Chapter 509 Shock! The Ministry of Industry will sell the Imperial City tomorrow
Chapter 509 Shock! The Ministry of Industry will sell the Imperial City tomorrow
After the blockade of No. 1 Zhongzheng Street was lifted,
The news that Liu's fruit shop was burned down spread quickly in the city like wildfire.
At the same time, various rumors continued to emerge like mushrooms after rain.
It was almost evening.
Most of the people and merchants nearby knew the ownership of Liu's Fruit and Vegetable Shop and the owner behind it.
Many people were secretly delighted, thinking that such a high-ranking official deserved to be burned.
However, this situation did not last long.
In less than two days, Xinchen Trading Company released a piece of news.
Two shops on Lingbao Street in Yingtian and a piece of fertile land outside the city are for sale.
And they can only be purchased together, and the price is around 10,000 taels of silver!
This is the first time in two months that Xinchen Trading Company has announced the sale of fertile land outside the city.
As soon as the news came out, the dignitaries in the city flocked to the city.
Most of them are merchants from other places who came to Yingtian to settle down.
Although there are large houses in the city, there is not much land in Yingtian.
Therefore, whenever there is news of good farmland for sale, they will scramble for it.
This time is no exception!
Soon, they learned the news.
The owner of the two shops and the fertile land was the Lu Mansion in San Tiao Lane, Xi'an Gate.
That is the property of the new Minister of Works.
This confuses many people.
On the one hand, I wonder how he could have an industry in the capital right after taking office.
On the other hand, I wonder why he wants to sell these properties.
After much inquiry, Xinchen Trading Company finally had to reveal that
The shops and fertile land are not owned by Lord Lu.
Instead, she was the wife of Lord Lu, the daughter of Marquis Xiping, who came as a dowry.
Now it dawned on me, no wonder there are so many good things.
At the same time, they also learned the reason why Lord Lu sold these properties.
It turned out that two days ago, a fruit and vegetable shop on Zhongzheng Street caught fire, burning down his only property.
As a result, the news not only spread throughout the upper city, but also spread down to the middle city and the lower city, and almost the entire city knew about it.
Even Li Wu, who had just picked up his fellow villager, heard about this.
I can't help but sigh that every family has its own problems.
On the morning of August 11, the 22nd year of Hongwu,
Lu Yunyi left the military camp with dark circles under his eyes and headed for the Ministry of Works.
As soon as he stepped into the imperial city, countless strange looks were cast at him on the wide bluestone road, causing Lu Yunyi to look back frequently with a puzzled look on his face.
It was not until he reached the Ministry of Works that he learned the whole story from the discussion between two clerks.
It turned out that the strategy I had arranged was effective.
Lu Yunyi raised a triumphant smile and walked into the yamen.
As soon as he entered, many busy officials turned their eyes to him.
There was a hint of inexplicable meaning in his eyes, and also a hint of pity.
Many officials in the yamen felt that this young man lived too poorly.
If it were an ordinary official, it would be fine, but people might even scold him for seeking fame.
But the Lord Lu in front of him is different.
He was a general who had fought many battles, killed countless enemies, and captured countless spoils.
If just a little bit slips through your fingers, you'd lose an ounce of silver.
It's really pitiful that they have to live like this and their only business was burned down.
Noticing these gazes, Lu Yunyi lowered his eyes, walked into the yamen silently, feeling very strange.
The Ministry of Industry often worked overtime, so the monthly salary was not small.
But no matter how many there are, they cannot compare to him, a third-rank official who holds three positions.
What's more, he has two wealthy wives, and I really don't understand what they are pitying about.
Back in the yamen, Lu Yunyi just sat down and was about to drink a cup of tea to refresh himself.
Wang Chen, a doctor from the Dushuisi, rushed in with a messy head of hair.
Even though he is over 50 years old, he is still very agile.
"Sir! You are here at last!"
His face was haggard and his hair was messy, but he still exuded a sense of vigor.
