Gaoyou Duanzhuang is the place where the Yasukuni Gongyang uprising was defeated, Li Xianyi led the heavy armored cavalry of the founding of the Dahao to stain the Wanjin River here, nearly 70,000 Yasukuni troops were killed, for a time mourning was all over the field, the blood flowed into a river, and the Gaoyou radius was deserted for dozens of miles.

After the war, in order to encourage the reconstruction of Gaoyou, the imperial court moved more than 100,000 people from Linxian County, and decided to reduce Gaoyou's taxes for five years.

When Ma Yangchen and Mo Yan arrived at Gaoyou Duanzhuang, it was already noon. After the two entered the village, they found a family to ask for a bowl of water to drink, and by the way, they began to explore Duanzhuang.

This family is in the westernmost part of Zhuangzi, with a single courtyard and a fence. There are more than a dozen chickens in the yard, and a big yellow dog with a cocked tail.

Mo Yan stood outside the door, looked at the barking yellow dog, and shouted, "Is anyone home?"

The people in the house heard the dog barking and walked out, an old man in his sixties. While scolding the yellow dog to stop barking, he came to the door, looked at Ma Yangchen and the others, and said, "Is there something wrong with you?"

Ma Yangchen stepped forward and said, "Uncle, we are passing by here, thirsty and want to beg for a bowl of water to drink, I don't know if it's convenient?"

The old man opened the door and said, "What's inconvenient?" Come, come in. Ah Huang, don't scream. It's noon, you haven't eaten yet, have you? My wife and I just cooked a meal, why don't you eat some together?"

Mo Yan said: "Thank you so much." The light is in a hurry, and we are just hungry before our hearts are close to our backs, thank you! ”

Ma Yangchen hurriedly said, "Uncle, we will pay after eating." ”

The old man smiled and said, "Hey, what money is not money, as long as you don't dislike it, then eat it together." Wife, add two pairs of dishes and chopsticks, and there are guests at home. ”

There was also a meat dish on the table, fried pork in the snow, two plates of small pickles, japonica rice, and a bowl of sparse egg soup. The rice was enough to eat, but it was just a few chopsticks to finish it. Mo Yan held the chopsticks awkwardly, looked at the meat of the last chopsticks, could only lick the head of the chopsticks, took a few bites of rice, put down the bowl, and said, "I'm full." ”

Ma Yangchen also put down the dishes and chopsticks and said, "Uncle, let's inquire, have any people from Duanzhuang moved from other places? ”

The old man took a sip of soup, wiped his mouth, and said: "Little brother doesn't know, almost all the people in this Zhuangzi have moved from other places, and our old couple moved from Linxian County, and there was no one here at that time." The imperial court is also to appease, and the land here is exempt from paying taxes for five years. We had no children and could still move, so we signed up to move over. The single courtyard was drawn by lot, and half an acre of thin land was divided, and life was still passable. I raised a few chickens by myself, and occasionally killed one to satisfy my hunger. Stir-fried pork in the snow is made with chicken. ”

Mo Yan suddenly realized and said, "I said that the taste is different. ”

Ma Yangchen asked in a low voice, "Did anyone come back from the barracks in this village?"

The old man said: "It's really hard to say, there are people everywhere." ”

The old woman interjected: "The two boys from the Liu blacksmith family in Zhuangnantou seem to have been soldiers, you see that body is bumpy, like a bear." It looks like I've been in the barracks. ”

Ma Yangchen nodded at Mo Yan, Mo Yan hurriedly took out two taels of silver and handed it to the old man, and said, "I have eaten up your second elder's meal, I'm sorry, this is the rice money." ”

"No, no, no. The old man hurriedly waved his hand.

Mo Yan put it on the table and said, "Take it, let's go first." Thank you!"

After speaking, Ma Yangchen and Mo Yan left the small courtyard and went straight to Zhuangnan.

Blacksmith Liu's home was easy to find, and the stove was propped up in the shed outside the house.

Two prime men and an older man are swinging hammers shirtless, the sound of tinkling is incessant, and the rhythm is just right.

The older man held a long clip in his left hand, holding a red-hot piece of iron, and kept turning it, and the small hammer in his right hand kept beating, guiding the two prime-aged sledgehammers to pound and pound. The tendons and flesh of the two middle-aged people shine brightly under the interplay of sweat and fire.

"It's sturdy. Mo Yan sighed.

When the three of them heard someone talking, they stopped, and the older man threw the iron back into the furnace, put down his belongings, and asked unkindly, "Who are you?"

Ma Yangchen said: "Passing by, inquire about individuals." ”

"Who's inquiring?" asked Blacksmith Liu impatiently.

"Do you know this?" Ma Yangchen took out a talisman from the package, held it in the palm of his hand, and headed towards Blacksmith Liu.

Blacksmith Liu looked at it fixedly, was shocked, and hurriedly said, "Childe is talking inside." As he spoke, he took off the apron on his body, threw it aside, and then said to the two prime men: "Tianpeng, you go and call your Brother Du over." Aquila, you're on guard outside. Two of you, please inside!"

The strong man named Tianpeng ran to the village. The other was at the door.

Ma Yangchen walked into the house, and Blacksmith Liu turned around to cover the door, bowed his head, and said: "Yasukuni Military Academy Captain Liu Yunchuan knocks to see the young master!"

Ma Yangchen picked up Liu Yunchuan and asked, "Captain Liu, how many of our own people are there in Duanzhuang now?"

