If Bianliang is the economic, cultural, and political center of the Yellow River Basin, and Hangzhou is the economic, cultural, and political center of the Yangtze River Basin, then Yizhou is the southernmost economic, cultural, and cultural center of the Song Dynasty. As for politics?

, there is basically no politics to talk about here.

Yizhou is not only the largest city in Guangxi, but also the trade center of the Song Dynasty for Jiaozhi and other southern countries.

The largest shopping mall in the south is here.

Of course, if compared with the competition with Xixia or the Jin Kingdom in the northwest or north, then this competition is not worth mentioning, it is too shabby.

When Li Qi was about to arrive in Yizhou, he pretended to be a businessman and led dozens of people into the city.

But when he arrived at the foot of Yizhou City, he was stunned by the walls of Yizhou City.

Generally speaking, in a city of this size, one city wall only has one main city gate, and the capital Bianliang only has three city gates per wall. At most, there is only one more gate for special purposes, such as a water gate, or a gate dedicated to transporting goods.

.

But this Yizhou City actually has three gates, and the main gate in the middle is the smallest. What's even more strange is that there are no city walls above the left and right gates, as if the entire city wall is cut off, and the city walls are paved with wooden planks.

channel.

I have to say that the soldiers on the city wall are doing high-risk operations.

If the enemy invaded, they would be breached in a matter of seconds. Li Qi felt confused. How could the defense of such an important military area be so casual? He called Niu Gao and asked, "What's going on with this city wall?"

"

Niu Gao replied: "The Privy Council did not know. This was caused by the battle of Yizhou. When the Jiaozhi army attacked Yizhou, they encountered fierce resistance from our army in Yijiang. Therefore, after the city of Yizhou was defeated, the Jiaozhi army

Then tear down the city wall of Yizhou and fill in the Yijiang River to make it easier for your army to cross the river."

Li Qi frowned and said, "When did this happen?"

"About fifty or sixty years ago."

"Fifty or sixty years ago?" Li Qi said angrily: "That's unreasonable. My Zuixian Villa was built a few years ago. Fifty or sixty years have passed. The city wall still looks like this? These officials are all shit.

went."

Niu Gao said: "Privy Councilor, you really can't blame the officials for this. In fact, almost all four walls of Jiaozhi were demolished at that time. Later, three walls were rebuilt. Only the two holes in the north have not been repaired. It's really...

This place is too poor. The court refused to allocate more money, so we built two city gates at this opening to make do."

"Let's make do? Can we make do with this?"

Li Qi snorted, knowing that Niu Gao could not be blamed for this. He took a deep breath and said, "Take me to see the Yizhou Army first."

"ah?"

"Ah for what!"

Niu Gao scratched his head and said: "Actually - in fact, there is nothing interesting about this Yizhou Army. Why don't I take you, sir, to see the scenery?"

Li Qidao: "Is it because you hang on the tree and become a mummy?"

Niu Gao quickly shook his head and said: "Privy Envoy, it's not that the general doesn't want to take you there, the problem is that no one can see it."

Li Qi frowned and said, "What do you mean?"

Niu Gao said: "There are only more than 10,000 troops on the South Guangxi Road, and there are only 1,500 people in Yizhou."

"It's such a big city, and it's also in the border area. Only 1,500 troops?" Li Qi opened his mouth and asked.

Niu Gao nodded.

"Those are humans too!" Li Qi compromised.

Niu Gao added: "These 1,500 people are just rural soldiers. They don't fight. They never train. They work to support their families on weekdays."

"this---."

Li Qi was speechless, waved his hand and said: "Forget it, forget it, go to the government office first, don't mention the scenery to me anymore, I want to kill someone."

"As commanded."

......．

A group of people came to the city. Li Qi originally thought that Yizhou City was a trading city and must be very prosperous, but when they came to the city, it looked really empty.

Of course, this does not mean that there is no one there, but there are too few people and the space is very large. It cannot be compared with Hangzhou and Bianliang.

When Li Qi passed by the market, he took a look inside. Almost all the products sold there were game, or some daily necessities, such as sickles, straw sandals, bamboo mats, etc. Except for Zhuang brocade and some special features, there was nothing at all.

