Royal road

On the vast wilderness, the dead grass has been burned, and a few cattle are dragging a heavy iron plow and walking slowly in the field.Several women were sweating profusely, leaning on the shaft, waving their whips, and plowing the land beside the strong cattle.Now it is approaching the twelfth lunar month, and it has long been time to rest farming and farming, but they can't rest.

More than ten days ago, a group of Hun rebels attacked.The owner's mansion was breached by rebels, and the food and belongings for the winter were also robbed.Without a village to rely on, these tenants and servants who survived the disaster could only take the remaining furniture, leave their homeland, and flee to other places.Fleeing famine in winter is not like usual. Although there are fewer soldiers and bandits, the cold and hunger are more terrifying than any enemy. No one knows whether they can escape from death and take refuge in a new family safely.However, after only a dozen miles, this group of people heard the news that Gaodu City was taking in refugees!

It turns out that the gang of rebels were wiped out by the Gaodu defenders!When hearing this news, many people were moved.In this world, nothing can calm people's hearts more easily than a reliable city.What's more, the county venerable in Gaodu also issued an order, as long as you come to Gaodu to repair the city, you will receive rations, open up wasteland in the place designated by the government, and you can rent good seeds in the coming year for spring plowing and sowing!

This is simply a rare good official! !

Upon hearing this news, without exception, the fleeing team rushed towards Gaodu City.Most of the males chose to go to the top of the city to strengthen the city wall.And those female relatives and old people carefully pushed the plow cart in the cold winter, plowing the barren land.

The land is too hard in winter and lacks moisture, so it is not easy to plow.However, the government government has lent cattle and iron plows, and there are overturned keel carts under construction in the distance, all of which show that this place will become a new village.And they will cultivate themselves and use the land under their feet to support themselves.

"Hope" is a force beyond imagination.It can defeat severe cold, defeat poverty, and defeat everything that stops people from moving forward.And Gaodu's New Deal is something that can give people hope.

Therefore, even if they were tired and sweating profusely, even if they were hungry and pale and emaciated, this group of people worked hard to push the plow and plowed their own land carefully.Deep plowing is required, watering is required, fertilizers are sprinkled, and ditches for water diversion are dug.These are the guarantees of a good harvest. As long as there is a good harvest, they will be able to take root here!

After plowing a piece of land for more than half an hour, Mrs. Sun stopped and, ignoring herself, hurriedly removed the iron plow from the ox's back and took the ox aside to rest and feed.This is the farm cattle of the county government. If she is exhausted, she will not be able to pay for it if she is sold!

After carefully inspecting the cattle, she let out a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat off her forehead with her cuff, picked up the bucket beside her, and began to sprinkle fertilizer and water on the field.While working, a small figure suddenly ran over from a distance.

"Auntie! Auntie! Someone from the Liang residence is here!" The little guy shouted loudly, causing all the women around him to stop their work.

Mrs. Sun quickly put down the wooden barrel and went up to meet them: "Are they going to the city? Did you say you're going to bring someone back this time?!"

"No, I don't know." The child panted heavily, "But those people brought dried meat! You can eat minced meat in the porridge at noon!"

"Ah!" Upon hearing this, Mrs. Sun lifted up her skirt and ran towards the scalper beside her.

Take the cow back quickly.Meat porridge once every five days!Missed this time, I don't know when the next time will be!

It is a blessing to be able to come to Gaodu.However, as long as you stay here for a few days, you will know that there is a more desirable place near Gaodu.It is the Liang Mansion!

The Liang Langjun known as the "Buddha's son" lives nearby.It is said that the rebels were also struck by lightning because they offended the Buddha, and lost to the defenders of Gaodu.As long as they have a skill or are physically strong, they can bring their families to the Liang Mansion.This is simply a good thing that you can't ask for in eight lifetimes!It's a pity that Liang's mansion is not so easy to enter, so these refugees outside the city are looking forward to Liang's mansion to come to Gaodu to recruit people every day.

But if you can't pick it up, you can also get some benefits.For example, dried meat once in a few days.It is said that it is made of horse meat, which can strengthen the body. If you eat this kind of meat porridge, you will not get sick all winter!And the jerky is still marinated, so eating some hot bacon porridge in winter is better than anything else!

Not to mention the Sun family, even the women next to them hurriedly packed up their farm tools and rushed to the temporary village.

■

"Has the food and grass arrived?" Guo Jiao put down the brush in his hand and asked, looking up.

"It's arrived. The chief official replied that Mr. Dongying is still in Luoyang, and the rewards have been suppressed for the time being. First, fifty shi wheat has been shipped over. It is stored in the warehouse of the county government." The small official replied hastily.

Taihang Pass is much smaller than ordinary passes, and there is no way to store too much food in the pass, so the military rations of the Wuling Part are also placed in Gaodu City.However, it is usually stored in the grain depot next to the arsenal, and this is the first time that it has been directly entered into the county government's warehouse like this.

