In the military camp in the south of the city, Guo Song and a dozen of his entourage were inspecting the situation of preparing to expand the territory next year. They were accompanied by Zhang Xiang, the army officer in charge. Zhang Xiang was about 27 or 28 years old and was a member of Jiujiu, one of the four wealthy families in Fengzhou.
He was originally a child of the Zhang family, but he was not a legitimate son, but a concubine. He did not receive the protection of the Zhang family, but relied on his own talents and knowledge to become a civil servant in Fengzhou.
Zhang Xiang was quite talented. In less than a year, he stood out from three newly recruited civil servants and was appointed as the head of the field.
"Currently, two soldiers are responsible for one hectare of land, and one cow is responsible for five hectares of land. By next year, a batch of cattle will be released. We plan to reduce the number to one cow to plow two hectares of land. This will allow for intensive farming and grain production.
Increase by 10%”
Zhang Xiang is very skilled in business and introduced Guo Song in a clear and thorough manner.
Guo Song smiled and said: "We still need to calculate the costs, intensive farming, various costs, and compare it with the final income of 10% increase in yield per mu. Have you considered whether it is a loss-making business or a profit?"
"Your Majesty, we have carefully calculated the accounts, including manpower expenses. After intensive farming, we will make a slight profit, but more importantly, it is good for the soil and can maintain high yields for a long time."
Guo Song nodded, "I'm just asking casually. It's good if you consider this. I want to see the situation of the land planned for expansion next year."
"Your Majesty, please!"
The crowd ran all the way east for more than ten miles. In front of them was a large open space that had not yet been cultivated. Zhang Xiang pointed to the open space and introduced: "Starting from here, next year we plan to expand another 1,500 hectares."
"All used to grow wheat?" Guo Song asked.
"Currently, we are considering planting all wheat."
Guo Song pondered for a moment and said: "Next spring, I plan to start planting grapes. I specially asked the best fruit farmers in Lingzhou to come and see the land. They are interested in this land. I plan to talk about it in two days.
It just so happens that today you talked about expanding the farmland by 1,500 hectares, so I will mention this to you."
Zhang Xiang hesitated and asked, "Are you planting grapes privately?"
Guo Song shook his head, "It's not my private planting, it's government planting. I'm considering replacing the land with the government and the army and opening up vineyards here."
"I think it shouldn't be a big problem. In fact, these lands don't belong to the army yet, but to the Fengzhou government. They won't be officially handed over until next year. It should be easy to solve."
Guo Song nodded and said with a slight smile: "Master Zhang is Colonel Zhang's nephew, right?"
"Replying to the envoy, he is the nephew of the clan!"
Guo Song asked meaningfully: "Since he is a clan nephew, why do you think of reporting him?"
Zhang Xiang's face changed drastically and he said in a trembling voice: "I don't understand what your Majesty is talking about?"
Guo Song took out the report letter and asked, "Didn't you write this letter?"
Zhang Xiang was struck like thunder and could not utter a word.
Guo Song then said calmly: "Now only you, I and Magistrate Xie know. If you firmly refuse to admit it, then you will have to bring Zhang Wenlong in for confrontation. Then the four of them will know."
Zhang Xiang sighed and said, "Yes, I wrote this letter. I hope you will not confront me, otherwise the family will not tolerate me."
Seeing his admission, Guo Song said, "Then tell me, why did you report your uncle?"
Zhang Xiang said for a while: "If I say it's out of a sense of justice, this matter is related to the internal struggle within the family. I can't answer it. Please don't embarrass me."
"Okay! I won't ask about this, but is what you said in your letter true? In addition, I need other evidence."
"Reporting to the envoy, the report of the humiliation is completely true. These ten families have obtained the land the day before yesterday. It is nominally their land, but in fact it is Zhang Wenlong's land. These ten slave families have become Zhang Wenlong's tenant farmers. As for the envoy's request,
As evidence, I can give the envoy a copy of the slave list of the Zhang Mansion, with the names of these ten slaves on it."
"Is there anyone named Luo Shuan'er in this list?" Guo Song asked again
"There is this person, he is a tenant slave of Zhang Manor."
Guo Song's eyes suddenly opened up, and all the clues connected into a line and became clear.
