Hao Xiangtong looked at Chu Qiguang with eyes full of curiosity and doubt.
'He actually knew about the peace talks and mutual trade earlier than my father. What is the origin of this Chu Qiguang?'
In Hao Xiangtong's eyes, the original Chu Qiguang was just a poor boy from a poor family. At most, his words were interesting, and he really wanted to hear what he said.
But at this moment, in Hao Xiangtong's eyes, Chu Qiguang suddenly became mysterious, and the stories told at night seemed to have a different meaning.
Listening to what the other party said, Chu Qiguang knew that the Hao family had taken the bait, so he smiled slightly: "Then let's go."
This time Chu Qiguang came to the Hao family, but it was the first time he was received in the living room by the current head of the family, Hao Wen.
Hao Wen ordered tea to be served, and then dismissed the surrounding servants, leaving only his butler Hao Fulai.
Then he and Chu Qiguang started talking in a fog, just to try to trick Chu Qiguang and see who was behind the other party.
Obviously, in the opinion of Mr. Hao Wen and Hao Er, if the other party knew the court's policy in advance, there must be someone in Shenjing.
In Chu Qiguang's mind, information about Hao Wen and Wu Wei from the Wu family flashed in front of him.
According to Qiao Zhi, these two people are ambitious, greedy and lustful people, so they were left at home to take care of the family business, but they still often caused trouble for Mr. Wu Ge.
It's okay now, they just rely on Mr. Wu Ge's background to do business, buy land, evade taxes...it's just a common operation of local right-wingers.
After Wu Gelao became the first assistant, he started to cheat one after another. In various fish and meat villages, he plundered and plundered. Qingyang County alone accounted for more than 80% of the cultivated land, almost turning the entire Qingyang County into an independent kingdom.
But that is all a matter for the future. Now Chu Qiguang just wants to hold on to Wu Ge Lao's thigh and use the other party's power to achieve his own goals.
Naturally, he would not be tricked out of the details at will. Seeing that Mr. Hao did not get to the point for a long time, Chu Qiguang took another sip of tea and said directly: "I heard that the county magistrate issued a complaint and many tenants started to make trouble.
I wonder if Mr. Hao Daguan has any countermeasures here?"
The current policy implemented by Hezhi County is to measure the land and calculate clearly the size, ownership and quality of the land under each household's name, and then allocate all corvee and taxes according to the land owned by each household.
Divide equally.
This is the equalization of taxes and duties. The more land the land has to bear, the more taxes and duties it will bear. Of course, it can greatly reduce the burden on the people. However, Chu Qiguang knew that this system of the feudal dynasty only addressed the symptoms but not the root cause, because the exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes accumulated from generation to generation.
It's not removed, it's just flattened.
'If you want to cure the root cause, you have to take my place.'
Chu Qiguang asked Qiao Zhi carefully and learned that in the next month or two, the Wu family and the Hao family tried their best to delay, and even involved the Beiyue magistrate, the Lingzhou governor, and the patrol inspector, and the fight broke out in Qingyang County.
Jump.
But just one year after Wu Gelao became the first assistant, the old man would take the lead in retreating from the land, and then personally initiate a vigorous reform.
Although they both quit their land, the political impact of being forced to quit before becoming the chief minister and voluntarily quitting the land after becoming the chief minister presiding over reforms is obviously completely different.
In the next ten years at least, this Wu Ge elder would be one person below ten thousand people. He could almost look down upon the court. He could be described as a golden elephant with extremely thick legs.
At this moment, Chu Qiguang's plan was to intervene in the confrontation between the Hao family, the Wu family and the magistrate, so as to cling to Mr. Wu Ge's lap and use the other party's reforms and influence to achieve his own goals.
But these things... neither Hao Wen nor Wu Wei knew about it at this moment. As landlords, they instinctively rejected Magistrate He's policies and were unwilling to spit out the meat in their mouths.
Opposite Chu Qiguang... Mr. Hao did not reply.
Yesterday, there was a conflict on the land between the Wu family and the Hao family. Hezhi County brought tenants who complained to measure the land. Although Hao Wen and the others blocked it once with people, it is impossible to prevent the two families from adding up so much land.
He has always been able to stop people from the county government.
Seeing Hao Wen's unhappy look, Chu Qiguang said: "I have a way, maybe we can make Hezhi County return without success."
Hao Wen's expression turned silent, but the steward Hao Fulai on the side spoke forcefully: "Master Chu, please don't joke around. Measuring the land and equalizing taxes and corvees is a national policy. We should do our best to do it and share the worries of the imperial court.
, to solve problems for the people.”
