Crowned the New Han Dynasty

Chapter 454 Ingenuity
"Third brother, what do you think of the new owner?"

On the slightly narrow bed, a boy who looked like a half-grown child opened his dark eyes and asked in a low voice.

The night light shone through the window and fell into the room, as if a layer of frost had been spread on the ground, and it also reflected the young man's eyes with sparkle.

Although it was already night, the arduous journey and uncertainty about the future made the young man unable to calm down and couldn't help but ask about his brother beside him.

The houses in the attached courtyard are spacious, but in order to accommodate a few more people, the beds inside are very close to each other. Most of them are open bunks. Several people sleep side by side, and snores come and go.

This young man's name is Li Wei, and lying next to him is his elder brother named Li Li.

Both of them are craftsmen outside Xiapi County.

The Li family is somewhat famous in Xiapi. The entire clan has gathered together and has clearly recorded family histories for more than 300 years.

It is said that at the beginning, it was a branch of the Mohist family and was handed down.

But now, after several generations of changes, as well as repeated migrations under the influence of war, the family has long lost the atmosphere of the Mohist family and has become an ordinary clan.

If there is anything different, it is the inheritance of their craftsmen——

80.00% of the men in this family, and even some of the women, are craftsmen and master some kind of craft.

For example, Li Wei's father was a blacksmith who worked in the Chen family's workshop in Xiapi. However, Li Wei's elder brother Li Li's father was a carpenter, and he himself inherited this craft.

As for Li Wei himself, because he is quite intelligent, he has learned a lot of craft skills from his clan, but due to his age, he is not yet able to become a master, so he is still just scratching the surface and has no real achievements.

In contrast, Li Li is different. He is now in his thirties. He can be called the backbone of the family. He is also the father of three children. In terms of technical level and professional attitude, he is a junior. Pi Chen is the best craftsman in the family and has great prestige.

But because of this, considering his age, he was selected into the team of craftsmen heading north, and was vaguely regarded as the leader. Many times on the way, he was the one guiding everyone.

At the moment, when Li Wei was feeling uneasy, his first choice was to ask his brother for help, hoping that Li Li could give him reassurance.

Little did he know that Li Li was also restless at this time, thinking about his future.

He is a 30-year-old man with a wife and children, a stable job, and a decent income. He is also a prominent figure in his hometown, and he still has a certain say in the clan. He lives a happy life, but Chen Shouyi, because he With a sudden move, the Xiapi Chen family immediately took action and selected Li Li and sent him to Beidi.

At the beginning, Li Li was really panicked, and his mind was full of confusion. How could everything be so good, and his life was turned upside down?

However, when working in aristocratic families, they all know the importance of drawing cakes and drawing blueprints, otherwise no one will work. Therefore, the person responsible for taking them north told them repeatedly every day what an honor it was to go north this time. What a benefit, how wise Master Chen Zhi is, what a great opportunity there is for Dai Jun.

Such repeated brainwashing allowed the selected craftsmen to overcome their initial confusion and hesitation and settle down again. However, the worries about the future did not disappear because of this, but were buried in their hearts and temporarily affected by the beautiful blueprint. It was suppressed.

But when they actually set foot in Daijun, saw the scene here, and felt the huge difference between this barren land and Xiapi, worries began to creep into their hearts.

"If I work here, can I still get the same salary as I did in Xiapi? I won't even have enough to eat, right?"

Such thoughts lingered in Li Li's heart, making him have no intention of falling asleep. When he was worried, he heard the voice of his clan brother and turned his head to look over.

Li Li had great expectations for this clan brother, because this boy was very talented and learned things very quickly. Whether it was carpentry skills, blacksmith skills, or even things from other families, he only needed to take a look at them. , you can tell one, two, three, and even learn a few points.

Otherwise, when choosing a craftsman to go north, such a young man would not be selected. After all, according to normal human logic, craftsmanship depends more on experience. The stronger you are, the more advantageous you are.

But because of this, the clan was quite tolerant of him. Originally, several branches within the clan had their own division of labor, and things that would not be easily taught to each other were allowed to be seen and learned by this son.In contrast, Li Li's attitude towards Li Wei was more severe, and he often scolded him for fear that he would be too indulgent and prevent the boy from concentrating on work. But for craftsmen, it is difficult to be calm and content. avoid!

Therefore, before this, Li Wei and Li Li were not close, and they would avoid each other when they met. As a result, they were chosen to go together this time. As the elder brother, Li Li, of course, took care of everything, which also made this little brother's heart come back. Now, I have to ask Li Li for advice no matter what.

