I'm really not doing business

Chapter 574: Wang Cifu's Foundation

Zhang Juzheng once told Zhu Yijun that the greatest means for the lowly Confucian scholars to deal with the emperor, apart from throwing him into the water, is to make the emperor become desperate in constant disappointment, just like the Taoist priest who worked hard in the first twenty years and lived in seclusion in the last twenty-five years. The way Zhu Yijun prevented himself from despair was to not have any expectations of the lowly Confucian scholars.

Take fewer detours and fast forward to despair, so that you won’t be disappointed.

Wang Chonggu was very clear about the emperor's mentality. He knew very well that His Majesty did not care at all about the abuse from scholars in the future. His merits and demerits could only be judged by history and left to time to evaluate. It was for this reason that Wang Chonggu had been cautious for so many years.

It can only be said that the cruel current situation of the Ming Dynasty gave birth to such a ruthless political creature as Your Majesty.

Is it right for an emperor to use a strong army to threaten his own people? But the Ming emperor did just that, and he did it every day for years.

Wang Chonggu was really afraid of the criticism of weapons and the emperor's sharp knife.

"I know what Wang Ci Fu said, but my opinion on this matter is the same as yours. We should not be too hasty and wait until the highway is repaired." Zhu Yijun knew that Wang Chonggu disliked him for being too conservative, but he still told Wang Chonggu his decision. Just like the previous banknote system, no matter how the Ministry of Revenue begged, Zhu Yijun was unwilling to implement it.

In the matter of bullying lowly Confucian scholars, Zhu Yijun showed radicalism, but in matters concerning people's livelihood, Zhu Yijun showed conservatism; contradictions were everywhere, and Zhu Yijun was a radical and conservative, a contradictory unity.

"Your Majesty, Shaanxi Governor Shi Maohua is going back to Beijing." Minister of Rites Wan Shihe said with reluctance: "Your Majesty, the chief physician of the Jiekuyuan said that Governor Shi is in poor health and is already in his twilight years."

As confusing as a candle swaying in the wind, which could go out at any time, the Ministry of Rites has already begun preparing a posthumous title for Shi Maohua.

Shi Maohua fought against the Japanese pirates, defeated the northern barbarians, and stabilized the border areas of Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia.

In the first year of Jiajing, Shi Maohua was born in Zezhou, Shanxi. He entered school in the sixth year of Jiajing. His private school teacher said that this child would become a great man in the future, because Shi Maohua had a photographic memory and could write articles and poems with ease. Moreover, he came from a family of poetry, books, rituals and music. His grandfather was a Jinshi in the Ming Dynasty, and his father was a Juren in the Ming Dynasty.

Shi Maohua followed his grandfather to Shaoxing at the age of ten. He became famous at a young age. At the age of fifteen, he was named the top poet in Shaoxing.

In the 22nd year of the Jiajing reign, Shi Maohua passed the imperial examination in Shandong and became a juren. In the following year, in the Jiachen year, he passed the imperial examination and became a jinshi. He was promoted to the prefect of Yangzhou.

At that time, Yan Song's staunch supporter, Minister of Works Zhao Wenhua, was in charge of the southeastern region in charge of preparing for the Japanese invasion. Grand Marshal Zhang Jing and Zhejiang Governor Li Tianchong had just won a great victory, and the people were excited. However, Zhao Wenhua impeached Zhang Jing and Li Tianchong for "nurturing the enemy and missing the opportunity", which eventually led to the deaths of the two.

Zhao Wenhua demanded a bribe from Shi Maohua, the prefect of Yangzhou, but Shi Maohua refused. So Zhao Wenhua dispatched soldiers from Yangzhou to fight outside the prefecture, which was actually sending Shi Maohua to his death. Shi Maohua refused and retorted: "The duty of a governor is to stay in the city and not allowed to leave the country. If something happens, I will follow your lead. How can I escape death?"

