The Succession Struggle in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 268 The Emperor Emeritus's Solution
Tu Chengyu had thought of it, so he naturally asked directly:
"Grandfather, the number of disaster victims under my command is increasing, and I need literate people to help manage them. However, among the soldiers that Father Emperor assigned to me, there are not many literate ones. What do you think I should do?"

The retired emperor did not answer Tu Chengyu's question, but instead asked:
"Why bother with a few disaster victims? What's the point of them learning to read and write? A beating will make them behave. Do you think you can reason with them?"

The retired emperor still uses the same crude old methods, so it's normal that people can't understand them.

Tu Chengyu wanted to explain to the Emperor Emeritus, but the matter was too complicated to explain in a few words.

So he changed to a simpler method and explained it to the retired emperor:

"Grandpa, I want to take the disaster victims to make money. I need to register them and pay them wages. So I need people who can read, write and do math to help me."

The retired emperor laughed upon hearing this: "I've never heard of paying disaster victims for their work."

Tu Chengyu explained, "Grandson is thinking of the disaster victims. Their families suffered from the disaster, losing their harvest for the year. When they return home next year, it will be a lean season again, with no seeds left. How will they survive? They will probably have to sell their children and land, and most will have to borrow money to make ends meet and become tenants. If they can earn a few coins from grandson, they will have enough to barely survive when they go back."

After hearing Tu Chengyu's explanation, the Emperor Emeritus looked pleased: "I really appreciate my grandson's kind heart; he actually thought of these things for the disaster victims. But there are so many disaster victims, how much money do you have to help them?"

Tu Chengyu smiled and said, "Grandpa, you don't need to worry about your grandson. I won't give the money to the disaster victims; someone else will."

The retired emperor asked curiously, "Given by someone else? Did the imperial court allocate the silver? Would your father be so generous as to give silver to disaster victims?"

Clearly, the retired emperor still understood the emperor and knew that the emperor would not do such a thing.

Tu Chengyu explained, "Grandpa, it's not the court that gave me the money, nor is it from anyone else. It's because I want to organize the disaster victims and have them work for me. Didn't you just tell me about the ancient alley? That's where I'm arranging jobs for the disaster victims. When I earn money from the ancient alley, I'll give a portion of it to the disaster victims."

Although the Emperor Emeritus didn't know how Tu Chengyu made money from such a run-down place as the ancient alley, he chose to believe Tu Chengyu, so he asked:

"How many literate and numerate people do you lack?"

Tu Chengyu thought for a moment and said, "About a hundred or two, more would be more convenient to manage."

"So many?" the Emperor Emeritus exclaimed in surprise. "If you wanted less, I could assign you a few literate eunuchs. But these hundred or eighty wouldn't be enough."

In fact, for the imperial court, a hundred or eighty literate people were not many.

However, Tu Chengyu's place was not a formal government office, so it was not easy for officials from the imperial court to be transferred there.

This is also why Tu Chengyu has been unable to find the person, and why he is now asking the Emperor Emeritus.

When the Emperor Emeritus saw that Tu Chengyu looked worried, he tried to help him find a solution.

After a while, the retired emperor suddenly said:

"I have come up with a very good idea."

"Really?" Tu Chengyu said excitedly, "Grandpa, please tell me quickly, what's the plan?"

The retired emperor said, "Go to the Imperial Academy. You can find hundreds or even thousands of students there, let alone a hundred or two."

Upon hearing this, Tu Chengyu secretly regretted not thinking of the Imperial Academy.

However, he then had another question and asked, "Grandpa, will the scholars from the Imperial Academy come with me to help the disaster victims?" The students in the Imperial Academy are proper scholars. Although some are just there to get a degree, they still have the pride of scholars.

Therefore, Tu Chengyu was worried that if they knew they were going to deal with disaster victims, no one would go.

Hearing Tu Chengyu's concerns, the Emperor Emeritus smiled and said:

"You have no need to worry. Although the scholars of the Imperial Academy are called scholars, don't forget that you are a prince of the current dynasty. You know that if you reveal your identity, you will naturally have plenty of people to do things for you."

Tu Chengyu said, "I also thought of this method, but I am worried that most of the people recruited will be opportunists who will not do their jobs properly."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor Emeritus said, "Your concerns are not unfounded, but there are solutions."

"What method?" Tu Chengyu asked quickly.

The retired emperor said, "The way to employ people is naturally to use both rewards and punishments. The same applies to employing the scholars of the Imperial Academy. First, you must clearly state the rewards so that they will willingly follow you."

"What kind of reward?" Since the Emperor Emeritus was present, Tu Chengyu stopped thinking and just asked directly.

The Emperor Emeritus was very patient and said, "You have to think of the reward yourself, but if it is set by your grandfather, an official position would be best."

"But where would my grandson find an official position to give away?"

"You're such a silly child," the Emperor Emeritus said with a smile. "You don't have it, but your father does. Just say it's for the disaster victims. Anyway, they only need minor officials, and not many. Your father will give them to you. If he's stingy and won't give them to you, then you can offer two positions from your Prince Su's office. That will make those scholars flock to you."

The Emperor Emeritus's method was practically a hands-on teaching of Tu Chengyu.

Tu Chengyu understood completely, and then he asked:
"Grandpa, what should the punishment be?"

The retired emperor listened and said with a helpless sigh, "You little lazy monkey, why do you always have your grandfather think of things for you? Punishment is simple, just think of it yourself."

Tu Chengyu knew he couldn't slack off this time, so he chuckled and said:
"Then let's think about it when I get back." After saying that, he added, "Grandpa, besides rewards and punishments, do you have any other good ideas?"

The retired emperor thought for a moment and said, "When selecting people, we should also keep an eye on them. We should choose those from poor families or those from remote prefectures, and not those who have connections with officials in the capital."

This is indeed important.

Because Tu Chengyu's current method of managing disaster victims is actually blocking the way for nobles and officials in the capital to use the disaster victims for free.

Those people are probably thinking about how to trip up Tu Chengyu.

If you recruit their people when you're hiring, wouldn't that be like hiring a bunch of spies for yourself?

At that point, let alone getting them to do any work, just keeping them from causing trouble would be a blessing.

Therefore, Tu Chengyu quickly kept the Emperor Emeritus's words in mind, and planned to discuss them with Mr. Quan when he got back.

(End of this chapter)