I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 596: People's Livelihood First
The next day, Liu Bian learned about Fan Ling's arrangements for the elderly and the weak.

The old and weak were not the only ones Zhao Yi discovered, and not all the petty officials in charge of recruiting the people were kind-hearted. Fan Ling dealt with them according to the actual situation and the law.

The elderly and the weak were not driven away by Fan Ling, but were kept by him to cook for the working people.

Their wages would be reduced to 600 coins per month, but even so, it was already more than they earned elsewhere, not to mention that food was provided.

Therefore, Liu Bian did not intervene in the matter beyond his authority.

After all, Liu Bian did not bring his own administrative team, and it was not appropriate for him to stay here for too long. Therefore, after staying at the river for another day and talking with the people who participated in dredging the river, Liu Bian finally chose to return.

At this time, the news that Liu Bian had come here before spread among the working people.

"Captain, was the person who spoke to us just now really the emperor?"

"Are you stupid? Why is he called a pavilion chief? He should be called a pavilion chief now! Right?"

"You can call me anything you want. I'm still the same me as before!" Zhao Yi never stopped smiling when facing the villagers.

He explained: "At that time, the emperor was worried that you would not be able to speak freely after knowing his identity, so he kept it secret."

"In fact, I saw that the emperor spoke so nicely. If there weren't two scary-looking people beside him, I would have wanted to get closer to him!"

Hearing this, Zhao Yi smiled and said, "Fortunately you didn't come over. You don't know that when I saw you talking so loudly, I was afraid that you would say something vicious..."

"We have been talking to the emperor for such a long time. We must remember this for the rest of our lives!"

"Hmph, look at your lack of ability. I'll let my son remember this for me when I get back!"

"My grandson has learned a few words. I will ask him to write this down later."

"Your grandson only knows a few words..."

Seeing the villagers' discussion getting more and more heated, Zhao Yi suddenly saw someone waving at him not far away, so he stood up and shouted, "The mutton and pork rewarded by the emperor are all cooked. Bring your bowls and chopsticks and line up. No one is allowed to cut in line or grab food!"

"It's finally ready. I've been craving for this meat since I smelled it..."

"Stop talking and get in line."

"Why are you in such a hurry? I'm telling you, the meat on the top of the pot you eat first is not cooked well enough, so the meat on the bottom is fragrant and tasty!"

Zhao Yi listened to these voices and looked at the villagers who were genuinely happy. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart, these are the changes brought about by His Majesty!

Besides, he felt a little reluctant as he would leave these villagers and follow Fan Ling tomorrow.

But Zhao Yi immediately thought of the important task entrusted to him by the emperor. He had to work hard for more "fellow villagers". For a moment, his reluctance turned into fighting spirit.

"Captain, why don't you go eat?"

"it is good!"

……

Luoyang, in the court.

"I went to Kaifeng County a few days ago, and what I saw made me feel deeply moved."

"In the past few years, I and the ministers have implemented many new policies. As for today, the livelihood of the people is very different from that of more than ten years ago. However, this is not the time for us to be complacent. I still see many problems during this trip, and there are still people who have to worry about food and clothing every day..."

"General Sima Manboning has recorded what I have seen. Please read it. As for the gains and losses of government affairs over the years, please write to me and express your opinions freely!"

"When I read the Book of Rites in the past, I came across the phrase 'Great Harmony' and I longed for it. Today, I would like to encourage you all to do the same. In everything we do, we must put people's livelihood first!"

After he finished speaking, all the ministers bowed.

After the court meeting, Liu Biao, who had taken over the post of Minister of Agriculture from Yuan Pang who had retired due to old age, was about to leave when he suddenly heard a voice calling from behind. He turned around and immediately saluted, saying, "It's Lord Sikong!"

"I wonder why Lord Sikong wants to call me?"

The Grand Minister of Agriculture was originally under the command of the Minister of Works. Although Liu Biao was a general of the same rank as Lu Kang before entering the capital, the difference in age and experience between the two was quite obvious. In terms of reputation, Lu Kang had already become famous for his direct admonitions to the emperor when Liu Biao was emerging.

Therefore, Liu Biao was still very convinced of this boss.

He is still young and has plenty of opportunities to compete for the positions of Three Dukes.

Lu Kang bowed in return and said, "Let's talk as we go. I have something to do today to find Jing Sheng."

"It is almost the end of the year now. All the counties and states have made their plans, but I still need Jingsheng to give me a definite answer on the state of the treasury and how much revenue we can expect to earn next year and whether it can support the court's expenses."

