Reborn in the late Northern Wei Dynasty

Chapter 26
Since the first year of Xiaochang (525 A.D.), wars and natural disasters have been frequent in Hebei, and the population has been dispersed.

Three years ago, in the first year of Wutai (528 A.D.), Ge Rong broke Cangzhou and massacred the people, and nine out of ten died.

This year, Liu Lingzhu coerced the people of Cangzhou into rebellion, Liu Haibao responded to Xindu Gao brothers' occupation of Cangzhou, and Diao Zheng attacked and killed Liu Haibao.

The people of Cangzhou cannot be said to be in dire straits, at least they are considered to be in dire straits.

This is also the main reason why Gao Huan was able to quickly gain the support of the people in Hebei. After all, what happened in Cangzhou is just a microcosm of Hebei. The people urgently need the appearance of a military strongman to restore social order.

During the Taiping period, land was very scarce, but in the precarious and chaotic times, it was the cheapest.

Due to Ge Rong’s massacre and other disasters, a large number of unclaimed lands appeared in Cangzhou. When Gao Cheng led 15 Xianbei women and children to Cangzhou, he immediately allocated land for the Xianbei tribesmen, distributed wheat seeds, and took out money to ask the peasants in Cangzhou for guidance The Xianbei people cultivated.

The people of Xianbei tribe have had enough hard times. According to historical records, their living conditions in Bingzhou and Sizhou are like "going to their households to dig chinchillas and eat them, and they all look pale." '

After getting the land and seeds, the Xianbei tribesmen were very enthusiastic. In order to ask the Han people for advice on farming, they spontaneously started to learn Chinese.

Gao Cheng also provided rewards for those with outstanding achievements according to his proposal to Gao Huan, which further stimulated the learning enthusiasm of the Xianbei tribe.

This is the biggest difference between Gao Cheng and Gao Huan. Gao Huan's heart is to defeat the Erzhu family. His focus is on the military level. Cangzhou is broken and it is useless to obtain it. Therefore, he chooses to make peace at both ends, and suffers for the people of Jizhou.

The biggest reason why he could accept Gao Cheng's acquisition of Cangzhou was that Gao Cheng left more than 15 soldiers and their families in Jizhou, and took [-] women and children to Cangzhou to make a living. Damage Gao Huan's military strength.

It was midsummer, and the shade was lush.

Among the fields in Cangzhou, there is a busy scene.

Gao Cheng, the eldest son of the Bohai King, was wearing a coarse cloth jacket and led the Xianbei tribesmen to work in the fields against the scorching sun.

Although the meaning of showing off is very strong, but the simple working people can't stand it.

His skin is no longer as white as jade in the past, and there are many dandruff on his handsome face.

The food delivery children came in groups, reciting the Three Character Classic adapted by Gao Cheng.

"Everyone, rest."

Gao Cheng shouted.

The crowd responded.

Farming under the scorching sun is bitter and tiring enough, but the Xianbei tribesmen who have suffered enough from being displaced enjoy it, and this kind of stability is what they hope for.

At the behest of their parents, several young children presented Gao Cheng with cooking cakes.

It wasn't because he was worried about poisoning, but when the guards were asked to try it, Gao Cheng ate the cakes as soon as he took them, and even ate too quickly, choking and coughing continuously.

The crowd burst into laughter, there was no mockery in the laughter, Gao Cheng took the water bottle handed over by the guard, and took a couple of sips of it, and then calmed down.

Gao Cheng understands that the respect that the Xianbei tribesmen have for him is no longer just because of his status as the son of the Prince of Bohai.

"My lord, are you still telling a story today?"

A six or seven-year-old Xianbei boy boldly asked.

"Where did you talk about last time?"

Gao Cheng looked at the children around him.

Everyone was excited:

"Talking about King Xibewen, he met Jiang Ziya who was fishing."

"Come on, the prince is going to tell a story again."

There are also children who call for playmates.

