The Henan Prefecture shrank its forces at Mao Wenlong's lightning speed, so that suddenly, the increasingly tense situation returned to calm overnight. The silence of Mao Wenlong's forces, which is the fastest update, is unexpected and confusing?

But Mao Wenlong is obviously the one who has gained the most and the most from this competition. His strength is undoubtedly the strongest, and the imperial court can only turn a blind eye because it really can't mobilize troops to come to the conquest.

The peasant army did not dare to provoke Mao Wenlong easily, and the forces on both sides had scruples about him. Therefore, after Mao Wenlong suddenly withdrew his troops and stopped expanding his territory, both the imperial army and the peasant army breathed a sigh of relief.

The tripartite forces are also temporarily in a three-legged situation, and no one dares to stir up trouble easily, and finally a situation of mutual restraint has been formed. On the contrary, Henan Province calmed down, and there were no more large-scale wars.

In the meeting hall of Mao's mansion, Mao Wenlong and Hong Chengchou were listening to a man in his early twenties crying. Ye Yan, a native of Xuzhou, and his family were affected by the Henan Rebellion, where they either died of illness or were killed by robbers, and starved to death. Now only Ye Yan and his sister Ye Ying are left.

The brother and sister were able to come here today, and it started with Chen Jisheng being rescued by this brother and sister.

Chen Jisheng was ordered to sit in Xuzhou, command the expansion of troops and horses, and protect the safety of Xuzhou. After reporting the current situation to Mao Wenlong from Yexian County that day, he rushed back to Xuzhou overnight with four personal guards.

When passing through a mountain forest, he was unfortunately ambushed by a group of robbers, who had more than 100 robbers, including many masters. Chen Jisheng was unfortunately ambushed first, and two of the four pro-soldiers died.

The remaining two were also sacrificed while covering Chen Jisheng's escape, and Chen Jisheng was finally seriously injured before he broke out of the siege and escaped with his life. However, due to his injuries, he fainted and died outside a small village shortly after escaping the siege.

Fortunately, he happened to run into the fleeing Ye Yan brothers and sisters, and after being rescued, Chen Jisheng immediately led troops to encircle and suppress the robbers, surrounded by heavy troops. More than 100 robbers were killed, and not a single one was left.

Then, in order to thank Ye Yan for saving his life, Chen Jisheng wanted to repay him and gave him a lot of gold, silver and food. In the end, they were rejected by the Ye Yan brothers and sisters who were starving, and the Ye Yan brothers and sisters were already running to Ye County, and they also heard that Ye County was under the governance of Mao Wenlong, there was no war and no hunger, and it was like heaven here.

After Chen Jisheng learned of Ye Yan's brother and sister's wishes, he naturally boldly agreed to arrange for the two. After all, this is the easiest thing for Chen Jisheng, it is just a matter of placing the brother and sister to settle down in Ye County, and Chen Jisheng only needs to do it.

But when Ye Yan saw the prosperity of Ye County, he suddenly asked Chen Jisheng to let him come to meet Mao Wenlong. So the scene in front of them appeared, Mao Wenlong and Hong Chengchou looked at Chen Jisheng's face and met the brother and sister.

Mao Wenlong was grateful to the brother and sister for saving the life of the general under his command, and treated Ye Yan and his sister with courtesy. After meeting and making a big gift, Mao Wenlong directly gave the two of them a seat.

Ye Yan was an ordinary villager, he was already a little nervous, but after being treated politely by Mao Wenlong, he became even more anxious. Originally, he had thousands of things in his heart to confide in Mao Wenlong and ask for Mao Wenlong's help, but he couldn't say anything when he was nervous.

However, his sister Ye Ying, although she is a woman, is only seventeen years old, but she is quite heroic, she saw that her brother couldn't open her mouth, so she said for her brother: "Lord General Soldier, our brothers and sisters are all from Yejia Village, ten miles outside Xuzhou City. This time, our brother and sister were willing to take the risk to come to Ye County, but because we were entrusted by the 500 people in the village, we asked the chief soldier to save our whole village from fire and water. ”

Ye Ying got up suddenly, and then knelt heavily in front of Mao Wenlong, Ye Yan saw it and quickly knelt down, and then cried: "My Yejia Village is also a large village within a radius of 100 miles, and the population of the villagers reached more than 3,000 people in its heyday. However, because of the successive famines and military disasters, coupled with the increasing frequency of robbers, there are only more than 500 people left. ”

Mao Wenlong saw that the two knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, for fear that they would break their heads, so he immediately gave Chen Jisheng a look and pulled up the two brothers and sisters. Then he said gently: "Do you want me to send the villagers of your Yejia Village to Ye County?" Originally, this was not a good thing, but for the sake of you saving Jisheng's life, I can grant your request. ”

There are thousands of people in the world, and with the current ability of Ye County, it is necessary to ensure the extravagance of the army, and Mao Wenlong can't take care of it at all. When he can't do it, he will never be a bad person.

