As soon as Zhang Lei finished speaking, everyone around him looked over. Miao Shao, Xu Ming, and Chen Xun looked dissatisfied. Wang Yue muttered in a low voice: "Can this Zhang Lei speak?"
Liu Yan smiled and said: "Okay, Mr. Zhang Qi just said it doesn't matter."
Zhang Lei clasped his fists and said: "Sir, my subordinates have been working in the military camp during this period. They have led the military households to reclaim more than 4,000 acres of wasteland, and bought more than 800 acres of adjacent farmland from the surrounding areas. Now we have the supporting water canals for the new farmland, etc. The water conservancy facilities have been completed one after another, but my subordinates don’t have enough manpower for farming.”
After saying that, Zhang Lei bowed to Liu Yan and said, "So, today, I am taking advantage of this banquet to ask you for someone!"
Liu Yan laughed loudly, asked everyone to sit down and continue eating and drinking, and then pulled Zhang Lei to sit next to him.
Liu Yan knew that what Zhang Lei said was true. At present, hundreds of businesses in Wangjiazhuang are booming. Chen Jiang and Qian Zao are planning to open branches of soap workshops and wineries in Wangjiazhuang to expand production.
The scale of the salt drying farm is also expanding. Currently, there are six large salt drying ponds, thirteen medium salt drying ponds, and nineteen small salt drying ponds. They can produce more than 58,000 sea salt per month. catty.
The Firearms Supervision Department and the Armor Supervision Department have also expanded their scale to varying degrees. Although there are not many skilled craftsmen, handymen and apprentices can be selected directly from military households, and the requirements for the population are higher.
Not to mention that various Huolu Dun and Tunbu have reclaimed a lot of farmland. Now there is a shortage of people everywhere in Wangjiazhuang. This is why Liu Yan insists on taking in disaster victims and refugees.
However, more than half a month has passed, and the number of victims and refugees pouring into Wangjiazhuang is not as large as Liu Yan expected.
Liu Yan originally expected that once he opened the door to accommodate disaster victims and refugees, a large number of people would be absorbed. Even Liu Yan was ready and waiting to be questioned by the Shangguan of Qianhu Station and Lingshan Guard in front of Xiahe Village.
Now it seems that Liu Yan himself is thinking too much.
At this time, Liu Yan said to Zhang Lei: "Now among the hundreds of households in Wangjiazhuang, the military camp consumes the most manpower. But Mr. Zhang also knows the current situation. There is a shortage of people everywhere, and there is nothing I can do. I don’t think it’s better than this…”
Liu Yan stopped Zhang Lei who was about to speak, and continued: "I think so, tomorrow I will ask Mr. Yue to allocate a sum of money to you, and buy another batch of cattle from the military camp. I think I will buy a hundred of them." . If you can use animal power for farming, don’t use humans. This can also alleviate the problem of lack of manpower. What do you think?”
Zhang Lei sighed and said: "My subordinates are also aware of your admiration's difficulties. It's just that in the military camp, there are some things where animals cannot replace human hands."
Liu Yan nodded, knowing that Zhang Lei was telling the truth, but now that Wangjiazhuang's manpower has indeed reached its limit, what can he do?
At this moment, Xu Ming from the side came over and said, "Sir, there is something that I forgot to report."
"What's up?"
"A few days ago, when my subordinates led people to suppress bandits, a team of Ye Bushou discovered a group of refugees in the north."
Liu Yan suddenly became energetic and asked hurriedly: "Where is it!"
Xu Ming thought for a moment and said: "Twenty miles south of Tiechu Mountain, there are about a thousand people in that group of refugees. They are stranded there. They must be trapped and don't know where to go."
When Liu Yan heard this, he clapped his hands and said with a smile: "Haha, God is really helping me!"
Then Liu Yan pointed at Xu Ming and said to Zhang Lei: "Tomorrow I will ask Mr. Xu Qi to lead the people to bring back the more than a thousand refugees. Then I will give priority to Mr. Zhang Qi to allocate manpower to you. How about that?"
