The three hundred and seventieth chapter eight directions of talent gathering in Chang'an (2)
Zhu Maichen and Gongsun Hongzheng wanted to find a wine shop and have a long conversation over drinks.
At this time, several men in rough linen clothes walked towards them.
As they walked, these men shouted: "We are recruiting workers, we are recruiting workers! The wages are fifteen dollars a day, and food and accommodation are included. Is there anyone willing to go?"
"Fifteen dollars?" When Zhu Maichen heard this, he couldn't sit still.
He was also new to Chang'an.
I’m not sure, how much does it cost to live in such a prosperous big city for a day?
He touched the few copper coins he had left in his arms, then cupped his hands to Gongsun Hong and said, "Mr. Gongsun, please wait for a while while I ask what kind of workers they are recruiting."
A job that paid fifteen dollars a day and included food and accommodation was an irresistible temptation for Zhu Maichen.
He has suffered enough from poverty.
Because of poverty, his wives divorced him.
Because he is poor, no one in his hometown thinks highly of him!
Because he was poor, everyone laughed at him and regarded him as a monkey!
His visit to Chang'an this time was a coincidence. He happened to meet the imperial army marching into Kuaiji. He heard his neighbors talking about how several big figures in the army had passed last year's examinations and became prominent.
After inquiring about what the examination was, Zhu Maichen immediately sold everything in his home, even the thatched cottage he originally lived in, and sold it to his neighbor for a hundred dollars, carrying a few hundred dollars and the bamboo slips on his back.
, and resolutely embarked on the road to Chang'an.
Along the way, Zhu Maichen slept and ate in the open. In order to save money, he did any kind of work.
In order to get on the boat across the river, he even wiped the deck of the boatman for three days, and with his own strength, he was able to avoid the boat fare!
For Zhu Maichen, finding a suitable job and being able to stay in Chang'an City until the day when the examination starts is all he wants now.
When Gongsun Hong heard this, he smiled slightly, but did not have the idea of alienating Zhu Maichen.
He even thought in his heart: "If I didn't have a mentor, I'm afraid I would be like Zhu Maichen, worrying about survival when I arrive in Chang'an..."
Soon, Zhu Maichen came back dejectedly and sighed to Gongsun Hong: "Hey, they are recruiting workers who know wood work. It is said that the emperor wants to lay a track from Chang'an to Xiaoguan to transport military supplies to Xiaoguan."
…”
Gongsun Hong was surprised and said: "In the past, when governments built channels and repaired roads, didn't they always recruit strong men as corvees? How could these people recruit workers?"
A passerby from Chang'an next to him happened to hear Gongsun Hong's words. Perhaps to show off, or perhaps for his own pride as a Chang'an person, he cupped his hands and said, "You two gentlemen are from outside, right? You haven't looked at Lu Bu much, right?"
?”
Hearing this, Gongsun Hong quickly bowed his hands and said, "Exactly, I have just arrived in Chang'an, please give me some advice!"
Compared with Zhu Maichen, Gongsun Hong is smarter and more sensitive.
He knows very well that the possibility of him being admitted in this examination is very high, and he will even be admitted for sure!
Even if it was just because of the recommendation letter from his teacher Hu Wusheng, the court would give him a place!
What's more, he thinks he is no worse than anyone else!
In this way, the current changes in Chang'an's political situation are what he needs to grasp and understand.
One emperor and one courtier.
His current preferences and biases determine how far he can go in the future.
The man raised his head proudly and said: "You two gentlemen don't know something. Today's emperor is filial and benevolent and cannot bear the suffering of the people. A few months ago, he issued an imperial edict and implemented the reform of corvee and tax return in Guanzhong. From now on,
In the land of Guanzhong, all corvées will be converted into one oral tax, and all the people in Guanzhong no longer need to perform corvées and suffer the hardships of long distances. All construction and repair work will be done by the government hiring people or using prisoners!"
Gongsun Hong and Zhu Maichen looked at each other.
Especially Zhu Maichen was shocked.
Converting corvee labor into money was a policy implemented by Liu Bi, the former king of Wu.
However, Liu Bi simply hired refugees to serve at his own expense.
What is practiced today is to convert the corvee into money and then hire people to serve.
Zhu Maichen couldn't figure out the difference for a while.
But one thing is certain, this is a wonderful move that can liberate the people from corvee labor, cultivate more land, and produce more food!
Liu Bi relied on this policy to turn Wu, which was originally a swamp and mountainous area, into the land of fish and rice it is today!
It is a pity that even if there is a reform of corvee taxation, I am afraid that this policy will only be limited to Guanzhong, and will be implemented at most in Hedong and Henan.
Because the country’s treasury certainly cannot afford the nationwide reduction of corvée taxes!
But Gongsun Hong undoubtedly had more thoughts than Zhu Maichen. He immediately asked out of curiosity: "Since the government pays to hire people, why are these people recruiting workers?"
That's what's weird about this!
Gongsun Hong himself had been an official in Xue County and knew how the government worked!
When the government wants to recruit workers, they will never make a noise in public. They will send officials to go door to door to notify!
But the man's brows jumped, he looked at Gongsun Hong and Zhu Maichen like country bumpkins, and explained: "Those people are the subordinates of the big merchants in Guanzhong..."
