Porridge and side dishes [farming]

This time there was no sneaking around, and the carriage galloped through the streets and alleys to the county grandfather's mansion.

After getting out of the carriage, a group of servants greeted them, escorted the two of them in, and at the same time unloaded the things from the carriage and brought them into the mansion.

"The master went to the military camp in the middle of the night yesterday, and he hasn't come here yet. He just asked the casual servant to come back from time to time to pass a letter." The butler, who is nearly fifty years old, sighed, and then vowed to comfort the two, "Both Lord, you can rest assured that our county's military force is definitely the best around, and the master also prepares and arranges it several months in advance. Whether it is equipment or strength, each of them is defined. No matter what, we will not let those soldiers The rebel bandits took advantage."

After hearing this, Li Ji didn't know whether to believe it or not.In times of war, everything is uncertain.

"I see, Er Gouzi and I are quietly in the house. If the master comes back, you are calling us."

Go all the way through the second gate and enter the yard of Li Ji and Er Gouzi behind.

The servants and maidservants in the yard all came out to greet them, and their faces lost some vitality.

The Taiye Mansion in this county is the most protected place in the county, and it is also the place where the rebels are most likely to pay attention.

At that time, once it breaks through, there will be a large number of rebels besieging here.

No one dared to imagine what it would be like at that time.Besieged on all sides, that's all.

A master like the magistrate may escape under the protection of everyone, but what about them who are servant girls?

Where did the result come from?

Li Ji's head was in a mess right now, he went into the room and sat on the edge of the bed without saying a word.

Er Gouzi didn't know what Zhan Luan was, but seeing Li Ji's appearance, he understood a little bit.

Er Gouzi walked over, squatted down and rested his chin on Li Ji's lap, looked up at Li Ji, and said personally, "Is something serious?"

Li Ji nodded: "It's a big, big thing."

"You can't solve the problem?" Er Gouzi asked.

"Your father may not be able to solve this matter. This matter is fatal." Li Jichang sighed, looked up at the closed window, very depressed.

"Who will die?"

"If you don't do it well, you'll die." Li Ji closed his eyes, his mind was full of familiar people, some he liked, some he didn't like, some he wasn't familiar with, and some he just met once.

No matter which one, Li Ji didn't want to see him lying in a pool of blood.

Ergouzi's concept of death may be deeper than that of Li Ji.When I was on the mountain, it can be said that I lived every day in the struggle to deprive other lives, or be deprived of other lives.

He succeeded, he was able to have a full meal, and he didn't even have to worry about it for the next few days.If he fails, he will give the meat to other beasts, and even become the hope for the whole family of beasts to survive.

The winner is king, the fittest survive.For ordinary people, I am afraid that they will come to their senses after experiencing some things. For Er Gouzi, he has already experienced it since he was a child.

"Are you afraid?" Er Gouzi asked.

"How could it be possible not to be afraid?" Li Ji smiled wryly, "It's hard to live such a good life; it's hard to find your father; it's hard for us to be together. We are so young, it would be a pity if we were gone like this."

Er Gouzi stood up and held Li Ji in his arms: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Don't be afraid, there is me.

The uneasiness in Li Ji's heart became much calmer, and he hugged it back with his backhand, with a more gentle smile on his lips: "Why don't you say that you are amazing, and you know what I need to hear at this time."

"What I said is true." Er Gouzi said, "If it's not safe anymore, we can go back to the mountain at any time. The mountain may be dangerous for ordinary people. But for me, it's like going home .Nowhere is it safer than on the hills.”

Because there are only birds and animals on the mountain, no people.Er Gouzi doesn't have to worry about anything, doesn't have to think about it, and is as free as a fish in water.

This time, Li Ji was really moved.Perhaps, going back to the mountain is the best choice.The terrain in the mountain is complicated, even if the rebel army really intends to slaughter the city, it is impossible to enter the mountain.

"It's really safe on the mountain." Li Ji narrowed his eyes slightly, and a flash of inspiration flashed in his mind: "We can all move up the mountain!"

The mountain is very big, even if the whole county moved there, it wouldn't take up much space.

It's just that ferocious beasts are infested, and people will definitely die by then.

But there are definitely more people who survived than those who survived the crossing of the rebel army.

In the midst of war, no one can survive alone.Even if the rebels really don't kill the people, there must be somewhere to get the food and grass for the march.The rebel army does not have a serious grain depot to store, and it is impossible to have no source of grain and grass to fight all the way here.

There are also weapons and armor for war.War is a matter of burning money. Where will the money come from?Or ordinary people.

Whose family's money and food are the lifeblood?Who can willingly take it out?

Then there is only burning, killing and looting.Left and right, once they win, the winner is king, and no one will mention what they did in the past.

