I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 311 Who wouldn’t cry about poverty! The five major tea merchants in Bianjing VS the third envoy Wang Yaochen

In a word.

Su Liang wanted to use the "Tea Introduction Law" to increase tea profits for the court and at the same time get rid of all the subordinate tea officials, so as to scare the monkeys and rectify the custom of officialdom in the world.

Although there are disadvantages, Su Liang is sure it is worth it.

This is also what the people want.

After Zhao Zhen thought for a while, he looked at Fan Zhongyan, who had never spoken.

Zhao Zhen seeks stability.

Among all the ministers, Fan Zhongyan is the most stable.

Fan Zhongyan immediately stepped out of the queue, cupped his hands and said, "I agree with Jing Ming's policy. It is the right way to abolish the tea clerks without relocating them."

During the Qingli New Deal.

Fan Zhongyan strongly promoted the reduction of redundant officials and regarded it as the first priority of the New Deal.

Now that he heard that Su Liang's ultimate goal was to eliminate redundant officials, he naturally sided with Su Liang.

Seeing that Zhao Zhen was still frowning, Xia Song stood up again.

"Officials must not be disposed of! Although most of the subordinate officials do not receive the salary from the court, they are still members of the court. Treating them like this is against the principles of our court. Officials who are not tea officials are also prone to chaos!"

Xia Song was very good at figuring out the holy will.

In addition, many of the transactions between his family and some of his disciples and former officials involved negotiations, so he had to consider the profit and loss.

Wang Anshi immediately retorted: "Xia Shuxiang, the chaos among the subordinate officials can be cured, but if the court is eaten up by them, it will be difficult to cure."

"We all know that subordinates at the lower level abuse the common people, manipulate the judiciary, and blackmail the superiors. If we have this opportunity, why not give it a try? If this method works, tea farmers all over the world will definitely cheer for joy, and many businessmen will definitely be grateful to the court!"

At this time, Zhang Fangping stood up.

"In the official family, I have a compromise strategy. If the "Cha Yin Law" is implemented, the tea officials will definitely be abolished, and if they are replaced, it will undoubtedly not be able to rectify the official style of governance. I suggest that the tea officials can be abolished. Tea clerks, but can be given a certain amount of severance pay, paid monthly, for one year. One year is enough for these people to find a living!"

"Severance pay?" Zhao Zhen's eyes suddenly lit up.

The reason why he hesitated.

On the one hand, he is not cruel enough, and on the other hand, he is worried about the officials rioting. If there is compensation, it will make him feel safer.

If Zhao Zhen was in his twenties or thirties, he would definitely support Su Liang with all his strength.

But now he has concerns.

Especially when the Song Dynasty was on the rise, he was worried that if he made a wrong move, everything would be lost.

Zhang Fangping continued: "In ordinary people's homes, an adult's daily ration is about 2.5 liters. The current rice price around Kaifeng Prefecture is 40 Wen per bucket, and 2.5 liters is 10 Wen. In addition to the rations, salt is also needed. , vinegar, vegetables, oil, firewood, etc., are worth about 20 cents. In addition, clothing, shoes, and sundries are also combined and converted on a daily basis, which is about 10 cents, totaling 40 cents."

"Giving these dismissed tea clerks 40 coins a day, once a month for a year, should alleviate the dissatisfaction of the tea clerks to a certain extent. The imperial court can be regarded as being extremely benevolent. This amount of money is compared with the money that the imperial court can save. , it’s just a drop in the bucket!”

Zhao Zhen smiled and said directly: "I think this plan is feasible."

At this time, Wang Yaochen, the envoy of the Third Division, stood up.

"The official family gave too much! 40 Wen is too much! Even if they live in Kaifeng Mansion, 20 Wen is enough. This is the severance fee, not the cost of the court to support them for a year. They all have their own hands and feet. You can completely make a living on your own.”

Wang Anshi on the side also said: "How can the expenses in the southeast and border areas be as good as those in Kaifeng Mansion? I think that fifteen cents is enough to feed and clothe you!"

It's not that Wang Yaochen and Wang Anshi are arguing over each other.

No matter how low the cost.

Adding one year of service and more than 20,000 people, it is not a small number.

Zhao Zhen said: "Fifteen Wen per person per day is too little. The imperial court has given 15 Wen per day to help the victims. Let's just consider it 20 Wen. There is no need to fight anymore!"

At the moment, Zhao Zhen was already very satisfied with this strategy.

Severance package is too little.

The tea clerks will definitely scold him for being an official.

Wang Anshi stood up again.

"The official government can only provide relief to the victims for three months at most. This is a one-year limit and involves at least 15 people. In the future, if severance pay is issued in matters such as salt and wine services, it will still be based on the current regulations. Standard, if you can save it, save it! yuan is enough!"

Zhao Zhen couldn't help but darken his face.

At this time, Su Liang stood up with a smile.

