Chapter 962: Important Matters

Chapter 962: Important Matters

Chapter 962: Important Matters (Part )
"How's going over at Zuoguoyuan?" Shao Xun asked casually while standing in the yard.

"A express horse came yesterday to report that spring sowing has already begun." The king's second son, Hulang (Shao Gui), said respectfully.

"But horse plowing?"

"That's right." When Shao Gui mentioned this, he became more interested and said, "I followed the method my grandfather taught me and selected 300 strong draft horses to plow the fields on the riverside. It was two or three times faster than plowing with oxen. Although the plowing was shallower, the people in the garden all said it was enough."

"What did you plant?"

"There are millet, wheat, sorghum, and beans."

"How was the harvest?"

"Wheat is the highest. The upper, middle and lower fields combined can yield more than two hu per mu."

"How much is left?"

Shao Gui thought for a moment and said, "Two or three buckets."

"Two dou or three dou?" Shao Xun said unhappily, "One dou less is not a small amount. Now, if you take a dou of wheat to the South Market in Luoyang, you can sell it for thirty coins, and that's the newly minted Yongjia Tongbao coins. If you change it to the old coins of Wu and Shu, it will be worthless. Do you know that farmers can only get ten or eight coins at a time by selling spring chives and garden sunflowers in the market?"

Shao Gui was embarrassed.

"Humph!" Shao Xun snorted coldly, "This must have been reported by my subordinates, not verified by you personally."

At this point, he poked his second son's forehead with his finger and said, "I don't know what you do every day. Do you think it's dirty? Do you think it's tiring? Some things can be done by others, but some can't. Your father worked in the fields when he was young, and your grandparents are still growing vegetables in their seventies, so you can't even do anything? Why are you so delicate?"

"Grandpa, I also worked in the fields during the spring planting season." Shao Gui said with his head down.

Shao Xun was speechless and sat down beside the stone table under the tree in an angry tone.

Just at this moment, Lu Xun came over with two bowls of Shuiyinbing and said, "It's noon, let's eat first."

Shao Xun smelled the familiar aroma and looked at the slightly white hair on Lu Xun's temples. His heart softened and he stopped scolding. He pursed his lips at his son and said, "Sit down and eat."

Shao Gui responded and sat down at the other end of the stone table. He waited until Shao Xun started eating before he began to eat slowly.

Shao Xun ate at the speed of a soldier. After he had finished his meal in no time, he pushed his bowl and chopsticks aside and his personal soldiers came forward to take them away.

"Xun Niang, sit next to me." Shao Xun said.

Lu Xun sat down somewhat embarrassedly.

Shao Gui lowered his head to eat and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"After all these years, I still remember the Shuiyin Cake from Liuhuayuan." Shao Xun said with emotion.

Lu Xun also recalled what happened that year and his face turned slightly red.

A woman in her thirties, childless, and helpless even though she had some money, she once wondered whether her adopted son could be filial and provide for her in her old age.

The world was in turmoil at that time, and after escaping to Guangchengze, she was able to take a short break. However, the housekeeper looked down on her, embezzled the estate, and the family general also had evil intentions, which made her tremble with fear.

All this was the result of the turbulent world, the corruption of people's hearts, and the fact that she had no children.

He gritted his teeth and thought it would be better to give Shao Xun a good deal than to give others a good deal.

He coveted her beauty and the huge amount of wealth that King Fan Yang had looted when he conquered Hebei.

She coveted his protection, hoping to live a peaceful and stable life without any fear.

As the saying goes, each takes what he needs and agrees half-heartedly.

Finally, the middle class had a son and was overjoyed.

The moment she held Hulang in her arms, she couldn't stop her tears from flowing. This son was her life, so much so that men scolded her as "a loving mother often spoils her son."

Today her child was scolded and she felt a little upset, so she couldn't help but want to persuade him.

The man is now in a high position with great power, and his prestige is growing every year. Fortunately, he still remembers the old friendship...

Shao Gui had also finished eating. His personal soldiers took away the bowl and chopsticks, wiped the stone table, and served him tea.

