The winter has just passed, the sun is not small, but the wind is still cold, slightly thin, the whole body is cold, the soles of the feet and palms seem to have a cold air to drill into it, numb and itchy, uncomfortable.

Huaizhi County Nantong Lingnan, north to the capital, to the west of 100 miles, is the northwest Tong'an mining area, to the east can go straight to Dongying, Dongying is the most important grain production area of the Great Zhou Dynasty, every year to have a small half of the rice grain from this place to the capital.

As early as more than ten years ago, Huaizhi County was a relatively important transportation hub, so there were often caravans passing by from the south to the north.

Today, the gates of the county seat are closed.

There was a long queue in front of the gate.

The people in line were not in a hurry, they gathered together in twos and threes to talk, and their expressions were calm. Some simply sit at the tea shed on the side of the road and ask for a bowl of hot tea, which is only a penny.

If you have more spare money, you can add two or three pennies to the fire or peanuts, and you can also eat deliciously.

Speaking of which, this year has also been quite strange, just this autumn, just after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the imperial court suddenly began to fight.

Until now, these people still remember clearly, that night, there was a sudden thunder in the direction of the county seat, and the firelight splashed everywhere, illuminating half of the sky red.

Although the time was very short, almost less than half an hour, everyone in the county was frightened.

The wives and children all blackened their faces, hid in the cellar, in the closet, the men held kitchen knives, rolling pins, and all kinds of weapons that could be reached in their hands, and no one dared to sleep all night, let alone open the doors and windows to see the situation.

The next day, the sky was bright, the people really couldn't do anything, life had to go on, part-time workers, errands, land, business, should work or work, after all, no matter what, they have to live.

Everyone went out cautiously, but found that the whole county was calm, that is, the soldiers at the gate of the city had changed their clothes, and they were all small soldiers in black armor, who were not very old, in excellent spirits, and had a very good appearance.

There were also some patrolling soldiers in the streets, all of whom were quite polite and spoke and behaved in a very amiable manner.

There was also a very beautiful girl beating gongs and drums and preaching notices on the county office.

It is only said that the Great Zhou lost his way, and His Royal Highness the Sea King obeyed the mandate of heaven and replaced Yunyun.

When many ordinary people heard this, their faces immediately turned pale, and they almost fainted with fright.

This is a rebellion!

No matter how well the Anmin notice was written, blowing out a flower from His Royal Highness the Sea King, it was like a saint descending from heaven, and they couldn't be afraid.

In this world, wars are not uncommon, today this climbs to the top and shouts, to be the king and hegemon, tomorrow the one who pulls up a group of people, is to fall into the grass for the coward, but also daydream of fighting for the world.

But this is what the people are most afraid of.

No matter how bad the court is, but the big guy would rather be a peace dog than a troubled world, the court stands there steadily, everything in this world is more regular, and the days can be lived after all, but the sea king who appeared out of nowhere occupied the county, what the consequences will be, who knows?

Moreover, if someone makes trouble, there will be a war, and as long as there is a war, it will inevitably be ordinary people who are unlucky.

There are relatives in the countryside, secretly exchange all the large items at home for silver, tie them to their bodies and secretly go out of the city to join their relatives, if there is no way, they can only desperately buy all kinds of food to go home.

What is most needed in troubled times is food.

At that time, the market was really chaotic for several days, and everyone was at a loss.

Many people are looking forward to the court coming back as soon as possible, and before the recovery, some people are afraid that the court will come back.

Ordinary people are afraid, and those with a bit of family background are even more afraid.

There is a kind of despair that the world is collapsing, and I am afraid that the family business for many years will be destroyed in their own hands.

But the later development was completely different from what everyone imagined, the court was beaten back, but unfortunately it didn't even splash a little water, so it let the Sea King's Sea Dragon Army beat it and fled.

After losing again, I never heard any news from the court, and it was not that I didn't hear it, and the people of the Sea King often publicly preached the current war situation.

Which day, when, where the Great Zhou and the Sea Dragon Army fought, and what the battle situation was, were all clearly told.

The comparison of the military forces of the two sides, what tactics our side used, how Da Zhou fought back, how to be defeated, and so on.

