Short story

As the new year was approaching, Xiaogu Village was also bustling, so Shen's father asked Shen Zhige to go to the county town to buy some new year's goods.

Liu Xi followed suit, and the two of them set off early in the morning in an ox cart, and arrived at the county seat before noon.

The county town was crowded with people and bustling, Shen Zhige held Liu Xi's hand tightly so that the two of them were not rushed away by the crowd.

Compared to the battlefield, Shen Zhige is obviously not able to cope with such a scene, but Liu Xi has often come to do New Year's goods in recent years, and dragged Shen Zhige to a small market with ease.

It was very cold, and Liu Xi stood in front of the stall in a thick cotton coat, haggling with the peddler for a copper coin, until the peddler was forced to beg for mercy with an innocent look on his face.

Shen Zhige was a little taken aback. In her impression, Liu Xi was like a young lady who was doted on by her family, didn't worry about anything, didn't care about anything, was cheerful every day, and scolded herself for being a fool with a big smile. .

Shen Zhige has always disliked a man who cares about everything, but Liu Xi, isn't it because of him that he does this?Being dragged down by herself, she could only live a hard life.

Shen Zhige frowned, clenched his fists tightly, and really wanted to tell Liu Xi to buy the things he likes with confidence, but Shen Zhige knew better that it is possible now, but in the future it is beyond his control. What should Liu Xi do if she is not here?

Liu Xi, who had succeeded in negotiating the price, turned around contentedly, and saw Shen Zhige's frown when she turned her head, her heart ached, didn't she hate the way she was a petty citizen just now?

"What's wrong?" Liu Xi's heart sank, feeling quite uneasy.

"It's okay, what else do you want to buy?" Shen Zhige's voice was slightly hoarse.

The new year's goods are ready and it's almost New Year's Eve. Liu Xi got up very early the day before, and she got up to clean up when it was still dark. The sweeping was a common practice before, and the clothes and bedding had to be washed and replaced with new ones. The tables, chairs and benches must also be scrubbed clean, not to mention mopping until they are shiny, at least they must be spotless, not to mention cleaning the concierge cabinets, so today's task is quite serious.

Shen Zhige was a light sleeper, and when he woke up he got up to clean up, this time Liu Xi didn't stop him, although men are not allowed to do housework, but today is an exception.

For housework like cleaning, Shen Zhige is obviously more proficient in fighting, strength is sometimes not so good, such as washing dishes.

After throwing two bowls in a row, Shen Zhige voluntarily exited the kitchen, watching Liu Xi skillfully washing the dishes.

Fortunately, sweeping and mopping the floor does not require as much skill as washing dishes, Shen Zhige only needs to sweep the floor over and over again with a broom.

It wasn't until the end of a tiring day that Shen Zhige sat on the bed to rest and realized that doing housework was so tiring.

The next day is the New Year. On this day, the villagers of Xiaogu Village will go to the village chief’s house for dinner. Somehow, the custom has been passed down. The whole village has to go to the village chief’s house for dinner on New Year’s Eve. There are not many people in Gu Village, [-] or [-] households can fit in the backyard of the village chief's house.

Of course, the ingredients, tables and chairs are provided by each household, and the cooks come in turn for each household, and those who are voluntary can also help.

Liu Xi got up early that morning. She had to go to the village chief's house to help cook. The banquet was at noon, so there was no delay.

In the huge courtyard, men sat at several large tables, and women and children sat around smaller tables.

The table Liu Xi was sitting at was right behind Shen Zhige, and she could clearly see the men in the village toasting her one by one, so she couldn't help but worry, what if she got drunk?But as a woman, no one called her to be at the man's table.

Even when Liu Xi was chatting with the women's house next door, he could hear the shouts of men not far away, mixed with the sound of toasts congratulating Shen Zhige on his return home.

By the time the banquet was over and the sun was setting, even though Shen Zhige survived to the end, he was inevitably dizzy, and was helped back home by Liu Xi amidst the villagers' good-natured laughter.

Seeing Shen Zhi with a distressed face, Ge Liuxi felt for the first time that this custom in the village was too bad, they had to drink on any festival, regardless of whether people could drink or not.

Wiped Shen Zhige's face, Liu Xi was about to wash the handkerchief, when Shen Zhige grabbed her hand, she squinted her eyes and leaned against the bed, looked at Liu Xi for a while and suddenly said in a low voice: "I'm sorry."

