Reclaiming Wasteland: Carefree Mountain Farmer

Chapter 191 The Capital
Inside Luoyang, twenty successful candidates from various regions entered the main street leading to the imperial palace gates.

Everyone came dressed in their most presentable clothes, and some even changed into the traditional attire of mountain farmers.

The twenty people walked together toward where the emperor was, their faces bearing confident yet nervous smiles.

Passersby on both sides of the road watched the group with curiosity.

Si Jiuba was enjoying the cool air outside the newsstand when he saw this. He sat down on a chair and fanned himself with a palm leaf fan while calling out to the child next to him, "Gua'er, why are you out here instead of watching the stall properly?"

Xiao Gua shouted, "The school is on holiday! The teacher said that His Majesty has selected twenty scholars from Jiangnan to come here to select talents. Today, the city is closed so we can go and see them."

Xiao Gua added, "That's what His Majesty said."

Hearing that it was the Emperor who spoke, Sijiu Ba stopped arguing with Xiaogua.

"I'm going to go see." Seeing that his friends had all left, Xiao Gua quickly followed them to continue watching the excitement.

498 didn't care about any of that; he just sat in the shade next to the pavilion, waiting for someone to come and buy a newspaper.

Business was good last year; I could earn seven or eight taels of silver a month, and the two stalls together could earn more than ten taels of silver.

However, since King Wu drove some people out, the number of people buying newspapers has decreased significantly, and now it's only three or four taels a month.

There are far fewer people doing business and holding official positions in the city now, and ordinary people have moved out. Those who remain are mostly public households and officials.

With enough money to spend, Si Jiuba calmed down and looked at today's newspaper.

498 doesn't usually read about military or agricultural topics, but lately he's taken a liking to fashion pages.

I don't know when it started last year or this year, but at sixteen years old, Si Jiuba started paying attention to fashion content.

Perhaps the black and white illustrations in the fashion section are particularly attractive, or perhaps the clothing styles on them have become more appealing.

It's also possible that 498 itself has changed.

Many of the very pretty dresses and floral hats cost more than ten taels of silver. Although Si Jiuba had a lot of money, he was reluctant to spend two or three months' salary on clothes.

Although I really like it.

While imagining how happy she would be wearing beautiful clothes, she flipped through the newspaper and looked for a relatively affordable section.

[This week's special: Printed cotton dresses are only 176 RMB per meter, featuring floral and animal prints such as rabbits, with quality surpassing silk! Children's aprons start from 36 RMB. Factory and shop wholesale orders are welcome. Beware of inferior imitations!]

Zhang Degao Tailor Shop offers high prices for used clothing! We buy wearable wool coats and breeches regularly, and also sell refurbished work clothes suitable for apprentice craftsmen and boatmen. Recognize our century-old brand!

……

Since Sijiuba had nothing to do most of the time, he wrote down the names of a few fabric shops and then prepared to buy fabric to make clothes himself.

"I want to sell newspapers, secondhand ones."

"it is good!"

Si Jiuba stood up, smiling broadly as he collected money to sell newspapers.

I had just sold a newspaper when a little boy ran over.

"498, your sister said she doesn't have the May 5th newspaper, and she wants you to share some with her."

498 knew the kids in the neighborhood, so he said, "Let me look. I think I sold all the newspapers from that day. Why did you buy all the newspapers from that day?"

Si Jiuba muttered to himself as he looked for a newspaper.

The child replied, "The newspaper that day talked about Nanzhao and Annam. They brought back a lot of elephants and money, as well as many people from the south."

After searching for a while, 498 quickly replied, "I don't have any more either. I'll discuss it with the others when I pick up the newspapers tomorrow, and we can share the old newspapers among ourselves so that some won't go unsold and others won't run out."

Upon hearing this, the child ran back to deliver the message.

Si Jiuba had some free time again, so he took out the honey water gourd he had hidden and took a sip, then sat in a shady spot to continue cooling off.

