From Chief to Ball

As for whether there will be a grand and spectacular large-scale sacrifice after the alliance in a month's time, it is still unclear.

However, an episode in this ordinary sacrifice was of great significance to Xiacheng. After the normal prayers and blessings, Suyue, the chief priest, recited to the ancestors about the return of the relatives who had moved away, hoping that the ancestors would protect this place as well. Zhiyuan tribe in the northwest, and offered sacrifices of this clan to the ancestors, the fortune-telling ancestors naturally agreed, and it was also a good omen.

After the sacrifice, according to the previous rules, the sacrifices that Xiacheng needs to prepare during the annual winter solstice sacrifice are determined: chariots, horses, plows, etc.

Chen Jian hastily agreed, which means that he is eligible to participate in the sacrifice in the future. Although this time is not grand, at least he can use the words of relatives to reason in the future without seeming to be embarrassing.

After the dull sacrifice, the various clans resumed their disputes, and Chen Jian did not participate.

No clan has an overwhelming advantage, and the final result is self-evident. This will definitely not be a clan alliance in the true sense, but more like a cultural circle union in name.

This kind of interest-related matter cannot be changed by a few mouthfuls. Even if you talk about it, even if your ancestors show up and say that you should be united and united, even if this is the case, what should you do? It may even be possible. They will also dig a pit to bury the ancestors who manifested spirits—because they haven’t solved one of the most fundamental problems: who has the final say?You may not be able to beat me, why should I listen to you?

But the urgency of foreign invasion, the threat of floods and droughts in large rivers, and the continuation of tribal disputes made most tribes eager for a successful alliance to deal with these troubles.

Under this kind of contradiction, every day some clans are blushing, but every day those oaths are slowly being perfected.

Because of the quarrels and discussions every day, few people noticed that a lot of wood was dragged into the place where the Xiacheng people lived, and the sledge was scraped out and put on the horse.

Many Awagi people who are familiar with Onozawa got a lot of strange gadgets, which can be exchanged for many things in Awagi.

A few old Sucheng people who had participated in the siege and suppression of those fugitive slaves in Onozawa received more gifts, and were invited into the house by Xiacheng people, and invited them to eat Xiacheng's delicacies, hoping that they would go to Dayo with them Ze.

Chapter 30 Shortcuts

"Let's leave like this? Even in Xiacheng, people from all clans must be present at the city meeting... It's like allocating land. If we leave like this, will we lose what we deserve? "

After deciding to go to Onozawa, the young people who came with Chen Jian put forward their own opinions. Chen Jian shook his head and said, "It looks the same, but it is actually different. This is not Xiacheng. Even if we stay, they can accept the opinions put forward. Besides, when any opinion is put forward, there must be some people who oppose it and some people who support it. The more you put forward, the more you oppose, and the more enemies you make. Since the results are the same, there is no difference between being present and not being present. It's better to stay far away. After a month, there will always be a result of discussion."

The person accompanying him asked: "If this is the case, if everyone doesn't speak, wouldn't it be impossible to discuss anything?"

"Xiacheng doesn't speak because Xiacheng has no enemies and blood feuds inside. The grassland tribes and Xirong people can't beat us for the time being. If they ask for less, they can naturally not fight as they like. If they ask for more, they will definitely Go fight, don't worry about it."

"Then there is no result yet, will they definitely agree with us to build a small city like Shang and Heyin in Dayeze?"

"Yes. Several clan leaders who are not around Onozawa also came to me yesterday, telling me that their land is vast and there are rivers flowing through it, and they are willing to set aside a land of thirty or fifty li with us. This will only benefit them. Disadvantages, no one will object. Let go of your hearts, I am the leader of the city, and I will not let the interests of the city suffer. No matter how much I do for the entire Dahe tribe, it is against the interests of the city, everyone They will also push me down. Now I am respected in Sucheng because I am the leader of Xiacheng, not because of myself."

Chen Jian is very sure of this point. There are many clan leaders looking for him, and they all hope that Chen Jian will build the city with only warehouses and workshops near their city on the premise of keeping the previous oath. Su Yue and others have also repeatedly Contact hoped he would not change his mind.

