"Does Huaibei eat rice too?"

Zhao Jiu emerged from a thatched earthen house, holding a rice jar in his hands. An apprehensive old man trailed behind him. He immediately made an empirical mistake. "I see mostly wheat stacks and bean stalks around here, with very little rice straw. But why so few beans, and even less wheat than rice?"

"Reporting... reporting to Your Majesty."

The old man trembled, utterly flustered. The village head, clearly recognizing the "Majesty's" identity, simply prostrated himself, backside up. Helpless, Yang Yizhong, the resourceful court attendant, had to step in. "North of the Yellow River relies entirely on river transport. Rice and cloth from Huainan are shipped to Dongjing. Therefore, most people north of the Yellow River can eat rice. Besides, wheat doesn't store well, and beans are precious. So people in Huaibei first eat cornbread made from wheat, then sell the beans. When they need to store grain, they use millet for long-term storage and rice for short-term storage."

Zhao Jiu suddenly understood. Combined with the previous data of 120 million people in the Song Dynasty, he realized that society had reached a certain level of population and specialization, leading to the development of a commodity economy!

According to Yang Yizhong, the rice from Huainan, due to its high yield, naturally circulated and supplemented the Huaibei region. Beans, at this point, were more like cash crops used to exchange for money. Millet, though inferior to rice, wheat flour, and beans in terms of yield, value, and even taste, maintained a certain value due to its excellent storability.

"Does the elder have millet at home?" Realizing this, Zhao Jiu turned directly to the old man.

"No, no!" The old man was already somewhat senile and confused. Seeing a 'Majesty' guarded by dozens of cavalrymen, he was even more terrified, stammering incoherently.

Fortunately, this was the Central Plains, and the accent was relatively local to Zhao Jiu, so communication was still勉强(勉强:mian qiang, barely manageable).

"Stock up on some!" Zhao Jiu sighed slightly upon seeing this and handed back the rice jar.

"Thank, thank Your Majesty." The old man quickly grabbed the jar, not knowing if he had even registered the reminder.

Zhao Jiu returned the rice jar without further comment, mounted his horse, and, ignoring the village head who was trembling and prostrated on the ground, slowly left the second village he had visited, escorted by the Chixin Team knights.

Frankly, Zhao Jiu's mood was complex.

First, the scenes in the two villages he visited today, adjacent to the temporary palace, were not as bad as he had imagined. Based on his modern-day sense of superiority, his assumptions about the low productivity and severe class contradictions of ancient times, and his perceptions of the harsh rural environments during wartime, gleaned from online novels...

He had expected the villages to be a scene of "bones exposed in the wild, a thousand miles without a rooster's crow," coupled with "an old man vaulting over the wall, an old woman coming out to see."

However, the reality was more like fifty-fifty.

"A thousand miles without a rooster's crow" was true, but "bones exposed in the wild" was definitely not. "An old woman coming out to see" was also true, but the "old man vaulting over the wall" hadn't happened. He came out to see along with her... The absence of roosters crowing and the presence of old men and women coming out to see were clearly because the area was too close to the army camp, and the people had left to avoid potential military disasters.

But at the same time, the roads in the village were tidy. Although the local-style thatched mud houses did have particularly dilapidated structures, suggesting the complete bankruptcy and flight of the owners, the overall mix of old and new colors, and the undeniable vitality in most of the houses and courtyards, still indicated that these two villages were relatively healthy.

In addition, the coarse cloth clothes of the old and weak who remained in the village were still clean. The village head was even wearing a silk robe with neat dyes and subtle patterns.

In short, low productivity existed, and the increased internal oppression caused by the war in the north was also present. The wealth gap was obvious, and the sight of the common people living by counting the rice in the jar was witnessed firsthand... But as long as the war had not yet spread, it was still a normal rural area.

Before, when he was in the Mingdao Palace, Zhao Jiu had gone out to look around, but it was probably further north, and the surrounding areas were mostly the 'royal estates' of the Mingdao Palace. Several long journeys were done at dawn and returned quickly. As a result, this Zhao official had little contact with the true grassroots situation. He had even imagined the Song Dynasty, ruled by the Taoist Emperor for decades, as the state after the death of Wanli – seemingly able to deceive, but actually crumbling at the slightest touch.

But now, it seemed that the situation was, at most, like the Jiajing period. The saying "Jiajing Jiajing, every family is clean" meant that the people were struggling on the verge of bankruptcy due to the self-righteous Taoist Emperor's exploitation and the corruption of officials. However, it still seemed a bit far from a complete societal breakdown and hopeless bankruptcy.

