In addition to lowering the land rent, Xiao Guanyu also took out 15,000 taels of silver and 50,000 catties of grain and handed them over to the Mengshan army in exchange for his own safety and freedom. Whether his family wealth is only 30,000 taels, Long Qian is not very concerned about himself, because he still needs to use this person.

After persuading Chen Chao and convincing Xiao Guanyu, the villagers' autonomous committee was officially established. Long Qian's estimate was good, with Chen Chao holding this "maintenance meeting" in person, the villagers were very reassured. Chen Chao was the positive, Xiao Guanyu and Luo Tongxiu were the deputies, and each village absorbed three old Dezhao members as committee members, and unified and coordinated to solve the civil affairs problems of Sanzhuang under the occupation of the Mengshan Army. Long Qian made it clear that after the establishment of the Autonomous Committee, Mengshanjun would no longer interfere in any affairs of the villagers, and the Autonomous Committee would have the final say. If Mengshanjun has any requests in civil affairs, he will only submit them to the Autonomous Committee.

This is a complete demonstration of the attitude of not disturbing the people. Chen Chao and Xiao Guanyu were very happy, and the common people were also happy, after all, they were unwilling to associate with the soldiers, and few people understood the slogans such as the children and soldiers propagated by the Mengshan Army, and no one took them to heart.

Long Qian hoped that Chen Chao would come up with a villagers' convention. There must always be a charter for self-government. Under the feudal system, the power of the government generally did not penetrate into the countryside, and Zhu Yuanzhang of the former Ming Dynasty also explicitly ordered officials not to disturb the people in the countryside. In a big town like Zhengjiazhuang, few elderly people have seen the county master. As long as grain is paid and taxes are paid, the government has no energy to take care of rural affairs. There is only one exception, and that is lawsuits. However, for ordinary economic disputes, the villagers will not go to the county yamen. Unless it is a homicide or something like a homicide, it will alarm the government. The vast majority of the villagers have never been to the county seat in their lives. Even if there is an ugly matter such as a wife stealing a man, the channel to solve it is also in the village, that is, the clan. The clan elders assumed the social function and were responsible for mediating and handling the affairs within the clan. Therefore, large villages generally have ancestral halls, but they do not necessarily have village offices.

Although Long Qian expressed his attitude of letting go of "civil affairs", he was actually very concerned about this nondescript autonomous committee - more than he was concerned about military training. He kept approaching Chen Chao and raised various issues, such as the relief of the lonely and widowed elderly, orphans and destitute households in the village, the feasibility of setting up public land, the bereavement of military and martyr families, the mediation of civil disputes, the restoration and construction of water conservancy facilities, the support of rural handicrafts and commerce, and education. He took it out to discuss with Chen Chao.

Chen Chao was annoyed, but he felt that these problems were very practical - to get rid of the unrealistic problem of the families of military martyrs, this was obviously evidence of the other party's deep ambition. Others, indeed, should be paid attention to.

Long Qian's question just scratched the "itchy meat" that Chen Chao buried deep in his heart. Chen Chao gave up the imperial examination, indicating that he had no intention of pursuing a career in office, but for the homeland where he was raised, Chen Chao had a pure heart. Seeing his hometown decay at a visible speed, Chen Chao was worried. Long Qian now pointed out that the Autonomous Committee is not only a maintenance committee to coordinate the relationship between the military and the people, but also a real institution to solve the difficulties of the people's livelihood, and Chen Chao feels that this has great meaning. Especially after Long Qian led his disciplined army to help the people of Sanzhuang harvest the autumn, Chen Chao believed that everything Long Qian said may not be truly realized.

For example, water conservancy. In addition to the geographical advantage occupied by Zhengjiazhuang, half of the cultivated land can attract Changhu Lake water for irrigation, Bai Wei and Chenjiaya all rely on the sky for food. Long Qian asked, can a nullah be dug on the edge of Changhu Lake to divert the water from Changhu Lake to the ditch that separates Zhengjiazhuang and Chenjiaya? Wouldn't installing a few more waterwheels by the ditch solve the watering problem of Chenjiaya? If that ditch is extended for a few more miles, Baiwei Town will also be able to use the water of Shangchang Lake.

This is Long Qian's design. Chen Chao was both surprised and moved when he heard this. It is not how clever Long Qian's design is, but Long Qian's concern for people's livelihood moved him. If you don't care about the lives of the people, you won't come up with this plan. If this plan is realized, more than half of Chenjiaya's dry land will be turned into paddy fields, and the grain yield per mu will increase by at least 30 percent, which means that basically no one will be hungry.

"I'm afraid it won't work." Chen Chao shook his head, with regret on his face.

"For what?" Long Qian didn't understand what Chen Chao meant, "It's not that complicated. "The terrain of this area is almost all in Long Qian's mind, Changhu Lake is like a natural reservoir, narrow on both sides, and a big belly in the middle, the seasonal river in the summer and autumn water gathered into a lake, the largest amount of work is a small mountain beam, as long as you dig through there, the rest is simple, dig a dozen miles of canal on the gentle ground can be connected to the ditch in the south of Chenjiaya. Moreover, he has some explosives seized from Zhengjiazhuang in his hand, which can be used completely, "Look, this is the Changhu Lake you are talking about, and the straight-line distance is almost fifteen or sixteen miles away from Chenjiaya, the key is that it is here__" Still stained with water, Long Qian sketched a simple topographic map on the table.

