Chapter 83: Xiguan Nomads (I) Update
In the winter of the 13th year of Tianxi, the Great Zhou Dynasty's million-strong army, stationed on the border, returned to the capital. Throughout the Great Zhou Dynasty, public opinion on this war, which had been prepared for half a year and consumed by a year, was polarized.
The court was in chaos every day.
In Xiguan County, starting from the summer of this year, a group of people of unknown origin gradually sneaked into the two cities and thirteen towns.
These people were either in groups of three or five or alone. They did not dare to walk along the road that crossed the border in the spring of the Great Zhou Dynasty. In order to cover their tracks, they hid in the mountains and forests or walked on gravel.
They temporarily filled their stomachs by eating autumn fruits along the way, or by fishing and hunting.
However, when they deliberately avoided the original route, many people soon discovered that this Qianli Xiguan, which they had always thought was desolate and barren, actually had a different world.
The first thing you see is still the gravel road connecting the two cities and thirteen towns of Xiguan, as well as the various development parks in the no-man's land.
And the "cars" that occasionally sped past on the road, emitting waves of white smoke, running on their own without being pulled by horses!
When people first saw such a thing, I don’t know how many people were scared out of their wits. They just thought it was a monster from the desolate borderland, or an illusion of monsters appearing frequently!
However, as more and more stragglers gathered together, they finally realized that perhaps the road and the "cars" running on the road were real things.
The stragglers and conscripts who had been hiding for more than a month finally plucked up the courage to return to the sides of the roads and show their heads.
The "driver" of a "car" that was originally moving was not surprised when he saw these disheveled people, but was very happy!
After the "coachman" fiddled with the "car" for a while, the "car" stopped steadily on the hard gravel road, and the "coachman" walked towards them.
The driver shouted at them, "Hey! Hello! Are you from other counties?"
When they heard the "coachman" was going to ask where they came from, the courage they had mustered disappeared with a "whoosh", and they quickly shrank their necks to hide, preparing to continue hiding in the autumn forest.
Unexpectedly, the driver chased after them and shouted.
"Don't go, don't go! I want to tell you that no matter who you are, as long as you go to the Xiguan Marquis Mansion recruitment office in Xiguan County, you can have a hot meal and a place to stay for a month without spending any money. If you really want to stay, we can teach you skills and assign you work for wages!"
When I heard that there was food and drink, and that I could get paid to work as a long-term worker, I was very happy.
Those who were about to flee could not help but stop.
Someone bravely walked back a few steps and asked the driver: "Are you telling the truth?"
The driver said with certainty, "Of course it's true! In Xiguan County, what we hate most is people who can't make a living and have nowhere else to go. As long as you are willing, have a pair of hands to help, and a head to think, you will have a way out! Not only will you have a way out, but your life will get better and better, something you dare not even imagine!"
When the group heard this, they were stunned.
Is there any other good place like this?
Seeing the reactions of this group of people, the "coachman" was not surprised, as if they were not the first group of people he had met.
The "coachman" took out a piece of paper from his pocket and held it out to hand it to them.
"Look, this is the job application from our young Marquis of Xiguan. Once you read it, you'll know what I'm saying is absolutely true."
As the other party took it and looked at it, he added, "This is a double-sided recruitment brochure. The front has the recruitment instructions, and the back has the location of the recruitment point and the registration process. Just follow these instructions and you'll definitely find a job."
A page printed on both sides is read out word by word by a literate person.
As the "coachman" said, it was indeed printed with the Xiguan Marquis Mansion logo and issued by the Xiguan Marquis Mansion.
The paper was passed back and forth among the group, and even those who couldn't read could at least understand the instructions on the back. Judging from the words on it and the level of detail on the printed paper, it was definitely not something that an ordinary household could produce, let alone a kidnapper with the patience to do so.
At this point, everyone already believed it about 80%.
Finally, someone sincerely thanked the enthusiastic "driver".
However, what they didn't expect was that the driver said, "You're welcome, you're welcome! I'm not guiding you to the job recruitment point for nothing."
He walked over and pointed to a corner at the bottom of the front of the paper. There was a small blank space there with the words "Recruitment Recommender: Yucheng Fu Shun" written in large letters.
Fu Shun said, "When you get to the job recruitment site, take this piece of paper with you. If one of you gets a job, I, the introducer, will receive a small bonus!"
The soldiers stared in shock:
Is there such a good thing?!
·
In less than a month, the several major recruitment points set up by the Xiguan Marquis Mansion in Xiguan County were gradually crowded with people.
The queue for job registration stretched for miles.
