Seeing that it was getting late, the few people returned together. When we were about to leave the dam area, Zhang Dayou pointed to the mountain beside him and said, "When we were building the dam before the New Year, a Dragon King Temple was built on this mountain, and there was a viewing pavilion next to it. How about we all have a rest?"

"Okay, I've got something to tell you." Xu Ping nodded and agreed, first heading to the top of the mountain.

If such projects are built, places like Dragon King Temple will naturally be built in this era to pray for the blessing of the water god. Rather than feudal superstition, it is the custom of this era. Unless local officials are confused, they will not pin their hopes for peace and stability on ghosts and gods. Xu Ping himself has also built a temple, and as long as it is not excessive, it will not stop these things.

When we arrived at the top of the mountain, there was indeed a small temple with only three main rooms and one small courtyard. At this time, an old Taoist was hosted by two Taoist boys, which was very small. When we saw the officials, the old Taoist hurriedly brought the Taoist boys out to greet him.

Time was tight, so Xu Ping ordered his subordinates to follow the old Taoist to enter the temple to burn incense. He took Li Shen and Zhang Dayou to the viewing pavilion next to him and sat down. The pavilion was built on the top of the mountain. Although it was just a wooden pillar and thatched roof, it was a little simpler, but it was bringing the surrounding mountains and rivers into the eyes, with a wide view and a very good view.

Sitting on the stone bench in the pavilion, the soldiers with them took hot water from the temple and served tea.

After drinking tea, Xu Ping said to Li Shen and Zhang Dayou: "Yesterday I went to Xingqing Pavilion and met local elders. I talked about the school society established here in Sishui. Everything was fine, but the villagers who joined the society had limited financial resources and had no place to teach, and they were in the wind and rain."

Zhang Dayou said: "There is this matter. I want to build a school for a place with a school club. However, the county has limited financial resources and has not been able to do it. When the canal canal is opened this year, I want to collect some taxes, so I will do it."

Xu Ping waved his hand: "No need, I have asked the rich people in the town to work together to build houses and use them as a place for the school to teach."

Zhang Dayou frowned: "This is not easy. I thought so too. I sent the advice several times, but the rich people in the village just turned a deaf ear. There was no way, so I thought about the money paid by the county. Ducao's status is unusual, and it is rare that those rich families know the truth and give you this face."

"Where do you get the face? I talked hard for a long time. A big family just didn't let go. They only saved up their wealth by several generations. There was no school children of appropriate age at home and didn't want to pay a penny. In the end, there was no way, so I had to ask them to report the amount of money to the county to compensate for the future science and technology and purchases, and then I agreed."

After hearing Xu Ping's words, Li Shen said: "Du Cao, I'm afraid this matter is inappropriate. Why do you have to let the wealthy families pay for it if you want to collect money from the government and buy it? Isn't it good for the county to collect money and build it yourself? Building it is the county's moral government, so why do you want the wealthy families to gain a reputation as a good person? The villagers said that if the government does not do anything, it is the good deeds of a few good people, what are the benefits of it?"

"What you said makes sense, and it is exactly what I want to explain to you." Xu Ping sighed, "If you can do good deeds to offset the government's scientific and technical subsidy, why not directly collect money from the government, but directly build it by the government? The reason is indeed the case. So I have repeatedly emphasized that the tax and labor service that is offset and purchase is never offset. The Jingxi Road will be issued this year, and the prefectures and counties are not allowed to collect it privately in the future. What money can the prefectures and counties collect? The Transportation Commission will list a list, which is only in the list. However, the previous titles of the prefectures and securities subsidy and securities subsidy will not be cancelled, but it must be accepted by the Caosi. In other words, starting from this autumn, although these names are stored but not abandoned, they are not really collected."

Zhang Dayou couldn't help but frown: "What does Ducao mean? Why do I have some difficulty understanding?"

"It means that taxes and servants are obligations that villagers fulfill to the court, and this cannot be changed. Otherwise, where will the state cost come from? But all miscellaneous donations are not necessary to be collected, so don't think of any way in the future. However, if these terms are abolished, it will inevitably be re-examined by local governments. Two years ago, when I first returned to the capital, Cheng Xueshu was the commander of the three departments, he did not allow local governments to merge taxes and miscellaneous donations. This is the same. At that time, I disagree with this. Although I think there are some truths now, I still dare not agree. Simply put, the taxes and servants that are actually collected from the future must be merged, otherwise the names of collecting money will be complicated and inconvenient for officials and the people. However, those who only store names but are not actually collected will be left there, and there is no need to abandon the names to prevent future generations from establishing new names."

Seeing that Li Shen was about to speak, Xu Ping waved his hand: "After listening to me, the biggest difference between doing this is to receive the right to impose a new tax from the local government to the Transportation Commission. What can be collected? According to the official documents of the Transportation Commission, no levy is allowed. The money for doing good deeds can be offset against the responsibilities of the Ministry of Finance. What is most afraid of is that someone uses this to evade taxes. If you really want to offset the taxes, why should you let the big people be this good person? However, after the levy and purchase, it is only stored but not levy. It does have this benefit for the villagers who have done good deeds. For the government, the situation will not really affect the income."

Zhang Dayou said: "Ducao means that doing so is just to let the rich rural households draw cakes to satisfy their hunger?"

"Yes, that's right! But don't really treat this as a deception. Some miscellaneous donations will still be levied when they have to be forced. It will naturally be useful at that time. What I want to tell you is that in the countryside, the government has limited financial resources. If you can't do many things, you have to borrow the financial resources of the people. In the past, you used miscellaneous donations and directly collected money from the people's hands on the heads, which inevitably aroused public grievances. If you don't do this in the future, you will focus on persuasion and let the rich people in the local area voluntarily donate the money, and the local area will give you certain benefits.

.But prefectures and counties must not be good people. Any kind deeds are rewarded. That is not possible. It is okay to pay money to help students, to build bridges and roads, and to build Yidu, but it is not possible to donate money to build temples and carve Buddhas, and give monks and Taoists money to incense. It must be to help the government and things that are good for the people. This matter starts from Mengzhou. You two use your heart and list a list of which are good for the rewards and what are not, and there are rules to follow. The general principle is that money should be used in useful places, and do not spend it on illusory gods and ghosts."

Li Shen and Zhang Dayou lowered their heads and thought for a while, understood Xu Ping's meaning, and nodded in agreement.

If the donation can really offset the taxes that must be levied, why should I let private donations? It is not better to directly collect money from the government, and local officials have a good reputation. The offset against the tax and purchase are just an attitude, indicating that the official rewards cannot really have much effect. This must be combined with the strict taxes and taxes.

According to Xu Ping's previous life, in the future, the whitelist system was implemented, and the power of taxes was issued to receive the transfer department at the road level. The prefectures and counties no longer had this power. There are many names of these miscellaneous taxes and cannot be cancelled. The fiscal revenue received by the tax cannot cover all fiscal expenditures. This is the limitation of the times and there is no way to do it. It is just that it becomes strict in the future. What Xu Ping can do is this. Moreover, the situations in different places are different, and at most they can only receive the road level.

Li Shen and Zhang Dayou are Xu Ping's own people, so they can tell them directly that they don't need to fight wits and courage like other local officials, and they have to go through a back and forth tug-of-war to continue.
Chapter completed!