Chapter 144 Huo Zian is back again
The two men rode on fast horses and rushed towards the Tuntian Camp. Only then did Gu Changxiao regain his senses and looked at the big black horse galloping in front of him and the heroic figure on its back.
The feeling of uneasiness and fear surged in his heart again, just like that night when he looked at Jinsui's sleeping face.
I actually had such dirty thoughts about Taoist Xiao Ji? If he knew...
No, I must not let him know! Otherwise, he would leave the border town without hesitation and never appear in front of me again.
Will he join Yan Jiu? Yes, serving under Yan Jiu is much better than following me, a poor and enemy-ridden king.
For the first time, Gu Changxiao felt an inferiority complex.
God have mercy on him. Even when he was expelled from the capital, alone and hunted by Prince Yu's men, and faced life-and-death situations several times, he did not have such emotions.
At this time, Jin Sui slowed down and drove with him. He had no idea of Gu Changxiao's mood at the moment and asked curiously, "Why do you think Huo Zian came back at this time?"
Gu Changxiao looked away guiltily and shook his head, "Just ask him directly later!"
Jin Sui asked tentatively: "Which one, do you intend to spare his life?"
To be honest, Jin Sui didn't have any feelings for Huo Zian. He was chased and killed by him and his men in the bandits' lair, and later he was assassinated by him when he pretended to be the fake King Li.
I was indeed very angry. If I hadn't controlled my emotions, I would have killed him right away.
When she left Huo Zian in the border town, she tortured him severely. First, she made him use her as an ox to plow the fields, then she poured sugar all over him and threw him into an ant nest, and later she made him carry manure.
Haha, life was hard and full of worries during that period, and Huo Zian became the object of her venting her emotions, which even scared Hei Hu.
Her change of opinion towards Huo Zian began when the Zheng family attacked the border town. Huo Zian did not take the opportunity to escape, but used his abilities to organize the farmers to resist.
He did not dare to take credit for it, and continued to carry manure obediently afterwards. When preparing for the battle with the Tartars, he even recruited Gou Jinsui who passed by the border town, not to mention Huo Zian.
Jinsui had tested him many times and he had passed every test. Unexpectedly, when the imperial envoy came this time, he took the opportunity to escape.
Just run away. Right now the border town doesn’t have the ability to chase him in Chang’an. Who knew he would come back again?
Jinsui was really confused and just wanted to see Huo Zian as soon as possible.
When we arrived at the Tuntian camp, Niu Da's son Niu Damao was already waiting by the roadside: "Your Majesty, come quickly."
Jin Sui joked, "Why do it so quickly? Will Lord Niu die if we delay a little longer?"
At the beginning, Jinsui jokingly called Huo Zian Lord Niu, which made everyone think that his surname was Niu. Until now, many people in Tuntianying still call him Lord Niu.
Unexpectedly, Niu Damao frowned and almost cried: "Yes, Uncle Niu will die soon."
Jin Sui was startled. When he and Gu Changxiao entered the room and saw Huo Zian, he realized that Niu Damao was not talking nonsense.
Although the wounds on Huo Zian's body had been bandaged by Niu Da's wife, they were still bleeding, and there were wounds all over his chest, abdomen, and arms.
The flesh on his cheek was exposed due to the knife wound, which would definitely leave a deep scar. What a pity, Huo Zian looked good, but he could only play the cold-faced scarred man from now on.
Niu Da's wife was a very capable middle-aged woman. She sighed and said, "Da Mao found him in the back hills, lying in a pool of blood and nearly being taken away by a wolf."
"He kept talking about seeing the prince and wanting to see the prince."
Jin Sui asked hurriedly, "Have you asked the military doctor to take a look?"
Niu Da's wife nodded and said, "I checked it and gave him some medicine!"
"Pianpianyao" is the nickname given by the border soldiers to the antibiotics provided to Jinsui. Everyone knows that this medicine is extremely precious and is generally not used on people unless they are seriously injured.
Everyone is very confident in the effectiveness of the pills, as if as long as you are still alive, you can be saved.
Jin Sui stepped forward to feel his pulse and personally examined him. Fortunately, the wounds were only flesh wounds and his internal organs were fine. However, the knife wound to the chest injured his lungs, and he would need to rest for at least half a year.
Just then Huo Zian woke up. The moment he saw Jinsui, his eyes lit up. Finally, he was back to the border town!
He covered his wound and tried to sit up. Jin Sui held his shoulders and said, "Don't move. Can you talk?"
The voice was hoarse: "Your Majesty."
Jin Sui poured a glass of water and held it up to feed him. Gu Changxiao, who had been standing still, immediately took over and fed Huo Zian the water himself.
Huo Zian was very shocked. He drank very quickly and started coughing due to choking.
Jin Sui turned to Sister Niu and said, "Sister Niu, please help me watch the door and don't let anyone get close."
Mrs. Niu readily agreed and went out, and asked Damao to pick up the horses of the prince and Lord Gu and wash them.
She also asked her daughter to light the tea stove. It was the first time the prince came home, and even if he didn't leave any food, he would at least have some tea.
