Departing from Mayi in the morning, we arrived at Dingxiang City in the evening. Li Mu found the record that was registered for him that day, and wanted to find a place in the Tang Army camp first, settle his mother and Bai Qiaoqiao, and let him have time to rent a house. The reporter still remembered him, heard him talk about the difficulties, and said with a smile: "What should I do, why don't I just find a place to live, so I can talk about it!" This Dingxiang city was originally occupied by the Turks, but after the Tang Dynasty broke the city, most of the Turks ran away, leaving hundreds of empty rooms. These houses were temporarily used to settle the soldiers, and they were to be sold in the future. Since you are looking for a place to live, I will give you one. ”

Li Mu hurriedly said: "This is not in accordance with the rules, I still have some money on me, if it can be sold to me cheaper, I will be content." ”

The record waved his hand and said: "I, Li Siwen, respect filial piety the most, after I heard your deeds, I was fascinated, and I couldn't wait to be the one who rushed out of the Turkic camp to report the news in the starry night that day." I'm honored to be able to help you. Don't talk about money, I'll show you the house...... Just South Street, the houses on South Street are better, and it will be a prosperous area in the future. Which one you like, which one is yours, I'll just record it. ”

Only then did Li Mu know that this young transcript was called Li Siwen. The words have reached this level, and he can't shirk it anymore, so he has to accept it, and secretly note down this favor in his heart, but now he can't pay it back, and he will find an opportunity to make up for it later.

Coming out of the Tang army camp, Li Siwen and Li Mu first picked up Sun and Bai Qiaoqiao, and the two sides met each other, and then took an ox cart together and rushed to the South Street that Li Siwen said. Li Siwen was very talkative, and sat on the wheel to introduce Dingxiang City to Li Mu's family.

According to the record of "Historical Records of Justice", according to the ancient law, "there is virtue in opening up the land, and there is Xiang". Dingxiang City is called this name, which means that the area is stable. But since the Sui and Tang dynasties, there has been no time for Dingxiang City to be stable. Before the Sui Dynasty, the Turks had already snatched Dingxiang City from the hands of the Northern Qi Dynasty, and later the Sui Dynasty was established, and the soldiers were strong and strong, and the Dingxiang City was snatched back from the Turks. Later, the Sui Dynasty was in turmoil, and the warlords from all walks of life fought endlessly, and the Turks took the opportunity to occupy Dingxiang City. At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, the national strength was weak, and the Jieli Khan's troops pointed directly at Chang'an, and this Dingxiang City could not be recovered. In recent years, Dingxiang City has been the residence of Jieli Khan, and he has to live here for three or five months every year. The Turks traded here, exchanged furs and other items for the currency of the Tang Dynasty, and bought the luxury goods brought by merchants from all walks of life, among which tea, porcelain, and silk were the most popular. The Turks do not produce, and the houses and courtyards in Dingxiang City are all built by the Turks hired Tang craftsmen, most of them are very rough, and a few are exquisite, which is the mansion of the Turkic nobles. When the Tang army broke through Dingxiang City, General Li Jing had already ordered people to occupy these noble mansions, and used the gold, silver, treasures and other things in them as military resources and rewarded them to meritorious soldiers.

Dingxiang City has two squares in the east and west, and two streets in the north and south. The east and west squares are all ordinary people, the nobles live in the north street, and the south street is full of shops. Li Mu's status is obviously not suitable for living in the mansions of Turkic nobles. Therefore, Li Siwen brought him to South Street, and he also wanted to send him a shop, so that he could do some business and make a living.

After the destruction of Dingxiang City, the Tang Army camp occupied the East Market, the North Street became a warehouse to store grain and grass, the West Market held prisoners of war, and the South Street became a 'logistics base', where the craftsmen of the army lived. When the battle is over, everyone in the Tang army will leave Dingxiang City, and then there will be officials appointed by the imperial court to take over, and these empty houses will be sold, and Li Siwen will not be able to help if he wants to. But now, it's all in his hands.

