I returned to my hometown with great longing. But suddenly I discovered that my hometown was no longer what I imagined.
Moreover, the feeling of my hometown has changed from being familiar to being a little unaccustomed to it, and I have the idea of escaping here.
Zhang Xiaobao was like this. After staying in Xiabaima Village for three nights, he felt it was boring and ran back to Liangzhou City.
It's not because of anything else, it's because Xiabaima Village has lost its former liveliness.
Those companions who were with him in the past have either already had their own futures, or their bones have been buried behind the village.
The former cannot be seen for the time being, so I miss him more. The latter can never be seen again, and I am sad.
The remaining Juntian households were not that outstanding back then, otherwise they would have definitely left with the saint. Zhang Xiaobao and them always had trouble talking to each other.
Although the lives of the average land households can be said to be prosperous, they are always a little less popular.
Moreover, with the lack of labor force, Zhang Xiaobao can clearly feel that the land's attractiveness to the people around him is declining.
These days, a new generation of heroes and athletes from various villages came to see Zhang Xiaobao on their tall horses.
They all invariably ignored Zhang Xiaobao's lameness and instead thought it was the badge of a good man.
What they were interested in was how Zhang Xiaobao killed the Khitan people with corpses everywhere and beat the Southern Tang army to the point where they cried for their fathers and mothers.
What they expected was to follow the saints as soldiers and fight, but they seemed to no longer like the land very much, preferring gold, silver, brocade, silk, and satin.
I don't even care about farming.
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Zhang Xiaobao, who had just returned to Liangzhou, was soon approached again.
It turned out that Yin Peiyuan, the deputy left behind in Xijing, sent someone to ask Zhang Xiaobao to come over for a while.
Zhang Xiaobao was a little confused, because in the past, Pei Yuan could be an important member of Hexi Longyou's inner circle.
But in fact, because Pei Yuan had been guarding Shuofang Lingzhou for a long time and his relationship with the army was not very close, he took the path of a local official.
Therefore, Zhang Xiaobao's impression of him was a bit vague. He was just an acquaintance, far from being close to him. He didn't know what happened to this powerful Hedong County Duke?
However, since it was Pei Yuan who summoned him, Zhang Xiaobao did not dare to neglect. He immediately finished grooming and rushed to the Chengtian Mansion Office following the officials from Chengtian Mansion who came to pass the news.
Pei Yuan still looks the same. Although he is not old, he always gives people a very majestic feeling.
He didn't wait for Zhang Xiaobao to see him, but he pulled him to sit down affectionately. He wasn't talking about business, but he smiled and asked Zhang Xiaobao, what did he think of what happened at the banquet?
This immediately embarrassed Zhang Xiaobao, because he never thought that after returning to his hometown, he would be asked to compose a poem at a banquet. I can only complain with a wry smile that I am ignorant and incompetent.
Unexpectedly, Pei Yuan also shook his head, smiled bitterly and said, "Erlang, this is still good. If you can't do it, they won't force you.
But a certain family was miserable. They had been in Liangzhou for a long time, and they were forced to write poems whenever there was a banquet.
And it’s all these messy limericks. I wonder how Fan Zhi, Xue Juzheng and others will laugh at me after they are spread back to the Central Plains? "
When Zhang Xiaobao heard this, he could only laugh stiffly a few times, because he could tell there was something in Pei Yuan's words.
Pei Yuan and Zhang Xiaobao didn't answer, nor were they angry. They just smiled and said to themselves.
"Liangzhou is originally the land of Longxing, but our starting point is low, and the household registration in Lianglan is not very abundant.
The emperor took away a total of 50,000 troops before and after entering Guanzhong, and it seems that he will continue to recruit them.
And these 50,000 troops, including the family records, are at least 200,000 to 300,000 people, and 30% to 40% of the ten households are gone! Are there any people still cultivating the land in your home? "
Speaking of this question, Zhang Xiaobao could only nod, and then shook his head.
Because he also discovered that something was indeed not right. Juntian, who was regarded as life by everyone in the past, was now somewhat tasteless and a pity to abandon.
