Chapter 238: The Eunuchs of the Supervising Army Patrol
Therefore, if you work hard, you will earn money. If people want to live a better life, there are other ways.
"Besides, our family has also reclaimed a few small pieces of wasteland. After the harvest in autumn, isn't it money?" the wife continued to add.
Zhang Bang nodded, with a smile on his face.
Since his wife has affirmed his value as the pillar of the family, he should work hard, endure more hardships and suffer more, and his life will get better and better, even if it will be much slower.
To win the favor of rice is to win the hatred of rice.
Raising the salary too high all of a sudden, the temporary cheers and support means that there is no room for kindness, and even if something unexpected happens in the future, it will lead to resentment.
Taking your time will not only allow the people to live a prosperous life, but also leave room for further discounts in the future. This is good for both parties.
……………
The sun shines on my body, making me feel warm and comfortable.
Looking at the peppers and tomatoes planted all over the yard, Axiu felt even more beautiful. She wiped the sweat on her forehead and showed a happy smile.
"Madam, please take a rest." Sister-in-law Sun greeted her, but she continued to use broken bricks to surround the vegetable garden.
"I'm not tired." Axiu replied with a smile, breaking up a few pieces of dirt with a hoe, "It will be done soon, just water it again."
Sister-in-law Sun quickly said: "Let Liu Yan and Brother Gui do the watering. We have agreed with them and will be back from the fields soon."
A Xiu didn't show any force and said: "Then go and cook, let them finish their meal, and then water the water in the afternoon."
"I'll be ready soon." Sister-in-law Sun said, "It's just a few bricks away."
At this time, Rong'er came back and hurriedly stepped forward to help Sister Sun lay the bricks. But looking at the girl's face, she seemed to have been wronged outside.
"What's wrong, Ronger?" Axiu asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Ronger shook her head and said, "I'm not uncomfortable, I'm just unhappy."
"Who messed with our Rong'er?" Sister-in-law Sun said seriously: "You are really short-sighted. Don't you know that Rong'er is General Guo's sister?"
The teasing words made Rong'er a little happy. She puffed up her chest and said, "No one dares to mess with me. It's just that I didn't get first place in the exam today."
Hi! Axiu and Sister-in-law Sun looked at each other and couldn't help laughing.
"If you don't get first place, then you will be second!" Axiu reached out and touched Ronger's head and said with a smile: "Ronger is really awesome, I will give you a delicious treat at noon."
"The first place will be rewarded with five cents!" Ronger pouted and said, "This is the rule set by Brother Jing, and the second place will only be rewarded with three cents."
Axiu really didn't know about this, but she didn't care too much. She said, "It's only two cents short. I'll make up for it for you." After saying that, he took out the military stamps from his pocket.
Rong'er chuckled, reached out to take it, and promised Axiu: "I will definitely come first in the exam next time and get back more of the money Brother Jing paid."
"Okay, okay." Axiu patted Ronger's small shoulder, counted out a few military tickets to her, and said, "Go to the shop and buy half a catty of wine for Uncle Sun and Uncle Wang to relieve their fatigue."
Ronger agreed wholeheartedly, went to the kitchen to get an empty bottle, and ran out, still thinking about the newly arrived candied fruits.
This residential area is just newly built, but it is still different from the villages. Most of the residents are the families of military officers, as well as the stewards of the workshops and many craftsmen.
According to Guo Dajing's classification, these residents all belong to the non-agricultural population, and this place will continue to expand and become a large town.
Dalian can't just change its name, but it still looks like a small village. Many hotels and shops have been built in the port area, and they will be merged together in the future.
"I heard that the people who moved from Guanglu Island live not far away, only twenty or thirty miles away, and the village is still called Guanglu Village!" Sister-in-law Sun felt that Axiu was a little uncomfortable with moving to this new place.
, he reminded me kindly.
Axiu nodded and said: "This place is much bigger than the island. With the fields, everyone's life will definitely be better than before. Besides, everyone should be very busy now, so I can't disturb them."
Sister-in-law Sun knew that Axiu was a bit introverted and didn't want to show up in public, so she could just remind him. It was not up to her to decide whether to listen or not.
After all, Axiu still had a grudge against her broken arm, and felt a little embarrassed that she was doing nothing while her fellow villagers were busy working.
There are Sisters-in-law Sun and Sister-in-law Wang, as well as Rong'er and Xiucheng, plus Fujino Hide, his daughter and Ah Qiao, so there is no loneliness in this big house.
