cao Yong has been paying attention to one piece of news, that is, Jueluo Manbao, the governor of Fujian Province, wrote a book about "Talk into Mu" a few years ago.

This is one of the main policies of the fourth elder brother after he came to power. It is through this policy that the empty treasury has been refilled.

Since the Manchu Qing Dynasty entered the customs and "enclosed land", land annexation has become increasingly serious.A large number of peasants who lost their land became sharecroppers, but the burden of "small silver" on them did not decrease at all.

Although the rich and powerful families wantonly annexed land, they used various methods to reduce or exempt small taxes.

And those farmers who lost their land had to pay a very high proportion of land rent after working hard, and they also had to bear small silver and labor.

Even in a year with good weather and good weather, it is not bad to be able to barely eat after peeling off layers.If there is a drought, flood and famine, the crops will not be harvested well, and the grain grown will not be enough to pay the rent.

Besides selling children and daughters, or selling oneself into slavery, what else can be done?
The decree issued in the 50th year of Kangxi, "Adding Ding in a prosperous age, never adding a tax", made Ding born after 51 years of Kangxi completely get rid of the pressure of "poll tax".

The benefits of it will not appear until more than ten years later.

According to the system, all men from the age of 60 to [-] are called Ding. In addition to paying Ding silver, male Ding also has to bear local labor.

Those people who still need to pay dingyin can only pray for God to open his eyes.Otherwise, there may be a severe flood or drought, and the family will be separated forever.

Even if they were lucky enough to survive, most of them left their homes and became servants.

Why was Yongzheng notorious after his death, and until hundreds of years later, some people questioned the legitimacy of his succession.There are also countless literati criticizing him, describing him as a tyrant who "seeked his father, forced his mother, killed his brothers, butchered his younger brothers, was greedy for money, loved to kill, drunk, punished loyalists, liked to flatter, and was sycophant".

The reason is this, "spread into the mu".

"Splitting Ding Ding into Mu" lightened the burden on the people, curbed land annexation to a certain extent, and enriched the national treasury, but it seriously damaged the interests of the powerful and landlord class.

Speaking of which, Yongzheng didn't enjoy being the emperor. He had been busy for more than ten years, and he was exhausted, but he didn't do well at all.

In the front is the "eternal and one emperor" father who is very happy, and behind him is the son of the "Shiquan old man" who is a romantic and prodigal son. He, the "old scalper" who connects the past and the future, has only received a bad name.

Thinking of this, Cao Yong couldn't help sighing, and at the same time wondered whether this Jue Luo Manbao belonged to the fourth elder brother.

Even if it's not the case now, since the fourth elder brother can implement the policy of "dividing the family into the mother" after he ascends the throne, then he should treat Jue Luo Manbao differently.

After knowing that Kangxi had already refuted Jueluo Manbao's notes, he believed that "the name of the land is the same in all provinces; if the land is in the land, the provinces are different, and it will be changed in the future."

Cao Yong can only sigh. Kangxi has been the emperor for more than 50 years, and he will not be ignorant of the relationship between land annexation and the lack of state treasury.But I don't know if it's because of his good name, or because he is afraid of the turmoil caused by the change, and he no longer has the sharpness of his youth.

When taking a nap at noon, Cao Yong couldn't help being a little funny when he thought of the loss in his head.

I just thought of opium before, but now I think of "spreading into the mother", do I still want to gain the reputation of being a capable minister?

He tried his best to find a way to solve the harm of opium, so he didn't live this life in vain.As for the others, he didn't have the heart to get involved.

All kinds of social changes in history have involved fierce struggles, and it can be said that they were all paved with blood.

For those who have the courage to reform and pioneer, Cao Yong admires very much, but he is not interested in putting himself on the fire.

In addition to being busy with the yamen, Tang Zhiyu was also busy with the exams of his two cousins.His two cousins ​​are both famous for their careers, and they will take part in the general examination this spring.

Speaking of these two cousins, Tang Zhiyu's face was full of glory, and he couldn't stop praising them.It doesn't mean that this knowledge is good, but that the maid is filial and has a good character.

Cao Yong saw it in his eyes and remembered the scene of sending Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang to the end last year.

