Just after January, Du Ruhui received a letter.
He has accepted several retainers in Baling County, and these people will undoubtedly become subordinates of the general manager Hu Cao. Although they have no rank, they still eat the royal food.
Things depend on people. When Du Ruhui left, he was alone, with only two hundred soldiers. He was obviously in urgent need of manpower.
However, the news he brought in his letter really shocked Yang Ming.
At present, Du Ruhui has completed the inventory of the fields in Huarong County, which is Huarong County in Yueyang City, Hunan Province.
The official record of the acres of land in Huarong County is 310 acres, which is 31,000 acres. However, after Du Ruhui's investigation, he found that the actual acres of land in Huarong County did not exceed 200 acres.
This is really off the mark.
Where is Tian? What about the more than 100 acres of land?
Yang Ming hurriedly called Yuan Wendu to discuss.
After reading Du Ruhui's letter, the latter was also shocked:
"How is it possible? The number of acres in various states, counties and counties was inventoried in the ninth year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign, and has been increasing every year since then. How could it be so much less? Did Du Ruhui make a mistake?"
"Make a mistake?" Yang Ming said solemnly: "How could he make a mistake and destroy more than a hundred fields?"
Yuan Wendu also thought it was impossible. This was a hundred acres of land, and more than ten thousand acres of land had disappeared out of thin air?
"The Huarong County Magistrate should be called immediately for questioning."
Yang Ming's face turned ugly and he said, "Send someone now and tie him up for me."
"What about Gao Zhu, the governor of Baling? Do you want him to come too?" Yuan Wendu asked.
Yang Ming said: "No, let's settle the small accounts first, and then settle the general accounts with him."
He was really angry this time. One county lost more than a hundred acres of land, but what about other counties? Are there also false reports?
This is a big deal, a life-threatening matter.
The next afternoon, Huarong County Magistrate Han Fude appeared in the front office of the General Manager's Office. After reading the files, he was shaking like chaff:
"Your Highness, this matter is not your fault."
Yang Ming narrowed his eyes and said, "Tell me the details."
Han Fude cried with a face ashen as death: "When I took office, the amount of acres was like this. I also conducted an inventory and got roughly the same answer as Your Highness, but I dare not say it. If this matter is revealed, If we go up there, my whole family will be in trouble."
"How can it be so much less?" Yang Ming's expression at this time was extremely ugly.
Han Fude said: "Back to Your Highness, in the ninth year of the founding of the Emperor, the Supreme Lord issued an order to survey the land in the world. At that time, Xiao Min, who was the magistrate of Huarong County, reported 280 acres. After that, there were newly cultivated wastelands every year. It has increased to the current 310 qian. I have been the county magistrate for only three years, and the newly cultivated acres I have handled are only 78 qin. They are all actual amounts. Your Highness is aware that I have never lied about a word."
Yang Ming looked at Yuan Wendu with cold eyes, and the latter quickly stood up and explained:
"In the ninth year of the founding of the Emperor, the four seas were unified, and the old Liang and old archives were destroyed by the war, so the Supreme Lord ordered an inventory of the world's fields."
The ninth year of Kaihuang's reign was the second year after the Sui Dynasty destroyed Chen Dynasty.
At that time, Jiu Qi, Jiu Liang, and Jiu Chen were destroyed one after another, and the north and south were unified. Yang Jian ordered an inventory of the number of acres in order to have a clear idea.
However, Yang Jian used the number of acres of land as the primary criterion for inspecting officials. Wherever there were more acres of land, officials there would be promoted, leading to widespread false reporting.
Yang Ming probably knew something about this, but he didn't expect that he would falsely report so much.
Three hundred tilts, a false report of one hundred tilts, which is already one-third.
Yang Ming asked again: "Aside from Huarong County, is this also the case in other places?"
Han Fude said: "This is the case all over Baling."
Oh my god, Yang Ming leaned back unconsciously.
There are a total of 1,300 acres of land in Baling County. If calculated as one-third, that means the actual amount is only 900 acres.
Du Ruhui went to Baling to inspect the fields this time because he discovered that Ba Ling
The actual taxable acres in Ling County are only over 300 acres.
Don't scare me... I can't hold back so much land.
"Give this person to Pei Xizai and let me interrogate him."
.......
Five days later, another person knelt down in the lobby of the General Manager's Mansion. This person was not called by Yang Ming, but by himself.
Gao Zhu, the governor of Baling.
He knew that the Hucao of the General Administration was inspecting the fields in his area. During this period, he also tried to contact Du Ruhui. However, Du Ruhui's answer at the time was: Whatever I did in Baling and who I met, I will report it to Your Highness truthfully. .
At this time, Gao Zu finally gave up the idea.
Now that he heard that Du Ruhui had just left Huarong County, the county magistrate Han Fude was taken away and has not returned yet, so he guessed that something happened.
Rather than being blamed on yourself in the future, it is better to take the initiative to ask for help.
Yang Ming looked at Gao Zhu who was kneeling and lying down, and said in a deep voice: "I will only give you one chance. How many fields are there in Baling County?"
An opportunity...an opportunity...Gao Zu was frightened. He had made a major choice in his life before, and he made the right choice this time.
He gritted his teeth and said bravely:
"I have reported with great pains, that there are only acres of land in Baling County, less than 700 acres."
Hearing this, Yuan Wendu couldn't help but stumbled and fell down on his chair, stunned.
Seven hundred tilts...a half false report? My father also served as the general manager of Jiangling. Does he know that?
