Three thousand miles in exile

This large prison in Cenzhou Mansion, located on a hill, is said to be a temporary cell, but in fact, some prisoners have been imprisoned for two, three, or even longer.

These prisoners came from all over the Central Plains, and they were sent to northern Xinjiang for various crimes.

Some prisoners with light sentences, or prisoners whose family members spent money to manage them, or prisoners from places with high family backgrounds who dare not offend were quickly sent to exile to start a new life.

Only prisoners who have no money and no one, and who have been sentenced to severe sentences will be held here to wait for further arrangements.

If the emperor pardoned the world, he would be able to commute his sentence and send him down. Otherwise, he could only wait and fight for the food that was like bad water every day.

Today, they were suddenly brought to the ground, and the prisoners who had not seen the sun for a long time were blinded by the sun.

When Zhao Liangchen was pushed out by his son, he was still in a daze. It had been three months since his family was dispatched to northern Xinjiang and locked up here.

Because the 14-year-old son is clever, he can grab a little food every two days on average, and the family of three barely survives.

"Those who have passed the examination, bring your family members to the side and wait, General Liu has other arrangements." Zhang Xiaoman yelled loudly.

Zhao Liangchen's family of three, who had eaten all they could for the first time in three months, went to the designated place to wait first, and then Wang Shijie called his younger brother, and the rest of them were single.

The 32 prisoners who were beaten to death for pretending to be dead were still lying there, and the bloody smell was floating on the hills.

At this time, Li Xiaolian commanded his wrestlers to move three stones, and under Liu Zhan's instruction, he took over and presided over the next assessment.

"There are three hundred catties, two hundred catties, and one hundred catties of stones here. Whoever has the confidence to lift them above his head after eating can go out now." Li Xiaolian glanced at the prisoners who were about to move.

"But! If you can't even lift after eating, those corpses will be your fate!"

At this time, Liu Zhan had returned to drink tea under the tree, and Song Fenglin was gently shaking his folding fan. He was used to Liu Zhan's selection of soldiers, so he was not surprised.

Only Pei Wanshan looked straight at this rough and simple scene.

Not long after Li Xiaolian finished speaking, a man came out. The man was nine feet tall, and even Liu Zhan couldn't help but take a second look.

People came out one after another. Although their clothes were ragged and thin, they were all excellent martial arts seedlings just by looking at their skeletons.

One of the men had a beard that was rooted up like a hedgehog, and the prison clothes on his body were already rotten. He squatted on the ground and ate big mouthfuls.

The plate-sized pancakes were finished in two or three mouthfuls, and he ate ten pancakes in one go. He wiped his mouth and went to add more broth.

"Little brother, give me an extra piece of meat." The man chuckled.

The little soldier in charge of the spoon was very displeased, but still beat him with an extra piece of meat.

"Thank you, little brother." The man bowed, then took two pancakes and knelt down to continue eating, muttering as he ate.

"Even if I die, I want to be a hungry ghost. I'm a fool if I don't sleep with women, and I'm crazy if I don't eat meat."

Because they were not far away, what the man muttered reached everyone's ears.

Song Fenglin covered his face with a folding fan and smiled softly, Liu Zhan also smiled, and he leaned over to Song Fenglin's ear and said, "Do you want to bet that he came here for free?"

"What do you think?" Song Fenglin glanced at him.

"Look at his hands, they look like Lianjiazi." Liu Zhan calmly said.

Song Fenglin looked at the man's big black palm, Liu Zhan didn't say that he hadn't noticed that the man's hand was as thick as a bear's paw.

At this time, the man drank the broth in one gulp, wiped off the oil residue on the bowl with the last bit of cake, and ate it. He wiped his mouth and put down the bowl.

"I'll come first." The man stretched his arms, straddled his horse and tried to punch twice, and felt that the force was not bad.

Liu Zhan's eyes narrowed immediately, this posture and boxing style are fine.

I saw the man walking directly towards the [-]-jin stone. He steadied his horse gait, made a few movements with his arms, and then lifted the [-]-jin stone above his head in one breath.

"Okay!" The scene burst into applause immediately.

"Good!" Liu Zhan clapped his hands. "May I have your name?"

The man clasped his fists at Liu Zhan. "Little Niu Shilu."

Liu Zhan asked. "But people who practice martial arts?"

Perhaps because he was full, Niu Shilu spoke like a bell. "The little one has practiced martial arts with my father since childhood."

Liu Zhan asked again. "Why go to jail?"

