Overlord's Road to Ancient Emperors

The autumn harvest season in South Vietnam was peaceful. On this day, a convoy passed by a certain village. Seeing that it was getting late, they found a farmer's house to stay overnight.

There were two carriages in the convoy, accompanied by a few pony horses, more than a dozen guards, and several maids and servants. It looked like a wealthy family traveling.

Knocking open a house with a large yard, the scholar with a goatee asked politely: "Excuse me, my master is going to the south, passing by here, and wants to stay overnight, is it convenient?"

Seeing that they were dressed richly and behaved politely, the farmer happily took them into the yard and said, "The arrival of the honored guests will make the courtyard flourish, but there are only three houses in the family, which cannot accommodate so many people. Wouldn't it be better if you don't spread out and live in neighbors' homes?"

"Then I will arrange it with my fellow villagers." The scholar took out a large string of copper coins from his pocket and handed it over, "Please my folks to boil some hot water for some hot food. Our wife and young master are tired all the way and want to use some hot ones."

"Don't worry about this, I will definitely take care of it for you. It also happens that the autumn harvest is over, and there is more than enough grain at home. Even if you want to eat white rice, there is still some."

"Before I walked all the way, I saw a bumper harvest everywhere, congratulations to the villagers." A young man in a moon-white gown stepped forward and said.

The farmer had never seen such a handsome young master before, and he immediately burst into laughter, "Oh, this must be a noble man, he is really a beautiful tree, I don't know where you guys are going?"

The young man smiled and asked back: "The official language of this fellow is very good. I remember that people in this area used to only speak dialect." Ah, now everyone in Nanyue has to learn the official language, which is stipulated by King Shun, and there will be rewards for learning it."

Speaking of King Shun, the young man smiled, "So that's how it is. This decree is very good. I haven't come back for many years. The changes in South Vietnam are really great."

"What is this? If you go further south and pass by Naludun and Taoyuan villages, the changes will be really great."

"Oh? Why?"

"Since these two villages have grown the peppers and cotton given by the prince, they have become rich. Next year, our family plans to plant ten acres of cotton. The annual income can make a few more sets of new clothes for the family. If you save a few years, you will be rich." We can build a few big tile-roofed houses."

"That's really good."

After a few rooms were cleaned up, the young man went to the carriage to help his mother, wife and children out, and whispered to them, looking like a happy family.

After washing with hot water, eating hot vegetable and meat porridge, and it was getting late, the young man settled his family down properly, and then walked on the country road with his master.

"My lord, what we have seen along the way is people's livelihood. Why don't you take the road in Minzhou and visit King Shun? With his advice, we can gain a firm foothold in Lingnan sooner." .”

Qiao An shook her head, "Now we are obviously members of the Zhao faction, and we are also related to the Zhao family. How dare we bother the prince. It will only increase the trouble. It is better to communicate with each other."

"Then you really want to be the eyes and ears of the Zhao family?"

Qiao An laughed, "Master is thinking too much. This is just a bait for fishing. As for what news to send to them, the prince is worried about it. Let's just send it."

"In this way, it will be a good thing for us to meet each other."

Qiao An sighed, "A few years ago, I would never have done such a thing, just like I would never have imagined that a dignified prince would dare to disregard human life. It's all forced by current events. Even if I have to bear a lifetime of infamy in the future, it's worth it." gone."

"Your Excellency is also for the people of this world." Master comforted.

Qiao An smiled and shook his head: "I didn't dare to think so far, but it was just to help King Shun. You have also seen that King Shun is in power and the people live and work in peace and contentment. If he can come to power, I will die in peace." .”

"By the way, let's go and see the peppers and cotton that my fellow villagers mentioned just now. If they are good, we will also lead them to Lingnan. Let's not talk about peppers, cotton is a good thing."

"Yes, the padded jacket that the prince gave you is warm." The master laughed softly.

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After the autumn harvest, Li Xu and Kou Xiao also disguised themselves and went south. They brought Qian Lin and a dozen or so entourages with them, and observed the people's sentiments as they walked.

Qian Lin came back to Nanyue by boat, and it was the first time he visited Nanyue villages and towns. The more he traveled, the more frightened he was. When did Nanyue become so stable and peaceful? A few years ago, I only heard that there was a lack of clothing and food, and pirates were rampant. The lives of the people are not much better than those in Lingnan.

As long as the government wants to promote a decree, it only needs to be united, strictly implement it to the end, and then use lures to lure the people. The action of the people is very strong.

