In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, local officials should have the wisdom to resolve local matters.
If he complains and asks for help when something happens, it only shows that Gu Zhengchen has neither the ability to govern nor the perseverance.
Such an official would not last long or become a big official.
Zhu Biao understood Zhu Yuanzhang's intentions, unfolded the document sent by Gu Zhengchen, looked at it for a few times, and a strange look appeared on his face.
Zhu Yuanzhang observed his words and shook his head when he saw Zhu Biao like this: "It seems that the placement of prisoners still troubled him. Tell me, is he worried that the Tatar prisoners will rise up and hurt the people and attack the Yamen, or is he complaining that I have placed prisoners in Jurong?" Too much, leaving too little time for him?”
Zhu Biao looked up at Zhu Yuanzhang nervously and said unnaturally: "Father, he complained that the number of Tatar prisoners placed was too small..."
"Humph, I knew that!"
Zhu Yuanzhang knocked on the table and suddenly felt something was wrong. He stood up and stared at Zhu Biao: "What did you just say, too little?"
Zhu Biao quickly handed the document to Zhu Yuanzhang.
Zhu Yuanzhang took the document and looked at it carefully, and burst out laughing: "What a Gu Zhengchen. Other counties think that the Tatar prisoners are hot potatoes and wish that none of them would enter the country. But you are so good that you complained that the court gave you few prisoners. This is Is the jar broken? Biao'er, tell me what you think."
Zhu Biao shook his head and said with shame: "Father, Gu Zhengchen did the opposite. I couldn't guess what he relied on."
Zhu Yuanzhang held the document and nodded in thought: "This boy is really surprising."
Prisoner placement is a big problem.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the document and said in a deep voice: "There is no separation between Huayi and Huayi. Although the surnames are different, the word Fu is the same. The Tatar soldiers and civilians surrender and should be registered as citizens of the Ming Dynasty. Based on this alone, Gu Zhengchen is better than Jiangpu, Shangyuan and others. Magistrate, those who are afraid of Tatar captives becoming ferocious beasts are stronger. Biao'er, you must remember that as the lord of the world, you must not be narrow-minded. You must remember that the world is one family, and there is no one except the king!"
"My son, please remember this."
Zhu Biao replied solemnly.
Zhu Yuanzhang continued to read the document, his expression becoming more and more solemn. After reading it, he handed it to Zhu Biao: "Take a look."
Zhu Biao took the document and after reading it, he said in surprise: "Father, what is the meaning of this sponsorship?"
Zhu Yuanzhang picked up the brush and dipped it in ink at an angle: "Maybe he wants to find an enemy to pay for it."
Zhu Biao frowned: "The workshop has requested the recruitment of 1,600 people, why did Gu Zhengchen only recruit 800 people? My father has always attached great importance to the resettlement of Tatar prisoners, and the construction of residences is indispensable, so as not to weaken people's hearts. If he cannot complete the construction on time , wouldn’t it harm the father’s benevolence?”
Zhu Yuanzhang took up his pen and wrote a few words on a memorial, put them together and put them aside: "Eight hundred people, four hundred houses, twenty days, even if it is a thatched house, it is not easy to do. You see him Is there a solution?"
"The method of motivation! Gu Zhengchen said so."
Zhu Biao was confused.
The power of the people is just like that. It can only do as much work as it can do in a day. It cannot be driven up by urging with a whip. Can the method of motivation be effective?
What's more, incentives require money and food.
The court would not pay wages to the people who were doing corvee work, but it would be good to give them some food every day.
You, Gu Zhengchen, are unwilling to pay for this money and food, but you want to solicit sponsorship. Who can sponsor you, a big business owner in Jurong?
Well.
This guy actually targeted the monks and temples!
Zhu Yuanzhang looked sternly: "The so-called motivation method is just to ask the monks and monasteries to provide money, and then provide supplies to the people, so that the people can work hard. Not to mention whether the monks and monasteries are willing to pay the money, I just want to ask, does he want to But once this is done, if there is no money and money to recruit the people in the future, who will contribute, and if he drives the people again, will they still be mobilized? Such nonsense is unacceptable. "
Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang refused Gu Zhengchen's invitation, Zhu Biao thought for a while and asked: "Father, after all, Gu Zhengchen has just arrived in Jurong and is not familiar with the situation. Since he does not intend to use the money from the county treasury, he also intends to cherish the people's power." , less work for the people, you might as well give him a chance to try. As for whether he will be mobilized to requisition the people in the future, it depends on whether he has other abilities. If there is a problem, he can be transferred. "
A magistrate, a character.
When the people taste the sweetness, they may bully Gu Zhengchen and do nothing for no good.
But if the magistrate is changed, the people may not be able to get the benefits they want, and they will naturally return to the original situation.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao: "You really trust him."
Zhu Biao smiled indifferently, not hiding his admiration for Gu Zhengchen: "Father, I just think that Gu Zhengchen has the courage to go against the grain, and he behaves in a different way from the officials he has seen. In addition, the time for arranging the prisoners this time is tight. , you might as well let him let go and do whatever he wants, no matter what the result is, as long as the prisoners are placed, it will not harm the court or the people."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly: "Since you have interceded for him, I will give him a chance. If he is not complaining about the lack of prisoners, then he will take back the official documents sent to Liuhe, Jiangpu and other places to place prisoners, and give him two thousand If there are many prisoners, send them all to Jurong. If they are not placed properly and something happens, I don’t mind sending someone to Jurong!"
Zhu Biao was secretly worried about Gu Zhengchen. If you want to provide incentives, just do it. Why do you have to dislike the few prisoners? Whatever your father's temper is, if you dare to challenge him, he will give you a ban.
