"Mother, the meal is almost ready. Today I exchanged two horses of silk for a basket of rice, and today I can eat rice. Chen's voice was very brisk, and there was a kind of joy that could not be suppressed. Zhang Ren has not been paid for more than half a year, the life of the Zhang family is very hard, often wild vegetables are hungry, mother-in-law's health is not good, but the Chen family can't cook good meals to serve, often secretly crying. Today, the Jinguan Bureau received Shu brocade, and Chen waited in a long queue to sell the two silks he had woven, and at the same time bought a piece of rice in the rice shop and came back.

Zhang Ren's two children, who were only about seven or eight years old, gathered around the pot early on, smelling the tempting aroma of rice, and cheering: "There is rice to eat!" There is rice to eat! ”

"Two little gluttonous cats! Go and help your grandmother out to eat! Chen scolded with a smile. The two children squeaked and ran to the back room, and Chen smiled and put the rice in the pot into a bowl.

At this time, she seemed to feel that there seemed to be a shadow behind her, and as soon as she turned around, she froze instantly, like a ghost, and the bowl in her hand fell to the ground. After the battle of Deyang, there was news back to Chengdu, saying that Zhang Ren and Liu Bi both died in Deyang, at that time the Zhang family's sky seemed to have collapsed, the whole family washed their faces with tears all day long, Chengdu fell, the big officials and officials in Shu surrendered, and the Chen family did not see her husband return, thinking that her husband was really killed in battle. Now Zhang Ren is standing behind her alive, how not to make her stunned.

"Husband, is it really you?" Chen was in a dream, with tears streaming down his face.

Seeing his wife who was like each other, Zhang Ren's heart ached faintly, and he tried hard not to let his tears fall. "It's me! I am back! ”

"It's good to come back—it's good to come back—I'll serve you rice—" Chen was a little overwhelmed with excitement, and wanted to turn around to serve the rice, only then did she realize that the bowl had fallen to the ground and shattered along with the rice, and she hurriedly squatted down. I want to pick it up.

Zhang Ren grabbed her hand tightly and didn't let her squat down, after years of hard work, Chen's hands were extremely rough, and there was still an old man in his palm. Zhang Ren remembered how white and jade these slender hands were when he got married ten years ago. Although Chen is not a famous nobleman, he is also a small family jasper, and her father is also a middle-level official in Chengdu, which can be regarded as a well-off family, but Chen married him, but he didn't seem to have even a good life. Zhang Ren felt infinite guilt and sourness in his heart, and said in a choked voice: "Lady, I have suffered you all these years. ”

The movement in the outhouse seemed to alarm Zhang's mother in the inner room. With the support of her two grandchildren, she stumbled out with a cane, and said as she walked: "Ren'er is back?" Where's Ren'er? ”

Zhang Ren couldn't hold back his emotions anymore, rushed to his mother's side, knelt on the ground, burst into tears, and said silently: "Mother, children are not filial." Children are not filial......"

Mother Zhang stroked Zhang Ren's face with trembling hands, and said with a smile: "It's good to come back!" It's good to be back! ”

Zhang Ren raised his head. Just as he was about to say something more, he suddenly noticed his mother's strange appearance, his eyes were hollow and white, and he didn't seem to see anything, he cried out in a lost voice: "Mother, your eyes are ......" Although my mother's eyes are not very good. But when Zhang Ren left, she could still see things

Chen couldn't stop crying behind him: "My mother heard that you died on the battlefield, and she washed her face with tears all day long, cried day and night, and blinded her eyes. ”

Zhang Ren was filled with grief and indignation, and tears came out of his eyes. In a trembling voice, he said: "Mother, the child is sorry for you, the child should die!" Children are not filial! ”

Mother Zhang showed a kind smile and said with relief: "My silly boy, you came back alive, which is the greatest relief for my mother." ”

Chen had already put the food on the table and said, "Mother, husband, let's eat first, and then talk after eating if you have something to say." ”

Zhang Ren hugged his mother and sat down at the small table, although Zhang's mother was blind, she seemed to be used to it, a bowl of white rice, a plate of green vegetables, but also ate very comfortably, maybe it was because she had not eaten rice for many days, or maybe it was because of her son's return, Zhang's mother had a good appetite today.