When he arrived at the street, Li Siwen jumped down from the ox cart, pulled Li Mu into the street, and introduced: "When the army goes out, there will be an ordnance supervisor to follow. Weapons are worn out and repaired at any time. Did you hear the sound of striking iron? In this expedition to the Turks, His Majesty sent a total of six route troops, and we are now the base camp of the two route armies, with nearly 60,000 soldiers, horses, and equipment repaired here. The fire doesn't stop day and night, and Wuzi can't keep busy. Saying that, Li Siwen pointed to the depths of the street and said, "I suggest you choose a house in the middle, although the house at the corner of the street is also empty, but the sound of the iron is too loud, and I can't sleep at night." ”

While the two were talking, they had already arrived at the door of a courtyard, the door was not closed, and Li Mu could just see the scene inside. A big man in Guanzhong, shirtless, was beating a red-hot iron ingot, Li Mu's heart moved, isn't this a ready-made raw material? If you can find a job here, even if you don't pay for it, it's cost-effective, and you can practice your skills for free.

Seeing Li Mu stop and look into the courtyard, Li Siwen also stood down, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "What, are you interested in striking iron?" ”

Li Mu heard Li Siwen speak, came back to his senses, and said along with the words: "Since I was a child, I have been very envious of blacksmiths, and I have even gone to apprenticeship, but people confiscated me...... General, I can't ask for a house for nothing, help do some work to make peace of mind, although I don't know anything, but I have the strength. ”

"Don't call the general!" Li Siwen waved his hand again and again, and said, "I can't afford to be a general, just call me by my name." I was just a recorder in the army, a master who played with a pen, and I didn't even have the right to join the army. Since you want to contribute, are you still afraid that there will be no work in the camp? I chose a house first, and I'll find you a job to do later, and forget about the iron, this job is too tiring. ”

Li Mu hurriedly said: "Will, ah no, Brother Siwen." Li Mu saw Li Siwen glaring at him, and hurriedly changed his words: "Brother Siwen, I'm not afraid of being tired, I can't hide it, my mother contracted a cold a few days ago, and I need someone to take care of me all the time, I'm far away from home, and I'm still worried about it, I just live here, and the ordnance supervisor is still close, you just help me say it, I'll work here." ”

Li Siwen smiled: "I think you just want to learn to strike iron!" I've seen through you! ”

Li Mu cooperated with a smile, Li Siwen was even more proud, happy to guess Li Mu's thoughts, and said: "This is easy to do, a few days ago, the old iron head was looking for me to work as a prisoner, you take the initiative to go and don't kill him, it's not a big deal, first set down the residence, settle down, and I'll say hello to him later." ”

Li Mu nodded yes, and the two walked forward for a while. Li Mu chose a shop in the middle of the street, and after the battle was over, this must be a prosperous area. Li Siwen didn't care much about these, and when he saw that Li Mu had chosen, he took out a booklet and sketched a few strokes on it, and this shop was Li Mu's. Li Mu called the ox cart to come over to unload the luggage, Li Siwen had to help, but he couldn't do a good job, but it added a lot of chaos, and Li Mu couldn't say anything. Seeing that it was getting late, Li Siwen was going back to the camp, so Li Mu asked Sun and Bai Qiaoqiao to clean up first, and he followed Li Siwen to the courtyard where the iron had just been struck, and came to see the old iron head of the ordnance supervisor.

The old iron head is a Guanzhong man who is nearly fifty years old, and there is a scar on his arm, which looks like it should have been burned when he struck iron. I heard that Li Siwen sent someone to work, and he was very happy, and he grinned so much that his back molars were exposed, so he had to leave Li Siwen to take two sips. Li Siwen still had to go back to the camp, and he didn't have time to delay any longer, so he politely refused the kindness of the old iron head. Li Mu had already paid the fare, gave a few more yuan, and asked the ox cart to send Li Siwen back to the camp before leaving.