Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 205 Hai Rui, shall we go ask that kid Zhang Shiyuan?
In the main hall of the government office, Yang Yingxun, the prefect of Yangzhou, lay prostrate on the ground, trembling, and wept bitterly as he spoke.

"I'm innocent! Your Excellency, please investigate thoroughly. It's not that I'm shirking my responsibility to provide disaster relief; it's just that I had no choice but to accept the situation."

He was in tears, looking very aggrieved, wiping his tears with his sleeve.

"How could I not wish to resettle the people? The Censor said that the temples, academies and government offices in the city should be vacated, but the disaster victims are people, and the people in the city are also people. The people of Yangzhou City have also suffered a severe disaster."

The temples have monks and worshippers, the academies have students, and the government offices have three shifts of runners—they are all common people.
The city was already tense, with everyone in a state of panic. If more refugees from outside were brought into the city now, it could cause trouble.

"You still dare to argue!" Hai Rui was furious. "Do you think I don't know that the temples have surplus grain, that dozens of academies in the city are vacant, and that even the empty rooms in the yamen could be turned into soup kitchens! You are clearly guarding this gold mine for the gentry and wealthy families!"

If Yin Zhengmao hadn't stopped him, Hai Rui might have actually rushed up and started punching and kicking this man.

Hai Rui had already experienced the cunning and shrewdness of the officials in Southern Zhili in his early years, but what he saw today in Yangzhou was even more extreme than in previous years.

Since the disaster struck the prefectures and counties of Jiangnan, the farmland and mulberry fields outside the city were the first to be affected.

In the Jiangnan region, silk is produced, and there are more silkworm farmers in the mulberry fields. The flood irrigation soaked and ruined the mulberry fields, and the silkworm cocoons also rotted from the rain.

The successive disasters have already placed an unbearable burden on many ordinary people.

Yin Zhengmao and Hai Rui wanted to get things done, but the officials below them were like a lump of mud. They didn't dare to disobey the orders, but they would just delay. Only when the two of them were watching over them could the disaster relief grain be distributed and the relevant orders be implemented.

As a result, the two were constantly running around, neglecting one thing for another.

Yin Zhengmao knew very well that this was the "revenge" of the Jiangnan gentry against them.

The imperial court can appoint high-ranking local officials, but it cannot replace all the local clerks. Relying on powerful clans and aristocratic families, it is not difficult for these clerks and minor officials to engage in petty tricks.
He sighed and looked at the prefect of Yangzhou with a stern face.

"Yang Yingxun, your crime of dereliction of duty has not yet been determined. For the sake of the overall situation in Yangzhou, the court has temporarily allowed you to make amends. This matter must be done even if it cannot be accomplished. If anything goes wrong in Yangzhou, we two officials will naturally be held responsible. But do you think you won't be punished even more severely?"

Yin Zhengmao's meaning was very clear: if you don't let me have a good time, then none of you will have a good time either.

That would be too much, causing chaos in Jiangnan and punishing officials at all levels.

"This humble official is truly at a loss," Yang Yingxun said, bowing his head while his eyes darted around.

"Hmm?" Yin Zhengmao glared, his murderous aura from leading troops in battle instantly transforming him into a figure of great authority.

Yang Yingxun trembled slightly. He knew he couldn't go too far, so he could only relent and say something.

"Shall I give it another try?"

"Go down. If you still can't handle this well, don't blame me for being impolite." Yin Zhengmao waved his hand wearily.

After Yang Yingxun left, Hai Rui paced back and forth in the hall, his words filled with dissatisfaction with Yin Zhengmao.

"Yin Yangshi! How can you accomplish anything like this? Refugees lie piled up, children cry from hunger and cold, and yet you stand here defending such corrupt officials?"

His eyes were practically spitting fire.

"Yang Yingxun is clearly colluding with the local tyrants. Your leniency is tantamount to pushing millions of ordinary people into a fire pit!"

"Ruxian was too impulsive," Yin Zhengmao said with some helplessness. "If we capture Yang Yingxun, who else will be able to work for us?"
"As long as there are still people he can command, even if he delays, he can still manage to deal with some things. After all, if Yangzhou is in chaos, it won't benefit them either."

Hai Rui's face was as hard as iron: "If the prefect is gone, there is still the assistant prefect, and if the assistant prefect is gone, there is still the sub-prefect. I refuse to believe that there is not a single capable official in Yangzhou!"

Yin Zhengmao sighed repeatedly. He finally understood why Hai Rui had been impeached repeatedly when he served as the governor of Yingtian many years ago, and why the court eventually resigned due to the pressure.

He said meaningfully, "Does Ruxian not know about the powerful families of Jiangnan?"

"How could I not know?" Hai Rui gritted his teeth. "If these people hadn't seized land, deceived their superiors, and oppressed the common people, how could Jiangnan have fallen into such a state of decay?"

"Ruxian only knows one side of the story and not the other."

Yin Zhengmao shook his head and said.

"You only know that the powerful families of Jiangnan have committed heinous crimes, but you don't know that they are deeply rooted. Not to mention this dynasty, even in the previous dynasty, they already had their roots in this family."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Even Emperor Taizong Gao, who used severe punishments to relocate wealthy households and deter others with strict laws, still needed to win over a group of people."

What do we have to rely on to wipe them out in one fell swoop?

Hai Rui clearly disagreed, and frowned as he spoke.

"The imperial court has entrusted us two with important responsibilities to help the people and restore order, not to aid and abet evil!"

His white beard trembled as he pulled out some documents from his desk.

"Do you know how much prices have risen in the city recently? Silk, cloth, grain, and farm tools—which one hasn't skyrocketed in price?"
Since ancient times, Jiangnan has been a land of silkworms and mulberry trees, and farmers make a living by raising silkworms. However, when disaster strikes, silkworm farmers can only wear tattered clothes and are barely clothed. If it weren't for the fact that it is July or August in Jiangnan, they would surely freeze to death.