He said happily: "Very good, if you hand over the list to Magistrate Xie, this matter will have nothing to do with you, and there is no need for you to confront me. Neither Magistrate Xie nor I will mention you."
"Thank you so much, envoy!"
"One more thing." Guo Song continued to ask: "There are duplicate numbers in the lottery, is it your fault?"
"It was indeed done by a humble official, and it was discovered in time by a humble official. The purpose was to prevent Zhang Wenlong from cheating. At the same time, I hope that you will discover Zhang Wenlong's cheating step by step when investigating the numbering matter."
As Guo Song had expected before, there must be a deeper secret behind the confusion in the numbering.
Now that it was finally revealed, Guo Song pondered for a moment and said: "Go back and give the list to Magistrate Xie, and then pretend that nothing happened, go ahead!"
Zhang Xiang bowed to Guo Song and hurried away on horseback.
Guo Song looked at the vast wilderness. There were some things he didn't want to touch, but they inevitably came.
I have informed the Zhang family through Leng Qian not to go too far in everything, but Zhang Wenlong still turned a deaf ear. Since it is shameless, don't blame yourself for being ruthless.
On the morning of the next day, the newly allocated land in the north of the city was still in full swing. A series of ditches had begun to take shape. The government began to install waterwheels on the river. Fengzhou was rich in wind resources. Each large waterwheel was driven by wind.
It rotates automatically like a windmill, lifting the water from the river into the ditch.
There is also a wooden wedge on the windmill that looks like a switch. When it is not in use, insert the wooden wedge and the waterwheel will not rotate. When water is needed, remove the wooden wedge and the waterwheel will rotate with the wind, and the ditch can be closed overnight.
Fill with water.
Of course, it can also be stepped on manually when the wind is not strong, which is very convenient.
The windmill stands next to the Hejia plot. This is one of the reasons why everyone recognizes the Hejia plot as a good piece of land. The government has reserved the location of the waterwheel in advance. The waterwheel irrigation is very convenient without blocking it.
Sunlight.
The He family father and son were digging ditches with great concern. They went to complain this morning. As a result, soldiers escorted them back. There were also several soldiers standing guard near his home. But if the matter is not resolved, this is not a long-term solution. Could it be that the soldiers have been
Will you stand guard for them?
In fact, I regretted celebrating New Year's Eve. The other party was obviously a wealthy family in Fengzhou, a local snake they couldn't afford to offend. They went to complain and really offended someone. How could they stay in Fengzhou in the future?
But there is no use regretting now. If the other party is willing to come to them again, he will definitely agree to exchange land immediately and make this matter a big deal and a trivial matter.
He Xiaomen muttered in a low voice: "These people bully the weak and fear the strong. The more you fear them, the more they will bully us. I managed to grab this land with great difficulty. I will leave it to my children in the future. I will never exchange it."
"You know nothing!"
He glared at his son fiercely on New Year's Eve and said, "We have offended a local snake. If they don't deal with us now, they will deal with us again in ten or twenty years. Who will care about our life and death at that time?"
"Whoever dares to touch my son, I will fight him to the death!" He Xiaomen said fiercely.
He was about to scold his son on New Year's Eve when he suddenly heard someone shouting in the direction of the official road in the distance. He looked strangely toward the official road, but saw hundreds of soldiers running murderously towards him. When they rushed to the main channel, they did not get on the bridge, but
He was running towards this side along the river.
The He family father and son were stunned. They felt like this group of soldiers was coming for them.
In a moment, hundreds of soldiers divided into five groups, rushed into the fields, and forcibly took away several farmers who were digging canals.
The He family father and son looked at each other in shock. The farmers in the fields on their left and right were all taken away, but nothing happened to them.
In the evening, Guo Song returned to his mansion. He was still hundreds of steps away from the gate, but there was a large carriage parked at the door, as if someone was coming to visit him.
He got off his horse and walked into the mansion. Butler Liang quickly stepped forward to greet him and whispered: "It's the head of the Leng family!"
Guo Song's thoughts changed and he suddenly understood that he had alarmed the Zhang family by arresting someone in the afternoon, but asked Leng Qian to intercede.
Guo Song sneered in his heart, is it useful to ask Leng Qian to intercede?
He walked directly to the living room and walked up the steps to see Leng Qian standing up with a smile on his face.