It’s winter again.
In the northwest, thousands of miles of ice cover and thousands of miles of snow drifting.
Inside and outside the city, there is only vastness; up and down the Wei River, it suddenly stops flowing.
This year's heavy snowfall was earlier, faster, and longer-lasting than in previous years, making the severe winter even more severe and cold.
The northwest, which has had good weather for thirty years, suffered a rare freeze disaster. The fertile farmland in villages and towns in various places failed to harvest, and people died of hunger everywhere.
Cangbao Street, Zhongfu.
Zhong Qiyu frowned as he listened to the latest famine situation.
From November to now, Qingyang City has opened warehouses for disaster relief twice, using war reserves of grain. Fortunately, the war in Qingyang is not tense, otherwise it would not be able to rescue so many victims.
However, there was famine in the entire northwest, coupled with war, waves of refugees gathered in the relatively stable Qingyang City.
Now, outside Qingyang City, which has been expanded again and again, the number of refugees has increased by hundreds of thousands.
"There are refugees coming to Qingyang from Wangdi, Heishui, and Shunyi, and most of them are from Baiyan City..."
Although population means prayer beads, when there is no work for a long time, the value created by simple prayer is low in cost performance, and all major cities will not accept it.
After being silent for a long time, Zhong Qiyu said: "Let the Caoyun Gang, Wan Tang and major aristocratic families donate, and then put some of it from the Fuyang Granary. It will be enough to survive this cold winter until February or March next year. Uncle Zhong, what do you think?" "
Zhong Xiaozhong hesitated a little and said: "When the Zhong clan comes forward, they naturally dare not disobey, but I am afraid they will have many opinions in private. It is best to convene a council together and make some promise of benefits to appease them.
In addition, the Wei State's return of one million troops will arrive before the year, which will be a huge expenditure. The war in Xiahou is currently suspended, but the situation in the northwest is clear. The Xiahou army may start another war at any time and head towards Qingyang, but it is not appropriate to reserve grain move……"
A woman in a palace skirt next to her said to Zhong Qiyu: "Husband, you must be careful when storing food. There are too many refugees, and daily expenses are huge. Even if the Xiahou family does not attack the city in the short term, if the master summons Qiyang's army to return, there will be another If you have arrangements, why don’t you ask Master for advice?”
There was a discussion.
Zhong Qiyu fell into the thirty-fifth courtyard.
"The expected encounter is coming!"
"I've met Aunt Yu. The child wants to see his father for something."
"Go ahead, your father is in the study and happens to be free."
"yes."
Zhong Qiyu walked through the corridor and went to the study room in the main hall. He saw his father sitting at the table, holding a bell and frowning in deep thought.
"My child meets his father!"
Zhong Yan looked up, put away the signaling bell, nodded and said, "What's the matter?"
Zhong Qiyu stood up, poured a cup of tea, and explained the situation in detail.
"This issue……"
Zhong Yan nodded, pondered for a moment and said: "It doesn't matter, the Bigu Pills stored in the clan can be used, which is enough to support the army for half a year. You go find your Aunt Qingyao... As for the aristocratic families in the city, they must stay in Qingyang Tu To be stable, you must abide by the rules of my Zhong clan. Qingyang is the foundation of the clan and the people's hearts and minds are very important. Just do what you want."
Zhong Qiyu has been the head of the family for more than a year. Zhong Yan has completely delegated power. All matters within the family are controlled by his son. He only asks for opinions on a few occasions. Regardless of whether it is right or wrong, as long as it does not cause bad consequences, it is decided by the other party. .
To this day, even if he decides to leave, he can safely leave the family to his son to manage.
"yes!"
Zhong Qiyu bowed and said yes, hesitating for a moment and asked: "My dear, dare I ask, if Qiyang's army returns to Yan's million-strong army, will there be an important war in the coming year? Or is the civil war coming to a critical juncture?"
Zhong Yan nodded: "It's almost the same. We can't keep fighting like this. My father has decided to serve Minghao."
Subordinate... Zhong Qiyu's eyes flashed, and he felt a little hopeful. The family was finally going to participate in the civil war.
Wait for him to retreat.
Wei Siyu and Yun Qianxun came in hand in hand. The former asked: "What is the matter of Uncle Lin's summons?"
Zhong Yan looked at Yun Qianxun and said, "For you and Ziyi."
"What happened to Qimei and I?" Yun Qianxun was stunned for a moment, and then realized that it was probably because of their beauty.
