Liu Heng took off his coat and walked to the charcoal fire to warm himself.""We have some progress on several important matters recently. The problem of the kiln temperature being insufficient will be solved soon because a kind of thing that can burn has been found in the southeast of Xuantu-coal. It can replace charcoal and is more effective in smelting iron and steel.
After the red bricks and cement were produced, they would immediately start building new houses. Next year's task would be even more important!”
On the last day of the fifth year of Guanghe, the people of the three counties were excited to welcome the arrival of the new year.
Half a year ago, they were still worried about their livelihood. At this moment, they were looking forward to the arrival of the new year with confidence. Looking back at the five years of Guanghe, God had given them a prefect who was diligent in government affairs and loved the people. Corrupted officials were punished and injustice was avenged.
New Year's Eve was particularly lively. Although it was cold outside, the people still went out with lanterns and congratulated each other on the new year. They also came to the front door of the county government to silently pray for their good prefect.
More and more people gathered, almost filling the entire street.
Many people saw the county soldiers who were still patrolling along the streets, guarding the city, and loyal to their duties in the cold wind. They returned home and gave a portion of the New Year's Eve dinner to them, thanking them for their bravery in defending their homes and preventing the border from being ravaged by war.
It was the first time the county soldiers had seen such a scene. They were deeply moved and could not help but feel ashamed when they thought of what they had done in the past.
As they ate the New Year's Eve dinner sent by the villagers, many people realized for the first time how simple and honest the villagers were...
In the prefecture, Zhang Xian was playing in the courtyard with Jiang Yao, Guo Jia, Zhang Liao, and the others. Ju Shou was drinking and chatting with Xun Yu and Zhao Feng. Gao Shun, Sun Hong, Mu Xin, and the others were discussing the methods of training the prefecture soldiers. Wu An and Yang Ling were fighting with Qin Feng in the courtyard with Xiao Gang. Only Wei Hong was sitting alone on a stone chair, looking up at the night sky and deep in thought.
Liu Heng walked over and squatted beside Wei Hong, asking with a smile,""Commandant Wei, which star are you admiring so attentively?”
Wei Hong's body trembled as he looked at Liu Heng with tears in his eyes.""I was just thinking, if only Boss Li, Third Baby, and Chef Wang could live a few more years! They would be able to live a peaceful and happy life.
All these years, all of their brothers had died on the battlefield in order to live such a life…but now that good days had come, they could no longer see it.”
Liu Heng listened quietly. His gaze gradually moved away until it fell on the Polaris in the distant sky. His deep eyes were sparkling with tears.
After Wei Hong finished speaking, Liu Heng picked up a handful of snow and clenched it into a solid snowball. After weighing it for a few times, he threw it into the night sky with all his strength." For the sake of our dead brothers, we, the living, must gather together and smash the enemy like this snowball. Let the Wuhuan and all the guys who bullied us go to hell!”
Everyone in the courtyard had stopped laughing and listening to the conversation between Wei Hong and Liu Heng. At this moment, seeing the snowball disappearing into the night sky, Qiushou squatted down first and threw it into the sky,""My lord is right. Let all those who bullied us go to hell!”
Xun Yu also threw a snowball from afar.”
The rest of the people took out their snowballs and threw them at the night sky, expressing their heartfelt gratitude…
At this moment, Liu Heng's tears rolled down his cheeks. This was the excitement of the unity of the people, the echo of the unity of the people…He knew that the road ahead had already stretched out, and he had to walk on bravely and firmly until the end of his life!
On the first day of the first month of the sixth year of Guanghe (183 AD), before the joyous atmosphere of New Year's Eve had dispersed, the Xuantu Prefecture was busy again.
On the first day of the new year, the government hall, which was already the military and political center of the three counties, issued an announcement to change history and create the future. Wuhuan plunder day by day, border counties can not bear its harassment, your majesty also worried about it. In November of the fifth year of Guanghe, the court issued an edict ordering each border county to prepare money and grain to train the county soldiers to resist Wuhuan.
Therefore, the prefect of the prefecture ordered that from January 1, the sixth year of Guanghe, the three prefectures of Xuantu, Liaoxi and Youbeiping in Youzhou would be temporarily controlled.
The officials of each county and county were not allowed to leave their posts without authorization, and the people were not allowed to leave the county without permission until the new announcement was issued.
