Jiangshan is hired [rebirth]

Chapter 60

I don't know when, gradually there were crying sounds all around.In the beginning, it was just a few people sobbing faintly, the voice was not loud, but it was like a stone thrown into the lake, and the ripples spread from the place where the stone fell, and more people were touched by this sadness, reaching a certain point Unable to hold back any longer, it turned into a sky-shattering cry.

Not all of these people know Wang Cuicui and Qu Meng. They have talked with this young couple, but they are both poor people. Everyone fled from their hometown and drifted here. Today’s tragedy happened to them. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? Won't it be my turn?

In this troubled world, we have escaped the military chaos and vicious bandits, escaped bandits and wolves and beasts, even if we have escaped, what should we do once the food is gone?How long can the adversity of helping each other in the long shed at the head of the village last?

"Huo Lan? Huo Lan!" A series of anxious calls brought Huo Lan back to reality from the sluggishness. Huo Lan's slack eyes slowly focused on the person in front of her. She moved her lips, wanting to say to Yun Miaoqing, "I It's nothing", but looking around, the sentence "it's nothing" was still unsaid after all.

Yun Miaoqing's expression was also very gloomy, but she still cheered up and said to Huo Lan: "Miss Wang has reunited with her husband-in-law now, let's bury them together."

Huo Lan nodded slowly, and dragged Wang Cuicui and Qu Meng to the side of the road, where there was a row of graves, the soil was newly dug, and the people buried inside were probably refugees from the long shed.Someone saw Huo and Yun's intentions and came up to help.Nowadays, where is the condition to find a coffin, it is just a shallow pit, a straw mat, human life is so cheap, it does not take half an hour from digging the pit to burying a grave.

Two people's names are engraved on a wooden board, which is considered a tombstone.The wooden boards were made by Huo Lan now in the woods and cut down trees. Except for the joint burial tombs of Wang Cuicui and Qu Meng, there are not even wooden monuments left beside them. , I don’t have a handy tool, even if I want to cut it, I can’t do it.

The two were silent in front of the grave. During the day, Wang Cuicui smiled and said that he would live a good life, and he and Qu Meng lived a long life. Who would have thought that such an accident would happen in less than a day.

Yun Miaoqing sighed for a long time: "Let's go, I'm going back."

"Okay." Huo Lan agreed with a hoarse voice, and suddenly said, "Wait here for me." After she finished speaking, she walked back to the long shed and found everyone in Maoxi Village.

"Is there an aunt named Wu in your village who lives in the first house at the east end of the village, with a pomelo tree at the door?"

"Yes! Who are you to her?"

Huo Lan avoided answering the question, and continued: "Where is she, why didn't I see her coming with you?"

"Oh, her family is miserable. Her son died as a soldier. When the news came back, her daughter-in-law was about to give birth. She had a dystocia and passed away with the baby in her stomach. So many of us didn't hold her back and bumped into her head. The corner of the bed, alas..."

Sure enough, because she and Yun Miaoqing never passed by Maoxi Village to save the fetus in this life, the fate of the aunt who kindly took them in also changed.Huo Lan thanked the person who answered her words with a dull face, and returned to Yun Miaoqing's side under the bewildered eyes of everyone in Maoxi Village.

Yun Miaoqing didn't ask her what she did, and the two left the place in silence, and walked slowly towards their mountain hut, but when they reached the top, they coincidentally did not enter the house, but sat down on the rock in front of the cliff.In the past year, they have watched the sunrise countless times here. The winter days and nights are long. At this time, the sun should be high in summer, but now the bright moon is still hanging above their heads, projecting a bleak brilliance on this devastated land. .

"Miaoqing, I don't understand. Why is this happening? I killed all those who bullied Wang Cuicui, and I also killed those who harmed Qu Meng. I avenged them, but they still died. Qu Meng did it to find Wang Cuicui entered the bandit's den by mistake, and Wang Cuicui just went out to relieve herself at night, what did she do wrong? Is it true that the basic needs of people are not allowed in this world? Or, or is it because I went too late, I couldn't save them in time!"