After a while, 498 saw a noisy commotion in the distance.

A large group of people returned from afar and then headed out of the city.

498 waited curiously, but no one came to buy newspapers. Instead, he saw dozens of people follow a man dressed as a scholar.

Not long after, Xiao Gua returned, accompanied by two playmates.

"Sis, I'm thirsty, do you have any water?"

Si Jiuba stood up and went inside to get some water. "Why are you back so soon?"

Xiao Gua replied, "His Majesty instructed those people to go home and tell them how they wanted to answer the questions, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of making Luoyang the capital, and to speak to the people of the city on the street tomorrow."

Si Jiuba took out a water gourd and gave it to Xiao Gua to drink, then asked Xiao Gua a question.

"Tell me, what are the advantages of making Luoyang the capital?"

Little Melon took the gourd with both hands and immediately said, "Luoyang is big! All other places are small!"

498 chuckled, "You fool, you'll never become a high-ranking official."

Little Gua didn't argue about it; he opened his eyes wide, held the gourd with both hands, and drank water.

The two playmates next to Xiaogua looked at him with envy.

No one wants to go without water, but seeing my little one drink water while I don't makes me feel disappointed.

If they're not your own siblings, of course you shouldn't steal them.

Si Jiu Ba pretended not to see it, but little Gua generously handed it to the child next to him after finishing his drink.

"You guys should have a sip too, my sister put honey in it!"

The two children happily took the gourd and each took a sip.

It was hard to stop Si Jiu Ba. He was clearly just trying to get a little something nice to drink for himself, but his younger brother found out and couldn't keep it a secret anymore.

A pound of honey costs two hundred coins, which is equivalent to two live chickens.

Fortunately, only a tiny bit is added each day, just enough to taste a little sweetness.

"Go get back to work, and have Hu Yan come help me."

"it is good."

Little Melon and his friends went to inherit the title of 496.

The fifth and sixth months of the lunar calendar are the hottest time of the year. Although the Central Plains region is not as humid and hot as Annam, many people still seek refuge in the shade to escape the sweltering heat.

The wheat harvest is over this year, and beans are being planted haphazardly in various places.

It has been seven years since the Wu Dynasty began. Since King Wu conquered the Nine Provinces seven years ago, a family in Shuozhou who couldn't even get enough porridge has been living a good life with three meals a day.

After their father died, the family did not go hungry. After taking over as slave households under King Wu, their lives got better and better.

The change from slave households to public households was merely a change in terminology; in reality, they remained slaves directly under King Wu's control.

Compared to rules, laws, and concepts of propriety, morality, and shame, the people of Shan Nong Kingdom respected King Wu's orders more.

The scholars and intellectuals from the south did not have the same awareness as the farmers from the mountains.

Talented scholars from various provinces and prefectures quickly gathered together to discuss the topic.

"I'm sorry, our young master is deep in thought and cannot receive guests."

"Brother Zhang, please return. Tomorrow, we'll each rely on our own abilities."

"My son is taking the imperial examination tomorrow! Don't get in my way, get out of here!!"

"The master is not here. Why don't you come again tonight, young master?"

The scholars were all busy with their own life's most important matters.

Compared to marriage, passing the imperial examination was indeed a lifelong event. Just a few years ago, some people thought King Wu's reign was unstable.

However, since the beginning of the year, after the Shan Nong Legion began its campaigns in the north and south, east and west, the aristocratic families of Jiangnan have realized that the Shan Nong Kingdom is irresistible!
The kingdom of Shan Nong is incredibly stable!
It's no longer just Beijiwu conquering the world alone; it's now Shannongren conquering and governing the world!

The Shan Nong Legion's performance within six months—destroying the Jurchens, the Nanzhao Kingdom, the Lin-yi Kingdom, and bringing Goryeo to its submission—made it clear to everyone that the Shan Nong people were not only good at farming, but also at fighting!
King Wu had at least three elite forces under his command, or even more.

