Li Xu's troubles only lasted one night. The next day, Qin Shubao, Luo Shixin and others, who came to congratulate them, discovered the "secret" of only one person in Li Langjiang's family.

"This Lord Pei is really, since the house has been gifted, why be stingy with a few subordinates!" Luo Shixin complained quietly while waiting for Li Xu to hurriedly prepare tea. In those days, the status of domestic slaves was not much higher than that of cattle, and it was common for friends and colleagues to give away a few slaves. After complaining about other people's stinginess, Luo Shixin naturally had to be relatively generous, "I just have a few skilled hands at home, Li Lang will let the housekeeper bring them over in the afternoon if he doesn't dislike it!" ”

"Presumably, because General Li is His Majesty's confidant and favorite general, Master Pei is afraid that his family will be clumsy, even if he sends it over, it may not be easy to use!" Qin Shubao smiled and shook his head, stopping Luo Shixin's reckless behavior. In his opinion, the reason why Lord Taishou only sent an empty house and not a house slave was probably not because of negligence.

Li Lang will be sent to the place by the imperial court, and no one can guarantee whether this person has other tasks other than assisting Zhang Juncheng in suppressing bandits. And if the local authorities want to spy on him, the most convenient way is to install their own cronies among his servants or retinues. Anyway, he came alone, and there was a shortage of people at home.

The old lady guarded Pei Caozhi and didn't dare to cause misunderstanding, so in order to avoid suspicion, he had to pretend to be confused once.

Luo Shixin is only eighteen years old, and he has always regarded Qin Shubao as his brother, and he has always looked at the other party's horse head when he does things. Hearing what Qin Shubao said, he immediately understood that he was doing a favor with good intentions, smiled awkwardly, and changed his words: "That's right, those people in my family who are clumsy may not be able to meet General Li's wishes." But such a big house is a little empty when you live alone. I heard that there are families on the side of Mixiang who have raised their daughters to make stoves since they were young, and they have made good soup, just to be able to climb the high branches of large families. Anyway, we're okay today, so you might as well accompany General Li out to find one. If the posture is passable, you can also cover the bed and warm a quilt or something! ”

"You evil ghost, General Li came from His Majesty's side, how can you look down on the stupid woman with rough hands and feet in our small place. That is, you Luo Shixin, who comes, will not refuse! Qin Shubao heard Luo Shixin's dirty words, raised his foot and made a posture of wanting to kick, and scolded with a smile.

"It's because I have no one in my heart, of course I'm looking around. If someone like Brother Uncle Bao is hurt, who will mess with flowers everywhere! Luo Shixin turned sideways to avoid Qin Shubao's big feet, and sneered at each other.

"You can't wait to hook the fairy in the sky home, of course there is no way that anyone can agree!" In the blink of an eye, Dugulin also joined the "battlefield".

"yes, my eyes are above the top. The old lady was so angry that she sent someone from the capital to ask when she would go home to get married! ”

A few people talked about it, and a more sensitive topic was lightly bypassed. After a few casual words, he began to help Li Xu Zhang Luo with housework.

"Isn't Li Lang married yet?" Qin Shubao walked up to Li Xu, who was squatting by the charcoal basin to make tea and entertain guests, and asked.

"No, Brother Shubao, just call me Zhong Jian!" Li Xu filled half a spoonful of salt into the copper kettle, which was already faintly sounding, and then replied in a low voice. The copper kettle, magnetic bottle, tea cake and silver spoon at hand were all bought by him when he got up early in the morning, and they came in handy at this moment.

The pot is not boiling water, but a kind of life. In the ice and snow outside the plug, there is a copper kettle boiling by the stove, just like suddenly discovering a dark orchid in the craggy rocks, leaving people with an impression that is definitely not just amazing. In the reminiscences of Su Sibu back then, in addition to the part about Tao Kuo's detachment, what Xuzi remembers most clearly is Aunt Qing's every move when she made tea. Elegant, natural, and generous, that represents a person's identity, a tradition, a custom, or a ...... Asahiko herself can't say clearly. But he knew that since he saw Aunt Qing's kung fu of making tea, he had a deep understanding of the difference between the Central Plains and the Cypriots. He was so obsessed with this feeling that he couldn't hate the cunning and cold Aunt Qing at all. Although, Aunt Qing is one of the culprits who separated him from Tao Kuotuo.

"Zhong Jian is actually good at this!" Qin Shubao was obviously a knowledgeable person, and when he saw Li Xu's meticulous movements, he exclaimed.