Li Ji grabbed Er Gouzi's shoulder: "The war is coming, we can move the whole village up the mountain! When there are more people, ordinary beasts dare not approach. We live together as a group, and we feel safe, and we won't be too Lonely, are you right!"

If you want Er Gouzi to go back to the mountains with Li Ji to live, Er Gouzi is [-] times willing.But Li Ji was different, he was used to getting along with everyone, suddenly there were only two people left, I'm afraid Li Ji couldn't adapt.

The mountain is clean, and it may be chaotic when there are more people, but it is isolated from the world, and you can't find any disputes.

Er Gouzi nodded and said, "You can do whatever you like."

Li Ji stood up directly, afraid of patting Er Gouzi's shoulder, went to the window and opened it, looking at the busy servants in the yard, and the flowers and plants that didn't know the disputes in the world.

"Actually, it is possible to build a village in the mountains. Not only the people in our village, but also anyone in the whole county who is willing to go up the mountain to escape. But I am afraid that there are not many people who are willing to go up the mountain. They would rather be displaced and flee to a safer place in the south. I don't want to go to the mountains either."

People's fear of the unknown is always more resistant than the known.People kill, and beasts kill.If people choose a way to die, most people will choose to be killed, or starve to death.At least in this way, he can have a decent face and a place to be buried.Instead of being eaten by beasts.

Even how many people in my own village can go up the mountain is unknown.

But at least, the magistrate is sure to go.They will also bring many maids and servants with them.Quite a few of these people knew how to fight. When they got to the mountain, they could not only protect themselves, but they might even help them catch prey and fill their stomachs.

When you reach the mountains, you can open up wasteland and farm.As long as the food brought up the mountain is enough to last for the next autumn harvest, they can support themselves.

And not only open up wasteland, but also abundant mountain vegetables in spring and summer.No matter how you say it, you can't starve to death.As long as you pay attention to the attack of fierce beasts, people can survive!

"Now we can only wait for the master to come back and tell him the matter as soon as possible." The county magistrate must be more thoughtful than Li Ji.

But no matter what, with the road up the mountain, everything after that is not a dead end.

Li Ji relaxed a little and sat at the table drinking tea.No matter where I've been, the tea in the Grand Master's Mansion in this county is the best.And this tea specially puts flower petals, which is the most soothing.

It's still not his turn to worry about this matter.

On the side of the county magistrate, not only was he devastated, but he was also very anxious.

It was just a day and night, and the rebels advanced again.At this speed, it can take as long as a month, or as little as a day to reach the city.At that time, what will happen to the people in the city.

"The 800 people who went to volunteer helped to block part of the attack. But the opponent had more people than here, and all of them were well-equipped. Breaking through is only a matter of time. It stands to reason that you are a civil servant and I am a general. I can make the decision by myself. But the entire army was built by you alone. I want to hear your opinion on how to do the following things."

"No matter what, the people in the city can't make mistakes. I don't know how to fight. It's up to you how to fight. Since the collapse of the imperial court is a foregone conclusion, the result is the same."

"This is different." The commander said, "In our city, even counting the 800 people who went to support, there are only 400 people left. I don't know how many of the 800 people will come back alive. Even if all of them are They are elite soldiers and strong generals, and how can they defend against tens of thousands of opponents? Master Shen, the people in your city are ordinary people, so the soldiers in our barracks are not human!"

This is subtle, the county magistrate said: "Even if they are all human beings, don't forget, you are the food of the king's salary to share the worries of the king! You are supported by the people's taxes, and it is the last bottom line of defending the country. !"

"You are wrong!" the commander said calmly, "We are eating your salary. How long has the imperial court fed us? How many grains of grain have we eaten from the common people? If it weren't for you, we would still be hunting in the mountains to satisfy our hunger. Tangtang Build an army and live the life of bandits!"

In a word, most of the arrogance of the county magistrate was extinguished.The commander was right. If it weren't for this war, who would have thought of the fact that Da Xia still had an army?In troubled times, martial arts are emphasized, and in prosperous times, literature is emphasized.The more peaceful the day, the lower the presence of the army.

Those noble people in the court who claim to be free and familiar with the books of sages and sages look down on the warriors who wield knives and guns and kill people, so they naturally ignore and even suppress them.

So gradually, the longer the peace, the army is like an abandoned orphan, the more remote the place, the more it will fend for itself.

The magistrate took a deep breath and softened his voice: "You are wrong. Most of the salaries I send to you come from the hands of ordinary people. Although most of the money is given to me by merchants, where is their money? Earn it? It’s still in the hands of the common people. As a soldier, military orders are like mountains. The world can be cruel, but we can’t be unfaithful!”

If it were another person, the commander would definitely say that the magistrate is stupid in reading, but such words came from the mouth of the magistrate, and the commander's answer could only be silence.