Although they are all praises for His Royal Highness the Sea King, they are really good, and this kind of content, in the past, was something that ordinary people could hear? That was taught in the classroom of the dragon sons and phoenix grandchildren, they ordinary people, as long as they are honest and obedient, who wants to let them be too sensible?

The more you know, the harder it is to discipline?

So even if I muttered a little in my heart and felt that I shouldn't, the big guy was still willing to listen, and after eating, those who had nothing to do unconsciously carried a teapot and gathered around the little descendants who preached the war report, and listened to the major events of the country.

But if you can evaluate it well, you also have a very long face, and you can't let others call you everyone.

In the past half a year, Qi County has long returned to normal, and the people have done what they should do, and they have completely treated those government officials under the Sea Throne as the lords of the county government, and the days are no different from usual.

No, it's still a little different.

There is no need to pay taxes when entering the city gate, the rent of the fields of the Zhuang families has been reduced, and the government has also set up a few large farms, and the grain served by them is not good or bad, but the hired tenants are all smiling and holding their heads high, and the treatment is obviously very good.

There are many factories and workshops built inside and outside the city, some big merchants, and big families, who have become shareholders, anyway, they have a part in the factory and can get money.

Some directly opened factories and became Aquaman's partners.

They often see the old Master Liu and Master Li, but now they can't even care about their grandson at home, and they have to take a carriage out of the city every day to walk thirty miles, and go to the sugar factory outside the city to star, all of them are full of red light.

In short, after half a year, everyone feels that this life is really much better.

The sky is getting brighter, and the sun is rising higher and higher.

The gates were still shut.

There were also many caravans and pedestrians coming from all directions.

The steward of a caravan from the north wiped his sweat, looked at the closed city gate, and the people who couldn't enter the city for a long time, and the people who were in a long queue, couldn't help but change color on their faces, and quarreled with the soldiers guarding the city in front: "What's the matter?" We waited for the delivery and missed the hour, which was terrible. ”

The soldier whispered something, and someone trotted all the way over, and whispered to the steward who bit his ear and talked for a while, and the steward seemed to be appeased, nodded, and still sat aside and waited.

This steward was so arrogant, the little guy who was running errands with him next to him was so frightened that cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he leaned over with a bitter face and whispered: "Master Liu, let's go out, on other people's territory, it's better to keep a low profile, it's not too late now, it's okay to wait." ”

Before the steward could speak, the woodcutter who was carrying firewood behind him laughed out loud when he heard the words: "This little brother looks like a foreigner?" ”

The little guy was stunned for a moment, and the steward next to him smiled and said: "No, this kid is new, he used to follow my grandfather in the north to run the rivers and lakes, a few days ago my grandfather was old and ready to retire, so he sent him to me to study." ”

"He's a clever boy."

The woodcutter smiled, "But don't be afraid, our Qi County is very different from before, and it is even more different from other counties." ”

At this point, he just smiled and didn't say much, and turned his head to talk to his fellow villagers.

The little guy only felt inexplicable in his heart, what difference could it be? Don't look at his young age, but in fact, he is an old man, he has been running around with his master since he was eleven years old, where has he never been?

The city gates of these counties are not so easy to enter, they are all bullying, people in the field, can not be weak and can be bullied, but also can not take the initiative to cause trouble, to understand what is called to be soft, can be solved with money, do not easily conflict, this is the ancestors of the rivers and lakes of survival guidelines, can there be mistakes?

As a foreigner, Steward Liu's posture and menacing appearance just now still directly confronted the government, every move is a stinky move, and what he does is the last thing he should do.

The little guy was worried, he also followed Liu Ye for a short distance, and he didn't find that the chief steward who was over forty years old was actually a stunned young man.

Ay.

The woodcutter vendors on the left and right didn't know what the little brother from other places was thinking, and he was a little bored waiting, so he couldn't help but mutter.

"It's too late to open the city gate today, I'm afraid it's spraying insecticides again?"

"Impossible, last time, because of spraying in the daytime, I heard that the captain of our city management here was scolded and fined for one month."

