Good farming at the foot of Changbai Mountain

Chapter 280
Everyone had a banquet here, and then left one after another.Zhou Zhifu did not leave, but talked with Zixuan in the study.

"Zixuan, the imperial court's garrison in Hanzhou needs food and grass again this time. You said they only have 5 people, how can they be used up so quickly?" Zhou Zhifu talked about the army's food requisition.

Zixuan was also a little puzzled, the grain and grass were only delivered last time, so it's only been a month?How could they ask for food again? "My lord, I don't understand this matter. Logically speaking, it shouldn't be changed so quickly. Why don't you delay for a few days and report the situation here to the court. How can an army of 5 people be used so quickly?" What kind of food and grass? Now that the two countries are at war, food, salaries and supplies are costly. Although our Northeast has fertile soil and rich products, we can’t ask for it like this? This is not raising the army, it’s more like raising the ancestors.”

Zixuan was right.A while ago, Mo Hongfan sent someone to say that the army was stationed in Hanzhou, and the soldiers were suffering.There are many grasslands in Xizhou, and I heard that many people here raise cattle and sheep. They want to collect some cattle and sheep from here to reward the armed forces.At that time, Zixuan was still thinking about it, after all, being a soldier is quite hard, and since everyone said so, it would be a shame not to give him any face.So, from Jinghan's pasture, one hundred cows and five hundred sheep were sent over.

Compared to 5 people, this is indeed not a lot, but this is already the limit of what Zixuan can do.We can't evacuate all the pastures, can we?How could Zixuan be willing to expropriate the things of the common people?That is the blood and sweat of the people.

As a result, Mo Hongfan was still not satisfied, so he sent someone to come again.Zixuan didn't give any more gifts this time, but just told people that Xizhou has had a very difficult life due to natural disasters in the past two years, and there is really no way to bring them out.After the visitor made a fuss, he left.

"My lord, I feel that there is something strange here? The food and salaries of these 5 people are all paid by the imperial court. The current emperor is a wise emperor. During these years of his reign, the people have been able to recuperate. The treasury is also very rich. , surely there will be no shortage of food and pay for these troops, why would they extend their hand to us again?" Zixuan felt strange, although the war broke out now, the number of troops used now is not too many?The imperial court will not fail to pay for these troops.Since this problem does not exist, why does Mo Hongfan repeatedly ask the local state capital for food and grass?

"This officer can't figure out the key points here, so I will tell you. Zixuan is right. He should write to the court and ask for instructions on what to do. Otherwise, even if our Northeast is rich, so what? I can't stand such a cost. I'm afraid we will be hollowed out by these ancestors before the Beiyuan Kingdom calls." Zhou Zhifu and Zixuan thought the same, so they decided to write the notes when they went back.

"By the way, my lord, according to the current situation, there may be a big battle in the spring of next year. In the past, the officials always felt that Beiyuan Kingdom was deliberately probing. Now, they don't seem to have any intention of a decisive battle. This is a bit strange, but when you send troops, don't you just pay attention to your momentum? The momentum is like a broken bamboo, and you can go all out. But judging from Bei Yuan's meaning, it doesn't seem to be the case. This is not clear to the officials, so the officials estimate, I am afraid that next year , will be the time when the war breaks out." Zixuan has been paying attention to the changes in the situation since the two countries started fighting, and naturally has his own views on the things on the battlefield.

Zhou Zhifu nodded, "Zixuan's words are reasonable, but I really don't know anything about this kind of thing. Thinking about the things on the battlefield, we literati still find it difficult to understand. In this way, I won't delay with you , return to Longzhou immediately."

Zixuan didn't ask him to stay either, they were all people with business affairs and they couldn't leave for too long. "It's cold outside and the road is slippery. My lord, take care all the way." Zixuan followed him out of the gate of the mansion, watching Zhou Zhifu get into the carriage, and the group of people walked further and further away.

Zixuan returned to the back yard, just as the female guests also dispersed.Jinghan is holding the child and chatting with Xue Shi and the others.As soon as Zixuan came back, Mrs. Xue and Mrs. Qian left, leaving space for Zixuan and his wife to talk for a while.

Zixuan sat beside Jinghan and looked at the daughter in his wife's arms, feeling infinitely satisfied.He stretched out his arms to hug his wife, "I finally gave birth to this little thing safely. You don't know how scared I am. I've always been worried that the North Yuan Congress would come. Fortunately, the flames of war did not spread to this place. , and our daughter was born safely." Zixuan said with emotion. "Jinghan, you have worked hard."

