Guo Baode cannot say that he does not know about this matter, because it is closely related to the flood.
He was cautious in his words and actions, for fear of answering wrongly, and thinking about countermeasures in his mind, he did not speak for a long time.
"I'm asking you a question." Zhang Jingrui's voice became a little colder.
"Ah? Yes." Guo Baode then said tentatively: "Those, those big households buying land, it seems... it seems that they are all consensual. It is not easy for the government to interfere in this kind of transaction between the two parties. You think so, right? grown ups."
"What kind of deal is this between you and me? This is clearly coercion and inducement, taking advantage of the situation to plunder!" Zhang Jingrui was furious: "As a county magistrate, don't you know that the imperial decree prohibits land annexation!?"
"This, this can't be said to be annexing land, right?" Guo Baode quietly looked at his face.
Zhang Jingrui did not answer this sentence, but said: "I want to ask you! How much is the price of one acre of fertile land in Lu'an County!"
"The discount is about five or six taels of silver." Guo Baode said and added hurriedly: "But that is a normal situation. At present, many places are flooded, so the price cannot be lowered."
"Based on five taels of silver, that's one thousand five hundred copper coins." Zhang Jingrui said: "Even if the fields are flooded and the crops are destroyed, it is still good land. You can just plow it later. No matter how low the price is, it can't be less than one thousand." arts!"
"But those big families are forcing them to buy fertile land for a hundred cents, oppressing the people, and making a lot of money out of the national calamity!"
"But if the people don't sell their fields, they will starve to death. Isn't this the county's responsibility?"
"Half of the county of Liu'an has been flooded, and the people are in dire straits. As a parent of a county, you are still brazenly talking about a consensual transaction. It is simply unreasonable!"
Zhang Jingrui's temper has already risen: "Do you know! If this continues, tens of thousands of acres of fertile land will fall into the hands of female cadres, and how many more refugees will appear in Lu'an!"
"If the people lose their fields, they will lose their roots. If they lose their roots, the country will lose its people, and if it loses its people, there will be no one who is not in chaos!"
"Guo Baode, you are also a person who has read the books of sages, don't you even understand this truth?"
Guo Baode was startled by the height of the problem and said cautiously: "Sir, this, this, this matter is not as serious as you said."
"I'm not in the mood to joke with you!" Zhang Jingrui slapped the table directly: "Take care of this matter immediately! Otherwise, just wait for your head to fall to the ground!"
"Ah? Yes, yes." Guo Baode lowered his body and stammered again: "It's just this. How should I deal with it? Can Sir Shangshu tell me."
"Don't you even need to ask?" Zhang Jingrui said: "Immediately ban this matter. Those who take advantage of floods to buy good land will be punished! Don't forget the court decree that private land acres must not exceed a certain number! Even if the land is Buying and selling should have normal prices, instead of taking advantage of floods and making the people worse off!"
"Yes, I understand, let's deal with it now." Guo Baode responded repeatedly.
"Go quickly!" Zhang Jingrui frowned and waved his hand.
The latter bowed down with his hands in hand, saluted and retreated.
After leaving here, Guo Baode's expression was not to mention how ugly he was. Of course he was not happy about being scolded. Zhang Jingrui was even more unhappy about intervening in Wang Shaocheng's case.
All the way back to the county government, the county magistrate who learned the news hurriedly came up to him and asked impatiently: "How is it? But Zhang Jingrui asked about the Lu'an Dam?"
"It's strange. I had already thought of my words, but he didn't ask me about it. Instead, he scolded me, telling me that big companies took advantage of the flood to buy fertile land and annex land. Why didn't I pay attention to it?" Guo Baode said. .
"It's indeed a bit strange." The county magistrate frowned: "Then what?"
"What's next?" Guo Baode said: "Why don't you just talk so loudly about people's livelihood and shut up about people's livelihood, with a high-sounding appearance? I just don't understand. They are just common people. What do the people of Guizhou have to care about? They are all despised!" "
He was quite dissatisfied with the restriction on large households, because in the eyes of his county magistrate, there was a huge difference between the rich and the poor, and they needed to be treated differently.
The county magistrate did not comment on this, and his concern was not there: "So, what is Zhang Jingrui waiting for? Is he still investigating secretly?"
"Who knows, now
I can’t control that much anymore. "Guo Baode said.
"Then what do you plan to do?" the county magistrate asked.
Guo Baode said: "Standing on the side of the people and going against the wealthy households is not about getting along with money. How can there be such a stupid person? This county doesn't want to do it, nor does it want to offend those big households, so it can only delay it."
Investigating the reason, there is actually another point, that is, he has dealt with these wealthy households to some extent before and received money from them.
The county magistrate said: "Although Zhang Jingrui is the minister of the dynasty, his power lies with the Ministry of Industry and local county affairs. He has no reason to interfere. Should we go to the Ministry of Letters and Officials to get a copy of him?"
"Is it possible to participate in this?" Guo Baode said angrily: "They just said "***" and they called you back."
"What are you afraid of? He is not an imperial envoy. Why should he take administrative power when he comes to Lu'an?" said the county magistrate.
"Okay, this is completely meaningless." Guo Baode waved his hand a little irritably: "Go and do your work."
Two more days passed.
The forced purchase of fertile land was stopped, but because of Guo Baode's relationship with the wealthy households, there was no real ban on it, but he just communicated with them secretly.
At the same time, the county government also acted extremely perfunctorily in terms of flood relief and aftermath.
Several corrupt officials were obviously using clever tricks to confuse the situation.
Zhang Jingrui was naturally very angry about this. As soon as the imperial edict arrived, he immediately led his guards to the county government and issued an order to all officials in Lu'an County on the spot.
In the lobby of the county government, both sides were already filled with people, not to mention the county magistrate and county magistrate, as well as some officials from other departments and the county government's classrooms, historians, scribes, literary officials, etc.
Zhang Jingrui took over the imperial edict which was respectfully held high by the guards.
"There is an edict."
In one sentence, everyone on the scene knelt down.
Zhang Jingrui first glanced at everyone, then unfolded the imperial edict and said seriously:
"I heard that the sage kings always attach great importance to water conservancy when they govern the world. Water is beneficial to all things. It is good for people's farming and brings blessings to the people."
"This connects the country at the top and the people at the bottom. Therefore, all dynasties and dynasties have appointed virtuous ministers to regulate rivers, dredge rivers, eliminate floods, and facilitate merchants to benefit the world."
"JAC is located at the hub, so it is particularly important."
"We have appointed Zhang Jingrui, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, as the Jianghuai Inspection Envoy. He will be in charge of all important military and political affairs in the Jianghuai River. Wherever he goes, it will be as if I am personally involved."
A simple and clear decree.
The rights given by Xiao Yuan were not just for Huainan County, but for the entire Jianghuai region. The scope was very large, and his intention was very obvious, which was to let Zhang Jingrui finish his work in Lu'an County and then inspect other places.
Needless to say, this is responsible for taking charge of all military and political affairs.
