Agricultural examination: making money, taking exams, and supporting the family

Chapter 167

The imperial court's actions were faster than Lin Ze imagined. As soon as the three apprentices set off, the imperial decree for the West-to-North Water Diversion Project was issued to various counties.

This operation covers a very wide area, and the planned scope is not small. Long canals run through both ends of the northwest direction, and there are also tributary and small canals during the period. There are seven or eight barren mountains that need to be blasted away.

It can be said that the entire project will shake half of the country. Although the people in the southeast and southeast will not be affected by the project, other aspects will be more or less affected. However, this is only temporary. As long as the project is completed, the droughts and floods that have troubled everyone for many years will The problem will be solved.

In order to prevent the people from panicking and being deceived by rumors, the imperial court issued an imperial edict in advance to carry out positive publicity in various places, so as to prevent ignorant people from being incited to cause trouble during the construction of large-scale construction projects.

After the new prince and his team of officials were in place, countless materials and manpower began to be mobilized. With the help of explosives, it was no longer difficult to dig mountains and quarry. It was also very easy to build canals. The explosives could be buried in a matter of minutes. Exploding gullies that can lead to water, and leveling barren mountains that are useless in blocking the road.

This was also the official launch of Daji explosives. When the people saw with their own eyes that officers and soldiers effortlessly blasted out ravines and leveled barren mountains, rumors of divine soldiers descending from heaven spread throughout the country and neighboring countries in a very short period of time.

Such shocking news naturally attracted the attention of various countries, and they sent people over to secretly check the truth of the news.

When the emperor learned the news, he did not stop it. He let the spies see it. This was done intentionally to show the country's power to intimidate the surrounding countries. Otherwise, with the development of Daji, it would be a matter of time before it became a thorn in the eyes of other countries.

These common people don't know that everyone's attention is focused on the project, and the ordinary people at the bottom just want to live a good life.

Under the positive publicity from the court, the people were very supportive of this large-scale construction project. As long as the people in the northwest could support the project, they took the initiative to work to support it, regardless of the salary.

The people in the southeast made generous donations one after another. A few coins per family were not enough, but the sum was quite a lot. The support of the people greatly reduced the burden on the imperial treasury.

Coupled with the help of 120,000 free Nanyang slaves and explosives, although the West-to-North Water Diversion project has made a lot of noise, the actual cost is very easy to calculate.

With financial and material resources in place, the food for the coolies will naturally be much better. All the steamed buns are good food mixed with white flour, and the corn rice is even more filling. Occasionally, they can also eat a meal of noodles, which means they can eat at least 100% of the food every month. I ate fatty pork five or six times.

The food is definitely very good, and the officers and soldiers who supervise the work will not urge whippings for no reason. Even slave coolies will be treated with respect as long as they abide by the rules and have appropriate rest time after working. Human nature squeezes everyone to work.