Great Qing Xiangguo

Chapter 52

Chen Tingjing didn't speak, just walked in with Li Jiasheng.After walking through this big garden, we arrived at the main hall of the Li family.Chen Tingjing thought that this Li family was really strange, rich people usually hide their gardens behind them, but his house has a garden right at the door.

After entering the living room, Li Jiasheng respectfully invited the guests to sit down.The servant bowed his head and came over to serve tea, and withdrew his hands.Chen Tingjing sipped his tea and said, "Li Jiasheng, Mr. Dai said that you paid for the construction of the Dragon Pavilion and engraved the emperor's "Sixteen Sacred Orders" into a dragon stele. I am very happy to hear that."

Li Jiasheng cupped his hands and said: "I can live and work in peace and contentment as a grassroots, and the villagers can live in harmony with their families. They all helped with the "Sixteen Articles of the Holy Edict". It is like the law of Yao and Shun, and it will definitely shine for the future!"

Dai Mengxiong said: "I would like to report to the imperial envoy, in this village, men and women over the age of 16 and under 70 can recite the "Sixteen Points of the Sacred Edict"."

Chen Tingjing seemed very interested, and said, "Really? Li Jiasheng, please recite it to me."

Li Jiasheng blushed a little, and said: "Master Imperial Envoy, the grassroots will recite it. First, be filial and respect human relations. Second, be loyal to the clan and make good neighborliness. Third, settle disputes with the township party. Fourth, pay attention to agriculture and mulberry. Sufficient food and clothing. Fifth, advocating thrift and cherishing wealth. Six, Long School is based on honest scholars. Seven, overthrowing heresies and advocating orthodox learning. Eight, teaching the law to warn fools. Nine, showing courtesy and respecting customs. To determine the will of the people. Eleven, train the children to prohibit wrongdoing. Twelve, stop false accusations and do good. Thirteen, abstain from hiding and fleeing to avoid being implicated. Fourteen, save money and food to save the department. To eliminate thieves. [-]. Relieve vengeance and resent your life."

Li Jiasheng shook his head and finished reciting, looking at Chen Tingjing and smiling as if begging for a reward.Chen Tingjing praised a few words, and asked: "The holy decree said that the money and food are used to save money and drive the department. Have you finished all the money and food in your village?"

The Li family said: "Returning to the words of the imperial envoy, our village's money and food are cleared every year, and there is no arrears!"

Chen Tingjing looked back at Dai Mengxiong, and Dai Mengxiong hurriedly said, "My lord, the imperial envoy is about to report. In this village, the whole village's money and food are handed over by Li Jiasheng, so there is no need for the government to send people to urge them to pay every year."

Yang Naiwen forgot the rules, and interjected: "Yongshu is the most relaxed master of money and food, unlike other counties, who take the yamen servants to visit villages and households all day long, making chickens fly like dogs!"

Chen Tingjing suddenly became interested: "Ah? This is a good way! The most important thing for the court to pacify Yunnan is to raise military salaries. If all regions follow this method, there will be no tax arrears."

Dai Mengxiong said: "Returning to the imperial envoy, two-thirds of the villages in Yangqu County have used this method. In the future, I want all villages in the county to follow this method. Every year, it is paid on time as scheduled.”

Chen Tingjing said: "Magistrate Dai, you have a better way to finish the money and food than to build the Dragon Pavilion. What the court is most concerned about now is to finish the money and food. Wars cost money!"

Dai Mengxiong said: "The humble official called this method of disbursement of money and food as big household coordination. Originally, it was planned to wait until next year when the whole county was implemented before reporting to the imperial court. But the construction of the Dragon Pavilion is not too cumbersome, it is simple and easy to implement, and it has been rolled out in the whole county."

Chen Tingjing was startled immediately, and asked, "What? Has it been pushed away in the whole county? Didn't you say that the people have this wish in the notice, and ask the court for permission?"

Dai Mengxiong lowered his head hurriedly and said: "The people are very enthusiastic, it's not easy to pour cold water on a lowly position!" Chen Tingjing was upset, and said: "I will discuss this matter with you later. Let's go and see Longting first."

Chen Tingjing and others followed Li Jiasheng to the Li family ancestral hall.Seeing that Chen Tingjing's expression was not very good, Dai Mengxiong was very disturbed.He knew that the court had no permission to build the Dragon Pavilion without permission, and he would be punished if he was investigated.

There is an empty flat directly opposite the ancestral hall, and there is an ancient locust tree growing, and beside the ancient locust tree is the Dragon Pavilion.There are octagonal pavilions, carved beams and painted buildings, and cornices like wings.Inside the pavilion stands a stele carved with dragons, on which "Sixteen Articles of the Holy Edict" is engraved.Chen Tingjing walked around the Dragon Pavilion a few times, looked at the inscriptions carefully, and said, "The pavilion is well built. Li Jiasheng, how much money did you spend to build this Dragon Pavilion?"