To Mao Wenlong's surprise, Ye Yan actually shook his head after listening to Mao Wenlong's words, and then nodded and said: "Ye Yan thanks the kindness of Lord Zongbing, but we have ancestral teachings in Yejia Village, and we can't get the benefits of others in vain." Therefore, the villagers in our village will never leave Yejia Village, we have hands and feet, and we can rely on our wisdom to survive. ”

"Well, what are you asking of me?" Mao Wenlong's eyes lit up, looking at Ye Yan's performance just now, he felt that he should be a cowardly person, but he didn't expect this guy to be so tough when it comes to his own village.

"This is a man of backbone and principle." Mao Wenlong secretly sighed in his heart, and his impression of Ye Yan changed.

"I ask the chief soldier to send troops to sweep away the bandits outside our village and the officials and bandits in Xuzhou City!"

Ye Yan suddenly became very excited, his eyes were full of hatred, and he gritted his teeth and said: "Every time the bandits come to rob us, we can organize the young people in the village to resist, but we also pay a heavy price for this. Today, there is not one in the village that is young and strong, and there are less than 50 young and middle-aged villagers of more than 500 people. ”

Speaking of this, Ye Yan's face was full of grief, he paused for a moment, collected his surging emotions, and continued to speak after calming down a little: "But we can tolerate these things, and the ones who can't let us endure and drive us to a dead end are those officials. ”

Seeing that Ye Yan was about to cry about those officials, Mao Wenlong immediately looked at Hong Chengchou beside him meaningfully. Sure enough, seeing that his old man's face was uncertain, Mao Wenlong smiled secretly in his heart, and said to Ye Yanyan: "Tell me, how these officials and masters forced the people of the Ming Dynasty into a corner, and then they rose up to rebel." ”

Mao Wenlong's words pierced Hong Chengchou's heart like a needle prick, not to sarcastically how bad he was. Rather, from the beginning of his reign to the time he exterminated the peasant army, he pursued the principle of killing first and then pacifying.

This was nothing, after all, the ass decided the position, but it was when he was in the imperial court, and he felt that he would not feel uneasy. However, at this moment, he has moved his ass to the side of the people, which means that he must bear the consequences of the 'mistakes' he has made before.

Hong Chengchou's face was cloudy, but he didn't mean to interrupt Ye Yan's words. In fact, he has never really understood the hardships of the people, and today he can use Ye Yan, a pair of brothers and sisters, to get a thorough understanding.

Ye Yan was affirmed by Mao Wenlong, he seemed a lot calmer, organized the language a little, and then said: "The imperial court has compiled ten households for one class, and ten for one mile, which has been pursued since the beginning of the country. But now, because of the natural disasters and ** for many years, both Li and Jia have been left with one in ten, and the population has decreased sharply, so it is naturally not comparable with the beginning of the country. ”

"However, when the population has decreased, the taxes have not decreased, but have intensified the demand that if we have one household left, this household will have to pay all the taxes for the other nine. No one can stand such an increase, but this is such an obvious situation, those officials pretend to be deaf and dumb, and they don't see it. They only receive money and food, and they do not care about the life and death of the people. ”

"Is there such a thing?" Hong Chengchou finally couldn't help it and interrupted Ye Yan with his mouth.

Ye Yan didn't recognize who Hong Chengchou was, but seeing him sitting next to Mao Wenlong, he knew that his status should not be low. But Ye Yan was in a state of grief and anger at the moment, he was made angry by Hong Chengchou's questioning, and he sneered: "If this old gentleman doesn't believe what I said, you can go with the villain to check it out." When you see it with your own eyes, you will know if I am framing those officials. ”

Mao Wenlong hesitated, and was about to say that he didn't have to, but Hong Chengchou took a step ahead of him and said: "Okay, the old man will go with you, if what you say is true." The old man not only has to be the master of your Yejia Village, but also the people of Xuzhou. ”

Hong Chengchou's words were loud, and there was no room for negotiation.

Mao Wenlong shook his head helplessly, it seems that he had no choice but to accompany him to Xuzhou in person.

