"Your Majesty is late." Li Mu saw Li Daliang and saluted from a distance. Li Daliang came over and helped him up, saying: "No need to salute. I know that your affairs are complicated and it is normal for you to delay some. Besides, this is not normal."
Didn't you miss the time?"
Li Mu felt ashamed when he heard this. How could he be so busy these days? He played and sang every night...Suddenly he seemed to understand why Zhang Tianai was so angry. She must have heard some noise. She lived in
The right side room is only a little more than ten meters away from the main house in the backyard. Considering the sound insulation effect... this must be the case!
Li Daliang saw Li Mu's expression was different and asked, "What's wrong with the minister?"
Li Mu hurriedly said: "Nothing, I didn't eat in the morning, I'm a little hungry."
"Then let's hurry up. I just saw it and the banquet has been prepared." Li Daliang said with a smile. Li Mu nodded and followed Li Daliang. From him down, all the doctors, Yuanwailang, and principals were arranged in order.
Following, we arrived at the main entrance of the new government office of the Ministry of Industry, just like when offering sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
When a yamen opens, it has its own set of etiquette. Li Mu didn't understand it, so he followed it among the crowd and couldn't see anything. After getting it right, he worked for half an hour. Li Mu thought there would be a firecracker or something like that, but unfortunately there was no such thing.
, it’s basically a scaled-down version of the Ancestral Temple’s memorial service.
Normally, after the etiquette is over, it is over and everyone should do whatever they want. But today Li Mu took the money and hosted a banquet for everyone from the Ministry of Works. A total of sixty-four tables were opened, plus the two additional tables, a total of six
Sixteen tables. This kind of thing has never happened since the founding of the Tang Dynasty. Even the craftsmen who participated in the banquet were a little uncomfortable. They felt that they were inferior to others. Today, when the Ministry of Works was relocating, they were able to sit with the officials.
The whole time, I felt very uneasy. The food was on the table, but no one dared to touch it. I just hoped that whoever at the table would start the meal first, and he would eat with him.
Before sitting down, the agents from each company were thinking that because they had different identities from the craftsmen, the seats should be a bit more advanced. But when they sat down, they realized that everyone's seats were the same, not just them, but also the Ministry of Industry.
The seats for all officials are also the same, there is no difference at all.
Everyone chatted with each other in low voices, and they all found it very strange.
Seeing that no one was using their chopsticks, Li Mu whispered to Li Daliang: "Sir, why don't you say a few words, otherwise I don't think everyone will dare to eat."
Li Daliang smiled and said: "This was arranged by you. It's up to you. I won't do it for you."
Li Mu hesitated for a moment, nodded, and stood up. Fearing that no one would see him, he stood on the bench again.
"Everyone listen to me."
Li Mu's voice drowned out the discussion, and everyone's eyes turned to him.
"Today is a big day for our Ministry of Works. We have moved out of the messy shantytown and moved into a spacious and bright new house. This is all the result of your efforts. Today's banquet includes two tables with one sheep and one table with one sheep.
Jar wine, I hope everyone will not waste it and enjoy it. In the future, you must work harder to make more money and live a better life. Not only do you have meat to eat and wine to drink today, but you will have it every day in the future! Okay.
,Began to eat!"
After Li Mu finished speaking, he took the lamb ribs from Li Chongyi and took a big bite without avoiding the greasiness.
When they saw Li Mu starting to eat, the craftsmen shouted, "Thank you, Mr. Minister!", and they followed suit and started grabbing the meat to eat. Mutton soup, Hu cakes, and wine, this kind of food was already enough for the craftsmen.
It is extremely rich.
Li Mu got down from the bench, finished the lamb ribs on his hands, took the cloth from Yu Wengui, and wiped his hands. Seeing Li Chongyi going to pick up the lamb legs on the table, Li Mu raised his hand and patted him.
He took the leg of lamb and placed it in front of Li Daliang.
Li Daliang returned the leg of lamb to Li Chongyi and said, "Isn't this kid old? He's so strong... It's a pity. If he joins the army, he will definitely be a fierce general in the future."
Li Chongyi got the leg of lamb and just ate it. It was as if he didn't hear what Li Daliang said. Even if he heard it, he probably wouldn't care.
Li Mu said: "Sir, this boy is only fourteen this year. In a few years, I will find an opportunity to send him to the army for some training. Didn't your Excellency tell me a few days ago that he would return to the army sooner or later?"
If so, how about we let him follow the master when the time comes?"
Li Daliang quickly waved his hand and said: "I am just a general who defends the city. I can't charge into the battle. This child is truly buried if he follows me. The same can't be done with your adoptive father..." Li Daliang stroked his beard and pondered.
After a moment, he said: "In my opinion, if this kid wants to get ahead, it would be best for him to work under the two generals."
Li Mu originally said something perfunctory, but seeing how serious Li Daliang was, he also became curious and asked: "I wonder if they are those two generals?"
"One is Su Guogong Cheng Zhijie, and the other is General Li Jing." When he mentioned Cheng Yaojin, Li Daliang smiled bitterly, but when he mentioned Li Jing, he was filled with admiration.
