Chapter 212 Suggestions

Chapter 212 Suggestions

Chapter 212 Suggestions (Monthly Ticket Plus 8)

On the way back to Luoyang, destroyed crops could be seen everywhere.

Some of the fields have already been taken care of by some people. Their choice is the same as Shao Xun's, to seize the time to plant a crop of short-growing grains. Even if the harvest is low, it will be fine, at least they can guarantee food for next year.

Considering the current situation of more land and fewer people, we can even plant a little more, so that we can plant a lot and harvest a little, and there will even be some surplus next year.

But some fields have been left unattended ever since.

The owner didn't know whether he was dead or had escaped.

The outcomes of the two are actually similar. Those who escaped must have been disappointed with Luoyang and the entire Henan County, so they moved south with their families and never came back.

In times of chaos, it is normal for some people to leave and some to stay.

Someone was cleaning up the ashes outside Jianchun Gate.

When the Mi troops retreated, they set fire everywhere to stop the pursuit. Many civilians and scholars who fled returned home to find that their homes were gone and their valuables were missing. Even though they were prepared, they still wanted to cry but could not.

Life this year is destined to be difficult for them.

Shao Xun led hundreds of people into the city, surrounded by people in front and behind, in a grand and mighty manner.

Some members of the Yicong Army have already left one after another.

Shao Xun did not treat them unfairly. He gave them some of the stolen property so that they would not return empty-handed.

But there are still some people willing to stay, about one or two hundred, and the polarization is very obvious, either they are brave young men from Xiangcheng, or they are ranger criminals.

The Yicong Army's designation was not revoked, and Shao Xun appointed a man named Manyu as its commander-in-chief.

This man was seventeen years old. His family had been soldiers for generations and he was from Nanjun. He had been tilling the fields since he was young and was good at fishing and hunting, archery and sailing.

When Sima and other kings were fighting, he was conscripted and defeated. He became a bandit in Xiangcheng and gathered more than 20 people around him.

Yu was unwilling to be insignificant, and he always restrained the bandits in every action. When Wang Mi invaded the territory, he did not surrender, but led the bandits to fight for the government army. It was obvious that he had brains and ambitions.

"Marquis Luyang is here."

"It's Marquis Luyang."

"Luoyang has the Liangzhou Chitiao and Silver Spear Army, it is as stable as Mount Tai."

"Well, to be honest, it's just so-so whether it's stable or not. The people in Luoyang City are stable, but my house was burned down."

"Why can't we keep the thieves out of the eight passes?"

"You should ask Miao Bo. He lost Huanyuan Pass."

There were many idle people in Luoyang who had nothing to do and had eaten their fill. Now that the war was over, they had recovered from their panic and were chattering and talking non-stop.

There is no need to mention the Liangzhou Chitiao.

The five thousand people brought by Beigong Chun were regarded as miraculous inside and outside the city - jokes like "one hundred defeated eighty thousand" had begun to circulate in a small circle.

Luyang Hou Shao Xun also received some praise because he arrived at the critical moment with his army and attacked the bandits from the front and back with the imperial guards, defeating the bandits. In fact, Shao Xun's contribution in the final stage of the Battle of Luoyang was not as great as that of the imperial guards who went out of the city to attack the bandit camp, but since he had saved Luoyang before and was famous, the people of Luoyang were happy to explore his deeds, even if others' contributions were slightly greater than his.

Shao Xun rode his horse quietly through the streets and soon arrived at Situ's Mansion. After sending someone to inform, he quickly entered. It was obvious that Wang Yan had already informed the servants.

He was the only one here today. Lu Zhi temporarily rushed back to Guangchengze to help deal with the unrest caused by the laborers from the five counties and states.

"Has Situ entered the palace?" Shao Xun asked after being led to the study and sat down.

"That's right." The servant didn't reveal too much information, only saying, "Please wait for a moment, my lord."

Shao Xun nodded and waited silently.

This is Wang Yan's house, but Wang Dun is nowhere to be seen. If I had known this, I would have gone to Wang's other courtyard and waited. Maybe I could have run into Wang Dun and see what he looks like now.

After collecting his thoughts, he began to observe the furnishings in the study.

Overall, it is very plain, without too much decoration, and there are many books. It seems that Wang Yan is a person who cannot put down his books. No wonder he can become the number one talker of this era. If he doesn't have something in his mind, he can't win a debate.

He immediately thought that most of the books of that era were hidden in the homes of such scholars.

They monopolize knowledge, and this is their greatest confidence and the greatest value of united front work.

Moreover, they mastered not only literary knowledge, but also knowledge in military affairs, agriculture, arithmetic, astronomy, prophecies, management and other aspects.

Yesterday, Shao Xun and Lu Zhi discussed the problems that arose in the resettlement of government soldiers. He did not have enough manpower to handle the "land change" alone.

The so-called land change means that when the land is distributed, some land is fertile, some land is poor, some land is close to the canal, some is far away from the canal, and so on.

