That night, Ah Ji quietly placed a bloated robe next to his brother's bedside. On weekdays, the other party always complains that the animal skin they are wearing smells good. Now it's cold, and it's troublesome to take a shower, and if you get it, the smell won't go away for at least two days. Therefore, Wang Xu chose to put two robes on top of his underwear. The whole person is wrapped like a rice dumpling. Seeing this, many villagers joked that as a contemptible Yin, he ignored the Great Zhou etiquette system, and he didn't look like an official at all.

At this time, officials are very particular about wearing clothes, not only the style must be solemn, but even the colors cannot be matched at will. They are in the same vein as the Zhou family, so the changes in clothing are not big, and the colors are mainly red under the upper Xuanxia. Wang Xu didn't care much about it, after all, the etiquette system is not a down jacket. I know the warmth and coldness at the moment. If the Yi Zaifu has an opinion, he doesn't mind taking the opportunity to wear the official uniform. However, Aji cared a lot about everyone's comments, so he decided to make a cotton coat.

It just so happened that a few days ago, someone sent Aji half a bag of kapok. At this time, cotton had not yet been introduced to the Central Plains, and kapok was a substitute. Because the fibers of kapok are too fine, it is particularly difficult to weave. In addition, the raw materials are very easy to obtain, and the woven kapok cloth cannot be sold at a high price. Therefore, most people use kapok only as a filling when sewing bedding.

In the Spring and Autumn period, there were no quilting or sewing machines. Aji's female popularity is not good, and after racking her brains, she finally came up with a stupid solution. That is, the large and small extremely irregular kapok wool is kneaded into a ball, and then sewn into the sandwich of the robe. This allows only a few stitches to be sewn to the area where the batting is present.

The imagination is beautiful, but the reality becomes extremely strange. Ah Ji pressed the cotton clothes with his hands, as if grasping the last opportunity to try his best to cover up his failure. Because the clothes are not as smooth and solemn as imagined, but a little funny. Especially on the neckline, chest, buttocks and other positions, there seems to be a lot of stitched cotton wool. She tugged at it, and her clothes looked even more crumpled. Suddenly, the sleeping Wang Xu turned over. Aji was taken aback. Hurriedly withdrew his hand, leaned over and leaned against the edge of the bed, no longer pulling at the failed work. I thought that although it was a little ugly, the effect of keeping warm should not be too bad.

She comforted herself. As usual, help my brother cover the blanket. Then stand quietly for a while and wait until the other person is asleep. Then he tiptoed into his bed. She looked at the roof and blinked.

Life is getting better and better now, and it was a luxury that I couldn't even think of in the past. Now Ah Ji not only has relatives, but also friends, and is respected by the people in the village. She loves life now. Everyone has their own division of labor, each is busy, and everyone is working hard to contribute to the village. Men cultivated the land, cut down trees and built houses. Women do laundry and cooking, take care of the elderly, and take care of their own vegetable gardens in their spare time. Whenever I see a neighborhood separated by a fence, the family is short and asks for warmth. She thinks this is the life that people should have.

Girls love the changes now. Especially her own changes, as the only witch doctor in the village, Wang Xu asked her to heal the villagers. It's nothing, it's always my brother's explanation, and she will implement it seriously. But soon after, Ah Ji found that whenever the villagers' illnesses were cured by her, they would be grateful, praised, and occasionally give some thank-you gifts. The cloth and kapok used to sew cotton clothes were brought by patients after they had recovered. In fact, the gratitude of the people is on the one hand, and on the other hand, they don't want to take advantage of the little girl, after all, it is not easy to collect the medicinal materials they take. At this time, the witch doctor was not separated, and the people were in awe of the witch doctor.

The slave maid who used to have a humble status was suddenly respected and loved by everyone. The feeling of being needed made her feel good. Aji thought silently in her heart, thanking the old lady for saving her. Otherwise, I won't be able to see the good life I have now. She firmly believes that her brother will lead everyone to complete the task of Yi Zaifu, so that the people of Yunmeng will be fed and clothed.

Gradually, the girl fell asleep, and a sweet smile remained on her lips. The moonlight filled the silent mountain village, and the sleeping villagers seemed to have the same sweet dreams.

The next morning, the girl who was still asleep was awakened by the fragrant meal. She rubbed her eyes and saw that her brother had already put on the cotton coat. It's a little weird.

