Back to the Beginning of Ming to do Charity

The neighbors suddenly discovered that the Zhao family next door was actually cooking. They could smell the aroma of food even from inside their own home. It was just ordinary mush, but when i haling the aroma in their noses, the smell became that of a fairy banquet.

The several households all became a little restless. They were neighbors after all. They also knew how much food supply their neighbors had. They were almost out of food, and yet their neighbors still had so much food left?

"You go and ask at night?" The wife said to her husband, "Where did they get the food? It's definitely not the previous supply, or they wouldn't dare to cook so much."

The husband also wondered.

Sure enough, a few neighbors' households all slipped out in the middle of the night and jumped over the courtyard wall. The few people looked at each other, and didn't expect that they would share the same thinking with so many people.

It startled the Zhao family however. They didn't invite anyone into the house——who knew what these people would do? Although they had been hungry for so long, after all, they were still young and strong men, and it would be unfortunate if they were really ill-intentioned.

So the Zhao family made it clear how to buy food.

"Can the soldiers be so kind?"

The several people squatted in the corner and spoke quietly.

"I don't believe it, do you even hear yourself?"

Zhao Da: "I went to buy the food myself. If they wanted to take the food, they would have killed me long ago. How can I still come back safe and sound?"

The several people looked at each other.

"Then…..shall we go tomorrow too?"

"Go together, we can look out for each other."

"Okay, my food barrel has bottomed out anyway. If I don’t go out, I’ll starve to death sooner or later. If you ask me, the soldiers didn’t seem to have knocked on anyone’s door. Except for those officials’ homes being seized, it seemed that they really didn't kill any people."

"I heard that it is because the South Bodhisattva loves the people like his children."

"I've heard of the South Bodhisattva before. They say that everyone can eat fully and dress warmly in the places under his rule. So Gaoyou is said to have gold everywhere. Even women and handicapped people can find work and feed themselves."

"Don't say anymore, if you say anymore, I will want to go over."

"Then, let's go together tomorrow morning."

After the few neighbors made the appointment, they left the house just after dawn.

There was no curfew now, because no one went out during the day, let alone at night.

"It's so early…..is anyone even selling food at the market?"

"Then find a place where no one is watching and wait, going out early is safer."

As soon as the few people arrived at the market, they saw the food that had been put out on the table. There were coarse grains and fine grains and they were neatly divided into categories. They were not mixed together as before. Coarse grains were on one side, fine grains on the other, vegetables on the other side, and meat and eggs on the other.

They felt that they had arrived in heaven.

They looked at each other and then they all rushed into the market.

When you buy food, you naturally you have to spend money, and if you spend money, you have to find ways to make money.

The soldier reminded them: "If you are short of money, go to the county office. Someone is registering people inside. If you register, you will be assigned work."

Although they were still afraid of the soldiers, making money was more important than this. That was the source of survival: "Then what work is the best?"

The soldier said: "If you have craftsmanship and skills, you earn more. Like blacksmiths and carpenters. There is also physical labor. If you are literate, work will be much easier and you also earn a lot."

"I, I know how to do woodwork!" One of them said enthusiastically, "My father taught me!"

The rest of the people looked at him enviously.

The soldier said: "Then you will definitely earn a lot, maybe you will earn more than me in the future."

The few people were then led by the soldier to the county office in a daze. After they registered, they received their own wooden tablet ID. Each had something to do, and they had to report to their work unit the next day.

——Although they had never heard of the word work unit, they could understand it after thinking it over.

The soldier also said: "You guys came early, so you got a good post. If you came late, I'm afraid you could only do the most tiring work as well as earn less."

These few people went back again dazedly, repeating what the soldiers said to their families. Their wives were then ready to go back to their natal family to tell them of this news.

The husbands also felt that they were all family, and if the in-laws had a good life, then their family would also benefit.

So the news was just passed on like this, and the people finally dared to walk out of their homes and take to the streets.

At first, there were not many people, and the people still felt a little scared. Later, when they discovered that both relatives and neighbors had gone out and had work to do, they rushed out in a swarm.

The county government office was overcrowded every day.

The minor officials were so tired yet they had to put on a smiling face——after all, they also had tasks, as well as a pennant and rewards system. While answering the people's questions, they tried their best to have others give them pennants.

So long as there were visible benefits, people's patience could be extended indefinitely.

The common people also felt that these minor officials had become different. The "lord officials" who used to be unfriendly and approachable suddenly acted much nicer to them. Before, even if they had questions, they never dared to see the officials, whether big or minor. As even if their problem was not solved, they would still have to give benefits to these officials. They were just ordinary common people, and their savings were not much. Where could they get much money from?

But now?

The lord officials would not beat them nor scold them. If they didn't understand, the officials would also explain to them well.

The people's fear of officials was inscribed in their bones. No one dared to disturb the order. Although they didn't understand the rationale, they would not go wrong if they followed what other people did.

People began to take to the streets, and Hanyang gradually regained its former vitality.

In fact, it was better than in the past. Except for lazy people, the common people all had work to do, they had salaries to receive, and money to buy food.

These changes only took less than two months.

