Chapter 3: Morning Dew

"Yang Lingkan and her daughter-in-law told me that when it gets cold, she wants to take her grandmother from Qinghe County! We are working hard here, but the government over there scrapes the ground too much! The cuckoo knelt beside Cheng Mingzhen, sorting out the clothes to be used in the autumn, and chatting with her husband without saying a word. ~~.~~ If the officials of Wuyang County saw this scene, they would definitely not believe that the little woman who was tidying up her clothes with low eyebrows at this moment was the legendary jade-faced rakshasa. On days when there was no war, the wind blew loose the bowstring. The hand that has not held the knife for a long time has faded from the calluses, and it has shown a bit of plumpness and moistness, as delicate as a pearl and jade.

"Let her wait. Our side is stable this year, and it may not be the same next year. In case this place becomes a battlefield again, passing the army is like a bandit, no matter who loses or wins, her grandmother will have to suffer! Cheng Mingzhen put down the brush and hesitated to respond.

With the joint efforts of him, Duan Qing and others, the reclamation of Tuntian land in the areas of Ping'en, Lishui and Qingzhang was quite effective. At least the areas around the three county towns have slowly regained popularity, waist-deep artemisia grass and black puddles of water are no longer there, and the fields of crops are slowly joining into large areas.

Although it is not yet harvest time, the scene of the harvest year is already very obvious. For those who have regained their land, they are not afraid of being tired, but they are afraid that there is no place for them to use their strength. Crops are never sorry for people, and the more carefully they are cared for, the stronger they will grow. Buckwheat, millet, radish, black pepper, and many more Cheng Mingzhen couldn't think of it at all, and he didn't think that he could survive if he missed the sowing season. In and out of dreams, people can smell the joy of maturity.

According to the notice of the people of Anmin, who was famous a few months ago, except for those who had borrowed seeds and farm tools from him, they should repay the principal grain and interest at a certain percentage, and all other people could be exempted from paying taxes this year. Therefore, it can be said that more than seventy percent of the crops in the field are owned by the people. More than three months ago, this was a good thing that the displaced people could never have dreamed of. Fearing that their dreams would be awakened and that they were not afraid of the humidity in the wilderness, they set up small huts next to their fields. Take a closer look, and you'll feel more at ease. Even if you don't wake up in a sweet dream tonight, at least you will be sure.

Ordinary people don't have so much foresight in their stomachs, and the benefits that can be seen by their eyes are the most serious. Knowing that life was better to the west of Zhangshui, more people on the other side of the river moved the idea of moving. After the initial blind expansion, the three counties under Cheng Mingzhen's rule are no longer as casually granted land as before. Therefore, those who have the heart to come to reclaim the land instinctively begin to ask for favors. One of the most convenient ways is through the big and small bosses of the Jinzi Battalion. Most of them came from farming families near Juluze, and they were able to climb their relatives with the people of neighboring counties without having to take a turn. And Cheng Mingzhen has another rule that gives priority to the placement of the brothers' family members and friends, so many relatives who had cut off contact with Brother Juluze in order to avoid trouble also moved around again.

For this unexpected enthusiasm, Cheng Mingzhen, Duan Qing and others are not very willing to accept it. Now it is no more than a few months ago, when in order to survive, they smashed pots and sold iron to attract displaced people to come and reclaim the wasteland. Because in the long run, population means food and taxes. It means labor and endurance to cope with war. At that time, if you lend an extra grain seed, you will be able to return a few more buckets of grain to the warehouse in the fall. But now, the crops are about to be harvested. No matter what you plant, you won't be able to live. Every extra population in the territory means an additional burden in winter.

The little bosses also knew Cheng Mingzhen's difficulties, so they tried not to go directly to him. They are more willing to ask the cuckoo through their own women, and ask the seven masters to relax a little in their past feelings. However, the experience of the cuckoo in Julu Ze back then was that he was afraid of few people, not afraid of many people. Often, when you ask for something, you habitually want to say yes.

There must have been some trouble in promising others today, and from the tone of Cheng Mingzhen's speech, Du Juan guessed that he didn't want to accept Yang Lingkan's family. The girl's family couldn't get off the stage for a while, so she pushed the clothes she had just packed to the side, and complained with a straight face: "He himself is willing to come, but he will suffer a disaster in the future, what does it have to do with us." The little lady of the Yang family was robbed to Julu Zezhong, and now the grandmother is willing to recognize this relative......"

