Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 95 Work in Li District ([-])

After announcing the 20-day agricultural leave, the whole camp erupted with joy.Many people asked if Wu Nanhai could sell some rice instead of cooked rice. They wanted to take it home.He readily agreed.It is sold at the price of 100 grams of mixed rice per serving of rice.The sales of salted fish have also increased a lot.Except for those who are already homeless and ready to work wholeheartedly, almost all workers have consumed all their work vouchers.

Wu De didn't say much, but said that they had to come back on time, and if there was a delay, they had to ask someone to deliver the message, otherwise they would be fined twice as many days as the number of days late.In addition, he also asked the laborers to bring messages to the villages: Anyone who is willing to do business or work is welcome here to ensure the safety of their lives and property.

At dawn the next day, the laborers left happily in twos and threes carrying small bundles wrapped in rattan rags, containing salted fish and rice.Some people are from the same village and travel with companions.Wu Nanhai watched the backs of these people slowly disappear into the morning mist, and he couldn't help sighing—birds with nests can't raise a home.To train new farmers, we have to start with orphans.

Just as he was thinking about it, he suddenly saw Zhang Xingjiao was also carrying a small burden and a wooden stick, walking slowly outside, so he greeted: "Mr. Zhang is going back too?"

Zhang Xingjiao has learned Mandarin well these days - he already knows a little bit of Mandarin.Hearing Wu Nanhai's question, he quickly bowed his body: "Chief Wu, I'll go back as well, and I'll be back in four or five days."

"Is there anyone else in the family?" Wu Nanhai heard about him from Wu De: he had a miserable life experience, and the family has nothing left.

Zhang Xingjiao smiled wryly: "I don't have any relatives." He touched the package, "When I was in trouble, I was taken care of by a few kind-hearted people from the village. The masters admired so much, and I appreciated so many things. I took them back and gave them away. It's a thank you." They fell in love. From now on, the villain will be a man after death. Wherever the masters go, the villain will follow..."

He is really a kind person, Wu Nanhai couldn't help but look up and down at this Ming scholar, he was wearing a tattered shirt, his hair was shaved because of the reunification, and now he was wearing a tattered hat on his head.His face was blue and gray, and his face was full of shame.It seems that "following the thief" is still a helpless choice for him.

Wu Nanhai thought about it, and quickly asked, "Mr. Zhang, are there any orphans in your village?"

"Orphan?" Zhang Xingjiao thought for a while, "Yes, there are, but they are all raised by the clan, so they can't be considered orphans."

"Oh." Wu Nanhai was a little annoyed. He remembered that the clan society in ancient China actually performed many social functions in place of the government.Especially in rural areas where the clan system is particularly strong, it is difficult to adopt many orphans unless wars and famines cause displacement.

"There is a pair of orphans and widowed mothers." Zhang Xingjiao thought for a while, "Life is very hard. He used to cross the sea from the mainland to reclaim wasteland. Unfortunately, the man died of plague and left his mother and daughter behind. Hey..." He kept sighing.

"Mr. Zhang, tell them that if you want to come, come and work with us."

This time it was Zhang Xingjiao's turn to be surprised: "Orphans and widows can't do much work, girls are still young, and mothers are not as capable as local women."

"It's okay, if the two of them are willing, just bring them back."

Zhang Xingjiao hesitated for a moment, thinking that these pirates had no reason to import them for no reason. Even if they wanted to buy slaves to work, they should be young and strong men; What's the use of women and yellow-haired children?Thinking about it, I didn't dare to ask more questions, so I went.

The captives dispersed.The work of the Li people here is also coming to an end.After finding out that there were eight Li people captured during the interrogation, the executive committee discussed whether to use this opportunity to connect with the local Li people. The various mineral resources needed by the traversers are basically located in the interior of the island, and It is of practical significance for Li people to form a better relationship.

Mu Min, who originally cooperated with Guo Yi in the interrogation of the prisoners, took the initiative to apply for this task. There was no other reason. She herself was originally from the Li nationality in Hainan.However, because of my ethnicity, I usually know something about the Li people in Hainan.He is a rare professional who is familiar with Li people among the people who travel through time.

Her knowledge of the family made it easy for her to dissuade the vigilance of several Li captives, and told all the local Li Qing.

Several captives can speak Chinese, from which the traversers generally know that they are "Shu Li", that is, Li people who are registered as Qimin and pay taxes.There are many such people in every county in Hainan.Through communicating with them, Mu Min knew that they were the so-called "Bupei Li" (Note: This is indeed what Shuli from Lingao County called themselves in the past.), the degree of Sinicization is already very deep, and they speak Qiongzhou dialect—that is, Hainanese has the function of official dialect in Hainan.The surname is also a Chinese surname.According to their account, thirty people came, and the county master promised them twenty catties of salt each.

