In the devastated Jinguan City after the fire, many families have hung white flags to commemorate their dead family members; And when people stand on the sub-city and look at it, it seems that there are a lot of frost-stained spots out of thin air.

And between the cities, those houses that were set on fire by the Dongchuan army before the defeat were like pieces of ugly dysentery, scattered in the once exquisite and prosperous, rich and beautiful Jinguan City.

But compared with those ordinary people outside the high city walls, the people in this Tai (Waiguo) city are still relatively lucky. Because in the vast suburbs outside the east and north gates of Chengdu, the Qiang soldiers from Yazhou and other places are "collecting" their Qinwang's payment.

Because, at present, the small court and the line could not come up with enough rewards and rewards to drive them away, and let them temporarily eat and supply in the countryside.

As a result, these Qiang soldiers, who had previously slaughtered and gathered from the battlefield, broke into the villages, townships, and towns near Chengdu in groups, happily shouting "Rewarded" and snatching everything they could see and see.

For a time, the roads outside the city were full of bottles, cans, cloth rolls, boxes, and fur hats and beast clothes that were constantly being carried back and forth. During this period, the cries of countless children of the people shook the sky, even if they lived in the garden deep in the inner side of the sub-city, they had heard it.

However, as the great hero of King Qin's rescue, and the most powerful person in the city, Tian Lingzi, who has returned to the left privy envoy and lieutenant of Shence and the envoy of the Xuanhui Academy, and Chen Jingxuan, the envoy of Xichuan Jiedu, are in full swing planning another thing.

"This life-and-death juncture has finally passed, and now the Holy Lord has already promised to train the remnants of the various armies into the new army of Shence. You should know how to do it next. ”

The puffiness on his face has almost subsided, and he has returned to Tian Lingzidao, who is kind and kind.

"Eldest brother, don't worry, I will open the secret vault of the inner government and the mansion to ensure that all the expenses of the eldest brother are safe."

Chen Jingxuan also nodded hurriedly in response.

"This is not enough, act in a humble manner, at least save some face with the Holy Lord; In this way, even if there is a trace of omission, it is said that we are waiting for the net worth to serve the country. ”

Tian Lingzi continued to mention

"In addition, what should be covered and scraped off in the city is also scraped off, and nothing can be done to my generation; And within the line, in addition to the Holy Lord and the kings, it can also be reduced and reduced as appropriate, and it can be regarded as a time when everyone goes to the difficult time together. ”

Of course, as the chief eunuch of the Great Interior, who is in charge of the tributes and offerings in the interior and abroad and in various places, how could he not come up with sufficient rewards. It's just that compared to using this money to pacify the outside of the city, those barbarian soldiers who are not educated and only know the interests are quickly transformed into their own strong evidence of force, which is the right thing for everything.

"I understand, this is going to sell those other businesses and pavilions in Xishan and Qingcheng at a discount, so that they won't be left behind."

Chen Jingxuan suddenly understood.

Then, the news of a messenger who was brought in afterwards made Tian Lingzi's face twitch, and then he said to Chen Jingxuan with a smile:

"That's Gao Renhou, it's really benevolent. You've chosen a good general. ”

"Big brother! How do you say this? ”

Chen Jingxuan couldn't help but be dumbfounded

"This new Dongchuan stays behind, but on the grounds of local fatigue, he asks to postpone it for some time before he can make progress."

Tian Lingzi continued to smile.

"It's only a mere 100,000 yuan of wealth, and he can't take it out, so if he gets the right honor in the future, won't he have to help him with a family or two."

"How can this be reasonable, I will immediately go to the book to reprimand this ungrateful man, and then summon all the soldiers and horses of Xichuan."

Chen Jingxuan immediately became colorful.

"No, no, don't reprimand him, but you have to send someone to praise and praise him, his benevolence and love for the people. It's better to make it known to all. ”

Tian Lingzi smiled brighter and brighter.

"It's just that the rules of action are going to change. Send someone to appease those Qiang soldiers first, and it will be useful in the future. No, you can go for yourself."

- I'm the dividing line -

In Fangzhou, in the upper reaches of Kongyang Water in Shangyong County, Du Xunhe, a former Jingzhao student sitting on a swaying ox cart, also arrived at a branch of Tunzhuang under the local camp with this newly dispatched team. But it is very different from the decadent or desolate villages that you encounter by chance along the way.

It is not a low, dilapidated wooden fence that can barely hold out wild beasts, but a chest-high rammed earth fence, filled with carefully cut wooden stakes of equal size, nailed together with thick primary-color plates, which are full of height and reassuring.

The communal barn was filled with yellow and bright new wheat, and there were sturdy wood and rammed-earth houses everywhere, not the thatched nests that were mostly dug out of the ground. The cracks under the siding, pillars and cornices are also stuffed and painted pale gray with a thick mixture of mud to make them look windproof and warm.

Although the few Zhuang people who came and went were still emaciated, their faces were not hungry and discolored; The gestures are also uplifting and energetic, and the utensils in hand are almost all shiny ironwork.

Chickens and ducks are kept in captivity under the porch and fence of every house, and many large livestock activities can be seen in the farmland, and there are goats and piglets in some homes; Outside the house hung strings of wind-cured and smoked fish, and below were stacks of old tall forage and half-buried jars of wine sauce and salted vegetables;

It just so happened that it was dinner time, and smoke rose from the chimneys of every house. What a quiet and peaceful view of the village. And after their identities were verified, they were also led to the largest building in the village, and there were still traces of the original landlord's mansion in the courtyard of the public office and the ancestral hall.

