Qin Official

That night, Zhang Bo and Zhang Fu, after discussing in low voices for a long time, finally gave Hei Fu, who was sitting opposite them, an answer at his residence in the east of the city.

"You can get three hundred stones from Dongzhang."

"Xizhang can produce two hundred stones."

"The remaining fifteen hundred dan will have to be paid by a thousand households in the township. One and a half dan per family is not too much..."

Zhang Bo cupped his hands towards Hei Fu and said, "Youyou, this is the result of our discussion."

Hei Fu sighed in his heart and looked at Chen Ping, who was sitting upright at the end of the hall.

Sure enough, just as Chen Ping expected, the Zhang family, which owned half of the cultivated land in the township, was only willing to pay a quarter of the requisitioned grain.

Fifty years ago during the reign of King Zhao of Qin, Fan Ju proposed a "Order for Raising the People". The basic idea was that the Qin State had a vast land but a small population and could not fully develop its fields and resources, so it needed to recruit people from the east of Mount Wei. migrant.

Han and Wei were located in the Central Plains, with their cities facing each other and densely populated. This was exactly the opposite of the Qin State's population and land situation. They had more people and less land. The "Lai Min Ling" metaphorically says that countries such as Han and Wei have narrow territories and small people, and their houses are in close proximity. Because of the lack of enough farmland, a large number of people have poured into mountains and swamps to develop wasteland. Even so, each family can only survive on twenty or thirty acres like the Chen Ping family. This leaves a large number of people without farmland and can only survive. Become a sharecropper, do business, wander, or work as a slave.

This land is not enough to support its people, just like the people of Qin were not enough to live up to their land!

Therefore, in the Han and Wei dynasties, the problem of land annexation has arisen. Local tyrants often occupied most of the local land, and a large number of landless people became tenant farmers.

"The rich have vast fields, but the poor have no place to stand." This is not the situation in Qin, but the current situation of Han, Wei, and Qi.

In this case, Heifu was ordered to collect grain, and the bulk of the grain output was naturally the Zhang family and other local tycoons, but now, they are unwilling to bear too much of the share.

Zhang Bo still had a chubby face and said something to him, "There is no surplus food in the wealthy family. The rations that were previously provided for the tours and soldiers have been emptied out."

Heifu didn't believe this at all. If he hadn't investigated clearly, he wouldn't have paid a visit.

"Really? How did I hear that Dong Zhang has 20 hectares of land in Hufu Township and can earn 4,000 shi per year? Xi Zhang has 10 hectares of land and can earn 2,000 shi per year?" Heifu said with a smile.

"In addition, Zhang Zihu was an official in Xianyang and often exchanged letters with his family. I heard that he predicted that there would be a war between Qin and Wei a few years ago. Er Zhang started to buy grain and millet from everywhere three years ago. Now there are two granaries. , at least four to five thousand shi of food..."

The amount Heifu estimated was almost the same as Zhang's food reserves, and Zhang Bo's face suddenly became stiff. Then he put away his smiling face and said firmly:

"So what? These grains were saved by my two brothers frugally, one grain at a time, for fear that war would break out and the family would starve to death. The Zhang family has a big business and has many people to feed. , there are hundreds of servants and maids alone, and the moon eclipse is five hundred stones. Is it possible that You You still wants Zhang to collect all the two thousand stones for food?"

This is my plan, Hei Fu thought. The wheat will be ripe in May and harvested in July. Even if we spend two thousand dan, the Zhang family will have enough food left to eat until then.

But he said with a smile: "Of course not, it's just that the two families are the top sages in the village, why not give a few more, and make up a thousand, which will not only reduce the burden on the people, but also have additional benefits..."

"What!" Asking Zhang Bo to give him food was more uncomfortable than cutting his flesh, and he immediately slapped the table and roared.

Zhang Fu, who was more shrewd than him, stopped the impulsive clan brother and asked, "May I ask You You, what are the benefits?"

"Title." Hei Fu smiled and pointed to the crown above his head and said, "I am no longer in charge. The warrior Dongmen Bao outside the door has his hairpin curled up. This Zhong Ming sitting below me, It is already a high-ranking one, so I dare to ask you, what kind of title does it have?"

