stubborn thief

Chapter 10 Li Hongji

Li Hongji was born in a horse household, a household registration specialized in raising horses.

His father and grandfather worked in this profession, and his nickname was Huang Lai'er, but he was actually Huang Wazi.

When he was a child, he was sent to a monastery because his family was poor. He was called Huang Laiseng. He returned to the secular world at the age of nine and began to herd sheep for Ai Shi. Later, he also worked as a handyman until his father died and took over as a postman in Yinchuan, and was incorporated into the system.

At this time, with thick dark circles under his eyes, tired face, and untrimmed beard with sideburns, he looked like a little old man in his 30s.

Seeing Chengzu and Chengzong's brothers made him extremely happy, he rubbed his hands to look left and right, and saw that the sergeants who were resting in the wine shop were sitting or squatting, but did not dare to get too close, until Liu Chengzong got up to say hello, and then led the donkey away. come over.

"Yeah, Brother Chengzu, the Liu family's lion is still tall and strong. I still wonder why there are so many soldiers in this country wine shop. I didn't expect you to be here."

When Liu Chengzong saw Li Hongji, he was very happy in his heart, and the scene when Li Hongji taught him equestrianism in the past also appeared in his mind, but the two memories were intertwined, and there were many distractions in his heart.

The elder brother Liu Chengzu was very enthusiastic. He grabbed Li Hongji's arm and said with a smile, "Brother Huangwa, you are here at the right time. You have just stewed the sheep. Come quickly and pour soup for half a catty of mutton."

"This, this can't be done. You guys are doing business and you eat. I still have something to do to go to the county seat. After a few words, I left."

Li Hongji was very embarrassed, looking left and right to find an excuse to leave, but was pushed by Liu Chengzu to sit down at the table, and winked at left and right, and immediately the frontier army stepped forward to take the reins and tie his donkey.

Let him sit there coyly, and before he could refuse, a large tea bowl with half a bowl of mutton soup was placed in front of him.

This bowl of meat didn't give him a chance to refuse, and he couldn't help swallowing because of the aroma.

When he opened his mouth again, his stomach, which had been hungry for a long time, began to growl unsatisfactorily.

The words on his lips that he wanted to refuse, also turned into an embarrassing smile.

After a pause, he looked at Liu Chengzu first and then at Liu Chengzong, and then smiled: "Oh, I haven't seen you since the fourth master was promoted to Yan'an House, but it's been more than two years.

Later, I heard about the fourth master, and the two of you went to Yuhebao to vote for General He. Last time I went to deliver the letter, I was thinking about it, and I didn't see you two. Now it looks pretty good, and they are both captains. "

Liu Chengzu laughed and said: "Don't mention it, the imperial court doesn't pay the army, and the fortress can't give out rations. No, the brothers asked the generals to send them out to find food. I thought about going back to Yan'an to take a step by step."

"Oh, it's hard to do." Li Hongji's smile froze, and he shook his head and said, "Now that the weather outside is not good, none of our Mizhi's descendants are willing to keep their peace in the fields, and many of them are thieves."

"According to the past disaster years, being a soldier and eating food is also a way out..."

Li Hongji shook his head, still worried about the future of the brothers, when he heard Liu Chengzong ask: "Brother Huangwa, don't just talk about our brothers, how are you, there are no horses at the station?"

In a word, a wry smile appeared on Li Hongji's face.

"Ha, this is also a long story for a baby without a mother."

He sighed, looked left and right, and then said: "The station has been running out of fodder for a long time, and the horses are very weak. Last year, there were rebellions everywhere, and the official documents were issued urgently. Everyone died of exhaustion and three horses had to be compensated. Someone who can handle it."

"Those uncles are old, and I have the strength to take things down."

Thinking of this, Li Hongji didn't seem too annoyed, and then his teeth were itching, and he patted the desk: "Who would have thought that the imperial court would withdraw from the inn as soon as I took care of the matter!"

He slapped the table, causing the front row of frontier soldiers who were eating mutton steamed buns to stand up, and some even instinctively pushed the knife out of the sheath with their thumbs an inch, and the tail rope of the knife was wrapped around the wrist.

Liu Chengzu raised his hand to signal that everyone was fine, and Li Hongji was embarrassed to clasped his fists and smiled at everyone one after another.

This person is only in his 20s this year. On the one hand, the postmen of the post station have the mission of delivering official documents and military information, and on the other hand, they are also an excellent source of backup soldiers with riding and archery skills.

Not only the couriers, but also the third-class yamen and patrol archers are among them. This kind of work itself has a certain degree of stability maintenance significance.

They are all idle young people who want money but no money and fields, and many have the ability to punch, kick, knife and stick. Putting them in a place is the unsettling factor of using force to violate the ban.

There is a job where you can earn a few dollars a month to make ends meet. If you don’t get enough to eat or starve to death, you won’t endanger the security and can be used by the imperial court.

At least in Li Hongji's case, even if Mi Zhi's descendants were all thieves, Liu Chengzong didn't see any objection from him.

Instead, he sighed repeatedly, obviously because he was used to the miserable appearance of Shunmin: "It's good now, when it comes to laying off the postmen, I will be the first to ride three posthorses, and I have to pay three horses if I lose my livelihood. ."

"If Grandpa Taizu is still there, where in the world would there be such a thing? Even if you sell me, it's not worth three horses."

Liu Chengzu has been listening quietly, and he will give Liu Chengzong a look, smacking his lips as if he has made up his mind, turning his head to Li Hongji and saying, "How about Brother Huang Wa go to Yan'an with us, our brothers will give you the matter of the three horses. Think of a way.

Anyway, whether there are many lice or not, we have to worry about more money, not much more than three horses, and not much less than three horses. "

Hearing this, Li Hongji laughed heartily, and regardless of whether Liu Chengzu's words were polite or sincere, he waved his hand and said with emotion: "Hi! If only I had met you two brothers earlier? Now that's not the case, I took a job on myself again.

Thanks to the respect of the elders of the clan, Li was elected as the head of the village. 110 neighbors suffered from disasters and the court could not pay taxes. I entrusted me to go to the county to find Mr. Ai to borrow some grain rations and money. As long as the money can be borrowed, the neighbors Help me with the three stage horses. "

Liu Chengzong couldn't remember how many times this was the first time the man in his early twenties shook his head and sighed. He only heard him say, "Oh, I also know that this loan is not going to work, but I can't help it."

"This year, [-] households could not pay their taxes. They abandoned their fields and burned their houses and fled into the mountains. Their taxes were passed on to the people who stayed behind. It's a disaster year, and no one can care about others. If the matter is not resolved, all the people in the two villages have to run away and have to borrow money.

Wait for next year! "

Li Hongji stared and said, "This year's farming has yielded a harvest. Even if you pay more next year, you will be able to find the villagers in the mountains. You are not a coward who steals and plays tricks. Livelihoods can't be ruined."

Liu Chengzong wanted to speak several times, but he didn't know what to say. At this point, he asked abruptly, "Brother, think clearly, what if this year is a drought year?"

"God has to give a way to survive, right?"

Li Hongji frowned and was very serious, obviously considering this possibility, raised his two fingers and pointed up: "Even if it doesn't let people live, can the father of the imperial court see me and other people being starved to death?"

"It's really not worth the money. Master Ai can do whatever he wants. He has to pass this year first, hey - a living person will never let urine suffocate to death!"

(End of this chapter)