Late Tang

He led the horse to the intersection of the township, where there stood a stone archway with two notice walls on the left and right.

Right now, there is a human head hanging under the three big characters of Baima Township on the stone archway, and two notices are pasted on the notice wall below.The old man can't read, but his wife can. Now every night, his wife teaches him to read two or three characters, but he can only vaguely recognize a few of the contents of the notice.However, he heard the township head beat gongs and drums and read it aloud here yesterday.This guy was a secret agent who was lurking here when the Shatuo people withdrew. Because he tried to steal government official documents and secrets, he was found and reported to his superiors, and then executed and beheaded on the spot to show the public.

Because of this matter, the county and the township went door-to-door to re-verify and examine the population of each household today.Because he used to be an officer in Shatuo, Ni Jinji was also specially asked to explain the ins and outs of the past.Ni Jinji felt very ashamed of this. He was ashamed that he was once a Shatuo person.During the interrogation, he argued loudly, saying that his great-grandfather brought his whole family back to the Tang Dynasty from the Western Regions, and since then, he has been a citizen of the Tang Dynasty.He even wanted to change his current name, but the higher-ups replied that he needed to apply to change his name, and then send it to the higher-ups for review.

Nei Jiji didn't change his name, he is still called Nii Jiji now.When passing the archway, the old chicken spat heavily at the deep-fried head.In his mind, since they stayed here, and Qin Fan gave them a new life, they should be grateful, live happily here, and build a wall with the past.This person is too stupid to let such a good life go, but he will end up like this.He told himself more than once that I will never be the next him.

After walking into the street, the brand-new storefronts on both sides of the street made him feel much more relaxed.On the street of Baima Township, there is a small castle with four walls of one mile each. Inside the castle are two intersecting streets, which divide the castle into four districts.The four blocks of residences, township offices, schools, and shops are clearly distinguished, and the two sides of the cross streets are built with various shops, and the planning is very reasonable.This township is also newly built. The street is very tidy, with bluestone slabs paved on it, and a canal built next to it. Although this is a rural area, it is just like Yanjing City. There is no livestock manure or domestic garbage on the street. The township government has special personnel to inspect and manage. In addition, there are several public toilets, public bathrooms and garbage collection points on several streets in the township.

He first took the horse to the stable. After the training, the soldiers would take the horse to the stable in the castle. There were special people there to take care of the horses and prevent them from being raped and taken away by the soldiers. Private.After handing over the horse and taking back a horse card, the old man took out his ID card, household registration card and food stamps, and went to the grain station to buy food.

There was a long line of people buying grain in front of the grain station, and those who ate public grain in the countryside had to buy grain with tickets.The price of food in Qin Fan has not been high, but the purchase of food is limited. All daily necessities, grain, oil and non-staple food need to be purchased by ticket.This is also because of the current food shortage and the purchase restriction system that has to be implemented.It is said to be a purchase restriction, but in fact, the quota for each person can guarantee food needs, provided that you do not know how to pay for food.

Several township soldiers in the front line saw him and quickly saluted him. The old man returned the salute, and consciously lined up at the back without jumping in line.Living in Qin Fan, he gradually adapted to Qin Fan's rules.At the beginning, I thought it was cumbersome, but now I take it for granted.

When it was his turn, the female clerk at the window was his wife, Shi Shi. Because of his relationship as the instructor of the village soldiers, he also went through the back door and asked his wife to find a job at the grain station to eat public meals.Originally, he didn't want his wife to come out to do things, but his wife said that the land in the house was rented to others, and she moved to live with him on the street, and she didn't want to stay at home all day, so she watched other women work in the countryside and eat at the public house. , and asked him to help find one.

When Shi Shi saw that it was him, he smiled, "The training is over."

"Well, I'll bring back this month's food and oil, and I'll pick you up from get off work by the way." When he faced his wife, he was always so gentle.

Shi took over the identity card, household registration card and food stamps neatly, and completed the procedures in a while.Immediately there were two strong women in their thirties facing the food coupons, and weighed a bag of grain and vegetable oil and brought them up.They also knew that the person outside was Shi's husband, and they even made a few jokes along with him.These two women are also refugees who fled from other places. Although the officials have allocated land for them and settled down in their homes, but now that the farming season is late and they have no men, the officials finally arranged for them to work here. Life has regained hope.

After receiving the grain and oil, the old man retreated to the side and waited for half an hour before Shi's shift came off work, and the husband and wife, one carrying grain and the other carrying oil, returned home.When I got home, this house was a public house in the village. It was used as the residence of the commander of the village soldiers. It was a house with a small courtyard.

The wife is the eldest daughter, and the father-in-law has a son and two daughters. Originally, there were two children in the family, but the first two were conscripted successively when they were in Yunzhou, and they both died in battle.It is precisely because of this that when it was rumored that conscription was about to be made again, the family finally fled to Qin Fan, the legendary land of hope, with difficulty.

