Braving the flying goose feathers and heavy snow, when the Zuoshi team arrived at Jiming Village at the foot of the mountain depression, it was already noon, and the fast Shangwu went to the hill behind the village and found the hungry and cold hunters.

"Chief, chief, I'm back," Shang Wu, who shouted loudly, ran to the cave and found the silver-haired chief in a crowd of people gathered around the campfire.

The food that can be found in the village is not enough for two days, which is still the ration that everyone has saved to the extreme; The wrinkled face of the chief was staring at the iron pot on the fire pit in a daze when he heard shouts outside the cave.

Before he got up, a large group of sluggish hunters and family members next to him, seeing Shangwu running in, hula surrounded him, and asked one by one, whether Shangwu had found food or found relief from the government.

Under the noise of people, the voice of Shang Wu was drowned out.

"Ahem, hey, be quiet," Bao Chang coughed loudly, lined up everyone, grabbed Shang Wu in a few steps, and eagerly summoned Shang Wen to him, "Shang Wu is back, you tell everyone, did Lord Lingyun send people to help us settle down elsewhere?" ”

"Bao Chang, no, Xiao Wu didn't go to the county seat," Shang Wu's words stunned everyone, and the security chief's eyes were also gloomy, although he knew that there was no result, but he still had great hopes.

"I went to Shiguantun, it was the people who saved me and my eldest brother that time, and gave wolf meat and green salt, and met their hundred households," Speaking of this, everyone noticed that what Shang Wu was wearing was not his tattered jacket that was about to see meat, but a very expensive black clothes, strangely with a slit in the middle.

However, Shang Wen on the side, when he saw his younger brother's steel wire cowhide boots, his face suddenly turned white, these are boots that can only be worn by the chief flag officer.

When the snow collapsed the grass hut, Shang Wen pushed his younger brother out, and let the fallen wooden beam hurt his waist, otherwise he would not let Shang Wu go out alone to ask for help. The two brothers whose parents died early, Shang Wen didn't want his younger brother to be a military household for Nashlaozi.

However, it seems that the younger brother is moved. Shang Wen, who was pale, looked at his younger brother who was still in good spirits, his mouth moved a few times, and finally he was speechless.

Being able to eat and dress warmly, how attractive that is, Shang Wen knew in his heart that at least he could survive the cold winter.

The cobbler's shop in Shiguantun has been busy for more than two months, and Xiao Ye has already given all the cowhide boots to the sergeants before the snow, and there are still leftovers in the warehouse. As a result, Wang Dali was also able to boldly let Shang Wu owe clothes and shoes on credit, but he was anxious to wait for labor.

"Oh, Shiguantun?" A faint worry appeared on the face of the chief of the bodyguard, "Shiguantun sent someone?" ”

"Yes, there is a small flag, just in the village below the mountain, and they also brought food," Shang Wu's last sentence suddenly made the chief of the security guard unable to calm down, and hurriedly took a few old people from the village, with the support of the children, stepped on the thick snow, and went down to the bottom of the mountain.

The iron pot on the fire in the cave, the clear soup in it, no one paid attention to it anymore.

Entering the village, the flying snowflakes, the collapsed huts on both sides, and the snow sinking to the knee-high village road, the hunters saw a scene that shocked them.

Twelve sergeants, standing in two rows in the snow, with spears on their shoulders and red felt hats, stood upright one by one, without making any sound, allowing the snow to cover their bodies; A short sergeant in front of him had a leather pouch hanging from a belt on his waist, and the lower part exposed a thick barrel.

There are not many people, but the momentum of the military is aggressive. In particular, the uniform black silk cotton coat on the body made the hunters look amazed.

A few young people who followed the old man, when they saw the scene in front of them, their sallow faces and the bright light that suddenly appeared in their eyes were exactly the same as Shangwu.

Behind the sergeant ranks, on three long wooden shelves, sacks of grain were stacked high, revealing the corners of the bulging bags under the thick coarse cloth.

Seeing that Shang Wu led a few old people over, stood for a long time, and almost became the snowman's Zuoshi, he finally moved, stepped forward and bowed his hand, "Shiguantun Xiaoqi Zuoshi, I was ordered to Jiming Village, which one is the chief of security?" ”

"This military master, the old man is the chief of the guard, Shang Shetian, and I have all the military masters," the trembling chief of the security guard said gratefully; Beside him, the old people in the village also praised one after another.

