Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 588: Classic Two on One
Autumn is a good time to turn the soil. After the autumn harvest, farmers cannot rest, they have to turn the soil. This allows the soil to have enough time to weather in the winter, which is conducive to sowing the next year.

Early in the morning, Fang Chongyong brought a few of his confidants, as well as the governor of Bianzhou and other chief officials, to the fields to watch the farmers turning the soil. Then he discovered a "strange" phenomenon.

Large-scale abandonment of land and intensive cultivation of land.

The water systems near the Bianzhou Canal have all developed irrigation systems, while some other places have adopted the "rotational method" of exchanging land and ponds.

It is better to leave the land idle than to cultivate it.

The economy of Bianzhou has not been destroyed by large-scale wars. The agricultural ecology here is still the same as before. This can explain many basic problems.

Of course, the situation here is completely different from the "rent, labor and tax" system designed in the early Tang Dynasty.

"How much wasteland is there in Bianzhou?"

Fang Chongyong asked Yuan Jiedao.

"many."

Yuan Jie answered concisely.

Some things are inconvenient to talk about, such as some things he knows. Before the turmoil in the world, many officials actually bought land in the suburbs of Luoyang to live in.

However, they bought a lot of land, but only hired dozens of tenants to manage it, so a lot of land was simply left uncultivated.

This is also the need for land rotation.

The extensive self-cultivating peasant economy and the widely abandoned small manor economy coexisted in the Tang Dynasty.

Fang Chongyong had some idea of ​​where all the refugees came from. According to his previous thinking, if the self-cultivating farmers lost their land, they would naturally become tenants. As long as the landlords did not treat them harshly, why would they run away?
Now it seems that the situation is far from that simple.

This involves the family's unique production model of "intensive farming" and large-scale abandonment of land.

In other words, in order to obtain better harvests, wealthy families actually needed to concentrate manpower on intensive cultivation within the limited land, and then leave the excess land fallow to accumulate fertility.

In TV shows and novels, it is common to see the emperor bringing order to the country with just a few words. But when Fang Zhongyong was walking in the fields, he could never feel this.

Suddenly, Fang Chongyong saw on his right side that a farmer was whipping an old ox to plow the field. After a while, the old ox suddenly couldn't move anymore!
The farmer was so angry that he yelled at the old ox, but there was nothing he could do.

"General, let him just raise the plow behind him."

When everyone was looking at each other in bewilderment, Da Congming behind Fang Zhongyong actually interrupted.

"Eh? Really?"

Fang Chongyong asked doubtfully.

"Yes, Commander. This straight-beam plow will sink deeper and deeper, and the more it plows, the deeper it will go. In the end, the ox will not be able to pull it.

This farmer is being lazy. There should be two people working, and the other one should be holding the straight-beam plow to control the depth.

They probably had no chance to use this kind of farm tool before, and they had just started working for the landlord and were not yet familiar with its use. "

Dacongming became bolder and spoke more coherently.

Bohai State attached much more importance to farming than the Tang Dynasty. Because there was little arable land, only the nobles could eat rice. It is not surprising that they attached great importance to agricultural technology.

"It makes sense!"

Fang Chongyong clapped his hands, walked straight down to the field, and lifted the straight-beam plow up.

The old ox looked back at him, and as if it understood human nature, it continued to move forward smoothly and naturally.

"You are as stupid as a pig. Even a cow is smarter than you!"

Fang Zhongyong raised the whip at his waist and tapped the farmer's head gently.

He strode up to the ridge of the field, pointed at a straight-beam plow not far away and said to everyone, "This thing doesn't work very well. Is there anywhere I can get a curved-beam plow?"

"There are some in Yangzhou. They are mentioned in Jia Sixie's Qi Min Yao Shu. They are called long curved plows. There was a short curved plow in Yangzhou."

Liu Yan replied directly.

"Eh? Do you know this?"

Fang Chongyong was shocked. He had originally planned to "invent" the curved plow, but he didn't expect that it had already been invented by someone else.

"This was included in the tribute that Yangzhou sent to the imperial court, but it was not very useful in Guanzhong, so it was all thrown into the warehouse."

Liu Yan had an indifferent attitude.

The curved plow is good, but it is more suitable for use in paddy fields and for land reclamation, not for use in large areas of dry land. In other words, it is a must-have in rice-producing areas, but its role is limited in non-rice-producing areas, especially wheat-producing areas in the Great Plains.

“Can I buy it now?”

Fang Chongyong asked.

"Sure, there's a workshop in Yangzhou that specializes in this."

Fang Chongyong nodded. Although the economy is now developed in the north, the handicraft level in Yangzhou is also top-notch in the entire Tang Dynasty.

"Let's customize a batch, then copy and promote it in Bianzhou."

Fang Chongyong instructed Liu Yan.

