When Cao Hao returned to the Yamen of the Household Department, there were already people waiting for him.

It's none other than Zhang Boxing, the household servant who was transferred back to the main hall from the Cangli Yamen.

At present, there are four waiters in the household department, in addition to Cao Hao and Zhang Boxing, there are also Li Zhouwang and He Chengyi.

This Li Zhouwang was born in a famous family, his great-grandfather and grandfather were both famous Confucians in Shilin, and his father was an official to the Ministry of Officials, and he was a scholar.

He himself was a Jinshi in the 36th year of Kangxi, and then entered the Hanlin Academy, and has been a scholar and political official for more than 20 years. Speaking of which, Cao Xiang is still his student.

In the early years, when Cao Xiang first entered the national prison, Cao Hao also took his cousin to visit Li Zhouwang as the eldest brother. Now he is an official with the same government, and it can be regarded as fate.

Compared with others, He Cheng's reputation is not obvious. He was in charge of the Sixth Ministry, and he rose up step by step, and he did not have any outstanding political achievements, but he was born in a large Manchurian family and was skilled.

Zhang Boxing is past his prime, but he sits there with his waist straight.

Seeing Cao Hao coming back, he got up and greeted him peacefully.

In Cao Hao's heart, he still admired this "No. 1 Qing official in the world", and hurriedly invited him to sit down.

When Zhang Boxing was in charge of Jiangnan, he also had an old relationship with Cao Yin, and when he saw Cao Hao like this, he sat down and explained his intentions.

It turned out that he had come for corn seeds.

Due to the inconvenient transportation between the north and the south, the pilot corn planting in many provinces will start next year. In addition to some of the corn hoarded in the official warehouse of Henan Prefecture, the rest will be transported back to the capital to make seeds.

"Reclamation outside the mouth?" Cao Hao listened and was a little puzzled.

The imperial court forbade the people to leave the customs, and Zhang Boxing's move would not work at all.

Zhang Boxing said: "In the past two years, the imperial court has allocated a large amount of silver to raise official horses, but due to climate change, there are many losses. At present, Lord Cao is promoting this bud valley, not only the seeds can feed the people, but the straw can also feed the horses, which is a matter of killing two birds with one stone. The land outside the mouth is vast, and there are few people between a few pastures and Zhangjiakou. It is possible to move the people and fill in the mouth. ”

Cao Hao did not have Zhang Boxing's optimism, this old man had not been to the mouth, but only looked at the land measurement brochure of the household department before he had such a proposal.

Cao Hao was a servant of the temple in his early years, and he personally ran outside the mouth.

Although it is under the control of the imperial court, there are several pastures and the Eight Banners training ground. In summary, it can be regarded as a military important place, how can the people be allowed to live together in the past.

It was a buffer between the Qing Dynasty and Mongolia, and even if the imperial court really cared about the land there, it had to take into account the thoughts of the Mongols.

"My lord, there is a ban in the imperial court, prohibiting the people from leaving the customs at will. Although adults have good ideas, they are difficult to do. Cao Hao thought for a moment and said.

This ban was mainly to prevent the Han Chinese from coming into contact with the Mongols. If the Han people are related to the Mongols, how can the Manchu people still sit firmly in the world?

Although Zhang Boxing is notoriously upright, he has also been in office for decades, so he will not be unaware of this. Speaking of this today, there must be a follow-up move.

Sure enough, I saw Zhang Boxing stroking his beard and saying: "Moving the Beijing Banner and filling in the mouth can also solve the livelihood of the Eight Banners." ”

Cao Hao was puzzled, but now he was surprised.

Zhang Boxing, as a Han official, has already crossed the border by arguing about the flag government. According to the rules, among the six departments, only Manchu and Mengshangshu are eligible to participate in the flag government.

Seeing Cao Hao like this, Zhang Boxing took out a fold from his sleeve and handed it to Cao Hao.

Cao Hao took it and looked at it, and it turned out that the above record was the increase and decrease of population and land and various taxes in Zhili in the past 20 years.

In the past 20 years, the population and land have increased by 40 percent, but the tax has not decreased, but has dropped by 20 percent.

Cao Hao thought about it for a while and understood the reason. No matter how much land reclamation there is, it can't match the speed of land annexation.

It's just that this doesn't seem to have anything to do with the livelihood of the Eight Banners, Cao Hao said: "Please also ask the adults to solve their doubts?" ”

"The Eight Banners Ding Yin is very heavy, and the imperial court is no longer able to bear it. In the long run, half of the annual treasury revenue will have to be used to pay the Eight Banners Ding Yin. Zhang Boxing said, and handed Cao Hao a fold, and several sets of data.

At this point, Cao Hao understood that what Zhang Boxing wanted to say was "raising the flag for the people".

The idle flag people in the capital will be out of the flag for the people, and the export will be reclaimed from outside.

Speaking of which, this is also a rehash of the same old tune.

When Cao Hao first entered Beijing, he had heard similar remarks. In Shilin, there are many people who support the corresponding.

The idea is good, but Cao Hao knows that this is impossible.

In the eyes of the Manchu emperor, the guarantee of sitting firmly in the world is the Eight Banners Iron Cavalry, not the clear talk of the scholars.

The Eight Banners system, although it is detrimental to the country, has raised a large number of children of the Eight Banners who do not learn and have no skills, but it also ties the Manchurian people to a rope.

Although Zhang Boxing's proposal is more conducive to the people's livelihood, it will never be adopted by the emperor. Moreover, if outsiders are to know about this matter, they will inevitably impeach Zhang Boxing for "ill-intentioned" and "snooping on flag affairs".

