Chapter 1242 On the way

Chapter 1242 On the way

Chapter 1242 On the way

Under the reward system, many people were promoted, such as Zhang Qin, the lieutenant of Hefei Duzhi. Because he served as an interpreter in the south and experienced life and death several times, he was promoted twice and became the first lieutenant of the newly established Hefei Duzhi.

There are 3,000 transport troops under my command, all of whom are surrendered soldiers from Hefei. The ships are transferred from Ruxu Dock. Most of them are old and outdated equipment that the navy does not value, and their shape is not suitable for transportation. They have to make do with what they have.

Shi Yong also came to Hefei and served as the Duwei of Duzhi.

The two can be considered old partners, and they sighed when talking about the breakout.

"My cousin (Shi Zhen) has bad luck and has stumbled before his time. Alas." Looking at the setting sun in the west, Shi Yong sighed and said with a sigh.

Zhang Qin poured a glass of wine for each of them and said, "Life and death are determined by fate. There is nothing more to say. Just take care of his family in the future."

"My cousin has four sons. The youngest one is seven years old this year. The emperor has sent an envoy to bring him to the palace to study literature and martial arts. I'm afraid it's not my turn to take care of him." Shi Yong said with a wry smile.

"I made a profit!" Zhang Qin said with some envy in his tone.

"Yes, we made money. As long as we are not involved in any major case, the wealth of a generation is set in stone. If we manage it well, the wealth of two or three generations will be easy." Shi Yong took a sip of wine and said.

He did not gain nothing.

He was originally the Sima of Tangyi County, but that was a fake position, which was no longer valid after the fall of Jin. Now he could get a seventh-rank Duzhi Duwei, which was not bad. More importantly, he was already in the emperor's favor, and his name was known to the emperor. In the future, if he made any meritorious contributions, he could be easily promoted. This was the biggest and long-term benefit.

Zhang Qin was in the same situation as him. However, his promotion was more rapid, from the seventh rank to the fifth rank, skipping four steps. If you have no merit and can only accumulate experience step by step, can you be promoted two levels before retiring? It's hard to say, because there are too many people who stay at a certain rank all their lives without moving.

"Is there any news about Lou Guochang's descendants?" Shi Yong put down his wine glass and asked.

"Lou Guochang was born in a lowly family, with no descendants, only a younger brother." Zhang Qin said, "I heard from Sun Jianjun that the emperor sent people to look for his brother and learned that he was herding horses in the treasury. So he sent a letter to the nobles of the Lou family, released the man, gave him the name 'Guozhen', and inherited Guochang's official title. Guozhen had an heir, and the emperor ordered him to give birth to a son to be adopted by Guochang, and sent him to the Luoyang Palace, and also granted him honorary official titles, land and houses. Most of the others did the same thing."

"Where is the land and house?" Shi Yong asked.

"In Huaibei." Zhang Qin said, "Yang Tao and his troops were freed. They were granted civilian status and were no longer the soldiers who had suffered for generations. They withdrew the cultivated land and collectively migrated to the four counties of Huainan, Lujiang, Yiyang and Anfeng, which are between the Yangtze River and the Huai River."

"No one went to Xiyang?"

"Xiyang is abandoned. I guess no one wants to go there."

During the Jin Dynasty, Xiyang was the State of Xiyang.

At the beginning of the Yongjia period, Sima Ying was still the Duke of Xiyang County. As the county was desolate and deserted with almost no one, Xiyang County was moved to the southeast of Wuchang (east of Huanggang), and Qisi and Xiling were added to its territory. Soon after, Qisi was abolished because it was assigned to Runan State (and later returned to Yiyang). The court replaced it with Qichun and Zhu counties.

Therefore, the Xiyang State governed four counties: Xiyang (east of Huanggang), Xiling, Qichun, and Zhu. Nominally, it had 35,000 households, but in reality, even 3,500 households were not enough. The majority of the population in the territory were the Wushui barbarians and the Xiyang barbarians - who were somewhat similar to the Qiang people in terms of bloodline.

These barbarians have been registered since the Han Dynasty, but in fact they are no different from not being registered, because the population is estimated and filled in randomly. It is not clear whether there are so many people or whether the previously registered people have migrated. Anyway, they do not pay taxes.

There had been endless wars since the end of the Jin Dynasty, especially when Zhang Chang wreaked havoc in the northern part of Jingzhou, followed by the rebellions of Wang Ru and Du Tao, and the tug-of-war between Liang and Jin. There were really not many people left in Xiyang State, so it was abolished and merged into Yiyang.

After hearing that no one went to Xiyang, Shi Yong smiled and said, "They are lucky."

