Zhao Laoguan didn't have the arrogance of his son Zhao Wuji in his heart. Even running into the city felt like an offense. He didn't expect Han Qian to take the time to see them. He was lucky to see Zhao Kuo.
He was still very reserved in front of Han Qian and others. When he saw Han Qian ordering Qingyun to take out the food from the food box one by one and put it out, he was flattered and said calmly:
"A few days ago, I went into the mountains and dug up a wild ginseng, but it was several decades old. My wife said that such a thing should be presented to the young master to thank him for his great kindness. I just hope that it will not disturb the young master.
.”
Han Qian glanced at Zhao Ting'er, who was huddled aside silently with her head bowed. She was wearing an old coat with several patches on it. Her face was as clean as the first snow after winter. She seemed shy and timid as she fiddled with the light.
She was wearing clothes, but she didn't expect that she was the one who actively instigated her father and brother to come to the city.
Han Qian smiled apologetically at Mr. Zhao:
"Today, an assassin sneaked into the Third Prince's Mansion. I was waiting beside the Third Prince to accompany him. I have been detained in the Third Prince's Mansion for interrogation since the afternoon. I haven't been able to escape until now. I just returned to the house and heard Zhao Kuo say that you guys
Come here. Don’t blame these bastards in the house for not being hospitable to guests when they come over. I’m really flustered when something like this happens today - I’m sorry for any negligence, please forgive me, Uncle Zhao!”
"Young Master is so busy, we still want to cause you trouble, Young Master." Zhao Laoguan didn't understand why Han Qian explained in such detail, so he said flattered.
"No trouble, no trouble. I rushed back and was very hungry, so I just invited you to drink with me." Han Qian laughed.
There is a difference between high and low.
After sending wild ginseng to the city, Mr. Zhao was urged by his daughter many times before he could go. He thought that after finishing the work, he would just find a corner in the street to stay up all night and wait until the city gate opened tomorrow before returning to the villa. How could he dare to talk to Han at this time?
Qian Qian drinks at the same table?
"Uncle Zhao, don't be polite in my house." Han Qian pulled Mr. Zhao and asked him to sit with him.
At this time, Lin Haizheng and Fan Dahei walked in with a reluctant face. Han Qian asked them and Zhao Kuo to sit down next to Zhao Wuji. At this time, the trace of resentment in Zhao Wuji's eyes disappeared, and he was still full of resentment that he had inexplicably.
ashamed.
Han Qian asked Qingyun to pick out some food and asked her to accompany Zhao Ting'er to eat in the back room.
There is no distinction between high and low, which can reflect the courtesy of Corporal Han Qian. But now that the world is more open, men and women are also required to sit on different seats and eat from different utensils in public places.
Han Qian originally wanted to let Zhao Wuji work by his side, but he did not expect that Zhao Wuji took the initiative to go to the city this time because his sister Zhao Ting'er prompted him. He mentioned it to Mr. Zhao during the banquet and hoped that Zhao Ting'er could stay with him.
Come down.
Warfare continued to rage on all sides, taxes were harsh, and large numbers of refugees flocked southward, causing famine to spread throughout the rich areas of the Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers.
Zhao Laoguan and his son Zhao Wuji were able to go fishing and hunting in the mountains to supplement the family income, but his wife was sick all year round. As tenants, they rented farmland. In addition to the rent, they also had to bear heavy labor, corvee labor and many miscellaneous taxes.
Life was not much better than that of other tenant farmers. They were always hungry and satiated.
This time he mustered up the courage to bring Wuji and Ting'er into the city. Naturally, he hoped that they could stay in the Han Mansion, and even if they were slaves, they would at least have enough food and clothing.
Mr. Zhao was hesitating about what to say when Han Qian took the initiative to mention it and was so excited that he knelt down to thank him.
"Uncle Zhao, don't be formal."
Among the six newly added houses in Lanting Lane, Wuli Lane, and Kaoshan Lane, the one facing Shitang River is the largest, with a total of three entrances in front and back. However, Han Qian usually gathers his soldiers here at night to practice swords and bows, and there is no bed.
It can accommodate people for the night.
After finishing the jar of wine, it was already midnight. Han Qian asked Mr. Zhao and Zhao Wuji to stay overnight at Zhao Kuo's house. Zhao Ting'er followed him back to the mansion and lived with Qingyun and Han Laoshan.
When he entered the backyard of the mansion, he and Qingyun usually took care of him there.
Zhao Ting'er didn't expect to stay tonight, so she didn't bring any luggage. She lowered her head and followed Han Qian and Qingyun back to Han Mansion's mansion.
The Han Mansion has only three entrances. It is absolutely inconspicuous among the middle and high-ranking generals of the Manchu Dynasty. However, as Han Daoxun, Han Qian's living quarters are far more exquisite than the house by the river, and far from the common people's house in the world.
and.
It was mid-winter, and the grass and trees were withering. There was a red maple in the corner of the front yard that was in full color, and several clumps of green bamboo and some green plants were still in color.
Passing through the hanging flower hall is the atrium of the main courtyard where Han Qian and his father Han Daoxun lived, surrounded by verandahs. In the corner of the courtyard between the east wing and the main house, a narrow shallow pond of seven or eight steps was dug out, and a lake stone was erected.
, twined with vines, and dozens of koi carps swimming in the shallow pond.
The open spaces in the courtyard that are not planted with bamboo trees are also paved with polished stone slabs.
When Zhao Ting'er saw this scene, she thought to herself that this was the style of an official.
Han Qian saw that the lamp was still in the west wing, and his father's figure was reflected on the window paper by the light, writing something at his desk with a pen in hand.
