Griffin Commander in the Late Ming Dynasty

Watching these people hurrying by, and then being stunned by NTW's height and aura, with indescribable expressions of shock on their faces, Jiang Han began to wonder what would happen if they saw PTRD again.

"Boss, there's someone outside asking to see you."

Just when Jiang Han was introducing the furnishings in the courtyard to NTW, Menzi suddenly came to report, which made Jiang Han curious. He had been in the late Ming Dynasty for so long, but he never had any acquaintances. The only county magistrate he knew was replaced by someone else. Who would come to see him?

"Take me to see it"

Volume 71: Chapter Chapter : Anecdotes in the City

"Huh... We've finally arrived in Yangzhou City. Yan Bo, are you okay?"

Wiping the sweat off their heads, Wang Dang and Yan Bo finally arrived at Yangzhou City. After walking for dozens of miles, even a young man like Wang Dang felt tired, let alone Yan Bo.

"Huh, let me take a breath... I'm old, not like before..."

Yan Bo bent his waist, held his knees, breathed slightly, and smiled bitterly, complaining that time was unforgiving.

Seeing Yan Bo, who grew up with him, so tired, Wang Dang felt guilty: "It's all my fault. I was too impatient and always wanted to see it more clearly. I didn't consider your health, Yan Bo."

Originally, they could have taken a ox cart into the city, but because Wang Dang wanted to see the inside and outside of Yangzhou city clearly, the two chose to walk into the city. The 20-mile journey was very tiring for Yan Bo.

"Hahaha, it's okay, it's okay. I also went through the same thing with your father. You are exactly the same as him. You are so stubborn and always want to do something big. I, an old man, can still help you for another two years!"

"Then you have to hold on for another two years. I still have a lot to ask you about."

"Hahahahahaha, then you better hold on tight."

Once you enter the city, you'll have a very different feeling. Compared to the outside world, the scenery inside the city is much more prosperous, with street vendors, fireworks in the city, and an atmosphere of peace.

"Yangzhou city is completely different..."

"Every city is the same, Master, you should go in quickly..."

"Oh"

"Speaking of which, Uncle Yan, if we want to get information, is there any place that would be more suitable?"

"You've asked the right person. In any city in the world, no matter where you are, a teahouse or tavern is always the best place to get information. Just make a pot of tea and sit there for an afternoon, and you can basically get to know all the major events in the city."

"So that's how it is. Teahouses and taverns are mostly places for entertainment and leisure. In such places, many idle people will discuss trivial matters, and students will express their opinions and criticize current affairs. It is indeed a good place to gather intelligence. Then, Uncle Yan, what are we waiting for? Go over there quickly, you can still rest there for a while."

The teahouses in Yangzhou city are much more lively. There are many wealthy people here, and naturally there are many more consumers. The functions of the teahouses are also more complete, with all kinds of musical instruments, storytelling and other activities.

"Waiter, please find a table for us. Bring us a pot of tea, some snacks, and two servings of any hot dishes."

After walking for dozens of miles, Wang Dang was actually a little hungry.

"Okay! Please come in, both of you!"

He was wearing a short shirt, looking very energetic, with a cloth hanging on his shoulder, which he used to wipe the table and clean up.

"Oh, I have to have a couple of drinks. This journey has been very exhausting for my old bones."

Yan Bo sat down and teased Wang Dang.

"Oh, Uncle Yan, I know I was wrong, please stop slandering me, let's listen carefully to what anecdotes are going on in this city."

Wang Dang clasped his hands together and begged for mercy.

The tea garden was bustling with people talking about all sorts of things. The people at the next table were chatting animatedly: "Have you heard that the Tartars in Liaodong are heading south again?"

"I heard about it, too! Alas! It's a pity that I can't kill the enemy with my own hands. I don't know what those people in Liaodong do for a living. They have received a lot of military funds over the years, but they can't beat the Tartars!"

Angry Youth A slammed the table and said angrily.

"Come on, forget it. The high-ranking officials in the court couldn't solve it. How can you solve it?"

The people around couldn't help but pour cold water on him.

"That's better than getting beaten like this!"

"Oh, that's enough, you've been talking about national affairs all day. It's so lively. Have you bought the potato pancakes?"

Someone came out to smooth things over.

"Don't mention it. I only bought two bags. The rest were all gone. Those ladies looked at the potato sellers.

The bakers were like crazy, rushing to the stall as soon as it opened, surrounding it in three layers, and it was impossible to squeeze in."

Angry young man A slapped his thigh and started complaining.

"You bought two bags, and I only took one! There were so many refugees crowded there, I couldn't get in, and if I couldn't buy anything, my wife at home would scold me."

The people around also began to agree.

