Ten days.
Ji Heng and others have arrived at Yongcheng.
But as soon as he settled down, before even saying hello to the officials in Yong County, he received a message from Xianyang.
Wang Ben died of illness!
After receiving this communication, Fu Su, Hu Hai and others' expressions changed with shock. They could no longer care about anything else. They briefly said a few words to Ji Heng and then hurriedly rode back to Xianyang.
Wang Ben was the pillar of the country. Once it collapsed, it had a great impact on the Qin Dynasty.
Ji Heng sat on the bullock cart, watching Fusu and others go away. When the figures of these people disappeared completely, he raised his head solemnly and looked at the sky. His eyes seemed to see through the layers of clouds and mist, and he saw a star. The twinkling purple star.
Ji Heng turned around.
He patted the buffalo and said softly: "Ox, we can rest for a while again."
The buffalo wagged its tail as if in response.
Ji Heng laughed loudly and shouted to several attendants: "Go back to Xianyang."
Fu Su waited eagerly for the young master to leave, but Ji Heng and the five attendants did not receive such treatment. They still had to take an ox cart back. At this time, Ji Heng had to sigh with emotion. The young master of Da Qin seemed to be weak in literature, but in fact he was proficient in all six arts. , archery and horse riding are a no-brainer.
Even Hu Hai has good riding skills.
Without Fusu and others, the oxcart was quite empty.
After driving out of the Yongcheng area, Ji Heng moved the bamboo slips and said to the attendants who were following the bullock cart: "You guys can come up and sit too."
The leader's attendant said: "We are ordered to protect Mr. Ji. How dare we ride in the same car with Mr. Ji?"
Ji Heng said indifferently: "The ox cart is meant for riding. Now Fusu and others have left on horseback. It doesn't matter if you come up and sit. When you get near Xianyang, it won't be too late to get off. There is no need to care about so many rules. , I, Ji Heng, have never been a man of rules."
Said.
Ji Heng moved inside.
Make some space for these five attendants.
The leading attendant still wanted to refuse, but Ji Heng frowned and said: "Come on, we have rushed here from Pingyang today, and now we have to rush back to Xianyang. This journey is quite tiring, and people need to learn to use tools. , and don’t think so highly of me, I’m actually just a down-and-out person.”
"Come up."
The leading attendant looked around, then at the other attendants. He hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, sir, for your understanding."
Said.
Then he got on the bullock cart.
Seeing this, several other attendants also got on the cart with a little fear. However, the five of them were huddled together and did not dare to take up too much space in the cart. Ji Heng chuckled lightly, did not say anything more, and just tied the cattle He handed over the rope and said: "When you guys come up, I will be lighter, and you can drive this cow."
There was a burst of laughter from the bullock cart.
Ji Heng was almost half lying on the bullock cart, occupying a large space by himself. He looked at the leader's attendant and asked: "What is your name?"
The leading attendant said: "My name is Liao Ke. I am a soldier and live in Fengxinli."
"How many people are there in the family?"
"Four."
"How are the conditions at home?"
“It’s just a hand-to-mouth existence right now.”
"."
Ji Heng asked about the family situation of these five attendants. Without exception, the family status of the five people was not very good. They basically had enough to eat and hungry to live in poverty. However, their situation was... They are pretty good in each area.
The world is so difficult.
Even these attendants are so poor, and other people at the bottom are probably even worse.
Ji Heng looked at the sky and said in a deep voice: "You can actually feel at ease. The most difficult time in Da Qin may be almost over."
Xiaoxiao smiled and did not dare to answer.
He is just a soldier.
I don’t know much about these things, and I even don’t take them seriously.
But Mr. Ji can make the eldest son respect him so much, and he is not very good at teasing himself. He just said that the most difficult time in the Qin Dynasty is about to pass. No matter how you listen to this sentence, it feels far away.
Now the pillar of the Qin Dynasty has fallen.
How can anyone believe this?
How dare you believe it?
Ji Heng didn't say much.
He has his own basis for judgment. If he had not dared to say this a few days ago, especially after personally understanding the underlying situation, no one would believe him when he said this. But at this time, he has more A lot of confidence, even very certain about it.
Da Qin's most difficult period is indeed coming to an end.
Starting from Wang Ben's death.
Think of this.
Ji Heng was also quite emotional.
The Wang family is really loyal to Da Qin.
Even if he dies, it will be beneficial to the country.
Walked for a while.
Passing through a paddy field.
Looking at the empty surroundings, Ji Heng suddenly became interested and asked: "In winter, snakes hibernate and do not stay in the fields. So now there are basically only loaches in the fields, and there is no one around now. During this period, Eating out is almost useless, so it’s time to treat yourself to something extra.”
Said.
Ji Heng got off the cart.
Xiao Ke and other attendants also jumped down quickly.
Liao Ke stopped him and said, "Sir, don't do anything. Let us do this."
Others around him echoed: "Mr. Ji, leave this dirty work to us. We grew up in small fields and may not be good at anything else, but we are still good at catching loach."
"Ha ha."
