Song Dynasty

Chapter 110 Two Scholars

On February [-]th of the fourth year of Jianyan in the Song Dynasty, Huangzhou, Macheng County, Zhangjiawa.

Yan Yuemeng looked at Fang Worong, who was sitting on that broken chair, hugging and feeding that dirty child, and felt as if a bristly brush kept brushing in his heart.

My brother Rong is really not particular about this, at least he is also a student of Nanjing Yingtianfu, a dignified scholar, but today he is dressed like an old soldier in the army.Wearing an old linen shirt, one-eared hemp shoes, and a hand knife hanging from his waist, there is no sign of a son of a prominent family who passed on poetry and etiquette on his body.

It's fine if you don't want to be a scholar, but at least you need to be clean.If the current situation is seen by others, what is the dignity, why don't you laugh to death?
Yan Yuemeng kept rubbing his calves with his hands. He and Fang Worong were good friends, and they used to study together in Yingtianfu.In the year of Jingkang, the country was ruined and the family was destroyed, and the two fled south all the way.Last month, Li Qingzhao recommended him to join Wang Shen's Sizhou Army.

I thought that Fang Worong and myself were the seeds of study, and when they joined the army, Wang Daosi would definitely greet him, and he was hired to praise military affairs and treat them as soldiers of the country. He also cheered up and talked to Wang Shen a few times .

Unexpectedly, after they came down, Wang Shen sent them directly to Huangzhou Tongdan Du Shu to be a civil servant, which made Yan Yuemeng very disappointed.I had no choice but to comfort myself, it's not bad to be a small official, you don't have to go to the battlefield to fight, and stay in the yamen all day long.There are few things close to home, reading books, eating and drinking, and I am very happy.

After a month of deployment, the army finally arrived at Huangzhou.

Huangzhou, including Qizhou next to it, was looted by the Jin army, and all local officials fled.As soon as Wang Shen arrived, he honestly brought the two states under his jurisdiction, dispatched officials to recruit soldiers and food, and the momentum was quite large.The officials who came to Huangzhou with Du Shu also got their posts.

At this time, Yan Yuemeng's heart became hot again, so he discussed with Fang Worong whether to talk to Wang Daosi again... Hey, Wang Fangshi is a warrior, and we can't talk to him.On the contrary, Du Tongjuan is kind, so you might as well talk to him and see if you can get a magistrate Dangdang.If it really doesn't work, the county magistrate, county lieutenant, or even Sihu can do it!

Fang Worong shook his head and said with a smile, Brother Yan, we are all newcomers, we have just joined the Sizhou Army, and now we have just arrived in Huang and Qi, so we don't know anything about the local affairs.Isn't it a bad thing to ask for an official now?This is the same as doing things and reading.You have to calm down first, and find out the local people's conditions before you can talk about other things.

"Brother Fang, you are too pedantic. The time is not waiting for everything to be renewed. Our generation should work hard, make a difference, and be brave in doing things."

But Fang Worong just smiled and said he was not in a hurry.

How can we not be in a hurry, just kidding, there are only two prefectures and six counties in Huangzhou and Qizhou, how many places can there be in the yamen.Du Tongpan brought more than 30 officials here. After he arranges the people, will it be our turn?
Just as Yan Yuemeng was thinking about how to run for an official to ask for an official, Du Shu sent a messenger to order him and Fang Worong to send this month's salary to Zheng Sen, the macheng county government, and distribute the monthly money of the officials this month. up.

The Sizhou Army, like other armies in this year, has no military pay. The troops are responsible for the food and clothing of the soldiers, and only a monthly allowance of [-] Wen is used to purchase personal items.However, the local yamen cannot do this.First of all, if a county government wants to work, it must recruit local people to fill up the third shift. These servants have a family to support, and if they are not given a month, how can they be willing to serve the country.Moreover, if the Yamen wants to transfer normally, it also needs funds.

Originally, these expenses could be apportioned to the local people.Helplessly, after Huangzhou and Qizhou were ravaged by the Jurchen Tartars, the people fled to nothing, not even one out of ten.The land and villages are deserted, and usually there is no one in sight after walking for half a day on the road.

There was no other way, Wang Daosi could only pay out of his own pocket, paying everyone's salaries and yamen's expenses for this month.

