Ye Feng thought for a while and thought it was wrong. Xianyang, the capital of the Qin State, was moved from Yongcheng to Xianyang in the 12th year of Duke Xiao, which was 350 BC.
So Ye Feng asked again: "How to get to Yongcheng?"
The old man said: "This is Yongcheng."
Ye Feng looked up and looked at the dilapidated surroundings, with only a few thatched houses, and thought to himself: "Isn't it possible? Is the capital of Qin like this?"
Ye Feng thought for a while and asked: "How can I get to the market?"
The old man said: "I don't know, just ask the director of the pavilion."
Ye Feng asked: "Does your pavilion chief know everything?"
The old man said proudly: "Our pavilion chief has served in the army, conquered Xirong, and fought against Wei and Chu. We have extensive knowledge. There is nothing that we, the pavilion chief, do not know."
Ye Feng smiled slightly and thought this old man was very interesting, so he asked: "Does his parents know that your pavilion chief is so powerful?"
The old man raised his head and said, "I am his father. Of course I know."
Ye Feng stretched out his thumb and said: "Awesome, awesome. Then may I ask where your son, Ting Zhang, is?"
The old man pointed forward and said, "It's right there."
Ye Feng raised his eyes and saw a few men in front of him discussing something. Ye Feng stepped forward and saw that everyone was discussing something, so he did not interrupt. He stood at the back and listened quietly.
The pavilion chief said: "The autumn harvest is over. This year, we from Dayong Township are asked to send out 10,000 people to build the Yongcheng wall. Our pavilion will send out 1,000 people, and each of you will send out 100 people. Each household will send out one person."
"
"In addition, fifty people will be sent to Yonghou's house to be responsible for brewing wine and repairing the house. Each of you will send five people."
It turned out that several of the other people were in charge, and the pavilion chief went to the countryside to pick up the mission. These people ran to the intersection to pick up the pavilion chief and inquire about this year's mission.
During this period, there were many instances of excessive taxation and expropriation of the people.
In books such as "Zuo Zhuan" and "Guoyu", it is recorded in the most detailed way that the monarchs and aristocrats at that time expropriated the people. For example, the people of Qi State at that time actually divided their efforts into three parts, "two were in the public service, and one was in food and clothing."
The Analects of Confucius records that Duke Ai of Lu asked You Ruodao, a disciple of Zhong Laoer: "What should we do if we are not doing well in life and the country has insufficient supplies?"
Youruo replied: "Why don't you practice thorough control?"
Duke Ai sighed: "My 20% tax is not enough, how can we get it to be fully implemented?" The 20% tax that Duke Ai called should be the "two" in "two people in the public".
There is a poem claimed to be written by Zhou Gong, but it is actually recorded in the poem "July" written by Lu State in the Spring and Autumn Period. The living conditions of farmers at that time are very detailed.
As soon as the first month of the lunar month arrives, the farmers repair their farm equipment. In February, they go out to farm. They are busy until August, when they begin to harvest. In September, they build gardens and prepare to send the crops. In October, they harvest rice and brew it.
Make wine to celebrate the birthdays of nobles in the coming spring.
After all the crops were harvested, he was busy building the palace for the official. During the day, he kneaded the thatch and at night, he twisted the rope. As soon as he finished building the palace, it was almost time to start sowing grain.
In winter, I had to go hunting. If I caught a fox, I would make fur robes for the gentlemen. If I caught a wild boar, I would give the big ones to the nobles, and I would only dare to hide the small ones.
In addition to plowing fields, building houses, and hunting, they also cut ice for the nobles. After cutting the ice, they put it into icehouses to prepare the nobles for cooling off in the summer.
The above mentioned are the jobs of men, but what about women?
In spring, when the sunshine is warm and the orioles are singing, they hold baskets in their hands and follow the path to collect mulberry leaves to raise silkworms.
In August, we weave linen and the harvested silk, dye it into black, yellow and red, and make clothes for the princes.
