Strange Tales from the Northern Qi Dynasty

Chapter 206: State
Jinhe, Pingsha Village.

The river is rushing.

In the current, a fishing boat was struggling to keep its body steady. The current was hitting the small fishing boat randomly, shaking it violently, as if trying to capsize it.

Several children were working hard to collect the fishing nets.

Suddenly someone exclaimed.

"Brother!"

The boy who was rowing the boat quickly leaned out and asked, "What happened?"

The boy picked up a big fish from the smelly and dirty fishing net and looked at the other person in surprise, "Look at this big fish! What a big fish!"

The young men laughed.

The boat moored at the shore, the boys tied up the boat and started to "divide the spoils". Some of them quarreled over the big fish and became red in the face. The older ones spoke out to stop them.

While they were busy, the ground began to tremble slightly.

At that moment, everyone's faces were filled with fear and they subconsciously wanted to jump into the water. A few quick ones had already jumped into the water and disappeared immediately.

Several knights appeared in front of them.

These knights were tall and fierce, riding many horses, and were not wearing armor. The leader had a thick beard and a stern face. He looked at the young men in front of him and scolded them unhappily: "The water is rushing now! Don't go fishing!"

The young men immediately nodded their heads, their faces pale and trembling.

The knight ran away from them along the river.

The young man hurriedly called out those impatient people who were hiding in the water. Most of these people who lived near the water were good at swimming.

The boy held the big fish and strode towards his home.

After walking over a high slope, the town was not far away. On both sides of the road were farmlands of other families. I could see people wielding hoes and a kid carrying a big fish. Someone started shouting, "Hey! Run! Your grandfather has been looking for you all over the village!"

The boy was stunned and quickly quickened his pace.

The boy looks quite energetic and seems to be not yet an adult. He has a pair of bright eyes on his skinny face.

After passing through the farmland and entering the village, a man wearing a strange hat and carrying a load was arguing with two fierce women. The boy walked up to him and said, "Catching fish? Big fish!"

The man waved his hand and drove the young boy away.

"If you don't take it, don't take it."

The boy muttered a few words and went all the way back home.

As soon as he entered the house, an old man pinched his ear. The boy grimaced in pain, "Hey, hey, grandpa, let go! Let go!"

"The superior has been waiting for you for half an hour!! Just waiting for you, a jerk!"

"Did I tell you not to go far away?!"

"You went fishing?!"

The boy hurriedly shouted, "Grandpa, when I leave, no one will catch fish for you. I thought I'd catch a big fish for you before I leave. Look, this fish."

The old man's face froze and he cursed, "Did I pay you that forty coins just to get you to fish for me? Put the fish down! Follow me!!"

He grabbed the boy's ear and walked quickly towards the government office.

When the two of them arrived at the government office, everyone was already prepared. The old man then let go of his hand, kicked him a few more times, and then walked in front of the clerk, bowed his head, and said with shame on his face, "My child, went to the river and wasted time."

"No problem, no problem. I have something to do. I can't leave even if I come earlier."

The clerk hesitated for a moment, then asked, "My dear father-in-law, your second son has joined the army, and only your third son is left at home. Do you really want to send him to Jinhe?"

"go with!"

The old man waved his hand and said, "For only 40 cents, you can read and write. This is a great fortune. It's not like I can't take care of myself. If this kid stays with me, it will be troublesome. Let him go!"

The petty official stopped trying to dissuade him.

He looked at the boy and said, "Say goodbye to your grandfather properly. We will be leaving soon. We will go to the school and won't be back until 20 days later!"

He turned and left. The boy looked at the old man and said, "Grandpa, that big fish..."

The old man had a stern face and said sternly, "Don't worry about the fish. Your second brother has gone to serve in the army, so we are now military households. The land we are granted has also increased a lot. Just focus on your studies and learn as soon as possible. I will take care of your food and drink expenses."

"I've made a promise to you. If you go to the county town and hang out with those city people, eating, drinking and having fun, and neglecting your studies, I won't forgive you! I'll break your legs!"

"understood"

After hearing many scoldings and curses, the boy finally followed the group.

The old man just said something to the clerk and ignored his own boy.

The boy walked on the road and looked back several times, but he only saw an old man with a solemn face standing in the distance, not saying a word.

The group gradually disappeared in the distance. The old man sighed and his shoulders slumped.

There were eight people in the group, two of whom were going to study. They followed the clerk and chatted about the rumors in the city.

It was their first time in the county town.

Along the way, they did not see the man-eating monsters as rumored, but after walking for more than an hour, they saw the tall city.

The boys were shouting and jumping.

As they walked in from the city gate, they kept exclaiming.

The houses in the city were tall, completely different from those on their side. There were also many people in the city, of all kinds. They had never seen so many people before.

They were taken to an official office, where a clerk led them to register, and someone distributed tokens to them and led them into the school.

The student official walked in front and explained the situation inside to the two of them, "You can't go there. Your study place is in the north, that area. You can go there. Your lecturer will tell you the rest."

They came to a clean and tidy courtyard.

The two looked around timidly, not daring to speak.

There were two people talking in the courtyard. When they saw them coming, one of them came forward and asked, "Do you want to learn cards?"

They quickly handed over the cards in their hands, "Well, that room is yours. You will be served two meals a day and will be called during lectures. Come in."

The two boys walked into the house.

