Three thousand miles in exile

The fact that Liu Xueyuan spent two taels of silver to see a doctor for Song Yijun soon spread to Liu Xueyi and Liu Xueli.

In the afternoon, the three brothers closed the door and argued for a long time about the Song father and son.

Liu Zhan heard the movement and looked for him, just in time to meet Liu Xueyi and Liu Xueli walking out of the room in a fit of anger.

In the final analysis, it was still a matter of money and food. The Liu family had finally survived from abject poverty to small farmers, and now it might cause dissatisfaction for the whole family to return to their original form.

Food is easy to handle. This problem can be solved. Liu Zhan thinks that the few litters of rabbits raised in the backyard will be sold next month and can be exchanged for some money. It's okay to put this matter aside, it's the problem of the wasteland under the name of Song and his son...

Liu Zhan suddenly had an idea. "Father, I have an idea, do you think it is feasible?"

"There are no outsiders, but it's okay to say." Liu Xueyuan immediately regained his spirits.

There are also people in the village who have opened up a lot of wasteland, and not all of them are poor.

Liu Zhan said enthusiastically: "I found that the wealthy households in the village are all those who cultivated a lot of wasteland. For example, the Wang family has six sons and thirteen grandsons. There are more than a dozen people in the family, and they have opened up to [-] mu of land. As much as military households do not need to separate households, [-]% of the income from [-] mu of land is very considerable."

Liu Xueyuan also understands this truth. There is nothing much in the mountains, but there is most wasteland. It doesn't even cost money to open up wasteland, just go to the head of a hundred households to register and register.

"There are more people eating than doing things in our family. Even without the Song family, the younger brothers and sisters will eat more as they get older. Sooner or later, the harvest of the twelve acres of land will not be enough to eat." Speaking of the family In this situation, Liu Zhan was helpless.

"With the academy's current income, we can only buy one mu of paddy fields per year. If we want to have enough food and clothing, we must eat well. At this rate, we will have to buy another ten mu of paddy fields for at least ten years. At present, we have no way to solve the problem of food supply in a short period of time. The problem."

The more Liu Xueyuan heard it, the more distressed he became. Needless to say, the old lady in the family did not like to do farm work, except for Liu Zhan, the other two young masters also did not like to work.

If it weren't for Shu Xiu from the academy to subsidize the family and buy private land, life in the past two years would never have been so smooth.

Liu Zhan took the opportunity to say: "Our family will open up wasteland sooner or later, I think our family must also open up wasteland! As for the manpower to open up wasteland, we can find a way from the academy."

"If you ask students to help with farm work, it's absolutely unacceptable, it's so degrading." Liu Xueyuan immediately frowned.

He knew this pedantic father would say that!

Liu Zhan rolled his eyes in his heart, but he still said patiently: "Those students who are able to pay for Shu Xiu, we naturally can't let him help with the work. I mean, we can recruit some students from poor families so They exchanged their labor for the opportunity to study at Yunzhong Academy."

In addition to Wuyuan County, there are five other counties on Qiyun Mountain, namely Yongning County, Dingbian County, Zhangtai County, Shanyang County, and Shanyin County. These six counties have a large population and there are several private schools.

But Shuxiu only accepts coins and the price is expensive, unlike Yunzhong Academy, which can be used for food and rice. Even though the threshold of Yunzhong Academy is so low, there are still many students who cannot afford it and choose to study at home.

Due to the special situation, Yunzhong Academy cannot recruit students from other places. The rich and powerful households in this county look down on small academies like Yunzhong Academy. , the source of students is also very limited.

If Yunzhong Academy enrolls poor children, half of Wuyuan County's soldiers will be good citizens, so the source of students will be very wide.

Liu Xueyuan struggled and paced back and forth in the room. On the one hand, he felt that Liu Zhan's suggestion was feasible, and on the other hand, he felt that it was an insult to gentleness and discredited scholars.

