On the official road from Shanggu County to Zhuo County, dozens of Sui cavalry escorted the carriage that Wen Yanbo, the Sima of Youzhou Army, slowly headed towards Yi County. This area is where Shanggu County has fertile land. On both sides of the official road, it was originally
The barren land is full of busy figures.
Groups of men, women, young and old, and Sui soldiers dig ditches blocked by weeds and silt. The ridges that were no longer visible were piled up again by farmers. Although the fields were still covered with snow, this did not affect the farmers' enthusiasm.
Energetic.
Apart from a distance, the abandoned village was renovated, and the figures of Sui soldiers building houses with trees and stones could be seen. Many of the houses had already emerged. On this land that was once ravaged by war and bandits.
Regained vitality again.
Wen Yanbo stared at all this silently. At this time, an old farmer who picked up manure passed by his carriage. Wen Yanbo quickly ordered: "Stop!"
The carriage stopped, and Wen Yanbo leaned his head and smiled at the old farmer picking up the manure and said, "Brother-in-law, I want to ask you a few words, is that okay?"
The old farmer put down his dung bag and bowed his hand and said, "As a lord, please ask me!"
Wen Yanbo pointed to the land covered with snow, "Do you have your share in these lands?"
"have!"
The old farmer turned around and pointed to a forest in the distance, and smiled and said, "My land is next to that forest, with 75 acres, my son has fifty acres, my wife and I have halved it, and there are 25 acres, and the other
There are also 30 acres of mulberry and hemp fields, which were distributed a few days ago. I am busy picking up manure and storing fertilizer, and preparing to plant wheat after spring!"
"Didn't your son join the army?" Wen Yanbo asked again.
"No, but I have to participate in militia. During the slack season, their militia are digging and unblocking irrigation canals these days. Look! Just like them." The old farmer pointed to more than a hundred people who were busy digging ditches not far away.
Wen Yanbo nodded, remembered something again, and asked, "Then what life do you rely on before tomorrow's summer harvest?"
"The government provides food, and my son and daughter-in-law each have one liter of wheat every day, and the elderly and children have halved it. Our family is a family of six. One stone is enough for one dou of wheat a month. My son has five pounds of militia subsidies every month, and my wife and daughter-in-law participate.
Making military shoes and military uniforms can make seven or eight yuan a month, and buying some oil and salt is enough. If you are dissatisfied with this official, the seeds for plowing next spring will be prepared by the government. I heard that each family will give a cow.
Haha! It’s really exciting!”
Speaking of plowing oxen, the old farmer smiled on his walnut-patterned face. His simple words made Wen Yanbo feel very moved. He had long heard that Yang Yuanqing did a good job in Fengzhou's livelihood, and immigrants had enough food and clothing, so he had always believed and half-doubted.
.Today he heard and saw it with his own eyes, and finally he realized that the rumors in Fengzhou were not false.
Wen Yanbo thought about the situation he saw when he went to Guanzhong a few months ago. A large amount of land was still occupied by the Guanlong nobles. Although the Tang Dynasty also divided the land, it was already very good that each household could get more than ten acres.
In comparison, Yang Yuanqing did better. He was quicker and truly regarded restoration of production and people's livelihood as a major event. In just over ten days, the land had been allocated properly, which shows that the government's efforts to do things, and those who win the hearts of the people won the world.
Wen Yanbo vaguely felt that Li Yuan might not be able to compete for Yang Yuanqing in the end.
At this time, a soldier shouted: "Premier Li is here!"
I saw more than a dozen horse riding men galloping in the distance, leading by a middle-aged official. The old farmer quickly bowed and said, "The official has nothing to do, I will say goodbye first."
"Thank you, old man!"
Wen Yanbo nodded with a smile, and the old farmer stepped forward to bow to the middle-aged official. Then he left with a feces on his back. At this time, the middle-aged official slowly stepped forward and bowed and said, "Li Huanzhi, the prefect of Xia Shanggu County, is the master of the emperor.
