Go back to the Ming Dynasty to be a thousand households

Chapter 91

Huang Laifu said: "The grain that was handed over to the household department? Master Zhang, I don't know something. Didn't the state government exempt the grain from the border town guards and return it to the warehouse when Emperor Sejongsu was under Emperor Sejongsu? Why is Master Zhang and this official now Say, it’s going to be handed over to the Ministry of Households to collect grains again?”

According to the Weisuo system in the Ming Dynasty, each military town and each capital division has a household division, which is in charge of the military reserves.In the garrison fields of the guards in the early Ming Dynasty, the grain harvested by the sergeants each year kept six shi for themselves and handed over 12 shi for the grain.Except for the self-use of the guards, the food handed in will be dispatched by the household departments in various places for unified expenditure.

However, in the late Jiajing period, the Daming garrison system had long been corrupted, and the levied grain became more and more limited. The government had to exempt the grain from the military fields of the guards in the border towns, especially the military rations of the Gengdi guards after Xiaobinghe. More is allocated by the treasury.

However, in some inland guards, there is no grain and households, and one bucket of grain is collected per mu.The sergeants in the field either became tenant farmers or owner farmers.This is also one of the reasons why military generals declined in the middle of the Ming Dynasty. The allocation of money and food was held in the hands of civil officials, and they couldn't be hardened if they wanted to.

Of course, this situation does not exist for Huang Laifu. Now that he is self-sufficient in food and salary, he can openly question this Shanxi town food manager, Mr. Zhang, and have a debate with him that is neither humble nor overbearing.If he had changed to another military fort, even if he was a general or a lieutenant general, because the allocation of food and pay was in the hands of this old man, he might have to humbly talk with him and laugh, and he couldn't be as stubborn as Huang Laifu.

Zhang Wenbao glanced at Huang Laifu in surprise. Earlier, he felt that Huang Laifu's speech and behavior were very different from ordinary martial arts. Although he was young, he was knowledgeable and courteous, neither humble nor overbearing. Now he heard Huang Laifu openly questioning himself, and then looked at him with eyes full of eyes. Because of his shrewdness, Zhang Wenbao has a feeling that it is more appropriate to say that Huang Laifu is a military man, rather than a businessman.

And as the head of grain management in Shanxi Township of the Ministry of Households, no matter which general he is, he must be respectful when he sees him. He never thought that a mere Wuzhaibao Qianhu would dare to contradict him, but Huang Laifu is indeed different, because According to the system of the guards, the Ministry of Households is only in charge of food and pay, while the attendance and comments of officers are the affairs of the Ministry of War. It is true that there are not many places where you can control him.

He frowned, suppressed the displeasure in his heart, cupped his hands towards the sky, and said: "Huang Qianhu, you also know that the current situation is not good, the farms are not harvested everywhere, and refugees are everywhere. Whether it is the emperor or the officials of each department, They are all worried, Huang Qianhu, since you are an official of the court, you should share your worries for the country."

His voice became sharper, and he said with a bit of hatred for the lack of steel: "During the Emperor Su's reign, the Guochao exempted the border town guards from collecting grain and returning it to the warehouse. There is no way for the military settlements in various places to pay for the lack of food, but since Huang Qianhu's Wuzhai Fort has gained a lot, he should think about it in order to repay the country's kindness and share the worries for the king. Huang Qianhu, don't you want to Contribute to the court?"

Huang Laifu smiled and said: "Master Zhang is serious. Why do I not want to contribute to the court? Master Zhang also knows what Wuzhai Fort used to be like. It is a bitter cold place. Every year, more than a thousand banner troops in the fort need food and salaries. Rely on the Ministry of Households. But now, my Wuzhai Fort is not only self-sufficient in food and wages, but also has the spare power to export food. If this is not called contributing to the court, I don’t know what it means to contribute to the court. Could it be Those military forts that are lazy and do not want to make progress, and rely on the court to deliver food every year are called contributing to the court, and my Wuzhai Fort, which does not need the Ministry of Households to worry about, and the court worries, is it not contributing to the court? Master Zhang's words are too unbelievable, and they are too chilling for the soldiers of Wuzhai Fort."

As soon as he said this, everyone was shocked. Zhang Wenbao stood up abruptly. He pointed at Huang Laifu for a long time, but he was tongue-tied, not knowing what to say. Sharp mouth, sharp teeth..."

A few family officials beside Zhang Wenbao also jumped out and shouted at Huang Laifu one after another. Seeing earlier, they didn't like Huang Laifu's neither humble nor overbearing appearance. He should be servile.

When dealing with these people, Huang Laifu didn't have to be as polite as he was with Zhang Wenbao. He frowned, and shouted, "Who are you? The superior is talking, how can you interrupt? I really don't know the dignity."

Jiang Dazhong, Yang Xiaolu and others beside Huang Laifu also yelled loudly to help their voices.In terms of official status, my lord is not worried about food and salary at the same level as this Zhang Wenbao, so naturally they are not afraid at all. .

However, Deputy He Qianhu, Yang Baihu and the others had a deep-rooted fear of the civil servants above, and they came out one after another and said in unison: "You two gentlemen calm down, you have something to say, something to say."

Zhang Wenbao stared at Huang Laifu in a daze for a while, then burst out laughing. He pointed at Huang Laifu and laughed loudly: "Okay, I didn't expect Huang Qianhu to be a man of temperament. The officer is a little appreciative."