"I learned it by chance, and it looks interesting, so I also draw a scoop according to the gourd, which can not only quench my thirst, but also relieve boredom when I am alone." The sound of water in the pot was slightly louder, and Li Xu opened the lid of the pot and used another silver spoon to skim off the fine foam on the water surface. Then, cover the copper kettle again.

"I can't imagine that Li Lang, who is spitting blood with a knife, is still an elegant person." Dugu Lin also came over and commented with a smile. "In this way, ordinary women, they really can't enter the eyes of Brother Zhongjian!"

"No, I've been in Liaodong since I was fifteen years old, and I rarely go home, so ......." Li Xu smiled, blushing a little. He wasn't used to being asked about family matters.

"It turned out that Xuehuo was sick, no wonder there is no one who has a warm quilt so far!" Luo Shixin also stepped forward and squatted beside Li Xu to watch the excitement. At this time, the boiling sound of water in the pot is like falling beads. Li Xu recalled the scene in his memory, lifted the lid of the pot again, scooped out two large spoons of boiling water with a large copper spoon, and poured them into the magnetic bowl prepared in advance. Immediately, a bamboo tong was gently stirred in the water, and while stirring, a silver spoon was used to scoop some tea powder as fine as broken rice from another azure porcelain bottle, and slowly put it into the boiling water.

The drunken meaning flowed all over the house, and Qin Shubao and Dugu Lin both closed their mouths, lest they disturb the artistic conception. Luo Shixin didn't realize the taste at all, his eyes widened, and asked, "Isn't it just to drink a bowl of water, and you have to do such trouble." When you boil, the thirsty will die of thirst. ”

"Shixin, the host personally cooks tea to entertain guests, this is a courtesy. If you mess around again, beware of being beaten out! Qin Shubao turned his head and glared at Luo Shixin, and scolded in a low voice.

"Trouble, I'd rather drink cold water!" Luo Shixin muttered unwillingly.

"Okay, there is no wine at home, a few people come, I have to treat guests like this." Li Xu was amused by Luo Shixin's naughty childlike appearance, shook his head, and explained in a low voice. After a while, when the taste of tea was sufficient, he invited everyone to sit down, got up and took the white porcelain tea cup, carried the pot, and poured half a cup in front of everyone.

The host raised a lamp to invite, and the guest smiled and returned the salute. If there is still a person in the room who does not know the identities of the four people, it will definitely not be possible to associate them with the image of the tiger general on the battlefield at this time. Half a cup of tea was put into the throat, and the relationship between the four people immediately became closer. Dugu Lin put down the teacup, lingered for a moment, and then asked with a smile: "Brother Zhong Jian went to the post this time, didn't he bring any servants with him?" ”

It is no wonder that Dugu Lin has this question, and going thousands of miles to take office alone is indeed not in line with the conventions of the Great Sui officialdom. Xuzi had his own difficulties, but it was not easy to tell a few colleagues who had just known him for a short time, so he groaned for a while and explained with a smile: "Hey! It's also a coincidence. I was wounded in the autumn fighting near Luoyang, so I left the army and went home to recuperate. After the injury was healed, it happened that His Majesty's car passed by my door, so I returned south with the imperial court. I was going to return to the Xiongwu Battalion to take office, but I didn't find a new entourage. Who knew that halfway through the road, the imperial court suddenly ordered me to come to Qi County to serve my life, so I had to hurry here. ”

"It's also Your Majesty's firm belief in Zhong, so I won't give you a chance to take a break from your busy schedule!" Qin Shubao interjected with a smile. He had heard a little bit about Li Xu's rumors. But after a few days of contact, I found that the facts and rumors did not match at all. Far from being arrogant and rude as rumored to be, this man is a man of real talent and learning. Pushing it over on the contrary, it is clear who is right and wrong in the dispute between Li Lang and others.

Qin Shubao has been among the county soldiers for more than 20 years, and his life experience is far from being comparable to the few and a half children in front of him. After thinking about it carefully, he already understood that the emperor's arrangement to order Li Xu to come to Qi County to assist Zhang Juncheng was probably to let him take the opportunity to make some military exploits and block the mouths of some people. It is predictable that this person will soon be promoted to a higher position. In this way, it is not surprising that Pei Caozhi is so polite to him, and he gives credit and a house. Thinking of this, Qin Shubao put down the teacup and suggested in a low voice: "It stands to reason that we should not interfere in Zhong Jian's private affairs." But he is not familiar with the place, and he is really too busy to do all the chores alone. It's better to go home before everyone disbands, and tomorrow I will take you to the barracks to pick a few pro-soldiers. In the name of your General Li, standing in front of the team and shouting, there must be many people who are eager to serve in front of the horse. As for the servants in the house......."