The biggest advantage of the curved plow is that it provides a tool for cultivating small areas of land and paddy fields with complex terrain. With the curved plow, some idle land that was previously left over can also be turned over with the curved plow.

So much so that many people believe that the curved plow has changed the basic ecology of Chinese farming.

"Order."

Liu Yan took out a pen and paper and wrote down the order.

"Donkeys, stone mills, stone mortars and other large farm tools should be prepared in all states and counties. They can be rented out to provide convenience for people who don't have much land. Donkeys cost money to use, but stone mills and other tools are free.

Developing production is the most important thing, more important than doing business.”

Fang Zhongyong warned Yuan Jie and others.

No matter how idle a general is, the only thing he has to take care of is fighting wars.

So why should Fang Chongyong care about farming?

Because this is a required course for an "emperor"! If you don't need it now, you will definitely need it in the future.

There is no need to talk about rebellion all the time. Just slowly complete the required courses for an emperor one by one.

Only by caring about farming can we understand the changes in productivity and production relations in this era and avoid making a joke of spending an egg for an ounce of silver.

Only by understanding agricultural production can we formulate reasonable land policies.

And land policy is related to the survival, prosperity and decline of a country!
Fang Chongyong does not plan to play the "equal distribution of land" card for the time being, but wants to make some changes to farm tools.

Because he had learned through research that the same people and the same land would produce completely different results when using agricultural tools and when not using agricultural tools.

After aristocratic families settled in a certain place, they would always prepare all the necessary farm tools as soon as possible. Combined with their agricultural farming techniques passed down from generation to generation, they would soon become famous in the local area.

For example, even though it is the same wheat, the taste of wheat rice that is simply husked and the wheat cake that is ground into powder and fermented have completely different effects, and the prices they are sold for are also completely different.

The former is a coarse meal, while the latter is provided exclusively for the nobility.

Landlords can often make huge profits from agricultural products simply through "food reprocessing".

In other words, the price of the same weight of wheat rice and wheat cakes may differ by more than five times!

Therefore, agricultural tools, especially those large, immovable ones, are often extremely important means of production, and their importance is even not inferior to land.

It is not convenient for the government to distribute land at will, but it can provide "agricultural tool rental" business to fundamentally eliminate the scissors gap of "food reprocessing".

In this way, social conflicts can be alleviated invisibly.

"Marshal Jie, if the amount is large, it will require a lot of money."

Liu Yan reminded in a low voice.

"If you don't have enough money, ask for it from kind-hearted families in the local area and ask them to help their fellow villagers. There is so much money that you can't bring with you when you are born and can't take it with you when you die. What's the point of keeping it?" Fang Chongyong patted Liu Yan's shoulder and said meaningfully.

What is a “good home”?

Liu Yan had no idea, but he knew that families that did not cooperate with the government must be bad people.

Yuan Jie looked at Fang Chongyong and felt that he seemed like a different person.

Or you can think of it this way. When the Tang Dynasty was still in existence, being a Tang bureaucrat was just following a script, with a set of clear rules. What should and should not be done was clearly stated.

Everyone looks the same.

Now that the Tang Dynasty is divided into pieces, the standards for being an official seem to be unclear.

Some people don't want to be in charge of anything; while others seem to be in charge of too much, which is clearly beyond the scope of their position.

Just as Fang Chongyong was explaining to everyone how to develop farming, He Changqi came hurriedly on horseback.

He arrived at the main road near Fang Zhongyong, dismounted, strode forward and saluted, saying, "General Jie, someone is coming from Chang'an. It's Yan Zhenqing's cousin Yan Gaoqing!"

Eh?
This one is coming!
Fang Zhongyong nodded slightly and said, "Everyone, please go away. I have something to do now. Bye."

After he bowed and said goodbye to everyone, he followed He Changqi.

Why didn't Yan Zhenqing ask Li Bai to come back and report?
Because Li Bai seemed very frivolous, Yan Zhenqing didn't dare to entrust such an important matter to Li Bai.

He asked his cousin Yan Gaoqing to come to Bianzhou for negotiations in order to ensure that this matter would be foolproof.

And they agreed on the details of the dispatch, such as the number of troops on each side, when to set off, what tasks each side would be responsible for, etc.

It can be said that it is taken seriously to the extreme.

How could a guy like Li Bai, who can only write poems, accomplish such an important task!

Back then, Li Bai followed Brother Ji and wrote poems to flatter him. Yan Zhenqing was also a central government official at that time. How could he not know what kind of person Li Bai was?
It's because I understand it so well that I can't think too much.

"General Jie, I heard that Li Yi came that night..."

He Changqi came over and whispered.

"So, what exactly do you want to say?"

Fang Chongyong asked with an unhappy look on his face, and he seemed to be annoyed in an instant.