"I would like to thank you, sir!"
Afternoon the next day.
Xu Ming rode his horse and stood on a hill. Next to him were three small flag officers, Dong Yun, Du Zhongming, and Lu Yuan. More than 180 cavalry sentry officers and soldiers lined up behind.
Dong Yun has a fair face and no beard, but he is very tall. When he smiles, his eyes narrow into slits, giving him a sense of joy.
Du Zhongming is short in stature, has two large front teeth, and speaks very eye-catchingly.
Lu Yuan was tall and fat, with big hands like cattail fans, and his voice was like thunder, which was unforgettable.
The three little flag officers, except Du Zhongming who was nineteen years old, the other two were all twenty-eight or nineteen years old. The three of them had endless things to say when they got together, which made Xu Ming frown slightly.
"Are you done yet?"
Du Zhongming said with a smile: "Boss, are we just watching? I think the refugees seem to be settling here. Look, a lot of fire pits have been dug over there, and they are burying pots to make rice."
Lu Yuan waved his hand and said, "What do you know? Those refugees don't know the way, so they are trapped here. We can take them away."
Xu Ming looked at the two of them and said, "Okay, everyone has rested, and we have to work next."
The three people immediately stopped smiling and became extremely serious. They all clasped their fists and said, "Please give me the order, boss!"
"In a moment, the three banners will divide the soldiers into three groups. Lu Yuan and Du Zhongming, you will each lead your troops to outflank them from the left and right sides respectively. Dong Yun and I will lead our troops to press in from the front. We must defeat them in the shortest possible time. Those more than a thousand refugees are stable and gathered together in one place!"
"Got the order!"
A moment later, more than 180 cavalry sentries rushed down the hill and divided into three teams to surround the refugees below. It immediately caused a commotion. The refugees on the outside gathered inward in fear, but the refugees inside did not know what was happening. Something happened, and they all looked outside. From a mile away, more than a thousand refugees miraculously gathered in place, and were "surrounded" by Xu Ming and more than 180 people.
At this time, among the refugees, an old man in his fifties looked around with a look of horror. The cavalry soldiers galloping in the distance kept saying to the young people around them: "Be careful, the situation will look wrong soon. Let’s run separately, and only one of us can survive.”
"Master, who are those people? They look like officers and soldiers to me. Is there anything going on?"
"Officers and soldiers?"
The old man said: "Isn't it the officers and soldiers who kill good people and take credit? God knows what they are going to do!"
While they were talking, the old man and several apprentices heard shouts from ahead.
"We are the Dunjun of Wangjiazhuang Baihu Station. The leader of the team heard that you are in trouble here and specially ordered us to come to rescue you!"
"You will support the old and the young and follow us to Wangjiazhuang. When the time comes, the management team will give you farmland, cattle, seeds and other supplies, and will arrange accommodation and distribute food rations to you!"
After listening, the old man and several apprentices looked at each other. There is such a good thing in the world. Could it be that they are all dreaming?
"Master, what should we do?"
The old man was very confused. He already believed the words of those officers and soldiers. After all, if they had malicious intentions, there was no need to lie. They could just start here. One or two hundred cavalry could completely defeat these more than a thousand cavalrymen. The refugees dispersed.
So the old man said: "Go! Anyway, if you stay here, you will die sooner or later."
The people around him had the same idea, so they all agreed, and the crowd began to move slowly, moving in the direction of Wangjiazhuang under the guidance of Xu Ming.
On the road, Xu Ming rode his horse and walked in the middle of the crowd. Looking at the refugees who were helping the old and the young to go south, a stone finally fell in his heart. He looked at Du Zhongming beside him with a look on his face and said: "What, this is my method." Not bad, we have brought these more than a thousand people back."
"Haha, boss, nature is extraordinary. This method is really good. As long as you surround these refugees, you can force them to leave together."
