56. The heated kang (II)

"It's done."

A few days later, some unfamiliar faces began to appear in Ningyuan City, most of them living in empty, unclaimed houses.

Shen Suqin knew all this, but she was busy with other things and couldn't find the time to visit them.

As the memorial texts were distributed to various places, some scattered news began to reach the north during this period.

Ju Tao specially collected some information and showed it to Shen Suqin: "It's said that many people wept bitterly after reading it, and some even wanted to give their own savings to the army..."

Has the imperial court responded?

Ju Tao shook her head: "I haven't heard of it. I only heard that Pei Tingfeng seems to have made several copies by hand, but I don't know who he gave them to."

Shen Suqin's expression was not good. "The effect is not as expected."

"really."

"Let's find someone to add fuel to the fire."

"Who should I look for?"

Shen Suqin thought for a moment: "Find the teacher and let him say something. He carries weight and it will be better than me speaking alone."

"Is that so? Then I'll send a letter back?"

"Yes. Also, have people in various places secretly incite the public to donate money and goods, and make a big fuss about it."

Ju Tao touched her cheek: "Sister Qin is as meticulous in her work as ever."

Shen Suqin: "Stop flattering me, get to work."

Meanwhile, news of Xu Youcai's large-scale recall of demobilized soldiers reached Liangzhou.

At that time, Xiao Pingchuan had just finished a small-scale encirclement and annihilation battle.

They were attacking Zhu Xiegebo's scouts. After several strong attacks, the enemy finally retreated and decided to send someone out to scout ahead, but Xiao Pingchuan sent men to wipe them out.

Looking at the corpses scattered on the ground, Zhao Chengchun picked up a handful of snow and wiped the sticky blood off his hands, saying, "The Shatuo barbarians in the city have probably been starving for days. Look at these knives, they can't even swing them."

Chai Shun smacked his lips: "It's about time. Yao Town is so small, with no more than eight thousand people in total. Even if he brought tens of thousands of people in, they wouldn't have enough to eat even if they licked them all clean. Besides, so many days have passed." After saying that, he turned to Xiao Pingchuan and asked, "General, when do we start the battle?"

Xiao Pingchuan looked at the dimly lit Yao Town in the distance and said, "Wait for the snow to stop."

"That's true, the city wall is slippery and hard to climb if the snow keeps falling."

"Cut off the head and display it upright at the head of town. I want Zhu Xiegebo to see it," Xiao Pingchuan said.

Zhao Chengchun nodded and instructed his men to do so: "Let's go back and have a hot meal. I think the snow will stop before dawn."

"Speaking of which, did you hear about Lao Cai asking Kui Lang for the veterans' register the other day?" Zhao Chengchun asked as they walked back.

"He informed the general beforehand, didn't he, General?"

Xiao Pingchuan gave a soft "hmm".

"What is he going to do?" Zhao Chengchun asked again.

“I didn’t actually ask that,” Chai Shun said.

“It was Madam who wanted it,” Xiao Pingchuan said. “She said she wanted to help find a way to make a living for the retired brothers.”

Upon hearing this, the surroundings fell silent, and even the soldiers who had followed them out perked up their ears and slowed their treads.

"Really?" Zhao Chengchun said, "There are tens of thousands of people. How are they supposed to find a way to survive? I don't believe it."

Chai Shun hesitated, wanting to say: "Madam owns over a hundred restaurants throughout Daliang, so perhaps it's really possible."

But he wasn't sure if his wife wanted others to know about it, so he didn't say anything.

Xiao Pingchuan, however, said in a gentle tone, "I believe her."

“If this really works out, good heavens, we brothers will have to treat your wife like royalty,” Chai Shun said.

"that is."

Two days later, good news finally came from the heated brick bed.

This time they replaced the filling material with burnt dry sand, which is warmer than loess.

Shen Suqin lay down on it fully clothed, feeling a warm sensation running down her spine and all the way to her limbs.

She let out a comfortable sigh and said slowly, "This winter is over."

After saying that, she stood up and said to Xu Youcai, "Put everything else aside for now. You need to promote this thing and make sure that everyone in Jinzhou and even the northern border uses it. Also, help me train a few people who know how to make earthen beds." After saying that, she added, "Let the retired brothers you find learn it first. We'll be showing favoritism openly."

Xu Youcai smiled and clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Absolutely. Once they've learned it, the first place we'll definitely arrange is the General's Mansion."

Shen Suqin smiled: "As expected, the general understands me best."

As she spoke, she took out a purse from her bosom and tossed it to him, saying, "This is a reward for building a heated kang. Each person will receive one ingot of silver. If others invite you to build a kang, you can also accept some payment as appropriate, but not more. If it exceeds one tael, don't blame me for turning against you."

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise.

There were at least five or six people present, and they each contributed five or six ingots of silver.

Seeing that none of them dared to move, Shen Suqin laughed and said, "You may not know how useful this heated kang is, but do you know how many elderly and weak people don't make it through the winter? This thing can save lives, you are doing a great deed."

After saying that, she got off the heated kang and walked out, instructing Xu Youcai, "General Xu, divide them among them." As she passed Xu Youcai, she added in a low voice, "Yours is two ingots, don't count them wrong."

After that day, people in Ningyuan City gradually started building heated kang beds. Once the beds were mostly completed in Ningyuan, the practice slowly spread to the surrounding cities.

Soon, because it was indeed warm and useful, the heated brick bed spread at an astonishing speed and extended beyond the North.

That night, Shen Suqin leaned against the heated kang and read a book. Ju Tao was next to her, lying on the kang table doing accounts. When her eyes got tired, she stopped, lay down on the kang, and sighed, "This heated kang is really comfortable, so warm and cozy."

