"Yes, I understand. [Read the full text]"
"We must also step up the collection of reasonable burdens." Hong Huangnan reminded, "I saw on the report that many villages were in arrears with their reasonable burdens last year, and I need to pay them back. Whether it's money, cloth or food. First of all. Conscript it - it's all useful."
"Yes. I will arrange manpower to rush you." Zhu Fusheng responded quickly. The Guangzhou head office of Dachang Rice Store is also responsible for collecting “reasonable burdens”. Every year, they are responsible for the collection, storage and transportation of reasonable burdens from various places in the Pearl River Estuary.
After Zhu Fusheng exited, Hong Huangnan looked at the long summons list, studied the names on it, and informed the secretary:
"Call Hu Xuefan in first!"
The man who came in was twenty-seven or seventy-eight years old, dark, thin, and dry. He was wearing a "cadre uniform" but had a bun on his head. He walked with a slight limp and looked nondescript.
"Chief." Hu Xuefan had a problem with his legs and feet and couldn't stand upright. He could only try to make his posture look better.
"Xiao Hu, please sit down," Hong Huangnan was very polite to him, casually throwing a cigarette from her special white cigarette to him, "How about it? After being in the countryside for such a long time, your body can still handle it. "
"Chief, what are you talking about? It is my honor to serve the Senate and the people." Hu Xuefan was flattered, took the cigarette, nodded and bowed.
"I won't say any more gossip. Xiao Hu," Hong Huangnan sat down, "tell me about your inspection in the countryside this time."
"Yes, Chief." Hu Xuefan did not dare to smoke in front of the Chief, so he put the cigarette to his ear. Although he now has a decent literary name, he is actually the "umbrella shop Xiao Hu" who worked as a "food clerk" under Chen Minggang, the secretary of Lingaohufang.
After Chen Minggang went on the swing, all the original food deliverymen were hanged except for a few who were extremely angry. The rest were employed in the Grain Recruitment Bureau to give full play to their expertise. A few years down the line. Except for a few who went to Fu Youdi's place indifferently, everyone else became "cadres" of the tax bureau.
"Umbrella Shop Xiao Hu" has the ability to "know numbers". Became a member of the Internal Revenue Service. After the Battle of the Pearl River Estuary, the Executive Committee entrusted the State Administration of Taxation to consolidate the land belonging to the local wealthy gentry who died or escaped during the operation and established the Wanshenghaozhan "tenancy".
Because Hu Xuefan had this skill, he was transferred to Guangdong after the establishment of Wanshenghao Rental Store and became the "master" of the rental store. His job is no different from before: inspecting the rented acres and estimating the approximate yield. As the basic basis for collecting rent from tenants. In addition, he also needs to estimate the approximate output of grain and specialty products in the villages in the Pearl River Estuary that have established a "reasonable burden" system to ensure that the amount of "reasonable burden" collected is appropriate.
He has been working in this position for several years, and it can be said that he knows the conditions of the crops and fields in each village under his jurisdiction very well.
this time. Assigned by Hong Huangnan, he conducted an inspection tour of the counties at the Pearl River Estuary to observe the growth of this year's autumn grains and cash crops, and roughly estimated the yield per mu of crops in various places. These data are one of the important basis for Hong Huangnan's on-site dispatch.
"Chief, I have already written a report on this matter." Hu Xuefan has gone through many trainings and now it is no problem to write reports and fill out forms. "I will report the general situation first."
The conditions in the counties he visited varied. In some counties, the crops were growing very well and it was expected that they would be 100% ripe. Some have suffered natural disasters. Although the harvest will not be wiped out, a significant reduction in production is certain. Excluding natural disasters, the sown area for cash crops this year is larger than last year. Therefore, Guangdong's food shortage will definitely become more serious, especially in some wealthy counties in the Pearl River Delta, which are no longer self-sufficient in food. Mainly due to the Senate: Guangdong is now the Senate's largest supplier of raw materials and sales market. A large amount of import and export trade has stimulated the cultivation of cash crops in various parts of Guangdong.
"... Let's just say that about two-thirds of the fifteen counties in Guangzhou are not self-sufficient in food. They need to be transported from outside."
Hong Huangnan has mixed joys and sorrows. She is happy that it is a cash crop and a source of wealth. Once we win Guangdong, it will be a windfall! The worry is that the top soldiers of the Fubo Army and the cadres of the civil affairs department cannot live by smoking and drinking indigo water. Once the occupation is implemented, in addition to feeding the soldiers, the local people's feeding problem must also be solved.
"It seems that things are still a bit tricky." Hong Huangnan frowned. Hu Xuefan didn't dare to say anything, waiting for the leader's next words.
"Do you see any problems with the reasonable burdens of various places now? I think there were still arrears last year. In addition, renting warehouses to collect rent, is there any potential that can be explored?"
"The problem is of course that there are benefits." Hu Xuefan said quickly, "The main problem is the uneven distribution of suffering and happiness. In some places, the burden is too great. The local liaison officer has been petitioning for a lower level."