"That's not easy, anyway, everyone is idle today, so it's better to go to the market together. Spring is coming soon, and my family has to buy a few more laborers. I just don't know if there are any leftovers over there in the military market, Lao Xu, that guy has always acted fast! Luo Shixin finally found an opportunity to interject, and without waiting for Qin Shubao to finish speaking, he immediately jumped up and shouted.

"It's fine. But I don't know what Zhong Jianyi will do? Qin Shubao nodded and turned his gaze to Xuzi again.

"I would like to listen to Brother Uncle Bao's arrangement!" Li Xu nodded and replied with a smile.

"Then why don't you go now, buy a few boys, hire a cook, and hire a butler. The money, Brother Zhongjian doesn't have to come out, wrap it up on a few of us, even if it is a congratulatory gift for you to move into your new home. Luo Shixin was the most enthusiastic, and when he saw Li Xu agreeing, he immediately suggested loudly.

Xuzi now has a small amount of savings on hand, so he naturally refuses to ask his colleagues to pay for him to buy slaves. Qin Shubao and the others did not agree, and they had to send this congratulatory gift no matter what. The four of them were polite, and at the same time, they rode their horses and talked about it, but they didn't realize that they had come to the downtown area.

Due to the smoke in the surrounding counties, many people who were originally well-to-do had to flee for refuge. As the only paradise in the vicinity, the streets of Licheng naturally exude a kind of morbid prosperity. Xu Zi clearly saw that on the whiteboard in front of a rice shop, the sky-high price of 25 wen and one bucket was written with charcoal blocks, and there was an endless stream of people buying rice. (Note 1)

Think about it before you get out of the jam, the price of rice is clearly the price of six wen and one bucket. Xuzi is not only secretly speechless. If you look closely, firewood, rice, oil, salt, pots and pans, as long as they are related to life, the price is more than four times that of your memory.

The only one in the entire market who is cheap is people, Qin Shubao found a familiar tooth shop, and just said that he wanted to hire a housekeeper, and there were already countless pairs of eyes looking around.

Although the Qin family and the Luo family are not nobles, they are also large families in the local area. The shopkeeper of the tooth shop did not dare to slack off, so he first ordered a few military masters to sit down in the inner hall, and invited the little servant to bring tea, and then bowed over and asked: "Qin Ye is looking for a housekeeper, why don't you look for a domestic helper, but go outside to hire a face?" ”

The butler is the master's confidant, and ordinary people rarely hire servants at this level. Even if an official takes up a post in a different place, he brings it from his hometown or asks a friend to recommend it, and he easily does not invite a face. If it weren't for Li Xu's special identity, Qin Shubao could also introduce him to a local who knew his roots. But even Lord Taishou avoided suspicion, and of course the old and sophisticated Qin Shubao did not dare to overstep his bounds.

The truth is this, but the words are about to be rounded, Qin Shubao smiled and replied in a low voice: "This friend of mine, Li Lang, a famous person in the imperial court, will be on a business trip in Licheng in the future, and he needs the help of an old man for the time being. How can the rough ruffians of ordinary people be sent to him to show their eyes! ”

"It turned out to be Li Ye, who rode through the enemy's big array that day, and the little old man was clumsy and clumsy. can be a housekeeper for the Zhongyong Uncle's Mansion, and his chest can be raised by three points when he walks in front of people. If Xiao Lao'er didn't use it, he would have to close this pit man's shop and send himself to the door by himself! "The shopkeeper of the tooth store is a personal essence, and when he learned that today's customer was Li Xu, sycophants rolled out.

"Don't sell your mouth yet, go find someone quickly. To be literate and hyphenation, to be able to write and calculate, to be guaranteed by a Chinese, and to look neat, don't take crooked melons and bad dates to make up the numbers. If your Li Ye is not using it well, don't blame Luo Ye, I will come and dismantle your shop! Luo Shixin thought he was rapping, and knocked his fingers heavily on the table, and drank the order.

"Little Lao'er knows, little Lao'er knows!" The shopkeeper agreed, ran to the outer hall, and looked for qualified people in a group of people looking for things to do.

