Chapter 292 – The Dragon’s Face is Delighted

Master Wu was confused for a long time.

His first reaction was that the other man should be here to amuse himself.

So he piled up a smile and said in a pleasant manner, “The money and food ledger, where there are so many …… this …… this is not in accordance with the rules ah.”

Zhang Anshi said, “How much should that be?”

Master Wu said: “Each year, the accounts of each government, there are more or less, but the vast majority, is the number of tens of thousands of Yangyang just, but the next official look at the number of head here, I’m afraid there are hundreds of thousands of more ……”

Zhang Anshi said, “This is how we are in Taipingfu, why, do you still think that I have less money and food in this Taipingfu?”

At these words, Master Wu’s face changed slightly.

He laughed dryly, “What is this …… what is this saying …… this …… inferior officer …… The subordinate official …… asked someone to come and account for it.”

Zhang Anshi didn’t grab him by the braid and teach him to do the math himself, so he said, “I didn’t give me a sip of tea even when I came.”

Master Wu was busy nodding his head and had someone go and pour tea and water, and was moved a chair by Zhang Anshi.

Zhang Anshi, on the other hand, moved his chair and sat directly across from Master Wu.

After Gao Xiang and other officials, then also step also tend, just will be the master of the case of Wu surrounded by the water.

Master Wu: “……”

He slowly raised his head, and when he saw dozens of pairs of eyes looking at him in unison, he busied himself with lowering his head again.

“Come …… to someone.”

A scribe pushed his way through the crowd.

“Start taking stock of the money and food in the Taiping Province, and draw me a few able officials, no, draw me all the clerks.”

“Yes, it is ……”

I have to say that Master Wu is still very professional.

After all, he had been in the Ministry of the Household for a long time, and even though he might not be very good at doing the math, he at least knew who among the Ministry of the Household could do the math.

When a room of clerks have come in, Master Wu began to divide the work, organized four groups of A, B, C and D. Group A specializes in counting silver money, group B counts grain, group C summarizes, and Ding Zu is accounting to ensure that the accounts are foolproof.

The clerks began to get busy, and all of them dared not slack off.

After a few moments, an errand boy came and said, “The Hubei Buzhengzhi Secretary came and asked if the accounts had been cleared up, and he rushed back to resume his duties.”

“Make him wait.”

Someone else came: “Sichuan Buzhengji ……”

Wu master anxious, they are now being watched, although the Ministry of households is also to see people under the dish, the general government or the county to send money and grain books, the Ministry of households are indifferent. However, to the Buzhengji Division of this level, after all, these people are behind the border officials, often will give a little face, and pleasant hospitality, early to help them discount, so that they are a little earlier to return to work.

But what time is it now, Master Wu glanced at Zhang Anshi, who was slowly sipping tea with a calm demeanor.

But Master Wu did not dare to delay things, but soon again someone came to urge, this time not the errand boy, but the langzhong of the Hubei Clearance Division came in person: “Master Wu …… over there urged urgently ……”

The man came in with a big bang, his voice coming before he arrived, in a hurry and on fire.

But as soon as he came in and saw the scene, he was a bit confused, and seeing the youth in the python robe, he seemed to realize… something, so he turned around to leave.

Zhang Anshi waved at him, “Come ……”

Only then did this Langzhong smile bitterly and say, “My …… subordinate officer Liu He …….”

Zhang Anshi said, “You’ve come just in time, don’t be polite, one more person, one more force, go and settle the account.”

Liu and: “……”

He summoned up enough courage, “The next official …… has official duties …… to attend to.”

Zhang Anshi’s color changed and he said, “Isn’t it an official duty to clear money and grain? How do I see you like the White Lotus Sect ……”

Liu and both legs actually some soft, did not hesitate to say: “But the great thing …… of heaven, and not as great as Wei Guo Gong your business. The next official …… to take a hand …….”

Only then was Zhang Anshi satisfied, and he squinted his eyes as if he was beginning to doze off.

Gao Xiang and the others, looking at the heart of the heart jumped, the male master is too young man ah, this is not to offend people to death?

Do not look at these people, the surface of the obsequious, but in the temple of these people elite, which one is not the surface and gas, behind the scenes to you make bad, as if that the Ministry of mandarins ……

Gao Xiang feels that if he is dismissed from his post, he must have a good talk with Zhang Anshi on his way out, and if this Duke of Wei’s temper doesn’t change, he will have to suffer a great loss in the future.

