The little girl lying in the wooden basin slept sweetly with her eyes closed, her small mouth slightly open, revealing her pink little tongue, and her nostrils opened and closed, as if there would be snot bubbles coming out of her nostrils at any time.

It's just that at this moment, the little girl's face is pale, and she has obviously not eaten since she was born.

Zhu Di frowned, asked the person next to him to take the child in his arms, and reached out to probe her snort.

- still alive.

Zhu Di instructed: "Ji Gang, take it to the military station behind, find a woman in the people's camp, find cattle and sheep, feed the child, and take care of her." ”

"Obey the order!" Ji Gang clenched his fists on the horse to receive the order, and then took the little doll to turn back to the auxiliary team behind.

"What's going on?" Zhu Di's brows furrowed more and more, "Are there abandoned babies in the richest places in the south of the Yangtze River?" ”

Jin Youzi said helplessly: "Maybe because she is a female doll, the family feels that it will lose money to raise it, or the family wants a male to inherit the lineage." ”

Zhu Di didn't say much, just became a little silent, and the team continued to move forward.

Soon, Jin Youzi was mercilessly slapped in the face.

Tong Xin's Hai Dongqing startled the vultures that were foraging in the forest, and following the smell of rancid meat, everyone found more than a dozen abandoned babies buried together in a mass grave in the suburbs.

There were men and women, nine men and five women.

"What the hell is going on?"

Zhu Di was completely puzzled: "If it is said that the family needs men to work hard to cultivate the fields or something else, why are there more abandoned babies for men than for women?" ”

Jin Youzi was also completely speechless, it is true that he was born in a village in Jiangxi, but his father Jin Shouzheng was a Confucian and was hired as a teacher of Linjiang Mansion. Jin Shouzheng is a strict and resolute person, and he is knowledgeable, and the students are suddenly called "Mr. Snow Cliff".

From an early age, Jin Youzi received the best education his father could provide, and studied the Confucian classic "Spring and Autumn" under the disciple of Jinshi Nie Xuan (who had been an assistant teacher of Guozijian and a teacher of Luling) in Hongwu for four years.

Therefore, Jin Youzi's understanding of the countryside was limited to when he was very young, but the children at that time were all playing in the village, how could they understand farming? Not to mention the current problem of abandoned babies.

As an adult, Jin Youzi relied on his knowledge to rise all the way, and rarely paid attention to the lives of ordinary farmers.

"Wechen is ashamed, I really don't know why." Jin Youzi bowed his head and said.

"It's fine."

Regarding the scene in the mass grave in front of him, Zhu Di who crawled out of the pile of dead people did not blink his eyes, and his iron heart did not feel any discomfort because of this.

What Zhu Di really cares about is that the real scenes of the people in Jiangnan he saw were not only different from his memory, but also different from the ministers' recitals, and even more different from other places he had visited.

In the Northland, the people's lives should be poorer than in the south of the Yangtze River.

But even at the risk of being killed, it is rare to see a newborn baby, let alone a boy, abandon the newborn baby.

The marquis will take it immediately.

If there are many people in the Northland, they really can't afford to raise half of their children, so they can be sent to the army.

So, why are there so many abandoned babies in Jiangnan, even on a large scale?

An answer gradually emerged in Zhu Di's heart.

for the people could not afford to support it.

It's not a nonsense, what really matters is the reason behind not being able to raise it.

Normally, even if the peasants in Jiangnan pay the highest level of taxes in the world, there is no problem with food and clothing for the family.

Why? It is because the paddy fields in the south of the Yangtze River have the highest yield per mu, and they are the only one.

Otherwise, the decision-makers of the empire are not fools, how can it be that the yield per mu of land in the whole country is the same, and Jiangnan will pay taxes several times?

But what went wrong that led to the Jiangnan region, where the world is rich, and the peasants began to abandon their babies?

Before Zhu Di could think clearly, his thoughts were interrupted by abruptness.

"Don't go any further!"

Zhu Di raised his head, but saw that several scholars who had just met on the road were riding back on donkeys, panting.

Jin Youzi was pretending to be the owner of the team at this time, and asked in a loud voice with a Jiangxi accent as a matter of course.

"Why are you so flustered? What's going on ahead and you can't move forward? ”

The gentleman who was still the leader said with some tears in his eyes at this time: "I heard from my classmates and friends that the village twenty miles ahead has been destroyed by the official army*!" Those officers and soldiers will kill people when they see them, so run! ”

Zhu Di's first reaction was impossible.

