Lao Mo is the village chief of Mojia Village outside Yong'an City, and when he heard that Changmao was coming, he led the villagers to flee to the nearby mountains according to the previous method of dealing with bandits, and this hiding was several days, but Changmao of Mo Village has been stationed here and does not seem to have the intention of leaving. Some people want to go back, some people insist on staying on the mountain and waiting for Changmao to leave, and some people don't know what to do.

"It's almost winter, and it's too cold in the mountains. This cave can't live anymore, and we can't stay up to it. Let's go back to the village, I haven't heard of long-haired murder and arson for so many days. The widow complained as she coaxed her two-year-old child in her arms, and her child's face was frozen blue, and she whimpered bitterly.

"How many lives do you have, this is not afraid of 10,000, just in case, bandits are bandits, they kill people without blinking." Aunt Li immediately objected, her son was captured by bandits, and her daughter-in-law was also raped, and the unbearable past is still vivid. Although she hated the root of her teeth, she was helpless.

"That being said, but the crops in our fields are ripe, and we just wait for them to rot? That's our winter rations. Zhao Laohan said bitterly, the crops in the field are planted little by little with sweat, usually serving the crops is more diligent than serving the old wife at home, seeing that the rice is ripe, but can not be harvested, this really kills him.

"Let's stay up a little longer, wait a few more days, and maybe this long hair will be gone." If we go back, even if that long hair doesn't kill, then Su Baode is not easy to mess with. Beware of him labeling you a bandit, and in the end your family will be ruined. Zhang Langzhong frowned and said, in recent years, Su Baode, the leader of the Yong'an regiment training, has used the name of suppressing bandits to extort the local people.

"That's it, this Su Baode is worse than a bandit, he really eats people and doesn't spit out bones. I heard from a merchant that he was killed by Long Hair, and I don't know if it's true or not. A young junior picked up the conversation and continued.

"I don't know if it's true, isn't the Qian family in the next village Su Baode's in-laws? The whole family of them fled, so they should have sent someone to Su Baode to suppress the bandits and protect their family property. If you want me to say, this Su Baode is finished. Another junior immediately responded.

After such a gossip discussion, those in favor of going back and having a look gradually prevailed, but there were still a small number of people who still insisted on staying on the mountain, and no one could convince anyone, and their opinions were never unanimous.

"Village chief, you give everyone an idea, we'll listen to you." Zhang Langzhong said to Lao Mo, who was silent on the side.

Lao Mo is the only blacksmith in the village, although he is now in his sixties, his spirit is quite strong, and his body is quite strong, not at all like an elderly person. The farm tools in the village were all made by him, and he was also the patriarch of the Mo family, and he was quite prestigious in the village.

Lao Mo sat on the stone and took a few puffs of dry smoke, the thoughts in his mind were like the surging waters of the Guijiang River. He had a feeling that these long-haired bandits were different from the previous bandits, because he had sent his son back to the village two days ago to quietly investigate, and all the things in the house were there, and those long-haired ones had not even entered their door, and he had never seen such bandits. He was biased to go back, but he didn't dare to risk the lives of more than 300 people in Mojia Village.

But now everyone's eyes are on him, Lao Mo knows that he has to say something now, he patted his thigh and stood up, "Folks, listen to my old man." We don't have much dry food with us, and we can't keep it in the mountains all the time. I think so, the man who has the courage to take the handle and my old man go down the mountain to have a look, and the woman and the child stay on the mountain to wait for our news. What do you think? ”

Lao Mo's compromise method finally made the opinions of the whole village unanimous. He led dozens of Housheng out of the cave and walked towards Mojia Village.

"The heavenly soldiers kill demons and never harm the people. Folks, don't be afraid, go home. Yang Xiaoshan's team shouted slogans all the way and walked along the mountain road, and happened to meet these people from Mojia Village.

"Yang Junshuai, dozens of villagers were found in front." A celestial soldier came over and reported.

Yang Xiaoshan raised his head on the horse, and sure enough, there was a group of people on the top of the mountain road, dressed in rags, looking at his team nervously.

"Everyone, stop, put away your weapons, don't scare them." Yang Xiaoshan has been walking out of the city for a long time, and he finally met the villager he was looking for, and if he was scared away, he would really vomit blood.