"You! Ay! Look at what this dress is made of. I don't know, I thought I fell into the river. ”

Wang Xu placed the dishes and chopsticks, and from time to time he pulled the crumpled cotton clothes, as if the cotton in the clothes had shrunk and gathered into a ball. He didn't want to live up to Aji's kindness, so he smiled brightly and whispered:

"Thank you."

Aji was stunned for a moment, and sat on the bed as if he hadn't woken up. I saw Wang Xu waving his hand at her, and then pointed to the meal prepared by himself on the table.

"Come here, there's something delicious."

Obviously, such treatment should not be something that a slave or maid can have. Before washing, the long hair that was scattered was scattered in all directions. There is also a small handful of fried heads on the top of the head, hanging down crookedly, looking extremely cute. Hearing this, Aji hurriedly got up and sat down at the table. When I looked down, I saw that the pottery bowl was full of white flakes of food. It looks like a cabbage gang, and the soup is light and slightly yellowish. Aji didn't dare to move, and looked at his brother suspiciously. At this time, the other party was eating with relish, and it seemed that the movement was not ordinary. After a while, a bowl of noodles was in his stomach, and Wang Xu was sweating profusely after eating. Only then did I realize that Aji had not yet started.

"Why are you still stupid? Hurry up and eat! Eat them all, not left. I did it myself. Aji came to taste? ”

Ah Ji nodded hurriedly, picked up the rice bowl and gobbled it up like Wang Xu. Seeing this, Wang Xu was dumbfounded. Where is there a girl's family that eats like this? There is more momentum than what he eats, and the sound of sucking and sucking is like thunder.

"Ahem... Cough... It's spicy! ”

Wang Xu, who was stunned, didn't know that the little girl was so obedient. After a few moments, I swallowed half a bowl of noodles. At the moment, he had to scratch his head and laugh dryly. Aji, on the other hand, coughed and burst into tears. Wang Xu who watched it couldn't cry or laugh. Instead, sympathetic persuasion:

"You eat slowly, and no one is robbing you? If it's not enough, there's still it in the pot. With mustard powder and salt in it, do you taste it like this? ”

Aji wiped his mouth, blinked his eyes, and then savored it in small bites. Wang Xu was really helpless, and sincerely admired the speed at which the girl switched so quickly. I don't know what she's afraid of? Always obedient to his word.

At this moment, a guest came to visit. Familiar laughter could be heard in the distance. Wang Xu didn't understand. Why did the ancients always laugh and talk to people? It's not a hero with stunts, as for the appearance, the voice arrives before the person arrives. And that's not the main problem. When people laugh, you have to laugh too, otherwise how rude it will be? On a cold day, I laughed early in the morning, and I was not afraid of frostbite. Wang Xu grinned and quipped:

"Hahaha. You guy. You must have smelled the scent, so you came to the door early in the morning? I said that begging can't be so skinless and faceless. ”

Since the release of the previous suspicions, Wang Xu and Li Cang have been making fun of each other like this in private. Li Cang knew that his disgusted answer must have hidden good things and was ready to eat alone. So while clasping his fists and saluting, he strode with a meteor step.

"How dare you! How dare you! If you don't happen to catch up, you'll be tired of adults. ”

The two families rubbing each other has become a way to cultivate feelings for each other. Li Cang was not polite and started by himself. As soon as he swallowed a piece of dough, he immediately showed a treacherous expression. He slapped his thigh, squeezed his eyes at Wang Xu, and said:

"Oops! Today is a blessing, mustard powder to eat. The villain needs to eat a few more bowls. ”

Wang Xu shook his head and looked at Ah Ji, who was still unclear after chewing slowly. Return:

"Hey! Foodie! ”

After breakfast, the two of them came to the grass hut where the sand table was placed. The buildings made of mud in the sand table are neatly placed, outlining the whole terrain of Qi County. The Yunmeng Mountain model in the south direction is particularly delicate. Streams, cottages and waterwheels are all indicated. Yunmeng Valley is gourd-shaped, the outer valley has a three-mile slope, and the inner valley is a five-mile grassland. The mouth of the valley is as narrow as the tip of a gourd. As long as it is plugged in, it is a natural defensive barrier or a hidden shelter.

Folding his hands and tapping his fingers are all standard movements when Wang Xu thinks. After a while, he had an idea, and he knocked on the mud-made wall of the valley mouth on the sand table. Said solemnly:

"Save the hassle, form it all at once."