"Your Excellency, please think again. Jungar Mongolia has not yet been pacified, and Inner Mongolia and Outer Mongolia cannot tolerate the slightest wave. If there is the slightest mistake and it causes soldiers, it is the people who suffer. Cao Hao said with a bit of solemnity.

Zhang Boxing listened to Cao Hao's words, hesitated a little, and said, "But this bud valley is indeed a good thing." If we hoard more, we will not be displaced in a year of famine. ”

"It's not good outside the mouth, but it's just right in the northwest. If the adult doesn't mention it, the kid will be negligent. The imperial court is in Xinjiang Province and Gansu Tuntian, if the buds and sweet potatoes are popularized, two granaries can be built, which is enough to raise troops to resist the enemy. Cao Hao said.

He had only been to the northwest once, and he was still in the grassland.

It's just that he knows that after 300 years, the main crop in Northeast China will be corn, and corn in North China will be more popular. The northwest latitude is about the same as the northeast, and the temperature should not be much different, so this corn leg planting should not be a problem.

Zhang Boxing's greatest concern is the people's livelihood and economy, and the reason why he even came up with the faint idea of "raising the flag for the people" is that he is anxious because he sees that the treasury is empty and cannot withstand natural disasters [***].

Cao Hao's proposal shows that it is not in line with his previous proposal, but if it is implemented, it will save military spending in the northwest.

One is "open source", the other is "throttling", and they all end up in the same way.

Therefore, the old man's eyes lit up.

It's just that the old man is not a talker, and he can't wait to go back to find out how many hectares of land have been reclaimed in the northwest, and how good it will be to increase production if it is replaced by bud valley. In this way, it can not only solve the problem of rations for the Northwest Army, but also save money for raising horses.

He stood up, glanced at Cao Hao, and said, "Okay, very good, Lord Cao is calm and steady, and he has the style of loyalty and righteousness!" The old decay will not bother Lord Cao, Lord Cao is busy. ”

Cao Hao got up, humbled in his mouth, and personally sent Zhang Boxing out.

Looking at Zhang Boxing's back and looking at the thin white braids, Cao Hao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

This old man is really not easy, I hope he can come and have a good death.

Back then, Kangxi couldn't hold Zhang Boxing well, and then fell to the ground all of a sudden. has been transferred back to the capital for more than ten years, but they have also been left out in the cold. If he was someone else, he couldn't stand it for a long time, so he resigned and went back to his hometown to raise his grandson, but Zhang Boxing still thought about the people's livelihood, no matter what position he put in, he was conscientious and fulfilled his duties...... Uncle Zhang walked for a while, and a pen came to pass the word. Shangshu Sun Zhaqi summoned a few hall officials over.

The side of the household yamen is different from the local government office.

Under the leadership of the two Shangshu, several squires and the lower officials all performed their duties. It was only on the fifth and tenth days that everyone gathered in the hall to listen to the teachings of the two Shangshu masters.

Today, it's March 19, and it's not yet time to gather.

Although Cao Hao was puzzled, he still got up and went to Sun Zhaqi.

His house was the closest to Sun Zaqi, so when he arrived, only Sun Zaqi and Tian Congdian were there, and the other waiters had not yet arrived.

Cao Hao has seen the two of them, and the chair on the right is the first to sit.

This is a small hall where several officials usually discuss matters, and each person has a fixed position.

One time later, the other three squires also arrived.

He Cheng'er and Zhang Boxing are on the left and second, and Li Zhouwang is on the bottom of Cao Hao.

Looking at the three of them, Zhang Boxing and Li Zhouwang looked at everything as usual, only He Cheng's forehead, and his expression was a little dazed.

Seeing this, Cao Hao wondered in his heart.

Unexpectedly, this time, Sun Zaqi invited everyone to come over, just for He Cheng's forehead.

The emperor has already decreed that He Cheng will be naturalized, and he will serve as a bachelor in the household department.

When they heard this, their faces were different.

It is not uncommon for the officials of the six departments to go out to Beijing on an errand. But when they are sent out, they are handled by someone on their errands, which makes people think about it.

Everyone's eyes looked at He Cheng's forehead.

He Cheng's forehead was gloomy, but he smiled strongly, got up and said to everyone: "I should have said goodbye to the two adults and all my colleagues, but the emperor ordered me to go out of Beijing, and my kung fu was a little hasty, so I couldn't pay a full salute." ”

At this time, anyone can see that he is being degraded.

In the past few months, Yongzheng has thundered with outsiders, and many local officials have been attacked, but for Beijing officials, it is still mainly based on grace.

Take the household department as an example, Sun Zaqi and Cao Hao both won the Shijue.

Until now, seeing Hecheng's forehead, everyone understands what "thunder and rain dew" is.

For a moment, everyone was silent, and the atmosphere in the hall was a little heavy.

Sun Zaqi "coughed" and said: "Tongya has been an official for several years, and he should have set up a banquet for Lord He. Since Lord He's trip is in a hurry, then it will be said that Master He and Master Tuo have completed the handover, and we will say goodbye to Lord He in the yamen, right? In the end, he looked at the others.

The rules in officialdom are that unless it is a mortal enemy who cannot be eased, there must be three points of leeway.

Although He Cheng's forehead did not have great success, after all, he was an old man in the household department, and his qualifications in the household department were still on other waiters.

I can't figure out the emperor's intentions, and I don't dare to set up a banquet to practice it, but there are still the number of farewell gifts that should be there.

Seeing that Lord Shangshu was taking care of his face, He Cheng had mixed feelings, his lips trembled, and he bowed down and said, "Don't dare to bother your lords." In the past few years, I have been taken care of by all of you, and please accept the next bow. As he spoke, he was already clasping his fists and worshipping.

Sun Zaqi and Tian Congdian only received half a salute, and the other three all got up to avoid ......*

(To be continued)