"What can we do?"
The trusted aide said, "You can migrate with us to Yu State."
The villagers were stunned, "Mi...migrate?"
Wouldn’t that an leaving their hos?
Everyone couldn’t help but turn back to look at their houses and fell into silence.
The trusted aide waited for a mont, seeing they were still not expressing their opinions, and anxiously said, "It’s no big deal; it’s like moving across to live on the other side, just separated by a water channel. If you really miss ho later, once both places reconcile, you can co back to visit."
Upon hearing this, the villagers weren’t as distressed and hurriedly asked, "Just move to the other side? Can our county governnt approve this?"
"We’re fleeing for our lives, migrating privately; why would you need the approval of your county governnt?" The trusted aide urged, "Hurry back and pack your things; the reinforcent from Yan State is arriving soon, and we need to leave promptly."
The villagers imdiately beca chaotic. So ran back ho to pack, while others clustered around the trusted aide to ask questions. So, as a family discussed, the man might stay to ask questions and then decide whether to leave, while the woman went back to pack with the children.
The trusted aide shouted as they went, "Don’t bother with pots and pans; we can co back for those later. Just take clothes and essential valuables from ho; we need to speed up."
He also responded, "Housing? Don’t worry; there are places to live over there. If not, the county governnt will build for you."
"What about our fields?"
"The ones here have been abandoned, but we will allocate land for you over there." Due to severe depopulation and widespread abandonnt of land, their army had claid many plots for military use, and there were plenty of uncultivated fields outside. So he said, "Rest assured, you won’t be short of land."
He added, "Don’t fear hunger; there will be relief grain. As soon as you settle, each household will receive grain per person to ensure survival through the winter."
The originally conflicted villagers exchanged glances and imdiately made up their minds.
This year, most of their crops had been harvested by Gou Chun’s soldiers and then taxed by the county governnt. They were uncertain about the grain needed to survive the winter.
Hence, once the trusted aide ntioned ensuring winter food supply, they leaned towards migrating to Yu State.
However, so were skeptical, "Really? This treatnt sounds too good to be true."
"It should be real," soone discreetly whispered to the skeptic, "My sister ntioned that Yu State collects refugees and uses work-for-relief. The houses built by the refugees for work were given to them, requiring only partial paynt later, while the county governnt covered the rest."
"Your sister has returned?"
"No, I went there," the person whispered, "The family didn’t have enough grain to pay taxes, so I sneaked over and borrowed so, to deal with the taxes first."
"Yes, taxes are due. If we migrate, shouldn’t taxes go to the Yu State county governnt?"
"Do we have to move our grain over there?"
The trusted aide was afraid they would really move the grain, so he quickly said, "No need to move grain; we travel light and fast. Yu State exempts new settlers from taxes for a year. You don’t have to pay this year; next year we’ll see."
He paused, recalling another benefit for craftsn, "Next year’s taxes will also be halved."
"Really? Is it true? Are you being serious?"
"Don’t be tricking us over there."
"Oh, this is directly from our General, can it be fake?" The trusted aide couldn’t help but stamp his feet and wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Do you know who our General is?"
"I know, Zhao Hanzhang from Xiping!"
The trusted aide paused and then nodded, "That’s not wrong. But our commander is currently in Luoyang. Here, the decision-making General is the leader of the commander’s forr troop, the closest person to him. His decisions are the commander’s decisions. Our commander is steadfast in promises, so our General is too. We’ve been told that since you are moving because of us, your household registration will be as good residents, better treated than the craftsn."
When the villagers heard this, their eyes glimred. People everywhere knew Zhao Hanzhang took in refugees and offered special treatnt to skilled individuals.
Such skills were mainly in literature, military strategy, and artisanal crafts.
The forr was rare, but the latter were ample. Rumor had it that even a carpenter could receive priority, with direct allocation of houses and land.
This promise of happiness attainable by common folks was most captivating.
The trusted aide, drenched in sweat, convinced everyone to quickly pack and leave. Once people scattered, he and another slumped onto the ground, exhausted. Though there were only forty or fifty people, each one had a question, like a thousand ducks quacking in their ears, yet they had to discern the aning of each quack and respond forcefully...
A shadow covered them, and both looked up to see the village elder still standing there, staring at them.
The village elder lowered his head and quietly asked, "Sir, will our entire village be together when we get there?"
The trusted aide couldn’t promise this but nodded to avoid further complications.
The village elder visibly relaxed, then continued expectantly, "Will I still be the village chief?"
Trusted aide: ...
The two aides exchanged a glance and nodded fiercely.
The village elder finally smiled, "I’ll go pack my bags now. Please wait a mont, sirs."
He said it would be quick, but it wasn’t too fast either, yet they didn’t delay much ti.
In less than half an hour, the whole village gathered.
Rural folks had limited valuables, especially easy to pack. Clothes were taken (only a few garnts total, one bundle per family solved), bedding rolled and tied with hemp rope, done.
Then there were the Copper Coins, a quick scoop would do, grain all picked up, chickens caught, tied, and hung around children’s necks ready to go.
So in half an hour, when the aides looked at them again, they were entirely distinct from who they saw before.
Even the village elder carried two large baskets with two sacks of grain. His back slightly bent, the heavy burden strained his neck downward, but he still tried hard to lift his head and smiled ingratiatingly at the two aides, "Sirs, we’re all packed, let’s go."
The trusted aide opened his mouth, wanting to tell them to drop the things, but thought better of it; even if he said, they wouldn’t drop them, and arguing would waste more ti.
The two aides exchanged a glance, took the lead, and walked ahead.
Outside the village, one aide mounted a horse and rode ahead to scout the road.
Seeing the water channel drawing nearer, a whistle blew from the distant fields, and two soldiers on horseback retreated swiftly, indicating Yan State reinforcents had arrived.
The trusted aide urged the villagers, "Hurry up, hurry up..."
Everyone quickly hastened their steps, leaving behind dropped belongings, rushing forward.
On the water channel’s opposite side, a 2,000-strong troop slowly approached the border line and waited silently.
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