Then he said: "Making money is not the goal, what we are fighting for is people's hearts, land and people."
"People are the most important thing. For those rebellious officials and traitors, people are nothing more than tools for them to gain benefits and also labor for them to exploit."
"Because of this, for them, it doesn't matter even if some people starve to death, because they can make a lot of money by hoarding food and annexing land. As far as we are concerned, although people are not useless,
Price, but at least... can also bring out more value from people. Nowadays, there are major disasters everywhere, and people are starving and dying everywhere. Now... it is the time for our Taiping Mansion to clean up the rivers and mountains. "
Having said this, he glanced at everyone and then said: "We are all our own people, so I speak frankly in front of you. Taiping Mansion has managed to cultivate many capable officials and officials over the years.
Official schools, and many other schools, have also produced so many talented people. Now is the time to test everyone. Next... is what really matters to us. Here is a charter. You can take a look at it first.
Bar."
After Zhang Anshi said something passionate, he immediately threw out a thick stack of regulations.
Nowadays, Zhang Anshi's speaking skills have improved a lot. After listening to his words, everyone's face became a little solemn unconsciously.
The secretaries of the Changshi Mansion took those charters and began to distribute them and circulate them.
Everyone lowered their heads to take a look, but when they saw it, their expressions changed.
Zhang Anshi naturally saw their reactions, and raised his voice again: "Look...can these be realized? To achieve it, we need everyone's help. Everyone first puts forward their own problems, how to arrange them, how to allocate personnel...
These things are all linked together.”
Everyone watched silently, distinguishing the scope of their responsibilities in the charter, and then began to think about it in their hearts.
Gao Xiang took the lead and said: "Your Highness, with so many prefectures and counties, I am afraid that there is insufficient manpower. Taiping Prefecture can only mobilize... more than 900 civil servants, which is really a drop in the bucket."
Zhang Anshi glanced at Gao Xiang: "This is not a big problem. It is really not possible. Is it enough to recruit students who are about to graduate from the official school and other schools such as customs school and arithmetic school?"
After hearing this, Gao Xiang fell into deep thought, and after a while he said: "It should be feasible, but the universities... are they willing to let me go?"
Zhang Anshi said: "Just think of it as an internship. Teaching them to actually do some practical things will be good for them in the future. Besides, most of the students in these schools will enter Jinyiwei, Taiping Mansion and Customs after graduation.
Now that we have contact with the palace, they can only ask for it."
Gao Xiang nodded: "The lower official is responsible for liaison. First, gather people together and let some civil servants teach some practical affairs."
Chen Li also finished reading the charter and said in deep thought: "Your Highness, there is no big problem with Jinyiwei."
Zhang Anshi nodded and looked at Zhu Jin.
Zhu Jin thought for a while and said: "It shouldn't be a problem. Money and food are not a problem now, so... the various workshops below can definitely start production as soon as possible. The price is easy to negotiate, and it will be done without losing money."
Zhang Anshi smiled and said: "It's best this way. In that case, everyone should act separately. Oh, yes, quickly distribute the edict to all prefectures and counties and teach everyone to act according to the edict. Talk to them later and don't let anyone slip.
, if you dare to do something bad, you must be severely punished. But if this matter can be successful, even if there is no credit, there will be hard work. This king... has clear rewards and punishments. I am willing to eat meat sincerely. If someone dares to fight with the local people,
If the gentry colluded, then don’t blame me for drawing the sword."
"Here."
After everyone dispersed, Zhang Anshi breathed a sigh of relief, and then ordered the Chang Shi Mansion to start dispatching personnel to prepare for inspections in various prefectures and counties.
It was so busy that it was late at night.
Kaifeng...
Zhou Juren and others were still buying grain one after another.
Everything seems to be no sign of anything else.
After all, they had done this kind of thing before, and they were very experienced. When the government had disaster relief grain, they colluded with the officials, bought it from them, and then hoarded it.
