Shen Chen spent the New Year in Nanyang with his family in the 25th year of Jian'an. This year is already 220 AD, and Shen Chen is 33 years old.
In fact, he should be 32 years old, because he was born in October of the fourth year of Zhongping, that is, October of 187 AD. When Cao Cao massacred Xuzhou in 194 AD, his actual age was 7 years old, and he did not reach his age until October of that year. 8 years old.
However, the ancients paid attention to the virtual age, which was calculated based on the age immediately after birth. It was not until the concept of one year old was introduced to the West in later modern times that the so-called distinction between the real age and the virtual age came into being.
Therefore, as soon as the New Year is over, Han people automatically become one year older. Therefore, even if Shen Chen does not actually turn 33, he is about to enter middle age this year.
After celebrating the New Year in Nanyang, Shen Chen took a boat to Jiangzhou on October 11th and took his wife to visit Liu Bei.
Now he is Liu Bei's son-in-law, and the two parties are more closely related. Liu Bei held a family banquet in the palace of the King of Han to entertain him. Shen Chen's eight-year-old eldest son Shen Yin is smart and smart. Liu Chan happens to be twelve years old this year. The uncle and nephew play together. Very happy.
It’s time to welcome the New Year. Although the weather in Jiangzhou has not been very good these days, with the sky overcast, the northwest wind blowing constantly, and light rain falling, it has not affected the people’s joy in welcoming the New Year.
After last year's depression, Jiangzhou has gradually regained some popularity this year. Since the middle of last year, the business between Jingzhou and Yi that was cut off due to Sun Quan's sneak attack on Jingzhou has resumed again. Business has recovered slightly, and after improvement, the city has slowly Become prosperous.
The streets and alleys are full of people coming and going to buy new year's goods. Every household has posted peach charms that gradually became popular during the Qin and Han Dynasties. Everyone's face is filled with smiles, and they go out to congratulate each other on the arrival of the New Year.
In the new year and new atmosphere, Liu Bei has ordered from last year to reduce taxes in flood-stricken counties in Yizhou and Jingzhou, encourage people to farm, exempt from corvee and miscellaneous taxes, and develop organized production.
The people who had plenty of food in the past are having a slightly better life, because the government is now providing work-for-relief to help the people get through the difficult period.
Last year, Yizhou recruited too many civilians and auxiliary soldiers for corvee service, which resulted in many fields in Shu County and Ba County not being cultivated. As a result, the fields were abandoned, the mulberry forests withered, the fish ponds dried up, the output was greatly reduced, and at least half a year of food production was wasted. .
After the civilians and auxiliary soldiers returned, it was too late to think about temporary farming, so the government used money and grain to recruit people to open up wasteland, build canals, dig roads, and subsidize those people who were hungry because they missed the farming.
Although having to subsidize hundreds of thousands of people will be a huge burden for Liu Bei Group.
However, firstly, the amount of coins issued was very small, and the main purpose was to provide food. Secondly, the duration was short, that is, only two or three months, and based on the current financial and grain inventory of the Liu Bei Group, it was completely able to sustain it.
Therefore, although the people are still poor under the government subsidies, they can at least have enough food and clothing. After the harvest next year, life will be much easier without having to pay taxes.
The main reason why Liu Bei was able to subsidize the people through work-for-relief was because Ji Han was not short of food, both historically and now.
Historically, after Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition for more than ten years, Yizhou was still very wealthy, and its economy was even the best among the Three Kingdoms. It was able to maintain a currency system that was much stronger than Cao Wei and Sun Wu.
What Zhuge Liang lacked was always how to effectively transport grain and grass to the front line.
It's the same now.
Shen Chen improved the productivity of Jingzhou and Yizhou through Zhancheng rice and retting technology, and the grain output increased greatly. From the 20th year of Jian'an to the 24th year of Jian'an, it accumulated for four to five years. There was a lot of grain storage, and granaries in various places It has never been empty.