Zou Pusheng saw it in his eyes, and the more he looked at it, the more he was shocked.

It was not difficult to conquer a place. What was difficult was to not damage the original order of this place.

Many cities were destroyed by wars and could not be restored for several years.

However, this South Bodhisattva only regulated the market and established a reward mechanism and supervision system for minor officials and soldiers. And Hanyang was really stabilized by him. Not only was it stabilized, the common people's vitality was even better than before.

Zou Pusheng sighed: "Skillfully solving a big problem using minimum strength and resources. It is indeed impressive."

He also suddenly felt cold sweat covering his back. According to the methods of the South Bodhisattva, if he hadn't bowed his head at the time, the other really would have killed him, and then promoted the people below him, such as Ding Pulang or Fu Youde.

The people brought by Lin Yuan were not enough to fully support the operation of Hanyang. He dismantled all the original minor officials of Hanyang and divided them into various departments, so that they would not have the opportunity to gather together. His people in the departments would assimilate them.

Most people have a herd mentality, and even if someone was rebellious, no one would respond.

Zou Pusheng suggested to Lin Yuan: "Does the Southern King know, Zhao Pusheng possesses political and military talent, and he is also very popular in the army. Why not spare his life and let him work for the Southern King?"

Lin Yuan also knew that Zhao Pusheng was very capable, but he had enough generals in his hands. It was not a good thing if he had Zhao Pusheng, who had been a general, become a small military official, and Zhao Pusheng felt injust and displeased. But if he let him continue being a general, his forces would be dispersed more widely.

Zou Pusheng saw Lin Yuan's concerns: "Why don't the Southern King send someone to persuade him?"

Lin Yuan turned his head and smiled at him: "Imperial Tutor, are you making a self-recommendation?"

Zou Pusheng said seriously: "How can I dare to not follow your orders?"

"Then go, Imperial Tutor." Lin Yuan smiled, but his eyes were very cold, with the shrewdness of one in the position of authority.

Zou Pusheng stepped back respectfully, and it was not until he walked out the door could he finally let out a sigh of relief.

He had never seen such presence on Xu Shouhui or Ni Wenjun.

It was as if wherever this person stood, he was the king of that place. Everyone must listen to his instructions and obey his orders.

Since ancient times, all the founding emperors had been like this.

Almost all the founding emperors acted arbitrarily and held most of the power in their hands. Later, when the position passed down to the children from one generation to another, the power would be divided and the emperor's power would lessen.

Zou Pusheng touched his neck and came away with a handful of sweat.

He strode forward with a smile on his mouth.

This Imperial Tutor must be by the side of the true dragon for there to be any meaning to it.

Lin Yuan did not trust him now, but he was not in a hurry, he would be able to make him trust in him eventually.

Wasn't Genghis Khan also the same? After conquering and building an empire, the empire was then ruined by his descendants.

Zou Pusheng walked forward, thinking about things in his mind, and then he thought of Song Shizhao. He knew that Lin Yuan had an old official he regarded with importance named Song Shizhao, who was a capable official and a civil official.

It seemed that there was alsp another named Wu Changqing.

Zou Pusheng smiled and let out a sigh.

After he won Lin Yuan's trust, then he'll talk about the future.

"Are you not afraid that he is looking for Zhao Pusheng to discuss countermeasures?" Chen Bosong brought Lin Yuan pastries, "Have something to eat, you didn't eat much during the day."

Lin Yuan picked up a piece of cake, took a few mouthfuls and drank a sip of hot tea. He said to Chen Baisong, "He is a smart man, and smart people are tactful and know to submit to circumstances. Besides, if he really wants to ally with Zhao Pusheng to fight against me, do they even have soldiers or people?"

"Besides, if they do manage to raise a revolt, I will then be able to eliminate dissent in one fell swoop, which saves a lot of effort."

Lin Yuan: "This pastry is good."

Chen Baisong: "I know that you love sweet pastries, so I told them to put more sugar."

Lin Yuan nodded: "It's the Mid-Autumn Festival, right?"

Chen Baisong: "It will be here in half a month."

Lin Yuan thought for a while: "Perfect, take this opportunity to have the barracks come up with some programs, whether it's boxing or football, make some lively fun that the common people like to watch."

Chen Baisong didn't understand, why did being a soldier have to work as an actor now as well?

Lin Yuan patted him on the shoulder: "Can't figure it out?"

Chen Baisong nodded honestly.

Lin Yuan smirked: "If you can't figure it out, then don't think about it anymore and go back to sleep. Make sure to relay what I said, just say that the best boxer or the best player will be rewarded, all will be rewarded two taels of gold."

Chen Baisong smiled and said, "Then they will definitely put in hard work."

If you want a horse to run, you naturally have to feed the horse. Lin Yuan knew this truth well.

Just like when he went to work before, the boss always wanted to save money, so the employees were not motivated. If one still earned the same as not doing much work despite putting in a lot of hard work, then who would fight for more work? They would want nothing more than to push all the work to others.

When soldiers in the barracks learned that they would be rewarded two gold taels if they performed well during the Mid-Autumn Festival, every one of them rolled up their sleeves in preparation for the fight.