Chapter 686 Benefits

Chapter 686 Benefits

Chapter 686 Benefits
When the army returns, there will of course be a vanguard.

On the 23rd, Jin Zheng arrived at Bajiao Longxiang Prefecture west of Bianliang.

Most of the 1,200 soldiers in this mansion were from Luonan. Jin Zheng knew many of them, so he took a break and had lunch with everyone else.

"Where did the donkey meat come from?" Jin Zheng was a little surprised when he saw the roasted food in the yard.

The Bajiao Longxiang Mansion had only been established for a year and a half. Logically speaking, the soldiers in the mansion were not very wealthy. How could they be so extravagant?

"There was a local tyrant named Li, who had a thousand servants and a hundred horses. When they were not working, they would rob merchants. When Lord Li of Chenliu heard about it, he gathered his troops and besieged their fortress, and conquered it in 20 days." A Sima of another tribe said, "The land was taken away by Kaifeng County, and the brothers shared some of the floating wealth, and this donkey is it."

"How many people died?" Jin Zheng took a piece of roasted donkey meat, took a bite, and immediately praised: "Not bad, much better than the smoked meat eaten in the army."

"We besieged them day and night, and more than 4,000 people died in the battle, but most of them were from Chenliu. Not many of our old brothers died."

"Not bad." Jin Zheng wolfed down his food and wiped his hands on his military robe. He said, "It's hard to imagine that there are such rebellious people under Lord Liang's feet."

"The Li family is really arrogant."

"They are only a few dozen miles away from Bianliang, yet they dare to rob merchants and travelers. How audacious!"

“It’s so crazy now, it’s hard to imagine what it will be like in a few decades.”

"Li Jiawubao is still trying to steal our water. I've been wanting to chop him up for a long time."

Everyone was talking while eating meat.

Being a government soldier is indeed different. The most important thing is that one’s morale has improved.

When one is in low spirits, he becomes timid, kneels before anyone he meets, and dares not speak, just like a punching bag.

When you are in high spirits, your language and demeanor when speaking are different, and you become much more confident.

Not to mention that these people are at least ninth-rank officials, and some as high as seventh-rank, and are officials in charge of specific matters, which makes the situation even more different.

"The Li family are just small figures. They are local tyrants who gather together based on clan blood ties. It's not a big deal. At most, a few thousand people will die. It's not difficult to capture their fortress." Jin Zheng said: "But there are people who can gather tens of thousands of soldiers and issue orders to pass through several counties or even a state. They look down on us warriors. Even to Lord Liang, they are extremely respectful on the surface, but who knows what they think in private?"

When everyone heard this, they were somewhat surprised.

Some people lowered their heads subconsciously. This was influenced by the trend of the times. After all, the mythology of the nobles was deeply engraved in their bones from their ancestors. For a moment, they were a little frightened and subconsciously did not dare to resist.

Some people frowned. They were the kind of people who had tasted the benefits and were reluctant to lose them.

Some people raised their eyebrows. These were ambitious people who were quite combative and wanted to go further.

There are thousands of faces for each person.

Jin Zheng glanced at everyone, laughed, pointed to one person and asked, "Zhao Er, you used to be a farmhand in Jingu Garden, do you know how Shi Chong became an official?"

"Entering the officialdom through family connections?" Zhao Er asked uncertainly.

"It is because of the influence of the family that he entered the government." Jin Zheng nodded and said, "As long as your merits are sufficient, your child will have the opportunity to become an official when he is born. It is because of the influence of the family that he entered the government. Parents who love their children will plan for them in the long run. Don't you think about your own children? Tell me, how many children do you have?"

"Two sons and one daughter." Zhao Er said.

"How should we divide the land between two sons? Give the government soldiers to the eldest son, but what about the second son? Should he be a farmhand? Or a slave?" Jin Zheng asked in return.

Zhao Er clenched his fists and said, "I have been a farmhand for most of my life. I cannot let him do this anymore."

The farmhands were even more miserable than the soldiers. They had no personal freedom, almost no personal property, and had to get the consent of the master's family to marry. They were only slightly better than slaves - perhaps even worse.

"If you serve in battle and win merit, you will be rewarded with a medal. This medal can be exchanged for land granted by the government." Jin Zheng looked at Zhao Er and said, "If there is such a benefit, would you like it?"

"Of course I am willing." Zhao Er said quickly: "Earn a few dozen acres of land for the child. Even if he can't be a soldier in the future, he can make a living from it, marry a wife and have children, and live like a human being."

"That's right." Jin Zheng smiled and said, "Lord Liang sympathizes with you and wants to do this. But there are traitors in the court who try their best to stop it. They don't want you and your descendants to live a decent life."

As soon as these words were spoken, the place became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Anyone who can become an official in a prefecture must have some ability to think. Jin Zheng's words hinted very clearly, how could they not understand?
It's just that due to the values, social atmosphere, and the inertia of thoughts and behaviors formed since childhood, I don't know what to do for a while.

Kim is just getting to the point.

He was a reckless man, but he was not stupid. Some things were fine at this point, but it would be inappropriate to say more, and he did not dare to do so. It was not because he was afraid of the nobles or Master Shao, but because he was suspected of misleading people.