Zhang Qin smiled slightly and poured more wine for Shi Yong.

On the river less than a hundred steps away from them, there were boats everywhere.

It flows from the Yangtze River through the Rushu River into Chaohu Lake, then out of Chaohu Lake through the Shi River into the Feishui River and Huaishui River, connecting with the Henan water system and reaching the water and land hub of Bianliang.

From this we can see the importance of Hefei. Only Guangling can be compared with it between the entire Yangtze River and the Huai River. There is also a Duzhi Commandery there, and its route is also direct to Bianliang - starting from Jingkou, passing through the Han Canal and Hong Gou water systems and entering the Bian River. However, the Han Canal is suspended from time to time due to little rainfall or terrain reasons, and is not as good as the west.

There were also some cavalry escorting the ship on both sides.

Most of them are from the ten battalions of new troops recruited by the emperor on the grassland. There were about 9,100 of them when they set out on the expedition, and now there are just over 8,000 left. There are vacancies in each battalion, especially the Hengchong, Tieqi, Zhenwu and other battalions that crossed the river. They have to be supplemented with personnel after returning.

At this time, Yan Han was standing at the bow, looking out at the land of Huainan.

"After years of fighting, the important city of Hefei is now deserted. Sigh." Yan Han sighed, "The people have suffered so much! What guilt have they caused!"

"Father, the world is stable now, Huainan should recover slowly." His son Yan Mao said: "Father, if——"

Yan Han waved his hand and said, "I am old."

Yan Mao stopped persuading him.

Some things don't need to be said openly, because that would be too harsh. My father wanted to pursue a good reputation after his death, so he would not serve in Shaoliang, but the children of the Yan family could.

This is also a way to maintain the family.

The father earned fame, and the sons gained practical benefits. Those who understand will understand.

Before nightfall, the fleet stopped.

The aroma of cooking wafted through the evening breeze. Some people on the shore were marking out the land and setting up boundary markers, but as night fell, they dispersed one after another.

"Father, please enjoy your meal." Yan Mao brought a bowl of fish soup from the stern of the boat, raised it respectfully above his head, and gently placed it on the table in front of Yan Han.

Their family has a lot of rules, with strict discipline from top to bottom and strict enforcement of etiquette. This is very different from other aristocratic families where the rules are relaxed and even lack distinction between superiors and subordinates - for example, a son calls his father by his name, or a father and son drink together with their arms around each other, etc.

After Yan Han took the fish soup, he asked, "Where did it come from?"

"Lord Sun from Huainan sent someone to deliver a few fish." Yan Mao replied.

"Which Lord Sun?" "It's Sun Song, Sun Demao from the Le'an Sun family."

Yan Han remembered that he had heard this name before. Among the several "bandit leaders" who had defended Jincheng, this man was one of them. He did not expect that he would become the governor of Huainan.

"Does the emperor have fish soup?" Yan Han asked.

"Yes." Yan Mao said, "Both the Emperor and the Empress have been given wine and food."

Yan Hansui stopped asking questions and started drinking the fish soup.

Yan Mao slowly stepped back, then sat at the bow and ate corn rice with the boatmen.

There were no dishes, just two spoonfuls of fermented black beans to go with the rice. But he was a surrendered man, what else could he ask for? Besides, Yan Mao was not the kind of person who looked down on others. The Yan family had a good reputation, but they really didn't have much money. To be honest, even if you pick a low-ranking official from Wang Dao's court, he would have more land and property than the Yan family.

"From your accents, you seem to be from Luoyang?" After finishing the meal, Yan Mao went to the boat to wash the dishes and casually started a conversation.

"Sir, you have good eyesight." A boatman said with a smile, "We are originally from Wei. Although we have settled in Heyang for many years, we can't change our accent."

"How can I call a minister who has lost his country an official? That is not acceptable." Yan Mao said repeatedly.

"Those who didn't take the prisoner cart on board have a chance." The boatman said with a smile, "When they conquered Liu Han and Li Cheng, they employed many surrendered officials. Earlier, Shi Le and Cao Yi also had surrendered officials. You are handsome and energetic, so you may be able to rise again. And--"

The boatman thought for a moment and then said, "Before I boarded the ship, the owner specially transferred me here and told me not to humiliate Mr. Yan and to report any shortages immediately. We have been sailing for many days, and Mr. Yan has been living a simple life, not making any requests. I admire him very much."

Yan Mao also smiled and said, "You have a good eye."

"I am far inferior to you, sir. I have only traveled more and seen more." The boatman said, "I have been in the army for many years and I am still the captain of the team. This is my life."

"Oh? Are you from the Daliang navy?" Yan Mao asked curiously.

