Baiyangdian Lake, the lotus color is full of lakes, the lake is vast and vast, and it is even the sky. There is Anxin County on the lakeside, which was Anzhou in ancient times, and later descended to a county, which belongs to Baoding Mansion.

This place has always been the place where the border army of Youzhou in the Dazhong Dynasty is tuntian.

Anxin County is not large, only more than 700 households, most of which are hereditary military households. Youzhou has been in war for a long time, and has fought fiercely with the nomadic regime in the north for decades, resulting in a fierce people's customs, and they are always nicknamed "barbarians" by those mean people who have never seen blood and fire in the rich land of Jiangnan.

At this time, the county yamen of Anxin County was crowded with people, and a short and fat catcher stood at the gate of the county yamen, coughing and coughing in his voice, and shouted: "According to the order of King Yan, the seventeen counties under the jurisdiction of Baoding Prefecture are conscripted, and those who are over 20 years old and have no active soldiers in the household must enlist in the army according to the routine. General Ma, who has fallen into the guard, is now selecting people in the hall, and the soldiers who are selected by the adults can receive a salary of five taels and serve in the Guan. Those who do not win can also receive a salary of three taels and serve in the nearest military camp. Folks, hurry up, serve the court and glorify your ancestors! ”

As if he felt that the persuasion was not strong enough, Humpty Dumpty shouted again: "It's cash, folks!" ”

The people talked a lot, and from time to time some people squeezed out of the crowd and entered the court with the arrest.

Outside the crowd, in the shade of the alley, there were two teenagers squatting and standing, the standing person had a slightly dark face, a slightly slender figure, a wrinkled dress, and was jumping on tiptoe to see the situation in the county office. The squatting boy had a fair face, thin eyes and long eyebrows, and was writing and drawing out of thin air with his hands, as if he was thinking about what to write.

"Brother Rong, can you get in?" The standing boy asked, looking down.

"Don't worry, is Simaozi selected?" The young man who called Brother Rong asked.

"I can't see it, but I should have chosen it, and I've been in for a long time."

After hearing this, Brother Rong stood up, narrowed his eyes, and took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind. "Go in, if Simaozi's little setback is chosen, our brothers can also be chosen."

The black-faced boy looked back and grinned, and he was about to squeeze into the crowd with a step.

"Pears will wait." Brother Rong shouted to the black-faced boy. One step over, helped him smooth the clothes on his body, and flicked the floating ash again, and his eyes softened.

"Don't be hippie smiling for a while, don't talk less. If we can't choose the guards, the group of cubs in the backyard will look down on our brothers again. ”

"yes, I know."

The two teenagers squeezed through the crowd and went straight to the county office.

There are also a lot of people in the county ya, and there are already two teams of strong men lined up in the west courtyard to listen to the training, and several officers and soldiers are busy outside, and the entire county government is extremely serious.

The catcher first took the two of them to register their names and households at the entrance, and then led them to the outside of the hall and stood in line with several other teenagers, and a sergeant on the steps counted the number of people and said in a deep voice: "Everyone, listen, don't make noise when you enter the lobby, the hall is the commander of the inverted horse guard, the general has heavy military affairs, who asks whom, who will reply, and others can't make mistakes!" You know? All right, all of you will come with me. ”

Brother Rong and Lizi and seven other young people entered the hall with the officers and soldiers, and when they raised their eyes, they saw a person sitting on the main seat of the hall, wearing civilian clothes, about forty years old, with a majestic appearance, not angry and arrogant, and was chatting sideways with the magistrate of Anxin County, who was sitting with the next head, and Brother Rong knew that this was Lord Ma, the fourth military general of the imperial court.

The sergeant stepped forward and handed over the roster, and Master Ma took it, first signaled to the magistrate, and then picked up the tea on the desk and took a sip before looking down at the roster.

The magistrate hurriedly turned around and ordered his subordinates to replace it with new tea.

General Ma asked the sergeant while watching, "How many people have been selected?" ”

"General Hui, fifteen people have been selected."