Chu Qiguang smiled and did not look at the housekeeper, but stared at Hao Wen and said: "Hao Daguan, we Ming people do not speak secretly. The national policy is indeed a national policy, but even if the imperial court wants to promote it nationwide, there must be someone who comes first, first served."
, it cannot be achieved overnight.
There is so much land in the Han Dynasty, and if the land goes from state to state, county to county, if you respond to the policy earlier or later, you will be more than ten or twenty years behind."
Chu Qiguang's words touched Hao Wen's heart. As a veteran landowner in Qingyang County, most of his family's property is in this field. Returning the occupied fields... Even if it is a national policy, he still thinks about how long he can delay it.
It just drags on for a few years, maybe if you change the county magistrate, it will drag on for a long time.
When the housekeeper Hao Fulai heard this, he looked at Chu Qiguang with disdain: "You are a yellow-tongued kid, your martial arts is no more than a level, and you have no fame. How can you stop your parents from being an official in the county?"
Chu Qiguang glanced at the butler and felt that the other person seemed to be hostile to him. He thought to himself: 'Or is this a case where Hao Wen and the housekeeper are playing the good and the bad?'
Chu Qiguang looked at Hao Wen and said: "Hao Daguan, if you are willing to do me a favor and let me take a look at the county annals and huidian of Qingyang County, I will definitely be able to find a way to make Hezhi County go away without success.
return."
The county annals record the history, geography, customs, etc. of the county, while the Huidian records all policy changes in Qingyang County from the founding of the People's Republic to the present.
Both of these are things that Chu Qiguang could not see even with the help of Li Shuanshou.
Chu Qiguang looked at these two things. Firstly, he wanted to check if there was any abnormality in the Chu family's life experience. Secondly, he wanted to check if there were any clues about the secrets of the Zifu. Finally, he wanted to do a favor for the Wu family and the Hao family.
Butler Hao sneered: "But you haven't even thought of a solution yet? You still want to read the county annals and the ceremony? It's simply fantastic."
He dissuaded Mr. Hao and said, "Master, there are so many people in our family who haven't come up with a reliable solution yet. This guy's origins are unclear, so don't trust him easily."
Chu Qiguang frowned and looked at the housekeeper, confirming once again that the other person was indeed hostile to him. He felt a little strange in his heart because he had never seen the other person before.
Hao Wen on the other side thought for a moment, looked at Chu Qiguang and asked: "You can come up with a solution after reading the county annals and the meeting ceremony? How sure are you? You face the direction of the Taoist temple, face the Taoist road
Your Majesty said."
Chu Qiguang turned to the direction of the Taoist temple and said slowly: "I have gone through Qingyang County's money and grain accounts over the past few years, and found many problems with the county government in them. Once they are taken out, it will be enough to make the county magistrate scramble."
Hao Wen nodded slightly. Having been in charge of the family for so many years, he certainly knew how many tax loopholes Qingyang County had accumulated due to the exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes year after year. It would be impossible for the new county magistrate to clear them up even after a year and a half.
It can be seen that the county is just a floating official once every three years. Often the problems of the previous term have not been solved and a bunch of new problems are left behind.
Chu Qiguang continued: "As long as I check the county annals and the canon, I dare to swear to Taoist Xuantian that I am 90% sure that Hezhi County can retreat despite the difficulties."
Hao Wen stared at Chu Qiguang, as if he was trying to see Chu Qiguang's reality clearly, but all he saw was a pair of firm and clear eyes.
In this era, swearing to Tao Zun still increases credibility.
So Mr. Hao nodded and said, "Okay, I will make arrangements for you..."
After Chu Qiguang left, Butler Hao said to Mr. Hao Wen and Mr. Hao: "Sir, I think this Chu Qiguang is just a student who just entered the Yinglue Hall. I heard that he used to farm in Wangjiazhuang.
A poor guy who has been poor for eighteen generations. Now I don’t know what the details are. If I use it rashly, will it actually cause trouble?"
Hao Wen glanced at the housekeeper sideways and said casually: "Anyway, if he comes up with a solution, it's up to us to decide whether to use it or not. He is just a chess piece, and the people behind him are the key. When he comes up with a solution... we will know that it is
Who played the chess game, and what’s the purpose?”
"Okay, let's not talk about this." A trace of excitement and greed flashed in Hao Wen's eyes: "Next, I will make a list for you, and you can stock up immediately. We must turn all the money in our hands into cash before the mutual market.
Make iron pots, tea leaves, elixirs, salt..."
Hao Wen talked about a lot of daily necessities that the northern demon clan was in urgent need of, and then said with a smile: "Once the news of the mutual trade gets out, the price will at least increase several times..."