Chapter 44 Xuzhou (Middle)

"Excuse me, old man!" The little official on duty was already ready to pounce on it, but when he saw the bag in Boyan's hand, the wariness on his face immediately turned into a smile. Sideways to move out of the way, leading Boyan away from the crowd that was queuing for inspection. Then he took the bag, took out the proof document inside, and slowly studied it word by word.

"What's wrong?" The surrounding people, who had already passed the pass, immediately stopped. One by one, they frowned and talked about it.

"Who knows, it seems that this man used to be a soldier of the Tartars!"

"What kind of soldier has been a Tartar, you look at his eyes, that look, he is clearly a Tartar!"

"It's really a tartar. Only the eyes of the Tartars are so wide, and they are straight when they look at people! ”

"It's a Tartar work, a Tartar work! Kill him, kill him! ”

In all directions, the crowd was surging. But there was not much fear on everyone's faces, they just couldn't wait to see the "Tartar" being broken into pieces. When Boyan, who was undergoing a special examination, heard this, he suddenly felt that the hairs on his body stood on end, and a heart that was originally full of hope also sank from his chest little by little, sinking downward, sinking downward.

Just when he felt that his hands and feet were starting to get cold, the little official in charge of the inspection had already verified his identity according to the facial features described in the document. Immediately, he put the paperwork back in his bag with both hands and respectfully handed it back. Then he raised his right hand to his ear and gave him a dignified Huai'an military salute, "Sir, welcome home!" ”

"Sir, welcome home!" The soldiers who were secretly guarding around also lined up in a row, lining up to show Boyan the highest respect for the soldiers.

The chatter suddenly stopped, and then the crowd boiled. "It's not the Tartars, it's our people, the people we sent to the north to spy on the Tartar army are back!"

"Look at his thick eyebrows and big eyes, how can he be a Tartar!"

"Even Tartars are good and bad! Many generals in the Huai'an army also used to be Tartars! ”

"It's not that I've been a tartar, it's that I've lost my way. The chief manager once said that all good people in the world are brothers, no matter what race they are! ”

"Hero, hero!"

"Welcome home!"

"Welcome home!"

"Go home, go home" In the enthusiastic cheers, the corners of Boyan's mouth twitched, and he slowly raised his hand and returned it with the Huai'an military salute as standard as possible. As the adopted son of Tokhtar and a senior general of the forbidden army of the Great Yuan Dynasty, he had not been less courteous by his subordinates before, and he was not less surrounded by cheers and praises. But only today did he really feel the warmth contained in that cheer. Like a whole jar of spirits, poured from his throat directly into his lower abdomen. His whole body was warm and crispy, and his feet seemed to be stepping on the clouds.

"Sir, please follow me!" Seeing that there were more and more people surrounding him, the little official hurriedly gestured to Boyan and led him to a few rows of wooden houses next to the dock. "The subordinates were stuck a little stricter, and I asked the chief not to blame. After all, the war is imminent, and our Xuzhou is the first stop of departure, and the flow of people is mixed. So the subordinates have to be extra careful! ”

"It's okay, it's okay!" Boyan's heart has been burned by the cheers behind him. Waving his hand, he responded with a trembling voice. "Our Huai'an Army, when are our Huai'an Army going to leave? Sorry if it's inconvenient to say that you just didn't ask me! ”

"Of course, there is nothing that cannot be said to you, sir. However, the subordinates really don't know! The little official's face was slightly red, and he replied curtly.

"Oh!" When Boyan heard this, he felt a little regretful that he had arrived a little. At that moment just now, he almost completely regarded himself as a Huaiyang person. And at this moment, I suddenly found that the estrangement had returned, and my appearance and eyes were destined to be difficult to mix with the people around me.

"Actually, my lord, you want to know, it's much easier than your subordinates!" The little official suddenly scratched his head and lowered his voice to add. "You are a capable person in the Military Intelligence Department, and your position is so high, of course you will know it earlier than your subordinates. At present, Mr. Zhang of the Military Intelligence Department and Mr. Chen of the Internal Affairs Department are also in Xuzhou. It's better to ask them than anyone else! ”

"Lord Chen and Lord Zhang also arrived in Xuzhou?" When Boyan heard this, his heart instantly tightened again. The two major leaders of the Huai'an Army, Chen Ji, the director of the Internal Affairs Department, and Zhang Song, the director of the Military Intelligence Department, have all rushed to the front line to take up the town, will the date of the army going north be far away? Perhaps, even the warships transporting troops are ready to stop, and when the Yellow River thaws, all boats will be set off.

"Of course, it's been half a month. This morning, they also came to the dock to check the thickness of the ice! The little official didn't know that Boyan could think of so many things in an instant, so he scratched his head again and responded in a low voice.

As they spoke, the two of them had already arrived at the door of the wooden house. The little official pushed open the door of what appeared to be the largest house and let Boyan in. Then, while arranging for someone to bring hot tea and snacks, he explained with a smile: "Sir, you can sit here for a while." The people and affairs of the MI have never been in the hands of us people. They will send someone to pick you up later, and then escort you to your immediate boss! ”

"Thank you!" Boyan thought about it and nodded with a smile. habitually reached into the purse around his waist, but found that the silver beans hidden in it had been spent. I was so embarrassed that I took my hand out, and I didn't continue to touch the copper inside, and the square face turned red again.