General Ma snorted, turned his head to the magistrate and smiled: "This general has nothing to do this time, and he personally went to various places to recruit troops, but he also recruited more than in previous years." ”

The magistrate said with a smile: "It's all the general's discernment." ”

General Ma restrained his smile, turned to the young people in the hall and asked, "Who of you knows martial arts?" Who is literate? Take a step forward. ”

The corners of Pear's mouth grinned, and she just wanted to speak, but was grabbed by Brother Rong. Brother Rong tidied up his clothes, slowly stepped forward and bowed: "General Huiyu, I know a few words below, and my friends below will know some rough styles." ”

The magistrate next to him turned pale, and shouted angrily: "Bold! Replying to the general's words, he didn't even kneel? Have you also read the books of the sages? ”

General Ma waved his hand and said: "It's okay, there is an example of the Yan army, the army is a brother, and they can die together, except for the king of Yan, you can salute other generals." ”

The magistrate said with a smile: "Yes, yes, the Yan army has strict military discipline and compassion for the soldiers, and the lower officials admire it." ”

General Ma continued to ask, "What's your name?" Which is your friend? ”

"General Hui, under the surname Lu Mingrong. I am 20 years old this year, and I have read some books since I was a child and know a few words. Lu Rong stretched out his hand and pulled the pear out of the queue, "This is my friend." His name is Li Li. ”

Li Li arched his hand and smiled: "I have practiced some tricks with my grandfather since I was a child. Hearing Lu Rong's secret cough, Li Li hurriedly added: "Oh, go back to the general." ”

General Ma didn't care, and said with a smile: "Lu Rong, you are more literate and strong." Li Li saw that you were slender and thin, and you had actually practiced. Around. ”

The sergeant next to him clenched his fists and said, "Oh! Then he stepped forward.

Lu Rong knew that this was to test the physique of the two of them. The sergeants of the border army have been fighting all year round, and their strength is naturally extraordinary. Hurriedly turned around and whispered to Li Li: "Stop, luck!" ”

Li Li still looked smiling, his feet were not bad, and he stood with his hands down.

The sergeant walked up to Lu Rong and Li Li, took a deep breath, and slapped them on the chest with one palm. Lu Rong snorted and took three steps back. Li Li was in a gear with one hand, and the sergeant's palm power was imprinted on his shoulder, and he unloaded his force sideways, and he didn't take a step back.

Lu Rong looked up at General Ma, and when he saw General Ma smiling and silent, he was relieved, he knew that Li Li seemed to be thin and weak, but in fact he had a lot of strength, since he was a child, the two of them always fought with seven or eight children in the alley, Lu Rong commanded, Li Li did it, and the two of them never lost.

The sergeant turned around and arched his hand and said, "General, the villain used seven points of strength. ”

General Ma nodded and said, "Well, the physique is also strong, Lu Rong Li Li, are you two willing to go to Maguan with me to serve?" Speaking of the front, the border army worked hard, fought with the Northern Barbarians, and was most jealous of greed for life and fear of death, but military merits were easy to obtain, military salaries were sufficient, and the future could be described as ambitious. ”

Lu Rong returned to the queue and said, "Reply to the general's words, I am willing." ”

Li Li also replied: "I am also willing." ”

"Okay, take the two of them to receive the salary registration, and go back today to spend a day with the family. I'll report to the county office tomorrow. ”

Out of the county office, Lu Rong's expression was greatly relaxed, he put the silver into his arms, turned his head to Li Li and said, "Pear, it's done!" Let's go, first go to the west of the city to buy a roast chicken, and go to my house at night, Uncle De's old yellow Su I have been hungry for a long time. ”

Li Li said with disbelief on his face: "What? Uncle De allowed you to drink? ”

Lu Rong disdainful: "I have drunk it secretly a long time ago, the eldest husband is drunk and lying on the knees of a beauty, waking up and holding a murderous sword, he has never drunk any wine, and he is a good man." ”

The sky is getting darker, there are fewer pedestrians on the road, and the place where Youzhou has been fighting for a long time is naturally far less leisurely and leisurely than Jiangnan, and he is drunk and drunk. The two families live in Muzi Lane in the south of the city, and most of the neighbors are military households, or fishing or farming, and most of the hereditary military households make a living from this. The Yan army never defaulted on the salaries of the soldiers, and the compensation for the death of the sergeants was very generous, so although it was bitterly cold in Youzhou, it was not embarrassing.

Lu Rong has had no father and mother since he was a child, and there is only one uncle in the family, and the same is true for Li Li, who has been dependent on his grandfather since he was a child.

