Fu Song

Chapter 483
"Open sickle!" The loud shout quickly spread from the wheat field not far from the city to the distance in the way of solitaire.

The wind blows the wheat waves, undulating like a golden ocean.

Xiao Ding smiled and walked towards the wheat field with a sickle in his hand. On his left was his wife Gao Qi, and on his right was his son Xiao Jing, both of whom were also holding sickles.

Behind the three of them, Zhang Yuan, Tuoba Yangwei, Ren Duozhong and other senior officials also walked towards the wheat field with smiles on their faces.

The drums sounded suddenly, and the horns sounded long.

Xiao Ding bent down, clasped his left hand behind his back, swung his sickle with his right, and a large bunch of wheat fell into the crook of his arm.

He held up the wheat he had cut high, and cheers like a mountain roar and a tsunami came from around.

Every year during the autumn harvest season, Xiao Ding always makes the first cut.

Three consecutive years of bumper harvests made the rule of the Western Army in the south of Hengshan more and more stable.

The Yellow River is thousands of miles away, but rich people are the only ones.

The Western Army under Xiao Ding's control was synonymous with rebellion in Song Dynasty, and not many people were willing to mention him.

The Western Army was in the south of Hengshan, and only kept a few key points such as Shentangbao, Castanopsis Fortress, and Luowu City, and the front of the army hardly went out of Hengshan.

This has made the Western Army's sense of presence in the people of the Song Dynasty less and less, coupled with the court's deliberate guidance, it has made ordinary people think that the Western Army only controls a small area and has a little bit of insignificant power.It exists now only because the imperial court does not want to kill more people. Once it decides to put down the rebellion, it will inevitably wipe out the western army with the momentum of autumn wind sweeping away the fallen leaves.

And businessmen who really know the real situation are unwilling to say more about these issues.

First of all, of course, he was afraid of misfortune coming out of his mouth.

Second, they are also worried that talking too much will destroy the current stability and ruin their career of making money.

The Western Army has always been kind to the merchants of the Song Dynasty.

As long as you are willing to go, the service will really be excellent. As long as you are willing to apply, they can even send soldiers and horses to be your bodyguards, and this protection can last until you leave the control of the Western Army.

The merchants who have really finished the Western Army's control of the entire territory will truly understand the extent of the Western Army's current sphere of influence.

It was an area even wider than the current territory of the Song Dynasty.

Although it is a vast place, it is sparsely populated.

These merchants are real big merchants, and the journey they took is also called by Xiao Ding vividly, the Silk Road.

The merchants made a fortune, and the Western Army, which controlled this road, naturally benefited even more.

Xingqing Mansion is the political center of the Western Army, while Xingping Mansion has become the economic center of the Western Army.

A large number of merchants from the Western Regions and the Qingtang Plateau brought all kinds of goods to Xingping Mansion, and then traded with merchants from the Song Dynasty.

Prosperous commerce and a large amount of commercial tax revenue have made the Western Army's finances more and more relaxed. Under Zhang Yuan's governance, the Yellow River has also been like a tamed dragon in recent years, obediently serving farmers on both sides of the strait. The land provided sweet juice, and three consecutive years of bumper harvests made the food prices in the territory under the control of the Western Army stabilize and decline, and all the storage warehouses were full.

If it weren't for Zhang Yuan's forceful control to prevent the price of grain from fluctuating too much, I'm afraid the price of grain this year will fall even further.

Zhang Yuan used the surplus grain to make wine.

This is also the first time since the Western Army entered Xingqing, it announced the opening of the alcohol ban in order to consume excess food.

The territory under the control of the current Western Army has exceeded ten thousand miles, and the number of people under its rule has reached nearly ten million.

In Zhang Yuan's view, this is the induction between heaven and man, and this is the foundation of the emperor.

It's just a pity that Xiao Ding firmly refused to become emperor, not even agreeing to become king.

So now the banner of the Western Army is still the nondescript chief of the Western March of the Great Song Dynasty.

A western marching chief who beat the Song army to the brim, and beat the imperial court to the point where they were skinned and cramp.

Zhang Yuan straightened up and glanced at Xiao Ding in front of him.

Xiao Ding turned [-] this year, which is a good time for a man in his prime.

At this age, many men are still struggling to find a way to rise up, but Xiao Ding has already stood at the top of his life and looked down at the world.

He can go one step further if he wants to.

Shaking his head slightly, Zhang Yuan really didn't know what Xiao Cheng wanted.

