In July, the blazing heat in the countryside quickly subsided, and sporadic rain began to appear. Whether it was Hebei or Henan, pedestrians on the road became noticeably denser, commercial agricultural activities also quickly resumed, and everything seemed to have returned to normal.
In the past years, the weather has been good.
In Sanhuangli, the northwest corner of Jiangling County, a group of seven or eight knights arrived amidst the chirping of cicadas. They found a platform and overlooked the surrounding fields. Then several people discussed with each other, recorded a form, and hurried to the next step.
Chu Shuang Huangli left.
Repeatedly, the group was just looking around and did not even enter the countryside. That afternoon they rushed back to Jiangling City. They first went to the "Cow and Horse Camp" three miles south of the city to return the horses, signed the papers, and fed the animals themselves.
Will leave.
Those who prepare to enter the city enter the city, and those who return to the camp return to the camp.
However, as soon as the group came to the official road, a middle-aged officer in the lead looked around and saw many new wine shops and grocery stores beside the official road. He also saw that the sergeant behind him was obviously tired and hungry, so he simply said in a low voice.
Asked another young scribe next to him who was struggling to walk: "Liu Wenwen, the weather is nice and the brothers have been with us for another tiring day. Should we invite them to have a drink on the street?"
Hearing this, the young scribe felt a little embarrassed and touched the leather bag in his waist: "I'm ashamed, I didn't bring any money with me."
"It doesn't matter, I have enough here." The middle-aged officer laughed on the spot, patted the leather bag on his waist, and exposed the black ribbon. The two white decorations on it, which were either ivory or jade, were particularly conspicuous.
Obviously, this is an officer at the level of guardian of the gang. With such status, once transferred to the local area, he will start as a county lieutenant.
The young scribe actually had a similar ribbon on his body, but it was only decorated with a white hard strip, which seemed to be inferior.
Without further ado, he turned around and saw that the middle-aged officer was already laughing loudly: "Brothers, I almost forgot, today is a five-and-a-half-day holiday, and we don't work in the afternoon. Even if we enter the city, we can't make a job. It just so happens that the gang recently
Great reward, Liu Wenwen and I still have some money left here, so let’s buy a drink with everyone and take a breather.”
The accompanying sergeants were naturally overjoyed and expressed their gratitude, saying that Zhao Da had participated in Liu Wensheng.
Sure enough, these two people were not the leading officers and local officials below, but the staff officers and officials directly under Chief Zhang here in the general mausoleum.
In this way, everyone gathered around the two of them and walked along the official road twice. Because most of the wine shops and restaurants here had just opened in the past six months, they didn't choose any special place. They just pinched their noses to find a restaurant.
Went into the wine shop on the second floor, and because there were so many people, we just sat downstairs on the street.
It was early autumn, the heat had dissipated, and there was no shortage of melons, fruits, chickens, and ducks. However, due to the prohibition on alcohol, most of the alcohol was brought from outside the gang-controlled areas, so it was inevitably a bit expensive. That is, only when the superiors were treating us could we have the opportunity to enjoy ourselves.
Only after the drinks were over, all the sergeants spoke freely and immediately started talking nonsense. Not to mention, before the wine was over thirty, a similar group of people came, also led by a big ginseng.
A clerk led four or five people, and two groups of people joined the table. Especially after the sergeants below exchanged their names, hometowns, and seniorities, they became even more drunk and couldn't control their mouths.
And talking about it, it is natural to talk about today's busy work.
"Let me tell you, the higher-ups are too concerned about the drought." Probably because of the hard journey, a team leader couldn't help complaining. "In May, we rest and build ditches, and in June we go to war. It is said here that
He didn't stop. When he came back, the leader became the chief, but he still stared at this matter. It is said that he even made a self-examination, saying that the battle in Xuzhou should not be fought because of the drought, but this happened again... It's okay today, let's go up
In the first ten days, a big ginseng and I went directly to Bohai County, and the big ginseng didn’t know how to treat us to a drink... Tell me, who gave the chief the idea for this?"
Everyone went to see the four leaders, and among them, Xiao Liuwen was the first to laugh: "I'm afraid it's the chief's own idea."
The scene was inexplicably solemn.
The team leader suddenly woke up and quickly explained: "I don't understand... If we were busy before, it was for disaster relief, what about now? It's already July, no matter how busy we are, this is what this place is like, right? Why?
Do we still need to inspect the disaster situation?"
This time it was Zhao Da Shen's turn to smile, and he was the first to answer cheerfully: "Old Wang has missed it..."