Liu Biao said immediately: "Don't worry, although the court has increased its expenditure this year and next year, as long as there is no major disaster next year, I estimate that it will be enough for use, and there may even be a surplus!"

Liu Biao knew why Lu Kang asked this. Since he took office as the Minister of Agriculture, he always paid whatever the emperor said regarding national treasury expenditures, unlike his predecessor Yuan Pang who would bargain with the emperor every now and then and try to get his money from the Emperor's West Garden.

Therefore, it is no wonder that Lu Kang felt doubtful.

Liu Biao stopped and explained, "The reason why Yuan Gong, the Minister of Agriculture, acted so stingy was because the treasury was empty, but the money and grain needed were very high, so the income was not enough to cover the expenditure. Now, the annual income of the country is enough to cover the expenditure."

Seeing that Liu Biao spoke so formally, Lu Kang put aside the last bit of worry in his heart.

After walking a few more steps with Liu Biao, he spoke again: "Your Majesty has allowed us to write to you and speak freely about the gains and losses of the government. What do you think, Jingsheng?"

Liu Biao was stunned when he heard this and hesitated for a moment about how to respond.

Fortunately, this sentence was just Lu Kang's introduction. Lu Kang continued, "Jingsheng has been in Jingzhou for a long time. I think Jingzhou and Yangzhou have similarities. When I was in Yangzhou, I had to recruit more people to quell the rebellion. And the people were required to serve the government and do labor service. Many of them were overpaid. The roads were full of brothers, leaving and returning, and there was no end."

"Now we are building a canal again. Although we have hired them with compensation, they will still have to do corvée labor until next year..."

"There are also matters concerning the Shuofang, Beidi, and Xiyu. If we do something else next year, I am afraid that the treasury will have enough money and grain, but the people will not be able to bear the pressure."

Upon hearing this, Liu Biao was unable to refute Lu Kang's words because for various reasons, the actual corvée labor that the people had to endure was longer than the stipulated time. This was inevitable in the face of emergencies such as rebellion.

He hesitated for a moment and said, "Not only are the people tired, but the food assistants are also tired."

"What do you mean, sir?"

Liu Biao was a smart man, and he had already understood Lu Kang's idea. Lu Kang said, "Your Majesty cares about the people's livelihood. We came from the prefectures and counties. How can we keep silent?"

"Next year, or even longer, there shouldn't be anything like the canal."

Liu Biao was silent.

After a long time, Liu Biao finally said, "It is our duty to speak for justice!"

He decided to make his advice more obscure.

……

"What a wonderful saying, 'Spring, Autumn, Winter and Summer, with almost no rest'." Liu Bian was reading Lu Kang's memorial.

At this time, the eunuch accompanying Liu Bian had become Guo Zhi. As for Guo Sheng, he was getting older, and gradually Guo Zhi took his place on duty in the Yuntai Palace.

After all, Guo Zhi seldom stayed by Liu Bian's side to help him handle government affairs. When faced with Liu Bian's sudden words, he had no idea whether Liu Bian was happy or angry.

But after all, he had been with Liu Bian for a long time and knew that he didn't need to speak at this time.

"Send the order to the Shangshutai, and give the Minister of Works a hundred gold coins to honor his report."

Guo Zhi immediately accepted the order and felt relieved. Fortunately, no one said anything. At first, he thought the emperor was angry!

Liu Bian had no idea what the eunuchs around him were thinking. Through Lu Kang's memorial, he realized that he had inevitably made the mistake of being too ambitious. He knew clearly that after measuring the land, he should give the people a rest, but faced with opportunities presented to him from all sides, he still could not resist.

However, it is not too late to realize it now, as long as he does not make any other big moves in the next few years.

Although Liu Bian thought that as long as the current plan continued to be implemented, there would be no need for any major actions.

Liu Bian found that this practice of calling on ministers to submit memorials was very effective. He even considered making it a custom, thereby giving some officials the opportunity to say things they normally dared not say.

"People's livelihood is the most important!" Liu Bian emphasized this sentence to himself again in his heart.

He must not just talk the talk and not do the work.

Then he continued to read the memorials from his ministers.

It was just that Lu Kang was one of the first to submit a memorial. He probably started writing it after the court session and submitted it as soon as he finished. There was no other memorial that could compare to Lu Kang's. Most of them were eager to praise Liu Bian. After reading a few of them, Liu Bian got tired of it.

