According to the census records, there were 4,422 people in Yizhou. It had not been checked for several years, so no one knew whether it was more or less.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan thought they would see new clothes, but when they saw the locals, they found that the clothes they wore were similar to what they had seen along the way. However, it was a little difficult to communicate with them. Most of the people did not speak official language, unlike the two of them, who could speak many languages, including dialects.
The locals usually had a lot of contact with the outside world, so they spoke fluent official language and praised Zhang Zhong endlessly.
"Why do I feel that his words sound like a routine? It should be that when he meets an official, he will say that formalism is not good. "
Zhang Xiaobao hoped that the other party would really praise his father.
"They don't know who your father is. It's good to say conventional words and not offend them. When the Red Army crossed the snow mountain, there was a mountain here. When they settled down, they went up to take a look. Is it really so cold? Can it freeze people halfway through their journey? "
Wang Juan took a few deep breaths and found that it was not uncomfortable. There was no altitude sickness as she had imagined.
Zhang Xiaobao also looked around and found that Li Xun, who was standing next to him, seemed to have thought of something and looked excited. He knew that he did not need to worry for the time being. He looked at the mountain in the distance and said,
"The Red Army probably didn't have much time to stay and had no strength to walk, so they froze to death on the mountain. The most important thing was that many people didn't know how to survive on the snow mountain and couldn't find such thick clothes. It's good that Huzi and others can climb up the mountain."
The two sides talked to each other for a while and began to walk to the government office. Looking at the road under their feet, all the people who came for the first time felt sorry for the locals. It seemed that it should have rained yesterday or the day before. In addition, the water here had been heavy. When they stepped on it and lifted it again, they immediately sank a few kilograms and were covered in mud.
The oldest members of Zhang Zhong's and Wang's families, as well as the three old men of Old Man Pi's families, enjoyed the treatment of sliding poles. Zhang Zhong refused to be carried by others. He was used to exercising, so he found a stick to support himself. Along the way, he chatted with the locals. It was not known that he was here to organize the logistics, but he was also preparing to understand the situation of the locals so that he could help improve their lives.
The locals had no choice but to cooperate and answer. They did not expect any official to let them live a good life. Generations of people had long been used to such things.
"Wait." Old Man Pi sat on the pole. Just as the people carrying the boat were about to start moving, he was told to stop. He looked at the big boat docked at the shore and waited.
"What is Long Ze looking at?" Old Man Yao saw that Old Man Pi had stopped. He also shouted to stop and turned his head to ask.
"Xiao Bei and the others are still on the boat. Zhang Zhong's and Wang's families will not throw the children away. Let's see how they are going." Old Man Pi pointed at the boat and said curiously.
This time, Old Man Chang also stopped. The three old men waited together. Not long after, the children's house was taken down from the boat. However, it was different from what they had seen before. Below the house was not a shelf that was raised off the ground, nor was it the big wheel that they had seen before. It was also not the small wheel that was pushed around in the yard.
The house was replaced with a large chassis. The house was in the middle of the chassis. There were four people standing on the left and right sides of the house. Below the board that dragged the house was something that the three old men did not recognize. It should be a series of iron plates that were connected together horizontally, forming an oval 'chain' that connected the front and back of the house.
In the middle of the chain connected by small iron plates, there was an iron wheel with a groove. The eight of them found their places and sat down, holding the handle with their hands, just like when they saw people staring at the propeller in the Sanshui River.
As the eight old men moved, the chain rotated and rolled forward section by section. Under such circumstances, the house also moved. When it encountered a small groove, it was not adjusted and directly rolled over. After passing the three old men's poles, there was not the slightest obstruction when it went up the slope, even if the ground was muddy.
This time, there was no moving balance. It was probably too heavy to be used on the current road. The children were fixed at the window position and curiously looked out.
"Did you see it? Did you see it? The best things in their house were all used on the children. Who has seen this thing before? This time, if it wasn't for the children needing it, when would we have seen it? Sure enough …. "
Old man Bi looked at the house and pointed at old man Zhang and old man Yao as he said this to old man Yao when he saw the house being forcefully pushed up the slope that was strenuous for people to walk on.
Old Man Chang and Old Man Yao nodded blankly. They saw it. The house of the children only lacked a pair of wings. With wings, it would not be strange if they could fly tomorrow. It seemed that all the technology of the Zhang Family and Wang Family was reflected in this house. What kind of terrain could this house not adapt to?
