Chapter 2118 Gui Zi Scroll to solve the problem, prepare with both hands
Xu Junyang Of course this is his first test question.
Just as Feng Ziying had conducted an investigation on him early on, of course he also had some understanding of the young governor.
However, his sources of information are definitely not as professional and broad as Feng Ziying's, so he can only learn about it through some of his classmates and fellow villagers in Beijing.
Xu Junyang knew very well that an official at his level should not be able to get involved in high-level struggles.
Although he also wanted to join Lu Chuan, in fact, he was only an insignificant and marginal person in Lu Chuan's camp.
What's more, there are hundreds of counties in Shaanxi, as well as prefectural officials. Mizhi is only a slightly important county.
So he did not think that he would be targeted by the governor.
However, this young governor is fierce, and his performance in Wubao is enough to show that this one may not follow the steps of a normal official, and everything needs to be done according to his likes and dislikes.
If you directly recruit the rebels, this should be done when the situation is unfavorable. However, after defeating the border rebels in Boyan Village and Baitang Village, you still have to agree to their surrender. This makes many people feel uncomfortable. Puzzled.
A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall, but this one was not afraid at all, and faced off with the rebels in Wubao City. This is enough to show that this governor is extraordinary.
This also made Xu Junyang put away a lot of small thoughts. He had to try to figure out this person's thoughts, so as not to go against the other person's intention and suffer a big loss.
Now that the test questions are finally open, Xu Junyang feels more at ease.
When it comes to dealing with things, Xu Junyang thinks that he is still confident that Mizhi is in Yan'an Mansion.
“It depends on what result you want, sir.” Xu Junyang replied calmly.
"Oh?" Feng Ziying was a little surprised. This person was a bit arrogant, and he could actually answer her in such a tone. If he said that he didn't have any real information and just wanted to impress people, Feng Ziying was going to let it end there. "Appreciate further details."
"If your Excellency simply wants to clean up these border villages, it is actually not difficult. Your Excellency is the right minister of the Ministry of War, and ordered Yulin Town to allocate a department to clean up. On the other hand, in the name of the government, the local gentry and merchants, especially Shanxi merchants, were killed. Restrict and resolutely prohibit these merchants and gentry from providing all kinds of materials, especially food, to the border villages in the mountains. In less than three months, these border villages will collapse on their own and surrender."
Xu Junyang talked eloquently, "The reason why these border villages have been able to maintain for such a long time lies in the indulgence of the border troops and the ineffective management of the local officials..."
“Master Xu, are you talking about yourself again?” Feng Ziying laughed.
"Sir, we can't control the border troops. Even a few words will cause backlash and even worsen the relationship between the two sides. As for the Shanxi merchants, they are very comfortable in these border areas, and even the border troops rely a lot on them, so It is difficult for us at the local level to intervene." Xu Junyang told the truth.
“Well, what you just said was about treating the symptoms. Is there anything else?” Feng Ziying continued to ask.
"And as the adults said, we need to cure the root cause." Xu Junyang spread his hands, "As far as the current situation is concerned, it is difficult to cure the root cause. At least I can't see the possibility of treating the root cause. Northern Shaanxi is narrow and densely populated, and the soil is poor. It is far inferior to Huguang and Jiangnan in the Central Plains, and the folk customs are tough and difficult to survive, so the only option is to become a bandit. However, with the current government policies, taxes and labor, ordinary people simply cannot bear it. If there is a slight drought, it will be difficult to survive, so Border villages in mountainous areas will always reappear, and businessmen value profits. As long as they can make a profit, they will take every opportunity to look for opportunities to enter..."
Xu Junyang's words will also be very straightforward. There are many people, little land, poor soil quality, low grain yield per acre, great influence from God, and heavy taxes and labor. Under this situation, if there is a drought and locust plague, there will definitely be chaos, and from then on Judging from the situation in the past ten years, it is very rare to have a drought every other year. Most of them are two droughts in three years or three droughts in four years. This is almost an unsolvable problem.
Feng Ziying understood what the other party meant. The cultivation of corn and wheat has very high requirements on the climate. If it is a normal year and the weather is good, then people in places like Mizhi can have a bowl of rice to eat. Once the weather is bad, it will be a problem. There have been droughts for many years. Everyone has no choice but to flee. In a situation like this year, it can be said that except for the powerful gentry, it is almost impossible to survive.
To put it bluntly, northern Shaanxi cannot support so many people now. The output of millet and wheat has dropped sharply due to the climate. Not to mention taxes and labor, even without it, it would be difficult to survive.
"You mean Northern Shaanxi can't support so many people anyway?" Feng Ziying didn't expect that Xu Junyang could still see this.
"If we go by the current situation of the court taxing labor and landowners collecting land rent, it basically has to be a good harvest year for ordinary farmers to make ends meet. If there are few floods, droughts and locust plagues, they will not be able to survive." Xu Junyang added: "Unless the landowners Land rent was reduced, and the court reduced taxes and labor.”
