Lu Yunzhou and the younger brothers and sisters of the Fu family came out with fireworks and met Situ Ce. They were so frightened that they hurriedly knelt down to salute. Situ Ce hurriedly stepped forward to support him, "Don't scare the child."
When the children of the Fu family saw the two people suddenly appearing, they all looked at Fu Qingchu. Fu Qingchu didn't know what to say for a moment, then he heard Situ Ce say: "I am Yunzhou's cousin, and this is my wife."
This is actually true.
The children of the Fu family turned to look at Fu Qingchu. Fu Qingchu nodded and said with a smile: "Hurry up and call my cousin."
"Hello, cousin, cousin," the little kids called sweetly.
"Hello." Cheng Hehe agreed with a smile and took out a few pieces of silver from his sleeve, "Happy New Year, this is the lucky money for you."
Several little kids shook their heads and refused. Cheng Hehe turned to look at Fu Qingchu, who then smiled and said, "Take it, thank you cousin."
After receiving permission, the little kids happily accepted it and pulled Lu Yunzhou along to say they wanted to continue setting off the fireworks. Lu Yunzhou glanced at Situ Ce and saw that he didn't speak, so he went out with the little baby. Cheng Hehe saw it and said he would follow him. Fu Qingchu and Situ Ce were the only ones left in the courtyard.
"Your Majesty, come in and sit down and have a cup of tea?" Fu Qingchu suggested.
"I won't go in and disturb you." Situ Ce smiled.
"It's cold outside, so they probably have to leave it for a while."
Situ Ce thought about it and decided that it would be better just now.
Fu Qingchu led Situ Ce into the house. Mrs. Chen stood up quickly and asked Fu Qingchu who he was.
"This is Yunzhou's cousin. Yunzhou is setting off fireworks with Qingran and the others outside. I'll invite my cousin in for a cup of tea." Fu Qingchu said with a smile.
Situ Ce raised his hands and saluted, "Happy New Year to all aunties."
Mrs. Chen nodded and hurriedly asked Situ Ce to sit down and watch tea.
The ladies all felt that Situ Ce looked familiar, but they forgot where they had seen him before. They thought he might be a relative of the Lu family and had seen him on weekdays. A few people exchanged pleasantries, but after all, there were outsiders present, and the sisters-in-law of the Fu family couldn't talk any more, saying they wanted to tell the children to wash up and go to bed.
Mrs. Chen originally wanted to sit with her guests for a while, but when Fu Qingchu saw that her mother looked a little sleepy, she asked her to rest first.
But Mrs. Chen felt that it would not sound good if a man and a woman lived alone in the same room, so she insisted on it.
Seeing this, Situ Ce stood up and saluted, "It's getting late, it's time for me to say goodbye."
Mrs. Chen smiled and politely asked to stay, but Situ Ce declined repeatedly, so Mrs. Chen asked Fu Qingchu to see off the guests.
"Those who should identify themselves can also sit a little longer." Situ Ce looked at Fu Qingchu and smiled.
Situ Ce smiled and said, "If I reveal my identity, I guess those who set off the fireworks in front will have to call back and stand."
"Am I so scary?" Situ Ce asked with a smile.
"I'm not talking about you. The emperor is here, so you must serve him carefully." Fu Qingchu said with a smile.
Situ Ce smiled and put his arms around her waist, "I heard from Li Ping that you didn't go back until your second year of junior high school?"
"You can go back on the first day of junior high school."
"That makes me so unkind." Situ Ce said with a smile, "Go back on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. You spend a long time with me, but a short time with them. I can't let you fail to fulfill your filial piety."
Hearing this, Fu Qingchu felt his heart warm, "How could there be such a good emperor?"
"Well, that's great, you met him." Situ Ce pursed his lips and smiled.
When the two came out, they saw Cheng Hehe having fun with a few children. Situ Ce called her to go home. She seemed not to hear him, lit a firecracker, and hurriedly ran over to hide behind Fu Qingchu. Fu Qingchu took her hand and started walking together. Watch the orange-yellow sparks leap into the sky.