Xiabaima Village, what a wonderful land, a lot of it is close to being abandoned.
The farmers who went to the Central Plains received great benefits and no longer looked down on the harvest.
Those who have not yet gone to the Central Plains are still practicing archery, riding, and marksmanship all the time, waiting for the call of the saint, and they seem to have no intention of farming.
After Zhang Xiaobao said these words, Pei Yuan's eyes flashed with light, because he saw that Zhang Xiaobao was not a simple martial artist.
So he made a helpless look and continued: "This is the current situation in Liangzhou. We are almost at Dingkou of Longxing Land. In addition, the land is located at the heart of the trade route and has a prosperous economy.
Most of those who stay in the city are from the older generation. They have money and leisure, so they just mess around.
Why do they want to compose poetry? Instead, they should express their noble Han identity by composing poems and wearing Taoist robes and net scarves. "
Zhang Xiaobao could only look at Pei Yuan helplessly, "Why are Mr. Pei talking to a pawn like this? These things are not something that I can consider."
Pei Yuan shook his head and led him outside the office.
The two were walking and talking, and Pei Yuan asked, "Did you know? Duke Huaiqing was not such a person originally.
When they were in Dunhuang, Cao Yuanshen and others were so resentful that Duke Huaiqing was extremely opposed to it, and he almost got into a fight with Cao Yuanshen several times.
But since His Majesty asked Duke Huaiqing to stay in Xijing, he began to indulge himself.
Drinking and feasting every day, playing and singing every night. Not only were the children and grandchildren not allowed to ride horses and shoot arrows, but they were also allowed to build wine ponds and meat forests.
This is not their wish, but they are a little too careful.
A saint has no brothers, and his parents and children have not yet grown up. Duke Huaiqing sat in the left-behind position in Xijing. He was afraid that people would say that he had second thoughts, so he chose to use this to taint himself.
However, if the saints rule the world and have a golden harvest, they will be willing to live behind closed doors. Duke Huaiqing's choice would be a safe one.
However, His Majesty's ambition is quite similar to that of Emperor Taizong Wen of the past, who wanted to expand the territory thousands of miles away and encompass the whole world.
If this is the case, the trend of extravagance and enjoyment brought about by Duke Huaiqing will not be a blessing to Liangzhou. "
Zhang Xiaobao kind of picked up on it. Pei Yuan worked tirelessly to analyze the current situation in Liangzhou for him, including Zhang Huaiqing's thoughts.
Whether it's someone taking the lead in enjoying themselves, or the good military land originally reserved for the Hexi soldiers has lost its original value, etc.
It seems like he is telling himself, but in fact he is definitely not.
Could it be?
Does Pei Yuan, the deputy left behind in Xijing, want to play the role of a sounding board?
It's impossible to say that Pei Yuan didn't show up at the banquet that day. The old man of the Yin family wanted to compose his own poem. It was Pei Yuan's intention.
At this time, Pei Yuan asked Zhang Xiaobao again: "I heard that your brother is already the Marquis of Yu, the military commander of the imperial palace, and that Wang Jiulang of the Wang family has also entered the Hanlin Academy as a bachelor?"
Zhang Xiaobao understood that his guess was correct.
Although Pei Yuan holds great power, he joined Zhang Zhao's camp earlier.
But in fact, in Zhang Zhao's development over the years, Pei Yuan has been sent to guard one side, but he is not very close to Zhang Zhao.
However, his brother Zhang Cheng and his hometown friend Wang Jiulang and others were always by the emperor's side.
Although his official position is not high, he has great power and can meet with saints all the time. This is an advantage that Pei Yuan does not have.
Moreover, Zhang Xiaobao thought about it and realized that what Pei Yuan said were all the problems Liangzhou was facing now.
However, after thinking about it, he still raised his hand to Pei Yuan and said.
"I will tell all what Pei Gong said to my elder brother and the ninth brother of the Wang family. As for whether they will tell the saint or what considerations they have, it is beyond my control.
Pei Yuan also laughed after hearing this, "Erlang is a soldier and speaks directly and straightforwardly, so he doesn't hide it anymore.
