Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 637 MTGA (End of this volume)

"Yan Gaoqing! Come out!"

A guard from Shanyuan Villa shouted to Yan Gaoqing.

There are no so-called "jailers" here. Fang Chongyong proposed a solution: let the labor reform personnel supervise the labor reform personnel to save manpower. In other words, some labor reform personnel "take turns to rest" every day. When they take turns to rest, they serve as the "jailers" of Shanyuan Villa. Of course, the official name is "guards."

Yan Zhuang and others were originally very unhappy about this. They thought that if they did this, the prisoners in Shanyuan Villa might escape collectively.

Therefore, Fang Chongyong thoughtfully arranged a "collective responsibility for escape" system for those inmates, and if someone escaped, the guards on duty on the day would be collectively executed.

Allow the inmates and guards to "take care" of each other.

What is shocking is that after the implementation of this system, not only are no guards willing to let the inmates go to the bathroom, but even when they are sleeping at night, they have to keep their eyes open for fear that someone will run away!

Even stricter than the specially appointed jailers before.

The problem is not the scarcity of wealth but the inequality of wealth, which is vividly reflected here.

It doesn't matter if I'm poor, I just worry that I'm the only one who's poor;
It doesn't matter if he escapes, I'm just worried that he will be the only one to escape.

Many landlords and wealthy people, holding the idea that "it would be more painful for you to escape than for me to stay in prison for the rest of my life", supervised and hindered each other. They were like crabs in a bamboo basket, hindering each other when trying to escape from prison, and no one could escape in the end.

Yan Gaoqing stayed here for a while and his spirit was worn out.

Hearing the call, he walked out of Shanyuan Villa, only to see Fang Chongyong folding his arms, waiting for him outside the door.

"After the labor reform, do you know you are wrong?"

Fang Zhongyong asked with a smile.

"Yan has done his duty to the Tang Dynasty. Stealing the map was a last resort and it does not hurt the greater good.

Even if they are my nephews, if they do wrong to the Tang Dynasty, I will kill them immediately. Why would I say more about this?"

Yan Gaoqing looked Fang Zhongyong straight in the eye and answered, without a trace of guilt on his face.

Fang Zhongyong was too lazy to say anything more about this wooden-headed person.

He instructed Zhang Guangsheng who was standing beside him, "Take him to the government office."

Yan Gaoqing was slightly stunned, not understanding what Fang Chongyong was going to do, but he had no choice but to follow Zhang Guangsheng.

The group returned to the Kaifeng government office. Fang Chongyong asked Zhang Guangsheng to leave, and then handed a stack of papers to Yan Gaoqing.

"I want to open a public school to promote literacy. But Chinese characters are too difficult to write, so I want to compile 500 simplified Chinese characters first.

If it were someone else, they would definitely not know what simplified Chinese characters are. But the Yan family, with its profound family tradition, would definitely know it. "

Fang Chongyong said with a smile, and handed the thick stack of calligraphy of 500 commonly used characters that he had "carefully selected" to Yan Gaoqing.

He really found the right person.

Simplified Chinese characters were created by ancient people because they were afraid of the trouble of writing. The earliest discovery in later generations came from the stone tablet written by Wang Xizhi.

On a certain stone tablet, Wang Xizhi wrote the character "东" as "东" and the character "马" as "马".

In fact, Yan Zhenqing, who liked to write epitaphs for others, often did something similar. Because when carving words on stone tablets, traditional Chinese characters are often difficult to carve, and it takes a lot of time and effort. The related "simplified characters" have long been popular in a certain circle.

Yan Gaoqing is Yan Zhenqing's cousin, how could he not know about similar things?

"Fang Qing, forgive me for being blunt, but this kind of thing is of no help to your attempt to usurp the throne. Do you think that if you open a public school and teach the people to read and write, they will be grateful to you? Do you think that when you usurp the throne, they will support you from the bottom of their hearts?"

Yan Gaoqing looked at Fang Chongyong with a look of idiot in his eyes and asked. He really didn't understand what this "General Fang" who already controlled the military and political power was going to do.

"That's none of your business. Just tell me whether this matter can be done."

Fang Chongyong waved his hands, too lazy to argue with Yan Gaoqing about "useful" or "useless".

In fact, Yan Zhuang had said something similar a long time ago: Don't expect the people to be "grateful" to you or anything like that. What matters most is making sure they have enough food to eat.

"It can be done."

Yan Gaoqing nodded.

It is not difficult to simplify Chinese characters. Because most Chinese characters are composed of radicals and the main body, if you simplify the radicals first, the Chinese characters will be simplified by half. Moreover, simplifying Chinese characters has its own traditions and rules, but it was only circulated in the calligraphy circle before, without any systematic refinement.