This was a difficult road to travel. That was called the power system not being able to keep up. Otherwise, with the addition of the moving balance, it would not be an exaggeration to call it a divine car or a divine house.
"It's just that the speed is a little slow. It would be better if it could be faster." Old Man Chang looked for a while and concluded.
"That's because it uses the technology of small gears to drive large gears. This way, the people on top can save energy. Look at the chain carefully. There are thorns on it. It should be specially prepared for muddy roads. Follow it."
Old Man Pi looked at it and found that it was too far away. He called out and the people carrying the poles started to walk towards the house.
It was not only the three old men who were surprised. It was the first time that the local people had seen a house that could move. Each and every one of them looked back from time to time. The more they looked, the more curious they became.
The soldiers in charge of transporting food and weapons were also shocked by the house. At the same time, they wondered if they should make a few more of those things. If they took down the house and put the weapons and food on it, it would not be as tiring as it was now.
The three old men chased the poles all the way. Finally, when the house encountered a narrow area and slowly adjusted its direction, they caught up. They also saw Wang Juan and Zhang Xiaobao beside it.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were standing on the slope and directing the direction. The slope was also very muddy, but the two of them did not slide down.
After the direction was adjusted, the house continued to move forward. Old Man Pi called out, "Xiao Bao, Cuckoo, come here. Grandpa has something to ask."
"It's too tiring. This chassis is not good. When I go back, I have to study it carefully. When will the tanks and bulldozers not be able to change directions? Cuckoo, I'll give you a task. Make the gasoline engine. "
Zhang Xiaobao said to Wang Juan as he walked towards Old Man Pi.
"No problem. Just wait. What's the big deal about the gasoline engine? I'll make an aeroengine. When the time comes, we'll fly in the sky. Do you want a three-stage rocket? Launch a sky full of satellites to specifically monitor the ground. "Wang Juan replied unhappily.
"Grandpa Bi, are you not feeling well? Then I'll immediately find a doctor for you. " Zhang Xiaobao very wisely stopped talking to Wang Juan. He approached Old Man Pi and observed the three old men's expressions.
Old Man Pi's eyes were fixed on Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan's shoes. When he heard Zhang Xiaobao's question, he nodded and said, "Yes, I'm not feeling well. My heart hurts. Someone had something good and didn't even tell me. My heart …"
"Isn't it cold?" Zhang Xiaobao continued and lifted one of his feet. "Short nail shoes. They're good for gripping the ground. You don't have to worry about the ground being slippery. Do you want me to make a pair for you?"
"What's with Xiao Bei's house?" Old Man Pi really couldn't guess how much technology Zhang Xiaobao and Wang family had yet to reveal. Whether or not they revealed new technology depended on whether it was needed or not. However, they might not need it now, but did it mean that other people didn't need it?
Zhang Xiaobao looked at the house in front of him that was stuck at a turning point. He said in annoyance, "The technology is not mature yet. Look, it's stuck. When the technology is mature, we'll think of a way to apply it elsewhere. Grandpa Bi, don't worry. My family doesn't keep this a secret. My family only keeps technology that is not directly related to the people's lives and national strength a secret."
Zhang Xiaobao indeed didn't have any intention of keeping this chain a secret. Even if he wanted to research it, he probably wouldn't be able to use it in a short period of time. First of all, the iron for this chain was too expensive. It wasn't worth it unless the iron smelting industry caught up.
Old Man Pi was satisfied with Zhang Xiaobao's words. His heart wasn't cold anymore. He carefully observed Zhang Xiaobao's shoes. "There are nails in front of your shoes."
"Yes, if there were nails in the back, it would be tiring. It's very convenient for hiking. When we settle down, I'll give you a pair for you to play with."
*****
Zhang Zhong didn't care about the team at home. Naturally, there were people from the inner courtyard looking after them. He asked about the local grain harvest, what they lacked in daily life, and health problems.
Every time a local answered, Zhang Zhong would remember it in his heart. When they settled down, he would let his son and daughter-in-law think of a way to solve it. He was very clear that he didn't have the ability. He knew it by listening to the local's answers.
Every year, they would plant some millets in the relatively flat areas at the foot of the mountain and plant vegetables on the hillside. When the year was good, they would have a harvest. Some of it would be left for themselves to eat, and some of it would be carried out to trade for salt.
Their clothes were made of hemp that they planted. If the year was bad, it would be washed away by heavy rain for a few days.
