The edict that 10 outstanding performers should be selected from among the prisoners who had been transferred to the disaster relief areas to supervise disaster relief matters and that they would be conferred the rank of Seven Grades of Official Posts aroused tremendous repercussions immediately after it was published in the Beijing Daily.

The prison students were naturally overjoyed, and Zhenwu's edict was enough to show that the disaster area they recorded every day could indeed reach the heavens, and it also attracted enough attention from the imperial court, and one by one they couldn't help but be more interested, and they were more attentive to the supervision of disaster relief matters in their localities, and they also paid great attention to other aspects, systematically observed and recorded, and all of them held back their strength to compete for the ten places that were actually awarded the seven official positions.

As a result, the local officials of the affected provinces, prefectures, prefectures, and counties could not help but complain about the bitterness, not only to personally grasp the various disaster relief matters, but also to find time to take care of other things, the official reputation is not good, there are unjust cases in hand, the fire consumption of silver is high, the post stations, roads and bridges, and school palaces are dilapidated, they have all rushed to think of the aftermath, and some even do not hesitate to pay money, black gauze hats and silver which is more important, they are naturally clear.

These projects, in turn, have greatly promoted the cash-for-work relief in various places, the disaster relief is already abundant in money and food, officials at all levels are forced by the situation not to dare to withhold at all levels, a group of slippery officials are also the people who see the wind and make the rudder, which will be stupid to the point of committing crimes against the wind, at most it is to use the power to play a little tricks, whether it is porridge, medicine, clothing, money are all in strict accordance with the standards, do not dare to be ambiguous, no one wants to lose the errand for this small profit.

As a result, more than eighty percent of the relief money and grain fell into the hands of the victims, more than twice as much as the previous disaster relief, and the happiest thing is the disaster victims, not only the relief is in place, the food is sufficient, and there are many opportunities to work, coupled with the propaganda of the 'Four Constants' to provide interest-free loans for famine relief, the people's hearts in all the disaster areas are quite stable, and the people who have not fled the famine in advance are basically gathered in the cities and towns within the territory.

The northern provinces were plagued by famines, and the imperial court provided relief a lot. However, it is the first time that the people have encountered such an affordable disaster relief, and they can make a living and have work to do during the disaster. After the disaster, there are interest-free loans, so thoughtful and considerate, the people are naturally grateful, and they are all praised by the new monarch and martial arts.

March 23, Tianjin, Sanchakou.

Sanchakou Wharf is the hub of water transportation and salt transportation, and it is also a place where businessmen gather and all directions are mixed. The common people and merchants all live along the river, forming a commercial port centered on the port wharf, after the port is thawed, the ships entering and leaving every day are up to hundreds, which can be called the most prosperous place in Tianjin.

This year, due to the spring drought in the northern provinces, all the ships going north were carrying rice and grain for disaster relief, but there were exceptions. This fleet was particularly eye-catching along the way, and everyone who begged for a living on the docks was slightly surprised, and this was the peak season for maritime trade. This kind of lucky ship suitable for long-sea navigation is the golden season to go to the South Seas, how did it come to Tianjin?

The golden dragon flag inserted on the ship, at sea, on the dock of the people who beg for a living are very familiar, that is the Qing Dynasty Royal Navy issued a flag to verify the identity, now in the Qing Dynasty if the ship sailing on the sea does not plant the golden dragon flag, going to sea will be sunk by the navy as a pirate ship.

When the eight ships approached the dock, and several sailors with different hairstyles and costumes from the Qing Dynasty and could not understand their speech, the people on the dock realized that these six ships were the envoy ships of the vassal states who had come to pay tribute. They didn't have a share of the work, and the crowd dispersed, and the docks were so busy that they didn't have the time or energy to watch the excitement, and those who knew it were the envoys of the Ryukyu Domain.

The eight ships that came were not from the Ryukyus, but belonged to the two vassal states of Ryukyu and Japan. The envoy of the Ryukyus was the feudal doctor Cheng Kezheng, and the Japanese envoy was also an acquaintance, and the Edo shogunate assisted the young minister Arai Kimi, and the two vassal states came with the same intention, so they came to ask for the seal. …,

Japan is a newly attached vassal state, naturally it is to send an envoy to Beijing to ask for the canonization of the king and the general, and the Ryukyus are the king Shang Jing succeeded to the throne did not have time to ask for the title, Edo War, although the Ryukyus have no merit and hard work, but also saw the strength of the Qing navy, specially sent an envoy to ask for the seal, one is to show grandeur, the other is also to order warships, casually get some benefits.

Arai Junmei was not in a hurry to get off the boat, but stood on the bow of the boat to look at the prosperity of Tianjin, all the way up the coastal river, along the river banks of the impermeable ships parked on both sides of the river made him extremely shocked, the prosperous scene he saw in front of him was beyond his imagination, than the scene described by the information he received was a few points better, he couldn't help but come up with the idea of mutual trade with the Qing country, Japan is now a retreat, if you want to break this status quo, it is most ideal for the Qing country to propose mutual trade, but is the Qing country willing?

