The arrival of Cao Bao brought certainty to the emotionally shaken Guanyi management team. Things that could not be resolved despite discussions before seemed to be no longer a problem when it came to Cao Bao. This gave Zheng Anping and others a lot of confidence in managing Guanyi well.
The discussion in the hall has been decided, and the five of them went to inspect the abandoned city construction site. Unlike Zheng Anping, who could only climb high and look far away, Cao Bao went directly to the construction site and chatted with Mr. Lu. Mr. Lu still had a nonchalant attitude, but he also explained in detail the progress of the project and the project plan for the next few days. After Mr. Lu’s introduction, Cao Bao said goodbye and left without wasting Mr. Lu’s time.
After leaving, Cao Bao suggested that everyone walk around the abandoned city and plan the layout of the city. Because in the next few years, there may be large-scale construction projects in Guanyi. Everyone first looked at the foundations of the four official residences. Zheng Anping introduced that the location of the post station was near the east gate. Cao Bao praised him repeatedly.
Then Cao Bao came near the west gate and said: "Luoyang is the most troubled place for merchants. Those who come by car are mostly tourists from Luoyang. Moreover, businessmen often wish for good omens. Traveling westward will lead to Jin Fang. It can be said that the arrival of gold is auspicious." I would like to grant the governor a few acres of land at the west gate to serve as the site for the carriage house."
Zheng Anping didn't care and said, "Whatever Guan Cheng wishes, as long as it doesn't interfere with the official residence, you can get it."
Cao Bao bowed his hands and thanked him. He said to Brother Dog: "The inn is near the right side of the station, and the carriage is near the left side. Is it in the way?"
Brother Dog said: "If you don't get what you want, why bother?"
Cao Bao said: "The chariots and cattle and horses are driving, and the weather is bad in summer, so Zuo Huan can bear it."
Brother Dog said: "But if you get the energy of cattle and horses, your luck will be strong." Cao Bao cupped his hands and thanked him.
This time everyone left the city through the west gate and walked around the city. Unlike the north and south sides, which are surrounded by rivers, the east and west rivers are five or six miles away, or even more than ten miles away, with a large piece of land sandwiched in between. Cao Bao pointed to the Jinshui River surrounding Guancheng and sighed: "If the river can be connected to Luoyang, this city will definitely prosper. Now, we can only build a bridge to connect it."
Cao Bao led everyone along the river and found three wooden bridges. Although there were not many people, there were often people passing through. Cao Bao said: "The former came out of Xingyang and passed here." He followed the river to the north of the city and saw the old city wall by the river. He said: "In a few years, this place will be Jinkou, and there will be many warehouses." Zheng Anping and others Not knowing what to say, I had no choice but to echo.
Cao Bao seemed to have thought of something. He entered through the north gate and found Mr. Lu. He said, "I want to build a carriage shop inside the west gate, and the craftsmen will all be in their own place. I hope it won't hinder Mr. Lu!"
Mr. Lu raised his eyelids and said, "But just stay where you are, don't disturb me."
Cao Bao said: "Don't dare to disturb me! If you have some simple work that needs to be done, you can also call them and prepare a little porridge."
Mr. Lu said: "We have our own arrangement during the construction period, why should we rely on others!" Although Cao Bao was slapped, he was not angry and retreated.
After leaving the city again, Zheng Anping said: "The five of us will gather together. When the moon shines, the people of Guan will worship Guan Ancestor, and we will watch them. The Great Wall and Putian are my neighboring towns, and we might as well visit them." "
Cao Bao asked: "When will the sacrifice of Guanyi be held?"
Zheng Anping said: "This is the day when the moon must be bright."
Cao Bao said: "The day when the moon will shine will be the day after tomorrow. We can visit the Great Wall and Putian tomorrow. ... The car has not arrived yet, but we can walk... The place where the car will go has been decided. I will go to Xingyang and inform Uncle Tang." We'll have dinner at Uncle Tang's place. We can all return home and see you someday." The four of them did not expect that Cao Bao would just leave as soon as he left. This style of doing things made them very unaccustomed. But there was nothing to say, so we had to say goodbye by the bridge. Seeing Cao Bao, he pulled away and went straight to Xingyang.
