Ding Tao sat cross-legged under the porch and counted the fruits in the silver plate over and over again. He stayed here, not letting anyone come to disturb him. It was getting late, and there were a few slanting rays of light remaining on the courtyard wall, and a handful of sunsets were broken in the locust leaves.
Shen Zechuan just woke up, because he slept for too long and was too heavy. At this moment, his back was sore and he was extremely tired. He opened the door, and when he saw Ding Tao, he was stunned for a while.
Ding Tao was scratching his head and scratching his cheeks when Shen Zechuan saw him, and he felt uncomfortable. He turned the hand that was still holding the fruit, and said nervously, "Young Master, let's eat, eat."
Shen Zechuan held the door and stood for a while before asking in a hoarse voice, "... What time is it?"
"You Shi," Ding Tao understood surprisingly, and quickly continued, "Young master has slept for a day! Master Mao Shi left the city, and Master Zhou and Mr. Cheng Feng went to deliver it together."
There was still a little bit of red in the corner of Shen Zechuan's eyes, and in the orange-red afterglow that would not sink, it was dyed like he was drunk. He was originally white, and when he lowered his eyes and put on his shoes, Ding Tao thought it was really good-looking.
"Is there still no letter from Juexi?" Shen Zechuan went down the steps, but he didn't rush to leave, but stood under the locust tree, looking up at the sky slightly, slowing down the rest of the night.
"No." Ding Tao followed behind Shen Zechuan, and while Shen Zechuan didn't look back, he quickly stuffed the half-eaten fruit into his mouth, and finished nibbling it horribly.
Shen Zechuan didn't see Meng's figure, so he knew that Xiao Chiye took it away. When he looked back, Ding Tao was so frightened that he choked and coughed. He paused for a moment and said, "No one is robbing you, so it doesn't matter if you eat slowly."
Ding Tao was so choked that tears were about to come out. He waved his hand and pulled at his front, and said with difficulty: "Master, master cough! Are we going to find Master Zhou? The master and Mr. Chengfeng used it in the front hall. Dinner, we are discussing things at the moment."
Shen Zechuan nodded and said, "Let's go."
* * *
Zhou Gui had just finished his meal, and was currently discussing matters with officials of various ranks in Kong Ling and Cizhou in the study. He heard Shen Zechuan coming, so he got up immediately and asked others to retreat first.
"Master Hou said that Tongzhi is not feeling well today. We originally thought that we would be able to discuss military affairs tomorrow, but Tongzhi came." Kong Ling welcomed Shen Zechuan to the seat, first to save Shen Zechuan from embarrassment, then sat down and turned to them slightly. , went on to say, "Although it's still June, our mansion is full of tall and luxuriant trees, and it's cold at night. Tongzhi has stayed in Yedu all the year round, and now you have to take care of your health here."
Shen Zechuan drank tea to moisten his throat, and the dryness was relieved a little, and it was no longer so obvious, so he said, "Mr. Chengfeng is right. Mr. said that we can discuss military affairs tomorrow. Did the two of you have already drawn up the regulations today?"
"Since Tongzhi made a covenant with us, I have summoned the staff of the government, together with officials of all levels in Cizhou, to simply draw up a booklet in the past few days." Zhou Gui put one hand on his knee and looked at Kong Ling. He got up and presented the booklet in front of Shen Zechuan, and continued, "It's all assumptions, but we still have to nod as much as you know. Look, if there's anything wrong, we can talk about it tonight."
Although he said he wanted to wait for Shen Zechuan to nod, he also said "Take it out and talk about it", indicating that most of the contents in this booklet have actually been finalized. This is Shen Zechuan's current embarrassing situation. He has money, but he has no other real power in his hands. Xiao Chiye's attitude is the key for him to sit here and talk to these two people. Zhou Gui can thank him and even respect him, but Zhou Gui will not give him the decision-making power of Cizhou, because they made a covenant, not submission.
Shen Zechuan looked at the booklet, the study was very quiet. Outside, only Ding Tao was teasing the sparrows, and no one who served was walking around to disturb him. Kong Ling was drinking tea, feeling uneasy for no reason. He calmly looked at Shen Zechuan's expression, but could not see any emotion of Shen Zechuan. When he looked at Zhou Gui again, he gradually showed urgency, and he couldn't help thinking to himself.
