Because the weather was a bit cold, most of the people hunched their shoulders and arched their backs, looking shivering.
Many people have complaints in their hearts but dare not speak out.
Zheng Wuji stood on the high platform and said to everyone: "Everyone has worked hard for several months. The canal is completed today. Please come and witness it."
Someone finally couldn't help but muttered in a low voice: "What a waste of witness! All the credit goes to the officials, and we ordinary people are just doing the hard work!"
"Isn't it true? It's so cold to be here here. It's not as comfortable as having your wife and children warm up on the kang and drinking a bowl of gruel." Someone next to him immediately agreed.
They had already asked people, but today they didn't care about food. They came all the way, froze here for a long time, and then went back hungry, just to listen to a few words from the official.
It's really frustrating.
Fortunately, Zheng Wuji didn't talk too much. He just introduced all the people present. Even the two adults who had just arrived from Beijing also introduced them in public.
"Did you see that? Once those red headscarves are lifted, it's all over." Someone pointed to the stone tablet covered with red silk on the canal and said.
"What on earth is that?" someone asked.
"What could it be? Something about praising virtues!" The person who spoke before sneered, "It must be about Lord Zhizhou's great achievements, which will be remembered forever."
The people around him suddenly understood and nodded in agreement. Aren’t all officials doing this just for fame and fortune?
"Then why are there three big stone tablets erected? Are all eighteen generations of his ancestors engraved on them?" People's tone became more and more dissatisfied.
It seems that complaining can make you feel warmer.
"Maybe the river can open up to water and we can use it as we like! I have several acres of land right next to the river. Isn't it much better than relying on the sky to make a living?"
"What a beautiful idea you have! Where can you make money from being an official for nothing?!" Someone immediately poured cold water on him.
It’s no wonder that the people think so, as they have always imposed exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes.
There is a car tax for cars, a boat tax for boats, taxes for raising livestock, and taxes for giving birth to children.
All local officials have the ability to skillfully create names. Once the canal is dug, the people can collect water and sail boats, and they can collect a lot of money.
The chatter in the crowd got louder and louder, and the official came over immediately to stop it.
Zheng Wuji was still standing there and said with a smile: "It's a bit cold today, please be patient.
As for this first stone tablet, we invited seven magistrates of the state and several gentry and merchants to unveil it on behalf of everyone."
The magistrates of the seven counties were somewhat frightened after hearing this. After all, there were several people with higher positions than them here.
So he quickly gave in and said: "No way! No way!"
Zheng Wuji said: "We don't judge by position here. The people involved in digging the canal are people from seven counties. As a parent official, you are really hard at organizing and dispatching.
What's more, you took the lead in using your family's savings to make up for the shortfall, which is really admirable."
The seven magistrates were suddenly confused. When did they spend money to dig canals?
"Before this, I have never told the people that the officials, gentry and merchants in this state have all donated money to support this water conservancy project.
Since the amount of money is limited and the construction period is uncertain, the exact amount of expenditure cannot be calculated until the end.
It will take several months for the government's funds to arrive, so we will pay half of everyone's wages first.
This money was collected by people from our own prefecture and county."
When the people heard that their work was not in vain and they could still receive wages, they cheered immediately!
Although the magistrates understood what Zheng Wuji said, they still didn't understand when they took out the money.
"Should we be asked to pay now?" Shen Ding felt that something was wrong.
At this juncture, saying in public that they donated money is different from openly robbing someone?
The squire and merchant representatives whose names were called were relatively calm, after all, they had provided meals for these people.
"My lords, what are you waiting for? Come forward quickly!" Zheng Wuji smiled and motioned to the county magistrates to quickly take off the red silk on the first stone tablet.
"Let's take it one step at a time!" Ye Chengxun whispered, "We can't fall out here."
To put it bluntly, Zheng Wuji was their immediate boss and could not be easily offended.
Several people walked to the stone monument with their own secrets in mind, and together with the landowners and businessmen, they pulled off the red silk.
I saw the three characters Monument of Merit engraved directly on the top of the stone stele, and the names of many people were engraved below, followed by the amount of donations.
Each of these magistrates donated ranging from one thousand to one thousand five hundred taels.
In addition, there were many landowners and merchants, each of whom also donated a lot.
There are more than three thousand taels, and there are less than one or two hundred taels.
And who controls how many meals, how many grains, vegetables, pigs and sheep are used.
The magistrates and magistrates understood what was going on when they saw each other.
This amount of money happened to be the banknote they gave Zheng Wuji on his birthday.
One or two is not too much, one or two is not too much.
"The wages for each family are fifty cash per person per day for young and strong laborers, thirty cash per person per day for women and elderly people under sixty years old, children under fifteen years old, elderly people over sixty years old, and pregnant women.
Women, twenty coins per person per day.
Every household has detailed records of their daily work schedule, and there is absolutely no mistake.
Later, I will receive it separately according to the county where I am located. I will receive half of the salary today, and I will receive the other half after the government's allocation comes." Zheng Wuji was still smiling, and did not look very satisfied.
The people below were already dancing with joy.
The wages are high, and each family has a considerable income.
At this time in previous years, every family's labor force would go out to find some odd jobs.
But firstly, I can’t make that much money, and secondly, I can’t do it for three months in a row.
Even if longer-term jobs could be found, there would be no place for the elderly and children.
When digging canals, the whole family, old and young, worked together for one day's wages, not counting the two meals that were provided before.
How could this not make them happy?
"Master Zhizhou is really our father-in-law!" The people changed their previous cynicism and were full of gratitude to Zheng Wuji.
"Isn't that right? At that time, I wanted to take two days off, but the person in charge of us refused to allow it. I scolded me behind my back for several days!" Someone felt guilty, "If I had known I had the money to take it, I wouldn't have delayed it!"
"I told you in advance, I don't know how many people want to get a share of the pie!" The older man had suffered this loss, "How many imposters are there?"
Not to mention, during the famine years, the money and food allocated by the court were eventually used by many empty-handed people.
What can be distributed to the common people has been reduced and deducted again and again.
"Hey, young man, with this money, our second son won't have to worry about getting a wife next year!" A woman cried with joy, picking up her skirt and wiping the corners of her eyes.
"It's no wonder, it's a good deal inside and out! Our family has saved a lot of food and rice in the past three months!"
Originally, they were living in debt every year and often had insufficient food.
And Zheng Wuji's move suddenly gave the people a surplus. Isn't what their ancestors have been looking forward to for generations is a good year?