ps: Thanks to Eagle Week for the reward, and thanks to Chu Xianyun for the monthly ticket encouragement. ∽↗
Perhaps because Zhao Ran's words about pulling tiger skins calmed down Magistrate Kong, this old parent from Guyang County unexpectedly agreed with Zhao Ran's words: "I highly appreciate Fangzhu Zhao's compassionate heart.
What the Fang Master said is true, this young man's money is indeed a bad government now."
Zhao Ran was stunned. He really didn't expect that County Magistrate Kong would express his attitude so clearly. When he was still hesitating to speculate whether the magistrate's words were sincere, the other party directly opened the chat box to clarify his attitude: "Zhao Fangzhu, please don't think that I am an official.
I just echoed the lies. Since I took over Guyang County, the land tax paid has been fixed, and the labor force collected has been either less or more. But what is the reality? The number of taxable acres in the county's fish scale book has been decreasing day by day, and the labor force has been reduced day by day.
The population has not increased. Three years ago, the county's tax land totaled 176,500 acres. Last year, it was reduced to 174,300 acres. This year, it is 173,200 acres.
A thousand acres were reduced; the population also dropped from 37,000 to 36,000. Where have these fields and people gone? Without exception, they have become the fields and tenant servants of the wealthy gentry. If they are allowed to continue, hundreds of thousands of people will be lost.
Many years from now, Guyang County will have no more taxable land and no more land to tax!"
Zhao Ran felt his scalp numb as he listened to these shocking figures. Magistrate Kong seemed to have found someone to complain to, and he continued to complain: "Master Zhao, don't think that I have benefited, so you are willing to continue to work for the tiger. I
The official is not afraid to tell the truth. How much money can be gained from the young man's money? Is this official so poor that he must have this money to start the pot? I am in any party, not to mention benefiting the other party, at least I must pass the annual performance evaluation, right?
Money, food, taxes and servitude are actually the focus of the imperial court's assessment. I would rather not have this money, but also hope to worry about the assessment grade. I am not even fifty this year..."
Zhao Ran looked at his white hair and secretly said to Kong County, are you kidding me?
"… Therefore, I also look forward to further progress in my official career, so I am often worried about this. I just wonder if Master Zhao has any good solutions to the mismanagement of young crops' money? I think that Master Zhao is not here to collect the land, right?"
As soon as Zhao Ran thought about it, he realized that what County Magistrate Kong was telling was the truth. Local officials in the Ming Dynasty were not allowed to serve in their hometowns, nor were they allowed to purchase land in the place where they served. Magistrate Kong might become another wealthy gentry after becoming an official in the future. But in Guyang
During his tenure in the county, the most important thing for him must be the imperial examination, so it was inevitable that he would be worried about the gradually decreasing acres and land.
Now that he was on the same side as Magistrate Kong, Zhao Ran felt much more relaxed.
"To be honest with the county magistrate, Pindao has a small amount of money, and he is willing to use this as a basis to get involved in lending money from young crops. Pindao's method is to give the money to poor people who need loans, and the interest will be 8%. When he returns the green crops warehouse
For two points.”
Zhao Ran plans to set the interest rate for repaying the young crop warehouse at two cents. Although this figure is not up to the level of loan sharking for wealthy gentry, it is basically close. If you borrow more, the amount will not be much different.
It is enough to make up for the interests of the government and the Taoist temple in young people's money.
The official interest rate of young crops money is 4%. This interest rate is indeed too low, so Zhao Ran raised it to 8%. It is also within the range of the people's affordability, which can also reduce his burden on the interest rate difference.
This reduced the interest he subsidized to the young crop warehouse from 1.6% to 1.2%.
Zhao Ran's 8% interest rate can basically create a crushing trend, and the loan sharking market of the wealthy gentry will be severely impacted - unless they lower their prices, and once the price drops, Zhao Ran doesn't mind at all if ordinary people borrow debts with 8% interest rate.
Money, this is also considered his merit.
County Magistrate Kong pondered for a moment, then immediately calculated a number. He frowned and said, "In this case, Fangzhu Zhao may need to spend two thousand silver a year. This... Fangzhu Zhao must think twice."
Zhao Ran said: "The county magistrate is aware of it, and it is indeed the case. However, Pindao has another idea, and I sincerely ask the county magistrate to agree."
"Master Zhao, please speak."
"Pindao plans to contract the land west of Jundu Mountain in the southwest of this county..."
"Contracting? What is contracting?"
"Uh... it means taking over the land contract. Pindao begs the county to hand over the land to Pindao. Pindao will have full authority to manage it."
"Zhao Fangzhu plans to organize manpower to farm the fields? But there are wastelands over there, and the county does not have the manpower to open up wasteland."
