At the beginning of the night, after finishing the day's work, Schelling finally sighed, put down the brush in his hand, placed it on the pen stand, used scissors to subtract the scorched end of the top of the candle wick, and then turned the candle flame on the table, and the room became much brighter.

It has been three days since Yu Zhilong and Zhao Shi led the team to secretly go south, and there has been no news coming, and the generals of the Jing'an Army can't help but feel a little uneasy, even Liu Zhengfeng is also pacing indoors every day, and the military camp that he used to go to every day is also less. Yesterday, the scouts sent Yidu military information, there are more and more Han troops and righteous troops outside Yidu City, and the banners of the Dizhou Cavalry Army, the Tian Righteous Army, the Meng Righteous Army, and the Yidu Han Army all have them, and the scale is no less than 6,000 people.

There were also many Han troops in Hedong, and the scouts found that the Yuan army was searching for boats and oars, and even cutting down trees to build boats day and night.

The generals were uneasy in their hearts, although Xie Lin was a civil official, he was forced to comfort everyone, and now there is no news is good news.

Before Yu Zhilong left, he specially built a layer of inner camp in the camp of the Jing'an army, and the camp wall was mainly made of rough wood, adding stones and loess inside, carefully compacted. A breastwork wall more than half a man high was specially left on the camp wall for defense. At intervals there is even a high platform, on which two or three beds designed and manufactured by Ruan and others can be arranged.

Schelling looked outside, the courtyard was already blurred in the twilight, and the flowers and plants that had flourished in summer had now withered and begun to wither. Only a few evening chrysanthemums in the flower pots outside the hall are still blooming in the cool breeze, exuding a faint chrysanthemum fragrance.

Yesterday, Ming Shijie sent Guo Fengrong to report secretly, saying that someone sneakily inquired about the whereabouts of General Fei and others, and many of these people finally gathered in Liu Qi's military camp or Liu Qi's house in the city, the most worrying thing is to find that many people have been hidden in Liu Qi's house, these people do not go out of the house all day, if it is not for Ming Shijie to investigate, found that someone sent in a large number of meals every day, and took the toilet to wash it in time, it is really difficult to find.

The spy who followed was careful, and the janitor was unprepared to sneak into the courtyard over the wall, only to find that there were so many people hiding in the house, because he was afraid of being discovered, the scout only made an estimate through the number of large drawers served by the person who delivered the meal, about 100 people, if you add Liu Qi's personal guards, it is already nearly two hundred.

It is unusual for so many people to gather in the house.

Combined with the banquet that Liu Qi suddenly invited the generals of various departments to gather yesterday, Xie Lin, Ji Xiancheng, Ming Shijie and others always felt that something was wrong.

Since Yu Zhilong and Zhao Shi led the army to set out, the training time and intensity of the Jing'an army have been greatly reduced, and Ji Xiancheng only arranged some confrontation projects of various departments every day, and assigned manpower to assist Liu Zhengfeng and Xie Lin in repairing the city wall, and transported rolling logs and stones into the city from outside the city. Liu Zhengfeng transferred ten stone throwers to the North City Gate, and set up a team of 100 people to take charge of it.

After Xie Lin and Ji Xiancheng discussed, the Jing'an army outside the city still needed to strengthen its vigilance, Ji Xiancheng ordered the soldiers of each department to take turns to wear armor when they stayed overnight, and Xie Lin also concentrated some of the people who dared to fight in the city, and all stayed in the county government to stand by.

At the same time, Ji Xiancheng secretly informed Liu Zhengfeng of the news of the investigation, but although Liu Zhengfeng was surprised, he didn't care too much. Yu Zhilong and the others have disappeared for the past few days, Wan, Xiahou, Liu and others have all inquired about him, according to the original discussion with Yu Zhilong, although Liu Zhengfeng has explained, but such a long time has not been seen, it will inevitably arouse the suspicion of these people, and it is understandable to make some probing behavior in private. As for the more than 100 people who are hidden, Liu Zhengfeng's descendants in the city are more than 500 soldiers and horses, plus the yacha, etc., completely have an overwhelming advantage.

Liu Qi had told Liu Zhengfeng before that some of his cronies and subordinates were very relaxed for a while because they had been practicing in the camp for a long time, so they took turns to arrange a courtyard in their own house, so that these people took turns to go into the city to have fun.

