Water Margin official

In the twelfth lunar month of winter, the cold wind blows against my face, and the Taotie mask I wear on my face feels very cool.

Zhang Zhengdao tightened his clothes, stood in the yard, and looked toward the eight hundred miles of water in the distance.

Now that the new year is approaching, various construction projects in Liangshan Dazhai have basically been completed.

The world is difficult, and there is an endless stream of people going up the mountain.

"Ha..." Zhang Zhengdao exhaled a breath of turbid air, which condensed into mist and dissipated in front of his eyes.

During this period of hard work, everything in the village, big and small, required attention and arrangement, so much so that Zhang Zhengdao even lost some weight.

"There is still a lack of talent!" Zhang Zhengdao sighed.

Now he finally understands that people don’t know how difficult things are, and things don’t know how complex affairs are.

There are so many things, but to sum up, there is a lack of available talents.

At present, the number of Liangshan soldiers has exceeded 5,000. There are two naval armies with a total of 3,000 sailors, and two infantry armies with a total of 2,000 infantry, plus 300 horse troops.

The water, infantry, and horse armies, after hard training every day, seem to be in good shape. At least they can ensure that the troops are in good order and can carry out orders and prohibitions.

From time to time, Zhang Zhengdao improved the military training methods at this time according to the methods of later generations, which attracted the admiration of all military commanders. In addition to admiration, they also learned carefully and applied them in daily drills.

Running exercises, standing in a military posture, doing military boxing... just to name a few.

Just as he was thinking about things, Wen Huanzhang and Wang Lun came hand in hand and stepped forward to greet him.

"I've met the village master!"

Zhang Zhengdao smiled and said: "Two gentlemen, have you finished today's lessons?"

Wang Lun replied: "Thank you to the leader of the village, I have finished speaking."

"Among the people who went up the mountain recently, there are two scholars who can read. The task of teaching children to read has been left to them." Wen Huanzhang smiled calmly.

In the past few days, Zhang Zhengdao has been focusing on military affairs, but he does not care much about the chores in the back mountains.

"Come into the room and talk!" Zhang Zhengdao opened the door, and a wave of heat came over him, warming his heart.

Wang Lun followed at the back and closed the door.

In the house, the wooden bed had long since disappeared, replaced by an earthen kang.

In the cold winter season, only sleeping on a Tukang can keep you warm.

At this time, there were several pieces of wood stuffed in the stove door of the outhouse, and a flame was burning, keeping the house warm.

The three of them entered the inner room, and Zhang Zhengdao sat cross-legged on the pit, but he couldn't help but move a little, because the fire was too hot, and it burned his buttocks.

"This fire kang really solves the problem of heating up and down the village." Wen Huanzhang also took off his shoes and went to the pit, found a relatively less hot place to sit down, and praised him repeatedly.

"Yes, you sleep on it and you don't get cold all night long. You cook with the kang pot and the food tastes delicious. The leader of the village is really a god." Wang Lun also praised him.

In fact, at this time in the Song Dynasty, there were earthen stoves on the ground, which were burned for warmth in winter, but there was no flue, and there were no pots and stoves for cooking outside.

Zhang Zhengdao talked about this construction method with the craftsmen of the village. After renovating a few houses, he tried it out and promoted it in the village.

In each house, everything that can be renovated is renovated. For those that cannot be renovated, a fire wall is built in the house and firewood is burned underneath to provide enough warmth for the winter.

Zhang Zhengdao smiled and said: "Little Dao'er, not worth mentioning."

Wang Lun poured two bowls of hot water and placed them in front of Zhang Zhengdao and Wen Huanzhang. He stood on the ground with his hands down.

Zhang Zhengdao asked in confusion: "Brother Wang Lun, why don't you come and sit on the kang?"

Wang Lun smiled awkwardly and said: "I was too hot last night and slept on the kang. This fart... butt... still hurts now!"

Zhang Zhengdao laughed and said: "Don't burn too much."

Wang Lun nodded and said: "My younger brother has already passed on the message to the people not to burn too much firewood."

Wen Huanzhang smiled and said: "Fortunately, there are many trees on the back mountain, so people can chop firewood for cooking, which saves them a lot of trouble."

Zhang Zhengdao nodded and said: "It is easy to raise thirty to fifty thousand people in such a treasured land."

Wen Huanzhang picked up the bowl, took a sip of hot water, and moistened his dry throat, then said, "Is the leader worried about the second leader Ruan Xiao?"

Zhang Zhengdao frowned and said: "After all, this is my first time going to sea, so I still feel uneasy."

Some time ago, Ruan Xiaoer's Pinghai Navy, after having trained its four ships proficiently, was led by three veteran boatmen who had been traveling on the sea all year round and had been to Korea, Japan and other countries many times and had rich sailing experience.

, took two sea boats, went straight down the Beiqing River, and went to sea for practice.

Fortunately, it is not the Little Ice Age at this time. Although it is cold in the north, the river is not frozen. Otherwise, the ships in Liangshan can only operate in this water mooring.

Wang Lun took the initiative to comfort him: "There is no need to worry, leader of the village. The second leader, Ruan Xiao, has been training for a long time, and this time he is training offshore, so there will be no surprises."

Zhang Zhengdao sighed, put down his worries, and then said: "There are many things going on in the village, and it is only because of the help of you two that we are in such a good situation. It's just that there are many rough men in the village, and there are very few people who can take care of government affairs.

There are so few, now we can only find talents from the people who go up the mountain."

