"Wan'er has seen cotton?"

"I haven't seen it. But when I was in Mobei, I saw the clothes worn by the Hu people in the Western Regions, which were soft, light and warm, and they said that they were filled with 'cotton'. ”

Han soldiers, winter cotton clothes, filled with kapok, have poor thermal performance. And the yield of kapok is small, and some soldiers even just wear multiple layers of single clothes.

Liu Mang has been looking for cotton, but to no avail.

When winter comes, the soldiers will shiver with cold, and frostbite will become the army's worst enemy.

In this era, there was only kapok in the territory of the Han Dynasty, and there was no cotton for spinning. There is even only "cotton", and there is no word "cotton".

Unexpectedly, Jing'er actually got cotton seeds from the Western Regions from Hu Shang and planted cotton!

The white and soft fluff that bloomed on the cottonseed was like a pure and delicate flower, and the little girl cherished it very much, so she gave it to Liu Mang as a gift.

After Liu Mang's explanation, Wujian also understood that this inconspicuous little tree was really a baby!

Although there are cotton plants, the transplantation and cultivation of alien species is a university problem, and it is necessary to have professional personnel.

……

The end of the year is approaching, the princes in various places are relatively quiet, hundreds of officials are in place, and the imperial court is gradually restoring order.

It's going to be the New Year, and I want to gather my family and subordinates in Hedong together for the New Year. Check it, except for the garrison important places, the only one who can't come is Qin Qiong.

After the Winter Solstice Festival, Qin Qiong left Hedong and should be able to rush back before the year, why is there no news yet?

……

Qin Qiong returned to his hometown with only one companion, that is, Shi A, the younger brother of Shi Jin, who had participated in the protection of the Son of Heaven's return to the east.

After Shi A joined the army, he was assigned to Qin Qiong's department and became a junior colonel. He is clever, has martial arts, and is diligent in his legs and feet, Qin Qiong took him back to his hometown in Qingzhou.

Two people and two riders, light hands and feet, all the way smoothly. Arrived in Qingzhou. Jinan Guoli City, Qin Qiong's hometown.

Although the ancestral tomb of the Qin family was destroyed, it has been repaired by Liu Bei.

Qin Qiong bought offerings to worship and confessed to her ancestors. Bought another gift. Go and thank Liu Bei.

Liu Bei treats people kindly, and treats characters like Qin Qiong more enthusiastically. Hospitality, during the banquet, it is inevitable to say something like admiring the name of Uncle Bao for a long time, only sighing and hating each other.

Liu Bei has a hobby of digging the foot of the wall. But the two sides formed an alliance, and it was impossible for Liu Bei to dig Liu Mang's corner, even if he had the intention to dig the corner, he would not come openly. is more attentive to Qin Qiong, more out of habit.

Bidding farewell to Liu Bei, Qin Qiong and Shi A embarked on the return journey.

When Qin Qiong left Hedong, Liu Mang had instructed him to make a detour to Luoyang to see the situation over there when he returned. In order to return to the Eastern Capital for the Son of Heaven in the future. Do some preparation.

Qin Qiong handled things safely, took Shi A, and inspected several passes around Luoyang all the way, and studied the route of soldiers and horses.

The two of them were on the south line of Luoyang, passing through Yuyuan Pass and Dagu Pass, and came to the bank of the Yishui River.

Yishui is an important tributary of the Luo River, which is one of the main tributaries of the Yellow River.

Here, Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan are sandwiched, and Yishui flows through them, which is a critical place. A dangerous pass is Yique Pass, one of the eight passes in Luoyang.

The dangerous place is also one of the southern gateways of Luoyang, which was once garrisoned by heavy troops. Merchants and pedestrians are constantly coming and going.

Now, wars are raging, Luoyang has become a ruin, and Zhu Jun's subordinates are short of soldiers and horses, unable to hold the danger. Yique Pass, has been abandoned. The surrounding people were overwhelmed by the bandits, and most of them abandoned their homes and ran away to find another way to make a living.

was so dangerous, but was given up, Qin Qiong couldn't help but sigh.

