noveltune Chapter 007 Using someone else's name to make a big deal out of nothing
Chapter 007 Using someone else's name to make a big deal out of nothing
Chapter 007
"Lord County Lord!"
Chen Ying explained, "The smelting technology should be improved based on the Suzhou steel method, and a remelting method should be adopted, which only requires melting pig iron into molten steel..."
He explained the basic principle and revealed the truth: under such circumstances, iron materials can be saved. Only 50% of the iron materials are needed, actually about 5%, to cast a steel plowshare.
"How many of these plows can be made in a day? Yongcheng has over a million mu of farmland and more than 400,000 people. Even if this plow can save 40% of the labor, we still need thousands!"
Chen Ying said calmly, "If we want to promote this plow, all we need is enough iron and manpower. A thousand new plows can be made in ten days!"
Chen Ying's refining furnace can refine up to 1,200 catties of molten steel in one batch. In fact, this smelting furnace is not large, about 180 liters, and its shape is like a double-door refrigerator.
With 1,200 catties of molten steel, at least 24 sets can be cast at once. As long as the furnace fire keeps burning day and night, one smelting furnace can cast 72 sets in a single day.
He now has four furnaces in reserve. The technical difficulties have been overcome. All he needs to do is recruit craftsmen. With five furnaces, he can cast 360 pieces in a day and night.
If production capacity needs to be expanded further, Wang Baishun and Shen Keqin can only cast a few more furnaces or dozens more. As long as there are enough people and enough iron, ten thousand iron plowshares can be cast within ten days.
Sun Chuanting sat in the armchair, listening intently.
Besides the two of them, only the clerk was taking notes in a corner of the hall. The candlelight occasionally crackled, casting flickering shadows on the wall.
"What do you want? A reward? An official position? Or...?"
Sun Chuanting saw that Chen Boying was a military household member, and they were naturally closer. Only military households could understand the helplessness of military households. Chen Boying was a capable man, and he didn't mind giving Chen Boying a chance.
"Let fewer people die in Yongcheng and at the Ma Mu Baihu Garrison!"
If Sun Chuanting hadn't seen Chen Boying building new houses on a grand scale in Ma Mu, exchanging precious grain for bricks from the refugees, Sun Chuanting would have thought Chen Boying was being hypocritical.
When Sun Chuanting saw the experimental records that Chen Ying handed over, he noticed that there were many typos on them. Considering that the medical education in Guidewei had been neglected for many years, he figured that Chen Boying probably hadn't studied for many years either.
Sun Chuanting's family was poor when he was young, and he knew very well how difficult it was for ordinary people to change their fate through education.
Chen Boying was an ordinary military household member, but his situation was actually worse than that of ordinary people. Although there were many errors in the characters Chen Boying wrote in his records, they were actually just simplified Chinese characters.
Chen Ying could recognize traditional Chinese characters, but there were many characters he couldn't write. Although his writing was full of mistakes, it was very logical. If he had the opportunity to go to school, he might have been able to pass the imperial examinations and obtain a degree.
"Boying, you should go back first. This county magistrate will consider this matter!"
"Yes, sir!"
Chen Ying turned and left without saying another word.
Sun Chuanting watched Chen Ying's retreating figure, then looked at the clerk beside him and asked, "Zilan, what do you think?"
Sun Chuanting's advisor, Li Yuanzhen, courtesy name Zilan, bowed and said, "Sir, this matter is extremely risky!"
"Um!"
Sun Chuanting pondered for a moment and then asked, "And then?"
"The rewards will surely be substantial!"
"Ha ha……"
Li Yuanzhen laughed and said, "If it doesn't work out, we'll only lose some money and grain. If it does succeed, the people of Yongcheng, and even the people of Guide, will surely be grateful to you, Master. But..."
"Just what?"
"Chen Boying is just a military household member; I'm afraid he won't do a good job!"
Sun Chuanting nodded, agreeing with Li Yuanzhen's statement. In the Ming Dynasty, neither official nor private schools simply taught students the eight-legged essay.
Although Confucian ethics are emphasized in daily teaching to cultivate students' moral character of being honest, prudent, and diligent, thus laying the foundation for the moral foundation of the bureaucratic group.
At the same time, the academy emphasizes practical principles, offering courses such as agriculture, water conservancy, and military strategy, and organizing students to participate in local relief efforts and local history compilation to cultivate their ability to solve practical problems.
The academy focuses on lectures, encouraging debates and free discussions among different schools of thought to enhance students' critical thinking skills and academic inclusiveness; individual guidance deepens understanding through teacher-student question-and-answer sessions.
Whether it was an academy or an official school, they were all cultivating students' comprehensive management abilities. Historical and political education was an important way for the Ming Dynasty to cultivate students' political management abilities. The courses often covered the systems and institutions of past dynasties, the national history of the current dynasty, and other content.
For example, Taiqiu Academy often holds discussions on the "Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty" to analyze policy evolution and enhance students' insight into contemporary politics.