Li Jiasheng replied: "More than 200 taels of silver."

Chen Tingjing asked again: "How many people and how many households are there in the whole village?"

Li Jiasheng replied: "There are 230 men, women and children in the village, 46 households."

Dai Mengxiong spoke beside him: "Master Imperial Envoy, Li Jiasheng's money and grain are not limited to this village, and the money and grain of [-] households in [-] surrounding villages are all paid by Li Jiasheng."

Chen Tingjing nodded and said nothing, thinking secretly.At this moment, Dashun suddenly rushed over.It turned out that when Chen Tingjing returned to Shanxi, he had no time to visit his parents at his hometown in Yangcheng, so he sent Dashun back to visit his parents on his behalf.Dashun has come back from Yangcheng, he went to the Yangqu county government office first, knowing that the master is coming to Lijiazhuang, so he rushed over after inquiring all the way.Dashun bowed and said: "Master, the old man, the old lady, the wife and the family members are all good, the old lady specially asked you to be a good job, don't worry about it!"

After finishing speaking, Dashun took out the old man's letter and handed it to Chen Tingjing.Chen Tingjing read the family letter, and felt tears dripping down his cheeks.When Zhen'er saw it, she couldn't help crying.Both Liu Jing and Ma Ming have parents in their hometown, so it is inevitable that they will be sad.

Dai Mengxiong said: "The imperial envoy passes through the house and does not enter. He has the style of Emperor Yu, and the humble official admires him very much!"

Chen Tingjing collected the family letter, and sighed: "The emperor is on his shoulders, and he can't help himself. Alas, let's not talk about it. Daizhi County, the Dragon Pavilion in Lijiazhuang is mighty, very good."

Seeing the smile on Chen Tingjing's face, Dai Mengxiong finally heaved a sigh of relief, and hurriedly said, "Thank you, the imperial envoy, for your compliment."

Chen Tingjing suddenly said coldly: "The construction of Dragon Pavilions in other places is temporarily suspended!"

Dai Mengxiong panicked and asked, "Master Imperial Envoy, why is this?"

Chen Tingjing said: "Building the Dragon Pavilion without the permission of the court should be punished! Don't you know?"

Li Jiasheng hurriedly knelt down and said, "Master Imperial Envoy, the grassroots are showing their loyalty to the imperial court!"

Chen Tingjing said: "Li Jiasheng, get up. I have something to say to you, the magistrate Dai. Let's not say whether you will be pursued or not. Magistrate Dai, let's go back."

Li Jiasheng's kindness failed to persuade him to stay, so he had to respectfully send Chen Tingjing and others out of Li Jiazhuang.When Chen Tingjing got on the sedan chair, he looked at Dai Mengxiong and said, "How about going to your house for dinner?"

Dai Mengxiong faltered, with a troubled expression on his face.Chen Tingjing smiled and said, "What? Daizhi County is reluctant to give me a bowl of rice?"

Dai Mengxiong said: "The humble family members are not around, I always eat with the servants in the county government office. The cooks in the county government office do not cook well."

It's okay for Chen Tingjing to be straightforward, you can eat every meal, but I can't?Dai Mengxiong had no choice but to ask Yang Naiwen to send someone down the mountain to report quickly, and asked the cook to cook more dishes.Chen Tingjing said no, Yangqu siu mai is famous, and a few siu mai are enough.

Back at the county government office, it was getting late.The food was not ready yet, so Dai Mengxiong asked Chen Tingjing to have tea in the inner room.The room was very simple, with only two beds, a table, and two stools inside, nothing else.Chen Tingjing asked, "Your father and son live in the same room?"

Dai Mengxiong replied: "The yamen servants share a room with each other, and our father and son also share a room with each other. I am not in good health. Let my son live with me, so I can take care of him."

Yang Naiwen interjected: "The county government really wants to make room for it, but there are still some. But Mr. Dai is not willing. Even Yongshu lives in a small room by himself, what a shame!"

Ever since Chen Tingjing saw Dai Mengxiong's son carrying the palanquin, he had been puzzled.Now seeing that Dai Mengxiong lived in such a shabby place, he was really not sure what kind of person this county magistrate was, so he said: "Master Dai, you are too poor."

Dai Mengxiong said: "I've been poor since I was a child, I'm used to it. Isn't it just an official status? The common people don't know how I live, and it doesn't hurt the official status!"

While talking, the yamen servant came in to invite him to dinner.Chen Tingjing said that he had something to talk about, so he asked the cook to bring in the food, and the two of them just ate randomly in the room.Dai Mengxiong said: "I have homemade rice wine here, brought from my hometown. Imperial envoy, try it?"

Chen Tingjing said: "I'm not good at drinking. If you say it's rice wine brewed by Mrs. Zun herself, just drink two cups."

Dai Mengxiong gave Chen Tingjing a drink first, then refilled it himself.The two clinked glasses, did not say much polite words, and did it together.Chen Tingjing ate a siu mai and said, "Everyone says Yangqu's siu mai is delicious, it really lives up to its reputation!"

