People in the Three Kingdoms: Starting from Preaching

Chapter 460 Changes
The country road is narrow and quiet, with mostly grass and trees on both sides. However, as autumn approaches, the grass and trees are gradually turning yellow. On the other side, the lush corn in the vast farmland is about to reach its peak maturity. In a few days, the fields will be filled with people rushing to harvest.

But right now, farmers are not very busy.

The crops have already grown and there is basically no need to worry too much, so there don’t seem to be many people working in the fields. Occasionally, a few people come over, mostly to observe the growth of the crops.

After all, things are different now. After a thorough redistribution, these fields belong to every household in the nearby villages. Looking at your own fields every day, the sense of security and satisfaction you get is unmatched by anything else.

From time to time, groups of farmers could be seen walking along the path, carrying firewood or hoes on their backs. Although they were busy and tired, their spirits were very positive and they all smiled when they talked.

But today, a rare pair of strangers appeared on this country road.

Walking along the way, there was a pair of men and women. The man was heroic and the woman was graceful and dignified. It was obvious that they were not ordinary people. The people along the way subconsciously stopped when they saw them, and some did not dare to approach them.

On the contrary, this couple was quite casual. They would greet all the farmers they met along the way, even if they were strangers.

Some people recognized this woman. This was not her first time in this small village. Two years ago, a family surnamed Liu moved into the village. It was said that they were relatives of some Han family. This woman had close contacts with this family.

Although the villagers were very curious about the identities of the man and woman, they did not ask rashly. They only waited until the man and woman walked away before whispering and guessing behind them.

It is rare for strangers to come and go in such a remote little village on weekdays. The sudden sight of such a man and woman with extraordinary temperament naturally aroused the curiosity of the villagers. If they knew the identities of the visitors, they would be shocked, because this man and woman were the prime minister and his wife who were most admired by the people of Xuanxia.

"This year, Youzhou has had good weather and the crops are growing very well. It should be a bumper year." As Xu Chen walked, he saw the golden millet fields and couldn't help but smile.

In the agricultural era, a good grain harvest is the most reassuring thing. As long as there is food to eat, the sky will not fall.

Cai Wenji, who was standing by, smiled slightly. "It's strange to say. In the pre-Han Dynasty, there were many natural disasters and plagues, and the people had a hard time surviving. That's why Zhang Jue caused such a big incident. But after my husband founded the country, the world became more and more stable. Is this also the will of heaven?"

Xu Chen laughed: "Maybe, whether it's fate or luck, as long as the people live in peace, it's all the same."

As they talked, the two walked into the village. Cai Wenji looked around as she walked. After looking for a while, she was a little surprised: "I haven't been here for a few months, but there are quite a few changes in the village."

Xu Chen became interested: "Hmm? What do you think?"

Cai Wenji said: "For example, this village road was just an ordinary mountain road a few months ago. It was muddy when it rained, but now it is rammed earth and is much more compact and flat than before."

After that, Cai Wenji pointed to the distance and said, "That canal didn't exist a few months ago. And there, it seems that a new earthen kiln has been built over there. I don't know what it is used for."

Upon hearing this, Xu Chen simply took her closer to take a look, and indeed, they saw earthen kilns and canals.

This canal diverts river water to the distant farmland area. What surprised Xu Chen was that the canal was made of bricks and stone slabs. The cost was not cheap, but it also kept the water clear. It can not only be used for irrigation, but villagers can also use water locally.

But he soon realized where the village got the money to build such a good canal, because this earth kiln was actually a brick kiln, and you can still see several villagers working here.

Without asking, Xu Chen could also guess that this was actually a small brick factory built by the village to build a canal. To some extent, this was also a kind of township factory. After all, after the canal was successfully built, bricks could continue to be produced and sold to villagers and surrounding villages to generate profits.

Cai Wenji was amazed. After all, she had been here many times. This change visible to the naked eye was obviously a very good change, indicating that people's lives were indeed improving.

Xu Chen was also satisfied. It seemed that at least the grassroots officials here played their due role.

Xuanxia's economic model does not only focus on the industrial and commercial development among major cities. Rural areas will continue to be Xuanxia's basic base now and in the distant future. The rural grassroots economic system is the foundation of Xuanxia.

Rural areas do not mean only for farming. Township factories and industries can also be developed. Xu Chen noticed this early on and put forward the requirement to grassroots officials to develop small township industries as early as two years ago. The small brick factory in front of him is actually the result.

While Xu Chen was still in deep thought, Cai Wenji pulled at the corner of his clothes, indicating that it was time to go. He nodded and continued to move forward. The purpose of his visit today was not to inspect the grassroots level of the village.

Walking to a corner of the village, Xu Chen soon saw a small courtyard with several brick-walled and tiled houses inside. As expected, with the brick kiln, the villagers could directly enjoy the benefits.

The person living here was Liu Hong, whom Xu Chen and Cai Wenji came to visit.

"Mrs. Cai is here!"

As Xu Chen and Cai Wenji stepped into the courtyard, they saw a woman exclaiming. Before they could react, the woman turned her gaze to Xu Chen. She seemed to be aware of Xu Chen's identity. The woman's face turned pale with fright and she didn't know how to react for a moment.

The shouting startled the people in the house and soon some children and men and women appeared.

These people were not unfamiliar with Cai Wenji, but Xu Chen was a new face. Only the woman could guess Xu Chen's identity, and of course they were no exception. For a moment, they all stood there at a loss.

As a former relative of the Han Dynasty, no one had expected that the current Prime Minister of Xuanxia would come for a visit.

The woman quickly patted a half-grown child and said, "Go and call your grandfather!"

After the child responded and left, everyone came to their senses and came over. A man in his thirties walked over cautiously and saluted Xu Chen's Cai Wenji.

"My father is discussing something with the village chief, so please come in and rest for a while."

After finishing speaking, the man looked up at Xu Chen with a complicated and nervous look in his eyes, but he quickly stepped aside to make way and led the way into the house.

Xu Chen also understood that these people seemed to be Liu Hong's family members.

After returning the greeting to the man and saying "thank you", Xu Chen went into the house with Cai Wenji.

(End of this chapter)