Nu Yalang of Tang Dynasty

While wars raged in the Central Plains, Anxi, thousands of miles away, was peaceful.

Duan Xiushi led his army into Dunhuang, and under the orders of Zhou Jun, the marshal of the world's soldiers and horses, he abolished a series of exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes in Shazhou, and wiped out all the officials and businessmen who exploited the people and enriched themselves.

The Daqi Commercial Road was reopened to the outside world, and the migration route for refugees from the Central Plains to Anxi became smooth again.

Tens of thousands of refugees staying in Shazhou, Guazhou and other places formed a mighty procession and marched through the desert, slowly heading towards Anxi.

In the Anxi Protector's Mansion in Qiuci Town, Feng Changqing was busy reviewing documents every day.

During Tianbao's tenth year, the four towns in Anxi together had a population of only 250,000.

By the 16th year of Tianbao, a large number of people from the Tang Dynasty in the Central Plains poured in again and again, and the population of the four towns in Anxi exceeded 600,000.

When the more than 300,000 Tang residents moved here and entered the four towns of Anxi, they faced problems with housing, food, medicine, household registration, control, etc.

But what troubles Feng Changqing the most is not these, but the livelihood of these refugees.

It’s not that the more than 300,000 refugees cannot find jobs.

In fact, Anxi has large tracts of arable land, coupled with supporting water conservancy, animal husbandry and other industries. Not to mention 300,000 people, even if 3 million people come, there will be ways to accommodate them.

The key is that the work of these refugees is far more than just clearing wasteland and farming.

On this day, in the Anxi Protector's Mansion.

Feng Changqing was crouching in front of the case, reviewing the documents of the four towns.

Du Fu and Cen Shen each took thick official documents and entered the study.

Feng Changqing looked up and said, "Let's put it there first."

Du Fu and Cen Shen looked at each other.

Du Fu walked aside, raised his hands and said, "Deputy Envoy Feng, there is another group of refugees in Dunhuang, and they have just arrived in Shicheng Town."

Feng Changqing raised his head and rubbed his forehead: "How many people are here?"

Du Fu: "About 600 households, more than 4,000 people."

Feng Changqing: "More than four thousand people? It's a little less than before... Now in Guanzhong, the Tang army is fighting the rebels, and the refugees' westward migration has been interrupted, and the number of immigrants has decreased. This is normal."

When Du Fu and Cen Shen heard this, they looked at each other again.

When Feng Changqing saw this, he couldn't help but ask: "What's going on between you two? If you have anything to say, please tell me."

Cen Shen took a step forward, raised his hands and said: "Feng Deputy Envoy, Yanqi, Khotan, Shule and Gaochang all sent envoys to Shicheng Town."

Feng Changqing was stunned and asked: "Why do the three towns of Anxi and Beiting send envoys to Shicheng Town?"

Cen Shen: "To rob people."

Feng Changqing: "Robbing someone? Whom to rob?"

Du Fu picked out a book from the album, put it on the desk, and said to Feng Changqing: "The rebellion in Guanzhong, the interruption of the Central Plains and Anxi, silk from Sichuan, celadon from Jiangnan, etc., can no longer be sold through the trade routes.

West."

Feng Changqing: "I know this. Western countries such as Dashi, Tianzhu, Byzantium, and France are unable to purchase silk, celadon and other items from the Central Plains. It coincides with the production of silk and celadon in Anxi. Although it can fill the gap, Anxi's output is too large.

Low, the gap is too big, and it will be difficult to meet the needs of the West for a while..."

At this point, Feng Changqing came to his senses and asked Du Fu and Cen Shen: "Is it because the weaving workshop and porcelain kiln are short of people, so there is talk of robbing people?"

Cen Shen: "Deputy envoy, not only the weaving mills and porcelain kilns, but also the mines in Beiting, the charcoal mills in Shule, the cotton mills in Yanqi, etc. all lack experienced craftsmen."

Du Fu added: "The mulberry fields that cooperate with weaving mills, the workshops that provide tools to the mines, the pits that supply porcelain clay to the porcelain kilns, and many other places are also lacking in craftsmanship..."

Feng Changqing stopped Du Fu and Cen Shen from talking, and said with a headache: "Just tell me, how many manpower are there in the four towns of Anxi plus Beiting?"