Not only did Shi Maohua refuse to bribe Zhao Wenhua, he also submitted a memorial to the court, impeaching Yan Song, Yan Shifan, and Zhao Wenhua for their abuses in the southeast. "The generals and officials vied for gifts and were afraid of falling behind others. How could they resist the Japanese invaders and stabilize the country with such abuses?" Eventually, Zhao Wenhua was impeached and removed by the audacious Shi Maohua, and Hu Zongxian took over Zhao Wenhua's position, and the fight against the Japanese invaders was put on the right track.

The reason why Shi Maohua was able to defeat Zhao Wenhua was not because of his integrity, but because of his military achievements.

At that time, Japanese pirates invaded Yangzhou. Shi Maohua led the troops inside and outside Yangzhou, beheaded 400 Japanese heads, captured three Japanese chieftains and 17 Japanese pirates, and escorted them to Beijing. After Shi Maohua's military achievements and these criminals were brought to Beijing, Shi Maohua was promoted one rank.

While Shi Maohua was winning battles, Zhao Wenhua was losing battles, but Zhao Wenhua reported defeats as victories. The battle reports showed that he had won victory after victory and annihilated 100 million enemies. It seemed that he was invincible on the battlefield, but he kept retreating on the front line. Finally, the truth could not be hidden, and Zhao Wenhua was deposed by the court by Yan Song on the grounds of "arrogance and greed."

Shi Maohua's promotion to this level may seem like a small amount, but behind it was the transfer of Zhao Wenhua and the rise of Hu Zongxian. This was also Yan Song admitting his mistake, because Yan Song quickly sent people to impeach Zhao Wenhua, and found out that Zhao Wenhua had embezzled tens of thousands of silver coins. He also confiscated Zhao Wenhua's property, and all of Zhao Wenhua's descendants were exiled to Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia.

Zhao Wenhua’s main problem was losing the battle.

Shi Maohua had fought against the Japanese pirates and the Northern Tartars. The first time the Ming Emperor heard of Shi Maohua was when he was involved in the suppression of the Shila, Canduo, Bashe, Halobu and other tribes, which were all Northern Tartar tribes entrenched in the Hetao area.

Since the first year of the Wanli reign, Shi Maohua served as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and Governor of the three border areas of Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia for eleven years. He was one of the pillars of the Ming Dynasty court in the northwest.

If the imperial court had not been worried about the local governments sharing power in order to pass the exams and set a maximum term of nine years, Shi Maohua would not have returned to Beijing.

Zhu Yijun met Shi Maohua once.

In the fourth year of Wanli, Shi Maohua returned to Beijing to report on his work and met the emperor at Huangji Gate. Shi Maohua said to the emperor: Don't repeat the trick. If the three borders suffer from successive years of drought, I am afraid that the Ming Dynasty will be in danger of overthrow. This is because Shaanxi has little food and many soldiers. Successive years of drought will inevitably lead to civil unrest. In the event of drought or war, the people are innocent. They can stop the killing and wait for orders, so they can still be considered good citizens.

Shi Maohua and Tan Lun were both advocates of restoring the system, and their fates were the same, they died in office.

"Is there no other way?" Zhu Yijun said with a complicated expression.

Zhang Juzheng took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, birth, aging, illness and death are human nature."

Deep love does not bring longevity. Your Majesty may seem heartless, but in fact he is very affectionate and righteous. Your Majesty the Emperor always cares about those who have made great contributions to the country.

"I understand." Zhu Yijun exhaled and nodded. He was very young and would experience such things many times. Shi Maohua had already begun to lead troops in battles under Qiu Luan. The injuries he suffered throughout his military career were the death warrant that took away his life.

"The new candidate for the Governor of Shaanxi is recommended by all departments." Zhu Yijun had to confirm the candidate for the Governor of Shaanxi. It was a matter of great importance as it involved the reopening of the Western Regions. Shi Maohua did not wait until the court reopened the Western Regions. He dreamed of planting poplar trees in the Western Regions. Unfortunately, this ambition could only be realized by future generations.

