Chapter 650 Inspection

Chapter 650 Inspection
After the first month of the year is the Spring Festival.

There was no spring ploughing in many areas of Liang this year, because winter wheat was sown after the autumn harvest last year. However, there were also places where it was not implemented, or for various reasons, the planting rhythm was different - spring millet, winter wheat, and coarse grains, the time span was as long as two years, and not necessarily the same.

Therefore, Shao Xun did not issue a call to arms until February 15th.

During this period, he brought his personal troops and gifts to inspect the Silver Spear Camp and the three Longxiang Prefecture garrisons in Cangyuan, Bajiao and Chuitai.

He thought about it carefully and realized that he was indeed too busy and his time was divided.

I was in Youzhou on New Year’s Day last year.

I was in Yecheng on New Year’s Day the year before last.

I was in Xuchang on New Year's Day two years ago. Because of the death of Cao Fu and some other miscellaneous matters, I only visited a few places during the Spring Festival.

His father saw everything he did, but he always kept it to himself, understanding that he was busy. This year, he took the opportunity to mention it, and also asked him to pay more attention to it.

You don't need to go anywhere else, it's best to take a walk around the areas around Bianliang.

If you share it, people will gradually spread the word, more people will know about it, it will increase your fame and improve your prestige in the military.

On February 16, Shao Xun arrived in Cangyuan.

There is a city in Cangyuan, but it is dilapidated and there is no money to repair it at the moment, so people can only live in it for the time being.

As the official office of Longxiang Prefecture, there are more than ten clerks, three hundred soldiers, and officers such as the military governor here all year round.

After Shao Xun inspected the place, he gave them some cloth as a gift, then refused their company and randomly selected the villages where the soldiers were located for a surprise visit.

Cangyuan belongs to Junyi County, not far from Fengqiu and Xiaohuang, the seat of Chenliu County. When Shao Xun suddenly rushed to a village on the north bank of the Bian River (Bian River), the spring sowing had already been completed.

"What's wrong with the roof?" Shao Xun asked, looking at a house at the west end of the village.

"The house is too old and there is a hole in the roof. We repaired it when we first came here last year, but it started leaking again a while ago." Hu Guang, a soldier in the palace, said shyly.

After all, it is a house abandoned by someone else, so there are always problems of one kind or another.

Shao Xun glanced at him and asked, "Are you from Luonan?"

"From Luyang County."

Luyang is a county under Jingzhou, but in the context of the Shao military and political group, Luyang and Ye County both belong to the Luonan area.

"Have you fought Xin'an?" Shao Xun asked again.

"Yes. We attacked Xin'an twice and also fought with the bandits outside Baichaowu."

"He's still alive after three battles. He's lucky." Shao Xun said with a smile.

Last year, a large number of young men were recruited from Luonan, Xiangcheng and other places, and they attacked Xin'an together with the young men from Henan, the government soldiers and the imperial guards.

The Dingzhuang people in Luonan suffered heavy losses, and several thousand people were left under the city of Xin'an. Among the survivors, the strong and brave ones were selected to be recruited as the palace soldiers, most of them were in the Bajiao Longxiang Palace, and a small number were scattered in Cangyuan and Chuitai.

"Are you all soldiers from Luonan?" Shao Xun asked, pointing at the dozen or so soldiers who were slowly surrounding them.

The guards pushed these people away and prevented them from getting too close.

"Mingsir, I am from Liang County."

"I am also from Liang County."

"Mingsir, I am from Yangdi County, and I live next to Yushanwu."

"Mingsir, I am from Yangcheng County. I saw you from afar when you went hunting in the mountains."

"I'm from Wuyang County. My Lord, I used to be the princess's farmhand. After the princess followed you, wuwu——"

Shao Xun didn't care and kept laughing.

Seeing that he didn't care, everyone laughed too.

I don’t know when it started, it seems to be the year before last, the news that Princess Xiangcheng was the concubine of Lord Liang gradually spread and was known to many people, especially in Wuyang County, the princess’ former fiefdom, where the most people knew about it.

"Is the spring sowing over?" Shao Xun asked after laughing.

"ended."

"Now that the spring planting is done, there are still garden affairs to be taken care of, right?" Shao Xun pointed to the roof that was being repaired and asked, "What are you busy with?"

"I found some time to level a vegetable plot, planning to have my family grow some fruits and vegetables." The person standing at the front answered as he was being stared at by Shao Xun.

Shao Xun looked at another person.

"We hired an old man from Bingzhou as a gardener, and planned to grow vegetables and sell them in Junyi."

"After autumn and winter, the canal is a bit clogged, and we plan to clean it out." The third person replied.

"I'm going to go to the grass market to see if there are any cattle for sale."

"My son is going to marry a new bride."

……

Shao Xun listened with a smile until the last person finished speaking.

He pondered for a while and asked, "Is the new house good?"

"it is good."

"How's the field?" "Good."

"Do you know whose land and houses you have obtained belong to?" Shao Xun asked the question he wanted to ask at the right time.

Now everyone was at a loss for words. Only one or two people knew the answer and asked in an uncertain tone, "I heard it was from the Yu family?"

"It is the Yu family." Shao Xun nodded and said, "Some members of the Yu family fled south and left the vacant land to their brothers. I will take it and divide it among you."

The expressions on everyone's faces changed immediately.