The solution is to provide compensation.

In fact, in the Tang Dynasty, there was a "double pay" policy - not necessarily doubling the pay, but based on the actual situation, compensating a little in quantity to make up for the lack of quality.

Not everyone can handle this kind of thing. In fact, the ability requirements are not low. Not only do you need to know some farming knowledge, but you also need to have management, eloquence, interpersonal skills and other aspects.

The key point is that there is still a huge demand for this type of talent, and just one or two will not be enough.

Shao Xun can certainly handle it himself, but can he take care of everything alone?

Among the student soldiers trained over the years, there are currently less than 30 who are suitable for management positions, and they are still accumulating experience in various forts.

After completing a rotation in the dock positions, Shao Xun will arrange for them to go to the counties to get involved in more comprehensive affairs and further improve their abilities.

Cooperation with scholars has become inevitable as his talent gap is too big.

The student leaders were merely tools for him to lower the price to the scholars and prevent them from asking for exorbitant prices.

A figure flashed outside the study.

Shao Xun glanced and saw the back of a tall girl.

No, to be precise, I only saw a glimpse of a butt, which was great.

From March last year to May this year, the accumulated inventory was only given out twice by Song Yi. Now that the battle has just ended, he is eager to give it out again.

Song Yi's appearance is truly stunning.

In terms of face, among all the women Shao Xun had seen, only Queen Yang could compare with him.

This level of beauty almost made him ignore Song Yi's identity.

Although he did not have the excitement brought by his status, Song Yi was very nervous and his talent was even better.

It would be a great idea to form a private band in the future and let them play for me to relieve my fatigue.

After waiting quietly for a while, I soon heard the sound of talking and laughing not far away, and occasionally I heard the words "Jingfeng".

A moment later, the girl passed by again and glanced at Shao Xun curiously.

Shao Xun smiled, thinking he looked handsome.

The girl chuckled and walked away quickly.

"Your Excellency."

"Situ."

Wang Yan arrived soon, and after the two of them exchanged greetings, they sat opposite each other.

After talking about this and that for a while, the two foxes, one big and one small, quickly got to the point. "During the Wang Mi Rebellion, you won battle after battle and made great contributions. The court will definitely reward you, and may increase your fiefdom." At this moment, Wang Yan stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "From a second-rate marquis to a great marquis, you will get an additional 200 households. Don't even think about more. Beigong Chun is the first meritorious, but he hasn't been rewarded with an official title. The people in Liangzhou only got some money and silk."

Shao Xun thought about it and felt that this was indeed something the imperial court would do.

"What else?" he asked.

"There are also several thousand coins and silk rewards."

"Situ." Shao Xun was a little dissatisfied: "The soldiers of Liangzhou will leave the capital sooner or later, and it is uncertain whether they will come next time. And I live in Liang County. When there is something going on in the court, I will come to the king's defense."

Wang Yan had a blank expression on his face, but he was secretly annoyed.

This kid is becoming more and more difficult to control, and he is much more troublesome than Beigong Chun and others.

The imperial court did not confer a title on Beigong Chun for his meritorious service, and the more than one hundred warriors who charged into the battle that day were only rewarded with a small amount of money and silk. However, they accepted the reward calmly without crying or making a fuss, and were extremely loyal.

But Shao Xun is not easy to fool, he is really noisy and domineering.

Moreover, he was right. Liangzhou was thousands of miles away and the journey was long, so it was not easy to come here.

If there is another war next year, it is hard to say whether they will be able to come.

But Shao Xun is in Henan County. If something really happens, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst, so we should give priority to appeasing him.

"What do you want?" Wang Yan asked.

"Appoint Lu Zhi and Lu Zidao as the governors of Xiangcheng." Shao Xun said, "The previous governor abandoned his land and fled, and was dismissed for his crime. Lu Zhi is the perfect replacement."

Wang Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This request was not excessive, but he would not agree so easily. He continued to pester, "The position of the prime minister is so important—"

"Situ!" Shao Xun emphasized, "The seven counties of Xiangcheng have been plagued by bandits. There are still a few remnants of bandits. Ordinary people can't do it."

"You!" Wang Yan glared.

He is a person who will not easily get angry with others. If they get along, both will benefit. If they don't, they will go their separate ways. Even if he really wants to get someone, he will not tear them apart openly, but kill them invisibly.

But when facing Shao Xun, many methods cannot be used.

If they really fall out, Shao Xun will definitely be very upset, and he may not even be able to support so many soldiers. But things will definitely get out of control, and if there is any trouble in Luoyang in the future, don't even think about calling him.

Will there be trouble in Luoyang in the future? Wang Yan felt that there would be more and more trouble.

In other words, Shao Xun's importance has greatly increased.

But this man's domineering attitude was really uncomfortable. He even threatened the new prefect sent to Xiangcheng, which made Wang Yan speechless.