Niu Shilu didn't shy away from saying: "The younger one is an escort. After my parents passed away, I lived with my younger sister. When I came back last year, I found out that my younger sister was insulted by a rich man in the village and threw herself into the river. The younger one beat the rich man to death."

If it wasn't for Liu Zhan's arrival, Niu Shilu would have to be executed after Qiuqiu.

"Where are you from?" Song Fenglin asked at this moment.

Niu Shilu cupped his fists. "Mr. Hui, a small Hanzhong person."

Liu Zhan nodded in satisfaction. "I want this person."

No matter how stupid Niu Shilu was, he understood the meaning of Liu Zhan's words at this time, and he immediately knelt down and kowtowed. "Thank you, General Liu! Thank you, General Liu!"

Seeing this place, the prisoners also understood that General Liu had picked someone to come here, and as long as he was spotted, he would have a chance to leave here. When more men came out at once, everyone's eyes showed their determination.

The person No.2 stepped forward to try to lift was the nine-foot-tall man. Although the man was tall, he was much thinner than Niu Shilu. He tried twice and failed to lift the [-]-jin stone, but he could barely Lift two hundred catties of stone.

These prisoners were tortured in prison, and Liu Zhan knew in his heart that being able to lift a stone weighing [-] catties was already very good, and that these two people were good candidates to have this achievement under such circumstances.

Next, people tried to lift one after another. Those who could lift the stone above their heads stood in one place, and those who could lift the stone above their waist stood in one place.

"If the selected person has a family member, he can bring his family member with him." Li Xiaolian said.

Over there, Zhang Xiaoman also assisted, sorting more and more people into categories.

Not long after, thousands of people have been screened. At this time, the remaining prisoners are a little panicked. They also want to lift the stone, but they know that they are weak. If they can't lift the baton, they will die.

Liu Zhan said calmly while drinking tea. "Xiao Lian, you come and tell them."

Li Xiaolian responded and then stood in front of the people and explained loudly.

"Everyone be quiet! This time General Liu came to the prison in person to expand the barracks. As long as you meet the conditions, you can join the army, and your family members can also leave here and be resettled according to the standards of military households. This is General Liu. Your only chance for a new life depends on you from the end."

Immediately after the words fell, the prisoner said anxiously: "Young one is willing to join the army, but I can't lift a stone."

"Lifting stones is only one of the standards." After Li Xiaolian finished speaking, he signaled to the soldiers to start. Immediately, some soldiers brought two tables, and the accompanying governor sat down and spread out pens and paper.

"Those who want to join the army can go forward to register, and as long as they pass, they can eat meat." After Li Xiaolian said, the prisoners immediately rushed forward.

The soldiers immediately shouted and shoved those who swarmed up, and with difficulty the crowd formed a long line.

The first step is to measure the height. Now Liu Zhan has a shortage of people under his command as long as he is not a dwarf.

The second step is to register age and place of origin, and only those under the age of 45 are admitted.

The third step is to see if there is any illness or lack of arms or legs. The screening and registration are not completed until the afternoon.

A total of more than 300 people were selected during this trip, and the total number of family members was less than 4000. Two-thirds of the people in the prison were directly selected.

When the conscription was over, Liu Zhan and Song Fenglin left first, while Li Xiaolian, Wei Chenggui and Zhang Xiaoman stayed behind to organize these people to take them back to the Cenzhou Barracks.

These newly selected soldiers put on their military uniforms and began to practice the next day. Considering that their bodies had not recovered, the drills were simply running, zama rifle and swinging guns.

As for the family members of the army, they were temporarily placed next to the barracks. Three days later, Song Fenglin made up his mind to set up a new village on Guanmao Peak.

Guanmao Peak is between Wuyuan County and Zhangtai County. This is an uninhabited mountainous area. It is a perfect place to open up wasteland here. Song Fenglin authorized those recruits with their families to go to open up wasteland with their families first, and then enlist in the army in the spring of next year. .

At night, with the lights on in the barracks, Song Fenglin and Liu Zhan discussed the matter of land reclamation.

"It's not easy to open up wasteland, and each household has to provide some coarse grains as rations, so as not to survive this winter." Song Fenglin wrote and painted.

"We still need to arrange a team of soldiers to take care of them. We are not afraid of them escaping, but we are afraid that someone will cause trouble. After all, they are all exiles, and the situation varies from good to bad."

The origins of these exiles are mixed, some were imprisoned unjustly, some were justified, but some were indeed vicious.

