Three thousand miles in exile

This time Liu Zhan went home to Muxiu and brought Cao Zhuang, Li Xiaolian, and Zhang Xiaoman. He asked the three of them to spread the news of conscription in the village. Come forward and ask.

"Does Liu Baihu still need people under his command? My boy used to practice martial arts with adults, and he was at the sun-drying field at the entrance of the village."

"So does my kid."

"Although my boy has never practiced martial arts with adults, he is very strong." The woman pushed her black and thin son out, and the boy was too shy to lift his head.

Li Xiaolian saw that this boy was a little thinner, but he was tall and solid. "Wait for my elder brother to come out and make up his mind later. Anyone of you who wants to join the army can wait here."

Cao Zhuang also said: "There is indeed a shortage of people in our camp, but not just anyone can enter the camp."

The folks around repeatedly said that the youngsters who followed Liu Zhan up the mountain could return a little bit of bacon every month. In addition, they also had military food and salary every month. The mu of land is not enough to eat. It is unbelievable that since Liu Zhan's family is full, let alone have money to buy new clothes.

Seeing more and more folks bringing their own boys to the door of Liu's house, Liu Zhan finally came out, and was stunned when he saw the battle in front of the house.

Cao Zhuang hurriedly said: "Boss, they are all from the surrounding villages, and they want to recommend their own boy to join the army."

At this time Song Fenglin also came out, just in time to hear what Cao Zhuang said jokingly. "Liu Baihu is famous far and wide."

Unexpectedly, Song Fenglin, who has always been indifferent, also had humor, Liu Zhan couldn't help laughing. "If that's the case, come up and show me, and if it's a good seedling, take it away."

"Thank you, Baihu! Thank you, Baihu!" The villagers around immediately became agitated and pushed to get in front of Liu Zhan.

"Stand back, what are you doing in such a mess?" Cao Zhuang roared and immediately silenced everyone.

Li Xiaolian also scolded loudly. "Stand back, if there are hundreds of families crowded, your kid won't be able to sign up!"

Under the staring eyes of the two, one from the left and the other from the right, the villagers consciously took a few steps back.

Liu Zhan said: "Anyone who meets the following conditions can enter the camp. First, they must be aged between 16 and 25 years old. Second, they must be over seven feet tall and can lift a hundred catties of boulders. Third, they must be born and raised in nearby villages. And parents or relatives are needed as guarantees.”

Hearing Liu Zhan's request, there were discussions all around, and some people dared to come forward to ask. "Dare to ask my lord, do you have to lift a hundred catties above your head?"

It is not difficult to lift a hundred catties of stone, which is the weight of a person, but it may not be possible to lift it above the head.

"It doesn't have to be over your head."

Liu Zhan asked Cao Zhuang to move a piece of stone left over from building the house to the base of the wall, each weighing about two hundred catties. Cao Zhuang easily lifted it above his head, and the villagers screamed incessantly.

Tongtianguan has meat to eat almost every day, no matter how skinny the guy is, he can grow strong after a while, let alone Cao Zhuang, who is already as strong as an ox, he can easily lift three stones, not to mention one.

In order not to hinder the class at Yunzhong Academy, Liu Zhan asked everyone to move to the sun-drying field, and asked Li Xiaolian to make a seven-foot-high pole. Those who came to sign up had to measure their height first, and then they could lift stones after they were tall enough. If you come over to make a guarantee and ask about your family background, you will pass.

Of course, when entering the camp afterwards, Liu Zhan asked Wen Qingshan to register the family information of each recruit. These recruits will be Liu Zhan's personal soldiers in the future, so the origin must be clear.

Hearing that Qingshan failed the talent examination, he felt impetuous and took the initiative to ask Liu Zhan to go to Tongtianguan for help. Liu Zhan agreed because there was indeed a shortage of people in Guanzhong.

Liu Zhan's recruiting activities shocked several surrounding villages. The villagers rushed to tell the story that the family already had several sons, and they could not take care of the farm work. They took their sons and rushed to the grain drying field in Tiancang Village.

Since the Yan army went south to attack the Cangxia Plain, taxes have been increased again and again. Even after Pei Wanshan Jing reminded that the tax was not continued, the life of the tenants is still very difficult. It is not that they have never thought about sending their children to join the army. If you join the army, you can join the army, and it doesn't mean that you can have enough food after joining the army.