Duke Huaiqing was a man of great wisdom. In the past, he was raised by Emperor Huai, the Yingzu, and their relationship was extremely close.
After the disaster of Emperor Huai's family, Duke Huaiqing was not implicated. When King Linggong took control of the situation, Duke Huaiqing went one step further and became the most powerful member of the Zhang family. This is not something ordinary people can do.
However, precisely because of this, Duke Huaiqing was too delicate, thought too much, and was too naughty.
Liangzhou concerns the North Court of Anxi and Persia in the river. If things continue like this and fall into extravagance and only seek peace and happiness, it will definitely be detrimental to your majesty's future grand plans.
Unfortunately, a certain person is the deputy left behind in Xijing. If a certain family submits a letter, I am afraid that some interested people will suspect that I, Pei Yuan, am greedy for power, and may even have ulterior motives.
But in fact, Erlang has also seen the situation in Liangzhou, and it has reached the point where there is no need to delay.
Asking Erlang to help convey a message was indeed a last resort. "
Zhang Xiaobao nodded silently. Liangzhou was his hometown. Although he was not used to it, he was still willing to help.
He couldn't do anything else, but there was no problem in telling the things he saw in detail.
As for what choices will His Majesty's brother and Wang Jiulang make? That's their business.
After sighing silently in his heart, he also knew that his journey back to his hometown was almost over.
After the family leaves this place. Liangzhou is no longer the hometown that haunts us.
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Zhang Zhao, who was in Kaifeng Mansion, Tokyo, had not yet thought that the situation in Liangzhou was already serious, but he also understood that the decline of Guanzhong and even Liangzhou was inevitable.
Because the Guanzhong water transport dredging and evaluation, which lasted for one and a half years, finally came to fruition.
A huge problem faced Zhang Zhao, that is, the water volume of the Wei River had dropped by at least one-third compared to the height of the Tang Dynasty.
This has led to a serious consequence, which is that the canals and canals from the Wei River to the Yellow River have made it difficult for large ships of more than dozens of tons to travel.
This means that it is increasingly difficult for grain from and passing through the Central Plains to reach Guanzhong through the canal.
At the same time, since the Han River was rerouted in ancient times, food from Shuzhong cannot be easily transported to Guanzhong.
The same goes for grain in Hexi. During the prosperous Tang Dynasty, grain in Hexi was transported to Lingzhou and even the Hetao area through the Yellow River.
To transport it to Guanzhong, both land and water routes are extremely troublesome. If you start with ten stones, you will still have at most one or two stones when you arrive in Guanzhong.
It can be said that changes in water transportation conditions completely killed Guanzhong's chance of becoming the capital of the emperor.
Although Zhang Zhao had already decided to place the capital in Luoyang, which is connected in all directions.
However, the decline of Guanzhong will seriously weaken the court's control over Hexi.
After all, it is thousands of miles away from Luoyang to Liangzhou Chengtian Mansion.
Whether you patrol by yourself or send people to guard it, there are many shortcomings.
This is God's will! The northwest has moved from a semi-humid area to a semi-arid area, and its decline is inevitable.
The rise of the Jiangnan, Two Lakes and Maritime Silk Roads has become inevitable.
However, the work of dredging the Weishui River and the Cao Canal must continue.
Decline is a slow process. Since I am determined to continue to use troops in Hezhong, Persia and other places, I must try to delay the decline of Guanzhong and Hexi.
After arranging the Cao Canal affairs, Zhang Zhao summoned Zhang Liecheng into the palace again. The last matter concerning Li Xiaofeng's uncle, Li Dalang, the Chengxin Lang of Zhangwu Town, had barely come to an end.
Zhang Liecheng brought Li Dalang to meet Zhang Zhao secretly this time.
In Zhang Zhao's impression, the person who could rise from an auxiliary soldier to Cheng Xinlang was probably similar to Dundup and Man Xiong.
But when he saw Li Dalang, he couldn't help showing his surprise.
Because the Cheng Xinlang in front of him gave people a weathered temperament, but he was actually quite handsome.
