pdf-ebookys Chapter 291 Liangzhou News (2)
Chapter 291 Liangzhou News (2)
The golden ginkgo leaves fell rustlingly, and Lei Mengsha, holding the little girl, led a group of dirty little kids into the Shaxi Inn.
Xiao Ruofeng had already booked the room and food, but he didn't know that Lei Mengsha had brought all the children with him.
"Fengfeng, let me see what delicious food you ordered!"
"Come, call Brother Feng~"
After Lei Mengsha arranged the other three children, he pulled Huangfu Rui over to sit next to him.
Huangfu Rui blinked his sky-blue eyes and stared at Xiao Ruofeng for a long time before saying foolishly:
"Big brother, this brother is so handsome, like someone who walked out of a painting!"
The child spoke without restraint, and Xiao Ruofeng felt a little embarrassed.
Lei Mengsha sneered when he heard this: "Seventh Brother, did you hear that? Xiao Rui is praising you!"
"Hey? What? Am I not pretty? I held you all the way, why didn't you praise me?"
Huangfu Rui stuck out his tongue and said, "You are so tall and have broad shoulders, like a general guarding the border."
Lei Mengsha was happy now. He sat at the table with his hands on his hips and said:
"Hey! You really know what you're talking about!"
"Seventh Brother, Seventh Brother, did you hear that? Even she said I look like a general. When we return from our tour, I'll ask His Majesty to let me go with you to lead the troops and guard the border!"
Xiao Ruofeng did not express his opinion, but just smiled and said:
"Okay, Second Brother, look at these little guys, their eyes are shining with hunger, let's eat first."
The food on the table was full of Liangzhou specialties: a pot of Zhangye clear water beef, a plate of Wuwei three-wheeled cart, as well as stuffed skin, stir-fried lamb with lilies, charcoal-grilled lamb chops, Jingning roast chicken, and sweet baked goods...
The children were already very hungry, so they naturally would not miss out on such a large table of delicacies. After washing their hands, they simply used both hands.
Lei Mengsha had a fatherly smile on his face and was watching Xiao Rui wolfing down the food, but he didn't notice Xiao Ruofeng who was frowning.
Until Xiao Rui finished the last piece of lamb chop, she looked up and saw Xiao Ruofeng hadn't touched his chopsticks:
"Big brother, why don't you eat?"
Lei Mengsha finally reacted, straightened up and asked:
"Seventh Brother, are you disgusted by the dust on these little brats and their lack of appetite?"
Xiao Ruofeng shook his head: "That's not the case, it's just that you just said that you would go back and ask the emperor for orders to guard the border..."
"I've always thought that if we really go back to lead the troops, we will definitely face off against Zhenxi Hou Baililuo on the battlefield in the future!"
"By then, Wen Yanzhao and Baili Dongjun will also turn against us. I really don't know how to face them..."
Lei Mengsha put down his chopsticks and fell silent for a while.
The two of them stood up at the same time only after the group of children had eaten all the edible things on the table.
"Second Brother, there are some things that are beyond our control. I was just thinking about what Master said to me before he left Tianqi City.
He said at the time that Wen Yanzhao would help me ascend the throne, but I had no intention of competing with my brother for the throne.
Who could have imagined that Wen Yanzhao would become our enemy now?"
Lei Mengsha's eyes were calm, and he only said softly:
"I finally understand what Master said to me..."
"I have always hoped to protect the world with you in the future, but what kind of world are we protecting?"
"Wen Yanzhao was able to instigate the Marquis of Zhenxi to rebel, and easily conquer the four southern states. This may not be a simple matter."
"Seventh Brother, let's go see what's going on in this world..."
Xiao Ruofeng nodded slightly: "Okay!"
……
Border areas like Yongliang have always had a curfew.
At the hour of Xu, night patrol soldiers carrying lanterns would start walking back and forth on the streets.
Anyone who walked on the city streets without reason after the time limit was exceeded would be charged with "breaking the fast" and would be punished with twenty lashes.
Only in extremely special circumstances, such as delivering letters to the government, attending weddings and funerals, or buying medicine or seeing a doctor for illness, can one travel with the permission of the night patrol captain, but one is not allowed to leave the city.
At this time, from a guest room on the second floor of Shaxi Inn, intermittent children's voices were heard.
"My father is an officer. Every year when he comes back home, he brings my second sister some yak jerky and raisins from Zhangye."
"Father later died in Wuwei. Mother said he was killed by the barbarian soldiers from the north..."
"Later, our hometown was hit by a disaster and had no food, so my mother brought my second sister and me to Liangzhou to seek refuge with my uncle. However, she contracted intestinal sha on the way and died..."
As Huangfu Yan was speaking, tears began to roll down his eyes. Huangfu Rui quickly went over to wipe his brother's eyes, comforting him as he did so:
"It's okay, brother. You still have me..."
Xiao Ruofeng frowned, and Lei Mengsha crossed his arms over his chest, his face also full of reluctance.
After Huangfu Yan finished speaking, the short boy behind him also spoke:
"My name is Zhang Jing. Brother Yan met us in Liangzhou... Yati and I also fled from the famine in the lower county."
"After the disaster, our fields were taken over by the master of the Zhao family, who gave us three dou of millet..."
"The rice was all gone, and the government came to collect the tax. My parents had no choice but to become tenant farmers..."
"But Mr. Zhao refused to accept it, saying that we were unworthy of being their tenants because there were so many tenants that there was no way for us to kneel.
Later, my parents gave me the last bit of corn they had to eat. Three days later, they starved to death...
Yati and I buried our parents with straw mats, and we had no choice but to beg along the way until we arrived at Liangzhou City."
The boy named Zhang Jing wiped his eyes and his voice began to choke.
Xiao Ruofeng sighed deeply: "If I hadn't left Tianqi City, I would never have thought that there are such miserable children in the world.
Second Brother, why didn't the government provide relief to the victims and instead collect taxes?! The court clearly allocated one million taels of silver and 150,000 dan of grain!
If this continues, there will be more and more refugees and orphans!
Isn't that how all those rebellious groups in history gathered together little by little?"
Lei Mengsha spread his hands: "You ask me? I want to know too..."
At this time, the child named Huangfu Yan suddenly sobbed and said:
"Two years ago, the government set up a porridge factory and distributed grain, but most of it was chaff, sawdust, and sand..."
"Eating food like this will give you a sore butt!"
Hearing this, Xiao Ruofeng could no longer suppress his anger and slammed the table:
"Second Brother, let's go! Follow me to the Liangzhou County Government Office!"
"I want to ask their county magistrate what he does for a living. If he's a corrupt official, he should be executed on the spot!"
……