Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 204

In July, South Africa gradually began to cool down, and the few trees on the banks of the Beg River also dropped large yellow leaves under the cold wind of early winter.In the endless field at the foot of the south wall of the Fort in the River, hundreds of Xhosa people are working in the field surrounded by barbed wire.

Here is a vegetable field of about [-] mu, where a large number of vegetables, cabbage, radish, lettuce, scallions, onions and other overwintering vegetables are planted.Xhosa slaves carried buckets filled with river water, and watered rows of vegetables.These vegetable fields are all public fields, that is, all the output is owned by the Hezhongbao local government to supply the ships on the east coast that may dock.

In addition to these vegetable fields, in the east of Hezhong Fort, nearly 100 mu of farmland had been harvested long ago, and neatly stacked sorghum stalks and wheat stalks were piled up in the field.Because most of these farmlands are reclaimed in the first year, the yield is not very high.Among them, the average yield of wheat per mu is only more than 200 catties to less than 90 catties, and the yield of sorghum is only more than 8 catties per mu. A total of 1000 catties of sorghum and [-] catties of wheat have been harvested from [-] mu of farmland.These grains, together with the increasingly large livestock population, are enough to feed more than [-] soldiers and civilians in Hezhongbao for a year or two.

Most of the land here is allocated to the new immigrants from the Far East, and a small part is public land.According to the initial verbal agreement between the local government of Hezhongbao and them, the harvest in the first year will be divided between [-]% and [-]% by both parties, that is, the government will take [-]% of the harvest, and the new immigrants will get [-]%.

Today is July 7th, which is also the public grain collection day set by Hezhongbao.Early in the morning, heavily armed militiamen pulled up barbed wire fences on the drying yard at the southeast corner of the city wall, circled an open space, and expelled all the blacks who were wandering around and preparing to do odd jobs.At eight o'clock in the morning, Mo Ming and Liu Ang, two leading figures in Hezhong Fort, walked into the drying yard surrounded by a group of soldiers.

Today's weather is not very good, the sun has been covered by dark clouds, the temperature is only about two or three degrees, and there is still a lot of cold wind blowing outside, so it still feels very cold.Mo Ming looked around and saw many people outside the barbed wire fence who were going to pay the public grain.These people were wearing all kinds of leather clothes and jackets, and there were full grain bags under their feet. Some acquaintances were still chatting with each other, with cheerful expressions on their eyebrows and eyes.

Mo Ming was very moved by this situation.It was only more than half a year ago, when this group of people first came to River Castle, they still looked unkempt, skinny and miserable.Mo Ming remembered very clearly that at that time there was a boy who was as thin as those African refugee children in the old time and space movies. He was naked and looked like he was going to die at any time. It can be seen how miserable these people were in Daming.It has only been less than a year now, and the complexions of these refugees who were weak when they first arrived all turned rosy.Obviously, after this period of recuperation, especially the large intake of meat protein, their physical condition is quite good now.

If there were no people from the East Coast, most of these people would starve to death or be killed in Daming, but now everything is different, and they have all been reborn.Looking at the beaming and fresh faces in front of him, Mo Ming couldn't help but feel a little proud. It was Lao Tzu who kept these people alive!It was Lao Tzu who sent troops to rob the natives of their food, cattle and sheep, so that they could eat all of them well.

As for those aborigines who either died directly from the swords and guns of the "grain requisition team" of the people on the east coast, or died of starvation indirectly because the people on the east coast robbed them of food, they were selectively forgotten by Mo Ming.

"Father, it's almost time..." A fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy walked up to Mo Ming gently and reminded him respectfully.The boy's name is Mo Dazhong, and he is the boy who looks like an African refugee mentioned above.At that time, he almost had only one breath left. If the east bank was not at war with the British, and the Portuguese ships had to dock at the Fort in the River in advance instead of continuing to the East Port, he probably would not have survived to the east bank. , the final outcome is mostly thrown into the sea by the Portuguese sailors on board, and buried in the belly of the fish.

Finally, his ancestors had accumulated virtues, and Mo Ming, who was moved by compassion, adopted him as his adopted son and changed his name to Mo Dazhong.I usually read and practice calligraphy by my side, and do some chores at the same time.The young man can observe words and expressions, and he has a smart head, because he is inexplicably appreciated.

"Well, that, Old Liu, can we start?" Mo Ming turned to ask Liu Ang for his opinion.

"It's time to start!" Liu Ang spat out a pinch of shredded tobacco he was chewing, and said easily.

"Dang!" Mo Dazhong rang a gong in his hand, and shouted vigorously: "The payment of public grain has begun! The village is the unit, come one by one, and you are not allowed to wander around. Those who violate the order will be beaten with twenty army sticks." .”

