Lord: Start with a copy of Water Margin

After listening to what Shi Xiu said, Zhao Zhen couldn't help but ask about the situation of the Liao Kingdom. Shi Xiu did not mince words and said: "Officials, the Khitans and Han people in the Liao Kingdom do not live together and live separately. I am in Jizhou, which belongs to Yanyun. The Sixteen Prefectures were ceded to the Liao Dynasty after Shi Jingtang of the Later Jin Dynasty. Nowadays, most Han people there no longer recognize the Zhao and Song Dynasties. The wealth and poverty of the Han people are determined by the number of sheep and horses. "

"The official system is divided into the north and the south. The sixteen prefectures of Yanyun still have a county system, which manages the Han people. Further north, there is a tribal system, and the Khitan people are managed in a tribal way."

"The majority of livestock are sheep and horses, followed by cattle and camels. From April to August, the pastures are luxuriant, which is the golden season for grazing. In winter, the livestock are driven to flat sandy areas with sunny leeward. My uncle and I went to the north to buy Sheep, stay there for a reason.”

"The Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun is not bad. It is almost different from what we are waiting for here. Further north, the difference is even greater. There are thousands of horses there, and there are only two or three herders in each group. Let them chase water and grass, and they are no longer fettered. , when there is a battle, drive and use it, and gallop all day long without getting tired. As the saying goes: one point for feeding, three points for riding."

After hearing this, Zhao Zhen said: "According to what my brother said, there is no shortage of Khitan soldiers there who are good at fighting, and there are also Han-made armors and sharp blades. There is no shortage of meat for herding cattle and sheep, and there is no shortage of farming and weaving. No wonder the Song Dynasty did not dare to Start the war lightly."

"Brother Shi Xiu, do you know someone well in Jizhou? Can you get war horses through him?"

Shi Xiudao: "Sir, I got to know a good man in Jizhou. His surname is Yang, and his last name is Xiong. This man is highly skilled in martial arts and has a slightly yellow face. He is known as [Bi Guansuo]. He is currently a prison guard of the two hospitals. The prisoner also served as the executioner."

"My acquaintance with Brother Yang Xiong was by chance. He was originally from Henan Prefecture, but others saw that he was a stranger. His uncle who was the magistrate passed away, so many local people bullied him."

"One day, after the execution, a local soldier named Zhang Bao gathered a group of idlers and snatched his red satin horse. I was bumping into him. I was angry for a while, so I stepped forward and beat the group away. This is how we become brothers.”

Zhao Zhen said: "Brother, we are not in a hurry. At this time of year, horses in the North are not necessarily easy to buy. Since my brother is sworn friends with [Sickness Guansuo] Yang Xiong, why not get a job from him?"

Shi Xiudao: "Brother Yang Xiong has a father-in-law who is also a butcher. Because he saw that I can butcher animals, he wanted to open a butchering workshop with me. But I saw that his wife was not a responsible person, so I hesitated for a while. I happened to hear that the official was here. Recruiting heroes from the world, I thought that Jizhou was not the Song Dynasty after all, so I declined and went all the way to find him."

Zhao Zhen said: "It's good to come back. It's not the Song Dynasty after all. I've also heard that the status of the Han people there is far inferior to that of the Khitan people. The Fan clan beat the Han dead and only paid them with cattle and horses."

Shi Xiu said: "Yes, the Han people are inferior to the Khitans there. However, cattle, sheep and other livestock are much cheaper than those in the Song Dynasty. If the officials really want horses, I am willing to go to the north for a trip."

Zhao Zhen said: "There is no hurry. I will ask my brothers to buy horses in the north in the autumn."

Shi Xiu said: "What the officials said is true. Spring and summer are the breeding seasons, and herdsmen are more willing to sell their livestock in autumn. However, the shape of the Khitan horses does not match the appearance, and the hoof hair is not trimmed. People there believe that horses follow their nature." It will breed and multiply.”

