After the lieutenants of the Anton Military Division who had gone to the Protectorate Mansion gathered, they set off from Chang'an the next day. Twenty-five lieutenants, fifty guard sergeants, and seven or eight others such as Zhao Xingde traveled along the way, a total of more than 80 horsemen, with 17 four-wheeled carriages carrying baggage, along the flat gallop road, mighty and mighty to Dunhuang.

Among the people who traveled along the way, Yang Lu and Zhang Liangheng were Cao Xu officials of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and they specially escorted the gentry and common people from all over Guanzhong to the Zhuguo Mansion for filing and review in the second half of the year. The two also visited the relevant prefectures, counties and villages to understand the actual situation in preparation for Zhuguo's inquiry.

Yuan Xingzong is the order of Huaxian County, he originally contracted the post station run by the government to the businessmen to operate, which not only improved the efficiency of the post station, but also saved a lot of expenses for the imperial court, the Prime Minister's Mansion was ready to promote the trial in Guanzhong first, this time Yuan Xingzong was ordered by the Prime Minister to go to the Protectorate Mansion to state the pros and cons of implementing this policy, and he may also be transferred to the Prime Minister's Mansion to preside over the matter, taking a key step for local scribes to enter the center.

Wang Heng, a merchant in Guanzhong, was summoned by the emperor and the Protectorate in June after posting a note on the Qianlong Pillar, suggesting that the imperial court allow the chamber of commerce to use the coupons to raise share capital, and listing more than 20 monitoring measures.

Yu Boyan went to Anxi to join the army, he was tall and strong, wearing fifty pounds of heavy armor, like an iron tower, good at using Mo knife, dancing like a snow shadow. Zhao Xingde once saw that he had slashed four sword and shield men and retreated one after another, and the Liao Tiefutu did not have such might.

Yan Yuexi is a kind middle-aged businessman who claims to be a trader in Dongzhu and Nanzhu, but Zhao Xingde always feels that there are many things hidden behind his smile. Yuwen Bingxin is a sergeant of the Jiaorong Army who returned from visiting relatives.

With this group of Xia people, Zhao Xingde and Li Ruoxue's journey is also much more interesting. In particular, Yang Lu, Zhang Liangheng and Zhao Xingde are of similar age, these two people work in the Prime Minister's Mansion of Xia State, and are responsible for surveying the township, and they are very familiar with the people and customs of various places. It's just that whenever Yang Lu and Zhang Liangheng revealed the meaning that Xia Guo was far better than Kanto, Zhao Xingde, who was from Kanto, refused to admit defeat and was bound to argue with the two.

Yang Lu said that the system of the township covenant was the original creation of the Xia Kingdom, and Zhao Xingde retorted: "In the land of Kanto, the township covenant, the community warehouse knot, the township Qu Yizhuang, the righteous covenant, the porridge bureau and other things have already been widely opened. This is the will of Mencius who said, 'The countryside and the fields are in the same well, in and out of each other's friends, watching and helping each other, and supporting each other in sickness'. It can be seen that the system of township covenants appeared at least in the Spring and Autumn Period, and it is owned by China and is not unique to your country. ”

Because Yang Lu and Zhang Liangheng were not familiar with the situation in Kanto, although they felt that Zhao Xingde was a bit strong, they couldn't grasp his key point.

Seeing that these two people were red-faced, Yuan Xingzong said in a deep voice: "The system of my township covenant is advocated by Mr. Lu Er of Lantian and is unique to Guanzhong, and it will be implemented throughout the country. The township covenant and the imperial court law are one, and after the people agree on their own, they are approved by the Zhuguo Mansion and the Prime Minister's Office, and within the prefectures, counties, villages, and communities covered by the covenant, the effect of the decree is almost the same, and if there is a person who does not comply with the covenant and breaks the contract, it is equivalent to violating the law. In this way, we can make good not help evil, and guide the world to the good. The rules of the township covenant of your country are very different from the laws of the imperial court, and the government either allows it to go its own way, or it is worried that the association will rebel and impose restrictions, and the effectiveness of the township covenant is insufficient, and it is difficult to assume the responsibility of guiding the world. This is very different from our system. ”