Bandits were rampant in nearby states and counties, causing many people from well-to-do families to leave their hometowns to escape the war in Licheng. Prices in the city were high, and these people had to put down their lives and do everything they could to earn a living. Although the status of the housekeeper is already equivalent to that of a slave, after all, it is higher than the status of an ordinary slave, so it only took a small half a cup of tea time, and the shopkeeper has already walked in with four middle-aged men in their thirties, wearing long robes, and looking thoughtful.

"These are all people from Lu County near us, they have all read and can settle accounts. There are also relatives in the city who can prove that their family is innocent, and their hands and feet are clean! The shopkeeper of the tooth store lined up the four people and introduced them to Li Xu one by one.

The four of them are from the hometown of Confucius, and although they are down, their demeanor still smells of books. The first person on the left is surnamed Zhao, who turned out to be the bookkeeper of a jewelry store in Bocheng. In the spring of this year, the thieves entered the city, and the goods of the master's family were swept away by thieves, and the whole family committed suicide by jumping into the river. He lost his job and had to come to Licheng to seek refuge with relatives and friends.

The second person from the left is surnamed Zhang, a foot trader, and his goods were robbed by bandits halfway, so he had to live in a foreign country.

The first three people from the left are surnamed Zhou, who is an honest man who cultivates and reads heirlooms, and there are some farm houses at home, but unfortunately the field houses are too close to the bandits' dens, and the food they get every year is not enough to pay the bandits "money to buy peace", so they have to go out to escape.

The last person's surname is Kong, but he is an out-and-out descendant of a saint. Seeing that he was only twenty-seven or eighteen years old, he probably felt that he was ashamed of his ancestors by selling himself as a slave, and his head was kept low after entering the door, and his eyes did not dare to look at people at all.

How to pick people, Li Xu is not good at all. After listening to the shopkeeper's introduction to the backgrounds of the four applicants, he thought about it repeatedly for a long time, and then walked up to the scholar surnamed Kong and asked, "This brother is less than thirty years old, right?" Who else in the family doesn't? ”

"No, don't dare. Villain, villain is twenty-seven and seven this year! Family, all, all dead? There is a distant cousin, who is here to help people sell boots in Licheng. The disciple surnamed Kong stammered in reply.

"This person can't be used!" Without waiting for Li Xu to make a decision, Luo Shixin had already stood up and suggested loudly.

Hearing this, everyone was taken aback. The disciple surnamed Kong was so annoyed that he was so angry that he couldn't wait to find a crack in the ground to get into. Without waiting for everyone to ask the reason, Luo Shixin took a few steps forward, pointed to the nose of the disciple surnamed Kong and scolded: "***, only twenty-seven years old, with hands and feet, and no family to support, why not go to the army to gain fame?" Stooping down to be a housekeeper is not in vain for this surname? ”

"No, you can't martial arts? Strength, strength is also small! The disciple surnamed Kong blushed so much that he almost dripped blood, and muttered to defend himself.

"Don't know martial arts, can't you learn? If you don't have the strength, you have enough to eat, and you will definitely have the strength to run against the sandbag every day for three months. This kind of person is spineless and can find a good excuse for everything. looks submissive, but his heart is worse than anyone else! asked him to be a housekeeper, but I don't know when he was sold. Luo Shixin pointed at the children surnamed Kong and counted loudly.

In fact, the other party may not be as unbearable as he said, but in the eyes of Luo Shixin, a young hero who joined the army and killed thieves at the age of fourteen, of course, it is not pleasing to the eye in any part of the other party's body. Qin Shubao saw that the disciple surnamed Kong was so counted that he was about to cry, so he couldn't bear it, so he hurriedly stepped forward and pushed Luo Shixin away, and counted in a low voice: "You still expect everyone to be like you, you were born to be bold!" Raising his hand and patting the young scholar's shoulder, he added: "Although what Captain Luo said is rough, it is also true. If you are open-minded, there is a shortage of people in our army to record the exploits of the brothers. No salary, but at least not starvation! ”

"Thank you, thank you Qin Ye. But the ancestral training of the family, no, no, no" The scholar took half a step back, held back a good way, and then held back the second half of the sentence in an extremely small voice: "No, you can't be with martial artists, martial artists!" ”

He said this half sentence extremely awkwardly, even if Luo Shixin had no scheming, he knew that the original meaning should be pickled words such as "don't be with soldiers". was so angry that he scolded, and stepped forward to give the old fist. Qin Shubao's hand was quick, and he hurriedly stopped his waist and hugged him, and persuaded in a low voice: "I will immediately take my own fame and glory in the township, why bother with this uninformed vain person!" ”

