Chapter 381 Three Cobblers

"This year, Wuzhou's winter wheat production remained the same, while rice production increased. The first season saw an average yield increase of 20%, and the second season was almost the same as the first season. Rice production doubled, and granaries in all counties were full." Lu Zhaoshi reported on Wuzhou's grain harvest this year.

"Good, good!" The emperor's blood boiled when he heard this.

“If the two-season rice is fully popularized throughout Lingnan, it will become the largest and most stable granary of our Tang Dynasty.

Once Dayuling is completed, we can transport food northward continuously, ensuring sufficient food for the armies on the western and northern expeditions!"

The emperor stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, constantly thinking about how to use troops against the Turks and the Western Regions.

"When Minister Lu came, had construction on Dayuling been started?" The emperor thought of the intestinal obstruction in the north-south passage.

“Your Majesty, when we passed by, Dayuling was already halfway built. The people of the vicinity, the grain transport, the ship merchants, and the officials all participated actively and enthusiastically.

I asked Mr. Su, and he said that in the spring, Dayuling Mountain would be accessible. I visited the construction site and saw that the road was wide enough for four vehicles to drive side by side.

The ground is compacted, bamboo bars are used as the ribs, and a new type of cement is poured in, which is very wear-resistant and can keep the road in good condition for three to five years!

Lu Zhaoshi explained them one by one.

"New Cement" When the emperor stared at Lu Zhao, could the quality of cement be further improved?

"Your Majesty, that's right! Dayuling is a busy place for transportation. Once it's open, a large number of carriages and horses carrying heavy objects will crush the road. Mr. Su has adjusted the cement formula and developed a new type of cement that is strong and wear-resistant."

"Great! Such cement can be used to build border fortresses!" The emperor immediately thought of the territory that had just been conquered in the Western Regions.

"This Mr. Su really gave me a surprise!

Mr. Lu, with these rock sugar and white sugar, your Wuzhou will become even more prosperous! How much has the sugarcane production increased this year? The Li people must have made a lot of money from making sugar, right?

"Your Majesty, Manager Su only produces white sugar and rock sugar, and they will not be promoted for the next five years." Lu Zhaoshi replied.

"Why?"

"Wuzhou and Jinfengzhai signed a contract, which stipulated that all sugarcane from the prefecture would be supplied to Jinfengzhai within five years, and Jinfengzhai would open sugar factories in various counties.

It makes it convenient for villagers in various counties to sell sugarcane, and at the same time, each county can also obtain high profits and taxes to subsidize the county government's insufficient financial resources.

Five years later, Jinfengzhai will withdraw from the counties and hand over the brown sugar production method.

"Well, this method is good!" The emperor nodded. This Lu Zhaoshi is quite smart.

While winning over the Li people, we also did not forget to create income for the counties.

"It's just..." Lu Zhaoshi changed the subject.

"Just what?" asked the emperor.

"A county magistrate ignored the official document from the prefecture, drove out the Li people from Jinfengzhai, robbed them of their money, and injured a group of them, arousing the anger of the Li people!" Lu Zhaoshi replied.

"How dare you! Who is so presumptuous as to openly ignore the official document from the provincial government?" the emperor said angrily.

"The Magistrate of Rong County!" Lu Zhaoshi took out the first letter written by Su Ying from his arms.

"You bastard! I told him to emulate Su Qing and change Rong County, not to force the Li people to rebel! Are you trying to find something for me to do because I'm too idle?"

After reading the letter, the emperor was furious.

He is short-sighted and competes with the people for profit. He can squeeze the people's money in a small county with only a thousand households!

Are the people going crazy because of poverty, or is it Wang Duanfang who is going crazy because of poverty?

Anyone could see that Wang Duanfang wanted to swallow up the sugar factory and make it his own.

Embezzlement is a small matter, but it caused a riot among the Li people, and Lingnan, where the Han and Li people had finally lived in harmony, was in turmoil again.

If the two-season rice is fully implemented, the largest granary in the Tang Dynasty will become a bubble!

The emperor realized that sending a rat and a woodworm to Lingnan was a wrong decision.

"Your Majesty, Lord Fang requests to see you!" Xu Zhi reported outside the door.