It was only because Liu Bei traveled a long distance to fight the Battle of Guanzhong and Shen Chen lured the enemy deep into Jingzhou that a large area was temporarily occupied by Sun Quan and Cao Cao. This required the people of Yizhou to bear a heavy burden of corvee and devastated the people's livelihood.
Now that the war has stopped, there is still a lot of grain left in the warehouse. Even though it is logical that these are national reserves of grain and should be stored to deal with possible sudden wars.
But now anyone with a little knowledge knows that the only one with the ability to initiate a war is the Liu Bei Group, and Liu Bei's adviser group all believe that the next war will not be with the Northern Cao Wei Group, but a partial war with the Jiangdong Group. war.
If it were before the Battle of Jingzhou, it would still be a little difficult to attack Jiangdong with the naval strength of Liu Bei Group, and it might even require a nationwide mobilization.
But today's Jiangdong...
As long as the Jingzhou Corps is dispatched, it can basically be eliminated. It is no longer a large-scale battle, so naturally there is no such big burden.
Therefore, it is obviously the right thing to use stored grain to improve people's living conditions.
On October 16, in the palace of the King of Han.
Liu Bei and Shen Chen were sitting under the pavilion in the back garden. Chen Dao was guarding outside the garden. In the yard were Liu Bei's eldest son Liu Chan, his second son Liu Yong, his youngest son Liu Li, Shen Chen's eldest son Shen Yin, and his second son Shen Xi. play.
The oldest among them is Liu Chan, who was born in 207 AD, and the youngest is Liu Li, who was born in 215 AD. Even Shen Xi is one year older than him.
Historically, Liu Bei did not have any sons, but they died or disappeared during the war. Even his two daughters were captured by Cao Chun at Changbanpo. Now that he has settled down, he is finally able to give birth to offspring and multiply his children.
Watching his children playing in the yard, Liu Bei sighed: "Twenty years ago, this was a scene I could not even dream of. I was in panic all day long, but now I can be king in the south, Xiaoqing, all this... It’s all thanks to you and Kong Ming.”
Shen Chen smiled and said: "My lord is famous all over the world, and it is because people in the world know my lord's benevolence and righteousness that they are willing to come and join me. This is all the result of my lord helping the world in the early years, but doing good deeds without caring about the future. How can it be said that it is my credit?" ?”
"You."
Liu Bei smiled and shook his head: "You have been persuading me to exchange you with Yunchang for the past two days. I have decided."
Shen Chen nodded and waited for Liu Bei to replace him.
Unexpectedly, Liu Bei smiled slyly and said, "I decided to take you and Yunchang together."
Shen Chen scratched his head and said: "How can you use a chicken knife to kill an ox? Uncle Yun Chang is so powerful that the destruction of Jiangdong is no less than the battle to destroy the country. I want Uncle Yun Chang to come and do it. Besides, I want to go to Hanzhong, and there are some Something else."
"What happened?"
Liu Bei asked curiously.
Shen Chen said: "Actually, Kong Ming and I invented stirrups, horseshoes and high-bridge saddles more than ten years ago. But at that time, we all thought that these things could not be born, so we hid them. Now we have Liangzhou, and we have Once we know where the horses come from, we can equip them with these items. I want to go to Xiliang to form heavy armored cavalry."
Heavy armored cavalry appeared in the late Han Dynasty, and Yuan Shao had 300 heavy cavalry.
However, because the equipment of the horses has not kept up, the heavy cavalry wears dozens of kilograms of armor and does not have stirrups and high-bridge saddles as points of support. It will be very hard during the battle. It is necessary to clamp the horse's belly with two legs. If you are not careful, you may fall off the horse, so it has not become popular.
As a descendant, Shen Chen had never had much contact with horses before, but he had always watched costume TV dramas. Stirrups, horseshoes and high-bridge saddles were all basic common sense, so he naturally wanted to learn them.
The problem is that Cao Cao was powerful in the north at that time. If these things were developed and Cao Cao learned them, it would be bad.
Therefore, he has been hiding it all these years and has not announced it.
Now that Liangzhou has been acquired, equipment such as stirrups, saddles, and horseshoes can be widely used, so that the light cavalry can move further and have stronger combat effectiveness. Heavy cavalry can also come out, which will definitely give Cao Wei a little shock.
