Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 17 The twenty-ninth night of the twelfth lunar month

"Master, let's go to Madam's place for dinner." Lai Cai came over with two soldiers, "This tent needs to be moved."

"Okay." Meng Changqing wrapped the things and carried them on his back, "Have you eaten?"

"I've eaten. Master, go quickly."

Meng Changqing came to Wen's and Liang Jiujiu's tent. Three bowls of porridge and cakes wrapped in oil paper were placed on the small table. It seemed that they had not eaten either.

Liang Jiujiu saw her hands that were red from the cold, and quickly stepped forward to cover them with his own hands and rub them for her, "Didn't you ask Lai Cai to give you a hand stove? Why are they still so cold?"

Mrs. Wen walked to the small table and sat down, "It's so cold outside that the hand stove can't be warmed for half an hour. She must be busy with work and not have time to replace the charcoal fire inside."

Meng Changqing smiled and said: "My mother still understands me."

"Mom, stop rubbing. I can warm you up just like holding the porridge bowl."

Liang Jiujiu squeezed her hand tightly, "If you don't rub it open if it's frozen like this, you'll get frostbite."

"Okay, leave one hand for her to eat something first." Wen advised: "She must be hungry."

Meng Changqing was indeed hungry. He only ate two pieces of cake on the road at noon. After being frozen for such a long time, the food in his stomach had long been exhausted.

After she took out one hand, she immediately took the porridge bowl and started drinking. The temperature of the porridge was just right, but the brown rice porridge was not as tasty as the white rice porridge.

Meng Changqing drank a large bowl of porridge and ate three pieces of cake. He put down the bowl and realized that he was full.

I feel full now, but after I drink some water, I will feel hungry again.

"Has the vigil been arranged for tonight?" Wen asked.

"The arrangements have been made." Meng Changqing replied: "The soldiers are divided into two squads, led by Colonel Yang and Master, and each will be on duty for two hours."

"Captain Yang and Master Xi are both safe people." Wen asked again, "Changqing, what are you going to do next?"

"I plan to take these people and go north." Meng Changqing said, "If we want peace, we have to build the city wall before winter ends."

"Your idea is right, but building a city wall in winter is not easy. The weather is cold and the frozen soil is difficult to dig, so you must be prepared."

Meng Changqing nodded.

She knew in her heart that winter was both a difficulty and an opportunity.

All the problems she faces now can be solved as long as she has sufficient supplies and manpower.

Therefore, the worry should not be about the cold weather, but where to beg for food.

Beishan County is part of Liangzhou City, so of course she has to practice with the prefect, uncle.

However, she also knew in her heart that if Liangzhou City had sufficient material support, the city wall in Beishan County would have been built long ago.

Meng Changqing lay on the bed without any sleepiness. He wanted to turn over, but he was afraid of waking up Wen Shi and Liang Jiujiu beside him, so he simply put on his cotton-padded jacket and walked out of the tent.

As the night wind blew in, Meng Changqing tightened his collar and walked outside.

Yang Zheng, who was watching the night, immediately noticed the situation and walked towards her.

"Mr. Meng, do you have something to give me?"

Meng Changqing waved his hand, "It's okay, I'll come out and get some fresh air."

Hair dryer?Yang Zheng thought to himself, people in the capital really have strange hobbies.

"Then let me walk with you."

"No, I'll just stand on the hillside for a while." Meng Changqing said, "You guys have worked hard to keep vigil, but you must not let down your guard."

"Yes."

Meng Changqing stood on the hillside, and the cold wind penetrated from all the cracks. The heat from her body was quickly taken away.

The colder your body is, the clearer your mind is.

She looked at the city wall not far away, then turned around and looked at the endless wilderness.Under the starry sky, she stood on the slope of the earth. Sha Zhu opened his eyes and saw such a picture. In a daze, he almost thought that the person buried in the earth came to life.

The next morning, when Liang Jiujiu woke up, he found that Meng Changqing's bedding had been folded.

"Did I get up late?" Liang Jiujiu quickly got out of bed and packed the bedding.

"Don't worry, it's just dawn, and Changqing got up early." Wen handed her the hot cake, "Eat a piece of cake to cushion your stomach."

"Madam, where is Evergreen?"

"She's outside." Wen could understand her thoughts, "Take more and go out to eat with Changqing."

Liang Jiujiu found Meng Changqing next to a carriage transporting groceries.

"What are you looking at?"

"Mom." Meng Changqing took the cake from her, found an angle with the wind and ate it, "I was looking at this car. If I had known earlier, I should have got a stove, more coal, and a deep pot. , so you can cook while traveling.”

Liang Jiujiu couldn't imagine that scene.

Meng Changqing shook his head as he thought to himself, "You know it's hard to buy something worth a thousand dollars."

"Is mother up?"

"Madam is already up."

"Okay, then pack up and set off now."

Meng Changqing's order was issued, and the refugees immediately panicked when they saw them packing their things.

One of the refugees said: "I said they were just pretending. Look, they are going to run away now."

Someone had the courage to ask the soldier, "Is the county master going back to the city?"

"What city are you going back to? The county master is going north to build the city wall." Yang Zheng was riding on his horse. Taking advantage of this man's question, he loudly told the refugees, "If you want to eat, follow us."

They started at four quarters past four o'clock and didn't stop making breakfast until four quarters past six o'clock.

After the soldiers finished cooking the first two pots of porridge, the refugees began to arrive one after another.

Seeing that there was actually porridge to drink, their eyes were full of surprise.

In order to wait for these refugees, the motorcade had to slow down. Therefore, Meng Changqing spent New Year's Eve on the road.

By noon on the first day of the Lunar New Year, they finally arrived at their destination.

The west side is close to the city wall of Weishan County, and further forward, it is too close to the Yan Army's defense.

"Set up camp here." Meng Changqing ordered, and the soldiers quickly became busy.

But they hadn't been busy for long when they heard someone shouting from the city wall: "Who is coming!"

Yang Zheng stepped forward to answer him and reported Meng Changqing's identity.

But the people on the city wall obviously had never heard of the magistrate of Beishan County, and they repeatedly asked them to leave the foot of the city wall, otherwise they would be attacked with arrows.

There was no other way, Meng Changqing could only lead the people farther away.

Yang Zheng was puzzled, "Why don't those people know how to report to the people above?"

"Maybe he reported it, but we didn't see it." Meng Changqing packed his things, but he didn't have much emotion about being driven away.

"If they report it, they will naturally know your identity." Yang Zheng said, "Sir, you don't know, these people are guarding the border city wall. If you don't know how to adapt and just complete the task in front of you, it will be easy for others to take advantage of it. .”

"Indeed, but with our current status, we cannot control Weishan County."

Meng Changqing came to the refugees with the record book and said, "From today on, it's up to you how much you can eat at each meal."

(End of this chapter)