They didn't raise chickens, ducks, or pigs at home. They would go to the mountains to hunt. When they returned, the meat would be eaten. The skin would be made into clothes, or similarly, they would be taken down the mountain to trade for daily necessities. Other things were fine, but the road was too difficult to travel. There weren't that many boats. In the whole area, there were only three boats that could go down and come back. Some people relied on the water to fish, so they didn't dare to go down.
If they were sick, they would first endure it or find some herbs to eat in the mountains. Very few people went down to the mountains to find a doctor. They didn't have the money, and it was too late.
They didn't have the money, and they didn't buy anything. They just traded. If their family was in a better situation, they would have more food and fur. It would be easier for them to marry off their daughters and get a wife.
All these things made Zhang Zhong feel very helpless, especially when the locals didn't spend money and only traded. He felt that he couldn't change this.
Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan didn't put their minds on the construction of Wing Zhou at all. After the war, they would be transferred to other places. In the process of arranging logistics, they wouldn't have time to think about the people's lives.
Moreover, the situation here couldn't be solved in a short time. It was unlike Lu Zhou, who had lost everything and had to be rebuilt. It was also unlike Shu Zhou, which had a good foundation. The transportation here wasn't convenient, and the things produced here weren't valuable.
This was especially so when it came to the thoughts of the local people. Were they really willing to go down the mountain and interact more with the people outside? If they liked and were used to the current life, could they force them to accept another way of life?
The road went by while Zhang Zhong was thinking about doing practical things for the people, and Zhang Xiaobao was thinking about how to arrange logistics. Fortunately, the provincial government office of Wing Zhou was not too far away from the disembarkation point. Perhaps the officials in the past had also considered the problem of travel.
The prefecture city of Wing Zhou was very small. It was sandwiched between two mountains and was surrounded by a small plain terrain. A river flowed not far from the city. The adobe city wall was only five feet high. It was too small to call it a city, and it didn't include the plain. It was called an inner city, but such a city wall might not be able to stop the wild beasts with good jumping skills.
Standing at a high point, one could see the situation in the city clearly. There were messy houses and trees in the city. No matter how one looked at it, there were no less than 4,000 people living in it. It was good enough that there were 400 to 500 people living in it.
There was no moat in the city, let alone a drawbridge. Even the city gate was made of thick wood. It was wide open, just like the fences of ordinary farmers. There were no soldiers guarding the gate.
There were not many pedestrians coming in and out. There were two groups of naked children, holding small sticks and small bows in their hands. They were chattering noisily. They should be playing war games.
When the teams of the Zhang Family and the Wang Family slowly approached the city gate, the children were the first to react. They stopped what they were doing and looked at the big team with a little fear, a little restraint, and a little curiosity. Especially when the team gradually came to the house in front of them.
"The Provincial Governor is here. Go back home and tell your family to come out and welcome him." The local people in the team walked quickly to the front of the children and instructed them.
The children didn't know who the Provincial Governor was. They only knew that there was a team that needed everyone to come out and see. They looked at the beautiful house with a little reluctance. They turned around and ran back while shouting.
At this time, there was no Provincial Governor in Wing Prefecture. There was only a Sima and a few minor officials who were sent here. Therefore, Zhang Zhong's appointment was very smooth. There were only six yamen runners in the yamen. Two of them were old and had white hair. Of the remaining four, one was lame and the other two were boys who looked less than 15 years old.
There was only one who looked good, but he stuttered when he spoke.
Zhang Zhong held the rusty seal in his hand and asked the hunchbacked man next to him, "Sima Fang, is this the provincial capital of Wing Prefecture? What should I do with my family? "
Sima Fang was very grateful to Zhang Zhong for coming. Now, he didn't have to be busy and unpleasantly busy. He didn't know what mistake Governor Zhang had made. Such a big family was actually sent to such a remote place.
When he heard Zhang Zhong's question, his whole body trembled and he coughed for a while. After he caught his breath, he replied, "Governor Zhang has seen everything in the provincial capital. The locals are divided into villages. Usually, things are solved by the villages themselves. Very few people come to the yamen to do things. Of course, when the yamen has something to do, it can't ask the local people to do it.
If we want to build a river dam, we have to go to each village to discuss it. When they are free, we can send a few people to help. Half of your family is taken care of. We can tear down the wall on the west side and build a house for you. After the house is repaired, we can build another wall further away.