Huo Lan was barely able to keep calm before, but she was incoherent when she spoke later, she thought about it all night, suppressed it all night, and finally broke out in front of Yun Miaoqing when no one was around.

Seeing her so sad, Yun Miaoqing also felt uncomfortable. She leaned over and hugged Huo Lan, patted her on the back and comforted her, "It's not your fault. Sigh, these lonely and wandering people will have a hard time because of the continuous fighting. ..."

Huo Lan has seen a series of disasters brought about by the military chaos before, and Yun Miaoqing doesn't need to explain to her.She lay on Yun Miaoqing's shoulder and remained silent for a while, suppressing those painful, dark, quagmire-like memories, straightened up and asked Yun Miaoqing, "Do you know how long this battle will last?"

"The shortest is three to five years, and the longest is more than ten years." Yun Miaoqing let go of Huo Lan, and the two hands folded on the side close to each other, looking side by side at the sea of ​​clouds in the distance.

"Although King Yu is self-willed, Qi Sheng and several generals of his faction are extremely good at fighting; King Zhuang has fewer generals following him, but he himself is a ruthless character. As for Du Shouming, he held the emperor hostage. The Shangke can order the states to last for a while, how long the war will last, how can we say well."

Huo Lan didn't expect to hear a definite answer from Yun Miaoqing at first, so she asked after a moment of silence: "Will things get better after the war is over? Everyone can go back to their hometowns and have food. Have clothes to wear, live and work in peace and contentment?"

Yun Miaoqing shook her head: "It's hard to say, it depends on who wins in the end."

"The one who will end the troubled times will be the teacher of benevolence and righteousness and the will of the people. It's written like this in the books." Huo Lan said softly.

"Teacher of benevolence and righteousness? Who do you think is more alike among the three of them, Du Shouming?" Yun Miaoqing smiled, saying that the smile was more like a mockery of the three of them, only one corner of her mouth was raised, and the smile did not reach her eyes.

"I don't know." Huo Lan was very confused, and answered honestly.

"Du Shouming's character is probably better among the three of them, but as I expected, he will be the first one to be defeated. Without absolute ruling power, how can the state capitals of all regions be obedient all the time? In the beginning, they can still rely on the emperor. For the sake of taking orders from him, after a long time, some ambitious governors and local generals will break away from the imperial court's control, monopolize one side and even join the ranks of conspiring to seize the country. Will there be a heavenly wizard among these local officials? I don’t know yet, but for now, King Zhuang still has the greatest chance of winning.”

King Zhuang... Huo Lan's heart sank, and he only heard Yun Miaoqing continue: "In the long run, the one who can stabilize the world and make all the people submit must be a good emperor who governs benevolently and loves the people, but in the short term, it may not be so. So. Qi Taizu crusade against the eighteen princes, ending the separatist regime of the princes for more than a hundred years since the end of Jiang. However, during the reign of Qi Gaozong and Qi Gaozong, the laws were strict, the taxes were heavy, and the people were levied repeatedly. The people were miserable until Emperor Xuanwu raised troops to overthrow the Qi Dynasty After ruling, the world will return to peace."

Huo Lan has also read the history mentioned by Yun Miaoqing. The Qi Dynasty was a very short-lived dynasty. Qi Taizu and Qi Gaozong reigned for only 31 years. If this historical event is changed to the present, after more than ten years of war, The brutal King Zhuang finally won the throne, and the people finally waited for a Ming lord after decades of dark rule, and spent the rest of their lives in peace with another military disaster that lasted for several years or even more than ten years.

The first ten years, the middle decades, and the latter ten years, add up to at least four or fifty years.But how many four or fifty years can a person have in his life?How many people can't wait for that day at all, and will live in the pain of being precarious and separated from their wives and children for the rest of their lives?

Huo Lan looked forward in bewilderment, and the words of the mysterious man before coma in her previous life rang in her ears again.In the past, she had wondered more than once whether that person meant that she would end all of this in exchange for Yun Miaoqing's life safety, but afterward Yun Miaoqing was fine, and the mysterious person never appeared again, so she let it go With this thought, she just wanted to live in seclusion with Yun Miaoqing, without asking about anything.

