I was kicked out of the house, and I was reborn and became the emperor

And this seemingly timid and dull little carpenter will definitely play an important role in rebuilding Jiuyuan Prefecture and will shine in the future!

Having made up his mind, Fang Yi wanted to make friends with the carpenter. He took off the jade pendant he was wearing and gave it to him. He smiled and asked, "Carpenter, I forgot to ask, what is your name?"

"My name is Lu Zhongyi." The young carpenter bowed and replied.

"Zhongyi, Master Lu, your grandson's name is quite literary." Fang Yi said with a smile.

"My Lord, you are joking. My Lu family has been carpenters for four generations. I had hoped that this kid would study hard, pass the imperial examination, and bring honor to the Lu family. But I didn't expect this silly boy to fall asleep as soon as he read, and he only likes to tinker with these wooden things."

Lu Quanxin glared at the carpenter and sighed helplessly.

"Studying is not the only way to bring honor to our family. In troubled times, what use are those scholars who recite poems and talk all day long? In Yanzhou, a land of constant war, what we need are people who are down-to-earth and capable of doing practical things!"

Fang Yi said seriously.

Upon hearing this, Lu Quanxin nodded slightly, with a barely perceptible glimmer of approval in his eyes.

Fang Yi then spoke: "However, studying poetry and books is indeed very beneficial. If you want to become a great man, you need to have thousands of poems and books in your belly. If Master Lu is willing to let the little carpenter immerse himself in the sea of ​​learning, I am willing to do it myself and ask the master to teach me."

"Alas, in this land of Jiuyuan, it is as difficult as ascending to heaven to find a teacher. Anyone with a little talent would have already fled here and found another opportunity to make a living."

"Don't worry, in a short time, scholars will gather in Jiuyuan. In the future, I swear to build the best university in Yanzhou, so that all children and teenagers who are eager for knowledge can enter the school, and children from poor families can also cherish their dreams and soar into the sky!"

Fang Yi spoke passionately, and the glorious scene seemed to be reflected in his eyes.

Unfortunately, Fang Yi's bold words did not receive the expected applause, but Lu Quanxin snorted in his heart, because he had seen too many people who only talked about war on paper. The old village chief, the former magistrate of Anping County, was accustomed to such boasting during his ups and downs in the officialdom, but he also made a few perfunctory remarks.

The two elders knew very well that the current situation in Jiuyuan County was so bleak that they were lucky to have only a simple school building. However, the respect in Xiaorou and the carpenter's eyes clearly showed that they trusted Fang Yi's grand vision.

Fang Yi understood the different expressions of the four people and vowed in his heart: "Just wait and see. If I can't turn this barren Jiuyuan into a paradise on earth, wouldn't it be a waste of the knowledge and skills accumulated in my previous life? At that time, you will all be dumbfounded!"

As night fell quietly, Fang Yi said goodbye to the Lu family's grandparents and the old village chief, and returned to Jiuyuan County with Xiaorou.

At dusk, Fang Yi arrived at the county government office and saw the two sisters Lu Qingxue and Lu Baixue busy distributing money and grain. On the other side, the government officials were distributing porridge to the people as an emergency measure.

Fang Yi quickly stepped forward to inquire and learned that more than 5,000 people had been rescued within one day, and it was expected that continued efforts would be made tomorrow so that all the people in the county would be able to receive assistance.

"Qingxue, Baixue, you have worked hard today. The distribution will be stopped now. Tell the people to come back tomorrow." Fang Yi reminded.

Hearing this, the queue gradually dispersed. Fang Yi approached the two sisters and asked with concern: "How much money do we have left?"

"There are still 2.58 million taels left." The two women replied.

"Such a surplus is reasonable. After all, most of the people in Jiuyuan have been displaced, and the remaining 10,000 people have limited needs."

"Your Majesty is absolutely right, but according to the accounts, if the gentry and clans do not return, they should be able to retain at least 700,000 taels in the end," Lu Qingxue added.

