Chapter 273: The battlefield is tight, the country is recruiting soldiers, but some people are still lining their pockets
It was late at night and only a faint candlelight remained in the house.
Chu Ruohan lay on the kang, listening to the chirping of insects outside the window, her mind full of thoughts.
I'm leaving for Beijing tomorrow. I wonder what the situation is like there now. Are my parents okay? Where is Junze?
"Can't sleep?" Gu Cheng'an's voice suddenly sounded in the darkness.
Chu Ruohan was slightly startled and turned to look at Gu Chengan who was lying on the floor. "Yeah, I'm a little worried about the situation in the capital."
Gu Chengan was silent for a moment before he slowly spoke: "Don't worry, I will protect you and get you back safely."
Chu Ruohan didn't say anything, but just looked quietly at the roof in the dark.
"You really want to see big brother, right?" Gu Cheng'an's voice was very soft.
Chu Ruohan's heart trembled suddenly. She didn't expect Gu Cheng'an to suddenly bring this up.
"Yeah." She replied softly, her voice barely audible. "He must be very worried about me."
Gu Chengan fell silent again, and after a long while he said, "Rest early, we have to travel tomorrow."
Chu Ruohan closed her eyes, but couldn't fall asleep.
Her hand unconsciously touched her lower abdomen, where she and Junze's child was being nurtured. It was her greatest concern and hope now.
The next morning, just as the sky was getting light, Gu Cheng'an got up and packed his bags.
He pushed the finished cart into the yard and laid thick straw mats and bedding on it to ensure that Chu Ruohan would not be too bumpy when sitting on it.
The old woman got up early, prepared a hearty breakfast, and packed a lot of dry food in a cloth bag.
"Eat something if you're hungry on the way. Don't let the baby in your belly go hungry." The old woman warned, her eyes full of reluctance.
Chu Ruohan nodded, her eyes feeling a little hot.
These days, the old lady treated her like her own daughter. She was very grateful to her for treating her like this, even though they were not related to her.
"Grandma, we will definitely come back to see you once we're settled." Chu Ruohan held the old lady's hand and said sincerely.
The old woman patted her hands and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll be waiting for you."
A burst of messy footsteps came from afar, broke into the yard, and broke the tranquility of the early morning.
The leading soldier swept his gaze across the courtyard, finally landing on the old man. He shouted in a gruff voice, "Old Man Li, the war in Pingzhou is intense, and we're ordering you to recruit soldiers!"
When the old woman heard this, her face turned pale instantly and her body shook as if the sky was falling.
The two of them have no children and have depended on each other for many years. The old man is so old. If he goes to the battlefield, can he come back alive?
Gu Cheng'an frowned, stepped forward and stood in front of the old man.
"I'm sixty-seven years old now, long past conscription age."
The conscription leader looked Gu Cheng'an up and down, then glanced at the old man cowering next to him and sneered, obviously not taking this rule seriously.
"Who cares about you?"
Some villagers from the same village quietly peeked in and talked in low voices.
"I heard that the kid from the Zhang family was not taken away because he paid five taels of silver..."
Chu Ruohan frowned slightly, her eyes fell on the conscription order in the leader's hand, and she questioned in a cold voice.
"Since you have the imperial conscription order, why don't you recruit able-bodied men to defend the country? Instead, you're conscripting these sixty-year-olds to make up the numbers?"
Her voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone.
"If Daliang only sends the old, weak, and sick on the battlefield, how can we resist the fierce and powerful army of Zheng?"
The conscription chief was questioned face to face by a woman. He looked a little embarrassed and waved his hands impatiently.
"What do you, a woman, know? Stop talking nonsense! Without money, everyone has to go!"
Gu Cheng'an's eyes flashed, he took a step forward and stared at the leader.
"Whose subordinate are you? Whose orders are you following? How dare you impose so much force and arbitrarily, ignoring the laws of the court?"
The leader was frightened by his aura and subconsciously took a half step back.
Seeing this, a soldier nearby quickly summoned up the courage to shout, "We are from Minister Liu of the Ministry of War! Who dares to disobey Minister Liu's orders?"
Minister Liu of the Ministry of War.
Chu Ruohan and Gu Chengan looked at each other almost at the same time, and saw surprise and a hint of understanding in each other's eyes.
It’s actually him?
He is still in the Ministry of War, and his power seems to be even greater.
When Gu Cheng'an heard the name, his hands hanging by his side clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white, and the old hatred and anger surged in his chest.
Seeing that the leader was about to pull the old man again, Gu Cheng'an took a deep breath and suppressed his emotions.
He took out a jade pendant from his arms with great reluctance and handed it over.
The jade pendant is warm and transparent, and you can tell at a glance that it is of great value.
This was given to him by Marquis Anyang. He has been wearing it since he was a child and it has great significance.
But if they hadn't been taken in and cared for by the old woman and the old man these days, who knows what situation they would have ended up in.
It is likely that the baby in Chu Ruohan's belly will be difficult to save.
He must repay this favor.
"This jade pendant is enough to pay for his head." Gu Cheng'an's voice was cold and hard.
The old woman and the old man looked at the jade pendant, then at Gu Cheng'an, their eyes full of gratitude, their lips trembling, but unable to speak.
Seeing this, the surrounding villagers also gathered around with hope on their faces.
"Good man, please help us..."
"Yeah, we don't want to die on the battlefield!"
"I heard that Zheng's army is very powerful, and their swords and spears are blind..."
Discussions and pleas came one after another.
Gu Chengan looked at the frightened faces and helplessly spread his hands: "I only have this jade pendant, and I don't have any money on me."
The conscription leader weighed the jade pendant in his hand, a greedy glint in his eyes. Then he sneered and shouted at the villagers, "Get out of here! No one without silver will be able to escape!"
The villagers suddenly looked pale.
After resolving the issue of Old Man Li, the conscription chief's gaze returned to Gu Cheng'an, with scrutiny and ill intentions.
"Old Man Li has paid his share."
"But you haven't handed it in yet."
Chu Ruohan stepped forward, protecting Gu Cheng'an, and said coldly, "This jade pendant is of high quality. It's worth at least twenty taels of silver, enough to cover the quota for two people! Don't go too far!"
"Oh, young lady, you also know about jade?"
The chief looked Chu Ruohan up and down and saw that although she was wearing a straw hat and a cloth skirt, her beautiful and elegant appearance could not be concealed.
Especially those clear eyes with a bit of stubbornness, which made his heart flutter, and there was a lustful light in his eyes.
"It's not up to you to decide how much it's worth!"
As he said that, he actually reached out his hand and wanted to pinch Chu Ruohan's chin.
"You dare!" Gu Cheng'an was furious, murderous intent flashed in his eyes, and he was about to swing with his clenched fists.
"Cheng'an!" Chu Ruohan quickly grabbed him.
Can't do it.
Their identities are unknown now, and it will be more troublesome if they are exposed.
When you live under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.
Gu Cheng'an's chest heaved violently as he stared at the leader, almost biting his teeth off.
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