The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 153 Zhao Da’s darkest moment in life

To the northwest of the Yangjinchuan Salt Factory, in the upper reaches of the river valley, there is a separate quarrying area, more than a mile away from the main production area of ​​the salt factory.

Those who mine brine stones here are prisoners sent from various counties and villages in Jingzhou.

Most of them are roosters, dogs, and thieves, who either gather to cause trouble, fight and hurt others, or tease and molest well-behaved women and act like hooligans.

The crimes committed were not serious, and they were generally released from prison after being detained for a few months to a year and a half.

Zhu Xiu thought that labor power should not be wasted, so he ordered all counties to regularly transport prisoners to salt factories where they were detained to quarry stones, euphemistically called labor reform.

Real serious criminals should be caught and investigated, reported to Jiedu officials for review, and beheaded directly in public.

This can be regarded as a canonical punishment and the public order in Jingzhou has been reduced.

Naturally, prisoners are not paid for labor reform. They are given two meals a day and the amount of work hours is assessed. If they can complete the work on time and according to the amount, they will have the opportunity to have their sentences reduced after a period of time. Otherwise, the reform time will be extended.

There are several wooden poles erected in the middle of the quarry area, with several human heads hanging on them. After half a year of drying, the bones have long been exposed.

These were the result of a group of prisoners trying to attack the guards in partnership when the reform-through-labor system was first implemented, snatching weapons and fleeing. After being caught, they were executed on the spot.

Since then, there have been no prisoner riots.

The quarrying area is in a rocky hill, surrounded by dense woods. A team of more than fifty soldiers is stationed as a guard.

Among the guards, there were both able-bodied soldiers and crossbowmen who had been injured and disabled on the battlefield. They guarded the high points and used their crossbows to call out the slightest movement.

Recently, the number of relocated households in Jingzhou has increased rapidly, and the pressure on public security management has increased greatly. There have been many disturbances in the field division alone. In a few days, more than 300 laborers have been added to the renovation site.

Zhu Xiu also mobilized a team of sergeants to assist in the guarding, and even coaxed Shi Xiangwen to move in for a few days to shock these tough bullies in the countryside.

Shi Xiangwen really liked living in the renovation site. He could catch bugs and play with snakes in the forest next to the stone hill, run to the stream to catch fish and shrimp, run on the grass and chase butterflies, and have a lot of fun all day long.

If a prisoner makes trouble, and it gets too violent, Shi Xiangwen just needs to shout at the guard, and Shi Xiangwen will come over and beat the person unconscious. Whoever leads the trouble will be beaten. Sometimes five or six can be knocked out at once, and they will lie down, and the rest will be left to them. Just let the guards handle it.

After several times, the security of the reform camp has been further improved. No matter whether they go to the quarry area to work or return to the living area to rest, the prisoners have learned to speak pleasantly. If there is any conflict, everyone will laugh and solve it through talking. No one Dare to take action easily again.

A group of illiterate, shirtless, rough-looking men spoke softly and were courteous to each other. Those who didn't know better thought they were collectively possessed by a demon and looked awkward.

The person in charge of the transformation site is called Monk Hun. He is a miscellaneous person born in Tuyuhun and Han Dynasties. He is also one of the first veterans of the Zhenhai camp. He is brave enough to fight and kill, and has made great contributions to opening up the trade route for selling salt in Pizhou.

Since the beginning of winter last year, Monk Hun's paralysis in his legs has become more and more serious, and he will tremble in pain when encountering wind, cold, rain or snow.

After Bi Zhenhai's recommendation and Zhu Xiu's personal inspection, he decided to transfer him to become the first director of the reform field. He was under the jurisdiction of the Jiedu official and was a grassroots official in the Jingzhou judicial system.

Early in the morning, Monk Hun walked out of his office on a stone hill, carrying a clay pot filled with coarse tea.

The sun was shining brightly, and Monk Hun touched his bald head. His dark, fine-lined face was slightly raised, enjoying the warmth of the morning light. His gray beard glowed silvery in the light.

The entire renovation site was still quiet. In the woods not far away, there were several panicked calls of birds, and the figure of a burly man occasionally appeared.

