Zhang and Bai didn't want to disturb others, so they just started from the stairs of the gatehouse and went to the top of the building. The only person who was disturbed was Zhou Xingfan, who was about to go downstairs to leave. However, when the latter saw the two of them, he felt even more guilty.
I almost fell down the stairs.
Walking up to the top of the gatehouse, the snowflakes outside were actually not that big at this time, but just a little dense. When the two of them reached the top, they looked around, but they didn't see any spectacular scenery with white on all sides. In fact, when Mr. Zhou
Turning out from the side door and walking on the horse, the tracks of the horses' hooves were still black. There were too many people walking on the main road in front of the palace in the afternoon. Not to mention the snow, it was too muddy and slippery, and then the whole night was broken.
The snow only covered the surface, and as soon as the people and horses passed by, the dark soup was easily exposed.
It is conceivable that when the ice freezes tomorrow morning, the road will only become more difficult.
"Is he going back to report?" Bai Yousi looked at Mr. Zhou, who was looking a little embarrassed on the road, and said with a smile. "Is it because you didn't say anything before that he was here?"
Zhang Xing nodded, then shook his head: "I know what the inspection wants to ask, but the statement that everyone discussed in the evening cannot be said to be problematic..."
"I know..." Bai Yousi said while looking at the snowflakes flying in the sky. "But you must promise me that you want me to know the basics of this matter and make my own decision."
"It's natural. That's what I'm talking about tonight." Zhang Xing answered seriously. "It's just the fundamentals of this matter... It may only be said in two or three sentences, but it is of great importance, so I
I want to say it slowly... Moreover, when it comes to talking about the fundamentals, it is also layered. Just like what everyone said at night, it is actually a layer of truth and fundamentals. At least it explains the case itself thoroughly."
"So, I came out with you." Bai Yousi shook his head and smiled. "Are you going somewhere before talking about the lower level? Are you going to the riverside or on the river?"
Zhang Xing did not respond. Instead, he took out a small jar of wine from his pocket and handed it to the other party: "Inspection inspection, have you been to Jiangdong before?"
Bai Yousi took the wine jar, tore open the seal and shook his head slightly.
"Inspection inspection is one or two years older than me." Zhang Xing looked around and continued. "In addition, he has been doing inspection all the way in Jing'an Taiwan, so he must have been in Taichung for many years, right?"
"Yes, I am one or two years older than you." Bai Yousi glanced at the other party and said in a bad tone. "The official position is also higher than yours. Otherwise, how could I promote you?"
"I mean, where have you been during field inspections?" Zhang Xing heard something bad and quickly told the truth.
"There are more around Guanlong and Dongdu. I have been to Taiyuan and Yanmen in the north twice, once to Yedu in Hebei, once to Bashu, once to the east, and three to five times to the northwest border. You know, a few years ago
When I first entered Taichung, it was the time when the imperial court was recruiting surrender and splitting the shamans." Bai Yousi answered calmly. "As for before entering Jing'an Taiwan, I traveled frequently to Nanyang and even went to Xiangyang once."
"So, you haven't been to Jiangdong, Jiangxi and Bashu before on field missions?"
"Didn't I say that?"
"This is very wrong." Zhang Xing shook his head in reply. "Because there are more than a hundred states and counties in the south, including many large and wealthy counties, and the Han River opened up by Emperor Bai is there. People from the east and west are all here.
The road is clear. How many days did it take us to get here all the way down the river? It's not Nanling, it's really far away. But why do we, as a field patrol team of the imperial court responsible for inspecting local areas, come less frequently? In comparison,
On the contrary, in the northwest border and Yanmen, the roads and environment are obviously more difficult... As I remember well, the desert in the northwest border and the bitter sea to the north of Yanmen are obstacles set by the evil dragon of the Wu Clan to protect the Wu Clan. In places like that,
How could it be possible that I felt so good yet I went there so many times? Is it possible that there are only troubles in the north and never in the south?"
"Indeed." Bai Yousi held the wine jar thoughtfully.