Zhang Juzheng recommended Pan Jixun as the Governor-General of Suiyuan and concurrently the Governor-General of Gansu, Shaanxi and other three border areas. Suiyuan had not yet been completely under the rule of the king, and when Shi Maohua left Shaanxi, Pan Jixun took over the administration.

Wang Chonggu recommended Wang Jiaping, who was a direct descendant of the Jin Party. Now there was a vacancy in Shaanxi. If nothing had happened to Fan Yingqi, this position would have belonged to Fan Yingqi. The Jin Party still had great influence in the northwest, and the centipede was still alive even after its death.

Wan Shihe recommended Marquis Yu Zhao, who was loyal to the emperor and patriotic. Marquis Yu Zhao was the governor of Liaodong and it would be very suitable for him to be transferred to the position of governor-general. He could replace Li Chengliang with a civil servant, such as Zhou Liangyin.

Ever since Zhou Liangyin followed Hou Yuzhao to cultivate wasteland, his path has become increasingly narrow. His former companions and colleagues were somewhat dissatisfied with his change of flag. Zhou Liangyin used to be a lowly scholar, but now he is an honest official, so he is qualified to go to Liaodong.

The reason why Wan Shihe recommended Hou Yuzhao was simple: Hou Yuzhao was a member of the emperor's party.

Only Zhejiang Party leader Wang Daokun recommended Shen Yikuan as a runner-up. Shen Yikuan had just taken office as the chancellor of Shuntian Prefecture and had a lot of work on his hands, so it was not convenient to transfer him at this time.

The court officials fought for the position of Governor-General of Shaanxi. Even the ceremonial officer had become accustomed to the noisy Wenhua Hall. In the end, Zhang Juzheng and Wang Chonggu were arguing with red faces. Wan Shihe was unmoved and no one else could do it except Hou Yuzhao. Wang Daokun remained silent, trying to figure out the matter of the propeller of the Feiyun.

The court’s factional struggles have nothing to do with the Ministry of Works. The Ministry of Works just needs to do its job well.

"You are really flattering your Jin Party. Is Governor Shi a member of the Jin Party? He left Shanxi at the age of ten, became famous in Shaoxing, passed the imperial examination in Shandong, and was on the list of Shandong students with a high honors. What does he have to do with you Jin Party!" Zhang Juzheng angrily accused Wang Chonggu of being shameless for classifying Shi Maohua as a member of the Jin Party just because he was born in Zezhou, Shanxi.

Wang Guoguang was a Jinshi who passed the imperial examination from Shanxi. Why didn't Wang Guoguang and the Jin Party stay together until the end?
Wang Chonggu immediately retorted: "What you said is wrong. In the beginning, he also worshipped Yang Bo as his master. How can he not be our Jin Party? We in the Jin Party also have people who can do things. We did not get to where we are today by fighting for fame and fortune in the court! Now that Governor Shi is leaving, I am recommending him like this, and I am also recommending the virtuous regardless of personal relationship!"

"Wang Jiaping is also a member of the Jin Party. It will be easier for him to do things in Shaanxi! Gansu is newly established, so we should be cautious."

What Wang Chonggu said was true in practice. Many officials on the ground in Shaanxi were from the Jin Party. When Wang Jiaping arrived in Shaanxi, it was like returning home. Shi Maohua's policies could be continued. Gansu was newly established and it really needed the main force from the hinterland.

"Pan Jixun is not suitable. Suiyuan alone has made Pan Jixun so busy that he is dizzy. Yuanfu is good at taking power into his hands. What's the use of taking power? Pan Jixun is too busy to handle it. You should also be more considerate of the people who do the work." Wang Chonggu accurately found Pan Jixun's pain point: he was too busy.

