Red Tang

When Li Kuo returned to the barracks, he gave Zhang Yanji and Zhou Wuzui the task of escorting the caravan.Due to time constraints, we need to leave immediately.Both of them patted their chests and said to their school lieutenant that the whole battalion is waiting for departure.

After explaining the matter clearly to his brothers, Li Kuo went straight to Ander Square.

It was night now, in Linhu Lane 23, Li Lushi was comparing patterns under the oil lamp, holding a pair of shoe soles.The boy Xiaoqi is up to the challenge and has already become a captain of the regiment.If you make more contributions, you may be promoted to general.After his grandfather died unjustly, the Li family collapsed in an instant.Usually those relatives and friends who are close to each other hide from him as if encountering a plague god, let alone those so-called disciples, they are all snobbish eyes.These years, I have no ability, and I have really suffered for this child.He has been good at learning since he was a child, and he can memorize the Four Books by heart before he can master it. He can also write Zhou Zheng well.

But now, alas!

"Mother, I'm back!" Seeing that there was no movement in the courtyard, Li Kuo said loudly and walked squarely into the back hall.

"Kuo'er, come to your mother quickly. The new lady has brought you a pair of soles, come and try to see if they fit." Li Lu looked at his son with a smile, and stretched out his hand to greet him.

"Oh!" Li Kuo stuck out his tongue, took off his cloth boots, and climbed onto the kang.

Li Lushi compared it for a long time, patted Li Kuo on the forehead, and said angrily: "You son of a bitch, your feet have swelled again in just a few months. The mother who hurt you will have to change her foundation in a while."

Li Kuo took Li Lushi's arm and acted coquettishly: "Isn't it better to eat in the barracks? You don't have to worry, Kuo'er is already so big, he can take care of himself!"

"You!" Li Lushi tapped his son's eyebrows and shook his head.

"Oh, that's right. Mother, I have received a mission to escort the caravan to Longyou, and I will go to Wuwei to take up my post along the way." Li Kuo whispered something, and blinked at Li Lushi.

"Oh? When are you going to leave? Has the Ministry of War issued any official documents?" Li Lushi responded lightly, and patted his son's head lovingly.

"This matter was ordered by Gao Hussars, and the Ministry of War has no written documents. It's time to hurry, and we have to set off tomorrow!"

"Ah!" Li Lushi's face turned white when he heard this. "Why are you in such a hurry, at least you should leave a few days free for me to pack (Note 1) the package, so what can I do."

Li Kuo couldn't bear to see his mother sad, and comforted him: "In fact, there is no need to bring anything. The barracks have everything. I am a regiment captain, and I should set an example for my subordinates. Don’t be laughed at to death.”

Having said that, Li Lushi would not let her son go out in such a shabby way, she gritted her teeth, got up and walked silently towards the back room.After about half a cup of tea, Li Lushi returned to his son with a jet-black package.

"It's bitterly cold outside the Great Wall, remember to add some clothes. This padded jacket was made for you by your mother last year. It may be a little small, but it is definitely thick and warm." Li Lushi put on a dark brown coarse cloth jacket After rolling and rolling, it was finally stuffed into the package.

"It's not like we live in a deep mountain ditch. Brother Zhang and the others say that Wuwei City is prosperous." Li Kuo shrugged, his face full of indifference.

"Be careful about everything. Mother is not by your side. If you have anything to do, you should discuss it with a few brothers. Mother, look at those young men who are honest and sincere, and they can make friends with each other." Li Lushi said, At the same time, he stacked out the copper coins he had accumulated on weekdays and the monthly money brought back by Xiao Qi's trustee, strung each hundred coins into a string, and stuffed them carefully into the crack of the cotton-padded jacket.

"Mother, I'm going to the border to join the army, not to go to Taibaiju to drink flowers and wine. Where did I spend so much money? You always keep the money for yourself. Kuo'er is not with you. You should keep more for emergencies." Need it." Li Kuo protested loudly when he saw the bunches of golden meat and got a headache.

"It's always good to bring some money. You'll have plenty of money when you're away from home." Li Lushi stubbornly tucked up more than a dozen skewers of meat.

"You can chew these dry food when you have nothing to do on the way. I put it on the side of the thick shirt and jacket. You can see it when you open the package!"

"Oh." Li Kuo replied without saying a word, but he thought that once he opened such a bloated package, all the clothes in it would fall out.

Li Lushi thought for a while, then took out a half-worn leather jacket from the bed, and stuffed it into the package.

"Don't put that fur coat, it smells so bad, it makes me sick!" Li Kuo shook his head, grabbed the fur coat from his mother, and threw it on the bedside.

"You are comfortable, don't lose your ears from the cold when you arrive in Liangzhou." Li Lushi glanced at Aizi and muttered in a low voice.

