novelaction Chapter 198 Going to the Countryside
Chapter 198 Going to the Countryside
Chapter 198 Going to the Countryside
After staying at the government office for several days, Gu Lin chose a new residence and, on an auspicious day, the group packed their bags and moved there.
As a scholar, Gu An's studies were at a critical juncture. During his journey, thanks to his self-discipline and diligence, as well as the tutoring of Zheng Hao, the top scholar in the imperial examination, he did not fall behind in his studies and learned many things that were not taught in the academy or in books.
Having been in Youzhou Prefecture for several days, it was time for Gu An to return to his studies. Youzhou Prefecture had several renowned academies, the best of which was the Prefectural School, which Zheng Hao arranged for Gu An to attend.
Before Gu An enrolled, Zheng Hao called him into his study and instructed him: "From now on, at the end of each month, you should go to the government office to observe government affairs."
While studying at the Yueming Prefecture School, Zheng Hao became aware of the differences between himself and the sons of officials around him. These differences were not only material but also involved many intangible and unseen aspects.
Both scholars studied the Four Books and Five Classics and participated in the imperial examinations. However, due to limited resources and perspectives, ordinary scholars could only read those dozen or so books repeatedly. The children of officials, on the other hand, were taken in by their elders and, in addition to studying, received the most important training in political literacy and political vision that would be crucial for their future careers.
Realizing this, in order to narrow the gap between himself and the sons of officials and not fall behind in the imperial examinations, Zheng Hao spent countless hours studying historical books and biographies of various dynasties to learn relevant knowledge and experience, and also inquired about real-time information from the court from people like Zhen Yuan and Zhen Cheng.
Along his journey, from a commoner scholar to a top scholar in the imperial examination, and now to a prefect of a prefecture, Zheng Hao has made unimaginable efforts behind his seemingly glamorous exterior.
Zheng Hao, who regards Gu An as his and Uncle Gu's successor, will not ignore him as he has in the past and let him fend for himself.
Upon hearing the words of the young official in front of him, Gu An's expression shifted. After a moment, realizing the meaning behind the other party's words, a look of surprise flashed across his eyes.
However, because he had grown up surrounded by young men and young officials, Gu An, despite being only ten years old, remained more composed than his peers after hearing the unexpected news, and his emotions were not outwardly displayed.
If Gu Lin were in the study, looking at the two people in front of him, he would find that Gu An at the desk and Zheng Hao in his youth looked like they were carved from the same mold. It wasn't that they looked so similar, but rather that they were very similar in demeanor and mannerisms...
The two are strikingly similar.
Even Gu An himself couldn't deny this.
Even though he wasn't close to Zheng Hao, he always regarded young people as role models for him.
Without asking why, Gu Anxin understood and replied, "Yes."
Both of them were aloof and had nothing to talk about. After giving his instructions, Zheng Hao told the other person to leave, and Gu An left the study.
Several days passed, and the Marquis of Zhenbei finally had some free time, so he sent someone to deliver a letter to the newly appointed prefect.
Upon learning that Zheng Hao was going to a banquet at the Zhenbei Army headquarters, Gu Lin asked, "Should I prepare some wine for you to take with you?"
After years of hard work and experience, Gu Lin adopted local customs when attending banquets in the business world. He didn't care whether others brought gifts when attending his banquets, but when attending banquets hosted by others, whether formal or casual, he would bring a gift. He would be more formal in the former and bring some wine or tea in the latter, which was casual and didn't seem formal. Over time, a business deal would be made.
Marquis Zhenbei is a military man and should not be fond of tea. Preparing a jar of fine wine for the young man to take with him would be most appropriate.
"This banquet is being held by the Marquis of Zhenbei within the camp," Zheng Hao said. "Unlike the Zhenhong Army, the Marquis of Zhenbei is strict in his military discipline, and the Zhenbei Army is strictly disciplined. Anyone, whether a general or a soldier, who dares to drink alcohol will be severely punished."
Gu Lin was somewhat surprised, as he had assumed that all the armies of the Great Qian Dynasty were like the Zhenhong Army.
After a moment's thought, Gu Lin suggested, "We brought a lot of wound medicine and medicated oil from home. They are fighting on the front lines and are often injured. Sending them some medicine will show our thoughtfulness and be practical."
Zheng Hao frowned for a moment and then said, "Okay."
Gu Lin turned and instructed Dayan to prepare medicine. The wound medicine and oil they brought from the capital were not the kind commonly sold in folk clinics, but rather the kind that Zheng Hao had specially commissioned from the imperial physicians before setting off, considering the harsh and cold climate and frequent battles in Youzhou Prefecture. It was very effective.
After delivering the medicine to Marquis Zhenbei, Gu Lin was not worried about what would happen if they got injured. Before leaving the capital, Zheng Hao had asked Emperor Jian'an to send a royal physician to accompany him, citing the poor health of his elders. Since Emperor Jian'an had planned to leave Zheng Hao to the Crown Prince for future use, he valued him more and more. He agreed without hesitation to the request of a mere royal physician.
The next day.
