Governor Duan didn’t expect Bai Shan to ask about this matter and sighed, not hiding anything, "Because the governor’s office has limited funds, I have ordered the removal of the post stations that could be dismantled along the way."

Actually, they weren’t dismantled, just closed, because dismantling them would also cost money. Keeping them might save some money for future use when needed.

If it were other officials, Governor Duan would have shown some decency, but in front of Zhou Man and the others, Governor Duan was quite shameless.

Firstly, all of them are close to the Emperor, and crying poverty could let the Emperor know that Liangzhou is very poor and in urgent need of support;

Secondly, they are all part of the Crown Prince’s faction, rounding it up, they are essentially our own people. Since they are our people, naturally we need to let them know if we face difficulties.

Hence, Governor Duan focused intently on crying poverty to Bai Shan and Mr. Zhuang, even Bai Erlang, Yin Huo, and others beside them were stunned to hear it.

Liangzhou is very poor, evident in all aspects.

Under Liangzhou’s jurisdiction, there used to be a fertile paddy field region, not very large, but the government still managed to collect some taxes from it annually, and the people could barely sustain themselves.

But in the last two years, there’s been less rain in Liangzhou, and that paddy field area is next to a lake, with two lakes not far apart, with rivers and ditches drawing water from the lake to the paddy fields.

The farmland was originally at a distance from the lake to prevent soil erosion into the lake, otherwise, the lake would shrink.

As a result, first, there was a drought in the past two years, reducing yield, and then last year, many small pests appeared, making the grain yield even worse.

Beyond that piece of land, other places have only scattered fields, not enough even for subsistence, let alone for taxes.

Other than that, it’s all pastoral land.

The taxes from herders were originally not low, but there was a snow disaster last year, as well as an epidemic, and the court’s medicinal aid never reached Liangzhou.

So Liangzhou had to take responsibility for treating the smallpox patients themselves.

The prescriptions were sent from the capital, but buying medicine requires money, and the patients’ food and drink, including their families’, also need money.

Otherwise, if they didn’t die from smallpox, but from hunger and cold, that would also be a major failure in his governance performance.

So when Governor Duan did the year-end accounts, he found he had no money left.

It would have been something if there were no money, but in the urgency of the situation, he temporarily diverted taxes and donations meant to be submitted to the court, intending to use the excuse of traveling through epidemic areas to delay a bit, and then delay a bit more with the snow disaster as an excuse...

Anyway, things like this, these remote regional authorities often do, and it usually ends without any consequences.

The Great Jin is vast, and places north and west of Xiazhou basically don’t collect taxes, not even self-sufficient, and the Ministry of Revenue occasionally has to provide aid, just needing to present some tribute or gifts to the Emperor during festivals.

Governor Duan had done this many times, and he indeed succeeded this time. Soon after spring began, his words proved prophetic as it snowed again in the north, and it was quite heavy, causing great losses to Liangzhou, with many newly born lambs freezing to death in the herders’ households, even mature sheep froze to death.

Adding the losses from the smallpox epidemic, Liangzhou simply couldn’t recover.

So Governor Duan submitted a letter to plead guilty and cry poverty, implying that the taxes and donations prepared for transport to the capital were gone, and to combat the snow disaster and smallpox, he had no choice but to divert funds, but it’s still not enough, asking for national support.

Then the Ministry of Revenue sent a document expressing understanding of his diversion of tax funds, knowing this year was exceptional, but they must make it up in the future, and casually mentioning that Liangzhou has missed tax submissions for three out of the past eight years, and this is the fourth time, hoping they could make it all up at once in the future.

The Ministry of Revenue refused the request for help from Liangzhou, additionally stating that the ministry itself was struggling greatly due to the pandemic, the national treasury had paid a huge price, and now in early spring, all regions need money, and currently, no money can be allocated to Liangzhou, hoping they could hold on themselves, open source, and reduce expenditure, blah blah...

In short, there’s no money.

Governor Duan sighed, "So, I called back all the post station people; there’s really no money. Besides the post station, I also reduced the number of people at some checkpoints."

The post stations kept running, not only requiring food and drink for the Post Station Steward and attendants but also charcoal and other things, as well as feed for the horses.

If passing through are merchants or private individuals, it’s alright; they could barely earn some, even if not turning a profit, they might offset some expenses. But if it’s officials like Zhou Man, not only wouldn’t they receive money, they would have to take care of their food and drink, and fodder for livestock, etc.

The expenses would be enormous.

So Governor Duan simply called everyone back and closed the post stations. But he was still poor, so he urgently needed help from the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

He gazed intently at Bai Shan.

Bai Shan: ...he was just curiously asking about it, after all, they could have stayed at post stations every day before. Even without hot water for a bath, at least there was hot food, but all the way through, from passing Huaiyuan, they had been camping outdoors.

Money matters, the Emperor cannot decide alone, and the Ministry of Revenue probably wasn’t wrong, other places might need subsidies more than Liangzhou.

So his gaze swept to Liu Huan.

Liu Huan immediately lowered his head as if he didn’t know anything.

Bai Shan could only say that if there was a chance, he would report to the Crown Prince.

Governor Duan breathed a sigh of relief, but Bai Shan couldn’t help but ask, "Does Liangzhou not have any local products that could be traded with the outside world? I remember there being iron mines in Liangzhou."

Governor Duan showed a complicated expression and said, "The iron mines in Liangzhou were sold back in the Dade years."

That was during the late Emperor’s time; Bai Shan understood, that period was chaotic indeed. Liangzhou would be Great Jin’s one day, perhaps the Turks’ the next, and maybe Tubo’s the day after.

Great Jin must have lacked money after occupation, so they simply sold the iron mines to local noble families.

Great Jin might not hold onto Liangzhou, but local noble families should be able to hold onto their iron mines, and even if they couldn’t, it’s fine, as Great Jin took the money, the loss wouldn’t be theirs.

Who would have thought that after His Majesty ascended the throne, he gradually stabilized the situation, not only retaking Liangzhou but expanding the territory, reclaiming places originally belonging to other tributary states, ahem, couldn’t possibly go back on their word and reclaim the iron mines, could they?

The place also needs to be long-term stable.

Bai Shan didn’t dare to blindly give advice and could only say, "Perhaps you could seek some donations from them, at least get through this year first."

Governor Duan didn’t plan to lower his dignity to ask those people for help just yet, waiting for aid from the court, and if not forthcoming, would consider.

Manbao had finished treating Old Madam Duan; she had rheumatism, so in cold or rainy weather, her legs and bones would ache, which didn’t have a very good solution. Manbao administered a set of acupuncture and prescribed footbath and oral medicines.

She said, "I wonder if there is a doctor proficient in acupuncture in Liangzhou City. If so, I will leave a set of acupuncture techniques, and they can administer it to the old madam once every ten days, along with medication, the effect will be a lot better."

The Old Madam felt much better now, with a warmth in her legs, not as uncomfortable as before, and immediately said, "It would be best if Imperial Doctor Zhou could leave the prescriptions, we will then go invite a doctor."

This set of acupuncture mainly targets the lower limbs, and since the Old Madam was getting on in years, even a male doctor could attempt it.

It’s just that the back part is inconvenient, the Old Madam hesitantly asked, "Is there an acupuncture method that doesn’t involve the back?"

Manbao thought and said, "I can simplify it, but the effect won’t be as good as this set of techniques."

The Old Madam sighed with regret but still accepted. Rolling up the trousers was manageable, but lifting her garments in front of a male doctor was not acceptable.