Wu Jin tried his best to search for clues in newspapers and tabloids. He spent sleepless nights and food, and wrote down the matter of embezzlement of military pay on paper.
"In August of the 21st year of Yuanzhang, 90,000 pieces of cotton-padded clothes were made from leather armor in the north and south workshops and sent to Baozhai. However, in October, traders in Jeju and Kuanzhou sold cotton-padded clothes at low prices, and they were also shipped to Lingnan and other places for sale at low prices. On the twelfth of the month, the Jeju Myunghyun tabloid recorded the grand occasion of tens of thousands of cotton-padded clothes being put on board when the lucky boat came out of the river."
"In February of the 22nd year of Yuan Zhang, the Kuanzhou Wenji tabloid once said that many soldiers froze to death. It also used Cao Bin's words to satirize state officials, 'Why do you need a prime minister in life? A good official can only get too much money.' , and then the Wenji tabloid disappeared, and most of the tabloids of that day were also destroyed.”
He writes in such detail that anyone who is literate can see the relationship.
After writing down all the things he could find, he wrote at the end: "In the dynasty, Shuo Shuo stole power, embezzled the military treasury, and scattered it in the stronghold. Gold, silver, and jade were accumulated in private homes. The treasury was like a mountain. Most of the soldiers are villains, and they take military pay as if they were private property, so that the soldiers in the army have no clothes to keep out the cold, and no food to eat. If things go on like this, the fortress will collapse like an ant nest."
After writing the last word, he put down his pen and sat down, looking at the entire article.
The ink is fragrant, the words are straight, each stroke has muscles and bones, creating a world, imprisoning a piece of filth, and plotting quietly.
He read it again from beginning to end, finding no flaws, and waited for the ink to dry before getting up.
I don't feel it when I sit down, but when I stand up, the bones all over my body make a "click" sound, like rusty pig iron, which requires all my strength to be stretched out.
He stretched his waist, moved his hands and feet, looked down at the side of Beacon Mountain, and saw that the tea was still warm, so he picked it up and took a sip. As soon as he quenched his thirst, he put down the tea cup, and a string of hunger burst from his stomach. The long cry.
He folded the document he had written and held it in his arms. The tip of his nose once again smelled the fragrance of flowers blooming and floating in sequence, from spring to summer, from autumn to winter, all hidden in the fragrance.
Taking a look at Xiangya, he opened the door, and then was stunned for a moment - it was dark.
It turns out that the cup of tea is not still warm, but is replaced when it cools down, so it warms the hand when touched.
The study was already gloomy, and candles were always lit. With his full attention, he did not notice that the sky was getting darker, and the wooden beams and walls in the study gave off an ancient smell, mixed with the aroma of the smoker and the warmth of the charcoal pot. It becomes an everlasting breath that makes people unable to notice the passage of time.
This was true in the study, Jiu Si Xuan, and even the front hall where he had been.
The moment he opened the door, he even felt like seeing the light of day again.
The servant standing at the door saw him opening the door and bowed quickly: "Master Wu——"
"I'm going to go to the official room." Wu Jin interrupted him in a rare moment. He walked up three stone steps in one step and strode to the official room. After washing his hands and coming out, his solemn expression relaxed a lot. The feeling that he was about to be swallowed up by Mo Mansion just now The weird feeling disappeared, as if he had peed.
When the servant who spoke just now saw him, he bowed again and said, "Master Wu, where will dinner be prepared for you?"
"I won't eat anymore. I'm going home."
He was about to leave in a hurry. Yin Bei came from the second hall at this time. When he saw him coming out of the study, he looked anxious again and said hurriedly: "Master Wu, if you have something to do, please tell me. You can have something to eat first."
Wu Jin walked out and waved his hand: "I'm going home."
"I'll see you off." Yin Bei immediately followed him, ordered his servants to prepare their horses, and fetched him a crane cloak to keep out the cold: "I just sent you some clothes today. They are all in the style you wear on weekdays. You will wear them tomorrow." Try it."
