A.D.
541 years.
June 13th.
It's noon.
The sun was blazing.
Ordinary clothes cannot withstand the invasion of sweat.
A depleted team.
Walking slowly on the ancient post road.
They made rice at four o'clock this morning.
It's just dawn.
I left Bo Guan Temple where I was staying for the night.
The path under your feet.
Said it was a post road.
In fact, the potholes and weeds have been reborn! .
Be carefully identified.
Fang Ke couldn't see a dilapidated roadbed built in an unknown year.
The original post road.
Very little maintenance.
And was constantly crushed by this year's chariots and trampled by horses.
The roadbed has been completely destroyed.
This team walking on the post road.
There were only a little over 30 people in total.
But it draws a longer distance.
Riding at the front was a man in his prime with a majestic appearance.
he.
Wearing a crown on his head.
Beautiful face.
Strong build.
There are two thick and beautiful long beards on his face.
The weather is muggy.
But he was still wearing a military uniform with gold and black silk trim.
The left hand holds the territory.
The right hand holds a spear.
Both eyes were fixedly staring ahead.
Following closely behind was a short guard.
Flying a green and red flag.
The above is a big {Yang} character.
He signaled to passers-by that the owner of this team was Yang Zhong, the famous general of the Western Wei Dynasty.
present.
There were several tough soldiers surrounding him.
Later.
It was a carriage with a tent pulled by two horses.
After that.
are separated by camels.
Mule.
The four vehicles pulled were loaded with grain.
cooking utensils.
tent.
Baggage vehicles for sundries.
On both sides of the vehicle.
And behind the car.
They were escorted along the route by 20 cavalrymen.
Hot weather.
The road conditions are too bad.
Cars and horses can only move forward hard in the bumps.
Look around.
The fields on both sides of the post road have rarely been seen with farmers cultivating the fields due to the war in recent years.
Because it’s midsummer.
rainwater.
Sunlight.
Make the fields grow abundantly.
The weeds in every row grew wildly.
On the contrary, it shows a scene that is both desolate and abundant.
On horseback.
Yang Zhong, who was sweating profusely from the scorching sun, put up an awning with his hands.
In the distance, I saw a thousand-year-old locust tree on the roadside with a green shade.
then.
He squeezed the horse's body tightly with his legs.
horse.
He immediately galloped forward like an arrow.
Only when I got closer did I see it clearly.
There is a dining table under the big locust tree.
Several old men were sitting around the table.
Take a few steps closer.
The old people fled along the slope like a swarm of swarms.
Yang Zhong looked at the fleeing figures of the old men.
I saw a gurgling stream directly beside the road.
There is an old and crooked wooden bar on the stream.
Over the bridge.
There are some withered poplar trees growing scatteredly.
Under the tree.
There are several dilapidated thatched houses.
A few fleeing old men.
They all crossed the small bridge and plunged into the village.
Yang Zhong's mount.
Run to the big locust tree.
Dismount from the horse.
Only then did he see an old man in ragged clothes standing beside the stone table.
He was smiling unnaturally at himself.
Yang Zhong handed the reins to the guard beside him.
get in a word.
"They all ran away, why don't you run away?"
old man.
He replied hoarsely.
"They are timid and scared."
Yang Zhong's face sank.
explain.
"Aren't you scared?"
"I'm just a seller of herbal tea. I'm penniless. If anyone wants to rob me, then he shouldn't leave crying. Military gentlemen on this hot day, have a cup of tea and rest."
While talking.
Several of the soldiers who followed him also dismounted.
Yang Zhong.
Look behind you.
commanded.
"Ma'am, please get out of the car and have tea too. We still have a long way to go, so we might as well drink tea here to escape the heat."
A guard.
Immediately go and send a message to Che Nian who is still walking behind.
Yang Zhong.
He sat down on a stone that served as a stool next to the stone table.
The old man scooped out a bowl of herbal tea from the barrel.
He handed it to Yang Zhong respectfully.
Yang Zhong.
Take the tea bowl.
Put it to your nose and smell it.
"Yeah, good tea."
After taking a sip, he placed the tea bowl on the stone table.
Take off the helmet and place it on the stone table.
Then.
He put his hand into the iron pocket on his armor.
Take out one ingot and ten taels of silver
explain.
