A great man of the Northern Song Dynasty

This is a village with more than 300 households, which is not too small and matches the number of surrounding fields.

But the fields outside are drying and the wheat is withering, but these farmers are worshiping gods and praying for rain...

Zhao Xu felt sad in his heart, feeling that these people were too ignorant.

But Zhao Hao was different. He looked at the smoke and the statues behind the smoke in awe, and said, "Brother, what kind of god is that?"

Zhao Xu suddenly remembered what Shen An said. He said that the Han people have never been single-minded in their beliefs. Today they believe in this and tomorrow they will believe in that. What's more, people worship the gods when they see them, regardless of any conflicts between them.

But these villagers were very pious, and some of them had been kneeling for an unknown amount of time. When they got up, they staggered and then fell down.

The divine man turned around slowly, stared at Zhao Xu with dull eyes, and shouted, "Who are you?"

He was like a god, gradually regaining his dignity and his eyes became more lively.

The villagers who were slowly approaching seemed to be his subordinates. They were all furious and looked ferocious, like monsters.

"and who are you?"

Zhao Xu took a step closer and said, "That's a lie. The so-called prayer for rain is a lie!"

"The blasphemer will be shattered to pieces!"

The divine man picked up a bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

The villagers began to curse, and Zhao Xu's guards shouted to stop, and a confrontation began.

"Brother, this is a god!" Zhao Hao was a little timid. He looked at the god intently, feeling that the eyes of the wooden sculpture seemed to have magic power, making him want to fall deeply into it.

"The gods...if the gods exist, they will not sit back and watch the people suffer. If the gods are aware, why don't they send down the rain?"

Zhao Hao was surprised. Some of the villagers picked up stones and threw them over. They hit the front and rolled several times.

"This is a lie. If the gods are there, they should protect the place instead of waiting to burn incense and pray... How long have you been waiting to pray? The crops in the fields have been abandoned. Where are the gods? Where are the gods?"

Zhao Xu slowly approached, with guards guarding him.

The villagers' eyes were fierce, and Zhao Hao was sure that they really dared to kill people. "Brother, what should we do? Be reasonable? Why don't you reason with them."

The holy man shouted: "This is a blasphemer. Drive him away, otherwise the gods will be furious and bring more disasters."

Zhao Xu looked up at him and said angrily: "Take him down!"

This is his response!

To be reasonable...these villagers were deceived by that godly man. To be reasonable is to seek death and will be driven out by the villagers with hoes.

"What do you do? What do you want to do?"

"Go away, this is our place!"

"Come here! Beat them away!"

The villagers roared.

Zhao Xu raised his hand, "Draw your sword to warn!"

Choking!

The sound of a long knife being unsheathed suddenly appeared, and the scene became quiet.

"You...who are you?"

An old man came out. He looked at the long knives and said with difficulty: "Who is this noble person? The villain Wang Dong..."

The ferocity in the eyes of the villagers disappeared, and they looked a little timid and cowardly.

"You stay here."

Zhao Xu stepped forward alone. Zhao Hao was a little worried and followed him.

Wang Dong bowed and just opened his mouth, the divine man shouted: "They are liars! Fight them away, don't be afraid of any swords, the gods are here, you will be able to do anything."

Zhao Xu pointed at him, and then said to Wang Dong: "I am Zhao Xu."

"Who is Zhao Xu?"

Wang Dong looked confused. How could the common people know the name of the noble man? Take today's official family as an example. Everyone knows that his surname is Zhao and is called Zhao Guanjia. As for Zhao, no one knows and has no interest in knowing.

These are the people at this time who have lived in villages for generations and farmed continuously. They are curious about the outside world, but they are unable to explore more places.

The first is money. These days, going out without money is like a beggar. During Renzong's reign, those foreign candidates who came to the capital to take the imperial examination were cancelled, and some could only beg all the way home. Later, it also triggered the idea that the imperial examination was not deposed New rules for candidates.

The second is the atmosphere. In this atmosphere, most people follow the crowd. After being busy every day, they stop thinking about going out to play when they look at their parents, wives and children.

So Zhao Xu announced his family name, and Wang Dong looked confused.

Zhao Xu covered his forehead, and then a guard came from behind and shouted: "This is the prince."

"Prince...what are you doing..."

Plop!

Before he finished speaking, Wang Dong knelt down.

"I've met the king."

After all, he has lived for decades, so of course he knows what the prince does.

The villagers also panicked and knelt down one after another.

"The little man has met the king."

"I've met the king."

Hundreds of people knelt down, but Zhao Xu was not proud. The man over there was fleeing for his life, and two guards slowly chased him on horseback.

"Everyone get up."

The people stood up sparsely, and Zhao Xu asked, "Why don't you divert water to fight the drought?"

"It's too far." Wang Dong said helplessly, "There's nothing we can do if the river here dries up."

“Where is Bianhe River?”

This is three miles away from a section of the Bian River.

Wang Dong said in surprise: "Your Majesty, it's so far away. Even the people in our village can't dig the ditch."

The ditch, which is more than three miles long, is indeed a bit difficult. With the efficiency of imagination in this era, once the ditch is dug, most of the wheat in the field will be gone.

"You have to pass through the fields of those villages in the middle. It's not easy to walk. You'll have to pay for it if you leave."

If someone else's fields are damaged while digging a canal, it's not just a matter of losing money.

"Brother, just pay the money, there is no shortage of money."

The one Zhao Hao envied most was Shen An. He felt that Shen An's way of attacking his opponents was too manly.

