Misty rain and heavy flowers accompany the king's return

The four of them walked to Linjiang Tower, which was directly opposite to another bridge head, and they could also see the scenery of the river.

The bridge here is not the same as the Wanmin Bridge. There are pavilions and pavilions on the bridge, with flying eaves and hanging feet.It is a typical arch bridge form.

There are several bridge openings on both sides, and the middle is the channel for big ships to travel together.

"This is Linjiang Bridge." Citing Wenhao introduced, leading Shen Bai and the others over, the doorway was full of capable young men in blue shirts, obviously all of them were Citing Wenhao's subordinates.

"Apart from you, today's guests are only Mr. Tongge from the cabinet." Ci Wenhao said.

"Isn't the lord trying to play a role for Shen?" Shen Bai asked jokingly.

Citing Wenhao looked at him: "Well, I would like to, but I'm afraid he won't buy it, you don't know Mr. Tongge, he is famous for being soft and hard, and a clean character."

Shen Bai smiled lightly, looked at Qingchen beside him, and thoughtfully asked him to keep up with his pace.

Citing Wenhao didn't say anything in his eyes, and led them down to the private room on the second floor under the guidance of the shopkeeper.

Not long after the three of them sat down, the sound of carriages and horses came from downstairs, followed by the sound of footsteps going upstairs.

"Here we come." Citing Wenhao said with a fan in his hand.

"My lord has arrived, please forgive me." An old man with a three-strand beard came up, his temple hair was very uniform in white, and it was stuck in the buns on both sides, forming two white hair bands.

"Tongge is very polite, please sit down quickly." Citing Wenhao didn't mind, and didn't get up, beckoning him to take a seat.

"Who are these two?" Elder Tong Ge asked.

"Huzhou Shen Luo, Long Qingchen has seen the elder Ge." Shen Bai bowed his hands.

Tong Ge looked at him all the time, he was very calm, but his clothes were ordinary cloth shirts, it was impossible to observe him.

"Could this be this year's examinee?" Tong Ge always glanced at Prince Qi Ci Wenhao.

"Not bad." Ci Wenhao said slowly with the fan in his hand.

Old Tong Ge showed a surprised expression: "The prince invited me here today to be a lobbyist, right? If so, I wouldn't be happy to have this meal!"

Shen Bai looked at the old man with white hair and smiled slightly.

"Why are Mr. Shen laughing?" Elder Tong Ge asked curiously.

Citing Wen Hao looked at Old Tong Ge: "Originally, I really wanted to introduce this little brother of mine today, but his words on the way just now made me stop thinking about it, and there was no embarrassment anymore. I mean old. On the contrary, Elder Ge's attitude is exactly the same as I imagined, but to be honest, if he is really talented, and I wholeheartedly recommend him, will Elder Ge be indifferent?"

Tong Ge always looked at Ci Wenhao: "My lord, I am a talented minister, but I must recommend it. Although I can't object, what I think in my heart is another matter."

Citing Hao laughed, and waved his hands casually: "Don't be embarrassed, Mr. Ge, I don't recommend it, and he doesn't want me to recommend it either."

"Oh?" Tong Ge always looked at Shen Bai: "It seems that Mr. Shen should be a student from a poor family. It's rare to have a recommendation from the prince, but you don't want it?"

Shen Bai smiled lightly: "My lord and I met in the mountains and plains, we met each other across the river, the feeling of looking up to the mountains, keeping a certain distance, can see the beauty of the mountains more clearly, wouldn't it be better."

"Hmph!" Citing Wenhao smiled: "What a high mountain to look up to, brother Shen has a lot of feelings."

Old Tong Ge looked at Shen Bai in surprise: "Young master has an extraordinary conversation, could it be that he is a famous official?"

Citing Wenhao heard, and looked at the blue-shirted boy who often waited by his side: "Liu'er, tell me about Mr. Shen's life experience."

"Yes!" The blue-shirted boy replied respectfully: "Young Master Shen is from Huzhou, and his ancestors were also fishermen in Huzhou. His ancestors were ordinary fishermen and he was 47 years old. His father was the bow of the ship and died in a shipwreck. He was 33 years old.

Mr. Shen's grandfather was a hunter in Lin County who specialized in catching snakes. He died in a cave among the mountains. He was bitten in the throat by a flying poisonous snake. Before he died, he only left a sentence of "don't catch snakes in the future" before he died. ; His uncle switched to hunting, but unfortunately died at the mouth of the migrating wild boars.

Therefore, the son was born in a poor family, from a small family, and had no one to rely on. "

Shen Bai looked at the boy named Liu Er and smiled: "Thank you, I don't know many things."

Liu'er lowered her head, neither humble nor humble.

Old Tongge looked at Ci Wenhao, and couldn't help sighing: "It's really not like, the old man also believes that the prince said that he is your wandering heir."

"Hahahaha!" Citing Hao laughed a few words.

"Then the prince is hosting a banquet today?" Mr. Tong Ge seemed to be a straightforward person, and asked directly, without any affectation or embarrassment.

