Northern Song Dynasty Text Copyist

Chapter 11 Drought

Old Liu's words were all true.

Today's visit to Tian Erniu has spread far and wide. To outsiders, it seems to be nothing more than Shen Zhong'an's act of bestowing favors upon the newly appointed registrar to win people's hearts and gain a reputation for benevolence.

But if every official in the government is in dire straits and needs to be helped, then it becomes a bottomless pit.

Let alone the money earned from writing "Du Shiniang," even if ten or eight new stories were added, it would not be enough to fill the poverty gaps for so many families.

Moreover, Shen Zhong'an was merely a minor clerk, with the county magistrate and the prefect above him.

Even if he were rich and could resolve all the difficulties of his subordinates, he would only put his superiors in a very difficult position.

Tang Geng, like him, had just recently taken office, so it was alright.

Magistrate Luo Shi has been in office for nearly two years. The plight of the officials in the area is not a recent phenomenon. He is not unaware of this, but he has his own considerations and is not willing to easily change the status quo.

Upon assuming office, Shen Zhong'an acted decisively, openly offering relief to the officials, which was tantamount to publicly slapping his superiors in the face.

If your superiors haven't even implemented such benevolent policies, how can you, a subordinate, overstep your bounds and do it for them? Doesn't that make your superiors seem unkind and highlight your own self-serving behavior?

If suspicion arises at that time, disaster will not be far off.

If this matter can be resolved, all will be well. If not, then we should not force it and must not act rashly. It is best to plan carefully.

Silent all night.

The next morning.

Shen Zhong'an had been delayed for some time due to sorting out the old and new documents, but starting today, he can finally formally follow Liu Laocao and learn the practical duties that the registrar should be in charge of.

Because of the inventory they made together a few days ago, and the gifts of pastries, writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and lumbar support plasters, and the fact that they went to the countryside together last night, their relationship has changed since they first met.

When Liu Laocao taught, he was completely open and honest, sharing all his knowledge without reservation.

He dissected the procedures for handling affairs in the Household Affairs Office, Criminal Affairs Office, Works Office, Military Affairs Office, and Ceremonial Affairs Office one by one.

It was also clearly stated which household and which person held real power, which few were slick old officials, and how they shirked responsibility when things happened.

Then he went on to discuss the rules for recording the receipt and disbursement of official goods and the income and expenditure of money and grain, the time limits for collecting summer and autumn taxes, the conversion standards for rice, wheat, silk and cloth, and the regulations for disaster relief.

Which villages and households are known for their stubborn resistance to taxes? Which households are wealthy and should be appeased rather than coerced? Which households are destitute and should be treated with compassion rather than harsh criticism?

Interspersed throughout are descriptions of Chenliu County's geography, local customs, market and tax practices, along with a detailed account of the successes and failures of successive registrars.

Some clerks only read the classics and were not good at practical matters. They were sidelined by a group of old officials, manipulated by others, and accomplished nothing all year round.

Some officials, upon taking office, were determined to reform and strictly cut off the career paths of their subordinates, which aroused the resistance of the officials and caused obstacles at every turn, ultimately leading to their embarrassing transfer.

Some officials were considerate of their subordinates and managed them effectively, neither lenient nor harsh. When they left office, both officials and the people missed them.

Every word and phrase contained closely guarded secrets within the government offices, and crucial details in the practicalities of officialdom.

Shen Zhong'an listened intently, secretly relieved.

If Wang Dianli hadn't been contemptuous and deliberately wanted to be negligent, why would he have sent Liu Laocao, an old official who was familiar with the inside story and was also quite honest, to give him guidance?

If it were Wang Dianli himself who came to teach, he would definitely be vague and evasive, only saying superficial things, and would never tell the truth about the advantages and disadvantages, the intricacies of human nature.

In this way, Wang Dianli unexpectedly benefited from having a trustworthy old official like Liu Laocao by his side, which saved him from taking many detours.

