Hello Chang’an

 The setting sun in early summer has become very hot, reflecting on the sea, dyeing the whole world into a grand golden color.

Luo Xi's large pen, which could only be held firmly with both hands, was dipped in vermilion lacquer mixed with gold powder. She imitated the handwriting on the paper brought by A Che, and painted on the huge ship wall one stroke after another.

The water was at high tide, and Shen Sanmao and his men stood in the water below their calves, holding the ladder frame for Luo Xi, and moved the ladder frame as Luo Xi moved the pen.

In the setting sun, these busy figures appear particularly small against the backdrop of this huge and majestic ship, but it is these tiny figures that create this behemoth that can be used to conquer the ocean.

"The person who wrote the words...is a female worker, right?"

"There are so many people, why do we ask a woman to write?" A fisherman watching from a distance whispered: "This is a big business, what if something bad happens?"

"A woman is unlucky? Then who asked the ship to be built? Who asked the shipping company to get out of the way? How did the sea become peaceful?" A fisherman on the side asked in a soft tone: "Many years ago, There is a lot of trafficking in women at sea. Many women are kidnapped on ships and sold to foreign countries. When they can be exchanged for money, why don't they think women are bad luck? "

The fisherman's expression changed: "I just said it casually... Why are you jabbering a lot..."

"Why are you the only one allowed to speak?" The fisherman grabbed her husband and said, "Well, Miaomiao, the only member of the Hong family, thinks the boat is unlucky. You can go for him in two days."

The fisherman was shocked when he heard this and said "bah bah bah!" "What are you talking about? I don't have any...I'm going home to pack my bags first!"

He is one of the fishermen selected by the Municipal Shipping Department to go out to sea to explore the route in two days.

As he said this, he dragged another person away: "Yellow croaker, let's go and pack our things!"

While Huang Yu was being dragged away by the man, he turned around and shouted to the fisherman: "Sister-in-law Cheng, don't be as knowledgeable as Big Shell. I'll scold him when I turn around!"

The fisherman smiled and waved her hand at him.

Her husband said from the side: "Let's go home too, it's getting dark."

"Let's take another look." The fisherman stared at the figure of the woman who had written the last stroke, and the big red characters: "How beautiful it is."

As he spoke, he stroked his bulging belly with his right hand and said with a soft smile: "Dad, I'm not afraid at all now..."

Her husband didn't understand and asked, but his wife said, "I'm not afraid at all of giving birth to a girl and suffering in this world."

Nowadays, there are so many girls holding up the sky in Jiangdu City.

The governor promulgated many new orders, not only encouraging women to go out to work and learn skills, but also strictly cracking down on human trafficking, and those who drowned infants should be hanged if found, and those who did not report the knowledge would be sentenced to death, and other new regulations.

Historically, the most vulnerable victims of human trafficking have always been children and girls. Most of the babies who drowned were girls. Although these regulations do not explicitly state that they are specifically designed for women, they can effectively protect them.

The tide rose higher. Seeing Luo Xi and others ashore in a small boat, the fisherwoman turned and left with her husband.

It was already dark, and torches and lanterns were lit everywhere. Many people left one after another, but Luo Xi stood on the beach for a long time without moving.

Until a voice called her: "Sister!"

Luo Xi turned around and saw Luo Ze walking towards here.

Luo Ze gasped slightly: "Sister, why are you still here..."

"Ze'er." Luo Xi interrupted his brother and pointed to the big ship: "This is the Changning."

Luo Ze looked in the direction of her finger and couldn't help being attracted for a moment.

This was the first time he had seen such a big ship at such a close distance. He even had to look up and could clearly feel the shock and oppression brought by this giant thing.

"It is twenty-five feet long and can accommodate more than 600 people living on the boat."

"The carrying capacity is 3,500 shi. The merchant ships I sent to the ocean before could carry at most 2,500 shi."

"We also built watertight compartments. Do you know what a watertight compartment is? That is, if water enters one cabin, it will not flow into other cabins - Ze'er, have you never heard of such shipbuilding skills?"

"By the way, look over there. The names of each craftsman are engraved there. They are all engraved by themselves. My name is also on it..."

“…”

Luo Ze listened and listened, and wanted to speak several times, but his sister did not give him a chance to interrupt at all.

He began to stop trying to speak, but listened quietly. As he listened to these words and looked at the sister in front of him, he felt that she seemed to have changed into a different person.

In the past, my sister always had her hair neatly combed into a bun, her clothes were always clean and fragrant, and her expression was quiet and elegant. Today, my sister only holds her hair with a wooden hairpin that looks like it was carved by herself. A few strands of messy hair were scattered, her lips were slightly chapped, her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, her extraordinarily simple dress was mostly wet by the sea water, and her shoes were stained with sand.