In fact, the Dazhong Dynasty and the Northern Dynasty fought for many years, and most of the military families had no fathers and no brothers, which was the norm.

Lu Rong and Li Li pushed the door in, the old man of the Li family was already waiting at Lu Rong's house, and when he saw the two of them coming in, he stood up tremblingly and asked, "How is the second boy?" ”

Lu Rong put the food in his hand on the wooden table in the courtyard and replied: "Master Li, don't worry, we have both been selected, and we will run to the horse tomorrow." ”

The old man said three good things in a row, with a smile on his face, turned around and sat back at the table, and said nothing.

"Where's Uncle De?" Li Li asked.

"Coming back?" A person walked out of the room. is less than 50 years old, tall and strong, with dark skin, and he is Uncle De.

Lu Rong picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Li Li. "Uncle De, we have chosen, and when we come back, we will buy some food, and we will open your jar of Huangsu. You can promise me. Lu Rong said with a smile.

Uncle De didn't say much, just nodded, turned around and entered the house, and after a while, he took out a greedy old wine, patted open the mud seal, but the old wine in the jar was fragrant. The name of the wine is Huangsu, it is a famous wine in the south of the Yangtze River, Uncle De said that it was given by the deceased, and it was sealed for fifteen years, only waiting for the year of Lu Rong's weak crown. The four of them sat around the table, opened the edible oil paper, and Lu Rong brought out a few bowls of small stir-fried vegetables.

Li Li helped the old man of the Li family pour a full wine, and when he walked to Uncle De, he was about to pour it for Uncle De, but Lu Rong stopped him and said, "Uncle De doesn't drink, pour it for yourself." ”

Uncle De shook his head and said, "It's okay, it's full." ”

Lu Rong smiled: "Yo, the sun is coming out in the west?" Uncle De, you also drank? ”

Old Man Li picked up the wine bowl and said with a smile: "It's not big, it's not small, come, your Uncle De allows you to drink today, and your Master Li drinks a bowl with the second boy, and I'll close it tomorrow. ”

Lu Rong Li drank it all, but Huang Su's wine was not spicy, even so, Lu Rong took a sip, raised his eyebrows slightly, and took a deep breath. Old Man Li laughed, put down the wine bowl and asked, "Who will be the master of the Fallen Horse Pass now?" ”

Lu Rong tore up the roast chicken, took a piece of tender meat and gave it to the old man, and gave one of the two chicken legs to Uncle De and one to Li Li, and replied: "I don't know who the main general is, but the one who came to select the troops today is the commander of the captain, surnamed Ma." ”

Old Man Li groaned: "General Ma, but is it called Ma Run? ”

Li Li said while eating: "I don't know, grandpa, do you know General Ma?" ”

Old Man Li said with a smile: "I don't know any General Ma, but after all, I used to serve in the army and know something." ”

Lu Rong asked: "Master Li never told us, it's time to talk about it now, which army did you always serve in before?" ”

"Nobody, don't mention it, don't mention it, it's the two of you, this time you choose the border army, but you have to seize the opportunity to strive for military merits, and you can glorify your ancestors. Brother Rong, Li Li has been stupid since he was a child, you have to take more care of him in the army in the future, and it will not be in vain the friendship that the two of you have grown up together since childhood. ”

"Master Li rest assured, the pear is not stupid, today's selection of soldiers, the sergeant tested our physique, slapped it, the pear did not retreat a step, General Ma was very satisfied."

Old Man Li poured himself another bowl and said: "That's good, wow, pear, you have no father and mother since you were a child, no one to discipline you, you were brought home by me at the age of twelve, and since you were raised, I have always treated you as my own grandson." I don't ask you to repay me with great wealth and nobility, but I have fought all my life, and Yan Yijun has also raised me all my life, although I am old and frail, and I have no children and no daughters, but I feel that Yan Yijun has never treated me badly, and now that you are older, I am also half buried. I only hope that you will make more military achievements, serve the court, and be a good man to guard the country, which is also the last thing that I, an old soldier, did for Yan Yijun. After that, the old man drank it all.

