Hearing Zheng Anping take the initiative to mention Zhan San, the city lord seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and said: "Zhao San has wanted to worship the governor for a long time. But now he is running away, and he may not return home. The humble concubine sent people to explore him, but he found his way back. Just call it."
Zheng Anping said: "Isn't this the way to treat a hero? It's time to visit him. I hope the city lord will make it happen."
The city lord said: "As a humble concubine, I should show my respect to you as a great official!"
The next day, after Zheng Anping had breakfast, he put on his armor and carried his halberd. He asked Wu Wang to carry some money, and they went out together into the abandoned city to inspect the construction of the house.
Entering the abandoned city from the abandoned city gate, the first thing you see is weeds as tall as half a person. Zheng Anping found a section where he could climb up the city wall and overlook the entire city. The city was so big that standing on one side of the city could hardly see the people on the opposite wall. Among the weeds in front, there seemed to be some thick trees, maybe house pillars.
After finding the place, Zheng Anping came down, cut through the weeds with his halberd, and entered the place where the house pillars were placed. He could see a square earth platform in the grass. Because the house foundation was built with rammed earth, there was no grass here. The wild grass is in stark contrast to the surrounding dense weeds. According to Mr. Lu's design, the existing house foundation was borrowed and slightly modified to take shape.
Wu Wang said happily: "This place will be filled with the fragrance of flowers in spring. If we get one or two cattle and sheep, we will be satisfied without leaving the city."
Zheng Anping said: "Do you raise cattle and sheep?"
Wuwang said: "Since I have been raising livestock since I was young, I can get grass every three to five to more than ten miles. If I can sit my livestock next to the house in the city, it will be useless!"
Zheng Anping said: "If it's an ox or a sheep, how many animals can we get?"
Wu Wang said: "Like cattle, they grow slowly and take a long time; they are fierce and difficult to tame. One cow per child will lead to great growth. Sheep, as long as the head sheep is used for strength, it will not matter if there are thirty or fifty per child. But the family is short." A few, as many as three or five, but no flock."
Zheng Anping said: "It is located in a remote place, so it seems that it would be better to have a dog guarding the hospital."
Wuwang said: "It seems difficult for one dog to handle such a big house. There must be more than ten dogs."
Zheng Anping said: "I've got dogs back, I've got cattle and sheep back, I've got chickens and dolphins back. Can you tell me how much money I need to get enough?"
Wu Wang said: "One calf, you get five hundred coins. One lamb, you get three hundred coins. One dolphin, you get one or two hundred coins. Dogs, guard dogs, about one or two hundred coins, and hounds are hard to calculate. Chickens, about one hundred coins." Thirty-fifty yuan; a nest of chickens costs thirty-fifty yuan."
Zheng Anping said: "Can you ignore it?"
Wu Wang said: "Every year when I go to the market, I will get more businessmen. When the market opens, I will definitely get something."
Zheng Anping said: "Is your family quite a beast? I haven't seen it before."
Wuwang said sadly: "When your family was young, they often raised young animals, such as lambs or calves. Once a year, they would be raised, and they would be worth the price. When the brothers grew up, they would have a hard time, and it would be difficult to raise them."
Zheng Anping said: "If you want to livestock, what should you do first?"
Wu Wang said: "Since then, chickens and dogs have come first. The rooster tells the time, and the dogs can protect the home. They all have their uses and are indispensable."
Zheng Anping said: "Those who do not expect to be prosperous are good at running a household."
Wuwang said: "If I can get enough land, my family will be rich."
Zheng Anping said: "What can you do after you get rich?"
Wu Wang said: "If you marry a wife and have children, you will be able to make a living in the field."
Zheng Anping said: "Your father, even before he was rich, had five sons. If you were rich, you would have sons, so what's the point of being rich?"
Wuwang scratched his head and said: "Marrying a wife and having children, marrying a man and eating a meal, this is the important thing in life. If you are rich or poor, it is nothing more than that. But the rich have enough land, many children and grandchildren, and enough food; the poor have less land. His descendants are scarce and he eats little. That's all."
Zheng Anping laughed and said: "Although these words are despicable, they are advanced to the Tao. Marry a wife and have children, marry a man to eat, whether you are rich or poor, that's all. Come on, come on, come on!"
During the chat, the two walked up to the city wall again and looked south from a distance. The fortifications built by Lord Xinling's rear army along the river were still vivid in their minds. However, in just two months, the earthen walls built were already somewhat damaged. Collapsed; the camp covered by fortifications left only unclear traces, indicating to people that a large army had once been stationed here.
Going up the river, a group of people appeared in sight in the distance. Zheng Anping said to Wu Wang, "It's time." He took Wu Wang down to the city and looked forward to the arrival of this group of people. After walking for more than ten miles, they met the brigade. Most of them were wearing yellow and brown shorts, indicating that they were prisoners serving hard labor. They were now sitting on the ground to rest. When they saw people dressed as military soldiers approaching, the prisoners did not get up. There were also ten soldiers leading the team, who came over to question them. Zheng Anping said: "But the disciples led by Mr. Lu?"
Shi Chang replied: "Of course. Where are you going, brother?"
Zheng Anping said: "I am in charge of the order. I want to meet Mr. Lu. I would like to ask my brother for guidance."
The chief led Zheng Anping to Mr. Lu. Mr. Lu is not alone. In addition to the soldiers, there are four or five gentlemen accompanying him, who should be his assistants or the like. Zheng Anping saluted Mr. Lu and others. Mr. Lu met Zheng Anping, thought about it, and then remembered that he was here to build a house for them, and said: "Guan Ling, why are you here! The house has just been opened, and materials are still being prepared. , has not started construction.”
