Ma Erniang's Splendid Pastoral

Chapter 151 Disappointed and Funny
The crowd outside the yamen was attracted by the porridge, and the people inside the yamen were finally able to come out. Xia Zetao waved to the magistrate, "Hurry up and resettle the refugees."

"Yes, yes, General, the younger one will go right away." The old magistrate dragged his cold and hungry body back to his official office, and discussed with his subordinates what to do?It is said to be a discussion, but in fact, these people escaped in the official room and did not dare to show their faces.

Xia Zetao exhaustedly returned to the alley behind the yamen, where the family members of officials and historians lived, and he also lived here. The servant who watched the courtyard saw the general came back, and hurriedly opened the door, Zhao Suxin followed and went out, "Zening... ...Zenin..."

"Didn't I tell you not to come out, there are refugees outside, be careful to bump into you."

"Zening, I just want to see you soon."

For some reason, Xia Zetao felt attached to him when he heard this before, but now when he heard it again, he felt very awkward and uncomfortable, "I'm an old couple, what's the matter, hurry up and slow down." Said while coldly entered the yard.

Seeing that the master came back, the old mother hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "General, the food is ready, do you want to serve it?"

"let's go."

"Yes, General!" The old lady looked at Madam and turned around to make arrangements. She was specially pulled out by the old Madam to take care of the General. She looked at Madam who was mourning, and shook her head secretly. When the man came back, the first sentence You shouldn't ask, 'Are you tired? The meal is ready. Do you want to eat? ' Actually said some nasty words, what 'I want to see you soon', ouch, people who listened to it got goose bumps all over their bodies.

A big girl stepped forward and took the general's robe, and another girl brought water to wash his hands. Until he sat at the table, Zhao Suxin didn't do anything for her husband except follow along with a bitter face. Even something as small as reaching out to pick up a robe.

But Xia Zetao raised his eyes when he saw her standing, "Sit down and eat."

"Oh." Zhao Suxin just sat down.

Xia Zetao didn't expect her to serve him anymore, and said while eating: "After dinner, I'm going to see my son, don't go out casually when you're at home."

"You...can't you stay at home?" Zhao Suxin asked softly.

He himself said that his son is coming, but a mother... If she hadn't seen her conceived and given birth in October, Xia Zetao would have suspected that she was a stepmother, "Zhen'er is here!" He had to remind him.

"Oh!" Zhao Suxin said.

Xia Zetao kept his ears pricked up, thinking that she would say something more, but there was no more to say, so he put down his chopsticks, "Suxin—"

"Zening——" Seeing her husband calling her, Zhao Suxin raised her eyes happily.

"Zhen'er was born to you, right?"

"Of course he was born to me." Zhao Suxin didn't understand why her husband asked such a question.

"Then he's here, don't you care about him?"

Zhao Suxin smiled: "He has been like a little adult since he was a child, very sensible, don't worry about me!"

"You..." Xia Zetao didn't expect to hear such words from his wife, "No matter how sensible he is, he is still a child, why don't you ask him if he is full, and if it is cold, did he wear more..."

"Your mother asked about these things. Besides, in those years, you disappeared, and I couldn't care about anything except you." Zhao Suxin saw her husband's face getting darker, and her voice became more and more serious. small.

Staring at his wife for a long time, Xia Zetao was so disappointed with how poetic and picturesque she was before. He stood up and said calmly, "Eat slowly! I will discuss with Zhen'er about the garrison."

"Then...then you come back early." Zhao Suxin followed and stood up, looking reluctant to part.

"I see."

Xia Zetao picked up his saber and left the restaurant.

Zhao Suxin followed him all the way down the corridor, staring at his back until his northern shadow disappeared.

Ma Min'er took Fu Xiaoyou and the others to explore the city. As a result, although the city was poor, the area of ​​the city was quite large. It was divided into four areas according to east, west, south, north, and the east and north were larger.