Gratitude is grateful, but Zuo Shi's obviously childish black face made several old hunters muttered in their hearts. Fortunately, the unmoving sergeant in the back, and a few old-looking faces, still put the big guy at ease.

"Don't dare, this Xiaoqi is also here by order, Shang Baochang, we bring food, settle down the village food first, and we have to hurry later," Zuo Shi turned sideways lightly, not daring to accept the old man's gift.

They took a large cauldron, and with the help of Orion, they found a half-collapsed grass hut, and after cleaning it up, the yellow wheat was poured into the pot and set up to cook. The stone mill here is not easy to find, so you can only cook wheat porridge.

With the help of a few mothers-in-law, the sergeants quickly cooked a pot of wheat porridge, sprinkled some green salt, and gave it to the old people and children first; The second pot is for women and children, and under the supervision of two sergeants with guns, if anyone wants to cut in line, they have to look at the faces of other sergeants.

Fifty-eight people actually cooked seven pots of wheat porridge, if it weren't for the fear that these people would hold on, I'm afraid it would be enough to boil two pots.

The pharmacists who came with the team, accompanied by Shang Wu, examined the wounds of the injured hunters and distributed the chilblain ointment boiled by Li Langzhong.

The two seriously ill old men in the cave still did not survive the moment before they were rescued, and in order to be properly buried, Zuo Shi had to stay for another night; Fortunately, the food pulled by the snowmobile this time was enough for these people to make two round trips, and he was not worried.

In the cave was overcast, and in the open space outside the village, the ten individual tents brought were all propped up; The elderly, children, and women were placed in it, and the lookout openings that were used as ventilation holes were also opened by the sergeants, and they were taught how to use the switch.

Zuo Shi left three tents, although they were not enough to use, but in addition to the hard work of the sentry, there was no way to squeeze for one night, and they couldn't watch these old and weak people suffer from the cold outside.

When it was dark, the hunters, who had eaten and drunk enough, and who had not had the opportunity to spend the night in their tents, went to the caves; Zuo Shi led three sergeants, wearing two layers of silk overcoats, and began to patrol around.

"Chief Guard, why are they so kind to us, are they?" said an old man sitting next to the Chief in the crowded tent. In fact, Zuo Shi did this, nothing more than a military order.

"Attempt? Our Jiming Village has been destroyed, there is no money and food, and the only thing they can reach is our people," Shang Shetian frowned slightly, "As long as you can eat and dress warmly, what's the matter if you go with them, you can only freeze to death if you are left,"

"Xiao Wu also said, let's go to Shiguantun to dig charcoal for food, it's good to survive the winter," sighed softly, Shang Shetian touched his bulging belly, in the past ten days, it was the first time he had eaten so full, and he had never eaten so luxuriously before.

"Yes, Bao Chang, you can touch it, although the tarpaulin is cold, it can also keep out the cold, and it is very stable through the cloth," another old man leaning on the tent whispered in surprise, his rough palms groping on the ground.

"Yes, I've never seen anything like this before," the four old men, huddled in the tent, muttered in a low voice.

Outside the half-open lookout of the tent, the rustling of snow was still dense.

"Peng, Peng," in the middle of the night, two loud firecrackers alarmed the sleeping hunters, and the sergeant on duty knocked down a wild wolf that had wandered into the village at his feet on the spot, and he was also sweating with fright.

If it weren't for the fact that he also had a handcuff hanging from his waist, the second shot luckily hit the wolf's head, and I am afraid that the wolf's claws would have pounced on him.

Zuo Shi, who was carrying a handcuff, hurried over, looked at the dead wolf on the snow, and ordered with a frown, "Let the tents close the small doors, set up two more lookout posts, and let's put away some bonfires,"

The sound of gunfire also alarmed the warriors who were resting in the cave, and they hurried down the mountain with bows, arrows, and sticks, and after inquiry, they hurriedly joined the sergeant and persuaded everyone to close the small door; It's a little stuffy, but if you let the wolf drag it away, you'll be unjustly killed.

The older hunter, after making a round with a torch, found that the footprints on the snow were in the shape of a wolf, so he went back to the cave to make a fire.

In the half-collapsed hut nearby, light a fire to protect the bunker and shelter from the heavy snow.

