The people who were busy outside turned their backs, but the Planning and Statistics Department drank mint water for five days with the door closed, the black-clothed guards guarded outside, and all those who wanted to talk to Chen Jian were blocked outside. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

As soon as it was dawn in the morning, I saw the dozens of young men enter the room, and after dark, there was a glimmer of oil lamps inside, and they left in the middle of the night, each holding a large pile of wooden tablets, and before they had time to tie them with leather, they were connected together with hemp rope.

Every night a new order came out of it.

On the first day, the cooks of the various workshops were gathered, and at the same time the people of the transportation department were ordered to suspend the delivery of grain from the Aushiro warehouse, and instead demanded that all kinds of tools, stones, and timber from the upper reaches be transported within five days.

The next day, the men of the Smelting Division were asked to temporarily merge with the Construction Division, and to build a wall to separate the various thatched huts that had been built before from the cities to be built; Only two brick-making workshops remained, and the rest all stopped, one continued to burn red bricks, and the other dug a small canal to connect with the river, saying that it would burn different bricks in the future, and it would have to be watered inside.

On the third day, Xia Cheng asked all the old countrymen mobilized by Xia Cheng to go to the Planning and Statistics Department in groups of thirty according to the workshop division, and determine the person in charge of each workshop department according to the previous merits and labor time.

On the fourth day, a rough plan of the living quarters of Yucheng was sent, and the construction and smelting divisions were required to measure the foundations first after merging, and the foundation range of the 300 houses next to each other was determined in a row of 20 houses of almost the same size.

On the fifth day, half of the people in the logging department were dismissed and assigned to the rest of the workshop divisions, and the rest were assigned to the transport division, which was mainly responsible for transporting timber purchased from upstream and coal from the mines. In the evening, the masons of the construction division went to learn how to build a coal stove, and unlike burning firewood, there must be a ventilation gap underneath so that it can be burned completely.

Chen Jian had said before that all the problems would be discussed in five days, and the people outside easily knew what they should do, and when they wanted to do things well, they received a message from the black-clothed guard.

All the people of Lao Xia City, who held a sixth-rank official rank and had jurisdiction over more than 200 people, arranged the affairs within two days, and prepared to study and discuss some things, and the black-clothed guards who passed the message called it a meeting.

Many complaints have turned into a wide spread among the old people of Xia City, and since there is a planning department, there will be seven days in ten days......

Complaining is complaining, and I can't help but go unavoided, and after arranging the tasks within two days, all the old countrymen above the sixth rank arrived in an open area early in the morning, because there were not so many people sitting in the room.

One person holds a few large pieces of wood and charcoal in his hand, and those who can't write and those who can write sit together, and in groups of four or five, they squat in the open air.

In the distance were the black-clad guards, forbidden to anyone, including the children of the rest of the city.

Less than 100 people sat in a circle, and Chen Jian was in the circle, counting the number of people according to the wooden slip, and let everyone quiet down.

"As soon as I assigned the task, I called you over, and everyone must be reluctant. I know that, so I'll cut it short and try to finish it in two days. ”

"Mainly talk about a few things. Recently, I have heard a lot of complaints and dissatisfaction, and it can be said that I don't understand. The rules of our Xia City are like this, if you don't understand anything, just ask, know why you want to do it, so that you can do it well. ”

"The first thing is about our exchange with the rest of the cities. Some people say that we can harvest and grow our own hemp and make these things like wood and linen by ourselves. There are also people who say that we should not sell the bronze to the rest of the cities, and that now that the cities are strong, we should unite with the cities near the Caohe River and rely on the advantages of the bronze chariots to obtain slaves, and force them to submit to the tribute instead of using this method of exchange. There are not a few people who think this way, right? ”

The people below were not pretending, knowing Jian Chen's temperament, as soon as the words fell, several people shouted: "That's how it is." There is so much wood nearby, all over the mountain, the smelting division is still digging pits, and there is no copper mine nearby, there is no shadow of iron smelting now, and I don't know how long it will take to eat in vain, this is a pit that is not filled, it is better to let the people of the smelting department go to cut wood. ”

"That's right, a good bronze is exchanged for wood, and we can't pick wood, there are them nearby. We also don't agree with the exchange of bronze, Ji Xia said that the relatives are harmonious, in fact, everyone knows that the relatives are not fighting all day long? Last winter, if there was really harmony between relatives and clans, then why did the alliance come to this? In the future, when there is a real fight, they will use our bronze weapons to kill our Xiacheng people, and I feel uncomfortable when I think about it. ”

"Even if it is a kinship, it must be divided into large and small, we don't treat them as slaves, they pay tribute and submit some food and goods and furs every year, just like we deal with those settlements in the west of Xia City, why can't we?"

