Zhu Di: My fourth son is a great emperor of all time?

Chapter 121 The People File a Complaint

Zhu Gaoshuo knew that forcibly promoting it would only backfire. He walked to the freight wagon that had already been fitted with Eucommia ulmoides rubber tires. Although the proportions were off, it was at least something everyone was familiar with. Pointing to the highly elastic rubber wheels, he said loudly.

"Fellow villagers! This thing is called 'rubber wheel,' which was painstakingly developed by the Princess and her team! As you have all seen, it makes the vehicle run more smoothly, with less bumps, and it is also more durable!"

He pushed the carriage hard, and the carriage with rubber wheels was indeed easier to move than the carriage with old wooden wheels next to it, and it was much quieter.

"This is something that benefits the people and is definitely not evil!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the metal box that had caused the panic, and his tone softened.

"As for this 'iron chariot,' it is a new type of vehicle that I am trying to create. Its principle is complex, and it is definitely not a living thing! It cannot move now, and even if it can move in the future, it will need to be operated by a person, just like driving an ox or a horse! Everyone, there is no need to panic!"

He looked at Wang Ao and Zhang Xiuping.

"We should first promote and test the advantages of rubber wheels on existing carriages! Select caravans and post stations for trials, so that everyone can experience their benefits firsthand! At the same time, Wang Ao, you should organize a team to design several new carriage chassis specifically adapted to rubber wheels. They should be more robust, have a more stable center of gravity, and have an optimized wheel and axle structure! We must ensure that the advantages of rubber wheels are truly brought into play!"

"As for this iron cart," Zhu Gaoshuo said, a determined look flashing in his eyes as he gazed at the iron box that everyone regarded as a monster.

"Temporarily seal it up and move it to the secret workshop. We will test it again once we have a clear idea of ​​how to make a steam engine. There is no need to mention it to the outside world."

He knew that things had to be done step by step. The value of a tire had to be proven first on a familiar and acceptable medium.

When the advantages of shock absorption, wear resistance, and labor saving are widely recognized, and when the new horse-drawn carriages travel all over Xunzhou and even further, people's understanding of "wheels" is refreshed, then perhaps the "iron box" that carries greater dreams will be accepted one day.

The "tin box horror" caused by cognitive differences has temporarily subsided.

Eucommia rubber tires gradually showed their advantages on the improved carriages, and the hammering sounds in the musket workshop continued day and night. Xunzhou seemed to be steadily moving forward along the industrial path planned by Zhu Gaoshuo.

There are also issues concerning people's livelihoods that Zhu Gaoshuo needs to address as soon as possible, such as the saline-alkali coastal areas of Xunzhou, the mountainous inland areas, and the dreaded "miasma".

On the one hand, Zhu Gaoshuo vigorously promoted the planting of Eucommia ulmoides rubber forests, which served as industrial raw materials and could also stabilize the soil and improve the environment. On the other hand, he ordered the planting of camphor trees, pines, and cypresses on suitable hillsides and wastelands, as these trees could repel insects, ward off miasma, and purify the air. He knew that a healthy environment was a prerequisite for attracting people and developing all industries.

The afforestation was in full swing, and Zhu Gaoshuo was also busy discussing new applications of Eucommia ulmoides gum with Zhang Xiuping at the Prince's Mansion. The commander of the Prince's Mansion guards rushed over to report that a large number of ragged, emaciated people were kneeling and crying outside the mansion gate.

The leader, an old farmer, broke through the guards' obstruction and rushed to the second gate. He was held down by the guards, but he still cried out hoarsely, "Your Highness! Your Highness Prince Qi! Your Honor! Please give us commoners a way to live!"

Zhu Gaoshuo frowned. As a modern man, he couldn't stand hearing such things: "Bring him in!"

Soon, an old farmer with white hair and beard, as withered as a rake, was brought in. He knelt down with a thud, banged his head on the ground, and wept uncontrollably.

