Emperor Sui Yang

Chapter 142
Just after January, Du Ruhui wrote a letter.

He took in a few disciples in Baling County, and these people will undoubtedly become the subordinates of Cao, the governor of the house. Although they have no rank, they still eat the royal rations.

Things are done by people. When Du Ruhui left, he was alone, with only two hundred soldiers. Obviously, he was in urgent need of manpower.

However, the news in his letter was true and shocked Yang Ming.

Right now, Du Ruhui has already checked the fields in Huarong County, which is Huarong County in Yueyang City, Hunan Province.

According to official records, the number of acres in Huarong County is 310 acres, which is [-] acres. However, Du Ruhui found out after investigation that the actual number of acres in Huarong County was no more than [-] acres.

This is really off the mark.

Where is Tian?What about the 100-odd fields?

Yang Ming hurriedly called Yuan Wendu to discuss.

The latter was also stunned after reading Du Ruhui's letter:
"How is it possible? The amount of acres of land in each prefecture and county was checked in the ninth year of the founding of the Emperor, and it has been increasing every year since then. How could it be so much less? Could it be that Du Ruhui made a mistake?"

"Wrong?" Yang Ming said in a deep voice, "How could he make a mistake to destroy more than 100 acres of fields?"

Yuan Wen also felt that it was impossible. This is a field of 1 acres. More than [-] acres of land disappeared out of thin air?
"Immediately call the magistrate of Huarong County for questioning."

Yang Ming said with an ugly face, "Send someone there now, and tie me up."

"What about Gao You, the prefect of Baling? Do you want him to come too?" Yuan Wendu asked.

Yang Ming said: "No, let's settle the small accounts first, and finally settle the general accounts with him."

He really got angry this time. One county lost more than 100 acres of fields, so what about other counties?Are there also false reports?

This is a major event, a fatal event.

In the afternoon of the next day, Han Fude, the magistrate of Huarong County, appeared in the front office of the general manager's mansion. After reading the files, he suddenly trembled like chaff:
"Your Highness, this is not the fault of my subordinates."

Yang Ming narrowed his eyes: "Let me explain in detail."

Han Fude cried with ashen face: "When I took office, the amount of farmland was like this. I have also checked it out, and the answer I got is roughly the same as Your Highness, but I dare not say it. If this matter is brought up , the whole family of the servants will be finished."

"How can it be so much less?" Yang Ming's expression was extremely ugly at this moment.

Han Fude said: "Returning to Your Highness, in the ninth year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign, His Majesty decreed to check the acres of fields in the world. At that time, Xiao Min, who was the magistrate of Huarong County at that time, reported 280. After that, every year there was newly reclaimed wasteland, which has increased to the present day. For the 310, the minister has only served as the county magistrate for three years, and the newly cultivated land he has handled is only seven or eight acres, all of which are real amounts, your highness has learned from you, and the minister has absolutely no false words."

Yang Ming looked at Yuan Wendu with cold eyes, and the latter hurriedly stood up and explained:
"In the ninth year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign, the four seas returned to one, and the archives of Old Liang and Old Chen were all destroyed by the flames of war. That's why the Supreme Commander ordered an inventory of all the fields in the world."

The ninth year of Kaihuang was the second year after Sui destroyed Chen.

At that time, the old Qi, the old Liang, and the old Chen were destroyed one after another, and the north and the south were unified. Yang Jian ordered to check the number of acres of land, also in order to know what he knew.

But it should never be wrong. Yang Jian used the amount of acres as the primary criterion for inspecting officials. Where there were more acres of fields found, the officials in that place would be promoted, so that large-scale false reports appeared.

About this point, Yang Ming probably knew something, but he didn't expect that he would make so many false reports.

Three hundred inclines, a false report of one hundred inclines, this is already one-third.

Yang Ming asked again: "Besides Huarong County, is it the same in other places?"

Han Fude said: "The land of Baling is like this."

Oh my god, Yang Ming unconsciously leaned back,
There are a total of [-] acres of recorded land in Baling County. If it is calculated as one-third, that is to say, the actual amount is only [-] acres.

Du Ruhui went to Baling to check the farmland this time because he found that the actual taxable farmland in Baling County was only more than 300 acres.

Don't scare me, I can't afford to lose so many fields.

"Give this person to Pei Xizai for interrogation,"

Five days later, another person knelt down in the lobby of the General Manager's Mansion. This person was not called by Yang Ming, but by himself.

Gao Zhen, the prefect of Baling.

He knew that Hu Cao of the general manager's mansion was checking the fields under his jurisdiction, and he also tried to contact Du Ruhui during this period, but Du Ruhui's answer at the time was: I will truthfully report to Your Highness what I did in Baling and whoever I met. .

This time, Gao Xuan finally gave up the idea.

Now that he heard that Du Ruhui had just left Huarong County, the county magistrate Han Fude had been taken away and has never returned, so he guessed something was wrong.

Rather than being caught on my own head in the future, it is better to take the initiative to ask for a meeting.

Yang Ming looked at Gao Zhen who was kneeling and lying down, and said in a deep voice, "This king only gives you one chance. How many fields does Baling County have?"

One chance. One chance. Gao Zhen was terrified. He had made a major life choice, but this time he made the right choice.
He gritted his teeth fiercely, and said:
"My subordinates reported with blood that there are only [-] acres of land in Baling County."

Yuan Wendu couldn't help but staggered when he heard this, and fell down on the chair, dumbfounded.

Qibaiqing. False report half?Father also served as the general manager of Jiangling, so he, do you know?