Outside there are also some officials on duty, heard about this side of things, so they deliberately walk around outside, or probe to see the fun.

Who knows that just as they ventured out, Zhang Anshi beckoned to them, “Come, come, come, there is a shortage of manpower.”

…………

Forbidden City.

Wanyuange Daoshi and the officials of the Ministry of Mandarins, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Households and other officials to meet the driver.

Jian Yi, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, went up to Jingcha’s sangs.

This sang only presented to the emperor, even the Wen Yuan Pavilion University doctor, also can not vote to draft.

The reason why the Ministry of Mandarins was called the Heavenly Officials was because its duties were too pressing, and many things, almost all of which could be communicated directly with the Emperor without going through the Wen Yuan Pavilion. In addition to mastering the promotion and deposition of countless ministers, it is naturally different.

When Zhu Di saw this densely-packed report, he felt a headache and said, “This Beijing inspection, it will not be for show again, right?”

Jian Yi hastily said, “I don t dare, this time, there are thirty one people rated as inferior …… than in previous years, more than ten times more.”

Zhu Di nodded, which appeared to be satisfied, and then he was furious, the Ministry of the Ministry of Justice rarely rated poor, if it was rated poor, visible how offensive these people, when …… he frowned: “All rated poor, a deposed, not … …His mother, eat my royal food, but not to me properly do the job, really hateful, after deposed, exiled to qiongzhou generations for the officials, children and grandchildren shall not science and technology.”

No one expected this one to be extraordinarily harsh.

This is actually understandable, not to the point of human and God’s indignation, the Ministry of Justice is by no means possible to do bad people, even if you are a little greedy, a little bit of virtue, a little bit of a bad reputation, a little bit of confusion, in the spirit of the principle of not offending people to death, the Ministry of Justice and the co-ordination of all the inspectorates, the Da Lisi, will pinch their noses to give you an excellent rating.

Zhu Di looked at this thick pile of the Beijing police, casually flipped a two, but also can not see what name, mainly too much information, and then Jian Yi said: “If the officials are corrupted, this is the Ministry of the Ministry of the negligence, after the Beijing police, must not be negligent.”

Jian Yi said: “Yes. This time, the minister is also this meaning, there are some public anger is too big, suffered a lot of prosecution, the minister then ordered the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry of Justice clearing Division of the Langzhong go to investigate the truth, in addition to the Imperial Household Inspectorate, as well as the judges of the Da Lisi, also collaborate, which is only to find out the truth of some of the.”

Zhu nodded in satisfaction, “Hard work.”

Said, and looked to the Ministry of Household Secretary Xia Yuanji: “This year’s money and food …… roughly the number are out?”

Money and food are fundamental.

Xia Yuanji said: “There are sixty to seventy percent of the accounts, has been checked, this year’s most surprising, is Changsha Province, Hunan, because Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Jiangxi and other places in the past two years has occurred a disaster, but Hunan and Guangdong is a big ripe, which Changsha Province is the most optimistic, there are nine hundred and ten thousand stone, far more than in previous years of the summer grain tax, the minister remembers that, last year, Changsha Province is six hundred and seventy thousand stone, the year before that was I remember that last year, Changsha Province was 670,000 stones, and the year before that was 590,000 stones. In addition to this, the silver tax is also quite considerable, there are actually seventy-six thousand taels, also than the previous two years, much more.”

Zhu Di said, “Who is this governor of Changsha?”

“Surname Zheng Directory, a lifer during the Hongwu era.”

Jian Yi also seems to have an impression of this person, smilingly added: “This person has a good official reputation, when …… Changsha built the river embankment, he is also a credit.”

Zhu Di said, “Such a capable person, to be used greatly, first let him stay in Changsha Province for another year, next year after the summer called into the capital, I want to see in person.”

“Yes.”

Natsubara Yoshi said, “But overall …… this year’s tax collection …… situation is still not optimistic.”

Zhu frowned: “What, less compared to previous years?”

“I have compared the situation of the previous years, but also only comparable to …… and Jianwen two years, and so far has not exceeded the record after Hongwu twenty years.”

Zhu Di looked displeased when he heard this.