Liu Bei pondered: "If we form a large-scale cavalry now, we will need a lot of money and food."
"yes."
Shen Chen sighed: "We have a method of pouring steel. There are iron mines everywhere in Jingzhou and Yizhou, so we don't have to worry about steel production. However, training elite knights and cultivating cavalry for hundreds of battles cannot be done in a short time. People eat horses and chew them, and it consumes a lot of money." Of course there will be more money and food."
Liu Bei waved his hand and said: "Then there is no rush. You will destroy Jiangdong with me first, and then it will not be too late to return to Hanzhong to practice cavalry. Moreover, Yun Chang and Yide are not good at water warfare, so I still need you by my side." "
"But."
Shen Chen hesitated and said: "If Uncle Yun Chang and I both go, Hanzhong will also need a general to garrison."
"Let Han Sheng go."
Liu Bei said: "He played the most important role in this battle. I want to move him to the post of general, and he will be promoted from Han Dynasty to take charge of Hanzhong."
"General Hou? Isn't it Ma Chao?"
Shen Chen asked.
Liu Bei smiled and said: "This year I will move you to the position of General Wei and let Ma Chao take over the position of General Zuo."
General Wei?
Shen Chen's brows suddenly wrinkled.
Strictly speaking, as a prince, Liu Bei was not qualified to be appointed as a general.
Because General Wei is ranked below the Three Dukes, he is a senior general after the General, the Hussars General and the Chariot General, and ranks fourth among the generals of the Han Dynasty.
The remaining four generals, front, rear, left and right, are subordinate to generals of guard. Only the emperor can appoint them, not the princes and kings.
Therefore, Liu Bei's awarding of General Wei must have been against the rules. It was not until Liu Bei became emperor that the positions of General, General of Hussars, General of Chariots and Generals, and General of Wei appeared in Jihan.
What's more, General Wei's position is higher than that of former generals. Guan Yu is so arrogant and always thinks that he is the second-ranking figure in Liu Bei's group. In history, even if Huang Zhongding defeated Xia Houyuan with his army, he would look down on him. If he were above him, he might be a little dissatisfied. .
So Shen Chen said: "My lord, please don't do this. Princes can't set up generals when they open their houses. This is against the rules. Besides, as a great scholar at that time, how can I hold a military position for a long time? If I want to be a civil historian, I will hand Huang Zhong as his left. General."
Xiaoqing wants to switch to a civilian job?
Liu Bei was stunned for a moment, then realized that he was probably caring about Guan Yu's feelings.
Thinking of this, Liu Bei couldn't help but sigh, Xiaoqing is better, she always considers others, unlike his careless third brother, who makes trouble everywhere.
"If we turn to internal history, Xiaoqing should be the prime minister of the country with his talent."
"Kong Ming is more suitable than me."
"Then let's be the shepherd of Jingzhou and the governor of Nanzhou."
Liu Bei thought for a while and said: "When Jiangdong is destroyed, you can then become the shepherd of Yizhou and the governor of Xichuan. You will be under the prime minister and on the same level as the prime minister."
The Grand Governor controls the troops and horses of a state. For example, Jingzhou is Nanzhou, and all the troops and horses of Jingzhou are under the supervision of the Grand Governor. If Shen Chen is transferred to the Grand Governor of Xichuan, then the troops and horses of Yizhou will also be under his control, and the actual power is superior to that of the generals.
This is much greater military power than the previous General Zuo.
However, because this is a temporary position rather than a non-permanent position, all soldiers and horses are only under his control during wartime, which is equivalent to a civilian being in charge of the army, so Guan Yu will probably not have any resistance.
Shen Chen felt that there was no problem, so he said: "Just listen to the Lord in everything."
Liu Bei asked again: "Xiaoqing said that we can send out troops to attack Wu in March this year. Isn't this too hasty? The war was only completed last year and the people in the south are exhausted. If we send out troops now, will there be a shortage of food and grass?"
