Three thousand miles in exile

Just when the people on Qiyun Mountain were busy with the autumn harvest, the Yan army assembled again to harass Yangguan, and soon a warrant for food was delivered to the government office of Cenzhou. How dare Pei Wanshan decide to send someone to ask Liu Zhan immediately .

"Zhou Chan doesn't think I'm a soft persimmon, does he? It's good that I didn't ask him for food, and he still has the face to come to my site to ask for food?" Liu Zhan laughed angrily.

Cenzhou is Liu Zhan's territory, and Zhou Chan sent people to ask for food even though he knew that he would be shut down, which is enough to prove that the problem of food and pay for the Northern Army is indeed serious.

Song Fenglin remembered the news that Liu Cheng sent back a few days ago. "It is said that the army rations for the Ministry of War to the north have not yet been dispatched, and it may not be able to reach Jinyang City before the heavy snow seals the mountains."

Song Fenglin was about to tell Liu Zhan about this matter, because it was not an important matter, he put it aside as soon as he was busy.

Liu Zhan laughed out loud. "Isn't the Zhou family in control of the Ministry of War? Does this mean that Zhou Chan was tricked by his own father?"

It wasn't that she was tricked by the Zhou family. It is estimated that Zhou Chan would be so irritable that she would scold others.

Having no military rations for the winter is a big deal. Song Fenglin asked: "The northern army camp is short of food, and Zhou Chan will definitely go all out to collect food in northern Xinjiang. How do you plan to deal with it?"

Liu Zhan's face darkened. "In a word, there is no food."

Liu Zhan had no choice but to mess with this matter. Now Liu Zhan has more than 5000 soldiers in his hands. The food for so many mouths depends on the local grain collection in Cenzhou and the subsidy from Song Fenglin's operation of Liuji Commercial Bank.

He himself was living a tight life, how could he give in.

Since Zhou Chan separated Liu Zhan from the Northern Army, Liu Zhan no longer planned to fight against Zhou Chanxu. There was another very important reason why he dared to be so stubborn. The soldiers under his command did not need to eat a single ration of the Northern Army.

After rejecting the people from Jinyang City, Liu Zhan went to Tongtian Pass to inspect the defense, and at the same time arranged for Cao Zhuang to expand Tongtian Pass again.

The existing Tongtian Pass is on a platform at the top of Tongtian Peak, and there is no room for further expansion here. If you want to expand, you can only enclose another city wall outside, and finally form the inner city and the outer city.

Tongtianguan, Liu Zhan's study.

Cao Zhuang, Wei Chenggui, Jiang Changlin, and Liu Zhan worked together to study how to deploy defenses along the north side of Qiyun Mountain.

Tongtian Peak where Tongtianguan is located is located at the northernmost part of Qiyun Mountain, but it is not the most dangerous mountain. There is also a dangerous peak called Niuji Peak to the south of Tongtian Peak.

In the early years, there was a city gate, but after a heavy rain, landslides destroyed the road leading to the country of Yan. Since then, there has been no way to go down the mountain, and the city gate has been abandoned.

There is also an ancient city pass on Jianshi Peak, the southernmost part of Qiyun Mountain, which was abandoned for the same reason as Niuji Peak.

The weather in northern Xinjiang is even worse on Qiyun Mountain. Many mountain roads will be destroyed by heavy rain or snow. Only Tongtianguan is still passable due to better conditions around it.

Although everyone said that the two passes had been abandoned, Liu Zhan still sent Wei Chenggui to take people to the field to confirm whether it was true.

On Qiyun Mountain, except for the mountain road of Tongtianguan, which can be marched on horseback, the other hills are all dense forest mountain roads.

It is impossible for a large army to enter the mountain on the mountain road. It is time-consuming and laborious. Not to mention that once ambushed, it will be a dead end. If it is just a small group of Yan soldiers walking on the mountain road, there is no need to be afraid.

Liu Zhan soon stopped focusing on defense. Qiyun Mountain is so big and there are thousands of paths in the forest. How to defend?

It is impossible to build a Great Wall to encircle Qiyun Mountain. This is unrealistic. It is better to improve the alarm mechanism so that when enemy soldiers come, they can give early warning, so that the counties can coordinate with each other.

Therefore, you can't just think about defense. Offense is also one of the defensive strategies.

Speaking of attacking Liu Zhan, he thought of weapons. There is no news of the weapons he wanted to develop in the Weaponry Workshop.