There were really a lot of things to do in Suiyuan. Just changing the customs and habits took Pan Jixun a long time to plan. He also built roads, opened mines, and constructed cities and camps. Each of these things was a big deal.

"Why not let him serve for a long time? The limit is nine years, and after the expiration, he will be transferred. This is to prevent the phenomenon you mentioned from happening! Without the Jin Party, will the affairs in Shaanxi be ignored? In a few years, both Shaanxi and Shanxi will be named Wang!" Zhang Juzheng said with a sneer.

Wang Chonggu was easily angered. When Zhang Juzheng poked his lungs, his face immediately turned red. After all, he was the only one among the court officials who had been a traitor. He immediately stood up and shouted loudly: "Prime Minister! You can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want! The past is the past, and the present is now!"

Zhang Juzheng smiled but said nothing. When they were arguing, he would bring up what happened in the past, and he always succeeded. After Wang Chonggu sat down, he muttered words like the northern barbarians were rampant, the country was in a precarious situation, and people were suspicious. In the end, he did not continue the argument.

But the reality is that Pan Jixun is too busy. Suiyuan alone is enough to keep Pan Jixun busy, not to mention Shaanxi and Gansu. Pan Jixun is not the donkey of Master Bayi and cannot be ordered around like that.

Wan Shihe said with a smile: "Two ministers, how about taking a look at Hou Yuzhao? Hou Yuzhao is good. You see, he has the resume and ability, and he has no major connections with any family or sect. He is upright and honest. Isn't it just right for him to be in Shaanxi?"

"Liaodong cannot do without him for the time being, and we have to wait and see about Zhou Liangyin." Zhang Juzheng frowned. He had no objection to Hou Yuzhao, but he sincerely distrusted Zhou Liangyin, who came from a humble Confucian family.

Zhou Liangyin is performing very well now, but it is still better to wait and see.

"Or let's choose Shen Yikuan." Wan Shihe did not insist. He did not have much confidence in Zhou Liangyin. Let's wait and see. The court officials have been watching Wang Yi'e for ten whole years.

It wouldn’t be too late for Zhou Liangyin to observe for a few more years.

"That's fine." Wang Chonggu didn't object, as long as it didn't fall into Zhang's party's hands.

"Then let's ask Shen Yikuan. What do the Grand Marshal think?" Zhu Yijun asked Wang Daokun for his opinion after seeing the result of the argument.

"Your Majesty, the propeller of Feiyun will be able to be tested at sea again around August. I believe it will work this time." Grand Marshal Wang Daokun immediately answered his majesty's question loudly.

Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Daokun with a complicated expression. The Grand Marshal of the Ministry of Works was really worried about the propeller. The main reason was that the Ministry of Works was in a dilemma. It could either go down and completely deny this plan and use sails as the only power source, or go up and completely overcome the difficulties.

Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Daokun and said, "Grand Marshal, is there a possibility that the court is now debating not the Feiyun, but the candidate for the governor of Shaanxi, and they are arguing over it, so they decided to let Shen Yikuan go."

"Ah? Shen Yiguan? He is not suitable." Wang Daokun was stunned for a moment and said, "Shen Yiguan has to take care of the affairs of the capital. He has to build roads, demolish city gates and expand them, bury septic tanks, bury water pipes, and build hot water shops. If he leaves, who will do these things?"

"The capital is the best place in the world."

"Wasn't Shen Yikuan recommended by the Grand Marshal?" Wan Shihe looked at Wang Daokun and asked with a smile.

The runner-up becoming the final candidate was a situation that Wang Daokun had never expected. Wang Daokun thought that such an important position was doomed to be out of reach for the Zhejiang Party. The Zhejiang Party was a small organization, so how could it possibly compete with the Chu Party and the Jin Party?
Zhang Juzheng didn't want to take power, so he recommended Pan Jixun instead of Wang Xiyuan. Wang Xiyuan had made great contributions in supervising the copper industry in Yunnan. If Zhang Juzheng really wanted to take power, he should have recommended Wang Xiyuan. He only needed to ensure that the Governor-General of Shaanxi would no longer fall into the hands of the Jin Party.

