[Cehua] The wind and rain are like dark

Panic began to show a more ferocious face, looking down on this lonely city as a whole.Although no one dared to say anything under the weight of the ban, the rumors in the market could not be stopped.He Xiaoxiao traveled between the camp and the medical office, as well as the situation in the city and inside the garrison, he knew a little bit about it.As soon as the siege was cleared this time, many people in the city fled one after another, and they no longer wanted to stay in this city that seemed to be falling sooner or later.Even Li Jin persuaded He Xiaoxiao several times to let him go, and it would not be too late to meet again after the war ended, but He Xiaoxiao had a badge on his body, which was allowed by the government to accompany the army, and he refused to leave, no one could persuade him .As a member of the army, Li Jin could not go out of the city at will, let alone force He Xiaoxiao to leave, so he had no choice but to put this matter aside.

On this day, Gu Ping found He Xiaoxiao, and said that he wanted to go out of the city with his junior sister to see if there were any medicinal materials in the surrounding counties, because the medicine storehouse of the city's Traditional Chinese Medicine Department was already in an emergency, and if he could not prepare some spares, he would not be able to cope with the next round. The siege—everyone already knows that sooner or later there will be another round.Gu Ping and Luo Xiaoxue both practiced Li Jing Yi Dao mental method, their self-defense skills were poor, and the outside world was not peaceful, so they came to find He Xiaoxiao to go with them.

The three of them rode to the gate of the city. They all had documents to leave the city, and they were easily let by the garrison.There are quite a few people coming and going at the gate of the city. If you don't look closely, you can see the fear and worry pressing on everyone's face, it seems to be a good picture of the people living and working in peace and contentment.The few of them were about to ride out of the city when they saw the soldiers of the garrison army and the people pulling together.

"What! You said you didn't want to escape!" said the soldier, and he slapped a man on the shoulder, "Look for yourself, what are you carrying on your back? You even brought all your belongings with you, and you said you didn't want to escape It’s fine, it’s okay, where do you want to go? Shake people’s hearts, and be careful to catch you to the government for questioning!”

He Xiaoxiao rode on the horse and grabbed the rein tightly, silently watching the man beg for mercy after being pushed and shoved by several defenders, and was finally driven back unwillingly.He Xiaoxiao saw that with helplessness and fear on his face, he was walking towards the city with his things in his hands.The city gate does not prohibit normal entry and exit, but the garrison will conduct random inspections. If anyone is found to have the intention of escaping, it will be used for questioning.This is really a helpless move. If the city has not been defended and the whole city flees into an empty city first, it will cause people's hearts to be scattered and then collapsed for thousands of miles.He Xiaoxiao looked at it for a while, and when he turned his head, he saw that Gu Ping and Luo Xiaoxue were also silent, each riding on a horse with sad looks, and said: "Okay, don't look, go to business."

"It's so pitiful..." Luo Xiaoxue muttered comfortably, "Look at his appearance...he just wants to survive, it's not too much..."

"Junior Sister!" He Xiaoxiao stopped her.The three of them left the city, there should have been some people around the city, but at this moment they couldn't see anything.The Spike Army besieged the city several times, but no one dared to stay nearby.The few people were far away from the city, so He Xiaoxiao said while pondering: "Do you... have any plans to leave? It will be a matter of time before the Spike Army comes back again. You all know the current situation. It is getting more and more difficult every day. I'm afraid in the future..."

"What? I'm not leaving! When I came out, I promised to save the world. Why did you say you were leaving before the end?" Luo Xiaoxue shook her head like a rattle, and all the hairpins on her head fell off accidentally. When she got down, she let out an oops, quickly reined in her horse, jumped down to pick up hairpins, and made the other two men laugh.

Gu Ping laughed a few times, then suddenly turned his head to He Xiaoxiao and said, "Why don't senior brothers leave?"