The commander didn't speak, and the magistrate didn't expect to convince him with a few words.He just said: "The imperial court can't do it, the people are innocent. In fact, which year did the people not pay taxes? It's just the difference between paying it up and going to the treasury. Just waiting for the money, grain and grass to come out of the treasury, and then send it out, then It’s layer upon layer skinning, you and I know these things very well.”

The magistrate of the county sighed: "If you want to do things in his position, the court is not benevolent to us, and the blame cannot be blamed on the common people."

After being lectured by the county magistrate, the commander stopped arguing with him, and only asked him: "So what should I do according to my lord's wishes? You know, it's not that I don't want to defend the city, but that I can't bear it at all. The gap is too big."

"Of course I know I can't keep it." This is the crux of the problem, the county magistrate frowned and said: "Arrange people, and the whole county will go door-to-door to notify that the rebels are about to attack. Do you want to escape or stay here to see what they want? There is no reason for the army to fight head-on, and this matter needs to be discussed. If possible, it is also good to move away. I don’t know how to march and fight, and I don’t know the rules on the battlefield. In my heart, I would rather What I faced was an empty city, and I could not see a drop of blood in the distance."

The magistrate of the county is a civil official, so it is really difficult for him to talk about the war.

The commander said: "Flee without fighting, especially the way of being a soldier."

"My life is gone, where are those locked up." The county magistrate squeezed his brows, "Whatever is needed in the army these days, just get it from me."

The commander said: "I'm afraid that it won't be long before the mountains of gold and silver will be useless."

"I'm thinking about it. If I think of something, I will tell you. I don't believe it. God really only drew a dead end for the people."

The magistrate of the county has been outside and stayed here for a few hours, and it is time to be tired.He never imagined that in his lifetime, he would also experience a war.

He didn't know how to protect every commoner in the city, he could only say that he wanted to keep as many commoners alive as possible.

If the leader of the rebel army is brutal, or if the soldiers who have been killed all the way are murderous, they will massacre the city as a dismount.

This is not what the county magistrate wants to see.

But what can I do?There are complete eggs under the overturned nest.At the moment when Cheng Po was waiting, the county magistrate, as a Daxia official, might be more dangerous than ordinary people

So far, the most gratifying thing for the magistrate is that the preparations in the mountain have been completed.No matter how great the danger is, at least Er Gouzi and Li Ji will be safe.

The magistrate of the county has been fighting for so many years all his life, and in the end all that is left is a son like Er Gouzi.

Looking at the time, Er Gouzi and the others should have already entered the mansion.At this time, the county magistrate especially missed his son, and on the way back, he urged the groom several times to hurry up.

Li Ji was eating snacks and chatting with Er Gouzi when he heard a servant girl coming to report that the county magistrate was back.The two hurriedly got up to pack up and went out to meet them.

The county magistrate walked up quickly, saw Er Gouzi at a glance, and reached out to hug him, but his hand froze in mid-air, and patted his shoulder instead.

The county magistrate patted Er Gouzi on the shoulder, and said with excitement in his tone, "It's good to be back, it's good to be back."

Er Gouzi didn't speak, but it was Li Ji who broke the embarrassment: "I was terribly scared on the way here, but I can't remember anything here. No matter what happened to the left or right, at least as far as we are concerned, there is a way out. "

The county magistrate said: "You and Chang'an can definitely move into the mountains and settle down."

The county magistrate was about to say that he had prepared a safe place for him, but Li Ji spoke out his thoughts first.

"That's what we thought. The rebels are about to attack, and if they kill their eyes, there must be many people who will suffer. I thought, why not just move to the mountain? There are beasts on the mountain, but many people gather together , It’s quite safe. The roads in the mountains are rough and difficult to find the way, but for Er Gouzi, it’s like being in the back garden. If we all move to the mountains and the rebels come, let alone whether they can find us, Even if they knew we were going up the mountain, they would definitely not dare to go up the mountain easily. Even if they went up the mountain, it would not be easy to find us. Even if they found us, if there were two dogs, walking around with them on the mountain would make them faint."

As long as you first enter the mountain and get familiar with it first, it will be an excellent place that is easy to defend but difficult to attack.Moreover, there are no people in the mountains, because for thousands of years, few people dared to go up, and no one was willing to settle down there.

At this moment, it is the best final shelter.

The county magistrate frowned slightly: "It is indeed a good idea, but there are many people in the city. Leaving aside those who defected to relatives and those who stayed at home and refused to leave, there are more than tens of thousands of people left? How to manage so many people? How to arrange? Food, clothing, housing and transportation It’s all a problem, how to solve it?”

Where can Li Ji think of these?It is not easy to come up with this method.

"I can't think of this, and I can't think of a solution. You have read a lot of books and are well-informed. If you think about it, you can definitely think of more good solutions."

