novelAbuy Chapter 54: Your Majesty may mix in sand, but I won't?
Chapter 54: Your Majesty may mix in sand, but I won't?
"Your Highness."
"Li Yu is, after all, Li Gan's son."
The Crown Prince's steward, Zhang He, spoke the moment he entered the hall.
"Yes, he is Li Gan's son."
With a deep gaze, Liu Ju said meaningfully, "After Li Guang, Li Gan is the rightful head of the Li family."
"Li Ling was only the posthumous son of Li Guang's eldest son, Li Danghu, but he inherited the legacy of the Li family."
"He was once the Attendant-in-Ordinary and the Director of Jianzhang Palace, and now he has become the Director of Jianzhang Palace, one of the four most powerful generals in the Southern Army."
"The son of Li Gan, the Marquis of Guannei, does not even hold a single idle official position."
"The glory of the Li family all came from the fame and titles that Li Gan earned by fighting alongside his cousin on the battlefield."
"Do you think Li Yu would really be willing to give everything to Li Ling?"
"He is two years older than me, and at the age of twenty, he should be making achievements and establishing his career."
"boom!!!"
Zhang He's pupils dilated instantly, and he looked at Liu Ju in disbelief.
"hehe."
Liu Ju chuckled lightly and said coldly, "Your Majesty used the Li family as a weapon to eliminate the Wei family's power."
"Why can't I plant a thorn in the Li family's side?"
"As long as Li Yu is here, Li Gan's old subordinates will remain, and the Crown Prince's palace will still be a place where the Wei, Huo, and Li families are closely connected."
"Your Highness is wise."
Zhang He had to praise Crown Prince Liu Ju's foresight.
Therefore, Li Yu is indeed a trustworthy person. After all, he and Li Ling have conflicting interests and cannot coexist.
"Has everyone arrived?"
"Your Highness."
Zhang He immediately replied, "Attendant Dongfang Qing, Senior Gentleman Tian Qianqiu, and Zhang Mian, son of Marquis Bowang, are all waiting outside the hall."
"pass!!!"
Liu Ju waved his hand and gave the order.
"His Highness the Crown Prince has given an order!"
"Summon Dongfang Qing, the Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, Tian Qianqiu, the Gentleman of the Imperial Chamber, and Zhang Mian, the son of the Marquis of Bowang, to the palace."
The eunuch's shrill voice quickly spread from the main hall.
Before long, three figures walked over together. The young man on the left wore a loose robe and a scholar's cap, and had a dignified appearance. The young man on the right wore a narrow-sleeved robe, and his dark hair was tied up with a small crown. He was tall and had a rugged face.
The young man in the middle was somewhat reserved and timid, as if it were the first time he had seen such a magnificent hall, and he didn't dare to look at it for long.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
The three of them bowed in unison.
"I dislike worldly formalities, so please sit down."
Liu Ju waved his hand, his expression gentle, giving people a warm feeling like a spring breeze.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Dongfang Qing and the other two had different thoughts, but they were all impressed by the demeanor of the Crown Prince of Han, and each took their seats.
"His Majesty's words are law, establishing the nine-rank official system."
"I presume you all know about this."
"Um."
The three of them looked up at the same time. The imperial court had issued a decree that was known throughout the country. Chang'an was the first to know about it. The nine-rank official system had, in a sense, redefined the division of power. The central government had established a three-tiered power system of the Three Dukes, the Nine Ministers, and the Five Directors, while the local governments had the Prefect, the County Magistrate, and the County Head.
Everyone knows that the so-called nine-rank official system was a suggestion put forward by the Crown Prince, which shows how much officials, both inside and outside the court, favored the Crown Prince.
They just didn't quite understand why the Crown Prince had summoned them and specifically brought this up.
Of the three present, the highest-ranking official, Dongfang Qing, held only a salary of 600 shi (a unit of grain), which, according to current classifications, was equivalent to the eighth rank, a minor official only slightly above the ninth rank.
Gao Qinlang Tian Qianqiu was not even an official, but just a minor clerk, and Zhang Mian, the son of Marquis Bowang, held no official position at all.
"Many people from the Kanto region are arriving in droves."
"His Majesty has shown great leniency and allowed them to reclaim wasteland in the Shanglin Garden, and appointed officials to oversee the displaced people."
