All your life is gentle

In July of the third year of Tianyou, dozens of counties and counties at the junction of Yuzhou and Zhuozhou suddenly fell with hail, as big as chicken eggs and as small as a core, destroying countless houses, killing and injuring more than [-] people and animals, and destroying nearly a million hectares of forests and fields.

In September, a large-scale locust plague occurred in Yongzhou, which soon affected Yuzhou.The swarm of insects was like a dark cloud cover, coming and going like the wind, raging everywhere.In many places, including Gyeonggi, wheat seedlings and plants were wiped out, leaving only bare rhizomes.In some counties and counties with serious disasters, there are thousands of miles of wilderness with yellow sand, and the green is almost extinct.

From August to November, there was a severe drought in Chuzhou. There was no rain for a hundred days, and the late rice crops were never harvested.

At the end of September, Fu Yang returned to Kaiyang in high spirits with dozens of ships of gold and silver treasures searched in the three southeastern states.In fact, he did not take the water route himself, but returned to Beijing by land with [-] black iron personal guards.After all, there is no immediate safety on the water.Although Lord Bai is very loyal, after all, he is a newcomer and has to be tested before he can use it with confidence.

As soon as the king entered the palace gate, Minister Fu Qian was waiting with urgent memorials from various places.

Among Fu Yang's family's cronies, Fu Qian is a rare person who is meticulous and caring.He has always assisted the king in dealing with matters such as the adjustment of territories among the tribes and the distribution of materials, and he is meticulous, practical, diligent and capable.However, it was this shrewd and capable Shang Shuling who was praised by the king himself, who was as busy as a bee in a flower bush and as anxious as an ant on a hot pot during the few months of the king's eastward expedition.

Reports about disasters from all over the country came like a snowflake: hail, locusts, famine, plague, bandits, riots... Most of these words were written by local officials of the Xia people, and a few were from Xirong generals who stayed behind.No matter how smart Fu Qian was, he had never dealt with such complicated matters of national economy and people's livelihood.He has no way of judging the authenticity of those figures and descriptions, nor can he thoroughly interpret the information implied in them, let alone what instructions to give to local officials on behalf of the central government.He felt that the matter might not be a big deal, but it might also be more serious than imagined.Worrying about the unknown consequences made him panic all day long, looking forward to the king's return.

After hearing the whole story, Fu Yang didn't accept the document Fu Qian handed over.After a moment of silence, he said in disbelief, "When will there be no natural disasters? Could it be that in the hands of Emperor Jinxia, ​​they are also crying like ghosts and wolves, waiting for their superiors to make up their minds? Hmph, one or two are dishonest. Tell them what they did in the past and what they did now It doesn’t matter if it can’t be done, there are plenty of people waiting to take their place!”

——Leadership is level.Fu Qian suddenly realized, saluted and left, and hurriedly sent an order to go.

Mo Siyu followed behind, wanted to say something, but held back.

The king is wise and powerful, but there are thousands of differences between governing a vast agricultural and civilized country and governing a nomadic regime with a relatively simple administrative economy.It's just that giving advice to the leader is a highly technical job, and if it's not done well, it's counterproductive.Right now, the king has just pacified the southeast, and he has gained another navy general. He has removed a big hidden danger in his heart. When he is full of ambitions, it is not easy to believe that he will make mistakes.Returning to Beijing triumphantly, I was very happy at first, but being blocked by Fu Qian, I was naturally in a bad mood, so it was better not to say anything against him.What's more... There are some things that can only be wised if you suffer a ditch.

Let's talk when the time is right.

"What to do in the past, what to do now", sounds simple and practical, but the situation is different, which is tantamount to empty talk.Throughout the dynasties, when encountering natural disasters and man-made disasters caused by natural disasters, there are no more than two methods: one is relief, and the other is suppression.Sometimes it is used alone, sometimes it is used in combination, and the specific effect depends on the capabilities of bureaucrats at all levels and the army.

Officials in the Xirong-occupied area received instructions from the central government, and nine out of ten began to worry.After four or five years of war, production was greatly damaged. Even on days when the weather is good and the weather is good, the common people can't eat enough. Where will the food relief come from?Of course, it is not that there is no food in the private warehouses of the wealthy gentry.But when a natural disaster strikes, everyone is worried about starvation, and even local officials expect the rich and powerful households to share a meal for themselves. Who dares to raise the issue of food relief?

They forget that when it rains, people have to eat.If you don't release food, you will grab it, it's natural.Without a savior, everyone will struggle hard and rely on themselves.As a result, riots occurred frequently and continued to expand in scale.At this time, the government will of course resort to the magic weapon of "repression".At the beginning, neither the Xia officials nor the Xirong generals paid much attention to the mob composed of hungry people.Unexpectedly, hunger directly forced out the greatest potential of the people. The mobs became more and more suppressed, and the resistance became more and more oppressive.