After unifying the views internally, it was snowing outside again. The horses probably knew that they were going to go out again, so they seized the time to chew on the beans, and occasionally looked back at the sledges in the yard, probably hoping that the sledges would break.

The sledge was filled with a lot of real objects and some common goods. Chen Jian walked over and grabbed the horse's hoof to look at it. He wrapped the sheepskin around his body, tied it around his waist with a hemp rope, and painted his face all over. The solidified butter prevents frostbite, and between the knees are the thick felt knee pads brought by Red Fish and Yu Qianer last time, which are very warm.

Outside the courtyard, Yuemei blinked her black eyes, shook the snow on the white fox fur apron, watched Chen Jian busy there, and sniffed the air because of the sweat of those busy people and the thick smell from the fur on her body. Smell, frowned slightly, covered his nose with a cloth handkerchief, but when Chen Jian looked over inadvertently, he took the cloth handkerchief away and hid quietly behind him.

"Ji Xia, where are you going? Can you take me with you? Last time we agreed to go to enjoy the snow together. You didn't have time at that time. This time you do your thing, and I will enjoy my snow. I can always take a ride, right?"

She breathed through her mouth as much as possible, but the strong smell of lamb still lingered on the tip of her tongue. Seeing some snow flakes on Chen Jian's sheepskin, she subconsciously stretched out her hand to dust him off.

Chen Jian hastily smiled at her. The last time she recommended Xia Cheng to join the alliance, this girl spoke very well and helped him a lot.To put it a little more shamelessly, if Xiacheng really builds a small town near Onoze in the future, Yueyi, which is two or three hundred miles away from the north bank of Onoze, will always be a help, so there will be a lot more jokes with this girl these days point.

At this time, since the question was asked, it was not easy to refuse, so he replied: "I'm going to visit Dayezawa, I can take you with me, but it's cold on the road, aren't you afraid of the cold?"

"It's like eating herbs. Herbs are always bitter, but for the sake of quick recovery, I will choose bitter herbs."

She giggled, her face flushed slightly, she didn't explain whether the brisk recovery from illness was with Chen Jian?Or are you referring to going out to enjoy the snow?

I hoped that Chen Jian would understand, but also worried that Chen Jian would understand, as if the entangled threads were not clear.

"OK then."

Chen Jian chuckled, handed her a ball of greasy butter and said, "Do you want it? Put it on your face to avoid chapped face."

Yuemei stared at the oily cream, hesitated for a long time, finally shook her head and said: "I have a fox fur apron, just put my face in it. You can be my eyes, there is a beautiful snow scene to call me With a sound, I stick out my face."

That's what I said, but when I actually walked, the wind and snow hit my face and I was sitting on the sledge, unable to move. After walking for half a day, Yuemei couldn't bear the cold.

There are really some beautiful places on the road, especially near a cold spring that never dries up in winter, the trees are covered with rime, but Yuemei is not interested, her heart is ninja cold, she just glanced at it, but she is quite interested Looking around the bonfire that I was tired of watching on weekdays.

Resting by the spring at night, since she has promised Yuemei and owed a lot of favors, she has no choice but to think of a way.

I used some branches to make a square, poured water on the outside and froze overnight, and formed a layer of ice to keep out the wind and cold. I only left a small door at the back for people to come in and out, and rolled it with a layer of leather. Some charcoal fire.

When Sun Yuemei woke up the next day, she found the small grid on the sledge. She was not stupid at all, so she could tell what it was for at a glance. After going in and trying it, it was much warmer, at least there was no wind chill. Straight to the cheek, a smile appeared on the corner of the mouth, sitting inside and smiling sweetly.

"Won't you come up and sit? It's much warmer inside than outside. Thank you."

Yue Mei picked up the leather at the back and saw that Chen Jian was still sitting on the sledge to suffer from the cold. At this time, there was no such thing as a big problem between men and women, so she asked a question very naturally, and stretched out her hand to pull Chen Jian up.