Now, seeing the uneasiness on Li Wei's face, Li Li sighed and had to suppress the worries in his heart and comforted himself: "Chen Jun is a famous scholar in Xuzhou and a leader of the younger generation of the Chen family. He is deeply trusted by the emperor and has many ministers. As a friend, I have a good reputation in the past and will not be disadvantageous to us. Moreover, before coming here, several gentlemen from the Chen family made it clear that they are here to do things. If you do well, you will be rewarded."

No matter what time it is, no one will be willing to leave their hometown, so there must be enough rewards to attract people. In addition to using the power of the family, the Chen family only promises benefits. As the saying goes, people die with money. To die for food, everyone who is willing to come north will leave a sum of money in his family. According to the Chen family, it is part of the reward.

But in the eyes of many Xiapi people, it is clearly just settlement expenses.

Fortunately, this money and silk can eventually move people's hearts, so there was no big trouble along the way, but people's hearts became more and more uneasy.

After listening to Li Li's words, Li Wei felt a little relieved. After all, he is a young man, and sorrow comes and goes quickly, so he quickly fell asleep, but Li Li was left behind, still having trouble falling asleep, thinking about what will happen in the future. How, how will the prefect distribute them?

But the next day, there was no movement from Chen Zhi. He still let these craftsmen live in the courtyard, as if he had forgotten them.

Originally, the arrival of so many of them in Dai County caused a certain amount of discussion, but it was soon suppressed by another incident, that is, the young children of several big families who were sent by the border army to station troops. .

It's funny to say that many of the children of aristocratic families who gathered in the border army this time were from surrounding counties, but they were all sent to Dai County in droves, as if they were afraid that others would not know.

This made several major families quite embarrassed. They sent people out and knew that Chen Zhi would inevitably know about it. However, it was originally a matter that was under the table, but it was openly put on the table and publicized with great fanfare. The situation was not the same. It was the same, and it also gave some onlookers a new perspective on the situation.

Although after the incident, several major families communicated and sent letters to Chen Zhi through private channels, overtly or covertly, and expressed their apologies. In the name of the general, he called on them to go, but he really didn't know the specific situation.

"Ignorant? That's complete nonsense!"

After getting feedback from everyone, Zhou Ao suddenly snorted coldly: "It would be strange if they didn't know. Ask them what they said at this border army gathering, and each one of them will talk about him, and there is something wrong at first glance. !”

Chen Zhi comforted him from the side: "I know what they talked about. I don't need to pay attention to it for the time being. I can't pay attention to it. When it comes to the border army, I have to be more cautious."

"I also understand this truth, but I just can't swallow this breath. They are too arrogant!" Zhou Ao still looked hateful, as if he couldn't let go.

Chen Zhi also nodded and said: "This matter must be dealt with, otherwise no one will challenge my authority in the future. There is no need to be an official, and there is no need to govern Daijun. But things must be done step by step. Simply reprimanding will not do it." To frighten the aristocratic family, it makes them feel that it is a bluff, so we have to wait until we have enough power to scare them all at once. When the time comes, we should win over those who should be attracted, and suppress those who should be suppressed. If there are still stubborn ones, we might as well use some extreme measures. Means." A cold light flashed in his eyes.

Zhou Ao nodded slightly after hearing this.

Chen Zhi added: "There is something at hand that can suppress them a little, and it is justifiable. It is Zheng Shi's problem. He criticizes Shangguan and sows relations. He is no longer suitable to be a captain. I will report it to the court and let the court The order was ordered to be replaced by another person. According to the rules of the Han Dynasty, the prefect, captain and county magistrate of this county should all be appointed by the court. Daijun is because it is on the border, and the county magistrate also serves as the chief historian, taking into account military affairs, so The appointment is made by the prefect, but the captain should not let it go. Before you came, Zhou Ao, I told you that I would help you find a suitable position. I think the captain is very suitable."

Zhou Ao was stunned when he heard this.

The captain is in charge of the military affairs of a county and arrests bandits. In the initial period, his rank was even equal to that of the prefect. Later, with the development of the times, he gradually became a subordinate. In the New Han Dynasty, he had a clearer position and served as a subordinate. Sheriff's assistant officer.

But even so, we can still see the difference in this position. In fact, according to the laws of the New Han Dynasty, the three chief officials of a county, that is, the prefect, the captain and the county magistrate, cannot be held by local people, but even the three governors cannot be held by locals. Fadu existed in name only, and such rules had long been loosened, so that both Zheng Shi and Tang Dian could become captains of their hometown.

But if Chen Zhi had to rely on the imperial court to appoint him, others would have no way to refute him. What's more, Zheng Shi was wrong and the abolition was justified. Others could only lament Chen Zhi's exquisite timing.

However, just when Chen Zhi was about to remove Zheng Shi, everyone in the Zheng family gathered together with solemn expressions.

　The list will be compiled tomorrow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)