Before Lu Yunyi could speak, he slammed a piece of paper heavily on the table.
"Sir! Our water department has tested the method of using water to attack sand for three days and three nights.
Finally confirmed that this method works!
However, there is a problem that has been bothering us and leaving us puzzled.
I have come here today to ask for your advice, and I hope you will be generous in giving me your guidance."
Seeing his impetuous posture, Lu Yunyi shrank back with some fear.
"You are all experts in flood control at the Water Conservancy Bureau, but I am only good at fighting wars. Why do you come to ask me?"
Wang Chen scratched his head vigorously and said:
"Sir, the Du Shui Division has tried countless ways to solve this problem, but still can't.
I really have no other options, so I came to ask you if you have any ideas."
Lu Yunyi's face showed a look of sudden realization, and his expression relaxed.
Although he had no practical experience in water and river management, he had good theoretical knowledge.
"what is the problem?"
"My Lord, through repeated calculations and experiments,
We found that sand is heavy and water is light, and no matter how turbulent the water flow is, some sand will always settle.
According to calculations in previous years, the Yellow River has a large flow and carries an astonishing amount of sediment.
If spread out at a thickness of ten feet, it can cover 8.4 million acres every year.
It is impossible for all this silt to be washed into the sea, the Yellow River is still silting up and the riverbed is rising continuously.”
"so much?"
Lu Yunyi's eyes twitched suddenly, and he quickly took the paper and started calculating.
The entire Yingtian City has four layers of walls: the palace city, the imperial city, the capital city and the outer city. Apart from the city walls,
The area of the capital city is approximately 55 square kilometers, and 8.4 million mu is approximately equal to 5,600 square kilometers.
The silt that accumulates every year.
One hundred Yingtian Cities! Still three meters high!
Seeing the numbers on the paper, Lu Yunyi couldn't believe his eyes.
With so much silt, it’s no wonder that the Yellow River bursts its banks every year.
Putting aside his thoughts, Lu Yunyi looked at Wang Chen:
"Siltation is to be expected, and the Metropolitan Water Conservancy Bureau should have a solution to it."
Wang Chen looked bitter and said dejectedly:
“Sir, the solution proposed by the Du Shui Bureau is to build dams at several key points to store clear water and flush out the yellow water.
On the basis of controlling water and attacking sand, we use Hongze Lake and other water bodies to store clean water.
Open the gates and release water at the appropriate time.
Use clean water to flush out the silt in the Yellow River channel and reduce silt accumulation.
But the problem now is,
If we build the dam using the original method, there won’t be enough money.
Now that there is a new method, the Water Conservancy Department does not want to use the old methods anymore and plans to adopt new methods.
But now, if we want to build new dams and reservoirs to help control water and fight sand, we need more money.”
"how much is it?"
Lu Yunyi shrank back again. He felt a headache whenever he heard the word money.
For some reason, Wang Chen heard him ask this.
An unimaginable light suddenly burst out in his eyes, and even his body leaned forward.
He spoke in a resounding voice:
"Mr. Minister, the Water Department has already calculated it.
I want to thoroughly control the Yellow River and make it more peaceful in the future.
At least 15 reservoirs and more than 170 dams need to be built. "
As he spoke, Wang Chen quickly stood up and searched through Lu Yunyi's book.
Soon, he saw a map.
"Sir, as long as these reservoirs and dams are repaired,
I can guarantee that
Thirty years! No! Fifty years!
As long as there is no once-in-a-millennium flood, both banks of the Yellow River will be safe and sound.
It can recover the loss of tens of millions of taels of silver!"
"Alright, alright."
Seeing that he was getting more and more excited, Lu Yunyi quickly raised his hand to interrupt him.
The Wang Chen in front of him was exactly like the one when he was soliciting investment, only talking about the prospects and not the present.
"Tell me how much it costs."
