In the twelfth lunar month of the fifth year of Chongzhen, on the outskirts of Xincheng, dozens of female riders in bright clothes and angry horses were galloping through the snow.
The women all dressed up, riding their horses and running around with laughter and whips. Until the horses got tired from running, they slowly stopped with a cheerful whistle, and each dismounted to take care of their mounts.
The people stayed away and looked at this strange sight, but they didn't look much at it, because this kind of scene was very common. The female family members of the Qiulin Society of the Marshal's Mansion were traveling.
In the northwest of Juerwan, there is a mountain forest called Qiulin by the local people. The scenery is very beautiful. After the Lion Army moved westward, they built several villages not far apart. The first was built by Cao Yao, the general of the Marshal's Mansion. After the southern expedition, At the same time, Yang Yao and Wang Wenxiu funded the completion.
Before the new city was built, it was the residence of senior generals of the Marshal's Mansion.
However, this Qiulin Society is not an association of Lion Army generals, but an association led by Cao's sister-in-law. Its members are all the wives of generals, and the president is Liu Chengzong's mother, Mrs. Cai.
The reason why the Qiulin Society was established was because Cao Yao told his sister-in-law that the Lion Army was not afraid of the official army, but the situation of the unmarried second son as the boss was unstable, so he needed to use his experience in running a cottage to give more help to the Lion Army.
Cao Yao is the king of the mountain, and he is loyal and able to convince everyone. Cao Yao's sister-in-law, who was raised by Cao Yao, is also very loyal and able to convince everyone.
Her life in Xining Mansion was basically a process of gathering the female family members of civil and military officials at all levels who had stayed in Xining and Juerwan around Mrs. Cai.
There are many courses in Qiulin, including archery and combat, horseback riding and hunting, reading and literacy, piano playing, calligraphy and painting, military law, organization strategy, embroidery and cooking. They do not hire teachers from outside, but teach themselves. Each member has something he is good at.
Most skills are not required to be learned. It would not be a bad thing if you gain some knowledge and add some new ideas when your man comes back from the war.
Only for horse riding, their courses are extremely strict, and everyone is very attentive to learning... This is related to whether they will hold back their men when they transfer.
After a ride, the wife of Yang Dingrui's family was extremely tired. She was always delicate and well protected. She could never keep up with the progress of many women in riding skills, so that every time she rode, it felt like she had lost half a horse. Fate, causing others to laugh.
The Mongolian aunt in Wailiangzi's family is different. Riding a horse is like walking on flat ground.
Sister-in-law Cao is even more powerful. Not only is she good at riding, but she is also very courageous. She can ride her horse straight up high hills and steep slopes, and can swim across shallow rivers and deep water with her legs crossed on horseback or with her mane and tail clasped. There is no river near Xining that can stop her.
When everyone stopped, Sister-in-law Cao smiled and encouraged several women who were not good at riding. She sat down next to Fan Sanlang and said with a smile: "Sanlang, your riding skills are much better than Bai Niang and Yun Niang. Marshal I’ve raised you well.”
Bai Liuxi and Yun Jiaoyue, who were sitting next to Fan Sanlang, snickered when they heard the words. Fan Sanlang was not very shy, but he didn't say anything when he saw Sister-in-law Cao smiled and said: "There is nothing shy about this."
Sister-in-law Cao took off the food box from the horse's back, sat down and said, "You were only sixteen when you came from Shanxi, and you are almost nineteen now. You were raised by a commander. My sister-in-law also calls me Cao." He was not the one who taught someone who was raised by Liu Er to ride horses and shoot arrows."
Fan Sanlang was stunned at first, then he couldn't help but nodded in agreement, and said: "It's been several years in the blink of an eye... How did my sister-in-law learn to ride a horse?"
"How can I learn how to ride a horse? Cao Liuer was too lazy, so he grabbed a big army horse, tied a craftsman to make a big saddle, and took me from my hometown on the Yellow River in Beizhili to Shanxi and Shaanxi. He sat in the back and I sat in the front. "
Sister-in-law Cao said with a smile: "Sometimes when I am defeated, I will be thrown on the horse and run away. I don't know when I will do it."