Anyone who dares to rebel will be suppressed by the army of mountain farmers, even without King Wu's presence.

King Wu did not need the local powerful families to help him govern the country. The increasing number of ministers from the mountainous regions was causing more and more anxiety among the people of Jiangnan!
I don’t know when it started, but the idea that governing the country should be the responsibility of the southerners was changed. The emergence of the Shan Nong people not only allowed northerners to participate in governing the country, but also allowed the northern people to come into contact with Shan Nong script on a large scale.

People in the south still mostly use traditional Chinese characters and write with a brush.

At this time, all the talented scholars and advisors from the south were pondering the questions for the Arctic Martial Arts Examination.

[Don't tell me what benefits or drawbacks Luoyang will bring after becoming the capital; tell the people outside.]

It's not just test-takers and their parents who are thinking about this issue; officials in various parts of Luoyang are also considering it.

In the evening, Beijiwu was enjoying the cool air in the courtyard.

Xi Dan walked in and quietly reported the matter to Bei Jiwu, who was adjusting a fountain pen.

"Your Majesty, Lady Pan and Lady Zheng request an audience."

Beijiwu didn't recognize the two ladies. While filling his pen with ink, he casually said, "Come in."

"Yes." Xi Dan went out and invited the person in.

Xi Dan's younger brother is Niu Erzhu'er, her mother is Gao Conglian, and her father is Ai Dake.

After Ai Dake surrendered, he was executed. Gao Conglian returned to Wuzhou, while Zhu'er and Niu'er stayed in Luoyang, continuing to live with Mu Lin in a private courtyard in Luoyang.

Because they were separated at a young age, Xi Dan was not familiar with her two younger brothers, but was closer to her half-siblings.

Not long after, an elderly woman in her sixties with white hair and a woman in her fifties dressed in palace attire walked over.

Neither woman looked fat; in fact, they were slightly thin, suggesting they had both lived pampered lives in their youth.

"See Your Majesty!"

Both Madam Pan and Madam Zheng knelt down and bowed respectfully.

During the Wen Dynasty, kneeling was unnecessary; squatting was sufficient.

However, no one knew the rules of the mountain farmers. After finding out that one should kneel down upon first meeting, one had to kneel down obediently.

The emperor's authority is beyond question and cannot be offended.

Beijiwu looked at the two elderly women. They might have been beautiful women when they were young, but now they were just withered cabbages.

"What do you want from me?"

When faced with two women who came looking for trouble, Beijiwu felt it would be more appropriate for them to kneel down and speak.

Arctic Martial doesn't feel good about others kneeling before him; he simply doesn't like being bothered by others.

Madam Pan respectfully replied, "I heard that His Majesty has chosen Luoyang as the capital for the examination, so I am just sharing my thoughts, which are merely those of a woman."

Beijiwu looked impatient. "I dislike women interfering in politics even more than this."

Madam Pan hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I was being presumptuous!"

Beijiwu suddenly felt that the title "Your Majesty" was very awkward.

"Alright, you're all getting on in years. Sit down and talk. It won't hurt to hear the wisdom of an elder."

Beijiwu lowered his head and wrote with a fountain pen. This handmade fountain pen was quite good, but its lifespan was definitely not as long as that of a fountain pen from decades later.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The two elderly ladies thanked them respectfully.

Without needing anyone's help, the old ladies got up on their own and sat down very carefully and reservedly opposite Beijiwu.

Seeing that Beijiwu was busy writing something, Madam Pan spoke first.

"Luoyang is an ancient imperial capital, surrounded by natural barriers, and its waterways allow for the transport of grain from all over the country."

"But if there are no external enemies, this small city of Luoyang is surrounded on all sides, which is not suitable for a great ruler like Your Majesty who controls the world."

Beijiwu looked at the old woman and said, "It's good that you know."

Madam Pan was puzzled and was afraid of saying the wrong thing.

