Xing'an County, Zhili County, is the westernmost county of Zhili County.
Exiting Xing'an County is Guangyang County and Hewei County, which belongs to the territory of Peng State.
Cao Ling'er was sitting in the carriage. The purple curtains couldn't see the scene inside, but she could hear the girl's low sobs. The soldiers nearby turned their heads to look at her from time to time, and then she and her companions showed smiles that you know how to do.
Several maids walked beside the carriage, their heads lowered, their faces flushed like ripe peaches. The sounds in their ears and the looks of the soldiers around them made them feel particularly shy.
In the carriage, Guan Cheng sat aside with an embarrassed look on his face. He looked at the girl who was still wiping tears in front of her and kept raising and lowering her hands. He wanted to go up and comfort her but couldn't do it after all.
It had been like this for several days, and Guan Cheng was so anxious that he could only sit here every day and say a few words that he didn't know how to open his mouth.
"Ling'er, don't cry anymore, I have no choice but to do it."
Cao Ling'er raised her head and looked at the uneasy young man in front of her. In fact, there was no resentment in her heart. The huge class gap between the two people made the entire Cao family dare not show a trace of dissatisfaction. Father Cao even accompanied Xiaoxiao and his old wife. Together they wiped away tears and packed their bags for Cao Ling'er.
"His Highness said he had no choice but to do so, but you are the Crown Prince. Who dares to force you except His Majesty?"
"Gu is no longer the prince, he is now the king of Jin."
Cao Ling'er shook her head and said, "But in Yong'an County, Your Highness will always be Your Highness."
Guan Cheng remained silent.
Facts have proved that even top academics cannot learn some things.
Guan Cheng's annoyance suddenly became cute in Cao Ling'er's eyes.
With a chuckle, he couldn't hold back his laughter after all.
Guan Cheng raised his head in surprise and asked, "Ling'er, you're not angry with me."
Cao Ling'er secretly complained in her heart, she is really a bronze straight man.
"Your Highness is the prince, how dare Ling'er be angry."
Guan Cheng shook his head and said: "Gu is not a prince, and I don't want to use my status to oppress others. I just want to take you away."
Cao Ling'er boldly moved forward, with tears still in her eyes, but a smile on her face: "But the little girl heard that His Highness said that he would leave enough money, and also said that if my father If you don’t agree, the little girl’s brother will be recruited.”
The embarrassment on Guan Cheng's face became even worse, he lowered his head and said: "I have no choice but to go here, it's a long way, and I don't know when I will come back. If I never see you again, what's the point of this world for me. Gu Zhen has no choice.”
After hearing this, the temptation on Cao Ling'er's face became even more intense. On the one hand, it was the reluctance to leave home, and on the other hand, there was great satisfaction and touch, as well as longing and yearning.
"His Highness treats Ling'er like this, and Ling'er is already satisfied. Ling'er, a peasant girl, doesn't ask for high status, she just wants His Highness not to give up."
This delicate voice and grievance made the softness in Guan Cheng's heart instantly turn into pride. A man born between heaven and earth should wake up and take over the world, and he should lie drunk on the lap of a beautiful woman.
Hiss, that’s not right.
A man's words are hard to follow, and he who holds his son's hand will grow old together with him in this life.
The oath of love has great destructive power for such a young girl who has just begun to fall in love. Guan Cheng expresses his determination almost instinctively. The prince's care, handsome appearance and burning true feelings make Cao Ling'er feel happy in her heart. Finally, she snuggled into Guan Cheng's arms.
The carriage was moving smoothly on the official road, and Guan Cheng's big hand rested on the girl's waist, making her tremble with excitement.
Suddenly there was a loud noise, and then the carriage suddenly stopped. There were shouts all around, soldiers unsheathed their swords, and generals roared. The horses were frightened and jumped up on their front legs.
Guan Cheng was very angry. Looking at the beauty in his arms, she was obviously frightened. Who wouldn't open their eyes at this time?
"Come here!" Guan Cheng's voice was filled with anger.
Before anyone could tell him, Wu Chengju's carriage had already stopped nearby.
"Your Highness, we encountered bandits!"
"Bandits?"
Guan Cheng was slightly surprised, and without caring to appease Cao Ling'er, he got out of the carriage, tied a sword to his waist and asked: "Where are the bandits who dare to stop me? Is it possible that these thirty chariots and two thousand armors The soldiers are just decorations? General Wu, I have ordered you to lead your troops to destroy them." After saying that, he waved his hand, and his domineering aura was slightly revealed.
Wu Chengju had a look on his face and said, "Your Highness, please move over and take a look. Most of them are poor people who have no choice."
Guan Cheng immediately realized something was wrong, things were definitely not that simple.
"Lead the way."
When Guan Cheng came to the front, he was a little shocked. Most of the so-called bandits were old, weak, women and children. Even the middle-aged men looked malnourished. They had all kinds of weapons in their hands. Some even had a copy of a A shit stick squeezed in the front.