Cao Shuo is now studying at the Zhengbai Banner Official School in Xinxin Hutong, Chaoyangmen, learning translation and Manchu, and preparing for the examination of Chinese calligraphy; Cao Xiang is studying at the Imperial College. After three years, he is eligible to directly participate One subject test.Even if he fails to pass the Jinshi examination, as long as Cao Xiang is "superior" in the internal assessment of the Guozijian, he can be elected as an official and enter the official career.

When Cao Yong first came to this world, Cao Shuo was still a child who was just learning to speak, and Cao Xiang was still a baby who hadn't landed on the ground.

Cao Yong couldn't help taking a closer look at Tang Zhiyu. If he didn't start as a child, but continued his age in his previous life, he should be about the same age as Tang Zhiyu.

Seeing Cao Yong staring at him, Tang Zhiyu stopped laughing, but felt a little embarrassed to praise his cousin again.

Cao Yong looked at Tang Zhiyu's white-washed official uniform, and he only had admiration in his heart.

In order to take care of the widow and cousins, Tang Zhiyu lived a very poor life.Among the servants in the family, except for the old man who looks at the door, there are only young servants who accompany him to serve in the yamen.

All household chores are handled by his wife and daughter himself.

A majestic fourth-rank Beijing official is the only one in Beijing for this sake.

Because of this, Yi Duli talked to Cao Yong several times in private, calling Tang Zhiyu a fool.Although his two cousins ​​haven't married yet, they are both in their twenties, and they are both famous for their careers.

No matter where you sit in the restaurant, can't you mix some money and spend to serve your mother and brother?But they are all nerds. They don't understand the world at all, and only know how to bury their heads in reading.The whole family is taken care of by Tang Zhiyu.

In addition to offering to study, after all, the cousins ​​are older, and with fame, some people are willing to come to marry.Tang Zhiyu chose a serious and scholarly family, and Zhang Luo wrote to his two cousins, and made an appointment for marriage.Now, I am struggling to prepare the dowry.

This is Tang Zhiyu's family affair, and outsiders are not good at talking too much, so Cao Yong just listens to it.

Although Tang Zhiyu stopped talking, but his mind was still on the upcoming exam, he muttered to himself: "According to the days, this examiner should be appointed, but I don't know who is the master of this subject..."

Before Tang Zhiyu finished speaking, someone laughed and said, "Your Majesty Tang doesn't know, but this official does. Wang Xuling, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, and Liu Qian, the Zuodu Yushi of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, are the examiners. Cai Shengyuan and Wang Zhishu are the two cabinet ministers. The bachelor is the deputy chief examiner. The imperial decree issued by Long live God on the [-]th day of the Lunar New Year, the Ministry of Rites arrived yesterday, and from today onwards several adults began to thank guests behind closed doors."

"The two Lord Wangs are taking the exam..." Tang Zhiyu nodded after hearing this, and began to think about it.

He himself came out of the imperial examination with thousands of horses and horses, so he naturally knew that the examiners had different temperaments and hobbies, and the exams they preferred were also different.

Some examiners are calm and don't like too frivolous articles; some examiners are open-minded and not interested in rigid problem-solving.There is a lot of knowledge in this, so it is not easy to ignore it.

He paid attention to the chief examiner, but when Cao Yong heard "Cai Shengyuan", his heart moved.

This Cai Shengyuan, who was the chief examiner of the Jiangsu Provincial Examination in the 44th year of Kangxi, was Gu Na's tutor.It was he who took the initiative to invite Gu Na to Beijing.Not only that, he also betrothed his young daughter to Gu Na as his wife, and his teachers and students became husbands and sons-in-law, which is also a good story.

For this reason, Cao Yin respected Cai Shengyuan very much.

Although Gu Na was born in a prominent family in the south of the Yangtze River, after all, the family has withered, there is no father and brother to rely on, and there is no low income.Cai Shengyuan does not judge people by wealth, which is really admirable.

It was Yi Duli who came, and after talking with Tang Zhiyu, he was still waiting for him to say "thank you" so that he could tease him, but he didn't expect him to make plans for his cousins ​​again.

Yi Duli patted his forehead weakly, turned his head and said to Cao Yong: "My lord, your father and Lord Tong Chun are both in the Ministry of Rites, why is the news of your lord not as an official?"

After hearing this, Cao Yong couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.

Although he and Cao Yin and his son talked a few words every day, he never thought of asking his father about the Yamen.

Seeing that Cao Yong had no words, Yi Duli saw that he looked uncomfortable, and realized in his heart.

Between father and son, natural enemies are like.