This Shen Zechuan is not young, but the city is very deep. After everyone got along for a few days, it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or not, and there was no way to prescribe the right medicine. When they drafted this booklet, it also meant throwing stones for directions.
When it was getting dark, Shen Zechuan closed the booklet. He rubbed the teacup with his fingertips, but did not speak.
Kong Ling was the master, so he could not go over Zhou Gui when he was discussing matters in the study. While letting him light the lamp, Zhou Gui turned slightly to the side, facing Shen Zechuan, and said after deliberation, "How does Tongzhi look?"
"My lord has also recorded the price fluctuations of firewood, rice, oil and salt in Ibaraki in the past few years. The accounts are clear, and it is not a problem to estimate the approximate expenditure for next year. I think the lord has also written down the proportion of military salaries that will be allocated to the garrison in the future. It's all over." Shen Zechuan said with a smile.
Zhou Gui breathed a sigh of relief, and he didn't know why he was hanging on to his heartstrings. Hearing what Shen Zechuan said, he said, "I was not able to write this booklet alone, but thanks to Cheng Feng and my colleagues. Then let's start discussing the defense of the city wall?"
Shen Zechuan paused at his fingertips and said, "I'm not busy, I have some questions."
Zhou Gui said quickly, "Please speak."
"Your Excellency has estimated the approximate cost of Ibaraki for next year. In addition to the rebuilt garrison, 16,000 shi of grain will be compensated for the 20,000 forbidden troops. The total amount of the two armies is 110,000 shi of grain." Shen Zechuan thought, "This is based on The amount allocated from last year's bumper harvest in Ibaraki was also saved from the original number of people in Ibaraki, but I think the adults still have 10,000 stones of grain left without marking."
"Not bad." Zhou Gui replied.
Although Xiao Chiye said they don't want to be paid, they can't really deny it. This 16,000 shi of grain is only enough for the 20,000 banned troops to feed for two and a half months, which is more than the monthly allowance they allocated to the 20,000 Cizhou garrison. Although they cannot provide food for a year, they really tried their best.
Zhou Gui was worried that Shen Zechuan would feel less, so he sincerely said: "Since I have shown Tongzhi's accounts to Tongzhi today, I hope Tongzhi and Hou Ye can understand. Because things were unstable this year in Dazhou, we had food before and after last year. Allocated to Libei and Luoshan. This is unexpected. In previous years, the supply of military rations was fully borne by the Juexi Granary. Now it is split between Ci and Huaizhou. I don’t know the details of Huaizhou, but We in Ibaraki are really thrifty. I don't want to complain to Tongzhi. I tell the truth, the 20,000 troops of Hou Ye are now temporarily supplied with food by Ibara. We are gritting our teeth and bearing it, but I can only bear it for a few months. Fortunately, the time is right next to the autumn harvest. I can count the days, so it is not exhausted. Our sixteen thousand stone grains, please also tell the Lord Hou on behalf of Cizhou. Intercession, moving to next year is not because I want to default, but because there are too many considerations."
Because Zhou Gui is always frowning, the center of his eyebrows has fallen from the Sichuan character early. He got up, walked a few steps in the open space, and said to Shen Zechuan.
"Izuku is a place where food depends on the sky, but no one can say whether God will give me a meal next year. I think Da Zhou has reached this point, and I am afraid that the fertile land cultivated in Izuku will be destroyed in the war next year. Once, even the people in the city will not be able to eat enough, even if a garrison army is established, it will not be able to support. We have left a lot of military rations, which are not only reserved for life-saving food, but also to prepare for the Libei Iron Cavalry. You know, it's not that we don't want to give the big money to Lord Hou, it's that the Northern Iron Cavalry guards the front line of the Biansha Snake Department, and they are indeed more important than the 20,000 forbidden troops."
"Zizhou Ken made such a covenant with the two of them. Half of the reason is that I was hurt by the Wei's military ration case, and it was also because of the identity of Lord Hou as the second son of the Xiao family that relieved many concerns. I'm giving it to the two of you, but it's also for the eldest son. Although Tongzhi made a promise that the Northeast Grain and Horse Road can continue to be used, I have to leave a way out. After all, Juexi is the granary of Dazhou. It is a battleground for all families, everyone wants it, and the queen mother wants it even more."
