Chapter 841: May Become the Biggest Winner of the Yellow Turbans

After fighting thousands of miles to win the battle in Liaodong, by the time the spoils were counted and the harvest was calculated, the Liao River had completely thawed.

In this battle, the five cities of Wulu, Fangxian, Pingguo, Xiangping, and Liucheng were captured. Most of the wealthy people in Liaodong, such as Gongsun Du, were killed. The Wuhuan Chanyu and Wuhuan leaders, including Qiuliju, Su Puyan, and Wuyan, as well as the Han army captains and officers above the rank of captain of 50 people in Liaodong, were all executed. This battle caused great trauma to the middle and high-level leaders of the hostile forces in Liaodong.

From then on, the Wuhuan and Han people in Liaodong would be a mess for a long time and it would be difficult for them to become powerful. It would be impossible to organize such a large force in this lifetime.

According to post-war statistics, this battle added 20,000 Han people and 40,000 Wuhuan people, totaling 60,000 people. In addition, more than 4,000 war horses were seized, and there were countless food, fodder, and treasures.

Although the Wu-Han coalition forces that came to attack this time were very poor, the Chanyu, officials, and wealthy families were all quite wealthy. Although Wang Yan blocked the Liaoxi Corridor and cut off trade inside and outside the pass, they still collected what they should collect. On the contrary, because of Wang Yan, they lowered the price even more. They were all waiting to kill Wang Yan, reopen the trade route, and make more money.

They not only collected things from Liaodong, but also went north to collect products from Wuhuan, Goguryeo, Buyeo, etc. outside the territory. There are Greater Khingan Range and Changbai Mountain outside the territory. These two mountain ranges surround the Songnen Plain, the largest and most fertile in the Northeast Plain. Although the barbarians outside the territory are not good at farming, they don’t have so many people. They can live by eating the mountains. There are piles of mountain products, animal skins, animal bones, and herbs.

They need salt, ironware, a certain amount of food, cloth, and so on. The only ones who can exchange with them are the wealthy families in Liaodong. Even Wuhuan Chanyu such as Qiu Liju are counting on the trade of clan wealthy families.

Now all these things are in the hands of General Wang. Except for keeping some for himself, they are basically dealt with by those nobles in exchange for food, cloth, salt and other supplies.

He has started to build a salt field. This most basic living material must be guaranteed. Pingguo (Yingkou) and Wenxian (Gaizhou) are good locations for salt fields. Starting this year, there will be no need to let the nobles use salt and iron to cut leeks.

With the expansion of territory and the increase of population, the corresponding military deployment must also keep up.

The most powerful Weiwu Guard moved to Xiangping. When General Wang fought thousands of miles away, there was indeed an enemy in the east who came to steal Pingguo, and was beaten to a pulp by the three thousand Weiwu Guards who kept their hands. After replenishing the soldiers who were injured in the war, they stood at the forefront to prevent Xuantu from invading.

Wulv City is guarded by Xingwu Guard. In the previous Liaodong battle, Xingwu Guard defended the Tuhe base camp and fought steadily, and did not let the enemy come out of the mountain road. It is stationed in Wulv, coordinating with the Xiangping guards to protect the Liaohe Plain.

Guangwu Guard was stationed in Fuxin. Previously, Guangwu Guard attacked Fuxin. After General Wang defeated Qiuliju, he rushed over to fight. His troops were replenished and stationed in Fuxin. On the one hand, they could take advantage of the terrain to prevent bandits from entering Wuli Valley, and directly break Changli and take Tuhe. They could also rely on the terrain as a place to advance. They could also support Wuli and Xiangping. If there was an enemy, they could attack together and steal the home.

In the battle of Wuli City, Yingwu Guard, which suffered heavy losses, was transformed from a militia to a formal army and stationed in Pingguo. Their mission was to prevent the enemy from coming from the east. In addition, producing salt was also their job.

The Xiaoqi Battalion, commanded by Liao Hua, selected 2,500 people from each guard and supplemented it to a scale of 5,000 military horses. Except for the horses ridden by the cavalry of each guard, the rest of the captured war horses were basically given to Liao Hua. They were stationed in Tai'an, which was Anshan Tai'an two thousand years later, and was named by the general.