This educational background enabled officials trained in academies to focus more on practical issues in their governance, such as implementing tax and labor reforms or rectifying official corruption.
People like Ma Wensheng, Liu Tianhe, Lu Xiangshan, Yuan Keli, Mei Zhihuan, Wang Shouren, and of course Sun Chuanting, who were all graduates of the imperial examinations, were skilled in both literature and military arts.
Although countless people on the internet often criticize the Ming Dynasty's rigid essay system and Confucianism, in fact, these people do not understand history or the Ming Dynasty's education system.
Sun Chuanting had no doubt about Chen Boying's skills or his character. In fact, he had inquired about Chen Boying's character a few days earlier. Although he had stolen chickens many times, it was not to satisfy his own appetite.
Rather, it was to supplement the nutrition of his mother, An. In Sun Chuanting's view, Chen Boying was extremely filial, and a filial person would not be a bad person.
Li Yuanzhen thought to himself, "Master, if Chen Boying lacks management skills, why not let Sun Jian take charge of management? He only needs to be responsible for the technical aspects!"
Sun Jian is Sun Chuanting's personal attendant and the future steward that the Sun family is grooming for Sun Chuanting. He possesses extremely strong management skills.
"good!"
Sun Chuanting got up and went to the desk, and the clerk hurriedly stepped forward to grind the ink.
He picked up his pen and wrote: "To Sun, the magistrate of Yongcheng County, Chen Boying, the military household commander of Piaoyang, Ma Mu, and the Right Commander of Guide Guard, please take note..."
"This summer, the Yellow River overflowed its banks, breaching the dike in Suizhou. The entire county was flooded, fields and houses were submerged, and people were left destitute. At this critical moment when the lives of the people are hanging by a thread, the magistrate is deeply concerned and the county is in dire need of solutions to save those drowning and those burned. Although the floodwaters have receded, the autumn planting season is fast approaching. If we delay the planting season again, famine will soon arrive this winter, and there is a risk of displacement."
We visited Chen Boying, a military household member of the Mamu Hundred-Household Office of Guide Guard, who possessed ingenuity and presented an iron-shafted plow to our county. Verification confirmed its effectiveness in saving labor and increasing efficiency, perfectly suited to the needs of disaster relief and emergency planting. Therefore, our county has decided to establish the Yongcheng Agricultural Implements Manufacturing Bureau, specifically responsible for manufacturing this new type of iron-shafted plow for use in land reclamation in various villages.
Upon investigation, the military household member Chen Boying is found to be diligent and capable, possessing considerable skills, and thus qualified for trust. Therefore, this warrant is issued to appoint him as the head of the bureau, authorizing him to handle all matters at his discretion…
You are permitted to select skilled iron and wood craftsmen from among the disaster victims, soldiers, and civilians in this county to serve as laborers. They shall be provided with daily wages and food, and their expenses shall be reimbursed from the relief funds. The quantities of iron, charcoal, and timber required for the construction shall be listed and reported to the county government. The government shall provide the materials at a fair price, or the county government shall issue silver for procurement. You must report the actual expenses and not make any false claims.
The plows made must be sturdy and of good quality. They shall be made under the supervision of Yongcheng and distributed in stages according to the severity of the disaster and the amount of land in each township. A register shall be made and submitted to the county for record.
This bureau was originally established as a work-for-relief program. You must be considerate of the workers and ensure that they are well-fed every day so that those who have contributed their labor are eaten and the young and weak are cared for. Once the autumn planting season is over, the bureau's achievements will be discussed and rewarded separately.
This is a crucial matter concerning famine relief that the Governor and Prefect are constantly concerned about. The responsible household must exert all its efforts to handle it swiftly and effectively. A clerk from this county will be assigned to oversee the matter regularly. Any negligence, embezzlement, or abuse will be severely punished. If the work is successful and saves many lives, the responsible household will be highly rewarded and their efforts will not be overlooked.
This matter concerns the people's suffering and benefits their hometown; therefore, you must strive diligently and be cautious! Those who need tickets must be present.
Seal of Yongcheng County, dated May 22nd, the third year of the Tianqi reign.
……
After leaving the county government office, although Sun Chuanting did not immediately agree, Chen Ying was not worried at all that Sun Chuanting would refuse. Knowing the answer was like having an open-book exam.
"Boying, how is it?"
Chen Daniu and Wang Tiezhu were too cowardly; they didn't even dare to enter the yamen (government office). Now, seeing Chen Ying come out, the two of them quickly went to greet him.
"It's safe!"
Chen Ying waved his hand dismissively: "Let's find a place to stay and wait for the results!"
"etc!"
Just as the three were walking away, a middle-aged man in a blue robe came out of the yamen.
"You called me?"
"Director Chen's office!"
Sun Jian smiled and said, "Congratulations, Director Chen. The county magistrate has decided to establish the Yongcheng Agricultural Implements Manufacturing Bureau. Please come to the county government office tomorrow, Director Chen."
Chen Ying was overjoyed; it had finally succeeded.
He made the right move.
With this official label, he can start to exaggerate and make a big show of things.