Xiyang County, Qi County, and Yan County are the three northern counties of Jiangxia.

The southeast of these three counties is the Dabie Mountain, most of the land is close to the branch of the Dabie Mountain, the geographical location is relatively partial, there are more mountains, the arable area of the land is relatively small, and the number of registered population is not much.

Among them, Xiyang County is a relatively prosperous county in the three northern counties, because Xiyang County is a little southerly, relatively close to Xiling, and in the west of Qishui, there are relatively rich water resources, so the development is the best among the three counties.

These three counties were attacked by Zhang Liao's troops from Runan three years ago and occupied most of the year.

Later, Zhang Liao withdrew, but also took away part of the population and treasury property, Huang Zu made up the holes for a long time, until now, the holes in the three northern counties are still not completed.

The three northern counties are still in a stage of few people and little land, agriculture is sluggish, and the people's will is unstable.

Zhang Xi entered the three northern counties, and he heard that there were strong robbers hidden in the mountains and forests of the three northern counties, and the security situation here was really bad.

At this point, Zhang Xi took a small notebook and wrote it down, and when he returned to Xiakou, he asked Guan Yu to transfer troops and calm down this place.

Without a stable environment, who can produce with peace of mind?!

Of course, this is only a point, the most important thing is the lack of population and arable land, which has caused the turmoil in the three northern counties.

In fact, about this point, Zhang Xi really can't understand the seventy or eighty thousand people who followed Liu Bei to Hanjin Pass?!

Liu Qi was going to leave these people, saying that he wanted to enrich the population of Jiangxia, where did all this go? !

Even if some of them may be divided by the family, even the Huang family, in Jiangxia alone, can't eat so many people's mouths, right?!

Besides, the Huang family doesn't have the courage to do so.

Zhang Xi spent half a month in the three northern counties, taking the household registration atlas and topographic atlas, carefully checking the population and available arable land of the three counties, inspecting water conservancy facilities, and examining city officials, iron officials, and others.

There are too many problems in the three northern counties of Jiangxia, so many that even the big families in this place are reluctant to come over to annex the land, that is, some people in Liu Bei's camp, because Liu Bei is strict, and they really can't compete with the local family, so they extend their hands to the three northern counties.

For these people, Zhang Xi really doesn't know what to say.

It's still written down in a small notebook, and I'm going back to settle accounts with these people.

It's not that Zhang Xi doesn't want to ask for his life for the people, and it's not that he doesn't want to pretend to be happy. Now is a troubled time, there are a lot of bandits in the mountains, and the local heroes are not the ones who will obediently confess their sins when you show your identity.

Zhang Xi only brought thirty guards, and he was accompanied by Xiao Deng Ai and Xiao Ba, but he didn't want to encounter some mountain bandits and robbers for some reason, although he was not afraid, but he was also troublesome.

After inspecting the three northern counties, Zhang Xi set off to inspect the counties in the western part of Jiangxia.

The counties in the western part of Jiangxi were not affected by much war, and only Jingling was affected a little because of the attack of Cao's middle route army, but last year's spring plowing work went quite smoothly, and this year's harvest was bumper, and the people could survive.

Of course, the problem of land annexation still exists, and the water conservancy facilities are in disrepair, but because of the proximity to the Han River, a major tributary of the Yangtze River, the problem is not too serious.

Zhang Xi also roughly recorded the problems of these counties, and still recorded them in a small notebook, planning to finish sorting them out after going back and submit them to Zhuge Liang together.

After inspecting Jingling, Zhang Xi went down the Yangtze River until he reached Exian.

Exian County is still the famous place of Zhang Xi, and Zhang Xi always has a special feeling for Exian County, so when he arrived here, Zhang Xi deliberately stayed for a few days.

One is to take a good tour of Exian County to understand the needs of the people.

The other is also to talk to Wenpin, not only about defense, but also about people's livelihood.

Wenpin is a military general, Zhang Xi is not too worried about defense issues, with Wenpin's ability, even if Jiangdong leads troops to attack, it will only be better than what Zhang Xi did at the beginning.

But Zhang Xi was a little worried about Wenpin's governance ability.

Although there was basically no separation between civil and military officials in these years, it is also an indisputable fact that the governance ability of civilian officials is generally stronger than that of military generals.

The same is true of Wen Ping, who has his own set of ideas in defense, not only regaining the defense measures of the Huang Zu period, but also improving these measures to a certain extent, so as to facilitate his own command.

However, in terms of governance, the clerical employment is basically the old routine left over from the past, not seeking merit, but seeking no fault.

Depending on the emphasis, the effect will naturally be different.

Zhang Xi will not strictly require Wen Ping to govern the place like a civil official, but on the other hand, when encountering some inappropriate situations, Zhang Xi will not refer to Wen Ping's opinions.

For example, the population of Exian and Yi counties is seriously overstated, and the cultivated land cannot meet the needs of the people, but from the perspective of defense, Wenpin resolutely does not allow these people to leave the two counties, and even recruits new soldiers from the middle to raise soldiers, increasing the financial burden of the two counties. These are all questions.

Zhang Xi briefly mentioned it to Wenpin, and then told Wenpin that there would be a corresponding order after the year, and hoped that Wenpin would do the relevant work first and cooperate when the time came.

After chatting with Wen Ping for a while, Zhang Xi continued to set off along the river and went to Qichun and Xiapheasant counties.

Qichun is close to Exian and is also in Jiangbei, so Zhang Xi was the first to arrive in Qichun.

Then Zhang Xi saw the homeless.

