Deng She, Wu Henian, He Guangxiu, Shi Sanqian and other people walked forward. There are wheat fields on both sides of the road, and there are seven or eight miles of land, and a village appears in front of you. Deng She was on the horse, and he put his hand on the pergola and looked into the distance, and saw that there were two big trees at the head of the village, which were lush and green. It's late March, and the foliage is already very lush.

Deng She looked at the familiarity, remembered suddenly, smiled left and right, and said: "If I remember correctly, the village in front should be Niujia Village." "If you want to count it, this is the third time I've come to this village." The first time I came, it was after I got the benefits. The second time I came, it was at the end of last year, after I took away Chahan. This is the third time. ”

Speaking of this, he sighed, and said to Wu Henian: "I still remember that when I came back, there were really a lot of villagers in this village, old and young, young and young, and there must be more than 800 in one place. When I came back a second time, I was in my mid-200s. Mr. Yao once said: 'If you don't stop fighting, what is the crime of our people?' 'Honestly! Every time I recall Mr. Yao's words, I can't help but feel sorry. ”

Wu Henian said: "The lord is worried about the world, and he is concerned about the people. The ministers rejoiced in the people. The people are not guilty. The guilty are also the tartars of Meng Yuan. Today, the lord started from Haidong, in order to bring about the chaos in the world and restore my rivers and mountains. With the wise and martial posture of the lord, this world will inevitably return to peace sooner or later. ”

"Wise and powerful? Ha ha! Deng She laughed at Wu Henian's fart, whipped the horse, urged the horse to ride quickly, and said, "Go, since you have come here, Niujia Village must not go." Let's take a look. ”

One hundred and ten horses galloped and came to the entrance of the village in a blink of an eye.

Deng She did not rush into the village first, so he stopped under the two big trees, reined in his horse, and looked into the village. The last time I visited, the village was deserted, the roads were overgrown with weeds, and many of the village houses had collapsed. This time, before I saw anyone, I heard a few rooster crows. When he looked around, he saw that the dirt roads in the village were much smoother, and there were human footprints and rut marks everywhere, and the weeds were gone.

Looking inside, the houses are neatly organized, and at a glance, the former collapsed houses have either been cleared or new earthen houses have been built on the original foundations. I saw from a distance, and at the bend of the dirt road, there were three or two chickens and ducks, and I don't know whose house they came from, were swaying on the ground looking for food. The rooster crow I heard just now was probably made by them.

Dunshe watched it for a long time and was more satisfied. The scene in front of me was still a little deserted, far less prosperous than the one I saw the first time I came, but it was no longer the desolate scene I saw the last time I came. It is clear that the village is gradually starting to recover. He turned his head, glanced at Wu Henian approvingly, and said, "Lord Wu is worthy of my Haidong officials, and he really deserves his reputation. ”

The village can recover, and Wu Henian, as the highest governor of the place, must have worked hard. Wu Henian said modestly: "What is the merit of the minister? It's all the good policies of the lord. The minister is just an execution. ”

"Why should Lord Wu be humble? Haven't you heard that excessive modesty is pride? ”

Wu Henian was stunned and said, "Excessive modesty is pride? This ,......, minister really hadn't heard of it. After smacking again and again, he was amazed and said, "The lord is really a good exporter and full of talent. This sentence makes so much sense! The ancients said: 'It's too much.' What does that mean? ”

Deng She said casually, but he didn't expect Wu Henian to quote scriptures. When he said this, this sentence, which was very vulgar in later generations, really has a bit of a deep connotation that can be tasted.

Deng She thought to himself: "This is considered full of talent? Lao Tzu hasn't been shocked yet! Because along the way, he saw that all parts of the route were recovering well, so he was in a good mood, picked up his finger and tapped Wu Henian twice, and said jokingly: "Lord Wu, you are really a lotus flower." One tall hat after another was delivered, and I was a little overwhelmed. He laughed, dismounted, and walked into the village.

Wu Henian laughed twice, hurriedly dismounted, lifted his robe, and ran quickly to catch up.

After Heguangxiu did not fall behind, he was also in a hurry to catch up. The road in the village is narrow, and only two people can go side by side. I don't know where he got the strength, so he squeezed Shi Sanqian aside, and followed closely behind Deng She with Wu Henian, left and right.

While squeezing, he whispered to Shi Sanqian: "Borrow light, borrow light." After squeezing through, he turned his head back, smiled at Shi Sanqian again and again, and said, "Offended, offended." ......, General Shi, you are really as good as your name. Squeezing you is like squeezing a stone! ......Hey? What are you doing just stunned? Why don't you hurry up and tell the brethren to disperse and protect the lord? ”

When you meet someone like Ha Guangxiu, you can't be angry or laugh. Shi Sanqian "snorted" angrily, ignored him, and commanded the guards by himself, leaving a part to watch the entrance of the village and take care of the war horses. The others also dismounted, or went forward, or behind the palace, or on both sides, and followed the guards.