"Then you can't let them come. You stuff some meat for the little lady of the Yang family in private, and ask her to ask someone to take it home. Cheng Mingzhen smiled and explained in a low voice, "If you don't come early, you won't come late." Seeing that his daughter and son-in-law were having a better time, I thought about coming to run. If things don't go well, it's another trouble. It's better to be far away, but we can read each other well! ”

That's right. However, it is still very uncomfortable to listen to the ears of the cuckoo. Glancing up at her husband, she said with some annoyance: "A few copper coins, can it be worthy of flesh and blood?" Although their family is not prosperous, it will not become a drag no matter what. Besides, if you don't let them come, they will run through the water, and you can't take a stick out again. We don't have a peach blossom paradise here, and we can't let outsiders see it! ”

The last sentence is not like what the cuckoo can say. Cheng Mingzhen was shocked, and his brows instantly furrowed. The cuckoo was paying close attention to her husband's reaction, and immediately asked aggrievedly, "What's wrong, did I say it wrong?" ”

"You're right." Cheng Mingzhen smiled, "But this allusion to the Peach Blossom Land is not very useful!" ”

"Isn't that what Liu Er wrote in her letter? I asked you the day before yesterday what exactly you mean! The cuckoo finally understood the reason for her husband's frown, stuck out her tongue, and explained in a low voice.

She didn't say it, Cheng Mingzhen really couldn't remember. Two days ago, Zhang Jin's favorite concubine Liu Er did write a letter to Du Juan. The letter was full of praise for the peaceful scene in Ping'en, Lishui, and Qingzhang counties, saying that at present, not only Juluze's own people admired Cheng Mingzhen's ability very much, but even the green forest colleagues who came to watch Zhang Jin's ceremony of being crowned king were also amazed by this. They praised Zhang Jin for his profound blessings, and he brought peace to the surroundings just after he became king.

For this kind of nonsensical polite words, Cheng Mingzhen always laughed after hearing it. But the cuckoo is proud of it, and he can't wait to memorize every word and engrave it in his heart. Seeing that Cheng Mingzhen's face showed a little disapproval, she patted the ground with her hand and couldn't wait to emphasize: "Really, Liu'er, she really likes this side." Degree. The last letter also told me that I should find an excuse to take her over for a few days, so as not to be bored in the field! ”

"Didn't she come with the boss last month?" Cheng Mingzhen grinned and complained in a low voice. Since Jinziying moved out of Juluze, the relationship between him and Zhang Jincheng has greatly improved. Far from urging him to return, he allowed him to take his and his brothers' families out under various pretexts.6 In return, Cheng Mingzhen was also extremely attentive to the task of collecting "security fees" from the surrounding counties, and he was able to complete it in time every time, and he was able to dispatch his capable subordinates very hard to escort the materials to Zedi.

With these abundant materials, Zhang Jin's title ceremony was held very successfully. Except for a few enemies of life and death, the family members of each mountain and village in Hebei Greenforest either came in person or sent their henchmen to send a heavy gift. Even Gao Shida, the chief scoop of Hebei Green Forest Road, who has been elevated by the heroes, has been shy and sent someone to send a congratulatory letter, announcing that from now on he will be on an equal footing with Zhang Jincheng, and the two brothers will work together to fight the world.

After the celebration, Zhang Jin said that he personally sent the distinguished guests from afar out of Juluze, and sent them to the shore of Zhangshui before saying goodbye. Along the way, he deliberately let the distinguished guests pass by the place where Cheng Mingzhen and others raised troops in Tuntian, and greatly showed their faces in front of people.

The guests are all the big thieves on the green forest road, and where did they go in the past? When I happened to see this way of cultivating and recuperating in Ping'en County, I naturally opened my eyes and didn't have anything to admire. It's just that Cheng Mingzhen, Duan Qing, Zhou Fan, Zhang Jin and others are tired, and they have to do everything they can to protect the face of the new prince Zhang Jincheng, and they have to be on guard against the subordinates of the guests harassing the people. I was so tired that I lost a lot of weight, and I finally sent the wicked guests to the ferry.