Zhang Juzheng did not recognize Shi Maohua's identity as a member of the Jin Party. Shi Maohua did not participate in the Jin Party's dirty business at all. He was the master and Yang Bo was a loyal emperor and patriot.

Wang Chonggu did want to seize power and keep the position in the hands of the Jin Party, but Zhang Juzheng did not agree. Wang Chonggu had to settle for the second best option, which was not to let the position fall into the hands of the Chu Party. So he became the most suitable candidate.

Wang Daokun was obviously not prepared for this, and the person he recommended was not suitable at all.

"Give Zhou Liangyin a chance?" Wang Daokun was actually not enthusiastic about the affairs of the Northwest. As far as Wang Daokun was concerned, he felt that the focus of the Ming Dynasty should be placed on the open sea. The Northwest was all desert, and nothing could be achieved by making any efforts.

"No." Zhu Yijun said very clearly: "Give him a few more years of experience. If he can keep up the good work, I will give him a chance."

Zhou Liangyin was a lowly Confucian scholar. Even though he had reformed himself in recent years, Zhu Yijun was still extremely cautious about him. Wang Yi'e had been observed for ten years, and Zhou Liangyin still had two years left. He had been reclaiming wasteland on the border for ten years. As long as the deadline was reached and he had passed a careful examination and was found to have no problems, Zhu Yijun would use him.

"Then let's choose Shen Yikuan. Then who will be the chancellor of Shuntian Prefecture?" After thinking it over, Wang Daokun found that only Shen Yikuan was suitable.

If nothing happened to Fan Yingqi, Zhang Juzheng would not stop him from going there. Wang Jiaping was in Guangdong and Guangxi, and he was still handling the affairs of Annan flexibly. In the short term, Wang Jiaping could not escape.

Zhu Yijun immediately said: "Gao Qiyu, I think he is very suitable."

He was very optimistic about Gao Qiyu because this guy was indeed very capable and a very typical law-abiding official.

"No." Zhang Juzheng said immediately: "Your Majesty has granted him the position of Junior Secretary of the Honglu Temple, and I don't think he is suitable."

"Sir, the provincial examination question that Gao Qiyu asked was also ambiguous. Even when Ge Shouli impeached him, he tried to avoid suspicion, rather than saying that he was presumptuous. Gao Qiyu also proved that he was loyal to the emperor and the country. Whether it was Suzhou taking back Ma Yilong's reclaimed land or going on a diplomatic mission to the West, he paid for it with his life." Zhu Yijun said with a complicated expression: "I said at the beginning that if he took Suzhou's land as official land, I would forgive him."

Avoiding suspicion is not usurpation of power. Its crime is far less than the crime of usurpation. Gao Qiyu also redeemed his sins. As a direct disciple of Zhang Juzheng, Gao Qiyu's ability is extremely outstanding.

"Sir, I remember Liu Hanru and don't want Gao Qiyu to repeat the same mistake." Zhu Yijun mentioned a name, Liu Hanru, the culprit of the Sanduao private market.

Liu Hanru was a typical law-abiding official, and whenever he got into trouble, it was always extremely serious. Chen Jingbang, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, protected Liu Hanru, but found that he was unable to protect him. He never expected that Liu Hanru could poke a hole in the sky.

Liu Hanru was so capable that the scale of his private market exceeded Chen Jingbang's imagination.

Liu Hanru is dead, but his lesson remains. These talented people cannot be promoted, and they feel resentful in their hearts. Any trouble they make will be a big one.

"Your Majesty, Gao Qiyu cannot be reused." Zhang Juzheng said stubbornly: "If you use him, others will think that Gao Qiyu is good enough, so can I."