He is not particularly strong, but has long arms and legs. At first glance, he looks like a nimble athlete who is good at running and archery.
Before meeting him, Zhang Liecheng also explained some of Li Dalang's situation to Zhang Zhao.
Jinyiwei investigated and learned that although Li Dalang resented his mother, in fact, this resentment was also mixed with some small inferiority complex.
Because his mother was a noble lady and his father was just a farmer in the fields.
Li Dalang probably felt that his mother left without saying goodbye because the marriage to his father made his mother, who came from a famous family, feel a little embarrassed.
So on the one hand, Li Dalang is very eager to find his mother and taste the maternal love that he has lost for almost thirty years.
Come and try it quickly. 】
On the other hand, he was very inferior to his own origin, especially after he learned that his half-brother was actually a descendant of Li Shen, the prime minister of the Wuzong Dynasty of the Tang Dynasty.
In response to this situation, Jin Yiwei's suggestion was to let Zhang Zhao give a posthumous gift to Li Dalang's father to make up for the shortcomings in his heart.
Zhang Zhao adopted this suggestion, which was actually what he thought, and he thought more comprehensively.
Li Dalang seemed very frightened when he entered and exited the palace for the first time. Almost everyone he saw seemed to want to bow down to each other.
When he was brought to the Hall of Wende and saw Zhang Zhao, Li Dalang even knelt down with a plop and never dared to look up again.
Faintly, there was also a slight cry of gratitude or fear. I don't know whether it was gratitude or fear.
At this time, the side of Zhang Zhao who was born in the market was well displayed. He came over without any pretense and patted Li Dalang on the shoulder.
"I heard that you fought alone against a dozen people from the Southern Tang Dynasty in the battle formation, and even killed Cheng Silang, the Marquis of Yu, the capital of the Longwu Army of the Southern Tang Dynasty.
If you are not afraid of life and death, why are you trembling now? Get up quickly! "
Li Dalang shivered again when he was photographed by Zhang Zhao, but he still managed to stand up and said to Zhang Zhao.
"I am not afraid but happy. I didn't expect to see the saint again ten years later."
Huh! Zhang Zhao looked at Li Dalang carefully and couldn't remember seeing him again.
Li Dalang was already talking to himself, "Ten years ago, the saint led the Hexi Heavenly Soldiers into the Guanzhong Plain and rescued hundreds of farmers in Wugong County who were about to be killed by the rebel army..."
When Li Dalang said this, Zhang Zhao suddenly had a look of realization on his face. He pointed at Li Dalang with a bit of surprise and surprise in his tone, "You are that... that..."
In fact, Zhang Zhao didn't think of anything, but Li Dalang thought that the emperor had already remembered it, and he trembled and burst into tears.
"I am the first civilian that the saint pulled out from the death pit of the Jingnan Army.
The minister was naked at the time, so the saint immediately took off his fur coat and put it on me. Later, he also gave me clothes and food. When he returned home, he also rewarded me with three buckets of rice and told him to go home and farm well. "
When he said this, Zhang Zhao really remembered that after breaking the rebels entrenched in Wugong County, he saved thousands of people who the rebels were preparing to bury alive.
And he Mohu remembered that he did give his fur coat to a naked and trembling commoner.
Over there, Li Dalang was already crying, "Without a saint, my bones would have been buried in a pit of death in Wucheng County. How can I go home to see my wife and children again, and I can't eat more rice for the past ten years."
My life was given by saints, and saints are my reborn parents! "
Zhang Zhao saw Li Dalang crying with gratitude, and felt a lot of emotion himself.
He thought of many ways to keep this key figure in Shu loyal.
But I didn't expect that when I first entered Guanzhong to quell the chaos, those seemingly benevolent actions of a woman had already sown the good results today.
"Okay! Okay! Don't cry. Since we are old friends and it's almost noon, just stay and have a light meal with me. Cheng'er went to ask the Shangshi Bureau to prepare some more Guanzhong dishes. You can stay too. Have two drinks.”