Suddenly heard that Liu Er was coming, of course Cheng Mingzhen couldn't help but have a big head. The cuckoo instantly understood his thoughts, glared at him, and said in a low voice: "Look at what scared you, I have already written to tell her not to come here for the time being." said that she was busy coping with the autumn grain storage, and she was afraid that she would be neglected! ”

"Okay, that's fine!" The stone in Cheng Mingzhen's heart finally fell to the ground and hit his chest exaggeratedly. "What did she say, didn't she say that she would come after the autumn harvest?"

"No reply yet!" The cuckoo was amused by her husband's deliberate actions and laughed. "I guess she didn't want to see Zhang Hu and the others, so she simply wanted to stay away. Recently, I heard that the big boss gave Ziling to Zhang Hu. Liu Er asked if she wanted to stop it, but Ziling nodded first......"

"Zhang Hu is also a hero. Degree. Ziling can marry him, it is not humiliating! Cheng Mingzhen didn't know how to evaluate this matter, so he had to pass by vaguely. Grabbing money, grabbing land, and grabbing women is the highest goal of Green Forest Road. Although Ziling is Liu Er's henchman, Zhang Hu is also a rising star that Zhang Jincheng focuses on cultivating and wooing. For a certain purpose, women can only be sacrificed. Even if Ziling didn't nod herself, it was estimated that the Liu family might not be able to stop it in the end. It's better to marry aggrieved like this, so that she won't offend both Zhang Jincheng and her future husband.

"The one surnamed Zhou is really skinless!" The cuckoo didn't agree with this family affair very much, and pouted and counted. "How many times I was rejected, I still don't know how to go back and forth. Even if you marry someone back home, isn't it a waste of effort if your heart is not in him? I can't even see a smile every day, so it's better to marry a dead man! ”

Cheng Mingzhen shook his head with a smile, "Not necessarily, maybe the two will get together in the future!" ”

"It's weird if it fits. I've received several messages here, all of which are about Zhang Hu's messing with flowers! The cuckoo sneered and shrugged.

Since deciding to marry Cheng Mingzhen, she began to work hard to study and learn calligraphy with the second master Xue Song. In just two years, I have achieved a lot in my studies. Degree. Although I encounter some allusions and idioms, I have to ask people for advice. Ordinary family letters, letters handed over with the handkerchiefs in Zedi, but they were easily dealt with, and there was no need for Cheng Mingzhen to work hard to instruct.

The biggest advantage of being able to write is that the relationship between the husband and wife is more harmonious, and sometimes they can actually have the same heart, one party has just started, and the other party immediately understands the meaning of the other party. In addition, because she can read and write, she and Cheng Mingzhen have another channel to get news from Zedi. Many things that Zhang Jin said he didn't want to spread were inadvertently leaked to women by men, and women's gossip nature made them intentionally or unintentionally leak the news to Du Juan.

The husband and wife talked about it, and the topic was so whimsical that they forgot the key to the dispute just now. The cuckoo chatted with her husband for a while, and the depression in her heart dissipated, and she smiled and gathered away the messy clothes, and carefully folded them one by one, lest she lose any of them.

But a few pieces of clothing disappeared at some point, and she couldn't turn them over no matter how she turned them over. "Where's it? Haven't seen it several times? The cuckoo was so impatient that he puffed out his cheeks.

"What's important?" Cheng Mingzhen saw that she no longer mentioned the matter of interceding with others, and he was so happy that he didn't mention it anymore, and asked with a smile.

The two are very rich now, but the cuckoo is still very careful in his life. Never litter clothes, even if they are worn, they will be sewn and mended, and put away, or in case of emergency. These virtues made Cheng's mother very satisfied, and she privately praised her son for marrying a good daughter-in-law. Sometimes Cheng Mingzhen was jealous and had to cite some of the cuckoo's shortcomings to "refute" his mother.

This time, what made the cuckoo anxious was a few insignificant little clothes. "O veil, the sweat wiping veil I embroidered for you in the spring. The ones embroidered with two mandarin ducks are either not lost, or all of them are lost, and none of them can be found! ”

"Oh!" Cheng Mingzhen nodded with a smile, and then shook his head slightly.

"What are you laughing at?" The cuckoo was laughed at by him, and asked with his eyes pricked up.

