After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 640 - 634 Migration
"What can we do?"
The trusted aide said, "You can migrate with us to Yu State." ๐ฏ๐ป๐๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ท๐๐ฟ๐๐.๐๐ธ๐ข
The villagers were stunned, "Mi...migrate?"
Wouldnโt that mean leaving their homes?
Everyone couldnโt help but turn back to look at their houses and fell into silence.
The trusted aide waited for a moment, seeing they were still not expressing their opinions, and anxiously said, "Itโs no big deal; itโs like moving across to live on the other side, just separated by a water channel. If you really miss home later, once both places reconcile, you can come back to visit."
Upon hearing this, the villagers werenโt as distressed and hurriedly asked, "Just move to the other side? Can our county government approve this?"
"Weโre fleeing for our lives, migrating privately; why would you need the approval of your county government?" The trusted aide urged, "Hurry back and pack your things; the reinforcement from Yan State is arriving soon, and we need to leave promptly."
The villagers immediately became chaotic. Some ran back home 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, "Donโt bother with pots and pans; we can come back for those later. Just take clothes and essential valuables from home; we need to speed up."
He also responded, "Housing? Donโt worry; there are places to live over there. If not, the county government 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 abandonment of land, their army had claimed many plots for military use, and there were plenty of uncultivated fields outside. So he said, "Rest assured, you wonโt be short of land."
He added, "Donโt 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 immediately made up their minds.
This year, most of their crops had been harvested by Gou Chunโs soldiers and then taxed by the county government. They were uncertain about the grain needed to survive the winter.
Hence, once the trusted aide mentioned ensuring winter food supply, they leaned towards migrating to Yu State.
However, some were skeptical, "Really? This treatment sounds too good to be true."
"It should be real," someone discreetly whispered to the skeptic, "My sister mentioned 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 payment later, while the county government covered the rest."
"Your sister has returned?"
"No, I went there," the person whispered, "The family didnโt have enough grain to pay taxes, so I sneaked over and borrowed some, to deal with the taxes first."
"Yes, taxes are due. If we migrate, shouldnโt taxes go to the Yu State county government?"
"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 donโt have to pay this year; next year weโll see."
He paused, recalling another benefit for craftsmen, "Next yearโs taxes will also be halved."
"Really? Is it true? Are you being serious?"
"Donโt be tricking us over there."
"Oh, this is directly from our General, can it be fake?" The trusted aide couldnโt 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, "Thatโs not wrong. But our commander is currently in Luoyang. Here, the decision-making General is the leader of the commanderโs former troop, the closest person to him. His decisions are the commanderโs decisions. Our commander is steadfast in promises, so our General is too. Weโve been told that since you are moving because of us, your household registration will be as good residents, better treated than the craftsmen."
When the villagers heard this, their eyes glimmered. People everywhere knew Zhao Hanzhang took in refugees and offered special treatment to skilled individuals.
Such skills were mainly in literature, military strategy, and artisanal crafts.
The former 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 meaning 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 couldnโt 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, "Iโll go pack my bags now. Please wait a moment, sirs."
He said it would be quick, but it wasnโt too fast either, yet they didnโt delay much time.
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 garments 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 childrenโs 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, weโre all packed, letโs 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 wouldnโt drop them, and arguing would waste more time.
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 reinforcements 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 channelโs opposite side, a 2,000-strong troop slowly approached the border line and waited silently.
