Chapter 13 The Thirteenth Chapter on Taxation and Taxation

Probably because of the earnest urging of the clansmen, or knowing that the emperor built a house for himself, a group of monks finally went to Beijing to see Li Longji. Li Longji was overjoyed, and hurriedly stepped down from the royal platform to greet him with his hands, and joined hands to welcome a group of monks into their seats.Seeing that a group of monks were only in their thirties, but their faces looked a little old, they couldn't help sighing: "I heard that Zen master has been traveling all over the world for several years, looking for eminent monks to study Buddhism and astronomy. His aspirations are really impressive.”

Yixing said: "The poor monk knew that His Majesty was looking for him, so he should have entered Beijing immediately, but at that time, he was in Guoqing Temple in Tiantai Mountain. An old Zen master was teaching the Dharma to the poor monk, so the delay has been delayed until now. The poor monk hereby apologizes to His Majesty." Li Longji smiled and said: "I heard that this old Zen master is very good at calendaring. You are famous all over the world for your good knowledge of astronomy and calendar. If you ask for advice with such an open mind, the study of calendar will be perfected. I am really admirable." .”

"Your Majesty has made several appointments with the poor monk, what's the matter?" Li Longji sighed: "Since Li Chunfeng completed the "Linde Calendar", people all over the world have regarded it as a treasure. Since Kaiyuan, the Taishi Bureau has calculated that there will be several solar eclipses according to the "Linde Calendar", but every time it is wrong. Hundreds of officials came to congratulate in advance, saying that the sun should not be lost, but it is actually because my virtue has spread to the world. At first I believed it, but every time it happened, I realized that there must be errors in the "Lin De Calendar."

"What Your Majesty said is true, the calendar is the scripture of the world, and it cannot be wronged." "That's right, the reason why I have invited Zen masters to Beijing many times is precisely because of this. If the "Linde Calendar" is really wrong, it must be corrected immediately to prevent it from continuing to spread poison in the world. I know that correcting the calendar is a huge undertaking. It is labor-intensive and time-consuming, please rest assured Zen Master, I will fully support it.” A group of people bowed their hands and said: "Your Majesty does not dislike the humble thoughts of the poor monk, and the poor monk will definitely devote all his energy to it and try his best."

Li Longji saw Wu Huier at night, and remembering the merits of his advice, he couldn't help feeling tender, took her into his arms and said, "Huier, you are really very smart. I built the house according to the words, and Chan Master Yixing was very moved and finally returned Jing, how can I reward you?" Wu Hui'er reached out and took Li Longji's hand to caress her belly, and said softly: "Your Majesty, if I have this reward, my heart is enough." The fetus in the womb seemed to move slightly, and a gentle smile appeared on Wu Huier's face.Li Longji has more than twenty children at this time, unlike Wu Huier who is new and delighted to be a mother, but after all, he is pregnant for his favorite concubine, and he is also very happy in his heart, so he gently stroked Huier's abdomen with his palm and asked He asked, "Did Shang Palace ever send someone to wait on it on a regular basis?" The palace stipulated that if a palace servant is pregnant by the emperor, additional staff must be sent to take care of the daily life and carefully prepare the meals.

Hui'er replied: "The empress learned that my concubine was pregnant, so she asked Shang Gong to choose the most appropriate person to take care of her. They said that the fetus was about four months old. Watching the appearance of the concubine's abdomen and hearing the fetal sound, the fetus is growing very well. Please don't worry, Your Majesty." Li Longji laughed and said: "Oh, this fetus is really cumbersome, it's a bit in the way." Hui'er knew what the emperor was thinking, so she squinted and smiled, her face couldn't help but flush with drunkenness.

Because of Yao Chongzhi's words, Wei Zhigu gradually fell out of love in front of Li Longji. After that, he was sent to a foreign post, and soon died of illness.The person who succeeded Wei Zhigu as Minister of the Ministry of Officials was named Yuan Qianyao, who had previously served as Minister Zuo Cheng. Li Longji and Yao Chongli advocated exchanges between internal and external officials. There was great resistance to this matter in Beijing, especially those whose sons and daughters were officials, they were unwilling to leave Beijing and were afraid to move forward.Yuan Qianyao found Wei Zhigu at this time, and said that only one son would stay in Beijing, and the other two sons could go out of Beijing to serve as officials. He made a good start by letting his son go out of Beijing to serve as officials.Since then, more than 100 children of officials and eunuchs in Beijing have been appointed outside Beijing.Li Longji noticed Yuan Qianyao precisely on this matter, and sighed: "He is so lenient, flat, honest, clear, prudent and sensitive, and he is really a role model for officials." Was briefed here.

This time, the emperor led a hundred officials on an eastward tour, and some of them suffered disasters in Guanzhong, and then went east to eat to alleviate the shortage of food in Guanzhong.During Yuan Qianyao's tour, he saw that the seedlings along the way were thriving, and he thought that although some areas have been hit by disasters for several years, the whole country is still in good weather and good harvests. After Yuan Qianyao returned to Beijing, he checked the amount of rent and adjustments collected by the Ministry of Households in recent years, and he immediately understood.He wrote a memorial in detail, and took the relevant documents of the Ministry of Households with him, and then went to the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China to ask to see Song Jing.

Song Jing was reprimanding Zhang Jiazhen sternly in Zhongshu Province at this time. During the emperor's east tour, Zhang Jiazhen stayed in Beijing to garrison.During this period, Shi Wangjun, the governor of Yongzhou, was reported to Li Longji by Yushitai because of corruption and crimes.Because Li Longji was out on patrol, Zhang Jiazhen was ordered to arrest Wang Jun for interrogation for his crime.After receiving the imperial edict, Zhang Jiazhen took a lot of thought. While asking Dali Temple to arrest Wang Jun for interrogation, he secretly urged Dali Cheng to quickly kill Wang Junzhang in court.After Wang Jun's death, Zhang Jiazhen moved another article and reported to Li Longji that because of Wang Jun's harsh words, he accidentally killed him with a stick during the interrogation.

