"What important matters do the people of the world need to come forward from you, an old official who has been resting in his house? Why am I serving as a counselor for political affairs?"
Li Di didn't believe what Ma Yuanfang said, so he stared at Ma Yuanfang and asked questions step by step.
Ma Yuanfang did not answer Li Di's question. Instead, his eyes fell on Kou Ji and murmured: "Speaking of which, this matter also has something to do with the Kou Ministry of Industry."
Kou Ji cupped his hands and said with a shy smile: "This junior has only been an official for a short period of time, but he has never done anything related to the people of the world."
Li Di didn't know what kind of medicine Ma Yuanfang was selling, so when he saw that he brought the topic to Kou Ji, he stopped being aggressive.
Li Di didn't have a close relationship with Ma Yuanfang, and he had no plans to have a close relationship, so he didn't have to care about Ma Yuanfang.
But Kou Ji is his favorite junior and must be protected.
When Ma Yuanfang heard Kou Ji's words, he smiled and shook his head: "You don't have to be humble. You have only been an official for a short time, but you have done a lot of good things for the people.
Don’t talk about the far ones, just talk about the near ones.
The new plows promoted by your Ministry of Industry have benefited the country and the people, especially the feat of letting Yizijiaozi Shop rent out the new plows, which has benefited countless people."
After a pause, Ma Yuanfang sighed: "Most of the courtiers in the court are from official families and come from wealthy families. There are very few people who can understand the sufferings of the people.
I am different from them. I prefer to go out among the people in my free time.
Especially when I have been recuperating at home these years, I prefer to walk among the people, accompany the common people, and chat about daily life."
Ma Yuanfang looked at Kou Jida and said: "Before you implemented the new plows from the Ministry of Works and asked Yizijiaozi Shop to rent out new plows, I walked in the fields and mostly saw those hard-working people.
They are working.
The people who own oxen and plows are, after all, a minority.
More people relied on their own strength to dig up the ground.
A palm-width hoe can only dig six cents of the ground in one day.
The whole family can dig an acre of land in one day.
I have experienced that kind of hard work firsthand."
Li Di lowered his head silently after hearing Ma Yuanfang's words.
He has also experienced the hard work Ma Yuanfang mentioned.
When he was a child, he also helped his family members in the fields by plowing the ground with a hoe.
The number of Da Song cattle is limited.
It is not enough for every household to have a cow to drive it.
Those families who own cattle are either wealthy households, landowners, or wealthy families.
It is still difficult for poor people to barely survive.
Not to mention buying cattle.
Therefore, most poor people use their own strength when plowing the fields.
Rent cattle from rich families?
People may not be willing to agree.
When farming is busy, cattle are more precious than people.
How could someone rent out their cattle and let others drive them for three to five cents?
Not to mention wealthy families.
The cows they have in their hands may not even be able to use up their own land, so they will have no time to help others.
There are also people who specialize in renting oxen and plows.
But the price is not low.
It often requires dozens of pennies.
The poor people, in order to save dozens of pennies, were willing to dig the ground with their own hands.
Ma Yuanfang stared at Kou Ji and continued: "After your Ministry of Works introduced the new plows, the oxen of those wealthy families will not only plow the land faster, but also save effort.
The land that used to take three days to plow now only takes one.
The cattle owned by wealthy households also lend out to poor people when they have time.
The price for renting cattle has become very low, as low as ten cents.
The new plows rented out by Yizijiaozipu have even helped the poor people.
That low price is enough for all the people in the world to rent it."
Speaking of this, Ma Yuanfang was a little excited. He looked at Kou Ji and said earnestly: "You boy, this move has merit! And it is a great merit for countless living people!"
"Crack!"
Ma Yuanfang slapped his thigh and said loudly: "It only costs three cents to rent a new plow for a day! It is almost free for the people. I should give you a gift on behalf of the people in the world."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ma Yuanfang stood up.
He saluted Kou Ji respectfully.
Kou Ji was startled, stood up quickly, supported Ma Yuanfang, and exclaimed: "This can't be done... I didn't do anything. That's all the credit of the imperial court."
"Court?"
Ma Yuanfang laughed at himself and repeated, then pursed his lips and spat without any hesitation.
"Pooh!"
Kou Ji was dumbfounded and dragged his arm. He really didn't know what to say.
He had investigated Ma Yuanfang's resume and knew that the old man was a person with a temperament, but he didn't expect that he had such a temperament.
