Chapter 291: Astronomical figures

Tax collection is a crucial task in the fall.

The tax collectors are out in force.

Not only that, the model battalion also began to the name of drill, respectively to Wuhu, Dangtu, Fanchang three counties temporary stationing.

Zhang Anshi became the commander-in-chief, sitting in the center.

Three brothers, on the other hand, were dispatched in three separate counties.

Together with the assistance of Gaoxiang, a co-counselor, and the magistrates of the three counties, each of them is also holding down the fort in the county offices.

Almost all the errand boys and clerks began to get busy.

The magistrate accepts the people’s representations and mediates disputes.

The clerical officials under Shouma’s belt also began to accept the people’s reports and to correct the officials’ non-compliant behavior.

Xuezheng is also very busy, he manages the readers of this government, but now may be the most ferocious is the readers, because of this, so …… he is now almost being watched. A few jinyiwei people look at him, only waiting for the counties side, received what readers trouble, will immediately ask him to issue a dismissal of the readers merit punishment of the paperwork.

This scholar is almost the most unwilling to cooperate with the officials in the government, there is no way, his duties, naturally contrary to Zhang Anshi, in his mind, his own responsibility is to help the readers, enjoy their respect for him.

But Zhang Anshi does not think so, he thinks that the scholar should be the instrumental person to suppress the readers. Good guy, the great master became a judge, who can stand this.

Zhang Anshi is the most assured that he is, so always let people keep an eye on, whether you are happy or not, right, reported something, you have to sign, do not sign, that is to obstruct the fight against the White Lotus Sect.

The tax collectors of the counties have begun to go down to the townships, while the bailiffs and chiefs of the townships, after several rounds of bloodshed, are, for the most part, still cooperative.

Of course, there is no one who does not comply, but the pressure from the governor Yamen layers down, you dare to conceal or perfunctory, and finally this military law falls on your head, then no wonder to you mercilessly.

The most terrible thing is that …… the tax collector went down to the countryside to collect, and even used a cannon.

Of course, it makes sense that this is to guard against the remnants of the White Lotus Sect; after all, military law is practiced here.

Disputes are not unheard of.

Of course, there are people who want money no, want a life, so …… immediately claimed to the county magistrate.

The county is not polite, after all, …… this guy affects everyone s performance, not to mention that the county magistrate himself also hopes …… to get Zhang Anshi s favor, and in the future, he will be good to bo a future.

If he alone is soft on these people, once no performance, it is tantamount to the yamen up and down the servants and clerical officers are all offended, this magistrate is afraid that the hearts of the people will also be lost.

So …… the county was a daily sound of beatings.

Any new military order out, there will always be people who do not adapt to the rules, at this time, if you but any loose mouth, or with him to a tone of discussion, the other side is only afraid to get an inch.

It’s called making an example out of people. Catch a few typical people and beat them up first.

An account, and a lot of grain, began to be escorted to Qixia.

On the Qixia side, the original government storehouse was actually filled to the brim, which forced Zhang Anshi to find a way to rent a merchant’s warehouse.

More than half a month in a row, Zhang Anshi is almost non-stop, daily attention to every move of the counties, Taiping Province is not big, but the jurisdiction of the three counties, plus a Qixia only.

However, because it was the foot of the Emperor, there were 97,000 households in the household register, and the population was roughly around 600,000 people.

It’s not too big or small, but it’s extremely difficult to manage so many people, especially with the new military law to roll out.

The tax collectors of the government, on the other hand, mainly teach the waterway inspectors and landway inspectors to assist in taxing the merchants.

The collection of commercial tax, in fact, is quite smooth, although the merchants have hidden the situation, but the trouble is not, on the one hand, their own status is low, on the other hand is that they themselves are also clear, in the Taiping Province business and trading, indeed, than other places in the environment is much better.

Elsewhere, while taxes may seem miserably low, in reality all sorts of exploitation tends to pay much more.

Not to mention there is too much uncertainty.

Toward the end of October, Gao Xiang hurriedly came to see Zhang Anshi.

