Hanhou

It snowed heavily all night, and strings of icicles hung from the eaves.

The sky has cleared, but the wind is getting colder, and the wolves wandering outside the village are nowhere to be seen. About fifty steps away from the gate, there are two bulging snow bags, which are solidified in a dark brown around, and there are still a few scattered around the edge. The frozen bones were obviously the prey of the wolves last night.

After the gate was opened, several young men came forward to check it out. Judging from the remaining head and a few pieces of broken fur, it should be an antelope that came from the north, not a lost livestock from the village.

"It's snowed too much this year." The one-armed old man stood by the door, looking at the endless snow field, with a hint of worry in his expression.

In previous years, the wolves would stop in the north of Cloud City, and rarely go any further.This year, wolves have even been seen near Shaling County, which shows how extensive the affected area is.

With this kind of knowledge, the old man couldn't help but rejoice, thanks to the presence of the envoy of Wei, the Xiongnu did not dare to set foot in Yunzhong County easily, otherwise, natural disasters and man-made disasters would come together, and I don't know how many people would be reduced.

"Clean it up quickly and leave it far away, so as not to attract foxes and weasels."

The young and strong promised to pick up the shovel and speed up the snow plowing, pile the remaining antelope carcasses on the wooden cart, push them further and dump them.

As the sky brightened, people's voices gradually sounded in the earthen wall.Accompanied by the crowing of cocks and the barking of dogs, the village that had been silent for a night began to become lively.

In previous winters, the young and strong in the village would go hunting together. If they were lucky, they could hunt a big beast and go to the military market to exchange for corn and salt sauce.

This year is slightly different.

When a large number of cattle and sheep are slaughtered, they have to be transported to the city one after another, and they must also guard against hungry wild animals. Young and strong are called up to guard the livestock farm in rotation.Five days of continuous work can be exchanged for half a month's rations for a family of four.

A few days ago, when the Xiongnu went south, border counties increased their troops on a large scale, and most young and strong men over the age of 20 were called into the army.The guards of the livestock farm are all old men with good ears, and there are also some women who can swing bows and knives.

Zhao Jia originally planned for the worst. Once the Xiongnu broke through the defense line and stepped into Yunzhong County, they would immediately abandon the livestock farm and recall all the people back to the village or send them to Yunzhong City.

In short, human life is more important than the sky. If the cattle and sheep are gone, they can be raised again. If the people are gone, there will be nothing.

Unexpectedly, none of the guards of the livestock farm retreated, and they patrolled day and night with bows, arrows and short knives, making it clear that the Huns would fight them desperately if they dared to come!

"If we don't let us live, they don't want to live either!"

During the Warring States Period, Yunzhong was originally the land of Zhao, and it was connected to the Hu Kou in the north. It was famous for its fierce folk customs and good shooting and hunting.

There are many heroes in Yanzhao.

This kind of martial spirit is similar to that of Qin State, but compared with Qin State's emphasis on laws and regulations, the heroes of Zhao State advocate freedom more.

However, the two have one thing in common: you are never welcome to meet foreigners!

During the Warring States Period, General Li Mu of the State of Zhao beat the Huns out of their brains and dared not go south for more than ten years.The king of Qin conquered the world, and when he heard the phrase "Hu who destroys Qin", Meng Tian immediately led his troops out of the fortress, filling the Qing map of the grassland.

It's a pity that Qin II died, the world was in chaos, and all heroes rose together. In the central plains of Dingding in the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu played the ruthless role of Maodun, the father-killer, and the Han Gaozu Baideng was besieged. on the defensive.

This is not to say that the Han Dynasty did not have ruthless people.

On the contrary, the prefects of border counties such as Wei Shang and Zhidu can still make the Huns detour.During Emperor Wen's reign, he also gathered heavy troops and planned to fight the Xiongnu. Unfortunately, there was a rebellion in the country, which failed in the end.

The Border County has been harassed by the Huns all the year round. When the people on the border mentioned the Huns, they were not afraid but angry and hated. They wished they could eat their flesh.

There was a snowstorm this year, and the fields were ruined. Zhao Jia's livestock farm is everyone's hope for survival. If you dare to smash this hope, no matter who it is, you must be killed!

Understanding everyone's determination, Zhao Jia did not continue to persuade, but privately ordered Uncle Hu to give more when delivering food, and took out the sheepskins accumulated at home and distributed them to the old people and healthy women who were watching the night.

Fortunately, what he was worried about didn't happen.

Before the Xiongnu returned north, they did not really set foot in Yunzhong County.The recruited young adults returned safely, the military market and the horse market reopened, and everything started to go on track again.

Wait until the next time the market opens and then change a batch of millet, and this winter will be able to survive.When the snow melts in the spring, the land will be reclaimed, and a number of cattle and sheep will be raised. More plans can be put on the agenda.

