Three thousand miles in exile

After the beating that day, no one dared to do anything wrong at the Tongtian Pass, only eight veterans remained, and only five veterans allowed young children to fill their gaps and enter the camp. There are 29 soldiers in Tongtianguan.

Once Huang Dekai and the old and weak veterans left, the atmosphere of Tongtianguan took on a new look. There were no idlers who gathered together and chatted. Every soldier had his own mission.

Apart from training, Liu Zhan still organizes wild hunting.

Now Liu Zhan's hunting scope is not limited to the wild boar forest, not to mention that the monthly income from hunting is very considerable, which is almost equivalent to getting an extra salary, especially for the brave ones.

At the beginning, the veterans and the new hereditary recruits still had emotions, and then they gradually enjoyed it, not to mention eating meat almost every day, which is unimaginable in ordinary military households.

In this way, Liu Zhan has completely won the hearts of the soldiers, and the conscription plan has also been put on the agenda.

When Liu Zhan was rectifying the military camp on the mountain, Yunzhong Academy was also nervously preparing for the autumn exam in September.

In mid-July, the seven scholars from Yunzhong Academy set off for Ruichang County, and they would spend ten days and a half months on the way. It was just right to arrive early and rest for a while.

Liu Zhan has only returned home once in the past few days since he took office in Tongtianguan, and left after staying for less than half a day.

Tongtianguan is in a state of ruins, the city gates need to be repaired, the city walls need to be repaired, the barracks need to be repaired, and when Liu Zhan went to check the warehouse, there were a few rusty guns scattered here and there in the warehouse whose roof was half collapsed. □, Liu Zhan didn't have any of the swords, bows and shields he wanted.

When the veteran was arrested and asked, the veteran looked at Liu Zhan with strange eyes and hesitated for a long time before speaking. "Life in the mountains is sad, and it was sold out by the previous adults."

Liu Zhan's mood was hard to describe, and he had no choice but to go to the county government office to find Master Ma to reapply for a batch of supplies.

Master Ma is very frank. "Liu Baihu, if someone else came here today, he wouldn't even be able to enter the gate of the county government office. The distribution of supplies should have been decided by the county barracks, but since you have come to me, I have to sell Dean Liu's face no matter what. "

Of course Liu Zhan knew that he should not bypass the county barracks and go directly to the county government. If he went to the county barracks, he would only end up in the sea.

"Thank you, Mr. Ma! I often heard from my father that Mr. Ma is the right-hand man of the county magistrate of Pei. When the magistrate of Pei County is promoted, he will definitely support Mr. Ma. Mr. Ma has a bright future."

Liu Zhan made vague nonsense, Master Ma thought he heard some terrible inside information, and he was shocked, happy, and frightened. Liu Zhan got the [-] sets of luggage he wanted. As for Master Ma, he thought about it divergently. He didn't bother to care about anything.

The 30 sets of supplies include [-] sets of leather armor shields, [-] sets of bows and arrows, and [-] sets of long knives, which are exactly the number of people in a hundred people, but now Liu Zhan can't even get [-] people together, and the matter of conscription and expansion is imminent .

A few days ago, Cao Zhuang Muxiu wrote to Mrs. Zhao saying that Liu Zhan would go home that day, and Mrs. Zhao was waiting at the door of the house for Liu Zhan's return.

Mrs. Zhao supported her son and watched for a long time. "It's getting darker and thinner. Can you eat enough and dress warmly on the mountain? Last time you left in a hurry, mother prepared some bedding and clothes and didn't have time to bring them to you."

Liu Zhan hurriedly said in his heart: "Mother, don't worry, everything is fine with your son."

Mrs. Zhao nodded, her eyes were a little red, she just felt that her son was not easy. "Go and say hello to the old lady. The old lady heard that you Mu Xiu went home today and didn't take a nap and was waiting for you."

Liu Zhan nodded. "I'm going right now."

In the old lady's room, Xin'er, Lan'er, Tan'er, Cong'er and several young grandchildren were all there. As soon as Liu Zhan entered the room, it was very lively. The big brothers and big brothers asked him to tell interesting things about the mountains, especially Cong'er grabs Liu Zhan and doesn't let go.

Liu Zhan had no choice but to knelt down to greet the old lady with his son in his arms. Although the Liu family had fallen, they still insisted on greeting the elders according to the rules of the family. Liu Zhan was not used to it in the early years, but now he is used to it.

