Hanhou

The hail came and went quickly, and when Zhao Jia returned to the livestock farm, the sky had already cleared up.In the green grass, thumb-sized ice crystals rolled down, and under the sun, the outer layer had begun to melt.

Zhao Jia jumped off the horse, and carried Wei Qing who was in his arms all the way to the ground.

After standing firmly on all fours, the first thing to do is to open the cloth bag to check whether the wild duck eggs are intact.After confirming that none of them were damaged, he raised a bright smile and said to Zhao Jia, "Your Majesty, none of them are broken!"

"Okay." Zhao Jia patted Wei Qing's head and asked him to deliver the duck eggs to Mrs. Sun.

"Ask Mrs. Sun if it can hatch, if not, cook it today."

The sudden hailstorm disturbed Zhao Jia's mood, and the joyful mood disappeared without a trace, and was quickly replaced by worry.Last year, there was a snowstorm in Bian County, and all the fields and acres were lost.After this year's spring plowing, the border residents have finally had hope, but hail will fall!

Pushing the bay red horse's head away, Zhao Jia rubbed his face vigorously.Fortunately, there are still livestock farms. If all production depends on the fields, this year's life will definitely be difficult.

"Uncle Xiong is back?" Zhao Jia called out to a young man, leading the bay red horse to the fence.Seeing the other party's embarrassed appearance, it was obvious that he was rushing back under the hailstorm.

"Go back to Mr. Xiong, Uncle Xiong is still in the field." Qing Zhuang put down the broken plow and wiped off the water stains on his face.

"Men Geng is here?" Zhao Jia asked.

"It's all there." Qing Zhuang nodded and said, "The rain and hail hit the field, and a lot of millet was knocked down. Uncle Xiong and Uncle Chang took people down to the field to see how much can be saved."

Zhao Jia didn't ask any more questions, and jumped on his horse, ready to go to the field to have a look in person.

Seeing that he was about to get on his horse and leave, Ji Bao hurriedly drank the warm water in the bowl, wiped his chin with his sleeve, turned around and took down the wild duck he had hunted, tied the golden eagle's legs and handed it to the water delivery woman.

"Pack up the wild ducks and give them to Mrs. Sun to cook. The golden eagles are good to be raised, and Mr. Lang said that they will be released after they are raised."

"Eat it without plucking the hair?" The woman mentioned the golden eagle, which is no different from catching a reed chicken.

The golden eagle couldn't understand human speech, but could feel the "danger", and immediately struggled and screamed.

Lu Xin and Gongsun Ao were checking the fence, when they heard a loud cry, they looked over together, and saw Ji Bao galloping away, a woman picked up the wild duck, and the other grabbed the golden eagle's leg and was holding it up with one hand Wounded wings.

"Is it a carving?" Lu Xin asked in surprise as he placed the planks between the stakes.

"It looks like he was injured." Gongsun Ao grabbed the hemp rope and fixed the board.

Alu and Aman poured the cooked bean dregs into the trough and grabbed the horns of several rams, only the lambs who had not been weaned dared to come forward and compete for the forage in the trough.

Several three-headed squatted on the ground, curiously picked up the ice crystals, held them up in front of their eyes, and looked at the sun.The ice crystals dazzled with colorful hair, and several people were fascinated by it, and exclaimed from time to time.

"Stop playing, come to work!"

Alu brought another bundle of grass, and greeted the three heads who got together: "Come and help, if you don't work, you will have nothing to eat!"

The three heads threw away the ice crystals one after another, clapped their hands, and ran all the way to the boy's side to help carry the fodder.

Wei Qing found Mrs. Sun, handed over the cloth bag containing wild duck eggs, and relayed Zhao Jia's instructions.

"Hatch wild ducks?" Mrs. Sun poured the washed corn into the steamer, added water to the cauldron, asked a woman to watch the fire, and took Wei Qing to the side to check the wild duck eggs in the cloth bag.

A few reed chickens strolled by the wooden house, picking up the spilled corn, and digging out the grass seeds and insects in the soil.

Mrs. Sun held up a wild duck egg and looked at it carefully, then walked towards the grass nest where the hen hatched the egg.