I see that there are many people in your family. I think you don't need the people of the villages. Oh, if you want to eat some delicacies, send someone to the villages nearby to tell them. They are kind enough to send some freshly hunted beasts for you to taste. "
Zhang Zhong was speechless. What did this mean? Being the county magistrate in Sanshui County was a hundred times better than being the provincial governor in Wing Prefecture. At least, he could see the yamen runners and riders in Sanshui County at any time. Now, the six of them were ready to retire.
After thinking carefully about the position of the provincial governor in Wing Prefecture, Zhang Zhong patted Sima Fang's shoulder and said, "Sima, you have worked hard."
Sima Fang was so moved that his eyes turned red. Finally, there was someone who could understand his difficulties. It was not easy.
Zhang Zhong sighed with emotion for a while. He still had to do what he had to do. At least the house had to be repaired. Otherwise, where would he live? Fortunately, his family was different from the other officials. He came out with a total of 11 people from the yamen. After giving the order, the people from Zhang Family and Wang Family started to work.
Tents were set up one by one. Groups of people went out. Some were responsible for repairing the road to the river, while others went up the mountain to cut trees. Half of the members of Team Zero went out with crossbows in their hands and disposable shotguns on their waists. They stayed at the surrounding commanding heights and observed back and forth with binoculars.
The families of Old Man Pi and Old Man Yao also came to help. Everyone knew that they could not count on others at this time. The people in the village only listened to orders but did not listen.
The cooks of the Zhang family also dug holes and set up pots to cook. Everything seemed to be in order.
This time, not only the 11 people in the yamen, but also the people who were watching the fun were moved. They did not know what was good manners. They only knew that the new official brought people who were not ordinary. They did not need to be specially instructed. They all went to find their own jobs. They were busy but not disorderly.
The people in the village had to wait for others to arrange things for them to do well. This large group of people settled down under their eyes. What was the new official's job? A war general?
While the others were busy, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan had nothing to do. The people from the two families did not need to be instructed. They could quickly take over all the positions in Luoyang. It would be embarrassing if they could not do such a small thing well.
Originally, the two of them had planned to draw a military map of this place. Seeing that there was no place to stay, they decided to wait for a few days. There was no war here.
What they needed to do now was to build a good relationship with the locals. Even if they did not plan to stay here for too long, they might be able to use them when organizing logistics in the future.
Under the protection of more than ten guards, the two of them called the seven children out of the house and prepared to take them to be close to the people. Candy and salt were already prepared.
Liu 'er, Xin Er, Weiwei, and Young Man also joined in. Li Xun wanted to join in the fun, but he was arranged to rest immediately so that he could adapt to the weather as soon as possible. There was a doctor beside him. As long as Li Xun showed any signs of discomfort, he would immediately be treated.
After arriving at a new place, the children were clearly a little afraid. When they saw their elder brothers and sisters beside them, they regained their usual liveliness. They held hands and ran behind their elder brothers and sisters.
When the children who were playing near the city gate saw a group of people come out of the group, including even younger children, their wild nature forgot their fear. They also went up to them and stood very close to them. They curiously sized up the group of people, especially the clothes Zhang Xiaobao and the others were wearing. The children were envious. Even if they were ignorant, they knew that the clothes were expensive.
"Xiao Bei, I'll leave this difficult task to you." Zhang Xiaobao pulled his sister out and grabbed a handful of candy, indicating that he wanted Xiao Bei to give it to them.
Ever since Xiao Bei gave candy to Da Nan and Xiao Nan, she liked this activity. She often gave things to others in kindergarten, so she was very popular.
When she saw the candy that her brother took out, she immediately knew what to do. She put her two small hands together, held the candy, and trotted to the group of children who were older than her. As expected, the children were not afraid.
"Candy, please ~ eat ~ candy ~!" Xiao Bei raised her arms and raised her small face, seriously inviting them.
The children were really not afraid of trouble like other children. When they saw this little girl give things to them, even if they didn't understand what she was saying, they knew that the candy in her hands was edible. This was because the other people who hadn't come over yet were eating.
The person closest to Xiao Bei took a piece and followed Zhang Xiaobao's example. He peeled off the outer layer and put the inside into his mouth. When he tasted the sweetness, his eyes immediately narrowed. He flattened the candy wrapper in his hand and pinched it carefully. He had a blissful look on his face.
The other children also came over to take the candy, one for each person. When the candy in Xiao Bei's hand was almost finished, there were only two pieces left. No one came over to take it. There were too many people, so Xiao Bei's small hands could only hold a few pieces.