From the inquiry, we know that most of them have some fields, but the output is much less than that of the Han people. Most people have to rent some land from the cave owners, do part-time jobs, go hunting in the mountains or pick red and white vines and sell them in the market when they have nothing to do. Salt and rice farming tools, but to go to the Han District not only have to go through the inspection department, but the terrible thing is that there is a Ming army camp on the way: at least they are extorted for toll money, and at worst, their goods are robbed, and their lives are not guaranteed.Life is hard for most people.

On the way to Li District, in addition to the inspection department, there were also military guards. This news caught the attention of the executive committee.Apparently there are still Ming troops stationed in Lingao, but their mission is to defend Li.From the conversation, Mu Min felt that the local Li people had a lot of hatred for the government. Because of the riot in Tinan Village 30 years ago, the government army went to the Li district to suppress and killed many people indiscriminately.I also hate the Han Chinese hawkers in the market—the mountain products can’t be sold for a few dollars, and a wild boar can’t be exchanged for two or three catties of salt. They all like the iron agricultural tools of the Han people, but the price is ridiculously expensive. For a sickle, no one can afford it except the cave owner and a few wealthy landlords.

Mu Min's report let the Executive Committee know that the ethnic issues in Hainan are more complicated than they thought.Someone proposed to take advantage of Li people's dissatisfaction with the government and the Ming army, and use these eight captives to send a small team to go deep into the Li area to mobilize the masses. Not only can they gain an ally, but they can also get a source of troops.Since they often can't get enough of salt, recruiting soldiers will be much easier.Many people in the military group agreed with this proposal, especially Wei Aiwen, who suggested recruiting Li and Miao fighters to establish a mountain infantry battalion, and enthusiastically promoted this proposal.Forming a new army of locals was clearly an attractive idea.Since the local Han people all have the worry of "following the thieves and becoming rebellious", it is much easier to recruit Li people who are not so ostentatious to the authority of the government and have hatred to serve as soldiers.

"Give them some of the captured knives and guns, and arm the Li people, so that the Ming army will not be able to deal with us." Wei Aiwen mentioned his package plan, "I can also help unplug a few patrols leading to the Li district. Prosecutor, annihilate those Ming troops, so that we can gain their full trust." Then he recommended himself as the captain of the armed forces team in the Le area.

This bold plan was immediately opposed by all.Although there are a lot of economic and political factors in the conflict between Han and Li in the south of Shanghai in history, the repeated fights between the two sides over the years have created deep ethnic conflicts. The current situation has finally maintained peace for 30 years. Travelers will break it , or even tease, is extremely dangerous.I am afraid that the whole of Hainan will be plunged into social chaos.The foothold is not stable, and the small country with few people will not be able to survive even with the technology of Zenith Star.

After discussion, everyone thinks that the relationship with the Li people is best kept on a friendly tone.The so-called friendship means neither hostility nor alliance.Try to open up a line of communication, do business with each other, and exchange what you need.Strive to recruit some recruits in Li District.

After such a tone was set, a trade caravan was formed, with Lu Rong as the captain. This is a native of Guangxi, who can speak Hakka, Hainanese, vernacular, Leihua, Zhuang, Hokkien, Southwest Mandarin, etc. Dialect, a sales background, can speak well, is also an outdoor sports enthusiast, knows some martial arts, and just came back from the long-distance reconnaissance and survey team, has some experience in local field activities, so he is very suitable for this job.

Mu Min went with the team as a "National Advisor".Wei Aiwen, as the main advocate of the recruiting plan, also joined this team.

The whole team consisted of 20 people, each of them brought SKS rifles, machetes and camping backpacks, as well as surveying personnel.

The Foreign Affairs and Commerce Committee prepared gifts and some barter items. Knowing that there was a shortage of salt in the Li area, the bulk of the goods was the refined salt they brought, and there were some novel gadgets—they were dealing with the local cave masters. People who are not suffering haha, still need some ingenious and obscene things to impress them.

"We killed more than 20 people on the other side, should we give them some compensation? Let's give each of them some money." Wei Aiwen remembered, "I remember that killing among ethnic minorities can be solved by paying compensation. "

"No need," Xiao Zishan objected, "you should first figure out the cause and effect. They joined the village brave team to attack us first. It's a very friendly gesture to let them go. They still pay for their lives? Come on, we're not the Qing Dynasty, If you win, you will have to cede the land and pay compensation."

"The one who always kills them—"

"Why are you so caring all of a sudden?" You Huo, who was transferred from the military group to protect the team, retorted, "Why don't you want to accompany the hundreds of Han people who died at Bairen Beach that day?"

"Isn't this ethnic policy?"

"Not good," Lu Rong shook his head again and again, "This kind of ethnic policy is unacceptable. If we win the battle, we can just let them go. Going to accompany our lives will make people think that we are weak, and we are willing to ask for a price. And the lion opened his mouth wide."

"I think so too," Xiao Zishan nodded repeatedly, "The so-called equality means not discriminating, not discriminating against others, let alone discriminating against yourself. You must grasp the keynote."

(End of this chapter)