NOVEL WEB Chapter 33
Lin Beifan looked towards Heshen, and Heshen replied with a wry smile, “Your Majesty, our national treasury and food supplies really can’t support so many people!”
Lin Beifan laughed, “Didn’t Yaoyao just transport another batch of grain over?”
“Your Majesty, although it has been transported, this batch of grain is a strategic resource. We must keep it for emergencies! Otherwise, if any natural disasters or wars occur, being without grain would be disastrous!”
Heshen glanced at the refugees below the city wall and said softly, “Your Majesty, the best course of action now is to disperse them and let them find their own way. Otherwise, the more people there are, the more difficult it will become to manage!”
Lin Beifan waved his hand dismissively, “That won’t do! They have traveled thousands of miles to come here, showing their respect for me. I cannot let them down! How about organizing them to work on the Grand Canal?”
“To work on the Grand Canal?” Heshen was stunned.
Lin Beifan laughed and said, “When the earth dragon turned over, the land cracked, and fissures spread in all directions. We can take this opportunity to use them as river channels to construct an extensive network of canals!”
“By doing so, not only will it benefit the irrigation of farmland, but it will also facilitate the interaction between people in various cities and the transportation of goods, enhancing national power. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?”
Heshen was baffled once again!
To use the great earth’s fissures as pathways to build an extensive network of canals, promoting irrigation and trade, was such an innovative and groundbreaking idea!Once completed, their Xia Kingdom would surely flourish!
To be honest, at that moment, he felt a twinge of excitement!
But…
“Your Majesty, while the idea is good, it requires too much manpower and resources! Most importantly, we do not have enough food to sustain so many people! Therefore, your humble servant believes that we should discuss this matter at a later time!” Heshen urged anxiously.
Lin Beifan waved his hand dismissively, “Let’s not wait for later. Let’s do it now! It’s better to start the construction of the canal sooner rather than later. It will be greatly beneficial to our Xia Kingdom, bringing honor to our generation and benefits lasting a thousand years!”
“But the food…”
“Why not use the strategic food reserves we have?”
“But Your Majesty…”
“Don’t worry, out with the old, in with the new!”
Lin Beifan said with a smile: “I have already established a cooperative relationship with Yaoyao, so we won’t be short of food in the short term!”
“I understand, Your Majesty! Your humble servant will do his utmost!” Heshen said with a bow.
Although he still felt uneasy, the Emperor had spoken, his words as precious as gold, and he had to grit his teeth and carry on.
“Furthermore, you can’t skimp on the payment, give each person 200 wen!” Lin Beifan added.
Heshen was so angry that he jumped up: “What? We have to pay them?”
In his mind, it was already generous enough to provide them with a meal, and now they had to be paid?
Which Emperor would do such a thing?
“Of course, they are all working for us. We cannot mistreat them, can we?” Lin Beifan said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Heshen felt like crying. You don’t want to wrong them, but does that mean you have to wrong me?
“Right, if you encounter these refugees in the future, take them all in. Either have them mine, reclaim wasteland, or dig canals. You decide how to arrange it, but make sure they are not short of food or money, understand?” Lin Beifan added.
Heshen jumped up for the second time: “Take in all the refugees? Your Majesty, this won’t work…”
“It will work. I believe in you!” Lin Beifan smiled.
Heshen really felt like crying now: “Your Majesty, you believe in me, but I don’t believe in myself!”
“Don’t speak so dishearteningly! Pat your chest, touch your conscience; your strength is beyond your imagination!” Lin Beifan encouraged.
Heshen: “…”
His scalp was tingling, and he felt like he was going bald!
He had just become the Minister of Revenue, and he hadn’t earned any money back yet, while silver and grain were being spent in huge amounts!
If the national treasury ended up empty, he would be the one to bear the responsibility!
Your Majesty, are you planning to have fun until I’m dead?
“Your Majesty, let’s discuss this further…”
Lin Beifan yawned, “I am tired and need to rest. I’ll leave this matter in your hands. Goodbye!”
And then, without any hesitation, he turned and walked away.
Heshen chased after him, “Your Majesty! Your Majesty, don’t go yet, let’s talk some more…”
But in the end, he couldn’t catch up, and Lin Beifan had made a clean getaway.
Heshen looked down at the tens of thousands of refugees waiting to be fed, feeling like crying but having no tears, even harboring thoughts of death.
Following that, Heshen announced, as per Lin Beifan’s instructions, that he would lead everyone to dig a canal. In addition to providing meals, each person would also receive a monthly wage of 200 wen, which made the refugees cheer and leap for joy, shouting long live in unison.
This news spread quickly throughout the land, and once again, everyone was dumbfounded.
“Just a few days have passed, and this foolish emperor has stirred up trouble again!”
“He’s actually accepting all refugees to dig the canal, not only providing food but also paying them?”
“Can he afford to support so many people?”
“I’ve never seen an Emperor act like this; it’s like he just comes up with ideas off the top of his head!”
“Even emperors from kingdoms and dynasties wouldn’t dare to do such a thing!”
“Wasting the people’s labor and depleting the treasury, I’ll just watch how he ruins himself!”
Everyone laughed and mocked, but Lin Beifan continued to do as he pleased.
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