Jiaohua

The distance between Lingzhou and Hejing is very close on the map, even closer than Hejing and Xizhou, but in this seemingly short distance, there is an extremely tall Lengxi Mountain and countless undulating hills blocking the way.

Xia Zhaoyi only brought Zhan Ning, and a coachman. The driver's surname was Zhuang, and shopkeeper Hu and they all called him Zhuang Qi.

The carriage moved very slowly. After several hours of trekking, at dusk, the carriage with a canopy stopped in front of the government office in Gaoxi Town, Lingzhou during the heavy rain.

Zhuang Qi went forward to hand in the post, and when the guards in front of the door heard the word "Miss Ali", their originally leisurely eyes changed suddenly, and they re-examined this weird carriage.

The carriage has a carriage, and the inside will not be exposed to rain, but there are several wooden supports on it, and together with the supports extending obliquely upwards on both sides of the coachman, a piece of cowhide tarpaulin is propped up to prevent rain. A piece of cowhide tarpaulin perfectly covered the two steeds holding the carriage.

A yamen guard clasped his fists and said: "Adults, wait a moment, and the villain is going to invite the county magistrate Xu!"

The first to greet him was Cai Ershui, the policeman who met the Yawei on the way.

As soon as Cai Ershui heard that Miss A Li was coming, Cai Ershui immediately ran out. Seeing the back of the girl who had gotten off the carriage and was standing outside the door to watch the rain, Cai Ershui was very happy: "Miss A Li! You are really here!!"

Xia Zhaoyi turned his head away, bent his lips and smiled: "Captain Cai, we meet again."

"Please, please, Miss Ali, please come in quickly, don't blow the air outside!"

Xia Zhaoyi followed him in with a smile, opened his umbrella and said, "The wind blows, but it's not uncomfortable. It's indeed the wind in Lingzhou, and it's really not comparable to the wind in other places."

Cai Ershui said: "It is comfortable on weekdays, but there are always a few strong winds every summer and autumn, which is really scary."

The voice of County Magistrate Xu came from afar: "Miss Ali! But Miss Ali?!"

He walked over quickly on the porch, the heavy rain outside the porch wet half of his official clothes.

Xia Zhaoyi said: "Hello County Magistrate Xu."

Cai Ershui said: "Master Xu, this is Miss Ali!"

County magistrate Xu is not very old, but his skin is quite dark and he looks old, so he looks ten years older than his actual age in appearance.

After Cai Ershui came back from Hejing a few days ago, he specifically described the girl's demeanor to him, but seeing her so young now, County Magistrate Xu still couldn't hide his surprise.

The wind and rain came obliquely from outside the corridor, and Xia Zhaoyi's umbrella was half tilted to block the crackling rain. After a simple and polite manner, she went straight to the point.

County magistrate Xu led her to the back hall, and while listening to her talking slowly about the battle situation in Tangzhong Township, he stopped suddenly: "Miss Ali, you mean that you need to go there overnight to outflank it? But if it rains so heavily, if it goes over overnight, It's dangerous, and it's blinding."

"No need," Xia Zhaoyi also stopped, and said, "It's enough for a few messenger soldiers to brave the rain and let the soldiers stationed there prepare."

The magistrate of Xu County showed embarrassment: "Miss Ali, to be honest, there are only 800 soldiers stationed there now..."

Xia Zhaoyi smiled lightly: "The wind is rumbling, and the trees are full of soldiers. With such a heavy rain, 800 people are enough."

"But Tang Zhongjun has at least 800 soldiers and horses. If they don't believe it, wouldn't our [-] people be in vain..."

Xia Zhaoyi interrupted him, his voice still calm and gentle: "Magistrate Xu, the rain is so heavy that the Tang Zhongjun will not and dare not take risks easily. With the choice of an open place, they will only go to higher ground. A Lingu retreated."

"But A Ling Valley has no road ahead, and the terrain is dangerous, will they go?"

Xia Zhaoyi smiled: "Do they know that there is no way in Aling Valley?"

County Magistrate Xu frowned slowly: "... Maybe they don't know. Although they came from Tangzhong Township, they must have sent people to scout the way, or maybe they asked local people to lead the way."

