At the third watch of Qiao and Drums, Gu Minzhi, the imperial censor, was still debating endlessly in his study. Chen Caozhi, Gu Minzhi, and Zhang Ping each expressed their opinions on the matter of the Gengxu Tutu Judgment. Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping could be regarded as the gentlemen of the Sanwu clan.
Although both factions represent the interests of their respective families, their attitudes will not be as fierce as that of Lu Shi. These two people must be fought for by Chen Caozhi. The four surnames of Wu County, Gu, Lu, Zhu and Zhang, if they can get the Gu family and Zhang
Only with the cooperation of the family, or at least no objection, can this earth-breaking operation be effective. However, if Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping want to give up part of the family's vested interests, they must provide corresponding compensation on the other hand, and this is not Chen
To win the battle, he must discuss with Xie Xuan and Xi Chao to formulate countermeasures, and then Huan Wen will make the decision——
With their qualifications and reputation, Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping would not bother to tell Chen Caozhi this. They could talk to Xi Chao directly, advise Huan Wen, or simply, as Lu Shi said, the three Wu clans unite to fight.
The reason why Tu Duan, Gu and Zhang wanted to have a long late-night talk with Chen Caozhi this time was because they felt that Chen Caozhi was a man who was knowledgeable and knew how to advance and retreat. He had a good relationship with the Gu family and the Zhang family, and was highly valued by Huan Wen.
Neither Gu Minzhi nor Zhang Ping wanted to confront Huan Wen, so they expressed their thoughts to Chen Caozhi, and Chen Caozhi relayed the message to Chen Caozhi as the mediator. This was more tactful and in line with the interests of the sect——
Chen Cao said: "Uncle Gu and Uncle Zhang, although my family, the Chen family in Qiantang, originated from Yingchuan, they have moved to Jiangzuo for four generations and are more pro-southern than northerners. I will not sit back and watch the interests of the southerners suffer."
Damn, I will discuss with Xi Shilang and Xie Youdu tomorrow and inform Duke Huan of the true situation of Sanwu."
In fact, most of the so-called southern gentry migrated from the north. Among the four surnames in Wu County, only the Gu family is a native of Jiangdong. The other three surnames and the four surnames in Kuaiji, as well as the Shen family in Wuxing and the Zhou family in Yixing, are all
They moved from the Central Plains to Jiangdong during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Nowadays, the division of southerners and northerners is generally based on Yongjia. Those who moved south before Yongjia were basically southerners, and those who moved south after that were northerners who crossed south. Chen Cao
It has been more than a hundred years since their ancestors moved south in the early Wei Dynasty. Although it was later than Wu County and the eight surnames in Kuaiji, it was much earlier than the southward crossing of Yongjia. The Chen family of Qiantang is naturally considered a southerner, but in Huanwen, Xie
In the view of An and others, the Qiantang Chen family originated from Yingchuan and can be said to be from the north. Therefore, Chen Caozhi can only survive in the cracks, and he can use both sides well when he makes good use of it——
Zhang Ping listened to what Chen Caozhi said, nodded and said: "When we were crossing south from Yongjia, if we, the Sanwu clan, had not understood the general situation and taken the overall situation into consideration, it would have been difficult for the northerners to gain a foothold on the left side of the Yangtze River. The Sanwu clan has always done things that were beneficial to the country and the people.
I'm happy to see it, but I'm just unhappy that some people are using it to cut off the soil and inspect the records to promote the north and restrain the south."
Zhang Ping took his leave, and Gu Minzhi and Chen Caozhi sent him out of the gate together. After seeing off Zhang Ping and returning, Gu Minzhi asked Chen Caozhi to accompany him for a walk in the courtyard and said, "Does Cao Zhi know the story of my late uncle Jun Xiaogong? Taixing
During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, the Prime Minister Wang sent eight officers to visit the counties. All the officers talked about the gains and losses of each of the two thousand stone officials. Only my uncle, Jun Xiaogong, said nothing. Prime Minister Wang asked, "What did you hear?"
Duke Xiao replied, "Ming Gong is an assistant, and he would rather let the net slip and swallow the boat. Why should he listen to rumors and conduct inspections for government affairs?" Prime Minister Wang praised him for his good deeds."