Zhang Liecheng was not surprised and immediately accepted the order. Li Dalang was grateful and wanted to kneel down again, but Zhang Zhao held him back.
I, Zhang Shengren, have always understood that eating is the best way to build relationships among Chinese people.
After Li Dalang calmed down a bit, Zhang Zhao asked about the situation at home and the living conditions of the villagers, and helped Li Dalang recall how the lives of Guanzhong people had changed since he had Zhang Shengren.
Of course, Li Dalang was extremely grateful and repeatedly expressed that all the villagers believed that their lives were saved by Zhang Zhao.
While Zhang Zhao nodded with satisfaction, he felt that the people's gratitude was quite easy to earn.
But what he didn't know was that without Zhang Zhao, there would indeed be no roosters crowing in Guanzhong and no bones exposed in the wild in the near future.
Because historically, just next year, a large-scale warlord melee broke out in Guanzhong, led by Li Shouzhen and participated by Wang Jingchong, Zhao Siwan, and Meng Shu.
When Guo Wei put down the rebellion, 250,000 corpses were pulled out of Chang'an City alone.
The entire Guanzhong is conservatively estimated to have lost more than half of its population, which is more than 700,000 people. This was the last straw that broke the camel's back in Guanzhong.
Soon the food and wine were served. Li Dalang was extremely flattered and sat on the lower right side of the emperor, enjoying the exquisite royal meal.
In fact, there was nothing good, just a bowl of mutton soup cakes per person, two white flour steamed buns, a stack of chicken fried with chives, a barbecued leg of lamb, a plate of cheese lamb chops, and a jug of wine.
Zhang Liecheng replaced Zhang Zhao and frequently invited Li Dalang to drink. It was not until he was full of wine and food that Zhang Zhao asked, "How is the life of the people in Huainan, where Lang Guan visited the Southern Tang Dynasty?"
Li Dalang shook his head, "The imperial court of the Southern Tang Dynasty imposed excessive taxes and levies, and the officials and powerful people were selling fish and meat. Farmers with more than ten acres of land had trouble even having enough to eat. Although it was better than in Guanzhong during the Jin Dynasty in the past, it is not as abundant as in Guanzhong today."
"Alas!" Zhang Shengren's acting skills were so good that he looked into the air at an angle of 45 degrees, tears seemed to be shining in the corners of his eyes, and he tapped the table with the leg of lamb in his hand.
"In the past, my lord lost the country, and I was sent away by the Cao family. My father died and my mother was not allowed to see each other. So I traveled to various places and saw how difficult the people's lives in the world were. Therefore, I recalled the aspirations of my ancestors to pacify the world so that all people would no longer suffer from hunger.
Unexpectedly, this year is already thirty-four, and the people of Southern Tang, Meng, Shu, Hedong, and Youyun are still unable to be saved. Why can't heaven have mercy on ordinary people? "
These words made Li Dalang burst into tears, because Li Dalang's father died and his mother and son were not allowed to meet each other!
At this moment, Li Dalang found the common ground between him and the saint, and felt the same for a moment.
Secondly, his father was captured by the Hou Liang court, and his body was completely gone. Li Dalang had more intuitive feelings about the anger and fear of harsh rule and tyranny.
And Zhang Zhao actually did good things for the people, which he saw with his own eyes.
"The saint cares about the world, and he will surely realize his long-cherished wish sooner or later. Although I am stupid, I am willing to follow the saint's arrangements and go to Shu to contribute my small amount to the unification of the world."
Zhang Zhao slowly shook his head, "I understand your loyalty, but this matter is extremely risky. I cannot send a warrior who has fought hundreds of battles for the country into the tiger's mouth."
Li Dalang kowtowed to the ground and said firmly: "I have made up my mind to repay Your Majesty's kindness even if I die!"
Zhang Zhao stopped pretending at this time. He put down the leg of lamb, wiped his hands, and helped Li Dalang up.
"What I want is not that you die, but that you help me save the people of Shu and unify the world. Do you know the hardships here?"
Li Dalang nodded heavily, "I know and am willing to go to Shuzhong."
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