What's wrong? Prices.

Buying food is getting more and more expensive, especially bread, meat, fish, wine, tea, coffee...... These things must be more expensive in the next town than in the previous one. Ye Mao didn't have to eat fish, meat or anything, in fact, he hadn't tasted meat for a long time. But bread always has to be eaten. Drinking a small glass of wine once in a while will not be too burdensome; But tea and coffee, like bread, have become basic necessities, especially coffee, and after arriving in the United States, he quickly got used to and accepted this drink, and he felt uncomfortable without drinking it for a day.

Not only is the price getting more expensive, but the quality is getting worse and worse.

The bread grew rougher and rougher, and finally the sand was eaten.

The taste of tea and coffee is also getting stranger. Ye Mao drank the "tea" water that used sour fruit leaves as tea leaves; I also drank "coffee" that looked like dirty water. He had the audacity to ask his boss what it was, but he was honest enough to tell him that it was made with "ground flour of burnt corn, peas, beets, pumpkin seeds, and acorns," and that he didn't know if there were any other ingredients in it.

Ye Mao was dumbfounded.

I thought that the profiteer was unscrupulous, but when he saw that other foreigners were drinking like this, his face was calm and sweet, and he didn't mean to bully him, a foreigner.

Ye Mao had seen soldiers forcibly take cattle and horses from farmers' homes, and the owners of the livestock jumped behind and scolded "livestock". As a subject of the Qing Dynasty, Ye Mao naturally saw this kind of scene, and he didn't take it to heart at all. He also knew that the United States was at war now, and the boundaries he had traveled all the way out of California. Most of them are "rebels". But California was not affected by the war. Although it was under the rule of the American court. But people's green and black eyes only see yellow gold and white silver, and they don't care much about the things in the east, Ye Mao, a foreigner, is even more ignorant about this.

He didn't associate the rising prices with the war, but instinctively felt that he couldn't go further east, he didn't know how far the capital was, but he estimated that his savings would not last there, and it was useless to work as many short-term jobs along the road.

Finally. Ye Mao stopped in this small town called Chattanooga.

It is said that it is a small city, which is naturally not big, and Ye Mao does not know how many people there are, but it does not exceed 10,000. The town is surrounded by mountains, but this mountain is not high, and it cannot be compared with the Nevada mountains where he built the railroad. A large river in the northwest of the city flows southwest, and the current is so rapid that there are not many boats sailing on the river, except for the ferries that go back and forth between the banks. But there are several railroads in the town that stretch far from the north, east and south, and there is more than one station. The train came and went, and the whistle sounded. The smoke is steaming, but it is quite busy.

Ye Mao originally planned to open a small restaurant, he worked as a cook, and after more than a year in California, he also learned to cook foreigners' meals. But if you think about it carefully, the house is cheap, but the various ingredients are frighteningly expensive, and you can't afford your little money anyway, so you don't need to mention this idea for the time being.

Then it's better to work first.

Chattanooga, which was originally a railway hub, now seems to be going to war, and it is even more hectic. These days, many soldiers come by train every day, and countless military baggage is also brought in from outside, and all kinds of goods are piled up in the station warehouse. Therefore, there is no shortage of laborers, Ye Mao is young and energetic, and he works as a porter at the station every day, and there is no problem in filling his stomach.

Ye Mao heard that the place of Chattanooga was originally the territory of the rebels, and was later recovered by the imperial court, and the rebels were unwilling, and now they are preparing a large-scale counterattack, and the imperial court is also increasing troops here, and the two sides are preparing to fight a big battle.

If this situation is encountered in the country, it is natural to flee in anticipation, but Ye Mao sees that the locals are very calm, thinking that it is not the first time that Chattanooga has fought a war, and the natives should have their reasons for not taking it seriously. I think that the Americans are fighting as soldiers and soldiers, and it is not much about the common people. So Ye Mao reluctantly put his heart back into his stomach. In fact, even if he fled, he didn't know where to flee.

He had forgotten about the cattle and horses that had been forcibly taken away.

Although I don't know where the future is, I have finally settled down.

It's just that annoyance is always indispensable.

A few days ago, someone came over and asked Ye Mao to join some "trade union". There is a frightening gap in the corner of this guy's mouth, and his mouth seems to never close, and his speech is leaky and slurred. But Ye Mao still understood what he said, and besides, the "trade union" Ye Mao roughly knew what was going on. When I was in California, the Irish relied on this thing to make the boss of the Central Pacific Railroad cry without tears.

