101. Chapter 101
"none"
As Qi You expected, Kangxi did not punish the Cao and Li families in the end, and transferred Ashan back to the central government.
As for the Wang family, Kangxi considered it carefully and finally did not care about it.
Dai Jia secretly told Qi You that Wang cried every day and became sick, but Kangxi still did not relent. He confiscated all her property, but did not banish her to the bondservant class.
The fifteenth and sixteenth princes were still young and did not know how to hide their emotions. When they occasionally met Qi You, anger and hatred burned in their eyes, as if they were facing a mortal enemy.
Qi You didn't have time to argue with the two of them. He just found it funny and ridiculous.
The corruption of officials was quickly investigated, and it took Qi You a lot of effort to send officials.
The Minister of Personnel, Li Guangdi, forcefully announced that all the former juren who were waiting for official posts in the capital would participate in the selection of officials together with the jinshi and the new jinshi.
Faced with the sudden decree issued by the court, everyone was caught off guard and dumbfounded.
According to the previous habits of court officials, no matter what changes occurred, there would always be someone who would jump out and raise objections.
This time, the decision was not made through a court meeting, but the court was silent and no one dared to stand up and speak.
It's nothing special. The Hanlin Academy has been compiling the history of Ming Dynasty these days and has mentioned Emperor Wanli many times.
Wanli did not attend court for decades, and all government offices from the central government to the local governments were empty, but the Ming Dynasty was still doing well.
History has proven that these officials were of little use except wasting the court's salaries.
Besides, Kangxi was not Wanli, so Li Guangdi must have had the approval of his superiors to dare to propose it.
Behind Li Guangdi stood Qi You, who had made drastic changes to the Lianghuai salt affairs and reshuffled the officialdom in Jiangnan.
They were also afraid of being dragged into the examination, and the empty government offices in Jiangnan were intimidating to them.
The newly-minted Jinshi candidates had waited for too long, and some of the candidates waiting for the imperial examinations had even waited for nearly ten years.
As a group of quasi-officials, they were the most sensitive to changes in the government and were quite sensible. No one dared to raise any objections and they all took the assessment honestly.
The test questions were very simple, including basic official correspondence, arithmetic, people's livelihood, and Qing Dynasty laws.
Unlike previous policy essays, which were full of passionate and insightful speeches, this exam consisted entirely of application questions. You had to respond accordingly based on the situation.
After the assessment, those who only knew how to study were selected. Those with the highest overall scores and the ability to work hard were sent to Jiangnan.
Many hopes of becoming Jinshi were dashed, especially those who had studied hard for many years before passing the exam. They were sent to various ministries to serve as examination officers or to various counties to serve as teachers.
As soon as the order to send officials was issued, they were filled with resentment and, under the deliberate instigation of someone behind the scenes, ran to the Ministry of Revenue every day to ask for an explanation.
The scholar's rebellion failed after ten years. Li Guangdi was still annoyed and came to Qi You's manor to hide away.
The weather in June changes suddenly. It starts out sunny but becomes cloudy in a short while.
Qi You sat there calmly, picked up the kettle and poured a cup of mint tea, handed it to Li Guangdi, and said, "Drink some to relieve your fatigue."
Li Guangdi withdrew his gaze from the pavilion, thanked the waiter, and drank half a cup of tea. The unique mint fragrance was refreshing and eased his annoyance. He said, "Look at the weather. I'm afraid it's going to rain heavily."
Qi You glanced at the gauze fluttering in the wind and said nonchalantly, "The changing seasons and waxing and waning of the moon are normal. If it's sunny for many days in a row, the rain will slow down. If it rains all day long, we won't worry about it then."
It's raining all day, and we should worry about floods. Li Guangdi paused, then sighed with a wry smile, "The prince has long said that one person can't satisfy everyone. Just do the right thing, as long as you have a clear conscience. I understand the logic, but my state of mind is not cultivated enough. Seeing those dissatisfied people making trouble still makes me angry."
Qi You laughed and said, "Let them make a fuss. No one will pay attention to them. They will be anxious to take up the assignment before the official order expires. If there are really those who are unwilling to take up the assignment, I will look down on them. I think they are not even capable of being teachers. I am afraid that they will corrupt the students."
Li Guangdi was furious when he thought of those who were rejected. "So what if they passed the imperial examination? They're just a bunch of useless idiots who only know how to talk on paper! They know the Qing laws by heart, but when they apply them to judge cases, they mix up the facts. It's laughable. They're as stupid as donkeys, all they know is how to turn the millstone!"
The fact that the gentle Li Guangdi was forced to curse shows that he was really angry when he saw too many ridiculous answers when marking the test papers.