It was also since last month, as if because of the cold weather, there was a plague in the county next door, and the old men of the urban management brigade were so anxious that their hair was about to fall out in the past few days.

Not only that, but ointment to get rid of lice and mosquitoes is distributed on the streets, and the streets are cleaned three times a day.

Some time ago, the epidemic was cured, but from more than ten days ago, the chengguan team suddenly went crazy again.

"I really can't figure out what the old men of the chengguan team think, I remember that a few days ago they opened a nursery in the middle of the street, and said that they were going to plant flowers, and then it was changed to potted flowers, ahem."

"It seems that they were all withdrawn the day before yesterday."

The woodcutter and the others thought it was incredible and a little funny.

The old men of the urban management team are still too young, and they put so many beautiful flowers on the street, aren't they tempting people to steal them?

The amount is so large, I can't look at it, not to mention the poor people, I am afraid that the family business is big, and I can't help but steal two pots and go home.

"I heard the old man of the city management say that Nan'an City, which is the hometown of His Royal Highness the Sea King, is now full of flowers, lush forests, the city is very good-looking, and the people also know how to be polite, and they will never do anything to steal."

"Hey, Cang Liao knows etiquette, food and clothing and knows honor and disgrace, it seems that Nan'an City may really be a paradise, a holy place in the world."

A scholar in the back sighed faintly.

Everyone at the gate of the city was quiet for a while, and for a long time, one of the scholars said: "I heard from the village that His Royal Highness the Sea King has recently captured Luozhou Mansion, which seems to have the intention of founding a country, but it is just gossip, and I don't know if it is true or not." ”

A lot of people were in good spirits.

If they had heard this kind of news half a year ago, I am afraid that they would only complain and lament, lamenting that there was going to be a war, and that the life of the common people would be difficult again.

But now, many people are so selfish that they unconsciously encourage His Royal Highness the Sea King, fight, fight, quickly capture the capital and sit on the throne of Jinluan, they no longer have to have that worry, worrying that the good days will not last long.

After waiting for another half or so, the gates finally opened.

The caravan and the people waiting to enter the city hurriedly packed their bags and entered the city in order.

The little guy looked around and asked softly, "Is the entrance fee ready?" We have so many cars, I'm afraid it's not good to be less prepared. ”

The so-called entrance fee to the city is naturally not only a serious fee, but also a reward for the soldiers guarding the city gate.

Especially for caravans like them, if they don't give enough, let the soldiers pick and choose, make a mess of the salute and inspection, and take some things along the way, it's okay, if one is not good, and stuff something terrible into it, then there is really no way to heaven and no way to enter the ground.

Steward Liu smiled: "You don't have to pay the entrance fee." ”

Guy: "......"

A few dart bureau executioners who were in charge of escorting next to him glanced at each other and said with a grin: "Didn't I tell you earlier, you don't need to pay for entering Qi County?" ”

Guy: "......"

He just took it as a joke, in the county town in the world, where are there those who don't pay the entrance fee, don't pay the money, what do the soldiers who guard the door eat and drink, how do they live?

Once upon a time, there was a sworn brother who was responsible for guarding the city gates, and if it weren't for the income from the city and stuffing some foreign wealth into his pocket, the whole family would have to drink the northwest wind.

Where is the coarse cloth and old rice given by the imperial court?

"It's not just Qi County, and then continue to go south, the county seat we meet on the road probably doesn't have to pay the entrance fee."

The little servant followed the caravan into the city gate in a daze.

From going through the formalities of entering the city, to inspecting the goods, to releasing them, it took less than a quarter of an hour.

The soldiers in charge of the inspection were very light in their hands and feet, not rude at all, there was no loss of goods, they were smiling all the time, and when they entered the city, because they had come from afar, and because of the internal reasons of the county, they had to wait for such a long time, so everyone was given a small gift.

It is a small medallion, a metal medallion, which can be hung on the chest, and the appearance of the city gate of Qixian County is embossed on it, which is quite chic.

He couldn't help but guess, maybe this thing would be worth a penny?

This money hung on his chest, and the irritability and depression he had just waited for was instantly smoothed out.

If you are treated like this every time you enter the city, even if you wait for two more hours, there is nothing wrong with it.