"Father, did Song Yijun have an official status in Beijing before?" Liu Zhan guided him in an unhurried manner.

"Brother Song was born as a Jinshi, and served as a bachelor's servant in the Imperial Academy." Liu Xueyuan said.

Speaking of which, Song Yijun was above them both in terms of background and knowledge.

Liu Zhan was overjoyed and even changed his address. "Scholar Song can teach in Yunzhong Academy, and the five acres of wasteland under his name can be reclaimed by students, so that two birds with one stone can be achieved! Father, I dare say that the academy that doesn't require training will definitely attract a large number of poor children! Qianqiu!"

Liu Zhan tried his best to lobby, but Liu Xueyuan was still a little hesitant.

"If there are too many people coming, how to solve the accommodation?"

"Then build a house as a dormitory. There is wood in the mountains, straw in the fields, and soil under the feet. Building a house is not a problem." Liu Zhan blurted out.

"Where is the wasteland circle?" Liu Xueyuan gradually let go.

Liu Zhan said decisively again. "The barren hills to the west are far away from the village, so far no one has reclaimed them. It covers about [-] acres. I often hunt wild rabbits there, so I am very familiar with it."

"Twenty acres is too much." Liu Xueyuan was still struggling.

Liu Zhan was not in a hurry, and guided step by step.

"You can open up wasteland according to the number of people who are farming and studying. For example, one person only needs to be responsible for one mu of land. After finishing his own farm work, he can go back to study. It doesn't take much time for one person to plow one mu of land. If he gets up early every day, before dawn It can be done, and now the spring plowing has just passed and the land reclamation is perfect!"

Liu Xueyuan asked again. "Where do we recruit students who are willing to study?"

"Go to the teahouses and wine shops in the county to spread the news that [-]% of Tongtian Peak excluding military households are good citizens, and the source of students is not a problem."

Liu Xueyuan asked several questions in a row, but Liu Zhan easily solved them in a few words, without giving him any excuse to veto them.

He hesitated and finally let go. "Then let's give it a try. I'll ask Brother Song for his opinion when he recovers."

Liu Zhan knew that this matter was a sure thing, so Song Yijun would not refuse, because besides teaching, what else could he do to support his son?

In addition, Song Yijun was getting better with Dr. Li's medicine, and the wound on the broken leg began to scab, but Song Yijun's body was still very weak and he was out of breath after a few words. Song Fenglin's company was full of worry all day long.

Out of love for the house and the crow, Liu Zhan went up to the mountain to hunt pheasants and asked Mrs. Zhao to stew them to nourish their father and son.

Song Fenglin looked at the whole chicken in a crock pot brought by Liu Zhan and declined it all over his body. "This...you still leave it to..."

"I hunted three and everyone has them." Liu Zhan walked around him and entered the house carrying the earthen pot. "There are a lot of wild animals on the mountain, don't be embarrassed, come and eat."

Song Yijun fell asleep, so Liu Zhan took out half a bowl, pulled off a chicken leg, put it in a bowl, and brought it to Song Fenglin.

"You're too thin, how can you take care of Uncle Song?" Liu Zhan stuffed the bowl into his hand.

Song Fenglin was a little embarrassed. Although he had only known each other for a short time, Liu Zhan could tell that the young man in front of him had a strong sense of self-esteem.

As soon as Liu Zhan left, Song Yijun opened his eyes and said with emotion: "Lin'er, don't worry about it, we father and son will repay this kindness in the future."

This day, after breakfast, Liu Zhan was going to go to the mountain for lunch as usual before coming back, and in the afternoon he went to school to attend classes until evening, except for the busy farming season, every day.

Liu Zhan fastened the dagger and sickle around his waist with a cloth belt, and filled a pot of water again.

The recovery of all things after spring is a good time for hunting, because he plans to sell the rabbits raised in the backyard for food, Liu Zhan plans to find a few more litters and bring them back to raise, and it is not too much to raise more than a dozen litters of breeding rabbits. .