Yang Ming said coldly: "You were appointed as the prefect of Baling in the 14th year of the founding of the Emperor. At that time, the King of Han was in charge of Jingzhou. Why didn't you report it?"
"I don't dare," Gao Zhu raised his head with a mournful expression on his face: "In the Sui Dynasty, officials were evaluated based on acres of land. If I report this, I will definitely be convicted. At the least, I will be exiled, and at most, I will be executed."
Yang Ming is really helpless. If Baling County is in this situation, other places in Jingzhou will not be able to escape either.
In the final analysis, Yang Jian was at fault, and the emperor would never admit his mistakes. Therefore, no one in the subsequent officials dared to report the actual amount of acres, because this would be a slap in Yang Jian's face and would also offend his predecessor.
If Yang Ming was put in Gao Zu's position, he would not dare to tell the truth.
Officialdom, officialdom, is such a terrible place. Layers of false reports are leveled, but in the end they still have to fall on the heads of the common people.
With 700 acres of land and 1,300 acres of tax, the people were miserable.
At this time, Yang Ming felt a deep sense of powerlessness. Just as Gao Zu said before leaving, this matter cannot be exposed. Once exposed, the world will immediately be in chaos.
"You are also a reader of sages. Please tell me what I, the king, should do next in this matter."
Only Yang Ming and Yuan Wendu were left in the lobby. They had been sitting here for two hours after Gao Zu left.
Yuan Wendu sighed: "If this is the case in other states and counties, we can no longer investigate this matter, or something big will happen."
"No investigation?" Yang Ming frowned and said, "You mean, the people will continue to bear double or even triple the taxes?"
Yuan Wendu said: "This is also a helpless move. We really need to find out. If the taxes cannot be collected, His Highness will be punished."
"You are the chief historian of this king, and you have the position of counselor. You should find a way to solve it instead of avoiding it." Yang Ming suddenly stood up and said, "You know I care about the people. If you can't think of a solution, you can go back to Daxing." Well, I don’t raise idlers here.”
"I am aware of my guilt," Yuan Wendu quickly stood up and watched Yang Ming leave.
...
"I have no appetite, please take it all away." Yang Ming returned to the dormitory and ordered Nuan Dong to take away the food.
And he sat on the chair, closing his eyes and saying nothing.
After an unknown amount of time, Pei Shuying came in and found that Yang Ming had already fallen asleep, so she took the blanket from Nuan Dong, carefully covered Yang Ming, and then whispered to Nuan Dong:
"You go down, I'm here."
Nuan Dong nodded, tiptoed away, and gently closed the door.
Pei Shuying moved the stove in front of Yang Ming, then pulled a small bench and sat beside the fire, holding her chin and looking at Yang Ming.
He seemed tired and in a bad mood.
At this time, Yang Ming's arm suddenly poked out from the blanket. Pei Shuying saw this and subconsciously stretched out her hand to grab it:
"you're awake?"
Yang Ming said calmly: "I haven't fallen asleep to begin with. Go and call Pei Xizai. I have something to ask him."
"Um,"
Pei Shuying nodded heavily, stood up and was about to walk out, but found that Yang Ming did not let go.
Yang Ming smiled and said: "I thought you would say: It's so late, so don't deal with official business anymore."
Pei Shuying smiled and shook her head: "My grandfather often said that things have priorities. Some things must be done now."
"Pei Gong is truly the pillar of the country," Yang Ming let go of Pei Shuying's hand, and the latter left like a gust of wind.
After a while, Pei Xizai came. Since it was Yang Ming's dormitory, he didn't dare to look around. After sitting down, he lowered his head and waited for questions.
Yang Ming said to Pei Shuying, "Cook a bowl of tea for your uncle. I'm a little thirsty too."
Pei Shuying nodded and went outside to make tea.
"What did Han Fude say?" Yang Ming asked.
Pei Xizai stated one by one the answers he had received during Han Fude's interrogation over the past few days.
Yang Ming pondered for a long time and then said, "What do you think about this matter?"
Pei Xizai raised his head and said solemnly: "This matter has shaken the foundation of the country and cannot be pursued any further."
"Is there a solution?" Yang Ming asked.
Pei Xizai said: "The only solution is to reduce the number of acres of land owned by aristocratic families and increase the number of acres owned by common people. Otherwise, such a heavy endowment will not last long, and big things will happen in the future."
"A lot of people will die with this method of yours," Yang Ming said with a smile. At this moment, Pei Shuying brought tea over, and Yang Ming motioned to give it to Pei Xizai first.
This is a kind of reward, rewarding the other party for being willing to consider the people, which is better than Yuan Wendu.
Pei Xizai stood up quickly: "I can't."
Pei Shuying said with a smile: "Uncle, if you are not afraid of burning me, don't answer it."
"It's just a bowl of tea, take it," Yang Ming said, and the latter took it with both hands.
Pei Shuying blew on her hot hands, then hid outside and sat down, lowering her head and saying nothing.
Yang Ming smiled and waved to her: "I didn't ask you to avoid suspicion, so why stay away?"
Pei Shuying smiled and refused: "Women don't discuss important matters."
Good education, Yang Ming withdrew his gaze and said to Pei Xizai:
"I very much agree with your method. Reducing the family's land will not only cause little resistance, but also offend many people. Those who are not courageous cannot move forward headlong. Are you worthy of my trust in this matter?"
Pei Xizai stood up and said seriously: "A scholar dies for a confidant, and I will live up to His Highness's trust."
Yang Ming nodded and said:
"I have another message for you: Those who want to achieve great things must dare to be the first in the world."