Zhu Yijun was helpless. This knot really could not be untied. Gao Qiyu could only wish for good luck. Wang Yi'e was able to stay in the position of Shuntian Prefecture Prime Minister for ten years, and Gao Qiyu would probably have to stay in this position of Honglu Temple Shaoqing forever.

In the end, it was decided that Wang Xiyuan would return to Beijing to serve as the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture.

Wang Xiyuan will also have to return to Beijing to report on his work in the near future, mainly about the use of troops against Toungoo. As a person in Yunnan, Wang Xiyuan is required to go to the capital to explain the situation. He will be able to enter Beijing soon, so it will not delay anything.

Zhu Yijun felt that Gao Qiyu was more suitable. Gao Qiyu had been in the capital for a long time and was more familiar with the situation there. Wang Xiyuan had just returned to the capital and needed some time to get familiar with the situation. It would take at least half a year before he could sort out the miscellaneous affairs.

The court meeting was still going on. State affairs were extremely complicated. Zhu Yijun was already able to handle these mundane affairs skillfully, and everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.

"Wang Ci Fu, there is one thing I don't understand. How does Wang Ci Fu manage to keep so many responsibilities, especially those projects, in order?" Zhu Yijun asked the question he had always wanted to ask.

All the major projects that Wang Chonggu is responsible for are completed on schedule or even ahead of schedule, and the quality of the projects is also guaranteed.

How did Wang Chonggu accomplish so many projects?
A person's energy is, after all, limited.

"Your Majesty, why are you asking this? Actually, it's nothing. It's very simple." Wang Chonggu said with a smile, "I am not the kind of person who can't tolerate any sand in my eyes. As long as the work can be completed, I will not make it too difficult. I guess this is the reason why we can complete it on time, with guaranteed quality and quantity."

"I know that Wang Ci Fu once said that the only two things that matter in a large construction project are the quality of the project and the distribution of funds to lower levels," Zhu Yijun said with great approval.

Wang Chonggu had mentioned these two things before. Hai Rui's anti-corruption measures at Dingjian Engineering were basically formulated according to Wang Chonggu's experience. It was not allowed to subcontract at each level or transfer debts. This eliminated the existence of systemic corruption from a system perspective.

But Wang Chonggu allowed "reasonable loss".

"What I mean is, how did Wang Ci Fu manage so many major construction projects?" Zhu Yijun explained his question in detail.

Wang Chonggu finally understood what His Majesty was asking, and explained with a smile: "Ah, this is simple. I don't take care of everything. My main focus is actually on the two government-owned factories, Xishan Coal Bureau and Woolen Factory. As for Dingjian Engineering, of course I also pay attention to it, but I just look at the accounts."

"Is Wang Ci Fu practicing Tai Chi with me? I asked one, two, three questions, and Wang Ci Fu answered dog, cat, and mouse, which is irrelevant to the question." Zhu Yijun frowned.

"Your Majesty is asking about the foundation of my career. I will write a secret memorial to the court. Some methods will not work once they are spoken out." Wang Chonggu saw that he could not fool him, so he had to choose to speak frankly.

Your Majesty's question may seem simple, but to answer it in detail would be like digging out his heart, liver, spleen and stomach for the court officials to see. Wang Chonggu doesn't mind Your Majesty knowing it, but he doesn't want others to know it.

"In that case, don't write any more memorials. The Deputy Assistant will stay and make a separate memorial later." Zhu Yijun immediately waved his hand and said, "The court is dismissed."

Wang Chonggu saw that everyone had left, and looking at Zhang Juzheng who was still in Wenhua Hall, he asked in an incredulous tone, "The Prime Minister is not leaving?"

"Well, let's listen." Zhang Juzheng said with great confidence. He did not try to hide or make excuses. He just wanted to hear how Wang Chonggu did it.

Wang Chonggu swung his sleeves vigorously and said angrily: "How can you be so shameless? How can you be so shameless! Where is the elegance of a scholar? Do not look at or listen to anything indecent!"