He slowly got out of bed, dressed, and then the young official did not leave immediately. He turned around, looked at the young man sleeping soundly with his eyes closed on the bed, took a few steps forward, bent down, reached out and covered him with the quilt before leaving the room.
The Prefect of Youzhou Prefecture and Military Supervisor of Zhenbei Army came to the banquet. As the commander-in-chief of the three armies, the Marquis of Zhenbei gave the young official face and personally came out of his tent to greet him.
"Master Hou."
Zheng Hao stepped down from the carriage and bowed to the Marquis of Zhenbei.
Marquis Zhenbei waved his hand and said with a smile, "Lord Zheng, there is no need for such formalities. A month ago, I heard about Lord Zheng's great victory over the Red-Clad Army. I was wondering when I would be able to meet Lord Zheng. I never expected that we would become colleagues now."
Zheng Hao: "I will have to rely on you a lot in the future, Lord Marquis."
Marquis Zhenbei smiled and said magnanimously, "We both serve His Majesty and should naturally help each other. How can there be talk of relying on each other?"
After exchanging pleasantries, the Marquis of Zhenbei led the young prefect into the tent: "Let's go inside and talk. The banquet is all set."
Upon entering the tent, the Marquis of Zhenbei sat in the chief seat at the banquet. At the Marquis's invitation, Zheng Hao sat in the seat below him. There were only the two of them in the tent, and Zheng Hao did not ask where the other generals were.
Marquis Zhenbei offered an explanation: "The other generals are training new recruits. I apologize to Lord Zheng on their behalf."
Zheng Hao said, "Official business comes first, and I know what is important."
The Marquis of Zhenbei greeted him, saying, "The food in the army is rough; please don't take offense, Lord Zheng."
Zheng Hao looked up and saw that the food on the table was not rough; there were even two meat dishes with chicken and duck, and the rest were vegetarian dishes such as dried radish and vegetables.
Zheng Hao picked up his chopsticks and said, "The Marquis and the generals risked their lives outside, and they all eat this food. How can I have the face to be offended?"
Even though the Marquis of Zhenbei had lived for over fifty years and had always disliked those who were glib and flattering, he could not help but be moved by the sincere words of the young military supervisor who possessed an outstanding temperament and had no petty behavior.
Marquis Zhenbei suppressed his anger and feigned shame: "Lord Zheng, you flatter me. His Majesty trusts me, but I am ashamed to have failed His Majesty's trust, allowing the Northern Barbarians to repeatedly invade the territory of Daqian."
There was no alcohol on the table. Zheng Hao took a sip of tea and then put the teacup down.
He addressed the Marquis of Zhenbei solemnly, saying, "My lord, do not listen to others' opinions or have wild thoughts. Before leaving the capital, His Majesty instructed me to cooperate well with you and not make things difficult for you. Your Majesty has served the Great Qian Dynasty for a lifetime and made great contributions, which His Majesty has seen."
If that were the case, Emperor Jian'an would not have sent the renowned young military supervisor to monitor him. The Marquis of Zhenbei feigned deep emotion.
After a hearty meal, the Marquis of Zhenbei said, "Lord Zheng holds two positions and must be very busy. If there is anything I can do to help you, please don't hesitate to ask."
Zheng Hao drank half a cup of tea: "This humble official does indeed have a matter that requires your assistance, Marquis."
He didn't expect the other party to be so straightforward and not stand on ceremony with him.
The Marquis of Zhenbei feigned curiosity and asked, "What is it?"
Zheng Hao said, "This humble official wishes to borrow five hundred soldiers from the Marquis to oversee the loan of grain seeds for spring plowing."
"Shortly after taking office, I discovered that the accounts of the Youzhou Prefecture government regarding the lending of grain seeds to the people were unclear this year and in previous years. Many people who borrowed grain seeds did not repay them. The grain reserves are limited, and the spring planting season is fast approaching. I cannot take things slowly; I can only use extraordinary measures in extraordinary times."
As a member of the imperial family, the Marquis of Zhenbei was naturally aware of the details of the government lending grain seeds to the people. In the past, he had disapproved of the collusion between the government and powerful families to exploit the people. However, he held military power and was already wary of Emperor Jian'an and the powerful families. If he were to rashly interfere in local politics, he could forget about securing his position as the commander-in-chief of the Zhenbei Army.
Seeing the young official before him with a calm yet resolute expression, as if he were determined to rectify the matter, the Marquis of Zhenbei did not immediately believe him.
He wouldn't express his support, but as he just said, he and the young military supervisor were colleagues. It was difficult for the Marquis of Zhenbei to refuse a colleague's request to borrow someone for important business, both publicly and privately.
Marquis Zhenbei said to Zheng Hao, "When Lord Zheng leaves later, I will have someone arrange for soldiers to go back with you. We will send them back whenever we are done with them."
Neither of them were easy to deal with, and Zheng Hao understood what the other meant.
He stood up to thank them and left the camp, followed by hundreds of soldiers.
Zheng Hao ordered most of the soldiers to remain in the suburbs under Da Zhuo's supervision, while Zheng Hao led several dozen men into the city and headed straight for the granary where the government stored grain seeds. He then moved all the grain out and transported it to the suburbs.
