Zuo Gui and they were busy giving gifts. After a few words of greeting, Fan Hei asked Zuo Shaoyang to accompany him to the wounded soldier's ward next door.

As soon as he entered the door, Fan Hei greeted these wounded soldiers one by one, asked about the injuries with concern, and loudly told Zuo Shaoyang to treat the wounded soldiers with the best medicine, and took out a small piece of broken silver in front of him and handed it to Zuo Shaoyang, which was regarded as the medical expenses of these days. The wounded soldiers' words of gratitude were a little choked.

Fan Heimian took the food box and basket again, and personally distributed the food to the wounded soldiers, one black flour bun per person.

A veteran cringed and said, "Team Zheng, yesterday it seemed to be ......, it seemed to be ......"

Fan Hei smiled and said: "It's okay, if you have something to say, you don't have to babble, it's all your own brothers." ”

The veteran and the other wounded soldiers glanced at each other, swallowed with difficulty, and said, "Yesterday's meal ...... was only delivered, this ...... A meal, ...... at noon today Didn't send ...... either, hehe, we're a little hungry and can't bear it......"

Fan Hei nodded slowly, sighed, and said: "Brothers, I'm really sorry, you also know that the military food has been burned, the enemy army is surrounded on both sides, we have no way to go out to transport food, and the rescue people who have been sent over the mountains and mountains have forcibly broken out, but the little grain collected cannot be sent in, we are trapped in Hezhou, and we can only rely on requisitioning grain from the local area." And Hezhou was already short of grain, all the rice noodles in the rice line, including the Yamen reserve grain and seeds, were all requisitioned as military rations, but we have tens of thousands of troops, far from enough, a few days ago, everyone two meals a day, and can only eat a black flour bun, now, there is only one, this is really no way, the general decided, from today on, the grain will mainly meet the front-line combat brothers, so that they can eat enough, before they can fight. to defeat the enemy. The wounded and sick soldiers, as well as other soldiers who were not directly engaged in battle, were supplied in half. I am also very sad, and I hope that your brothers ...... and will understand our suffering......"

Speaking of the back, Fan Hei's voice was a little choked.

Only then did Zuo Shaoyang understand why Fan Heimian had to personally deliver food today, and greeted the wounded soldiers so enthusiastically.

The wounded soldiers were silent, dejected and not a single one spoke.

Fan Hei's face agitated again, saying that the enemy army would soon be defeated, the grain would be brought in, and everyone would soon be able to eat enough.

Coming out of the empty room of the grocery store where the wounded soldiers lived, and arriving at the door of the pharmacy, Fan Hei looked left and right, called Zuo Shaoyang aside, and said in a low voice: "Little brother, is it okay to discuss something with you?" ”

"The team has something to say, please speak."

"Do you have any extra food? If so, I'll buy it for you! It's true! As many as you want! ”

Zuo Shaoyang spread his hands and said with a wry smile: "We really don't have it, the team is positive, I don't dare to deceive you, my pharmacy is so poor, before you came, there were still a bunch of creditors around my pharmacy to ask for debts, how can you have the money to buy excess food?" I haven't seen white rice all year round, and all I eat is black noodles and white skin wild vegetables. If you don't believe it, you can look at the rice bowl in the kitchen, there is only a little black noodles left, and even the wild vegetables and mulberry white skin are almost eaten. This family, I'm still worried about what to do. ”

Fan Hei stared at him for a long time, and when he saw him with a wry smile on his face, his expression was depressed, not like he was pretending, so he smiled: "Forget it if you don't have it, alas!" I'm looking at my brothers who have nothing to eat, so I'm in a hurry. In the past two days, there is also a black-faced nest, if you can't defeat the rebels again, I'm afraid that you won't even have to eat the black-faced nest! ”

Zuo Shaoyang rolled his eyes and said, "Aren't there some big families in the city?" Like the Sui shopkeeper of the porcelain shop, etc., these people have their own granaries at home, maybe they have food hoarded, why not buy it with them? ”

"Will go." Fan Hei smiled, looked left and right, lowered his voice and said: "I just got a piece of news, you are a good man, you have helped me save a lot of brothers, and you are very righteous, I told you, you must not go outside." ”

Zuo Shaoyang heard him say solemnly, and nodded his head in agreement.

Fan said with a black face: "In just one or two days, the general will issue a grain requisition order!" It is strictly forbidden to sell or exchange grain without permission, and each person can only keep one bucket of rations, and the rest will be requisitioned by the army, and each bucket of rice will be 200 Wen! If it is found that food is bought or sold or exchanged without permission, and if it is concealed and not handed over, no matter who it is, it will be beheaded on the street for disobeying military orders, and the head will be shown to the public! ”

"Huh?" Zuo Shaoyang was really taken aback, although he had already estimated that the army had no food to eat, and it was likely to order the purchase of food from the people, but he didn't expect this day to come so quickly, and the measures were so severe. It seems that the army's food shortage is far heavier than I imagined.

Fan said with a black face: "Once the grain requisition order is issued, we will immediately organize a strict investigation of those who buy and sell grain privately, and encourage reporting, and those who report the truth will be rewarded......"

"What about those who bought and sold grain before the grain requisition?"

