After seeing off Zhang Jun and the others, Wang Xiaolie changed into casual clothes, took Shao Ling and a few guards with him, and wandered around the streets of Ye County.
This was originally a prosperous place, but now it is very deserted. There were only twos and threes of vendors on the street. They seemed to have no business, but the prices they charged were very high. In troubled times, prices are soaring, and there is really no solution. Even Wang Xiaolie was helpless for a moment.
Send out manpower to control vendors and forcibly stabilize prices. Trying your best to collect goods so that there is no shortage of goods in the market will naturally change this situation quickly. But where does Wang Xiaolie have the manpower now? Where is the financial resources? So what if you know how to do it? I can only endure it for now. At least we have to wait until next year, when the fields are harvested, the shops we open start to make profits, and talents are trained, then we can really solve this problem.
While walking on the road, Wang Xiaolie frowned. The population is small and business is deserted, which is not a good sign.
At this moment, a half-year-old child carrying a basket with a wooden cover on it mysteriously arrived next to Wang Xiaolie and the others. As he got closer, he suddenly lifted the cloth on the basket and whispered: "Sir, would you like to buy some pears? Authentic Zhengzhou pears are the most delicious."
The child was so hasty that Wang Xiaolie didn't see Li's appearance clearly. But after walking all the way, I felt a little thirsty, so I said, "How do you sell these pears? If they are cheap, just buy a few."
The child heard this and said happily: "Zhengzhou pears are famous all over the world and are the largest. I sell them cheaply, only ten cents a piece."
Wang Xiaolie was stunned: "In previous years, these pears only cost two or three cents. How dare you ask for ten cents? For ten cents, I can have a bowl of wontons."
The child said: "How can you compare with an official? What year is it now? Since the Jin soldiers came south, prices have become very expensive, and selling ten coins can only make a small profit. I have been running around all day, just to get some food." "
Wang Xiaolie thought for a while, took out his pouch from his arms, counted out a hundred coins and gave it to the child. He said: "Then let's get ten. What you sell must be genuine Zhengzhou pears. Don't lie to me with local products."
"Peace of mind, peace of mind!" The child agreed happily, while opening the cloth and taking out the pears from the basket.
It turns out that this pear is really big, but I don’t know if it’s from Zhengzhou. Zhengzhou pears are famous all over the world, and at this time of the Peace Festival, they are sold everywhere. Now that the war is in chaos, it will not be easy to transport it.
Wang Xiao hunted pears and distributed them to Shao Ling and his subordinates to quench their thirst.
At this moment, a man suddenly jumped out from the side and grabbed the child. He said loudly: "You guys have been selling pears on the street these days. I've been watching you for a long time! If you catch me today, you won't go back with me!"
The child grabbed the basket tightly and said randomly: "What nonsense are you talking about! I didn't sell it, I just gave it to these officials."
The man sneered: "You clearly accepted the money, but why did you say you didn't sell it? Don't be wordy and follow me back quickly!"
When Wang Xiaolie saw the two people arguing fiercely, he stepped forward and said, "You two should separate. What's going on?"
The child's eyes flinched and he did not dare to speak.
The man said: "This little thief carries a basket and sells pears everywhere without paying taxes. We are from the Yamen, and we are here to catch them!"
Wang Xiaolie was stunned for a moment and then said: "Since the founding of the country, Taizu has exempted these small traders from paying taxes. Why do they have to collect them now?"
The man looked Wang Xiaolie up and down and said disdainfully: "What time is it now? The Jin soldiers invaded and they had to raise a large army. People in the army have to eat. If taxes are not collected, where will the money come from?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "When was this rule established? Why didn't I know?"
The man said: "It was decided by the former magistrate of the county. Cao Yao is loyal to the company and the country, but he must hold on tightly!"
Wang Xiaolie looked at the half-grown child, then at the man, and asked in a deep voice, "You don't know me?"
The man said: "I know what kind of bastard you are! Don't meddle in other people's business in Ye County!"
Shao Ling stepped forward and said sternly: "The person from Xiaoshe is the magistrate of this state! If you talk like this, you don't want to live anymore!"
