Chapter 44 3. Wuwei Xiao Caowu Follows Me
After dismissing the people who came to serve the general service, Xiao Pingtai can almost start to let himself go. He has been running around all year, and he has done his best to serve the public, and he deserves his salary.
Sometimes when I lie down alone, I think that if I travel back to China, according to the Tang Dynasty name, he can be called Uchida Ling, with a court title, at least a Chixian Ling, and I guess he will be a sixth-rank official. It seems that the speed of his progress is not much different from those golden finger male protagonists.
Thinking about it, it has only been more than a year since I traveled back to China, and I have only eaten new rice twice, but I have become a hatamoto and a deputy official. Although I have not earned a hereditary salary, the annual salary of 120 kanwen can also look down on 70% to 80% of the samurai class.
Xiao Pingtai, who was preparing to take a year off, went into the city to report to Yamanouchi Yoshiharu. Yamanouchi Yoshiharu asked him with great interest how much the stone slabs of Fuchū Castle and the castle town cost. After all, this thing is very different from before, it is really beautiful and face-saving.
Xiao Pingtai thought about it. The original mud road was leveled and rammed for free by the people of the territory. The stone slabs were paid by the people in the territory to offset various taxes, which were worth about 100 kan. Then the canals connecting the two sides cost a little money to build water gates and connect the rivers, which was only 20 to 30 kan. The total cost was no more than 150 kan.
After hearing the price Xiao Pingtai said, Yamanouchi Yoshiharu closed his eyes, pinched his fingers, and calculated. He felt that it was too expensive to renovate the whole town. Xiao Pingtai thought to himself that it was of course not cost-effective. The large-scale renovation of the Edo castle town in the Edo period cost countless dollars, and the local daimyo were extorted to contribute labor and money. Even so, most of the road surface was rammed earth, and it was still covered in dust on sunny days and mud on rainy days.
However, they spent a lot of time on the canals, connecting the entire Edo with the canals, which was convenient for shipping and drainage in the city. Moreover, due to the dense population and crowded buildings, Edo Castle had big fires every year. Without the well-connected canals, Edo could be burned ten times a year.
However, Yamanouchi Town did not need this, as it was an inland town and could not do large-scale water transportation. After all, the water flow of Japan's natural rivers was not large enough to support extensive water transportation.
Yamanouchi Yoshiharu did not ask any more questions. There were still people queuing up to see him, so Kobayata left tactfully. He saw Uncle Tsunayoshi by the oar. He no longer had to stand guard. He was considered a prominent figure among the hatamoto. He was usually the head of the security team, and in wartime, he went out as the general of the hatamoto to command soldiers.
In fact, Kobayata discovered a month ago that Uncle Tsunayoshi treated him somewhat equally. In the past, he was regarded as an elder who was a candidate for father-in-law and taught Kobayata a lesson. Although his status is still higher than Kobayata (slightly inferior in position, but he is Yamanouchi Yoshiharu's father-in-law), he no longer yells at him like before.
The two stood in the turret and talked for a while, and then Xiao Pingtai prepared to take a winter vacation. He said goodbye to his uncle Tsunayoshi who was drinking tea in the guard room, picked up the cup and drank the last sip of hot tea, patted his butt and went out of the city.
After leaving the city, he walked to the magistrate's office in the town. There were not many people in the office, and all the people from various villages were arranged to go home. Xiao Pingtai saw that there was basically nothing to do this year, so he asked the magistrate's colleagues to keep two people on duty every day, and the others were all on vacation (in fact, the magistrates in the Edo period did not dare to be so extravagant).
The colleagues had never met such a magistrate who dared to take a vacation in early December. They were not shocked, but the surprise was written on their faces. A more mature middle-aged man asked a question.
"Gunshi, it's only the beginning of December now. It's not a good idea to take a vacation now." The man said it more subtly, lowering his head and playing with his waist and whispering.
Xiao Pingtai thought it was finally his turn to show off, so he immediately said, "Do you know Liu Bang, the first emperor of the Han Dynasty?"
These Tongxin and Li were all intellectuals who had read the Book of Han and knew Chinese characters. Although they were not necessarily proficient in Chinese history, they knew a few famous historical figures. So several Tongxin and Li present nodded, indicating that they knew who Liu Bang, the first emperor of the Han Dynasty was.
"It's good to know. Then do you know who was the most important contributor to Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty?" Xiao Pingtai continued to ask.
Some people said "General Han Xin." Others said "Zhang Liang." Others said "Prime Minister Xiao He."
When Xiao Pingtai heard Xiao He's name, he immediately stood up and applauded, "You're right. Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty believed that Prime Minister Xiao He stabilized the country, comforted the people, and provided food and money. He was always on the road and was the first contributor to the early Han Dynasty."
Everyone looked like they were being taught, but they didn't understand what this had to do with vacation.
Xiao Pingtai saw that these people were quite obedient, and there was no thorn in the side who dared to talk back and fight with him for three hundred rounds, so he continued to speak slowly.
"At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the world had just settled down from war, and everything was in ruins. The emperor's carriage could not even fit four pure white horses. Emperor Gaozu of Han therefore appointed Xiao He as prime minister, and adopted the Huang-Lao method, governing by inaction and helping the people cultivate themselves. During the reign of Emperor Hui, Prime Ministers Cao Shen, Xiao Gui and Cao Sui continued to govern by inaction, stopped fighting, simplified government and lenient punishment. By the time of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing, the world was at peace, the treasury was full, and the people were happy."
"And now the people in the mountains have been fighting for years, the local people are exhausted, and the official and private treasuries are all empty, right or wrong?"
"Last year, a major project was launched to prepare the embankment of the Lianchuan River, and more than ten people died in labor, right or wrong?"
"Everyone, your fathers and brothers are all brave and well-armored, but has anyone ever been able to eat rice every day? Can you say that you are in dire straits, right or wrong?"
Three questions of the soul!
Although it was a bit bad to say that the Yamanouchi family was in dire straits in front of these people, and it was a bit suspicious of slandering the master family. But these were all realities, and everyone knew it. Not to mention the Tongxin and Li who had been dealing with the abacus and account books. Every year, they struggled to cope with the endless pressure from the master family, and were pointed at by the leaders of the same hometown behind their backs. They deeply felt the bitterness.
After Xiao Pingtai asked the question, the Tongxin and Li were silent. Xiao Pingtai saw that the effect had been achieved, so he didn't say much.
Anyway, his Tongxin was stunned by his words. Xiao Pingtai announced the adjournment in the infinite pleasure of pretending to be cool, and asked them to arrange their own shifts. If there was something, they would report it. If there was nothing, they would not bother. The address was at the house on Zixiao Road under the city, which was very easy to find.
Throw Muramasa to Aji, put on a cloak and go home for the winter vacation. I thought that if it didn't snow for three or five days, it would snow heavily. No matter how big your matter was, I would discuss it next year.
Only the like-minded and strong people in the agency were left looking at each other in bewilderment, and someone subconsciously said, "What an anomaly!"
Hahahahahaha, I'm number one on the newcomer list of Qidian History, all thanks to the big brothers for giving me face, and all thanks to the big brothers for supporting me. Thank you!