Hong Chengchou was very anxious, his heart was turning over at the moment, and Ye Yan's words directly destroyed his previous cognition. Let him realize that the imperial court has actually reached such a situation. Why did the peasant army burn inexhaustibly, and the spring breeze blew and reborn?

Why is there always another wave of peasant armies rising up in addition to one wave of peasant armies? Why do the people always rebel against the fate of their families? Hong Chengchou has actually begun to believe what Ye Yan said in his heart, but he still holds on to the last hope.

He hoped that Ye Yan had framed the imperial court, maybe the imperial court would still be saved, and he would not become a sinner for the ages!

Hong Chengchou couldn't hold back his desire to go to find out the truth, so he asked Mao Wenlong to leave immediately.

Mao Wenlong had already agreed in his heart, so there was no nonsense, he said bluntly: "Since this is the case, then I will accompany Mr. on a trip." Xuzhou can now be regarded as my territory, although I have not really taken over it, but I will not allow these corrupt officials to harm the people under my rule in this way. ”

Ye Yan and Ye Ying knelt down again excitedly, and shouted in unison: "I ask the chief soldier to rescue our Yejia Village, and in the future, our brothers and sisters are willing to serve you for cattle and horses." Yejia Village is also willing to hand over money and grain to the chief soldier in the future. ”

Mao Wenlong laughed, and personally stepped forward to help Ye Yan and Ye Ying, he smiled: "I see that your brother and sister are also smart people, and I also found out from your conversation that you should not be ordinary villagers." What kind of talent do you Ye Yan have? ”

Ye Yan immediately replied truthfully: "Our ancestor of the Ye family was the waterway governor of Henan Prefecture, responsible for the waterway management in the territory and the waterway irrigation of all fields. The villain brother and sister have been influenced by their father since they were young, so our brothers and sisters all learned this. ”

"Oh......"

Mao Wenlong was slightly surprised, a strange light flashed in his eyes, and he said quietly with a smile: "Okay, then I will accept both of you." In the future, you will also be by my side. And no matter what the facts of your Yejia Village are, I promise you that you will be saved. ”

"Haoda, Haoxiao immediately gathered the army, prepared the carriage and set off for Xuzhou!" As soon as Mao Wenlong turned around, he commanded loudly.

Haoda, Haoxiao and the two stepped forward to say yes, and then stepped back to make arrangements.

Mao Wenlong asked the Ye Yan brothers and sisters to wait in the conference hall, while he and Hong Chengchou returned to the backyard to prepare some things for the trip.

Chen Jisheng was originally injured and should not go together, but this guy must go with him. Even if you die halfway through, it's better than staying at home! In the end, it was under Mao Wenlong's order that he obediently went home to inform his new wife.

Mao Wenlong asked him to get his wife's permission before he could go together. If his wife does not agree, then Chen Jisheng can only stay.

Fortunately, Chen Jisheng's wife, Chengniang, has been in Dongjiang Town for a long time, and she is also contaminated with the demeanor of a soldier. She didn't stop Chen Jisheng from going with her, but just told him to be careful. This made Chen Jisheng overjoyed, and called his wife open-minded and a good mother-in-law.

After a small farce, Chen Jisheng returned to Mao's Mansion again, and brought Cheng Niang with him, in order to prove that Cheng Niang promised him to go to Xuzhou together.

After a morning's preparation, the army was ready after lunch. Under Mao Wenlong's order, he set off to Xuzhou.

As soon as the army walked out of Ye County, they were greeted by the desolation everywhere, and the scattered villages had long been empty. Such a scene was expected by Mao Wenlong, because these runaway people had already settled in the city, or had already settled in the farm.

It is normal for these villages to be desolate, but in this way they create a stark contrast. The city is as prosperous as paradise inside, but desolate as hell outside, giving people two extremes.

Ye Yan's two brothers and sisters were quite appreciated by Mao Wenlong, and they deliberately let them sit in the carriage together, and Hong Chengchou was also in the carriage, and the four of them sat in the same carriage. Mao Wenlong also listened to the two siblings continue to talk about the living conditions of the people today.

Ye Yan is no longer restrained, what can he say? As long as Mao Wenlong asked, he would report them truthfully one by one.

Ye Yan told Mao Wenlong that the people first fed on the fluffy grass, then peeled the bark of the tree and ate it, and then dug the rocks in the mountains to eat, and finally began to eat people.

Mao Wenlong's originally good mood suddenly disappeared, and he became extremely depressed, and finally stopped speaking at all, and quietly listened to Ye Yan continue to speak.

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