Zhang and Bai didn't want to alarm others, so they just started from the stairs of the gatehouse and went to the top of the building. The only alarmed person in the middle was Zhou Xingfan, who was about to go downstairs to leave. But when the latter saw the two of them, he felt even more guilty and almost fell down the stairs.
Walking up to the roof of the gatehouse, the snowflakes outside were actually not that big at this time, just a little dense. When the two of them reached the top, they looked around and saw nothing but white scenery on all sides. Even when Mr. Zhou turned out of the side door and beat his horse, the marks of the horse's hooves were still black - there were too many people walking on the main road in front of the palace gate in the afternoon, not to mention the snow, and it was too muddy and slippery. , and then the snow that fell overnight only covered the surface, and as soon as the people and horses passed by, the dark soup was easily exposed.
It is conceivable that when the ice freezes tomorrow morning, the road will only be more difficult.
"Is he going back to report?" Bai Yousi looked at Mr. Zhou, who was looking a little embarrassed on the road, with a hint of teasing. . "You didn't say anything before, was it because he was here?"
Zhang Xing nodded and shook his head again: "I know what the inspection wants to ask, but there is nothing wrong with the statement that everyone discussed in the evening..."
"I know." Bai Yousi said while looking at the snowflakes flying in the sky. "But you must promise me that you want me to know the basics of this matter and make my own decision."
"That's natural. That's what I'm talking about tonight." Zhang Xing responded seriously. "It's just the fundamentals of this matter... It may only take two or three sentences to talk about, but it is of great importance, so I want to talk about it slowly... Moreover, even if I talk about the fundamentals, it is also layered, just like at night What everyone said is actually a layer of truth and foundation. At least it explains the case itself thoroughly."
"So, I came out with you." Bai Yousi shook his head and smiled. "Are you going somewhere to talk about the lower level? Are you going to the riverside or above the river?"
Zhang Xing did not respond. Instead, he took out a small jar of wine from his pocket and handed it to the other party: "Inspection inspection, have you been to Jiangdong before?"
Bai Yousi took the wine jar, tore open the cover and shook his head slightly.
"The inspector is one or two years older than me." Zhang Xing looked around and continued. "In addition to doing inspections all the way in Jing'an Taiwan, I think you must have been in Taichung for many years, right?"
"Yes, I'm one or two years older than you." Bai Yousi glanced at the other person and said in a bad tone. "The official position is higher than yours, otherwise how could I promote you?"
"I mean, where have you been during field inspections?" Zhang Xing heard something bad and quickly told the truth.
"There are more around Guanlong and Dongdu. I have been to Taiyuan and Yanmen in the north twice, once to Yedu in Hebei, once to Bashu, once to the east, and three to five times to the northwest border. You know, a few years ago When I first entered Taichung, it was when the imperial court was trying to recruit surrender and split the shamans." Bai Yousi answered calmly. "Before I entered Jingantai, I traveled frequently to Nanyang and even went to Xiangyang once."
"So, for field missions, you haven't been to Jiangdong, Jiangxi and Bashu before?"
"Didn't you say that?"
"This is very wrong." Zhang Xing shook his head. "Because there are more than a hundred states and counties in the south, many of which are large and wealthy, and the Han River opened up by Emperor Bai is there. From the east to the west, the road is actually smooth. We can go all the way down here. How many days did it take? It's not Nanling, it's really far away. But why do the field patrol teams of the imperial court specially responsible for inspecting places come less often? In comparison, it is the northwest border and Yanmen, where the roads and environment are obviously more difficult. Hard work... As I remember well, the desert on the northwest border and the bitter sea to the north of Yanmen are obstacles that the Sin Dragon of the Wu Clan came down to protect the Wu Clan. How could it be possible to feel so comfortable in that kind of place, but go there so many times? Is it just Something happens in the north, but nothing happens in the south?"
"Indeed." Bai Yousi held the wine jar thoughtfully.
