On the shore of Yanshan Lake in Yanshan County, on the dry wasteland at the foot of the mountain in the distance, there are large white tents stationed one after another.

These tents were neatly divided into hard, dry and desolate land, where the hair of cattle and sheep and some broken pebbles could often be seen.

It's the end of autumn, and the weather is getting colder, so you have to wear a padded jacket at night to keep out the cold.

Although Yanshan Lake is not far away, the drinking water that herders and cattle and sheep need is taken by cart from the upstream area, and the water and grass there are cleaner than those in the lake.

Usually washing clothes and bathing and the like, it is the lake water that is used directly.

A man tied a washed fat sheep to an iron frame, and this man wore a simple white jacket made of white sheepskin, with sheepskin fur on his head, which was the style with curly wool bumps.

The leather jacket is windproof, and the cotton jacket is cold.

Gildan used a brush to smear oil on the fat sheep to make the fat sheep more crispy and crispy when they were grilled.

While doing something in hand, Gildan looked at the middle-aged man standing on the hill in the distance, and began to talk to the man who was carrying the box next to him.

"Wu Chi, the shepherd has been standing there for almost an hour, which big man is this waiting for?"

Wu Chi is a red-haired man, with thick fluffy long hair scattered over his shoulders, and his body is burly and strong, very different from the fat man in Shanzhou.

Putting down the box that was used as a bench, Wu Chi replied: "It is the master of Heishui County, Yunzhou, this person is good to the shepherd and the previous shepherd, our tribe bought the tools, clothes and seasonings from him for the first two years, and the shepherd often mentions this person and admires him very much. ”

Gildan's clothes are layer after layer of clothes, compared to the thin clothes of those people in Yunzhou, the clothes of the people here are simpler, closer to robes, because there is no extra fabric to make the city's fine style, and there is no such meticulous craftsmanship.

"It's almost dark, if we don't come today, this sheep will be a few points for us."

Gildan continued to brush the oil, he admired Hu Zhong very much, but he didn't feel anything about the people who admired Hu Zhong.

As long as you know that you are not an enemy, you can't say you hate it, and you can't say you like it.

The Uchi took the wine out of a box and heated it up next to the fire.

When Gildan saw it, he said happily: "This time it's a bloody investment, even take out this strong wine and drink it!" Luck! ”

Wu Chi put the two bottles of wine away, raised his head and looked at Gildan, and said in a dull voice: "Don't be greedy, the shepherd attaches great importance to this matter, and you must understand the rules after the guest comes!" ”

Wu Chi said with a bored face: "I understand, how can I be lucky to drink this good wine, I drink my milk wine." ”

Next to the two of them were the rest of the people who were also helping, and a woman with thick arms and thick clothes carried a basket of wood and placed it beside her.

"Boss, the firewood is here."

Behind the woman, a red-haired little girl was also holding a small basket of sheep dung, "Daddy, the sheep dung is also here." ”

When Wu Chi saw it, he walked over and touched the little girl's head, "Don't do this, you can take it back and burn it." ”

The little girl said suspiciously, "Why? ”

When Gildan saw it, he said with a smile: "The guests who came this time are big people, and the fire must be burned with wood, and it is not allowed to burn with dung." ”

This is what Wu Chi was asked for, although it was not difficult, Hu Zhong did think about a lot of things.

While he was talking, Hu Zhong in the distance quickly ran out, and at the same time, some men standing guard in the distance also saw something and quickly followed.

"Go back to the house!" The Uchi quickly told the woman and the child to go back.

The woman quickly walked towards the tent with the child in her arms, and the little girl looked curiously into the distance, and the dung basket in her hand also dropped several irregular dung blocks.

It didn't take long for Wang Lanling to lead the horse and Hu Zhong over together.

