Number of romantic figures

Chapter 1154 Geng Scroll Court Affairs, Temples (3)

"Qi Xiang, the official road from Lulong via Funing to Yuguan is not short?" Sun Juxiang first questioned.

He is from Qinshui, Shanxi, and he knows the businessmen in his hometown very well. He needs to ask them to pay for a road. If it is in his hometown, it may be okay, but it can't be too long, and a few miles is about the same. .

How long is it from Lulong via Funing to Yuguan?At least 140 miles, and this is a foreign country, how could these businessmen be so generous?

The businessmen can't afford it without profit. What kind of new mortar should be used to build this road? I'm afraid it's much more expensive than ordinary dirt roads, and it's probably more difficult than killing these businessmen.

"Ziying's letter has the final say, it's about 150 miles away, because it's going to pass through Funing County, so it's a little more than ten miles away, according to the width of the official road, those who can use the official road can use the official road, and those who can't As far as new repairs are concerned, it is said that the labor, materials, and compensation for land occupation will cost about 40 taels of silver."

Qi Yongtai seemed very calm. Feng Ziying had written to him before saying that this time Feng Ziying would have an interview when he came back. He didn't quite believe it before, but after Feng Ziying introduced the details in detail, although he knew there were still many practical difficulties, But when I think of the benefits, my heart beats, and I can't help but look forward to it being done.

Cui Jingrong also said suspiciously: "30 taels of silver?! The merchants all paid?! Could it be that they want the imperial court to subsidize it, or that Yongping Mansion is rich enough to be willing to pay for it? They owe a lot of taxes to the imperial court over the years. !"

"No, it's all done by the merchants. Steles and stones should be erected to explain the achievements of the merchants, and the imperial government should also give a commendation and honor..." Qi Yongtai smiled.

When Feng Ziying mentioned this, Qi Yongtai felt it was funny.

If the merchants can pay 40 taels of silver for such a reputation, the imperial court is willing to issue rewards every day. Compared with 40 taels of silver, what is this?Moreover, it is also a good thing of enlightenment, which is worthy of praise in itself.

But Sun Juxiang was doing another calculation: "Qi Xiang, 150 taels of silver is more than enough for an ordinary 30-mile official road. Since Yongping Mansion calculated 40 taels, 10 taels more, I'm afraid it was the cost of the mortar. Is it? I’m afraid this is also a trick of the merchants, right?”

"Yes, this is also the intention of the merchants. They want to use the cement mortar they are selling now as a demonstration, so that officials and businessmen from all over the world can see and see what the effect is, and it will be easy to sell in the future. According to Ziying In other words, this kind of cement mortar can be used for building cities, repairing houses and paving floors, and it is widely used, and businessmen are also aiming at long-term benefits, otherwise how could they be so generous?"

Qi Yongtai waved his hand, "But I think this is a good thing. Whether it is road construction or this new use of mortar and cement, it is really so easy to use. Wouldn't it save a lot of wood and stone? It is also convenient for transportation."

Only then did Sun Juxiang nodded in satisfaction: "If this is the case, of course it is a good thing, but road construction requires a lot of labor and takes a long time,..."

"That's exactly what I want to say. The 150-mile journey will take a lot of manpower. Ziying told me that since there are many refugees in Gyeonggi, it is better to guide some refugees to Yongping, where he can arrange for merchants to come from here." By transporting grain from Jiangnan or Guangdong and Guangxi to Yuguan, these refugees can basically solve the problem of food and clothing for a year." Qi Yongtai said in a deep voice: "Ziying initially estimated that 3 to 8 people will be needed to build roads, which means that Solve the livelihood of [-] families and [-] to [-] people."

Cui Jingrong immediately began to calculate.

At present, the price of wheat in Beijing is about one tael per shi, while the price of inferior flour is about one tael or four per shi, the price of high-grade flour is about one tael or eight per shi, the price of round-grained rice is about one tael or five per shi, and the price of corn is Slightly lower, about nine cents and five per stone.

Naturally, these refugees mainly eat second-class wheat flour and corn. However, based on the calculation of the average monthly food for a strong labor force, there are three women and children in their family who need to bear the burden. Calculated by jin, that is to say, the grain needed by a family in one month is about 0.8 jin, that is, about 0.8 jin of corn and wheat flour, which is about 12 shi and costs [-] taels of silver, which is close to [-] taels a year. , plus the necessary salt, oil, medicine and a small amount of meat, as well as the required simple clothes, etc., it is estimated that the consumption of a family will be about [-] taels.

Cui Jingrong quickly calculated the approximate cost in his mind. If calculated according to the one-year construction period, the labor cost alone would be 24 taels. It is estimated that 40 taels should be a relatively fair figure, and it may be slightly exceeded in the end.

"My lord, if we build a new official road like this, 40 taels of silver is probably enough, but if we use some of the old official roads, it's about the same. Whether it can be completed in a year is a matter of course." Cui Jingrong said.

"Can you complete 150 miles of roads in one year?" Sun Juxiang expressed doubts: "It is enough to repair it in two years, but if it takes 40 taels of silver and 2 people to repair it in two years, it will definitely far exceed the budget."