These people were detained in the barracks to practice day and night and were strictly monitored. With strict military laws, they were not afraid of causing trouble, but they were afraid that some people would take advantage of the opportunity of land reclamation to do those illegal things again.

Don't worry about running away.

With the household registration system of Dachuhang, it is impossible to go anywhere without a guide, let alone settle elsewhere, and escaped prisoners cannot even be beggars.

Song Fenglin was not afraid that these people would run away. For them, staying to open up wasteland was the best way out.

Liu Zhan lay on the kang with his head propped up, watching Song Fenglin sitting cross-legged at a low square table writing documents.

If Wuyuan County wants to open up wasteland and farmland on Guanmao Peak, it is natural to notify the county magistrate Lu and register it. Song Fenglin also listed in the letter how to control these people.

Because Liu Zhan had a taste of the sweetness of using prisoners to fill his troops this time, Liu Zhan planned to go to Daizhou and Ruichang prisons to use the same method to recruit soldiers.

After conscription, the original venue was not enough, Song Fenglin immediately brought it up.

"The Cenzhou barracks should also be expanded, otherwise it won't be able to accommodate tens of thousands of people. Aren't you going to train the soldiers first and then take them back to the northern barracks? Take advantage of these two days to decide on the expansion."

Not only is the site a problem, but the military rations are also a problem. The rations of the Northern Army Camp can't be counted on.

While writing, Song Fenglin added: "Nowadays when the military rations are insufficient, the general must be tight with his own soldiers first, and we have to rely on ourselves to raise the soldiers. I will write to ask Liu Cheng how much rations he has on his account, and if it is not enough, we will find another way. "

"Have you heard of Xiao He?" Liu Zhan said suddenly.

"Who is it?" Song Fenglin raised his head in doubt.

Liu Zhan propped his head and stared straight at Song Ta. "He is a particularly powerful prime minister."

"Which country's prime minister, why haven't I heard of it?" Song Fenglin was a little surprised, and there was a name he didn't know?

Liu Zhan didn't answer directly, but said: "In my heart, you are stronger than Xiao He."

Song Fenglin just ignored him when he was talking nonsense again.

The room was quiet for a while, and Liu Zhan moved closer. "Honey, come to sleep? It's dark."

"I still have something to do." Song Fenglin ignored him.

Liu Zhan hooked the hem of his gown and played with it. "I asked Dr. Shi to buy some ointment called Peppermint. It is said that the effect is very good. Will it last..."

"Shut up! Don't say anything, you will be shameless." Song Fenglin's ears were red from embarrassment, and he really wanted to kick him off the kang.

"This is the way of human relations and nature. It is hypocrisy to just do it without talking about it. There is nothing you can't say." Liu Zhan looked like a hob.

"It's just past the unitary hour, and Xiaoman will bring food in later." Song Fenglin didn't bother to talk about him.

"Then I want to take a bath with you after dinner, and I can rub your back." Liu Zhan made an aggressive request, and then moved closer until he could smell the faint fragrance.

Regarding the issue of taking a bath together, General Liu never gave up.

"There is no bathtub in the camp." Song Fenglin was annoyed.

"I asked Xiaoman to buy it." Liu Zhan was proud.

Song Fenglin. "..."

Liu Zhan has been holding back for a long time since he was injured, and naturally he doesn't want to hold back when he finally recovers.

The result was that Song Fenglin couldn't get up the next day, not only was his neck covered with spots, but even his snow-white back was covered with deep and shallow red marks printed on the edge of the tub.

The strength from the day before yesterday hadn't recovered yet, and Liu Zhan went to bed at night and messed around again.

In those few days, Song Fenglin wore cross-collar Confucian shirts for seven days. The high collar covered his entire neck, so he couldn't see people even if he showed a little bit.

The two spent a few days of honey and oil.

When the recruits were properly arranged, the matter of conscription was put on the agenda, and Liu Zhan set off for Ruichang, Daizhou to conscript without delay.

Because Wuyuan County still had a lot of things waiting for Song Fenglin to deal with, he returned to Wuyuan County first, and then went to Wuyuan County to meet up after Liu Zhan's conscription was over.

Speaking of which, Song Fenglin was in a hurry to leave Wuyuan County at that time. Because of the sudden incident, he only told Li Asan to take Liu Youning back to the Liu family in Tiancang Village and entrust it to Mrs. Zhao, and left immediately without saying anything else.

