Kunlun one millet

Chapter 55

"Zhao Fuli, are you too lenient?"

Jiang Ru chuckled, but didn't reach out to pick it up: "We are here to set up the mandala, so we don't have the time to show kindness like this."

Zhao Mi glared at her: "Didn't Liang Shuo think about how to ask for credit all day long? This is how I gave him. Don't send this letter directly to the county mansion, but send it to Liang Shuo, and ask him to talk to Wang Juncheng. Said that he learned that there are rural people in Xingluo County who are suffering from hunger, and he does not want to sit back and watch the situation, and plans to send grain and rice to the county government for relief."

Jiang Ru frowned and said, "Are you making decisions for my young master? Why do you want to borrow grain for these untouchables?"

Zhao Shu put on a straight face: "Liang Shuo said that I can ask him for anything I need. Besides, I'm tired, and I don't want to go anywhere else until I see the rice delivered to this village."

"Are you taking advantage of the situation to threaten?" Jiang Ru said angrily, "My son thinks highly of you, but don't push yourself too hard!"

Zhao Mi took a deep breath, held back the idea of ​​yelling, and explained: "Do you think that this time the imperial court sent various houses to Xingluo County, really just to see who can suppress bandits and demons better? Luo County is not a poor frontier county. As long as it is well managed, it will be a land of rich wealth. If there is any Guanxi that can relieve the people's livelihood while suppressing bandits and demons, Xingluo County, which has experienced wars Restore it as soon as possible so that it can be reused in the future."

Jiang Ru leaned against the carriage and said, "Reuse? Do you think other halls can be compared with Chongxuan Hall? Liang Shouzuo covers the sky with one hand in the capital, and General Hussars sits in Xiongguan on the border. What job appointment can compare with these two?" ?”

Zhao Mi sighed: "Sure enough, what kind of owner raises what kind of dog."

Jiang Ru narrowed her eyes and said with a smile: "Zhao Fuli should pay attention when he sleeps at night, so as not to be pulled out by the goblin."

"I'm helping Liang Shuo! You can't even tell the good from the bad?" Zhao Mi immediately said, "I don't believe Liang Shouzuo really doesn't care about his coming to Xingluo County. He lost his magic talisman, and stayed in the City God's Temple all day without showing his head, if he doesn't do anything, don't expect to follow him to heaven!"

Jiang Ru's complexion changed: "How do you know that he lost the magic talisman general? It is strictly forbidden to spread this matter!"

"Look, I lied casually, so you said you slipped the tongue?"

Zhao Mi was secretly startled, it was really just that he accidentally made a mistake, but fortunately he had a quick reaction and dealt with it immediately:
"Don't think that other people can't understand. The imperial court granted such a city god for no reason. This is obviously to cover up your ugliness in the Chongxuan Pavilion. Can the fairy general and the city god's land only be the same thing? I set up an altar to practice the law. Can there be no sense? In Liang Shuo's current situation, he doesn't dare to take risks on the battlefield himself, and he is eager to make more achievements, anyone with a discerning eye can see it!"

Jiang Ru's complexion changed, she naturally knew that Immortal Hengbi had removed the name of the existing dharma.Liang Shuo lost his composure and went into a rage in the first few days, and Jiang Ru herself didn't feel very well.

What the Immortal General Hengbi represents is not only the ability to practice spells and summon power, but also the status of Liang Shuo's immortal blood and innate extraordinary status.The matter of losing the immortal general, with a little exaggeration, will make Liang Shuo lose the protection of the immortal ancestors, and Jiang Ru may also lose his backing.

And if outsiders know the inside story, what will they think of Chongxuanguan and Yongjia Liang's?This is why the Chongxuan Pavilion quickly submitted to the imperial court to obtain a decree to seal the City God, so as to cover up Liang Shuo's loss of the immortal general.

Jiang Ru was meditating there, while Zhao Mi continued: "If you don't want to risk fighting, you should care about the people's livelihood and customs. Xingluo County is full of bandits, and after all, the people's livelihood is difficult. Although the county government has issued an order to grant land, it will barely be possible in the future. Settling down, but right now is the season when there is no harvest, and the people lack food and rice. Those with crafts will go to the city to work, and those with connections will find relatives to help them, but there are still many villagers who can only guard the fields. If there is no food and rice The pot, and the government refused to provide relief, so what do you think will happen?"

"How can the county government let the hungry people go without relief?" Jiang Ru asked.

"Yes, but who will say this matter? And who will do it? If the local food in Xingluo County is not enough, where will it be dispatched? How will it be divided after the dispatch? There are too many opinions here!" Zhao Mi was eloquent. Jue: "Don't you Mr. Liang like to instigate people? Isn't this an opportunity? Relying on the power of the Chongxuan Pavilion, Wang Juncheng will naturally obey your arrangement, and the Liang family in Yongjia is the first-class Zhongding family in Huaxu. Is it not difficult to temporarily borrow grain and rice from other counties?"