But Wen Sima in Youzhou?"
Wen Yanbo walked out of the carriage and smiled, "When Wen Yanbo is ordered by General Luo to go to the Sui Dynasty, and he has troubled the envoy Li."
"You don't have to be polite to Sima Wen, but my general manager is still in Taiyuan. If Sima Wen wants to meet General Manager Yang, he still needs Taiyuan and his party."
"I have a plan for this and I really plan to go to Taiyuan."
Wen Yanbo ordered his followers to bring the horse, but he no longer took a carriage, and turned over and drove along with Li Huanzhi.
Li Huanzhi pointed at the busy farmers on both sides with a horse whip and said with a smile: "Is Zhuo County as busy as winter water conservancy repairs?"
Wen Yanbo said ashamed: "The Zhuo County government has some savings, and it is not caring about farming. I really don't see any labor like Shanggu County when I go south."
"There is no way. Shanggu County has been in chaos for many years, and agriculture has withered. Wei Daoer has even swept the floor and served as soldiers. Although we can provide relief for a while, we cannot provide relief for a long time. Resuming production is the fundamental solution, not only Shanggu County,
Hengshan County does the same. Although we are under great pressure and are very tired, we can restore people's livelihood and see people live and work in peace and contentment. This sense of accomplishment is sweeter than fine wine, and it is even more tiring."
Li Huanzhi's words moved Wen Yanbo. Since he was a teenager, he has made a great wish to cultivate himself, manage his family, govern the country, and pacify the world. But so far, he is over thirty years old. In addition to self-cultivation with a good feeling, he has managed the family.
In addition, he has never been touched on governing the country and pacifying the world. Although he was a Sima in the Youzhou General Administration Office and was busy every day, his actions had nothing to do with the people, and he didn't even know what he was doing?
Seeing that he was almost forty years old, his life was over so quickly. What did he do? Can he leave his name in history? Although Li Huanzhi in front of him was just a prefect, he could realize his heart.
Ambitions, keep your name forever.
Wen Yanbo was speechless, it was really hard to describe his feelings in his heart with his pen. The two of them walked along the way. At this time, more than a dozen Sui soldiers rushed a group of cattle and walked slowly along the official road. Wen Yanbo asked again:
When I was talking to the old farmer just now, he said that the government wanted to give each household a cow. Is this true?"
Li Huanzhi smiled and nodded, "It's true that this is the case. This is a letter from the Ministry of Revenue. I don't know much about the specific details. However, I heard that the court purchased a large amount of tea from the south and prepared to trade with the Turks in exchange for some
One hundred thousand cows should be given to each household's plowing ox. In the future, when we conquer Zhuo County, the people of Zhuo County will also enjoy such generous treatment."
Li Huanzhi's last sentence made Wen Yanbo speechless. If it were the same, he would be angry and scolded him, but now he couldn't say a word. He even had an idea in his heart that he shouldn't have. If he could really give it to every household in Zhuo County.
A cow, this is a good thing.
Wen Yanbo sighed in his heart, Luo Yi can't even cure Zhuo County, how can he rule the world?
...
Taiyuan City, a Turkic envoy came to Jinyang Palace accompanied by Liu Chongyun, Shaoqing of Honglu Temple. The Turkic envoy was about 30 years old. He was the younger brother of the current Turkic Khan, named Duo. At the beginning of the year, the Turkic invaded Feng.
During the Zhou Dynasty, Dubi was the lord of the Turkic general in the Battle of Hekou City, but this time he did not come for the war, but was ordered by Luo Khan to go on a mission to the Northern Sui Dynasty to reconcile the hostile relations between the two countries.
Duo can speak fluent Chinese, but more importantly, his noble status is his arrival as an envoy, which can better reflect the sincerity of Chuluo Khan.
