The peasants toiled silently, and no one looked up at him.

"Dare to ask all the fathers, what kind of place is this?" Wei Ying asked respectfully.

A middle-aged man raised his head, squinted his eyes in the strong sunlight, wiped his sweat with a dirty cloth tied to his belt, looked at him and gasped: "Lord Hui, this is Baicun, which belongs to Liyi Guan." ”

"Fathers and elders, let's rest under the trees in the summer heat."

The middle-aged man said: "It's okay, the adults said it, just rest for a while." As soon as the words fell, more than a dozen farmers in the ditch climbed up with mud and water, and sat on the ground next to the tree gasping and wiping their sweat.

Wei Ying raised the leather bag in his hand and said with a smile: "I am a traveling cloth cloth, not an adult." Come, drink a bowl of cool rice wine. As he spoke, he put aside the stack of clay bowls that the farmers drank under the tree, filled them with rice wine one by one, and said with a smile: "You're welcome, come, let's do it together." He handed the middle-aged man a bowl with both hands, "Please." ”

The middle-aged man took it in a panic and smiled honestly, "Mr. please drink, let's drink it." ”

The farmers picked up their bowls and said in unison, "Thank you, sir." "Drink it all.

Wei Ying also drank a bowl and asked with a smile: "Dare to ask my father, are you waiting for this to be a partnership to plough the field?" ”

The middle-aged man smiled honestly again, "Mr. is studying abroad, I don't know anything." We are waiting for eight families to be one well, and today is the day of ploughing the public land. Assigned by the government to dig this ditch, I will come to dig it later. ”

"There's no arable land here, so what's the use of the ditch?"

"Sir, look," the middle-aged man pointed to the white beach, "the salt-alkali flats on both sides of the Weishui River are strange, and the grass grows without food." The clear water on the beach was salty and bitter, and could not be eaten, nor could it irrigate the fields, and killed people. Dig a few ditches and ditches, and the brackish water will slowly flow away from the ditches, and a few thin fields will grow on the beach. You see, the crops are all there. ”

Wei Ying looked at the low and weak barley swaying in a few fields one or two acres in size, and couldn't help asking: "How many fights can you fight in an acre of land?" ”

"How many buckets? It is a blessing to heaven to be able to recover the seeds. An old man interjected in a loud voice.

"Why plant it? With the addition of manpower, wouldn't it be a big discount? Wei Ying was puzzled.

The middle-aged man sighed: "The new monarch ordered the reclamation of the famine, and wanted to collect more grain. But how did he know that this alkali beach doesn't produce grains? ”

Wei Ying looked at the farmers, except for this middle-aged man, the rest were almost all old men with white temples, and couldn't help asking: "This big brother, I see that all the old people are plowing the fields, what about Ding Zhuang's field strength?" ”

"You said that you are all soldiers." The middle-aged man replied indifferently.

"You're a well-being, and you're not a soldier, are you?"

"Yes, one well is left and one is strong. cough, it's better to die as a soldier, it's a hundred. ”

"This big brother, why is this place called Baicun? Does it have anything to do with this white beach? ”

An old man's face turned red, and he said in a rough voice: "White beach? Pull! I, Baicun, am the children and grandchildren of heroes. ”

Wei Ying hurriedly arched his hand and smiled: "I am ignorant, please bear with me." But Mu Gongshi's general Bai Yibing? ”

The middle-aged man smiled and nodded: "The Bai family, the ancestral home is Mei County." Xiangong moved east to Liyang, and moved many old Qin people from the west to the east, and the Bai family moved half, and the old roots were still in Meixian County. ”

"Baicun is so close to the Wei army, are you afraid?"

"Old Qin, go to the national disaster together. What are you afraid of? The middle-aged man smiled innocently, got up and said, "Don't dare to say it, the work is important." ”

Wei Ying bowed deeply to the farmers: "Fathers, there is a lot of trouble, don't leave it at that." The peasants threw themselves over and jumped down the ditch, and the mud and water began to dry again.

Wei Ying stood on the edge of the ditch and watched silently for a long time, but his eyes couldn't help but moisten. He suddenly had a desire - to go to Liyang as soon as possible, and he couldn't delay any longer.

The white horse let go of its four hooves and galloped, walked and rested, and finally arrived in Liyang when twilight fell. The remnants of the sunset reflected the black castle, the heavy and melodious horn of the city had been blown twice, the iron cables on both sides of the drawbridge had been lowered with a clatter, and the farmers who had not yet entered the city had quickened their pace. Wei Ying looked at the majestic and strange black castle from afar for a while, and finally entered the city before the third horn.

Qin Feng naturally followed behind and entered Liyang. The guards at the gate hurriedly bowed and saluted.

When he entered the city, he led his horse on foot. Liyang City is very small, about the size of a medium-sized county town in Wei State.

There was no need to ask for directions, Wei Ying relied on the farmers' introduction to Liyang along the way, and wandered around the only four streets. These four streets are very short and narrow, interwoven into the shape of a "well", and the state of Qin is located in the top mouth of this "well", that is, the northernmost part. On the north and south streets on the right hand of the national mansion, Wei Ying didn't have much effort to bump into the inn that Bai Xue said.

There are only five or six shops and two or three workshops on this side street, all of which are low-slung blue brick houses.

Although this inn is also a blue brick house, it is a lot taller than the other shops. The entrance hall is made of bluestone, and two stone oxen squat at the door.

Under the corridor, two large white silk wind lamps are hung high, and the word "Weifeng" can be seen from afar. In the foyer, a tall shadow wall greeted the courtyard, blocking the view from the courtyard.

Listening to the old Qin people along the road, the door of this inn is never closed, and there is always an expressionless black-clothed waiter standing under the foyer.