Song Jing was furious when he heard about this, and reprimanded Zhang Jiazhen: "I asked, the reason why Dali Temple accidentally killed this person was because you were in a hurry to supervise. Mr. Zhang, you are the minister of the imperial court, and you must know that the imperial court has laws. , how can you be so careless about human life?" In fact, Zhang Jiazhen did this, and there was a lot of hidden secrets in it.That Wang Jun was also a fawning person, the two had a good relationship before, seeing Zhang Jiazhen's entry into the court as a chancellor, so he graciously helped Zhang Jiazhen to repair the house, and the money and materials were of course paid by himself.For Wang Jun's crime this time, Zhang Jiazhen was afraid that he would tell the matter when he was interrogated, which would affect his future, so he urged him to die early to cover his mouth.

Zhang Jiazhen argued: "The Dali Temple later confirmed the case and found that Wang Jun had embezzled a lot of money, so Wang Jun was actually guilty of death. He died earlier, but there is no hindrance." Song Jing said angrily: "The Holy Majesty wants to educate the world with lenient laws and prudent punishments. You are admired by all the prime ministers. You should handle the case in detail to convince the common people. Why are you so hasty and unclear?" "There are other people pleading as evidence in this case, how can you be unclear?" "Anyone else pleads? Hmph, what if someone else makes a false accusation? After all, Wang Jun didn't admit it, so there is a huge loophole in the case..." Song Jing stopped when Yuan Qianyao asked to see him. Huatou said hastily: "Forget it, Wang Jun is dead. Whether he has been wronged or not cannot be verified after all. Mr. Zhang, I hope you will take this as a warning in the future, and be cautious when encountering problems." After all, Zhang Jiazhen had a ghost in her heart. Seeing that Song Jing, who had always been serious, no longer pursued the matter, she was overjoyed, so of course she agreed repeatedly. Yuan Qianyao entered the room and found Zhang Jiazhen by his side, and said: "It turns out that Mr. Zhang is here too. That's great. The next official just happened to report to the two prime ministers." Yuan Qianyao took out the written memorial and said: "This memorial talks about the embarrassment of the country's tax revenue. Please, Master Song, please present the memorial." Song Jing took the memorial and asked: "Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the law of renting mediocrity has been practiced in the world. Where did the embarrassment mentioned by Yuan Shangshu come from?" During the reign of Wude in the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty approved the performance of Liu Wenjing, Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and decided to implement the method of equalizing land and renting the common land throughout the world.These two methods have since become the economic cornerstone of the Tang Dynasty and have continued to this day. The Land Equalization Law divides the land in the world into Yongye Field, Koufen Field, Xun Field, and Job Fen Field, and stipulates the amount of land received by officials and common people.For example, for a family of common people, it is stipulated that the husband shall receive 80 mu of exposed land, the wife shall receive 40 mu of open land, and each person shall be given 20 mu of Yongye farmland. The law of rent and adjustment stipulates that every Ding should pay two millet stones to the imperial court every year, which is called rent; Sui Township Office pays two feet of silk and three liang of brocade every year. Ding served 20 days of corvee every year. If there was no corvee, he would be replaced by silk or cloth, which was equivalent to three feet of silk or three feet, seven inches and five cents of cloth every day, called Tiao. Yuan Qianyao replied: "What I saw during my eastward trip this time is that the seedlings in the fields are thriving, and I saw a lot of new fields being cultivated. Thinking about the good weather and the ripening year after year, why didn't the number of rents from the court increase? ?” Zhang Jiazhen interjected: "In order to relieve the disaster, the Holy Majesty has reduced or exempted the taxes of some states and counties several times, and the number of rent adjustments has not increased. Is this probably related to this?" Yuan Qianyao said: "The lower officials have already calculated carefully. The reduction or exemption of some state and county taxes by the Holy One is actually irrelevant to the overall situation. There are other reasons for the reduction." Hearing this, Song Jing interrupted Yuan Qianyao, and said, "Well, after being reminded by Yuan Shangshu, I remembered. Today Yushitai sent a memorandum, but it was written by supervisor Yushi Yuwenrong. , in which it is said that the powerful families of noble eunuchs often seize land by force, thus causing the loss of national taxes. Yuan Shangshu, is this similar to what you said? If it is indeed similar, remember that Yu Wenrong was once the director of Fuping County, you At that time, you were the governor of Yongzhou Prefecture, and you were Yu Wenrong's superior, so you can see the same thing." Yuan Qianyao nodded and said: "What Yu Wenrong said has some truth, but it is not all. The two adults, the officials have investigated the reasons, and found that since the reign of Empress Zetian and Shengong, Beidi Xirong has caused rebellion. There were fierce years, and floods and droughts continued frequently, and people fled more and more. This malpractice has continued to this day, and it is gradually getting worse." After Yuan Qianyao spoke up to this point, Song Jing and Zhang Jiazhen immediately understood.The core of the rent-yong adjustment method is to calculate taxes by Ding. If Ding Nan