Xiao Bei, who gave out the candy, was very happy. When she saw others eating, she also wanted to eat a piece. After hesitating for a while, she suppressed the idea. Her brother and sister didn't allow her to eat too much. She had already eaten two pieces on the way here, so she could eat two more pieces today. She had to save it for tonight.
After giving the candy, Xiao Bei turned around and was about to leave. The child who had eaten the candy earlier pulled her back. When Zhang Xiaobao was ready to help at any time, the child took off a 'necklace' around his neck and put it around Xiao Bei's neck. Only then did he smile at Xiao Bei and let her leave.
"What is this? Why did you put it around my Xiao Bei's neck? Oh, the rope is full of oil mud. How long has it been since I bathed? This is … a tooth? Xiao Bao, look, what kind of animal's tooth is this? "
When Xiao Bei came back happily, Wang Juan pulled her closer and carefully looked at the thing around Xiao Bei's neck. She complained softly.
"It should be a wolf's tooth. Maybe that child killed the wolf himself and set a trap to kill it. I don't believe that he can kill the wolf when facing it head-on. He has to wear it even if he wants to. Didn't you see that he was staring at us? If he really took it off, our friendship would be over.
After we wash it, Xiao Bei will be our ambassador in the future. If we carry her and others see the thing around her neck, they will be kinder. Send the salt over. A child is half a catty. They will know what to do. "
Zhang Xiaobao sized up the ornament and called out. The guard beside him brought over a small bag of salt. With Xiao Bei's help, the child was not afraid of the adults. He curiously took the small bag of salt and opened it to take a look. After pinching out some of the salt and tasting it, his face revealed an expression that was even more pleasantly surprised than when he ate the candy earlier.
People who lived by the sea would not feel anything even if they were given half a ton of salt, let alone half a catty. This was especially true in areas that used sun-dried salt, where there was no shortage of salt.
However, it was different for the people here. There was well salt in Chengdu, but the good well salt was not for the local people to eat. It was sold for money. Compared to the sea salt, the taste of the well salt was different. It was much better than the sea salt, and the price was also higher.
There were no salt wells in Yizhou, so where could they get so much salt to eat? The children tasted the salt and found that it tasted much better than before. Some smart ones immediately knew that if they wanted to exchange fur for this small bag of salt, they would have to take out at least five pieces of good sheepskin.
The salt they exchanged could not compare to the salt in their hands. The salt in their hands was white and fine, and there was no bitter taste in their mouths. They did not know where they found it.
The children were not like the adults. They knew that some things could not be accepted. Even if they knew that they could not take other people's things for free, they could not bear to return them with the salt bag. At most, they could go home and find other things to exchange for it.
The smart children said a few words to the others, held the salt bag tightly to their chests, and ran home. The other children did not dare to stay outside for too long. They were afraid that the salt in their hands would be gone, so they all ran home.
Looking at their leaving figures, Zhang Xiaobao was relieved.
"This saves a lot of trouble. In the future, when we let them do things and exchange supplies, we don't have to worry about them being so vigilant. We have completed the first step of the Long March."
"Yes, during the Long March, in Tibet, in order to be able to have a good relationship with the local people, our army also thought of many ways. It was not easy. Should we invite the local people to have a meal together later?"
Wang Juan took off the necklace on Xiaobei's neck. It was too dirty. She had to wash it a few more times when she went back.
"This meal is not necessary. They may not be able to eat it. Think of a way to let them work. It will be easy to have a contact and an excuse to invite them to eat."
Zhang Xiaobao was really unwilling to have this kind of relationship with ethnic minorities. The main reason was that he was not clear about their beliefs and rules. Good intentions could also lead to bad things. For example, if you invited a prostitute to eat pork, no matter how good you did it, it would not do. That was looking for trouble.
If only there was someone to introduce the local customs first.
When Zhang Xiaobao returned to the group, Old Man Pi and the other two put down their clairvoyance and looked at Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan with gratification. They said, "Not bad, well done. What is this called again?"
"This is called Children's Diplomacy. Other people have Madam Diplomacy, we have Children's Diplomacy. Children are always the unchanging theme of life. They represent the continuation of ideas and hope."
Zhang Xiaobao was in a good mood and explained. He even used a new term.
"Then what's the matter with Madam's diplomacy?" Old Man Bi asked shamelessly.
"It is to send the daughter-in-law out to chat with other people's daughter-in-law. The madams of aristocratic families all have this ability. If they are tired and don't want to eat, they can just drink some soup later."
Zhang Xiaobao had been thinking about how to distribute the food all along the way. In addition to the muddy road, he was really tired.
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