Li Cang took a step closer to him, perhaps because he was worried that he would not be able to comprehend the other party's deep meaning. So I decided to get closer so I could hear better.

"Replace the wall with masonry. Two culverts were dug here and here. ”

Following Wang Xu's finger, Li Cang understood his intentions. Then he asked:

"Do you want to divert the stream below the walls and create a moat?"

"Hmmm! The water collects here to protect against foreign enemies and to irrigate the fields in times of drought. ”

Li Cang nodded approvingly. Then Wang Xu continued to explain. Fingers tipped back and forth between the models of the village houses.

"These places are connected by waterways, end to end. First, it is convenient for the people to get water. Second, the village is protected from fire. ”

This is no small undertaking. In order to prevent the stream from seeping into the ground, the waterway had to be made of masonry. Li Cang was very worried, worried that this would affect the time for tax payment in the coming year. was about to remind the other party, but heard Wang Xu add again.

"Three, if you can connect the water. Qi Cheng and this... Half a day away. ”

Li Cang was shocked. I swallowed back the words that had just come to my mouth. What exactly does Yin want to do? Is digging a canal child's play? Although there are many conveniences in connecting to Qishui, convenience is also dangerous. If the Jin people attacked Wei and went south by water, after conquering Qicheng, they could quickly cut down the river into the hinterland of the country, threatening Chaoge. Even if the problem of conscription and forced labor can be solved, the current Wei Hou will not sit idly by and watch Wang Xu behave so recklessly in the rear of the national capital. After hesitating, Li Cang still decided to kindly remind him.

"This move is very dangerous, please think twice."

Who would have expected such a serious matter, Wang Xu actually patted him on the shoulder with a hippie smile.

"Hehe... Uncle Li, don't take it too seriously. The little nephew just said it casually. ”

Li Cang's whole face collapsed instantly. scolded in his heart, the other party really dared to think, is this also called a casual remark? His heart was almost in his throat. If this is done, let's not talk about what the king will do with them? It is estimated that the Jin people will laugh in their dreams, right? Not surprisingly, Song Guo bought a murderer to skin and tear off Wang Xu's bones, imagine who can do such a thing that hurts others and is not beneficial to himself? Connecting Qishui is tantamount to diverting the Jin man-made disaster to the east. The country of Wei and the state of Song have been dependent on each other for a hundred years, and they have come to be friendly. Two weak and small countries, peace will survive, and division will perish. How could he not know such a simple truth? Is it just to scare yourself? Li Cang thought like this, he really dared to be angry but didn't dare to speak.

At the same time, in the distant Qicheng, there were two people who were also standing in front of the sand table. One is Ji Lan, who once gave chariots and horses, and the other is her brother, Wei Guo Shao Sima Ji Zhou. Ji Zhou's eldest sister is two years old, with a white face, sword eyebrows and red lips, and a handsome outside, revealing a trace of morbid weakness. is dressed in a dark color suit, and his body is even weaker. He coughed lightly twice. At this time, his sister was reporting to him, and after accepting the prisoner, Yu Chaoge met with the Marquis of Wei.

When he heard that the lord of the country asked for the first division of the Northern Army to defend the royal city. Ji Zhou's eyelids twitched suddenly, and his slight expression was fleeting.

His situation has always been so helpless. As a concubine, he cannot inherit the throne. Because the ancestor doted on the concubine, he made his brother Ji Fei the son. After the death of the first monarch, the three of them were arranged to be in the fiefdom. Although the cousin treated them well on the face, he not only gave the official position of Shao Sima, but also enjoyed the title of doctor. Qicheng, as Ji Zhou's food town, has 10,000 households. In front of outsiders, he looks like a brother and a brother, but all this is just the surface. He understood that he was nothing more than a member of the clan, and he was just a decoration for recruiting troops and raising horses here. If you want to spend the rest of your life safely, in addition to forbearance, it is still forbearance.

Ji Zhou sighed and smiled helplessly.

"Hey! Give it and give it, what else can you do? The first division of soldiers and horses has a really big appetite. ”

"The king ordered this division of soldiers and horses to carry the baggage over the winter, and then immediately set off to Chaoge."

Speaking of this, Ji Lan seemed a little embarrassed, and her voice became softer. Ji Zhou glanced at his sister, clenched his fists, and asked:

"What? Could it be that he still wants food and grass? ”

"The matter of grain and grass is not mentioned. It's just that the money and grain in the government treasury are not enough to support the baggage of the soldiers and horses of the first division. ”

Ji Zhou slowly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it's not a long-term supply, he can still accept it.

