Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 74 Borrow

After a few full meals, the refugees immediately became energetic.

Following their respective flags, they rushed towards Lushui Pond.

The fields were bustling with activity, and even the women and children of Qingguang Village went to the fields.

Liu Daogui took the lead in working in the fields. He followed his mother to the fields when he was six years old and was quite good at farming.

As for the refugees, there is no need to say more. As long as they are Chinese people living on this land, they work from sunrise to sunset, and have been doing so for thousands of years. There is no one who doesn't know how to farm.

As the seedlings were planted one by one, the refugees' eyes became more lively.

At night, Liu Daogui ordered his men to slaughter all the more than 30 sheep and make mutton soup so that the villagers could have something to eat.

Although Qingguang Village captured a lot of spoils, the bulk of it was taken by the soldiers, and only 30% fell into Liu Daogui's hands. However, with the bronze Buddha statue, he didn't have to worry about not being able to pay back the money to the Huan family by the end of the year.

He simply took out all the money he had to buy food and meat.

Farming is extremely hard these days. The refugees work hard every day and cannot bear it without food.

As time went by, the refugees' trust in Liu Daogui grew day by day.

As for the women and children, they were placed on the left side. If they were willing to get married, Liu Daogui would allocate a house for them. There was not much else in the city, and there were abandoned houses everywhere, which could be made habitable with a little renovation.

However, most of these women chose the Northern Army.

Almost every soldier was hugging each other, and Liu Zun and Liu Heibi both married three women.

In troubled times, there are more women than men, and Liu Daogui has no objection as long as they are in love.

"Agui, what do you think of these?" Liu Zun was quite loyal and found a few young women for Liu Daogui.

It's just that his aesthetic is really not flattering. They are all strong women with big arms, thick waists and round butts. Liu Daogui is really a bit...

Even if Liu Daogui nodded, his mother Xiao Wenshou would not agree.

A rich family faces a rich family, a poor family faces a poor family, and a poor family is still a family. Getting married is not a trivial matter.

"Don't worry, I've tried these for you, they're all okay." Liu Zun patted his chest.

Those women couldn't raise their heads.

"Get out!" Liu Daogui felt disgusted. This guy had lacked discipline since childhood and had no idea of ​​propriety, righteousness, integrity and shame.

"I think you've been seduced by that foxy Taoist priest." Liu Zun turned and left, not forgetting to throw down a sentence...

"Tao rules..." Gao Xun smiled.

"Brother Gao, please don't be offended. This guy is born a rough man."

"It's not this, but we are running out of money and food."

After the news of the annihilation of Zhang Fonu and Bai Longzi spread, more and more refugees came to seek refuge, with the number increasing to three hundred in each building.

However, Liu Daogui spent the money and grain in his hands like water.

Although the situation can be maintained temporarily, land reclamation is a long-term task that must be carried out until the autumn harvest in August.

Be prepared for a rainy day. Food is the most important thing for people. Without food, the good situation will collapse in an instant.

The more people there are, the more people will eat. Liu Daogui thought for a long time and slapped his thigh, "Then borrow more. Borrow from the Cao family, the Xiao family, the Sun family, and all the powerful people in Lanling County!"

Gao Xun made a bitter face and asked, "Can you afford to pay back such a large sum?"

Liu Daogui laughed and said, "They have the final say on borrowing money, but we have the final say on when and how to repay it!"

Driving away Zhang Fonu and Bai Longzi is the greatest credit.

With a knife in hand, you won't be panicked.

If we can get through this year, everything will be easy in the future.

"What if they don't lend it to me?" Gao Xun's biggest problem was that he was too bookish, and it was inevitable that he would feel embarrassed as a child of an aristocratic family.

With a clang, Liu Daogui drew out his ring-handled sword and thrust it into his hand. "I'll leave the matter of borrowing money to you. Bring along Liu Zun, Liu Heibi, and a few other men with fierce looks, and go to borrow money with swords in hand. Remember, we are the imperial army, not bandits!"

Gao Xun rolled his eyes and said with a wry smile, "I understand."

Liu Daogui said, "The rules of Lanling must be changed from now on. We drove away Zhang Fonu and Bai Longzi, and handed them over to the bandits for offerings. Now they will hand them over to us!"

If you are not ruthless, you cannot sit steadily.

