"By the way, I want to go to Youzhou City to buy something tomorrow, I don't know if Master Dong can help." Ding Chen changed the topic, some words will make others think that you have ulterior motives, and it will also be annoying, Ding Chen is very good at grasping this scale.

"What to buy?" Dong Zhuang asked strangely.

"Weapons." Ding Chen said very indifferently.

"Weapons? You are crazy? Do you know what the crime is to smuggle weapons to the north? Dong Zhuang was taken aback and shouted in a low voice.

"Hehe, what sin can there be?" Ding Chen sneered, "Which of these wealthy families didn't smuggle weapons to the Khitans?" We all know which way to go. Don't worry, Master Dong, Brother Yang just asked me to buy some knives and guns for self-defense. ”

"Didn't I equip you with three hundred long knives this time? Your Qinjia Village only has 500 village soldiers, is it not enough? Dong Zhuang frowned and asked.

"In troubled times, the more weapons there are, the better. I won't embarrass Master Dong, if you have a way, help me build a line, if you don't have a way, forget it. ”

Dong Zhuang lowered his head and weighed it, this time Qinjiacun tried his best to help him, although he also asked for a lot of things, but they were all from the Chicheng Mansion, he really didn't pay anything, and he had to help in personal affairs.

"Okay, I have an old man in the Zhenbei Army, I should be able to get it, but I'm afraid the price is not cheap." Dong Zhuang thought for a moment and opened his mouth to say.

"I brought five hundred taels of silver this time, and I can still buy a thousand good spear heads, right?" Ding Chen didn't know the price, so he asked tentatively.

"Absolutely, but how do you want to get it back?" Dong Zhuang replied affirmatively.

"This is simple, hundreds of fish boxes are stuffed into them, and it would be good for each of us in Qinjia Village to put a few on our bodies." Ding Chen said lightly.

"No, Xiangrui has already been delivered, and going back with such a heavy fish box will definitely arouse suspicion. In this way, I asked my brothers to hide a few for you as well, rest assured, my brothers can be trusted. Dong Zhuang pondered for a moment and vetoed Ding Chen's approach.

Ding Chen was overjoyed, "Then thank you Lord Dong." ”

"Ding Chen, what do you think he will do with this matter if my brother is here?" Dong Zhuang looked up into the distance and suddenly asked.

"If the owner of my family is here, then the fat man won't dare to make it difficult for us in Qinjia Village, and the owner has a hundred ways to rectify that bastard." Ding Chen said proudly and hatefully, "Now that the owner is not here, he is difficult for us Qinjia Village in a different way, look at it, when the owner comes back, he will ask him for it back." ”

"Yes, my brother is the most capable man I've ever met. He is extremely smart, bold and careful, and the most important thing is that he is very accurate in judging the situation, and what he is best at is taking advantage of the situation. No matter how dangerous the situation, he can save the day. I

Sometimes I really wonder if there really is a person who is born to know. Dong Zhuang sighed, and soon his face was full of sadness, "But can he still come back?" It's been more than a year, when is it a head? ”

"The owner will be back!" Hearing Dong Zhuang's doubts that Qin Forget would come back, Ding Chen suddenly became excited, "Qinjia Village has everything that the owner defends with his life, and he will live desperately for us, this is what he told us!" Master Dong, you are his eldest brother, please don't say such things when you see that I am still alive! Because if I suspect that the general is gone, I will surely kill myself! ”

"I'm sorry brother." Looking at Ding Chen's determined and angry appearance, Dong Zhuang apologized to him and said, "My brother is really lucky to have you people with him in life and death. ”

"No, you're wrong again, it's our luck!" Ding Chen said seriously.

Seeing Ding Chen so loyal, Dong Zhuang didn't say anything anymore, just patted him on the shoulder approvingly.

After finishing his errands, coming out of the Zhenbei Army barracks, and walking on the streets of Youzhou, Ding Chen always felt that he had come to the wrong place.

Probably because it's still winter, the streets are gray and green. There are a lot of shops on both sides of the street, one next to the other, cloth shops, grain stores, restaurants, all kinds of signboards, shop flags fluttering in the cold wind, adding a little bit of vitality to the dim street. It's just that very few people enter and exit these shops, and most of the shops are open, and there are not a single customer inside. Even the junior and the shopkeeper didn't bother to shout and solicit business, they either fell asleep on the table, or chatted around the stove.