Wang Lanling said: "I haven't seen each other for more than three years, I usually study in school, and I only have time to come back during the winter and summer vacations, and I haven't caught up with you in the past." ”

Hu Zhong said happily: "My lord is busy with everything, I haven't seen you for the past three years, and my lord is much taller and stronger than at the beginning, and he is more heroic and stable." ”

Wang Lanling smiled, "Thank you for the compliment, Hu Zhong, you now have tens of thousands of people under your command, and you are living a good life." ”

When Hu Zhong heard it, he said helplessly: "There are more and more people under him, and there are more and more things, and I now realize that it was not easy for you three years ago, and sometimes I couldn't sleep at night, and I was overwhelmed by many things." ”

"Hahaha! What's in it? It's not easy to do anything, but I can get used to it slowly, and I often think about what I did in the past, and I find that that's it, and I haven't done anything great. ”

Wang Lanling is very aware of the various problems that he will encounter after there are many people, but the positions of the two are different, and the things they consider are not the same, so they can't use their experience to help him.

Hu Zhong knew that Wang Lanling was modest, and after walking to the side of the bonfire, he said: "I have prepared some food to entertain you, but after all, this side is not as good as Heishui County and Tongzhou, and please Haihan." ”

Wang Lanling said indifferently: "It's good to have a place to sleep and eat, although I like a delicate and comfortable life, but when it is time to endure hardship, I will also eat, since the situation does not allow it, then adapt to the environment, don't treat unnecessary things as problems." ”

Hu Zhong and Wang Lanling walked to the campfire, it was still early in the morning, and the roast of the whole sheep was not ready.

However, there are wild vegetables and fruits gathered nearby, and there are many aquatic plants near lakes and swamps, so there is no shortage of vegetables, but they are not rich enough for everyone to eat.

Hu Zhong said: "Otherwise, let's go to the big tent for dinner, I have prepared some beef jerky and wild fruits, as well as cheese noodles and pie steamed vegetables, and I have also prepared a song and dance performance." ”

Wang Lanling said calmly: "It's good to eat some simply, I haven't seen you for a long time, and I may be here in Muzhou for a long time in the future, let's talk." ”

"Yes." Hu Zhong agreed.

The two first talked about the previous pastor and the rest of the people, and then talked about the actions of Gong Yueman, and finally the topic returned to the present.

Late autumn nights come earlier and much sooner.

Near the campfire, Wang Lanling continued to eat hard beef jerky, because it was too hard, and he had to soak it in hot water.

The hot water was boiled in a clay pot, and it was a little turbid, and when Wang Lanling saw it, he asked, "Are you short of iron here?" ”

Hearing Wang Lanling's inquiry, Hu Zhong quickly said: "Very scarce, the iron tools purchased from Heishui County in the past two years were all detained in the state capital and replaced with an iron pot made of pig iron. ”

There is no technology for casting iron pots in Muzhou, not that there is none, but the control is very strict, stricter than guns.

Wang Lanling said: "I know how to make an iron pot, I have taught it in school, but the material is a problem, I will find a way to distribute some iron pots to you when I get to the county, and I can't even have anything to cook." ”

Hu Zhong breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "Thank you, sir!" ”

Lin Zunian, who was eating on the side, said at this time: "My lord, there are not many iron pots in our county, and when thieves came in the past, the most robbed was not money, grain, cattle and sheep, but smashed other people's stoves and snatched the iron pots, which is more practical than women and livestock!" ”

Wang Lanling is a puzzle in the world, this is really a bit unbelievable.

Seeing Wang Lanling's puzzled look, Lin Zunian also knew that this matter was indeed quite surprising.

"Adults don't know that when it comes to winter, you have to use hot water to survive the winter, and you have to eat hot things often."

"There is no shortage of fuel here, but you can't kill cows and sheep to eat barbecue every day, in fact, everyone eats grains and wild vegetables, this is very uncomfortable to cook with clay pots and cowhides, and it is very troublesome to eat, so every family will find a way to get a pot to survive the winter."

"What the imperial court gives and sells is that kind of crispy pot, which burns out holes after a few months, and many horse thieves will find a way to get that kind of normal iron pot from the army."

