sister-in-law

Chapter 223
The stability of the border and the mutual market are what people like to see. Although the emperor is afraid that Gu Zhang's family will become big, he is still needed at present, and he dare not change his position easily.

Therefore, Gu Zhang has done well in the position of Zhenwei Jiedushi.And Su Ruoli is also rising with the tide, and now she is the wife of Jiedushi.

When there was no more fighting, Gu Zhang ordered his 5 troops to station and start garrisoning the border.In addition to the 7 refugees he took in before, he now has [-] horses in his hands.

This number is neither too much nor too little. Compared with the soldiers and horses of the imperial court, it is just a drop in the bucket, and it will not become a thorn in the side of the emperor.

Therefore, this period was the period when the court was paralyzing him. After thinking about it, Gu Zhang felt that since he had reached this point, he must never go back.At that time, the queen had already said that he will be the right-hand man of the queen's son in the future. If there is no secret plan at this time, if Concubine Lan's family dominates in the future, her son will never be able to live a happy life like Gu Zhang and Su Ruoli's. .

When the husband and wife couldn't sleep for two nights, they had taken this problem apart and analyzed it countless times, and they all felt that they must have enough strength to live a good life.

He was so powerful that the emperor did not dare to touch him when he was in power, and the future prince would still rely on him.

Now the peace and prosperity of the border is a good time for him to recruit talents. Although Gu Zhang is not from a noble family, he has a long-term vision, and with Su Ruoli beside him, he is like a tiger with wings added.

Secretly, he had asked his subordinates to gather all the refugees who had gone to the border, to train soldiers in their spare time, and to cultivate when they were busy.

In the first year at the border, due to the exchange between Hu and Han, there was an endless stream of businessmen coming and going. The horse team swaggered through the street, and the excrement pulled down was enough for some local herdsmen to set fire to.

Originally, there were few people living in the border area, but because of the exchange between Hu and Han, some businessmen saw the business opportunities, so they took the opportunity to build houses here, opened inns and various shops for the merchants who came and went to rest and store their goods.

Over the past year, the border here has begun to take shape, forming a small town.

Su Ruoli gave it a name, "Yicheng", implying the meaning of IKEA and IKEA, hoping that in the future this place will be as prosperous as the Central Plains and suitable for living.

The current population of Yicheng is only a few hundred households, and there are no outsiders except for the army stationed here.

When the market opens in the daytime, there are people coming and going, mixed with Hu and Han, and the flow is endless, which is very lively.But at night, it was almost pitch black, with no human sight to be seen.Except for a few inns with lanterns to attract merchants, there are no ordinary people.

Gu Zhang felt that to make this place prosperous, no one would be able to do it.Only with people, will there be unlimited business opportunities.

He did everything possible to recruit refugees, but he didn't dare to expand his recruitment too much because of the lack of military rations.

Fortunately, during this period of time, there were hundreds of cows and some highland barley sent by Zaguli, and the [-] army barely survived.

He frequently wrote to the emperor, wanting the emperor to allocate more food and grass, but the emperor pretended to be deaf and dumb, as if he had forgotten their team.

Gu Zhang knew that the emperor did this intentionally, and wanted to force his subordinates to rebel, so that he could not lead the team.

Who will obey a commander who has no pay?
Now that it's autumn, at least some prey can be found on the grassland to satisfy our hunger, but in winter, I heard that the grassland in northern Saibei is very cold.When it snows day after day, what will so many people eat and drink?
You can't drink northwest wind, can you?

In the past few days, Gu Zhang's thoughts are uncertain, his face is full of sadness, and even seeing Su Ruoli, he can't help laughing.

Su Ruoli knew that he was worried about food and grass, so he couldn't help thinking of ideas for him, "Why don't we develop the iron mine on that mountain, and then exchange some food and grass with the barbarians, and we can also exchange some food with those merchants .”

Gu Zhang frowned and shook his head, "No, Yantie official camp, if I develop it, wouldn't the emperor have more excuses?"

"Then, we can't just sit here and wait for death?" Su Ruoli knew that these ancient people were benevolent and righteous, so he was in a hurry without being forced, and would never think about doing these things that shouldn't be done.

Right now, although it is difficult, Gu Zhang will not embark on this road.

Su Ruoli couldn't help becoming anxious for him, "Let's drive it first, if the emperor asks, he will say that there are not enough bows and arrows in the army, and feather arrows need to be made."

Gu Zhang paced back and forth in the tent, thinking that if he hadn't been prepared in this way, if the road was really blocked by heavy snow and the food and grass were not available, the 5 horses would not be able to rob everywhere. ?

At that time, his crime was even greater.

Gritting his teeth, he slammed his fist on the table, shaking the dishes on it, "If you don't open it, you will die. If you open it, there may be a way to survive. Let's do it like this, but this matter must be kept secret. Pass it to the emperor's ears."

"That's right, I don't want to lose my head!" Su Ruoli puffed her cheeks and nodded solemnly.

The matter was settled like this, and the next day, Gu Zhang quietly led a group of people up the mountain.