A few of the martial boys who did not go to the cave and Zuo Shi and the others picked up the wolf's skin, wiped the wolf meat with snow, collected some firewood, and roasted the meat on the fire; The green salt and pepper used are naturally contributed by Zuoshi.

While eating and chatting, Zuo Shi, who was about the same age as the young hunters, quickly became familiar with them, so the daily life of the Shiguantun sergeants was told to these hunters little by little. Especially the black clothes on Shang Wu's body, they are very warm to the touch, and their own hunters are hot to see.

At this time, Shangwu has become a reliable witness, and he can't wait to tell what he sees and hears.

Early the next morning, the wheat rice was burned with the firewood taken out, and each person had a large bowl of high-pitched steamed wheat rice and two slices of sauerkraut, which had already moved the hearts of all the hunters.

Zuo Shi waited for the hunters to eat to their heart's content, and then took the sergeants to eat in batches. Pack up the individual tents, load the snowmobiles, and the team is about to go.

"This flag officer, the old man doesn't know whether to ask or not," the hesitant security chief, seeing that everyone was carrying their own bedding and consciously followed the team, he could only ask one more question; He didn't want to go to Shiguantun, only to find that it was not as good as here.

"If the old man has something to say, he will ask him, and Zuo Shi will tell him truthfully, "Xiao Ye respects the old and protects the young in Shiguantun, and there is a clause in the military order not to disturb the people, and Zuo Shi treats each other kindly."

"I have more than 50 hunters in Jiming Village, I went to Shiguantun, can I return after the beginning of spring, I have no money to wait, and there is no food, how can I feed in vain," the words of the chief are also true, he has to consider the whole village.

"Rest assured, the hundred households have been instructed, the hunters of Jiming Village live in the coal pit outside the tun, there are stone houses to live in, and there is no shortage of coal for heating," Zuo Shi raised his eyes to see the heavy snow that showed no signs of stopping, and his face was solemn, "You can use the coal digging wages in exchange for enough food, and there are shops in the tun, so it is convenient to buy some household goods,"

It is better to teach people to fish than to teach people to fish, this idea was received by Yang Tian, otherwise the hunters of Jiming Village would never be willing to go to Shiguantun.

"That's right, it's okay," Zuo Shi's words dispelled his worries, it turned out that he was going to be a handyman, but he left at any time.

The cauldron on the fire was still steaming the wheat rice, and the food on the road was already being prepared.

Shang Shetian finally nodded in agreement, and began to greet the hunters and their families, ready to brave the snow and go on the road; There had already been sporadic wolves last night, and that large herd of hungry wolves would appear at any moment.

There were too many women, children and old people in the procession, and although a snowmobile was vacated due to the consumption of food, it had to be ordered to start camping after driving the left stone of the thirty-mile mountain road in the snow; At this time, the chief of several old people showed the role of the elderly.

Under the guidance of the old man, the sergeants and hunters who had built up the snow walls pressed the snow into porcelain, and finally made a leeward snow nest, except for the top of their heads and the open leeward side, three sides were thick snow walls with snow.

Outside a circle of tent bunkers, hiding in the snow to rest, not afraid of harassment by wild wolves; Of course, in the outermost individual tent, there is a sergeant who watches the surroundings.

I gathered some blankets, plus the straw mats brought by the hunters, and the sergeants in silk coats, also made do with the night in the snow nest; What they didn't expect was that in those seven tents, there were forty hunters, and the hunters who were sleeping outside were all "strong" young people.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, the team, braving heavy snow, finally saw the sentinels who had been put on guard from afar, and were greeted by the sergeants of the brigade to the coal pit.

The Coal Pit, now a place name, not only has the mouth of the pit, which has been enlarged many times, but also a row of warehouses have been built on the open space on the outer edge, built with plaster walls and no roofs.

These were originally warehouses used to temporarily store coal, but due to the lack of coal, they were pulled away as soon as a large pit was dug, and the warehouses were of little use; In order to house these hunters, Xiao Ye arranged for the sergeants to clean the warehouse, and also asked the craftsmen to build the roof.

For this reason, the fence behind the land temple has been completely demolished, and the war horses and cattle have been led into the warehouse of the mill; There are not many cattle and cattle left, and the three remaining cattle have been slaughtered directly and made into bacon.

Xiao Ye promised Wang Dali to add no less than six cattle to the mountain next year, and Wang Si withdrew from the hundred households with a sigh. There is not enough forage in Tunli, and he can't help it.