Wu Zheng wiped the sweat from his head. He had been in Nanyang for several months and was still a little uncomfortable with the climate here.
Northern Shaanxi, where he was previously, has four distinct seasons.
There is only one season here in Nanyang. Every day is unbearably hot. If it is slightly cooler, it will rain heavily.
Wu Zheng looked at the Hexi Village that had taken shape, and he looked proud.
This is a village that he built little by little while leading the villagers.
In the woodland next to the river, the trees were cut down one by one.
Dig ditches to isolate the fields from the mountains and forests, when the wind direction is suitable.
A fire ignited all the weeds and leaves that had been accumulated in the forest.
The weeds and leaves on the ground were burned away, and what was left was a large piece of fertile land.
After the fire burns out, plant ash is a good fertilizer.
A raging fire can also burn away pests and weed seeds on the land.
Pests and weeds will not affect the harvest of food in the fields.
Thatched houses were built one after another in the village, and each family was assigned a thatched house.
Carpenter Zhang is very skilled. He did not show all his skills in the immigrant camp.
Building his own house shows his superb craftsmanship.
The thatched house looks simple, and there are many tips to build it.
The thatched house built under Carpenter Zhang's guidance did not use a single nail and relied entirely on mortise and tenon structure, but it was able to withstand violent storms.
The thatched houses are also very capable of sheltering from rain. There has been heavy rain in the village for more than a month, but there is no leakage in the thatched houses.
Everyone worked hard to build a new home, which made all the villagers become one.
The composition of the villagers in Hexi Village is very mixed. Most of them are people who were affected by the disaster and accepted immigrants from the imperial court.
There are also some prisoners who were sentenced to exile by the government.
Normal immigrants, when they see the deported prisoners, are a little afraid of them at first and dare not approach these people.
There are also former Korean immigrants who occupy the third floor and are incompatible with them. They were forcibly immigrated to Nanyang by Jinghai Mansion.
In the past, many Han people called them Korean Bangzi. The relationship between the two parties was very bad, and there were even fights in the immigrant camps.
As people work hard to build Hexi Village, more than a dozen new couples have become special.
The barrier between the two parties gradually dissipated.
In this strange realm, they are all from Hexi Village.
Wu Zheng was worried at the beginning. He was afraid that the two parties would be like fire and water.
The turning point for both parties was that the indigenous tribes actually rushed out of the forest with bows, arrows and swords.
This allowed the two parties to quickly bridge their differences and unite under the stimulation of a common enemy.
Several gunshots rang out throughout Hexi Village.
When Wu Zheng heard the gunfire, he trembled all over.
Thinking again of that night a few months ago.
More than 20 young indigenous people went directly to the village.
If Lu Guangming hadn't been vigilant and arranged militia sentries, these natives would have been scared away.
Their whole village is completely ruined.
Wu Zheng's daughter Wu Wen'er heard the gunfire.
She said happily: "Wild boars, big wild boars, eat meat."
At a young age, she only remembered that gunshots were related to meat.
Wu Zheng rushed out immediately and quickly arrived at the south end of the village.
He then saw Lu Guangming leading the militia team, tying up three young and shirtless natives with colorful faces and hemp ropes.
The young and strong natives are much shorter than them and look lean and lean.
That night, the natives were scared away by the gunfire. Wu Zheng had never seen what a real native looked like.
Now he really saw the local indigenous people in Nanyang.
When Wu Zheng saw the appearance of the natives, he immediately showed contempt.
No wonder Lord Wang Qiyun calls these natives monkeys.
Their body shape really looks like a giant monkey.
Lu Guangming looked at the tied aborigine. He bared his teeth and screamed at Wu Zheng, which scared Wu Zheng so much that he almost fell down.
He raised the butt of his gun and hit the native hard on the back of the head, knocking him unconscious.
"Village chief, none of us understand these indigenous languages, so we can't understand what he said at all.
It is too dangerous to raise them in a village.
Once the rope is opened, except for the militiamen, there is no match for these young and strong natives in the village.
Raising them for nothing is a waste of food.
The village chief thinks, what should we do? "
Wu Zheng stood up straight and listened to Lu Guangming's words.
Lu Guangming's words had the same meaning, he wanted to execute these three young indigenous men.
Lu Guangming is a prisoner exiled in Nanyang, and he is not suitable to make this decision.
Wu Zheng was the village chief appointed by the county magistrate. Now the government system in Nanyang is imperfect and there is no Dali Temple nearby to sentence criminals. The decision can be made by the village chief.
What's more, the "Law of Dahua" governs the people of Dahua, and the indigenous people are not considered people of Dahua at all, and they are not under the protection of the law.
Wu Zheng looked at the bow and arrow and long knife in Tu's hand.
What they held was not bone arrows and stone knives. The indigenous people in the Nanyang region still had a certain level of civilization.