"I can't go." He Xiaoxiao stopped his horse, and pushed his hair to the side with a heavy heart, "But you...although you are helping the world and saving people, but... I know more about some things than you when I go to and from the camp, although You can't talk nonsense, but listen to me...don't stay here forever."

"Senior brother, you heard what Li Jun said, didn't you?" Gu Ping suddenly pulled the reins and came over, and the two horses stood side by side, "Senior brother, did you not leave because of him?"

He Xiaoxiao didn't expect him to throw out such a sentence suddenly, and was stunned for a while.Gu Ping just looked at him with a smile.He Xiaoxiao knew that Gu Ping had always disliked Li Jin. Sometimes when he was in the medical office, Li Jin came to look for him on duty. Although Gu Ping tried his best to control him, his attitude was always unavoidably cold, and his unhappiness was written all over his face.It's not that He Xiaoxiao didn't know his little thoughts, it was like that when he was in the valley, but He Xiaoxiao knew it was impossible, so he just pretended to be confused, and only hoped that when his junior thought about it, he would never change these thoughts again.

"Senior brother won't leave, and I won't leave either." While He Xiaoxiao was still in a daze, Gu Ping turned around with a smile and rode his horse forward.Luo Xiaoxue was busy touching the hairpin on the ground, and didn't understand what the two senior brothers said before. At this time, she climbed up on the horse, holding a hairpin in her hand, and asked stupidly while sticking it into her hair: "Why? Brother, what's wrong with you?"

"Ah, oh! It's nothing, let's go." He Xiaoxiao came back to his senses and beckoned her to go.

There was silence between the three of them for a while, the two sides of the official road were deserted, and they did not see the surrounding villages after walking for a long time.Luo Xiaoxue was a little impatient, they had been out for half a day, if it was late, it would be troublesome if they couldn't go back before closing the city gate.He Xiaoxiao and Gu Ping were still indifferent, they walked forward for a while, and finally saw a village in front of them.But when he rode his horse and approached, he saw devastation. Although there were still villagers coming and going, they all looked vigilant when they saw them.The two men had no choice but to retreat to the back, asking Luo Xiaoxue to knock on the door and ask if there were any medicinal materials stored in their respective villagers' homes.Luo Xiaoxue was young and pure and good-looking girl, and when others saw her, they were more or less wary.This village is not small, they walked around and did collect some medicinal materials, but the quantity was not too much.He Xiaoxiao remained silent, but silently put the medicine bag behind the saddle.The few people went around again, but saw that there was nothing to gain, so they had to discuss going back today, leaving the city earlier tomorrow, and running farther, to see if they could receive something else.

"Actually, I think it's all the same." He Xiaoxiao was silent for a long time, and finally said, "The Spike Army plundered twice in a row, and it's not easy to keep these medicinal materials. Look at these people," he said. Looking around, "I don't even look good, I'm afraid there will be a shortage of food for some time."

Gu Ping silently followed He Xiaoxiao's gaze, and then lowered his head.

"Go back and save those things. Now it's not the same as before." After He Xiaoxiao said this, the three of them got on their horses and were about to leave when they suddenly heard a commotion from the village.Gu Ping and Luo Xiaoxue rode back, showing hesitation. At this time, everyone is very cautious.

"I'll go and see, you guys don't move here. Don't move." He Xiaoxiao shook the reins, took out the pen at his waist with one hand, turned it around and held it in his hand.When the villagers heard the voice, they all ran in that direction.He Xiaoxiao was much taller on the horse, and it was easy to see thirty or fifty villagers gathered around her. A woman with the appearance of a peasant woman was kneeling on the ground, but her hands were desperately clutching a bag, which was heavy. There seemed to be dozens of catties of grain inside.The people on the other side who also refused to let go, He Xiaoxiao took a look and was stunned. The small group of people were all wearing the clothes of the original government garrison in the city.The peasant woman cried loudly, holding on to the grain sack with her skinny and rough hands, refusing to let go.In the room behind her, at some point, two children ran out, threw themselves on her side from left to right, and burst into tears.

