Chapter 112
Chapter 112
In the 38th year of Huayuan, late April.
The Jianmeng Mansion's exhausted escorts can finally take a break.
I made a lot of money on this trip and also stayed in Sichuan for a few days.
Fortunately, the money was in hand.
Starting from Jianmeng Mansion, everything was fine at the beginning and the mission of the secret escort was also easy.
As soon as they arrived in Sichuan, some people realized that they seemed to be being targeted.
This feeling is very subtle. If Ji Zhuangyuan had not reminded them in advance, they might not have noticed it. It can be seen that the other party is an adept.
Only after they caught those experienced killers did the escorts realize that Ji Zhuangyuan had indeed planned everything out.
The other party is indeed a professional killer who is being raised by someone.
The professionalism here refers not only to the fact that they have received certain training in normal times, but also to the fact that if they encounter a situation that goes wrong, they can just die.
The latter is even more important than the former. It doesn’t matter if things cannot be done, but the safety of the people above must be protected.
Moreover, eight people could definitely kill Ji Zhuangyuan with just their swords.
After hacking someone to death, it doesn’t matter if they die themselves. That’s what they do.
If Ji Zhuangyuan hadn’t reminded them, they would have probably jumped off the cliff.
This is not a storytelling novel. If you jump down, you will really die.
Of course, the prerequisite is that Ji Zhuangyuan's physical strength and martial arts skills exceed those of others, so the opponent does not succeed in the first place.
Next, Ji Zhuangyuan asked about the people behind the incident and asked them to take the three killers to the capital.
After leaving Sichuan, the road ahead becomes easier.
The original things in the box were taken out, and the three people were put inside. They took the small path and finally brought them to the outskirts of Beijing.
The escorts found that they didn't need to use their brains and could just do what Ji Zhuangyuan said.
First contact a man called Bai Heshang.
Then give the letter to Monk Bai, and he will arrange everything.
A few days later, several people who were dressed modestly but made of very fine materials came to inquire about the item, and then generously gave three thousand taels of silver.
Really gave it!
This is so easy!
This time, it costs five thousand taels of silver.
What's behind it?
The escorts would not ask about it, but they believed in the character of the schoolmaster Yin, and believed that Ji Zhuangyuan would not do anything earth-shattering.
It was indeed the other party who came to kill him first.
When they were about to leave, the other party came up to them again. Everyone was very alert. Could something have gone wrong?
Or should we give them the money back?
All of these situations are possible.
The other party said, "Our master said that he wants to hire you to go again and deliver this letter and banknote."
"This is a banknote from the Yunnan Province Bank. It requires a codeword and can only be exchanged locally."
In other words, only Ji Zhuangyuan can take it, and the escorts cannot keep it privately.
Given the other party's tone, the escorts didn't dare to do that.
He casually brought three killers to the capital without anyone noticing, and paid them nearly ten thousand taels of silver. It didn't take any brains to know that the other party was not easy to deal with.
So, will you take this job?
Go ahead, but take a short break.
That means entering Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou!
Your life is important, you must get enough rest.
The other party said politely: "It's okay, there's no need to rush on the road. Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan are all difficult to travel. Safety comes first."
The other party also sent a lot of items, all of which were often used in building the Meng Mansion.
It also shows that people already know their background.
Giving food as a gift may be more obvious, but food is meant to be eaten and basically no one will touch it. Giving things as a gift not only expresses one's thoughts, but also shows that one has no intention of harming others.
Behind this.
Who is it on earth!
It was said that Ji Zhuangyuan was disliked by the Fifth Prince and was sent to Dianzhou Prefecture.
Now it seems that there is a big man behind Ji Zhuangyuan? !
They were in a dilemma, but Monk Bai finally breathed a sigh of relief. He was still in shock. Someone actually wanted to kill Ji Yuan and sent eight assassins?
This was clearly intended to kill him.
Now the person is in the hands of Prime Minister Li, but Ji Yuan did not ask for an explanation, just let Prime Minister Li know about this matter.
Monk Bai is not in a position to ask too many questions about what happens behind the scenes, as long as Ji Yuan treats him fairly.
Before he came out from Li Shoufu's place, someone from the Wenyuan Pavilion Criminal Department called out to him, "Bai Fabin, are you still in the Historian's Office?"
Yes, he is still waiting for the matter of Qingyun Temple to be resolved.
He can only be sent abroad after things over there are finished.
The other party said, "Since you have nothing else to do, staying in the Historian's Office is also to compile classics. How about I ask someone to lend you to the Ministry of Justice to help? It will definitely not affect your assignment. Once you have dealt with your matter, you can leave when you are ready."
ah?
Now, those Shujishi who have not been assigned to official positions are either slacking off in the Historiography Office, or looking for various ways to get a job, or compiling history books in their spare time.
It would definitely be good to work in the Ministry of Justice.
