Ying Fuliang was even more curious about this, as it was important experimental data.
Yunyin thought that he had mentioned it casually in his youth when he heard a dispute between neighbours in his father's yamen, he didn't think it would help him so much today.
Since it was his idea, he knew everything about it and told the minister that they employed a strategy of neighbours choosing respected people in their neighbourhood to become the neighbourhood mediator.
He didn't hold much authority but mainly mediated between people to solve small issues.
Later on, there was a year of bad harvest, so remembering this mediator, they directly gave him subsidies to manage and distribute among the neighbours, leading people to help each other and share burdens together.
There was little control over this, so how did it still end up working?
In fact, the situation of people ganging up on a few was rare. So when the respected elder was suspected of embezzlement, the neighbours would call for a Yamen Official and together they would storm into his house and question him.
Mortals' skills are lower than the ability of officials, so the truth was easily found and the neighbours could directly choose a new respected person.
From then on, the respected people became more careful, and people understood that this was a position that earned some money, more suitable for senior members, who understood the currents and didn't have great desire, especially the seniors without family members.
Fuliang listened to this and nodded – indeed, for a magistrate, this was a good strategy. But for them, managing a whole province, he could see various faults in this plan. He didn't intend to take this approach, but it would give him something to compare with other things, something that would help him a lot.
Yunyin saw this and didn't say much, but when he was asked about his county, he answered that his clan's county was based in the Yangling Province in the southwest.
Fuliang added this information too, as it was a major variable. The south had lush greens and didn't have many issues with famines. They had other issues, banditry being a major concern, but this wasn't important for now.
His mind concentrated on various things and finally concluded in the end that he could indeed consider this approach. But to do so, he would have to return to the province and remain there for at least a week.
A thought struck him, "Official Yunyin, this idea is indeed excellent!
The province will consider using it, and we will see in the future whether we can write it into a book and pass it on to other ministries.
Our Ministry of Revenue has always worked well together – when one provincial ministry finds a new way to solve a problem, we will record it and pass it on to the other ministries and put a copy into the capital's grand ministries' library.
This idea stems originally from you, but in the end the execution will be different.
Such an approach always had three positions of honour: the overseeing minister or assistant minister, the executing director who performed the best, and the one who proposed this idea. I will ensure that you may gain the last honour!"
Yunyin's eyes widened, as he hadn't heard of this yet! Indeed, he saw books recording solutions in the Grand Ministry Library, but he didn't know they were related and had honours!
The importance of honours was that an official required three honours to reach the sixth stage! With an honour to his name, he already had half a step to the eighth stage!
He didn't expect his idea to lead to such a huge effect.
"Thank you, Assistant Minister Fuliang, for this honour!" he said seriously, the most serious he had been since he entered the courtyard!
"Haha, no need, no need for thanks. This is originally your idea, so it's just custom." Fuliang chuckled and waved his hand, yet Yunyin knew this wasn't the case at all.
Any other minister would probably think of transferring the honour to someone else, someone of their camp or someone who traded for it. He didn't know if it was because this was the Ministry of Revenue or because it was Assistant Minister Ying Fuliang specifically, but he would definitely remember this favour!
Fuliang didn't mind their distance in might, else he wouldn't have been so welcoming to Yunyin. So, he directly asked him about a few more details, wanting to know more, and also introducing various scenarios and asking for Yunyin's opinion.
Obviously such situations were fine tuning, but in case of the province, this fine tuning was extremely important, as every small mistake could lead to hundreds or thousands of victims.
Just as they were talking, the steward came over and whispered something to Fuliang, his head quite a distance away, yet Yunyin couldn't hear the whispers at all, only seeing his mouth move, thinking to himself that he should learn how to interpret mouth movements.
"Official Yunyin, it seems other business has arrived." Fuliang stood up, then said kindly, "Drink the tea and come again when you have time, young talents like you are always welcome!"
He truly appreciated Yunyin's insight, not to mention that he also wanted to put him into his camp at this opportune moment!
While they were talking, a differently dressed Yueling came over. She overheard her father say this and walked forward, her hand holding a scroll.
"Scholar Jie, please accept my gift before you depart! You helped me, so I shall also return the favour and give you my poem!
While it isn't insight, it has its own benefits."
"Thank you, Miss Ying, for this!" Yunyin truly thanked her, furling out the scroll to read its content – it was the same as before, the strokes neat, carrying a hidden strength yet an outward appearance, strikingly similar to the woman before him.
Reading the words, he felt his own legs twitching slightly, as if he was about to transform into a dragon leaping and flying in the sky!
"And… if Scholar Jie has time, please visit the courtyard more often! As Scholar Jie said, talking and interchanging between scholars is very important!" she said the last part slightly shyly and unsure.
"How could I reject the invitation of a fellow scholar to discuss ideas?" Yunyin naturally accepted the invitation.
Assistant Minister Fuliang, ignored by both sides, actually smiled when he saw this interaction…