escapes from the land, all his fields will be abandoned and the court will not be able to collect them. As more and more escaped households, the court's taxes will decrease. Song Jing nodded and said: "That's right, Yu Wenrong's proposal in the memorial to request the enclosing of households in the whole country seems to have a lot of meaning. Those powerful families of noble eunuchs privately seize land, and then call escaped households to cultivate it for them. In this way, there is no need to pay taxes to the imperial court, which can be said to be detrimental to the imperial court and fatten the individual." Song Jing thought while talking, if the act of enclosing households is done, the interests of these wealthy families must be touched first. The so-called enclosing households refers to re-searching the household registration and redistributing the land according to the land equalization law. In this way, the refugees can be re-fixed on the land, and the state can collect according to the regulations. Zhang Jiazhen sighed: "Oh, how easy is it to close a household? Of course those powerful families don't want it, but those refugees take shelter under these wealthy families. Perhaps the rent they pay is less than the imperial tax." Yuan Qianyao cupped his hands and said: "The two adults are right. If you want to close the household, you need the approval of the Holy One. If the two adults need to do everything personally, then the household department can implement this matter." Song Jing got up and said: "Yuan Shangshu told the general outline of Kuohu. It is not too late, we must report to the Holy Majesty immediately. Let's go, we will enter the palace right away." The three of them entered the palace to meet Li Longji, Song Jing mainly reported the details of the Kuohu move, Li Longji occasionally asked some details, and immediately understood the ins and outs of the matter and the urgency of the situation, and immediately replied: "Okay, this time The matter is mainly carried out by the Ministry of Households. This Yu Wenrong is very good, and it can be temporarily returned to Yuanqing to participate in Kuohu affairs. Song Qing, and Yushitai will be the main one to send inspection envoys to supervise the world." Li Longji's few words have outlined the general content of the edict issued.The three bowed to receive the order, Li Longji ordered Song Jing to stay, and said something else. Li Longji asked: "Song Qing, the report from Yingzhou has been here for several days. Is it true?" Jing verified. "The minister asked the Ministry of War to verify that Zhang Shougui's performance is not false. He has indeed been taking every step of the way these years, gradually moving the Yingzhou government to the northeast, and now he really uses Yingzhou as the government." "Well, it seems that Guo Qianquan's vision is not bad. The person he recommended has indeed become a powerful general of our Tang Dynasty. When Zhang Shougui was appointed to take charge of the Northeast Army, I and Yao Gong were actually quite nervous. Now that the truth has come out, Fang Show this person's ability. Song Qing, I want to use this person again!" Song Jing said: "Zhang Shougui is young, and he has become the deputy governor of Yingzhou. He actually presides over the affairs of Yingzhou. He is actually the youngest governor in the world. How does His Majesty want to use him?" "Well, I'm keeping you here to discuss this matter. I've thought about it. Either promote Zhang Shougui to the governor of Yingzhou, or give him the title of Minister of the Ministry of War." Song Jing shook his head and said, "I don't think so." Li Longji has been repeatedly rejected by Song Jing recently, and he has long been a little bored. Now that he is rejected again, he feels a little dissatisfied in his heart, and said: "Zhang Shougui is now in charge of the Yingzhou military as the deputy governor. Great work, I support him, can’t it be too? Song Qing, everything must follow the trend, how can it be the same as the past?” Song Jingdao: "I think it is impossible, but there are reasons for it. Your Majesty, Guo Qianquan has made great achievements in the Northwest in recent years. He guarded Luntai, reached Turkic in the north, and controlled Tubo in the south, making the road to the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty unimpeded. Your Majesty because of his meritorious service. Conferring him the title of champion general and the title of Lu Guogong is a great kindness. However, Guo Qianquan wrote to the court a few days ago, requesting that eight of his slaves be granted the title of guerrilla general. This matter has been dealt with by the minister and has not been reported. His Majesty." "Oh? And this matter? He actually asked eight people at once? It's too much. If you choose one or two to teach, it's still okay." "The guerrilla general is a fifth-rank official, and his majesty assigns the appointment according to his ability. However, these eight people are just slaves of Guo Qianquan's family, and they have not made any contribution to the country. They are all Guo Qianquan's actions for personal gain. After so many years, don’t you understand the court’s general selection system? At that time, I thought that if I followed Guo Qianquan’s request, it would be a breach of the court’s discipline, so I immediately rejected it and did not report to the Holy Majesty.” Since Yao Chong became prime minister, Li Longji insisted that major events must be reported to himself, and the prime minister's own affairs within the jurisdiction should not be reported. So Song Jing's dismissal of Guo Qianquan did not exceed the limit.He smiled wryly in his heart and thought to himself: Is it a bit self-defeating to act like this? Song Jing went on to say: "Your Majesty, the reason why I brought up the matter of Guo Qianquan is because Your