"Khitan horses are small in stature, generally weighing less than 700 kilograms. They have a curved body shape, a slender neck and large hips, low bones, poor load-bearing capacity, and slow charging speed. The advantages are that they have good endurance for long-distance running, can withstand rough feeding, and have good adaptability. I have many contacts with herdsmen in Jizhou, and the weight of this horse is only about 140 kilograms, and the horse is mostly wearing leather armor. "

Zhao Zhen sighed after hearing this: "Brother, I don't know, this horse is also very good. There are only a thousand war horses in the county, less than half of them are tall horses, and more than half of the rest are Khitan horses. Even so, there is nowhere to go." Go buy it.”

Shi Xiu said: "I heard that the Liaodong Jurchen horses are taller and stronger than the Khitan horses. Unfortunately, I have only seen a few horses at the Yamen Master in Jizhou, and I have no connections."

Jiao Ting also said: "I have seen Xixia horses, and they are also tall horses, but there are often battles there, and this horse is not easy to transport."

Bao Xu said: "Is it better than the horses brought back from the outside world by high officials?"

Jiao Ting said: "Although it is slightly inferior, the difference is not big."

Shi Xiu heard this and asked, "Is there such a good horse in the county?"

Zhao Zhen said: "These horses are all big horses from the Western Regions. Unfortunately, they are not easy to buy and the price is also expensive. One horse costs 80 bucks and needs to be taken care of carefully."

Shi Xiu said: "The Khitan horses that can go on the battlefield only have more than thirty horses."

Several people were talking, and they didn't realize it was time to apply for a license.

Heroes from all over the place came one after another, and Zhao Zhen introduced them to Shi Xiu one by one. At the end of the application process, everyone came. Zhu Fu came over and asked, "Master, would you like to have a banquet?"

Zhao Zhen nodded and said, "The banquet is open."

After that, Zhu Fu led the people to a busy meal. Soon, the table was filled with boiled sheep, cooked chickens, geese and other items.

Everyone sat down, and as Zhuang Ding put down a bowl of cold willow sprouts in front of everyone, Zhao Zhen raised his glass and said: "Brothers, now that spring has begun, there will be fresh vegetables for chewing in the future. The two sky-piercing willows on the village are growing. I bought a lot of willow trees today to entertain all the brothers who worked hard last year, and even [Desperate Saburo] Shi Xiu came to help him."

After everyone heard this, they all raised their glasses.

Throughout the winter, in addition to all kinds of meat and eggs, the most eaten vegetables are pickled vegetables and dried vegetables. The only fresh vegetables are bean sprouts, and the raw Weixian radish is very popular. Although it is delicious, after eating it for a whole winter, I am a little tired of it. Not only Zhao Zhen, but also everyone in the hall was looking forward to eating fresh vegetables as soon as possible.

Today, a plate of cold mulberries in front of everyone, although slightly bitter, was warmly welcomed by everyone. The attribute of spiritual objects is only secondary, and being able to eat vegetables and change the taste is the first priority.

Of course, there are also people like Bao Xu, who ate the mulberries in front of him in no time, and then ate the wine, meat and radish on the table.

Speaking of [Weixian radish], it is indeed a good thing. As the saying goes: Eat radishes in winter and ginger in summer, and you don’t need a doctor to prescribe medicine.

Lao Pu said: Radish, one kind and four names: spring day breaking ground cone, summer is summer, autumn is radish, and winter is earth crisp.

"Er Ya" said: "Sunflower, Lulu." Another name is radish, also known as Hail Tu. The northern ones are very crisp and have no appearance when eaten. There are those in the Central Plains, which are white in texture and taste spicy and sweet. They are especially suitable for eating raw and can relieve the poison of noodles. The seeds can be used as medicine to relieve gas and digest food. It can be planted in all seasons, but it is better to plant it in the late dog days and early autumn. After the armor is broken, it can be eaten.

Therefore, Huang Shangu said: The soil in Jincheng is as soft and clean as silk, because it is clean.

Or Zhao Zhen was inexperienced and did not think of this. The stored vegetables were insufficient, resulting in only fresh radishes left to eat later.

That day, everyone drank and the guests and hosts were happy.