Chapter 1511: Tan Lun

The people of Chun'an were very happy.

With the grain lent by the Weaving Bureau, the people returned to their respective homes to plant mulberry. Some people's houses were still livable, and some houses had collapsed, but it didn't matter; they could build sheds or borrow to live in the homes of wealthy families in the same village for a period of time.

Because the Third Lord did not break his promise to everyone, he had already started building houses in the villages around the county town. Even if someone didn't have money to buy wood for the beams, it didn't matter; the county yamen lent a sum of money to be used for purchasing wood. When the mulberry planting and silkworm raising had a harvest, they could return it to the county yamen together with the borrowed grain.

In fact, this money and grain were not in a hurry to be returned, but had a three-year term. At the same time, because of the disaster, field taxes were exempted for two years. As long as everyone managed it well, basically, when there was a harvest next year, they could all return the borrowed money and grain, and the year after, there would be surplus grain at home, and life would naturally be better...

Many of them traveled a long way to the villages around the county town to see the red-brick houses with their own eyes. Every person who had seen them could not close their mouths in anticipation.

Of course, they didn't just look at the houses, but also went to the wharf to see the mountains of wood that could be used for beams transported from there, to see the brick kilns with smoke constantly rising, to see the brick blanks being sent into the kiln mouth, and then to see the red bricks being pulled out of the kiln, put on carts, and transported away. They even wanted to touch them to feel the temperature of the red bricks.

Next to the brick factory, there was another kiln mouth, where local braves were guarding, not allowing people to approach.

Zhu Qi held the cement ash in his hands, letting it slide through his fingers: "Such a good thing, it's really a waste to build houses for these people."

For such words that were obviously from the meat-eaters, Wang Yan just smiled slightly and didn't express anything, as there were naturally people who would spray him.

Sure enough, Hai Rui on the side directly glared: "Mr. Zhu Qi's words are unreasonable. The things researched are for the people to use. Who uses them is not a waste? How can it be wrong to give them to the people to use?"

Zhu Qi smiled slightly at Hai Rui, knowing that no one could handle Hai Rui when his temper flared up, so he immediately ignored him and turned to Wang Yan: "This thing is a sharp tool for construction and building forts. It has great use for both the army and the country. Yesterday, I already ordered people to send it to the capital to report to the Emperor by fast horse. The proposal of royal monopoly suggested by Brother Wang was also written down exactly as it was. If this cement is favored, there will certainly be no shortage of benefits for you."

"What benefits or not, Seventh Master, I just want to better share the worries for the Emperor, the old man."

Hai Rui looked disgusted and simply couldn't bear to look: "If it is really a royal monopoly, can the people still use it?"

"Although the cost of this thing is more expensive than three-in-one soil, it still needs to be used with sand and soil, making it cheaper and more durable than three-in-one soil. As long as the people managing it up and down embezzle less silver, the people can naturally use it. This thing is for construction, so how can it not be allowed for the people to use? Furthermore, if the people don't use it, where will the money be earned?"

Hai Rui couldn't help but glare at Wang Yan again: "I thought you were really wholeheartedly for the people!"

"My Lord, you misunderstand me." Wang Yan shook his head repeatedly, "My Lord, do you know that free things are not the best? If grain is distributed to the people for free, who will farm? If bricks and cement are given to them for free, who will be willing to work and save money? If it is given to them for free, how will the people producing cement and bricks earn money? The imperial court distributes money to them? Then where does the imperial court's money come from? Isn't it paid by the people?"

"This is a cycle..."

In front of Zhu Qi, Wang Yan took the opportunity to tell them about economics, about the cycle of income and expenditure.

"Placed in the situation of the imperial court today, it is that we officials are acting up and down, and the wealthy families below are harming the locality, hiding fields and households, leading to less tax revenue year after year. To maintain expenses, we have to increase taxes year after year. These taxes are all added to those farmers who still have fields, making their lives increasingly difficult."

"For our Chun'an County, we shouldn't actually build houses for the people for free. What we should do is let them buy them. If they come to buy bricks and cement, our kilns can earn money, and we can spend the earned money elsewhere, such as repairing roads."

"And when repairing roads, we can also not impose corvée labor, but use silver to hire workers. In this way, the people earn money, and then buy some messy things, and our county yamen collects taxes again. This money returns to the government's hands."

"Of course, wanting the people to buy bricks and cement to build houses themselves is not realistic. They would rather live in adobe houses than spend this unjust money. As long as they can cover the wind and rain, it is enough. They are all good people..."

Looking at Wang Yan's sighing appearance, Hai Rui couldn't help but sigh: "These words of Registrar Wang are penetrating, hitting the pros and cons of our Great Ming today. I didn't expect Registrar Wang to have the talent of a prime minister. If you pass the imperial examination in the future and reform, you might be able to save our Great Ming from fire and water."

