The most arrogant in history

Chapter 629 Food, clothing, housing and transportation.

Ye Kun sighed, left the report, and let Qin Chou do as he pleased.

Jasmine came over and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, from what Lord Qin Chou said, the common people are not short of money, so why should we give them money?"

Ye Kun smiled and said, "Ordinary people need clothes and houses, so how can they not lack money?"

"For clothes, don't you grow your own cotton? For housing, you dig mud and burn kilns to make bricks and tiles. It doesn't cost much, right?"

"What about medical treatment, children's education, elderly care? What about buying furniture? In life, there are always places where money needs to be spent."

Ye Kun explained: "Ordinary people are just like us, they are also living people, they want to have enough food to eat and warm clothes to wear. Then they want to live in a bright house and have a carriage to go out... This is called the pursuit of a beautiful and happy life."

Food, clothing, housing and transportation are the most important things for everyone.

If we can solve these problems, we will have a prosperous society.

Jasmine smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I think the lives of the people now are ten times better than before."

Ye Kun smiled: "Tell me, what's good about it?"

"I couldn't afford salt before, not even coarse salt. In the current market, refined salt is readily available and cheap." Jasmine thought about it seriously and said:

"In the past, there were no iron pots, sickles, hoes, kitchen knives, shovels and other farm tools, but now every family has them. In the past, we couldn't wear warm clothes, but now we have new and beautiful clothes. Also, there are obviously more fat people now."

Ye Kun laughed out loud.

Jasmine asked, "Your Majesty, why are you laughing? Everything I said is true."

"I know it's true, so I'm very happy too."

Ye Kun held Jasmine's hand and sighed:

"But I also want to make people's lives better. We have vigorously developed science and technology, built a large number of roads, opened the Grand Canal, seized overseas land, and introduced various crops, all for this goal."

Jasmine smiled and said, "But I can't imagine what it would be like if the people's lives were better."

"You just need to think about food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and progress in education and medical care."

Ye Kun guided Jasmine and said with a smile: "For example, when it comes to clothing, we want to ensure that the people have comfortable and decent clothes, shoes and hats all year round; when it comes to food, we want everyone to eat good and healthy food; when it comes to travel, it must be fast and stable. When it comes to housing, we want everyone to have their own room with furniture..."

"That means living and working in peace and contentment. Even in the ancient times of sages, it wasn't so good, right?"

"During the ancient times of the sages, the living standards were stable, but not as good as they are now."

Ye Kun took out a can of white sugar and handed it to Jasmine:

"This is the latest white sugar sent from the Science and Technology City. It tastes great and is suitable for drinking in summer or as a seasoning for cooking. In ancient times, there was no such thing, only honey at night."

White sugar has been available for two years, but it is not very fine.

The latest white sugar is close to later generations in terms of appearance and taste.

"This white sugar is so beautiful, clean and delicious."

Jasmine tasted it and asked, "Your Majesty, can ordinary people afford this white sugar?"

"Yes, it's only twice as expensive as brown sugar."

Ye Kun nodded. "Four ships of white sugar have just been delivered from the south, each with 20,000 jin. There are also 20 ships of brown sugar, totaling 400,000 jin. With a population of Zhuo County, each person can get 600 to 700 jin of brown sugar, which is enough."

Jasmine sighed: "Ordinary people can also eat candy. In the past, we couldn't even think about it."

Ye Kun nodded: "Tomorrow, the court will host a lottery for all the people in the Wanmin Square in front of the Grand Theater. A batch of white sugar, brown sugar, local delicacies, and a batch of rickshaws and flatbed carts will be distributed for free.

The conference is very lively, let’s go and have a look together.”

The lottery for all people was also proposed by Ye Kun.

It’s the end of the year, so we can organize some entertainment activities and distribute some benefits to the people of Zhuo County.

He wanted to distribute a batch of white sugar and rickshaws, bicycles, and flatbed carts to the public.

There are requirements for the rickshaw lottery. Participants must be young and middle-aged men who voluntarily become self-employed rickshaw drivers and do business in the outer cities to solicit passengers in order to promote this rickshaw passenger transport method.

There are no requirements for the bicycle flatbed. The winner can deal with it as he or she pleases, sell it to a wealthy person, or keep it for personal use.

Jasmine was overjoyed when she heard this, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, I like lucky draws the most. By the way, can I participate?"

"You don't have what you want, so why bother to draw the lottery?" Ye Kun smiled.

Jasmine smiled and said, "I don't want anything, I just want to have fun."

