Chapter 7, The Reeds Have Roots and the Mulberries Bear Fruit (Part 2)

It is possible that in the very beginning, it was truly a type of bronze agricultural tool

The two walked alongside each other in a casual manner, with Lu Hua following behind, strenuously supporting the firewood, hoping to lighten the load a little.

Despite the hardships of life, many still express, "Life is much better now. When I was young, the nobles in the city fought recklessly, causing the king to flee. At that time, we had to serve in the military to defend the city, leaving no time for farming. These past few years without war have truly been good. Alas... you ask what those nobles do, fighting all day long? What are they fighting for? When will this world ever know peace?"... You ask what those nobles do, fighting all day long? What are they fighting for? When will this world ever know peace?

This is a standard oath of the serfs' escape, likely created by a leader who led the serfs to flee to the wild mountains of Yeze, and sung among those who rose up together, vowing to escape to a land of bliss together

While retaining the labor service and rent of the land of the serfs under the well-field system and the conscription of soldiers, it also began to levy rent in kind

Thus, the concept of benevolent governance is well understood by rulers as being beneficial, yet no one actually employs it

Upon hearing this, Lu Hua's eyes curved into crescent moons

He does not know where his home is, so how can he find himself

As everyone looked up at the sky, they realized it was time to return. They all stood up, bid their farewells, expressed their gratitude, and promised to inform the villagers about the methods to prevent heat-related illnesses upon their return.

He smiled as he took it, placed it in his mouth, and chewed vigorously, exclaiming: "Indeed, it is very sweet"

Oh

So good

One liter of salt costs three small coins, and a stone of millet is only about twenty coins. The family does have a local dog, which could sell for a hundred coins in winter. As for hemp, one pound costs one or two small coins, not to mention hemp cloth. Fortunately, the wives are skilled; they spin and weave hemp themselves, and during their leisure time, the whole family can twist hemp threads together, which can earn them a few coins to buy salt. They also need to save some for times of poor harvest, as they dare not borrow from the wealthy who lend money, for they cannot even repay the interest

Originally, it was thought that these individuals were free feudal farmers; however, upon further consideration, it is evident that they are feudal serfs

I once heard someone say that in ancient times, when Confucius passed by Mount Tai, he saw an elderly woman weeping, so he approached her to inquire.

What is his name

I did not drink, yet the taste of the dream is even more intoxicating than the finest wine from Taoyi.

Recalling my sister-in-law's previous nagging, I smiled and nodded, saying, "That works too"

Reed stood under the tree, watching the receding figure, suddenly wondering if he would really come to teach her those things

It is essential to go to the public fields. How can one not go? In addition to the labor in the public fields, every forty households must provide one horse and three cattle as war chariots and ox carts during times of conflict. Furthermore, there is the need to cut grass, dry it, and feed these cattle and horses. If the public office requires repairs to buildings or fortifying the city walls, attendance is also necessary.

Silently inciting a wave of discontent, I also came to understand the mindset of these farmers and couldn't help but express my sentiments once again

In the present, at the intersection of the old and the new, the monarchs have chosen dual exploitation

The farmers sitting around began to chant one after another when they heard the words "You are about to leave, and I will go to that joyful land"

Upon mentioning this, someone sighed and said: "How much is left?"

How much can each family save at home each year

Shi You asked another question

He nodded subtly and asked a few more questions

Establish a fixed tax and do not collect the land tax any longer

After taking just a few steps, Lu Hua called out from behind: "Young man from the Mo family, please wait a moment."

The collapse of the rites and the deterioration of music signify the beginning of the disintegration of the well-field system and serfdom; the introduction of the land tax per mu indicates that the system of rent in kind is starting to replace the system of labor rent

Being able to eat corn rice every day, without having to eat wild vegetables

If one does not act in this manner while others do, it leads to the destruction of the nation and the extinction of its lineage

The roots of the reeds in the field can cure my father's illness

The square foot cloth of the Song Dynasty weighed approximately twelve to thirteen grams

Yet the paradise depicted in the song breaks the shackles of time and space, inspiring endless imagination among the farmers of the Song state

When discussing these matters, everyone began to voice their grievances

Are you going back now

As expected, when I picked up a string and held it in my mouth, there was indeed some flavor

With a smile, she pointed to the coarse garment she was wearing and said, "You should ask those who wear silk; how could I possibly know? The nobles go to war, yet we are the ones who suffer. What kind of reasoning is this?"

The adherence to rules does not rely on an individual's self-cultivation, but rather on a force that can uphold these rules, a power that can punish those who violate them

While responding accordingly, I also quietly calculated the current price level, which gave me a rough estimate

Still on the tree, the mulberry leaves chaotically concealed the figure, yet it still asked: "Have a taste, is it sweet?"

When asked what the imagined utopia of the people looks like, they began to express their simple yet poignant visions in a flurry of voices

In everyone's dreams, there exists a paradise that belongs to them.

In a household of nine, under conditions where there is no conscription for military service and the weather is favorable, after deducting the food, salt, and land tax consumed by themselves, the family can save about twenty coins.

Knowing that the other party had good intentions, yet not knowing how to express gratitude, I found it difficult to say anything and thus remained silent midway

There are one hundred acres of land and a head of cattle

It is not known exactly where the ancient Wei state of the Spring and Autumn period is located, but it is known that the majority of the poems in "Wei Feng" are satirical of reality and filled with resistance

In other words, whether it is the Zhou Li or the Jing Tian, these are all rules

The standard currency of the Song state was the square-foot cloth, which resembled a farming tool known as the iron shovel, commonly referred to as cloth money

Freer than a slave, yet strictly bound to the land; unlike a slave who possesses nothing, one has a family and tools to engage in side occupations, but is prohibited from fleeing—this is what is referred to as the so-called death of migration without leaving the hometown.