But then again, are people's hearts so easily deceived? Isn't it true that the truth is here, and everyone will discuss and think about it sooner or later. If he doesn't say it, someone else will say it, and when it comes to their own interests, they can't stop it.

To some extent, this is called "consensus".

Warriors have their own consensus, and scholars have their own consensus, that’s all.

******
On November 26, the army returned to Bianliang.

In the swaying carriage, Shao Xun let go of Wang Huifeng from his arms and tried to hold her hand to get off the carriage together.

Wang Huifeng refused, quietly straightened her dress, calmed herself down, and got off the carriage.

Shao Xun sneered.

Why are you trying to cover up your mistake? They all came back in a carriage, so who wouldn't understand what's going on?

"Husband." Yu Wenjun stood outside the Guanfeng Gate and wanted to go forward to hug him, but she stopped and bowed.

Shao Xun looked at the concubines who came to greet him.

Pei Lingyan was not there. In October, she gave birth to another child, her third child and her third son.

Yang Xianrong was not there either.

After Shao Xun crossed the river to Fangtou in the north, he learned that Queen Yang had morning sickness and was pregnant, but had not given birth yet.

Except for these two people, everyone else was bowing outside the door.

Wang Jingfeng opened his eyes wide and looked at his sister.

When Wang Huifeng met other people's gazes, his expression was calm, but when he saw his sister Wang Jingfeng, he looked away.

Wang Jingfeng didn’t know what was in his mind. He suddenly laughed and then covered his mouth.

Le looked at him with numb eyes.

Mrs. Lu was old and had passed that stage, so she just looked at him teasingly.

Several concubines looked resentful, as if accusing him of preferring to look for "aunt" instead of them.

Shao Xun stepped forward and took Yu Wenjun's hand, saying, "Go back, is everything okay at home?"

Yu Wenjun seemed to be a little worried and hesitated to speak.

Shao Xun probably guessed a little.

No one lives in a vacuum. We all have friends and relatives, and we are all affected by the external environment and changes in trends.

The current political atmosphere in Bianliang is rather delicate.

It’s a small matter as long as everyone gives in. It can be good for everyone and everyone can be harmonious.

As a matter of principle, that may not be the case.

Yu Liang might have already thought of places for his sons to enter the government through family connections. It was just a struggle for interests.

After returning to Guanfeng Hall, Shao Xun's first thing was to visit his parents.

After sitting for a while, they came to the courtyard where Pei lived.

Pei Lingyan has already finished her confinement and her figure has not yet fully recovered, but Shao Xun still likes to come to her place.

"How dare you mess with a woman from aristocratic family?" Pei Lingyan made tea for him personally and joked.

Shao Xun didn't drink the tea. He gently held the woman in his arms and sighed, "You are also a lady from a noble family."

Pei Lingyan looked at the man, gently massaged his head, and said, "I have experienced the days of uncertainty, and I know what is most important."

"Thank you for your hard work." Shao Xun gently stroked Pei Lingyan's slightly bloated body.

If a woman is willing to give birth to three children for you at once, this friendship must be good.

If he couldn't even trust the person next to him, what would he do in the future? Well, it wasn't impossible. Jing's little beaker, Song Yi's poor little girl, Zheng Yingtao's little goblin, and Liu Ye's little wild cat were all waiting for him. He wouldn't be without women to use.

"After fighting for several months, you stole some spoils?" After pressing his head, Pei knelt on the couch, held his head in her arms, and asked softly.

"It's an old problem. If you don't like it, I'll give it to someone else." Shao Xun said.

"Are you willing to do so?" Pei asked, tapping his forehead lightly with her white finger.

Shao Xun smiled but said nothing.

Rather than saying he was afraid of Concubine Pei, it would be better to say he respected her. But he also knew that Concubine Pei was actually very indulgent towards him, and would eventually give in and not let him get upset or even unhappy.

"You are thirty years old too..." As expected, in the end, Pei just sighed and said, "Your prestige has grown over the years, and you don't care much about my thoughts."

"This is the last time. I won't rob you again." When saying this, Shao Xun felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, but he couldn't remember when he said it.

"How are you going to give an explanation to the soldiers?" Pei gently adjusted her posture, letting Shao Xun rest his head on her legs, and asked.

"After some time, I will gather my subordinates and discuss this matter to see how far we can go." Shao Xun said, "There are many young men from the Pei family, right? If you want to get an official position, tell me quickly. By next year, some things will not be so easy."

Just like what I said before, no one lives in a vacuum, not even Shao Xun.

He also has people he wants to take care of, namely Hua Nu's family.

Men conquer the world, women conquer men. This is the benefit of having someone above you, especially the one who sleeps beside your master.

Sometimes, she doesn't necessarily have to be the main wife; being one of the wives can get a lot of benefits.

The benefits brought by an extremely favored woman like Pei are even more incredible, but she is just not willing to speak up.

"The Pei family is actually losing talent." Pei sighed and said, "You decide. Hire people based on their abilities. If they don't have talent, forget it. Don't let them make mistakes."

Shao Xun was a little surprised.

"Thinking too much makes people tired." Pei bent down, kissed Shao Xun on the forehead, and said, "I just hope that my three children can grow up safely and live a life without worries. I don't ask for anything else."

"Yes." Shao Xun said, and he had already started thinking about which children of the Pei family are worthy of reuse and what positions they should be assigned to.

(End of this chapter)