"Officials, I also agree with the severance pay policy. Fifteen cents per person per day is too little. Let's count it as 15 cents!"

Hear this.

Zhao Zhen couldn't help but feel better. Su Liang understood the holy meaning.

Wang Yaochen, Wang Anshi, and Sima Guang all looked puzzled.

Of the four of them, Su Liangnai was the most insistent on not relocating or compensating the officials.

According to Su Liang’s character.

If it were possible to reduce it to 15 cents, he would never agree to spend 20 cents.

Su Liang continued: "However, there are three categories of tea clerks who do not need to receive this severance pay."

"Those under the age of fifty will not be given; those who have served as tea clerks for less than one year will not be given; those whose families are well off and have property will not be given."

After hearing these "three no-gives", both the emperor and his ministers were happy.

If Su Liang's implementation standards are followed, it is estimated that more than 80% of tea clerks will not receive severance pay.

Su Liang's suggestion of "20 Wen" is more economical than "15 Wen".

Wang Yaochen was overjoyed and said loudly: "Guan Jingming, what Jing Ming said is very reasonable. I second my opinion!"

"I second the proposal!" Wang Anshi and Sima Guang said almost simultaneously.

"I also second the proposal!" Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi, Zeng Gongliang and other ministers also agreed respectively.

In their eyes, those tea clerks were only worth this price, and the severance pay distributed by the court was considered a generous favor.

Zhao Zhen nodded.

"Okay, let the Reform Department draft the details of the Tea Introduction Law and it will be promulgated soon."

……

On the 23rd of the first lunar month, the "Tea Introduction Law" was officially promulgated.

Except for Sichuan and Sichuan areas, it was implemented throughout the Song Dynasty.

All state governments must complete the reduction of tea officials and tea clerks before April 1.

at the same time.

The policy for officials to pass the 100-day examination will also be implemented after the second day of February.

The tea introduction method came out.

The people in Bianjing City started talking one after another.

"This tea introduction method seems to be a method to increase profits for the court, but in fact it is a method to clarify the governance of low-level officials. The people who benefit the most are not the court, but tea farmers and tea merchants."

"What a plan! What a plan! Now, the good days of those evil officials and profiteers are over!"

"It's 20 cents per person per day, and there are three such harsh conditions. Very few people can receive this money. The imperial court is a little too careful this time!"

"What do you know! The imperial court only gave this money to show its sympathy for the tea clerks. If it didn't give them a penny, the tea clerks would have no choice but to accept it. It would be considered benevolent for the imperial court not to punish them." " After this law is implemented, it is expected that all government officials will be honest for a period of time. It will only be a matter of time before they are punished by taking advantage of the court and enriching themselves."

"After we have dealt with the evil officials, we are not far away from dealing with those evil officials. Our good days are coming!"

……

West of Bianjing City.

In a luxurious mansion.

Five middle-aged businessmen wearing brocade robes gathered together.

These five people are currently the five richest tea merchants in Kaifeng Prefecture.

They are not from Bianjing.

Now, by selling tea, he has built a large property in Bianjing City.

The weakest of these five people also owns three long-distance convoys, and can be called the main force transporting grain to the border.

At this time.

Master Zhou Zhou, who is the most senior and the most financially powerful, is a fat man with a big belly. He frowned and said: "The imperial court's promotion of tea introduction not only ruined the iron rice bowls of tea clerks, but also harmed us. In the past two years, we have spent a lot of time managing our relationship. So much money, all wasted!”

"Yes, tea profits will become thinner and thinner in the future, and our business will be difficult to run!" Xu Gu, a tea merchant on the side, couldn't help but sigh.

"I think we should resist. How can those scholar-bureaucrats know about the hard work of transporting grain to the border?" Bai Danian, who has always had a bad temper, said with dissatisfaction.

"Resist? How to resist? The imperial court has a policy. If you are asked to go west, you must go west. If you are asked to go east, you must go east. How can you disobey the imperial court?"

Shen Youxin, who is known as a Confucian businessman but is actually the most cunning person, said.

at this time.

Ximen Chu, the youngest tea merchant among the five, stood up.

"We can't just swallow this grievance! I suggest that we go on strike to protest. Whoever likes to transport grain and grass at the damn border will be lucky. The court will definitely be in a hurry before us!"

"I think it's feasible, at least we can't let the court think that we can be manipulated at will, otherwise we'll be bullied a lot in the future!"

"I agree, no luck."

"Yes, no luck!"

Except for Shen Youxin who said nothing, the other four tea merchants all agreed to strike.

Mr. Zhou Zhou looked at Shen Youxin and glared: "What, Shen Youxin, are you afraid?"

"I'm not afraid, I'm not that stupid. What is the purpose of your strike? To vent your anger? To get the court to abolish the Tea Introduction Law?"

The other four people were all speechless.

With their power, trying to abolish the Tea Yin Law is tantamount to blocking the train with a mantis' arm.

