Weird: I can simulate fate

Chapter 77 The Old Beggar and the Liar ([-] in [-])

"The two guest officers, please~"

The shopkeeper of the noodle shop is a middle-aged man with a honest smile.

The middle-aged greeted warmly and invited the two of them in.

Zhang Hanchen cut to the chase and said, "I need some food that is easy to store and carry, please help me prepare it, and the price is easy to negotiate."

The shopkeeper didn't ask much.

After thinking about it for a while, he said, "How about baked pancakes? It's not easy to get moldy, and it takes time to eat it."

"It couldn't be better, and the treasurer Lao will brand three hundred sheets."

Zhang Hanchen replied.

Seeing the shopkeeper hesitate to speak.

He asked, "But what's the problem?"

"This...to tell the truth, all the ingredients for food in the small shop are purchased from the City Lord's Mansion, and the price of the items is one day."

The shopkeeper lowered his voice.

He continued: "If there are ten cakes and eight cakes, I can still help one or two, but these three hundred cakes... maybe the guests will spend four or five times more money."

Zhang Hanchen never accused the store of raising prices on the ground.

Wartime supplies are tight, and it is normal for the price of food materials to increase many times.

So he took out a gold leaf.

The golden leaf is as thin as a cicada's wing, about one finger long and less than half an inch wide, dark yellow in color, nothing out of the ordinary.

Xu Ye regards money as dung, probably.

I thought to myself: But that's all.

It can be seen that the line of sight is still unable to resist the temptation of that golden touch, and is firmly attracted to it.

Zhang Hanchen handed the gold leaf to the shopkeeper.

"Treasurer, just rest assured and prepare, I will definitely not make you suffer."

The middle-aged man handed it back.

With a rather helpless expression, he said: "Please forgive me. This thing is too eye-catching. If it falls into my hands, I'm afraid I won't be able to spend it in my life."

Xu Ye put the gold leaf in his pocket with a blank face.

Mainly out of curiosity, I want to take it back and study it.

The accent was exposed, so he didn't speak.

He took out some scattered silver and handed it over.

Only then did the shopkeeper accept it with confidence.

Zhang Hanchen said apologetically, "How can I bother Xu...my brother pays for it himself?"

Xu Yeyun waved his hand lightly to show that he doesn't care.

The deal was finally settled.

Just at this time, several soldiers patrolling the city passed by the noodle shop.

Seeing that both of them are new faces.

He walked over with a straight face.

He asked sharply: "What are you two doing in Xiangcheng at this time? If you don't understand, you will be dealt with according to the details of spying on the military situation!"

The shopkeeper worried that the two would be punished.

He said to help: "Don't blame the military masters, they are my fellow countrymen, and they come to talk to me when they pass by here."

"shut up!"

A soldier yelled loudly and said, "You are not allowed to sell the food to outsiders. Do you want to disobey the order of the city lord?"

The shopkeeper shrank his neck in fright, not daring to make a sound.

Zhang Hanchen remained calm.

Responding in fluent Daliang official dialect: "I have an important business to do, and I'm here to buy some dry food for the journey. If it is delayed, you can't afford it."

Most of the arrogance of the soldiers patrolling the city faded immediately.

The leader kept a smile on his face, and said cautiously: "I don't know what's important for my lord? If necessary, I'm willing to do my best..."

Zhang Hanchen's eyes turned cold, and the other party immediately fell silent.

"It's a secret, how can it be leaked? Get lost!"

"Yes, yes, sir, don't blame me, I'll leave now."

A few soldiers walked out backwards with a cautious look on their faces.

Actually ran away without looking back.

Xu Ye successfully got a few pieces of silver in good condition, about seven or eight taels.

It has to be said that with the ability to read imperial objects, it is extremely easy to pick up money from other people's pockets.

Then hand the silver to the shopkeeper.

With a half-baked northern accent, he said: "This is the money for pancakes."

The shopkeeper repeatedly declined.

"That's too much, it's too much."

Xu Ye smiled and said, "Take it, didn't you just say that we are fellow villagers?"

The shopkeeper was taken aback.

Suddenly, it turned out that the other party was thanking himself for his previous words of help.

I can't help being surprised in my heart.

After hesitating for a moment, he took the silver.

"I am ashamed of the guest's kindness."

Paused.

He reminded: "However, the two guests just used tricks to scare off the patrolling soldiers. You still need to be careful. If it is not necessary, leave this place as soon as possible."

"Oh? Why did you say that?"

Zhang Hanchen asked casually.

There was an honest smile on the shopkeeper's face.

