Troubled Times Survival Raiders

"Rong Dun. Last month, the Ministry of Rites arrived in person, and the purchases are as usual... Your sister-in-law and the lady-in-law each love each other." Mrs. Song read the letter softly, and the baby in her arms was babbling and fiddling with her little hands.Song Shi suppressed him with a smile, not letting him fiddle with the letter. "Erlang is urging us to go back."

Shen He leaned against the door with his hands behind his back, and after hearing what his wife said, he just shook his sleeves, "Father Xiaoxiang passed away a long time ago, and Yue Niang also got rid of her filial piety. It's time to have a happy event - let the King of Chu wait for more than a year, It's already very good for our family. But we and Erlang have separated, and we are wearing filial piety, so it is not easy to go to other people's weddings."

"You and I can't go, but Yu Lang wants to carry his younger sister to go out." Song Shi and Lu Shi have always been on good terms, and they also want to speak for Shen Yue.

"Then tell Yulang to go back." Shen He walked over to pick up Shen Lin, the little guy greeted him with a smile on his face and opened his arms, and called out loudly and crisply.Shen He was overjoyed, and asked, "Is Lin Lang in a hurry to learn how to read?"

"You're joking, how old is he, and he hasn't spoken yet." Song was amused by her husband, and slowly gathered the papers on the table together.

When Shen Lin was babbling, she heard her parents talking, even though she didn't understand, she also got up and waved her little fists.

"Aspirations are not based on age." Shen He was just joking, so he simply insisted on saying so, and teased Shen Lin in his arms: "You grow up quickly, and when you can hold the pen, I will ask your elder brother to teach you how to write." You write."

As if he heard his father's call, there was a creaking sound outside the door, and then the sound of footsteps approaching. The young man wearing a straw hat and holding a hoe bent down, walked in the door, took off the straw hat first, and bowed down, "My son pays homage to his father and mother." .”

"Yu Lang, get up quickly." Song called out distressedly, "Is it sun drying outside?"

Not only was Shen He not surprised when he saw this, he pulled him closer and asked with a smile, "How are the crops in the field today?"

"The growth is very gratifying today." Shen Yu wiped off his sweat, and then grinned at his mother, "Now that it's autumn, the sun is not so harsh, so mother doesn't have to worry about her son."

Shen He felt his hands were sore, and seeing that the time was almost up, he handed his youngest son to Song, "I'm going to the front yard."

"Father, let's go for a while, the baby will arrive later." Shen Yu also responded.

Mrs. Song hugged the youngest son, and called the eldest son to look at him, and sighed, "Yu Lang has lost weight and is dark."

"My son has grown taller." Shen Yu joked and comforted her mother.

His height has indeed increased a bit, because he lost weight and exercised every day, and his figure is also well-proportioned, but he seems to have grown a lot.

During this year, Shen Yu lived in Zhuangzi with her parents, only to realize that after living in the capital for a long time, she sometimes forgot what era she was in and what the common people around her were going through.

Although their family did not become rich and powerful, they still lived a life without worrying about food and clothing, and had something to rely on.There are also people with property and official positions all around.But when he arrived at the farm, there were real farmers nearby, and only then did he see how difficult things are in the world today.

The land of Chu is rich and rich. In the past, under the rule of the king of Chu, the tax was not heavy, and the people lived well.But... because of the rebellion in the north, the army has been marching for years, and the military expenditure can only be spread on the heads of the people.

The farmers in the vicinity and the householders of the Haogui family are nothing more than that, and they have collected enough rent anyway, so that they will not be made things difficult by the host family.But ordinary farmers have to worry about household tax and tax.In particular, there is a saying that "the field has been planted for three or five years, and its strength is exhausted". The farmers here have lived for a long time, and their harvests are far from what they used to be.

The Shen family took root in Beijing, and Shen He finally contacted the married Jia Niang to inform him of his father's death.A few days ago, Shen Jia sent a letter from the north, saying that there was a severe drought in the north, and that this year's harvest would be very dismal.