The Great Sui Dynasty has always valued military exploits, and the status of warriors has always been no worse than that of literati. Although the imperial court has taken many actions in recent years to suppress martial arts and rejuvenate literature, it is still the dream of many young people to 'seek fame immediately'. Carefully calculated, Qin Shubao, Luo Shixin, and Li Xu all belong to this list, even if it is Dugulin, although he is a child of a family, he can also be regarded as a descendant of the Jiangmen and a member of the martial arts. The scholar surnamed Kong didn't know whether he was stupid in reading, or he was begging for a beating, and he didn't dare to say it too clearly before, but at this moment, he listened to Luo Shixin's scolding, and actually shrunk his neck, and muttered very disdainfully: "The gentleman doesn't use his mouth, I have been reading for so many years, of course I can't bend down and lift the knife again!" ”

"Without us with knives, you would have robbed the bandits to make rabbits!" Luo Shixin was so angry that his eyes were on fire, and he couldn't wait to pull out the knife from his waist and split the nest in front of him in half with one knife.

"A few masters, the little old man is gone. Brought a madman in, you have a lot of adults, don't be like him, don't be like him! Seeing this, the shopkeeper knew that he was gone today. While stepping forward to apologize, he grabbed the neck of the surnamed Kong and kicked him out of the door.

"Crazy, who's crazy? You're crazy! The reader was still unwilling, muttering in the outer hall.

"Sage Six Arts, there are only books left in this person's hands, and they are all read into his intestines!" Dugu Lin was so angry that he shook his head again and again and complained.

"This kind of person is born cheap. Don't bother him! "The shopkeeper entered the door, and while he was making a gesture, he begged for mercy." Governor Qin, Governor Luo, General Li, and Governor Dugu, don't go to your heart. Today's Chinese fee, Xiao Lao'er doesn't dare to ask for it. In the future, if General Li has anyone else to hire, come to Xiao Lao'er, and the Chinese will be half price! ”

"No, it's not your fault. He's stupid to read! Li Xu waved his hand generously and comforted. After such a stirring with the surname Kong, he also felt that his heart was blocked. Therefore, he casually pointed to the farmer surnamed Zhou, and prepared to hire this person. Unexpectedly, the peasant surnamed Zhou no longer wanted to be a housekeeper, arched his hand to everyone, and asked: "A few military masters just said that they need to keep accounts in the county soldiers, I don't know if the villain's body bones can be used." I am also a person who feeds the whole family and is not hungry, if the military master is willing to take it in, I am willing to serve the saddle before and after the horse! ”

"You man, you said you would be a housekeeper, why did you join the army?" The shopkeeper of the tooth shop secretly hated himself for the short incense in front of Marshal Zhao Gong last month, rushed forward, and asked loudly.

"Didn't the military master say that he would take fame right away!" The farmer surnamed Zhou replied confidently.

Li Xu is now short of personal soldiers, and seeing that this person's demeanor is crisp and neat, he also has the intention of soliciting in his heart. looked at Qin Shubao and asked in a low voice, "Brother Shubao, can I accept this person as a personal soldier?" ”

"Zhong Jian takes a fancy to him, it's his creation, what's not to do!" Qin Shubao replied with a smile.

The man surnamed Zhou was very clever, and when he heard the two military masters Qin and Li speak like this, he immediately stepped forward and bowed down, "Villain Zhou Xing, see General Li and Governor Qin!" ”

"That's it, you go and settle down first, and report to the barracks early tomorrow morning!" Qin Shubao waved his hand and ordered.

Originally, he hired a housekeeper, but he didn't expect the housekeeper to see it, so the soldiers recruited one first. All four of them found it amusing, laughed and gossiped a few words, and re-examined the remaining two applicants. The businessman surnamed Zhang has more suitable qualifications, but when Li Xu saw the other party's appearance, he remembered his cousin Zhang Xiu. So he rewarded the other party with a few copper coins and sent them away

As a result, Mr. Qian, surnamed Zhao, became the only candidate. Li Xu looked at the other party again and asked politely: "How much do you need to pay every month as a housekeeper?" ”

"If the soldiers are in chaos, how dare you ask for wages. If you can take care of enough food and give two buckets of rice a month to support your family, you will be grateful? The middle-aged man surnamed Zhao saw that he had hope of being hired, and couldn't wait to answer.

"Is there anyone else in the house?" Qin Shubao heard the other party mention his family and asked.