"General Cao didn't train you as a soldier." Fan Sanlang listened and laughed, and then said: "He is lazy. He will give me military laws and patrol on a mule day and night. Then I can sleep sitting up or standing up. I can also sleep and eat at the same time, patrol while sleeping, and know how to turn the mules around even when I'm asleep."
There was laughter all around, and Sister-in-law Cao said happily: "You were not in a good situation at that time, when the commander was wandering around. I could have taught you as early as when they first came home, in Black Dragon Mountain... What about you two? Did you learn to ride a horse?"
As she said that, she and Fan Sanlang looked at Bai Liuxi and Yun Jiaoyue, and saw that Bai Liuxi was a little embarrassed and said: "Sister-in-law, we have never learned to ride a horse."
Bai Liuxi and Yun Jiaoyue have a very good relationship with Sister-in-law Cao, even closer than with Fan Sanlang.
On the way to the west with the army, Bai Liuxi and Yun Jiaoyue, as the following small leaders, have never been subordinates. Their team is not enough to be merged into the Lion Camp. The Qian Commanders of the Yuzi Camp did not dare to merge, so they kept following. The road was hard.
Both battalions have a complete baggage system. The soldiers do not need to worry about the baggage, and the baggage does not need to worry about defense. However, their teams are different. They rely entirely on the food and grass rewarded by the siege. As a result, they traveled westward and the team grew a few times.
Most of the poor women and children they met along the way joined their team.
However, after entering Xining, their lives became even more difficult. The soldiers organized three training camps, and the Yuzi Battalion, which was slightly lacking in combat power, was also reorganized and joined the Xining Guards. The team was short of food and supplies, but some capable men also followed. Xining Wei discusses his life.
There were a lot of women left who had no other choice. Thanks to Sister-in-law Cao's introduction, many of them joined the weaving bureau.
The team of hundreds of female soldiers suddenly disbanded, and in the end only Bailiu Xi, Yun Jiaoyue and a few others were left... They could only wield swords and guns, but they couldn't weave.
In the end, Sister-in-law Cao arranged for the two of them to live with Madam Cai, which not only provided protection to the old Madam, but also allowed them to chat and relieve their boredom.
Since he did not go south with the army, he and his sister-in-law Cao worked together on various courses of the Qiulin Society every day. The two were both students and teachers of combat weapons.
Sister-in-law Cao and Fan Sanlang both widened their eyes: "Have you never learned?"
Bai Liuxi and Yun Jiaoyue looked at each other, turned around and said with a smile: "My two sisters were born as actors. How could we practice riding on horses? They all relied on riding horses. Later, when we got horses, we could barely ride them." .”
Sister-in-law Cao understood as soon as she heard it. The two of them had gained their waist and leg strength from horse training. Suddenly something came to mind and she secretly laughed.
Bai Liuxi was so confused by her laughter that she asked, "Sister-in-law, why are you laughing?"
"I'm laughing at you." Sister-in-law Cao pointed to the three of them and said, "The old lady likes you, and so does the commander. When will the wedding be held? From now on, we will be three sisters, and we should be as close as now."
Bailiuxi Yunjiaoyue was so embarrassed that she screamed. The calmest one was Fan Sanlang who was in the army. She was not so confident in the past. After the southern expedition, she was used to the roar of guns and artillery, the separation of life and death, and the compassion for all sentient beings. , it is already difficult to be influenced by emotions.
Not only was she not shy, she even said with a smile: "The handsome man used to be so busy that he never touched the ground, but now he finally has a place to live, and we can get close. I didn't think about it in the past, but in the future there will be more sisters... Sister-in-law, if General Cao brings back the girl from the south, what do you think?"
"Oh, I can't ask for more."
