Since the Thirteenth Year of the Great Cause, the important frontier town of Mayi has been plunged into the shadow of swords and blood. After so many years, the smell of blood has never dissipated, the sound of sharpening knives has always lingered in the ears of the people, and the neighing of war horses has never stopped.
.
Wang Rengong, Liu Wuzhou, Song Jingang, Yuan Junzhang, Gao Manzheng, one after another outstanding figures appeared on the stage, and after a short period of blooming, they came to an end one after another.
This city sometimes relied on the Turks and sometimes surrendered to Li Tang. It almost only existed as a military fortress and lost the other meanings of a city's existence.
This state lasted until the end of the sixth year of Wude. Yuan Junzhang, who no longer had any ambitions, had no choice but to decide to surrender to the Tang Dynasty, and soon went to court to see the Tang emperor.
Daizhou soon opened up a trade road from Yanmenguan to Mayi, and the number of merchants coming and going increased day by day. The original trade road went northwest to Yunzhou, sideways to Wuyuan County, but by taking the road through Mayi, the merchants could quickly reach the Yulin area.
, which brought huge benefits to Mayi, Dai County and Xia City.
And the city of Mayi gradually began to regain its vitality. The city was no longer lifeless, with only the lights of swords and swords visible. There were also markets, merchants, and even a few newly opened restaurants.
In a restaurant in the west of the city, more than a dozen men were gathering to drink. One of them, a muscular man, said with a smile: "Liu Wu, you are lucky enough to follow Mr. Erlang."
There was a chorus of agreement from all around, and a thin man laughed and cursed: "If I had known, I would have gone with him that day!"
"I had good intentions that day and advised you to go together, but you even scolded me!" Liu Wu is a tall and thin man. He is Yuan Xiaozheng's personal guard. He was the first group to move to Daizhou last year and now lives in
Dai County was specially brought to Mayi by Li Shan this time.
The leading man coughed twice and lowered his voice and asked: "I heard that those who moved to Daizhou before... were all given land and houses?"
"Indeed." Liu Wu nodded and said: "The house is not small. Although the farmland has been abandoned for two years and needs to be taken care of, it is not land reclamation... By the way, the house is built with red bricks from Xia City. It is far away.
From a distance, it’s very eye-catching.”
With the opening of the trade route, the reputation of Xia City has spread throughout Mayi, and everyone is jealous again.
"Of course, those who later moved to Guo County, Wutai, and Xinzhou were not all given houses." Liu Wu explained: "But if they are a family, they will still be given land."
"family?"
"If you are from Daizhou, and you are reunited with your family, you will be granted land according to Ding. If you are from Yunzhou, and your family has moved to Daizhou, you will also be granted land according to Ding." Liu Wu said with a smile: "Brother Zhang, you are so quick.
When you are forty years old, you can marry a daughter-in-law, grant land, and give birth to a fat boy next year..."
Brother Zhang was the big man at the head. When he heard the joke, he just smiled and said nothing. This man was just a military leader, but he was quite prestigious in the army, and everyone around him was silent.
After a while, Brother Zhang asked belatedly: "Since October last year, tens of thousands of people have moved to Daizhou. Are they all safe and sound?"
"Of course not." Liu Wu said seriously: "The Yunzhou family moved back to their original place of Xinzhou and were granted land. At the beginning of this year, the Dingxiang Yuan clan seized the land and took them into slavery."
"What?!"
"It is better to live happily in Mayi than to be taken as a slave!"
Everyone around was making a noise, and Brother Zhang scolded twice, "Listen to Liu Wu!"
Liu Wu said slowly: "This matter was discovered by the King of Handan, who beheaded twelve people on the spot, three of whom were the children of the Yuan family in Dingxiang. He also ordered Zhang Gongjin, the charioteer of Daizhou, to inspect Xinzhou, Daizhou and Yuzhou, strictly prohibiting the embezzlement of land."
, captured people into slavery, and it is said that many wealthy families tied their hands."
Brother Zhang took out a long breath and murmured: "Remember that the Yuan family in Dingxiang... is the in-law of the Wang family in Taiyuan?"