In fact, the imperial court in Kwantung did not encourage associations, and the case of the Lishe Party was not far away, and Zhao Xingde was a solid person, and he was quite embarrassed when he heard the words. At this time, although the Kwantung people claimed to be the sole respect for Confucianism, the actual lower-class style of valuing profit was better than that of Guanzhong, and the corruption of officials became more and more severe, which was very despised by the Confucian students of the Xia Kingdom. Yuan Xingzong also believed in the way of Confucius and Mencius, and taking into account Zhao Xingde's face, he did not say that "Kanto is the law of the imperial court, and it is difficult to prohibit it, let alone the township covenant." Such ugly words.

Li Ruoxue in the carriage said slowly: "Lord Yuan's words are wrong. This township covenant system is clearly derived from the township system mentioned in the "Guanzi" and "Zhou Li". Mr. Lu Er studied under Mr. Hengqu Zhang Zai, but Mr. Hengqu is a person from Bianliang in Kanto, and Mr. Zhang 'set up a heart for heaven and earth, establish a life for the people, continue to learn for the saints, and open peace for all generations', the words are still in the ears. How can Lord Yuan say that this learning of the Township Covenant is unique to Guanzhong? ”

Her throat is tactful, and her words are crisp, even if she is refuting the other party, it is also comfortable for people to listen to, and secretly said, this woman's knowledge does not let her eyebrows, I hope she can say a few more words. I only heard Li Ruoxue pause, and said: "Although the little girl doesn't read much, Mr. Lu Er's writings are also involved, and the purpose of Mr. Lu Er's writings is to 'persuade each other with virtue and industry, follow each other's mistakes, intersect with etiquette and customs, and sympathize with each other in adversity', and say 'the world is one family, China is one person', and I don't see the sentence 'unique in Guanzhong' and 'one with the law of the imperial court' that Lord Yuan said?" ”

Although Li Ruoxue quoted the scriptures unceremoniously, Yuan Xingzong only smiled faintly and ignored it. "This official does not have the same knowledge as her, argues with women, is not proud to win, and ashamed to lose." He always believed that the sage's statement that "only women and villains are difficult to raise" has always been correct.

Yang Lu stammered: "Mrs. Zhao, don't forget, although Mr. Zhang Zai was born in Bianliang, he later lectured in Hengqu, my Guanzhong, and his disciples and sages such as Mr. Lu's brothers, Li Fu, Fan Yu, You Shixiong, etc. are also from my Guanzhong. ”

Most of the Confucian students in Guanzhong believed in Guanxue. Guan Xue originated from Shen Yan and Hou Ke, and was actually carried forward by Zhang Zai. Li Ruoxue's attempt to forcibly pull its origins to the Kanto region is absolutely unacceptable. Even if Yang Lu admired Mrs. Zhao's knowledge, he had to refute it when he heard it.

Before Li Ruoxue could respond, Zhao Xingde played a round and said: "In my humble opinion, the inheritance of Confucius and Mencius Taoism is a vein with several branches, and the world is one family, so how can they divide each other." Mr. Lu Er later also studied in Luoyang Chengmen, and was not obsessed with the view of the portal. ”

Yuan Xingzong, Yang Lu, and Zhang Liangheng are not ignorant of the world, and seeing him like this, they naturally no longer quarrel. It's just that everyone is arguing with each other, relieving a lot of the fatigue and boredom of the journey.

Li Ruoxue is the only woman in this group, and whenever she gets off the car, she also wears a veil that reaches the ground like a woman in Xia Kingdom, calm and elegant, and graceful. Many people looked at her as if they were looking at her when they were resting, along the way, whenever Zhao Xingde argued with others, Li Ruoxue would speak out to help, and gradually, Mrs. Zhao's knowledge was also recognized by the three scribes of Xia Kingdom, and even the accompanying sergeants felt that her courage and talent were not lost to men, and they no longer regarded her as an ordinary entourage, but had more respect.

