In Shenshan County, in the backyard of Jiang Min's government office, Jiang Min, Liang Xing, Zhao Yun, Li Songchen and Li Shi were sitting under a willow tree, chatting.
A breeze blew, bringing a bit of coolness. Liang Xing couldn't help but trembled all over and said: "It's still cooler in Shenshan County than in Jinzhou! These days in Zhoucheng, it's so hot that my whole body feels like a cocoon. I can't wash off the sweat on my body even if I wash it every day! "
Li Shi said: "I heard from people in the state government that this year is the hottest year. It has never been this hot in the past few years."
Liang Xingdao: "I am also from Hedong. I have lived for more than 20 years, and no place is as hot as Jinzhou. I used to think that only the south would be so hot!"
Several people laughed together.
It is indeed extremely hot in Hedong this year. I heard that the Jin army in Fenzhou couldn't stand it anymore and took turns running to the mountains to escape the heat. I originally thought that the war would be fierce this year, but I was afraid that the Jin army would not be able to bear it and would go south by the end of summer. Now it seems that the Jin army will not come unless the weather cools down.
Seeing that it was getting late, Jiang Min said to everyone: "I killed a sheep and roasted it for wine tonight. Although the food in Hedong is a bit poor, the mutton is cheap. There are tens of thousands more in the nearby states. Army, but the price of mutton has not increased.”
Li Songchen said: "In the past, people hid in the mountains and raised sheep, but they could not sell them at a high price. Now many people have moved out of the mountains, and of course the prices cannot go up."
Jiang Min said: "This is the best. At least here in Hedong, there is mutton to eat."
Just under the willow tree, the soldiers set up the table, turned on the fire, and began to roast the mutton. The wine was served again, and several plates of food were served.
Jiang Min said: "Because Xuan Fu likes it, everyone in our army eats cockroaches. After eating a lot, we really like the taste. We can only eat it in these few months of the year, so don't miss it. Come on. Come on, have a taste."
Li Songchen said: "Children are playing with these things everywhere, why do you still eat them?"
Jiang Min said: "This is a delicious dish, don't underestimate it. Especially after frying, it is delicious."
Li Songchen and Liang Xing picked it up and ate it, but they couldn't taste anything special. This thing has a shell on the outside and doesn't taste good. Even if it's deep-fried, you can't tell the difference. It's just that the meat quality is good, which is considered a specialty.
After three rounds of wine, the meat was roasted and sprinkled with Parthian fennel, later called cumin, and the aroma was fragrant. Take one bite and it will be sizzling with oil, delicious and satisfying.
Several people ate it up.
Jiang Min had a drink with everyone. Putting down his glass, he said: "Everyone has met Xuanfu a few days ago. You should know that Xuanfu has high expectations for our army. If nothing else, Xuanfu has invested so much manpower and material resources, so we should do our best. Try your best.”
Li Songchen sighed: "I can't compare to you. I lived a poor life since I was a child. Later, when the world was in turmoil, I became a county captain in Lingshi. When I was a county captain, I only knew a few words with the officials. Those who have followed me in the past few years , mostly like this. After arriving in Jinzhou, I met a lot of scholars, and I realized that even the old official documents had many typos and misspellings. How many official documents did Cao Dutong's army write every day? I can't even recognize all the words. How to be a general!"
Jiang Min said: "Yuhou, if there was no one to teach you before, you will naturally be less literate. Xuanfu has already said that he will send literate people from the rear to teach you."
Li Songchen shook his head: "How can it be so easy to read and write? Even if someone teaches you, how many words can you learn in half a year?"
Jiang Min said: "In half a year, as long as you pay attention, you can understand the official documents. To tell you the truth, I was also born in a peasant family. I didn't know a single Chinese character when I was a teenager. Later, I followed my father to Kaifeng to do business, so I lived in the Central Plains. When I arrived in New In my village, the commander arranged for me to have a teacher, so I could learn to read and write. Within a month or two, I could memorize the books that my teacher taught me to read by heart - "
Li Songchen smiled and said: "You are all born smart, how can others compare to you?"