Zhang Yuan knew Xiao Ding very well, and knew that Xiao Ding's current attitude came from Xiao Cheng.

It was precisely because of Xiao Cheng's persistence that Xiao Ding was determined not to be independent, nor to proclaim himself emperor or king.

Zhang Yuan is also very clear that the status of the Western Army today is really due to Xiao Cheng's contribution to laying the foundation. Many systems of the Western Army still follow the rules set by Xiao Cheng back then.

Even though Zhang Yuan was very conceited, in front of Xiao Cheng, he had to bow his hands in admiration.

Because many regulations that seemed inexplicable in the past have finally revealed their role today. Xiao Cheng is like a prophet. Many years ago, he predicted what problems he would encounter today, and therefore prepared a plan. The system of the series is waiting here.

Zhang Yuan is good at governing, and Xiao Cheng completely compares him to the establishment of rules and regulations like this.

Xiao Cheng's plans are far-reaching, and his plans are so big that he doesn't even care about the position of an emperor.

The world may think that the seat of the emperor is already the ultimate pursuit in the world,
But people like Zhang Yuan understand that there is a higher pursuit than the emperor.

Lide, Liyan, meritorious service!
Maybe this is what Xiao Cheng is after!
Ordinary people only need to be one of the three, and the world can be called a saint, but in Zhang Yuan's view, Xiao Cheng seems to want to have all three.

That's why he dismissed the emperor's seat!

Forget it, if this is the case, then I should just be a follower. One day, the Xiao brothers will really stand up and make meritorious deeds, and I will definitely follow behind them and be remembered forever by future generations.

What Zhang Yuan is looking for is to leave a name in history.

As for other wine, sex and wealth, to Zhang Yuan, it is just a passing cloud and not worth mentioning.

Swishing the sickle, Xiao Ding rode away.

When he was in Hebei, he often participated in the labor. As long as he didn't fight wars and plowed in the spring and harvested in the autumn, he would never pull.Although Zhang Yuan has been pampered and respected all these years, among the Western Army, one person is less than ten thousand people, but in the early years, he was also a person who could write articles to make the world safe, and pick up a hoe and grow food to support his family. very familiar.

On the contrary, people like Tuoba Yangwei and Ren Duozhong have never done farm work since they were young, and this incident every year has really become a hard job for them.

Gao Qi and Xiao Jing are also like them.

Xiao Ding had already cut half of the ridge, and Zhang Yuan had cut half of it, so they cut less than one-fifth of it.

Every year, this ridge has to be cut by itself. This is a rule set by Xiao Ding, and no one dares to object.

In Xiao Ding's words, everyone should know that every grain of rice is hard-won, so that they can be sympathetic to the hardships of the people's livelihood, so that they can think of ordinary people when formulating policies or doing certain things .

Even Gao Qi, a female stream, as Xiao Ding's wife, must independently complete the harvesting of this ridge of wheat fields.

In the past when she was in Bianliang, Gao Qi would definitely not be able to do it.

But now Gao Qiquan has honed into an all-round woman.

Not only can he raise chickens, ducks, pigs and sheep, he can also spin silk and weave cloth, he can also lift a hoe and hold a sickle. Of course, he has never let go of the chess, piano, calligraphy and painting that he learned since childhood.

What is good at the top will be effective at the bottom.

With such a mistress who likes to exchange embroidery experience and talk about breeding experience at ladies' gatherings, the daughters-in-law of civil servants and generals in Xingqing Mansion will not all have to go to school, and some even I was also forced by my husband to learn these things.

Otherwise, at such a gathering, you can't get in the way, and you can't squeeze in front of the mistress, so how can you find a future for your own man?
Madam diplomacy has always been an indispensable part of the upper class circle.

Only when you go to the north of Hengshan, can you experience the support and love of the people here for Xiao Ding and his wife.

When Xiao Ding took the rope made of wheat straw and tied up all the wheat in his own ridge, the others were still far away from completion.

When Xiao Ding calmly drank the first scoop of water, Zhang Yuan also walked over with a sickle in hand.

"Young master, why don't you go and help?" Zhang Yuan smiled, pointing at Xiao Jing's ridge of wheat.

"No need, his ridge itself is only half of an adult's. The little guy has to suffer a lot since he was a child." Xiao Ding said with a smile.

Zhang Yuan didn't raise Qi, because she knew that Gao Qi would never agree to let anyone help her, especially on an occasion like today.