But doesn't this make the Taoist Emperor seem even more culpable? Jiajing's name also contains the character "靖(Jing)," and he was also capricious, but he didn't cause a Jingkang humiliation?!

Of course, considering this official's poor grasp of history and broad generalizations, plus the fact that he had never lived through the Jiajing and Wanli periods, it might just be wishful thinking and wild speculation!

"Your Majesty is truly a sage and benevolent ruler."

Seeing Zhao Jiu unconsciously heading towards Jiegou while lost in thought, Yang Yizhong finally couldn't help but speak again. "Knowing that there are bandits ahead, and that battles in winter will inevitably cut off the Ying and Huai rivers, coupled with winter ice, perhaps transportation will be difficult for the entire winter, so he reminded the old man to stock up on some millet."

"The old man may not listen, and with the sudden outbreak of war throughout the country, Hebei and Hedong are basically occupied. You say the Song Dynasty has 120 million people. How many are suffering from war now? More than ten or twenty million? How many will suffer from war in the future? More than thirty or forty million?" Zhao Jiu replied slowly from horseback without turning his head. "So, for the emperor to perform such a minor act of kindness is almost a joke..."

"No, it's not!" Yang Yizhong quickly corrected with a solemn expression. "As the saying goes, a gentleman cannot bear to eat its flesh when he hears its cries, nor bear to see its death when he sees its life. Your Majesty investigates the people's conditions and understands their suffering. Although it was just a casual and well-intentioned word, it is precisely the benevolence of a gentleman. And the benevolence of a gentleman doesn't differentiate between emperor and ordinary person, does it?"

Liu Yan, who was beside him, wanted to chime in with flattery, but struggled to find the right words and could only awkwardly add, "Your Majesty, that's what I think too."

Hearing these words, Zhao Jiu finally couldn't help but laugh out loud, tears streaming down his face. Then he turned to give the two of them a sidelong glance. "Pingfu (Liu Yan), if you don't know what to say, don't say anything. Zhengfu (Yang Yizhong), if you know what to say, say more... Zhengfu, aren't you worried that if I really go to the Jiegou market, Prime Minister Li will reprimand or even punish you? That's why you're being so subtle, suggesting that wandering around the countryside is fine, but really don't go into Jiegou. Because me, as the emperor, doing this kind of thing is meaningless. It's better to act like a puppet."

Yang Yizhong, with his dignified appearance, rarely gave a dry laugh and did not refute, but urged his horse forward and immediately returned to his usual majestic posture.

"Your Majesty! I am not only afraid of the Prime Minister, but also worried about Your Majesty's safety... In the market, one cannot ride a horse or openly carry weapons. Not to mention the turbulent situation, if there are any particularly bold individuals, there might be trouble; just the fact that Your Majesty is dressed in this round-collared red robe, pretending to be a prince, is not enough to fool those rural people. When you reach the market town, it will inevitably alarm those who are paying attention. If your identity is exposed, and there are many people, both good and bad, there will inevitably be problems. Your Majesty cannot possibly see anything meaningful."

Zhao Guan's family slowly nodded in a serious manner: "I understand, Zhengfu is advising me to take off these clothes before going!"

Yang Yizhong was immediately speechless.

At the same time, Liu Yan, who was trailing behind and unable to interject, looked at the two people in front with a strange expression... Zhao Guan's family is the Guan's family. It's fine if he is both literary and martial, and a bit quick-witted, as that's who he is. But after serving the emperor for several months, Liu Yan realized that Yang Yizhong, whom he had always thought to be a dignified figure, was a truly extraordinary person.

This Yang is a man of six generations of generals, a military family. He has a dignified appearance, a tall stature, and he governs the army strictly. His archery skills are also formidable. At first glance, he seems like a famous general of old. How did he learn these devious tricks of a civil official? And he, a Jinshi (even if he was a Jinshi of the Liao Kingdom), knows nothing of these things, to the point that the emperor said that he, Liu Pingfu, was afraid to say unpleasant things.

While Yang Yizhong and Liu Yan were lost in their own thoughts, Zhao Guan's family, after making his cold joke, saw that the two men beside and behind him were both distracted, and suddenly seized the opportunity to spur his horse and accelerate, instantly galloping a hundred paces towards Jiegou... Yang Liu paused, then shouted inwardly that something was wrong and spurred their horses to accelerate, trying to catch up.

The conference in the Buddhist hall only ended in the afternoon, and by the time they came out, it was already afternoon. After visiting two villages, it was almost evening, so Yang Yizhong's real intention was to keep saying 'pleasant' things to stall this Zhao Guan's family, so that the matter would be dropped.

