Chapter 241 If you can’t solve the problem, then solve the person who caused the problem
In ancient times, the interest rate for borrowing money was very high. "Nine out and thirteen back" was the interest rate calculation for pawnshop mortgages. The actual interest rate for borrowing money was much higher than this.
The government only charged one-tenth of the interest for lending money, which was extremely low in that era.
However, when the people learned about it, they were not interested in it.
The root cause is the government’s lack of credibility.
Although Kaifeng Prefecture measured the land and rented it to the people, the rent collected was very low.
However, there were only more than one million mu of land, scattered across more than a dozen counties, and those who rented the land were tenants who had left the landlords and gentry.
The improvement in the image of the government is not significant, and most people still lack trust in it.
Even though the government's interest rate for borrowing money is low, most people are still waiting and watching, and no one is taking any action.
However, the people who rented land from the government were very excited when they heard the news.
They were different from the common people who had their own fields.
The reason why tenants endured exploitation by landlords and gentry was that they had to rely on them in order to survive.
These tenants have nothing and rent land from landlords. They can barely make ends meet all year round. If they leave, they will starve to death.
After being exploited for so long, I have become accustomed to this kind of life.
Those who were able to choose to break away from the landlords and gentry and choose to rent land from the government were a small number of very courageous tenants.
Those people who owned land had concerns, but they did not.
After all, they had nothing, and they were taking a gamble by leaving the landlords and gentry.
Since they have taken the gamble once, they naturally don’t mind taking it again.
Moreover, they had already gained benefits the first time and had some trust in the government.
Therefore, after learning the news, many people who rented land from the government rushed to the county government to ask how to borrow money.
After this inquiry, they received even more surprising news: for the people who rented land from the government, the review procedures were very simple.
Many people completed the procedures and received the money in a short time.
After getting the money, some bought farm tools, and some even pooled together to buy oxen.
As the propaganda of these people spread, some people who had land but faced various difficulties also went to borrow money with a try-it attitude.
The low credibility of the government is not only due to problems with the officials themselves, but also to word of mouth.
Many ordinary people may not have been exploited or oppressed by officials, but they have heard about it to some extent.
Some people have seen darkness and don't believe in light, while others have only seen darkness and don't know light at all.
However, when the people praise the government, those who have never seen the light still want to see the light.
As more and more people were able to borrow money, more and more people began to borrow money.
Those landlords and gentry were getting restless.
If the previous land measurement was to take a piece of meat from their mouths, then the current Qingmiao Law is to cut off their roots.
For landlords and gentry, the land at home was not small. Although it was painful when their hidden land was discovered, it was not completely unacceptable.
However, the people could not accept the government lending money to them at extremely high interest rates.
How much does the land produce each year?
Take the fields near Kaifeng Prefecture for example, the yield of wheat per acre is about one stone.
The current price of grain is around 1,200 to 1,300 wen per stone.
After deducting the payment to the imperial court and the distribution to tenants, the income per mu of land was about five hundred coins.
However, the landlord needs to provide cattle, farm tools, etc., which also requires certain costs.
Based on a thousand acres, the annual income is only a few hundred taels of silver.
It was a huge sum of money for ordinary people, but it was nothing for landlords and gentry.
They accumulated wealth not entirely through income from land.
More often than not, after harvesting the grain, the landlords and gentry would not sell it but hoard it.
If the people nearby were short of food or good seeds, they would lend them money and charge high interest.
If the people couldn't pay back the debt, they could either use their land to pay off the debt or sell their children. Anyway, they would always find a way to make the people pay back.
Only when they have too much in stock will they sell some.
The government lends money to the people at such a low interest rate. As long as they establish credibility, who would come to them to borrow money or grain?
Although the land inventory was prevented at the beginning, the properties of landlords and gentry in every county were confiscated.
But as the saying goes, once the wound heals, the pain is forgotten.
What's more, not many people had their homes confiscated at the beginning. There were more than a dozen counties in Kaifeng Prefecture, and on average there was less than one family in each county.
The deterrent effect of the original house raids has long passed.
Landlords and gentry in various counties began to contact each other to discuss countermeasures.
…………
East Palace
Ever since the implementation of the Qingmiao Law, Zhao Xing ordered Yin Hanzhang to pay close attention to the developments in Bianliang.
However, after a few days, the people in Bianliang City were discussing the Qingmiao Law, but the officials in the court seemed to have no reaction at all.
Zhao Xing felt something was wrong. Logically speaking, the Qingmiao Law was a new law, so even if those officials who were motivated by personal gain did not stop it, some pedantic officials should have jumped out to oppose it.
However, there is no ripple in the court now, as if nothing is known or it does not seem to care.
Zhao Xing didn't think things would be that simple.
Either Zhou Yizhong's death meant those people lacked a leader, or something was brewing.
