Chapter 508: Correcting a Wrong Must Be Overcorrected
Chapter 508: Correcting a Wrong Must Be Overcorrected
"Uh"
Zhang Yu was somewhat at a loss, with a trace of embarrassment on his face.
He nodded hesitantly, then moved closer and whispered:
"Sir, after these few days of research, combined with what you just said,
I believe that the company is a culmination of innovative approaches.
As long as the imperial court can do this well, it will have unprecedented control over the entire Southern Zhili.
The imperial court would never allow such power to run wild.
Even if it is the princes and heirs of the royal family, they will not be allowed to control it, let alone us, the outsiders."
Zhang Yu still had a look of shock on his face. He was frightened by what Lu Yunyi had just said.
The more he thought about the phrase "the beginning of change", the more he felt that this might be the real purpose of the business.
However, this is easier said than done.
Throughout history, countless heroes have fallen on the road of change.
It was only the former Yuan Dynasty court,
There are "Lu Shirong" and "Tuotuo" who died in the reform.
Not to mention the Song Dynasty, where prime ministers such as Wang Anshi, Fan Zhongyan, and Cai Jing advocated reform.
In the end, they all died, including several emperors.
As Zhang Yu is well-versed in history books,
He knew very well that once the business incident came out,
Many people up and down are already standing on the edge of the abyss.
Today it was pointed out directly that the business was the beginning of change. How could he not be afraid?
Lu Yunyi stood at the entrance of the post station with his hands behind his back.
Looking at the soldiers and officials who were walking further and further away, his eye sockets were deep and his eyes were unfathomable, and it was unknown what he was thinking about.
"Zhang Yu, I know what you are thinking. This is indeed what the court is planning, and the company is also moving in this direction.
However, the true purpose of the business was known only to His Majesty, the Crown Prince, and several officials in the Governor's Office.
As for other people, maybe they can see some clues.
But as long as the business is not open for business, some people will be kept in the dark and some will take chances.
If you don't try some paths while your majesty is still alive, you will never have another chance in the future."
"But sir, Yingtian is under the emperor's feet.
It was relatively easy to get things done, and the people in the countryside and fields did not oppose the imperial court.
But if it is farther away,
The imperial court's decrees had long been distorted beyond recognition by the local gentry, and good things had turned into bad things.
It is not easy for the imperial court to penetrate into the countryside and fields.”
“Don’t be afraid, difficulties are in front of you, just overcome them one by one.
You are a smart person who can see the obstacles and difficulties that may arise.
But most people in this world don’t see that, and that’s enough.”
Lu Yunyi raised his head, looked at the group of people who were about to disappear at the end of his sight, and said:
"Look at them, they are full of energy and they are not afraid even when faced with difficulties.
In the past, I have been a great admirer of the doctrine of inaction and moderation.
At that time, I was far away in Qingzhou, a small town outside the Great Wall in the northern border.
Sometimes it belongs to the Yuan Dynasty, sometimes it belongs to the Ming Dynasty.
Even so, it is not difficult to fill your stomach.
I once thought that the villages in the Ming Dynasty were much better than that. At least under the governance of the imperial court, there were basic guarantees.
But in Yiling County, Yunnan, I found that this was not the case.
In a village with only a few thousand people, thirty percent of them were tenant farmers, and another thirty percent depended on the gentry for their livelihood.
The whole village was living in dire straits.
Being poorly clothed and poorly fed is the norm.
If unrest breaks out, these people won't be able to survive for even ten days.
It was then that I suddenly realized that the doctrine of the mean was not going to work, and the court could not rule by inaction, but had to take drastic measures.”
At this point, Lu Yunyi took out a document from his pocket and handed it over:
"You should have taken note of the Yingtian map I gave you last time."
Zhang Yu, who was a little stunned, nodded quickly:
"take note of it."
“In fact, along with the map, we also brought some information about the villages around Yingtian.
It was even worse than what we saw in Yiling County. It was common for 40 to 50 percent of the people in a village to be tenant farmers, and it was not uncommon for one wealthy man to occupy most of the land.
There are even 20% of villages.
I don't know where the imperial court is, and of course I don't know where Yingtian City is.
I didn't even know that Yingtian City had been rebuilt.
Because in the old Yuan Dynasty, they had never seen Yingtian City. "
"Still, there is such a thing?"
Zhang Yu was shocked and quickly flipped through the book in his hand.
The more he looked, the more his pupils contracted and the colder his body became.
After a long time, Zhang Yu pursed his lips and said in disbelief:
"Sir, I was once an official in the Yuan Dynasty and have been to the countryside several times.
Why now it seems that the villages of Daming and Yuan Dynasty are similar. "
"The roads are blocked, transportation is inconvenient, and information is not smooth.
People in the village and people in the city are like chickens kept in two different cages.
You don't know my business, and I don't know your business.
The imperial court wanted to solve this problem, so it ordered people to draw a yellow book of fish scales.
After so many years, I have some understanding of the villages around the city.