The joy on Sister-in-law Cao's face suddenly dimmed, she shook her head and said: "We are both helpless. My parents have been gone for a long time. We don't know whether his parents in Henan are still alive."
These words make the three women feel very sad. They are all helpless people. Who wouldn’t feel lonely in these troubled times?
Seeing that everyone was depressed, Sister-in-law Cao changed the topic again and chuckled: "He wants to find a few beautiful and well-behaved sisters like you to come back and chat with me to relieve my boredom. It will be a good thing for the whole family to be harmonious... Of course, if he dares to find a few ugly and ignorant people to come back, then I can’t do that.”
Sister-in-law Cao said, raised her hand and laughed at the three of them: "You can just wait at home and see how I cry and beg the commander for justice!"
Several people were laughing from ear to ear. They had just finished eating when they saw a cavalry galloping from the direction of Xincheng. Sister-in-law Cao stood up with her bow in hand. She saw the cavalry stopped in the distance and said loudly: "Mrs. Cao, Marshal." Recall the Fan Guan team and the two leaders Bai and Yun back to the city."
When Fan Sanlang heard this, he stood up, quickly arranged the equipment on the horse's back, and then he realized what was happening after he took the horse. He smiled, clasped his fists and saluted Sister-in-law Cao, "Sister-in-law, the commander-in-chief has something to do, so we'll go back first."
Having said that, she did not forget to gently urge Bailiuxi Yunjiaoyue who had just stood up: "Hurry!"
Sister-in-law Cao said goodbye to the three of them with a smile. She watched the three cavalry running towards the new city following the messenger. She still stood there and raised her face slightly, thinking about Fan Sanlang's instinctive reaction when he heard the messenger just now.
He looked more professional than when Cao Yao was a border soldier in charge of the team.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but smile. She was raised the same way, Cao Yao raised her mother-in-law, Liu Chengzong raised Fan Sanlang as an officer, and it was obvious that Fan Sanlang would teach Bai Liuxi and Yun Jiaoyue these habits.
In the future, what will happen if the marshal's government governs the country by law?
When Fan Sanlang and others rode back to the city, they saw soldiers all over the countryside bringing young children into the city. He said to the two of them, "The commander told us to go back. The children's camp must have been repaired."
Walking into the city, it was indeed the case.
The Children's Camp is a camp in the northwest corner of the new city. It has a camp fence outside and a neighborhood academy inside. In winter, it is difficult to carry out large-scale construction other than cultivating fields. Therefore, only the academy and a porridge house are built, and the houses are all made of felt tents.
This is a camp specially built by Liu Chengzong for orphans. When he saw the three girls coming together from a distance, Liu Chengzong stepped forward with a smile on his face and said: "From now on, the displaced orphans no longer have to compete with adults for food from the porridge factory. They don’t have to work and beg, they can study and practice martial arts here and have a family.”
At this moment, guard Tianbao stepped forward and said: "Commander, all the children have received their badges. There are 1,349 people in total. The 300 felt tents prepared are enough to accommodate them, but they are still very empty."
Liu Chengzong smiled and said: "That's almost enough. Five people can live in one felt tent, divided according to age, right?"
"Well, two boys and girls over ten years old and three girls over five years old are divided into tents. If it becomes more crowded in the future, they can still live in it." Tianbao compared it with the book and said: "The food consumption for a year is about Between four thousand and six thousand stones.”
Liu Chengzong nodded with satisfaction. As a child is at this age when he can eat, it is difficult to give a definite number on how much food to use.
He was very generous to the children, even more generous than the cost of the craft system that was left to Shicheng and me to carry out. He nodded directly and said: "Okay, let's do this."
After saying that, Liu Chengzong turned to the three of them and said, "Sanlang, you will take care of this children's camp from now on. You two will help Sanlang, take good care of these children, and teach them how to read and practice martial arts every day."
Fan Sanlang was in trouble: "Commander, the most we can do is help children enlighten themselves, but there is nothing more we can teach them."
