Chapter 158 People Can’t Survive
After the prefect made his statement, the officials below were all overjoyed. Their ranks in the Ministry of Revenue remained unchanged, but they were greatly improved in Renhuai.
Someone asked Zhao Yulin, does the Chief Clerk receive the chief official's salary when performing the duties of the chief official?
Zhao Yulin said cheerfully that of course everyone gets their own salary. However, the Renhuai General Administration Office will evaluate officials at all levels every six months, and those who pass the evaluation will be compensated with corresponding salaries based on their supervisory affairs, ensuring that their income is not inferior to that of officials of the same level in Luzhou.
The lobby was now bustling with activity. The officials were delighted to hear that when they came to Renhuai, they would first be promoted to the first or second level, and then receive high-level income if they passed the assessment.
Everyone was chattering away, but Mrs. Zhen and Mrs. Shun looked worried.
Zhao Yulin was puzzled, and asked the two ladies with a smile if they had any problems and felt free to tell them.
Madam Shun spoke in a mature and steady manner, saying that she was worried about Renhuai's lack of financial resources and how it could bear such a huge expenditure for the General Administration's Office.
Madam Zhen fired at him like a machine gun, questioning him, saying that there were troops stationed in Bozhou, and they also had to collect taxes. The expenditure of the General Administration in Renhuai was so huge, how could we ordinary people survive?
The meeting hall immediately fell silent. Everyone looked at Zhao Yulin with question marks on their faces. Even the prefect looked at him in confusion.
Yes, with so many people working together, it costs a lot of money. There are also so many expenditure points that require money. What should we do?
The prefect knew what was going on and had to support him. He said that the Renhuai Rebellion had just been quelled and that he could avoid paying taxes and wait for two years.
Zhao Yulin nodded. This was a way to reduce Renhuai's financial pressure. Renhuai didn't pay this year and last year because of the rebellion. In addition, there was a war this year and everything was in ruins. Why should it pay money?
Lu Youpeng said that the original official troops should be verified and cleaned up in accordance with the regulations of the court, and transferred from Renhuai to Guanzhong to resist foreign enemies. The required expenses should be included in the unified income and expenditure of the Shenwei Army. If they do not obey the dispatch, they will be disbanded directly. If they violate the law and discipline, the Shenwei Army will suppress and eliminate them.
As soon as these words were spoken, the lobby immediately became quiet as if no one was there.
My dear Sir, the Shenwei Army is ruthless in their actions. They even dare to wipe out the government troops. Those are the soldiers who have been bullying the people for a long time.
Lu Youpeng continued: The Shunfeng Division of the Shenwei Army will immediately launch the governance of corrupt bullies. Local chiefs no longer need to pay tribute to those native officials. Let them come to the General Administration Office to argue. We will act according to the king's law.
Zhao Yulin nodded and told Shi Ruyu that no more taxes would be collected from the people this year. All counties under management would set up relief points to distribute relief food to the people who could not afford to eat and celebrate the New Year.
He said that after the Shenwei Army captured Guci, they seized a large amount of gold and silver from the Miao King, most of which were still kept in the official treasury in Renhuai, and the General Administration Office used this money to do things.
Lu Youpeng immediately took out the official treasury list and handed it to Shi Mubin. Shi Mubin was delighted when he saw the list. It turned out that King Miao had plundered so much silver. His frown immediately relaxed.
Zhao Yulin then told everyone that Renhuai had not collected a penny of tax from the farmers in the past five years, and that this place would become prosperous soon.
He will invest 300,000 strings of cash here to support the construction of ditches, roads, bridges, docks, mines, and workshops so that the people will have something to do. When he has money in the future, he will support the military spending of the Shenwei Army.
The Luzhou prefect and Shi Ruyu were very touched by what they heard, and they both said that it was necessary, as Renhuai's ability to quickly restore stability depended entirely on the Shenwei Army.
Everyone in the hall was already discussing excitedly.
Mrs. Zhen and Mrs. Shun were even more delighted.
Seeing that the discussion was almost over, Zhao Yulin asked Lu Youpeng if it was time to eat.
Lao Lu said with a smile that it was ready a long time ago. The current chief steward was Lord Shi, and it was his turn to make the decision. Shi Ruyu immediately smiled and ordered the banquet to begin.
After dinner, Zhao Yulin sent the two little girls to the two ladies and asked them to take them back. He asked the two ladies, "Are you relieved now?"
If there is anything else you need to do, please tell me.
The two ladies said with a smile that the third young master really kept his word and they also kept their word. The two girls must stay with the third young master and be his women.
Zhao Yulin was too lazy to explain further. He said that the Shenwei Army did not arrange marriages, so he decided to take her back and talk about it.
Without waiting for the two ladies to respond, Zhao Yulin turned around and followed the prefect to the back hall for tea.
He told Shi Ruyu that building bridges, roads, new water conservancy projects, and reclaiming wasteland for farming all required money and people to do the work, so he should organize the local people to do the work.
The Fengyuan Prison in Jiading has already produced new coins, which will be linked to the exchange for silver. When the common people work, we will issue new coins. All prefectures and counties will establish retail to sell daily necessities and production tools. They will all accept new coins and freely exchange them for silver coins. Renhuai will come alive.
The prefect of Luzhou suddenly realized that he had this clever trick.
Zhao Yulin smiled and said, "What should we do if we don't do this?"
He is not a charlatan and cannot create silver.
