Chapter 879: Whispers in the dark night, disaster relief
Yu Wenbin left. After all, he had promised Shen Tang to mobilize some food and grass as soon as possible.
But his departure completely dashed Lu Zhengyu's hopes.
Before leaving, Yu Wenbin had already boarded the sedan in front of the Yamen.
Lu Zhengyu was unwilling to give in and walked up again!
"Master Yu, these people like Xiaguan also have some income! If they are all dedicated to the imperial envoy Master Shen, then Master Shen, can you let Xiaguan go!"
Yu Wenbin pondered for a long time, "I was named in the Shaoxing Five-Year Gold List, and ranked first among the top two! At that time, my ideal was to make decisions for the people and help the Song Dynasty! However, now that the officialdom has been ups and downs for decades, my heart has changed. It gradually faded away.”
"As an official, you need money everywhere! You need money to manage your affairs, you need money to get promoted, and you need money to follow your followers! Speaking of which, our official family in the Song Dynasty is quite generous, and our salary is not too small. .
However, only when you become an official do you realize that no amount of money is enough.
Moreover, there are dozens or hundreds of people in the yamen, and you are the only one who is honest and upright, so you, an official, can't hold on."
"This is also why, although I am well aware of your actions in daily life, I have never been serious with you!"
"Your Mianzhou yamen has dozens of officials, both high and low. Each one is assigned to a post of eight hundred miles. There may be a few who are unjustly accused.
However, most of them deserve their punishment! However, I also understand your difficulties. What’s more, I am not clear-minded, so what’s the use of punishing you?”
"But this Master Shen is different from us! If we talk about the officials of the Song Dynasty, there is really no need to be greedy for ink.
Our Lord Shen is definitely at the top of the list.
In this regard, even the so-called aristocratic families cannot compare. After all, how many people are there in a family?
And how many people are there under Shen Tang’s sect?”
"So, this Master Shen is truly wealthy and truly incorruptible.
Why?
At the end of the day, it’s just not necessary!”
Maybe it’s a sigh, maybe it’s a bit of longing, Yu Wenbin’s words are really melancholy!
He reached out and patted Lu Zhengyu's shoulder, "You don't blame me, you don't blame Mr. Shen. In fact, you don't blame yourself either! It's just your life! If you can still listen to what I said, then take away those silver coins you have been greedy for. Take it out, but not to bribe Master Shen, but to use it where it really should be used! Master Shen needs a role model, and he also needs a chicken to scare the monkeys! And you, Master Lu, are the best candidate!"
"Master Shen will not stay in Mianzhou for too long, so if you do your best in these few days, even though you will definitely not be able to keep your official position by then, I think Master Shen will not be too harsh!"
After saying that, Yu Wenbin ignored the lost Lu Zhengyu, waved his hand, and the sedan slowly left!
On the second night after Yu Wenbin left, Lu Zhengyu entered Shen Tang's military tent holding a thick account book with some dejection!
"Lord Lu!"
Lu Zhengyu was stunned for a moment, and then he hurriedly saluted, "Sir, I am here to report the matter of money and food in the city!"
"After detailed inspection by the official, Mianzhou can now raise 36,000 shi of grain and 628,300 taels of silver! The remaining amounts of salt, cloth, etc. are also in the account books!"
Shen Tang simply flipped through the account book in front of him. There were many names listed in it, and after each name, there was a corresponding number! Obviously, these things were 'donated' by officials up and down the yamen.
"I know it!"
Shen Tang said calmly.
Lu Zhengyu hesitated for a moment, then bowed respectfully in front of Shen Tang.
"I know that my sin is serious and I don't dare to plead with you.
However, the old and young wives and concubines in the lower official’s family still hope that you can give them a way to survive!”
Knowing that he had no chance, Lu Zhengyu seemed to have let go. He smiled dejectedly, "Speaking of which, I have been an official for many years and have been corrupt, but I am ashamed of my mother and wife."
"They followed Xiaguan everywhere and suffered a lot, but they didn't enjoy many blessings! Xiaguan's wife came from a small family and had always been scratching her head. She had a lot of money at home, but she had to worry about making new clothes. One or two.
Moreover, I always manage the things at home by myself, and even the maid doesn’t know how to use them.
It may be said that he is a few years younger than Xiaguan, but his face seems to be older, and even the hair on the temples is gray."
"Since Xiaguan gradually took in several concubines, he rarely enters the main house again! But now think about it, if Xiaguan is in trouble, I am afraid that only he can continue to accompany Xiaguan..."
"The officials who are greedy for money don't dare to keep it for themselves. Fortunately, the salary has always been spent by the wife. Please raise your hand and leave these silver coins to her! There is an old woman to support and a young child to discipline. There are not many How can we divide the money! As for the others, all the officials will be sent away in the past two days!"
Maybe it's because people are good at what they say when they are about to die. I'm afraid this is the first time for Lu Zhengyu to really face his own heart in front of an outsider!
He was right in front of Shen Tang, chattering like an old country woman! He talked about his family's shortcomings and his national ambitions! At this moment, Shen Tang was an excellent listener! He looked calm and just listened quietly. He was sitting there without interrupting...
I don't know how long it took, but Lu Zhengyu's words finally stopped. He bowed solemnly to Shen Tang, then turned and left.
After he left Shen Tang's military tent, he couldn't help but straighten up a little, and walked step by step to the porridge shed, just like Shen Tang, supervising the work of everyone and comforting the refugees in the dark night. Confidence……
Two days later, Lu Feng and others finally arrived in Mianzhou! After his arrival, he and Shen Tang secretly spied on him for the middle of the night, and then plunged into Mianzhou City!
Seven days after Shen Tang arrived in Mianzhou, the number of residents outside the city was decreasing at a speed visible to the naked eye! The collapsed dikes have been basically repaired, and the villages that were destroyed have been rebuilt again! Some of the tens of thousands of stones of grain in Mianzhou were used , distributed according to the ration needs to the people returning to the village.
It is estimated that all the refugees will be resettled in a few days.
Shen Tang has already sent people to inspect other counties! The situation is better than Shen Tang imagined! A large number of refugees gathered in Mianzhou, which greatly reduced the pressure on local counties! Several county officials who were serious about corruption directly took the The emperor ordered the flag to be punished! Severe punishments, dismissal from office! Under Shen Tang's merciless punishment, the efficiency of disaster management in each county has also been greatly improved. All officials, large and small, began to carry out errands with trepidation, fearing when There will be a mess on your head!
Shen Tang finally entered Mianzhou City! Above the Yamen lobby, Shen Tang sat high, and below, Mianzhou officials, big and small, bowed solemnly!