When Gao Xiang met, he immediately said, “Your Excellency, the levy is roughly at the end, it should be almost done, and now there are only a few discrepancies in the taxes of a few remote townships that still need to be checked.”

Zhang Anshi finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, “It’s really not easy, it’s like fighting a war, there are endless things happening every day.”

Gao Xiang nodded: “Yes, too many things that have not appeared before, one by one to take care of down, really a headache, but the good thing is that, through this …… thing, finally the rules will be set up, and then later on there are similar things, there will be a rule to follow.”

Zhang Anshi said, “The number is reported in these few days, and I estimate that the levies of the other prefectures are about the same.”

After a pause, he said, “Anything else?”

It’s a send-off.

Gao Xiang smiled bitterly, but stayed where he was and carefully said, “Has His Excellency heard? The Beijing inspection has begun.”

“Jingcha?” Zhang Anshi said with a raised eyebrow.

Gao Xiang thought Zhang Anshi did not understand this at all, then patiently said: “The Ministry of Appointments every three years, to the capital of the officials to carry out a Beijing inspection, they assessed the good and bad, this year is exactly the third year, the Beijing inspection is only carried out in the capital, but the Taiping Province also belongs to the capital, in the Beijing inspection.”

Zhang Anshi smiled and said, “Oh, your Beijing inspection three years ago, how was it?”

“Medium.” Gaoxiang said truthfully, “Not good or bad.”

Zhang Anshi was a bit curious, so he said, “What happens if it’s not good?”

“Naturally, you don’t get promoted, but of course, you don’t get deposed.”

“You will still be deposed?” Zhang Anshi said in surprise, rather a bit surprised by this.

“Of course it will; if it is inferior, it will be deposed.”

Zhang Anshi said, “But I haven’t heard that any minister has ever been deposed for this reason.”

Gaoxiang laughed, “Because although there has been a Beijing inspection since, almost no one has been rated as inferior.”

“I see.” Zhang Anshi said, “It means medium, large, and extra large cups.”

The words just seemed cloudy to Gaoxiang, who was dumbfounded and didn’t understand.

Zhang Anshi didn’t explain more, but just said, “Alright, don’t bother about other idle matters, just do your own thing.”

“Yes.” Gao Xiang nodded and said, “My humble servant will be departing later, making a trip to Dangtu County, where a dispute has arisen over the situation of a mountain forest.”

Zhang Anshi waved his hand and said, “Go.”

After a few more days, even the number of that partial township was calculated.

Zhang Anshi had his scribe make a final commutation.

Just at this moment, that Li Zhaoma was panting and running.

In the hall, Zhang Anshi had not yet taken his seat, so he impatiently called out, “Master …… Master ……”

“What’s wrong?” Zhang Anshi looked at him in disgust.

Li Zhaomian was in charge of wind and discipline, supervising the officials, so theoretically, he had to have some communication with the Ministry of Appointments at any time.

Like it was urgent, he ran in with one breath, and at that moment, he gasped, “Something’s wrong, something’s wrong.”

Zhang Anshi took his seat, but he said with a calm demeanor, “What can it be?”

“Our Taiping Province this year Beijing inspection, this up and down, there are eighteen people …… Beijing inspection are inferior, of which the eight laws, almost all accounted for, let’s say that Gao Tongzhi’s judgment is: greed, cool, not careful, impetuous, talent weak …… ”

Li Zhaomian face is very ugly: “The subordinate …… subordinate also did not get any good, the subordinate judgment is: inaction, impetuous, talent weak.”

“The best evaluated one is only Chen Xuezheng, who is considered mediocre except for his old age. As for the county magistrates of the lower counties …… are even worse.”

Zhang Anshi apparently couldn’t maintain his composure any longer and angrily said, “Into the motherfucker, who judged this?”

“The mandarins.”

Zhang Anshi gasped, “What are they trying to do? Bullying me, Zhang Anshi?”

“This is not ……” Li Zhaomu looked at Zhang Anshi with a complex face: “Their evaluation of the public master you, or good, said you can do your duty, but also young and promising, hard-working and competent ……”

Zhang Anshi: “……”

Zhang Anshi roughly understand, these guys, of course, do not dare to offend him Zhang Anshi, but does not prevent them from using this to knock close to Zhang Anshi of these officials.

