My Ming Dynasty, I have the final say

Chapter 181 Zuo Guangdou Farming

Zuo Guangdou, who was called back midway, didn't know how the wind in Beijing was blowing.

Riding a horse along the Tonghui River to Tongzhou, Zuo Guangdou, the right minister of the Ministry of Industry, has been burdened with lawsuits these days.

"It's better to go to Nanzhili to check the taxes."

Zuo Guangdou couldn't help but thought to himself as he saw the man in luxurious clothes pointing at his group on the roadside.

"This Zuo Guangdou is not a good guy!"

"Traitor!"

"Dog thief!"

In a daze, he heard someone scolding him. Zuo Guangdou stretched his neck and looked around, but couldn't find who it was.

He retracted his neck again, Zuo Guangdou was a little angry.

Zhang Wenda, the talkative woman, told the emperor that he was good at water conservancy and able to manage farming affairs.

Then, the emperor stuffed a hot potato into his hand.

Responsible for farming in North Zhili and also working on water conservancy.

"General Zhao, we went out to recruit people today. Why does Minister Zuo look a little unhappy?"

Among the team, Zhao Shujiao and Zu Dashou were far away from Zuo Guangdou. Zu Dashou couldn't help but look at Zhao Shujiao and asked.

"Recently, the countryside has been full of people scolding him. Can he be happy?"

Hearing this, Zhao Shujiao gloated in a low voice.

"With the money given by His Majesty, he took all the mud-legged people from the countryside to work in the fields. Who will plant the land of the good people?"

"I see."

Hearing this, Zu Dashou nodded in sudden realization.

It turns out that those who scolded Zuo Guangdou were the wealthy gentry who had lost their tenants.

Hey, there are so many rich people in these farmers in the capital.

Over in Liaodong, the weather is freezing and no one likes to farm. Most of them depend on the mountains, the water, and the imperial court.

"How many people have you recruited to the Hu Xiang Guard?"

Turning his head to look at the sighing Zu Dashou, Zhao Shujiao suddenly asked.

"There are already more than two thousand people, but most of them are farmers and are very weak."

Hearing this, Zu Dashou shook his head helplessly.

"I'm thinking about it. Wait until Zuo Shilang has been working in the fields for a while, and when those people are full, then we can see if we can recruit more."

Not many physically qualified soldiers can be recruited.

With that said, Zu Dashou turned to look at Zhao Shujiao and asked.

"Where are you Longxiang Guards?"

"Don't mention it."

Hearing this, Zhao Shujiao played with the riding crop in his hand, with helplessness written all over his face.

"Baotao, Huben, the former Jingying and Tengxiang Four Guards Camps, as long as they can ride horses or even ride mules, I have searched them out, but I have only found more than 5,000 people."

"General Zhao means, enough horses?"

Hearing this, Zu Dashou rolled his eyes and asked tentatively.

"Can you share some with us?"

"You have to report this to His Majesty."

Hearing this, Zhao Shujiao glanced at Zu Dashou casually, shook his head and said.

"Your Majesty has the final say on how to divide the horses among each camp. I don't dare to give the horses to you privately."

With that said, Zhao led his disciples with a wave of his whip and passed Zu Dashou forward.

He looked like he was afraid that Zu Dashou would ask him for a horse next.

"..."

Seeing Zhao Shujiao leaving in a hurry, Zu Dashou couldn't help but stroke his beard with his hand.

"Brother-in-law, what's wrong?"

Just after Zhao led his disciples away, Wu Xiang urged his horse and came up from behind to ask Zu Dashou.

"nothing."

Hearing this, Zu Dashou just shook his head and looked at the direction Zhao Shujiao left with uncertain eyes.

The emperor didn't like him.

At the same time, Zhao Shujiao, who was urging his horse forward, had a serious expression on his face. Zhao Lijiao disliked Zu Dashou, a general who was transferred back from Guangning.

In his eyes, Li Rusong, the Liaodong general, was a capable person, and the others were trash.

Back in the capital, at the emperor's banquet, the emperor's toast to him was to his uncle Zhao Menglin.

As for Zu Dashou, he released his military power over a glass of wine and distributed his troops to Sun Chuanting of Bao Tao Guard.

Moreover, in Nanhaizi a few months ago, when the emperor visited his Longxiang Guard station, he accidentally mentioned that the Liaodong generals were suspected of being self-respecting by raising bandits.

"General Huxiang Guards, I think we should just change his name to Tuntian Lieutenant General."

After taking a look at the team behind him, Zhao Shujiao said jokingly to himself.

"General, we are reaching Tongzhou just ahead."

At this time, some soldiers came forward to report to Zhao Shujiao.

"Tell brothers, restrain your subordinates and strictly prohibit disturbing the people. If anyone can no longer control the people below, he will be caught by the Military Justice Department. I will see if I don't beat him to death."

"Yes!"

Hearing this, the soldier handed over his hands and quickly went down to rectify the queue.

A team of nearly six thousand people lined up to enter Tongzhou City.

In front of the big warehouse in Tongzhou, Zuo Guangdou took the official documents from the branch and paid out the grain and grass needed for this month from the big warehouse.

When Zhao Zhijiao arrived at the gate of Tongzhou Cangchang, Zuo Guangdou looked at him and said.

"General Zhao, go to Zhangjiawan today and let the soldiers start moving."

"Yes!"

Hearing this, Zhao led the army with a wave of his hand and asked the soldiers to start loading the cart with grain.

Taking advantage of the gap in loading food, Zhao Shujiao came to Zuo Guangdou and asked curiously.

"Secretary Zuo, Your Majesty has ordered our two guards to assist you in farming. Why do you need us to dredge the river first?"

"Haha, General Zhao doesn't understand."

After hearing what Zhao Shujiao said, Zuo Guangdou glanced at the general who was already in his fifties and said with a smile.

“People regard food as their heaven, their food is the earth, and the earth’s bones are water.”

"If you want to grow good land, you cannot do without water. I once inspected the local area and often saw local people fighting over water in the fields. The government could not stop it."

As he spoke, Zuo Guangdou shook his head and said.

"You want to recruit troops, and I want to farm the fields and recruit young people from among the people. Those rich gentry don't know how to scold us."

"If we go directly to farm, we will be impeached many times."

"So, I thought of dredging the river first, so that the fields of wealthy households can get water, and at the same time, we can recruit young people from the public."

Feeling that there was something wrong with the reason, Zuo Guangdou continued to add.

"We can also find out where there is more wasteland, so we can lay the foundation for farming."

"I see."

Hearing this, Zhao Shujiao nodded, looked into the distance and thought to himself.

Remove the word "men".

My mission is to recruit soldiers. As long as I can recruit enough soldiers and do not violate military law, it has nothing to do with me no matter how others impeach me.

Together with Zhao Lijiao, he watched the soldiers load the grain into carts and then use horses to pull them away.

"I heard that General Zhao didn't have enough horses, so he specially found some mules and donkeys to train his soldiers in equestrian skills."

Zuo Guangdou suddenly asked.

"I wonder how many livestock there are now?"

"Animals."

Hearing Zuo Guangdou's words, Zhao Shujiao couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

Zu Dashou wanted to ask him for a horse, but you, the left servant, wanted to get my donkey and mule.

"There are probably more than 1,600 of them in the whole camp now."

After thinking for a moment, Zhao Shujiao answered Zuo Guangdou's question.

"Oh, not much."

Hearing this, Zuo Guangdou nodded and began to think about whether he could write to the emperor to ask for money to buy some livestock.

Farming and building dams require a lot of labor.