The next day, someone from the Zeng family came.
Jiang Heng knew that they would definitely come. The moment he and Geng Shu entered the city, the Zeng family got the news.
It's just that I didn't expect that the head of the Zeng family would visit in person.
The old man named Zeng Song was the father of Ju Lang and Ju Cong, and a veteran of the Yong Dynasty. After Ju Lang succeeded to the throne, Zeng Song served as Taifu for four years. It was not until Ju Cong became King Yong that Zeng Song retired and returned to the fief, leaving his eldest son Zeng Rong and second son Zeng Yu to serve the dynasty.
"His Royal Highness, Lord Jiang," Zeng Song looked at Jiang Heng and said, "It's been a lot of hard work along the way."
Jiang Hengfeng slept in the open air, and was in the dust. At this time, like a poor student from a poor family, he suffered all the hardships, but he still couldn't hide the bright color in his eyes. Geng Shu simply nodded and made tea for Zeng Song himself.
"It's alright," Jiang Heng said with a smile, "it's not hard work. What can you teach me?"
"Don't dare." Zeng Song narrowed his eyes and said, "When will Lord Jiang return to the court?"
Jiang Heng has been out for four months. It is reasonable to say that it would not take three years to travel all over Yongguo, but most of the areas are so sparsely populated that there is no need to go there. Nearly five or six out of ten people gathered where he set foot.
"Come on," Jiang Heng didn't enter any big cities. After all, the imperial court had already grasped the trends in those cities. "Maybe it will end early. Does Marquis Zeng have anything to bring me?"
"Lord Jiang, have you been to the place where the mountains are filled with sweat?" Zeng Song looked at the notebook on the side of the case, either intentionally or not. Jiang Heng was also generous and took it for him to read.
Khan Saijialing, also known as the Bingshan Corridor, is a vast plain in the middle of the long and narrow mountain range, which is the most suitable place for farming in Sai, and is also the control area of another large city, Wei's fief, Haocheng.
"No," Jiang Heng said, "I have caused too much trouble for King Yong along the way. The Di people have been farming in the Bingshan Corridor for more than 30 years. In comparison, they are still peaceful. I don’t want to go over the old accounts again.”
Zeng Song carefully looked at Jiang Heng's records. The old man had sharp eyes and said, "I brought a business document to facilitate Mr. Jiang's activities in Haocheng. Thirty years ago, I also thought of doing this. There are so many obstacles in this matter, and I am the Zeng family, so I have a lot to say, which is inconvenient to say in front of His Majesty the King."
Jie Gui raised his head and sneered: "If you dare not say it, let someone else say it for you. Isn't this abacus too good?"
Haocheng is the site of the Wei family, and Jiang Heng knew that there must be something tricky here after hearing what Zeng Song said. And Jie Gui is reminding him not to be the knife used by the Zeng family to kill people.
Zeng Song said with a smile: "Lord Jie is joking. They are all servants of the Yong Kingdom. Some people have to say something."
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Geng Shu, who had been silent, also noticed it, and said solemnly, "You have two sons, and you are afraid that no one will say anything?"
Zeng Song laughed and looked at Jiang Heng, Jiang Heng knew that this was a deal. Zeng went straight to the point and asked him to investigate Haocheng and look through Wei's old accounts.
"I remember that many Linhu people moved to Shanyin." Jiang Heng said.
"Not bad." Zeng Song knew that Jiang Heng was proposing the terms of the deal. "Now the court doesn't like seeing Lin Hu people very much."
"Because they don't eat and drink fine wine because they toast." Jiang Heng said.
Geng Shu was about to speak, but Jiang Heng shook his head slowly, motioning to stop talking.
Zeng Song smiled: "The Lin Hu people are the lowest slaves right now. I'm afraid this situation will not be shaken in ten years."
After the Linhu people were sent to various cities, they mostly worked as slaves. Although the imperial court had a law strictly prohibiting slavery, they were still secretly buying and selling slaves in various cities. Most of the people who bought and sold slaves were Fengrong nobles and Han people.