After receiving Du Shu's order, Yan Yuemeng and Fang Worong packed their bags, carried a basket of copper coins on their backs, and left Huangzhou, walking to Macheng.

The money made in a basket weighs about a hundred catties. Yan Yuemeng is just a student, and he can't carry it on his shoulders or back.Seeing such a large weight, I was immediately dumbfounded, knowing that this is an impossible task.

Originally, this matter is also simple, it is not too big to ask a master to carry it.However, Sizhou has regulations that do not disturb the people without reason.Moreover, the matter of recruiting civilian husbands is very important, and the power has been taken away by Du Shu.

Well, pay a porter.Helplessly, Yan Yuemeng and Fang Worong had already used up the panties they brought with them when they fled in the past few years. Now that the monthly money from above has not been paid, even if the two put together all the coins on their bodies, it would be more than enough. But ten words.

Seeing his appearance, Fang Worong comforted him: "Brother Yan, don't worry, my younger brother is from a poor family. I used to work in the fields when I was in Nanjing. I'll carry this basket!"

At this time, Yan Yue and Mengcai were taken aback, he did not expect that Brother Fang had such great strength.In addition to the one-hundred-jin backpack, Fang Worong also brought a hand knife and a simple knife.

Fang Worong was thin and small, with dark skin, and a low-key Meng Yue head.But from the back view, it is easy to be regarded as a child of twelve or thirteen years old.

In the past, scholars in Yingtianfu, Nanjing used monkeys and macaques to play with them.

Now, with so much weight on him, this little scholar still walks like flying on the mountain road.

In contrast, although Yan Yuemeng was empty-handed in the past two days, he was so tired that he was about to fall apart.Usually, after walking a few miles, one has to sit on the ground and rest for half a day.

To this day, Yan Yue said that the soles of Meng's feet are full of blood blisters, and every step he takes is excruciatingly painful.

He knew that if he went on like this, he would definitely be exhausted to death.

Fortunately, they have already entered the mountainous area, and after climbing over the mountains, they will be able to reach Macheng County after walking for more than ten miles.

Probably seeing that he was really tired, Fang Worong proposed to go to Zhangjiawa ahead to finish lunch, and then sleep for half an hour before leaving.

There are four families in Zhangjiawa. When they saw the two men with weapons, the villagers were so frightened that they fled up the mountain.After the two shouted for a long time, saying that they were from the yamen, they returned home and boiled water for the two of them to cook.

Naturally, there is nothing good in Shanyezi Desolate Village, only a bowl of brown rice.Yan said that Meng was so hungry that he pulled a bowl of rice into his stomach with only two or three chopsticks.Fang Worong still seemed to be full of energy. He was hugging the landlord's son, talking to the old landlord with a smile while eating.Ask about the rain, ask about this year's harvest, and ask if there are any merchants in this county recently, and whether the place is peaceful.

Yan Yuemeng was upset when he heard it, and thought to himself: Fang Worong, why do you talk so much, what is there to talk about with a rough man?

Just when he was annoyed, he heard Fang Worong laugh, and he didn't know what he said to the landlord so happily.Looking up, I saw Fang Worong holding the rice bowl with a smile on his face, and you were feeding that child with booger all over his face.

Immediately, Yan Yuemeng felt his stomach churning, and almost vomited out the food he had just eaten.

He was about to get up and ask Fang Worong to go into the room together and stare in a daze for half an hour to recover some strength.

I heard the old landlady sigh: "Mr. Fang, our place has been peaceful recently. Since the Jurchen Tartars came to loot once, no one has run away. Seeing that this year's spring plowing has been delayed, two more months will pass. , everyone has to starve to death. People in the county ran away, crossed the river, and went to Ezhou to seek a living. There is no oil and water here, and even bandits and rogues are unwilling to come, so there is no need to worry. But in the past few days... ..."

"But how?" Fang Worong raised his spirits and asked quickly.

The old man: "Little old man usually makes a living by harvesting. We used to have a large population here. All the firewood on the mountain has been cut down. If you want to cut firewood, you usually have to walk more than ten miles. .”

Fang Worong smiled: "That's right. I have walked all the way, and everywhere is open. The mountains are yellow and bare, and there are not even trees. It seems that I have returned to my hometown in the north."

