Huang Qiyin had always felt that he was full of loyalty and had no way to serve his country. He had wasted his ambition in this small place. Only today did he feel that he had lost unjustly.
Although the article that he was so proud of had made him frustrated, he had always had the pride of a scholar in his heart. He thought that he had been attacked by people with different political views. Although he was not proud of his officialdom, he would definitely leave his name in history. This life would not be in vain. He did not expect that if his memorial was really implemented, it would also bring harm to the country and the people. Therefore, he was not only disheartened at this time, but the arrogance that had been accumulated for a long time was also swept away.
Looking at the handsome young man Yang Ling, Huang Qiyin calculated in his heart,""Originally, I only thought that he was the youngest scholar in the county, but he did the eight-legged essay exquisitely. I didn't expect him to have such insight. It seems that this child is not a person in the pool.
"I don't have any achievements left, so I might as well do my best to help him. If he can become a famous official in the future, I will leave my name in history. At the very least, as long as he can become a high official, my grandson who died early can also have someone to rely on."
Thinking of this, Huang Qiyin chuckled and went forward to help Yang Ling up. He said with a smile,"" Nephew Yang, you don't have to be so polite. I don't deserve to be called a teacher. Old Huang has been staying in this county for a long time. If there's anything you need help with, just let me know. I'll tell you everything I know."
Jiming Posthouse was a third-grade county. Compared to the wealthy counties in Jiangnan, the total amount of grain tax was 300 to 500 times lower. The tax was frighteningly low. At first glance, it seemed that the tax had to be raised. At least, such a county should no longer have a tax debt. However, the reality was that even some small landowners or self-cultivators were still half-starved, so it was only natural that they owed taxes and food.
Therefore, when a county magistrate imposed a tax of 80% in a Fu County, the lives of the local people would still not be affected. They would even praise him as the blue sky and give an umbrella to the people. However, if he was unlucky enough to be transferred to such a poor county in a few years, even if he tried his best to forcefully collect a 30% tax, in the eyes of the local people, he would still be a corrupt official, a cruel official, and a vampire who scraped three feet off the ground.
Moreover, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, had calculated the salaries of the officials with extraordinary accuracy. The salary was only enough for the officials to feed their families. As for the expenses of welcoming and sending them off, the salaries of the servants, the sedan chair carriers, and the aides, they were all paid by the officials themselves. Therefore, the local officials would definitely divert a portion of the money and grain paid by the people into their own pockets. This was the case for the county officials, and it was the same for the village leaders and the chief of the village. This way, the tax was 100%. Only 80% of them were handed over to the national treasury.
Therefore, when the tax was insufficient, the local officials showed their abilities. The number of fields exceeded the number of counties controlled by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, so they would make up for it. The congenitally deficient counties would bravely report the natural disaster to request exemption. Not only did they complete the task of collecting tax grain, but they also won the good reputation of loving the people.
Although a large number of people in Jiming Posthouse owed grain taxes, there were people who had opened up wasteland and reclaimed the mountains in recent years. The Ministry of Revenue still had the number of acres of land at the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Therefore, although the amount collected was very small, they only needed to use the surplus business tax to supplement a portion to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Revenue.
In addition, the Qiushang Tartars had just come to plunder, so they could report the severity of the disaster to reduce some money and food. Due to the special status of Jiming Posthouse, the military significance of this place was far more important than the county administration. Therefore, the Ministry of Personnel knew that the annual taxes here were insufficient, so even if they contributed money to the assessment of political achievements, they were not too strict.
Yang Ling, who had been extremely worried, could not help but become more cheerful after Huang Qiyin's guidance. The 30% tax grain that he had collected was only handed over by half with a stroke of the county deputy's pen. Yang Ling was speechless.