Gu Jun's filial name was Gu He, and he had a commanding name. Chen Caozhi understood that Gu Minzhi's intention in telling Gu He's story was to tell him to be pure and inactive and not to picket things, so that he would not offend others. Gu Minzhi said this with good intentions.
It is not necessarily a good job to be dismissed from office. Chen Caozhi is currently inexperienced and could easily be criticized and impeached if he is not careful.
Chen Cao said: "Thank you Uncle Gu for reminding me. Cao Zhi remembers it. Speaking of anecdotes, Cao Zhi remembers that when Yuyao ordered Shanya to find out that Yu Xi was hiding three thousand people in a house in Kuaiji, he should abandon the market according to the law, but Prime Minister Wang did not pursue Yu.
I am happy but I have dismissed Shan Xia as an official——"
Gu Minzhi smiled and said, "Caozhi is a smart man."
However, Chen Caozhi changed his subject and said: "But Sima Huan is no better than Prime Minister Wang. Prime Minister Wang is more tolerant and lenient towards the aristocratic family. Sometimes it can be said that he is trying to compromise. This is related to the current affairs at the beginning of the southern crossing. Prime Minister Wang needs to get the gentry from the north and south."
The first priority is to stabilize the regime of Wang and Ma. But now the situation has changed. Fu Qin and Murong Yan in the north are getting stronger and stronger. I can't predict that in twenty years, the Northern Hu will invade the south, and Huan Da Sima will do the same.
Worrying, it is necessary to carry out land inspections, increase taxes, and expand soldiers. Although Cao Zhi is a southerner, he firmly supports Huan Da Sima's move. It is not for personal meritorious service and promotion, but for the long-term stability of Jiangdong. Otherwise,
, Huma crossed the river, and all the jade and stone were burned!"
Gu Minzhi was silent for a long time and then said: "Cao Zhi wants to help Huan Da Sima strictly enforce the land rule. I, the Gu family, will not make it difficult for you. What I want is that the nobles from the north and the south should be treated equally."
…
Early the next morning, Chen Caozhi went to visit Xi Chao. Before he could talk about the matter of Tu Duan, Xi Chao smiled and asked, "Zizhong, did you see Lu's girl yesterday?"
Chen Cao thought to himself: "Is this matter known to the whole city again?" He replied: "I met him briefly in Qu'a."
Xi Chao said: "I want to tell you something, you don't have to rush to answer -"
Chen Cao said: "Brother Guest, please speak clearly."
Xi Chao said slowly: "Princess Nankang admired Zi Zhong's talent and appearance very much. Knowing that you were not yet married, she intended to betroth her eldest daughter to you. Duke Huan's daughter is only ten years old. She can marry Zi Zhong in five years.
Wouldn't it be a good thing if Zhong Ruo becomes Duke Huan's good son-in-law?"
Chen Caozhi said in his heart: "It's ridiculous to ask me to be engaged to a ten-year-old girl. It's so ridiculous! I can assist Huan Wen, but I can't completely tie myself and my family's fate to the Huan family, even if I haven't married Wei Rui.
Even if I am in love, I will not marry a daughter of the Huan family." He said, "Brother Jian Bin knows that I have a three-year contract with Miss Lu."
Xi Chao smiled and said: "So there is no need to rush to Zizhong's reply. It will not be too late to reply after three years."
Xi Chao meant that Chen Caozhi could not marry Lu Weirui within three years, and if he married the Huan family at that time, it would not be considered a betrayal and would not cause any flaw in his moral character.
Chen Cao said: "Wei Rui's father once asked me what would happen if I couldn't marry Wei Rui? I should never marry her for the rest of my life."
Xi Chao said: "There are three types of unfilial piety. The greatest is not having an heir. A person who values purity and filial piety is a family man. How can he not marry for the rest of his life?"
Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "This so-called burning cauldron and sinking the boat means that if you are determined to win, you will win."
Xi Chao laughed and stopped mentioning the matter of Huan's daughter.
Chen Caozhi then talked about the conversation he had with Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping last night. After hearing this, Xi Chao nodded and said: "Although the land registration examination is carried out in six states, the most important one is Yangzhou. The manors of the Sanwu clan are all in Yangzhou.
