"certainly……"
Li Shimin's words changed: "Although I can't provide financial support, as long as you can really stick to your path for twenty years."
"In terms of manpower, I will give you as much as you want!"
Huh?
So generous?
This is not like Li Shimin's character.
"May I ask Your Majesty, who is this manpower..." Wei Shuyu was confused.
"Corvee."
Li Shimin said with a smile: "Just after the New Year, the Tang Dynasty can collect corvee again."
"Let the people serve near their homes. I think they are very happy."
Corvee?
Wei Shuyu frowned.
In the Tang Dynasty, apart from military service, other corvee services were the most feared by the people...
Military service is in charge of food, and there is a possibility of promotion.
Ordinary corvee work, not to mention no wages, and you have to bring your own food.
Just like when Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty opened the Grand Canal, he levied a large number of corvees and caused resentment among the people.
Rich people can certainly spend money to avoid corvee, but for poor families, corvee is simply terrifying.
The corvee period in the Tang Dynasty usually lasted for twenty days, and if something happened, an additional fifteen days would be added.
"Your Majesty, does this corvee not pay and not provide food?" Wei Shuyu suddenly asked.
"yes."
Li Shimin showed a smile: "Does this save you a lot of money again?"
"As long as you can really build this road, I will not only give you a promotion, but also a knighthood!"
Li Shimin began to fire sugar-coated bullets.
What others can't do, Xiao Wei can do it.
This pie needs to be painted first.
"How can that be done?" Wei Shuyu said with a frown.
"Aren't you satisfied with the promotion?"
Li Shimin frowned: "As long as you do your job well, it's not impossible for me to give you another princess."
"..."
The ministers were speechless.
Selling her daughter at the slightest disagreement makes the princess of the Tang Dynasty worried about getting married!
"Your Majesty, I am not referring to being promoted to a higher position."
Wei Shuyu made a serious face: "I am saying, how can this corvee not be paid!"
ah?
Li Shimin was stunned.
Are you stupid?
If you don’t use free labor, you still need to pay?
"Moreover, if I got this official position and title by squeezing the common people, then I don't want to take this official title." Wei Shuyu said solemnly.
The corvee on the surface is not the most terrifying thing.
What is even more terrifying is the oppression and exploitation by the officials below.
Regarding corvee labor, many officials did not treat them as human beings at all.
"presumptuous!"
Changsun Wuji stood up and scolded: "What do you mean by squeezing? Are you talking about the Tang Dynasty squeezing the people?"
"Is not it?"
Wei Shuyu sternly retorted: "Not even mentioning the lack of wages, not even taking care of the food, it is simply more hateful than being squeezed!"
As soon as these words came out, Li Shimin's expression darkened.
But he didn't scold him.
Based on his understanding of Xiao Wei, there must be something to say.
the most important is……
Changsun Wuji showed up.
"Bastard thing."
Changsun Wuji scolded angrily with a dark face: "Do you know what you are talking about? Corvee is the same as tax, it is the foundation of a country!"
"Without corvee labor, there would be no one to build bridges and roads, dredge rivers, reclaim wasteland, and build water conservancy..."
"What you said is shaking the foundation of the country!"
As soon as this statement came out, the officials also agreed with it.
One by one, they began to attack and annihilate Wei Shuyu.
"Your Majesty, Wei Shuyu has evil intentions and attempts to destroy the foundation of the Tang Dynasty. Please, Your Majesty, chop him down."
"Your Majesty, Wei Shuyu is confusing the public with his evil words in the court. I beg your Majesty to drive him out of the court!"
"Your Majesty, Wei Shuyu does not understand state affairs and speaks arrogantly. Please ask your Majesty to remove him from his official position."
Wei Shuyu was also tired.
Every time a new policy is proposed, there are always a lot of people shouting about it.
"Who said we don't have to do corvee anymore?"
"I'm talking about paying the corvee labor. You are distorting the facts one by one. Are you worthy of being a minister?"
Wei Shuyu took a few steps forward and walked up to Gao Shilian: "I'm talking about you..."
"You are already very old, and you are still making trouble in the court, and you are not afraid of ruining your lifetime reputation!"
Damn it!
There are so many people here criticizing you, why do you point at me and scold me?
Gao Shilian's beard trembled wildly.
"Corvee labor has never been paid!"
Gao Shilian refuted sharply: "Wei Shuyu, you are causing trouble to Chao Gang!"
"Who said that corvees have never been paid?"
Wei Shuyu suddenly took a step forward: "During the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shihuang not only provided food for the corvees, but also paid them wages!"
The deeper you understand, you will find that Qin Shihuang's charm is unparalleled.
Unify the world, use the same chariots and tracks, and build the Great Wall...
He never killed a meritorious official and even paid the corvee.
It can be said that Qin Shihuang has laid the foundation for future generations to do everything he can!
"Everyone knows that it has always been like this, and it has always been like this."
"Working for money is the real way it has always been!"
"Except for Qin Shihuang, no emperor in the past has really thought about paying wages to the people who work. This is a sign of a strong country!"
When all the ministers heard this, they all fell silent.
Immediately everyone started whispering to each other...
Did the First Emperor pay the corvees?
"His Majesty."
Wei Shuyu bowed to Li Shimin and said: "The money is not much, the court can do what it can."
"But if you don't even care about food, the people will have no sense of belonging to the Tang Dynasty."
"It even creates an extreme disgust and fear for the court and the government!"
"When someone incites them, they will easily become rebellious..."
"As the saying goes: the country is peaceful and the people are safe..."
"Harsh corvee."
"No matter how peaceful the country is, the people will still be uneasy!"
Li Shimin frowned.
He really didn't know much about Qin Shihuang's payment of wages to corvees.
Turning his head, he looked at the historian in the corner and asked, "Is there any record in the history books?"
"Your Majesty..."
The historian stood up and saluted: "Qin Shihuang ruled the world. In addition to the people of Qin, there were also a large number of prisoners and slaves."
"For these people, Qin Shihuang definitely did not pay wages."
"But his own people..."
The historian paused, then nodded and said: "The treatment is excellent!"
Wow.
Everyone couldn't believe it.
Qin Shihuang, who was known for his violence, actually paid the corvees!
"No way, no way..."
Cheng Yaojin came out to muddy the waters again: "Isn't Qin Shihuang a tyrant? Isn't that Meng Jiangnu crying about the Great Wall scolding him?"
The historian rolled his eyes at Cheng Yaojin: "Silly Queer."
"Who are you calling stupid Queer?"
Cheng Yaojin pointed at the historian and shouted.
"I call you a fool!"
The historian showed contempt.
You dare to play such vulgar word games in front of me, you are so stupid!
But seeing Cheng Yaojin starting to roll up his sleeves, the historian quickly explained: "Meng Jiangnu is just a fictional character. Her prototype is the wife of Qi Liang, a native of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period, and Qin Shihuang was from the Qin Dynasty. Her crying over the Great Wall has nothing to do with Qin Shihuang. …”
is that so?
Cheng Yaojin turned to look at Yuchi Gong.
"What are you looking at me doing?"
Yuchi Gong replied with a serious face: "I don't even know that there is more than a hundred years of difference between the two of them. It's simply embarrassing!"
"Ahem..."
The historian kindly reminded: "The difference between Meng Jiangnu and Qin Shihuang is about three hundred years."
Yu Chigong's face became darker and darker...
"Talk too much!"
"Don't I know?"
"I'm just testing Zhijie!"