"What Tongzhi and I have said are all from the bottom of our heart," Zhou Gui finally stopped, bowed slowly to Shen Zechuan, and said, "It is not easy for anyone to make a living in a troubled time. I am the capital of Izuku, and Izuku's safety depends on me. Words are the most important thing. Master Hou and Tongzhi solved the difficulties in Izuku this time, and I am willing to go through fire and water for the two of them. If Izzhou is still a bumper year this year, we can add 16,000 shi of grain next year, but It is true that Cizhou cannot supply the Imperial Army like the Libei iron cavalry. I also said bluntly, if Biansha invades in the autumn, or if the Libei food is in short supply in the spring of next year, Izuku will give the Libei iron cavalry food first, and then give it to the imperial army. Allocate food."
The candles in the study are not too bright, and Zhou Gui's food and clothing are very simple. Except for the time when he was entertaining Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye, the whole family usually ate ordinary side dishes, and cooked bark in disaster years. Ibaraki seems to be the most prosperous place in China and Bo, in fact, it is still a mess compared to other places. He is willing to provide food, which is under great pressure. When Xiao Chiye first went out of the city, Zhou Gui suggested to ask for the support of the Libei Iron Cavalry. It was not an improvisation, but a deeply ingrained idea.
The defeat of the Zhongbo soldiers has been said countless times in their words, but outsiders can never feel the same. Because Zhou Gui was defeated, he even had a problem. He would toss and turn when he heard the whistle at night, feeling panic. The defeat along the Chashi River was too tragic. Massacre, massacre, these two words have been transmitted from Duanzhou back to Qidu. Everyone read these two words back then, but the blood flowing into a river was only a stalemate for Qidu. For Zhongbo, the ink marks on it are a real ruin.
Ibaraki was able to survive, relying on the Libei iron cavalry. In the eyes of Zhou Gui and even everyone in Ibaraki, it is far more important to be away from the Northern Iron Cavalry than the forbidden army. Since Xiao is going to be a goddess tomorrow, the "Iron Horse Glacier" is the death-free gold medal that faces the border sand cavalry in the northeast of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Lei Jingzhe dared to seek Cizhou, but he had no plans to live there for a long time. He even left when he was ready to rob food, and immediately made preparations to ask Qidu for credit. What he was afraid of was that Xiao Jiming would move his troops south again.
Xiao Jiming was injured in the military ration case, but they didn't see it with their own eyes. Those who waited for him couldn't believe it, and those who were afraid of him didn't dare to gamble. If the old-fashioned officials headed by Hai Liangyi are afraid of Xiao Fangxu, then the younger generation is even more afraid of Xiao Jiming.
The study was silent, the candles flickering.
Shen Zechuan felt a sore back, and there were traces of Xiao Chiye's bite on the collarbone covered by his neckline. Strangely, at such a serious and serious moment, he remembered Xiao Chiye's sweaty face, Xiao Chiye's strong arms, and Xiao Chiye's kiss on his neck when he was panting.
He remembered everything about Xiao Chiye, but he couldn't think of what made Xiao Chiye worse than Xiao Jiming.
Shen Zechuan was only silent for a while, and the wandering spirit was only for a moment. He said, "I understand what your lord said. Ce'an and I are here. The food we borrowed temporarily will be returned next year."
Zhou Gui immediately turned pale and wanted to explain: "Tongzhi, we are not..."
"The problem I want to discuss with the adults is not that you have allocated too little food to the Imperial Army, but that you have allocated too much food to the Imperial Army." Shen Zechuan motioned Zhou Gui to sit down, and said clearly, "Zizhou is willing to give so much food. Allocating the food for the military to the military is a sign of sincerity. But as we mentioned at the beginning, the forbidden army will only use the grain of Ibaraki at this moment. The military grain of the forbidden army in the future will have a supply channel, and there is no need to use the barn of Ibaraki.”
Zhou Gui felt stupid and didn't dare to answer without permission, so he looked at Kong Ling and said, "Cheng Feng is the one who drew up the booklet by the inspector. He knows some things better than me. Cheng Feng, you and Tong Zhi explain."
Kong Ling got up and supported the back of the chair, but asked: "Tongzhi is so sure that the forbidden army will not be short of food in the future, and also said that the northeast grain and horse road can be used as usual, I really can't think of any countermeasures to do this, please let me know. Tell us about it, or else you will have to ask the Imperial Army to accept it."
Shen Zechuan dipped the tea cup lightly and said, "Before this, I still have to ask the two of you, will Izuku rely on the ground to eat in the future?"