"Of course I don't think too much. Otherwise, if we were the team leader together, you would have already joined me, but I would still be the team leader." Team leader Wang also quickly laughed. "Anyway, how can you think as much as Zhao, the quick-legged person?"
"I just have quick legs, how can I think too much? I can't understand even if I think too much? The truth is all what I heard from these scholars in Taiwan. For example, today's matter was explained clearly to me by Xiao Liu Wenwen that day."
Zhao Dacan pointed at his partner beside him and smiled, then immediately became solemn. "He said that since ancient times, famines have been divided into three parts natural disasters and seventy parts man-made disasters. In the past, disaster relief was to reduce natural disasters, but now we go to explore disasters to
Less trouble..."
Everyone stood in silence.
And then, Zhao Dacan pointed at Xiao Liuwen and said something.
The first thing to talk about is the drought itself.
First of all, the scale of this drought is particularly large. It basically covers Kinki, Eastern Territory, Hebei, Jianghuai, and affects as many as 70 or 80 prefectures and counties.
Secondly, the situation of this drought is very complicated. The eastern coastal areas are more common, Huainan is much better, Kinki to Hanshui area is slightly better, and the most severe ones are in central and western Hebei, western Tojing, Huaixi, and eastern Kinki.
.
And here in the core territory of the gang, the drought situation is equally complicated and chaotic. The eastern border is different from Hebei, Dengzhou is different from Dongjun, and the Bohai Sea is different from the plains, including the same county, because it is not next to the main river.
Whether it is irrigated in time or not is completely different.
After saying this, Zhao Dacan began to talk about this errand: "When the chief was still the leader, he set several basic rules. One of the most important ones was the fairness of taxes and corvee... But now that it has come out
This drought will definitely require appropriate tax reductions and reductions after autumn. For example, if the harvest is less than half, it will be exempted; if the harvest is less than 10%, it will be collected normally; if it is 20% to 30%, there will also be corresponding reductions and exemptions... But just now
As I said, the drought situation is so complicated and it all depends on the local officials to report it, which is very troublesome."
"I understand." Hearing this, Captain Wang suddenly realized. "I'm afraid that the local officials will over-report and report indiscriminately! If they fail to pay the taxes, they will lose next year's military rations!"
All the sergeants were also stunned.
"That's right." Zhao Dacan sighed. "However, I personally heard the chief tell Chen Internal Affairs that what he fears most is actually underreporting the disaster, or even not reporting it at all..."
Except for a few staff officers, clerks, and sergeants, they were all surprised.
Liu Wenwen finally couldn't bear it anymore and sneered: "Don't forget that during the late Wei Dynasty, didn't we always not report or underreport? We didn't report disasters, which made the people suffer, and taxes were collected... Anyway, politics
Qingming is not as high as the people of Guanlong, but it rises just as fast."
"This is the same as granting land." Someone reacted. "When the rebellion first started, the leader... the chief sent someone to say specifically that in the Wei Dynasty, one acre of land was granted, not two acres of land, and two acres of land were granted.
Doubling the taxes to make the Emperor of Wei happy makes him happy, but the result is that we people from the East and Hebei have toiled for a whole year and can only barely survive, waiting to die when disaster strikes."
"Isn't that what we say when we encounter disaster years and wait for death? This is a connection."
"That's why you rebelled against him!"
"Does our gang also have such an officer?"
"There are officials like this everywhere. As long as they can be promoted, they don't care about anything... Besides, many officials were originally appointed by people from the imperial court who surrendered directly."
"Anyway, I know the whole story." Chef Wang concluded. "Here is a rough comparison to save the local officials from cheating... Now that I know it, I will not be tired. Come on, let's drink!"
"Drink, drink, drink!"
There was a moment of commotion in the store.
"Did you hear that?" At this moment, in front of the window on the second floor, there was a man wearing a wide robe and long sleeves, twirling his beard and smiling. It was Xie Minghe, the person in charge of foreign affairs. "The staff officers, clerks, and these sergeants in the station are all better than you.
Know something."
"What's the matter with Xiao?" The person opposite was actually Chen Bin, the head of the housekeeping department. When he heard this, he just responded coldly. "Did I just tell them the same thing? Is this something I care about?
I feel that the chief should not do any self-criticism under any circumstances... No matter whether it was right or wrong to attack Xuzhou, he cannot do any self-criticism! He thought that by doing a self-criticism, the people below would be sincerely convinced and admire his magnanimity? In fact, it would only make those soldiers
The leader feels contemptuous! What’s even worse is that if something goes wrong due to drought, those people will take advantage of the situation and blame the leader alone!”
