The first thousand three hundred and nine chapters in the world, there are all kinds of surprises
If Bianliang is the economic, cultural, and political center of the Yellow River Basin, and Hangzhou is the economic, cultural, and political center of the Yangtze River Basin, then Yizhou is the southernmost economic, cultural, and cultural center of the Song Dynasty. As for politics?
, there is basically no politics to talk about here.
Yizhou is not only the largest city in Guangxi, but also the trade center of the Song Dynasty for Jiaozhi and other southern countries.
The largest shopping mall in the south is here.
Of course, if compared with the competition with Xixia or the Jin Kingdom in the northwest or north, then this competition is not worth mentioning, it is too shabby.
When Li Qi was about to arrive in Yizhou, he pretended to be a businessman and led dozens of people into the city.
But when he arrived at the foot of Yizhou City, he was stunned by the walls of Yizhou City.
Generally speaking, in a city of this size, one city wall only has one main city gate, and the capital Bianliang only has three city gates per wall. At most, there is only one more gate for special purposes, such as a water gate, or a gate dedicated to transporting goods.
.
But this Yizhou City actually has three gates, and the main gate in the middle is the smallest. What's even more strange is that there are no city walls above the left and right gates, as if the entire city wall is cut off, and the city walls are paved with wooden planks.
channel.
I have to say that the soldiers on the city wall are doing high-risk operations.
If the enemy invaded, they would be breached in a matter of seconds. Li Qi felt confused. How could the defense of such an important military area be so casual? He called Niu Gao and asked, "What's going on with this city wall?"
"
Niu Gao replied: "The Privy Council did not know. This was caused by the battle of Yizhou. When the Jiaozhi army attacked Yizhou, they encountered fierce resistance from our army in Yijiang. Therefore, after the city of Yizhou was defeated, the Jiaozhi army
Then tear down the city wall of Yizhou and fill in the Yijiang River to make it easier for your army to cross the river."
Li Qi frowned and said, "When did this happen?"
"About fifty or sixty years ago."
"Fifty or sixty years ago?" Li Qi said angrily: "That's unreasonable. My Zuixian Villa was built a few years ago. Fifty or sixty years have passed. The city wall still looks like this? These officials are all shit.
went."
Niu Gao said: "Privy Councilor, you really can't blame the officials for this. In fact, almost all four walls of Jiaozhi were demolished at that time. Later, three walls were rebuilt. Only the two holes in the north have not been repaired. It's really...
This place is too poor. The court refused to allocate more money, so we built two city gates at this opening to make do."
"Let's make do? Can we make do with this?"
Li Qi snorted, knowing that Niu Gao could not be blamed for this. He took a deep breath and said, "Take me to see the Yizhou Army first."
"ah?"
"Ah for what!"
Niu Gao scratched his head and said: "Actually - in fact, there is nothing interesting about this Yizhou Army. Why don't I take you, sir, to see the scenery?"
Li Qidao: "Is it because you hang on the tree and become a mummy?"
Niu Gao quickly shook his head and said: "Privy Envoy, it's not that the general doesn't want to take you there, the problem is that no one can see it."
Li Qi frowned and said, "What do you mean?"
Niu Gao said: "There are only more than 10,000 troops on the South Guangxi Road, and there are only 1,500 people in Yizhou."
"It's such a big city, and it's also in the border area. Only 1,500 troops?" Li Qi opened his mouth and asked.
Niu Gao nodded.
"Those are humans too!" Li Qi compromised.
Niu Gao added: "These 1,500 people are just rural soldiers. They don't fight. They never train. They work to support their families on weekdays."
"this---."
Li Qi was speechless, waved his hand and said: "Forget it, forget it, go to the government office first, don't mention the scenery to me anymore, I want to kill someone."
"As commanded."
......．
A group of people came to the city. Li Qi originally thought that Yizhou City was a trading city and must be very prosperous, but when they came to the city, it looked really empty.
Of course, this does not mean that there is no one there, but there are too few people and the space is very large. It cannot be compared with Hangzhou and Bianliang.