"Your Highness! Please save the people of Qingpan Township! Last year, we suffered from a pest infestation, and our harvest was already meager, losing six or seven tenths of our yield. But the county officials are pressing for our land tax more harshly than killing us. They say 'imperial grain and national taxes are a matter of course,' and not a single grain can be missing. If we can't pay, they rob our families of their food, conscript men to take our place, and even steal the hens that lay eggs. Your Highness, we've almost eaten all the bark off the trees in our village. We really can't survive! We heard that you've come to Xunzhou and are treating the people well, so we've risked our lives to come and plead our case! We beg Your Highness to have mercy and give us a way to live!"

The old farmer's lament was heart-wrenching, every word dripping with blood and every sentence piercing the soul.

Zhu Gaoshuo's face was so gloomy it could drip water. He immediately ordered Wang Ao to muster his personal guards, intending to go to Qingpan Township himself, and also ordered Zhang Fu to stay at the Prince's residence to prevent anyone from resorting to desperate measures.

Prince Qi arrived in person and acted swiftly. Zhu Gaoshuo, accompanied by Wang Ao and his personal guards, escorted the old farmer Li Shitou straight to Qingpan Village.

The scene before them was even more shocking than Li Shitou's lament: the village was desolate, nine out of ten houses were empty, and the few remaining households were dilapidated and their faces were pale and malnourished.

The fields were sparsely covered with withered, yellow crops, clearly neglected. The old elm tree at the village entrance had its bark stripped bare, revealing its pale trunk. Several emaciated children huddled in a corner, their eyes vacant.

"Go to the county government!" Zhu Gaoshuo's anger was like a volcano about to erupt.

The Qing Shi County government office appeared fairly tidy. Upon hearing that Prince Qi had arrived, County Magistrate Zhou Wuzui hurriedly came out to greet him, his face plastered with a fawning smile.

Zhu Gaoshuo didn't give him a chance to waste words and directly ordered, "Open the granaries! I want to inspect the grain!"

Zhou Wuzui's face turned deathly pale instantly, and he was covered in cold sweat.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, you mustn't! The granary is a crucial location; a document from the Ministry of Revenue is required..."

"I am the scribe! Open the granary!"

Zhu Gaoshuo shouted, and Wang Ao led his personal guards forward, pushed aside the obstructing yamen runners, and forcibly opened the tall granaries behind the county government office.

The granary door was wide open, and a musty smell wafted out. The inside was empty, with only some moldy chaff scattered in the corner and a few hungry rats squeaking. The so-called "ever-normal granary" and "charitable granary" were so clean that horses could run through them.

"Where's the food?!" Zhu Gaoshuo's gaze was like an ice pick, piercing Zhou Wuzui, who was slumped on the ground.

"Your Highness...Your Highness, spare my life!" Zhou Wuzui kowtowed repeatedly.

"Last year's harvest was poor, and the imperial court's tax quotas were too heavy, so we really couldn't collect them."

"Can't collect the grain? What about the grain stolen from the people's homes? What about the salaries of you county officials? Did they all go to feed the rats?"

Zhu Gaoshuo sneered; he knew all too well what these people were up to.

"Wang Ao! Investigate! Investigate the accounts! Investigate the treasury! Investigate the homes of Zhou Wuzui and his bunch of parasites!"

Over the next few days, the guards of Prince Qi's mansion ransacked the Qingpan County government and the homes of Zhou Wuzui and his officials, leaving them thoroughly searched and exposing the truth. The results were both infuriating and chilling:

The granaries were empty; the county's official granaries held less than 10% of the allotted grain, and much of it was old and moldy.

The taxes were heavy. Although the land tax stipulated by the imperial court was heavy, local officials added to it at each level. There were many ways to exploit people, such as "excessive tax" and "excessive silver," and the actual amount collected was several times higher than the fixed amount, which made the people unable to bear the burden.

Corruption was rampant among court officials. Gold, silver, valuables, fine silks, and grain piled up like mountains were confiscated from Zhou Wuzui's home, far exceeding his salary by a hundred times. His subordinates, including county magistrates, registrars, clerks, and even the heads of yamen runners, were all quite wealthy. The people's hard-earned money all went into their private pockets.

(End of this chapter)