The dispatch of a division of soldiers and horses to defend the royal city is to equip the soldiers according to the standards of the elite of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Each soldier needs to be equipped with a long ge, a bamboo bow, ten feather arrows, a pair of leather armor, and also need to prepare clothes, shoes and socks. The cost of a sergeant is basically about 2,000 yuan. A total of 5 million dollars. It is the sum of the three years of taxes paid by his food estate.

The formation of the army in the Spring and Autumn period was slightly different from that of later generations. The general is called a general, leading an army of soldiers, 12,500 people, divided into 5 divisions. The commander of the first division is called the commander of the division, and the soldiers of the first division are 2,500 people, divided into 5 brigades. The commander of the first brigade is called the brigade commander, and the soldiers of the first brigade are 500 people, and they are divided into 5 pawns.

Pawn, partial, two, and Wu, these are all honored by "long", respectively, the chief of the pawn is 100, the long collar is 50, the two long collar is 25, and the chief of the Wu is to lead 5 soldiers. The elite is slightly different from the ordinary soldiers, except for the establishment. The formation of ordinary armies is mostly measured by "multiplication". One was thirty men, and ten chariots led by twenty infantry made up of civilians or slaves. The infantry was poorly equipped, demoralized, and largely existed as cannon fodder in war. The war in the Spring and Autumn Period was more like a brawl between gangs, as long as the main force broke and fled, it was basically a one-sided situation.

Ji Zhou said leisurely:

"Lan'er doesn't need to worry. The Nanmu transported by Bashu will arrive in a few days. Presumably, equipping these soldiers is also sufficient. ”

If their brother and sister had counted on Qi Cheng's tax income, they would have starved to death. The lord of the kingdom is very shrewd and will not give him the opportunity to sit on the throne and thus threaten his throne.

Why were the powerful ministers in power in the Spring and Autumn Period? In fact, it is important to note that there is no compensation system. After the minister was given land and population, he had to be self-reliant. It is necessary not only to serve the monarch, but also to take care of the fiefdom. It can be described as an all-round talent. Imagine how can a minister who can't even govern the people manage the country well?

So these guys are amazing. Not only do you have to serve in the government, but you can still be calm and unhurried in the whirlpool of power when you go to work. It is also necessary to take care of the affairs of the feud at the end of work, and quickly make the company go public and make a profit. Therefore, it is basically not a fuel-efficient lamp to have a person who can have an official and a half-job in the Spring and Autumn Period. Especially some clan magnates with deep roots.

The industry of Shao Sima Mansion spread all over the country. They run a timber business in Bashu. In the Jin Kingdom, he privately mined coal and iron with local nobles. Ship the skins of the Chu State to Qicheng for sale. secretly reselling the rice and grain of the Yue country. These big businesses are all handled by Ji Zhou. He was an idle prince of the clan, who was often appointed as an envoy and traveled between countries. Seeking some profits for yourself in private and making friends with some foreign elites can be regarded as an investment in the future.

Obviously, the lord of the country made such a request, which had long been expected by Ji Zhou. As if joking, he smiled and asked:

"I don't know if the king will be satisfied with the matter of sacrificing prisoners and paying tribute this time?"

Ji Lan nodded and muttered:

"Hmmm! The king gave back the reward. ”

Ji Zhou was stunned. His cousin never traded at a loss. In the past, it was just a few words of praise. This time, I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I said sarcastically:

"Yes! What did you get? ”

"The king gave 100 gold, and ordered Lan'er to choose food in Qijing."

Sure enough, it turned out that he wanted to pull his sister away from him. It seems that Ji Lan's performance in the Cousin Baisi Mansion has reached the ears of the lord of the country.

"Oh? I don't know where Lan'er will choose to open the mansion? ”

Ji Lan bit her lower lip and looked at Ji Zhou, her eyes full of anxiety. His sister has always looked like she has never been shocked, and she rarely panics like this. Ji Zhou knew that things were by no means as simple as he imagined. Just listen.

"Song Ji summoned me... Elder brother! Lan'er... Can't wait any longer. ”

The birth mother of the monarch is called Madame. But their mother was killed by the favorite concubine of the ancestors, so the brothers and sisters privately called this stepmother Song Ji.

