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

Chapter 170 Old Deng is actually willing to spend so much?

The carriage came to a steady stop in front of the county government office.

Chang Mao was the first to dismount and greet Magistrate Yang, who had been waiting outside the county government office. Chang Sheng ran to the carriage, cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, Magistrate Yang is waiting to receive you."

Someone inside the carriage gave a soft "hmm," and Magistrate Yang, who had come to the front of the carriage with Chang Mao, hurriedly bowed and said, "Your subject, Yang Shaofeng, Magistrate of Ningyang County, pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress, His Highness the Crown Prince, His Highness the Second Prince and the Third Prince, and His Highness Princess Jin and Princess Yu."

As Magistrate Yang finished speaking, Jin'er lifted the carriage curtain and helped Empress Ma down from the carriage. Then Zhu Biao, Zhu Lao Er, Zhu Lao San, and Yu'er also got off the carriage one after another.

Empress Ma looked Yang up and down carefully, then suddenly turned her head, patted Jin'er's hand, and said with a smile, "This Magistrate Yang is quite a handsome man."

Seeing Jin'er blush and lower her head, Empress Ma smiled gently and said to Magistrate Yang, "Please lead the way, Magistrate Yang. We won't bother with any formalities between ruler and subject today."

Yang Shaofeng quickly cupped his hands and bowed, then gestured with his hand, saying, "Your Majesty, please."

Upon arriving at the main hall in the backyard of the county government office, Empress Ma took the seat of honor, followed by Zhu Biao. Jin'er and Yu'er flanked Empress Ma on either side, while Zhu Lao Er and Zhu Lao San sat at the very end. Only the Chang brothers and Magistrate Yang were without seats.

Empress Ma glanced at Yang Shaofeng again and said with a smile, "His Majesty often praises you, Magistrate Yang, as a smart man in the palace, so let's be frank—you should know why Jin'er and Yu'er came to Ningyang County last time, right?"

Yang Shaofeng was immediately dumbfounded.

At first, after receiving a messenger from the Ministry of Rites informing him that Empress Ma was coming to Ningyang County, Yang Shaofeng assumed that Empress Ma was simply curious about the situation in Ningyang County and was coming to inspect it.

But to everyone's surprise, Empress Ma immediately said that she wanted to speak frankly and openly.

After a moment's consideration, Yang Shaofeng honestly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, I am aware of this."

Empress Ma smiled and nodded, pointing to a chair below Zhu Biao, and said, "Now that you know, we are family. Let's put aside all the messy formalities of the emperor and his subjects for now. Please sit down and let's have a chat as a family."

Yang Shaofeng was somewhat bewildered by Empress Ma's behavior, but after a moment's consideration, he bowed and agreed.

After Yang Shaofeng sat down, Empress Ma asked directly, "Tell me first, why is the road from Ningyang County to Yanzhou Prefecture so wide and smooth, while the roads in the county town are full of potholes? Yet the ground is spotless. Do the people of Ningyang County not throw away any trash or garbage?"

Yang Shaofeng was even more bewildered.

Perhaps thinking that he couldn't figure out Empress Ma's scheme anyway, Yang Shaofeng simply bowed and replied honestly, "Your Majesty, the reason I only repaired the road from Ningyang County to Yanzhou Prefecture is because I wanted to demolish and rebuild the entire old city of Ningyang County, so the roads in the city were not repaired."

"As for the ground, it is because I instructed the heads of the various communities and neighborhoods to inform the people that they are not allowed to throw things on the road or spit indiscriminately, otherwise they will be fined. The people do not want to be fined, so they can only obediently throw their garbage and debris into the places I have designated for them."

Ningyang County did indeed have problems with dirt and disorder. People not only threw garbage and debris on the streets at will, but some even poured chamber pots on the streets. Especially in the summer, the streets of the city would faintly smell of urine.

Then, in a very bad mood, Magistrate Yang ordered Liu Thirty-Two and other village chiefs to spread the word that anyone who littered or dumped chamber pots on the street would be fined fifty coins the first time, and one hundred coins the second time, plus twenty lashes.

The method was a bit crude, but it worked very well.

The previously dirty and chaotic conditions in Ningyang County were immediately alleviated.

Then, Magistrate Yang selected a group of older prisoners from among the relatives of Liu Hongchang and Master Geng, who were no longer able to repair roads or quarry stones, and arranged for them to transport garbage and night soil outside the city every day.

As for Magistrate Yang's statement that the entire old city of Ningyang County should be demolished and rebuilt, it is because the original city wall of Ningyang County was made of earth and was not even covered with a layer of bricks. Now it is already dilapidated and there is even a risk of the city wall peeling off and collapsing.

Empress Ma responded with an "Oh," and then asked, "Rebuild Ningyang County? Does the county government have that much money?"

Yang Shaofeng steeled his heart and replied, "Your Majesty, when Ningyang County suffered from drought, His Majesty not only allocated relief grain, but also specially exempted Ningyang County from taxes for three years. Now the county government of Ningyang County does have some money."

"However, Ningyang County itself has a brick kiln and a cement workshop. Even if we use blue bricks and cement to expand the city wall, it won't cost much. Please, Your Majesty, make the decision."

For some reason, Magistrate Yang always felt that the pressure from Empress Ma was much greater than the pressure from the "Ma Baoguo" Master Ma he had met before.

Perhaps it's the son-in-law's guilty conscience when facing his mother-in-law?

Speaking of which, Zhu Chongba is still the better one. He has the innate body of a cow or horse, so it's no problem to trick him into being a cow or horse.

Just as Magistrate Yang was pondering in his mind, trying to distract himself from the pressure brought by his mother-in-law by making fun of Lao Deng, Empress Ma suddenly smiled and said, "Alright, we've asked all the questions we were most curious about. Now let's talk about our own family matters."

As Empress Ma finished speaking, Zhu Biao, who was sitting next to Magistrate Yang, visibly breathed a sigh of relief, while Zhu Lao Er and Zhu Lao San, who were sitting opposite him, relaxed even more.

Well, it's another family with strict upbringing. It seems that those TV dramas and novels weren't just making things up. The mother-in-law is the real number one in the Ming Dynasty, while Zhu Chongba, that old man, is at most number two or three.

Just as Magistrate Yang was inwardly complaining, Empress Ma smiled and said, "Jin'er and Yu'er have been raised by my side since they were little. Although they are not my biological daughters, they are like my own. His Majesty has even bestowed upon them the titles of Princess Jin and Princess Yu."

"Now that you've been introduced to Jin'er and Yu'er, we need to ask you: if His Majesty and I were to betroth Jin'er and Yu'er to you, would you be able to treat them well?"

Yang Shaofeng blinked, looking completely bewildered, and asked, "Them? Me?"

Good heavens! Zhu Chongba, that old bastard, is actually willing to spend so much money?