Chapter 51 Fifty

Li Ke was stunned, savoring Mr. Yun's words, nodded and said, "Where can you get if you don't give? Well, the master's business method hides a profound way of managing the world! I didn't expect that there are such businessmen as your Excellency." A man of great skill. You sold the horse at a loss and resolved a military disaster. Although you are seeking your own interests, you are benefiting the common people in the world. With such merit, I would like to toast you." After finishing speaking, he picked up the wine jar He poured a full glass of wine, picked it up with both hands, and handed it over. Mr. Yun was not polite, took it and drank it down.

Li Ke was delighted to see him drinking happily, and said loudly, "Master, you have seen people so well, it makes me feel like it's too late to meet you! Could you invite your Excellency to condescend to come to my palace, and you and my brothers will do something together in the future?" Mr. Yun was stunned. , Li Ke was holding the wine and looking at him sincerely, he was still hesitating, Li Ke took his hand and reproached him: "Look at you, why are you getting shy, you don't look like a manly man." Mr. Yun took his hand from Li Ke Ke withdrew his hand, a red cloud flew across his face, he hesitated and said: "I still have some business matters to go to the north to take care of, and I will visit the door when I finish the cooking."

Two days later, Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling and other ministers petitioned for peace with Jieli.Li Shimin made up his mind not to have a decisive battle with Jieli at this time, so naturally he pushed the boat along the way and issued an order of grace.Soon, Tang's envoys went to the Jieli Ministry to pay the tribute according to their requirements. Jieli did not expect Li Shimin to be able to bear this tone. Killed the 30,000 soldiers and civilians.He was afraid that his fine horse would grow fat under the city of Suizhou if he left the grassland circle, so he burned the city down, crossed the river and returned to Dingxiang.

Without the city, the more than 30,000 people had no choice but to go south to survive. They slept in the wilderness all the way, lacking food and clothing. They were very pitiful. After walking for two days, they met Tang Jun who was marching from the direction of Jingzhou to Suizhou. With some relief, the situation of these people is somewhat better.After finally arriving outside the city of Jingzhou, the city couldn't accommodate so many people at once. The guard was afraid that spies might be among the 30,000 people, so he ordered the city gates to be closed and let them camp outside the city.

At night, countless bonfires were ignited in the wilderness outside Jingzhou City, and returned soldiers and civilians gathered around the bonfires in groups.The spring in the north was still very cold. During the days after being captured, these people were frightened and tortured, and most of them were very weak. Many of them suffered from diseases. At night, there were groans everywhere. The situation was very miserable. Among these refugees was an old man named Chang Sanduo, who was the father of the hero Chang Lingguan who stabbed the tiger to death at the beginning of this book.He was originally from Wugong County, Yongzhou. In the ninth year of Wude, when Jieli went south, he fled to Suizhou. Only a niece named Caiji followed. But he caught a cold and became very ill, coughing so hard that he couldn't even breathe.

Without medicine, Caiji could only bring him a bowl of cold water to suppress his cough. He had just taken a sip, then coughed again, and blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.Caiji quickly handed him a handkerchief to help him wipe off the blood.Seeing his niece serving him so wholeheartedly, Chang Sanduo showed gratitude: "Daughter, thanks to you for taking care of my uncle these past few years, there is a sentence that I really can't help but want to say..." Caiji knew what her uncle was going to say. She had been engaged to Chang Lingguan since she was a child. In the fifth year of Wude, because Zhang squire in the county wanted to fight for the Chang family's land, colluded with the county magistrate, falsely accused her of being a thief, and killed the Chang family's family. Almost all of them were sent to death row, except for one permanent commander.In winter, Chang Lingguan suddenly brought a few people from the East Palace back to Wugong from Chang'an, arrested the county magistrate and Zhang Xiangshen, and cleared the Chang family's injustice, but at this time, the Chang family's Several children died in prison, only Chang Sanduo and his wife were released.At that time, Caiji planned to marry and take care of the old couple, but Chang Lingguan left suddenly after only staying at home for three days, and the marriage was never completed.Chang Sanduo and his wife Wang Shi are not in good health, and there is no one to take care of them at home. Seeing how pitiful they are, Caiji moves to his uncle's house. First, he takes care of the two elders, and second, he expresses his ambition to keep festivals for his fiancé.Unexpectedly, eight years have passed, but there has been no news from the Lingguan.In the past eight years, the family has moved to many places, and Mrs. Wang also died of illness on the way.Chang Sanduo repeatedly persuaded Caiji not to wait for the magistrate. A girl has served her father-in-law for eight years without passing the door. She has done enough!Ke Caiji said nothing.

This time, Caiji was still the same as in the past. While serving Chang Sanduo, he blocked his mouth with words: "Uncle! You don't need to say it, I know it, and I won't agree." Chang Sanduo sighed and said: "However, this time uncle seems to be in trouble, don't hang yourself on a tree, otherwise, once uncle leaves, you will not even have a relative in this world! Uncle is a hard-hearted person. Will you say such frustrating words when the road comes to an end? Don’t be stubborn!” Caiji said stubbornly: “No, you are here, I will serve you, you are gone, I will serve the Bodhisattva! Anyway, I will not treat you I can't stop the Commander." After finishing speaking, Cai Ji reached out and touched a cloth package on her back, which contained a silver lock, which was given to him by the Commander when they were engaged, and it became her only thought of her fiancé. think.

At this time, there was a small commotion among the refugees in front, and a group of soldiers ran over to form a sentry post, and a small school shouted to these soldiers with a horsewhip: "Quickly stand up, the commander-in-chief is coming to make an inspection soon. Give me some energy, and if something goes wrong, let me see how I can deal with you." After a while, dozens of generals came over, surrounded by a young general wearing a bronze helmet. Followed him and said: "The general ordered by the general to open 30 porridge sheds outside the city, and the 30,000 people who returned from Suizhou have been settled."

General Bronze Helm stooped to pick up an earthen pot from the ground, and poured some rice soup-like porridge out of it, his face changed, and he reprimanded: "Is this the porridge you serve?" He looked around again at the hungry and cold people. The people were even more angry and said: "The sky is the house and the ground is the bed. This is also a settlement? How did I explain to you?" Pi Jiang trembled and replied: "My lord, I also want to give them more food, but The food allocated by the imperial court is really too little?" General Bronze Helmet raised his horsewhip, pointed at the general and said, "The Emperor has transferred 30,000 stones of grain, which is enough to feed 30,000 people for three months. Isn't that too little? From tomorrow onwards, I want to see that these people are full. If you are full, report to me, and you don’t want to eat! As for the place where you live, the people will be mobilized to build straw huts at dawn, and you should also allocate some tents. In short, within seven days, the people have to find a place to hide. A place with wind and rain." Pi Jiang kept nodding his head and agreed, "Yes, yes, yes—"