Chapter 187: North Road has its own new atmosphere
In this world, no one knows better than him the need for communication between the East and the West at this moment. The deficiencies in the way of thinking and living conditions have caused the East and the West to form two ways of thinking.
This does not mean that China lags behind the West. In some aspects at this time, it is even ahead of the world. However, with the Renaissance in the West, including the revival of architecture, philosophy, literature, music, politics, religion, etc.,
As well as the development of practical science and technology such as astronomy, mathematics, physics, physiology and medicine, geography, psychology, etc., China is experiencing a turbulent era of changing dynasties.
In particular, the Qing Dynasty, which later ruled the land of China, closed the country to the outside world and cut off external exchanges. In order to consolidate its own ruling foundation, it established a literary inquisition and suppressed the development and progress of folk science and technology.
In the end, our country, China, became the object of oppression by the new powers in the world, ushering in the beginning of a century of humiliation for our Chinese nation. In fact, we were the sinners of the nation!
Now that I have come to this world, I must prevent these things from happening!
…………
In the blink of an eye, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month has arrived, which is the third day of the climax of the Lantern Festival and the official day of the Lantern Festival.
Although this year's lanterns and fireworks are not as lively as in previous years, they are still much better than last year's Lantern Festival. After all, there are no Tartars raging this year. People around the capital have been peaceful for a year, and now they rush into the city to watch the fun.
In the afternoon of that day, Zhang Cheng and Ji Xuanzhu were walking on the streets of Dengshi City together. Looking at such a prosperous capital, Zhang Cheng felt a little inexplicable sadness.
In less than four years, this centuries-old ancient capital will suffer the massacre of two wars in succession, and stage the drama of dynasty changes one after another.
Can he stop all this?
Do your best and obey destiny!
Yu Rui and Xiu Yue followed Miss Ji Xuanzhu closely. Although it was not their first time to visit the Lantern Festival in the capital, they were still very excited and had an innocent and cute childish air.
Sister-in-law Jia led four strong women to protect Ji Xuanzhu. Lin Fangping also led four guards to follow Zhang Cheng closely. They now regarded Zhang Cheng as their parents, so naturally they had to protect him and not tolerate any mistakes.
Lost.
"Commander Commander, the Lantern Festival in Beijing is still lively!" Chen Zhong said with some excitement as he listened to the chaotic shouts and the sound of fireworks all around.
Zhang Cheng casually hit him on the head and joked: "You don't need to tell me, this is the heart of my Ming Dynasty after all!"
In a blink of an eye, they arrived in front of a colorful building. Wang Zhaozheng and Lu Dachun had been waiting in front of the door for a long time. They hurriedly stepped forward and greeted: "I have seen the commander-in-chief and the mistress. Let's go upstairs now."
Zhang Cheng turned to look at Ji Xuanzhu and asked softly in her ear: "Madam, shall we go upstairs to watch the lanterns?"
At this moment, it was past midnight, the sky was slightly dim, and many of the colorful lanterns in the market were lit, and the little lights flashed, which was really beautiful.
Ji Xuanzhu raised his eyes to look at the sky, then turned back to look at the strong women and guards carrying or carrying large and small packages, and said with a smile: "I am a little tired from walking, let's go first
Go upstairs, I just don’t know when father and mother will come over."
Under the guidance of Wang Zhaozheng, the group slowly climbed up the steps to the colorful building. Although the colorful building built here only has two floors, it is slightly taller than the ordinary two-story building.
When we arrived on the second floor terrace, the curtains in front of us had already been opened. Looking down at the bustling lantern market downstairs and the bustling crowds of people, we had a different feeling.
There are two square tables in the middle of the terrace, with some dried fruits and cakes placed on them. There are several small charcoal stoves burning hot tea next to them. They can both keep warm and make tea, but they are convenient for both parties.
Zhang Cheng told Lin Fangping: "Go back to the house and see when Mr. Ji and Mrs. Ji will come."