Under Deputy Huang's guidance, Yang Ling was able to handle all the miscellaneous matters quickly. He quickly managed the administrative affairs in an orderly manner and became the person who controlled the county administration behind Magistrate Min's back. However, all his power came from Magistrate Min, and he had the clay Bodhisattva on his head. He was the Bodhisattva's spokesperson. If it weren't for this " Bodhisattva ", no one would listen to his orders.
However, with the support of Magistrate Min, the official county magistrate, and the great assistance of Deputy Magistrate Huang, Yang Ling managed this small but well-equipped county town in an orderly manner. It didn't take long for the people, soldiers, and messengers of Jichao Posthouse to learn that the person controlling the entire county town was a sixteen-year-old young man hiding behind Lord Min. This person was called Yang Ling.
Han Youniang no longer worked in the tailor shop. It was not that she did not want to go, but the boss did not dare to use her anymore. What a joke. Who was her man? Now, he only lacked the title of county magistrate.
At that time, there were already some weaving and dyeing factories in the big cities of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. There were hundreds of helpers, but most of these helpers were men. It was rare for women to go out to work in such a small place, so even though Yang Ling was unwilling to let a fifteen-year-old girl stay at home all day long, he could only do as the locals did and not want her to show her face in public.
However, Young Lady Han had been cooped up at home every day. Other than cooking, she had nothing to do. At that time, there were no entertainment tools such as television. Although most married women were like that, from the perspective of a modern person like Yang Ling, he felt that Young Lady Han was imprisoned at home.
Every day, she would only show a happy expression on her face when she returned home. While watching her eat, she seemed to have endless things to say. She could talk about any trivial matter with great interest for a long time. Although it was hard for her in the mountain village, she could at least go out. Now, she was like a bird in a cage, and the light in her eyes was getting dimmer and dimmer.
Yang Ling's heart ached when he saw this, and he was too busy with work, so he gave her a set of men's clothes to wear and brought her to the signing room to help him copy and write documents. Fortunately, Han Youniang was different from other girls. Her father was originally a bodyguard leader in a bodyguard agency, and his family background was not bad. When he was young, his family had invited a teacher. Later, the bodyguard agency lost a large sum of money and collapsed, which led to its decline. He was naturally competent for copying and writing.
Young Lady Han had something to do and could accompany her husband, so she was naturally happy. Yang Ling had a clear distinction between public and private affairs. Even though everyone in the signing room knew that this was Advisor Yang's wife, he only said that he had hired her to help, so he paid her the salary. However, he had to pay the private person he hired. Hence, Yang Ling did as the locals did, and he naturally kept all the money that should be kept by him into his pocket. After all, he could not pay it if he did not want it, and it would be divided among the others.
As Yang Ling was hired by the county magistrate personally, he was not of a high grade, so his monthly salary was only three stones, which was equivalent to six taels of silver. This money had to be paid by the county magistrate personally. Magistrate Min's monthly salary was three taels and seven taels, which was enough to feed a family. However, if Magistrate Min did not pay any taxes to the advisor, aides, and servants, then his family would have to suffer.
The officialdom called this reasonable interception a waste of fire. According to Yang Ling's understanding, it meant that there were policies and countermeasures. When he first read a novel about the Ming Dynasty officials embezzling 60 taels of silver, Zhu Yuanzhang had punished them by skinning them and stuffing them with grass. However, the corruption of officials did not stop despite repeated prohibitions. Those officials rushed to the beheading platform one after another. At that time, he did not understand. Now that he had personally experienced it, he knew that although there were corrupt officials, even if they were honest officials, they had to have some necessary etiquette.
Fortunately, the officials of the Ming Dynasty had formed a set of rules over the years. What was considered corruption and what was considered filial piety had already formed a system outside of the court's rules. The officials from top to bottom followed them spontaneously. With Elder Huang's guidance, Yang Ling felt at ease.
Tomorrow would be the first day of the Lunar New Year. Perhaps it was because of his mood, but the weather was still cold and wet on the streets, but he did not feel as cold as usual when he walked on the streets. The sound of firecrackers could be heard from afar.
