There are many treasures in this country

Xiao Suo's grievance is a long story.

There are eight small accounting offices and one general accounting office in Zhuoyang County. On weekdays, under Master Qiangu Liao Chun, they are in charge of calculating and collecting various accounts in the yamen.

The imperial court collects taxes every year, with certain levels and titles, and not everyone pays the same tax items.For example, Xiao Suo, although he had no ambitions in his official career, but with the title of "scholar", he didn't have to kneel when he met the county magistrate.The tax and food he has to pay is called "material rice", which cannot be overcharged.There is also a class of people who used to be officials, but now they have retired and returned to their hometowns. They are big local gentry.The tax and food that these people have to pay is called "jin rice", and they cannot be overcharged.

The so-called "clear magistrate county in three years, one hundred thousand snowflake silver".There are those who cannot be overcharged, and those who must be overcharged.Naturally, these fats and waters will come out of the powerless and powerless common people.

Xiao Suo found out in this year's tax accounts that Zhuoyang County's nominal collection of taxes and grains was half more than the actual collection of taxes and grains.According to the general accountant, this is the part equivalent to fire consumption.

Holding the candlelight together, Shen Yan said: "The tax revenue of each prefecture and county is more or less exhausted. This is nothing special, why is it so strange?"

It should be noted that there will inevitably be a lot of losses on the way to transport food and money to the capital.For example, rice and wheat become moldy and deteriorate, or when broken silver is cast into silver ingots, the weight will be lost.

Therefore, when the government levies taxes, it will collect a part of the tax amount stipulated by the imperial court to cover the loss caused by transportation and storage.This part is collectively referred to as "fire consumption".

Xiao Suo nodded and said: "What the general said is that the fire consumption was originally nothing. But the fire consumption has reached half of the tax revenue, which is really ridiculously high. The general is in the army and doesn't know much about local government affairs. In fact, this is the usual practice of various governments. Tricks, false reports of fire consumption, and pockets. The students have only heard of it before, but have never seen it, and this is the first time they have experienced such a thing.”

"So you exposed this matter?" Shen Yan thought about his upright and upright character. When encountering such things, he naturally couldn't stand by and hide the truth.

Xiao Suo said: "This is a bad rule in my court, which should be rectified, but with the meager efforts of the students, it is really useless to shake the tree."

Although he knew it would be useless, he couldn't sit idly by as Shen Yan guessed.

But he was worried that this year was just a special case, maybe an isolated case. He didn't have conclusive evidence, so he didn't dare to speak casually.

Therefore, he went to the county yamen's account and looked up the expenditure details of the yamen over the years.This investigation didn't matter, but it made him find out a strange thing.

"What's so strange?" Shen Yan asked casually.

Xiao Suo looked sad, and said: "My father passed away when the student was less than ten years old. But when the student checked the account books in recent years, he saw his name."

When he spoke, his dimples looked like a woman's, with two pear dimples.The cave was dim, and the faint light shone on his face, making him look softer.General Shen's thoughts, following his two rows of eyelashes that shone like butterfly wings, flew and swam to nowhere.

"General?" Xiao Suo was talking, when he raised his eyes, he saw that he was in a daze, not knowing what he was thinking.

"Well... yes." Shen Yan nodded perfunctorily, "Go on, go on."

Xiao Suo frowned and asked: "General, can you hear what the students said?"

"Ah?" Shen Yan was startled awake by his displeased expression, and hurriedly said: "Well... I heard that. Where did you say your father's name is..."

Xiao Suo looked at him inexplicably, and continued: "The student said just now that my father's name actually appeared on the county government's account details in recent years."

Shen Yan was afraid that he would not be able to control himself, and he was afraid that a mistake would make him angry, so he didn't dare to stare at him any more, so he pulled himself together and asked, "Why is it like this?"

Xiao Suo said: "The students also found it strange, so they copied out these accounts and prepared to go home and check them carefully."

"Then what did you find out?"

"The students later read in the yearbook of the county government that Zhuoyang had an emperor's teacher many years ago. The Holy One, out of the meaning of respecting the teacher and respecting the way, issued a decree for those who have entered school in the county over the age of 20 and under the age of 50. Men, each person is given a gift of silver every year, for studying to catch up with the exam. The students also remember that they received this money at the beginning."

"Ah, this general understands!" Shen Yan slapped his forehead, "I think your father was less than fifty when he passed away. The county concealed the news of his death, so that he could falsely claim the gift money every year. This It is also the reason why the name of a person who has been dead for many years still appears on the account of the county government."

Xiao Suo nodded: "The general is smart, he guessed well."

Shen Yan got the compliment, and said happily: "Young Master Xiao, I'm just guessing, it's nothing."