Liu Zhan came to the backyard and called for Shang Wangcai to go out together. Cao Zhuang, Cao Ming, Zhang Xiaoman and Li Xiaolian were already waiting at the intersection.

As for Wen Qingshan, who has been studying hard in the academy recently, Liu Zhan saw that he was suitable for studying and was born in a farming family and could take the imperial examination, so he let him concentrate on his studies, and only occasionally asked him to relax.

Zhang Xiaoman asked immediately. "Boss, are you going pheasant hunting today?"

Liu Zhan rolled up his sleeves and walked ahead. "Go dig out some rabbit nests first, and see if there are wild boar cubs by the way."

Cao Zhuang immediately regained his spirits. "Boss! I know where there are wild boars. Last time I went up the mountain to cut firewood, I saw a sow with cubs in the north."

Li Xiaolian said: "The sow with her young is the most vicious, so we can take it down?"

"I asked Wangcai to lure the sow away, and we only took a few piglets to kill and take away." Liu Zhan reached out and stroked the wolf's head.

Cao Ming was very excited after hearing this. "Boss, my mother is pregnant again. The village says that your younger brother is so strong because Mrs. Liu ate wild pork when she was pregnant. I was just about to ask your family for some bacon for my mother."

"Don't worry about it, when did we miss the wild pigs?" Liu Zhan didn't pick the big pigs, but the piglets under three months. Ever since Wangcai grew up and became a wolf, the wild pigs on the mountain in Tiancang village have been harmed. Quite a few, this time it happened that Cao Zhuang knew where there was a wild boar so he couldn't miss it.

Cao Zhuang said happily: "Boss, that wild boar cub is only two months old, just lead the sow away and let's take it away with the litter!"

Liu Zhan said calmly, "We'll see the situation. Let's set the trap first. Let's go!"

Liu Zhan does not hunt wildly, but first sets the trap and then cooperates with Wangcai to outsmart.

To put it simply, first find a depression that is easy to enter and difficult to exit and dig a trap. Wangcai lures the sow away, and Liu Zhan and the others drive the piglet to the depression, and wait for the piglet to fall into the trap.

The wild boars near Tiancang Village have been kings and hegemons for a long time, so they are not afraid of people. Liu Zhan and the others soon discovered the trace of the litter of wild boars.

After two years of running-in, the cooperation of several people has become quite proficient. Cao Zhuang and the others spread out to surround Xiaozhu, while Liu Zhan lurks there with Wangcai.

Wangcai was ordered to fly up to chase the sow. Wangcai was naturally fierce and chased the wild boar endlessly.

Cao Zhuang and the others saw the right moment and yelled loudly to scare the little pig, driving the little pig to howl.

"Quick! Hurry in and kill it!" Liu Zhan knew that Wangcai could only hold the sow for a while, and they had to race against the clock to kill the cub and take it away immediately!

When the cub fell into the trap, several people immediately hit the pig's head with sticks!

"I don't care whoever runs away, take the piglet and go!" Liu Zhan never loves to fight and is not greedy. Cao Zhuang and the others know that Liu Zhan's strength is a pity, but they dare not disobey. Picking up two of them, they hurried down the mountain and stopped panting near the entrance of the village.

Liu Zhan whistled several times in the direction of the mountain, and soon Wangcai got out of the bushes with a pheasant in his mouth.

Cao Zhuang and the others admired Wangcai's bravery.

Liu Zhan took out the dagger and skinned the pheasant on the spot to give to Wangcai to eat, and also ruthlessly licked its wolf head. "It's so prosperous, I will reward you with pork when I go back!"

Liu Zhan turned around and the few people beside him were already very happy.

"Boss! We got seven little pigs in total!" Cao Ming laughed wryly.

These piglets are the same size as the suckling pigs of later generations, but much stronger than the suckling pigs of later generations.