Wait a minute.
Is that a coincidence?
He had just helped Prime Minister Li with something, and he got this opportunity?
The other party patted the white monk again and said, "Come on, we are all family members from now on."
It is true!
Bai Fabin also said: "There is a case in Qingyun Temple where I am. Is this appropriate?"
"Just stay away from those cases and handle the others."
“Besides, you can also check the progress of that matter and supervise your colleagues who are handling the Qingyun Temple case, so that they can delay any further.”
"This efficiency is really slow."
Monk Bai knew what was going on and thanked his colleagues in the Ministry of Justice again.
It seems that he really doesn't have to worry about the matter of Qingyun Temple. He just needs to wait for time.
Everything should be fine over at Jiyuan too.
That's good.
Ji Yuan left the capital in February. Now it's May, so he must still be in Bashu?
Bai Fabin guessed correctly.
Ji Yuan and his group are indeed still in Bashu.
After Ji Yuan returned to Jianmeng Mansion, he went to many places and officially left on the ninth day of March.
The road to Hanzhong was okay, but the place was large, and the era slowed down the progress, so we didn't officially enter Sichuan until March 29th.
On the second day of April, we were ambushed on the Shu Road. This matter only took one day to deal with.
The next morning, we continued on our journey.
Starting from the third day of April, the traffic became much more normal.
The three teams that were originally traveling together, along with a group of bodyguards, left.
Ji Yuan and the other three were directly incorporated into the Dong family caravan, and even Xiao Huang had someone specifically responsible for taking care of the livestock.
The things that Ji Yuan and his companions brought with them were also well kept by the caravan.
The sea even quickly established a good relationship with them.
Although there were some language barriers in communication, they still won a lot of praise with their professional knowledge of livestock, and even spoke using the other party's catchphrases.
Only when you really go to Sichuan can you understand what "the road to Shu is difficult" means.
There are many mountains and deep valleys, with rapids everywhere.
Many modern people have never seen such vast mountains, let alone the ancients.
Although Ji Yuan was mentally prepared, he was still shocked.
Wu Renhao and An Dahai were dumbfounded.
This trip out is worth it just for these mountains!
The road they took was the only main route between Hanzhong and Shu.
This road connects the Qinling Mountains, Bashan Mountains and Minshan Mountains, creating a vicissitudes and magnificent scene.
Walking is naturally difficult.
The convoy stopped and started frequently, and any danger would be resolved by leader Dong.
Ji Yuan and his men no longer had any worries and felt relieved.
I believe that the capital will reply to them soon.
I guess the reply will come before I even arrive at my post.
This road is really difficult to walk on. The mountains on the road are so big that they are numb. It is hard to imagine how people in the past could have walked on this road.
It is even more difficult to imagine that in later generations, countless crisscrossing railway and highway networks, as well as tall bridges that do not seem real, were built in this place.
A modern person traveling back to ancient times can most easily feel the shock of this contrast.
Transform these mountains, rivers and streams into what they will look like in later generations.
Is it difficult?
It seems that it took only thirty or forty years from the Industrial Revolution to the construction of railways.
Of course, the subsequent maintenance of the railway network is another matter.
But what if there is a beginning?
What if all these roads were built?
Not relying on today's technology, but relying on the crushing of the industrial age over the agricultural age.
Ji Yuan thought that perhaps any modern person who traveled through time would probably have his mind full of things like this.
After experiencing real convenience, you will definitely yearn for that kind of life more.
This is another way of going from luxury to frugality.
When Ji Yuan was leaving Sichuan and entering Yunnan, he breathed a long sigh of relief. During the rest period, he relied on his memory to draw a rather simple schematic diagram of a steam engine.
After much thought, there are two people who are most suitable.
One of them was Mr. Gao, the scholar of Jianmeng Mansion.
The other one is Gao Laosi.
Both of them are particularly fond of mathematics, and they believe that they would not reject such mechanical principles.
Ji Yuan knew that he was being a little too fanciful.
But he really had no choice.
Look at this mountain, look at this road.
Look at these worn-out shoes of his.
He was just taking up the post as an official, but the locals really wanted to live here.
The porters' shoulder pole carries their lives.
Before the Christian era, life in Jianmeng Mansion was not particularly good, but there were official roads and post stations.
Only after coming here do you realize how big the world is.
If I remember correctly, the local mines are very rich and have great advantages.
Is there any need to talk about this development potential?
On April 25th, they rested at the last post station in Bashu.
This time we will rest for three days and then officially arrive in Dianzhou Prefecture.
Dianzhou Prefecture is extremely large, with a total of more than one hundred counties, two important prefectures, and scattered states.
The administrative divisions of various regions in Tianqi State were not particularly clear, and changes often occurred in various regions.
