A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 156 Marriage
The majestic Master Zhizhou came out in person to welcome Wang Dou into the mansion. He was very graceful, he kept asking about his health, and when it came to official etiquette, Wang Dou couldn't compare to him even if he flattered him.

After the war, Wang Dou could clearly feel that the arrogance and sense of superiority of Li Zhenzhen in front of him had been greatly reduced.

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while, and Li Zhenyu tentatively asked Wang Dou about the tax exemption of the land distribution.

Wang Doudao: "Targeting is the great government of the country. It takes advantage of the land, expresses the power of the people, and feeds the soldiers so that the country can rely on it. The farmland in the state is now a waste, and the income can't be spent. If the army and the people are mobilized to reclaim wasteland, the next year's garrison will be prosperous. It will be enough to support the army and the people. .”

Zhizhou stroked his long beard and let out a "hmm".

Wang Doudao: "As for exempting military households from collecting grain next year, it is also a consideration for the people's livelihood. Now that the household registration in the prefecture is depressed, it is no longer the old view. The people are extremely poor, but the amount of corvees has not been reduced, and the lawsuit is tied to the law. Strict, I have to be strict with the police. The common people fled with hatred, wandering in different places, and their household registrations are even more scattered. If you are so exhausted to fish, there will be fish next year? It is inevitable to reduce the military and civilian taxes and food."

Li Zhenzhen let out a long sigh: "I don't know the suffering of the common people, but..."

Wang Dou made a bow: "Master Zhizhou, please think about the people's lives, and also mobilize the people to reclaim wasteland and reduce taxes and food."

"only……"

Wang Doudao: "If the master of the Zhizhou exempts the taxes and grains of the households in the state, and the people are grateful for their kindness, the master will be famous in history."

"only……"

Li Zhenyu's face was slightly red, and he said: "It doesn't matter if the money and food for the people in the prefecture city are reduced or exempted, but where will the money and food come out? How can we pay the imperial tax and food for next year, and where are the living money and food for the military officials?"

The literati are well-known, it's not that Li Zhenzhen doesn't want to do something, such as exempting taxes and grains, the common people must be grateful, and Li Zhenzhen also wants to enjoy that kind of ecstasy, but he is not as good as Wang Dou, and there are too many practical things to worry about he.

Wang Doudao: "Don't worry, my lord. If my lord is willing to mobilize the households under my rule to reclaim wasteland, I will pay the cost of reclamation. If my lord is willing to reduce taxes and grains for the people in the prefecture city, next year the prefecture will start to transport the money and grains of the imperial court, and all the money and grains of the imperial court will be paid from my treasury. .Not only that, but next year I will give you 500 taels of silver as savings."

"Oh……"

Li Zhenyu opened his eyes wide and looked at Wang Dou in disbelief.

……

After Wang Dou left, Li Zhenyu suddenly woke up, and he secretly regretted, why did he agree to Wang Dou, what if he couldn't get money and food?But things are like this, riding a tiger is hard to get off, Master Zhizhou had no choice but to bite the bullet and do it.

On November 23, the government office of Baoan Prefecture also issued a notice that the government will organize households in the prefectural city to reclaim wasteland. Related matters are as announced by the government of integrity. At that time, the state city was once again a sensation, the news spread, the people were overwhelmed with gratitude, and Li Zhenzhen immediately got the title of "Li Qingtian".

Faced with the praise of the common people, Li Zhenyu looked calm on the surface, but behind the scenes where no one was around, he had to smile so hard that his teeth could not see his eyes, and he was deeply intoxicated.

In the cold weather, the city is full of heat inside and outside the city, and there is an endless stream of soldiers and civilians reclaiming wasteland.In the past few days, Li Zhenyu has frequently invited Wang Dou to business or personally ran to guard the mansion. Wang Dou promised him that after the military and civilian wasteland was reclaimed, he would build water trucks for filling wells and rent farm tools for cattle, etc., and he would help the magistrate Find a solution.

