All your life is gentle

Zi Shi took the pen handed over by the secretary, and wrote ink on the refugee registration book.

"Li Zishi, seventeen years old, born in Tongcheng, Yuezhou. No. 13 and seven in the second list of Fengqi Spring Examination in 20. The main examiner is Yuezhou Xuezheng Master Xue Fan, and the deputy chief examiner Yuezhou Supervisor is Mr. Peng. Yongnian..." While writing, I couldn't help but think of a famous person who is good at deceitful deception. The only way to cheat: don't hesitate to talk nonsense about the big joints, and try to be vivid in the details.

The imperial examination was a major national event in the Jinxia Dynasty.Every round of the Second Spring and Autumn Examination, the examiner, the test questions, and the admission of the scholars to promote the Jinshi are all recorded by the Ministry of Rites.However, the imperial court fled south in panic, so these documents may not be brought out.Even if it was brought to Shuzhou, who would look for the name of a little scholar in the vast and messy files?The two master examiners in Yuezhou are both well-known celebrities, and it is enough to sacrifice these two to bluff people...

He told a group of soldiers who were originally from various states in the south of the Yangtze River what he had seen and heard along the way for most of the day.At this moment, it was finally more relaxed. Putting aside the happy things, the text continued without adding any points: "Father Li Fei, with outstanding calligraphy, donated tribute students in the ninth year of Xingning. Grandfather..."

The secretary in charge interrupted him: "Enough is enough, just write down your identity clearly, and you don't need to go back three generations." They are all refugees, their families have been destroyed, and this information is basically useless.

Bluntly praised: "I can't blame Mr. Li for his good handwriting! There are many people who like Qingmingzi's regular script, but those who can write with charm are really rare. It turns out that Mr. Li is a scholar of Tongcheng, who came from the school of Xue Hanlin and Peng Xueshi—no wonder , no wonder..." Tsk tut repeatedly.He shook his head and sighed: "Fengqi has been in residence for 13 years, so the young master is only 14 years old? That's what it means to be young and promising. It's a pity that the disaster came suddenly, and the royal family came to Shu. There was no way to talk about the autumn exam..."

The secretary himself was born as a scholar and served as a clerk in the army.In addition to sorting out documents and letters for General Hou Jingrui, who was guarding the gate, he was in charge of registering refugee information, and occasionally wrote a few letters home for soldiers.The work is not very heavy, but the spiritual life is extremely boring.The people who deal with are all rough and rough, and there is almost no one to talk to.Seeing Zi Shi's beautiful and elegant handwriting, he was suddenly moved inexplicably, and turned his face to Hou Jingrui who was sitting in the main seat, and said, "General, you know that there are thousands of talents in the south of the Yangtze River. There are at least [-] talented people in Yuezhou. Among the [-] talents, Tongcheng occupies another half..."

Hou Jingrui laughed, and came over to take a look: "Who writes without twisting? It's just a different way of twisting. What's the difference?"

One sentence choked the secretary to death.Zi Shi thought to himself: It is not unreasonable.

General Hou has limited ink in his stomach, so he can't tell the good from the bad, but he can understand the content.Seeing the unmistakable names of the two chief examiners, I have no doubts about Zi Shi's identity as a scholar.Nodding with a smile, he said, "Li Caizi, please add the names of your younger brothers and sisters."

Zi Shi held the pen, his face darkened by two points, and his tone became heavy: "You are unworthy in your late life. How dare you pretend to be a genius? General, there are not a single real talent left in Tongcheng." Sighing, he couldn't help saying casually He chanted, "Since wandering thousands of miles, dare to ask Qing Shi about the rise and fall? The sun and the moon burn the bamboo slips, and there are no burial articles in the mountains and rivers..."

As soon as he opened his mouth to recite poems, the palm secretary tapped on the desk in sync with the rhythm.Hearing the sentence "there is no burial article in the country", he was more sad than Zi Shi, and burst into tears.

General Hou looked at the man in front of him, one long and one young, who seemed to be insane, frowned and thought to himself: There are so many problems with literati.However, Li Caizi's poems seem to be very pleasant to hear, but it makes people feel uncomfortable...

Zizhou next to him couldn't bear it any longer, raised his head and asked, "General, when will the imperial court regain the southeast?"

Hou Jingrui was taken aback for a moment, but he didn't think he was disobedient, and smiled wryly: "Little guy, if you ask me, I don't know who to ask!"

The person who can be sent by Xijing to garrison Fenglan Pass is naturally a trusted general in the army.