After witnessing everything yesterday, she could no longer remain indifferent to this purgatory on earth.The tragic experience of Wang Cuicui and Qu Meng made her seem to see herself and Yun Miaoqing in another world, but at this moment, how many people are experiencing the pain of being separated from their lovers, relatives and friends?

There was also the aunt in Maoxi Village and her grandson. She was reborn and saved Yun Miaoqing, but caused the two of them to lose their lives.This is her sin, someone paid the price for Yun Miaoqing's life, but she didn't bring these people a better era as promised!

Huo Lan closed her eyes, and the great sadness and pain spread from her heart to her body. Every breath seemed to be burning her internal organs, making her almost breathless.

"Miaoqing... If I say, I mean, if I leave you for a while, will you hate me?"

Yun Miaoqing was surprised: "Why do you say that?"

"Looking at Wang Cuicui, Qu Meng, and others, I can't do nothing and just wait like this. Although the ceremony of returning to the clan has not yet been held last year, your majesty...now it's time to call him the first emperor. He once admitted it himself Everyone knows my identity.

Now the world is in chaos, I think this identity can be used to some extent, I will send you to your mother first, let Brother Wen and the others take care of you, and then I will find a way to recruit some soldiers, not to mention overthrowing whose rule At least for everyone to fight for a safe paradise where there are no thieves and bandits, and you don't have to worry about being suddenly killed by rebels at night. "

When Huo Lan said these words, she didn't dare to look into Yun Miaoqing's eyes. On the day she got married, she promised that she would never be separated from Yun Miaoqing forever. How long has passed since then, and she will say goodbye to Yun Miaoqing...

She is ashamed of Yun Miaoqing, but when she thinks that there are so many people suffering the same pain as her, and judging from the mysterious man's words, she may bring changes to these people, she can no longer feel at ease Huddled in a corner of this world with Yun Miaoqing, only caring about her own sweetness, not caring about the life or death of others.

A sigh sounded beside her ears, and Huo Lan's nails on the spare side clenched her palm tightly. She was too afraid that Yun Miaoqing would say something like disappointing her, but she deserved it, didn't she?

"Me, I've been waiting for you to mention this matter to me for a long time." The words of the people around him couldn't hear the slightest accusation, but a little bit of relief.

Huo Lan turned her head in amazement, only to see Yun Miaoqing reached out and pulled her other arm, smoothed her fist, and gently kneaded the red mark on her palm that had just been pinched out.

"Do you still remember when I was in the capital, I asked you if you wanted to be emperor, and how did you answer me?"

Huo Lan didn't know why Yun Miaoqing suddenly mentioned this, she thought about it along with Yun Miaoqing's words, and remembered that she seemed to say that she didn't know and just wanted to protect Yun Miaoqing.

"A good emperor should not have only one person in his eyes, only love and love. She must see her people, see the suffering of the world, and see this vast river and mountain." Yun Miaoqing led Huo Lan's hand, bathed in the rising sun, said slowly.

"Although the first emperor has done many chilling things to Prince Pingzhang and important officials in the court, during his reign, he repeatedly reduced and exempted taxes. He has people in his heart. I think it is precisely because of this that he has favored King Zhuang for many years. Once he discovered the true nature of King Zhuang, even if he was old and unable to fight his son anymore, he was willing to take the risk to try try."

Without the emperor's acquiescence, it would be impossible for the governor of Qingjing to settle the case of Du Wenyao hastily. I am afraid that Zhong Yu would know the truth and see the true face of King Zhuang at that time.But at that time, Zhuang Wang's wings had already been formed, and he could not shake them with an edict, so he and Du Shouming decided on many follow-up matters.

"You didn't understand this before, so I didn't mention it to you, but I believe you will understand one day."

The warm light of the morning sun dispelled the chill of the night, Huo Lan stared blankly at Yun Miaoqing, and in an instant, those details that she had ignored in the past emerged one after another before her eyes.

Ginkgo once said that when Yun Miaoqing was 16 years old, she disguised herself as a man to take part in the scientific examination. Was it really just because of a moment of naughtiness and disobedience to her brother?When she first arrived in the capital, Yun Miaoqing explained to her the many inconveniences of traveling for women in the capital. Was she really just stating a custom?Also, when she fled from the capital that night, when Yun Miaoqing mentioned her father in the box, where did the sense of loss come from, and why did she read the books that were so full even in the boudoir?

