Ma Erniang's Splendid Pastoral

Chapter 272
Sleeping until midnight, I heard Xiao Dan's urgent cry: "Young Madam, wake up, Young Madam..."

"What's the matter?" Ma Min'er opened her eyes in shock, while patting her son lightly, she turned her head to look at Xiao Dan standing beside the low bed.

"The Liao and Jin cavalry are coming."

Ma Min'er pricked up her ears, and only then heard the rumble of the horse's hooves, "Isn't it snowing outside, why are you still fighting?"

"I heard from Mr. Wei that this is a sneak attack."

"Oh." Ma Miner asked, "You called me..."

Shan Xiaodan patted her head: "I even forgot, the prince asked you to get dressed and stay in the tent, and he will send someone to pick you up at any time."

Hearing this, Ma Min'er suddenly realized that the rain of swords, guns and arrows was beside her. She slipped out of the bed naked and quickly got dressed. Halfway through her clothes, her son was woken up by the sound of her getting up.

"Ah... ah..." Xiao Fanfan probably felt uneasy, and he also seemed uneasy.

Ma Min'er hurriedly stretched out her arms to hug her son, "Dear baby, don't be afraid, mother is here." She hugged her son into her arms, let his small head rest on her shoulder, and patted his back lightly.

Feeling the calming power of his mother, Xiao Fanfan calmed down, and kept his mouth shut, but it was time for dinner.

Shan Xiaodan quickly made the milk powder: "Young Madam, sit down, and I will feed the young master."

"Okay." Ma Min'er sat on the edge of the bed, put her son in her arms, Xiao Shan put the edge of the bowl to Xiao Fanfan's small mouth, he came up and drank half of the bowl in one breath, took a breath and continued, after a while , Drink it in one bowl.

"Ma'am, the young master doesn't seem to be full, do you want to steam an egg?"

"The sound of fighting outside is getting closer and closer, I'm afraid there is no time."

"Oh..." Xiao Dan had no choice but to stand still, waiting for the prince's people to come over at any time.

At this moment, Xia Xiaoren came in, "Ma'am, put on a servant's clothes outside, come with me."

Ma Miner asked, where are you going?
"Dayou and Jingmo are outside, they will take us out of the camp."

"Where are you going?" Ma Min'er couldn't help asking.

Xia Xiaoren said: "The little one doesn't know."

"Oh." Ma Min'er turned her head to look at the things in the tent, and didn't care about anything else. Fan'er must bring food and food with her. The child will be hungry at any time, so he has to take good care of the child.

Shan Xiaodan took a packing list, picked it up, and quickly packed up the things the young master needed, "Madam, let's go quickly."

Ma Min'er came out with Xia Xiaoren, and a group of girls and women stood at the door, "Hey, why are you back?"

"Ma'am, General Zhang asked us to come back."

"What about the wounded?"

"General Zhang sent someone to transfer."

Hearing that there was an arrangement, Ma Min'er felt at ease, and looked at Xia Zhen's two personal super servants, Jing Mo and Day You, "Jing Mo, you go to Zi'an, as long as I have Brother Day You here."

"This is what the Lord ordered."

"Your grandfather is worried about me, but I am more worried about him. You are still by his side."

Jing Mo stood still.

Ma Min'er raised her eyes, and saw that the big camp under the white snow was filled with torches, and the outer circle of the torches was full of killing noises, "How many enemies are there?"

"There are about 1 people."

"It's bigger than a sneak attack!"

"Yes, young lady, this is a large-scale raid."

"It should be all right." Ma Min'er looked at the bright outer ring of the torch.

Dayu glanced at Jing Mo, and said to the young lady: "It must be fine with Master here."

Ma Min'er nodded, and looked away, "Jing Mo, hurry up."

Jing Mo still didn't move.

Xia Xiaoren couldn't help but glanced at him, "Young Madam told you to go, so go, what are you talking about?"

Startled Mo raised his eyelids.

"Not yet." Xia Xiaoren glanced at him blankly, "Master is worried about Madam, Madam is worried about Master, why don't you understand?"

"I..." I couldn't understand why, if it wasn't for the loud noises outside and the shocking mob, he certainly knew that for his wife, even if he was in trouble, he would want Mrs Zhou Quan.

Dayou also motioned him to help the master, and Jingmo finally moved. The master and his wife have a deep relationship, but I am in a dilemma. Why doesn't that girl Xiaoren understand me?

The sneak attack tonight came fiercely and fiercely. Fortunately, Xia Zhen and his son were well prepared, otherwise there would not even be time for Ma Miner and the sick and wounded to transfer.

