Raising chickens and pigs and digging for wild vegetables, the county magistrate's promotion wa

Chapter 253 Deceiving Zhu Biao

Magistrate Yang nodded and said, "I once heard a Mr. Lu say that all conflicts stem from insufficient funds and grain."

"I remember when I first discovered the widow village last year, those women were unwilling to go back to their parents' homes, fearing that they would cause trouble for their families and be disliked by their brothers and sisters-in-law."

"But when I called all their brothers to recognize their relatives, did any of their brothers despise them? Not a single one! Because I had promised to let those women reclaim the land that had been forcibly seized by the Tartars."

"This is because they themselves own land, and their brothers in their maternal family also own land, so they can all have enough to eat."

"As for their sisters-in-law... provided they can eat their fill and don't have to worry about where their next meal will come from, which sister-in-law wouldn't want a good reputation? And who would want to be known for bullying their aunts?"

"Don't forget, their sisters-in-law also have their own families. Even if they don't care about their own reputation, don't they care about their families' reputation?"

"They're all fellow villagers from the surrounding area, how could they really not care? They're just forced into this situation. To ensure their family's survival, they have to play the villain whether they want to or not. They can't let their mother-in-law or husband step in, can they?"

Zhu Biao suddenly felt as if his eyes had been opened.

Before coming to Ningyang County, Zhu Biao saw mostly memorials and heard mostly Confucian sayings and poems. Even if he heard some stories about family matters, most of them came from his own parents.

Zhu Biao had no intuitive understanding of what kind of lives ordinary people, or poor people, lived, or what kind of conflicts they faced, and no one had told him why these conflicts occurred.

Now that he has come to Ningyang County, although the lives of the people he sees are not those of most poor people, the everyday stories and conflicts he hears about give Zhu Biao a more direct understanding of these issues.

Magistrate Yang continued, "Let's go back to the people of Hongzhou. Whether the imperial court makes them farmers or salt producers, they have no choice and can't resist. But no matter what they are made to do, having enough to eat is always their first priority. If being a farmer means they can have enough to eat, they like being farmers. If being a salt producer means they can have enough to eat, they like being salt producers."

"Take the people of Ningyang County for example. During the busy farming season, they all cultivate the land. No one dares to neglect the crops in the fields because they are the lifeblood of the whole family."

“But outside of the busy farming season, they would work in brick kilns, honeycomb briquette workshops, paper mills and other workshops. Even the women would work in fried noodle workshops and luncheon meat workshops because they also wanted to earn money.”

"In Your Highness's opinion, should they be classified as artisans or farmers?"

Zhu Biao nodded again and said, "So, there's no need to distinguish between farmers and salt producers so meticulously, is that what you mean, brother-in-law?"

Magistrate Yang nodded and said, "As I wrote in my previous memorial, Heaven created the people and established a ruler. The people have the desire to eat when hungry and drink when thirsty, but they cannot manage themselves and must rely on the ruler to provide for them. They also have the nature of being virtuous and kind, but they cannot fulfill themselves and must rely on the ruler to teach them. The ruler is the one who bears the dual responsibilities of a ruler and a teacher."

"Your Majesty, I have always said that the common people are not stupid. I am referring to the survival wisdom and instincts passed down from generation to generation. In fact, the common people are also very stupid. They are easy to fool and easy to bully. As long as they can barely survive, they are more willing to be obedient citizens."

"At this time, the court and government need to treat the people well, guide them properly, and ensure that they have enough to eat and wear."

"Take the people of Ningyang County for example. If anyone dares to say on the street that His Majesty and His Highness are not diligent in governing and do not love the people, they will certainly not let it go easily, because they have truly felt His Majesty and His Highness's benevolence towards them."

At this point, Magistrate Yang simply stood up, smiled, and said to Zhu Biao, "Well then, all I've been saying is empty talk. Your Highness, would you mind accompanying me to Liu Ergou's house?"