Enter the village.

On both sides of the dirt road are farmhouse courtyards. Because it was the time when the farming was busy, there were few people in the village, and the yard was empty. However, through the fence around the yard, it can be seen that many families have cultivated some vegetable furrows and the like in the yard, and there are also two or three families that actually raise pigs and sheep.

"The last time I came, even the house collapsed, let alone the vegetable bed. After only a few months, when I came here today, not only the houses were neat, but I could also see that almost every family in the village had cultivated vegetable furrows. Not only that, but there are chickens, ducks, pigs and sheep! Lord Wu, it's all to you. ”

"The people live on food. Shandong's folk customs are simple and heavy. The common people are industrious, and because the population has always been prosperous, and they know that they cherish the land, it is a custom to cultivate vegetables in the courtyard. What the ministers did was to provide the people with some vegetable seeds. Moreover, even this kind of seed is still transported from Haidong. There are also pigs and sheep, which are also transferred from Haidong. The minister borrowed flowers to offer the Buddha, which is not considered meritorious. Again, it is the duty of the magistrate to persuade farmers to cultivate mulberry. The lord praised, and the minister was ashamed. ”

Of course, Deng She knew that rapeseeds, pigs and sheep were all transported from Haidong, so praising Wu Henian was actually praising him for his proper distribution, proper scheduling, and quick work. Transported from Haidong, this is the credit of Haidong officials; After receiving the goods, they can be quickly and fairly divided, which is the credit of Wu Henian.

However, he didn't explain any more, following Wu Henian's words, he asked as he walked: "Rapeseeds, chickens and ducks, pigs and sheep and other things have been distributed, what about the ploughing cattle?" How are the cattle distributed? ”

"Since the end of last year, three batches of ploughing cattle have been transported from Haidong one after another, totaling more than 10,000 heads. At that time, when the first batch was delivered, the ministers were still in the left and right divisions of the province, and they had been mobilized by hand. So I'm familiar with this situation. The cattle in Liaodong and North Korea are only enough for their own use, so most of the cattle transported to Yidu are mobilized from South Korea. Three batches of more than 10,000 heads, according to the different regions, half of them were given to the southeast coast, three points were given to the northwest and south cities, and Yidu Fu won two percent. There are more than 2,000 heads.

"The more than 2,000 ploughing cattle were divided according to the amount of land and Ding Zhuang in each county and village, and the fertility of the land in each county and village. Those who have more land have more points, those who have fewer people have more points, and those who have more land fertilizer. There are not many strong people in Niujia Village, and the land is fertile. If the minister is not mistaken, he should have given twenty oxen. ”

Although there are few Ding Zhuang in Niujia Village, there are many old and weak, about 200 people, not to mention forty or fifty families. Twenty cows are not enough to divide evenly. Therefore, according to the policy formulated by Yidu Province, the cattle that were divided were not directly distributed to the households, but were transferred to the cooperatives. Supervised by a dedicated person. When it's time to use cattle, they should be uniformly controlled.

Deng She nodded and said, "Twenty cows." Although it is not much, as long as it can be unified and twisted into a rope, although there are few Ding Zhuang in Niujia Village, it is enough to use! He Guangxiu made fun of it and said, "Speaking of which, this Niujia Village is really grateful to the lord and Lord Wu." ”

"It's right to thank the lord. What did Xie do to do it? ”

"You can't say that, Lord Wu. Niujia Village, Niujia Village, can it still be called Niujia Village without cattle? Thanks to the lord who transferred the cattle from Haidong, and thanks to Lord Wu's timely distribution. The three words 'Niujia Village' can be regarded as worthy of the name. Lord, you said, is this Niujia Village a lot of thanks to you and Lord Wu? ”

"But you can think, and you can speak."

After walking along the dirt road, perhaps alarmed by the sound of people walking, the sound of the door opening was heard in a small courtyard by the side of the road. Deng She turned his eyes to look and saw a little girl coming out of the courtyard, about four or five years old, with her hair in braids, her face cleanly washed, new clothes, and small cloth shoes on her feet. She stood at the door and glanced at Deng She, and when she saw that there were many people, she was startled, and turned around and ran back to the courtyard.

Deng She glanced at her like this, and vaguely felt that she was a little familiar, and remembered a person, but when she looked up at the courtyard where she came out, she didn't feel like it. greeted Wu Henian, He Guangxiu and others, and said: "I have been in the village for so long, and I have only seen a person, still a little girl." Let's go over and see. ”

After walking a few steps, I saw that the little girl quietly poked her head out of the courtyard again, and a pair of big black and bright eyes looked straight at Deng She. She bit her fingers, her eyes lit up, and she seemed to remember something, and wanted to touch it out, but after all, she was timid, and looked at Shi Sanqian and others timidly, and didn't dare to come out.

