In Gansu, on the road leading to the Western Regions, there is a continuous flow of people. The huge crowds migrating to the Western Regions form a long queue with no end in sight.
On both sides of the road is the desolate Gobi, dry, desolate, and endless desert, which makes the migrants full of worries about the unknown future.
Liu boldly pushed the cart. On the cart were his few belongings, some dry food, some farm tools, pots and pans, old clothes and quilts.
He is a villager in Liujia Village. Ever since Liu Lezi went to Liaodong to make a fortune and return to his hometown, Liu Dadan, who is also a bachelor, has been thinking about immigrating outside.
It happened that this time the imperial court wanted to immigrate to the Western Regions. There were many people in Liujia Village who wanted to immigrate to the Western Regions. Liu Dadan didn't win the lottery, so he couldn't go.
But he decided to go to the Western Regions spontaneously, just like other young people in the village, who immigrated to the Western Regions on his own.
If you stay in Liujia Village, you will be able to see things all your life. You won't even get a wife, you won't have enough food to eat, and you won't be able to wear warm clothes. He, Liu Dangda, is not an idle, lazy person.
On the contrary, he is an extremely diligent person. However, due to the small land and large population in Henan, no matter how hard he works, he still cannot have enough to eat and is extremely poor.
"Brother Bold, this Western Region is so desolate and is filled with sand. Did we choose the wrong place? We might as well follow Liu Lezi to Liaodong."
Next to Liu DaBang, Liu Mazi was carrying a load, which also contained his few possessions. While following the large army, he looked at the desolate Gobi surrounding him. He looked worried.
There might not even be water to drink in the Western Region, and if they move there, it might be even worse than their hometown.
“We’re here, we’ve arrived in Gansu, don’t be discouraged and keep going!”
Liu Da boldly didn't even raise his head. He was afraid that when he raised his head, he would be like Liu Mazi and lose his vision for the future life. In his mind, the Western Regions were extremely beautiful.
Wherever there are fertile fields and fertile soil of your own, you can have your own cattle, sheep and horses in the future, and you can also marry an orchid with a big butt and big breasts, and give yourself a bunch of fat babies.
"But, I'm afraid that I don't have enough dry food. We are heading to the Western Regions on our own initiative. We can't go to the inn to rest and eat for free."
Liu Mazi thought for a while and said.
"Don't worry, the court will not ignore us."
"It's not just us who are going to the Western Regions, there are many people along the way who are going to the Western Regions voluntarily."
"If there is no food to eat by then, there will definitely be problems, and the court will not ignore us."
Liu DaDa said with great certainty.
"I hope so."
Liu Mazi thought for a while and said.
They kept moving forward, and the imperial court set up many inns along the way. There was a large inn every fifty miles. The inns provided free food and accommodation for those who migrated to the Western Regions. Of course, this was for immigrants with court documents.
.
For spontaneous immigrants like Liu DaDa and Liu Mazi, there was no provision for food and accommodation at the imperial inn.
"Don't worry, there must be a road before the car reaches the mountain. Didn't you see many caravans along the way? At worst, we will work in this caravan. We will always have a bite to eat and we will be able to reach the Western Regions."
Liu boldly said confidently, looking at a motorcade in the middle of the road.
The size of the convoy was very large, with four-wheeled carriages loaded with goods, and some carriages filled with people. The immigrants walking westward all looked at them with envy.
Walking is indeed tiring, and everyone dreams of getting a ride in a carriage or an ox cart at this time.
Seeing the setting sun dyeing half of the sky red, it will soon be night. At the end of the field of vision, a post station can already be seen. The post station is very lively.
The people who arrived here first were drinking hot rice porridge and eating fragrant sweet potatoes and corn in the post station. There were also caravans and officers with official duties who were feasting on mutton and drinking mutton soup.
Outside the inn, there were no court documents. The people who spontaneously migrated to the Western Regions drooled at everything in the inn. The greedy and clever children sneaked in, relying on their sweet words to get the goods from the mouths of the merchants and servants.
They made some meat to eat, while the adults ate dry food and began to prepare for the night.
A group of dozens of villagers from Liujia Village, including Liu Daring and Liu Mazi, also gathered together. They all made pots to cook together, while villagers with documents went to the post station to get some extra food.
When you are away from home, you still have to help each other, and most of the people who migrate around are like this. They gather together spontaneously in villages or towns, and help each other all the way west.
The migration road was very difficult, and we had to walk every day. Moreover, the post stations set up by the imperial court were strictly calculated. The distance between the post stations was exactly the limit that could be walked in one day.
