dognovel Chapter 137 Why are you so clueless?
Chapter 137 Why are you so clueless?
Wang Qiong stared blankly at Magistrate Yang for a long while before tentatively asking, "How about... Brother Yang, you train a few students yourself first, and then let them teach new students? Just like you said before that the chicken farm could have endless generations?"
Upon hearing Wang Qiong's words, Magistrate Yang, who had been full of expectations, almost lost his composure.
Why are you so clueless?
When I tell you that Ningyang County lacks teachers, do I mean you should instruct me on how to teach existing students so that they can teach new students?
I want you to bring me a few scholars!
Feeling greatly displeased, Magistrate Yang Shaofeng sighed helplessly and said, "Brother Wang, you don't know, there are one official matter after another in this county. Even if I wanted to teach my students, I simply couldn't be in two places at once. Alas~"
Wang Qiong still didn't respond to Magistrate Yang's remarks. Instead, he looked around and said, "Brother Yang has actually done a very good job. I remember when I first came to Ningyang County, you were still troubled by the drought. Now the drought and locust plague are over, and the people have some money and food. Now we even have honeycomb briquettes, which are great for surviving the winter. We can also use them to cultivate mushrooms and eat fresh vegetables in winter. This standard of living is already higher than most prefectures and counties in the country. So, there is no need to be too anxious about the school."
Seeing that Wang Qiong absolutely refused to cooperate, Magistrate Yang had no choice but to abandon his idea of using Wang Qiong to bring a few scholars to Ningyang County.
Anyway, Wang Qiong will definitely report back to Lao Zhu and Xiao Zhu when he gets back. It would be best if Lao Zhu and Xiao Zhu were willing to bring some scholars to Ningyang County. If they really are unwilling, it doesn't matter. After all, there are Liu Hongchang and Master Geng's relatives. There will always be a few literate people among the five hundred people. At worst, we can just let them fill in for now.
Having made up his mind, Yang Shaofeng stopped bringing up the topic of how Ningyang County lacked scholars. Instead, he smiled and picked up his water cup, greeting Wang Qiong with, "Brother Wang, please."
Wang Qiong smiled, picked up her water glass, drank it all in one gulp, and said to Yang Shaofeng, "Brother Yang, please."
After several rounds of water and dishes, Wang Qiong brought up the matter of Xu Da and Chang Yuchun's Northern Expedition.
"The Tartar court is completely finished. In the south, Governor Feng and Commander Tang have conquered Wuzhi, Huaiqing, Zezhou and other places. In the north, Minister Xu and Chang Pingzhang have successively captured Baoding, Zhengding, Jingxing, Pingding and Shouyang. Now they have even taken Dadu. Emperor Toghon Temür has fled in a sorry state. Only Kökö Temür is left to hold the line alone. It is estimated that in a few more months, the entire territory of Shanxi will be recovered."
As he spoke, the excitement on Wang Qiong's face gradually faded. Instead, he sighed slightly and said, "However, I have heard that Hebei has also been severely ravaged by the Tartars. It is almost as sparsely populated and has severed transportation as Shandong."
"Shanxi has been less affected, but there are millions of people there. Now, the rich own vast tracts of land while the poor have nowhere to stand. The livelihoods of ordinary people are extremely difficult. I don't know when they will be able to live a good life like the people of Ningyang County."
"..."
Wang Qiong kept talking, but Yang Shaofeng's heart stirred.
Shanxi is about to be taken over, so is the grand Hongwu migration about to begin?
If several thousand people could be relocated from Shanxi to Ningyang County, then Ningyang County's various development plans could be improved once again, and I, the county magistrate, could start my life of idleness a day sooner.
But upon further reflection, Magistrate Yang had no choice but to abandon this tempting idea.
Relocating people sounds easy, but it's incredibly complicated in practice.
