I

  Chapter 214 212【Secret contract between officials and bandits】

  Xiong Wencan has a lot of ostentation, he is the governor after all.

  Jiangxi General Zhu Guoxun even personally drove the warship and sent Xiong Wencan to Ji'an Mansion.

  Back then, Zhu Guoxun was promoted to general manager because of his meritorious service, and it was Xiong Wencan's help to repay the meritorious service. One can imagine the relationship between the two.

  The guards were beating gongs and drums in front of them, and they were also holding signs like "avoidance". Zhu Guoxun, the commander-in-chief, escorted Xiong Wencan to disembark. There was a large group of people in the front and rear, adding up to two or three hundred people.

  Seeing that Zhu Guoxun was quite nervous and kept pressing the handle of the knife, Xiong Wencan said with a smile: "No need to be like this, Bandit Zhao is not an ordinary bandit. This man has a good way of doing things, and he will definitely not lure you and me to kill him."

   "It's better to be careful, thieves and bandits in the world can't be trusted." Zhu Guoxun reminded.

  Stepping on the wooden boards to the shore, a large maroon sedan stopped immediately, and Xiong Wencan leisurely stepped into the sedan chair and sat down.

  Zhu Guoxun was extremely loyal and always followed the sedan chair. I don't know if the rebels really do something, he will choose to turn around and run away, or to protect his old boss with all his might.

   "Boom!"

"when!"

  Official messengers hold gongs to clear the way, and the people along the way are very upset, and deliberately slow down when avoiding.

  Mr. Zhao doesn’t sit in this kind of high-ranking official sedan chair. Why do you come to Ji’an to show off, you dog official?

   "Give way, old cousin, please make way..." The officials in charge of clearing the way had to keep pleading, they really didn't dare to show off their power in the rebel's territory.

  Xiong Wencan lifted the car curtain and was quite speechless when he saw the situation outside.

  Zhu Guoxun leaned over and said: "Because the rebels' lair is full of unscrupulous people, beware of these unscrupulous people's assassination."

   "No problem."

  Xiong Wencan's heart is calm, this scene is really nothing.

   It’s not like Xiong Wencan has never seen a thief who knows how to buy people’s hearts. Zheng Zhilong, who he recruited to surrender, is used to doing this.

  Before accepting the recruitment, Zheng Zhilong looted the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong, which often exhausted the officers and soldiers. But Zheng Zhilong only targeted big households, and even helped small people. Especially the people in Quanzhou, the poor are so favored by Zheng Zhilong, so that every time the officers and soldiers take any action, the local people take the initiative to inform them.

  At the same time, a large number of coastal fishermen took refuge in Zheng Zhilong as pirates. Those who didn't become pirates also helped Zheng Zhilong transport goods on the shore, and Zheng Zhilong's henchmen were almost everywhere.

  In Xiong Wencan's view, the Luling Zhao thief is just Zheng Zhilong on land, at most he only studied for a few more years, and he was more thorough in giving favors to the common people.

   "Stop!"

  When they came to the gate of the General Military Mansion, the guards immediately stopped the group of people.

  Pang Chunlai, Li Banghua, Xiao Huan and other officials stood at the door to welcome the governor. Wang Tingshi and Xu Ying also stood there.

  Xiong Wencan walked out of the official sedan chair, recognized Li Banghua at a glance, folded his hands and said with a smile: "Mr. Meng An, after so many years, I never expected to meet again here."

   "It's really destined." Li Banghua didn't talk nonsense, and he didn't want to talk about friendship with Xiong Wencan.

Chen Maosheng was still in southern Jiangxi. Li Ke, deputy director of the Propaganda Department, stepped forward and said to Xiong Wencan: "Zhao Zongzhen has an order that only five negotiators are allowed to enter. The rest of them will find their own inn to stay. The cost of board and lodging is all on your own. If you harass businesses and people, you will be punished by law!"

  Zhu Guoxun sneered: "This is Zhao... how your lord treats guests?"

  Li Ke replied: "The life of the people is hard, my lord will not bear harsh treatment, and practice the way of frugality. What's more, it is not yet known whether you are a guest or an enemy!"

