During the Third Reich, the good days of normal people gradually came.

The Zhuge brothers were finally able to leave their clan land without being accompanied by their elders, go to school, socialize freely with friends in the state school, and meet to go to the town to play and taste local food.

It's only been two and a half years since then.

The main Xuzhou is still some distance away from Luoyang, so although Zhuge Liang and Zhuge have heard that there are many novelties and delicious stir-fried dishes in Luoyang, what they can see and eat in Xuzhou is very limited.

But when you get on the road and arrive at the station, it's different.

The main restaurant in the post station is a big pot of stir-fried vegetables, and Zhuge Liang and Zhuge both ate it very fragrant on the first meal after the trip.

They traveled for most of the day and followed the team to a post station in the western part of Donghai County, where they rested for the night.

The staff in the inn seemed to have learned of their arrival in advance, and prepared a solid hot meal for them.

They had five people in a car, and now there are five people at the same table in the inn, each with a meal, packed on a large plate, and sat down to eat together.

Zhuge Liang probably looked at the food on the plate.

Four small plates, two meat dishes and two vegetarian dishes, all of which are fried in a large pot, and a bowl of vegetable soup, plus a large bowl of grain, it is definitely okay for a person to be full, and the cook in the post station also said that if it is not enough, the grain is full, and there are some leftover dishes, which is barely enough for people with a large amount of food to eat.

After a tiring day's travel, the big guys were hungry, so they took a big gulp, and when they ate, hey, it tasted really good.

Zhuge Jun took a few mouthfuls of food, his cheeks bulging like a hamster, chewed hard for a while, and swallowed all the food, so that he could make room to say a few words.

"Brother Zhong, this food is so fragrant, it's even more fragrant than what we ate in the state capital, are the things in this post station so delicious?"

Zhuge Liang also felt very fragrant when he ate these foods, so he nodded again and again.

"That's how it should be."

"That's natural."

Xu You, a classmate in the same car who didn't say a few words along the way, said with a smile while eating: "I heard the elders of the clan say that whether it is this official road or a post station, it was built by order of the Son of Heaven after the first year of Zhenguan, and it is said that the Son of Heaven spent a lot of money to repair the official road and the post station to facilitate the government's affairs."

However, this is one thing to facilitate the government, and the business travelers who go everywhere are also enjoying the blessings, although the post station is for official use, but the Son of Heaven is favorable, and there are civilian hostels and restaurants in the post station, as long as you spend some money to eat and stay, and it is safe, so now there are more and more people who live in the post station on the official road. ”

Before Zhuge could speak, Zhang Yue, a classmate in the same car next to him, raised a question.

"When I passed the tax card, I saw that the tax card also collected some money, I have heard people say that the tax card is equivalent to passing the ghost gate, the tax collector is very cruel, collects a lot of money, some of them have not given money, and the official road is also very dangerous, now so many people are willing to go through the pipeline to pay money?"

"In the past, it was just a matter of carelessness, but now it's different."

Xu You sighed: "My father works in the state capital, he said that in the past, when he took the official road, he had to be careful to beware of mountain bandits and strongmen, and even fierce beasts such as big insects, and the post station was also in tatters, and he might not be able to see one when he walked a hundred miles, and then at the end of the first year of Zhenguan, news came from Luoyang, saying that the Son of Heaven was going to rest and recuperate.

Since then, it seems that there are a lot of people who have come to renovate the post stations in Xuzhou, and there are many officials and slaves who have come here to repair roads, repair tax cards, and repair for two or three years, and the officials and soldiers have also taken the bandits to suppress them for a while, as if it was last year, my father said that the roads in Xuzhou are now smooth, and you can walk with confidence. ”

"Wouldn't that cost the court a lot of money?"

Zhang Yue said with a smile while eating: "It's road construction, it's building a post station, and a large army is going out to suppress bandits, how much money can you collect just by relying on tax cards?" In this way, will the imperial court be able to recover the capital? We don't need money to eat here, when did the court become so generous? ”

"It's not the same as it used to be."

