As a time traveler, Sun Tu came to the famous capital of the Song Dynasty a thousand years ago. In addition, he also brought a Ya'er around him, so he naturally had to take a good look and appreciate the various beauty and characteristics of Tokyo Bianliang City. However, before that, he felt that he should do his job first so that he could completely relax.

So the day after arriving in Bianjing, he entrusted Ya'er to the shop's staff to take care of him. After inquiring about the journey, he walked towards the inner city in an chariot. He also carried a large package on his back, and the tax and silver that should be paid to the Ministry of Revenue was placed inside.

The taxes that the county in Yuncheng has to pay for the court in a year are naturally far more than this amount. In fact, logic is that the taxes are not sent directly to Bianjing by the county government, but are just handed over to the Transportation Office of Shandong all the way. However, there are exceptions in everything. For various reasons, all prefectures and counties in the world will always owe a lot of money, grain and taxes, and this will be delayed for a few years. It will not be paid until the Ministry of Revenue of the Court issued a document to recover the taxes. However, at this time, it is impossible to send the taxes to the Transportation Office again, but they have to send someone to transport them themselves.

The more than 100 taels of taxes that Sun Tu brought today were accumulated in Yuncheng County in the past three years. If he could not submit it in time, the assessment of Zhengtang County Magistrate - now called Mojian - would have problems, and Sun Tu would definitely lose his money. So he did not dare to slack off today and rushed over early in the morning.

The early morning climate of June is quite pleasant, with no direct sunshine and breeze blowing, which makes the pedestrians on the street feel more comfortable, and almost no traffic stops.

Not long after, he turned into the two hundred steps of the Imperial Road Tian Street that leads directly to the inner city, which is more than twice as wide as the official road outside the city. However, this Imperial Street is not allowed to be walked on by pedestrians, cars and horses. There is a passage of nearly fifty steps in the middle, separated by two canals. In addition, the black wooden fence blocked the edge of the canal, which was divided into three rows, while pedestrians could only walk on the streets on both sides, because the passage inside was the Imperial Road that could only be used for the emperor to travel.

While browsing the surrounding environment, Sun Tu walked forward, but his pace was not slow. After an hour, he finally arrived at the towering city gate with carved railings and painted buildings. It was Zhuque Gate, the north gate of the inner city. Although this city gate was much lower than the outer city gate, it still seemed tall and upright, which made people dare not look down on it.

Thinking of the majestic outer city walls I saw yesterday, Sun Tu couldn't help but wonder how this Northern Song capital, which was easy to defend and difficult to attack, was easily captured by the Jin people. The Jurchen tribe may have fought extremely sharply in the field, but the siege should not be their main force. The Song army has always been known for defending, so how could they let them enter this strong city and lead to the destruction of the country?

He didn't know much about this history that the fall of Tokyo was caused by a series of wrong decisions by the entire Northern Song Dynasty court. It can even be said that the Jin army did not even spend any effort to attack the city, and the Song people themselves gave up the capital and opened the door to thieves.

When he came near the city gate, Sun Tu found strangely that the name of the city gate titled in seal script on the top was not the three words "Surf Gate" that everyone mentioned, but the word "Surf Gate". This is a bit weird.

In fact, this special name for the Zhuque Gate in Bianjing City was already in place before the founding of the Northern Song Dynasty. Later, dynasties changed, and when Taizu Zhao Kuangyin came to the hands of the Emperor Zhao Kuangyin, the name on the city gate was still written as the Zhuque Gate. Zhao Kuangyin was also puzzled by this and asked his prime minister Zhao Pu what was the reason.

Zhao Pu's answer is very simple: "Nothing else, words help you." That is, this is a simple tone auxiliary word.

When Zhao Kuangyin heard this, he cursed his lips disdainfully and said, "That's what helps you!"

