Chapter 11: Riding a Horse

Tian Hong and Zhong Lichi were buried on a hill in the north of Xiangyang City, and when they arrived in Xiangyang, everyone temporarily settled in the courtyard of the house they bought last time, and gathered in the hall to discuss the next move.

"Brother Zhongli and Brother Tian are protecting the caravan, and I, as the owner, are a little bit of a matter." Zhu Yan held a wooden box and put it in front of Zhong Lijun, sat back on his seat, and said heavily: "Now we can't go back to Nanyang, the property brought this time is about six thousand taels of silver, Brother Zhongli gets one thousand taels, Tian Hong's family has not yet found it, I will deduct one thousand taels, the remaining four thousand taels, the three martial artists each have six hundred taels, and the rest of the two have two hundred taels each, you can take them by yourself and find another way." ”

No one answered, and after a long time, Chang Fuhai spoke: "Ah Yan, you have left your family and come to Xiangyang, what are your plans for the future?" ”

Zhu Yan replied softly: "Uncle Chang asked, Ah Yan didn't dare to deceive, Ah Yan wanted to do some business in Xiangyang." Qu Gao paused and looked at Zhu Yan, when he asked her this sentence in the car, what Zhu Yan said was, "Ah Yan wants to do some business in Xiangyang, if the time is good, Ah Yan will set up his own door and become the suzerain of a clan." At this time, in front of everyone, she hid half of her words.

"Uncle believes in your mind, uncle's share will be the capital for you, and I will help you fight in the future and eat with your mouth." Chang Fuhai has never cared about money, as long as he has meat, wine and friends, he can be content, although Zhu Yan and Qu Gao are juniors, but he likes the two of them in his heart, and now Zhong Lichi and Tian Hong are gone, this time he was born and died, and he also wanted to help take care of Zhong Lijun.

Zhao Che received two silver farewells to everyone, and half of the ten servants left, seeing that the hall was a lot deserted, Zhu Yan said: "Uncle Chang, Ah Yan has an order here, I believe you will not refuse." Seeing Chang Fuhai and Qu Gao's suspicious faces, he smiled lightly: "When my brother was traveling to Jiankang caravan, he passed through Huainan and was summoned by General Zu Li, who said that there was a shortage of food and clothing in the Northern Expeditionary Army, and he wanted to make a business with the Zhu family, but his father did not want to attract the attention of the imperial court at that time, so he did not respond. ”

General Zu Ti? That is a hero admired by everyone in the world, led hundreds of cronies to cross the river, vowed to recover the lost land in Hebei, self-recruited volunteers, self-cast weapons, I don't know how many rivers and lakes to vote, Qu Gao and Chang Fuhai heard this name, they were in awe.

"Ah Yan, ...... you" Chang Fuhai took the list tremblingly, dumbfounded, and didn't know what to do. Seeing that the first item on the list was grain and rice, and the second item was clothing, just as he wanted to speak, Zhu Yan continued: "Among the displaced people who have fled here from the north, there are many women who are skilled in female workers, and they can be hired to rush over to make clothes. ”

All the business ways, Zhu Yan handled it handily, Qu Gao couldn't interject, and when the meeting was over, everyone was tired and tired, so they went back to their rooms to rest. Qu Gao thought to himself, now that he has returned to Xiangyang, when Zhu Yan has made proper arrangements, he should also take the time to go home.

On the second day, the sky is big, after washing in the morning, after eating breakfast, Qu Gao proposed to go outside the city for a walk, now the spring sun is warm, the leaves are recovering, Xiangjiao is a shocking scene, Zhu Yan first arrived in Xiangyang, and is also trying to go out to understand the local terroir. Chang Fuhai replied, "What is there to see in the wilderness", and went to Dongshi with his servants, pondering General Zu Ti's order.

Qu Gao took Zhong Lijun and Zhu Yan to the west of the city, the weather is good today, the spring breeze is warm, and there are many young boys and girls on the road, and you can hear singing and laughing from time to time. Zhu Yan rode in the carriage, but lifted all the curtains, poked his head out from time to time along the way, asked this and that, and at the end he didn't look forward to praise: "It is worthy of being a big capital!" Zhongli Junben's will was low, but at this time he gradually relaxed.

