Fangzhou Xier, starting with failing the art exam

That was a perfect occasion.

“Yang Wei.” Lacey stood up.

"My subordinate is here!"

“Starting today, send people to all the wards and markets in the city to secretly register the names of those unemployed but healthy people.”

"promise!"

……

Wherever the sun and moon reach, it is scorching earth: Chapter 240: "Unintentional Words"

A few days later, a family banquet hosted by the Empress was held in a side hall of Kunning Palace.

Although it was called a family banquet, it was also an important occasion for members of the royal family to connect and exchange information.

Princes, princes of the first rank, and princes of the second rank in the capital will attend unless there are special circumstances.

When Lacey arrived, the hall was already quite lively.

The Great Emperor Erling Eryi Long 8 Wozi Yanwu was surrounded by a group of scions of martial arts families, discussing the war in the northern frontier with great enthusiasm and high spirits.

The Third Prince, Yan Wen, appeared much more low-key.

Although the Qinghe County case did not directly affect him, it still severely damaged his health, causing him to lose a trusted lieutenant and an important source of revenue.

At this moment, he was sitting with several members of the imperial family who were civil officials, with a gentle smile on his face, but the smile looked somewhat forced.

The two brothers reacted differently when they saw Lacey come in.

Yanwu merely glanced at him before turning away to continue his eloquent discourse.

In his view, although his second brother had made a name for himself in the Great Wilderness City, he was ultimately an insignificant figure in the capital, the center of power.

Do you even know what the power of maternal relatives is?

The incident in Qinghe County was simply due to the third brother's own carelessness.

Yan Wen's expression was much more complex.

When he saw Lacey, a flash of undisguised resentment crossed his eyes, but he quickly concealed it. He even raised his glass to Lacey as a greeting.

Lacey returned the greeting calmly, then walked straight to a corner.

His target today is not these two brothers who fight like cocks.

In the corner sat several elderly princes, all of whom were Zhenlong's uncles and elders. They had long since distanced themselves from the center of power, spending their days tending to flowers and birds, and detached themselves from politics.

But precisely because of their high seniority and close relationship with the true dragon, their words sometimes reach the true dragon's ears more effectively than the memorials submitted by ministers in the court.

"Oh, it's Xi'er." A white-haired Prince Kang saw Laixi and waved with a smile.

"Come and sit down, it's been a long time. I heard you're doing well in Great Wilderness City."

"Uncle Kang, you flatter me. I was merely fulfilling my duty." Lacey bowed respectfully and sat down beside them.

The old princes chatted with Laixi about everyday things, asking about the local customs and culture of the Great Wilderness City, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

As they chatted, Prince Rui suddenly sighed, "Speaking of which, your Great Wilderness City is still the best. I'm finding it harder and harder to get used to living in this Hundred Stove City."

"Oh? What makes you say that, Uncle Rui?" Lacey asked, feigning ignorance.

"You don't know yet, do you?" Prince Rui lowered his voice and complained.

"Prices are changing every single day these days!"

"My steward said that the price of old rice in the market is almost the same as that of good new rice in previous years."

"And those green vegetables, they're as precious as anything else."

“If this continues, even we princes will be starving, let alone ordinary people.”

“Who says otherwise!” Another prince chimed in.

"Not only are prices high, but the city is also chaotic. There are idle people everywhere who have lost their jobs, and there are many more petty thefts."

“A few days ago when I went out, I saw a beggar starving to death on the street. It was a truly heartbreaking sight.”

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy.

Looking at the several sighing old princes, Lacey knew the time had come.

He also sighed and slowly said, "I saw what my uncles said."

“A few days ago, when I went out of the city, I saw that the vegetables in many good fields on the outskirts of the city were rotting in the ground, and the farmers looked worried.”

"The vegetables outside the city are rotten, while the vegetables inside the city are expensive. It's really strange."

He paused, then said in a very regretful tone, "I suppose Grand Tutor Xun's initial intention in promoting the reforms was for the benefit of the country and its people."

"It's just that this new law... perhaps the people below implemented it too hastily, which caused these deviations."

"I heard that many long-established shops in the city have closed down, and skilled craftsmen have no work and can only wander the streets. It's such a pity to waste these talents."

His words were extremely clever.

He did not attack the reform itself, thus resonating with the public without directly offending Xun Huiming.

Sure enough, the old princes nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

"That's right! The scriptures above are good, but these crooked-mouthed monks below have misread them!"

"What a pity for those skilled craftsmen!"

Seeing that the time was right, Lacey casually shared her idea.

“Uncles, I have a preliminary idea. I’d like to share it with you all and see if it makes sense.” He pretended to be thinking seriously.

“I see that the city’s waterways are blocked and the roads are full of potholes. Why not organize those idle laborers and have the government pay them to dredge the waterways and repair the roads?”

“In this way, they have wages and can support their families, and the environment in the city has also improved. Isn’t that killing two birds with one stone? This method could be called work relief.”

"Work relief instead of work relief?" Uncle Kang's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh.

