The Collection of The End

——A.D. 177——

"Cao, Cao... Hey, why do your names sound exactly the same? I'll call you Meng De!"

On the way back to Dunqiu, Cao Cao asked Dian Wei to ride with him in order to get closer to him and recruit him more easily. Of course, this had something to do with the fact that the "substitute" had been clamoring to "accept him as his younger brother".

However, there seems to be something wrong with Dian Wei's accent. He always pronounces Cao Cao's name exactly the same.

"Dian is a strong man, just do as he pleases." Although Dian Wei said carelessly that he could be called Lao Dian, from Cao Cao's point of view, he was only seventeen or eighteen years old at most, but he could not add the word "old".

"Um, Lao Dian, where are you from? How did you learn this good skill?" However, Yuan Shao didn't have that kind of vision and just called Lao Dian.

"I'm from Jiwu Village, south of Chenliu. I've learned my skills from hunting since I was a child. I'm not the only one who knows what I'm doing. All the wolves, tigers and leopards in the surrounding mountains are afraid of me!" Dian Wei patted his chest.

"Hmm... I've confirmed that there is some kind of 'unparalleled' quality," said the "substitute" who had been looking up and down beside Dian Wei because Dian Wei couldn't see him. "But it's not activated right now, so I can't see it. Maybe it will happen during the battle." That’s it?”

"Well..." Cao Cao nodded slightly, and then asked: "So, how did Li Yong deceive your fellow countryman?"

Since Cao Cao only brought two cars for this trip, one for himself and Yuan Shao, and the other, which was more comfortable, was given to the Cai sisters, so Li Yong naturally had no car to sit in, and was bundled tightly into the car. In the back compartment of Cao Cao's car.

"Hmph! That guy claimed that he was a well-connected businessman who could provide us with powerful hunting equipment. However, he suddenly changed his mind a few days ago and only gave grain and copper coins to the salesmen who came to our village. Everyone asked me to explain. ." Dian Wei looked at the rear compartment fiercely, his eyes seeming to burn through the partition.

"A powerful hunting tool?" Cao Cao was a little surprised.

"Ah! That's it!" The "substitute" reacted first: "Dunqiu's weapons!"

"Ha." Cao Cao sneered with unknown meaning.

Although various counties and counties have arsenals to store ordnance issued by the court to resist bandits and suppress rebellions, in order to save food, there are not so many standing armies at ordinary times. The normal practice is to leave only city gate guards and two patrol teams. Use other soldiers as "military service population" to participate in labor at the station.

As for those unused ordnance, instead of letting them be depreciated and scrapped, it is better to sell them to those who need them in exchange for some money. However, this behavior requires the approval of the county magistrate - there is no doubt that this behavior is illegal. Cao Cao is new here. He didn't know the details, so Li Yong didn't dare to mention it, so he could only trick the next family, and ended up attracting a evil star like Dian Wei.

"This person should be punished!" Yuan Shao, who was originally the least likely to express his opinion, spoke decisively, attracting the curious eyes of Cao Cao and his "substitute".

"Ah? Isn't that right? I think there are hooks in the arsenal." After saying this, Yuan Shao turned back to his silly monkey appearance and scratched his head: "This is what my father said. The original words seemed to be 'hook-stealer'" "Execute the monkey who steals the country."

Oh, it was what Zhuangzi said... It seems there is nothing wrong?

"As far as I know, although those 'powerful weapons' are of average quality, they are of high quality and should last for a long time?" Cao Cao asked doubtfully.

"Hey! That was true in the past. Although it was more expensive, if you take care of it, it can last at least a year. But the things you bought recently often broke within half a month. The people in our village couldn't bear to beat him. It's been a long time." Dian Wei shook his fist.

"This..." Cao Cao looked at the "substitute".

"It was made by a certain Immortal Attendant," the "substitute" replied as expected: "I don't know exactly who it was, but he had a group of shabby blacksmiths who were either fellow villagers or relatives. With his hints and support, they were forced to occupy the place. Luoyang’s original copper and iron tool market,

At this time, ordinary people in Luoyang could no longer buy any good goods, and without their own workshops, the surrounding counties and counties that relied solely on Luoyang's distribution were also affected. "

"It's the Shichangshi again. How do they want to make the big man look like they are satisfied?" Cao Cao shook his head. If it doesn't work, he can only...

"The Ten Permanent Attendants have no heirs. They only do what they do for immediate enjoyment, so things beyond their life span are not considered at all... Hey, does it sound like a cruel emperor?" The "substitute" began to mutter.

Should I be glad that my grandfather adopted his father as his son and therefore did not get involved with the Shi Chang Shi group? After all, they looked like they were probably dead, Cao Cao thought silently.

"Dian strong man," Cao Cao said after clearing his thoughts: "Even if you capture him and beat him to death, you won't be able to find better hunting tools for your fellow villagers, because the channel for 'high-quality goods' is cut off. If so, you come back to Dunqiu with me, and after I rebuild the workshop, the first batch of finished products that meet the requirements will be handed over to you. In the meantime, you can kill the man named Li Yong at will."

