In August, although autumn is approaching, the weather is still extremely hot, and the summer has become more and more muggy than seven or eight years ago.

However, fortunately, dikes are being built in various parts of the country, and the frequent rainfall has not caused much damage.

Yang Zhi and his guards hid miserably from the rain all night in the simple shack they built, which was the first time he had lived this kind of life of eating and sleeping in the open after growing up.

The hard night made him miss the comfortable bed and delicious food in the palace.

However, this thought did not linger in his mind for long, and after the rain stopped in the morning, he ate some simple dry food, and walked along the somewhat muddy loess road towards the villages and towns in the south.

In addition to Shen County to the south, there is a small town with a population of about 1,000 people.

This is also where Yang Zhi is going this time.

As a town near Shen County, Xinnan Town is relatively wealthy.

But this affluence is just about being able to eat enough.

After Yang Zhi came to Xinan Town, he saw that the pedestrians looked a little dirty, and even some children didn't even have a complete set of clothes, and the animal skins on their bodies were already in tatters, as if they would be broken if they were pulled a little harder.

Yang Zhi's mood was very low, he didn't want to believe that under the governance of his wise and great father, there was still such a poor place in the atmosphere, and this was still a relatively rich area.

"I can't imagine that I am so dignified, and there are still such poor people."

Hearing Yang Zhi's emotion, Chu Xin said in a deep voice: "The eldest prince has lived in the prosperous Chang'an City since he was a child, and it is normal that he has not seen these. His Royal Highness the Prince, although these people look a little pitiful, they are much better than more than ten years ago. ”

Yang Zhiyi heard it with interest and said, "How was it more than ten years ago?" ”

Chu Xin showed a look of memory.

"More than ten years ago, this was originally a place where there were Xin clans, even the richest tribes, their nobles were very good at eating three meals, ordinary people just barely survived a day, and it was not easy for me to be able to feed so many people now."

Yang Zhi pondered for a moment, nodded and said, "I take it for granted, there are a few more in this world like Chang'an, let's go!" ”

With that, Yang Zhi knocked lightly on the horse's belly and rode the war horse slowly forward.

At this time, there were not many people in the town, most of them went to work in the fields, and the streets seemed a little deserted.

Although Yang Zhi and the others were not wearing gorgeous silk, even the most ordinary coarse cloth clothes still felt a little outstanding in this town, and it was a little difficult not to attract the attention of others.

Under a big tree in the town, several bare-bottomed and runny children looked curiously at these unfamiliar faces.

Yang Zhi looked at them, stopped his horse, and beckoned to the children.

But when those children saw this, they ran away, leaving only one who was a little slow to react, and looked at Yang Zhi and them a little blankly.

When he realized that he was the only one left here, he was so frightened that he almost cried.

wanted to run away with his companions, but Yang Zhi and the others had already walked straight over.

Looking at the little boy who was frightened, Yang Zhi couldn't help but smile.

"Don't be afraid, kid, we won't hurt you."

But the child who was paralyzed on the ground, where could he listen to Yang Zhi's words, and suddenly cried out, which made Yang Zhi a little embarrassed, and couldn't help touching his face, pressing that he looked so scary?

Yang Zhi scratched his head, and suddenly thought that he still had some snacks in his arms that he had brought with him from Chang'an, but he was reluctant to eat them along the way, and seeing that the child was crying badly, he had no choice but to take out some.

"Hey! If you can answer my question, these things are yours, little ghost. ”

Although the child was still sobbing when he heard this, his eyes looked curiously at the things in Yang Zhi's hand.

Although he had never seen anything like this, that didn't stop him from recognizing it as something to eat, and it looked delicious.

Yang Zhi saw that this little ghost was much calmer, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He came out to travel with a hidden identity, and if others saw a stinky imp, he was not allowed to be arrested and sent to the official.

It's nothing to see an official, the most important thing is that as a prince, he must not be laughed at if it is spread out.

"Little ghost, how old are you?"

"Four... Four years old! ”

The little boy crossed his fingers and said in a milky voice.

"I'm four years old, and after this year, I should be at school age next year."

Hearing about the enrollment, the little boy was visibly excited.

"My brother is the number one in the town, and he will be a big official in the future."

Yang Zhi showed a hint of curiosity when he heard this.

"Since your brother is number one, you can read."

The little boy had stopped crying, and when he saw Yang Zhi asking, he patted his thin chest a little proudly, as if this would allow him to regain some courage in front of these neatly dressed people.

"I can know a dozen words, I know that one plus one equals two."

Yang Zhi felt a little funny, and wanted to tease this little ghost, but he felt that it was inappropriate with his identity, so he said, "How many people are in your family?" ”

The little boy crossed his fingers and muttered, "Daddy! Big brother, second sister, third brother, fourth brother, me! Seven people. ”

As he spoke, he showed a powerful expression.

"Seven people, there is food."

The little boy suddenly felt a little lonely, sat cross-legged on the ground and lowered his head and muttered, "Originally? ”

Yang Zhi's heart sank and said, "Don't have anything to eat?" ”

"The previous month, there was ice in the sky, and the crops were stoned to death, and my father and mother said that the food must be saved, or I will starve next year."

Yang Zhi was a little puzzled, and asked Chu Xin, "What is going on the ice!" ”

Chu Xin said: "Hui Gongzi, sometimes ice falls from the sky, sometimes it can kill people, this kid should be talking about this, when I passed by the farmland just now, my subordinates did see that a lot of crops were falling, I didn't think it was because of this reason." ”

Yang Zhi was in a heavy mood, looked at the little boy's somewhat malnourished body, and secretly cursed the thief.

"What are your families eating now?"

"Millet porridge, the brothers will catch some fish, we have no hunters, we can't hunt prey, my mother can only pick some wild vegetables, there are mushrooms in the forest, but my mother doesn't let me eat them, Dalang's little sister just eats mushrooms and dies."

The little boy's head went deeper, apparently thinking of something sad.

Yang Zhi sighed and took out the only snacks he had.

"These are osmanthus cakes, things that can be eaten, take them back and eat them with your family!"

The little boy looked at Yang Zhi with some restraint, although his throat was rolling, he didn't dare to reach out to pick it up.

"It's okay, take it! You've answered my question, and you deserve it. ”

The little boy looked at the crowd, and seeing that no one wanted to stop him, he took the food in his hand, but did not rush to taste it, but carefully placed it in his tattered clothes, and tied the hem of his clothes tightly.