When Li Qi passed by the market, he took a look inside. Almost all the products sold there were game, or some daily necessities, such as sickles, straw sandals, bamboo mats, etc. Except for Zhuang brocade and some special features, there was nothing at all.
A product that can attract Li Qi's attention is really a blessing!
After walking for a while, Li Qi wondered: "Niu Gao, there are too few people here."
Niu Gao said: "There are only a few people in this place. In the Battle of Yizhou, Jiaozhi massacred 60,000 people here, almost killing all the residents in the city. They have not recovered yet. In this Yizhou alone, there are
More than ten temples were ruined.”
During the Yuanfeng period, there were only 1.6 million people in Guangxi, which was one-eightyth of the country's population. It was the most sparsely populated province in the Song Dynasty, and more than 100,000 people were killed in that battle.
It accounts for one-sixteenth of the province. The successive wars in those years caused a sharp decline in the population of this place. Today, there are tens of thousands of people under the jurisdiction of Yizhou, including surrounding towns and villages, and these ethnic minorities.
They are all divided by ethnic groups, and they all live in their own ethnic areas. There are probably less than 20,000 people in this city.
There are only 20,000 people in such a big city, which is really embarrassing.
"ok, ok, I got it."
Li Qi waved his hand and said that it might as well be a cover-up, but he didn't want to hear stories about this anyway.
When we arrived at Yizhou Government Office, we didn't know what was going on inside the gate, but the outside was quite simple and not as lavish as a county government office near Hangzhou. The key was that the gate was still closed.
What Li Qi saw was the mist. It was broad daylight and it was not a holiday. The door of this government office was closed. This was a state mansion. He really felt like he had come to another country. This time
I encountered some things on the road that I simply couldn't understand.
"Knock, knock."
Li Qi is very angry now.
Niu Gaogui felt unhappy and did not dare to neglect, so he went to knock on the door himself.
After knocking for a long time, the door was opened, and a listless government servant looked at Li Qi and the others and said, "Who are you?"
Li Qi hummed: "My dog died. I came to report the crime."
When the yamen officer heard that Li Qi had a foreign accent, he snorted, "Who are you? How dare you make trouble here."
Li Qidao: "Now it sounds like he is a government official, Du Ming. Ask him to come out and see me."
This Du Ming is the magistrate of Yizhou.
The yamen servant was a little frightened when he heard Li Qi's unkind tone and called the master by his first name. He asked cautiously again: "Who are you?"
Niu Gao picked him up with one hand and caught him like a rabbit. He said: "When the adults ask you, just answer truthfully. What are you talking about?"
Sir? The man was immediately frightened and said hurriedly: "The villain knows his crime, the villain knows his crime."
"Where's Du Ming?"
Li Qi narrowed his eyes and asked calmly. But in his heart, he thought, this government servant is too timid.
"Master---Master, he---he is not at home."
"Then where is he?"
"Master--Master---."
Li Qi waved his hand and said: "Kill."
Whoosh!
One of the guards drew a machete.
The yamen servant was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground and said: "Sir, have mercy on me, my lord, have mercy on me, Master --- Master, he has gone out to perform a ritual."
Sun! Another magician. Li Qi said: "How do you do things? It seems that you are still an expert, so please take me to watch and observe."
How dare the yamen officer say anything nonsense? This boss is always willing to kill people. He rolled down the steps and rolled his hands to the left. Wei Ruoruo said: "This way, sir." "
Sweating! This is also a government office? Gui Gong is pretty much the same. What else do you want from this government office? Just change it into a brothel. At least you can make money. That’s right. The city walls are like that. How can I expect this government office to be as good as that? , It’s such a vast world. It’s full of wonders! Li Qi walked for a while and suddenly asked: “What’s your name?”
"The villain is called Brother Nong."
Li Qi asked curiously: "Why did I see you alone just now? Don't tell me, you are the only one in this government office."
They all drew their swords in front of the government office, but not a single person ran out. This is so curious.
Brother Nong said: "No, my brother is still here."