In fact, from Li Xu's point of view, the vicinity of Minzhou City is not bad, but the surrounding villages and towns are still dilapidated. It's just that the harvest has just been harvested, and the people's faces are full of festive smiles, which makes people feel refreshed.

After the autumn harvest, many places began to organize laborers to clean up the road surface. It is impossible for every village to pass the cement road for a while, but Li Xu asked the craftsmen to make a lot of road rollers. After the cleaned road surface was poured with dirt and gravel, it was pressed with a road roller. , It is also much easier to walk than the original muddy road.

These road rollers are scattered all over the country, and any village or town can borrow them if they want to use them. It only needs to organize people to build roads. The soil and gravel can be dug up on the riverside without any cost, so the villagers are also very happy to build roads.

However, if you live in a small village deep in the mountains, it is difficult to repair the road with a road roller. After all, the mountain road has eighteen bends and the distance is far away. It is not easy to repair a road.

Nowadays, the population of South Vietnam is still small. Li Xu encourages small villages to merge into big villages and towns, and also encourages scattered households in the mountains to move out of their original places and settle in villages with more people. But in this era, a village is basically a big family, not Likes to accept outsiders, so the implementation of this decree is not smooth.

Li Xu mentioned this matter while chatting with Qian Lin. The latter thought for a while and said: "It is a common thing that the purpose of the clan is higher than the law. In a big family, the words of the patriarch are more effective than the imperial decree. In order to ensure the unity of the clan And cohesion, they are not only xenophobic, they are not even allowed to intermarry with foreigners. Over time, this family will only become more and more corrupt and backward.

But it is not easy to change this view of the common people. A woman needs to rely on the support of her natal family when she gets married, and a man needs to rely on the help and support of the family's children when he goes out. To benefit, so they are willing to be bound by this, if there is no clan ancestral hall, people seem to have no roots. "

Qian Lin is the son of a criminal and has no family members. Naturally, he is envious of a big family that can live together. Even if there are bumps in the clan members, even if the clan rules are harsh and cruel, he is willing. It is better than a rootless one like him.

Li Xu nodded. This is a cultural tradition that has been going on for thousands of years. It is not easy to change. What he wants is not a complete change, but to let the laws of the country be higher than the rules of the clan, so that they will not be ashamed when their own family members commit crimes. Here's a sentence: Don't publicize your family ugliness, and then deal with it yourself.

Li Xu has encountered many such things. He suspected that his wife was committing adultery, so he sank into the pond privately. He even met a village woman who was dismissed by her mother-in-law and The husband was locked at home, drank talisman water and various strange potions, and finally poisoned him to death.

And after the death, instead of feeling guilty, they felt that her fate was bad, and even the clansmen didn't think there was anything wrong with doing so, and even spurned the woman who died without leaving a descendant for her man's family.

It's really ridiculous, but there are countless cases like this among the people, and Li Xu can't even see it, let alone control it.

Kou Xiao did not participate in their discussion, but when he heard them talking about this topic, he suddenly interjected: "Why do you civil officials always want to take care of this and that? How they like to live is their business. If you want to get the convenience of the clan, you have to To abide by the clan rules, if you want to get preferential treatment from the government, you must abide by the government regulations. In the past, they favored the clan because the government was unreliable. If the government was reliable, why did they rely on the clansmen?

You let them choose whether they want to listen to the prince or the patriarch. When the prince clashes with their patriarch, which side will they stand on?People are all for profit, and whoever gives more benefits will be favored. The blood relationship only plays a very small role, so what the prince wants to do is not difficult at all, as long as you spend money, you will definitely be able to do it They are dizzy and listen to you for everything. "

Li Xu rolled his eyes angrily, "Does this king think that too much money is an eyesore or that there is too much food to support him? People are not enough to eat like a snake. Giving it every day and every year will only increase their appetite. What are you waiting for?" God has nothing to give, even if this king has done nothing wrong, he will still be scolded, I will not do such thankless things."

"If you can't make lures, then intimidate, strengthen the government's deterrence, and catch a few typical people to kill chickens and monkeys. The knives in the hands of the Kou family army can not only be used externally but also internally. However, it is said that heavy codes are used in troubled times. Let's still be peaceful now. Let's not catch too much." It's tight, they can do whatever they want, and they will suffer if something goes wrong one day, what kind of heart are you playing?"

Li Xu pointed at him and scolded with a smile: "Look, this is the difference between military generals and civil servants. If Ji Hanyu was here, he would definitely not be able to say such words. You can't understand what it means to love the people like a child anyway."

