"Quick, quick, quick, break up the ice and let the big pieces of ice sink into the water." Mao Chenglu shouted to the people who were chipping away at the ice.
Pi Island is an offshore island, not far from the coast. As soon as winter comes, the surrounding ice begins to freeze, and it becomes thicker and thicker. If the ice is not cut open, it will be connected to Houjin.
The Ming army suffered repeated defeats in Liaodong, and the people of Liaodong who did not want to be surrendered to the Jin Dynasty fled to Pidao for refuge.
If these people want to survive on Phi Island, they have to work in exchange for food.
Cutting ice on the ice is a dangerous job, but for the people on the island, it can be exchanged for some food to ensure that the family will not starve to death.
Phi Island itself has little food, and it mainly relies on Denglai to deliver the food and grass needed to the island by ship.
When the food comes into the hands of Mao Wenlong, it will naturally not be distributed to the ordinary people on the island, and even if all the food is distributed to the people, it will not be enough.
All the food on the island was collected and given priority to Mao Wenlong and his soldiers. Finally, some food was distributed to the people on the island.
There were soldiers holding sharp swords and some archers standing on the shore of Phi Island.
These people serve as supervisors and monitor the people working on the ice. Once they find anyone slacking off, they will first scold them and then shoot them with an arrow the second time they find them.
The most important thing on the island is the people. It can even be said that there are too many people. The island can no longer support so many people. Even if a group of them die, they will not feel bad.
It is very dangerous to cut ice on the ice. If you are not careful, you may fall into the sea together with the ice.
The cold sea water and the cold winter of the twelfth lunar month mean that even if a person is rescued, he will still be seriously ill.
Once you get sick, no doctor will come to see you, and there is no medicine to take. You can only rely on your body to carry it. Most people cannot bear it and will die of illness or starvation in a few days.
For the dead people on the island, it is very simple to deal with them. They take off the clothes of the deceased and throw the body into the sea. In the end, whether the body washes to the other shore, washes into the sea, or is eaten by fish and shrimps. , no one cares at all.
On Pi Island, people die every day, and the people on the island have long been numb.
The people who were chipping away at the ice were all livid from the cold and their lips were purple, but no one dared to return to the shore and work on the ice with gritted teeth.
Most of the people who cut the ice used some stones and wooden sticks with sharpened ends. Some people's tools fell into the sea, so they could only use their hands and feet to cut the ice.
They had no tools in their hands and could not return to the shore, otherwise a knife or an arrow would be waiting for them.
"Uncle, the pancake you asked for is ready."
The person who came was a young man with a somewhat immature look. He was Mao Wenlong's personal soldier and Mao Wenlong's adopted grandson.
Mao Chenglu is the eldest among Mao Wenlong's adopted sons. He is in charge of and trains the personal soldiers for Mao Wenlong. If you want to become a personal soldier, you must become Mao Wenlong's adopted son or grandson.
Mao Chenglu glanced at the dark cake in the basket, reached out and picked up a piece, broke it open with his hands, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed it twice, and then spit it out.
"Bah, why is there so much dirt in it?"
He looked at the man who brought the cake with dissatisfaction.
The young man took a step forward and whispered: "This batch of grain was shipped from Denglai, and some large grains of sand have been picked out."
Supplies on Phi Island can only be transported by ship from Denglai.
"I am guarding Pidao with all my life, but these corrupt officials are depriving the soldiers of their rations in the rear. Even if they are cut into pieces, they will not be able to forgive their hatred." Mao Chenglu said bitterly.
The young man said: "The food mixed with soil is reserved for the people on the island. Some of the clean food and the food sent by the Tiger Flag are reserved for the soldiers on the island."
"How much of the food sent by Denglai this time was mixed with sand?" Mao Chenglu asked.
The young man said: "At least half of it is this kind of food mixed with sand and sand."
Mao Chenglu's face sank, he threw the remaining pancakes back into the basket, and said to the people next to him: "After the ice breaks in a while, these pancakes will be rewarded to the people who worked hard."
"Yes." A general next to him agreed.
The people on the island usually don't even have enough to eat. It's better when the weather is warm, and they can catch some small fish and shrimps from the shore to eat. When the weather gets cold, there are no small fish and shrimps on the shore, and starvation has become a problem. normal.
These cakes mixed with soil are inedible to the generals on the island, but to the people on the island, they are a good thing to survive.
Mao Chenglu turned to look at the young man on the other side and said, "What is my foster father busy with?"
"My god has been busy with official duties for most of the day and is resting in the house right now," the young man said.
There is no shortage of people on Pi Island, let alone labor. Every military commander stationed on Pi Island with Mao Wenlong has his own house and several concubines. Only the people on the island live in caves, and It's a group of people living in a cave.
"Let's go, follow me to see my adoptive father." With that said, Mao Chenglu walked towards the largest house on the island.
As Mao Wenlong's personal general, although he is only a guerrilla general, he has won Mao Wenlong's trust and has a higher status than most people on the island.
Along the way, the soldiers and generals who saw him saluted and said hello.
When they arrived at the door of Mao Wenlong's house, the two soldiers guarding the door bowed to Mao Chenglu and shouted, "Uncle."
"Is the adoptive father inside?" Mao Chenglu asked.
A soldier guarding the door said: "My god is resting inside."
"You guys continue to stay here while I go see my adoptive father." Mao Chenglu walked inside.
The two soldiers outside the door retreated to both sides, leaving an aisle for Mao Chenglu to pass.
Entering the house, Mao Chenglu saw Mao Wenlong sitting on a chair drinking tea. He hurriedly took two steps, saluted and shouted: "Father."
Mao Wenlong put down the tureen in his hand and said, "I didn't ask you to watch the people chipping away at the ice. Why did you come here when you had time? The ice connecting to the other side has been disconnected?"
"The people are still chipping away at the ice. In three days at most, the ice around our island can almost sink into the sea." Mao Chenglu said respectfully.
Mao Wenlong said: "Before the ice breaks, we must watch carefully. We must not let Hou Jin take the opportunity to attack Pidao."
"My child understands." Mao Chenglu nodded.
Mao Wenlong picked up the tureen, brought it to his mouth, blew in the hot air inside, and took a sip.
"The child came to see his adoptive father because he had something to complain about." Mao Chenglu said.
Mao Wenlong took away the tureen in his hand and said, "Tell me, what made you drop what you were doing and come all the way to me."
He raised his eyelids and looked at Mao Chenglu, who was standing in front of him.
