Chapter 565

Zhang Juzheng once told Zhu Yijun that the greatest means for base Confucian scholars to deal with the emperor, besides drowning, was to make the emperor despair in constant disappointment, just like the first twenty years of the Daoist Emperor's diligent governance and the last twenty years of living deep in the palace. And Zhu Yijun's way of not letting himself despair is to not hold any expectations for base Confucian scholars.

Take fewer detours and fast-forward directly to despair. In this way, there will be no disappointment.

Wang Chonggu is very clear about this mentality of the emperor. He understands very well that Emperor His Majesty does not care at all about the curses of scholars in the future. Merits and demerits can only be judged by history and left to time to evaluate. It is precisely based on this that Wang Chonggu has been cautious for so many years.

It can only be said that the cruel reality of the Great Ming gave birth to such a ruthless political creature as His Majesty.

Using a strong army to threaten one's own people, is this something an emperor should do? But the Great Ming Emperor did exactly that, and it was like this year after year.

Wang Chonggu is really afraid of the criticism of weapons, afraid of the emperor's sharp blade.

"I know what the Vice Minister said, but my view and the teacher's view on this matter are the same: do not be too eager for success. Wait until the Chidao is repaired before talking about it." Zhu Yijun knew that Wang Chonggu disliked him for being too conservative, but he still told Wang Chonggu his decision, just like the previous paper money law. No matter how the Ministry of Revenue begged, Zhu Yijun refused to implement it.

In the matter of bullying base Confucian scholars, Zhu Yijun showed radicalism, while in matters involving people's livelihood, Zhu Yijun showed conservatism; contradictions are everywhere, and Zhu Yijun is also a unity of contradictions, radical and conservative.

"Your Majesty, Shaanxi Viceroy Shi Mao Hua is returning to the capital." Minister of Rites Wan Shihe said with an unbearable expression: "Your Majesty, the great physician of the Dissection Institute said that Viceroy Shi's body is ailing and he is already in his twilight years."

Just like a candle flickering in the wind, it is unpredictable and could be extinguished at any time. The Ministry of Rites has already begun to prepare a posthumous title for Shi Mao Hua.

Shi Mao Hua fought against the Japanese pirates, fought against the Northern Barbarians, and stabilized the three border areas of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia.

In the first year of Jiajing, Shi Mao Hua was born in Zezhou, Shanxi. In the sixth year of Jiajing, he entered school. The private tutor said that this child would definitely achieve great things in the future because Shi Mao Hua had a photographic memory and could write essays and poetry with ease. Moreover, it was a family of poetry and ritual; his grandfather was a Great Ming jinshi, and his father was a Great Ming juren.

Shi Mao Hua followed his grandfather to Shaoxing at the age of ten and became famous in his youth. At the age of fifteen, he won the title of "Poetry Champion" in Shaoxing.

In the twenty-second year of Jiajing, Shi Mao Hua passed the juren examination in Shandong, and in the following Jia-chen year, he passed the jinshi examination, eventually becoming the Prefect of Yangzhou.

At that time, Zhao Wenhua, a die-hard follower of Yan Song and Vice Minister of Works, was patrolling the southeast to prepare for the Japanese pirates. Grand Marshal Zhang Jing and Zhejiang Viceroy Li Tianchong had just won a great victory, and people's hearts were inspired. Zhao Wenhua impeached Zhang Jing and Li Tianchong for "raising pirates and missing opportunities," which eventually led to the unjust death of both.

Zhao Wenhua solicited bribes from Yangzhou Prefect Shi Mao Hua. Shi Mao Hua absolutely refused. Zhao Wenhua dispatched Yangzhou troops to fight outside the prefecture, which was actually letting Shi Mao Hua go to his death. Shi Mao Hua refused, retorting: "The duty of a guarding official is to guard the city walls. The law does not allow going outside the borders. If the situation is urgent, I will follow your lead, but how can I escape death?"

