Prince of Song Dynasty

Chapter 175 It's the minister who didn't think carefully
Speaking of this, Zhao Guangyi glanced across the audience, finally landed on Zhao Pu, and said lightly: "What's more, in the important place of the capital, at the foot of the emperor, a large number of labors were collected, which made the people complain and caused a civil uprising. Unexpected?"

Zhao Kuangyin's face changed slightly when he heard the words, and when he looked at Zhao Pu, there was a trace of inexplicable meaning in his eyes.

Zhao Pu's face changed drastically at this time, and he quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty forgive me, it's because I didn't think carefully."

Saying this, Zhao Pu blamed himself in his heart, he underestimated the enemy in this matter.He didn't expect Zhao Guangyi to be so familiar with Kaifeng's population composition, but also to react so quickly. Not only did he fail to hit Zhao Guangyi with this impossible thing, but he was also bitten by him.

After a while, Zhao Kuangyin said: "You don't have to blame yourself, Mr. Xiang, this suggestion is also for the sake of the country. You know, if the Yellow River breaks its embankment and the people suffer, which one is more likely to cause civil uprising than labor? Naturally, it is obvious."

Zhao Puchang heaved a sigh of relief, straightened up and stood back, not daring to speak again for a while.

Next, no one spoke for a long time.After an unknown amount of time, Zhao Kuangyin asked again with anger in his tone, "Is there really no way to solve this matter?"

Zhao Kuangyin's eyes swept over the important officials one by one, and finally fell on Ye Chen.Can this young man who frequently creates miracles surprise himself again at this time.

Feeling Zhao Kuangyin's gaze, Ye Chen took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty! I have two proposals, which may solve the immediate crisis."

When everyone heard the words, their expressions brightened, Zhao Kuangyin's eyes lit up, and his face was full of joy. So far, Ye Chen's words and deeds have all been realized. The latest plan for raising food was decided by Ye Chen.

"Ye Qing, tell me!" Zhao Kuangyin said.

"Your Majesty! The methods mentioned in my two proposals all involve the word money. It will cost a lot of money." Ye Chen glanced at Chu Zhaopu, who was grimacing for a moment, and continued: "I once heard that the master It has been said that 'human potential is unlimited', and under the so-called heavy rewards, there must be brave men. If the court can spend some money, and then formulate corresponding encouragement and reward strategies, it will definitely make the soldiers and civilians who are currently building river embankments play their best. It doubles or even doubles the labor force and efficiency. This will allow the river embankment in Baima County to be completed as soon as possible, freeing up manpower to build river embankments in other places. This is a strategy."

"The second method I want to talk about is the same as what Zhao Xianggong said just now. It is to use the labor force of the strong men in Kaifeng City. But it is not the recruitment of labor, but the recruitment of labor with money. And this recruitment of labor is not simply a set day. How long does one person work and how much wages are paid. It is also necessary to coordinate with corresponding strategies in order to achieve the goal.”

After Ye Chen finished speaking, he glanced at the officials and found that only Cao Bin and Shen Yilun, the two privy envoys, looked thoughtful, while most of the others looked contemptuous. It was Zhao Kuangyin's eyes that flickered, obviously he was weighing in his heart, and seemed to have a little more confidence in Ye Chen.

"Misters! Do you think the method Ye Chen said is applicable?" Zhao Kuangyin asked.

"Your Majesty! I believe that the first method mentioned by Xiang Fu Bo, the method of using money to let the soldiers and civilians on the river bank go all out is not applicable. It is also a fallacy to say that 'human potential is infinite', you must know Manpower is sometimes poor, and we can only do our best and wait for the destiny. In my opinion, no matter how much money is spent, the effect will be limited, or even negligible. The second method is even more nonsense. The people of Kaifeng City The richness of the city is famous all over the world, just imagine who would abandon their current livelihood and go to the river embankment to repair the river embankment for a little money." Lu Yuqing, the political adviser, said.

"Zhao Qing! What do you think of this matter?" Zhao Kuangyin frowned slightly and asked Zhao Pu again.

Zhao Puke is different from Lu Yuqing not only has never dealt with Ye Chen, but also has not witnessed all kinds of miracles created by Ye Chen in Jinyang City.Ye Chen dared to stand here and propose these two methods to the emperor at this time, how could it be as unbearable and simple as Lu Yuqing said.But for a moment, he couldn't figure out where Ye Chen's confidence was. He glanced at the calm and calm Ye Chen and said, "Officials! I think whether the two proposals mentioned by Xiang Fu Bo are feasible depends on what Xiang Fu Bo said. The specific implementation strategy. Why don’t you listen to Xiangfu Boru’s strategy first.”

Zhao Kuangyin nodded slightly, Zhao Pu thought the same as him.

"In this case, Ye Qing! Please tell me about the strategy you said to cooperate with the implementation." Zhao Kuangyin said expectantly.

Ye Chen thought to himself that these people are important ministers who rule the world of the Song Dynasty. They don't even know the most scientific and effective way to improve labor efficiency. After all, they are still a bunch of turkeys!

Thinking of this, Ye Chen said: "Officials! The two proposals that I mentioned, the core strategy is just two words - 'contract labor'."

"Contractor?" Everyone looked puzzled.

"Contract work? What do you mean?" Zhao Kuangyin asked with a frown.