Wang Dang was listening curiously. What was this potato pancake that attracted so many people? Potato pancake, did it sound like food?

"This brother"

Wang Dang stepped forward and saluted, causing the group to stop their discussion.

"I am Wang Dang, and I have just arrived in Yangzhou. I heard that you all seem to be talking about something called potato cake. What is so magical about this thing that it has attracted such a rush?"

Seeing that he had a kind face and polite manners, these people were naturally happy to help him solve his doubts: "Potato biscuits are a kind of food that has just appeared in Yangzhou City recently. Its taste is nothing special, but its price is very surprising."

"Oh? May I ask how much it costs?"

"No more, no less, ten copper coins!"

The man crossed his index fingers and made a sign of ten.

Ten copper coins?

Wang Dang and Yan Bo looked at each other in bewilderment. How could such a thing happen? Ten cents worth of food, to be honest, was almost free. Which wealthy family was doing charity?

"It's outrageous, right? We also think it's outrageous. We confirmed with the sales girl again and again, and she said it was 10."

"Is this... a charity sale by the city's wealthy families?"

"That's right. The vendors also said that his boss couldn't bear to see the countless starving people on the street, so he sold these potato cakes at a low price. Now every family has food to eat, and everyone in the city should remember his kindness."

“It’s a really good deed.”

"That's not all!"

A family nearby also came in and said, "That man has openly taken in refugees to work in his farm. All the refugees in the city are trying their best to get in. I heard that after they get in, they will have hot water on the kang, new clothes to wear, and two full meals a day!"

The more Wang Dang listened, the more familiar it sounded. Wasn't this the Zhuangzi he had seen outside the city before?

"Are you talking about the village twenty miles outside the city?"

"Isn't it? In the whole Yangzhou city, that farm is the most lively. Where else could it be?"

"There is such a kind family, who did this?"

Wang Dang became extremely curious about this so-called boss.

"That family is new to Yangzhou. No one here knows them. As soon as they arrived in the city, they moved into Kangpingju over there."

The tea guest pointed in the direction of Kangpingju and said, "When we first moved in, none of us were convinced. What kind of place is Kangpingju? It's where the county lord lives. Why do you live here? Just because you have a lot of horses? Now, hehe, just because of what they do. People in Yangzhou City, that's it."

The tea drinker raised his thumb as he spoke: "There is nothing wrong with living there. No one dares to say a word against it. If someone does, he will be drowned in the spit of the whole city."

"Rich outsiders...? Interesting, really interesting..."

Wang Dang couldn't help but murmur.

"Master?"

"Ah, Uncle Yan, I'm fine. I just wanted to figure out where we should go next."

"After we finish this pot of tea, let's go to Kangpingju!"

Volume 72: Chapter Chapter : Visitors

The hanging flower door opened, and Jiang Han saw two guests walking in.

"That's weird, haven't you seen it before?"

Jiang Han was a little confused by the completely unfamiliar face. He didn't know what the other party's purpose of visiting him was. However, there was nothing else to do at the moment, so he decided to listen first.

Wang Dang was shocked as soon as he entered the door. It was not because of how magnificent the scenery in the yard was. It was just a yard with four entrances. His house was much bigger than this. The key point was the man standing in the middle of the yard, wearing full body heavy black iron armor, more than two meters tall, and carrying a huge and heavy weapon. NTW, it was really too oppressive.

Wang Dang felt that maybe he had said something wrong today and he would not be able to walk out of this door.

"Hello, master. My name is Wang Dang, with the courtesy name Yongyuan. I am a scholar. I heard that you have done two great things in Yangzhou that benefited the country and the people, so I came to visit you."

"Ah, hello, hello"

I'm doing two big things, why are you looking for me? Jiang Han still didn't understand.

In fact, he has fallen into a bit of a misconception. If modern people visit someone in person, it usually means there is something going on, or they have agreed in advance to keep in touch. But it was different in ancient times. There were no mobile phones, computers, or the Internet at that time. Transportation basically relied on walking, and communication basically relied on shouting. It could take several months to send a letter. How could scholars at this time make friends with each other?

One is to get together regularly, at various literary gatherings and poetry gatherings, where people make friends through poetry. If you think someone is talented, you can chat with them for a while and then you know each other. The second is to go to a brothel or a prostitute together to listen to some music and have some fun. It is said that the closest relationship in the world is not only about carrying guns together, but also about doing that together.

Both of them have carried guns, but one was carried by himself and the other was carried by a girl.

Well, you won't go to literary gatherings, and you won't spend money even if you are asked to. The only way for you to get to know each other is to visit each other.

There is an old saying, "The wife does not avoid the man when he passes through the hall or the room." It means that the relationship between two people is very good, and the wife does not avoid the man. The classes in ancient feudal society were quite obvious. The wife and children had to avoid each other when meeting others to show respect. If the wife does not avoid others, it means that the relationship between the two of you is very close.

