Wen Qiao came to Bianliang from Luoyang.
In the evening when Shao Xun had something to do as a secretary but had nothing to do as a secretary, he arrived at Cangyuan Station north of Bianliang.
Seeing that it was getting late and it seemed like it would rain in the evening, I stayed overnight at Chuanshe (Inn).
The entourage took out the recruitment order from the general's palace and the official seal of Wen Qiao's left army commander's consultation and wine ceremony. The post general who passed the house looked left and right, finally nodded and asked the mother-in-law to go to the kitchen to cook.
Wen Qiao looked at Cangyuan Station and saw that it seemed to have been renovated from a wealthy family's mansion.
People came and went, mostly those delivering letters.
Some were walking and riding horses, and the delivery must be urgent and required within a time limit.
Some of them walked briskly and delivered ordinary official letters, and their time requirements were not high.
Jian Bu was a soldier under the command of the post station, and they lived off the post farm of the post station, living a so-so life, just making ends meet.
The post general is the person in charge of the post station and is responsible for entertaining people who come and go on official business.
Wen Qiao chatted with him and found that he had arranged for his family and relatives to enter the inn.
Women and children helped cook, wash, and take care of the horses, strong men walked to deliver messages, and the old and weak plowed the post fields and cut fodder. He was responsible for the reception himself, and sometimes helped.
"Can you survive?" Before the meal was ready, Wen Qiao and General Yi were sitting under the jujube tree in the courtyard, chatting casually.
"There is plenty of land, so it's not bad," the post general replied.
"How much land does Cangyuanyi have?" Wen Qiao asked.
"There are three hectares, forty-two acres and fifty paces of land, cultivated by five families. Four hectares and seventy-two acres of grassland are used to herd horses and sheep." The post general said: "Some land was cleared in the county a while ago.
When I came out, I was given more than ninety acres of farmland. The small soil bag covered with miscellaneous trees to the southwest of the inn, about two or three acres of forest in front and behind it, and more than ten acres of ponds were also given to me."
"Will the government provide additional money?"
"It's given." The post general nodded, but didn't say how much he would give. It seemed that there was something for everyone, so if you had enough money, you would give more, and if you didn't, you would give less.
It is not easy to run an inn, and this thing is indispensable.
There was no post station, so it was very troublesome to deliver official documents. I heard that when the King of Donghai was appointed as the shepherd of Yanzhou, it took a lot of trouble to communicate with Luoyang. Some messengers were even caught while sleeping in the wild, and the secret messages were leaked.
While the two were talking, the rain fell again.
Not far away, an old woman was picking vegetables in the garden, and she sped up her action when she saw this.
A girl in her early twenties was picking up straw sandals under the eaves and quickly moved the finished shoes inside.
A young man came in with a bundle of firewood and ran very fast. Wherever he passed, old hens who were looking for food scattered in all directions.
"It's raining again!" Wen Qiao sighed.
The post general stopped talking and said, "Officials like sunny weather, but I like rain."
"Why?" Wen Qiao guessed something, but still asked.
"It is the time when the seedlings are growing, and there is enough rain to usher in a good harvest." The post general said, "The officials like the sunny weather because they can enjoy entertainment and gatherings."
Wen Qiao smiled bitterly, that was indeed what he said.
"You have calluses on your hands. Have you been a soldier?" Wen Qiao asked.
"I used to be a member of the Luoyang Central Army." The post general said, "Later I defected to Liang Gong and joined the Yamen Army. I fought in the north and south for several years and became the leader of the team. Unfortunately, I was injured. I breathed easily when I walked, so I couldn't.
Accompany Liang Gong until the end."
After saying that, the post general pointed to his chest and said: "I was hit by an arrow here. I'm pretty sure I'm not dead."
Wen Qiao was silent.
The old pawn was actually lucky. Liang Gong was nostalgic for the past and arranged a post general position for him. It was not an official position, but he had fifty acres of land. The family lived together day and night without exposing their bones to the wild, and their lives were not considered rich, but they lived a good life.
You have to go down, this is better than anything else.
"Actually, it's quite comfortable to grow fruits and vegetables in Cangyuan Station." The post general smiled and said: "I have cleared a slope of the two or three hectares of forest I just mentioned and planted it with melons. The official will come back next month
, I’ll treat you to a meal for free.”
"I'm afraid I won't be able to catch up next month." The rain became heavier and heavier. Wen Qiao got up and walked towards the house, smiling: "I smell the fragrance of spring sunflower. Is the food ready?"
"Okay! Corn rice, garden sunflowers, and spring leeks are all good to eat." The post general also stood up.
The standard of hospitality is actually very low, just a bowl of rice and fresh vegetables picked from the field. If there is more, you have to pay for it yourself.
But Wen Qiao enjoyed the food so much that he took out a handful of "Yongjia Tongbao" and asked the general to give some fruits and vegetables to his followers who were eating dry food under the eaves.
The postmaster accepted the money and agreed with a smile.
Wen Qiao finished eating three times, five times five times two times, and sighed with satisfaction.
