97 Who can he rely on?
Huo Yan: Who does he listen to?
When Huo Qubing said this, Huo Yan was really moved. The anxiety caused by Huo Qubing's temper with him disappeared, and his IQ regained its high point, and so did Huo Qubing.
They stood in the wind vent for a while, and then Huo Yan pulled Huo Qubing and walked back.
Although Huo Yan invented paper and it became popular in the Han Dynasty, Huang County was a remote corner of the country, still stuck in the realm of bamboo slips. They used bamboo slips to file complaints, delivered them by horse, and traveled overland, while Sima Qian's letter was written on paper, delivered by air using carrier pigeons that Huo Yan had asked him to bring.
You can tell who is fast and who is slow at a glance.
Why stop the report? It hasn't even reached Chang'an yet. Sima Qian messed with his mind and deserved to be scolded.
He thought so, but he was in a good mood at the moment. Huo Qubing was not angry with him, and he also calmed down a little after reading Sima Qian's letter.
Sima Qian's letters were always talkative, covering every detail. He could even describe how many sons a local wealthy family had and how many of those sons were not his, all in vivid detail, as if he were watching them from under their beds every night.
Huo Yan read his letter according to his habit, cutting off the beginning and the end and only reading the middle.
Sure enough, the middle part was what Huo Yan wanted. Huo Yan looked carefully and pieced together the general idea.
Sima Qian showed his recklessness when he first arrived in Huangxian. He set up a salt factory according to the method suggested by Huo Yan and worked hard to prepare the method of salt drying. After mastering the method, he took the students left by Huo Yan and split them into two groups. One group went to the countryside to recruit workers, and the other group prepared to buy some land for salt drying.
The Huang County Huo Yan had chosen was located in the Jiaodong region, on the Bohai Sea coastline, boasting strong sea breezes, making it an ideal location for implementing the solar salting method. But while Huo Yan knew it was a good location, the powerful officials didn't. Grain production in this area was low, and salt production was the primary industry. Everywhere, salt farmers toiled for the powerful officials, braving the scorching sun, their backs hunched, their hands cracked from years spent in the salt ponds, ploughing heavy wooden rakes into the hardened salt pans. If they weren't careful, the salt manager's whip would strike their bare bodies, leaving bloody streaks.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the salt-drying method that Huo Yan wanted had not yet become popular. People used the salt-boiling method. First, seawater was introduced into the salt fields. After initial evaporation and concentration, the brine was introduced into a large pot and heated and boiled with firewood and other fuels. Salt was obtained only after the water evaporated.
Therefore, the steam rising from the salt pond is more scorching than the scorching sun in the sky. Many salt farmers step on the brine mixed with mud, mechanically repeating the actions of scooping and splashing water. The salt grains cut their calves into fine wounds, and the wounds are mixed with salt water, and every step is excruciatingly painful.
But they had to leave. They were considered inferior people by the powerful families. When natural disasters occurred, their land was sold at a low price. Apart from making salt for the powerful families, where else could they make a living?
Sima Qian was indignant and unwilling to bear it, and finally directed his anger towards the powerful.
He pulled off a move Huo Yan hadn't anticipated. He beat up the biggest local tyrant with clubs, using the killing of a chicken to scare the monkeys, determined to overpower all the salt production in Huang County. He'd planned to keep it a secret, but he didn't expect a group of them to go along with him. The children Huo Yan had sent were all pure-hearted and couldn't bear to see others suffer, so they were convinced by this incident. A few days ago, a tyrant had caused trouble, and they'd beaten him so badly that he couldn't even recognize his father.
Seeing this, Huo Yan's face looked as if he had eaten a fly.
"What a bunch of little idiots! Just be stupid, you're just a target, waiting to be scolded!"
Damn it, he was wrong!
Sima Qian was the real scoundrel! This scoundrel leader, along with his three hundred college students, Huo Yan couldn't even imagine what kind of beating he'd get. He covered his face, but the corners of his lips lifted fiercely.
