Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3248 Spring Rain

It's raining.

This time the rain finally brought a bit of spring flavor and was no longer so cold and biting.

The ice in the upper reaches of the river has also begun to loosen. If you walk along the river, you will hear the thrilling crunching sounds from the ice from time to time.

The whole world seems to be gradually breaking away from the cold hands of winter, but winter is still holding on to the little braids of spring.

Just like those in Shandong are not willing to face their failure.

Conspirators, plotting in the shadows.

Under the sun, everything will grow.

And when the river melts, the land that still has no winner will eventually return to the field of Shura fighting.

Feizhen has been able to deal with all this calmly.

After checking the warehouse where grain and grass were stored, he remounted his horse and headed for the military camp.

Beside him was Wei Du. Although Wei Du recovered from serious injuries and his strength declined slightly, he was still qualified as Feizhen's guard. With his huge body and thick armor, as long as he stood in front of Fei Zhen and added a shield as high as a person, it was like a movable steel wall.

But no amount of protection can replace Feizhen's growth.

Fei Zhen was riding on horseback, thinking back on the information that had been gathered to him during this period.

Spring is the season when all things grow, and Feizhen seems to have grown up a bit. The eyebrows and eyes are slightly opened, and he no longer looks like a child before, and the armor on his body can also be held up a little. Of course, in front of outsiders, Feizhen was used to no longer giggling like a child. This helps establish Fei Zhen's unsmiling style and increases his dignity.

But when facing familiar people, Feizhen would still grin, showing her eight big teeth...

However, in the past two days, Feizhen rarely smiled, and even occasionally appeared in a trance.

Information about Chang'an Sanfu's changes has actually been arriving at Feizhen these past few days.

Pang Tong didn't say anything directly, but rather let Feizhen see and think for herself.

Among the news sent from various places in Chang'an Sanfu, what makes Fei Zhen feel sad the most is that there are still so many spies and so many opponents...

Is it because Changan Sanfu's life is not good?

Or is there something wrong with the political system in Guanzhong?

Feizhen's father once told him that whether a political system is good or bad depends not on whether the officials in the officialdom say it is good or bad, but on whether the poorest people have enough to eat.

But now...

It is obvious that the people are eating better than before, but why do some officials and some Qingliu think the system is not good?

When Feizhen returned to the military camp and asked Pang Tong this question, Pang Tong laughed and looked at Feizhen, "Young master, do you really want to know?" 』

Feizhen bowed her head and said, "Ask Uncle Shi for advice." 』

Pang Tong thought for a moment, nodded, and put the bamboo slips on hand aside, "Well, it's time... Young Master, what do you think the government of officials is about?" 』

"Of course it's a talent!" ” Feizhen replied without thinking, “Select talents, use talents, and make the best use of talents! 』

Pang Tong nodded, then shook his head, "This is to control, not to rule." 』

"ah? ” Feizhen was stunned for a moment.

Are these two different?

"Zhi means establishing laws." Governance means curbing evil and pursuing good. Pang Tong wrote these two words in the air with his finger.

Feizhen suddenly thought, "Then what about the rule of officials?" 』

Pang Tong smiled, felt inside his sleeves, took out a few coins, and put them on the table, saying, "This is the rule of officials." 』

"This..." Feizhen frowned.

Fat uncle, are you kidding me?

Pang Tong was still smiling, and then he stretched out three fingers and said, "My lord, this is one of the three ways to establish a kingdom!" 』

"oh? ” Feizhen’s eyes widened, “How come... I don’t know about this? Three methods? Those three methods? Is this one of them? Isn't this money? Is money one of them? 』

Pang Tong nodded and said: "If you talk about classics, my lord doesn't know much about it... Haha, don't look at me like this, I'm serious. If your lord came here in person, I would say the same thing!" However, the lord is able to integrate the two words of economy, but it is something that the world's experts in Confucian classics cannot do... The reason why Zhou was defeated was because of the princes. Confucius cried about rituals and music, but little did he know that it had nothing to do with rituals and music, but money. If the princes had no money to support their officials and soldiers, how could the Zhou Dynasty be defeated? 』

Feizhen took a breath and said, "So, the key to managing officials...is salary?" 』

"Almost, but not quite. Pang Tong nodded and said, "Looking for the method based on history, you will know that the old way has been overturned. If the ancient method is used as the current method, wouldn't it mean that rotten food is the delicacy?" There were Confucians in the Han Dynasty who were ashamed to talk about money, but they didn't know that the way of money is the law of the world. If you don't use it, you will be like running wildly through the busy city with a sharp knife, hurting others and yourself. 』

In fact, this was true not only in the Han Dynasty, but also in most scholars in the subsequent feudal dynasties.