"Bang——"
Orange-yellow fireworks bloomed in the sky, and everyone looked up at the bright beauty. The old year is gone, and the new year is safe and smooth.
…
After the Lantern Festival, the state machinery of Jing Dynasty also began to operate.
After spring comes, the biggest event is this year's Spring Festival. Although it has always been presided over by the Ministry of Rites, this year is the first imperial examination for Situ Ce ascension to the throne, and he himself pays more attention to it.
"This scientific examination is an examination on the surface, giving opportunities to the children of poor families. But look at the yamen in various departments in the capital. Apart from the seven major families, how many are there? Even if there are a few, they are all deputy positions." Situ Ce While looking at the memorial sent by the Ministry of Rites, he frowned.
"The trend of scrolling is prevalent, this kind of thing is inevitable." Cheng An looked at the various memorials and said in a deep voice.
"It might be better to hide your name and forbid you to file." Situ Ce looked at Cheng An and said.
Cheng An put down the pen in his hand and said, "Some candidates have already gone to Beijing to sit for exams last year. If they were ordered to do so, it would chill the hearts of the scholars."
Hearing this, Situ Ce couldn't help but laugh, "Does Cheng Zhongshu already have someone you like? Can you recommend it to me?"
Cheng An also laughed when he heard this, "There is a good Zhong Jia, talented, upright and energetic."
"To be praised so much by Cheng Zhongshu, I think he must be a talented person. I will definitely take a good look at him." Situ Ce said with a smile.
"Your Majesty will see you soon."
Situ Ce nodded and handed the memorial from the Ministry of Rites to Cheng An, "I see there is no problem, just do what the Ministry of Rites says."
Cheng An took it and said yes.
"I have already asked people to draw up the draft of the New Deal. Cheng Zhongshu will take a look at it. If there are no problems, I will send it to Cui Shangshu and Zhang Shizhong for review."
Zhang Yan, the servant under the sect.
The draft was drawn up by Situ Ce and Cheng An. Cheng An knew it well, but he couldn't help but frown when he saw "officials and gentry receiving food together".
"Your Majesty, I think there is something wrong with the provision that the officials and the gentry should pay the grain together." Cheng An said with a frown.
The Jing Dynasty cherished talents. Anyone with an official position was exempted from taxes at home. In addition, relatives of the emperor and Taoist temples do not have to pay taxes.
Officials and gentry do not pay taxes. This is a rule that has been established for thousands of years.
Nowadays, Situ Ce wants the officials and gentry to pay the grain together, which will inevitably meet with fierce opposition from the gentry.
"What's wrong?" Situ Ce asked with a smile.
"Your Majesty, it's not that I don't want to pay the grain, it's that you have changed the Ding tax into a household tax, which is levied according to the amount of land. This will increase the burden on the aristocratic families, and they will definitely object. Even if Your Majesty is willing to implement it, you will not be able to move forward. . I sincerely ask your Majesty to think twice before acting." Cheng An stood up and bowed in salute.
Hearing this, Situ Ce smiled, looked at Cheng Anwen and said seriously: "I know the teacher's worries, but the teacher also comes from a poor family, so he should be well aware of the difficulties of children from a poor family. Royal relatives, aristocratic families, and even Taoist temples, empty They occupy thousands of hectares of fertile land, but they get nothing for the country and their families. The wine and meat smells stinky in the rich families, and there are frozen bones on the road. What’s wrong with asking them to pay for some food?”
"I know that Your Majesty cares about the people, but it is still not appropriate to move this matter too quickly. If a mutiny is provoked, it may be detrimental to Your Majesty." Cheng An said with a worried look on his face.
"Mutiny?" Situ Ce smiled, "The soldiers were already overwhelmed. I reduced their burden. Why did they mutiny? If there are really people who are not afraid of death, I want to see if it is they who have become faster or my sword. quick."