Ji Heng looked at it for a few times, then nodded and said, "Okay, then I will be responsible for watching over the oxcarts, but you have to catch more. In recent years, there have been few men everywhere, and there have been fewer people catching loach." , the loach in the field should be much fatter and bigger than usual."
Liao Ke smiled and said, "Don't worry, sir."
"Loach is easy to catch. We caught it a lot when we were young. There are also techniques for catching this thing. One is to find the hole, and the other is to see if there is new mud nearby. The loach will spit out the mud in the hole. So if you pay a little attention, you can basically catch it accurately."
Said.
Liao Ke even demonstrated it personally.
He found a loach hole in the field, dug up the mud outside a little, stretched his hand along the hole, then stared at the water around him, and quickly blocked it with his other hand. After groping, a loach weighing about four to five taels was caught.
Others followed suit and said goodbye.
One person directly took off his clothes, tied the corners of the clothes into a knot, and then held on tightly to make a simple baggage, leaving only a small gap for the loach to crawl in through the hole.
This process is very proficient.
Apparently it has been done a lot in the past.
With Liao Ke in front, other attendants also became interested and went into the fields one after another to catch loach.
Ji Heng did not rush, and just watched from the side. Every time Liao Ke and others caught a loach, he silently took out a Qin Banliang from his sleeve.
The four people in the field caught them for almost half an hour, and they caught as many as thirteen. The attendant's 'baggage' was even more full. In the end, the bag couldn't fit in it, and the group of them couldn't bear to part with it. He stopped his hand, looking quite unsatisfied.
While Xiao Ke and others were cleaning the mud from their feet, Ji Heng quietly placed thirteen Qin Banliang under the weeds in the field.
This scene fell into Ling Ke's eyes.
Xiaoke walked over and said awkwardly: "Mr."
Ji Heng said calmly: "It's just a sale. Everything is clearly priced. If I damage someone else's field and catch the loach from the other person's field, I should make a certain amount of compensation. One loach costs one penny. Overall, I still make a profit." .”
"Sir, you lost money." Liao Ke whispered, "This loach is not worth so much money."
Ji Heng said with a smile: "Money is something external to oneself. For me, spending more than ten yuan to buy a piece of happiness is worth it. And it won't be long before I can get some new money. Now it's a luxury." What?"
"It's getting late, it's time to hurry up."
Ji Heng turned over and got into the car.
Liao Ke also got into the car. The group of people compared each other in the car, and the atmosphere was very lively.
Night time.
Ji Heng and his party returned to Xianyang.
Xiao Ke and others got off the ox cart a few miles outside the city.
The city of Xianyang is completely deserted.
The whole country is sad.
Long white cloth flags connected with each other were fluttering in every household. The people in the city were in great mourning. There were countless people on the road performing road sacrifices for Wang Ben. Qin Feng's sorrowful voice could be heard in the city, and solemn sadness spread throughout the city. The news spread throughout the city and spread throughout the country.
When approaching the city.
Ji Heng got off the bullock cart with a solemn look on his face.
The group of people walked toward the city with solemn expressions. When they entered the city, the sounds of grief and grief were even more obvious.
Ji Heng let out a long sigh.
In the end, he didn't stop and went straight back to the house.
Xiao Ke was responsible for returning the bullock cart.
Ji Heng returned to the house and found a lot of dust in the house.
He poured the loach into a wooden barrel, heated some hot water in the house, and began to process the loach.
Not long after.
The fragrant loach soup is ready.
Ji Heng had a very appetizing meal. In the past ten days, he accompanied Fusu and others to visit various places. He was tired more than anything. The main reason was that the food was really bad. He was just a 'supporter' and his treatment was ordinary. They are just like petty officials. There is no hope of big fish or meat, and even leeks are few and far between.
There's water in the mouth.
Now that I'm back home, I won't treat myself badly.
Plenty of oil and salt.
While eating, Ji Heng took out a jug of refrigerated wine from the well, poured a glass towards the palace, and said with emotion: "Well done, Marquis Tongwu."
He had never met Wang Ben.
But he still respected Wang Ben very much.
The Wang family has served the Qin Dynasty for generations, and they have dedicated their lives to the Qin Dynasty. If the Wang family and his son had not been outstanding in martial arts, it would not have been so easy for the Qin Dynasty to wipe out the world. Those who are good at fighting cannot have great achievements. This evaluation is most suitable for the Wang family and his son.
The dead are gone, the living are like this.
Wang Ben died at this time, and his death was very valuable.
Although this idea is undoubtedly inappropriate, it is indeed true.
Ji Heng poured himself a copper cup and drank it in one gulp. Then he stopped thinking about Wang and started to eat. He was not hurt by Wang Ben's death. He just had respect for such a person. Enough, any more would be a bit contrived.
Ji Heng ate very happily.
After eating and drinking, there was a lot of loach left in the pot.
He took out several bamboo tubes from the back kitchen and divided the loach into five portions.
Then he handed it to Liao Ke and others who were standing guard outside the hospital.
Liao Ke and others were stunned.
