In a room outside the Yamen, Sun Qing picked up a piece of chicken, put his head up and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing it carefully. He praised: "It tastes really good! I originally wanted to make chicken soup for the magistrate, but he didn't want it when he came back. It's an advantage for us."
Li Kuang said: "I heard that this time in Xiangyang, the town officials were not allowed to seize the property of public officials. The money spent by public officials in the past was regarded as the official's loan and was limited to repay within two months. Two months later, Chen Shen inspected and Those who fail to repay will be immediately dismissed from the public service."
Sun Qing laughed when he heard this: "Are you crazy? Where did you hear this nonsense! County officials have to pay for their work. This has been the case for hundreds of years. If not, how can they eat and drink every day?" "
Li Kuang said: "Although what you said makes sense, my news is conclusive!"
"Who said that?" How could Sun Qing believe it? While pouring the wine, he looked sideways at Li Kuang.
Li Kuang said: "That's what Wu Ling, who went to Xiangyang with the magistrate, said. As soon as he told me, he was called by the magistrate to settle accounts. They were not allowed to go home after entering the city. They were just helping the magistrate to settle accounts! Let's settle the accounts clearly. We have to pay back our money!”
Sun Qing said: "Listen to his nonsense! It's impossible! We subordinates are the most despised by the imperial officials. We have to pay salaries and are not allowed to be exploited by officials. How can such a good thing happen to us? In my opinion, we are the governor of the government." It’s just talk, just to win people’s hearts. Compared with officials, we are as humble as dust! We can’t take it seriously!”
After speaking, pour the wine in the glass into your mouth. Said: "Don't think about these things. If you have wine today, you will get drunk today. Don't think about other things!"
Li Kuang sighed: "How wonderful it would be if this were true! Those of us who are officials don't get even half a cent of salary, and we have to do all kinds of things for the officials to provide food and drink. If we don't get what we want, we will be beaten by the boss!" "
Sun Qing squinted and said, "Have you done enough to bully the people and take advantage of others? I would say, don't think that spending money on officials is a big deal. If you give officials three points, they will definitely get it back from the people. 10 points. If officials are no longer allowed to let public officials spend money in the future, public officials will certainly be under strict control. What do you think is this a good thing?"
Li Kuang was stunned for a moment and then said: "Not everyone likes to bully the people. There are many officials in the county whose well-to-do families have been ruined due to accidents. If the government pays salaries, there is no need to spend money on officials. Who wouldn't? Do you want to be a good person?"
Sun Qing just sneered and was too lazy to pay attention to Li Kuang.
It was approaching evening when two officials came in from outside. He stamped his feet and said, "It's such a cold weather! It's only the end of October and it's already so cold!"
Sun Qing said: "After crossing Xiong'er Mountain, Mianchi County in the north has snowed in early September. It's still cold here! By the way, I just heard Li Kuang say, the news you got from Xiangyang, the county magistrate is not allowed to spend our money in the future?"
Wu Ling sat down and said with a smile: "It's absolutely true! Not only are we not allowed to spend our money in the future, but what we spent before must also be paid back!"
Sun Qing sat up straight after hearing this, stared at Wu Ling and said, "Is there really such a thing?"
Wu Ling nodded: "It's absolutely true! We stayed in the Yamen just now to help the magistrate count money. The magistrate came to us as an official for half a year, but he spent nearly a hundred dollars on just food and drink! There are so many people out there! He was so poor!"
Sun Qing said: "How much is the salary of a county magistrate? If he pays us nearly a hundred dollars, he might as well not be an official!"
Wu Ling said: "What do you know? When I went to Xiangyang this time, I found out that the salary of the county magistrate has been increased in the future. For example, our magistrate in Sui Dynasty has a monthly salary of twenty-five thousand dollars, which is all in cash and cannot be deducted. There is also four stones of salary. Rice is enough for their family. Not to mention, the county will also have minister money in the future. In our county, we have as much as three hundred guan a year!"
"Three hundred strings?" Sun Qing looked at Li Kuang with disbelief on his face. "How much tax does the whole county collect? Aren't all the minister's money plus official salaries paid out? After working hard to manage the place, but not receiving a penny, the town governor would do such a thing?"
Shunyang is a Zhongxia County. There were originally more than 2,000 registered households. After the war, there are now only more than 1,000 households. Three hundred guan for the minister's salary, and 300 guan for the county magistrate's annual salary. In addition to several officials such as the chief registrar and county lieutenant, it costs more than 1,000 guan per year. If you add the official's salary, the total would be two thousand guan. If it is spread to the common people, each household will have a surplus, how much money will be left for the governor? What is Wang Xiao hunting for?
Wu Ling said: "Yes, anyone can calculate such a simple account. In a county like Shunyang, it costs two thousand guan a year, and there is no tax money left. Many people say that the town governor is crazy. Although it is for the good of the people , but I can’t hold on.”
Several officials looked at each other and felt that this was the case. Wang Xiaolie had good intentions for the sake of the people, but he just couldn't stick to it.
Of course, Account King Xiao Lie had already figured it out. A place like Shunyang is considered a poor county according to the previous life. It should have been financially subsidized. However, in this era, when the government collects less taxes and the people are grateful, financial subsidies are delusional.
In this era, due to population decline after the war, there was no shortage of land in most places. Landowners in the countryside do not rely on land to recruit tenants, but on farm tools, cattle and horses, etc. Under normal circumstances, the per capita land will not differ much. Wang Xiaolie calculated that a family of five, with two prime-age laborers, cattle and farm tools, could basically cultivate thirty acres of land. Three measures of grain were collected from each mu of land, which was nine shi of tax grain per household. One stone is worth five hundred liters, and there are four ridges and five hundred liters. The governor of Zhenfu and the government officials above the state took half of it, leaving two more 250 yuan left in the local area. Shunyang has a population of about 1,500 households and more than 3,300 households. The government's expenses are sufficient. In addition, there are salt, tea, wine and other commercial income and taxes, which amount to hundreds of dollars. If you hand over 4,000 guan, you can keep more than 3,000 guan in the local area.
With so much income, why were finances so difficult in the past? After paying the taxes, there was no money left in the local area, and no more than ten public officials could receive salaries. It's actually very simple, just look at how much money the magistrate eats in a year. Would it still be the same if he spent his own money? Everything else is a mess, even more so. Most of the government's money is spent in the dark.
The accounts are clear. On the surface, it seems that the government's expenditures are more, but all kinds of obscure expenses are saved. Wang Xiaolie's reforms will not increase the government's financial expenditures, and officials and public servants will also benefit. In other words, the income of those who work honestly has increased, while the income of those who rely on power to prey on the common people has decreased. For reform to be successful, we must attack the forces that prey on the common people.
Since entering Xiangyang, Wang Xiaolie has been attacking local powerful people and never compromises. This is the reason why. Compromising to powerful people may bring you benefits and increase your strength in a short period of time. In the long run, it will hollow out the foundation of one's own rule and cause the entire building to decay.
In the past two years, the powerful people who ruled the eight states have either been eliminated or learned to be honest. In this case, Wang Xiaolie had enough capital to deal with officials. On the one hand, we will increase salary income, and on the other hand, we will crack down on illegal income.
A political power must ensure that those who serve as officials in a down-to-earth manner can receive better incomes, and that officials who violate laws and disciplines cannot survive. Only in this way can it move in a good direction and become healthier. If not, no matter how strict the discipline is, no matter how severe the punishment is, it will be useless.