"That's a mandarin duck, I haven't been paying attention!" Cheng Mingzhen deliberately straightened his face and explained solemnly.

The cuckoo sword, gun, sword and halberd can afford everything, but this embroidery needle is heavier than the Zhangba snake spear in the hand. There is no need to ask, she also understands that her husband is laughing at her embroiderer and treating the mandarin duck as a duck. Angry, he jumped up and waved his fists and beat randomly, "That's the mandarin duck, I embroidered it for six nights to embroider a piece!" Don't laugh, where did you put it, did you lose it on purpose! ”

"I really didn't see it!" Cheng Mingzhen dodged with a smile. "Maybe you're out in the sun and stolen by thieves. It's just such a small piece, you can't see it if you hide it on your body! ”

"Who dares? I slaughtered her! The cuckoo froze for a moment, furious. Immediately, she felt that she had been fooled, and chased after her with a smile, "How can there be thieves in the county office?" Besides, a few handkerchiefs are not enough to make clothes, and they cannot be sold for money......"

The more strange she felt when she said this. stopped the "pursuit" of Cheng Mingzhen, frowned and said: "It's really weird, no matter how poor anyone is, he can't steal the sweat veil." Besides, how many people can enter the county yamen are still rare? ”

"Look for it again, I guess you let it go!" Cheng Mingzhen also stopped "fleeing" and responded with a wheez. There are many people in the yamen, and the husband and wife rarely have the opportunity to fight like when they first met. Once in a while, I feel a little warmer in my heart.

Thinking of the scene back then, his gaze became so gentle. The cuckoo's gaze also happened to look at it, and with a slight touch, he fled in a panic.

"It's so hot!" Cheng Mingzhen shook his head with a smile, walked to the window, and lifted the curtain made of fine yarn. In broad daylight, he didn't dare to come nonsense.

The cuckoo's face was so red that it was almost dripping blood, and it hung its head, and its neck curved into a gentle curve. "You don't have to worry about the things entrusted by the women of the Yang Lingkan family. I've figured it out! In order to break the ambiguous atmosphere of the moment, she forced herself to change the subject.

"If you don't open this opening, try not to open it!" The topic finally turned back, and Cheng Mingzhen let out a long sigh of relief and commanded in a low voice.

"Hmm!" The cuckoo was like a hedgehog when he mentioned it just now, but now he is as docile as a domestic kitten.

"It's really hard to do, you just give her more money in private! The last thing we lack now is money! Cheng Mingzhen turned around and whispered to his wife.

In fact, with the grain harvests in the three counties this autumn and the grain reserves that were exchanged for the treasures left by the Master through various channels, it would not be a problem for him to accept another 1,000 families under his rule. But the rules set down cannot be different from person to person, otherwise everyone can no longer take the rules as rules, and the opening will only get bigger and bigger.

Another point he did not say was that his consideration with Du Juan was that his reclamation of the fields in Ping'en, Lishui, and Qingzhang counties was going too smoothly this year. Not only did Zhang Jin say that there was no change there, but he didn't even have a plan prepared in advance to deal with the government's requisition or harassment. Cheng Mingzhen was glad on his good luck, but he didn't dare to fully believe in luck. He doesn't think that good luck will last forever, and if he doesn't make some preparations, he will inevitably be in a hurry.

Training, military exercises, gathering grass, and storing grain. He is not a god, and he can't guess what others are planning. I have never slackened my preparations in this regard. Even if it is Wei Zheng's letter of goodwill, it is never interrupted; Even if Zhang Jin claimed to have continuously added him to the rank of knight, his requests were rarely rejected.

The current tranquility is based on sufficient self-preservation strength. To this end, he did not hesitate to use part of the wealth left by his master. On the night of digging up the nearest treasure to Ping'en County, only the husband and wife were there. Although the sky above his head was full of stars, he was still shaken by the reflection of the treasure for a long time and couldn't catch his breath.

"Mother, it will take a few lifetimes to spend it!" After sobering up, the cuckoo squatted on the ground, reluctant to get up.

"If you encounter a robber who is more powerful than us, you will lose your life in one night!" Cheng Mingzhen pushed his wife at that time and said with a wry smile.

Note 1: Black pepper, baby black beans. One of the coarse grains of the ancients.

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