From the early winter of this year to the summer of the following year, the army that had just returned from the Eastern Expedition has been busy suppressing riots and uprisings in the north, almost non-stop.

The 10,000+ army also needs to eat.

Originally, in the past six months, under the strict requirements of the king, the Xibing soldiers gradually changed their habit of being robbers, and began to learn to be masters, and the grain and grass were distributed uniformly, and they no longer plundered and spoiled everywhere.But now there is famine everywhere, so the old rules of burning, killing and looting have to be resumed.The problem is, there has to be a place to rob.In the end, digging three feet into the ground still couldn't dig out food, and people were hungry out of animal nature.Since the practice of drinking human blood and cannibalism has been established, there is no need to cover it up.

In the first month of the fourth year of God Bless, it was reported that the grain in the capital was about to run out.Fu Yang was really taken aback this time.The emperor and his ministers discussed for several days, but in the end it was Lao Mo who made the final decision: please the eldest prince quickly transport grain from Chuzhou to Beijing for emergency treatment.

Throughout February, the four of Zi Shi have been busy making dry food: kudzu root grinding and drying powder, bracken, young bamboo shoots, lichen, rock fungus, fish...all dried, bundled and packed carefully appropriate.

Two days before Grain Rain, I suddenly heard the sound of underground water rushing.The entire bottom of the hillside seems to be empty, and the water is stirring in the dark with echoes.The cold pool on the opposite side was no longer stagnant and waveless, and began to swirl and surge, slowly rising.

Four people stood on the stone, admiring the wonder of nature.

Zi Shi said: "This area of ​​water may be connected to some underground lake or river. Grain rain rises and winter solstice falls. It should be moved accordingly."

"Don't look, let's go. The current is getting faster and faster." Chang Sheng said, and began to sneak under the cold pool to deliver things.

After half a day, I finally came out following the route I entered at the beginning.The bamboo baskets in the corner of the cave outside and the ever-burning lamps in the crevices of the rocks are all safe and sound, as if entering Juegu was only yesterday.

Due to the rising water level, the cold water merged into a creek and flowed out from the side of the cave.

——Farewell to the fairyland and re-enter the world of mortals.Standing at the entrance of the cave, it seems like a world away.

"According to Wu Zongqiao, when he entered, there was a gap of more than two feet between the stone wall and the bottom of the pool, but now there is only a gap of more than one foot. In a hundred years or so, I'm afraid it will be completely closed." Zi Shi felt disappointed.

"Maybe there will be other people who broke in from other places because of other opportunities?" Zigui was fascinated.

Other people's opportunities are also other people's stories.

Pack up and set off.

Exit the mountain pass on the north side of Xianshu Ridge and head west.

After walking for several days, there were no people, chickens and dogs on both sides of the road, and the weeds in the fields were as high as people.Wild dogs wantonly gnawed at the bones of the roadside, and crows screamed mournfully on the branches.

Having just come out of Juegu Shengjing, even though they were mentally prepared, it was difficult for the four of them to adapt to seeing such a tragic scene.They knew very well what kind of bad luck the people of Chuzhou had suffered this past winter.In the face of such great suffering, just living seems to have become a sin.

Zizhou pursed his lips tightly, Zigui wiped away his tears, silently did not say a word, and walked forward with his brothers bowing their heads.

Two days later, I occasionally saw a few people who survived the catastrophe haunting the mountains, forests and fields.Almost all of them are old, weak, women and children unable to escape, hiding in remote places, relying on wild fruits, wild vegetables, grass roots, bark and the luck bestowed by God, they escaped the disaster of war, survived the famine, survived the cold winter, and finally waited. Here comes spring.

It doesn't matter if there is no food.In the spring in the south, no one can die of hunger.The elm leaf locust flower and the chrysanthemum root thorn bud are all delicious to satisfy one's hunger.There are birds in the trees, fish in the water, and beasts in the mountains. As long as you are willing to use your brains and don't be lazy, there is always a way to get them for import.

Heaven descends all things and nourishes the living beings.The way of survival is the way of heaven.

Along the way, many edible plants with buds, flowers and leaves were all but bare branches.The fields are full of pits left by digging wild vegetables, which is a mess.

It was supposed to be the season of spring plowing and planting, but the survivors could only pick grass seedlings in the paddy fields and cook soup.

"Why don't they... start growing food?" Chang Sheng asked.

"It's not that they don't want to."

Tired too, Zi Shi simply sat on the side of the road and answered Chang Sheng's question seriously: "The most direct reason is that they don't have seeds. Moreover, they can't buy seeds."