Hou Jingrui was originally the deputy commander of the imperial guards.The imperial guards have always been controlled by the uncle of the country, Zhending Hou Ning Shuyuan.There is no doubt that General Hou is an important member of Uncle Guo's faction.

Ning Shuyuan struggled a bit with who to guard Fenglan Pass.

Although Dingyuan General Yan Zhen is not directly related to the uncle of the country, it is not that he cannot be transferred.But there are many Chuzhou children in the Dingyuan army, how dare they let them guard the first pass into Shu?Sneaking away one or two casually may shake the morale of the army and be embattled on all sides.In his heart, he was reluctant to put the imperial guards guarding the capital and the Ruijian battalion guarding the capital in this place separated by mountains and diverting water, so as to bury the hidden danger of fire in the backyard.After much deliberation, he decided on a compromise: the leading general will use his confidantes, but the soldiers below him are mainly newcomers recruited locally in Shuzhou.

It is inevitable that the new recruits are undertrained and loose in military discipline, but the benefits are also very obvious: the locals guarding the customs is equivalent to defending the homeland, and there is absolutely no risk of rebellion.Moreover, quite a few of them are from ethnic minorities, which is a little troublesome to manage, but they are all strong, brave and strong, and they are just right for fighting against the black barbarians.

Only General Hou suffered.In the first half of the year, he was devoted to military discipline education, solving cases every day and persuading fights every day, for fear that the soldiers from the west would call when there was internal strife among themselves.Half a year passed, and finally they got along almost well, but the Xirong army still didn't come.Uncle Guo was very satisfied with General Hou's handling of a bunch of barbarians. Three years passed in a flash, and rewards were given every year, and he was always encouraged, but he didn't mention the matter of moving his nest at all.

When he took over the task of guarding Fenglan Pass, it's not that General Hou hadn't dreamed of leading troops out of the pass and regaining the mountains and rivers;However, month after month, year after year, what the uncle of the country and the court are planning is completely unknown.General Hou is loyal to the country, but he often misses the happy life in Beijing.I heard that those guys in Xijing, who are all popular and drink spicy food, are even more absurd than when they were in Yangyang...

At the beginning, my mind was distracted, and I heard that crisp voice again: "So the general didn't know..." There was a deep loss in his tone.

Hou Jingrui couldn't help patting Zi Zhou's head: "Hey! This Fenglanguan refugee has entered millions, and I've never seen a little guy like you! You know kung fu, don't you? Are you fifteen? You want to fight so much, so you left without sex. Stay here and be a soldier for me."

Zi Shi had already entered the roster, and said salutingly: "The general loves you. My younger brother is more than thirteen, but less than fourteen." His status as a scholar is established, even though the other party is a high-ranking general at the border, and he is a senior official of the third rank, he only needs to bend down and bow. Can.

"You're only thirteen? I said why does my voice sound like milk! She's quite tall, and her body looks good. Come back in two years."

When Zizhou heard the phrase "it smells like milk", the boss was not happy.Glaring at General Hou quietly, he stopped talking.

The secretary in charge looked at the page full of characters written by Zi Shi for a long while, and he didn't know if he was admiring the calligraphy or reviewing the information.Putting down the roster, he took out a road guide, and carefully copied the names, places of origin, ages and identities of the three Li brothers and sisters on it, and asked, "Where are you going? Are there any relatives or friends in Shuzhou?"

"We have no relatives or friends in Shuzhou. I heard that Xijing is prosperous, so it may be easier to make a living..."

The secretary in charge said: "As a scholar, do you still have to worry about making a living? You probably don't know that the imperial examination was delayed by two rounds due to the war, and it happened to be reopened this spring. You are going to Xijing now, just in time for the autumn exam registration. The imperial court has clearly announced : All former scholars, as long as they pass the interview of the Ministry of Rites, they will be given a three-month salary first. ——It’s certain that you won’t be hungry.”

The so-called gran Fu is the ration issued by the imperial court to scholars.The Jinxia Dynasty developed culture and education, valued scholars, and the standard of food subsidies was very high. It was said that it was given to one person, and it was often enough for several mouthfuls.What's more, being eligible to receive the granary tax is a very face-saving thing.No matter how rich people are, they will definitely scramble to get this food.

Zi Shi bowed slightly: "Thank you sir for your guidance." Zhongliang was addicted to acting and didn't stop for a while, and then said: "The state affairs are difficult, as a scholar, it is more important to share the worries of the court. If you can support yourself, don't count on officials It’s a gift from the family. ——Or, the border guards need it more.”

