Lord: Start with a book of Water Margin

Chapter 545 Dipu Ranch
Near noon, Zhao Zhen hosted a banquet for Zhao Shiqilang. During the banquet, Zhao Zhen said to Zhao Shiqilang, "Shiqilang, you should let the professor's apprentice take care of the chicken farm. This chicken farm is not a place for you to stay for a long time. When the chicken farm is stable, you will also have to manage the falconry. So far, we only have one eagle owl, two falcons, and one horned eagle. It is not enough for hunting."

Zhao Shiqilang, who was sitting below him, heard this and said quickly, "Don't worry, sir. This chicken farm is now stable. There are also three farmers who specialize in raising white-feathered chickens in the chicken coop. The eggs are hatching in the chicken coop now. In about ten days, when these white-feathered chickens hatch, I will be able to withdraw."

"Okay, when you get free, find more falcons to tame."

After the meal, Zhao Shiqilang took his leave and Zhao Zhen began to deal with official documents.

Regardless of the time, Zhao Zhen would discuss with Wu Yong and others when the military documents were delivered. He would make a quick decision on any document that could be handled. He would send the fast-footed Li San and Liu Tong in turn to deliver the urgent documents. Ordinary documents would be delivered by soldiers on fast horses.

However, the [Reconnaissance Camp] was not used for this purpose, and could only be used for emergency situations. And pigeon letters could only convey a few words, not enough to convey official documents.

For this purpose, Zhao Zhen has ordered that all prefectures and counties should re-establish post stations, appoint managers, and recruit post soldiers to deliver official documents.

From now on, official documents sent by various states will be divided into three levels according to their urgency and importance: foot delivery, horse delivery and urgent delivery.

The walking couriers were used to deliver ordinary non-confidential official documents and also to deliver letters to the people, with a daily range of 200 li. The horse couriers were used to deliver urgent confidential official documents, with a daily range of 300 li. The express couriers were used to deliver military and important national documents, with a daily range of 400 li. In addition, there were the gold-lettered express couriers, which could travel 500 li a day and were used to deliver urgent documents from the court and urgent battle reports from the border.

To this end, Zhao Zhen also selected more than a hundred riding horses that were good at running and equipped them in the post stations at the prefecture and transportation hubs. The post stations in the river and port areas were also equipped with fast boats to facilitate the delivery of official documents by water. In addition, these post stations also had inns to receive officials.

Most of the official documents sent recently were from various prefectures asking for officials. After all, local governance cannot be separated from manpower. Among the eight prefectures, Liangshan Prefecture has the most officials, followed by Yizhou and Yanzhou, which have also completed the land and population clearance, and are similar to Liangshan. The rest are still clearing the land and population. Weizhou and Qingzhou are not bad. Most of the officials and gentry have been eliminated by Song Jiang, and the land and population clearance is very fast. Mizhou, Laizhou, and Dengzhou are much more difficult. There are strong people everywhere to obstruct, and they can only rely on the army to maintain suppression and slowly erode.

Of course, there were also those who saw the opportunity early, and Zhao Zhen promoted several people to be officials to set an example. According to the government decrees of Liangshan, there were also many people who donated money to become officials.

The provincial governments also selected talented people from among them and gave them minor official positions. The untalented were only given the freedom to wear whatever they wanted.

Zhao Zhen was handling official business when Tang Long, the chief of the guards, and Ding An, the pigeon room manager, approached him. Zhao Zhen asked, "Ding An, where's the news?"

"Reporting to my lord, Kouzhou has sent a letter by pigeon."

After hearing this, Zhao Zhen quickly asked Buddha's Hand to take the pigeon letter. Zhao Zhen unfolded it and saw that it was Shi Xiu and Duan Jingzhu who had returned from buying horses in the north.

In just a few words, he said that there were tens of thousands of cattle and horses accompanying them, and that there were also two small tribes who helped to drive the livestock.

Zhao Zhen was delighted after seeing this and said, "Okay, go and invite Xuejiu Wu to come."