It may be that there has just been an incident in the city, and there are almost no shops open for business. Walking through the main street and walking to the small streets, the remote alleys are showing decay and decadence, which makes people feel emotional, as if there is a kind of old age. The feeling of sitting in the sunset waiting to die.

"Little Boss, it's evening and it's getting dark, let's go back quickly." Shan Xiaodan reminded.

Ma Min'er looked at the empty alley, "Oh, let's go back."

A few people turned around the alley and headed towards the east gate with their backs facing the sun. After walking a few steps, they found someone sitting outside the low earth wall and playing chess in the setting sun.

Ma Miner squatted next to them, watching them play Go, her chess was very bad, and she could only understand a little bit, when she saw their game, she curled her lips and shook her head, expressing that she didn't understand.

"Little brother, why are you shaking your head?" The old man pinched Heizi and raised his eyes and asked with a smile.

"I don't understand!" Ma Min'er replied directly.

The old man was stunned for a moment, and when he understood what the other party meant, he laughed loudly. The young man on the other side, taking advantage of his distraction, took advantage of him, "Uncle Gu, I won."

"I'm sorry old man, I'm sorry old man, I interrupted your game of chess and caused you to lose." Ma Min'er clasped her hands together and bowed again and again, "I'm sorry to disturb you." After speaking, she stood up and was about to leave .

"Little brother..." The old man called out and stood up from the ground, probably his legs and feet were numb from squatting for too long, and he failed to stand up after trying twice, Ma Min'er gave him a hand, "Old man, what's the matter? "

"Oh, I'm old, I can't even stand up."

Ma Min'er smiled and said, "Old man, even if you are not old, your legs and feet will feel numb if you squat and play chess for a long time."

"Haha..." The old man laughed happily again, "Little brother, you are not from Liangzhou city by hearing your accent."

"The old man is right, indeed not, I am from Yizhou City."

"Yizhou? I've heard the accent over there too, it's not like my little brother!" The old man shook his head.

"The old man is amazing." Ma Min'er gave a thumbs up, "I used to be from the capital, but because of an accident in my family, I came to Yizhou,"

"Let me just say, at my age, I still have this experience."

"The old man is amazing." Ma Min'er boasted again, and was about to leave.

"Little brother, old man, I think I have a destiny with you. I invite you to dinner. I don't know if I will appreciate it or not?"

The yamen was surrounded by tens of thousands of people because there was no food. Not only did this old man not go outside the city to beg for food, but he even invited people to eat. Really... Ma Min'er couldn't help looking at the dirt yard behind the low wall Eye, "Old man, food is more expensive than gold, are you sure you want to treat me to dinner?"

"Uncle Gu, I've wanted to feed your family for a long time, but you always used the excuse that you won me and refused to give it. Now you actually invite someone who doesn't know how to play chess to dinner. What do you mean?" The young man was so angry. neck.

"Haha..." The old man's yellow and white goatee was trembling with laughter, "You beat me today with the glory of my little brother, come on, come to my house for dinner."

Ma Min'er waved her hand, "Old man, you are too polite, I won't go, I want to go home."

"Why, look down on me, a rich landlord?"

To bury yourself as a landlord and old fortune?It was the first time that Ma Min'er saw such a lovely ancient man, and she grinned, "It turns out that this old man is a rich landlord, that's really amazing."

"Of course, the first 2 people lived in the city, and the first 2 people lived outside the city. Most of them went to besiege the Yamen, but I didn't go. Could it be that the landlord is rich?"

"That's true!" Ma Min'er smiled back at his words, and at the same time quickly judged this person, sitting at the door and playing chess leisurely, not afraid of being robbed of her food, except for the official who is guarded by soldiers, that is a person of high morals, Moreover, De Gao made people respect him as a god, so that he could be unscathed in such a turbulent moment.

The old man cheerfully opened the half-person-high wooden door, led everyone in, and shouted: "Old woman, there are guests, please make more rough dough."

A short elderly woman came out of the low sandstone house, with kind eyes and kind eyes, deliberately sternly said, "Old man, you invited this guest, you go make the rough dough yourself."

