NOVPUB"Ah? What guidance does Mr. Lin have?"
Startled by Zhao Douan's criticism, Princess Wen Zhu paused and responded with a smile.
As someone long-situated in high rank, few are willing to listen to dissenting voices, but Princess Wen Zhu was an exception. Having been close to the common people during her time in the Western Regions, she didn't mind a minor offense, especially since he was unaware of her identity.
Zhao Douan spoke earnestly,
"The more complex and longstanding the place where dragons and snakes mix, the more there is a set of rules in place. Just like this donation for relief, the intention is good, but whether it's coal or grains, getting them from high places into the hands of needy peasants is a tough problem."
"The poor are inherently weak, and sudden benefits can easily attract the envy of those around them, even if the local hooligans don't act, the greedy and jealous neighbors, or even hatred born from inequality..."
"As they say, worry is not about scarcity but about uneven distribution. How could such inherently poor people possibly hold on?"
"So, to achieve fairness, or to prevent neighbors from acting out of greed, poses another challenge..."
Since the encounter had unfolded suddenly, deviating from Zhao Douan's "script," he improvised to some extent.
Touched by the scene before him, or perhaps seeking to offer guidance...
He couldn't help but recall his past life, the various circumstances related to his work...
Even in his previous life, in an era with strong grassroots control, dealing with "donations" and "relief" still presented numerous challenges.
How much more so in this era of the Great Yu Dynasty, where grassroots needed "gang" power to compensate?
Zhao Douan spoke from the heart:
"Annual relief from the court, including donations from the rich in the Capital, and alms from temples, all follow a set procedure, passing through the hands of relevant government offices and many lower-level bureaucrats...
This process naturally involves embezzlement, and ten silvers, whittled down layer by layer, eventually leaving two or three silvers, is considered good.
But if you think about it, precisely because all levels are fed, they are willing to work hard to securely deliver what remains to these poor without it being stolen...
If you bypass these intermediaries, it seems you remove a layer, but you also lose their 'protection,' and the scene in this alley would not be surprising.
Thus, my lady, bypassing the government office and distributing directly could actually harm people."
He spoke fluently and incisively.
Notwithstanding that it was nothing new, merely an "internal cost" of human society.
However, to Princess Wen Zhu and other dignitaries, it was as if an axe had cleared the fog before their eyes.
Princess Wen Zhu suddenly realized her oversight.
While routine in the Western Regions, she had overlooked the differences between the Western Regions and the Great Yu.
Now pointed out, her gentle face first showed astonishment, then regret and realization:
"What you say is very true..."
She laughed self-deprecatingly, "In vain I... have aged, yet not as perceptive as Mr. Lin." 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝔲𝔟.𝔠𝖔𝖒
During their conversation, her gaze towards Zhao Douan altered.
If initially, Zhao Douan's intervention merely displayed a "heroic spirit" she admired, now this simple critique revealed a "wisdom" that understood worldly affairs.
Subconsciously, she wondered which prominent "Lin" families there were in the Capital, but having lived long in the Western Regions, she couldn't recall any prominent families named Lin.
It seemed he was not from a great family, yet his performance was such... The Capital indeed housed hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
The Princess, long married away, now felt additional surprise and curiosity towards Zhao Douan.
"As Mr. Lin said, what should we do?" Princess Wen Zhu humbly sought advice.
Zhao Douan maintained a natural demeanor:
"For things already distributed, we can only proceed as we have. If we are to provide further relief, the best way is to go directly to small and large charity institutions in East City... At the very least, it involves much less deduction than disbursing funds from the Ministry of Revenue."
Princess Wen Zhu's gaze flickered:
"Mr. Lin seems so familiar with this, you must know of good charity institutions to donate to, could you tell which ones are reliable? We would be immensely grateful."
"That so..."
Zhao Douan feigned difficulty, hesitated slightly, and said,
"I also came to East City today to make a small donation. If you trust me, my lady, we could go together; it's nearby."
Princess Wen Zhu nodded happily: "Thank you, Young Master."
Unexpectedly simple... Zhao Douan suddenly felt the several strategies he prepared before coming, to get close to her, were unnecessary.
He turned back to his three subordinates still tidying up the mess in the alley and said:
"Shen Er, you stay behind to handle the aftermath, properly teach these ruffians a lesson. Little Rou, Hou Da, let's go."
The nicknamed trio immediately sprang into action.
Ke Rou gathered the scattered buns onto a sieve filled with coal, crouched down gently before a small girl with a smile:
"Take these."
Then, she gathered the scattered coins, added some from her pocket, and carefully placed them into the dirty, skinny little girl's pocket:
"Take it slow on the way back, don't worry, they won't bother you again."
Not skilled in speaking, the small girl, intimidated by the adults, trembled, lowering her eyes, not daring to receive.
Ke Rou slightly pursed her lips, adjusted the girl's clothes, and said earnestly:
"Don't worry, what my master gives, no one dares to take; that would be looking down on my master."
These calm words carried a deterrent force.
"Thank... thank you..." the little girl stuttered, frequently looking back, fearfully clutching the sieve as she ran off.
