"I'm not saying anything, but being a bandit is really shameful for you." Song Jiaren followed Gu Zhen into the front hall. She had never heard of any bandits on any mountain who were so poor that they couldn't even get enough to eat.
Bian Dalei said with a bitter face, "You don't know, this place is remote, and the people coming and going are soldiers from the front camp. If we rob them, who will defend our country? Behind us are the people of Luobian City, and ordinary families don't live well. We can't bring ourselves to do it. If they all go out to work, there will be no one to take care of the elderly, children and women. What do you think we should do?"
This was the first time Song Jiaren had encountered such kind-hearted bandits. They said, "How can bandits do this? Don't you all kill people without blinking an eye? No wonder you are so poor. You might as well find another way out."
The skinny monkey, holding a dry steamed bun in his mouth, mumbled, "It's easy for you to say."
Song Jiaren rolled her eyes, leaned close to His Royal Highness and whispered, "I think they will starve to death if they continue to be bandits. Why don't we take them in and take them to the camp? The men can be ordinary soldiers in the camp, and the women can do the laundry and cooking. It's better for the children and the elderly than to stay here. Look at that little girl last night, she was so hungry."
"The camp is a border fortress, not a place where ordinary people can go." For the sake of military secrets, Gu Zhen had to dissuade her from this idea. Besides, the camp was not a shelter, so this precedent could not be set.
Song Jiaren also knew that what he said made sense, but she just couldn't let it go. It wouldn't be long before the men would rob houses for women, children and the elderly, and it would be too late by then. She had to help them both survive while they were still unwilling to go astray.
Seeing her embarrassment, Bian Dalei laughed twice and said, "It's okay, it's okay. A real man should have no worries about supporting his wife, children and the elderly!"
Gu Zhen was silent for a moment, but then he came up with an idea for them. "Why don't you all move to Luobian City and settle down there? The men can go out to work, and the women can take care of the family. That way, when things settle down, the children can also go to school."
"That's a good idea!" Bian Dalei thought about it seriously. This way, the man can earn money to support the family, and the women, children and the elderly can also live a stable life. However...
"But we are bandits. It will be difficult for us to enter the city after we come down the mountain." Not to mention working, who would ask bandits to work?
Song Jiaren remembered that when they were leaving, Luo Zhen was afraid that the Crown Prince would not want to see him, so he sent a servant to deliver a token for entering and leaving the city, saying that he should use this token to inform him if he had anything to say.
"Your Highness, can we give them the token?"
"It's with Shitou, give it to them." Gu Zhen asked Shitou to take out the token and gave it to Bian Dalei. "This is the token given by Luo Zhen, the lord of Luobian City. Take this to Luobian City, and then find Luo Zhen in the City Lord's Mansion. Explain your situation clearly and he will help." Gu Zhen didn't want to keep this thing and wanted to throw it away. Shitou kept it for fear that it would be useful in the future. Since they can use it, just give it to them.
"This... isn't a good idea... after all, it's something given to you by City Lord Luo..." Bian Dalei hesitated, feeling a little embarrassed to take something from someone else for free without having anything to give in return.
The skinny monkey hurriedly pulled Bian Dalei's clothes and said, "Brother, let's not be polite to our own people. This has become too difficult."
Song Jiaren threw the token over directly. "Take it! Go and stabilize it first. Return it to us when we need your help in the future."
Bian Dalei clenched the token tightly, tears welling up in his eyes again. He clasped his fists towards Song Jiaren and Gu Zhen with gratitude and said, "I will never forget your kindness today."
Gu Zhen was ready to set off again and had asked Changfeng to organize the carriage and horses and wait outside the village.
"It will probably take two days to pack up and move the village. We are going to the camp, which is not the same direction, so we won't wait for you." Song Jiaren and Bian Dalei said goodbye. She was actually quite lucky that she met Bian Dalei, a bandit with a conscience. If it were any other vicious criminal, the ten of them would probably have suffered heavy casualties.
She was still thinking about the little girl from last night. She took out a handkerchief from her lapel, which contained a piece of hare meat. "Give this to a little girl. She's skinny and small, with big, dark eyes, loose hair, and a red mole on her nose."
Bian Dalei asked doubtfully, "How did you two know each other?"
"Hahaha, it's funny. I didn't have enough to eat at night, so the adults took me to hunt and roast wild rabbits by the woods. This little girl came over and didn't ask for meat. She just looked at me while I ate. She looked very greedy. Later I gave her a rabbit leg. She took two bites and carefully put it away." Song Jiaren thought it was a very interesting child, stubborn and strong-willed.
"She probably couldn't bear to eat it, so she took it home to her brother." The child's father was an inconspicuous brother of his. He was not in good health and died of a serious illness, leaving behind two children. Whoever had food in the village would share it with them. They were not starving to death, but they were not full either.
Song Jiaren sat in the carriage, silent all the way. She was still thinking about the little girl, wondering whether she and her brother could grow up smoothly and what they would become when they grew up.
Gu Zhen thought she was angry with him and hesitated to ask, "Angry?"
