Fenghou

Chapter 183 Production
When Chen Qing returned to the county seat, he happened to encounter a mighty flock of sheep entering the city. Hundreds of cavalry guards left and right drove the flock of sheep to the barracks.

Seeing that these sheep were fat and strong, Chen Qing was quite happy in his heart, and quickly ordered: "Who is the general who is betting on the sheep, let him come to see me!"

The soldiers galloped away, and after a while, a logistics army was led up and saluted with fists in their hands, "For a lowly position, please refer to the control!"

"Where is your commander Huyan?"

"Reporting to the government, he is still negotiating with the Qiang people for long-term supply, and he will not be back until a few days later!"

"Is the price still negotiable?"

Dutou nodded and said: "This is the first batch of sheep, there are [-] sheep, and the Qiang people don't want to give us any money."

Chen Qing was taken aback, "Why don't you want money?"

"I heard from Commander Huyan that last year we attacked the Jurchen camp in the West Valley, and a large number of horses and sheep fled. The Jin soldiers only took back a very small amount, and most of them were captured by several Qiang tribes. Their chief said, This is taking advantage of us, so they are willing to give us [-] sheep, and they will be sold to us cheaply in the future."

This news was really beyond Chen Qing's expectation. He didn't pursue the situation after the camp was burned, but he didn't expect that the Qiang people would be taken advantage of in the end.

However, these Qiang people also know how to reciprocate kindness, which is rare, Chen Qing said happily: "Drive the sheep back to the barracks, and reward the three armies tonight!"

Back at the barracks, just as Chen Qing went back to his tent and sat down, Zheng Ping ran over and said angrily: "This morning, another group of big grain sellers came and collected three thousand shi of grain. It only went up in March, and before March, it was always about [-] yuan per bucket, and these big black-hearted people actually raised the price by [-] yuan for us!"

Chen Qing frowned, and asked, "Then what price did you charge for today's three thousand shi grains?"

"Of course it's based on two hundred Wen a fight, why give them three hundred Wen?"

"Bullshit!"

Chen Qing said angrily: "Do you think I don't know the previous grain price? Three hundred renminbi a dou is to give them a profit, and they will sell the grain to us in the future. You hurry up and send someone to make up the difference. Go out, do we still want to be famous?"

Zheng Ping's lips trembled, and he turned to leave. Chen Qing stopped him again, "I should tell you about this first. I forgot. We are not businessmen, and the money we got was also stolen from Jin Bing. The price It is not a loss for us to set a higher price, but it has attracted big and wealthy families.

There are two major factions in Qinzhou, one is the powerful family and the other is the fortress. Since we want to attack the fortress, we must win over the other faction. Otherwise, if these two factions join forces, it will be difficult for us to gain a foothold in Qinzhou in the future. "

Zheng Ping nodded silently, and he asked again: "The commander thinks that there is a relationship between the big family and the fortress?"

"They are inextricably linked. If you don't think about it, where are the grains of these big households hidden so that they won't be looted by the gold men? They say that they are hidden in the manor. I don't believe it at all. The gold men only need to buy a few Zhuang Ding, it is useless for them to hide no matter how concealed they are, I know in my heart that these grains must be hidden in the surrounding fortresses."

"Understand the job, immediately send someone to pay the difference to them."

Zheng Ping walked away quickly.

After lunch, Yan Jun, the personal guard, reported outside the tent, "Controller, Sihu Du Min brought an old man to visit, who seems to be his father-in-law!"

"Please come here!"

Chen Qing heard from Du Min that his father-in-law used to be a professor of state studies. He had taught in Qinzhou and Longzhou for [-] years.

Not long after, Yan Jun led Du Min and an old man into the big tent. The old man looked about sixty years old, not tall, with a thin appearance. He was wearing a shirt and a school crown.

"Old man Qiao Lin, I've heard about the general's reputation for resisting the gold for a long time, so I'm here to pay you a special visit!"

"I've heard about the old man's reputation for erudition since I came to Qinzhou. I thought about it for a while. I'm too busy. Please come in!"

Chen Qing invited Qiao Lin in very politely, and the two sat down among the guests. Qiao Lin praised: "As soon as the general came to Chengji County, he began to give away porridge, hey! How many lives have been saved! I will give it to you." Du Min said, this is what is called an envoy, not only thinking about soldiers, but also thinking about poor people."

"The old man has won the prize!"

Chen Qing didn't want to hear these flattery words, so he smiled and said nothing, waiting for Qiao Lin to continue.

Qiao Lin still wanted to boast a few more words, but Du Min saw that Chen Qing didn't want to listen to such lies anymore, so she coughed lightly and said, "General Chen, my father-in-law came today, and he actually has two suggestions."

Chen Qing said with a smile: "Mr. please speak frankly, Chen Qing is all ears!"

Qiao Lin had no choice but to put away her flattery and turn her mind to the real business, "The general helps the people for a while, but he can't help them for a year. Why don't you teach them how to fish at the same time?"

"The old man means farming?"