Liu Zhan's barracks is not well-known in Wuyuan County, but it is very famous in Tiancang Village Ten Li Ba Village, as long as he is brave enough and hardworking, a boy can support a family!

Perhaps it was because Liu Zhan often organized wild boar hunting, and a number of merchants began to appear in the county to collect wild boar bacon and resell it in the Central Plains.

Liu Zhan asked the recruits who passed the interview to come back three days later and go up the mountain together.

On the day agreed to enter the camp, the recruits, accompanied by their families, gathered in the sun-drying field one after another.

Liu Zhan wore the military uniform of a head of a hundred households, and Cao Zhuang, Li Xiaolian and Zhang Xiaoman, who also wore military uniforms with long knives at the waist, followed him.

Seeing that it was almost time, Liu Zhan struggled with the horse for a long time, but he still couldn't let go of the man.

"Da Zhuang, you take the recruits up the mountain first, and I'll come later." After speaking, Liu Zhan got on his horse and rode in the direction home.

Liu Zhan tied the horse to the persimmon tree in front of the door, and walked to the backyard in three steps in two steps.

Green bamboos made a soft sound in the wind, and through the half-opened window, a figure in Tsing Yi could be seen in the room.This year, everyone in the Liu family made new clothes, and Song Fenglin naturally had them too. Liu Zhan felt that today's Tsing Yi was the prettiest. It was tall and tall, with a cool and elegant demeanor, and it had its own style, which made him dream about it.

After watching for a long time, Liu Zhan was lying on the window sill, holding a pot of newly planted camellias at hand, and opened his mouth cautiously. "I'm leaving today. Remember when I said to help you build a study last time? I also planted flowers and plants. You must like it when you go."

Song Fenglin didn't answer, and continued to practice calligraphy.

"Speaking of which, you haven't been to other mountains to see it. Every scenery on Tongtian Peak is different, and it will be of great benefit to your painting."

Liu Zhan changed the subject and talked again. "The county government gave me a horse. That horse is beautiful. It was tied at the door. Riding the horse up the mountain is effortless, and it will arrive soon."

The camellia plant was almost bald by Liu Zhan, and the leaves fell in a circle. Maybe Song Fenglin finally stopped writing because he felt sorry for the camellia.

Liu Zhan's eyes immediately lowered his posture and said softly: "Go and stay for a few days, if you are not used to it, I will send you down the mountain, how about it?"

Song Fenglin still didn't give a letter of approval.

Liu Zhan said again: "I have ordered people to open up the school grounds and build barracks. There is no shortage of soldiers on the mountain, but there is a shortage of talents. You know, our brothers only know that Qingshan can barely keep accounts. I am shrewd about big things and small things casually. If there is too much luggage, management will inevitably be chaotic, it would be great if you can come to preside over the overall situation, and I will definitely listen to you in all matters in the camp."

This is indeed Liu Zhan's sincere words. The brothers are a bunch of mud legs, and Liu Zhan needs intellectuals if he wants to manage his business well on the mountain.

"Fenglin, it's a pity to be stuck in this mountain with your talent and learning. Although writing and painting every day is fun, isn't this what the old man can only do after retirement? You and I are still young, why don't you go for it?"

After Liu Zhan finished speaking, he leaned against him again and said softly: "I will never hold you back when you go up the mountain, you can do whatever you want."

Song Fenglin was silent, seemingly indifferent, but if you looked carefully, you could see the movement in his eyes.

"I promise to listen to you, I swear." Liu Zhan persuaded again softly.

Song Fenglin finally let go. "Okay, let me ask my father for instructions."

Liu Zhan was so happy that he almost jumped up. "Okay, I'll go with you."

Unexpectedly, Song Yijun was very much in favor of his son going up the mountain with Liu Zhan, but Liu Xueyuan had a lot of concerns and repeatedly asked Liu Zhan to take good care of Song Fenglin before letting him go.

Between the field ridges, Liu Zhan led the horse and walked side by side with Song Fenglin. The horse carried Song Fenglin's clothes and luggage and swung its tail.

"After passing this field ahead, we started to walk up the mountain road." Liu Zhan pointed to the forest in the distance.