Ye Mao asked him how he could join the "trade union", and said that it was enough to pay the membership fee. Ye Mao asked how much it would cost, and said a number that made his eyes widen.

Ye Mao understood: this person was not a "trade union" at all, he was here to collect "Tuodi" (Cantonese dialect: protection money).

If it was when he first arrived in the United States, Ye Mao would definitely refuse, and it would be possible for the old fists to face each other. But since the crushing defeat against the Irishman in California, he's been in a much deeper situation.

What's more, this guy is a bit like ...... Irish.

Ye Mao replied that he didn't have so much money now, so let him talk about it for a while.

Huozui sneered a few times, and spit splashed out of the gap, but didn't say anything more.

In the next few days, Ye Mao took precautions, but no one came to trouble again, and Ye Mao's heart slowly slackened.

Ye Mao raised his head and exhaled a long breath heavily. He stood up, his legs numb a little. Where to find a fire, light the pipe first.

At that moment, the sound of hooves suddenly began, and several horses rushed into the freight yard, and the riders did not slow down significantly, and the people cursed and dodged in low voices, and the hooves of the horses stirred up mud and splashed on the bodies of the slower men.

"He's there!"

The muddy and rough voice shocked Ye Mao's heart. The riders quickly gathered around and reined in their horses less than a foot from the entrance of the warehouse. Ye Mao saw the hideous mouth, and his heart sank.

The riders jumped off their horses, a total of eight people, and Ye Mao quickly identified the one in the center as their head. Wide-brimmed felt hat. Gray coat. Boots. He was not tall, with a round red face, a thick neck, small eyes and a short nose, a wide mouth resting on a square chin, and a fiery red beard neatly trimmed.

The most typical Irish looks.

Huozui pointed at Ye Mao beside him.

Ye Mao noticed that each of them had a short gun pinned to his waist, a saber on his shoulder, and some of them had more than one gun.

"This is our Mr. Indian?" Redbeard spoke. "I heard you're reluctant to join the Holy Union? Can't you fucking take this as a devotion to God? You heretic! ”

Ye Mao's hands and feet were cold, but his thinking did not stagnate, but worked more quickly.

"Sir, I am willing to pay my dues."

The redbeards let out loud daxiao.

"Very good, what a good lamb." Redbeard said, "If only I was so good last time." Now, the price of tickets to paradise has increased. He waved his hand to the two accomplices on his right: "Go, see if Mr. Indian has enough money with him to pay God's bill." ”

Ye Mao's blood surged up on his head at once.

He did have a small sum of money on him, which was all his net worth, and he hid it with meat. I can't even solve it when I sleep. — he paid for the hard work he spent in California day and night and nearly being burned to death.

The two ponies with the red beard forced up with a sly smile. A tall and fat one. A long chestnut hair that almost covers the eyes.

Dead Irish of the whole family! Ye Mao took a deep breath, it's a pity for my pipe!

He threw the pipe out of his hand fiercely, hitting the eye socket of the big man, the pipe burst, in the screams of the big man, Ye Mao's body bounced, a head hammer, firmly hit the throat of the chestnut hair, the chestnut hair snorted, fell out, Ye Mao rushed through the human wall, plunged into the mounts of the redbeards, grabbed one randomly, threw himself up, the foot was not fully pedaled, then he struggled to pull the horse's head, and at the same time the legs clamped, the horse neighed, and ran out.

Behind him, the sound of horses' hooves was hurried and chaotic, and the redbeards chased after them with loud curses.

Ye Mao has two fists and feet, but his riding skills are quite sloppy, and it is a fluke that he succeeded in taking risks, and he knows that he has been a little longer, so he has to catch up with this group of villains. Where to go? He pondered nervously. By the way, the terrain of the river bank is complicated, overgrown with weeds and trees, and the long slope is very steep, except for the ferry, it is not easy for horses to get down in other places, and there is a great chance of escape.

The sound of hooves behind was getting closer, but the murky Tennessee River was also in sight.

Ye Mao was almost torn apart, but he still frantically whipped the horse, suddenly, the mount stumbled, the front hooves fell to their knees, Ye Mao had not finished a "bad" thought, and threw it out like a pocket - the road was muddy into a river, and the horse's hooves stepped into a small puddle that was neither deep nor shallow.