It seems that Wu Ling still keeps his word.Guo Jiao nodded in satisfaction: "This time it's a reward, not old grain. Use up the grain in the treasury first. Don't make the porridge too watery. You need to eat more in winter to preserve your strength. Those who built the city Laborers, you can give me some dried rice and pickled vegetables."

These days, Gaodu has accepted nearly [-] refugees, the little official has long been used to it, nodded immediately, hesitated, and said: "The Liang family sent minced meat again today, if it continues like this, wouldn't the refugees feel at ease? "

How could Guo Jiao not understand this trick of buying people's hearts.However, at this moment, he would never have any doubts about the Liang family's actions.Because Liang Zixi's method of using work for relief is really ingenious!The laborers in Xiucheng are better than those who served in corvee in the past. They obviously don’t eat as much as those people, but they work very hard, and they are grateful to themselves.It is not an easy task to repair the city in winter, but the current cost is less than half of the expected cost, and with the new fields reclaimed, no surprises, the tax revenue of Gaodu next year may be several times higher.

"Hehe, Zixi's benevolence is all good intentions, so there's no need to worry." Guo Jiao said with a smile.The Liang Mansion seized an unknown number of horses this time, but he himself received forty or fifty catties of fresh horse meat.Wouldn't it be a good thing that he could save some food with the minced meat sent by Liang's mansion?

Seeing what the Shangguan said, the little official didn't dare to say anything, so he withdrew.

Guo Jiao picked up his pen again and continued to review the documents on the case.This is also what Liang Feng asked him to do, to select the refugees who came to Gaodu, if they have craftsmen or other skills, they can also be sent to Liangfu.Now other counties have probably closed their yamen a long time ago, preparing to spend the winter, but he is still staying in the government yamen, very busy.But surprisingly, Guo Jiao didn't feel any displeasure.The more he does this kind of work, the more he can show his closeness to the Liang family.

This Liang Feng is not a child of those families who have been ruined, but a capable man with the ability to manage the world.If he soars to the sky in the future and resigns from the county magistrate himself, it is all right to be his assistant officer.Suppressing this small thought, Guo Jiao continued to review the paper in front of him seriously.

■

"Master, this time we brought back another 30 people. In fact, there are two carpenters, one stonemason, and the rest are young laborers and their families. I can take another 200 people before it snows. " A Liang said excitedly with a ruddy complexion.

Now that the Liang Mansion is recruiting tenant farmers from shady households, it finally has a bit of a noble demeanor.It is no longer to accept people as soon as they see them, but to let those refugees go to Gaodu, and then select the strong and capable ones to enrich Liangfu.This change made Ah Liang very happy.As the mansion of Tinghou, how could those refugees easily join him?

Of course Liang Feng knew what the housekeeper was thinking.In the past, there was no other way. Now that there is a county as a buffer, the work of sheltering refugees is not so urgent.Improving the quality of personnel is secondary, and more importantly, such a system can make those who have the conditions to serve Liangfu feel grateful and more loyal to Liangfu.With a sense of belonging, cohesion will naturally increase.It can be described as one stroke.

"Are there many refugees entering Bingzhou from Taihang now?" Liang Feng asked again.

"Not many, the weather is too cold, and no refugees will flee unless it is absolutely necessary." A Liang replied.

"Well, arrange some people to investigate the situation in Luoyang. Once the war is over, go to the city to rescue Dr. Jiang. Report the news of his grandfather's death, and he should be able to resign and return to his hometown." This is the best way Liang Feng can think of. .Luoyang is really not a good place to go now, it is better to bring Jiang Da back as soon as possible.

"Little understand!"

After explaining the matter, A Liang had not had time to resign.Yi Yan strode in.

"My lord, the sentry outside the village came to report that they saw a team of horses going around the gate of the village. They didn't approach the gate, but just looked at it from a distance for a while. I sent scouts to follow up secretly, and found that this group of people was staying outside the village. After half a day, I went west, I don't know what the purpose is..."

"Cavalry? How many people are there?" Liang Feng immediately became alert.Now the Liang Mansion's combat strength has been greatly damaged, and the recruits have not yet made up for it.He didn't want to be coveted by bandits.

"Four people, no luggage. Moreover, this group of people is extremely experienced in riding, and the horses are good horses. They are not like bandits, but rather like Huns." Yi Yan replied.

"The Huns came to visit the Liang Mansion?" Liang Feng frowned. What does this mean?Could it be that someone from the Xiongnu has noticed the hidden strength of the Liang Mansion?

After thinking for a moment, he said: "Strictly guard the gate of the village, and don't let any idlers in and out. No matter what the other party's background is, it is impossible to easily find out the details of Liang's mansion. The villages outside the village should also control their tone. If there are strangers coming, be careful, and don’t give a damn.”

For meritorious service, Wu Ling can just come and take it, he really doesn't have any intention of getting ahead.But in case someone secretly wants to mess with him, you have to think carefully about how to deal with it.That guy Sima Teng is still in Luoyang, if he goes back to Bingzhou, he might have to make trouble for a while.Alas, the battle in Luoyang, I don't know when the dust will settle...