Zhang Bo and Zhang Fu were a little embarrassed. Although they were local officials, they were only given the title of "gongshi" after surrendering.

"As expected." Hei Fu sighed, looking worried for the two of them: "Qin is different from Wei, everything has to be based on title. As Lord Shang said, his wealth must match his title. The two monarchs He enjoys the wealth and honor of a great official, but only has the title of a public servant. This is incompatible with the name and reality."

Zhang Fu responded: "But the title of Qin is difficult to obtain, and it cannot be obtained without beheading in battle. Most people in the village, whether rich or poor, are soldiers... Could it be that you know other ways to do it?"

Hei Fu held up his palm and said: "However, the Qin State has a system of worshiping nobles with millet, which is implemented in times of famine and war. This policy may benefit the Zhang family!"

"Neisu is a nobleman?" The two looked at each other.

Heifu knew that they would not believe it easily, so he nodded to Zhong Ming and asked him to explain the situation like two pictures.

"This official is from Hanoi County."

Zhong Ming cupped his hands towards the two Zhangs and said: "More than thirty years ago, when I was not yet born, Qin and Zhao fought in Shangdang Changping, and the Zhao army was besieged by the Qin army. At that time, the King of Qin heard that Zhao's food road was dead, and he arrived in person In Hanoi, each level of civil nobility was granted to those who were fifteen years old or above and rushed to Changping to prevent Zhao's reinforcements and food supplies. In addition, the rich and powerful households in Hedong and Hanoi townships who were able to contribute thousands of kilograms of grain to serve as military rations were all given nobility. At the first level... in Wen County, where the subordinates are located, there are three families who donated millet, thousands of stones, and were promoted from the ranks to public officials."

"Is there such a thing?" Because Zhang Bo and Zhang Fu were from Wei, they didn't understand the Qin system very well.

"This is true, and it is not an isolated case."

Heifu answered: "Twenty years ago, in the third year of this king's reign, locusts came from the east, covering the sky, and Guanzhong was deserted. Nanjun and Nanyang were also infected with the plague, and each county was short of food. So the king gave an order, The common people had to pay a thousand shi of millet to be promoted to the rank of nobility. There was a merchant in this county who offered a thousand shi of millet at that time, and was able to receive a homage and be promoted from a public official to a superior..."

Heifu was talking about none other than the Yuan Bai family, whom he had dealt with when he was serving as a corvee in Anlu County, and who had given him a lot of money for free.

"In the battles against Zhao and Yan a few years ago, people from the counties and counties near the front line were asked to offer millet to pay homage. This was a common practice. If I am not mistaken, General Wang has asked your Majesty for instructions and will also surrender to Qin. Wei has implemented the order to worship the princes of Neisu, but it has not been issued in time."

This seems to be the "buying an official position (desiring) a title" criticized by later generations, but it is not the case, because Shang Yang established the title to encourage farming and farming, and farming was to obtain more food. The local farmers of Qin worked diligently and made the fields Good harvests are sometimes rewarded with first-level titles. In counties and counties newly occupied by the Qin State, Neisu is worshiped with titles because there are very few people with titles in the area. It is a good deal to get a thousand grains and feed a thousand soldiers for more than half a month.

Moreover, the title obtained from internal millet will not exceed that of a doctor, and will not harm the foundation of the military title system.

After talking about the nobility system of Neisu, Heifu said again: "That's why I said that since the two Zhangs will eventually provide food, it is better to give more, collect thousands of stones, and say that they are from the same family, and then the title will be reissued." , the two gentlemen will discuss who gets it first..."

"In this case, it's not a bad idea."

Zhang Cang, who was far away in Xianyang, wrote home and talked about the very important titles in Qin. Now that they heard that offering a thousand grains would have a good chance of getting a title, the Zhang brothers became more excited.

After lowering their heads and discussing for a while, the two made a decision. They all had to donate food anyway. There was no benefit in donating 600 dan, but there was a chance of winning a knighthood by donating 1,000 dan, so it was better to pay more. Anyway, because they prepared early, they had thousands of millets at home, so there was no shortage of food at all.

"good!"

