Sui Dynasty: I, Yang Guang, am both scrupulous and stable

Chapter 276 Students on Suzaku Street

The trees are like poetic dancers. Their branches sway gently, displaying their green leaves gracefully, sharing the secrets of this season with each other. The flowers are like dreamy Princess Ji, blooming on the branches, each blooming with different colors and fragrances. , like the gems and spices of the earth.

Soon it was time for spring to bloom. After the New Year, the excitement in Daxing City was out of control. The constant influx of people from the surrounding areas caused the real estate in Daxing City to rise again.

According to the latest statistics, the population of Daxing City has officially exceeded one million people. The huge population carrying capacity and industrial line carrying capacity have made Daxing City prosperous. The voices in the court that previously said that they would move to Luoyang have also subsided.

Luoyang now has more geographical advantages for survival and development than Chang'an, but Chang'an City has geographical advantages in terms of military status.

With the arrival of the canal, Chang'an City's food problem has been greatly alleviated. The huge national granary is equipped with the canal to transport grain, which provides subsequent impetus for the development of the city.

Today, Daxing City is about to welcome a group of guests.

Students from all over the world first gathered in Luoyang and came out as early as two months ago. When they arrived in Luoyang, through the arrangement of the school, they took the latest warships and sailed across the canal to the imperial capital of the Central Plains.

Everyone felt very novel along the way.

Sitting on a big boat on the canal, it seemed like flat ground. The students looked around and saw the lush water and grass on both sides of the canal. They exclaimed: "A small artificially dug irrigation waterway in my hometown is often silted up. I didn't expect such a wide canal. Not only is there no siltation, but water can be diverted to irrigate the farmland trees on both sides.”

"Yeah, I've seen a lot of farmers dredging the mud along the way. This cost a lot of money."

At this time, a man's voice rang out. It was Li Kuan, the Duke of Pushan County in Luoyang City who was accompanying the students to protect the students.

"You young people don't know something. Do you know why there is no siltation in the canal and why the people clean it up from time to time?"

At this time, this group of students did not dare to speak, because in most cases, civilians were recruited by the court to do coolies, which was a waste of money and waste. The reason for the siltation of small rivers in their small places was because the local clans were powerful and the government had the opportunity to force them to recruit. Young man, now it seems to them that the canal must have forced the people to work.

Li Kuan saw that they were afraid to speak and said: "You are all students selected from various places, and you are all top talents. If you pass the imperial examination, you will join the court as officials. You should also know more about the current policies."

"The wages these laborers earn from clearing out mud for one day are no different from those they earn from farming at home. Some roads are even a little more expensive than farming. Nowadays, among the peasants around, there are young and strong people in their families who are not farming. I’m willing to work as a long-term worker in a wealthy family’s home, so I rush to clear the mud every day.”

This group of people seemed to have heard a fantasy. Even if they knew that Daxing City was rich, how could the imperial court give so much money to civilians?
Seeing that everyone didn't believe it, Li Kuan smiled slightly and said: "This is the order of His Royal Highness the King of Jin. The shipping taxes collected from the canal will be used for canal security work and distributed to various places along the way. Tax officials will supervise all the money." Everything must be recorded, and if there is any siltation in any section, the local government must bear responsibility.”

"So, to put it bluntly, if the local government wants this huge amount of tax money, it will have to contract out the dredging work one after another. If it is done well, it will be paid. If it is not done well, it will be paid and you will lose your official position. In order to avoid civilians We only eat and don’t work, so we have to pay for the work of the people.”

At this time, the curious Qiang asked: "Aren't you afraid that the local governments will oppress the people?"

As soon as he asked, someone looked at him and told him not to ask so directly.

Li Kuan laughed loudly: "His Royal Highness the King of Jin said that students must ask. Only by asking can you learn, and only by learning can you improve. I can answer your questions without going to Daxing City."

"Because no one is oppressed by the government."

"Why is this?"

"The canal is between Luoyang and Daxing. Now these two cities are developing better and better. There is a shortage of people in many places. There is a shortage of people to build houses, a shortage of people to build roads, and a shortage of people to dig coal and iron. We have to keep going. To recruit people, young people see that there are more opportunities in big cities, so they all run to big cities. This year’s New Year is especially obvious. Just after the New Year, people flocked to big cities to look for opportunities, but there were fewer people in small places along the way.”