Fortunately, the managers at these recruitment sites remained calm in the face of this situation. They added several more registration desks to speed up the procession, and as soon as the temporary camps showed signs of being full, they immediately set up rows and rows of tents that looked warm and sturdy enough to survive the winter.
At first, these scattered soldiers and conscripts were still nervous before coming.
But when they started queuing, they felt that the people at the recruitment center treated them calmly and considerately, without any of the scolding and beating they used to receive, like animals.
It makes them feel like they have returned to their hometown. Although the faces they face are not familiar, they are familiar fellow villagers and give them a sense of freedom and homecoming.
In order to improve efficiency, the initial registration was simplified as much as possible by the person in charge.
We only focused on conducting a preliminary screening of each person's physical condition, and separated those who needed medical treatment or temporary observation. We registered each person's place of origin and name, and then placed number plates corresponding to each person. They could then follow the instructions to find their temporary residence and bed.
These people have been wandering in the mountains in late autumn for so long. Now they have a roof over their heads, hot water flowing automatically over their heads to wash their dirty bodies, and warm and soft bedding to rest on. It feels like they are in a dream.
When they saw their lost old friends and relatives in the camp, they all burst into tears.
Some of them were laborers doing odd jobs like building fortifications or transporting food and fodder for the army, while others were officially enlisted soldiers. Soldiers were also divided into two categories: one was temporarily conscripted for this million-strong expedition, and before joining the army they were just ordinary people who worked as farmers or did some minor crafts.
There is another type, which are the original members of the central army and the palace soldiers who were dispatched from military forces in various places. Most of their families have been soldiers for generations.
If he had not lost this battle, he would have been afraid of being beheaded and punished if he returned to the army, so he had to live in exile.
But within three to five days, the number of people recruited to the resettlement camp had reached thousands, and this group of people who had been soldiers for generations soon formed a clear distinction from those who were ordinary people.
These people seem to be like-minded and can automatically recognize their own kind and gather together.
Some of the people around them had been directly oppressed by them, while others hated their soldier-like and bandit-like nature from the bottom of their hearts, and even regarded them as aliens, avoiding them whenever possible.
These former soldiers, now gathered here, all knew that they had become deserters of the imperial court, guilty of a capital crime.
There was nothing to hide between them, and as soon as they met they spoke openly about their former military backgrounds and ranks.
The one who now serves as the leader of this group of people is the former battalion-level captain of the three guards of the central army.
All the soldiers and military dependents who entered the camp had to come to him to pay their respects. Although these people had fallen into such a predicament, most of them still had a sense of arrogance that seemed to be ingrained in their bones. They were used to being brutal and ferocious. Ordinary people naturally kept a distance from them, fearing the bad luck of offending these cruel and ruthless people.
As for other common people, they also spontaneously made close friends because of their hometown in the county town, and they comforted each other and even formed groups to protect themselves.
Two days later, people other than those who brought food and supplies finally came to the camp.
Each refugee and deserter in the camp was given a paper list with many easy-to-understand pictures printed on it for each person to check.
One is to ask them to check what each person is good at, and the other is to ask them to check the willingness and direction of recruitment.
The captain of the central army, Zhu Bing, was naturally literate and could understand the instructions printed on the paper.
He flipped through the paper from beginning to end. Whether it was farming, ropemaking, masonry, ironwork, woodworking, pottery, bricklaying, or winemaking, there wasn't a single option he could choose. The list was empty from beginning to end, and he was at a loss for where to start.
He looked at the veterans squatting or sitting near him. Most of them were the same as him. He was so angry and ashamed that he couldn't write anything.
Only a few soldiers who had experience in building fortifications or forging weapons in the army sketched one or two items on paper with a faint sense of pride. Originally, these soldiers who mainly handled logistics were somewhat inferior even among the troops.
However, after filling out this piece of paper, they felt proud for the first time.
Even these people are like this, not to mention the ordinary people.
These people were conscripted from all over the place. Even if they didn't know how to work before, who wouldn't do some work in the next year or two? Besides, there's still farming to do! At the very least, they've all farmed a few acres before! In any case, this piece of paper won't be left empty.
Everyone was a little excited and happily filled out the paper forms given to them, and lined up to hand them in at the registration desk.
When passing by those waves of dejected soldiers, I couldn't help but hold my head high and chest out, and then pinch them hard with the corners of my eyes.
It seems to be saying: Look at you, a bunch of useless people who have no skills and can only wield swords and guns and act arrogantly!
“Crunch, crunch—”
Many people were so angry that they gnashed their teeth.
Under such a chilling situation, the logistics soldiers didn't dare to show up. They asked Zhu Bing timidly, "Captain Zhu, look at our list..."
Zhu Bing looked over with a cold face: "You are not allowed to hand it over."
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