Go back to the Ming Dynasty to be a thousand households

Chapter 35 Crazy land reclamation (3)

The central part of Wuzhai Fort is the T-shaped plain from south to north, covering an area of ​​nearly 25 square kilometers, equivalent to more than [-] mu of land.

Except for some Wuzhai Fort military camps and some civilian fort fields, this Pingchuan is mostly wasteland.The terrain here is flat, and the usable land can reach 20 mu.Most of these lands used to be fertile, but after the arrival of the small glaciers, most of these places were regarded as useless land. But in Huang Laifu's eyes, as long as there is water irrigation, these places can be turned into fertile fields.

The only thing is that besides the Qinglian River near Wuzhai Fort in these places, there is a Zhujiachuan River near Sancha Fort.In other places, there are mostly small streams and streams, most of which are dry. To irrigate the fields, the only way is to dig wells to get groundwater.

Among the more than [-] hired workers who were surveyed first, Huang Laifu divided them into ten centurions, and each centurion was divided into ten decades. Each centurion was led by some veteran military households and old farmers with rich farming experience.

Under the urging of some members of the Huang family, after Huang Laifu's survey order was issued, they acted quickly and conducted a detailed survey of the central part of Wuzhai Fort, where the land is fertile and where there is water. .

All in all, the availability of Pingchuan in this area is still very rich, it is close to Wuzhai Fort, and the transportation is convenient.During the survey, the peasants of each team also found some ruined walls of some villages, silted and abandoned canals and barren ridges in some places.According to the local folks, this is the ruins left by the merchants in Shanxi.

In the early Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty implemented the method of opening up China, and merchants from all over the country rushed to the Nine Sides to reclaim land for the sake of salt profit, and the business village flourished.At that time, many Shanxi businessmen poured into the Sanguan area of ​​​​Shanxi Town for reclamation.It wasn't until the middle period of Hongzhi, when Ye Qi, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, reformed that Shangtun was ruined.After the merchants withdrew, these original commercial settlements were abandoned.

These canals and barren fields can be used as long as they are repaired and irrigated with water, which can greatly save the time and energy of the employees.

Ten days later, the survey employees basically conducted detailed soil surveys and topographical surveys on the plains in the middle of Wuzhaibao, drafted some development proposals, and reported them to Huang Laifu of Wuzhaibao.

Hearing that 20 mu of land could be used in this area, Huang Laifu, Qu Yuanrui and others were overjoyed, in order to fight for land reclamation and production in that year.Huang Laifu made a decision. In addition to ordering these 1000 people to work immediately, build canals and dig irrigation wells in various places, he sent another 20 people to work with them to build canals and dig wells to solve the problem of [-] mu in the next spring. Land water issues.

At the same time, preparations for recruiting manpower and making tools were stepped up, and a wave of excitement before the Agricultural War spread in Wuzhai Fort.

January [-], [-] AD.

It's the cold season, according to the customs of the Ming Dynasty, everyone is busy doing New Year's goods at this time, preparing for the New Year's Spring Festival in the near future, but in Wuzhai Fort, whether it is the officers of Wuzhai Fort or ordinary military households We are all agitated by the atmosphere before the agricultural struggle and pioneering, but we have no intention of worrying about it.

After all, Huang Laifu's three sisters, Gu Qianhu and Gu Yunniang's father and daughter have left home for a long time to come to Wuzhai Fort. This year I plan to stay in Wuzhaibao for the New Year, and I won’t go back.Especially Gu Yunniang, who said life and death that she would stay in Wuzhaibao to accompany her aunt this year. While she was acting like a baby in Yang's arms, she secretly glanced at Huang Laifu who was beside her.

Yang naturally hugged her cheerfully, wishing that her daughters and unmarried daughters-in-law would be by her side and not leave.

For them to stay in Wuzhai Fort, Huang Laifu naturally welcomed them.

January [-], [-] AD.

This day is the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month. It is the Zaowang Festival among the people of Ming Dynasty, also known as Jizao, Xiaonian, Cizao, etc. It is one of the five ancient festivals.Everyone is busy burning the kitchen god statue and singing songs to pray for a good harvest and a prosperous population.

Thousands of households were also busy opening, everyone rummaged through boxes and cabinets, and thoroughly cleaned the inside and outside of the house, so as to welcome the coming New Year with a brand new look.Gu Yunniang and several sisters accompanied Yang to work in the Qianhu house.Huang Laifu and Quyuanruiqu's shopkeeper, as well as Deputy He Qianhu, Jiang Baihu and others, were in charge of farming at the Huang Family's Dazhuang, and Huang Sihao often came to give advice when he was free.

January [-], [-] AD.

From Kelan Prefecture, Liu Li, an ambassador of Zhenxi Weicang, who was subordinate to Wuzhai Fort, came to Wuzhai Fort and gave them the food and salaries of the banner troops of Wuzhai Fort for the past few months.This time, Wuzhai Fort had not distributed monthly food for five months. It is said that the official Liu should have brought 1120 flag troops from Wuzhai Fort a total of 5600 shi of food for five months, and more than 1000 cotton winter clothes.

