Zhao Mengqi admired Jiang Wanli very much and went to meet him after changing his clothes neatly.
The two sides greeted each other and took their seats.
Only then could Zhao Mengqi take a closer look at Jiang Wanli's appearance.
Jiang Wanli was three years younger than Wu Qian. He was now in his mid-fifties. His beard and hair were already graying, he had thick eyebrows and a square face, his eyes were elegant and peaceful, his posture was upright and upright, and he was full of energy.
For people in the officialdom, the age of forty or fifty is the prime of life, when they should make great achievements and realize their ideals and ambitions. However, because of his upright nature and uprightness, he was jealous and framed by villains, so he wasted nearly ten years. .
If ordinary people encounter such a blow, they will either become depressed and depressed, or they will be full of resentment and perverse temperament.
But in Jiang Wanli, Zhao Mengqi felt as mellow and calm as old wine.
"I originally thought that this comeback was due to Lu Dexing's righteous defense and recommendation. After meeting him, I realized that it was His Highness' kindness. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you."
Jiang Wanli stood up, clasped his hands and bowed, but his face was calm, neither humble nor arrogant.
"There is no need to be polite or thank you. A servant is someone who has both ability and political integrity. He respects wise ministers and capable men. It is the fault of the court to abandon them. I am just making a slight correction, which is not a kindness." Zhao Mengqi waved his hand. , not taking credit, "Besides, many people may become officials for the sake of glory and wealth, but I know that the imperial minister is not like this, but cares about the country and the people, and serves the people sincerely. In fact, I should be the one to thank the imperial minister on behalf of the Song Dynasty. The hard work of the emperor brings great rewards."
"Your Highness has given you the award, but I am too embarrassed to deserve it." Jiang Wanli slowly sat back and directly asked about the business, "I don't know why Your Highness summoned so many Tai students here. I am stupid, so please make it clear to Your Highness."
In his opinion, the task of a Taipei student is to study, but to be transferred to another place when autumn comes, it is really a bit unprofessional.
He himself was also a student from the Imperial College, and he was elected because of his excellent academic performance. He had a special affection for the Imperial College students. He also thought that it was for this reason that the imperial court asked him to lead these Imperial College students.
If Zhao Mengqi could not give any legitimate reason, he would appeal to the court and let the students return to Taixue.
Since Jiang Wanli asked so directly, Zhao Mengqi also got straight to the point, "Now the imperial court's finances are becoming more and more difficult. In addition to the increasing expenditure on military equipment, the main reason is the depletion of tax sources. The imperial court cannot collect taxes, but the burden on the common people is getting higher and higher. It’s getting heavier and heavier, so where are the tax revenues lost?”
This question was a bit beyond Jiang Wanli's expectations, but he didn't think much about it and said bluntly, "It's nothing more than powerful people hiding their property and passing taxes on to the people."
"That's right, Hidden Field has always been a stubborn problem for the country, so I plan to re-clear the Jingjiang realm in Pingjiang Mansion, and I also intend to let you take charge of this matter. I wonder if you dare to take on this important task?"
Zhao Mengqi's eyes were as bright as a torch and he looked at Jiang Wanli seriously.
Originally, in terms of prestige and official position, it was more appropriate for Wu Qian to preside over the economic sector. However, after Zhao Mengqi considered it, he decided to let him concentrate on water conservancy management while he would choose someone to preside over the economic sector.
According to the boundary law, for ordinary people with less land, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Although clearing the land will inevitably disturb the people and affect production, after the clearing is completed, the property rights will be clear, disputes can be effectively avoided, and the land taxes will be equalized. Bear reasonable and legal taxes.
But this situation is certainly unfavorable for families with a large amount of land. In order to protect their illegal interests, they will find ways to oppose and obstruct the implementation of the boundary law.
On the one hand, they will use their influence to spread rumors among the people and distort the nature of the economic community. They will also use the power of the DPRK and China, or directly go to Lin'an to complain and create public opinion that is unfavorable to the economic community.
On the other hand, they will collude with the officials who enforce the law, work for women, falsely report the number of acres and lower the quality of the land. These hidden taxes will inevitably be transferred to the heads of middle and lower households, which in turn aggravates the common people's suffering. burden.
Normally, when the court implements consistent policies, it must be carefully considered and must be beneficial to the country and the people before it can be enacted.
It is obviously a good policy, but in the hands of some crooked monks, it changes and becomes a great harm to the country and the people. This kind of thing has happened all over the world in ancient and modern times.
Therefore, this
The person who presides over the implementation is very important. He must have a good character, strong ability, and dare to confront the powerful.
After much deliberation, Zhao Mengqi chose Jiang Wanli.
"Let me preside over it?" Jiang Wanli was stunned, "Given my seniority and position, I'm afraid I can't hold down those prominent families."
This is not an excuse on his part. In an era when the average yield per unit area was less than one stone or two stone, the Taihu Lake Basin had an output of more than three stone per unit, so it naturally became the richest region in the Song Dynasty.
The atmosphere of the Song Dynasty was that everything was low-grade, except for high-quality education. These wealthy places concentrated the best educational resources, and more people passed the imperial examination and became officials, accounting for a large proportion of the court officials.
In addition, many dignitaries and dignitaries have also purchased land in these high-yield places. Once these people unite and erupt into opposition, the emperor may have to think twice before taking action.
"Don't worry, what I mean is that I will be the leader in name, and you will be responsible for the specific implementation. I will handle the pressure. I promise you, as long as I don't fall, they will never be able to touch you!"
Jiang Wanli heard murderous intent in King Yan's decisive words, and his heart trembled, "Your Highness has made up his mind and will never back down?"
"Unless I die, I will never move forward!" Zhao Mengqi vowed.
"In this case, I accept this responsibility and am willing to issue a military order!"
Jiang Wanli is a person who dares to do things. He also supports the law of the world in his heart. He is not afraid of offending others. What he is worried about is some pressure that he cannot resist. Since King Yan is willing to risk his life, he naturally Without hesitation.
Zhao Mengqi knew that he would not misjudge the person, "This matter will be kept secret for the time being. Tomorrow I will send troops to seal the tax records of the states and counties in Pingjiang Prefecture and Jiaxing Prefecture, and select a thousand people from the Eastern Guard to fight with A mixture of Tai students will form a Qingzhang working group. In addition, I will draw troops from various armies to form a law enforcement team of 5,000 people..."
The picture is a fish scale diagram, which depicts all kinds of details, ranging from mountains and roads to households and fields. The book is a base book, set up by household, indicating the shape and location of the fields, the four steps of the acres, and the reasons for the production. The two together are the property rights certificate and the basis for paying taxes.
Seal it first to prevent anyone from tampering with the information after getting it, and use this as a clue to be targeted when implementing the Qingzhang Jingjie.
Seeing that King Yan had such thoughtful ideas and acted resolutely, Jiang Wanli became more confident.