Shi Mao Hua not only refused to bribe Zhao Wenhua but also directly submitted a memorial to the court, impeaching Yan Song, Yan Shifan, and Zhao Wenhua for poisoning the southeast: "The generals and officials compete to give gifts, fearing only to fall behind others. With such poisoning, how can we resist the Japanese pirates and stabilize the country?" Eventually, Zhao Wenhua was impeached and removed by Shi Mao Hua, who was bold enough to offend his superiors. Hu Zongxian succeeded Zhao Wenhua's position, and the resistance against the Japanese pirates finally got on the right track.

The reason Shi Mao Hua was able to defeat Zhao Wenhua was not because of any upright integrity, but because of military achievements.

At that time, Japanese pirates invaded Yangzhou. Shi Mao Hua led the Yangzhou internal and external troops, beheaded four hundred Japanese pirates, captured three Japanese pirate chiefs, and seventeen Japanese pirates, and escorted them to the capital. When Shi Mao Hua's military achievements and these criminals entered the capital, Shi Mao Hua was promoted by one rank.

Shi Mao Hua won battles on one side, while Zhao Wenhua reported victories on the other, reporting victories in every battle and annihilating one hundred million enemies in the battle reports, seemingly invincible on the battlefield, but the front line kept retreating. Finally, paper could not wrap fire, and Zhao Wenhua was dismissed by the court on the grounds of "arrogance, greed, and corruption" by Yan Song.

Shi Mao Hua's promotion by one rank seemed small, but behind it was Zhao Wenhua being transferred away and Hu Zongxian taking the top spot. This was also Yan Song admitting his mistake, because Yan Song soon sent someone to impeach Zhao Wenhua, found out that Zhao Wenhua had embezzled more than one hundred thousand silver, and confiscated Zhao Wenhua's family property, with all of Zhao Wenhua's descendants being exiled to Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia.

Zhao Wenhua's main problem was losing battles.

Shi Mao Hua fought against the Japanese pirates and the Northern Barbarians. The Great Ming Emperor first heard of Shi Mao Hua when he suppressed the barbarian tribes such as the Daoist Priest, Lashe, Bashe, and Haoluobu, all of which were Northern Barbarian tribes entrenched in the Ordos Loop.

Since the first year of Wanli, Shi Mao Hua had been the Viceroy of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia as the Left Vice Minister of War for eleven years and was one of the pillars of the Great Ming court in the northwest.

If it weren't for the court's concern that local areas would share power in order to pass the assessment, and thus setting a maximum term of nine years, Shi Mao Hua would not have returned to the capital.

Zhu Yijun had met Shi Mao Hua once.

In the fourth year of Wanli, Shi Mao Hua returned to the capital to report on his duties and met the emperor at the Huangji Gate. Shi Mao Hua said to the emperor: "If we do not recover the Ordos Loop, and the three borders encounter consecutive years of severe drought, I am afraid the Great Ming will face the disaster of collapse, because Shaanxi has little grain and many soldiers. Consecutive years of severe drought will inevitably lead to civil unrest everywhere; drought and war, the people are innocent. If we can stop the killing and wait for orders, we still won't lose the status of good people."

Shi Mao Hua and Tan Lun were both people who advocated recovering the Ordos Loop, and the fate of both was the same: they died in office.

"Is there really no other way?" Zhu Yijun said with a complex expression.

Zhang Juzheng took a deep breath and said: "Your Majesty, birth, aging, sickness, and death are common human conditions."

Deep affection does not last long. His Majesty seems ruthless, but he is actually extremely affectionate and righteous. For those who have made huge contributions to the country, His Majesty the Emperor is always extra attentive.

"I know." Zhu Yijun exhaled a turbid breath and nodded, saying. He is very young and will experience such things many more times. Shi Mao Hua had already started leading troops in battle under Qiu Luan. The injuries and illnesses of a lifetime of military service are the death warrants that take away his vitality.