They were stationed in Tai'an, relying on the mobility of the cavalry to support the first three places, and also to prevent the Liaohe Plain from opening up and the enemy from entering the hinterland of Fang County. What they did on weekdays was training, raising horses, and farming.

All of the above are regular troops, totaling more than 30,000. In addition, there are three militia units. The Xiongwu Guard that was previously transferred to Changli for defense was stationed in Changli. The Tuhe base camp formed a new Zhenwu Guard, and Suizhong on the southern front formed a Xuanwu Guard.

As for Liucheng, General Wang's actual hometown, he did not send anyone to occupy it. Because the geography of his hometown is not very good, surrounded by mountains on all sides, there is drought nine out of ten years, and the harvest is relatively not very good. There are more spacious places in the north, and there is no need to station troops in the ravines.

If the enemy comes again from the direction of Liucheng, it is not a problem at all. After all, his Rangers are completely full-time professional combat soldiers, and they train such soldiers in the way of old and new. They spread widely and learned the map surveying and making method taught by Wang Yan. They slept outside in the open air, drawing maps and checking the enemy situation. As long as they knew the enemy was coming, they could win. The later they came, the easier it was to win. Even later, it was not them who came to attack, but Wang Yan who sent troops there...

Since they won the battle of Liaodong and established a foothold in Liaodong, the Han army would certainly not attack. Moreover, his military deployment was more inclined to defend the north rather than the south. You know, as long as the Xuanwu Guard of Suizhong was destroyed, the next step would be the Tuhe base camp. The troops from other places would take at least three days to be transferred to Suizhong, and the farthest might take ten days.

This was Wang Yan's statement, so that everyone could rest assured.

But there must be soldiers and horses in Suizhong. Not for going south, but for defending the trade route. Now that General Wang was in the Liaoxi Corridor, how could he allow merchants from the north and south to come and go from his territory.

As we all know, trade drives regional economic development. As the throat of the Northeast, it is necessary to use its territory as a trade transit point, conduct bulk trade here, collect commercial taxes, develop the economy, and feed back the people's livelihood. In five or six years, it will definitely become rich.

In fact, it is now very burdened. There are more than 50,000 regular soldiers and militiamen. Including military logistics, there are more than 60,000 people when there is no war, and more than 100,000 people when there is a war.

Its current total population is less than 400,000. This number basically means that all the men have gone to the battlefield. It is conceivable how heavy the burden is.

So although there is a distinction between combat soldiers and militiamen, they are not professional soldiers. To be honest, it is nothing more than that combat soldiers eat better than militiamen and have heavier training tasks, and militiamen eat better than ordinary farmers and have more tasks.

If it were not for the glass cutting leeks and the repeated harvests in the war, it would basically not be able to hold on.

Now that Liaodong has been settled, the Liaohe Plain is under control, and the water of the Liaohe River has been transformed, it is natural to start a vigorous spring farming plan.

Although the river water has melted and it is almost the spring equinox, the land in Northeast China, which is in the Little Ice Age, is not so easy to melt. The proper spring ploughing time in Northeast China is March in the lunar calendar and April in the Gregorian calendar. It is only February now, more than a month apart, and the land has not thawed yet, but it is impossible to wait until it thaws before taking action.

The Liaohe Plain has not been fully developed, and there are still many wastelands. The fields that were cultivated last year also need to be turned over. Brick kilns are still burning bricks, and glass kilns cannot stop working. Trees must be cut, houses must be built, spring floods must be prevented, water conservancy must be rested, spring fishing cannot be abandoned, and large-scale chicken, duck, goose, sheep, and cattle must be planned. All these are up to the general.

With the order of the general, the people who had been hiding on the warm kang for a winter and consumed a large forest walked out of their homes in the chilly spring breeze.

Most of the women who can give birth have bulged their bellies. On the smooth streets, the laughter of children rang out for the first time in a long time. This winter, the general created a record that was impossible before the Xinhai Revolution. No one died of cold and hunger. There were even fewer people who died of illness. After all, those who could make it all the way were in good health and could stand it. In addition, Wang Yan personally went out and took his doctors to see the doctor, so there was no big problem.

