Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 102 0097 [The woman in the cottage]

The village at the foot of the mountain was a bit dilapidated, just like Xiabai Village, but far worse than Shangbai Village, which had a better life.

Especially for those new population, those who come early can still be allocated old houses (the houses of dead bandits).Those who came late had to build it themselves, and had to allocate their labor to work to earn wages. The thatched huts they built looked terrible.

"It's very poor here." Grandma Yan muttered.

It's not that she dislikes it, she just expresses it out of emotion, fearing that it will be detrimental to the growth of her grandson.

Zhu Ming said with a smile: "This year you will be poor, but next year you will be rich. It only takes one year to catch up with Shangbai Village. Once the big drums are built and the canals are dug, half of the paddy fields in the village can be irrigated. Halfway up the mountain is still there. Dig weir ponds, dig one hole this year, and dig two holes next year, and strive to solve the irrigation of mountainous areas in three years."

Hearing this, Grandma Yan also laughed: "Da Lang has a high spirit, and he does great things. Shangbai Village hasn't dug an irrigation canal for many years, but I did it when I first got married."

The boat is docked, not far from the bobbin car construction site.

Zhu Guoxiang was discussing something with the carpenter over there, and he came over after talking for a while, and then carried the sweet potatoes up the mountain together.

Back in the stockade, Dean Zhu handed over a stack of papers.

Zhu Ming took a look and saw it said: Daming Village Three-Year Development Plan (Draft).

The planning is written in great detail, and even specific to each project, how much manpower, material resources, and time are required, and the rough data are all clear.

"Sure, Dean Zhu." Zhu Ming himself doesn't know how to plan, or he has a relatively casual personality and has never been in the habit of doing such things.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "I didn't make detailed plans before, because I didn't have enough understanding of ancient productivity. For example, digging ponds can be done in a few days with an excavator, but I don't know how long it will take to rely on manpower. After the actual construction, I realized that I was too optimistic. , the actual construction period is longer than expected. Only after accumulating experience can I dare to make this plan.”

Ju Ming sat down and looked through carefully, and there was actually a stir-fried tea project for next spring.

There are several tea-picking seasons in spring, and in Zhu Guoxiang's vision, next year will still be dominated by steamed tea.While steaming the tea, use some second-class tea to carry out the tea-frying experiment, and mobilize four or five people to do this.

And next year's corn and sweet potatoes, which land should be planted, is also written clearly.

When the new crops are harvested, the whole village will basically achieve self-sufficiency, and two more weir ponds will be dug next year.There is no need to engage in corvee when starting work, and only need to use food to pay wages.

After the harvest of summer grain in the third year, a simple wharf can be built on the riverside.

Villagers by the river asked them to grow more vegetables and raise more poultry to provide board and lodging services for passing merchant ships.It is only half a day away from the county seat along the river, and more than half a day against the river, so it can be used as a node for docking supplies.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "I haven't written the five-year plan, but I already have ideas. Within five years, the whole village will not only have enough food and clothing, but also form a small dock by the river. Let [-]% of the passing merchant ships be in Daming Village Rest and settle down. The wine made from corn and sweet potatoes was not produced enough at the beginning, so it can not be exported, and it is only provided to those caravan buddies."

"Haha," Zhu Ming said with a smile, "by that time, Daming Village will probably become the wealthiest village in the entire county except for the county seat."

Zhu Guoxiang said: "There is no official oppression here. Daming Village is richer than the suburban villages in the county. It must be the richest village in the county. At that time, your militia team must be formed. Otherwise, the new county magistrate and the gang of subordinates will I am [-]% jealous, and I may come to clear the acres of land and check the population someday."

Zhu Ming said: "I plan to train after the summer harvest next year, but I will only train a few dozen elite soldiers. After the autumn harvest, I will draw a large number of strong men and use the slack time for training. This is your plan to dig the second and third weir ponds. , I am afraid there will be some conflicts."