He always felt like he couldn't give the order to kill someone.
Maybe in the future, after experiencing training, he can issue such iron-blooded orders.
But now he has only been promoted from a disaster victim to the village chief, and he does not yet have the ability to ignore life.
Wu Zheng said: "Lock them up first, and I will send people by boat to ask for instructions from Lord Wang Qiyun."
Wu Zheng chose the most conservative method.
Everything is decided by the higher ups and he will not bear any responsibility.
Carpenter Zhang ran towards them quickly, shouting: "Cows, cows, so many cows."
Wu Zheng looked at Carpenter Zhang and said with a puzzled look on his face: "Old Zhang, you married a Korean daughter-in-law, why can't you say something bad?
Cows, where did our Hexi Village cows come from?
Not to mention an ox, there wasn't even a mule. "
Carpenter Zhang gasped quickly, and after smoothing himself out, he said: "Master Wang Qiyun sent us a lot of cows.
Mr. Wang is now at the dock by the river. I will inform the village and go to the dock to pick up the cattle. "
When Wu Zheng heard the news, he immediately notified the villagers who were good at raising cattle and went to the dock to pick up the cattle.
Master Wang Qiyun sent them cattle, which solved the most urgent need in the village.
The village is now worrying whether to plant paddy fields or dry fields.
The dry land is ready to grow some corn and spices.
The paddy field was used to grow rice.
Wu Zheng learned at the immigration camp that rice here in Nanyang can be harvested three times a year.
There are three crops of rice a year, and as long as we guard a few acres of farmland in the village, no one will starve to death again.
As farmers who suffer from hunger all year round, most people in the village choose to grow rice.
Dry fields can be plowed by humans, but the efficiency is slower.
If you want to use people to plow the paddy fields, planting the fields once a year will tire people to death. If you plant the fields three times a year, even two lives will not be enough.
Now that Mr. Wang Qiyun has sent cattle for farming, this problem can be solved.
Wu Zheng led the villagers to the dock. He saw fifty young buffaloes beside the dock.
He asked the villagers to control the buffalo and lead it to the village.
These buffaloes have rings on their noses, and the villagers are all old farmers who are good at handling cattle.
They held the bull ring and the buffalo followed the villagers to the village.
The buffalo herd was moved away, and Wu Zheng saw Lord Wang Qiyun standing on the deck.
There was also a mooing sound coming from this big ship, and there were many buffaloes on board.
Wu Zheng stood under the boat, bowed and said: "Thank you, Mr. Wang, for sending the buffalo to our Hexi Village."
Wang Qiyun said with a smile: "This is what I should do. How can we cultivate the land without cattle? It is too inefficient to open up wasteland and use people to cultivate the land.
These cattle were distributed to various villages by the Nanyang Governor-General and were the property of the government.
The county censor goes to various villages every year to check the number of buffaloes.
If a buffalo is injured or killed, detailed records must be kept and reported to the county in a timely manner. "
Wu Zheng bowed and said: "Master Wang, in your humble position, you must take good care of the buffaloes.
In rural areas, cattle have a very high status and no one is allowed to harm them.
I will take care of these cows as my relatives. "
Wang Qiyun was very satisfied when he heard what Wu Zheng said.
The Great China Dynasty conquered Mongolia and no longer lacked cattle.
The status of cattle is lower than that of Ming Dynasty.
At least legally, you don't have to go to jail for killing a cow, you just have to pay a fine.
But in rural areas, the status of cattle has not been reduced at all.
Wang Qiyun heard that in developed areas such as Gyeonggi Province, something called a steam tractor was replacing the status of cattle.
But in Nanyang, the status of cattle cannot be replaced.
Wang Qiyun waved his hand and said: "I also want to send cattle to other villages.
I hope I can see the fragrance of rice all over the village next time I come back. "
When Wu Zheng saw that Mr. Wang Qiyun was leaving, he immediately reported: "Sir Wang, wait a moment, we have captured three young indigenous people in our village.
What should we do with these young indigenous people? "
When Wang Qiyun heard the news, he said happily: "There are capable people in your village who have done a very good job.
These indigenous people in the Nanyang area have gathered together from time to time to wipe out the villages we have opened up wasteland.
In the entire Nanyang region, more than thirty villages have been wiped out by the indigenous people.
Governor Wu Hongyi was furious and issued the latest order.
Regardless of whether they were men, women, old or young, the native captives were worth ten taels of silver coins, and the heads of young and strong natives were worth three taels of silver coins. "
Wu Zheng opened his mouth wide, he was so surprised that he couldn't speak.
He used to grow wheat for a year in a village in northern Shaanxi, but he could not save three taels of silver coins.
A young and strong native head is worth three taels of silver coins.