The old father-in-law's family is actually Sogdian, and they are also Hu people from the Western Regions who went south with Shatuo and attached to the Tang Dynasty.However, they have lived in Yunzhou for several generations, but they have intermarried with Tang people, and now they can speak Tang official dialect neatly, and they don't even look like Hu people in appearance.The mother-in-law is a Han Chinese from the border area, so she is generous in her son-in-law's house, and she has already cooked dinner before they come back.

"My son-in-law is capable. There is a big house in the country and more than 200 mu of land. There is a yard in this village. He can still get a salary of tens of thousands of yuan a month. He is really promising. The son-in-law did not choose the wrong person at the time." The old man came to take pictures He patted Ni Jinji on the shoulder and said with a smile.

The husband and wife met the two elders, "Why are you here so late, what's the matter?"

The mother-in-law wiped her hands on the apron, and said: "There is something wrong, why don't you come here to make up your mind with the two of you. Yesterday, someone came to propose a marriage and fell in love with your second sister. It's a refugee from Henan. There are a lot of people in the family, more than a dozen people. The old man in the family has three brothers. I heard that the three brothers are all scholars. It's a pity that the eldest and the second are not in the war. The old man's health is not good. Now the whole family Rely on Mr. Sanlang. Mr. Sanlang looks very good, handsome, and strong. It’s just that there are more than a dozen people in his family, and the burden of the whole family is on him. We are worried that the second sister will suffer when she gets married. Ben I don't want to agree, but this damn girl has fallen in love with her, so I have no choice but to ask you."

"The eldest son-in-law has seen people in the world, what do you think we should do?" the father-in-law asked.

Shi Shi said directly: "Since the second sister has fallen in love with herself, then she agrees. What's more, your parents have also said that San Lang is good-looking and a scholar, so he will definitely be promising in the future. Now King Qin values ​​scholars the most. Don't think that when we were in Yunzhou, scholars were not as popular as martial arts, but that's old history. Under the rule of King Qin, scholars are more promising."

The second sister of the Shi family giggled when she heard the words, and the Shi family's parents stopped talking.

"Why didn't the third brother come?" Nie Jinji asked.

"Oh, that's not why I came here today. This morning, the people from Xiling Township suddenly came, beating gongs and drums, saying that they wanted to send all the soldiers from the township to Yanjing, so that they would follow the King of Qin to represent the North. Fighting. Don’t you have any news yet? I guess your soldiers from Baima Township will definitely be going too.” Father-in-law Shi sighed, his two sons were lost in the war. Unexpectedly, when he came to Qin Fan, he just felt that there was something wrong. It's time to run away, why the third son has to be recruited to fight. "Isn't everyone saying that the country soldiers don't need to go to war? Why do they have to recruit country soldiers to fight. My old man is the last son."

"Father-in-law, is it true what you said?" Nie Jinji's heart skipped a beat.

"Which is not the case, it has already been decided. The hundreds of soldiers in Xiling Township have already been called, and the guys in the village have even been sent out. Rest at home for a night tonight, tomorrow afternoon Gather in the countryside and leave early the morning after tomorrow."

Shi's mother also said at this time: "Baima Township must also be conscripted, but son-in-law, don't worry, you were dismissed because of hand disabilities, and they will definitely not conscript you again. I have pity on my Saburo , no matter where you go, you can’t escape this military disaster!”

After hearing the comforting words of his parents-in-law, the old man felt lost.In fact, having been a soldier for 13 years, it is not so easy to adapt to ordinary life.With a group of local soldiers who can't ride well all day long, he is more eager to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, make meritorious deeds, and seal his wife and son.

The old man sat on the side sullenly and didn't answer.

At this time, his mother-in-law continued: "I thought, our Dalang Erlang left before he even had a wife, and never came back after leaving. This time the third child is going to fight again. We are thinking, no matter what. We also want to marry him a wife and consummate a house before we go, if the bride comes to conceive, even if there is an emergency in the future, our Shi family will have a queen."

Old Master Shi said: "I have already taken a fancy to the daughter of Wang's family in the next village. The daughter was promised to her husband's family, but her husband died before she got through the door. Now in her twenties, although she is a little older, his family is willing, but they say It needs fifty thousand lines for the gift, and the family pooled it together, but there is only twenty thousand, no, let's see if my son-in-law can do me a favor."

The old man said with a wry smile: "Lao Taishan doesn't have to worry so much. Maybe my brother-in-law will make great achievements here, and when he returns triumphantly, he can be awarded an official title. However, it is not too much for you to plan to marry him first. Money Don’t worry about the matter, I still have thirty pennies left, and I have it here, and I will let the elder sister get it for you later.”

As the family was talking, there was a clang at the courtyard door.A voice shouted from outside: "Teacher Nie, someone from the county is here, and I want you to go to the township office immediately."

The old man became excited, guessing a certain possibility, he got up quickly, rushed to the courtyard door, opened the door, and asked loudly impatiently: "Is the superior going to send our country soldiers to fight with the King of Qin?" Mile?"

"It's exactly this matter, the teacher should go quickly, we have to notify the next one."

In the darkness, the old man threw his fist fiercely into the air, and let out a low growl with great excitement! (To be continued.)