Chapter 91: Foundation Of Military Morale
Gan Ning brought Lu Su, Jiang Wan, and a group of officials to the dilapidated house in Qingshui Lane. They saw a thin woman cooking noodle slices at the door, with three children squatting beside her—two boys and one girl. The oldest child was about seven years old, the youngest only four, all wearing somewhat worn commoner clothes.
The three children huddled around their mother, eyeing the noodle slices in the broken pottery jar greedily.
Suddenly so many people arrived, scaring the three children to hide behind their mother. The woman asked timidly, “Who… who are you looking for?”
“Your husband is Wu Sanfu, right?”
The woman nodded and said softly, “He is already dead!”
Gan Ning looked at the pitch black house and broken doors and windows, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart. If her man were still alive, he would never let his wife and children fall to such a state.
“I am your husband’s lord. I apologize to you for not taking good care of you!” Gan Ning bowed in salute.
The woman was at a loss, not knowing what to say. Gan Ning earnestly continued, “Starting today, the government office will provide money and grain to raise your children until they come of age. I will also allocate twenty mu of land and three new houses to you. Your husband died in battle for me; I cannot let him shed blood only to continue shedding tears beneath the nine springs.”
The woman silently shed tears. After a long moment, she choked out, “Wu Lang dying in battle for a lord like you is his honor, and our family’s honor.”
Leaving Qingshui Lane, Lu Su asked, “What about their previous twenty mu of military fields?”
Gan Ning thought for a moment and said, “Send someone to investigate. If his brothers still support their parents, do not pursue it. If they do not support their parents, reclaim the military fields.”
“This subordinate understands!”
“Additionally, establish a pensions office for soldiers who died in battle. Have them investigate how many such families there are. When families of soldiers who died in battle encounter difficulties, we must help them promptly.”
“My lord, rest assured. This subordinate will handle it properly!”
Gan Ning sighed softly, “Military morale! It cannot be boosted by a few pretty words. Only by implementing these details can we have the foundation for constant victory.”
With the establishment of the soldiers’ pensions office, investigations into families of soldiers who died in battle also began. At the same time, the military fields system was implemented.
Over 16,000 households of surrendering soldiers’ families who migrated south from the north bank of Jiangxia Commandery, as well as soldiers’ families living in Wuchang Commandery, successively received military fields and grain subsidies. Areas around counties in Wuchang Commandery began busily plowing and fertilizing, preparing for the upcoming winter wheat sowing.
In mid-September, the autumn harvest season arrived. Farmers in Yuzhang Commandery, Luling Commandery, and Wuchang Commandery all began working busily, and the army also went down to the fields to help harvest rice.
Officials from the government office also had to go to the fields to harvest rice.
That morning, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, wearing conical hats, followed Gan Ning to the rice fields. Of course they could not harvest rice, but going to the fields was an attitude, showing that the lord valued the autumn harvest and had brought his family.
Xiao Qiao had switched to pet business and retired from the jianghu. The influence of the Purple Immortal Demoness was gradually fading. She no longer wore purple shirts and skirts, but changed to a yellow ruoyi and red luo skirt, with her hair in double-ring immortal-gazing buns. Her beautiful eyes darted left and right; she was still an extremely beautiful lively sprite.
Da Qiao had her hair in a falling horse bun. Though still a virgin, she already considered herself a little wife in her heart. She dressed herself like a young matron, appearing somewhat mature. Her skin was white and creamy like fat, her face carefully made up, her eyes like autumn water and smoke, giving her a beauty that could topple empires.
The appearance of the two sisters attracted a lot of attention. Many people then realized that this pair of sisters had otherworldly beauty. No wonder the lord regarded them as forbidden; even the wives of other officials participating in the autumn harvest felt inferior.
Four sturdy female guards closely followed the two sisters, never leaving their side. Anyone who tried to sneak closer for a better look was scared off by the female guards’ fierce glares.