Wu Jin reached out and took it without looking at it carefully. He put it on and felt much warmer. He rode with Yin Bei to the outside of Shishi Street. He dismounted from the saddle, handed the reins back to Yin Bei, and hurried inside.
There are few lights in Shishi Street, and the houses on both sides of the street are silent. There are occasional shouts and cries, but they are kept very low, as if they are afraid that others will read the joke. Wu Jin only needs to hear this to know that they have just moved in. They are still decent, and they don't scold or cry at all.
He sided away from the debris and walked quickly to the door of his house. The door was open a crack, and a dim light came out. He quickly opened the door and went in, saying softly: "Mom."
Wu's mother was wrapping a scarf on her head and was going to find him in Mo Mansion. When she saw him coming back, she felt relieved and said, "He's back."
She turned towards the house and shouted: "His father is back."
"Okay," Father Wu was still awake, "Boss, come in and sit down."
There was another long cry in Wu Jin's belly, and Wu's mother walked to the kitchen: "Hurry and warm yourself by the fire. I'll cook you a bowl of noodles and leave some soup for you."
Wu Jin stepped into the big room, took off the crane cloak, and put it on the bed rail. Only then did she realize that the soap-colored crane cloak looked ordinary, but it was made of unknown leather inside. The tentacles were soft and warm, so she turned over the crane cloak. Turn it over and cover the lining to prevent parents from being upset.
When he saw Wu Yi sleeping on the small bed made of bed planks, sleeping soundly, he stepped forward and stuffed his hands into the quilt.
Turning around and taking the chopsticks from Father Wu's hand, he pushed away the charcoal fire and added a piece of charcoal inside: "Dad, do you want to relieve yourself?"
Father Wu shook his head: "I can go by myself, but it's cold on the road now."
"Cold, I'm going to weigh a scale of charcoal and come back tomorrow. Is it still warm in the bakery?"
"Don't buy it. Everything is expensive this year. It's very warm in the bakery. No matter how much you earn now, you won't be able to spend much in the future. You've reached the age of getting married."
Wu's father looked at the sleeping Wu Yi and whispered: "Your mother and I have discussed that all the money you earn will be saved for you. After the spring of next year, I will buy you a house so that we can get married."
"There's no rush for the marriage," Wu Jin said with a smile, "Cheng Ting hasn't made a decision yet."
Wu's mother came in with a hot bowl and put it in front of Wu Jin: "Why don't you rush? You will be twenty after the Chinese New Year. Plant the sycamore tree to attract the golden phoenix. Next year, buy a house first."
Wu Jin took the chopsticks and said, "The house can be purchased."
Wu Yi smelled the fragrance, turned over rustlingly, got up and looked at Wu Jin: "Brother, you are back."
He yawned, sipped his saliva, and stretched his neck to see what was in the bowl. Wu Mu slapped him on the head and pushed him into bed: "Your brother just eats a bowl of noodles. Why don't you still eat it?" Are you greedy? Didn't you eat enough at night? It's all coming from my stomach, you just have a mouth and don't have any brains!"
Wu Yi had no choice but to retreat into bed, smelling the aroma of fried eggs and mutton soup, swallowing secretly, and after a moment, suddenly said: "Mom, what kind of house are you buying? Do we have money to buy a house?"
"No!" When Wu's mother heard what he said, her heart immediately beat up, and she opened her mouth and said, "You should pay your debts honestly. Your brother will finally earn some money and get a wife. In the future, we will have a big family." If you want to make a living, you dare to cause trouble to your brother again——"
She gritted her teeth and said harshly: "I'll separate you."
Wu Yi stretched out his hand to cover his head with the quilt, and said angrily: "I'm just asking, guard me as you guard against thieves, and you will be divided! Anyway, I have to repay my debt until I grow old!"
Wu's mother pulled off the quilt, grabbed his ears and taught him a lesson: "You won't be able to beg for food by then!"
"If there is no road, there is no road. Let's just starve to death!"
(End of chapter)