Liao and Jin mobilized the most elite and fierce cavalry, killing Xia Zhen and his son almost without time to transfer food. Gu Dun took special soldiers to Liao and Jin to counter the sneak attack, and only then led the enemy away.

When the battle came to a complete stop, it was already the evening of the second day, and the raid went on all night and all day, exhausting the people and causing many casualties.

-

Jin Luya has been watching the battle situation. In the early morning, when she heard that Xia Zhen had escaped with food, she was so excited that she rode to the battlefield, but was stopped by the girl and her attendants, "Ma'am, ma'am, there are no women in Dajin Kingdom going to the battlefield." , if you go, you will be cursed..."

"Fart." Jin Luya was so angry that she swears casually. During more than three years in the Kingdom of Jin, she changed from a weak little white flower to a golden thorn flower in the Northland, which hurt people very much.

The guard shrank from being scolded by her, and didn't dare to persuade him anymore.

No one persuaded, Jin Luya also calmed down, and she just showed her prestige in front of these servants, if she dared to run up to Ye Wei Haorong, she really didn't want to mess around, looked into the distance, and opened the map in her hand.

On the left side of Xiajia Daying is the mountains, and on the south is the old and dilapidated ancient county——Shidun County, which used to be the most prosperous ancient trading city at the junction of Qingzhou Prefecture and Beidi. Unfortunately, with the development of time and climate, there is not even one The dilapidated town is not counted, only some ancient walls remain.

As for the east side, it is Ningzhou Prefecture, the most desolate of the five prefectures. I heard that a small Beijing official came this year, and it seems that he has planted some food. Unfortunately, the food is not enough for the local people. They went to grab it, and it was nothing. They grabbed the lead, but they plundered a few small counties. Unfortunately, they are too poor and empty. It is no different from grazing on the grasslands. It is not worth grabbing at all.

The north is the territory of Liao and Jin. She smiled coldly. When His Royal Highness succeeds in sneak attack, she believes that she must be the biggest hero. At that time...it will not be a matter of His Royal Highness to make the Crown Princess.

Suddenly she thought of something: "I heard that the wife of King Beijun is also in the camp?"

The guard who was involved hurried forward: "Yes, ma'am."

"It's really disgusting that these two guys are sticking together even in battle."

The guards and maids dared not say a word.

"Go and find out the news."

"Yes, ma'am." The guard left immediately after saluting, but then he turned around in a hurry, "Madam, it's not good, people from the Great Wei Dynasty are calling..."

"What..." At the moment Jin Luya asked in surprise, Gu Dun rushed over with someone.

"Hurry up, come on, come on, give me the top." Jin Luya ordered the guards to go up to the top, but she slipped away. While slipping away, she thought to herself, it seems that the crown prince and the third prince of Liao didn't grab the food. Will he blame me then?She was so anxious about running away that she had forgotten all about her military skills and cleverness!

-

After counting the battlefield, I looked at the ancient Shidun County behind me. There were a few poor villages scattered on the ruins. Because of the war, the people in the villages fled eastward, and there were almost no people in this area.

Xia Zhen sighed deeply, "In the past two years, except we have raised some horses ourselves, have no horses made money?"

"Yeah, ever since you went to the capital, the nomads in the north are ready to move. When trading, there are more cattle and sheep, but less horses. At that time, their wolf-like hearts have shown signs. Fortunately, we have a large horse farm in Liangzhou City. Otherwise, I am afraid that even the current supply of horses will not be available."

"But after all, they are not as good at raising horses as they are."

"This is the truth. They are a nation on horseback. What can they do?"

Wei Ren and Zhang Nian Mei Qiqi came up from behind, "General, little general—"

Xia Zhen and his son turned their heads together, "How is it?" Asking the loss.

"There were a lot of casualties." Zhang Nianmei replied.

Xia Zhen was silent for a while.

Wei Ren said: "General, our people explored the way, and Xiao Lin went to Pingding."

Xia Zhen grinned, "He can pick a place."

"Master, do you want to ask the southern states for support?" Zhang Nianmei asked.

Xia Zhen looked to the north, and said leisurely: "If the emperor wants to send troops to other places, he won't be able to trap me in the capital."

"Master, Jiangshan belonged to the Great Wei Dynasty, how could he just watch foreigners invade?"

"I won't watch foreigners invade, he wants foreigners to consume my Xia family!"

"General—"

"When we and the Liao, Jin and other countries are both at risk, he will be that fisherman."

