Chapter 325: Train
Having stayed in the barracks for a long time, they had grown accustomed to Pei Qinghe’s cold and stern majesty when training troops. At this moment, Shi Yan had a somber expression and sharp gaze, possessing somewhat of General Pei’s demeanor and style.
Shi Li was also deterred for a moment and reflexively assented.
Then, he quietly returned all the generous gifts he had received.
Shi Yan stayed in the Shi Family Fortified Village for over half a month, securing more than thirty deals of large sums. He also had the Shi Family prepare a large batch of seeds.
After spring plowing began, all the Shi Family Grain Stores within Youzhou put up signs for “borrowing seeds.”
Common people with surplus grain or modest means could exchange old grain for seeds or buy seeds with silver. Those with utter poverty at home could go to the Shi Family Grain Store to borrow a batch of seeds on credit. After the autumn harvest, they would repay with an additional one tenth. Compared to those black-hearted magnate landlords who charged compound interest multiplying several times over, the Shi Family Grain Store only required one tenth interest, which was truly low.
In fact, this was originally a loss-making deal. Once seeds were lent out, it was for half a year at least, and at most seven or eight tenths could be recovered. There were always common people who could not repay. These bad debts accumulated into a considerable consumption.
However, from a political perspective, it was a sure profit and extremely worthwhile. Appropriately aiding the poorest common people allowed them to farm normally during spring plowing. With the common people settled, refugees would decrease sharply. Without refugees, there would be no bandits, and the prefectures and counties would be safe. There would be fewer bandit suppression campaigns, fewer unnecessary sacrifices and consumption, and more time and energy for training troops.
Moreover, when the common people grew grain, they had to pay three tenths land tax. The more common people farming, the more land tax collected, enough to support more troops.
General Pei’s prestige in the hearts of the common people was almost like that of a bodhisattva who saves the suffering.
Popular support is like water; everyone in their hearts turned toward General Pei. Other armies had to forcibly conscript able-bodied men to recruit soldiers. When the Pei Family Army posted a proclamation for recruiting soldiers, people rushed to sign up.
Spring plowing also began outside Liaoxi City.
Pei Qinghe had always valued spring plowing. In previous years at this time, she would go to the fields every day. This year, busy with recruiting and training soldiers in Liaoxi City, she did not neglect spring plowing.
The prefectural governor’s mansion of Liaoxi Commandery had long been cleared out by General Li. Now military and administrative affairs in Liaoxi City were all in Pei Qinghe’s hands. She led Li Chi, Lu Erlang, and others out of the city to patrol the fields.
At first the common people were fearful and uneasy, but later they discovered the general never galloped horses trampling good farmland, nor oppressed the common people. She often walked into the fields to watch them farming and working, so they gradually lost their fear.
A few with courage even dared to chat idly with the general.
“Why is this field lying fallow?”
“General may not know, that previous Li Gouzei often sent people to rob our grain. Many common people fled Liaoxi for Yan Prefecture. I am old in years and cannot run, otherwise I would have fled long ago. Fortunately the general came; this old body of mine can still live well and go to the fields to farm—this is all the general’s kindness.”
The black and skinny farmer with graying hair praised General Pei effusively, and upon mentioning General Li who had been dead for several months, his face was full of anger, gnashing his teeth, calling him “Li Gouzei” at every turn.
Even Li Chi with his thick skin felt waves of burning embarrassment.
Lu Erlang was actually quite guilty inside too.
After all, the previous Fanyang Army was no good either. Robbing grain and silver, oppressing common people—these were commonplace.
Pei Qinghe did not look at the embarrassed Li Chi and Lu Erlang, but smiled and said to the farmer: “You all farm with peace of mind. If there are wicked people, just go to the barracks to lodge a complaint. With me, Pei Qinghe, here, no one can bully you.”
The old farmer grinned and assented repeatedly.
After Pei Qinghe and her group left, the common people farming in the fields gathered around, surrounding that bold old farmer: “Old Tian, where did you get the courage to speak to the general!”
Old Tian puffed out his thin chest proudly: “I’ve lived over sixty years, long enough already. I’m not afraid of anything!”
“Besides, ever since the general came, the Liaoxi Army changed its military banner. Those who sneaked out of the barracks, whether they did evil or not, were all executed as deserters by the general. The general never robs our grain; when we suffered famine, she even distributed grain to us.”
“When we had no seeds for spring plowing, it was also the general who gave us seeds.”
“The general is the blue sky above our heads. For me, Old Tian, to speak with the general, I could close my eyes content right then.”
The surrounding common people looked eager and said: “Old Tian is right. With the general here, we’ll have good days.”
“We’ve been oppressed by Li Gouzei for so many years; now we’ve finally waited for the general.”
“It’s a pity so much farmland here lies uncultivated. Even if we have strength, we don’t have enough seeds. If it could all be planted, then after harvest we could send the grain to the general as military rations—that would be wonderful!”
The common people were sighing the day before; the next day, they were surprised to see many soldiers appear in the fields.
These soldiers were tall and strong, their hands accustomed to gripping long sabers now guiding iron plows, and surprisingly doing it properly.
Old Tian, being bold, was the first to approach: “Soldiers, are you here to farm?”
The leading soldier grinned: “Exactly. The general saw so much good farmland outside the city uncultivated and was greatly distressed. Yesterday after returning to the barracks, she ordered five companies of men to plant all the vacant good farmland.”
One company of hundred men, five companies five hundred men. Five hundred tall, sturdy, strong soldiers scattered out, plowing the idle fields outside the city not yet fully wasted with iron plows and sowing seeds.
Li Chi and Lu Erlang were both sent out of the city to farm.
Farming is also hard work. Bending and bowing all day. After a day’s labor, backs ached, waists sore, eyes blurry. After several days in a row, the soldiers who once stood tall were all weary and listless.
Pei Qinghe smiled impassively and asked: “How have these few days felt?”
Lu Erlang was younger after all, lacking depth, and spoke pure truth upon opening his mouth: “Too tiring! Only now do I know how hard farming is. The common people labor so arduously to harvest some grain. We used to rob grain everywhere—truly too despicable!”
“I’ve understood the general’s good intentions. From now on, I, Lu Sheng, dare not bully the common people or rob their grain!”
Pei Qinghe nodded slightly: “That you can think of this shows you’ve put your mind to it.”
Then she looked at Li Chi.
Li Chi had a solemn expression: “Too many common people fled Liaoxi City abandoning homes; land left fallow for years becomes wasteland. With no one farming the farmland, autumn harvest yields little grain, land tax insufficient to supply the army’s needs. We can only recruit fewer soldiers.”
“With weak troop strength, the grassland barbarians will frequently invade.”
“To break this vicious cycle, first the soldiers must reform their hearts, become good soldiers who cherish the common people.”