He back his hand, pacing back and forth, Jianwen two years …… how to be better than, this Jianwen two years, when he is in the Jingdan, many places, not at all in the hands of the court, not to mention the taxation.

“This is strange, Hongwu years …… the country was first set, I succeeded the throne, the first few years of the court is still restoring vitality, but it is also reasonable, but the world is also peaceful for so many years …… how the grain tax is still less. ”

In fact, Zhu Di if you know, to the later generations, the Ming Dynasty peace for two hundred years, but taxes and registered property actually the vast majority of the time, have not exceeded the Hongwu years of money and grain revenue, it is estimated to curse.

Zhu sighed, “We have to find out what the problem is, it can’t be a natural disaster every year.”

Natsubara Yoshi said, “Yes.”

Zhu Di waved his hand, “Alright, go down.”

When Xia Yuanji hit the road and returned to the ministry hall of the Ministry of Households, he was still thinking in his mind about His Majesty’s request for him to check the facts of the situation.

This matter …… Shahara Ji also has a hard time.

When Emperor Taizu Gao was around, the world was in its infancy, and the people were scrambling to reclaim the wasteland, and a lot of land was able to be taxed.

But the problem is, these decades past, many places …… land began to annex, and people who have the ability to annex people s land, often have the ability to hide the land, this hiding, of course, is not magic like the land is gone, but by virtue of their family and status, and the police officer in partnership, in the official registration of the field registration of the land hidden The land was hidden in the land registered by the government.

Beyond that, there are other doorways that abound.

But the problem is that …… there is no way …… to clean up this matter, and it can t be like Emperor Taizu Gao, who chopped off the heads of all the state and county parental officials under the world, and then replaced them with new governors and magistrates to straighten out the land situation.

Xia Yuanji sighed, and so into the Ministry of households, he did not look askance, since the first to the center hall there, but who knows, the center hall there is empty.

Natsuhara Yoshi frowned, “People, where are they?”

Two consecutive angry shouts, only then an errand boy came hurriedly, “Ministry …… of Ministry Hall ……”

“Where did all the people go?”

“All …… have been pulled strong, that Wei Guo Gong came, with people …… invading the door and stepping on the door …… grabbing the officials to settle accounts. ”

Accounting?

When has the Household Ministry ever offended him, and what is he going to settle for?

Xia Yuanji from the heart of anger, burst into a rage: “Absurd. Simply ridiculous, this is still the law of the land, there is still discipline? What is he Zhang Anshi …… doing?”

Saying this, he burst into a rage, “Then why are you here?”

The errand boy said bitterly, “I don’t know how to count, I don’t know how to do the math.”

Yoshi Natsubara: “……”

It was at this point that Natsubara Yoshi realized that what the errand boy had said about settling accounts turned out to be really a literal settling of accounts.

He’s a little confused. What kind of math is he going to do?

At that moment, he lifted his leg, “Where is the man?”

The errand boy was busy leading Natsubara Yoshi.

Sure enough …… see a hall that is overcrowded, and everywhere there is the sound of the abacus splitting.

Xia Yuanji hurriedly went in and saw that it was a crowded place, with some people shuttling around with their books, others ambling around playing the abacus, and others holding their ledgers and whispering something to the people next door.

That Zhang Anshi, who will have his tripod on the case, is surrounded by Gao Xiang and others, waiting with a calm and relaxed mind.

Xia Yuanji was furious, quickly stepped forward, waved his big sleeve, and lifted Zhang Anshi’s feet on the case directly down.

Zhang Anshi lost his balance, was shocked, and subconsciously said, “There are assassins, protect …… them.”

Fixing his eyes, it was Natsubara Yoshi.

Zhang Anshi snapped and sat down steadily, while then stood up again, “Eh, eh …… Xia Gong …… has been waiting for you for a long time.”

Xia Yuanji said angrily, “Zhang Anshi, what are you doing?”

“Presenting the money and grain book.”

Yoshi Natsubara: “……”

He apparently seemed to be electrocuted, and after a moment’s stagnation, he said angrily, “If you want to submit the money and grain books, why do you have to come here to spread the wildness, do you know where this is? Do you know where you are? If His Highness the Crown Prince knew about this, how would he feel?”

Zhang Anshi said: “I submit the book, they come to count, I’m here waiting for the results of the accounting, so go back to deliver, the world’s prefectures, do not all do this, so what, I’m this is also a violation of the law?”