Moreover, the Beijing inspection by the Ministry of Appointments is itself the meaning of the court, which means that it represents the court’s view of the officials of the Taiping government.

Zhang Anshi looked earnestly at Li Zhaomu and said, “What will happen if you are rated inferior?”

“To strike the official.” Li Zhaoma bitterly smiled, “The lightest will have to shoot questions, or demoted call, may be some more days, the Ministry of mandarins will have the paperwork down, the next official …… next official may …… have to go to Qiongzhou to be a county magistrate or county prime minister. But Gao Tongzhi’s situation will probably be the worst, he will most likely have to be dismissed.”

Zhang Anshi sneered, “Is that so? Isn’t this Ministry of Appointments a bully? I’ll go and settle the score with them.”

Li Zhaomao, however, was busy saying: “Do not do it, if so, then it will really be something. If you are against the Beijing inspection, is not to teach people the truth? The Ministry of Mandarins Heavenly Officials …… they are only doing their own duties, if because of this will go to make a fuss, is not it instead be eaten by the people to be approved of our inferiority?”

After a pause, Li Zhaomu then said: “Not to mention that this is not the Ministry of the Ministry of their own ideas, the Beijing inspection also need to be approved by the Imperial College of the Imperial College, in addition to this, the Da Lisi is also responsible for assisting …… really want to calculate the account, which can be calculated over?”

Zhang Anshi frowned and did not say anything for a while, but gradually calmed down.

He understood that Li Shouma was right.

After thinking about it, Zhang Anshi said, “Gather everyone together, I’ll hold a meeting and we’ll get an idea together.”

Li Shouma nodded.

He was as if he had died, where did he think that retribution would come so quickly.

So he went in haste to invite the people, and it was not long before all the officials who were in this house came, one after the other, with black faces.

That Tongzhi Gaoxiang, is even more pale.

He has no illusions about Jingcha, think can maintain medium can, but where thought, actually someone hand down this black, this is clearly want to screw him ah.

From the beginning of the Hongwu years, the Jingcha inferior, was deposed by a few officials, where to think, he was actually in the list.

He couldn’t help but be incomparably pale in his heart, only secretly shaking his head, also, also, it seems that across the board he can’t hide.

Isn’t this good? He had thought of resigning in the beginning, and now he had gotten his wish.

But although this thought, the heart but still has a reluctance, their own initiative to resign, which is called the high winds, now deposed, but is a dog in the water.

Lived most of his life, the eunuchs, is quite conscientious, where thought, finally ended up in such a fate.

At this moment, Zhang Anshi looked at the crowd and said, “You know everything, don’t you?”

Gao Xiang got up and saluted, “Your Excellency …… these few days, the next official will try to find a way to clean up the affairs handed over, and wait for the new Tongzhi ……”

Zhang Anshi waved his hand, ”What’s the hurry! They say you are inferior, so you recognize yourself as inferior? If they say they want to resign you, you will not be an official anymore?”

“This ……”

Zhang Anshi’s heart was not in a good place when he saw the faces of all the people, one after another.

Zhang Anshi said, “Damn it, the word official has two mouths, usually it’s me, Zhang Anshi, who takes advantage of others, today there is even someone who wants to take advantage of me, Zhang Anshi, this group of dog-bellied things.”

“Your Excellency.” Gao Xiang laughed bitterly, “The results of the Beijing inspection are out, so it’s useless to say these whining words. Instead of causing trouble, it is better to ……”

The crowd nodded.

Although we all know that it’s hard to be willing to accept how things turn out.

But what they were more afraid of was Zhang Anshi going to make trouble because of it.

If this makes a fuss, it will really be the world’s eyes, not only the official did not get to do, but also may become a target.

They know …… well that no one can take Zhang Anshi how, that the Ministry of mandarins, not the same to Zhang Anshi rated a superior?

