sovbooks Chapter 58 Once the hearts of the people are lost, the team becomes difficult to lead.
Chapter 58 Once the hearts of the people are lost, the team becomes difficult to lead.
Liu Feng sat with his eyes closed in the main hall of the Thousand Households Office. The flickering candlelight illuminated his half-drunk, half-awake face, making his expression unfathomable.
Li Shoutian rushed in, and upon seeing Liu Feng's expression, he was taken aback at first, then walked over and asked softly, "Sir, what urgent matter has brought you here so late?"
Liu Feng then opened his eyes, picked up the ink paper on the large table, and handed it over.
Li Shoutian took the letter with both hands, glanced at it, and was startled again: "His Majesty actually sent you, sir, to reorganize the Datong Thousand-Household Garrison? Although I have never been to Datong, I have heard of it. The Embroidered Uniform Guard there is a mixed bag, secretly colluding with military generals and local gentry and powerful figures, wantonly seizing farmland and military land. Their power is already deeply entrenched. This mission will be difficult!"
Liu Feng spoke up: "That's precisely why they sent me. I've called you here to discuss something: between you and Zhang Laifu, who should stay and watch the house?"
Li Shoutian understood what he meant: he needed to be wary of Li Jinzhong. This little eunuch had a kind and smiling face on the surface, but he was actually very cunning and treacherous behind the scenes.
He thought for a moment and said, "Zhang Laifu is quick-witted and resourceful, but he's too opportunistic and easily manipulated. I'd better keep him here."
Liu Feng nodded: "We're on the same page. Of the three of you, you're the one I trust the most."
"It's all thanks to the good guidance and teaching from the adults."
Li Shoutian couldn't hide his smile. "How many men have you brought, sir?"
Liu Feng sighed: "We brothers started from scratch, and we only have about thirty truly reliable old hands. So, let's select another twenty from the Qianmen Street Hundred Households Office to make fifty. Once Zhang Laifu and Wang Daniu arrive, we'll split up and meet up again in Datong."
Li Shoutian: "Yes. I will make the arrangements immediately."
Liu Feng picked up the ink-stained paper, feeling that things weren't so simple.
There's no point in thinking about it anymore; let's wait until we get to Datong.
He vaguely felt that he had forgotten something, but he had drunk too much and his head was dizzy and throbbing, so he couldn't remember it for a while.
......................
After seeing Liu Feng off, Li Shoutian didn't go home; he just spent the night in the duty room.
The next morning, Li Shoutian had just eaten a few bites of rice when the duty officer came in to report that someone had come to see Liu Feng, and that they were on Liu Feng's orders.
Li Shoutian dared not delay and immediately ordered the person to be invited in.
Although Jia Yun was born into a prominent family, this was his first time entering a government office, especially a place like the Northern Garrison Command, which was known for its ruthless and manipulative nature. He was trembling all over.
If it weren't for repaying a favor to the Ni family, he would never have gone to this place.
"Go in."
"Thank you, sir!"
Jia Yun bowed to the flag bearer, gently lifted the bamboo curtain, and bent down to slip inside.
Upon seeing the man enter, Li Shoutian put down his bowl and chopsticks, wiped his hands, and asked, "You wish to see our Vice Commissioner?"
Jia Yun took a deep breath, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully: "This humble subject greets Your Excellency. I am a member of the Rongguo Mansion, summoned by Your Excellency to pay my respects."
Li Shoutian: "The Vice Commissioner is not here."
Jia Yun seemed not to have heard clearly: "We haven't arrived at the yamen yet? Then I'll wait here..."
Li Shoutian: "It's not that he's not here, it's that he hasn't arrived yet."
Seeing that Jia Yun hadn't reacted yet, Li Shoutian simply said, "The Vice Commissioner has left the city and it's uncertain when he'll be back."
"What, what should we do?" Jia Yun was dumbfounded.
Li Shoutian thought for a moment, then asked, "I wonder what business the Vice Commissioner has with you?"
Jia Yun recounted everything that had happened yesterday in detail.
Li Shoutian was taken aback at first, but then he understood what was going on. The person the Imperial Guard brought back yesterday was someone he had personally arranged, but he dared not release him without Liu Feng's orders.
So he said to Jia Yun, "I can help you check whether the person is being held in the Northern Garrison Command. But according to the rules of the yamen, a prisoner needs the signature of the Assistant Magistrate to be released."
Jia Yun: "But, but he didn't do anything wrong!"
"Why were you arrested if you didn't commit any crime?" Li Shoutian asked rhetorically.
Jia Yun scratched his head: "I ate noodles but didn't eat garlic..."
"That settles it." Li Shoutian shrugged.
Jia Yun's eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief: "This...this is considered a crime?"