There was no need to go to work at the county office tomorrow, so Yang Ling was busy until late at night. He only finished dealing with the official documents on hand and left the county office with Young Miss Han. Every household had already hung red lanterns at their doors. Even those who were usually reluctant to spend so much money had hung lanterns early today and lit candles.
A woman was not allowed to walk in front of her husband or walk beside him, so Young Lady Han still took half a step back according to the rules. Yang Ling saw that it was already dark tonight and would not attract too much attention. Moreover, Young Lady Han was dressed as a man, so he deliberately slowed down his pace and grabbed her hand when she was unprepared.
Han Youniang was shocked and blushed. She struggled but couldn't break free. She couldn't help but whisper,"" Husband, you…"
Yang Ling turned around and smiled gently, saying softly," Tomorrow, we'll go shopping for New Year's goods. Tonight, we'll go to the tavern to eat something good. Let's go." As he spoke, he pulled Han Youniang and ran straight to the small hotel he had been to for the first time.
Yang Ling was a nostalgic person. He had been there once and felt that the taste was not bad, so he was too lazy to find another restaurant. He would always go to this one when he wanted to change his appetite. Although Han Yuniang was a little uneasy, she knew that her husband was always easy-going. In addition, it was already dark and no one could see her face. She let him hold her hand and followed him meekly.
When Yang Ling and Han Youniang stepped out of the hotel, the night was even darker. The night sky was dotted with stars, and the fine snowflakes slowly drifted down, making his slightly flushed face look very refreshing.
Yang Ling's expression changed. He held Young Lady Han's hand and slowly walked around the city. Even though the two of them did not speak, the feeling of their hands holding each other's hands was even more touching.
On the battlements of the city wall, Yang Ling grabbed a handful of snow and formed it into a snowball. He used all his strength and threw it into the darkness outside the city. However, his body lacked training, and the force he exerted caused his veins to hurt. The frozen road under his feet was slippery, and he almost fell. Young Lady Han was so shocked that she took a step forward and placed her palm under his ribs, supporting his body firmly. She was angry and amused as she said," Husband, look at you. Why are you acting like a child? Be careful not to fall."
Yang Ling turned around and gently pinched her firm and smooth cheeks, saying lovingly," You're the one who hasn't grown up yet."
Young Lady Han pouted and straightened her body in defiance. Yang Ling looked at her slightly childish face and gentle eyes, and his heart skipped a beat. It was only at this moment that he realized that he was becoming more and more intimate with her. He was already used to her silently taking care of him by his side, and he was already used to doing intimate actions with her. If his soul disappeared, wouldn't she be even sadder?
But if he were to treat her coldly now, how could Yang Ling's heart resist the attack of her tears? Those words about asking her to take good care of herself once he died were too abrupt, and he couldn't say them out loud. He looked at Han Youniang in a daze, not knowing what to say.
Han Youniang's face suddenly became hotter and hotter. Under Yang Ling's bright eyes and the faint smell of alcohol in his mouth, Han Youniang clearly misunderstood his meaning. She felt both fear and joy, and her body trembled in panic.
At this moment, Yang Ling suddenly saw a flame flickering in Young Lady Han's black and bright eyes. Young Lady Han's eyes widened in shock, and she looked over Yang Ling's shoulder, staring into the distance.
Yang Ling suddenly turned his head. There was a Beacon Tower on the east and west sides of the city wall. The Beacon Tower on the east side had already been lit, and the flames were raging. In the distance, the winding city wall extended into the depths of the forest, and there were still a few sparks shining.
He looked to the west again. At this moment, the beacon towers on the western city wall also lit up with a bang. The fire was fierce, and the beacon towers on the mountain ridges further west also lit up and spread further away.
Yang Ling opened his mouth wide, and only turned around after a long while. He looked at Young Lady Han, and his eyes sent the same message."The Tartars are here!"
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