It was his decision to lead heavy troops to clear Jiangnan, and of course Zhu Di knew what virtues his subordinates had, but before departure, they had repeatedly ordered that the logistics and supplies were transported by the auxiliaries and civilian men coordinated by the Governor's Office of the Five Armies, and all the troops brought tents, cooking utensils and other items, and they were not allowed to disturb the people under any pretext, otherwise they would be forced to sit together, and the military law would not be merciful.

If there were really one or two bold soldiers who fainted, killed or looted, Zhu Di could understand.

However, this kind of thing in the village is by no means something that one or two soldiers can do, how can an officer risk his head and future and even catch up with his colleagues and superiors to do such a thing?

What's more, the most paradoxical thing is that the one who is exploring the way in front is the emperor's personal guard loyal and righteous guards!

Tong Xin also shook his head at him, signaling that Zhongyiwei would never do such an unqualified thing.

Not to mention the Zhongyi Wei, just an ordinary soldier, a year's salary is much higher than the ransacking of the village, and once it is released, it is a low-level officer of other Wei, who will be idle and go to * village?

"Go ahead and see what's going on, be smart."

A guard was dispatched.

The four scholars wanted to speak and stopped.

Jin Youzifu asked again, "Did you see it with your own eyes?" ”

A gentleman took out a handkerchief and wiped his uncontrollable snot, and said desolately: "What did you see with your own eyes? Seeing it with your own eyes and coming back? ”

Hearing this, Zhu Di and the others put their hearts at ease.

"Then who are you listening to?" Jin Youzi asked a little bit about the roots.

The four scholars looked at each other in hesitation.

They were about to refuse, when Jin Youzi shook out half of his clothes from the package he was carrying behind the mule.

It's a green robe that has been washed clean.

"You are an official of the imperial court?"

The scholars were a little surprised.

Jin Youzi nodded and said: "That's right, I don't want to reveal my identity before I go back to my hometown to visit relatives, please forgive me." ”

"No wonder, no wonder you can afford to hire Mongols as guards, there are several."

A scholar whose face was mostly scratched pointed at Zhu Di and said to Jin Youzi: "This lord, your wife should look like a powerful man, can you lend me his mule?" My donkey hit hard and broke its hooves as it ran. ”

Seeing that Jin Youzi's face was a little stunned, the scholar thought that he hadn't explained clearly, and turned around to reveal the donkey's buttocks, which were covered with bright red blood marks, which were obviously whipped out regardless of the embarrassment of several people when they fled.

Jin Youzi was already praying in his heart that Zhu Di could leave him a whole corpse.

didn't expect Zhu Di to deserve it simply, not only got off the mule, but also led him personally.

The scholar was grateful, thanked him again and again, and took out the silver money and handed it to Zhu Di.

Zhu Di generously put it into his arms and wanted to take away the reins of the donkey.

The stubborn donkey recognized his master, and when he didn't want to get on it, he got up his hooves.

"Be careful!"

Tong Xin watched the donkey's hooves kick at the emperor, if this was to kick the emperor well, the joke would be too big.

How will the history books of later generations be written?

"Emperor Wen of the Fifth Taizong Wen Dynasty of the History of the Ming Dynasty": Emperor Wen is a young soldier, according to the place of the hidden swallow shape, he is weak and weak, and he is introverted for a long time, and he is dying of the four seas. After ascending the throne, he patrolled the south of the Yangtze River, met a stubborn donkey, and died.

Just when Jin Youzi rushed over to escort the car in an extremely indecent posture, Zhu Di seemed to have expected it, turned sideways to avoid the donkey's hooves, and immediately raised his hand to clasp the root of the donkey's thigh and pressed hard.

"Bang"!

The stubborn donkey fell to the ground with a dull crashing sound!

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Di pushed and pulled the donkey's ankle at a speed that no one could see clearly, and the donkey himself was stunned.

Seeing that the stubborn donkey struggled to stand up, he immediately took two steps as usual, and walked towards Zhu Di.

Several guards drew their knives, but were stopped by Zhu Di.

Zhu Di clapped his hands, and the stubborn donkey affectionately rubbed his big hand with the sparse gray mane on his head.

"The old craftsmanship of the past has not been lost"

It was only at this time that Jin Youzi suddenly remembered that the emperor in front of him was also a ruthless man who could wear forty or fifty pounds of heavy armor and personally fight tirelessly on the battlefield with a gun and a bow.

After a small episode, seeing the force of the "old wife" and several guards, the four scholars were finally willing to tell the truth.

"The news of the village is not what we saw with our own eyes, but it was told to us by a classmate who lives in a nearby village on the official road, not far ahead."