Lin Fangping turned around and left. Here Yurui was carrying a food box. Xiuyue took out a few dried fruits and an extremely exquisite small copper enamel charcoal stove and handed it to Ji Xuanzhu and held it in his hand.
As the sky gets darker and darker, all the lanterns are lit by people. Only then does the whole lantern market really begin. There is also a sound of footsteps down the colorful building. Ji Zhiheng and his wife Ning are in Lin Fang
Under equal protection, they also came to the colorful building.
Zhang Cheng and Ji Xuanzhu were sitting on the square table on the right. Yu Rui and Xiu Yue were also pulled by Ji Xuanzhu to sit beside her. On the square table on the left were Zhang Cheng's father-in-law Ji Zhiheng and mother-in-law Ning, as well as
His second brother-in-law, Ji Youqing.
The lantern market was buzzing with gongs and drums, and sometimes there were towering floats and colorful boats passing by. Zhang Cheng noticed those floats. On the colorful boats, there were many charming women singing or dancing with heavy make-up. He looked carefully.
Very eye-catching.
"looks good?"
A gentle question came, and although the words were soft, they reached Zhang Cheng's ears word for word.
He looked at Ji Xuanzhu with a little embarrassment, and replied with a chuckle: "It's not bad. Compared with my general, Mrs. Ru, she's still a lot worse!"
On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month after the Lantern Festival, at midnight, a group of horse-drawn carriages drove slowly away from the house of Ji Zhiheng, a lecturer at the Hanlin Academy.
The curtains of the second carriage were slowly lifted, and a pretty face stuck out of the window, sparkling with tears in the cold wind. He looked back at Mrs. Ji Ning standing in front of Ji's house, and shouted softly:
"Mom, take care of yourself..."
…………
March has arrived in a blink of an eye, the weather has become warmer, the sun is shining on the earth again, and everything is beginning to recover.
The Xuanzhen North Road is also a busy scene. With the prosperity of trade with the Mongols and the greater stability in the North Road, there are no other fees and exploitation except for the increase in commercial taxes.
Moreover, the roads have been renovated, making the transportation more convenient, and there are many warehouses and porters along the road. Not to mention that if taxes and fees are paid in advance for large quantities of goods from other places, the North Road will send elite knights to protect them along the way. They only need to provide food and drink, and there is no need to
other fee.
At the same time, due to Zhang Cheng's army's demand for ordnance, its efforts to reclaim wasteland and build canals, and the need to build waterwheels, mills, etc., the entire North Road has been busy with mining, smelting, and logging. Since the whole winter, the army has
Households also don’t have a few days to spare.
Although it was more difficult than in the past, all the military households were happier and worked enthusiastically. The reason was for no other reason than wages.
Zhang Cheng has gradually changed from providing work for relief at the beginning to using money and grain to purchase. As long as he participates in the workshop work of the Kaiping Wei Department, or the wasteland reclamation and canal construction organized by the Wei Department and various castles, in addition to supplying food,
In addition, there are more wages to be paid.
Although each person received different wages depending on the type of work they did. For example, those who cultivated wasteland and built canals, in addition to taking care of food, received pitifully little wages.
But they are afraid of comparison in everything. In the past, everything they did was labor. Not only did they have to prepare their own meals, but they were not paid a penny. But now, although it is more bitter and tiring, the benefits are also the most obvious.
First, there is no need to prepare meals by oneself, which leaves food grains for the family; second, there is still some wages to be paid, which is extra profit.
What reason do they have for not working hard?
In this way, it seems that Zhang Cheng made a loss-making transaction. He was the only one who paid for the entire North Road, and he was the only one who suffered a loss.
But precisely because the military households on the North Road saved grain and received more wages, it also greatly promoted consumption and economic prosperity, which attracted more businesses here.
The more companies there are, the more commercial taxes will be, not to mention the monopoly on salt, wine and tea, and the profits from the cigarettes produced exclusively by Zhang Cheng in Yunzhou Cigarette Factory!