my brother-in-law is the prince

Chapter 250 On the Rewards for Deeds
2 fifty chapters:

Seeing that Qiu Song had left, Zhu Di heaved a sigh of relief.

Then, staring at Zhang Anshi, he said, "Where is that thing?"

"I received it and went to the warehouse."

"Take me to see."

Zhu Di acted vigorously and resolutely, and did not dilly-dally with Zhang Anshi.

Zhang Anshi took Zhu Di to the cellar.

Zhu Di went down in person, looked at the lump-like things, and then showed suspicion.

Looking back at Zhang Anshi, he said, "This thing...why does it look like a lump of dirt?"

Zhang Anshi took it for granted: "That's why it's called potatoes, both soil and beans."

Zhu Di was speechless.

He looked back at Xia Yuanji: "Is this the output of one mu of land?"

"Report to Your Majesty." Xia Yuanji said, "Exactly."

Zhu Di thought about it, and said, "Can I eat it?"

"Yes." Xia Yuanji said directly.

Zhu Di said quickly: "Take a few, cook them, and let me have a taste."

Zhang Anshi didn't hesitate, and ordered someone to fetch some potatoes for him to eat.

Of course, the ones picked are all crooked, and the fat potatoes should be kept for seeding.

After a while, a plate of steamed potato cakes was delivered to Zhu Di.

Zhu Di took it and ate it, savoring the taste, and said: "The taste is not bad."

Zhang Anshi smiled and didn't speak.

Zhu Di stared at Zhang Anshi again and said, "Zhang Qing seems to have something to say?"

Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty's words, let me... my minister... forget it, I don't care if I don't say it."

"Speak up if you have something to say." Zhu Di frowned and said, "I won't blame you."

Zhang Anshidao: "A few days ago, there were refugees from Jiujiang Mansion who fled to Qixia. I just tried to resettle them here... how about... I invite two of you here."

Seeing that he was playing tricks again, Zhu Di was very interested.

He is actually trying to suppress his inner passion now, so his face looks extraordinarily calm.

At that moment, everyone walked out of the cellar.

Zhang Anshi welcomed Zhu Di to the hall in Zhuangzili.

After another two sticks of incense, two ragged men were 'invited' timidly.

As soon as they entered the door, they shouted: "Forgive me, forgive me, we did not commit a crime... We were wronged..."

Zhang Anshi stepped forward and said, "Who said you committed a crime?"

"Isn't it a crime for an official to take me?"

This sentence actually makes sense.

Zhang Anshi smiled and said: "Old Cousin, I didn't arrest you for a crime, but treat you to a good meal."

The two were disheveled and trembling, but they didn't dare to agree rashly.

Zhang Anshi ordered the cake to be reheated, and asked, "Are you escaping from Jiujiang Mansion? Did you work as a farmer before?"

"Yes, yes... farming for a living." One was more talkative, and said in a vague local accent: "There are two acres of land at home, but unfortunately... there was a disaster, and there was no rice. I saw the situation was not good, so I ran away early. Come out, if you hesitate a step, I don’t know what will happen.”

It seems that this is still a doomsday expert.

You know, it is not easy for a person to leave his hometown immediately when he sees that the limelight is not right.

Here, there must be a lot of determination.

The reason why they tremble with fear is actually because they are refugees, and the government regards refugees as criminals.

However, under normal circumstances, when there is a catastrophe, there is no way to restrain them one by one, and they can only turn a blind eye.

But after all, the law is like this, who can guarantee that there are not some officials who deliberately bully people and come forward to make things difficult in the name of this?
Zhang Anshi said: "Speaking of it this way, you are smart."

"It's not smart." The man said with a bitter face: "In the genealogy, my great-grandfather died of starvation in a famine, my great-grandfather and great-grandfather also died of starvation in a catastrophe, and my mother also starved to death the year before last. The ancestors who died were sixty or seventy if not a hundred, how could they not know how powerful they are when they come to me?"

Zhang Anshi: "..."

After hearing this, Zhu Di felt both sad and ridiculous.

Yang Rong, Hu Guang and Xia Yuanji kept shaking their heads.

Zhang Anshi said with a dry smile: "I understand the truth of becoming a doctor after a long illness. Has the whole family escaped?"

"They all escaped, except for one child who fell ill on the way and died." There was not much sadness on this man's face, after all... this 'loss' was already blessed by God for him.

Zhang Anshi said: "How is the settlement here in Qixia?"

"It's not bad. I serve two meals of porridge a day, and the porridge is still thick. My eldest son has also found a job with his feet, so he can get some money... It's just... It's going to be autumn, and I'm afraid it will be the end of the day. Cold, I'm afraid I won't be able to survive this winter."