"It is precisely because I am a scholar that I can stand here with such confidence." Zhang Juzheng said confidently: "Wang Ci Fu knows best what we scholars are like."

"I can't tell anyone else." Wang Chonggu was extremely helpless. He couldn't fight him, and he couldn't drive him away. Zhang Juzheng had already admitted that he was shameless. What could Wang Chonggu do? He could only obey him.

Zhang Juzheng nodded and said, "Of course."

Zhang Juzheng didn't say it, but he would write it down. Of course, Zhang Juzheng also had the flexibility that a scholar should have.

"Then please tell us in detail, Wang Ci Fu." Zhu Yijun said curiously.

"Your Majesty knows this, so I won't go into details." Wang Chonggu pondered for a moment before saying, "The most difficult part of Dingjian's construction is supervision, but it's also the easiest."

Zhang Juzheng frowned and said, "Simple? Supervising the construction of Dingjian is simple? Wang Ci Fu, deceiving the emperor is a serious crime."

"Your Majesty, I just want to ask the peddler to judge whether this project needs supervision." Wang Chonggu said with a smile: "Whether this Dingjian project is good, whether it can be completed on time, and whether the quality and quantity can be guaranteed, just look at the peddler selling food in front of the construction site."

"Huh?" Zhang Juzheng's eyes suddenly widened, and he looked at Wang Chonggu in surprise. He looked at him carefully and marveled at him.

"Tell me in detail." Zhu Yijun leaned forward, his face full of curiosity.

Young Master Wang Qian associated himself with famous scholars of the upright stream and employed gossipy women; Wang Chonggu supervised the construction of the Dingjian project and consulted peddlers and vendors.

This father and son duo is really interesting.

Wang Chonggu held his hands and talked eloquently: "First of all, the number of peddlers. If there are few peddlers in front of Dingjian Dagong, it must be that there is a big problem with the project. The craftsmen of Dingjian Dagong naturally have their families send them food, but it is rare because it is too far away."

"If there are many craftsmen but not enough peddlers, that is a problem and needs intervention, because there is only one reason why peddlers don't come: they don't make money. There is only one reason why they don't make money: the craftsmen have no money and can't fill their stomachs."

"If the number of craftsmen and peddlers is about the same, or even if the peddlers are more than the craftsmen, then there is no need to bother with monitoring."

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and asked, "Using the supply and demand of food on the construction site as a criterion to determine whether supervision intervention is needed?"

"That's true." Wang Chonggu bowed his head and said, Your Majesty's summary is very accurate. He thought for a moment and said, "In fact, it's not such a cold description in words."

"It's the fireworks of the world."

Wang Chonggu did not like His Majesty's political and economic descriptions that were devoid of any human touch. The peddlers' provision of food represented the daily life of the world and the warmth and coldness of human nature. They were not cold concepts or models, but real people.

Wang Chonggu further explained: "If there is anything going on at the construction site, just ask the peddlers. They always tell you a lot of interesting things."

"I heard from the peddler that there was a gambling house on a construction site, and I cracked down on it regularly. It is not worth it to throw the money you earn hard into the gambling house."

Zhu Yijun said with a smile on his face: "That's right, it's normal for the Minister of Justice to arrest gamblers."

The gambling house here is not just a place for workers to play cards, but a den where one can lose a year's savings in one night!

Wang Chonggu asked people to ask the peddlers before going to the construction site, not only to see if supervision was needed, but also to see the various types of people on the construction site through the stories heard by the peddlers.

In fact, in recent years, what Wang Chonggu did most was not supervision, but investigating gambling houses.

"The more I investigate gambling houses, the less likely the people in charge will act recklessly." Wang Chonggu talked about the specific methods.

He Wang Chonggu is keeping an eye on them all the time, using the crackdown on gamblers as a reminder to the people in charge!
(End of this chapter)