But once they become a target, they, these people, may have to suffer secondary damage, and then they will really be disgraced, and the last bit of decency will not be left.

Zhang Anshi pursed his lips, but said: “I know what you mean, you want to tolerate it, or even simply …… directly get rid of it. This can not be, you with me so many days, now the house line is military law, it is not easy for you to be willing to use your life, and we all have experience, how can you let those dog officials say what is what? You are my people in life and my ghosts in death. ”

Gaoxiang: “……”

Gao Xiang didn’t get a single bit of comfort from Zhang Anshi, just this guy’s words, but it shocked him, he could no longer tell, Zhang Anshi this is a compliment or scolding.

Of course, no one had the heart to seriously mull this over right now, they were just filled with the feeling that all was lost.

Can you not be disheartened by a lifetime of hard work that has gone down the drain?

Zhang Anshi looked at them hanging their heads, then said, “All cheer up, since they want to be so, then …… you also rest assured that I Zhang Anshi will never teach you to be difficult, and will not make trouble. However ……”

Zhang Anshi paused, and then said: “But now you are still the government officials, in a day, we must do a good day. So now everyone, don’t do anything else, put down the matter at hand, all the officials above the ninth rank of this government, all with me Zhang Anshi to.”

Gao Xiang said suspiciously, “Where is the male master …… going?”

“Go to the Ministry of households ah.” Zhang Anshi said, “Our taxes this year, were collected, so naturally we have to go to the Ministry of Households to submit the money and grain and financial revenue and expenditure and tax accounts. Isn’t this what we should do?”

Gaoxiang: “……”

Zhang Anshi, on the other hand, said, “Get the men on board and set out now.”

Gao Xiang and the others immediately felt a great deal of pressure.

Obviously, they’re not the kind of people who like to flail around.

But Zhang Anshi, it is clear that he is trying to woo the public.

He actually broke the mold and had many fine carriages prepared.

On top of that, hundreds of errand boys were summoned, some of them playing signs at the front, some of them sounding gongs at the front.

On this sign, it is written, Taiping Governor Zhang …… or Taiping Province Tongzhi and so on.

You know, although the local parental officials travel, are very concerned about the rehearsal, but in the foot of the emperor, the parental officials are not the fart.

In this capital, where a Hanlin can be smashed to death at the drop of a hat, the local governors and prefects, are a fart.

Here, perhaps even a high-powered retainer would not dare to have a gong or a sign sounded when he traveled.

But Zhang Anshi …… is actually original.

In a moment, a long procession, appeared on the official road, vast, from the people like clouds, dozens of carriages and horses, like a long snake.

Gaoxiang sat in the carriage, listening to the gongs outside, especially when he heard the police officers shouting: “Idle people avoid” and other words, his heart is about to jump out of his chest.

Zhang Anshi is proud, will be his new car to teach people to take, he sat in this comfortable and spacious new car, in the front and back, towards the capital.

Qixia is just a stone’s throw away from the capital.

When he crossed the city gates, the gatekeeper gave a shock.

From the Hongwu years to start guarding the city gate, this has been in the past so many years, there has not been any …… governor who dares to have this kind of row, even if …… the prefect of Yingtianfu …… he does not have the courage to do this Ah.

This is also considered to have encountered a talent, this governor is afraid that he thought he was in Qiongzhou to take office.

However, when the city gate guards were about to go forward to ask questions, the words had not yet come out, immediately saw the three words of the Taiping Mansion, and immediately grayed out and dodged away to the side, not saying a word.

The lengthy procession, fishtailing, followed by a run to the inner city.

This way …… along the way a lot of military and civilian people see, each dumbfounded, the people of the capital, is not seen the local parents of the official such a row, especially some of the children, each novelty, they jumped and jumped to follow the back, so that the team is longer.

At this time, in the hall of the Ministry of the Household, Squire Zhou, who was on duty, was chatting with Master Wu.

The Ministry of households these days is indeed very busy, the prefectures and counties have to hurry to submit the money and grain and financial revenue and expenditure and tax accounts, it can be said that this is the Ministry of households at this time the busiest time.