"You old woman, with so many people, you have to give me some face."

"You still know how to save face. The food at home is all gone, and you don't even have to eat dinner. You still invite people to dinner, can you stop?" The old woman picked up the firewood stacked by the low wall while talking.

……

Hire someone when there is no food... Ma Min'er covered her mouth and wanted to laugh, but then laughed to herself, it seems that the calculation was wrong, no wonder no one came to grab his food, it turned out that his family had no food.

Fu Xiaoyou couldn't help but ask: "Ma'am, is there anyone in your family waiting in line outside the city for the porridge?"

"Yes, my son and grandson have gone.'

Ma Min'er felt that her judgment was wrong, she smiled, "Mother, old man, we are going back!"

"Little lady, do you live in a hotel?" The old woman looked at Ma Min'er and asked.

The old man shouted: "Old woman, she is obviously a little brother, you call her a little lady, what look do you have?"

"What kind of eyes do you have? She is obviously a little lady, and you insist on calling her a little brother." The aunt went over angrily.

"Ah..." The old man's eyes widened, "Little brother, are you a little brother or a little lady?"

Ma Min'er smiled embarrassedly: "My aunt is right."

"Ah... ah... I lost to the old woman again." The old man patted himself on the forehead angrily.

The aunt smiled and said: "I'm sorry, everyone, there is really no food at home, but there is water. I invite you to drink some plain water." After finishing speaking, she brushed the sawdust off her clothes and went in to get water.

Ma Min'er wants to be polite and say no, but she has just tasted "water is like gold", and the aunt is generous enough to ask them passers-by to drink water, is she generous?

The old woman took out the copper kettle, took a few more bowls, placed them on the small stone table beside the door, picked up the copper kettle, and poured a bowl each.

"Everyone, you're thirsty after walking, come and drink quickly."

Ma Min'er didn't move, and neither did the people behind her. The young man bowed to the aunt, held a bowl to drink water, and enjoyed it while drinking, as if what he drank was not water, but some kind of fine wine.

"Ma'am... I heard that water is very expensive, so please..."

"To others, it's expensive, but to my family, it's not worth it." The aunt said bluntly.

Ma Min'er understood that water is indeed precious, but was also surprised: "Big... aunt, do you have a well?"

"Little lady is really smart, no wonder she got into the eyes of my old man. Yes, my house has a well." The aunt admitted generously.

"Oh." Ma Miner asked: "Then does your family sell water for a living?"

"Almost." The aunt smiled back. "

"Oh." Ma Min'er thought to herself, no wonder, just as she was about to tell the aunt to look at the well in their house, Xia Zhen came to find her.

"North County King—" Fu Xiaoyou and the others hurried forward to salute Xia Zhen when they saw Xia Zhen.

"North...jun king?" The old man, his wife and the young man looked at Xia Zhen in surprise, and forgot to salute.

Ma Min'er turned her head: "Why are you here?"

Xia Zhen raised her head helplessly: "Look at the sky, it's almost getting dark."

Glancing at the sky, Ma Min'er smiled embarrassedly, quickly pointed to the old man and said, "This old man said he invited me to dinner, we chatted for a while, and then forgot to go back."

Xia Zhen, who stood tall and heroic, glanced lightly, and the three stunned people knelt down one after another, "Greetings to...greetings to the nobleman!"

"Get up." The voice was as expressionless as his own, but intimidating.

"Many...thank you, sir."

Xia Zhen stretched out her hand naturally, and Ma Min'er put her little hand in his palm, "Go back."

"Ah."

A group of people left the small courtyard with earthen walls, and the people in the small courtyard stared at their background for a long time without regaining their senses.

After leaving the alley, Xia Zhen's carriage was waiting at the entrance of the street, "How did you find me?"

"Wei Ren found it."

"Oh." Ma Min'er understood, they used the hidden guards, and asked again: "Brother Zhang is back?"

"Not yet, it won't be until midnight."

"What about the food?"

"Together."

"That's good, I can finally relax."