Nothing to offer affection, either treachery or theft. It seems that the other party is planning to marry Ji Lan as a princess to another country to marry. When Ji Zhou learned of this, he punched on the sand table, and the sand and soil suddenly splashed.

"Slut!"

He knew that his sister had been plotting with him for so long, just to change the fate of being manipulated. When it comes to my sister and Lu, this political marriage is estimated to be impossible to avoid. At present, there is only two or three years of preparation time, and if great things can be achieved, there is no need to be at the mercy of others. But if they fail, they will die without a place to bury. Time is too rushed, and if you want to win Chaoge in one fell swoop, it is a fool's dream with the current power alone.

Ji Zhou took a long breath, trying to calm the anger and uneasiness in his heart. I only heard my sister say:

"I chose this place."

Ji Lan lifted her sleeve robe and bent her fingers on the sand table. Ji Zhou was stunned.

"Yunmeng?"

"Hmmm! If Yunmeng is a city, it can be used as a corner with the north and south of Qicheng to attack the song. If it doesn't work, then dig open the water, and the country will be in chaos. I'll take the opportunity to start an incident again. ”

"Wonderful!"

Ji Zhou's shooting was amazing. My sister's intelligence is far superior to that of his brother.

"It just so happened that Da Sima Kaichun went to Qicheng to supervise the army. The elder brother can also take the opportunity to woo him. ”

"Uncle Clan will come to oversee the army? It's true? ”

"Hmmm! The king has already issued an edict. ”

When Ji Lan left the royal city, he went to visit Ji Zhang's great Sima. Her uncle behaves in a proper manner and abides by etiquette. When the son Fei was the son of the family, he complained about Wei Mourning Gong. Later, he mourned the death of his father, and his favorite concubine Song Ji forced his wife to be martyred, which made him even more dissatisfied. Emotionally speaking, Ji Zhang felt pity for the sons left by the three ancestors. In the court, he helped Ji Zhou block things. If they can use this to win over the big Sima who is in charge of the whole country's soldiers and horses, their power can compete with Ji Fei. But there is no such thing as pie in the sky. Obviously, the lord of the country wants to support this old stubborn and thus take charge of the elite of the two armies of Chaoge.

"Brother! The matter of winning over the clan uncle must not be publicized, and it is not easy to take the initiative. ”

"Lan'er, don't worry! I don't know the temperament of the clan uncle best. ”

Ji Lan was worried that her brother was too aggressive, which caused Ji Zhang's disgust. The best thing to do is to win the sympathy of the other person and then pull them into the water. After all, the old man is unwilling to directly bear the charge of rebellion.

The two then discussed Yunmeng's current situation. Ji Zhou plans to move 500 households from Fengyi to support the construction of Yunmeng. If the pen is too big, it will cause wariness in the court. The siblings plan to move the iron-smelting workshop and the livestock of the ranch into Yunmeng. That five-mile grassland has become a natural place for hiding soldiers. It seems that Wang Xu's thoughts coincide with Ji Lan.

At present, the most scarce thing is population and money. Qicheng has 50,000 people and 10,000 soldiers and horses. In addition to the weaker weapons and equipment, the soldiers still have combat power. After all, he has always been diligent in drilling. It is much stronger than those elites who have lived in the royal city for a long time without war. Money and food can be purchased through business, but the population cannot be replenished in a short time.

Ji Lan came up with the bold idea of buying slaves from the Yue Kingdom. After the destruction of Wu, the king of Yue, Goujian developed to the south and obtained the land of Baiyue. Countless people were captured. Almost all of the indigenous savages there were reduced to slavery. If you can absorb some of them for a while, it will be a great boost to what they will do.

After the beginning of spring, she had to rush to Yunmeng immediately to prepare for these things. At this moment, Ji Lan looked at the south and laughed at herself. Maybe we'll meet the boy named Wei Xu soon. And the agreement made by the two does not seem to have any need to continue. The funny thing is that Wang Xu, as a contempt for loyal defense of the country, is about to stand on the opposite side of her, and all this is facilitated by Ji Lan.

When I went to Yunmeng to arrest the homeless, I actually saw the importance of Qishui and the strategic location of Yunmeng. I don't want to get acquainted with Wei Xu, a strange teenager. Almost took the other party's life several times. She didn't know if it was fate or compassion in her heart. Ji Lan helped her sideburns and looked at the fiery sunset.