Because later Sima Qian thanked the people sent by Huo Yan, who were very energetic and dared to think and act. The doctors in the salt field only treated the powerful, and the common people could only bear the illness. But the people sent by Huo Yan did not despise them at all, and kept helping him measure the land and resettle the people. He thanked Huo Yan on behalf of Huang County.
Everything is going well in Huang County now.
They have now taken over the land, and the salt-drying method is very effective.
The first batch of salt came out quickly and he is now pickling the fruit.
The corners of Huo Yan's lips were getting higher and higher.
Huo Qubing also read the letter, and was fascinated by the secret story of the powerful illegitimate son in front. Hearing that he was scolding him but actually caring about him, he calmly turned the letter. When he saw the middle, his eyebrows raised instantly, "Ayan, why did you recommend Sima Qian?"
To attract the most talented individuals, Emperor Liu Che made it mandatory for officials to recommend candidates for official positions. Officials who refused to recommend, or whose recommended candidates were unsatisfactory, were punished. For example, if a prince failed to recommend talented individuals to the court, his rank would be demoted the first time, his fiefdom would be reduced the second time, and his title and fiefdom would be revoked the third time. This was considered a predatory clause derived from the Enfeoffment Order. While officials would be rewarded if the recommended candidate was highly valued by the court, if the recommended candidate made a mistake or was incompetent, the official who recommended him would also be punished. This was exactly what happened to Zheng Dang.
Of course, this doesn't matter to Huo Yan and Huo Qubing. In the emperor's heart, Jian is not just talk.
But this is not a glorious thing after all. You said you recommended someone, and within half a year, you received a bunch of complaints. It would be too embarrassing for Huo Yan to tell others about it.
Huo Yan only wanted to maintain his dignity in this life, and Huo Qubing knew it very well.
But Sima Qian really has no political acumen. If he wanted to manipulate someone, why couldn't he do it? Why did he have to use this method? Did he have much to rely on?
The lights flickered, stretching Huo Yan's shadow on the screen very long. He leaned his forehead lazily on the desk, as if dozing off, like a long and difficult mountain range.
Huo Qubing relaxed his brows, shook the letter, and continued to read it leisurely while leaning on the couch.
Sima Qian has someone to rely on, his younger brother is not here!
"Sima Qian is indeed extraordinary."
Sima Qian is indeed an extraordinary person. Look how much he agrees with his father-in-law Yan Xin. After being angry, he even has to help clean up the mess.
Being able to reduce Ah Yan to this level is truly extraordinary.
Huo Yan snorted softly, clearly understanding the implication. He folded the letter, laid another sheet of paper on it, and replied with a smile, "Sure!" Then he took Huo Qubing's hand and used it to stand up. He was mischievous, patting his brother's hand with his hooked finger like a cat.
Huo Qubing moved quickly, turned his wrist and patted his hand.
Sima Qian has a lot to rely on, and there is also a Marquis of Guanjun here.
Huang County.
Sima Qian, who was directing people to divide the salt fields, sneezed three times in a row into the sea breeze. The salty smell filled his nose, causing the old salt farmer next to him to look back. He bent down very low.
"Sir, it's getting dark and windy, please go back."
His skin was dark with a coppery red tint, and he looked uneasy and uneasy.
The neatly-arranged salt ponds shone silver in the sun, and the coarse salt piled up in wooden troughs like crushed snow. The snow-colored coarse salt was carefully ground into fine powder by the craftsmen without sprinkling any.
Ever since this new high official had driven away the powerful families above them and implemented the salt-drying method, they could receive three strings of cash a month as wages and buy salt at the lowest price. They no longer had to carry bamboo baskets and run thirty miles to the salt warehouse to exchange for black salt. The old salt farmer had been promoted to manage this salt field, and he was afraid of offending this high official and being driven out.
After Sima Qian finished sneezing, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and said, "Hey, Ah Yan said someone was talking about me. So Ah Yan must have received the letter."
After he said that, he prayed in his heart.
A Yan will give him money, right?