Wang Yan waved his hand and said: "My Lord, you overestimate me. These words cannot be said casually. Reforming and changing laws will cost lives. Can I reform the officials, or can I reform the gentry and wealthy families in the countryside? As the saying goes, cutting off someone's path to wealth is like killing their parents. If I don't let them earn money, can they spare me?"

"My Lord, there are many who can see the problems, but how many can solve them? Take this 'Replacing Rice with Mulberry', people up and down, who doesn't see the problem? In the end, wasn't it Shen Yishi, who worked for the Weaving Bureau, who solved it with his life?"

Seeing Hai Rui look over, Zhu Qi shook his head: "We really sent him back to Hangzhou, and didn't do anything else."

"He didn't let those people earn money, My Lord! He existed for so many years just to earn silver for others. Now he has lifted the pot and won't let others earn. Do you think he can still live?"

"Which people?"

"The Yan Party, various yamen in Zhejiang, the Weaving Bureau, silk magnates, and the Palace's Clothing Supervision, etc. So many people are counting on this 'Replacing Rice with Mulberry' to make a big profit. Now Shen Yishi has acted on his own, faked the imperial decree, and provided disaster relief with the grain for buying fields. Everyone can't earn so much silver. Tsk tsk."

Wang Yan sighed: "It's still Mr. Shen who is righteous, saving the people of our Chun'an and Jiande two counties. Of course, it's mainly the Emperor's grace."

Zhu Qi shook his head with amusement: "No need to make up for it, I'm not keeping your account. The process of this matter has already been reported. Since the Emperor knows, he won't blame you for speaking well of Shen Yishi."

The people of Chun'an were happy, and the officials were relaxed, but the storm caused by Shen Yishi had just begun. The Emperor in the capital, the Ceremonial Supervision, Yan Song, Yan Shifan, Prince Yu, Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Zheng Bichang and He Maocai in Zhejiang, and other Yan Party members, as well as Yang Jinshui of the Jiang Nan Weaving Bureau, were all in a mess.

Because 'Replacing Rice with Mulberry' could not be done.

The original 'Replacing Rice with Mulberry' was not only to produce thirty thousand more bolts of silk, but also to eat up the five hundred thousand mu of land in the two counties, earning a price difference of forty shi per mu, so that everyone could get rich together and squeeze out every drop of blood from the people of the two counties.

Now it couldn't be done, because now it was really 'Replacing Rice with Mulberry'. The people of the two counties really planted mulberry seedlings. In the future, people in related industries would earn less, and the officials behind them would not be able to earn either. Everyone was naturally unhappy.

And in order to promote this matter, the Yan Party, headed by Yan Song and his son, had spent a lot of effort. Now that it had become like this, Prince Yu and the others would naturally take the opportunity to make trouble and beat the dog in the water.

In the original drama, because of the Japanese pirates, a lot of things happened. Even after Shen Yishi provided disaster relief with the grain, He Maocai personally killed his way to Chun'an, wanting to force Hai Rui to bow his head, but he hit a wall and went back in a sorry state.

Now Wang Yan was lawless, so He Maocai naturally didn't dare to come to Chun'an. He was afraid that Wang Yan would directly capture him, and then it would be over.

And on the other hand, there was a special investigation team here investigating the Xin'an River corruption case. They also came here to go through the motions. Wang Yan handed over all the evidence he had mastered to them, which was also a link in the struggle between the two parties.

Now it was the people of Chun'an and Jiande two counties who were the most leisurely, and among these two counties, the most leisurely was Wang Yan.

Every day, besides burning sand, he was painting and writing. He even specifically wrote the *Dao De Jing* and entrusted Zhu Qi to send it up as a birthday gift for the Emperor next year. After all, by next year, he might not have a channel to contact the palace directly...

This day, a thin man with a goat beard appeared in the yamen and was seen by Wang Yan, who had returned for dinner.

A minor official said: "Third Lord, this is a friend of the Lord."

Wang Yan stepped forward a few steps and cupped his hands: "Since you are a friend of the Lord, you are a friend of mine. I am Wang Yan, Registrar of Chun'an, courtesy name Ziyan. I have met you, brother."

"I am Tan Lun, courtesy name Zili, a military advisor under Minister Hu. I have long heard of your great name, Prince Ziyan. Even Prince Yu said that you have done a good job in Chun'an. Today, I have finally met you, hahaha..."

"It is already dinner time. Advisor Tan, please join me for a meal. You and I can have a few drinks and talk about how Prince Yu praised me."

"Since you put it that way, I am indeed hungry."

"The people in the yamen are unreasonable, daring to neglect the Lord's friend? Tomorrow, I will definitely teach them the rules."

