When it came to the serious matter, Zhu Chen and the other two immediately became solemn.
“Sir, this old woman was also preparing to talk to you about disaster relief.”
Zhu Chen hesitated for a moment before speaking. “I know you have a kind heart and cannot bear to see the common people suffer. But disaster relief is not that simple. In the past, there were also kind-hearted wealthy households who distributed porridge and provided relief during famine years. Yet they often ended up exhausted and ungrateful. They spent the money but received no good outcome.”
“Why is that?” Jin Feng asked.
“The reasons are very complicated. First, distributing porridge affects the grain merchants’ business. And behind those grain merchants stand powerful gentry. Distributing porridge is equivalent to offending them.”
Zhu Chen continued. “Second, the hole is simply too big to fill!
Once you announce porridge distribution today, tomorrow tens of thousands of people from dozens of miles around will come running. One meal can consume an entire house full of grain!
Moreover, many people finish receiving their portion in one queue and then join the line again for another. If you send people to check everyone’s identity tokens one by one, you need far too many hands. It is very hard to manage.
I know you brought back a lot of grain from Jiangnan. But no matter how much, it cannot feed everyone in all of Chuanshu, right?
And this kind of thing is easy to start but hard to stop!
More than ten years ago during a great disaster, outside Xichuan City there was a wealthy man surnamed Liu who distributed porridge and scattered all his family fortune. Later, when he really had no money left and announced he would stop, trouble erupted.
Many commoners had heard about the porridge distribution here and travelled long distances with their entire families. When they arrived and found Liu had suddenly stopped, the starving people went mad. They stormed the Liu household, looted everything clean, and the Liu family met a tragic end.”
“Sir is not that Liu fellow. Who would dare charge into the Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce? The bodyguards would teach them a lesson!” Ruan Tongjie said.
“Shopkeeper Ruan, you do not know how terrifying people can become when they are truly starving!” Zhu Chen replied. “At that moment, their minds hold only food. They fear nothing, not even death!”
“Tongjie, hold your words for now. Let Auntie finish.”
Jin Feng raised his hand to stop Ruan Tongjie, who still wanted to speak, and gestured for Zhu Chen to continue.
“This old woman knows you have the Zhen Yuan Escort Agency and the Zhen Yuan Army under you. But I believe you do not wish to see the Zhen Yuan Army suppressing disaster victims, do you?”
“Indeed!” Jin Feng nodded.
Whether it was the Zhen Yuan Escort Agency or the Zhen Yuan Army, once they clashed with disaster victims, it would completely go against his original intentions.
Most disaster victims were physically weak. If the bodyguards accidentally killed any of them, the nature of the matter would change entirely.
“So disaster relief is a thankless task. If you truly have the heart, sir, just hand the grain over to the government and let the officials handle it.”
Zhu Chen said earnestly. “There is really no need for you to get involved personally.”
“If it were possible, how could I not want to simply hand the grain to the government?”
Jin Feng sighed. “But Auntie, you also know what the officials of Great Kang are like. If I give them the grain, I should burn incense in thanks if even thirty percent actually reaches the common people!”
In fact, Jin Feng had considered this approach before.
But after leaving Green Water Villa, he had completely abandoned the idea.
The officialdom of Great Kang was far too corrupt. Even Qing Xinyao could not change that.
Almost all the officials caught at Green Water Villa were his own subordinates.
With Qing Xinyao personally overseeing Xichuan City, things were already like this. One could imagine how much worse it would be in remote prefectures, counties, and townships.
Many village heads ruled like petty tyrants.
Jin Feng had gone to great trouble to bring back grain from Jiangnan. He did not want to let it fall into the hands of these parasites for them to pocket.
“Disaster relief is a quagmire. Easy to step into, hard to climb out. Sir, you must think carefully!”
Seeing that Jin Feng still insisted on relief efforts, Zhu Chen was almost in tears.
“Auntie, thank you!”
Jin Feng gave Zhu Chen a scholar’s bow.
No matter what motives Zhu Chen had, Jin Feng could see that she was genuinely concerned for him.
“Sir still insists on carrying out disaster relief, right?”
Zhu Chen reached out to support Jin Feng and asked helplessly.
“Yes,” Jin Feng nodded, then shook his head again. “But I do not plan to distribute porridge directly.”
“Not distribute porridge?” Zhu Chen was stunned. “Then how will you provide relief?”
Since ancient times, whether official or private relief efforts, most had taken the form of distributing porridge.
“Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him to fish. I plan to give the disaster victims work.”
Jin Feng said.
“Sir, you must be cautious!”
Hearing this, Ruan Tongjie also became anxious.
In his previous life, Jin Feng had seen news reports about some backward areas where people had grown accustomed to aid. They formed the mindset that they could survive without working, doing nothing every day except waiting for government relief grain.
Jin Feng did not want to see the same thing happen in Chuanshu.
That was why he had always insisted on not giving free handouts but instead opening factories to provide people with jobs so they could support themselves and their families.
But this time the disaster area was far too vast. It was not one county or one prefecture but the entire Chuanshu region.
The total number of people affected was simply countless.
No matter how many factories he opened, he could not support so many!
“Sir, Shopkeeper Ruan is right. This is no small matter. You must consider it thoroughly!”
Zhu Chen quickly agreed. “The number of disaster victims this time is not small. Where will you find enough jobs for them all?”
“If there are no job positions, then create them.”
Jin Feng said. “Next, I will open factories and mines all across Chuanshu…”
“But even then, it will not employ so many people!” Ruan Tongjie said anxiously.
“Listen to me finish,” Jin Feng continued. “Besides opening factories, I have already discussed with Her Highness and Lord Qing. We will hire disaster victims to build roads and bridges and carry out water conservancy projects. That way, we can employ a great many people!”
“Sir, building roads and bridges and water conservancy projects are the government’s responsibilities. What do you gain from this?”
Zhu Chen could not understand Jin Feng’s thinking at all.
“I gain nothing. I just want to give those disaster victims who are willing to work a way to survive.”
Jin Feng said.
When poor, cultivate oneself. When successful, benefit the world.
Jin Feng had now firmly established himself in Great Kang. He no longer needed to worry about livelihood or safety. If he wished, he could now live a life of luxury surrounded by beautiful wives and concubines.
But he was unwilling.
Especially after seeing the ugly behaviour of those wealthy merchants and gentry at Green Water Villa.
He did not want to become like them, fat and bloated, enslaved by desires.
It was revolting!
That was why his previous resolve had become even stronger.
“Sir, this old woman is ignorant and does not understand why you insist on doing this. I will just ask you one question.”
Seeing that Jin Feng’s mind was made up, Zhu Chen asked helplessly. “Building roads, bridges, and water conservancy projects are all major undertakings. Do you have enough money?”
“This is exactly why I called Miss Linglong over.”
Jin Feng turned to look at Zhu Linglong. “How is the preparation for the money house going? How many people can we mobilise?”
Before he left Xichuan, he had intentionally trained Zhu Linglong, planning to send her to the capital to establish a money house.
Later, Jin Feng went to Jiangnan, then to the East Sea, and the situation was unclear, so the matter was put aside.
However, Zhu Linglong had continued training relevant personnel according to Jin Feng’s instructions.
