"It's really not easy for the villagers to earn some money and then invest it in the village's development."
"The money allocated to the village and the county is only right. It is the result of your coordination and efforts, as well as those of the village head and others. This contribution is far greater than that of any individual villager."
"Of course, this money isn't for you personally. The goal of development and expansion is to improve everyone's lives, not just for able-bodied laborers, but also for widows, elderly people who have lost their only child, orphans who have lost both parents..."
“Besides enjoying the dividends from land contracts, the income they can get from fishing and working is negligible. But they also have the right to enjoy the benefits brought about by the village’s development.”
"After all, children are the future of the village, and how to treat the elderly nurtures the hearts of the villagers. Other villagers will also face how to support the elderly in the future."
"I think this portion of the village's profits should primarily be used for supporting the elderly and helping the poor, as well as developing public works. For example, digging wells in the village, typhoon relief efforts, paving roads to the city, etc..."
"As for the portion in the county seat, it doesn't mean you, sir, are obligated to use the money in Fengjia Village. You can represent the county and allocate it as you see fit. However, my personal suggestion is..."
"You leave a portion behind to build roads leading to other counties."
Why is that?
Not only Magistrate Deng, but also Feng Da and Feng Si looked puzzled.
Ruan Qian and Sun Chengen seemed to understand something.
Ruan Meng explained, "How many wealthy people are there in Nan County? Once the shops open, how many people can afford to patronize them? They won't just go to sauce shops. Take He Family Restaurant, for example; although the taste and ingredients are top-notch, it won't attract all customers..."
"With this kind of diversion, how many customers will come in? Even if it's delicious, like the previous seafood hot pot, customers can't buy it every meal, right?"
Even if business is good for a while after opening, how can it be sustained?
"Focusing solely on Nanxian is tantamount to stealing our own people's jobs. If you want to steal, steal from others!"
Ruan Meng spoke with confidence and conviction, which stunned Magistrate Deng. After a moment of realization, he realized that Ruan Meng had suggested that he build roads leading to other counties.
"However, sir, please don't rush into building the road. Let's discuss this further. I'm just explaining to you the direction in which we will focus our efforts in the future."
Without funding from the imperial court or any financial support, how could a single county magistrate initiate such a massive project?
Are we only looking at future results?
That's such a waste!
Moreover, other counties may not necessarily exert their efforts and may even take credit for the work.
If Nanxian wants to develop in the future, it cannot get around the obstacle of the government office. From the first day she arrived on the island, Ruan Meng had no good feelings towards them.
Ruan Meng wanted to make good use of the road-building project to help Magistrate Deng advance his career and kick that troublesome prefect out of the way.
This wasn't done to make any deal with Magistrate Deng, but rather to foster development. A good official who cares about the people is vastly different from a corrupt official who is intent on exploitation.
Rather than waiting for the other party to bite your neck, it's better to kill them before they even open their mouths!
Magistrate Deng nodded. He had always had this feeling that the Ruan family was intelligent and thought three steps ahead for every step they took. He never expected that they could think so far ahead.
Ruan Meng continued to "brainwash" him—oops, I mean, explain:
"When it comes to road construction, will Your Excellency need to hire many palace servants? Can poor people earn a stable income through this work?"
"Can family members live a good life together?"
"We won't interfere with the people hired for the road repairs overseen by the adults, as Fengjia Village doesn't have the resources to spare. Could the adults perhaps give some consideration to people from other villages? Would that be helpful in motivating other villages?"
"Once the road connecting our Fengjia Village to the city is repaired, will the villagers along the way, whether they are leaving the city or having guests come to Fengjia Village, also benefit from it, whether they set up a tea stall or a fruit stall?"
Magistrate Deng could not hide his excitement and slapped his thigh.
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