After Jiang Ru thought about it carefully, she really couldn't refute Zhao Mi, but she was still somewhat dissatisfied: "Isn't it just a poor village, why do you have to engage in such a big battle?"

Zhao Shu also understood that he was making a fuss out of a molehill. He had just opened the altar and practiced the Dharma.

"If you can't rule the soldiers, then rule the people." Zhao Mi added: "Suppressing bandits is only temporary, and managing people's livelihood is a long-term solution. Even if you don't say anything to benefit the people, if you want to gain power, of course you have to do things. Officer Cao The promotion and dismissal of officials, the taxes and corvee of ordinary people, only when you really grasp these things can you hold power in your hands. Instead of hiding in a big house drinking tea all day long, waiting for others to help you do things well! If that's the case, wouldn't the power be emptied?"

Jiang Ru was secretly surprised when she heard the words, Zhao Mi stuffed the letter into her hand, turned around and waved her hand: "Forget it, it's useless to talk to people like you, you hurry up and send the grain and rice, this matter is not done, I will Just stay here and never leave!"

Putting these words aside, Zhao Mi went back to the village to look for those old people: "I have sent someone to take a letter to Yanze City, and the grain and rice should be delivered in a few days."

"Thank you, Immortal, thank you, Immortal!"

A few old people were about to kneel down as they said that, Zhao Mi hurriedly supported him: "It doesn't have to be like this."

The old man was very grateful, and hurriedly invited Zhao Mi to enter the village. He did not refuse, and asked at the same time: "I remember that the county government had a decree on labor for relief, and the repair of city walls, dredging of ditches, and reinforcement of river embankments in various places required a lot of manpower. , as long as you go to work, not to mention how much money you earn, at least you can fill your stomach. Is there anyone in your village going?"

"Alas, the Immortal Elder doesn't know something." The old people said: "The young people in our village were either killed by the bandits, or ran away with the bandits, and most of the spring sowing is done by women."

Zhao Mi was stunned for a moment and had nothing to say.

It was getting dark, and the people in the village went down to the river to catch a fish, and made a special pot of fish soup for Zhao Mi, and invited him to stay overnight.Zhao Mi didn't intend to leave at first, so he agreed.

At night in the countryside, there are no lights, and the villagers go back to their houses to rest.Zhao Mi was housed in a clean farmhouse. The owner of the house was obviously careful and clean. The floor was paved and thatched mats were spread in the house. The bedding was washed white many times.

Zhao Mi did not fall asleep in a hurry, and found incense burner candles and cinnabar talisman paper from the bamboo box.A monk like him consumes spells every time he conducts rituals, so he naturally needs to replenish them in time afterwards.

Just as Zhao Mi raised his pen, he heard light footsteps outside the house. The visitor hesitated, as if he wanted to enter the house, but he couldn't make up his mind.

"Who is outside the house? Just speak up if you have something to say."

With a stroke of Qingxuan pen, the door was opened in the air. Under the dim light, a village woman could be vaguely seen standing outside, holding the hem of her clothes with both hands.Seeing the door panel open by itself, he let out a soft cry in fright.

"It's getting dark, what's the matter, Ma'am?" Zhao Mi walked out with a candlestick in his hand, he saw the village woman with her hair up, obviously married as a woman, but judging by her appearance, she might be about the same age as him.

"Xian, Xianchang, I..." The village woman lowered her head and dared not answer.

Zhao Mi vaguely guessed the intention of the other party's visit, but he still asked, "Did someone ask you to come?"

The village woman nodded in a subtle and imperceptible way, and Zhao Mi immediately thought of the jade mirror in the bright hall, the red light in his eyes swirled, and the dim village was as bright as day.He saw an old man hiding behind a big tree not far away, poking his head.

This is one of the techniques acquired by Cunxiang Mingtang Palace. The red light of the jade mirror focuses on both eyes, and can see things at night.

Guessing that the village woman might be forced to come by others, Zhao Mi sighed and said to her, "Come in."

The village woman didn't dare to respond, she entered the house silently, Zhao Mi covered the door, turned around and put the candlesticks away, and saw the village woman standing in the house with her arms and legs tied up, not daring to move.

"Sit." Zhao Mi signaled the village woman to sit down, and the candle was shining, just in time to see that the clothes and bedding on her body were exactly the same, and immediately realized: "This room belongs to you?"

The village woman sat by the bed and nodded, Zhao Mi scratched her forehead, feeling her heart was suffocated, but there was nowhere to vent it.

"Where's your husband?" Zhao Mi avoided looking at the village woman.

"Dead." The village woman's voice was as thin as a mosquito.

"Killed by bandits?" Zhao Mi asked.

The village woman shook her head lightly: "A few years ago, the county conscript took him to mine and died in the mountains."

