spring cloud warm

544
Because the weather was a bit cold, most of the common people shrunk their shoulders and arched their backs, looking shy.

Many people complain in their hearts, but they dare not speak out.

Standing on the high platform, Zheng Wuji said to the crowd: "Everyone has worked hard for several months, and the canal is completed today. Please come and be a witness."

Someone finally couldn't help muttering in a low voice: "Witness is a fart! The credit is all for being an official, and we ordinary people are doing coolies!"

"Isn't it? It's not as comfortable to come here in such a cold day and have a wife and children warm up the kang and drink a bowl of porridge." Someone immediately echoed.

They have asked people a long time ago, but today they don't care about food, they come all the way here, freeze here for half a day, and then go back hungry, just to listen to a few words from the official.

It's really exciting.

Fortunately, Zheng Wuji didn't ramble too much, he just introduced the brains of these leaders present, even the two adults who just came from Beijing also introduced them in public.

"See? Once those red hijabs are taken off, it's over." Someone pointed to the stone tablet covered with red silk on the canal.

"What the hell is that?" someone asked.

"What could it be? It's something that sings praises!" The person who spoke before said with a sneer, "It must be written about the great achievements of Master Zhizhou, and it will be immortalized forever."

The people around suddenly realized and nodded in agreement. Isn't this official all for fame and fortune?

"Then why are there still three big stone tablets erected? Does this mean that the eighteen generations of his ancestors have been engraved on them?" The tone of the people became more and more dissatisfied.

It seems that complaining can make the body warm up.

"Maybe this river canal is connected with water, so we can use it as we like! My family has a few acres of land, just by the river, isn't it better than relying on the sky for food?"

"You have a good idea! Where can you make money as an official?!" Someone immediately poured cold water on him.

It's no wonder that the common people think so. There have always been many miscellaneous taxes.

There is a car tax for a car, a boat tax for a boat, a tax for raising livestock, and a tax for giving birth to a child.

Local officials all have the ability to create a name with their own hands. Once the canal is dug, the people can irrigate and sail boats, and they can collect a lot of money.

The discussion in the crowd grew louder, and the official came over immediately to stop it.

Zheng Wuji was still standing there, and said with a smile: "The weather is a bit cold today, please be safe and don't be impatient.

As for the first stone tablet, the seven magistrates of the prefecture and several representatives of gentry and merchants were invited to unveil it. "

The county magistrates of the seven counties were a little apprehensive when they heard this, after all, there are several people with higher positions than them here.

Therefore, he hurriedly gave way: "I can't do it! I can't do it!"

Zheng Wuji said: "Here we don't judge by the position. People from seven counties participated in the digging of the canal. You, as the parents and officials, organized and dispatched, it was really hard work.

What's more, it's admirable for you to take the lead in spending your family savings to make up for the shortage. "

The seven county magistrates were stunned. When did they spend money to dig canals?
"Before this, I never told the common people that the state officials, gentry and merchants all contributed money to support the water conservancy project.

Because the amount of money is limited and the construction period is uncertain, how much should be spent can only be calculated at the end.

Now it will take a few months for the imperial government to allocate money, so I will give everyone half of the wages first.

This money was put together by people from our own state and county. "

When the common people heard that it was not for nothing, and there was still wages to be paid, they immediately cheered!

Although those magistrates understood what Zheng Wuji said, they still didn't understand when they took out the money.

"Could it be that we have to pay out of pocket?" Shen Ding felt that something was wrong.

At this juncture, they publicly said that they donated money. What is the difference between this and Ming Qiang?
The squires and merchant representatives who were named were relatively calm, after all, they provided meals for these people.

"What are you gentlemen waiting for? Come forward!" Zheng Wuji smiled and signaled the county magistrates to quickly remove the red silk from the first stele.

"Let's take one step at a time!" Ye Chengxun whispered, "You can't turn your face here."

To put it bluntly, Zheng Wuji is their immediate boss, and he should not be easily offended.

Several people went to the stone tablet with their own confidantes in mind, and tore off the red silk together with the landlords and businessmen.

On the top of the stele was engraved three large characters of merit and virtue, with the names of many people engraved on the bottom, and the amount of donations behind it.

Each of these magistrates donated 500 to [-] taels.

In addition, there are many landlords and merchants, each of whom donated a lot.

There are 3000 taels more, and one or two hundred taels less.

And who is in charge of how many meals, how much food, vegetables and pigs and sheep are used.

These magistrates understood what was going on when they saw each other.

This amount of money happened to be the bank note they gave Zheng Wuji on his birthday.

One or two is not much, one or two is not much.

"The wages of each family are 60 yuan per person per day for young and strong laborers, 15 yuan per person per day for women and elderly people under 60 years old, children under [-] years old, elderly people over [-] years old, and pregnant women. Twenty Wen per person per day.

Every household has a detailed record of the daily work, and there is no mistake in the slightest.

Later, they will be paid separately according to the county where they are located. Today, they will receive half of their wages, and they will receive the other half after the appropriation from the imperial court comes down. "Zheng Wuji was still smiling, and he didn't seem very complacent.

The people below were already dancing with joy.

The wages are high, and each family has a considerable income.

At this time in previous years, the laborers of each family would also go out to find some odd jobs.

But firstly, I couldn’t earn so much, and secondly, I didn’t work for three consecutive months.

Even if a relatively long-term job can be found, there is no place to employ the elderly and children.

As for digging canals, the whole family, young and old, worked together for one day's wages, not counting the two meals that were managed before.

How could this not make them happy?

"Master Zhizhou is really our parent official!" The common people changed their previous cynicism and were full of gratitude to Zheng Wuji.

"Isn't it? At that time, I wanted to take two days off, but the person in charge refused to allow it. I scolded behind my back for several days!" Someone felt guilty, "If I knew I had money to get it, I wouldn't delay it!"

"I told you in advance, I don't know how many people will come to share a piece of the action!" The older one suffered from this, "How many imposters are there?"

Not to mention far away, when there was a famine, the money and food allocated by the imperial court were finally taken away by many empty names.

What can be distributed to the common people is all reduced and reduced, deducted and deducted.

"Oh, with this money, our second boy won't have to worry about marrying a wife next year!" A woman cried with joy, and wiped the corners of her eyes with her skirt.

"It's not a big deal, it's a good deal inside and out! In the past three months, our family has saved a lot of food and rice!"

Originally, they lived in arrears every year, and they often didn't have enough food.

And Zheng Wuji's actions immediately made the common people have a surplus, didn't their ancestors look forward to a good year for generations?