Chapter 329: Many, many grains

Zhang Anshi was sharp-eyed and saw the Yang Rong duo at a glance.

So with gusto, he led Chuson.

Yang Rong looked at Qusong with a speechless face.

Qiu Song was not tall, pawing his feet and following Zhang Anshi’s back without moving an inch.

Before starting the pleasantries, Yang Rong felt that this scene was really a bit spicy, so he said, “Wei Guo Gong, this Qiu Xiao General ……”

“Don’t mention him.” Zhang Anshi angrily said: “I let him take an umbrella, we brothers a piece of support, he said that the umbrella is not a good man, must be in the sun, but only support me alone. People who do not know see, thought I Zhang Anshi this person is not righteous, take him as a lackey to make use of it! Is that what I am? This guy is very stubborn, don’t pay any attention to him.”

“Oh, oh.” Hu Guang nodded repeatedly and immediately withdrew his eyes from Qiu Song’s body.

I have long heard that the son …… of the Duke of Qi is a bit strange, and today is considered to have seen it.

But Qiu Song was not moved, still doing his own thing, he traditionally regarded other people’s eyes as air.

Yang Rong said, “Wei Guo Gong …… this year, the South Zhili drought quite a lot of time, the country’s big plan lies in the money and food, His Majesty for this, has been as worried as burning, so specially ordered me two to come here, check the truth of the Taiping Province.”

Zhang Anshi smiled and said, “These days, and is busy with agriculture and the fall harvest, there are many chores, but did not go to the audience, it is really ten thousand deaths, I did not think that His Majesty is still thinking about me ……”

Yang Rong then asked people to take out the lychee, uncovered the box, only to know that the ice inside has long melted, inside the lychee, most of the lychee, has been bad.

Zhang Anshi couldn’t help but regret it, and Yang Rong couldn’t help but sadly say, “Shame on me, it’s still a step too late.”

Zhang Anshi said, “This is a piece of His Majesty’s heart, and it is sufficient that the heart is received.”

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhang Anshi said, “About the grain in this Taiping Province ……”

Yang Rong smiled and said, “Duke Wei, you don’t have to say it, you might as well let me see it with my own eyes.”

Zhang Anshi know Yang Rong this person’s nature, but also do not say anything more, then said: “that you are casual look, I still have to go and grain station people to explain some things.”

“Please make yourself at home, Lord Wei.”

Arching their hands at each other, they went their separate ways.

Just when Zhang Anshi walked away, Hu Guang whispered to Yang Rong, “Lord Yang, why don’t you listen to him first?”

Yang Rong smiled and said, “Look, isn’t the grain levy going on right now? Why do you still need to listen? Seeing is believing. When you see and understand, there will be plenty of time to listen.”

Hu Guang said, “Lord Yang is also afraid that Zhang Anshi, the boy, will not report the truth?”

Yang Rong said: ”I am afraid of anyone’s report, once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of a well rope ah! Without seeing it with my own eyes, I can’t even rest assured. I’m not like you, always believing that others are gentlemen.”

Hu Guang was instantly exasperated and said, “How come you’ve cornered me again?”

Yang Rong smiled, and then he carried his hands behind his back, and did not make a sound, but only looked around this cart chicken bus and the people who picked the grain to come.

People who come in, by and large, have to volunteer themselves a number, something like two, six, nine, four, seven, five or something like that.

When the visitor reported his name, the officer on the side quickly took out the roll book and began to search out the other party’s identity by number, and inquired, “But Zhou Sanqi from Luxi Village, and your mother-in-law is Xu?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Oh, let me have a look.” The clerk only took a look and then said, “Your family’s land is nineteen acres and six cents, and it’s all permanent fields, isn’t it?”

“Right, right.” The man called Zhou Sanqi nodded his head busily.

The civil official said, “The grain of the Yongye field is going to be more, and these …… your ri changers have all been notified in place, right? The grain your family wants to collect …… Let me see, it is one stone, four buckets and seven liters. Come, untie his grain and weigh it.”

After saying that, the officer on the side got on the scale, and seemed to have brought in a little more grain, so he returned another bucket to go.

