In the season of mango planting, the land of the Central Plains is already a heat wave.

Under the blowing of gusts of south winds, on the plains of Shandong and eastern Henan, there were wheat waves that had not been seen for many years. As the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi wrote in "Guanjiamai": "The Tian family has few idle months, and people are busy in May." The south wind rises at night, and the wheat is covered with yellow".

In the season of wheat ripening, looking from afar, on the plain of thousands of miles, under the blazing sun, the endless wheat waves are like a vast ocean, swinging golden waves. In cages and in the mountains, golden wheat is like gold covering the terraces. Green hills, green trees and wheat fields form a beautiful picture of gorgeous and colorful scenery.

The wheat is ripe, and some have been harvested, and the stubble is all in unison; Some are still hanging in the field waiting to be harvested, and in the wheat field, there is a very kind taste, which makes people feel refreshed.

Wheat, but a treasure, the lifeblood of northerners!

The farmer's silver sickle, golden ears of wheat, and black-red faces are intertwined into a magnificent harvest picture. The hearts of the peasants were intoxicated.

From Xuzhou, Yanzhou to Dezhou, the so-called 10 prefectures and 100 counties in Kyushu, you can see everywhere the farmers who are sweating like rain and harvesting wheat with sickles in their hands, and from time to time there are old farmers rubbing the wheat grains with their rough hands, putting the new wheat in their mouths and chewing it twice, tasting the aroma of the fruits of labor.

From south to north, groups of short-term laborers from the Nanzhili and Fengyang regions, carrying their simple bags on their backs, race against the south wind with almost frantic paces, and they have to arrive before the wheat is ripe and the sickle is opened, so that the peasants who are eager to grab the grain will hire them in order to buy time.

They were very lucky, not only those farms and granges controlled by the Nanyue Army needed a large number of short-term laborers, but also some small and medium-sized landlords and peasant households who owned different amounts of land, and they also wanted to return the grains to the warehouse as soon as possible. and hired short-term laborers to harvest the wheat.

"When this wheat crop is harvested, we can also see if we can plant some sweet potatoes and corn as those gentlemen in the county said!" A few small landlords were full of joy on the ground, guarding a bucket of mung bean soup for the guys to quench their thirst, sharpening their sickles with whetstones, and chattering about the situation after the harvest.

According to Li Huayu's practice in Denglai and other places. If the loss of soil is not large, and the fertilizer is sufficient, autumn corn is planted after the summer wheat is harvested. If there is a lot of soil loss and fertilizer is insufficient, soybeans are planted after the summer wheat harvest to fertilize the fields. If the soil fertilizer is average and the money is relatively scarce, then you can only grow potatoes and sweet potatoes.

"It's okay, isn't it just a lot of manure? I have already explained to my family that when I go out and see dung, I draw a circle for Lao Tzu on the edge of the dung, and throw a stone or straw stick, this is ours! ”

The people in the countryside are simple. When he came across the manure and wanted to pick it up and go home, but there was no one for a while, he drew a circle around the rice field, threw a stone or a branch, and told others that there was already a master. Passers-by stopped making up their minds when they saw it.

But it's more about being diligent and thrifty trying to find ways to accumulate manure.

"I heard that the county is going to recruit river workers to repair a few rivers."

"That's a good thing! Repaired the river. Not only can river mud come in handy, but it is also much more convenient for our crops to be watered! ”

Small landlords and ordinary peasant households are looking forward to the good times in the coming year with great joy. Ever since they were under the jurisdiction of the Southern Yue Army. The entire system of collecting money and grain has been completely changed, and the original donated land has been returned to its original owner. Implement a unified and progressive system of grain collection.

The system of one-in-one errand and one-piece payment of grain made these people who had no merit and could not enjoy the preferential tax exemption policy suddenly feel a lot lighter.

While they were talking, someone in the distance came running as if they were flying, and their steps were so fast that they didn't seem to touch the ground, and they kicked off a light smoke in the field.

"Daddy! Father! ”

Someone came rushing in. While shouting hoarsely.

