dognovel Chapter 526 A Worthy Son-in-Law?
Chapter 526 A Worthy Son-in-Law?
As soon as they left Dengzhou Prefecture, Emperor Zhu's face darkened visibly.
This time it wasn't because Yang Shaofeng had offended Emperor Zhu again, but because of the road in Laizhou Prefecture.
Rugged, uneven, and full of potholes—almost any negative word can be used to describe the road conditions in Laizhou Prefecture.
Fortunately, Laizhou Prefecture has also begun large-scale road construction, and every county is involved in the project.
With a dark expression, Emperor Zhu turned to Yang Shaofeng and asked, "How much longer will you continue to provide those hard laborers in Dengzhou Prefecture?"
Yang Shaofeng looked at Zhu Huangdi with a bewildered expression: "What do you mean I need to use it for a longer period of time?"
Emperor Zhu gave a slight snort and pointed at the people who were repairing the road, saying, "Isn't this obvious?"
“Your Dengzhou Prefecture has plenty of laborers, but other places don’t.”
"In order not to delay spring planting and autumn harvest, other prefectures and counties could only organize the people to repair roads after autumn."
"But to build a cement road, you have to dig a roadbed, fill it with gravel, and then burn the cement, which needs to be covered with straw mats to dry in the shade..."
The more Yang Shaofeng listened, the more uneasy he felt. He couldn't help but roll his eyes and said, "Father-in-law, that's not right. After all, no matter how troublesome a cement road is, it's still much easier to build than a straight road, isn't it?"
Upon hearing Yang Shaofeng's words, Emperor Zhu's face darkened even further.
A straight road?
Which county town would dare to use the straight road construction method when building roads?
That thing requires sifting the soil, steaming it, and compacting it. The whole process is incredibly complicated. Not only would a county town not be able to afford it, but even the national treasury wouldn't dare to use the straight road standard for road construction on a large scale.
Emperor Zhu said with a dark face, "Just tell me how long you'll need those laborers. Once you've used them all, we can transfer them to other places to build roads."
Yang Shaofeng couldn't help but purse his lips.
This old Deng's map is really short.
"It's a pity that of all the laborers under my command, only those who died from exhaustion in Dengzhou survived."
Yang Shaofeng inwardly complained, but outwardly he put on a troubled look and said, "Father-in-law, you are wise. There are too many projects in Dengzhou Prefecture, and I cannot spare any extra laborers for the time being."
Before Emperor Zhu could say anything more, Yang Shaofeng interjected, "Roads are also being built in the ten counties under Dengzhou Prefecture."
"And then there's the University of Denzhou, which also takes up a considerable number of workers."
"Especially the martial arts training in Dengzhou, because there is not enough labor, it has not yet started construction."
"If it weren't for the fact that the treasury is so poor, I would even be considering conscripting laborers."
Upon hearing the words "Dengzhou University," Emperor Zhu had already abandoned the idea of drawing laborers from Dengzhou.
After all, Dengzhou University is so appealing that we can't afford to delay its construction.
But when he heard that the treasury was too poor, Emperor Zhu felt an urge to hit someone.
Of the more than one hundred prefectures and more than one thousand counties in the Ming Dynasty, which prefecture dared to claim to be richer than Dengzhou Prefecture? Which county dared to claim to be wealthier than Ningyang County?
And this bastard still has the nerve to complain about being poor!
Could this be what this scoundrel meant when he said in private, "A shameless person is invincible"?
The more Emperor Zhu thought about it, the angrier he became, and suddenly he remembered his own background.
I, Old Zhu, came from a beggar background, and I was also a monk.
When it comes to begging for alms and shamelessness, can this self-taught scoundrel compare to us?
That's absolutely impossible.
Otherwise, how could this guy have gone into seclusion and almost starved to death?
Having made up his mind, Emperor Zhu immediately looked at Yang Shaofeng and said, "My dear son-in-law..."
Son-in-law?
Holy crap!
What's wrong with Old Deng today?
It seems that "bastard" and "dog" are the terms he uses most often.
Yang Shaofeng stared at Emperor Zhu in horror, unable to believe that the old emperor could utter the words "son-in-law".
Ignoring the fear on Yang Shaofeng's face, Emperor Zhu smiled and said, "You know that our Great Ming is poor."
Yes, I know. After all, when Brother Iron Pot ran away, he took a large amount of gold and silver with him. The remaining gold and silver were buried in the pigsty by those gentry. It's normal that the national treasury is out of money.
"Seeing the people living in poverty, unable to fill their stomachs or cover their bodies, it pains me, as the emperor, to see them like this."
"The people of Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture are living better now, and we are happy about that."
"But look at the people in other places, how can we still be happy?"
“We are not only the emperor of Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture, but also the sovereign and father of all the people under heaven.”
So, you old man Deng are eyeing Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture, planning to plunder and fleece them?
Just as Yang Shaofeng was pondering how much blood he should shed this time, Emperor Zhu wiped his eyes and said, "My dear son-in-law..."
Yang Shaofeng's heart tightened, and Emperor Zhu continued, "We know you are capable, so you have to think of a way to let the people of other prefectures and counties live a good life as well."
After a slight pause, Emperor Zhu stated his request.
"I don't ask to be like the people of Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture, as long as they have enough to eat and wear."
Yang Shaofeng stared blankly at Emperor Zhu.
No.
Does this old man think that ensuring everyone has enough to eat and wear is a simple matter?
Or is it that this old Deng is simply shameless, deliberately playing the victim and crying poverty in front of me in order to make life a little better for the common people?
This won't work.
This isn't something you can solve by shamelessly complaining about being poor.
When most officials still cling to the old mindset of "doing the job as it comes," when most officials are still thinking about getting promoted, making money, and losing their wives, and when some officials even secretly miss the rule of the Yuan dynasty, it will be of no use no matter how much you cry, how much you cry, or how much you cut out your heart in the street for them!
Because in the minds of most officials, they are high and mighty officials. Those with a conscience will still talk about serving the people. But if they encounter those corrupt and rotten officials, they will simply act as the rulers of the people. Who will care about the life and death of ordinary people?
Yang Shaofeng said with a dark face, "As for my father-in-law's request, I... can only do my best."
After a slight pause, Yang Shaofeng added, "If we want all the people in the world to have enough to eat and wear, at least the next generation of scholars must grow up."
Upon hearing Yang Shaofeng's words, Emperor Zhu immediately fell silent.
Emperor Zhu knew that Yang Shaofeng's words made sense.
After all, a large portion of today's scholars still yearn for Hu Yuan's tax collection system and for his "leniency" towards them.
Only when the next generation, or even the generation after that, grows up, will it be possible to change the current situation.
This was because the textbooks of community schools, county schools, and prefectural schools included a large amount of Hu Yuan's dark history, emphasizing the suffering of the people and the idea of enabling them to live a good life.
But while he understood, it was absolutely impossible for Emperor Zhu to give up.
Otherwise, wouldn't Old Zhu have just wasted his face today?
Seeing that Emperor Zhu looked like he wouldn't give up until he got an explanation, Yang Shaofeng could only sigh helplessly and say, "Father-in-law, I have already spoken to His Highness the Crown Prince about how to ensure that the people have enough to eat and wear."
Emperor Zhu was slightly taken aback, then flew into a rage.