Majesty promised Yao Gong in the past that he would not seek to expand the territory within 30 years. If Your Majesty frequently rewards border merits, it will encourage these The soldiers' desire to expand the frontier is actually not good for the country." Li Longji sighed: "Soldiers are eating wind and drinking dew at the border to preserve the territory of the Tang Dynasty. If they deliberately suppress it, wouldn't the hearts of soldiers be chilled?" "It is enough for His Majesty to promote Guo Qianquan to the rank of knight; as for Zhang Shougui, he is the youngest governor, so he should be satisfied. Besides his own talent, he also has the power of time to return to Yingzhou." "The power of time? How can he have the time?" "Mochuu's beheading this time not only changed the dominance of the Turkic tribe, but also had a great impact on other tribes. For example, before Tubo and Mochuo joined forces to attack our country, now that Mochuu is dead, Tubo is at a loss for a while, and the Northwest The military has greatly improved; as for the military in the Northeast, Zhang Shougui's previous strategy of fighting for division has gradually become effective. The Khitan and Xi people have always been the Turkic menacing people, and they died silently. It is Zhang Shougui's time." When Li Longji heard the words, he immediately felt very appropriate, and said with a smile: "I see that you also know that the Minister of the Ministry of War is too busy and tired, so you want Zhang Shougui to return to Beijing. What you said makes sense, anyway, just follow what you said .” Li Longji paused and said with a smile: "Well, Xiao Gui Cao Sui, Song Qing followed Yao Gong's pace without deviation." Song Jing bowed and said: "I believe that as long as it is beneficial to the country, the previous regulations don't have to be overthrown. Your Majesty, if a person succeeds, he often despises his predecessor's actions in order to show his own ability. I secretly think that this is really stupid. Human intelligence is roughly the same. As long as you act faithfully, what you do will be the result of exhaustive thinking. If you overthrow it and start over, it will take a lot of effort, and the new method may not be better than the old method.” "Well, the regulation has been implemented for a long time, and it is in the country's interest to make troubles." "That's right. Actually, I'm not in a hurry to promote Zhang Shougui. The minister also has the intention. Zhang Shougui is young and has the strongest desire for advancement in his heart. If His Majesty promotes him to a high position early, he will easily become slack." "Haha, I can't say no to you, so I will follow what Qing said." Besides, Li Ying was crowned as the crown prince, because of his young age, he stood at one side during the court meeting and listened to the discussions between his father and the ministers, it was really hard to understand what he meant.Li Longji then told Yao Chong: "The crown prince is young, so he still focuses on persuading students." After Yao Chong abdicated from the Zhongshuling, he strictly abided by the way of being a minister.Only when Li Longji asked questions, he answered cautiously on the matter, and never commented on other affairs of the government.He is quite concerned about assisting the prince, and every other day, he will enter the East Palace to teach the prince.Li Longji saw that Yao Chongnian's legs and feet were inconvenient, so he gave Chengyu permission to walk in the capital. After Yao Chong entered the East Palace that day, Crown Prince Li Ying performed the apprentice ceremony and saluted Yao Chong.Yao Chong saw two tear marks on Li Ying's face, and asked why. Li Ying cried: "Mr. Yao, the students entered the palace this morning to say hello, and saw that the concubine was ill." Yao Chong said with relief: "How can a person be free from disease if he eats five grains? Wait for the imperial hospital to send someone to recuperate. I believe Concubine Li will recover." "Mr. Yao didn't know something. When the concubine mother saw the student today, she pulled the student into her arms weakly, and said with tears streaming down her face: "Mother is really weak. My son, you are still young. If I am not good, let me How can you bear it.' Yao Gong, is she dying if she speaks like this?" Yao Chong reprimanded: "Concubine Li is nothing more than a minor illness, she will be cured for sure, don't let your imagination run wild." Seeing Li Ying's young and tender face, he felt tenderness in his heart again, so he spoke kindly to comfort her. Li Longji's new favorite, Wu Huier, immediately left Concubine Zhao Lifei, who had been his favorite for many years, behind him. Of course, Yao Chong was well aware of this.He thought to himself, Concubine Li is good at singing and dancing, her body is extremely healthy, and her age is less than thirty years old, if she really is sick, it is probably due to heart disease.However, outsiders can't figure out who the emperor loves, after all, Yao Chong sighed secretly. Yao Chong called someone to wipe away Li Ying's tears, and then the teacher and student sat opposite each other, and Yao Chong began to explain the content of "Book of Rites" word by word.At first Li Ying couldn't calm down, but gradually her mood calmed down, she concentrated on listening to the lecture and recited it one by one. So close to noon, someone outside suddenly shouted: "The Holy Majesty is here, the prince is waiting for you quickly." Yao Chong and Li Ying hurriedly got up and went out, they saw Li Longji's father passing by the middle gate, they knelt down to greet him. After the three of them entered the hall, Li Longji and Yao Chong returned to their seats, and Li Ying stood beside them.Li Longji said: "I had a conversation with Song Jing and the others just now, when I suddenly remembered Yao Gong, I wanted to come to the East Palace to see what Yao Gong is doing." Yao Chongdao: "I am teaching the prince the "Book of Rites". The prince is really clever and has memorized the "Book of Rites" very well. I can understand it when I explain it." Li Longji said: "The content of "Book of Rites" is extensive and profound. If Yinger can understand one or two things, it is not easy. I remember the words of the Master in "The Doctrine of the Mean": "Learn extensively, interrogate carefully, think carefully, discern clearly, and practice earnestly." .’ When Yao Gong taught Ying’er, it is true that he should be knowledgeable about literature and judgment, but it is most important for him to develop such a style of study. If Ying’er has this style of study, he can study and study scriptures by himself, and his contribution will be doubled.” Yao Chong stood up and bowed when he heard the words, and replied: "Your Majesty's hadith, I will remember it carefully." Li Longji waved Yao Chong to sit down, turned to Li Ying and said, "Ying'er, you go to the side room to practice for a while, I want to talk to Yao Gong." After Li Ying left, Li Longji said sincerely: "I came to the East Palace, firstly to see you, and secondly to consult some important matters." "Your Majesty, please tell me, but I know it, so I dare not say nothing." "Well, just now Song Jing and the others came to ask for the closing of households, and I agreed to them, what do you think of Mr. Yao?" Li Longji then explained the closing of households in detail. When Yao Chong heard the words, he immediately knelt down on the ground, kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, please accept your worship. This is the blessing of your Majesty and the country!" Li Longji got up and helped Yao Chong up, then returned to his seat, and blamed him: "We monarchs and ministers don't need to perform such a big ceremony when we talk, it is really troublesome for you to do it repeatedly, you must not do this in the future." Yao Chongdao: "The reason why I congratulate you is that your majesty has a good eye for selecting candidates, so that there will be successors in the Great Tang Dynasty, who will be able to prosper the country." "Haha, Song Jing was recommended by Yao Gong, how did it become my credit?" "The reason why I said this is because Song Jing, Zhang Jiazhen and even Yuan Qianyao worked hard to manage the government. They can see the subtleties of the country's major affairs, and this subtlety shows the depth of governance. Think about it, Your Majesty. Accumulated over the years, he was busy rectifying officials and establishing the authority of the court, which earned him the title of "the prime minister of saving the time". Since "saving the time", the time of administration may be sparse or blocked, which can solve the temporary difficulties, after all, there is no complete Think about it, and thus lose the ephemeral." Li Longji sighed: "Recalling the chaos in the early years of Kaiyuan, only Yao Gong can support the overall situation. You can't speak too modestly, 'save the time'? Very good, if you don't calm down the chaos, justify it Clear the veins, how can the country be where it is today?" "I just want to praise Song Jing and the others for their excellent vision. Yuan Qianyao and Yu Wenrong discovered the shortcomings in their respective visions, and Song Jing then used Ding Nan's Fu to figure out the context, so he proposed to enclose the family. I think, There are many advantages to promoting Kuohu. First, through Kuohu, the actual appearance of the population of the whole country can be considered, and the redistribution of fields can lead to the prosperity of farming and increase the taxation of the court. It is a source of bullying the people; third, the increase in national taxes can greatly promote water conservancy and consolidate border defenses, and the country will become stronger." Li Longji nodded and said: "I promised Song Jing and the others just now, but after all, I was a little worried, so I wanted to ask for your advice. Well, if you say that, I feel relieved." Yao Chong said with a smile: "If the matter of enclosing households is labor-intensive and time-consuming, it will not be easy if it can be completed in three years. Moreover, enclosing households involves the vital interests of officials and powerful officials. The difficulty can be imagined. Your Majesty must pay attention to it." .” "I know." "Song Jing presides over Kuohu. She is straightforward in the first place. I'm afraid this time she will become a thorn in the side of others." "Don't worry, Mr. Yao, I will make decisions for them." Yao Chong cupped his hands and thanked him: "So, on behalf of Song Jing and the others, I would like to thank Your Majesty for your care." "Why do you thank me for doing things for me? Mr. Yao, this is the difference between you and Song Jing. Then Song Jing always handles things as if I were here in person. You don't ask for rewards if you do things right, and you should also do things wrong. Hey, Zhen Previously, I only knew that Song Jing was a straightforward person, but unexpectedly, he was so straightforward, it really taught me." Yao Chong understood Li Longji's true feelings at this moment, and he really didn't want to go into details, and the monarchs and ministers were relatively smiling. Li Longji said again: "I promised you not to ask for meritorious service for thirty years before, and Song Jing was very serious based on this. That Zhang Shougui has made great achievements, and I want to make him the governor, but Song Jing is determined not to allow it, and I can't convince him. I have no choice but to agree." Yao Chong said solemnly: "Your Majesty once said that if the country is prosperous and strong, the barbarians can be safe. I have not sought frontier merits for thirty years, and I am recuperating