Traveling through time as a peasant girl to turn things around

After the family finished their meal, Chai Zhen asked, "Fengxing, is everything going well?" Ye Heng replied, "It's going well." Afterward, Ye Heng handed all the mine's account books to Qin Binbin and asked him to sort them out. Guo Guo took a look and saw that it was a mess. The individual entries were clear, but when put together, there was no order. There was everything. How many people ate, how many people cut wood, how many people mined coal, how much each job cost, how much money was spent on building roads nearby—there was no order at all.

Qin Binbin glanced at it for a few seconds and said, "I'll take it back and sort it out."

Ye Heng took some coal to the palace. The palace gates were still unlocked and open, and the carriage drove straight to the door of the imperial study. Ye Heng had someone inform the emperor. "Please come in," Ye Heng said, "Your Majesty." "Uncle, just call me Xiaodong." Ye Heng said, "It's not okay to call someone when no one is around. I've brought back some good stuff, Your Majesty, please go take a look outside the study!" The emperor stood up and said, "Let's go." They went out to the door, and the emperor walked to the carriage. "It's shiny black, what is this?" Ye Heng explained, "Guoguo said the shiny coal, the better. They use it in the mine kitchen for cooking. It's easy to use, has a high heat output, and is durable." The emperor said, "Let's take it to the imperial kitchen." Ye Heng thought so too, and decided to take more coal for winter heating.

The two returned to the house, and Ye Heng said, "We can haul coal and ship it all over the country for sale. I've set the initial price at ten cents per pound. It's a bit expensive, but we'll see how it goes after selling it for a while, so let's give it a try." "Okay, Uncle Emperor, you can do whatever you want." Ye Heng continued, "The coal mine belongs to Dayan. I've talked to Zuo Feng, and he's willing to stay there. I'll let him manage this large mine. It's just the start, and there's a lot of work to do, including building a house. I've brought him back this time, and he'll come to report to the emperor tomorrow. If the emperor has anything to say, just tell him. He'll have to leave in a few days. I'll personally see him off and bring some food and supplies. There's no one living there for hundreds of miles, and there's nothing to buy. They've had a hard time these days. General Wen has also returned, leaving behind a thousand old and weak soldiers to work there. They're considered retired. They'll all be given a stipend to go home. I've asked General Wen to return to the army. He left with five thousand men, but he's only returning with four thousand."

"Uncle, you've done a good job. Those who are in poor health and can't serve on the front lines are just going to die. It's better for them to do what they can in the rear. Your uncle has made a good arrangement." Ye Heng said, "You would do the same thing if you were in my place. The one thousand soldiers left at the mine will be removed from their ranks after the Ministry of War pays them resettlement allowances." "That's the right thing to do," Ye Heng said, standing up. "It's getting late. I'm going back." "Well, uncle, be careful."

The next day, the emperor went to the imperial kitchen to see if the coal was burning well. The eunuch in charge of the fire replied, "It's burning well, and the temperature is very high." "As long as it burns well, it's good. If ordinary people could use it, they wouldn't freeze to death in winter," the eunuch complimented. "Yes, yes, Your Majesty is right." The emperor left and returned to the imperial study to prepare for the morning court session.

When he went to court, he asked people to bring salt and coal. He was about to talk about something. But then he thought about it and decided to leave the salt behind and only take the coal.

The Emperor, clad in a yellow dragon robe, stood majestically on his high throne in the imperial court. The eunuchs shouted, "Arise if you have business to report; dismiss if not." Among the ministers, one, the Prime Minister, suggested that it was time to distribute winter clothing to the soldiers. The Emperor looked at the Minister of Revenue, who thought, "What a close call! Fortunately, a batch has been sent." The Minister of Revenue stepped forward, saluted, and said, "Your Majesty, I have already distributed all the food, clothing, and rations to the soldiers at the most distant borders. The Regent signed them." The Emperor spoke up, "Old Prime Minister, which soldiers are you referring to?" The Prime Minister replied, "The barracks outside the capital." The Minister of Revenue replied, "The cotton-padded clothes were slow to be made, so they were sent first to the distant frontiers. The soldiers stationed in the capital are closer, so even if a cold snap hits today, they can still wear them. If we start with those closest to us, how will we deal with those further afield?"

The emperor affirmed, "Lord Yan is right. Food, winter cotton clothes, and wages should be distributed to the soldiers at distant border posts first. Those nearby can be distributed a few days later, but food and wages should be distributed on time as much as possible because they also have to support their families." The Minister of Revenue: "Yes, Your Majesty is wise." The Minister of Revenue knelt down and kowtowed, expressing his gratitude to the emperor for his love for the soldiers and the people.

I have something to say. "Bring it in." The eunuch carried the basket and placed the coal in the hall. The emperor said, "Ministers, come forward and take a look. Do you recognize it? Do you know what it is used for?" General Wen was attending court today, and Zuo Feng had also arrived. He stood still and did not move.

The ministers were buzzing with discussion, wondering what it was. The emperor surveyed the courtiers filling the hall. Zuo Feng stepped forward, saluted, and said, "I have a memorial." The emperor motioned for the eunuch to fetch it. After perusing it, he exclaimed repeatedly, "Good, good, there's a reward. Little Mazi, read it to the ministers." "Yes, Your Majesty." The eunuch read the contents, and the ministers finally understood that Dayan had produced a treasure that could provide warmth: this black substance. General Wen stepped forward and said, "I have been ordered by the Prince Regent to complete this mission and will return to submit my instructions to the emperor." The emperor, upon hearing Ye Heng's words, confirmed General Wen's willingness to defend his country. The emperor declared, "General Wen, for this meritorious service, shall be promoted one rank to a second-rank military officer and return to his position. His monthly salary shall be one hundred taels of silver, and for this hardship he shall receive a special reward of five thousand taels of silver, one hundred rolls of brocade, and a set of pens, inkstones, and paper. The Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department shall issue the gifts."

Steward Ma: "It's the Emperor." Many ministers thought that the rewards from the Ministry of Internal Affairs were paid by the Emperor.