When these Confucian scholars who read scriptures in ancient China talked about money, it was as if they had endured a great deal of humiliation...

As a result, in modern times, they were slapped unconscious by foreigners, and then made a 180-degree turn. They often regarded the Western economy as a standard, regarded Western financial theory as the norm, and dismissed ancient Chinese history.

In fact, the evolution of the Chinese dynasty was inseparable from the exploration of the economic and financial system and the reform of the official salary system...

China is actually a country that matured earlier than any other country in the world.

In order to maintain China's territory, China took the lead in entering the era of centralization. Before the invention of this system, it was almost impossible for humans to establish a unified country within a territory of millions of square kilometers.

In order to make people hundreds of miles away obey orders and act in unison, in ancient times, Yanhuang thought of a way, which was fusion. They fused deer antlers, fish scales, horse faces, and parts of other tribes together to create the image of the dragon, which became the background of the Chinese political system.

On the basis of Yanhuang, the Zhou Dynasty laid a foundation with blood as the cornerstone of the system.

The Qin and Han Dynasties learned from the lessons of the Zhou Dynasty, divided the princes again into counties, and established a rudimentary centralized state system.

The most important means for the central government to control bureaucracy is finance.

Except for the central government, other agencies have no power to collect taxes or pay salaries to officials.

In this way, officials have become tools of rule supported by the central government, and the central government has firmly controlled the people through its bureaucratic network.

However, there is a big problem with centralization.

As the regime continues, the bureaucracy will become larger and larger as the stability maintenance system of the entire empire.

The unlimited expansion of the bureaucracy made China's small-scale peasant economy gradually unable to support itself.

In the early years of the dynasty and in times of peace, when the bureaucracy was still relatively small, it could be supported by formal agricultural taxes. But once it entered a state of war, or in the late dynasty, the bureaucracy expanded too much, and formal taxation alone was of no use.

At this time, the Chinese dynasty will develop various means other than formal taxation to seize wealth from the people and further worsen the conflicts between them. Therefore, it is not wrong to say that it is a land conflict, because this is indeed the ancient Chinese small peasant economic system. The disadvantages below.

"Early Han Dynasty." As the emperors succeeded, they encountered the remaining disasters caused by the separatism of the princes and the taxation of the Shaofu. ” Pang Tong said slowly, “Therefore, there are wise kings who use the method of cultivating health and nourishing the body and gradually adopt financial strategies to weaken the power of the feudal towns, thus forming the embryonic form of unification. Emperor Xiaowu wanted to fight against the Xiongnu, but his money was insufficient, so he established a monopoly on salt and iron and the exclusive right to mint coins. 』

"Salt and iron..." Feizhen nodded, "I know this..."

Pang Tong laughed.

Feizhen immediately realized that something was wrong and quickly changed her words, "I... I know a little bit about this..."

Pang Tong nodded.

If Emperor Qin was the founder of the centralized legal system, then Han Wu was the founder of the centralized financial system. Adding the Emperor of Tang, then the three carriages of classical centralization were complete.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's central financial power system influenced the development and changes of subsequent Chinese dynasties for thousands of years in many aspects.

Because military spending was too extensive, the cost of a war in the Han Dynasty could reach dozens of times the salary of central officials. This made those bureaucrats shed tears from the corners of their mouths...

Many bureaucrats and officials are not unreliable because they do not understand the so-called teachings of Confucian classics, and they do not know that those who talk to the enemy can't stop the sword. But the problem is so much small money! If the emperor agrees to change the main method of war to talking, then can't these small sums of money be used to improve the quality of life of the bureaucrats?

As for losing the foreign war, it will lead to the destruction of the country...

What does it have to do with the bureaucrats?

Confucius could serve as an official in several countries and travel around the world to give lectures. Why couldn't they?