As he was talking, Xu Ming suddenly saw a few young men supporting an old man on their way in the crowd next to him. Several of them were still carrying baggage, which looked like some strange iron tools.
"Stop them and bring them over for questioning."
Du Zhongming looked in the direction and brought the old man and others over. At this time, several people were frightened and looked at Xu Ming with pale faces. They hurriedly knelt on the ground and did not dare to raise their heads.
When Xu Ming saw this, he was speechless. He got off his horse and helped the old man up. He said with a smile, "Old man, is this year your age?"
"The old man is fifty-one this year."
"Oh, I don't know what to call the old man? What do you do for a living?"
"This, little old Gao Yunshan, was originally dry-mounted."
"Tied head?"
Xu Ming looked at Du Zhongming beside him, and saw that Du Zhongming also shook his head, saying that he didn't know the meaning of headdressing.
So Xu Ming asked: "Here, what is the purpose of the headband?"
Gao Yunshan said: "The purpose of setting heads is to show people the veins of minerals. Sir, please take a look,"
As Gao Yunshan spoke, he took off the baggage he was carrying, took out the strange iron tools inside, and continued: "These are the tools used to drill ore according to the direction."
Xu Ming suddenly became energetic and said: "Ore vein? What kind of mine is it!"
Gao Yunshan looked at Xu Ming, who was a little excited, and said timidly: "It's iron ore, and Xiao Lao is the headdress of iron ore."
"Ha ha!"
Xu Ming burst into laughter immediately, and Du Zhongming next to him was also beaming. The two looked at Gao Yunshan with excitement, as if they were looking at a yellow-flowered girl, which made Gao Yunshan shudder.
Late that night, many bonfires were lit inside and outside Wangjiazhuang. Liu Yan stood on the fort wall and looked out, his face full of joy.
It was not until nightfall that Xu Ming led his troops to bring back more than a thousand refugees. Liu Yan hurriedly ordered Miao Shao and Yue Ming to bring people out to maintain order. Zhao Min also brought all the scribes to register and register.
There will definitely be more arrangements for the more than a thousand refugees tonight, so Liu Yan ordered people to settle more than a thousand refugees outside the fort, mobilized food and other materials, and distributed them to these refugees first, which calmed the hearts of the refugees.
Not long after, Zhao Min came over, clasped his fists and said, "Sir, these refugees have been resettled. Tomorrow morning, the commanders of the Huolu Dun and the Tunbao, as well as the Tuntian Officer Zhang Zongqi, and the Soap Workshop's Chen Mr. Jiang, Mr. Chu from the salt drying field, Mr. Qian from the wine shop, etc. will send people over one after another, and then their subordinates will relocate the more than a thousand refugees to various places according to the specific needs of each place."
Liu Yan smiled and said: "Very good, thank you for your hard work, Mr. Zhao!"
"My subordinates are just doing their duty. It is the adults who are doing the hardest work. They have to make decisions in all aspects. You should go back and rest early. There are subordinates and others here, so there will be no mistakes." .”
Liu Yan smiled and exchanged greetings with Zhao Min for a few words, then saw the flag officer Yue Ming walking over, then clasped his fists and said: "Sir, I have already distributed the rations. According to the age of men, women, old and young, the rations will be distributed differently. We have received a share of grain, and have sent people to set up pots to cook porridge, and we will serve porridge together later."
"Okay, but be careful. These refugees have been hungry for a long time. Don't let them eat too much, otherwise they will die."
"Yes, I have noted it down."
"In addition, Mr. Yue Banner will hold a meeting with Director Zhao tomorrow together with the chiefs and directors of each department. According to the number of refugees received by each department, the Hundred Household Office will distribute a corresponding amount of resettlement money and food."
"I obey my orders."
Then Liu Yan asked Yue Ming: "By the way, where are Mr. Xu's bannermen? When they came back, didn't they say they brought someone back with them? Where are they now?"
Some people died, but not completely...