Xia Zhen sighed secretly, but didn't show her own difficulties, and stretched out her hand to hold the little daughter-in-law in her arms, "I want to take a nap for a while."

"Oh, then go to sleep, I'll call you when I'm outside the city."

"Ah."

There are too many things to be solved in Liangzhou City, which are more cruel than they expected, and the cruelest problem facing Xia Zhen is food, but for Ma Miner, she feels that water is the most serious problem .

Half an hour later, they left the city and arrived at the camp. Ma Min'er wanted to ask Gu Dun about the water, but it was already dark at this time, so she decided to give it up after thinking about it, and talk about it tomorrow when she is free.

When Aunt Shan saw Xiaodong's coming back, she hurriedly brought the cooked dinner into the tent, and Shi Qiuju followed her to serve the dishes. Before, Ma Min'er hadn't paid attention to her. Ever since she heard Shan Xiaodan talk about the water, she He paid special attention and glanced at her.

Shi Qiuju saw the little boss looking at her, and said in a panic: "Xing'er is packing the clothes that the little boss washed and dried during the day."

"You guys go to dinner too."

"Yes, my little boss!" Shi Qiuju lowered her head to her heart, looking timid.

Ma Min'er said, "Aunt Shi—"

Just as Shi Qiuju was about to leave, she heard the little boss calling her again, so she turned around in fright, "Little...Little boss——"

"Speak later, don't bow your head!"

"..." Shi Qiuju looked up in surprise, "Xing'er is just like everyone else, so you don't have to be tight!"

"Oh oh, good!" Hearing her daughter, Shi Qiuju's heart was always soft, and her tense heart relaxed a lot, and she agreed with a smile.

Ma Min'er nodded, "Hurry up and have dinner with Aunt Shan."

"Yes, my little master." The owner's face was kind, which made Shi Qiuju relax a lot, and she stepped out of the tent.

Shan Xiaodan set the table and chopsticks and went out, "Little Boss, if the dishes are cold, please call me."

Ma Min'er said: "Xia Zhen should be here soon, she won't be cold."

"Oh." Shan Xiaodan withdrew, and sure enough, the king of Beijun came, she avoided the side and saluted, and waited for him to enter before leaving.

Ma Min'er stood up and took two steps forward, "How is the camp?"

"Wei Ren is dealing with it, everything is fine."

"Although Mr. Wei is young, he is experienced in handling things."

Xia Zhen squinted, "Are you trying to say that he's a little tricky?"

"No, this young man's brains turn quickly, very good!" Ma Min'er sincerely praised.

Xia Zhen smiled softly, "I already have a slippery Zhang Nianmei by my side, but I hope he is as calm as Zhuang Hao."

"You miss Mr. Zhuang!"

"Well, I've been with him for a few years, and I'm used to him." Xia Zhen took off his armor while talking, and handed it to Ma Min'er.

She hung the clothes on the hanger, "I don't know how he is doing in Beijing?"

"With his head, it shouldn't be too bad."

"That's true." Ma Min'er said with a smile: "Eating is the most important thing. Eat first. When you are free, write a letter to Mr. Zhuang."

"Ah."

The two had a quiet meal together, three dishes and one soup, which was considered a luxury when they were short of food and clothing. Among the three dishes, one was Ma Miner's favorite, and the other two were Xia Zhen's favorites. of.

The dishes were made by Aunt Shan and Xing'er, they were not as good as Aunt Niu, but overall it was okay, and it was quite good during the march.Seeing that Ma Min'er didn't eat much square meat, Xia Zhen took a piece for her.

"Eat it! Don't pinch it for me."

"Are you mad at me for drooling?"

Ma Min'er glared at him, "Look at you, the meat on your face is gone again!"

Xia Zhen smiled, "Just wait until everything stabilizes."

"Don't worry so much."

Xia Zhen took a breath, very slightly, almost invisible, but was still seen by his young daughter-in-law, "Is the situation in Liangzhou Prefecture beyond your expectations, and you are a little caught off guard?"