Looking at Jin Youzi, who was calm, one of the scholars earnestly advised: "This lord, you should be familiar with the principle that a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall, no matter whether the news is true or not, there is no need to move forward." ”

The scholars looked at Jin Youzi's guards again, and said with some greed: "Why don't we go back together and take care of each other." ”

Tong Xin and others scoffed at this.

Take care of each other?

I'm afraid I brought four oil bottles.

Obviously he is afraid of asking for others, and he still talks as if the two sides are mutually beneficial, these Confucian scholars are already extremely hypocritical at a young age.

"You tell the official one thing truthfully, and then talk about the rest."

Instead, Jin Youzi put on the demeanor of an official, ignored the requests of the scholars, and put forward his own request.

People are under the eaves and have to bow their heads.

The scholars looked at each other, and then someone said.

"Your Excellency, ask, but if you know, we know everything."

"It was better to do so." Jin Youzi twisted his sparse beard on the horse and asked, "Then do you know why there are so many abandoned babies along the way?" ”

Hearing this, several scholars hesitated.

Tong Xin took the lead and pressed the handle of the knife.

"We say, we say! Don't move the knife, if you have something to say! ”

This is Xiucai meeting soldiers, and it is unclear to explain it. Several scholars said in a rambling voice.

"The first reason is that local families can't afford to raise children."

"Why can't you afford it?" Jin Youzi made up her mind today to get to the bottom of the matter and ask about the abandoned baby.

"Because there's not enough food." The scholar's answer was also simple, "There is not enough food every year." ”

"Songjiang is rich and famous, how can there not be enough food? Is it because the imperial court is heavily taxed? ”

The scholar replied earnestly: "The taxes of the imperial court are indeed heavy, but on the other hand, they are only paid to the landlords and clans, and those who are kept in their own hands are barely enough to make ends meet, and it is far from enough to raise children." ”

Landlord?

Patriarchal clan?

Jin Youzi, Zhu Di and others were confused.

Seeing the topic and talking about this, without explaining it clearly to the court official in front of him, he and the others didn't want to run away, and the four scholars simply explained patiently.

"It does not mean that the field belongs to whomever it is, or to whom the harvest of the field belongs. In the government's yellow book and fish scale book, this field belongs to A, and A is a yeoman farmer, but in fact this is not the case. ”

"What's going on?" Zhu Di interjected and asked.

It was the previous owner of the stubborn donkey who answered, he said in detail.

"In some fields, A and B have signed a private contract, and the kind that is fingerprinted is actually B's field, but nominally A's, which is the so-called 'sustenance', which is not so harsh compared with simple tenant farmers."

Zhu Di suddenly realized that this is not a tenant farmer registered in the double register of the government, but a yeoman farmer, but in fact it is another form of tenant farmer.

Jin Youzi is quick to think, and in response to this, he raised two questions one after another.

"First, if a tenant farmer disguises himself as a yeoman farmer, how can he be counted as a former servitude?"

"Second, if A wants to take the land that is nominally his own to lease or something, isn't B afraid of loss?"

The scholar said helplessly: "These two problems are inseparable from the clan. ”

"How?"

"The local lieutenant chief, in fact, is a clan in turn, on the surface, this person is the lieutenant governor in the official mansion, responsible for organizing forced labor, collecting taxes, but in fact, he may be a puppet in the clan, and it is those clan elders who really speak and manage things."

Looking at the shiny blade that was inadvertently drawn out, and swallowing his saliva, Shizi continued to reluctantly speak: "The so-called conscription is specially served by the local clan organization of Ding Zhuang's children in the village, and it has nothing to do with Jia who ploughs the fields in the field. ”

"What about A? Just be in charge of plowing the fields? ”

"Of course not, I have to pay a fee to the clan."

Jin Youzi nodded, he figured out the part of land ownership and use and forced labor.

There are a lot of tricks to play, and from the official point of view, it can even be said to be impeccable.

The land is registered with the government and belongs to A, and it is indeed A himself who is cultivating, and the government is too lazy to take care of it, so there is really no one to take care of it.

Since there is a clan as a deterrent, in this era, ordinary peasants with clan identity are indeed unable to resist the powerful power of the traditional patriarchal system.

Then the second issue of land leasing and subleasing will be solved.

If you are A, I am afraid that you will not be able to get your "own" title deed, and it should all be kept in the clan, and even if you get it, it will be difficult to sublease.

No one will come to you across the village just to rent your acres of land.

And the people in the same village, all of them belong to the same clan, and they know that there are cats in it, and since there are stable rules, no one will lease them, otherwise their family will suffer retaliation from the clan.

Ordinary peasants have no road guides, and they can't run around in Daming.

