Chapter 109: Use it for the People
With the silver, Zhu Yuanzhang was in a very good mood.

So much so that he showed extraordinary patience.

The purpose of his questioning of Zhu Biao was not to find out what shocking words Deng Qianqiu had, but to find out whether the prince had made any progress in the past few days.

Zhu Biao said: "Deng Qianqiu also said that the essence of taxation is to take from the people and use it for the people. Only in this way can it be the right way. He said that he did not understand what the saints said, such as benevolence and love, because it was empty talk. If there is really an ideal of governing the world, it is nothing more than taking and giving up. Taking is how to reasonably collect taxes, and giving up is how to reasonably use taxes. As long as these two things are mastered, there is nothing in the world that cannot be accomplished."

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but say: "This is much more knowledgeable than many corrupt scholars, especially that Wen Yuanji..."

After a pause, Zhu Yuanzhang continued: "But he is still young after all, and has a childish side."

Zhu Biao asked in confusion, "How did the emperor say he was childish?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Hmm..."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his eldest son. This emperor, who usually had a hot temper, actually began to stammer at this moment. He coughed and said, "You will understand later."

Zhu Biao blinked and said, "Father, you are reluctant to use the taxes for the people."

"Nonsense." Zhu Yuanzhang's face tightened and he said angrily, "I am just a commoner, but I was able to conquer the world by relying on the will of the people! Do you know what a tragic scene it was back then? The Tartar army raped and looted wherever they went. And the other so-called righteous armies also burned and killed along the way. Only you, my father, was responsible for restraining your troops every day and not disturbing the people. For this reason, I don't know how many old brothers who followed me at the time were killed. This made the world know that the Wu army had strict military discipline and did not harm anyone. Everyone regarded the Wu army as righteous soldiers. Tell me, is there anyone in this world who loves the people more than me?"

Zhu Biao said: "But now that my father has taken over the world, there are more things to consider."

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a while, then said, "Alas, this is the blood and sweat of the people."

Seeing that his father was touched, Zhu Biao couldn't help but say, "Father also agrees with Deng Qianqiu, and believes that the people's money should be used for the people."

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "I am talking about agricultural taxes. Agricultural taxes are earned by poor farmers through hard work. They are the blood and sweat of the people. But are commercial taxes considered the blood and sweat of the people?"

Zhu Biao: "..."

Zhu Yuanzhang said confidently: "I think they are very well-off and have no problem paying taxes. If they use the tax silver to lament the hardship of people's lives, it seems a bit self-indulgent. I have decided to save it for my eldest son."

As he spoke, he patted Zhu Biao on the shoulder and said, "My dear son, I will save a lot of money in the future. I can endure hardships all my life, but you can't. Neither can your son or your grandson in the future. Your mother and I have suffered all our lives and are used to it. We can't bear to see you suffer."

Zhu Biao's eyes turned slightly red and his head turned away.

…………

Wen Yuanji was still sitting in the central hall of the Hundred Households Office, looking dazed.

Deng Qianqiu put one foot on the chair and continued to settle the accounts while humming a little tune.

Half an hour later, he brought a lunch box from a nearby tavern, and holding the bowl, he ate with smacking sounds while continuing to check the bill.

"Hey...are you hungry..."

"Forget it, even if you ignore me, I don't want to pay attention to you either."

"Are you sleepy?"

Deng Qianqiu would ask this question every now and then.

Wen Yuanji was still sitting upright, still motionless.

Deng Qianqiu shook his head and sighed, "Poor thing, his brain is broken, such a big head, but such a good brain."

Wen Yuanji suddenly roared: "I hate it!"

Seeing that he finally responded, Deng Qianqiu said excitedly: "Every wrong has its perpetrator... No, I advise you not to hate."

Wen Yuanji stared with a pair of eyes, feeling wronged and angry, and gnashed his teeth and said, "I hate that I, Wen Yuanji, have inherited poetry and literature from my family. We are a wealthy family in Jiangnan, and it has taken more than a dozen generations of hard work. Why should I be willing to be inferior to an ignorant child like you?"

After hearing this, Deng Qianqiu immediately realized that someone was scolding him, Deng Qianqiu, and he became furious.

He suddenly put down the bowl, walked forward, raised his leg and kicked.

A kick hit Wen Yuanji in the lower abdomen.

Wen Yuanji lost his balance and fell down with the chair.

"Mr. Wen, I didn't provoke you. It was His Majesty who provoked you. Who are you scolding now?" Deng Qianqiu was furious and rolled up his sleeves to continue charging forward.

"Ah..." Wen Yuanji fell to the ground, wailing.

He hurriedly held his head, as if he suddenly came to his senses: "Ah, ah... Don't fight, don't fight, Captain Deng, peace is the most important thing, peace is the most important thing."

Deng Qianqiu crossed his hands: "Do you still dare to scold me?"

Wen Yuanji shook his head like a frightened deer, "I won't dare to do it again, I won't dare to do it again, I won't dare to do it again."

Deng Qianqiu glared at him and said, "How dare you sit here and slack off while taking the salary from the Hundred Households Office?"

Wen Yuanji held his head in pain and said, "No, I don't dare anymore."

Deng Qianqiu snorted coldly, and then said: "Come here and die, and settle the score with me."

Wen Yuanji stood up, bent his body, walked to the desk in small steps, and knelt with his head down.

Deng Qianqiu pointed at his head and said, "You'd better settle the score with me, or I'll beat you so hard that your mother won't even recognize you."