This time, in order to go out to farm in advance, so as not to catch a cold, or if they did catch it, they would not get a viral flu, Wang Yan had already prepared medicine in advance. Whether sick or not, drink it, anyway, it won't hurt.

The people walked out of their homes, followed the instructions of the general, and with a hopeful smile, they received oxen, grain, and farm tools, and started the big construction again.

This winter, after the joint efforts of blacksmiths, craftsmen, and people who hid in the house for the winter, 50,000 sets of Wang's plows and hundreds of parts for large water wheels were created.

There were not many oxen, only more than 2,000, which were looted from Youzhou last year. They served like ancestors for a whole winter, and so far more than 100 calves have been born. This is because the production cycle of cattle is relatively long, nearly a year. The more than 100 calves born were pregnant.

At the time of production, General Wang went there as a veterinary teacher and taught several farmers who claimed to be proficient in cattle and raised cattle for landlords. He didn't even eat beef this winter.

The scarcity of oxen has been with us for two thousand years. This situation must be solved. It is imperative to enclose pastures and raise them on a large scale. Otherwise, how can we enrich the diet and eat meat.

More than 2,000 cows are definitely not enough to cultivate nearly 100,000 square kilometers of land. At this time, the role of the army is demonstrated. If there are not enough animals, people will act as animals to pull the plow. If one person is not enough, two people will be used, and if two people are not enough, three people will be used. It is just to exercise their physique.

Compared with the people, the army is the main force in farming. After they have reclaimed a large area of ​​military farmland, they have to farm for the people. The front is for the public, and the back is for their own family.

The military service age has not been fully implemented yet. Because this is not just a simple matter of being a soldier, it is a systematic project. Including material level, medical foundation, education foundation, etc., a series of factors determine it, not a simple sentence can do.

Now the population fertility is raised to 18 years old, which is necessary. In the three or four years, compared with the birth of ten, only three or four can live to the age of ten, which is a very important point. Although the service age has not been raised to 20 years old, it is also tightening. Each guard will slowly lay off veterans over 32 years old who are not yet officers.

Basic education is a long process. For example, now he has printed books and brought Cai Yong over, where are there so many teachers to teach?

As for the impact of papermaking and printing on the nobles, it can basically be ignored. Because the root of this is in education, in the national official selection system, no one teaches, and books are distributed everywhere. There are a few people who can read and understand. It is destined to take a process of ten or twenty years to make some initial achievements in education.

The foundation of education is material conditions. Only when basic living needs are met can we have time to learn and improve, and then cultivate a lofty goal.

Similarly, material conditions also determine the medical foundation. It costs money to see a doctor, it costs money to train doctors, it costs money to use medicinal materials, it costs money to research, and so on. Doctors determine whether babies survive, patients are saved, and people's lives are guaranteed, which is another basis for determining military service.

The military service system determines the decisive factor in protecting the means of production. Only by ensuring our own production income and ensuring people's lives can we continuously improve our material foundation and then promote the construction of education and medical systems.

The lifespan of people in the Han Dynasty was generally around thirty or forty years old. They died of hunger, severe cold, disease, and military disasters. But all the above things are developing for the better, and life expectancy will naturally increase.

At least for now, under the rule of General Wang, it can be said with certainty that the people will only die of serious illness or accidents at work. It is impossible to freeze to death or starve to death, let alone be killed by the enemy into the hinterland...

The vigorous production and construction began, and Wang Yan was also extremely busy.

He rode around with a group of more than ten personal guards all day long. Today we will look at the brick kiln and the glass kiln entrance. Tomorrow we will look at the progress of plowing the ground. The day after tomorrow we will discuss armor with the blacksmith, look at the situation of iron ore and iron smelting, and study with the carpenter what else needs to be done. Seeing patients, paying attention to the breeding conditions of various animals, and running out to see a few people every day.

From time to time, you have to go to other places for inspections to see if the civilian officials are working hard and if anyone is crazy about money. You have to pay attention to the farming situation of the army, pay attention to the physical and mental health of the soldiers, and find the guards. Sima studied the Xiu Mu system, and those who were not married studied marriage matters. The salt farm also had to pay attention, which was also profitable.