According to the custom, Liu Zhan gave each of them one piglet and the remaining three piglets belonged to himself.

The Liu family is not surprised that Liu Zhan can bring back wild boars from time to time, and the three Liu Xueyuan brothers are sharpening their knives and killing pigs.

These days, Song Yijun has become much more energetic. When he heard the movement and opened the window, he was shocked to know that the three little wild boars were Liu Zhanlie's father and son, especially Song Fenglin's phoenix eyes.

Liu Zhan was very receptive to Song Fenglin's surprise, and said triumphantly. "Next time, I will take you up the mountain together. There are wild rabbits and pheasants in the mountains, which is very interesting."

Song Fenglin nodded.

After observing these days, Liu Zhan found that Song Fenglin always cherishes his words like gold, and his eyes are full of sadness every day, and he is always full of thoughts. Liu Zhan always wants to talk to him more, but he often turns off the fire after saying less than three sentences.

Over there, Liu Xueyuan made a calm arrangement with his hands behind his back. "Keep the big one and make it into bacon, and sell the other two in the county town. The third brother will let you go tomorrow."

Liu Xueli agreed happily.

Tonight, Liu's family can have another delicious meal of pig-killing dishes. The children are jumping up and down happily, and even the old lady comes to supervise how to make it delicious.

After dinner that night, Liu Xueyuan took the initiative to ask Song Yijun to be a teacher, and Song Yijun agreed without much consideration, and the three brothers of the Liu family were very happy.

The next day, Liu Xueli volunteered to go down the mountain to spread the news about the enrollment, while Liu Xueyuan went to ask the Zhang family of the Cao family to help build a house.

Because the Liu family's land in the backyard circle is large enough, it only needs to be built in the open space next to Yunzhong Academy.

Speaking of building a house, Song Yijun made a suggestion. After the dormitory was built, the west wing of the original courtyard could be opened up and another classroom be set up, and the Zhenzhi hall be divided into another level, and it would be dedicated to the students with academic achievements. , this suggestion was immediately adopted by Liu Xueyuan, and he named it Daodaotang.

The adobe house is quite simple to build. Four or five men can build one in at most seven days, and then move in after a few days when the soil is completely dry.

Since they were all building houses, Liu Xueyuan decided to build an extra room for Song and his son in Liu's courtyard, so there are a total of five rooms in Liu's courtyard.

But among the five rooms, only the main room and the one where the kitchen is located are connected together, and the other rooms are independent, and it is very inconvenient to travel in rainy or snowy days. Connect them all.

The construction site is in full swing. Since Liu's house was built, Song Fenglin will come here every day to see it. Every time he hesitates to come forward to help, but because he has no idea how to start, he can only struggle here every day.

Afterwards, Liu Xueli spread the news and within a few days, people came to his door one after another. Because there were more people studying, Liu Xueyuan also set up a threshold.

Farming students must have a basic foundation and pass his quiz before they can enroll. It is also a rule that the academy has three days off every month. During the busy farming season, the most important thing is to cultivate the land, and the whole academy is closed on major festivals.

Song Yijun's body gradually turned around, and Song Fenglin carried him to sit in the yard or to teach in the classroom every day, and he couldn't leave for a moment every day.

Liu Zhan looked at it from a distance and thought it was a pity. When can we hook up and be friends first?

After returning home, Liu Zhan thought about it all night and finally drew a blueprint. At dawn, he couldn't wait to find Zhang Xiaoman's father.

Zhang Fusheng was surprised: "You want to install two wheels under the chair?"

Liu Zhan said: "Mr. Song has bad legs and feet. If there is such a chair, he can move around by himself without needing someone to take care of him all the time."

Zhang Fusheng nodded understandingly. "There are still some mistakes and omissions in this picture of yours. Let me think about how to improve it. It is naturally my duty to help Mr. Song."