Xu You ate a piece of chicken and said with a smile: "What kind of person is today?" An order is given to the whole world, and the husband is nothing more than that! ”

Several people at the dinner table had no other opinion on this, and nodded again and again.

As a result, suddenly, Zhuge Liang spoke.

"I think this tax card is very cleverly set up, and it is matched with the post station and official road, as long as it is completed and runs smoothly, it is a great thing for any place."

The other four people, including Zhuge who was cooking rice, all set their eyes on Zhuge Liang, who seemed to be half a beat slower.

Zhuge Liang ate a piece of meat by himself, and said slowly: "Although the tax card collects money, a tax card does not collect much, and normal people can afford it, and the post station has perfect functions, which can make people eat and live, the official roads are smooth, and the previous army of bandits has endorsed it, so that people know the safety of the official road."

In this way, for the sake of safety, people are naturally willing to take the official road, spending some money to buy peace, for people who go out is very important, whether it is a business trip, an official, or an ordinary pedestrian, for the safety of the official road is the best choice, but the detour is dangerous.

After a long time, this will become something that everyone will be willing to do, and going out to take the official road, passing the tax card, eating and staying in the post station will also become a matter of course, and with it, people who have to resort to force in order to travel far away will gradually give up maintaining force, so that the law and order will also become better. ”

The four looked at each other.

Zhuge Liang seems to have thought of something amazing?

Zhuge touched Zhuge Liang.

"Brother Zhong, where do you want to eat? Why did you think about public security? ”

Zhuge Liang smiled.

"Jun, do you think, if the imperial court can maintain law and order, so that there are no bandits and strongmen in the place, and there is no murder on the street and illegal goods, how many of us are really willing to be with swords every day? Who doesn't want to be comfortable? ”

Zhuge was stunned.

"That's true, but what does this have to do with the station?"

Zhuge Liang stretched out his chopsticks and grabbed a piece of meat from Zhuge Jun's bowl, and shook it in front of him.

"Still can't figure it out? The official roads in the world are safe, and people who go far away no longer need to spend a lot of money to maintain their armament, and they no longer need to be guarded. ”

"This ......"

Zhuge Jun blinked, frowned, and said, "It seems that this is really the truth...... Guards are no longer needed for those who go far away, and no one else needs them. ”

"Everyone no longer needs to be with the sword, and the people will naturally not have too many disputes and turmoil, so the folk customs will naturally return to simplicity, and the public security effect that the government wants to achieve will be achieved.

Zhuge Liang happily put the piece of meat from Zhuge Jun's bowl into his mouth, chewed it, and seemed to feel that the meat in Zhuge Jun's bowl was more delicious, so he sandwiched another piece.

Zhuge Jun was still thinking about Zhuge Liang's words stupidly, but Zhang Yue was still a little puzzled.

"Then this official road and post station always cost money, right? The land of the Han Dynasty is so big, there are so many post stations, and there are so many official roads, how much does it cost? Can the imperial court afford it? If one day we can't afford it, won't the world still be in chaos? ”

Zhuge Liang nodded.

"That's the truth, but I don't think the big talents in the court won't think of this matter, so, think about it, how many tax cards have we passed along the way?"

"This ......"

"A tax card is not much money, but if there are more tax cards, it is also a considerable income."

Zhuge Liang said with a smile: "As long as people are willing to take the official road, the tax card will naturally not be short of money, I think the imperial court should also think of using tolls to subsidize the cost of official roads and post stations, I think, this can be regarded as taking from the people and using it for the people." ”

"The farther you go, the more you pay......"

"Those who can go far are all big businessmen, wealthy businessmen, and ordinary people don't need to go far at all, and they don't even need to pass a tax card."

Zhuge Liang turned his head to look at the classmates who were eating while laughing, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "I heard that when today's son started at the end of the micro, this strategy of robbing the rich and helping the poor is also handy, and it is really wonderful to apply it here." ”

"Brother Zhong, do you dare to say this?"

Zhuge stretched out his tongue: "You're not afraid of people telling you today?" What did the big brother say? When you're away from home, be careful! You are the leader of our Xuzhou, and there are many people staring at you in every word and deed. ”

"The Son of Heaven has never shy away from saying this."