The county magistrate also has a headache.If the mountain could really hug the people, he would rather bring the people of the whole county up the mountain.Can it really work?In times of peace and prosperity, it was all quarrels and constant troubles.

Everyone moved up the mountain, and everyone felt very depressed, so a small matter could cause a big conflict.

And when it comes to the body, how to set up camp?But not at the beginning, there is almost nothing on the mountain, how do you rest at night?Who lives on the outermost edge of danger?

These problems will only increase. How can it be possible to manage a huge crowd with only a few dozen yamen servants under the hands of the county magistrate.

There is a solution, but the method has not yet been settled.The county magistrate hadn't rested for a few days, and he was not in a good state at this time, and his mind was not particularly clear.

At this moment, he needs a little rest, even for a while.

"You have a good rest. To be honest, I have arranged for people to build three houses that are safe enough for you on the mountain. No matter how bad it is, you are absolutely safe. Leave the rest to me. You have been exhausted all the way. What are you doing?" If you want it, feel free to mention it to the servants, I'll go to sleep first, I may be very busy recently. If... If I can survive, we can farm together in the mountains, that would be great."

Listening to the tone, the magistrate is not sure how long he will live.But since the residence has been prepared on the mountain, can't the magistrate go up the mountain with Li Ji and the others?

"Aren't you going with us?"

The county magistrate's shoulders were slightly stiff, and he said with a wry smile: "How can I escape ahead of the people. This still needs to be considered, you should go back first."

The county magistrate saw his son, felt better, and looked at Er Gouzi carefully, turned around and was about to leave when Li Ji said:

"I almost forgot that we had some rabbits when we came. I thought about it. If we go up the mountain, there are not many livestock raised at home. Since the rebels are coming, the soldiers must bear the brunt. How about taking me Nursing will send most of the rabbits and chickens here, and give the soldiers a good meal of meat!"

It is impossible for each of the soldiers to have one of the animals that Li Ji raises, but two or three pieces of meat are more than enough for no one to eat.

"You have a heart. I have prepared enough things for you, and I am moving them into the mountain one by one now. I have also prepared some people for you, who can protect you at any time when you arrive on the mountain. In a few days, you will go back and resettle your home. Clean up well. Leave the animals that can’t go up the mountain to me, and I will send someone to clean them up. After you go up the mountain, don’t come down. If there is nothing wrong with me, I will go up the mountain to find you. As long as you live in the place I prepared for you , I can find you."

The county magistrate left, and the atmosphere was a little depressed because of what the magistrate had said.

Li Ji thought he would wait here until the fight started, but it turned out that the magistrate had other arrangements.This time I called the two of them over, probably because I just wanted to take another look at Er Gouzi.If something really happened, this time might be the last time we meet.

Li Ji forced a smile, and said to Er Gouzi: "You see how your father can be a servant, and he is so powerful. He is the magistrate of the county. There are so many servants in the mansion and so many servants in the county government office. Protect him. He will definitely come back, and then our family of three will live a good life on the mountain."

Er Gouzi nodded: "Yes."

Er Gouzi can feel the feeling that the county magistrate conveyed to him, and this feeling affects Er Gouzi's own heart.He couldn't explain this feeling, but if he thought that the magistrate would become a bone that could never speak like his mother, Er Gouzi would feel bad.

People's hearts are made of flesh.No matter how cold-hearted a person is, after these days, he has some feelings for the magistrate, let alone the two fathers whose blood is thicker than water.

"Then we have to make good preparations when we go back. We don't know about the affairs of the county. Let's talk about the villagers. If we live in the mountains, there are many things to do. I'm afraid I will trouble you to help guide the way. Just listen to the master." He said that he had prepared a residence for us. But when we went up the mountain, if we were the only ones who had a residence and no one else had one, we might not be able to justify it. And we couldn’t tell how the residence came about. It couldn’t be said that we wanted to move a long time ago. I’m going to live in the mountains, so let’s build it in advance.”

The more difficult the environment is, the inner conflict caused by the error will be infinitely magnified.It’s like when there is a famine, when you are still gnawing on the bark, and someone comes by and is gnawing on a delicious steamed bun, you will hate him in your heart. This is a reason.

"There are three residences, and they can be taken to places where there are none. Find a safe place for them to surround. Let's go to the residence. Anyway, they are on the mountain, and they dare not move around easily."

It was rare for Er Gouzi to come up with an idea, Li Ji said with a smile: "How can it be so easy, how can we explain if we don't go with them?"

The author has something to say: The county magistrate is actually not very big...and he is a civil servant who has never fought a war.The things he thinks may be simple, but as the magistrate, he is qualified.

Heaven and earth can be unkind, but we cannot be unfaithful.

To be honest, I personally don't agree with this point, but this sentence is the most brilliant thing about the magistrate

Meme Chirp