Dai Mengxiong said: "In the past few years, the people in Yangqu have eaten well, but not everyone can eat siomai. People can eat siomai any day, and they will be well-off!"

Chen Tingjing didn't drink much, after a few sips of rice wine, his eyes became clouded.He stopped drinking, and while his mind was clear, he asked, "Master Dai, tell me about the coordinator of the big households in your county."

Dai Mengxiong said: "There are rich and poor every year, and there are rich and poor people, but the money and grain of the imperial court have to be exhausted every year. When the harvest is poor, the big households have finished the money and grain, and the small and poor households are in trouble. They have to borrow from the big households. There are big families who are benevolent and some are harsh. It’s okay for benevolent people to talk, but harsh people will take the opportunity to blackmail the people.”

Chen Tingjing asked, "How did you do it?"

Dai Mengxiong said: "The county government will gather the squires and common people every month to preach the "Sixteen Items of the Sacred Edict" and educate the people. Many big households are grateful for the court's grace and voluntarily pay the money and food for the villagers first, and then return them when the villagers have surplus money and food. .”

Chen Tingjing pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "This is a good idea. County Dai, please write down the method of coordinating large households carefully, and I will report it to the imperial court."

Dai Mengxiong was overjoyed, he agreed repeatedly, and said: "Master Yang has a ready-made detailed case, and I will submit it to the imperial envoy later."

After dinner, Chen Tingjing rushed back to Wufeng Temple by night.Fu Shan heard that the donation to build the Dragon Pavilion had been temporarily banned, and he secretly admired it, but he said: "The method of coordinating large households, poor people don't know the details, so they dare not make rash comments. It's just that people like Dai Mengxiong can't do anything good. .”

Chen Tingjing couldn't make up his mind, so he just had to wait and see.Fu Shan said Ann and went to have a rest.Chen Tingjing didn't feel sleepy, so everyone just chatted with him.While chatting, we talked about Yangqu's big family coordinator.In fact, Chen Tingjing always pretended to be this matter.The most urgent task of the imperial court to pacify Yunnan is to raise military salaries.In the past few years, there have been arrears of money and grain in various places, and there have been frequent civil uprisings by the government.I worry that there is no good way.Dai Mengxiong's method seems really good, but what Chen Tingjing saw along the road, the people of Yangqu were as frightened as a bird.When the imperial envoy came, the people neither greeted nor blocked the way to complain, and there were no passers-by on the road.Although it is a cold day and most of the people stay at home, it is not impossible to see no one outside.

Chen Tingjing said: "I was deeply suspicious at first, but I saw Dai Mengxiong's house and saw that he let his son be a bearer. I don't think he looks like a bad official!"

Ma Ming said: "The master suddenly ordered the gong to be played on the road. I guess the people heard it and thought that the county magistrate came to the village to ask for money and food. They hid in the house and did not dare to vent their anger."

Da Shun said: "Master, I don't understand your official affairs, but I just thought about it, no matter how upright Mr. Dai is, he can't afford to let his son carry the sedan chair! Unless it's a fat job!"

Liu Jing said: "Let's not listen to what Daizhi County said. We don't even have wages, and we're still poor!"

Zhen'er said: "There are some things that seem so real, they must be fake. Then Li Jiasheng paid for more than 1000 households in sixteen villages, no one can believe it."

Chen Tingjing said: "But these villages have not owed money and food to the state for many years, that is a fact!"

Zhen'er said: "It's not that Zhen'er is boasting in front of the master. My family is also a big family in the country. My father is willing to do good things, but he can't treat himself too badly. If you lose your family first, what will you use to do good things in the future? Unless Li Jiasheng finishes the money and food Profitable, otherwise he is not so stupid. Otherwise he is a Buddha."

Everyone was chattering, and Chen Tingjing suddenly said: "I've made up my mind, and I'll present the plan of the big family of Yangqu to the imperial court as soon as possible!"

Everyone was taken aback, and Zhen'er was even more anxious: "Master, why don't you listen to us?"

Chen Tingjing said: "Listen to my reasoning. The imperial court urgently needs a good way to pay money and food. It is related to military aircraft and cannot be delayed. I don't ask how Yangqu is doing, and I don't ask whether Dai Mengxiong is pure or greedy. I thought over and over again. I think it’s a good idea.”

Ma Ming also said: "Just looking at the method, I really can't see any flaws."

Chen Tingjing said: "Liu Jing, Ma Ming, order the official post to send it out early tomorrow morning! Also, you two will go down the mountain tomorrow and go to Yangqu County to have a look. I'll wait here for Daizhi County."

Seeing that Chen Tingjing insisted on reporting the law on the overall planning of large households to the imperial court, Zhen'er felt annoyed in her heart, and asked bluntly, "What am I going to do tomorrow?"

Chen Tingjing smiled and said, "You, stay here and pout your lips at the Wufeng Temple!"

(End of this chapter)