She is very satisfied with her days of growing small vegetable gardens, learning to read and write, making a few more pairs of shoes for men, or going out for a walk occasionally.
The only thing that made her feel inadequate was that her stomach was still and she couldn't add a son and a half to the Guo family to make the house more lively.
Mrs. Wang came back in time for cooking, dug up fresh wild vegetables, boiled them in boiling water, and mixed them with the chili oil at home. The fragrance was fragrant.
Compared with most of the seasonings in ordinary people's homes, which are just salt, Guo Dajing's home has much richer ingredients, including oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar. The meaty ingredients include dried fish, as well as Jinhua ham and Jiangnan bacon sent by the Lin family.
Guo Dajing was promoted to the rank of staff general, with a rank of third rank, and a monthly salary of twenty-six dan.
According to the yield per mu at that time: three shi per mu for top-grade fields, two shi and five for top-grade fields, two shi for medium-grade fields, and one shi for low-grade fields. The average was approximately two shi per mu. Guo Dajing was equivalent to a farmer who planted more than 100 shi per mu.
Income from acres of land.
Therefore, the salary alone is enough for the family to eat and drink, although not all the food distributed by the court is rice.
Besides, Guo Dajing has extra money and doesn't expect salary or wages. It's not surprising that his family's conditions are good.
But good things have their limits. Guo Dajing left a lot of military votes, and Hide Fujino also knew not to be too ostentatious.
Therefore, it is impossible to feast on fish, meat, and delicacies all day long. It is just a higher level than simple meals, and it does not mean that there is meat and fish every day.
The food was ready, but Sister-in-law Sun and Sister-in-law Wang refused to sit at the same table with Axiu and others. They took some food, as well as the wine Rong'er bought, and went back to the front yard to eat with their men.
Alas! There is no more time for folks and neighbors to sit together, laugh, eat and drink.
Axiu didn't force it. Although she sighed in her heart, she still understood the thoughts of Aunt Sun, Aunt Wang and others.
The concept of superiority and inferiority is deeply rooted. Although Guo Dajing has always been so approachable, Axiu did not regard herself as an official wife.
"Sister Xiu, I'm going to the port store with Sister Ying tomorrow." Rong'er held some dishes for A Xiu and said with a flattering smile, "Whether you go or not, just relax."
Axiu thought for a while, shook her head and said, "My husband said that she is the master of the outside world and I am the master of the home. If I go, I'm afraid she will have other ideas."
"I have no idea. I will talk to you about this when she comes back." Ronger said nonchalantly: "It's good to look at the scenery over there by the sea. Staying at home all the time will make you bored."
Axiu lowered her eyes and did not answer immediately. She didn't want to relax or play. She didn't feel bored at home.
Li Xiucheng glanced at his sister and said, "Sister, you might as well go and have a look. If she takes the initiative to invite you, you don't have to refuse."
Axiu nodded slightly and said, "Okay, let's go take a look. There won't be anything wrong tomorrow."
Her brother must be interested in her, and Axiu is also helpless in this regard. If Fujinohide takes the initiative to invite him and follows the trend, it can be regarded as giving her face and establishing a good relationship.
"Sister, I want to buy some books." Li Xiucheng said to his sister with some hesitation: "Since my brother-in-law is not here, I will ask Hide Fujino to help me!"
The library is on Guanglu Island, but it has not been relocated. Guo Dajing originally planned to open several more in Jinzhou, and had asked Wu Jiucheng to search for books on Shandao, but he had not told anyone yet.
"You -" Axiu originally wanted to ask Fujino Hide directly, but she swallowed the words and changed her words: "Okay, sister, go tell her and write down the name of the book."
Axiu is not stupid either. She has already noticed that her brother has some grudge against Fujino Hide, and she should be feeling unfair for herself. In fact, even she herself does not want the man to have another woman. Gu Qi
However, given his official position, it is normal for his husband to take concubines, and he is still so kind to himself.
"If my brother-in-law can get a title granted by the court, my sister will be the official wife and no one else will." Li Xiucheng said pointedly: "My brother-in-law is fighting so hard to gain a title as his wife, right?"
Axiu smiled and said, "As long as he is safe, that's fine. I don't have that much extravagant hope."
Li Xiucheng blinked and said no more. He finished the porridge, pushed the bowl away and said, "I'm done eating. I'm going back to my room to study."