That little official is in charge of guarding on the dock every day, and how many people and things have he seen? In an instant, he saw clearly the reason for Boyan's flushed face, and hurriedly took two steps back and waved his hand quickly, "Sir, sir, you must not be polite." Brother knows that you are kind and wants to warm up your brother. But if I am seen by others, my brother and my life will be ruined. Don't, don't dig it out, our Huai'an Army has strict rules, except for your military intelligence department, which can be special, other ministries find this kind of thing, and those who give gifts and receive gifts are unlucky! ”

"Huh?" Boyan's mouth opened slightly, and he couldn't help but exclaim. Before, he was worried that he would not be able to take out the copper plate in his purse, but at this moment, he wished that there was not even a single copper left in his purse.

On the side of the Great Yuan Dynasty, the rules are not like this. From the emperor Timur to the helpers who patrolled the city, no level would refuse gifts from others. And there are thousands of ways to give and receive gifts. What to spend money, chasing money, birthday money, routine money, favor money, and money, the amount is so large that ordinary people can't remember it clearly, and it is commonplace from the official to the non-governmental. If you don't receive gifts or give gifts, you will be regarded as different, and it will be difficult to move anywhere.

was embarrassed, but I heard the little official say with a smile: "Sir, don't care, in fact, as long as the people who have just come from the north will not be too comfortable with our Huaiyang's rules." Including his subordinates, when the chief executive issued the anti-corruption order, he also felt a little unkind. But after three or two years, everyone has discovered the benefits. People who do things don't need to work hard to figure out other people's hobbies and the weight of gifts. The person in charge doesn't have to go to great lengths to figure out how to open the back door for people. Everything is according to the rules, everyone is happy! ”

"That's, that's!" Boyan nodded first, then sighed secretly. His adoptive father, Totoh, was known as a virtuous man of a generation, and the money and jewelry that he brought out of the mansion when his house was raided also filled half of the treasury. As for those famous corrupt officials, such as Yan Timur, Hama, etc., they are all rich and rival the country. The internal government is corrupted to such an extent, and the outside has encountered the Huaiyang Grand Governor's Mansion, an opponent who even ordinary inspection officials know how to be honest and self-disciplined, if the Great Yuan Dynasty can still bear it, it will be strange!

"Is the chief still in the north with his family?" Seeing that Boyan's eyebrows suddenly swelled with gloom, the little official asked very understandingly.

"No, no." Boyan quickly turned his mind around and shook his head slightly. "Lu, my immediate boss is very righteous, and he has already sent my family across the Yellow River. Now, there's no nostalgia over there! ”

As soon as the words came out, he suddenly felt another loosening on his shoulders. Yes, I have already crossed the Yellow River, what kind of heart do you have to worry about the Great Yuan Dynasty? Its greed, its violence, and what has happened and is happening within it are all incomprehensible, but it will eventually become a thing of the past. And the land under your feet, and all the people on it, are about to usher in a new life.

"Then the subordinate congratulates the adult family on the reunion in advance!" The little official was very good at talking, and when he heard that Boyan's whole family had come to Huaiyang, he immediately smiled and gave his hand with a worldly courtesy. "Let's Huaiyang, there have been a lot of interesting places in the past two years. If you have time to take your sister-in-law and children for a walk, you are sure to forget all your worries in no time! ”

"With my sister-in-law, you Han, aren't women not allowed to go out of the house on your side?" Boyan was curious when he heard this, and couldn't help but ask. In Dadu, he has heard rumors about the living customs of the people in the south. What daughter must go to the embroidery building to live alone from the age of eight, what kind of relatives and daughters can't show their heads outside, what starvation is a small thing, a big thing, all kinds of things, weird.

But today, the little official proposed that he take his wife and children to hang out, which really made him feel a little unexpected. Subconsciously, this habit of women and men being able to dress up and anger horses on the long street casually belongs to the same clan in the capital, how can it spread to the south of the Yellow River?

"What! My lord, who are you listening to? Next, the little official's answer made Boyan even more dumbfounded, "Women are not allowed to leave the house, which dynasty and which generation is the rule?" Don't say that we don't have it in Huaiyang now, that is, in the past, when men went out to deal with forced labor, the farm work at home didn't have to be handled by women? If you are not even allowed to go out, won't the whole family have to starve to death?! ”

After that, he didn't wait for Boyan to explain, and shook his head with a smile, "I know, this is a rumor." Just like the rumor of our teacher here, you northerners only take a bath three times in your life. It doesn't stand up to any scrutiny at all! ”

"That's right!" Boyan was amused and laughed, and his heart was swept away with surprise. Although subconsciously, he still felt that what the other party said was the rules of ordinary people, and rich families should have more constraints on women. But no matter what, it is estimated that there is no such thing as keeping women as prisoners. That's not defending the family style at all, that's your own death!

The two talked about it, and they quickly became acquainted. The little official knew that Boyan had just arrived, so he kindly told him some of Huaiyang's folk customs and officialdom rules one by one. And Boyan thanked the little official for his enthusiasm, and also picked up some of the anecdotes and rumors he knew, picked up the irrelevant ones, and told them to the other party with a smile.

Time flies before you know it, and it's almost noon in a blink of an eye. The little official got up and looked outside, just about to invite Boyan to eat with him. Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door, "Excuse me, is Chief Boyan here?" When Mr. Zhang heard that you had returned with honor, he specially prepared a table in the city to pick you up and wash the dust! ”