"As for the kind of iron pot that we have ordinary people in Heishui County, you can sell cows, horses and donkeys here at a price, or exchange several at a time!"

Wang Lanling nodded, he knew that the imperial court had technical restrictions on this place in Muzhou, and not only that, but there were more than one or two places to suppress.

"I see." Wang Lanling ended the topic.

Hu Zhong showed a happy expression, since Wang Lanling said that he knew, he would definitely solve the problem!

After the whole lamb was roasted, Wang Lanling and Hu Zhong each shared a leg of lamb to eat, which was the treatment of the host and guests.

Hu Zhong took out his treasured good wine, "My lord, try this, this is the snow-capped mountain flame of the famous brewing master in Muzhou, a first-class good wine!" ”

Wang Lanling said with a smile: "That's it, I basically don't drink alcohol over the years, even if I occasionally drink a sip, it's an ordinary rice wine and fruit wine, you can eat and drink to your heart's content, but your personal preferences are different, so you don't need to care." ”

Hearing Wang Lanling say this, Hu Zhong was embarrassed to drink by himself, so he also drank hot water with Wang Lanling.

Wu Chi was also about to drink hot water after seeing it, but Lin Zunian next to him said: "My lord, he doesn't drink, we drink ours, as long as we don't make a mistake, adults are allowed to drink this thing, and drinking is more lively." ”

Lin Zunian stood up, picked up the good wine that Hu Zhong had put aside, and poured it for Hu Zhong.

"Shepherd, you are the master, I will toast you for the lord!"

Hu Zhong looked at Wang Lanling, Wang Lanling smiled and said: "You don't need to be polite, I didn't come here to inspect and investigate, if it is because I don't drink, I will delay everyone's Yaxing, then it is my sin, please don't care about the little thing of whether I drink or not." ”

Hu Zhong looked at the full wine glass, so he took it up and drank a glass with Lin Zunian, and after a cup, his face instantly turned rosy.

"Hahaha! Good amount of alcohol! Lin Zunian didn't dare to continue drinking after drinking half a cup by himself, his throat hurt badly, so he took the wine jar and poured wine for a few other people.

Wu Chi, Gildan and the others also received a small half glass of wine, and under Hu Zhong's nod, they all drank it happily.

After two bottles of wine, the atmosphere quickly became lively.

Hu Zhong called out and danced around another bonfire in the open space in front of him, and near the huge fire pile of one meter and five high, men and women in red, white and yellow robes danced leisurely.

When Wang Lanling came back from going to the toilet, he saw a black thing near the box, squatted down and looked at it curiously, and realized that it was simply processed sheep dung.

It is not sheep manure like the little black balls, it is a compound fuel composed of sheep manure that is gathered together and mashed, dried and then simply mixed with another kind of sheep manure.

It should be goats and sheep, plus some rotten dead grass with a combustible effect to help burn and fix.

Wang Lanling took out a piece of toilet paper from his pocket, divided it into a small piece, pinched the poorly processed fuel with his fingers, and threw it into the bonfire where the whole sheep was roasted.

Hu Zhong saw it and asked, "What are you doing, my lord?" ”

It's nothing, it's just interesting, and I want to throw it into the fire when I see what can be burned.

But in fact, it can't be said that Wang Lanling doesn't want people to feel that he is a person with low-level interests.

"Waste utilization, I used to be a person from the dung department, and I was in charge of fuel issues, so I was more curious about fuel and saw if I could burn it."

Wang Lanling explained his motivation for his actions.

Hu Zhong nodded and said: "We usually burn cow dung and horse dung, like sheep dung is not burned much, this piece should be made by children boring, and it can't be burned clean." ”

Wang Lanling also felt that from the perspective of survival, this kind of poorly processed fuel was indeed unqualified, but if it was made by children, it would be excusable, and if you do more, you will know how to make fuel correctly.

Wu Chi, who was sitting on the side, felt that Wang Lanling was a character.