Ji Heng said calmly: "I bought this loach with money, and I brought the bamboo tube myself. I took the initiative to give it to you. It's not a bad rule. Don't worry, take it back. Qin Zheng abides by the law, even if someone finds out , I can also tell clearly."
Liao Ke's complexion changed slightly.
Ji Heng chuckled and said, "You just need to be clean yourself."
"You are not from a good family, and it is quite hard to monitor me. You don't have to accept this feeling in the future, and you can do whatever you want."
"If you are really worried."
"I'll show you the way."
"When spring comes, go to the army. The opportunities in the army will be better."
"The environment in Da Qin is about to change!"
Liao Ke and the others looked at each other with a solemn look in their eyes.
After Xiaoke hesitated for a while, he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Mr. Ji, for your advice."
Ji Heng waved his hand and turned back to the house.
Liao Ke and others held the bamboo slips tightly in their hands. There was still residual warmth on the bamboo tube, and there was a fragrant aroma in the air, which made people's taste buds tantalize. Liao Ke solemnly said to the four people around him: "Mr. Ji's heart is at home. Kindness is a person that all eldest sons should respect, but as members of the Great Qin Dynasty, we must not cling to him, and we must abide by the law in the future."
The attendants around nodded and said, "I'll wait and see."
A gust of wind blew.
Liao Ke and others have disappeared.
Liao Ke stood in a deserted corner, looking at the bamboo tube in his arms, with a hint of contemplation in his eyes.
It's spring, go to the army?
In fact, he had never thought about going to the military in the past.
In the past, he only served near Xianyang, and it was a bit far to go to Beiyuan. However, Ji Heng was a person that all the eldest sons respected, and he said more than once today that Da Qin was going to change, which made him hesitate.
He raised his head and looked at the city.
The whole city is plain.
His heart couldn't help but sink.
He does not understand the situation in the world, but from what he perceives on a daily basis, the world seems to be in chaos again. If the world is really in chaos, maybe joining the army is indeed a good choice, but once you go to the army, life or death will be at stake. It's hard to predict.
He also has a wife and children at home.
For a while.
Liao Ke is a little hard to decide.
People set their time.
Liao Ke and others changed shifts with other attendants.
Liao Ke carried the bamboo tube and walked quickly towards his home. When he got home, he slammed the door loudly and shouted: "My dear, mother, open the door."
soon.
There was a sound of thoughtful footsteps in the house.
After some testing, a crack was opened in the closed house, and the room was completely dark.
"The beloved is back."
Liao Ke smiled and said: "I have something to do today, so I came back early."
At this time.
There was only a little candle burning in the house.
Liao Ke handed over the slightly warm bamboo tube in his arms.
The woman wiped her hands and took the bamboo slip. She smelled the fragrant aroma and a look of surprise appeared in her eyes: "My dear, what are you doing?"
"This is a senior official." Xiao Ke paused. He originally wanted to call him a senior official, but felt that the words were inappropriate, so he changed his words: "This is a gift from a big shot. It contains prepared loach and oil." There is a lot of salt, wake up those two little cubs, they said they haven’t eaten oil and water for a long time, let them eat well this time.”
"My dear, why don't I leave it to you," the woman said.
Liao Ke waved his hand and said with a hint of slyness in his eyes: "I have eaten it. We caught these loaches in the fields. There are more than a dozen of them. During this period, the food at home was very poor. The two should be given to them." The little cub is replenishing his body, it’s time for his body to grow.”
The woman hesitated for a moment, but when she saw that Liao Ke persisted, she had no choice but to reply "Eh".
However, she did not eat the loach directly in the bamboo tube. Instead, she rinsed it with cold water several times to wash away as much oil and salt as possible. Her family was poor now, and the price of oil and salt was not cheap, so she could save a little. One point is one point.
Not long after.
The two children, who were sleeping soundly, had climbed out of bed.
Seeing the loach in the bowl, his eyes were full of joy. Xiao Ke touched the heads of the two children and said with a smile: "Eat it."
The two children hesitated and did not dare to eat. Instead, they looked at the woman, who nodded kindly.
Eating the loach, the two children said excitedly that it was delicious.
Finished eating and tidying up.
Liao Ke washed her body with cold water and returned to bed.
He reached out and hugged the woman's waist, and whispered: "I want to go to the army in the spring next year. Before I came back today, the big shot said that the situation in Daqin might change. Now that Tongwuhou has died of illness, life at home is getting worse. The harder it is, the more difficult it is for the family to make ends meet when the two cubs are growing older. "
"It has been difficult for the imperial court to recruit soldiers in recent years."
“There aren’t many young people in this place.”
"If I take the initiative to go there after spring, I should be able to get permission."
"If the world really changes, you may be able to find a good future in the army, and then your family will be able to live a better life."
"This big shot is extraordinary."
"The eldest son respects him very much. I don't think he will lie to us."
Said.
Xiaoke's hand was a little stronger.
But after listening to Liao Ke's words, the woman's body obviously tensed up, and she didn't say anything for a long time, as if she was already asleep.
After a long time.
There was no sound around.
The woman spoke with a hint of sobbing.
"Oh, okay."
The words fell.
The room fell into deathly silence again.
(End of chapter)