"As for the candidates for the new Viceroy of Shaanxi, let the various ministries recommend them." Zhu Yijun wanted to confirm the candidate for the Viceroy of Shaanxi. It was a matter of great importance, involving the reopening of the Western Regions. Shi Mao Hua did not wait for the court to reopen the Western Regions. He dreamed of planting poplar trees in the Western Regions, but this ambition could only be realized by future generations.

Zhang Juzheng recommended Pan Jixun as the Viceroy of Suiyuan, concurrently holding the post of Viceroy of the three borders of Gansu and Shaanxi. Suiyuan is not yet fully civilized. Shi Mao Hua leaving Shaanxi will also be managed by Pan Jixun.

Wang Chonggu recommended Wang Jiaping. Wang Jiaping is a direct descendant of the Jin Party. Now that there is a vacancy in Shaanxi, this position should have been Fan Yingqi's if Fan Yingqi hadn't had an accident. The Jin Party still possesses immense influence in the northwest. A centipede dies but does not stiffen.

Wan Shihe recommended Hou Yuzhao, who is loyal to the monarch and the country. Hou Yuzhao is the Viceroy of Liaodong, and transferring him to be the Viceroy is also extremely appropriate. Replacing Li Chengliang with a civil official to work with him, changing it to Zhou Liangyin, would also work.

Since following Hou Yuzhao to reclaim land, Zhou Liangyin's path has become narrower and narrower. His former party members and colleagues are all dissatisfied with Zhou Liangyin's change of flag. Zhou Liangyin used to be a base Confucian scholar, but now he is a pragmatic official. He is qualified enough to go to Liaodong.

Wan Shihe's reason for recommending Hou Yuzhao is also simple: Hou Yuzhao is of the Emperor's faction.

Only Wang Daokun, the leader of the Zhe Party, recommended a Shen Yiguan to accompany the run. Shen Yiguan had just taken office as the Vice Prefect of Shuntian, and he had a pile of work in his hands. It was actually inconvenient to transfer him at this time.

The court ministers began to compete for the position of Viceroy of Shaanxi. The noisy Wenhua Hall was something even the Censors of Ceremonies were used to. By the end of the argument, Zhang Juzheng and Wang Chonggu were red-faced, Wan Shihe was indifferent, insisting that only Hou Yuzhao could do it, and Wang Daokun was silent, pondering the propeller of the "Flying Cloud."

Party strife in the court has nothing to do with the Ministry of Works; it's fine as long as the Ministry of Works does its job well.

"You really are gilding the faces of your Jin Party. Is Viceroy Shi a member of the Jin Party? He left Shanxi at the age of ten, became famous in Shaoxing, passed the examination in Shandong, and won the gold list as a Shandong scholar. What does he have to do with your Jin Party!" Zhang Juzheng scolded Wang Chonggu for being shameless, just because Shi Mao Hua was born in Zezhou, Shanxi, he classified him into the Jin Party system.

Wang Guoguang was also a jinshi who passed the examination from Shanxi; why didn't one see Wang Guoguang walk to the end with the Jin Party!

Wang Chonggu immediately retorted: "What you said, he also worshipped Yang Bo, the Grand Minister of Rites, as his teacher at the beginning. How is he not our Jin Party? Our Jin Party also has people who can do things, not relying on fighting for fame and profit in the court to get to where we are today! Now that Viceroy Shi is leaving office, I recommend him like this, and I am also recommending the worthy without avoiding relatives!"

"Wang Jiaping is also a figure of the Jin Party. It is good to do things on the land of Shaanxi! Gansu is newly established, so it should be appropriate to be steady."

What Wang Chonggu said was also the reality of practice. There are many officials on the land of Shaanxi who are of the Jin Party. Wang Jiaping arriving in Shaanxi is like going home. Shi Mao Hua's administrative orders can all be continued. Gansu is newly established, and it is indeed necessary to have the main force in the hinterland.

"Pan Jixun is not suitable. One Suiyuan has already made Pan Jixun dizzy. The Senior Grand Secretary is indeed good at grabbing power into his hands, but what is the use of grabbing it into his hands? Pan Jixun is too busy, and you should also show some consideration for the people who do things." Wang Chonggu accurately found Pan Jixun's pain point: he is too busy.