A product that can attract Li Qi's attention is really a blessing!

After walking for a while, Li Qi wondered: "Niu Gao, there are too few people here."

Niu Gao said: "There are only a few people in this place. In the Battle of Yizhou, Jiaozhi massacred 60,000 people here, almost killing all the residents in the city. They have not recovered yet. In this Yizhou alone, there are

More than ten temples were ruined.”

During the Yuanfeng period, there were only 1.6 million people in Guangxi, which was one-eightyth of the country's population. It was the most sparsely populated province in the Song Dynasty, and more than 100,000 people were killed in that battle.

It accounts for one-sixteenth of the province. The successive wars in those years caused a sharp decline in the population of this place. Today, there are tens of thousands of people under the jurisdiction of Yizhou, including surrounding towns and villages, and these ethnic minorities.

They are all divided by ethnic groups, and they all live in their own ethnic areas. There are probably less than 20,000 people in this city.

There are only 20,000 people in such a big city, which is really embarrassing.

"ok, ok, I got it."

Li Qi waved his hand and said that it might as well be a cover-up, but he didn't want to hear stories about this anyway.

When we arrived at Yizhou Government Office, we didn't know what was going on inside the gate, but the outside was quite simple and not as lavish as a county government office near Hangzhou. The key was that the gate was still closed.

What Li Qi saw was the mist. It was broad daylight and it was not a holiday. The door of this government office was closed. This was a state mansion. He really felt like he had come to another country. This time

I encountered some things on the road that I simply couldn't understand.

"Knock, knock."

Li Qi is very angry now.

Niu Gaogui felt unhappy and did not dare to neglect, so he went to knock on the door himself.

After knocking for a long time, the door was opened, and a listless government servant looked at Li Qi and the others and said, "Who are you?"

Li Qi hummed: "My dog ​​died. I came to report the crime."

When the yamen officer heard that Li Qi had a foreign accent, he snorted, "Who are you? How dare you make trouble here."

Li Qidao: "Now it sounds like he is a government official, Du Ming. Ask him to come out and see me."

This Du Ming is the magistrate of Yizhou.

The yamen servant was a little frightened when he heard Li Qi's unkind tone and called the master by his first name. He asked cautiously again: "Who are you?"

Niu Gao picked him up with one hand and caught him like a rabbit. He said: "When the adults ask you, just answer truthfully. What are you talking about?"

Sir? The man was immediately frightened and said hurriedly: "The villain knows his crime, the villain knows his crime."

"Where's Du Ming?"

Li Qi narrowed his eyes and asked calmly. But in his heart, he thought, this government servant is too timid.

"Master---Master, he---he is not at home."

"Then where is he?"

"Master--Master---."

Li Qi waved his hand and said: "Kill."

Whoosh!

One of the guards drew a machete.

The yamen servant was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground and said: "Sir, have mercy on me, my lord, have mercy on me, Master --- Master, he has gone out to perform a ritual."

Sun! Another magician. Li Qi said: "How do you do things? It seems that you are still an expert, so please take me to watch and observe."

How dare the yamen officer say anything nonsense? This boss is always willing to kill people. He rolled down the steps and rolled his hands to the left. Wei Ruoruo said: "This way, sir." "

Sweating! This is also a government office? Gui Gong is pretty much the same. What else do you want from this government office? Just change it into a brothel. At least you can make money. That’s right. The city walls are like that. How can I expect this government office to be as good as that? , It’s such a vast world. It’s full of wonders! Li Qi walked for a while and suddenly asked: “What’s your name?”

"The villain is called Brother Nong."

Li Qi asked curiously: "Why did I see you alone just now? Don't tell me, you are the only one in this government office."

They all drew their swords in front of the government office, but not a single person ran out. This is so curious.

Brother Nong said: "No, my brother is still here."

"Just you two?"

"Today is our brother's turn."

"What about the rest?"

"this---."

Li Qi glanced coldly, and the farmer immediately replied: "The rest have gone home to do farm work."

This answer made Li Qi dumbfounded. Seeing that Brother Nong was only in his early twenties, his face was sweating profusely, and tears were welling up in his eyes. He thought, it would be easy to help him, and he would wait until he met Du Ming.
To be continued...