I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 592: River Patrol
Zhao Yi felt that with his own efforts and the results of several years of management, plus the advantage that he had once met the emperor, it would be just a matter of time before he became the minor official who employed the largest number of people this time.

But three days later, when Zhao Yi took his results to the county to report to the county magistrate, he found something wrong.

He had spent a lot of effort in publicity to hire more than two hundred men, so why were there several petty officials with more than three hundred, and one with nearly four hundred?

Am I so different from him?
Zhao Yi didn't understand, but he could only accept it. He thought that maybe these petty officials used their connections to attract the people from others to themselves.

After all, Kaifeng County is not Luoyang, so some minor problems in interpersonal relationships are inevitable.

However, Zhao Yi felt that since he was from the emperor's personal army, he was not willing to do these things.

Almost as soon as the quota was determined, they were ordered to take the people they had counted to the nearby river to remove the silt. In previous years, the government had organized cleanups from time to time, and many people had served the corresponding corvée labor, so they were familiar with the work.

However, Zhao Yi found something wrong again.

He discovered that among the few people who had hired three or four hundred civilians, there was a general lack of water in the team, with a larger number of the elderly, the weak and the young.

Zhao Yi was very clear about the court's employment rules. The amount of work was determined based on the number of people, and in order to avoid disputes, everyone's wages were the same. At the same time, because most of the people who came to work together were acquaintances, or even people from the same clan, if they encountered someone who was cunning and treacherous, they would be despised by their neighbors and clansmen.

Therefore, although this method of hiring is simple and crude, and cannot prevent some people from cheating, it can still play a fair role to a certain extent.

But it’s different when it comes to a team of three or four hundred people.

The youngsters were not strong enough yet, and even the older ones lacked endurance. As for the elderly, it was even more difficult, as they were already old and weak. And digging a river full of silt and sand in the winter was an absolutely strenuous job.

In these teams, men in their prime were required to shoulder heavier responsibilities.

Zhao Yi didn't know whether these teams had separate wages distributed behind the scenes, but based on his keen observation, he probably didn't, because he had noticed more than once that the young and strong in these teams were getting angry and scolding the old and weak.

He realized that if he continued like this, there would be problems.

After that, Zhao Yi observed carefully for two more days and confirmed his opinion. At this time, he felt that he could not let it go any longer.

"As long as they can clean up the river section they need to clean up on time, and the officials do not deduct the wages that the hired people deserve, the rest will be handled by them! Don't meddle in their business! I tell you, a noble person will come to inspect in the next two days, and there must be no mistakes, and the progress must be guaranteed."

"If we send all these old and weak people back as you said... what will you do for them? When the construction period is up and the river is not dredged completely, will you take on the responsibility? I don't think you can handle it!"

After Zhao Yi found the minor official in charge of their area, he only received such a scolding. He could only retreat angrily and helplessly.

He had already seen what this man was thinking. He was eager to complete the dredging of this section of the river as soon as possible and then seek credit from his superiors. Why would he care about the elderly and the weak?
The next day, Zhao Yi noticed that an old man not far away had fallen down, perhaps due to fatigue, and did not get up for a long time.

He immediately went to the clerk again and asked, "May I ask you, if the people hired to dredge the river died of exhaustion, then even if you dredge the river ahead of time, will you have any credit?" The clerk was stunned when he heard this. What Zhao Yi said really hit the nail on the head. No one could die in the section of the river he was managing, otherwise it would be very likely that he would be busy for nothing.

"Well, I will go and tell them first not to assign too heavy tasks to the elderly and the weak. We will talk about it after the noble inspects..."

How could Zhao Yi not hear that this was a temporary solution, but under the premise of fixed wages and heavy work, this was not a place for the elderly and weak to come. Unless the court hired the elderly and weak with less wages and arranged less work, Zhao Yi, who had been a pavilion chief for several years, knew that this method would easily breed corruption.

He was about to continue explaining, but the clerk just warned him not to meddle in other people's business and then left.

Zhao Yi was relieved to see that he was heading in the direction of the teams with the elderly and weak. But he didn't understand that the fault of this incident was not on the clerk. Even if the clerk himself was unwilling to take responsibility, he only needed to report the matter, and he could also ask his superiors to pay more attention to avoid similar situations from happening again.

It was not until later that day that Zhao Yi keenly noticed the impatience in the clerk's look when he looked at him, and he suddenly realized the reason - pointing out the mistakes of his superiors would also offend people.

After realizing this, Zhao Yi suddenly felt helpless and tired.

He still remembered the various truths passed down by the saints that Cui Yan and Cui Jigui, who taught him to read and write in Xiyuan Army, said: "The words of a gentleman are as good as a horse; the words of a gentleman, how can they be straightforward and not be reserved?" and "Be quick in action and cautious in speech."

He felt that he had achieved both. Not only did he speak frankly, but he also did not point out the problem in public and embarrass the petty official. However, he still achieved such a result.

The teachings Zhao Yi received made him feel that it was wrong to be like a petty official, but he also realized that in reality this seemed to be right.

That night, Zhao Yi couldn't fall asleep for a long time, thinking about the scene in the daytime where the old man fell on the river bank and was helped up after a long time.

The next day, Zhao Yi woke up and decided to shut his mouth.

During breakfast that day, a minor official suddenly came to tell them that a distinguished person would be coming that day, and asked them to be careful with their words and actions and to manage the people under their command well.

Although Zhao Yi was somewhat curious about who the nobleman was, he felt that they were just some high-ranking officials, probably the same as minor officials, so his curiosity was not that strong.

At noon, Zhao Yi noticed that the noble man mentioned by the clerk had arrived at this section of the river.

The nobleman had a distinguished background, and Zhao Yi even found his fellow soldiers in the Xiyuan Army among the nobleman's guards.

Zhao Yi discovered something wrong again. His comrade must be at least a general in Xiyuan now, and the person who could be protected by him... Zhao Yi immediately looked in the direction where the noble person came from, and saw a man riding on a horse, walking slowly towards him. The warm winter sun shone on the man's body, as if he was covered with a golden cloak.

He vaguely felt that the man was familiar, as if he had seen him before.

Long-lost memories emerged, Zhao Yi remembered that he was in the queue at that time, and the emperor seemed so close to him.

(End of this chapter)