morning.
Qizhou City, Cao Family Courtyard.
After Wu Nian moved into the Cao family compound. Wu Nian gave Cao Jiagong the memorial arch of Zhongtiguo.
After Wu Nian sent troops to Taiyuan, the Cao family moved back to the compound.
Now a large number of soldiers have destroyed the archway. The Cao family's family members and slaves, the men stripped off their brocade clothes, and the women took away their Zhu Chai.
Like pigs and sheep, they were pushed and pushed by the soldiers onto the carriages and horses.
The reputation of the Cao family is actually good in Qizhou City. Cao Duan usually pays great attention to image management and does a lot of building bridges and paving roads.
But now the news that he was smuggling military supplies to Slavia has spread, and his image has plummeted.
After the people learned the news, they took to the streets to watch. It was very refreshing to see the young master and young lady of the Cao family who used to be well-dressed and well-fed, turned into phoenixes that lost their feathers and turned into pheasants.
I don’t know who started it first. The people picked up stones and threw them at the Cao family.
"It's you who support the Slavs. The Slavs in turn attacked Shanxi and made us Shanxi men die on the battlefield."
"My son. You defended Shanxi and died at Yanmen Pass. These moths were behind you, but you were rich and glorious. You didn't deserve to die."
"The emperor is wise. The Cao family deserves to end up like this."
The people were filled with indignation, especially those whose relatives died at Yanmen Pass or died because of the Slavs. They all had red eyes.
Should.
Yes.
Although the Cao family members were hit with stones and their heads were bleeding, they did not dare to say a word, ran away with their heads in their hands, and hurriedly got into the carriage.
Among the onlookers, there were also some local squires and scholars.
Two scholars, accompanied by house slaves, gently shook the folding fans on their chests and watched this scene.
The scholar on the left said: "This is the so-called prosperity and decline, and the full moon is the loss. The Cao family was originally very rich. But Cao Duan was blinded by lard and relied on smuggling supplies to make such a big business. He is not satisfied yet. , and offered beautiful women to the emperor, and finally ended up like this."
"The emperor is also wise. That Miss Cao is the king of the country. If you are a foolish king, you may be soft-hearted and let the Cao family go."
The scholar on the right said with emotion.
"Yes." The scholar on the left nodded slightly. Then, he changed the topic and said, "By the way. It's not just the Cao family who are affected, but also seven or eight large families in Shanxi."
"The gold and silver wealth of these large households must be turned over to the national treasury. But the land cannot be taken away. I don't know what the emperor will do with it."
"I don't know. Maybe it's to set up a royal palace, or to award heroes and generals." The scholar on the right shook his head and said.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
The Cao family's years of accumulation turned into dust and smoke and dispersed.
.............
morning.
Shanxi, Loess Plateau. Wu Nian, accompanied by Shi Xian, the governor of Shanxi, and a large number of people, walked along the mountain road to the top of the mountain.
"Time is really unforgiving." Halfway up the mountain. Wu Nian stopped, smiled and said to Wang Gui. His face was reddish and his breathing was steady.
"Yes. Time is not forgiving." Wang Gui said, panting like an ox, bending over and holding his knees with both hands.
Most of the civil and military attendants were out of breath.
Wu Nian smiled and ordered to rest here. There was an internal guard who brought water to everyone. Wu Nian came to a big rock and sat down, picked up a bamboo tube and drank water.
After resting for a while, Wu Nian stood up and looked down at the Loess Plateau.
The earth is criss-crossed with ravines, and if you look at it, it's either loess or loess. When a gust of wind blows, the dust is billowing.
Shanxi is poor for a reason.
How many mountain people are struggling to survive on this barren land.
But this land is barren no matter how barren it is. It is also China’s land and hometown.
No matter in his past or present life, Wu Nian was always familiar with the Loess Plateau. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he came to the Loess Plateau to have a look.
Looking at the ravines ahead, he had some thoughts in his mind.
The team rested for a while and set off again. This time we reached the top of the mountain without stopping. As soon as he came up, Wang Gui fell down.
The general's face was lost.
Wu Nian was also slightly out of breath, but he felt okay. After all, his foundation was still there.
A village stands. The houses of mountain people are scattered dotted on the top of the mountain. Some big shots in the village led the mountain people to kneel on the ground.
Wu Nian asked them to get up, and then under the leadership of these people, they visited the mountain village. Gradually, his expression became more and more solemn.
After visiting around, Wu Nian came to a dry well and stopped. Wu Nian asked the Ouchi guards to bring a bowl of water.
Dry wells are actually water tanks.
During periods of abundant rainfall, dry wells collect rainwater flowing down the mountains. When there is a shortage of rain, mountain people use water from dry wells for food.
This is the wisdom of working people.
Wu Nian held the water bowl with both hands. After taking a sip, his face showed embarrassment, but he resisted and finished the water.
This water tastes really bad.
But this is the water. To the mountain people, it is more valuable than gold.
Wu Nian looked up at an old Shanxi man standing in front of him. The old man's face was like the earth, with wrinkles and ravines, and his back was slightly hunched.
Wu Nian looked at him, his eyes slightly sour, and asked: "Old Chen, the life in the mountains is hard. Are you willing to go outside the customs? Although it is very cold over there, the land is fertile and the rain is abundant. As long as you work hard, you can do it." To live a good life.”
"So that His Majesty will know. The common people don't want to go." Old Chen shook his head and replied simply.
"Why?" Wu Nian asked.
"My parents' graves are on the mountain. If the common people leave, who will pay homage to my parents?" Lao Chen said.
"It makes sense." Wu Nian nodded and said.
No matter how difficult it is, it is still the homeland where I was born and raised.
Unless they really can't live anymore, people are unwilling to leave their hometown.
But this is the Loess Plateau.
Wu Nian stood up, looked up at the endless loess, and sighed softly.
Not only that.
And the Yellow River water.
Half a bowl of sand, half a bowl of water.
Wu Nian bent down, stretched out his right hand to grab a handful of soil, crushed it, and dispersed it in the wind. Wu Nian turned his head and said to everyone: "Masters, do you know why the water of the Yellow River is so turbid?"
"And is this high loess slope so desolate?"
This question stumped everyone.
Isn’t this high loess slope like this since ancient times?
Yellow River, Yellow River. If the water of the Yellow River is not turbid, is it still the Yellow River?
Old Chen, an old man from Shanxi, was also confused.
Wu Nian smiled and said, "You guys don't even read books. A long time ago, historical records recorded that the Yellow River was not called the Yellow River, and then it slowly became the Yellow River."
"In other words, thousands of years ago, the water of the Yellow River might have been very clear. The Loess Plateau was not what it is now."
Wu Nian wanted to control the Yellow River and the Loess Plateau.
For the people of Shanxi and the people on both sides of the Yellow River.