When they meet young men by chance and are happy, they will follow them back with tears in their eyes to play with them.
What is the life of the farmers themselves like?
They worked like oxen and horses all year round, but as a result they were still "without food and clothing" and were just shivering from the cold. They ate bitter herbs and burned rotten firewood.
The house was bitten by rats, so I had to use some mud to smear it, and burn some grass to fumigate it. I sighed and said, "Wife and children, you just live here to celebrate the New Year!"
When the New Year is approaching, they kill lambs and offer them to the nobles. They go to the nobles' hall, hold the wine in big cups, and shout loudly: "Longevity without borders!"
What the poem "July" talks about is the ordinary life of farmers. When war breaks out, they suffer even more. Building cities and fighting are all the business of farmers.
There is also a poem "Dongshan" in "The Book of Songs: Bin Feng", which was probably also written in the Spring and Autumn Period. This poem describes the situation of a soldier returning home after fighting.
When he returned home, he saw that the house was covered with vines and weeds, little spiders were weaving webs on the door, the vegetable garden had become a deer's playground, fireflies were fluttering, and cranes were chirping on the mounds of soil.
When she walked into the house, there were all the rats running around the house. When she was in a state of ecstasy, sighing and cleaning the house, he happened to come back.
It's a blessing that he can come back, otherwise, his bones would have been buried on the battlefield.
After the chief of the pavilion talked about increasing the labor force, Li Zheng was in trouble.
One of them, Li Zheng, said: "How come there are dozens of people added this year? We already have less than 100 households, how can I recruit 100 people? No one will work if there is one more person."
The pavilion chief said: "Then calculate according to the number of fields. If there are more fields, more people will be provided. Or according to the number of men in each household. If that doesn't work, give some rewards. If you are willing to provide more people, take some more as wages."
When the pavilion director saw Ye Feng, he asked, "This dear friend looks unfamiliar to me. Is he a relative of one of your families?"
Zhonglizheng shook his head and said he didn't know him.
The director of the pavilion asked Ye Feng, "What can I do for this dear friend?"
At this time, the pavilion chief was facing Ye Feng. Ye Feng saw that one of his upper left teeth was missing, and his sword was inserted on the right side. This was obviously a left-handed sword.
The director of the pavilion looked at Ye Feng sizing him up, with a strange look in his eyes.
Just as Ye Feng was about to speak, the old man said: "He passed by us and came to ask for directions. He is going to Yangcheng."
After hearing this, everyone looked at each other, and someone asked in a low voice: "Where is Yangcheng?"
"have no idea."
"Never heard of it."
"Isn't this person a spy from another country?"
In order to avoid misunderstanding, Ye Feng immediately explained: "I am from the Chu Kingdom's caravan. We, Lu Ren, and Mr. Lu's caravan encountered Loulan cavalry chasing them on the road. I was responsible for diverting the Loulan cavalry and accidentally fell into the water and drifted here."
"Master Lu and our master Shen took the rest of the caravan from Bashu to Chu State, so I want to go to Chu State now. Yangcheng is in Chu State."
"I lost everything. I met a good man Zhao Dadan earlier. He gave me a set of clothes and treated me to a meal."
"Now I want to go to Yongcheng to try my luck and see if there is anything I can do to earn some money." Ye Feng said that Zhao boldly invited him to dinner without blushing at all.
Lu Ren was a well-known wealthy businessman in Yongcheng. Everyone in Yongcheng had heard of him, so he believed Ye Feng to a certain extent.
The pavilion chief thought for a moment and said: "It's a long way from here to the Kingdom of Chu. I'm afraid it will be difficult for you to get there without the expense. Why don't you go with us to build Yongcheng, and we will share some rewards with you, and you can exchange for some money.
With the travel money, you can go to Chu State."
Ye Feng thought about it and said, "That's fine, Mr. Lao Ting will arrange it."
The pavilion chief said: "Master pavilion chief, my name is Zhao Kuangyin, call me Kuangyin."