"Announce!" The emperor thought for a moment and said.

If it's not a serious matter, Fang Xiang won't come to disturb you.

Lu Zhaoshi bowed and took his leave.

"Your Majesty!" Prime Minister Fang looked unhappy.

"What's the matter, my dear?"

"Your Majesty, please take a look!" Prime Minister Fang handed over several memorials, all from Wuzhou in Lingnan.

The first one I looked at was the memorial from Wang Duanfang of Rong County.

"Tsk!" The emperor sneered.

"If I hadn't known the whole story, I would have believed his lies! Wang Duanfang may not have any other talents, but he's a master with his pen. He can confuse right and wrong so completely."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Prime Minister Fang was surprised. Before he could look at anything else, the emperor knew the whole story.

The emperor then looked at Wang Yannian, the military officer of Wuzhou, and asked Prime Minister Fang, "Is this Wang Yannian from the Wang family of Qi County, Taiyuan, or the Wang family of Jinyang? He has been in Wuzhou for eight or nine years, too?"

"Your Majesty, Wang Yannian is from the Jinyang Wang family and has a stubborn personality." Prime Minister Fang stopped there.

"A stubborn personality? You're more suitable to be an inspector!" the emperor said with a smile.

He lowered his head to look at the memorial again and couldn't help but laugh, "This County Magistrate Hu is really good at picking up loose ends! Wang Duanfang made a big effort and made it happen for him!"

At the end of the memorial was a list of compensation. I never expected that a life was so cheap among the common people. Only thirty strings of cash were paid in compensation for a serious injury!

What’s even more hateful is that Wang Duanfang actually refused to compensate!

The emperor looked at it and shook his head! After thinking for a while, he said:

"Forget it, forget it. Magistrate Hu may not be very capable, but he has a clear mind.

Sugarcane and double-season rice were both promoted by Wu County, which is quite a foresight.

There are not many talented people in Wuzhou. If he can pick a general from among the short men, he can also be the chief secretary!

Didn’t Wang Duanfang want to send people to Danzhou? Does he like to plunder the people’s wealth and oppress the common people?

"Then let him experience the feeling of being oppressed! Strip him of his official position and exile him to Danzhou!" the emperor said coldly.

He didn't want this little rat shit to mess up the Lingnan Grain Special District!

"Yes!" Prime Minister Fang felt amused. The emperor was so teasing. He wondered if Wang Duanfang would be moved to tears.

"Hahaha!" The emperor was amused when he saw Su Ying's memorial. "It seems that the position of Jinzuo Manager is too low, not enough for her to work!"

In her letter, Su Ying also included the money she had taken from the old doctor, and was even indignant, hating herself for having a low official position and being unable to control Wang Duanfang.

There were many innocent people imprisoned in the prison, and she was powerless to rescue them.

They scolded County Magistrate Hu for being timid, saying that he was a seventh-rank county magistrate but only cared about his own little piece of land.

When faced with Wang Duanfang bullying the people in his county, he would only pay compensation out of his own pocket, and even go to his house to talk to him politely and reasonably, and so on!

Speaking of the recorder and military officer Wang Yannian, he thought that as a recorder and military officer he could control Wang Duanfang, so he patted his chest and said that he could mediate.

As a result, the grade was too low and Wang Duanfang didn't even take it seriously.

In the end, the three of them could only return to Wu County in disgrace...

The short essay seems to be complaining about the incompetence of Hu Sansi and Wang Yannian, but in fact it is a thumbs up for them.

Compared with Wang Yannian's seriousness and Hu Sansi's fear and trepidation, Su Ying's memorial seemed immature, like a reckless young man.

Impulsive, fighting for justice, and nagging, but every word hits the mark and goes straight to the point.

It was very satisfying to watch. The three cobblers managed to make up for the problem and prevent the situation from getting worse.

"This little girl is really good at playing dumb!" How could His Majesty not see through her?

“However, this girl made rock sugar and white sugar, so the manager Jinzuo is a little small!

Otherwise, you can be promoted to the rank of Seventh-rank Inspector, responsible for inspecting and clearing up unjust cases among officials and prison officials in Rong County."