Zuo Shaoyang's heart sank, thinking that this old monk was really a show and knew everything about the world without going out, how could he know all this. What Zhikong asked just now was also a question he was puzzled about, and he said at the moment: "I don't understand it either, please ask the master for guidance." ”

Zhikong shook his head and said, "The old man doesn't know. ”

Zuo Shaoyang couldn't cry or laugh, pretending to be unfathomable, and in the end, he didn't know it, and said with a wry smile: "It turns out that the master is joking." ”

Master Zhikong shook his head again: "The intentions of the rebels are indeed difficult to guess, but it is better not to have some conspiracy to harm the people." ”

People in the early Tang Dynasty didn't know much about Li Shimin, because he had just become the emperor, but Zuo Shaoyang knew that Li Shimin was one of the greatest emperors in history, and founded one of the richest periods in ancient history, known as the "rule of Zhenguan", and now it is the second year of Zhenguan, and a happy life is just around the corner.

Zuo Shaoyang smiled and said, "Don't worry, everything will pass." It will get better day by day. ”

Abbot Zhikong turned to look at him and said in a low voice: "Lord Zuo, listen to the old man's words, don't give food to others at will!" ”

Zuo Shaoyang smiled: "Aren't your Buddhists paying attention to compassion and being kind to others?" I think that back then, the Buddha cut meat to feed the eagle and devoted himself to feeding the tiger, and the righteousness was awe-inspiring, why did the master persuade me not to help others to get up? ”

"Amitabha! Wonderful! The abbot of Zhikong single-handedly pronounced a Buddha name: "The left donor is kind-hearted, kind-hearted, benevolent, self-sacrificing, has comprehended the true meaning of my Buddhism, but, saving people also has to do what he can, cutting meat to feed the eagle may as well, but sacrificing himself to feed the tiger, the Bodhisattva of non-great wisdom can not be, comprehend the compassion of the Buddhists, can not be copied and copied, and if you give your family name because of saving people, it is not the original intention of the Buddhist family's compassion. ”

Zuo Shaoyang's heart sank, and he said slowly: "Can the master make it clear?" ”

Abbot Zhikong glanced at Zuo Shaoyang and sighed: "Master Zuo, what Lao Wei collected for you should be almost all the food of your family, right?" ”

"Hmm."

"How many people do you need to provide for now?"

Even the food was handed over to Zhikong for safekeeping, and there was no need for the people he took care of to hide it, and he said in a low voice: "My family includes four slaves and maids Zhi'er, seven of my brother-in-law's families, six of my godsisters Miao Peilan's family, and five of my slave maid Zhi'er's maternal grandfather's family, well, there are two of them, as well as the two sisters-in-law and sister-in-law of the Qingxiang Tea Shop, well, ......, now I have to add Master Qiao's family of three." By the way, there is also a little apprentice newly taken in by my father, and he has to be guaranteed to live until the end of the famine. That's all, a total of twenty-eight people. ”

Abbot Zhikong smiled slightly: "The food here is not much for the Zuo Shi to store the old man, if there is only one of you and a family of three, then it will be enough." But if you want to take care of and rescue so many people, you can't estimate the end of this disaster, and in the end, I'm afraid that you can't save others, and you will put your family's surname on the line! ”

Hearing the abbot's words, Zuo Shaoyang felt a chill hit his whole body.

At the beginning of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, there was a serious shortage of grain, the whole country was generally short of grain, and the price of grain has been high as evidence, all localities can generally only rely on themselves, if there is a famine, the country's relief is just a drop in the bucket, and, in ancient times, only rely on mules and horses to transport, long-distance trafficking of grain, the cost is very high, and the time is also delayed for a long time, the grain arrives, it has to be several times the price, ordinary people simply can't afford it, and the time delay is very long, when the grain arrives, many people often have starved to death.

After the end of the war in Hezhou, if the local fields in Hezhou were not harvested because of the delay in farming, the grain in other counties in Hezhou would not be enough for relief, and the cost of transporting grain from other prefectures and counties would be too high for the people to afford. Therefore, this year's famine in Hezhou is almost a foregone conclusion.

That is to say, the grain that you have to store cannot be three or four months, at least a year and a half, in order to maintain the grain production until next autumn.

All the grain in his hand now, including the ten buckets of rice given by the general, plus the family that had been distributed to Miao Peilan's family, Old Lady Qu's family and Hou Pu's brother-in-law's family before, is only enough for twenty-eight people to hold on for three and a half months! It's not enough to support a one-and-a-half-year autumn harvest!

Zuo Shaoyang felt a chill all over his body, he only thought about how to survive this war before, and did not think about the famine after the war.

If we calculate according to the famine of a year and a half, all the food in our hands now is barely enough for six people at most! Leave some of them alone? This obviously won't work! I can't accept it.

There is no choice but to survive the famine of the war first, and then flee to other places!

In this case, if the ration is calculated according to the four-month floor. That's just enough for twenty-eight people.

The premise is that there can be no more food sales, and no more people can be added!

