Chapter 47: The Best Defense is a Strong Offense

  Li Bo Ran was moved, and Li Zhong's purpose for this trip had basically been achieved.

  Next is to make preparations.

  Lingzhou County has 13 towns, each of which should set up a school. Each school should have at least one house, one teacher, and one cook. This is the simplest configuration.

  Li Beran took on the task of teaching himself. He settled in Lingzhou for more than 20 years and taught hundreds of students.

  Although most of them did not have good development due to their birth or other reasons, and even returned to the countryside to farm. In recent years, many people also did not have the thought and opportunity to further their studies due to their livelihood, and their knowledge and abilities were generally not high, but they were sufficient for enlightenment education.

  Li Zhēn promised that as long as Li Bó Rán's students were willing to become teachers, they would receive a salary every month, either four shi of grain or 400 coins, whichever they chose.

  Li Boren was very happy about this.

  He just felt that his students had not studied in vain. While supporting their families, they also undertook the sacred responsibility of spreading cultural knowledge, which made him feel greatly comforted.

  The teacher is ready, so next is the venue.

  Each village has a college, and the area cannot be too small. After all, it faces all eligible children in the whole village or those who are eager to learn. Also need to consider that some students have accommodation problems because they are far away from home, so dormitories are needed.

  This works out to at least several thousand coins per building, or even one jin.

  Thirteen academies, in terms of site, at least ten gold will be spent.

  There is also the chef's salary, daily living expenses, and the teacher's stipend. All in all, each month, each academy spends at least several thousand coins or even over a kilogram of gold.

  In this way, the entire Lingzhou's education expenses are a considerable expenditure.

  Li Zhong now controls the tax revenue of Lingzhou, and the merchant teams under the Grassland Flag also have income, but this money still needs to be used to resettle refugees, renovate Lingzhou, feed the army, etc., which is already quite strained.

  After all, Li Zhong's industry has not yet expanded to support all the consumption of a county.

  But no matter how painful it is, Li Zhong deeply knows that this is necessary. And the sooner the better.

  Anyway, grit your teeth and squeeze out some.

  Returning to the Huqiang School Lieutenant's mansion, Li Zhēn immediately called Zhou Féi over and instructed him on the matters of universal education, with only one requirement: to cooperate with Old Man Li Bórán.

  Whether it's money or people, everything is allowed.

  Although Zhou Fei had some objections, he knew that Li Zhong's determination was not to be refuted. Doing well what Li Zhong ordered him to do was his duty.

  After sending Zhou Fei away, Li Jing sat silently for a long time, feeling a thousand thoughts in his heart. After a long while, he sighed and muttered to himself: "It will be fine, everything will get better."

  Just then, a voice came over.

  "Commander Li!"

  Li Zhuang looked up and saw that it was Xun Yu.

  He hastily got up, clasped his hands together in a salute and said: "Mr. Gongda has been working hard these past few days."

  Xun Yu returned a courtesy and smiled: "What hardship is there? It's rather you, General Li. I see that you have some worries on your mind. Why not speak out and let us discuss it?"

  Li Zheng burst out laughing and said: "What worries could I have?" He then changed his tone, saying: "I wonder what happened to the matter we discussed the other day?"

  "It's almost done." Xun Yu saw that Li Zhen did not want to mention his worries, so he followed Li Zhen's words and said: "Through the merchant teams of Zu and Zhou, spreading rumors in two ways, I think it won't take more than ten days or half a month for Han Xi to make a move."

  In the bustling streets of Longxi, merchants come and go from all directions. Although the situation in Liangzhou is tense at present, it cannot stop the enthusiasm of these businessmen. Through them, it is easy to spread news and information.

  As for Zhou Lin's business team, it is an additional supplement.

  "Right."

  Xun You turned to ask: "General Li, I observed that the drainage project of Lingzhou City seems to have some problems, should I speak or not?"

  "Oh?"

  Li Zheng was slightly stunned and felt puzzled in his heart. What's wrong with the sewer?

  "Listen carefully."

  Xun Yu smiled and said: "The waterway connects the inside and outside of the city wall, Li Xiaowei can know that if Lingzhou City is besieged, the waterway will be a major flaw."

  "Huh?!"

  Li Zhēng was taken aback by the words, and his mind quickly began to turn.

  The more I think about it, the more I feel that Xun Yu's words make sense.

  When proposing the construction of underground sewers, Li Zhong did not think of this issue. The inherent thinking brought from that era still affects his judgment.

  In this era, city walls are the main defensive structures. If there is a breach, it will be disastrous.

  But in an instant, Li Zhēng couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

  If that day really comes, when the enemy is beaten to the city of Lingzhou, it will also mean that Li Zhong is almost done. The small city of Lingzhou has a defensive power of its own, and whether or not there are waterways or weaknesses, it doesn't make much difference!

  Thinking of this, Li Zhēn was calm and composed, bursting into laughter, saying: "Although Mr. Gongda's words are reasonable, I, Li, dare not agree with them."

