I am a temporary worker in Jinyiwei, how did I become a powerful official?

Chapter 102 Lin Shisan cleverly mobilized the people to clear the river, benefiting the country and the people

The Ministry of Industry’s Water Resources Department is actually the Oil and Water Department.

The Du Shui Si was in charge of the nation's rivers, river defenses, seawalls, ditches, bridges, warship construction, and official ferries; it also controlled musical instruments, and collected ship taxes, wood taxes, and cargo taxes; and it operated official ice cellars.

All of them are lucrative jobs.

Especially water conservancy projects. It has always been a matter of conscience. How much water is destroyed every year and how much money is needed for repairs, isn't it just a matter of the water man's lips?
Only the backbone of Yan's party could get the good job of Langzhong of the Du Shui Si.

Doctor Zhao, who helped Lin Shisan find the tortoise, was very wealthy, definitely worth a hundred thousand or even a hundred thousand.

Doctor Zhao led Lin Shisan to the map room of the Du Shui Si and ordered people to retrieve the map of the capital's rivers.

Doctor Zhao also used a cinnabar pen to mark the sixteen tributaries of the Gaoliang River that connect to the Taiye Lake.

If the golden turtle escapes, it must be among these sixteen tributaries.

Lin Shisan was not afraid that the golden turtle would escape from the city along the river.

Before Emperor Yongle moved the capital, he renovated the city of Beiping. To prevent foreign enemies from entering the city through the river, iron railings were erected on the water tunnels that flowed into Beijing through the city walls. The distance between each iron railing was only five inches.

A golden tortoise weighing more than 300 jin would be more than 5 inches even if it lay sideways. It was absolutely impossible for it to get through the iron bars and escape from the city.

Lin Shisan said to Doctor Zhao, "Does the Du Shui Bureau have any clerks who are good at mathematics?"

Doctor Zhao replied, "There are 107 of them in total. They are all good at calculating."

Lin Shisan said, "Can we transfer 20 people? Let's calculate how many people are needed to check the tributaries of Gaoliang River in the city."

Soon, twenty clerks sat down in front of the abacus table and placed their abacuses on the table.

Lin Shisan said, "If the width of the river is less than ten feet, people can pull the net on the shore. If it is wider than ten feet, you need to row a boat to use the net. Does the Du Shuisi have a small boat?"

Doctor Zhao smiled and said, "All the official ships in the capital, no matter how big or small, are managed by our water conservancy department. There are thousands of them. Don't worry, I will take care of all the ships."

Lin Shisan nodded: "Okay. Then let's start estimating the manpower required."

Soon, the sound of abacus clacking could be heard in the map room.

The abacus had been ringing for two full hours. It was already 3:30 pm.

A clerk handed a piece of paper to Doctor Zhao. Doctor Zhao said, "Lin Chuanfeng, I have checked it twice. If we want to check the sixteen tributaries of Gaoliang River in the city within two days, we will need more than 23,000 people."

Lin Shisan was surprised: "Twenty-three thousand people?"

Doctor Zhao smiled bitterly and said, "Yes. I used to work in the Ministry of War. I can tell you that according to the Ming Dynasty's complicated non-wartime troop deployment procedures, even if all parties agree to mobilize troops, it will take at least five days to mobilize 23,000 people, and the opportunity will be gone by then."

Lin Shisan frowned after hearing this. After a moment, he said, "That's not right. We don't have to mobilize troops. We can use civilians."

Doctor Zhao said, "Recruiting 23,000 civilian laborers? The Shuntian Prefecture is in charge of the labor service for civilian laborers in the capital."

"This is a coincidence. Liang Fuyin of Shuntian Prefecture is a student of our Lord Yan. When we had an insect appreciation party at Luo's house, you taught him how to use grass probing to attract insects."

Lin Shisan slapped his thigh and said, "Okay, let's go find Governor Liang right away."

Doctor Zhao said, "Don't worry. Lin Chuanfeng, although you have recently gained power, you have not been in the officialdom for long."

"I have been in the officialdom for twenty years and have learned one thing. If you want to get something done, you must first find the person who has the final say."

