Hanhou

As the night dissipated, the sky turned white, signaling the coming of morning.

The red sun will jump out of the horizon, the heat has not yet hit, five or six small animals are gathered by the pond, and there are bursts of birdsong in the grass, which is crisp and melodious, very pleasant to the ear.

A large number of mosquitoes gathered on the water surface, flying and connecting into one piece.

Two spiders were weaving webs by the pond, and more than a dozen dragonflies skimmed across the water, catching a large number of mosquitoes gathered.

In the barracks, Boping sat up, lifted the mosquito net made of Gebu, stepped on the ground barefoot, walked to the table in two steps, took a clay pot, and drank a few big saliva to feel refreshed. exhaled.Feeling the pain in the back of the shoulder, he picked up the wooden box next to the clay pot, dug out the emerald green ointment, and rubbed it on the itchy area with his fingers.

The cooling sensation hits, and the pain and itching disappear quickly.

Boping turned around and found that several people on the long bunk were sitting up one after another. Mu Song was yawning, clutching his chest and belly with his big hands, and refused to get down for a long time.Being slapped on the back by Bowei beside him, he fell forward, straightened up with his arms, and finally fully woke up.

The five of them came together to serve, and along the way, Bowei and Changshi took care of the other three.Before the registration of the official temple, they were even more severely warned not to sleep late every day, but to get up early.If the gong rings three times in the camp and does not get up, he will be punished and even whipped.

Knowing that Bowei reminded him kindly, Mu Song naturally didn't complain, and lifted the mosquito net while rubbing his shoulders.Both feet landed on the ground, like Boping, without shoes, holding up a clay pot, raised his head and poured a big gulp.

The water in the tank is no longer ice-free, and it is still like rain to people who sweat at night.

After Mu Song put down the clay pot, Bo Wei and the others got up and got dressed one after another.

Different from the three Bopings who joined the army for the first time, both Bowei and Changshi were serving their shifts for the third time. They knew what the original barracks looked like, not to mention mosquito net ointment, and they might not even have straw mats.For this reason, before leaving, the two also brought bedding from home.Don't want to use all of them.

When they came to the camp yesterday, they were amazed by what they saw.

Outside the barracks, the food was better than expected.The dough cakes, millet rice, mutton soup, pungent meat sauce, and refreshing sunflower.

Recalling the previous service, Bowei and Changshi pinched their thighs several times.I didn't count on myself, but I went to pinch the other three people, because I was afraid that I would suddenly fall asleep and everything would be a dream.

Compared with the two, the three of Boping were more surprised and more excited.

They are tall and strong, and they are good at farming.However, natural disasters and man-made disasters continued in Bian County, and the production in the fields was pitifully small.After the drought, the crops in the fields were completely wiped out. According to Litian's method, the family barely survived by catching locusts as an emergency.

During spring plowing, as a strong laborer in the family, every meal can be given a bowl full of millet rice or bean rice.However, a man of eight feet has to go to the fields all day long, and he has to pull the plow by himself when the cattle are not enough. It can be imagined that the physical strength is exhausted. How can a bowl of rice be enough?

But this is also the actual situation in the homes of most border residents.

The young and healthy women who work in the fields can barely guarantee two meals a day, and the elderly who cannot work in the fields even eat one meal a day to save part of their rations.

Conscripted by the official monastery, they will serve a shift in July. The young and strong in the village pack their bags early and leave early in order to save some corn for their families.

The most important thing is that the spring plowing has ended, and half of the summer planting has passed. When they return from the military service, if they are lucky, they will be able to catch up with the autumn harvest.In this way, one year's livelihood will not be delayed, and if you perform well during your service, you may be able to get some rewards and add some income to your family.

As for the hard work of the shift, the young and strong didn't take it to heart at all.

When is it not hard to survive in Border County?

When the Xiongnu from the north came to invade, no matter men, women or children, they had to take up their weapons and fight desperately.

It is true that the guards have to work, but they also have the opportunity to receive training.On the battlefield, the more skill you have, the more money you can save your life.If you open the bow faster, it is possible to kill the enemy and save your life.

The simplest truth is that it is better to be exhausted to death today than to lose your life in the future!

The notice was posted, and the traveler announced in the village, recorded the strong men who served in each mile, and sent the list to the county.

The three of Boping are the eldest sons of the family, and they are also serving for the first time. When they learned that Changshi and Shi were going to leave early, they came to the door one after another, hoping to accompany them.Adhering to the mentality of taking care of his fellow villagers and being able to form a group after entering the camp, Changshi Bowei did not refuse, and even took care of him on the road, and took the initiative to raise points.

What they didn't expect was that Zhao Jia was in charge of training this year, and Bowei and Changshi had a lot of experience that they didn't need.