The old man said: "Yes, yes, there is no way. The trees and grass on this mountain have been cut down since my grandfather's generation. After so many generations, they have already been lighted. In the past, it was peaceful, and it was better to fight for a clump of thatch. Cutting home to make a fire to cook, there are also things that beat you to death."

"Haha, old man, let's talk about the past when we have time. Tell me what happened in the past few days?" Fang Worong fed the last mouthful of rice in the bowl into the child's mouth.

The old man: "In the past few days, I went to cut grass and collect firewood on the mountain more than ten miles away. I often saw strangers looking around furtively and asking the little old man for directions. Looking at the appearance of such a person, he looks so fierce. , not like a good person."

Fang Worong frowned: "What road are they asking about?"

"Ask me how to get to the county seat, how many people there are in the city, and what the city wall looks like." The old man thought for a while, and then said: "By the way, I think they have bulging waists, and they seem to have something else." , he suddenly became nervous: "Sir, do you think those people are bandits?"

"Don't worry, don't worry, it's fine." Fang Worong put the child in his arms on the ground, stood up, and said to Yan Yuemeng: "Brother Yan, it's time to go."

Yan said to Meng: "Don't you want to take a nap?"

"Don't sleep, don't sleep, if you delay today, I'm afraid you won't be able to make it to the county seat. Could it be that we are still sleeping in the wilderness tonight?"

"Okay!" Although Yan Yuemeng was unwilling, he was powerless to refute.

After speaking, Yan Yuemeng handed a note to the old man.This is an IOU issued by Si Xingyuan, the defense envoy of Huangzhou. Each chapter is worth two catties of brown rice, and a fresh chapter is stamped on it.Officials of various departments and yamen go out to handle errands, and they are issued according to the time spent on the road.Civil servants can use this note to go to people's homes for board and lodging, and get an IOU, and people can use it to deduct summer and autumn taxes that should be paid.

Here is a mountainous area, the output of the field is limited, and the taxation in summer and autumn is also small.Besides, Yan and Fang didn't eat so much rice either.The old man accepted it with great gratitude, and repeatedly said that the Sizhou Army is a teacher of benevolence and righteousness, and General Wang is a living Bodhisattva.

You know, if you switch to other armies, whether it’s the Jurchen, bandit army or Song army, they won’t bring you any money when you enter the city or go to restaurants, and eating your two bowls of rice is to give you face.

Seeing the IOU handed over, Yan Yuemeng's heart moved: Isn't this IOU equivalent to handing over banknotes?

He seemed to have vaguely grasped something, but he couldn't sort out a clue.

After leaving Zhangjiawa Village, Fang Worong said: "Brother Yan, be more careful, the old man just said that he must be a bandit. We have so much money with us, we need to be careful not to be targeted."

"Ah!" Yan Yuemeng's face turned pale with fright: "No way, no way!"

"You have to be careful, let's go quickly."

"Yes, yes, it is dangerous to stay in this mountain for a moment longer. It is better to go to the county seat as soon as possible to be safe." Now, Yan Yuemeng stopped complaining, walked quickly on the mountain road, and even took the initiative to take Fang Worong's hand. Pu Dao.

After walking for an hour, both of them were sweating profusely and their mouths were dry.

Yan Yuemeng was about to propose to sit down and drink some water, when suddenly Fang Worong said in a low voice, "I'm really being targeted by someone, bad luck!"

"Ah... what... what?"

Fang Worong's eyes fell on the opposite mountain: "There are at least ten people, all with weapons in their hands. They followed us as early as when we left Zhangjiawa. I deliberately took the wrong path before. It's strange to say that I will go Wrong way, they will follow the wrong way. Don't ask, it must be playing with you and me."

Yan Yuemeng looked over with his eyes, but only saw a khaki-colored mountain.

There was a chill in his heart: "Brother Fang, go, go!"

"No, we can't run. No matter how far we can run, we will run out of strength for a few miles at most. We have to move forward slowly so that we will have the strength to deal with it later." Fang Worong said with resentment on his face, Hand on the handle of the knife.Outburst of foul language, he cursed in a low voice: "When I was dispatched for the first time, I encountered thieves, but if there was a mistake, how would I explain it to General Wang and Du Tong? Straight mother thief, these blind beasts."

He was angry instead.

(End of this chapter)