Natsubara Yoshi froze and said, “What …… is all this?”

“The money and food books of the Pacific House.”

Natsubara Yoshi sucked in a breath of cold air, “Why so much?”

He had presided over the Ministry of Accounts for many years, and with such a large workload, he was only afraid that it would be at least a Buzhengzhi level of accounts.

Zhang Anshi said, “What kind of words is this, Xia Gong should not ask me why Taipingfu is more, but should ask …… why the other prefectures and counties, why is this less.”

Yoshi Natsubara: “……”

Xia Yuanji calmed down a little, he decided to ignore Zhang Anshi, getting annoyed with such a person was just asking for trouble, sooner or later he would lose his life.

At that moment, he sought out Master Wu and said, “I’ll take a look at the accounts.”

Master Wu hurriedly wanted to give up his seat, Xia Yuanji shook his head and directly picked up an account book and began to look at it in detail.

This look …… Natsubara Ji then seems to be fascinated, page by page, the expression on the face can not see joy and anger.

I’ve read one, and I can’t help but read the next.

Zhang Anshi then sat down again, put his feet on the paperwork and closed his eyes.

Another half hour has passed ……

Xia Yuanji always remained silent, only a copy of the accounting accounts are looked at, until a copy of the accounts accounted for, summarized to the Wu master here.

Natsubara Yoshi looked at the general ledger, but his face changed.

He looked incredulous, and the more he looked, the more odd his face became, and pointing to the number, he said to Master Wu, “This number, does it match?”

“There should be no mistake.” Master Wu said, “My officials have cleaned up the number, and it’s not far from eight or nine.”

Sharwonji said, “How is this possible?”

Master Wu smiled bitterly and muttered in a low voice to Xia Yuanji: “My officials also feel that it is impossible …… so that is why they have people accounting for it over and over again ……”

Sharwonji said, “You keep counting and check it a few more times.”

Master Wu said, “Yes.”

Zhang Anshi suddenly hit a jolt in general, got up and came up, said, “Xia Gong ……”

Xia Yuanji said, “Don’t add to the chaos, the old man has something to do, you don’t make trouble here.”

Zhang Anshi said, “What’s the matter?”

“What’s it to you?”

Zhang Anshi: “……”

Natsubara Yoshi said, took the general ledger, and hurried away.

He entered the palace on fire.

At this time Zhu Di is in the cultural building to recuperate, he is very strange in, why the tax is getting less and less, but it seems to be all right.

“What is Zhang Anshi doing these days?”

“Your Majesty, Zhang Anshi is collecting grain.”

“This guy, really addicted to being a governor.” Zhu Di laughed bitterly, “How could there be such a strange addiction, is this the influence of the Crown Prince, or is this the virtue of their Zhang family?”

“This ……” also lost ha, “slave girl can not say good.

Zhu Di said, “The crown prince does not resemble me.”

He let out a sigh of relief.

The logic goes like this, Zhang Anshi is a man with eccentric demeanor, and Zhang Anshi was raised by the Crown Prince, so although his personality may not be the same, his bones must be the same.

Then this inference, the Prince of the bone is also this virtue, obviously, this point and Zhu Di a thousand differences, Zhu Di good sword, familiar with the bow and horse, like passion, sensual things.

Yishakha had to laugh dryly, he didn’t dare to pick up on it.

“Your Majesty, Duke Xia, the Minister of Revenue, seeks an audience.”

Zhu frowned, ”Didn’t this just leave? Is it a matter of being in a hurry again? Call in.”

Natsubara Yoshi entered the hall and saluted, “Your Majesty ……”

Zhu Di only raised his eyelids: “And how is it, I’m really afraid to see you, every time you this Household Department in a hurry to come to see, either where there is a flood, or where the ground collapses.”

Natsubara Yoshi said, “I have come to report my good fortune.”

Xia Yuanji is still very professional, after reading the accounts of Taipingfu, he immediately felt keenly that there are some local money and food problems that may not be able to cover up.

Of course, the local problems can not be covered up, said and the Ministry of household related, there is also so much to do, said it does not matter, in fact, can also be set aside.

But when all is said and done, the Ministry of Revenue is always guilty of dereliction of duty.