Cen Shen: "In Anxi and Beiting, what is most lacking now are iron and gold craftsmen, followed by silk and cotton weavers... Speaking of manpower shortages, according to data from various town newspapers, there is still a shortage of about 8,000 craftsmen of various types.

There is still a shortage of about 3,000 weavers."

Feng Changqing was surprised: "Why is there so much missing?!"

Cen Shen: "Deputy envoy, I won't talk about the far ones, only the nearby ones. In the armament workshop in Qiuci Town alone, the shortage of craftsmen has reached 500 people. Although Jiang Hong Taixue is training craftsmen, after all, it is a drop in the bucket.

It also takes several years to complete your studies and become a teacher.”

Feng Changqing stood up and walked on the spot: "So, the three towns of Anxi and Beiting went to Shicheng Town to block the refugees, just to select the craftsmen and weavers from them, record them on a roster, and then report them for transfer.

?”

Cen Shen raised his hands and said yes.

Feng Changqing: “Experienced craftsmen and weavers are already scarce, but workers and peasants are developing everywhere in Beiting, Anhui... At this juncture, we can only prioritize and allocate craftsmen and weavers to places where they are urgently needed.

"

When Du Fu heard this, he said: "Deputy envoy, regarding the shortage of craftsmen and weavers in Anbeiting, Shicheng City wrote a secret letter to the Duhufu, saying that there is a way to solve it."

Feng Changqing asked curiously: "The Kang family in Shicheng Town? They said they can solve the problem of hiring people? Who is the person who wrote the letter? Is he the envoy of Shicheng Town?"

Du Fu shook his head and said: "The person who wrote the letter is Kang Kejing, the son of the governor of Shicheng Town."

Feng Changqing: "Kang Kejing? I remember that young man. He served as the market supervisor in the Anxi Protectorate and is now based in Daqi?"

Du Fu nodded in agreement.

Feng Changqing: "What can Kang Kejing do to solve the problem of lack of craftsmen and weavers in Anxi and Beiting?"

Du Fu showed hesitation, picked out a book from the thick book, put it in front of Feng Changqing, and said, "Deputy envoy, you'd better read it yourself."

When Feng Changqing saw Du Fu and Cen Shen, both of whom were secretive, he became even more curious.

Opening Kang Kejing's letter, Feng Changqing just glanced at it a few times and said angrily: "How bold!"

Feng Changqing just wanted to throw the letter aside, but after thinking about it, he decided to continue reading.

After reading everything, Feng Changqing's anger subsided slightly, and he turned to say in a deep voice: "This Kang Kejing is really nonsense. It's a shame he can think of doing slave business with the rebels!"

Du Fu: "Deputy envoy, both Chang'an and Luoyang have fallen into the hands of the rebels. There are 110,000 registered craftsmen in the two cities alone. If these craftsmen are kidnapped by the rebels, they will help

The enemy made weapons and equipment, and then the Tang army fought against the rebels. If they were unlucky, they might die in the war."

Cen Shen said at this time: "Deputy envoy Feng, before coming here, Du Shaoling and I also discussed this matter. Using the slave business to rescue craftsmen and weavers from the rebels to avoid them being harmed by the war can also be regarded as reducing the rebellion.

The strength of the army.

Feng Changqing: "This move is suspected of supporting the enemy and may cause criticism from others."

Cen Shen: "So Kang Kejing said in the letter that neither Anxi nor Beiting can come forward to deal with this slave business, and it can only be run privately by the Kang family in Shicheng Town."

After thinking for a long time, Feng Changqing said: "This matter is very relevant. Let's send this letter from Kang Kejing to Lingwu via Haidongqing and leave it to the Protector for judgment."

Cen Shen bowed in response.

Seeing that Cen Shen and Du Fu still did not retreat, Feng Changqing asked: "What? Is there anything else?"

Du Fu: "Deputy envoy, there is one more thing."

Feng Changqing: "What's the matter?"

Du Fu: "A strange case has occurred in Yanqi Town recently, and the town guard doesn't know how to punish it."

Hearing this, Feng Changqing frowned and said, "A strange case?"

Du Fu found another case book from the book and placed it in front of Feng Changqing.

The latter opened it and read it again, and the more he looked at it, the more frightened he became.

After reading everything, Feng Changqing closed the case and sighed to Du Fu: "This case is more difficult to handle than Kang Kejing's slave tooth business... Let's use Haidongqing and send it to the governor together.

."