There are really many things in Suiyuan. Just changing customs and habits is enough to keep Pan Jixun busy for a long time. Chidao, mining, and building city walls and forts are all major events.

"Why not let him serve for a long time? A nine-year limit, and he must be transferred after the expiration, is precisely to prevent the phenomenon you mentioned! Leaving the Jin Party, will the affairs on the land of Shaanxi not be done? In a few years, Shaanxi and Shanxi will all be surnamed Wang!" Zhang Juzheng sneered and said.

Wang Chonggu was easily angered. Being poked in the lung by Zhang Juzheng, he immediately became red-faced. After all, among these court ministers, he was the only one who had been a rebel. He immediately stood up and said loudly: "Senior Grand Secretary! Rice can be eaten indiscriminately, but words cannot be spoken indiscriminately! The past is the past, and the present is the present!"

Zhang Juzheng smiled and said nothing. When the argument was deadlocked, Zhang Juzheng would bring up the past, which was always effective. After Wang Chonggu sat down, he muttered words like "Northern Barbarians are rampant," "national situation is drifting," and "people's hearts are suspicious," but eventually did not continue to argue.

But the reality is that Pan Jixun is too busy. One Suiyuan is enough to keep Pan Jixun busy, plus Shaanxi and Gansu. Pan Jixun is not a donkey in the house of the rich man Bayi; he cannot be driven like this.

Wan Shihe smiled and said: "Two cabinet ministers, why not look at Hou Yuzhao? Hou Yuzhao is good. Look, he has the resume, he has the ability, and he doesn't have much of a relationship with any family or sect. He is upright. Taking office in Shaanxi, isn't it just right?"

"Liaodong cannot leave him for the time being. Zhou Liangyin still needs to be observed." Zhang Juzheng frowned. He had no opinion on Hou Yuzhao, but he had sincere distrust for Zhou Liangyin, who was a base Confucian scholar.

Zhou Liangyin is performing extremely well now, but it is better to observe him more.

"How about Shen Yiguan?" Wan Shihe did not insist. He also didn't have much confidence in Zhou Liangyin. Let's observe him for a few more years. The court ministers watched Wang Yie for a full ten years.

It won't be too late to observe Zhou Liangyin for a few more years.

"That works." Wang Chonggu did not object, as long as it didn't fall into the hands of the Zhang Party.

"Then let it be Shen Yiguan. What does the Grand Minister of Works think?" Zhu Yijun saw that the result had been argued out, so he asked for Wang Daokun's opinion.

"Your Majesty, this propeller of the 'Flying Cloud' will be sea-tested again in about August. I believe it will definitely work this time." Grand Minister of Works Wang Daokun immediately answered His Majesty's question loudly.

Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Daokun with a complex expression. The Grand Minister of Works of the Ministry of Works was truly restless for this propeller. It was mainly because the Ministry of Works had been set up, neither up nor down. Either go down, completely deny this plan, and use sails as the only power, or go up, completely overcome the difficulties.

Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Daokun and said: "Grand Minister of Works, is there a possibility that the content of the court session now is not the 'Flying Cloud,' but the candidate for the Viceroy of Shaanxi? They have been arguing endlessly, and they decided to let Shen Yiguan go."

"Ah? Shen Yiguan? He is not suitable." Wang Daokun was stunned and said: "Shen Yiguan has a pile of things to do in the capital. He has to repair roads, demolish city walls for expansion, bury septic tanks, bury water pipes, and build hot water shops. If he leaves, who will do these things?"

"The capital is the most virtuous place in the world."

"Wasn't Shen Yiguan recommended by the Grand Minister of Works?" Wan Shihe looked at Wang Daokun and asked with a smile.

The person who accompanied the run became the final candidate. This was a situation Wang Daokun had never expected. Wang Daokun thought that such an important position was destined to have no relationship with the Zhe Party. The Zhe Party was a small family; how could it compete with the Chu Party and the Jin Party?