Ye Chen sighed in his heart, and said: "The so-called labor contract, in short, is a contract project. The military and civilians who have already built the embankment on the river embankment are divided into groups, and the first few groups that complete the task first are given different but generous rewards." In the city of Kaifeng, contracting labor refers to subcontracting the repaired embankments directly to merchants in sections. Officials! My lords, you may have underestimated the power of merchants, especially the power of some wealthy merchants. Of course, these The rich merchants are not short of money, but they lack status. Your Majesty only needs to take out some low-grade idle positions, and you don’t even need to pay money, so that the rich merchants in Kaifeng City can fight for each other and try their best to build the river embankment that they contracted. .”

"Uncle Xiangfu's method is undoubtedly for buying and selling officials. How can I, the official of the Song Dynasty, bestow it on such a low-level generation. How can we be officials in the same dynasty as these people who are greedy for profit and selfishness." One jumped out and said, even with a look of excitement and indignation, as if Ye Chen had dug their family's ancestral grave.

Ye Chen knew that the literati who ruled the country in the feudal society looked down on businessmen, and the status of businessmen was even included in the low class, but he didn't expect Lu Yuqing to react so strongly.No wonder they never thought of using the power of merchants.

Ye Chen glanced at the others, and found that including Zhao Kuangyin, all of them were frowning. Obviously, he probably understood the two contracting methods he mentioned, but for them, who heard this method for the first time, they didn't understand it. All of this is a bit disapproving.

However, no one paid attention to Lu Yuqing, Ye Chen even pretended not to hear, Lu Yuqing's majestic deputy prime minister, when did he receive such courteous treatment? Which is unbearable.Even if the emperor and the courtiers could tolerate serving as officials in the same dynasty as the merchants, would Ye Chen's method really work?

Lu Yuqing pointed the halberd with his right hand at Ye Chen, his mouth was trembling and he couldn't speak, and it took him a long time to squeeze out two words: "Zhuzi!"

"Your Majesty! The minister impeached Xiang Fu Bo Ye Chen to speak out in the court hall, grandstanding the public, despising His Majesty, and not punishing him is not enough to warn the world." Lu Yuqing bowed to the emperor and said through gritted teeth.

Zhao Kuangyin also didn't have much confidence in Ye Chen's method, but he had great confidence in Ye Chen himself.As for the few small officials who can't get on the stage, only have official status and no dispatch, he doesn't take it to heart. As long as they can solve the immediate problems, these are nothing.But Lu Yuqing's face cannot be completely ignored.He was thinking about how to speak, but unexpectedly Lu Yuqing said again: "If the plan that Uncle Xiangfu said can be successful, I would rather resign from the position of political affairs counselor."

Zhao Kuangyin frowned, feeling dissatisfied with Lu Yuqing in his heart, other important ministers looked down on Lu Yuqing immediately, but a few people including Zhao Pu and Zhao Guangyi thought of Lu Yuqing's background, especially what happened to Lu Yuqing in his early years, and felt dissatisfied. What he did at this time, why he gave birth to such a violent reaction, I feel suddenly and understand.

When Lv Yuqing was not a high official in the early years, the eldest son of the family did business without telling him. As a result, several profiteers set up a trap. Not only did they take all the remaining money in the family, but they even borrowed usury to accompany the house and land deeds in the family. .This matter has always been regarded by Lu Yuqing as a great shame and humiliation. Since then, he has hated the businessman and developed a prejudice, seeing that all businessmen in the world have been profiteers.

In fact, although Lu Yuqing is well-known for his stubbornness, rigidity, etiquette and compliance, he is also a good hand in handling political affairs, otherwise he would not have reached the prominent position of deputy prime minister.

Ye Chen didn't want to pay attention to this stubborn and corrupt deputy prime minister at first, but unexpectedly Lu Yuqing went on endlessly. He couldn't help feeling a little angry in his heart. He didn't want to offend this deputy prime minister before, but now he couldn't care less. Said in a deep voice: "Mr. Lu's words, could it be that he doesn't want to see the success of the method mentioned by the next official, so as to solve the flood in Kaifeng?"

Lu Yuqing's face turned pale. Ye Chen's words were a rhetorical question, but if it caused the emperor to misunderstand, it could be said to be a bit of a slap in the face.But before he questioned Ye Chen, Ye Chen said immediately: "How can a country's deputy prime minister resign because of a few words from a subordinate official? If Lu Xianggong doesn't believe what the subordinate official said, why not make a bet with the subordinate official? "

Lu Yuqing laughed back in anger, and said, "Okay! I don't know how Xiangfu Bo wants to gamble."

Ye Chen thought to himself that since you hate it so much, don't blame me. Just as he was about to speak, Zhao Kuangyin took a deep look at Ye Chen and said, "Ye Qing! If I entrust this matter to you, do you have any responsibility?" What confidence."

Ye Chen knew that the emperor wanted to be the peacemaker when he spoke at this time, because he didn't want the two to continue betting.Ye Chen frowned, glanced at Lu Yuqing, and said without hesitation: "Officials! In the remaining month or so, how much rain will there be in Guanzhong, Guanxi, and Hedong? I don't know, so if I say whether I have Confidence will prevent the embankment from breaking. I dare not say this. But I can guarantee that as long as I give you another [-] guan, two Cong Jiupin, one Zhengjiu, one Congba, and one Zhengba As an official, I can speed up the construction of the river embankment in Baima County a lot. In addition, at least [-] laborers can be recruited from Kaifeng City to build several other river embankments."

(End of this chapter)