Zhong Yan frowned and said, "Recently, some Shenxiao Sect disciples in Anlu City are talking about you and Ziyi, and they will probably come to our door."
Wei Siyu hurriedly asked: "Why did you suddenly notice Liu Mei and Qi Mei?"
Zhong Yan said: "It should be that the last time Ziyi revealed his true appearance, the Xiahou family spread the news and expanded its influence, attracting the attention of the lecherous people of Shenxiao Sect. This was an act of killing with a borrowed knife. Qianxun just mentioned it in conjunction."
In the early years, few people from the Shenxiao Sect were in the Yan Kingdom. Although Yun Qianxun was famous, he had the status of a direct disciple of Qifeng, and no one dared to covet him.
Later, Yun Qianxun pretended to be abducted by the evil cultivator Quan Boguang, went to Broken Star Island, and disappeared.
Later, Yun Qianxun returned to the Zhong Mansion and was rumored for a while, but it did not spread widely.
As for Yuan Ziyi, he had been well hidden until the last time when Xiahou's army attacked the city, someone saw the face that brought disaster to the country and the people, and mistakenly thought it was 'Zhong Xi'.
Yun Qianxun laughed angrily and said, "We are already married, how can the Shenxiao Sect, as the superior force, still rob us?"
Zhong Yan sneered: "What do you think? What does personal behavior have to do with Shenxiao Sect?"
Wei Siyu and Yun Qianxun looked at each other and frowned. The latter asked, "How do you plan to respond?"
Zhong Yan shook his head and said: "The problem is not big. Let Zhang Ran come forward to solve it when the time comes."
With Zhang Ran's energy, it was easy to handle this matter.
but.
After some deliberation, he concluded that the Xiahou family only acted as a "trigger" in this matter, but it was Zhang Ran who wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble and earn favors.
There are three reasons.
First, it has been more than a year since Xiahou's army attacked the city, and the news has already spread. The Shenxiao Sect members really want to covet the beauty of the two women, and they have come a long time ago;
Second, insiders of the Shenxiao Sect that Lin Zhengping developed said that a disciple who had just come from Chu State was interested in the two women;
Third, the time happened to be right after he showed some of his strength in Liulic City and Zhang Ran came to Qingyang again.
If so.
What makes Zhong Yan unhappy is the feeling of being manipulated and controlled by others.
Since there was no serious problem, Yun Qianxun secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said: "I went to the eldest sister, but I couldn't persuade her that she didn't want to join the Zhong clan."
Wei Siyu said: "Maybe she is reluctant to part with Qifeng. The eldest sister values power more."
Zhong Yan pouted: "Stop lobbying. From now on, she will take care of her children in the outer courtyard."
Su Yue is willing to marry, but he is not willing to marry yet.
After giving birth to two children, her loyalty is only 75, which is worse than many guests. Why marry her? Expose more family secrets?
Yun Qianxun added: "There is nothing unusual about Ni Sang."
The family has found out that Ni Sang is hiding in Sangtian Town with another child.
Zhong Yan thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry about it. Don't disturb him."
He suspected that Ni Sang's body had been taken away by Master Qifeng Mei.
This idea came to mind as early as when Yun Qianxun came back secretly and said that Mrs. Mei had passed away.
So far, the suspicion, or intuition, in his heart is even stronger.
There are four reasons:
First, Ni Sang and Wei Siyu have the same spiritual root qualifications. Su Yue first arranged for the two of them to go to sea, and then replaced Yun Qianxun later. If Mrs. Mei had the same qualifications as them, the possibility would be greater;
Secondly, although Yun Qianxun was bored on Broken Star Island and thought about sneaking back, she just thought about it. It was Mrs. Mei who said before she passed away, "If you want to go back, it doesn't hurt to go back." , finally prompted Yun Qianxun's actions.
Third, when Yun Qianxun returned to Broken Star Island again, he did not find Ni Sang immediately. It took three months for the two to reunite. If the time on the way back and forth is included, it would have been more than half a year.
Fourth, Ni Sang’s personality changed a lot before he went to sea and after he came back, and he was not so talkative.
However, these alone cannot prove that Ni Sang was taken away. Until now, there is no strong basis for it, and we dare not test it rashly.
If Ni Sang was really snatched away, and if Mrs. Mei was in a very high state before she was injured, her consciousness would be unimaginably strong.
…