When she saw that the ships moored at the dock were unloading rice, Arai Junmei couldn't help frowning, could it be that the northern part of the Qing Kingdom encountered a famine? This was not good news, and he hurriedly ordered: "Send someone to the dock to inquire if there is a famine in the north of the Qing Kingdom?" By the way, find out the price of rice, as well as their gold and silver exchange ratio. ”

After the subordinate bowed and retreated, Arai Junmei looked at a busy wharf, but sighed secretly, this time to the Qing Dynasty, the reason why he personally led the team to come, one is because he is familiar with etiquette, familiar with Zhuzi etiquette, and the other is a huge amount of war indemnity, so that the Edo shogunate has a very serious financial crisis, the big feudal lords around the country are ready to move, has endangered the rule of the shogunate, this mission, he is asking for help, to the worst, but also to delay the war reparations.

If the Qing country really encountered a famine, at this time proposed to suspend the war reparations, the emperor of the Qing country is afraid that he will not agree, then he can only ask for help, support muskets and artillery, the possibility is extremely small, it is possible to send troops, but he is worried that it is easy to invite the gods to send the gods, is weighing left and right, the samurai who heard the news have rushed back, bowed down and reported: "My lord, the northern provinces of the Qing Kingdom have indeed had a serious spring drought, and now the price of rice in Tianjin is one or two or four coins and silver and one stone, and the exchange of gold and silver is about one to sixteen. ”

In the year of famine, the price of rice was only one or two or four coins of silver and one stone? Arai Junmei couldn't help but be slightly stunned, this price is lower than when Kangxi was in power, this Zhenwu is really a great talent for governing the country, it seems that the road of exchanging grain for silver is not going through, thinking of this, he sighed secretly, the Qing country is not only vast and abundant, even in the event of a famine, it can also take care of the north and south, this price is too low, the price of grain in the year of the famine is several times cheaper than Japan, but it is a pity that the Qing country strictly prohibits grain trade at sea, otherwise if the two countries open mutual trade, it is only a grain trade, The shogunate was able to stabilize the situation once and for all.

Shi Shilun, the governor of Zhili, soon heard the news of the arrival of the envoys of the two vassal states of Ryukyu and Japan in Tianjin, and he was now busy all day without touching the ground, and he did not have the heart to meet the envoys, but ordered people to place the envoys in the post station according to the rules, and sent soldiers to guard the safety of the envoys.

Lao Jiuyinyu, who stayed in the purple bamboo forest, couldn't help but be happy when he heard the news, the Japanese envoys arrived, and the twenty Japanese princesses and Ji who were close to each other should also arrive, and the old fourteen promised to send him two, I don't know which of these Japanese women or Datong mother-in-law will be better, Yang or Chunlan Qiuju, each good at winning?

Soon, his mind turned away, Japan called the ministers to pay tribute, sent envoys to ask for seals, and sent princesses and relatives to the court, which is a big deal for the court, and it is even more rare that these are all the merits of the old fourteenth, and the Jingshi will inevitably celebrate in a big way, will the old fourteenth use this to reward the brothers?

Now it's the end of March, it's been a full drought for two months, maybe it will rain in the near future, that's a joy on top of joy, and more than these two things, I heard that the Beiyang Fleet will also arrive in Tianjin at the end of March, this is a great event, no, we have to hurry up and arrange the things at hand, the old fourteenth may be recalled to Beijing at any time. …,

Capital.

Qianqing Palace, Zhenwu finished reading the recital, took a sip of tea, it was only the end of March, it was a little hot, he glanced at the sunlight outside the window, got up and stretched in the hall, and then stepped out of the hall and looked up at the blue sky, but his brows were unconsciously wrinkled.

When the eunuchs outside the palace saw him come out, they knelt on the ground silently, and they didn't dare to say anything, and Bao Fuquan, who followed him, saw Zhenwu looking up at the sky, knowing that he was worried about the drought, and he didn't dare to speak indiscriminately, so he stood cautiously and solemnly.

Zhenwu stood on the steps outside the hall for a while before he said: "Go to Xuanqin Heavenly Prison Supervisor Zheng Ji Li'an, and Zhang Xianwang, the five senses Lingtai Lang, will meet the two." With that, he turned and went into the temple, pacing slowly in the hall.

Judging from the diaries of Fu Ning'an, Ka Min Tu, Lai Du, Yu Xu, and others, as well as the dignitaries of the northern provinces, as well as the diaries of the prisoners, the relief matters in the disaster areas have been handled in an orderly manner, and the people's hearts are stable, but when will it rain on this day?

Thinking of this, Zhenwu didn't feel a little anxious, although the current situation is still good, but this is all a large amount of silver smashed out, the daily consumption of money and food in the disaster area is quite an astonishing amount, if there is no rain for another ten days and a half, the silver raised should be bottomed out.

Due to the temptation of the Beijing newspaper advertisements and the large donations of salt merchants, the amount of silver raised was really a lot, as high as more than 12 million taels, which can be said to be the largest amount raised in the Qing Dynasty, but 7 million of the more than 12 million taels of silver were donated by the general associations of salt merchants in various places, and 2 million were donated by themselves, and only more than 3 million were really donated by the people.

And the reason why the salt merchants are willing to hemorrhage is nothing more than that the country has been peaceful for more than 20 years, they have saved enough money, or it may be that the news of wanting to reform the salt policy has spread, the salt merchants are anxious to show their loyalty, he really saw the financial resources of the salt merchants this time, and he also intends to weigh it more carefully for the salt policy innovation, these salt merchants are equivalent to the royal small treasury, and it is no wonder that Kangxi turned a blind eye to the disadvantages of the salt government. (To be continued.) If you like this work, you are welcome to (.) to vote for recommendation, monthly pass, your support is my biggest motivation. )