"Then change the plan. The third weir pond will not be dug for the time being," Zhu Guoxiang said. "I can see it clearly. In this crazy age, if you get rich, you can only be slaughtered as a pig, and you must be equipped with corresponding armed forces."

Zhu Ming immersed himself in the planning document again, and after reading it, he basically gained confidence.

The first two years belonged to the construction period, and the funds were obtained by selling tea and collecting grain, but most of them were used for village construction, and basically there was not much grain left.

The third year is the development period, which can free up manpower and material resources to build the wharf.

And it belongs to the black dock, and refuses to send someone from the government to set up a column head (tax agency).Once the government intervenes, half of the pier will be destroyed, and force may be used at that time.

Ju Ming closed his eyes and thought, he had more thoughts.

After the third year, Daming Village must have enough money and food.At that time, we can cooperate with the passing merchant ships, let them recruit poor people along the way, and continue to absorb a small amount of immigrants.

It only needs to add more than 100 people every year, let them open up wasteland by the river, and continue to develop downstream.After a few years, Ju Ming's actual control area is estimated to reach 15 square kilometers.At the junction of the tributaries and the Han River, a T-shaped waterside force is formed.

It can even develop upstream and swallow the opposite bank of Xiabai Village.The arable area there is not large, and the population is extremely sparse, but after occupying it, it can be integrated with Shangxiabai Village.

At that time, the Zhu family will belong to an absolute household, and no matter how jealous the new county magistrate is, he has to treat them with care.

Once an attack is launched, the county seat will be breached in minutes!
Thinking of this, Zhu Ming said with a playful smile: "Dean Zhu, you are really my Kong Ming. This planning book is the rural version of "Longzhong Dui."

"What a mess!" Zhu Guoxiang didn't bother to talk nonsense with his son, so he got up and went out to accompany his wife.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are tidying up the room, and Meng Zhao's wife Yu Shanwei also comes to help.

There is also Yao Fang's widow, Jiang Erniang, who has gradually adapted to the "new environment" and lives in the same house as Zhang Guangdao.This widow has a heart of admiration for Zhang Guangdao, and also has a mentality of attachment to the strong.

It's a pity that Zhang Guangdao is very dull in terms of feelings, and has always treated Jiang Erniang as his sister-in-law.

Bai Sheng's wife, Li Youniang, also came. She was originally Bai Sheng's sweetheart, but was taken as a concubine by the son of a young white member.Bai Sheng was snatched back again, and he didn't care about anything. He got married in the second month and even adopted Li Youniang's son (the grandson of Xiaobaiyuan).

A three-year-old child doesn't know a fart, and raising him well is no different from his own son.

"There are wells on the east and west sides of the village," Yu Shanwei said while busying. "It's very convenient here, but it's tiring to go down the mountain. There are also some mulberry trees planted on the mountain, so you can raise silkworms in spring."

Shen Yourong smiled and said: "Third Sister came early, she will take care of me more from now on."

Yu Shanwei said: "I have only been here for a month, thanks to Erniang Jiang for taking care of me."

Jiang Erniang flattered her: "It's only lively when there are many people, not to mention who takes care of whom."

Li Youniang remained silent all the time, she just buried her head in helping with the work.Because she was quite handsome, she was robbed by the renter to be a concubine. She was bullied by the big wife in Xiaobaiyuan's house, and her courage became smaller and smaller.

Although she remarried to Bai Sheng with her son, she is still weak-tempered and doesn't talk much at ordinary times.

A group of young women were busy, but Mrs. Yan was free.She looked at the house carefully and felt very satisfied: "There are nine rooms here. Although they are not well-built, they are also very spacious. Who lived there before?"

Jiang Erniang quickly introduced: "It's the house of Xu Da, the head of the bandit. His family used to be a tenant of the village owner Yang, and two generations of people have been bandits here. There is a bigger one in the village, which has been burned down. "

Grandma Yan went out for a stroll and found burnt ruins everywhere, she felt a pity in her heart.