Zhang Anshi said generously: "Don't worry about this. The place you live may not be able to be settled right away for you, but... being in the cold will not teach you to be in the cold. At that time, I will teach you to distribute coal for you, and then give you a good place to live." You add some jackets and find a way to add some quilts."

"Ah..." The man looked surprised, and the sadness on his face was seven or eight points less.

Zhang Anshi said: "Come here, steamed cakes are here, come and eat."

The hot steamed cakes were delivered to the two of them.

But the man didn't move.

Zhang Anshi said: "Eat, eat quickly."

Zhang Anshi was willing to be very hungry for this person, and he couldn't help it when he saw the food, but the person still didn't move.

"Is it too hot?" Zhang Anshi put the back of his hand on it, tested the temperature, but it was not unbearable.

At this time, the man said hesitantly: "Guan Ye, your cake is not poisonous, is it?"

After hearing this, Zhang Anshi was furious, and said, "What kind of talk is this! What did I poison you for? Do you think I am like that?"

"I don't know, I always feel... there is no such good thing in the world, maybe there are some bad intentions."

He looked wary.

The other swallowed hard, stared at the potato pancakes, but didn't dare to reach out to take them.

Zhang Anshi sighed: "Don't think of me like this. Let's change the angle. If I want to kill you, think about it carefully. Isn't there a hundred ways? Why bother to poison you? You can insult me. My moral character, but my IQ cannot be insulted."

There is a peasant-like cunning in this person, but this way of survival has been honed through life and death again and again.

Anyone who is stupid or a teacher will starve to death long ago.Even if he didn't starve to death, he would probably have been cheated to death already.

If Zhang Anshi told him about benevolence, righteousness and morality, he would really dare not eat it.

But what Zhang Anshi said, he thought about it carefully, and felt that it was right, so he carefully picked up a pancake and stuffed it directly into his mouth.

Immediately afterwards, he put it in his mouth and chewed desperately.

Another person also started to chew.

Everyone looked at the two of them.

Zhang Anshi smiled and said: "How is it, is it delicious?"

The man was still chewing constantly, as if he was reluctant to swallow it immediately.

After a long time, he finally swallowed the pancake completely, licked his mouth with unsatisfied desire, and said, "It's so delicious."

The other also said: "Delicious, delicious..."

Zhu Di probably understood what Zhang Anshi meant, and understood what could be said in one sentence, but he made a big deal out of it.

But after thinking about it carefully, it makes sense.

The diet of emperors and princes and nobles was already rich, and it didn't make any difference whether they had potatoes or not.

This thing, from the very beginning, was not intended to be eaten by princes and grandchildren.

Zhu Di stared at the man, as if he wanted to continue to observe the man's words and deeds.

Zhang Anshi continued to ask: "Tell me truthfully, is it really this delicious?"

"Of course it's delicious!" The man said with a look of recollection: "This taste is the same as fine grains."

The so-called fine grains are actually white rice and white noodles, and ordinary people cannot eat a few meals of white rice and white noodles throughout the year. Later generations may get used to eating fine grains, but pursue the so-called coarse grains.

But in this era, fine grains are a luxury in themselves, and people's imagination of being rich and wealthy probably means that they can eat fine grains every day.

Zhang Anshi said: "What if I eat this every day in the future?"

"Eat this?" The man opened his eyes, and there was hope in his eyes, and said: "There is such a good thing in the world. If someone feeds it to me every day, it will be a Bodhisattva who saves suffering."

The other nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, deeply agreeing.

Zhang Anshi smiled and said: "Not bad, not bad, good, you can go."

As if they had been pardoned, the two left in a hurry.

Only then did Zhu Di stand up, and said, "This grain...will be able to grow [-] catties in the future?"

Zhang Anshidao: "Chen... No, Eunuch Deng is now breeding. The grains planted this year are mixed. If the grain is planted in the coming year, we can try to increase the production. After several selections, Eunuch Deng will work hard to do Up to two thousand catties per mu."

two thousand catties...

If Zhang Anshi said such things before, everyone might think that this guy is bragging.

But if now... he said it, everyone would be convinced.

Zhu Di couldn't help muttering: "The yield per mu is [-] catties, and it's still dry land, which is seven times the normal dry land... Good... Very good... Very good..."

As he spoke, he looked thoughtful, and subconsciously said: "In this case, within a few decades, there will be no more food shortages, Zhen... Zhen..."

He was pacing, hands behind his back, lost in deep thought.

In ancient times, the so-called prosperity was the population, and the larger the population, the more prosperous the dynasty was.