"I won't go. The tribe will always follow what the leader likes. Today it is surrounded by ice, tomorrow it will be silk, and in the future it will be better to compare with others, and later it will be carried by people. I’m afraid that in a few decades, the people of Xiacheng will forget to ride horses and don’t wear sheepskins. If I didn’t see you cold, I wouldn’t use it even if I knew.”

Yuemei snorted: "What's the matter if you don't wear sheepskin? You are willing to be ninja cold wind, but you can't force others to do the same. Hey, the one on the horse, let you come in to keep warm now, will you come? To be honest , don't be afraid of him."

The man on horseback turned his head and smiled, nodded and said, "Of course I am willing. Not to mention that there are beauties by my side, even just being around the fire is much better than eating wind."

Yue Mei smiled and said, "Look, this is all the truth."

"Yes, it's true, but if I don't enter the igloo, they won't enter either. Even if I think about it, as long as I don't do it. Xia Cheng doesn't ask what's in his heart, but how he does it. Even if he doesn't want to, pretend For a lifetime, what is the difference between that and wishing? I have a clan member named Ji Yun, who used to be a tax collector in the city, and was punished for receiving gifts from the village. Then you say that the newly elected tax collector will definitely Is it because you are so fair that you don't want to accept gifts at all?"

Yue Mei retorted: "That may not be the case."

"That's right, that's not necessarily the case. I don't care if he is fair in his heart, or he is forced to be fair. I don't ask him what's on his mind, I just look at what he does, and the result is the same."

Yue Mei frowned and sighed, "Do you always think of people as bad?"

"I never think of people as good or bad."

"I didn't think about it before, but then I discovered that there are good people and bad people. Good people are like us, knowing shame, so they abide by the agreement and don't break the rules. Bad people don't know shame, and they don't know how to eat and live. Follow those rules."

"How do you say that?"

Looking at the vast wilderness, Yuemei seemed to be recalling something, and said slowly: "You are going to Onozawa, right? Onozawa is very big, and its north bank is two or three hundred miles southeast of Yueyi. A few years ago The slaves in a nearby city rioted, and the leader of the city ran to our city with his children. Later, several cities worked together to drive out those slaves, and many noble bloodlines were actually driven by these slaves to live in cowsheds. , who can bear such an insult?"

"I know that these slaves are usually very miserable, but even if they are miserable, they shouldn't kill people. You should talk to those who have noble blood, and don't let them be so harsh. The slaves work hard, and the nobles give the slaves more food. Is it not good to visit when you are sick and get cold? A riot will kill people, and many people will die.”

"Of course the slaves in that city were defeated, but they didn't die. They fled to Onozawa with a lot of people. The leader named himself Ze, and hid in it based on his familiarity with Onozawa. Even if he wanted to encircle and suppress him, But I couldn’t find them, and I even beat them a few times, gradually becoming famous.”

"Everyone hates him very much, because many slaves don't work well at the beginning, forget the rules, always resist, sometimes run away, and often kill their masters. All these bloodshed are caused by him."

"After helping the leader to calm the city, my father told us not to be too harsh on the slaves in the future. I thought so, so I treated the slaves very well, just like the fox fur around me. This is the slave They caught them in winter. They should have done this before, but I gave them more food and even more meat."

"Many people are crying with gratitude. I don't ask for their gratitude, but just like you and I, we will definitely be grateful for such a favor. This is what I said, only people like us can understand etiquette and rules. But there are still a few people, Although he said he was grateful, he secretly led people to Onozawa during the autumn harvest."

"Before the slave who raised my dog ​​left, he killed my puppy as food. It was only a little over a year old, and it was very obedient. Once when it went out to play, it took off its cloak and forgot it on the ground, so it lay on its stomach. I watched it there for a long time, but I didn’t go back to eat.”

"The dog owner didn't run away in the end, he died. His death, and my puppy's death, were all because of him. If he didn't want to run, how could such a thing happen?"

"Besides, I usually treat them very well, and they all swore that they would not run away, but how did they do it? This kind of person is a bad person who is ungrateful, ignorant of etiquette, and beyond the rules."