The Rise of the Cold Gate in the Eastern Jin Dynasty

Chapter 122 Letter from the North
In November, just after the beginning of winter, light snow is approaching, and the temperature is quite cold. The banks of Fengqi Lake are covered with withered yellow, covered with a layer of winter white, everything is closed, and the collection is dormant.

The winter in the south is no drier than that in the north. It is cold and gloomy, which can always penetrate into the bones, making people hard to guard against.

This year is a bumper harvest year. The barns on the east and west floors are full. The host family has a lot of money, and they have reduced the rent for the tenants and shade households. The surplus is enough for the family to save a few cotton coats.

Therefore, in their spare time, tenants in twos and threes always gather together, put their hands together, bask in the sun, and enjoy the scenery of next year.

It was originally a row of peaceful Xiao's manor, just waiting for the New Year, but because of a letter from the north, it suddenly fell into a hurry.

Xun Xian, the governor of Xuzhou, went to the expedition with a disease. He wanted to crusade Jia Jian, the prefect of Taishan in the state of Yan, regain Taishan County, push the Xuzhou defense line to the south bank of the Yellow River, and then prepare to attack Guanggu to create the Xuzhou-Yanzhou Yellow River defense line, and beware of Yan State going south.

Jia Jian, a native of Bohai County in Jin Dynasty, was famous for his superb archery skills when he was young. His grandfather was a Jin official in his father's life. There are thousands of parts, and they are fortified in order to protect themselves.

In the sixth year of Yonghe, Jia Jian was captured by Murong Ping, the general of Yan State, and surrendered to Qianyan. He was then reused and appointed as the prefect of Leling.

The letter is from Xun Xian's general Zhao Cheng, who fought side by side with Xiao Qin's father, Xiao Lie, and has a very good friendship. He has received a letter from the Xiao family's reprimand, and plans to send someone from the Xiao family to join the army after the spring of next year. .

The Xuzhou Army's crusade against Yan State Taishan Taishou Jia Jian is imminent. In winter, it is difficult to mobilize the troops of the Yan State Brigade. Zhao Cheng felt that this opportunity for military industry should not be missed, so he sent a letter to the Xiao family, and the person who asked the Xiao family to join the army. I came to Xuzhou to report before.

The patriarch immediately decided to let Seventh Uncle and Ninth Uncle go to Xuzhou to report first to gain a firm foothold, while Xiao Shu will stay temporarily and go to Xuzhou after getting married next year.

At the ferry crossing in the Western Jin Dynasty, the Seventh and Ninth Uncles took armor and took twenty Xiao's trilogy to bid farewell to their families. Once they left, they would face a big battle, and life and death were unpredictable. Seventh Aunt and Ninth Aunt were crying Tears, the seventh and ninth younger brothers also waited with tears in their eyes.

"Why are you crying? It's bad luck. I'm going to make contributions soon. You take good care of the child at home and wait for me to return with honor." Uncle Qi roared loudly, and everyone in Xijindu knew that Qilang and Jiulang of the Xiao family were about to go to war.

"Be obedient at home, study if you can, and practice martial arts if you can't." Uncle Qi looked at his son, scolded him before leaving, with a serious tone, eyes full of eyes, and looked at the patriarch again, confessing: "If you dare If you are disobedient, second brother, you can discipline him as much as you want, and you don't need to pay attention to women's words."

"Seventh brother, ninth brother, don't worry." The patriarch said.

The two sergeants who came to deliver the letter coughed a few times to remind them that it was time to set off, Uncle Qi turned his head and nodded, and said to the twenty pieces neatly lined up on the pier: "Let me leave a message with my family and board the ship immediately. "

Xiao’s trilogy, some of which were adopted by unrepentant villagers, most of them were nephews of tenant tenants in the manor, and they were taken from strong people. Fifteen or six of these twenty trilogy went to the relatives at home, kneeling in unison, He shouted in a strong voice: "Go to Chuxiangguan, go to battle to kill the enemy, make meritorious deeds, don't worry!"

As soon as everything is done, 20 people go out, halfway back will be fine, Xiao Qinzhi is a little unaccustomed to this parting scene, he turns his back, listening to the faint sobs, feeling the same sadness in his heart.

The river in winter has slowed down a lot, and it is also much shallower. It is calm, just like the birch forests on both sides of the river. It is still straight in the wind. It has been ten years like a day. A group of people returned from afar.