"That's easy. We can hold a lottery in the palace."

"What's the prize?"

"The prize is me. Whoever wins it will take me back."

"Your Majesty, you were joking..."

Jiang Yourong and others in the palace were also very excited when they learned about tomorrow's lucky draw and they all wanted to go and watch the fun.

Ye Kun smiled and nodded, agreeing to everyone's request.

The next day, the People's Square was packed with people.

Three thousand special forces were on the scene to maintain order.

On the grand stage in the square, Ye Kun, Jiang Yourong and others took their seats.

Sang Buzhi and Zhuojun prefect Tan Bamao hosted the event.

The people who wanted to participate in the lottery lined up.

There are isolation cordons between the queues, and everything is in order.

Sang Buyi stepped forward and made a speech on the loudspeaker:

"Dear fellow countrymen, the Spring Festival is approaching and the whole country is celebrating. In order to share the joy with the people and to thank the fellow countrymen, we specially hold this lucky draw event. I hope everyone will abide by the order, do not scramble and prevent trampling."

Tan Bamao announced the competition rules and prize settings:

"The prizes for this event are divided into special prizes, first, second and third prizes. Among them, the third prize is 1,000 people. The prize is a pound of white sugar packaged in a glass jar;

There are 100 second prize winners, each of which will receive one pound of white sugar, two pounds of brown sugar, and a box of five-color pastries!

There will be 30 first prize winners, who will be awarded a bicycle, a rickshaw, or a flatbed truck.

The first prize winner will receive a new large pendulum clock, one pound of white sugar, two pounds of brown sugar, a bicycle, a rickshaw, and a flatbed truck! "

The whole place was boiling.

Tan Bamao waved his hand and said with a smile, "There are also 10,000 consolation prizes. The consolation prize is a New Year commemorative coin with a face value of ten cents, but it has great commemorative significance, with the portraits of the Emperor and Empress on it!"

This batch of New Year commemorative coins was of course Ye Kun’s idea.

In fact, a whole set of commemorative coins were issued, but the consolation prize here can only be a ten-cent denomination coin.

According to the rules, ten catapults were set up in different directions on the square.

All commemorative coins were placed in small sachets and thrown to the crowd via catapults.

The small sachet can ensure that the copper coins will not hurt people when they fall.

The small sachets all had uniformly printed coupons with prizes marked on them. Those who won the special prize and the first, second and third prizes went to the reception desk to collect their prizes with the coupons.

Basically, this method can ensure fairness.

Three cannon shots marked the start of the activity.

Ten catapults threw the small sachets into the sky.

All the people were excited and raised their hands to the sky to welcome the arrival of good luck.

After two or three minutes of chaos, the first batch of lottery tickets were snatched away.

Those who grabbed the sachets were all smiling with joy.

Some people were very skillful and grabbed two or three.

Tan Bamao ordered that anyone who grabbed the sachet should take it to the prize-giving area to claim the prize.

Those who didn’t get one can stay in the activity area and wait for the second round of sachets.

An hour later, the event ended.

Most of the common people won the prize and praised the emperor for his kindness.

Ye Kun was happy to have made some money, laughed, and left the event with Jiang Yourong and others.

Sang Buzhi and Wu Qiong, however, shook their heads repeatedly.

They thought Ye Kun was childish, whimsical and mischievous.

In the afternoon, Sang Buyi brought Wu Qiong and the Minister of Personnel to the Imperial Study to ask to see Ye Kun.

Ye Kun asked: "Why are the three adults here together? What's the important matter?"

Sang Buzhi and Wu Qiong remained silent and looked at the Minister of Personnel.

The Minister of Personnel clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, the price of grain is too low, and the officials all have some complaints."

"Low grain prices mean that there is enough food and the people's lives are guaranteed. Why do officials have objections?"

"But Your Majesty, the salaries of our grassroots officials are based on grain. For example, the annual salary of a county magistrate is 200 dan of grain, which is cereals, not refined rice."

The Minister of Personnel smiled bitterly and said, "In the past, the price of grain was high, and the grassroots officials were very happy to have grain; but now, the price of one dan of grain is only five coins. One hundred dan is only five hundred coins. The salary of a county magistrate of two hundred dan is only one thousand coins in cash.

Your Majesty, this income of one thousand coins is not enough to cover the expenses of a county magistrate's family."

"The county magistrate's salary is one thousand coins a year?"

Ye Kun was stunned for a moment, then blurted out: "That's definitely not enough!"

One thousand coins and one tael of silver, this annual salary is indeed too little.