"The truth is actually very simple." Zhang Xing stretched out his hand, grabbed the cold and snow-covered railing, and sighed as he looked at Jiangdu City in front of him. "The geographical barriers and oppression in the Wei Dynasty are too heavy. Although there are extenuating circumstances and there are reasons for everything, but
It’s still too heavy... and it’s not just about the region, but also the economic, cultural, and political discrimination caused by regional issues... The southerners simply can’t gain a foothold in the eastern capital. This is not just a matter of officialdom, nor is it a matter of promoting a few southerners.
It’s enough to be a minister and your husband. Correspondingly, the nobles in the Eastern Capital seldom see the south. They only regard the south as a conquered grain and silk production area. As long as grain and cloth are sent there every year, as long as there is no rebellion, they are too lazy.
Got it."
Bai Yousi nodded.
"There is a problem with what the Wei Dynasty did." Zhang Xing responded with a sigh. "When I was in the Eastern Capital before, I had vaguely noticed that the cities were like barriers, and the Luo River was divided into the north and the south...
"Dignitaries and dignitaries surrounded the palace, and key government offices were located in the north of Luoshui; wealthy officials, businessmen, and middle-class families with a little bit of property all settled on the south bank of Luoshui; then the further south they got, the poorer they became, and when they reached Nancheng, they were basically sold
The desperate poor...
"And what's even more terrifying is that the poor come to the city to work, but they often end up in Luoshui. The servants of the dignitaries north of Luoshui are better off than ordinary people; and the servants of the dignitaries north of Luoshui
In daily life and work, it is rare to go beyond Wenwenfang and Nanshi. To them, Nanbianfang is just a name and a number...
"This capital is clearly telling everyone that the circulation between the top, bottom, left, right and inside of this country is extremely poor. The top does not look at the bottom, the north does not look at the south, and the inside does not look at the outside.
"And this principle is the same when it comes to the entire country. It is obviously one country, but it doesn't look like one. The east and west are enemies, the north and the south are hatred, and regardless of north, south, west, east, the people above do not regard the people below as human beings.
look."
Bai Yousi stared at the other person blankly, speechless for a moment.
Zhang Xing turned to look at the other party: "What do you think of the inspection? Am I right?"
"Yes." Bai Yousi said yes, but shook his head. "You opened the door to something I have always wanted to say... That's it. After I entered the Danden Realm, I often went to Dongdu City at night.
I flew around here, saw a lot of people, and saw a lot of things. I read all kinds of things, and I always felt that there was some context, but no one could explain it to me... When you put it like that, there are many things and many people.
It’ll all match up.”
Zhang Xing remained silent. He just felt that he still couldn't control himself and said too much.
Bai Yousi raised his hand, raised his head and drank a sip of wine, making a gesture to hand it over, but Zhang Xing waved his hand: "You can do the inspection yourself. I'd better be sober tonight, otherwise I will be long-winded, lose the point, and point out."
You may lose something if you talk too much.”
"So what if I lose it?" Bai Yousi sneered, held the wine jar, and looked around. "That's it. Are you ready to leave? Where are we going?"
"Go to the True Fire Temple in the south of the city, the one with the radish cellar in the backyard." Zhang Xing finally said. "When we get to the place, we will inspect and drink. I will accompany you to inspect a radish."
Bai Yousi's smile grew brighter, but he tied the long sword in his waist, then held the wine jar in one hand, and suddenly reached out to grab Zhang Xing's shoulder with the other hand. With just a slight jump, he floated down from the city gate tower.
.
The two of them landed, one with long hair and white clothes, the other wearing a hat with his hands folded, walking hurriedly towards the south of the city.
Compared with Dongdu City, Jiangdu City is certainly not big, but neither of them used their true energy to run wildly. Instead, they left some room and accelerated slightly. Bai Yousi didn't even fly.
They waited until they arrived at the South City Gate before borrowing Bai Yousi's cultivation for the second time and gently floating over.
After leaving the city, the outside of the city was already completely white. Only the river in the distance was like a black belt stretching across the sky and the earth, which made people daydream. However, there was no time to observe the scenery. As soon as the two of them left the city, they followed Zhang Xing's instructions and headed outside the city.