Last year, there was a famine in the north, and grain sold at sky-high prices.Shen Jia is married to a Juren, so she has fame and fame, so she doesn't have to worry about slavery. The couple can live comfortably on the lin rice, so the influence is not too big.

But other families were not so lucky. Among Shen Jiaxin, there were whole families who starved to death and died, and those who had no food had to feed on geese and silkworms. Yoshino,

Shen Yu finished reading the letter, recalling what she saw with her own eyes on the way south, she couldn't help but let out a long sigh.The smooth days have passed for too long, and I forgot how the world outside the capital looks like in troubled times.

In contrast, the shallow and narrow thatched huts, where a family lives, also feel very happy.

Because of this, Shen Yu kept his filial piety and was not under the pressure of obtaining fame. Instead, he devoted himself to studying agricultural books, summed up the experience in many books, combined with his own ideas, went to the field to direct people to tend the crops, tried to breed better seeds, and experimented with different fertilizer.

"When you add new fertile soil and treat it with manure, it will become more refined and fertile, and its strength will always be fresh and strong."

When Shen Yu wrote a letter to the teacher, in addition to attaching her own scriptures, she also mentioned her feelings in the fields.

Zhou Kuang's reply was full of emotion.If Shen Yu has fame and fame now, just relying on these actual achievements in the field, writing articles and spreading them, and gaining enough popularity when he is in mourning, it is enough to pass the election and win a doctor.

It's a pity that he is only half a child now, even if he really does something, no one will listen to him.

Shen Yu doesn't care much about whether these can bring him fame, he can help the surrounding farmers pay rent, and he doesn't have to worry about a meal, he is satisfied.

"Yue Niang's good day is coming soon, and you will get rid of your filial piety, so go back and see your sister off." Song said to her son.

Shen Yu nodded, feeling a pain in her heart: He and Shen Yue hadn't seen each other for a long time, she didn't want her younger sister to marry someone else just when they met.

What's more, that other person is the emperor's brother, a noble prince.As soon as Houmen enters the depths like the sea, then the palace is not a good place to go.

Shen Yu talked to her mother and then went forward.The Shen family's Zhuangzi is not big, but there is a small empty room in the yard, with more than a dozen benches inside, it can be regarded as a small lecture hall.

Now this lecture hall is full of children from Zhuanghu's family.Although they were dressed in rags, they tried to sit upright, staring at Shen He with wide eyes, and listening to him explain the "Book of Filial Piety".

Most of the children in the farm were illiterate, and they didn't dislike whether their husbands were filial or not. Shen He was also idle, so he packed up a room and taught these children to read.

Some of them are not slaves. If they can read and write, not to mention getting academic honors, they can at least manage accounts and do clerical work, and maybe they can be teachers for others.

Shen Yu herself had been studying for a long time, and when she was tired, she came to see these children and reminded herself how fortunate it was to be able to learn the scriptures from a young age.

In the golden autumn and September, the sky is high and the air is crisp, which is suitable for weddings.

Because of Shen Yue's observance of filial piety, the Chu King's marriage dragged on for a year, and it was very easy to discuss it. The Ministry of Rituals discussed the rituals, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs prepared the dowry and dowry, which was another mess.

The military expenditure is heavy, and the national treasury has long been empty. The prince's wedding cannot be rushed.Officials from the Ministry of Rituals and the Ministry of Households were arguing in the court hall, and they even dragged Yuwang, a prince named in the Ministry of Rites, into the pot.For several months.In the end, Donggong Shangben proposed to advocate the style of thin marriage.The king of Chu took the initiative to respond, willing to use the money saved from the dowry and dowry for ceremonies, and donate the rest for military expenses, which blocked Youyou's mouth.

After a few months of tossing and dragging, Na Cai, Wen Ming, Na Ji, and Na Zheng were all completed. The betrothal gift was delivered to the Shen family, and the date was set for September.