Looking at the sky, Monk Hun chuckled, picked up the mallet and banged the gong hanging on the tree. The sound of the gong suddenly spread throughout the reconstruction site, echoing among the stone hills and mountains and forests.

The day's work begins.

Monk Hun finished chewing a cold steamed bun in a few mouthfuls, drank a few sips of hot tea, carried a polished short knife, wore a hat on his head, a double-breasted short-sleeved shirt, a silk belt around his waist, and tightly wrapped legs. , a standard dress of a military soldier in a feudal town.

Once you are a sergeant, you will always be a sergeant. Even if you change careers and become an official, you must not forget your roots and relax your requirements for yourself.

Monk Hun pressed his felt hat, held his head high, and strode toward the factory below.

The living area of ​​the renovation site consists of a bungalow built of bricks and earth. Each room is a production team, and ten people sleep in a large bungalow.

There are latrines and wells for washing at the back of the housing area. The kitchen is next to the Shigang office area and is separate from the prisoners' living area.

According to the regulations of the reconstruction site, workers must wake up to start work when the gong is sounded in the early morning, and go to bed when the whistle blows in the evening. It is strictly prohibited to urinate and defecate anywhere in the living area. Even when working in the quarry area, personal problems must be solved at designated locations.

If someone violates the rules, he will clean up after himself without being beaten or scolded, and then the length of the labor camp will be extended by ten days on the original basis.

One day of forced labor is ten days for soaking in feces and urine, and ten days for violating the work and rest regulations.

If you have a headache, brain fever, cold, or cold, you can rest appropriately after confirmation. In severe cases, you can also apply to the salt factory to receive diagnosis and treatment from the doctor stationed in the salt factory.

Of course, if you are found to be slacking off by pretending to be sick, one month will be added to the length of the labor camp.

A regular quarry worker in the salt factory next door can earn at least a hundred penny a month for the same work, but the prisoners in the reform camp can't get a penny.

The prisoners were greatly stimulated when they found out.

Later, Monk Hun came up with a plan. If the prisoners performed well during the reform period and did not make any principled mistakes, they could consider turning into regular workers in the salt factory according to their personal wishes after the expiration of their term of service.

Zhu Xiu felt that this idea was very constructive, so he praised Monk Hun, adopted the suggestion, and formally wrote it into the management regulations of the transformation site.

As a result, the prisoners' labor enthusiasm was fully mobilized, they consciously abide by the regulations, actively participated in reform, and strived to enter the salt factory to earn money as soon as possible.

Under the system of clear rewards and punishments, smooth management has become a matter of course.

Rows of bungalows open their doors, and a guard stands outside each room, supervising the prisoners' daily work life.

The prisoners wearing brown short shirts walked out one by one, stood in a row in front of the house, and counted their names.

The prisoner numbered one in each room is the room leader, who assists the guards in management. The best-performing prisoner is appointed as the room leader.

The last person to walk out of Room No. 13 was a tall, fair-skinned man. His hands and feet were all shackled, and he weighed eight or nine kilograms in total. He made a clanking sound when he walked, attracting the attention of neighboring cells. The prisoners looked at him one after another.

In the entire rehabilitation center, he was the only one with shackled hands and feet.

The white-faced man had an expressionless face, his hair was disheveled, his lips were chapped, and he looked slightly haggard.

Stepping out of the door, the sun was a bit dazzling, so he raised his hand to block it.

"Zhao Da'er! Come here and line up quickly! Don't wait any longer!" Lai Daliu, the head of Ding No. 13, scolded sternly.

After saying that, he didn't forget to bend down and laugh at the guard, looking like a dog-legger.

Lai Daliu was a prisoner escorted from Yinpan County. He was a well-known scoundrel in the local village. He was caught on the spot for running through a door in a neighboring village to peek at an older girl taking a bath.

Half a month ago, Lai Daliu became one of the few people who entered the rehabilitation center for the second time because he got drunk and caused trouble in the county town and injured someone.

This time, his tour of duty does not end until the end of next year.

Lai Daliu is very familiar with the rehabilitation center, and his usual performance is considered good. He is familiar with the guards, so having him as the room director can save a lot of things.

Monk Hun stood on the high platform with a knife in his hand, staring coldly at the white-faced man.

