The people of Longqing County in Lingzhou were once the most arrogant group of people in Beiliang. Regardless of whether it was the border soldiers or the scholars or merchants, they all stood with their backs straight. This was because this was the hometown of the former Huaihua Great General Zhong Hongwu. Zhong Hongwu had been the commander of the Beiliang cavalry for over a dozen years. He had accumulated a lot of prestige, and his disciples were all over Beiliang. Adding on the fact that Zhong Hongwu was known for being protective of his own people, promoting generals was a public show of kindness to his hometown, so the people of Longqing County all felt superior to others.
Before the auspicious talisman, Longqing County was, without a doubt, a very popular place. The marriage partners of the large and small families in Lingzhou all chose Longqing County as their first choice. However, after Zhong Hongwu's death, it became a bleak scene. Especially after the former Longqing County Chief, Zhong Hongwu's eldest son, Zhong Chengxin, after he was promoted to an official in the provincial capital, he openly rejected the officials of his hometown many times, causing Longqing County to completely lose its backbone.
Just like that, of the three most prosperous counties in Beiliang in the past, Longqing County, Yanzhi County, and Hwangnam County, there were only two other counties left. For example, during the construction of North Jiebei City, as long as the people of Beiliang were willing to participate in the construction outside Liangzhou Pass, they would be able to obtain quite a bit of money. There were poor people from all over Lingzhou who surged into the pass. Only Longqing County did not have many people responding. Of course, this had to do with the fact that the people of Longqing County were mostly well-off. However, the knot in their hearts that everyone in Beiliang knew about was the key reason.
The people of Beiliang had always been valiant and warlike since ancient times. Although Lingzhou was rich, there were as many martial arts schools as there were hairs on a cow. Naturally, they did not lose to Liangzhou and Youzhou. In the past, His Royal Highness, who had stirred up storms in the officialdom of Lingzhou, no matter what his original intentions were, in the end, he uprooted the Zhong family, this towering tree that shadowed the entire county, from its roots. The people of Longqing County were both afraid and resentful. It could be said that their thoughts were complicated. It was impossible to explain clearly in a few words.
Therefore, when an ordinary middle-aged man in Longqing County's capital planned to go to Northern Beiliang City to beg for a living, his neighbors began to despise him. This was especially so when they heard that this man planned to move his wife and son out of Beiliang. This was no longer just idle gossip. Some people even wanted to point at his spine and curse him in front of his face. They scolded him without any regard for the feelings they had accumulated over the years. Then, very quickly, there were people who dug up old scores. They said that this fellow called Lu Dayuan was not originally from Beiliang. It was only after he married a woman from Longqing County that he went to the yamen to change his registration. It could be said that he had taken root in Longqing County. All these years, he had been a butcher in Longqing County who slaughtered pigs and sold meat. In fact, he had always been fair in his business and didn't earn any money that went against his conscience. It was just that this trip to Northern Beiliang City this time had incurred the wrath of the public, causing his family of four to become like rats on the street. Who knew which gossipy idle man remembered that this bastard surnamed Lu had let slip that the second round against the Beimang barbarians when they were drinking and chatting. This immediately caused an uproar. In Lu Dayuan's pork shop, that whole pig that weighed less than a hundred catties was sold for three days straight. He couldn't even sell half a catty of it, so he could only stew it at home every day to celebrate the New Year. During this period, Lu Dayuan gave a large piece of the best tenderloin to a lonely old man who lived at the end of the street. He threw the tenderloin to the old man directly out the door. Lu Dayuan, who was simple and honest, just silently picked it up and took it home.
On this day, a large pot of fragrant stewed meat was made at home. Lu Dayuan squatted on the door sill and looked at the courtyard gate, patiently waiting for his youngest son to come home from the private school for dinner.
Lu Dayuan and his wife didn't know how to read. Previously, they would take that letter to the private school of the younger son and consult that stern teacher about the content. The teacher would read it word by word to Lu Dayuan. After that, Lu Dayuan would return home and tell his wife the general idea. This trip was the most satisfying time for Lu Dayuan. Lu Dayuan still remembered that when his eldest son was young, he always complained that his father wasn't in the Northern Liang Border Army, which made him unable to raise his head in front of his peers. Later on, when his son grew up, he became more and more promising in his studies and became a well-known talent. Therefore, his son's smile and laughter at home became more and more frequent. Although his younger son had similar complaints, with such an honest elder brother who could support him, he was not as depressed as his elder brother was when he was young. He was always a cheerful kid who liked to grin and laugh. Occasionally, when he heard his schoolmates talking about their relatives who had made military exploits outside the Northern Liang Pass and was promoted, he would squat in the courtyard and sigh or pick up the wooden short saber that his father made for him and run all over the courtyard crazily. When he ran out of strength, he would eat and read. Generally speaking, the life of the family of four was getting better and better. As for the Jingguan Taoist Temple in the Gourd Mouth of Youzhou Province, the fierce battle in Hutou City in Liangzhou Province, the hundreds of thousands of nameless steles in Qingliang Mountain and the young lord regaining the title of Pillar of the State, it had nothing to do with their family. Generally speaking, the family of four lived better and better. As for the Jingguan Taoist Temple in the Gourd Mouth of Youzhou Province, the fierce battle in Hutou City in Liangzhou Province, the hundreds of thousands of nameless steles in Qingliang Mountain and the young lord regaining the title of Pillar of the State, it had nothing to do with their family.