She has always been ambitious...

Huo Lan's heart was like a bronze bell at this time, and it was hit hard by a thick log, and there was a dizzying long cry in the tremor.

Yun Miaoqing participated in the scientific examination not to get angry with her brother, but because she really wanted to be an official in the court; what she said that day about the different attitudes of the world towards women and men, was also entrenched in her heart for a long time. content to be reformed.

And her father, she said that her father became an official at the beginning to take a gamble, but later...

Combined with Yun Miaoqing's admiration for his father, the unfinished words should be that later Yun Xiang had the common people in his heart, and the rise and fall of the world, and that trace of sadness came from his father, who still has many grand plans in the future. It is a pity for himself and his family, and it is also a loss for thousands of people.

It's strange that His Majesty read Yun Miaoqing's test paper back then, and would say that Yun Xiang taught his daughter well.Yun Miaoqing not only inherited her father's chivalry in rebelliousness, but also inherited her father's ideals.Even though he was confinement in the house at the beginning, and now there are so many punitive measures, Yunxiang chose this one alone. He knew his daughter's temperament well, even though the possibility was slim, he still refused all marriages for her, so that she would not be punished. Being trapped in the inner courtyard of the deep house gave her a glimmer of hope to show her fists.

Huo Lan was afraid for a while when he thought that he had isolated Yun Miaoqing and could only spend time with her day and night. Fortunately... Fortunately, he was not willing to do this. If not, he would owe Yun Miaoqing forever. It's hard to pay off.

Even so, Huo Lan's heart was still bitter and astringent.

"If, if I don't realize this, what are you going to do...you..."

Huo Lan couldn't go on anymore. Yun Miaoqing swore to share weal and woe with her and stand by her side through life and death. For so long, she never showed any complaints except those jokes. If she didn't understand it all her life, wouldn't Yun Miaoqing Do you intend to seal up all your ideals and live such a silly life with her for the rest of your life?

It's so wronged, Miaoqing, how could she wrong herself to such an extent... She is so smart, why would she do such a stupid thing...

Even though Huo Lan made up his mind on the day he left Beijing that he would never cry again, he still shed tears at this moment.

"Just now I said with great pride that I want to fight for peace for the people, but why did I turn around and start crying." The people around said again.

How can there be any lofty sentiments, obviously sad to death.Huo Lan knew that Yun Miaoqing was teasing her, but still choked up.

Yun Miaoqing wiped away Huo Lan's tears, and said with a slight smile, "How do you know that you won't realize these things? You are a student I taught by myself, and I have taught you all the thoughts that benefit the world. You used to I don’t understand because you haven’t had this kind of emotion since you were young, and you lack an opportunity to touch you. I know you will understand one day sooner or later. When I said I was going down the mountain yesterday, I wanted you to see the lives of ordinary people today. I didn't expect to encounter such a thing, I knew it earlier..."

Yun Miaoqing paused for a while, then lowered her head and said nothing more.

In the past, Huo Lan felt that although she could understand Yun Miaoqing most of the time, there were times when she didn't quite understand it. After the heart-to-heart talk tonight, she suddenly had a feeling of becoming one with the people around her.Yun Miaoqing's every frown, smile, and every move became transparent in her eyes, and the meaning inside became clear and audible.

"If I knew it earlier, I wouldn't be able to change anything." She continued Yun Miaoqing's words, "If we hadn't gone down the mountain, Wang Cuicui would have been humiliated to death by that group of people, and Qu Meng would have died in another bandit den. Fortunately, we went down to see it yesterday, at least we gave them a chance to reunite before they die, and they can be buried together after death."

After saying this, Huo Lan opened up a little bit.When the two returned to the room, since they decided to leave, they had to pack their things first.

They lived here for a year, and usually they don't think so, but after counting it, they realized that they have accumulated so much in this year!Needless to say, pots and pans, there are a lot of oil, salt, sauce and vinegar alone, as well as bedding, clothes, and various handmade gadgets when you are bored.