Kong Ling said: "The location of Cizhou is limited. If it is not so, how can it survive?"
"What I saw was exactly the opposite of Mr. Shen." Shen Zechuan put down the tea cup and said, "The original location of Cizhou was indeed not good. To the north was Libei, to the south was Chazhou, and to the east was Dun and Duanzhou. Blocked, the west is restrained by Dan City, and I dare not move at will, nor can I move at will. But that was the situation when Cizhou was still attached to the capital city. Now that you have a good relationship with Libei, Dan City can no longer move. Relying on the power of Qidu to force Cizhou to do things, Dunzhou was occupied by bandits, and the vacancies will be emptied immediately. In this way, the three walls of Cizhou have collapsed, and the remaining Chazhou is not an obstacle, but an opportunity ."
Zhou Gui wanted to get up again, he wrinkled his robe, and asked cautiously, "What do you mean by Tongzhi?"
"Chazhou is located along the waterway that can reach Hezhou. After the defeat of the army, Hezhou merchants used this to sell sky-high grain in Zhongbo and made huge profits from the big and small bandits. If this road is only used to make money for others, it would be too bad. What a pity."
"However, Chazhou is also in charge of bandits now, and it has a relationship with the Yan family in Hezhou, so we won't let us do business in Cizhou for no reason." Kong Ling said, and was a little anxious, "Besides, what can we sell? Compared with Hezhou, it is a backcountry."
"Selling food." Shen Zechuan said.
As soon as these words came out, Zhou Gui got up immediately and said, "No! Isn't that the same as the black-hearted thieves who colluded with officials and merchants in Juexi and reselled official grain?"
"Sir, don't be impatient." Shen Zechuan's eyes were so calm that Zhou Gui sat back involuntarily. He said: "The reason why some people resell official grain at high prices in Juexi and Hezhou is because there is a shortage of grain in various parts of China and Bo, among which the tea state is the most serious. In Qidu, one tael of silver can buy two stones of grain. Two silver coins can buy one stone and five buckets of grain, but in Chazhou, one tael of silver can only buy two buckets of food. The silver in the hands of the Chazhou robbers is scraped from the only remaining people in Chazhou, so the good people with household registration cannot Survival, so desperately take risks, and the number of people who become bandits will only increase. Your lord, Lei Changming—that is, Lei Jingzhe, he can quickly increase the number of people to this number within half a year, and the fundamental reason is also the same. So Izzhou Ken Selling grains to Chazhou at a price slightly higher than Qidu is actually helping Chazhou.”
"However," Kong Ling frowned slightly, "we sold the grain to the tea state, and the granary will inevitably be vacant. We only have the silver in our hands, so wouldn't we be in the current situation of the tea state? The black-hearted grain merchants in Xihe Hezhou will only intensify their efforts to ask for money from us."
"Hezhou is far away, and Cizhou wants to do business with it, so don't worry about it in this year or two. When I left Qidu, I knew a little about Huaizhou. This time, Huaizhou contributed half of the military ration preparation, and the granary was very good. Filling. They go to the southwest to Dicheng, which is on the outskirts of Qidu, and Dicheng leads directly to Juexi Seaport. Huaizhou wants to do business through Dicheng, but it is short of money. Dicheng can sell its grain to Chazhou first, and then use less than tea. The price of the state is bought from Huaizhou, and the remaining money can be used to subsidize other places, and the granary can be kept abundant at any time, which can leave a retreat for Libei Tieqi or Ibaraki at a critical moment.”
Jin Yiwei has a job of "listening to notes", which is to record prices in detail in the streets and alleys. Shen Zechuan served as the manager of Jinyiwei military craftsman in Nanzhen Fushi, and was able to read the records of Jinyiwei every year. Ge Qingqing originally wanted to transcribe it, but Shen Zechuan memorized it all night. He was wary of those unknown futures too early, and he was reluctant to easily hand over important things to paper. It turned out that he did a good job. They left Qidu in such a hurry that they didn't have time to bring anything. But when he left, the records, dossiers, and old books he had read followed him.
Zhou Gui fell into deep thought, he thought and thought, and said, "If Huaizhou refuses to..."