Slightly taken aback, Liu Xi asked back in puzzlement, "What are you sorry for?"

After waiting for quite a while, there was no response, Liu Xi took a closer look, and found that Shen Zhige had already closed his eyes and fell asleep.

sorry?Why are you sorry?Liu Xi was at a loss, staring blankly at the sleeping Shen Zhige, who was still handsome and handsome, but now her cheeks were flushed, and she was a little cute, which made Liu Xi notice that Shen Zhige's eyebrows were exquisite, and she could predict her anger It's not an exaggeration to smile, even if it's a painting, can such a person really be a man?

Liu Xi was thinking blankly, and after a while she reached for Shen Zhige's collar with trembling hands.

The clothes were made by Liu Xi. They are light and warm, and the material is very good. It is very easy to take them off.

Naturally, Shen Zhige didn't know about this, she didn't know how to drink before, but after staying in the military camp for a long time, she couldn't even think about it, not to mention that drinking is also a great way to relieve stress.

But today is still too much, the custom of Xiaogu Village is to drink alcohol when doing everything, to drink when there is a good harvest, to drink when to marry a wife, to drink when to have children, and of course to drink hard during the Chinese New Year, and Shen Zhige is not an ordinary person now, she He is the only officer in the village, and in the eyes of the villagers, he is like a general, no one is allowed to come to toast, after round after round, Shen Zhige has to get drunk.

The next day, Shen Zhige took Liu Xi to Liu's house, drank and ate, came back in the afternoon, and then there was nothing to do, it was meaningless if the Shen family didn't have children, no one was interested.

Only a few days after the year, the military order came down, it was an emergency military order.

Beidi formally invaded, led by Shanyu's third son He Deyu, the menacing attack, Dingyuan City was almost captured, even now it is in danger, the imperial court issued a military order, every household with a strong man must send one person to join the army, because The war is tense, even if you are unmarried at the age of 16, you have to go.

The village immediately exploded. This kind of military order is only issued in a truly critical moment. In other words, it is even more difficult to come back alive.

The next day when the military order was issued, they were going to set off. This time, there were a lot of people, and they had to be pulled by several large ox carts. Fortunately, Shen Zhige had his own horse, so there was no need for an ox cart.

Early this morning, it was still snowing, and the entrance of the village was already crowded with people. There were men in their thirties and teenagers in front of the bullock cart, all of whom were dragged to talk without exception. The woman had tears in her eyes, knowing what was going on in front of her. People who leave may never come back.

Different from other people's worries, Shen's father seemed very happy, "There is going to be a big war! Heroes come out of troubled times! You have to behave well! Be a real general!"

Father Shen was not worried about the war, he just kept telling Shen Zhige what to do on the battlefield, how to make military exploits and how to be a general, but Shen Zhige didn't say a word.

Different from Shen's father, Shen Zhige knew that Li Ren was still in the capital, and the people who guarded Dingyuan were sent by the capital, so he knew that this battle might be lost.

The emperor was even more stupid than Shen Zhige thought, and Beidi was eager to swallow Datang, but he was still afraid of the military power in Li Ren's hands.

But why did Beidi come to commit the crime at this time?Ude has just been defeated, they should stop the meeting and attack when the Zhenbei Army returns to their hometown...

Shen Zhige lowered his eyes and thought, logically she was going back to Zhenbei Army, but based on what she heard just now, she was going directly to Dingyuan.

Shen Zhige had a vague guess. If that was the case, the emperor really made a mistake. It is okay to use Beimandi to dismantle Li Ren's military power, and Shen Zhige doesn't care either. There are no factions on the battlefield, but Beidi is not the only one in this world who is greedy for Datang.

Shen Zhige had heard father of Shen's advice countless times, and knew that his rebuttals were of no avail, so he simply went in one ear and out the other, and saw Liu Xi next to him with a glance.

Wearing a thick cotton coat and holding a large package in her hand, she silently looked at Shen Zhige from the side, just like when she left after joining the army for the first time, her eyes were full of worry and reluctance.

Reluctant?Shen Zhige was slightly taken aback, the warmth spreading from the bottom of her heart made her a little overwhelmed, very familiar, very strange, like the feeling of a long-lost home?