"Old man, please accept this small favor and treat it as our tea money."
"Master Jun, no, no, this is not okay."
old man.
Repeatedly put off.
"My bowl of tea is worth whatever it is. Just drink it, Master. I won't ask you for money."
"Well, father, you go to the village to get some fresh vegetables, and we'll make rice here tonight. We haven't had pure green delicacy in a long time."
The old man hesitated.
He nodded and said.
"well."
"The vegetables in the farmland are not worth much, they are all cultivated by ourselves."
"Stop talking nonsense, I'll be hungry, collect the money and go."
old man.
Looking at the military master in front of him, he insisted on giving it.
If you don’t accept it, you are afraid of causing trouble.
Forced.
Take the money.
Then he crossed the wooden bridge over the stream and returned to the village to get vegetables.
A luxury car with a shed was driving behind.
Driven by a waiter.
Be the first to arrive under the big locust tree.
The two maids who got out of the car first and another maid who was still in the car helped Mrs. Yang and Lu to get out of the car.
At first glance.
Mrs. Lu is less than 30 years old.
Wearing a special silk skirt.
Belly rumbling.
It looks like she will give birth soon.
Because of the bumps along the way.
At present.
Her little face had turned sallow.
Pain in limbs.
A maid spread a cotton mat on the stone bench.
Then he finally helped her sit down.
Baggage trains arrived one after another.
One by one, they also stopped by the creek not far from the locust tree.
The soldiers helped unload the mules and horses.
The cavalrymen also loosened their girdles on their horses.
Remove the saddle.
Then he led the animals to the stream to drink water and eat grass.
Huotoujun didn't even bother to take a sip of water first.
They were busy looking for a place to escape the summer heat.
Drive an axe.
Set up tent.
Make rice.
It’s all busy work right now.
General Yang Zhong specially escorted his wife back to his hometown of Wuchuan Town to give birth to his son.
Yang Zhong’s ancestral home.
Although he is from Huayin County, Hongnong County.
Because his fourth generation ancestor Yang Yanshou once took the official position of Sima of Wuchuan Town in the Northern Wei Dynasty.
So far.
The family moved to Wuchuan.
Later, descendants also called Wuchuan their home.
As the pioneer general of the Western Wei Dynasty.
In these years of social turmoil.
Months and months of conquests from east to west.
Life is precarious.
Plus not too long ago.
He once ordered a fortune teller to read the fortune of his wife.
People just say.
"Mrs. Lu must be carrying a boy."
Yang Zhong did not hesitate to travel a long distance to send his wife back to his hometown.
So that the eldest son of the Yang family could be born and grow up in a relatively stable environment.
Less than an hour.
An old man selling tea.
Led by two other old men. ,
One person carries a load.
Cross the wooden bridge and wander back to the big locust tree.
The noodle box is filled with a variety of fruits and vegetables.
The old tea seller put down his burden.
A piece of smoked old bacon was pulled out from under a broken noodle frame.
"Do you still have this kind of stock?"
Yang Zhong looked at the old man's clothes.
If you can take out the bacon to entertain.
quite surprised
"It seems that the folks here are doing well."
"Alas, Master Jun, what you see is only the surface. People are still living a normal life these days."
old man.
A long sigh.
go on.
"Our village is located next to the post road. There used to be thousands of households. It used to be very lively. Master Jun, look at how many houses and accommodations are left in the village now. The village is located at a traffic fortress. Soldiers and bandits often come into the village every now and then. It's a nuisance, the government is silent, military master, can you hear the crow of a rooster in the village now?"
Yang Zhong.
My nose started to feel sour.
"Old man, where did you get this meat?"
"In the first month of this year, the rice jar at home had bottomed out. I had no choice but to walk for two days in the wind and snow before entering the Daqing Mountains. Unexpectedly, I was lucky enough to kill a wild boar. But when I carried the wild boar, I was very happy. When I returned home, my wife had starved to death in bed. Because I had no money to bury my wife, I asked my neighbors to bury my wife and use half of the wild boar meat. I have been reluctant to eat the remaining half."
Yang Zhong felt sad for a while.
He carefully examined the old man in front of him.
asked thoughtfully.
"Father, you are so old, you have to walk such a long way back and forth to hunt in the mountains, and you have such skills. Could it be that you have been a soldier?"