In fact, for Song Fenglin, Tiancang Village where they are located is already deep in the mountains, but Tongtianguan is on a higher mountain, Liu Zhan and the others are used to talking about going up the mountain.

Before walking to the woods, Liu Zhan held out his hand to him. "I'll help you get on the horse, the mountain road is not easy to walk, you sit on the horse."

Song Fenglin avoided Liu Zhan's hand to help him, turned around and got on the horse neatly without any strangeness, even sitting on the horse was as stable as Mount Tai.

Uh?

Liu Zhan was a little dumbfounded. He wished to think that the person in front of him was someone who needed to be taken care of, but in fact Song Fenglin's equestrian skills were very good.

"Aren't you leaving? Aren't you going to lead the horse for me?" The icy young man immediately raised his chin and reminded someone to hurry up and wait in front of the horse.

Liu Zhan stared straight at him with deep eyes, and imprinted the boy's look in his heart. He only felt that his heart was itchy as if there were a hundred little furry paws scratching it, itching to the bottom of his heart!

Liu Zhan, who was slapped in the face, smiled instead of anger, laughing and cupping his hands. "I will serve the young master here."

Liu Zhan leads the horse and walks in the mountains and forests. People on the horse can enjoy the scenery along the way leisurely without looking at the road.Liu Zhan really didn't lie to him, the scenery of Tongtian Peak is amazing, there are strange rocks and pines covered with clouds and mists, and there are Feitian Waterfalls with flowers blooming down the mountain, or the atmosphere is vast, or the beauty is beautiful.

It really shouldn't be confined to a small academy.

Song Fenglin watched with fascination.

Liu Zhan looked back and saw him fascinated, and wanted to keep him a little more successful.

The two of them arrived at Tongtian Pass in the evening, and the tall pine trees of unknown age on the mountain blocked their view. It was only when Song Fenglin approached that they saw the city gate behind the forest.

The soldiers guarding the gate rushed forward when they saw Liu Zhan.

"The centurion is back!"

Liu Zhan waved his hand. "There's no need to bother you, I'll show Mr. Song around first."

The two soldiers quickly agreed to take over the horse led by Liu Zhan.

"Please, Mr. Song." Liu Zhan raised the corner of his mouth and made a gesture of invitation to him, with a very polite attitude.

Song Fenglin didn't know where he was acting again, the next moment Liu Zhan blinked at him. "Mr. Song is our honored guest at Tongtianguan, I am a corporal."

Song Fenglin glanced at him, and didn't bother to pay attention to him. He went to the direction of the city gate and climbed up to look into the distance.

When Song Fenglin boarded the city gate tower, he saw the school yard being widened and several barracks under construction.

When Liu Zhan first took office in Tongtianguan, it was still a ruined building. Since then, Liu Zhan began to renovate and repair Tongtianguan in a planned way. The original Tongtianguan only had a gate tower facing Yan State and two low-rise buildings. For the short city wall, Liu Zhan asked the soldiers to build an additional city wall on the side facing Chu, which would eventually enclose Tongtian Pass like an urn.

The place where Tongtianguan is located is the commanding height of several surrounding mountains. From Tongtianguan, you can see endless mountains in the direction of Dachu, and a downhill hill in the direction of Yanguo. When the sky clears and the clouds clear, even You can also see the villages of Yan State.

Liu Zhan said: "It only takes more than two hours to walk from Tongtianguan to Yanguo Village. It's getting late today, and I'll take you around tomorrow."

At this time, the sky was completely dark, and Cao Ming brought someone to look for Liu Zhan when he learned that Liu Zhan was back. At this time, he was holding a torch to light the way for the two of them. "Boss, I ordered the cook to prepare meals to welcome you and Mr. Song, and Mr. Song's room was also cleaned. I personally went to the mountain to dig wild chrysanthemums and plum blossoms and planted them."

Liu Zhan nodded. "Well done, if Mr. Song is satisfied, there will be a reward."

The small courtyard newly built by Liu Zhan is behind the soldiers’ barracks. There is only one stone house in the small courtyard, which is divided into two rooms and one main room. The room is larger than Song Fenglin’s room in Liu’s house, and the furniture is complete and complete.

"Is Mr. Song still satisfied?" Liu Zhan looked at him with a smile.

Song Fenglin nodded in acceptance.

Liu Zhan laughed. "Let's go and eat."