  "Ah?" Xun Yu's expression turned attentive.

  "The city wall is not a defense, but a restraint! It's an act of weakness! Attack, only attack, continuous attack, is the best defense!"

  "Li would never give his enemies a chance to besiege the city. If that moment ever came, it could only mean one thing: Li was incompetent and deserved to die!"

  "I've heard that some people think the enemy will be kept out of our country. Li thinks this is true. Furthermore, Mr. Gongda thinks that the small city of Lingzhou can only defend against a limited number of enemies."

  Xun Yu's eyes lit up at the words, but he said, "General Li's idea is indeed different from others. However, there is nothing absolute in this world. Can General Li guarantee that no matter what happens, he will never let the enemy reach the city gates?"

  "Hehe,"

  Li Zhēng smiled leisurely and said, "This is just an idea. Li Mou has always believed that the best defense is offense. What I can do is to implement this idea, as for how far it can go, I cannot make any promises."

  Xun Yu slightly nodded his head and no longer pursued the topic.

  The two of them chatted and talked, discussing the past and present. Xun Yu was erudite and had traveled extensively throughout the land to verify his knowledge. As for Li Zhen, he came from a different era.

  Two people, one with depth and one with breadth, when they talk, they complement each other perfectly.

  One tells of some events that occurred in a certain place during the Han Dynasty, with certain scenery and interesting characters, implying what kind of meaning. The other talks about what ethnic groups, species, and national customs exist outside of the Han Dynasty.

  For a moment, both of them were drawn in by the content of each other's words.

  Just as their stomachs were growling with hunger, they looked at each other and burst out laughing.

  "Li is so young, yet he has such insight, it truly makes me admire him endlessly." Xun Yu sincerely praised.

  Li Zhong chuckled: "Mr. Gongda's words always make people think deeply."

  "Compared with those below, it is much higher and deeper."

  While talking, Li Qing invited Xun Yu to have a meal together, and Xun Yu gladly agreed.

  He then ordered the kitchen to prepare food.

  Before two ticks of the clock, the food was on the table and they both started eating heavily.

  Li Zhuang doesn't need to be said, he considers himself a martial artist, and when eating, he is very open-minded.

  Xun Yu was no exception, his movements were elegant, but his speed was not slow.

  They didn't speak while eating; it wasn't until they finished that they started talking again.

  "I have traveled all over the world and served as an official in Luoyang for several years, but when it comes to food, Lingzhou is truly the best! Xun You laughed with a full stomach: "May I ask General Li, what kind of grain is this millet rice made from? And this meat, it's so delicious that one can't help but want more."

  Li Zhong burst out laughing and said: "I didn't expect that the world-renowned Xun Gongda would also be a foodie."

  "Clothing, food, shelter and transportation are the basic desires of human beings. Confucius said that eating, drinking, men and women are the greatest desires that exist. Ah Zi also said that food and sex are human nature." Xun Yu smiled slyly and said: "Xun certain is also an ordinary person, why can't he enjoy good food?!"

  Upon hearing this, Li Zhēn couldn't help but secretly admire him.

  Even delicious food is dragged onto the saint's body, indeed worthy of being a great talent.

  Then he smiled and said: "Mr. Gong Da knows that I am not familiar with the classics, so don't try to deceive me with the words of the ancients."

  "This is no trifling matter."

  Xun Yu stood up straight and said, "What Xun certain has said is indeed true."

  Li Zhong did not want to argue, so he said: "This rice is made from millet, and as for the meat dishes, one bowl is red jade bird meat, and the other bowl is thorny skin meat."

  "What about Shen Mai? Hong Yuniang? Ci Pi Zhu?" Xun Yu was taken aback, saying: "Forgive my ignorance and lack of knowledge, but I have never heard of them."

  "Hehe, this is a specialty of Lingzhou." Li Zhong smiled and said: "From the beginning of winter, it will gradually spread to the lower reaches, and by this time next year, I'm sure every household in Lingzhou will be eating ginseng rice. As for the Red Jade Bird and the Thorny Skin, I'll also wait for the right moment to gradually promote them."

  Camellia is a grain crop that Li Zhong had decided to popularize for a long time. As for Hongyu Niao and Ci Pi, Li Zhong also has this intention. However, the latter two poultry are not many in number now, and it may take some time to popularize them.

  Since it's meant to be widespread, then naturally there's no fear of being known by others.

  "Oh!"

  Xun Yu was shocked beyond measure.

  In his inert thinking, as long as it's a good thing, generally speaking, he will grasp it in his hands and make it his exclusive treasure, never passing it on.

  The aristocratic families of Zhongyuan all follow this practice.

  He didn't expect Li Zhong would actually popularize it.

  This approach, this magnanimity, indeed made Xun Yu sigh with emotion, and he couldn't help but bow his head and say: "Colonel's broad-mindedness, I admire it."

  Li Ding waved his hand and smiled: "What's the big deal? As the local official, I naturally have to think about the people here. Besides, these aren't anything rare or unusual, what's the point of hiding them?"