Zhang Juzheng also didn't want to grab this power, so he recommended Pan Jixun, not Wang Xiyuan. Wang Xiyuan made great contributions in supervising the Yunnan copper. If Zhang Juzheng really wanted to grab power, he should have recommended Wang Xiyuan. He only needed to ensure that the Viceroy of Shaanxi would not fall into the hands of the Jin Party.

Zhang Juzheng did not recognize Shi Mao Hua's Jin Party identity. Shi Mao Hua did not participate in those messy things of the Jin Party at all. A teacher is a teacher; Yang Bo was also a loyal and patriotic person at the beginning.

And Wang Chonggu did want to grab power and keep this position in the hands of the Jin Party. Unfortunately, Zhang Juzheng did not agree. Wang Chonggu retreated to the second best; as long as it didn't fall into the hands of the Chu Party, he would agree.

So the person who accompanied the run became the most suitable candidate.

Wang Daokun clearly hadn't prepared for this. The person he recommended was not suitable at all.

"Give Zhou Liangyin a chance?" Wang Daokun actually wasn't keen on matters in the northwest. As far as Wang Daokun was concerned, he felt that the focus of the Great Ming should be on opening the sea. The northwest is all desert; nothing can be tossed out of it.

"No." Zhu Yijun said very clearly: "Let him be tempered for a few more years. If he can continue to maintain it, I will give him a chance."

Zhou Liangyin is a base Confucian scholar. Even though he has turned over a new leaf in these years, Zhu Yijun is still extremely cautious about him. Wang Yie was observed for ten years. Zhou Liangyin still has two years. He has been reclaiming land on the border for ten years. As long as the deadline is reached and after careful review, if he has no problems, Zhu Yijun will appoint him.

"Then let it be Shen Yiguan. Then who will serve as the Vice Prefect of Shuntian?" Wang Daokun thought about it and found that only Shen Yiguan was suitable.

If Fan Yingqi hadn't had an accident, Fan Yingqi would have gone, and Zhang Juzheng wouldn't have blocked it. Wang Jiaping is in Liangguang, and Wang Jiaping is still flexibly handling the Annan matter. In the short term, Wang Jiaping cannot leave.

Zhu Yijun immediately said: "Gao Qiyu, I think he is extremely suitable."

He thinks highly of Gao Qiyu because this guy is indeed very capable and is a very typical pragmatic official.

"No." Zhang Juzheng immediately said: "It is already an extra-legal favor from Your Majesty that he can serve as the Vice Minister of the Court of Ceremonial Rites. I don't think he is suitable."

"Teacher, the township examination question that Gao Qiyu came up with at the beginning was also ambiguous. Even when Ge Shouli, Ge Gong, impeached him, it was on the grounds of avoiding suspicion, not on the grounds of overstepping. Gao Qiyu also proved that he is loyal to the monarch and the country. Whether it was recovering the reclaimed land of Ma Yilong in Suzhou or going to the West as an envoy, he risked his life." Zhu Yijun said with a complex expression: "I said at the beginning that if he recovered the land in Suzhou as official land, I would forgive him."

Avoiding suspicion is not overstepping. The crime is far less than the crime of overstepping. Gao Qiyu also redeemed his crime. As a direct student of Zhang Juzheng, Gao Qiyu's ability is extremely outstanding.

"Teacher, I remember Liu Hanru. I don't want Gao Qiyu to follow in his footsteps." Zhu Yijun mentioned a name: Liu Hanru, the culprit of the private market in Sandu'ao.

Liu Hanru is that kind of typical pragmatic official. The trouble he caused was a heaven-piercing disaster. Chen Jingbang, the Vice Minister of Rites, protected Liu Hanru, but found that he couldn't cover it at all. He never expected that Liu Hanru could poke a hole in the sky.

Liu Hanru was too capable. The scale of the private market was so huge that it exceeded Chen Jingbang's imagination.