Follow the example of the sages!

Make money, not shabby!

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's wars could not meet the expenses of agricultural taxes alone. For this reason, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty tried almost all possible ways to raise funds, from selling officials and winning titles, to issuing depreciated currency, to strengthening commercial taxes, etc., but none of them could meet the huge financial expenditure. In the end, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty chose to monopolize natural resources and open a salt and iron monopoly.

It can be said that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established the earliest state-owned enterprise in China...

Big Beard said that state-owned enterprises would not exist until Starism. In fact, China had already started to follow this path in the Han Dynasty, but it was pushed back by some people.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty changed the role of the Han Dynasty court from simply collecting taxes to participating in the actual operation of the people's livelihood economy. This also brought about changes in the bureaucratic system and destroyed the original small government model.

Therefore, after the Han Dynasty, if we wanted to fight wars, we must collect more taxes; if we want to collect more taxes, we must establish state-owned enterprises and financial monopolies, and this will inevitably affect the development of the fragile Chinese economy; and the Chinese economy blindly reaches out to agriculture. , which in turn led to the poverty of farmers and stagnant development, which in turn affected the stability of the court and the state, thus causing the collapse of the dynasty.

"The same is true for Emperor Xiaoling..." Pang Tong said slowly, "I thought that once the money arrived, I would be invincible... Haha, but little did I know that the money was just fat meat. After eating it for a year, I would be invincible." It’s a year...』

Feizhen somewhat understood, but she still asked confusedly: "Uncle Shi, I still don't understand, what is the connection between this... the rule of officials, and this money...?" 』

Pang Tong laughed and said, "Don't you understand this?" Could it be that the young master thinks that the government of officials is just about setting the salary of officials? 』

Feizhen said, "Isn't it?" 』

"no. Pang Tong said, "The country pays taxes to all the people, but pays salaries to the officials. Why?" Are you loyal to the emperor and the righteousness of the world? 』

"Of course it's for..." Feizhen started to ponder in the middle of her sentence.

If it is for the loyalty of the emperor, this is obviously wrong.

At least in the Han Ling Dynasty, the young emperor Liu Bian and the current emperor Liu Xie cannot be seen...

How many people can actually make a vow?

The imperial court gave so many salaries to the three princes, nine ministers, civil and military officials, but what was the result?

The family and country were humiliated, the frontiers were lost, and the emperor was humiliated, but all the officials were still happy.

It turns out that the big man, with his high salary and generous salary, supported these bureaucrats just to support a bunch of white-eyed wolves?

So, officials are for the good of the world?

Isn't this more... a joke?

Facing Fei Zhen's confused eyes, Pang Tong nodded and said: "The original principle is indeed for the public of the world...but, haha...Young Master also understands, so he retreats and settles for the second best, and controls the world with salary. Officials must not show favoritism." It is also. 』

"Using salary for personal gain?" Feizhen's eyes widened. This was the first time he heard Pang Tong say this. "Among the hundreds of supervisory officials, don't they have... Wen Si and Zhi Yin Supervisor?" And Dali Temple..."

Pang Tong laughed, waved his hand and said, "Master, have you ever heard of... the cruel official Zhang Du?" 』

"Zhang Tang and Du Zhou?" Feizhen asked.

Pang Tong nodded, "There are no more cruel officials in the Han Dynasty than this, so what?" Let me ask you, Young Master, is it possible that the investigation was not strict? Isn't it a serious punishment? Wouldn't it be better to kill them all? However, corruption cannot be eradicated! 』

"This..." Feizhen couldn't answer.

When Du Zhou was a court captain, he launched a vigorous anti-corruption campaign. The arrests of county guards and officials above Jiuqing had a salary of more than 2,000 dan. If later generations make a comparison, it can be understood that there are no less than a hundred people at the provincial and ministerial levels and above. Every year, no less than a thousand cases are submitted for trial by local governments.

A major case may often involve hundreds of people, while a small case may involve dozens of people.

In order to verify the case, the investigators traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles back and forth.

When there were people who refused to accept the trial, jailers would use severe torture to extract confessions to finalize the case. In the end, many officials fled immediately to avoid falling into Du Zhou's hands as soon as they heard that they were involved in a lawsuit.

