Raising chickens and pigs and digging for wild vegetables, the county magistrate's promotion wa

Chapter 896 The Yin-Yang Master Returns!

You can say the officials of the Ming Dynasty were bad, but you can never say they were incompetent.

When Li Shanchang proposed a plan to lure people to work in Liaodong with wages, a whole host of vice ministers from the Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of War, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Rites, and Ministry of Personnel started working on the spot.

In other words, they were arguing and bickering on the spot.

"The national treasury can only squeeze out a maximum of one million strings of cash right now."

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue spoke first, “According to the order set by the higher authorities, at a rate of sixty cash per person per day, this one million strings of cash would only be enough to pay the wages of more than forty thousand people for a year.”

"In other words, the first batch of people sent to Liaodong must not exceed 50,000, otherwise the national treasury will not be able to pay their wages."

As soon as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue finished speaking, Hu Weiyong became anxious.

Fifty thousand people?

This can't be a joke, can it?

I've been admitting defeat and playing the victim, and you're telling me there are only 50,000 people?

The Right Vice Minister of Works rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, "One million strings of cash? Fifty thousand men? Who are you trying to fool?"

"Fifty thousand people is a lot in Ningyang County, but in Liaodong, how much trouble can fifty thousand people cause?"

"Don't forget, we need to build roads, develop farms, and open mines in Liaodong. We need people everywhere."

"Besides, there are far more than 50,000 people who want to make money."

“Squeeze in a little more, at least make it a round number, 100,000 people, that would look more like it.”

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue glanced sideways at the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works.

I've heard of rounding.

But you rounded it up from over 40,000 to 100,000.

So you learned the rounding method (rounding down from four to ten)?

The Left Vice Minister of War tapped the table, his face dark, and said, "Have you forgotten about the post station?"

"I'll just say one thing: no matter what you're doing, whether it's road construction or something else, the post station is the most important thing!"

"People can arrive late, and there can be fewer people, but the post station must be repaired first!"

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transportation rolled his eyes and snorted coldly, "The roads aren't repaired, the flight routes aren't clear, and we don't have the manpower. Do you expect them to build post stations for you?"

The Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works also sneered and said, "Building post stations first is fine too. Your Ministry of War can prepare the materials and manpower, and the Ministry of Works will make sure everything is arranged clearly for you."

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue tapped the table and said in a deep voice, "Please stop arguing."

"I was just talking about this year, this year, understand?"

"It's already the end of October, and the Lunar New Year is less than two months away. It's really not easy for the national treasury to squeeze out one million guan."

"Once the compensation for the short and ugly people arrives next year, let alone 500,000 people, even 500,000 people, the national treasury can handle it."

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice chimed in, "Shouldn't you first think about how to arrange these 50,000 people so that they don't cause trouble?"

The Left Vice Minister of Rites also frowned: "The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Li finally managed to squeeze out some money from the indemnity from the short and weak to help the people of the Ming Dynasty learn to read and write. Now, tens of thousands of people are suddenly being transferred to Liaodong. What will happen to their literacy education?"

"If someone moves to Liaodong with their family next year, it means we'll have to build schools for them, and building schools will require instructors and teachers."

"Does your Ministry of Personnel have that many people?"

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel stared wide-eyed, his face full of disbelief: "All three hundred newly appointed Jinshi graduates from the sixth year of Hongwu's reign were sent to Liaodong, and now you want the Ministry of Personnel to give them back? What, do you think the Ministry of Personnel is a magic bag that can produce people anytime, anywhere?"

"I'm telling you right now, not only will there be no one this year, but there won't be anyone next year either."

"There will be no one for the next three years."

"If we want to get people from the Ministry of Personnel, the earliest we can do so is after the tenth year of Hongwu's reign."

Hu Weiyong's face darkened even more.

Is there no one in the Ministry of Personnel?

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel started counting on his fingers: "Of the three hundred newly appointed Jinshi in the sixth year of Hongwu, not one by one, they were all sent to the Ningyang County Farm. They will have to go to Liaodong next spring."

Hu Weiyong immediately felt relieved.

Yes, I managed to bring back at least three hundred Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and three hundred second-generation nobles.

Not a loss.

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel continued to calculate: "The special imperial examination in the seventh year of Hongwu will probably only admit three hundred Jinshi, and they will have to be sent to the Ningyang County Farm."

"How long these Jinshi will stay in Ningyang County, and where they will be assigned to official positions after their stay, remains to be discussed, but it is foreseeable that these people will stay for at least a year."

"The candidates who passed the special imperial examinations in the eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh years of the Hongwu reign were probably all in the same situation."

"With over a thousand prefectures and counties in the Ming Dynasty, it's impossible to send all the successful candidates from farms to Liaodong."

"There will always be some corrupt officials who will harm the people cruelly."

At this point, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel gave Yang Shaofeng and Xia Yu another resentful look.

“The Ministry of Personnel must prepare about a thousand candidates for official positions every year.”

"At present, we can only select from the assistant officials in various prefectures and counties."

"But aside from a few exceptionally capable individuals, who would want those junior officials if there were any farm graduates among them?"

Hu Weiyong nodded unconsciously.

There is something right in what you said.

Previously, there was no choice, but now that there are farm graduates, who would want those junior officials?

At the very least, I wouldn't agree.

Oh dear, six hundred of them.

I have three hundred farm scholars under my command, plus three hundred farm nobles.

Thinking about it this way... the higher-ups still value Liaodong quite a bit.

Hu Weiyong's thoughts wandered wildly, and the officials once again fell into an argument.

"Is it something to be proud of when the national treasury is short of money? Isn't this the responsibility of your Ministry of Revenue? Don't you feel ashamed?"

"You in the Ministry of Works, stop asking for money the moment you open your mouth. You should at least get the road construction done properly."

"If you don't pay, how am I supposed to carry out this?"

"All you ever talk about is building roads and asking for money, but why don't you ever think about the moral education in Liaodong?"

"I'm making this clear today: Liaodong must establish numerous community schools, from community schools to county schools, and none can be left out."

"Quiet down! Listen to me! The post station is the most important thing!"

"..."

Yang Shaofeng stepped back a few paces and walked to Zhu Biao's side, whispering, "Are these officials... the same way in court?"

Zhu Biao smiled, unfazed. "This is actually quite good."

"That means the people from the Grand General's Office and the Censorate didn't come."

"Otherwise, it wouldn't be unusual for them to take action."

Yang Shaofeng nodded first, then asked Lame Wu to bring some melon seeds. He gave Zhu Biao a handful, then picked up a seed and put it in his mouth. He spat out the seed shell with a "plop" sound and clicked his tongue, saying, "I've learned something new. By the way, would Prime Minister Li like some melon seeds? I've also had some tea prepared."

Li Shanchang's face immediately darkened.

The dog is driving Yang mad!

Here comes the old man of yin and yang again!