jdhmnovel Chapter 827 I'm already in my sixties, you bastard!
Chapter 827 I'm already in my sixties, you bastard!
Li Shanchang kept trying to figure out Yang Shaofeng's deeper intentions.
For Li Shanchang, the word "road construction" was not just about road traffic.
On a deeper level, roads are closely related to the safety of a country.
When a country is in a stage of upward development, good road and transportation conditions can accelerate the flow of goods and money, and their positive significance is immeasurable.
However, when a country is in a period of decline, especially when it is attacked by another country, good road conditions can very likely become an asset to the enemy.
There are also many trees along the roadside, which are at risk of being illegally cut down during times of peace, and could be used as siege weapons during times of war.
This is why, throughout history, bridges and roads have been built, but only the main roads have been repaired.
Roads between counties, and between villages and county towns?
Even dogs don’t do that!
Although Yang Dianfeng had never actually led troops or fought in battle, he couldn't possibly be unaware of such a simple principle.
So, even though Yang Dianfeng knew that building roads in this way would have disadvantages, he still pushed for road construction like crazy, even wanting to make the country roads so wide.
Just as Li Shanchang was pondering why Yang Shaofeng had reserved several meters of road ahead, the officials that Li Shanchang had summoned to Dengzhou Prefecture had already gathered together and started a group of insults.
Qian Cun, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was the first to speak out: "Just look at the road under your feet and the trees on both sides of the road. How can he have the nerve to say that Dengzhou Prefecture has no three days of sunshine and no three feet of flat land?"
Qiao Wuyong, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, glanced at the "service area" not far away and said with a dark face, "You can all be secretly happy!"
“Your Ministry of Revenue should be able to collect more taxes, no matter what.”
“Your Ministry of War is simply taking advantage of an existing post station.”
"And your Ministry of Rites, I've heard that Dengzhou Prefecture has more schools than Ningyang County, is that right?"
Meng Fanyu, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, stroked his beard and said, "Dengzhou is a prefecture, while Ningyang is a county. Dengzhou has ten counties, while Ningyang only has one. Naturally, the number of schools in Dengzhou is ten times that of Ningyang."
Ok?
Is this the main point of our official language?
Haven't you bastards noticed yet that all of you from various ministries, academies, temples, and directorates have sent Left Vice Ministers and Left Junior Ministers, while our Ministry of Works has sent me, the Right Vice Minister?
Damn it, Wang Shaoyu, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, is still squatting in Dengzhou Prefecture, carrying long-term laborers for Yang the Madman!
Qiao Wuyong grew angrier the more he thought about it, and was about to say something sarcastic when Meng Fanyu, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, sighed inexplicably and said, "Does Vice Minister Qiao think that your Ministry of Works is at a disadvantage?"
Before Qiao Wuyong could answer, Zeng Wenyu, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, stroked his beard and said, "How can it not be a loss? The Ministry of Works was a perfectly good ministry, and first it was split into an Industrial Ministry and a Transportation Ministry. Who knows if they will split off the remaining few Qingli Divisions in the future?"
Ok?
If you, surnamed Zeng, can't speak, you don't have to. I don't think you're mute!
Qiao Wuyong's face grew even more gloomy, but Meng Fanyu sighed again and said, "Yes, your Ministry of Works has been demolished, but how much better off can our Ministry of Rites be?"
According to Emperor Zhu's regulations, the Ministry of Rites was actually responsible for matters such as rituals, ancestral worship, host and guest arrangements, and fine cuisine. Matters such as the imperial examinations, textbook compilation, book writing, and school construction were not originally under the direct jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites.
For example, in the imperial examinations, the Ministry of Rites would at most set up a procedure. Other matters, such as specifying the examination questions, were jointly decided by the emperor and various departments, including the Grand Secretaries of the various halls, the Grand Secretariat, the Ministry of Rites, and the Imperial Academy. The actual examination process and invigilation were jointly conducted by the instructors of the Imperial Academy and the various provincial administrations.
Take textbook compilation for another example. This was not the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites, but of the Imperial Academy. The Ministry of Rites would at most send people to help check and proofread the textbooks to ensure that there was no prohibited content. The Hanlin Academy also helped to share some of the responsibility.
But what about the Ministry of Rites now?
First, a Ministry of Education was spun off, and then a publishing house was also spun off. The key point is that the Ministry of Rites had to send people to help the Ministry of Education select textbooks and to help the publishing house revise textbooks. If they did well, they would likely not be rewarded, but if they did poorly, they would definitely be punished.
Meng Fanyu tearfully recounted the dire situation of the Ministry of Rites, and Qian Cun, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, could no longer hold back his tears.
"So it's just your Ministry of Works that's unlucky?"
"So it's just your Ministry of Rites that's unlucky?"
"Does anyone know how dire our Ministry of Revenue is?"
"In the first year of Hongwu, the Prince Consort Yang produced a household register, and the Ministry of Revenue was subsequently required to compile a list of people's land and property records."
"In the entire Ming Dynasty, there are more than a dozen provincial administration commissions, hundreds of prefectures, more than a thousand counties, and more than 70 million people. Do you know how miserable the Ministry of Revenue is?"
"You don't know!"
"All you know how to do is ask the Ministry of Revenue for money!"
Ok?
What nonsense are you spouting, you surnamed Qian?
Zeng Wenyu, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, said with a dark face, "Old Qian, can't you at least have a conscience? Ever since the Dengzhou border market opened, have taxes and grain really been a problem? Does anyone know how much effort the Ministry of Personnel has put into solving the problem of insufficient local officials?"
"Including you departments, academies, supervisory offices, and temples, which one of you hasn't complained about a shortage of manpower?"
"And who hasn't blocked the entrance to the Ministry of Personnel?"
"..."
Qian Yong retorted directly: "Look how nicely Minister Zeng puts it! Who hasn't complained about a shortage of manpower? Who hasn't blocked the door of your Ministry of Personnel? Well then, I'd like to ask you, Minister Zeng, who among you hasn't blocked the door of the Ministry of Revenue?"
A group of Left Vice Ministers, Right Vice Ministers, Junior Ministers, Court Directors, and Supervisors were arguing amongst themselves. The topic quickly shifted from angrily criticizing a certain imperial son-in-law to blaming each other.
After eavesdropping quietly for a while, Li Shanchang couldn't help but sigh.
Look, look, these are the officials of our great Ming Dynasty.
You criticize me, I criticize you, but why doesn't anyone think about what I, the old Grand Secretary, should do?
I'm already in my sixties, you bastard!
Li Shanchang grew angrier the more he thought about it, and finally couldn't help but snort coldly, "That's enough!"
"I brought you to Dengzhou Prefecture so that you could see what Dengzhou Prefecture is all about and why it is richer than other prefectures."
"Now look what's happened! We haven't even figured out why Dengzhou Prefecture is so wealthy, and you're already arguing among yourselves!"
"..."
A group of vice ministers and junior officials were so reprimanded by Li Shanchang that they could not lift their heads.
After a long while, Li Shanchang snorted coldly again and said, "Take off your official robes! We'll find a village at the foot of the mountain later, take a walk around, and ask the people about their livelihoods."
""