The newly made small steel coins could be directly exchanged for silver when traded with him, so the common people were of course willing to accept them. As long as his currency was circulated, everyone's life would be better.
Everyone came up with ideas together.
Over there, Madam Zhen and Madam Shun were also not resting. Madam Zhen anxiously asked the two little girls and the third young master if they had done it.
Shunzhidi's face turned red and she said shyly, "Not yet."
Zhen Youmei said happily that the third young master didn't like women and he didn't have a single wife in his mansion.
Shunzhidi disagreed with her point of view and immediately asked her why she saw it that way? The Third Young Master already had four children, and we even had meals together. Could they all be someone else's?
Mrs. Shun immediately told Shun Zhidi to stop talking, glared at her and asked her why she started talking like that.
Zhen Youmei pestered Madam Zhen to go back, telling her that Cuiping Mountain was not fun at all, and that the third young master wanted both of them and the maid to go to the academy to study, which was so annoying. She really wanted to go back to the village, since the young master didn't want them anyway.
She missed Brother Abao in the mountain village so much. Brother Abao would accompany her to dig out bird nests and catch loaches, which was so much fun.
Mrs. Shun asked helplessly: What about Zhidi?
Shunzhidi blushed as she said she heard carefully what happened in the afternoon meeting. The Third Young Master had many ways to make money. She wanted to learn some things from him and then go back to the village to help everyone make money and live a good life. People in the mountains have a hard life.
She told Mrs. Shun with great interest about the new things in Cuiping Mountain. Even the toilets on the street were paved with glazed jade. How much silver would it take to make them well?
Old Madam Shun was excited and asked her happily, "My dear grandson, are you telling the truth? The Third Young Master has already said that we don't need to get married."
Shunzhidi played with the corners of her clothes with her little hands and lowered her head shyly.
The old lady was overjoyed and said lovingly, "This is my good granddaughter. You must serve the third young master well."
The little girl said "hmm" twice and ran away.
Madam Zhen stroked Zhen Youmei's little head and muttered, "Why are you so wild? You've been spoiled since you were little. Then let's go back and rob the bird's nest with your brother Abao."
Zhen Youmei ran happily to find Shunzhidi.
Mrs. Shun sighed and said, they are still children, and it is not their fault. It can be said that it is fate. She hopes Zhidi can see more of the world and make a difference even if she returns to the village.
However, we made the right bet this time. At least the Divine Might Army will help us eliminate those bad apples.
Madam Zhen said confidently that she thought the Third Young Master would definitely keep his promise, and the Luzhou prefect would have to listen to him. The two ladies spoke in increasingly low voices...
Zhao Yulin and the prefect had already exchanged two cups of tea. After everything was settled, he returned to his room to rest.
At this time, Lao Lu followed and hesitantly told a shocking secret.
It turned out that he met Liu San, the security guard of the Lizhiqing Wang family in Guci. This guy used to be a bandit.
Lao Lu told him that Liu San had turned over a new leaf since he escaped from Yibin and came to Renhuai. When the Shenwei Army was attacked on the banks of the Mahu River, it was he who found people to give advance warning. He also provided a lot of valuable intelligence to the army when suppressing the rebellion. Especially this time, the reconnaissance of Bozhou was quickly accomplished with the help of Liu San's people.
Shunfeng conducted an investigation on Liu San. It was indeed because of the false accusations made by Zhang Baopi and the Wang family that he became a bandit. Apart from kidnapping Wang Dehui and robbing the people's food in the mountains, he did not commit any serious crimes.
Zhao Yulin asked Lao Lu what he meant?
Do you want to let Liu San off the hook or promote him to a higher position?
Lao Lu didn't say anything and just listened to his instructions.
He said that at most it was to make amends for his mistakes, so he could let this person work in Renhuai and let Lao Lu decide for himself how to arrange it.
Based on the employment rules of Shunfengchu, Lu Youpeng planned to ask Liu San to work in Shunfengchu of Renhuai General Administration Office.
Zhao Yulin did not object. He said that it was okay to do the job, but this person was a typical fence-sitter who was very opportunistic and must be strictly supervised.
Zhao Yulin was so tired that he closed his eyes as soon as he lay down after seeing Lao Lu off.
The next day, he and the prefect of Luzhou were leaving Fuxing and going back. Everyone came to see them off . Madam Shun and Madam Zhen brought Shun Zhidi to tell him that Zhen Youmei had caught a cold and was unable to move around, so Zhidi insisted on taking care of the young master's daily life.
Zhao Yulin said that they should get on board quickly and asked Li Chuan to help carry the luggage.
He walked into the cabin and sat down. Shunzhidi immediately started doing Li Chuan's work, quickly making tea, serving it, and waiting by the side.
The prefect told Zhao Yulin that he would report the reform arrangements in Lin'an as soon as he returned, and hoped that the lives of the people here would improve soon.
Zhao Yulin said with emotion that so many soldiers of the Shenwei Army fought so hard, just hoping to have a better life.
He said that many civilians were killed and injured in this battle, and many families were separated and needed to be comforted. Renhuai would generate financial income in a short time, but he hoped to use the collected taxes to improve people's livelihood and make the people feel that following the Song Dynasty was the right decision.
The prefect shared his sentiments, saying that his brother was truly warm-hearted and that he believed that if the two of them worked together, Renhuai would become more and more stable.
When the boat reached the mouth of the Yangtze River, the two teams of official ships separated. Zhao Yulin waved goodbye to the prefect at the stern of the boat and headed downstream straight for Jingzhou.