During the days that Shen Zhong'an spent learning about the practical work of the registrar from Liu Laocao, the fact that he personally funded the bookkeeper Tian Erniu had already quietly spread throughout the county government.

The young men discussed the matter, each with their own thoughts.

Wang Dianli and his gang had already lost many of their secret sources of income to him. Seeing his rising reputation, they were all filled with hatred and could only make sarcastic remarks behind his back, saying that he was just a new official who was deliberately trying to win people's hearts and gain fame.

But many other officials had different thoughts. Everyone could see that this newly appointed registrar was decisive and efficient in organizing documents and establishing rules, leaving no room for ambiguity. Internally, he was considerate of his subordinates, kind to people, and fair in rewards and punishments. He was by no means a corrupt scholar who only knew how to put on airs.

Some people even said privately that, judging by actions rather than intentions, regardless of his initial motives, he ultimately saved Tian Erniu's family from their predicament, and that is true benevolence and righteousness.

The gossip spread far and wide, and when Tian Erniu returned to the yamen after his period of caring for the sick ended, he personally confirmed the registrar's kindness.

In no time, Shen Zhong'an's reputation for "benevolence and compassion" spread throughout Chenliu County. With the deliberate efforts of Wang Dianli and others, it eventually reached the ears of Magistrate Luo Shi.

Luo Shi was a pragmatist who accepted any useful strategy, regardless of whether it was from the New Party or the Old Party.

Hearing these discussions in the government office, he showed no change in expression, but frowned slightly in his heart.

Luo Shi did not object to his subordinates showing consideration for the officials, but he felt that since Shen Zhong'an took office, he had devoted most of his energy to winning people's hearts and rectifying the household registration system, while neglecting the important local civil affairs, which was somewhat of a pursuit of fame rather than reality.

A few days later, Luo Shi summoned Shen Zhong'an to the hall and handed him over an important task in person.

Since the beginning of spring, Chenliu County has suffered from a prolonged drought, resulting in cracked fields, withered wheat seedlings, and signs of famine in the countryside.

Luo Shi ordered him to personally go to various villages to survey the affected areas, investigate the extent of the damage and the extent of hunger among the affected households, and register them one by one. If he could also come up with a solution, that would be even better.

Shen Zhong'an bowed and accepted the order.

Subsequently, Luo Shi specifically instructed that County Magistrate Tang Geng accompany him to the countryside.

Ostensibly, they were working together, but secretly, Luo Shi wanted to use this opportunity to see just how capable these two newly appointed young officials were and how much responsibility they could shoulder.

As for his entourage, Shen Zhong'an immediately named Liu Laocao.

This trip will take us through the countryside and survey the fields, so we need an experienced official who knows the geography and local customs of Chenliu like the back of his hand to guide us.

Liu Laocao had worked in the county for decades. He knew by heart which township had fertile fields, which had barren land, which village lacked water, and which household was in the most difficult situation. With his help, this trip would be much less detour and less pointless.

According to the customary practice of the county government in the Northern Song Dynasty to inspect disasters, the county magistrate and the chief clerk would go on the inspection together, and the accompanying personnel were required to take care of both practical matters and protection.

Besides Tang Geng and Shen Zhong'an, they brought a clerk from the Household Department responsible for recording disaster data and registering household information; a clerk from the Criminal Affairs Department responsible for maintaining order, comforting refugees, and preventing looting and rioting; an archer responsible for security; and Liu Laocao. The group of seven rode the ponies provided by the county government along the country dirt road towards the southeast of Chenliu County.

Chenliu County administers four townships and thirty-two villages. Sanli Village in the southeast township and Lucun Village in the southwest township are the two major grain-producing areas in the county. The soil is fertile and irrigation is convenient. In previous years, the summer grain harvest accounted for more than 60% of the county's total. However, this time, due to the severe drought, these areas have become the most severely affected.