"It's my first visit, so I'm sorry to be so rude. I've brought some snacks as a small gift. I hope you don't mind."

Wang Dang naturally knew etiquette. It was not the norm to go to someone's home empty-handed, especially since it was his first time. He had to bring something with him anyway. So he took Yan Bo to the best dim sum restaurant nearby and weighed some for him to bring back as a token of his appreciation.

"Oh, you're welcome, you're welcome. Just come here, why bring anything with you? This is embarrassing."

Jiang Han said he was sorry, but he didn't look embarrassed at all. He just reached out and took it, which surprised Wang Dang.

Logically speaking, in ancient times, gift-giving was governed by the principle of three refusals and three acceptances. You must refuse three times before I insist on giving it to you, and that is considered a sufficient gift. This is the first time I have seen someone refuse something verbally but not at all ambiguous with his actions.

This host is indeed a wonderful person, he thought to himself.

As a young man, Wang Dang was fed up with all the red tape, but since everyone was doing it, he had to do it well too. Jiang Han's pure and unpretentious approach was undoubtedly very much to his liking.

"The master is dedicated to serving the people, which I admire very much, so I want to make friends with him. I am here to visit him with the intention of getting to know him. But I have not asked for your advice yet, what is your name?"

"Ah~ I see. My name is Jiang Han, courtesy name Muzhi. Nice to meet you. This is my wife, Nie Tianwen."

Jiang Han introduced NTW behind him.

What! ? ?

NTW's face turned red on the spot. Although they had already made an oath, calling her "wife" in public like this...

"Ah, I see... Your Excellency is really... Ah, women are just as capable as men."

Wang Dang thought for a long time and could only use this adjective to describe NTW. Standing there, he looked just like a reincarnation of Lu Bu. How could he describe it?

"Are you going out, sir?"

It is not polite to talk about other people's wives, so Wang Dang changed the subject decisively. Seeing that Jiang Han was dressed neatly and seemed to be getting ready to go out, he asked curiously.

"Oh, yes, I'm going to go see how the school we talked about is going."

"Sir, are you planning to start a school?"

Wang Dang was even more surprised. After solving the problem of food and clothing, we solved the problem of employment. After solving the problem of employment, we solved the problem of education. So, are you the county magistrate and am I the county magistrate?

"Yes, my farm has taken in a large number of refugees and ordinary people. You should have heard of this?"

"Yes, Your Excellency is a man of high character. You have taken in refugees and saved countless lives. I thank you on behalf of the people."

Wang Dang was about to bow as he spoke.

"Oh, no need, no need. We are just giving them a job opportunity. They still have to earn their food with their own hands. There is no question of whether to take them in or not."

Jiang Han waved his hand to stop Wang Dang from continuing to salute: "It's easy to explain if you know that. Because I have a lot of refugees and ordinary people over there, many of them have families. The construction period over there is tight, and we need to build a complete set of facilities as soon as possible before winter. In this way, when these people go out to work, the children at home will be left unattended. Now there are construction sites everywhere in the village, and it is very dangerous to let these children run around outside. So I plan to build a place called a school to gather these children together and let them learn something."

In general, Jiang Han felt that it was too annoying to have naughty kids running around everywhere, so he simply locked them all up and made them recite books and do exercises in school, so that they could feel the pain of the exam-oriented education of later generations.

"Is it really possible?"

Wang Dang raised his eyebrows. If viewed from a businessman's perspective, Jiang Han's move could be said to be a complete loss-making one, because it could not bring any effective benefits at all. However, Wang Dang was different. He was considering it from the perspective of a parent official.

He could see that such measures could greatly reduce the number of children dying due to various accidents.

The high infant mortality rate has always been a headache for officials everywhere. These days, there are too many situations that can lead to the death of children, such as headaches and fevers, where parents take their children to see folk remedies, drink talisman water, and burn them to death after three days of burning; and children being taken to wolves while herding cattle. Yes, there were quite a lot of wolves in the country during this period, and basically every mountain forest had different wolf packs of different sizes. Especially during this period, famine caused large-scale deaths of humans, and also fed a large number of wild wolves and dogs. These wild dogs mixed with wolf packs were basically the same as wolves. The probability of children outside being attacked was quite high.

Some people drowned while fishing in the water, while others got lost outside and could never come back. It can be said that it is quite difficult for a child to grow up.

However, if there is a place where centralized management can be found so that these children have a place to go and don't run around without finding a place to go, most of the risks can be avoided and these children can grow up safely.

Wang Dang was very excited. He wondered whether he could popularize this initiative in Yangzhou City, but he soon gave up because of two words: no money.