Xia Zhaoyi looked at him, and his smile deepened: "Magistrate Xu, if you were the general of the Tangzhong Army, what would you do? Do you fight unprepared overnight in the pouring rain, or do you temporarily avoid the limelight and seek high ground?" It’s better to hide from the rain and come out after the rain stops at dawn?”

County magistrate Xu was stunned for a moment, his eyes pondering: "I...but that Alingu is really dangerous."

"Alingu is dangerous and has no way out, so is the uprising. Since ancient times, which general of the rebel army would not have great confidence and more luck than ordinary people under the prevailing trend. Besides, Alingu is better than three Gaoxi Town is still big, if there is no road ahead, General Tang Zhongjun will not believe it, even if he really believes it, but in front of such a vast and magnificent mountain and river, he is absolutely convinced that he can get out safely."

County magistrate Xu nodded lightly: "It seems that this is the reason..."

Xia Zhaoyi raised the umbrella slightly and looked at the heavy rain outside the porch: "Ten thousand steps back, if they really fight out overnight, our eight hundred soldiers occupy the advantage of the terrain and can retreat quickly. Although they are embarrassed, they will lose morale. But at least there are no injuries. County Magistrate Xu, this heavy rain is actually God’s help. After the rain stops tomorrow morning, the troops we dispatched have arrived, and Alingu, there will be mountains and rivers from the sky. We are at several major exits Set up roadblocks everywhere, wait for the scattered soldiers to descend one by one, and accept them.”

Cai Ershui suddenly said: "Then, after accepting them?"

Xu county magistrate said: "They are all poor people, let's put them back..."

Cai Ershui was surprised: "Put it back? Wouldn't that mean letting the tiger go back to the mountain, in case there is another rebellion next time?"

County magistrate Xu looked at Xia Zhaoyi and said in a low voice: "The tax was heavy in the previous dynasty, and the people's livelihood was difficult, so they had to go against it. If there are looser policies, then the people..."

Xia Zhaoyi smiled lightly, turned around and said, "Magistrate Xu, first send messengers to Huangmiao Village in Alingu."

"……Yes."

Because it was known in advance that the girl would come, the Houya compound had already prepared a clean room.

But Lingzhou is really poor, the yamen are simple and unsophisticated, and it is still very humid.

Early the next morning, County Magistrate Xu sent his wife and daughter to take care of Xia Zhaoyi, only to find that she had already woken up, wearing a thin white pajamas, the blue hair hanging down her back was gently blown by the morning breeze, standing just like that in the courtyard in the sunshine. Down.

Xia Zhaoyi raised her head and squinted her eyes, covering her forehead with one hand. Hearing the movement, she turned her head and barely opened her eyes, but her eyes were full of golden blurred light, and she couldn't see the face clearly yet.

The wife and daughter of County Magistrate Xu led a few servants over to say hello. When they saw the young girl's clear and fair face, the women's eyes became amazed and they were full of praise.

Xia Zhaoyi's eyesight finally gradually improved. She looked at the faces of these women one by one, and she had seen two of the servants last night when they brought food to her.

Their skins are rough, their fingers are also rough, and their clothes are light and thin, with dark colors. Except for one or two slightly rich ornaments on Du Shaohong, the wife of County Magistrate Xu, no one can tell from their appearance alone. She is different from other servants.

Seeing Xia Zhaoyi looking at them, Du Shaohong stepped forward to introduce them one by one, Xia Zhaoyi smiled and nodded to them.

They all looked like rough-working peasant women, but these women were different from those in Qingxiang Village.

Not only in Qingxiang Village, but in any village Xia Zhaoyi has been to in the past five years, none of the women in any of the villages have such exuberant vigor and vitality, and a natural self-confidence that is comparable to... gas.

Their limbs are not slender, and their heights are uneven, not as tall as the girls in Qingxiang Village, but no matter how tall, short, fat or thin, their eyes are bright and full of strength.

This feeling of strength and fitness is collided with the vigorous primitive wildness and the current ritual and music civilization, just like the harmony between mountains and seas, and the co-construction of heaven and earth.

Xia Zhaoyi's smile became brighter. This trip to Lingzhou was worth it for her.

Thank you lemonade for your reward~~Thank you!