He reacted quickly and immediately saluted: "Master Wang, please wait a moment. I will go back to the village and ask them to send the natives here."
Wang Qiyun said with a smile: "Village Chief Wu, go back quickly. As long as you send the indigenous heads and prisoners to the boat, I will give you the reward immediately."
Wang Qiyun is very happy. Now the indigenous heads and prisoners have become the political achievements of the county magistrates.
The heads of indigenous people can intimidate other indigenous tribes and mobilize the enthusiasm of militiamen.
The indigenous captives are also of great use. Children can be trained so that they can manage other indigenous tribes when they grow up.
Women can carry on the family line, and young and middle-aged natives are even more scarce.
The obedient natives reclaimed some wasteland in the Nanyang region, built bridges and mined.
The disobedient natives were castrated with a knife and sent to the mainland to mine and build roads.
Wu Zheng quickly returned to the village. After he saw Lu Guangming, he kept chanting: "We are rich, we are rich."
Lu Guangming looked at Wu Zheng and said in confusion: "Village Chief Wu is so brave that he dares to sell off the cattle issued by the Nanyang Governor's Palace."
Wu Zheng looked stunned and said angrily: "Whoever dares to sell farm cattle, I will fight him to the death."
He then realized that Lu Guangming had some misunderstandings, and he explained to Lu Guangming in detail the value of these young and strong indigenous people.
After Lu Guangming finished listening, his eyes shone when he looked at the young indigenous man tied up next to him.
“These young and strong natives are actually worth so much money.
Make a lot of money, we make a lot of money.
Two indigenous prisoners can earn us a working ox.
I also killed four young natives, which were also twelve taels of silver coins. The heads of the young natives must be taken back. "
They took the indigenous heads, pressed down the indigenous prisoners, and went to Lord Wang Qiyun to receive the reward.
Lu Guangming looked at the silver coins in his hand and said excitedly: "This can really be exchanged for rewards. Nanyang is simply my blessed land."
He returned to the village and gave part of the reward money to the militiamen.
All the militiamen in Hexi Village howled and their eyes shone.
The indigenous people in their hearts are like walking silver coins.
The village chief Wu Zheng quickly organized people and built a large cowshed.
He slept in the cowshed at night, looking at these strong buffaloes with a happy smile on his face.
Early the next morning, Wu Zheng was beating the gong and making announcements from door to door.
"The fields have been divided. Every household has come out to divide the fields."
Upon hearing the news, everyone in Hexi Village ran to the field ridge in the south of the village.
Koreans who have lived together for several months and already understand some Chinese.
When they heard the word "dividing fields", they immediately became excited.
The local Han people in Dahua all went through a field division.
After my hometown was hit by a disaster and I had to move, I was no longer so excited when I heard about dividing the land again.
Most of the Koreans who were forcibly immigrated did not have their own land.
They were immigrated to the Nanyang region and were previously in despair about their future.
In the camp, they learned that after Nanyang was opened up, they could be allocated their own land.
But they have been very uneasy, not knowing whether they will really have a share of their own family in dividing the land.
Now hearing the shouts of Village Chief Wu Zheng, everyone was extremely excited.
Wu Zheng saw that the villagers of Hexi Village, except for the militiamen who were on guard, came to the field ridges to wait for their fields to be divided.
He immediately announced: "The first batch of fields to be opened up in Hexi Village is based on ten acres of land per household.
Everyone is divided according to this share.
These lands are all newly reclaimed land, and there is no distinction between good and bad land.
I have compiled the order, now everyone will draw lots. "
Every household in Hexi Village began to draw lots.
Many North Koreans stood beside the fields and cried loudly when they saw their own fields.
Wu Zheng looked at their performance, but did not laugh at them.
When he got his own land, he performed worse than these people.
Wu Zheng was squatting on the edge of his home field. He grabbed a handful of soil from the field with his hands.
“There are three crops a year. Such a fertile land has been ruined by the indigenous people here before.
Now that the land in Nanyang is owned by us Han people, Nanyang will definitely become a big granary. "
When Wu Zheng saw the villagers, he had already passed the excitement after dividing the fields.
He immediately shouted: "Young and old men, we have already agreed to plant paddy fields, and I am going to open the gate to release water and soak the fields.
The earlier we soak the fields, the earlier we can plant rice. "
Wu Zheng opened the gate of the ditch, and the river flowed along the ditch into every field.
The villagers began to drive buffaloes to plow the fields.
Their Hexi Village has paid a heavy price after several months of land reclamation.
Finally, this paddy field was opened up in the dense forest.
Hexi Village is just a microcosm. The Nanyang Governor-General organized immigrants to open up wasteland, and initially opened up 5 million acres of paddy fields on various Nanyang islands.
The continuous land reclamation and rice harvests in the Nanyang region have effectively ensured the local food supply of the Great China Dynasty.