It was still early when we returned to the city. The four of them didn't go to the hall, so they sat down in front of the steps and chatted casually. The main thing is to visit the officials at the Great Wall and Putian tomorrow, and to hold sacrifices in the city the day after tomorrow.
The city lord came over and everyone gave up their seats. The city lord said: "Zou San seems to have returned home, but it is difficult to find his trace. But if we find him, we will come with him!"
Zheng Anping told about his plans to visit his colleagues at the Great Wall and Putian tomorrow, and talked about watching the people worship their ancestors the day after tomorrow. The city lord said: "If the officials are waiting to watch the sacrifice, it will be a rare ceremony. I will tell the people in charge."
Zheng Anping asked carefully about the process of the sacrifice, the behavior of his group, etc. With the discussion settled, it was time for dinner.
Cao Bao didn't come back until midnight. After calling the city gate open and taking a nap, it was time for breakfast.
After breakfast, everyone put on their scholar's clothes, finished neatly, put on their seals and talismans, and started walking towards the Great Wall. Go to the gate of the Great Wall and check the festival talismans. The garrison soldiers lead them to the gatekeepers, who come out to greet them.
The Great Wall is a defensive fortification without civilians, so the Great Wall only has captains, not guards or orders. The garrison soldiers under the command of Changcheng Wei were not farmers from the fields, but civilian servants from all over the Wei State. The quota was one soldier and 10,000 people, guarding this wall of about 200 miles long.
Captain Changcheng is a general and a minister. His rank is much higher than that of Zheng Anping and others. Naturally, he cannot meet directly. What Zheng Anping and the others saw were just the gatekeepers guarding this section of the city gate, who were equivalent to soldiers. This is on par with them.
The guard led them to the guardhouse very politely. After the ceremony, he said: "The camp commander has an order. If the princes arrive, they should be ushered in. If there is any need, the owner will handle it." He immediately gave the order. A military envoy reported to the camp department.
Zheng Anping thanked him and said, "Thank you for the gift from the gatekeeper! I am hanging alone outside the city. There are thieves on the alert. I hope you can help me!"
The guard said: "It's natural, why bother to ask more." After chatting for a while, the military envoy reported back and the camp commander summoned him.
The guard then led Zheng Anping and his party to Yingsi Mansion. The camp is actually not far from the guard post. After receiving the report, the Yingsi sent people to summon all his soldiers (including the guard) to meet with Zheng Anping. When Zheng Anping arrived, the Ying Si led four soldiers downgraded to greet him.
After checking the festival talisman, the battalion commander introduced: "Guanyi has just returned to the king. It is rare for Mr. Zheng to serve as a commander alone. The general has orders to manage the garrison of the city, and the battalion is also responsible for it. But for no other reason, the troops will not leave the city." "
Zheng Anping met with the soldiers one by one and said some words of support to each other. He also received a festival talisman from the camp department. With this festival talisman, fifty soldiers could be dispatched out of the city to help. Zheng Anping received the Festival Talisman. The business secretary announced the adjournment of the meeting.
After all the soldiers had left, the camp commander smiled and said, "The captain has also ordered us to summon him. Brothers, please go with us."
Zheng Anping said in fear: "How dare you, my ministers! I would like to serve as the camp commander."
The captain's mansion is not far away either. When the camp commander received the report from Uncle Zu, he had already sent someone to report it to the captain. When they arrived in front of the mansion, they were announced to go in. The captain welcomed them out of the mansion. After everyone said the ceremony, the captain bowed in. Everyone did not dare to go up the west steps, so they only followed the captain into the mansion from the east steps. After ascending to the hall, he repeatedly asked the captain to sit in the middle. The camp commander sat down on the east side. Zheng Anping was about to sit under the shoulders of the camp commander. The captain said: "You are newly arrived, so you should take the guest seat."
Zheng Anping and others said politely: "How dare you, ministers! I must serve you politely!"
The school captain said, "I have something to ask you." After repeatedly giving up his seat, Zheng Anping took the teacher's seat.
The lieutenant said: "Guanyi has recently returned to the king, and the king has granted him the title of Lord Xinling. Our ministers are all excited, thinking that the king's business will be expanded, and the Wei general will be prosperous."