Zhang Ren is unpleasant, such a vulgar meal is sweet to his mother and wife, and his heart is cold.

"Husband comes back this time, can you stay for a few days or are you going to leave soon?" Chen asked in a low voice, the first few times Zhang Ren went home almost in a hurry, and left again before the night had passed.

Zhang Ren said: "When I come back this time, I won't leave." ”

Chen looked at Zhang Ren blankly, the previous Zhang Ren, who was not only engaged in the official affairs of the government office, but also the general who led the troops, was so busy all day long that he was dizzy, this time he actually said that he couldn't leave, what was the situation.

Zhang Ren briefly said about the current situation, he was lucky not to die on the battlefield, he was captured in defeat, but he refused to surrender, refused to serve Liu Ze, and now he is a commoner, no official and light, he can stay at home to serve his mother in the future, plant a few acres of land, and no longer have to let the people in his family starve.

Hearing this, Zhang's mother's face became gloomy, and she snorted heavily.

"Mother, isn't it good for the child to stay at home and serve you?" Zhang Ren was puzzled.

Zhang's mother said: "Ren'er, the Zhang family was also a prominent family in Shuzhong, your grandfather was a health guard, and your father also raised filial piety, but your father died early, and the family was in the middle." What is it for my mother to raise you with hard work and provide you with education? Don't you just hope that you can get ahead, shine on the lintel, and revive your family's reputation? But you are homesick and go home to farm, and you have read so many years of books in vain! ”

Since childhood, Zhang's mother has been very strict with Zhang Ren, although the Zhang family is poor, but Zhang's mother has never been stingy in the education of Zhang Ren, going to the best private school in Chengdu, inviting the best teacher in Shu County, in Zhang's mother's heart, has been hoping that her son can leap into the dragon gate and glorify his ancestors.

Zhang Ren smiled bitterly and waited to pay homage to the prime minister, I am afraid that it is a dream that any scholar has in his heart, but for Zhang Ren, the fall of Yizhou has already extinguished all his hopes. "Mother, you have taught children to be faith-based since childhood, Liu Yizhou has the grace of knowing me, even if it is death, I can't turn my back on the Lord and vote for it."

Zhang's mother said: "Ren'er, I'm blind for my mother, but I'm not blind in my heart." Liu Yizhou has led Shuzhong for 20 years, what has he brought to the people of Shuzhong? Hunger is everywhere, people compete for cannibalism! In your mind, King Jing is the enemy, but in the hearts of the people in Chengdu, King Jing is their great benefactor, saving the people and benefiting the people, he is worthy of being a real benevolent monarch. Son, you are first a citizen of the Han Dynasty, but then someone is a courtier, my mother has taught you loyalty, filial piety and righteousness since childhood, not that you are desperate to work for a certain person, you can do a little for the people of the world, and you can contribute a little to the country, so that your mother did not give birth to you in vain. ”

Zhang Ren was silent, and in an instant, he seemed to understand a lot......

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In addition to carrying out a large-scale reorganization of the surrendered Sichuan army and selecting the best and eliminating the inferior, the Jing Army also set up two new conscription points in the east and west of the city. Because the salary of the Jing army is much higher than that of the previous Sichuan army, it has attracted a large number of young people to join the army, of course, the recruitment of the Jing army is not accepted by everyone, and the conditions for selection are still quite harsh.

Song Zhang's task was to assess the recruit's ability to see if he was qualified to enter the ranks of the Jing Army. At the end of the day, Song Zhang recruited not many recruits, probably only about one-tenth of the number of applicants, such a high elimination rate made many young people who were interested in joining the army were blocked out of the barracks, sighing and complaining.

However, Song Zhang did not pay attention to these complaints, and it has always been the principle of recruiting soldiers in the Jing Army rather than indiscriminate. He rubbed his numb wrist, looked at the few people in the back row, and then urged, ready to end the day's work.

"What's your name?" Song Zhang didn't raise his head.

"Zhang Zhong." (To be continued......)