This person was escorted here by General Guan Tieshi half a month ago. Before leaving, General Guan warned him many times that this person was good at martial arts and must be kept under strict supervision.

Monk Hun is also a veteran of the army for 20 years. It can be seen from his steps and body shape that this white-faced man has definitely experienced in the army. He can sit, stand and lie down in an orderly manner.

He didn't say anything when asked his name, but kept repeating that he wanted to see Zhu Xiu.

Shao Shijun, can you say that you can see it when you see it?Monk Hun believed that this guy had bad intentions and ignored him completely.

Monk Hun remembered that General Guan said his name was Zhao Kuangyin, but he could not write the word Kuangyin. Seeing that he had long hands and feet, and a white face and big ears, he wrote the name "Zhao Dayer" on the detention book.

"Zhao Da'er! Come and stand quickly!"

Lai Daliu saw that his footsteps were sloppy, and shouted angrily, but he didn't dare to go forward to pull him, and only dared to shout from a distance.

When Zhao Da'er first arrived, Lai Daliu saw that he was tall, fair, and like a son of a wealthy family, and that he was wearing shackles on his hands and feet. He wanted to tease him, so he changed the bed next to him at night.

Unexpectedly, just as he was about to make a move, he was kicked over by Zhao Da'er and fell to the ground with stars in his eyes.

From then on, Lai Daliu only dared to curse and did not dare to come closer.

Zhao Kuangyin glanced at Lai Daliu contemptuously, dragging his shackles and standing on the far left side of a row of prisoners.

He noticed that someone was watching him on the high platform, and sneered in his heart, pretending not to know.

What really frightened him was the giant man with a confused mind.

Zhao Kuangyin felt chilled when he thought about how easily he was caught outside Anding County that day, almost without any resistance.

Such a fierce warrior, I am afraid that only Li Cunxiao, who was known as the Thirteen Taibao under the command of Li Keyong, the king of Jin, can match him!
Zhao Kuangyin glanced around the surroundings calmly and did not see Shi Xiangwen. Could it be that he had gone back to the county town?

If the giant man wasn't here, he would be looking for a chance to escape today!
Zhao Kuangyin secretly clenched his fists and observed the guard position and the access roads to the transformation site.

After digging for half a month, he memorized the topography of the place, just to find an opportunity to escape.

When he found Zhu Xiu after he got out, he would grab that brat by the collar and angrily ask why he was left here digging for rocks for half a month!
He was even locked up with a bunch of sneaky gangsters, sleeping in a big bunk bed, and even Izuku took a bath together!
Full of grief and indignation, Zhao Kuangyin came all the way to Jingzhou. First, he was trapped in Qizhou because of the road blockade due to the chaos of war.

Later, due to the loss of the documents of the report, he could not live in the posthouse, and had to hide to avoid interrogation at the pass.I thought I would be able to complete the mission when I came to Jingzhou and met Zhu Xiu, but I didn't expect that I couldn't even enter Anding County. I was beaten in vain and was thrown into the mountainous area to dig stones. This dig was half a moon.

He eats and sleeps with a bunch of sneaky and sleazy scoundrels, in the name of undergoing a thorough labor reform and starting over.

All these sufferings were thanks to Zhu Xiu, and even this reformation field was designed by him.

From the moment he set foot on the road to Jingzhou, Zhao Kuangyin felt that the whole world was targeting him.

In the past 21 years, he has never suffered so much or suffered such humiliation!
As a son of the N-generation officials who grew up in fine clothes and fine food, Zhao Kuangyin never thought that one day he would be reduced to such a miserable situation!
Digging rocks in the mountains of Jingzhou for half a month was an experience he could not even imagine.

A bitter emotion surged into his heart. Zhao Kuangyin's eyes were warm and filled with tears. His chest heaved violently. He took deep breaths to suppress the urge to shed tears on the spot.

"Zhao Daer!" Lai Daliu called his name loudly, Zhao Kuangyin lowered his head, and answered "arrived" in a hoarse voice.

The roll call of the cells starting with T has been completed, and no one is missing. You can go to wash up and go to the latrine, and then go to work in the quarry area.

There is a quarter of an hour of free time.