——Throw money! Don't you agree? I will kill you with money!

But he didn't see Shen An's private methods, otherwise his three views would be subverted.

Zhao Xu whispered: "I know how to fight with weapons..."

Wang Dong heard this and said excitedly: "The king is a sensible person and knows how to fight. The villain was worried about scaring the king, so he didn't say anything. There is no way that others would give in in those places. There must be a fight. That’s all, and it’s useless if you win, those people will block your drains at night.”

Grabbing water, blocking water... These civil wars lasted for thousands of years. Until modern times, large-scale armed fights between two villages over grabbing water are still common.

Moreover, this kind of war is conducted at the village level and is governed by military law. Everyone goes to fight, and if they are beaten and maimed, the village will raise them, so go boldly.

"So troublesome?"

Zhao Hao had basically never seen much of the world, and his innocence made Zhao Xu murmur in his heart.

This brother is so stupid. If he doesn't teach him properly, he will become a fool in the future.

The divine man was dragged over and knelt on the ground, trembling all over.

"Say it."

Zhao Xu was thinking about how to do this, and his thoughts gradually spread.

"That's the true God."

No matter how you ask, this is what the divine man said.

There was sympathy in the eyes of the villagers, and some were angry, but they were frightened by the guards holding long knives, so they did not dare to become violent.

The guards were very nervous, their eyes darting around.

Zhao Xu said helplessly: "Do you still remember those goddesses and gods?"

Well!

Someone among the guards suddenly remembered something, "Is it the time when Gui Xinhou? That's right, that time Gui Xinhou defeated those gods, goddesses and men in a battle in Kaifeng Mansion's Yamen..."

"The elixir was also exposed by Gui Xinhou."

The battle was fierce. Shen An tried his best, and all the goddesses and men used their special skills to attack him. But in the end, Shen An was safe and sound, but the goddesses and men were foaming at the mouth.

"The converted prince is in the city."

Zhao Xu felt that this knowledge should be widely publicized, especially in these rural areas, to let the people know that the most reliable thing is their own hands.

"The villain is guilty, the villain is a liar..."

The divine man collapsed suddenly, and Zhao Hao was puzzled. Seeing him crying bitterly, he felt it was even more fake.

"The villain couldn't live anymore. All the fields in his family were sold. The villain started to work, but the work was so hard. The villain followed others and learned these things to deceive others... The villain did not dare to work and converted to Christianity... Don’t dare!”

This person knew that Shen An was cruel and ruthless, and he also knew that Shen An didn't believe it, so he confessed. If he doesn't admit it, what will Shen An do to him when he comes?

Most of them beat him to death before asking questions.

"Really a liar?"

The people in the village were stunned and angry.

"beat!"

Then there was a violent beating. If Zhao Xu hadn't ordered people to separate the villagers, this man would probably have been beaten to death on the spot.

"What should we do? We are all here praying for rain. If we had known, we would have to carry water!"

"It's over now, what to do with the wheat? I can't survive, I can't survive!"

"It's all my fault, it's all my fault!" Wang Dong thumped his head, "I have lived in vain for many years, but I can't even see that this is a liar, that I have harmed a whole village of people!"

Some of the villagers were squatting on the ground in a daze, and some were howling...

Most people were in a daze, and a sense of despair permeated the air.

A three- or four-year-old girl stood on the edge holding her mother's hand and suddenly said: "Mom, I'm hungry."

Her mother said blankly: "There is no food left. We must keep it, otherwise we will starve to death."

Memories of the famine mostly come from word-of-mouth transmissions from elders. The cruelty makes people despair.

Zhao Xu shook his head and UU Reading www.uukanshu.net suddenly shouted: "Why are you crying here and not willing to dig canals? Can tears irrigate the land?"

Wang Dong said with tears streaming down his face: "Your Majesty, it's too far! If we can't help you, the villages on the road won't let you go."

"Believe me or not?"

Zhao Xu said: "My name is Zhao Xu. I am the prince of the dynasty. If you believe in me, then follow me."

He turned around and walked out of the village. Wang Dong hesitated for a moment, and then shouted: "Follow the king, everyone."

All the people in the village were mobilized, and everyone who could move followed Zhao Xu with a glimmer of hope in their hearts.

Walking outside the village, Zhao Xu pointed to the front right and said: "That's the Bianhe River over there, is it Sanli? Come here."

"Your Majesty."

"Go to Mangshan Academy and ask them to come up with an idea right away on what can be used to dig ditches the fastest."

"yes."

The guard beat his horse and ran away. Zhao Xu turned around and said, "Give me a hoe."

"Your Majesty, I don't dare. I don't dare."

Wang Dong was holding a hoe, but he dared not let Zhao Xu do it.

"Bring it!"

Zhao Xu grabbed it, picked a straight line, and swung the hoe vigorously.

The villagers looked on stupidly, thinking this was a bit unrealistic.

At that time, the prince was digging canals in our village...

No one would believe it!

But it did happen.

The guards were also looking for tools. Dozens of people dug the ditch together, little by little, but the progress could be seen.

Wang Dong turned around and grabbed a shovel and shouted: "Your Majesty is digging a ditch for us. What are you waiting for? Are you all beasts? Get started quickly."

The villagers rushed over as if waking up from a dream, and the scene was flooded in an instant.

The soil was dug out and then thrown over the sides, and the trenches were dug deeper and deeper...

The villagers looked at the young man at the front, and hope gradually began to surge again.