"It's possible! To the east of Huaizhou is Luoxia Pass. It can transfer some border scenery from Libei, and it's just a line to transport it to the seaport." The more Kong Ling thought about it, the more excited he became. Thigh, said, "Yeah! It's long overdue! If Izuku still doesn't know how to change, wouldn't it still be in the previous cage? It's possible, it's possible!"
Shen Zechuan never answered how he wanted to continue using the Northeast Liangma Road, but Kong Ling had no time to think about it. In the candlelight, he seemed to see the vitality of Ibaraki. In the case of Lei Changming, he felt that Shen Zechuan was a "strange" person, but now he has completely forgotten about it. He wanted to hold Shen Zechuan and thank him. He stretched out his hand and thought of Xiao Chiye, and quickly and disciplinedly took it back. , said repeatedly: "In this way, if there is more grain in the next few years, I am not afraid of mold in the warehouse."
"Then let's talk about the garrison," Zhou Gui said across the table and chairs, "and the defense of the city wall."
Shen Zechuan was drinking hot tea, and before he opened his mouth, he saw Ding Tao outside the study door showing his head and waving at him vigorously.
"What's wrong?" Shen Zechuan got up and walked to the door.
Ding Tao went out just now, running with sweat all over her face. He opened his mouth and said, "Young Master, Master! Here we come!"
Zhou Gui and Kong Ling also approached, seeing that Ding Tao was still excited one moment, but the next moment he closed his eyes and burst into tears. Shen Zechuan seemed to feel something, and walked out of the door in a daze. As expected, Ding Tao choked and said, "Young Master! The brothers are all back! Qiao Tianya is back too! And that Ji—"
Shen Zechuan had already strode out into the yard, and the sky outside was already dark. He was still holding the tea cup in his hand, and splashed some of it while walking, his fingers were red from the heat, but he didn't seem to notice it and completely forgot. He walked out of the mansion in a hurry, but after a short distance, he was covered in sweat.
Several carriages escorting goods were parked outside the mansion, and a few tall men were scattered under the lanterns. The shorter one, still covered in a cloak, rested beside the carriage, standing on his side.
Shen Zechuan's chest rose and fell, and his eyes were already flushed, but he refused to show his shape here.
Ji Gang listened to the movement, turned to look, saw Shen Zechuan, forgot the stone steps in front of him, and almost stumbled. He showed unkempt white hair, his lips moved, and before he could say his name, he was already in tears.
"Chuan..." Ji Gang was like a white-headed child, annoyed at his incompleteness, he waved anxiously, "You, you..."
Shen Zechuan went down the stairs in two steps to help Ji Gang. Ji Gang grabbed Shen Zechuan's arm and looked at the person up and down. In this life, he first worked as a Jinyiwei in Quedu, and then as a blacksmith in Duanzhou. Later, he suffered a great disaster, and his wife and children were all bereaved, but he would always support the appearance of a tough guy in front of others. But when he saw Shen Zechuan at the moment, he couldn't control his tears.
"Chuan'er..." Ji Gang wiped his tears with his rough fingers, looked at Shen Zechuan over and over again, and his thousands of words turned into a sentence, "It's okay if you don't care."
He was dusty and had lost a lot of weight. Qi Hui even died, and he couldn't get over it in his heart, and he was afraid that Shen Zechuan would suffer after he left Qidu, and he would work hard all the way, and he would not be able to eat or sleep well. All the suffering was accumulated on his hunched back. He was no longer Ji Gang who could be famous all over the world, but with his thin body, he was still willing to shelter Shen Zechuan from the wind and rain. For this son, he can travel thousands of miles and punch the world's heroes. He really didn't ask for anything, he just wanted to see Shen Zechuan live well.
"How can you be so thin!" Ji Gang said uncontrollably.
"Master," Shen Zechuan's voice trembled, "How did Master lose so much weight."
"I'm old, and I can't stand the toss." Ji Gang wiped his tears hastily and said happily, "Seeing you now, Master is all right!"
Qiao Tianya pushed aside the broken teacup, knelt down on one knee, deliberately softened the sadness, and said with a smile, "Although it is a few months longer, it is fortunate that it is not humiliated. Master, enjoy your meal and wine. Will it work? Master, let's sit down and talk!"
* * *
The originally small courtyard was full of people. Kong Ling greeted the kitchen to cook in a hot pot, and set up a table in the courtyard. He used his horse to catch the wind and dust for the Jinyiwei and Libei guards.