But in places further away, it was all up to the officials who went to the countryside to make up stories and whatever they said was the truth.
So, a business is a good thing, and a bicycle is also a good thing.
If used properly, the court's control over the local areas will far exceed that of the previous dynasty and reach an unprecedented level.
Your Majesty and the Crown Prince both see this matter clearly.
Moreover, if this matter is not handled while His Majesty is still alive,
Even if we wait for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to ascend the throne, this matter cannot be accomplished."
Zhang Yu suddenly felt his throat dry. Things had come to this point.
In the end, it doesn’t matter who controls the business, and the same goes for the welfare benefits.
While your majesty is alive, perhaps everything can be preserved.
But if you don't achieve enough results,
When your majesty dies, everything will be reduced to ashes and vanish into thin air.
Talking about welfare benefits at that time will be castles in the air.
The reality is cruel, but Zhang Yu knows that what he said makes sense.
The court did the same.
In recent years, the court has been engaged in large-scale construction projects, building new cities, canals and dams, and all of them have been using free soldiers.
If these projects were not built at the beginning of the country,
Later, when land annexation became serious, the land and people became the property of local gentry.
How can we repair it? How can the court afford it?
At least, when I was an official in the Yuan Dynasty, some canals and city walls had long needed repair.
But I kept putting it off and couldn't get it repaired.
It’s just because the cost is too high and the land belongs to local wealthy and powerful people, so it takes a lot of energy just to coordinate the use of the land.
Zhang Yu had witnessed all these things with his own eyes and had a deep understanding of them.
For some reason, he suddenly felt a little excited.
It was the excitement of participating in a big event, which made him clench his fists and his body tremble slightly!
The wind and snow pressed down on me for two or three years, but I laughed at the light wind and snow as soft as cotton!
The first half of life is wasted and mediocre; the second half of life is full of rise and shine!
Zhang Yu took a step forward, clasped his hands and said:
"Sir, Zhang Yu will definitely do his best in this matter!"
Lu Yunyi turned around, took the document from him, stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder:
"Don't be so nervous. It's not time to fight hard yet. I'll give you a task."
"Sir, please speak!"
"Whether it's going to the countryside or doing business afterwards,
There will be all kinds of people involved, including common people, clerks, and officials.
What you need to do is to find out the capable ones among them and record them secretly.
To accomplish this, we need enough like-minded people.
The Governor's Office and the Ministry of Works alone are far from enough."
Zhang Yu understood what he meant, his face became serious, and he clasped his hands together:
"Yes, please rest assured, Zhang Yu understands!"
"Okay, that's all for now.
When the enemy comes, the general will fight back; when the water comes, the earth will cover it. They are all generals who have fought in wars.
When facing difficulties and obstacles, stay calm and I believe you can do it well. "
"Yes!"
Lu Yunyi nodded, turned to look at Feng Yunfang who had been waiting on the side, and asked:
"what's up?"
"Sir, I just received news.
Miss Deng has been rescued, and the group of sixteen criminals were all shot dead."
Lu Yunyi nodded.
"Okay, it's a good time to go back to the city and take a look."
...In the Magnolia Ice House, Lu Yunyi, who had hurried back, met Deng Lingyun in a guest room.
The room is exceptionally cool, with a gentle breeze blowing through.
But Deng Lingyun was covered in cold sweat, curled up on the bed, her body shaking constantly, with a lingering look of fear in her eyes.
Even when Lu Yunyi came, she just moved her eyes slightly without any other reaction.
Lu Yunyi looked at Song Wan'er and Qin Qing with some doubt.
"What's wrong with her?"
The two of them looked a little embarrassed, their cheeks were pale,
A few strands of hair stuck to his forehead, and it was obvious that he was sweating a lot.
Strangely, Qin Qing, who always liked to dress up as a man, seemed even more uneasy.
I wanted to say something several times, but never got it out.
Finally, Song Wan'er pursed her lips and said in a slightly heavy voice:
"General Lu, is it so tragic on the battlefield?"
Lu Yunyi was stunned, then looked puzzled.
Song Wan'er took a deep breath and continued:
"The dozen men were shot dead by arrows, which pierced the man's neck.
Brought out flesh and blood and a small piece of bone.
We all saw it and were deeply shocked. Sister Lingyun was frightened.
So I want to ask, is this the case on all battlefields?"
Lu Yunyi suddenly realized and nodded, agreeing with her statement.
"what is this."
Liu Heiying, who was sitting in the corner, leaning against an ice cube, suddenly spoke with a hint of impatience in his eyes.
"You ladies, how could you know the cruelty of the battlefield?
Today's situation is not worth mentioning at all."
"Then..." Song Wan'er's cheeks turned a little paler.
"What does a real battlefield look like?"
Liu Heiying was blunt:
"Broken limbs were everywhere, and the ground was covered with large pieces of blood and flesh.
After the war horses charged, the ground was covered with blood and mud.
During the Luchuan War, countless mass graves were dug to bury the bodies.”
