On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

In the north of Hu County, right inside the dilapidated city gate, there is a relatively open space.

A huge porridge stall, temporarily built with thick bamboo and brand new reed mats, stood like a giant beast.

The roof is high and ventilated on all sides. Although it is simple, it exudes an unprecedented and powerful order.

In front of the porridge stall, four long, winding queues had already formed, stretching as far as the eye could see!

Men, women, young and old, with their families, all dressed in rags, with pale faces and thin bodies, but there is a light called "hope" shining in everyone's eyes!

Some of them were carrying worn-out bags, some were leaning on wooden sticks, and some were holding hungry children crying in their arms, but without exception, they all tried to straighten their backs, stretch their necks, and stare eagerly at the big iron pots in the porridge shed that were steaming and emitting the tempting aroma of rice!

The air was filled with the rich aroma of white rice porridge, mixed with the smell of sweat, dust and an indescribable, restless and expectant atmosphere.

At the entrance of the porridge stall, there were a few worn but clean tables temporarily placed there.

Behind the desk sat several clerks wearing washed-out blue uniforms, with serious expressions but a hint of fatigue.

They were the clerical team that Xiao Hanzhou brought from the palace, and they were now meticulously carrying out the task of registration.

"Name?"

"Li... Li Gousheng..."

"Native Place? Which village?"

"City...West of the city...Lijiawa..."

"How many people are there in your family? Who are they?"

"Three...three people...my...my wife...and...and a five-year-old child..."

"Press your fingerprints! Next!"

The clerk's voice was clear and quick, with an unquestionable majesty.

The brushes in their hands quickly recorded on the rough jute paper.

Every citizen who was questioned tried to answer the questions clearly with an almost pious awe and caution, and then, under the guidance of the clerk, used their thumb dipped in ink to press down the bright red fingerprint next to the line of name that belonged to them!

The bright red fingerprints, like new brands, announced that they were officially included in the new order planned by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!

Xiao Hanzhou, dressed in an indigo Confucian robe, stood tall at the entrance of the porridge stall like a javelin.

He did not participate in the specific registration, but instead scanned the entire porridge shed with his sharp eyes.

Looking at the four increasingly long lines, the increasingly bright light in the people's eyes, and the clerks meticulously recording, his heart was filled with unprecedented excitement and sense of mission!

This is not just about distributing porridge, it is about counting the population and laying the most solid human resource foundation for the upcoming great undertaking!

Every name and every handprint represents a future builder of Hu County!

The people who had completed registration were guided by the soldiers to the inside of the porridge shed.

There, firewood was burning fiercely under several huge iron pots, and white rice porridge so thick that it could stand chopsticks upright was boiling in the pots!

The rice aroma is everywhere! Steaming hot!

The cook in Wang Youde's family served porridge to the people who lined up nearby with quick and gentle movements.

They used a special long-handled wooden spoon to scoop up a large spoonful of boiling hot and thick rice porridge and poured it steadily into various broken bowls, earthenware jars, and even washed gourd ladles handed over by the people.

"Be careful, it's hot! Hold it steady!"

"If it's not enough, bring more! I'll keep you full!"

The crisp voices of the cooks were like a spring breeze.

What surprised the people even more was that next to the wooden table where the porridge was served, there were several large baskets of freshly baked mixed flour pancakes that exuded the tempting aroma of wheat and whole grains!

The pancakes are large, thick and soft. Although they are mixed with bean flour and millet flour and are not as fine as pure white flour, they are the ultimate delicacy during those years of famine!

"Pieces! And more cookies!"

"One for each of you! Grab it!"

The soldier in charge of distributing the cakes shouted loudly.

When the people held a full bowl of hot and thick white rice porridge in one hand and a heavy, hot mixed-flour pancake in the other, a huge sense of happiness instantly overwhelmed them like a tide!

Many people held their bowls and bread, their hands trembling slightly! Hot tears instantly welled up in their eyes!

"White rice porridge...it's really white rice porridge! So thick you can stick chopsticks in it!"

