Chapter 504: Making a Living

"Your Majesty! Disasters are frequent across the country. Last year, floods and droughts caused food shortages in more than 40 states. This year, nearly 40 states have suffered from droughts and frost and insect disasters." "

Now the people in these disaster-stricken areas are starving and in distress because of food shortages. If this continues, I am worried that something unexpected will happen." During the morning court, a minister stepped out to report the latest local situation to Li Chengqian.

Originally, it was thought that after the Lantern Festival and the sacrifices to the gods, there would be some good turn for the better in the new year.

As a result, not only did there not be any turn for the better, but the disaster situation became more serious. From the original 40 states, the number of states affected doubled, and the number of states affected by the disaster reached more than 80 states.

If the situation continues, no one can guarantee that other prefectures will also become disaster-stricken areas.

The court has already used its greatest efforts to provide disaster relief, but it is still a drop in the bucket. In addition, some places are far away, and it is impossible to transport supplies as soon as possible.

With the current means of transportation, it is easy to delay areas far away, and transporting food on the road also requires a large amount of food.

Moreover, over time, the victims in the disaster-stricken areas will not get food to fill their stomachs, which may lead to riots. As long as they can survive, no one is willing to risk their lives.

"I already know about this, you don't need to say more, what you need to do now is how to solve the problem of disaster victims, the court does not have that much food to help the disaster victims, but we can't do nothing, you all tell me what to do?" Li Chengqian said.

"Your Majesty! Natural disasters are a warning from heaven to your majesty. I hope your majesty can perceive your own gains and losses, so that you can make up for your own lack of virtue, so that heaven will stop the disaster." This is what the minister who believes in ghosts and gods said.

Li Chengqian was furious, I asked you to come up with a solution, but you are pretending to be a ghost here, saying that I have a lack of virtue, can you be a little more normal.

"You mean that my moral integrity is insufficient, which led to the disaster? This is simply nonsense. The court is a solemn and dignified place. How can you be so superstitious and talk nonsense? I will kick you out and banish you from the capital." Li Chengqian said angrily.

These guys take the court's salary, but they don't think about sharing the emperor's worries! But they are talking nonsense here, which is extremely hateful!

The guards immediately stepped forward and kicked the minister out.

"Tell me, what should we do now? Don't say useless nonsense. Instead of wasting time on that, you might as well think about how to solve the problem of the disaster victims." Li Chengqian continued.

"I think that since there are constant floods and droughts in the world, Your Majesty can grant amnesty to the whole country, pardoning all crimes except the most heinous crimes, and reduce the corvée labor, especially in the disaster-stricken areas, which should be pardoned." The assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice stepped out and saluted.

It is not impossible to grant amnesty to the whole country, especially for the prisoners who are still detained in the prefectures in the disaster-stricken areas. As long as they are not the most heinous criminals, their crimes can be pardoned.

Now, there is no food to eat, and there is no need to detain these prisoners. It is better to release them.

"Then do as you say, grant amnesty to the whole country, and exempt the disaster-stricken areas from taxes for three years." Li Chengqian said.

"But this still can't solve the situation of the hungry and distressed disaster victims. If you have any good ideas, please share them."

Although a general amnesty is good, it can't solve the situation of the hungry disaster victims. Another way to solve the problem is needed.

"Your Majesty!" Zhongshu Ling Yan Liben stepped out and saluted, saying, "Now more than 80 states have been affected by the disaster. The places with serious disasters have nothing to eat, and the disaster victims are not allowed to leave their homes at will. This will inevitably lead to chaos over time."

"I also know this problem. Right Prime Minister, do you have any good ideas?" Li Chengqian asked.

In order to better manage the people under their rule, ancient dynasties generally prohibited them from leaving their respective states and counties except for registering their household registration.

Especially for farmers who face the loess and back to the sky, it is even more impossible to leave the place where they have lived all their lives.

Their lives are basically going back and forth between home and farmland, at most they just go to town for a stroll, and they cannot go to places farther away.

If you want to leave the place where you rely on for survival and go to a farther place, you must have a pass issued by the government.

Otherwise, you can't get out of this living circle, you can only do your job honestly.

Except for the court ordering a large number of people to relocate to other places, many people cannot leave their living circle for their entire lives, or even for generations.

"I think that relying solely on the court's relief is just a drop in the bucket and cannot solve the problem at all. Moreover, some places are far away and transportation is not very convenient. The victims may not be able to wait for the court's relief."

"Therefore, I think it is better to allow these disaster victims to leave their hometowns and make a living in nearby counties that are not affected by the disaster."

"In this way, all problems can be solved, and the court will not have to worry about disaster relief." Yan Liben said.

Now these disaster-stricken areas are unlikely to grow food because of the continuous natural disasters, and waiting for rescue is only a temporary solution.

Instead of letting these people wait to die, it is better to let them leave the place where their ancestors have lived and make a living elsewhere.

If they go to other places, the disaster victims can work as tenants for the landlord class, work as long-term or short-term workers for wine shops, and learn some handicrafts to support themselves and their families.

Nowadays, the Yangzhou area vigorously promotes and encourages overseas trade, which requires a large number of manpower. These disaster victims can be put to good use. After

a period of time, the disaster victims with good foundation can go to the dock to move goods, and others can learn various handicrafts.

In this way, all problems will be solved.

The court also built many warehouses at various docks, renting them to merchants to store goods, which also need people to look after them.

There are also royal shops and wine shops set up at various docks, which also need a large number of people to do odd jobs. With the development of the economy and the increase in the flow of people, more manpower is needed to provide corresponding services.

Of course, the corresponding supporting facilities were also increased to build coastal cities into first-class metropolises. In the future, the tax revenue of the Tang Dynasty would all depend on these big cities.

"The Right Prime Minister is right. The court will issue an order to allow the victims in the disaster-stricken areas to leave their hometowns and seek their own livelihoods in other states and counties. Especially in coastal areas, where the economy is being vigorously developed, there is a shortage of manpower. All those who voluntarily go there must be transported by local governments." Li Chengqian said.

After the court meeting ended, everyone left the Xuanzheng Hall. Soon, the court issued a new decree to all states and counties, allowing the victims to return to their hometowns immediately and seek their own livelihoods, and instructed local officials to give them preferential treatment.