What Fang Zhongyong talked about was not a big deal, and it had nothing to do with usurping the throne.

But it is really not small. Teaching the people to read and write is something our ancestors would never have dared to think about!
For a moment, Yan Gaoqing couldn't see through Fang Chongyong.

"Fang Qing, why can't you give up the idea of ​​usurping the throne? Now only Prince Ying has the ability to support the world. I believe you know who Prince Yong is. It is precisely because he is weak and stupid that you support him.

If you support Prince Ying now, the world will be at peace in the next three to five years. Is being the emperor so important to you?"

Yan Gaoqing persuaded Fang Zhongyong.

He felt a little regretful, because both Fang Youde and Fang Qing were pillars of the country and had nothing to do with traitors.

But now... Yan Gaoqing was a little scared, because he found that Fang Qing was a man who could accomplish great things.

Yan Gaoqing saw clearly every aspect of Bianzhou; he was not blind.

It was because of this that he felt it was a pity. How could he not feel pity for a great talent to be a traitor? What's more, the other party was holding the emperor hostage to control the princes!

“Don’t ask about things you don’t understand, because you won’t understand even if I tell you.

Just tell me whether this can be done?
Do it as soon as possible, and then go back to Shanyuan Villa and teach those educated inmates to recognize simplified Chinese characters.

After these people learn to read, I will let those who are well-educated among them come out to teach the people to read."

Fang Chongyong said calmly that he didn't want to waste time talking to Yan Gaoqing.

"It can be done, and it's easy to do."

Yan Gaoqing nodded and said.

During his time in Shanyuan Villa, he also thought about many issues. The accommodation conditions there were not bad, and no one abused them, but they had to deal with everything by themselves.

Do your own laundry, farm your own crops, clean your own rooms, cook your own meals, and supervise your own people.

Either kill, release, or lock up. This was the rule for everyone in the past.

But asking prisoners to farm and weave was something that had never happened before.

Yan Gaoqing felt that the hatred that the wealthy landlords of Shanyuan Villa had for Fang Qing was not that deep; they just wanted to get out.

"Okay, you can do it yourself. I won't force you. If you can't do it, I will replace you with someone else. It's the same."

After saying this, Fang Chongyong asked Zhang Guangsheng to take Yan Gaoqing away.

"It's so tiring!"

Fang Chongyong stood up and stretched.

After returning from Shouchun, he did not rest for a moment and immediately organized the popularization of literacy. The prisoners in Shanyuan Villa were actually very good human resources.

They don’t cost money to support, they have high education levels, and they are “reform prisoners.” If Fang Zhongyong doesn’t make use of these people, he feels that he has let down the nine years of compulsory education in his previous life.

Of course, Yan Zhuang and others did not really understand the significance of “knowing 500 characters”.

This is also the power of historical inertia.

The peasants who till the fields and the small traders, what do they need to know how to read and write for?
It is difficult to change old ideas.

Many people under Fang Chongyong felt that this was a unnecessary move.

Yeah, why?

Yan Zhuang asked a good question.

But Fang Zhongyong has his own answer, and he firmly believes that he is on the right path.

The truth is often in the hands of a few people. This time, Fang Zhongyong is one of the few. Papermaking and woodblock printing in the Tang Dynasty have become popular, and their efficiency is constantly improving. The speed of knowledge dissemination is also accelerating.

The era of awakening people's wisdom has arrived. The era of accelerating civilization has also quietly arrived.

This is a new opportunity and also a new challenge.

The rapid development of culture is like a war, and illiterate people are like unarmed civilians.

Teaching them to know 500 words is equivalent to giving them a stick, so that they will not be unable to fight back in this cruel "battlefield".

If you can recognize 500 characters, it will be easy to gradually recognize the characters you don’t know through practice, and you will easily be able to recognize 1,000 or even 2,000 characters.

Now that they can read and recognize, if families with the means want to learn to write, the threshold will be much lower than before.

If most of the members of a nation are illiterate, what future does this nation have?
From the emperor's perspective, perhaps improving literacy rates is not urgent, or even completely meaningless.

However, from a national perspective, this is a small step in a long journey, but it may also be the most important step!
To spread education among the common people and then pass on the spark is the greatest significance in itself.

There's no need to look for any other reasons.

If we want to surpass the existing ceiling, universal education is the only way. Sooner or later, we will have to take this path.

"The sparrow knows the ambition of the swan."

Looking at Yan Gaoqing's departing back, Fang Chongyong murmured to himself.

……

"Selling fish, fish just caught from the river this morning!"

"Steamed cakes, selling steamed cakes, steamed cakes fresh out of the pot."