Sitting askew on a tree branch, he picked some purplish-red mulberries and threw them down

Having picked up several twigs, she placed the good ones into the瓦罐 brought by the reeds, quietly waiting for her to climb down, holding a handful of dark purple ones, which she handed to Shi.

But in today's world, no one can achieve this

He nodded slightly and said with a sigh: "Years ago, I heard someone recite a poem from the 'Book of Songs', which includes the piece 'The Great Rat'. I cannot sing it, so let me recite it for you. 'Great rat, great rat, you consume not my millet! At three years old, you have passed by the girl, yet you do not look back at me. I shall depart to you, to that joyful land. Joyful land, joyful land, where shall I find my place..."

Upon a brief calculation, considering copper as the general equivalent at this time, the approximate price level is five grams of copper for one pound of grain

After a brief pause, when everyone had quieted down, he said: "Why is that woman crying?" After asking, his disciple Zilu learned that the woman's father-in-law had been killed by a tiger, and her husband had also been killed by a tiger. Confucius then asked, since they had both been killed, why did they not move away? The woman replied, "Although there are tigers here, there is no harsh governance."

Put on a new outfit

After saying a few more words, he shouldered the firewood and grass, facing the bright red sun, as if he were trying to chase the setting sun. He shook his shoulders and left, stepping lightly in his straw sandals

Yes, my family is waiting for me at home

Someone couldn't help but ask: "Brother from the Mo family, where exactly is such a paradise?"

This can also be considered one of the few fruits available at this time, and seeing the little girl handle it skillfully, it is evident that she has eaten it quite often.

There is no need to work in the public fields anymore, even if there is some form of tax.

Even if we go to war, after it is over, grant us some land or similar rewards, do not give everything to those who consume meat

He responded blankly, unsure of what to say, and after a long pause finally said: "Then let's go back."

Nodding slightly, he gradually walked away with the firewood on his back

This is a gesture of gratitude, and I fear it is the only gift that Lu Hua can present at this time

Currently, the price of standard match linen measuring 8 feet long and 2.5 feet wide is approximately a dozen or so coins. A bronze sword, calculated at 800 grams, requires a family of nine to save for at least five years under favorable weather conditions in order to gather enough resources to purchase one. Small livestock such as pigs and dogs cost around a hundred coins, while the price of large livestock such as cattle and horses is unknown.

Mulberries grow on trees and can be given as gifts

Arriving at the large mulberry tree, the firewood was set down, and Lu Hua said: "You wait down here. I will go pick some; I can climb trees quickly. The ones on this tree are sweeter than those nearby."

There were still a few people eagerly asking when they could come again, even if it was just to hear him tell a story

This song has been sung for hundreds of years, and this ancient Wei may be far away by a thousand miles

Because bronze agricultural tools embody a significant amount of labor, their exchange value is quite high, to the extent that they can serve as a general equivalent among farmers. Later, they gradually became separated, with small castings evolving into currency for convenient circulation, while still retaining the original form of agricultural tools

Upon hearing this story, everyone sighed and said: "While it is certainly terrifying for a tiger to eat a person, at least you can kill a tiger with a spear. But what can be done about such harsh governance?"

When father recovers from his illness in a few days, should I wait for him by the field every day

With this thought in mind, he took another glance at Shi, who had already mingled with the returning crowd, silently expressing his gratitude. He picked up the fallen mulberries from the ground and bent down to the reed marsh to dig for the reed roots

What happened

Are you going back from Ximen? There happens to be an old mulberry tree along the way, and the berries on it are large and sweet. I will pick some for you to take back and eat

Will he really come back again

Do not engage in battle

This load has lightened my shoulders significantly, yet it has transferred all the weight onto my waist, which is actually quite uncomfortable

Climbing mulberry trees can also be considered a skill that the daughters of the Central Plains possess.

During battles, we simply charge alongside the war chariots. In times of agricultural lull, we must practice martial skills, recognizing our own war chariots and following behind to charge. If we go to war, we must also carry our own provisions. Those who win and receive rewards are always the noble sons, while we receive nothing.

The Qin state, which later established unified regulations, still lay on the western frontier, remaining a sympathetic object of the Moists—an insulted and harmed weakling

However, he sold a mystery, shaking his head and saying: "Well... let's talk about it later. It's getting late, and I need to head back. In a few days, I will come back to teach Lu Hua the methods for treating heatstroke. Everyone should also talk more about the importance of drinking salt water to prevent heatstroke. If anyone is skeptical, just say this is a technique from the Mo family; I believe it will convince some people."

She held a mulberry fruit in her hand and murmured a phrase

And when everyone's misfortune has approached, the shape of this dream has surprisingly become somewhat similar

These are the sweetest, you eat them

He does not know where his home is, but he will never forget where the fields are

A variety of dreams, gathered together, finally intoxicated those seated around.

Those noble sons have their own fields and their own subordinates. Our land belongs to the sovereign, and we only work on the sovereign's public fields

The fragmentation of various states and the chaos of the times lead to a struggle for supremacy, making benevolent governance merely a delusion

At this moment, it is not easy to hear a story, and everyone is straining their ears. They have heard of Confucius's reputation, after all, Confucius's ancestor was the brother of the founding monarch of the Song state, Wei Zi. Moreover, many of Confucius's disciples came from the Song state, so everyone was already aware of this.

After speaking, he took off his straw sandals and nimbly climbed up the old mulberry tree, which was as thick as a half-man.