It turned out that due to the drought, Chief Zhang had sincerely reflected on the situation and believed that the battle in Xuzhou should be endured. Langya Banjun did not want it and went directly to Jiangdu to buy Li Wenbai's head, which was enough to fool him, anyway.
The disaster relief opportunity was delayed for more than half a month, and a lot of food was wasted!
Of course, this was just a review based on Zhang Xing's personal values. Most others did not agree with it, but he still insisted on issuing an internal review and admitted the mistakes made in the Xuzhou battle.
This matter did not attract other people's attention, especially Chief Zhang's recent majesty. Not only did Xuzhou win a lot of whale bones, but at the beginning of this month, after he returned from Hebei, he only sent a letter to Xue Changxiong.
This put the general out of his mind to "tease the thief queen" for Jiangdu, and went back to the river to look at the whale bones.
What's even more exaggerated is that when General Nancheng, who was far away on the river bank, heard that Zhang Xing had become the chief, he immediately raised troops. Across Huaixi, he respected Chief Zhang as his superior and sent all his sons!
Even people from the south of the Yangtze River have come recently, and people from the north have come to congratulate them. It seems that the Breaking Wave Saber in northern Shanxi also has a letter of surrender.
Under such power, some strategic review naturally did not cause any waves of authority, but Chen Bin was extremely dissatisfied with it.
"It's still the same old thing, the battle between power and virtue." Xie Minghe thought for a moment and continued to laugh while holding up his glass. "Power has quick effects, virtue has deep effects, power is easy to win, and virtue can withstand defeat. It's pointless to fight over and over again.
.Anyway, although our chief prefers those who are virtuous and virtuous, he often ignores everything when he encounters opportunities to establish his authority. He has both authority and virtue... You don’t need to think too much."
"In today's troubled times, you have to establish your prestige if you want to. Unless you are too busy, you won't be able to build any virtue." Chen Bin, the housekeeper sitting opposite, frowned and answered, but he just looked out the window, where cicadas were chirping and insects were chirping.
The sound continued, and the city, field, barracks, and market were mixed. "This is my always-held opinion."
"If that's the case, why didn't you stop me?" Xie Minghe asked in surprise after finishing his drink. "Instead, you only come to me to complain? The way you have been since you joined the gang, no matter what the outcome is, you will always make a statement.
, rather than being silent on the surface and showing off in private.”
"I'm not hiding anything from you." Chen Bin was silent for a moment, and finally said the key point. "Because my heart is in a mess, or in other words, I came to find you today, but I don't know how to speak, so I can only talk about what happened just now.
rise……"
"Didn't you ask me to drink with you because of this?" Xie Minghe was even more surprised. Just as he was about to say more, he suddenly thought of something and suddenly woke up. "You must be tempted, right?"
"Sure enough, I also asked you to tell me?" Chen Bin asked calmly.
"I am in charge of foreign affairs. The person from Jiangnan came to see me first, and then I made the report. Then he asked me what I meant on the spot." Xie Minghe was even more helpless. "I just never expected that I was not tempted, but instead
You are actually tempted... Mr. Chen, I can be tempted, but how can you be tempted?"
"Because my surname is Chen?" Chen Bin still said sarcastically. "It's easy to be tabooed if you go to Jiangnan to start a business?"
"No." Xie Minghe was speechless. "It's you who have done a great job here... Let me ask you one thing. If Zhang Sanlang really becomes a big deal in the future, will it be you, Manager Chen, who has a higher position, or Zhou Xingfan?"
Second uncle’s position is high?”
Chen Bin was slightly startled, but still shook his head: "If I go to Jiangnan, how can it be possible that it is only the land of three counties in Zhou Xiaoshang?"
"Can you take all the eighty-one states and counties in the south of the Yangtze River?" Xie Minghe asked with a sneer.
Chen Bin looked at the other person while holding the wine and wanted to speak.
"If that's the case." Xie Minghe continued to joke and laugh, not giving the other party a chance to speak. "If you share my last name with Xie, you will only die."
Chen Bin was stunned on the spot.
"I know what you're thinking." Xie Minghe sighed when he saw this. "It's not that you suddenly became ambitious because of your sudden ambition. You were forced to board the ship that day, and then you only had one way to go. Now there are suddenly more ways.
I can't help but think about it...but let me tell you, don't think blindly. Although your current situation is a path you have taken, it is already excellent. Don't jeopardize your future."
Chen Bin also sighed quietly: "That's true, but I do feel homesick. I haven't seen the scenery of Jiangnan for decades."