"Hebei Road has been changed." Zhang Yuan wiped off his sweat, sat on the sheaf of wheat, and said to Xiao Ding, "Ma Xing will step down and Li Fang will take office. What does the manager think will affect it?"

Xiao Ding said: "Ma Xing is undoubtedly the most suitable candidate at the moment, but he said a few words for me that he wants to unite with our Western Army to fight against the Liao people. This is completely different from the current Bianliang policy. Such a guy, naturally Step down."

"Boss, this time they are aggressive, and the scene is really not small. We still have to be careful. If one is not good, we will suffer a big loss." Zhang Yuan looked at Xiao Ding who was a little nonchalant, "Besides, I always think that Chongwen's judgment is a bit too arbitrary. If his judgment is wrong and we don't have a second plan, wouldn't we suffer a lot!"

"Of course we have to take precautions!" Xiao Ding said with a smile: "Falsehood is the way of the strategist. If there is a fight, the Liao people think we are easy to bully, so why don't they make a fake show for real! Kill us, It is also one of their national policies, and they will only turn their guns when they feel that we cannot be gnawed."

Zhang Yuan nodded: "Boss, they turned around, what should we do?"

"What can we do?" Xiao Ding glanced around, and his voice was slightly quieter: "My little sister is very thoughtful, she has found so many things for us! The medicine has been honest for several years, and suddenly one by one fake corpses popped up again, which restrained the strength of our two military commanders. On the other side of Congling, the Heikhan people suddenly dispatched troops in a large scale. It is also inseparable from the Liao people's fanning the flames."

"Yeah, the Heihan people have been suppressed by us all these years. This time, the Liao people must have told them that Liao and Song are going to jointly attack us, so they also want to take advantage of it."

"Good time!" Xiao Ding sneered: "They can't shrink back, and it's not easy for us to deal with them. They just jumped out, but they did what we wanted. After eating them, we will really grasp the way to go east and west. Trade channel. I have already told Zheng Jihong Lei Dejin that this time they make up their own minds, don’t think about reporting everything first, sometimes the fighter planes have already disappeared without a trace when they come and go on the road.”

"Shentangbao, Castanopsis, and Luowu City will be tested this time!" Zhang Yuan smacked his lips. "The Song people will definitely go all out to attack these places this time. Zhang Cheng still has some skills in leading the troops."

"So what if he is really defeated?" Xiao Ding shook his head and said, "As long as we withstand the attack of the Liao people in the north, Song Guobei Road will be finished."

"To save or not to save?" Zhang Yuan suddenly asked a question.

"How to save?" Xiao Ding sighed: "If it is possible, of course I want to save, but this time, our Western Army is surrounded by enemies, and when it really comes, we want to save. Zhang Cheng is in Shaanxi. On the way, will you rest assured to join our coalition forces? Can we cooperate with him without any grievances?"

Zhang Yuan smiled and said nothing.

Xiao Ding pointed to his own heart: "With a thorn in my heart, how can I be selfless in my heart, not to mention people like us, who bear the lives and deaths of thousands of people on their shoulders, are even less willing to take the slightest risk. risk."

"So, once the Liao army turned around, we were in the west and were restrained by the Heihan people. Inside, Huangtou Huihe and Qingtang Tubo were making trouble, and in the south, we were checking and balancing with the Song Dynasty army. Instead, we could only watch Liao The main cavalry of the army drove straight in!"

Speaking of this, Zhang Yuan sighed: "I have to say, the person who formulated this strategy and put it into practice is indeed a genius. Manager, you little sister, you are really a monster!"

Xiao Ding casually pulled a handful of ears of wheat, rubbed them in his big hands, watched the plump wheat grains roll on the palm of his hand, picked up a few of them and threw them into his mouth, chewing while saying: "We Since we can’t change the present, we have to focus on the future. What if the Liao army takes down Bianliang? Will the Song Dynasty perish? Will China change hands? Severe illness requires strong medicine. Maybe after washing like this, it will make the Phoenix Nirvana, reborn from the ashes!"

"After going through the wind and rain, you will see the rainbow!" Zhang Yuan nodded and said, "Is this the result Chongwen wants?"

"It's not what he really wants, it's just pushing the boat along the way." Xiao Ding said. "Heaven wants to make it perish, but it must make it crazy. Zhao Suo's heart is demonized, and he will naturally pay for the sins he committed."

(End of this chapter)