But this is, after all, the lower clerical officials to be responsible for specific work, for the main official, obviously just shaking hands.

“Heard about this Beijing inspection? Hey …… really did not expect ah ……” Squire Zhou smiled, “or they Ministry of mandarins will play tricks.”

Master Wu was intent on pleasing this on-duty retainer, so he conformingly smiled and said, “This is also unable to do so, I heard that …… there is too much trouble over there ……”

“Just, just.” Squire Zhou pressed his hand and said, “Right now it’s better not to talk about this in the ministry hall, if Minister Xia knows about it, he’ll have to reprimand us again.”

Master Wu smiled knowingly.

Just then, the sound of gongs and drums outside came from far and near.

Squire Zhou frowned, “What kind of movement is this?”

“This …… subordinate went to see.”

The lengthy procession finally arrived at the Household Ministry.

The errand boys in front of the door of the Ministry of the Household, their jaws dropped and their eyes straightened one by one.

There are many prefectures and counties that submit accounts of money and food, and even the Buzhengwei of each province.

But making such a big noise …… is unheard of ah!

At this time, a person came down from one of the current carriages, this person was wearing a python robe, long body, full of nobility, he raised his head to look at the gate of this Ministry of Household, and then he paced into the gate of this Ministry of Household.

Seeing the few gatekeepers still frozen in place, the man popped a word out of the crack of his mouth, “Get out!”

Mendin subconsciously stepped aside.

The man then led the crowd in a big way, all the way directly into the lobby of the Ministry of Revenue.

“Who is it that is here ……” On the face, it is Master Wu who came in a furious manner.

Zhang Anshi looked at him and said calmly, “Zhang Anshi, Governor of Taiping Province.”

Wu master of the face immediately green a piece of red a piece, but also just a short period of disorientation, then immediately replaced with a smiling face: “So it is actually Wei Guo Gong, disrespect, disrespect. Wei Guo Gong …… here …… so called what?”

Zhang Anshi nonchalantly said, “Reporting the accounts to come, I am the governor, this year’s autumn tax has been collected, as usual, all the Buzhengzhi Division, prefectures, counties, have to come to submit the money and grain accounts. You motherfucker won’t even know this, right?”

Master Wu: “……”

Zhang Anshi said, “Where is the dawning room? I’m going to order a dawning first.”

Master Wu busily said, “Aiya, it’s just a matter of submitting the money and grain accounts, how can I trouble you? Send a clerk, that’s all, please, please ……”

Master Wu obediently led Zhang Anshi to go in, only he knows, his brain at this time is dizzy, he can t be sure …… what the guy in front of him is really here for.

But he saw Zhang Anshi with a vast number of officials, not in a hurry, said, “Well, who is responsible for the bookkeeping …….”

Master Wu busily said, “My …… humble servant …… is not talented and can personally handle it for His Excellency.”

Zhang Anshi looked at him with raised eyebrows and said, “You’re alone?”

“My humble servant is slightly versed in accounting, that should be enough.” Master Wu smiled.

Zhang Anshi said, “It s not that I look down on you, but if you are alone, you may …… not be able to finish counting in a month.”

Master Wu was a little anxious: “Your Excellency …… the next official is the master in charge of money and food, to say, not the next official bragging …… is really …… ”

But when he said this, Master Wu suddenly stopped saying anything, and even a pair of eyes slowly opened a little wider, the whole person seemed to be shocked, and a few points of incredulity showed in his eyes.

For …… he saw a messenger, carrying a box.

This one huge box, looking a bit heavy, clunked to the ground and was set aside.

Zhang Anshi gently turned around and reached out to uncover one of the crates.

Then I saw that in the box, but a pile of account books, the whole box is full.

And there are actually seven or eight such boxes …….

Immediately, Master Wu felt that his brain was so dizzy that it was like eating drunken wine, and dizzily said, “How …… how …… so much …… ”

Zhang Anshi said, “Come on, you come to verify it, this is what you said yourself, I would like to open my eyes …… today.”

Master Wu: “……”

………………

First chapter delivered, discussing a matter and asking for some monthly votes …… could be good.