Two hours later, near noon, it was meal time.

The guard stepped forward to untie Zhao Kuangyin's handcuffs, gave him a few words of warning, and prepared to leave.

Zhao Kuangyin moved his wrist with the red seal, and suddenly said: "I want to see the manager!"

The guard turned his head and frowned: "What's the matter?"

Zhao Kuangyin said: "You can't be the master, call the steward!"

Monk Hun, who had been paying attention to his every move for a long time, stepped down from the high platform, walked over, and said in a deep voice: "What are you going to do?"

Zhao Kuangyin glanced at the short knife at his waist and said calmly: "According to the management regulations of the rehabilitation center, I have not violated the regulations once in half a month. The shackles on my feet can be released."

Monk Hun's eyebrows, half bald from the fire, were knitted together and he stared at him without saying a word.

Zhao Kuangyin pointed to a signboard standing in the living area, which contained various management regulations and punitive measures, and said calmly: "My requirements are reasonable and compliant. If I don't implement them according to the regulations, I'm afraid it will be difficult to convince the public in the future."

After a pause, Zhao Kuangyin said with a bit of ridicule: "Or are you afraid that I will escape?"

Monk Hun sneered: "It's just you who can't escape even if you want to! Let him go!"

The guard took out the key and unlocked his shackles.

"Stop being so clever and be honest!"

Monk Hun gave him a warning look and left with the knife in his hand.

The prisoners went to wash themselves in groups of three or three, or found a place to squat in a circle and chat.

While observing the guard position, Zhao Kuangyin walked to the well cellar and wet his face with a handful of water. His lips and chin were covered with green beard, his eyes were bloodshot, and his hair was dripping with water, making him look even more haggard. .

Lai Daliu squatted beside him, got some salt and put his fingers into his mouth to tinker with it.

There is no other salt factory, but there is plenty of salt, and there is an unlimited supply of coarse salt for mouthwash.

Even village ruffians like Lai Daliu have developed the habit of rinsing their mouths in the morning and evening.

Lai Daliu came close to Zhao Kuangyin and said hey: "Zhao Da'er, I've been here for so long, and I still don't know what you did to get here? Your accent doesn't sound like someone from Guanzhong?"

Zhao Kuangyin glanced at him coldly, ignored him, and continued to wash his face with water.

Lai Daliu couldn't give up and said with a smile: "What, I'm sorry to say? You look good, could it be that you used to be a flower picker? You ate it but didn't wipe it clean, and you were caught doing it?"

Zhao Kuangyin's narrowed eyes showed a bit of anger, he looked at him deeply and walked towards the latrine.

"Cut~ the prisoners are digging stones here, why are you pretending to be cruel~" Lai Daliu spat disdainfully.

Zhao Kuangyin came out of the latrine and saw Lai Daliu squatting by the well cellar with his butt sticking out and washing his face. There were not many people around, and most of the prisoners had already rushed to the assembly point.

Zhao Kuangyin walked lightly and walked behind Lai Daliu. The man didn't realize it and was still humming a cheerful and erotic tune.

Zhao Kuangyin's eyes turned cold, and he suddenly raised his foot and kicked him on the butt. Lai Daliu let out a scream, flew up like a toad with open arms and legs, pounced forward, and fell into the well cellar with a thud.

"Someone fell into the water! Help! Someone come quickly~" Zhao Kuangyin shouted angrily.

The cry for help broke the tranquility of the correctional facility, and a large number of prisoners ran back with a crash. Some came to save others, and some wanted to join in the fun.

"Save~Gululu~" Lai Daliu flopped around desperately in the cellar, pouring big mouthfuls of water into his stomach.

Several guards hurriedly looked for ropes and bamboo poles to rescue the prisoners, while a large group of prisoners gathered around and started shouting. The scene became chaotic for a time.

Without anyone noticing, Zhao Kuangyin squeezed out of the crowd and ran towards the gate of the living area under the cover of the prison cell. As long as he left the living area and climbed up the stone hillock along the wooden ladder built on the side of the rock wall, he would have a chance to escape. Out of the remodeling field.

The chaos caused by the prisoner falling into the water drew most of the guards to the living area. There were only two guards at the gate leading to the quarry area, and an archer on the watchtower.

