Seeing Qin Jue staring at him for a long time, Xie Linlang thought for a while, and suddenly asked expectantly.
"How is it? Did you find that I am very knowledgeable and talented? I am so good, do you really not consider apprenticeship?"
She rested her chin in her hands, and her eyes sparkled.
At this time, they were sitting on the top of the mountain, the surrounding mountains were low, and the night was silent, giving Qin Jue the illusion that only the two of them were left in the world.
But they are the only ones left. With her here, it seems that they are not lonely anymore.
He thought so, the smile in his eyes rose, and the phrase "Master" had been swallowed back by him.
I saw him stand up and said lightly, "Let's go, there are only three days left until the two-month period, aren't you in a hurry?"
Qin Jue didn't mention Xie Linlang and forgot, that's right! He is going to Xiangcheng to report!
But fortunately, there are still three days, and there should be enough time!
In this way, Xie Linlang did not dare to delay, and ended Qin Jue's "experience" ahead of schedule, and the two went straight to Xiangcheng.
—
She may not have felt it, but everything they experienced on the road was scattered in Qin Jue's memory like a gem, shining in the darkness.
*
Strictly speaking, Xiangcheng is a good place, surrounded by mountains and rivers, isolated from the world.
But the road from Qilian Mountain to Xiangcheng is too bad! No, it should be said that there should be no road here, but there are many people walking, and the road is formed.
Sitting on the ox cart, Xie Linlang chatted with the old man who was driving the cart while looking at the map.
The old man had just come out of the neighboring village to sell goods. Seeing that they were on the way, they were all going in the direction of Xiangcheng, so he kindly gave them a ride.
"Master, I want to ask, how many ways are there to enter Xiangcheng?"
It's not clear on the map, it's better to ask the locals.
The old man said while driving the car, "This is the dry road. If people from the surrounding villages want to enter the city, they all have to take this road."
"According to what you mean, there is still a waterway in Jinxiang City?"
"Yes!" The old man said with a smile, "Xiangcheng is surrounded by mountains to the northwest and water to the northeast. If you enter from the north, there is only this official road. If you don't take the dry road, you can only go a little farther and row a boat! The waters around the city are not wide, and there are no winds and waves, so one person can paddle across it.”
Xie Linlang heard the words and asked again, "Since the waterway is not far, there must be a wharf nearby, right? Where is the nearest wharf?"
The old man thought for a while, pointed to the east and said, "The nearest pier should be the Blackwater Pier, right? You can see it a few miles east from here, but the lake is long and narrow, and the water is not deep. I don't go there, the big ship will go to Chang'an Pier, which is a little further east..."
"Blackwater Pier?"
Xie Linlang was a little strange, "Is the water there black? Otherwise, why is it called this name?"
"Hey! It's not very dark, just in winter, there will be dark brown dirt on the water surface, with very few thin layers. When washing clothes, take a couple of taps and it will disappear. After the spring, it will be on its own. It's okay to disappear."
Xie Linlang nodded thoughtfully, and then asked something else, "Speaking of which, this is my first time to Xiangcheng, is Xiangcheng big? Are the people in it easy to get along with?"
Speaking of this, the old man sighed.
"If Xiangcheng is a good place, I don't have to get up early and run into the village! If you didn't say you were going to Xiangcheng to find relatives, I really wouldn't recommend you to go there.
Xiangcheng's county magistrate has a very dark heart! Since he set up a tin workshop ten years ago, he has fooled the youth of the whole city into working for him! If you don't go, it's not enough. If you don't go, once the court recruits corvés, they will send disobedient people to serve! "
Qin Jue, who had been fiddling with herbal medicine but didn't speak, suddenly asked, "Isn't the number of corvés determined?"
For example, after the above-mentioned tasks are assigned, there must be 300 corvés in this place. How can I listen to the old man's meaning and still be able to escape
"Yes, the number of people is set, but Xiangcheng is not poor! The court has helped such poor places, not only can the tax be halved, but the number of people serving can also be reduced.
This was originally a piece of kindness of the court, but it was used by the black-hearted magistrate to blackmail the citizens of the city, and those who were disobedient would be arrested!
Rather than serving outside, the local people are definitely more willing to stay and work for the magistrate!
It's just that the county magistrate is too inhumane, he does more work and gives less money, and every year there are people who die of exhaustion, but everyone has nothing to do with him..."
Xie Linlang can't stop listening to it. He uses the people of a city to work for himself to make money. Not to mention, this black-hearted county magistrate is quite business-minded. No wonder he doesn't want others to succeed him. A cash cow, why would you give it up like this
At this time, the bullock cart went up the ramp, Xie Lindang looked up, and he could see the Blackwater Wharf.
It's just that the distance is too far, and she can't see whether the water is black, but she can see that there are many boats docked there.
Xie Linlang asked, "It's this season, why are there so many people coming to Xiangcheng by boat?"
After hearing this, the old man said with some envy, "You're talking about a cargo ship, right? It's a caravan's ship, and they came to buy tin, because other tin workshops don't work in winter, only Xiangcheng has four seasons. They all supply tin, and since tin is a necessity for casting bronzes, they can’t buy it elsewhere, so they will come to Xiangcheng in groups to buy it, and it’s the same every year.”
"So it is." Xie Linlang nodded.
After getting off the ramp, it didn't take long for the old man's village to arrive. Xie Linlang said goodbye to him, and then continued to walk in the direction of Xiangcheng with Qin Jue.
It's just that it was getting late at this time, and if he wanted to go to Xiangcheng, he had to pass through a forest. Xie Linlang was worried about the danger of traveling at night, so he planned to rest for the night outside the woods and talk about it tomorrow.
At night, in the cave, Xie Linlang went out to hunt. Qin Jue slowly walked out of the cave after raising the fire.
Stepping on the moonlight, he came to a small stream according to the secret signal.
As soon as he came, the burly Dong Qi appeared.
After not seeing him for more than ten days, he thought that something had happened to His Royal Highness, but after seeing him at this time, he knew that he thought too much, because His Royal Highness seemed to be in a better mental state than ten days ago, although his face was still A little pale, but there was more light in his eyes, as if something was different inside.
Dong Qi is a little strange, who changed His Highness? Or what happened to make His Highness grow again
Just as he was about to kneel, Qin Jue stopped him first and said in a low voice.
"Why are you looking for me in such a hurry?"
At this time, the people sent by the emperor were still in Xiangcheng. If it wasn't a very important matter, they probably wouldn't look for him.
Dong Qi stood up straight when he heard the words, and said excitedly.
"His Royal Highness, we have found a substitute exactly like you!"