Shen Chen replied: "The food and grass are not bad, Jingzhou alone can support us. The main reason is to kill him while he is sick. Sun Quan is now troubled at home and abroad, and rebellions are everywhere. Many Jiangdong aristocratic families, such as Shanyue and others, have written letters willing to surrender to us. If If we drag it on and let Sun Quan put down the rebellion, it will be difficult to fight."
"Um."
Liu Bei nodded: "Then it all depends on Xiaoqing."
Shen Chen thought for a while and said: "General Han Sheng has made great contributions. In the battle of Yixian, it was his timely rescue that defeated Sun Quan. But he only had one son who died early. Why not send people to Nanyang to search for Han Sheng?" The general’s clan will continue to produce heirs for the general?”
Liu Bei thought this proposal was good, so he said, "Then I will ask Fei Yi to go there."
Historically, Nanyang has been controlled by Cao Wei. Huang Zhong was from Nanyang, but he had a clan but could not return, and his heirs also died young. Even though he made great achievements by killing the Marquis of Xia at Dingjun Mountain, he still had no heirs, which is pitiful.
But now that Nanyang has been taken back by Shen Chen, according to the ancient clan system of adoption, it is completely possible to find an heir from the Huang clan to adopt as Huang Zhong.
It's just that Huang Zhong is old, and his brothers of the same generation may have died long ago, and it is difficult to find close relatives.
However, the origin of the Huang family in Nanyang is easy to find out.
They are descendants of Huang Zilian, the prefect of Nanyang during the period of Emperor Shun of the Han Dynasty Liu Bao, and currently live in Wancheng and other places.
After Huang Zilian spread his branches in Nanyang, one of his branches migrated to Lingling County in Jingnan. Huang Gai is a descendant of the Lingling Huang family.
Therefore, Huang Zhong and Huang Gai are still brothers of the same clan.
Liu Bei could send people to Huang Zhong's hometown to find Huang Zhong's nearest bloodline through Huang Zhong's tribe.
For example, the descendants of biological brothers or cousins can solve the problem of Huang Zhong having no heirs.
The two talked about other things.
At this time, Chen Dao outside the courtyard said: "My lord, the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister You are here."
"oh?"
Liu Bei hurriedly said: "Let Kong Ming Xiaozhi and others come in quickly."
"only."
Go and pass it on when Chen arrives.
Liu Bei turned around and smiled at Shen Chen: "Kong Ming asked him to come here today. He also said that he wanted to handle official business, but he didn't expect that he is here now."
"Maybe the official business has been dealt with, or there is some urgent news."
Shen Chen washed a tea cup and prepared to make another pot of tea.
After a while, Zhuge Liang and Fazheng came in. Seeing Shen Chen there, they nodded slightly and said hello, then they bowed their hands to Liu Bei and said, "My lord."
"Kong Ming, Xiaozhi, come and sit down."
Liu Bei greeted them.
Unexpectedly, Zhuge Liang said solemnly: "Master, I have official business."
"What's wrong?" Liu Bei asked.
"Northern Dispatch."
Zhuge Liang handed over the official document in his hand.
Liu Bei opened the official document, took a look at it, and then his expression changed slightly.
Shen Chen saw something wrong with his expression and asked, "Lord, what happened."
"Cao Cao is dead."
Liu Bei sighed long and long: "I didn't expect him to die so quickly. I don't know why. After being my rival for a lifetime, I don't feel very happy. On the contrary, I feel a little sad."
Zhuge Liang said: "But this is a gratifying thing after all. After Cao Cao's death, Wei's internal instability will be more convenient for us to pacify Jiangdong."
"Um."
Liu Bei handed the official document to Shen Chen and asked, "Xiaoqing, what do you think?"
"Master, are you asking me?"
Shen Chen's face was neither sad nor happy, as peaceful as a pool of lake water.
Liu Bei nodded: "Yes."
"I only have two words to comment on this matter."
Shen Chen looked towards the north with calm eyes and said softly: "What a death!"
A few chapters later, the pace slows down a bit, and then we defeat Wu!