"Okay! Meng De, you are such a cheerful person!" Dian Wei patted his chest, "I see that your friend seems to be very weak, so from now on you will be under my protection!"

"How weak! I am the fourth generation and the third prince! I am also unparalleled!" Yuan Shao tried to retort.

"I saw you stuck in the window. If it were me, I could break through the window frame and wall together!" Dian Wei said with his bald head raised.

"..."

————

After returning to Dunqiu, Cao Cao just ordered the soldiers to press Li Yong and walk around the county town. Perhaps because he was beaten a bit badly by Dian Wei, many small officials who were originally acting in a secretive manner immediately changed their attitudes and became like " In the past, the orders of the superior officials could not be violated, but now the villain looks like he can't see Mount Tai."

The reason is also very simple. Due to the complicated power of the aristocratic families in Yanzhou, the ownership of the town may one day be transferred to another party due to some overt and covert struggle that has nothing to do with them. The petty officials and petty officials have all learned to see the wind. Cao Cao's ability as a rudder is now that of a dragon crossing the river to suppress local snakes, but if one day another aristocratic family in Yanzhou defeats him, his officials will instantly change back to their previous appearance.

Due to Cao Song's teachings, before he officially took office as the county magistrate, Cao Cao already knew that the management of a town can be roughly divided into seven aspects, namely [Agriculture], [Business], [Technology], [Construction], [Public Security], and [Recruitment]. ] and [training].

Among them, agriculture is related to the annual food income, and commerce is related to the quarterly money income. Technology is the key to making high-quality weapons and armor or siege and defense equipment. Construction is used to strengthen city walls and set up city defenses, and also includes building temporary cities in the wild. Fortress or roadblock, as for public security, conscription and training, it is completely literal. However, it should be noted that conscription can only recruit the "military service population", that is, young adults suitable for the battlefield.

Those behaviors in history that coerced people into attacking the enemy's battle formations. At this moment when spiritual energy is revived, it is easy, or it is certain, to attract the unparalleled rangers who want to do justice for heaven, and an army of thousands will come to take the general's head from them - to make After such outrageous behavior, even if we have unparalleled generals on our side, they will not help.

Well, maybe this is the reason why even though the Shi Changshi levied excessive taxes, took advantage of others, and harmed the virtuous, they did not dare to kill innocent people indiscriminately, because the most powerful ranger was their immediate boss...

Generally speaking, a qualified county magistrate needs to pay more attention to agriculture during spring planting and autumn harvest to ensure food rations for the next whole year, and maintain public security at a high level at all times. Then there will be no fault in his political performance. But if you want to stand out, this is not enough.

He needs to maintain a combat-effective army and strengthen the city walls to deal with possible banditry. He also needs to improve business standards, increase business transactions, and enrich the treasury. When he needs to spend money, such as drought, floods, locust plagues, or During the earthquake, they spent money to repair destroyed houses and fields, and purchased food supplies from elsewhere to prevent the population from declining - whether they were fleeing the famine or whatever.

If you can do this, your promotion is basically guaranteed. By the way, the county magistrate must prepare the promotion money to be handed over to the court in advance. This is also the motivation for emperors to promote people in the past.

As for technology, it is generally ignored by the county magistrate. There is no other reason. Technology belongs to the workshop workers. After they improve, they can create better weapons and equipment and assemble more powerful equipment, but they need to be purchased by the county magistrate. ——After all, the craftsman also needs food and clothing, so why should he spend his own money to buy the things he made? Obviously it will be distributed from above, right?

And another function after technology reaches the current upper limit is to expand the size of towns and attract more people. This... If you do this without permission from the court without planning, do you want to rebel, or do you want to rebel?

However, in order to recruit the fierce general Dian Wei, Cao Cao had to order Dunqiu to develop technology first despite the strange looks of some officials. There was no way, Dunqiu's treasury was full of ordinary or even dilapidated weapons and equipment. It seems that the former county Ling Ye is very knowledgeable about goods. The newly distributed garbage from Luoyang was packed at the bottom of the box, and the good things that were originally kept were sold early.

————

"Dian Zhuangshi? Benchu?" Cao Cao arranged the next work and walked out of the county office, but did not see Dian Wei and Yuan Shao.

"Are you dizzy from work?" The "substitute" laughed at the side: "Dian Wei was arranged by you to lead troops on patrol, and you also took Wenji away by the way, and Yuan Shao was arranged by you to conduct market research... ha."

"There's nothing we can do about it. The junior officials here know nothing about technology, and Dian Wei and Ben Chu are not good at it at all." Cao Cao shook his head: "It seems that we are the only ones to go in person."

"Wait, us?" The substitute quietly took a step back.

"Didn't Xu Shao say that 'we' are 'capable ministers in governing the world'? I would like to verify it," Cao Cao ignored the "substitute" and walked straight to Dunqiu's workshop: "If possible, build it with your own hands." A matching sword would also be nice, what do you think about calling it 'Yitian'?"

"Well, I think it should be called 'Qingzhi'." The "substitute" thought for a while and took the initiative to follow Cao Cao.