amaotonovel Chapter 1074 Prefect Zhang
Chapter 1074 Prefect Zhang
Jiang Fenghua arrived at the Yuzhou Prefecture government office. Of all the government offices she had seen, the Yuzhou Prefecture government office was probably the most rudimentary!
However, the Yuzhou government office was simple but not desolate. It was packed with people, and although there were many people, everyone was very orderly and lined up in queues.
The elderly Prefect of Yuzhou, Zhang Qian, was personally serving the people. The last time Jiang Fenghua saw him was at Zhang Jingjing's funeral. Prefect Zhang looked much older, but in reality, he was not that old.
Jiang Fenghua did not disturb Zhang Qian. Apart from Yuzhou City, which was not greatly affected by the disaster, all other towns and villages were severely affected. Zhang Qian must have been exhausted these past few months!
An hour passed, and most of the people in the yamen had finally left. Jiang Fenghua stood at the very back of the crowd, quietly waiting for Prefect Zhang. She glanced at the sky, which was gradually darkening.
At this moment, Zhang Qian was still writing: "Name, which village you were from before, how many people were in your family, how many are still alive..."
“Jiang Ruan is from Shengjing,” Jiang Fenghua said calmly.
Zhang Qian suddenly looked up and saw a familiar figure in front of him. He rubbed his eyes, trying to see the person clearly, when Jiang Fenghua smiled slightly and gestured for him to be quiet.
Zhang Qian's most vivid memory was of Empress Jiang personally bringing his daughter's body to him. He became emotional, and perhaps because of the stiffness in his body from holding the same position for so long, he almost fell.
Jiang Fenghua quickly stepped forward to support him, saying, "Prefect Zhang, be careful."
With tears streaming down his face, Zhang Qian was about to bow when Jiang Fenghua steadily supported him and quickly said, "Prefect Zhang has been so busy all day that he hasn't even had time to drink some water. Let me help you inside to rest!"
She helped Zhang Qian away, and the yamen runner next to her asked in confusion, "Who is this person? Why does Your Excellency look so shocked?"
The advisor shook his head: "I don't know, but judging from his demeanor, he must be a big shot from the capital!"
Ao Xue had someone stand guard outside the door and said to a rather shrewd man, "You must be the clerk from the yamen!" She had been looking at him for quite a while.
Master Zhang quickly cupped his hands in greeting, "I am Zhang, a scholar, and I am the clerk of the yamen, as well as the servant who takes care of you, sir."
Ao Xue nodded. "My master is a friend of Miss Zhang Jingjing. He came to Yuzhou to visit Miss Zhang's father. You may all go about your business!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Shusheng quickly replied, "I'll go make some tea right away."
Ao Xue didn't say anything and followed them into the inner hall, quietly standing guard outside the door.
In the hall, Zhang Qian invited Jiang Fenghua to sit in the main seat, while he himself knelt obediently in the middle of the hall and kowtowed to her in the manner of a subject to a ruler, "Your humble servant Zhang Qian greets Your Majesty the Empress, may Your Majesty live a thousand years..."
Jiang Fenghua tried to stop him, but Zhang Qian said, "Your Majesty, please sit down. This is the proper etiquette for me. I bow to Jing'er, to the people of Yuzhou, and to Zhang Qian. Thank you, Your Majesty and His Majesty, for saving Yuzhou."
Jiang Fenghua sat firmly in the main seat and did not stop Zhang Qian from kowtowing to her. She had to accept this kowtow, otherwise Zhang Qian would not be at ease. He was kowtowing to the Empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and also to the responsibility on the shoulders of Jiang Fenghua and Xie Shang.
"Prefect Zhang, please rise. I have come here for two reasons: first, for the people of the Great Zhou, and second, to pay my respects to the late Consort Jing."
After Zhang Jingjing died, she was given the title of Consort Jing. She also had a daughter in the palace who should have been given a title as well, but since she was dead, it was useless to have such an empty title. Zhang Qian was an honest official and did not use his daughter's title to amass wealth for himself.
Jiang Fenghua admired him greatly.
Although the disaster in Yuzhou has been quelled and the imperial court has spent a lot of effort to save many people, most of the victims are poor people. The days ahead will be even more difficult. The poor will become even poorer and the suffering will become even more bitter.
Knowing that the Great Zhou and the Northwest were at war, Zhang Qian did not continue to ask the court for disaster relief funds. Instead, he encouraged the people to join the army and try to find a way out.