Her expression is no longer "regular", but reveals some kind of dull obsession, which is the look of being trapped in something she loves.

But this kind of sister made him feel more alive than before.

After listening quietly to Luo Xi's words, Luo Zecai said: "Sister, since today's ship test went well, why don't you come with me back to the Governor's Mansion? My father just happened to be back, and my mother also misses my sister -"

My sister has not been back for more than a month.

"Father is back?" Luo Xi looked stunned.

Luo Ze nodded.

Luo Xi looked confused: "When did father leave the house?"

Luo Ze: "...?"

He sighed: "...Grandma clearly told my sister."

Luo Xi thought about it and couldn't remember much.

"Sister." Luo Ze slumped his shoulders slightly and said helplessly: "You are really my dear sister..."

My sister is not just obsessed, she is even a little tipsy.

Luo Xi pursed his lips and smiled, raised his hand to wipe the water drops on his forehead, raised his leg and said, "Okay, let's go."

At this moment, in the Jiangdu Governor's Mansion, Chang Sui Ning did not go anywhere, just like when he returned from a trip before. He just stayed in his courtyard and held a simple family banquet.

Lao Chang, A Dian, Wu Jue, and Meng Lie were all there, along with Yao Ran, Wang Changshi, Wang Yue, and Zheng Chao.

The food table was still placed in the courtyard, and everyone was sitting on the floor. The early summer evening breeze was cool and pleasant, and there was constant chatter and laughter during the dinner.

Wujue seems to be in good spirits. During this period, under the supervision of Governor A Dian, he has begun to achieve results in his exercise and health care. In addition, there was probably the influence of what Chang Suining did, but the most important thing... was the wine bowl he was holding in his hand.

Wujue had very few opportunities to drink these days. He finally caught the opportunity today. Everyone present, except A Dian, Chang Sui Ning, and Yao Ran who didn't like drinking, was greeted by him. all over.

A Dian saw this in his eyes and failed to dissuade him many times. His face bulged with anxiety. He came close to Chang Suining and complained secretly in a low voice: "...Your Highness, look at him!"

Although his voice was low, his gesture of pointing at Wujue was very unconcealed. Wujue saw it and quickly poured the remaining wine in the bowl into his stomach. Seeing Chang Sui Ning looking at him, he quickly narrowed his eyes, " Hey." He grinned, with a bit of flattery. If Qiao Yang saw this scene, she would be even more convinced that "A Wu" is the reincarnation of Wu Jue - when A Wu makes mistakes, he squints his eyes and wag his tail, with a look of confusion on his face.

There is only one tail difference between Wu Jue and Ah Wu.

Chang Sui Ning didn't want to be too restrained all the time. It was also very important to live happily, so he discussed with A Dian in a low voice: "Today's situation is special, so let him drink for a while."

With that said, he picked up a piece of snack and put it in A Dian's hand as a bribe to the warlord.

Overseer Adian likes to eat snacks, and the plate on his own dining table has already gone into his stomach.

But Governor A Dian has clear principles, and he couldn't help but hesitate at this moment: "But..."

Chang Suining pinched another piece for him.

"Okay..." A Dian stuffed a piece of snack into his mouth, finally opened his mouth, and said vaguely: "Then I need to practice a little longer tomorrow!"

Wu Jing didn't know anything about this. Seeing that His Highness didn't say anything to stop him, he happily poured wine for himself.

Immediately asked: "Why don't you see Mr. Qian today?"

Although Wujue and Luo Guanlin are both wearing fake identities and names, they still don’t know each other’s true identity. Because they have no intersection, Chang Sui Ning cannot easily remember to explain Qian Shen’s true identity to Wujue.

The reason why Wu Jue asked this question at this moment was very simple - if there were more people, he could toast two more bowls of wine, that's all.

"Mr. Qian's family members have come to Jiangdu. At this moment, Mr. Qian should be busy talking to the clan members..." Chang Suining thought of a word: "Reminiscing about the past."

Qian and even his "tribes" are describing a very new old.

Luo Guanlin, who covered the upper half of his face with a mask, gradually stiffened as he heard the friendly words of "Nineteenth Brother" and "Nineteenth Uncle".

He turned his head stiffly and looked at his mother with a warm smile on his face.

He just went out, why did he suddenly have so many "family members"?

He had only been away for less than a month, but he actually had the novel experience of "a young boy leaving home and a grown-up returning home".

Luo Guanlin looked at his mother helplessly - stop this farce!

Granny Jin smiled at everyone in the Qian family and took a moment to glance at her son. This was a situation she managed with great difficulty!

This unsatisfactory, stinky stone might die one day. While he is still here, isn't it reasonable for her, a mother-in-law, to use him to pave the way for her family?