"It was I who didn't let them bother, so it can't be blamed on them. After spending some time together, I think you are clear about Ruxian's temper. I am really afraid of him. I was originally waiting for him to come back and eat with him."

"The Lord has persistence, and I admire him to the ground. But if you let me do that, I'm afraid I won't be able to do it in my whole life."

While talking, the two had already arrived in Wang Yan's courtyard. Right under the pavilion, a table of wine and food had already been set.

"Third Lord, you returned just in time. The last dish was just served on the table." The minor official said with a smiling face.

"Okay, go." Wang Yan waved his hand casually, and the minor official left sensibly.

Tan Lun looked at the wine and food on the table and wondered: "Brother Wang, does Ruxian not know that you eat like this every day?"

"He knows. He never touches a bite, only eating the porridge and wild vegetables in the yamen." Wang Yan patiently explained the origin of this table of food, mainly talking about his suppression of local wealthy families.

"Brother is really not an ordinary person." Tan Lun was very impressed, "I toast you a cup."

"It should be me toasting you, brother." Tan Lun showed closeness, so Wang Yan naturally followed the trend.

The two yielded to each other and drank a few cups of wine.

Tan Lun asked: "Brother, do you know that the Emperor knows your name?"

"How could he not know? I was the one who lifted the lid on the Xin'an River corruption, and previously I captured the officers and soldiers of the Riverway Yamen, and they haven't been released yet. I heard that Zheng Bichang and He Maocai sent an eight-hundred-li urgent report, saying I was harboring Japanese pirates and harboring evil intentions. These two are truly colluding, causing great harm..."

"Indeed." Tan Lun agreed with Wang Yan's statement, "All matters here cannot do without the two of them. This time 'Replacing Rice with Mulberry' failed, and the two of them are just struggling on their deathbeds now."

"I think so too." Wang Yan nodded with a smile, "I estimate the Japanese pirates will make trouble again. When there is no military pay, we will raid their homes first."

"That's not right. If we raid, we should raid Shen Yishi's home. This person thought he was smart, faked the imperial decree to seek life, but couldn't earn money from the people, so he had to earn it back from there. This person's life will not last long."

"Hey... to tell you the truth, I am very grateful to this Shen Yishi."

"You should be grateful. If it weren't for him, no matter how much trouble you made, you wouldn't have been able to stop 'Replacing Rice with Mulberry' in the end." Tan Lun was not optimistic about the forces of his group, because in the final analysis, what they wanted was money.

Prince Yu's group wanted to use this to topple Yan, so they had to come up with so much money before talking about toppling Yan. After all, Yan Song and his son were the ones who made money.

Tan Lun didn't go deep into it, but turned to ask: "Do you know that Cabinet Minister Yan and the Junior Cabinet Minister also know your name?"

"I know. I ruined many of their things, so how could they not know?"

"Aren't you afraid?"

Seeing Wang Yan smile and shake his head, eating food in large mouthfuls, Tan Lun pursued, "Why aren't you afraid?"

"Cabinet Minister Yan is eighty years old." Wang Yan said, "He is already dizzy and doesn't have many days left. And there is Prince Yu toppling Yan, so what do I have to fear?"

"You see things clearly. What are your plans for the future?"

"How dare I think about the future? Follow the Lord to manage Chun'an well, let the people live a good life, and I will earn some silver. I have to earn back the capital for buying the official position anyway."

"You are just too eager for success. What's wrong with studying for a few more years?"

"It's all the same. On the contrary, it's safer for me to be a small official like this. Zheng Bichang, He Maocai, and the former Hangzhou Vice Prefect Luo Zhengwen are all warnings from the past..."

"I see you are not a person who treats the people like fish and meat..."

Tan Lun was a clean official and also someone who didn't covet wealth.

Wang Yan shook his head: "Fishing for silver doesn't have to be done on the people, brother. What is the duty of our itinerant officials? It is to suppress the locality and make the local people obey the imperial court's orders. However, in reality, the power of this locality is in the hands of the wealthy families. So our duty is to snatch the power from the hands of the wealthy families and make them honest."

"If this point is achieved, regardless of whether one is greedy for money, this place can be well-governed. If this point is not achieved, no matter how clean one is, it is useless to the people."

"Brother's words are penetrating and deafening..."

Wang Yan waved his hand and changed the subject: "I wonder what brings you here, brother?"

"I arranged for people to pick up Ruxian's wife, daughter, and mother, and then check with Ruxian. Speaking of this, brother, in the future, you have to take good care of Ruxian's wife, daughter, and mother."

"Why do I need to take care of them? I have long known the Lord's filial piety. If I arrange food and drink for them, I'm afraid the Lord will block my door and scold me..."

Tan Lun laughed out loud: "It sounds like something Ruxian would do..."

?? Daily thanks to the good brothers who tipped, voted for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and read silently! ===== CHAPTER 1512 =====