The old salt merchant didn't know who Ah Yan was and didn't dare ask. Sima Qian, however, noticed him and pulled out a bag of salted apricots, handing him one. It was ripe apricot season, and Huangxian's mountains were covered with apricot trees. Huo Yan said he wanted to develop distinctive characteristics, as this place relied on the sea for its livelihood. He had also contracted with Huangxian to produce seafood like seaweed and scallops, as well as salted fruits. These products were durable and could be quickly revitalized through his trade routes.
Sima Qian trusted him more than ever, and as soon as the salt factory was stable, he started to salt the fruits in a hurry.
This piece of salted dried apricot has lost its tender yellow color of fresh apricots, and its skin has shrunk into a saturated pomegranate flower color, like the setting sun.
The salt grains crystallized roughly between the wrinkles. The old salt farmer carefully broke it open. The flesh inside was light brown and amber honey oozing out. The old salt farmer took a small bite, and the honey stained the old salt farmer's hand. The old salt farmer quickly put the apricot in his mouth, and then licked the honey and tiny salt grains on his hand clean.
The sourness and saltiness collide violently between the teeth. After chewing for a while, the sweetness hidden in the apricot meat fibers gradually emerges.
Very sweet.
A life that was bitter to the end actually had a touch of sweetness on the tongue.
The old salt merchant chewed slowly for a long time before he realized that Sima Qian was staring at him intently. His face immediately turned red, but it was not visible on his face. He could not say anything embarrassing and could only bend his waist down again.
Then he heard the adult say, "It tastes good, right? I've been trying it for a long time. Ah Yan doesn't like things that are too sweet, so he'll definitely like this flavor."
This way A Yan can give him more money.
His heart was bubbling with joy, and a loud shout made his heart fly.
"Sir! Brother has sent me a letter!"
The young man approached from afar, pigeon in hand, sweating profusely. They were the children of factory workers in Chang'an, and they were taught by Master Jiang, who told them to call Huo Yan "Senior Brother."
Although they preferred to call him Mr. Huo Yan, they could not disobey their master's orders, so they all called him "senior brother" to the outside world.
"Zhao Guo, here!"
Sima Qian kept waving his hands.
The young man named Zhao Guo had a tanned skin and only white teeth all over his body. After handing the letter to Sima Qian, he did not forget to lean over to take a look.
What did the young man write?
The old salt farmer bent his body even more. Zhao Guo noticed him standing beside him, chuckled, took out a salted plum from his cloth bag and put it in his hand.
The old salt farmer was stunned for a moment and was about to express his gratitude, but the young boy had already run into the salt field and distributed one to each person.
He looked at the plum and suddenly remembered that he could add more salt when making fish soup for his wife in the evening.
This salt is not bitter, it is sweet.
The sea breeze blew again, Sima Qian's hairband rustled, and after a long time, he laughed out loud.
"Ayan is the best!"
When he smiled, everyone laughed.
"Ahem." Sima Qian cleared his throat and shouted, "Your young master praised us! He said he would come soon to buy fruit and scallops."
All the students cheered!
A group of young people raised their heads and stood straighter.
Hey, the master is here. Damn him!
【Author’s words】
A Yan: Sima Qian, I’m protecting him, understand?
Qubing: Ah Yan, I’m protecting you, understand?
Regarding Ma Qian's political acumen, I can only say, □□.
After all, Sima Qian defended Li Ling without knowing the whole truth, saying that his surrender might be a temporary measure. He did not consider the authority of his son and the political atmosphere of the court, which brought himself the disaster of castration.
And when Tetsuko was in power, Tetsuko was the cricket, so cough cough.
Ah Yan is quite happy~
In a sense, Sima Qian's political lifespan depended entirely on Ayan. If he had been cautious and gotten things done, Ayan would have been happy. But if he had rushed in without planning, the results would have been acceptable, and Ayan would have been satisfied. Crucially, Sima Qian had only one person to lean on, and he was sufficiently obedient that Ayan would not abandon him for no reason.
Besides, within a team, the boss can tame his subordinates, but that's in private. In public, slapping Sima Qian in the face is like kicking Huo Yan in the ass. Protecting the people under his command is a boss's duty.
I'm busy with my thesis lately and I really want to die
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