Huo Zian seemed to be organizing his words, and after a while he said, "I want to report to the prince alone."
Jin Sui stepped forward and nudged Gu Chang Xiao: "Then you go guard outside the door."
Huo Zian choked, a little embarrassed to look at Jin Sui's face, his eyeliner fell on his wound: "I mean, I want to report to the King of Li."
Jin Sui was stunned for a moment before reacting. He stood up without any embarrassment and said, "Oh, then you guys chat. I'll go guard the door."
I got too immersed in the role and took myself too seriously!
Gu Changxiao grabbed her and said, "It's okay, stay and listen together."
Jin Feng was very perceptive. He knew that since he had said that he would report to King Li alone, it must be related to the matter in Chang'an.
She was very clear about her role in the border town. She was not King Li's military advisor or think tank. She just wanted to build the border town.
Even if Gu Changxiao returns to Chang'an in the future, she will at most follow him to overturn Ling's father's verdict, and she will never participate in political struggles.
So she really didn't want to get involved in Chang'an's affairs.
I smiled and said, "I probably can't help you with what you want to talk about. I'll wait for you at the door. The game is about to start."
Before Gu Changxiao could say anything else, she had already run out.
He took out maltose from his purse to reward Da Mao and his sister Xiao Mao. Jin Sui stroked Xiao Mao's soft hair and said to Sister Niu with a smile:
"It's okay to call a boy Big Mao, but why is the girl so cute called Little Mao?"
Mrs. Niu didn't react at first, and smiled and said, "A cheap name is easy to raise, that's how they all call it. The three kids next door are Big Dog, Second Dog, and the third one is also a girl named Dog Girl."
Damao was thoughtful. He sucked the maltose and pulled his mother's sleeve: "Mom, then ask the prince to give your sister a nice name!"
Sister Niu's eyes sparkled, and she pulled Xiao Mao to kneel in front of Jin Sui:
"If the prince gives Xiao Mao a name, it will be a blessing for this girl! The prince is blessed. We are an orphan and a widow. I hope the prince will not despise us and change Xiao Mao's name!"
Xiaomao stopped eating the candy and looked at Jinsui shyly with her beautiful eyes. She didn't like her name either. Every time she saw a cow, a naughty boy would pull the cow's tail and call her,
"Look, it's Xiaomao the cow."
Jin Sui smiled and said, "In that case, I will change Xiao Mao's name. I hope that when Xiao Mao grows up, he will be calm and agile, safe and sound, and free from illness and disaster. How about calling him An Min? Does Niu An Min like it?"
Xiao Mao smiled shyly: "I like it." As long as it sounds better than Xiao Mao, she likes it! Niu Dasao hurriedly pressed her head: "Hurry up and thank the prince!"
Mrs. Niu doesn't know how to be calm and nimble, but she knows peace and prosperity! The greatest wish of a mother is for her children to be safe.
Jin Sui talked to Sister Niu about the Tuntian Camp again. She didn't have many opportunities to chat with the lower-level soldiers, and in order to let Gu Changxiao and Huo Zian know, she didn't eavesdrop! Sister Niu talked about the recent changes in the lower-level soldiers in the Tuntian Camp. Captain Liu wanted to take a group of people to the East China Sea Base to dry the salt fields, but no one wanted to go at first.
They say that life there is even harder than in the border town, and it's far away, so if anything happens there's nowhere to hide.
Later, Captain Liu said that they could get some land when they got there. It was not public land, but land that was truly allocated to individuals. They would also be given land deeds, but they were salt fields.
The Tuntian Camp was in an uproar. Private land! No matter whether it was paddy field, dry land, third-class thin land or salt field, as long as they could get some, even if it was a piece of bitter land, everyone would be happy!
Many people do not understand the farmers of this era. Farmers are indeed suffering, but among the four classes of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, farmers are ranked at the top. And below farmers, there are countless people of low status who cannot afford to buy a piece of land even after several generations of hard work.
For people like fishermen and craftsmen, their lifelong wish is to buy three acres of land and become farmers.
The border soldiers' farming camp was said to be under the command of the military, but in fact it was only slightly better than military slaves and they still did not have their own land.
As soon as Captain Liu made the announcement about the salt fields, everyone was scrambling to get to the East China Sea Base. In the end, the team had to draw lots to select the people to go.
But military widows like Niu Dasao are not eligible to run for election. This is the most discussed issue in the Tuntian Camp right now.
Those who were selected were in high spirits, while those who were not selected were dejected, but they soon regained their fighting spirit, believing that as long as this door was opened, there would definitely be a next time.
Mrs. Niu laughed and said, "Even if I'm really selected, I can't go. My child is still young. How much salt can the three of us make? I can't make as much as I can carrying manure."
Damao said hurriedly: "In another five years, I will be able to take over my father's position and join the Tuntian Camp. Then I will also be able to get a share of the land."
Damao was already ten years old, and they said that children could join the camp at the age of fifteen, but in fact, those who were strong and healthy had to go in to work at the age of twelve or thirteen, and the children were treated like adults.