"Mobilizing 23,000 civilians is no small matter. Even if Liang Fuyin is willing to help, he still has to consult the elder and junior elder."

"So, you are not going to Shuntian Prefecture now. You are going to Yan Prefecture."

Lin Shisan said: "Then I'll have to trouble you to introduce me to the palace."

Doctor Zhao nodded: "Then let's go."

It was almost noon when Lin Shisan and Doctor Zhao arrived at the living room of Yan's mansion.

Yan Song and his son went to the cabinet to discuss matters. Butler Yan Nian said they would not be back until at least noon. Lin Shisan paced back and forth in the living room anxiously.

Finally he heard a shout: "Grand Master, Junior Grand Master, come back. Everyone is waiting for you!"

Yan Song and Yan Shifan changed out of their official uniforms and put on casual clothes before entering the living room.

Lin Shisan and Doctor Zhao quickly knelt down and saluted the father and son of the Yan family.

Yan Song sat at the top, playing with a newly acquired ancient jade seal from the Han Dynasty.

Yan Shifan sat down next to his father and said, "Everyone, get up. Lin Shisan, you are a ruthless person. You dare to act like a god in front of the emperor and those noisy crows."

"Should I say you are extremely daring, or should I say you are both brave and resourceful?"

There is no need to speak in secret in front of an open person. Lin Shisan said: "How can my little tricks be hidden from the elder and the young elder?"

Yan Shifan asked, "How is the search for the golden turtle going? There are only two and a half days left. If we can't find the golden turtle, our Yan family will only lose face. But you, Lin Shisan, will lose your life."

Lin Shisan said, "My Lord, this is exactly why I came here."

Lin Shisan informed Yan Shifan in detail about the mobilization of 23,000 civilian laborers.

Yan Shifan hesitated after hearing this: "Mobilizing 23,000 civilians for such a large-scale operation? If it were any other time, it would only take a word from me."

"But now is a time of trouble. The censors are keeping a close eye on our Yan family and you, Lin Shisan."

"We need to find a proper reason to make such a big fuss."

Lin Shisan said without hesitation: "The Prime Minister's Mansion is a Feng Shui treasure land. The spiritual energy makes people feel connected to the sky and the hips."

"There are many small things that I couldn't think of a way to solve. But I figured it out as soon as I arrived at the Prime Minister's Mansion."

"I have already thought of a reasonable reason to mobilize more than 20,000 civilians."

Yan Shifan said: "Stop flattering me. Give me your reasons."

Lin Shisan talked freely: "Last autumn, a lot of fallen leaves were transferred into the rivers in Beijing. The fallen leaves accumulated and blocked the rivers. In winter, the rivers froze and could not be cleared."

"If we don't clean it up in the spring, when the rainy season comes in the summer, the accumulated fallen leaves will block the river, causing overflows and making it inconvenient for people living along the river to travel."

"This time, Shuntian Prefecture sent 23,000 civilians to pull nets on the shore or on boats, not to look for golden turtles. Instead, they wanted to clear the river of silt and fallen leaves."

Yan Shifan clapped his hands and exclaimed: "Cleaning up the river will benefit the country and the people. What a good excuse! Boy, you have it!"

Yan Song finally put the ancient Han jade seal back into his sleeve. He said in an old voice: "Since it is beneficial to the people, then do it. Shifan, tell Liang Guangzhi in Shuntian Prefecture."

Yan Shifan nodded: "Yes, Dad."

Yan Song asked Lin Shisan: "Hu Zongxian lost a white-feathered bow-tailed pigeon before. You found it for him, right?"

Lin Shisan replied: "That's exactly me."

Yan Song said, "I want to thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have missed the most proud student in my life."

Lin Shisan said quickly, "How dare I accept a single word of thanks from you, Lord?"

Yan Song added: "This time, we are looking for the golden tortoise to save your life and also to save my face. If you find it, I will reward you handsomely."

"If you can't find it, even if I want to give you a reward, you won't be alive to receive it."

After saying that, Yan Song stood up and walked to the door of the living room with the help of his housekeeper Yan Nian.

Old Yan Song said without even turning his head: "Go and do your job!"

(End of this chapter)