Qiao Tianya chased Ding Tao's fat sparrow with chopsticks and said, "Everyone is running thin, so you feed it so shiny, are you going to drink wine for your brothers?"
Ding Tao was originally happy, but when she heard the words, she picked up the sparrow and said anxiously, "No!"
Gu Jin was very hungry, and he didn't forget to stretch his chopsticks to beat Qiao Tianya back when he was digging into the rice, and said in a muffled voice, "Are you itchy? You have to bully him as a child."
"I didn't deduct your food on the way," Chen Yang said while sitting down to drink, "Why are you so hungry?"
"Brother Bone has distributed all the food to the children begging on the road," Fei Shengcai was dealing with them, knowing that everyone would be the same in the future, so he chose his words to say, "I think Brother Bone is also a chivalrous man, and he took it out. A lot of copper money to buy them steamed buns."
"You can't help the poor," Chen Yang said bitterly, "you have to change your heart when you see people cry. Now there is a shortage of food everywhere, it's not that you are not allowed to do good deeds, but you have to be measured."
"Have you spent all your money?" Ding Tao said, lying on the side, "Brother Jin, didn't you say you wanted to give it to me last time? I saved it for you to get a wife. I remember it clearly." He said and took out his notebook again, "It's still written about you borrowing me three cents for drinking wine. Of course I don't care about this money, I don't care, really brother, I that is… "
Gujin ate happily, stuffed the cotton he carried with him into his right ear, turned to the left, and said, "The wine at home? Get me a jar."
"Just drink three cups," Qiao Tianya had already stopped his chopsticks, he said, "I'm going to report to my master later on the errand. You're so drunk, have you forgotten the punishment from the Marquis last time? At this time, I advise You proceed with caution."
He is usually laughing and giggling, but he used to be a confidant of Jin Yiwei, but now he really shows his style, and he is really powerful. The tone is very calm, but the words are not so pleasant.
Gujin frowned irritably, but still nodded and said, "I'm greedy, I haven't had a drink for months."
Ding Tao gradually closed the chatterbox. He is the youngest among these people, and he is usually raised as a younger brother, and no older brother has ever been stingy to buy him candy. That's why he is not afraid of anyone and dares to get close to anyone. He is born with insight and is particularly sensitive to the emotional flow between people. He noticed that his brothers were not as relaxed as they seemed, so he held his little sparrow and sat on the side honestly, neither noisy nor noisy.
When the meal was almost over, Kong Ling arranged for people to set up the yard to rest the guests who had been running all the way. It was already midnight, Shen Zechuan asked Ding Tao to send Ji Gang to rest, and the leading ones had something to report and stood on the porch one by one, ready to go in one by one.
"Come in and sit down together, and we can talk together if we have something to say." When they all came in, Shen Zechuan sat on the main seat and asked Chen Yang first, "Is the preparation of military rations going well?"
Chen Yang sat upright, he sorted out his words for a moment, and said: "It's not going well, just as my son expected before I left, the officials in Huaizhou were all prevarications and refused to organize. The deadline was approaching, and I was so anxious that it was the Luoxia Pass guard, Mr. Jiang, who came forward to guarantee that Huaizhou would be willing to release the grain. Fortunately, the deadline was met, and the grain and horse road was directly connected, so that the military situation was not delayed." He said Here, after being silent for a while, he said, "I met the Shizi in Libei. The Shizi was seriously injured. I heard that the master was surrounded by a heavy siege in Yedu.
Shen Zechuan didn't ask any further details, but turned to Gujin and said, "You came to Cizhou to adjust grains at the time, and Zhou Gui was not as troublesome as Huaizhou Prefecture, why are you so worried now?"
Gujin was a little surprised when his name was called. Everyone present found him absent-minded, Shen Zechuan looked at him, he said: "... I came to Cizhou to inspect the preparation of military rations, and I did not encounter difficulties. I sent it to the front with the army early, and I also met the prince in the Hongyan East Mountains. "
He didn't speak quickly, and stopped and hesitated for a long time.
"I heard that the master left Qidu and has been waiting for him to return home. After meeting with Chenyang in the army, I learned that the master stopped in Cizhou, so I rushed here."
Libei is in the north of Ibaraki, and it stands to reason that they should be faster than Qiao Tianya.
Shen Zechuan tapped the table with his fingertips, walked over, and said to Qiao Tianya, "How about you? Tell me in detail."