Regularly take stock of your financial resources to see how long you can sustain them. We also need to study how to collect business taxes, and we need to find people to go to the north to spread the concept of peace. Let people know that they are now open for business and you can come and have a look, whether they are rich or poor people. Bring something to sell.

It is difficult to operate within the pass because business is controlled by wealthy families and the distance is further away. Wang Yan cannot do business directly with individuals, but in the north, there is no problem. They come to trade on their own, and no one can stop them.

In this process, they will envy the lives of the people under the rule of the general, and they will be infiltrated bit by bit, and they will be captured bit by bit by the general using advanced materials and culture.

As the key to economic and trade, money is necessary. After this year's autumn harvest, Wang Yan will use money to purchase the surplus grain of the people under his rule. By the next year, the economic activities under his rule will be initially active, and that will be the beginning of prosperity.

In Tuhe City, the book garden has been expanded a lot. Wang Yan is no longer sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. It is simple that because of the heat, he has moved his desk and other things sideways.

Not only that, the previous mats and tables were all gone. They were replaced with a set of solid wood tables and chairs made of elm wood, and the kneeling posture was finally changed.

At this moment, the general, who was wearing a plain white Sichuan brocade singlet, was smiling and looking at Zhen Sheng, who was standing there shivering and reading a book.

After a while, Zhen Sheng carefully placed the book on General Wang's desk: "General, this book is truly a gift from God!"

This is somewhat exaggerated, but Zhen Sheng's flattering meaning is on point. Wang Yan waved his hands lightly and sat lazily on a chair covered with tiger skin: "Meng Guang's words are exaggerated. This is based on Cai Hou's wonderful ideas. What does the creation of my people have to do with heaven? What do you think of this book?”

"It's really good. The writing is smooth, the printing is square, the ink is clear, and it has a scholarly atmosphere. With this book, there will be a great boom in literature and education." Zhen Sheng changed the subject and said, "The general ordered Cai Yong to come here, Sheng He went to Wu to visit Cai Yong and expressed his ambitions to the general, but he was unmoved. Sheng followed the general's instructions and invited him again and again. Now that the general's magic skills are created, there is no need to threaten Cai Yong. However, based on this book, he asked three times and decided to teach him. He came flying."

This is a good employee. Let’s not talk about making money by buying books. Let’s first connect the book with the big boss. Although Wang Yan didn't have much contact with other representatives of wealthy families, he could directly judge that none of those people were as good as Zhen Sheng.

The simplest reason is that when the Zhen family was in decline and their survival was in danger, they would not sacrifice the face of the wealthy family, otherwise they would not be able to marry the daughter of the principal clan, who were thirteen years apart, to General Wang. thing. The other wealthy families are all behemoths. If you can put down your shame, you will naturally gain more and make greater progress.

This is a condition that other representatives of wealthy families do not have. Although Wang Yan has now been granted the title of Marquis of Liao, General Tianwu, and the official title of Governor of Liaodong, he actually controls most of Liaoxi County, Liaodong, Xuantu, Liaodong vassal states, and half of the four counties of Lelang. land. With a population of 400,000 people and a full force of troops that can pull out 100,000 troops and horses, the feudal lords who separatize the land of Liaodong are not in the eyes of the Central Plains family.

Yes, the Han Dynasty has come to Liaodong to announce the decree and give the seal. The king thief has become the king's prefect. Although he has not yet married and has children, his honorific title can also be called 'Gong', 'Shi Jun', or 'Wang Liaodong'. '...

If Zhen Sheng had become the Zhen family, the Zhen family might be better off than it is now, but it is a pity that he is a sideline and cannot be the family or the master.

Wang Yan answered and asked, "Can we find out more about Cai Yong's daughter?"

"She has five daughters, the eldest daughter died in infancy, the second and third daughters are all married, the fourth daughter is named Yan, aged ten years, Xu Hedong Wei's family, the fifth daughter is named Li, aged eight years, Cai Yong's wife died early, now Yang sent his daughter to accompany him. He paid no attention to worldly affairs in the land of Wu and devoted himself to learning and teaching scholars. He loved books and had a huge collection of books. "

"Very good, Cai Yong is coming, Yan and Li are coming, and so are their huge collections of books. A thousand soldiers may not be able to handle the task, so I will accompany you with two thousand soldiers to the land of Wu. If you provide food and grass, you can deduct it from the transaction."