“Indeed.” Shen Suqin’s eyes remained on the book.

“When I go out now, almost every household has a heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove), which was mostly built with the help of Brother Xu and his team.”

Does he take money?

"They accept some and they don't accept others. They accept a little from wealthy families, but they don't accept anything from poor families."

Shen Suqin suddenly put down her book, looked at her, and asked, "How do you know so much?"

"He's the most prominent man in town right now, a general, unmarried, good at making money, has men under his command, and lots of matchmakers are eyeing him."

"Hmm? I remember he was in his early thirties."

In Daliang, getting married at eighteen or nineteen is considered late, let alone for Xu Youcai, whose children are already seven, eight, or ten years old.

“It’s different here than in the south. There are plenty of single men in the army here, so he’s not that old.”

"Ju Tao." Shen Suqin lowered her voice.

"what?"

"You've taken a liking to him?"

Ju Tao silently turned her face away and met her gaze in silence.

Shen Suqin shrugged. "Okay, I guess you wouldn't be interested in him either. Brother Xu isn't very smart."

Ju Tao turned his face back and said, "I treat him like my own elder brother."

"I didn't say anything else. On the other hand, I think the head of the Su family is quite good, barely a match for you."

Ju Tao pouted: "Come on, from childhood to adulthood, his heart has never been with me. Besides, the Su family is a prominent and wealthy family, and I don't want to be a part of their backyard."

Shen Suqin picked up the book and said with great agreement, "That's true. The Su family's fabric shop makes more money than they could ever spend in several lifetimes. With a family like that, there are so many rules and so much trouble. Oh, I forgot, I still have him making winter clothes for the Black Flag Army. I should go and check on the progress and collect some money while I'm at it. Our savings are almost gone..."

"Also, did he reply to the letter I gave to the teacher?"

"No, but as long as you speak up, he's never going to refuse. He might have already sent out articles supporting you."

"Hurry up and send it. Counting the days, the general's granary is almost empty. By the way, when Brother Xu has some free time, have him come to see me. It's time to make a move in the western suburbs as well."

"good."

——

In the dead of winter in the twenty-third year of Jingkang, the winter was exceptionally long and bitter, and everyone huddled in their dark and gloomy rooms, waiting for the arrival of spring.

However, what they received first was the Black Flag Army's first victory report: the Shatuo were defeated and fled to Yaozhen, then fled north in panic. The Black Flag Army pursued them relentlessly, like driving pigs and dogs.

The second letter was a eulogy that appeared out of nowhere, titled "Eulogy for 60,000 Lost Souls." The Black Flag Army had grown from 300,000 at its peak to just over 100,000 today, with more than 100,000 dying by the sword. "Pitiful are the bones by the Wuding River, still the dream of those in their boudoirs."

Before everyone could react, the long-absent Ji Weiya made a rare appearance and publicly declared, "Those who do not shed tears are not of ancient character."

Only then did everyone realize that the infamous Black Flag Army was actually a sharp blade forged from flesh and blood, and that this blade was now, hungry and enduring the bitter cold, swinging towards the enemy's head.

We need to do something!

So, some people started ransacking their own rice granaries, some shook out their dilapidated wardrobes, and the Su family, one of the wealthiest families in Jiaozhou, even donated 30,000 winter coats...

However, many more people turned their attention to the imperial court, questioning why they hadn't been provided with provisions. They all remembered a passage in the sacrificial text that read, "Without enough food to fill their bellies, thin clothes and cold hands, they could barely hold their spears..."

Pei Tingfeng read this sentence aloud during the morning court session, then turned to look at Yang Kan, the finance commissioner.

Yang Kan swallowed hard, glanced at Prime Minister Pei discreetly, and then carefully lowered his gaze.

“Your Majesty,” Pei Tingfeng said, “this concerns the very foundation of the nation, and we must provide full support to the Black Flag Army.”

"Young Master Pei, you flatter me. I've heard that wherever Xiao Pingchuan led his troops, the people welcomed him with food and drink, so he shouldn't lack anything. As for clothing, the Su family of Jiaozhou provided it, so why should we worry about it? Right now, the national treasury is low, and every penny must be carefully calculated. Spring planting, floods, and refugees—none of these things require money..."

"Yang Kan! I thought you were just muddle-headed and useless, but I never imagined you were so short-sighted and vicious!" Pei Tingfeng said angrily.

"you!"

The aloof Emperor Jingkang glanced at him and slowly said, "Minister Pei is right. What use are you and me if the country is not standing? Allocate the silver and drive the Shatuo out first."

"Your Majesty," someone else tried to voice their objection.

Emperor Jingkang waved his hand and said, "After court, this matter will be handled by Minister Pei."

"Farewell to Your Majesty."

After the court session ended, Pei Ruhai and others waited at the palace gate, watching from afar as his eldest son spoke in hushed tones with the officials of the Ministry of Revenue, presumably discussing how much silver to give.

It took about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea for Pei Tingfeng to come out.

"Father."

Pei Ruhai nodded: "Let's take a walk together. It's been a long time since we had a proper conversation."

"Yes, Father."

“Those were the Crown Prince’s men just now,” Pei Ruhai said calmly.

Pei Tingfeng seemed to be hearing this for the first time, "Wasn't he recommended by you, Father?"

Pei Ruhai shook his head. "What good is the favor of recommendation? In the eyes of some people, it has become a shackle that prevents them from rising to prominence. He has been in close contact with the Crown Prince's tutor in private and has long since sided with him."