87 Chapter 87
◎Raising grain◎
Huang Nian'an assigned a total of eighteen account keepers to Cheng Mu. These eighteen people, including Mu Yun, were the elite among the elite soldiers. Each of the eighteen people could fight against a hundred people. They had experienced the tempering of several wars. The cooperation between the eighteen people became more and more tacit, the formations were varied, and the various weapons were hard to defend against.
The Mongols south of the desert called them the Eighteen Riders of Yanyun.
Historically, this was the name of a divine soldier that had been feared in the border areas for hundreds of years.
The most powerful weapon of their team is the Shenji Fire Gun.
It was Huang Nian'an who took on the task and built the magic fire gun for them.
Although Huang Nian'an seemed to have brought only a hundred soldiers with him on this mission, his power was comparable to that of an army of three thousand men.
When they gather together, they are like a prairie fire, unstoppable; when they disperse, they do not attract attention and are very good at disguise.
They killed the personal soldiers outside Amuta's tent, changed into their clothes, and left with Cheng Mi and a child openly without attracting anyone's attention. Even Xu Huan and Shangguan Duan's men did not notice anything strange.
"Of course Mr. Xu couldn't find out," Mu Yun said coldly, "He's the one who least wants to negotiate a truce."
Cheng Mu thought about it carefully and realized that it was indeed true from his point of view.
"Does Prince Jing know that he is——"
"I know. During the Battle of Xuancheng, Prince Jing led the troops. The two armies faced each other and clashed."
By this time they had crossed the border and Huang Nian'an's delegation caught up with them.
The carriages and horses passed by, raising a trail of dust across the wasteland behind them.
Huang Nian'an was going back to report to Prince Jing and to the court, while Cheng Mi was going back to gather food. After another fifty miles, the two teams separated.
Cheng Mu pleaded with Huang Nian'an and took Mu Yun away from the delegation.
The three of them rode two horses back to Zhaojia Village.
"Is that Madam Cheng?"
The people working in the fields saw them first and didn't even bother to pull the grass.
"Mrs. Cheng is back!"
When the cattle herders by the river saw them, they simply mounted their cattle and followed them.
"Mrs. Cheng is back!"
The news spread quickly, and as soon as I reached the door of my house, people from the neighborhood came over.
"It's really Madam Cheng! Xiaoliu is back too!"
Yu came out holding on to the wall, and her eyes were already filled with tears before she even saw anyone.
Xiaoqi held a pen in his hand, with ink dripping from the tip of the pen. He didn't even bother to put the pen down and ran out with his legs spread out.
"Mother! Mother! Mother!"
Cheng Mu jumped off the horse and held Xiao Qi in her arms.
Xiaoliu slept for a whole day and night and was now awake. Mu Yun put her down from the horse. She looked at everything around her in shock. At first she was a little confused and thought she was dreaming. Yu hugged her and cried. Xiaoliu was strangled and felt pain. When she realized it was not a dream, she rubbed her eyes in disbelief.
Everyone knew that the Mongols had attacked Tianma Town at night and were looting everywhere. After Gui'er confirmed it with Lord Huang, the news that Madam Cheng had been captured gradually became known to everyone.
In this area, Madam Cheng's image is as indestructible as that of the Earth Goddess. Many people do not believe that a god-like figure would suffer such an experience. They really want to see with their own eyes what happens to the people who were captured by the Mongols and then returned.
Yu cried, Xiaoqi cried, Xiaoliu cried too, and several of the onlookers couldn't help crying either.
Cheng Mu asked Yu if they were okay at home, and Yu anxiously asked her if she was okay outside.
"There were 38 of us who were taken captive to the Mongols. The Mongols settled us in Neizhou to cultivate the land. The land there was just like the land in our village a few years ago, with a heavy salty brine. We cultivated the land there and did not suffer any physical hardship."
He said that he had not been bullied and that he had witnesses. These words comforted Yu and were also said to the people present.
"The Mongols asked Madam Cheng to help them farm."
"Madam Cheng is the incarnation of the Earth Goddess. These idiots are smart."
"Why did Meng Gou let Madam Cheng come back so easily?"
“…”
Yu looked at Cheng Mu carefully. "Mrs. Cheng has suffered a lot. She has become darker and thinner."
Cheng Mu: "Over there, you often work in the fields, exposed to the wind and sun, it's inevitable."
The large gathering saved Cheng Mu much effort. After a brief chat with Yu, Cheng Mu announced to the group, "The Yan envoys have arrived for peace talks, and the Meng Kingdom has agreed to release the hostages. They need to gather 10,000 dan of grain within three days. I'm asking for a loan from you all, promising to return double the amount I borrow. Please help me with whatever you can contribute."
Cheng Mu bowed to everyone.
"Mrs. Cheng, just speak!"
"I'll go home and take a look."
The harvest has been good in the past two years, and the family has surplus food. This is all thanks to Madam Cheng. Since she asked for help, everyone agreed.
After everyone dispersed, Guier also rushed back.
Cheng Mu was stunned when she saw Gui'er. She was so pregnant that she looked like she was about to give birth.
"Gui'er, you—" Cheng Mu blinked, "When did you get pregnant?"
They have only been away for four months, and her belly wouldn't be this big in four months. She must have gotten pregnant before the New Year, but no one knew about it before the New Year!
Guier said openly, "I got pregnant when the roads were blocked by heavy snow. I haven't had any reaction since then. I eat and sleep well. It's been seven months."