Liu Yunchuan stood up and said, "Young master, please sit down first, and General Du will come over in a while." The commander-in-chief here is General Du Chun, the righteous son of the Duke of Yasukuni, that is, the righteous brother of the young master. ”

Ma Yangchen nodded and said, "How long have you been here?"

"I was the commander of the personal battalion of the Duke of Yasukuni at that time, and after the defeat of the army, we were dispersed, and I and Tianpeng and Tianying were exiled to Linxian and lived incognito. Later, General Du sent someone to find us, and we returned to Gaoyou, in order to avoid people's eyes, I was commensurate with his father and son. It's been almost five years. General Du told me that one day in the future, the young master will come to us with a talisman, and then it will be the time for this team to play its role. We looked forward day and night, and finally looked forward to the young master. I haven't seen you for a few years, I almost don't know the young master, the last time I saw you, the young master was only about ten years old at that time, I didn't think about it, after a few years, the young master has grown into an adult. Liu Yunchuan said a lot in one breath, and his eyebrows showed an excited look.

"How is Grandpa Guo?" asked Liu Yunchuan casually.

Ma Yangchen sat down on the stool, and Liu Yunchuan hurriedly poured water and handed it over.

Ma Yangchen looked at Liu Yunchuan and said, "Grandpa Guo has had an epiphany and is a monk." ”

"What?" Liu Yunchuan was taken aback and said, "Why are you a monk?"

Ma Yangchen just wanted to speak, when a person walked in outside the door. The appearance of this life is dignified, majestic, with a straight nose and a wide mouth, sword eyebrows and starry eyes, and at a glance, you can know that it is General Du Chun.

Ma Yangchen stood up, and without waiting for Du Chun to speak, he first bowed and said, "Junior brother Ma Yangchen has seen eldest brother." ”

Du Chun was stunned for a moment, then stepped forward to hug Ma Yangchen, came to a bear hug, and then pushed Ma Yangchen away to look around, and said with a smile: "It's really a little similar." I hugged you when you were three years old, and you were riding on my shoulder and peeing on me. In a blink of an eye, it has been fifteen years, and the younger brother has grown up. ”

Ma Yangchen smiled embarrassedly: "I don't remember anything when I was a child." ”

Du Chun laughed and said, "I'll tell you about your childhood in a while, you were too skinny at that time, and I gave you the name of the ghost." Oh, by the way, is my stepfather okay now?"

Ma Yangchen took out the package, took out the letter and handed it to Du Chun along with the talisman.

Du Chun looked at Ma Yangchen strangely and asked, "What's wrong?"

Ma Yangchen said: "Take a look, you can see it at a glance." ”

Du Chun picked up the letter and read it carefully. After reading the letter, he sighed and said, "That's fine, my father-in-law is too tired, and it's time to rest." Now that the talisman has arrived, it's time for this troop to be handed over to you. After speaking, he raised his talisman with both hands, knelt down on one knee, and said: "Du Chun, the four-rank Yangwu general under the command of the Yasukuni Army, knocks to see the young master!"

Ma Yangchen took the talisman, picked up Du Chun, and said, "You and my brother, you don't have to be like this. ”

Du Chun got up and said, "When my father-in-law sent me out, I already said that the person who came to transfer the army with this talisman in the future is the master of this team. We have been preparing for fifteen years, and even for such an important battle as the Gaoyou War, our father-in-law did not let this team appear, and the purpose was to wait for today. It seems that the father-in-law has long anticipated today's situation, and you and my brother should inherit his old aspirations, take the restoration of the country and Xinghao as their own responsibility, overcome obstacles, and move forward. ”

Ma Yangchen nodded and said, "Big brother, tell me about the situation here." ”

Du Chun said: "Gaoyou Duanzhuang, Zhouzhuang, and Xiejiazhuang have a total of 800 soldiers, and then they have successively incorporated scattered old departments, up to now a total of 1,200 people, three generals from Wupin, Congwupin, and a total of 69 officers above the captain, brigade commander, and captain. But they are now farmers, fishermen, blacksmiths, carpenters, and merchants. ”

Ma Yangchen snorted and asked, "How long will it take for the team to assemble?"

Du Chun said: "If you don't bring your family, it will take three hours at the earliest." ”

"How many people are in the family?" asked Ma Yangchen.

"Because the dormant time is too long, it is estimated that there will be about 300 people. Du Chun said.

Ma Yangchen thought for a while and said, "In this way, the three hundred family members will set off first, and the eldest brother, you will arrange a team of 100 people to be responsible for escorting, and the rest of the people and horses will not move, waiting for instructions." My father-in-law also arranged two secret strongholds that I needed to contact, and when I finished contacting the three strongholds, he would send someone to inform my eldest brother what to do next. ”

Du Chun nodded and said, "Okay!"

Ma Yangchen said: "The other two, one is in Runzhou, and the other is in Hailingcang Ferry, the road is far away, the eldest brother will change four horses for us, and we will ride in pairs, and we will send back the news in the shortest possible time." ”

Du Chun nodded and arranged for someone to prepare the horse, and then said to Ma Yangchen: "In addition, you have two righteous brothers, there is one person you need to pay attention to, Jia Xiaolin's temper is a little irritable, I heard my father-in-law say at that time, he left the Yasukuni Army in anger, and he was at the bottom of the plate, after all, it has been more than ten years, and no one can say for sure." ”

Ma Yangchen snorted and said, "Okay, I remember!"