The more Deng She looked at her, the more familiar she became, and when she got closer, she smiled and called tentatively: "Brother Xi? ”

"Hmm."

The last time I came to Niujia Village, I saw that Brother Xi was dirty and tattered, like a little flower, and now, although the little girl in front of me is still a little thin, she is in good spirits and has ruddy cheeks, as if she is a pampered pearl of someone's family. The contrast is too great. Deng Shewu couldn't believe it, and asked again, "Do you remember who I am?" ”

"The great officials of the city!"

It's really a happy brother.

Deng She was surprised, then looked at Brother Xi, and then carefully looked at the courtyard in front of him. Most of the houses in the village are mud houses and fence walls, but the courtyard in front of it is a rare brick and stone structure with heavy wooden doors. It's a bit of a standout. If you don't know it, you will definitely think that it is a solid family. However, from the brick walls, roof tiles, and wooden doors, it can be seen that it has not been completed for a long time.

He immediately understood.

The last time he came to Niujia Village, he stayed at Brother Xi's house for a long time. It must have been the news that had been heard by local officials. Don't think about it, the changes in Brother Xi and the changes in her family must be their credit. Deng She was not happy because of this, but sighed in his heart and thought: "If one person gains the Tao, the chicken and dog ascend to heaven." It didn't matter to me, I just came to her house to have a look. But for her, for the family, it was a sea change. ”

That's the power of power.

To put it mildly, it can inadvertently change a family or even a village. Yidu Mansion is a big house, and after three transfers from Haidong, a total of more than 2,000 cattle were distributed, and Niujia Village was just a small village, but it was distributed to 20 heads, accounting for one percent. This is not a small amount. Wu Henian said that it was because the village was small and the land was fertile, so it was divided into more points. But is it because of this? Or is it actually the same as the change in Xige's family, also because Deng She has been here and stayed here for a long time? Unknown.

To put it mildly, with power comes a basis for giving orders. A good command may be able to achieve a prosperous generation; And a bad order may cause a generation of trouble.

Deng She was secretly vigilant, and thought in his heart: "Those who succeed are also people, and those who lose things are also people." The superior needs to always remember his identity, because every word and deed may have a greater impact. This is one of them. Neither the rule of man nor the rule of law can be neglected. This is also the second. These two points need to be borne in mind. For fear of forgetting, he took out the notebook he carried with him, wrote down these words, memorized them, put away the notes, and said to Brother Xi with a smile: "The last time I came, I remembered that you had a grandfather. Is he at home now? ”

Brother Xi said: "The field is busy, grandpa went to the field." ”

The last time he came, Deng She saw that Brother Xi's grandfather was like a candle in his last years, and he couldn't even walk quickly. I haven't seen you for a few months, but you can go to the ground? He asked the question. Brother Xi replied: "Since the last time the officials came, not long after, the county Master Fu sent a messenger to build a house for my family, and personally brought a doctor to see my grandfather, in addition to medicine, he also left a lot of supplements, saying that it was for my grandfather to recuperate." So, grandpa's health is getting better, and he can go to the ground two months earlier. ”

"Can I go to your house?"

Although Brother Xi is young, he knows that Deng She is a great benefactor, how can he refuse? With small hands and feet, he pushed open the courtyard door with great difficulty, led the way in front, and asked Deng to enter. The yard is not very big, but it is very clean. Inside the east wall, like other houses, a vegetable field has been carved out, and there are things like bean racks. In the west corner, there are chicken pens and pig pens. There are three halls on the front.

Deng She did not go to the house, so he took his hands and walked around the courtyard. When he came to the vegetable furrow, he squatted down to see the growth of the vegetable seedlings in the furrow, which was very lush, verdant and gratifying, and praised: "Brother Xi, look at the growth of this vegetable planted by your family." He beckoned, motioned for her to come forward, and asked, "When was it planted?" ”

"It was planted last month."

"Sow good seeds in February, and harvest new vegetables in April. Planted last month? Then wait until next month, and you will be able to harvest it! "A few greens may seem worthless, but for small families, they can also save a lot of money. The more Deng She looked at it, the happier he became, and thought: "It's just a pity that potatoes, sweet potatoes and other things have not yet been introduced to our country. Otherwise, it would be best to satisfy your hunger with such things. ”

Potatoes and sweet potatoes were all originated in the Americas, and it was not until hundreds of years later that they were introduced to China.

After seeing the vegetable bed, Deng She came to the pigpen again. There are two piglets in it. Deng She asked Brother Xi, "Where did you come from?" Brother Xi replied: "The lord of the county sent it, saying that the lord of Yanwang remembered that we were living a hard life, and transferred a lot of pigs and sheep from Haidong. If you don't want money, you can give it to us for free. ”

"Is there a family in the village that gets it?"

