The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

The Fuya Square was crowded with people, the small square was packed to the brim, tens of thousands of people gathered here, and the streets around the square were also crowded with people. People, old and young, came to thank the adults for their help. Thank you, the officers, soldiers and yamen servants were busy sweating profusely maintaining order and preventing people from taking the opportunity to cause chaos.

When Su Jin, Song Xiang, and Gou Dasheng appeared in front of the government yamen, the crowd erupted in cheers and thanked the three adults for their great kindness. Song Xiang and Gou Dasheng, who had been officials for many years, were the first The first time I saw this scene, I felt a sense of regret in my life.

"Lord Qingtian, the people of Yangzhou are deeply grateful for saving the people from danger. I wish the three gentlemen all the best and prosperity in their careers." The people shouted.

"When the next year's harvest is good, I will raise funds to build a temple for the three adults in Yangzhou, and pray for the three adults to have a long life!" The people cried out with tears.

Song Xiang was excited, took a step forward and raised his hand to signal everyone to calm down, and said loudly: "Fathers, folks, Song Xiang is incompetent and has caused you to suffer. Please accept Song Xiang's bow and apologize." After speaking, he lifted his robe and knelt down He bowed to the people.

All the people knelt down to return the salute quickly, and the square was crowded with people kneeling down, the scene was very spectacular.

Su Jinxin said: This Song Xiang is not just a nerd, just now he has a face in it, but he is so sensational when he goes out to meet the people. An old artist always likes to cry when people are sensational.

Song Xiang got up and cupped his hands and said: "This year's severe drought, our government failed to plan for the rainy day, which caused you to suffer a lot. Fortunately, the imperial court sent a special envoy for food affairs, Mr. Su. If it wasn't for his reminder, our government is really helpless. Master Youlu Cangsi Gou braved the wind, cold and snow to come to Yangzhou, you should thank them."

The crowd raised their arms and shouted: "Lord Su! Master Su!" Few people shouted Gou Dasheng. Many people had witnessed the scene in the official warehouse, and they were not too impressed with Master Cangsi.

Su Jin smiled and cupped his hands, and said loudly: "Fathers and brothers, you shouldn't have come to thank us today, you thanked the wrong person!"

Everyone was stunned, what does this person mean by this, everyone came to thank you, but you said thank you to the wrong person.

"What you should be most grateful to is the current emperor who is in the capital and worried about the people of Yangzhou. If the emperor hadn't had the foresight to know that the people of Yangzhou are suffering, so he took the envoy to coordinate the food affairs. How could we have the courage to resign the government?" The granary is storing food, so I suggest that we face the capital and kneel down to thank the emperor for his kindness?"

After Su Jin finished speaking, regardless of everyone's reaction, he turned around and knelt down on the ground in the direction of Bianliang in the northwest. Song Xiang, Gou Dasheng and a group of officials hurriedly followed and knelt down. .

Such a big movement in Yangzhou, tens of thousands of people came to thank the three of them, what kind of impact will it cause if it spreads to the capital, aside from the private distribution of military rations, just tens of thousands of people bowing to the three of them is enough It made people have many associations. The person in the Golden Luan Hall has always been soft-hearted. If he believed someone, this alone would be enough to make the three of them fall into the suspicion of trying to gain fame.

Gou Dasheng saw this, and Su Jin also saw this. Gou Dasheng didn't move for a while, but Su Jin couldn't give others a handle. The credit should go to the emperor no matter what. Find a step down for the revelation of the food distribution in the future. This step is not only his own, but also the emperor's.

The common people followed Su Jin and others to kneel down to Tokyo and shouted in unison: "Long live my emperor!"

Su Jin said in a loud voice: "I will convey your thoughts to the emperor on the day of my return to Beijing. It is freezing cold, and it is really not suitable for you to stay in the snow for a long time. I have a few requests, I hope you can cooperate with this envoy."

"Master Special Envoy, if you have something to say, we will obey you."

"Yes, yes, you are our benefactor, you can speak up if you have anything to say."

The crowd shouted.

Su Jin smiled, discussed with Song Xiang and Gou Dasheng in a low voice, and after obtaining the consent of the two, Fang turned around and said, "So, on behalf of Song Zhifu and Gou Cangsi, I would like to put forward three expectations to you, hoping to get you response."

"First, we hope that you can return to normal life after you go home. Those who do business open their doors to welcome customers, those who work diligently, do what they should do, and don't worry about food. This matter will be resolved with the two adults. "

"Second, we hope that you will stop buying rice on the black market, so that it will be unprofitable for the merchants who hoard rice. At the same time, I also advise merchants who hoard rice to not have illusions. The time limit is only ten days, if you fail to sell the grain within the time limit, the envoy will be severely punished according to the imperial court's decree."

