Xue Huai'an nodded and smiled: "If the northwest is up and down, it is Mr. Gao's heart to serve the country, why worry that the northwest is not peaceful?" ”

Gao Lian sighed: "Lord Ministry, it is our blessing to see dignity today. In fact......! When he said this, he suddenly paused, and his face was full of embarrassment and helplessness.

Xue Huai'an asked, "Mr. Gao seems to have something unspeakable?" ”

Gao Lian smiled bitterly: "Lord Ministry, all of you here are dedicated to serving the country, and we are all working hard and want to do our part for the reconstruction of the northwest, but some people have a misunderstanding ...... us!" ”

"Why did Mr. Gao say that?"

Gao Lian said: "Don't hide it from the minister, many people complained about us at the beginning. The grass people do have a granary, and the people there know that once they encounter a famine year, the grass people are also dedicated to disaster relief and never be stingy. My Gao family has been in Qingzhou for several generations, all of them are conscientious, so they have accumulated some family wealth, every brick and tile in the family, even a piece of rice, is my Gao family for several generations of blood and sweat in exchange. ”

Xue Huai'an bowed slightly.

From ancient times to the present, these gentry and eunuchs are indispensable in every dynasty and generation, they seem inconspicuous, but they are an extremely large force, almost all walks of life in the empire, controlling and controlling.

The foundation of the empire is the people, but the hub between the court and the people is these local gentry, and the orders of the court want to be transmitted to all states and provinces for implementation, without which it is almost impossible to carry them out.

If you want to become a gentry, of course, it is impossible to rise suddenly, establish a network of influence in the local area, have huge wealth and influence, naturally it takes several generations to accumulate, and to become a squire, almost all of them have lived in the local area for a long time.

"But some people say that when we are fighting, we local gentry only think about ourselves, are selfish, guard our homes and food, and do not support the army." Gao Lian sighed and said with a wry smile: "Some people even say that we rely on the imperial court to get to where we are today, when the empire is in trouble, we people don't care about the life and death of the empire. ”

As soon as he said this, there were many gentry and nobles in fresh clothes and brocade around him, shaking their heads and sighing, looking at their expressions, it seemed that they had been greatly wronged.

Gao Lian continued: "But how do they know that we are doing this wholeheartedly for the sake of the empire. The grass people dare to ask the adults, now the northwest is rebuilt, the first thing is to restore all industries, Shinong industry and commerce, and the most important thing is that the people rely on to survive, that is, agriculture, the fields are barren, full of gloomy, do not grow food, what to eat? The grass people dare to ask, will the imperial court bring a large amount of grain, enough for the people of the northwest to re-cultivate? ”

At this time, everyone looked at Xue Huai'an.

Xue Huai'an frowned, of course he knew that the first thing in post-war reconstruction is to restore production, the people take food as the sky, and everything comes down to re-cultivating the barren farmland, but to cultivate the farmland, in addition to the tools for cultivation, the most important thing is to have enough grain.

Nowadays, the people of the northwest do not talk about grain seeds, even rations cannot be supplied.

As for the imperial court, Xue Huai'an doesn't think that he can have grain to support the northwest.

The four granaries of the empire, half of which have been empty, the Qingtian King of Hebei is in turmoil, the bandits are raging, the people have fled, the grain harvest has plummeted, the grain in the hands of the imperial court is not only used to pacify the Qingtian King, but now there is a more powerful Tianmen Dao, although Xue Huai'an does not know the specific situation of the household, but his heart is also clear, the northwest to rebuild, it is an extremely difficult thing, the imperial court is afraid that it is difficult to have too much energy to pay attention to the reconstruction of the northwest.

But at this time, in full view of everyone, Xue Huaian could only remain calm and said: "The imperial court will always find a way." ”

"Lord Ministry, the court has the difficulties of the court, and we can all understand it." Gao Lian said awe-inspiringly: "We people have thought of the difficulties of the imperial court early on, so we will keep the grain at the beginning, the grain in my warehouse is not to stay there to be moldy and insects, we are to leave the grain seeds!" ”

Xue Huai'an raised his eyebrows.

Chu Huan saw Gao Lian's awe-inspiring appearance, and listened to his generous statement, but he was very puzzled, according to the meaning of Gao Lian's words, it seemed that he was thinking of taking out the grain in the warehouse as a grain seed, but Chu Huan didn't believe it, these people were really willing to contribute food?

Now in the northwest, grains of rice and gold are extremely precious, and it is indeed unimaginable for these gentry and wealthy to contribute grain that is more expensive than gold, Chu Huan always feels that things will never be so simple.

Xue Huai'an asked with interest at this time: "What does Mr. Gao mean, are you willing to take out the grain as a grain seed?" ”

"Exactly." Gao Lian nodded.