"Bread! It's made of grain! Not tree bark or grass roots!"

"Mom! Mom! We have food! We have rice porridge! And flatbread!"

"Your Highness...Your Highness is truly the reincarnation of a living Bodhisattva!"

"Long live His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! Long live His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

The sounds of sobbing, sobbing, children swallowing with satisfaction, and cheers that came from the heart and were hoarse, once again broke out inside and outside the porridge shed!

More passionate than any time before!

More sincere! More powerful!

That is gratitude for life and longing for the future!

They are also completely loyal and supportive of Prince Lin Zhen, who gave them all this!

Xiao Hanzhou's eyes couldn't help but feel slightly warm as he watched this touching and powerful scene.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and solemnly instructed his deputy beside him, "Carefully check the roster! Make sure there are no omissions! All data must be sorted out tonight!"

After saying that, he went to another porridge stall.

The twilight is closing, and the lanterns are starting to turn on.

The lights were on brightly in an elegantly decorated side hall in the back hall of the Hu County government office.

On a round rosewood table, there were several exquisite Jiangnan side dishes and a pot of warm rice wine. Although not as luxurious as the royal palace, it had a unique warmth.

Lin Zhen sat in the main seat with a relaxed posture.

Huanbi, Zhang Li, Qingwen and Chu Xiling sat on both sides.

Huanbi was holding a pot and pouring wine for Lin Zhen with gentle movements; Zhang Li picked up a piece of steamed sea bass belly with silver chopsticks, carefully removed the fish bones, and placed it on the white jade plate in front of Lin Zhen; Qingwen sipped the fruit wine in small sips, scanning everyone with lively eyes; Chu Xiling sat quietly with a more detailed architectural drawing spread out in front of her, as if she was lost in thought.

The atmosphere is relaxed and harmonious, with a family-like warmth and a tacit understanding of working together.

Xiao Hanzhou walked in, exhausted, his face showing fatigue after a busy day, but his eyes were unusually bright.

He first respectfully greeted Lin Zhen and the four mistresses one by one: "Disciple greets Master, and greets Mistress Huanbi, Mistress Zhang Li, Mistress Qingwen, and Mistress Xiling."

"Han Zhou is here, please take a seat." Lin Zhen pointed to the empty seat below and motioned him to sit down. "How's the city's population count going?"

Xiao Hanzhou did not sit down, but took out a neatly bound booklet with fresh ink from his arms and presented it respectfully with both hands:

"Master! The registration of the four porridge stalls has been preliminarily completed! After verification, the current registered permanent population of Hu County is: 13,768 households!

Among them, there were 29,521 adult males aged between 16 and 50.

There are 31,043 adult women aged 16 to 50!

There are 18,765 children under the age of fifteen!

Seven thousand four hundred and twenty people over the age of sixty!"

His voice was clear, and every number he reported was like a heavy cornerstone.

Lin Zhen took the list, but didn't look at it carefully. He just casually put it on the table and looked at Xiao Hanzhou calmly: "Well, thank you for your hard work. With people, we have a foundation. So, Hanzhou, in your opinion, how should we proceed?"

Xiao Hanzhou's spirits perked up. After a moment's thought, he replied with a hint of scholarly excitement, "Master! I believe the most urgent task is to build roads! Expand the city defenses! As the saying goes, to get rich, you must first build roads. When roads are smooth, goods can flow and all businesses can flourish! When city defenses are strong, we can resist foreign enemies and reassure the people! This is the foundation for strengthening the foundation!"

Hearing this, Lin Zhen curled up a meaningful smile and slowly shook his head.

Just as he was about to speak, Zhang Li, who was sitting to his right, put down her silver chopsticks. Her sharp eyes swept over Xiao Hanzhou, with a hint of advice from an elder to a younger one and unquestionable insight:

"Silly child, the roads need to be repaired and the city needs to be built. But right now, the most important thing is not these bricks and stones!"

Her voice was steady and powerful, like a business queen directing the country.