"I'm already such an adult, I can take care of myself!" The young man puffed up his chest and said bravely.

"Alas." Li Lu sighed, holding his son's hands and commanding: "Mother knows I can't keep you, your child has been arrogant since he was a child. If you can bear it in the army, you will bear it, and if you can't bear it, you will follow him." The little brothers discussed it. The young people are very angry, and they should take care of each other. You don't have to worry about mother. After you leave, mother will move to your third brother's house, so you can tell Ziyan Talking about yourself. But you, who are not familiar with the place of life, will go to your third brother if something happens. He is also a general after all, and can take care of you. The three generations of our old Li family are the only ones like you. Solo. What if..."

"Mother!" Through the dim oily light, the young man suddenly discovered that strands of white hair had sprouted from his mother's sideburns, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes had inadvertently spread out, telling the ruthlessness of the years.

Before I knew it, my shrewd and capable mother who held up half the sky was already so old.

......

In the early morning of the next day, Li Kuo got up early, stepped on the package that his mother had sewed, and walked out of the house carefully.

After thinking about it all night, Li Kuo decided not to say goodbye to Ah Tian.As soon as I left Chang'an, I didn't know when I would be back. Instead of enduring the tangled pain of parting, it was better to turn around and leave silently.

After contemplating, Li Kuo patted Qingfeng and resolutely got on his horse.Qingfeng also seemed to feel the unusualness of this day, snorting uncontrollably, and stomping on the horse's hooves excitedly.

Mingdemen is not far from Andefang, and when the boy arrived at the agreed time, the caravan and regiment camp had already assembled.

"Brother Kuo'er, the brothers are all ready!" Zhang Yanji hurried forward and reported to Li Kuo excitedly.Ever since he learned about the task of escorting the caravan yesterday, he was so excited that he didn't close his eyes all night.From today onwards, he, Zhang Yanji, will leave Chang'an City and live the life he wants to live by his own strength.From today on, he doesn't have to look at Grandpa's face in everything, and let others manipulate him like a puppet.This is his life, he wants to live it wonderfully!

"En." Li Kuo nodded lightly, and patted his friend's arm to show encouragement.

"My lord, the caravan is ready and we're just waiting for your order to set off." Shopkeeper Guan has a low status on the surface and is not familiar with Li Kuo, so he can't be too high-profile, with a Greeted in a flattering tone.

Although Li Kuo felt it was funny, he cleared his throat for the sake of the overall situation, and said loudly: "I will ask the brothers to divide into two battalions, the front and the back, and you call the guys in the company to walk in the team. Follow closely One point, don't leave anyone behind."

The young man glanced at the temporary caravan. There were mules, horses, and camels, but almost every animal was full of goods tied to the mouth of the box.The colorfully dressed peddlers were making jokes and jokes, while bragging to their peers about the expected profit of their trip to buy goods.An immortal in the sky, a traveling merchant underground.It is their repeated trafficking that makes the north-south trade flourish and everyone can use the scarce items.

It's all about living!Li Kuo sighed and looked back at Chang'an.

This is the father who gave birth to him, raised him, and taught him. There are sixteen years of his past and memories here.Regardless of sorrow or joy, irrelevant, these memories have been frozen and sealed in the boy's heart.From today onwards, I will step out of this mighty city and create my own piece of sky.

"Let's go!" Li Kuo only felt the pride in his chest, and waved his hands to signal everyone to set off.

The business travel started slowly, and the joking sounds of the merchants, accompanied by the tinkling of camel bells and clanging of horseshoes, played a song of carol for the world.

......

I can't stop, Brother Seven is about to leave.I must see him one last time!

After receiving the news from Zhang Yanji, Du Jingtian ran all the way to Mingde Gate.Panting, the girl ran across the square street, through the market, and past a tea stand, and while waving her hand, she rushed to the boy who was going away and shouted loudly: "Brother Qi, come back early, and I will cook it for you every day." My favorite omelette!"

Xiao Niang forced a smile, trying to make herself appear happier.Just thinking of the next meeting with Brother Seven, the eyes were hot and two lines of tears slid down the cheeks.

It's Ah Tian!The young man turned his horse around in response, and when he looked back, although he saw pear blossoms with rain, he was still smiling like a song.

(End of this volume)

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Note 1: tidying up: a local dialect, meaning tidying up.

ps: This volume is finally finished. In the past month, I have seen everything right, wrong, clear, and yin.There is nothing like this in the world, and only when you have experienced it will you have deep feelings.I just want to use this pen to write something that can be passed down, it has nothing to do with belief.

The horn of Guanhe has been sounded, Li Xiaoqi is ready, brothers, are you ready?