As soon as Jinghan heard Zixuan's words, she laughed, "Master, this is our third child, and you will say that every time." A feeling of happiness filled her heart.Some men are very moved when their wives give birth to their first child, and they are also gentle and caring for their wives.But when there are more children, this state of mind will no longer exist, but gradually get used to it.At that time, they will feel that women are supposed to give birth to children, so there is nothing special about it.

"No matter how many children you have, I will always say the same. Every time I see you with a big belly and worrying about all kinds of things, I just think, just give birth to this one and forget it, never again." Zixuan Said a little apologetically. "However, when the children are born, when I see their cute appearance, I wonder if there are too few of them." Zixuan said with some distress.

Jinghan couldn't help laughing, but she was still holding Xiao Qingning in her arms, so she tried her best to hold back, shaking her shoulders.It took a long time to hold back the smile. "Sanggong, I like children, the more the better. Don't worry about this, we will have a lot of children, and the family will be so lively." This is Jinghan's sincere words, she was lonely in her previous life It feels like she doesn't want to have it.

The two of them snuggled together like this, looking at the little girl with pink make-up and jade, both felt very satisfied in their hearts.

Jinghan remembered what her mother said just now, and said to Zixuan, "My mother just said that Wenxuan and Ziwen will stay here this time, and the family is worried about us, so I asked them to stay and help. You Can you see it?"

Zixuan thought for a while, "Next autumn, won't there be Qiuwei? Don't they go to the test?"

"I don't know, you should ask them about this. But Wenxuan has been lively since he was a child, and although he is good at reading, he doesn't work as hard as his elder brother and Wenchang. On the contrary, he is quite interested in practicing martial arts. Maybe, He really just doesn’t want to take the imperial examination.” Jinghan couldn’t figure out what her younger brother was thinking, but she always felt that Wenxuan and Ziwen didn’t seem to be too keen on the imperial examination.

"Well, let me ask them when I have time. If you really don't want to take the imperial examination, you don't have to go this way." Zixuan did not express any objection. Regarding the brother, the husband and wife have similar opinions.Both Wenxuan and Ziwen are grown up, they know how to go their own way, there is no need to help them plan anything.

The couple babbled some more personal words, and then the child urinated, Jinghan changed the diaper for the child, and Zixuan went out to find Wenxuan and Ziwen.

After talking with the two of them for a long time, knowing that these two people really had no intention of taking the imperial examination, Zixuan was not reluctant, so he agreed to let the two of them go to the garrison in Xizhou to exercise.Xizhou originally had a garrison sent by the emperor, but there were only 5000 people.In the past few years, Zixuan has always had a good relationship with the guards there, so he sent Wen Xuan over there.

Zhixin and his wife stayed for a few more days, and then set off to go home. After all, the Chinese New Year was approaching, and there were many things at home.Before leaving, Zhixin told Zixuan not to get too used to the propaganda, but to let him suffer a bit and exercise.Zixuan agreed one by one, and then sent Zhixin and the others out of the city.

In the twelfth lunar month, every household is busy celebrating the new year.Naturally, Jing Han and the others couldn't go home this year, so they took people along and began to make arrangements for buying new year's goods in preparation for the new year.This year because of the war, Jinghan didn't let the winery continue to make wine until after the new food came out in autumn, so the business of the winery was slightly worse.There is also a sugar mill, because there are too few beets planted this year, and there is no profit.Jing Han didn't care, but sent the manager and others of the sugar workshop to other places, and the sugar workshop was temporarily closed.

This year, we have grown more grain, and the grain output is not low everywhere.Zixuan ordered the people to store more grain, and the state government would buy the rest and store it all up.Preparing for war and famine is not empty talk, it must be paid attention to all the time.

After a year of tension, the people of Xizhou also relaxed.The streets and alleys are full of lights and festoons, which is very lively.

This year, because of the events in the Beiyuan Kingdom, the people were panicked, and they felt that life was not going well at all.Although the battlefield is far away from the northeast, Xizhou is at the border after all, and it is somewhat dangerous after all.In the past few years, the people of Xizhou are finally living a better life, and everyone is full of confidence to go to a better life, but because of the Beiyuan Kingdom, each family has suffered some losses this year.

It's the Chinese New Year, and people come out to buy new year's goods one after another.It's winter, if you want to come to Beiyuan Kingdom, you won't have to brave the severe cold to attack it?So people bought things at home in large and small packages, preparing for an auspicious year.

Because Jinghan's child is too young, she naturally has no chance to go to the streets, so she can only send her mother-in-law and servants to buy things that should be used for the New Year.The girls and boys in the mansion are busy all day, but they all have happy smiles on their faces, which makes people feel better.

(End of this chapter)