Li Shoutian smiled faintly: "Our Northern Garrison Command always acts according to the rules. We will not wrong an innocent person, nor will we let a guilty person go free. You go back and wait. I will let you know when I have news."
"Huh? Oh..."
Jia Yun turned and left, feeling dizzy, with only one thought repeating in his mind: Is there no law anymore?!
......................
Liu Feng only remembered Ni Er's matter after leaving the city, but it was too late by then.
There was no other way but to let Ni Er suffer in prison for a while longer, and we would talk about it again after we returned to Beijing.
Instead of going through Juyong Pass, Liu Feng led Wang Daniu and the others to take a shortcut through Zijing Pass, arriving in Datong City a day earlier than agreed.
Liu Feng did not go directly into the city, but instead went to check out the surrounding farms.
The sixth month of the lunar calendar is a crucial time for summer field management, harvesting, and planting, and busy figures can be seen everywhere in the countryside.
Every household is mobilized to harvest the spring wheat, with people reaping it on one side and spreading it out to dry on the other. Those who are quick and efficient have already started loosening the soil and weeding, taking advantage of the season to replant beans and autumn vegetables, not daring to delay for a moment.
Liu Feng reached out and pinched a heavy ear of wheat, plucked it off, rubbed it back and forth in his palm a few times, and gently blew away the fine husks. There were more than thirty grains of wheat in his palm, each one plump and firm.
Wang Daniu, standing nearby, laughed: "Look at this wheat, it's going to be another bumper harvest this year!"
Liu Feng was somewhat surprised: "This is considered a bumper harvest?"
Wang Daniu: "Sir, you may not know this, but the soil here in Datong is dry and thin. In a normal year, a single ear of spring wheat can only yield about twenty grains. Only in a good year with favorable weather can it produce around thirty grains."
Liu Feng nodded, picked up a grain of wheat, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly. The wheat grain was of excellent quality, showing that this year was a bumper harvest in Datong.
"Hello, guest."
An old farmer walked over, sweating profusely. His dark face was etched with the marks of time, and his eyes were fixed on the grains of wheat in Liu Feng's hand.
Knowing that the field belonged to his family, Liu Feng smiled and handed over the wheat grains: "Old man, this year is another bumper harvest."
The old farmer carefully took the wheat grains with both hands, a smile appearing on his face: "Thanks to God's blessing, this year has finally been blessed with favorable weather."
Liu Feng glanced at the ragged children in the distance and casually said with a smile, "Since it's a bumper year, once the harvest is complete and we have enough food, we can make some decent clothes for the children."
Before he could finish speaking, the old farmer's smile vanished instantly, and he let out a heavy sigh.
Liu Feng: "What? This land is rented?"
Seeing that Liu Feng possessed an extraordinary demeanor, unlike ordinary merchants, the old farmer truthfully said, "To be honest, this land originally belonged to my father, but now... alas—"
Liu Feng: "Was it sold to wealthy gentry in the city?"
"It's not just my family," the old farmer shook his head and smiled bitterly. "Now, most of the farmland around Datong has fallen into the hands of those big farmers."
"Are you really willing to hand over the land passed down from your ancestors?" Liu Feng pressed.
The old farmer looked helpless: "What can I do if I'm unwilling? After paying the taxes and grain rations to the imperial court, I'm busy all year round and there's hardly any grain left in my hands. Besides, the irrigation ditches in the fields were all built with money from those big households. If I don't sell them, they won't give me water."
Liu Feng fell silent. The land tax in Daqian was not heavy, but by the time it reached the people, there was almost nothing left. The emperor was completely unaware of this, which meant that the Datong Thousand-Household Office was indeed rotten to the core.
"Why don't you go to the government to file a complaint?" Liu Feng asked a foolish question.
The old farmer was taken aback by the question, then shook his head and smiled bitterly: "That's a place where rich people reason..."
Suddenly, the sound of gongs rang out in the distance.
"It's the steward from the Fan family!"
The old farmer hurriedly ran towards the sound of the gong, and the surrounding farmers also rushed over.
A moment later, a commotion broke out over there:
"We're just tenant farmers working for Master Fan. What does the imperial court's war have to do with us?"
"Yes! Why should we tenant farmers be levied such a high military pay!"
Liu Feng shook his head. If the people's hearts are lost, the team will be difficult to lead.
At this moment, the Imperial Guards who had gone into the city to gather information returned.
"My lord, the soldiers who were chasing the Shanxi merchants have run into trouble. They say they were ambushed by the Mongols... The General of Datong has led 10,000 troops to provide support."
"Has the General of Datong left with his troops?" Liu Feng glanced at the crowd in the distance.
"We broke camp early this morning."
Damn it, the army has already set off, why are they still levying military pay?
Liu Feng spat. These gentry are truly black-hearted!