OBS Chapter 343 is a win-win-win situation!
Chapter 343 is a win-win-win situation!
Treat equally.
These four words are simple to say, but putting them into practice is extremely difficult.
For example, if Magistrate Xu Jingyu were asked to worry about the local people of Penglai County, even if he was unwilling, he would do his best because of the title "Magistrate".
Even Yang Shaofeng, the prefect of Dengzhou, was similar – could the people of Ningyang County and the people of Dengzhou Prefecture be considered the same in Yang Shaofeng's heart?
Actually, they are different.
Just as even five fingers can be of different lengths, parents can also show favoritism towards their children. Naturally, Yang Shaofeng's heart would also lean towards the people of Ningyang County who had devoted more effort to their children.
Shaking his head slightly, Yang Shaofeng was about to ponder how to properly resettle the relocated people when he faintly smelled a fishy odor.
Seeing Yang Shaofeng frown slightly, Xu Jingyu chuckled and said, "Your Excellency, this is the fishy smell from the fish and shrimp that the people brought. I have already told them to find another place for tomorrow."
Yang Shaofeng shook his head slightly and ordered directly, "Let's go, let's go take a look first."
In the open space outside the Penglai County Government Office, several large wooden basins were lined up, filled with various kinds of seafood such as mackerel, swimming crabs, shrimp, ribbonfish, small shrimp, oysters, and abalone. Several Penglai County residents, who looked like fishermen, were talking quietly in front of the basins.
Upon seeing this scene, Yang Shaofeng glared at Xu Jingyu.
First, he talked about the seafood that the common people had sent, then he complained to me that he didn't know how to deal with it, and then he talked about settling the people. He just kept rambling on and on to waste time so that I would smell the fishy smell of the seafood and come out to see the seafood and the people, right?
After glaring at Xu Jingyu, Yang Shaofeng walked over to several large basins and carefully examined the seafood inside. Then he turned his attention to the local people.
"Have you all received the money and provisions?"
Are mackerel easy to catch?
"I will have someone find an open space and set up a workshop specifically for drying these small shrimps. When you return, you can select a few strong women to work in the workshop."
Yang Shaofeng smiled and looked at the people and said, "In a few days, I will have someone come and build a greenhouse. In the future, the greenhouse can be used to grow vegetables such as chives and mushrooms."
As soon as Yang Shaofeng finished speaking, the crowd of people present immediately started chattering, "We got it! We got it!"
"Mackerel is very easy to catch!"
"These swimming crabs are at their sweetest and fattest right now; you must try them, sir."
"..."
Yang Shaofeng smiled and agreed to each of them. After the crowd gradually dispersed, he glared at Xu Jingyu and sneered, "Magistrate Xu is truly capable. He actually dares to play tricks on me."
Xu Jingyu shrank back, chuckled awkwardly, and said, "Your Excellency, please forgive me. I was really too stupid. I will never dare to do it again."
Yang Shaofeng snorted again and said, "I'll let you off this time for the sake of the people of Penglai County. But if there's a next time, heh."
Xu Jingyu chuckled repeatedly, thinking to himself that he would dare to do it again next time, while bowing to Yang Shaofeng and saying, "Your Excellency, please forgive me. I was really too stupid. Without Zhou Shengyuan's guidance, I had no idea how to handle these things in the workshop."
Zhou Shengyuan?
Upon hearing Xu Jingyu's statement, Yang Shaofeng was immediately enraged.
Alright, it's always been me who takes advantage of Lao Deng, but today you, Xu Jingyu, actually want to take advantage of me?
It is simply a rebellion against Tiangang!
Yang Shaofeng sneered and said, "You don't need to worry about Zhou Jingxin anymore. He has already headed to the capital after the county examination. From now on, you'll have to rely on yourself to handle things in Penglai County."
Seeing Xu Jingyu's face quickly change from anticipation to disappointment, Yang Shaofeng snorted coldly and said, "After the workshop for drying small sea shrimp is finished, Penglai County will have to set up a few more workshops for pickling salted fish. These are all your business as the county magistrate."
As Yang Shaofeng finished speaking, Xu Jingyu's expression quickly changed from disappointment to despair.
Xu Jingyu felt wronged.
Xu Jingyu wanted to cry.
I failed to get any benefits and instead got stuck with a ton of official duties. Why is my life so miserable?
"And the matter of the salt fields, that can also be put on the agenda."
Yang Shaofeng said with a smile, "The small shrimp business has already brought benefits to the people. When things like mackerel also turn into money, the people will be even more enthusiastic, and the development of salt fields and salt stoves will naturally follow."
Small dried shrimp can be ground into powder and mixed with shiitake mushroom powder to make a basic flavor enhancer.
Shrimp can be dried to make dried shrimp.
Mackerel, abalone, and other miscellaneous fish can be pickled and then dried into dried goods.
The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, as well as the Qin and Jin regions, were the target markets.
The only pity is that things like swimming crabs and oysters don't survive well out of seawater, and they're not easy to dry and store. Yang Shaofeng really couldn't think of a solution for the time being.
After careful consideration, Yang Shaofeng suddenly instructed Xu Jingyu: "Tell the people along the coast that next time they catch mantis shrimp, don't throw them back into the sea. Leave some of the big ones for me. Also..."
After glancing at Xu Jingyu, Yang Shaofeng turned his gaze to Limpy Five: "Have someone deliver a message to Zhou Jingxin, instructing him to spread rumors in the capital that I now particularly enjoy eating mantis shrimp, because these things are incredibly delicious, even better than abalone and shark fin."
Fishermen during the Ming Dynasty did not like mantis shrimp because they were likely to damage the fishing nets, were inconvenient to eat, and few people would buy them.
Therefore, fishermen usually throw mantis shrimp back into the sea after catching them, unless a family has pigs and takes them back to feed them.
A complete waste of resources.
If possible, Yang Shaofeng would prefer to turn mantis shrimp into dried goods as well—just select the larger ones, cook them, cut open the shells along both sides with scissors, take out the meat, and then sun-dry or bake it; this thing can become a delicacy.
Most importantly, the business of mantis shrimp requires a workshop to support it, which also means that a large number of women in Penglai County can be placed in the workshop to work.
Because food has no trouble selling.
The people of Dengzhou Prefecture certainly couldn't afford it, nor would they buy it, but the people of Ningyang County could afford it, and the gentry and merchants of Jiangnan could afford it even more.
By the way, should we give this thing a title like a tribute?
This official has shown filial piety to his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lao Deng and his mother-in-law have enjoyed good food, and the people of Penglai County have gained another way to make money. This is a win-win-win situation!