Here, the villagers gathered with the sound of knocking boards have already piled up stoves and pots in the open air, and poured the rice and noodles from each family into the boiling soup.

"Pick the biggest. Don't be reluctant.,Think about who gave these things.。。 ”

The lame old man who was in charge of receiving them was also full of energy, shaking his staff and shouting at the women who came out to help with the cooking.

"It's too much, and if you can't eat it, it's wasted. There is a quota for everything. ”

The leader with a broad face and wide eyebrows hurriedly refused.

But he still couldn't stand the obvious enthusiasm of the old man, who instructed the women to use all kinds of wind-cured chickens and fish from home, and stuffed the steaming drawer of the common pot of stew, and piled up the edge a palm-high. Only then did he cover the shroud with satisfaction, and said while fiddling with the thick pieces of firewood:

"Then take it on the road, you go down to the remote countryside, you may not be hungry and full of food, listen to me must be right."

So Du Xunhe and the others who ate this meal were oily at the corners of their mouths, and they kept burping their throats and eyes when they touched their stomachs; He only hated that he had drunk too much thirst-quenching soup before, and secretly ate the dried bean buns he brought; Even if he has been in Chang'an for so many years, he feels that he has never eaten so full.

Especially the stewed rice in the pot, and poured through the thick oil and gravy that dripped down after steaming, without any flavors and side dishes, it is simply the most delicious meal in the world.

However, in the end, the team leader did not want to take advantage of Zhuangzi too much, in addition to routinely signing the reception slip according to the head, he also gave a few more cloth tickets that could be received at the sight of the supply and marketing cooperatives as a discount, which was registered in the public book.

Then, at night, they lit the portable lamps and candles they brought, and with the help of the tables in the ancestral temple, they set up Kai in the courtyard, and began to read them to the gathered villagers, and brought the latest information and new measures and other publicity materials on the copy. Of course, this is mainly the task of Du Xunhe, the most literate reader.

After they dispersed, the team leader took out the pamphlets distributed by the Taiping Army and took turns to preach and study among them. It wasn't until the first louder and again sang "Taiping New Song" that Du Xunhe was able to close his eyes and fall asleep in the dark.

On the morning of the second day, after waking up from the knocking of the board at work, Du Xunhe, who was still a little confused, also followed the group, and some clumsily packed up the tables and straw mats that had been spread out in the public office and ancestral temple where he was staying, and then tied them up and erected them aside. Immediately, I was sweating and slowly woke up.

By the time he squeezed into the crowd of people wearing sweat towels, scooping water with tin food boxes, and grinding his teeth with his fingers dipped in the dregs of tea stalks, and finished a simple forehead wash, the breakfast outside was already ready.

Although it is a simple large pot of mixed rice porridge and cakes that are dried under the stove, a lot of dried potatoes and melon strips are added, and the rice porridge with the bottom dish left from last night is thick enough to stick to the chopsticks; The stickers are also baked with minced salt vegetables, which is salty and fragrant. Then roll a handful of frozen crispy raw green onions, and eat it with dipping sauce is still quite delicious.

During this period, you can even see some elderly villagers, who do not care about their old age and sprinkle and wipe in the public house, if someone wants to come forward to help or do it for them, it is as if they have been insulted and wronged, and they complain loudly on the spot.

"This is the glory of labor advocated by the Metropolitan Governor's Office. Regardless of the old, the young, women and children, as long as they can understand it, they must work to have a basic food in their mouths. ”

The good-looking team leader said to Du Xunhe, who was a little at a loss.

"The Taiping Army has been a little more prosperous in recent years, but the missionary gentleman from above has also said it very clearly; The food that these people have worked so hard to grow is not used to feed lazy people and promote the atmosphere of getting something for nothing. ”

"Naturally, more work and more rewards is where all the right thing lies, if the output of the people in the village can exceed the average line of the year, and even the share of grain can be reduced as appropriate, and the more prolific the family will be reduced, the more it will be reduced."

After the breakfast had been followed by a simple exercise and a re-singing of the "Song of the Boy's Self-improvement", they had all packed up their belongings and led the ox carts and other pack animals out of the yard, only to find that someone had already gathered outside the gate of the village before them.

But it was some children with horns or braids, each wearing a plain cloth jacket (waistcoat) with crooked words written on it, and then began to line up and count points unevenly, and finally went out under the opening of the small flag in the lead.

"And why is that?"

Du Xunhe suddenly asked again in surprise.

"These boys are going to live in the children's camp in the center of the village. As long as you work for half a day and practice for half a day, you will be given food, and you will learn to read and count at night; It took five days to come back. But we just happened to run into it. ”

The captain patiently explained to him again.

Only then did Du Xunhe notice that since he moved into this village, he had not seen other ordinary villages, where naked children of both men and women were mixed among those skinny free-range pigs, sheep, chickens and ducks, playing with the mud all over the ground.

"Cang Liao knows etiquette and knows honor and disgrace when he has enough food and clothing."

At this moment, he suddenly burst into his heart with a sentence "Pipe." The Pastoralist".