In the blink of an eye, several people squinted their eyes at the blade of the freshly sharpened sickle, and glanced at the three boys of the old Feng family, the head of the village, "Little third son, what's the matter?" It's the Liao thief who has arrived in Shandong again. Or is there another trouble? ”

"Second uncle! Neither! Xiao Sanzi picked up a bowl of mung bean soup and poured it down, and he was distressed on the side, and he shouted vigorously: "Slow down!" Drink slowly! Watch out for choking on your lung tubes! ”

"Come on! Lao Feng, I think you are reluctant to put the white sugar in it! Who doesn't know that you Lao Feng, a fly flies in front of you, and you have to tear off two legs! ”

"Daddy! Second uncle! Ladies and gentlemen! A notice has been posted in the city, and the price of surplus grain purchased by the government this year has come out! ”

"What's the matter? Say it! ”

"Can the official family spend money to collect our surplus food? It would be nice if they don't donate more! ”

"The notice said that it will be purchased at three times the market price!"

There was a chaotic noise, but it was a few uncles who fell to the ground crookedly, making water bowls and utensils everywhere.

"Little San, if you talk nonsense, see if Lao Tzu doesn't have big ears to shave you!" Lao Feng didn't care about cleaning up the dirt on his body, and he just scolded his son.

"Dad, if you don't believe it, you can go to the county seat by yourself. There was a notice posted at the gate of the city, and there was a gentleman there to help interpret it. People make it very clear that three times the price, but not all of them are given cash, one time of cash, and the rest are industrial coupons that can be exchanged for all kinds of good things in Nanzhong. ”

It seems that this is indeed the case! Several half-grown old men nodded to each other, and almost in unison shouted at their sons or foremen who were sweating in the fields, "You are staring here, I'll go back and let your mother cut the meat!" Steamed buns! At noon, we'll treat the guys! Guys work hard! Hurry up and harvest the wheat! ”

Such good news suddenly made the farmers in Shandong and Denglai go crazy again!

Jinan Mansion in Shandong, which is surrounded by lotus flowers on three sides, willows on three sides, mountains and a city lake, as the center of this madness, seems to be very calm.

As early as the Northern Song Dynasty, there was a famous literary and artistic young woman Li Qingzhao who left countless three cups and two lamps here, how could he be the enemy of his late style of sad and pitiful words, and later because of a Taiwanese writer's egg pain novel and became famous. (However, the unkind author's impression of Daming Lake still comes from a divine poem, Daming Lake.) Ming Lake is big, there are lotus flowers in Daming Lake, and there are toads on the lotus flowers. Poke and jump. This poem is really evocative and hilarious. However, at this time, Li Huayu was just petty bourgeois romance, and he held hands with Lu Mahong. It is rare to have leisure time, walking on the shore of Daming Lake, and from time to time there is laughter to the ears of the guards who follow them.

As she walked, Lu Mahong suddenly said, "Husband, although I don't understand any righteousness, I still can't agree with what you do." Is it really good to negotiate peace with Jiannu? What's more, you made such a big decision without consulting with your father, if your father blames him, how should you end it? ”

Li Huayu smiled. Waving his hand, he said: "I have told you, this matter has all the benefits and no harm, even if it doesn't work, we won't lose anything." On the contrary, if it happens, the plan I have been thinking about for a long time will be half done. ”

Lu Ma Hong looked left and right, and made sure that there were only the pro-soldier guards and a few female pro-soldiers holding the child around her. He looked nervous and asked in a low voice, "Husband, you have a big plan." It won't be the emperor who replaces Beijing, right? Li Huayu laughed when he heard this, and then said disdainfully: "A hardwood chair with carved insects, who is rare?" If you wanted, this Beijing City and Nanjing City would have changed their surnames to Li a long time ago! Right now, even if you invite me to go, I'm too lazy to go. There is no name of the four seas, but there is no reality of the four seas. It's just an empty shelf. You still don't know me, what I want must be the long-term benefits of population, territory, food, weapons, gold and silver. ”

Lu Mahong thought for a moment and said, "But husband, now we have enough food, soldiers, horses, gold and silver, even if it is slightly lacking. It can also be made up quickly, what else can we look at in this Jiannu? Even if it's fur ginseng, we can do it with the Saurons. ”

Li Huayu only looked left and right at this time, and then said in a low voice: "It doesn't matter if Jiannu doesn't have a penny, he only needs to do one thing, that is, the enemy of the Central Plains regime!" ”