Qi You couldn't help but glance at him, refilled his teacup, and joked with him, "They have a pen, and they might even write an article to scold you. Go ahead and scold you, because one day, future generations will vindicate you."
Some people outside had already been cursing that Qi You and Li Guangdi were the sinners who had ruined the imperial examination system for thousands of years.
Qi You was unconcerned, and Li Guangdi barely suppressed his anger. He took a sip of tea, savoring the mint flavor, and said, "Let them write as they please. They're not capable of anything other than writing sour prose. Your Highness, there's something else that worries me: the students who passed the entrance exam to the Jueluo Academy will be ostracized and suppressed."
This time, the six ministries and the Imperial Hospital recruited a number of students from the Jueluo School. Their examinations were different and more specialized than those for officials sent to Jiangnan.
Although the people who were finally hired did not hold prominent positions and their jobs were all tough, they still took away jobs from many people.
Qi You pondered for a moment and said, "I'm not afraid. There must always be people who can do things. For example, a mansion can be without a manager, but it cannot be without people who sweep the house, light the fire, and cook. They are just like these people. They are truly capable. No matter how difficult it is, no one would be stupid enough to get rid of them. When you see them, protect them more. If they really don't behave properly, catch an example and punish them severely to make an example of them."
There was a strong wind outside, and the raindrops as big as beans hit the bamboo curtain, making a dull sound.
When Li Guangdi saw Qi You's aura suddenly become depressed, it was like the dark clouds rolling in from outside, which made him feel terrified and his expression gradually became dazed.
He didn't know when it started, but the usually gentle Qi You always made him feel unpredictable. Unlike his fear of Kangxi, Li Guangdi was in awe of Qi You.
Just one word difference, but it makes a world of difference.
Li Guangdi was stunned for a moment, but soon he let it go.
One is status and position, the other is how one does things and behaves.
Li Guangdi was not the only one who could see these things. There were many smart and ambitious officials in the court who should have seen them clearly as well.
The sudden rain came and went quickly, and soon the sun was shining again. As soon as the rain stopped, Li Guangdi hurriedly said goodbye and went back to deal with the noisy people.
As soon as he left, the Fourth Prince, who had just returned to the capital to hand in his mission, did not even bother to go back home to rest and rushed to find Qi You.
Qi You looked at the Fourth Prince's darker, thinner face, especially the wrinkles between his eyebrows. He thought for a moment and, without beating around the bush, asked directly, "Fourth Brother, what trouble have you encountered?"
Along the way, the Fourth Prince was thinking about the commotion Qi You had caused in Jiangnan and the capital, but he never figured it out.
Why can he do good things?
The Fourth Prince looked at Qi You for a moment, a bitter taste spreading through his mouth. He said, "I went to see Khan Ama earlier and returned from my work on the river. Khan Ama asked me to come to you, saying that an outsider can see things more clearly, and wanted to hear your opinion. Seventh brother, I messed up this work."
Qi You was stunned for a moment, then said gently, "To be honest, Fourth Brother, Khan Ama once told me about the problem you encountered on the river. It's not that you messed up the job, but you were restricted by personnel and couldn't do it with all your strength."
When the Fourth Prince heard Qi You's words of comfort, he forced a smile and said a random thank you. Although the air was fresh after the rain, he still felt hot and irritable.
The fact is that he did not do the job as well as Qi You because of many concerns.
For example, when collecting debts, he thought about not offending people, and ended up in a miserable situation. But Qi You did it.
Having no desires or demands naturally brings about high moral character, but the Fourth Prince is not like that. He has already been in it for a long time, so how can he be completely free of scruples?
The Fourth Prince calmed himself down and explained the problems he encountered: "There's a lot of money to be made from repairing the river, and the forces involved are complex. Everyone wants a piece of the pie..."
There was a slight pause in his speech, and the Fourth Prince laughed at himself, and so did his men.
"Very few people truly understand the soil quality around the river. Thanks to the few people my seventh brother gave me, they're very capable. The girls aren't squeamish either, running around outside without complaining about the hard work. They're even better than men at doing things. With their help, I know how to repair the river, but new problems have arisen. Those who got the job of repairing the river have divided the work among themselves, not only making money from it, but also using inferior materials and gravel instead of good ones, and even cutting corners."
The Fourth Prince raised his eyes and looked directly at Qi You, frowning in anguish. He said, "I've thought of many ways, such as using severe punishment. Anyone who dares to do this will have their property confiscated and their head beheaded. But over the years, there have been countless cases of people being confiscated and beheaded for accidents on the river. It's impossible to stop it."
Qi You nodded repeatedly as he listened, and said, "Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, in order to curb corruption, killed so many corrupt officials that there was no one left in the government office, but he still failed to stop the corruption. Fourth brother, you don't have to blame yourself for this. This is human nature, and it's difficult to change it all at once. We can only find a compromise and try our best to make changes, such as bidding."