After a long journey and feeling hungry, eating a bowl of fragrant corn rice with sunflower seeds and leeks is a simple pleasure that is even better than winning money in gambling.
Perhaps, there is another layer of happiness in my heart: this world was about to run towards the abyss, but it was pulled back bit by bit. The evidence is that the existence of this inn means that the situation in the countryside has improved overall.
Many people scolded Liang Gong. Wen Qiao felt that he deserved to be scolded, but some of his achievements were real. As a member of the Wen family in Taiyuan, he had served Liu Bingzhou for many years. He had seen many scenes where the country was destroyed and the family was destroyed. Some things
He took it relatively lightly.
To put it simply, some people have not suffered much from the Huns and do not think highly of Liang Gong’s achievements in sweeping away the Huns.
Wen Qiao has experienced this hardship, and his thoughts are slightly different.
Sneaking back to Taiyuan this time was risky, but he was willing.
One wanted to do something for Li Yuan in the world, while the other was more realistic - he looked down upon the interests in Taiyuan Township.
****
On May 11th, at noon, after being informed, Wen Qiao came to Fangzhou Pavilion to see Duke Liang.
Many people have gathered in the small courtyard next to Fangzhou Pavilion.
Wen Qiao took a rough look: Zhang Bin, the military counselor, Guo Rong, the former general of the Northern Campaign of Han Dynasty, Governor Longxiang, Liu Quan, the general of Heqing Town, Liu Zhao, the layman, Liu Da, the deputy governor of Yicong, and others who sneaked to the south.
Wen Qiao knew many of the representatives of various ethnic groups in Taiyuan.
"Taizhen." Many people saw him and came directly to say hello.
Wen Qiao returned the favor one by one.
The more than 20 people in the venue were directly divided into two circles and started chatting with each other.
Liu Quan, Liu Zhao, and Liu Da stood together, Wen Qiao stood with a group of old Taiyuan people, and Guo Rong chatted here for a while, then went there for a few words, and finally stood behind Zhang Bin.
He was from an old clan in Taiyuan, and was a close confidant of Shi Le and Shi Hu. He was able to establish connections with both parties.
After the city of Jijun was destroyed, his family was arrested. Shao Xun had people search for them and returned everything they could find. However, his wife had already been given to a meritorious soldier as a concubine. To compensate him, Zhao Lu's wife was directly transferred to the Huyan clan.
Give him a wife and give him some property.
If I can make meritorious deeds on this trip north, I will definitely get an official position.
Cai Cheng, the minister in the palace, walked over from a distance and whispered: "The Duke of Liang has arrived."
Everyone was in awe and ended the conversation.
After a while, a small boat docked at the shore. Liang Gong took Mrs. Liu's hand, and they talked and laughed and got ashore together.
Liu Quan, Liu Zhao, and Liu Da looked at each other, and they were all a little excited: It seems that the rumors are true, and Mr. Liang likes Mrs. Liu very much.
"See Mr. Liang." Everyone saluted.
Shao Xun returned the gift and said with a smile: "All the talents from Bingzhou are gathered here."
Everyone laughed together.
Mr. Liang said that you are a talented person, but that means you are truly talented.
"I'm going to Xuchang later. To make a long story short." Shao Xun pondered for a moment and said: "Last year, we had to fight against the locust plague for several months, which cost a lot of money. This year, there are many refugees who need to be resettled, and the cost is not small, but
We can finally take a breather. By next year, we may have a little more food and grass. Some things should be resolved."
Since the two-year and three-crop system, two years have been used as a unit. One year's harvest is more, and the other year's harvest is less. There are "big and small years". This year is a small year, and the next year is a big year.
Everyone waited quietly for what was to follow.
"In the past, there was a melee between the three kings in Chengdu, Changsha, and Hejian. Liu Yuanhai was lucky enough to escape and returned to Bingzhou, taking advantage of the chaos to start trouble. It has been fourteen years now." Shao Xun said: "Things must be resolved after all, and Jinyang is the first to bear the brunt.
"
"Liu Yao has only been here for more than a year. I don't believe how much food, grass and soldiers he can accumulate. After you go back, you can wait for a while and paralyze his will. After I have collected the food, grass and equipment, you can go north in a big way and hold them in front of the steps.
condemn."
"And you -" Shao Xun glanced at everyone and said: "You can come south to see me, which shows that you have the heart to correct yourself. Each one of you can be rewarded based on your merits. After Master Wang took Bingzhou, he was doing the Mid-Xia Dynasty in a dignified manner.
Isn’t it a bad official? Why should I be angry with the Huns again?”
"Taizhen is the general's military consultative and sacrificial wine, and I have a good reputation. I have also painted paintings for Liu Yue, and I am familiar with the people of Taiyuan. After returning to the north, I can negotiate with him on all matters, do you understand?"
"As ordered." Everyone responded in unison.
After the explanation, Shao Xun waved his hand and asked everyone to disperse, but left San Liu and Wen Qiao behind.
"Taizhen, if you have time, please contact Liu Yueshi." Shao Xun said: "I know he has ambitions, but if the situation is like this, you should conform to the times. There will be no benefit if you continue to toss. The Liu family in Zhongshan is a famous family.