As a father, there are not many who are pleasing to their sons.No matter how hard-working and motivated a son is, don't expect to get a compliment from his father.

Either raising eyebrows or eyes, or comparing with that promising child, looking at that posture, it's as if you are not facing your own son, but a puddle of mud.

After going back and forth, this son can only dodge his own tall father, who is willing to move forward?

Yi Du immediately thought of this, and changed the subject calmly.

In the afternoon, the errands in the yamen are short, and it feels like it will pass in the blink of an eye. Cao Yong's heart to go home is more urgent than every day.

It was all stimulated by Tang Zhiyu's pride of "my family has a younger brother who has just grown up", and he also began to wonder whether he should be a good student of those little radish heads in the education mansion.

Among them, Tianyou, Zuocheng and Zuozhu brothers are four years old, and Hang Seng is three years old.Niuniu, don't worry about him, Mr. Zhuang has already taught his daughter how to practice big characters.

Although according to the current rules, it is still early for three- and four-year-old children to be enlightened, but it seems that it is not easy to let them go.

Cao Yong didn't expect the children to take the single-plank bridge of the imperial examination, but he didn't want them to become useless dudes.

Thinking of this, Cao Yong's body on horseback could not help straightening.Well, I have the intuition of being a father and elder.

Back to the mansion, into the inner house, Cao Yong, as usual, first went to Lanyuan to pay his respects.

Cao Yin and Li's family are not there, father doesn't pay it back, and sometimes he returns late from the yamen, why would mother go out to visit?

Cao Yong felt strange, and asked the maid here: "When did the wife go out? But where did you go?"

The servant girl replied: "The Second Mistress of the Dong Mansion sent someone to invite the wife. It seemed that there was something urgent, and the Eldest Grandma followed."

After Cao Yong heard this, he was still confused.

Although Cao Song is not in Beijing, but there is still Zhaojia in the East Mansion, why is it Jinghui's turn to speak?

He left the Orchid Academy, but he was a little worried.Could it be that Zhao Jia wanted to take advantage of Cao Song's absence and wanted to have Jinghui?

If so, it is really speechless.

Cao Yong couldn't help feeling a little depressed, turned around and wanted to go to Wutong Garden to change clothes first, but was called out.

From the second door, running panting, is Xi Cai.

Xicai breathed a little bit and said: "Consort, Gege accompanied his wife in the East Mansion, thinking that the concubine is about to go to the Yamen, let the maid come back and invite the concubine to come over."

Isn't it a matter of the house in the mansion, why do you still think of calling him over?
Cao Yong asked: "What's the matter? It's time for meals. Why don't you ask people to come back?"

Hearing his question, Xicai seemed to be frightened, she couldn't help shivering, and said in a low voice: "Second wife fell, the situation is not very good."

Cao Yong didn't notice Xi Cai's abnormality, nodded, and turned to go to the second gate.

Xicai shook her head vigorously, dispelled the chill on her body, murmured "not afraid, not afraid", walked a few steps quickly, and followed Cao Yong.

As soon as he left the mansion, he met Cao Yin who had just arrived home. Cao Yong met his father and told about Zhaojia's affairs.

"Did you fall?" Cao Yin listened, waved his hand to his son, and said, "If that's the case, then you go over and see what the imperial physician has to say. Xiaoer is not in Beijing, and the others are still young, so take care of yourself some."

Although Cao Yin was also a little worried, it didn't make sense for an elder brother to visit his sister-in-law, so he told Cao Yong a few more words.

Seeing his father's discipline, Cao Yong couldn't laugh or cry. Could it be that he could stand by and watch without giving these instructions?
When he arrived at Dongfu, Cao Yong followed Xicai directly into the inner house and went to Zhaojia's yard.

Standing under the corridor were two little maids, wearing spring shirts, shivering at the door.Seeing Cao Yong arrived, they hurriedly picked up the curtain.

There was no one in the outer hall, and everyone gathered in the inner room.

Cao Yong couldn't help being shocked when he saw Zhao Jia on the Kang.

The bridge of the nose had been broken, it had sunk in, there was a gash on the forehead, the right half of the face was scratched, the whole face was red and swollen, and it looked like a ghost.

The weirdest thing is that Zhao Jiashi is not in a coma at the moment, but has his eyes open.She seemed to be looking at something, and her whole body was petrified...

(End of this chapter)