"Not really. Those who are in the army and those who are in difficulty like ours are given priority. The village got four or five pigs and seven or eight sheep. Aunt Liu's family at the south entrance of the village, my brother of the Liu family was called to join the army a while ago, and her family has two ends. Aunt Wang's family at the north entrance of the village, Uncle Wang and Uncle Wang both died in the war last year, and her family also had two ends. There is also the west exit of the village,......。 Brother Xi seriously folded his fingers, calculated them for Deng She one by one, and reported all the families in the village who had pigs and sheep.

It's very fun for children to be serious, and Deng She, Wu Henian and others are all smiling at the corners of their mouths.

Listening to Brother Xi's words, Deng She paced in front of the chicken pen again. There are more chickens than pigs, and Brother Xi's family has seven or eight. He picked up the chicken food and threw it into the circle to watch the chickens compete for food. Inadvertently, I suddenly found that on the north side of the chicken pen, at the junction of the west wall and the north wall, a protrusion was built. He couldn't help but be surprised, pointed and asked, "Brother Xi, a good chicken pen, why do you build a protrusion?" What is it for? ”

Brother Xi replied: "Grandpa's eyes are not good, and when he sprinkles chicken food, he will always throw it in the corner without paying attention." Chickens peck at it. Grandpa felt sorry for the courtyard wall and was afraid that it would be pecked, so the central people helped to build a protrusion to protect the wall. ”

The last time Deng She came, the thatched house where Brother Xi's family lived could be swept away by the wind. I have never lived in such a good house, and it is not surprising that the elderly are distressed. Although it is a bit funny to say that I am afraid that the chicken will peck at the wall, the mood is understandable. Deng She was full of emotion, and said to Wu Henian: "You said that the people of Shandong are simple, and sure enough! That's it! In fact, not only Shandong, but also looking at the north and south, where is this not the case? The common people are very nice. There are no intractable people, only incompetent officials. ”

Wu Henian said: "Yes, yes." What the Lord said is an unbreakable truth. Therefore, the selection of virtuous and virtuous local officials is a major plan for the government, and it cannot be sloppy. If you don't have this ability, you can't use it. Some people are vain, exaggerated, and do the right thing, but they are useless! The most hateful! ”

He was talking lively, Ha Guangxiu poked him, interrupted, "Shhh, don't talk." I didn't see the lord thinking about something. Wu Henian hurriedly raised his head, only to see that Deng She suddenly became a little absent-minded for some reason, a pair of eyes looked straight at the bulge, and his hand stroked his beard, thoughtful.

"My lord?"

"Huh?"

"What are you thinking?"

Dunsher did not answer.

Ha Guangxio stabbed Wu Henian again. He didn't start lightly or heavily, Wu Henian was in pain, and let go to the side, slightly dissatisfied, and asked, "What?" Ha Guangxiu leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Lord Wu, you just said that 'some people talk about it'. Why does it sound so familiar? Before coming to Niujia Village, we rested under the roadside trees and talked about Li Lan, the prefect of Laizhou,......。 Wu Henian frowned, stretched out a finger to his mouth, and said, "Shhhh Don't you see what the lord is thinking? ”

He Guangxiu smiled, made a comprehensible expression to Wu Henian, and said softly: "Lord Wu, I understand your mind very well. Wu Henian remained silent and asked, "What do you understand?" ”

He Guangxiu said: "I'm not a fool! What do you mean, Lord Wu? It's all so clear, can't I see it? However, don't worry, I will never tell Li Lan! Why? Because I like you, you are kind, honest, and responsible. And what do we have to do with each other? Old friends! I've known each other since Yongping. Can Li Lan compare? Don't worry, I can see it,......。 ”

He's muttering and talking non-stop. Wu Henian pretended to be calm and was thinking about how to make him shut up, when Deng She slapped his forehead suddenly, laughed loudly, came to Brother Xi in two or three steps, hugged him high, and said with a smile: "Brother Xi, Brother Xi, your name is good." It's really my magpie! ”

Wu Henian, He Guangxiu, and Shi Sanqian looked at each other and asked in unison, "Why is the lord happy?" ”

"Why do you rejoice? How can I not rejoice that I have solved a problem that has been bothering me for a long time? Deng She put down Brother Xi, asked Shi Sanqian, and said, "Do you have any money money with you?" Shi Sanqian nodded.

"Take out two ingots of silver and reward them to Brother Xi!" After the order, Dunshe turned and left.

Shi Sanqian hurriedly chased after him and asked, "Where is the lord?" ”

"Back to the city! Mr. Hong, Zhao Zuocheng and others are invited to discuss the matter. ”