Not a small number of displaced people, but a large number, tens of thousands of displaced people.

These displaced people did not enter the city, but in the corners of the mountains and fields to cut down wood and build houses, or build a grass hut, get together in twos and threes, go out to dig wild vegetables when they are hungry, and go to the river to fetch water when they are thirsty.

Zhang Xi wondered at that time, where did these homeless people come from?! Why didn't the local officials mention this at all in their work reports?!

This is not a small number of displaced people, this is tens of thousands of displaced people, if you look at the location, the displaced people outside the city are resettled at will, and now it is almost blocking the official road.

If there is a person who instigates a civil uprising, what will Qi Chuncheng use to defend against it?!

Zhang Xi frowned, knowing that things were not simple, so he hurriedly asked the thirty guards to strengthen their vigilance, hid in the carriage and did not come out, and marched all the way to Qichun City.

It wasn't until he entered the city that Zhang Xi's heart was temporarily put down.

Entering the city, Zhang Xi saw a different scene.

The city is prosperous, the crowd is surging, the elderly and children are all smiling, preparing for the upcoming Spring Festival, planning to have a good year.

In these years, because of the war, frail people such as the elderly and children generally do not go out easily, but in Qichun County, such a scene can be seen, which can only be said to be a very outstanding result of local officials' governance.

But what Zhang Xi can't understand is what is going on with those homeless people outside the city?!

The magistrate of this county, whether he is a good official close to the people, or a garbage who doesn't care about the lives of the people, is now a little uncertain about Zhang Xi

Fortunately, you can go directly to the county office and ask the local county order.

The county commander's surname is Cheng, born in a Runan family, and he was one of the old ministers who fled to Xinye with Liu Bei.

It's just that his ability is limited, so Liu Bei didn't arrange any particularly important positions for him, even if the territory is big now, he only arranged a Qichun County Order for him.

Zhang Xi saw this Liu Bei old minister, and he was more polite and courteous.

Then, I asked about the displaced people outside the city.

Cheng Xianling stroked his beard, shook his head, and said, "Therefore, Liu Tingshi once arranged for the Xiangyang homeless people to come here, but he didn't say how to settle them, and the old man's predecessor didn't do anything, so he ordered the homeless people to settle on their own and open a warehouse every month to help the grain, so that the homeless people would not have trouble." Since the old man took office, although he has worked hard, the displaced people are stubborn and unwilling to work, so he is left to fend for himself, and the old man just follows the old system and provides some relief every month. ”

Therefore, Liu Tingshi is talking about Liu Qi.

Liu Qi originally sent people to send the displaced people who followed Liu Bei south to Qichun, Xiapheasant, Exian, and Yi County, the four county seats, to replenish the population that had been plundered by Jiangdong.

But Liu Qi does not seem to have made any plans to resettle the displaced people, so the magistrate does not know how to arrange for them.

If you are responsible, for example, as Wenpin did, select young and strong people from the displaced people and recruit soldiers, even if it increases the financial burden, it is also a measure to reassure the people.

But more county orders basically ignore it, as long as they ensure that there is no large-scale civil uprising, they will let the displaced people resettle themselves and decide whether to stay or go.

After all, Liu Qi didn't say anything, if he didn't do what Liu Qi thought, wouldn't he be causing trouble for himself.

Really, this Zhang Xi is understandable, after all, Liu Qi's means are like that, at that time, Liu Bei had just entered Xiakou, and Cao Cao's hundreds of thousands of troops were pressing the border, God knows if Jiangxia can keep it, and it is not incomprehensible that these officials are derelict in their duties.

But old man Cheng, you're not right, you are the patriarch of Liu Bei's group, or the county commander appointed by Liu Bei, and you took office after the Battle of Chibi. Why are you messing up?!

This old man said it nicely, and threw the pot on his ex, saying that his predecessor didn't do a good job, and I just followed my predecessor's measures. But the problem is, you all know that your ex is inactive, isn't it inaction when you do these things now?!

The displaced people do not want to work. If the homeless people don't want to work, it's you, the bastard old man, who don't give people the opportunity to work.

Really, if it weren't for the fact that after entering the city, seeing that the city governed by this old man was still prosperous, Zhang Xi couldn't wait to put off this old guy's official hat on the spot, regardless of whether he was Liu Bei's Yuancong senator.

On the one hand, the prosperity in the city and the smiles on the faces of the people prove that this old man Cheng is also a little capable.

But on the other hand, this old man Cheng ignored the tens of thousands of homeless people outside the city, gave some porridge and grain every month, and ensured that the homeless people did not rebel, which was indeed a big dereliction of duty.

Zhang Xi really didn't know how to deal with such an official for a while.

After staying in Qichun for two days, I carefully inspected the living standards of the people in the city, whether it was on the surface or asked Xiao Deng Ai to inquire privately, I didn't find any traces of coping with the inspection.

Zhang Xi didn't know what to do with the whole old man Cheng for a while, so he had no choice but to leave Qichun first and go to Xiapheasant.

And when it came to the pheasant, Zhang Xi knew that he should not be able to leave here in a short time.

Outside the Pheasant City, there are tens of thousands of homeless people wandering, and the state of these homeless people is even more excessive than that of Qichun City, not to mention the yellow muscles and skinny skin, and some people have already begun to sell their children and daughters.

The fire in Zhang Xi's heart suddenly came up, and he rushed directly into the Xiapheasant City Mansion, and he was about to be beaten up when he found out the county order.

Then Zhang Xi was surrounded by the people in the city.

(End of chapter)