"Sheng, I will definitely live up to the general's expectations." Zhen Sheng avoided the table and bowed.

"Last time I taught you to transport all the books in the Zhen family's collection. You should do this quickly. I am not planning your family's study, but I actually want to print all the books in the Zhen family's collection into this book. Compared with the bamboo slips, this book still exists in the world. It lasts longer. Compared with the silk book, this book contains more information and is easier to read."

Wang Yan said with a smile: "To be honest with Meng Guang, I will print two copies of the book with the Zhen family, and one copy will be for my collection. I do have the intention to sell books, but I will not sell your family's books. Last year I made the second copy. We raised troops and gained a lot along the way. We defeated the Gongsun family in Xiangping and wiped out many of them. This book garden is my collection of books, and the sales are all related to the Ruzhen family. What I want is food and grass. , Collection of books by wealthy families.

When I have a huge collection of books, I will build a separate pavilion, which I will call the "Book Collection Pavilion". When Cai Yong comes here, he will be the head of this pavilion, manage the books, and carry out Lao Tzu's old deeds. Maybe he can also achieve enlightenment. "

"General, please rest assured. All the books collected by the Zhen family can be sold. If my Zhen family sells books, other wealthy families will certainly sell them as well. It is a good thing for us to exchange our collections. I, the Zhen family, should set an example."

That's what happened. The Zhen family printed the books on paper and added some conditions when selling the books. Not only did they have to spend money, but they also had to get the books. Was it all the Zhen family's decision? In this way, if the general builds a library in Liaodong, they can also work together to build a family library in Wuji's hometown, which is indeed a good thing.

Besides, Wang Yan didn't know how many books they had at home. It wouldn't be a big deal if they didn't take out some of the treasured books.

Wang Yan nodded affirmatively and turned to ask: "Now that you have contacted the Shichangshi, you can communicate with Qian. The secretary's collection should be massive. The books can be transported to Liaodong in batches and reprinted. You can send the book back.”

"This matter is easy to hear. The general is now sitting in Liaodong. A letter will arrive in two months."

Books are precious and knowledge is precious because they are rare. What is more precious is teaching. This is exactly what the wealthy family teaches. They are all the Six Arts of a Gentleman, but obviously, even if you are literate, you cannot understand them just by reading a book. Besides, the art of war, which is now a compulsory course, requires the guidance of famous teachers.

The privileges and blessings of Liu Bei's royal family have been cut off, and his family has been reduced to farmers, and he himself makes a living by weaving mats and selling women. How could he become a sworn ally with Guan and Zhang when he was just starting out, leading five hundred soldiers and horses to march and fight?

Don't underestimate five hundred people, let alone marching and fighting. That's not what you say, but Liu Bei did it. Before meeting Zhuge Liang, although Liu Bei had been wandering, many battles and many operations were done by himself. All this is because he has a good teacher. Lu Zhi is a serious boss. This is due to his ability in Confucian classics and the art of war, apart from his official status.

Gongsun Zan was able to take the land of Youzhou and become a prince, naturally because of his apprenticeship with Lu Zhi and the skills he later learned from other people. If not for this, he was born in the Lingzhi Gongsun family and would not be ranked highly today. He was still a commoner, and it would be almost impossible for him to reach that height.

Those who are truly talented can summarize and learn by themselves. In fact, the books and knowledge passed down also come from this way. It is the enlightenment of the predecessors, recording their experiences, passing them on to future generations, and constantly improving them.

But being able to constantly summarize, learn, and improve is a rare ability. Everyone knows that this is good, but there are only a few people who can really do it. Otherwise, the wheel of history rolls forward and there is no need to repeat itself.

"Of course I can rest assured. We have met Meng Guang so far, and he has lived up to my expectations. Meng Guang is a great talent."

"The general praised him highly, but Sheng didn't dare to accept it." Zhen Sheng arched his hands, unable to hide the smile on his face, and said instead, "Last year, the general taught me to send a caravan to the Western Regions to find cotton. The pictures are the same, but I really don’t know if they are what the general is looking for.”