"Then don't go there anymore." Xie Minghe sighed more and more. "After decades, the old place in Jiangnan is naturally still the same place, but it is no longer the same scenery as it used to be... If you really want to go back, I am more suitable than you, because this time the emperor
Danyang is my target, and Danyang Palace is what I want to build. I can gather the manpower and material resources of the Eight Families with just one sentence, and then find a few masters of the True Fire Cult, and then use the banner of a gang, and then cooperate with Jiangdong and Jiangxi.
Contact the rebels, send a notice to Nanling, and echo Zhou Xiaoshang. Four or five counties are rare for a while, but two or three counties are easy. Even if Danyang is close and suppressed, I can still go to Yuhang and Kuaiji.
, Go rub those two. As for the Chen surname, let me tell you, don’t be angry. No one in Jiangnan misses the Chen family, and everyone misses the Xiao family even more. Otherwise, why do you think the queen who was captured once lived like this in Jiangdu?
Safe?"
After hearing this, Chen Bin took a long breath and said, "The chief shouldn't ask me."
"If he doesn't ask you, you have to think too much. The road has just forked here." Xie Minghe said disapprovingly. "But it's just a polite question. Who can think that you really take it seriously? Let me tell you.
, you go back and wash your face, blow some air on the chair where the whale bone is sitting, and you will wake up immediately... Among the people who come these days, including Zhou Xingfan and his second uncle, they are just a noise, Wang Daiji doesn't pay attention to it, only
We need to pay attention to the Po Lang Dao from northern Shanxi and the Du Po Formation from Huaixi. Even if you are feeling depressed and want to let go, you should go to the north, not the south of the Yangtze River!"
Chen Bin could only nod casually, then lowered his head to drink.
In this way, the two of them had already talked about it and should have left directly, but there were all subordinates downstairs, and it was not easy to jump out of the window, so they continued to drink some drinks from Jindi, talked about some trivial matters, and waited until dawn
It was almost dark, and I was just about to leave downstairs. I only had a lot of trouble with the accounts. I heard that it meant that the clerk Liu didn't bring any money, so the two senior clerks simply paid together, and they were happy to bring the other clerk with them.
Saved money.
After a group of subordinates walked away, Chen and Xie paid the money and walked downstairs.
It was the evening of early autumn, the evening breeze was blowing slightly, the fields were noisy, people were coming and going outside Jiangling City, the huge military barracks, the rows of shops, and the endless crops in the sunset... Who dares to believe that just at the beginning of this year, this place was still here because of the
What about a country that has been plunged into some kind of deathly silence due to military disasters for two consecutive years?
Chen and Xie looked at each other for a long time, each looking at each other. They didn't know whether it was because they were in sync with each other or if they were just about to close the city gate. The gate drum was beaten on the top of the city, and then they walked northward together with their hands behind their hands, following the flow of people into the city.
Halfway through, Xie Minghe suddenly stopped, and Chen Bin stopped in surprise, and then followed the other person's gaze... It turned out that in the twilight, the little Liu Wenwen didn't know when he separated from his companions.
At this time, we walked into a shop along the official road.
The so-called help shop is a shop that has received permission and can obtain certain exemptions on taxes or land deed purchases. The condition is that some goods from the help shop's workshop must be transported to a designated place in a monthly ration or according to a total amount.
This is a new thing that Chief Zhang quickly launched after returning to Hebei in order to fulfill his previous reward promise.
This kind of store soon became a trading center for reward coupons, giving the coupons real currency value. In other words, this kind of store became the first type of store where all items could be purchased with reward coupons. It was very popular among sergeants.
our welcome.
Xiao Liu Wenwen, who had no money for a treat just now, arrived at the store, opened his leather bag, took out a small bag from the leather bag, and then took out a thick dozen reward coupons and carefully handed it to the shopkeeper.
The latter counted the people one by one, turned around, took out a box, and opened it in front of him.
But it is a golden phoenix hairpin inlaid with pearls.
At this moment, Xiao Liu Wenwen, who was completely pauper, felt like he had found a treasure. He read it several times, carefully put it away, and carried the box into the city, not knowing that his two immediate superiors were hiding in the dusk and could see clearly.
"This kid is not only cynical, but also a bit stupid." Xie Minghe looked at the other party's back and couldn't help twirling his beard and sneered. "If he uses the gift coupon to exchange for a pearl in the city's warehouse, he can also ask the other party to use a gold hairpin.
Wouldn't it be better to inlay it and save money to buy another piece of silk? I have to change it to a whole piece!"
Chen Bin shook his head, said nothing, lowered his head and moved forward, while Xie Minghe followed suit with his hands behind his back.
The two of them entered Jiangling City before the city gate was closed.