Li Li stopped chewing in his mouth and nodded with a smile: "Hmm." ”

Old Man Li spoke, and the atmosphere at the banquet was slightly dull. Lu Rong picked up the wine bowl and said to Uncle De: "Uncle De, I'll close it tomorrow, and you also made an exception to drink today, I respect you for this bowl, don't you have anything to tell me?" ”

Uncle De is still the same as always, not much to say, take a shallow bite, and said lightly: "There is nothing to instruct, try to live." ”

Lu Rong looked helpless, drained the wine in the bowl in one gulp, sandwiched a piece of chicken to press the wine, and asked unrelentingly: "Uncle De, why didn't you drink before?" ”

"The young man has nothing to do, he is easy to get drunk when he drinks, and he is sad when he is old, but he is not easy to get drunk."

Lu Rong pursed his lips, Old Man Li stroked his palms and laughed, Li Li was still ignorant and competed with a chicken claw.

Uncle De continued: "I have a sword, but the army has its own standard weapon, so I will give it to you when you can use it in the future." ”

Lu Rong's family used to rely on Uncle De's cast iron for a living, and Lu Rong naturally believed in Uncle De's craftsmanship. "Can you show me first?"

"I can't."

"Let me take a look, and I'll give it a name."

“……”

"Uncle De, your sword won't be cast yet, right?"

"Where's your pay?"

“……”

A few bowls of wine into his stomach, Lu Rong didn't feel anything at the time, and after a while, he felt that the wine was surging, his eyelids were heavy, and he fell asleep on the table, Uncle De helped him into the house, Lu Rong vaguely heard that Uncle De seemed to be talking to Old Man Li for a long time, but Huang Su had a long drinking stamina, couldn't stand his sleepiness, and fell asleep deeply.

In the early morning of the second day, Lu Rong and Li Li said goodbye to their families and wanted to come to the county office, Old Man Li was reluctant with tears in his eyes, but although Uncle De was still speechless and did not show reluctance, there was also a little relief in his eyes. The two of them took the package and put it on their backs, with some changes of underwear and a few books inside, and the moment they stepped out of the house, Lu Rong also had mixed feelings in his heart.

He has lived here since he was a child, although Lu Rong has no parents, but he has long regarded Uncle De as his biological father in his heart, Uncle De is less talkative and introverted on weekdays, although he has a good skill in casting iron, but because he is not good at words, and Youzhou is a border land, the imperial court has always strictly put an end to the trade of iron tools for the barbarians of the Northern Dynasty, and the people of Youzhou mostly use other items instead of iron tools, so the business is not very good.

Despite this family's poor situation, Uncle De always did everything he had for Lu Rong and never let Lu Rong lose anything less than his peers. Lu Rong's health was not good when he was young, and the doctor said that there was a cold breath in the womb and he needed to recuperate carefully, so since he could remember, Lu Rong was constantly taking all kinds of tonics, and he had been eating until he was more than ten years old.

It is also because of the proper conditioning of these tonics and boxing techniques that Lu Rongsheng, who was said by the doctor to be "sad and dancing elephants", has been fighting with Li Li all over the south of the city since he was a child, and has won the reputation of "retribution".

Looking at the current Uncle De, his hair has long been gray, his back is slightly hunched, and his face is full of weather. People say: The three major hardships in the world, striking iron and grinding tofu by boat, and in this bitter and cold place. Lu Rong occasionally wonders if it is the pressure of life that has gradually polished Uncle De into the taciturn he is now, whether Uncle De is also hopeless for the rest of his life, and what makes Uncle De work hard for 20 years to raise his own child, who is not his own.

I don't know if it's because of an illusion or because there is a five-tael soldier salary that was secretly put in last night in the package on his back, Lu Rong felt that his shoulders were heavy and his eyes were very sore.

"Let's go." Uncle De said.

"Hmmm! Gone pears. Lu Rong tightened his nose and turned around and walked towards the yamen. In order not to let Uncle De see his tears, when he was a child, he once had a group fight with seven or eight children, and Lu Rong's head was bleeding. Uncle De didn't ask a word, just bandaged and said, "Don't cry!" If you cry, you lose. ”

Li Li smiled and stepped backwards to keep up with Lu Rong's pace, while waving goodbye to Old Man Li and Uncle De.

Seeing the alley, Lu Rong suddenly stopped, turned around and knelt on his knees, and bowed to Uncle De.

A bow to the grace of nurturing.

Second, worship the grace of teaching.

Three worships Lu Rong shouted: "Please also ask Uncle De to take care of his body and wait for his children to return to their hometowns!" ”