"The Yellow River Navy, I guess." The boatman said self-deprecatingly, "It's almost like transporting troops."

"Someone was measuring the land on the shore just now. Is it to be given to the meritorious officials?" Yan Mao asked.

"I don't know about that. It shouldn't be that." The boatman said, "Maybe they need to send soldiers to the government."

"I heard that the northern land is full of government soldiers, nearly a hundred thousand strong." Yan Mao said: "What do you think of these soldiers? Will they compete with the people for benefits?"

"They are definitely competing with the people for profits. Apart from other things, when there is little rain in summer, the military often intercepts river water for their own irrigation." The boatman said, "A military often has more than one mill, and they all have to intercept water. Not only do the common people suffer from this, but even the wealthy families can't do anything about it, it's like a country within a country. But there are also benefits-"

The boatman thought for a moment and said, "They have money. Farmers weave cattail mats, bamboo baskets, raise pigs and sheep, and sell them at the market. Most of them are bought by the families of the soldiers. If they can make couches, calf carts, lacquerware, or brew wine, they can also exchange a lot of money from the soldiers to supplement their family income. Without them, life would be a little harder. For example, if the military doesn't do things like intercepting water, the wealthy families will do it. I saw a lot of it more than 20 years ago."

Yan Mao nodded slightly.

If the government soldiers did not block the water, the wealthy families would do so, and the common people were oppressed everywhere. But correspondingly, the government soldiers' lavish spending also gave ordinary people the opportunity to do odd jobs. Farmers could also raise livestock and sell them to the government soldiers, and use the money to buy food, or directly let the government soldiers exchange food for meat.

What if it's a wealthy family? I'm afraid it will be difficult.

How much wine and meat can a rich family eat? He doesn't need to buy your things. There are a lot of part-time craftsmen in his own manor, so why buy from outside? Unless it is really necessary, their goal is to sell as much of their own things as possible to others, and then try not to buy other people's things, slowly accumulating wealth.

This is the aspect where the government soldiers are better than the wealthy families. Ordinary people would probably rather face the government soldiers everywhere than live next to the wealthy families' manors.

Yan Mao had known the difference before, but not deeply. When he heard the boatman's explanation, his thoughts were in a tizzy. Just as he was about to say something, he heard an old voice behind him: "This is the ancient system of the Spring and Autumn Period. Shao Taibai was able to gain the world. Could it be that he was following the ancient method?"

The boatman was speechless. He did not understand the ancient customs and could not explain them. When he saw Yan Han coming out, he just bowed and stopped talking.

"Father, this may not be a well field." Yan Mao said, "We need to look more on the way to find out what it is. Or -"

He glanced at his father quietly and said, "After arriving in Bianliang, you can ask Emperor Liang a few questions."

Yan Han snorted and said nothing.

"Isn't this move by Emperor Liang to my father's liking? When the late emperor was alive, my father rebuked the powerful families for fighting over land." Yan Mao said again.

Yan Han did not reply, but just looked at the wilderness around him, his mind in a state of confusion.

After crossing the Yangtze River in the past, he once said in front of Wang Dao that "the powerful and wealthy in the north and south compete to recruit vagrants", which has led to "the country's poverty and the prosperity of the families", and that they should be "recruited to the powerful (farmers and vagrants) and forced to return to the fields and grow mulberry trees."

Wang Dao agreed, but the Jin court was in such a state that it could only appease the contradictions but not cure them. After the scholars who had migrated south had established themselves, more than a decade had passed. They had also hidden a large number of refugees, built manors, and occupied farmland. The situation was already irreversible, and they were moving further and further down the path of becoming aristocratic families.

So, it’s useless!

Yan Han couldn't do anything, and what he said offended people. If he hadn't been very experienced, he would have been squeezed out of shape - someone once asked him about the pros and cons of the scholars in Jiangnan, and Yan Han only said "the righteousness of Zhou Boren", "the integrity of Bian Wangzhi", "I don't know about the rest". In the whole of Jiangnan, he only recognized two people. In his eyes, the other "scholars" were a mess, and he didn't even have a good word to say about Wang Dao.

Shao Xun insisted on meeting him and respectfully called him "Mr. Yan". Even though he didn't say nice things, he still felt a little happy in his heart.

After hearing about the inside story of the rectification of the northern nobles today, my opinion of Shao Xun has changed again.

This man can control the powerful families, which is something that no emperor in the Jin Dynasty has been able to do.

Yan Han was full of suggestions, and subconsciously wanted to put them forward to Shao Xun, but "a loyal minister should not serve two masters", and she couldn't work for him, which made her feel very frustrated!

In early October, the fleet docked in Chen County again, and people from far and near came to watch.

(End of this chapter)