After Ma Yuanfang finished spitting, he stared at Kou Ji and said seriously: "There are no outsiders here, so you don't need to say good things for the court. I know the virtues of those officials in the court better than you.
I know who is good for the people."
As soon as Ma Yuanfang opened his mouth, he scolded all the Dukes in the court, including Li Di.
Li Di didn't even open his mouth to scold him.
Instead, he persuaded Kou Ji.
"If he wants to salute you, just accept it. If you don't accept it, there is no guarantee that he will salute you in front of the civil and military officials of the court that day. Then you will feel even more uncomfortable..."
After a pause, Li Di added helplessly, "Believe me, he can do it..."
Kou Ji couldn't help but let go of Ma Yuanfang's hand.
Ma Yuanfang stood straight and bowed respectfully to Kou Ji.
Kou Ji quickly returned the gift with his hand.
After Ma Yuanfang saluted, he sat down again.
Li Di stared at Ma Yuanfang and said, "So, what you want to report to the court has something to do with the new plow?"
Ma Yuanfang nodded and shook his head.
Li Di looked puzzled.
Ma Yuanfang said: "I just saw something on the new plow. I didn't plan to say it at first, but after thinking about it carefully, I felt that I had to say it."
Li Di frowned slightly, unable to guess the meaning of Ma Yuanfang's words or what he wanted to express.
Ma Yuanfang looked at Kou Ji again and said: "After Kou took charge of the Ministry of Industry, he promoted not only new plows, but also spinning wheels, looms, etc., dozens of items.
Each one is an important weapon that benefits the country and the people.
Take the spinning wheel.
Three spindles can be spun at the same time, and it requires manpower and water power.
It shortens the spinning time of folk weavers by three times, giving them more time to weave more cloth.
Other things are just like the three-spindle spinning wheel, they are all things that benefit the country and the people."
Li Di looked at Kou Ji in astonishment, with a questioning look on his face.
Among the documents Kou Ji submitted to the court, there were not as many new items launched by the Ministry of Industry as Ma Yuanfang said.
There is no detailed description of the functions of these new objects.
So Li Di doesn't know how good these things are.
Seeing this, Kou Ji hurriedly said: "You also know that there are many craftsmen in my house, and I am not stingy with money to reward them, so they are willing to work hard and use their brains, and naturally create a lot of good things.
I don't want to make a fuss and stir up trouble every time I offer something new.
The boy didn't want to use these things to get promoted, so he quietly distributed them to the people during the promotion of new plows."
Li Di heard this and pointed at Kou Ji, but he didn't know what to say.
Blame Kou Ji?
Kou Ji handled the matter appropriately.
Even if Kou Ji followed the rules and reported everything to the inner court, the inner court's approach would probably not be much different from Kou Ji's.
Offering such auspiciousness as a new plow once is a great achievement.
If you offer too much, then that's the case.
The inner court can no longer help them get promoted.
Otherwise, if they rely on those objects to level up, then half of the people in the Ministry of Works may be able to reach the top of their virtual rank.
It was impossible for the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty to see such a ridiculous scene.
Don't blame Kou Ji?
Li Di felt a little unhappy again.
You, Kou Ji, are a courtier and do not act according to the courtier's rules.
Do good deeds without leaving a name?
Do you think you are a knight?
Li Di glared at Kou Ji fiercely and gave Kou Ji a look that would take care of you later.
He looked at Ma Yuanfang again and asked, "So... what are your plans?"
Ma Yuanfang said quietly: "I have seen too much what the Ministry of Works is doing, and suddenly found that the yamen that really control the construction are not doing anything, and I feel unhappy.
Since they don't do anything, they should give up their power to those yamen that do something."
Li Di was shocked and said in a deep voice: "So you want to..."
Ma Yuanfang stared at Li Di and said loudly: "I want to report to the imperial court and let the general serve as prisoner, the young master's supervisor, the third department, and return to the Ministry of Political Affairs and Industry!"
When Li Di heard this, he suddenly looked at Kou Ji, his eyes widening.
There is no doubt about it.
After Li Di heard about Ma Yuanfang's petition, he saw through the background of the matter.
Realizing that this must be Kou Ji's plan.
It was Kou Ji's plan to help the Ministry of Labor seize power.
Ma Yuanfang is obviously the man in Kou Ji's scheme.
Li Di felt that Kou Ji should have known that if he petitioned the imperial court to appoint generals as supervisors, chief supervisors, and third division commanders, and return them to the Ministry of Political Affairs and Work, he would definitely get into big trouble.