"Baochang Sun, you go with me and talk to them." Yang Xiaoshan walked to the front of the team, kicked off the horse, and beckoned Sun Bao Changdao.

"Okay, okay." Sun Baochang knew that the time had come to use himself, so he hurriedly followed.

"Folks, don't hide in the mountains anymore. The heavenly soldiers don't hurt the people, don't be afraid, come out. Sun Baochang exerted all his strength and shouted very hard.

"Isn't this Bao Chang Sun?" Lao Mo also knew him, and he dealt with him when he went to Yong'an to hand over the imperial grain. With acquaintances, Lao Mo became a little bolder, he turned back to the others and said, "I'll go out and have a look, you can see my gestures, and if the situation is not right, run away." ”

Lao Mo led the two sons, the father and son walked out, although they knew Sun Baochang, they were still a little scared in their hearts, and their voices trembled a little, "You really don't hurt the people?" ”

"Xiaoshan, I'm here." Luo Xuan was not worried about Yang Xiaoshan in the back, and when he saw that there were three of them, he took care of himself and urged him forward with a machete.

Yang Xiaoshan was so angry that he almost fainted, at this juncture, you came over so fiercely, and you didn't scare them away, so you hurriedly glared at you, "Outline, don't come here, go back!" Go back! Don't scare people. ”

Luo Xuan rarely saw Yang Xiaoshan's sharp eyes, and involuntarily retreated. He touched his scarred face, not to mention how aggrieved he was: "Aren't I just ugly, is it so scary?" It's not for your safety, maybe it's a family in the future, I don't know the hearts of good people! ”

Lao Mo and the three of them were indeed frightened when they saw Luo Xuan riding over, especially the machete, which made people have the urge to run away.

"Don't be afraid, folks, I'm the head here. If you have anything to say, just say it to me. Yang Xiaoshan tried his best to make himself look pleasant.

"Yes, yes, this is Lord Tongtianhou, who can definitely do it for everyone." Sun Baochang hurriedly agreed.

"It's the little marquis." The biggest official Lao Mo has seen in his life is only the Wu Governor's Mansion, and the marquis level has only been seen in the troupe, which is a great official for him. Lao Mo hurriedly pulled his two sons to kneel, this era is like this, ordinary people have a natural servility to officials, let alone facing such a big official.

Yang Xiaoshan stepped forward to help them up, "Don't be afraid, the Taiping Army will not hurt you a single hair, I can guarantee it here." ”

"We believe, we believe. Little Marquis, how much grain do we have to pay in our village? Lao Mo felt a little relieved, and hurriedly asked. This is not a life, it must be food, even the court is like this, as long as it is not too much, Lao Mo is also willing to buy this food.

"You don't have to. I don't think you are like rich landlords, and we Taiping Army do not levy grain from ordinary peasants. Yang Xiaoshan looked at Lao Mo's patched clothes and smiled.

"Is there such a good thing?" Lao Mo began to doubt in his heart, if you don't want life or food, there must be fraud in this. But he didn't show it, he just wanted to find a chance to get out.

"But you still have to pay the tax according to the transaction point in the field." Yang Xiaoshan added.

Lao Mo thought secretly: "I'll just say, how can I not want anything." ”

"How much tax do you have to pay?" Lao Mo's son said nervously, the field is their winter rations, and if they pay too much, they won't be able to survive this winter.

"Once you have done it, you can get food without money." Yang Xiaoshan replied.

Lao Mo's father and son finally put their minds at ease, this year, the imperial court has to collect fifty percent, in order to pay taxes, they have to sell grain for silver, and they have been exploited by profiteers and a layer of skin, these long-haired people really don't want much, this is simply great.

"Another good thing I want to tell you is that Su Baode has been beheaded by the Taiping army, and all his fields have been confiscated. Whoever of you returns to the village first will be given a share of his land first, and half of the grain planted on his land will be yours and half will be our kingdom of heaven. There aren't many opportunities like this. Yang Xiaoshan came up with a killer idea, what farmers crave most is land, rather than dwelling on anything else, it is better to directly give land the most direct and effective.

"Really? And this kind of good thing. "Lao Mo is so happy, Su Baode's land is very big, almost every village has his fields for so many years, these are all good and good fields." I'm going to call the villagers back. ”