Although Shao Xun was domineering in the past, he was not to this extent.

This guy really does not know what to order. As soon as the imperial court showed signs of fatigue, he raised the price.

"Situ." Shao Xun changed his tone and said with a smile: "I will manage Xiangcheng for Situ. I will train some soldiers in my spare time. If there is any trouble in Luoyang, I will go north immediately to protect the safety of the court. In addition, there is a very beautiful place on the northern edge of Guangcheng Lake, with mountains behind and water in front, surrounded by long embankments and shaded by green trees. In spring, all the flowers are in full bloom..."

"That's enough." Wang Yan really couldn't do anything to him, so he waved his hand to stop him.

Let me make my own value clear first. I am the most reliable military force near Luoyang, and you must use me.

If he threatens again, no one else can do anything to become the prefect of Xiangcheng.

Finally, I came to the soft side and picked a scenic spot for you next to Guangchengze. The implication is that you can build a manor.

You know what, this really moved Wang Yan.

His family's villa was completely destroyed by the enemy army. After much thought, he felt that the suburbs of Luoyang were still a bit dangerous, so it would be better to find a site in Guangchengze to build a new one.

A noble family cannot live without a manor or villa.

"Lu Zidao was once the Minister of the Central Secretariat, so he can indeed be appointed as the prefect of Xiangcheng." Thinking of this, Wang Yan finally gave in and said, "Anything else? Tell me all at once, so you don't have to bother me again."

"Huang Biao and Li Chong are both brave and good at fighting. They have made many achievements and can be generals of the army." Shao Xun said again.

"Yes." Wang Yan nodded.

These are all trivial matters. Even if you don't give him an official position, he is actually an official. For ordinary people, changing class is a huge matter, but in Wang Yan's eyes, it is almost not worth mentioning.

"Finally, there is one more thing." Shao Xun continued, "I suggest that the court should step in and organize the common people, farmhands, and fortress households to plant grains, and after the harvest, switch to planting winter wheat."

"Is that all?" Wang Yan was a little surprised.

"This is a big deal!" Shao Xun said solemnly, "The harvest of spring millet this year may be greatly affected. Now we should plant beans and other crops, and then plant wheat. We can harvest it in May or June next year. Wang Mi has been defeated. There may be no trouble in the short term, but what about next year? With food in hand, we will not panic. After harvesting wheat, even if the enemy attacks, we can hold on for a long time."

"These days, there are very few people who grow rice and wheat..." Wang Yan hesitated: "Grinding wheat is also a hassle."

"Situ is confused." Shao Xun said bluntly: "No matter how bad the wheat rice tastes, it is better than starving."

Wang Yan thought about it and nodded slightly.

As a result of Wang Mi’s commotion, grain production in many places will inevitably decrease this year, so we really need to think of a solution.

"In fact, it's not just Luoyang." Shao Xun added, "Perhaps the court can issue a written document to the five states of Si, Yu, Yan, Xu, and Qing, ordering them to take charge of this matter."

"Is it necessary?" Wang Yan asked doubtfully.

"Be prepared for danger in times of peace and plan ahead." Shao Xun replied.

"We can do this in Sizhou." Wang Yan rejected it, but not completely.

"Whatever." Shao Xun sighed.

It would be great if this could be implemented in Sizhou.

Judging from the current situation, the Xiongnu has not yet conquered the two counties of Hedong and Pingyang. Even if they move south next year, they will not come too early.

As long as he doesn't come before June, the winter wheat in all parts of Sizhou will be harvested, greatly enriching the inventory.

On the contrary, if we still follow the old tradition of "planting a grain of millet in spring and harvesting ten thousand grains in autumn" next year, it would be disastrous if the Huns moved south before the autumn harvest.

Even if the Huns failed to catch up with the autumn harvest, what if there was a drought or locust plague next year?

The temperature is high in summer, which is suitable for locusts to grow in large numbers, but there are almost no locusts in winter.

The frequency of droughts in summer far exceeds that in the other three seasons.

Compared with millet, winter wheat has a lower risk of disasters and a higher yield, making it an ideal risk-averse crop.

"It's rare for a military man like you to care so much about the livelihood of the people." After finalizing the matter, Wang Yan made a joke.

"Every man has his share of responsibility for the fate of his country." Shao Xun said righteously, "I really can't bear to see such unbearable things as starving people everywhere."

"Crash!" Before Wang Yan could say anything, there was a noise behind the bookshelf, followed by the sound of footsteps quietly fading away.

Wang Huifeng walked in front with a curious look on his face.

Wang Jingfeng was a little annoyed and kept saying, "Sister, it's really not my fault. What Marquis Luyang said was so funny that I couldn't help it."

Wang Huifeng ignored her and was still thinking about what Marquis Luyang had just said.

Although he was a military strategist, he also cared about the livelihood of the people. He was much better than many unruly scholars.

(End of this chapter)