At the end of July, although the heat has dissipated, the scorching sun is still a little fierce.

After walking for a long time, everyone was a little thirsty, and they saw a small flag fluttering not far away, with the word "tea" written on it.

"It's been a long journey, and I'm tired of thinking about you." Shangguan looked for the teahouse in front of him and said, "Let's go to the teahouse to rest for a while, have a cup of tea and move on." ”

"Very good." Shangguan Yan wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead, "I'm feeling thirsty." ”

The group rested in the tea house and let the store serve some tea and food.

Shangguan Yan drank a big bowl of tea, felt very thirsty, and said with a light smile: "I used to only drink Longjing, but I never thought that the coarse tea in the mountains and fields was so delicious." Yue'an, what do you think? ”

"Not bad." Chu Yue'an wiped the tea stains on the corner of her mouth, "I remembered that in the autumn of last year, my grandmother took the three of us sisters to live in the village for a few days, eating newly grown millet, drinking tea grown in the fields, and roasting game in the mountains. ”

"In this way, life in the countryside is also full of fun." Shangguan Yan said with a smile, "No wonder many literati and artists throughout the ages want to retreat to the mountains and wilderness and be at ease. ”

"It's easy for you." Shangguan Xun added another bowl of tea to his sister and Chu Yue'an, "If you live in the countryside, farming every day, being exposed to the wind and sun, relying on the sky to eat, coarse tea and light rice every day, firewood, rice, oil and salt, you may not be willing to live such a life." You think it's funny, but it's because the countryside is just a pastime for you, and when you have no one to serve you, and you have to bow down to everything, you know that it is not unreasonable for people in the world to seek wealth and wealth. ”

"This son can see through it." The shopkeeper who brought the food heard the words and smiled, "The most bitter thing in the world is the tenant farmer, who works hard every day, but can only get food and clothing for the family, and completely depends on the sky to eat. ”

"Do you know about the Yellow River disaster?" Shangguan Xun asked.

"How can you not know?" The shopkeeper said, "I don't know how many people who go to the capital to escape for their lives every day!" I don't know when the court will send people to provide disaster relief. ”

"Didn't you send an official from the court to relieve the disaster some time ago?" Shangguan Xun asked strangely, "Isn't the disaster relief effective?" ”

"There are two aspects to this disaster relief, one is to control the water and not let the disaster worse, and the other is to save those who are hungry." The shopkeeper said, "I have also heard some things about the disaster area, some time ago the officials who went to the disaster relief underestimated the severity of the flood, and it was not able to effectively alleviate the spread of the disaster, on the other hand, how much of the food provided by the court for disaster relief could reach the people through the hands of officials and seized layer by layer?" If the people can eat and eat enough, will they be able to come to the capital to make a living? ”

Another helper brought a stack of peanuts and said, "In order to prevent too many displaced people from entering the capital, the officials along the way will also arrest these people and send them back." I heard that the court sent other officials again, and I hope that the people sent this time can be of some use. ”

The two realized that they were talking too much, so they didn't continue to talk.

Shangguan Xun's face was a little dark, and he said, "The local officials may have lied about the disaster, and the situation may be worse than we imagined." ”

Shangguan Yan bit his lip and said, "This Lord Sun Liangpeng Sun took the initiative to ask to escort the grain and grass, and let my brother go to understand the flood situation first, wouldn't it be because he wanted to fill his own pockets?" This is a lifesaver for the people, and his conscience won't be so bad, right? ”

Chu Yue'an sneered: "It may still be impossible, just go and see it when the time comes." However, Shangguan Gongzi's trip may not only be as simple as disaster relief, but there may be a more serious situation than the flood to face, that is, people's hearts. ”

"What do you mean by that?" Shangguan Yan asked.

"Let's consider the worst scenario, that is, as the shopkeeper said, the local officials concealed the disaster and deducted the food money for disaster relief, so after we went, they would try their best to hide the truth, what we have to do is not only to stop the flood, but also to deal with the local officials, and there is a worse situation, that is, if Sun Liangpeng and the local officials are complicit, then we will be even more difficult in the local area, if the disaster relief effect is good, it may be the credit of Sun Liangpeng, If there is a business trip, Shangguan Gongzi will have to bear this responsibility. ”

After a pause, Chu Yue'an continued: "Shangguan Gongzi is upright, so he naturally disdains to be in cahoots with them, so on the way there, I still have to think of good countermeasures." ”

Shangguan Yan felt a little chill down his spine, and said, "That's some living human life, do they really dare to do foolish things with so many human lives?" ”