The ruins have been cleared out, and the wood that can still be used has also been moved to the bottom of the mountain to build the barrel truck.

The joy of housewarming, the dinner was very rich, Zhang Guangdao, Bai Sheng and others came to celebrate.Zhu Ming took Deng Chun, Deng Xia, and Shi Biao very seriously, and invited their whole family to dinner.

In the evening, Jiang Erniang carried the child and went back with Zhang Guangdao.

The two of them lived in the same house, but they slept in separate rooms, and there was a room between them to avoid suspicion.

"Sanlang, can you come in and talk?" Jiang Erniang said standing at the door of the bedroom.

Zhang Guangdao was a little embarrassed: "It's not convenient for me to go in, sister-in-law, you should rest early."

Jiang Erniang could only try around the bush: "Sanlang is not young anymore, if there is a girl he likes, I will help you as a matchmaker."

Zhang Guangdao said, "I haven't thought about it yet."

"How can this work? When a male college student gets married, he should also start a family and pass on the incense." Jiang Erniang said.

Zhang Guangdao had been thinking about rebellion, afraid of hurting his family, he shook his head and said, "There's no rush, we'll talk about it in a few years."

"Ugh!"

Jiang Erniang sighed.

Zhang Guangdao asked: "What's wrong with sister-in-law?"

Jiang Erniang said: "Brother Yao is gone. My mother's family is all thieves, and I was escorted to the government. I am left as an orphan and widow. Life will be difficult in the future."

Zhang Guangdao said: "I will take care of you, sister-in-law, don't be afraid."

It's no wonder Jiang Erniang is not afraid, she has no relatives except her son, only Zhang Guangdao can rely on.He had hinted many times before, but Zhang Guangdao was elm-headed, so he just went all out at this moment: "Sanlang, I miss a man."

"Huh?" Zhang Guangdao couldn't keep up with the rhythm.

Jiang Erniang said: "I miss a man and want to remarry. But other men are unreliable, and I am afraid that he will treat Brother Yao's son badly. I have thought for a long time, it is better to marry San Lang."

"This, this... how can this be possible?" Zhang Guangdao panicked, he had never met a woman, and his emotional experience was blank.

Jiang Erniang said: "Marry San Lang again, and San Lang will treat my son well. Isn't it?"

"Brother Yao's son, I will definitely be my own son. It doesn't matter if my sister-in-law is married or not." Zhang Guangdao said quickly.

Jiang Erniang threw herself into Zhang Guangdao's arms completely, and hugged her tightly with open arms.

Zhang Guangdao was stiff and lost the ability to think.

When he regained his sanity, his sister-in-law's soft body had already caused him to have a physiological reaction. He was so shocked that he quickly pushed Erniang Jiang away, and ran away in a hurry, saying, "I'm going to sleep, and my sister-in-law will also rest earlier."

"Idiot!" Jiang Erniang stomped her feet angrily.

Zhang Guangdao is an old virgin of more than 20 years. Lying on the bed, he felt hot and dry all over.

It was almost winter, so Zhang Guangdao picked up a bucket in the middle of the night and poured well water directly on his body.

Shivering from the cold, but finally fully awake.

Afterwards, the two got along without even daring to make eye contact. Jiang Erniang regretted being too impulsive that night.

The effect is still there. Zhang Guangdao occasionally peeks at his sister-in-law, and the more he looks at it, the more he likes it. He never had this idea before.

Yu Shanwei is exquisite and has a lot of ideas, so he quietly went to Shen Yourong and said: "Zhang Sanlang is highly regarded by the village head, and he has never had a family. I saw that he and his sister-in-law are in love, so the second sister should come forward to make a match. Zhang Sanlang is definitely devoted to the village head." !"

The social atmosphere in the Northern Song Dynasty was open, not to mention that the relationship between the two uncles and sisters-in-law was not real.