The man was shocked when he heard this. Looking carefully at Wang Xiaolie, I saw that he was about twenty years old and had grown up. The men behind him are all very tall and tall. He somewhat believed Shao Ling's words, lowered his head and said nothing.
Wang Xiaolie called the pear seller and asked in a low voice: "Do you pay a lot of taxes when doing business in the city now?"
The child said: "For hawkers like us, if they are caught, they will be charged hundreds of cents a day. Moreover, the government does not collect taxes once. If you are unlucky, you may be collected three or four times a day. They only say that they do not belong to the same family. How can we ordinary people know so much about a government office? In addition to the government, there are also idlers on the streets who often extort money."
Wang Xiaolie frowned: "So, it's not easy to make money in your business."
The child said: "So we can only cover the basket with cloth to prevent others from seeing it. And our legs and feet must be nimble. If one of them is not good, he must run fast. If he is caught in a hurry, many days of work will be in vain."
Wang Xiaolie nodded. Sighing slightly: "How can the people live like this? Well, you can go on your own. Today I will instruct all the government offices in Ruzhou to stop collecting taxes from small businessmen and hawkers like you."
The child didn't believe it, but when the man on the side didn't say anything, he left with a lot of thanks. After taking a few steps away, he ran very fast and disappeared in an instant. It was obvious that the child had been terribly frightened just now and was afraid of another accident.
Wang Xiaolie had no intention of shopping anymore. He said to Shao Ling, "Let's go back to the county government office."
When they arrived at the Yamen, Wang Xiaolie ordered that Si Caoge be summoned. Said: "Today I was on the street and bought some pears to eat. Suddenly a man came out and caught the pear seller and wanted to collect taxes from him. When this dynasty was founded, Taizu exempted these small traders from taxes. , how can I still collect it here?”
Cao Ge handed over his hand: "Zhizhou, there are so many things in a county, and money is used everywhere. If we don't collect taxes, how can we support it?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "Can the local government raise taxes? If we collect too much, the people will not be able to make a living, and business will not be prosperous, which means there will be even less income? Okay, go and find out under what name the county collects taxes now." Taxes, from the two taxes, miscellaneous taxes, purchases and miscellaneous donations, to the city's commercial taxes, all items must be clearly listed and brought to me to see."
After hearing this, Cao Ge felt a little embarrassed: "Zhizhou, this matter is a bit difficult. Many of our taxes are paid to people like the headmaster. How can we calculate it clearly?"
Wang Xiaolie looked at Cao Ge and said slowly: "Cao Yasi, you have been an official in Ye County for more than ten years. You have been an official in Ye County for seven or eight years. If you don't know this, Do you think I believe it? Give you half a day, sort it out quickly and leave it to me!"
Seeing Wang Xiaolie's fierce voice and expression, Cao Ge was startled. I didn't dare to say anything anymore, so I just said yes.
Watching Cao Ge go out, Wang Xiaolie said to Shao Ling on the side: "Now there are no officials in the counties under the rule, and they rely on officials to govern. These officials have extensive local connections and are well-versed in their methods. They are really big-headed."
Shao Ling said: "If the people in Xiaoshe are not satisfied, just replace them."
Wang Xiaolie shook his head with a wry smile: "If we replace them, who will do it? There are not many literate people in a county, and they are the only ones who are familiar with official affairs. To stabilize the place, they will have to do it all of a sudden. But it can’t be replaced. There is no other way but to strictly control it and clearly set the rules. Managing a place is not easy!"
Local states and counties can be without officials, but they cannot be without public servants. Without officials, everything would be in chaos. These people look annoying, but they cannot live without them. They are very troublesome.
Wang Xiaolie can be like some strong men at this time, completely ignoring the place and doing everything according to his own wishes. But if we do that, the local area will be in chaos, and how will the economy recover? Even though Wang Xiaolie had countless ideas in his mind at this time, if no one acted on them, everything would be in vain.
A force, whether military or civil affairs, cannot carry out anything without cadres. How could Wang Xiaolie train cadres in only a few months? Now that we are short of manpower, everything feels constrained.
Ruzhou is so difficult to control. If it occupies several southern states, I can't imagine what difficulties it will encounter.