Wang Chen suddenly became depressed and sat back on his chair:
"Sir, I went to see Minister Qin last night.
He agreed with the water management plan of the Dushui Division, but the cost was too much money, so the Shangshu had some concerns.
"How much?" Lu Yunyi asked again, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Thirteen million nine hundred thousand taels!"
When Lu Yunyi heard this number, he felt his head buzzing, as if he was hit hard by a heavy hammer.
The hand that was holding the teacup froze instantly, and the tea spilled uncontrollably, soaking the documents on the table.
His eyes were full of disbelief, his mouth slightly opened, and he asked in a dry and trembling voice:
"How many?"
Wang Chen looked frustrated and repeated:
"Thirteen million nine hundred thousand taels."
"Sir, this is the account after the Du Shui Bureau carefully calculated and compressed it as much as possible.
The construction of reservoirs and dams requires enormous manpower, material resources, and financial resources.
From purchasing stones and wood to hiring craftsmen and laborers, every item requires money.
Moreover, the construction process often takes several years, and the maintenance and management costs are also high.”
Lu Yunyi felt dizzy.
He rubbed his temples, trying to calm himself down, and looked straight at Wang Chen:
“It’s being said in the capital that I sold my property for 10,000 taels of silver, and now you want 10 million taels?
Where does the imperial court get so much money?
Even if we sell the entire imperial city, it still won’t be enough.”
Wang Chen was so anxious that beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He clenched his hands tightly and his face was full of anxiety.
There was even a hint of pleading:
"Sir, in the past, the water management department has always treated the symptoms rather than the root cause.
Now, having finally seen a permanent solution, Du Shuisi was unwilling to give up.
The embankments on both sides of the Yellow River are repaired every year but deteriorate every year, causing countless people to be displaced and their families to be broken up.
If we can completely cure the water problem, it will be a great contribution to future generations!"
"Master Wang, I understand what you mean, but do you know how much 10 million taels is?
The entire Luchuan war lasted nearly five years.
Both sides mobilized more than 3 million troops and suffered more than 500,000 casualties.
This only cost five million silver!
You want 10 million taels now, let alone the Du Shuisi Yamen,
Even if we tie up the entire Ministry of Industry, it won’t be enough!”
Wang Chen said cautiously:
"My Lord, I heard that you have a close relationship with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince cares about the world and has always been concerned about the management of the Yellow River.
Can you give some advice to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and find out what the palace means?
Perhaps His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can convince His Majesty to allocate this amount of money."
Lu Yunyi suddenly laughed.
Sure enough, people can't help laughing when they are helpless.
He finally understood why Qin Kui ignored Wang Chen.
If this number is reported, the Ministry of Industry will probably replace him as the number one trending search.
[Shocked! The Ministry of Industry will sell the Imperial City tomorrow!]
"Sir Wang, the Ministry of Revenue doesn't even have the two million taels to build the dam.
Your 10 million taels of silver is too far away. Oh, and there are 3.9 million taels in change."
Wang Chen lowered his head, dejected.
"Master Wang, please listen to my advice.
Once the money from the Ministry of Revenue comes in, don't think about completing it all at once.
First, we will build the dam according to the old method.
Then we will partially use water to control sand and save as much as possible.
We need to let everyone in the court see that this method is effective and saves money.
In this way, your 13 million taels have just taken the first step.
Fifteen reservoirs, more than 170 dams,
Can we do it in stages? We can build a reservoir in two years and a few dams in one year. We can do it slowly."
At this point, Lu Yunyi's voice seemed to be suddenly blocked by an invisible big hand, and he stood there in a daze.
Three days ago, he had said to Zhang Yu,
If we don't do some things while your majesty is still alive,
When the successor king ascends the throne, his prestige will be greatly reduced and he will be unable to accomplish anything.
The same is true of the huge project before us.
"Yes, there is no time." Lu Yunyi murmured to himself.