He was waiting for the next more valuable memorial.

……

"People's livelihood is the most important! Do I need to say more about this?" Liu Yu was very angry.

During the second heavy snowfall in Youzhou, some houses built for immigrants collapsed, and there were even casualties. In the cold winter in Youzhou, how could he not be angry when the houses used to keep out the cold were so shoddy?
"Who built those collapsed houses? It's all recorded in the official register. Arrest the person according to the record!" Liu Yu ordered.

As Lu Kang, Liu Biao and others successively came to Beijing to serve as officials, Liu Yu also knew that the day of his arrival in Beijing was not far away. The current resettlement of immigrants was probably the last major thing he would do in Youzhou. In his last term in Youzhou, how could he allow this matter to change!
For this reason, Liu Yu not only immediately sent people to arrest the person, but also went to Shanggu County where the accident occurred in person, regardless of the fact that the road was not completely clear after the snow.

"Look at what you've done, dog slave!"

In Shanggu County, Dian Wei was grabbing the collar of a man who was obviously dressed as a minor official and dragging him across the ground to a makeshift thatched pavilion, where there were five coffins that were obviously made temporarily and not very thick.

"Remember, these people died because of you!" Dian Wei shouted angrily.

"It's inevitable that some houses can't hold up due to the heavy snow this year."

"Inevitable? Then why didn't the houses in other places in the neighboring villages collapse, but only the houses built under your supervision had problems?" Dian Wei was even more angry when he saw that this person was still shirking responsibility. "You supervised the construction of more than a hundred houses, but after this heavy snow, ten of them have collapsed. I personally checked the houses that have not collapsed, and many of them have problems of varying sizes... and you still say it has nothing to do with you?"

At this point, Dian Wei picked up the instigator and threw him to the ground, pointing to two of the coffins and saying, "You must not know that there were three people in this family, including a daughter. Their house was the first to collapse, and it was still daytime. But they only had time to protect their daughter under their bodies."

After saying that, Dian Wei picked him up again...

The people watching around all showed satisfaction in their eyes.

Since they found out that the house would collapse, they didn't dare to sleep in it. Fortunately, it was daytime, otherwise the casualties would be even greater at night.

Guan Ning was also present. There were no problems in the dormitory where he lived, but he watched this scene and did not stop Dian Wei's actions, even though Dian Wei's attacks became more and more ruthless.

……

On the other hand, before Liu Yu left Guangyang County, where the provincial capital was located, he received a piece of news while in his carriage - a criminal petty official was beaten to death in front of the deceased's coffin by a general named Dian Wei.

After a little investigation, Liu Yu realized that this petty official had neglected the quality of the houses in order to build more houses, and might even have used inferior wood to enrich himself.

The death of the petty official was not a pity, the key point was that Dian Wei carried out private punishment, which, if taken seriously, was a violation of the law of the country.

"General, I have heard of Dian Wei. He used to be a guard in front of your majesty. This time he came to Youzhou, and he was drawn from the army to suppress the rebellion." Qi Zhou, who was riding with Liu Yu, suggested after introducing him, "In my opinion, although Dian Wei's move was rash, it also greatly appeased the people and prevented the immigrants from feeling resentful."

Liu Yu thought for a while and said, "I will write a letter to ask for merit for Dian Wei."

After a while, he added: "Even if Dian Wei had never been a Yulin Lang, I would not punish him. I will make an emergency decision."

Qi Zhou believed what Liu Yu said, but as a subordinate, he had to explain Liu Yu's background clearly.

After saying this, Liu Yu said to Qi Zhou: "Next year, when these immigrants from Qingxu and other places officially settle down in Youzhou, it will be the time for me to return to Luoyang."

"If you are willing, I will write a letter to recommend you. With your talents, you are more than qualified to be recruited into the court or to be the magistrate of a county."

Qi Zhou was very moved after hearing this and decisively rejected Liu Yu's proposal: "I was originally a commoner, but you valued me and took me as your servant for more than ten years. If you don't abandon me, I am willing to follow you forever."

"I have been in Youzhou for more than ten years. It is my great fortune to have your help!"

For a moment, the two of them felt sentimental in the carriage.

After expressing his feelings, Liu Yu arrived at Shanggu County and rarely displayed his ruthless methods.

Liu Yu loved to practice benevolent governance, but that doesn’t mean he only knew how to practice benevolent governance.

Before leaving, he must leave behind a Youzhou with a stable government and harmonious people!
(End of this chapter)