Feng Ziying laughed. This last sentence was about subverting the system. How is this possible?
"Well, I understand." For Feng Ziying, he also knows that it is difficult for Shaanxi in this timeline to calm down through normal methods. The most difficult time of the Little Ice Age has not yet come, even if he tries his best The method has been adopted for the time being, but if a disaster occurs next year or the year after, won’t it have to happen again?
He has two countermeasures. One is to introduce potatoes and corn on a large scale and with high intensity. This was the key for Shaanxi to survive the Little Ice Age in the previous life and even to have a population of over 10 million during the Jiaqing Daoguang period. Otherwise, northern Shaanxi would have to go through war. To eliminate the population, it would be difficult to survive the Little Ice Age relying solely on corn and wheat.
There is another one that is more difficult and requires adequate military preparation, which is to recapture the Hetao Plain. The Hetao Plain is divided into the Qiantao Plain, the Houtao Plain and the Xitao Plain. They are all currently controlled by the Mongols. It can be said that these three places are It is true that the northern land is most conducive to the development of agriculture, but it is occupied by the Mongols for grazing. Even if only a part of it is recaptured, it can greatly alleviate the population pressure.
But no matter which one it is, it is a long-term solution, and it cannot be solved immediately.
So he also agrees with Xu Junyang’s point of view. There is currently no solution to treat the root cause, so we can only treat the symptoms.
How to treat the symptoms is to destroy everything, destroy all the gentry and landlords entrenched on this land. When everything is smashed and they are all physically destroyed, naturally everything can start again.
Feng Ziying was unwilling to do this from the bottom of her heart, but she had to do it.
Even if this is the case, it is estimated that it will only take a few years to recover, but it is enough for Feng Ziying.
Xu Junyang still needs to be investigated. This guy has good vision and seems to have pretty good abilities, but the key lies in whether he can be used for himself.
He Shixian finally arrived, and Feng Ziying greeted him outside the city.
He Shixian didn't dare to blame him. Although this guy was just a junior a few years ago, and he was called "Uncle He" very affectionately when Ningxia suppressed the rebellion, but now, he can be regarded as his boss.
Seeing that He Shixian was about to perform a military salute, Feng Ziying quickly supported him: "Uncle He, aren't you a little nephew? You are an elder. I invite you to come for a while. I also hope that you will support my nephew. He is chasing ducks now. Put it on the shelf and be roasted over the fire."
He Shixian laughed loudly and took advantage of the opportunity to accept the gift, "Ziying, the Governor has sent me a letter. Uncle Yu, if there is anything else you want to say here, just say what you need. But you are now the Minister of War, so you can You should know that the north is not stable, the Tumut people are worried, Su Nang Taiji is a little bit ready to make a move, the Ministry of War and Chai Guozhu both sent me letters, and the worse news is that Fengzhou Bailian is preparing for war, and Cha Cha The people of Harr have close contact with each other..."
Feng Ziying frowned when she heard that. Chai Guozhu's Shanxi Town has not recovered its vitality. If it faces the Tumut people, Fengzhou Bailian and Chahar people who are also attacking, it may be really hard to bear.
He Shixian's words are not to shirk the blame, but just to explain the current difficulties in Yulin Town. Feng Ziying also believes that since He Shixian is here, he will definitely give himself an explanation.
"However, if my nephew is in need, Yulin Town is naturally responsible for it. I have arranged two of them, one in Longzhou City and one in Yinzhou Pass. They can go south at any time."
As expected, He Shixian had already made arrangements, which made Feng Ziying feel relieved.
If two battalions of two divisions are enough, there should be no problem in solving the border villages in the north of Mizhi and Suide.
"There are more Uncle He. I am new here and I still need Uncle He's strong support. When the situation in northern Shaanxi is settled, I will definitely ask for credit for Uncle He." Feng Ziying said sincerely.
With the main goal achieved, the atmosphere suddenly became more harmonious. He Shixian also accompanied Feng Ziying for a walk around Mizhi City. He Shixian also had to explain some things clearly to Feng Ziying.
"Ziying, the Governor also wrote to me. Maybe he will step down as the Governor of the Three Borders. After all, you are the governor of Shaanxi and it is against the rules for him to be the Governor of the Three Borders. But if you need anything, just say, Qingyang and Hepingliang Mansion Over there, I'm afraid Uncle Yu can't help. You have to contact Ningxia Town, but I guess they are in some difficulty, after all, the elite have been taken away by your father."
Yulin Town is only bordered by Yan'an Prefecture, while Qingyang and Pingliang are competing against Ningxia Town, and Ningxia Town's elites have been basically all emptied, so it is difficult to come up with troops. What He Shixian said is also true.
(End of this chapter)