Seeing that she didn't let go, the man dressed as a garrison raised his foot and kicked her hard a few times.

"Damn it! A while ago, you said you didn't have it, but you have a way of hiding it for yourself! Let go, I told you... let go! Do you hear me!"

The villagers whispered, and He Xiaoxiao saw that their faces were blue and yellow, with a look of helplessness and fear.He Xiaoxiao had seen their eyes fearful of natural disasters during the years of natural disasters and famines, but what they feared now was military disasters and man-made disasters.The woman was obviously hungry and thin, but she didn't know where the strength came from, she didn't let go of her life and death, she just cried loudly, the crying was so miserable, it made people feel terrified.

"Gentlemen... Do me well, gentlemen. This is not a private collection. It is the wheat seeds that will be sown this winter... The previous food has been paid for military rations. We don't even have enough to eat. How can there be any private collections?" , this is really...really...just a little wheat seed in winter...Guys, please do me a favor..." She probably wanted to kowtow, but she refused to let go of the grain bag , so I could only tremble and cry.

"What about the collection of military rations, don't fart!" The leader yelled, "That's what the Spike Army did, it's none of our business! This season's military rations, all of you in the village have not paid, no matter what you look at, no one will run away. No!"

The woman was kicked away by him, and she sat on the ground and wailed.The two children rushed over too, their cries were unbearable to hear.There were a dozen officers and soldiers in that team, each of them had a spear in their hands, and the villagers were unarmed, so they dared not resist.He Xiaoxiao really couldn't stand it anymore, rode his horse up a few steps, and said with a sneer: "She said it was wheat seeds in winter, and you don't look at their appearance, saying that people are hiding grain, is it justified? You force it like this , It is simply forcing people to a dead end, what is the difference with the Spike Army?"

"Hey—where did you come from!" The leading officer and soldier discovered He Xiaoxiao only now, and saw that he was dressed in black clothes with long hair and was dressed as a disciple of Wanhua, so his tone became better, "Since you are Mr. Wanhua Valley, Do not interfere with our official duties."

"The winter wheat seeds are not reserved for anyone. This is the first time I have heard of such an official business."

"Damn, don't you know how to praise?" The team leader was angry, "What are you, get out!"

He Xiaoxiao took out the waist badge for entering and leaving the Tiance army camp, and said: "There is nothing wrong with officials wanting to collect food, it's just that they force people too much, it is really shameless."

The team leader saw the waist card in his hand, and was stunned for a moment, but quickly came back to his senses, and also took out the documents, smashed the spear on the ground, and snorted coldly: "Tian Ce's camp? Please be careful, sir. We are also ordered to collect grain. If we fail to collect grain, we will be punished if we return to the city. It is not a military stick or beheading. We cannot afford it. What are you pretending to be noble here? The people in Tiance’s camp can defend the city without eating or drinking all day long! Get out of the way, and don’t hinder the gentlemen from performing their official duties!”

After hearing this, the officers and soldiers of the team immediately turned their spears and pointed at He Xiaoxiao.There were a dozen of them, He Xiaoxiao was determined not to be able to beat them, not to mention having younger brothers and younger sisters around today, it was even more troublesome.Moreover, although the officers and soldiers acted cruelly, what they said was true. They were performing official duties and collecting food.Although the methods are extremely cruel and unhuman, but this is really not something that He Xiaoxiao can forcibly interfere with. If he intervenes, it will really become an obstruction of official duties.He Xiaoxiao hesitated for a moment, the leader had already snorted coldly, and called out: "Let's go!" Then he turned around and led the people away.

He Xiaoxiao got off the horse without a word, pushed aside the crowd, and walked up to the woman who was still crying. He still had some scattered copper coins in his pocket, and he took out all of them and put them beside her.The woman was so desperate that she didn't even have the energy to thank him.He Xiaoxiao didn't speak any more, just pushed aside the crowd and led the horse back slowly.Gu Ping and Luo Xiaoxue didn't dare to move at the other end of the village. When they saw him coming, they said, "Brother, why did you go so long?"