Liu Qi's recent realisation and Liu Zhengfeng are very hot, according to Liu Qi, you can't write two Liu characters in one stroke, although everyone is not from the same clan, but with the same surname, we must always help each other in the future. Liu Zhengfeng didn't think much about it.

However, Yan Qilou is extremely cautious, his spies are a family of their own, and they are extremely careful when entering and leaving Wei Yuanwai's house, and a few days ago, he secretly ordered many of his subordinates to secretly sneak into the city, and once they entered Wei's house, they did not go out, Ming Shijie and others did not notice.

"My lord, today's business has been done, and my subordinates have retired." Cheng Shilin, the county magistrate, finally put down what he was doing, came to the county hall to ask for instructions, and saw Xie Lin staring blankly at the outside of the courtyard and was silent in thought, and said with concern. "This autumn night is cold, please take care of your body."

"Ah, since it's over, you should go home and rest, everyone has worked a lot in the past few days, and you will be invited to a banquet in Japan County!"

"Don't dare to ask for the invitation, all colleagues will prepare a banquet another day, and respectfully invite the adults to sit down." Cheng Shilin, the chief bookkeeper, retired, carried a lantern, and returned along the path in the courtyard.

Xie Lin watched Cheng Shilin, the main bookkeeper, leave slowly, although this person is his confidant, but the news that Ming Shijie investigated is extremely important, Xie Lin doesn't want to cause more trouble at this sensitive moment, so the people in the county government are all informed.

It is now the third day, and there is still no further news from the north and south directions, what is the situation of General Fei. Schelling was lost in thought again.

At this time, in the camp of the Jing'an Army outside the city, several people were sitting in the tent, chatting about the events of the past two days.

Ji Xiancheng took the burden alone for the first time, and his heart was anxious, but his face was still calm. also said to comfort everyone not to be too worried, so as not to be aware of the subordinates.

"I'm very relieved about the general, but it's just that it has been raining for a day since last night, thinking that the mountain road is difficult to walk, and the general is taking the cavalry, but I'm afraid that this road is even more-" Ma Rulong shook his head worriedly and stopped talking.

Ji Xiancheng is also uneasy about this, at this critical moment, the lord is not convenient this day, the rain does not fall in the previous month, how can it actually rain since last night. The mountain roads were already rough and difficult to navigate, and the rain was slippery, which must have seriously affected the speed of the march.

"Although this rain is unexpected, it is not conducive to the observation of the Yuan army of those mountain guards, the two generals are careful people, and they will be able to solve the trick. Now we are still ready for the change! “

Just half an hour ago, Ming Shijie suddenly announced that after following the people who came to investigate for a while, he found two people who were familiar with the yacha, Pan Gui and Huang Pi.

Although this man had trimmed his beard and eyebrows, he was finally recognized because he was a slave of a large household who often went out to the county town and quarries, and was very familiar with some officials in private.

Hearing that it was a big family slave in the quarry, Ji Xiancheng and the others couldn't help but be stunned, it had been more than a month since the battle of the quarry, everyone was busy with drills and battles, and the events of the day had been forgotten lightly, and today they unexpectedly met the relevant people.

Ming Shijie said: "The two of them are not suspicious, but their subordinates found out that this person was in the army at the same time as a group of strongmen, and all of them were under the command of General Liu Qi, and this yellow skin is now renamed Huang Sheng, and Pan Gui is called Pan Sanjiang." After these two joined the army, they rarely met with their old local acquaintances, and generally stayed in the barracks, and their appearance changed, and their subordinates felt that something must be strange. ”

"Now this group of people is in Liu Qi's house, and the spies reported that the two of them are now 100 households in the army, and they are friendly with the people under Liu Qi and Qin Zhanshan." Ming Shijie continued, "The most worrying thing is to find out that Liu Tianwang's housekeeper actually has a connection with him! ”。

Ji Xiancheng was taken aback, pondered for a moment, and said: "Sneakily inquire about the news, either treachery or theft!" General Fei is not in the army, we should be careful, and order the officers and men of all units in the army not to disarm from today to sleep, and not to leave the soldiers. The scouts going north are doubled! Send some north again now! There is also the camp of Liu Qi's department to be investigated day and night, as for Liu Qi's own whereabouts, the military scouts are responsible for monitoring, and all the movements in his house are responsible for the Ming hundred households! ”

"No!" Ming Shijie responded.