, the refugees who need land removal are also concentrated in the Jingkou and Jinling areas of Yangzhou. If the Yangzhou land removal goes smoothly, the Gengxu land removal will be effective this time, but it will inevitably affect the interests of the Sanwu clan, which is really difficult."
There are some words that can be said bluntly in front of Xi Chao, Chen Cao said: "The powerful families in Jiangzuo are annexing each other, and the strong and weak are at odds with each other. The people are displaced and cannot protect their property. If a plan is not taken early, it will lead to great chaos in the long run."
Xi Chao nodded: "Zizhong went to the Tuduan Division today to look at the Tuduan inspection documents reported by each county, and then see how the mainland ministers responded. Today is the fourth day of August, and the Tuduan inspection has begun in all counties in Yangzhou."
The Tuduan Division was located in the hall between Zhongshu Sheng and Secret Pavilion in Taicheng. When Chen Caozhi arrived, Jia Bizhi, Liu Shangzhi and several other officials from the Tuduan Division had already arrived first, and they immediately thanked Daoyun and Xuan Sister
My brother has also arrived.
Lu Shi came to Tuduansi surrounded by four subordinate officials. Xie Xuan, Chen Caozhi and others came forward one by one to greet him. In the court hall, in full view of everyone, Lu Shi would not be too rude. When Chen Caozhi saluted
, Lu Shi reluctantly returned a bow, but did not even look at Chen Caozhi. He only ordered everyone to carefully read the documents submitted by the county's land division office, collect them and sort them out, and report to him any important matters. After giving the instructions, Lu Shi returned.
His Five Soldiers Shangshu Department.
Xie Daoyun, Jia Bizhi, Liu Shangzhi and others immediately began to read the documents, make summary, and record them in the book. As the right and left supervisors of the Tuduan Division, Xie Xuan and Chen Caozhi did not need to do these tedious things, they just read.
An abstract would suffice, but when Xie Xuan saw the pile of papers on his sister Xie Daoyun's desk, he went to sort them out together. Chen Caozhi also sorted them out with Jia Bizhi and Liu Shangzhi.
Jia Bizhi was the first person to suspect that Zhu Yingtai was Xie Daoyun. Now he saw that Zhu Yingtai was working as an official with Chen Caozhi, and he was extremely surprised. Jia Bizhi once told Xi Chao about this matter, and expressed his gratitude to Zhu Yingtai.
The official expressed concern, and Xi Chao asked him to be careful and just watch.
That morning, Xie Xuan, Chen Caozhi and others sorted through the documents of eighteen counties in Danyang, Dongyang and Wuxing counties, and found that sixteen counties reflected the tyranny of local powerful families and the inability of local officials to inspect hidden households——
The Gengxu Order once stipulated that the chief officials of each county should report to the Tuduan Division if there were illegal households in their counties but were unable to deal with them. In this way, the chief officials could be exempted from liability. Now, the sixteen counties of Sanwu have issued reports to each county.
They just said they were unable to check the local wealthy families, and put all the blame on Tuduansi!
Xie Xuan sneered and said: "This is really unanimous. Everyone agrees. These sixteen counties cannot carry out normal land check registration. Let's see what the Tuduan Division can do? Let's see if our Tuduan Division can do it one county at a time and one household at a time.
Go search!"
Chen Caozhi asked Jia Bizhi: "Does Jia Lingshi know the magistrates, names and titles of these sixteen counties?"
Jia Bizhi was proficient in the study of espionage and knew all the former and current officials of the major families in each county. He immediately listed the names and county titles of the sixteen county officials one by one. As expected, it was as expected by Chen Caozhi. These officials were
Most of them came from the Sanwu noble clan, and this was Lu Shi's method. He united with the Wu noble clan to set up obstacles for Tu Duan.
Xie Daoyun looked at Chen Caozhi and smiled slightly. She and Chen Caozhi had thought about all the possible obstacles during the soil cutting as early as on the way to Gushu, and also thought that the county magistrates might not cooperate.
, the two of them formulated countermeasures and both suggested them to Huan Wen. Huan Wen asked Chen Cao Zhi to do things conveniently, and Xi Chao in the DPRK would strongly support him.