Looked at this account, Xia Yuanji immediately made a decision, this thing must hurry to enter the palace, report the joy, and show their own joy in this matter, so that …… they are at best negligent.

Otherwise, if you wait for others to report this letter, or wait for Zhang Anshi to ask for a meeting himself, then …… instead, it seems like the scandalous behavior of the Ministry of the Household and the local community has been revealed, and then it is not a question of negligence, and even His Majesty may suspect that he is also involved in it.

When all is said and done, this is a matter of attitude, any son of heaven, in fact, can accept the negligence and carelessness of his subjects, after all, people are flesh and blood, it is not possible to be all things to all people.

But if once you begin to doubt your nature, even without empirical evidence, this is absolutely fatal.

Between the king and the minister, want to be harmonious, good communication is very necessary, this is also why, Xia Yuan Ji looked at the general account, not waiting for the final calculation of the most specific number, also do not pay attention to Zhang An Shi, immediately will be all the way out of breath to run to the first report of the reason.

Zhu Di looked at Ha Yuan Ji, “Hm? What’s so happy about it?”

“Your Majesty, the money and grain of the Taiping Province this year, has been accounted for seven or eight, this is not a specific number, but roughly it is eight or nine. Please your majesty …… first glance.”

Natsubaruyoshi was busy presenting the ledger.

Zhu Di sat up, and then, took the account book, looked down, the whole person a little taut.

“Taipingfu …… has three counties under its jurisdiction, with a household of just over 90,000 …… is that right?”

“Yes.” Xia Yuanji said: “last year, taipingfu’s summer grain is 230,000 stone, but this is also understandable, it is compared to the population of Changsha province under the jurisdiction of eleven counties, a state, the difference is far, this Changsha province, but there are a full 450,000 households ah, it is a first-class big government. But this year, the grain tax of Taiping Province, from two hundred and thirty thousand stones, has gone up four times as much, collecting nearly one million stones of grain.”

“This Taipingfu, arable land is only 20% of Changshafu, the population, but also only two or three percent, can be collected food, even more than Changshafu some, this …… is really something that I can not imagine.” Xia Yuanji said.

Zhu’s eyes went straight as he watched.

“Changsha House, this year has been considered superior, then this Taiping House …… Zhang Anshi this guy …… he is not the people of Taiping House, are driven to extinction?”

Think about it, 20% of the arable land and population, collected more grain than others, this will not squeeze people out of oil?

Natsubara Yoshi said, “Your Majesty, please pay attention …… to the number of cultivated fields.”

Zhu Zhu came to his senses.

“Last year, the cultivated land of Taiping Province, is fifteen thousand hectares, this number, and there are nearly sixty-four thousand hectares, this number is also right, but this year …… Taiping Province reported the number of acres of land …… is thirty-nine thousand hectares …… fully more than double.”

Zhu Di then noticed and couldn’t help but say, “In one year’s time, could it be possible to reclaim more than twice as much land?”

Xia Yuanji raised his head, and then …… said in a low voice, “I …… also feel that it is strange, but …… your majesty is better to look at the number of silver first it.”

Zhu Di came to be interested at this time, but at a glance, he was shocked again.

“Last year’s time …… not counting Qixia, Taipingfu three counties into the silver how much?”

“Fourteen thousand five hundred taels ……”

Zhu Di sucked in a breath of cool air, “How is this possible, this year directly collected 270,000 taels. This is the number after subtracting Qixia, plus Qixia, there are actually 730,000 taels?”

The number, which is very intimidating, is just one House.

And Taiping Province, covers an area of not much, because it belongs to the South Zhili, so only under the jurisdiction of the district three counties, whether it is the population, or arable land, in the world of all the provinces, belongs to the little brother.

“Your Majesty, single such a number, grain tax, Taipingfu, can already be the second in the world, afraid of only under Suzhoufu, but this Suzhoufu …… arable land is extremely large, the population is also densely populated, how can Taipingfu be compared with it? What’s more …… this silver tax, even if you take out the Qixia, that can also be called the crown of the world.”

When Zhu Di heard this, he was first pleased with the dragon’s face.

But then, his smile froze.

His laughing eyes were replaced by a sharpness that conked into the bag, and with a sweep of his eyes, he seemed to think of something that didn’t quite amuse him.

………………

Finally finished writing, I can go to bed, no insults, thank you for your support, keep asking for some monthly votes.