One month later, the expansion project of Yunzhong Academy was basically completed, and land reclamation was put on the agenda. The location of the new wasteland opened by the Liu family had already been decided, and the wasteland of the Song family had to be within the scope of Tianmang Village, so they had to go to Tianmang Village before the groundbreaking Enclosed wasteland registration.

The next day, Liu Xueyuan asked Liu Zhan to go with him to the head of a hundred households in Tianmang Village to register the wasteland for Song and his son.

The mountain road was winding, Liu Xueyuan walked in front, Song Fenglin walked in the middle, and Liu Zhan walked in the rear.

The fog in the mountains gets heavier as you go up, and after turning a few turns, you can see open wasteland and a few simple grass sheds in front of you.

Tianmang Village is really too poor, Liu Zhan can't help feeling touched, where can people who open up wasteland have food to eat?

The bark of wild vegetables, turf and bark is the only thing that can satisfy our hunger. If their family were sent to Tianmang Village...it would be unimaginable.

Suddenly Song Fenglin staggered, and Liu Zhan supported him quickly so he didn't fall.

"Are you ok?"

Song Fenglin shook his head. "It's okay, I just stepped on it accidentally."

Only Liu Zhan could see that his face was pale at this time, seeing that he was holding back Liu Zhan and did not poke him.

If it weren't for the help of the Liu family, his father and son would only have a dead end when they came to Tianmang Village.

There is no word on the way, and if you go further in, you will find the settlement of Tianmang Village. The reason why it is a settlement is that the houses are almost all thatched huts, and the only mud house that is the most neat is the home of the head of a hundred households.

Liu Zhan had heard earlier that Hu Baihu of Tianmang Village was assigned to open up wasteland because he offended Shangfeng. It is said that he is not very talkative.

"Excuse me, is Hu Baihu there?" Liu Xueyuan asked politely standing outside the door.

"I am." At this moment, a strong man with a short jacket and a black beard walked out of the room.

Liu Xueyuan cupped his hands and said: "Xiaomin is Liu Xueyuan, and he came here this time to register the barren land for the Song family and his son."

Liu Zhan was wondering whether the legendary bad-tempered Hu Baihu would make things difficult for them, but he thought that Hu Baihu immediately bowed his hand in return.

"It turns out to be Dean Liu, who has admired his name for a long time, please come in."

Sure enough, the number of scholars is the highest!

"Girl! Brew a pot of tea." Hu Baihu shouted like a bell, and asked Liu Xueyuan to sit at the head again.

While the adults were talking, Liu Zhan and Song Fenglin just stood quietly aside as the background.

When Hu Baihu heard Liu Xueyuan's purpose of coming to him this time, he immediately waved his hand boldly.

"It's a trivial matter. Sir, you only need to tell me where the wasteland is, and I will register it. According to the custom, the newly opened wasteland will be measured uniformly in the spring of the next year. Only then will the head of the household come to mark it."

This also prevents tenants from falsely reporting the quantity. If you are not afraid of reporting too much, you are afraid of reporting too little. This is the same as tax evasion.

After the matter was settled, Liu Xueyuan chatted with Hu Baihu for a while, and Hu Baihu changed his words.

"Mr. Liu, smart people don't speak dark words. I am a mud-legged person who was born illiterate. I offended Shangfeng because of my rude words and was sent to this place where no birds can lay eggs. I am afraid that there will be no bright future. I have a son. Fang Shishi, I also hope that the master can be accepted as a student, let him do any heavy work, and if you want to beat or scold, you can follow the master."

Liu Xueyuan hurriedly cupped his hands. "Hu Baihu's words are serious. Since Liu is the son of Hu Baihu, there is no reason why he should not accept him. Liu will definitely give it to him!"

Hu Baihu stood up happily. "Tomorrow, I will personally bring the teacher to the worship ceremony to meet Mr.!"

But when he came out and accepted another student, Liu Zhan couldn't help joking again in his heart. Sure enough, no matter ancient or modern, teachers are respected professions.