But in fact, this kind of population growth, reaching the limit, often means the beginning of the dynasty's decline.

Because the carrying capacity of land is limited after all, and with the merger of land, it will catalyze this process even more.

But once the output increases greatly, then this trend will be curbed instantly.

At that time, I am afraid that the population of the world will increase greatly.At least for Daming, the population increase is not harmful, because now... Zhu Di really lacks people.

Just say that Luzon and Annan are now urging, hoping to exile some criminals and prisoners there. The reason is simple, and their demand for manpower is too great.

Zhu Di said, "Eunuch Deng?"

Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty, you forgot again? It's just..."

"I remember now, where is Mr. Deng?"

Deng Jian had been standing in the corner before, and he had never been very conspicuous. He was startled when he heard the word sir, and he stood up quickly, bowed down, and said humbly: "Slave... Slave deserves death, slave But I can't afford to be a gentleman...The servant is an eunuch..."

Zhu Di stared at Deng Jian. He vaguely remembered that when he returned from the sea, Deng Jian was also so downcast. Unexpectedly, when they met this time, Deng Jian was even more downcast than when he came back from the sea.

Zhu Di couldn't help saying with emotion: "He's really a strong man, and a real man should be like this."

Deng Jian: "..."

As for anyone, what you say about a man in front of an eunuch is almost swearing.

But Deng Jian understood what he said, it was a compliment, and he should be praised as an emperor.

He kowtowed excitedly and said with tears streaming down his face, "Slave... Slave..."

But Zhu Di stepped forward, helped him up personally, stared at Deng Jian carefully, and then said to the left and right: "The seeds of grain were brought back by him after a narrow escape, and he also planted the grain. I want to ask you, all the people in the world, Whose contribution can be comparable to that of the one who benefits the common people in the world?"

This time, Hu Guang and others were stumped.

Xia Yuanji said excitedly: "Your Majesty, according to my opinion, Guan Zhong can..."

Zhang Anshi said, "Shen Nong."

After hearing about Shennong, Hu Guang said, Zhang Anshi who entered your mother, in the Confucian system, Shennong is at the level of the Three Emperors and Five Emperors, okay!

Hu Guang immediately said: "I have little talent and little learning, but I didn't realize that in the past dynasties, there are people who can be like Mr. Deng."

Zhu Di tried hard to think about it, but he didn't seem to have thought of it, so he said: "It makes sense, I think...it will be rewarded heavily for such a contribution."

Zhu Di is so forthright with those who have made meritorious deeds, he will be rewarded for his meritorious deeds!
Yishiha looked at Zhu Di with a smile, and hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, there is a vacancy in the seal of Shangshan Supervisor..."

Zhu Di didn't look at it and was disappointed, but said: "Such a hero, how can the twelve prisons in the inner court be qualified to be placed? Among my ministers, there are fortune-tellers and monks. Can't there be room for another Deng Jian?" ?”

As soon as this statement came out, everyone looked at each other in dismay.

But... no one objected.

Even Yang Rong and Hu Guang took it for granted.

Xia Yuanji said: "Why don't you come to the Ministry of Accounts..."

But what was even more unexpected was that Zhu Di muttered: "Fenghou..."

After a sudden pause, Zhu Di went on to say: "No, he was granted the title of Marquis and gave food to 1000 households in the town. If you feel wronged, he will be given the title of servant of the household department and be in charge of agricultural affairs. This farm cannot be separated from Mr. Deng... Let him recruit refugees here and continue to introduce new crops. There are also farm households who will try to grow here with him, and each will be given [-] taels of silver..."

As he said that, Zhu Di turned his head to look at Yang Rong and Hu Guang, and then said: "This is what I mean, and the Holy See will discuss it. There will be no objection in the court meeting, right?"

Yang Rong and Hu Guang didn't hesitate, this Yang Rong said: "I can be the guarantor!"

Zhu Di nodded.

Deng Jian, who was on the sidelines, was taken aback and froze in place, not daring to vent his anger.

Feng Shihou!

Isn't this the same as Zhang Anshi?
Moreover, he was also given the title of Minister of the Household Department. Daming never had a record of eunuchs conferring titles or serving as officials in foreign courts, which is really unheard of.

His body trembled for a moment, and he didn't know how to respond.

It's really worth it to be able to make the eunuch to his level.

Even if Yishiha was standing aside, he couldn't help crying.

"Slave... Slave..." Deng Jian choked up, and fell at Zhu Di's feet all of a sudden: "Slave, thank you for your grace."

Zhu Di turned cold, and said solemnly: "From now on, you can no longer call yourself a slave, you must call yourself a minister, and a minister must act like a minister. Do you have a son?"