However, after spending time with him, Zhao Guan's family may not have understood Yang Yizhong's tricks, but he became vigilant. And as the Guan's family, he could overturn the table and be willful at any time... Of course, it was also possible that he was tired of being forced to be a Psyduck by Prime Minister Li... So he suddenly took off and ran away.

Back to the present, not to mention Liu Yan, who couldn't understand why the Guan's family, who grew up in Bianliang, the most prosperous place in the world, wanted to go to such a wild town to play; and not to mention Yang Yizhong, who was uneasy, fearing that the Guan's family would be annoyed by his flattering welcome... Just say that Zhao Guan's family was always good at riding a horse, and he galloped ahead on the plain. But Yang Liu and the cavalry behind him, because they were wearing armor, couldn't catch up with the Guan's family's horse. The distance between them grew further and further, to the point where the two of them didn't dare to think about anything, and just desperately chased after him.

It wasn't until sunset that Yang Liu led dozens of cavalry to catch up with Zhao Guan's family, only to find that this Guan's family hadn't entered the market town. Instead, he stopped his horse on the Ying River embankment on the southwest side of the market town, towards the temporary palace. He was gazing intently at Jiegou town from a high vantage point.

Yang Liu didn't dare to disturb the Guan's family, so they stopped their horses and looked together.

This Central Plains riverside town, had a ferry connecting the Ying River in front, and a mud rampart surrounded by wooden fences behind. It was only a few hundred paces in radius. There were only a few dozen proper houses, and sheds made of grass and wood, forming an open-air market, which looked quite simple.

However, because the temporary palace was located a few miles away, and young men and women from several nearby villages had come here to take refuge, and some officials' family members and servants were selling gold, pearls, and other items, and purchasing cloth, grain, and other scarce items, it did seem more crowded and lively.

At this time, the sun was setting, and as the market was about to close, some of the bolder villagers wearing short coats, thinking of their homes, left the rampart in groups of three or five, talking about what they had seen that day while carefully heading towards the village. Some merchants and people were calling out to the ferrymen and boatmen, asking them to help them cross the river to the west, apparently coming from the opposite bank of the Ying River, and now returning to their homes on the other side.

Turning their heads slightly, they saw that the last group coming out of the rampart was clearly from the purchasing department of the temporary palace. Several eunuchs were shouting orders, urging the laborers to drive large carts out. They were going along the embankment towards them, and as they approached, they saw in the dim light of the setting sun that they were going to send several carts of winter vegetables to the temporary palace.

Zhao Jiu stood for a long time, watching the team from afar, until it got closer. The leader realized something was wrong, then hurriedly knelt down to pay his respects. Only then did he smile and ask:

"Zhang Daguan, let me ask you, what kind of vegetables did you buy? Did you pay?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Prime Minister Li is watching closely, so I didn't dare not pay. But this place is too poor and wild, there is nothing fresh except winter vegetables!" The Zhang eunuch was overjoyed to be called Daguan, and quickly got up to show his merit. "However, this humble servant didn't dare to let Your Majesty and Consort Pan suffer, so I looked for half a day. First, I found some local fish, and then I found a family selling ginger fermented soybeans coming down the river! I asked carefully, they escaped from Tokyo City, and the taste is authentic. Tonight, Your Majesty and Consort Pan will have a treat!"

Zhao Jiu didn't know what ginger fermented soybeans were, but it didn't stop him from laughing, and urging the other party to quickly return to the temple where the temporary palace was located.

However, after watching the team disappear into the gradually darkening glow of the early winter sunset, the next moment, the sun completely set. In the twilight, this Zhao Guan's family suddenly stopped laughing and became sad.

Liu Yan and Yang Yizhong, who were always paying attention to the Guan's family, noticed this almost simultaneously. However, while Liu Pingfu was increasingly confused, Yang Zhengfu, who was good at observing and increasingly understood this Guan's family, suddenly realized in his heart - the Guan's family was still worried that the Jin would send their main force to pursue them. And once the Jin army went south to the Central Plains, this not-so-perfect and flourishing situation would no longer exist.

How to say it? Yang Yizhong remembered his personal experience of fleeing from Hebei in the past, and remembered those family breakups and deaths. He couldn't help but feel sad... All he could say was that, in the opinion of Yang Yizhong, who had nine twists and turns in his mind, the Guan's family had been possessed by a demon after falling into the well. That was a good demon with the heart of a 君子(Junzi, gentleman).

ps: Thanks to the leaders Xiahou Lao Ye, Xiaolong, and 233... I didn't even notice... I'm ashamed, nineteen萌(Meng, cute ones) already, thank you for the rewards.