Wang Yan raised his eyebrows: "Where are the seeds?"

"Although I carry a little with me, I can teach the general to identify it. I got a stone of cotton seeds in total during this trip, and they are all in the warehouse outside the city. General, please take a look." As he spoke, Zhen Sheng took out a brocade bag from his arms, opened it and handed it to the king. Word.

He took the kit, grabbed a handful of cotton from it, picked out the cotton seeds, nodded and smiled: "Yes, they are cotton seeds. Meng Guang has made great contributions."

"It is a duty to perform one's duties for the general. I dare not talk about merit. Sheng really doesn't know what this cotton seed is used for, so I would like to ask the general to clarify his doubts."

"This is like silk or linen, which can be used to spin cotton cloth. This is its fruit. After being beaten, it can be made fluffy. It can be used as stuffing for clothes and can protect against severe cold. It is bitterly cold in Liaodong. With this cotton, my people in Liaodong There is no need to hide in the house in winter, which is a blessing for Liaodong.”

"Congratulations to the general for obtaining this fine seed. In time, the bitter cold in Liaodong will be no longer a worry. Congratulations, congratulations..."

Wang Yan laughed loudly: "Meng Guang's words are precise. It takes time, and it will not be difficult to achieve in five years."

"General, I don't know how to grow this species?"

"It needs to be in a place where the sun shines brightly for a long time, and the land needs water and sufficient soil fertility."

"Can't we plant in Mo Liaodong?"

"The land of Pingguo is okay, but it has many difficulties in giving birth."

“Where can I plant it?”

"This is Gu Mo (Aksu) of the Western Region. If you have contact with the Western Region Protectorate, you can send barbarians to farm, and I will trade it for salt and iron."

"Sheng Gui Wuji will send someone to contact him through letters. What if it fails?"

"It won't work."

General Wang waved his hand. It would be best if he could agree. It doesn't matter if he doesn't agree. Planting one crop in Pingguo, although the yield is lower, is better than nothing. A little bit is always a good development. As long as there are seeds and we know where to find them, there is a long way to go.

In fact, the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins are also cotton producing areas, but even if the land is full of grain, it is still not enough to eat. Cotton is an economic crop, while grain is the basic living material. He can't harm people.

Zhen Sheng nodded and said nothing more. As for how the general, a commoner, knew about this unheard-of cotton, he would never ask, let alone think too much. He just thought that the general was a god-given man.

At this time, the personal guard ran in and reported: "General, the Suizhong Rangers sent a letter saying that tens of thousands of Yellow Turbans are heading north."

"Oh?"

"General, I know about this and I was just about to report it to you. All I saw along the way on my way north were Yellow Turban refugees. Not tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands, with their families, stretching for hundreds of miles.

I sent my family soldiers to investigate and found that they were all Yellow Turban fleeing from Qing, Ji, and You. They heard that the general had defeated the Wuhuan in Liaodong and was named Marquis of Liao, General Tianwu, and appointed as the governor of Liaodong, so they came to surrender. The prefectures and counties along the way also knew the reason and did not stop them. They allowed the Yellow Turbans to pass through the border and swept the people north. It was really a plan to tire me out."

Zhen Sheng cupped his hands and told what he knew.

"Don't worry, Meng Guang. The land in Liaodong is fertile and fertile, but no one is cultivating it. We are not afraid that the people coming here will be tired, but we are afraid that there will not be enough people." Wang Yan laughed and said, "Pass on my military order. Xiong Wuwei will divide 3,000 soldiers to guard Tuhe. Zhenwuwei will immediately organize the army, fully armed, and rush to Suizhong. You are also fully armed, take my equipment, and set off immediately."

"Yes!" The guards took the order and left.

Wang Yan said with a smile: "Does Meng Guang want to go with you?"

"Sheng will go south to work with the general, and then follow the general to see it."

"Put away these five books, pack your luggage, and set off in half an hour..."

Thank you for the support of the good brothers who voted for the monthly ticket,

Thank you for the support of the brothers who voted for the recommendation,

Thank you for the support of the big brothers who read the book silently.