He Changqi hesitated but dared not speak. He wanted to ask Li Heng's daughter how it tasted, whether she was very coquettish in bed, etc. Li Yi's beauty was really different. It was not that the concubines around Fang Zhongyong were not good-looking, but that they did not have that kind of natural "nobleness".

At this moment, when He Changqi saw Fang Chongyong’s stern face, he knew that nothing had happened that night.

No, it might even be unpleasant.

Ever since Yuwen was snatched away by Fang Zhongyong and given to He Changqi as his wife, this fool thought that his relationship with Fang Zhongyong was "not simple", so he dared to ask any questions.

"The second son of Prince Yong has already arranged a marriage with a young widow from Zheng Shuqing's family. You can live your life in peace from now on. The matter of the Yuwen family has been settled."

Fang Zhongyong said with a long sigh.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the powerful people in this era could really do whatever they wanted.

"So fast?"

He Changqi was stunned. He had been very proud of himself. Yuwen was so charming in bed, but she was completely conquered by this strong man.

I didn't expect that her ex-husband would find another one from the five surnames and seven families in the blink of an eye.

Although she is a widow, she is a widow from a wealthy family!
"What Xiaoche said was right back then. This is the moral character of aristocratic families. You, don't think about those messy things. Everything can only be fought for with the sword in your hand. Do you understand?

Since the beautiful lady can come here, she will also leave if you can’t protect her in the future.”

Fang Chongyong gave He Changqi a serious and earnest lesson.

"Oh, I see."

He Lao Hu said very disappointedly.

The natural oppression brought by this kind of wealthy and powerful family was so strong that even a fierce soldier like He Changqi felt suffocated.

It's pointless to compete with these young men from wealthy families for fame or women.

The only thing warriors can trust is their own hands.

Fang Chongyong was actually warning He Changqi: You will never be a member of a noble family, you can only become a dog of a noble family!

When the two arrived at the lobby of the Bianzhou government office, they saw Yan Gaoqing, dressed in a purple official robe, who had been waiting for a long time.

"Minister Yan, there is no need to be so polite. Let's talk about it when we get to the government office."

Fang Chongyong looked at Yan Gaoqing and said, he knew that the other party was now the Minister of War of the imperial court.

After he and Yan Gaoqing sat down in the study of the government office, he ordered He Changqi to guard the door.

"I won't be polite. Just tell me what you mean, Mr. Yan."

His face was calm, and he looked intimidating without even getting angry.

Yan Gaoqing had met Fang Chongyong before, and at this moment he felt that this Marshal Fang was becoming more and more majestic.

What this gesture means is actually better left unsaid. Not only did Yan Zhenqing know who Li Lin was, but Yan Gaoqing also knew what kind of person this prince was.

If he could establish himself in Bianzhou, it would be impossible unless the sun rose from the west.

So there is no doubt that Fang Chongyong, the Jiedushi of Xuanwu Army, is the real "king behind the scenes".

In other words, Li Lin is just a puppet!
Yan Gaoqing was a bystander and saw everything clearly.

"The court is willing to send troops to cooperate with the Xuanwu Town's military operations. Yan came to Bianzhou this time to discuss the number and number of troops for this expedition, as well as the time of dispatch, etc."

Yan Gaoqing said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

“I will personally lead the troops and make a big show of force near Xingyang, pretending to march to Luoyang, to attract Li Baochen to lead the main force eastward.

The troops in Guanzhong only need to take advantage of the opportunity and capture the three cities in Heyang.

By then, Li Baochen will definitely return to Luoyang, and our army will follow him and attack him severely.

As for the specific strategy, I will work with your army's commander at that time. I won't reveal the rest, because it's hard to say whether the court has any elbows outward. "

Fang Zhongyong put forward his own plan without going into too much detail.

Although he talked a lot, his essence was still "strategic tug-of-war", which exposed Li Baochen's troops' flaws in the back and forth movement.

If Li Baochen divides his troops, his strength will inevitably be weakened and he will be defeated one by one.

If Li Baochen attacks Henan with all his strength, Luoyang will be lost.

If Li Baochen returns to Luoyang, his formation will be in disarray and we can pursue him.

If Li Baochen turned back with all his strength during the pursuit, the Bianzhou troops could slowly retreat and even set up an ambush in advance.

No matter what, Li Baochen could only take care of one thing.

This is the classic "two against one" situation in the era of cold weapons. A general of Li Baochen's level has not yet found a good way to break the deadlock.

The reason why Fang Youde was considered a military genius was that when he was fighting against Huangfu Weiming, facing a situation similar to "two against one", he adopted the tactics of defeating the enemies one by one, transferring troops on a large scale, and finally launching a surprise attack from behind.

How many generals in the entire Tang Dynasty are there who can use such tactics?

Fang Chongyong felt that he was almost certain to win this time.

Of course, the premise of this assumption is that the troops in Guanzhong will not fail.

It would be very dangerous if the troops in Guanzhong failed to deliver.

(End of this chapter)