"Not only have I been a soldier, I have also killed enemies."
The old man took off his ragged shirt.
Exposing wounds and sores all over his body.
"None of the men in the village have ever been to the government barracks. Most of them died in a foreign country. The few old men who are still alive in the village, like me, all crawled out of the dead."
nowadays.
The other two old men who came with the old man had already carried the vegetable load to the stream to wash vegetables with the soldiers.
Under the locust tree.
Yang Zhong and the old man became more and more speculative as they chatted.
"We have come all the way and have never seen any local farmers. Where did you get these dishes?"
said the old man.
"When a person is alive, he has to think of ways to gamble with his life. Soldiers often pass by on both sides of the road, and people and horses make trouble. Many farmers have never planted crops on the roadside. In order to survive, the villagers can only hide in the mountain col. There is a piece of land in the west, and some vegetables are grown next to the puddles. There are not many people alive in the village. So in summer and autumn, we can grow some farmers and vegetables, and life is still passable."
old man.
Shake his head and sigh.
Suddenly asked again.
"Master Jun, according to your estimate, how long will this battle last before it ends?"
Yang Zhong.
Shaked his head.
explain.
"Hey, old man, in fact, those of us who are soldiers have not wanted to fight for a long time, but we will have to suffer the fate of the foreigner."
old man.
He stared at Yang Zhongwen with distrustful eyes.
"Master Jun, you are sending your wife home to see your baby, right? If you really don't want to fight, why don't you just disarm and return to the field?"
Yang Zhong.
After listening to this.
Laugh heartily.
"What a great idea, what a great idea."
Then.
He suppressed his smile and continued.
"Old man, think about it, if the Northern Qi Kingdom in the east and the Nanliang Kingdom in the south heard that our generals from the Western Wei Dynasty had gone home to farm, wouldn't they send their troops to kill us without leaving a single piece of armor behind? That would Not only have I lost my wife and children, but even the country of the Western Wei Dynasty has ceased to exist. The princes of the various countries each control one side. You want to eat me, I want to eat you. They are all watching with eager eyes and are full of energy. You Do you think this battle is over yet?"
The conversation between the general and the villager came to an abrupt end.
Just listen to the leaves above your head being blown by the wind.
After a while.
The wind brings the aroma of food.
sergeants.
They all sat on the ground under the shade of the big locust tree.
We had a wonderful meal with fresh dishes and game.
Everyone takes their places.
The maid helped Mrs. Lu into the carriage and drove her away.
The team re-entered the road under the westward sun.
"Father, thank you very much. I will keep Yang Zhong in mind for your warm hospitality today."
Yang Zhong mounted the horse.
Asked hastily again.
"Father, this place shouldn't be too far from Daqingshan Prajna Temple, right?"
old man.
Pointing forward hastily.
"It's not far, it's not far. If you walk along the post road, you will see it when you turn a corner."
Gone with the troops and horses
Several old men in the village gathered again under the big locust tree.
Drink tea.
enjoy the cool air.
Chatting.
The sun is sinking towards the west.
The old man has not finished packing up his exhibition.
Prepare to return to the village.
suddenly.
A clatter of horse hooves was heard.
Came from the ancient post road.
Everyone went out looking for fame.
I saw a majestic bay-red horse galloping towards me.
There was a thin figure on his back.
The horse walked to the foot of the tree.
Seeing.
A monk wearing a hundred-year-old robe jumped out of the saddle.
He clasped his hands towards the old men who were already standing.
explain.
"Amitabha, this poor nun is disturbing all the donors."
Everyone couldn't help but be shocked when they heard this.
I saw this woman wearing a monk's hat.
The dusty face has been scratched with grooves from sweat.
if.
She did not say that she was a poor nun.
Really telling whether she is a woman or a man.
Moreover.
The front steps and back of the burqa were soaked with sweat.
Dryed by the sun again.
The gray-white sweat character has appeared.
but.
Look at her strong acrobatics as she jumps off the horse.
But she showed that she was no ordinary nun.
She rides a tall horse.
He also calls himself a [poor nun].
All these kinds of things.
Under the different gazes of the old people.
A poor nun is wise first.
Finally, he revealed the reason why he was in such a hurry.