Because of the relationship between the military and political system in the Xia Kingdom, the local concepts of the sergeants and the people are extremely strong, and Zhao De and his wife have been at odds with everyone along the way in order to maintain the reputation of the Kanto, although occasionally there are some strong words. But it is in line with the concept of the Xia people, the things in the hometown, even if they are scolded behind closed doors, they are not allowed to say a word after going out. Many people even secretly thought in their hearts: "Although these two people are from Kanto, their words and deeds are more like the people in my Guanzhong." ”

Zhao Xingde paid close attention to the people's situation in Xia Kingdom, and there were cattle, alpacas and horses everywhere in the fields, even ordinary people in Guanzhong had the blessings of agriculture and animal husbandry, and there was meat at every meal. The government urged the state and county yamen to ration the children who entered the school with the milk and goat milk for the day. The change in dietary structure, coupled with the abundant sunshine in the northwest, made the Xia people generally taller than the Kanto, and the soldiers and even the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang seen in later generations were taller.

The farther west they went, the more sparsely populated they became, the less crops they could cultivate, and the more cattle, sheep, and horses they raised. Even many farmlands are grown with forage rather than grain. The food provided by the post station is also more of beef and mutton, cheese and the like, and the proportion of grain in the staple food is becoming less and less. In areas close to the water, there are farmers who raise ducks and geese and other waterfowl, and there are also fish farmers who use large nets, and rows of pickled fish and smoked duck meat are often hung in front of the farmers' houses.

"This is only the case in the mainland," Sergeant Yuwen Bingxin explained to Zhao Xingde, a friend they made while learning archery. Yuwen Bingxin also taught Zhao Xingde the trick of five consecutive arrows in one hand, "If it is a border state and county, the military government will build several warehouse cities in each county, and the surrounding farmers have a small warehouse in the city, and the top of the warehouse can also be laid on the floor to sleep." Once the horse thieves and barbarians broke through the border, the people only needed to take the old and weak to take refuge in the Cangcheng, and the strong and strong townsmen guarded it with bows and arrows for a while. Wait for the military government to mobilize troops to expel the barbarians and return home. ”

"Xia has such a strong army, is it still difficult to completely prevent the harassment of the barbarians?" Zhao Xingde said.

Yuwen Bingxin pointed to the vast desert field next to the official road, and sighed: "The people continue to open up and reclaim the barbarian places, and the enemy and our forces are intertwined, and there are indeed places that cannot be taken care of. Fortunately, thanks to the Kurajo system, most of the losses and casualties were avoided. He paused, and then said in a deep voice: "Barbarians and horse thieves are also becoming more and more treacherous and vicious, and every time it is almost before harvesting the crops, it is the most nervous time for the military government. ”

Zhao Xingde nodded. Through the conversations and observations in the past few days, he found that among the majority of the rural people, the teachers who believed in the way of Confucius and Mencius were as prestigious as the sergeants of the military government. Many gentry won the trust of the local people by setting up schools and subsidizing social warehouses, and were then elected by the people as protectors. Whenever the actions of the Prime Minister's Office or the Military Government threaten to seriously harm the interests of ordinary people, the Protector, as a conservative force, can voice the dissatisfaction of the people on behalf of the people, and even single-handedly block the implementation of policies within the scope of their authority, and spread the problem to the balance mechanism of the five governments to seek justice.

The people of Xia only have one chance in their lives to participate in the election of the Zhu State, and the soldiers and ordinary people who have reached the age of 40 will elect one person for every 100,000 people to produce a new Zhu Guo. Therefore, the popularity of the protector in the people is very important for those who want to advance to the pillar government. Along the way, there were protectors and state and county officials who met with Yuan Xingzong at the post station and asked him to leave more of the benefits of the post station's business in the place. Yuan Xingzong also made good connections, accumulated popularity, and prepared for the future march to the Zhuguo Mansion.