This Zhou Sanqi was all smiles, and hurriedly packed this bucket of rice in a grain bag and put it back into his chicken cart.

The civil official then in the back of this person’s yellow book, make a this year has paid grain mark, and then opened a note, handed over to this Zhou Sanqi, which then said: “This is the voucher, you take it back, if there is any error, you can take this note out.”

“Many thanks, many thanks ……” Zhou Sanqi joyfully received the note, then greeted his son, ready to go back.

His son had a simple face, but refused to go back, wailing under his breath, “Father, the mother-in-law said, have come to the countryside, have to go to the market to bring her a hairpin to go back, let’s go to the market first.”

Zhou Sanqi then scolded his son, “Dry food have not brought it, do not hurry back, to be hungry belly. Not hungry, you have to eat in the bazaar, expensive.”

“The hoe will have to be mended by a blacksmith in the marketplace ……”

“Less nagging, less nagging ……”

So noisy, Yang Rong think strange, because the general situation, is the police to go to the countryside to urge grain, like this let the people take the initiative to pay grain, but rare.

But …… this does greatly reduce the loss, after all, the officials with food back, can say that along the way the grain bag leakage, or grain confiscation.

If you collect according to this method, there is obviously much less in between.

He couldn’t help but say to the civil official who was ambling around recording, “What if some of the people’s households have brought in a few buckets of grain less?”

“This is easy.” The clerk said, “Also collect as usual, but it will be registered, and when you pay the grain in the next year, you have to make up for it, and …… also have to pay a few liters of stagnant grain as a punishment.”

Yang Rong suddenly realized, and then asked, “These registered …… how to ensure the number of food surrendered by each household?”

The civil official then said, “According to the family’s land, ah, how much of everyone’s field, how many people, all recorded in the record, before the collection of grain, has been calculated by the grain station, after the calculation, and then let the township chiefs and mile chiefs will be all the grain due to be collected in advance posting, to ensure that before the payment of grain, the villages have a notice, which household should pay how much, and who is going to bring how much grain to the grain station, all need to be be made clear.”

Yang Rong’s eyes lit up, then he said with excitement, “Here, let me try, let me try.”

This clerical official looked at Yang Rong suspiciously, although he didn’t know what official position Yang Rong held, he knew that Yang Rong was an extraordinary character, so he said, “Be careful.”

Waiting for the next grain farmer to come, he mouthed, “Two, six, nine, four, four, three.”

The numbers in the header here are actually quickly accessible in the book based on the beginning of the number.

Yang Rong followed the numbers and quickly flipped to it, asking the other party’s name, and sure enough, the other party said yes.

Immediately afterward, Yang Rong said, “Your land is twenty-four acres and six cents, of which fourteen acres is a permanent field, isn’t it?”

“Yes, yes.”

Yang Rong said, “The grain that should be collected is in stones and two buckets and one liter, did you know this amount when you were in the village?”

“That’s the number.”

The man was pleasant, and happily unloaded his grain to go to the weighing station.

Waiting for the side of the weighing to hand over the note of permission to enter the warehouse, so Yang Rong followed the clerical officer to mark, and then gave the man a bill.

Yang Rong finished, his eyes look brighter, please that clerical officials back, he toward Hu Guang said, “interesting, interesting, really too interesting, so, greatly reduce the workload of clerical officials, and also greatly reduce the space of the minor officials fraud, two birds with one stone.”

Hu Guang is not a fool after all, and could not help but praise for it, “Indeed, if the whole world is levied in this way, it is not a beautiful thing.”

Yang Rong, however, smiled coldly and said, “You’re thinking well.”

Hu Guang glared at him and hummed, “What are you always singing against me for?”

Yang Rong said: “You ah, really confused, people have got twenty acres of land for nothing, and now only teach them to collect some grain tax, of course they are eager to do so. Not to mention the initiative to pay, even if the tax is increased by 10%, they are also willing. And we all pay this way, is a whip, you go to other places to try to see! Other places, is called the tiger’s mouth, many people pay the rent, the rest of the grain may not be enough to eat, pay a little more, is the whole family to starve. Some things, not want to learn to learn ……”

Hu Guang: “……”

After Yang Rong had taken a look at the horse, he was finally satisfied and went to seek Zhang Anshi.