Already on board the pirate ship, besides trusting Wang Dou, what else can Li Zhenzhen do?Although he was uneasy in his heart, he could only comfort himself, that Wang Dou looked young and promising, and had a good character, so he probably wouldn't fool himself.

Counting the acres of wasteland and registering the household name and population is a complicated project that requires a large number of literate officials. Wang Dou's military officials in Zhoucheng are only six or seven scribes and clerks, including the official Zhang Xuejiao. He couldn't meet his own needs, and to be honest, Wang Dou was also skeptical about the conduct of the official Zhang Xuejiao and others.

At the end of November, Wang Dou transferred Feng Dachang, the official of Shunxiang Fort, to Zhoucheng, and Han Yu, the official of Shunxiang Fort, was in charge of all the documents and affairs of Shunxiang Fort.

Accompanying Feng Dachang were Wang Dou's uncle Zhong Zhengxian, official Zhong Rong and other six or seven people.In the seventh year of Chongzhen, when Zhong Rong was transferred to Jingbianbao, he was just a Zandian. After a few years, Wang Dou gave him a good evaluation, so Zhong Rong was promoted to a level and became a secretary.

After several military forts in Shunxiang Fort merged, Zhong Rong also went to Shunxiang Fort with Zhong Tiaoyang and others.Zhong Rong is an old man who followed Wang Dou. In Shun Township Fort, Wang Dou couldn't help but look at him differently. Li Chao and others who used to push him away in Dongjiazhuang all wanted to flatter Zhong Rong.

Now Zhong Rong was transferred to Zhoucheng along with Feng Dachang, the commander, which made people jealous.

Feng Dachang was quite comfortable with Wang Dou in Shun Township Fort. Although he was an old man in the officialdom, he was still diligent in his work.Zhong Rong was the first to follow Wang Dou and worked diligently. Wang Dou also trusted him very much. As for Wang Dou's uncle Zhong Zhengxian, Feng Dachang said that he was an expert in counting and that he was his right-hand man in the statistics booklet. He recommended Zhong Zhengxian, and Wang Dou would also The uncle was transferred to Zhoucheng together.

Accompanying him were his wife Xie Xiuniang, mother Zhong Shi and others. Now that Wang Dou has gained a firm foothold in Zhoucheng, it is time to bring his wife and mother.

The family members are happy to meet each other.The luxury of the integrity mansion also made Zhong amazed.

In addition, Wang Dou also visited Zhengfu Mingqi, a Confucian scholar in Baoanzhou.

……

"Brother, what you have done in Zhoucheng recently is earth-shattering."

In Fu Mingqi's small courtyard, there was a pot of boiling mutton soup and a pot of hot wine. Wang Dou and Fu Mingqi sat and drank without the slightest image.The wine is hot, and the Confucianism in Baoan Prefecture is serious about fighting against the king.

Suppressing the rebellious army, dividing the land and exempting food, which one is not a hot topic in teahouses and restaurants inside and outside the city?Even within Confucianism, the students were arguing over Wang Dou's actions.

Fu Mingqi said: "It's easy to pass, there are many things, brother, you have to think twice before acting."

Fu Mingqi admired his little friend's courage in handling affairs, but he was worried that he would offend too many people, and finally let himself fall into the abyss beyond redemption.

"If things are done well, I won't regret it. Those who are afraid of wolves before and tigers later, just eat and wait to die."

Wang Dou said something lightly, and when he raised his neck, a cup of hot wine was poured into his stomach.

Fu Mingqi watched Wang Dou for a long time, he stood up against the table and said: "Okay, although there are tens of thousands of people, I will go, and my generation has read the books of sages and sages, but I am not as good as you."

He straightened his sitting posture, and solemnly bowed to Wang Dou: "For the livelihood of the people, please accept the respect of the old man."

Wang Dou stopped him and said, "Old Fu, what are you doing?"