Kou Xiao said brazenly: "No, the last general can understand that he treats the common people as his own sons. If you do a good job, you will be rewarded with sweet treats. If you do not do well, you will be punished. The most important thing is to listen to what I say. !"

The people next to him couldn't help laughing, and Li Xu laughed too. His words were rough and reasonable. The relationship between officials and the people has been a difficult problem for thousands of years. Because it is a semi-opposed relationship and there are class conflicts, the common people It is difficult to convince the government, and there is resistance to the government. Parents are officials. Anyway, the officials must make the people obedient. There is no democracy here.

Qian Lin made a bow to Kou Xiao, and said: "General Kou's name is like thunder, and no one is afraid at sea. Even in Lingnan, mentioning your name can deter Xiaoxiao. It is very rare for you to do this."

Kou Xiao raised his eyebrows at him, "Then you gangsters are cursing this general behind your back?"

Qian Lin smiled, "Don't dare."

"That's the best."

"You and the lord have one civil and one martial arts, one is tough and the other is kind. They are the best partners." This is Qian Lin's sincere words. Nanyue can change so quickly, and the two are indispensable. Without one, no one would be where he is today. results.

Kou Xiao liked to hear these words, and immediately treated him much better, "You still have vision, no wonder you are appreciated by the prince."

"This is my luck."

Li Xu interrupted the two, "Okay, if you continue to blow it, you will be thicker than the city wall. Just now, the old seven came back and said that the road is being built ahead, let's make a detour."

The group of them dressed up as caravans. Now that various industries in South Vietnam are recovering, there are more merchants traveling north and south. With Prince Shun as the leader, people who used to avoid merchants have gradually accepted this. The salesman is also a little more enthusiastic.

After they entered the village, they would ask about the special products in the village, and would buy some if they liked it, so the team went longer and longer.

Not only them, but also Qiao An and his group. After arriving in Ludun Village, they bought a lot of cotton seeds from the local villagers, and later bought some local farm tools intermittently, planning to do the same after returning.

Lingnan was in chaos for a while, and there must be a lack of everything. Qiao An wished he could borrow hundreds of stewards from King Shun to help open up business routes.

The destination of the two sides was the same, so when they were about to walk out of the border of South Vietnam, the two sides met face to face. At first, because they didn't recognize anyone, they almost mistakenly thought it was the enemy fighting.

Joan got out of the carriage and saw the man sitting on the horse over there. He didn't dare to recognize him for a while, and he hurriedly stopped when the two sides were about to fight.

"But... But King Shun?"

Li Xu glanced over, and a smile slowly formed on the corner of his mouth, "It turned out to be Mrs. Qiao, I thought I had to go to Lingnan to meet you, and it was a coincidence."

Qiao An was so shocked, he lifted up his clothes and knelt in front of Li Xu, unable to speak a word of excitement.

Li Xu took a look at him, jumped off his horse and helped him up, "Lord Qiao, I haven't seen you for two years, your promotion is like a rocket."

"What is... Rocket?" Joan asked suspiciously.

"Hey, it's an arrow with kerosene on it. Is it hard to understand?" Li Xu forcibly pulled back his words, and then changed the subject and asked, "Did you encounter any injustices on your journey south?"

Joan thought he was afraid of being bullied, so he hurriedly said: "This journey is pretty safe, and the occasional small conflicts with the villagers have been resolved smoothly. Nanyue is really different under the control of the prince. Not only can the people speak the official language, It's also a lot more reasonable, which is really surprising."

"That's because you are pretending to be a caravan, and everyone hopes you can buy their things." Once the fashion is popular, it can't be stopped. Now even an old woman will ask when she sees a peddler entering the village: Little Lang, I have an embroidered purse at home, can you take it?

"I really bought a lot, and many new things I have never heard of. If it weren't for the cash-strapped, I would like to bring back some things that Nanyue has."

"You don't look like a businessman. You might be slaughtered like a pig without knowing it."

Qiao An and Li Xu haven't been together for a long time, and they have been in touch with each other through letters this year. Hearing his straightforward language at first, he was a bit out of touch, and his cheeks were flushed, like a young hairy boy. head boy.

Kou Xiao rode over on his horse, tapped his palms with a whip, and asked in a high-pitched voice: "This is Mr. Qiao, the newly appointed governor of Lingnan. He is really a young talent, but he looks a little... familiar."

Qiao An looked at him, his face was flushed at a glance, his eyes were fiery, and he bowed to him, "General Kou, I have admired your name for a long time."

Kou Xiao ran around him and said with certainty: "This general must have seen you."