Hou Jingrui patted the table: "That's a good statement! It's no wonder you are so young, you have such thoughts, Hou admires you!"

He has seen a lot of boastful old men among scholars, and this is the first time he has heard such words from scholars who are really concerned for the country.I heard them talk about the dangerous journey before, and I thought it was just a fluke; I learned that Li Zishi was a talented person in the south of the Yangtze River, and I didn't feel at all when I saw the calligraphy that the secretary was full of praise for; I heard him recite a few sour poems , I thought that all literati are so virtuous, it's nothing special.It wasn't until this moment that he really showed some respect to the boy in front of him.

The twins suddenly remembered that when they fled overnight in the Hua's cemetery, the eldest brother spoke to the leader of the rebel army, General Feng, with the same attitude.They looked at each other, knew what they were thinking, and kept silent.

Zi Shi said in his heart, "Ah, it's a crooked attack."The face became more serious: "It's just what I should do, the general praised me." As he said, he took money out of his pocket.

Hou Jingrui waved his hand: "Forget it, don't take it." He said to the secretary, "Old Huang, sign for them."

"General?" Zi Shi really wanted to take the money back.But in the middle of the performance, Zhongliang couldn't turn his back on him, so he had no choice but to hold the money and not move.

Hou Jingrui laughed loudly: "You have to give the granary tax to the border guards. How can I have the nerve to collect the poll tax from your younger siblings?"

The rules of the Jin Xia Dynasty have always been based on household divisions.The local government registers farm properties door to door and collects taxes according to the property class.Of course, relatives of the emperor, bureaucrats and gentry are not included in the list of taxpayers; and scholars can also enjoy the privilege of exempting their families from taxation.

Since the imperial court moved to Xijing, Xirong began to conquer the southeast, and the number of refugees entering Shu continued to increase.In order to save money, refugees have joined households to evade taxes.Seven or eight people or even a dozen people who have never met each other pretend to be a family and only pay the tax of one family.These people come from all over the world, and it is impossible to accurately verify their identities and property amounts.The person involved made a blind report, and the customs guards took the opportunity to blackmail, and finally it became a super muddled account.A year later, the total tax revenue of the five customs clearances into Shu according to the statistics of the Ministry of Household Affairs was even less than a fraction of that of ordinary counties.

For this reason, the right-hand minister advocated changing the collection of households into a tax on Ding Na, that is, changing the property tax into a poll tax.On this issue, as if the sun came out from the west, Uncle Guo and Master Xiang took the same stand and walked in unison for the first time.With the concerted efforts of the two parties, the fastest and most thorough reform of the tax system in the history of the Jinxia Dynasty was completed in just three months at the policy level.

The poll tax is based on the number of persons.An unprecedented census is in full swing due to the demands of the tax collection effort.The composition of Shuzhou's population is inherently complicated. In recent years, the imperial court has moved in, refugees have swarmed in, a large number of foreigners have flowed in, and the management of residents has become more chaotic.I really don't know if I don't check. I was shocked when I checked. In half a year, nearly a million refugees who have not registered their household registration were found.Even according to the minimum standard, each person pays Ding Fu 30 Wen per year, and they can collect an extra [-] taels of silver.

The census is a huge and tedious job.Since the taxation standards are divided into several categories according to gender, age, and status, when meeting the poor mountain vixen and the shrew, they concealed and did not report, lied about their age, and men disguised themselves as women... all kinds of tricks emerged in an endless stream.How can officials of the household department and local officials be able to bear it?Uncle Guo had no choice but to dispatch a number of imperial guards, together with all members of the Lifang Division, to the most difficult grassroots frontline to help.

The leader of the Lifang Division is Ning Yu, the eldest son of Ning Shuyuan, the uncle of the country.Commander Ning took this opportunity to do three things:

First, re-register all the males over [-] years old and under [-] years old who were missed in previous conscriptions, and separate all boys over the age of [-] and under [-] years old.The roster is in triplicate, one kept by Lifang Si, one in Zhending Houfu, and one in the Ministry of War.

Second, establish a strict checkpoint review system.After the refugees are registered at Fenglan Pass, they are guided to the destination by the road. After verification, they are naturalized locally, serve on time and pay taxes according to the amount, and are not allowed to move at will. Run around, don't make trouble.

After listening to his son's report, Ning Shuyuan was inspired and ordered a number of non-Shu soldiers with good conduct to be sent to Fenglan Pass to assist in the investigation of refugees from various places and prevent suspicious persons from mixing in.