Wen Yuanji immediately lowered his head, opened the account book, and with trembling hands took the pen from the pen holder, saying, "Okay, okay, okay."

Deng Qianqiu said coldly: "Do you have anything else to say?"

Wen Yuanji immediately said, "No...no." Deng Qianqiu snorted coldly, "Don't flip through the account books. Convert this account for me and calculate the expenses."

Wen Yuanji followed Deng Qianqiu's instructions and opened an account book, but the book was blank.

"Help me calculate the manpower and money needed to dredge the 40-li riverbank in Jiangning County, build three stone bridges, two docks, three schools, a charity house, and a 140-li bluestone road."

"Ah..." Wen Yuanji looked up in astonishment and said, "Such a huge expense? I'm afraid even if all the laborers in Jiangning County were conscripted, it still wouldn't be enough! Captain Deng, you can't do that. The people will not be able to bear the hard labor."

Deng Qianqiu rolled his eyes at him and said, "Who said they should do corvée labor? What I want is to recruit workers and pay them silver. A skilled worker will get two taels of silver a month, and an unskilled worker will get one tael of silver. Three meals a day will be provided."

Wen Yuanji was stunned, his face changed: "Are you crazy? No, no, no, Captain Deng, that's not what I meant... I mean... where did this silver come from?"

Deng Qianqiu rarely looked at him with disdain, and then asked: "Why do you think the Hundred Households Office collects taxes?"

Wen Yuanji shuddered. "Although you and I have a disagreement, as a secretary, I have to remind you that this money... belongs to His Majesty... and you can't spend it carelessly. Don't make a mistake. You know His Majesty's temper."

Deng Qianqiu continued to stare at him and said, "If I was doing nothing, I would have gone home to live off my father. Why would I bother to talk to someone like you here? I don't want to think about anything now. I just want to do something. Will you settle this account for me?"

Wen Yuanji hurriedly said, "Count, count, count, I'll count."

He lowered his head and wiped the sweat off his face. He suddenly felt very aggrieved, but he forced himself to hold back the tears.

Deng Qianqiu sat aside, crossing his legs. He thought for a moment and said, "Isn't the salary too low?"

"what……"

Deng Qianqiu frowned and said, "I'm asking you a question."

Wen Yuanji said: "This is still low. My tenants are lucky to have two meals a day..."

"Bastard, you black-hearted dog landlord." Deng Qianqiu was about to stand up again.

Wen Yuanji subconsciously held his head and said hurriedly, "What I mean is that we can't waste money like this. Captain Deng, please listen to my advice. My eyelids are twitching now. I feel like something bad will happen if I follow you."

After hearing this, Deng Qianqiu sat back steadily, and became more alert: "Really? Then let me ask you, when you went out this morning, did your eyelids twitch? Did you have a premonition that His Majesty would kick you into this centurion's office?"

No one knew what hurt Wen Yuanji, he put down his hand, glared back at Deng Qianqiu, and angrily said: "A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated. It would be fine if you beat me up, but why did you humiliate me three times?"

Deng Qianqiu looked at him for a long time, but said: "Okay, then I won't humiliate you, you hurry up and work, otherwise I will get itchy hands again."

"Oh, oh." Wen Yuanji lowered his head quickly: "Okay."

…………

A few days later, the Hundred Households Office suddenly started to post notices to recruit talented people.

This actually attracted a lot of people at once, and soon everyone found that the list was really horrifying.

Five thousand nine hundred strong men were recruited, in addition to a number of clerks and more than three hundred and seventy craftsmen.

Even the local elders could not help but marvel at this.

You know, apart from the Yellow River repair project at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, there have been very few such large-scale projects.

But even when the Yellow River was being repaired, they only conscripted labor. But this 100-household unit actually hired workers directly.

The government has never conscripted laborers, but now it is hiring workers. This is crazy.

All of a sudden, many people rushed to tell each other the news, making Jiangning County lively for a while.

The success of Wen Yuanji as the clerk was beyond Deng Qianqiu's expectations. This guy could write and do math, and was really good at clerical work.

Now he is working with seven or eight clerks, and he is adept at everything from calculating expenditures to delivering official documents.

It's just... this guy always makes people feel weird.

"Wen Qianshu."

At noon that day, Deng Qianqiu called him.

Wen Yuanji hated being called "Qianshu" the most, and usually just asked people to call him Mr. Wen.

But when Deng Qianqiu called him like that, he could do nothing about it.

"What do you want, Captain Deng?"

Deng Qianqiu asked, "I heard that you sent a visiting card to Wang Guangyang, the Right Prime Minister of the Secretariat, last night?"

Wen Yuanji's face changed.

Deng Qianqiu continued, "You are not trying to get through to Prime Minister Wang and want him to transfer you out of the Hundred Households Office, are you?"

Wen Yuanji blushed immediately and said, "This is a private matter, a private matter..."

Deng Qianqiu said: "You are actually doing a good job. Why bother? Aren't we cooperating happily now? Why do you want to run away?"

Wen Yuanji was silent for a moment, but finally decided to tell the truth: "It's not impossible to be a secretary, but I feel that if we follow you, sooner or later we will all be finished."

Deng Qianqiu felt extremely disliked and angrily asked, "What did you say?"

Wen Yuanji stepped back in fear, but stiffened his neck and said, "You spent His Majesty's money, and His Majesty will be furious and execute all of us."

(End of this chapter)