"Huh!?" Lu Ma Hong couldn't help but open her mouth wide and exclaimed, although she had also read a lot of books, it was still difficult to understand the meaning of her husband's words. Seeing Lu Mahong's puzzled and surprised expression, Li Huayu explained: "Although the benevolence and righteousness we talk about are boundless, but think about it, how can there be one thing that we are doing now?" To Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong, Luo Rucai, Lao Huihui and these thieves, to Zuo Liangyu, He Renlong, Qin Liangyu and other military officials of the imperial court, and even our good uncle openly and secretly exchanged trade with Jiannu, selling weapons, gunpowder and grain, smuggling people, purchasing horses, and enclosing land. Of course, we've done a lot of good things. But these good things are good things for the people who benefit, good things for Nanzhong and Nanyue Army, but not good things for the officials and gentry of the Ming Dynasty! Otherwise, I wouldn't have used the knife handle of the Dragon and Tiger Battalion to implement the new policy! What we have done is an unforgivable bad thing for a regime that pursues stability and unity! Now that is, the power in Chongzhen's hands is insufficient, if there is no external trouble in the Ming Dynasty, or Li Zicheng, a group of thieves, how can the Tuntian District in Shandong exist? How could Shandong's independence forces be tolerated? As for the customs, it is even more necessary to take back the management power, and even the prevailing trade practices in Long may also be strictly restricted. Because, this is something that a normal regime would do? But if this is the case, who will protect the interests of our Nanyue Army? ”

Lu Mahong suddenly changed color when she heard this, she didn't know anything else, she knew exactly how much money and energy her husband had invested in Shandong, if it was over like this, not to mention her husband Li Huayu, even herself, she would never be reconciled. However, she couldn't think of a solution for a while, so she could only say hesitantly: "Then, then let's go to the emperor in Beijing, or find Li Zicheng in the future, let's tell them, as long as we can ensure our interests, we can give as much as we want, but if it doesn't work, we will disband the armed forces and pay more taxes, which will be fine." ”

Li Huayu smiled bitterly and said, "Madam, you are really simple-minded, give more money?" It's useless for you to give them all the gold in the world. For a normal regime, money is important, but the people who live and work in peace, the rich and fertile land, and the sacred and inviolable power of the state are more precious than anything else. Now that we occupy the most fertile land of other people, move away their good people, and infringe on other people's state power, how can you think that you can do things by spending money? This kind of thing is easy to talk about and discuss, let's go back to Nanzhong by ourselves, if it doesn't make sense. Then we can only let the fire gun and the Franc machine reason. ”

Lu Mahong was completely panicked at this moment, and she could only say, "Isn't it okay now?" It's okay now, and maybe it will be okay in the future. When Li Huayu saw Lu Mahong's appearance, he hugged her in his arms, then stroked her head and said, "Of course it's okay now, because there is a group of rogues like Li Zicheng in Daming." There is a slave outside Shanhaiguan, Chongzhen Lao'er has no soldiers, no food, and no salary, all relying on the money and grain offered to him by our Nanyue army, if he dares to be dishonest, we just stop the supply of money and grain, and I will strangle this section of the canal to death again, and I can let him die and destroy the country immediately! However, if Li Zicheng wins in the future, there will be no internal opponents. If Jiannu outside collapses again, then we will have to fight to the death with a big country with a radius of thousands of miles. ”

Lu Mahong was touched by Li Huayu's head, and seemed to feel a lot more comfortable, so she thought of Li Huayu's confident appearance before, so she said: "Seeing that you are not in a hurry at all, there is definitely a way, but I don't know if this method is particularly bad." ”

Li Huayu smiled slightly and said, "Those who know me, Mrs. also." But so. Actually, it's not that bad, at least if everything goes well. The life of the people of the Central Plains is still much better than now. Lu Mahong hurriedly asked: "What is the solution, you can say it quickly." Li Huayu didn't speak first, but found a piece of bluestone by the lake, wiped it a few times with the sleeve of his robe, and helped Lu Mahong and his wife to sit down. Li Huayu said: "Actually, it's very simple, Madame knows the Three Kingdoms, right?" ”