"I want them not to be treated as livestock," Jiang Heng said.
"This is difficult, Mr. Jiang," Zeng Song said. "You must know that in the eyes of our Majesty the king, all living beings are animals, and there is not much difference between people of any race."
Jie Gui suddenly laughed, this is not something ordinary people can say, but Zeng Song is an old official of the three dynasties. When he was in Luoyan, he dared to accuse him like this in front of Juicong.
Jiang Heng said: "Try not to be used as livestock."
"It's up to you to convince them." Zeng Song thought for a while and said, "I will try my best to take care of them. Within my power, I will slowly let some people go and let them go back to their hometowns to live. It's okay. , as long as it doesn't attract the attention of the court."
Jiang Heng thought this was a big deal. Zeng Song added: "I want Lord Jiang to investigate the issue of the rebellion of the Di people in the Khansai area a few years ago, and report it to the court truthfully."
Jiang Heng said: "I will try my best, but I will take care of the situation."
Zeng Song nodded happily, the conversation between smart people was always simple and easy, and he reached a deal with Jiang Heng. Jiang Heng pondered about his identity, and now it seems that he has become the special envoy of Juicong. After such a trip, he just doesn't know how much of the inside story will be revealed.
"Children are stubborn by nature," Zeng Song said to Geng Shu again, "It is up to His Royal Highness to take good care of him."
"You're welcome." Geng Shu replied, knowing that what Zeng Song said was the second son Zeng Yu who couldn't let go.
Zeng Yu is a hard-headed person, loyal to Juicong, and sometimes even more stubborn. But many people are like this. It is not easy to make a career in life, and it is difficult to do everything well.
Jiang Heng saw Zeng Song, and after a short stay in Shanyin with Geng Shu, he left the city and went to Haocheng, his last destination.
Compared with Saibei Feng Rong people who live in scattered places, Di people are scattered in most areas in the east outside the Great Wall, and villages are connected together. This is also the place with the most developed farming and the most abundant products. The land in Khan Sai is fertile, and the grain and rice produced can feed nearly 70% of the population of Yong Kingdom.
"It has to be disguised," Jiang Heng said to Geng Shu, not intending to use the identity of a traveling doctor again, "I am wandering around in the city, which has aroused the vigilance of many people, and if I don't change my identity, I am afraid that nothing will be found. Come."
Geng Shu said, "After walking this area, do you have to go back?"
This is the last area Jiang Heng traveled to. Now that it is autumn, the half-year time limit has expired, and it cannot be delayed any longer.
"Send this letter back and give it to Juicong." Jiang Heng instructed Jie Gui, apparently the grudge against him has not completely disappeared, and he is detached.
"You don't need me?" Jie Gui said, "You are so cruel. When I was by my side, my uncle was so affectionate. When I didn't need me, he drove me back?"
Jiang Heng said solemnly, "Yes."
Geng Shu was displeased and said, "Just go! Why are you talking so much? It's not so much to see you on weekdays."
Jiang Heng said: "Go back to Luoyan, I'll come back, I won't bother with you about the previous things."
"Deal." Jie Gui thought for a while and said, knowing that Jiang Heng gave both sides a step down, and no longer hated him.
Geng Shu has always disliked Jie Gui, but because Prince Taki didn't like him, Jie Gui also liked to sue Chao Ju Cong and the Empress Dowager Jiang. When facing Prince Taki, he did not show any respect.
"He will say anything to Juicong." Geng Shu said after Jie Gui left.
"I have nothing to hide." Jiang Heng smiled.
The wilderness is long, and after the fall, the weather is cooler than before. After Jie Gui left, Geng Shu drove and took Jiang Heng away from Shanyin to Haocheng in the southeast.
Jiang Heng knew that after Geng Shu finished training, he ran away without going back to hand over. The court must have turned upside down again, but since Geng Shu insisted on staying with him, it was not easy for him to go back.
