The Song Dynasty on the Sand Table

Chapter 31: Become a Village Sage
The battle is over.

Wangjiazhuang Fort fell into the hands of the rebels.

Except for the backyard that Yue Wenxuan saved, the entire Wangjiazhuang Fort was "looted".

All of Mr. Wang’s immediate family members were killed.

The rebel army had attacked Wangjiazhuang twice, suffering heavy defeats both times, with countless men killed. Furthermore, Mr. Wang had defected to the Jin thieves and betrayed the rebels. For both public and private reasons, this massacre was inevitable.

A bloodbath was inevitable, and Yue Wenxuan never thought of stopping them from killing people in revenge.

That group of desperate salt smugglers were all killed, and only the one captured by Houyi survived.

Many of the servants and guards survived. Their hatred for the rebels was not that deep, so they surrendered obediently and did not resist. Madam Gong Er showed mercy and spared their lives, recruiting them into the rebel army so that they would be useful in the future.

The ruffians and the Dongmiaozi Village militia were even more reckless, essentially surrendering at the first sign of trouble. Now, they all knelt in the courtyard, swearing to fight the Jin army and serve their country, each one more vehement than the last. Some swore on their own penises, some on their sons' buttholes, and some even pledged their entire ancestry, including their parents and eighteen generations of ancestors.

According to the standards Qi Jiguang used to select Yiwu soldiers, none of these people could be incorporated into the Mandarin Duck Formation. However, the rebel army was extremely short of manpower, so he could only accept these people first, train them well and correct their attitudes, and then send them to handle some miscellaneous tasks.

The rebel army suddenly gained more than fifty soldiers. Although they were all small-time soldiers who had just surrendered, it was still an increase in strength.

In the Wang family's main hall, Madam Gong Er invited Yue Wenxuan to the main seat. She herself sat in the secondary seat and said in a low voice, "Master, what should we do next? Please give us your instructions."

Yue Wenxuan did not answer, but asked: "According to your previous method, what should we do?"

Madam Gong Er briefly reflected on her father's past military conduct and whispered, "Empty the Wang family's food and property, burn this place down, and then return to the stronghold."

Yue Wenxuan laughed: "That's it?"

Madam Gong Er was a little embarrassed: "That should be it, isn't this...good?"

"Who can we save like this?" Yue Wenxuan sighed softly. "Mrs. Gong Er, when you led your troops into Dongmiaozi Village just now, did you notice the farmland here?"

Madam Gong Er: "Ah? I hadn't noticed that. I'll go check it out right away."

She ran past Wangjiazhuang Fort like the wind, and after a few minutes she ran back, saying quickly, "Your Excellency, I've noticed that most of the farmland in Dongmiaozi Village shows signs of winter plowing, indicating that the villagers are already preparing for spring planting."

Yue Wenxuan: "In Jimo County, how many villages did you see preparing for spring planting?"

Madam Gong Er wiped her sweat and said, "I haven't seen many."

Yue Wenxuan: "What does this mean?"

Madam Gong Er thought desperately and racked her brains. She had not read many books and could not recognize many words. Her comprehension in this area was really not enough. But after thinking for a long time, she finally remembered what Zhenjun had said to her at the salt field.

"order?"

Yue Wenxuan nodded. "Yes, order! This village has order. Even though Mr. Wang is a traitor, and although he exploited the villagers and salt officials even more than the Song Dynasty government, at least there is order here. Even if it is a deformed order, it is still order, and it can still maintain a certain degree of productivity." "After you took this place, you robbed the Wang family, burned down the house, and then fled to the mountains. It seemed like you were fighting against the local tyrants and letting the people push down a mountain that was pressing down on them, but in fact you destroyed order. The consequence of destroying order is definitely the destruction of productivity."

Madam Gong Er was a little confused, and her brain started to work rapidly, but her knowledge limited her understanding, and she could only figure out a limited extent.

Yue Wenxuan could only speak frankly: "Without Mr. Wang in charge, it will be difficult for the people here to farm normally, because it takes half a year from planting seeds to harvesting. During this half year, thieves, bandits, profiteers, rogues, thieves... will continue to appear and constantly harm the farmers. In the end, no one will be able to grow a single grain of food."

"If we can't grow food here, the salt workers' grain, which is mixed with sand, will be gone, and we will all starve to death. Those who don't want to starve to death will have no choice but to pick up knives and kill people to eat."

Madam Gong Er finally understood what was said and sweat broke out on her forehead.

She thought that after killing the evil Mr. Wang, the farmers would be able to grow their own food and eat it themselves, and the extra food could be exchanged for the salt officials, and everything would be fine. But after Zhenjun said this, she found that it was just an unrealistic imagination.

"No wonder, when we were at the salt fields, the True Lord asked me to establish order."

Yue Wenxuan: "It's good that you figured it out. Since you have destroyed the order here, you have the responsibility to establish a new order here. Otherwise... the Jimo Volunteer Army is nothing more than bandits and robbers."

Madam Gong Er: "I am uneducated and have no idea how to establish order. I would like to ask for your guidance, Master."

Yue Wenxuan: "If you don't know how to manage the big things, how can you manage the small things? After we occupy Wangjiazhuang Fort, you will be the Grand Master of Dongmiao Village and control the Guanhai Salt Field. You will do what Grand Master Wang usually does."

Madam Gong Er: "Ah? This...this...won't I become a villain like him?"

Yue Wenxuan: "Of course, we can't be exactly like him. Don't collude with the Jin people, don't bully men and women, buy the villagers' grain at a reasonable price, and buy the salt from the salt workers at a reasonable price. Only in this way can we maintain order in Dongmiaozi Village and the salt field, and truly save the people here. Don't be an evil landlord, but be a conscientious village elder."

Madam Gong Er: "I understand. I will immediately send someone back to the mountain stronghold to invite my second uncle down the mountain. He was once a wealthy businessman in Jimo County, knowledgeable and experienced. He also owned thousands of acres of fertile land and managed villages and towns. He will definitely satisfy the True Lord if he handles this matter."

Yue Wenxuan: "It's not about satisfying me, but satisfying the people."

Madam Gong Er: "I will obey the order of the law."

From the moment she uttered these words, Madam Gong Er had already made up her mind. Dongmiaozi Village and Guanhai Salt Field became her domain. The salt fields' 50 households with a population of nearly 200, plus Dongmiaozi Village's 60-odd households with a population of nearly 300, all became her responsibility. She was determined to fulfill this promising career as a village sage and live up to the trust of the True Lord.

Yue Wenxuan smiled: "Since you have thought it through, I will not waste my words. When Qian Zhuoqun comes, I will come down and talk to you."

He stepped out of the house and flew up into the air, disappearing into the sky. Houyi and the Mandarin Duck Squad also flew up, leaving only the salt smuggler Houyi had captured standing in the yard with his hands tied. He looked up at the sky and cried out in horror, "Why are they flying? What kind of monsters are they? Help... Help!"

"You monster!" Zhang Dashu jumped out from the side and kicked the salt smuggler to the ground. "If you dare to call the True Lord a monster, I'll beat you to death."

Zhang Dalang jumped out and grabbed him, "Don't kill him! He's the one the Heavenly General has captured. The Heavenly General must have a reason for sparing him. It would be hard to explain if we killed him."

Zhang Dashu: "Then beat him into a pig's head."

The sound of fists hitting people rang out happily.

(End of this chapter)