"What does this have to do with this king?"
Zhu Di's face was full of impatience. He knew this kind of rogue officials very well. When he saw that a lot of land and money and grain had been brought into his palace this time, he got jealous. He felt relieved when he defrauded some of the money and grain.
"Your Highness, even now I have organized the people in the city to dredge and clean the ditches.
But the bottom of the ditch was already full of pits, and within a few days it was filled with sewage again.
By using cement to pave the ditches, it can be solved once and for all, and the ditches in the city will not be so stinky every winter and spring. "
In the past few days, under the pressure of the superior officials above him, Yu Rentian no longer wanted any face.
Therefore, when he saw Zhu Di being so naughty, he couldn't help but get angry and started to act badly.
"Your Highness, although I am the magistrate of Beiping Prefecture, Beiping Prefecture is your fiefdom.
If the ditches were not cleared and paved at once, there would be cases of people getting sick every year due to blocked ditches, and the government would have to clear the ditches every year.
What if there really is a big epidemic caused by ditch sewage..."
Zhu Di said: "That means that you and other officials are all just sitting on the corpse, and none of you can escape the blame."
Yu Rentian said helplessly, "Your Highness, Xia Guan and others are at best guilty of incompetence, but by then, Your Highness's Prince Yan's Mansion will be under the influence of the epidemic..."
"Are you, a thief, dangerous to me?"
Zhu Di's face darkened.
"I don't dare to be a lower-ranking official. I only want to do my duty!"
Yu Rentian quickly looked panicked.
The corner of Zhu Di's mouth twitched, and he fucked her with a knife.
"We need to discuss this matter with the officials of Prince Yan's Mansion."
Yu Rentian quickly stood up and saluted, "Your Highness is kind and I am not in a hurry. I will wait here for news from Your Highness."
"..."
Zhu Di was stunned for a moment and wanted to get angry, but everything Yu Rentian showed was for Beiping Mansion, and he really couldn't be thrown out.
Thinking about it, he ordered Ma He on the side: "Go and summon Zhu Changshi and Guo Changshi!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Ma He responded and walked out quickly.
In less than a moment.
Guo An and Zhu Fu walked in.
"I am here to meet you, Your Highness!"
"My dear friends, please forgive me."
After Guo An and Zhu Fu sat down, Zhu Di told Yu Rentian's story.
After hearing this, Zhu Fu's eyes lit up and he felt that this was feasible.
As for Guo An, he looked at Yu Rentian aside with a solemn expression.
"Prefect Yu wants Prince Yan's Mansion to produce cement, and Beiping Mansion to dredge and pave all the ditches in the city?"
"Exactly!"
Yu Rentian's face was full of expectations.
"Although the road Guo Changshi built with cement outside the city has not yet been completed, I have personally inspected it. The cement is truly a sacred building.
If you put cement into the cleaned ditch, the inside of the ditch will be extremely smooth, and there will no longer be sewage pools. "
Guo An asked directly: "How much money is the Beiping government office willing to pay to purchase the cement from Prince Yan's residence?"
"Buy cement...this..."
Yu Rentian's face froze.
Guo An asked with surprise on his face, "Is it possible that Governor Yu doesn't want to pay?"
Yu Rentian laughed and said, "Guo Changshi didn't know that the Beiping government office didn't have much money.
In the past, even the repairs of schools and roads were still donated by the gentry, village sages, or merchants.
But now, more than half of the squires in the entire Beiping Mansion were directly killed.
As for those merchants..."
"Prefect Yu, according to what I know, in the past, when the sages and gentry donated money, they could give up to dozens of taels of silver at most, but they could be received by the government, praised lavishly, and even had monuments erected for them.
And those merchants, even if they donate hundreds of taels of silver, or even thousands of taels of silver, can only leave a good impression on the officials at most. "
Guo An laughed slowly and said, "So, the government does not need the symbolic donations from the gentry."
Yu Rentian opened his mouth, still wanting to defend himself.
Guo An added: "Prefect Yu may not know that when cement was developed, the official led a group of craftsmen and worked on it for several months.
Now, if you want to calcine cement, dozens of craftsmen are required to calcine day and night.
But despite this, the cement produced by the cement workshop in Fushang is still too little.
Originally, according to Xiaguan's plan, he planned to build two more workshops with cement. In addition, Xiaguan also purchased 500 acres of land in Zhangjiawan, Tongzhou, and planned to use cement to build them.
However, the cement inventory is too small, so we have no choice but to delay..."
"How could this be?"
Yu Rentian's face turned anxious, "If the cement workshop is short of people or raw materials, please let us know by Your Highness or Guo Changshi.
The Peking Government will definitely try its best to help solve the problem. "
"Thank you Magistrate Yu for your kindness."
Guo An said sincerely: "It's just that calcining cement is difficult and requires a large number of literate craftsmen. The Peiping government officials can't help much in this matter."
"A large number of literate craftsmen?"
Yu Rentian was startled. If this was really the case, he really couldn't be of much help.
There are not many talented children in Beiping Prefecture, so how can there still be literate craftsmen?
As for Zhu Di and Zhu Fu, their eyelids twitched when they heard this.
Yu Rentian didn't know, but how could they not know?
The cement in the cement workshop has almost become unbearable, and many craftsmen even have a day of calcining and a day of rest!
However, the two of them did not speak.
Yu Rentian sighed slowly and asked, "I wonder what it would take for the Beiping government office to make Guo Changshi willing to come up with some cement?"
Yu Rentian was also a little embarrassed. Anyway, Beiping Mansion belonged to King Yan, and he was just a prefect.