Jin Sui comforted Sister Niu: "Don't worry, there will be more and more such places in the future. Not only salt fields, but we also have vegetable fields and orchards. Sister Niu is diligent and capable, and sooner or later she will have the opportunity to get her own land."
Mrs. Niu was overjoyed: "But my husband is gone, and Damao hasn't joined the army yet, so I am eligible for a share?"
Jin Sui thought, when potatoes and sweet potatoes are planted on a large scale next year, of course he will first distribute the land to his own family members.
She nodded solemnly: "Yes! As long as you are from our border town, you are eligible!"
Recently, she has focused all her energy on major issues such as stockpiling grain, earning silver, accumulating pig iron, and attracting merchants and children of aristocratic families to the border town. The trivial matters at the bottom level are left to the old people in the border town such as Cheng Yu and Captain Liu.
There are always some omissions, like the issue of dividing the land among households. She had mentioned it to Cheng Yu before, but unexpectedly Cheng Yu didn't reveal anything.
This won’t do. We can’t let the border soldiers think that the prince is only focused on doing big things. We have to let them know that the prince is doing this for everyone’s future.
Well, once the polo match is over, we'll settle this matter while the heat is still there. Anyway, Border Town doesn't have much, except for a lot of wasteland. Others don't care about the idea of allocating land to households, but we in Border Town don't care.
Does Li Heng still dare to complain to the court? If he really wants to complain, we can find another reason. The land is still the land of the Tuntianying Camp, but it is rented to the border soldiers because of the shortage of manpower.
The only thing they could do was to open the door wide and allow the refugees to leave the mountains and settle in the border towns to help King Li farm the land.
Of course, Jinsui felt that the court would definitely not care about such a small matter.
Their eyes are looking higher, fixed on that chair, and they have no idea of the hardships of the lower-class people.
Jinsui understood too well the significance of distributing land to each household. He believed that anyone who was allocated land, after seeing the high yield of potatoes and sweet potatoes and planting them for two seasons, would completely return to the border town.
She was chatting animatedly here and finished chatting in the room.
The moment Gu Changxiao pushed the door open, Jin Sui saw his solemn expression, and the confusion and sadness in his eyes.
She also began to panic. She hoped that there might be something wrong with the imperial reward! It was obviously not appropriate to talk here. Jin Sui asked Sister Niu to ask someone to quietly send Huo Zian to the wounded camp for recuperation.
Gu Changxiao said he would not go to the polo field in the afternoon, and asked her if she wanted to find a quiet place to chat? Jin Sui was willing, of course, but now there was no quiet place in the whole border town. Finally, the two of them rode on the river bank, just short of leaving the border, and then they walked slowly while leading the horse and talking.
You can't come here any later. It's freezing.
"Huo Zian did not escape, but learned from the assassins sent by Prince Yu that they had arranged a group of people to pick him up."
"He went to inquire ahead of time, but he was discovered by those people and wanted to kill him to silence him."
Jin Sui said hurriedly: "Then let Han Xing take people to wipe them out immediately!"
Han Xing was used to suppressing bandits, so after killing them he would just label them as bandits.
Gu Changxiao shook his head: "It's too late. They have already evacuated Yandi. The several waves of people sent by Prince Yu were all wiped out. They should not send assassins again."
Jin Sui felt that his idea was wrong. The more he failed to kill, the more he wanted to kill. Prince Yu would only send more powerful killers. How could he give up?
She was about to remind him when she heard Gu Changxiao say, "The reason they want to kill Huo Zian is because Huo Zian discovered another secret of Prince Yu."
"He was secretly raising troops and buying war horses from the Tartars."
Jin Sui slapped his thigh and said, "Sure enough, the Central Plains merchant the herdsmen were talking about is Prince Yu's man!"
"Why does he keep soldiers? To rebel? Then send the news to the emperor quickly."
Gu Changxiao's eyes showed disappointment and self-mockery: "Without solid evidence, it's a false accusation. Haha, Prince Yu is different from me. Even if he really finds out something, he will find an excuse to cover it up."
"And the father can only make a big thing small."
I've seen people who are biased, but I've never seen one as biased as this! Jin Sui wanted to ask Gu Changxiao, are you really your father's biological son?
But she knew that this was not a joke. In this era, matters concerning royal bloodline could not be spoken carelessly.
She could only comfort him, "We can slowly look for evidence. Anyway, the border town is so far away from Chang'an. If Prince Yu really wants to do something, we can't do anything to him."
"The most important thing right now is to develop the border town. Only when you are strong enough can you deter those villains."
Gu Changxiao knew that she was worried. He was distracted by the things in Chang'an and took the development of the border town lightly.
He hurriedly said, "Don't worry, I know what is important."
After the bad news came the good news: "The imperial court's decree has reached the border of Yandi, and it will reach the border city in half a month at most. By then, our identities can be changed back."
Jin Sui was overjoyed: "Great! The soldiers have been waiting for this imperial edict impatiently!"
The same goes for her. As long as the imperial edict arrives and the merits of the battle against the Tartars are realized, she can retire with honor.
But for some reason, I still felt a little disappointed. Maybe I was too immersed in the role, and I felt a little reluctant to finish filming.
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