Song Jiaren lowered her head and was lost in thought. She didn't hear what Gu Zhen said at all. However, seeing that she had been ignoring him, Gu Zhen thought she was really angry with him. He took a long breath and patiently explained to her, "It's not that I don't want to take them in. The border camp is only separated from Luosha Country by a grassland. If there is any problem in the camp, then Luobian City behind it will become the first place to be breached. Then within half a month, the capital will fall, and the villages and towns along the way will suffer. Therefore, except for the soldiers, no ordinary people are allowed to enter the camp, just in case."
Song Jiaren watched the Crown Prince chatter away, explaining in detail to her, and was filled with confusion. He wasn't the type to be so patient. What was going on? Did he think she was angry that he hadn't agreed to take in the people from the village, so he was trying to coax her?
So cute.
Song Jiaren pretended to be really angry, with a stern face and no words. She pouted and turned her head to the side, not looking at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. In fact, she was curious about how he would coax her.
"Look, everyone in the village has gone to Luobian City. Luo Zhen is afraid that I won't pay attention to him in the future, so he will definitely make good arrangements for these people. The children will have enough food and warm clothes. Besides, the environment in Luobian City is good, and they can study there. What do you think?"
It was the first time for Gu Zhen to coax someone, and she only knew how to explain. She didn't know what else to do. She looked helplessly at the woman who only had the back of her head left to her.
"What can you do to calm down?" Gu Zhen sighed silently. He really didn't expect that she would be angry. If she really insisted, then he could bring everyone in the village over. It would just be very troublesome because he would have to investigate the details of everyone.
"If you really want to take those people into the camp, I will think of a way. It is not impossible."
Song Jiaren glared at him and said, "No! The words have already been spoken!" In her heart, she was amazed that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would give in to her to this extent. She felt a little happy, but on the surface she had to try hard to maintain her anger. It was so hard.
Gu Zhen saw Song Jiaren pouting and looking angry, and thought she was both delicate and cute. He put his arms around her shoulders, lowered his head, and blocked her stubborn mouth with his lips.
She was so abominable. She knew that he was worried that she was angry, but she pretended to be angry. Didn't he see that she was secretly laughing just now?
At first I just wanted to punish her, but after kissing her soft lips, I was so immersed in the intimacy that I couldn't help myself. I forgot the original intention of the kiss and started to taste it gently and tenderly.
At first, Song Jiaren was so shocked that the Crown Prince took advantage of her again that she pushed him away twice, but later she obediently closed her eyes and indulged in his gentle kiss.
Gu Zhen hugged her waist tightly with satisfaction, which was still slender in the cotton robe, pressed her between his arms and chest, and deepened the kiss.
Their lips and teeth touched and their breaths intertwined, Song Jiaren felt dizzy and felt that all the strength in her body had been drained. She could only lean on him softly. His lips and tongue were domineering and gentle, and the warmth and sweetness invaded her heart.
Gu Zhen let go of her lips and kissed her again and again. "Are you still making trouble?"
Song Jiaren panted weakly, her eyes hazy and intoxicated, staring at him angrily, "You...what are you doing..."
"How am I?"
"Your guards would never have thought that their Crown Prince, who is usually cold and abstinent, is actually so indulgent in private." Song Jiaren's cheeks flushed and her breathing was unstable.
Gu Zhen chuckled. "Abstinence? That depends on who you are talking to."
Song Jiaren realized that she was not as thick-skinned as the Crown Prince, and she was unable to refute, nor did she dare to refute, for fear that he would kiss her shamelessly again.
"Your Highness, the camp is just ahead. I didn't expect it to be so close from the village." Shi Tou could already see the camp walls and the gate guarded by soldiers.
Song Jiaren excitedly looked outside the door and lifted a small piece of the door curtain. Sure enough, the camp was not far away. It was located on an empty sandy road with soldiers patrolling all around. Two soldiers were guarding the gate, with swords on their waists reflecting a cold light, giving a solemn and inviolable feeling. It reminded Song Jiaren of modern troops. She felt melancholy for a moment, not knowing if she could go back.
The outer wall of the camp was built with wood, with two layers of tree trunks inside and outside, and wooden boards inserted in the middle, divided into two layers. Soldiers were patrolling on the upper layer, and miscellaneous items and weapons were placed on the lower layer, where several soldiers were resting.
The soldiers guarding the gate stopped Gu Zhen and his group and said, "Who are you? This is a fortress camp. No outsiders are allowed to enter without permission!"
Changfeng rode a sturdy, tall horse, his back straightened even more. He took out a transfer order and said, "How dare you! The Crown Prince is in the carriage. This is His Royal Highness's transfer order!"
The gatekeeper unfastened his sword from his waist, took the transfer order with stiff hands, and glanced at it. It was indeed the emperor's seal. He quickly returned the item and stepped back. "Your Highness, I respectfully welcome you. Please follow me."
After saying this, he called over a soldier and asked him to report to General Luo immediately, while he led a team into the camp.
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