However, seven or eight days after buying it, it started to look a little... strange.
They found that the food seemed to be endless and could never be purchased.
The carriages and horses transporting grain always appeared every day and entered the city one after another, so... a situation was formed where Jin Yiwei was distributing grain for disaster relief, and the gentry also continued to buy grain.
However, the price of food cannot fall.
Because once it drops, wouldn’t everyone’s hoarding of food be in vain?
Soon, Zhou Juren and others began to feel a little overwhelmed.
More and more grain was purchased, and even the family’s granary was bought.
But the money was spent in vain, and there was still a lot of money.
Now...the money in my hands has almost been exhausted.
Naturally, their hearts could no longer be settled.
But Jin Yiwei was still putting out food, watching the trend with dismay.
If you don't continue to hoard, once more and more grain is released, the price of grain will inevitably plummet.
What's more, if you don't buy this grain, you have to give it to the refugees. If the refugees can barely survive, how can they spend everything they have to buy grain?
In fact, from the beginning, they were as if they were on a fire rack, unable to move forward or retreat.
Just when everyone was lamenting.
But someone came in a hurry.
"Not good, not good."
The person who came was the steward of Zhou Ju's family, and he looked anxious.
After hearing this, everyone raised their heads.
But I saw the person in charge panting and saying: "Masters, it's terrible, it's terrible, the Jin Yiwei... have released food again today."
As soon as this statement came out, everyone's expression suddenly changed.
Zhou Juren also looked ugly, but he still tried his best to calm down and said as calmly as possible: "They also release grain on weekdays, why are they making such a fuss today?"
"No, no." The steward shook his head like a rattle and said, "It's different this time. In the past few days, the porridge water was put in with more rice and less water. But today, not only have several porridge sheds been added, but also...
This porridge water... looks like there is a few percent more rice than before. This porridge is enough to make a quick meal. The refugees... all gathered around to receive the porridge, and the food was delicious."
After everyone heard this, their faces were as pale as pig liver, they were dumbfounded, and they were immediately silenced.
The man named Wang Jin before opened his eyes wide and said angrily: "You have ulterior motives, this is ulterior motives."
Zhou Juren's face became more solemn. He paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, sighing.
Wang Jin said: "Where did they get so much grain? Duke Zhou, we have put all our wealth and lives into it. If the price of grain drops..."
Several other grain merchants also wailed: "Who is willing to buy our grain in the market now? How can anyone in the world do such a thing."
Zhou Juren took a deep breath and said: "It seems that so much grain was put out today... It seems that it is coming for us. Is it because we think that the grain we bought from their Jinyiwei is too little? But... do they still have it in their hands?"
How much food is there?”
Everyone was silent.
Only one person said in a low voice: "What should we do now?"
The tone of these words was very soft, but it made people feel that the person who spoke was confused.
The problem now is that everyone's grains are piled up in the barn, which is everyone's life and property. Once the price plummets and Jinyiwei continues to put grains like this, they will be completely ruined.
It’s impossible for all the savings made over the years to be wasted.
Zhou Juren frowned and said, "Let's find a way to buy some Jinyiwei's grain and continue to test it out. I've sent people to inquire about Qixia."
"Besides..." Zhou Juren said: "Prefect Liu also needs to think of a way. Hmph, when things have reached this point, does he want to stay out of it?"
"Moreover, even the security chiefs and armor commanders in various places... we have to teach them to make some noise..."
Zhou Juren sat down and took a sip of tea, his face still calm.
In the past, he would cover it up with a few words of benevolence, justice, etiquette and so on.
But today, even these people's benevolence, righteousness and morality are not interested in talking about it. He just said: "Now, it is about everyone's family fortune, life or death. It depends on these days. Don't be discouraged!"
Everyone shook their heads and smiled bitterly, but they still tried their best to cheer up.
…………
In a small rented building in Kaifeng Mansion, people often come in and out.