Two months later, the officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs found out during the investigation that those refugees who were old, weak and penniless came in and wasted the resources of Shuzhou.

The third thing Ning Ke did was to establish a grassroots network belonging to the Lifang Division in Xijing and other important cities in Shuzhou.Since then, Li Fangsi's hand has become longer and longer, gradually enough to reach some corners that even the imperial court can't control.This is a digression, press no table.

In short, after these actions, the entry of refugees into Sichuan has suddenly become very strict.It is said that during the summer and autumn of last year, it was common to queue up for ten days and a half months without getting in.Many people donated all their remaining family wealth to the guards and soldiers without reservation, hoping to enter the customs to avoid disaster and make a living.

Among the Jiangnan soldiers who questioned Zishi's brothers and sisters, one was from Tongcheng.Fortunately, Tongcheng is rich and romantic, the first choice of young people is to study and take exams, and the second choice is to go out and do business.Whenever the family has a good background, they spend money to exempt their children from military service. Only the children of poor and poor families are forced to enlist in the army.Although the soldier and Zi Shi are authentic fellow villagers, they don't recognize the eldest son of Li Ge's old mansion, who is known as the number one young talent in Tongcheng, so he just drags him and asks him about the process of massacring the city.Because my family is in the outskirts of the city, I don't know the whereabouts of my parents and relatives.

It was also thanks to the three of Zi Shi who entered the customs at this time.Since the completion of Xirong's campaign to clear the city, Fenglan Pass has been idle for more than half a year, and the soldiers are so bored that grass grows on their heads and hair grows on their feet.The three of them brought the latest news along the way, and also brought excitement and excitement to the dreary military camp life, so they received a grand reception, and were extremely honored to be received by General Hou Jingrui in person.

According to the latest regulations of the Ministry of Household Affairs, scholars are exempted from Nading Fu, 350 Wen for underage men, and 650 Wen for underage women.Therefore, Zishi himself does not need to pay taxes, and his brothers and sisters add up to [-] Wen.In addition to the sentry money for passing the customs (equivalent to the toll for crossing bridges in later generations), sixty yuan per person, a total of eight and three cents of silver.

With a wave of his hand, General Hou exempted Zizhou Zigui from the poll tax and the tolls of the three of them.Seeing that Zi Shi was still in a daze, he grumbled and said, "Cough! I say talented man Li, the imperial court does not lack your money, so keep it for money." He has been guarding Fenglan Pass for three years. I don't know how many rounds of distributions have been made to the refugees, so how could they take this little silver in their eyes.

Zi Shi thanked him and didn't insist anymore.

Lao Huang, the secretary in charge over there, wrote the road guide, added the destination Xijing, and added a sentence at the end: "It is necessary to be verified by the Jingzhaodu Weisi" (Jingzhaodu Weisi is the yamen responsible for the public security of Xijing city), and stamped " Seal of Fenglan Shuwei Guanfang", Shi said to Zi: "This road guide must not be lost. Not only do you need to check the checkpoints along the way, but also the only certificate for exchanging household registration when you arrive in Xijing. If you don't have it, it may be regarded as Undocumented refugees are sent to serve in the farmland. If you accidentally bump into someone from the Lifang Division, you don’t know when you will see the light of day..."

Hou Jingrui's face darkened: "Old Huang! You've been in Fenglan Pass for a long time, have you forgotten all the rules?"

The secretary in charge suddenly came to his senses and hurriedly stood up to apologize: "Huang was reckless, the general taught him a lesson."

Zi Shi pretended not to understand.At such a sensitive moment, Zi Zhou Zigui has learned to follow his elder brother's lead.

Hou Jingrui looked at the three brothers and sisters in front of him. They looked upright and spoke politely. Thousands of miles of travel and dust could not hide their true colors.He didn't have much knowledge and experience, so he knew at a glance that these three were good people and sons and daughters.Said: "This thing, you just remember not to lose it."

He sighed again: "I have heard about the Battle of Tongcheng for a long time. After listening to your narration, I realized how miserable it was. After going through the massacre of the city, you can still come to this Fenglan Pass. The three of you are truly blessed. You entered the customs last year, just to escape. You crossed the river and entered Shu at this time, but you risked your life. This kind of loyalty is really rare. Well, a good man Hou will do his best to save you some trouble." , took the road guide, took off the gold-plated copper seal on his waist, and covered it.

Zi Shi took it with both hands, and saw the fourteen-character Zhongding Zhu Wen: "I bestow loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and courage, and seal Languan as a general who protects the country."