   "The guest is as you want, haha, the guest is as you want." Xiong Wencan was like a smiling Buddha, leaving five people with him, and throwing the rest back on the boat.

  Li Banghua introduced officials to Xiong Wencan again. Xiong Wencan actually got the information a long time ago, but at this moment he just matched his name with the real person.

   Entering the General Military Mansion, Xiong Wencan observed all the way, and found that the officials were all at work, and did not come out to look curiously.

  A civil official passed by holding official documents, and when they saw Pang Chunlai, Li Banghua and others, they just clasped their fists in greeting. If the hands are empty, they even use a nod instead, and Pang, Li and other high-ranking officials will nod in return.

  Xiong Wencan sighed in his heart, under the rule of Bandit Zhao, not only were the people more energetic, but even the atmosphere of government officials was stronger than that of the imperial court.

  This thief can only be appeased, but absolutely unable to suppress it!

   There are many empty houses in Zhao Han's inner house, so this time Xiong Wencan directly vacated a courtyard.

   All the salutes were moved into the house, and everyone sat down in the yard, talking nonsense while waiting for lunch.

  Xiong Wencan sat down and took two sips of tea, and asked, "When will your lord see me?"

   "Tomorrow," Li Ke explained, "The head of the town has gone to the countryside to inspect the Water Turning Mill, and he will not be able to return to Fucheng until tomorrow."

   "So that's the case." Xiong Wencan didn't ask any more questions, thinking that Zhao Han was deliberately hanging himself out.

Pang Chunlai sipped his tea and said: "The meaning of the general town, let us not go around the bush. Just a word, recruiting security is fine, and 200,000 taels of soldiers' severance pay. Now our army has 80,000 soldiers. Since recruiting security to join the imperial court, we will surely No more wars. Sending soldiers home, at least 200,000 taels of silver is enough."

   "Where did you get the 80,000 troops? It's just nonsense!" Zhu Guoxun suddenly yelled, he was playing such a role.

  Pang Chunlai smiled and said: "You don't believe me? Then after the beginning of spring, 80,000 troops will gather in Nanchang City, and Governor Xiong can count them slowly."

  Zhu Guoxun slapped the table and said, "Don't threaten me and wait until after a fight!"

   "Okay, let's talk after a fight," Pang Chunlai said with a gloomy expression, "Rebellion is rebellion. Since ancient times, Zhao'an will have a good end? Have you never read "Water Margin"?"

  The scene suddenly froze, and the atmosphere was a little awkward, so we could only switch to other topics.

   After a while, Xiong Wencan made an excuse to change clothes, Wang Tingshi immediately followed, and the two exchanged information in the toilet.

Wang Tingshi said: "This Pang Chunlai's whole family was forced to death by the government. He wholeheartedly wanted to overthrow Daming. Bandit Zhao was taught by this person. He was called a master and apprentice, but he was actually a father and son. Li Banghua agreed to recruit, but Pang Chunlai firmly opposed it. .”

  Xiong Wencan asked: "Where are the other anti-thief officials?"

   "Some agree, some disagree, roughly half of each other," Wang Ting said with a smile, "It is inevitable that there will be those who are greedy for high officials and rich salary. Since they can be appointed by the court, then why rebel?"

  Xiong Wencan nodded and said, "This is normal."

  Wang Tingshi said again: "I think Zhao thief agreed to recruit security. The performance just now was probably asking for a lot of money."

  The two talked about many details before returning to the courtyard together.

  It was approaching noon, and food was brought, including wine and meat. But to Xiong Wencan, it was not very rich, and even looked particularly shabby.

   Pang Chunlai, Li Banghua and the others enjoyed their meal. Although their usual work meals also have meat, they are definitely not as good as this meal.

   You can visit casually in the afternoon, and you can even read official documents.

  Xiong Wencan really ran to look through the tax booklet, and was terrified when he saw it.

  The land tax under Zhao Han's rule was actually higher than that of the imperial court. But there is no poll tax, nor other exorbitant taxes. The number of acres is surprisingly large, and it is obvious that Yintian has been found out!