Hearing Qi You's consolation, the Fourth Prince felt a little better. As for the bidding method, he thought about it for a moment, his eyes brightened, and he said, "Seventh Brother, are you saying, do it like you used to ask those merchants to open up the sea trade?"
Bidding is very common in later generations, and it is also impossible to completely avoid the problem of shoddy projects, but there is no better way.
Qi You had used the bidding method in a simple way before, and planned to make some changes to it, adapt it to local conditions, and use it in river projects.
Nowadays, they all work independently and have no qualifications, so they can only register under their own names. Fortunately, they probably haven't figured out how to collude in bidding yet.
Qi You briefly explained the bidding method and then explained the terms in detail to the Fourth Prince.
"First, bidders must clearly state the project, who will be involved, who will be in charge, and where the materials will come from. They must provide the true financial backgrounds of all involved. Second, the bid must clearly state the construction period and the budget, including the amount of stonework, earthwork, and craftsmen's wages. Third, there must be oversight, such as by the imperial court sending knowledgeable censors. The censors can't just stand by and give orders; they must inspect the materials and only allow them to be used if they pass muster. Furthermore, they can't just sign haphazardly, as signing implies they're taking responsibility. Fourth, the money for river repairs can't be disbursed all at once; it must be paid in installments. The remaining 30% must be paid in installments after the project is completed and there's assurance there won't be any problems for three years."
The Fourth Prince's eyes widened when he heard this. He said, "With such harsh conditions, is there anyone who would dare to bid?"
In my past life, no matter how big or small the project, people would always rush to do it. Of course, businessmen are driven by profit, and they'll do whatever they're paid. If the pay is low, the resulting project will definitely be subpar.
The Ministry of Works has allocated a large amount of money for river repairs, but after being embezzled at various levels, very little is actually spent on river repairs. With supervision and various deterrents, they will definitely be less stingy.
If, originally, out of ten taels of silver, only two were actually used to repair the river, after the changes, they could use four taels, and with the supervision of professionals, at least the river would not collapse every year after being repaired.
Qi You said calmly, "Don't worry, Fourth Brother. As long as there is money to be made, people will definitely come."
The fourth prince thought the same thing and looked at Qi You with a little more admiration. He sighed and said, "Seventh brother is really thoughtful!"
Qi You laughed. He was just relying on the experience of later generations. He said seriously, "I can't guarantee that it can be perfect. If it can be 40% or 50% better than before, I'll be very lucky. Compared with the sky, humans are like a speck of dust. They are too small to resist the earthquake, tsunami and mountain torrents."
The Fourth Prince said, "That's right," and discussed the details of the bid with Qi You. When it got dark, he got up and left.
After the rain, the weather became much cooler, and the wind carried the scent of lotus leaves and lotus flowers.
The Fourth Prince stood by the water pavilion, looking at the green waves and deep blue sky in front of him. He remembered the plaque hanging in front of Qiyou Zhuangzi, which was painted with a blank space and had no words on it.
The question was on the tip of his tongue, but the Fourth Prince swallowed it and said to Qi You who was seeing him off, "Sorry to bother you, Seventh Brother. There's no need to see me off. Please stay."
Qi You agreed with a smile and stood by the pavilion. When the Fourth Prince walked down the stone steps, he turned around and went back.
The Fourth Prince took a few steps, then paused slightly. Unable to control himself, he turned around and called out, "Seventh Brother."
Qi You turned around and saw the Fourth Prince standing at the bottom of the stairs. It was dark, and his eyes, looking up, were shining.
After a moment of silence, the Fourth Prince asked, "Seventh Brother, you've done so many things, have you ever been afraid?"
Are you afraid? What are you afraid of?
He was afraid that Kangxi would be jealous of him, blame him, and leave him without a burial place.
Afraid of offending various forces and ultimately not getting their support.
Of course Qi You was afraid, so everything he did was done with the determination that he would die.
Perhaps it was because of this desperate determination that he finally succeeded.
Qi You answered calmly and frankly: "I'm afraid."
The Fourth Prince said nothing more, turned around and strode away.
Qi You returned to the pavilion, a rare smug smile appearing on his lips.
The future Yongzheng was constrained in every way, seeking benefits and avoiding harm, and keeping a low profile.
Qi You, on the contrary, was fearless and devoted himself to doing what he should do.
Not to mention that what he did could benefit countless people. Just by daring to do it, he won!
The author has something to say:
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided nutrient solution between 2022-12-10 23:28:02 and 2022-12-11 23:53:27~
Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: 20 bottles of Y; 1 bottle of sweet porridge;
Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