"I almost forgot about this and need to remind you two! Villagers returning home must sign a contract to ensure they settle down in Jiuyuan before they will be given money and food! Especially those clans and big families!" Fang Yi gave a stern order and the two girls nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry, I will assign all the yamen runners to assist, and will send more manpower after the guard is established. We must overwhelm those clans and wealthy businessmen in momentum!" Fang Yi said firmly, determined not to let anyone profit from it.

Turning to look at where Zhang Wenyuan was, there was also a crowd of people.

"Commander Zhang, what you are doing...ah, I understand."

Fang Yi's eyes swept across the sturdy young men surrounding Zhang Wenyuan, and he had a general understanding of the situation in front of him.

"I am planning to take advantage of this opportunity to distribute relief grain and porridge to select a group of loyal soldiers for the Marquis." Zhang Wenyuan explained patiently, his words revealing a hint of a clever arrangement.

"Well, this way, we can save the trouble of posting notices everywhere and visiting every household. What are the results? How many people were selected? Judging from their physique, they all seem to be quite strong." Fang Yi asked with interest, with anticipation glittering in his eyes.

"Up to now, fifty-three brave warriors have been strictly selected, and it is expected that the number will reach one hundred tomorrow. By then, a personal guard that will follow the Marquis's orders will be successfully established. I also ask the Marquis to grant the guard a name." Zhang Wenyuan spoke sincerely, revealing his infinite longing for the future guard.

"Great! In this way, I will have my own personal guard!" Fang Yi could not hide his excitement.

"There is just one thing that I have not been able to consult with Your Majesty, and I have made the decision on my own. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me." Zhang Wenyuan looked a little apologetic, clasped his hands lightly, and had a sincere attitude.

"What's the matter?"

"I promise to give them each twelve taels of silver per year as salary."

"Only a hundred people, only 1,200 taels a year. Commander Zhang can make the final decision on such trivial matters." Fang Yi responded generously, and then leaned close to Zhang Wenyuan's ear and whispered, "Do they think it's too little?"

"For them who are hungry and poorly clothed, the Marquis's shelter is a great blessing. Whether they receive a salary or not, it is icing on the cake. When they heard that they receive twelve taels of silver every year, many people even shed tears of gratitude." Zhang Wenyuan was deeply moved, and his words revealed his deep sympathy for the people's suffering.

"Alas, Jiuyuan is not as prosperous as Kyoto after all, and the people live in hardship. It is really lamentable. Commander Zhang has worked hard on this matter, so go back home and rest early. I have also been tired for a day, and it is time for me to..."

Before Fang Yi finished speaking, Zhang Wenyuan's expression froze and he said firmly, "My Lord, I still need to teach you the Pure Yang Sword Technique tonight."

"But I've been working hard all day." Fang Yi smiled bitterly, looking embarrassed.

"My Lord, you are young and vigorous, and you are also cultivating the power of a hegemon. You should have more energy. It won't hurt to sleep less for a few nights. Remember, I need to return to the capital in twenty days." Zhang Wenyuan spoke earnestly, and every word was of great significance.

Fang Yi knew very well that normally they were the monarch and his subject, but now they had become teacher and student, so he had no choice but to agree to Zhang Wenyuan's request.

By the time the sword practice was finished, dawn had already broken and the hour of Mao had quietly arrived.

Fang Yi dragged his tired feet back to his mansion, woke up the servants to boil water, and enjoyed a comfortable hot bath in a wooden barrel.

After taking a shower, Fang Yi saw the morning light outside the window. He decided not to sleep any longer and continued to inspect the next place as planned.

This time, Fang Yi still brought Xiao Rou with him, because she was the only one in the mansion who was the most relaxed and comfortable.

Early that morning, the two arrived at Pingqiu Village in the north of Jiuyuan County.

In the past Jiuyuan Prefecture era, Pingqiu Village was still known as Ping'an County and was one of the four counties under the prefecture. But now it has become one of the six villages under the jurisdiction of Jiuyuan County. The scene is bleak, in sharp contrast to the prosperous and peaceful Anping Village, and the atmosphere of desolation permeates the village.