Qiao Tianya put his arms on the handle of the chair, and answered quickly: "I was ordered by the master to go to look for people, and traced the traces in the Xue mansion, and found that Xue Xiuzhuo had moved the master to Donglong Yaxing, but the master disappeared. We were late. After a step... I can't get out of the city gate, so I can only hide in the capital." He said and looked at Fei Sheng, "It happened that he was also taking someone to hide from the family to search. We tried every means to get out of the city, but Han Cheng took the Qi They were all blocked up. We really had nowhere to go, so we hid in Hou Ye’s plum house. I happened to find the distribution map of Qedu Guangou that Hou Ye took out from Pan’s house in Mei’s house.”
This thing was obtained by Xiao Chiye from Pan Lin when he held a banquet. At that time, he was going to keep it for himself just in case, but unexpectedly it became the key to Qiao Tianya and the others to escape from the capital.
"We climbed out of the official ditch," Fei Sheng said, and stretched out his hand, showing his fingers, "The official ditches on each street are all newly dug, I don't know if it's what Hou Ye meant, but they are all narrow outside and wide inside, dry and dry. There are still candles and some dry food in the place. Our group of more than 50 people, relying on these dry food, went around the Eighth Camp for more than ten days, and finally left the capital from the place near Fengshan. "
"After I came out, I found that the inspection of the official roads between the eight cities of Trent was strict, so I took off the gold, silver and jade pendants on my body, disguised as a traveling merchant, and went around from the south of Trent City to Chazhou, and then from Chazhou to Cizhou." Qiao. Tianya said, "When we arrived in Chazhou half a month ago, we heard that Han Cheng had already sent the emperor's heir to the palace. But after leaving Chazhou, the news was lost, and the follow-up was lost. For other details, we had to wait for Ge Qingqing's letter. ."
Shen Zechuan pondered, no one bothered. He heard Ding Tao's voice walking down the porch, and when Ding Tao came to the door, he said, "The two of you are tired too. Let's go to rest with Ding Tao tonight."
Fei Sheng winked, and he wasn't too busy dissecting his loyalty tonight. He simply stood up neatly, called the master together with Qiao Tianya, and left.
* * *
The candles burst slightly and flickered.
Gujin never raised his head and said a word. He was trapped in the dim light, and the shadow of the candle was projected on his side face, like two groups of villains scrambling together.
Shen Zechuan was surprisingly calm, and he said, "What happened to the two of you in Libei?"
Chen Yang raised his hand to half cover his face, resting his elbow on the chair handle. He said: "... I didn't encounter anything in front of the prince, it was Gujin."
Gujin unbuttoned his clothes in the unbearable silence, took off his shirt, and turned his back, exposing his entire back in front of Shen Zechuan. He said: "These things should have been reported directly to the master, but the master will return in a few days. According to the master's instructions in the capital, I can report it to the master first. I arrived at the most intense place, and both the prince and Zuo Shuai are safe. After the end, I temporarily became the forward of the original scout parade, and I dealt with the cavalry of the Serpent Division every day. I can’t remember which day I took the team back from the Eastern Mountains and encountered an ambush on the way.”
The back was rotten, and the serious parts had been scraped off, and the blood oozing out of the gauze-wrapped parts could still be seen.
"I was shot by an arrow, but I escaped. I originally thought it was from the Serpent Division, so I took the remaining two hundred brothers to bypass the pasture where the Serpent Division was infested, and walked back from the swamp of the Tuda Dragon Banner. Who would have thought that night would be ambushed again at the Tuda Dragon Banner." Gu Jin pulled up his shirt again, tied the buttons, and said, "Young master, I was born as a scout, and I was able to be selected by the lord as a guard because of a pair of shoes. Eyes and a pair of ears. Although my stay in Yedu was not as good as before, after the master mentioned it, I didn't dare to be careless, especially on the battlefield. I was even more cautious. , didn't discuss it with anyone, but was ambushed twice, so I began to suspect that there was an eyeliner from the Serpent Department in the team."
"On the way to escape for the second time, I found that there was snake venom on the arrow. This poison was painted on the steel needle by Ding Tao before, and it was something from the Hongyan West Mountains. At that time, my back was badly rotten, and I was chased in the swamp. , I was bitten by some poisonous insects, but I couldn't hold it, and it started to burn at dawn."
Gujin stopped here again.
