Kingdom of Heaven and Han

Chapter 549 Three Crows Town

Looking at Sanya Town in front of him, Ge Ding let out a sigh of relief: "It can be regarded as seeing the market! This area has been peaceful for several years, why is there still no people on this road? Sixty miles away from Lushan Pass, there is no one on the road. A resting place."

Qu Fengxing, the governor on one side, said: "The envoy has said many times that Sanya Road will be renovated. However, Luoyang is in the hands of the puppet Qi, and there is no business travel. There are many things to be done in the past few years, so it has been delayed. Xijing was prosperous in the past. At that time, there were few people on this road, so it’s not like this.”

While talking, he observed the terrain on both sides and moved forward slowly.

Different from other armies, there are special engineers in the Wang Xiao hunting army, who open roads in the mountains and build bridges in the water.The road from Dengzhou to Ruzhou was peaceful, and the engineering troops took the lead and repaired the road along the way.

Sixty Li Lushan Pass, connecting Luoyang and Nanyang, is the most important passage between Wanluo and has been prosperous and important since ancient times.In the Song Dynasty, because the capital was in Kaifeng, the road going north from Dengzhou moved to the east, taking Fangcheng and Ye County, and this road was abandoned.In the Taiping era, business travel was scarce.Most of the pedestrians are sporadic merchants, as well as smugglers and bandits.The government has set up inspections in Sanya Town in front of them to arrest smugglers.

This road goes north along the valley of Baihe River and Danghe River, also known as Sanya Road.It is very important to Wang Xiaolie, whose power is mainly in the Nanyang Basin, and has always wanted to renovate.It's just that there have been too many things in the past two years, and I have been unable to spare manpower and material resources.Moreover, Luoyang is in the hands of the puppet Qi, and business travel is blocked, and it has been abandoned until now.This time when the army went north, it happened that engineers and soldiers were repairing the road.

As an engineering and military commander, he walked between the cliffs on this road, and most of the time he could not see the sun, and Ge Ding was terribly suffocated.Finally out of the mountain road, Ge Ding was overjoyed when he saw the village.

When they arrived outside Sanya Town, Ge Ding ordered the army to find a flat place two miles away from the town and set up camp.Bian Hui, the secretary in charge of the food in the army, said: "These days have been really hard. Let's go to the town and buy two sheep to eat."

Bian Hui agreed to come to the town with Ge Ding and a few soldiers.

Sanya Town is a patrol town, and it is located on an important road, so it is surrounded by walls.It's just that the Jin army invaded the south, and the officials had already fled. After Wang Xiaolie occupied it, he didn't set it up again, which seemed very dilapidated.When I got outside the gate, I saw a few people looking around behind the gate.

A man saw Ge Ding and others walking straight into the town.He said in a loud voice, "Are you soldiers from Dengzhou? I heard that Wang Jieshuai is going to make a northern expedition, so he should be here by now."

Ge Ding said: "That's right. The Three Crows Road is really hard to walk. We're tired. Come to the town to buy two sheep to eat."

The man inside laughed and said: "Officer, this place is remote and there are few households. There were no butchers in peacetime, let alone now? People who raise sheep can only be found in the mountains in the north. Not in town."

Ge Ding said: "Don't you usually eat meat? What do you sell in the town? At least eat it."

The man said: "This is near the Yahe River, and there are many ponds. If you eat fish and turtles, you will have them, but there are really no chickens and ducks."

While talking, several men came out and looked at Ge Ding and the others curiously.

Ge Ding said to Bian Hui: "It's good to have fish and turtles. Cook it with more oil, and the taste will be passable."

Bian Hui nodded: "What the governor said is true. We have enough oil in the army, and we have made these things before, and the cook's skills are trustworthy."

After finishing speaking, Bian Hui slapped his head: "I forgot! This is Sanya Town, a small place with few households. Where can there be any meat sellers? There used to be a transfer envoy who passed by here, and found that the officials had already fled. The yamen is empty. There is a poem written by Jianzhen on the wall. It is said that two years have passed away in Sanya. How can I support my family without rice and money? I only eat lotus root for two meals a day. Look at the lotus flower coming out of my mouth. This story is widely spread. How many people know."

"So that's how it is--" Ge Ding nodded, without saying anything, he could only secretly think that it was bad luck.

Several men led Ge Ding and Bian Hui into the town, to a place selling vegetables.Along the way, he kept looking at the clothes of Ge Ding and the others, and he didn't want to ask too many questions, just whispering from time to time.

What the man said is right, as expected, there are no butchers here.It's winter again, and there are few vegetable sellers.Only two were selling radishes and spinach, and a man pushed a cart full of lotus roots.A fisherman next to him had four or five large herrings in the basket in front of him.

Seeing such a scene, Bian Hui couldn't help but smile wryly: "There are so many of us, how can we have enough to eat?"

Ge Dingdao: "It doesn't matter, we'll buy them all back, at least to improve the food in the army, and let everyone have a taste."

Bian Hui stepped forward, asked the price, and asked several vegetable sellers to pick all of them back to the camp.

A few people were overjoyed, packed up the dishes, followed Ge Ding and others, and carried them all the way back.

Walking on the road, the fish seller said: "Dare to ask the officials, are you really going to go to the Northern Expedition? Go back to the Central Plains?"

Ge Ding said: "How can this be false? The army has already gone north, and we will arrive at Sanya Town in a few days. We are pioneers, opening roads in the mountains, building bridges when encountering water, and walking in front of the army. It's just that I didn't expect this place to be so remote. Some meat to eat, but no one to sell."

The man nodded.After thinking for a while, he said: "Officials, if you go to the north, how will I collect your money? Since Jingkang was in trouble, gold thieves came south in large numbers, how much suffering have the people suffered? Waiting for the imperial army to come back. You are really back, can’t you afford a few fish? You are really going to the north, and today’s fish will be given to you for free. If it is not enough, I will go to the river to catch more. "

Ge Ding said with a smile: "We don't have such hardships, and the money we brought is enough. It is very good to have fish to eat, and we will pay you the money."

The man shook his head again and again: "It's really the Northern Expedition, who wants your money? We mountain people also know the righteousness of the world."

The rest of the people heard it and said together: "That's right. If you are really going to the Northern Expedition, how will we collect the money? Today's food will be given to you. If it is not enough, we will go back and collect some. If you beat the gold thief away, The people are grateful."

Ge Ding said: "We appreciate your kindness. Our army has rules, and we must pay for food from the common people. And this Northern Expedition, the money given by the Secretary is enough, you can rest assured."

Talking all the way, it didn't take long to arrive at the place where Ge Ding was stationed.Ge Ding led the vanguard, with about one commander, occupying a large beach by the Ya River.It was already afternoon, and tents were being arranged everywhere, very busy.Just being disciplined and everything in order.

These men had never seen such troops.Whisper there after putting things down.

Bian Hui took the money and said to several people: "Copper coins are inconvenient to carry, we don't bring much. If you want to meet in Xiangyang, it's best, we bring enough. If you don't want to meet, I'll give you gold and silver."

The fish seller said: "Officials, if you are really going to the Northern Expedition, we will absolutely not accept the money. Seeing that there are a lot of people here, these few fish may not be enough for you to eat. If you can wait, I will catch a few more." . . . These vegetable sellers also said that their vegetables are too small, maybe not enough for so many of you. Just wait, they will go to the field to pick some more.”

Bian Hui said: "The envoy strictly ordered that the army should pay for meals on the way, and they are not allowed to take anything from the common people. Don't worry, we have enough money, just accept it. The amount is really small, and if you bring some more, it will be counted as money. you."

(End of this chapter)