"The past is not to blame, and the number will be made after the grain requisition order. - How? Have you ever bought and sold grain before? Do you still have food at home? Fan Hei's face became short of breath.

Zuo Shaoyang smiled bitterly: "In the past, when the price of grain was high, I was greedy for cheapness, and exchanged some cloth and silk with people. You hadn't even entered the city then. ”

"Oh, that's fine, I'll count it after the grain order."

"What else is forbidden other than strictly investigating the private sale of grain?"

"It is strictly forbidden to possess food beyond the standard! As soon as the deadline for the delivery of grain has passed, soldiers will be sent to search from house to house, and all the people must be searched, no matter whether they are large or small, no matter who they are, as long as they find food that exceeds the standard, they will be immediately executed on the street, and there is no need to report it. If you exceed one bucket, one person will be executed, and you will be beheaded from the parents downwards. If you exceed three buckets, the whole family will be executed! No matter how many people. And it has to be shown to the public! ”

"This ......, this is too ruthless, isn't it?"

"There's no way, if this is not the case, tens of thousands of officers and soldiers will starve to death!"

Zuo Shaoyang said hehehe: "Team Zheng, is your news reliable?" Don't scare me. I'm timid! ”

Fan Hei glared and said, "What am I doing to scare you with this?" This news was secretly told to me by a good brother of mine who worked as a guard next to the general, and it must not be fake. It is estimated that the grain collection will begin soon, and it will be known when the time comes. You helped me heal my brothers' injuries, and I told you secretly because of your affection. Don't spread the word about it! Otherwise, I'm going to be killed by you!" ”

Zuo Shaoyang hurriedly arched his hand and said: "The team trusts me so much, how can I talk nonsense everywhere?" The team can rest assured that my mouth is all with copper locks! ”

"That's good."

Zuo Shaoyang looked like he was crying, and said to Fan Hei with a black face: "This grain requisition order is limited to one person and one bucket of rice, which is too little, it is enough for half a month." What should I do when I finish eating? ”

Fan said in a deep voice: "I can only hope to defeat the rebels in half a month." Otherwise ......, alas. ”

"Do you think it's possible?"

Fan Hei glanced at him with a slanted face, and said slowly: "Little brother, we are not outsiders anymore, to tell you the truth, - it really can't!" ”

Zuo Shaoyang had already expected it, but he still looked disappointed and panicked.

Fan said with a black face: "Do you know why I bought food from you in private?" ”

Zuo Shaoyang smiled awkwardly: "The team can trust me." ”

"That's right!" Fan Hei patted Zuo Shaoyang's shoulder, "You are a very good person, you have excellent medical skills, and you have helped me heal many of my brothers' injuries." Moreover, you are kind-hearted and helpful, that day the enemy army attacked the city, the city was full of pharmacies, only you took two female dolls to the city tower to rescue the wounded soldiers, this matter I have already reported to the newspaper, our regiment is also very moved when it hears it, saying that such deeds must be well publicized, to commend you well, and your matter has been reported. It's just that this time is too busy, so it's delayed. ”

Zuo Shaoyang said with a smile: "This is what we should do, aren't you here to protect the people of the city." ”

That's a good thing to say! Hehe, so I'm on the right track as soon as I see you! If you don't have any food left, that's fine, if you really have some leftovers, sell them to me, and I'm also for my brothers in the team. It is good for you to sell me your surplus grain, and I can testify for you that your surplus has been sold to me when the soldiers search the house in the future. They won't search. I can buy it from you at the price I paid when I entered the city, and a bucket of rice will be the same price! How much you want, money and goods are on the spot, I can swear that I will never wronged you! If you sell me more rice and noodles, then in the future you will run out of grain, and I still have a surplus, and I can sell a little grain back to you at the price we bought it, and the price will be the same. This is tantamount to you keeping your food with me. What do you think? Pretty cost-effective, right? ”

Zuo Shaoyang thought to himself, a bucket of rice is now sold for fifteen yuan, you have always bought a bucket with me, and said that it was cost-effective, and I don't know if it was calculated with your toes. Besides, if you are a small team, even if you testify, can the search team easily believe you? I have a surplus, how much will I sell it to you? Less will not satisfy your appetite, more will cause suspicion.

Originally, our pharmacy was poor like this, and the search team still believed that there was no surplus food, but when you testified like this, they thought that there was something wrong, and when they inquired, they knew that their pharmacy had a lot of debts, and the price of food was so high, how could there be extra food at home? Is it not here that there are three hundred taels of silver? On the contrary, I suspect that there is food hidden in my pharmacy, so if I dig three feet into the ground and search, it will be all over. Anyway, now it's a tightrope walk, either go over or fall to your death, and if you want to rely on this small team to take refuge, you can only draw more and more black, and it will be self-defeating.

Zuo Shaoyang quickly figured out this question in his head, the painful expression on his face became even thicker, and he arched his hand: "Team Zheng, your idea is really good, very considerate and fair, it's a pity, I can't cry out with tears, one person can keep a bucket of grain, but my family of three, all the surplus grain is a little bit in the rice tank, adding up to two buckets at most, even your own rations are not enough, where is there any surplus grain to sell to you." Alas...... I only hope that you can defeat the rebels as soon as possible, or else my whole family will starve to death!" ”

(To be continued)