The forty-ninth chapter of the king's ambition (seven)
Guojiacun is more like a family than a village. However, this family has many people. After spreading out, there are more than 300 people in total.
Guo Changshun is sixty-two years old. Although he is not the eldest in the family, he is the direct eldest son of the Guo family and the head of the Guo family. He invited Cheng She and his entourage into his home, and summoned all three sons over to drink crude tea.
Shui, discuss with Cheng She.
"Shang Cheng, please forgive me for being rude, but I'm afraid you are more than just a businessman, right?"
"How can I see it?"
"Cheng Shang is very familiar with the government policies. When I listened to Cheng Shang come one by one, I remembered that when I was a child, I was an upright person. The tone of Cheng Shang's words was very similar to that of a government servant."
"A certain person is a businessman, so naturally he is very concerned about the government's policies. If he remains ignorant, he will not be able to make a living. Mr. Guo is worrying too much."
Guo Changshun shook his head: "Cheng Shang doesn't want to hide it. I can't be wrong about this feeling. Moreover, the two guards accompanying Cheng Shang are different from others. They walk with a strict eye. Non-elite people in the army cannot be like this. I also served in the army back then.
, ask yourself if you still have this bit of vision.”
The lie was exposed on the spot. Cheng She was a little embarrassed. He laughed twice in embarrassment and explained: "Mr. Guo has a good eye, haha. To be honest, I am the deputy section chief of the Personnel Section of the Governor's Mansion, and I came to Songling.
I want to know about the local people's livelihood and conditions. It's just that the city of Liucheng was originally established, and the government didn't want to disturb the people, so they concealed their identity. But don't worry, Mr. Guo, I just agreed to Mr. Guo's business, and I will definitely not break his promise." After that, he took out the long sleeve.
The official document with the seal granted by the Shifu was shown to Guo Changshun.
Guo Changshun also couldn't figure out Cheng She's official rank, but since the other party was from the government, he hurriedly got up and greeted his three sons to meet him again. After confirming Cheng She's identity, Guo Changshun became more respectful and said
: "Should I call you Section Chief Cheng? I wonder if it is appropriate for me to call you that?... Section Chief Cheng is here to understand the people's sentiments? Does the government want to bring this place under its control?"
Cheng She said: "General Li relieves the people from hanging upside down, hoping to bring long-term peace and stability to Yingzhou, maintain peace in Yingzhou, and bring the people under his rule. This is also the proper meaning of the question. I hope Mr. Guo can support it."
Guo Changshun said: "I just said that if we can be brought under the government's rule and pay taxes according to the agricultural policies determined by the government, this is also the duty of our people. What's more, we are Han people and the people of the Tang Dynasty since our ancestors.
, I am very willing for the imperial court to come back. But now our area is under the jurisdiction of Yangshan Village, and I don’t know what to do."
A young man next to Guo Changshun suddenly interjected: "If the government can really pacify Yangshan Village, our old Guo family will definitely respond to the government's call and provide money and food without anyone saying anything!"
Guo Changshun shouted: "Qi Lang, don't talk nonsense. Chief Cheng is here. You have no right to speak about such a big matter! Just listen and listen honestly!" He gave birth to seven sons, only Er Lang, Wu Lang and Wu Lang survived.
There were three Qilangs, and the young man who interrupted was his youngest Guo Qilang. As soon as he drank, Guo Qilang didn't dare to say anything anymore, lowered his head and sulked.
Cheng She said: "What should be done? I will tell General Li and Feng Changshi when I return. I want to hear about the situation here. I wonder if Mr. Guo can explain it to me in detail?"
After all, Guo Changshun is quite old, and many matters in the clan are now handled by Guo Erlang, so that Guo Erlang can tell Cheng She, who then instructs the two accountants to record them in writing.
Guo Erlang is about forty years old, similar to Cheng She, but he looks much older than him. Deep wrinkles have covered his forehead. He doesn't talk much, but he is very practical, and the numbers are also very accurate. After a brief contact,
, Cheng She knew that this person was a good director.
The Guo family has a total of 346 children and 210 boys, of whom 6 are in their 90s. There are 1,000 acres of cultivated land in the mountains and 730 acres of land beside the river valleys, and 73 acres of farmland are harvested.
One stone is three, and the rest is in the fields outside the mountains. Due to lack of supervision, the yield per mu is less than one stone. In addition to farming, the Guo family also engages in animal husbandry, raising cattle and sheep outside the mountains, and often catching fresh fish from the river. This kind of life
If no one interferes, it will be too nourishing. Unfortunately, there is a Yangshan Village, and the Guo family's life will be difficult.
According to Guo Erlang's description, every year during the grain harvest season, the Guo family pays half the grain to Yangshan Village. In addition, Yangshan Village sends people to collect some livestock and fish every month. When encountering sheep
When the Shanzhai was fighting foreign enemies, the Guo family would also receive requests for additional dispatches, sometimes even manpower. Sanlang of the Guo family died in battle when he was drafted into Yangshanzhai. Guo Erlang also specifically mentioned that Yangshanzhai
He often bullies men and dominates women, which has caused harm to many families. This is how Guo Wulang's marriage was ruined.
Cheng She looked at Guo Wulang, who was silent on the side, and saw that he was biting his lip, veins popped out on his forehead, and his fists were clenched and trembling faintly. When Guo Erlang said this, Guo Changshun reached out and held his Wulang's hand.
hand, and let out a long sigh.
Just listen to Guo Erlang say: "Qilang lost etiquette in front of Section Chief Cheng just now because the Guo family has a big feud with Yangshan Village. Qilang is right. If the government can really uphold justice, the Guo family will do their best to serve the government.