His wife had walked to his side at some point. She hesitated for a moment before asking softly, "Is Mr. Liu unwilling to read the letter for us?"
Lu Dayuan scratched his head and hummed in acknowledgment. His face was full of guilt.
The woman, who was not beautiful but had a gentle temperament, smiled and did not say anything.
Suddenly, a child ran into the courtyard while crying. When he saw his parents, who were squatting and standing, he stopped in his tracks and raised his arm to wipe his tears. He sobbed sadly, "I don't have a father like you! You're a good-for-nothing, and you don't have a backbone! I don't want to leave Beiliang with my mother! "
Lu Dayuan was stunned.
The woman said angrily, "Xiangzhu! Mother doesn't allow you to talk to father like that! "
The child had never seen his mother get angry before. He was so stunned that he even forgot to cry.
Lu Dayuan secretly pulled his wife's sleeve and said softly, "Xiu 'er, don't be angry at the child."
The woman was still angry and glared at him. "You have no manners! Mr. Liu taught you how to read and write. Did he teach you how to scold people?! "
The child became more and more aggrieved. He simply hugged his head and squatted on the ground, sobbing pitifully and helplessly.
The man stood up and gently carried the child back to the house. After sitting on the bench, he rubbed the child's head and smiled. "Xiangzhu, I'm not angry that you scolded father like that. Instead, I'm very happy."
The child wiped his face carelessly and secretly glanced at his mother sitting across the table. Seeing that her face was still gloomy, the child continued to be silent. Anyway, the neighbors all laughed at his father for being a silent Lu Dayuan. He could only blame his father and not Lu Xiangzhu for being a silent Lu Dayuan.
The man was about to say something to his wife when she said softly, "Dayuan, you're the man in charge of the house. Whatever you say goes. However, when you reach the border, remember to wear warm clothes. The weather is cold and the snow is heavy in winter. You have to work often. After all, this is not your home. You can always have a place to shelter from the wind and rain. Oh right, I'll prepare three more pairs of cotton shoes for you. Don't complain that the soles are too thick … "
Listening to the woman's endless chatter, the man was not impatient at all. He responded with a smile and occasionally lowered his head to pick up a piece of meat for the child who was sitting in his arms and eating.
In the end, the child had a temperament that could not bear grudges. He was like this to his peers, let alone his own parents.
Soon, the child raised his head and said angrily, "Father, I'm telling you. Mr. Liu told us that according to Beiliang's military law, if a person is to be killed, he or she will not be killed. According to the military law, those who cower before battle will be beheaded! You're lucky that you're not a soldier of the border army. Otherwise, hmph! "
The man did not know whether to laugh or cry. The woman leaned forward and picked up another piece of meat for the child's bowl. She laughed angrily. "I can't shut your mouth! Every night when you're doing your homework, you often nap. I've never seen you so energetic! "
The child made a face and ate the fragrant stewed meat with oil dripping from his mouth. He turned his head to look at his father and asked seriously, "Father, do you know how many beheadings there are in Beiliang's military law?"
The man asked, "Do you know?"
The intelligent child rolled his eyes. "In any case, there are a lot!"
The Xu family of Beiliang's military had always been known for its ruthlessness.
It was said that the butcher had once jokingly said that Xu Xiao was an uncouth man who did not know how to read the word 'Dou' in the Hall of Wuying. He only knew the stupidest way, which was to kill people. He was not careless when killing the enemy and never showed mercy when killing the soldiers under his command. That was why he had the military force he had today.
Those who retreated before the battle were killed!
Those who were greedy for merit and killed innocent people were killed!
Those who ambushed early were killed!
Those who abandoned their weapons and horses without reason were killed!
If the sergeant died in battle and the entire troop survived, the entire troop was beheaded!
If the commandant died in battle and the first commandant survived, the entire commandant was beheaded!
Of course, in addition to these bloody and iron-clad rules in the Beiliang Border Army, there were also subordinates who did not reward them for meritorious service. Regardless of whether it was the commanding officer or sergeant, the entire camp was beheaded! Those who were greedy for military pay and pensions, no matter how many there were, were beheaded!
When the man heard the child's words, he laughed loudly.
The child suddenly said, "Father, after mother and I go to that place called Songbai County in the central plains, will our family have the money to buy a bigger house?"
The middle-aged man laughed. "That's very difficult. I haven't saved much silver over the years. The central plains are richer than our Lingzhou."
The child made an 'oh' sound and was a little disappointed.
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