Generally speaking, a prefecture is similar to a provincial capital. A place with multiple prefectures may be a sub-provincial capital. This type of place will control various places in the south and the north in a larger area.
Under the Dianzhou Prefecture, the two prefectures were larger than more than 20 prefectures, and prefectures were larger than counties. Sometimes there were counties under prefectures.
Why is it so complicated?
Because many places were not included in the map at the same time, when the previous places were named, other places had not yet appeared.
For example, An'ningzhou, the southernmost place that Ji Yuan wants to go to.
Ning'an Prefecture.
The name sounds peaceful.
In fact, the name was a good wish of the court at that time.
Just like when you give birth to a baby, you call him Xiaomei and Xiaoshuai. Is it because the newborn baby is really beautiful and handsome?
No, it's just a wish.
Generally speaking, the more people shout this kind of name, the less peaceful it may be.
The famous Zhen'an Prefecture, Nanning Prefecture, and Zhennan Pass are all like this.
I can only say that it’s no wonder that officials from the capital are unwilling to come.
Ji Yuan and his friends bought new shoes in this county town, even though they had both ox carts and horse carts.
But sometimes we can't let the livestock get too tired, and we have to push the cart, which naturally wears out the shoes.
Ji Yuan felt that it was fortunate that there were people like him who exercised regularly, Wu Renhao who was gifted, and An Dahai who was an honest farmer.
Others really can't stand this kind of road.
Before setting off, Ji Yuan made two copies of the simple steam engine drawing and sent them to Dr. Yin of Jianmeng Prefecture.
Let Dr. Yin talk to Mr. Gao.
As long as Dr. Yin is around, Ji Yuan feels at ease.
However, this thing cannot be researched in a short period of time. It is normal to wait five, eight, or even ten years.
On April 29th, Ji Yuan and others set off again.
Dianzhou Prefecture is very large, and the dialects and customs of different places are different. Even the time when it was incorporated into Tianqi State is different, so each place has its own customs.
Fortunately, Ji Yuan and the other two have already adapted to the altitude sickness and their bodies can still hold up. Moreover, the terrain becomes lower as they go south.
But something else was different.
That's the weather.
The weather here is complicated. The four seasons in the mountains are distinct, the weather is different every ten miles, and there is a big temperature difference between day and night.
It’s different outside the mountain.
An Dahai fell ill when he was about to arrive at Wuxin Prefecture.
It was already late May and the weather was hot, making the journey really uncomfortable.
Leader Dong said helplessly: "It's miserable."
An Dahai really looked pitiful at this moment. After entering Wuxin Mansion, the doctor from Dong family came hurriedly and used some unknown herbal medicine, but An Dahai actually fell asleep.
Ji Yuan took a step forward. Was he dizzy?
But looking at An Dahai's expression again, does he look better?
"It's malaria, but it's not serious." The doctor also had a strong accent, but fortunately Ji Yuan could understand most of it.
You can even ask and answer questions in the non-standard Dianzhou dialect.
Dianzhou Prefecture is a province in the administrative level of Tianqi State.
The provincial capital was Dianzhou Prefecture, located in eastern Yunnan. It was determined early at that time and its location was slightly to the east.
For example, Jianmeng Prefecture also belongs to a province, and its provincial capital is the prefectural city of Jianmeng Prefecture. When you go out, you must call it Jianmeng City, but you just call it the prefectural city.
These complex names all come from the different times at which many places were incorporated into the territory.
And I got used to it after shouting it so many times.
Even few officials in the court could understand it.
The Wuxin Prefecture they came to was a sub-provincial capital, but it was located in the middle of the Dianzhou Prefecture of Tianqi State.
Having arrived here, it means they have walked most of the way.
In another half a month, I will be able to take up my post in Ning'an Prefecture.
Moreover, the road from Wuxin Prefecture to the south is relatively flat, so it is just right to take a ox cart.
That area should be considered a basin and a valley.
Ji Yuan felt that during this trip, he had seen most of the landforms of Tianqi Kingdom.
No wonder they read thousands of books and travel thousands of miles.
An Dahai is ill in Wuxin Mansion, so Ji Yuan and the others naturally have to rest here.
It’s just right that Ji Yuan can report to the government office.
Generally speaking, when officials from all regions take office, they have to report to their respective "provincial capitals".
For a situation like this where there are two provincial capitals, just choose the one that is closer to you.
When Ji Yuan went to the government office of Wuxin Prefecture, the person who received him looked surprised.
They all knew that there was a man in the imperial court who won the sixth place in the imperial examination.
But why was he sent here?
Are there any officials from outside willing to come here?
That's strange too.
In general, officials from all regions have to avoid their hometowns.
For example, Ji Yuan would definitely not take up a post in Zhengrong County, and he would not go to Jianmeng Mansion if he could avoid it.
Dr. Yin will not be assigned to Yuyao.