He nodded, "I used to think that Liangzhou was always asking for food from the capital, and I was very jealous. Now it seems that it's not that others are asking for more, but it is really asking for so much."

"No hurry, take your time."

"That's the only way to go." Xia Zhen said: "During the day, I have already posted the announcement that soldiers can receive food."

"That's great!"

"But this place is so barren, it cannot be as self-sufficient as Pingding's, which is always a big worry in my heart."

Ma Min'er glanced at Xia Zhen, "In the situation of Liangzhou Prefecture, I think it would be better to combine the recruitment system with the government military system."

Xia Zhen immediately asked, "What do you mean?"

"If it is as expected, when you finish recruiting soldiers with food, you will find that Liangzhou Mansion will be more than half empty."

"..." Xia Zhen frowned.

Ma Min'er said: "You have conscripted all your strength, you have the strength to resist foreign enemies, but their food sources are very difficult, isn't it very contradictory?"

"Yeah." This is really Xia Zhen's worry, even if she has money, it's not easy to buy food.

"In Liangzhou, the model of getting on horses to fight and getting off horses to farm is more suitable here."

"How to get off a horse and farm?"

"The farming system."

Ma Min'er said: "Going down this road, you should find that you have passed Xiangzhou Prefecture, the Qing and Liang areas, and you can see that there is no one inhabited..."

"It's all sandy soil, so it can't grow food." Xia Zhen thought of the dark fields in Xiaowang Village, and said doubtfully.

Ma Min'er smiled and said, "The soil needs to be sorted and raised."

"Does the land still need to be raised?"

"Of course." Ma Min'er said with a smile: "I just arrived in Xiaowang Village, and the land I was allocated was also barren sandy land."

"Oh."

Ma Min'er continued: "You are already the king of Beijun. You can use your power to take the barren and unowned farmland back to the state. After the famine-prone civilians in Liangzhou City are recruited into an army, you can divide the fields and land for them. They fight When you don’t have time, let your family farm, and when there is no war, you can farm with your family. Seeds, cattle, and farm tools are all distributed by your yamen, and the harvest is divided in proportion.”

Xia Zhen looked at Ma Min'er, thinking about the feasibility of the matter.

Ma Min'er said with a smile: "There are examples in history to refer to."

"Hearing what you said, I seem to remember something like this."

"You, when reading, you must be only interested in how to win wars."

Xia Zhen nodded, "My grandfather has always taken care of the logistics for me."

"Now it's your turn. It doesn't feel easier than fighting."

"Yes." Xia Zhen admitted, indeed.

In the middle of the night, Zhang Nianmei came back with food. The famine-stricken people hadn't left. They were all waiting for the food. This little food could not solve many problems, but it still needed to appease people's hearts.

Standing at the door of the tent, Ma Min'er looked not far away, crowded and noisy, as if a good eye could explode, she sighed deeply, even she found it difficult to watch, Xia Zhen and him It must be difficult for your subordinates.

In front of the crowd, Xia Zhen stood like a statue, majestic and majestic, with one hand holding the knife and the other hanging straight down. His eyes seemed to have not turned, but they were actually sweeping in all directions, like a cheetah ready to go. swing out.

Gu Dun led more than a dozen school lieutenants and led the soldiers to maintain order. Sometimes they shook their arms, sometimes brandished knives, and sometimes cursed. He was just like an arrogant uncle, frightening the timid civilians to the point of death. Dare not breathe.

Those daring ones are still running around, these people can only let Zhang Nianmei, he is more slippery than them, even more treacherous, laughing and cursing, one by one is controlled submissively.

By the middle of the night, the crowd finally quieted down. Wei Ren and his staff began to distribute rations, giving priority to families, followed by the young and old, and lastly the wandering singles.

When the crowd was quietly receiving food, Xia Zhen brought the practice of fighting and farming, and combining soldiers and farmers to the military meeting. He did not discuss with everyone, but forced the attitude and promulgated the matter.

