Being attached to one's native place is often described as a traditional habit of the Chinese people, and it is deeply rooted.
But in ancient agricultural society, this is understandable. Unlike the advanced and rapid transportation and information communication of later generations, the scope of activities of ancient people was very limited. Some people even never left their county in their entire lives.
Of course, Lao Tzu's saying, "The sounds of chickens and dogs may be heard, but they will never visit each other until they die," is even more serious than being attached to one's own land. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as taking root or creating a prison on a plot of land.
Moreover, in an agricultural society, land is the most important means of production, and farming is the occupation that most people rely on for survival from generation to generation.
Unlike the industrial and commercial societies of later generations, ancient times didn't offer many job opportunities. And without social security, what would happen when you get too old to work?
Owning land is different, although there are risks such as natural disasters. But in the eyes of ordinary people, "thirty acres of land, a cow, children, a wife, and a warm bed" is a stable, secure and well-off life.
In fact, Erya's father and the middle-aged man were just one of the many people who longed to return to their homeland in Liaodong. Not to mention those who had already left, even those who were already in Liaodong had such thoughts.
In Jinzhou, another group of cavalry from the Beijing camp arrived by boat and were assigned to the military camp to rest temporarily, recuperate their horses, and adapt to the environment.
Even a relatively short stay boosted the local economy, primarily due to the merchants affiliated with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce who seized the opportunity.
The businessmen all knew that the soldiers were rich, and the demand for daily necessities was huge, especially for tobacco and alcohol, which were in short supply.
The shops and hotels are also doing very well. Although the buildings are not magnificent, the bustling crowds are no less than those in a bustling city.
"Yingzi will be busy again." Yingzi's father took a sip of wine and felt sorry for his daughter in the shop again.
Zhuzi nodded, poured the old man more wine, and said, "After all this busy time, can you take a few days off? Yingzi is already in charge!"
"Whether you're in charge or not, you're not young anymore." Yingzi's father suddenly got angry. He just put the fish into his mouth and slammed his chopsticks on the table. He glared at Zhuzi and asked, "Is my daughter still not getting married?"
Zhuzi was stunned by the question, but he quickly reacted and waved his hands, "How could such a good girl like Yingzi not get married?"
Yingzi's father said "hmm", but his eyes were still wide open, waiting for Zhuzi to continue.
Zhang Zhuzi smiled and explained, "Aren't we going to destroy the Jianlu and pacify the Liao soon? I mean, just wait a while. I think it will happen by the end of this year or the beginning of next spring."
"The marriage must be arranged in the early spring of next year, regardless of whether we can pacify Liao or not." Yingzi's father made the final decision, stared at Zhuzi and nodded, his expression softening slightly.
Zhang Zhuzi diligently poured wine and served dishes, trying to please his future father-in-law. This was necessary. No matter how much Yingzi wanted to do, if the old man refused to agree, there was nothing he could do.
"Speaking of which—" Yingzi's father's eyes lit up after two drinks. He had just taken out his cigarette pouch when Zhang Zhuzi pulled out a pack of cigarettes and handed it to him, saying, "Look at my brain. I bought them and forgot to take them out."
Yingzi's father snorted, accepted the cigarette without hesitation, and filled his pipe with his own, muttering, "Mine is still more powerful."
Zhang Zhuzi laughed and lit the fire for his father-in-law.
Yingzi's father took a deep breath, exhaled a cloud of thick smoke, and asked, "Retired soldiers will be given at least 100 acres of land. I heard they also give them a cow. Has this rule been set?"
"Yes, the court has already set the rules," Zhang Zhuzi answered truthfully. "You can register now, and once the Liao Dynasty is pacified, you can apply for it. But whether you can choose as you wish is still unclear."
Yingzi's father nodded and said, "Have you decided where to choose the farmland?"
Zhang Zhuzi hesitated for a moment and said, "I'll listen to Yingzi. If she likes this place, then she can live here."
"Lushun?" Yingzi's father narrowed his eyes in thought, then shook his head. "There's not even enough land in Jinzhou, and it's all been divided up now. Lushun has a port and is becoming increasingly prosperous, so it's not bad to live here. But I'm afraid it's not a long-term plan. It's a waste of a hundred acres of farmland."
"Uncle, what are your plans?" Zhang Zhuzi heard something and hurriedly asked for advice. In the final analysis, he still had to do what the old man thought.
Yingzi's father tapped his pipe and said, "After all, with these hundred acres of land, as long as we don't squander our wealth, we'll have plenty of food and drink for three or five generations. I'm thinking, you should register first and choose a spot in Laohetun. Maybe you'll find what you want, and maybe that shabby yard will still be there!"
Zhang Zhuzi sighed silently and nodded vigorously in agreement. The old man missed home, that village, that yard, and those dilapidated houses.
"Go and do it quickly." Yingzi's father urged, "You're right. I've never seen such a large-scale event. With so many troops, I'm afraid the Liaodong pacification will be successful."
Zhang Zhuzi was quite confident and said with a smile: "This is just southern Liaoning. There are still large armies mobilized in western and eastern Liaoning!"
"Okay, I hope there will be peace soon." Yingzi's father sighed, drinking and eating, in a good mood.
……………………
It doesn't matter if we have little to eat, or if we have to work hard in the fields. For ordinary people, what they want most is peace and stability.
But for the class that has deviated from the means of food and clothing, although they also dislike unrest, they are not concerned about trivial matters such as a few acres of land and a few dilapidated houses.
In Shanghai, at the General Chamber of Maritime Commerce, President Li Dan rolled his eyes so wide that his pupils were almost invisible when he saw Yan Siqi suddenly appear.
"Haha." Yan Siqi felt guilty and laughed twice before bowing. "Thank you for your hard work, President. I rushed back in a hurry, so I'll give it to you from now on. You can take a good rest."
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