Nine hundred and thirty-one wild goose plucking (2)
"I will see your Majesty..."
Because it was not a formal court meeting, it was a sudden summons by the emperor to the ministers. Therefore, the ministers did not pay homage as they did during the court meeting, but only bowed slightly to pay tribute.
"Your Majesty has summoned your ministers to come, but do you have any important matters?" Prime Minister Zhou Yafu raised his head and asked, revealing heavy dark circles under his eyes.
Recently, the Han Dynasty's Prime Minister's Office and the Imperial Censor's Office have been completely busy.
In the autumn and August of last year, the data on newly added household registrations and land last year were reported by local governments. Now, it is time to confirm and verify them.
If this matter is not settled, in another three months, it will be time to confirm the household registration and report the land increase status.
During the Qin and Han dynasties, household registration and land management were extremely strict.
The law divides the people of the world, whether they are nobles, officials, people, or slaves, into five groups: princes, officials, people, cities, and slaves.
Under the net of household registration and population regulation, few people can escape the jurisdiction of the law.
Back then, during the Qin Dynasty, the eunuch Zhao Gao, a close associate of Qin Shihuang, committed a crime and was still removed from his official status according to law (Historical Records. Biography of Meng Tian).
In the Han Dynasty, the inventory and management of population and land were even worse than those in the Qin Dynasty.
This is because the Han Dynasty's political power relied more on calculations than the Qin Dynasty.
Every now and then, the emperor of the old Liu family would announce that "the land rent will be eliminated" and "the land rent will be eliminated and half rented."
The land tax should be collected as little as possible.
As a result, the national finance relied heavily on another major tax revenue besides land tax, which was the so-called oral tax, which was actually the head tax.
Han law stipulates that all people, including princes, kings and princes, need to pay a tax of one hundred and twenty qian every year, and merchants and slaves are required to pay double this amount. In addition, women who are not married at the age of fifteen are also required to pay double this amount.
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When Liu Che came to the throne, he announced that the head tax for merchants would be increased, and that for Han slaves and maids would be five times the amount.
In most of the Han Dynasty's fifty or sixty-year history, the income from this head tax has exceeded the land tax and has even become the country's main source of income.
The emperor of the Han Dynasty also used this policy to complete the paving the way for his monarchy to override everything else.
The reason is simple.
Since Zhou Dynasty, taxes have been separated.
Taxes are state expenditures, used to support officials and meet daily expenses.
Fu is what the common people and officials of the world support the emperor, build palaces and mausoleums for him, organize armies, and resist foreign aggression.
When there is more money in the emperor's treasury than in the treasury.
The prime minister and officials all naturally knelt down and sang conquest to the emperor.
Therefore, the Han Dynasty's management of household registration was actually more stringent than that of land.
At least land is allowed to be bought and sold.
As for household registration, it is prohibited to leave the household registration at will.
According to the provisions of Han law: Anyone who loses his household registration will become a disciple of his parents.
If a person in the family deregisters and flees, the head of the household listed in the household registration book will be jailed for betrayal.
During the reign of Emperor Taizong, the Chariot and Cavalry General Zhi Hou Bo Zhao also wrote to Liu Chang, King Li of Huainan, saying: There are laws to treat the fallen princes, wandering eunuchs, and those who live in hiding.
And this is also true.
In the fourteenth year of Emperor Taizong's reign, the governor of Hanoi County was in charge of "knowing the names of the deceased, so as to protect them from death."
A tycoon who was equivalent to the Communist Party was stripped of his hat because he tried to hide a defector.
But at present, the situation of the Han Dynasty is not that there are too many fleeing people, so that the court has to tighten the law and severely crack down on the fleeing scholars.
At present, the Han Dynasty countries are generally light on corvee and low on taxes.
The emperor was generous and generous, and waved his hand, saying that the land tax was thirty to one, and the tax would never be increased.
In fact, ordinary farmers, small landowners and even tenants do not need to flee or hide.
Because, if they flee and hide under the names of powerful landlords, in fact, they will suffer even more severe exploitation.
Just like the Qilu landlords, the powerful landlords will not stop until they drain the last drop of blood from their slaves.
What's more, the benefits of registering for ordinary people far outweigh the disadvantages.
First of all, you can legally protect your personal safety and property safety.
According to Han law, registered land, homes, and personal property are protected by the state.
Land sales need to be secured by the government and registered in the register.
No one dares to infringe and harm their legitimate rights and interests at will.
The various princes recorded in the Shiqu Pavilion archives who were beaten to death for various crimes such as 'hurting people', 'invading people's land', 'not repaying people's responsibilities' and 'exceeding the law' are enough to wake up most nobles.
As for local powerful people who dare to commit lawlessness at will, then the local county governor will definitely be happy to add to his political achievements.
Of course, this is not necessarily the case.
After all, the law is dead but people are alive.