The real fire by the river looked away.
The real fire lasted all night long and was very easy to distinguish at night. However, after the two arrived, they did not go to watch the fire. Instead, they followed Zhang Xing's instructions and landed in the backyard vegetable garden.
"Say it beforehand."
Zhang Xing responded in a low voice. "When I leave the vegetable garden, I will definitely explain the next layer of this incident to the inspection... So, before that, please don't spoil the interest of the inspection."
Having said this, Zhang Xing turned around without hesitation and opened the cellar that stood next to the vegetable field. He skillfully stole a radish from inside, peeled off the skin, and then turned over and sat on the courtyard wall.
Bai Yousi stood on the wall, watching with interest: "I also want to eat a carrot."
Zhang Xing nodded and immediately served Shangguan. He turned over and got into the cellar again, then stole a second radish and even peeled it for him.
Bai Yousi took it and bent down to sit on the wall. He first raised the wine jar and drank a sliver of wine. Then he imitated the other person and opened his mouth to see a large piece of radish, which brought tears to his eyes.
Zhang Xing laughed and said nothing.
Bai Yousi regained his composure and shook his head again: "No, Zhang Xing, you have to steal the carrot for me, and I have to reciprocate. Wait for me, I just smelled the fragrance..."
With that said, the female inspector put down the wine jar, then stood up and left. Almost immediately, she turned back with a blooming light yellow wintersweet in her hand, and then she directly put it on the other party's mink hat.
Insert it up.
Zhang Xing was stunned for a moment, but he couldn't help but didn't move and allowed the other party to get in.
After finishing the arrangement, he smiled bitterly: "I remember Qin Bao had arranged flowers before. Is it really a custom?"
"It's your custom in the North." The female inspector smiled half-heartedly. "You still come to ask me."
Zhang Xing shook his head and moved the wintersweet branch to sweep away the snowflakes.
The sky and the earth are vast, the snowflakes are lightly fluttering, and they are lonely for thousands of miles. The two of them are sitting side by side on the wall. Although they have agreed to talk about some serious topics, for some reason, the two of them remain silent for a long time, and neither one is willing to speak first without permission.
After a pause, the two of them still did not speak. Suddenly, on a house twenty or thirty steps away, a snowflake on the roof suddenly slipped and fell to the ground.
And at this time, a baby woke up in the house with a cry of alarm.
Then, the two of them heard clearly that after the baby cried, the girl was obviously woken up by the baby, and she started to coax the baby again: "Don't make trouble, don't make trouble, if you make trouble again, the golden dog will come to catch you."
The two of them heard it funny, but they were afraid of completely waking up the female crown, so they both covered their mouths with carrots.
After finally waiting for Nu Guan to fall asleep again, the two of them gnawed carrots and regained their clarity.
After a long pause, Zhang Xing took the lead and spoke in a low voice: "Inspection inspection, do you know how many babies are raised in this Zhenhuoguan Nursery?"
Bai Yousi pricked up his ears and closed his eyes for a moment: "Twenty-seven people, big and small."
"Absolutely." Zhang Xing nodded in response. "But this is a loophole... According to the truth, there is no end to the abandoned babies. If the rebels of the True Fire Sect have taken the food and distributed enough profit, why is this
There are only twenty-seven babies raised in the temple, why don’t we raise more?”
Bai Yousi wanted to speak but stopped.
"Also, who said tonight that the rebels in the south of the Yangtze River have received food and can even provide relief to their families... In the land of plenty in the south of the Yangtze River, why do we need to provide food relief for a few pennies a dou?" Zhang Xing continued to come.
Question. "Not only that, why did the rebellion not steal some armor and weapons from the palace when they needed food? What's even more ridiculous is that several rebellions were suppressed so quickly, and the imperial court had heavy troops stationed in Jiangdu and Xiangyang.
These True Fire Sects, which have begun to take the upper-level line and are about to be divided within themselves, really dare to rebel? As for the stolen food that can be uniformly distributed to more than ten or twenty counties, it is even more ridiculous. The True Fire Sect really has this ability.
