On the official road leading to the capital, Tian Erniu and Zhao Houhou from the same village were walking with great difficulty.
The snow was melting now, the road was very muddy, and the cold wind was howling, and there was nothing to eat in the stomach. Every time they walked for a while, the two of them had to stop and take a breath.
"If we walk further, we will reach the capital. I don't know if there is anything to do in the capital. I don't know if there will be anyone giving porridge. The dry food brought out will not last for a few days."
Tian Erniu looked at the tall city gates of the capital and was full of worries about the days to come.
Both of them were military households of Tianjin Guards. Speaking of military households, we have to mention the household service system of the Ming Dynasty. Because of this household service system, this military household was the same as other kitchen households, craftsmen households, etc.
Hereditary, the ancestors are military households, and from generation to generation, descendants are military households.
Don't think that this hereditary job is an iron rice bowl, it sounds pretty good.
But in fact, it is just the opposite. Military households are the lowest level of existence in the Ming Dynasty. Except for those who can inherit hundreds or thousands of households, the other low-level military households are all the poorest existence in the Ming Dynasty.
Originally, the military household system of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty was actually very good. A certain amount of land was allocated to each guard station. The military households in this guard station cultivated the land to be self-sufficient in peacetime, and in wartime they could protect their families and the country. This way, they could do it without spending a day.
You can raise a large number of soldiers with just a few cents.
However, after more than 100 years of development, the military household system has been completely corrupted.
The elite army of the Ming Dynasty, which was once able to drive the Yuan Dynasty to the north, has become the most honest and poorest peasants after more than 100 years of development.
Because of the existence of the household service system, the children and grandchildren of these military households were all military households. Gradually, these military households became the superior officers and the private serfs of the nobles. As for the fields allocated to the guards, they were also the private serfs of the nobles.
, senior generals, thousands of households, hundreds of households, etc. accounted for 7788.
These military households were not allowed to engage in any other industry because this was not allowed. They could only farm fields honestly and go to war when there was a war.
Secondly, he became a private serf of his superiors. Not only did he have to help his superiors and officers farm the land, but he also had to do a lot of personal work sometimes.
In the third year, the military fields were occupied, and the population of these low-level military households was increasing. With the increase and decrease, one can imagine the life of these military households.
If Xiahetun, where Liu Jin was born, is poor because it is close to the sea, has little cultivated land and cannot go to the sea, and its life is poor, then the life of these military households is even worse.
When winter comes, a large number of military households become refugees, begging everywhere. Every year, countless people freeze to death and starve to death outside. The guard system is truly and completely corrupt.
Tian Erniu and Zhao Houhou were wearing thin clothes. The cotton-padded jackets they wore were very tattered and black. The thermal insulation effect was really worrying. When the cold wind blew, they were shivering from the cold. After taking a rest, they continued to move towards
Let's go to the capital.
Both of them are military households. They are just in their early twenties. They have a wife and children at home. They should be a hot bed for the wife and children, but unfortunately there is not much food left at home. As in previous years, the young people have to work as refugees to earn a living.
, giving the little remaining food at home to the children, and they must find a way to survive this winter until the next spring before they can go back.
This is an extremely cruel reality. I am penniless and only bring some dry food with me. It is freezing cold. In the past, I don’t know how many people went out every year and never came back.
But there is no way. If you go out, you may still have a way to survive. If you don't go out, the whole family may starve to death at home. Therefore, even though they know this, a large number of military households still become refugees and come to the city to beg for food.
The two walked very slowly, but slowly they finally reached the city gate.
"Two brothers, two brothers, you are here to make a living, right? Our Zhang's Coal Industry is recruiting a large number of people, and food and accommodation are provided. I wonder if you are interested in working for our Zhang's Coal Industry?"
Tian Erniu and Zhao Houhou came to the city gate, and before they had time to take a breath, a cleanly dressed man wearing a servant's uniform immediately came up and said hurriedly.
"Food and accommodation included?"
When Zhao Houhou heard this, his eyes immediately widened. It was hard to believe that there was such a good thing in the world. They came out to be refugees, not just to beg for food to survive the winter. Now, as long as they work, they can get food and shelter.
, I have never heard of such a good thing before.
For these refugees, as long as they are given food and everything is easy to talk about, let alone being housed, they will definitely be able to survive this winter.
Just when Zhao Houhou and Tian Erniu were about to nod in agreement, several more people gathered around and said one after another: "Two brothers, our Sangong Coal Industry is also recruiting people to make briquettes, and food and accommodation are included.
This business was started by three princes, and I will never treat you badly."
"We, Zhou's Coal Industry, are also recruiting people. We also provide food and accommodation. If you work hard, we will also give you rewards."
"Brothers, come to our Sihai Coal Industry. Food and accommodation are all included. After you work this winter, we will give you a set of cotton-padded clothes."
Everyone was surrounding Tian Erniu and Zhao Houhou. The conditions of each were better than the other, which made the two of them dumbfounded.
Didn’t it mean that it’s difficult to even enter the city gate when you come out to beg for food? It’s not that it’s hard to find something to do when you come out. Didn’t it mean that you’d either starve to death or freeze to death when you become a refugee?
Why does it seem that I have become a sweet man now? Everyone is calling me a brother and sister, and they are still holding my hand, as if they are afraid that I will go away.
"We at Zhang's Coal Industry saw this first. Can you abide by the first-come, first-served rule?"
"What do you mean you saw it first? I saw them when they were far away. Come on, brother, come to our Zhou Coal Industry. Come and have a sip of hot water first to warm up~"
"Are you still shameless? Everyone says you saw it first, why don't you just go and grab it?"
The people surrounding the two people were also quarreling with each other, which made Tian Erniu and Zhao Houhou even more confused. They kept looking around, and soon their eyes lit up, and they discovered two fellow villagers.
people.
"Brother Big Tiger, Brother Silly Bear, are you out too?"
Tian Erniu and Zhao Houhou also hurried over.
"Er Niu, Monkey, come to Xishan Coal Industry. Food and accommodation are also included, and you still get several pennies a day. The more you work, the more money you get. Don't be fooled by them."
The people named Dahu and Shaxiong shouted excitedly when they saw Tian Erniu and Zhao Houhou. Then they quickly took them to the recruitment site of Xishan Coal Industry and said to the man in charge: "Thank you, manager."
, these two people are from my same village, I wonder if we can go to work at Xishan Coal Industry together?"
"Well, since we are from the same village as you, of course we can. Get your identity tags. From now on, you will be able to eat and receive wages based on your identity tags."
Manager Xie came here to recruit refugees, so he naturally had no reason to refuse. He nodded and wrote out identity cards for the two of them.
"Brother Big Tiger, Brother Silly Bear, what on earth is going on?"
Tian Erniu and Zhao Houhou held their identity tags and still couldn't figure out the situation, so they asked quickly.
"What's going on? This isn't simple. We people have become so famous. Don't you see that everyone is vying for us to do things?"