"There is also a mother-in-law, a daughter-in-law. Originally, there was a kid who ran away when he fled, and now he doesn't know whether he is dead or alive! The middle-aged man surnamed Zhao rubbed his eyes and replied in a low voice. Probably because he felt bitter in his heart, his back bent down unconsciously, and he was like an old tree without fruit.

Xuzi suddenly remembered the appearance of his father before he joined the army, and he was moved by compassion, sighed, and said, "Take it to my house together." I'll give you a hundred dollars a month, and the three of you will be in charge of food and housing! ”

"Medium, medium, thank you, sir. The little lady is dexterous, can cook, and can do some washing and washing work. As soon as the middle-aged man surnamed Zhao heard Li Xu's words, he quickly knelt down and kowtowed to the new master. Xuzi didn't dare to accept his salute, so he turned sideways to avoid it, and gave him a long bow to return it. This kind of behavior of indistinguishing between dignity and inferiority immediately frightened the middle-aged man surnamed Zhao, lying on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly, "Kill me, kill me." Master, you can't be like this, surnamed Zhao, no, the villain can't afford it! ”

His behavior as a master and servant was strange, which caused everyone to laugh. Immediately, the shopkeeper took the pen and asked the housekeeper to sign the contract. Then, the name of the guarantor was neatly written in the corner of the contract. Li Xu put the contract away, then took the money and thanked the shopkeeper of the tooth room. But the shopkeeper thinks that it is not good to do things, and refuses to accept anything.

Xu Zi saw that the shopkeeper of the tooth room was honest, so he simply handed over the matter of hiring a cook and a gardener to him. The shopkeeper was overjoyed, and ran out with a continuous thanks.

Li (Zhao) immediately took office and followed Li Xu, the new master, to work before and after. He worked as a bookkeeper in a jewelry store, and his eyesight for reading people was naturally extraordinary. After a while, he had already selected the person for Li Xu, led it forward, and waited for the head of the family to make a final decision. Li Xu has always been casual, and seeing that the housekeeper was useful, he accepted his suggestion with a smile.

The butler, the cook, and the gardener are not complete slaves, so they should be introduced through the tooth shop. The remaining servants and handymen were completely sold to the Li family, which did not belong to the business scope of the tooth shop, and had to be selected in the shantytowns outside the city. Li Xu ordered the housekeeper, the cook, and the gardener to go home to clean up, and came to the Li Mansion to report for duty the next afternoon. Then he led the horse and prepared to go out of the city to pick up the small house.

"Let the villain follow you, the villain has nothing to arrange. The lord is as kind to the villain as a mountain, and the villain does not dare to be lazy. The housekeeper asked while pulling the reins for Li Xu.

"It's okay, you follow the horse slowly!" Li Xu was worried that he had no experience in this area, so he nodded in agreement.

Not far from the east gate, there is the shack area of Licheng. Compared with the shack area that Xuzi has seen along the way, the shack area here is larger, and the "people's market" inside is also more lively. Many people fled and could not afford to rent an inn in the city, so they had to live outside the city and build a nest. After they spent all their savings, they couldn't find a suitable livelihood to do, so they had to plant grass and sell it for themselves, and become slaves and maids for the local wealthy families.

Qin, Luo, and Dugu are all children of big families, and they are not used to seeing the prospects. If the housekeeper can't find an employer within two months, he will inevitably end up here, so he has no sympathy. Only Xuzi, looking at the sorrow of the world in front of him, thinking about what he saw along the way when he came to the south, his heart was a little trance.

"Is Your Majesty a Ming Jun?" Li Xu asked himself in his heart as he walked. He didn't dare to delve into this question, but every time he saw the ragged crowd around him, he would feel inexplicably sad in his heart. Eight out of ten of those people were from similar backgrounds, and it was because the court did not know how to be sympathetic, which caused them to lose their homes and their dignity as human beings. If he hadn't been out of the city at the beginning, without Liu Hongji's introduction and Li Yuan's support, Xuzi would have known that he and his father and uncle would inevitably be one of them outside the city. Like the goods on the "human market", the head is full of grass labels, and the face is full of vegetables.

"But Your Majesty treats me well, and the court treats me well!" The same answer appeared in his mind again. Immediately gaining fame was his wish when he was young. Now, that wish has been largely achieved. It was the Great Sui, and it was His Majesty's eastward expedition to Goryeo that gave him this opportunity. Drinking the water from the well, he really couldn't turn his head and scold the man who ordered the digging of the well. Even not far from the mouth of the well, there are piles of bones of the diggers.