This avoidance principle is different for all sidebacks.
Border defense areas mostly relied on officials sent by the imperial court and local self-government.
Why?
Do you think the court doesn't want to send someone?
It's not that everyone is unwilling.
Moreover, they don't understand the local customs and habits, and cannot manage the place well.
Therefore, the people in the Wuxin Prefecture government office are strange.
Such a good top scholar was assigned to them?
The people from the government office took him to see the superior, and even asked: "Did you offend anyone?"
Ji Yuan was not sure what to say, so he could only say: "The court attaches great importance to this place."
The other party sneered, obviously not believing it: "Should?"
Ji Yuan understood that this meant disbelief, which was roughly equivalent to? ?
But the polite words sounded good after all, and when the other party's superior came to see him, he even introduced a few sentences.
The person Ji Yuan wanted to see was the head of the gate department of Wuxin Prefecture.
His resume is indeed surprising.
His good friends, the doctors, never mentioned it because they were afraid of making him sad.
When he was in the Hanlin Academy in the capital, he was a compiler of the sixth rank.
Generally speaking, even if one is assigned abroad, his rank will not be lower than this.
But with just one word from the Fifth Prince, he not only went directly to Ning'an Prefecture, but also took a position in the Warehouse Department of the Ministry of Households.
It was from the sixth rank to the junior sixth rank.
I was assigned abroad but my position was demoted. Who can I turn to for justice?
Ji Yuan had just learned about his situation at that time and was more concerned about who was behind it, so he didn't consider this aspect at all.
Now that his resume was shown, the head of the Household Department of Wuxin Prefecture was shocked. He looked at Ji Yuan's situation, then looked at him, and said directly, "You were demoted?"
Not really!
It’s really not that serious!
Do all locals speak so directly?
Then again, it's really not much different from being demoted.
The other party looked at Ji Yuan with pity and said, "The job in Ning'an Prefecture is not easy, especially the warehouse manager."
"There was a disaster there this year, and it is Cangsi who is responsible."
"There's not even a prefect there, it's all managed by the provincial vice-prefect. If you go there, I can give you this job."
???
Ning'an Prefecture doesn't even have a prefect?
The provincial governor is considered to be the governor's adjutant, and the adjutant is in charge of affairs?
Ji Yuan was speechless.
That Grand Secretary Chu really arranged a good place for him.
The assassination failed and it is difficult to achieve political achievements.
As the warehouse manager, he was responsible for disaster relief as soon as he arrived at the local area.
Very good.
This must be a good start.
Ji Yuan's skin has become darker as he walked along the way than when he was in school, but it is still fair compared to the locals.
The person in charge of the government warehouse thought that the person in front of him was really unlucky.
No matter how unlucky you are, you still have to work.
Ji Yuan and his men were not in a hurry to take office. They were waiting for Dahai to recover from his illness.
The Dong family arranged accommodation for Ji Yuan and his friends. After all, they were Dong Kang's family. They also said they wanted to invite him to give lectures in the clan school as an encouragement to everyone.
No matter what, he is the top scorer!
Ji Yuan would not refuse such a small matter. They relied on the care of the Dong family caravan along the way, otherwise it would not have been so smooth.
even so.
We set out from the beginning of February, minus the half-month delay in building the Meng Mansion.
It's almost June now.
They had been walking for nearly half a year and had not even reached his assigned place.
The time wasted due to illness should also be taken into account, as it is something that is likely to happen.
No wonder candidates from here are allowed to go to the capital to take the imperial examination and then go again for the next exam.
He was still accompanied by a caravan, his physical condition was not bad, and the climate was good.
If it were someone else, they would have to set off in October, and they would not be able to travel in the winter.
It would be strange if the journey wasn't delayed for ten months.
The more I think about this, the greater my expectations for the steam engine become.
That's something that can really increase productivity.
Only when productivity improves can everyone's life be better.
Ji Yuan and his friends were arranged to live in a side courtyard of the Dong family's house. There were only three of them in the entire courtyard, which was planted with exotic flowers and plants.
Precious flowers that are hard to find in the Central Plains and the capital city seem to be everywhere here.
The locals are also quite proud: "There is no flower that cannot be grown here!"
Ji Yuan nodded, agreeing with this point.
The local area is a paradise for flora and fauna.
In addition, the local water resources are extremely abundant, so it is said that flowers can be grown easily.
Ji Yuan thought to himself, this is simply a perfect base for breeding high-quality seeds.
Of course, there are pros and cons.
The large number of mountains, excessive rainfall, and uneven rainy seasons throughout the year are all major problems for agriculture.
Farming is also a fight against nature.
Let him, who is in charge of disaster relief, take a good look at it.
However, thinking of what the head of the Household Department of Wuxin Prefecture said, there are few officials in Ning'an Prefecture and basically all of them have to take on multiple duties, he asked him to be mentally prepared.