Landlords and bureaucrats have many ways to fight the law.
But generally speaking, the current world is generally stable. Even if ordinary people cannot survive, they still have a way to go. Whether they go south to Donghai County to open up wasteland or go north to Andong, it is the same way.
The government will also organize and arrange food and accommodation on the road!
As for Guanzhong, it is even simpler.
If the landlord was a little harsher, they would go to Shanglinyuan.
As long as you work hard, you will never starve to death!
Secondly, you can also get titles by registering the title. The titles of the Han family can be turned into money. The emperor bestows titles every now and then, which is actually distributing benefits. People can sell their titles when their lives are difficult. The buyers are usually businessmen and landowners.
Therefore, the current focus of household registration work across the country is not actually concealing and underreporting, or hiding the population.
Because the landlords and powerful people have long been 'trained and taught' by the cruel officials, no one dares to safely conceal the population without paying off the local officials.
What's more, it is not economically cost-effective to conceal and hide the population now.
Therefore, the current household registration problem of the Han Dynasty is actually caused by local officials' false and arbitrary reporting of population and land quantities.
In order to be promoted, the officials below, especially the local officials in Guandong, would not dare to do anything.
What does it mean to just fabricate household registration and the number of acres of land?
Those with a conscience should falsely report by 10%, and those without conscience should falsely report by 30 to 50%.
In this way, you can make your political achievements beautiful.
Anyway, the mountain is high and the emperor is far away, so it is difficult for the court to discover his tricks.
Many bureaucrats have been promoted through this method.
It was not until Liu Che came to the throne and the examination became popular that this issue began to surface.
The examination scholars who went down to the local pavilion in Guanzhong reported to the Prime Minister's Office and the Imperial Censor's Yamen more than once, and even wrote directly to Liu Che, pointing out that they saw many "non-existent" household registrations and land in the local area.
It was obvious that in the files of his government office, there were several families and land in a certain place, but when I ran over and took a look, there was nothing there. It was all bare, either in the mountains or on the barren slopes.
This incident attracted Liu Che's attention.
Although to be reasonable, these guys' play is a win-win situation in the short term.
They won political achievements, but Liu Che took the benefits and fabricated land and household registration. They still had to pay taxes and serve, but they did not exist, so they had to let other people who existed pay the bill for them. And these taxes, in the end,
All will be paid into Liu Che's pocket.
However, Liu Che knew that if things continued like this, something would definitely happen.
So, with the power of victory in the Battle of Mayi.
Liu Che ordered that a thorough investigation and comprehensive inventory of Guanzhong household registration and land acres be carried out first.
Naturally, the people responsible for this work were the Prime Minister Zhou Yafu and the imperial censor Chao Cuo.
These days, Zhou Yafu only reads official documents, reading hundreds of thousands of words every day!
I often work late into the night, even on holidays, and have to deal with official duties.
It can be said that I am extremely busy.
It was not until recently that this work was completed, and the household registrations and land that had been falsely reported and fabricated did not exist.
Before Liu Che summoned him this time, Zhou Yafu was a guest at the imperial censor's residence in Chao Cuo. The two third public servants got up and were discussing how to report.
The truth found out is really shocking.
In the entire Guanzhong, 35 of the 68 counties have false and fabricated household registration and land information.
In total, there are more than 3,000 households and more than 100,000 acres of non-existent household registration and land.
This is still Guanzhong!
At the feet of the Emperor!
After leaving Hangu Pass and Xiao Pass, God knows what kind of chaos Guandong and Guanbei are in!
With the emperor's temper, if he knew about it, he would definitely be furious again.
But this matter is not so easy to deal with.
Because it is likely to involve most of the bureaucrats in the world. If you are not careful, it will be a big turmoil.
But it won’t work if you don’t report it.
Just when I was worried, the emperor's summons arrived.
At this moment, both Zhou Yafu and Chao Cuo were terrified.
Because, although it is not clear when this happened.
It may be Taizong, or it may be the period of the late Emperor.
However, they were exposed during their tenure.
Undoubtedly, both of them have to bear the responsibility, and no one can escape.
Although Zhou Yafu and Chao Cuo are not the kind of people who can't take responsibility or dare not take responsibility.
But in this matter, they were so unjust!
………………………………
Liu Che looked at Zhou Yafu and Chao Cuo, and naturally he could figure out some questions.
In fact, the work progress of Zhou Yafu and Chao Cuo could not be hidden from him.
According to the system, the prime minister and the imperial censor must report their slips at regular intervals.
Through the slips, Liu Che could easily find out what the two men were doing and the progress of their work.
What's more, there are also embroidered guards as eyes and ears.
This pustule is a bit big.
But the poke was good!
If you don’t squeeze out the thick juice, big problems will occur sooner or later!
Long-term pain is worse than short-term pain.
If the delay continues, in twenty or thirty years, this pustule may turn into cancer!