The Ming army has not yet completely recovered Shanxi. Even if it does, it will take one or two years to stabilize the people's hearts. In addition, before Toghon Temür fled, he amassed a large amount of gold and silver, leaving the Ming Dynasty's treasury almost empty. Emperor Zhu Chongba is unlikely to start the immigration program too soon.
Besides the matter of relocating the people, Magistrate Yang also thought of another legend in history.
Rumors circulated that Chang Yuchun was fond of killing surrendered soldiers, even to the point that Emperor Zhu Chongba couldn't stand it.
Then, Chang Yuchun suddenly died after a battle. The cause of death was said to be "armor removal wind", which is caused by suddenly taking off his armor.
Magistrate Yang was unsure if there were any other unrelated reasons, and no relevant historical records could be found from later generations.
However, Magistrate Yang vaguely remembered that Chang Yuchun died around the second year of Hongwu's reign. And less than two years after Chang Yuchun's death, Emperor Zhu Chongba hastily arranged for his crown prince Zhu Biao to marry Chang Yuchun's daughter, Chang Mou Nu. This heartless man was unwilling to even wait for the three-year mourning period for Chang Yuchun!
Of course, this wasn't the first or second time that Emperor Zhu Chongba had done something so unscrupulous. Moreover, he always did it openly and blatantly, even saying things like, "I'll drink with you from the golden cup, but I won't spare you with a white blade." He even arranged for Zhu Biao to marry Chang Yuchun's daughter before the three-year mourning period was over, which was quite in line with Zhu Chongba's consistent style.
What's giving Magistrate Yang a headache right now is what reason or excuse he can use to stop Chang Yuchun from resigning so easily.
After all, he was appointed as the county magistrate by Chang Yuchun. Although he always complained that Chang Yuchun was no good, he felt somewhat guilty if he did nothing and just waited for Chang Yuchun to be dismissed and die.
In any case, Magistrate Yang would never admit that he really wanted Chang Yuchun to go to Japan alive—the lineup of Bai Qi as commander-in-chief, Jia Xu as strategist, and Cheng Yu as logistics manager was definitely not going to happen, but it was entirely possible for Chang Yuchun to be the vanguard!
Seeing that Magistrate Yang's expression kept changing, Wang Qiong couldn't help but ask, "Brother Yang? What are you thinking about?"
Yang Shaofeng snapped out of his reverie and, without a moment to think, blurted out, "I was just thinking that the Manchu emperor fled north, taking with him a vast amount of gold and silver. Wouldn't our Ming treasury be short of silver? Fortunately, I know of a gold mine and a silver mine. If..."
Wang Qiong's eyes lit up, and she asked repeatedly, "Gold mine? Silver mine? Where?"
Before Yang Shaofeng could answer, Wang Qiong hurriedly said, "Brother Yang, there's no need to tell me—for such a confidential matter, why don't you write it down in a memorial?"
Yang Shaofeng chuckled and said, "What kind of secret is this?"
At this point, Yang Shaofeng suddenly changed the subject, looking at Wang Qiong mysteriously and asking, "Brother Wang, do you know why the Manchu sham emperor Kublai Khan wanted to conquer Japan back then?"
Wang Qiong was slightly startled and wondered, "Could it be that this gold mine and silver mine..."
Yang Shaofeng nodded, just as he was about to try and fool Wang Qiong, when suddenly the voice of the lame man came from outside the door: "Your Excellency, Prefect Wu of Yanzhou has arrived."
Prefect of Yanzhou?
Wu Zude?
Yang Shaofeng was immediately filled with curiosity. According to the rules of officialdom, even if the two were to meet, it should be him, the county magistrate, who should pay his respects to the prefect. Now, Prefect Wu Zude came to Ningyang County to find him without prior notice. Was he trying to play the game of "no one's right to see me"?
After silently complaining to himself, Magistrate Yang simply stood up, cupped his hands to Wang Qiong, and said, "Brother Wang, please forgive me. I will go to greet Prefect Wu first, and then come to talk to you later."