"When the Qin people attacked Shangdang, Governor Feng Ting led us to resist the Qin people, collected everyone's food for centralized management, and let us women participate in defending the city. We had no complaints. As long as the Qin people could be driven out, all these would be It's worth it. If the Qin people continue to attack Shangdang next time, we will still take all the food to defend the city." Zhong's wife hugged the child and whispered.
The war between the Three Jin Dynasties and the Qin Kingdom lasted for hundreds of years. Our ancestors have been fighting against the Qin people for generations. In recent years, it has become more and more intense. Almost every household has had relatives die at the hands of the Qin people.
South Korea was weak and bullied by Qin, and the people's hatred for the Qin people could not be overcome.
Under Feng Ting's organization, they would rather stick to Shangdang and give Shangdang to Zhao than surrender to Qin.
Perhaps in their hearts, Han, Zhao and Wei are one family, and Qin is just an enemy, or they may be nostalgic for the hegemonic Jin period hundreds of years ago.
"A few years ago, Governor Feng Ting came to Shangdang and told the villagers that South Korea ceded Shangdang to Qin. The villagers did not hesitate at all. If South Korea did not send troops, we would fight on our own. Even if we died, we could not surrender to Qin. . Fortunately, with the help of the king and General Lian Po, Qin was defeated."
"If Qin invades again, if nothing else, my more than 100 pounds will definitely go to the battlefield. I dared to fight back then, but now even if I die in the battle, my wife and children can get pensions and raise their children. , there is nothing to worry about." Zhong said, patting his chest.
"Is that what everyone thinks?" Zhao Kuo was silent for a long time. He did not expect that the people in the Shangdang area had such deep hatred for Qin. This was something he had never encountered when he inspected other places.
"I don't know about anything else. Anyway, as long as I give the order, all the adult men in our group will follow me to the battlefield." Zhong Yi said with a proud face.
"..."
The whole place is actually full of militants!
"I heard that the imperial court promised not to raise taxes. If any county or county raises taxes or assigns more labor, you can report it to the imperial court through the township school. If you know someone who is a soldier in the army, you can also contact the military from the military. Report it, or go directly to Handan and beat the drum, and the king will personally investigate the matter." Zhao Kuo said.
Things like taxes can only be reduced, not added.
Perhaps the people would not complain if the tax was reduced a little. Many people, like Zhong, had already expected it and were already waiting for the court to increase taxes.
But Zhao Kuo knew very well that this hole must not be opened.
The scary thing is not the small amount of taxes added, but once some things are opened, and the higher authorities have tasted the sweetness, and find that the people can bear the new taxes, and the complaints are not too big, they will start to test the people step by step. Bottom line.
At the same time, the officials below will also add fuel to the flames.
As long as the court does not issue an order to increase taxes, the officials below will not dare to increase taxes privately anyway. At most, they will collect large amounts of tax when collecting taxes, and report small amounts to the court, or deliberately kick the dendrobium on the top of the grain pile. , causing the grain to be spread out, euphemistically called loss, but actually stolen.
The first situation is no longer possible in the State of Zhao. After the unification of weights and measures, as long as anyone is found not to follow the standards, they will be sent to the border, and those in serious cases will be sent to Yingzhou.
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The latter kind of Zhao State was unable to achieve strong supervision. It was impossible for every township and county to collect taxes. The court sent people to watch, and there was no way to guarantee whether the officials sent there had colluded with them.
As for expecting the common people to report the matter, it is unrealistic. Since ancient times, the common people have not fought with the officials. They will not choose to fight with the officials until they are forced to have no choice but to have no other choice.
Usually when something like this happens, people have already put their personal life and death aside.
In fact, these two situations are relatively good. The amount of money and food that can be embezzled is limited, so that the people will not be unable to survive.
What really overwhelmed the people was the imperial court's repeated tax increases. Maybe the increases were not much, but this was no longer the case after reaching the lower levels.
Every time the court increases taxes, it is a gluttonous feast for officials at all levels.
Even if the imperial court did not increase taxes, they would not dare to increase them. But as long as the imperial court raises taxes, they dare to increase them severely.
The people didn't know that most of the money went into the pockets of the officials. They only knew to curse the king and the court.
Of course, they were not wrong in criticizing, maybe the monarch and the court did not intend this. But as a king, he cannot govern the country or appoint talents. As a minister of the court, he cannot assist the king and bring peace to the people. This is inherently wrong.
Zhao Guo's official administration was relatively good. Zhao Kuo secretly walked through some places and did not notice such things happening. Liu Ping and Zhao Sheng also did not report such things.
In fact, except for some shortcomings of the times, the official governance of various countries during this period was not bad.
The Warring States Period was different from the unified dynasties that followed. Each country had several powerful enemies around it. No one wanted to be a slave to the country's subjugation. Even if they were greedy, they would restrain themselves.
Moreover, there are still many true gentlemen in this era, who can truly be greedy and even sacrifice themselves for others.
Zhao Kuo once met a county magistrate. He never wore silk clothes. He only wore Geyi or linen clothes knitted by his wife. He only had to eat enough to satisfy him. He never cared about the quality of the food. He used all his monthly salary except for family expenses. To help the poor people who live in extreme poverty.
If you say it's for profit, he won't get any benefit.
You have to say that for the sake of reputation, when he was promoted, he took his family and drove an ox cart to secretly leave the county that he had governed for nearly ten years without telling any of the people.
You have to say that in order to win people's hearts like Tian Chen's family and pursue the foundation of the country, it is impossible for a person to have a small family and only pass down the family for several generations.
Zhao Kuo once asked him why, and the magistrate only answered in six words: for a clear conscience.
After the unification, there were no competitors, and everyone began to act unscrupulously, testing the bottom line of the people at the bottom step by step.
When the temptation comes out, the dynasty will come to an end.
Even though the official administration of Zhao State was good, Zhao Kuo still established three bottom-up supervision methods, including rural schools, the military, and Dengwengu, which complemented the censors.
As long as one of the rural schools, the military, the prime minister or the monarch is alive, they can play a supervisory role.
If all four are dead, then there is no need for Zhao State to exist. It would be better for everyone to finish the game as soon as possible.
"This kind of thing... who can say for sure, but even if the court does not increase taxes, when the Qin people come to attack, or when the king attacks the Qin people, I will go to the battlefield with a sword." Zhong said firmly.
"What if we attack other countries?" Liu Ping suddenly asked.
Zhong looked hesitant, then nodded, "As long as the king recruits soldiers, I will go."