"Okay, that's it."
Lu Yunyi interrupted Liu Heiying's speech and turned to look at Song Wan'er and others.
"Fighting on the battlefield is our duty as soldiers, and whether it is cruel or not has nothing to do with you.
I also understand what happened today.
I had no choice but to resort to this measure, and I hope the girls will forgive me."
For some reason, Song Wan'er pursed her lips slightly, feeling a pang of pain in her heart, and inexplicably felt sorry for the person in front of her.
There were rumors in the capital that he had hysteria. At first, Song Wan'er didn't care, and some people in the family even said that it was a self-torture tactic.
She had thought so, too.
But now she felt that after experiencing such a tragic war,
It would be strange if it could still stand in front of me intact and talk and laugh.
Song Wan'er looked sad, her eyes were bloodshot, and she whispered:
"General Lu, you have suffered."
Lu Yunyi felt baffled by this.
I don't understand what this woman from a scholarly family is doing.
He changed the subject and said, "Have you asked the doctor to come and see you?"
"I've checked it out. Sister Lingyun was frightened and needs to rest."
Song Wan'er showed a lingering fear.
"We were far away at the time and were so frightened that we didn't dare to say a word.
And Sister Lingyun was among them, so you can imagine how frightened she was. "
“It’s the same for people who see a corpse for the first time, but it will be fine once you get used to it or forget about it.
Why don't you send her home?"
Lu Yunyi looked around in confusion. There were still three men and two women in the room.
There were no relatives of Deng Lingyun, not even anyone from her family.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the room was a little awkward.
Song Wan'er looked conflicted, but finally told the truth:
"When Sister Lingyun was kidnapped, we sent someone to report it to the mansion, but..."
Song Wan'er took a step forward and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear:
“Lord Deng said that without Sister Lingyun as his daughter, he would let her fend for herself.
Later, the criminals were killed.
We reported it again, but received no response, and no one has come to date.”
Song Wan'er looked a little confused and didn't understand what was going on.
But these words had a different meaning to Lu Yunyi's ears.
What kind of operation is this? Betting on both sides and only betting on one daughter?
A trace of confusion flashed across Lu Yunyi's eyes.
He is now a little confused about what Deng Ming wants to do.
"How was Miss Lingyun held hostage?"
Song Wan'er did not hide it either.
She told him everything that happened on the street corner, and finally added:
"I suspect that Sister Lingyun had a quarrel with Uncle Deng, and she was a little distracted at the time."
After the words fell, Lu Yunyi suddenly realized.
Thinking of Deng Lingyun's strange behavior of coming and going, leaving and coming again,
He was somewhat certain that it was Deng Ming who set the fire.
After thinking for a moment, Lu Yunyi walked to the bed and sat down gently.
"Miss Deng, there are too many people in the ice house and it's very noisy.
How about I arrange a more spacious place for you to live?"
Deng Lingyun slowly raised her head, her once lively eyes now filled with sadness and helplessness.
Like a wounded deer hiding in a corner, she is so fragile that she seems like she could be blown down by a gust of wind.
Her lips trembled slightly, and her cracked lips curled up a little.
His face was so pale that it was almost transparent, completely bloodless.
When she heard Lu Yunyi's words, a hint of hesitation flashed across her eyes, followed by deep embarrassment.
She subconsciously clutched the expensive but worn-out clothes on her body.
"Master Lu, I don't have any money."
Her voice became lower and lower, until it was almost inaudible.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
Song Wan'er felt distressed when she saw Deng Lingyun like this.
She walked forward, gently held Deng Lingyun's hand, and comforted her:
"Lingyun, don't worry, we are here for you."
Lu Yunyi looked at Deng Lingyun and said comfortingly:
"Miss Deng, don't worry about money, I will take care of everything.
The most important thing for you now is to take good care of your health, and we can discuss other things later."
Deng Lingyun raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes.
She looked at Lu Yunyi, moved her lips, but didn't know what to say.
After a long while, she choked up and said, "Thank you very much."
"We are friends, you have helped me a lot, and now that my friend is in trouble, I naturally have to lend a helping hand.
As for the matters at home, Miss Lingyun does not need to worry too much.
Adults' anger is only temporary and will disappear after a few days.
Now the fruit and vegetable market has been burned down and you have nothing to do.
When you have nothing to do, you can think about your own business.
People can't be idle. Once they are idle, they will start to think about random things."
Lu Yunyi spoke in a gentle voice,
Deng Lingyun's mouth trembled and her eyes were full of emotion: "Thank you, Mr. Lu"
Lu Yunyi looked at Liu Heiying who was sitting in the corner:
"Well, don't just sit there, find a good place in the city for Miss Lingyun to stay."
Liu Heiying sighed, propped himself up and stood up, saying helplessly:
"Okay, I'll arrange it."
Liu Heiying walked away shaking his head. Even after he walked out of the room, one could still hear his wailing:
"My business, my money."
(End of this chapter)