After breakfast, Zhao Jia was going to visit Wei's house.

During the Han Dynasty, a two-meal system was implemented. When he was in Yunzhong City, Zhao Jia kept this rule.After moving out of the city, the rules were broken, from two meals a day to three meals a day, with snacks in between.

Huber had no objection to this.

As long as Mr. Lang looks good, everything else is drizzle!

In fact, since Zhao Jia started to suffer from strokes, he would inevitably grow thinner. This made Huber very worried. He wished Zhao Jia could eat five meals a day, so that he could at least gain some more flesh.

Zhao Jia was also helpless.

In my memory, Zhao Gongcao is a tough guy who is eight feet tall and can wield a long halberd on a horse.With his current situation, he might be able to achieve his stature, but in other respects, he can only think about it sincerely.

Anyway, he is the son of a meritorious Cao, so he can no longer wear short brown when visiting other people's homes.Putting on a dark blue coat, tied a gentry belt, still put on the leather boots, and put on a cloak, Zhao Jia was ready to go out.

When it comes to deep clothes, one cannot fail to mention the crotchless pants of the Han Dynasty.

It's really gone.

Fortunately, this is Bian County, and almost all men can ride horses. Zhao Jia insisted on adding gear to his trousers to make an improved version of the hakama, so it would not look so different.

"There may still be snow today, sir, go and return early." Hubo urged.

Zhao Jia nodded, and said: "If Helao sent someone to ask, just do as I said before."

"promise."

The servant was going to prepare a cart, but Zhao Jia shook his head and went to the stable to bring out a batch of big red horses.

At this time, there were no high-saddle stirrups, no horseshoes, and only a rope buckle for easy mounting.Zhao Jia didn't think about getting these out either.

The reason is very simple, and the Huns will also learn. Their cavalry is huge, which is better than that of the Han Dynasty today.Stirrups and horseshoes have no technical content. If they are made hastily, they will be learned by the Huns before the Han Dynasty army is equipped on a large scale. It will undoubtedly be a disaster.

Zhao Jia learned how to ride a horse when he was eight years old. It is not a problem to fight immediately, but there is no problem with riding a horse and swiping the whip.

After instructing Uncle Hu again, Zhao Jia left with two healthy servants and galloped towards a village further west.

There are few people on the road, only the crisp sound of horseshoes stepping on the snow.

The cold wind hit his face, lifted the cloak on Zhao Jia's body, the hot air he exhaled condensed into mist, and his eyebrows and eyelashes were soon stained with hoarfrost.

After running for about a quarter of an hour, the shadow of Tsuchigaki appeared in front of him.

Since Zhao Jia proved that the earthen wall of the archery tower can enhance the safety factor, the nearby villages have followed suit.

Today, there are ten pavilions in one township in the northeast of Shaling County, and there are similar buildings in the common people's settlements, and they have begun to extend to other townships.Even the neighboring Yangshou County was affected, and some people came here specially to see it with their own eyes and to imitate the construction when they go back.

The three of Zhao Jia came to the gate, and the old man who guarded the gate knew Zhao Jia, so without further ado, he had already cleared the way, allowing the three of them to enter the village.

The layout of the wall is similar to that of Zhao's village, except that the tiles on the walls of the houses are more exquisite, and the number of poultry is obviously more.Zhao Jia rode his horse forward for a certain distance, and five or six reed chickens flew past with flapping wings.

It is definitely Fei, Zhao Jia dares to swear to the sun.

Most of the villagers knew Zhao Jia and greeted him one after another.Some people also asked whether Zhao's livestock farm still needs manpower. They all have a lot of strength and are not afraid of tigers and wolves.

"After the snow melts, we must recruit people. If you want to, you can go to He Lao to register your name." Zhao Jia replied.

"Lang Jun's kindness!"

"We are all in the same township, so we should take care of each other. It's just doing our best, and the elders don't need to do that."

Seeing an elderly person bowing down, Zhao Jia hastily got off his horse.The crowd surrounded them one after another, and they had to walk for a full 5 minutes for a distance of less than [-] meters.

When they got to the door of Wei's house, a maid in a linen dress and a leather jacket was already waiting by the door.Another health servant opened the door and invited Zhao Jia and his party to enter.

Walking into the courtyard, the west side is also a stable, surrounded by a row of fences, in which more than ten reed chickens are raised.On the east side is a vacant cart and a bare mulberry tree.

Zhao Jia walked through the front yard and walked into the main room where guests were welcomed.

A young girl in green and dark clothes was sitting in the house.

In front of the girl was a hearth with a copper frame and a pottery basin hanging from it, in which hot soup was bubbling.

"Hodor, sit down."