"Enlightenment is enough. After enlightenment, let them go to academies in the city to study. There will be teachers there to teach them better things." Liu Chengzong said with a smile: "The oldest child now is only fifteen, and there is no need for nutrition." When they turn eighteen, the imperial examination will be held at the Marshal's Mansion in the spring, and there will definitely be a place for them to use their skills."
Fan Sanlang glanced at Bai Liuxi and Yun Jiaoyue, nodded and said, "I obey."
Standing at the entrance of the children's camp, Liu Chengzong looked at the children running in and out of each felt tent to carry bedding, and took a deep breath and nodded heavily.
The adults outside the city are now organized into one hundred and eighty teams, with 720 soldiers from Wang Wenxiu and Yang Yao serving as team managers, assistants, and scribes. They divide the land respectively, and the Marshal's Mansion provides farm tools and livestock. Vehicles, land reclamation, and labor work.
The management team is responsible for assigning labor tasks to each person. He receives a porridge license based on the amount of work done every day. When he goes to the porridge factory to eat with the license, he can basically eat enough.
There were more than a hundred other deformed households who were unable to work due to disabilities, aging, illness, injuries, etc. Liu Chengzong did not leave them alone to die.
Doctors and craftsmen were sent to treat patients, and they were also given wooden tokens, so they could go to the porridge factory to get porridge to drink, but this was life-extending porridge, so they were not full.
In addition to the more busy work, Liu Chengzong, who is short of food and grass, cannot help. Whether they can survive until the spring of next year depends on their luck.
Before the establishment of the children's camp, these orphans could only drink life-saving porridge outside, but it is different now.
Seeing that he was so satisfied, Fan Sanlang couldn't help but smile, but when he heard him sigh again, he asked, "Is the commander worried about food rations?"
"Ration is only second." Liu Chengzong nodded: "You can save it in other places, but I can always get through it. These children can't save it. In ten years, this generation will be the main force in the army."
After saying that, Liu Chengzong smiled casually, shook his head and said: "As for what I am worried about, it is actually the land division. The children's camp will be left to you. I have to go back and think about it."
Finding food is difficult, but the problem facing the land allocation is actually more difficult than finding food, because there is an ultimate solution to find food, which is to break the pot, but there is no such thing as the land allocation.
Firstly, there are not that many people, secondly, there is not that much land, and thirdly, there is not that much food.
There are not that many people, and there are not that many people who know how to farm. Even among the Han people, not every farmer knows how to farm, not to mention that the main population of refugees this time is Mongolian.
There is not that much land, that is, there is not that much mature land. There is a lot of raw land that has just been reclaimed by the Marshal's Mansion. If you sprinkle a few kilograms of seeds on an acre of land, you can harvest a field of straw in the autumn.
The biggest difficulty in allocating land is that there is not so much food. The land cannot be planted in winter, and there are no seeds in spring. Sowing and other harvests will not be done until autumn, but the refugees do not even have enough food rations to survive the winter.
In other words, even if Liu Chengzong gave cattle, seeds, and land in the spring, he would not have to wait until autumn. As long as the cattle were eaten up, everyone would become refugees again.
He has to feed everyone until at least next fall.
Liu Chengzong thought as he walked and entered the Marshal's Mansion. It was not until he entered the house that he realized that the guards had not stopped.
He frowned and threaded his hand through the tail rope to hold the handle of the knife. He took a big step forward naturally and then turned around, only to find that Fan Sanlang and Bai Liuxi Yun Jiaoyue followed him into the house: "Hey you... "
The three of them walked into the Babu bed without saying a word. Bai Liuxi spread the bed and Yun Jiaoyue arranged the pillows. Fan Sanlang untied the curtain cord beside the bed and looked at him, and then the curtain beside the bed slowly fell.
The door behind him has been closed by himself very sensibly, and Tianbao's footsteps are getting farther and farther in the corridor.
Liu Shizi looked down at the hand holding the knife, slowly released the handle, and walked into the curtain.
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