There weren't many pedestrians on the street, and what was supposed to be a bustling street was surprisingly quiet. Most of the people hurried past Ding Chen and Dong Zhuang with expressionless faces. Along the streets, there are squatting men with various tools such as poles and ropes. Hearing the footsteps of the two, they hurriedly raised their heads with smiling faces, and when they saw that the two of them were also dressed shabby, they all rolled their eyes and glanced at the two, and lowered their heads again. It was the time to eat, and there were three tables of guests sitting in a large restaurant next to it.

"I wanted to come to this street to relax, why is it more uncomfortable?" Ding Chen frowned and looked around, "These people are all locals in the capital, why are they all dressed in tatters?" ”

Dong Zhuang also swept the Youzhou people wearing patched clothes all over the street, and smiled bitterly, "The ten-year Yanqi War has exhausted Dayan's vitality, and the imperial court has been harshly collecting miscellaneous taxes in the past few years, and even the people at the feet of the Son of Heaven have not had a good life." On the way to Youzhou, what has become of this big swallow, have you seen less? ”

Hearing Dong Zhuang say this, Ding Chen couldn't help but think of what he had done along the way when he came to Youzhou

Sight. Thousands of wandering refugees, crumbling houses, deserted villages, barren land, a series of states, what should have been densely populated, have been created into no man's land.

"Ten years of war wouldn't be like this, would it?" Ding Chen still said unconvinced, "Regardless of whether you are rich or poor, the key is that you look at them, just like they have no soul, they are not angry at all." It's not as good as our Qinjia Village, although we are very poor, but we are not as lifeless as this, we live more vigorously than anyone else. ”

"Haha, you're right. If I hadn't been wearing this leather, I would have gone to Qinjia Village to join my brother. Thinking of the thriving scene of Qinjia Village, Dong Zhuang's mood also improved a lot.

Ding Chen's eyes lit up, "Then why don't Master Dong bring his brothers directly to our Qinjia Village." I know that the adults are afraid that the families of those county soldiers have been suppressed by Huang Ling for so many years, so they are all brought with them directly. Although our Qinjia Village is small, it is still possible to resettle a few thousand more people, so you don't have to worry about this at all. ”

Ding Chen is straightforwardly wooing, he has taken a fancy to Dongzhuang's five hundred elite county soldiers, if he can really join Qinjia Village, then Qinjia Village's strength will have a qualitative leap.

Hearing Ding Chen say this, Dong Zhuang was also very moved, but soon shook his head again and again, "I understand my brother's kindness, but I have my difficulties, and I can't go to Qinjia Village for the time being." ”

"It's a difficulty again." When Ding Chen heard Dong Zhuang say this, he was a little angry and said, "I said Master Dong, how can you say that you are also a county lieutenant, how can you be afraid of wolves and tigers in everything you do?" With your indecisive temperament, it's no wonder that you have been suppressed by Huang Ling for so many years. ”

"Brother, do you know why my brother never invited me to Qinjia Village?" Hearing Ding Chen's cynicism, Dong Zhuang was not angry at all, but asked.

"Isn't that the owner not there?" Ding Chen's expression darkened.

"Not for this reason, because my brother knows very well that even if he invites me, I won't go." Dong Zhuang took out his trademark wry smile again, "Now that I am still an official, I have five hundred brothers by my side, and Huang Ling will not easily do anything to me." But if I go to your Qinjia Village, I will become a white cloth, and at that time, Huang Ling wanted to kill me, which was as simple as crushing an ant. If we go to Qinjia Village, it will only bring you death, and no matter how difficult it is for this county lieutenant, I have to do it, because I have no way out. ”

After listening to Dong Zhuang's words, Ding Chen fell silent, and only then did he understand Dong Zhuang thoroughly, "I'm sorry, Lord Dong, I didn't expect you to be so difficult." ”

"Lord Dong, if one day Huang Ling asks you to take the county soldiers to exterminate Qinjia Village, what will you do?" After walking for a long time, Ding Chen suddenly asked.

Dong Zhuang was stunned for a moment, and soon his face became extremely complicated, "I don't know either." ”