"Okay, okay, get up and show grandma." The old lady also likes Liu Zhan very much. Liu Zhan is the eldest grandson of the family and is sensible and caring for the family. Always remember.

What the old lady said was also some words of inquisitiveness, and it took about half an hour before Liu Zhan was able to get away.

Unknowingly, Liu Zhan has been in the mountains for more than half of the summer, and now Qiyun Mountain will enter autumn soon.

The current Liu family is quite different from the dilapidated house in the past. Although it still has a straw roof, the walls are all painted white. During the last renovation, Liu Zhan planted flowers and plants in the front and back of the house, and built a fence in the courtyard. The gazebo, the gravel path passes through the pear and peach trees and then through a small clump of bamboo. The yard is small but elegant.

Liu Zhan is very satisfied with the flowers and trees he planted by himself.

Walking along the path, there was the sound of reading aloud from the Yunzhong Academy next door, and Liu Zhan came between the peach tree and the emerald bamboo.

Now that Liu's house is well-off, Song Fenglin also got his own study, this is a corner of the yard, the house is the smallest in the Liu's yard, it was originally intended to be used as a study building, Liu Xueyuan thought it was too small and abandoned it, and Song Fenglin took it.

Liu Zhan helped him design at that time. First, he planted a few clumps of green bamboo around the house to create a separate small courtyard, and then planted three plum blossoms in the courtyard. The small courtyard in front of the courtyard is small but very elegant.

Liu Zhancai stepped into the yard and saw through the open window the person who was painting with his head bowed inside.

Dressed in white clothes, long hair shawl, bright eyes and white teeth, gentle and elegant.

Liu Zhan leaned on the window sill and watched for a long time.

Song Fenglin felt something and raised his head, he was taken aback.

Liu Zhan folded his hands and grinned.

On the desk was an unfinished rural map after the rain. Song Fenglin felt that his thoughts were interrupted, and the pen in his hand lost its direction.

Liu Zhan was still wearing the military uniform of a head of a hundred households, his hair was a little messy, and he looked dusty.

Song Fenglin put down the pen in his hand. "You can enter my house only after changing clothes."

Liu Zhan entered the room and sat on a chair with a grin. "Lend me one, I'm too lazy to go back to the house to look for it."

Song Fenglin angrily went to the wardrobe to fetch it for him.

Liu Zhan looked at his back and said, "You just took a shower? It looks so nice with your hair down."

"What's been on your mind all day?" Song Fenglin angrily took out a blue blouse and handed it to him.

Liu Zhan just smiled and said nothing, took off his military uniform and put on clean clothes in front of him. When he turned around, Song Fenglin had already brought half a bucket of water for him to wash.

"It was originally used to wash brushes, but it hasn't been used yet."

Liu Zhan smiled again, took off his shoes and soaked his feet after washing his face. "so comfortable!"

Song Fenglin turned around and made tea in the small charcoal stove on the left side of the room.

Liu Zhan looked around the room. Although the sparrow was small, it was complete with all internal organs, bookcases, desks, kang bed stove, wardrobe and kitchen utensils. The room was unfurnished when he left.

After washing his feet, Liu Zhan turned on the bed without saying a word, Song Fenglin glanced at him and did not stop him, turned around and fetched a low table and put it on the kang, and brought fragrant tea and some snacks.

Song Fenglin sat cross-legged across the low table and made tea for him, while Liu Zhan lay on his side drinking hot tea in small sips, feeling refreshed after sweeping away the depression accumulated during the pass.

The two chatted one after another, and Liu Zhan told him everything that happened in the pass, especially the rebellion of the veterans, and he hated the hereditary veterans in his words.

Song Fenglin said calmly: "Since King Zhou Heng established the nine-rank Zhongzheng hereditary system, the pattern of the world has been established. Since then, there have been no low-ranking scholars in the top ranks, and no noble sons in the low ranks. Today, there are only big clans that have been passed down for thousands of years, but few military households that have been passed down for hundreds of years. Do you know why?"

Song Fenglin's voice was calm and cold, Liu Zhan had been afraid of being nagged the most in his two lives, but he loved listening to him, never tired of listening to it.

Song Fenglin added tea for Liu Zhan. "Military households are hereditary from the death of the military father to the replacement of the son until there are no more males in the family. During the war years, military households have been extinct for ten times. Every generation of military households is enriched by former prisoners and prisoners from all over the world. The battle can be fought, and the soldiers will die of old age and live in the army every day until the next war-torn era comes."