Several people walked slowly, picking their slaves like turnips. After the small half-column time, eight young men who looked neat and neat were led by the housekeeper to Li Xu. This is a big deal, and the traffickers sincerely curry favor with Qin Shubao, so they calculated a seven-fold discount for Xuzi, and the original value of 1,600 Wen was handed over 1,100 Wen. Looking at the stack of deeds of sale, Xu Zi was even more flustered, took out the money and paid the bill, and took out a bunch of money and stuffed it into the housekeeper's hand: "You take them back to the house first, buy them some food on the way, and then sell their clothes!" ”

"You lucky boys, this time you meet a nobleman, don't you kowtow to the master!" The traffickers shouted as they untied the leather cords around the necks of the "goods".

A few of the bought servants immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Li Xu, praising kindness in their mouths. Xu Zi saw that he was panicked, and hurriedly ordered the housekeeper to hurry up and take them back to the house.

"You have good eyesight as a housekeeper, and these half-sized children have been raised to be the most loyal." Seeing the housekeeper walk away, Qin Shubao patted Xuzi on the shoulder and commented.

"I don't really understand, it turns out that there is only one old housekeeper and a domestic helper in my family!" Li Xu shook his head and replied unintentionally.

"My family didn't have any subordinates, but later joined the army, and won to the current position with a knife and a gun, and gradually had a field and a house!" Qin Shubao thought that Xu Zi was sentimental, and smiled and comforted. Although he is in his forties this year, compared to his peers in his hometown who have not yet mixed up with an official and a half-position, the position of the fourth rank governor is already enviable. And in the past two years, the battle has become more and more fought, and the bigger and more convenient it is, it is foreseeable that in the near future, his position will rise by one level.

"What about Shishin and Shigeki?" Li Xu suddenly found that there were two companions missing from his side, and asked in surprise.

"Went to the military market. It's all strong labor. It's not like here, where it's mostly half-sized! ”

"Military market?" Li Xu paused for a moment and asked. He vaguely remembered that while drinking tea in his home, Luo Shixin mentioned a sentence about the military market. also complained that a person surnamed Xu acted fast and shipped too quickly. Xuzi, who didn't know anything about the operation mode of the county soldiers, took it for granted that the military city was a market for dealing with the seized stolen goods, but he didn't expect that this market was also opened in the shack area.

"Let's go and take a look, I've been busy these days, and I haven't bothered to tell you about the rules of operation of the county soldiers. There is a decree in the Holy Order, and we can deal with the things that the thieves can deal with by ourselves, you should know! Qin Shubao saw that Li Xu's face was confused, and explained to him with a smile.

"I know this, our county soldiers also need supplies!" Li Xu nodded and replied. Deep down, he did not agree with a similar decree. The stolen goods of the thieves are handled by the locality, and the family wealth of the thief can be confiscated from the officials. If a greedy official is corrupted and corrupted, the people will be in bad luck. (Note 2)

"That's where the military market comes from!" Qin Shubao nodded, pulled the reins of the horse, and walked towards the end of the "human market" with Xuzi. The traffickers and people in the shack area were obviously very familiar with the big hero Qin Shubao, and when they saw him, they took the initiative to give way while greeting him warmly.

Seeing that he was at the end of the "human market", suddenly, a prison made of wooden fences appeared in front of Li Xu. Around the prison, there were soldiers with guns and knives, all of them as if they were facing a great enemy. The door of the prison was small, black and hollow, like a mouth that devoured life. Blocking the door of the cell was a wooden platform, on which groups of captives, bound by ropes, were led out of the cell like cattle and appeared one after another.

"The official sells the rogue and the price is preferential, buy more and count less, and the child is not deceived!" A six-foot-tall butcher-like soldier stood on the edge of the wooden platform and shouted loudly. Under the wooden platform, there were people of all sizes, big and small, noisy and flushed with excitement.

"This is the military market?" Li Xu felt that the blood all over his body was gushing to his head, and the ground under his feet was constantly undulating and bumping. Before Qin Shubao could understand the meaning of his question, a pungent smell of burnt hu suddenly wafted from a distance.

Li Xu turned his head to look, only to see a group of captives who had not yet been sold being led to several huge braziers. The shirtless county soldiers took soldering irons and marked the captives with shame on their foreheads and shoulders in turn.

Master Taishou Pei has the virtue of a good life, and he did not order the killing of the thief. However, he turned all the nearly 10,000 captives captured in the two battles into slavery. The proceeds from the sale of these slaves were shared by civilian officials, military generals, and soldiers. So, everyone had a smile on their face.