"No matter how many people have their lives, do they have official uniforms and wealth?" Chu Yue'an smiled lightly, "You grew up in the capital, your father and brother are very caring, and your close friends are also very affectionate people, you have never experienced the sinister world, I don't know how bad this person's heart can be." ”

Shangguan Yan muttered, "Didn't you also grow up in the capital?" ”

Chu Yue'an hooked her lips: "I knew early that people in this world are unpredictable." ”

Shangguan Xun looked at Chu Yue'an deeply, and didn't expect her to say these words at all: "What you just said coincides with what I thought, and we need to think about countermeasures along the way." Hopefully, our speculation is that we have been overly concerned, and that the local officials will be worthy of the sages they have read, and worthy of the title of parental official. ”

After a short rest in the teahouse, the group continued on their way, and arrived in a small town before dark, where they found an inn to settle in.

After riding a horse for a day, Chu Yue'an's waist was a little sore after arriving at the room, lying lazily on the bed, Caixing came over to press her waist and asked, "Miss, how long will it take us to get there?" ”

"It's going to take a few days." Chu Yue'an said, "But even if we go to the earth boundary, it is also a disaster area, we are not here to enjoy happiness, we are to endure hardship." ”

Cai Xing said: "The slave is not afraid of hardship, but I don't understand why the young lady came here." ”

"I'm not bored, I have to come, since I came here, I have my own plans." Chu Yuean smiled slightly, "You just follow me well, but I still have to tell you one more thing, if there is danger, under the conditions, you just need to protect yourself, don't worry about me." ”

"But ......"

"Anyone's life is fate, I Chu Yue'an don't want others to save me with their own lives, not to mention, I, Chu Yue'an, am not a great good person, if it is an irrelevant person, even if it dies for me, even if it dies in front of my eyes, I will not frown, but you are different, for me, you are like a sister, so I hope you can live well."

"Miss ......" Caixing was in tears, the one who was a slave was not regarded as a subordinate by the master, but now she was able to call Miss as a relative, and it was also her blessing, but she was also a little worried in her heart, "Miss, are you going to do something dangerous?" ”

"Don't ask, I know a lot about things, and it's not good for you." Chu Yue'an pinched Caixing's face, "You're tired too, take a good rest." ”

After a while, Shangguan Yan knocked on the door and asked Chu Yue'an to go down for dinner.

In the inn of the town, there are naturally no expensive dishes, and the craftsmanship is not as good as the chefs in the capital, but everyone's stomach is growling, and no one will care about these details.

"Are you still used to eating?" Shangguan Xun served a bowl of soup to Chu Yue'an, "This small place is a little remote, I'm afraid that you won't be used to eating the food here, and you will be wronged." ”

"The taste is not bad, I am also a person who has lived a hard life, not so noble." Chu Yuean smiled lightly.

Shangguan Yan's eyes changed between the two of them, and said with a smile: "Big brother, why aren't you worried that I have been wronged?" ”

"You have not been a picky eater since you were a child, you eat everything, how can you be wronged!" Shangguan Xun smiled and served vegetables to his sister, "Eat quickly, can't you stop your mouth with so many dishes?" ”

At this time, one of his subordinates came over and whispered a few words in Shangguan Xun's ear.

Shangguan Yan asked, "What's the matter, big brother, but what happened?" ”

Shangguan Xun glanced at Chu Yue'an and said, "His Royal Highness the King of Chu seems to have also left Beijing, and it seems that he is looking for our direction." ”

"What a mess he's coming?" Shangguan Yan sighed, this is the time for my brother and master to cultivate their relationship along the way, and finally there has been some progress between the two, please don't come to make trouble with His Royal Highness the King of Chu.

Chu Yue'an didn't say anything, but his brows were furrowed, could it be that Yuwen Jinghuai found out that he also went to the disaster area with him, he was afraid that he would be unfavorable to Sun Liangpeng, so he came over to look at him?

This bastard boy has him everywhere, if he dares to stop himself, he will not show mercy to his subordinates.

After thinking for a while, Chu Yue'an said: "If the King of Chu really comes, please don't talk about me walking with you." ”

"What, do you want to go alone?" Shangguan Yan asked.

"Definitely." Chu Yue'an smiled lightly, "You'll find out later." ”

After dinner, I returned to the room, Cai Xing was cleaning up the bed, but I saw Chu Yue'an tinkering with something in front of the mirror, and asked curiously: "Miss, I'm about to sleep, what are you doing?" ”

Seeing Chu Yue'an turn around, but it was a strange son, Cai Xing was startled, and hurriedly asked, "Who are you, our young lady?" She was so frightened that she hurried out for help.