After about half a month, a small iron smelting workshop has been built at the foot of the mountain, and the sound of knocking can be heard day and night inside.

Before winter came, it snowed heavily.

The snowflakes fluttered all over the sky and covered the sky, making the tent creak under the pressure.

The icy cold wind came in through the gaps in the tent, blowing the cool air through the bones.

Su Ruoli was wrapped in two quilts and a sheepskin robe, and she shivered with cold hands and feet.

Gu Zhang had already gone to watch the night, so she had no choice but to curl up in the bed by herself. Although she went to bed early, she didn't feel sleepy at all.

I was nervously thinking about how this cold winter day would pass.

The emperor was determined to ignore Gu Zhang and let him fend for himself.If Gu Zhang has the ability to overcome this hurdle, that is his ability.If he can't get over this hurdle, the [-] army will lose their morale, and if something goes wrong, the emperor will wait to punish him.

After thinking about it, she was the one who caused the trouble.

It is said that a beauty is a disaster, but now that I think about it, it is really true.Didn't Gu Zhang get harmed by her fake beauty?
However, this is also a good time to sharpen him. If he can pass through smoothly, there will be no other things that can stop him in the future.

I don't know how long it took, but she was so sleepy that she couldn't hold on anymore. Even though it was cold, her upper and lower eyelids started to fight, and her mind became a blur.

Suddenly a gust of cold wind came in, and there was a burst of brisk footsteps outside.She woke up again with a jerk, knowing that it was Gu Zhang who had come in.

The room was as cold as an ice cellar, Gu Zhang rubbed his hands to light up the oil lamp, then took off his armor and walked inside.

His camp is divided, the outside is used for business affairs, and the inside is a bedroom for sleeping.Su Ruoli came here, and it happened to live in it, so it was more convenient.

Gu Zhang picked up the cotton curtain in the back room and went in, he couldn't help but exclaimed, "Why didn't someone make a brazier? What can you do if you freeze in this cold day?"

There used to be a brazier in the corner, but now there are no sparks in it.

Su Ruoli got his little head out of the quilt, and muttered, "Since you're back, why don't you come up and rest? What kind of brazier is there? Seeing that there's no charcoal for cooking, I'm so coquettish, don't I?" To make people laugh?"

"Who dares to make a joke?" Gu Zhang stared, stepped forward and reached into the bed to hold Su Ruoli's hand, and said distressedly, "Look, your hands are still frozen like this while lying on the bed? You don't know how to use your hands How many people have been saved, how can I let you freeze?"

After finishing speaking, he came to the corner and squatted down to light the brazier.

With the light of the oil lamp, Su Ruoli looked at the burly figure, feeling a warm current in his heart.Even if he followed him to suffer from the cold and starve in this icy and snowy land, his words were enough.

Hey, sometimes when she thinks about it, she thinks women are so easy to satisfy!
The brazier was set up, the charcoal fire was burning vigorously, and the tent immediately became warm.Gu Zhang took out two black things from the bag of his war robe and threw them into the brazier, then sat on a large copper pot and boiled water sizzlingly, and then he was free to sit on the edge of the bed .

Su Ruoli took the opportunity to put his head on his arm, and said with a smile, "Is there something good? Otherwise, why are you so generous?"

"Haha, you ghost!" Gu Zhang pinched her little nose lovingly, and put his forehead against her face, "Even if there is nothing good to do, I can't lose my own woman? Otherwise, I Still a man?"

Does this have anything to do with being a man?
Su Ruoli thinks that her brain is not fast enough to keep up with his words.

Gu Zhang stretched out his hand to hold her face, and winked at her mysteriously, "Guess, are we afraid that the emperor won't give us food now?"

"So, the iron ore has been mined? Have you exchanged food with the barbarians?" Su Ruoli's big watery eyes were filled with joy, and he pulled his sleeves and shook them. The joy was definitely from the bottom of his heart. of.

The two of them hadn't been this excited for a long time. Gu Zhang simply put his legs on the bed, leaned against the back of the bed with his arms around Su Ruoli, and said with a smile, "You guessed right! Barbarians don't know how to smelt, and they don't know how to look at mines." Knowing how to use it is really cheap for us. This time, we exchanged a full [-] carts of grain and [-] head of cattle and sheep, so we won’t be afraid this winter.”

"Hehe, that's great." Su Ruoli happily pecked Gu Zhang's face quickly, and couldn't help laughing, "I know my husband is the best!"

"Your husband?" Gu Zhangzheng's smiling face suddenly stiffened, and he asked Su Ruoli with a bit of jealousy.

It was only then that Su Ruoli realized that she had slipped the tongue when she was happy. In this day and age, her husband is a eunuch in the palace. She said that, Gu Zhang thought she knew some eunuch.

"Hehe, err, I was talking about my husband-in-law, and I made a mistake if I talked too fast." Su Ruoli hurriedly corrected her, her heart was so frightened that she almost gave up.

I don't know if he told Gu Zhang that she came from the modern times hundreds of years later, would he treat her as a monster?
(End of this chapter)