"With fewer people, the fields must be cultivated, otherwise they will not be able to deliver grain, and officials from all over the country will be held accountable. Apart from those who farm the fields, there are very few people who can provide signs. They are not slaves. Although there is corvee service, they are not slaves. Everyone also knows that corvees often work but do not contribute, and in the end they can only spend money."

Only then did everyone understand. At this time, someone raised another question: "His Royal Highness the King of Jin gave all the taxes on the canal to the governments along the way. What about the taxes from the court?"

Li Kuan smiled slightly: "That's what I asked at the beginning, but His Highness asked me to take a longer view. The canal is open, there are more ships coming and going, business is busy, Daxing City and Luoyang are prosperous, and their exchanges are booming." The tax paid is not comparable to the boat tax, and the fact is as His Highness said, with the flowers blooming in recent months, more and more people are taking boats."

A student reminded: "What if there are water bandits?"

Li Kuan burst out laughing: "Students, why do you think I am traveling with you?"

"General, protect me and others."

"Yes, the canal is also an official road. The naval forces of Daxing City and Luoyang City are each responsible for a section of the road. They are not only training the navy but also protecting Anbang. And there are no such stupid bandits who dare to do evil on the official road."

All the students nodded. Ordinary mountain bandits and water bandits were a matter for the local government, but looting things on official roads was tantamount to a slap in the face of the imperial court. As long as the imperial court was not about to die, it would definitely send troops to fight you to the death.

Unless you are a stupid thief, you will not rush into the idea of ​​goods on the official road.

At this time, all the students were thinking about what Li Kuan said. Seeing this, Li Kuan continued: "You are all young talents. His Highness the King of Jin specially ordered me to accompany you and protect you. If you become an official in the future, you will also have to Learn from His Highness the King of Jin, and you must have the idea of ​​​​serving the country and the people, but also be based on the current actual situation."

The students began to discuss in low voices.

"His Royal Highness, King Jin's plan, even if the local officials want to be corrupt, even if they are colluding with the tax collectors, they still have to establish a name to be greedy for money, and the basis for money corruption is that the canals and rivers cannot be silted up. At least the thing is done."

He couldn't help but nodded heavily: "His Royal Highness Prince Jin is really amazing."

"It is said that His Highness King Jin is not only capable of handling internal affairs, but also can lead troops to fight. He is simply a perfect person."

The closer they got to Daxing City, the more excited people became. When they arrived outside the gate of Daxing City, everyone looked up at the tall and majestic city and couldn't help but sigh. For a moment, they didn't know whether it was heaven on earth or heaven on earth.

When they came to the south gate of Daxing City, there was a team of Jinyi cavalry waiting outside the south gate.

The leader of Tiqi is a young man in brocade clothes on a black horse.

The young man's eyes are like deep stars, resolute and noble, his face is resolute and handsome, his expression is as radiant as a twinkling Big Dipper, and like the rising moon at dusk.

The sun shone on his body, making his dark golden armor shine with dazzling light, and the short sword on his waist was dazzling.

Most of the students in this group were from the local wealthy gentry, or at least from the prominent families in the village. There were almost no truly poor or common people, but even these top young men from all over the country had never seen such a handsome young man.

He is as powerful as a god of war in the sky, and as gentle as a scholar on earth.

Next to the young man is an old master, riding a brown horse that is one head shorter than the young man. He is smiling and showing pride in his smile.

Most people knew the old gentleman. He had been to many schools in various places. He was none other than Mrs. Wang Long.

Getting closer, Li Kuan rode up first, dismounted and saluted Yang Guang: "His Royal Highness, King Jin, will bring 120 students to Daxing City safely."

The students started talking one after another: "That is His Highness Prince Jin."

"I really didn't expect that such a powerful person could be so handsome and majestic."

"His Royal Highness the King of Jin can lead troops to fight. Of course he must be a very powerful person." "I didn't expect that His Highness the King of Jin would come to greet us in person. I really didn't expect it."

……

While they were discussing, Li Kuan had already completed the handover and guided them forward.

Everyone stepped forward and saluted Yang Guang and Wang Long: "Student, please see His Royal Highness the King of Jin, Master Wang."

As soon as Yang Guang raised his hand, the soldiers led the horses forward one after another.

"Everyone who knows how to ride a horse, ride with me through Suzaku Street. If you don't know how to ride a horse, there will be a carriage behind you."