"Stop him!" The watchtower archer was the first to discover Zhao Kuangyin's traces, shouted sternly, and shot an arrow.

Zhao Kuangyin gritted his teeth and sped up his running speed. After running out of the prison area, there was an empty field. He could only run in a curve to avoid the arrows shot from the watchtower.

咻咻 咻 ~
Several feather arrows sounded in the ears with whistling sounds, and they all landed behind Zhao Kuangyin.

"Bang bang bang~" The harsh gong sound sounded from the watchtower, which meant that there was an emergency and support was needed.

The two guards hurriedly pushed the gate to close it. Zhao Kuangyin shouted and rushed forward. He picked up his old fist and hit one of them hard on the door. He grabbed the knife and rolled forward to slash the other one. The knife in the guard's hand flew away, and he kicked him over with a bounce.

Two strong Yajun soldiers were knocked to the ground by Zhao Kuangyin in just a few seconds.

The guards on the watchtower beat the gong desperately, and when they heard the alarm, a large number of guards gathered around.

Monk Hun took the lead, drew his sword in his hand, led his people and rushed out of the living area, roaring: "Stop!"

Zhao Kuangyin looked back and ran up the wooden ladder to the stone hillock, easily knocking over a few guards along the way.

To the west of Shigang is a steep cliff, five or six feet high. Climbing up it can lead to the woods. This was the escape route determined by Zhao Kuangyin after careful planning.

Panting and running to the bottom of the cliff, he threw down the long knife, grabbed the rock and soil, pressed his body against the rock wall, and climbed up with his hands and feet.

Monk Hun led the guards to catch up. Just as he was about to give the order to fire arrows, he suddenly saw a figure moving in the woods on the hillside. He laughed and said, "Zhao Da'er, don't waste your efforts. You can't escape!"

Zhao Kuangyin was sweating profusely from crawling, and he only wanted to escape and ascend to heaven, and then go to Zhu Xiu to settle accounts. How could he listen to what Monk Hun said.

The mountain breeze blew gently along the cliff top, and Zhao Kuangyin felt a little coolness coming from the top of his head, which made his tired body feel a little refreshed.

Soon~ soon!

As long as he climbs the cliff, he will be free!

Zhao Kuangyin grabbed the dense grass growing on the top of the cliff with one hand, pushed hard with his feet, and most of his body appeared on the top of the cliff.

He finally climbed up!
A brand-new scenery appeared in front of us. On the top of the cliff, there was a dense forest with rugged rocks and clear streams.
The bright morning sun shone on his body, and Zhao Kuangyin showed a happy smile on his sweaty face.

But soon, his smile froze little by little, because he saw in the woods not far away, a giant man with grass clippings all over his body and long hair with a lion's mane coming out and striding towards him.

The giant man held a trembling hare in his arms, and a limp black snake hung around his neck.

Zhao Kuangyin was lying on the edge of the cliff, frozen all over, not knowing whether to go up or down.

Shi Xiangwen's big feet appeared in front of Zhao Kuangyin. He knelt down and looked at him curiously, his eyes wide and small.

"Where are you going?" Shi Xiangwen tilted his head.

".I." Zhao Kuangyin was speechless, only filled with bitterness.

Shi Xiangwen said dullly: "Brother Shitou said that I can't let you run away, you can't go anywhere."

The lower half of Zhao Kuangyin's body was still hanging outside the cliff, his feet were stepping on a raised rock, and the upper half of his body was supported on the edge of the cliff.

His whole body was trembling slightly, and he suddenly felt the urge to cry with grief and anger.

Shi Xiangwen blinked and scratched his head: "Don't be afraid. As long as you don't run away, I won't beat you. Just go back and I'll give you this snake to play with. Rabbits are also fine."

"I"

Just as Zhao Kuangyin was about to say something, the stone under his feet suddenly shattered, his body lost support, and the grass blades he was holding couldn't bear the strength anymore, and he fell backwards.

There was an exclamation from the bottom of the cliff.

Zhao Kuangyin screamed and rolled down the cliff. After falling hard several times, his eyes went black and he lost consciousness.
(End of this chapter)