"Oh! This is a great idea! This is an excellent idea!"

"Instead of letting the government open granaries and distribute grain to feed lazy people, it's better to let them earn their living through their own labor!"

"Xi'er, what's wrong with your brain? That's a really good idea!"

"Yes, it solved the immediate problem and got things done. Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Prince Rui clapped his hands in praise.

Although their voices were not loud, who were the people present?

Their ears were as pointed as a rabbit's.

Not far away, an old eunuch standing behind the empress, seemingly with his eyes lowered, actually listened to every word of the conversation.

This old eunuch was none other than Qi Eryi, the most trusted eunuch by the Emperor's side.

After the banquet, the old eunuch returned to the Qianqing Palace and reported to the Emperor everything he had seen and heard at the banquet that day.

He emphasized the word "work relief" when he mentioned Lacey's proposal.

The dragon, who was reviewing memorials, stopped writing.

"Work relief instead of work relief?" he repeated.

The old eunuch quickly repeated Lacey's original words.

After listening, Zhenlong pondered for a moment.

That's a really good idea.

The reforms have indeed caused a lot of turmoil in the capital, with an increase in unemployment and homelessness, which is a major headache for him.

Directly distributing money and grain would strain the national treasury and easily breed laziness.

The second son's method does not involve factional strife, does not touch the fundamentals of reform, and is purely a practical measure to solve people's livelihood problems. Moreover, it sounds feasible.

What pleased him most was his second son's attitude.

His son, after returning from the wilderness, did not become arrogant or rush to form cliques. Instead, he quietly observed and thought, and his suggestions were all based on reality, sharing the burden of the country.

Compared to the eldest and third sons, he is definitely a cut above.

"Hmm, that's an interesting idea." Zhenlong nodded.

"Then issue my decree to allow Prince Qin Yanxi to select a district in the east of the city for a pilot program."

"The necessary funds and provisions will come from my private treasury."

"I want to see how well he can implement this work-for-relief program."

……

The imperial decree was quickly delivered to the Prince of Qin's residence.

Yanwu and Yanwen also received the news quickly.

Upon hearing this, Yanwu merely chuckled and said, "The second son still can't shake his love for playing in the mud."

"Let him be. What's the big deal about building a few stinking ditches?"

Yan Wen was more thoughtful. He felt that things were not so simple, but he couldn't figure out what threat Lai Xi's actions posed to him.

Perhaps this is truly his tactic to win people's hearts?

But to think that one can establish oneself in Baizao with just these small favors is too naive.

Therefore, both princes chose to ignore it without prior agreement.

They all thought that Lacey was just doing some underhanded things far from the center of power.

Lacey received the imperial decree and a knowing smile spread across her face.

The first step is stable.

……

The news that the King of Qin was going to recruit people in the east of the city to repair the river and pay them wages spread overnight throughout the poorest neighborhoods of Baizao.

At first, of course, not many people believed it.

"The government is hiring people to do work? And they're even paying them? The sun must have risen in the west!"

"Are you sure you're not trying to trick us into doing unpaid work?"

"It's not like we haven't done it before. They make it sound nice, but once they've finished the work, they disappear without a trace."

"Exactly! Officials are all liars, I'm not going!"

The people, who had suffered too much at the hands of the government, reacted with suspicion and distrust.

But Lacey's style of doing things was unlike any of the officials they had ever met.

Early the next morning, Yang Wei led a group of Qin Prince's guards to set up several simple sheds in Anyefang, the most dilapidated area in the east of the city, as a recruitment point.

Next to the shed stood a huge wooden sign, on which the job requirements were written in the simplest language:

"The Prince of Qin's Palace is recruiting able-bodied men to repair the river! No background or household registration is required; as long as you have strength, you can sign up!"

"Wages will be settled daily! Thirty wen of silver coins per person per day, plus three catties of coarse rice! No delays whatsoever!"

"Two meals provided! White flour steamed buns, all you can eat!"

The conditions were clear and straightforward, especially the clauses of "daily settlement" and "all-you-can-eat white flour buns," which directly struck the most sensitive nerve of these hungry and cold people.

Even so, most people watched from a distance, not daring to go forward.

Just then, Yang Wei stepped forward personally, his voice booming: "By order of His Highness the King of Qin! We are recruiting workers today, and we mean what we say!"

"Anyone willing to trust His Highness the King of Qin just once can sign up now! Work today, and by evening you will receive your wages and provisions!"

A stir ran through the crowd, but still no one dared to be the first to try something new.

Yang Wei wasn't in a hurry. He had his men bring out several large baskets of steaming white steamed buns and several bags of genuine brown rice, which they piled up next to the recruitment point.

The enticing aroma and the substantial amount of food made many people's stomachs rumble uncontrollably.

Finally, a ragged, emaciated man gritted his teeth and stepped out from the crowd:

"I...I'll do it! As long as I get food and money, I'll do anything!"

"Good! You're a real man!" Yang Wei shouted, personally registered his name, and then handed him two large steamed buns.

"Let's eat something first! We need to be full to have the energy to work!"