Three Kingdoms

Chapter 48: Cai Wenji talks about historical records

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After Zhuge Liang's family was taken to Xiangyang, Liu Bei rewarded Zhuge Liang with a three-in and three-out courtyard with twelve rooms near the Cishi Mansion. Zhuge Liang's family was reunited, very happy and grateful.

After Liu Xun completed the task, he dragged his tired body back to the mansion. As soon as I entered the gate, I saw Cai Yan reading under the tree with a book, very serious. Unexpectedly, the little girl looked fierce, but she was very quiet when she read the book.

Cai Yan's father, Cai Yong, is a well-known writer, and he writes well in calligraphy. After Dong Zhuo took power, he heard that Cai Yong was very famous, so he gave Cai Yong an official position. Cai Yong knew that Dong Zhuo was unpopular, so he refused. Dong Zhuo was furious and sent troops to surround Cai Yong's mansion, threatening to punish Cai Yong's family. Cai Yong looked at his elderly mother and young children, and had no choice but to accept his orders.

Dong Zhuo still respected Cai Yong and repeatedly promoted Cai Yong. Many officials thought that Cai Yong had turned to Dong Zhuo and hated Cai Yong. Cai Yan grew up slowly in the eyes of others. Cai Yan has been deeply influenced by his father since he was a child, and has certain attainments in music, calligraphy, and literature. However, the good times did not last long. After Dong Zhuo was killed, Cai Yong was arrested by Wang Yun as a traitor and was brutally murdered. Even his family was not spared.

Cai Yan was spared by hiding because of her petite stature. Later, I met Mi Heng. After learning that Cai Yan was the daughter of his friend Cai Yong, Mi Heng adopted her. Mi Heng was also a very knowledgeable scholar, so Cai Yan also learned a lot of knowledge. Because You Heng was outspoken, offended many people, and lived a life of hunger and cold, Cai Yan also suffered a lot.

In Yizhou, Cai Yan had a peculiar feeling at first sight of Liu Xun, as if he had met his relatives. When she came to Xiangyang, Cai Yan finally had a home, where she can do what she likes without any worries. There are many books in Liu Xun's study, so she can't put it down. The books at that time were not printed on paper, they were all written on bamboo slips. Each book is very heavy, but it does not stop Cai Yan's enthusiasm.

"What are you looking at, little girl?" Liu Xun walked in with a smile, and it was funny to see Cai Yan reading.

"I won't tell you." Cai Yan quickly closed the bamboo slips, moving lightly. Cai Yan didn't want to show Liu Xun, but played with Liu Xun. Cai Yan is very happy and very grateful to Liu Xun to have a quiet place, no need to be displaced, and his own room.

"I know what book. I have read this book many times. From the appearance of the bamboo slips, I can infer its title." He has read the books in Liu Xun's study many times, so he is very familiar with it.

"A lie, you are so good." Cai Yan didn't believe it. She thought Liu Xun had a lot of things to do and didn't have so much time to study.

Liu Xun smiled. The little girl in front of me was really shrewd. Liu Xun liked it more and more. "It should be the part of the "Emperor Benji" in "Historical Records"." Liu Xun blurted out.

Cai Yan widened his eyes in surprise, and Liu Xun's familiarity with books exceeded his imagination. The content of this book can be inferred only from the appearance of the bamboo slips, which shows how familiar I am with this book.

"Have you read "The Benji of Xiang Yu", then you talk about why Sima Qian included Xiang Yu in the "Benji"?" Liu Xun wanted to hear Cai Yan's opinion.

“Many people think that Sima Qian’s inclusion of Xiang Yu in this epoch was because he valued Xiang Yu’s punishment of Qin and also respected Xiang Yu’s character. However, I think Xiang Yu is not suitable to be an emperor. After the extermination of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu’s thinking was still very conservative. , And divided the nations into the princes. Before long, the world fell apart and the people suffered.” Cai Yan’s point of view is very novel. Everyone believes that the world was originally defeated by Xiang Yu, and Liu Bang was just a trickery.

"Yes, Xiang Yu is brave. However, he is indecisive and reluctant to reward meritorious officers and women." Liu Xun couldn't help discussing with Cai Yan.

"I am still good at Gaozuo." Cai Yan continued.

"Oh, let's talk about it." Liu Xun wanted to hear the views of the 13-year-old girl.

"I admire Gao Pao not because he succeeded in the end. It's because he was able to endure the humiliation and unbridled. He also knows people and uses them well, so he can accomplish a great cause."

After hearing what Cai Yan said, Liu Xun was stunned. Because the society at the time was that'a woman without talent is virtue', Liu Xun did not expect that a 13-year-old girl could have such an opinion, it is really amazing.

"It's a pity that the man founded by my great ancestors is already in danger." At this point, Liu Xun sighed deeply.

"I think the people in the world are still in favor of Han, so don't worry. Moreover, with my brother's talents, he will be able to revitalize the big man."

After Liu Xun heard it, he laughed, "I didn't expect you to boast, I thought you would only be sarcastic."