Now the amount of tasks has increased sharply, it depends on how you clean up the mess.
Jurong.
Gu Zhengchen, the county magistrate, changed into a scholar's Confucian robe and called the official Zhou Mao to accompany him out of the county office and headed east.
Jurong is not a city in the strict sense.
Just take a look and you will know that the so-called city wall is just a pile of fir fences with neither stones nor bricks, and the so-called city gate is just a double fence gate...
Think about the Jinling City a hundred miles away, which is more than three feet high, and the city walls are wide and thick. Looking at this sentence again, it is a world of difference. Although I dare not compete with Jinling, at least I should build a brick city so that people can climb up and see the scenery. Whose dream is it to decorate it?
Forget about the Palisade City, the whole city doesn't look neat at all. On the whole, it's a nearly circular city, but this circle needs to tremble a few times when drawing.
Of course, there is a reason why the city is like this. The river outside flows like this. It follows nature and takes advantage of the situation. This is the meaning of the phrase "hooking back and bending" and "saturated enclosure".
Gu Zhengchen looked at the not-busy street with the sparse pedestrians walking in a hurry. He turned his head and said, "Zhou Mao, that tower is Chongming Temple, right?"
Zhou Mao took a look and nodded: "It's Chongming Temple. The county magistrate wants to go to the temple to see it?"
Gu Zhengchen nodded slightly: "You are from Jurong City, and you want to know the origin of Chongming Temple. How about you tell me?"
Zhou Mao was a little puzzled. The county magistrate, chief registrar, and historian were all busy, either looking for land or a place to cut wood, or recruiting corvees. Yet you, the county magistrate, did nothing but went to the temple. Looking for Sakyamuni?
Can the clay monk help you?
After some slander, Zhou Mao still did not dare to challenge, and explained: "County Lord, the Chongming Temple in Jurong is related to Chongming Island in the middle of the river. Since the Tang Dynasty, the ancestors of Jurong have continuously moved to Chongming Island to reclaim wasteland. Later, Only then did Chongming Town and Prefecture come into being. In the second year of Hongwu, the imperial court reduced Chongming Prefecture to Chongming County."
"Besides, the Chongming Temple in the city was built in the first year of Xianning in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It was named He Temple at that time, but it was later destroyed due to war. In the second year of Tianyou in the Northern Song Dynasty, the squires of Jurong rebuilt the Yihe Temple. When the Jurong people who immigrated to Chongming heard the news, He donated generously and provided financial resources for various repairs and expansions. To express his gratitude, it was renamed Chongming Temple."
Gu Zhengchen and Zhou Mao were talking and arrived at the gate of Chongming Temple.
The door is open.
There are merchants and people coming in and out, which can be considered a bit of a lively place.
Zhou Mao hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and said to Gu Zhengchen: "Your Majesty, the most important thing right now is the placement of the prisoners. It is not appropriate to enter the temple to worship Buddha at this time."
Gu Zhengchen turned his head and looked at Zhou Mao with a smile: "Are you worried that there is a problem with the placement of prisoners, and that entering the temple to worship Buddha will become a fatal stain on me? Speaking of which, after many days in Jurong, you are the first to think about me. ah."
Zhou Mao's expression changed slightly and he quickly said: "Everyone in the county government cares about the county magistrate."
Gu Zhengchen smiled softly: "I can still tell the difference between genuine concern and false affection. Zhou Mao, you have been working in the county government for four years, right?"
"Returning to the county, four years and eight months."
Zhou Mao replied.
Gu Zhengchen walked into Chongming Temple and said meaningfully: "You should know that in the past few years, if you wanted to become an official, there were three ways to go: the imperial examination, the examination and award, and the official examination. But now, There are only two ways to go: to appoint officials, or to pass the civil service examination. You are an old official, so you should know that your examination is written by me, not Liu Xiancheng, nor Chief Zhao. You understand me. What do you mean?"
Zhou Mao trembled and looked at Gu Zhengchen who was smiling but not smiling. His thoughts changed sharply. He gritted his teeth and cupped his hands and said: "Zhou Mao is determined to follow the lead of the county, and I hope the county will support you!"
Gu Zhengchen raised his hand, patted Zhou Mao's shoulder, and said calmly: "It is up to the court officials to decide whether to support you or not. All I can do is report your name to the officials. Of course, I need See loyalty, see ability, think about it."
Zhou Mao looked at Gu Zhengchen solemnly, with some fear in his eyes.
Gu Zhengchen put his hands behind his back and walked towards the Buddhist temple: "Go, help me find the host, and tell him that I have important matters to discuss with him."
Zhou Mao respectfully agreed: "I will do it now."
Gu Zhengchen stood outside the door of the Buddhist temple, looking at the clay statue of the golden Buddha.
Didn't go to worship.
The Buddha does not save people, ghosts, or demons.
Buddha does not transfer anything, he is just a symbol, a concrete object of sustenance.
There is no difference between worshiping Buddha and worshiping a tree, a piece of grass, or a piece of cloud.
Buddha cannot defeat enemies or solve difficulties.
The ones who can really solve problems and change reality are people.
"Amitabha, I didn't know that the county magistrate was coming. It's a sin. It's a sin."
An old monk in light red cassock held a Buddhist bead and saluted.
Gu Zhengchen raised his hand and said, "I wonder what I call the host?"
"Zhi Zai."
"Wisdom is here, good Dharma name."
"Does the county honor worship Buddha or..."
"Talk about incense."
The old monk Zhizai looked at Gu Zhengchen's empty hands. It didn't look like he was here to send money for sesame oil. He didn't know the purpose of his visit, so he could only say: "It's noisy here. Please move to the back hall."