"Master, then let's..." Wei Ren and Zhang Nianmei nervously looked into the distance, they depended on the Xia family to live, the Xia family survived, they lived, if the Xia family... they dare not think about it.

Xia Zhen's eyes narrowed, and she turned around suddenly: "Don't forget, there are no reinforcements in other places. Our Xia family has more than 30 troops. They are guarding the long border. We can mobilize troops from other places appropriately." Come and support."

"Then what places do you want to transfer?"

Xia Zhen didn't even think about it, "Pingding is the furthest from the border."

"Master, but that's our base camp!"

"If you want to scare the Liao and Jin people, you can only draw your salary from the bottom of the pot."

"Master..." All the generals around him cried out in surprise, this was a desperate move.

"No, it's not all-or-nothing, I'm going to do all three."

"A three-pronged approach?"

Everyone looked at Xia Zhen in surprise.

Xia Zetao also looked at his son in surprise, San Guan?What about the three tubes?
-

In the imperial palace of the capital, the war in the north was not optimistic. Even if Xia Zhen returned to the border, he could not drive away the foreigners. Emperor Yuantai's rich face could not see a trace of wrinkles, but it was low and frightening.

"Someone-"

The guard at the gate immediately entered the door, "My lord——"

"Is there any news about Mr. Xiao?"

"Return to the Holy One, just now there is news that Mr. Xiao has gone to Pingding County, Yizhou."

"Pingding?" Emperor Yuantai twitched the corner of his mouth, thinking to himself, he was smart, but... he gently picked up the booklet from the north, squinted his eyes and fell into deep thought.

-

In the county town of Pingding, Mo Huaien was preparing food. Unexpectedly, the imperial envoy had arrived. Since the little general entered Beijing, there had been no imperial envoys in Pingding for the past two or three years. He quickly put on his official uniform and led the people from the yamen to greet him out of the city gate .

"I'm bothering Mr. Mo."

"Master Xiao said that." Mo Huaien bowed respectfully, "My humble official has prepared a reception banquet for my lord, and I invite my lord to appreciate it."

Xiao Lin smiled and said: "Thank you, sir, but it's disrespectful."

"Master Xiao is being polite."

Shu Yueru was standing next to Xiao Lin with her child. They had met many state and county magistrates along the way, and she had gradually adapted to the life of this kind of magistrate's wife.

Quietly looking behind Mr. Mo, she found that Mr. Mo didn't bring any female relatives. She was secretly relieved that she didn't need to bother with socializing. That's good. She likes such a simple way of handling things.It wasn't until she entered the restaurant and finished eating that she realized that Mr. Mo had no wife.

The girl wentssip and said: "I heard the little girl in the restaurant whisper that Master Mo married two wives, the first wife died of illness, leaving behind a son and a daughter. As an official in Xing'an Prefecture, the second wife is a bit mysterious, some people say that he died of illness, some people say that he was beaten and fled, but the people in Pingding County wish that his second wife is gone."

"Why?"

"Lord Mo is not greedy, but his second wife Liu Shi is greedy, and often asks the officials and businessmen below to give him favors."

"No wonder!" Mo Wanyi smiled.

At this moment, Xiao Lin entered the room smelling of alcohol.When the maids saw that the male master had returned, they hurriedly retreated respectfully.

"What did you just say?" Xiao Lin asked after taking the hangover tea from his wife.

"Talk about Mr. Mo's family affairs."

"Oh." Xiao Lin sat down, and a pair of twins surrounded his legs immediately, looking at him with smiles.

Shu Yueru asked: "Just now I heard that Mrs. Mo has a daughter who fills in someone else's house. Is she the stepmother of Princess Beijun you mentioned?"

Xiao Lin nodded, "That's right."

"Oh, that's true, I really remember correctly." Shu Yueru smiled and asked, "Are we going to stay here for a while?"

Xiao Lin shook his head.

Xiao Xun asked strangely: "Hey, Dad, you told me a few days ago that we will rest for a while in Pingding."

"The situation has changed."

"Dad, what's the matter?"

Xiao Lin replied: "I got Master Mo's words, I heard that the Pingding military camp is going to send food to Xiangzhou and Qingzhou."

"Husband, do you want to follow?"

"En." Xiao Lin narrowed his eyes and said, "The emperor doesn't want me to stop here and do nothing."

Husband's words made Shu Yueru worry: "Husband, your behavior will make our relationship with the Xia family..."

Xiao Lin looked at his wife and reached out to hold his hand, "No matter what the situation is, I will take care of ourselves first."

"Husband..."

"Again, Gu Junchen, and then friendship."