So every day, Liu DaDa and Liu Mazi had to keep walking as long as possible. They had to go to the next inn. Otherwise, if they stayed overnight in the wilderness of the Western Regions, they might be picked off by wolves.
The road is long and hard, some people are confused, some give up, and some regret it.
But since the moment I decided to move to the Western Regions, I have no regrets. All I can do is keep going west, keep moving forward, keep moving forward, and keep going.
Even if their shoes are worn out and their feet are worn out, they still have to go on because they can no longer go back and can only go on the path of hope.
The mighty army of immigrants continues to advance along the ancient Silk Road. As time goes by, those immigrants with court documents are naturally guaranteed.
When they are sick, they can see a doctor here, when they are hungry, they can eat here, and they can even sleep comfortably in the inn at night.
However, those immigrants who voluntarily went to the Western Regions became increasingly miserable. They gradually ran out of dry food and began to suffer physically. But how long did it take to reach the Western Regions, and how long and how far did they have to go?
The originally hopeful eyes of many people began to become confused. Even optimistic people like Liu DaDa began to regret it. This Western Region is really too far away. The conditions here seem to be really difficult. There are many things that are lacking along the way.
Water, sometimes they don't even come to drink water.
Is there really hope for a place like this?
"Dang~dang~"
There were officials riding horses, beating gongs and drums and speaking loudly to the migrating team.
"Good news, good news~"
"I have just received an order from the imperial court. All immigrants heading to the Western Regions, regardless of whether they hold documents from the imperial court, can enter the inn to get free food, rest in the inn, and receive two pairs of shoes here."
The officer rode a horse, kept walking, and kept shouting.
As the sound spread, it was like a shot of cardiotonic into the hearts of the immigrants who migrated westward. When Liu Dadan and Liu Mazi heard it, they couldn't help but widen their eyes, and then burst into tears.
stand up.
They are just too difficult.
It is too tiring and difficult to follow the team to move westward by just relying on your own strength.
Unexpectedly, the imperial court has not forgotten them now. They can also enter the inn to eat, rest, and even receive two pairs of shoes.
"Long live the Ming Dynasty, long live your Majesty!"
I don’t know who shouted out, but a large number of people immediately followed.
On a hillside, Liu Jin was riding on a horse, looking at the mighty long dragon moving westward below. When he heard the mountain-like shouts, he couldn't help but laugh.
Ever since he learned that a large number of people were heading to the Western Regions spontaneously, Liu Jin was anxious and came here personally to check and investigate.
The imperial court only moved two million people from Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan to the Western Regions, but there were two million people who went to the Western Regions voluntarily.
With such a huge team heading west, it is easy for problems to arise.
Therefore, Liu Jin quickly wrote to Emperor Hongzhi and the imperial court, explaining the situation in detail and requesting the imperial court to allocate more food and supplies, and also take care of those immigrants who spontaneously went to the Western Regions.
Emperor Hongzhi and the court paid great attention to what Liu Jin said, and quickly allocated a large amount of food and materials to the inns along the Western Regions. At the same time, they also told Liu Jin that they would treat everyone equally and asked all places along the way to do relevant things.
work to ensure that immigrants can reach the Western Regions smoothly.
"Now I don't have to worry about anyone."
"There are millions of people going to the Western Region, whether it is the Hezhong area or this Western Region, if there are people there will be everything, and the Western Region will be considered stable."
"The next step is to figure out how to properly settle these immigrants. Once people come to the Western Region, how to use their strength to build the Western Region well and build it into a solid bridgehead is the key."
Liu Jin thought deeply. He didn't expect that so many people would come to the Western Regions spontaneously. This was also a challenge for him.
"Well, it's easier to do things if you have money~"
"If the imperial court remains as poor as before, nothing will be accomplished."
"Now that we have money, cement roads have been built, and there are food crops such as sweet potatoes, corn, and potatoes, millions of immigrants will not put too much pressure on the court."
"In the past, let alone such a large-scale immigration, even if 100,000 people were immigrated, the court would probably not be able to do it. They could only force the people to relocate, and we don't know how many people would die."
Liu Jin also sighed in his heart. The main reason why the imperial court agreed so readily was because the imperial court had money, and it was easier to do things with money. As long as there were merchants with money who were willing to transport food and materials to the Western Regions.
"Pass my order, and when the immigrants arrive in Turpan, treat them to a good meal, and buy enough mutton!"