By the time he barely got up, the pursuers had surrounded him with cheers.

Ye Mao's blurred gaze fell on the short spear in Redbeard's hand. Redbeard slowly raised his gun and aimed it at himself.

Ye Mao's legs were weak, and he fell to the ground, closing his eyes and waiting for death.

Gunshots rang out.

Ye Mao was shocked...... But, as if I'm not dead.

The gunshots rang out again, and this time Ye Mao also understood: this was a gun fired at the sky, and it was not Red Beard who put it.

Gunfire came from the northeast on the higher ground on the riverbank, followed by the sound of dense horses' hooves.

Ye Mao and the Irishman turned their heads together, and a group of men and horses rose from the high post, and soon, the angry horses were like dragons, rolling down the ground, the wind and rain were howling, and they came in an instant, surrounding them.

The rider on the horse was wearing a blue uniform, and Ye Mao was slightly dizzy for a while: Isn't this the soldiers and horses of the American imperial court?

He was already able to recognize the uniforms of the US federal army: a flat-capped bowler, a dark blue top, sky-blue trousers with a yellow brim on the side of the trousers, and long riding boots. The soldiers on the horses were also wearing short blue cloaks that he had never seen before, and the cloaks fluttered in the wind as the prancing horses whipped.

It's just that...... Ye Mao thought that he must be even more dizzy: how could they be black-eyed and yellow-skinned?

Ye Mao sensed the commotion of the Irish, and vaguely heard Redbeard say, "Sir, we are chasing the ...... who owe debts."

Ye Mao did not fully understand the horror of the Irish.

Redbeard saw the badge of the officer who was clearly the tallest in the group: two stars.

Ye Mao didn't know what this meant, but Redbeard did—this was a major general.

At the beginning of the Civil War, the size of the U.S. Army was small, and there were only two ranks of generals: major general and brigadier general. The first rank of lieutenant general would not be conferred on Grant until he was appointed commander of the entire Union army. In other words, at that time, Major General was already the highest rank in the US Army.

Moreover, the major general looks only in his twenties.

Moreover, he is ...... Dark eyes, yellow skin.

The cavalry did not pay attention to the Irish, and the young major general led the horse forward a few steps, leaned down towards Ye Mao, and asked, "Are you Chinese?" ”

The voice was not high, but Ye Mao could hear it clearly, and his brain was buzzing: What he said was...... Chinese!

Moreover, it is a very clear official language. When he was in Guangzhou, there was a "Eight Banners and Two Roads" near the restaurant where Ye Mao worked, and there were quite a lot of people in Fengtian Zhili, among which there were many flag people, and there were many such characters among the guests of the restaurant, so he heard a lot of words that rolled up his tongue.

"Sir, I, I'm Chinese!"

The Major General smiled and straightened up.

Ye Mao naturally followed his movements and stood up.

At this time, he saw clearly that a cavalryman behind the young officer was holding a banner, although it had been slightly wet by the drizzle, but it was still hunting in the wind, and there were five big characters on it:

Qing Volunteers.

Chinese characters.

Ye Mao's whole body trembled uncontrollably.

The major general turned to Redbeard: "You are William. Farrell? ”

Redbeard was shocked: "Yes, General, I am." This person ......"

The Major General raised his hand and interrupted him: "Mr. Farrell, I have every reason to suspect that you are in the service of the rebels and engaged in espionage to subvert the federal government, and you have been arrested. He tilted his head slightly: "Take it all." ”

"Huh!"

The soldiers roared in agreement, and there was a loud bang, and dozens of guns were pointed at the six Irishmen, and then immediately someone stepped forward and disarmed them one by one. The redbeards' faces were pale, cold sweat broke out, and he wanted to plead a few sentences, but as soon as he opened his mouth, a horsewhip came over, and he grinned in pain, and saliva flowed down his mouth. So he could only obediently tie his hands and arrest him.

The young general haha smiled: "Yes, there is a small harvest today, let's go back to the camp!" ”

A bearded officer pointed at Ye Mao and asked, "Sir, what should I do with this person?" ”

The general, known as the "marshal", smiled again: "Since the Chinese, let's go together." ”

*

(4,000 words in large chapter)

*(To be continued......)