Liu Zhan was startled at first, then slowly stopped drinking tea and frowned in thought.

In this world, since most people are born, their life trajectory has been fixed and cannot be changed.

Liu Zhan put down his tea bowl and came over. "Fenglin, have you read all the regional annals of the world? Tell me."

"Just read the Northern Territory Chronicles."

"It doesn't matter, why don't you tell me first?" Liu Zhan said happily.

Song Fenglin stood up, took out a roll of paper from the bookcase and handed it to him. "See for yourself."

As soon as Liu Zhan opened it, he felt that his heart was in his throat. It turned out to be based on the map drawn by Beiyu Zhi, and Song Fenglin actually drew it!

Liu Zhan was overjoyed. "Feng Lin, you are really amazing!"

Song Fenglin said. "I let my father and Mr. Liu see this picture, and some mistakes and omissions have been made up..."

The next moment the person was thrown down.

"open!!"

"I don't!" Liu Zhan hugged him in his arms like an old hooligan.

"What kind of dignity!" Song Fenglin blushed.

"What's the matter with hugging?" There was a faint fragrance in his arms, and Liu Zhan didn't intend to let go at all.

The hand around his waist was like an iron arm. Song Fenglin struggled and couldn't get rid of it at all, so he gave up angrily.

"madman!"

Liu Zhan just laughed when he was scolded, thinking that he hadn't seen much for a few days and let him do it, but his temper was still the same, but he still liked it that much.

"Fenglin, why are you so smart?"

Song Fenglin turned his face away and didn't bother to talk to him.

"Writing and drawing are good-looking, people are also good-looking, eyes are good-looking, nose is good-looking, ears are good-looking, and..."

"You're enough!!" Song Fenglin blushed, not knowing whether it was from shame or anger.

Liu Zhan made a gesture to kiss him. "I like you so much."

"roll!!"

Liu Zhan laughed and hugged him even tighter. "I won't leave! I miss you in my dreams."

Song Fenglin was angry, but Liu Zhan knew him well. Song Fenglin's temper came and went quickly. Afterwards, he apologized shamelessly and coaxed him back.Liu Zhan really wanted to hug him, otherwise how would he go back to camp in a few days, Liu Zhan couldn't help it when he thought about it, so he kissed that cursed little mouth fiercely.

Dinner, Liu family hall.

"Brother, what's wrong with your face?" Sister Xin, brother Che, and the brothers and sisters were surprised when they saw the fingerprints on Liu Zhan's face.

Liu Zhan said calmly. "I accidentally fell while going down the mountain."

Wrestling can drop fingerprints?

After dinner, Liu Zhan was called into the study by Liu Xueyuan, and Song Yijun and his son were also there.

Liu Xueyuan first briefly asked him about the situation in Guanzhong, Liu Zhan omitted the soldier's rebellion and briefly talked about it, Song Fenglin glanced at Liu Zhan and didn't say anything, Liu Xueyuan didn't ask much, and then talked about the war in northern Xinjiang.

Song Yijun said: "The battle at Fanyangguan is tense, and General Yan has distributed food to the counties and prefectures in northern Xinjiang. Except for the Cangxia Plain controlled by the Yan family and the prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of Jinyang City, the rest of the local officials have delayed. Last month, General Yan Asking for food from the imperial court, His Majesty issued a decree for grain requisition to all parts of northern Xinjiang. The decree arrived in Wuyuan County a few days ago. Now people in Qiyun Mountain are in panic. The remaining food in the military households is only enough to make ends meet. ?”

Liu Zhan said. "Just don't pay."

Liu Xueyuan was taken aback by his son. "What do you mean my son?"

"Prefectures and counties in northern Xinjiang have always acted independently, just like the Yan family in the Cangxia Plain. Their soldiers are their foundation. The Yan family shot themselves in the foot but asked the states and counties to make up for it. Who wants to go to this place? Muddy water?"

After taking a sip of tea, Liu Zhan calmed down and said, "In my opinion, most of General Yan's grain collection is not complete, and the magistrate of Pei County doesn't have to be too serious about the purpose of harvesting grain, just give some errands, everyone knows Wu Yuan The county is so poor, if it is serious and starves to death all the people under his rule, isn’t the county magistrate Pei’s own vitality hurt?"

Liu Zhan's words were like enlightenment, and all three of them looked at him in surprise, especially Song Fenglin.