for the country, and I am still quiet about the people. I ask your Majesty to be as careful as the beginning! I have also done this before. It has been said that among all things in the world, the human heart is the most unpredictable, and the generals must be rewarded for their meritorious deeds, but they must not be made to rely on their merits. Checking and balancing the side will sit on the regular law of causing chaos, I hope your majesty will think carefully." This is a cliché, but Li Longji didn't listen to it, so he reluctantly nodded in approval. Gao Lishi bowed at this time and said: "Your Majesty, it's already past noon, and the minister has ordered the Shangshi Bureau to deliver food here, so let's eat in this hall." Li Longji looked approvingly, and said: "General Gao is the most winking, I haven't had a meal with Mr. Yao for a long time. Well, let them prepare the meal quickly, and call Yinger over." Yao Chong thanked Li Longji for the meal, and took advantage of this gap to say softly: "The crown prince saw Zhao Lifei today, and his face was full of tears when he entered the East Palace. Your Majesty, what's wrong with Zhao Lifei? Is it not serious?" Li Longji was stunned for a moment, and asked casually, "Is she sick? I don't know yet." Ever since Li Longji fell in love with Wu Huier, he immediately left Concubine Zhao Li behind, and has not allowed Concubine Zhao Li to sleep with her for several months, and Concubine Zhao Li has thus become silent. Li Longji saw that Yao Chong did not answer, and said to himself: "Well, after lunch, I will go to see her." Yao Chong didn't want to say more, he knew that the snobbery of people inside the palace was far worse than those outside the palace.When Concubine Zhao Li was favored, the eunuchs and female officials in the palace surrounded her like stars and the moon; once her power declined, those people turned to use this kindness in front of the new couple.Such a quick turnaround seems ruthless, but it is actually the most humane. Zhang said that when he came to Bingzhou to take up his post, Taiyuan was the seat of Bingzhou, and it was the land of Longxing in the Tang Dynasty.Since Emperor Gaozu, successive emperors have taken good care of Bingzhou, either giving money and food, or exempting them from taxes, which gradually made Bingzhou prosperous and the folk customs simple. Zhang said that after taking office, he only inspected the affairs of the Yamen for three days. He cleared up the accumulated affairs of the Yamen, and then left Taiyuan on horseback and walked northward.He is the ambassador of the Tianbing Army Jiedu. At that time, the Tianbing Army was mainly stationed in Yanmen, Shanyang, and Yunnei. Of course, he would come to inspect it. Yanmen is the first stop of Zhang Shuo's inspection tour. The majestic Hengshan Mountain stretches along the northern border of Daizhou. The ancient Great Wall built since the Warring States Period and Han Dynasty winds on the top of the mountain. The natural barrier of the northern border of Bingzhou. Yanmen Mountain was called Gouzhu Mountain in ancient times. The peaks here are tall and straight, and the terrain is dangerous. During the Warring States Period, Yanmen County was established and troops were garrisoned.In the Tang Dynasty, due to the Sui Dynasty, in order to prevent Turkic internal disturbance, Yanmen Pass was set up.This pass has gradually become known as "Puwei, which strengthens Datong from the outside, and the key to Taiyuan, which is solid inside. The roots reach the three passes, and the throat is all Jin". This kept the peace of Bingzhou. Zhang said that he walked up to Guancheng and looked down at the path he had come from.I saw the lush forests in the mountains, and it was difficult to see the path; then I saw that the Guanlou was built between the two peaks, because I sighed: "I remember that there is a saying, 'The geese fly out of the Yanmen Mountain', and the wild geese still want to fly through the gap." But, let alone people? From this we can see the danger of this pass." Because of the important location of Yanmen Pass, the Tianbing Army routinely sent a Huaihua Lang general to this pass.Huaihualang will always be with Zhang Shuo, and he heard the words and replied: "Jiedu Envoy's words are true. Every year when spring comes, this pass is even more spectacular. At that time, geese fly from south to north, and they all carry reed leaves in their mouths, circling before the pass. After a long time, it was only after the reed leaf in my mouth fell to the ground that I passed the level." Zhang said with a smile: "These wild geese think it's because of the steepness of this pass, so the fallen leaves are a memory?" He then asked, "Where is Jingbian Temple?" General Huaihua replied: "Jingbian Temple is built on the east side of Guancheng. If Jiedu envoys want to watch it, the general will lead the way here." Zhang Shuo shook his head and said, "I'm not busy. I'll take a look at it in my free time. I think Li Mu once defeated the Xiongnu here. How exciting was the scene? When I think about it now, my blood is racing." Zhang said that the Jingbian Temple he asked about was the place where later generations enshrined Li Mu, a famous general of the Warring States Period. During the Warring States period, King Wuling of Zhao changed his clothes to riding and shooting, defeated the invasion of Lin Hu and Lou Fan, and established Yunzhong, Yanmen and Dai Commanderies.Later, Li Mu was appointed as the guard of Yanmen. Here, he "learned riding and archery, was careful about beacon fire, and had many spies". The Xiongnu defeated more than 100,000 horsemen, so that the Xiongnu did not dare to invade Zhao for more than ten years. Zhang said that when he stepped down from the Guanlou, he saw that there was a barracks in the north of Guancheng, and a military training ground in the