The girl raised her head, her face was not beautiful, but there was a heroic look in her eyebrows, which made people unable to move her eyes away.

Zhao Jia approached in two steps, cupped his hands in salute, and the girl laughed lightly.

"Okay, sit down quickly. There is no one else here, why are you posing like this?"

Zhao Jia grinned, sat on the futon opposite the girl, took a bowl of hot soup, and waited for the girl to speak.

The girl motioned for the maid to come and remove the clay basin, put her hands together in front of her body, and said calmly: "My father has been away for three years, and I want to recruit a son-in-law."

"Recruiting a son-in-law?" Zhao Jia frowned.

The so-called recruiting a son-in-law by a girl is not getting married in the traditional sense, but recruiting a son-in-law.

In short, marry a man to pass the door.

The girl's name is Qing Mo, and her father and Zhao Gongcao are colleagues, and they fought together to kill the enemy.After Zhao Gongcao died, he took care of Zhao Jia.It's just that he was as unlucky as Zhao Gongcao. Three years ago, he met the Huns and died in battle.

The girl's mother had remarried, and moved to Jiuyuan City with her husband's family, and the mother and daughter gradually lost contact.Even though there were fewer constraints on women in the early Han Dynasty, it was several times more difficult for a girl to support a house alone than Zhao Jia without brothers.

Fortunately, the girl's gaze is precise, and her spirit is not inferior to the man's.When Zhao Jia opened the livestock farm, nearly ten thousand of his family's money was invested in it.Now that the cattle and sheep are slaughtered, the cost has been gradually recovered.If the development goes well, the rewards in the future are bound to be high.

If you marry into your husband's family, if you meet someone who is not good, you may face the risk of property being seized.But even so, recruiting a son-in-law is not a good idea.

"Sister, don't rush to make a decision, maybe there are other ways." Zhao Jia said.

"Other ways?" The girl looked Zhao Jia up and down, and finally shook her head and sighed, "It's a pity that you are too young to have a child with me. If not, I don't need to bother."

Zhao Jia was drinking hot soup, when he heard this, he choked in his throat, his eyes were red from coughing.

"This can't be used as a joke..."

"I'm not joking." The girl sighed, "During the previous dynasty, my ancestors had no surname or surname, and they were still honored by military merit. I don't want my family to disappear, my son must be surnamed Wei."

Zhao Jia stopped coughing and looked at the girl seriously.

"If a married couple has other thoughts in life, what should they do?"

In the Han Dynasty, the status of the son-in-law was extremely low, even lower than that of merchants.In addition to the compulsory labor service, every time of war, it is bound to be the first batch of requisitions.If you are lucky, you will act as a servant to deliver food and grass; if you are unlucky, you will serve as a death squad with a knife.

With such a status, unless it is to repay kindness, or if it is really impossible to survive, anyone with some ambitions will not be willing to become a son-in-law.

"I have loyal servants, and this is also Bianjun, so it's very easy for a person to disappear." The girl raised her eyebrows and chuckled.

Zhao Jia understood instantly.

For girls, the purpose of recruiting is for children.With a child, the child's father can completely roll the ball.She doesn't want to be mellow, so she doesn't mind pushing it.

This is Western Han.

In the era when the queen mother can call me, what kind of husband is the guide to wife did not exist before Dong Zhongshu went online.

What's more, Confucius mentioned moral concepts and norms, but Dong Zhongshu played out a theory of yang superiority and yin inferiority. If Queen Mother Dou was still alive when he went online, 100% would be thrown into the wild boar pen like Yuangu, and no one handed him a knife .

"One more thing." The girl put away her smile and said seriously, "You should know that the new county magistrate took office last month?"

Zhao Jia nodded.

"A few days ago, the village elders went to visit and learned that the new county magistrate was recommended by the Prime Minister on behalf of the country."

On behalf of the country?

Zhao Jia's mind started to spin.

Among the princes and kings of the Western Han Dynasty of the same generation, Liu Deng basically belonged to Little Transparent.

Not long after the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion, all capable and confident princes and kings showed their faces in the rebellion. This one didn't even have a chance to play soy sauce, and was completely forgotten in the corner.

Although Dai Wang has no sense of existence, Dai Guoxiang is not ordinary. His surname is Guan and his name is Fu. He made military exploits during the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion and was reused by Emperor Jing.

No impression?

Wei Qihou Dou Ying was beheaded and abandoned the market, this is the introduction.

However, there are still nearly 20 years away from this unlucky man, and now, he is still an important minister of two thousand stones.More importantly, Zhao Jia once heard from the head of the official temple that the Dai Guoxiang had some disagreements with Wei Taishou.

To put it simply, if you don't like each other, you are not a friend.

He recommended the new Shaling magistrate?

For Zhao Jia, this is not good news.