It is impossible to take all these away, Yun Miaoqing sorted the things that were not used on the road into boxes and sealed them carefully. Although they were not valuables, they were full of memories between the two of them.

When Yun Miaoqing was doing these things, Huo Lan was by her side to help her. Looking at Yun Miaoqing's busy figure, the bitterness accumulated in Huo Lan's heart before gradually turned into sweet and sour.

Fortunately, she is still with Yun Miaoqing, not only that, but they also have a common goal, a common ideal, which is a kind of spiritual fusion, which is a level higher than physical intimacy.

"When the war subsides in the future, we can still come here to fetch them. It's a pity that my chickens and ducks will all have to become wild chickens and ducks now." Yun Miaoqing turned to Huo Lan after loading another box.

Huo Lan looked at the big and small boxes in the room, and had an idea: "Otherwise, let's carve a monument and put it outside, so that if someone comes here in the future, they can also know our story."

She actually wanted to say that no one can guarantee that she will be able to retreat in the battlefield. If she dies in battle, Yun Miaoqing will probably not live alone. If that is the case, they can leave an inscription here first, even if they die in the future , Their stories can be passed down, which is another kind of eternal life.

But it was too inauspicious to say it, Huo Lan didn't want to say it, and Yun Miaoqing didn't say it, the two happily went to find a suitable stone, and Huo Lan used Yun Miaoqing's iron-cutting dagger on it. It recorded the deeds of the two people who had fled for more than a year.

"In October of the 31st year of Taihe, Miaoqing and I took refuge here..."

Huo Lan started writing a year ago. He wrote about the two people groping to build their own house, about the shockingly vulgar marriage with the heaven and the earth as the medium and the vegetation as the witness, and about the two people who cultivated the fields and planted vegetables together after marriage. Chicken, also wrote about more and more refugees and tragedies down the mountain since this period of time.

In order for this stele to last longer, she deliberately picked a very hard one, which led to the fact that even though she had a treasure knife in hand, it was still very difficult to carve the words, and it was not until it was dark again that the engraving was completed.

After dinner, the two of them took a serious bath and went to bed early to rest.With this departure, I don't know when the next day I will have a bed to sleep and hot water to wash.

Waking up in the morning, Huo Lan subconsciously went to get a man's shirt, and then went to check his small treasury.

"What were you doing so early in the morning?" Yun Miaoqing was awakened by Huo Lan's sound of turning over things, and looked at her lazily.

"I don't think many people know that I am a woman. It was not stated in the wanted notice. Only the officials in charge of the arrest know the inside story. I can continue to pretend to be a man and use my status as the orphan of Prince Pingzhang Recruit people."

"What about after that? Are you going to deny your identity as a woman and keep it a secret for the rest of your life?"

Huo Lan was taken aback by Yun Miaoqing's question. To be honest, she didn't think too far in the future: "At least when I win a few battles and prove my ability, people will be willing to follow me..."

"But it's also possible to betray you because of this." Yun Miaoqing pointed out the risk in one word, lifted the quilt and got up to get dressed, "I said that no one would use the exposure of your female identity to threaten you, why did I forget ?”

"So do you have any ideas?" Huo Lan's eyes lit up, what she said were of course helpless solutions, if Yun Miaoqing could solve this problem, it would be once and for all.

Yun Miaoqing pursed her lips and smiled lightly: "It's definitely not enough to rely on the two of us alone. At this time, we need to find a famous and charismatic person to stand up and express his willingness to follow you and help you, so as to win you more attention and attention." support."

Huo Lan was confused by Yun Miaoqing, of course it would be best to have such a person, but where can he find such a person?Why would someone with this ability help her?

She sat on the edge of the bed and thought for a while before she suddenly realized, and at the same time showed a little incredulous expression: "Could it be that this person you are talking about..."

The author has something to say: Happy Lantern Festival!

The two heaviest chapters have passed, and the sweetness will come back later, promise me that you will still love me after yesterday's knife~

Thanks to the little angels who irrigate the nutrient solution: 10 bottles of Daimo's Niuzi; 1 bottle of wrapping paper passing by;

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!