Liu Hanru died, but his lessons remained. These talented people cannot get promoted, and resentment grows in their hearts. But as long as they make some noise, it is a heaven-shaking noise.

"Your Majesty, Gao Qiyu cannot be reused." Zhang Juzheng said very stubbornly: "If you appoint him, others will think that if Gao Qiyu can do it, I can too."

Zhu Yijun was helpless. This knot really couldn't be untied. Gao Qiyu could only pray for his own blessings. Wang Yie was delayed for ten years in the position of Vice Prefect of Shuntian. I'm afraid Gao Qiyu will have to stay in the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Ceremonial Rites forever.

Finally, Wang Xiyuan was decided to return to the capital to serve as the Prefect of Shuntian.

Wang Xiyuan will also return to the capital to report on his duties in the near future, mainly to explain the situation regarding the use of troops against Dongyu. He can enter the capital in a few days, which will not delay things.

Zhu Yijun felt that Gao Qiyu was more suitable. Gao Qiyu had been in the capital for a long time and knew the situation in the capital better. Wang Xiyuan had just returned to the capital and had to familiarize himself with it for a period of time. At least within half a year, he would be able to straighten out the miscellaneous affairs.

The court session continued. State affairs were extremely complicated. Zhu Yijun was already able to handle these miscellaneous affairs skillfully, and everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.

"Vice Minister Wang, I have a matter I don't understand. With so many burdens on your shoulders, especially those projects, how do you manage to keep them in good order?" Zhu Yijun asked the question he had always wanted to ask.

The grand construction projects that Wang Chonggu was responsible for could all be completed on time or even ahead of schedule, and the quality of the projects was also well guaranteed.

With so many projects, how on earth did Wang Chonggu do it?

A person's energy is ultimately limited.

"Your Majesty asks this? Actually, it's nothing; it's very simple." Wang Chonggu said with a smile: "I am not the kind of person who cannot tolerate sand in his eyes. As long as the work can be finished, I won't make things difficult. I guess that's the reason, so they can all be completed on time, with guaranteed quality and quantity."

"I know. Vice Minister Wang mentioned it before: the two most important things in grand construction projects are project quality and downward allocation." Zhu Yijun said with great approval.

Wang Chonggu had mentioned these two things before. Hai Rui's anti-corruption in grand construction projects was basically formulated according to Wang Chonggu's experience: no layer-by-layer subcontracting, and no debt transfer. This eliminated the existence of systemic corruption from the system.

But Wang Chonggu allowed "reasonable loss."

"I mean, how does the Vice Minister manage so many grand construction projects?" Zhu Yijun explained his question in detail.

Only then did Wang Chonggu understand what His Majesty was asking. He explained with a smile: "Ah, this is simple. I don't manage every single thing. My main energy is actually still on the Western Hills Coal Bureau and the Woolen Factory, these two official factories. As for the grand construction projects, of course I also pay attention, but I just look at the accounts."

"Is the Vice Minister playing Tai Chi with me? I ask one, two, three, and the Vice Minister answers dog, cat, mouse. The answer is not to the point." Zhu Yijun frowned.

"Your Majesty asks about my foundation for standing in the world. I will write a secret memorial to the court later. Some methods, once said, won't work." Wang Chonggu saw that he couldn't fool him, so he had to choose to speak directly.

This question from His Majesty looks simple, but to answer it in detail is equivalent to digging out his heart, liver, spleen, and stomach for the court ministers to see. Wang Chonggu doesn't mind His Majesty knowing, but he doesn't want others to know.

"In that case, don't write a memorial. Stay behind later and report alone." Zhu Yijun immediately waved his hand and said: "Dismiss the court."

Wang Chonggu saw that everyone had retreated, looked at Zhang Juzheng who was still staying in the Wenhua Hall, and asked with an incredible tone: "The Senior Grand Secretary is not leaving?"

"Hmm, listen." Zhang Juzheng said very confidently. He didn't cover up or find an excuse; he just wanted to hear how Wang Chonggu managed to do it.

