"Prime Minister Qi, the official road from Lulong via Funing to Yuguan is not short, right?" Sun Juxiang first questioned.
He is from Qinshui, Shanxi Province, and he knows the style of businessmen in his hometown very well. If he wants them to spend money to build a road, it may be okay if it is in his hometown, but it cannot be too long. It is only a few miles.
.
How long is it from Lulong to Yuguan via Funing? It is at least 140 miles, and this is still a foreign country. How can these businessmen be so generous?
Businessmen can't afford it early, so what new mortar will be used to build this road? I'm afraid it will be much more expensive than an ordinary dirt road, and I'm afraid it will be harder than killing these businessmen.
"Ziying said in the letter that it is about one hundred and fifty miles away. Because he has to pass through Funing County, it is a little more than ten miles away. According to the width of the official road, those who can use the official road should use the official road.
Those that are no longer usable will be rebuilt. It is said that after calculating the labor, materials, and land compensation, it will cost about 400,000 taels of silver."
Qi Yongtai seemed very calm. Feng Ziying had written to him before and said that this time Feng Ziying would come back for an interview. He didn't believe it before, but after Feng Ziying carefully introduced the details, although he knew that there were still many practical difficulties here,
But when I think about the benefits, my heart skips a beat, and I can't help but look forward to it being done.
Cui Jingrong also said suspiciously: "Three hundred thousand taels of silver?! All the merchants paid for it?! Do they want the court to subsidize it, or is Yongping Mansion so rich that they are willing to contribute? They still owe a lot of taxes to the court over the years.
Woolen cloth!"
“No, it’s all done by businessmen. Steles and stones must be erected to explain the merits of the businessmen, and the government officials must also commend them...” Qi Yongtai smiled at the corner of his mouth.
When Feng Ziying mentioned this, Qi Yongtai found it funny.
If you can get businessmen to pay 400,000 taels of silver for the sake of fame, the imperial court is willing to issue decrees to reward them every day. Compared with 400,000 taels of silver, what is this? Moreover, it is also a good thing for education, and it deserves praise in itself.
Sun Juxiang was calculating another account: "Prime Minister Qi, in the ordinary officialdom of 150 miles, 300,000 taels of silver are more than enough. Since Yongping Mansion calculated 400,000 taels, which is an excess of 100,000 taels, I'm afraid it's the mortar
What’s the cost? I’m afraid this is also a trick of businessmen, right?”
"Yes, this is also the intention of the businessmen. They want to use the cement mortar they are selling now to set a demonstration, so that officials and businessmen from all over the country can see how effective it is, and it will be easier to sell in the future. According to Ziying
It is said that this kind of cement mortar can be used to build cities, build houses and pave floors, and it is widely used. Businessmen are also doing it for long-term interests, 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, if it is really so effective, wouldn't it save a lot of wood and stone? It will also facilitate transportation."
Sun Juxiang then nodded with satisfaction: "If this is the case, of course it is a good thing, but building roads requires a lot of labor and takes a long time..."
"This is exactly what I want to say. The manpower required to travel one hundred and fifty miles is not a small amount. Ziying told me that since there are many refugees in Gyeonggi, it is better to guide some of the refugees to Yongping, where he can arrange
Merchants transport grain from Jiangnan or Guangdong and Guangxi to Yuguan, and this group of refugees can basically solve the problem of food and clothing for a year." Qi Yongtai said solemnly: "Ziying initially estimated that two to thirty thousand people would be needed to build the road, which means that
This means that it can provide livelihoods for 20,000 families and 78,000 to 80,000 people."
Cui Jingrong immediately began to calculate.
At present, the price of wheat in Beijing is about one liang per stone, while the price of inferior flour is about one liang and four dollars per stone, the price of fine flour is about one liang and eight dollars per stone, and the price of japonica rice is about one liang and five dollars per stone. The price of corn
Slightly lower, about nine and a half cents per stone.
Naturally, these refugees mainly feed on second-rate wheat flour and corn. However, based on the average monthly grain intake of a strong laborer, which is about forty kilograms, plus the average family has three women and children to bear, and the women and children need to bear the burden at the rate of twenty kilograms per person per month.
Calculated in kilograms, that is to say, a family needs about one hundred kilograms of food per month, which is about one hundred kilograms of corn and wheat flour. When discounted, it is about 0.8 shi, which costs 0.8 taels of silver. It takes about 10 taels a year.
, plus the necessary salt, oil, medicine and a small amount of meat and fish, as well as the simple clothes needed, it is estimated that a family will consume about twelve taels.
Cui Jingrong quickly calculated the approximate cost in his mind. If calculated based on the one-year construction period, the labor cost alone would be 240,000 taels. It is estimated that 400,000 taels of silver should be a relatively fair figure, and it may be slightly exceeded in the end.
"Sir, if you build such a new official road, four hundred thousand taels of silver may be a lot, but if you use part of the old official road, it will be about the same. Whether it can be completed in one year remains to be seen." Cui Jingrong said.
“Can a road of 150 miles be completed in one year?” Sun Juxiang expressed doubts: “It is difficult to build it in two years, but if it costs 400,000 taels of silver and 20,000 people to build it in two years, it will definitely exceed the cost.”