We are all from the Jin Dynasty, and everyone knows how powerful the wealthy families are.

Not to mention the nobles, even those tyrants without any family background were no worse than the nobles in bullying others. After more than ten years of war, as long as the nobles who persisted and stayed in the local area, their troops, households, and land and houses were greatly expanded, and some of them even increased their strength several times.

Why is this happening?
In fact, it was not that complicated. In troubled times, strength was respected, and if a single family did not rely on the powerful, they really could not survive. Even some rural earthen walls where dozens or hundreds of households gathered to protect themselves could not withstand the annexation of the powerful.

As the tides washed away the sand, some powerful families crossed the Yangtze River to the south, some became ruined, and some became stronger. But no matter what the fate of the powerful families was, the number of self-cultivating farmers became fewer and fewer, and it became difficult to find them.

This is the reality in the countryside, and the soldiers know it all too well.

"So you all have to help each other. If one family is in trouble, all families will come to help. If you encounter a major incident that you cannot handle, report it to Longxiang Mansion immediately. If Longxiang Mansion still cannot handle it, I will personally handle it and will definitely give you justice." Shao Xun said: "The soldiers of the mansion fought for me, and they must not be wronged."

Everyone was a little worried just now, but now they were happy to hear that Lord Liang would make the decision for them.

First one or two people took the lead, and after a moment, all of them prostrated themselves on the ground, saying loudly: "We are willing to die for you, sir."

Shao Xun waved his hand and his personal soldiers pulled the carriage over.

He helped each person up one by one and personally handed out rewards: a piece of linen and a piece of silk.

Everyone received the reward and naturally expressed gratitude profusely.

Shao Xun watched all this quietly.

We will visit some areas this year, another area next year, and another area later...

Over time, his legends were everywhere, and people were grateful to him everywhere.

Fame and prestige are extremely important and can be put to use at critical moments - someone ordered the soldiers to shoot him, but the soldiers did not dare to do so. In the end, they turned against him and surrounded him as he entered Paris.

With such high prestige, even if a general wanted to rebel, someone under him would inform on him or even tie him up on the spot.

When he was in Liang County, he visited here every year.

In the past two or three years, there were a lot of things going on, and I even stayed in Hebei for a long time, so I was indeed a little negligent.

In comparison, Henan is the foundation.

In Henan, the ten counties of Liang State are the foundation of the foundation.

"I'll give you another ten days, then bring your weapons and follow me to fight." Shao Xun looked at everyone and said, "Are you satisfied with a few fields and houses? Those who have made meritorious deeds in the battlefield can save them to exchange for official positions. If you can't use them yourself, you can give them to your descendants or clansmen in exchange. I will never break my promise. As long as you obey my orders and dare to fight, good days are still ahead."

Everyone was inspired after hearing this, and said in unison: "We are willing to die for you, sir."

Is there such a good thing? Can an illiterate person become an official?

Even if he is just an official who doesn't care about anything, he is still an official. When walking in the countryside, others have to call him "official" respectfully. Are you afraid of being bullied?
Shao Xun took in everyone's expressions.

The honorary official system has been delayed for a long time, and Wang Yan has not yet given a complete plan. Shao Xun will not give him too much time, and it must be completed by the end of this year at the latest.

His favors to military men were roughly divided into three steps.

The first step was to give land, houses and soldiers to the unknown warriors, so that they could become soldiers of the government and become people with some wealth.

The second step was to select some of the best people to become officials of Longxiang Prefecture, and to become serious officials in charge of the economy, thus opening up space for their advancement.

This space is still relatively small. Only about one percent of the people in a Longxiong Mansion have a chance, but it is enough to include the best talents.

The third step was to launch a system of honorary officers, allowing ordinary soldiers to accumulate merits in exchange for official positions, just like exchanging points for items in later generations.

There are three steps to take. After each step, we will wait for a few years to observe the feedback and possible resistance from society. When these problems are solved - or even if they are not solved, but it is felt that they are sufficient to cope with the impact - we will move to the next step.

The honorary official system is a revolutionary institutional reform. Shao Xun will make a careful assessment and decide the specific time for its launch based on the actual situation.

Over the past decade, he has slowly built up a relatively dynamic military system.

The system is the most important.

Individuals can be easily bribed, but the system cannot be bribed because it is a clash between different interest groups.

After tasting the sweetness, the warriors will do their best to protect their own interests. Considering that they are still relatively weak and cannot compete with the nobles, they must need the support and even partiality of him as the supreme ruler, and that is enough.

The local military honors group and the student imperial guards group will be his two major pillars.

In addition, there are also the aristocratic group and the Hu people group.

The key to everything in this world is balance. Every group is useful.

He didn't have the idea that anyone had to overwhelm anyone else. If he had to say there was one, it could only be the Hu people group.

And it is not because of their identity as Hu people, but because they serve as local town commanders, which is a country within a country. In order to achieve victory quickly, they have been appeased before, but in the future they will gradually cancel it. The reduction of the power of the feudal lords will become a major event for a long time in the future.

On February 26, after inspecting the three Longxiang Prefectures near Bianliang, Shao Xun returned to the Liang Palace and began to issue conscription orders.

The first order was sent to the court in Luoyang - it sounded a bit strange, but the 20,000 imperial guards who had been trained for a year were about to be dispatched again to attack Wang Mi.

(End of this chapter)