For the first time, Shen Zhige didn't want to leave. In the past, to her, there was no difference between the military camp and the village, but one might die and the other wouldn't. But death, Shen Zhige felt that there was nothing wrong with it.

But now, looking at Liu Xi's worried face, Shen Zhige remembered her past appearance, capricious and naive, and her current appearance, mature and gentle but lonely.

Sure enough, I owed her too much.

Shen Zhige ignored Father Shen and walked towards Liu Xi.

Liu Xi was surprised by Shen Zhige's sudden arrival, but she was still concerned and handed the package to Shen Zhige, "There are a few pairs of shoes I bought inside. The soles are thick and durable, and there are a few cotton clothes, not many. I didn't expect you to leave suddenly, and there are still water and bread, which can be eaten on the way."

This is what people who joined the army would hear. Shen Zhige raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and watched Liu Xi start to babble about paying attention to his body and safety, and he didn't feel bothered, "You are still so nagging, you urged me when I was practicing martial arts before. Like drinking water."

Liu Xi's voice stopped abruptly, and she fell into an embrace as soon as she raised her head. This was the first time that Shen Zhige took the initiative to hug her.

"Winter is the most unsightly time in the village, but every time I leave and come back, it is at this time."

"Next time, I will come back in spring. Then, you can wait for me under the biggest peach blossom tree in the village. I... have something very important to tell you."

"And... I'm sorry." I'm sorry for wronging you to marry a woman, I'm sorry for making you live a hard life for five years, and I'm sorry that I have to leave.

"No, don't say I'm sorry, there is no need to be sorry between husband and wife." Liu Xi hugged back tightly, and suddenly thought of something, she took out a jade pendant from her pocket and handed it to Shen Zhige, "You wear this, when I was a child I often fell ill, so my mother went to the temple to pray for blessings, and bought me jade to wear as a body protector, saying that it was consecrated by the master, and it was very effective.”

At the beginning of the eighth year of Jingde, He Deyu, the third son of Beidi Shanyu, led an army to invade, and Zhang Qi guarded Dingyuan.

In August of the eighth year of Jingde, Dingyuan City was broken, and Zhang Qi retreated to defend Pucheng. In the same month, the Nanman Xirong also led troops to attack.

In October of the eighth year of Jingde, Pucheng was broken, Zhang Qi retreated to defend Yangcheng, and ordered the army to build a city wall, barely defending it.

In December of the eighth year of Jingde, Zhang Qi ordered his subordinates to guard the city and abscond with their belongings, but their whereabouts were unknown.

In January of the ninth year of Jingde, Yangcheng was broken, and the remaining soldiers burned the city to stop it. In addition to the high mountains and natural dangers on both sides of Yangcheng, the northern barbarians made a detour to attack.

……

In February of the tenth year of Jingde, Emperor Lizong of the Tang Dynasty died in the palace, and died in the Tang Dynasty.

jingle~

Shen Zhige fell heavily to the ground, staring blankly at the gray sky, what is this sound?It seems to be... a jade pendant?

Exhausting the last bit of strength, Shen Zhige touched the warm and moist jade pendant on his waist, um, it was the jade pendant given by Erniang.

There was a sharp sound of breaking wind, densely packed sharp arrows passed over Shen Zhige and went deep into the ground, or into human flesh and blood, or into the raging fire.

The pain was so extreme that it seemed to go away like numbness. Shen Zhige forgot Yangcheng and Beidi who was close at hand. He only remembered Liu Xi who came to him angrily and asked him why he didn't marry her that winter. He ruined her life by himself. .

Why so selfish?If she refuses decisively, she can be very happy now, and she doesn't have to live so cautiously because of herself.

Really... there is no way!The agreement or something is destined to disappoint you.

Shen Zhige's consciousness was blurred, the slight coolness on her cheeks forced her to open her eyes, it's snowing again?Winter, what a nuisance.

If there is a next life, I will be born in spring, do everything in spring, and be a man, only a man can make her happy.

"Drip, in the energy reserve..."

"The reserve is successful, the main brain is starting..."

"Start successfully."

"According to the energy detection, there is no reincarnation in this space. Death is the end of life. A friendly reminder from the main brain, Contractor."

The author has something to say:

It's gone, and then there's another hole