Insisting on finishing the salute, Fu Mingqi lost his image of Confucianism and righteousness. He smiled at Wang Dou and said, "Tell me, I know you don't have anything to do with you, so why do you come here this time?" ?”

Wang Dou said: "Indeed, I am here this time to ask for your help, Old Fu."

He sighed: "In the state city, we need a lot of manpower to divide the fields and count the acres. You know that my subordinates are mostly rough men. It's okay to let them go into battle to kill the enemy. When it comes to registering the number of acres, they are dumbfounded." , A few officials in the district are not enough. So I have to borrow students from your school."

There is Baoji Institute in Baoanzhou City, which was called Baoji Academy before Wanli. There are more than 100 students in it, and there are many teachers such as Xuezheng, Jiaoyu, and Discipline. With the level and ability of these people, let them come out Naturally, it is easy to count the number of acres.

Fu Mingqi pondered and said, "That's it."

Wang Doudao: "You still do this and that, I know that the students in your academy only teach for half a day, and they have a lot of time to come out to help."

Fu Mingqi said in a long voice: "It's just..."

Wang Doudao: "Don't worry, every student who comes out to help, the House of Ethics will give them a fee for polishing their pens, five buckets of rice per month, how about it, are you satisfied?"

"Oh."

Fu Mingqi's eyes lit up.

Wang Doudao: "Old Fu, if you are willing to come out to do things, I will give you a stone of rice every month, and the teachings and teachings of the few in the academy are the same."

Fu Mingqi's eyes lit up even more, and then he glared at Wang Dou angrily: "Do you think I came out to help for a mere stone of grain?"

Wang Dou ignored him, and said to himself: "In the future, the state city will need a large number of officials. If the students of your society are interested, they can come to my house to work as officials in the future, with a monthly salary of one stone."

Not all students can obtain fame and fame, and there are many poor students among them. If they fail to pass the exam, they can only fend for themselves.Although it is extremely difficult to get promoted as an official, at least it is a job to support the family, and it is gentle and dignified. Few scholars will not be tempted.Especially in this kind of world, it is so difficult to have a job that can support the family. I am afraid that many people will fight for the places of officials.

Fu Mingqi nodded, and then he gave Wang Dou a strange look: "Where did you get the money?"

Wang Dou said angrily: "What do you care about so much? In a word, do it or not?"

Fu Ming Qi Qi said: "Of course we will do it, you brat, you are becoming more and more domineering, and you don't take your old friends seriously."

……

The land reclamation of military households and private households in Zhoucheng was in full swing. From the beginning of December in the ninth year of Chongzhen, the officials Feng Dachang and Zhang Xuejiao, who were in charge of the mansion, led a large number of officials to measure the land everywhere, register The number of acres of land reclaimed by the people, the location and terrain of each household, the number of their household registrations, and their names are finally compiled into a book.

During this process, Baoanzhou Confucianism Zheng Fu Mingqi also brought his students from his school to help. On the surface, it is a glorious thing for the country and the people. You can support yourself, and you can also support your family. If you perform well and are favored by the Office of Officials, you can become an official in the future. The students are very motivated.

Regarding Wang Dou's series of actions, since they did not touch the interests of the local gentry, they did not obstruct them, but just watched with cold eyes.

However, many of them were skeptical. Wang Dou was doing vigorously, but could he afford such a large sum of money and food?I'm afraid that after the new year, when the water trucks for filling wells are built and rented out to cattle and farm tools, they will show their original shape.

On the sixth day of December in the ninth year of Chongzhen, Li Tianxu, the head of the Minzhuang in Zhoucheng, came to the mansion of integrity.

After paying respect to Wang Dou, he said with a smile on his face, "Congratulations, my lord, congratulations, my lord."

Wang Dou looked at him and said, "Where does joy come from?"

Li Tianxu said: "My uncle is grateful for your dedication to the people, and admires you in his heart, and wants to betroth my niece to you as his wife."

(End of this chapter)