There was a famine and the price of rice skyrocketed.The powerful and wealthy households hold the surplus of early rice in their hands and hoard it.These people all have great families and careers, and if they run away, they will have nothing, so they simply stay in the local area and open the city gate for Master Wang.News of the lack of food in the north came repeatedly, and rice was as expensive as pearls and jade.However, the river is blocked, and it is useless if the goods cannot be transported out.Where the benefits lie, there are brave men.Someone actually bribed the Xirong garrison on the riverside, and the army and the people cooperated to start a business of reselling grain.

Although Zi Shi doesn't know these inside stories, some common sense speculations can draw conclusions.

"...Even if there are seeds, a few old and weak women and children will work harder and harder. The world is still unstable. Even if they are planted, they will probably not be able to keep them. Is it commonplace to be robbed and stolen? It's better to get some real ones right now. Fill the stomach."

After taking a break, looking at Changsheng, he continued: "Also—you must know that this land does not belong to them. Therefore, the things that grow from this land do not belong to them either. As long as the original owner of this land Or as soon as a new owner appears, they can only hand over the fruits of their labor."

Changsheng understood.The original owner is mostly missing, but the new owner may appear at any time.It's not just a small paddy field, why is it not like this in this world?Whoever has the power to occupy it is its master.

Suddenly I heard Zi Shi read softly: "...The people who want profit must cultivate it; those who avoid harm must fight; the people in the territory must first cultivate and fight, and then get what they want. Therefore, the sage cultivates moral government to make the people To gain their own benefits, use military equipment to keep the people from their harm. If the government is not good, the people will lose their homes and seize their time. They will not be able to farm to support their parents. Parents are cold and hungry, and brothers and wives are separated. Years are bound to die..." The voice gradually lowered, and when the word "death" was mentioned, it fell silent.

Zi Zhou opened his mouth slowly, and continued this paragraph: "...therefore, embodying the heart of the people, following the feelings of the people, so that the people can be supported by them, without losing their basis. If this is what a sage worries about the people..."

These words are all famous words of saints.I am afraid that every scholar in the world is familiar with it and can blurt it out. Changsheng is no stranger.However, I just knew it before, even if I thought it might have something to do with me, I didn't have any special feelings.However, at this moment, in this situation and in this situation, these few words hit my ears, but they are like the golden sound of wood, bells, drums and jade chimes, or like secret mantras, Sanskrit voiceless, wave after wave scattered into the blood, affecting each word. heart and soul.

Zi Shi heaved a sigh of relief: "Our Jinxia has not been able to do good governance and military equipment these years. Up to now, it has only suffered for the common people. Let's not mention it. Let's go."

At noon that day, the four of them set up a stove next to a small ditch to make a fire and fetch water for cooking.There is a large pond at the end of the ditch, the water is not deep, and someone with his trousers rolled up above his knees is digging in the mud with his bare hands to find something.

"What are they doing?"

Zi Shi stood up and looked at it for a while, then said, "It looks like digging out the root of a lotus root."

Most of the new lotus leaves in the pond were plucked and boiled, leaving only a few freshly grown ones, shyly curled up, green, tender, round, and lovely.Although the temperature has started to warm up in March, it is still cold in the shallow water and mud.Those people stood in the pond with bare legs, bent over and lowered their heads, digging deep into the mud with their fingers.Occasionally standing up straight to take a breath, you will find that they are either old people or women.

Suddenly there was the sound of a baby crying.A woman hurried ashore and picked up the child who was placed in the grass.The mother's breast milk has long since dried up, and the little baby can't suck a drop of milk even with all his strength.His thin limbs struggled, crying hoarsely.But the voice is not loud, and the gasps come and go, which makes people worry when listening to it.

Zigui squatted in front of the stove to boil water, his tears rolled down into the pot one by one like broken beads.

Zi Shi pats her.The kudzu root powder is cooked, and put out a bowl: "Give it to the sister-in-law. This is good for feeding the children."

He picked out all kinds of dried vegetables and cooked a big pot of soup.

Changsheng took down a few dead crows hanging outside the bamboo basket, and carried them to the other side to pluck their feathers.

Zi Shi would not eat this food no matter what.Along the way, the most seen animals are wild dogs and crows.Crows eat carrion, wild dogs eat dead bodies.After the famine, the land was full of starvation, but it became their paradise.From Changsheng's point of view, what is flying in the sky and running on the ground is the ready-made food.It's such a time, why bother about what they eat to grow up healthily?

At first Zizhou and Zigui also refused to eat.Zi Shi helped Chang Sheng persuade his younger siblings.When it was my turn, I hadn't swallowed a mouthful, and I was dizzy from vomiting, and it took two days to rest before I recovered.

Soon, the woman who fed the child came to thank her, and the quilt was left behind.Zi Shi simply let Zi Zhou go, and invited all the people who were busy in the mud pond to come up.Everyone sat around the fire and ate meat and soup together.