In this way, there is no way to resist except being trapped in the land for years of honest cultivation and bearing the burden of the three mountains handed over to the state, the landlords, and the clans.

And the wife and children are hot on the kang, barely alive, who wants to resist?

In fact, the shorter the period of time it is affected by the war, the easier it is for the fixed grass-roots organizational form of the clan to stabilize, and even stabilize to the point of rigidity and depression.

As long as the clan elders always hold the power of the clan, this phenomenon of seniority will continue in the clan.

Even a catastrophe is difficult to destroy the organizational form of the clan, unless there is a major war, to the extent that the world falls apart and families are separated.

In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, this was the case in the north.

The north is completely different from the south, especially the Han'er in the land of Yanyun, starting from the Liao State to the Jin Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty, which have been separated from the south for hundreds of years.

This kind of estrangement is not only reflected in the "North-South List" incident, but also a comprehensive estrangement in political interests, economic exchanges, and cultural differences, and it is by no means something that can be bridged in the short decades since the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

And Zhu Di himself is precisely the representative of the interests of the northern scholars, military leaders, and landlords. Note that not an advocate, nor an agent, but only a representative.

The topic returned to the present, and Jin Youzi asked again.

"Is it just because I can't afford to raise them that there are abandoned babies?"

"Some of them are not because they can't afford to raise them, but there is another reason, which is very important." Several scholars smiled wryly.

"Say."

The leader replied: "No matter what happens when you are born, you must try your best to provide for those who go to school, and only after a year or two of study, you can see if you are a seed of reading and no one will accept your fate, you must always give it a try, but the cost of this trial will have to be bankrupt for ordinary farmers." ”

Another person answered: "Just like gamblers, some peasants, raising one waste, want to be read by the second, and set foot on the road that goes straight to the clouds. Until finally the idea of having a baby was completely broken, or the family was ruined. ”

Speaking of which, it was the stubborn donkey owner who touched the scene.

"It's hard to walk, it's hard to walk! You don't see the golden branches in the Jianzhang Palace, and thousands of long strips hang down on the ground. In February and March, the flowers are like hail, and the nine-fold deep monarch is gone. ”

"If I hadn't been lucky enough to be admitted to Xiucai, how would my father and mother dare to have younger brothers and sisters!"

At this time, the stubborn donkey under Zhu Di's crotch also snorted and shook his sideburns.

Having said that, the matter of the abandoned baby, even the matter with the real Tianfu, has basically been clarified.

The two sides should have said goodbye, but Jin Youzi didn't promise them to answer the question and walked back with them.

However, at this time, the sound of horses' hooves sounded in the direction of the front on the official road.

Tong Xin unwrapped the package wrapped in the horn bow, and wanted to shoot arrows into the sky to summon the cavalry of the loyal guards around him to come and escort him.

Several guards next to him also pulled out their knives, and some people gave Zhu Di horses The team actually had horses, but a few guards were riding, and Zhu Di began to ride mules.

Zhu Di listened to the sound of horses' hooves, but signaled them to be restless.

"There are no horses, they are all country horses, and there are three or five people in total."

Jin Youzi was stunned for a moment.

The veteran is here, and the experience in the battle is outrageous.

Just by listening to the voice, you can judge the strength of the number of people who come.

"Phew~"

As expected, it was a few sturdy farmers from the countryside who came, and the "weapons" in their hands were just ordinary farm tools.

One of the young men in front seemed to be very familiar with several scholars, and after he dismounted and saluted, he glanced at Zhu Di and the others, and said with some eagerness.

"A few classmates, * The officers and soldiers of the village have horses, I am afraid that you will not be able to run and be caught up, it is better to hurry back to the village with me, there are soil polders in the village, which are tall and thick, even a small group of officers and soldiers can't gnaw down, it is much stronger than you running outside, come back with me."

Seeing that the young man said earnestly, and there was some truth in his words, several scholars hesitated for a moment, and then consciously or unconsciously followed him and a few peasants who came with him, and walked forward.

"We're scared too, why don't you take us with you?" Zhu Di suddenly rode on a donkey and said.

The donkey snorted, and seemed to agree with Zhu Di's opinion.

The young man who was a local tyrant in the countryside had a hint of tranquility between his eyebrows, and then he laughed heartily.

"Good, good! Four or ten, it's all the same! ”

"Come with me!"

Zhu Di's branch line will not be written for too long, trying to see the real style of the Ming people at that time through Zhu Di's perspective, so that everyone can feel what practical problems will be faced in transforming an old agricultural country, and also avoid the aesthetic fatigue caused by lectures all the time. The side plot will try to write more twists, more compact, and more realistic.

(End of chapter)