Just two months ago, the Northern Sui envoy went north to the Turkic tent and met Chuluo Khan. He proposed to him the proposal to resume trade between the two countries. It was this incident that made Chuluo Khan see hope for reconciliation.
Send brother Duo to discuss the trade exchanges between the two countries in detail.
Liu Chongyun brought Duo to the front of Jinyang Palace. Cui Junsu, the Minister of Personnel, one of the Five Prime Ministers, had been waiting in front of the palace gate for a long time. Cui Junsu was the deputy envoy of the Great Sui Turks and served as an envoy to the Turks. He was in the Turks back then.
Duo accompanied him all the way. When Duo saw Duo coming, he stepped forward and bowed and smiled, "Your Highness the Prince has worked hard all the way!"
"So it's the envoy Cui!"
Duozi knew Cui Junsu, and he hurriedly turned over and dismounted, stepped forward and pressed his chest to give a deep bow, "I haven't seen you for many years, and it's so great to see you again today!"
Seeing that the two of them met, Liu Chongyun quickly smiled and introduced: "Cui Caoguo is now the Minister of Personnel in our Great Sui Dynasty."
"I was rude and should be called Cui Xiangguo."
Cui Junsu smiled and said, "Your Highness, you don't have to be polite. I am entrusted by the King of Chu to welcome Your Highness. Please follow me!"
"Everything is done for Prime Minister Cui."
...
In Ziwei Pavilion, Yang Yuanqing was discussing the Turkic trade with four other prime ministers. As their territory continued to expand, restoring people's growth was the top priority of the court. According to the summary reports from various counties, there was a shortage of animal power, especially
The shortage of plowing oxen became a common call in various places. After discussion with the prime ministers, Yang Yuanqing decided to purchase 500,000 cattle from the Turks and distribute them to various counties.
Although there was trade between Fengzhou and the Wutu tribe of the Northern Turkic tribe, the Northern Turkic area was far away, and the distant water could not quench nearby thirst, and hundreds of thousands of cattle were difficult to pass through the southern Turkic area. Therefore, Yang Yuanqing finally decided to go to the southern Turkic area to Luo River.
Khan's tribe buys cattle.
"Dear Ministers, according to the latest information I have obtained, the Luo Khan of the Department has surrendered to him after more than a year of gathering tribes. The Uighurs, Sijie, Tongluo and other Tiel tribes have surrendered to him again. He now has more than 200,000 armored soldiers.
People are still a powerful enemy from the north. We should not underestimate them. However, they are also in urgent need of rest and recuperation now, and are also restrained by the Wutu tribe. Therefore, they do not have the intention of a southern offensive now. It is estimated that within four or five years, the northern city will be
We are in peace. In order to appease the Turks and ease the military pressure on the border, I decided to make peace with the Chuluo Khan and restore trade between the two countries. In this way, we can not only obtain a large number of horses, cattle and sheep nearby, but also not with the Turkic army.
The meeting to suppress Dingxiang County in the south is conducive to border stability.”
When Yang Yuanqing said this, he glanced at Pei Ju. Other prime ministers expressed support for Yang Yuanqing's decision. Only Pei Ju was suspicious. He knew the Turks very well. He was very worried that the Turks would become stronger again and become their northern rival again.
"In principle, I don't object to the restoration of trade between the two countries. I am just worried that our reduction of military presence on the border will cause illegal businessmen to take advantage of loopholes, smuggle pig iron weapons to the Turks, and fund the Turkish military. I mean to formulate it first
Rules, talk about trade.”
Yang Yuanqing nodded, "Pei Xiangguo's concerns make sense. Out of caution, we may not open up private trade for the time being, strictly prohibit private trade from trade with Turks, and establish official trade in Dingxiangcheng. This time, only tea and silk are used.
For the Turks we need a cow.”
At this time, a guard reported at the door, "Report to the Chief Executive, Prime Minister Cui led the Turkic envoy."