If you can't, just think of it as a joke today and Chief Cheng must not spread it."
Cheng She said: "Erlang, don't worry. As a government official, I should report this matter impartially. But I don't know the origin of that Yangshan village, who lives there, what they do, why do everyone obey orders obediently?"
"
Guo Erlang said: "The Liu family originally lived in Yangshan Village. Since the imperial court withdrew from Yingzhou, some soldiers fled to Songling in defeat and were gathered by a man named Zheng Ze. I heard that Zheng Ze was also in Yingzhou before.
The officer of the Dudu Mansion was very skilled in martial arts and had great prestige in the army. After gathering the defeated troops, he took a fancy to the terrain of Yangshan Village and lived there. Not long after, the old Liu family was slaughtered, and Zheng Ze
It is said that the Liu family is a traitor and wants to betray the imperial court. In fact, we all know what is going on. After the Zheng people occupied Yangshan Village, they confiscated grain from every household in the name of resisting the invasion of the Hu people. However, for so many years, no sheep were seen.
The villagers went out to fight against the Hu people, but they actually fought fiercely with several powerful strongholds in the mountains. They said they were resisting the Hu people, but in fact, the village housed a lot of Hu people who abandoned their people and did nothing to anyone. They were just bandits.
bandit!"
Cheng She asked: "How many people are there in Yangshan Village?"
Guo Erlang said: "Zheng Ze died a few years ago. Now the owner of Yangshan Village is Zheng Ze's son. They all call him Zheng Tianwang. He has hundreds of people under him, and everyone is skilled in martial arts. Dili next to Yangshan Village
Both Wa and Maoshipu are obedient to his orders. If they really want to fight, they can gather two to three hundred people. Sometimes they even ask for people from various villages to help him fight."
Cheng She nodded, knowing that this Yangshan Village was actually a bandit village that dominated the mountain, and asked: "What places can Yangshan Village usually manage? What kind of village is hostile to Yangshan Village?"
Guo Erlang said: "Counting from Liujiatun, Shidan Village, Liujiayao, Songlinkou, Yuerzhai, Diliwa and Maoshipu are all located in Tingyangshanzhai. On the left and right are Liuqiu down the river valley.
Ten miles away, past Maoshipu, is the territory of Zhangjiabao. Zhangjiabao is the sworn enemy of Yangshan Village. The two sides have been fighting for more than ten years, with victories and defeats, which has made us villagers fearful all day long.
"
Cheng She continued to ask: "How many households are there in these villages? How many acres are there?"
Guo Erlang said: "Quite a few. Take Liujia Village as an example. In addition to the Guo family, there are also five families: Qi, Bai, Ren, Li, and He. Someone from these five families knows it, plus the Guo family, Dingkou family, etc.
There are more than 2,000 acres, and there are more than 4,000 acres in total, but most of them are next to Peach Blossom Water. Does Chief Cheng know about Peach Blossom Water? Peach Blossom Water is just over the mountain ridge, and the water flows into Xiaoling River. There are also many good lands on both sides of the valley.
, it’s just that we have few people and can’t farm. As for the villages in Shidan Village, I don’t know much, but a certain family has some connections with these villages. If Section Chief Cheng wants to know the details, he can ask Qilang from a certain family to accompany him.
.As long as Shichiro is here, they will take care of you to some extent."
Cheng She was overjoyed. It was certainly a good thing to be able to find a mountain man as a guide. What's more, this guide was the brother of the person in charge of the Guo family, so the trip should go much smoother.
That night, Cheng She and others had a meal at Guo's house and stayed here. Early the next morning, Cheng She said goodbye to Guo Changshun and Guo Erlang. Guo Wulang, with Qilang as his guide, began to understand and investigate the people here in detail.
For a whole month, the first group led by Cheng She visited all the valleys and villages in the upper reaches of the Xiaoling River, visited Taohuashui, Sanquan Creek and other tributaries of the Xiaoling River, and inspected the population and land reclamation.
The acres of land, the customs and customs of each village and village, and the topography are also recorded in several thick books.
In accordance with the confidentiality principle discussed in advance at Chang Shi's Mansion, Cheng She told the Guo family not to reveal the true identities of their party. Guo Changshun and others naturally knew it. Even Guo Qilang, as a guide, was very cautious and only said that Cheng She
They are merchants and are planning to open up the Xiaolinghe trade route.
When they arrived at Yangshan Village, Cheng She finally understood why Zheng Ze chose this place as his nest. This was a sharp bend in the Xiaoling River. The mountains on both sides of the valley were high and steep, making it difficult to climb. Yangshan Village stood at the foot of a mountain.
On the high beams, the passage through the valley is blocked. Although the village is not big, it is a dangerous place. If we attack it openly, we don't know how many men and horses will be lost before it can be effective.
Cheng She didn't plan to go into the village to investigate. After walking on the mountain road for more than a month and visiting so many villages, he already knew one thing clearly in his heart. If he wanted to win over the people of this land, Yangshan Village must be eradicated. Therefore, he just
I recorded the topography and landforms here, drew a simple sketch, and then followed Guo Qilang around.
After returning to Liucheng, Cheng She waited for a few more days. After all five groups returned, he began to summarize the inventory and inspections. At the same time, he carefully sorted out the local customs and conditions visited by each group. This is an extremely important document.
The dossier directly involves the issues that Yingzhou’s senior officials are most concerned about at present. The dossier number is Tianzi Jiasan. To be continued. (..), your support is my biggest motivation.)