So far, that's the case. In Anyi, this inn can only be regarded as a low-end shop, for small traders to stay.

But here, on this street, it stands out, as if it stood out from the crowd. Wei Ying looked at it, and felt that living here seemed too ostentatious, and there was nowhere to go in a hurry, thinking about it first, it was really inappropriate, and it was not too late to move out in a few days.

Wei Ying led the horse to the door. The black-clothed waiter under the lantern glanced at him, and a smile of surprise leaked from his face, and as soon as he clenched his fist, he reached out to take the reins of the horse, and then stretched out his hand to signal Wei Ying to enter himself, and he wanted to lead the horse through the side door into the stable in the backyard.

There was no single word in the comparison, but the meaning was the same.

Qin Feng's face changed greatly when he saw this black-clothed man, because he had seen this person before, this person's kung fu could be described as unfathomable, if Wei Ying was in any danger here, if he Qin Feng used martial arts, he would probably only be able to retreat by himself, but if he wanted to protect one person, he would never be able to, so Qin Feng was also a little nervous.

Wei Ying smiled slightly, knowing that this man was a mute, so he handed him the reins of the horse and entered the courtyard himself.

Bypassing the shadow wall, you will see two rows of guest rooms sandwiched by a deep courtyard, which is neat and unusual, but the rooms are darkly lit, and there are obviously no guests.

Wei Ying was looking at it, and a young waiter came over and asked, "Dare to ask sir, but from Anyi?" Wei Ying nodded. The waiter said respectfully: "My master has been waiting for Mr. for many days, please come with me." ”

Then he led Wei Ying through the courtyard of the guest room to the small courtyard at the end. Under the shadow of the lantern, it can be seen that this small courtyard is paved with square bricks, and there are two big locust trees, which are quiet and tidy. The waiter walked to a room with a light in the middle and said in a loud voice, "Sir, Mr. Anyi has arrived." ”

The owner of the room laughed loudly: "When the distinguished guest comes, it is far away." ”

With the words, the person had already lifted the curtain and bowed to Wei Ying, "Sir, please come in, Hou Ying has been waiting for many days." ”

Wei Ying also smiled and said, "I'm tired of bothering, Wei Ying has thanked you." Hou Ying smiled: "You are welcome, please come into the house to talk." Then he instructed the waiter, "Prepare the fat sheep stew immediately, bring the wine and food to the house, and my husband and I will pick up the wind and wash the dust." The waiter agreed, and walked quickly.

The main house of the owner Hou Ying is three rooms and two entrances, and the outer room is a small living room, which is so simple that it does not show any characteristics, which is very different from the elegance and simplicity of the inn façade and the courtyard of the guest room.

Hou Ying is the kind of middle-aged man who can't say his age, with black hair and white middle, and his demeanor and conversation are strong and clear.

Hou Ying glanced at Wei Ying slightly, and said with a smile: "When I saw Mr., I knew that Miss Bai was wise." Come, please be seated. ”

Wei Ying sat in front of the wooden table, Hou Ying personally made tea and sent it to Wei Ying, Wei Ying smiled apologetically: "Come to Qin in a hurry." There's a lot of bothering. ”

Hou Ying laughed heartily, "Brother Martingale doesn't want to see outside." I was originally a disciple of Lord Bai Gui, and I served as a Cao official of the Prime Minister's Mansion for a few days. Later, due to the death of my mother, I returned to my hometown of Daliang to mourn, and I did not return to Anyi Prime Minister's Mansion. Later, the adult was sick, and I returned to Anyi, but I didn't want the adult to go. I also left Wei and opened this small shop in Qin. It's been more than ten years, and I haven't met the white girl. I don't want her to come in the starry night last month, and I don't even know her. When I was in Anyi, the white girl was only four or five years old, so tall. Time flies like a white horse, and in a flash, people will grow old. I'm really happy to be able to wait for you and do my best. ”

Wei Ying saw that Hou Ying called him "Brother Marting" in the tone of his friend, and took the initiative to tell his experience, knowing that he was a chivalrous man with no blocks, so he was no longer polite, and said with a smile: "Brother Hou gave up his official position to do business, but why did he choose to be in the Qin State?" Hou Ying shook his head and smiled bitterly, "It's hard to say, let's talk about it in detail in the future." ”

At this time, the waiter said outside the door: "Sir, the food and wine are ready." ”

"Bring it in." Hou Ying raised the curtain.

The two waiters brought in the tray and put the wine and food on the wooden table of the grown-up, but it was simple and affordable, and it was a Qindi custom. In the middle, a large clay pot holds a whole steamed fat leg of lamb with bright soup. There are four bowls of vegetarian vegetables next to it, which are green sunflower, weed, fresh leek, and a plate of nameless wild vegetables. There are also two small copper bowls, but they contain bright red rice vinegar and yellow egg garlic paste.

On the side of a large wooden plate is a stack of hot white flour cakes. But the wine vessel is a large clay cup.

Hou Ying said with a smile: "The Qin people are unpretentious, big pots and big bowls, and Brother Martingale is not too coarse." ”

Wei Ying was very relieved in his heart, as if he smelled the rough and simple life he lived with his teacher in the mountains. He planted vegetables with his teacher, cut leeks and picked garlic, and still remembers it vividly. Seeing the simple tableware and bright green vegetables in front of him, he suddenly felt a burst of freshness, and couldn't help but say: "Qin Feng's true colors, shame on the world's delicacies." ”

Hou Ying laughed and said, "Okay! It seems that Brother Martingale is also a Qin seed. Come, let's have a drink first and wash the dust for my brother. ”

Wei Ying picked up the clay cup with a simple shape and said with a smile: "Okay! Cheers. The two clinked glasses and drank it all.

"How's the wine?" Hou Ying asked with a smile.