"This method, in fact, I have also thought about __" Chen Chao looked at the picture carefully, it really coincided. At the beginning, he wanted to unite with Baiwei Town to do this, but was blocked by Zheng Jiazhuang, Zheng Jing had not returned at that time, and the former owner was still in charge. Zhengjiazhuang's reason is very good, if you build this canal and lead the water to Chenjiaya and Baiwei, the downstream may dry up, which will directly affect the interests of Zhengjiazhuang.

"That's great."

"What's good, you see, the land of Zhengjiazhuang is in the south, we cut off the water source, and the downstream will be affected."

"It turned out to be a concern for this. The water surface of Changhu Lake is not small, and filling a ditch will not affect the downstream, right? Don't worry, now we'll have the final say. What's more, you and I don't have the intention of sacrificing Zhengjiazhuang to take care of Bai Wei and Chen Jiaya. I will do the work of Zhengjiazhuang. They will agree. Not only that, but I will also ask Zhengjiazhuang to work and contribute, and everyone will work together to repair this canal for the benefit of the people. ”

"That's beautiful." Chen Chao thought that if this canal was completed, it would bring great benefits to Chen Jiaya and Bai Wei. This life-saving canal that still exists on the table was completed, and the people of Liangzhuang didn't know how grateful they should be to Mengshan Army.

In fact, Zhengjiazhuang is not without benefits. This piece is Zhengjiazhuang's land, right? Isn't it possible to water it too? ”

"Yes, Zheng Jing's land is on the other side, so he doesn't care about this side." Chen Chao mentioned this matter after Zheng Jing was in charge of Zhuangzi, but Zheng Jing politely refused.

"Most of the disputes between villages are caused by land and water sources. This is the benefit of organizing the Sanzhuang Autonomous Committee. In the future, we can no longer take care of each other, and in the future, the canal will be built, and willow trees will be planted on both banks, how beautiful. In addition, one or two wooden bridges should be built to communicate the connection between the two villages, and everyone should not climb up or down. Long Qian continued to paint a beautiful picture of the future for Chen Chao.

"It would be nice if Zhengjiazhuang's side agreed." Chen Chao was still a little worried.

"Don't worry. They will approve of it. Just make the truth clear. Winter is coming, the villagers are idle, and the autonomous committee comes forward to organize everyone to work together, and strive to complete the project this winter. As long as the officers and soldiers don't come, the Mengshan army will do its best to help everyone repair the canal! ”

"You're going to let your soldiers repair the canal?"

"Of course. I'll take you all out myself! The mountain beam will be handed over to my troops. Now it is necessary to carefully calculate the feasibility of the project and the size of the project. Do you have any talent available in this area? ”

"How can there be people in Zhuangzi who understand water conservancy, but there are people in Zhengjiazhuang who can dig wells, and the wind and horses and cattle are not related."

"It doesn't matter. Actually, it's not that hard. You first consult with Mr. Bai Weixiao. I'll do the work on Zhengjiazhuang's side. ”

Long Qian told Luo Tongxiu and Cheng Daniu, and Cheng Daniu agreed, but Luo Tongxiu had concerns. Luo Xiucai's land is also in the south, and the completion of the canal is not much benefit to him. He was also worried that the river would be intercepted and affect his harvest. Long Qian smiled and said to Luo Xiucai, "Mr. Luo, you are not as powerful as Brother Da Niu." Brother Da Niu's land is also over there, so he doesn't care. What's more, how do you know that once water is diverted from this side of the road, there will be no water there? Now that you're the deputy director of the Autonomous Committee, you're thinking that you can't just do it for one family. Rest assured, when Mengshan Jun does things, he will never help one family and lose one family. Chen Jiaya and Bai Wei are rich, and there are only benefits and no disadvantages in Zhengjiazhuang! ”

In fact, there is no need to do more work, the villagers of Zhengjiazhuang are grateful for the righteous deeds of the Mengshan Army, and secondly, they are afraid of the military prestige of the Mengshan Army, and there is really no one who dares to oppose it in person. What's more, a small half of the villagers will benefit from the diversion of water, so Zhengjiazhuang quickly passed a resolution on drinking water projects.

The autumn grain has been harvested, the villagers are idle, the long winter is generally the idle season, after the cold dew, the water diversion project will be officially launched. Chen Chao and others have divided the entire canal into three sections, which are "contracted" by Sanzhuang, and the most difficult section, that is, the project of the hillside, is in charge of Mengshanjun.

On the ninth day of the ninth month of September, on the day of the Double Ninth Festival, the three villages are like the New Year, and they are very lively. Sanzhuang held a groundbreaking ceremony respectively, killing animals to pay tribute, and firing guns to start construction.

Long Qian personally led his staff team to survey the works on the hillside with earth methods, and began to dig a hole on the other side of the lake with its back, preparing to dig an open channel by blasting.

"It's a trick. We don't have professional engineers, we must know that the modern army, the engineering corps is a very important component, in the future we will also establish an engineer corps, if there are miners and other people, pay attention to recruiting them. Long Qian said to Ning Shijun and the others.