After the fire broke out in the devastated Jinguan City, many people have already hung up white flags to pay homage to the dead family members; and people standing on the Zicheng and looking at it at a glance, it is like a lot of frost stained out of thin air.
Among the cities, the private houses that were burned down by the Dongchuan Army before they were defeated are scattered like patches of ugly dysentery, scattered in the once exquisite, prosperous, and prosperous Jinguan City.
But compared to the people's homes outside the high city walls, the scholars and people in the Tai (Outer Guo) city are still relatively lucky. Because in the vast countryside outside the east gate and north gate of Chengdu, the Qiang soldiers from Yazhou and other places are "collecting" their remuneration from the king of Qin.
Because, at the moment, the little court and the line can't give enough rewards and rewards to drive them, and make them temporarily eat and supply in the countryside.
As a result, these Qiang soldiers, who had been slaughtered and squeezed from the battlefield before, broke into the villages, towns and towns near Chengdu in droves, shouting happily, "Death Reward" and take away everything you can see and fancy.
For a while, the roads outside the city were full of fur-capped animal suits full of bottles, cans, and cloth roll boxes. During this period, the cries of countless children of scholars and citizens shook the sky, even if they were walking in the gardens deep inside the sub-city, they were heard.
However, as the great hero of King Qin's rescue and the most powerful figure in the city, Tian Lingzi, who has returned to the left clerk and lieutenant of Shence, and the envoy of Xuanhui Academy, and Chen Jingxuan, the ambassador of Xichuan Jiedu, are planning intense There is another thing.
"This critical moment of life and death has finally passed for my generation, and now the Holy Master has already agreed, and the remnants of the escort armies have been combined and trained into the new army of the gods... Next, you should know how to do it..."
The swelling on his face almost subsided, and he returned to the kind-eyed Tian Lingzi.
"Brother, don't worry, I will unseal the secret vaults in the inner government and the mansion to ensure that all the expenses of the brother are safe..."
Chen Jingxuan also nodded quickly in response.
"This is not enough. Be sure to act lowly, at least to save some face with the Holy Lord; even if there is some omission, then it is the truth that I am waiting for the home to serve the country."
Tian Lingzi continues to mention
"In addition, there should be a sum of money in the city, and everything can not be accepted by our generation; and in the walk, in addition to the Holy Lord and the kings, the cost can also be reduced or exempted as appropriate. Repeatedly, it is only when we all go through the difficult times together."
Of course, as the chief executive officer in charge of tributes and contributions, how could he not come up with a full amount of rewards. It's just that compared to using this money to appease the outside of the city, those barbarians who are not educated but only know the benefits, quickly turn into evidence of their own strength, that is the truth of everything.
"I understand. This will sell off the other businesses and museums in Xishan and Qingcheng, so that they won't let others talk about it."
Chen Jingxuan suddenly understood.
Then, after the news that a messenger was brought in, Tian Lingzi's face twitched, and then he smiled and said to Chen Jingxuan:
"That Gao Renhou is really kind... but you have chosen a good lover..."
"Brother! What do you say about this..."
Chen Jingxuan couldn't help being shocked
"After this newly promoted Dongchuan stayed, he used the local fatigue as a reason. Please delay some time before he can make progress..."
Tian Lingzi continued smiling.
"It's just a mere 100,000 yuan of wealth, and I can't get it out. If I get the righteous festival in the future, wouldn't I have to help him with a family..."
"Outrageous, I will immediately go to the book to reprimand this ungrateful person, and then call all the soldiers and horses of Xichuan..."
Chen Jingxuan immediately complimented.
"No, no, don't reprimand him. Instead, you have to send someone to praise and praise him. His benevolence and love for the people... It's best to be known to everyone."
Tian Lingzi smiled brighter and brighter.
"It's just that the next rules of conduct will be changed. First, send someone to proclamation and caress the Qiang soldiers, it will be useful in the future. No, you can go there in person."
—I am the dividing line —
Fangzhou, in the upper reaches of Kongyang River in Shangyong County, the former Jingzhao student Du Xunhe, who was sitting in the dangling bull cart, also followed this newly sent team to a branch village under the local camp. . But it was very different from the decadent or desolate villages that happened along the way.
Here is not a low and broken wooden fence that can barely block the beasts, but a rammed earth fence full of chests, high and hard, and filled with wooden stakes carefully cut to equal sizes, and connected by thick primary color boards horizontally nailed into one piece. , One foot high makes people feel at ease when looking at it.
The communal barn is piled with yellow cancan new wheat, and there are sturdy wood and rammed earth houses everywhere, not the kind of nests that are mostly dug out in the ground and covered with thatch. The gaps under the siding, pillars, and eaves corners are filled with thick mixed mud and painted into pale gray, which looks windproof and warm.
Although some of the Zhuang people who come and go are still thin, they don't see hunger and food on their faces; they are excited and energetic in their gestures, and the tools they hold are almost all shiny iron products.