"Is this a bandit?"
"Back to Your Highness, most of these people are refugees, but some are defeated soldiers, and they have weapons," Wu Chengju said in a deep voice.
"I'm afraid there are not as many as ten thousand people."
It's so densely packed all around that you can't even see the end of it if you stand on a high place and look into the distance.
Wu Chengju replied: "There are indeed tens of thousands of people. Recently, the Jin Kingdom and Peng Shu were very unhappy because of Futong Shanyin County. Several battles broke out between the two sides, but the combined forces of Peng and Shu were defeated by the Jin Army. , these refugees and defeated troops are probably going to Zhili County to survive."
Guan Cheng said with a heavy heart: "I didn't expect to encounter such a thing just after leaving Zhili. There are already so many refugees in Sili Prefecture, the richest place in the world, and you can imagine it in other places. I feel so ashamed."
"Your Highness is serious. Nowadays, it is extremely difficult to ensure the safety of a Zhili county. Who can stop the princes from all over the world from attacking each other?"
"Go forward and tell them that Gu Nai is King Jin, send someone in charge to come forward to speak, and order the cook to start cooking porridge."
Wu Chengju was a little confused: "Your Highness, there are tens of thousands of people here. Our food is already tight to support three thousand people to go to Jin. If we feed these ten thousand more, I'm afraid there won't be much left by the time we get to Jin."
"Just do it!"
"promise."
Perhaps they saw the soldiers who were setting up pots to boil water and felt that there was no malicious intention. Among the crowds of people, a few people dressed as generals soon came out. However, the leather armor on their bodies was in tatters and looked a bit miserable.
The leader had a scar on his face from the corner of his mouth to his ear. One eye was covered with black cloth. He was holding a long sword that had lost its scabbard. His hair was casually pulled into a bun, and his steps were a little frivolous. , with a sallow complexion and thin muscles, it can be seen that he has not been able to eat enough for many days.
"Stop. His Highness, Prince Jin, takes off his weapon in front of his face."
Wu Cheng raised his left hand and pressed it on the hilt of his sword, with a wary look on his face. After questioning him carefully, he ordered him to wait and then returned to Guan Cheng.
"Your Highness, this person was officially introduced. He was originally a captain in the army of Shu State. He was accompanied by four company commanders and three hundred soldiers. However, the armor has been damaged. There are some from Shu State and some from Peng State. They are defeated soldiers, and these people are also refugees from the war. Now the Three Kingdoms are fighting fiercely. I heard that there is food in Zhili County and we happened to come across it. I hope we can eat more."
Guan Cheng frowned slightly and asked, "Is it credible?"
"Back to Your Highness, it shouldn't be wrong. The Mupai minister in the army has checked, and it should indeed be for food. Otherwise, they could have driven the hungry people away to attack the convoy at the first time, instead of throwing some stones to block the road."
Seeing Guan Chengyou thinking, Wu Chengju couldn't help but ask: "Does His Highness want to accept these people?"
After hearing this, Guan Cheng nodded and asked: "For us to go to the Jin Kingdom is equivalent to starting over from scratch. The only people I can trust are you. There is a shortage of people in this world of great strife."
Upon hearing this, Wu Chengju hurriedly replied: "Your Highness, I think it is feasible. Even if we cannot recover all of them, we can recover most of them. These people have been on the battlefield. Those who survive will definitely be much better than the newly recruited soldiers."
"I am worried that they will abandon their wives and children if they don't want to."
Wu Chengju smiled and said: "Your Highness, you don't have to worry about this. If you were worried about your wife, children, and children, you would have returned to the military camp long ago. And they are all deserters now. If they are caught, it is best to send them to the death squads. After a battle, not even one of them will survive." , it is better to follow Your Highness to the Jin Dynasty. Your Highness is short of manpower here, and the future will not be bad once he comes."
Guan Cheng also smiled when he heard this and said: "General Wu is very thoughtful. When you get to Huoyang County, you will be a lonely Taiwei."
Wu Chengju was overjoyed. The Taiwei of a country was much taller than the Sima he was now. He quickly knelt down on one knee and patted his chest to express his loyalty, saying that he would live up to His Highness's high hopes.
"Okay, go and bring the people."
Soon the person stood in front of Guan Cheng.
"May I have your name?"
"The villain Shu Jun led Wang Ye to meet His Highness the King of Jin."
Guan Cheng took out a steamed bun and handed it over. Wang Ye hesitated, but his stomach let out an unsatisfied growl and he accepted it awkwardly.
I thought I would gobble it up, but Wang Ye ate in a more elegant way.
Guan Cheng waited patiently for him to finish eating and then handed over the kettle. Wang Ye thanked him before taking it.
"It seems that your words and deeds are not like ordinary people. Do you have an official position in your family?"
"Your Highness, my father was originally the governor of Shu County in the Kingdom of Shu."
Guan Cheng nodded and asked, "Then why are you here?"