Wei Qing followed Mrs. Sun step by step.The three heads who came back with the wild fruit saw it and followed curiously, wanting to see what grandma Sun was going to do.

There were three reed chickens lying on the grass nest, all with fluffy feathers, and looked not energetic.When Mrs. Sun approached, she was in a different state immediately, and she gurgled.

The nearby reed chicken flew over quickly, flapping its wings and pecking at Sun Yu and Wei Qing.

Aunt Sun didn't take it seriously at all, and easily fended off the reed chicken.Walking a few steps to the grass nest on the right, he grabbed the target, counted the eggs in the grass nest, and quickly mixed four wild duck eggs into it.

The shells of wild duck eggs are green and bigger than chicken eggs. When you put them together, you can tell the difference at a glance.

The reed chicken didn't seem to care. When it was caught by Mrs. Sun, it struggled desperately. When it was put back into the nest, it immediately spread its wings and flicked the eggs inside. Then it looked at Mrs. Sun and Wei Qing vigilantly to guard against them Half a step closer.

All three reed chickens were caught once, and the wild duck eggs in the bag were also mixed into the grass nest.Aunt Sun handed the cloth bag to Wei Qing and said, "Take it well. As long as the eggs can hatch, they will definitely be able to feed them."

Although I have never raised wild ducks, in Sun's view, as long as they can hatch and not be bitten by wild wolves and eagles, it is not a problem to raise them to eat meat.

"Is this a wild duck egg?" Several three heads leaned towards Wei Qing, tiptoeing to look at the grass nest.

"Yes." Wei Qing shook the cloth bag, put it away carefully, and said with a straightened chest, "My husband and I found it!"

"Lang Jun?"

"Lang Jun took me to ride a horse and saw it by the stream."

"very nice……"

The three heads are very envious.

They are not as tall as Wei Qing, and although they have good physiques, they have only been able to ride one pony so far.Except for Gongsun Ao, the only one who has really been on horseback is Wei Qing.

When the few people were talking, Mrs. Sun had already returned to the wooden house, took the wild duck that the woman had prepared, spread the sauce on it and prepared to roast it.

The water in the kettle evaporates into hot air, and enters the retort along the air holes, and the corn will be steamed in a short time.

The two women spread out the chopping board, cut the steamed cakes that had been made before, spread the sauce, sandwiched shepherd's purse and rabbit meat, and stacked them in rattan baskets covered with green leaves, waiting to be sent to the field together.

Since the beginning of spring, wild rabbits have always been found around the livestock farm, often in one litter.

At first, women and young men were required to do it. With the addition of Lu Xin and other teenagers, Wei Qing and the three-headed body gradually learned the skills of catching rabbits.Even if you can't pull the Yi bow, as long as you can twist the rope, remember how to set the trap, and find the path where the hares often come and go, you can gain something.

The whole process must be patient and the action must be fast.

Patience is to wait for the rabbit to appear, and quick action is to catch the target before the grass rope is bitten off.

As the children's rabbit-catching skills become more and more proficient, whenever a wild rabbit approaches the farm, it will never return.However, the rabbits in the Western Han Dynasty are so stubborn, adhering to a fearless spirit of whoever enters the tiger's den if I don't, and one after another, one after another, they become everyone's lunch.

After the corn is steamed, the wild duck is half-cooked.The fat slid down the slightly crispy skin into the fire, and there was a light pop when it exploded, followed by an enticing burnt aroma.

The women neatly filled the barrels with corn, covered them, and put them on the harnessed carriage.The basket containing the steamed cakes was placed next to the bucket, and the duck meat would take time, so it was too late to send it, so it was replaced with a big bowl of meat sauce.Coupled with fresh shepherd's purse and hot soup with radish, it is the meal for everyone.

"Hurry up and come back quickly." Mrs. Sun inspected the wooden barrel and rattan basket, fixed them with ropes, and urged.

The woman who delivered the food nodded, one sat on the railing of the carriage, and the other two rode their horses beside them, and left the livestock farm where the cooking smoke had not yet dispersed along the dirt road made by the horses' hooves.