Some cases have been delayed for more than ten years and have not been concluded, and there are more than 100,000 people in prison...

It was this Du Zhou who had only one horse as his property before he became an official. After he became an official, he became a millionaire and died a good death.

In the anti-corruption project presided over by Du Zhou, the confiscated property was counted in hundreds of millions, the slaves were counted in thousands or tens of thousands, and the confiscated land amounted to hundreds of hectares in large counties and hundreds of hectares in small counties. In fact, the money collected could have been used for development. It was used for economic purposes, but after Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty got it, it became the cost of war and the consumption of Shanglinyuan's high-end museum.

After hearing this, Feizhen pondered and remained silent.

Pang Tong was not in a hurry. He picked up the bamboo slips and started reading.

The rain outside the window gradually became heavier.

The spring rain pattered down, falling on every corner of the courtyard.

In the drizzle, the carved beams and painted pillars of the cloister look more primitive and profound, as if they were lightly covered by the quicksand of time. On the paths paved with bluestones, rainwater slowly gathered into small streams of water, flowing slowly along the mottled texture, and then soaked into the land.

The flowers, plants and trees in the courtyard become more and more vibrant under the nourishment of spring rain.

The water drops on the leaves are crystal clear, hovering from time to time, and then quietly leaping down from the leaves into the embrace of the earth.

The mountains in the distance are looming in the rain, like a faint ink painting...

Feizhen looked up at the spring rain and seemed to feel a little bit. She muttered, "The rain is falling... the water is gurgling..."

Pang Tong glanced at Fei Zhen and smiled slightly.

As a carefully trained second generation, Feizhen received a lot of attention and had to bear more responsibilities.

It doesn't matter to other people's half-grown boys that they can fly like an eagle or a horse, but Feizhen can't. He must understand these things.

When Pang Tong La Fei Zhen arrived at Zuo Fengyi, it was not only to assist Fei Qian, but also to train Fei Zhen.

On the one hand, it can quickly deploy troops to respond according to Cao Cao's actions. On the other hand, it also creates an opportunity for Feizhen to grow.

See some blood, and preferably blood from Fei Zhen herself...

Pang Tong secretly thought to himself, now that the Cao thief can't wait any longer, he can only try his best, so of course he must use up all his methods!

Wei Duan jumped out this time, which surprised Pang Tong.

Pang Tong thought Xun You needed to make some more moves to force Wei Duan out of the turtle shell...

It's good now. It's justifiable, it can allow Fei Zhen to gain some merits, and it will also help Fei Qian to have a more stable and intelligent successor in the future when he takes a step further...

Pang Tong was thinking in his mind and pinched his chin.

I was thinking that after this fight, I should take a good supplement...

On the other side, after a while, Feizhen suddenly clapped her hands and said, "I understand!" Running water does not rot the door hinges and does not cause beetles! Money is like running water, and official position is like the hinge of a household! The wealth received from the world should flow back to the world! Assuming the position of door hub, it should operate like a machine to open the door! If there are any traps that trap water and fertilize themselves, they should be eliminated! If there is anyone who is not functioning well and is violating the rules, replace them! 』

"My father's system is the method of making money flow!" Just like this spring rain moistens all things! Unbiased, without adding or subtracting! Towers, pavilions, flowers, plants and trees are all regarded as the same! 』

"The salary of an official should be enough to support his family without any worries. He should respect his position, distinguish his mediocre talents, and encourage his advancement, just like the military merits!" If the salary is too high, the officials will be lazy and the people will be resentful. If the salary is too light, the officials will lack food and clothing, have no intention of doing things, and will be prone to treachery and greed... Sure enough! The matter of salary and salary is the first priority of finance! The way of balance is just like the rain from the sky. If it rains too much, it will lead to waterlogging, and if it falls short, it will lead to drought. Only by being impartial can all things grow! 』

Pang Tong nodded in approval, and then said with a smile: "If there is an official, his salary is only a hundred stones, but his family wealth is tens of millions... What do you think, young master?" 』

"Be punished!" Feizhen said decisively.

Pang Tong put his palms together and said, "Good!" Now is the time for the spring rain! It should be noted that this rain moistens things silently, but also has thunder and stings! 』