Zheng Anping said: "If you don't dare to urge me, I will be in charge of the city at the right time. It's time to thank Mr. Lu for his hard work!"
Mr. Lu stood up, patted the dirt on his butt, and said: "Let's go, let's go!" Everyone stood up. Six or seven prisoners lifted a thick wooden pole together, and a team of a hundred people lifted a dozen , marching towards the abandoned city together.
Zheng Anping followed Mr. Lu and kept saying words of thanks. Mr. Lu was not good at words and couldn't answer, so he talked to Zheng Anping about engineering, "One sergeant, one person, five rooms, two entrances, and seventy-two pillars are needed. Three corporals, three rooms, two rooms, each use pillars." Thirty-two, the total of three people is ninety-six. The same is true for beams. It is estimated that more than 330 pieces of wood will be used. One hundred servants will lift the beams and columns fifteen times a day, and it is estimated that they can be prepared in one month. After the wood arrives, they will be tamped first. The foundation of the house must be stable, and post holes must be built before the pillars and beams can be raised. The wood has been transported for five days. When the wood arrives, the servants will ram the foundation of the house on the spot, and there will be no delay."
Zheng Anping repeatedly said that he had nothing to do, so he came to see him. If he had something to do, he would not dare to say goodbye. Mr. Lu didn't say anything, and thought to himself, if you have something to do, what will you do?
Arriving at the abandoned city in one breath, everyone piled wooden pillars on the southernmost house foundation. After taking a short rest, we walked through the grass and reached the northernmost house foundation. Zheng Anping found that the foundation of the house had been initially repaired, the weeds in the cracks had been removed, and the foundation was much smoother.
Mr. Lu told Zheng Anping that this is because there is an old foundation and it only needs to be leveled. If the foundation is laid from scratch, it may take a month to lay the foundation of a three-room house. But now, in just five days, a house foundation has begun to take shape, and today we can start laying the second house foundation.
The prisoners began to get busy. Some used dustpans to sift the soil, others spread the sifted fine soil on the foundation of the house, and then a group of people carried wooden poles to tamp the soil. Everyone works in an orderly manner, and the processes are coordinated perfectly. By noon, the foundation of the first room was completed, and Mr. Lu announced a break. The soldier took off the water jug from his side and asked the prisoner to go to the river to fetch water and drink it. Zheng Anping wanted to say something to Mr. Lu, but Mr. Lu issued the eviction order unceremoniously and said: "Guan Ling will go back to his hometown to rest. Work will be resumed temporarily. Guan Ling will come back to supervise when he has time." Zheng Anping talked to Wu Wang in a bored manner. left.
After taking a nap, Zheng Anping asked the city lord to fetch a piece of dried fish and a piece of dried meat, held them in his hands, and then came to the construction site.
At this time, the work on the construction site has turned to the second house foundation. This time, Zheng Anping didn't get too close, and sat down on a high platform far away, hidden among the weeds, watching the prisoners work. The gentlemen checked the quality of the work, and the soldiers sat in groups here and there in boredom. Standing in a daze.
After watching for a while, Wu Wang became impatient and asked, "How long will the doctor be sitting here?"
Zheng Anping said: "You can put down your things, go and play, and come back together in the afternoon."
Wuwang was really happy and put down his money belt without any secret. Just as he was about to leave, he turned around and asked, "Where is the doctor's field?"
Zheng Anping was stunned for a moment and replied casually: "It's just south of the city."
Wuwang jumped up with excitement and ran away. Zheng Anping didn't ask him either.
Zheng Anping actually sat quietly in the grass, observing the work of Mr. Lu and a group of prisoners with great interest, unaware that the sun was setting.
Seeing Mr. Lu announcing a break from work, Zheng Anping took the money, fish and meat and came down from the high platform. He met with the gentlemen and soldiers and handed the fish to a gentleman and the meat to a soldier. After thanking him, he stepped aside. However, the gentleman and the soldier who took the fish and meat were a little unhappy and thanked them again and again. The prisoners put away their tools, lined up and took their names, exited the city and headed towards Nanguan. Zheng Anping followed the prisoners out of the south gate and saw Wuwang picking up small and large stones in the field as if having fun and throwing them under the wall. He was still mumbling something. He didn't stop until he saw the prisoners coming out. Busy work.
Zheng Anping came out last, and Wu Wang came up to him happily and said proudly: "I have cleared away the stubborn rocks in the field. It will be no problem for the doctor to cultivate the soil." Zheng Anping looked at Wu Wang, whose face was covered with sweat, and encouraged him. Patting him on the shoulder, he said: "There is no need to call me doctor. When you go to the countryside, just call me Father Zheng. It will appear close to you."
Wuwang said: "Here, Father Zheng!" He put on his clothes, took off the money belt Zheng Anping was carrying, and carried it on his own. The two of them crossed the river across the small bridge and went straight to Guanyi.
The city lord cooked the porridge and added meat. Zheng Anping told the city lord that each person should use two liters of millet for each meal, and there should be no excess. If there are vegetables in spring and summer, you can add more. In winter, just add a little salt and plums. Fish is not usually required, but we will notify you if additional time is required. The city lord did not expect that the requirements of the supervision order were so strict, so he complied with them one by one, and went down to tell the disciples that when cooking porridge for the supervision order, the porridge must be cooked according to the amount, and there must be no excess or failure.
Two days later, Brother Su also arrived. Zheng Anping took Brother Su and discussed the opening of a post station with the city lord. Brother Su and Zheng Anping were both postmen, so they were naturally good at opening inns, and they paid close attention to every detail. Zheng Anping suddenly asked: "The three pigs still haven't returned?"
