Chapter 163: Free Distribution of Cattle and Sheep, Beneficial Policies

Chapter 163 Free Distribution of Livestock and People-Friendly Policies

The concerns of the court officials were also Zhan Yu’s concerns. The Xiongnu had previously demonstrated such fierce strength that Zhan Yu genuinely worried that one day Bing Wengu might fail to hold Fengzhou City, allowing the Xiongnu to break in, seize the train, and charge straight into Bianjing.

After much deliberation, Zhan Yu ultimately held back for multiple reasons and did not approve the construction of the railway.

"The matter of building the railway can be postponed for now. However, Minister Bing has achieved three major victories and successfully pinned the blame on Wusun. Such achievements can't just be brushed aside—he must be rewarded."

Out of guilt toward Bing Wengu, Zhan Yu bestowed particularly generous rewards.

Shipments of gold, silver, and grain arrived in Fengzhou City, some as personal rewards for Bing Wengu and others for the frontier army.

In the end, every soldier in the frontier army received an additional ten taels of silver from the imperial court on top of the five taels given by Bing Wengu. Those with minor injuries were granted ten taels, while the severely wounded received twenty taels.

This meant that even the least rewarded soldier in the frontier army received fifteen taels of silver. In wealthier prefectures, fifteen taels might not seem like much, but in the impoverished Fengzhou, it was a substantial sum.

Fearing that the soldiers, used to the rough life of the barracks, might blow the money on drinking and gambling, Bing Wengu gave them all three days off to take the silver home to their families.

The frontier troops hadn’t gotten leave in years. Previously, they were never allowed breaks—for fear soldiers would desert or that without them, Fengzhou might fall if the Xiongnu attacked.

Thus, when many soldiers learned that Prefect Bing had given them three days to return home and visit their families, they were stunned at first, then broke down crying when it sank in.

"I envy you—your home is right here in Fengzhou. You can go back this time. Mine is too far away; three days isn’t enough," one soldier said longingly to his comrade, his own homesickness evident.

"Yeah, I was drafted right after my wedding. I wonder how my wife is doing now?"

The soldier’s face softened at the thought of his bride, then darkened with melancholy.

"Seven years have passed in the blink of an eye. I don’t even know if she’d recognize me now. Even if she doesn’t, I wouldn’t blame her. I vanished for seven years without a word—that’s no way to treat a wife. Her life must have been so hard. Honestly, if it was too difficult, she could’ve remarried. I wouldn’t hold it against her."

His comrade patted his shoulder. "What are you thinking? Are there even any presentable bachelors left in Fengzhou? Even if she wanted to remarry, who’d she marry?"

The soldier laughed again. "You’re right about that."

Shouldering his pack, the soldier set off home in high spirits.

Yet, as he neared his doorstep, his nerves got the better of him—his steps hesitant.

Just then, the door swung open, and a bouncy little boy of five or six bounded out.

The soldier froze, staring at the child. The boy was the spitting image of his own childhood self—likely conceived on that single wedding night.

"Da Lang, slow down! Wait for me!" A gentle woman’s voice called out, followed by a figure both familiar and unfamiliar.

The woman carried a carrying pole, likely heading out to fetch water.

The soldier hurried forward and grabbed the pole from her hands. "Let me. I’ll get the water."

But the woman glared at him warily. "Just so you know, my husband serves in the frontier army. He even earned merit fighting the Xiongnu!"

The boy, sensing his mother’s fear, charged at the soldier like a tiny battering ram.

"Don’t you dare bully my mother!"

At the noise, the soldier’s elderly parents rushed out. The moment they saw him, they burst into tears.

"Si Lang, you’ve come back!"

The woman stood rooted to the spot, staring at the man until, at last, she recognized the features of the husband she had only shared one night with.

"Husband, is it really you? You've come back."

"It's me. I'm home. You've worked hard," the man said, embracing the woman and gently comforting her for all she had endured.

His return not only eased the family’s longing but also brought a sizable amount of silver—considerable for this household.

Such scenes unfolded across Fengzhou City that day, where pork shops sold out of pork entirely.

As for the frontier troops who couldn’t go home, Bing Wengu feared they might cause trouble, so he organized them to visit Nan Jinping’s teahouse in the city to listen to storytelling.

Unexpectedly, the young men in Nan Jinping’s tales—who dared to defy fate, strived for self-improvement, and even sought revenge—resonated strongly with these burly soldiers.

Some soldiers even secretly bought portraits of Xiao Geer, the protagonist from the storybook, hiding them in their tunics to bring back to the barracks, giving them a clear ideal to aspire toward.

This subtly changed many soldiers’ standards for choosing a spouse. Some brought their families to listen, and after hearing the stories, young women found their values and outlooks on life transformed.

Fengzhou was poor and underdeveloped, where education levels were generally low. But precisely because of this, the people were more open to new ideas.

After handling matters concerning the frontier troops, Bing Wengu confirmed that Wusun and the Xiongnu were locked in fierce battle. He then began carefully considering Fengzhou’s future development.