Zhao Jia and Uncle Xiong were walking in the field and couldn't help taking a breath when they saw the corn and wheat that had been knocked down by the hail.The situation wasn't as bad as he had imagined, but it wasn't much better either.Estimated based on the number of acres of land under your feet, the harvest will not be complete, but a reduction of more than [-]% is a certainty.

"It's a pity." Uncle Xiong bent down and picked up a millet plant that had already been pulped, his face full of distress.

The elder uncle and the young and strong servants present were all silent.

They have been working hard since February and have never dared to slack off. They thought they would have a good harvest, but they never thought that a natural disaster almost ruined all their efforts.

"Uncle Xiong, how much can we save?" Zhao Jia asked.

"Thirty to forty percent should be available." Uncle Xiong stood up and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, the land rent this year may not be enough."

"It doesn't matter." Zhao Jia swept his eyes across the crowd and said loudly, "It's just a rainstorm and hailstorm, not to mention that [-]% to [-]% can be saved, so what's the problem even if it's a complete failure? Last year's snowstorm was still safe, and this year's It will be fine!"

Zhao Jia's words gave everyone confidence, the worries in their hearts were still there, and the sadness on their faces finally disappeared a bit.

Uncle Xiong and Uncle Chang cheered up, separated Qing Zhuang and the servants, and decided to check the fields as soon as possible to determine the extent of the damage.Standing by the field, Zhao Jia looked at the ice particles melting under the sun, and began to seriously think about whether he could replant something.

After much deliberation, there was no result, and he could only sigh in the end. He really is not suitable for farming.

"It's a big deal to buy more cattle and sheep!" Zhao Jia became cruel, and began to estimate how many cattle and sheep could be bought with the money at home.

If God does not provide food, and there is another hailstorm, the remaining [-] to [-]% of the production will probably be in vain.

Regardless of the land rent, if you want to survive the winter safely, you must have enough food.It is not worthwhile to buy food with money. It is safer to store enough livestock and exchange food from merchants from the south.

If the price of food is too high, the big deal is to kill cattle and sheep, and they can always survive the winter.

The woman brought the food, and everyone filled their stomachs as quickly as possible, put down the bowls and chopsticks, and hurried back to the field.

Zhao Jia couldn't help much, and it would be a bit of a hindrance to stay, so he went back to the livestock farm with the woman, ready to count the existing cattle and sheep, and determine how much he needed to buy next, so as to be prepared.

Unexpectedly, when he was counting the number of steers, Lu Xin and Alu walked up to him together and gave him a big surprise.

"Lang Jun lacks cattle and sheep?" Lu Xin asked.

"Yes." Zhao Jia nodded.

"I know that there are several tribes of Xiongnu who often graze in the north of Yunzhong County. Among them, Dingling, Di and Qiang have enemies, and they often kill each other. The winner will take the loser's cattle, sheep and slaves. Several tribes exchange livestock in the market, and the price is at least [-]% lower than that in the city. The horses that Lang Jun bought before were those Wuhuan people who bought them from the Qiang people."

"Ding Ling will also attack the herdsmen of the Xiongnu headquarters, but he often picks out those who are alone. He does it very secretly and is rarely discovered."

Zhao Jia stopped and stared at the two teenagers standing in front of him.

"How do you know so clearly?"

"If you want to survive, you need to know where the Huns are grazing. If you don't know the exact location, you also need to know the approximate range, so that you can avoid the rangers and herdsmen." Lu Xin paused, hesitating, "And... "

"and also?"

"My servant's Aunt is from the Huns, and my mother is a descendant of the Han people who joined the Huns with the King of Han. Before Aunt's death, I have been living in the Lan clan."

"Since your father was a Hun, why did you become a savage, and why did you use a Chinese surname?" Zhao Jia asked.

Seeing that Zhao Jia had concealed his background before he pursued him, Lu Xin loosened his clenched fingers slightly, and continued: "My servant was killed by the householder under the command of King You Tuqi, my mother was taken away, and several brothers were killed. Because the servant was not as tall as the wheel, he escaped death and became a slave. Unbearable to bear the torture, he ran away with Alu while he was out grazing. Later, he met Aman and the others and wandered in the grassland together. Fearing being discovered by the enemy, he kept using It's my mother's name."

