Ning Bosheng stayed in General Zhu's barracks to recuperate from his injuries, but after two days, he discussed with Zhu Yuan to continue south.

"The prince's health is all right?" Zhu Yuan was not very relieved, after all, when he was rescued, he was covered in blood, and there were more than a dozen wounds large and small in the deep mountains, where could he be healed in two days.

Ning Bosheng was concerned about the refugees in Taihe, and he had no way to stay in the barracks with peace of mind.

Zhu Yuan understood what he was thinking, so he could only nod in agreement. At most, when you are on the road, be careful not to bump into the wound.

After the two discussed, they went to General Zhu.

He was really surprised when he heard that Ning Bosheng was leaving so soon, "The military doctor said that the prince's injury should be recuperated for at least half a month. ”

"General Zhu must have also heard of the famine in Taihe, and we have seen many people who are hungry along the way. In the most serious places, there are more refugees, and if I stay longer, I will not care for the lives of the people. Ning Bosheng firmly remembered his duty to come to Taihe this time.

I wish the general that he knew that he was serious, so he handed him the medicine prescribed by the military doctor. I happened to notice Zhu Yuan who was following Ning Bosheng, and felt a little familiar, so I couldn't help but look at it a few more times.

When he rescued Ning Bosheng and them before, Zhu Yuan had a very low sense of existence because he was not injured, and he didn't see such a person until today.

Ning Bosheng noticed his scrutiny and took the initiative to talk about Zhu Yuan, but only said her name.

General Zhu didn't expect the two to have the same surname, so he felt even more cordial, and asked her origin, "Miss Zhu is from the capital?" What does the family do for a living? ”

He is Zhu Yuan's life-saving benefactor, and her background has nothing to hide.

"I opened a fish restaurant at home, and the business is okay." Zhu Yuan didn't know that his grandfather was the imperial chef in the palace, and he didn't know that Zhu Fang was his father.

General Zhu thought about it for a long time, but he didn't expect any Zhu family to open a fish restaurant in the capital. However, the cordial feeling did not dissipate, and he talked to Zhu Yuan for a while.

It was not too early, Ning Bosheng interrupted their conversation, and the two of them said goodbye to the general, left the barracks, and continued south.

"Did you know General Zhu before?" On the way, Ning Bosheng suddenly asked her.

Zhu Yuan was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously shook his head, "I've never seen it, why does the prince ask that?" ”

Ning Bosheng always felt that General Zhu looked at her with something wrong just now, as if he was hiding some secret.

However, since Zhu Yuan said that he had never seen him before, Ning Bosheng didn't plan to tell her, which only added to his troubles.

The group soon reached the next town, Xingcheng, which was located in the south, and was a relatively prosperous place if there was no famine.

Zhu Yuan thought that she would not see so many refugees in Xingcheng, but before they entered the city, they saw injured people on the side of the road.

Ning Bosheng sent someone to take a look, and when the guards came back, their faces were extremely ugly.

For many of the people they saw lying to the ground had died, some died of starvation, some died of disease. Because there was no surplus silver to bury, it had to be discarded on the side of the road.

Zhu Yuan's eyes widened angrily, they walked all the way just now, and they could see those lying on the ground almost after walking a few steps, could it be that those were all dead?

She had never seen such a human tragedy, better than the previous practice of burying a refugee alive. She asked, almost trembling in her voice, "Are all the local officials dead?" There are so many refugees outside the city, and no one cares. ”

Ning Bosheng pinched the back of her hand to soothe her anger. They are now merchants passing through, and if they scold officials on the main road, they may cause trouble.

"Don't worry, let's ask." Ning Bosheng went with Zhu Yuan and found a relatively young person.

Zhu Yuan tried to squeeze a smile out of his face full of anger, "Big brother, why are you all outside the city?" Aren't they all from Xingcheng? ”

The young man was hungry and skinny, and his big eyes numbly looked at Zhu Yuan and his party, "You are outsiders?" ”

"We are merchants, and when we passed by this place, we saw so many people outside the city, and we were worried that something big would happen in the city." Zhu Yuan took out the rhetoric he had thought of a long time ago.

When it came to the city, the young man showed the same anger as Zhu Yuan, "The city is fine, all the refugees have been driven out, and the people inside said, let us fend for ourselves." ”

"Why do you do that?" Zhu Yuan was angry, "Who gave them the guts!" ”

"They were afraid that we would divide the food, so in order to protect themselves, they drove all the refugees out and did not allow them to enter the city." The young man hadn't eaten for too long and had a hard time talking.

Zhu Yuanda heard what she wanted to know, and gave him the dry food, all as a reward for the question.

The gates were closed, and the towers were guarded by soldiers, who turned a blind eye to the dead and wounded refugees outside.

Zhu Yuan clenched his fists, "Lord Wang, when are we going in?" ”

Ning Bosheng and the others pretended to be merchants, looking either rich or noble, when he asked the soldiers to open the city gates. The man above looked at them for a long time, and then showed a greedy gaze.

These are all fat sheep, put them into Xingcheng, and then rob them of all the money they eat.

The city gate was soon opened, and Ning Bosheng and his party entered, and there were several soldiers guarding the city gate, and they stopped them viciously. "Wait, everyone who enters the city has to be searched."

Ning Bosheng wanted to see what they wanted to do, so he didn't stop it. It's just to pull Zhu Yuan over to prevent him from being taken advantage of.

Several people who entered Xingcheng, without exception, were all searched. Only Zhu Yuan, because there was silver dotting, was let go.

"This is the dry food we brought, can you give it back to us?" Ning Bosheng is kind of talkative, and he can't see a little majesty of the prince on his body.

The soldier was not afraid of him at all, and took all the food he had eaten, "We have taken it all." If you don't like it, you can get out now. ”

The group endured their anger so that there was no incident of beating the soldiers as soon as they entered the city.

Thankfully, they didn't take all the money as long as they ate.

Ning Bosheng and the others found an inn and found that there were many guests inside, and the noodles were not coarse grains, but big fish and meat.

In this time of famine, many people could not even drink a mouthful of porridge, and in this inn, there were even people who ate meat, not to mention the fragrant rice.

The tragic scene outside the city and the big fish and meat in front of him became a stark contrast, Zhu Yuan became more and more angry, and he couldn't wait to go over and lift their table, so that they could see clearly that the meat they were eating now was exchanged for the lives of the people outside the city.

"How many guest officers are going to stay in a hotel or eat?" The shopkeeper walked over slowly to say hello.

Ning Bosheng threw the silver to him, "Stay in the hotel, you go and arrange a few rooms." ”