"When Yucheng was built, the Chinese people didn't agree very much, but if Ji Xia thought far, we didn't object."

"I've been thinking about telling Ji Xia for a long time, and since Ji Xia asked today, I just took this opportunity to pour it out. It's not a few of us who think so, a lot of people think so. ”

After the man finished speaking, he sat down angrily, and Jian Chen asked, "How many people think so?" Let me see. ”

Half of the more than 100 people expressed their support for that person's words, and half of them supported Chen Jian, and most of them were because of Chen Jian's prestige and consistent correctness.

Chen Jian was not annoyed, and asked with a smile: "According to your intentions, we should nest in Xia City, catch slaves everywhere, expand the copper smelting furnace, and send them to slaves without exchanging them with foreign countries." We don't have to work, we just let the slaves work, right? ”

That's what these people thought and nodded, "Yes, that's it." ”

Jian Chen asked rhetorically, "What about the slave's resistance?" ”

"We don't work, but that doesn't mean we don't train. There are thousands of people in our summer city, if they are all trained like black-clothed guards, and they are always in charge of 100,000 slaves, right? Whoever disobeys is killed. ”

Chen Jian nodded and said: "What you said seems to be reasonable, but let me ask you something, let's not talk about how to catch these 100,000 slaves, just say that if there are really 100,000 slaves to work, are you willing to lie down every day, drink wine, eat meat, sleep female slaves, listen to plays, walk birds and lackeys?" Or would you rather run to line up and fight before dawn every day and dance your bow and sword? ”

The man stiffened his neck and said, "Anyway, I can, it is the duty of our people to fight for the city, and it is also for us to live a better life......"

The crowd laughed, the man's face was a little unbearable, and Jian Chen smiled: "Then even if you can guarantee that you don't enjoy the hard training every day, what about your son?" What about your juniors? ”

"Just like Ji Song, every day I feel that everyone is a good person, everyone does according to the rules, everything is good, and there is no more strife. You don't have the same brains as him, do you? ”

Speaking of the people and stories that were familiar to the city, everyone laughed kindly again: although they thought that Ji Song was a little stupid, there was nothing they did not admire. It's one thing to admire, it's another thing to believe, it's another thing to really do what he does.

When everyone finished laughing, Chen Jian pointed to his head and said: "Since we are all the rulers of the city, and the city is mine and yours, then we must always remember, don't try to make everyone think the same, everyone is a gentleman, that is the easiest way to rule, and that is also the most impossible way." Isn't it ridiculous to extrapolate the future from an impossible thing? ”

"You have overcome all the obstacles, and you know the hardships of the first construction of the city, and you may be able to persevere. But our children and grandchildren have not experienced these hardships, will they understand? Relying on the rules, can they really practice hard every day and not enjoy life? ”

"When our children and grandchildren can't dance bows and arrows, and only know how to walk the birds, why should we suppress these 100,000 slaves? When the time comes, they don't even want to fight, let this group of slaves go to war, give them swords, why should they still be slaves? Why do they listen to us as a matter of course? ”

"When the time comes, our children and grandchildren will become slaves and be slaughtered, but I am afraid that there will be no one to sacrifice us. Is this what you want? ”

"To put it mildly, now that you are doing well, people are lazy and want to enjoy life."

"To put it more seriously, the people who think this way are actually digging the foundation of our Xia City again, so that we will cut off the sacrifice of our descendants in the future!"

After saying something that couldn't be heavier, a circle of people all lowered their heads, and Jian Chen asked, "Think about it, am I right?" Why do you think the rules can be maintained? Why do you think that with the support of slaves, our children and grandchildren can wake up before dawn and line up to fight in a military battle like us? ”

"Who can guarantee that? If it can't be done, and the children and grandchildren will be reduced to slaves, who will bear this responsibility? Who can afford it? ”

This time, no one stood up, and the person who was holding his neck before also admitted his mistake: "It's that I thought it was too simple." But I'm really not thinking about cutting off our sacrifices......"