Zhang Qian also received news that the imperial court was recruiting new soldiers, which was a great opportunity for ordinary people.
Zhang Qian had already conveyed the imperial decree, but he did not force anyone to join the army. Therefore, not many people came to the yamen to sign up for the army. Everyone was having a hard time and was afraid of death. In this year of famine, everyone just wanted to save their lives.
Zhang Qian said, "I am also grateful to the Emperor for everything he has done for the people of Yuzhou. Now that the court is in trouble, we in Yuzhou also want to do our part. We will try our best to select outstanding young people to sign up for the army and contribute to the Great Zhou. Therefore, I want to do my best to handle this matter well."
Of course, not every family can go. The elderly, the weak, the sick, the disabled, or those with only one male member are not recommended to join the army. Farmers need to ensure that there are offspring for the family to have hope.
The imperial court's money doesn't just flow out like water; it must be spent wisely.
After hearing this, Jiang Fenghua said, "Let's discuss this matter further! The newly recruited greenhorns can't go to the battlefield anyway, so Prefect Zhang doesn't need to worry."
Jiang Fenghua then said, "Right now, I have something I need Prefect Zhang's help with."
"Your Majesty, please give your orders."
"I want to raise funds for His Majesty, starting with Yuzhou." Jiang Fenghua didn't beat around the bush. "When Yuzhou was hit by disaster, His Majesty did not abandon Yuzhou and exhausted the national resources to save the people of Yuzhou. Now it is time for them to repay His Majesty."
Zhang Qian bowed respectfully and said, "Yuzhou is poor, and it is even more difficult in years of disaster. It is a great blessing for the people that Your Majesty has not abandoned Yuzhou, but if taxes are levied on them again, they will not be able to pay them!"
Jiang Fenghua said, "There are also many wealthy families in Yuzhou, such as the Wan family who are in the silk business, the Bai family who are in the cosmetics business, and some other grain merchants. Prefect Zhang can try to mobilize them to donate money and grain to save the country."
Zhang Qian said, "The Bai family donated. At that time, it was the eldest daughter of the Bai family who decided to donate money and grain, and provided medical treatment and medicine to help many people. However, not all members of the Bai clan were willing to donate grain for disaster relief. They even went to the yamen many times to make a scene and demand that their grain be returned. The Wan family was also unwilling to donate. The government can't hold a knife to people's throats and force them to donate. Wouldn't that be blatant robbery by the government?"
Jiang Fenghua knew that Zhang Qian was honest and incorruptible, and that he was not tactful in his dealings. The reason he had been able to remain in the position of prefect of Yuzhou for so long was that there was really no money to be made in Yuzhou, so no one wanted to come here, and of course no one was willing to promote him to a higher position.
Of course, the merchants who were able to make their businesses thrive in Yuzhou also owed a great deal to the presence of an honest official like him. Without the oppression of corrupt officials, the merchants' lives were much better, and they could be said to have been protected by Prefect Zhang.
Jiang Fenghua even wondered: the merchants and officials of Yuzhou have always been on two parallel lines that never intersect, which may be one of the reasons why Yuzhou has not developed.
This might seem counterintuitive, but Qin Tai was a notorious corrupt official, yet Quanzhou was quite wealthy.
Of course, she also learned from Zhang Jingjing about the corruption of lower-level officials. In addition to the disasters that plagued Yuzhou every year, the poverty of the lower-level officials was also due to their constant corruption.
There's a saying among the common people: "A local official is more powerful than a county magistrate." Even Prefect Zhang has no shortage of petty culprits to catch, which is why Zhang Jingjing went to the palace to file a complaint with the emperor.
Jiang Fenghua's lips curled into a cold smile. It seems that getting everyone to contribute to the court's war effort is indeed a difficult task!
Do they only feel a sense of crisis and gratitude when enemy countries invade their homes, burn, kill, and plunder?
"I'm not going to rob them outright, I just want them to willingly lend some money to support the military supplies so that the court will treat them well during this crisis." Jiang Fenghua added, "Lord Zhang, don't be so rigid. Sometimes you have to be flexible when dealing with merchants. Flexibility doesn't mean you have to embezzle."
Zhang Qian paused, a hint of embarrassment creeping onto his face. For over a decade as an official, he had always kept in mind one principle: to keep as far away from businessmen as possible and avoid getting tainted by corruption.
Jiang Fenghua, however, felt that his integrity was too pedantic.