Shao Xun picked up the bowl and rinsed his mouth, then said, "You should go back to Zuoguoyuan. I wanted to make you a county magistrate, but I think it's better to let you learn more."

The areas of Shanglinyuan and Zuoguoyuan were not small, not as big as a county, but as big as several townships. There were also civilian households, for example, Shanglinyuan had more than a thousand households, and Zuoguoyuan had about the same number.

But the "ecology" of the garden and the county is different after all.

The gardens are filled with atomized households, similar to the society of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

There are gentry and powerful people in the county, and it is not an atomized society.

Being able to manage a garden only means that one has passed the basic test.

But to govern a county, more comprehensive capabilities are needed.

Erlang still needs more experience.

At the same time, I also sighed a little, because the second generation is different after all.

He had farmed, served as a soldier slave, experienced battlefields littered with corpses, faced overwhelming arrows, slept on ice and ate snow, killed people without blinking an eye, could play with human heads, and could argue with scholars.

The second generation has been living a life of luxury since childhood. Their living environment and life experiences are different. There is ultimately a generation gap between father and son. Sometimes he wonders if he is setting his standards too high.

Perhaps, the second generation of emperors in every dynasty were almost the same.

They were not born with knowledge, they made mistakes, and were beaten and scolded by the founding emperor. They grew up slowly through constant experience, learning, and correcting their mistakes.

History books will not record the humiliations and scoldings they suffered when they were young, but will only record their actions after they ascended the throne. Before that, they would at most be mentioned briefly, such as "not very smart" or something like that.

People grow and change. We cannot completely deny them because of their current shortcomings. We need to observe them more.

Thinking of this, Shao Xun's tone slowed down and he asked, "Did you gain anything from promoting the horse-farming method?"

"Yes." Seeing his mother looking at him with encouraging eyes, Hulang felt relieved and said, "There is horse manure falling on the fields. The Hu people all say that horse manure damages the soil, so I asked someone to put a bag behind the horses' buttocks to collect the horse manure." "Also, as my father said, adding one or two horses in front of the herd of oxen can make plowing the fields much faster. The oxen are too lazy, and being led by the horses, they are forced to speed up and work hard to plow the fields."

This is the coil! The cow is too lazy. It has more energy than it needs, but it is just too slow and unwilling to plow the field. After a horse is added in front of it, the cow is forced to coil, and its efficiency is greatly improved.

"Anything else?" Shao Xun asked.

"I have set rules in the garden. All festivals, including Spring Festival, Cold Food Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Autumn Festival, Double Ninth Festival, Winter Solstice, La Festival and New Year's Day, must be celebrated regardless of whether they are Hu or Han people." Shao Gui said, "Now the Xiongnu and the mixed Hu have changed and are slowly becoming like the people of China."

"I'm afraid they are affecting each other?" Shao Xun said.

"Father is right." Shao Gui said, "Han people learn from Xiongnu, Xiongnu learn from Han people, but in all counties under the heaven, even if they are Han people, their customs are different."

"You have this understanding, which is not bad." Shao Xun nodded and said, "Starting this year, you should contact Kelan and Xihe counties and the Shanyu Protectorate more. Whether it is ox plowing or horse plowing, teach them more and find ways to let them settle down. Nowadays, many tribes still have nomadic farming and nomadic phenomena, which is not conducive to their bathing in the king's rule. You should spend more time and don't stay in Zuoguo City all day. At the Shanyu Protectorate, you will hold the title of Zhonglang."

"Yes." Shao Gui responded quickly.

"The Zuoguo Garden can be expanded a little. The land is lush with vegetation. Good horses were produced there during the Han Dynasty, and there were herders during the Xiongnu period." Shao Xun added, "I intend to set up a ranch here to breed oxen, plow horses, and draft horses. You should find a good place as soon as possible."

"Yes."

Shao Xun thought about it and felt that there was nothing more to explain for the time being, so he said no more.

"Your Majesty." Lu Xun said softly, "Xiao He has found a manor house in the plains, and Liuhuayuan is back. Why not--"

"Liuhuayuan is too big." Shao Xun said, "With the official position of Huanlang, I can only occupy 22 hectares of land."