southeast. As expected, Jingbian Temple was built on the east side.Zhang said he stopped and asked, "How many people are stationed in this pass?" General Huaihualang replied: "I will report to the Jiedu envoy that there will be a total of 3,000 garrisons." "If the Turks come to break the customs, how will you deal with it?" "When there is no battle in normal times, there are 500 people patrolling the Guancheng and the Great Wall battlements, and the defense is changed every three hours. If there is a war, 500 people will be left on standby in the barracks. This is a mobile soldier, and the others Get into their defensive positions." Zhang Yue raised his finger to the Guanlou above his head, and said, "Okay, let's just practice for a while. You hurry up and deploy people according to the actual combat, and enter your respective positions. I'll go up to this building to watch." Huaihualang will lead the way. The Guanlou stretches for several miles from east to west, all connected by the Great Wall.The Great Wall was built in the Han Dynasty, and now it can be used after a little repair.Zhang said that he climbed up the stairs and stood among the wall stacks in the middle. From then on, he could not only watch the movement in the barracks, but also observe the actions of the soldiers on the Great Wall on both sides. After a while, soldiers came out from the barracks. These soldiers were all wearing armor and holding spears, they didn't walk in formation, but they walked in a group, there was no panic on their faces, and their steps were not hurried, they walked slowly to all sides. Zhang said that he had a question in his mind: Is this a soldier for the battle? Lang Jiang also went up to the Guanlou at this time, and accompanied Zhang Shuo. Zhang Shuo's face turned livid, and he glared at General Lang and said, "What are you doing hiding here? Go to the sundial and see how long it takes for the soldiers to reach the designated position first? Then see how long it takes for them to retreat?" Seeing Zhang Shuo's unkind expression, General Lang cautiously agreed to leave, but Zhang Shuo stopped him and asked, "If an enemy breaks the pass, won't you beat the drums as a sign?" General Lang said: "The Turkic people have not violated the customs for many years, and this method of beating drums has been abandoned for many years." Zhang said with a wave of his hand, the son will leave. When the soldiers arrived at the designated location, General Lang recalled them back to the barracks according to Zhang Shuo's order. After all this trouble, it took nearly two hours. Zhang said that he stepped down from the Guanlou and came to the military training ground. He told General Lang, "Go and pick three hundred men, one hundred of them will shoot arrows, and two hundred will catch and fight. Those with the most ability will practice." General Lang raised his head and said, "It's already past noon, and the Jiedu envoy is exhausted on the pommel horse. Why don't we practice after lunch." Zhang said: "I'm old, and as you said, I'm tired on the pommel horse. I'm not hungry at the moment, let alone you? You can arrange it quickly." After a while, three hundred people gathered on the training ground.Zhang said that he ordered the arrow stacks to be placed fifty paces away, and said, "Forget it, there is no need for fighting. Come and shoot arrows, everyone. I know that it would be difficult for you to place the arrow stacks a hundred paces away, so I will use Fifty steps is the limit. Each of you has three arrows, and if you hit two arrows, you can eat and rest. If you miss, this general will lead you to continue practicing archery, and you don’t need to eat.” At that time, the bows used by Tang soldiers had a strength of about two stones, and if they were shot at a vital point with a hundred steps or so, it could kill a person.Zhang said that at this time, the limit of 50 steps should be used to shoot arrows, which can be said to be not very demanding. Three hundred people shot arrows one by one, after some competition, the result was really embarrassing.There were more than fifty people who were hit by more than one arrow, and only twelve people were hit by more than two arrows. Zhang said that when he came to inspect the barracks, he would be accompanied by a general of the Tianbing Army. The senior one was general Xuanwei, and the lower one was a school lieutenant.Seeing that the Yanmen soldiers were so embarrassing, they couldn't help but looked at each other, each with their own ghosts in their hearts. Zhang said, looking around at the crowd, he said, "Everyone followed this envoy to observe the Yanmen soldiers' response to the enemy and their archery skills. What do you think?" Everyone dared not say a word. Zhang Shuo continued: "Yanmen Pass is the most important pass in Bingzhou, and if its soldiers are like this, the soldiers in other places can also be imagined." General Xuanwei, named King Quan, is in his fifties.He has been in the army for many years, so of course he knows the details of Mr. Zhang in front of him.Zhang said that he was the leader of Wenzong, and he was an official to Zhongshuling. Before that, Emperor Zhongzong had served as the Minister of the Ministry of War. He was actually a sensible man who knew both civil and military affairs.Wang Quan didn't dare to defend the Yanmen soldiers, he let out a long sigh and said: "Master Zhang, the source of soldiers in the government has been exhausted for a few years, and the last general and others have to support them with great difficulty. There are really many difficulties." Zhang said: "What are your difficulties? You are using the salary of the imperial court, and these soldiers are recruited by the imperial court according to the regulations, so they should be well trained to meet the enemy. Hmph, you have led the soldiers like this, do you dare to