"Yes! My father specially asked me to read it, my set of popular romances of the Three Kingdoms, accompanied by maps, and several gentlemen also told me the locations of several key battles. Cause. How did you remember the Three Kingdoms again? ”

"In the Three Kingdoms Struggle for Hegemony, who will benefit in the end? It's the Sima family. In the same way, if we want to make a profit, we must also let the three forces of the world fight to the death. Looking at it now, Liaodong of Jiannu is relatively consolidated, and Li Zicheng, who is now in Henan, has also begun to be busy selecting officials in various prefectures and counties in Henan to govern. In the future, the north will belong to him, but in Jiangnan, the Ming gentry have a strong foundation, and they are the old nest of Donglin, so they may not listen to Li Zicheng and ours! In this case, isn't it a three-point world? Although these three families must all want to dominate the country, they still lack something. This thing is the population's money and food! Although Jiannu is in Liaodong, although it has always been known for its fierceness and ability to fight, it is said that he is now busy training firecrackers and casting artillery, and the gap between the population and food will be even greater; Li Zicheng was in the Central Plains, although his troops and horses were already known to be hundreds of thousands, and there were millions of displaced people under his command, but Henan was initially settled, and there were hidden worries about the Yellow River, and this huge population was a big problem to eat and dress, and before he turned Henan, northern Huguang, and Shaanxi into his iron buckets, he was bound to trade with our Nanyue army! This is the reason why in the current wheat harvest season, Henan has not had a single soldier to Shandong to disturb the nuisance! Jiangnan has a prosperous literary style, a weak atmosphere, and has not known the armor for more than 100 years, and the strength of soldiers and horses is a big problem. We just need to make some articles appropriately, then these three will have to fight! As long as they fight, we can gradually swallow their flesh! ”

Speaking of this, Li Huayu in Luma's red eyes, although his appearance is still the same, he looks a little hideous.

"But these three can also build their own! If they do a good job in the economy of their jurisdiction, won't they be able to unify it? Lu Ma Hong asked puzzled.

Li Huayu laughed again when he heard this, and then he suddenly said with a gloomy face: "What you think is beautiful, construction restoration?" They also have to have money, someone who has the ability and time! I'll be honest, they don't even dream of it. What's more, if one family wants to quietly engage in construction, will the remaining two families give him this opportunity? I won't tell you anything else, just say that this time to negotiate peace, why didn't the emperor Chongzhen in Beijing say anything about us starting to negotiate peace with Liaodong Jiannu without authorization? Just let the eunuch Wang Chengen come forward and ask for some armor and weapons? Aren't you planning to take advantage of our time with Liaodong Jiannu to give Li Zicheng in Henan a ruthless blow? And then slowly figure out a way? I really wasn't absolutely sure before, but when I read my father's rescue agreement, I was stunned. ”

"How?"

"My father's rescue agreement, which is high-sounding, is actually the same thing as the squire's Yinzi Qian who returned nine out of thirteen returns, and the Qingmiao Law implemented by Wang Anshi of the Northern Song Dynasty to forcibly borrow money. I will force you to borrow money that you can't afford to repay while you need money, and then get all your land, house, and children, and you will be told everywhere that I am benevolent and righteous. The same is true for these three. If they want to fight a war and want reunification, then they need money and people, it doesn't matter, we borrow what we lack, but this money is not taken for nothing, you have to use land taxes and mines to pay off debts, and you have to give up state power, as long as you agree to these, everything is easy to talk about, if you don't agree......" Li Huayu paused for a moment and said: "Two roads, either someone in the house sent him to see the Buddha, or, the other two suddenly had a lot of money, food, and soldiers." ”

Lu Mahong was stunned by Li Huayu's words, and it took her a long time before she said: "Wouldn't this make everyone in the world hate us to death?" ”

"Hate us? They will only see the prosperity of Shandong, Fujian, and Guangdong under our control, the fat brains of the businessmen who mingle with us, and the death of the country that opposes us. After a long time, they will have an idea, that is, following us is the only way to develop. Besides, who saw that we supported others in the war, and didn't see that we had been persuading these three families to truce? After speaking, Li Huayu actually smiled happily at the non-existent reality, as if this thing existed and happened now. (To be continued......)

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