"The former is because I match the child's temperament, and Cheng Yaojin's three-blade ax is quite good. I can learn a lot by watching the child use an axe. And the latter is what kind of soldier he is.
He can train him well. If he can gain the favor of General Li Jing, this child will become not only a general, but also a commander."
Li Mu smiled and said, "Your Excellency, you actually have such high regard for General Li Jing?"
Li Daliang corrected him: "It's not a matter of admiration, but it's true. Li Jing is the only one who has mastered military skills in the world. Your Majesty may have won the first line back then, but in recent years, Your Majesty has not led troops for a long time, and Li Jingping, the auxiliary Duke,
In Anlingnan, in destroying the Turks, their military tactics have gone a step further and are about to surpass His Majesty."
Li Mu didn't expect that Li Daliang would compare Li Jing with Li Shimin, but he was relieved when he thought about the atmosphere in the court. Today's court is not like those in later Qing palace dramas. Li Shimin would be criticized by Wei Zheng three times a month.
Five times, Li Daliang made a comparison, which was normal.
It can be seen that Li Daliang was holding back his nerves at the Ministry of Industry. He couldn't stop the car when he mentioned the topic: "I only hope that one day I can follow General Li Jing to fight. Unfortunately, after the Turks are destroyed, there will be no more people around the Tang Dynasty."
There is no serious problem. The enemy of scabies will probably not work for General Li Jing."
Li Mu thought to himself that this was not necessarily the case. If he remembered correctly, there was this part in a TV series he had watched in his previous life. After Li Jing destroyed the Turks, he fought another battle with Tuyuhun a few years later. He just
I don’t remember whether Li Daliang was there.
However, Li Mu doesn't attach much importance to these histories now. When he came to the Tang Dynasty, it was like a butterfly flapping its wings without permission. It would definitely cause a series of reactions. Taking each step, he was not sure whether the trajectory of history would continue to follow.
It turns out to be the same.
Li Daliang finished sighing, and finally remembered the business, and said to Li Mu: "The people I promised you to find last time have already found more than a hundred people. I will ask them to come over when you use them."
Li Mu thought for a moment and said, "Let's do it on the third day of the lunar month next month. By then, I will have almost all the things at hand arranged, so I'll be ready to take action."
Li Daliang hesitated for a moment and said: "Servant Minister, it's not that I don't believe you. It's just that most of these children are the sons of my former Paoze. They left first, and while I am still alive, I have the responsibility to take care of their children. This time
I brought them here with a promise, and I feel guilty if they can't have enough food and clothing. Therefore, can I ask how you want to arrange for them?"
"I was about to tell the adults." Li Mu asked Yu Wengui to get a pen and paper. He picked up the pen and wrote a crooked word "" on the paper, saying: "When I talked about these orphans with the adults last time, I returned home and went to Guanpo.
I felt emotional and was deeply moved by the adults' sentiments, so I also wanted to do something for these orphans. When I was studying yesterday, I saw the word '', and an idea suddenly came to my mind."
"What thought?"
"It means that people can live in mountains and rocks. It originally means a naturally formed stone dwelling that can shelter people and live in it. The lower official thought, it would be great if our Ministry of Industry could also become this stone dwelling that shelters orphans. The ancients said, teach people how to live.
It is better to teach people to fish than to teach them how to fish. Temporary relief is not a solution and cannot solve the problem. For now, it is better to find a long-term livelihood for these orphans."
Li Daliang was deeply convinced and nodded while listening.
Li Mu continued: "Except for the work that needs to be kept confidential as mentioned last time, our Ministry of Industry cannot actually provide any livelihood. In this way, even if it is shelter, it will not be able to protect many people. So what should we do to help?
Where are the more people?”
"Xiaguan thought about it for half the night, and it wasn't until dawn today that he came up with a solution."
"What?"
"Our Ministry of Industry will just start a business and call it a 'factory'. The factory will come forward to hire these orphans and let them work to earn money. For example, when they are making armor, they can sell it to the Ministry of War and we can earn some wages.
.In this way, not only can we earn profits for the Ministry of Industry, but we can also support many orphans. What do you think, sir?"
"This..." Li Daliang had never heard of such an idea before, so he was a little hesitant and said, "In this way, I'm afraid it will lead to criticism of competing with the people for profit, right?"
Li Mu sneered and said: "Sir, with all due respect, the phrase "competing with the people for profit" cannot be used anywhere else. The people still have a mouthful of food to eat, but these orphans, they are likely to not even have a mouthful of food to eat.
They can't even afford to eat. If they don't work at the Ministry of Industry, they have to work as tenants for others. They can't even earn enough to eat all year round. Their ancestors have been bullied for generations. Thinking about the sacrifices of their parents, is this fair?"
"Coming to our Ministry of Industry, food and clothing will definitely not be a problem. If there is more profit in the future, we will share more with them. If you marry a wife and have a child, you have to continue your family life. Do you only care about your reputation and ignore their situation?
?What’s the difference between this and those who seek fame and reputation?”