"I just said it. I was going to recommend it for him. But Mr. Ge is not happy, and he is not willing. Why should this king be thankless? Let's have a meal together!" Citing Wenhao said casually, A school of elegance.

"Of course that's the best!" Elder Tongge said reassuringly.

"However, Brother Shen asked Master Tong's experience before, so it's okay for me to tell you about it?" Ci Wenhao looked at Shen Bai and smiled very casually, but for ordinary people to be able to get him to be called a brother by a prince It is already a great blessing.

"Naturally it doesn't matter." Old Tong Ge looked at Shen Bai curiously.

Citation Hao put away the fan: "Tong Huai'en, the sixth-rank sword guard of the Imperial Forest Army in the seventh year of the late emperor, because he shot a black bear while hunting in Changfeng Ridge, was appreciated by the late emperor and sent to the border. Two years later, he caught up with our court and In the Battle of the Forbidden Frontiers of the Tuna Dynasty, Mr. Tong made many military exploits. He was the commander of the left army of Xiaoqi, and a third-rank general.

Later, he was sent to Qingyang County to serve as a garrison under the famous King Luo. He participated in the Battle of the White Horse. After being injured, he was transferred to Tianfang County, the capital of Northwest China. He stayed there for 20 years. Shou! Citing Wenhao looked at Elder Tongge: "Master Ge, I am right!" "

Old Tong Ge laughed and stroked his beard: "The prince has a good memory, and he doesn't leak water."

Shen Bai nodded, and had a general understanding of Mr. Tongge.

"Since Mr. Shen has no intention of letting the prince speak for you, why are you interested in this old man's experience? I wonder if you can tell me a thing or two?" Old Tong Ge looked at Shen Bai curiously.

"Ge Lao was born as a guard, but he can become the chief examiner of the entire Jiangnan scientific examination. Presumably he must be from a famous and scholarly family." Shen Bai asked him back.

"That's right!" Old Tong Ge nodded, "my father is Tong An, a scholar of Longyuan Pavilion."

"I see." Shen Bai nodded: "I asked about your experience just to guess the answering style of the exam."

"The questions are all delineated, and I don't know yet. I only know when I open the emperor's secret decree on the day of the exam. What's the use of you guessing me?" Tong Ge didn't believe his words and questioned him.

"The questions given by the emperor, although the questions are fixed, the answerers can be flexible. But you are the one who corrects the papers, and you are the one who decides the final top three. This has something to do with it." Shen Bai explained.

"Haha, what a joke, how can Mr. Shen judge my favorite topics and my criteria for selecting talents?" Old Tong Ge asked.

"I heard the students talking in Jiangzhou that Mr. Tong is a member of the reformed sect. I don't know what it means?" Shen Bai asked unhurriedly.

"Belonging to the reformist faction, belonging to the emperor's reformist faction, that's all." Elder Tong Ge explained.

Shen Bai nodded: "Since my lord claims to be a reformist, I would like to ask my lord, what is the biggest reform direction and problem in the northwest?"

"The taxation is not unified, and there is a gap between agriculture and commerce." Elder Tong Ge was a little surprised when he found that he was unable to retreat from the young man asking questions one after another.

"Where is the difficulty in taxation?" Shen Bai asked.

"Although fixed-acre payment of grain has been implemented, there has been confusion in other aspects of taxation. At present, we are under pressure to classify the tax of the stall as a grain tax, but the commercial tax is exquisite and complicated. I have a high status in the imperial court. It’s really hard to keep the status low.”

Shen Bai nodded, he didn't expect this place to be completely different from his previous life, the ranking of scholars, farmers, businessmen and commerce became 'scholars, farmers, farmers and workers'.This kind of class problem is naturally big, and the merchants have their own status with their own money, so they are naturally more confident in oppressing farmers and workers. No wonder the tax system is chaotic.

"The tax system is divided into mu. The former is based on the population to determine the tax system. If the head count is stable, the tax revenue will be naturally stable. The latter is to reduce exorbitant taxes and collect food from the owners of the fields. Stabilizing the treasury is the foundation of the country." Shen Bai is precise. According to the analysis, in the dream during this period, he was deeply impressed by the discussion of "that person" on this issue.

"Well said, to the point." As expected, Old Tongge smiled at Shen Bai for the first time since he came out, "What does Mr. Shen think about these things?"

"Of course, the payment of grain to the mu cannot be changed, but the status of the merchants is aloof, and they can share the tax collection on the farmers and workers indefinitely, so that the poor will naturally become poorer and the rich will become richer, resulting in tax revenues not being raised, and poor incomes being low. The people are in dire straits." Shen Bai analyzed accurately.

"That's the case." Ci Wenhao also nodded.