There are chickens and ducks under the porches and in the fences of every household, and many large livestock activities can be seen in the farmland. In some houses, there are goats and piglets; strings of wind wax and smoked fish are hanging outside the house. Stack old high forages and half-buried jars of wine sauce and salted vegetables;
It just so happened that it was time for dinner, and cooking smoke rose from the chimneys of every household. It's really a quiet and peaceful village view. After identifying their identities, more than two dozen people in their group were also led to the largest building in the village, in the courtyard of the mansion and the ancestral hall with traces of the original landlord’s house.
Here, the villagers who gathered with the sound of knocking the board have piled up stoves and pots in the open air, and dumped the rice and noodle ingredients sent by each house into the gradually boiling soup.
"I will pick the biggest one... I can't bear it, if you think about who gave these things..."
The lame old man who was in charge of receiving them was also very angry, shaking his stick and very angry, shouting to the women who came out to help the kitchen.
"It's too much, it's wasted if you can't eat it... everything has a quota."
The leader of the national character face with broad forehead and broad eyebrows quickly rejected.
But he still can’t stand this obviously enthusiastic old man. He will instruct the women to use all kinds of cured chicken and fish from home, stuff the common stew pot and steamer, and pile up a full slap on the edge. . Then he covered it with satisfaction, fiddled with the thick firewood and said:
"Then I'll take you on the road. If you go down to a remote country, there is no fixed number for you to be hungry and full. Listen to me..."
Therefore, Du Xunhe and others who ate this meal had oily mouths, and they kept burping into their throats while touching their belly; he only hated that he had drunk too much soup to quench his thirst before and secretly ate his own dried bean buns; He didn't feel that he had eaten so full for so many years in Chang'an.
Especially the stewed rice in the pot, which is filled with the thick oil and gravy that drips down after steaming, without any flavors and side dishes. It is simply the most delicious meal in the world.
However, in the end, the team leader did not want to take too much advantage of Zhuangzi. In addition to routinely signing the reception slip according to the head, he also gave a few more cloth tickets that could be collected at sight in the supply and marketing agency as a premium, which was registered in the public. On the books.
Then, at night, they lighted the portable lamps and candles they brought, and set them in the yard with the help of the table in the temple, and began to read them to the gathered villagers, and carried the recent news and reports copied from the communication. Promotional materials such as new initiatives. Of course, this is mainly the task of Du Xunhe, the most literate scholar.
After they dispersed, the team leader took out the pamphlet distributed by the Taiping Army, and took turns to preach and learn from each other. Du Xunhe was able to sleep with his eyes closed in the darkness until he sang the "Taiping Zixin Song" again louder for the first time.
In the morning of the second day, after waking up with the sound of knocking on the board, Du Xunhe, who was still a little confused, followed the group, and some clumsy tidied up the tables and straw mats that had been spread out in the mansion and temple. Get up, then tie it up and stand it aside. Suddenly, she woke up slowly in sweat.
When he was squeezed among the crowds who were wearing sweat towels, scooping water with iron food containers, and dipping their fingers in the tea stalks to rub their teeth, after completing a simple forehead wash, the morning meal outside was already long. Ready.
Although it is a simple large pot of mixed rice porridge and pancakes that are dried under the oven, there are a lot of dried potatoes and melon noodles, as well as the rice porridge left over from the bottom of the pot last night, which is thick enough to stick to chopsticks; The cake is also baked with salted vegetables and it is salty and fragrant. Then roll it with a handful of frozen crispy raw scallions, and it is quite delicious to eat with the sauce.
During the period, you can even see some elderly villagers who are sweeping and wiping in the public house regardless of their old age. If someone wants to come forward to help or do it for you, it is as if they have been insulted and wronged, loudly on the spot. Complaining groaningly.
"Here is the glory of labor proposed by the Metropolitan Government. As long as the old, young, women and children can understand, they have to work to get a basic food."
The honest-looking team leader was relieved to Du Xunhe who was a little at a loss.
"The Taiping Army has been a little rich in recent years, but the missionary officer above also said very clearly; the food that these people worked so hard to grow is not used to feed lazy people and promote the atmosphere of getting money for nothing..."
"Naturally, working harder and getting more money is all the truth. If the output of the villagers can exceed the average line of the year, they can even reduce or exempt the share of grain at their discretion. The more productive the family, the more exemption it will be. It's."
After the early eclipse, they performed a simple parade and sang the "Song of Self-improvement for Men" again. When they all packed up and pulled the ox cart and other pack animals out of the yard, they found that someone had already rushed ahead of them. , Gathered outside the gate of the village entrance.
But it is some children with horns or braids, everyone puts on a plain cloth (vest), with the words crooked and crooked, and then begins to line up with uneven residuals and points. Finally, they filed out under the leading flag.
"Why is this again,"
Du Xunhe suddenly asked again in surprise.
"These guys are going to live in the Zhuangshang Boy Camp in the center of Sakon. As long as they work for half a day and practice for half a day, they will take care of the food and learn to count in the evening. They only came back in five days... but it happened to us Up..."
The captain explained to him patiently again.
Du Xunhe only noticed that since moving in to this village, he has not seen other ordinary villages. Children, both male and female, are mixed among the skinny free-range pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, and the muddy ground. The situation of play.
"Canglin knows the etiquette for the real, and knows the honor and disgrace for the food and clothing."
At this moment, he suddenly said "Guan Zi." The famous saying in "The Herder". (End of this chapter)