0p0 Chapter 167: Your Majesty is still good at using people, the flatterer second place goes to Dai Viet
Chapter 167: Your Majesty is still good at using people, the flatterer second place goes to Dai Viet
This amount of money now is not even as much as the salary of some skilled craftsmen.
The Yuhang governor sighed and said, "The salary is low, for one thing."
"The second is that every official wants to encourage agriculture and mulberry, hoping to develop the local area, all of which requires money."
"But the prefects and county magistrates have only so much money to spend. After using it to encourage education and build roads, there is basically not much left."
"If you want to excel in the assessment, you must find the money yourself."
“There are two ways here.”
“First, we need to get local gentry to donate money, and officials and gentry to contribute money to the project.”
"The advantage of this method is that it doesn't cost the court much and is easy to pass."
"But if we ask the gentry to donate, we will have to deal with the local wealthy people, and there will inevitably be connections and requests in the future."
"The second method is to embezzle the fire-consuming silver and salt permits from the imperial court."
“That way you can have money to do things.”
The Yuhang governor said helplessly:
"I am not making excuses for my lax governance."
"But this kind of thing happens everywhere, not just in Yuhang."
Huang Xiao was also shocked this time.
After thinking for a while, he said, "Sir, let's go to the court together and discuss the salt permit issue. How about that?"
The Yuhang governor was very happy.
Soon, Huang Xiao's memorial was sent to Kyoto.
Huang Xiao did not talk about the salt administration issues in Yuhang, but instead put forward five suggestions regarding the salt administration.
This memorial, known as the Five Articles on Salt Administration, once again sparked heated discussions in the court.
Tang Xiaoren looked at the memorial and said, "I didn't expect that Huang Xiao, who donated his position, could actually see the century-old malpractices of the imperial court."
"It seems that I was wrong!"
Jia Renyi also said: "Your Majesty is very discerning and can see that he is a talent."
Tang Xiaoren also said: "But he has to be placed in the right position. Huang Xiao is not a talent in the Ministry of Rites."
Jia Renyi laughed.
Tang Xiaoren said: "The court's accumulated problems cannot be changed without reform."
"I have long had the ambition to reform the law!"
"Present the memorial to His Majesty now!"
Jia Renyi asked doubtfully, "How does the Prime Minister want to start the reform?"
Tang Xiaoren replied: "I would like to ask your majesty to convene a salt and iron conference!"
Tang Xiaoren took a breath of cold air.
Salt and Iron Conference!
That was no ordinary meeting!
During the Han Dynasty, a meeting was held that had an impact on the Central Plains.
That meeting was called the Salt and Iron Conference!
After the meeting, Dahan recorded the proceedings and compiled them into the famous "Salt and Iron Discussions"!
What is the Salt and Iron Conference?
It is an important meeting to discuss the fundamentals of the country.
This is not only an academic conference, but also a meeting for representatives from all walks of life in the entire Great Zhou to discuss national affairs together!
The meeting held by Emperor Xuan of Han established the system of state-run salt and iron industries by the imperial court.
For thousands of years thereafter, the imperial court continued to run the salt and iron industries.
Now Tang Xiaoren actually wants to hold this meeting!
This is something that will be recorded in history books!
If successful, it would be like the Salt and Iron Conference of Emperor Xuan of Han, and would be passed down through the ages.
If you mess it up, it will be like adding a tail to a dog and will leave a bad reputation for eternity!
Tang Xiaoren's memorial requesting His Majesty to convene a salt and iron conference was also handed to Li Tian's desk.
[The national affairs system is starting! 】
[Should a Salt and Iron Conference be held? ]
[Reminder: The Salt and Iron Conference is a major national event that will have a huge impact on the country's destiny. Please be cautious in your response! ]
so important?
As soon as Li Tian received Tang Xiaoren's memorial, a prompt popped up on the system.
Give it a try and turn your bicycle into a motorcycle!
Anyway, I am the one presiding over the meeting!
This time I must ruin the country's destiny!
Li Tian said to Xiao Weizi:
"Little Weizi!"
"The slave is here!"
"Inform the cabinet that Prime Minister Tang's suggestion to convene a meeting on salt and iron has been approved by me!"
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
"This meeting is to discuss the major policies of the country."
"Call all the officials above the fourth rank in the capital, as well as all the local officials above the provincial governor level in the country."
"The nobles and honorable men of the imperial court."
"Also, the vassal states in various places can send envoys to attend the hearing."
"And the leaders of Buddhism and Confucianism in the world."
"A prestigious and upright family recognized by the imperial court."
"I want to hold a meeting in the Qinzheng Hall!"
Xiao Weizi knew that this was a major national event, so he quickly recorded it.
This is a national event!
The imperial edict was quickly sent to the cabinet.
Soon, all qualified personnel received invitations to the Salt and Iron Conference in Qinzheng Hall.
In the middle of next month, the imperial court will invite learned scholars from all over the country to discuss national affairs together!
The incident was quickly reported in the Xindi Gazette and became a news item that attracted much attention in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
The most excited people, of course, are the scholars.
Salt and Iron Conference!
That is a symbol of prosperity!
Although the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han was not the strongest period of the Han Dynasty, it was indeed the most stable period of the dynasty.
You can attend the Salt and Iron Conference and leave your name.
That can also be recorded in history books!
Throughout the Great Zhou, everyone's attention was focused on the upcoming meeting.
At the same time, Liu Wenzhuo finally arrived in Kangping Prefecture, Dai Viet.
Kang Binh Province, Dai Viet.
This is the southernmost prefecture of Dai Viet and also the southernmost territory of the Great Zhou Empire.
Liu Wenzhuo followed Lu Weibin's example, quit his job at the Xindibao, and applied to be the prefect of the newly acquired territory in the southernmost part of the Great Zhou.
Kangping Prefecture was also the most complicated place after the Great Zhou Dynasty annexed Dai Yue as a prefecture.
This place is located in the southern part of the Nan'an Peninsula. Not only are there Dai Viet people living here, but there are also many Tanka people.
Tanka people are also the indigenous people of the South Coast Peninsula.
These people all live on boats and have made their living by fishing for generations.
There are huge conflicts between the Dai Viet people and the Tanka people.
Kangping Prefecture has a seaport and is also a key fulcrum for the South China Sea route.
The South Seas route opened up by Tang Yan has now become a popular route.
The Nanyang region and Dai Viet are tropical areas, where rice can be harvested four times a year.
The rice yield is high, and there is plenty of sunshine and water.
It is simply a chosen grain producing area.
The grain prices in Dai Viet and Nanyang are much lower than those in Da Zhou.
As a result, farmers in Yuhang area stopped growing rice and instead switched to growing mulberry trees.
Mulberry leaves are food for silkworms. Planting mulberry fields and raising silkworms can earn much more each year than growing grain.
Then he used the money from selling silk to buy food.
Yuhang and some coastal areas of Zhejiang have already been driven by this.
Liu Wenzhuo traveled south along the coast.
He passed by the bustling port and the prosperity of Yuhang.
Even Luzhou and Yangcheng in the southern part of the empire now have prosperous ports and are densely populated by sailboats.
The small place of Huajiang has now become the most prosperous port.
But when he arrived in Dai Viet, Liu Wenzhuo's heart gradually grew cold.
So desolate!
These Dai Viet people all look like monkeys, with an appearance of malnutrition.
It was the first time that Liu Wenzhuo saw such people.
More importantly, this group of Dai Viet people do not understand Chinese at all.
During the reign of the King of Dai Viet, in order to reduce the influence of the Central Plains.
Created the writing and language of Dai Viet.