After a while, Wu Yong came in. Zhao Zhen said, "Xuejiu, please take a look." Wu Yong looked and said, "Sir, the horse farm we built on Xiaoping Mountain is no longer suitable. It takes a lot of time and effort to get the horses in and out, and the space is not big enough. Why not choose another place to build a horse farm and settle the herdsmen."

Zhao Zhen said, "I have the same idea. I called the scholar here to hear your opinion. Where should we choose the horse farm?"

Wu Yong pondered for a moment and said, "There have been only three pastures in the east and west of Beijing since ancient times. The first is the foothills of Lushan Mountain between Yiyuan to the north and Zichuan County in Zibo Prefecture. The second is the Wuhe River area in Suozhen, south of Linzi. It was originally a horse farm of Qi State. Because it is located south of the capital of Qi State, it is also called Nanmafang. The third is also in Qingzhou, in Qingqiu, Qiancheng County. Duke Jing of Qi had a thousand horses and raised them here, so it was called the Thousand Horses Country. There is also an island in Muping, Dengzhou, called Yangma Island, which was where the First Emperor grazed his horses. All these four places can be used as pastures."

After hearing this, Liu Huiniang said, "Military Advisor, are Lushan and Linzi too close to Zibo Prefecture?"

Zhao Zhen asked Guihua and Bohe to open the map, looked at it carefully, and asked, "Where do you think is the best place, military advisor?"

Wu Yong said: "In my opinion, Qingqiu in Qiancheng County and Yangma Island in Dengzhou are both good. Yangma Island can be used as a breeding ground, and Qingqiu, Nanmafang and the foothills of Lushan can all be used as breeding grounds."

"However, not all of them are used to raise war horses. For example, the foothills of Lushan Mountain and Qingqiu can raise mules, donkeys, cattle, sheep and other livestock, while Nanmafang raises war horses. The original Xiaoping Mountain was only used as a horse farm for the lord's own use. The best war horses in the army were selected and raised here. When they grow up, they can be given to the brave generals of the cavalry. For example, Shire horses that are to be produced can also be raised there. This place is like a horse-raising island, surrounded by water, and outsiders cannot easily go up, so it is the best for breeding."

Zhao Zhen nodded repeatedly after hearing this and said to Wu Yong, "What the scholar said is correct. Who should take charge of this matter?"

Wu Yong said, "There is no need to start a big fight. I have already found out about Yangma Island when I was in Dengzhou. It has been abandoned for a long time. Now there is only a group of pirates settled here. We just need to send the navy of Daoyu Village to the island to wipe them out. In the other three places, there are some farmers who have settled here. Let the counties and prefectures choose places to move out and only leave a few farmers to sow grass seeds. Then we can move the horses and livestock there one by one."

Three days later, Zhao Zhen met Shi Xiu and Duan Jingzhu, who had hurried back from a long journey, in Baishi Valley. After greeting each other, Shi Xiu shouted, "County Lord, there are great changes in Liangshan. If we hadn't heard from Brother Wei Yangyin of Kouzhou earlier, we would have thought we had come to the wrong place."

Wu Yong said, "This is nothing. Now that Song Jiang of Qingzhou has been recruited, the two prefectures and six states are under your management. We will all be promoted and rewarded. Brother Shi Xiu is now the military commander of Yanzhou. Once you hand over the horses, you will take up your post."

After hearing this, Shi Xiu hurried forward to express his gratitude.

Zhao Zhen said: "Brother Shi Xiu is brave and careful, and he fought bravely. He also went to the north twice to sell horses. His contribution is not small, so he should be rewarded."

As he spoke, Duan Jingzhu, who was standing at the side, said, "A new herdsman office has been set up in Luzhong. Brother Duan Jingzhu and brother Huangfu Duan will serve as herdsman supervisors, with four herdsman judges in charge of the Luzhong pastures."

After hearing this, Duan Jingzhu also thanked him repeatedly.

(End of this chapter)