"With this great seal bestowed by the emperor, the people who interrogated along the way know that this general has personally questioned you, so I want to give Hou some face."

Zi Shi was truly overjoyed at this moment, holding the valuable guide and bowing to Hou Jingrui.

General Hou wanted to stay with Li Caizi and his siblings for a night before leaving, but Zi Shi didn't want to delay, so he hid Lu Yin close to him, bid farewell to everyone in Fenglanguan, and led his siblings on the road.

After walking twenty miles, it was getting late, and the three of them stopped to rest in the post pavilion.

Zizhou climbed up the cliff to pick wild fruits, and Zigui drew water and set up a pot to cook porridge. Before leaving, Mr. Huang, the secretary in charge, begged Zishi for a word and gave them a big bag of grain in return.

Zi Shi put on some clothes for himself, leaned against the pillar of the posthouse, and sat idly in a daze.Brother Changsheng was not around, and the two children suddenly became sensible overnight, and consciously took on all the miscellaneous affairs, without the need for the elder brother to do anything.

Looking at the busy figures of Zi Zhou and Zi Gui, Zi Shi thought: These two siblings have actually become the two apprentices that Gu Changsheng left for him.When... when... did he start this renovation project? ... After dealing with the soldiers at Fenglanguan all day, only now is the time to seriously face the fact that Gu Changsheng has left.The more you think about it, the more you feel that the other party is thinking deeply.The more you feel that the other party is thinking deeply, the more you feel that he is full of affection.Later, his figure was in every corner of his eyes, heart, and mind.Immediately understood: This is not deliberation, it is clearly missing...

But one day, I miss it so much.

——How dare he, how dare he make me miss him like this.

…………

The dinner was placed on the half of the stone that had fallen to the ground in the post pavilion.After eating, Zi Shi knelt down for research and recognized that this was the remnant of the stele erected in memory of the road builders 200 years ago, so he told the twins about the past of the dynasty.Recalling the past and looking at the present, the three of them inevitably talked about what happened when they entered the customs today.

Zigui said: "Brother, I think the defenders of Fenglan Pass are not as bad as they heard. General Hou, Mr. Huang, and the soldier who lives in Tongcheng, they are all very good people." .”

Zi Shi smiled and did not answer, then turned to Zi Zhou and asked, "You think so too?"

"General Hou exempted us from taxes, and stamped the general's seal on our guides. Mr. Huang gave us food. Although those soldiers were fierce at first, they became kind after interrogation... They, indeed, He's not a bad person...but—" The boy frowned, not knowing how to express the vaguely grasped thoughts clearly.

Zi Shi didn't urge him, but said: "Speaking of which, we are really lucky. With the great seal of General Hou, I don't know how much filial money will be saved in the future!"

Zigui thought about it, and continued: "Brother, I understand. If we came here last autumn, filial piety must be indispensable. Maybe, we don't know how many days we have to wait before we can enter the customs. Today's success is due to the right time and place." People and chance coincidences..."

Zizhou's face became serious: "A word from General Hou can exempt us from taxes. Maybe, with his words, we can charge as much as we want... Maybe it's really just because we are lucky, and what are they? It doesn't matter what kind of person you are. ——If you can use power for favor, you will be able to use power for profit. In the final analysis, it is all self-serving..."

"Okay, okay," Zi Shi smiled, "He's giving tax-free release, stamping and sending food, and you two are still criticizing behind your back and making unreasonable judgments here. In any case, this favor is on our heads, and this is also a benefit." You and I have benefited, don't say anything..."

It's not the first time for the twins to experience the shameless behavior of the elder brother to bite back, and they are still so angry that they can't help it.They teamed up to catch Zi Shi and snorted at his armpits, the three of them had a quarrel.

Zi Shi was out of breath and begged for mercy: "Don't scratch it...Brother is wrong..." Protecting Lu Yin who was hiding next to him, "You two little heroes, be careful that the fire at the city gate will hurt the fish in the pond, this thing will be damaged at all I must not..." Finally, I swore to change my past from now on, strictly discipline myself and lead by example, and only then did I get forgiveness from my younger siblings.

He took out Lu Yin for inspection, put it away again, and said sternly: "Zi Zhou, Zi Gui, Xijing's control over Shu Prefecture is much stricter than we imagined. Listening to the conversation between Mr. Huang and General Hou today, it makes sense. Fang Si's minions seem to be everywhere. Although the journey was difficult before, his words and deeds were free and easy, so I'm afraid we should be more careful now."

The two children sat upright and listened to the elder brother's instruction.The three talked for a long time, and finally packed up and went to sleep.