Zhao Jia looked at A Lu and asked, "You also have Hun blood?"

"I'm a Han!" Alu wanted to bark his teeth again, but when Lu Xin slapped his head, he said in a muffled voice, "I don't remember much, I just remember that the Huns entered Lizhong, and I was killed together with Ah Weng and Grandma." Aunt died on the way, and Aunt, who was protecting the servant, also died at the hands of the Huns."

When telling this memory, Alu didn't have much expression on his face, and his tone didn't even fluctuate much.

"The servant is not called Alu," Alu's mood finally changed at this point, "Those Huns don't regard servants as human beings at all, and all the boys who were robbed are called slaves, Anu!"

"Is it the same with Ah Man?" Zhao Jia asked.

"No, they are indeed prairie savages." Lu Xin shook his head.

Zhao Jia leaned against the railing, with his right arm wrapped around his chest, and his left hand resting on his chin, and he didn't make a sound for a long time.

Neither Lu Xin nor A Lu made a sound, they were waiting for Zhao Jia to make a decision.

If Zhao Jia gets angry, they will probably be kicked out of the livestock farm.However, if they want to live here and keep everything in front of them, they must be honest and cannot continue to hide.

"Besides his life experience, is there any other concealment?" Zhao Jia asked.

"No." Lu Xin and Alu shook their heads together.

"Explain in detail what you know about other departments, and I'll figure out the rest." Zhao Jia supported the wooden stake with one hand and sat on the railing, "If you can buy more cattle and sheep at a low price, I will do you a great service. !"

Lu Xin and A Lu looked at each other, and then looked at Zhao Jia together, the doubts on their faces were clearly visible.

"Lang Jun, aren't you angry?"

"Why are you angry?" Zhao Jia raised an eyebrow.

"The servant concealed his background and did not tell the truth."

"Not really." Zhao Jia patted the stake beside him, and said casually, "When the Wuhuan people caught you, were you really wandering in the grassland?"

Lu Xin and Alu nodded.

"On this point, you are not lying."

"My servant, A Weng, is from the Huns." Lu Xin tremblingly said.

"You consider yourself a Hun?"

"No!" Lu Xin shook his head vigorously, his eyes were full of ferocity, "They are my enemies, and one day I will kill them all!"

"Then it's over?" Zhao Jia said with a smile.

A Lu looked at Zhao Jia, then at Lu Xin, went back and forth several times, and finally his eyes fell on Zhao Jia; "Your Majesty, can I stay here?"

"Of course." Zhao Jia jumped off the railing, patted the boy on the shoulder hard, and said with a smile, "I bought you, if you run away, wouldn't I lose money?"

"That servant can have a Chinese name?" Alu's eyes lit up.

"Of course." Zhao Jia nodded, "What do you want to be called?"

"The Huns killed my relatives and treated me as a slave. Just like Ashin, I will break through their tribe sooner or later and kill everyone in it!" Alu said viciously, "I have already thought about it. Call it a broken slave!"

"Po Nu?" Zhao Jia pondered for a moment, then nodded, "That's a good name, what's your real name?"

"I don't remember." Alu shook his head and said seriously, "If you don't give up, I want your surname to be Zhao."

Zhao Ponu?

Zhao Jia paused, this name seems familiar?

"Mr. Lang, if the servant is the son of Mr. Lang, he should also change his surname." Lu Xin said seriously.

"Since that's the case, from today onwards, both of you have the same surname Zhao." Looking at the two teenagers in front of him, Zhao Jia said solemnly.

"Promise!" Zhao Xin and Zhao Po Nu promised loudly.

Not far away, Wei Shan and Wei Tong looked at each other, and suddenly felt that Zhao Langjun could easily tame these wolf cubs without them doing anything.

"How should I report to the young master?" Wei Tong poked Wei Shan with his elbow.

"Tell the truth." Wei Shan spit out four words, lowered his head and continued to wipe the dagger.