Xiao Qinzhi touched the letterhead in his bosom, took advantage of his unpreparedness, walked towards Uncle Jiu on the boat, jumped into the cabin, and quickly said: "Uncle Jiu, my nephew has something to ask, I hope Uncle Jiu will agree."

Uncle Jiu looked outside, then at his proud fourth nephew, and said in a muffled voice, "Say it."

Xiao Qinzhi took out a letter from his chest, and said: "Uncle Jiu, I especially admire Governor Xun, so I wrote a special handwritten letter, hoping to send it to Governor Xun under the guise of Uncle Jiu, so as to fulfill my thoughts."

Uncle Jiu was a rough man, he knew that his fourth nephew could not be regarded by ordinary people, and Xiao Qinzhi's behavior was very strange, even if he wrote it in handwriting to Governor Xun, he hesitated for a while, why should he hide it from others.

Xiao Qinzhi simply tore apart the letter paper, there was only a piece of thin paper on which a vigorous poem was written, and nothing else, all of a sudden dispelled Uncle Jiu's doubts, and immediately put it in his arms, and said with a smile: "Your boy , I originally wrote a poem to Xun Cishi, but I think it’s something shameful, don’t worry, I will hand it over to Xun Cishi with my own hands, and it’s all yours.”

Xiao Qinzhi saluted and said: "Thank you Uncle Jiu. My nephew can't help me when I go to Xuzhou this time. I just hope that Uncle Jiu and Uncle Seven will be safe and come back safely."

Uncle Jiu slapped Xiao Qinzhi's shoulder, and said: "Don't worry, Uncle Jiu and I have practiced martial arts for more than ten years. This time, I will definitely let Yan Bing know how good I am, so that I can be named as Xiao Shi."

He also instructed: "When you are at home, you must study hard and urge your clan brothers to participate in the final product next year, and the state is in the middle, so that you can enter the county government. As long as everything goes well, you will definitely be a high-ranking official in the future. This is the hope of the whole Xiao family." .In this way, we can rest assured."

Lie to the upright Uncle Jiu, which made Xiao Qinzhi very uncomfortable. Enduring the throbbing, he said: "Uncle Jiu, don't worry."

The wind is rustling, the water is vast, and a white sail goes north, engulfing Xiao Qinzhi's hope along the way, and gradually disappears from sight.

Xiao Qinzhi, Fat Old Ba, and Xiao Shu walked side by side on the way back, Fat Lao Ba asked: "Fourth Brother, what did you just give Uncle Jiu, and you were hiding it?"

"I wrote the letter to General Zhao. My father has a good relationship with him. From this point of view, he will take care of my seventh and ninth uncles." Concealed the matter of writing poetry.

"You're still thoughtful, fourth brother." Fat old eight praised.

"Eighth brother, why are you getting fatter and fatter? You are out of breath after walking a few steps. This is not acceptable. I will wake up early tomorrow morning and practice martial arts with my second brother to exercise." Xiao Qinzhi thought. , Going to the north, it is impossible without a good body, so I found an excuse and said so.

"I don't have it. I'm fine. Why do you want to practice martial arts?" Of course the fat old man refused to do it. Sleeping in the morning in winter is the most comfortable.

"It's not about practicing martial arts, it's about exercising your body. It's for your own good. Otherwise, your body will definitely have serious problems in the future. I have recently seen from the medical skills of Qian Laodao that people who are obese usually have a short life, no more than twenty years. It can only last forty years. I think you are exactly the same as your uncle Dai Changli, think about it carefully, do your relatives rarely live long?" Xiao Qinzhi said in a nagging voice.

The fat old man broke out in a cold sweat after recalling it so carefully, and hurriedly said, "Fourth brother, you are right, my grandfather and uncles don't seem to live long, and they all grow fat."

"That's right, hurry up and exercise with me in the morning, and live a long and healthy life." Xiao Qinzhi continued to fool around.

"Okay!" The fat old man believed it, and said in a heavy voice, it is worth suffering for the sake of longevity, and thanked Xiao Qinzhi: "Fourth brother, you are so kind to me, and you also accompany me to get up early to exercise. "

Xiao Qinzhi smiled lightly, and said: "It's okay, these are what the fourth brother should do, you are my good brother, how can I just watch you suffer?"

Xiao Shu frowned. He always felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't say it. He always felt that the fourth brother was not that simple. When he glanced sideways, he saw that Xiao Qinzhi had gotten a little fatter. I lost weight, so I dragged the eighth brother to lose weight, the poor eighth brother thought that the fourth brother just woke up early for you, alas.

(End of this chapter)