How could Xiao Suo know what he was thinking in his heart? He only thought that he was really humble, smiled slightly, and continued: "After the students found out about this matter, they felt more and more involved and had a lot to do with it. Therefore, the students wrote what they knew into a letter. The paper is ready to be thrown into the copper box in front of the government office."

Shen Yan was puzzled, raised his eyebrows and asked, "Tongjiao, what Tongjiao?"

Xiao Suo knew that he was a military general and led troops all the year round, probably he was not very clear about the government affairs in recent years, so he explained patiently: "The emperor ordered to install copper gates in front of the gates of all the state capitals the year before last, so that the people all over the world will know the injustices. Write it and put it in the copper cave. Then the Inspectorate under Yushitai will assign a group of officials to recruit people to compile and sort out the secret letters in the copper cave every year, and present them to the pavilion and the emperor for reading."

After Shen Yan thought about it, he felt that something was wrong, so he asked: "So, this copper cave is the place where the people put the informant letter. But the government office of the state government must handle it. If someone who wrote bad things about them is found out, wouldn't it be To be unlucky?"

Xiao Suo shook his head and said: "That's not the case, this copper box is airtight, there is a lock behind it, and the key is only kept in the Beijing Central Inspectorate. Others can't see it if they want to see it."

Shen Yan suddenly felt that His Majesty the Emperor was wise and wise, and asked him: "Since you can't find out, how can you let others know about your submission?" disaster.

Xiao Suo's expression darkened, and there seemed to be infinite remorse in his eyes: "It's the students who are stupid, that's why this disaster happened, and it even hurt my mother!" As he said, his eyes moistened, and two lines of tears dripped down.

How could Shen Yan let go of such a good opportunity, hurriedly stepped forward and hugged his shoulders, made a painful expression, and said: "How can you blame this? The gang of corrupt officials should be blamed. They do evil. Don't blame yourself, the pear blossoms are raining, it makes people feel distressed!"

Xiao Suo was startled when he heard the words, deeply felt that his last words were quite inappropriate, so he hurriedly stood up, freed his hands that hooked his shoulders and backs, bowed and said: "Thank you, General, for your concern, the students are very grateful."

He wiped his tears and said: "But this matter is indeed the student's fault, and it is really undeniable. After the student wrote the report that day, he was afraid that there would be some inaccuracies, which would lead to an unjust case, so he told the matter to his colleagues. Accountant He, who works in the yamen and has a good relationship with him, asked him for help to see if there were any omissions. Unexpectedly, he actually told the matter to the Jishu Office in the yamen."

Xiao Suo sighed, and continued: "After learning about this matter, the Ji Shu Office once came to the students and warned them not to interfere in this matter, otherwise the consequences would be serious. The students hesitated again and again, thinking of the hardship of the people's livelihood, and finally decided to lodge a complaint Who knows, before we go, the letter will be lost."

"The book office surnamed Ji must have taken it!" Shen Yan said firmly, got up and took two steps, and stood in front of him.

Xiao Suo secretly moved a few steps to the side—his ankle was sprained, and it was quite inconvenient to move.General Shen salivated, and quietly moved over again.He had no choice but to move a few steps away and sit on the boulder behind him.

He kept an arm's length distance from Shen Yan, and then he said with peace of mind: "The student also thought the same way. He planned to go home and rewrite a letter. Who knows... a fire broke out at home the next day, and all of them were destroyed. All the evidence was destroyed, and my mother’s life was lost!”

When he said this, his eyes turned red, and he sighed: "The student lost his father since he was a child, and it was all thanks to my mother's hard work to raise me. Who would have thought that not only would I not be able to do anything, and I would not be able to repay my mother's great kindness, but also because I was meddling in my own business, I would be harmed. she!"

Just as Xiao Suo couldn't help crying, seeing Shen Yan's eagerness to try and come forward to comfort him, he quickly endured it and said: "The student's family is poor, and he only eats two meals a day. When a fire starts, there is always no fire Cooking, so the fire was definitely not accidental. The villain must have used the fire to burn the evidence and kill the mother, and warn the students by the way. If the general can help the students get their grievances, the students are willing to form a grass ring and repay them wholeheartedly!"

Shen Yan was happy in his heart, and asked him: "Is this true?"

Xiao Suo stood up "scramblingly" and said seriously: "Student would like to swear that day, as long as the general avenges the murder of his mother for the student, he will do whatever he asks the student to do, and he will be ordered by the general without any complaints!"

"Okay!" Shen Yan was overjoyed, "I will help you with this favor!"

Xiao Suo wanted to thank him, but he was startled when he heard rustling noises coming from the entrance of the cave.

After all, Shen Yan is a person who has been used to marching for a long time. When he heard the sound, he immediately became alert, pushed him away, and whispered: "You stay here and don't move. I'll go and have a look."