Wu Muhao was going to greet his relatives that day, so he couldn't stay in the mansion to entertain the guests, and the housekeeper and the head of the palace, Shi, either had no rank or were not high enough.Concubine Shu is too old to work, so Princess Shouhe entertains the female guests.

So Wu Junyi went to the Prince of Chu's mansion in person to preside over the ceremony and entertain the male guests, which gave the King of Chu enough face.

In a blink of an eye, His Royal Highness is 13 years old.The round face gradually became thinner, and the black dragon robe became more crisp when worn. When talking and laughing with others, his every move and demeanor were dusty, which was tainted with the dignity of the superior.

The auspicious time has come, Wu Muhao rode his big snow-white horse to greet his relatives in person.The Shen family's mansion was already decorated with flowers, and Shen Yue was being surrounded by female relatives to apply makeup on her face. When she heard the reminder to put on makeup, Shen Yu, who had arrived early, carried her out the door.

Shen Yu carried the hijab-covered Shen Yue firmly on her back, and walked out slowly, when she saw Wu Muhao who was dressed as a prince jumped off the horse, and hurried to greet her.

"My lord..." Shen Yu looked at him hastily, and could only hide all the unfinished meaning in that look.

Wu Muhao also nodded solemnly, and personally pulled back the curtain of the carriage for Shen Yue.The servants slowly got up the sedan chair, the horses turned around, whistling, and a group of people turned back.Shen Yu stood on the spot, watching the wedding sedan turn out of the alley from a distance, not knowing what it was like.

When Wu Junyi was toasting, King Yu said: "Your Highness has grown so big in a blink of an eye, and he will soon go to the court to watch politics, but he has become a young man."

In fact, long before going south, after learning that Prince Duanren died in the city, Emperor Jianning gave Wu Junyi, who was only eight years old, a haircut and a crown.But now he can grow up in front of his elders.

In March and April last year, the princes and princesses in the palace were born one after another, and the clan that had been silent for a long time finally became lively.King Yu was sincerely happy for his brother.Now that my brother's happy event is also happening, I have relaxed a lot when talking and laughing with my nephew.

Wu Junyi smirked, holding cups in both hands in return: "Uncle Wang is absurdly praised. I am still young, and I have to rely on Uncle Wang for his guidance."

King Yu has been in the Ministry of Rites for a long time. Although he has always kept a low profile in the court and rarely expressed his views publicly, but for so many years, he has been able to remain impartial and neutral, so he naturally has his own strength.

On the other hand, the civil servants had drunk three rounds, but they praised the East Palace and the king of Chu for taking the initiative to reduce the dowry and change the custom.

"I think this trend should be changed! The dowry is so rich that marrying a wife does not care about family status and is worth seeking wealth. Isn't this kind of behavior disrupting the order of dignity?"

"Your Excellency's words are reasonable, not to mention poor girls who are too old to marry... If things go on like this, the manpower will be exhausted, but it's not good."

There were also people who got drunk and sang against the prince regardless of the prince's presence: "But the king of Chu is an elder, and the prince is a bit offside when he writes this book."

These words naturally fell into Wu Junyi's ears, but he just sneered.It is true that he wrote the memorial because there were a lot of discussions and disputes about the marriage of the King of Chu in the court at that time, but another reason was also at the behest of the King of Chu:

The Shen family didn't have much money at all, and the family had to be separated after the death of Duke Shen, so it is likely that they would not be able to provide a dowry that matched the status of the prince and concubine.Although there is the Ministry of Internal Affairs to help manage it, if it is too frugal, it will inevitably be laughed at by others.

The king of Chu didn't want to see this scene, so he simply donated the money for military expenses.

Wu Junyi didn't care to talk to those officials who started talking wildly when they were drunk. He looked around and saw all the dowries of the Shen family, but he didn't find that familiar figure.

The author has something to say:

The part about agriculture is excerpted from "Chen Funong Shu", just write it casually, please don't take it seriously.

I will take the train home tomorrow, the signal is not good, I will ask for a day off, thank you for your support.