Cao Ming had already ordered people to prepare meals in the main room, braised pheasant pork in brown sauce, pheasant stewed with yam, wild vegetable soup with eggs, and rice mixed with miscellaneous grains was enough.

After the two of them had dinner, someone had set fire to the kang and brought bath water for Song Fenglin. The bed and quilts were neatly spread on the kang, and they were brand new.

Liu Zhan said. "I arranged for someone to take care of your daily life. The boy is called Li Asan. He is a hereditary recruit who is only 13 years old. He is too young to practice. It is just for you to use. If there is any rough work, let him He will do it, and Zhang Xiaoman Wen Qingshan and I will let them serve as your subordinates, currently the two of them are in charge of the camp accounts, you should rest earlier when it is late today."

Song Fenglin was a little distracted, and the sudden meticulous care made him feel unreal in a trance.

When he came back to his senses, Liu Zhan had already returned to his room. There was no bath water in Liu Zhan's room, only a small bucket of hot water to wash his face and feet. As soon as he returned to his room, he washed his face comfortably, and then took off his clothes and wiped his body.

The resources in Guanzhong are limited, and the soldiers still have a lot of things to do. As the leader, Liu Zhan is not willing to toss the people below to boil the bath water every day. This is the only privilege left to Song Fenglin. He also took great pains to coax his sweetheart.

In the early morning, the sky was bright and Tongtian Pass was still shrouded in a thick morning mist. Suddenly the bell rang, and the soldiers gathered in the school grounds for morning training one after another. Then morning exercise is over with breakfast.

The time for breakfast happened to be Chen Shi, and the first ray of sunlight penetrated the morning mist and shone into Tongtian Pass at this time.

"Mr. Song, I'm here to bring you breakfast." Li Asan knocked on the door cautiously, and then opened the door after getting permission. The rules of these waiters are still that Mr. Liu personally grabbed him early in the morning, and I don't know. What kind of gentleman can make adults pay so much attention to him.

When Li Asan raised his head, he was completely stunned. There is such a handsome and good-looking person in the world. Li Asan was dumbfounded. He is a stupid country boy who has never seen the world.

"Just put the things down, you can go down first." Song Fenglin was leaning on the chair by the window to read a book, when someone came to take a look, he let him go down.

Li Asan put down his breakfast together.

"and many more."

Li Asan hurriedly turned around.

Song Fenglin put down the book and asked. "Liu Zhan... what is Liu Baihu doing?"

Li Asan didn't dare to watch him lower his head and say. "The head of a hundred households should have finished his breakfast, and he will continue to practice in a while according to the usual practice."

"Understood, you go down first." Song Fenglin originally wanted Liu Zhan to take him around, but then he thought that he didn't need to be so eager when he first arrived, but he arrived as soon as he said Cao Cao.

Liu Zhan personally brought Zhang Xiaoman and Wen Qingshan over.

"Well, it smells so good, have you made tea?" Liu Zhan aimed at the tea on hand as soon as he entered the door, and finished it in one gulp without saying a word.

"It's delicious, is there any more?"

Song Fenglin filled another glass for him.

"The tea you make is delicious, neither strong nor weak." Liu Zhan smiled and sat next to him. "This is Qingshan and Xiaoman. Although we are brothers playing together, let's get down to business. If these two guys are disobedient, you can just beat and scold them."

Zhang Xiaoman and Wen Qingshan quickly bowed to each other. "I met Mr. Song."

Liu Zhan said again. "I've made a rule with them this morning, and I can ask you to decide everything in the Tongtianguan camp in the future, and I only care about training soldiers and fighting outside."

Song Fenglin was surprised, he thought Liu Zhan's promise was just to coax him to go up the mountain, but he didn't expect him to be able to say it and do it. For a while, his cold heart was warmed by some unknown emotion and he was a little moved.

Liu Zhan went on to say: "I wanted them to call you Mr. Song, but calling you Mr. Song is too old. We, Mr. Song, who are like immortals, of course can't be called old, but it's not respectful to call you Mr. Song, so we just call you Mr. Song." Calling you Mr. Song."

The emotions that were originally touching will be gone now, this guy... Song Fenglin gave him an angry look.

After being stared at, Liu Zhan smiled even more happily. "Let's go, let's go to recruit soldiers when the new recruits enter the camp today."