Qiao Lin nodded, "There are a lot of barren fields outside the city, and there are even large areas of official land that have not been cultivated. Mobilize all the residents in the city to open up wasteland outside the city to cultivate land, at least to ensure that there is something to eat in summer and autumn!"

"It's already the beginning of March, isn't it too late for farming?"

"The old man is not talking about planting wheat, but planting millet, beans, especially millet. Now is the right time. The general has harvested a lot of grain. There must be a lot of corn. Just take out part of it to make seeds. In addition, the old man can use it in the front room of the house. After planting melons, this is also food! The key is that the general must encourage and send troops to help everyone, and then the army will also plant grain and farm, raise pigs and chickens, so as to relieve future worries, what does the general think?"

Chen Qing nodded again and again, he only thought about buying food, but forgot to rely on himself, "The old man said it very well, Chen Qing has been taught, I will definitely do it!"

Seeing Chen Qing's modesty, Qiao Lin was happy in her heart, and continued: "The second thing, I want to chat with you about the fortress."

Chen Qing cheered up, this was also the issue he was most concerned about, he quickly said: "Please tell me, old man!"

"Actually, I just want to tell the general that fortresses are like broken bamboos. Even though there are three hundred fortresses in Qinzhou, as long as the general splits the nodes of the thick bamboos, it will be easily solved later."

Qiao Lin's thinking was exactly the same as that of Chen Qing, and Chen Qing asked with a smile, "Is Zhoujiabao a node?"

Qiao Lin nodded, "Zhoujiabao is the biggest node, followed by Anyuan Village in Gangu County and Dingxi Village in Qin'an County. Split these three nodes, and the problem of the fort village in Qinzhou will be solved."

"Then how does the old man think the Zhou Family Fort will be solved?"

Qiao Lin stroked her beard and said: "The owner of Zhoujiabao is called Zhou Xin. This person has also been a professor in the state school for several years. I worked with him. I know this person very well. He is despicable, treacherous and cunning. Violation is his specialty, if he shows his favor to the general, don't trust him, this person has no integrity, he will never do what he promises, and also, be careful of his brother-in-law."

"Who is his brother-in-law?"

"It's Li Dujian. Li Dujian married Zhou Xin's cousin."

Chen Qing suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. No wonder Wang Huai wanted to take Li Dujian to ask for money and food. It turned out that it was this relationship, but Wang Huai didn't tell himself.

"Is it related to Wang Huai and Zhou Xin?"

Qiao Lin smiled lightly, "The Wang family and the Zhou family in Chengji County are both the best families in Qinzhou. They have coexisted in the same county for a hundred years. Are they not related? Zhou Xin's mother is surnamed Wang!
So I came to visit the general today, nominally to talk about land reclamation and farming, but in fact I want to remind the general that to solve the Zhoujiabao, we must not cooperate with the state government, otherwise they will not know if they sell it. "

Chen Qing walked a few steps with his hands behind his hands, he knew what to do?

Early the next morning, the entire city of Chengji County was mobilized. Except for the elderly over [-] years old, children under [-] years old, and patients who were paralyzed in bed, all other residents of the city were mobilized by soldiers to open up wasteland and farm outside the city, planting corn and Beans, seeds are provided by the army.

The elderly and children at home are not idle, and they are required to plant melons and gourds in front of and behind their houses.

At the same time, Chen Qing sent seven teams of soldiers to deliver letters to the other seven counties in Qinzhou, asking the county officials to organize the people in the county to plow the land in spring. If seeds were needed, all the seeds would be provided by the army.

In fact, the situation in the counties of Qinzhou is better than that of Chengji County, which is governed by the prefecture. After all, they have not been occupied by the Jin soldiers, and the county officials are all there, but the granaries, like Chengji County, have been exploited by the Jin soldiers.

Farmers in the counties have long planted winter wheat and do not need to be urged, but this time Chen Qing’s campaign to promote spring plowing is not aimed at the farmers, but at the residents of the county. The business is very dilapidated and withered. The people in the city have no income, and food becomes a problem. Chen Qing can provide relief for a few months, but what about in the future?

Therefore, they have to farm the land by themselves, and before the recovery of all walks of life, they have to solve the food rations of every household.

In fact, it is easy to say, but how can it be so easy to do?Mobilization alone is enough. After all, they are all human beings, not animals, so they can’t be driven away just by driving them away. The army has to forcibly drive them away at critical moments.

But even if the people are driven out of the city, how to farm the land is still a hassle. Where is the land?Is there an owner, who is with whom, and what kind of land is planted?
It would take ten days and half a month just to sort out these chores, but they don't have that many people to do this kind of thing, even if there are people, the farming season will not wait for anyone.

So the easiest way is to concentrate on a few thousand acres of official land, and three or four people are responsible for one acre of land, plant it casually, and distribute the harvest evenly when the time comes.

It's a bit confusing, but it's better than talking and doing nothing.

Just when Chengji County started to vigorously engage in the national mass production movement, people from Zhoujiabao came to Chengji County.

(End of this chapter)