  The so-called apportionment into mu means that the poll tax is directly apportioned into the land tax.

   Zhao Han’s policy can be counted as per-mu, because there is not much difference in the total amount of taxes; but it is not counted as per-mu, because "Ding Yin" has been cancelled.

  Because of the inspection of hidden fields and the abolition of the preferential treatment for gentry, even if the total amount of taxes remains unchanged, the taxes that farmers need to pay are far lower than Zhang Juzheng's whip tax.

   Not only is it lower than the current one whip tax, but it is also far lower than the one whip tax during Zhang Juzheng's reform period!

  Continuing to look through the tax books, Xiong Wencan found that the land tax in the mountainous area is very low. If there is no additional miscellaneous taxes, the poor people in the mountainous area can eat enough.

  Back to the bedroom at night, Xiong Wencan remained silent.

   "Why doesn't Fushuai say anything?" Zhu Guoxun asked.

  Xiong Wencan swallowed his saliva, his mouth was dry and he said: "Daming Jiangshan is about to change color."

  Zhu Guoxun said in surprise: "Zhao thief?"

  No matter what Xiong Wencan's ability is, if he uses the company as a metaphor, he can be regarded as an executive of Daming, a group company.

  Since he is an executive, he can understand financial statements.

  Da Ming Group is on the verge of bankruptcy, but Zhao Han, a small company, has a very good financial situation, and it is so good that it is a bit scary. Not only the land tax in the countryside, but also the commercial tax in the prefectural and county towns is terrible, because those big businessmen can't evade tax!

   It is amazing that although tax evasion is impossible, most merchants are extremely supportive of Zhao Han's policy.

  Because the officials under Zhao Han's rule will not change the law and mess around, the money that merchants need to pay is decreasing instead. Especially those small and medium-sized merchants with relatively modest backgrounds have become Zhao Han's loyal supporters.

   So where did Ming’s taxes go?

   Corrupt officials, powerful gentry!

   That night, Xiong Wencan tossed and turned and couldn't sleep, and secretly sighed: "Li Mengan got on a good boat, but unfortunately my people are in Sichuan."

  Although Xiong Wencan is greedy and extravagant, if he can be a hero, he is willing to share his own land.

  Compared with ascending to the court to pay respects and leaving a name in history, the thousands of acres of land at home are nothing!

  After much deliberation, Xiong Wencan decided to make a good relationship. While maintaining his status as an official, he could express his kindness to Zhao Han in private. What if it is useful in the future?

  The next afternoon, when Xiong Wencan finally met Zhao Han, this thought became even stronger.

  Because Zhao Han is too young, he has enough time to fight for the world. Even if he doesn't think about himself, Xiong Wencan has to leave a way for the family to retreat, maybe some of his descendants will be officials in the new dynasty.

   "Zhao Zongzhen, I have admired your name for a long time!" Xiong Wencan clasped his fists and laughed.

  Zhao Han said with a smile: "To each other!"

  Xiong Wencan asked: "Can you and I talk alone?"

   "Of course, Governor Xiong please." Zhao Han smiled brightly.

  In the secret room.

  Xiong Wencan opened his mouth and said: "If I am in Jiangxi, please Mr. Zhao don't attack the city. In return, I can pretend that I have not seen many things."

   Zhao Han suddenly laughed even more happily, because this governor is so funny. Immediately replied: "Don't worry, I will not attack cities and land, but I will help the government to eliminate other bandits."

  Xiong Wencan understood immediately.

   That is to say, if there are other rebels in Jiangxi, Zhao Han will take advantage of the situation and take the land, and the county town will naturally be included in the bag. After all, there are a lot of business taxes in the county town.

  However, the imperial court can still send a magistrate, but this magistrate must be emptied.

  The city and land belonged to the imperial court in name, but actually belonged to Zhao Han.

  The two bastards, tacitly, reached a secret agreement on this.

   As for the silver, Xiong Wencan promised to give 10,000 taels, and he had to be allowed to pay in installments.

  (end of this chapter)