Qu Gao rode on a white horse, looking at this group of soft and happy, the people of Xiangyang City, many of them have never seen Hu people in their lives, and they have never experienced wind and frost in their lives, and their expressions are full of ease and innocence that can only be found in the prosperous world. Thinking of the people in Nanyang City who are not living, I can't help but faintly worry, Xiangyang and Nanyang are only three hundred miles, and there has been no military affairs for a long time, if the Hu people come south to attack, it will be a disaster, even if they are lucky enough to hold Xiangyang, a loose and happy scene like today, I am afraid that it will be difficult to see it again. If Xiangyang can continue to be like this, it will never be able to afford the war, how good it would be, the people live and work in peace and contentment, and laugh and laugh everywhere.

In the past, when he heard his grandfather talk about the Southern Dynasty, Qu Gao often resented the new emperor Sima Rui's indifference to the Northern Expedition, thinking that he was partial to the southern capital, greedy for pleasure, and a mediocre emperor. However, Qu Gao asked himself, if there are now 100,000 Ding Zhuang in Xiangyang City who bow down and obey orders, Qu Gao will be willing to let them go north to fight to the death with the Hu people? If this is the case, the generals in Xiangyang City do not know how many people's wives are separated and their families are ruined.

War is a disaster in the end, Qu Gao sighed, and said to the sky: I hope that Xiangyang will not be harmed again.

"God won't let anyone get their wish!" In the car, Zhu Yan saw Qu Gao looking up to the sky and meditating, and joked, seeing Qu Gao's cold light coming, he hurriedly changed his face, and said softly: "Brother Yi, where are we going?" ”

"Qingxiufeng, it's here in front." Qu Gao said, pointing to a piece of green peaks in front of him, Qingxiu Peak is a hill in the west of Xiangyang City, because the trees are lush all year round, the mountain is straight and beautiful, there is a peach blossom lake behind Qingxiu Peak, and the scenery is also a unique in Xiangyang. Every year, from the beginning of spring to the late autumn dawn, there is no shortage of popularity here.

Qu Gao likes places with mountains and rivers, and unconsciously leaves the war he thinks about. The mountains are still beautiful from a distance, if shrouded in smoke, the forests are lush and lush, which makes people feel refreshed.

Not long after, then to the foot of the mountain, because of the large number of tourists, the vendors on both sides of the mountain road have gradually increased, teahouses, wine shops, folding umbrellas, cloaks, selling anything, its bustle is not inferior to the East City Wharf.

Zhu Yan poked his head out of the car window and looked at the vendors with interest, Zhong Lijun should have rarely seen such a lively scene, looking around, a smile gradually appeared on his face. Zhu Yan looked at a rather exquisite teahouse at the foot of the mountain and said with a smile: "Let's go sit there." ”

Qu Gao answered, and walked towards the teahouse, saying that it was a teahouse, but it was just a few tables, and each table had an umbrella on it, but from the table to the tea set, it was extremely exquisite, so that people could distinguish at a glance that this was not a place for ordinary people to drink tea.

The three of them found a table and sat down, and ordered a pot of tea, Qu Gao saw that Zhu Yan was very interested, and asked with a smile: "Ah Yan's eyes are discerning, but you see business opportunities again?" Zhu Yan flicked his sleeves and took a sip of water, shook his head and said: "In and out of here, it is either rich or expensive, if Ah Yan can seduce the son-in-law of a scholar's family, he can save ten years of struggle!" Seeing Qu Gao looking at Zhu Yan in astonishment, Zhong Lijun couldn't help but smile and said, "Uncle can too." ”

While talking, a group of freshly dressed and angry horses in Chinese costumes also walked towards the teahouse, there were five or six horses in front of the people, followed by seven or eight cars, and the gorgeous decoration of each car was not inferior to the carriage that Zhu Yan was riding, and the cars were all young men and girls dressed in gorgeous clothes, and the young man headed by Qu Gao recognized at a glance that it was the head of the jade-faced king who gave horses in the East Market.