But how to squeeze a pustule is also a technical job.
Liu Che never thought that he could eat a fat man in one bite.
This matter can only be done slowly, step by step, first Guanzhong, then Sanhe, and finally Tianxia.
It is necessary to unite the majority and attack a small number of measures.
Try every means to turn these bureaucrats into a small group of thieves who intend to endanger the country, the country, and the security of the world!
Now, Liu Che is not in a hurry.
"Today, I called all the ministers here because I just received a report from Governor Anton..." Liu Che stood up and said.
Zhou Yafu and Chao Cuo immediately let out a sigh of relief.
A big stone fell from my heart.
Anton's matter, no matter how big it is, is just like that.
At least it cannot threaten the survival of the country and the stability of the world.
"Captain Anton, we made a great discovery in Rao Leshui, hundreds of miles away from Huaihua..." Liu Che clapped his hands, and Wang Dao beside him immediately asked people to hold out the jade dragon and jade turtle presented by Bo Shi last year: "Everyone has made a great discovery..."
Please see, sir, these are the jade articles presented by Governor Anton, all of which were found near Rao Leshui..."
The jade dragon and jade turtle were held by the eunuchs and placed in front of the officials, allowing them to examine them one by one.
"Governor Anton, recently went to Raoleshui for inspection and found more jades and utensils, all of which were confirmed to be relics of the Fuxi family, the Xiong family, and the Yu family. The latest ones can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period.
The Lone Bamboo Country at that time..." Liu Che continued.
When the officials heard this, they all started to fight.
Fuxi is recognized as a holy king.
As for the Xiong family, the Xuanyuan family is also there!
There is the Yu family and Emperor Shun!
These three major clans are the recognized ancestors and origins of the Xia ethnic groups.
How could they appear outside Anton?
Countless people have doubts in their minds.
But I heard Liu Che say: "I already know whose dojo is where!"
"Fuxi's co-birth sister is also the dojo of Nuwa!"
This announcement, like a thunderbolt, exploded among the officials.
If other people said this, they might think this person is crazy.
But if it is the emperor, then it is a different matter.
Theoretically, the emperor could decide the heaven and earth, the stars, the movement of the sun and the moon, and let the physical rules and chemical reactions follow his wishes.
He has the power second only to Taiyi God, and can decide the birth and destruction of demons, gods and ghosts at will.
What's more, Liu Che also proved his destiny.
Like the three ancient kings, he has gained the authority to talk to heaven, interpret and modify the destiny of heaven.
Just like Liu Che, who hung up a plaque in the Xuanshi Hall that read, "Poverty in the world will lead to eternal prosperity". People in the world can only obey and praise the emperor's great cause and holiness, and no one dares to object or object.
Liu Che, however, held the Emperor's Sword and continued: "This place should have been a place where a saint appeared two thousand years later and appeared in the world. The existence and death were interrupted and the past was continued!"
Two thousand years later, the Hongshan Culture emerged, rewriting the genealogy of Chinese civilization and showing the context and integration process of the various tributaries of the Zhuxia civilization to future generations.
The Nuwa Temple he discovered also confirmed some of the myths and legends.
Now, it is indeed a bit early for it to come out.
Liu Che was also worried that if it was not given a sacred coat, it might be destroyed by ignorant descendants.
Therefore, he raised the Emperor's Sword and said seriously: "I know God's will. This place appeared too early and should not be unsealed!"
"However, the ancestral temple and the ashram of the ancestors are sacred and should not be insulted! Respecting the heavenly ancestor is what I want!"
"His order: The prime minister has asked the minister to select the ancestral mausoleum guards from the ancestral line, noble ministers, two thousand stone heirs, and the descendants of the meritorious officials and meritorious soldiers. Those who are over twenty-three years old, have virtue, and can serve in the ancestral temple will serve as the ancestral mausoleum guard to guard the tombs of the ancestors of the world.
, each varies from one year to three years old..." Liu Che raised the Emperor's Sword and gave the order.
"No!" Zhou Yafu and the ministers had no objection to this.
It is an honor and a responsibility to send the heir apparent of your family to guard the mausoleum of your ancestors!
Liu Che looked at it and nodded.
Guarding the tombs and protecting the tombs and cultural relics of the ancestors from tomb robbers and bandits is just one of them.
The more important purpose is to cultivate the next generation of these noble heroes and train them into Zhuxia nationalists.
And instill in them the concepts of country and nation.
Think about it, once the next generation comes on stage who can only inherit the family business and title after guarding the tomb of the late king, they will inevitably pay more attention to the concepts of country and nation than their parents, and will have a clearer understanding of who they are.
this point is very important.
In particular, the enfeoffment system will be revived in the future.
Without this prerequisite, the princes who were ambushed and enfeoffed would be easily assimilated by the local people.
With this system, at the very least, even if these people are far away from China, they will still remember where they came from. (To be continued.)