Jiang Min said: "For different people, some learn quickly and some learn slowly. This is human nature. However, if you teach many people at the same time, most of them will learn it within a certain period of time. This is also the rule. Xuan Fu The people sent here are those who teach people how to read all the year round, and they do a better job than others. Everyone, teaching people how to read does not mean teaching everyone the classics of sages, as Confucius said in poetry. Xuanfu said that most people can learn it in half a year, so that’s it. You can definitely learn it!”
Liang Xing said to Li Songchen: "Brother, you take this matter too seriously. Just like Cao Du's army, I don't believe how many people were literate when they joined the army. In a few years, you can see that not most people can read Do you understand official documents? Even the soldiers in the army, most of them can understand notices."
These days, Li Songchen has had more contact with Cao Zhiyan's army. He saw that almost everyone in their army was literate, and he was under great psychological pressure. I am a person who can only make sure that my name is not spelled wrong, but everything else may be wrong. How can I be an officer in such an army? In particular, Wang Xiaolie made it clear that if one is illiterate, it is impossible to be an officer in the army, and this cannot be compromised. This made Li Songchen's psychological pressure even greater.
In fact, Wang Xiao's hunting army is not that strict. Generally speaking, it is enough for junior officers to be able to read official documents and notices. Only officers with senior rank or above are required to be able to write official documents and reports. During his free time in the military, he always had literacy classes. After five years of service as soldiers, all but a few people can become literate.
However, Li Songchen had been constantly raided by the Jin army over the years because he was located between Jinzhou and Fenzhou, so he could only hide in the mountains. Suddenly, I was shocked to see an army like Cao Zhiyan who wanted to standardize everything.
He comforted Li Songchen with a few words. Jiang Min said: "Xuanfu means that we will use about half a year to organize the army. Xuanfu will solve the required manpower and material resources. After half a year, the army will be stationed in Xizhou and Shizhou, threatening Fenzhou and Fenzhou from behind. Taiyuan. It is a mountainous area. How can we afford to support an army of 30,000 people? So the military rations have to be transported from the rear. What Xuanfu wants is that after we occupy Wubao Village, we can transport the rations by water from Hefu."
Li Songchen couldn't help but frowned. Said: "From Hezhong Prefecture to Wubao Village, you have to pass through Hukou, and boats are not allowed there. When the boatmen get to Hukou, they have to unload the goods, and the boats go around by land. This section of the waterway is not easy to travel."
Jiang Min said: "When Xuanfu talked about this, he also said that the Hukou section is difficult to walk. However, it is only military rations for 30,000 people, so it should be okay."
Liang Xing said: "The Yellow River between Qin and Jin is not as good as the Yellow River between Yu and Jin. It freezes in winter and can only transport grain for half a year. To guarantee 30,000 people, a large fleet is needed. Shaanxi to the west is Zheng Jianchong's territory, and they will Aren’t you going to cause trouble?”
Jiang Min said: "After the Battle of Tongzhou, Zheng Jianchong was frightened. He probably didn't have the guts."
Liang Xingdao: "If the water transportation goes smoothly, Shizhou can station 30,000 troops. But why should we expand the army there? It is better to have the army in Jinzhou, the cold spring is in our hands, and the road is smooth."
Jiang Min said: "Xuan Fu's arrangement naturally has its own reasons. We can just follow the orders."
What's the point? It's just Wang Xiaolie's obsession. Now that there are sufficient troops, when the two armies fight, they like to surround the enemy instead of just defeating it from the front. There are thousands of reasons that can be given, but they are all unconvincing.
Jiang Min tried to persuade him, but Wang Xiaolie refused to change, so he had to obey.
(I’ve been busy lately, so I owe you another update. But don’t worry, I’ll make it up before the 10th.)
(End of chapter)
