Chapter 135: Work-for-relief

Although Zhu Qizhen talked about breaking the feudal pattern of officialdom, as the first fire, in fact the first fire was to use work instead of relief.

Of course, such things as work-for-relief cannot be entrusted to Yu Qian alone.

Yu Qian couldn't afford such a thing.

However, when it comes to building large-scale projects above the ground in Beijing, many things cannot be circumvented by being too modest.

So when August passed in the fourth year of Orthodoxy.

The sun, which had been off for almost a month, appears again in the sky.

After the sun appeared, the waterlogging situation in Beijing receded within a few days. However, it would still take a while for the floods in the Marco Polo River to recede.

Generally speaking, we need to discuss the aftermath.

In the Wenhua Hall, Zhu Qizhen first said: "In the city of Beijing, many affairs have different powers. Once something happens, they push each other. Therefore, I think that all matters in Beijing should be entrusted to Shuntian Mansion. What do you gentlemen think?"

"

Yang Shiqi said: "The sage is no more than your Majesty."

Zhu Qizhen proposed, Yang Shiqi nodded, and the matter was over. Anyway, it was to increase Yu Qian's power, and Yang Shiqi was happy to see it succeed. In this way, the territory of Shuntian Prefecture in Beijing City.

Of course, the soldiers stationed on the city walls and the defense of the palace were still areas where the Shuntian Prefecture could not intervene.

Yang Shiqi paused slightly and said: "Your Majesty, thanks to your great blessing, the floods in Beijing have receded. However, the houses of the people along the Lugou River have all been washed away. Even in the city, there have been many losses."

"I thought we should open a warehouse to provide relief."

Zhu Qizhen said: "Of course we want to provide relief, but I have the intention to use work instead of relief. What does Yang Shoufu think?"

Yang Shiqi said: "Your Majesty is smart and old, but he didn't think of this. You can call the Ministry of Husbandry, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of War to discuss it."

Zhu Qizhen didn't believe it. Yang Shiqi didn't expect it. But Yang Shiqi's flattery was very useful. After a while, Liu Shifu from the Ministry of Revenue, Li Cheng from the Ministry of Industry, and Chai Che from the Ministry of War all came over.

Let’s talk about the meaning of “relief for work”.

Liu Shifu immediately said: "The household department has sufficient food. Because of the flood, a large amount of grain has been transported to Tianjin Wei. It will clear up in the past few days, and a large amount of grain will arrive."

Li Cheng listed the projects that needed to be done in detail, such as city towers, bell and drum towers, Lugou River embankments, etc. The Ministry of War also reported some of them, post road repairs, etc.

When everyone is gathered together, it will take as much as one million taels of silver.

Zhu Qizhen made the decision and settled the matter. He also set the standard for recruiting civilian laborers, one liter of grain per person per day. In the Ming Dynasty, one liter of grain was enough for a family of three to survive.

However, when it came to the construction of the three main halls, Li Cheng got stuck.

Zhu Qizhen asked: "Why not the three main halls?"

Li Cheng said: "Your Majesty, there is a shortage of wood. The wood needed for the three main halls must be golden nanmu transferred from the southwest. This kind of aniseed wood is found in deep mountains and old forests, in inaccessible places. It will take many years to cut down the wood.

No."

Zhu Qizhen said: "Is it so expensive?"

Li Cheng said: "When it comes to logging, people below often say that a hundred people enter the mountain and fifty people come out."

Zhu Qizhen was silent for a moment. He knew that Li Cheng's words actually meant admonishment. Zhu Qizhen really couldn't bear it. There were so many innocent souls on each piece of golden nanmu. He really didn't know the people living inside.

Can you sleep well?

Zhu Qizhen said: "I heard that there are also big trees in Liaodong?"

Li Cheng said: "Your Majesty is wise, but the big trees in Liaodong are mostly pines and cypresses, which are not as good as golden nanmu. However, they can be carried down the river and discharged to Tianjin Wei, saving labor and effort. The Ministry of Industry once built ships on Heilongjiang. Very knowledgeable about Northeastern timber.”

Zhu Qizhen said: "In this case, from now on, golden nanmu is banned in the palace. All Liaodong big wood can be used."

Yang Shiqi, the leader, saluted Zhu Qizhen and said: "Your Majesty is wise."

Zhu Qizhen said: "Everyone in the world is my innocent son. How can I not love and protect them?"