"And then there's the relief grain. The grain trucks have repeatedly fallen into the water; isn't the shady dealings obvious?"

"Do you think shouting for violence and bloodshed will save the disaster victims from their suffering?"

Yin Zhengmao, unable to contain himself any longer, questioned him sharply.

"Hai Gangfeng! Do you know that governing the gentry in Jiangnan is not something that can be done overnight! The gentry control the canal transport in Jiangnan, and reports from the garrisons of Huai'an and other places indicate that Japanese pirates are also stirring up trouble along the coast. At this moment, you are able to ignore everything, remain upright and incorruptible, and demonstrate your integrity."

Have you considered whether this trip will truly benefit the people? In these extraordinary times, the greater good must be prioritized!

"Prioritize the overall situation?" Hai Rui shook his head, but his perspective was completely different.

"Jiangnan is not like Beizhili. The people here rely on mulberry fields and silk spinning workshops for their livelihood."

Since the floods, silk merchants in Yangzhou have not only failed to offer disaster relief, but have instead driven down wages and raised silk prices. Silkworm farmers outside the city have lost their livelihoods, and residents within the city have also lost theirs.

If we don't act swiftly and decisively, how can Yangzhou possibly alleviate the flood crisis by relying solely on disaster relief grain? Countless people will starve to death in the streets. Let's see what brilliant ideas Your Excellency has!

In Hai Rui's view, the primary problem in Yangzhou was not the floods, but man-made disasters.

One problem is that officials are unwilling to obey orders and their disaster relief efforts are perfunctory.

Another factor is the large number of merchants in Jiangnan who not only wreak havoc in the region but also hoard goods and speculate on prices in order to make huge profits.

In the Jiangnan region, the most noticeable change was in the price of silk fabrics. As the price of silk fabrics rose, the prices of other fabrics followed suit.

Even the most prosperous places cannot withstand such turmoil.

Yin Zhengmao then said, "It's normal for the price of silk to rise after the mulberry fields outside the city were flooded. We have relief grain from the imperial court, and with coordination between the higher and lower levels, no one should starve to death."

Hai Rui shook his head: "The clerks in Jiangnan are cunning. Even if there is enough relief grain, they will embezzle it when it is distributed to the lower levels, and in the end, they will only prevent people from starving to death."

By hoarding and speculating, this group will wipe out the savings of ordinary people!

The two were locked in a fierce debate, neither able to convince the other. However, Yin Zhengmao had other ideas and said thoughtfully.

"Since ancient times, the Jiangnan region has been a hub of commerce, with not only merchants but also gentry and aristocratic families engaging in business."

"Perhaps, if we were to resolve the predicament of Jiangnan, we could rely on economic principles?"

Even though he was far away in Southern Zhili, Yin Zhengmao had heard about the various upheavals in the capital during this time.

In particular, he also read through "The Wealth of Nations" in discussions on economics.

Many Confucian scholars outside criticized Zhang Yunxiu, but Yin Zhengmao felt that the principles of economics had been proven time and again and might actually have a miraculous effect.

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and he slammed his hand on the desk and said.

"Perhaps we could write a letter to the capital and see what Zhang Shiyuan has to say. Maybe he has a solution regarding economic matters?"

Hai Rui frowned whenever Zhang Yunxiu was mentioned.

"This man's auction has set off a trend of extravagance in the capital. If I weren't tied up with other matters, I would definitely have written a report against him!"

Since the advent of newspapers, through publications such as the Wanli Xinbao and the Jingji Daily, as well as a number of tabloids, even the slightest movement in the capital could be known to other regions.

Clearly, Hai Rui was naturally very averse to economics, a way of making money.

Yin Zhengmao smiled and shook his head.

"Ruxian is too harsh. Shiyuan is just a young man, and he will always be a bit foolish."

Judging from his past actions, there was always some method to it. Just look at the Wanli New Daily, which published the disaster prevention policies and detailed rules for dealing with floods in the previous issues.

We have benefited greatly from the disaster relief efforts we have recently undertaken.

He looked very pleased.

"Renmin Medical Center also provided assistance, sending allicin and other medicines, and dispatching medical officers to help, saving the lives of many disaster victims."

"It is indeed beneficial; this young man has made considerable achievements in this matter."

Hai Rui nodded, and the prefectures of Southern Zhili followed his advice in disaster relief, which indeed proved effective.

He will naturally acknowledge the good aspects.

For example, newspapers once suggested building temporary gathering points on higher ground outside the city and provided detailed resettlement rules.

Examples of measures included resettling disaster victims using household registration, spreading lime to prevent major epidemics, building simple life-saving bamboo rafts, monitoring hydrological changes, and establishing flood diversion areas.

These are all effective remedies.

Of course, this was also what angered Hai Rui the most, and he said angrily.

"Zhang Shiyuan is a man with great talent for governing the world. If he could consider the well-being of the people, countless people would benefit. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will personally explain the difference between righteousness and profit to him and set things right!"

Yin Zhengmao glanced at Hai Rui and couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

It seems that Hai Bijia still doesn't know how formidable Zhang Yunxiu is. If the two of them were to actually meet in the future, it's hard to imagine how exciting their "confrontation" would be.

He turned his head and his face lit up.

"Without further ado, I will immediately write two letters, one to Wenyuan Pavilion and the other to Xishan. I think that will bring some results."

Hai Rui stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and turned to walk outside.

"There are still some oversights in the resettlement of disaster victims outside the city. I will go outside the city again to take a look."

Watching Hai Rui's hurried departure, Yin Zhengmao shook his head helplessly.

(End of this chapter)