He was prepared for this.
He came here to make a career, so why would he be afraid of these things?
Ji Yuan was eating local rice noodles, which were sour and spicy and very appetizing. An Dahai even got up and ate two bowls. It seemed that his body was gradually recovering.
After eating, An Dahai said, "I'm almost well, let's leave early."
They arrived in Wuxin Prefecture on May 29th.
Today is June 12th. An Dahai feels that he has wasted time. His illness has been delayed for too long.
Ji Yuan disagreed: "Wait a little longer, until you are fully recovered."
"We are not in a hurry. We still have a lot of time."
Health is important, nothing can go wrong. Ji Yuan is bringing An Dahai, Wu Renhao and others out, and he must ensure their safety.
It was not until June 16 that several familiar people finally appeared in front of Ji Yuan.
Ji Yuan and his companions came over slowly, carrying a lot of luggage.
But the escorts traveled light, carrying only silver, banknotes to Ji Yuan, and two letters.
The escorts even breathed a sigh of relief when they knew Ji Yuan was in Wuxin Prefecture.
I am really exhausted from traveling at full speed.
Now I can finally take a good rest.
When they go back this time, they probably won’t receive any missions for a year or two.
Ji Yuan thanked the escorts. Whether it was safety or the delivery, it was all thanks to the escorts.
However, the five thousand taels of silver still surprised Ji Yuan.
"Five thousand taels?"
"Yes, the person who picked you up was very direct. He said that this is what you deserve, and that you can rest assured and just stay here for a few years." Although the escort was curious about who was behind the scenes, he did not ask any more questions.
Ji Yuan happily accepted the banknote and looked at the name of the business.
Silver notes from Dianzhou Prefecture?
It must be very useful.
I spent two thousand taels to hire someone and got five thousand taels back, which is quite high interest.
This is of course a joke.
It is more like a token of allegiance than money.
The message that Ji Yuan asked the escort to convey was to tell Prime Minister Li that he was willing to be Li's subordinate.
If they were not his subordinates, why would they ask for reimbursement?
If a person is polite to others, it certainly doesn't mean he wants to make friends.
Actively seeking help, or actively helping others, is how relationships become entangled and ultimately bound together.
This is what Epoch does.
Prime Minister Li naturally understood what he meant. Not only did he reimburse the money, he also allowed him to feel at ease here.
What I mean is, as long as he takes good care of himself here and is well, he will go back sooner or later.
Ji Yuan kept the silver note and went to open the two letters.
One was written to Monk Bai, in which he wrote about his recent situation and some changes in the court.
The other letter was written by Prime Minister Li, who first asked about his health, then mentioned some things in a vague way, and finally told him to rest assured, and finally said that someone from Yingtian Prefecture would go to investigate soon.
The two letters were pieced together to give Ji Yuan a rough idea of what happened in the capital during this period.
Things are changing rapidly over there.
I wish I could use one day as ten days.
Ji Yuan felt something was wrong when he read these letters in Wuxin Mansion where the sky was high and the clouds were light.
In short.
In mid-February, the prince's family was released from house arrest, and they were allowed to study as needed and do their official duties as needed.
Although the prince was upset by these capriciousness, he still endured it.
After so many years, he's almost used to it.
As long as it doesn't get worse.
But after the crown prince was released, the fight between Prime Minister Li and Grand Secretary Chu did not stop, and even tended to intensify.
No one will give up the power in their hands, especially the higher the position.
But in late April, a group of women suddenly reported Scholar Chu to Shuntian Prefecture.
The reason is that there has been no news about the man in their family since he received the order from Scholar Chu.
Scholar Chu denied it, but the other party was well prepared.
Finally, another person was thrown into the suburbs of Beijing and died.
This incident shocked the whole government and the public.
The emperor also took the matter seriously.
That person bit his tongue to commit suicide. If he hadn't been trained, he wouldn't have had such determination.
A man who worked for the great scholar Chu bit his tongue to commit suicide, but was discovered.
Some secret things were also revealed.
Even if it was only a small part, it was enough to make Scholar Chu give up his idea and have to plead guilty.
This man committed suicide when the guards were not paying attention. Li Shoufu and his people took the opportunity to threaten Scholar Chu with another person.
Such a person would make it difficult for Scholar Chu to have a good time in front of the Emperor.
They even had two in hand.
They knew about the previous things, but they had no real evidence.
Now that we have both witnesses and physical evidence, we can dig deeper.
In less than half a month.
The situation on Chu Daxueshi's side has completely changed.
Still want to be the Prime Minister?
Also see if you are qualified enough.
Many court officials wrote letters to the emperor to retain Prime Minister Li.
The emperor naturally trusted Prime Minister Li more.
When he was ill, he wanted to promote Chu Daxueshi. Now that he is sober, he is indeed a little undecided.