However, when Huang Sihao, a thousand households in Wuzhaibao, got the solution, Huang Laifu stood aside and watched, only to find that the 5600 shi grains that should have been turned into 3000 shi, and the cotton cloth turned into [-] pieces.Official Liu also raised his face and said that this time, so much monthly rations were distributed because of a series of complex issues such as the friendship between Gu Qianhu and the commanding envoy, and the fact that Gu Qianhu is Huang Qianhu's in-laws. The interpersonal face is improved.

Huang Sihao seemed to be accustomed to this, and enthusiastically sent off the official Liu, but the official Liu did not stay, and he was still in a hurry to rush back to Kelanzhou for the New Year.But before he left, the official Liu also noticed that the atmosphere in Wuzhai Fort was a bit strange, it seemed to be...

He shook his head, thinking of what he had heard about Huang Laifu from Wuzhai Fort in Xiwei, Kelanzhou Town, he smiled and thought to himself: "A young man who doesn't know the importance, an old man who spoils his son too much Confused..." In this kind of age, how can you be honest?Wait for the next year to die.I don't know where they found a businessman, so much money was wasted by them, it's a pity for the money.

After heartbroken for the white flowers and silver that might fall into the water in the future, Liu Liyuan left in a gust of wind.

The next day, when Huang Sihao distributed the monthly grain and cloth, he still habitually wanted to deduct part of it.

Huang Laifu said: "Father, we are not short of this amount of food and salary, let's distribute all of it, so that the sergeants can have a good year."

Huang Sihao followed Huang Laifu's advice.Every sergeant in Wuzhaibao was given 2 stones of monthly rations and a piece of cotton cloth.

Huang Laifu's actions undoubtedly made him a man of the day in Wuzhai Fort. Everyone knows that this time, so much moon food can be released this time because of Young Master Huang's kindness. The voices of military households who are grateful to Dade are endless.At this time, Huang Laifu's nickname of "Huanghuhu" has long since disappeared, replaced by Huang Laifu's reputation for benevolence.

Many people who knew what Huang Laifu did before were inconceivable, and when they thought of Huang Laifu's actions these days, everyone was amazed. People say that the country is easy to change, but the nature is hard to change. This is not true.

February [-], [-] AD.

Huang Laifu gave all the recruits from military households and civilian households the leave, and let them go back for a good year.Before they went on vacation, Huang Laifu also made up for the monthly rations they had worked on these days, calculated on a daily basis.They can get the corresponding monthly rations for every number of days they work. In addition, Huang Laifu provides them with generous meals every day during these hours. Suddenly, the voices of gratitude from the hired workers resounded in the castle.

The hired workers from non-local households happily left. Although the labor during this period was a bit hard, it was worth the hard work. They made up their minds. On the fourth day, he rushed to Wuzhai Fort in time to continue working.

It would be best to sign a contract with Young Master Huang and become the owner of the Huang family's major estates in the coming year.They have all inquired about Huang Laifu's treatment measures for Zhuang Ding. They are very keen-eyed. Right now, God is not very discerning. In recent years, most of the fields at home have failed. Food, that's better than anything.

The employees of the military households in the fort were also very happy. Some of them were banner soldiers, some were surplus soldiers, and some of their children were banner soldiers in the fort. Just now, the family received two stones of moon food and a piece of cotton cloth from Huang Sihao, a thousand households. I heard that it was Young Master Huang's persuasion that thousands of households distributed their monthly grain in real terms, plus the income they earned from working for Young Master Huang during these hours, and now everyone has at least three stones of grain in their homes.

Seeing that the wives and children at home are all eating white rice and hot noodles in thick soup, many people want to slap themselves hard to see if they are dreaming. This year, it can be said that It's the best year I've ever lived.And all of this was brought by Master Huang Laifu.

I don't know who drove it. From the day of the 1st to the New Year's Eve on the 4th, many people shed tears and came to the gate of Qianhuzhai to thank Huang Laifu. For several days, Huang Laifu met at the gate of Qianhuzhai to appease these Thanks crowd.

Huang Sihao, Yang Shi, several sisters, Gu Qianhu, Gu Yunniang and others also accompanied Huang Laifu out to meet these grateful people. Seeing Huang Laifu's popularity, everyone in Qianhuzhai seemed quite proud.Huang Sihao discussed with Yang in private, saying that the ancestor of the Huang family had a spirit, that's why his son became so progressive.

Seeing her son-in-law like this, Gu Qianhu was naturally happy to caress her beard, and Gu Yunniang looked at Huang Laifu with some affection in her eyes.Through these time contacts, Gu Yunniang found that if she didn't see Huang Laifu every day, she felt like she was missing something. This time she insisted on staying in Wuzhaibao, so she might not have such thoughts in it.

in the joy of the crowd.

The time came to February [-], [-] AD.

Today is New Year's Eve.

(End of this chapter)