In Xi County, Fengxiang Prefecture, when the first heavy snow fell on the Guanzhong Plain, tens of thousands of young and strong laborers were busy carrying soil and digging ditches in the fields, installing waterwheels, and widening large water storage ponds. They were taking advantage of the short farm break in winter.
Time to build water conservancy projects.
Although heavy snow fell, it did not affect the enthusiasm of the farmers. Tens of thousands of people worked hard together and the atmosphere was lively.
The official who leads the farmers to build water conservancy projects is the county engineer Tian Kuang. The county engineer is a newly created official position last year. He is an assistant to the county magistrate and is responsible for agriculture, animal husbandry and handicrafts, as well as building bridges and roads, maintaining city walls, constructing water conservancy projects and other engineering matters.
The county magistrate is freed from tedious chores. The county magistrate only cares about what should be done when, and the county workers are responsible for the specific implementation.
Chen Qing made an additional stipulation a few months ago that county workers are recommended by the county magistrate and can be selected from their own staff or superintendents. The conditions are that they must have a background in Ming Dynasty or Taixue, and must have been in politics for more than five years. Don't look at this.
This provision is inconspicuous, but of great significance. It means that county workers are basically the confidants of the county magistrate, and the county magistrate can let the county workers do their work without embarrassment to them.
Tian Kuang is a confidant of Li Zhe, the magistrate of Yi County. He was originally Li Zhe's staff. He passed the Ming Jing Ke and served in politics for eleven years. He never expected that one day he would become an official official of the imperial court.
the first batch of beneficiaries.
With the support of the county magistrate, Tian Kuang mobilized tens of thousands of young and strong laborers from various townships and villages to use the leisure time to build water conservancy projects. At the same time, he repaired more than a dozen dangerous bridges and dozens of miles of official roads. In the past few months, he had done
You have to work extra hard. The Ministry of Civil Affairs evaluates officials every year mainly based on political performance and moral character. If Tian Kuang can get good reviews from superiors for at least eight years during two consecutive terms, then he has great hope of promotion after the two terms are over.
As a state Sima, he would even be transferred to various temple supervisors to serve as functional officials.
County workers and county lieutenants are both functional officials. They cannot be chief officials. Chief officials can only be promoted from chief clerk to county magistrate to county magistrate.
Beside the field ridge, a group of workers were resting and chatting. At this time, a bell rang in the distance and someone shouted, "It's time to go to work!"
Everyone stood up one after another, and a young man stood up and said with a smile: "Brothers, shall I leave first?"
"Xiaowu, are you going back to Jingzhao now?"
The young man smiled bitterly and said: "I only have one month's leave. I must be back before noon the day after tomorrow, otherwise I will be considered absent from work and will be demoted."
"You should come back for vacation during the Chinese New Year!"
"Last year I came back for the New Year. This year I am on duty during the New Year, so I can only come back early for vacation."
There was another urging in the distance, and everyone loaded up their hoes and poles and left. The young man got on his horse, waved goodbye to everyone, and urged the horse to run up the official road, and ran along the official road in the direction of Jingzhao.
This young man's name is Nian Xiaowu, and he is a personal soldier of King Yong. All soldiers in the Western Army have one month of family leave every year, and the personal soldiers are no exception.
Nian Xiaowu is from Yi County, Fengxiang Prefecture. He is going home this time for annual leave, but he also has a mission to understand the people's sentiments for King Yong. This is not only his mission, but also the mission of all the soldiers.
In the morning two days later, Nian Xiaowu returned to the barracks to report, and then went to Chao Qing to report on his return home.
Chao Qing and Wei Ji served as the assistant officials of Baihutang, responsible for classifying all documents and reviewing the compliance of documents. Chen Qing had three new recorders joining the army, which were the top three in this year's imperial examination.
name, their duty is to condense the Class A documents for Chen Qing, but the three new officers are inexperienced in joining the army, and they need Chao Qing and Wei Ji to take turns to instruct them every day, so the two of them also serve as the old officers in charge.
job.
In the room, Chao Qing was listening to Nian Xiaowu's narration and taking notes. At this time, he suddenly stopped writing and said with a smile: "Forget it, you'd better go with me to see King Yong!"
"Why?" Nian Xiaowu was stunned.
"What you said is exactly what His Highness is most concerned about. You can report it verbally with me first, and I will record it later."
Chao Qing brought Nian Xiaowu to Chen Qing's official room. Chen Qing happened to talk to Jiang Yan first. It was over. Jiang Yan retreated first. Chao Qing said at the door: "Your Highness, Nian Xiaowu has returned from visiting relatives in his hometown. He
Your Highness will be interested in what you are talking about."
Chen Qing nodded and smiled: "Let him come in!"
Nian Xiaowu walked into the official room, knelt down on one knee and saluted, "See you, Your Highness!"
"When did Xiao Wu come back?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, I just arrived at my humble post and reported back to the military camp. Then I went to Chief Chao to report what I learned back home."
Chao Qing said from the side: "Just now Nian Xiaowu talked about the county workers in Xi County. I think His Highness will be interested."
Chen Qing was indeed interested and asked with a smile: "What is the name of your county worker and what does he do?"
Nian Xiaowu bowed and said: "The county worker in Xi County is called Tian Kuang. He was originally the staff of the county magistrate Li Zhe. He has been following Li Zhe for many years. I heard that he was recommended by Li Zhe to serve as the county worker three months ago. He has done a very good job."
Yes, thirteen of the seventeen old bridges in the county have been repaired, and many roads that turned to mud when it rained have been resurfaced and compacted with soil. When I was at home, I happened to be building farmland and water conservancy. Tian Kuang organized more than 10,000 people every day
Digging trenches and canals and expanding ponds. The most interesting thing is that more than a dozen large ponds in Changlin County were dug out and turned into a large lake covering an area of thousands of acres. Now the water source is sufficient, and the people are very proud of it.
he."
Chen Qing pondered for a moment and asked: "Has he encountered any obstacles? What I mean is, for example, if he started to do something, but then stopped doing it."
"It seems to have!"
Nian Xiaowu thought for a while and said, "I heard that he was going to repair the dilapidated city wall. Several old city gates were removed and he was going to replace them with new ones. But then he put the old city gates back up and the repair of the city wall couldn't be done.
After that, we talked about it while chatting together."
Chen Qing nodded. It's not necessarily that he was held back by others for building the city wall. It was most likely due to lack of financial resources. Repairing roads, bridges, and building water conservancy projects are all related to the vital interests of the people. Even if they don't give money, the people
They are also willing to work spontaneously and spend little money, but building the city wall is different. It has nothing to do with the interests of the people. No one is willing to work for nothing. In addition, the Yong Kingdom has abolished the labor service system, so there is not enough financial resources to build the city wall.
Usually, reports are reported to the Ministry of Industry at all levels, and then the Ministry of Industry arranges funds to repair several city walls every year. You have to wait in line for many years. Many counties have been waiting in line for decades without getting their turn.
"Besides, what else?"
"Everything else went smoothly. The county magistrate supported him very much. He went to the farmland several times to dig soil and carry burdens together to show his support for Tian Kuang."
Chen Qing learned some other information before letting him go back.
At this time, it was already noon, Zhou Kuan came over and invited Chen Qing to have dinner with him, and they each got on the carriage and drove to Qingfeng Tea House.