"The truth is actually very simple." Zhang Xing stretched out his hand, grabbed the cold and snow-covered railing, and sighed while looking at Jiangdu City in front of him. "The geographical barriers and oppression in the Wei Dynasty were too heavy. Although there were extenuating circumstances and there were reasons, it was still too heavy... And it was not just geographical, but also the economic, cultural, and political discrimination caused by regional issues... Southerners It is impossible to gain a foothold in the Eastern Capital. This is not only a matter of officialdom, nor can it be done by promoting a few southern ministers and ministers. Correspondingly, the nobles of the Eastern Capital rarely see the South in their eyes. They only regard the South as being conquered. As long as the grain and cloth are sent there every year, as long as there is no rebellion, we don't bother to care."
Bai Yousi nodded.
"There is something wrong with what the Wei Dynasty did." Zhang Xing responded with a sigh. "When I was in Dongdu before, I had vaguely noticed that the city was like a barrier, and Luo water was flowing north and south...
"Dignitaries and dignitaries gathered around the palace and key government offices were located in the north of Luoshui River; wealthy officials, businessmen, and middle-class families with a little bit of property all settled on the south bank of Luoshui River; and then the further south they got, the poorer they became. When they reached Nancheng, they basically sold The desperate poor...
"And what's even more terrifying is that the poor come to the city to work, but they often end up in Luoshui. The servants of the dignitaries north of Luoshui are better off than ordinary people; and the servants of the dignitaries north of Luoshui In daily life and work, few people go beyond Wenwenfang and Nanshi. To them, Nanbianfang is just a name and a number...
“This capital is clearly telling everyone that the circulation between the top, bottom, left, right and inside of this country is extremely poor. The top does not look at the bottom, the north does not look at the south, and the inside does not look at the outside.
"And this principle is the same when it comes to the entire country. It is obviously one country, but it doesn't look like one. The east and west are enemies, the north and the south are hatred. However, no matter north, south, west or east, the people above do not regard the people below as human beings. look."
Bai Yousi stared at the other person blankly, speechless for a moment.
Zhang Xing turned to look at the other party: "What do you think of the inspection? Am I right?"
"Yes." Bai Yousi said yes, but shook his head. "You opened up something I've always wanted to say... That's it. After I entered the Danden Realm, I often flew around Dongdu City at night. I met a lot of people and things. I have read all kinds of things, and I always feel that there is some context, but no one has ever given me a clear explanation... When you say this, many things can be answered by many people."
Zhang Xing remained silent. He just felt that he still couldn't control himself and said too much.
Bai Yousi raised his hand, raised his head and drank a sip of wine, making a gesture to hand it over, but Zhang Xing waved his hand: "You can do the inspection yourself. I'd better be sober tonight, otherwise I will be long-winded and lose the point, and point out You may lose too much words.”
"So what if I lose it?" Bai Yousi sneered, held the wine jar, and looked around. "That's it. Are you leaving? Where are we going?"
"Go to the True Fire Temple in the south of the city, the one with the radish cellar in the backyard." Zhang Xing finally spoke. "When we get to the place, the patrol inspector drinks. I will accompany the patrol inspector for a carrot."
Bai Yousi's smile grew brighter, but he tied the long sword in his waist, then held the wine jar with one hand, and suddenly reached out to grab Zhang Xing's shoulder with the other. With just a slight jump, he floated down from the city gate tower. .
The two of them landed. One had long hair and was dressed in white as snow. The other had his hands folded and a hat on. They were walking hurriedly towards the south of the city.
Compared with Dongdu City, Jiangdu City is certainly not big, but neither of them used their true energy to run wildly. Instead, they left some room and accelerated slightly. Bai Yousi didn't even fly.
They waited until they arrived at the South City Gate before borrowing Bai Yousi's cultivation for the second time and gently floating over.
After leaving the city, the outside of the city was already completely white. Only the river in the distance was like a black belt stretching across the sky and the earth, which made people daydream. However, there was no time to observe the scenery. As soon as the two of them left the city, they followed Zhang Xing's instructions and headed outside the city. The real fire by the river looked away.