Granny Jin had no intention of caring about her son's feelings. After all, when he followed Xu Zhengye in rebellion, he never asked her how she felt as a mother.

After finally sending the Qian clan members away, Luo Guanlin was finally able to take off his mask and rubbed his painful temples. His hometown dialect came out: "Mother, you are really my mother..."

Granny Jin snorted: "I don't think so!"

On the way the Qian clan members were leaving, the young man Qian Yu asked in a low voice: "Father, you said Mr. Qian..."

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by his father's glare: "Mr. Qian?"

"Oh, Uncle Nineteen..." Qian Yu shrank his neck and then asked, "Uncle Nineteen, why does he always wear a mask to show others?"

As he spoke, his voice became lower and his eyes were uneasy: "Could he be...a fugitive or something?"

After he finished speaking, he received another glare: "What kind of fugitive is this? If he is really a fugitive, how could he not be able to find out what he is doing, sir? Is it your turn to worry?"

Qian Yu thought about it and felt that it was true.

"I heard that the appearance is not good..." Another tribesman guessed: "But if it is just a bad birth, it shouldn't cover the face. I guess, or there is something different from ordinary people, or there is something serious. The injuries left burn marks and the like..."

Several others nodded in agreement: "It should be so..."

"It's no wonder that he is so talented and capable, but he has never been an official..."

Nowadays, there are basic physical fitness requirements for the selection of officials.

Everyone in the Qian family felt a little sad and a little regretful. But he couldn't help but feel that in today's world, the risk of being an official in the court was greater. It was better to choose a wise master and slowly plan for the future generations of the family.

"God has been kind to me, the Wuxing Qian family."

The Qian family left with a sigh of relief. In a short period of time, they had bought property and houses in Jiangdu city and settled down.

On the other side, the banquet in Changsui Ningyuan was over. Wu Jue got drunk for the first time in a long time and was carried back by A Dian.

Zheng Chao was not in a hurry to leave, but stayed to ask Chang Suining about the war in the north.

It is true that Zheng Chao is worried about the country and the people, and it is also true that he is worried about his nephew.

When he heard about Beidi's invasion, his first reaction was to worry, and then he felt regretful and ashamed. He ordered An Weida to resist Beidi's cavalry. He was in a dangerous situation, which made his uncle unreasonable - well, he shouldn't have done it. I absolutely shouldn't have written that long letter to ask for guilty orders.

"Mr. Zheng, don't worry too much. I have inquired about it today." Next to a clump of green bamboo in the courtyard, Chang Sui Ning said to Zheng Chao: "This Beidi offensive is still within the controllable range. Governor Cui deployed it properly before, and now He led his troops to resist in the Yumen Pass area and gained the upper hand, which was enough to block the Beidi cavalry from outside the pass... Therefore, this battle is not a big concern. "

Zheng Chao felt a little relieved and just nodded, but he couldn't help but worry: "But what if... Beidi sends more troops again? In your opinion, is this possible?"

Chang Suining looked over the high courtyard wall and towards the dark night in the north: "This is inevitable."

There is nothing to worry about in this battle, but it is hard to say after that.

Beidi is like a ferocious jackal with undying ambition. Once it smells blood, it will surely pounce on him one after another.

"If you want to end this war, there is only one way to go -" In the night, Chang Suining's voice was not serious, but there was a cold military aura between his brows: "That is to **** them so that they can no longer crawl. Until you get up.”

If not, Dasheng Jiangshan will fall.

Zheng Chao unknowingly closed his fingers, his eyebrows were filled with worry, and finally he let out a long sigh: "According to this, I just hope that the day of full-scale war will come later..."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but ask: "The northern defense line is so vast, and Ling'an only has 80,000 troops on its side. I wonder if the imperial court will send more troops in the future?"

Chang Suining shook his head: "I haven't heard yet."

Nowadays, there are wars everywhere, and the imperial court is afraid that it has too much time to take care of itself. Moreover, Cui Jing responded well this time. After he repelled the more than 10,000 cavalry, the immediate danger was relieved, and the imperial court felt at ease. It may not be willing to send heavy troops to garrison for the time being.

Defending and deterring Beidi cannot be accomplished in a day, and must be deployed in advance.

If he could not count on the imperial court to send troops, then Cui Jing would have no choice but to recruit troops on the spot, but recruiting troops would require a large amount of money and food. Even if the court was willing to agree, the process of allocating money and food would be very difficult and long due to the empty treasury.

Listening to Chang Suining's explanation of the difficulties, Zheng Chao felt more and more intuitively that the current imperial court was weak, and it was clearly reaching the point of terminal illness.

The next morning, Chang Suining told Meng Lie something.

Two days later, Yuan Xiang was summoned by Chang Sui Ning and rushed back to Jiangdu City from the army. (End of chapter)