Recruiting food is a trivial and detailed work, and there is no need to rush. Even if Fang Yingwu is extremely capable, he can only do it step by step. Fortunately, the progress has been good.
Before the Xuande Dynasty, grain captains were required to transport money and grain from the south of the Yangtze River to the capital. When the capital was in Nanjing, the distance was not too far. After the capital moved to the north, the labor of transporting grain became so hard that it could bankrupt the family.
Emperor Xuande was considerate of the people's sentiments and changed the rules. Shuicicang was set up along the Yangzhou and Huai'an canals. People in the south of the Yangtze River only needed to transport tax grains to Shuicicang before the end of the year, and then the Cao Army would be responsible for transporting them to the capital in the next spring.
Therefore, for Fangyingwu, the task is considered to be over at the end of the year, and the amount of grain transported to the Jiangbei Shuici warehouse is the performance.
As for next spring, that is a matter for the Governor of Water Transport, and does not fall within the scope of his work as an imperial envoy in charge of grain supervision.
In November, Shang Liangchen, the academic official, visited Suzhou Prefecture and held several examinations. Fang responded to the recommendation and recommended all the "young" people to the school with a malicious intention.
He gave Tang Bohu and Wen Zhengming two scholar titles, while Zhu Zhishan's luck would have to wait until the provincial examination the year after next. I wonder what will happen to these talented people who are popular in unofficial history now that they have his help, they were originally destined to fail in the examination room.
Such changes.
Then came December, the 20th year of Chenghua was coming to an end, and the autumn harvest grain collection also entered the final stage.
According to rough statistics, excluding losses, the actual amount of grain collected by Suzhou Prefecture this year is approximately 2.4 million shi, the highest in the past 50 years, and that in the Jiangnan region can reach approximately 4.5 million shi.
In other words, Imperial Envoy Fang Yingwu, who was in charge of grain control, did not rack his brains and put in all his efforts in vain, and he was probably able to complete the task satisfactorily. At this point, Imperial Envoy Fang Da gradually relaxed and focused more on other things.
For example, where to celebrate the New Year is a problem. Returning to Zhejiang or going to Nanjing to find cheap money for my grandfather are good choices. But the official position cannot be independent. You cannot go wherever you want without the permission of the court. If you go in private, you will be impeached.
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So Fang Yingwu thought about it again and again, and gave up the idea of specially celebrating the New Year. It would be better to just leave and return to Beijing, or go back early for business. During the New Year, he can spend the New Year wherever he goes.
Anyway, we are all strangers in a foreign land, so what difference does it make where we celebrate the New Year?
Just when Fang Yingwu had a rare feeling of literary youth and was about to indulge in it carefully, the gatekeeper in front rushed outside the house in a panic and reported loudly: "Master Imperial Envoy! There are many people coming outside. There are always a few.
About ten of them are clamoring to see the master!"
Is there another mass incident? Imperial Envoy Fang Da, who had been quiet for nearly two months, stood up from his seat. He didn't know whether he was excited or anxious and asked: "Do you know why that person is here?"
Menzi replied: "The younger ones didn't have time to ask. I could only see them kneeling outside the gate, looking aggrieved as if they were about to complain."
Fang Yingwu thought for a moment, suppressed the idea of going out, and ordered: "Go and tell them. If you have any grievances, you can go to the county government office to file a complaint. I am not an official who is close to the people, so it is not convenient for me to take the complaint personally!"
The gatekeeper left in response, but came back not long after, holding a stack of papers and reporting again: "This time I found out that outside the gate are people from nearby Songjiang, Jiaxing and other places!
This time they unite to find the imperial envoy, and what they want to sue is the procurement of eunuch Wang Jing. Which prefecture and county yamen can take care of it? They won't even accept the complaint."
Are you suing Wang Jing? Fang Yingwu understood. Now in the entire Jiangnan region, if people want to sue Wang Jing, they can only come to him. At the same time, only he can have the upper hand over Wang Jing.
After briefly looking through it, Fang Yingwu left all the documents behind and walked out of the door himself.
But I saw a group of people kneeling outside, including women and children wearing sackcloth and mourning, shivering in the cold wind, but still holding on.
Commissioner Fang Qin sighed with great sympathy. If Wang Jing hadn't caused harm to the place, how could these people come to Suzhou City to complain to him at the end of the year when the weather was freezing?
He bowed to the crowd, and then said: "I am fully aware of your grievances. Previously, I was under the command of the king and could not leave Suzhou Mansion. Then I allowed the eunuch Wang Jing to go rampant in the south of the Yangtze River. So you, etc.
What happened is also my fault."
When the people below heard these thoughtful words, they immediately shouted howls all over the place, shouting: "Eunuch Wang Jing is causing harm to the local people and poisoning the people. I beg you, the Imperial Envoy, to make the decision for us before it's too late!"
Faced with the people's request, Fang Yingwu agreed, "I will write a memorial right now to impeach the eunuch Wang Jing!"
Someone else shouted: "The report to the imperial court is really far away and it is difficult to quench the thirst of the people nearby. I heard that Wang Jing has recently set out to return to Beijing, and Suzhou is the only way to go."
But he was afraid of the great reputation, so he only dared to go around the city from Suzhou, and now he is resting ten miles north of the city!"
Fang Yingwu still agreed without hesitation, "That's okay! I will wait until the memorial is completed and sent out, and then I will meet with Wang Jing and tell him to repent face to face!"
After that, Fang Yingwu ordered the servants: "Bring out the big pot from the kitchen and cook hot porridge here for them to eat, so as not to hurt the body due to hunger and cold."
After solving the problem in a few words, Fang Yingwu turned around and returned to the inner courtyard.
Wang Jing, the long-time follower, followed him around and couldn't help but ask: "Are you too talkative today? Do you respond to what those people outside say?"
Besides, don’t you intend to quarrel with Eunuch Wang? Why did you agree to impeach him and meet with him today?”
Fang Yingwu pointed to the door with compassion and said: "Looking at this situation, and seeing how they pin their hopes on me alone, don't you think how boring it is to worry about personal gains and losses at this time!"
Wang Ying was stunned: "Do you believe this?"
But he knew that Fang Yingwu must have other thoughts, but he just refused to say it openly. Then he asked again: "Sir, even if you have the king's order flag, there is nothing you can do about another imperial eunuch."
Fang Yingwu said mysteriously: "The people's support is with me, and God's will is with me!" Wang Ying couldn't help but asked again: "Do you believe this?"
"I believe it, but you don't believe it, so I am the imperial envoy, and you can only be the official attendant." Fang Yingwu laughed a few times and made a small joke, then turned around and went into the room to write a memorial.
However, when talking about the New Year, Fang Yingwu suddenly remembered something. In historical data from another time and space, there were three disasters in the last years of Chenghua, each time causing political turmoil.
The first two times were coincidental. The first time was at the beginning of the first month of the 20th year of Chenghua, when an earthquake occurred in the capital area;
The second time will occur on the first day of the first lunar month in the 21st year of Chenghua, which is the time of the upcoming New Year's Day. At that time, a red star and a white band will appear in the western sky, and finally thunder will fall to the ground.
There have been strange disasters in the first month of the year for two consecutive years, which is really impressive. At that time, who dares to say that "there is no need to fear the changes in the sky"?
Even the emperor, who has always been superstitious, must seriously reflect when encountering such a catastrophe. It will be quiet for at least a few months. What does Wang Jing mean?