talk?" Wang Quan said: "Just now the general said that there are three thousand soldiers at Yanmen Gate. Master Zhang, do you know how these three thousand soldiers came? According to the imperial court's roster, there should be more than 10,000 soldiers guarding Yanmen Gate. They can take turns to defend, so that there is an alternation. However, as the years go by, there are fewer and fewer soldiers in the government, and these three thousand soldiers came here only after being frightened and coaxed. They are not willing to defend here at all. The number is enough, how can we let them practice hard?" Zhang said that of course he understood the disadvantages of the Fubing system, and asked in surprise: "Of course I know that the Fubing system has been gradually relaxed, but why has it been so relaxed in the past few years?" The system of government soldiers started from the Western Wei Dynasty and the Later Zhou Dynasty, and lasted from the Sui Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, reaching its peak.It is an important military system from the beginning of the Tang Dynasty to the present that it integrates soldiers into agriculture, and soldiers farm and fight. Zhang said that he had served as the Minister of the Ministry of War during the period of Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty. At that time, he had already noticed the disadvantages of the Fubing system. There were two main reasons. Traveling long distances costs a lot of money and food. The imperial court stipulated that the land should be granted to the common people according to the land equalization law, and then the men were required to prepare their own clothing, food and weapons to serve as soldiers. If there was a war, these men who farmed the land would be conscripted into the army.However, after the Gaozong Dynasty, the people fled due to the war, or the wealthy families of the noble officials annexed the land forcefully, and many men were unable to provide their own military supplies and weapons to participate in military service, and the source of government soldiers gradually dried up.In addition, the number of wars has decreased, and the army and the generals and officials of Zhuzhechong's mansion are unwilling to lead troops to practice.As a result, for a long time, everyone is afraid of military service and avoids it in every possible way. Everyone is there, you talk to each other, telling how difficult it is to be a general. Seeing this group of people talking more and more vigorously, Zhang Shuo was furious and asked sharply, "If the Turkic people really come to attack, how long can such a powerful force last? You are all generals of the imperial court, and you don't want to practice." Strong soldiers, but all your inactions are pushed to the court, is there any reason in the world?" Seeing that Zhang said he was angry, the group quickly shut up, not daring to say anything more. Zhang said that he secretly considered that the disadvantages of the government military system have been around for a long time, and it is difficult to shake it by one person, and this has been established for many years, if it is slightly changed, it will be a serious crime, and it must be extremely cautious.他此时忽然忆起王毛仲说过，今后要多找理由回京面见皇帝，心中顿时一亮：对呀，这不是一个现成的机会吗？ 张说看到眼前的这帮人正目光炯炯瞧着自己，知道要立刻处置此事。大凡人初任新职，往往寻个机会以立威驭下，眼前正是现成的机会，张说当然不能放过。 张说手指那名郎将，说道：“王将军，此人镇守要地，懈于操练，统驭无法，天幸我们此行发现，否则定有大乱。可速罢其职，永不叙用。” 王权期期艾艾说道：“张大人，此人系五品官，例由朝廷授任……” 张说打断王权的话头，断言道：“我当然明白朝廷的规制！王将军，你先将此人就地看管，待我回京上奏圣上，再赶其出关。此关位置重要，须有人主持，王将军，今后就由你统领此关，不得有误。” 王权见张说抬出了皇帝的牌子，又想张说曾为宰辅之人，遂不敢反对，躬身答应。 张说此后带人巡视了天兵军的所有防地，看到各地与雁门关的状况大致相似，心中就有了计较。 那日宋璟三人退出太极殿回到中书省，宋璟派人去传宇文融，以听取宇文融的想法，再定括户的具体细则。 宇文融年近四十，其之所以能成为一个八品的监察御史，非为自己考取的功名而得，实是由祖上的余荫而来。 太宗皇帝自贞观年间厘改选官制度，其大兴科举制度以招揽天下英才，然同时保留了荫官制度。如宇文融的祖父曾在永徽年间任过宰相，宇文融由此不用通过科举之路就可靠祖父余荫成为官身。当然这类人起初大多是些文武散阶低品之官，俗称“小吏”。姚崇当时瞧不起魏知古的“小吏”出身，大约认为此类人无才无能，无非靠祖上余荫来混口饭吃，因而耻于与之为伍。 宇文融入室后见了三位上官，逐个问候一遍，貌甚恭谨。宋璟说道：“宇文御史，你的奏章已奏过圣上，圣上属意括户。自今日始，你暂离御史台前往户部，由源尚书节制。” 宇文融闻言脸现欣喜之色，心中暗想这一次的奏书很是奏效，十有八九是一次升迁的机会，遂躬身言道：“源尚书向为下官的老上司，下官定欣然前往。” 源乾曜接口道：“户部此次主持括户天下，二位丞相大人也会日日督促。宇文御史，你既上书当知逃户之弊，有何策来应之呢？” 宇文融见三位重臣专门听取自己的想法，心中大喜，有心卖弄一番，遂言道：“逃户之弊，在证圣年间已显现，当时流民多因征战所致；到了后来，或因夷族入扰，或者赋敛过重，遂使人多失业，流离道路。” 张嘉贞在三人中最无耐心，闻言打断道：“宇文御史，宋丞相为四朝老臣，你所言皆为宋丞相亲身经历，这些过程就不要过多啰唆了，还是直说欲用何策吧。” 宇文融遭此抢白，脸色愈加恭顺，说道：“张大人所言甚是，下官有些啰唆了。至于欲用何策，下官以为，当初凤阁舍人李峤曾向则天皇后建言采用'设禁令''垂恩德''施权衡''为制限'等措施，此法今日亦可采用。” 所谓“设禁令”，即是闾阎为保，递相觉察，以乡里连坐；“垂恩德”即是招诱逃户返乡的优惠措施，诸如供给返乡路费、赈济乏食者等；“施权衡”则对流民不愿返乡者，允许他们就地附籍；“为制限”即是规定逃户在百日内报到，即为自首，可以既往不咎，若此期限内不出面，若捕之即可将之迁往边州，是为流刑。 宋璟闻言赞道：“宇文御史可谓留心，能将李峤之建言寻出来，实属不易。源尚书，李峤建言宽严相济，可依此拟定我朝括户之成法。” 源乾曜躬身道：“下官就着宇文御史速速拟文，不敢耽搁。” 后来此文经李隆基御览后昭告天下。其内容大致有五条：一是限制逃户百日内自首；二是自首逃户自愿归返故籍或者就地附籍皆可；三是按期不自首者，捕之者即流于边远之地；四是隐匿逃户者，按罪论处；五是自开元五年十二月之前勾征未纳的贷粮种子、地税皆免。 宋璟凝眉说道：“李峤的建言毕竟太过久远，譬如当时的豪强之家尚未大肆兼并土地、隐匿逃户，如今此风滋蔓，更应严处。宇文御史，你的奏章中仅大略一提，我以为此事似比逃户更为严重，须有常法制之。” 座中四人对贵宦豪门的态度可谓泾渭分明。宋璟和张嘉贞系则天皇后时进士及第之人，二人出身草莽，以学识得中入官，与其时的李唐望族没有什么干系；源乾曜又稍有不同，他虽进士出身，然其祖父为隋朝刑部侍郎，父亲为永徽年间的太常卿，其家世背景就与宇文融相仿。 宇文融闻言迟疑片刻，回答道：“逃户归入豪门之家，实想托庇于大家以逃国家赋税。此次检括之后，这些逃户皆归籍，则此事就可迎刃而解。” 凡正直之人，多与上官同僚龃龉甚多，对下属及庶民则甚为宽宏，宋璟就是这样一个人儿，其闻言怒道：“你如此认为岂非本末倒置？这些豪门之家或有俸禄或有朝廷赐予的田亩，根本不该再兼并田亩收留逃户！哼，逃户们若日子过得好好的，他们能为了逃避国家赋税而离开自己的田亩吗？托庇于大家？亏你这样的话也能说出来！” 宇文融慑于宋璟的威严，吓得不敢再吭声。源乾曜看到宋璟发怒，急忙上来打圆场：“宋大人所言甚是，待拟文之时也要严惩豪门此行为。下官以为，此次既要检括户口，更要打击豪门的兼并之风，须双管齐下，不可偏废。” 宋璟由此火气稍敛。他们又在一起说了一阵，然后散去。 宇文融随源乾曜而去，二人毕竟颇有渊源，宇文融当然说话相对随意一些，其悄声说道：“源公，若依宋丞相所言检括户口，源公岂不是成了千夫所指之人？下官跟随办事，也会被扯上干系。” 源乾曜当然知道此事的轻重，他知道这些贵宦豪门之家内里盘根错节，自己说什么也不能成为和他们对立的恶人。人处世上，唯利益为重，你若动了他们的财富，纵有皇帝的圣旨，纵有千条万条理由，人家终归要恨死你！源乾曜闻言说道：“我们二人实为括户首倡之人，圣上又力促此行。我们到了如此地步，哪里还有退路？此事说不得，只好勉力为之了。” 宇文融叹道：“唉，下官上书之时仅想逃户之弊，谁料想宋丞相将矛头直指豪门之家呢？” 源乾曜见宇文融的脑筋不拐弯儿，心想自己若不指点一二，此人拟文时定会出错，遂正色说道：“逃户之弊损及国家，此为非办不可之事。此事由来已久，朝廷稍有动作，即可立见成效。你我为办事之人，只要把事儿办得妥当，圣上当然高兴。豪门之事，当然要有涉及，且此事由宋丞相力促，我们只要依言办事即可。” 宇文融听出了源乾曜的话音之妙。宋璟上谏皇帝，下斥百官，其正直性格早已闻名朝野，那么此次向豪门收田散民由宋璟所倡，不足为怪。 后来皇帝诏书中的第四条涉及隐匿逃户者，仅提及按罪当罚，此即为宇文融懂了源乾曜的意思而运用了曲笔。中国文字大有玄妙，此条按字面意思对贵宦豪门阻碍括户语出严厉，如此就合了宋璟的心意，万一引起豪门怨言，反正有宋璟在上面顶着。至于按罪当罚更是一句空泛之言，因为罪之大小并无标准，那么如何责罚也就看当事人的意思了。