The thinking circuit and way of doing things of the new county lieutenant are obviously different from those of his predecessor.The layout and food provided in the barracks all opened the eyes of several people.

After eating a full meal, all five of them made up their minds that as long as they can eat enough and sleep well, no matter how tiring the work is, no matter how hard the exercise is, they must grit their teeth and persevere.If you want to quit, outsiders don't care, and your fellow countrymen will look down on you.When the incident was reported back to Lizhong, it was difficult for the whole family to raise their heads.

"Be quick, fasten your belt, and put on your shoes. Fang Bao, clean your hands!" Seeing that Fang Bao had grabbed his foot one moment, and was going to use his hand to grab the ointment the next moment, Bowei immediately shouted, "What a wound medicine!" Precious, if you dare to do this again, don't blame me for doing it!"

Being glared at by his fellow countrymen, Fang Bao blushed with embarrassment, hurriedly put on straw sandals, opened the door and walked out of the barracks, fetching water with a wooden basin to wash.

As the sun rises, the coolness of the morning breeze is quickly replaced by dry heat.There are still small animals coming to drink water by the pond, but the sound of birdsong gradually decreases until it can no longer be heard.

The cook was busy in the kitchen, and his face was covered with sweat due to the heat.

The special steamer is set on the fire, so big that two people can hug each other.Inside the cage are buns filled with meat, each the size of a fist.The stove room was filled with heat, and the fragrance also wafted out of the stove room, causing the guards and healthy servants who got up to swallow hard.

"What on earth is it, and why is it so fragrant?" Fang Bao's face was still dripping with water, and he didn't care to wipe it off. After shaking it twice, he turned his head to look at the stove, and the temple of five internal organs continued to roar.

Boping and the others were also attracted by the scent and walked out of the barracks one after another.It's just that Bowei and Changshi reminded them that they all kept the rules of the camp firmly in mind and dared not move around without orders, let alone go to the kitchen to find out.

The little official also rested in the camp, got up very early, and was holding a few bamboo slips, leading two healthy servants to the duty room on the east side of the school grounds.

The five people greeted the little official, the latter didn't say much, he just said that today the cellar will be dug, and when County Captain Zhao brings people over to choose a location, he will start working immediately.

"Today, the chef steamed buns with mutton stuffing, which are very delicious. Remember, just eat enough, don't burst your belly." The little official laughed.

"steamed stuffed bun?"

Bian County doesn't grow much wheat, and the Liju where Boping and the others live is relatively remote, there are not many vendors coming and going, and a lot of fresh food has not been passed on.Not to mention buns, they rarely even see bread.

While speaking, the cook had already walked out of the kitchen, lifted out the steaming steamer, placed two wooden barrels side by side, and poured out the newly boiled millet porridge.

To the surprise of Bo Ping and others, after taking out the sunflower, the cook didn't stop, and took out another wooden basin, which was full of salted eggs cut in half.The egg white is smooth and tender, the yolk is oily, let alone Gengzu and Jianfu, even the little official's eyes are straight.

When everything was ready, the cook picked up the wooden hammer and knocked on the gong hanging in front of the door.

Everyone unanimously, quickly fetched a large bowl, and waited in line to receive the meal.

The cook wears a cloth towel around his neck and holds an arm-long wooden spoon in his hand, which can fill more than half of the clay bowl with one spoon.Add another half a spoonful, and let the soldiers go forward, and another cook will add sunflower seeds and half a salted egg to the bowl.

As for the steamed stuffed bun, everyone can take it by themselves.

Boping and the others didn't care about the heat, holding the porridge bowl with one hand, holding a bun in their hand, and biting another one in their mouths, walked to the eaves one after another, squatted together, and began to eat.

The skin of the buns is soft, and the meat filling is wrapped with scallions.Bite down with a big bite, the hot gravy splashed into the mouth, so hot that several people gasped, but couldn't help but take one bite after another, and finished the two buns in a blink of an eye.

He licked his lips unsatisfied, picked up the wooden bowl, took a sip of millet porridge along the side of the bowl, served with sunflower, a layer of hot sweat soon appeared on his body, but it was incomparably ironed.

Picking up the salted egg with chopsticks, several people were reluctant to take a big bite. They took a small bite and served it with millet porridge. The porridge bowl bottomed out, and more than half of the egg yolk was left.

"What are you doing in a daze, go get it if you're not full." The little official took two more buns and a bowl of porridge.However, the number of salted eggs is limited, and only sunflower is added to the porridge.

Several people in Boping stood up and rushed to the steamer.

The little official had a smile on his face, remembering the first time he ate the meal arranged by the county magistrate Zhao, his performance might not be very strong, and he even had the idea that it would be great if he could become a subordinate official of the county magistrate.