"Husband, can't you have both?"

Shu Yueru has a good impression of the Xia family. It is they who made the relationship between her and her husband known to the world, and let their children live in the sun openly, without having to hide.

Xiao Lin lowered his eyes, "I'll try my best." But he thought to himself, it depends on Xia Zhen's strength, at most he can not make trouble, this is already the best affection he can do in his position.

"Thank you husband."

Xiao Lin raised his eyes: "Before entering the door, I want to keep you in Pingding..."

"Father, Xun'er doesn't want to leave Daddy."

"Ozawa doesn't want to either."

Shu Yueru's mother and son also looked at him with a look of reluctance.

Xiao Lin laughed, "Why are you looking at me?"

"Daddy!" The twins hugged their daddy's thigh tightly.

Xiao Lin sighed: "I thought about it, let you go to see the border of the Great Wei Dynasty, and see the Great Wei Dynasty which is different from the bustling side of the capital, maybe it will help your mood and vision."

"Daddy, that's great, we can be with Daddy again." The twins shouted happily.

Shu Yueru caressed the back of her husband's hand, "As long as you are with your husband, everything is fine."

Xiao Lin nodded, "Okay, our family will always be together."

-

The Jin Liao people didn't give up after failing to grab the food. After the Prince Jin scolded Jin Luya, he teamed up with the Third Prince of Liao to take advantage of Xia Zhen's exhaustion and retreat to the empty Gudun County to launch an attack again. Not only that, but also He mobilized the Liao and Jin troops to attack the border between Liangzhou City and Xiangzhou.

"Master, Mr. Cheng Tian of Liangzhou and the old general of Xiangzhou are relieved, but on our side..." Zhang Nianmei looked at the coach worriedly.

Gu Dun scolded: "What are you afraid of, let them come, just right, we can catch them all in one go."

Wei Ren said objectively: "The enemy's number is equal to ours, but the number of cavalry is far greater than ours. If we want to catch them all, I'm afraid it will take some effort."

"What are you afraid of? I'll make people make iron lizi right away, and let them scatter it all over the ground. Let's see how they continue to fight."

"Then why don't you do it?" Zhang Nianmei turned around and called out.

"..." Gu Dun was laughed at by Zhang Nianmei, "This thing looks simple, but it really takes a lot of money."

Zhang Nian rolled his eyes at him: "Why don't you say that our iron materials still need to be made into spears and swords."

Gu Dun shouted: "Then I have to be Tie Lizi, and I will go right away." After finishing speaking, he left in a hurry.

Xia Zetao looked at his son: "Zhener..."

"Let's discuss how to change from passive to active."

"Great, little general!" Hearing the initiative to attack, the soldiers all geared up and gathered around the big and small generals.

Ma Min'er wrapped her turban and wore a thick padded jacket, hugged her son, and shuttled through the ancient county town, looking at the dilapidated city walls, the ruins of the city for a long time, and at the simple map in Xiaoyou's hand, "Here is The place is really not good for Zian and the others."

"That's right, Young Madam, there's nothing to cover, it's hard to defend." Even a layman like Fu Xiaoyou understands.

"I guess Zi'an can't care less about guarding."

"Ma'am, what do you mean, if the enemy takes the initiative to attack, we should also take the initiative?"

"That's natural." Ma Min'er said, "However, I think it's a pity that this small city is abandoned here. It would be great if it can be repaired. In this way, even if the war is over, the army can be left to garrison and the incomplete Soldiers provided a place to settle."

"Young Madam, don't those crippled soldiers go back to their hometown?" Xiao Dan was puzzled.

Ma Min'er sighed, "In the past few days, I chatted with them and found that many people don't want to go back to their hometown."

"Why, they are all like this, what else can they do?"

"This is where they are confused. If they don't go back, they won't be able to return to their roots. If they go back, they are all ordinary families, and they can't afford to support them. They are afraid that they will become a burden to the family..." Ma Min'er is very sad, for them, and for theirs Family members, unable to return home, this feeling can only be understood by those who have experienced it.

Fu Xiaoyou looked at the young lady, "Then we..."

"I have seen the surrounding land. It is very suitable for growing cotton, hemp and wheat. If the city wall is repaired and the decent houses inside are also reorganized, it is better for them to settle here and build a big shop here. The cotton mill, from planting to weaving into cloth, forms a one-stop textile industry, which not only solves the shortage of cotton cloth in the capital, but also provides a source of livelihood for these handicapped soldiers, what do you think?"

"Young...Young Madam, this battle..." Hasn't the battle been over yet?
(End of this chapter)