Zhao Xing felt that the latter was more likely.
A eunuch came in, bowed and said, "Your Highness, Wang Xima wants to see you!"
"Let him in." Zhao Xing came back to his senses and said.
The eunuch retreated after hearing this, and soon Wang Anshi walked in.
"problem occurs?"
Seeing that Wang Anshi looked solemn, Zhao Xing asked without waiting for him to salute.
"Your Highness, you are so smart. Something has indeed happened." Wang Anshi bowed and said, "Several counties close to Bianjing City have sent people to report that a large number of people came to borrow money early this morning. However, after verifying their identities, most of them are tenants of local landlords and gentry. There has been no news from the more distant counties, and I have sent people to inquire. But I think the situation should be similar."
"Haha, that's quite clever." Zhao Xing sneered.
In ancient times, there was no such thing as big data on the Internet, so verifying identity was very troublesome.
These landlords and gentry sending their tenants to borrow money would undoubtedly greatly increase the workload of the county governments.
It will also delay those people who really want to borrow money.
This was an open conspiracy. The tenants did not sell themselves to the landlords and gentry, but were essentially ordinary people.
If they were to drive them away and arrest them, other people would not know the truth, and the landlords and gentry would spread the news everywhere, and the reputation that the government had worked so hard to accumulate would be destroyed.
"I think each county should send people to publicize the conditions for applying for Qingmiao loans. If anyone goes there who does not meet the requirements, they will be arrested and shackled and put on display for three days," said Wang Anshi.
"No!" Zhao Xing directly rejected Wang Anshi's idea and said, "Let's not talk about what the other people will think if they don't know the truth. If the landlords and gentry send a large number of tenants, will they all be arrested? Where will the county government get so many people?"
"I know that, but they are using an open conspiracy. If we don't do this, there is no other way," said Wang Anshi.
The reason why an open conspiracy is called an open conspiracy is that the purpose is put out in the open, but you have no way to solve it.
"Jiefu, since we can't solve the problem, then solve the person who caused the problem." Zhao Xing sneered.
"Your Highness, there is no evidence to prove that there is someone behind this, and those people will not give out the person who ordered them." Wang Anshi shook his head.
He had considered this method, but those landlords and gentry were not stupid. If they dared to send people here, they must have something to rely on.
The people they sent were either loyal or had family members around, so it was impossible for them to betray.
How to take action against the landlords and gentry without evidence?
"If we can't find evidence in this case, can't we find evidence in other cases? Have these landlords and gentry families never done anything bad?" Zhao Xing sneered.
In Zhao Xing's view, reforms should essentially be directed at people rather than things.
Whether it was the previous Prime Minister Fan or the current Wang Anshi, they are both targeting the matter, not the person.
I only want to solve the long-standing problems through some institutional reforms.
However, although the accumulated problems of the Song Dynasty were related to the system, they were more due to human factors.
No matter how perfect the system is, people can still find loopholes.
But Zhao Xing didn't think about solving the problem at all. What he wanted to solve was the person who created the problem.
The ancients’ way of thinking was sometimes too rigid.
Do we have to find evidence from this aspect?
Those we need to deal with are the landlords and local gentry, and we can deal with them as long as there is a legitimate reason.
How could Wang Anshi not think of such a simple method?
But he was only thinking about the problem at hand and couldn't think straight for a while.
"I understand!" Wang Anshi's eyes lit up when he heard this.
"Remember, if you find evidence of evil deeds, deal with them accordingly. Don't let them go just because they didn't send anyone. This time you have to give them a painful beating so they will remember it," said Zhao Xing.
In fact, there was no need for Wang Anshi to look for the evidence. Yin Hanzhang had evidence of illegal activities of landlords and gentry in various counties of Kaifeng Prefecture.
However, if he provided a large amount, the existence of the secret guards could not be concealed.
It was also impossible for him to target all the landlords and gentry in Kaifeng Prefecture at once.
Moreover, the officials in the court did not react, perhaps because they knew that the landlords and gentry would not allow the Qingmiao Law to be implemented so smoothly, and were waiting for them to make mistakes.
"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded slightly and said, "Go ahead. I'll wait for your good news!"
Zhao Xing was still very pleased with Wang Anshi's reaction.
Although Wang Anshi was stubborn, he was not stubborn about everything.
Wang Anshi understood what he meant, but he did not object or hesitate.
"Yes, I'll take my leave!" Wang Anshi bowed and walked out.
As Wang Anshi thought all the way out of the Eastern Palace, he already had a rough plan in mind.
When I returned to the Kaifeng government office, someone came to report that several counties also sent people to inform that a large number of landlords, gentry and tenants came to borrow money from them.
Wang Anshi ignored all this and instead summoned a few of his trusted aides, gave them careful instructions and warnings, then let them go.
(End of this chapter)