The real fire lasted all night and was very easy to distinguish at night. After the two arrived, they did not go to watch the fire. Instead, they followed Zhang Xing's instructions and landed in the backyard vegetable garden.
"Say it beforehand."
Zhang Xing responded in a low voice. "When I leave the vegetable garden, I will definitely explain the next layer of this incident to the inspection...so, before that, please don't spoil the interest of the inspection."
Having said this, Zhang Xing turned around and opened the cellar next to the vegetable field without any scruples. He skillfully stole a radish from inside, peeled off the skin, and then turned over and sat on the courtyard wall.
Bai Yousi stood on the wall, watching with interest: "I also want to eat a carrot."
Zhang Xing nodded and immediately served Shangguan. He turned over and got into the cellar again, then stole a second radish and even peeled it for him.
Bai Yousi took it, bent down and sat on the wall, first raised the wine jar, drank a sliver of wine, and then imitated the other person, opening his mouth and seeing a large piece of radish, but it was so spicy that tears came out.
Zhang Xing laughed and said nothing.
Bai Yousi regained his composure and shook his head again: "No, Zhang Xing, you have to steal the carrot for me, and I have to reciprocate. Wait a minute, I just smelled the fragrance..."
With that said, the female inspector put down the wine jar, then stood up and left. Almost immediately, she turned back with a blooming light yellow wintersweet in her hand, and then she put it directly on the opponent's mink hat. Insert it up.
Zhang Xing was stunned for a moment, but he couldn't help but didn't move and allowed the other party to get in.
After finishing the arrangement, he smiled bitterly: "I remember Qin Bao had arranged flowers before. Is it really a custom?"
"It's your custom in the North." The female inspector smiled half-heartedly. "You still come to ask me."
Zhang Xing shook his head and swept the wintersweet branches across the snowflakes.
The sky and the earth are vast, the snowflakes are lightly fluttering, and they are lonely for thousands of miles. The two of them are sitting side by side on the wall. Although they have agreed to talk about some serious topics, for some reason, the two of them remain silent for a long time, and neither one is willing to speak first without permission.
After a pause, the two of them still did not speak. Suddenly, on a house twenty or thirty steps away, a snowflake on the roof suddenly slipped and fell to the ground.
And at this time, a baby woke up crying in the house.
Then, the two people heard clearly that after the baby cried, the girl was obviously woken up by the baby, and she started to coax the baby again: "Don't make trouble, don't make trouble, if you make trouble again, the golden dog will come to catch you."
The two of them heard it funny, but they were afraid of completely waking up the female crown, so they both covered their mouths with carrots.
After finally waiting for Nu Guan to fall asleep again, the two of them gnawed carrots and regained their clarity.
After a long pause, Zhang Xing took the lead and spoke in a low voice: "Inspection inspection, do you know how many babies are raised in the Zhenhuo Guan Nursery?"
Bai Yousi pricked up his ears and closed his eyes for a moment: "Twenty-seven people, big and small."
"Absolutely." Zhang Xing nodded in response. "But this is a loophole... According to the truth, there is no end to the abandoned babies. If the rebels of the True Fire Sect took the food and distributed enough, why are there only twenty-seven babies in this temple? Why don’t you raise more?”
Bai Yousi wanted to speak but stopped.
"Also, who said tonight that the rebels in the south of the Yangtze River have received food and can even provide relief to their families... In the land of fish and rice in the south of the Yangtze River, why should food for a few pennies a dou be used for relief?" Zhang Xing continued to come. ask. "Not only that, why did the rebellion not steal some armor and weapons from the palace when they needed food? What's even more ridiculous is that several rebellions were suppressed so quickly, and the imperial court had heavy troops stationed in Jiangdu and Xiangyang. These have already been The True Fire Sect, which has begun to take the upper-level line and is about to be divided within its ranks, really dares to rebel? As for the stolen food that can be uniformly distributed to more than ten or twenty counties, it is even more ridiculous. The True Fire Sect really has this ability, how can it still be done? Will the rebellion fail in ten years? Or should we treat several riverside stewards as fools?"