Hearing this, Cheng An didn't know what to say. Come to think of it, Lu Dingyue has a lot of troops and Cui Qi is shaking the court officials. How can anyone dare to have second thoughts?
"But the implementation of this policy will definitely encounter opposition. Your Majesty must be prepared in advance." Cheng An said solemnly.
"I understand, then it's all my fault, Master."
"Your Majesty is serious."
…
"Today I brought the draft to the master and asked him to show it to my uncle and Zhang Shizhong. If there is no objection, after the Spring Festival, I will tell the world that the rent will be changed to two taxes."
The so-called renting means that the population is the base. Regardless of the amount of land or property, the same amount of silk and millet must be paid to the court according to the number of people.
Situ Ce changed the rent tax into two taxes, that is, a field tax was levied once in summer and autumn according to the amount and quality of the land, and the Ding tax was changed to a household tax. The tax was levied according to the amount and quality of the land. Those with more fields paid more taxes. , those with less land pay less tax, and those without land pay no tax. Other miscellaneous taxes are also exempted.
In this way, it not only simplifies the tax collection procedures, but also reduces the burden on landless people, which is a good thing that benefits the country and the people.
"How come there is no objection?" Fu Qingchu smiled, "They tried every means to seize the people's land into their own hands, and you harvested the food all at once. There must be some objections."
Situ Ce sneered, "They thought I was joking when I talked about rectifying the tax law. This time it's not a cry of wolf."
"I hope those people with the seventh surname will make trouble." Fu Qingchu smiled, "The more they make trouble, the more reason they will have to demote them far away to make room for others."
"Sheren is easy to make plans." Situ Ce said with a smile.
"Oh, I think about it, they were the ones who impeached my family in the past. Things have changed, and it's my turn to impeach them." Fu Qingchu was happy when he thought about it, "Where should I go? Lingnan?"
Situ Ce changed Fu Qingchu's internal history from Sheren to Zhongshu Sheren, so that he could directly participate in the affairs of Zhongshu Province.
Hearing this, Situ Ce couldn't help but laugh out loud, "It's public revenge for private revenge."
Fu Qingchu nodded and did not deny it, "It's a bit, but if they don't make trouble, I can't retaliate."
Situ Ce smiled and held her hand, looked at her and said with a smile, "Help me deal with all the disobedient ones."
"I obey." She nodded solemnly, making Situ Ce laugh again.
He smiled and tapped her nose, "Come and stay with me tonight."
"You should accompany the queen."
Situ Ce: "..."
"Is she more important or me?" Situ Ce was speechless.
"You should keep your promise." She said seriously, "She has been so good recently and even made soup for me."
Situ Ce laughed: "Why did you drink the Shiquan Dabu Decoction that makes pregnancy easier?"
Hearing this, Fu Qingchu also suppressed a laugh: "It's not that exaggerated. I said it today, it seems like crucian carp soup."
"This girl is serious," Situ Ce said with a smile, "It's been several days since she drank the soup and came to stay with me, and she's still not clean? She must have lied to me!"
Fu Qingchu shook his head like a rattle, "No, you brother and sister can lie to anyone. Don't involve me, or you will be scolded to death."
Situ Ce didn't take it seriously, "I promise not to scold you tonight."
Fu Qingchu was a little confused when he saw Situ Ce raising his eyes and calling people in.
"My servant is here." Li Ping bowed and came in.
"Go to the Queen's place and bring over the soup that the Queen cooked for Fu Sheren, and then give this letter to the Queen." With that, he took out a letter from a pile of memorials and gave it to Li Ping.
After Li Ping accepted the letter and stepped away, Fu Qingchu hurriedly asked: "A letter from Xu Zhen?"
"It's not a letter, it's a visitor." Situ Ce said with a smile, "She arrived the day before yesterday. She is occupying you, so I will let her wait for two more days."
Fu Qingchu: "..."
It has to be said that Situ Ce and Cheng Hehe are really a good brother and sister. Whenever the other party makes them unhappy, they must get them back.