It's a pity that I don't have much literacy and ability.If he had worked hard to become a civil official... Thinking of this, the little official took a bite of the steamed stuffed bun, thinking of the two old civil servants who had been designated as county lieutenants, he was extremely envious.

Halfway through the meal, another ten soldiers from outside the camp arrived. Because it was too late, they stayed in the city last night, and today they were sent to the military camp by civil servants.

The little official raised his head and drank the millet porridge, wiped his mouth clean, went forward to salute, and said, "County Zhao is not here, so I can't verify his integrity."

"The county lieutenant is in the official temple." The clerk handed the circled wooden slip to the young official, with Zhao Jia's official seal on it, "The ten county lieutenants have already met, so we can arrange them."

Speaking of this, the civil official sniffled, looked behind the young official, and asked, "Do you want to eat steamed buns today?"

"Exactly." The little official first wiped his hands on his clothes before he solemnly took the wooden slip. After checking carefully, he confirmed that Zhao Jia's seal was correct, and then sent several people to the barracks.It's not that he can't trust the other party, this is a necessary procedure.

The clerk did not leave, but came to the kitchen in a hurry, took a bowl of millet porridge and two steamed buns, and squatted under the eaves with the soldiers to eat, regardless of the image.

The ten people put down their luggage and were led out of the barracks by the petty officials.

Knowing that they hadn't eaten yet, the clerk asked the cook to steam some more steamed buns, and if there were not enough steamed buns, he steamed cakes. Today, he had to dig a cellar, and these strong laborers just happened to be needed.

The new soldier grabbed the steamed stuffed bun and ate it until his mouth was dripping with oil.Judging by their attire, their family background is not much different from that of Boping, and some are even worse.

The little official saw that the official did not leave, but had breakfast with everyone, knowing that he would stay in the camp today, he immediately approached him and asked Zhao Jia when he could come to the barracks.

"It will probably be around noon. The county lieutenant ordered me to choose the location for digging the cellar, and ordered people to start the work as soon as possible." The clerk took a bite of the steamed stuffed bun, drank a mouthful of porridge, and said to the little official after swallowing it.

"Did something happen in the county?" The official was not a high-ranking official, but he had many years of experience and his intuition was very keen.In addition, I have been with Zhao Jia for a few days, and I know his character and behavior, so I can guess the reason immediately.

"Two thugs who plundered and sold women were caught in the county. After investigation, there were no fewer than ten good women who were harmed by them. There must be accomplices behind them, and the colluding caravan must also be caught. The county magistrate pulled out the books and checked the two In Liju, where the man was born, the county lieutenant is dispatching manpower, and wants to go and get him himself."

"Plundering and selling people?" The little official immediately showed anger, and said through gritted teeth, "There are still such villains hiding in the county?"

Bianjun was sparsely populated at first, and had to fight against the Huns every now and then, so the population growth rate was slow to a certain extent.In the years with frequent wars, there is only a decrease but not an increase.

Everyone in the official temple hated the villains and profiteers who plundered and sold people.After being caught, it is not uncommon to beat them to death.Even if they survived by luck, these people will not end well. One counts as one, and they will all be escorted to become Chengdan, and the dirtiest and tiring work will belong to them.

Not to mention the supervising officials, among the prisoners who are punished together, as long as they have not lost their humanity, they are equally disgusted with them.

Previously, criminals who bought women and children were sent to prison, and they were beaten to death within half a month of their sentence.When he was lifted out, most of the bones in his body were broken, and there was hardly a piece of good flesh in his body.

No interrogation was required, and the three prisoners took the initiative to take responsibility.Anyway, they all committed serious crimes, and they would be Chengdan until their death, and they didn't care about one more crime.According to the information, just as the three of them expected, it was just a longer sentence.For them who are already serving life sentences, it is completely painless.

And on the same day, the county magistrate decided to send a half-roasted fat sheep to several people.This matter is not a secret in the official temple, and the civil officials and small officials are naturally very clear.

"It's probably because the head of the pavilion is vacant that the villain dared to be so bold." The official patted the small official's shoulder with one hand after eating the steamed buns and drinking the millet porridge. Don't let any of them run away!"

While the civil servants were talking to the minor officials, the Shaling county magistrate had gone through the books to find out where the scoundrel and his accomplices were from.

It turned out that the village they lived in was not their birthplace, and they moved here five years ago.And the place where they were born was close to Yulin, and there was not a single village in a radius of a hundred miles.

It is true that the Border County has a large area and few people, but in order to guard against wild animals, most of the border residents will gather in one place as much as possible.At least two or three villages gather next to each other and take care of each other.Hanging out alone like this is really counterintuitive.

The county magistrate frowned at the book, apparently feeling that something was wrong.

Zhao Jia pondered for a moment, then felt a thump in his heart, how similar is Gathering Tongyang Shouwei in this village?