"It's nothing." He Xiaoxiao showed a tired look, "Go back."

They entered the city just before evening.He Xiaoxiao and Gu Pingluo Xiaoxue broke up at the gate of the city and went back separately.He Xiaoxiao kept thinking about the scene during the day, and decided to go directly to the camp to find Li Jin under the upset.After entering the camp, I met Yao Jun, Li Jin's brother, and said that Li Jin was at the school grounds.He Xiaoxiao didn't disturb others, and went to the side of the school field by himself.

It was already dark, and torches were burning around.The night in early June was already very hot.The hot wind blew up, and the surrounding fires kept flickering around.Except for Li Jin, there was no one else on the school field, and it was not time for military training.He Xiaoxiao stood still and looked at Li Jin from a distance.Li Jin was shooting an arrow at the target.From He Xiaoxiao's point of view, one can see Li Jin's naked upper body, with graceful lines and well-proportioned bones and flesh. Following his bow-drawing posture, the spine is slightly sunken, and the whole person shows a more steep and straight temperament, just like usual His slightly bleak demeanor was completely different.There seemed to be a layer of sweat on his body, illuminated by the light of the torch, shining slightly.

The wind blew He Xiaoxiao's long hair from his temples. He Xiaoxiao rolled up his sleeves and exposed his wrists, so that he felt cooler.He didn't go forward, but just looked at Li Jin's back in a daze.Things during the day are still bothering him. He knows that his actions are actually useless. The current situation outside is that even if he has money, he cannot buy food. Although the money he gave cannot be said to be completely useless, Compared with real food, it is really a world of difference.Don't say that I failed to stop them this time, even if I did, it would be the same if they came to collect the tax next time - not to mention, what qualifications do I have to stop them?If there is no food in the city, he can't defend the city, and the hinterland behind him collapses, which is more important, he doesn't understand, but seeing the tragic scene in front of him, he can't bear it.He stared blankly at Li Jin's beautiful back, and he remembered what the grain harvest officer said today.

What are you pretending to be noble here, as if the people in Tiance's camp can defend the city without eating or drinking all day long?He Xiaoxiao chewed on these words over and over again, feeling a little dazed.He looked up at Li Jin again, the latter was pulling his bow like a full moon, He Xiaoxiao had good eyesight, he could see his middle finger holding the root of the arrow feather lifted slightly, and then pressed down again.After repeating this several times, Li Jin suddenly let go of his hand, and the sharp arrow on the bow flew out immediately.He Xiaoxiao looked at it, and remembered that Li Jin had ridiculed him that he had never seen a war before. He was not convinced at the time, but now he began to understand a little bit, that he really had never seen a war.Just thinking about it, Li Jin saw him.

"Are you here?" Li Jin called out, with a smile in his words.He Xiaoxiao didn't hear it, and suddenly walked towards the archery target.

The arrow that Li Jin shot just now cut the previous arrow from the tail, and the arrow went all the way in, pushing the arrow of the previous arrow out of the bull's-eye, and exposed it on the other side.He Xiaoxiao was stunned, and when he turned his head, he saw that Li Jin had already walked over.Seeing He Xiaoxiao's expression, Li Jin's handsome and heroic eyebrows frowned, and then he smiled with two pointed canine teeth, and said awkwardly: "...coincidentally."

He Xiaoxiao took a deep look at him when he heard this, but didn't say anything else.After being silent for a while, looking left and right to see that there was no one around, he suddenly leaned over and kissed Li Jin's sweaty chin.

"Are you busy tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Yes," Li Jin paused, laughing helplessly, "I sent a mission to collect food from rich families in the city. I don't like dealing with these people, so I have been procrastinating. Now the deadline is approaching, so I have to go."