"This is the business of the merchants." Qi Yongtai spread his hands calmly, "I think since they dare to show such an attitude to Ziying, I'm afraid they can't give up halfway or be anticlimactic?"

This is true. If businessmen dare to fool and deceive local officials in such matters similar to "achievement projects", then they will definitely have no good fruit in the future. This point is that they have to swallow teeth and blood. , especially a thriving star official like Feng Ziying.

Cui Jingrong also breathed a sigh of relief, "If Ziying can help Shuntian Mansion solve the pressure of [-] to [-] refugees, Shuntian Mansion and the court can breathe a little bit more, and the key is that the merchants pay the money, not the court."

"If the imperial court gave out money, it wouldn't be so meaningful. The government can do it with work." Qi Yongtai said with a smile.

"That's not necessarily the case. If the imperial government uses work as a substitute, then I don't know how many officials will be involved in it and profit from it. But when the merchants come to do it, hehe, it's not easy to steal food from the merchants. "Sun Juxiang shook his head.

Several people laughed.

"In addition, Ziying also said that maybe Shanxi merchants are planning to continue to expand the iron factories, charcoal fields and mines in Lulong and Qian'an. Luanzhou also has this consideration, and it is estimated that they can absorb 5000 people. After that, it is estimated that a total of 10 people can be diverted from this group of refugees to Yongping Mansion, which can be regarded as a relief for Shuntian Mansion."

Qi Yongtai highly appreciated Feng Ziying's initiative to ask Ying to solve problems for the court and Shuntian Mansion. Usually, he rarely praised himself as a proud student. I talked about Feng Ziying.

"Ziying also mentioned to me that if there is any disaster in the north, refugees will gather, and the local government's ability to provide relief and governance is not satisfactory, so it is very easy for forces such as the White Lotus Sect to take advantage of the opportunity to make trouble, so this Things need to be planned as early as possible. Once such a situation occurs, whether it is relief, relief with work, or relocation, there must be a whole set of response plans to avoid panic when things come to an end. Besides the local government, The Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Punishment must all bear the brunt and work together to..."

Both Cui Jingrong and Sun Juxiang agreed deeply.

The embankment of a thousand miles collapsed in the ant's nest, and it is necessary to plan ahead. These are irrefutable truths. Governing a big country is like cooking a small fish, and it requires careful planning and careful operation.

Cui Jingrong and Sun Juxiang are capable ministers, and they are also aware of the current plight of the imperial court, especially the situation in the southwest is deteriorating, while Yang He, Sun Chengzong and Wang Ziteng are like nine dragons controlling the water there, and they can't see the effect , making the princes in the court even more worried.

"Qixiang, even if 10 people are diverted, there are still many crises in the capital." Cui Jingrong reminded: "If you follow what Bo Fu said, at least several people have flowed into the capital city in the past two months alone." Wanliumin, how many people here have been bewitched by the White Lotus Sect? And are there any in the capital city? If these people are allowed to breed in it, what will happen?"

Sun Juxiang immediately answered: "Why not? Although it has been eradicated several times, the root problem has not been eradicated. Both the Ministry of Punishment and the Shuntian Mansion are well aware of it, but how can the government investigate all of the millions of people in the capital city? Turn a blind eye and close your eyes, it can be said that we do not know how many problems we have not yet discovered are hidden underwater."

Qi Yongtai's heart trembled slightly. Sun Juxiang's reminder is very likely. The capital city has a population of one million, among which good and evil are mixed. The country is in chaos, if they continue to hide in these black, white and gray, it is really difficult to investigate, especially if some officials are also dragged into the water, it will be even more dangerous.

Now Wu Daonan, governor of Shuntian Mansion, is a member of Jiangyou Chongren, a close friend of Fang Congzhe, and a person whom Ye Xianggao trusts more. He is over sixty years old. A lot of affairs are taken in a muddled way, which makes the prestige of Shuntian Prefecture Yamen decrease day by day, snakes and rats are overgrown in the capital city, and the public security situation is deteriorating.

Qi Yongtai has always felt that Shuntian Fu Yin should be a capable minister with both means and determination to stabilize this central place, and even put aside his personal morality for the time being.

For example, Jia Yucun served as the magistrate (Ying Tianfu Yin) in Jinling. Although the accusations and impeachments continued, he was able to sort out the entire Yingtian Mansion (Jinling) very smoothly, so he once considered recommending Jia Yucun to come to the capital to succeed Wu Daonan.

Jia Yucun is from Huzhou, and Fang Congzhe's ancestral home is also Huzhou. In Qi Yongtai's view, the two are township party members, and they should be accepted by Fang Congzhe. Because of his connections, he was able to serve as Yin Tianfu (prefect of Jinling), so although Fang Congzhe and Fang Congzhe belonged to the township party, their relationship was not close.

　Prices refer to "Da Ming Hui Dian", "Wanli Accounting Records", "Instructions to Factory Warehouses of the Ministry of Industry", and "Miscellaneous Notes of Wan Shu".

　
(End of this chapter)