"If there are people who are literate and smart, they can be entrusted with important responsibilities. As long as the two gentlemen supervise them in time, they don't have to ask me for instructions and decisions on everything." Zhang Zhengdao decided to delegate some of his power.<

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Wen Huanzhang said: "The village leader's worries are also those of Wen."

As the number of copycats increases day by day, the burden on Wen Huanzhang becomes heavier.

"I have discussed with the military advisor, and the school affairs have been left to the two scholars." Wang Lun said quickly: "All the 50,000 yuan of money has been spent, and all of it has been replaced by food.

In the rice warehouse at the back of the mountain."

"Fire prevention must be done well!" Zhang Zhengdao ordered.

"My little brother has ordered people to guard him all night long to make sure everything is safe!" Wang Lun replied.

Zhang Zhengdao thought for a while, and when he saw that everything in the village had been arranged and he could escape, he said, "I will be away for a while and may not be able to come back until next year. I will leave all matters in the village to these two gentlemen."<

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"If there is an emergency that is difficult to decide, the military advisor can send people to report the news quickly." When Zhang Zhengdao said this, his heart moved and he thought of a communication method.

"I suddenly remembered something. According to historical records, Zhang Jiuling, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, raised pigeons, trained them, and used pigeons to deliver letters. Whenever he exchanged letters with friends, he would tie the letters to the feet of the pigeons. The pigeons would fly to the place where they were taught to deliver them. Therefore,

Called homing pigeons." Zhang Zhengdao immediately ordered: "Brother Wang Lun, send people down the mountain to buy pigeons and find brothers who know how to raise poultry to raise these homing pigeons."

Wang Lun curiously asked: "Master, how should I feed this carrier pigeon?"

Zhang Zhengdao recalled for a moment and introduced: "There is magnetism in the pigeon's head and it can identify the direction, just like Simon and the compass. Based on this feature, magnetic substances can be used to train pigeons regularly."

"This method of raising pigeons needs to be pondered by the people below. But the principle of carrier pigeons delivering messages is simple. If I raise carrier pigeons in my village, what will happen if Ruan Xiaoer, the leader, goes out to sea this time? I only need to bring a few

Keep a pigeon on the boat, tie the letter to the pigeon's leg, and let it fly. The pigeon will be able to find its way home and fly back to the village on its own. This is the way to report the letter." Zhang Zhengdao paused when he saw that the two were deep in thought.

for a moment.

When the two of them looked up, Zhang Zhengdao continued: "There is another way to raise pigeons, which is to feed the pigeons in the village during the day, and then send the pigeons to Nanshan Hotel or Xishan Hotel at night. After a period of time,

After some training, this pigeon will be able to send messages between the two places."

Wen Huanzhang smiled and said: "If that's the case, the two leaders Zhu Fu and Zhu Gui don't have to cross the water and run to the mountains because of some things."

Wang Lun said anxiously: "I will send someone to buy pigeons right now."

Zhang Zhengdao smiled and said: "Of course, not all letters delivered by carrier pigeons can be delivered safely. If you encounter a raptor on the way, or if an archer who is proficient in riding and shooting shoots the carrier pigeon down, not only will the letter be lost, but if it is important information

, it may also cause the Shanzhai to suffer losses."

"Therefore, we still need to compile a code. We only need to simply write the code words in the letter. Even if the carrier pigeon is lost and the content of the letter is obtained, the content written in the letter will not be guessed."

Now that he has said this, Zhang Zhengdao asked Wang Lun to bring the pen, ink, paper and inkstone on the table, and then simply wrote out the Arabic numerals, explained it to the two of them, and took a book to use as a tool for deciphering the code words.

Codebook.

After some explanation, Wen Huanzhang and Wang Lun were greatly impressed.

Zhang Zhengdao smiled and said: "If the method of homing pigeons can be achieved, the leader who is out will be able to keep in touch with the village at all times, and even brothers Nie Gong who are far away in Kouzhou can know his current situation."

Wang Lun couldn't wait to say: "I'm going to get pigeons now."

After saying that, he stepped out and went out.

When Wen Huanzhang saw Wang Lun leaving, he asked, "Is the village leader going back to Qinghe County?"

Zhang Zhengdao nodded and said: "I have been away from home for several months and I don't know what is going on at home. I have to go back and take a look. If there is any urgent matter in the village, the military counselor can send a close friend to deliver the letter to the Lion Tower in Qinghe County."

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Wen Huanzhang agreed.

Zhang Zhengdao packed up his belongings and prepared to return to Qinghe County.

After crossing the water, we came to the thatched pavilion behind the Xishan Hotel. Wen Huanzhang, who came to see him off, stood on the boat and cupped his hands and said, "Master, please take care of yourself!"

Zhang Zhengdao smiled and said: "The affairs of the village leader are entrusted to the military advisor."

Wen Huanzhang said: "Don't worry, village master!"

Zhang Zhengdao clasped his fists, then entered the hotel, ordered the clerk to prepare a horse, then got on the horse and headed towards Qinghe County.

When there was no one around, he took off the cold Taotie mask and hid it on his body. A cold wind hit his face, and Zhang Zhengdao couldn't help but shiver.

Horse racing in winter is the most uncomfortable!

Holding back the cold, I galloped along the familiar road!

When he returned to Qinghe County, it was already the evening of the next day. When he entered the city, Zhang Zhengdao was in a hurry and just ran horses on the streets.

Fortunately, there are few people on the road at this moment, so we can run at a good speed.

When he rushed to Zhang's house, he saw a white silk hanging on the door plaque and two white lanterns hanging by the door. Zhang Zhengdao's heart sank, something happened at home.