Beijiwu lowered his head and continued, "Since you already know, others can definitely guess as well."

"I have indeed considered moving the capital several times, but now that the country has just been settled, I do not want to delay the construction of roads, bridges and water conservancy projects in various places due to large-scale construction."

"No matter where the capital is, some people will benefit and others will suffer as a result."

"So my plan is to wait and see how things go before making a decision."

"There are now more than 500,000 palace maids in Luoyang. More than 500,000 people serve me alone, but I have hands and feet and do not need so many people to serve me. On the contrary, there are more than 2 million people in Luoyang and the surrounding area who need to support these 500,000 people."

"I have also thought about marrying off some of the palace maids, but now the mountain farmers are all married and have many wives and concubines."

“There are unmarried girls to match with, but you group of older women have nowhere to go after leaving the palace. If you were to marry illiterate Han Chinese farmers in the countryside, most of you would probably be unwilling.”

"The mountain farmers do not support idlers. The royal palace pays millions of dollars a month. If anyone wants to go back to their hometown, they can go back. There is no need to regret it for the rest of their lives in the palace."

Beiji Wu bluntly told them to get rid of the people, as he didn't want to pay the group of palace maids their wages.

Lady Zheng took the initiative to say, "Your Majesty, I was a concubine of a small northern country twenty years ago. Because I was somewhat famous for my beauty when I was young, I was taken into the harem by many kings. Although I am old and my beauty has faded, I can still dance and sing, and some other low-class skills. I am willing to serve Your Majesty and help you train a group of sensible beauties."

Upon hearing this, Beijiwu laughed and said, "That's not bad. I've said it before: those who can weave and embroider should go to the textile bureau, and those who can write should learn the mountain farmers' language and translate some books that I can understand."

"Whether you can dance and sing, play musical instruments, cook or grow flowers, or even do laundry and cook, it's all fine."

"In short, if you don't have a good appearance, work hard. It's good to be able to make a living based on your looks and figure. If you can't, you can still do something with your talent and strength."

"Mountain farmers don't support idlers, and I won't monopolize 500,000 women."

Neither of the two captured concubines wanted to leave the palace, so they obediently became old ladies in the palace, responsible for helping Beiji Wu select women who were not good-looking or who had no skills.

Soon the palace was downsized again, from 500,000 to 50,000.

One hundred thousand people went to Guanzhong to marry, one hundred thousand went to Sichuan to marry, one hundred thousand went to Tiezhou, and one hundred thousand went to the Jiaodong Peninsula to become wives of miners and salt workers, while also picking tea.

Another 50,000 people went back to their hometowns to fend for themselves.

The remaining 50,000 people were either elites, beautiful women, or capable individuals.

Even so, the salary of palace maids dropped to two taels of silver a month, which was 80% of that of eunuchs of the same rank.

The scholars of the Southern Dynasties performed poorly and failed to satisfy the Northern Emperor, so they were all sent to the Six Ministries in Zheng City to study.

That year, the first inner ring road of the Wu Dynasty was completed!
Luoyang, Chang'an, Yuncheng, Linfen, Taiyuan, Shuozhou, Tongzhou, Wuzhou, Youzhou, Tiezhou, Liaozhou.

After descending from Tiezhou to Jizhou, the route splits into two: one leads to Baoding Prefecture and Handan Prefecture, while the other follows the mountain plains directly to Luoyang.

They traveled along the coast of Jizhou, around the Jiaodong Peninsula, transporting resources to places like Xuzhou and Xuchang, before returning to Luoyang.

The entire road is 8,000 kilometers long, took two and a half years to build, and involved more than one million workers.

With wider roads, transporting food and goods across the country became slightly easier.

Construction has also begun on the second national highway connecting Luoyang to the southwestern and Annam provinces.

The current steel production was no longer sufficient for agricultural tools and weapons, so steel began to be used in various traditional wooden tools.

(End of this chapter)