The gazes of the two fairy sisters were always on their own husband; they paid no attention to outsiders.
Gan Ning wore short farmer’s clothes, a conical hat on his head, and held a sickle. Though dressed as a farmer, his tall and straight figure and majestic aura far surpassed the limits of farm clothes. Wherever he went, he made the people around him pale in comparison.
The two little darlings were truly infatuated with their husband, constantly bringing him tea and water, wiping his sweat.
Gan Ning sat down in the shelter. Da Qiao handed him a wet towel and said, “Husband, we can’t help much. Do you want to find some tasks for us to do?”
Gan Ning knew the two sisters were too eye-catching; the officials all stood far away, too embarrassed to come over. At this point, Gan Ning somewhat regretted bringing them out.
Gan Ning smiled and said, “It’s about done. You go back first! I might go straight to the government office later and won’t be able to look after you.”
“But we haven’t done anything!”
“It’s not necessary to go to the fields and harvest rice. Those families haven’t gone to the fields either. The key is that people came to the farmland; that’s an attitude, showing we care about the autumn harvest. I’m the same, only harvesting one mu of rice. Understand?”
Xiao Qiao muttered softly, “So many words, just coming to put on a show!”
Gan Ning chuckled helplessly, “Even if it’s putting on a show! You go back!”
Da Qiao pulled her sister and said, “Husband, we’ll go back first then.”
Seeing she really could not help, Da Qiao pulled her sister back to the official road. They waved to their husband, then boarded the large carriage. The four female guards also got on the carriage, and a hundred cavalry escorted the carriage back to the city.
With the two sisters gone, the surrounding officials also came over one after another. Jiang Wan teased with a laugh, “My lord is so fortunate!”
Gan Ning chuckled, “Jiang has sons and daughters, a virtuous madam, and a harmonious family—that’s fortune. My fortune hasn’t started yet!”
Lu Su grinned and said, “My lord is developing so fast; Cao Cao might take a liking and want to marry his daughter to my lord. Would my lord marry or not?”
Gan Ning was stunned for a moment; it really was possible. He did not want Cao Cao’s daughter.
Seeing their lord embarrassed, everyone burst into laughter.
Time gradually reached noon. The harvest of the dozen demonstration fields also ended, and officials began successively taking their families home.
From afar, Gan Ning saw Li Zhuan squatting on the field ridge discussing something with several farmers, so Gan Ning walked over.
Li Zhuan quickly stood and saluted, “Greetings, my lord!”
“What are you discussing?”
“Reporting to my lord, several old farmers all say that the straight shaft plow now in use is very heavy, hard to turn, and inconvenient to operate. They hope I can think of a way to improve it.”
“Have you thought of any solutions?” Gan Ning asked with a smile.
Li Zhuan shook his head, “Not yet any good methods.”
Gan Ning thought for a moment and said, “I have a suggestion you can reference. It’s like when we lift things: lifting from above a heavy object, you can’t apply force, so it’s tiring. Lifting from below is much easier. The straight shaft plow is the same; because the shaft head is too high, it’s hard for people to control the plow.
But if the shaft head is below, level with the feet, when the ox pulls, the plow blade goes down on its own, and the person just needs to steady the handles. Turning becomes very easy.”
Li Zhuan drew diagrams on the muddy ground and pondered for a long time, still unable to figure out how to shift the shaft head’s force downward. Gan Ning pointed out directly from the side, “Just change the straight shaft to a curved shaft.”
Gan Ning’s words were like a flash of lightning. Li Zhuan suddenly realized: changing the straight shaft to a curved shaft would place the shaft head below.
“I understand! Changing the straight shaft to a curved shaft puts the shaft head’s force below. I understand! I understand!”
Li Zhuan jumped up excitedly, saluted Gan Ning, and ran toward the city gate.
Gan Ning had only given a slight hint, and the curved shaft plow, which appeared in the Tang Dynasty, was born four hundred years early.