Speaking of military supplies, Liu Zhan thought of the problem of money and food. In previous years, he fought on the front line and did not know the difficulties of oil, salt, sauce and vinegar at home. Only now did Liu Zhan feel the difficulty of Song Fenglin in charge of the family.

Liu Zhan only stayed at Tongtian Pass for one night before going down the mountain. He wanted to discuss it with Song Fenglin, but when he arrived at the county government office, he was told that Song Fenglin had gone to the countryside to inspect the autumn harvest, and he expected to come back in seven or eight days.

At that time, the autumn harvest was in full swing in the six counties of Cenzhou.

This year, Cenzhou cancels exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes. No matter where you go, you can feel the joy of the people's autumn harvest. This is a real joy.

Song Fenglin was walking on the field ridge halfway up the mountain in a frost-white Confucian shirt, and seven or eight guards were not far or close.

Looking around, the rice is covered with yellow, and the water in the fields has been drained and waiting to be harvested.

A man and a woman cut the rice in front, cut a bundle and tied it up, and three children followed behind. The older one was eight or nine years old to help stack it, and the younger one was only four or five years old squatting on the ground to pick up the fallen rice.

But seeing the little boy pocketing it with the hem of his clothes, he picked up a bag after a while, and then dumped it into the dustpan.

Such scenes of a family busy in the fields can be seen everywhere.

When Song Fenglin first came to Qiyun Mountain, he also went to the field, and then Liu Zhan didn't allow him to do it. After Yunzhong Academy grew gradually, he didn't need to take care of the field.

Having experienced the hardships of farming, Song Fenglin was very sympathetic to the farmers and tenants.

The autumn harvest is so important, and his personal inspection is also a warning to the local tyrants, don't look for trouble at this time.

Every time Song Fenglin passed through a township or a village, the local head or hundreds of households rushed over after hearing the news, but he didn't see him at all, and the local gentry didn't dare to go forward to disturb them, and they followed the guards to accompany them from a distance tremblingly.

Everyone in Cenzhou knows that Mr. Song next to General Liu is in charge of the lifeblood of Cenzhou. The promotion of officials, tax files, and unjust, false and wrong cases cannot surpass him. Even the magistrate of Cenzhou dare not stand in front of Mr. Song. rash.

Last autumn, there was a powerful man who bought and sold new rice from farmers at low prices. Mr. Song said a word, and the hereditary officials of the powerful family were dismissed.

Cenzhou promulgated a new policy this year. At the beginning, the common people were skeptical, thinking that how could such a good thing happen in the world, it was as unreal as a pie falling from the sky.

Until people with quick hands and feet harvested the rice early to pay taxes, the tax collectors really did not collect exorbitant and miscellaneous taxes.

Cenzhou's taxes only added Cenzhou's military rations to the taxes levied by the imperial court, which was so small that it was negligible compared with the extortionate miscellaneous taxes in previous years.

For a while, the news that the New Deal did not lie quickly spread among the common people. This year, even the poor tenants would have surplus food for the winter. Everywhere Song Fenglin passed, the common people recognized him from a distance and greeted him.

Rumor has it that Mr. Song is handsome, dressed in a Confucian uniform with wide sleeves, walking like an exiled immortal.

Liu Zhan rode his horse and saw that familiar figure from a distance.

The guards wanted to salute, but Liu Zhan raised his hand to stop him. He handed over the horse to the guards, and then strode towards Song Fenglin.

Liu Zhan wore a simple black suit, a leather belt with a long knife, a tiger's back and a wolf's waist, and he was very heroic.

The scabbard collided with the hook on the leather belt and made a crisp sound. Song Fenglin turned around and saw Liu Zhan striding towards him.

"How did you come?"

Liu Zhan smiled, and the frightening aura immediately disappeared. "I came down from the mountain and came to look for you when I heard that you came here to inspect the autumn harvest."

Song Fenglin stood with his hands behind his back, and the wind was blowing his wide sleeves.

"The defense is settled?"

"It's basically settled." Liu Zhan simply said his plan.

Song Fenglin nodded. "The northern border of Qiyun Mountain is so vast that it is indeed difficult to defend. Rather than dispersing troops, it is better to gather in one place and adapt to the situation."

Liu Zhan smiled even deeper. "He who knows me loves his wife."