When Shen Zhong'an visited Tian Erniu's home a few days ago, although he saw that the wheat seedlings on the field ridges were turning yellow and wilting, with curled leaves, he could still see some vitality and that the situation was still under control.

But today, upon entering the territory of the Southeast Township, what I saw was a desolate, yellow landscape that was unsettling.

The furrows were cracked like old tree bark, with gaps wide enough to fit a finger. Not a single tall wheat seedling could be seen in the field; they all lay drooping on the ground.

This is a crucial time for wheat to grow and develop ears. Such drought can result in either small, shriveled ears and dry grains, reducing the harvest by half, or completely withering the fields, leading to near-total crop failure.

Looking up, one can see busy yet desperate figures everywhere in the fields.

Men of all ages walked barefoot on the scorching mud, while wives carried tattered wooden buckets and crowded around the well, forming long queues to draw water. It took a long time for the well rope to be lowered before they could draw up half a bucket of murky well water.

The old man and the child held the chipped earthenware bowls, lay down by the river, and carefully irrigated the wheat field by intercepting the meager flow of water.

But these scattered water sources, falling on the cracked earth, are quickly absorbed, amounting to nothing more than a drop in the ocean.

Shen Zhong'an, Tang Geng, and Liu Laocao visited seven or eight villages in a row, and the situation was the same in all of them, without any exceptions.

Only three or four villages, due to their advantageous geographical location adjacent to a tributary of the Bian River, managed to save half of their wheat fields through round-the-clock manual water pumping. However, the wheat seedlings were mostly withered and yellow, and their growth was worrying.

As they traveled, the three men's expressions grew increasingly somber.

While at the county government office, the officials did mention the drought, but only briefly, never describing it as severe.

Chenliu is located in the capital region, and the imperial court originally relied on the wheat grown here to serve as summer grain to support grain prices in the capital region and the reserves in the official granaries. If this drought continues, not only will farmers lose their harvest and become homeless, but the grain stored in the county's granaries, the salaries of officials and soldiers, and even the subsequent tax collection will also be strained. It can truly be said that pulling one hair affects the whole body.

"Registrar Shen, you are known for your quick wit. What are your thoughts on this situation?"

Reaching the end of a field ridge, Tang Geng stopped, looked at the barren field before him, and said in a heavy tone.

Shen Zhong'an frowned, his gaze sweeping over the withered yellow landscape, and said in a deep voice:

"The crux of the matter is that only by solving the water shortage problem can Chenliu's harvest be guaranteed. If the water source is insufficient, even if there is rain later, the damaged wheat seedlings will be difficult to recover, and the decline will ultimately be irreversible."

"You make it sound so easy; solving the water shortage problem is easier said than done."

Tang Geng shook his head helplessly.

"If there were a way, the gentry would never have let the wheat in the fields be left to rot in such a state."

In my opinion, the only thing to do is to report the actual situation to Magistrate Luo as soon as possible and let him decide. Perhaps we can get the imperial court to allocate grain for disaster relief, and also find some water conservancy experts to come up with a solution.

That night, the three of them stayed at the home of the village head of Sanli Township. The house was simple and the mosquitoes were biting them. Shen Zhong'an lay on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Tang Geng was a native of this ancient place and had lived here for a long time. It was understandable that he couldn't think of a solution. But he was a time traveler from the future who had seen all kinds of water conservancy facilities. How could he be stumped by this small drought?

If even the drought in Chenliu County cannot be resolved, how can we establish ourselves in the Northern Song Dynasty, let alone change the chaotic world and save the people?

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. So Shen Zhong'an got up, put on an overcoat, and quietly left the house, heading towards the fields.

The night was deep and the moonlight was faint. The fields should have been completely silent, but in the distance, there were still scattered lights flickering. It turned out that quite a few elderly people were still carrying buckets to irrigate the wheat fields, taking advantage of the cool night.