Deng Jian said: "Slave... I have a nephew."

Zhu Di didn't even think about it, he said: "I decree, adopt... from now on, he will be your son, and I will leave you an incense stick."

Deng Jian burst into tears, gratefully said: "Yes, yes..."

Zhu Di said again very cautiously: "This place must be well protected...Zhang Anshi..."

Zhang Anshi immediately said: "The minister is here."

Zhu Di ordered: "In your Annanwei, add another [-] posts and set up a thousand households. Half of them... are stationed here day and night, and they are in charge of guarding this village. In this village, if any idlers get in , I take you as a question."

Zhang Anshi hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, are there less than 600 people?"

In fact, it is very inappropriate to say this.

On the edge of the capital, there are more than 600 private guards, you still think it is not enough, what do you want to do?
But at this time, Zhang Anshi said with a wry smile: "Why don't you round it up and give me [-]?"

Zhu Di was very proud: "That's eight hundred."

Zhang Anshi kept calm on the surface, but he had already begun to calculate in his heart. In addition to the three hundred people stationed here, there were two hundred more, and his house was a little more secure.

Zhu Di went on to say: "Tomorrow, the crown prince will be sent to Xiaoling Mausoleum to pay homage to the mausoleum. We must tell Taizu Emperor Gao about this matter... Xu Huizu, the Duke of Wei, and Hu Guang, the great scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, will accompany you."

Such a good thing must be reported to the ancestors.

In fact, Zhu Di has always been afraid to go to worship the ancestors. Except when Jing Nan succeeded, he went there bravely. At other times, he let the prince or some ministers go.

He was afraid that Emperor Taizu Gao really had a spirit in the sky, so he got up and beat him.

But today...he was full of energy.

I am afraid of a bird, and Emperor Taizu Gao is not as good as I am.

Seeing that Deng Jian was still sluggish and motionless.

Zhu Di said: "Deng Qing's family, is there anything else you want to say?"

Deng Jian's body trembled, he came back to his senses suddenly, and said: "Slave... minister... minister... can't deserve such a great service."

Zhu Di frowned slightly: "Huh?"

Deng Jiandao: "When I went to sea, it was my son... No, it was ordered by Marquis Annan. The sea chart and the route were also drawn up by Marquis Annan. The minister is just Xiao Gui and Cao Sui."

"Cultivating this grain... Marquis Annan taught me to do this. I was really confused. I misunderstood him at first, thinking... I offended him, and I still have resentment in my heart. I always feel that he is not as close as before. It's... Deliberately trying to embarrass the teaching minister... The teaching minister is embarrassed. What the minister thinks about every day is whether he has done something unpleasant in the past that made him... make him... But now I know that Marquis Annan has worked so hard... He is... …This is……"

After all, Deng Jian burst into tears in shame.

All of a sudden, all the previous grievances were really vented out.

After tears fell like rain, Deng Jian said: "I should go back to the East Palace to be a slave, this credit is not mys... I dare not accept it... Now, I have suffered so much, I am content to be able to have today, Others...don't dare to look forward to..."

Only those who have really experienced pain can have such thoughts. These are all words from Deng Jian's heart.

Zhu Di glanced at Zhang Anshi.

Zhang Anshi hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, he is wronging people! I... I told him some news from overseas, and I also talked about this kind of grain, but the minister is actually just hearsay, and what I said is vague!"

"I am surprised that he has today. He said that he has no great credit, but I dare to ask. If I say these words to anyone, this person will put his head on his belt and escape from death. In the past few years, life is worse than death, is it in exchange for today? In this world, I am afraid that there are not many people who can do it."

Zhu Di listened, and kept nodding: "Yes, it's easy to speak up, but it's hard to get things done. Of course, it doesn't mean that the person who makes the plan is unimportant. At the beginning, Jing Nan, Yao Guangxiao and Jin Gong also did it for them. I plan, but even so, how many people know the hardships in this Jingnan?"

"What Zhang Qing said really wins my heart. Deng Qing's family, you don't have to be humble anymore. My will has been decided, and you still want to resist it?"

After a pause, Zhu Di said again: "However, Zhang Qing... really deserves a lot of credit. Come here, and reward him with [-]..."

Zhang Anshi grinned and said: "Your Majesty, forget it, I should serve Your Majesty, and this is nothing. Back then, Your Majesty made a bet with me, but I didn't take it to heart..."

"Have I ever made a bet?" Zhu Di glared at him.

Zhang Anshi shook his head quickly: "Maybe my memory is wrong, I am too dull, I always forget things recently, I will die, I will die."