Cheng Mu was surprised and happy. "Don't you know your own body? At that time, you had to fight wolves every day. Fortunately, the wolves ran away."
Yu was also complaining, "That's right, she's still riding a horse even though she's so pregnant. Two men can't control her. Madam Cheng, you don't know how much I worry about her."
Gui'er: "It's nothing, you just keep nagging."
Gui'er was strong and brave. Cheng Mu said, "Aunt Yu, I'm back. I'll help you look after her for the next two months. I'll keep her well behaved."
"Then I'll trouble you, Madam Cheng. Are you hungry? I'll make something to eat."
"Where's Sister Xiuying?"
"She's been living in Songzhuang. She'll definitely come running back soon."
After Mu Yun went to tie up the horses, she fed them some beans and hay. Cheng Mu had a lot to talk about with them, so they went to the kitchen together.
Ask about the farmland and what the weather is like this year.
Last winter we had such heavy snow, and this summer there are signs of drought. Fortunately, the government had already ordered more ice to be stored, and every household has stored some, so so far, the crops are growing stronger.
Yu said: "The main thing is that the seeds are good and they are not afraid of frost or drought."
It's been several months since we last met, and I still have so much to say.
When it was getting dark, Zhao Dezi's family came carrying grain.
"Madam Cheng, this is all our family can offer."
The main reason is that there is no food to be found at this time. Rice needs to be planted, but wheat has not been harvested yet.
The total amount of wheat, corn grits and beans is less than one stone, not even one ten-thousandth. He has calculated it himself. If each household contributes one stone, ten thousand households can collect ten thousand stones. The key point is that within three days, the entire Yunzhou cannot mobilize ten thousand households.
Cheng Mu asked Mu Yun to take the grain. "No matter how much, I'm very grateful that the villagers can give it to me. I'll find a way to get the rest. Xiaoqi, write an IOU to Grandpa Zhao for your mother."
Zhao Dezi waved his hands repeatedly, "Madam Cheng won't default on her debt, why would she write an IOU?"
"Everyone worked so hard to dig this food out of the ground. It's hard to come by. I'm very grateful for your timely help in this time of crisis. I will repay you double when the time comes, with written proof."
Cheng Mu asked Xiaoqi to take part in the writing and drawing competition, and Xiaoqi was very serious about it.
There were many people like Zhao Dezi who went back to calculate how much they could contribute. That evening, people carrying grain began to arrive one after another. Each family gave grain and received a receipt. It was a two-for-one return. They could let the grain grow without having to worry about the labor. It was a better deal than this.
Those families who did not want to give out food and those who could not give out food all had ideas.
Returning to the familiar place, Cheng Xi felt completely relaxed.
At night, Yu and her two children slept in a separate room. Gui'er pestered Cheng Mu to talk and slept on the same kang. Gui'er was able to eat and sleep well, and fell asleep in seconds without much talk.
As my belly got bigger, I felt more and more inconvenienced. Just like sleeping, it was uncomfortable to move left or right.
Gui'er was snoring softly. Cheng Mu thought about what happened last night and the more she thought about it, the more she couldn't sleep.
Although Amuta did not violate her in the last few steps, her ears and neck were bitten by him. The more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt.
Cheng Mu got up quietly, took a towel, fetched water from the well in the backyard, and carefully wiped the places he had touched again.
Rub the area from behind the ear to the collarbone back and forth.
The night was very quiet. In the small room where Mu Yun lived, something fell to the ground, and the sound was particularly clear.
Cheng Mu heard the door open and went over to see Mu Yun looking for something in the moonlight.
"What's dropped?"
"Sister-in-law?" The moonlight was blocked, and Mu Yun sat down. "Nothing."
Mu Yun wanted to apply medicine to the injured area. The wound was on the back of his shoulder, so it was not convenient to apply the medicine. He lost his grip and it hit the wooden box, making a slight noise.
Smelling the medicine, Cheng Mu suddenly remembered the injury he had sustained during the fight with Amuta. How could he have forgotten about it? "It's my fault! I should have asked Li Yu to change your medicine before I left."
Mu Yun pulled up his shirt to cover it, "I can do it myself."
Cheng Mu gritted her teeth and said, "Let me do it." It would not be a good idea to look for someone else now.
Mu Yun was stunned for a moment, "Okay, thank you."
"You were injured because you helped me. This is what I should do." Cheng Xi lit the lamp and picked up the medicine bottle on the ground while holding it.
Placing the lamp firmly on the wooden box, she instructed, "Turn your back."
The wound had not been cleaned or applied with medicine, and it was probably touched, so blood was still flowing out.
After coming out of Amuta's tent last night, she has been with Mu Yun and did not see him treating his injuries. She was so worried and scared that she completely forgot about it.
"This is a weapon wound. Why did you wait until now to apply medicine? It would be troublesome if you got tetanus."
“I never got around to it.”
Cheng Mu scooped a bucket of water, threw the towel in, dipped it in the water, and wiped the stains on her shoulders and back bit by bit.
Her movements were gentle, like a brush that touched people's hearts.
"No need to be so careful, just sprinkle the powder on." Mu Yun urged.
She just said that this was what she should do, and there was no reason to rush into it. Cheng Mei ordered, "Be patient."
Mu Yun's face suddenly turned red, but he was naturally enduring it. He had been enduring it since she stood at the door. Her breath hit his skin again and again, and he had endured it until it hurt and became astringent.
He wanted to do something, like the mad Amuta.
Evil thoughts were only rolling in his mind, but his body did not move at all, and remained stiff.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