Hearing this, many people got on their horses one after another. At this time, those who couldn't ride began to feel annoyed, why didn't they learn to ride properly?

After everyone got on their horses, they slowly entered the city.

After entering the city wall, other students in Daxing City have been waiting for a long time. The majestic Daxing City always makes people who see it for the first time involuntarily exclaim in exclamation.

Yang Guang said to Wang Long: "Master Wang, today there are one hundred and two students, and there are 150 in the city wall, a total of 270. Master, can you give me some good words?"

Old Master Wang Long smiled slightly: "Your Highness, although I have lived for decades and read more books, when it comes to composing poems, who in the world doesn't know that Your Highness, Prince Jin, can compose poems in front of you. I can't do this. For such irrational behavior, I also ask His Highness to compose a poem for the students to enhance their momentum.”

"Master Wang is too modest. I only know some limericks."

But Wang Long said loudly: "I would also like to ask His Highness the King of Jin to compose a poem for the Sui students."

"Hahaha, let me think about it."

"Everyone, ride with me across the long street."

Many young men looked at the imperial city from a distance and followed on horseback. They were high-spirited and satisfied.

This is Suzaku Street. It is extremely spacious, like a road to the sky. Riding a horse and walking on it with such swagger is like a general returning in triumph. Each one of them is lifting their spirits involuntarily.

bang bang
There was the sound of firecrackers all the way, and as we walked into the downtown area, countless people joining in the fun looked at the high-spirited students on both sides.

The merchants stopped doing business in the shop. The second floor of a shop near the street was crowded with people. Everyone looked eagerly. The owner of the shop said happily with a spring breeze on his face: "Here comes, that's my son." , that’s my son!”

"I can't see where the shopkeeper is."

"That one, that one, the one in the seventh row, the one riding a brown horse with a little bit of color, and the one in blue robes!"

The shopkeeper spent a lot of money to send his son to school in Daxing City, and the child lived up to his expectations and got this opportunity. Although he has not yet won the lottery, this majestic ride has already made him excited enough.

The laborers moving goods on the street also put down their work. They didn't know these young and prosperous young men on Zhuque Street, but they were about the same age as them. They could only make a living by moving goods, but the other party was like this. He was very high-spirited, with jealousy and envy in his heart.

"You said it would be great if I could do the same."

"Stop dreaming, they are all students studying. It will be great if we can establish ourselves in Daxing City after we leave the village."

"In the future, I will try my best to make my son study."

The children who were joining in the fun got to the front of the crowd and couldn't help but exclaimed when they saw the group: "Wow!"

"It would be great if I could do this in the future."

"I want to go home and tell my mother that I am going to school."

The young men from Daxing City, who occupied the best viewing position, were a little unhappy: "A group of boys from the countryside can actually ride through Suzaku Street."

"What's so good about school? I dropped out after just a few days, and a bunch of old masters tried to discipline me without overestimating their abilities."

"Brother Xuangan, do you think so?"

At this time, Yang Xuangan, who was enjoying watching this, chuckled and said: "If you are jealous, just be jealous. What are you talking about? Anyway, I am going to school next year."

"Ah? Brother Xuangan, are you going to school too?"

"My father has already signed me up, and even came to ask His Highness Prince Jin to intercede with me. No matter what, I must be on Suzaku Street next year. Even if I can't read, I must be there. How can such a publicity event be without me? ?”

At this time, someone asked: "Did His Highness King Jin really give his permission?"

"My father is here to ask for help. How can I still have a day off? His Highness King Jin said there are up to seven places available, and I am one of them."

"Brother Xuangan, would you like to enjoy the flowers together tonight?"

"Brother Xuangan, come with me to watch the oiran tonight."

……

At this time, the students in the center of the crowd were filled with pride, self-esteem, and vanity that had been unprecedentedly satisfied.

A big head is not like a small head. It cannot be lowered when raised.

The team arrived at the gate of the imperial city. Yang Guang took the students and looked back at everyone at the gate of the imperial city.

"After today, all of you will take part in the imperial examination. Here I wish you all good results. The first one, the number one scholar, will go directly to the central government to learn how to be an official and do political things."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was even more surprised and exclaimed.

"From now on, the imperial examination will be the most important method for selecting talents in the Sui Dynasty."

"I also hope you will be able to do so in the future."

"Dapeng rises with the same wind in one day and soars up to [-] miles!"

(End of this chapter)