Xue Huai'an glanced around and asked, "You all think like Mr. Gao?" ”

Everyone said: "Lord Ministry, we came this time to discuss this matter with General Yu, but the old general is not in good health, so we want to discuss this matter with the Governor." ”

Zhu Lingyue said with a smile: "Lord Ministry, Mr. Gao, they are indeed here because of this, the lower officials dare not make their own decisions, and the old general is not in good health, I wanted to slow down this matter and see what the court meant, but it happened that the Lord of the Ministry returned triumphantly, and the lower officials wanted to go back and report to the Lord of the Ministry, but Mr. Gao was in a hurry, but today he talked about it at the banquet." Xiang Lian said: "Mr. Gao, today is a reception banquet, and the ministers of the ministry are in the dust, so let's talk about these things later." ”

Gao Lian immediately showed a look of panic, bowed down and said: "Lord Ministry, it is the grass people who are reckless, and please ask your lord to surrender!" ”

Xue Huai'an waved his hand and smiled: "This is a major national event, you are worried about national affairs, you are worried about the country, you should be rewarded, how can you be guilty?" He said to Zhu Lingyue: "Your Excellency, Mr. Gao, if they really have such thoughts, it will be a great thing." If production is not restored and food is not available, the northwest will fall into famine for the next few years. Xiang Gao Lian said: "After I return to Beijing, I will make this matter clear to the saint, but it is just ...... Mr. Gao's food price shouldn't be too high, right? ”

"The price of food?" Gao Lian was stunned.

Xue Huai'an smiled: "Mr. Gao and you will never give away the grain for nothing, right?" ”

Of course, Xue Huai'an didn't believe that these squires would donate grain seeds for free.

After all, he is also a long-time person in the market, these squires can sell grain as a grain seed, it is already very good, Xue Huai'an didn't expect these people to give away grain for nothing, but not in return.

When Gao Lian heard this, he already smiled and said: "What the Lord of the Ministry said is exactly what our grain does not need a tael of silver from the imperial court!" ”

Xue Huai'an was really stunned this time, even Chu Huan also felt incredible.

Xue Huai'an is a scholar of the Ministry of Rites, an important minister of the imperial court, and at this time at a banquet of hundreds of people, of course Gao Lian didn't have the courage to joke, but what he said was incredible.

Could it be that these gentry and wealthy men are really the reincarnation of living bodhisattvas to save the common people?

If there are three or two such characters coming out, it is already surprising, but there are many gentry here, if they are really living Bodhisattvas, there are too many real Bodhisattvas.

Xue Huai'an was stunned for a moment, and finally said: "Mr. Gao, this official usually likes to talk and laugh, but ...... This is a matter of state, and there is no room for half a joke! ”

"How dare the grass people joke about state affairs." Gao Lian hurriedly said: "What the grass people said is true, and it is also the result of the discussion of everyone here, and I will never dare to have the slightest joke." ”

"Good!" Xue Huai'an immediately clapped his hands, "Mr. Gao, your loyalty to the empire is already clear to this official, and if the Holy Lord knows, he will definitely reward you greatly." Raising his glass, "Come, ladies and gentlemen, I salute you for your sincerity!" He was really a little excited at this time, Xiliang envoy, although he did not marry back to the princess of Xiliang, but what should be done is almost completed, it is a lot of credit, if this time the problem of resuming production in the northwest is solved, even if it is not the first credit in this matter, but after all, he participated, and he also had a share of his own credit, and it must be a great thing to return to Beijing with double credit.

Gao Lian hurriedly got up and said, "Lord Ministry, the grass people's words haven't been finished yet!" ”

Chu Huan sneered, knowing that things were not that simple.

Xue Huai'an was still in high spirits, but when he heard Gao Lian say this, he suddenly calmed down and said with a smile: "You go on!" ”

Gao Lian didn't say it directly, but looked at Zhu Lingyue.

Zhu Lingyue coughed, and then smiled at Xue Huai'an: "Lord Ministry, what Mr. Gao means, they are also big families, with many families, and there are also domestic servants and helpers, all of whom want to eat. ”

Xue Huai'an said: "Governor Zhu, if you have anything to say, speak openly and honestly. ”

"That's right, they mean, they are willing to give grain as food, and they can let the people cultivate it." Zhu Lingyue said with a smile: "It's just that they have a request, how much grain to give, how much land to rent!" ”

Xue Huai'an didn't understand for a while, frowned and asked, "What does this mean?" ”

"After the war in the northwest, especially Xiguan Road, it was barren everywhere, and the states were burned and looted." Zhu Lingyue sighed: "Mr. Gao, they have come up with a method, they are willing to provide grain seeds to cultivate in Xiguan Road, and they don't need a tael of silver from the imperial court, they only hope to wait until the grain harvest is harvested to get a part of the harvest." ”

After all, Xue Huai'an is also a person with brains, so he understood, looked at Gao Lian, and asked, "What does Mr. Gao mean?" ”

Gao Lian said: "Everything is still up to the master of the ministry." After the harvest, in addition to paying the taxes of the imperial court, we are willing to pay the livelihood of the people who cultivate the rest of the grain, so that they can have enough food and clothing, and will never let the northwest appear like a famine. ”

Xue Huai'an stroked his long beard, looked calm, and said: "This official understands, Mr. Gao and everyone here are preparing to collect rent and receive Xiguan Dao, I don't know if what this official said is right?" ”