Chương 548: Population Surge in Luoyang

"My lords! I am changing the time of the court session not so that I can be lazy, but for your health!"

He stood up, walked down the steps, came to Yang Biao, shook his hand, and spoke with a sincerity that could have been theatrical:

"Look at Yang Biao, he's over fifty years old, yet he gets up at three in the morning every day and walks to court in the dark. Last month, it rained, the road was slippery, and Lord Yang almost fell into a pit, didn't he? When I heard about it, my heart skipped a beat. If anything happened to Lord Yang, how could I explain it to the world?"

Yang Biao opened his mouth, then nodded, still shaken by what had happened that day.

"And then there's Kong Rong. Last month, he got up too early, it was too dark to see the road, and he bumped his head into a tree, injuring his head. He was bedridden for half a month. It broke my heart to see him like that! You are all pillars of the court, the backbone of the Han Dynasty. If you all collapse from exhaustion and fall ill, who will govern the country for me?"

"Besides, look at all of you, with dark circles under your eyes and your heads all foggy. What can you possibly handle? Last month, in a memorial I approved, an official wrote 'three thousand shi' as 'three thousand shi.' If this continues, it's no wonder the court is in chaos!"

He patted Yang Biao on the shoulder and said earnestly:

"I changed the time to nine in the morning so that you can get a good night's sleep, eat your fill, and come to court refreshed. This will improve efficiency and reduce mistakes. This is not neglecting state affairs; it is being responsible to the government, to your health, and to the people!"

His words were so sincere and heartfelt that the old ministers were all stunned.

Yang Biao touched his still aching lower back and, recalling the pain of getting up in the dark every morning, his resolve wavered.

Kong Rong rubbed his head, which he had once injured, and he still avoided that tree when he passed by.

Huangfu Song suddenly stepped forward, tears streaming down his face, his voice choked with emotion:

"Your Majesty is so kind to us, I am deeply grateful! I am getting old and can no longer get up before dawn every day. Last time I went to court, I fell asleep while walking and almost bumped into a pillar."

If it weren't for General Zhang pulling me back, this old man would be done for. Your Majesty has made excellent changes! Excellent changes! I can finally get a good night's sleep!

With Huangfu Song taking the lead, the other veteran officials also echoed his sentiments.

That's how people are; once someone takes the lead, everyone follows.

"I second that! Your Majesty is right; health is the foundation of governance!"

"I second that! Last month, I got up too early and wore my official robes inside out. I only realized it at court; it was so embarrassing!"

"I'm in an even worse situation; I held the tablet upside down..."

Liu Ce pressed on, saying, "Moreover, although there are fewer regular court sessions, you can still submit memorials at any time if there is anything, and I will read them every day. For urgent matters, there is no distinction between day and night; even if I am sleeping or eating, you can come to the palace to see me."

This way, it won't delay things, and it will allow you to recover your health. Why not? I'm not the kind of incompetent ruler who ignores state affairs.

The veteran officials looked at each other, and saw joy in each other's eyes.

Some people are already planning that they can finally sleep in a few more hours tomorrow morning.

Finally, Yang Biao sighed, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty's compassion for us is deeply appreciated. We... we obey your decree. Your Majesty is wise!"

"Your Majesty, we obey your decree! We thank you for your great favor!"

All the officials bowed in unison, their voices filled with barely suppressed joy.

Cheng Yaojin was the happiest, his mouth almost stretched to his ears.

Several young officials even secretly high-fived each other, only to be glared at by the older officials next to them, and quickly stopped themselves.

Liu Ce chuckled to himself: "Heh heh, finally I don't have to get up at 3 a. m. anymore, I can sleep in! See? In the end, they're the ones thanking me. That's what you call helping them and them thanking you—that's the highest level!"

...

With the morning assembly schedule settled, let's get down to business.

Fang Xuanling stepped forward, his face bearing a solemn expression:

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present. Since Your Majesty established the capital in Luoyang and implemented the new policies, the empire has been at peace, and the people are living in prosperity. People from all over the country have returned to their hometowns, members of the imperial family have moved to Luoyang, and gentry, merchants, and artisans from all over the country have also flocked to Luoyang. In just six months, the population of Luoyang has surged from 400, 000 to 800, 000!"

"hiss--!"

A collective gasp filled the hall, as if a giant dragon were inhaling.

Many officials were stunned. They only felt that Luoyang had become increasingly crowded recently, with people everywhere on the streets, but they did not expect that the population had actually doubled!

You know, a city of 400, 000 people is already crowded enough, so what does 800, 000 people mean?

"My God, 800, 000 people? How big is Luoyang? How can it possibly hold them all?"

"No wonder the roads to court have been so congested lately; even the carriages can't move. What used to take two quarters of an hour to get to the palace now takes half an hour!"

"My neighbor, who used to live in one house, has now divided it into three rooms, housing three different families. The kitchen has been converted into a bedroom, so we have to cook in the yard. When it rains, we have to use umbrellas to cook, and the fumes make us cough!"

"My family is even worse off. My three sons are all married, and our whole family of over ten people are crammed into a small courtyard. We argue every single day!"

An official shouted, his voice filled with helplessness, "Yesterday, the third and second sons fought over the outhouse, almost coming to blows. They even overturned my table! Food was spilled all over the floor, and my wife cried for ages!"

This caused everyone to burst into laughter, but after the laughter subsided, they all wore bitter smiles.

Isn't that how it is in every household?

Fang Xuanling paused for a moment, then continued, "Nowadays, Luoyang is already overcrowded. The narrowest parts of the streets between the neighborhoods are only five feet wide. Last time, two carriages met head-on in an alley, and neither was willing to give way, causing a traffic jam for a whole hour. In the end, it was the patrolling soldiers who had to come and mediate."

"In ordinary households, five or six people are crammed into a small room, and they have to sleep on their side, because if they turn over, they might hit the person next to them. There are also hundreds of thousands of people who have nowhere to live and can only build thatched huts near the canal wharf in the south of the city. They stretch for several miles, with sewage flowing everywhere and a terrible stench. Last month, there was a dysentery outbreak, and several people died.

I went to see it, and there were more flies than people in that place."

"What's even more serious is the rise in housing prices and rents. In the past, a thatched hut in Luoyang only cost 100 coins a month, but now it has risen to 500 coins; a small house with a courtyard used to cost 3, 000 coins a month, but now it has risen to 20, 000 coins."

"Our ordinary soldiers in the Imperial Guard only receive eight hundred coins a month. After renting a place, there's not even enough left for food. Many soldiers have to share a room with others, several people crammed into one room, unbearably hot in the summer and unbearably cold in the winter..."