Later generations thought that this was actually a manifestation of Taizu's disdain for scholars. In fact, in his hands, the power of the civil servants of the Song Dynasty was indeed far inferior to that of later, and they only competed with military generals at most. However, with the succession of Taizong Zhao Guangyi and the descendants of the Zhao family, the civil servants completely turned over and completely suppressed the military officers. It was difficult to have a chance to stand out. The combat effectiveness of the Song Dynasty army plummeted, and they could only defend themselves and no longer have the intention of pioneering.

Sun Tu was not sure about this historical story and origin at this time. He was just looking for the Ministry of Revenue to go to. After entering the inner city, the number of shops decreased a lot. When approaching the imperial city, he saw government offices standing next to the road, including six of them.

The so-called six departments of the court are naturally the officials, soldiers and punishments, and were passed down from the Sui and Tang Dynasties. After the founding of the Song Dynasty, many policies still followed the Tang Dynasty's system. For example, the center of the court, which is now called the Zhengshi Hall, is actually the subordinate of the Secretariat. For example, these six departments and government offices still manage their own affairs.

As an important yamen in charge of national finance, the Ministry of Revenue is located not far from the imperial city, just on the side of Xuande Gate, the south gate of the imperial city. Although it was still early at this time, there were already many people waiting at the yamen.

Seeing this, Sun Tu hurried forward and rushed to a lieutenant guarding there and said, "This official has invited me. I came from Yuncheng County, Shandong Province to pay the tax and silver. I wonder if I can report it? I don't know which house to pay the bank?"

The minor official only raised his head and looked at Sun Tu with his nostrils and said unhappily: "All the officials in this department are busy with the important matters of the court. How can you do the time to care about such small matters as you? Just wait outside."

Seeing his attitude, Sun Tu couldn't help feeling a little unhappy, but this was someone else's territory, so he certainly couldn't have a chance, so he could only stand there in a bit of disappointment. At this time, a man next to him, who was also dressed in a commoner, came over and whispered: "You are here to do things too?" Seeing Sun Tu agreeing, he smiled bitterly: "You don't know the rules here. If you want them to lead you in, it's useless to just say it, and you have to be respectful to some doors."

"There is such a thing?" Sun Tu frowned suddenly. He really didn't have the experience and preparations in this area. Even though he knew that everyone in the officialdom is now greedy, he never expected that someone would dare to ask for bribes so unscrupulously in front of such an important yamen.

"It's the first time Xiao Langjun has come here? This is of course. These officials are almost unable to receive their salary when they are on duty here, so they naturally need to find compensation for it." This man is also a talkative person and is brave enough to dare to tell some shameful things in front of the Ministry of Revenue.

Just as he was speaking, several people who were thinking about entering were stopped. Then a well-informed person secretly gave the official a little money, and he was allowed to enter.

When Sun Tu saw this scene, his brows frowned even tighter. Obviously, the other party's appetite was still very big, and he couldn't get in without a single or two taels of silver. And the money was enough for him to stay in Bianjing City for two or three days.

The Song Dynasty has been passed down to this point, and it has long been broken from its roots. Not only are officials from various prefectures, prefectures and counties rampant, but there are also people at the central government offices under the imperial city. As long as ordinary people rub against the government, these greedy people will have to take advantage of it, otherwise you will not be able to do it.

It is said that a few years ago, a yamen came to the Ministry of Revenue to pay the tax bank, but in a year he couldn't finish his errands. Because he had to pay only one tael of silver, and just the bribes he had to get two taels of silver.

Although Sun Tu was extremely dissatisfied with such a trend, he could only bow his head under the low wall. After hesitating for a while, he could only step forward again and stuff a small piece of silver he had taken out into the hand of the official: "I hope the official can be able to be able to be comfortable, and such things cannot be delayed."

The man skillfully weighed the weight of the silver, and then his expression calmed down and said, "Since the matter is important, just go in. The second signing room on the left hand of the courtyard is Zuo Cao Chen's duty room, you can find him."
Chapter completed!