jdhmnovel Chapter 556 Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for us?
Chapter 556 Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for us?
By the time they had toured the workshops, household registration offices, rites offices, official offices, and military offices, the sun was already almost setting.
Standing outside the barracks, watching the clerks and servants heading home after work, Emperor Zhu couldn't help but blink and ask, "It's only just past 6 or 8 pm, and the clerks are already off work?"
Yang Shaofeng rolled his eyes and replied, "They start work at the end of Chen Shi (7-9 AM) and finish at You Shi (5-7 PM), which adds up to four hours a day. How long do you want them to work, Father-in-law?"
Emperor Zhu was taken aback, then asked somewhat exasperatedly, "Starting work at the end of Chenshi (7-9 AM)? Finishing work at Youshi (5-7 PM)? Only four hours a day? Shouldn't we do more work before it gets dark?"
Yang Shaofeng rolled his eyes again.
Zhu Chongba is a well-known workaholic in the martial arts world, known for getting up earlier than the rooster, sleeping later than the dog, and working more than the ox.
But you can't use your standards to judge clerks and servants.
Yang Shaofeng glanced at Emperor Zhu discreetly and tentatively asked, "If I were to speak frankly, would you promise not to be angry?"
Emperor Zhu snorted coldly and said, "What, is there something you dare not say?"
Yang Shaofeng shrank his neck and muttered softly, "I dare to say it, but the problem is that if you get so angry after hearing it that you suffer a serious illness, wouldn't that be my fault?"
Emperor Zhu was almost laughing in anger.
No.
What I'm saying is, is it possible that you, you bastard, have caused me trouble more than once or twice, and every time I was furious, but now I've slowly learned not to get angry?
Emperor Zhu snorted again and said, "Say whatever you want, whatever you say, even if you point your finger at me and call me a tyrant, I won't be angry."
That's because you, old Deng, aren't a truly incompetent ruler, so you don't care.
Yang Shaofeng mentally complained, but then his eyes lit up as he pondered how to stab Old Deng in the heart.
After a moment's consideration, Yang Shaofeng said thoughtfully, "Do you think it's possible that these clerks and servants are only doing their jobs to earn money?"
"Please don't mind my harsh words, sir."
"If we compare the Ming Dynasty to a huge workshop, then you, sir, are the owner of the workshop, and His Highness the Crown Prince is the young owner."
“The likes of the Duke of Han, the Earl of Chengyi, the Duke of Wei, and the Duke of E are stewards whose positions can be inherited indefinitely.”
"It is only right that you and His Highness the Crown Prince are concerned about the workshop, as it is your and His Highness the Crown Prince's business."
"It is also only right that the Duke of Han, the Earl of Chengyi, the Duke of Wei, and the Duke of E work hard for the workshops, because they are also enjoying the benefits of the workshops."
"But you can't expect these workers who come to work to earn money to be like you."
"They only receive wages, not dividends. This job is not hereditary, or rather, the only thing that can be inherited is hard work and toil."
"So, you still want them to get up early and go to bed late like you, and work themselves to the bone for the workshop?"
"..."
Yang Shaofeng kept smacking his lips.
Emperor Zhu felt that what Yang Shaofeng was saying was not human language, but sharp blades aimed at his heart.
But after repeatedly changing the shape of his fist and palm within his sleeves, Emperor Zhu inexplicably let out a long sigh of relief.
"Yes."
"We always thought that the officials should do more for the people."
"But they didn't really try to think from the perspective of the officials."
Emperor Zhu chuckled self-deprecatingly and said to himself, "What does the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty, or the well-being of the people, have to do with the officials?"
"The Ming Dynasty has fallen, but it's just that someone else has become emperor. They can still be subjects."
"The common people also pay taxes to the new ruler."
"If a workshop can't continue operating, the manager can move on to a new workshop and still be a manager."
"Hehe, hehe, haha."
Yang Shaofeng was startled when he saw Emperor Zhu go from quietly mocking himself to bursting into laughter.
Will Old Deng be driven mad with anger?
That's not okay.
If Old Deng were to go mad with anger, the other civil and military officials in the court would be fine, but wouldn't the nobles of the Huai-Xi clique tear him apart?
This is their eldest sister's son-in-law!
And what about my mother-in-law and brother-in-law? Wouldn't they hate me to death too?
Just as Yang Shaofeng was secretly worried, Emperor Zhu stopped laughing.
"You reminded me."
Emperor Zhu reached out and patted Yang Shaofeng on the shoulder, then said with a sigh, "We were wrong before."
If you really break it down like this, it's not hard to see that governing a country and running a workshop are quite similar.
It is only right for the emperor to worry about and work hard for the country. The officials are just doing their jobs for a paycheck. Apart from those with ideals, the rest of the officials really don't deserve to devote themselves to the country.
If we want them to consider things for the country and its people, it seems we need to find other ways.
As Emperor Zhu pondered these random thoughts, he chuckled and said, "My dear son-in-law..."
Yang Shaofeng's heart tightened, but Emperor Zhu continued, "Go back and write a memorial about the reform of the six departments in Ningyang County, and also write down the theory of upper and lower workers and the management of workshops. Let's think about it carefully."
Emperor Zhu suddenly had the idea of staying in Ningyang County for the New Year.
Putting everything else aside, just take that bastard's theory about making money through labor that he just mentioned, it's actually worth studying carefully.
Back to Beijing?
After returning to Beijing, who would talk to me about these things?
Those officials would only say "Your Majesty is wise," or criticize themselves for not doing a good job as emperor, and always bring up things like spreading education widely.
But they never said what they did wrong, or specifically where they went wrong, let alone why they were wrong.
On the contrary, this scoundrel, although he still causes us trouble from time to time, he is genuinely concerned about our Great Ming and the people. This is truly rare.
Emperor Zhu never expected that, just as he was secretly moved by Yang Shaofeng's "sincerity," Yang Shaofeng would roll his eyes and say, "Father-in-law, have you overlooked something?"
Emperor Zhu was slightly taken aback and asked, "What is it?"
Yang Shaofeng said, "The imperial court has six ministries, the prefectures and counties have six offices, and what about the provincial administration and prefectures?"
"Tell me, which department of the Provincial Administration Commission and prefecture should the Ministry of Works' official documents be sent to? Or should they be sent directly to the workshops at the prefectural or county level?"
"If we go directly to the prefectures and counties, what use are the provincial administration offices and prefectural-level government offices?"
"If it's sent to the Provincial Administration Commission and the Prefectural Government, which government office will handle it? The Provincial Administration Commissioner and the Prefect?"
"There's no connection between the top and bottom."
Yang Shaofeng pronounced the word "ah" with great intonation.
The Emperor Zhu was completely bewildered.
After a long while, Emperor Zhu glared at Yang Shaofeng and cursed, "We only took two small dragon balls from you! You bastard! Just because of two small dragon balls, you're deliberately trying to make things difficult for us today, aren't you!"