Shen Zhong'an felt a pang of sadness and was about to step forward when he saw an old man with white hair not far away carrying a full bucket of water. He staggered and slipped, falling to the ground. The bucket rolled to the side, spilling the murky river water all over the ground.

Shen Zhong'an quickly stepped forward and helped the old man up.

"Sir, are you alright?"

The old man, still shaken, leaned on Shen Zhong'an's arm to catch his breath. He looked down at the bucket on the ground, then touched his knee, and said with a wry smile:

"It's nothing, it's nothing. Thanks to the weeds on the ridge, I was just a little frightened, but I didn't break any bones."

Having said that, the old man looked up and sized up Shen Zhong'an. Seeing that his face was unfamiliar, he asked:

"Young man, you look unfamiliar. Who are you, a relative or nephew of someone? What are you doing here so late at night?"

"Old man, I am a distant relative of the village head. I came from the countryside to the capital to make a living and am temporarily staying at the village head's house. I can't sleep at night, so I came out for a walk."

Upon hearing this, the old man believed him and casually uttered an "oh," bending down to pick up the bucket. Shen Zhong'an quickly grabbed it first and then took the carrying pole from the old man's hands.

"Old man, let me help you. You're too old to carry water like this."

The old man didn't refuse, sighed, and walked with Shen Zhong'an to the riverbank.

On the way, Shen Zhong'an pretended to chat casually while inquiring about the specifics.

"Old man, with this drought, carrying water like this every day isn't a long-term solution. I've heard of agricultural implements like waterwheels and bucket carts, which are more efficient and less strenuous for carrying water. Why don't you use those machines and instead go through all this trouble carrying water in wooden buckets?"

When this matter was mentioned, the old man couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly.

"Young man, you don't know this, it's not that we don't use them, it's that those machines are unsuitable."

The tipper truck and waterwheel you mentioned, we have those in Sanli Village too, but now the water level is too low and the current is too weak, so those two machines are not very suitable.

The waterwheel required manual pedaling and could only be used to fetch water from nearby sources; if it was too far from the riverbank, it couldn't be used at all. The waterwheel was even worse, requiring the force of the water flow to turn. Now, with only a thin trickle of water left in the river, even the waterwheel's wheels couldn't turn, and it had long been abandoned.

"Old man, are the tippler and waterwheel still by the river? Could you take me to see them?"

"Right under the old locust tree over there, people are still trying to step on the overturned vehicle. The waterwheel is right next to it. You can go and see if you want, but it won't help and won't solve the immediate problem."

Shen Zhong'an thanked the old man and then quickly walked towards the riverbank in the direction the old man pointed.

Under the moonlight, under the old locust tree, there was indeed a wooden tipper. Several men were taking turns pedaling it. The tipper's frame slowly turned, gradually lifting the river water and letting it flow into the wheat field next to it through the wooden trough. However, the water flow was thin and slow, and it could only barely irrigate a small patch of land by the river. It could not reach any further.

Not far away, a waterwheel sat quietly by the river, its blades covered with dried, clumps of mud, clearly indicating that it had been sitting there for a long time.

After carefully examining the overturned cart and the waterwheel, Shen Zhong'an walked deeper into the wheat field, squatted down, and carefully inspected the roots of the wheat.

Although it was dry, a few roots were still not completely dead.

Looking at the surrounding land, although it is severely cracked, it is still possible to see that the moisture hidden in the soil has not been completely depleted.

After personally inspecting the situation and gaining a clear understanding of it, Shen Zhong'an quickly recalled the many classic texts he had studied.

The Book of the Later Han Dynasty, the Treatise on Food and Commodities in the Book of Han, the Book of Fan Shengzhi, the Water Regulations of the Six Auxiliary Canals, the Water Department Regulations...

After a long while, four well-thought-out plans emerged in Shen Zhong'an's mind.

However, regardless of the strategy, it requires the cooperation of manpower and resources, and cannot be done by one person alone.

Therefore, we must first inform the prefect and let him make the decision.