"For farmers and workers, let's talk about it separately. For tenants, the people's income should be demarcated by mu. The grain produced must first go to the treasury, and the tenants can go to the treasury to receive the tenant grain with the lead. Tenants who make less or more income can return part of their grain payment to the landlord, and their income will be reduced in the next year. Those who pay less will need to make up the basic amount of the tenant farmers, and those who pay in advance will have to pay more in the next year, and the land here cannot be traded. "Shen Bai talked eloquently. , the two present, Prince Qi and Elder Tongge looked at Shen Bai in amazement, and forgot to speak.

"My lord, the crops in the field vary, how do you pay for the grain?" Liu'er couldn't help asking.

"Good question!" Shen Bai glanced at him appreciatively, in return Liu'er lowered her head and smiled.

"I survive in Huzhou because my father left an acre and a half of land under my name, and my grandma couldn't sell it when he left, so I was able to keep it." When Shen Bai said, Ci Wenhao glanced at Liu Er, who nodded He nodded to indicate that he was right.

"Do you know how the price of my field is calculated when it is traded among the people?" Shen Bai asked.

Elder Tong Ge became interested: "The imperial court has standards for expropriation of paddy fields and dry land."

"It's not detailed enough. My field yields about 240 catties per mu. In private transactions, it is a middle-grade field, and the upper-class field has a profit of 190 catties, while the lower-class fields only have a much higher income, about 69 catties. The grain income is [-] catties per mu. It comes from the standard of three, [-]% of the grain is paid, which is [-] catties. Earn on the top, average on the average, and lose on the bottom.” After finishing speaking, Shen Bai looked at Tongge Lao: “So many big families go out to rent land, and the first-class farms hire long-term workers to hire themselves The middle-grade fields are rented out, and the low-grade fields are tenanted or sold. Once the middle and upper-grade fields owned by the poor need to be sold for their livelihood, they will buy them again. Let’s see, can this rich household become a rich man?” Shen Bai’s words came out, Old Tong Ge had a suddenly enlightened expression.

"It's no wonder that those who pay for food are called unfair, so there are so many tricks in it." Ci Wenhao patted the table and said.

Shen Bai shook his head: "This is just a region of Wanshan, the tip of the iceberg."

Old Tong Ge stood up and bowed to Shen Bai: "I also invite you to see me."

Shen Bai got up to return the salute, and Qingchen also stood up, looking at Shen Bai's expression with joy.

"Mr. Long, sit down, you have taken a fancy to a good guy." Ci Wenhao said with a laugh.

Long Qingchen sat down with a flushed face.

"Mr. Shen, sit down and talk." Old Tong Ge deserved to be known as a member of the reformist group, and his attitude immediately became humble and respectful.

The more he behaves like this, the more Shen Bai respects him, which shows that this person is wholeheartedly for the people and the public, which is commendable!

"This starts with the people's food." Shen Bai said.

"Oh?" Citing Wenhao also got excited, sat up and looked at Shen Bai.

"My lord has been to Gaofu Temple, do you know how many meals A Luo eats a day?" Shen Bai called himself A Luo in order to be more friendly with him.

"Two meals, I still know about this." Ci Wenhao said.

"Then do you know what my staple food is?" Shen Bai continued to ask.

"Is it the sweet potato from last time?" Ci Wenhao asked.

Shen Bai nodded: "There are many poor people who eat two meals a day, or even one meal. How can anyone be willing to eat rice, just like me, although I am a scholar, I can only eat sweet potatoes. The yield of sweet potatoes is a thousand catties per mu. Can be planted, how can there be taxes?"

"Wait!" Elder Tong Ge raised his hand: "I really want to understand something, but I don't understand everything."

"Tenants farm not for food, but for the exchange of money for the land, or even repaying debts, or even paying exorbitant taxes. As for the wasteland, you can neither pay taxes nor establish a household, but you can support your family." Shen Bai said.

"Wasteland?" Master Tong repeated curiously.

"Yeah!" Shen Bai nodded: "Agricultural workers, not to mention workers. Farmers, most of them are propertyless. If they are allowed to open up wasteland and farm land, they don't have to pay taxes on grain. Guess whether the landlords can deduct the money from the court. What about the food?"

"But what if there is not enough wasteland?" Old Tong Ge asked.

"What if one person can only have one mu?" Shen Bai asked back.

"Re-zoning the wasteland, returning the wasteland to the public, and then recruiting it is indeed a feasible method." As expected of a person who came here from a party of officials, Tongge Lao immediately summed up the method.

"Nong has an idea, what about work?" Old Tong Ge asked curiously.

"I'm sorry that Mr. Shen is going to make a fool of himself." Shen Bai said.

"Why is that, Young Master Shen?" Elder Tong Ge almost jumped up.

Shen Bai smiled twice, this is his signature smile: "This is Shen's answer sheet for the exam."

"Oh?" Tongge's old man repeated his long beard: "Okay, I will just wait for the good news. No matter what the emperor's topic is, I must be the top three, no, it is the first, but it depends on the son's countermeasures." gone."

"It's a deal!" Shen Bai raised the teacup and said.

"Haha, drinking tea is so boring, Liu'er, let's serve!" Ci Wenhao laughed, seeing the sparkle in Shen Bai's eyes, full of admiration.