For Liu Zhan's annoying mouth, Song Fenglin has turned from embarrassment to anger at the beginning, and now he is as immovable as a mountain.

The two stood side by side on the ridge, with terraced fields under their feet, and the joy of harvest can be seen everywhere.

"Thank you for your hard work. I didn't know that you would inspect the place every autumn harvest." Liu Zhan suddenly said sincerely, which made Song Fenglin a little embarrassed.

Liu Zhan came closer and the two of them were shoulder to shoulder. "I have arranged everything in the camp. I will be your bodyguard for a few days to accompany you around."

Speaking of which, it has been a long time since the two of them walked around as they wished, unlike in the past in Tiancang Village, where they went to the mountains to pick fruits without restraint.

Song Fenglin's Danfeng's eyes were full of smiles, and it was indeed a long time since he walked and stopped with such a relaxed mind.

Calm down and walk slowly, any place on Qiyun Mountain is full of scenery.

The two walked casually during the day, and lived in post stations or inns at night. Occasionally, Liu Zhan would hunt and cook in person. The two stopped and stopped like this and came to a village under the jurisdiction of Zhangtai County.

It was still early today, and Liu Zhan accompanied Song Fenglin to the place where the unified tax was collected in the village.

When the two arrived, there was already a long queue outside the temporary shack where the tax was collected, and the common people were either squatting or standing in small groups chatting enthusiastically.

As soon as the two approached, they heard an old man say. "This year's ears of rice are set up to the south, which indicates that heavy snow will pass over the roof. It is a cold winter that cannot be seen in a hundred years!"

"is this real?"

"How can this be good?"

"The old man will be 76 this year, so it must be true."

"When I was ten years old, I saw heavy snow falling on the roof. After the beginning of spring, nearly half of a village died! I am almost sixty this year, and that scene is truly unforgettable."

"No, I have the impression too."

"Fortunately, the exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes have been reduced this year, otherwise our family's food may not be able to survive."

"Yes, this year we can stock up on more food and firewood."

The villagers' discussions reached the two of them verbatim, and Song Fenglin frowned slightly. If the old man was telling the truth, this year's winter in northern Xinjiang would be so harsh.

"Come here." Liu Zhan waved to the village chief who followed them from a distance.

There were trembling legs trembling over there.

"Go and ask that old man." Liu Zhan gestured with his eyes.

The head of the village immediately went up to the villagers and asked with an unprecedented politeness. "May I ask this old man, is the omen you said true?"

The old man recognized the head of the village and hurriedly stood up. "This is a proverb passed down by the ancestors. If the ears of rice are set up to the north, the snow will not cover the windows. If the ears of rice are set up to the south, the snow will pass through the roof. I am lucky to have experienced it once, and it is true."

The two of them spent the night at the inn that night, and Liu Zhan was still pondering over this proverb, appearing absent-minded.

Song Fenglin filled the soup for him. "If you are worried, you can give an early warning, so that the people can prepare early."

Liu Zhan is drinking soup. "Not only do we need to warn, but we also have to ask local officials to investigate the family situation of the people. There are orphans and widows whose houses are old and in disrepair, or poor households with particularly difficult conditions must be helped."

After Liu Zhan finished speaking, he saw Song Fenglin looking at him without blinking, and there was surprise in the beautiful Danfeng's eyes.

"Isn't this what it should be?" Liu Zhan asked strangely, completely unaware that he used the values ​​of his previous life to measure this matter.

In that powerful country in the 21st century, poor households such as orphans and widows are the key targets of state assistance, so Liu Zhan doesn't think there is anything wrong with his thinking.

But this was in ancient times, and it was an extremely strict feudal dynasty where people were divided into ranks, ranks, ranks, ranks, ranks, ranks, ranks, ranks, ranks, and ranks. The lives of ordinary people were thinner than paper. Surviving in the face of natural disasters was God's favor, and not surviving was fate!

Liu Zhan often said, my fate is up to me.

At the beginning, Song Fenglin felt that this person's eyes were higher than his own, and that he was so arrogant. It was not until he had experienced so many things together that Song Fenglin gradually understood the meaning of this sentence. This sentence was not a lie but a belief.

This is Liu Zhan's belief.

The next day, the personal guards went to the counties of Cenzhou with Song Fenglin's handwritten letter. Liu Zhan issued a military order that if the people in the counties freeze to death and starve to death in this cold winter, the county magistrate will be dismissed and investigated.