"The position of the agricultural official is not a political one, but a combination of military and political affairs. He is responsible for recruiting refugees to reclaim wasteland, setting grain distribution ratios, exempting those who settle in the fields from military service, managing the affairs of the fields, and managing the officials and people under his jurisdiction."
"The central government established the position of Agricultural Attendant, equivalent to the Waterway Commandant, a third-rank official with a salary of 3,000 shi (a unit of grain).
"Local authorities shall establish the position of Agricultural Commandant, a fifth-rank official, with a salary of 1,200 shi (a unit of grain).
"The Agricultural Commandant is in charge of the Agricultural Assistant and the Agricultural Supervisor, both of the seventh rank, with a salary of 800 shi (a unit of grain).
"The Assistant Director of Agriculture is responsible for registering names, distributing oxen, farming tools, and seeds, and collecting taxes and grain."
"The Agricultural Commander is in charge of three hundred farm soldiers, responsible for maintaining order, apprehending thieves and murderers, hunting, and protecting the people."
Liu Ju spoke eloquently, completely oblivious to the three men's wild imaginings.
"Whoosh!!!"
Dongfang Qing, Tian Qianqiu, and Zhang Mian all looked up, their eyes burning with passion.
They weren't stupid; they naturally realized that the Crown Prince's mention of the Agricultural Official was related to them.
"Do any of you have the courage to take on this heavy responsibility?"
Looking around at the three men, Liu Ju asked in a deep voice.
"Please give your orders, Your Highness!"
Without hesitation, the three knelt down and shouted.
"it is good."
Liu Ju beckoned, and two eunuchs appeared in the center of the main hall carrying a huge map.
Mountains and rivers were outlined in ink on blank silk, creating a detailed map of the Shanglin Garden.
Dongfang Qing and the other two immediately noticed that the bright red cinnabar divided the area belonging to Shanglin Garden into three parts: the Wei River to the north and south, and the Feng River to the east and west, forming three regions: north of the Wei River, west of the Feng River, and east of the Feng River.
"Come and see."
Liu Ju walked to the map and introduced it to the three of them: "Shanglin Garden covers a vast area north of the Wei River and south of the Qinling Mountains, stretching two hundred li from east to west and no less than sixty li from north to south. The most exquisite part of the eight hundred li of Guanzhong is all here."
"Your Majesty built the Shanglin Garden, and the people were forbidden from hunting or cultivating the land. As a result, the original landscape was preserved. The area is rich in birds and animals, the soil is fertile, and the water source is abundant. All of these provide natural and convenient conditions for settling the displaced people."
"I intend to establish an Agricultural Commissioner north of the Wei River to settle 150,000 refugees from Guandong, and the remaining 400,000 will all be settled south of the Wei River."
"Gurgle!"
The three of them, including Dongfang Qing, exchanged glances and swallowed hard.
They guessed the Crown Prince's plan: to establish three Agricultural Supervisors, each a fifth-rank official with a salary of 1,200 shi (a unit of grain measure).
"Although the agricultural official is different from the local official, the military and political affairs should still be clearly separated."
"Locally, counties are divided into small and large counties. Small counties have fewer than three thousand households, while large counties often have five thousand or even ten thousand households."
"For every 10,000 refugees from Guandong, one Agricultural Commissioner and one Agricultural Assistant were established, and an Agricultural Office was set up to oversee all affairs."
"There are fifteen agricultural inspectors in the north of the Wei River and forty agricultural inspectors/assistants in the south of the Wei River."
"These refugees are all proletarians, unrestrained, hence the application of military law."
"If you want to govern the people, you must first train the army. Do you understand?"
Looking at the three of them, Liu Ju spoke earnestly.
"clear."
Dongfang Qing and the other two roughly understood: the Assistant Director of Agriculture might not be important, but the Chief Inspector of Agriculture was extremely important.
With 550,000 refugees from Guandong, each 10,000 people needed a Chief Agricultural Officer to lead 300 farm soldiers to guard against unforeseen events.
This means they had to train peasant soldiers first, and then arrange for displaced people to reclaim wasteland.
"Shanglin Park contains 36 gardens, 12 palaces, and 21 temples."
"His Majesty's permission to reclaim land is conditional on the premise that it will not affect these palaces and gardens."
"You must remember this."
Liu Ju gave the three of them a deep look, his tone more serious than ever before.
"promise."
The three men, including Dongfang Qing, straightened their expressions and responded in unison.