Of course, Liu Zhan's injury couldn't be kept secret from the Liu family. Li Asan said everything, even though he wrote a letter to report his safety later, the elders in the family still remembered it.

After coming back from this trip, Song Fenglin immediately went back to Liu's house to explain Liu Zhan's injury.

"Little uncle, come down quickly, if grandpa sees it, you will be punished again."

Liu Mingcong wanted to climb a tree to pick persimmons, but Liu Youning walked around under the tree anxiously.

The persimmon tree at the main gate of Liu's house was covered with half-baked persimmons. Liu Mingcong was a mischievous monkey boy, he would climb the tree to pick persimmons as soon as he was not restrained by adults.

"You Ning, next, this is for you." Liu Mingcong picked a big persimmon and threw it down.

Liu Youning ran over in a hurry but failed to catch it and fell to the ground and cracked.

At this moment, Song Fenglin and four other personal guards arrived on horseback.

"Father!" Liu Youning was so happy that he almost didn't jump up, and he didn't care about Liu Cong who was on the tree and rushed over to hug Song Fenglin's thigh in two steps.

"You are obedient." Song Fenglin patted his little head.

Liu Youning's delicate face kept nodding.

Liu Mingcong, who was on the tree, was pleasantly surprised when he saw Song Fenglin. He hurriedly climbed down the tree and wanted to hug him, but he stepped on the air and fell down. If the guards hadn't taken precautions and stood under the tree to catch him in advance, the fall might have happened Come out for good or bad.

It happened that this scene was seen by Liu Xueyuan who came back from Yunzhong Academy, and he was so angry that he raised Liu Mingcong's ear and couldn't stop cursing Nizi.

"Your elder brother was born and died on the battlefield. Our family has such a good situation. It is the good life that makes you lawless!"

Liu Xueyuan asked his servants to detain the monkey boy into the room, and scolded him that he was not allowed to eat until he had copied the disciple's rules ten times.

The six or seven-year-old boy was the age that even dogs would hate. After Liu Xueyuan taught his youngest son a lesson, he hurriedly called Song Fenglin into the house.

Ever since he knew that Liu Zhan was seriously injured, he couldn't eat well and couldn't sleep, only he and Song Yijun knew about it and kept it from the family members.

In the study room, Song Yijun rushed back from Yunzhong Academy when he knew his son was back. The three of them sat around the tea table and listened to Song Fenglin tell what happened during this period.

Liu Xueyuan heaved a sigh of relief until it was confirmed that Liu Zhan was recovering without any problems. Song Fenglin noticed that Liu Xueyuan's temples were graying, which may be caused by worries these days.

Liu Xueyuan let out a long sigh. "Guerrilla general... promoted to guerrilla general...I didn't expect this kid to really become famous."

"Zhan'er has a lot of luck and will turn bad luck into good fortune, so don't worry too much." Song Yijun comforted him.

Liu Xueyuan nodded, and the matter of Liu Zhan's injury was exposed.

"One more thing." Song Fenglin said respectfully.

"Now that Liu Zhan has been promoted to a guerrilla general, there are still two governors under his command, Wen Que, as well as the directors and masters of the six counties of Qiyun. Decide with Uncle Liu."

Liu Xueyuan said: "There are indeed some good-natured students in the academy, and your father has long planned to let them go to the office to practice. This happened at the right time."

"It's just right." Song Fenglin was delighted.

Song Yijun said: "After I discuss with Brother Liu, I will make a list and give it to you."

Then the three chatted about Liu Zhan's future plans and what happened in Jinyang City recently.

For example, when the eldest grandson of the emperor was kept secret by Zhou Chan, Liu Xueyuan immediately decided to write a letter to tell the Liu family in the capital about the matter, so as not to lose the opportunity if something happened in the future.

The Liu family in the capital knew this shocking secret, and immediately told the Zhao family, the Li family, etc. who had been friends with them, and at the same time, the Xu family who was born in Xu Muyuan was the first to tell the good family when they got the news.

Zhou thought that not many people knew the secret, but in fact it had already been spread among the aristocratic family.

Just like how the Zhou family poisoned the third prince, all the families are waiting to see how the Zhou family will deal with the eldest grandson of the emperor. Will there be another disturbance or nothing will happen?The family is all waiting and watching.

The author has something to say: I’m sorry to explain to everyone, because some readers have reported that there is a problem with sentence segmentation, so I have been editing the previous content for the past few nights, which may cause repeated prompts to update.

In order to apologize, a new chapter will be added at 3 pm today.