Zhuge Liang looked at Zhuge Jun and said, "Do you remember the edict of the Son of Heaven that once publicized the world?" The Son of Heaven has mentioned many times that he was born in poverty at the end of the world, and he has never shy away from his origin, which shows that the Son of Heaven is broad-minded, how can he punish the sins of a villain like me because of this kind of thing? ”

"This ......"

Zhuge Jun thought about it, but couldn't think of why he came, so he decided to give up thinking and concentrate on cooking.

But after a few bites, I suddenly found that there was a lot less meat in my dishes.

"Huh? Where's my meat? ”

Zhuge Liang just didn't hear what he said, and ate the food in front of him by himself, but the slightly hooked corners of his mouth were not so easy to find.

The other three looked at the scene in front of them and wisely did not speak.

A few hundred people ate, and then were assigned to a room in the inn, a room for five people, the room was not big, but clean, the beds were made on the ground, thick, warm, the candidates slept beautifully, and continued to hurry after getting up the next day.

In order to go to Luoyang as soon as possible to participate in the selection examination, the candidates need to travel at least 30 miles every day, which is indeed a big challenge for the candidates.

So they mainly feel tired, what scenery, places of interest, are too late to watch, let alone have room to watch, especially when the road is in the middle of winter, early spring, it is the cold time, rush to the halfway, about to enter the territory of Yuzhou, it is snowing heavily.

Even if the candidates stayed in the car, it was so cold that they had to wrap in thick coats, and they didn't want to open the curtains, and the happiest thing every day was when they arrived at the post station and were able to eat hot food and hot meals in a warm house.

Zhuge Jun, who had been looking forward to this trip, finally felt the pain of the journey, and sat in the car trembling while complaining about his naivety.

"What the eldest brother said is really right, everything is good at home, and you will only know what suffering is when you come out...... I'm still too young......"

"We're not bitter."

Zhang Yue said in a sullen voice: "We have a car to pick us up, a post station where you can eat and live for free, and a thick coat prepared by the state school, how can it not be considered bitter?" ”

"Isn't that bitter?"

Zhuge Jun complained: "It's so cold, I have to keep hurrying, I'm tired of traveling, shaking, and my head is going to be shaken...... It's better to stay at home to keep warm and read a book......"

"I know that your Zhuge clan is rich."

Zhang Yue rolled his eyes and complained: "But speaking of which, have you ever seen those people who died of cold and starvation? ”

"A man who died of starvation?"

Zhuge Jun was puzzled: "What do you mean?" ”

Zhang Yue's face showed unbearable expression, leaned less, and sighed.

"My family was very difficult a few years ago, and I had to go out to do business in winter, one year my father and I traveled to business in winter, and we saw a lot of people on both sides of the road who died of cold and starvation, including adults and young children, snuggled up to each other and froze to death, that scene, I really can't forget it......

"And this?"

Zhuge Jun, who had always been well protected by the Zhuge family, was very surprised and asked, "Then we haven't seen it all the way?" ”

"Naturally, I can't see it now."

Zhang Yue said slowly: "No war, the world is peaceful, the Holy Son of Heaven is in power, and the Shu people are also well managed.

In the early years, even when there was no war, when you left the state capital and county capital and went to the countryside for a walk, there was no place where you could not see the dead, and often the body was broken, I don't know if it was eaten by wild beasts, and sometimes my father simply blindfolded me and did not let me see, for fear that I would be frightened. ”

"Oh my God......"

Zhuge Jun was shocked: "Is this true? ”

"Of course it's true."

Zhang Yue said: "In the past two or three years, the world has changed, so it's better to be stable, don't mess up again, if we mess up again, our days won't be over." ”

Zhuge Jun was silent for a moment and did not speak.

But the other suddenly spoke.

"Zhuge takes care of his children so well."

Sun Zhong, a classmate in the same car who had not spoken much, sighed: "I didn't let you see such a miserable thing, it's really good, if you don't see it, you won't see it, I've seen that scene once, and I can't forget it for the rest of my life." ”

(End of chapter)