The crowd outside the barbed wire stirred up for a while, and soon fell into calm under the scolding of the officers.Two soldiers at the gap in the barbed wire opened a low wooden door, counted the heads and put 20 people and an ox cart in, then closed the low door again, and the people outside could only continue to wait.

"What's your name?" A clerk-like man dipped a quill in ink and asked.

"I...my name is Zhang Daniu." Zhang Daniu looked at the red-haired "Master Scribe" in front of him, feeling a little scared.

"Which is your food?" The clerk glanced at the ox cart behind and asked.Due to the large amount of public grain to be confiscated this time, each person would have to pay hundreds of catties, so many people simply put together an ox cart to pull it over, which saved a lot of trouble.

"I'm going to move it down now." After Zhang Daniu finished speaking, he turned around and walked quickly to the bullock cart, and moved his grain bags down one by one, and put them in the designated place.He walked back and forth a total of nine times, and moved a total of nine bags of grain.

Several staff were responsible for sampling his grain and putting it on a simple scale. After weighing it, he nodded at the secretary and said, "All are qualified sorghum grains, 50 catties per bag, 450 catties in total."

The clerk nodded without saying anything. He wrote a few strokes on a piece of paper, then tore it off and handed it to Zhang Daniu, saying, "Zhang Daniu, this is your receipt for paying the public grain. Keep it and don't lose it." gone."

Zhang Daniu took it carefully, and then solemnly stuffed the receipt into the inner layer of his leather jacket.Leather jackets and fur jackets are not uncommon in Hezhongbao nowadays. As long as you take out some food, those bitter black people will immediately exchange cowhide and sheepskin with you.Therefore, almost all of these immigrants from Ming Dynasty mixed a leather jacket, and some of them who were particular about stuffed some reed wadding between the two layers of leather, and then sewed it into a leather jacket, which was quite effective in keeping out the cold.

This kind of clothing, which can already be called extravagant, is almost unimaginable in Daming.In Daming, even some small landlords would find it very difficult to acquire such a piece of clothing made of high-quality cowhide or sheepskin.After comparing the two, the centripetal force of these immigrants towards the government is stronger.

"That's right." The clerk suddenly stopped Zhang Daniu, who turned around and was about to leave, and said, "You paid 450 catties of grain, and there should be 300 catties left at home, which is definitely not enough for you to eat until next year's grain harvest season. You will be entering soon." It’s the winter slack season, you can join the labor team organized by the government to clean up ponds, dig ditches, and plant trees; you can also go to the sheepfold to help shear sheep, milk cows, and tan animal skins; or simply go to help Build city walls and forts, and recruit workers there all year round. As long as you have the strength to go to these places, you will not only be able to eat big fish and meat, but you can also take some wages and food back home, so that the food will be enough.”

"Thank you, thank you sir. I understand!" Zhang Daniu said sincerely and gratefully.

The clerk waved his hand, signaling Zhang Daniu to get out of the way, and the people behind will continue to pay the public rations.

Zhang Daniu stepped aside obediently, while Zhang Defa, Mr. Zhang, had already walked up calmly.The harvest in his field is similar to that of Zhang Daniu, so he has to pay nine bags of grain.

"Why are you dawdling here?" Suddenly, there was a burst of scolding from behind, Zhang Daniu turned around and saw Sun Shengjun in a blue military uniform.This guy didn't know what kind of shit luck he had, but he turned from a "shameful" background like a thief into a corporal of the local security force-a serious "official servant".

It seems that he was transferred here today to maintain order at the scene, with a rifle on his back and a saber on his waist.The eye-catching white armed belt, shiny cowhide military boots, and dazzling brass five-pointed star made Zhang Daniu upset, bah, didn't he just become an officer, what a good show.When the day when soldiers are recruited, I will also go to wear this skin and come back to wear it.But to be honest, this military uniform is really very spiritual.Moreover, the treatment of these soldiers is really good. Not to mention meat, they can also eat canned fruit, and if they are lucky, they can even taste some wine.

Zhang Daniu once tasted canned fruit given to him by a soldier who knew him well.I heard that this kind of fruit packed in a can called "glass" is produced in Jushu Village, Ping'an Town, on the east coast, which is the hometown of the soldier.After Zhang Daniu tasted it once, he could never forget the sweet taste of canned fruit.

If I can't be selected for the next recruiting, I am not a human being!Zhang Daniu secretly gritted his teeth, thinking in his heart whether he should go to the construction site less this winter and go to the martial arts field to practice the formation and military skills.I am tall and strong, didn't the boss say that I am a good seed for the Grenadier last time?That's right, I practiced hard all winter, and after the spring sowing is over, the government is expected to recruit militiamen to carry out "grain collection" operations from the aborigines.Hey, when the time comes, I, Zhang Daniu, will also make a contribution and be promoted to a small officer. This day will be shaking.

(End of this chapter)