In the current situation, if we still forcibly promote Chu Daxueshi, it would be difficult to explain to everyone in the court and the country.
The minister who wrote the letter was severely scolded by the emperor.
Tell him not to believe the rumors outside. I have already said that I want to keep Prime Minister Li until he is 75!
After hearing this, Grand Scholar Chu knew that he would definitely have no chance in the next few years.
If the emperor wants to break his promise, he cannot do so recently.
But Prime Minister Li was not having an easy time either. The official who wrote the letter was speaking for him, but he was scolded harshly, also to warn him.
After all this came to an end, many things in the court were put on the agenda.
Stop arguing and get to work.
Prime Minister Li urged all departments to do their work.
It took half a year to complete the whole process.
Monk Bai was very busy in the Ministry of Justice. He said that even if he was sent out, he would still do the tasks at hand well as there were really too many things to do.
After reading the letter, Ji Yuan chose to burn it immediately.
As long as everyone is fine.
Prime Minister Li returned to a more stable position.
Monk Bai is doing a good job in the Ministry of Justice, and it seems that he will be assigned to a distant place soon.
The end of Li Shoufu's letter just reassured him and mentioned some past events in Ning'an Prefecture.
About forty or fifty years ago.
The local people had lived a hard life before and were bullied by the Jing State further south, so they kept running to Ning'an Prefecture.
These places were originally unowned. After they moved there, they raised cattle and plowed the fields, and built local terraces.
Who would have thought that after the King of Jing found out, he actually sent people to forcibly collect grain.
At that time, Ning'an Prefecture was not called Ning'an Prefecture, but was called Lamanbu, which was also the name called by the locals, and there was no boundary stone tablet.
You have to know that not only in ancient times, but even in modern times, there are gaps in the middle of the territories of many places, which are regarded as the default buffer areas.
At that time, Zhennan City of Tianqi State was the boundary, the Laman tribe in the middle was a buffer zone, and further south was Jing State.
This has always been the default rule.
However, the Laman people living near Jing State lived a very miserable life and were also harassed by Jing State's army.
Those who live closer to the Tianqi Kingdom have a much better life. First, they can trade goods from the Tianqi Kingdom. Second, the terrain of Zhennan City is relatively flat, food is sufficient, and many people sympathize with the Laman people.
As time went by, the Laman people were divided into La North and La South.
The people of Labei, who lived close to the Tianqi Kingdom, lived a relatively good life. They were even quite self-sufficient because they were not taxed.
The people of Lanan lived a very hard life because they were close to Jing State.
The locals are not fools either. They have been settling near Zhennan City near Tianqi State.
Although the Jing State despised the poor people of Lanan, a mosquito is still meat, and their local agriculture was also poor. There was too much rain that year and the rice harvest was poor, so they actually sent troops to the outside of Zhennan City to collect grain.
This really angered the general defending Zhennan City at that time.
How can we allow barbarians to cause trouble at the foot of Tianqi State?
Although these Laman people are not the people of their Tianqi Kingdom, they are around them.
It is intolerable that grain is being collected right under my nose.
You know, there is a difference between a country conquering a piece of land and actually controlling a piece of land.
If we take it down, then we take it down.
Many countries can do this.
But actual control is another matter entirely.
Collecting grain and taxes is an important sign of actual control.
If Jing State continues its conquest like this, its territory will soon be next to Zhennan City.
How can this be tolerated?
There was basically no need to report such a small matter to the higher authorities. The General of Zhennan City discussed with the then prefect of Wuxin Prefecture and decided to send troops to fight.
The result is naturally needless to say, and as the fighting went on, the Laman tribe became the territory of the Tianqi Kingdom.
Well, it’s not like they necessarily want it, but since they’ve been beaten, they might as well keep it.
At that time, the scouts directly asked people to carry the boundary marker of Tianqi Kingdom and set it up right under the nose of Jing Kingdom. Those who were south of the boundary were the people of Tianqi Kingdom.
When the news reached the capital, the emperor at the time was overjoyed and exempted the area from paying taxes for fifty years and named it Ning'an Prefecture.
Just enjoy the care of Tianqi State and do not pay taxes.
Such good news naturally made the local Laman people cheer.
I heard that many farmers came here from Jing State just to avoid paying taxes.
The King of Jing was so angry that he gritted his teeth and regarded it as a great humiliation.
But the people of Tianqi Kingdom have no idea about this.
How could they know something so far away?
What’s more, they didn’t know that the general of Zhennan City would take any piece of land he wanted.
Prime Minister Li tried to explain the situation at that time in as much detail as possible, which could be considered as a background check.
Only by mastering these things can we do a better job here.
At the same time, Ji Yuan calculated the time.
"It's over."
Ji Yuan said: "This is indeed the style of Chu Daxueshi."
No taxes for fifty years.