"Just you two?"
"Today is our brother's turn."
"What about the rest?"
"this---."
Li Qi glanced coldly, and the farmer immediately replied: "The rest have gone home to do farm work."
This answer made Li Qi dumbfounded. Seeing that Brother Nong was only in his early twenties, his face was sweating profusely, and tears were welling up in his eyes. He thought, it would be easy to help him, and he would wait until he met Du Ming.
Li Qi and his party followed Brother Nong to the outside of Nancheng. After walking along the Yijiang River for about a meal, they came to a bamboo forest. There were more than thirty households scattered in this bamboo forest, all of which were thatched houses and bamboo houses. , the people here are all dressed as indigenous people.
Apparently this is a small village.
Before I even got inside, I heard loud crying inside.
Brother Nong took Li Qi and the others to an open space. They saw that the open space was full of people. A coffin was particularly conspicuous among the crowd. A man dressed as a priest was walking around the coffin, and there were several other people. Kneeling in front of the coffin and crying.
Li Qi did not go over, but just stood and watched from a distance, asking: "What is happening in front of here?"
Brother Nong said: "Oh, Uncle Niu from Zhucun died of illness."
It turns out this place is called Zhucun! Li Qi nodded and said, "Is this Uncle Niu a relative of yours?"
"No, no." Brother Nong shook his head and said, "My master is here to help Uncle Niu do something." As he said that, he pointed to the priest and said, "That's my master."
Li Qi looked up and saw that the priest was about fifty years old, with a slightly thin figure, protruding cheekbones, which made the sunken eyes more prominent, and a black and white goatee. His appearance was quite satisfactory, a bit Confucian temperament.
Li Qi chuckled: "Your master is really versatile."
After all, Brother Nong was young and did not hear the sarcasm in Li Qi's tone. He also said: "Your Majesty, what you said is really true. My master is the best priest in Yizhou."
Li Qidao: "Then how much does it cost to ask your master to perform a ritual ceremony?"
"My master doesn't charge money. He only does things for the people who can't afford priests."
The drunkard snorted: "You are bragging. After all, your master is also the prefect of a state. If you don't accept money, who are you cheating? Maybe it is your master who forced others to invite him and took the opportunity to make money."
He doesn't have a good impression of these officials.
Brother Nong said hurriedly: "My master is not this kind of person. If he ever receives a penny, my brother Nong will die a miserable death."
Li Qi frowned and thought to himself, it's really puzzling that the magistrate doesn't work in the government office, but you come here to do things without doing it for money.
Brother Nong suddenly said: "Sir, I'm going to call you now."
Li Qi raised his hand and said, "Let's wait until he finishes."
Because the residents in the bamboo village were all watching the ritual, no one had noticed the arrival of Li Qi and others.
After about a quarter of an hour, the ritual ceremony finally came to an end. Brother Nong then went over and found Du Ming.
It was only then that the people in Zhucun noticed Li Qi and his uninvited guests, and they all pointed and whispered.
Du Ming first looked at Li Qi from a distance, and then followed Brother Nong in. While Li Qi looked at him, he also looked at Li Qi. Seeing that this man was young, he couldn't make a decision at the moment.
He cupped his hands and said, "This is Du Ming, who are you?"
Li Qi smiled and said: "You are a magistrate of a state, but you are so humble. It would be great if all our officials in the Song Dynasty were like you."
On the surface, Li Qi seemed to be praising him, but this was not the case. Officials must have official prestige, otherwise they would not be able to convince the public. You, the prefect, have no prestige at all. Li Qi even doubted whether he was Du Ming.
Du Ming was not Brother Nong. He heard the meaning of Li Qi's words and smiled calmly and said: "I don't dare, I don't dare. Is that your Excellency?"
"Li Qi."
"Li Qi?"
Du Ming was stunned for a moment, and seemed to think that the name was quite familiar. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and couldn't help but be overjoyed. He bowed his head to the ground and said excitedly: "It turns out that the Economic Envoy is here. Du is blind, so please forgive me for the Economic Envoy."