Looking at Li Xiucheng's leaving figure, Rong'er wrinkled her nose and said, "It's so boring to read those things. Do you really want to take the exam to get the top prize?"
Axiu laughed twice, but in her heart she hoped that her brother could study hard and be successful in the future. When studying to be an official, even ordinary people also hope that the smoke coming from their ancestral graves will make them a champion!
……………….
Golden State Acropolis.
"General Guo knows how to read and write, but he doesn't let go of the scroll when he fights back?" Fang Zhenghua expressed a little surprise.
It's fair to say that he can read and decipher, and Fang Zhenghua has heard about it, but he can't let go of the scroll. Isn't it a bit exaggerated for a general?
Could it be that the Ming Dynasty has another famous general like Marshal Qi, who can turn the tide and defeat the enemy?
Liu Xingzuo nodded with a smile and said: "When Eunuch Fang saw General Guo and talked with him, he realized that he had extensive knowledge and was indeed a general with both wisdom and courage."
"The Zajia are convinced of the talents of generals." Fang Zhenghua sat up straight and said: "From the war to aid Korea to now, General Guo has participated in several major victories in Dongjiang Town, and even took the most credit. Isn't that right?
?”
"General Guo did play a very important role." Liu Xingzuo still spoke very well, "but the victory was achieved through bloody battles by all the soldiers in Dongjiang Town."
Fang Zhenghua understood that this was just the art of speaking. His guess was right. Guo Dajing must have contributed the most to several great victories, and was even indispensable.
"General Liu and General Guo have been together for the longest time, so they must know each other very well." Fang Zhenghua changed the subject and asked: "There are many praises, but they must be true."
Liu Xingzuo smiled and said: "Eunuch Fang, you can ask around to see if the general is telling lies. General Guo has come from a small soldier all the way, all based on his solid military exploits, it is not a fluke."
"The Miscellaneous Family heard that General Guo is also good at business management?" Fang Zhenghua said euphemistically: "He has good relationships with wealthy businessmen and has raised a lot of money for Dongjiang Town."
Liu Xingzuo pondered for a moment and said: "It is the late emperor's will to allow Dongjiang Town to raise money through business. Otherwise, how can hundreds of thousands of Liao people survive?"
"The Zajia are not saying that General Guo is not doing business right." Fang Zhenghua waved his hand with a smile and said, "Dongjiang Town is located in a remote location overseas, and the supply of food, wages and materials is difficult, so the imperial court is so lenient."
"Looking at the equipment and weapons in Dongjiang Town now, they are all very sophisticated, and only Zajia can admire them so much." Fang Zhenghua continued: "General Guo is good at dancing, which is admirable."
Liu Xingzuo was not very clear about Fang Zhenghua's thoughts, so he stopped talking and said: "The captives are all cavalry and can be fought or retreated. Even if our army wins, it will be difficult to expand the results. We also lack horses to form cavalry. So far, we only have
A thousand riders.”
Fang Zhenghua nodded, and said with a look of deep understanding: "The Zajia family will report to the court to let Long live know the many difficulties of the Dongjiang Army."
"General, thank you very much, Eunuch Fang." Liu Xingzuo cupped his hands and said, "General Guo is inspecting various strongholds in front, and he doesn't know when he will be able to return. Eunuch-"
Fang Zhenghua said: "The Zajia will leave for Bisha City tomorrow and stay for two days after inspection. If General Guo returns late, the Zajia will return to Lushun Fort."
Liu Xingzuo stood up and resigned, and went to arrange food and drinks for the supervisors. He also sent someone to notify the defenders of Beisha City, and also sent a message to Guo Dajing.
On Guanglu Island, Liu Xingzuo knew Guo Dajing's attitude towards the eunuch Zhao Guang. What he hoped most was that Fang Zhenghua would not see Guo Dajing, so as to avoid any conflicts.
Of course, he didn't know why Guo Dajing dared to be so polite to Zhao Guang in the first place. If the new emperor hadn't suddenly ascended the throne and recalled the eunuchs and imperial guards, this matter would not have been so good.
After Liu Xingzuo left, only Fang Zhenghua and a few followers were left in the room. Fang Zhenghua gently sipped his tea with a thoughtful expression.
After a long while, Fang Zhenghua drove away the others, leaving only two Jin Yiwei who had been on Guanglu Island.
"I'm telling you, father-in-law, that Guo Dajing is indeed proficient in writing and calligraphy." Jiang Baohe bowed and said without waiting for a question, "But the handwriting is so poorly written that it is difficult to read."