At this time it was noon, Zhang Anshi prepared a table of food and wine in this township and invited Yang Rong and Hu Guang to eat and drink.

Yang Rong faced a table of sumptuous food and wine, but looked closely at Zhang Anshi and said, “How is the harvest in this Xintian Township?”

Without a hint of modesty, Zhang Anshi said, “A good harvest.”

Yang Rong smiled, “How is it a good harvest?”

Zhang Anshi said, “The harvest than last year, more than 60%, last year’s rice, mu yield is two hundred and seventy pounds, this year …… bumper harvest, is more than three hundred and eighty pounds, not only so …… two ripe fields, but also more than a lot. ”

Young Wing: “……”

Hu Guang grinned as he lowered his head and took a sip of the wine, but it was supposed to be countryside rice wine, rather shitty, as if he was drinking rice soup.

Zhang Anshi said, “What, you don’t believe me?”

“As far as I know …… it’s kind of a dry year right now.”

Instead, Zhang Anshi looked toward a man and said, “Magistrate Wang, speak to him.”

This magistrate Wang Hao anxious to sit at the bottom of the head, sitting here, which one is higher than him I do not know where to go.

Thus, being named, he stood up in a panic and said, “The drought is not a problem, as long as the water conservancy does not make any mistakes, the irrigation will not delay the grain production, and in the beginning of spring this year, the irrigation canals and some simple reservoirs, have already begun to be built.”

“Xuancheng County, too, is the first, to ensure that irrigation canals reach the village, and three new reservoirs have been built this year. In other places, river water has also been connected for irrigation purposes ……”

“In addition to that, it was the introduction of the new grain seed that helped. Once upon a time, it was not possible to plant rice densely, but with this new rice seed, it is possible to plant rice a little denser and more resistant to pests than the previous one.”

“There is also fertilizer, all villages have repaired special cesspools, which are used to fertilize the households. In addition to this, a number of sub-pigs and chickens have been sold at low prices, which is to encourage the people to raise these …… As for the pig food and chicken food, it can be used to feed them with potato leaves, as well as pig grass, mixed with a little bit of it. The manure of these pigs and chickens can also be utilized to greatly improve the soil and increase its fertility.”

“Two Gong, in addition, there is the promotion of farming tools, Qixia’s new farming tools, in order to promote out, then let all the townships are organized bazaars, teach farmers to catch the market, all come to see. Or their own use a look, the people now have their own land, the bottom line is also more than in previous years, this aspect …… is also more than before to spare a lot.”

“Not to mention the others, let’s say this year, in our place, the best seller, Er Gong guess what is it?”

“This ……” Yang Rong duo hair reaction is jaw-dropping.

To be honest …… they didn t expect the other party to actually say so much.

Wang Hao didn’t dare to sell out, so he said, “It’s plow oxen, and mules and horses.”

“In the past, people gave people plowing, they could not feed themselves, how dare they purchase plowing oxen ah, they can only prefer to work harder themselves. But now it’s different, everyone has the bottom line, already expected a future harvest, food and savings, the family has a cow, a mule and horse, can save a lot of things, earlier to do the farm work, the strong force earlier to go to work, but also for the family to make up for some of the household, the best of both worlds!”

“To put it bluntly, once upon a time when people had nothing to eat and their lives were money, who dared to exchange their lives for things? Now, time is silver; if you finish your work early, you can exchange it for earnings, and naturally, you’ll be willing to purchase oxen, horses, and farming implements for yourself.”

Yang Rong said, “Is that so?”

He cross-examined, causing Wang Hao to be embarrassed, rather as if he had misrepresented himself.

Wang Hao had to dryly laugh and sit down in grandeur.

Zhang Anshi was already too lazy to care about the duo of Yang Rong and Hu Guang, in his opinion, these two were just here to nitpick.

Wait for the meal.

Yang Rong then led the slightly drunk Hu Guang and left the grain station.

Hu Guang shook his head to sober himself up a little and mouthed, “Going back to resume orders now?”