Wang Wu, the commander of Jinyiwei, as well as Zhou Hu, the team officer of the model camp, and Zeng Changren, the civil servant of Taiping Prefecture, were responsible for selling rice and giving porridge every day.
Among them, Chief Zeng was responsible for giving porridge, and Wang Wu was responsible for patrolling and strictly guarding against committing crimes. Zhou Hu from the model camp was responsible for security.
The latest secret edict has been sent. After the three people read it and discussed it, they immediately started to act separately.
Soon after, at the porridge shed in Dongcheng, some civil servants started beating gongs.
This is another soup day.
Many refugees gather here, waiting for two meals of porridge every day.
"Come all, come all..."
The overwhelming crowd was pouring in this direction very quietly.
The civil servant shouted: "From today onwards, everyone must register. Here in Dongcheng, there will be a Dongcheng Production Guard. The general flag officer of the Jinyi Guard will temporarily serve as the guard commander. Everyone will register their name, age, and each will receive a wooden plaque."
After eating here for seven or eight days in a row, the refugees have gained a certain amount of trust in the officials here.
After all, it was free to eat and drink. According to the previous government rules, it was not easy to get relief, not to mention that the porridge and water were not for human consumption.
But here, it is real rice porridge. Not only that, it was just gruel from the beginning. Now, instead of showing a downward trend, the porridge water contains more and more rice and is getting thicker and thicker. Every day
The porridge is almost turning into white rice.
Even in good years, their food may not be as good as this, let alone now.
Only after people have experienced great disasters, have experienced life and death, and have eaten tree bark and soil, will they cherish the hard-won days of being able to eat porridge.
At that moment, almost everyone did not hesitate. Sure enough, a few officials began to set up a table beside the porridge shed and prepared pieces of bamboo. The refugees came forward and dictated their names, ages, and some characteristics.
Literary officials then used different bamboo slips to record them according to their place of origin and age.
Because of the catastrophe, the people became refugees. Now, reorganizing the people into households has become a top priority.
Every ten households form a team, and there are 100 households in each group, and then there are 1,000 households in the east city.
After that, different distinctions are made based on the person's age and gender.
Zeng Chang, a civil servant, was responsible for the affairs of the old, young, women and children. All the old and young were grouped together. The women were responsible for sewing, building stoves, and at the same time helping to wash rice, cook porridge, and burn firewood.
Naturally, the young people under the age of thirteen were led by some literate scholars, who built some sheds and taught them some simple knowledge.
This is the experience of Taiping Mansion.
Although this kind of learning is very inefficient and what is learned is extremely superficial.
But as long as you gather children together, even if you just teach them to draw strokes on the ground with sticks, it is extremely important to inspire people.
People can barely eat and drink. After gaining strength, they look into the distance and see those young people reciting poems along with them, which is enough to make people feel an indescribable sense of security.
Because of this, amid the sound of Lang Lang reading in the distance, the women who were responsible for helping cook porridge, burn firewood, and mend almost all calmed down.
What Mr. Zeng did, besides registering and taking care of the children's education, was that the women did what they could.
In addition, Zhou Hu from the model camp selected a hundred people and took several captains from the model camp to organize them together. He only distributed ordinary wooden sticks to train them.
In addition to training, they are responsible for some simple security, or selecting some people and teaching them to patrol the official roads along the way and protect the food roads.
These men eat more food every day than others, and all the selected people have wives or children.
There are children here in Dongcheng, who provide them with food and drink, and teach them how to read, and there is a mother-in-law who is peacefully mending them.
In addition, they themselves have received the favor of Jin Yiwei, so even if they are asked to go to distant places and undertake some security work, they can feel absolutely at ease.
As for the other strong men, they have been organized by Wang Wu. Some are responsible for inspections, some are responsible for repairing bridges and repairing roads, and some... are responsible for transportation. There are even a special hundred households to take people to collect the corpses nearby.
buried.
A construction team with a thousand households was responsible for logging and began building thatched houses directly near Dongcheng.
