Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 38

"Changqing thanks uncle for teaching me!"

There was the sound of footsteps outside, and Wei Fangyun's personal followers came back, "Report to the general, unloading is complete."

Wei Fangyun stood up and said, "It's getting late, so I should leave."

"I'll take you."

Coming up from the cave, Wei Fangyun could see a lot of people lined up in front of the kitchen at a glance.

"What is that doing?"

"We're in a meeting." Meng Changqing said, "Tell the guards some rules."

"Go over and listen."

"...It is divided into three shifts: morning, noon and evening. Each shift works for four hours. There are three shifts every six days. Please note down what time your group starts working.

For groups 45 to [-], the corresponding guard will raise your hands. "

Yang Zheng looked at the number of hands raised before continuing, "You start the morning shift first. From the beginning of Mao o'clock to the end of noon is your working time. Group 46 to Group 91, you will follow behind and go to the middle shift. From the beginning of Wu Shi to the end of Xu Shi. From Group 110 to Group [-], your shift currently has the smallest number of people. You work the night shift from the beginning of Hai Shi to the end of Yin Shi."

Wei Fangyun asked in a low voice: "Why are we divided into three classes?"

Meng Changqing approached the other party and whispered in the same low voice: "Uncle, human energy is limited."

Yang Zheng's voice continued, "The working shifts are different, and the time for eating three meals is also different. One hour before starting work in each shift, go to the kitchen to eat. Two hours after starting work, your guards will be responsible for taking care of the meals. Each group’s meals are delivered to the construction site, and half an hour after work ends, they can go to the kitchen for their third meal.”

Wei Fangyun had another opinion, "Do you have enough food if you eat this way?"

Meng Changqing said: "If I don't reach out, and the officers and soldiers below don't reach out either, it will be enough to eat."

The food provided by the court is 25 shi, and the number of laborers can be less than 4. But if the food is insufficient, Meng Changqing will definitely write a second letter home.

Nowadays, one stone of grain is about 120 kilograms. The number of slaves and guards is 3. Not counting the insufficient number of people in the early stage, nor the increase in the number of people in the later period. After rough division, each person can get nearly one thousand kilograms of grain. .

Divided evenly, each person can get sixteen kilograms of grain per day.

Even if they open their mouths and eat, they won’t be able to finish it.

"If you can guarantee that you are not greedy, how can you guarantee that your subordinates will not take it?" Wei Fangyun asked.

"I can't guarantee it," Meng Changqing said, "but I can guarantee that no matter how greedy you are, you will kill every one you catch."

The soldiers near Meng Changqing trembled.

"National affairs are at the forefront, and tens of thousands of people are working day and night for the same purpose. If anyone is greedy at this juncture, he is definitely a spy of the Yan State." Meng Changqing asked, "Uncle, don't you think so?"

Wei Fangyun nodded, "That's right for you to understand."

"The guards of your group must maintain daily order and make sure that no one dares to be lazy or slippery. Patrollers will find your group at any time. If you are slack in management, you will lose the face of the magistrate of Hongjia County."

At this point, Yang Zheng had finished what he wanted to say, and his eyes fell on Meng Changqing and Wei Fangyun beside him.

Meng Changqing walked to the front of the formation and said politely to the soldiers: "Brothers from Hongjia County, when the city wall is built in the future, each of you will have merit, and I will report your names to Liangzhou Prefecture."

In Wei Fangyun's view, what Meng Changqing did was simply inexplicable and messy.

So before leaving, Wei Fangyun said: "Changqing, I'll wait for you for ten days. During this period, I don't care what you do. But if the city wall is not built to the corresponding mileage, you hand over power after ten days and I will send someone Take charge of this."

"Yes."

After sending Wei Fangyun away, Meng Changqing immediately washed up and went to bed.

As soon as Yin hour arrived the next day, the soldiers patrolling outside had just sounded the first gong, and Meng Changqing got dressed and came out of the cave.People who are freezing due to the freezing cold have to be even more careful when breathing.

The guard in charge of the morning shift called people at the door of the pit, "Get up, it's time to eat, it's time to eat, come out and line up."

Meng Changqing arrived at the kitchen earlier than the servants.

This morning, 84 pots in three kitchens were fired at the same time.

As soon as I entered the kitchen, I was instantly warmed by the heat inside.

Meng Changqing was wrapped in a gray cotton-padded jacket and covered his face with a scarf before he came in, but the person cooking inside didn't even wear a cotton-padded jacket.

Those in charge of cooking get up earlier than the servants. Although it only takes one rice millet to cook, rice needs to be pounded before cooking, which is a laborious job.

So Meng Changqing said it was hard when he came in, and asked: "Did you eat it yourself?"

Working in the kitchen this morning were soldiers from Hongjia County, Zhang Yuan's soldiers, and Yang Zheng's group. There were about thirty people in total, and Zuo Datou was in charge.

"Come back to me, sir, we have eaten."

Zuo Datou stepped forward and said, "Sir, can I serve you a bowl?"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone picked up a bowl to serve her.

"No, no, no." Meng Changqing held down the man's movements. "I don't have an appetite yet. The servants will be here soon. I'll see if the meal is ready."

Meng Changqing looked from kitchen to kitchen to make sure that the 48 pots were filled with millet rice.

He also checked with Zuo Datou how much food he had received today and how much firewood and charcoal fire he had used.

Zuo Datou worked carefully. He answered the questions asked by Meng Changqing fluently, and he also matched the account books in charge of various things.

"Why are you in charge of the kitchen?" Meng Changqing finally asked.

Zuo Datou lowered his voice, "Originally, my captain wanted Colonel Zhang to be responsible for this matter, but I heard in the camp..." He stopped quickly and changed his words, "I think Colonel Zhang's face doesn't look like him. He is an upright official, so let me take charge of this matter."

"I didn't realize it, Brother Zuo, you can read faces."

"Sir, just believe me."

"Of course I believe you. Brother Zuo, please keep an eye on the kitchen and come to me if you have any questions."

While the two were talking, three groups of people had already entered the kitchen.

It's still dark, but the people waiting outside are still holding torches, "Brother, do you want to eat now? The meal last night was solid, and I'm not hungry yet."

"Isn't it okay if you have something to eat?" The eldest brother stretched his head and looked forward, "If you can't finish it later, give it to me."

Although he said he wasn't hungry, he still had a bowl of rice in his hand and still ate it all.

After dinner, we followed the guards to the construction site. Each group of people was in a different position. Those who dug the soil dug and those who tamped the soil.

On the first day of work, Meng Changqing has been watching from the side. If any group is not serious, he directly goes up to ask the guards, so that the guards have to be serious.

More than 2000 people were working at the same time, and the construction site became lively in an instant. The height of the city wall slowly increased, and a ditch was dug outside the city wall to collect soil.

In the cave, Yu Xing asked her father Yu Youcai, "Dad, did you run out of food before starting work?"

"There is porridge to drink." She was answered by the guard who was standing outside the cave and responsible for her group. "You work the evening shift, and you have porridge to drink in the morning and noon. When it is your turn, I will call you again."

(End of this chapter)