Yang Rong shook his head and said, “It’s still early, let’s go down to the lower end and take a walk.”

Hu Guang glanced at Yang Rong suspiciously and said, “Lord Yang, what are you up to again?”

Yang Rong said: ”You usually look down on Zhang Anshi this and despise Taipingfu that. Isn’t the opportunity right in front of you now? While you are out, you need to walk around and see more, even if you are harboring the thought of coming to find Zhang Anshi in trouble, you should move your legs more.”

Hu Guang muttered, “I’m not ……”

…………

Yang Rong and Hu Guang are gone.

Wang magistrate to rush to find, but Zhang Anshi is very calmly said: “What do they care, it’s none of my business? They have two legs, I can not stop, do not have to look for, may not be returned to me by then an impeachment of the rustic, why do we have to use a hot face to stick their cold ass!”

“Hit the road back home …… It seems that this Xuancheng situation is very good, far beyond my expectations, I should also go back …… It’s time to make the final clap for this summer grain.”

At that moment, Zhang Anshi hit the road straight back to his home.

Returned to the Qixia, the grain of the townships, by and large, almost collected, after layers of statistics, then is the problem of storage.

Zhang Anshi and Gao Xiang, since the two of them, continued to be busy with their feet.

It wasn’t until three days later, but two people, with a few escorts, came to Suxia in a sorry state.

The two people look very cold, and it can even be said …… that they can be described with a miserable face.

From the six counties back to the Qixia, this lively Qixia, and the six counties of the idyllic, and the other side of the light.

But now, both of them were distracted, as if they were pondering something.

“Lord Yang, do you go back to report now?”

Hu Guangdao when he arrived at the Qixia Pier.

Yang Rong looked very tired, his eyes were covered with blood, and his eyes were slightly swollen, he took a deep breath before saying, “Go to the government …… now the number of summer grains, it should almost come out.”

Hu Guang nodded.

The two went back to burying their heads, thinking of each other’s thoughts.

When they arrived at the government office, they let someone inform them, but Zhang Anshi didn’t come out to welcome them, and only let a civil official invite them in.

Hu Guang then couldn t help but be furious, “This kid …… really doesn t know how to be polite.”

Yang Rong still seemed to be hiding his heart as he sighed and said, “Go inside.”

Arrived at the yamen hall, Zhang Anshi at this time is talking with Li Zhaoma about something, until the two of them came in, Zhang Anshi got up and said, “The two dukes are courteous, please sit down.”

Yang Rong glanced at him and took his seat.

Zhang Anshi, on the other hand, said with a worried face, “What is wrong with the second male, why does it seem ……”

Yang Rong waved his hand and said, “Nothing …… nothing …… how is the summer grain collection?”

Zhang Anshi truthfully said, “The approximate number came out.”

Yang Rong said, “Just say it straight, don’t hide it.”

Zhang Anshi said, “Saying it out loud might scare you.”

Yang Rong smiled bitterly, “No, I can no longer scare, there are some situations ……”

He was about to say more, but he felt it was inappropriate, so he swallowed those words back down and said instead, “But there’s no harm in saying it.”

Zhang Anshi is dry atmosphere, said, “You look at the account book yourself, of course …… this is just counted, there will be errors.”

Zhang Anshi personally handed the book to Yang Rong.

Yang Rong then spread out this book and looked at it with Hu Guang.

They frowned gently, watching intently.

With that, Yang Rong almost held his breath, and his entire body was actually motionless.

Hu Guang, who was on the side, even looked at it with his eyes wide open.

They have been informed of the situation, and do not dare to say that they know the Taiping Mansion like the back of their hand, but at least a preliminary understanding is there.

But the real number is still far beyond their expectations.

After all, Hu Guang could not help but exclaim, “How is it possible!”

Zhang Anshi laughed and said, “How is it impossible?”

Yang Rong took a deep breath, but raised his head and said, “I understand.”

Hu Guang gave him a strange look and said in confusion, “What did Lord Yang understand?”

“I see ……,” Yang Rong muttered out of breath and continued to read.

Hu Guang was anxious, “What exactly did you understand? Tell me instead.”