"Third, we hope that you can call back your relatives and family members who are wandering outside. It is very cold outside and there is no danger of life. When you come back to Yangzhou, the Yangzhou officials will not let you go hungry; Twenty porridge sheds were set up in the Yamen Square, and hot porridge was served for three meals a day for the homeless. From today on, on behalf of the two adults, this envoy announced here that no one in Yangzhou City would be starved to death. "

After the announcement of the Su Jin Three Articles, the people cheered thunderously and supported them loudly. Under the guidance of the officers and soldiers, the people talked happily and slowly dispersed.

An hour later, all the people on the streets of Yangzhou mobilized to clean up the scarred city of Yangzhou with brooms, shovels and other tools. After cleaning and pulling away, in less than half a day, Yangzhou City took on a new look, restoring the cleanliness and order of the past.

After noon, the shops opened one after another, and the closed shopkeepers and shopkeepers were all neatly dressed to welcome customers in the store. Although there were not many customers, this scene of recovery had already healed the scars in people's hearts. Doing, people's minds become more and more stable and stable.

Song Xiang also had to lament that Su Jin has a hand, how important people's hearts are, standing on the standpoint of the common people, touching their hearts, and having sincere exchanges with them, can arouse great resonance and make them immediately glow with such great enthusiasm. passion.

While dispatching dozens of small teams of soldiers to maintain stability, Song Xiang also agreed to send people to meet the food delivery team. The dynasty would lead the way, and the head of Weidu led a hundred soldiers along the official road to meet the food delivery horse army team. .

Under Su Jin's suggestion, the official warehouses in the whole city began to be counted and concentrated. Regardless of military rations, official rations or salary rations, they were all stored in the military ration depot on the south side of Baoyang Lake and guarded heavily. Ten thousand shi of grain, but before the arrival of the grain transportation team, the [-] shi is the last weight on which the entire Yangzhou city depends.

The previous distribution of one liter of rice per capita, no matter how economical it is, can only last for three to five days. If there is another distribution, the whole city will run out of official food. If that time comes, there will be no food in Luzhou. The city will usher in disaster again, and it will be even harder for the common people to believe the words of the government, and the chaos at that time will be fatal.

Everyone's expectations are pinned on the 50 shi of grain that is still unknown. From the eyes of Song Xiang, Gou Dasheng, Song Quan and others, Su Jin felt unprecedented pressure, although he smiled on the surface. In the dead of night, he couldn't help tossing and turning, and secretly prayed for God's blessing that the 50 shi of grain would arrive safely and quickly; for some reason, when he thought of Long Zhen's look with a city in his heart and wandering eyes, he would Feeling bouts of uneasiness.

……

In the Bagong Mountain cottage, the panting Qiu Dabao poured down a pot of tea, and under the expectant eyes of Shen Yaozu, the leader, said loudly: "Congratulations brother, congratulations brother, our cottage is going to get rich."

Shen Yaozu said happily: "How to say?"

"The Luzhou garrison has not been dispatched, and there is no preparation for dispatching. There are indeed 50 shi of grain going east through the official road, and there are only a few hundred officers and soldiers under escort, and thousands of carts. No matter how big they are I can't take care of my bones."

Shen Yaozu clapped his hands and said: "As expected, on the day you go out, I sent people to spy on the movement of the Shouzhou garrison, but they didn't intend to move out, and we intercepted another messenger, this time from Bozhou As for food reminders, if you compare them twice, it’s [-]% true.”

Qiu Dabao said with a smile: "These idiots should still go east and then north, avoiding us and then rest easy. Although the official road is more than a hundred miles away from my village, can't we go to the same place?"

Shen Yaozu laughed loudly and said: "They thought that the previous rounds of siege scared us to the point of being crippled, but they don't know that the old man is strong, so it's not too late to send an order, the grain truck team has been gone for two days, don't worry about it. Let them go too far, and then they won't be able to do anything."

Qiu Dabao said: "I can't run away. I walked forty miles a day. Now it happens to be the closest to us. Let's dispatch them overnight and take them all at once."

Shen Yaozu ordered loudly: "Come here, kill the pigs and sheep immediately, so that the brothers will have enough to eat. Tonight we are going to catch a big fat cow. If we catch this fat cow, we will have no worries about food and clothing for a year."

Qiu Dabao laughed and said: "Yes, it will not be opened for three years, and it will be guaranteed for three years if it is opened, as long as a stupid woman is caught."