Wouldn’t it be a pity if it was destroyed once?”
Wen Qiao sighed secretly, cupped his hands and said, "I will persuade him."
It is said that Duke Liang is generous and benevolent, but is he really so? He rarely takes action against wealthy families, but once he is allowed to grasp the situation, his methods are more cruel than those of Sima Yue and others.
It is a light thing to destroy a family, but it is not unheard of to exterminate a clan. However, Duke Liang’s actions were actually quite dark.
"The Liu family of Shangdang can be Austrian aid." Shao Xun pointed to the three Lius again and said: "Others may not believe it. Mr. Liu of Shangdang, General Liu of Heqing Town, Liu Sheren of the shogunate, and Lieutenant Governor Liu are all
As a minister of the country, you can be bold and trustworthy without any worries."
"Yes." Wen Qiao responded.
At the same time, he secretly glanced at San Liu, who was blushing, and Mrs. Liu, who was looking at Mr. Liang with watery eyes, and wondered when would barbarians be able to eat at the table?
However, there are more than 100,000 Jie people in Shangdang, Youzhou, and Jizhou, and there are tens of thousands more in Yong and Qin, and even in Hanzhong.
There are countless Wuhuan, Xianbei, Xiongnu, and Diqiang. If the affairs of the Hu people are not handled well, the north will not be able to be unified. There will be rebellions and wars every day.
Fighting against the Xiongnu was not a purely military battle. Wen Qiao had already thought about this issue.
At this time, Wen Qiao felt a little sorry for Mr. Liang.
All the long-standing evils since the Han Dynasty have been put into his hands. I really don’t know what to say.
Seeing that Shao Xun had nothing else to say, Wen Qiao bowed and left.
San Liu looked at Shao Xun with bright eyes.
Shao Xun walked up to Liu Ye first, and in her surprised eyes, he dusted off the remaining petals of the flower on her forehead and said, "When you are tired, go over there and take a rest. I will have someone pick the water chestnuts you like to eat."
"
Liu Ye hummed, his mood couldn't be better, and when he passed by San Liu, he stopped.
"Dog slave, listen carefully to Mr. Liang." Liu Yena straightened Liu Quan's robe like he did when he was a child, and said: "You are seventeen years old this year, and you can go into battle to capture enemy generals. When my aunt saw it, she only
Remember what happened when you were a child."
After Liu Quan heard this, his face showed admiration.
My aunt is actually only eight or nine years older than the three brothers, but her father was often absent when they were young, and their mother died young, so it was my aunt who brought them up.
They cried when my aunt married Shi Le eleven years ago.
They helped whoever their aunt asked them to help.
It's a pity that Mr. Liang is not really his uncle yet. It would be great if one day, his aunt can become Mr. Liang's wife, so that they can fight with more vigor.
"Li, my aunt will hand over the more than 10,000 people brought here to you first. Liang Gong has allocated a piece of land in Hanoi. You can take the people to graze first." Liu Ye looked at Liu Zhao again and said softly.
"Those are my aunt's tribe, how can I lead them?" Liu Zhao quickly declined.
"Auntie still has her followers. More than 4,000 people have come from Tuoba Daiguo." Liu Yena said, "You can lead them first and wait for Duke Liang's orders."
"That's fine." Liu Zhao nodded and said, "I'll take them with them first, practice them, and give them to my aunt and Mr. Liang's children in the future. I won't want them."
When he said this, he secretly looked at Shao Xun and felt relieved when he saw that there was nothing unusual on his face.
Liu Yena nodded, finally looked at Liu Da, and said: "Fudu, you don't even have any followers now, so you have to fight bravely."
Liu Da was still quite afraid of this cousin, so he responded: "I will do it."
Liu Yena said that he had no followers, which was not completely accurate, because he brought a considerable number of Jie cavalry to join the Yi Cong Army, so he had the title of deputy governor.
Besides, if you really can’t survive, can’t you return to Hebei and inherit the family property?
Uncle Liu Huezhu once had a deep talk with him and asked him to pay attention to making friends with Shi Le's old tribe, not for rebellion, but for better development under Liang Gong - the force is not strong in the first place, and if they are not united, they are afraid of being stepped on.
Gone into the mud.
Liu Dashen thought so.
Liang Gong's men are now composed of two major groups: warriors and gentry. Once he defeats the Xiongnu and marches into Guanxi, what will he do if he faces barbarians from various tribes everywhere?
It's impossible to kill, we can't kill them all. Half of the people in Guanzhong are barbarians, how can we kill them?
If he wants to regain the lost territory of Qin and Han, there will be even more Hu people. There are even many areas where there are no Han people anymore and they are all Hu people. Should he continue to kill them?
The current situation in the north has destined the issue of the Hu people to be unavoidable.
Either kill them all or collect them.
The incorporation involves the integration of Hu and Han, so it is necessary to separate some official positions, and the benefits will be even greater for those Hu people who were the first to join them. After all, they have to serve as role models.
Liu Da admired his uncle's knowledge very much and thought he could give it a try.
The Liang Dynasty that will surely be established in the future has a place for them.
Chapter completed!