Cai Yan felt the warmth of the world prematurely. In order to prevent herself from being bullied, she gradually developed the habit of speaking sharply. In fact, Cai Yan's heart was like ice, melted by the care of Liu Xun's relatives. This change was subtle and unconscious, and even Cai Yan himself did not notice.

"Praise you for a few words, you will be stunned." Haha, the two of them laughed at the same time...

Summer is the harvest season. The wheat in Xiangyang County is mature. Rice will be planted after the wheat is harvested, and it will be harvested again in two or three months.

Food and grass are the most basic guarantee for the army to fight, and it can even be said to be a fatal factor. "Soldiers and horses have not moved, food and grass go first" is a high-level generalization of this reality. Even in many battles, the results were changed because of the influence of grain and grass.

After occupying Xiangyang, Liu Xun found that a lot of land was concentrated in the hands of several family members, so Liu Xun used it together, and bought back a large amount of land at a low price, and distributed the land to the farmers. This greatly improves the enthusiasm of farmers in production.

This is the first land harvest since the occupation of Xiangyang. The weather in Xiangyang this year is smooth and the wheat is growing very gratifying, and the plump grains are all bent down. After the farmers collect the grain, they only need to pay the "eight taxes and one" grain per mu, and the rest is their own.

The grain handed in by the farmers this time was just enough to supplement the military rations, so that they would be guaranteed for their expedition to Wuling.

Liu Bei attached great importance to the harvest. He sent soldiers to help the farmers harvest and harvest grain. He also sent Liu Xun and others to personally inspect it.

In order to prevent the horses from trampling on the wheat fields, Liu Xun got off the horse far away, handed the horses to the attendants, and then walked straight to the wheat fields, followed by Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, Xiangyang prefect Liu Qi, and Cai Yan and other Xiangyang local officials. Liu Xun originally didn't want to bring Cai Yan, but Cai Yan just wanted to come. Liu Xun had no choice but to bring her.

Liu Xun and the others came to the wheat field in the suburbs of Xiangyang. Looking around, they saw a golden patch, and the mature wheat ears were all bent over, which was very gratifying. A breeze blew by, and the wheat ears swayed, as if welcoming everyone.

"Dear folks, how about this year's harvest." Liu Xun walked to the rest of the crowd sitting under the tree, and then also sat down.

Everyone saw that there were quite a few officials behind the visitors, and they knew that the people who questioned were not small, and they wanted to stand up. But Liu Xun motioned everyone to sit down and not be so nervous.

"I recognize you, you are the son of Liu Xun, who gave us land last year." A seven or eight-year-old child pointed to Liu Xun and said. A middle-aged woman quickly scolded the child. It turned out that she was the child's mother. Seeing that her child was rude to her son, she quickly apologized.

However, Liu Xun said that it didn't matter, and kindly asked the child, "Oh, you know me. You remember everything from last year so clearly. It's amazing." Liu Xun also gave a thumbs up.

"After Uncle Liu Huang and his son came to Xiangyang, we no longer suffer. I have lived so long and have never met such a good official." A gray-haired old man said, holding Liu Xun's hand, Liu in front of him. Xun is like his own relatives.

"Now it's in troubled times. It's not easy for everyone. We try our best to let everyone live a stable life." The simple nature of these farmers in front of them deeply moved Liu Xun. Since ancient times, farmers have pursued a stable life. As long as they can live happily as a family, they have food, clothes to wear, and a house to live in.

"In the past, we had to hand over 70% of the food to the government, and the lives of the whole family would be a problem. If there was a famine, then it would really be impossible. My mother was starved to death." A stout man While talking, the big man wiped his tears, thinking of his mother who was starving to death, very sad.

As the saying goes, “a man has tears and he doesn’t flick it lightly, but he’s not sad.” A seven-foot man would not cry easily. However, when he mentioned his mother was crying, it can be seen that her mother was starved to death. Deeply touched the nerves of this big man.

Speaking of his mother, Liu Xun’s eyes are moist, and his mother has unfortunately passed away. How can it not be sad? Liu Xun adjusted his emotions and said to everyone: "Our goal is to enable everyone to eat and live in peace and contentment."

"Now that we only collect more than 10% of the rent, our life will get better and better, and we will have more energy to work."

"Yeah, yeah. Now we work more and get more money. The better the harvest, the more food we have left."

Everyone talked and talked, and they were full of hope for the future life.

The inspection was very successful, and everyone seemed to be satisfied.

"Little girl, what do you think?" On the way back, Liu Xun asked with concern when seeing Cai Yan bowing his head on horseback. Cai Yan also learned to ride a horse in Xiangyang, so this time he came to the suburbs to ride a horse by himself.

"My name is Cai Yan, my name is Wen Ji, not the little girl." Cai Yan doesn't like being called that way.

"Wen Ji is a good name, very poetic." Liu Xun exclaimed.

"My father started this for me, but it's a pity that he is no longer there." Hearing other people mentioning his relatives, Cai Yan also thought of his father, feeling very sad.

Liu Xun turned his head and looked at Cai Yan, his compassion arose spontaneously, "Wen Ji, I am your relative, I will treat you as my own sister and let you live a good life."

Cai Wenji turned sorrow into joy when she heard it, waved her whip, and rode forward...