Curious, Zhu Biao immediately replied, "Let's go, I'll go with you, brother-in-law."

After the two walked through the streets and alleys, they arrived at Liu Ergou's house in Jia Yilu. Liu Ergou's family was passing the child around, holding him and looking at him.

Upon seeing Magistrate Yang, Liu Ergou's father, Liu Da, quickly approached him and said, "This humble Liu Da greets Your Excellency."

Magistrate Yang grunted in acknowledgment, looked around, and said, "Has the child seen anyone? This is His Highness the Crown Prince of our Great Ming Dynasty. He heard that your daughter-in-law gave birth to a big, healthy boy, so he came to see the child."

Liu Da hurriedly called his family to pay their respects to Zhu Biao, and then had his wife, Liu Chenshi, bring the child over.

Zhu Biao leaned closer for a few glances, then reached out and touched the child's face, laughing, "What an adorable chubby boy! I wish him a speedy growth, that he may excel in his studies and martial arts, and become a pillar of the court as soon as possible."

Liu Da and Liu Ergou hurriedly bowed to Zhu Biao and said, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Magistrate Yang also came over to the side, looking at the chubby little boy with big, bright eyes that were darting back and forth. He couldn't help but reach out and touch the child's face, and said with a smile, "His Highness the Crown Prince wishes him success in his studies and martial arts, and I wish him good health and a smooth life."

Liu Da, Liu Ergou, and the others hurriedly bowed to Magistrate Yang and said, "Thank you, Your Excellency!"

Magistrate Yang smiled, first signaling everyone else to go about their business, then smilingly said to Liu Ergou, "Your family has a new member; remember to report it to the county office later."

Liu Ergou chuckled, then scratched the back of his head and replied, "Don't worry, sir, I've got it."

Yang Shaofeng hummed in agreement and continued, "His Highness the Crown Prince came today for two reasons: first, to see your chubby son, and second, to inquire about your family's harvest this year. Just tell him the truth."

Liu Ergou glanced at Magistrate Yang, then at Zhu Biao, and answered honestly, "Your Highness, my family has thirty mu of land. This year's harvest is quite good. We harvested a full three thousand jin of wheat, and the sorghum and beans together also yielded about three thousand jin, enough for my family to eat for a year. We still have about a thousand jin left over."

At this point, Liu Ergou chuckled again and said, "Thanks to the cattle, horses, shovels, rakes and other farming tools that His Highness bestowed upon us last year, and thanks to the Master for keeping an eye on my diligent farming, otherwise my family would not have had the harvest we have today."

"By the way, besides grain, the harvest of melons and fruits this year is also good. It's enough for the whole family to eat, and there's even some left over."

"Especially the bean curd, this year's harvest is much better than in previous years. The whole family can't finish it. My dad and mom dried the bean curd they couldn't eat early on, planning to save it for the New Year."

Upon hearing the words "bean shavings," Magistrate Yang immediately waved his hand and said, "Alright, that's enough for now."

Damn it, it's bean curd sticks again!

I've had enough of this junk in my past life, and now I get annoyed just hearing those three words!

Of course, adding some of this when stewing braised pork is a good idea. Dried bean curd can absorb oil and add a special aroma to the meat. Before potatoes existed, dried bean curd was the perfect match for braised pork.

After letting Liu Ergou take Zhu Biao around the house and check on the grain stored in Liu Ergou's house, Magistrate Yang took Zhu Biao back to the county office.

"Your Highness, did you hear what Liu Ergou said? He still remembers the gifts Your Highness bestowed upon him last year. When his children grow up, he might mention to them that during the great drought in the first year of Hongwu's reign, it was His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince who bestowed cattle, horses, and tools, which is why Daming Lake and the Crown Prince Canal were built, allowing them to survive."

Magistrate Yang decided to deceive Zhu Biao as soon as possible, at least before Zhu Biao's values ​​were fully formed, and he couldn't let that old scoundrel Zhu Chongba lead Zhu Biao astray.