He spoke in a dull tone, pausing several times, as if to double check, in case he made a mistake, and he knew what the next words meant.
"Our horses are all drowning in the swamp, and I can't walk. A dozen li to the south from the Tuda Dragon Banner is the permanent camp of the Libei Iron Cavalry. The strange thing is that there was no patrolling that day, so I let my cronies go first. I rushed back and waited for reinforcements at the same place. As a result, no one came from dusk to dawn the next day. I was worried that the eyeliner would enter the permanent camp, so I insisted and rushed back. He was detained with a knife and spent the night in the shed where the prisoners in Biansha were being held. The next day, they were taken to the front tent to be judged by the resident general Guo Weili."
Gujin omitted the details of the trial, and he did not want to recall it. For him, it was not a physical pain, but a collapse of some thoughts.
He said in a very light voice: "They said that I was fornicating with the Snake Department, so that the vanguard troops further east of the Tuda Dragon Banner were wiped out that night, and I was deprived of the middle rank of our army, and asked me to explain whether I was accepted or not. Instructions. I don’t recognize what I haven’t done. I asked the battalion why I ignored my military report twice before and after. They claimed that they didn’t receive it. According to the military law, I have to go through the three generals and then the current commander. You can only cut it by drawing the hook in person, but Guo Weili bit the eldest son to death and his serious injuries have not healed.
Shen Zechuan used a silver needle to pick off the wick of the candle, and the flame went out. He stared at the candle that looked like weeping, and countless thoughts flashed through in an instant. He didn't even need Chenyang and Gujin to remind him, but he also remembered that in the Ministry of War appointment book, this Guo Weili was the one who Xiao Jiming single-handedly picked up.
* * *
Xiao Chiye followed the traces left by Lei Jingzhe all the way to the north of the old camp. He dismounted and grabbed the soil, looked forward, and narrowed his eyes slightly.
Tantaihu looked at the mountains and said: "If you continue to go north, you will step on the sideline of Libei. They don't dare to go there, so they can only run away. Master, I suspect that he is walking people, it is too difficult to chase. "
"He's really walking people," Xiao Chiye loosened his fingers, "it's a small stream again, and naturally I can't catch it with a big net, but we will fall into the opponent's trap if we disperse. He refused to fight me head-on, It's because they can't bear the momentum of the Imperial Army and are worried that their own people will be distracted. They are familiar with this place, so they do everything possible to lure us into separate groups, so that we can break through them one by one."
"We don't have enough cavalry," Tantai Hu surveyed the terrain, "This dog thief is too cunning!"
"Not busy." Xiao Chiye stood up.
After returning from the inspection, he landed on Xiao Chiye's shoulder and stood in the night wind with Xiao Chiye. The wind rustled the grass, and a few wisps of willow leaves spread out.
"Among the five soldiers, only the fire is the most intense." Xiao Chiye mounted his horse again, "I want to burn him so that he has nowhere to hide."
Tantai Hu followed him on his horse and said, "But there are many trees here. If it burns, the fire will spread to the Libei grassland."
Xiao Chiye laughed immediately, and said to Tantai Hu: "I didn't tell you to burn this place. Go, go to the villages and towns along the way, and ask them to put up notices. Anyone who harbors bandits will be killed immediately. But if you notify the Imperial Army. , just weigh the copper coins according to the head, how much there is, how much I will reward. I also tell them that Ibaraki will soon issue a notice of conscription. If you go to other places, you can provide three meals a day. Among them, those who have received the reward from the Imperial Army are preferred. Since Lei Jingzhe doesn't want to be found out by us, then I will knock him out."
Tantaihu hesitated again and again, but still said: "But aren't we out of money..."
"Go back and report it to Lan Zhou," Xiao Chiye rode his horse, and then he turned his horse back, and said, "Can't the second son afford a few copper coins?"
Tantai Tiger looked embarrassed.
Xiao Chiye turned his finger and said coldly, "Oh."
The author has something to say: ① "Jixiao New Book"
Three chapters in one.
Let's talk about food, here 1 stone ≈ 90kg. There are special granaries in Jue, and the price of food generally does not fluctuate drastically. Officials have monthly income subsidies, and prices in Juexi are relatively high. 16,000 stone can probably feed 20,000 soldiers for two and a half months, but this is based on the premise that the soldiers have no cavalry, no rushing back and forth, and no wars.