Are you going to rebel in ten more years? Or are you going to treat several riverside managers as fools?"
Bai Yousi remained silent, knowing that Zhang Xing would give the answer.
"The answer is very simple." Zhang Xing answered seriously. "Inspection revealed that the food shortage in Jiangdong is actually very serious... There is not much food in the land of plenty."
"Impossible." Bai Yousi blurted out. "There are countless grains delivered to Luokou warehouse every year. You say corruption, corvee disturbing the people, and the division of the north and the south. I believe it, but how can there be a shortage of food?"
"I don't believe it either." Zhang Xing replied with a sigh. "No one who has lived in Dongdu will believe it... But until I saw an old document and learned how the food in the palace came from
”
"What document and how did it come about?" Bai Yousi asked in a low voice.
"The document is an old document. It is the conveyance of the saint's decree when he established the five-capital system after he ascended the throne and moved the capital. It requires the seven counties near Jiangdu in the Jiangdong region to deliver 10% of the annual autumn grain to Jiangdu Palace on the spot to enrich local storage...
...Then, within seven or eight years, the warehouse overflowed and transshipment stopped... That was when Eunuch Zhao became the governor of the Jiangdu Palace, and he is now, another five or six years have passed." Zhang Xing recounted calmly.
"What did the inspection think of?"
"This year, several counties in Jiangdu have suddenly lost 10% of their autumn grain. I sent a letter to ask, saying that the rains have delayed the transportation, and they have to wait until spring to deliver it together... You go to Jiangdong to urge you." Bai Yousi said.
He repeated it expressionlessly. "You are saying that Governor Zhao is a good man, or a weak person. After he took over, he either took the initiative or was coerced to release the food in the palace again to let these seven
The county officials took away the grain and used it as autumn grain for business purposes. Then this year, the food in the palace was empty, which attracted us here...so...but..."
At the end of the sentence, Bai Yousi was obviously in disbelief, but he didn't know where to refute, so that such a smart person became incoherent.
"The numbers are so coincidental, and they also explain why many people in the Jiangdu officialdom, including Duke Zhou, have such ambiguous attitudes, and the case is completely clear." Zhang Xing talked eloquently. "But there is still a huge problem, that is
Why are Duke Zhao and the officials of the seven counties willing to take such a big risk to do this, even if the True Fire Cult is used as a black hand... This goes back to the original question, because Jiangdong is really short of food, then
Adding in 10% of the autumn grain is likely to cause famine or even large-scale rebellion."
"That's the truth, but I still don't understand why there is a shortage of food?" Bai Yousi was a little angry.
In the neighboring room, a child was already crying again, but Nu Guan was obviously alert but did not dare to coax her any more.
"Please take the inspection officer to Jiangxin Island." Zhang Xing stood up without saying a word.
Bai Yousi stared at the other party. He did not touch the wine jar or carrots, but grabbed the other party. He jumped in the air and floated towards the river ahead like a stream of light in the snowy night. He flew to the center of the river. There was a person here.
There are several villages and a market on the huge Jiangxin Island.
"It's over there, in the village below, next to the house at the head of the village." Zhang Xing was obviously prepared, so he shook his finger. "There is a tree ahead."
Bai Yousi was already impatient, and flew down here like a powerful crane, throwing down his capable subordinate, and then he couldn't rush him:
"Stop being so pretentious and tell me."
Zhang Xing ignored it, but stood under the tree, pointed to the open space in front of the tree, and said seriously again: "The matter is very important. Please inspect and measure the size of this land. From this tree to that tree,
There are ridges on all sides, so it’s easy to measure..."
Bai Yousi glanced at the other party blankly, but still walked over and used the long sword. Like a magic trick, he used his true energy in the air to make the long sword roll rapidly for measurement, and then gave the answer after just a moment: "I
The sword is exactly four feet long, and the land is less than three acres..."
Zhang Xing nodded and stared at the other party with a smile under the tree:
"Inspection, you always want to find out the foundation, and this is the foundation of the foundation."