"This is said to be the intention of the Emperor Sheng. The construction project will be contracted out in sections to powerful households in Guanzhong. These large households will be responsible for organizing the manual construction. The government is only responsible for supervising the construction and acceptance!"
"This big family is actually willing?" Gongsun Hong sneered as if he had discovered a new world. He naturally knew that there must be something fishy here!
The man smiled and said: "Who wouldn't want to do a profitable business? Take the Longshou Canal that is currently under construction in Linjin. Rich people hire hundreds of craftsmen to subcontract the next one.
The road section can be completed in half a year at most. After paying for labor and other expenses, you can earn at least hundreds of thousands of dollars! Not long ago, Li from Chang'an just received the subcontracting payment from Neishi Yamen.
A total of half a million yuan! But the road section contracted by Li took more than a month to build, and the labor cost was up to 200,000 yuan, and the net profit was 300,000 yuan, who wouldn't want to do it? "
The man sighed and said: "It must be that a certain family has no money left. Otherwise, they will definitely go to Neishi to subcontract the next section of the road, even if it is smaller..."
After saying that, he shook his head and said goodbye.
But Gongsun Hong and Zhu Maichen looked at each other in confusion.
This idea is really weird!
How to do what he likes?
For a moment, Gongsun Hong really didn’t know what to do!
"Perhaps, I can get the answer by asking Senior Brother Yan Yiyan!" Gongsun Hong thought to himself.
Today's Yan Yi, in the Confucian system, can be said to be the star holding the moon, and everyone is looking forward to it!
Who is Yan Yi, the first minister of the Han Dynasty who came from orthodox Confucianism and was respected and loved by the emperor for more than fifty years?
Confucians have very high expectations for Yan Yi!
Gongsun Hong was actually instructed by Hu Wusheng to come to Chang'an to assist Yan Yi and break the suppression of Confucianism by the Huang-Lao sect and the Legalists.
Only Gongsun Hong knows that this time, from the south of the sky to the north of the earth.
The major Confucian sects all over the world put aside their grudges this time and sent their disciples to Chang'an. Taking advantage of the opportunity of the examination, they jointly assisted Yan Yi to reach a higher level, defeated Ji An and Zhang Tang, and became the emperor.
The most trustworthy minister!
This time, the Confucian sect is really united and is going to do something great!
Just as he was thinking this, Zhu Maichen suddenly pulled Gongsun Hong's lapel, pointed in one direction excitedly, and said to him: "Mr. Gongsun, look over there!"
Gongsun Hong raised his head and looked in the direction of Zhu Maichen's finger.
I saw a few big men pushing a small cart and walking along the street. As they walked, they hawked: "All the test questions from last year's examination are for sale. One solution only costs 20 yuan. There are also some from last year's examination."
A copy of the answer sheet for the Three-level Scholars only sells for 50 yuan!"
"There is such a thing..." Gongsun Hong didn't know what to say for a while.
But, the next moment, he and Zhu Maichen rushed forward.
Then the two of them each bought a collection of test questions from last year's exam.
For exam candidates like them, there is no more attractive product than last year’s exam questions!
…………………………
Weiyang Palace, Xuanshi Palace, inner chamber.
At this time, Liu Che was looking at the sand table model of the Chang'an-Xiaoguan track presented by the young master.
In fact, making a sandbox does not require travelers to contribute their talents and inventions.
Qin Shihuang once filled his underground mausoleum with mercury to simulate the mountains and rivers under his rule.
As for using sandboxes for military purposes, perhaps no one has invented it yet.
However, Liu Che knew that more than a hundred years later, Liu Xiu used rice grains to demonstrate mountains, rivers, lakes and enemy troop movements, and conducted what may have been the first war game in global history.
The result is - everything is captured before my eyes!
Therefore, Liu Che just reminded the officials of the Shaofu, and this huge orbital model appeared in front of him.
Liu Che stared at the sand table and told the young official next to him: "When you go back, make a sand table for the Great Wall of the border county and bring it to me!"
For Liu Che, the biggest role of the sand table is to deduce the course of the war and cultivate the art of war in those around him.
And it's just a piece of paper.
In the age of cold weapons, if you really want to cultivate truly handsome talents, you still need to participate in actual combat at close range.
Therefore, Liu Che planned to throw Yi Zong to Yanmen or Yunzhong, the front lines of the battle with the Huns in a year or two.
Now?
Liu Che took two steps and then asked: "General Li Guang, are you waiting for the imperial edict now?"
A month ago, he transferred that unfortunate Li Guang back to Chang'an from Liang Guo.
Then, I just left him alone.
However, now, he can no longer be left alone.
Changle Palace Guard Nanpi Hou Dou Pengzu resigned from his post not long ago, and his position was taken over by his elder brother Weiyang Palace Guard Dou Xin.
As for Dou Pengzu himself, he will soon be appointed as Taichang, ranking among the Nine Ministers.
This can be regarded as a benefit that Liu Che gave to the Dou family.
Now, Weiyang Palace Guardsman is free.
It's not that Liu Che has never thought about promoting one of his own to serve as Weiyang Palace Guardsman.
However, in order to avoid irritating the Empress Dowager, Liu Che finally decided to let Li Guang be the Weiyang Palace Guard.
"Your Majesty, General Li has been awaiting orders at the bus station!" Wang Dao replied.
"Send him to come see me..." Liu Che ordered.r1152