"The county magistrate does not have to worry, Pindao has his own solution. Pindao plans to contract the contract for fifty years. He also asks the county magistrate to exempt the land tax for the first three years. After three years, he is willing to pay two bushels of grain per mu, and after ten years, he will pay three bushels of grain per mu!
"
Kong County Zun's face was not very good, and he seemed a little reluctant. Zhao Ran peeked at the other person's face, and secretly wondered in his heart that by doing so, he was increasing the number of tax fields in Guyang County. He had learned about the wasteland to the west of Jundu Mountain, which was about
There are tens of thousands of acres, which is equivalent to a direct increase in Kong Xianzun's political achievements. Logically speaking, Kong Xianzun should be happy. Why is the result the opposite?
After thinking for a moment, Zhao Ran suddenly understood and quickly changed his words: "County Lord, we can change the approach. In the first two years, we will pay three dou of grain per mu. After two years, we will pay one dou of grain per mu. After ten years, we will return to three dou of grain per mu."
Fight, what do you think the county magistrate wants?" This was a typical intention of "chasing three times and four nights". In fact, the total amount of food received was not much different, but County Magistrate Kong was immediately satisfied and nodded in agreement.
The reason why this situation occurs is due to Kong Xianzun’s term of office. Kong Xianzun’s term expires in two years, and then it will be the time for the Ministry of Personnel’s assessment. Zhao Ran said that the first three years are tax-free, and for Kong Xianzun
Generally speaking, the achievement of adding more acres of land has been greatly reduced. And after Zhao Ran slightly changes the way of paying taxes, Kong County Zun's achievements in the past two years will be really good. As for two years later - he may
I have been transferred, so I don't have time to worry about it. And as long as Mr. Kong County has signed this "contract agreement", the successor cannot change it.
As for Zhao Ran, because he plays the role of a 'general contractor', he doesn't care whether he pays the food first or later, as long as he comes up with the money to advance the payment.
Everything is going very well. Zhao Ran and Kong Xianzun had a great conversation and almost all the details were agreed upon. The reason why I say almost is because Kong Xianzun had a request. He hoped that it would be best to have a copy from the West Zhenwu Palace.
According to the official document, Zhao Ran, the head of Wujiyuan, is allowed to participate in the lending of Qingmiao money.
Kong County Zun is really a very straightforward person. He confessed to Zhao Ran that Zhao Ran's involvement in lending money to young people would greatly offend the wealthy gentry in Guyang County, and these wealthy gentry in the government, province, and even the court would probably be in trouble.
They all have a lot of energy. If these big households are blamed (which is inevitable), he, a small county magistrate, may not be able to bear it.
Thinking from his perspective, Zhao Ran understood this. Then he left the county government. What he had to do next was to find a way to obtain the official documents from Xizhenwu Palace.
Zhao Ran first went to the Charity Hall and asked Manager Li to suspend the distribution of charity money, and then hurried back to Wuji Mountain. As soon as he returned to the mountain, Zhao Ran received an official document from Dian Zaofang, asking Zhao Ran to go and handle the case.
Wei Wu set up a Taoist altar privately and tampered with Taoist teachings without authorization.
Okay, I wonder if I will get merit for handling this case? Zhao Ran couldn't say for sure, but subconsciously I felt that he should be able to get a lot. Eradicating the cult that bewitched and harmed people in one fell swoop would be a great merit.
?Zhao Ran is still very interested in this.
Taking the official document issued by the Taoist Temple, Zhao Ran ordered ten inspectors to inspect the Fangtang. The remaining ten inspectors were handed over to Jiang Zhiheng for management, and he asked him to ensure the safety of Wuji Temple before going down the mountain.
Jiang Zhiheng looked at Zhao Ran walking down the mountain and couldn't help but sigh up to the sky. He finally realized the bitter consequences of being suppressed by his superiors. Speaking of which, Wei Wu is a famous rich man in Guyang County. This kind of case is really rare in a century.
I don’t know how much money a person can get. Jiang Zhiheng originally hoped that Zhao Ran would take him with him, but all his hopes have now turned into water, and he can only defend the mountain obediently.
Zhao Ran didn't care about Jiang Zhiheng's petty thoughts at all. He really had no experience in handling such cases. Of course, he didn't know how many people had made a fortune from this. But according to his understanding, if someone goes out, someone must stay behind, and
Since this matter is related to his practice, unfortunately, the only one left behind is Jiang Zhiheng.
Zhao Ran held the Taoist order in hand and led ten patrolmen including Guan Er, and gathered dozens of fastmen and archers brought by Jinxian Lieutenant from the county government, as well as hundreds of young men temporarily recruited by Jinxian Lieutenant in the county.
, driving more than a dozen carts, loaded with swords, guns, sticks, bows and arrows, marched toward Zongjiazhuang in a mighty manner. (To be continued, please search Piaotian Literature, the novel will be better and updated faster!