Shen Zonggui also hurriedly echoed: "I have seen him writing in humble positions, holding a goose feather. To say that he can't let go of the scroll is really an exaggeration."
"Goose feathers? Writing?" Fang Zhenghua couldn't help but roll his eyes, wanted to laugh but held back, and said: "For a military general, it is already very good to be able to read and write. As for not letting go of the scroll, Liu Xingzuo must have praised it casually."
After a pause, he continued: "Is it true that Guo Dajing made friends with wealthy businessmen?"
Jiang Baohe said: "There are many merchants coming and going to Dongjiang Town, all for ginseng, fur and other Liaodong specialties. There is a merchant named Lin who has been to Guanglu Island."
Fang Zhenghua narrowed his eyes slightly and asked: "The Za family heard that the imperial court cut off food and salary for several months, and they relied entirely on Guo Dajing's loans to raise funds, so that people did not starve to death. If this is the case, then isn't Guo Dajing the pillar of Dongjiang Town?
"
Shen Zonggui said with some surprise: "That's not a small amount. Which big businessman is willing to donate generously without fear of not being able to repay the loan?"
Fang Zhenghua didn't know the specific matter, but the importance of Guo Dajing in his heart had increased by a few percent.
Along the way, in addition to pondering the temperaments of Guo Dajing, Li Weiluan and other generals, and thinking about the temptations and rhetoric when they met, Fang Zhenghua also had a lot of emotions.
Jinzhou has just been liberated for more than two months, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians have been resettled. Large areas of land have been reclaimed and cultivated, and busy people can be seen everywhere, looking for every corner of wasteland to plow and plant crops.
After learning about Jinzhou's new policies, Fang Zhenghua understood where the people's enthusiasm came from. It was either for others or for one's own family. Only with incentives can there be motivation.
A prosperous atmosphere appeared everywhere in the newly restored Jinzhou. Although many people were still in shabby clothes, the joy of having the land gave them a different kind of spirit.
The deployment and training of the army also allowed Fang Zhenghua to see a different mental outlook from that of the Beijing camp.
In Fang Zhenghua's view, this should be the normal state of facing war. The army and the people work together, share the same hatred of the enemy, and have the desire and confidence to win.
If ordinary people don't have confidence, they won't work so hard; if soldiers don't have confidence, they won't hold their chests and heads high and walk with wind.
Mao Wenlong is a talented person who can not only make the soldiers of Dongjiang Town unite, but also give the people benefits and the stability of their hearts to settle down.
Fang Zhenghua couldn't help but sigh, and he was also shaken by his mission. Of course, in his heart, he still put loyalty to the emperor and patriotism first, and did not want to give up testing and wooing Guo Dajing and others.
As for the support Dongjiang Town received from wealthy businessmen, Fang Zhenghua was also very interested. How generous it must be to take huge risks and spend huge sums of money to help Dongjiang Town.
Or maybe they have a long-term and unique vision, and they can see the development potential of Dongjiang Town and get rich rewards in the future.
The key seems to be Guo Dajing. It was his friendship that attracted such a big financial backer to help. I guess Guo Dajing's speaking skills are also quite impressive.
Fang Zhenghua slowly raised his head and asked Shen Zonggui and Jiang Baohe with a half-smile: "When you followed Zhao Guang to supervise the army on Guanglu Island, you also followed Guo Dajing to raid behind enemy lines and make some gains?"
At that time, Guo Dajing gave Zhao Guang and others one or two heads in order to build a good relationship. In fact, the three of them just followed the team without even using their swords.
Shen Zonggui and Jiang Baohe looked at each other, both feeling a little embarrassed.
Shen Zonggui laughed sarcastically and said, "I dare not deceive Eunuch Fang. I did follow the army in low-level positions and witnessed bloody battles, but I have never fought against Jianlu."
"That's rare." Fang Zhenghua smiled, waved his hand, and said, "The Za family also has the desire to experience battle formations. I wonder if there is a chance."
Jiang Baohe hurriedly said: "Guo Dajing is a restless guy, and he has a deep feud with Jianlu and often launches attacks and harassments. He said that this is called fighting in lieu of training."
"It is indeed a good way to use battle as training." Fang Zheng nodded in appreciation and said: "If the new recruits don't go to the battlefield, they will have no experience and not enough courage. This Guo Dajing is still very good at military matters."
The three of them chatted for a while, and then Fang Zhenghua ordered them to step aside and go to rest.