After receiving the answer, Heifu breathed a sigh of relief, but just when the Zhang brothers thought that the matter was over, he suddenly said: "Nowadays, there is no harvest, and the people in the countryside don't have much food left in their homes. If each household contributes only one stone, they can barely make ends meet. Some families can’t even wait until the wheat is ripe for the summer harvest. Since the two princes have already paid out a thousand dan, why not also give out the 1,000 dan grain that will be distributed equally to the farmers in the village!"

"What!"

As soon as these words came out, the two Zhang's faces looked horrified. Zhang Bo even jumped up and pointed at Hei Fu: "Hei Fu, don't go too far! Do you think I, Zhang, are weak and can be bullied?"

Hei Fu looked at Chen Ping. He had used up the strategy for "jue" written on his palm. Next, he had to look at Chen Ping...

Chen Ping immediately stood up, bowed respectfully to the furious Zhang Bo, and the silent Zhang Fu: "You two gentlemen, please don't be impatient. The intention of wandering around is not to let the Zhang family come out in vain, but to let the Zhang family go out in vain." During the lean season, when people have no food to pay at home, they first lend the extra food at home to a thousand households in the city, with one stone for each household. They make a contract with it, and it will not be too late to take it back when the summer and autumn harvests are harvested... …”

"Loan grain to the villagers?" Zhang Bo and Zhang Fu were both stunned. As a large household in the village, he often borrowed grain, money and silk, but he had never loaned one stone to every household in the village at once. There have been.

This is the true meaning of the word "loan" written by Chen Ping on his palm. It is also a common thing in previous years. Er Zhang should be familiar with it, but it will take a lot of words to convince them to pay the food first.

So Chen Ping said: "When Ping was studying in a neighboring county, he heard such a story. In Qi State, there was a man named Dong Guochang. His family had ten thousand gold and he had great ambitions. His disciple was poor and asked for help. Dong Guochang refused to give it, and threatened to say, "I plan to save up to ten thousand gold, and then use the money to go to Linzi to ask for an official position." Afterwards, everyone in Qi said that Dong Guochang cherished what he had not yet obtained, but was unwilling to help him and he would starve. This was unkind, so Dong Guochang finally saved ten thousand gold and sought an official position in Linzi. However, when he returned to his hometown to serve as an official, the locals disrespected him..."

After telling this story, Chen Ping added: "Now the two kings are willing to pay a thousand shi of grain to obtain the title of Qin State, but are not willing to lend an equal amount of grain to help the country party tide over the difficulties. If this matter is spread, it will be punished. How is this different from Dong Guochang, a native of Qi, who condemns the countrymen? You must not only pursue a title but lose the local respect..."

After talking, Zhang Bo was still thinking about it, but Zhang Fu was already deep in thought.

Heifu also praised Chen Ping's eloquence. These scholars from the Central Plains always like to tell a fable first when persuading others.

Seeing that Er Zhang had begun to consider the matter, Chen Ping continued to persuade him: "What's more, haven't you heard about Mengchang's cunning rabbit's three caves?"

"In the past, the King of Qi abolished the position of Lord Mengchang, and Lord Mengchang had to retreat to Xuedi. The people of Xuedi had been favored by Feng Nuan's burning of coupons. When they heard that Lord Mengchang was coming, they helped the old and young to walk dozens of miles to greet Lord Mengchang. This This is where Feng Nuan taught Lord Mengchang his benevolence and righteousness. From then on, Lord Mengchang had another place to live in besides the Linzi court."

Zhang Bo was ignorant and incompetent, and was stunned when he heard it, but Zhang Fu knew the story. His eyes lit up, he looked at Chen Ping and said, "What do you mean..."

"Yes, the Zhang family's grotto is, firstly, in Zhangzihu, Xianyang; secondly, it is the official position and title of Qin; thirdly, it is the local hometown and the gratitude of the local people..."

When talking about "gratitude", Chen Ping looked at Heifu. He was also very grateful. He was grateful that Heifu once again gave him a stage to express himself. This was the second time.

He stabilized his mind, faced everyone in the hall, and spoke eloquently: "Therefore, today, Zhang's loan of grain is not for grain, but for benevolence and righteousness!"

Chen Ping spread his hands and said with a smile: "When the autumn harvest comes, not only will we be able to recover thousands of stones of corn, but we will also get the gratitude of the township party. This is a strategy that kills two birds with one stone. Why would you not do it?"