Zhu Qizhen, who had just gained power, naturally knew the benefits of having a good reputation.

What happened today, with the help of Dongchang and Jinyiwei, will spread throughout the world within a month or two.

Zhu Qizhen also knew that the pillars of Qianqing Palace were also made of golden nanmu, but Zhu Qizhen didn't feel it at all. He didn't know the difference between a house made of golden nanmu and a house made of pine wood.

While Zhu Qizhen was in the Wenhua Palace discussing the aftermath with ministers, the Empress Dowager, who was gradually recovering from her illness, also received a letter from King Xiang.

In fact, King Xiang's letter has arrived long ago.

However, the Empress Dowager was in poor health the previous time, so these documents were blocked by Zhu Qizhen.

When the Empress Dowager read the letter from King Xiang, she was furious when she saw that King Xiang actually wanted to conquer Luchuan in this way.

Emperor Xuanzong has already gone, King Yue has just left, and now King Xiang is going to Luchuan again. If one of them has three shortcomings, is it possible that the three sons he gave birth to will all come before him?

The Empress Dowager immediately said: "Call the Emperor."

Zhu Qizhen has just finished the work-for-relief project, and all departments have taken action. In the next one or two years, the dusty situation that has been interrupted since the Xuande decade will happen again.

When he heard the Empress Dowager summoned him, Zhu Qizhen didn't know what had happened. But when he saw the female official who came to deliver the order, he whispered to Zhu Qizhen: "The Empress Dowager saw the letter from King Xiang, and then summoned His Majesty, the Emperor. The Queen Mother doesn't look good." In the palace, everyone knows what to do and what is best for them.

The female officials around the Empress Dowager knew the Empress Dowager's body best, and naturally knew that from now on, the emperor would be the one who really makes the decision in the Forbidden City.

Therefore, there is no need for Zhu Qi Town to develop, many people have already spontaneously passed various news to Zhu Qi Town.

The prestige that the Empress Dowager had established since the Renzong era had already begun to waver.

But it was not someone who defeated the Empress Dowager, but the Empress Dowager who was defeated by time.

Time is the only winner in the world. Whoever is on his side will win.

When Zhu Qizhen heard that he was King Xiang, he knew it.

Zhu Qizhen came to Cining Palace. The Queen Mother leaned half on the bedside, handed the letter from Prince Xiang to Zhu Qizhen, and said, "What's going on?"

Zhu Qizhen saw it and said: "My dear, you also know that matters in the palace are never kept strictly confidential. It seems that Uncle Wang heard the news and wanted to come forward."

The Empress Dowager stared at Zhu Qizhen and said, "You didn't force him?"

Zhu Qizhen said: "My Majesty, my grandson only has Uncle Wang, so how can I force him? If my Majesty doesn't believe it, just call Uncle Wang to Beijing and ask."

The Empress Dowager steeled herself and stared at Zhu Qizhen, but she couldn't tell anything from Zhu Qizhen's face. After a while, the Empress Dowager gave up trying to discern anything from Zhu Qizhen's face. .

The Empress Dowager felt a little bitter in her heart and said to herself: "The emperor has grown up."

Tiger cubs are naturally naive when they are young, but when they grow into adults, they want to eat people. When he was a child, Zhu Qizhen's thoughts could not be hidden from the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager could tell at a glance what Zhu Qizhen was thinking.

But now, the Empress Dowager could not see through him.

As an emperor, he might be qualified. But does a good emperor have to be a good nephew? She suddenly thought of his eldest son, Emperor Xuanzong, and his uncle, the King of Han, who had been burned to death in a bronze cauldron.

The Empress Dowager suddenly spoke and said: "Let Prince Xiang enter the capital."

The Empress Dowager has determined that even if the emperor really wants to do something, she can't stop him. Even if she can stop him for a while, she can't stop him for the rest of his life.

Moreover, after her serious illness, her body and bones were no longer as strong as before.

Maybe I will go to see Emperor Renzong when. If I can see the third son, I will meet him once. Maybe I won’t see him again in the future.

Zhu Qizhen breathed a sigh of relief.

He had successfully deceived the Empress Dowager, and he should have been happy, but at this moment he felt a little distressed, because Zhu Qizhen once again confirmed that the Empress Dowager was really old.

Otherwise, this little trick can't be hidden from her.

The mountain that once protected him from wind and rain, and also suppressed him from making any rash moves, now collapsed, and he really couldn't be happy anymore.
Chapter completed!