"Liuhuayuan is not in Liang State." Lu Xun said, "It's okay."

"That's what you say, but it's not beautiful after all." Shao Xun pondered.

As the sons grew up and got jobs, they had to support staff, retainers, and guards. If they got married, they would have a whole family to raise.

Given the habit of working at one's own expense these days, the expenses are not a small amount, and it is not possible to support them with that little salary, nor can they govern the areas under their jurisdiction well, because the official system is very imperfect and the finances are even more unhealthy.

Simply put, if you don’t have a mine at home, don’t be an official, because you can’t afford to support the people under you.

If you don't hold an official position, it will be difficult for your family to have a mine.

Some people have mines at home, but not enough, so they need the support of the entire family. Correspondingly, you have to support the entire family.

This is a medieval specialty that you must try.

What Lu Xun said is correct. Before the court has sufficient income to support more officials and improve the official system, you can only rely on your own money to support people and make up for the institutional defects of the court.

Before, Huanlang was in Zuoguoyuan, and he was self-sufficient, so this was not a big problem. But if he came into contact with Xihe and Kelan counties and Shanyu Protectorate, his expenses would increase dramatically.

"Huanlang has not yet started a family. Let's hand over Liuhuayuan to the Shaofu. I will let the Shaofu spend some of the expenses." Shao Xun said.

"That's fine." Lu Xun nodded and said.

"Huang Lang, stay with your mother in Beijing for a few days, and then return to Zuoguoyuan. If you want to travel far, bring enough guards." As he was talking, Shao Xun couldn't help asking, "Zuoguoyuan Dingzhuang, have you ever practiced?"

"I have practiced it." Shao Gui replied, "I practice it for thirty days every year."

"Other than that?"

"There are still a hundred Youzhou cavalrymen, and they are training on their own."

"Are all the equipment complete?"

"The armor, horse armor, bows and spears are all complete."

"It's not like you don't know how to ride a horse or shoot an arrow. You should take them to practice, and don't always rely on your uncle's family." Shao Xun said earnestly, "The things your uncle gave you are yours. If you don't practice with them, who will you listen to in the future? Take the families of these hundred people to Lishi and divide the land among them."

"Yes."

"Go back." Shao Xun waved his hand and said.

Shao Gui bowed and took his leave.

"You scared Badger just now." Lu Xun complained.

Shao Xun said helplessly: "I gave him an official task, one of the three most important things in my life, but you... you are really a loving mother who spoils her son!"

"I only have a son..." Lu Xun said softly.

Shao Xun wanted to say something, but he was speechless.

The beauty who had made him so eager back then gradually grew old and no longer looked as beautiful as before.

Now, he is indeed more attracted to fresh and tender flesh.

He doesn't have much conscience, but he still has some.

Xunniang once brought him incomparable happiness, and he still likes to eat the food she cooks.

He gently grasped her hand and said, "Walk with me."

"After the founding of the country, I will tour the north and south to let the people of the world know that there is a new king." Shao Xun said: "Then let's go to Guangchengze Liuhuayuan to take a look. The first time I went to Liuhuayuan, I ate the food you cooked. To this day, the memory is still fresh."

"When Hua Nu brought you here, I was shocked." Lu Xun covered his mouth and laughed, saying, "Your eyes were as bright as a cat at night, and you always looked at me secretly. I almost regretted it at that time. How could you be such a vulgar warrior."

"That's not the case..." Shao Xun said embarrassedly.

Lu Xun did not answer, but gently took his hand, looked up at the sky, and said: "The weather is really nice today. On the long embankment of Guangcheng Lake in the past, I walked and walked with my baby Hulang in my arms. In the blink of an eye, he has grown up. When he called you grandpa for the first time, you laughed so hard that you couldn't stop..."

Listening to the woman's gentle words, Shao Xun also had some memories.

After a long time, he sighed softly.

He killed people without mercy, looked kind but had a vicious heart, but he also had a soft spot.

(End of this chapter)