Some traffickers, with their entourage, put a heavy bag of money on the wooden platform. Then he took all the slaves from the wooden platform. This person is a big customer, but Lao Xu, a human trafficker, is not sloppy at all, and orders someone to count the money 1510 and enter it into the account, and then heavily mark the government on a stack of sales contracts and hand it over to the traffickers.

"The official sells the rogue and the price is preferential, buy more and count less, and the child is not deceived!" Lao Xu completed a transaction, shouted loudly, and started the next transaction. Another group of captives was brought to the stage, all men of about thirty years old, in the prime of life.

The condition of this batch of "goods" was far better than the previous one, so countless buyers rushed forward and actively rushed to buy them in various dialects. The price of each captive was only two hundred yuan, which was cheap. In the people north of the Yellow River, there is more than this price. Although it is getting cheaper and cheaper now, such a prime-age labor can be sold for 400 yuan. The traffickers bought them from Licheng and resold them to the counties of Hebei, where they could earn double the profits. Although the road is not smooth at the moment, although a large number of captives will die on the way to be resold.

Asahiko stood in place, chilling all over. He found himself back in the Susi, and watched as the savage herdsmen put lead or iron collars around the necks of their captives, turning them into their own personal property. "Oh my God, what did I do?" He asked himself, and felt his stomach churn with blood and everything rushing to his throat.

"If they are released, they will not survive, they will either starve to death or continue to be thieves until they are killed. Therefore, Zhang Juncheng's actions can be regarded as giving them a way to live! Qin Shubao saw that Li Xu's face was terrifyingly pale, and explained to him in a low voice.

"Yes, brethren in armor and horizontal swords. Our supplies are here! Li Xu replied faintly, with both anger and helplessness in his voice. It was impossible to tell whether he agreed with Qin Shubao's words or was making up reasons to comfort himself.

"After all, we left them a way to live!" Qin Shubao helplessly grabbed Li Xu's shoulder and said. He was a little afraid of this young general, the other party's martial arts were not as good as him, but the background was unfathomable. In case this person doesn't know how to clean up, and there is a misunderstanding with Zhang Juncheng and Pei Taishou for this matter, Qin Shubao really doesn't know which side he should be on.

"yes, after all, we left them a way to live!" Li Xu's answer made Qin Shubao's heart in his throat calm down a little.

But soon, he found out that Li Xu's idea was not here. His eyes had been drawn to an old mansion newspaper posted on the door of the barracks. The newspaper that was damaged by the wind wrote the final result of the imperial court's rebellion against Yang Xuangan.

After His Majesty the Emperor returned to the Eastern Capital, he put a wheel around the neck of the captured generals who did not have a backstage at home, and ordered the civil and military officials to shoot arrows. It wasn't until the corpse rotted into meat sauce that he ordered it to stop.

Yang Xuangan's brother Yang Jishan and Wei Fusi, a strategist who had always been at both ends of the head and the rat, were sentenced to car splitting, and after death, the corpse turned into ashes.

Those children of families who had defected to thieves and had lost their way were pardoned and were not allowed to serve as officials again, and were brought home by their parents to be educated.

"Will you atone for your sins?" In a daze, Xuzi heard Su Si ask in his ear again. He saw the savage Su Si tribesmen raise their knives and slit the throat of the Xi clan elder while singing a hymn to the immortal heaven.

He saw the civil and military officials of the Great Sui bend their bows and arrows, and torture and kill the thieves who had no foundation in front of the emperor one by one.

He felt furious and wanted to rush forward, tear down the newspaper, and save all the captives. At this time, a palm gently patted him on the shoulder. "Are you uncomfortable, Zhong Jian?"

It wasn't Xu Dayan, Li Xu turned around with a miserable smile and saw Qin Shubao's concerned gaze.

Note 1: During the period of Emperor Wen of Sui, the price of dou rice was about five yuan. Before Emperor Yang's expedition to Goryeo, prices rose slightly, but they did not rise by less than ten yuan. In the fifteenth year of Zhenguan, the price of a bucket of rice was two yuan, and the weight of Tang money was only half of Sui money, so it was extremely prosperous.

Note 2: The will of the thief to be dealt with by the local government, and the official can confiscate the family wealth of the thief began in the ninth year of the Great Cause.

Note 3: Hehe, this chapter was sent late because it wasn't split into two parts, sorry. Please vote for the VIP ticket.

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