"Yes, Si Tian joined the army in the Daizhou Governor's Office. He was a descendant of the Yuan family in Dingxiang. He had some connections with the King of Handan, but he was also dismissed from office." Liu Wu sighed: "The King of Handan took the courtesy name Huairen, which seems to be cruel.
In fact, he does have benevolence and righteousness in his heart.”
"At the end of last year, people from Yunzhou who moved to Dai County clashed with the powerful clans of Daizhou. His Highness rushed to suppress them and cut off the heads of the descendants of the Li family in Daizhou to quell the civil unrest. My younger brother witnessed this with his own eyes."
Someone on the side asked with great interest: "It is said that this King of Handan is quite famous in Daizhou?"
Liu Wu spread his hands and said: "At least half of the brothers here are from Daizhou and Xinzhou. The third brother is from Jiangnan, but they all followed Yuan Gong to Hedong several times. We should know the situation in Daizhou."
"But for more than half a year, Daizhou has changed its appearance. The villages are crowded and the markets are noisy... By the way, I got married in December last year. My wife happened to be pregnant before I came to Mayi this time. Counting the time, at the end of the year
You can give birth to a big fat boy."
The people around them once again cast envious and jealous looks. They were all fighting in the army. Their lives were precarious. It was okay to fight in the field. No one had a wife. Even if they got married these days, they might die in battle the next day, leaving orphans behind.
Widow mother's...
Liu Wu glanced at everyone and sighed: "Last year, I followed Erlang Jun to visit the King of Handan. Your Highness joked... There have been many battles in ancient times. Once you die, you can't say that others will sleep with your wife, use your money, and even beat your son."
…”
There was a commotion around. These words were a bit poisonous and cruel, but they were also very appropriate... If it was a soldier of the Tang Dynasty, and the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty were killed in battle, it cannot be said that this situation will definitely not happen, but it will definitely be much less frequent and the extent will be much lighter.
In the final analysis, it comes down to rules. Yuan Junzhang has occupied Shuozhou and Yunzhou for many years, relying on the Turks and plundering resources to support his army. Naturally, there are no rules in this regard.
Brother Zhang sighed deeply, "Yesterday I saw the King of Handan enter the city with five hundred cavalry... But last year when he arrived in Mayi, there were only more than a hundred personal guards. I'm afraid he came to clean up the army's lieutenant generals."
Liu Wu's expression changed slightly, and he nodded slightly after being silent for a while, "Brother Zhang, I don't deny that His Highness intends to rectify Yuan Gong's old department, but there is no malicious intent."
"Tell me carefully." Brother Zhang also knew in his mind that Liu Wu was originally Erlangjun's personal guard and moved to Daizhou. At this time, he returned to Mayi with the King of Handan. He summoned old friends from the army for a drink the next day, which was naturally targeted.
"The first is to be demobilized. You can stay in Mayi, you can also move to Daizhou, Yuzhou, or Xinzhou." Liu Wu explained carefully: "On the one hand, it is for the young people who took advantage of Yunzhou to go south last year; on the other hand, it is for
An old man in the army who is over forty years old."
Brother Zhang nodded slightly. In fact, many of the young men who had led them south had already escaped, and those in the army who were over forty... also needed a way out.
"The main reason for granting land is whether there are relatives in Daizhou and Xinzhou, but it is not necessarily the case for granting house." Liu Wu suddenly laughed and said: "If you act quickly, marry a daughter-in-law... even if it is a widow with a child.
, you can also get a house grant."
"Liu Wu, are you marrying a widow?"
"What's wrong with the widow?" Liu Wulao blushed and scolded with a smile: "As you get older, you know how to love others. If you marry a sixteen or seventeen-year-old...who are you going to serve?!"
There was laughter all around, and Brother Zhang smiled and asked, "How many did you bring?"
"One son and one daughter." Liu Wu coughed twice, "The second brother knew that the younger brother was originally from Dai County, and he also recognized her late husband. He recruited soldiers from the government the year before last and died in the battle at Yanmen Pass."
A person next to him suddenly whispered: "The year before last... it seems that it was the time when Duke Yuan attacked Yanmen Pass?"