Yang Ming said coldly: "You were the prefect of Baling in the 14th year of Kaihuang. At that time, the king of Han was in Jingzhou. Why didn't you report it?"

"I don't dare," Gao Yan raised his head, with a mournful face: "In the Sui Dynasty, officials were judged on the basis of acres of land. If a subordinate submits a performance, he will definitely be convicted. At least, he will be exiled, and at worst, his family will be executed."

Yang Ming was really helpless. If this was the case in Baling County, the rest of Jingzhou might not be able to escape.

In the final analysis, it was Yang Jian who was at fault, and the emperor would not admit his mistake, so none of the successor officials dared to report the actual amount of acres of land, because this would slap Yang Jian in the face and offend his predecessor at the same time.

If Yang Ming were placed in Gao Zhen's position, he wouldn't dare to tell the truth.

The officialdom, oh the officialdom, is really a terrible place, layer after layer of false reports, and in the end it will still be crushed on the heads of the common people.

With seven hundred acres of land and thirteen hundred taxes, the people suffer unspeakably.

At this time, Yang Ming felt a deep sense of powerlessness, just like what Gao Xuan said before leaving, this matter cannot be exposed, once it is exposed, the world will immediately be in chaos.

"You also read sage books, tell me, what should I do next in this matter,"

In the lobby, only Yang Ming and Yuan Wendu were left, and they had been sitting here for two hours after Gao Xuan left.

Yuan Wendu sighed: "If this is the case in other states and counties, this matter can no longer be investigated, and something big will happen."

"No investigation?" Yang Ming frowned and said, "You mean, the common people will continue to pay double or even triple the tax?"

Yuan Wendu said: "This is also a helpless move. If we really have to find out, if the taxes are not paid, His Highness will be condemned."

"You are the king's long history, and you are in charge of the council. You should find a way to solve it instead of avoiding it." Yang Ming stood up suddenly and said, "You know that I care about the people. If you can't think of a solution, you can go back to Daxing. Well, this king does not support idlers here."

"Your servant is guilty," Yuan Wendu hurriedly got up and watched Yang Ming leave.

"I don't have any appetite, let's withdraw," Yang Ming returned to the dormitory, ordering Nuan Dong to remove the food,

And he sat on the chair, closed his eyes and said nothing.

I don't know how long it took, after Pei Shuying came in, she found that Yang Ming had already fallen asleep, so she took the blanket from Nuan Dong, covered Yang Ming carefully, and then whispered to Nuan Dong:

"Go down, I'm here."

Nuan Dong nodded, tiptoed away, and gently closed the door.

Pei Shuying moved the stove in front of Yang Ming, then pulled a small bench, sat by the fire, and looked at Yang Ming with her chin resting.

He seemed tired and in a bad mood.

At this time, Yang Ming's arm suddenly protruded from the blanket. Seeing this, Pei Shuying subconsciously reached out and grabbed it:
"you're awake?"

Yang Ming said lightly: "I didn't fall asleep in the first place, you go and call Pei Xizai, I have something to ask him."

"Um,"

Pei Shuying nodded heavily, got up and was about to go out, but found that Yang Ming didn't let go.

Yang Ming smiled and said, "I thought you would say: It's so late, don't deal with business anymore."

Pei Shuying smiled and shook her head: "Grandfather often says that things have priorities, and some things must be done right now."

"Pei Gong is indeed the pillar of the country," Yang Ming let go of Pei Shuying's hand, and the latter went away like a gust of wind.

After a while, Pei Xizai came. Because it was Yang Ming's bedroom, he didn't dare to look around. After sitting down, he lowered his head and waited for questions.

Yang Ming said to Pei Shuying, "Make a bowl of tea for your uncle, I'm a little thirsty too."

Pei Shuying nodded, and went outside to make tea.

"What did Han Fude say?" Yang Ming asked.

Pei Xizai stated the answers he got from interrogating Han Fude these days one by one.

After pondering for a long time, Yang Ming said, "What do you think about this matter?"

Pei Xizai raised his head and said solemnly: "This matter has shaken the foundation of the country, so we can't pursue it any further."

"Is there a solution?" Yang Ming asked.

Pei Xizai said: "The only solution is to reduce the acreage of the aristocratic family and increase the acreage of the common people. Otherwise, such a heavy taxation will not last long, and big things will happen in the future."

"With your method, many people will die," Yang Ming said with a smile. At this moment, Pei Shuying came over with tea, and Yang Ming motioned for Pei Xizai first.

This is a kind of reward, rewarding the other party for being willing to consider the common people, which is better than Yuan Wen.

Pei Xizai hurriedly got up: "No way."

Pei Shuying smiled and said, "If uncle is not afraid of burning me, then don't pick it up."

"It's just a bowl of tea, take it," Yang Ming said, and the latter took it with both hands.

Pei Shuying blew on her hot hands, then hid in the outside room and sat down, bowed her head and said nothing.

Yang Ming smiled and waved at her, "I didn't tell you to avoid suspicion, why did you stay away?"

Pei Shuying smiled and refused: "Women don't discuss big things."

Well-bred, Yang Ming looked away, and said to Pei Xizai:

"Your method, this king agrees very much. Reducing the aristocratic family's land will not cause little resistance, and it will also offend many people. Those who are not courageous can't go forward. Is this matter worth entrusting to you?"

Pei Xizai got up and said solemnly: "A scholar who dies for his confidant, my servant will live up to His Highness's trust."

Yang Ming nodded and said:

"This king will send you another sentence: Those who want to achieve great things must dare to be the first in the world."

(End of this chapter)