Refugees were those who had no fixed place to live and were not registered as locals. Some had fled famine from other places, but few had fled from places as icy and snowy as Muhe County. The only exceptions were those Jiannu who had been unable to survive and came here to beg for food.
Bai Shinian said: "Probably more than a thousand."
There are quite a lot of them, why did Luo Ying say no one uses them? Aren’t refugees human beings?
Xu Jing rolled his eyes and said, "Go put up a notice at the gate saying that this county is hiring women who can make simple clothes. No age limit, two meals a day. Put it up at the city gate."
"Does your Excellency want it?"
"Stupid." Xu Jing knocked him on the back of the head and said, "Those leathers brought in by the Jian slaves are not made into clothes. What can the master use to exchange for silver? Also, tell County Magistrate Lin and Chief Secretary Jin to find a place to build a workshop. I don't ask for much, just a spacious and bright place will do."
"Where's the money?"
"Deduct it from the master's account."
Bai Shinian was horrified. "Master, are you trying to do something good?"
Xu Jing shook his head and said with a smile: "Master is not trying to do good things, Master is trying to use the chicken to lay eggs."
What does it mean to borrow a chicken to lay eggs? Bai Shinian didn't understand anyway, he just knew to do what the master ordered.
Luo Ying didn't understand, he only knew that Jiang Xuqing wanted to resell things from the enemy country. Luo Ying thought, now is not a good time to lure the snake out of its hole, we must get strong evidence to kill Jiang Xuqing.
"Master, Master..." Bai Shinian thought to himself, why did the master suddenly become silent while talking? Is he tired?
Xu Jing collected his thoughts and said calmly: "It's okay, just go and do it, the sooner the better." The rumors outside had died down, and the eavesdroppers were gone, so there was no need for him to pretend anymore.
As Jiang Xuqing's loyal lackey, Bai Shinian was very efficient in doing things. He took a few yamen runners to post the notice at the city gate, and countless people came to apply for the job.
The yamen runners did a rough count and found there were over a hundred people. Many men were still complaining about not recruiting them. Xu Jing suggested Luo Ying that he send the able-bodied ones to the border camp and keep the others to help build the houses.
Xu Jing provided the funds, and with County Magistrate Lin, Jin Zhubu, and others running the show, they also had enough manpower. In ten days, they quickly built a simple workshop. Xu Jing personally inspected it and thought it was quite good. While the leather was still waiting to arrive, Xu Jing had Jin Zhubu, a local, go to the garment workshop and find embroiderers to teach one hundred women how to make clothes.
After the leather was delivered, Xu Jing asked Zang Yun, who had returned from the imperial capital, to deliver the leather to the workshop. He asked the female workers to clean the leather and start making clothes.
After Zhang San recovered from his injury, he came to ask Xu Jing for money. "Sir, the account books for this shipment are all here. I hope you will take a closer look."
After Xu Jing read it, he didn't show it on his face, but his heart was filled with turmoil.
Zhang San and his companions brought over a thousand pieces of leather. The cow and sheep skins were not worth much, but the purchase price was one hundred taels of silver, and this was achieved by bargaining down the price because they were locals.
“How much do you earn?”
Zhang San shook his head. "The guys don't make much money, just a little hard work."
"Really?" Xu Jing was skeptical.
"Absolutely true." Zhang San carefully observed the magistrate's expression, and a question began to arise in his mind. Could it be that the corrupt official wanted to shirk his responsibility?
Zhang San had guessed correctly. Xu Jing really wanted to shirk his debt. "Well, come back in seven days and ask me for the 100 taels of silver."
"Sir," Zhang San said anxiously. "I only earned ten taels of silver, and my family of five is waiting for me to bring home money for dinner. Sir, you can't just ignore the lives of my family."
Xu Jing said, "Why are you so anxious? My word is golden. We agreed on a seven-day deadline. After seven days, you can come to me and ask for it. I will definitely give it to you. Do you think you will be unable to afford it if ten taels are missing? Don't be unreasonable."
Damn official, who is being unreasonable? Zhang San felt that his wounds, which had not yet healed, were about to burst open again because of anger, all because of this damn official.
He was about to argue, but noticing Xu Jing's displeased expression, he immediately changed his tone out of consideration for his injuries. "In that case, I'll wait patiently for good news."
"Go back. Tell your brothers to continue buying from the Jiannu. The more the better. I have urgent needs."
I'll do it for you if you give me money. What nonsense are you talking about if you don't have money?
Even though Zhang San cursed the official in his heart, he could only be respectful in front of him. "Yes, sir, I will take my leave."
"Go ahead, and I hope you'll bring good news next time."
After everyone left, Bai Shinian appeared. "Sir, there's no money in the account."
"What's the hurry?" Xu Jing fiddled with the jade ring on his left hand and said with a smile, "Someone will send money to the master soon."
"I still don't understand what you mean, sir. You mean..."
Xu Jing smiled slightly and said, "It will be two days at the latest. Just wait and see."
Why are you keeping us in suspense?
Muhe County is extremely poor. How can it have the money to bribe the county magistrate? Unless someone has been kicked in the head by a donkey, it is impossible.
Unexpectedly, Bai Shinian was slapped in the face by himself soon because someone from the imperial court came.
There was a small incident during this period, which concerned the cause of Jiang Xuqing's promotion. This process was crucial and could even connect the past and the future, affecting the lifeblood of the Great Yan State.
It is said that ever since the imperial court received the urgent report from Muhe County, which came eight hundred miles away, there has been a great uproar in the court.
When the Great Yan Kingdom was founded, it was a nation of military commanders, many heroes, and great men. However, without the need for war, the status of military commanders declined dramatically. By the time of Emperor Yingzong, a fifth-rank general was less popular than a seventh-rank official.
The emperor valued civil officials over military officers, and his subordinates also despised military commanders. Their status was precarious; even the commander-in-chief of a frontier camp had less influence than a fourth-rank official in the court.
The Jiannu invasion of Muhe successfully intensified the war between the two sides and rekindled the last hope of the generals.
The generals learned from the urgent report from eight hundred miles away that the despicable Jiannu people had taken advantage of the situation and attacked Muhe County at night. The anger that had been pent up in their hearts for a long time was instantly ignited like a powder keg, and they volunteered to go to the border army to fight bravely.
But the civil servants refused to do it.
The Minister of Revenue was the first to speak out in opposition, crying in front of everyone, "Your Majesty, there's no money left in the treasury. We can't afford a war!"
The emperor was furious and asked the Minister of Revenue where the money had gone. The Minister of Revenue said that part of the money had been used to repair the imperial mausoleum, part to support the army, and some to pay for the harvest due to natural disasters such as earthquakes. In addition, the money was used to pay the salaries of local officials and the expenses of the imperial harem. The silver handed over by various places was thrown into the national treasury like water, and it soon disappeared.
In a word, the treasury has no money, so there is no way to go to war.
A troublemaker among the generals provoked you by saying that the Jiannu dogs have come to your home, and you are still talking about whether you have money or not. Are you going to regret it only when your country is destroyed and your family is ruined?
The Minister of Revenue was also angry and said, "Stop talking nonsense. You are not at the front line, so how do you know that the people at the front are not lying about military intelligence so as to take advantage of the opportunity to drain the treasury of money?"
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