This has been going on since he took office. Especially since he is a "knowledgeable person" with great power and the "liaison officer" of each village, he has to come to complain and petition whenever "reasonable burdens" are levied. Liaison officers from some villages also come to give local products gifts from time to time, implying that as long as they can reduce the "burden", they can give a considerable amount of "thank you money". Several times, mulberry paper bags filled with white money were stuffed into his hands. Baskets of lychees and cured fish and chicken were also stuffed with gold bracelets and silver cakes. One time the liaison officer invited him to "drink tea" and simply brought an older girl. He said that as long as he was willing to "accept it", even the house and furniture would be "purchased" by someone.
This kind of good thing has almost happened to the staff of Wanshenghao Rental Inn and Dachang Rice Store, which handles "reasonable burdens". But Xiao Hu didn't dare to be tempted. He had experienced the "Land Clearance" movement in Lingao that year, and later participated in the "Land Clearance" campaign in various counties in Hainan as a "collaborator". He knew very well that the leaders were not only cruel and ruthless but also well-informed. So I didn’t even dare to take more lychees. Every year, a few unlucky people always disappear from rice shops and rental stores. Everyone keeps silent about this, but everyone knows where they have gone.
However, over the past few years, he has developed some "friendship" with the liaison officers of each village. It is true that some villages have heavy burdens. He also reported this matter to the elders of Guangzhou Station who are responsible for managing the rental warehouses. The chief always disagreed. Because the amount of "reasonable burden" for each village actually has the nature of "punishment", those who have resisted or resisted more intensely will have a heavier "reasonable burden". It has some "political meaning".
Seeing that he had an opportunity at this moment, he raised the matter again.
Hong Huangnan didn't say anything, and Hu Xuefan felt more and more funny, and said: "Although these villages were stubbornly resisting the king, it has been a few years. Besides, those who offended Tianwei were all wealthy gentry, and now they are all destroyed. It would be unjustifiable to place this extra burden on ordinary people."
"What you said makes sense, but this matter is not something I can decide." Hong Huangnan said, "Let's not talk about it for now. Is there any potential to be tapped in the rental house?"
The two incomes from "reasonable burden" and "renting warehouse" rent collection can collect about 20,000 taels of various grains in a normal year, in addition to about 20,000 taels of cash crops and cash. This income is Hong Huangnan’s main source of income in this Guangdong strategy. He felt unsatisfied and wanted to tap into his potential.
"To be honest, it's not impossible, but..." Hu Xuefan carefully paused before continuing, "The Wansheng Hao is now divided 50-50 with the tenants. Wansheng also bears the land tax. If this condition were to be replaced by other Zhuangzi, it would be 40-50. It’s sixty percent, and if you want fifty-fifty percent, that’s iron plate renting. If you want to tap the potential, change it to forty-sixth or thirty-seven. As long as there’s no illness or disaster, the tenants can still live - but do this, do this..." He He didn't say anything further.
Hong Huangnan fully understood what he meant: doing so would damage the name of the Senate's benevolence and righteousness.
"I know, I'll think about this again." Hong Huangnan was a little hesitant. He knew that most people in the Senate were very concerned about "reputation" and would probably not agree to such a thing that was harmful to the people. He suddenly asked again: "Do you know the situation in Sanliang City?"
Hu Xuefan's heart thumped and he quickly responded: "I know."
"I read Dachang's report. Sanliang City's reasonable burden is paid in arrears for several months every year. Do you know the specific situation?"
Hu Xuefan nodded: "I know about this. The situation in Sanliang City is different from other places. The biggest income there is mats, and there is no way to collect grain. The reasonable burden is money. I heard people in this industry say: every year, etc. The mats are strawed, dried, and then woven into mats before they can be sold for money. It takes half a year. It is indeed difficult for them to pay on time. "
"I see." Hong Huangnan nodded, "Go ahead."
"Yes, I'm resigning." Hu Xuefan was a little nervous, and even the past expressions came out.
The next person summoned was the "liaison officer" of Sanliang City: Li Cunfa.
Li Cunfa was a small mat dealer who originally lived in Sanliang City relying on the breath of Luo Tianqiu. The local mat business is monopolized by the Luo family. Li Cunfa can only do the lowest level of purchasing work. He is busy buying and sorting out mats and can only sell them to the Luo family's business. His income from working for a year can only make a living for his family. .
After the Australians broke into Sanliang City and massacred the local wealthy gentry, he reconciled with the Taoist monks and stepped in to maintain order and became a "liaison officer." After the Australians withdrew, Li Cunfa became the de facto mayor of the town. In addition to collecting "reasonable burdens" from the whole town on a regular basis every year, he also had to collect food for the Wansheng. He is a prominent figure in the town.
Hearing that a chief wanted to summon him, Li Cunfa muttered secretly that he had not been innocent in the past few years. After Luo Tianqiu fell, he used his status as a "liaison" to collude with the Taoist monk and actually monopolized the mat business in Sanliang City. (To be continued...)
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