The lotus diggers all wear a torn jacket on their upper body, and straw ropes are rooted around their waists.The trouser legs were pulled down, revealing the cold and blue feet.The quinoa thorns buried in the mud cut through the skinny flesh, and the blood seeped from the soles of the feet and rubbed against the grass without paying attention.

Say thank you, and take turns drinking soup from the bowl.They also commented on the taste of the crow meat: "It's delicious! It's better than sparrows."

"This little brother is so skilled..."

"It's a pity that we are incapable. We can't catch those flying in the sky, and can't catch up with those running on the ground. Thanks to you..."

Talking and laughing, harmonious and lively.

"You guys are so benevolent and righteous, there will be good rewards..." One of the old men said while handing over two pieces of washed lotus root.

"Old man, this lotus root is not easy to come by, so let's keep it for ourselves. We have plenty of ways." Zi Shi declined.

Changsheng was not polite, and took it with his hand: "Shoot a few flying ones in the sky and leave them for the old man to make a tooth sacrifice."

"Thank you very much." The old man smiled, and said to Zi Shi: "It's nothing difficult, but just take the soil according to the festival, and dig deep along the core. Now it is much more relaxed than the first month of the twelfth lunar month - thanks to this pond That's why we survived this winter." Sighing, "I don't want to eat it, I have to bear it for two or three days before digging. In a blink of an eye, it's the end of spring, so I have to keep a few as seeds, maybe I have to count on it to save my life next winter. ?" Looking at the baby sleeping soundly in the mother's arms, "It's easy for adults to say anything, but it's hard for my grandson, who was born in this year, to commit crimes..."

Before leaving, Zi Shi left all the remaining kudzu powder to the three-month-old child.The kindness is hard to come by, and after all, I brought a large bundle of lotus roots presented by several lotus diggers.

The child's mother bowed deeply to see her off.When they turned around and started to walk, they caught up again: "My little brother looks like a scholar, can you... give this child a name?"

Zi Shi stood up and said, "Dare to ask my sister-in-law's honorable husband's name?"

"My first husband's surname is Li."

"Coincidentally, my surname is also Li. It turns out that I belong to the same family." After thinking about it, he said, "It's better to call him Ziyi. The one who is Yi is Tuoye. I hope he will be free from disaster and enjoy peace forever."

"Thank you, little brother, for the name."

In the evening, find a deserted house to spend the night.Gathered old wadding and straw and laid it out, sent Zi Zhou Zigui to sleep soundly, Zi Shi covered the two of them with his coat again, and curled up in Chang Sheng's arms.Chang Sheng grabbed his hand, opened ten fingers and looked at them one by one.Gently rubbing the thin calluses on her fingertips, she complained in a low voice: "It's been a month of hard work, this is good, I've given away all of them. I also gave away a good name for nothing." He reached into his clothes and counted his ribs, "It wasn't so obvious last month. I don't eat this or that. Before you starve to death, I'll make you angry..."

Zi Shi couldn't help being scratched by him, but he didn't dare to struggle hard, he twisted and twisted, trembled and trembled, his waist slid down, and his bones were pulled away, turning into a puddle of mud.

"Don't... Longevity... Spare me... I will eat and I will eat... Don't talk about crows and wild dogs, even human flesh and blood, you can still eat them..."

Changsheng scratched himself so much that he couldn't bear it anymore, so he stopped resentfully.

Zi Shi breathed a sigh of relief, and said nonchalantly: "There is something to eat every day, how can it be so easy to starve to death." The topic changed, "—Have you heard of the Taoist Bigu technique? People in the Taoism say: "Meat eaters are brave and brave. Tough, those who eat grains are wise and ingenious, those who eat qi are gods and live long, those who do not eat will not die and become gods. "I asked my master specifically at the beginning, and he scolded me with beard and stare, saying that I was not doing my job properly. In the end, I said that this matter might not be false, and I might not be able to give it a try, hee hee..."

Changsheng was furious immediately.

After leaving the valley, seeing him getting thinner and thinner day by day, his whole body turned white and translucent, it was shocking to see.Death is inevitable, but as we gradually approach the border of Chuzhou, we have to divert to the north and rush towards the river, the road will be much more dangerous.What's more, you have to prepare to cross the river. If you don't have enough physical strength, how can you sustain it?

Sealed his acupuncture points twice, swiped the dagger on his left wrist, pinched his nose with his right hand and poured it in.The mouth was still vicious: "Huh! "Gods live long", right? "Immortality makes gods", right? Today I will let you taste what human blood is like. Let me tell you, you can just be your ordinary person with peace of mind. Still want to become a fairy? Dreaming! Drink this mouthful of human blood, even if you become a fairy, you will be called a ghost, and you will never turn over in three lifetimes..."