"Not so sure at first."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Xu Ye, and continued: "It wasn't until I heard what this guest said that I was [-] to [-]% sure. The two of you are from Qingzhou, right?"

Xu Ye was slightly surprised.

"Your vision is quite accurate. Is my accent so obvious?"

The shopkeeper nodded with a smile.

"To tell you the truth, I'm also from Qingzhou. It's just that when the Weihe River was diverted and my hometown was flooded, I had no choice but to go north. In a blink of an eye, it's been almost 20 years."

His expression showed deep thoughts, but it dimmed again in a blink of an eye.

"It's a pity that over the years, there have been constant frictions between Daliang and Dazhou, and the rift between them has deepened, and now they even don't hesitate to attack each other with the whole country."

Sighing deeply, he continued, "If this continues, I'm afraid I won't be able to go back to my hometown in Qingzhou in my lifetime."

Zhang Hanchen was silent for a moment.

Switching back to Qingzhou dialect, he said: "Relax, maybe in a few years, the war will be over, and then you can go back to your hometown to visit."

The shopkeeper smiled wryly and shook his head.

"When soldiers fight together, the situation is bound to be chaotic. No matter which side wins in the end, it will be the helpless little people like me who will suffer.

Besides, how many people can live to that time? "

Zhang Hanchen became more and more silent.

Although I keep reminding myself, this is only part of the dream.

But when he thought of Xiangcheng's final fate, he couldn't help feeling a little heavy in his heart.

The shopkeeper's conscious slip of the tongue.

Then he changed the topic and said with a smile: "I'm getting old and I can't help but feel a little bit sentimental. Don't blame the two of you. I'll go prepare pancakes."

After all, he got up and entered the back hall.

There are no outsiders.

Zhang Hanchen hesitated for a while.

Finally, he asked: "Xu Butou, you have extraordinary abilities, do you know whether these people in the dream are real or not?"

Xu Ye was not very clear either.

Think for a moment.

Replied: "It seems to be a mixture of the remnant soul and obsession of the living beings. As for the others, it is not yet clear."

Zhang Hanchen was surprised.

"Aren't these souls trapped forever in the nightmare of the whole city being destroyed?"

"Don't worry, my lord, maybe it won't be long before they can regain their freedom."

Xu Ye replied solemnly.

……

On Xiangcheng North Street.

An old woman carrying a bamboo basket was staggering towards the north city gate.

The old woman has gray hair and a stooped figure.

There was a scar cut by a sharp weapon on his forehead, and the wound had scabbed over, leaving an ugly scar.

In the bamboo basket on the back is a child about three or four years old.

Go to the North Gate.

The guard sergeant stopped her.

The old woman forced a smile.

They kept bowing and bowing.

He said in a hoarse voice: "Military masters, please let me go. My husband is also a soldier in Daliang. I traveled thousands of miles just to take my child back to find him."

The guarding sergeant heard what the old woman said.

His cold expression softened a bit.

But still stopped in a deep voice: "The city lord has an order. It is a special period right now. No one is allowed to go north, so as not to have criminals sneaking into the hinterland of Daliang."

The old woman kept begging.

"Master Jun, please help me. My husband and I are both citizens of Daliang.

The sergeant paused.

"Is there a household register as evidence?"

The woman said bitterly: "I met bandits on the road, and lost all my burdens when I fled."

"This……"

The sergeant looked distressed, "The military order is like a mountain. Since you don't have a roster, I can't let you go. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, my whole family will have to sit."

The city gate guard rushed over angrily.

He reprimanded: "What nonsense are you talking to this old beggar? Why don't you go back and guard the gate?"

Then he looked at the old woman.

He said with displeasure: "Listen to me, you can either go back where you came from, or find a cool place to stay honestly, the task of defending the army is heavy, don't bother me with your crap."

The look in the old woman's eyes dimmed.

He just stood there blankly, not knowing what to do.

Seeing this, the city gate guard became more and more impatient.

Hold down the handle with one hand.

Threats in the language: "Get out, or you will be treated as obstructing official duties."

The voice of the guard woke up the child in the basket.

A child's cry came.

Only then did the old woman react.

Gently shaking the bamboo basket, whispering softly to comfort the child.

The child stopped crying.

She pursed her lips and whispered, "Mother, I'm hungry."

The old woman responded softly: "Little treasure, mother, go find something to eat."

Still shaking the bamboo basket lightly.

Turned around and staggered towards the city.

Most of the shops along the street are closed.

Occasionally there are doors open.

The old woman went to the door and knelt down, kowtowing and begging the shopkeeper for some food.

The movements seem to be quite familiar, obviously this is not the first time begging along the street.