The maple trees along the way are gradually turning red, and the maple forest is blocked, which is another unique scene. Jiang Heng sorted out the records. This booklet has been densely packed, with nearly 200,000 characters written. Whether it is people's livelihood or national land, what he heard from the people and what he saw with his own eyes - where there are minerals, where the water and grass are fertile, are all in detail. Write down.
In particular, iron, gold, salt mines, and terrestrial kerosene are too important to the current Yong Kingdom.
After Jie Gui left, Geng Shu took his place and began to boil water and make tea to serve Jiang Heng. The two set up a stove in front of Fenglin with a few masa.
"I've never seen Jie Gui speak so much." Geng Shu was not very happy.
Jiang Heng said with a smile: "You don't talk too much, and you talk too much about others."
Geng Shu boiled water by himself. Jiang Heng also revised and revised his booklet. The scenery of the maple forest was picturesque. After Geng Shu set up the stove, he sat in a trance.
A whistle sounded in the distance, and Geng Shu suddenly became vigilant.
Jiang Heng looked up and said to Geng Shu, "Don't be nervous."
"Feng Rong people." Geng Shu said.
Many of Geng Shu's subordinates are Feng Rong warriors. Although they are very familiar with each other, he does not want to reveal his identity here. Jiang Heng guessed the identity of the visitor, and sure enough, it was the same group of people, the Feng Rong nobleman named Meng He.
"Ah," Jiang Heng smiled, "it's an old friend."
Geng Shu stood up and Jiang Heng explained how he met them several times along the way. This was the fourth meeting.
"Meng He?" Geng Shu said, "Why does the name sound like you've heard it before?"
Meng He changed into a black robe this time, with a luminous pearl tied to his temples. He rode his horse and led more than a dozen people to approach Fenglin. He shouted a few times in front of Fenglin, and his subordinates bowed and shot arrows one after another. Get nervous.
Jiang Heng believed that Meng He was not here to trouble him, and asked Geng Shu, "What did he say?"
"He said there are bears in the woods," Geng Shu said, "let's get out of here."
Jiang Heng had lived on Haige Mountain, so he knew that the bear was not easy to mess with, so he was about to retreat, but Meng He led people into the maple forest, surrounded them, and stood in front of them.
Geng Shu said a few words to him in Feng Rong language, Meng He was a little surprised, nodded and replied, Jiang Heng looked blank.
Geng Shu: "I asked him how he knew we were here, and he said, his Costume found our Fengyu."
Jiang Heng said: "No wonder, I always run into them along the way."
Feng Yu is always guarding the side and foraging on his own on weekdays. As long as he doesn't come out to warn, Geng Shu doesn't care much, but since there are bears in the woods, why didn't Feng Yu have a warning
Geng Shu knew that his identity must not be hidden. After all, Prince Yong owned Costin, and Sai had long known that, so he simply whistled, and Feng Yu descended from the sky.
Meng He also whistled, and another almost identical Costin also descended. Jiang Heng couldn't tell who was who, and found that Feng Yu's legs were golden, while Meng He's claws were jet black.
Meng He greeted Geng Shu with a bow, and then looked at Jiang Heng. The etiquette was respectful, but he felt a sense of alienation.
Geng Shu signaled to Meng He not to be nervous. He drew his sword and walked into the depths of the woods. Jiang Heng followed him curiously and said, "The bear is coming. It's better to lie down and pretend to be dead. Master taught me."
Geng Shu: "What a mess, people are not dead, they are trampled to death by bears first, and then they climb a tree. There are so many people, don't be afraid, the bears will run away when they see it."
Meng He's men scattered into the maple forest, each holding a bow and arrow, approaching the depths of the forest from all directions.
But soon, Jiang Heng understood that the reason why Feng Yu did not warn him was that a big bear had indeed died.
A near-human-high black bear with a trap on its legs was supposed to be placed by a nearby hunter. After stepping on it, it was unable to forage and starved to death under a tree on the side of the maple forest. Not far away, there are still two little bears, who do not know that their mother is dead, are rolling and playing behind the tree.
Not long after the mother bear died, her body was still warm. The cubs must still have milk to drink. After drinking it, they enjoyed themselves in the forest.