Shen Yourong was moved by the words, she wanted to be a virtuous housewife, she couldn't control the outside affairs, but she could help out with her subordinates' marriages, so men must not be distracted from the family.

She called Zhang Guangdao over and asked, "I think Jiang Erniang is orphaned and widowed, and her life is inconvenient. I plan to tell her a matchmaker to remarry. What does Third Brother Zhang think?"

In the past, Zhang Guangdao didn't care about it, he was only worried about Brother Yao's son.Now he was a little bit reluctant, his heart felt empty, he bit the bullet and said, "Let's say it's two years."

Sensing something interesting, Shen Yourong said with a smile: "That's it, let Second Sister Jiang remarry Third Brother Zhang, so that you can take care of each other."

"This... How did this happen?" Zhang Guangdao was overjoyed suddenly, but he acted even more coyly, thinking of his sister-in-law's appearance, his heart beat wildly, and he felt that he was sorry for the dead brother Yao.

But thinking about it again, it seems to be the best solution, otherwise the sister-in-law will remarry one day, which will be very detrimental to Brother Yao's son.

Twitching and hesitating, he was completely unlike Zhang Guangdao, who is usually heroic and unrestrained.

Shen Yourong made the decision to help arrange the marriage, but Zhang Guangdao half pushed and half agreed, and finally married his sister-in-law, completely free of worries, and can do things with peace of mind in the future.

Immediately afterwards, Shen Yourong started to contact other family members to straighten out the situation of the big and small leaders in the village.

She found that the father and son valued Shi Biao very much, but Shi Biao was not married, and only his mother and younger sister were at home.So Tian Er and Tian San were called to ask the suitable candidates, and they must be honest and reliable women.

In a few days, one was found in the village.

The two sides met soon, and Shen Yourong also took out some money to help Shi Biao give the bride price.

The woman was average-looking, even a bit ugly, with a blue birthmark on her forehead.But Shengzai was hard-working and down-to-earth, went to Shi Biao's house, and kept helping with the work.

Shi Biao likes this very much, he is clumsy and clumsy, and he can't say sweet words.But usually when there are good things, I always think about my wife first, and wish to offer my wife as an ancestor.

The old lady was also happy from ear to ear, she liked this daughter-in-law so much, she was as willing to work as she was when she was young.

The old woman said to Shi Biao: "Zhu Xianggong and the village chief are good people. We didn't say anything about taking us in, and even begged for your wife. From now on, you have to work hard and listen to Zhu Xianggong and the village chief."

Shi Biao rubbed the back of his head and kept smirking: "I'm sure I'll be obedient, I can do whatever I'm asked to do, even beheading."

Shen Yourong not only arranged the marriage, but also went to the construction site to give condolences, and helped deliver food and water to the workers.

Gradually, when women in the village had any disputes, they also began to come to Shen Yourong for mediation.

These things were all Meng Xiucai's wife, Yu Shanwei, who helped Shen Yourong come up with ideas behind the scenes.

"Dean Zhu, that female apprentice of yours is not easy." Zhu Ming has been observing silently, and has not interfered with these matters.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "I asked Meng Zhao to help keep an eye on the construction site over the Yantang, and it was Yu Shanwei who was helping my husband with ideas. When the riverside wharf is built, I can let Yu Shanwei manage the inn."

Because his wife is so outstanding, Meng Zhao has become an incidental addition.

In the Tang Dynasty, women could not be independent households, but in the Song Dynasty, female households appeared, and there were a large number of female household heads across the country.

These female heads of households have some assets to some extent, because it is difficult for women without money to survive independently.

It was not uncommon in the Northern Song Dynasty for female heads of household to take care of the family business, manage land and stores, and even manage large businesses.

The Northern Song Dynasty was far more open than imagined.

(About the sweet potato, I may not have made it clear. The sweet potato is first cut into pieces and planted in the ground to grow vines. The vines from a pound of sweet potato can be cut into 50 to 100 potato seedlings for cuttings.)
(End of this chapter)