Yang Rong stood up solemnly, “I finally understand …… why …… why Master Yao has to be like this, hey ……”

Saying this, Yang Rong stood up and closed the book, “These grains, when can they be put into storage?”

“Just these few days ……,” Zhang Anshi said.

“Well done.” Yang Rong said, “I need to report back to His Majesty immediately, so I can’t stay here for long, Duke Wei, farewell.”

He said nothing, arched his hand, turned and walked away.

Zhang Anshi chased after him, “My book, my book, I still have to keep it for reconciliation.”

Yang Rong ignored him and walked rather hastily.

Hu Guang could only smother his head and chase after him.

Zhang Anshi: “……”

A clerical official cautiously came up, “What should be done …… now, Your Excellency?”

Zhang Anshi had to say, “Count it again.”

The clerk could only smile bitterly, “Yes.”

…………

“Taigong …… Taigong ……”

Li Xiucai came back again with joy.

He has been back daily for the past few days, and each day, he has brought good news.

Of course, there is actually bad news.

But all this bad news is coming from the cheap merchants, and the farmers who are into perch.

Facts aside, these cheap merchants and farmers know shit about crops and trading.

Of course, chief among them was the fact that the Taigong, like all squires and townsmen, disliked bad news.

Li Xiucai had a lesson to learn from the pain, and after further reflection, naturally, he knew what to do and what to say.

Zhang Taijun was just sitting and drinking tea, and the female servant girl on the side, carefully pounded his legs.

Zhang Taigong sipped his tea and couldn’t help but reach out towards the maid’s delicate face and gently pinched it.

Waiting for this Li Xiucai to come in, only then did he immediately withdraw his hand, put on a righteous look, and coughed, “Oh …… is back?”

Li Xiucai with a covered smile said, “Taigong, good news, heard …… that Fengyang and Huai’an Province, Anqing Province, are because of the drought, food production has been reduced by a lot, this year’s summer grain …… is afraid of levying not come up. But even so, many farmers …… are still ready to starve.”

After a pause, he went on to say: “Today’s food prices, but did not rise, still remain in yesterday’s price of five two three hundred money up and down. However, I think, in a few days, and so on the news of the other provinces came …… this price, but also have to go up.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Taigong asked again, “What news from Taipingfu?”

Li Xiucai then said: “I met a few school brothers in Qixia, they all said Zhang Anshi is finished, His Majesty has realized that the Taiping government has accumulated a lot of evils, so he specially ordered the Wen Yuan Pavilion scholar Yang Rong and Hu Guang to go to a thorough investigation. Taigong ah, these two gentlemen are both viziers, they went to conduct a thorough investigation, so you can see how big this case is!”

“I also heard that many people starved to death in Taiping Province, but they were all covered up by the county, most likely related to this. My several school brothers, can be all decent people, will never be wrong.”

Zhang Taigong heard it, and said with a joyful smile, “Sure enough, sure enough …… haha …… good. Alas, you have worked hard, these days, are you running back and forth, in fact …… you do not have to go to Qixia, these days ah, there are some friends and relatives to visit, in fact, all say so. Hmph, Zhang Anshi …… that dog thief, also have today, such a national thief one day not removed, the world one day uneasy.”

Zhang Taigong first smiled happily, and then gritted his teeth, his eyes bursting with deep hatred.

Zhang Taigong then looked at Li Xiucai, said, “Later go to the account office, take ten taels of silver, you have worked hard these days …….”

“Elder gives, do not dare to resign, many thanks.” Li Xiucai was overjoyed.

……

Forbidden City ……

After reading the dispatches that came from Fengyang, Huai’an and Anqing provinces, Zhu Di was worried.

He was busy summoning the minister to meet, pointing to these reports, sinking his brow and saying, “How dare you reduce production by so much …… and request that I be exempted from taxes ……”

Zhu Di’s face was cloudy, and the ministers didn’t dare to utter a breath.

But at this moment, a eunuch came in and said, “Your Majesty, Duke Yang and Duke Hu have an audience.”

Zhu Di showed his displeasure: “After going for so many days, you are only back now? Declare in, there are big things to discuss with them.”