Han Qian thought of what his father had just said again, and was worried that his father would be so angry that he would write down his thoughts in a memorial and find an opportunity to submit it to Wenying Palace.
Han Qian hesitated for a while, then asked Zhao Ting'er to follow him to the west wing, stopped outside the door, and said:
"Father, Mr. Zhao has a daughter who is very smart. I want to stay with her in the house to take care of her. Zhao Ting'er, come and see my father..."
"Zhao Ting'er has met the master!" Zhao Ting'er stepped forward and saluted a little unfamiliarly. She was very unsure whether such a salute was in compliance with the rules.
Han Daoxun opened the door from the inside and took a look at Zhao Ting'er. He also felt that this girl seemed to be thin, but she had a beautiful and charming face. He didn't expect a daughter from a mountain village to grow up like this. He hesitated for a while, but thought about Qian'er's character.
He has already changed, and has already reached the age of marriage. Even if there are girls around him to serve him, as long as he does not indulge in it, nothing will stop him.
"It's so late, why is dad still writing in the room?" Han Qian asked worriedly.
"I just had a conversation with you, and I thought about it again after you left. I was afraid that I would forget it tomorrow, so I took the time to write it down." Han Daoxun said. He didn't think Zhao Ting'er could understand anything, and he didn't deliberately ask her to avoid it.
Han Qian's head was as big as a pockmark. He thought that such a big thing today could not attract his father's attention. Instead, it made his father's attitude become more firm. He guessed that his father had had such thoughts for a long time. Then
Once these ideas are formally put into paper, it may be the day when disaster is imminent for this house.
"What else do you have to say?"
Seeing Han Qian hesitate to speak, Han Daoxun asked.
Han Qian thought that since his father had made up his mind, direct persuasion would not have any effect. There must be something else to distract his father's attention. He pondered for a while and said: "Fan Xicheng, Zhao Kuo and others have followed my father for many years.
, loyal to his work and not easy on his heart, but as he gets older, no one in the house is considerate, life is rough, his clothes are shabby and there is no one to mend them, the child feels that his father should think more about these things for them..."
"Oh, when my father went to Beijing to take up his post, he was thinking about other things, but he neglected these things. But I think he wanted to think about it for Fan Xicheng and the others." Han Daoxun nodded.
"His Royal Highness was taken to the palace and it is estimated that he will not return to the Marquis Mansion in two days. Since my father will have a rest tomorrow, why don't you go out of the city for a walk with your children?" Han Qian asked.
"..." Han Daoxun looked over hesitantly. Fan Xicheng, Zhao Kuo and others needed to ask the matchmaker in the city to arrange their marriage slowly. He couldn't understand what Han Qian meant by asking them to go out of the city tomorrow.
"..." Han Qian touched his head and said, "My child has seen the homeless people outside the gates of the four cities these days. There are many women dragging their children with them. It's very pitiful. I want to have someone who is considerate and hardworking.
The woman is willing to marry Fan Xicheng, Zhao Kuo and the others, and their children will also be incorporated into the family register. This will not only relieve some hungry people, but also give Fan Xicheng, Zhao Kuo and the others someone to rely on in their old age. What will happen to their father's side in the future?
There will be no shortage of manpower when things are dispatched..."
"..." Han Daoxun was slightly startled. At that moment, he thought that Qian'er was trying to lend Fan Xicheng and Zhao Kuo a chance to get married, so as to recruit more family soldiers.
The family soldiers owned by the great powers of the day were somewhat similar to the hereditary military household system.
For example, Han Daoxun was rewarded with twenty soldiers for his meritorious service. Once these soldiers and horses became his own soldiers, unless they were transferred out, they would remain the Han family's soldiers for life. Even if they died, they would be succeeded by his children. His wives, daughters, and slaves would be attached to the Han family.
membership.
And if Han Daoxun dies, these family soldiers will be hereditary inheritance by his son Han Qian, and this hereditary right to lead the army cannot be deprived unless guilty.
Almost half of the soldiers Han Daoxun brought into Jinling from Guangling were alone, without heirs, and many were suffering from injuries and illnesses. Only Han Daoxun could not bear to abandon them, so he brought them to Jinling to purchase land and houses for resettlement.
This actually directly limits the manpower that can be used in the house, and once these soldiers die, it will directly reduce the size of the military household owned by the Han family.
From the perspective of consolidating power, the most straightforward approach is to select widows with children from the refugees outside the city and betroth them to Fan Xicheng, Zhao Kuo and others as wives; the children of these widows will naturally become the Han family.
The children of the family soldiers became the reserve soldiers of the Han family.
It's just that Han Daoxun was full of resentment that the wealthy family had private soldiers, owned slaves and maids, and had too many fields and houses without paying taxes. At this time, he was thinking about allocating the fields and houses in Qiuhushan Villa to the soldiers who had followed him for many years. How could he still be willing to pass such a plan?
How to increase the number of slaves in the house?
"..." Han Daoxun looked at Han Qian and said after a while, "My father's official salary cannot support too many people."
"The hungry people outside the city are crying for food. They can survive by giving them food. It doesn't cost my father too much." Han Qian thought that the most important thing was to lure his father out of the city tomorrow. He bit the bullet and continued to persuade, "And if this can be done,
Maybe dozens of people can survive. My father often warns his children not to be evil and do small things, but not to be kind and not do small things..."
"Okay, I will accompany you out of the city tomorrow as a father." Although Han Daoxun had no intention of consolidating his own power, he thought that this move might allow dozens more hungry people to live outside the city, and when the time came, he would write a letter and make suggestions before disbanding.
Your own slaves can also express your will more clearly, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