Originally, these refugees had no place to live and would gather here wherever there was a stutter. But now, they need to be provided with shelter from the wind and rain.
The newly built thatched house was first allocated to the children for study and also for the children to rest at night.
After that, the houses were used for the temporary residence of the elderly and women, while the strong men still stayed in the wilderness outside the city.
But no one seems to have any complaints.
"Anyone who can barely read, come here, come here." From time to time, some civil servants shouted.
Immediately afterwards, someone timidly came out and said: "I..."
"Where's the business card?"
The literary official looked at the timid young man. This young man should be regarded as an adult. He did not go to school, but as a strong man, he was responsible for digging latrines nearby. He had a look of disgrace on his face at this time.
The young man took out the bamboo pieces, and the official just looked at them and said: "Liu Jianye, his name... doesn't look like he comes from an ordinary farmer's family..."
"My family used to have some land, and someone in the family was educated..." Liu Jianye said.
The clerk didn't waste any more words and said directly: "Okay, come with me."
The clerk then selected a dozen more people and led them to a place.
A sign has been hung up on this new house to inform the medical clinic.
Two people wearing Confucian shirts came out, they seemed to be doctors. Soon, Liu Jianye became an apprentice of the medical institute, responsible for helping the doctors.
Because of the bad environment, many people were sick. Although Liu Jianye was an apprentice, he was very busy. He was responsible for sorting the medicinal materials shipped from Taiping Prefecture. Sometimes he also had to follow the doctors to treat illnesses or take care of some patients.
Seven or eight days later, suddenly there was a shout from outside: "Here, help me, help me..."
Someone was shouting.
Liu Jianye came out, and immediately... he saw the escort team coming with several more carts, and the people standing on the carts were shouting.
Immediately afterwards, many young men swarmed over, and Liu Jianye recognized him. One of them was his father, Liu Jian.
Liu Jian was also proficient in writing and writing, and now he was working as a helper behind the clerks all day long. At this time, he shouted hysterically: "Unload the goods and send them to the warehouse first... Slow down your hands and feet, handle them gently..."
Liu Jian looked very excited. He saw his son, smiled and said, "You come too."
Liu Jianye stepped forward and took a big bag from the car. The bag was not heavy, so he tried hard to carry it on his shoulders.
A person on the side said: "This kid is small. He looks like a half-grown child. Teach him to carry a smaller one."
Liu Jian said: "He is not young. He is already sixteen years old. He can endure this hardship. We cannot teach him to eat free rice."
Liu Jianye carried the bag silently and arrived at the warehouse.
On the warehouse side, there are clerks responsible for registering and warehousing items.
There were many people gathered outside, chattering.
The civil servant said to the people: "Call all the households and banner officials and ask them to come with strong strength."
After saying that, he looked at Liu Jianye and said, "Are you from the medical institute?"
Liu Jianye nodded.
The clerk said: "Then you can keep it. The medical office has few people and you can do it alone."
Liu Jianye said: "What is this..."
"Distribute clothes and bedding..." The clerk said: "Of course, not everyone can receive it. The ready-made clothes and bedding sent now are not enough. We will first distribute them to people under the age of eighteen and over fifty, and the rest
People, please take a moment. Let me take a look at your medical clinic..."
The clerk lowered his head, looked at the book, and said: "There are only four people in their fifties and above, so they can only receive four sets. The sizes of these ready-made clothes are different, so they can only be distributed at will. Everyone is careful about what they wear. If the size is really wrong,
If so, just find someone else to exchange."
The crowd was in a commotion, and no one expected that... bedding and ready-made clothes would be distributed.
Although the strong people here are temporarily not eligible for distribution, at this time, many people are filled with smiles.
This is a huge rarity, considering that not long ago, they were suffering from hunger and cold, and could become withered bones on the roadside at any time.
But now, they have food and drink, women and children are sheltered, and they even have new clothes to wear and blankets to keep out the cold.