In a few years, he will be transferred and leave.
When the time comes, King Yan and these guys can go whatever they want.
Seeing Yu Rentian's posture, Guo An was startled and said helplessly: "Cement is also extremely precious to Prince Yan's Mansion.
There are at least hundreds of ditches in the Beiping Mansion. If Prince Yan's Mansion is to take out so much cement, it will be impossible for Governor Yu to take it away in vain.
I wonder if Magistrate Yu has thought about the price to pay? "
Yu Rentian asked curiously: "I wonder what price Guo Changshi wants me to pay?"
"..."
Guo An began to hate this kind of corrupt officials.
"Prince Yan's Mansion produces cement. Since he can't get money, he naturally wants some fame."
Yu Rentian nodded slightly, "This is natural."
Guo An said again: "In addition, Yu Rentian needs to owe Prince Yan's Mansion a favor. In the future, when Prince Yan's Mansion does business, he may need Magistrate Yu's convenience. Please remember this incident!"
"this……"
Yu Rentian's eyes widened. He owed Prince Yan's Mansion a favor?
Guo Andao: "Please rest assured, Magistrate Yu, maybe this favor will not be used in Magistrate Yu's lifetime.
Even if we encounter it, it is absolutely legal and will not embarrass Magistrate Yu. "
"His Royal Highness King Yan..."
Yu Rentian looked at Zhu Di hesitantly.
Being able to have a good relationship with a Ming Dynasty prince is also a great temptation for any official.
But why should he owe King Yan a favor?
"Guo Qing's intention is my king's intention!"
Zhu Di said directly.
"In this case, I agree."
Yu Rentian could only respond helplessly.
After Yu Rentian left, Zhu Di and Zhu Fu looked at Guo An.
"Guo Qing, why do you want the favor of a small prefect?"
"Your Highness, some people may not achieve anything, but if you interfere with them, they will always do bad things.
Wei Chen observes that Yu Rentian is already showing off, and if you want to get greater benefits from him, you will definitely not succeed, and you don't want personal favors.
People like Yu Rentian who still have the idea of ruling the people and are not treacherous and evil can always be promoted to some official position in the future.
Maybe it will be used someday..."
"good!"
…
Soon, cartloads of cement and sand were pulled into Beiping Fucheng from outside the city. After being mixed for a long time in the hands of a group of craftsmen and young men, they were spread into the ditch.
at the same time.
His Royal Highness, King Yan, was so kind that he took out the extremely precious cement from his residence to repair ditches, and word of this began to spread throughout the city of Beiping.
Naturally, the common people praised Zhu Di.
As for those gentry who gritted their teeth and hated the pain when Zhu Di was mentioned, they had to pinch their noses and say something against their will.
In this way, in the midst of the busy work, the ditches in Beiping City were plastered with cement. At the same time, the ditches were also covered with some solid wooden boards or some large bluestones.
The air in the entire Beiping Mansion became much more fragrant.
In addition, the road from Beiping Fucheng to Tongzhou City has gradually turned into a straight and smooth cement avenue.
Coincidentally, within a few days after the cement avenue was completed, spring plowing began again in Beiping Prefecture.
At this time of year, the entire Beiping Mansion was calm and no one dared to cause trouble at this time.
After spring plowing, Guo An quickly began to hire a group of young men to build the Zhangjiawan Wharf. At the same time, he also built two cement compounds near the Shangzhuang Village Iron Smelting Works to prepare for workshops.
It will take at least more than a month, or even two months, to build these.
Taking advantage of this time, Guo An asked Zhu Di for leave again.
Zhu Di happily gave Guo An a month's leave.
At the same time, Zhu Liang was also dispatched with a team of royal guards to escort Guo An back to Guocun, Shunde Prefecture.
Some people returned to Guocun in great force.
After two days of rest, Guo An became completely busy.
Prepare to be welcomed.
No matter when, the welcoming ceremony is the most important part of the wedding.
Early in the morning, Guo An was woken up, and before he fully woke up, he was surrounded by a group of old women.
Then, he was at the mercy of these old women.
Especially on his face, Guo An felt like he had put a layer of putty on himself.
Afterwards, they brought dozens of carts of betrothal gifts and a mile-long welcoming team, beating gongs and drums all the way.
When I arrived at the gate of Liu's house, I answered a few questions and threw some wedding money.
He successfully entered the Liu Mansion and met with his old father-in-law and mother-in-law.
Then the bride is put on the big sedan chair, and then she returns to Guocun with the beating of gongs and drums.
Set a big banquet!
Worship the heaven and earth, perform the Acacia ceremony, enter the bridal chamber...
At the end of the day, Guo An felt like he was almost exhausted.
As the door of the new house slowly closed, Guo An and the red-faced Liu Baiwei drank the Hexin wine.
"Husband!"
"lady……"
Seeing that Guo An was about to blow out the candle lamp, Liu Baiwei quickly stopped him.
"What else can I do, sister?" Guo An was a little confused.
At this moment, Liu Baiwei was too shy to look at Guo An. Naturally, she didn't notice the change in Guo An's title. She just took out a beautiful picture album from under the red pillow.
Guo An's eyes widened.
"Husband~"
Liu Baiwei glared at Guo An angrily, and then Guo An came back to his senses and hurriedly smiled.
"Husband, they all said that during the bridal chamber, you and your husband need to watch this album together!"
"Yeah!"
Guo An nodded repeatedly, "We like to read picture albums the most..."
…
(End of chapter)