For a while, Gao Cheng was crowded with people.

"Okay, be quiet, let's continue with "Feng Shen Bang" today."

Gao Cheng likes this kind of life very much. He travels to and from the farming areas of the Xianbei people in Cangzhou, farming with them. The 11-year-old body cannot be tired for a long time, so he will tell stories to the Xianbei teenagers on the field ridges. It is also an imaginative "Feng Shen Bang".

This lecture lasted the whole afternoon, when the sun was setting to the west, Gao Cheng returned to Rao'an City, Cangzhou's prefecture, under the protection of his personal guards.

"Why does Zihui work so hard on herself?"

Cangzhou town general Duan Shao advised him.

Gao Cheng shook his head, but did not speak, he was indeed tired.

After soaking his feet for a while, Gao Cheng immediately set off to find Duan Rong, and asked:
"Uncle, what do the Han people think now?"

"Since the prince ruled Cangzhou, he agreed with the people to restore the old tax system, and the people all praise him."

Taxes in the Northern Wei Dynasty were not low. Gao Cheng did not want to lower the tax rate, but he had 15 Xianbei women and children to support, and the crops in the fields could not mature in a short time.

But the people of Cangzhou still sing praises to him. After all, when the soldiers are in chaos, the soldiers don’t care how much you pay. The crops in the fields are ripe, just grab them.

Now that Gao Cheng has agreed to restore the tax system, the common people themselves will be left stuttering anyway.

What's more, he also promised that once the Xianbei people can support themselves, the tax rate will be further reduced, and the people of Cangzhou will also have hope.

Regarding what Duan Rong said, Gao Cheng was still not at ease, and repeatedly explained:

"When collecting taxes, we must avoid layer upon layer of exploitation. We collect as much as we agree with the people. Shang Yang needs to build trust in a big country, and we need the people's confidence to govern a small state."

Duan Rong repeatedly agreed, and urged Gao Cheng to go back to rest earlier.

Duan Rong is considered an outlier among Gao Huan's relatives. He advocates benevolence and forgiveness, which is in line with Gao Cheng.

There is also a love affair between Gao Cheng and Duan Shao, so he loves Gao Cheng very much.

When Gao Cheng and Duan Rong were actively governing Cangzhou, Gao Huan was also actively preparing for war in Jizhou.

At the end of May, a young man came to Xindu from Luoyang with his mother.

"Hong Lue, you are finally here."

Gao Huan was very happy to see the young man.

"My mother heard that my brother came to Xindu, so she ordered Yue to come to my brother's tent to listen to him."

Gao Huan was overjoyed, and hurriedly ordered his family to pay a sincere visit to the young man's mother with the gift of children and grandchildren.

The young man is Gao Yue, only 20 years old, and is Gao Huan's cousin.

During Gao Huan's tenure as a messenger, he traveled between Huaishuo and Luoyang. When he was in Luoyang, he lived in Gao Yue's home.

Although the two are only cousins, their relationship is closer than the two half-brothers Gao Chen and Gao Huibao who died young.

After all, after Gao Huan's father remarried, in order not to affect his quality of life, Gao Huan was fostered at the home of his son-in-law Wei Jing, which also led to the lack of deep relationship between Gao Huan and his half-brother.

Gao Yue was tall and powerful. Gao Huan had known him for a long time and knew that he was capable of leading an army, so he immediately appointed him as the general under his command and took one of his own.

"King Gao, why don't you see the Ah Hui you mentioned?"

Gao Yue's old mother, the Shan family, said doubtfully.

"Don't call me that, Auntie. You still call me He Liuhun. Ah Hui is a leader in Cangzhou. I will send someone to bring him back immediately."

"Don't do this, so as not to delay the big event."

Shan quickly refused.

Gao Huan laughed and said:

"Greetings to my aunt is the most important thing."

　The third update is finished, take a good rest tonight, try to strive for the third update tomorrow

　　
　
(End of this chapter)