Before dawn in the morning, Li Xiao had already woken up.

He used to be unable to sleep in the middle of the night every day, and he couldn't wake up at dawn, but he has slowly adapted to the way of work and rest of this era, and everyone is accustomed to sunrise and sunset.

The people in Lijiazhuang are basically up when the sky is slightly bright, and there will be no one who sleeps lazy. In these years, whether it is a landlord or a foreigner, no matter how rich the family is, sleeping lazily at home will be unanimously despised.

got up and ran a lap, Li Xiao passed by the academy, and then went in for a spin.

Recently, the students of the college have been busy fighting drought while studying. The wasteland behind the academy has been leveled in shape after a few months. The uneven areas have been bulldozed, weeds and shrubs have been removed, and even stones have been picked up.

Originally, this year would be a good grain field, especially with the manure from the toilet in the academy, which can greatly improve the fertility of this wasteland.

Wells dug last year, as well as several ponds dug down the slopes, can also provide the needed water.

However, this year it was too dry, several ponds were almost bottoming out, and several wells in the fields were already deep to the bottom, and it was very laborious to dig a bucket of water.

The well was too deep, and Mr. Yang was discussing with a few craftsmen to prepare a few well cars. The well cart is specially used to draw water from the well, and is more effective than a hand-cranked wheel.

"Now the weather is too dry, the well water is too deep, and the well truck is extremely deep, and a well truck takes a lot of materials and time." An old craftsman said.

In general, in this case, the well car is very unavailable.

"Every well is drilled with a well truck, and it is built as soon as possible, and money is not a problem." Li Xiao is in charge of Old Master Yang.

The wasteland of the academy is only a few dozen acres, basically all of which are mainly cultivated by students, if the students run far away to the Lanxi River to carry water, it will be too difficult for the students, they are only seven or eight years old, even if they are in charge of the house early, they can't work like this.

When the old master talked about the current drought, he was also worried.

"Many of the children have asked for leave to go home to help fight the drought."

Most of the children of farmers in the academy are villagers, and their families are fighting drought with all their might at this time, so they naturally know it.

"They are so young that they can't help much when they go home, so let's let them stay in the academy and study with peace of mind. There is also this wasteland of the academy, usually some small work, you can let them come to exercise, but such things as going to the river to fetch water, forget it. It's all so small, don't wear them out. ”

"This year's drought is very serious." The old master sighed, "Everything was going well, who would have thought that there would be unforeseen circumstances on this day." ”

"People can't control the sky, they can only manage themselves. This year's drought is serious, and many localities are engaged in activities to pray for rain and worship God, and I do not expect this, but rather organize everyone to rationally distribute water sources in a down-to-earth manner, and make joint efforts to complete spring ploughing and protect seeds and water. ”

The people are simple, although there is also a narrow-minded and petty side, but that is also a helpless choice under persecution.

The imperial court can't manage the rural areas, and these places can only be presided over by the ability and prestige like Li Xiao, or the patriarch of those big clans.

In today's situation, Li Xiao feels that it is his responsibility to stand up.

On the other hand, this is also urgently related to his own interests, if the situation cannot be controlled, then the water source will be unevenly distributed, and then his own land will not be able to sow seeds, and it is estimated that there will be insufficient water if he sows seeds. And he also manages the princess's closure this year, which is a large sum of money involving two percent of the princess's food and tax tax, more than 1,000 yuan.

"Well, you have built a cooperative, distributed cattle to the villagers, and now you have a lot of prestige in everyone's hearts, and if you stand up and speak, everyone will definitely be able to listen. However, this matter must also be handled properly, if it is handled well, you will have a higher prestige in the future, but if it is not handled well, everyone will complain about you, and even the previous efforts may be in vain. Old Master Yang agreed with Li Xiao's plan, but also carefully reminded him to be cautious.

For a little water, anything can happen.

Li Xiao's prestige in Lanxi Township is indeed very high, which he has established little by little, although the Li family has a good reputation in the township for several generations, but after Li Xiao came, he built a academy and a cooperative, and borrowed thousands of cattle for everyone to adopt for free, which made Li Xiao now have a reputation in Lanxi.

After receiving a notice from Li Xiao yesterday that he had sent someone to a meeting, the villagers in the neighborhood came as soon as they woke up early this morning.

The nearest one is a few miles away, and the farther one may be twenty or thirty miles away, but everyone is here.

Not only did the 800 households who joined the cooperative and received their cattle come, but the tenants of Li Xiao's family came, and the rest of the people in the township also came, basically all the people up and down the Lanxi River came.

The weather is dry and drought, and the competition for water is inevitable, and at this time, everyone also wants to hear what good arrangements Li Sanlang will have.

Lanxi Township has five miles and thousands of households, which is considered a township with a relatively large population, which is more than the population of a county in some remote places.

According to the Tang system, there were county commanders, county governors, and county lieutenants appointed by the imperial court, and some large counties also had master books, all of which were high-grade officials.

At the commune level, however, there are no official officers.

At the township level, Datang does not even have a township head, but five li per township, one li chief per li, and the five li chiefs take turns to preside over the affairs of the township, assist the county government in managing the township, help collect taxes, arrange Yao service, manage public security, etc.

The chief is just a small official, and he doesn't count as an outsider.

But in the township, it is indeed a real official family, and it is generally held by people from the larger clans in each li.

The situation in Lanxi Township is a little more special now, and everyone doesn't look for the elders when there is something, but they all look at Li Xiao. Who made Li Xiao famous, and he was popular, not only could he enter and leave the county yamen, but also associate with the nobles of Chang'an.

Today, the five Lanxi lieutenant chiefs also came early, and several people gathered together, looking at the neat new village of Lijiazhuang, and looking at the villagers everywhere who stood there, in fact, their hearts were still a little sour.

Although they are all members of powerful clans in the township, when it comes to this appeal and influence, they can't catch up with Li Xiao.

As soon as Li Xiao noticed, everyone came.

The lieutenant in the upper river looked at this lively scene faintly, "Li Sanlang has the prestige of the county envoy." ”

The lieutenant in the river laughed and said, "At the moment of the catastrophe, since Li Sanlang is willing to stand up, this is a good thing, those who can work hard." ”

Although the lieutenant chiefs are not even counted as foreign officials, these lieutenant chiefs are almost all hereditary, and their respective families often hold this position for generations.

There will always be a big drought in Lanxi every few years, and from time to time there will always be a water murder case, but they are quite embarrassed every time, and they can't control the situation at all.