Daming: My grandfather is Emperor Hongwu!

Chapter 242
On the table next to them, several craftsmen were talking loudly, and Zhu Xiongying noticed that the old man's face was getting uglier.

This era is not a good era for infrastructure construction.If dredging rivers, reclaiming fields, building bridges and paving roads are such virtuous policies, they will be done despite some criticism.It is possible to build cities, imperial mausoleums, post roads, etc., but it is not what the people want.

Ordinary peasant laborers not only have to work hard but also provide their own food. Even such a project takes several years, which not only delays the farming work at home, but some people who are sick from overwork even die in other places.

"The old man doesn't build palaces, doesn't like fancy clothes and lives a simple life, and doesn't accept beauties and don't like to make great achievements. He is already a very outstanding emperor. But the construction of Fengyang Central Capital is still a bit of a question!"

Looking at the old man's face, Zhu Xiongying thought to himself.

But at the same time, I also have some understanding of why the old man insisted on building Fengyang Zhongdu, even if it cost countless money to build an empty city.

After all, this is the old man's hometown, where Daming made his fortune.

Wealth and honor do not return home like brocade clothes, and everyone has a deep-rooted nostalgia in their hearts.

At this time, I heard the craftsman on the table over there say, "The imperial court has money, so you can do whatever you want to repair it! Tsk tsk, a city brick from Jiangxi was transported by water quickly, and there are ancient trees from Guangxi. I heard that they are all hundreds of years old trees, and a tree is more expensive than gold!"

"If you have money, you can't spend it like this!" Another craftsman said, "Glutinous rice paste is used to build the city bricks, and white flour is added to the walls! Hey, it hurts to look at it!" He said in a low voice, "At least we are Although the craftsmen are not from private households, they always have money in their hands throughout the year. When those folks were first transferred, they stamped their feet and cursed at the rice milk and white noodles."

"Isn't this a prodigal? That's food! There are a few who scolded so badly that they were directly beaten to death by the officials!"

"It's not much better if you don't die. The land at home is desolate to work here. Don't talk about getting up early and being late, and you have to bring your own food. I don't know when I can go back, hey!"

When the emperor gave an order, hundreds of millions of people in the whole world had to revolve around him alone.

Coupled with the increase of officials at all levels, it is the most ordinary and lowest-level people who suffer in the end.

The old man stopped eating sesame seed cakes and mutton soup with a gloomy face.

The guards behind the two of them secretly peeped to the side with murderous eyes.

"How many, how many!" The clerk from the sesame seed stall came out, bent down and smiled, "It's delicious, but there is one!" He said in a low voice, "Don't talk about state affairs!"

"Hey, the few of us are talking casually, who can sue the officials!" A craftsman laughed.

"Master Hongwu even allows people to sue the officials, what's the matter with us gossiping?" Another man dissatisfied, "Oh, I dare not say it when I am working, and we are not allowed to say it when we come out? How can there be such a reason?"

The guy laughed and said, "It's not that I don't want you to talk about it, it's just that you guys."

"He's right. Lord Hongwu even allows the people to sue the officials, so how could he not let the people speak. In the Ming Dynasty, some officials were convicted for their words, but no common people were convicted for their words!"

Suddenly, the old man spoke slowly under Zhu Xiongying's surprised eyes.

Immediately afterwards, the old man said to the boy, "Give them a few, no one will add a bowl of mutton soup and a mutton's foot, and it will be counted on our account!" Then, pause, "If there is wine, I will also serve a few bowls, we Give money together!"

"Old man, this can't be done, we don't know each other before"

Seeing that the other party wanted to refuse, the old man smiled and said, "We have two people who are rich, you can just eat at ease!" As he said that, he moved a bench and leaned over to ask, "Are you all craftsmen who came to Fengyang?"

"We are stonemasons in Huai'an!" Among the craftsmen, the leader laughed, "A few years ago, we were the ones who carved the stone statues in the imperial mausoleum!"

"Well, good workmanship!" The old man smiled, "You work, the government will pay you?"

"We are craftsmen, the government must give us rations and money!" The man laughed again.

At this time, the Ming Dynasty was not long after the founding of the country. Although the artisan household system inherited from the former Yuan Dynasty had the meaning of imprisoning the people, although the status of artisans was not high, they were actually craftsmen.

"Aren't you willing to come even if you give money?" When the old man asked for something, the old man asked again.