Yesterday, County Magistrate Pei came to Yunzhong Academy in person to discuss with Liu Xueyuan and Song Yijun. If he hadn't been forced to do so, how could County Magistrate Pei condescend to go up the mountain?The three were still struggling with how to deal with each other, but Liu Zhan pointed it out without thinking about it.

Now that the chaos in northern Xinjiang has arisen, who doesn't plan for themselves?

However, Liu Zhan still thought that the three of them were not exciting enough and spoke surprisingly. "The way I see it, the Cangxia Plain is lost, so what does it have to do with us? In this troubled world, it is best to be alone."

Liu Zhan was quick to talk for a while, but Liu Xueyuan punished him by copying his disciples' regulations and the Analects of Confucius a hundred times, and he was not allowed to return to the camp until he finished copying.

In the ancient times when the emperors and ministers were strict in etiquette, Liu Zhan's words were too shocking to the world. Even if the world's aristocratic families thought so, who would dare to say it so bluntly?

Liu Xueyuan thought in his heart that Liu Zhan's temper would not be accepted. With his unrestrained character, he would get into trouble sooner or later. He suddenly felt that punishing this rebellious son for copying books was not enough, so he asked him to go to the ancestral hall to face the wall in front of the tablets of the ancestors of the Liu family. Think about it for a day.

However, Liu Zhan's suggestion was quickly passed on to the magistrate of Pei County, and Pei Wanshan was also enlightened. Wuyuan County is just a poor village in Qiyun Mountain, so what can he do with him if he has the cheek to cry and go to the peak?

In the small courtyard of Song Fenglin in Yunzhong Academy, Liu Zhan was lying on the table and copying the books bitterly. The words he climbed were not so much copied as they were pasted.

Song Fenglin rubbed ink for him. "You made a mistake in writing Ji, don't use too much force, the writing is too big and this basket of paper is not enough for you to copy."

Liu Zhan said with a bitter face. "I've tried to make it as light as possible, but I can't help this brush."

Song Fenglin corrected me again. "Wrong word again."

Liu Zhan, however, copied it randomly regardless of whether the words were correct or not. Song Fenglin shook his head as he watched. Liu Zhan really didn't make any progress in writing.

Liu Zhan suddenly stopped and looked up at him expectantly. "Fenglin, I've built the place to live, do you want to stay for a few days?"

Song Fenglin didn't say yes or no. "How's your soldier drill going?"

Liu Zhan laughed wantonly and even a little arrogantly. "I'm planning to take them to try."

Hearing that Liu Zhan was really going to rob food, Song Fenglin was stunned even though he knew it already.

Liu Zhan turned around and fetched the map of northern Xinjiang drawn by Song Fenglin. Although it was far from the map, it was enough. He pointed to a city and said. "Tongtianguan is about a dozen miles north of Qiyun Mountain, where there are Yan people's villages. These days, I have led people to sneak into Yandi several times as hunters. The large rice fields at the foot of Qiyun Mountain are almost all the private property of the nobles of Yandi. I don’t know where is the county seat and where is the official road after crossing these villages, look here, I think it is Yangshuzhuang marked in this map.”

Song Fenglin asked worriedly. "Do you have enough people?"

Liu Zhan confessed. "Not enough. I only have more than 20 soldiers under my command now. I have to recruit soldiers when I come back this time. The new recruits can't be used immediately. They have to practice for a while. They have to kill wild boars to see the blood first. They can only go down the mountain to do great things after training their minds. .”

Song Fenglin frowned. "If it is discovered by the border guards of Yan State, this matter will be brought to light..."

Liu Zhan said firmly: "It won't be exposed, if it is exposed, the only thing left to the Yan people is the corpse."

Song Fenglin just felt unable to think, and Liu Zhan was too courageous.

Liu Zhan laughed. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The country of Yan is attacking the Cangxia Plain. Borderlands like the foot of Qiyun Mountain must not be guarded by heavy soldiers. I only rob food and not kill people. At this juncture, the local officials must not dare to make extravagant efforts to kill bandits." Notify Shangfeng about small things like robbing food."

After thinking about it carefully, Song Fenglin couldn't help but admire Liu Zhan. He saw the situation in northern Xinjiang thoroughly.

Liu Zhan said seriously: "I only told you about this matter, if you come, you will be my military adviser, if you don't come, I will not force you."

Looking back afterwards, Song Fenglin was really funny and angry. Why did Liu Zhan think that he would accompany him to become a bandit?