Bai Yousi remained silent, knowing that Zhang Xing would give the answer.
"The answer is very simple." Zhang Xing answered seriously. "Inspection, the food shortage in Jiangdong is actually very serious... There is not much food in the land of plenty."
"Impossible." Bai Yousi blurted out. "Every year, countless grains are delivered to the Luokou warehouse. You say corruption, corvee labor disturbs the people, and the division between the north and the south. I believe it all, but how can there be a shortage of food?"
"I don't believe it either." Zhang Xing replied with a sigh. "No one who has lived in Dongdu will believe it... But until I saw an old document, learned how the food in the palace came from, and followed the clues, I didn't dare not believe it."
"What document and how did it come about?" Bai Yousi asked in a low voice.
"The document is an old document. It is the conveyance of the saint's decree when he established the five-capital system after he ascended the throne and moved the capital. It requires the seven counties near Jiangdu in the Jiangdong region to deliver 10% of the annual autumn grain to Jiangdu Palace on the spot to enrich local storage... ...Then, within seven or eight years, the warehouse overflowed and transshipment stopped... That was when Eunuch Zhao became the governor of Jiangdu Palace, and he is now, another five or six years have passed." Zhang Xing recounted calmly. "What did the inspection think of?"
"This year, several counties in Jiangdu suddenly lost 10% of their autumn grain. I sent a letter to ask. They said that the rain was delayed and the transshipment was not available. They had to wait until spring to deliver it together... You go to Jiangdong to urge you." Bai Yousi said. He repeated it expressionlessly. "You are saying that Duke Zhao is a good man or a weak person. After he took over, he either took the initiative or was coerced to release the food in the palace and let the officials of the seven counties take away the food. , used as autumn food for business purposes, and then the food in the palace was empty this year, attracting us to come over...so...but..."
At the end, Bai Yousi was obviously in disbelief, but he didn't know where to refute, so that such a smart person became incoherent.
"The numbers are so coincidental, and they also explain why many people in Jiangdu's official circles, including Duke Zhou, have such ambiguous attitudes, and the case is completely clear." Zhang Xing talked eloquently. "But there is still a huge problem, and that is why Duke Zhao and the officials of the seven counties were willing to take such a big risk to do this, even if the True Fire Cult was used as the black hand... This is back to the beginning. The problem is, because Jiangdong is really short of food, adding that 10% of autumn food is likely to cause famine or even large-scale rebellion."
"That's the truth, but I still don't understand why there is a shortage of food?" Bai Yousi was a little angry.
In the neighboring room, a child was already crying again, but Nu Guan was obviously alert but did not dare to coax her any more.
"Please take the inspector to Jiangxin Island." Zhang Xing stood up without saying a word.
Bai Yousi stared at the other party. He did not touch the wine jar or carrots, but grabbed the other party. He jumped in the air and floated towards the river ahead like a stream of light in the snowy night. He flew to the center of the river. There was a person here. There are several villages and a market on the huge Jiangxin Island.
"It's over there, in the village below, next to the house at the head of the village." Zhang Xing was obviously prepared, so he shook his finger. "There's a tree ahead."
Bai Yousi was already impatient, and flew down here like a vigorous crane, throwing down his capable subordinate, and then he couldn't rush him:
"Stop being so pretentious and tell me."
Zhang Xing ignored it, but stood under the tree, pointed to the open space in front of the tree, and said seriously again: "The matter is very important. Please inspect and measure the size of this land. From this tree to that tree, There are ridges on all sides, so it’s easy to measure..."
Bai Yousi glanced at the other party blankly, but still walked over and used the long sword. Like a magic trick, he used his true energy in the air to make the long sword roll quickly for measurement, and then gave the answer after just a moment: "I The sword is exactly four feet long, and the land is less than three acres..."
Zhang Xing nodded and stared at the other party with a smile under the tree:
"Inspection, you always want to find out the foundation, and this is the foundation of the foundation."