"Exchange for salt permits, exchange for salt permits at a high price!"

Along the canal, there are shops everywhere and people coming and going in an endless stream.

A young Taoist priest in a Taoist robe looked around with great interest, nodded from time to time, smiled but said nothing.

He is Li Mi. Since the last fall of Chang'an City, he left Guanzhong and traveled around.

Before this, in addition to Guanzhong, he had been to Lingzhou, Hedong, and Hebei. He had planned to go to Jingxiang to find Yan Zhenqing, but he couldn't help but come to Bianzhou first to secretly observe the people's sentiments.

Li Mi walked over to a middle-aged man selling Hubing and stared at the Hubing in the oven, which was emitting the aroma of sesame.

"Shopkeeper, this Bianzhou is quite prosperous. I want to buy two Hu Bing."

Li Mi asked indifferently and handed a few Kaiyuan Tongbao coins to the other party.

"Oh, we can't accept this money. You should go to the government's bank first and change the copper coins into salt permits."

The middle-aged man waved his hands quickly to refuse.

"Bianzhou can't use copper coins?"

Li Mi was shocked.

"That's right, you have to exchange for salt permits first. Let me tell you, in Bianzhou, without salt permits, the price of salt is ten times the normal price!
It’s fine for you to exchange a small amount, but if you have a lot of money, you need to make an appointment!"

The Hu Bing vendor said with a bit of pride.

In Bianzhou, buying low-priced salt with a salt permit can save a lot of money. The people who collect salt permits are middlemen who plan to sell the salt to Hebei.

"As expected of him."

Li Mi nodded slightly and said something puzzling. He finally understood why the salt tax in Guanzhong and Hebei could never be collected.

"Sir, do you want to buy this Hu Bing or not?"

The middle-aged man selling Hu Bing asked impatiently.

"No, thank you."

Li Mi waved his hand gently, spoke calmly, and then slowly walked away.

The vendor behind him cursed at him in Bianzhou dialect, then continued to greet new customers.

"Let's let one let, let one let!"

A team of strong, muscular porters were carrying goods towards the county town with brisk steps. There were at least a dozen of them, and they all seemed to be carrying the same batch of goods.

Pedestrians along the road gave way and gave the road to these people.

Li Mi also had to hide aside and avoid the spotlight temporarily.

After these people left, the road became a leisurely and lively place again. People were hawking, bargaining, making change, and even arguing. It was a scene of all kinds of people.

Entering Kaifeng, Li Mi was surprised to find that no one collected "head tax" and no "goods tax" was collected at the city gate. There were many porters carrying loads in and out of the city, all busy with their own business and walking very fast.

If I had to describe this place in one word, it would be "relaxed".

Boom, and flabby.

Although it is much smaller in scale, it has the same state as Chang'an City during the heyday of the Tang Dynasty.

"Yan Zhenqing is going to suffer."

Li Mi shook his head and chuckled.

Kaifeng City is not big, but it has been renovated. The walls have been demolished and the houses have been rearranged, so it looks a bit crowded.

In other words, it's overcrowded.

“Fang Qing probably wants to build a capital city here.

I’m afraid the scale is not small.”

Li Mi nodded thoughtfully and talked to himself.

Along the way, he discovered that the northeastern area of ​​Kaifeng City, apart from the lack of city walls, had actually formed some fairly standardized building complexes.

For example, special markets, workshops, and even military camps.

“As long as we build a city wall around it, this place will become a huge city.

Fang Qing's plan to conceal the truth is much more clever than yours, Yan Qingchen.

It seems that they have no intention of entering Chang'an."

Li Mi seemed to understand something, or it could be said that he thought of another possibility.

After he left Kaifeng City, he soon found the "Imperial Palace" which had been basically completed and stood on the other side of the river.

It is really built in a very magnificent style.

Li Mi discovered that the canal passed through the city if the city was to be built with the imperial palace as its core.

A new capital city, its internal facilities are slowly being filled up, the outer city wall will take some time to build, and the imperial palace is almost completed.

The city will have water gates and there will be ferry crossings within the city.

It is stuck on the main artery of the canal, and there are four other large rivers nearby that can be used for water transportation!

What a domineering way to connect the north and the south! Is this Fang Qing's overall plan?

Li Mi suppressed his inner shock and finally figured out many things that he had not figured out before.

"Yan Qingchen, Yan Qingchen, I'm afraid you're really going to lose this time."

Li Mi muttered to himself, then came to the ferry and boarded the passenger ship heading south. (End of this volume)
(Next volume: Because of the sacrifices, we have great ambitions, and we dare to change the sun and the moon to a new sky.)
(End of this chapter)