Cannibals have a short mouth, and a few guys are willing to talk with the old man when they are favored.

The leader gnawed a sheep's hoof and said with a smile, "I am dissatisfied with you, old man. Although we were craftsmen when we were in our hometown, we had to listen to the allocation of the government. But we only work for the government for two months all year round. We take care of it ourselves!"

"Although masons are no better than carpenters and bricklayers, they are reliable and strong, and they can live well at home. Carving stones for the quarry, tombstones, archways, and repairing bridges are all needed by us!"

"But when I come here, I have to work for the government for a year in a year. I can't be idle for half a day. Although the officials give me some money, I can take care of a meal. But how much money is only a day? It's enough to buy two steamed buns. Moreover, we have all abandoned our homes and businesses, and the wives and children at home don’t know what to do with them!”

"Well, what you said is really delaying you a bit!" The old man nodded slightly, "I heard what you said just now, and it seems that you really don't like the imperial court's construction of the Central Capital!"

"Don't dare!" The man continued to laugh, "We people are just talking in private!"

"Look at you, you're not cool!" The old man laughed, "We're just listening to the excitement, and you yourself said that there was no rule in the Ming Dynasty not to let people talk, didn't you?"

At this time, the wine was served, and the men drank it in big gulps.

Alcohol is a good thing, don't look at these guys who are free to eat sesame seed cakes, lamb haggis and pork heads, but they have no money to drink.Besides, the sheep haggis, minced pork heads, etc. on the stalls are made by the poor, and the rich look down on them.

Seeing a few men drink up in a few sips, the old man said again, "Come again!"

The little guy served wine and meat to everyone with a smile on his face. It is not likely that there will be such a big customer throughout the year.

"Xiu Zhongdu!" A man drank and spoke with a bit of tongue, "It has nothing to do with the common people, but no matter how well it is cultivated, the common people will not be able to live in it!"

"Our hometown is in Huai'an. To put it bluntly, it's richer than this, right? It's close to the canal, with heavy water and land. What's so good about Fengyang? If it wasn't for Lord Hongwu's hometown, there wouldn't be a place that stands out!"

"How many people are there? What's the use of building such a big city? An empty city!"

"When the few of us were working the day before yesterday, I heard from a few talented scholars who were in charge of the accounts. Because this is the hometown of Hongwu Lord, it must be repaired! Otherwise, Hongwu Lord will lose face!"

"Those scholars also said that laboring the people wastes money! Lord Hongwu really cares about the people, but he can build the Central Capital. Isn't it because the people contribute food and labor?"

"We don't understand the words of the scholars, but we also think it makes sense!"

The old man sat and kept silent for a long time before he said, "We heard that the emperor didn't mean to finish it in one day, but said to take a few years to do it slowly!"

"Hahaha!" The men over there laughed out loud, "Old man, don't you know the virtues of being an official at your age? Master Hongwu said to cultivate slowly, so they must cultivate quickly. Ask for credit and reward for promotion and fortune. !"

"Actually, don't say that we foreigners don't want to come to work, even the local folk husbands, there is no one who doesn't scold us in private!"

"What are you scolding?" the old man asked.

"They're all from the emperor's hometown, so don't want to take advantage of it, but don't make trouble for them?"

The old man suddenly said angrily, "How can you add trouble?"

"Look!" the man said again, "When the project is tight, the locals can't get in? The government only wants civilians to work, but it doesn't matter where you are from! What's wrong with Hongwu's fellow villagers? Why don't you listen to the government? Common people!"

At this moment, a man hurriedly came not far away and shouted, "Are you guys out to hang out again? Hurry up, the stones are here, waiting for work!"

"Damn it, all the bones are sold to the government!" One of the craftsmen muttered dissatisfiedly, got up and said, "Man, help me to wrap up the leftovers!"

"Add a few catties of meat to them, it's all ours!" the old man said.

Afterwards, the few people walked away, while the old man sat in a daze, thoughtful.

"Grandfather!" Zhu Xiongying whispered, "What are you thinking?"

"Great grandson!" The old man sighed, "Tell me, is it true that Zhongdu should not be repaired! Listening to the complaints of these people, it seems quite big!"

Zhu Xiongying thought about it, thought about it seriously, and looked into the old man's eyes, "My grandson thinks that there really shouldn't be such a large amount of construction work!" Then he said, "You said it yourself, in the end it's the common people who contribute! "

(End of this chapter)