It's a pity that the shop is struggling to support and make ends meet, so how can there be extra food to reward beggars?
When meeting a well-meaning shopkeeper, maybe he just persuaded the old lady to leave.

If you encounter that bad one, you will have to be insulted and pushed out.

Even sometimes get a few sticks and brooms.

All the way from the north gate to the south gate.

Although the old woman tried her best to beg, she couldn't get half a grain of rice.

The child in the basket was crying from hunger.

But knowing that mother was working hard, she bit her lip and dared not cry out, but only choked up a few times from time to time.

Go to a noodle shop.

The old woman was worried that her tattered clothes might affect the business of the store.

Then he knelt down in the corner a few steps away from the store door.

I want to wait for the shopkeeper to come out and beg him to give some leftover noodle soup from the customers.

……

Inside the noodle shop.

The shopkeeper came out of the back hall with steaming pancakes.

"The two guests have been waiting for a long time. The clay stove in the back hall is too small, and only thirty cakes can be produced at a time. I'm really sorry."

Xu Ye replied with a smile: "It's okay, I've worked hard waiting for the shopkeeper."

Immediately a meal.

Two figures, one big and one small, appeared in the perception, and after a while they knelt down outside the noodle shop.

Both adults and children are in poor condition.

Especially the adults seem to have injuries on their bodies, and if they kneel for a long time, they may cause problems.

My accent is easy to expose, and it is inconvenient to come forward.

So he brought two cakes.

He said to the shopkeeper: "There is someone begging outside the door, please help the shopkeeper to deliver it."

The shopkeeper was taken aback when he heard the words.

The two guests looked either rich or expensive.

And when will rich and honored people put refugees and beggars in their eyes?

Immediately saluted Xu Ye.

"The guest is a virtuous person, please rest assured, I will handle it well."

After taking the pancakes, I made another bowl of noodle soup and sprinkled with a few scallions.

Put it on a tray and take it out.

Zhang Hanchen said with a smile: "Brother Xu has extraordinary abilities, and it's even rarer to have such a character. If it was a few years ago, my old Zhang would definitely pull you to beg him."

Although Xu Ye wondered why he changed his name, he didn't care.

It is only a cover-up for the convenience of doing things.

Following his words, he replied: "Brother Zhang has won the prize, it's just a trivial matter."

Soon.

The shopkeeper led the old woman, mother and son in.

"Don't blame the guest, this person insisted on asking me to bring her here, and thank you in person."

The woman came to Xu Ye with her head down.

Kneeling down with a plop.

"Dong dong dong" knocked his head three times in a row.

He choked up and said: "Thank you for saving my life and my child's life, please leave your name, and pray for you day and night in the future."

The child looks thin and small, and his body shape is not even as good as some two or three-year-old children. Perhaps it is caused by long-term malnutrition.

And the woman could no longer tell the age.

Just looking at the gray hair and wrinkles, he looks about 50 to [-] years old.

"Hey."

Xu Ye sighed.

He helped her up and said, "Eat well, the pancakes are too hard, soak them in soup and then feed them to the children..."

Not finished yet.

The old woman suddenly trembled violently all over.

Is it sick?
Xu Ye was a little worried and was about to ask.

The woman raised her head.

Tears welled up in his eyes, dripping down his withered cheeks.

But his eyes stared at Xu Ye without blinking.

Breaking down in tears, he said: "...you...it's you, I remember your voice, I recognize your appearance..."

"you know me?"

Xu Ye was quite astonished.

I don't know why she is so excited?
The hoarse voice of the old woman said sadly: "It's really you... big brother..."

Xu Ye felt as if struck by lightning.

His eyes split with horror.

Grab her arm.

He asked loudly, "What did you call me just now?"

The woman did not answer.

The expression on his face was constantly changing, from despair to ecstasy.

Seems to be completely out of control.

Withered palms tightly gripped Xu Ye's collar.

The voice was shrill like a night owl.

"Big brother, you lied to me...why did you lie to me?"

"You said it, you clearly promised it..."

"...but why... life is ten times, a hundred times more difficult than in the drama..."

"Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..."

The old woman kept crying.

Complaining incoherently.

Xu Ye was silent.

Every word she said was like a sharp knife, piercing people's internal organs with pain.

Until a fishy sweetness poured into the throat.

When Xu Ye came back to his senses, he realized that the root of his tooth had been bitten by himself at some point.

Stretching out his hands, he hugged her tightly in his arms.

As if coaxing a child, he patted her on the back lightly.

Said softly: "Little girl, I'm sorry...I'm a liar."

　Quietly send a knife, it shouldn't be a big problem...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)