The Zhenbei Army acted swiftly and strictly according to orders, quickly emptying half of the grain from the granary. Then, Zheng Hao ordered several dozen men to stay and guard the granary, and no one was allowed to enter without his permission.
The soldiers of the Zhenbei Army clasped their hands in response, then took up their weapons and stood guard outside the granary.
After transporting the grain seeds out of the city, Zheng Hao instructed Da Zhuo to transport them to various villages in the suburbs and distribute them to the farmers.
It was the next day when Lord Wan heard the report from his subordinates.
Lord Wan was shocked. He sat behind his desk, muttering, "How dare he? How dare he?"
That's...
Lord Wan glared at his subordinates: "You're only reporting to me about yesterday's events now? Is this how you do your job?"
The official said helplessly, "Sir, when the prefect led his men to transport grain seeds out of the city, everyone in the prefectural office had finished their shifts. The remaining officials on night duty were under the watch of the soldiers and dared not send anyone to deliver a message to us. I only discovered something was wrong when I arrived at the prefectural office early this morning."
"No, this is no small matter. Those grain seeds belong to several local families. He distributed them to the people. I need to go to Lord Zheng to explain what those families are planting on their land." Lord Wan stood up, intending to go out to find the young prefect.
An official stepped forward to stop him, and under the official's glare, he said with a wry smile, "Lord Zheng has not come to work. We sent people to look for him, but the servants in the mansion also said that Lord Zheng has gone out. I'm afraid we won't be able to find Lord Zheng today."
This prefect looked young, but he handled things like a seasoned veteran, not a naive greenhorn. He was as shrewd as a seasoned official, and after doing something that shocked everyone in the prefectural government, he disappeared without a trace today.
While the prefect could disappear, they could not. After hearing that the grain seeds in the prefectural government had been moved away, local powerful families sent people to the government office to inquire about the news, causing Judge Wan and other officials great distress.
Contrary to the speculations of Wan Tongpan and others, Zheng Hao left the city to evade responsibility after offending the local powerful families.
At this moment, he was taking Gu Lin with him on a trip to the countryside.
Of course, the group consisted of more than just the two of them; Gu An and Da Yan were also present.
Inside the carriage, Gu Lin said, "The city is in turmoil because of you, but you're going straight to the countryside. Judge Wan and the others are probably going to have a headache."
Zheng Hao placed the prepared snacks in front of Uncle Gu and said calmly, "Since they dared to collude with local powerful families and falsify accounts to embezzle the people's property, this is what they deserve."
Gu Lin nodded secretly. If Zheng Hao hadn't told him, he wouldn't have realized that Wan Tongpan and others not only lent grain seeds to powerful landlords in Youzhou Prefecture every year, but also helped them falsify accounts after these people "paid their debts" and the "debt grain" entered the granary.
When the "debt grain" was stored in the granary for a period of time, the powerful landlords would borrow the seeds for the new year, and then the judge would return the "debt grain" to them.
It's equivalent to the Youzhou Prefecture government's granaries only going out and not coming in, and powerful landlords only borrowing and not repaying.
"But you entrusted the matter of distributing grain to Da Zhuo and Gu An, so why did you still go to the countryside yourself?"
Gu Lin raised a question.
He didn't think Zheng Hao was afraid of powerful landlords coming to his door demanding an explanation. Given their nature, since he had borrowed troops from the Marquis of Zhenbei, it was to prevent these people from resorting to desperate measures.
Zheng Hao filled Uncle Gu's teacup halfway with tea and said, "Judging from the tax revenue of Youzhou Prefecture over the years, I found that the grain output of Youzhou Prefecture is more than 30% lower than that of other places, so I wanted to come and investigate in person."
As they talked, they soon arrived at their destination. Zheng Hao got out of the car first, then turned around and helped the young man out. Gu Lin hesitated for a moment, then placed his hand on him.
The other two people present did not show any reaction. Among them, Da Yan lowered his eyes slightly, knowing the relationship between the two masters. Gu An also sensed it to some extent, but Uncle Gu did not explain it to him, nor did he seem to be forced by Zheng Hao, so Gu An pretended not to know.
Zheng Hao instructed Gu An: "Da Zhuo and the others are distributing grain seeds to the people nearby. Go and watch."
Gu Anying agreed, turned and left.
After making arrangements for everyone, Da Yan was quite perceptive and followed her husband and master at a distance.
As Gu Lin walked through the fields, he looked down at the barren, dry sand and frowned, saying, "No wonder the grain yield in Youzhou Prefecture is so low. This place is not suitable for growing wheat and sorghum."
Compared to the younger man, Zheng Hao had read many agricultural books and had even worked in the fields himself, so he had a deeper understanding of the land in front of him.
He said, “The ‘Gazetteer of Youzhou Prefecture’ records that ‘the barren land of Longzhong is the most barren in the world,’ which is not an exaggeration. If we want to change this place and increase grain production, it will take decades to achieve any results.”
Hearing Zheng Hao's words, Gu Lin hesitated slightly, but still said, "Actually, maybe it doesn't have to be that complicated."