"No!" Sun Xing responded that the affairs of the scouts in the army were still under Sun Xing's control.

"The other generals of the Shuntian Army stayed in the city, and it was common for some guards to serve with them, but this Liu Qi secretly hid these soldiers and died in the house, and his heart was unpredictable. Where is Captain Ming? Ji Xiancheng said to himself.

Mingxiong heard Ji Xiancheng announce himself, and stepped forward: "The subordinates are here!" ”

"You led a group into the city, and at the same time reported the matter to the Shuntian King, and said that he would assist him in defending the city, presumably the Shuntian King would not refuse. Pay more attention to the movements in Liu Qi's house, and by the way, tell Xie Xianyin to be vigilant, and go with Shijie. ”

"No!" Mingxiong and Mingshi Jie saluted and strode out of the tent. At this time, the north and south gates of the county were defended by Liu Zhengfeng's Chinese army, and the city gates were closed at night. However, the control is not strict, and the people of each department can still show their tokens and come and go at will. The large camp of the Jing'an Army has been moved to the south-west of the city since the last battle, and if Mingxiong and others enter the city, taking the south gate is a shortcut.

The night is getting deeper, and now that it's autumn, the chill is starting to rise, and although the frost has not yet fallen, the temperature difference between morning and evening has become significantly larger. Many people have already started to change their autumn clothes.

A candle is like a bean, and by the yellowish candlelight, several women are chatting indoors, while sewing clothes or holding the soles of shoes around the candle flame.

If the county Yin Xie Lin witnessed this scene, he might chant a poem, such as "Pengmen does not know Qiluo Xiang, and intends to injure himself by a good matchmaker." Who loves to be romantic and stylish, and sympathizes with the frugal makeup of the times. Dare to praise the ten fingers for their skill, and do not draw the eyebrows long. I hate to press the gold thread every year and make wedding clothes for others! ”

Since ancient times, women from poor families have learned to draw embroidery, spinning and weaving, tailoring and sewing and other female red work, no matter how much is the case in the north and south, women's talent and virtue are measured in four aspects such as "morality, speech, appearance, and work", among which the "work" is the female red work.

Yu Lan's dexterous fingers danced up and down, rubbing the needle in his hand on the bun from time to time. A sole has been basically completed, the hemp rope on the sole is densely packed, and each twine is arranged in an unconventional manner, and the distance between each other is almost the same, even if the aunt who has been a female celebrity for many years has to judge and give a thumbs up.

With the sound of "snort-snort-", the twine was put away in Yu Lan's hand, and he saw that the sole was about to be completed.

Xin sat on the side, sewing a coat in his hand, looking at the color and size, it should be for Yu Shichang. Xiao Qian was next to Yu Lan, fiddling with an unfinished purse in her hand, wondering how to embroider a pattern on it, whether to embroider a mandarin duck or a yellow bird?

Looking at Yu Lan's beautiful face and focused expression, Xin suddenly asked, "Lan'er, what are you thinking about now?" ”

"How's that?" Yu Lan's hand did not stop, and replied casually.

"Pretend to be confused! Q: Who are you in love with now? ”

"Mother, what are you doing about this!" Yu Lan's face was slightly red, but the work in her hands was not slow.

"You're not too young, if it were a peaceful day, you would have reached the age of marriage. Maybe now I can hold my grandson! Xin sighed, "Your father is no longer here, and your brother thinks about going to the battlefield all day long and making meritorious contributions!" Your business is only for me to go to Zhang Luo. ”

When Xiao Qian heard Xin's words, she couldn't help but put down her purse and peeked at Yu Lan's face. Yu Lan's heart moved, slowed down the sewing speed and said: "Now the world is so chaotic, it is not the right time to talk about marriage, don't urge your mother!" ”

Xin moved his body closer and said softly: "I heard from a few aunts that the flying general Yu Zhilong seems to have some affection for you, and has spoken to you in the courtyard several times. Lan'er, what do you think? Say it to your mother. Xin is now more and more worried about this beloved daughter, Yu Lan is now more pretty, and her words and deeds in front of outsiders have fascinated many men. In the past, when Yu Hai was alive, no one dared to spy on him, but now only his brother Yu Shichang can protect this sister.

Finding a good home for her children is the wish of every mother in the world.

The National Day is approaching, and I am on vacation, please forgive me.