Thinking of returning to Luoyang in the future, he must hold the key pass, between Qin Qiong and Shi Azema, and investigate the surrounding terrain.

Before you know it, it's almost dusk.

Shi Adao: "Second brother, there is good news and bad news. ”

Shi A, his mouth is a little poor, but on the journey, he is a good companion to relieve boredom.

The generals in the army, most of them learned from the lord Liu Mang, and called Qin Qiong's second brother. But Shi A has a problem, every time he speaks, he must first shout "second brother". Qin Qiong listened to it at the beginning, but he kept shouting "second brother", he was annoyed to death, and asked him to change it, he was used to it, and he couldn't change it, Qin Qiong could only shout by him.

"What's the bad news?"

"Second brother, the bad news is that we can only sleep out tonight."

Qin Qiong looked around, no, the hills were vast, and there were no people. Qin Qiong is a ranger in the world, and he has long been used to it, and he doesn't care.

"What's the good news?"

Shi Ah said poorly: "Second brother, the good news is that in this big place, we can lie there if we want to." ”

Qin Qiong laughed angrily at him, and was about to teach him a few words of poverty, when he suddenly heard a singing voice in the distance:

There are vines and grass in the wild, and there is no dew

There is a beautiful person, clear and graceful

Encounters and encounters are suitable for my wishes

There are vines and grasses in the wild, and there is no dew

There is a beautiful person, just like Qingyang

Encounter and meet, and the son of Zang......

That's a good sound!

Both of them had read books and were literate and hyphenated. However, this kind of ancient style and rhyme song is still difficult for them to fully understand.

However, the tactful and melodious tune and the cool and sweet female voice are enough to make people yearn for it.

Qin Qiong said: "You are wrong. Some people have a place to live, go and see. ”

Shi A hurriedly rode his horse to follow and shouted, "Second brother, it's still a woman." ”

The two rode away.

Not far away, in the bushes by the stream, a bright pink flashed.

A tall girl is in the middle of a sparse bush, picking the right branches.

In the years of jasper, the green silk is tied at will at the back of the head. With fluttering clothes and graceful singing, in this desolate mountain forest, the existence of this girl makes people feel extremely unreal.

However, the fluttering singing voice and the working figure are real.

People are beautiful, and the songs are clear. The two couldn't bear to be disturbed, and watched and listened quietly.

The girl didn't know that anyone was watching her, and she enjoyed singing freely in the open mountains.

There are plums, in fact, seven

Ask me to be a gentleman, and I will be lucky

There are plums, in fact, there are three

Ask me to be a gentleman, and I will be in the future

There are plums, and they are baskets

Ask me to be a gentleman, and I will say it......

The girl sang all the classics in the Book of Songs.

The previous song is "Wild Vines", which sings about how beautiful love often begins with an encounter.

The latter song is "You Mei", the beautiful woman who sings has reached the year of marriage, her youth is about to die, but she doesn't know where her lover is, and the beauty is eager and bold to find love.

It is only in this desert that the girl dares to sing this kind of love song.

Qin Qiong didn't understand the meaning of the song, but she just thought it was good and liked to listen to it.

Shi Ah pursed his lips and said, "Second brother, this girl is weird!" ”

"Don't talk nonsense!"

"Second brother, really! You think, in this barren mountain and wilderness, this girl must be a bandit! Or a bandit and his sister! ”

Qin Qiong was so angry and funny, she stretched out her hand and pretended to beat Shi A, but the tiger head gun on the saddle bridge accidentally touched the branches next to her, making a strange sound.

"Ahh

The girl screamed, and the knife fell to the ground, her hand covering her heart, and her face turned pale.

Seeing that the girl was frightened, Qin Qiong hurriedly clenched her fists and said loudly: "Don't be afraid, girl, we are not bad people, we are just passing by." ”

"Ah...... Scared the hell out of me! The girl patted her heart exaggeratedly, "I thought I had met a bandit." ”

Qin Qiong secretly felt pity for this girl: "Just because people say that they are not bad people, they are not thieves." This girl is too simple! (To be continued.) )