The emperor's guard of honor set off from Jinan, all the way south through Zaozhuang, Xuzhou, Suzhou, Bengbu and finally arrived at Fengyang. After paying homage to their ancestors at the imperial mausoleum, the brigade was going to Nanjing. The Fengyang Imperial Mausoleum is the tomb of Taizu's parents, brother and sister-in-law, and Taizu's tomb is in Nanjing Xiaoling.

Fengyang, as a companion capital, is exempted from all kinds of taxes, but because of the inconvenient transportation and barren land, the people's living standards are not high. And Zhu Yuanzhang's relocation of the surrounding wealthy families to Fengyang did not change this phenomenon. On the contrary, because Zhu Yuanzhang overhauled the imperial mausoleum here, the tomb of the fourteen concubines, Longxing Temple, etc., so that other people from Huaixi also occupied the land to build tombs here, so that the trees were cut down on a large scale, and the surrounding areas of Fengyang gradually became barren mountains and bald mountains, the forests were damaged, the lakes were silted, the Huai River was often flooded, and the people were not able to live under frequent floods, and the population continued to lose or die and flood.

Therefore, there are flower drums among the folk who sing: "Since Zhu Yuanzhang was beaten, there have been nine years of famine in ten years." This sentence is of course related to the fact that the wealthy families who were forced to move out want to return to their hometowns, but it also explains the real situation in Fengyang to a certain extent.

Zhu Youxiao decided to conduct an investigation in Fengyang, so after paying homage to the imperial tomb on the first day, he stayed. After breakfast the next day, he changed into civilian clothes and took Wei Zhongxian and Duan Ying to the west.

The three of them came to a small hill and saw a village under the hill, Zhu Youxiao said with a smile: "Let's take a look here, I am a student who entered Beijing for the examination, one of you is an old servant, and the other is a lady." ”

Duan Ying said: "In this way, others will think that it is wrong, whoever goes to the capital to take the exam now will bring a lady, at most only a maid ring." ”

Zhu Youxiao said with a smile: "Then it's Yahuan, you don't look like you're sixteen or seventeen years old, and it's very appropriate to pretend to be Yahuan." ”

Duan Ying's face was slightly red, she has been practicing martial arts, and she has maintained it well after entering the palace, although she is now the mother of two children, but with Zhu Shu'e, she is better than two sisters than mother and daughter. Now when I hear my husband laughing, I am happy and a little shy.

The three of them entered the village, saw the dilapidated houses, and then recalled the rows of high-rise mansions they had just seen near the imperial tomb, and couldn't help but feel that this was not in the same place, and there would be such a big difference.

Zhu Youxiao saw a few children playing in the mud and an old man basking in the sun next to him, so he stepped forward and said: "Hello old man, Xiao Kenai is from Anxian County, go to Beijing to catch the exam, and pass by here." May I ask my husband, isn't this the capital accompanied? Why can't you see the prosperity of the capital so much? ”

The old man opened his eyes and looked at them and said, "If you want to see the prosperity of Companion Yang, you should go to Nanjing to see it, or you go to the east, where it can be regarded as Companion Capital." We can't be counted as accompaniments here. ”

Zhu Youxiao said: "The entire Fengyang Mansion is the central capital, but this is under the rule of Fengyang Mansion?" ”

The old man sighed and said, "Yes, Fengyang Mansion is indeed the central capital, but first a large number of rich families moved in, and others were not allowed to return to their hometowns. Then a large number of powerful people occupied land, and the trees had to be cut down, and as a result, Nanjing became a companion capital, which was closed and poor, and the money pulled by the imperial court went into the pockets of the farmers, but it was all used up, and it became this immortal appearance. ”

Wei Zhongxian asked: "Uncle, the imperial court has pulled out the money, why don't you repair the road, so that the special products in it can also be transported out, I see that the fruit trees on your mountain are still growing very well." ”

The old man said: "Who wants to take out the money that goes into their pockets, and still do things that are beneficial to everyone." How many people have such a vision? ”

Zhu Youxiao asked: "I heard that money is sent down every year, why is it still so poor here, is it corruption above?" ”

The old man said: "Actually, the prefect is good, every year the money sent by the imperial court is made public with Lubu, I see, it is the money sent by the imperial court that causes the trouble, this money makes the people of Fengyang starve to death, but they raise a group of lazy people, spend their days every day, go everywhere, plant a few acres of land and don't serve well, you can build roads outside to make money, and you are not willing to suffer that hardship, and it turned out to be like this." If the court doesn't pay money, and you are hungry, you will naturally look for a job to do. ”

Zhu Youxiao's heart was tight, he was now preparing to learn the welfare system of the West in the future, first exempting agricultural taxes, then giving benefits to the poor, and finally making everyone not rush to eat for food. Now I heard the old man say that the court sent money to get this result, and it seems that this matter will be discussed in the long run.

Wei Zhongxian said: "Old man, there are many laws promulgated by the Holy God today, do you know here?" ”

The old man said: "Why don't you know, to put it mildly, our emperor is really a good person, promulgating so many good laws, let the people in the government preach them to us one by one." But we are too poor here, but we are still quiet, and there is no quarrel. ”

Wei Zhongxian said: "Can the "Private Property Protection Law" be implemented smoothly? ”

The old man said: "This little old man doesn't know, but we are all poor here, and we have never heard of such a thing as occupying land." ”

Zhu Youxiao asked, "Is there a school here?" ”

The old man said: "Two miles away from here, there is a school, which is very well built, but there are not many people in the school, and ordinary men are reluctant to let their children go to school. ”

Zhu Youxiao nodded, and said, "Uncle, we drank your water, and there is a silver coin here, a little reward." ”

The old man said: "How can this make the township drink saliva and ask for money, then everyone has to point to the little old man's spine and scold, the guest officer must not do this." ”

Wei Zhongxian must give it, but the old man must not give it, and in the end, the old man will not give up until he gets angry. On the way to the school, Wei Zhongxian kept sighing that although he was poor here, he was a good person, and he regarded money as dung, but Zhu Youxiao said: "I'd rather they see money, as long as they live a little more satisfactory." ”

Duan Ying said: "When the concubine went in, she saw a broken stove in the house, a bed of cotton wool, and cotton wool was exposed, and the days were really hard." ”

Zhu Youxiao said: "I heard the old man say that he has a son, so he can't enter the nursing home, but his life is much worse than that of the nursing home." It is really hateful that the old man is so angry that he is paid according to the person every year. ”

Wei Zhongxian said: "I just asked the children next to me, and the adults of their family went to play pai gow." Such a good time, not knowing how to take care of the fields, but going to play, such a person is not poor, it is really unreasonable. ”