allonlinenovel Chapter 938: She must have learned bad habits from her brother-in-law!
Chapter 938: She must have learned bad habits from her brother-in-law!
Li Shanchang glared angrily at Yang Shaofeng, then suddenly snorted coldly and looked at Li Qi, saying, "The people and livestock that have been distributed to the various farms are all the people that the court can relocate, as well as all the livestock that can be mobilized."
"Therefore, we have neither people nor livestock."
After a slight pause, Li Shanchang continued, "Although you have no people or livestock to give you, you still have to do the work that your farm is supposed to do."
“It’s not just you, it’s the same for the other 599 farms.”
"besides……"
“You’ve learned very well at the Ningyang County Farm,” Li Shanchang sighed slightly and said, “but there are many things you should not learn for now.”
Take, for example, this kind of self-pity and playing the victim.
How many people were there in Ningyang County at that time?
It consists of several hundred households and about two thousand people.
Even if you give each person a cow, that's only two thousand.
There are now 600 farms in Liaodong, with an average of 1,000 households per farm, which adds up to 600,000 households. If each household has one cow, that's 600,000 head of cattle.
Maintaining the current scale has already exhausted the entire resources of the Ming Dynasty.
Even if you, Li Qi, cry every day and every night until you go blind, the court still won't be able to provide you with more people and livestock.
After all, if you give it to one farm, you have to give it to another.
What was originally a problem that could be solved with one guan would suddenly skyrocket to six hundred guan.
Such an expenditure, six hundred times larger than the official limit, would have been met with the Minister of Revenue hanging himself at the gate of the Duke of Han's mansion overnight if your father had dared to agree to it, and your father would have been branded as someone who drove his colleague to his death.
Then, Li Shanchang, Hu Weiyong, Zhu Biao, and Yang Shaofeng watched helplessly as Li Qi suddenly changed his attitude.
The worried look on Li Qi's face disappeared, and he turned to look at Li Shanchang and said, "Alright, if we don't have it, we don't have it. Anyway, we didn't expect to get it. I just don't know why Prime Minister Li came to the farm in person?"
Ok?
Yang Shaofeng and Zhu Biao exchanged a glance and simultaneously took two steps back.
Yang Shaofeng inexplicably thought of the saying, "First there were rulers like Yao and Shun, then there were people like Yao and Shun."
This black sesame dumpling dared to say such things in front of his father, and even dared to say in front of his father what he would do after he became emperor.
Li Qi and other second-generation nobles had grown up following Zhu Biao since childhood.
So, they were all corrupted by black sesame glutinous rice balls.
Zhu Biao also inexplicably recalled the Emperor Zhu's evaluation of a certain imperial son-in-law.
"That guy has a dog-like face; he can turn on you in an instant."
With a brother-in-law like that as a role model, what good things can Qi Ge'er and his friends learn in Ningyang County?
She must have been corrupted by her brother-in-law!
Compared to Zhu Biao and Yang Shaofeng's perfectly coordinated attempt to shift blame, Hu Weiyong was now filled with regret.
How stupid must I be to go through all that trouble to get people back from Yang the Madman?
Now it's all good; six hundred farm directors like Li Qi are all under my command.
Will I ever be able to get a good night's sleep again?
Li Shanchang was so angry that his lips twitched, and he almost slapped Li Qi across the face.
That little beast!
When I first arrived, I called him "father".
That's how he talks to his dad!
Start calling for Prime Minister Li now.
What, am I asking you to use your job title when you're at work?
It's amazing that he could learn to turn on someone so easily and perfectly!
While cursing inwardly, Li Shanchang sneered and said, "I heard that you, Director Li, have sent over a newly made rotary tiller. I have been living in the countryside of Jiangnan for a long time and have never seen one before. This time, I specially accompanied His Highness the Crown Prince, the Prince Consort, and Governor Hu to your place to broaden our horizons."
As Li Shanchang finished speaking, Zhu Biao couldn't help but whisper, "What a loving father and filial son! Once Qi-ge'er returns to the capital, he'll be in for a world of trouble."
Yang Shaofeng nodded in agreement, then couldn't help but glance at Zhu Biao.
What's that old saying from folk tradition?
Oh, it's like the crow laughing at the pig for being black; they don't even realize it themselves.
You, a mere black sesame dumpling, are making fun of Li Qi here. Are you some kind of saint yourself?
It seems like you're the most enthusiastic one when it comes to talking back to your dad!
No, it should be said that the emperors and crown princes of your Zhu family were not quite normal.
The fourth brother had to humble himself and beg Fatty for money to fight.
Zhengde, that silly boy, even wanted to personally build a coffin for Hongzhi. I don't know where he heard it from, but it was said that filial sons in the countryside would build coffins for their fathers.
Also, didn't your father also say that you can do whatever you want after you become emperor, and that you have to obey him obediently for now?
Look, Li Qi is being sarcastic and cryptic, and Li Shanchang is just as sarcastic and cryptic.
Did Li Qi learn bad things from you? Did Li Shanchang not learn anything good from your father either?
Yang Shaofeng was internally ranting, while Li Qi continued to make sarcastic remarks as he led Li Shanchang and the others into the farm.
"The rotary tiller was indeed delivered to the farm. I had someone try it out, and it really works quite well."
"First, have someone cut off the part of the tower that is protruding above the ground, then use a rotary tiller to plow it over. This is faster and better than simply using a curved plow or a pickaxe."
"However, rotary tillers need to be pulled by animals; they cannot be pulled by human power at all."
"Using livestock in puddles can easily cause hoof rot in the animals."
"Of course, I am not telling Prime Minister Li these things to complain to him, but to tell him that the Ministry of Works and the Craftsmen's Office still need to find a way to improve the rotary tiller."
"It would be wonderful if they could develop a steam engine to replace oxen and horses."
"..."
Li Shanchang repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists, which were tucked into his sleeves.
Bad learning.
After about a year in Ningyang County, the son had completely gone astray.
If I weren't so old, I would have slapped him to death right now, and then quickly level up a new account!
Yang Shaofeng quietly narrowed his eyes.
Regardless of the loving father-son relationship between Li Shanchang and Li Qi, Li Qi's insight was indeed spot-on. He pinpointed the biggest drawback of the rotary tiller and provided the most reliable solution.
Replace animal power with machinery.
Li Qi continued to nag Li Shanchang, saying, "Actually, steam engines are just so-so. They need to burn coal, and burning coal produces black smoke, which is quite pungent."
"If there were a better engine than the steam engine that could be used to pull a rotary tiller, that would be the best thing ever."
"Although steam engines are not yet in practical use, and better machinery cannot be produced in the short term, Li Xiang can talk to the Ministry of Works and the Craftsmen's Camp, so that at least they can have this idea."
Li Shanchang let out a cold laugh.
To give the Ministry of Works and the Craftsmen's Camp something to look forward to?
In my opinion, you scoundrel just want something to hold onto, don't you?
If I had known you were such a scoundrel, I would never have let you go to Ningyang Farm!