Wang Chen nodded, not quite understanding:
"Sir, I am now over fifty years old. Even if I can live another twenty years,
If we continue to work in this way, we will never see the day when the Yellow River can be completely controlled.
Moreover, time is long and fate is unfortunate,
I have served in this court for twenty years and have seen too many twists and turns.
It is common for some plans to fail in the womb or be abandoned halfway.
If this plan is not finalized soon, I am afraid there will be no chance to bring it to the table."
Wang Chen's voice was bleak and low.
He is no longer the powerful Du Shui Si Langzhong, but just a craftsman who is determined to manage the Yellow River.
"Ten million taels, who dares to say it?"
Lu Yunyi pondered secretly in his heart, then turned to look at the slightly wet document in front of him, lost in thought.
After a long time, he finally asked:
"How much money can be saved if we use the soldiers of the Tuntian Guard?"
"Two million!"
"What's the bulk of the remaining money?"
"It's the raw material for making glutinous rice mortar."
A gleam of light flashed in Wang Chen's eyes, and he quickly explained,
"Glutinous rice mortar is a key material for building dams and reservoirs. It is highly sticky, strong and durable.
But the raw materials required are huge, and this part of the expenditure accounts for the bulk of the entire budget, about five million taels."
"That's seven million taels. Where's the rest?"
"The remaining 6.9 million taels were mainly spent on the purchase of stone and wood, the wages of craftsmen, various miscellaneous expenses during the construction period, and the maintenance of dams and reservoirs."
"Stone and wood" Lu Yunyi stroked his chin and fell into thought.
“Is there no way to reduce the cost of purchasing these materials?
For example, looking for a closer source of production, or negotiating a more favorable price with local merchants? "
Wang Chen shook his head helplessly and said:
"Sir, there are places close to the Yellow River where the stone and wood quality is up to standard.
Prices have been under downward pressure for more than a decade and it is unlikely that they will fall significantly again.
If we choose a place of production farther away, the transportation cost will increase significantly, which is not worth the cost.”
Lu Yunyi frowned, tapped the table lightly with his fingers, and fell into deep thought.
The stones, wood and labor cannot be moved...
"Lord Wang." Lu Yunyi raised his head.
“Is there no other material that can replace the sticky rice mortar?”
Wang Chen smiled bitterly:
“Sir, we have tried various materials over the years, but the results have not been satisfactory.
Either the viscosity is not enough to ensure the stability of the dam.
Or they have poor durability and will break down after a few years, which is not worth the cost.”
Taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi picked up the document on the table and raised it:
“This document is not detailed enough.
Where the money goes, how you plan to spend it, and how you intend to spend it should all be recorded.
If you don't know how, ask the accountant from the Ministry of Revenue to come and make a detailed account.
When everything is done, I will submit this document."
Wang Chen raised his head suddenly, his eyes widened to the extreme...
"Sir! Really?"
Seeing him so excited, Lu Yunyi quickly raised his hand to stop him:
"Don't get excited. Once the document is submitted, it will definitely cause a stir in the court and the country.
At present, there is no possibility of implementation.”
In an instant, Wang Chen became listless again:
"Sir, what are we busy with?"
"No, no, no, I can't do anything with 13 million taels, so I'll cut it in half.
So what if seven million taels is enough to solve the problem once and for all?
Six million or five million taels? Everything is afraid of comparison.
Let’s start with a high pitch and then slowly bring it down.”
"Sir, I can't surrender." Wang Chen couldn't help but speak.
Lu Yunyi ignored him, but pulled over a piece of rice paper and began to write quickly on it.
Soon, a piece of rice paper filled with words was handed out:
“I can’t say for sure whether I can be demoted.
But now, you have to get all the above materials for me, enough of them.
In addition, we will find a group of craftsmen to build the dam.
If this is accomplished, maybe money will really fall from your head.”
Wang Chen felt incredible. He stared at the document in his hand in a daze and was speechless for a moment.
(End of this chapter)