Chen Jian waved his hand and said, "It's a good thing that you can change your mistakes." Speaking of slaves, what do we raise slaves for? In order for each slave to produce 1,000 catties of grain every year, we will feed them 200 catties and take 800 catties ourselves. After all, it's about deprivation, am I right? ”

"Isn't there only one way to deprive slaves? Is there only one way to hold swords and clubs and make the slaves resentful? ”

"If you want me to say, there's more than that. Our minds should move away from only keeping slaves. ”

"I'll tell you something first, let's hear it. The copper smelting furnace in our summer city can produce 200 catties of copper per day, which is 60,000 catties a year. From mining and transportation to smelting and molding, at most it required 800 slaves. ”

"These 670,000 catties of copper can be exchanged for 6 or 7 million catties of grain in other cities, and these 6,700 catties of grain require 8,000 slaves."

"You have all learned simple arithmetic, sixty or seventy thousand catties of copper, which is equal to six or seven million catties of grain, right?"

Everyone nodded, they could still figure this out, this is the lowest trading price of copper, it is the price in the city, and it is even more expensive to transport it outside.

Chen Jian said again: "Then 670,000 catties of copper is equivalent to 800 slaves working for a year." Six or seven million catties of grain is equivalent to 8,000 slaves working for a year. That's right, right? ”

"So here's the problem. Eight hundred slaves on one side and eight thousand slaves on the other, but the things exchanged were reciprocal. I would like to ask you, where did the 7,200 slaves who were sent to work for a year go? ”

As soon as the words fell, the entire venue was like a bowl of water poured into a hot copper pot filled with grease, and it was chaotic, and the black-clothed guards on guard in the distance thought something had happened, and clenched their weapons one by one, until they saw Chen Jian standing there in a good manner, and turned around again.

This question is extremely terrifying, which makes these people who understand that one plus one equals two are the truth of heaven and earth instantly confused, indeed, where did the seven thousand two hundred slaves go?

After waiting for a while, everyone quieted down and looked at Jian Chen in unison, hoping that their leader would give them an explanation, Jian Chen shook his head and said, "I don't know where I went." But I know that the 7,200 slaves are not ours, but the things produced by the 7,200 slaves are ours. Right? ”

This brings us back to the question we just asked: Do we raise slaves for the sake of the slaves themselves? Or do you want those things that slaves produce? ”

This time the question was not difficult to answer, and everyone said in unison: "Of course, it is for what the slaves produce." ”

Chen Jian clapped his hands and praised: "That's right! It's for what slaves produce. So these 7,200 slaves, whether we raise them or the rest of the cities, aren't they all the same? ”

Everyone laughed, and someone shouted at the top of their voices, "It's different." We also save the slaves from eating, and we don't have to worry about them resisting! It's like the woman who was reprimanded by Redfish last time, eating a faint man's meal, but sleeping with someone else. The guy who slept with her was for a certain piece of meat on her, not for her whole person, right? ”

"Hahahaha......"

The atmosphere was suddenly enlivened, and Jian Chen was also out of breath with a smile, and only after a while did he suppress his hand and tell everyone to stop laughing.

"Although I talk all day long about the harmony of the relatives and the harmony of the relatives, in fact, you think that the slaves of the relatives are working for their masters? Or are you working for us? We want what slaves produce, but we don't have to bear the reputation of beating and slaughtering slaves, don't you want this kind of good thing? Do you want a beautiful woman to sleep with or to raise her? ”

As soon as the slightly sexist joke was told, many of the women sitting around were a little dissatisfied, laughing and scolding a few times but accepting the truth.

After Chen Jian and the others accepted this crooked reasoning, he continued: "Why do I want to exchange bronze, ridge and other methods? For the same 7,200 slaves who we have quietly stolen are not the same as those that are ploughed by oxen on ridges. Now it's six or seven million catties, and in the future, when I go back to the ridge for cattle farming, that's one or two million catties, can it be the same? ”

"Besides, if we don't let them have those tools, and don't let them produce so much grain, who will we sell so many goods to the Smelting Division and the Dyeing and Spinning Division in the future? If we can't sell it, how can we steal slaves from other cities when they are produced? ”

"According to the previous method of burning and sowing seeds, in another three years, our copper will not be able to exchange for things. Why? Because they can't afford to change it. How can I get them to change? Then we have to let them produce more linen cloth and food, so that they can exchange extra things with us, and we will exchange more and more things. ”

"Just like those settlements in the west of our summer city, they can only exchange some furs, and they can't take out anything else, so I'm afraid our copper smelting furnace has been dismantled now! Right? ”

This time, the following spontaneously applauded, and those who opposed Chen Jian before were embarrassed to admit their mistake, and Chen Jian took advantage of the opportunity when everyone's minds did not go around: "Isn't it just 100,000 slaves? Three years! Within three years, our Yucheng will be able to steal 100,000 slaves from the rest of the city, and we don't need to raise these slaves! Do you believe it or not? ”

"Faith!"

