The further north you go, the worse the environment becomes.
The temperature also began to drop rapidly.
The temperature was even close to below zero, so everyone had to put on thick winter clothes.
After arriving at Kejing's territory, the place was almost covered with snow, and traveling became extremely difficult.
Occasionally, when they came across some small tribes on the road, Yinreng would personally take his sons and nephews to take a look and see how the herdsmen lived.
Today's herdsmen are very different from those in later generations. In his previous life, before Yinreng followed Kangxi to deal with Galdan, he also thought that Mongolians were all fat and broad-bodied, had free access to roasted lamb legs, drank kumis, were strong in combat, and lived a comfortable and carefree life.
However, the reality is that most Mongolians are not tall, and only those who are born with a silver spoon in their mouth can grow into tall and strong people.
Livestock in herders' homes are important production tools. They will not be slaughtered for food unless it is absolutely necessary. Even during festivals, more than ten households will share a sheep.
Occasionally, when cattle and sheep die of disease, their meat is made into jerky and kept to help people get through the most difficult winter.
The food that herders usually eat is mostly dairy products, small wild animals hunted on the grassland, and a small amount of grain in exchange for a living.
Once, Yuanbao, Hongwang and others saw with their own eyes a herdsman catch a few mice, then excitedly go home to skin and clean them, and then roast them to eat.
Several young masters who had never seen the sufferings of the world vomited on the spot.
Yinreng also felt uncomfortable seeing this.
The Mongols are also his people. When transportation becomes convenient in the future, he will also start to improve the living environment of the herdsmen.
After wandering around Kejing's territory for a few days, Yinreng changed his route and went back to Beijing via a more northern territory.
He knew that although the living conditions of the people in Kejing's territory were difficult, they were far from shocking. The ones who really suffered were those living in Mobei.
After returning to Chengde after traveling through Mongolia in the northern desert and witnessing the real suffering of the people, the young people who had been studying and living in ivory towers became silent.
Even Yuanbao felt a little worried.
The land in northern Mongolia is frozen for most of the year, and there are even fewer wild animals living there. In the winter, some herders just drink some millet porridge and milk, and eat a few bites of dried meat, and the day passes by.
Some people even refuse to eat dried meat.
In a tribe, you can't even see any elderly people over 50 years old. Basically, there are only middle-aged men and women with haggard faces, and children who are treated like adults.
Yuanbao looked at their skinny appearances and was scared at first, but after seeing them many times, a trace of pity arose in his heart.
He didn't know what that emotion was called, he just felt that the life of the herders was difficult and he felt uncomfortable.
When the team was resting in Chengde, Yinreng and Yinsi discussed it and then took their nephews to inspect the village near the palace.
Chengde is not too far from the capital, and its economic development has also been influenced by the capital, and it has become increasingly prosperous in recent years.
Before they returned here, there must have been a heavy snowfall, and the sky and earth outside the palace were all white.
Compared with the herdsmen, the people of Chengde live a much better life. Even the poorest people have adobe houses to shelter them from the wind and snow.
The group went to a relatively wealthy family in the village to have a meal.
When the farmer saw Yinreng and others wearing silk and satin, he was surprised. Although he was afraid, he did not dare to neglect them at all and welcomed them in warmly.
More than a dozen people filled the farmer's main room.
The old woman took her two daughters-in-law to the kitchen to busy themselves, while the old man sat trembling on the bench, chatting with Yinreng and others.
After a brief chat with the old man, everyone had a clear idea of what was going on.
There are nine people in this family, including three generations of grandparents and grandchildren. The old man's two sons have gone out to work, and now only the old man, his wife, two daughters-in-law, and the two children of the eldest son are left in the family.
Yinreng knew that he was afraid, so his tone softened. He even pulled the younger ones like Yuanbao and Hongshang to the old man and introduced them to him.
The old man probably realized that they had no ill intentions, and he gradually became bolder.
As everyone chatted, they talked about the old man's living standards. The old man took a deep breath.
"The current emperor is a benevolent ruler..."
Yinreng and Yinsi looked at each other, and a smile appeared in their eyes.
Yinsi asked,
"Where did you get that from?"
"Needless to say, just look at the old man and I'll know. More than ten years ago, his life in this village was not as easy as it is now."
The old man picked up the bowl and drank some hot water, then told the story of the changes that had taken place in his family over the past decade.
The old man was born and raised in this village. His parents only had him and his sister. The family was hardworking and could barely make ends meet after paying taxes on the annual sales.
When he grew older and reached the age to get married and have children, his parents sent his sister to the next village. The two families exchanged their daughters, and only then did he get a wife.
Not long after, he had his eldest son, and the family of five lived a hard but comfortable life.
Later, he had a second son, and life at home became even tighter.
If there had not been a famine, his family could have barely gotten by, but unfortunately, more than ten years ago, this place suffered a small drought.
In order to save food, my mother took the initiative to go into the mountains and never came out since then.
Although the old man was sad at the time, he also felt that it was natural because many elderly people in the village did the same.
When the drought was almost over, his father left him in the same way.
Although the family lost two laborers, the saved food rations were just enough for them to get through the most difficult days.
Later, the two sons grew up and were about to reach the age of getting married and having children, but he had no daughters and could not arrange for his sons to marry through marriage exchange.
He was in a state of panic during those days.
Until one day, the government came to conscript labor, saying that if they worked, they would not only be provided with food but also receive money.
He didn't believe it at first.
After all, when he was a child, he also heard the elders in the same village talk about how hard it was to perform corvee labor.
He was afraid of death, so he didn't sign up.
Most people in the village had the same idea as him, but there were always some villagers who could not survive and signed up with half belief and half doubt.
But a year later, the villager who signed up got married and built a house.
It caused a huge sensation in the village.
Only then did the old man realize that what the government had said was true.
It’s just a pity that the government project was already in the final stage at that time and no manpower was needed at all.
The old man was extremely disappointed.
As a result, within two months, the government was recruiting people for labor service again, this time to build a reservoir more than ten miles away.
The old man signed up for himself and his two sons without saying a word.
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