Thinking back to when he had asked Xiao Tingzhi to borrow grain, Liu Daogui was filled with resentment. These people bullied the weak and feared the strong, preferring to give grain to the bandits rather than lend it to him at double the interest.

So don't be too polite to them. Once the knife is put to them, they will naturally think it through.

"Before returning to Guangling, all the rules must be set!" Liu Daogui said quietly.

As soon as Gao Xun left, Cao Ji came to him in the afternoon and was willing to lend him another 50 dan of grain and 300 strings of cash, without interest.

He must have known that Liu Daogui was short of money.

Liu Daogui smiled without saying anything, knowing that he was trying to avoid disaster by spending money, and to atone for the sins of Cao's "elite warriors of a hundred battles". This battle also allowed the Cao family to witness the combat effectiveness of the Northern Palace Army.

Only fifty dan of grain and three hundred strings of cash, just enough to send away a beggar...

Cao Ji's face trembled, "One hundred stone of grain, five hundred strings of cash."

"Five hundred dan of grain, one thousand strings of cash. Next year, when I have more money, I will return it in full, not a cent less."

The Cao family was wealthy and powerful, and had occupied the city for many years. They had at least six or seven hundred households under their control, so five hundred dan of grain and one thousand strings of cash were by no means a lot.

As expected, Cao Ji heaved a long sigh of relief. "Since the army has asked for money, my Cao family will give it to me even if we have to sell everything we have!"

Two days later, Xiao Tingzhi also sent someone. This time he did not cry poor or wretched. Instead, he offered 150 dan of grain and 800 strings of cash, saying that it was to make amends for the previous time.

Several other powerful families were also very sensible and sent money and food.

Outside the city, food was transported in by cartloads, enough to last until the autumn harvest.

With food, people's hearts become more stable.

In more than 20 days, Lushui Pond was covered with green. The land that had no time to be sown was planted with beans and vegetables.

The villagers are so hardworking that even some dry land is planted with mulberry and hemp.

Even after the spring plowing was completed, the owners of each village would lead their young and strong men to push wooden carts to Mount Niqiu to cut wood and store dry firewood.

Women and children were picking wild vegetables and cutting grass in the fields.

In spring, there is a sense of vitality everywhere.

Although the days were busy and tiring, the despair and numbness in their eyes gradually dissipated, and were replaced by hope.

Liu Daogui used his own money to buy food for them, and everyone saw it.

The days passed quickly in the busy life, and the time to return to Guangling was getting closer and closer.

The soldiers were clamoring, hoping that Liu Daogui would return as soon as possible.

"In my opinion, we have finally gained a foothold in Lanling, and we have three or four thousand refugees in our hands. We might as well not go back!" Liu Zun was very happy with his girlfriends every day.

However, he was alone and had no family in Guangling and Jingkou. But others were different. They had families and after making a fortune, they all hoped to return home in glory.

"Although this place is good, don't forget that Beifu is our foundation." Liu Daogui did not get carried away. The biggest trump card in his hand was the more than 400 Beifu soldiers. Without them, he would lose his sword.

The reason why they were able to break the deadlock in Lanling was, firstly, relying on the Northern Palace Army, and secondly, relying on the influence of the Liu family of Pengcheng.

Without these two things, the local tyrants and refugee leaders would not obey orders at all.

Gao Xun said, "Without the Northern Palace, we have nothing. If Lanling becomes wealthy one day, a document will be issued from above, and everything we have will become someone else's."

There is no place to cultivate wasteland, but once it is cultivated, people will fight for it.

Lanling has been abandoned for so many years, and no one cares about it. Once it becomes prosperous, it will definitely attract the attention of jackals, tigers and leopards. Without the support of the Northern Palace Army, it will be taken away by others sooner or later...

Liu Daogui had seen this kind of thing too many times in Jingkou.

Liu Zun shook his head repeatedly, "Then let's go back to Guangling."

Liu Daogui comforted everyone, "Don't worry, we are not going to never come back again."

Huan Chengzhi has been dead for more than a month, and no one has ever investigated the matter. The hype has passed.

Yuan He is in control of the front, and Liu Daogui might be able to join forces with him when he returns to undermine Huan Hong.

Lanling's side is about money, while Guangling's side is about future. It is obvious which is more important.

If the emperor and Sima Daozi continue to make trouble like this, Jiangzuo will sooner or later be in chaos. Liu Daogui's ambition is definitely not just to build a city.

(End of this chapter)