"What?" Bai Yousi breathed heavily, as if he was avoiding something. "What's the basis?"
"The basis of this case is, why is there a shortage of food in Jiangdong?" Zhang Xingcong calmly responded. "Including the basis of another problem, which has troubled people all over the world for many years, that is, why did the late emperor not become a dragon? Just because
Is he usurping the throne?
Also, for example, why did Yang Shen dare to rebel? Why did he and many people, including smart people like Li Shu, think he could succeed?
Also, why do I, a country person, always feel that the Wei Dynasty is too unconventional since I entered the Eastern Capital? Sometimes it feels like the beginning of a new dynasty, and sometimes it feels like the end of the dynasty?
Why would a powerful man like Xu Dalang from the East have to be an enemy of the imperial court? The root of all the problems lies under your feet and sword."
Bai Yousi was stunned for a long time and suddenly looked at the snow under her feet. The next moment, she was stunned as she heard a word in her ear.
"This piece of land, which is less than three acres, was clearly measured in the official register when the late emperor was in power. It is ten acres." Zhang Xing answered seriously.
"Impossible!" Bai Yousi immediately retorted after coming back to his senses.
"That's not all. There are five people in the family behind, three generations of ancestors and grandchildren. As soon as the son came of age, he was recognized as two families...According to the meager tax set by the late emperor, his family's harvest is 50%.
Used to pay taxes. I asked Brother Hu and Qin Erlang. This number is 35% in the East and Hebei, and 20% in Guanlong." Zhang Xing continued. "The reason for this is the same as the death of the late emperor.
It is related to the order of Dong Qi and Nan Chen. After the first emperor destroyed Dong Qi and Nan Chen, they each emphasized one thing again and again... that is to require local officials in various states and counties to inventory the land, check household registrations, and no aristocratic families are allowed.
A powerful person can hide even a little bit, and if anyone can't do it, his house will be confiscated immediately and his head will be executed."
"You are saying that because they were far away, the late Emperor was suspicious and could not check, so he forced too much. The officials below could only exaggerate according to his wishes, and in the end they had to pay taxes several times the actual acres. This is too ridiculous.
"Yeah..." Bai Yousi laughed a little angrily. "Why didn't any loyal minister tell the late emperor?"
"Did the late emperor really not know?" Zhang Xing responded jokingly. "This year, the Central Plains was hit by war. The prince of Nanya blockaded the prefectures and counties, but did not provide relief. He acted like something skillfully. Where do you think this political tradition comes from?
Moreover, when I was in Jing'antai, I clearly saw that in his later years, the late emperor became more and more harsh, and even made laws such as stealing a penny from the official warehouse and killing people and ransacking the house from a bucket of grain...so much so that some Chengdan masters couldn't stand it and stopped the court.
The clerk asked the late emperor, has there ever been a court that killed someone for just a penny?"
"Why didn't you force a rebellion..." Bai Yousi continued to question, but he stopped abruptly after only half a sentence.
"Here in Jiangdong, we first destroyed a country, killing many people, losing all the elites, and killing even a grandmaster in Jiangdong." Zhang Xing shook his head in reply. "But even so, it still caused huge turmoil in the late emperor's later years.
Otherwise, how could Yang Bin, who had committed no crime, take advantage of the opportunity to gain prestige in the southeast? But Yang Bin only kept his word and marched accordingly. Did he not kill people? And now, only a few years ago, a group of losers from the True Fire Cult are actually attacking him again.
Under the banner of rebellion, we can easily win the hearts and minds of the people, but yet we live in harmony with the government? Also, why are the people in Jiangdong so scared when they see us?"
Under the snowflakes, Bai Yousi took a long breath and couldn't catch his breath for half a day.
But Zhang Xing still put his hands together and continued: "Because I'm afraid of being killed, I killed everyone and didn't dare to rebel. Otherwise, I'll die... Inspection, the matter is that simple, what do you want to do?"
PS: Thank you to the new alliance leader Jiang Jiang Jiang Defu... This chapter is difficult to divide, so it is late, and to be honest, it may not be available tonight, everyone forgives me.