As soon as this order came out, the county magistrates immediately organized dirty officials to investigate the poor households in the county.

Some poor households were unable to repair their houses, and the county barracks sent soldiers to help repair them. Some officials went door-to-door to check whether there was enough food and firewood.

For a while, the autumn harvest and winter preparations are both in place, and the entire six counties of Cenzhou are facing a formidable enemy.

Liu Zhan and Song Fenglin walked from Zhangtai County to Shanyang County and then to Yongning County. It was estimated that the journey would take seven or eight days, and they were still in the village after walking for half a month.

"Snowing!"

"General! Sir! It's snowing!"

Liu Zhan pushed open the window of the inn with shirtless arms, and saw the gloomy sky with little snowflakes. It was only the end of September, and the first snowfall was a full month earlier than usual.

Song Fenglin put on a blouse and stretched out his hand out of the window, and the snow stars fell on his warm palm, which felt cool.

"It's too early." Song Fenglin murmured.

The six counties of Cenzhou are waiting to be rebuilt, and this harsh winter really comes at an inopportune time.

After the snow fell, Liu Zhan wore a cloak and led the soldiers to run around the countryside to personally inspect the situation of the people preparing for winter.

He always took people out by himself and Song Fenglin was not allowed to follow him. When he returned to the station every night, Liu Zhan's hair was soaked and he was exposed to the cool breeze.

Afterwards, the two of them rushed back, because winter came early, and the affairs of the military camp and the caravan had to be arranged early.

It was also this month that several major events took place in northern Xinjiang.

One is that the Zhou family sent a concubine to serve Prince Rui, and Zhou Chan sent the emperor's eldest grandson and Cao Meiren to a rural area outside Jinyang City to raise them in captivity.

The second is that the old lady Yan died in her sleep, and the Yan family was completely defeated without any support. Yan Qixiu took control of the Yan family and started his corrupt life in the wine pool and meat forest.

The third is the death of the King of Yan, and the second prince took advantage of Prince Yan's supervision of the battle at the front line to pretend to be the king.

The second prince of Yan State has the support of three tribes to control Yan Dadu. Due to the early arrival of heavy snow, Prince Yan cannot enter Yan Dadu immediately, so he can only garrison in Wutan City for the winter.

The Yan army planning the winter war also had to give up because of the abnormal weather this year. If they did not return to Yan as soon as possible to prepare for the winter, the [-] troops might be trapped on the road by heavy snow.

As soon as the Yan army retreated, the whole northern Xinjiang fell silent.

Soon into November, the ground is covered with snow and the winter is heavy.

In the small courtyard of Liu Zhan in Wuyuan County, a charcoal pot was burned in the house, and the hot kang was simmering warmly.

There was heavy snow falling outside the window, and after a while, the heavy snow filled the road swept out in the morning.

On the low table of the kang bed, there was Song Fenglin's half-written plan. The two were discussing the plan for the beginning of next spring, but Liu Zhan started to move his hands. He was about to lift Song Fenglin's clothes and kiss him on the back. scar.

"What madness again!" Song Fenglin was angry, but his voice became difficult to tune after a while.

Liu Zhan had nowhere to use his excess physical strength in winter, so he could only work hard in this area, especially since he also got a box of excellent works.

After Liu Ji Commercial Company reprinted it, Liu Zhan kept two books of Hundred Opera Pictures, and packed the rest for Prince Rui to appreciate.

With these two books of pictures of a hundred operas in hand, this pattern is not repeated every day, and there are sticky and coaxing words from Liu Zhan in the quilt.

Song Fenglin's face was blushing, and he loved and hated this man in his heart. Liu Zhan always dragged him to sink in sex, making him no longer like himself time and time again.

Only Liu Zhan in this world can make Song Fenglin sink to this point.

Liu Zhan, a man who is cruel and ruthless in the eyes of his enemies and treacherous and shameless in the eyes of his colleagues, but he is fair and never kills or exploits the people.

Song Fenglin was the only one around him from beginning to end, which is the real reason why Song Fenglin almost never refused Liu Zhan's courtship, only occasionally when Liu Zhan really made him embarrassed, he would get angry.

"Okay, don't be angry, I won't tease you anymore."

"Take your time as usual, huh?"

Sure enough, Liu Zhan slowed down, hugged him from behind, and followed Song Fenglin's favorite rhythm.