Zheng Anping was unable to respond to these big words and had to look at Cao Bao. Cao Bao said: "Your Majesty pays you your respects again and again. I am waiting for you to take charge. You must not do anything arbitrarily. Whatever you do will be reported to the Great Wall Dukes. You will do it when you are ordered to do so."
The school captain said: "There are hundreds of wastes waiting to be promoted to govern the city. What should you put first?"
Zheng Anping replied: "My ministers have secretly suggested that we should first build a posthouse and recruit postmen to communicate news; we will regain the carriage house and make all the money available. We will encourage farmers to work on the fields and plant mulberry and hemp again to wait for the time."
The captain said: "We, the soldiers and the people, are strictly ordered not to leave the city. This is a hundred years ago. As soon as your Majesty came out, Guanyi defeated Cheng, and Wei soldiers began to leave the Great Wall. This is the celebration of Cheng's centenary. Your Majesty, you have planned for Guanyi?" "
Zheng Anping did not dare to answer and looked at Cao Bao. Cao Bao said: "When you govern a city, you must have a plan. However, the far-reaching plan and the depth of the strategy are beyond the knowledge of commoners and corporals like us. We only follow the emperor's orders to build posthouses, build chariots, and persuade farmers. Sang, pacify the thieves. When the matter is decided, you will have other orders."
The school captain said: "I have heard that thieves are rising in the fields around the city, and even within the city, there are thieves. The thieves may travel thousands of miles alone, or in groups of three or five, or gather in a roaring crowd of hundreds. If you come here alone, you will surely quell the thieves. There is a good strategy.”
Cao Bao said: "Those who are thieves are the people. They are forced to make a living. If there is peace with the people, the thieves will stop; if the people are safe, the thieves will not come out. The so-called warehouses are honest and know etiquette, and they have enough food and clothing. He knows honor and disgrace. If you have enough food and clothing, you are willing to be a thief or a thief."
The captain praised: "Excellent, sir! Your Majesty ordered all the gentlemen to come alone, without any soldiers or pawns. This is a good idea."
Cao Bao said: "The King of Wei has ordered the defense line of the Great Wall to reach Guanyi. The lives of the ministers and others are in the hands of the lieutenants, commanders and generals."
The captain said: "It's as he said. However, the king has strictly ordered that unless Guanyi is attacked, we will not be able to get out of the Great Wall with only a handful of soldiers."
Zheng Anping said: "I and other warriors do not know strategy. If there are three or five small thieves, I am willing to be the captain of the army to pacify them. If there are thirty to fifty thieves, I am willing to be the captain to guard them. If there are three to five hundred big thieves, I am willing to protect them." When I leave, I wish to move the old and the weak to the Great Wall, and use my strength to fight to the death in the city."
The captain said: "If there are three or five small thieves, they are not the enemies of the princes. If there are thirty or fifty thieves, Guanyi will be able to mobilize fifty guards from the Great Wall to help in the battle. If there are big thieves, Guanyi will be killed." If we are attacked, I will lead our school out of the city to help in the battle. Don't worry, gentlemen."
The camp commander said: "I have obeyed the order and issued the festival talisman to the control order. In times of crisis, I can mobilize fifty garrison soldiers."
Zheng Anping said: "How can I repay you for being a captain and Si Houde?"
The captain said: "Since I have been ordered by the king, how dare I not be sincere!"
Everyone was chatting happily, and it was almost noon before they realized it. The captain looked tired, and everyone said goodbye. Five people escorted the camp commander back to the house and then came to the garden.
Putian is divided into Putian City and Cangcheng. The two cities do not govern each other and are both directly under the Shaofu. Putiancheng is responsible for planting rice, while Cangcheng is responsible for collecting the annual harvest.
Rice is actually the main crop in the Yangtze River Basin in the south. Millet is mainly grown in the Yellow River Basin, with a small amount of barley and wheat grown. King Hui spent a lot of manpower and material resources to dig canal ditches to divert river water into the fields, where he built water dams and planted rice. Unlike millet, which is the main food crop of the Wei State, rice is more like a cash crop and the main commodity that the Wei State exchanges with other countries.