Shen Youxin continued: "There is no use in trying to be a hero. We should think about how to make a profit."

"The imperial court has paid severance pay to those evil officials. Our interests have been harmed. Can't we ask for some subsidies from the imperial court? I suggest that we go to Sansi to cry for poverty and try to get the imperial court to give us an extra 10% or more on tea. 20% profit."

Hearing this, the other four people all showed excited smiles.

……

More than half an hour later.

Mr. Zhou and his group of five people came to Sansi Yamen.

Since Wang Yaochen served as the third envoy, he has always been kind to businessmen, and businessmen can directly come to him for feedback if they have any questions.

Master Zhou Zhou and others are already old acquaintances with Wang Yaochen.

When Wang Yaochen heard that these five people were visiting, he immediately concluded that they must be here for tea, so he ordered people to invite them to the side hall tea room.

After a while.

Wang Yaochen just walked to the door of the tea room.

Master Zhou Zhou, Xu Gu, Bai Danian, Ximen Chu, and Shen Youxin stood up together, with sad faces, cupped their hands and said: "Prime Minister, please give us a way to survive!"

Wang Yaochen was stunned and said, "What's going on? Someone wants to kill you?"

"It's more uncomfortable for us than killing us!" Shen Youxin said with an aggrieved look on his face: "Mr. Ji, do you know how much money we have been defrauded by those evil officials in the tea service over the years? Do you know that in order to take care of the people in those places? Corrupt officials have spent so much energy. Now that the Cha Yin Law has been introduced, these people have been dismissed, but all the business we could have done has also been lost. Shouldn't the court give us some compensation?"

Mr. Zhou Zhou then said: "Prime Minister, I have hundreds of people to support. After the implementation of the tea introduction method, the competition among businessmen will become more intense. I...I can't hold it any longer!"

"Prime Minister Ji, we go to the border to transport grain and grass for the sake of the country. When the court implements this policy, shouldn't it consider our interests? Those who are laid off will also receive severance pay, but we... get nothing!"

……

These five tea merchants had aggrieved faces and tears in their eyes, crying about poverty and unfair treatment by the court.

At this moment, Wang Yaochen understood everything. These five people were here to blackmail the court.

However, Wang Yaochen could not push them into a hurry, otherwise the border grain and grass transportation would be greatly damaged.

Just when they were crying and feeling sad, Wang Yaochen suddenly let out a long sigh.

"Ugh!"

"It's difficult for you, isn't it difficult for me?

"Do you think I didn't tell the court about your grievances and didn't seek subsidies for you? I did everything, but... but the court has no money!"

"At the beginning of the year, there are money for young crops and official salaries, in the middle of the year there are military expenses, at the end of the year there are sacrifice expenses, and there are also expenses for building bridges and roads, building county schools, poverty relief and disaster relief. Where do the three divisions squeeze out the money?"

"It's hard for you to be wronged, and it's even harder for me to be wronged! Just now you were shy enough to tell me that you had financial power transactions with the tea officials. Based on this, I can punish you for bribery. , I have been good enough to you!"

"In addition, I want to tell you the truth. Su Liang, the Taiwan admonisher, and Wang Anshi, the Sansidu branch official, have proposed to the officials to draw up a blacklist for tea discussion. Anyone included in this list will no longer be eligible. In exchange for tea! This is also to scare other businessmen. If you continue to make trouble like this, I will not be able to protect you even if I want to!"

Because Su Liang and Wang Anshi had many ideas, they often took the blame.

And this moment.

Wang Anshi, the official of the Sansidu branch who had just entered the next room, happened to hear these words.

He has no memory of this "tea blacklist".

After thinking about it carefully, he realized that this must have been a fabrication made up by Wang Yaochen to deceive these five businessmen.

Wang Yaochen burst into tears and said: "The three divisions are poor, the three divisions are incompetent, no, it's me who is incompetent... I can't share the worries of the court, and I can't let the merchants benefit..."

As he spoke, Wang Yaochen actually choked up.

The five tea merchants looked helpless. They cried out that they were poor and miserable. Unexpectedly, the third commander looked even poorer and more miserable than them.

When they heard "tea blacklist", the five tea merchants couldn't help but tremble.

Wang Yaochen wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and said: "Five of you, if you really feel that it is hard and tiring and you are not making money, you don't need to do this business anymore. I will never force you!"

The five of them were immediately embarrassed.

Although the profits in the tea industry are somewhat thinner now, it still has an absolute advantage compared to other businesses.

How could they give up this piece of fat!

Mr. Cao quickly said: "Prime Minister Ji, we are not afraid of hardship. Next, we must work hard, we must work hard!"

After a while.

The five tea merchants left Sansi with nothing.

Wang Yaochen smiled brightly and murmured: "If you want to take advantage of the imperial court from me, there is no way!"

(End of this chapter)