Chapter 692 Be Kind
As soon as these words were spoken, not only Bai Shan, but even Man Bao could not help but stare at him, and they all felt that County Magistrate Tang was very shameless.
Huayang County is an upper county and a county attached to Yizhou City, while Luojiang County is a lower county. Its population and economy are far behind Huayang County. How could it be poor?
But Zhou Silang didn't know about these twists and turns. He scratched his head embarrassedly and whispered, "But Master Tang, this price is really cheap."
He didn't understand the twists and turns, but he knew that the prices sold on both sides couldn't be too different.
He sold it to others for 140 wen per dou, and the 120 wen he gave to County Magistrate Tang was already the bottom line. If it was any lower, the other side would have to lower the price as well.
Seeing his fourth brother's embarrassment, Manbao spoke up for him, "Master Tang, Luojiang County only has one street, while Huayang County has so many shops. How could it be poorer than Luojiang County?"
"But our expenses are huge," County Magistrate Tang said, crying poorly. "Let's not talk about anything else. Look at the number of refugees. How many do you need to resettle in Luojiang County? How many do we need to resettle in Huayang County?"
He counted on his fingers and said, "Besides the grain, there are also farm tools, relief before the harvest, and housing is also essential. Each of these items costs money. I think you are all kind-hearted, so I asked for your help. After all, you will earn less."
Manbao felt soft-hearted and his heart was moved. He couldn't help but look at Zhou Silang.
Zhou Silang kept shaking his head at her, but he was also a little hesitant in his heart.
Bai Shanze felt something was wrong and asked, "Master Tang, why are you suddenly resettling refugees now? Where did you get so much land?"
There has always been an influx of refugees in Huayang County because the local resettlement process has been slow, and there are still more refugees fleeing back home every day.
The resettlement speed was much lower than the number of refugees flowing in, so naturally a lot of refugees gathered.
Therefore, in some streets one can often see ragged refugees looking for work and beggars begging on the streets.
Lord Tang's smile faltered, as if he had also thought of Huayang County's current difficulties, but he still spoke with some pride: "Our county government has discovered several new wastelands, which are relatively flat, so we plan to distribute them to the refugees who registered earlier."
Bai Shan asked, "How many refugees can be accommodated?"
"Of course, we can't give each person 20 mu of permanent farmland as the imperial court ordered. Fortunately, the land is quite fertile, and with careful cultivation, the harvest should be good. So I've planned to give each person 2 mu of land. The current registered population can accommodate about 860 people." Lord Tang smiled. "In addition to organizing some newly reclaimed wasteland by refugees, we can accommodate about 1,200 people by the end of this year. This will settle four-fifths of the refugees in and around Huayang County. We can find other ways to accommodate the rest."
Manbao and Baishan opened their mouths wide. So many people and so much land?
Manbao swallowed and asked, "Did those wastelands before acquire the invisibility spell and become invisible?"
Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Tang burst into laughter and said happily, "That's about right."
His face straightened, and he started crying poor again. "So I'm poor now. Think about it, there are so many people to resettle. For example, it's almost winter, and we have to build houses for them, right? We have to provide us with food and drink, right? Plus farm tools and seeds, every single thing costs money."
Bai Shan was recently studying state policy and was very interested. He simply asked Magistrate Tang to come over and talk to him. "For things like building houses, why not just let the refugees do it? They don't need to pay them, right?"
County Magistrate Tang nodded and said, "Work-for-relief, that's what I was thinking too, but we have to buy wood, bricks, and stones too."
"It's really troublesome. Just ask people to dig stones. You can also make bricks yourself," Man Bao said. "When County Magistrate Yang resettled the refugees, he let them make bricks and stones themselves."
Bai Shan nodded. "Wood is even simpler. Just mark out a piece of mountain and let them go in and cut it themselves. Once they build a house, they can draw lots to live in. I don't have to worry about them not doing their best."
These were all the methods used by County Magistrate Yang. Not only Bai Shan and Man Bao, but even Bai Erlang knew about them, because the three of them were conscripted along with the students from the county school and sent to the front lines to record their working hours.
After all, refugees can build houses, but management requires literate people.
County Magistrate Tang was stunned for a moment, then said after a while, "But that tree belongs to someone else. How can you cut it down without permission?"
"There must be some mountains that haven't been divided up," Manbao said. "The imperial court's mountains are just a matter of your words. Just a stroke of your hand and they'll be cut down at will."
County Magistrate Tang was upset and said, "This really can't be decided by just one word from me. This is Huayang County, not Luojiang County. I have the governor, the military governor, and the King of Yizhou watching over me."
Manbao was stunned for a moment and said, "Isn't this for the good of the people?"
County Magistrate Tang said meaningfully, "You think it's good for the people, but others may not agree. For example, if too many trees are cut down, there will be heavy rain next year, and the mud and rocks on the mountain may collapse. This could cost lives. So, do you dare say that stopping it is not for the good of the people?"
Manbao thought so too, and exchanged glances with Bai Shan before asking, "Then why is County Magistrate Yang allowed to do so?"
County Magistrate Tang sighed and said, "Because that's in Luojiang County."
A remote and economically backward county should just avoid trouble. With so many government affairs to deal with every day, who can cross mountains and rivers to keep an eye on such a small county?
However, Huayang County was located in Yizhou City. The governor's residence was on the next street to the Huayang County Government Office, and the governor's residence was around the corner. Two streets away was the Yizhou Palace. Every morning, if he, the magistrate of Huayang County, wanted to know what he had eaten before noon, the heads of the other three prefectures could immediately report it.
If someone is more powerful, they might even know when he farted better than he does.
But what about Luojiang County? If so many new wheat seeds had not suddenly poured into Yizhou City on a large scale, the Governor's Office, the Jiedushi Office and the Yizhou Royal Palace might not have known that Yang Heshu had caused such a big fuss in Luojiang County.
Then he took all the nobles in the capital city on a tour.
What does it mean that the emperor is far away and the sky is high? What does it mean to be a county official? People like Yang Heshu are the real officials.
Although he holds a higher official position than him, although he looks more respectable than him, and although he may handle more documents in a day than he handles in a month, he is still more aggrieved than Yang Heshu, isn't he?
County Magistrate Tang was depressed for a moment, then continued to smile at Manbao and said sincerely, "Can it be cheaper? If it weren't for the large ransom the Ying family just paid, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to afford new wheat seeds. I guess I can only buy old ones."
Manbao didn't believe it. "But the price of old wheat seeds in the grain store is also higher than 120 wen."
County Magistrate Tang: ...Are all children nowadays so smart?
It's not easy to fool at all.
County Magistrate Tang sighed, "Thinking back to when I was eleven or twelve, I would spend all the money I had on me to help those in need when I saw them on the street..."
Manbao and Baishan: ...Are adults nowadays so shameless?
I don't even think before I tell a lie.
The next update will be around 9pm
(End of this chapter)
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