So he made an overall plan, and used upright ministers, honest ministers, and ministers who cared about the people in both the government and the public to deal with the generals as supervisors, the Shaofu supervisors, and the third division.
Kou Ji wanted to stir up such a big hornet's nest, but he didn't discuss it with them...
How dare you...
Kou Ji pursed his lips and looked up at the pillars in the hall, pretending not to see Li Di's eyes.
Ma Yuanfang yelled at Li Di: "I'm talking to you, what do you think he's doing? If the two things that are causing turmoil in Bianjing City are not resolved, I'm afraid the petition I wrote will not be taken seriously.
Therefore, I hope that the inner court can resolve the two things currently raging in Bianjing City as soon as possible."
Li Di withdrew his glare at Kou Ji and said in a deep voice to Ma Yuanfang: "I will discuss this with you in detail later. Now, I want to talk to the Kou Ministry of Industry alone."
When Li Di said this sentence, his words were very precise, as if he was eating people.
Ma Yuanfang glanced at Li Di, then glanced at Kou Ji. He was slightly stunned, and then his eyes fell on Kou Ji again, and exclaimed: "If it is really what I guessed, then it is really amazing.
You are so brave, boy."
Under the gaze of Li Di and Ma Yuanfang, Kou Ji could not pretend to be deaf and dumb.
He turned back, looked at Li Di and Ma Yuanfang, spread his hands and said, "I actually didn't do anything..."
"Bang!"
Li Di slapped the table and stood up. He suppressed his voice and gritted his teeth and said: "Turn your hand to make clouds, turn your hand to make rain, and use tens of thousands of officials from the government and the public as a chess piece... What else do you want to do?"
When the last few words were spoken, Li Di had already rushed in front of Kou Ji, staring at Kou Ji with red eyes.
In order to achieve the goal, tens of thousands of officials from both the government and the public were used as a chess piece to lay out a big picture, and the goal was achieved.
How could Li Di not be frightened when such a method appeared in Kou Ji's hands?
Kou Ji is still young now, and the strength in his hands is still at a weak stage.
If he is given some more time to hone his skills and strengthen his power, who else in the world can stop him?
If he waved his hand to let someone else sit on the dragon chair, who could stop him?
Seeing Li Di's anger, Kou Ji probably guessed what Li Di was thinking. He gritted his teeth and glanced at Ma Yuanfang.
Ma Yuanfang said decisively: "I can swear in the name of my late father that not a word of what I heard today will be leaked."
When Ma Yuanfang was young, he even turned into a monk and traveled for many years in search of his father's body. This shows that he was a person who attached great importance to filial piety.
He swore in the name of his late father, but it was also credible.
Kou Ji sighed, spread his hands and said: "Li Gong, Ma Gong, I don't want this either. The Song Dynasty was founded less than a hundred years ago, but the official system has become a mess.
Those who have the power do not do anything, and those who want to do something do not have the right.
After I take charge of the Ministry of Works, I just want to help the people all over the world and do some things that the Ministry of Works can do.
Let the people of the world realize personally that the imperial court is doing things for them, handling matters for them, and working for their benefit.
But my Ministry of Industry has no authority, so it would be difficult for me to do these things.
If I want to help people all over the world do things in a down-to-earth manner, I must take back the power of the Ministry of Industry.
But the power of the Ministry of Works lies in the general supervisor, the Shaofu supervisor, and the third division.
The generals as supervisors, the Shaofu supervisors, the three divisions, and the three yamen were all powerful in the court, not to mention the power behind them.
If I attack them directly, I will be going against most of the officials in the imperial court.
Do you two think that my grandfather and I can survive at the hands of most of the officials in the imperial court?"
When Li Di heard this, the anger in his eyes dissipated a bit, but his face was terrifyingly gloomy.
Ma Yuanfang let out a long sigh.
"Why……"
Kou Ji continued: "I want to do things for the people, but I also want to live. I don't want to end up in trouble, not only failing to do things for the people of the world, but also taking my own life."
Li Di gritted his teeth and said, "But the methods you used are really terrifying."
Kou Ji stared at Li Di and said seriously: "I am loyal to the official family and have no other intentions. What's so scary about the methods I use?"
Li Di gritted his teeth and remained silent for a long time, then said: "No one can afford to bet on this kind of thing."
Kou Ji asked back: "Is it because the method I used is too terrible that I should give up using it and watch the Song Dynasty continue to decay? In the end, it will become a racecourse for the Liao and Xixia people?"