"At this moment, the people's hearts are just beginning to form, like dry wood meeting a raging fire; intense, yet easily dissipated! Our most urgent task is to add fuel to the fire, to thoroughly ignite, consolidate, and harness this public sentiment for our own benefit! Therefore, we must win over their hearts! Use the most tangible benefits to tie them firmly to our chariot!"

She picked up the teacup, took a sip, and continued, her words clear and coherent, getting straight to the point:

"When we distribute porridge tomorrow, announce in front of all the people: The county government will provide the funds, and His Royal Highness will make the decision! All dilapidated houses and shacks in Hu County will be demolished, replanned, and new houses will be built! We will ensure that every household will be allocated a sheltered, clean and tidy place!"

She swept her eyes over the crowd with a powerful aura:

"And we must make it clear and explicit! Tell all the people that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince doesn't support idlers!

Regardless of gender, age, or status, as long as you can move, you must work! Only in this way can you have food to eat and a place to live! What can the elderly do? Care for young children, sweep the streets, and weave baskets! What can children do? Help out as much as they can, collect firewood, and learn a craft! What do the able-bodied men do? Naturally, the hard labor of building roads, harbors, and houses! What do the women do? Wash clothes, cook, mend clothes, assist in construction, and even learn weaving! Only in this way, with everyone's talents and resources fully utilized, can the entire county operate like a sophisticated machine! Only then can it unleash the power to change the world!

"Well said!" Qingwen, who was sitting opposite Zhang Li, brightened her eyes, put down her wine glass, and said in a clear and pleasant voice, with her unique coquettishness and vitality.

"Sister Li is absolutely right! But that's not enough! We also need to give the people something to look forward to! Something to look forward to! Something to be motivated to work hard!"

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, as if she had discovered a new toy.

"When I was running a horse and carriage business in the capital, I implemented the monthly star selection system. Every ten days, we'd evaluate the best performers and reward them with money, meat, and new clothes. It was a great result! Everyone was so excited! We have so many people in Hu County, why don't we do the same? We'll select a 'Construction Star' every ten days!"

Fifty men and fifty women will be judged! Not only will the winner's name be put on a red list, letting everyone in the city know, but they'll also receive a reward on the spot! A chunk of meat, a whole jar of wine, a bowl of rice! They'll even get copper coins! They can take them home and show off! Make everyone jealous! Envy them! Everyone'll want to be judged next time!

She became more and more excited as she spoke, her face flushing slightly with excitement: "This way, everyone will be more motivated to work! This will create competition! This will give us a goal!"

"Hahaha!" Lin Zhen was amused by Qingwen's smug look, as if she were presenting a treasure. His eyes were full of admiration. "Wen'er, you've actually taken the manipulating skills you learned from the carriage and horse business and applied them to governing the country and ensuring its people's safety! Not bad! Very good!"

Qingwen, receiving the compliment, raised her chin with pride, like a proud little peacock. "Of course! I haven't worked in vain managing the carriage and horse business for the past two years! I've figured out quite a few tricks!"

Lin Zhen smiled and nodded, adding, "The star rating method is very good, but Hu County has a large population, and relying solely on star rating incentives still won't cover a wide enough area."

He turned his gaze towards Qingwen with deep meaning.

"In addition to star ratings, we also need to establish a more detailed 'identity rating' system. We will assess each person's level based on their daily working hours, work volume, skill level, and even their conduct.

Those with high ranks not only receive extra rewards every ten days, but also receive priority and preferential treatment in daily rice, cloth, and even future housing allocations! Those who work more receive more! Those who work less receive less! Those who cheat and act cunningly will be severely punished!

We should even promote those who are hardworking, respectable, and capable from among the people, and let them serve as foremen and managers! Let them know that as long as they work hard and diligently under the prince, they will have the opportunity to make a name for themselves! They can go from being a peasant to a manager! Even become an official! Only then will the people truly regard the construction of Hu County as their own business! Only then will they work hard!