This year marks the 39th anniversary of Huayuan.
The order was issued when the previous emperor was still alive.
Ji Yuan calculated it carefully.
Next year, starting from next year.
Ning'an Prefecture is about to pay taxes.
Very good, very good, you are worthy of being the Grand Secretary of Chu.
Three consecutive moves are waiting for him.
1. Assassination on the road.
Second, the local area suffered a disaster in winter, and he wanted to provide disaster relief.
Third, taxes will be levied starting next year.
The first one goes without saying.
He had dodged and fought back.
Second, half a year has passed this year, and the disaster in winter has dragged on until now, so there must be a lot of resentment.
third.
tax.
Collecting taxes has been difficult since ancient times.
The Laman tribe came here because the Jing State levied taxes and robbed food.
Although they knew that the Emperor of Tianqi had said that he would not collect taxes for fifty years, the time was indeed almost up.
But even if you know it, you still don’t want to pay taxes.
The Tianqi State takes a 20% commission.
Who wouldn't feel painful after hearing this 20%?
What?
Is paying taxes everyone's duty? Does the huge state machinery live on taxes?
Especially in agricultural societies, agricultural taxes are of paramount importance.
It is an obligation. The country needs to make a living, and agricultural tax is indeed important.
The general principle is that high-ranking officials don’t need to care about these “small things”.
To the common people, that is big money, grain in the barn, and silver in their hands.
Ji Yuan naturally understood the above logic and agreed that paying taxes was the right thing to do.
But the people don’t understand, and it’s okay that they don’t understand, it’s just their way of life.
It would be a bit harsh to accuse those who are illiterate from a high position.
So if we start to collect taxes, there will inevitably be friction.
If one thing goes wrong, this place might become a mess.
Then he will be a sinner for all eternity.
Ji Yuan was helpless.
But fortunately I know these things.
It is certainly not easy to dig up old things from forty or fifty years ago.
Ji Yuan was grateful to Prime Minister Li in his heart.
It doesn’t matter, he can handle the first thing, and the second thing too.
Dahai is completely recovered and they are ready to set off this time.
Ji Yuan touched Xiao Huang’s head.
It was tiring for it to run all the way, but Xiao Huang was very strong and didn't seem tired at all.
The last time he was assassinated, Xiao Huang wanted to help him block it.
But he and Wu Renhao were both standing on the ox cart at the time, using their superior strength to attack the inferior, so they kept Xiao Huang motionless.
Fortunately, those people did not hurt Xiao Huang, otherwise Ji Yuan would definitely retaliate severely.
Of course, it’s still the same now.
Scholar Chu will be quiet for at least a few years.
His position as Prime Minister was also a delusion.
However, before leaving, Ji Yuan had to go to the Dong family's clan school first.
This was promised before. Dahai has recovered from his illness recently, and the era can be over.
The Dong family of Wuxin Prefecture runs businesses in the local area that sell pigments, gemstones, and a small amount of medicinal materials.
Mainly pigments and gemstones.
The local mines are very good, and the best pigments are basically made from ground gemstones.
The good stones are made into jewelry, and the scraps are used as paint, which is very popular in the local area.
Otherwise, how could the business have been able to build the Meng Mansion.
This also explains why the Dong family, who came from such a faraway place, would come to Jianmeng Mansion to do business.
There is a first street in the East Market in Jianmeng Mansion, and these things are sold.
The Dong family’s clan school is not near the ancestral home, but in another secluded place not far from here.
Some students had come here before and wanted to see what the top scholar looked like.
Unfortunately, Ji Yuan was very busy and everyone failed several times.
Ji Yuan changed into a plain set of clothes that he had worn several times. They were not new, but they were clean and tidy.
He was tall and straight, and although a little paler than the locals, he did not look like an ordinary scholar at all.
The whole person is indescribably eye-catching.
It's okay when he smiles, but when he doesn't smile, people are afraid to look at him too much.
When Ji Yuan left, Wu Renhao and An Dahai followed him.
The two were still scared of the assassination attempt, so they were determined to protect him.
The Dong family took them to the clan school, where the architectural style was somewhat different.
Most of the local roofs are flat, built up layer by layer like terraces.
But the more central location of Wuxinfu is different.
The terrain here is flat, and whether it is the Dong family's ancestral home or the clan school, it actually has a sense of the Central Plains or even the Beijing Academy.
The popularity of the incense in the Confucian Temple exceeded Ji Yuan’s expectations.
Once you walk in, you will find the elegance of southern gardens and the grandeur of northern mansions.
It just so happens that the local aesthetic is first-class, and the two styles are blended very well, even creating a different kind of interest.
If given more time, I think it will be a unique style.
The Dong family students of the clan school were already waiting. The person from the Dong family who brought Ji Yuan was a scholar with a meritorious title. I don’t know how nervous he was when facing Ji Yuan.