The other party's voice was small and flat, and she didn't seem to be harboring inexplicable pain, but every word she uttered was like a wedge into Zhao Mi's heart.

"Is it the old man in the village who asked you to come?" Zhao Mi said, "I have already promised them that the county will have rice delivered in a short time. I stay in the village as a guarantee, so that you can feel at ease."

The village woman hesitated to speak, and grabbed the hem of her clothes with both hands. Seeing her like this, Zhao Mi asked, "Why did they ask you to come? If you don't tell me, I don't know what to do."

"The father-in-law said that after the grain and rice were delivered, he only asked the immortal head to give our family more money." The village woman said.

"Qibadou?" Zhao Mi felt speechless.He has seen the tragic situation of selling children before, and he also knows that in families living in poverty, the wife even sells her body to make ends meet.But when something really happened in front of his eyes, even related to himself, his ability to speak well was immediately destroyed to nothing.

Seeing Zhao Mi pondering, the village woman immediately added: "I, I can wash and cook, I can go to the fields to help the plow, and I also know some needlework. I can sew clothes for the fairy and make shoe soles. I just hope that the fairy will take me away." .”

Speaking of the latter, the village woman simply knelt down in front of Zhao Mi, bowing her head.

Zhao Mi said: "Get up first... Is this what your father-in-law taught you?"

The village woman knelt and nodded, Zhao Mi frowned and said, "What about you? What are your plans?"

As soon as he said this, Zhao Mi wanted to slap himself.In this kind of backcountry, where would a young widow without a husband have any "self-planning"?Really standing and talking without back pain!
Sure enough, the village woman looked dazed, and said numbly: "Elder-in-law said that he wants me to serve the fairy elder."

Not to mention that Zhao Mi didn't care about men and women in the first place. The appearance of this village woman is really not good-looking. Her hands that have been working all the year round are covered with rough calluses and old scars.If it were Liang Shuo, he would probably treat this village woman as dung, and would not even bother to look at her, let alone talk to her.

"I'll give you some extra food and rice for your family, but I'm busy, so I can't take others with me." Zhao Mi said, "I don't need your service, but I won't drive you away either. You'll sleep here tonight." .”

The village woman looked up at Zhao Mi, then quickly lowered her head in fear, not daring to answer.

"You go to sleep, don't worry about me." Zhao Mi put the things back into the bamboo box, sat in the corner, blew out the candle, and the hut was plunged into darkness.

……

In the early morning of the next day, Zhao Mi quietly left the hut and found a secluded place to practice some exercises. He returned to the village after the sun was bright, but he ran into the old man who was peeping behind the tree last night.

"Prince Zhao, how did you rest last night?" The old man stepped forward and asked with a smile.

Zhao Mi resisted the urge to smash his old face with a punch, and said with a smile, "It's okay."

"That's good, that's good." The old man pointed to the carriage outside the village: "I saw that Zhao Xianzhang's companions didn't come in, so I don't know how to arrange it?"

Zhao Mi waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about the old man, they are afraid of seeing strangers."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhao Mi came to the outside of the village and was confirming whether the energy in the mandala was stable, when he heard Jiang Ru's voice behind him: "Zhao Fuli is really romantic and hardworking. They work tirelessly and spread the rain and dew widely. I heard that these rural women often work in the fields, and their bodies are much stronger than those of the ladies. Could it be that Zhao Fuli likes this kind of thing?"

Zhao Shu turned his head suddenly, and the streaked talisman appeared between his eyebrows, like a ferocious tiger, staring at Jiang Ru fiercely.

Jiang Ru was startled, and couldn't help taking half a step back, but then she raised her courage: "What? I'm not right? But Zhao Fuli doesn't need to worry about it. It's because of her ancestors' virtue that a village woman can get Zhao Fuli to spread rain and dew."

Zhao Mi's figure moved instantly, five fingers transformed into claws to clasp Jiang Ru's goose neck, and the words contained the low growl of a tiger: "Monster! Do you really think I dare not kill you?"

Jiang Ru's face paled, it was the first time she felt Zhao Mi's killing intent.Different from Luo Xixian's kind of martial arts swordsman, Zhao Mi's killing intent is like magma rolling deep in the ground, which is usually hidden very deep, and once it erupts, it will be out of control.And Zhao Mi's five fingers are so powerful at the moment, an ordinary person would have had his neck broken long ago.

"Stop!" Ling Xiao's voice extinguished the anger in his heart, Zhao Mi suddenly regained consciousness, and let go of Jiang Ru.

"You..." Jiang Ru caressed her neck lightly, with still lingering fear, she looked at Zhao Mi with fear in her eyes.

"You are no different from her." Zhao Mi breathed a sigh of relief, looking down at Jiang Ru condescendingly, with a bit of pity and helplessness in his eyes: "Although you wear fancy clothes and ride a fragrant car, you are actually no different from her. !"

(End of this chapter)