At the same time as the announcement was posted, the soldiers of the prefecture opened the barracks and blocked all the roads leading to the outside world in the three prefectures. The patrol team patrolled the prefecture and did not allow anyone to escape.
The officials and people of the three counties were confused by this announcement and the actions of the county soldiers. They could not guess what the new prefect was up to. He had just reduced taxes and now he was restricting access.
On the 3rd day of the first month, while the people were confused, the second announcement was sent to the three counties: From the day this notice is issued, the people who have no houses or land in the county, regardless of whether they are tenant farmers, poor farmers, refugees, beggars, and any male who can cultivate, can voluntarily register at the county government. The county government will arrange for the matters of farmland and housing. The first to arrive would have priority in obtaining fertile land.
This announcement immediately caused a huge uproar in the three counties. There was a lot of discussion on the streets and alleys. The common people were naturally overjoyed, especially the people at the bottom of society who had no house or land. They knew very well what land meant.
Although this was the first time they had heard of this, many people had a wait-and-see attitude, especially the tenant farmers. However, the refugees and beggars didn't care about this. They swarmed to the prefecture government like a swarm of bees. The pavilions gathered towards the villages, the villages gathered towards the counties, and the counties gathered towards the prefecture city. The mountain springs and streams turned into a surging river in the blink of an eye.
Fortunately, Gao Shun suggested sending more county soldiers to maintain the county, otherwise the county government would be trampled.
However, although this matter had the support of the masses, it had already touched the interests of the aristocratic families.
On the evening of the third day, Wang Hao brought a few of his old friends to pay a visit. Liu Heng personally came out to welcome him,"Why did Old Patriarch Wang come personally? If there's an emergency, just send someone to inform me, and I'll rush over immediately.”
Wang Hao's expression was cold as he replied,""How would I dare to trouble the prefect to come personally? The small walls of this old man's residence can't accommodate the support of the common people.”
Liu Heng could hear the anger in her voice and laughed."The old chief is still hale and hearty and talkative, please come in!”
Wang Hao slammed his walking stick on the ground and sighed."I'm old and useless. He had originally hoped to rely on the hundred acres of land to live a peaceful life, but who knew that an order from the prefecture would turn this small hope into a bubble!”
Liu Heng smiled without saying a word and led everyone into the house. After everyone took their seats, Liu Heng cut to the chase."Since the old patriarchs have personally come to visit, this junior can't be too polite. I can only get straight to the point. The old clan leader must have come to divide the land for the prefecture, right?”
The few of them nodded at the same time. Wang Hao said,"Governor Liu, recruiting tenant farmers to cultivate our land is the foundation of our family business. Moreover, the money and food that previously supported the governor to save the people were also provided by him.
Now that the prefect had suddenly ordered the distribution of farmland to the landless farmers, not only were the poor farmers and beggars fighting for it, but even the tenant farmers in the family were also restless. The situation was quite worrying.
If this continues, I'm afraid that I'll have no one to cultivate the land. How will I live the rest of my life?”
Liu Heng listened attentively, and only smiled after he finished complaining."The old clan leader is worried about the loss of the clan's property. In fact, before this junior gave the order, I had already boldly thought of a countermeasure for you. In my opinion, this strategy can only make the family business flourish.”
"Governor Liu, can you tell me about it?" Wang Hao asked curiously as he looked at Liu Heng. What the prefect was thinking was definitely not something ordinary people could know!”
"Wang Clan Leader, do you know that I have two major industries under my name-paper making and printing?" Liu Heng explained. The two industries were extremely profitable. The annual income of a small paper workshop was equivalent to the old patriarch's annual income from selling grain, not to mention printing!”
"What does Governor Liu mean by that?" Wang Hao was puzzled. Could it be…"
" That's right." Liu Heng nodded." I plan to expand the scale of production and invite the old patriarchs to run it together."”
"How do we manage it together?" Wang Hao asked curiously.”
" There are two ways," Liu Heng replied with a smile." First, you can join the workshop run by a junior by investing in it. You can share the profits and bear the risks according to the agreed investment ratio.
Of course, they also had the right to operate the factory, and secondly, they could buy the paper-making method through public bidding and start a workshop with their own money. As for the specific situation, I will come up with a detailed plan to discuss with you.”
Wang Hao lowered his head and pondered silently for a long time…Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he looked at Liu Heng."Alright, Wang Hao believes in Governor Liu and is willing to fork out money to run the business together with Governor Liu!”The others also had their own ideas.
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