What's this!
It’s the top scorer!
Oh my god, I thought it was awesome enough that Dong Kang’s cousin could pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi.
I didn't expect to see the top scholar again.
The top scholar, the first among the Jinshi.
I heard that he even got six first place in the imperial examination.
Anyone who has read books will know what it means to win six prizes in a row.
It is a level they can never reach in their lifetime even in their dreams.
What’s even more awe-inspiring is that this number one scholar is less than sixteen years old!
I am twenty-six years old, and I am still just a scholar!
Ji Yuan sensed his nervousness and asked with a smile, "I think this tribe is very interesting. The carvings and paintings are very interesting. Can you introduce them to us?"
Introduce these?
That's no problem.
Dong Xiucai's nervousness was relieved a lot, and he even seemed to be ready to talk more.
It is mixed with some local dialect, making it lively and vivid.
Until they came to another picture.
"This is a painting that the clan school bought in recent years. The painter's name is Qingtang."
"After buying this painting, cousin Dong Kang passed the imperial examination and became a juren and jinshi."
"Buy three three, awesome."
Finally, he expressed his surprise. Mr. Dong praised the painting and said that one should not look at it for too long. He would want to cry after looking at it, as he always felt that the painting was of them.
That’s right, this painting was the one that Ji Yuan painted for Master Fang’s “graduation exam” and to sell for money.
The "Imperial Examination Picture" is worth four thousand taels.
How could he forget!
It was bought by the Dong family!
But Dong Kang didn't say anything and just hung it in such a conspicuous place in the clan school.
But now he is the only one who knows about this.
It's so embarrassing.
Dong Xiucai, Wu Renhao, and Dahai who were beside him had no idea that he was praising the painting so highly.
Mr. Dong even exaggerated the painting, saying that someone had paid eight thousand taels to buy it, but his clan school would not sell it!
Ji Yuan's ears turned red.
Okay, that's fine.
It looks like he will have to wear this vest for a long time!
Otherwise it would be so embarrassing.
Ji Yuan coughed lightly: "Let's go, we agreed to give a lecture."
As the number one scholar of the era, he was qualified to teach students at the Imperial College in the capital, let alone a local clan school.
Mr. Dong nodded quickly, realizing that he had said too much. He even saw his cousins peeking in, obviously unable to wait any longer.
Wuxin Prefecture, and even the entire Dianzhou Prefecture.
In the past ten years, the number of people studying and taking the imperial examinations has increased.
But their educational resources do not match their strong desire to study.
Don’t talk about the top scholar on weekdays.
Even Jinshi and Juren are rare.
People who were insignificant in the capital are now worshipped here.
Therefore, everyone’s expectations for the era have reached a peak.
The top scholar who scored six first place.
Even their cousin Dong Kang can’t compare to him!
What kind of person is this?
This expectation did not diminish in the slightest when I met the top scholar.
Instead, I became more excited.
Does the imperial court also consider appearance when selecting officials?
The top scholar is also handsome! ?
Because it is a tribal study, naturally there are both men and women involved, and everyone’s first reaction is.
The top scholar is so handsome!
He is dressed so simply, yet still looks handsome!
As for knowledge?
Ji Yuan smiled slightly and spoke without a script.
“How can the weak bird fly first.”
Ji Yuan asked directly.
Weak bird?
Everyone was puzzled.
Ji Yuan pointed to their books.
Pointed to the few books.
Even for a family as wealthy as the Dong family, it is not easy to build the Meng Mansion, or even to have books that are readily available in the capital.
It requires a lot of financial resources from the clan.
The era began with the difficulty in obtaining books, and then with the lack of reading resources and places in the imperial examinations.
Even the mountain roads along the way.
Does he despise the weak bird here? Does he look down on it?
No, he was just stating the current situation.
Only by recognizing this can we change.
This is the case for all Dong family members, and what about the local people?
It is difficult for those who study, what about those who can’t even afford to read?
Their lives, their days, cannot be described as weak.
If you are weak, you should admit that you are unlucky and blame yourself?
No.
The weaker you are, the more you need to fly, and the more you need to find a way to fly.
Only by flying can you see a wider world and change the current situation around you.
The weakness here does not mean real weakness, but an incentive to move forward.
It's just the difference between the advanced students and the backward students in a class.
It doesn’t matter if you are slow, and it doesn’t matter if you are a little worse than others. In the future, everyone will graduate, and start their own lives, and each will have different and wonderful lives.
"One pulls the thread, and all the eyes are drawn together."
Grasping the key to things can drive other things.
Ji Yuan finally confirmed: "You started with this, and you must end with this."
Whatever your beginning is, there will be whatever your end is.
And life is everywhere a beginning.
His starting point this time was Ning'an Prefecture.
"Okay, get out of class is over."
"I have to go to take up my post."
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