Ye Feng's eyes lit up and he said: "You are Zhao Kuangyin, a name I have admired for a long time." He secretly said: "This name is the same as Song Taizu."
Zhao Kuangyin said in surprise: "Have you heard of me?"
Ye Feng's mind raced and he defended: "I heard Master Lu mention it. He said that your martial arts skills were extraordinary. He originally wanted to recruit you to work for him, but he gave up when he heard that you were promoted to be the pavilion chief."
Ye Feng thought about wearing flattery a thousand times, but these ancients would never be able to withstand my flattery from two thousand years later.
As expected, Zhao Kuangyin said excitedly: "Mr. Lu has also heard that I have extraordinary martial arts?"
Ye Feng smiled secretly and said, "You got it."
Zhao Kuangyin's father, Zhao Daguang, said ostentatiously: "Let me just say that my son is great. I see that even Mr. Lu in the city has heard of our Kuangyin."
The rest of the story is full of flattery. "The pavilion leader is extremely brave and famous far and wide."
"The chief of the pavilion has courage that no man can match."
"..." Ye Feng silently combed his goosebumps beside him.
Zhao Kuangyin was very happy and said to Li Zheng next to him: "Jiang Chuan, please arrange this~"
Zhao Kuangyin suddenly remembered something and immediately turned to Ye Feng and asked, "Have you not asked me your surname?"
Ye Feng said: "My little brother, my name is Ye Feng."
Zhao Kuangyin turned around and faced the man named Jiang Chuan and said, "Please arrange for Brother Ye Feng. In a few days, we will gather together and send him to Yongcheng."
Jiang Chuan's family was fairly well off, so he agreed and said to Ye Feng: "Brother Ye Feng, please come to my house to spend a few days together later." Ye Feng naturally bowed and thanked him.
Jiang Chuan then explained to Ye Feng: "Building the city wall will require five-sixths of a dou of food every day. Plus some rewards we will give you, on average you can get about two dou of food a day."
During this period, most settlements were based on barter, supplemented by currency such as copper coins. Therefore, many settlements were based on grain or cloth, and of course grain was the mainstay.
"The Bamboo Slips of Qin Tomb in Sleeping Tiger Land. Canglu" records: "Those who built walls and did other work equivalent to the intensity of building walls on the first day of the city were given half a dou for breakfast and one-third for dinner. Those who stood guard and did other things were given separate meals for breakfast and dinner.
One third of a bucket."
"Those who are sick will be given rations as appropriate, and the officials will be in charge. Chengdan will be pounding, Sikou will be pounded, and Bai Can will be doing earthwork, with one third of a bucket each for breakfast and dinner. If they are not doing earthwork, they will be given rations according to the law."
Ye Feng made some calculations in his mind and felt that the food provided by Jiangchuan and the others was quite high.
Then he nodded and agreed: "Thank you Brother Jiangchuan and Brother Kuangyin. How about I write down the meals for the past few days and then they can be deducted from my salary together."
Jiang Chuan said generously: "What are you talking about? I am a guest here. It doesn't matter if you eat for a few days. Don't say such things again in the future. You can rest assured to eat and live in my house."
Zhao Kuangyin also said: "You have done us a great favor by being willing to build the city wall with us. It is nothing to eat for a few days."
After Zhao Kuangyin finished speaking, he turned around and said to Jiang Chuan: "If you don't have enough food at home, go get some from my house."
Jiang Chuan smiled and said, "That's enough, brother, please be at ease."
Zhao Kuangyin said: "Then it's settled, let's all disperse. It's time for me to go home."
Jiang Chuan said with a smile: "Brother is afraid that the tigress at home will be anxious and get angry."
Zhao Kuangyin glared at Jiang Chuan and said: "Am I afraid of my wife? It is impossible to be afraid of my wife. It is impossible to be afraid of my wife in this life. Her small body is not big enough for me to punch her."
Although he said this, Zhao Kuangyin rushed home in a hurry.