Wang Ye looked a little sad but still said: "A month ago, the Shu-Peng coalition was defeated, Zhongshu County was captured by the Jin army, my father died in the battle, and the whole family was martyred. I should have been granted the title, but because of the rift between my father and the prefect of Zi'an, he slandered me My father fled without fighting and was killed, and because he was defeated, he was traced to me. I didn’t want to surrender to the enemy, so I wanted to go to Zhili.”
"Oh? Why go to Zhili? Nowadays, Datong is weak and struggling to survive in the cracks of other countries. With only one county and eight counties, it is difficult for the giant bird to spread its wings."
Wang Ye raised his head and looked at the east and then said: "I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince is fair and clear-minded, considerate of the people, and has a reputation of benevolence, justice and virtuousness, so I want to join him."
This sentence made Wu Chengju next to him look much better.
"As for what Your Highness said, I know it, but I'm just a nobody. It's enough to have a place to stay in troubled times. Moreover, as the prince is so virtuous, the people will help him. If the prince is just, all the princes will also be willing to serve him. When the First Emperor of Datong started his business, However, no one knows what the future will be like for the three counties, but I believe that His Highness the Crown Prince will definitely make a difference."
Guan Cheng and Wu Chengju looked at each other and laughed.
"I didn't expect that Gu would have such a reputation."
Wang Ye was shocked, and then asked: "Is it possible?"
Wu Cheng raised his big hand and patted Wang Ye on the shoulder and said with a smile, "The person standing in front of you is His Highness the former Crown Prince."
"His Royal Highness the former Crown Prince? What do you mean?"
Guan Cheng stepped forward, looked at Wang Ye and said, "I have just been renamed King of Jin, and now I am going to the fiefdom to become a vassal."
Wang Ye was even more doubtful.
Guan Cheng said: "We will discuss this later. It will take a while for the porridge to be cooked. Why doesn't Wang Xiaowei take Gu to see these people?"
Wang Ye hesitated and said: "Your Highness is kind and righteous, but the refugees have not eaten for two days. They are smelly and do not know etiquette. They may bump into Your Highness."
Guan Cheng smiled and walked out without answering, followed by several guards.
Wu Chengju patted Wang Ye's shoulder again and said with a smile: "You still don't understand. His Highness has always been close to the people. Let's go. You still need to lead the way for His Highness."
The cooks moved quickly, and large iron pots were placed at the front of the team. When the refugees saw this, many people hurriedly came out to help find branches and wood, and some helped fetch water from the nearby river.
The children had already gathered in front of the big iron pot, holding wooden bowls bigger than their faces with eager expressions on their faces.
Guan Cheng looked at everything in front of him with a heavy heart.
"Wang Ye."
"exist."
"How many people are there in total here? How many are young and strong?"
"Back to Your Highness, there are a total of 11,600 people. Most of the young and strong people have been recruited. Plus the soldiers gathered are not enough for 2,000 people. Many of them are still injured."
"You can restrain so many people without eating for two days. They can see that you are more than just a captain."
Wang Ye heard what Guan Cheng meant but felt that his idea was a bit bold and said: "I want His Highness to know that these refugees are so hungry that they have lost their strength. Your Highness has more than 2,000 elites here. I don't dare or don't want to."
Guan Cheng looked back, which was a bit unexpected.
"Put more rice. The porridge should be thick and filling."
The cook happily agreed, and then he grinned loudly at Prince Enyi.
After hearing this, Guan Cheng shook his head with a wry smile and said many times that he was now the King of Jin, but everyone under his command didn't take it seriously and still called him the prince.
"Your Highness is truly a benevolent and righteous king."
Guan Cheng sighed and said: "I can't do it alone. I just hope that the people in this world will suffer less sins. I can do whatever I can, but I hope I have a clear conscience."
"If all the scholar-bureaucrats and the like have His Highness, how can there be refugees in the world?"
Wang Ye spoke sincerely, and Guan Cheng listened attentively. Many people around him saluted Guan Cheng on the rocks. They didn't have any belongings on them, so they could only express their gratitude in this way.
Guan Cheng turned his head and looked at Wang Ye and asked, "Wang Xiaowei is willing to go to a place with these common people?"
Wang Ye pondered for a moment and then asked: "His Highness just said that he would go to the Kingdom of Jin to become a vassal state. Was it the Kingdom of Jin that His Highness said he was going to?"
"Exactly."
"But I don't know where Jin is."
Guan Cheng said nonchalantly: "Do you know about Zhongli Kingdom of Shu?"
Wang Ye thought for a while and replied: "Going west from here, passing through Shu Kingdom, Jin Kingdom, Liang, Chao, Sui and other kingdoms, you will reach Shu Kingdom, which is four thousand miles away."
Guan Cheng looked into the distance and said with a smile: "Yes, that's right there. Then we pass through the Kingdom of Shu, and then it's Gu's fiefdom."