"Mr. Wei—"

"exist--"

"As soon as the day breaks, go to the magistrate and ask him to count all the fields in Liangzhou according to good, medium and poor, as quickly as possible."

"Yes, the king of the county." Wei Ren saluted.

"If the magistrate doesn't cooperate, or shirks, tell me, I'll take care of him and promote people who can do things."

"Yes, the king of the county, the subordinates know." Wei Ren took his task and went to work.

"Others wait, follow my military orders."

"Yes, the king of the county."

……

At dawn, Ma Min'er found that half of the crowd had dispersed, and the food distribution had finally passed smoothly. She then breathed a sigh of relief and looked around, but she didn't see Xia Zhen. She probably was busy and didn't bother him. , "Miss Shan, I'll sleep for a while, call me if you need anything."

"it is good."

It was almost noon when Shan Xiaodan woke her up, "Little Boss, my mother didn't let me wake you up, but you didn't eat breakfast, and now it's noon, I'd like you to get up first, if you're sleepy, Sleep in the afternoon."

"It's okay, I won't sleep in the afternoon, I'll sleep in the evening."

When Ma Min'er came out, she saw Xia Zhen and his father standing in front of the tent, not knowing what to say, they seemed quite serious, so she didn't bother, and went directly to her own stove, where she washed and ate.

After eating, I found that Xia Zhen and his son were no longer in front of the tent. Looking outside the city wall, the food may have been distributed, but there are still many people lingering outside the city, either they do not meet the conditions, or they are late There is no food.Those people were either swaying listlessly, or sitting on the ground in a daze, probably worrying about the future.

Ma Min'er swayed casually to digest food, the army was orderly, those who should stand guard, the training should be trained, the refugees shuttled among them, and they were not impatient.

Gu Dun squatted on the edge of a certain tent, holding two or three steamed buns in his hand, talking while eating, "Did you get scared last night?"

Ma Min'er's sight was blocked by the corner of the tent, she turned two steps curiously, and saw Shi Qiuju who was squatting washing clothes opposite Gu Dun, was it her?
"I'm not a child, so I can be scared."

Gu Dun grinned, "I was very aggressive last night, didn't I scare you?"

"No..." Shi Qiuju looked up, her smile was shy and happy.

"Hee hee, it's good if you don't get scared!" Gu Dun opened his mouth and bit the steamed bun, "You have to be fierce, or you won't be able to restrain them." The steamed bun was always chewy.

"You are a general, of course you have to look like a general."

"Yes, yes, that's right..." Gu Dun didn't even swallow the steamed buns in his mouth, "You are still right, those soldiers said that the little general doesn't like my rudeness, so let me tell you something, yes Those people can fight..."

Ma Min'er didn't listen, she wanted to stop him to ask about the water, but she didn't bother them, so she left quietly, but she didn't expect Gu Dun to like Xing'er's mother, she really... smiled secretly, and continued to go forward.

"Little lady..."

Ma Miner turned her head, "It's you!"

"It's Xiaosheng."

"Come to get food?"

The young man who played chess with the old man smiled innocently, "It's too late, I've finished receiving it."

"Oh." Ma Miner stared at the clean young man, "You don't look like a person from Liangzhou either."

"I..." The young man dodged his eyes, "Yes."

"Looking at your appearance, you seem to be from Jiangnan."

"Little lady has a good eye, she is... from Jiangnan." The young man nodded.

"Then you came to the north because..."

"Li... experience, experience..."

Although the young man looked at Qing Che cleanly, Ma Miner felt that there was a story in his eyes, but this was someone else's life, she would not ask, but asked with interest: "You look like you have read a lot of books? "

"It's... not bad!"

Seeing that he didn't want to talk about himself, Ma Min'er smiled, "Little Danyan, give this gentleman two catties of noodles."

"I... can't make it..." The young man just finished speaking, his stomach growled, and he covered it embarrassedly, "Let... the little lady laugh."

Ma Min'er smiled and bent over: "My surname is Ma, and my name is Min'er!"

"Huang Junyao!"

(End of this chapter)