Zhu Di smiled and said: "Of course I remember, I just tried you just now. You have made a lot of contributions, so I am willing to bet and admit defeat. This matter will also be added to the court discussion."

Hu Guang and Yang Rong looked at each other, but they both said, "Observe the order."

Today's matter is too big. To be honest, conferring a little title is really nothing.

At this time, Zhu Di's eyes fell on Deng Jian's body again, and said: "Come on, Deng Qing's family, come and tell me how these potatoes are grown?"

Deng Jian calmed down slowly. After all, he was a eunuch in the palace, so he naturally knew how to serve the emperor, so he led Zhu Di to inspect all the experimental fields outside the Zhuangzi.

"An Nanhou said, we are doing this by trial and error, so... what I do is to separate the seeds on different lands, and then cultivate them according to different soil properties and irrigation levels. Finally, through the When the autumn harvest comes, we will decide which method is correct."

"Now, I have harvested the autumn grain, and I plan to take out a batch of these potatoes, and strive to grow seedlings as soon as possible. They will be planted these days. It is only early autumn, and maybe we can see if we can plant them again before winter comes. Last cooked..."

"Two acquaintances a year?" Zhu Di's eyes widened again in surprise.

Deng Jian said with a bit of conservativeness: "I'm not sure yet, the main reason is that the spring plowing is a bit late, but I feel that these potatoes are not as delicate as rice, and they don't pay so much attention to irrigation and weather. It should be easier than rice."

Zhu Di was overjoyed again, and said with a cheerful smile, "If I can grow two crops a year, I can really rest easy. Your farm... is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Household Affairs, but it is too important. In the future, if you have any You can play the report at any time.”

As he said that, he suddenly looked at Yi Shiha and said cautiously: "Yi Shiha... You should note that Deng Qing's family has a memorial, and it must be delivered to my desk in time."

Yi Shiha couldn't help but glanced at Deng Jian enviously, and said, "Your maid obeys the order."

Zhu Di said again: "This Zhuangzi wants to expand. Deng Qing's family, how much land do you want, but let's talk about it."

Deng Jiandao: "I have various kinds of seeds brought back from overseas. There are several kinds. I tried to plant some, but failed, but... finally there are some remaining seeds, so I plan to continue to rotate them except potatoes. Planting, in addition to continuous breeding, other seeds will also be planted in the spring of the coming year, this land...it is better to add a few hundred acres to prepare for future contingencies."

Zhang Anshi said from the side: "Your Majesty... I'm sorry for Marquis Deng, what he means is that...there will be a lot of land in the future, and I'm afraid that in the future... many crops will not be able to be used because there is no land."

Zhu Di smiled: "Then acquire another [-] mu of land and give it to this farm under Qixia's name. If you need money, ask for it from me. Don't be afraid that I won't be willing to spend money. I have money in my pocket."

Deng Jian said: "Yes."

Zhu Di was in a very good mood, thinking about the good days when Daming's grain production will increase steadily after the bumper harvest in the future.

After returning to the hall of the farm, take a seat.

Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty, I still have something to play."

Zhu Di glanced at Zhang Anshi: "Say it."

"Your Majesty...these grains are all obtained from overseas. It can be seen that the overseas is rich and there are countless treasures. Lord Deng only took some, and he solved a big problem for the world. Therefore, people outside always say that this trip to the West , is a great feat, but in my view, it is your majesty's far-sighted move. In this case, then I suggest that this voyage to the West should naturally continue as usual, but the development of the world, just like Lord Deng Hou, is also very important. The most important thing, I think, is that the trading company can help develop the fleet, help them go to sea, and let them go to various oceans in the world..."

Before Zhang Anshi finished speaking, Zhu Di already understood what Zhang Anshi meant. His face was full of red, after all... This proved that Zhu Di was definitely not a great success. .”

After Zhu Di finished speaking, he looked at Hu Guang, Yang Rong and Xia Yuanji: "I don't think you have any objections."

Xia Yuanji took the lead and said, "Your Majesty, I have no objection."

Zhang Anshidao: "Also, it is on the Annan side... Jiangsu and Zhejiang have suffered a catastrophe, and the minister has ordered people to buy grain in Annan... Now the commercial firms are in Annan and Luzon... trying to find a way to collect grain, over there The food production is very abundant. Although it cannot completely fill the vacancy in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it can at least... relieve some of the disaster. However, although there is a lot of food, it needs to be transported by ship. Now Zheng Gonggong has led the fleet to the west. The imperial court should requisition all available sea-going ships to Annan and Luzon to continuously transport food in, so... the urgent need can be alleviated."

(End of this chapter)