Wang Chonggu flicked his sleeves hard and said angrily: "How can you be so shameless? How can you be!! Where is the decency of a scholar? Do not look at what is improper, do not listen to what is improper!"

"Precisely because I am a scholar, I can stand here so righteously." Zhang Juzheng said righteously: "Vice Minister Wang knows best what we scholars are like."

"You cannot tell others." Wang Chonggu was extremely helpless. He couldn't fight him and couldn't drive him away. Zhang Juzheng admitted he was shameless; what could he, Wang Chonggu, do? He could only obey him.

Zhang Juzheng nodded and said: "That is natural."

Zhang Juzheng won't say it, but he will write it down. Zhang Juzheng certainly has the flexibility that a scholar should have.

"Then Vice Minister Wang, please speak in detail." Zhu Yijun said curiously.

"Your Majesty knows, so I won't repeat it." Wang Chonggu pondered for a while before saying: "The hardest part of grand construction projects is supervision; actually, it is also the simplest."

Zhang Juzheng frowned and said: "Simple? Supervision of grand construction projects is simple? Vice Minister Wang, deceiving the emperor is a capital crime."

"Your Majesty, I just ask the peddlers to judge whether this project needs supervision intervention." Wang Chonggu said with a smile: "Whether this grand construction project is good, whether it can be completed on time, and whether it can be completed with guaranteed quality and quantity, just look at the peddlers selling food in front of the construction site."

"Eh?" Zhang Juzheng's eyes suddenly widened. He looked at Wang Chonggu in surprise and sized him up carefully, clicking his tongue in wonder.

"Speak in detail." Zhu Yijun leaned forward, his face full of thirst for knowledge.

Wang Qian, Young Master Wang, engaged in pure Confucianism, using gossiping women. Wang Chonggu supervised grand construction projects by asking peddlers.

This father and son are truly interesting.

Wang Chonggu held his hands and talked eloquently: "First is the number of peddlers. If there are few peddlers in front of this grand construction project, then the project must have a big problem. The craftsmen of the grand construction project naturally have family members delivering food, but very few, because it is too far."

"If there are many craftsmen but not enough peddlers, that is also a problem that needs intervention, because the only reason peddlers don't come is that it's not profitable. There is only one reason it's not profitable: the craftsmen have no money in their hands, no money to fill their stomachs."

"If the number of craftsmen and peddlers is about the same, or even if there are more peddlers than craftsmen, then there is no need to spend effort on supervision."

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and asked: "Are you using the supply and demand relationship of food at the construction site as a standard to judge whether supervision intervention is needed?"

"That is correct." Wang Chonggu bowed and said. His Majesty summarized it very well. He thought for a while and said: "Actually, it is not such a cold textual description."

"It is the fireworks of the human world."

Wang Chonggu does not like His Majesty's economic descriptions that lack human touch. Peddlers supplying food is the fireworks of the human world, the warmth and coldness of human feelings, not cold concepts and models, but real people.

Wang Chonggu further explained: "Whether there is anything going on at the construction site, just ask the peddlers. They can always hear many interesting stories."

"I heard from the peddlers that there was a gambling den at a construction site and went to crack down on it regularly. It's not worth it to throw away the money earned through hard work into a gambling den."

Zhu Yijun said with a smile: "That's right. The Minister of Justice cracking down on gambling is also normal."

The gambling dens here are not just workers playing cards, but devil's dens where one can lose a year's savings in one night!

Wang Chonggu asking peddlers in front of the construction site is not just to see if supervision is needed, but to see the human condition at the construction site through the stories heard from the peddlers.

Actually, in these years, the thing Wang Chonggu has done most is not supervision, but cracking down on gambling dens.

"The more I crack down on gambling dens, the less the people specifically responsible for doing things dare to act recklessly." Wang Chonggu talked about his specific methods.

By cracking down on gambling, he reminds the specific handlers that he, Wang Chonggu, is watching them every moment!