"What?" Bai Yousi breathed heavily, as if he was avoiding something. "What basis?"
"The basis of this case is, why is there a shortage of food in Jiangdong?" Zhang Xingcong responded calmly. "Including the root of another problem that has troubled people all over the world for many years, that is, why did the late emperor not become a dragon? Is it just because he usurped the throne?
Also, for example, why did Yang Shen dare to rebel? Why did he and many people, including smart people like Li Shu, think he could succeed?
Also, why do I, a country person, always feel that the Wei Dynasty is too unconventional since I entered the Eastern Capital? Sometimes it feels like the beginning of a new dynasty, and sometimes it feels like the end of the dynasty?
Even if a tyrant like Xu Dalang from the east must be an enemy of the imperial court? The roots of all kinds of problems lie under your feet and sword. "
Bai Yousi was stunned for a long time and suddenly looked at the snow under her feet. The next moment, she was stunned as she heard a word in her ear.
"This piece of land, which is less than three acres, was clearly measured in the official register when the late emperor was in power. It is ten acres." Zhang Xing answered seriously.
"Impossible!" Bai Yousi immediately retorted after coming back to his senses.
"That's not all. There are five people in the family behind, three generations of ancestors and grandsons. As soon as the son came of age, he was recognized as two families...According to the meager tax set by the late emperor, his family's harvest must be 50%. It is used to pay taxes. I have asked Brother Hu and Qin Erlang. This number is 35% in the East and Hebei, and 20% in Guanlong." Zhang Xing continued. "The reason for this is related to the order in which the former emperor destroyed Dong Qi and Nan Chen. After the former emperor destroyed Dong Qi and Nan Chen, they each emphasized one thing again and again... that is to require the local officials of each state and county Inspect the land and check the household registration, and no powerful family members are allowed to hide anything. If anyone cannot do this, his home will be confiscated immediately and his head will be executed."
"You are saying that because they were far away, the late emperor was suspicious and could not check, so he forced too much. The officials below could only exaggerate according to his wishes, and in the end they had to pay taxes several times the actual acres. This is too ridiculous. Oh..." Bai Yousi laughed a little angrily. "Why didn't any loyal minister tell the late emperor?"
"Did the late emperor really not know?" Zhang Xing responded jokingly. "This year, the Central Plains was hit by war. The prince of Nanya sealed off the prefectures and counties, but did not provide relief. It looked like something skillful. Where do you think the political tradition came from? And I was in Jing'an Terrace, and I clearly saw that in the late years of the late emperor, It became more and more harsh, and even laws were enacted to steal a penny from an official's warehouse, kill a person from a dou of grain, and ransack the house... So much so that some masters of Chengdan couldn't stand it, stopped the court documents, and asked the late emperor, since ancient times, has any court ever killed people for a penny? ?”
"Why didn't you force him to rebel..." Bai Yousi continued to question, but he stopped abruptly after only half a sentence.
"Here in Jiangdong, we destroyed a country first. We killed so many people and lost all our elites that we didn't even have a grandmaster in Jiangdong." Zhang Xing shook his head in reply. "But even so, it still caused huge turmoil in the late emperor's later years. Otherwise, how could Yang Bin, who had done nothing wrong, take the opportunity to gain prestige in the southeast? But Yang Bin only kept his word and marched in a measured manner. Did he not kill people? And now , how many years ago, there is actually a group of losers from the True Fire Sect who are using the banner of rebellion to easily win the hearts of the people, but they live in harmony with the government? Also, why are the people of Jiangdong so scared when they see us? "
Under the snowflakes, Bai Yousi took a long breath, unable to catch his breath for half a day.
But Zhang Xing still closed his hands and continued: "Because I'm afraid of being killed and I've killed everyone, I don't dare to rebel. Otherwise, I'll die... Inspection, the matter is that simple, what do you want to do?"
PS: Thank you to the new alliance leader Jiang Jiang Jiang Defu... This chapter is difficult to divide, so it is late, and to be honest, it may not be available tonight, everyone forgives me.