Fengzhou was ideal for cotton cultivation—Bing Wengu had previously seen thriving cotton plants in the outskirts. Returning to the city, he started collecting cotton seeds, only to find that there weren’t many available in Fengzhou.

Upon reflection, Bing Wengu understood why: Fengzhou had been caught in warfare for years. The people barely had the energy to grow food crops, let alone cotton.

But since Fengzhou was indeed suitable for cotton, Bing Wengu was unwilling to abandon this path of development.

He then thought of the Emperor. The Emperor still felt guilty for not approving his request to build a railway. If Bing Wengu asked him for cotton seeds, the Emperor would surely fulfill his request, no matter how scarce they were.

So Bing Wengu delegated the task to the Emperor. When Zhan Yu received Bing Wengu’s memorial requesting cotton seeds, he immediately pooled resources nationwide to gather and deliver them.

Of course, Bing Wengu didn’t just ask for cotton seeds—he also requested one thousand ewes, one hundred rams, one thousand cows, and one hundred bulls.

When these livestock arrived in the city, they drew crowds of curious onlookers.

The townsfolk buzzed with chatter.

"Didn’t the people from Bianjing just come through? They gave the frontier troops so much gold and silver. How could they be back already?"

"Why are they herding so many cattle and sheep here? Are the soldiers supposed to raise livestock when they’re not fighting?"

No one knew what Bing Wengu intended—and neither did Shen Chengzhou.

In fact, upon hearing the murmurs, Shen Chengzhou quickly advised, "Prefect, the frontier troops should focus on training. The war between the Xiongnu and Wusun is temporary. Before long, they’ll turn their attention to Dayong."

Bing Wengu glanced at him. "The frontier troops' job is to win battles. That’s all they need to worry about."

"Then what about these animals?" Shen Chengzhou asked cautiously.

"Hand them out to the people for raising," Bing Wengu said casually.

"What?" Shen Chengzhou was stunned. "How? The people don’t have money to buy them."

Bing Wengu frowned. "Use your head! The same way we distribute grain seeds—these animals will be given out the same way."

"For free?" Shen Chengzhou’s voice rose sharply, trembling slightly. "But these are cattle and sheep! What if the people raise them poorly and they die?"

"Tough luck." Bing Wengu had little patience for slow learners, but he had no choice but to explain coldly.

"Each household can get one sheep or cow for free. When the animals reproduce, the people keep the offspring and return the grown ones."

Shen Chengzhou never expected Bing Wengu to suggest such a method. "Then what about rent? When the people keep the offspring, will they still have to pay the government?"

"No, they can offset it by freely raising the livestock," Bing Wengu replied. "The commoners don’t need to worry either—the government will assign veterinarians. If any livestock they raise gets sick, they can come to the veterinarian for free treatment."

"If it can't be cured, will the people have to compensate?" Shen Chengzhou asked again.

"That depends on the situation. If the illness is due to force majeure or not caused by the negligence of the people, then no compensation is needed. But otherwise, if the people are careless, mistreat the livestock, or deliberately let them die, they naturally must compensate."

Compensation was necessary. Bing Wengu was certain that if he said no compensation was required, some people would let the livestock die the very same day just for the meat. Human nature could never be trusted when temptation was involved.

This would also weed out the lazy ones. Bing Wengu had always wanted to help those who were hardworking, ambitious, and willing to earn wealth with their own hands. As for those who sought an easy life without effort, he had no interest in supporting them—let them stay poor.

Shen Chengzhou stared at Bing Wengu, his expression changing back and forth. Finally, he bowed deeply. "Prefect, I thank you on behalf of all the people of Fengzhou!"

Bing Wengu waved his hand. "No need. It’s only my duty. Since I hold this position, I must plan for the welfare of the city's people."

When this policy was announced throughout the city, the people were thrilled.

This time was different from before. Previously, the Xiongnu had been a constant threat looming over them. This time, that threat had been removed. The people felt hopeful about life and more proactive.

Every family carefully weighed their options. Now, the first thing people asked each other was:

"Is your family taking part this time?"

"Yes."

"What are you going for?"

"Not sure yet. The government only lets us choose one between cotton, sheep, or cattle—I can’t decide."

"My family chose cotton. We only need to give back 30%, and there’s no risk. Sheep and cattle could pay off big, but they’re just as risky. If they die, we could be on the hook depending on why."

Even with these concerns, many still chose livestock. When the frontier army heard the news, soldiers from Fengzhou trained harder than ever.

Meanwhile, Bing Wengu ordered Bing Silang to reopen the glassworks, while keeping the cement factory running too.

Once they started making cement again and had repaired the city walls, Bing Wengu began selling it outside Fengzhou. This wasn’t just for Fengzhou’s people, but also for those in other prefectures.

Fengzhou’s people didn’t have much money, but other prefectures had plenty.

Cement was a great material for building houses—houses built with it were way better insulated.