More than 100 people shouted in unison, and Jian Chen said mysteriously: "You, one by one, your eyes are staring at this little thing near Xia Cheng, and if you want me to say that you are not ambitious. ”

"The countless lands of Dongyi, Beidi, Nanban, and Xirong will all use the rules of our Xia City, the words of Xia City, the language of Xia City, and the sacrifices of Xia City in the future. When the time comes, even if I want to control you, I won't be able to control you, and when you make a mistake and I send someone to arrest you, it may have been three or five years. ”

"Even if you make a mistake, I know it, and I'll send someone to arrest you. You calculate, hey, two thousand miles apart, Ji Xia can only send one or two hundred troops over at most, and no matter how much logistics supply is over, then what am I afraid of? Take people and do these two hundred people! ”

"So, even if you want to rebel in the future, you have to be able to count and understand the military formation, right? Isn't it a joke to meet people who don't have a good brain, know that they have made a mistake, are two thousand miles apart, have no roads, are difficult to pass, but also run away in disgrace? If there is such a fool, I will not ask you first, but I will hang up the gentleman who taught you arithmetic and military formation, and beat him first! How is this taught? ”

Everyone laughed, knowing that this was a joke, but they also knew that Jian Chen had always put some dark things out of the way, and no one dared to guarantee that he would be so obedient when the time came.

"Don't laugh, what do you think I'm giving you knighthood for? Is it to take care of this little summer city Yucheng? ”

"If you can be a fifth-class official in Yucheng, if you want me to say that you can manage a land within a radius of 800 miles; If you can do the sixth class, you can manage three or four hundred miles of land. ”

"From the East China Sea, which you have never heard of, to the source of the great river you have imagined, such a vast land, are you still afraid that you will not be able to separate you?

"When the time comes, it is clear that you are the officials of Xia City, but in fact you are the leader of the hundreds of miles in radius, isn't it better than caring about dozens of slaves in a family?"

"If you want to be a good leader, you won't be overthrown by the people below and kill all your heirs, you have to learn. If you don't learn well, you won't learn how to manage people and how to balance resistance and deprivation, and when the time comes, when you really want to divide it out, give you a piece of land within a radius of hundreds of miles, that is not good for you, it is harmful to you. When the time comes, there will be a riot below, and Xia Cheng won't be able to help you even if he wants to help you too far. ”

A bowl of chicken blood was poured down, and Jian Chen pointed to his head and said, "Think about it, what did you steal the 7,200 slaves you stole from?" ”

"By what? the head! Knowledge! Learn! ”

"Now you do not learn, you have no knowledge, you do not know how to count, and in the future your slaves will be stolen by the rest of the cities, and you will not only not know, but you will thank the other cities for exchanging with you!"

"If you want to steal slaves from other cities, you have to be more knowledgeable than other cities, and you have to learn. Whoever learns more and learns well will steal from others; If you don't learn well, you can only be stolen by others......"

The vulgar and simple words continued to attract bursts of laughter and approval, starting from the simplest thoughts, Chen Jian explained to these people little by little the truths they might understand, drew a big pie, and made promises, so that the complaints accumulated before because of incomprehension were resolved little by little.

When Yucheng was at its busiest, Chen Jian spent two whole days telling these people a lot of things, with only one purpose, to unify their thinking and work towards the same goal - not for others, but for their own interests to maximize and permanent.

For two days, his voice was hoarse, in exchange for many applause and laughter, if it weren't for the fact that Chen Jian's voice was completely speechless the next evening, these people still refused to disperse.

In the end, Hongyu helped Chen Jian, whose voice was already hoarse like a bellows, back to the house, pinched his waist and dispersed the people who were still asking Chen Jian some questions back to sleep.

Chen Jian, who was about to enter the room, took one last look at the group of people, listened to what they had heard before the group of three or five was still discussing, smiled slightly, and lay on the wooden bed to let the red fish wake him up at dawn tomorrow morning, and fell asleep without waiting to take off his clothes. (To be continued.) )