Abbot Zhikong saw that his face was cloudy, and knew that it had reached his heart, so he stroked his snow-white beard and said, "Master Zuo, do you still want to sell grain now?" ”

"Don't sell it yet." Zuo Shaoyang smiled bitterly, "The current food is barely enough for twenty-eight of us to spend four months, if the war has not subsided in three months, I will distribute the food to everyone, and when the time comes, please ask the master to help us break through the blockade line and go out to escape." ”

Abbot Zhikong nodded: "Okay, the old man will do his best." ”

Zuo Shaoyang bowed and said, "Thanks to the master's guidance." Otherwise, I am afraid that saving others will not harm myself. Thanks a lot! Farewell! ”

Zuo Shaoyang walked slowly to the back door of his pharmacy with a cane and a red oil-paper umbrella.

Zuo Shaoyang slowly walked back to the pharmacy, the door was open, Bai Zhihan had been standing in the door waiting for him, seeing him come back, he reached over and took the umbrella in her hand, and after he walked in, he closed the back door.

Zuo Shaoyang returned to the lobby on crutches. Zuo Gui and Liang sat behind a long couple of cases and talked, and when they saw him come in, they beckoned him over.

Liang asked, "It's raining and snowing outside, and your injuries haven't healed yet, why are you walking around?" ”

"I'm so angry that I want to go out for a walk."

Seeing that there was no smile on his face, Zuo Gui said in a low voice: "Just now Master Qiao asked about our marriage, and we said that we haven't told you yet, let them wait." ――Have you figured out a solution? ”

"Hmm!" Zuo Shaoyang nodded, "Let's go into the house and talk." ”

The second elder agreed, let Bai Zhihan take care of it outside, and the three of them entered Zuo Gui's bedroom. Shut the door.

Zuo Shaoyang said to Zuo Gui: "Father, you will tell Master Qiao later, just say that before Miss Qiao'er's leg injury is healed, this matter will not be discussed for the time being." Three months later, if I am satisfied with Miss Qiao'er at that time, I will marry her, otherwise, the matter will be stopped. ”

Zuo Gui stroked his beard and glanced at Liang, nodded slowly together, and said in a low voice: "Yes, Miss Qiao'er's leg injury is a big problem, if it can't be cured in the future, she is lame, and her leg is disabled, it is not suitable." Zhong'er has a good idea, and then decides based on the condition of his legs. ”

Zuo Shaoyang said: "It's not a problem with my legs, I want to use these three months to observe how Miss Qiao'er is." ”

"Is the grain still sold to them?"

"It's not for sale, just let them eat with us. I've calculated, and with their family, we have enough food to eat. But it can't be added any more, otherwise it won't be enough. ”

Liang said: "Then what if you are not satisfied after three months and don't get married?" ”

"Tell them that if they don't get married after three months, they will use 30 acres of fertile land to offset the food money for these three months."

Father Zuogui frowned and said, "Zhong'er, I really don't understand what you are doing with so much good land?" Everyone is eager to get rid of the field, why do you fish it out of your arms? Isn't it bad to charge sixty pieces of silver? ”

Zuo Shaoyang knows that the good land is cheap now, and it will definitely appreciate a huge amount in the future, and it is best to exchange it for good land, which is equivalent to investing in real estate while the house price is low. Shaking his head and whispering: "Listen to me, it's absolutely right!" ”

Zuo Gui sighed: "Okay, anyway, it's your food, how you like to toss it." ”

Liang said: "It is best that after three months, Qiao'er's leg is cured, and our Zhong'er is also satisfied with Qiao'er, so we will marry and marry." There is no need to ask for fields, everyone is happy! But they'll have to make a statement. There is no evidence for empty words, and it will be troublesome if you don't admit it when the time comes. ”

Zuo Gui nodded and said, "Well, the villain first and then the gentleman." I'll just go and discuss it with Master Qiao. ”

Liang said again: "What about the white girl? I think the white girl is also very good, clever and ......"

Zuo Gui's father smiled bitterly: "There can only be one original wife!" ”

Liang said: "Otherwise, if Zhong'er thinks that Zhi'er is good in three months, Qiao'er is also good, so he simply marries Zhi'er as his wife, and Qiao'er and Miss Peilan are concubines." It's the safest way to go! ”

Zuo Gui's father said: "The Qiao family has to be willing to let their daughter be a concubine, with the identity of Master Qiao, it is estimated that this is not possible." It's better for Qiao'er to be a wife and Zhi'er to be a concubine. Anyway, Zhi'er said that it is okay to be a wife and a concubine. Both sides are satisfied. ”

"The master is right, Zhong'er, what do you mean?"

Zuo Shaoyang said: "There are still three months to go, let's talk about it then." Don't rush me. ”

"Okay!" Zuo Gui's father said, "Are you sure which of the two of them we don't interfere with." It's up to you. ”

"Thank you, father!"

After saying goodbye, the three of them came out, and Zuo Gui and Liang went to talk to Master Qiao.

Zuo Shaoyang sat behind a few long cases in a daze.

At this moment, what appeared in front of him was the figure of Sang Xiaomei. For her own sake, Sang Xiaomei can be said to be well-known in the whole city, if she doesn't want her, I'm afraid she won't be able to marry in the future.

Since after marrying his wife, he wants Na Peilan as a concubine, so he might as well take Sang Xiaomei over as a concubine, one wife and two concubines are not too much. However, my father is very resistant to the Sang family, so it's better not to talk about this matter first, solve the problem of the main wife first, and then take concubines in the future.

What to do with Angelica Bai? She did swear to serve herself for the rest of her life, and even committed suicide to show her attitude, according to this view, if she didn't want her, she would really be alone for the rest of her life, could it be true that she was left alone for the rest of her life?

(To be continued)