"This is the business of the businessmen." Qi Yongtai spread his hands calmly, "I think since they dare to express such an attitude to Ziying, I'm afraid they can't give up halfway or end up in an anticlimactic manner, right?"
This is indeed true. If businessmen dare to deceive local officials on something similar to "achievement projects", then they will definitely have no good fruits to eat in the future. This will mean that they will have to swallow their teeth and blood.
, especially a rising star official like Feng Ziying.
Cui Jingrong also breathed a sigh of relief, "If Ziying can help Shuntian Prefecture solve the pressure of 70,000 to 80,000 refugees, Shuntian Prefecture and the court can take a breather. And the key is that this is money provided by businessmen, not the court."
“If the imperial court provides money, then it doesn’t make so much sense. If we use work instead of relief, the government can do it.” Qi Yongtai said with a smile.
"That's not necessarily the case. If the imperial court provides workers with relief, I don't know how many officials will be involved in it and profit from it. But if the merchants come to do it, hey, it's not easy to steal food from the merchants.
"Sun Juxiang shook his head.
Several people laughed.
"In addition, Ziying also said that Shanxi and Shaanxi businessmen may be preparing to continue to expand the iron factories, charcoal fields and mines in Lulong and Qian'an. They also have this consideration in Luanzhou, which is estimated to be able to absorb three to five thousand people. This
After calculation, it is estimated that a total of 100,000 people can be diverted from this batch of refugees to Yongping Mansion, which can be a relief for Shuntian Mansion."
Qi Yongtai was very appreciative of Feng Ziying's initiative to help the court and Shuntian Prefecture solve problems. He usually rarely praised his favorite student, and even for his strategy of opening up the sea, he did not give more recognition, but this time it was a real compliment.
I asked Feng Ziying for a while.
"Ziying also mentioned to me that if there is a slight disaster in the North, refugees will gather, and the local government's relief and management capabilities are not satisfactory. It is easy for forces such as the White Lotus Sect to take the opportunity to cause trouble, so this
Things need to be planned early. Once such a situation occurs, whether it is relief, work-for-relief, or relocation, a complete set of response plans must be in place to avoid being in a hurry. And here, in addition to the local government,
The Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Punishment should all bear the brunt and work together..."
Cui Jingrong and Sun Juxiang both believed this deeply.
A dike of a thousand miles breaks in an ant's nest, so be prepared for a rainy day. These are irrefutable truths. Managing a big country is like cooking a small dish, and it requires careful planning and careful operation.
Cui Jingrong and Sun Juxiang are both capable ministers, and they are both aware of the current predicament of the court, especially the worsening situation in the southwest. However, Yang He, Sun Chengzong and Wang Ziteng are like nine dragons controlling water there, with no results.
, which made all the princes in the court worried.
"Xiang Qi, even if 100,000 people are diverted, there are still many crises in the capital." Cui Jingrong reminded: "If we follow what Bo Fu said, at least several people have flowed into the capital city in the past two months.
Tens of thousands of people, how many people here have been bewitched by the White Lotus Sect? Are there any in the capital city? What will happen if these people are allowed to breed in it?"
Sun Juxiang immediately answered: "Why not? Although they have been eradicated several times, the root cause has not been eliminated. The Ministry of Punishment and Shuntian Prefecture are aware of it, but there are millions of people in the capital city. How can the government investigate them one by one? In addition, the mediocre officials and subordinates are responsible for their actions.
If we turn a blind eye, it can be said that there are still many problems that we have not discovered yet are hidden deep under the water."
Qi Yongtai's heart trembled slightly. Sun Juxiang's reminder is very likely that there are millions of people in the capital city, and among them there is a mixture of fish and dragons. This is normal, black and white, gray, all kinds of colors, but the White Lotus Sect is not simple. They are not simply just seeking profit, but want to
If they continue to hide under the cover of black and white and gray, it will be really difficult to investigate, especially if some officials are also dragged into the water, it will be even more dangerous.
Now Wu Daonan, Yin of Shuntian Prefecture, is a Chongren man from Jiangyou. He is a close friend of Fang Congzhe and a person whom Ye Xianggao trusts. He is over sixty years old. Although he is indifferent and upright and approachable, his actual ability to do things is not good. For Shuntian Prefecture
The policy of muddling through many matters has resulted in the prestige of the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen declining day by day. Snakes and rats are infested in the capital city, and the public security situation is getting worse and worse.
Qi Yongtai has always felt that Shuntian Fuyin should be a capable minister with both means and courage and determination to stabilize this central place, and even put aside his personal ethics for the time being.
For example, Jia Yucun served as the prefect (Yin of Yingtian Prefecture) in Jinling. Although there were constant accusations and impeachments, he was able to organize the entire Yingtian Prefecture (Jinling) very smoothly, so he once considered recommending Jia Yucun to come to the capital to replace 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. Logically speaking, they should be accepted by Fang Congzhe. However, Jia Yucun relied on Wang Ziteng's recommendation and went away from the emperor.
Because of his connections, he was able to serve as Yingtian Fuyin (prefect of Jinling), so although he and Fang Congzhe were township party members, their relationship was not close.
