In the 14th year of Taiyuan (390 AD), February, Jingkou.

Garlic Mountain, Qili Township, Liujia Village.

Since the Battle of Weishui, the administrative area of Jingkou has undergone great changes, a large number of soldiers of the Beifu Army have moved here, and Liu Yu, as the first warrior of the Beifu Army, has more people who have come to take refuge in him, and even the village where he originally lived has been renamed Liujia Village, including Tan Pingzhi, Wei Yongzhi and other temporary residents who used to live in towns and towns that specialize in the resettlement of northern expatriates, have also moved to these villages, of course, the household registration has also changed from the previous temporary white books to the yellow books of yellow paper that have even been soaked in professional anti-moth medicine. It means that his identity has changed from a temporary overseas Chinese to an official subject of the Great Jin.

A young man of about twenty years old, carrying a hoe, walked from the field to the official road, his complexion, because of years of labor in the sun, has become yellow and black, and a bulging muscle, and shows that he, like everyone here, has undergone many years of strict military training, and his vigorous figure and firm step can be seen from the way he walks, but if you see his face under the hat, you will be amazed that this face is full of bookish breath, and even the color on his neck is different from the one on his body. If he wore a long robe, no one would suspect that this was a white-faced scholar.

The black-skinned and white-faced farmer, after walking on the official road, looked at the end of the official road, subconsciously glanced, this is his daily action for nearly ten years, it has long become a habit, and his eyes full of hope have become disappointed again at the moment when he stares at the entrance of the village.

A yin and yang strange voice sounded from the other side of the official road: "Liu Daogui, what are you looking for?" The person you want to wait for, will never come back! ”

This white-faced farmer is Liu Yu's third brother Liu Daogui, ten years ago when Liu Yu first went to join the army, he was just a child less than ten years old, and today, has grown into an excellent stick boy, in the years of foster care in the Xie family, Xie An specially arranged a famous teacher, teaching him to read and learn words, so, Liu Daogui has a much higher cultural literacy than his eldest brother, and later entered the Beifu Army for strict training, although there is no battle formation, but it can also be called both civil and military, until three years ago after the defeat of the Northern Expedition of the Beifu Army, He was sent home with all the soldiers, and in the past ten years, looking at the official road at the entrance of the village every day, hoping that the familiar figure would appear again, has become a part of his life.

Liu Daogui gritted his teeth, looked at the place where the voice came from, only to hear a noise of gongs and drums, a team of hundreds of people, front and back, Diao Xie's face was as thick as when he first came to Beijing many years ago, coated with thick white powder, and the guards in front and behind him wearing the uniforms of the official gate were different from those who looked like dogs and legs many years ago.

Diao Xie stopped his horse, and was more than ten steps in front of Liu Daogui, touched the two rat whiskers on his upper lip, and said with a smile: "Liu Daogui, you probably don't know, ten years ago, it was here, almost identical, and the official was also the opposite of your eldest brother, at that time, he was not sensible, and he didn't know the reason why the envoy should kneel, you are a scholar, and when you meet Shangguan, what should you do?" ”

Liu Daogui hooked the corners of his mouth, took the hoe, walked to the side of the road, and stood with the hoe: "Liu Daogui, grass people, send Diao Changshi." ”

Diao Xie's face changed, and he said in a deep voice: "Okay, you Liu Daogui, when you see the official, you don't kneel, what do you want to do?" ”

Liu Daogui said loudly: "There is an edict in the imperial court, all the meritorious soldiers of the Beifu Army, and their families, can be seen to be exempted from kneeling, my eldest brother is the first warrior of the Beifu Army, the world knows, I Liu Daogui himself has also served in the army to report to the country, even if I meet the prime minister, I still don't have to kneel." ”

Diao Xie laughed: "That's the soldier who has made meritorious service to the imperial court, but your family is not among them, Liu Daogui, don't forget, your eldest brother once had such a small merit, but he has already defected to a foreign enemy country in fear of crime, as for you, although you joined the army, you have not made meritorious contributions, so you must kneel when you see this official!" ”

Liu Daogui raised his head, his expression was resolute, on this white face, there were five points equivalent to Liu Yu, the stubbornness and calmness brought by the same mother's womb were almost identical, he said calmly: "Diao Changshi, you are an official of the imperial court, Jingkou's parents, you are responsible for speaking, may I ask you that your brother is afraid of crime and treason, what is the evidence?" When did the imperial court issue an edict saying that my brother was a traitor to the country? ”

Diao Xie was speechless for a while, and stammered: "Hmph, boldly Diao Min, and dare to argue, your eldest brother was in the battle of Yecheng, and finally fell into the enemy army alone, which hundreds of people have seen, for so many years, the news is not connected, and no one is sent to report the news, not to defect to the enemy country, what is it?" ”

Liu Daogui laughed: "Changshi's statement is ridiculous, if my eldest brother had betrayed the country and defected to the enemy back then, he would have pulled all his comrades-in-arms to surrender together, why should he stay by himself and cover the retreat of his comrades-in-arms?" What's more, before he personally left the broken queen, killed thousands of enemies, and even the enemy country was terrified, how could such a person be treasonous? He has not been able to come back all these years, I think there must be a reason, the imperial court has never given up on rescuing him and inquiring about his whereabouts, you have not reached a conclusion before the imperial court has a conclusion, you deducted such a hat of treason and surrender to the enemy, doesn't it make all the Beifu soldiers feel cold? ”

Diao Xie was so angry that he waved the horsewhip twice in the air: "Okay, you sharp-toothed boy, if you don't teach you a lesson, I really don't know what it means to be inferior and humble, come here, give me ............"

Liu Yi on the side suddenly spoke: "Diao Changshi, you are a member of the imperial court, why bother to be angry with a peasant boy here, this does not match your identity." Speaking of this, he lowered his voice, "Changshi, don't lose a big one because of a small one, this time we are here to do something, it's not worth it to stir up a popular uprising for Liu Yu, besides, the old brothers probably don't believe that Liu Yu really treason and defected to the enemy." ”

Diao Xie coughed twice: "Liu Daogui, whether your eldest brother is a hero or a traitor, I believe that the court has its own public opinion, and the official will not worry about you for the time being, but this time the official is here to implement the laws of the court, your family's taxes have been owed for three years, and they have been resisting and not paying. Eat ours, use ours, steal ours, and spit them all out for me! The more he spoke, the more energetic he became, and suddenly, he saw something, as if he had applied a method of immobilization, and suddenly froze on his horse, and his mouth opened wide, as if he had seen a ghost, and all that was left was his fingers, pointing straight ahead.

Liu Yu's voice slowly sounded from the other end of the official road, and the tower-like figure stood in front: "Diao Changshi, I haven't seen you for a few years, congratulations on being promoted, but please advise me on this tax matter, when will the military family of Jingkou also have to pay taxes?" ”