He sat down and said slowly: "My officer, tell Huang Qianhu the truth. Huang Qianhu garnered food for the country and made enough food for the soldiers. The country depends on it. This is a great achievement, but the food must be paid. , it’s just a matter of how much.”
Zhang Wenbao knew that in this slump, the highlight of Wuzhai Fort would definitely receive special attention and awards from above. Otherwise, Wang Lin, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, would not rush him to come to Wuzhai Fort. Obviously, the court has already paid attention When I arrived at Wuzhai Fort, I couldn't argue with any shock.Huang Laifu probably also understood this point, so he was a little bit fearless.In fact, Huang Laifu still doesn't know that Emperor Wanli and others pay attention to him. It's just that he comes from later generations, and he doesn't have the deep-rooted fear of civil servants that military generals had at this time.

In fact, the bumper harvest at Wuzhai Fort is nothing to the entire Ming Dynasty, and those grains can't have any decisive impact on the entire Daming border town, but he created the Kingdom Dynasty since the middle of the Ming Dynasty. exception, which is astonishing.

Right now, the burden of food and pay for military towns and guards in various parts of the Ming Dynasty is becoming increasingly heavy. If there are more border towns like Wuzhai Fort, the burden on the Ming Dynasty Hall will be greatly reduced.

The court noticed Wuzhai Fort, and the intention was to establish a model, just like in the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered to reward Kang Maocai's troops who were able to station in the army, and spread it widely so that the towns on all sides would be like Wuzhai Fort. Can be self-sufficient, don't make your boss tired.The political significance is greater than the economic significance.

But today, even if the dispute between him and Huang Laifu gets out, the higher-ups will just smile and won't do anything to Huang Laifu.In addition, Zhang Wenbao did have some appreciation for Huang Laifu, and now there are not many talents like Huang Laifu in the town guards on all sides.Zhang Wenbao thinks he is loyal to the country and brave in public affairs, and he will not care about Huang Laifu, a martial artist.

Huang Laifu also knew that this food must be paid, it was just a matter of how much. He came from later generations, and he still had a deep-rooted concept of paying taxes according to the law. He also disdain to take pleasure in tax evasion like some civil servants and businessmen.In fact, since the big harvest, he has prepared tens of thousands of taels of silver, ready to be used to pay for food and public relations. His appearance before was just a way of bargaining among businessmen, so as not to make the officials above think that he is weak and deceitful. In the future, he will use his Wuzhai Fort as a cash machine.

Seeing Zhang Wenbao like this, he also went down the ladder, and said with a smile: "My lord Zhang is loyal to the country and uses his talents for the country. This official admires it. Paying food for the country is also what I should do, and there is no need for Mr. Zhang to say."

Seeing what Huang Laifu said, Zhang Wenbao also showed a smile on his face, and said: "Master Huang can think about the court, that would be great."

Afterwards, the hall was full of harmony, and Fu Qianhu and others were also relieved. The way Huang Laifu and Zhang Wenbao were at war just now frightened them.At this moment, Deputy He Qianhu even took the opportunity to say: "Then according to Mr. Zhang, how much should I pay for Wuzhaibao?"

Zhang Wenbao pondered and said: "I'm afraid I can't be the master of this matter. The matter of Wuzhai Fort has already alarmed the court. This time, I came to Wuzhai under the entrustment of Mr. Wang Lin, Minister of the Ministry of Households. Fort inspection, after this report, the matter of Wuzhai Fort's grain tax rate, I'm afraid it will have to work for the princes in the court."

Hearing what Zhang Wenbao said, Huang Laifu was fine. He Fuqianhu and the others looked at each other in shock. Everyone looked very excited, but also a little frightened. To them, those princes in the temple were just He is high above them, and they are not on the same level as them.I didn't expect that my reputation of Wuzhai Fort would reach their ears this time, which made me happy and scared.

"However..." Zhang Wenbao said: "I don't know what the princes in the court think, but according to the law of the court, it is nothing more than the following."

Zhang Wenbao said: "One is according to the grain payment system in the early days of the country, the grain and rice harvested by each sergeant will be paid three buckets of grain per mu of military farmland."

Huang Laifu remained calm, while He Fuqianhu, Yang Baihu, Jiang Dahu and the others took a breath and murmured: "No...it won't be so dark, right?" The grain payment has almost reached the standard of a Shangxian County. For a military fort in Wuzhaibao, the thousands of shi grains needed in the previous year have to be transported up, and the next year will have to pay [-] shi. This is too shocking.

Zhang Wenbao said: "Of course, according to the first grain payment system, at the beginning of the country, it was stipulated that all those who cleared up wasteland would be exempted from tax and grain for three years. But even so, everyone here is not willing to use this method. It won’t be like this, and in this way, no military fort will dare to reclaim wasteland and farm land.”

Deputy He Qianhu and others hurriedly responded: "Master Zhang is right, what Master Zhang said is true, presumably the adults in the court will not be so short-sighted."

Huang Laifu said: "What about the second one?"

Zhang Wenbao said: "Secondly, according to the land tax system of the current state, every mu of military farmland is paid one bucket of grain. I heard that Wuzhaibao has 20 mu of farmland, so Wuzhaibao will pay 2 shi for grain."

Deputy He Qianhu breathed a sigh of relief: "It's okay."

Huang Laifu also nodded, although Wuzhaibao used to rely on pulling food from above, but now it is self-sufficient, and there is no need to worry about it. , It's a bit unfair in comparison, but this tax rate is still within his tolerance and expectations.

Zhang Wenbao finally said: "It is also very likely that it is silver. It depends on whether the household department appraises whether the farmland in Wuzhaibao is Shangtian or Zhongtian. Shangtian collects five cents of silver per mu, and Zhongtian collects three cents of silver per mu. But I have heard Wuzhaibao produces two shi per mu of grain, so naturally it belongs to Shangtian, and 20 mu of land requires a total of 1 taels of silver.”

In the end, Vice He Qianhu breathed a sigh of relief: "It's better to pay for silver, it's better to pay for silver."

(End of this chapter)