The lecturer returned to the person he had just talked to, "That's right, these past few days, I've had diarrhea no matter what I ate, and I've been in unbearable pain and fatigue. I really don't have the energy to teach."

Standing opposite the lecturer was an elderly man who stroked his beard. "You are not used to the local climate. You are from Cheng'an and suddenly came to this frontier. It is normal for you to have such a situation."

The lecturer smiled bitterly, "I saw that everyone was fine, so I thought it would get better, but it has been getting worse over the past few days, no matter what I eat."

The old doctor said unhappily, "Is this a trivial matter that can be ignored? Isn't it for these matters that the imperial court set up the official clinic in the city? Why don't you come?"

"Ah I."

The old doctor took him aside, took out paper and pen, and began to write.

"Don't overdo it. You scholars are the general's treasures. Take them and eat according to what I wrote. Don't eat too much or too little. Don't do anything for the next few days. Just take a rest!"

"Ah? A lot of things."

"Just listen to me!"

"it is good."

The old doctor gave instructions for a long time, "If you still don't feel better, remember to come to the clinic to find me in time!"

"only."

The old doctor then stood up and left. The lecturer accompanied him all the way to the door. The old doctor got on the donkey cart and left in a hurry.

The driver asked, "Do you want to go back to the infirmary?"

"Go to the county government office!"

"only."

The donkey cart carried the old doctor through the city. Occasionally, when they met a few pedestrians, they would stop and salute. The old doctor nodded, which was considered a return salute.

The donkey cart went all the way to the county government office and stopped at the door.

The two soldiers looked at them, and seeing that they were acquaintances, they did not step forward to question them.

The old doctor asked the soldiers to wait here and he hurried into the county government office.

After entering the gate, he grabbed the gatekeeper and said, "I have something to ask the county magistrate. Is he in the yamen?"

"He just came back and is still in the yamen. Can you help me inform him?"

"I'll ask about that."

The old doctor waited for a long time, and the gatekeeper finally came back with a helpless look on his face. "I was scolded for you. Let's go. The county magistrate wants to see you."

The old doctor thanked him again and again, and the two of them walked into the county government office. A few farmers came out from the side, and did not forget to bow in the direction of the government office. The two of them looked excited, muttering something, and walked out of here happily.

The old doctor followed the gatekeeper to the South Courtyard, where he met the county magistrate.

The county magistrate had three long wisps of beard and was standing outside to meet the old doctor.

The old doctor was flattered and bowed quickly to greet him.

"You don't have to be so polite. Tell me you have something important to talk to me about. Is there something wrong with the clinic?" The old doctor said helplessly, "County Magistrate, I came here for the officials of Cheng'an."

"Oh?"

"Many of them are not used to the local climate. They are quite hardworking and have to work as soon as they arrive. They are not familiar with the local area yet, but they are in a hurry to run around and work day and night. This is really inappropriate. One person in the city has already died because of this. If we don't take care of it, I am afraid that similar things will happen in the future."

The county magistrate frowned and stroked his long beard. "Then what do you think we should do?"

"Mr. County Magistrate, after the people from Cheng'an arrive, you can let them rest for a while before going back to work. I think ten days of rest is more appropriate. Also, many of them are unwilling to come to the clinic, so I have to go there in person to ask them. I should call them all here and check on their conditions one by one."

The county magistrate listened to the old doctor's story for a long time before nodding his head. "Okay, I'll take note. How about this, you come back tomorrow and write down all these things so that I can discuss them with someone. I have something important to do today, so you come back tomorrow at this time."

"only!"

The old doctor thanked the county magistrate again before turning around and leaving.

After seeing off the old doctor, the county magistrate hurried to the main room behind him, opened the door, walked in carefully, and sat down gently next to the county magistrate.

The county magistrate was speaking at the moment. When he saw the county magistrate coming in, he stopped and glanced at him, "Did something big happen in the medical clinic?"

"No, I'll tell you later."

The magistrate nodded and looked ahead again.

Several officials in the county government office were sitting on both sides at this moment, with their heads lowered, listening to the county magistrate's lecture very seriously.

"This iron mine matter is an order from the general! Remember this! This is not my order, not even from the governor or the prefect. This is a direct order from the general!"

"I don't care what the fucking last name of the owner of the Gold River Mine is. The general has given the order, and we have to do it!"

"If anyone feels that this is inappropriate, please go and write to the general yourself!"

"I also know that there are a few of you who have taken advantage of others in the past, so I dare not speak out now. However, the past is the past, and the present is the present. Since I have come here under the order of the general, I will not indulge them!!"

"Even if they are General Hulu's relatives, I will kill them without mercy!!"

The official lowered his head suddenly, "Yes!"

The county magistrate grabbed a few more documents and placed them in front of him, looking at the people around him, "These are what the general sent yesterday. The other counties have already started to execute them, and we haven't taken them back yet! Shame on you!"

Everyone was even more afraid to speak.

"They are not prohibited from mining iron ore, but they must pay enough to make up for the shortfall in these years. If they can't make up for it, then their property will be confiscated to pay off the debt!"

"From today onwards, all mines in different places will be like this. Mining is allowed, but the finished products must be delivered in strict accordance with the system."

"I have no patience with those people at the Gold River Mine."

"The people sent by the general are already resting in the parade ground outside the city. They refuse to pay, right? County Magistrate, please arrange for patrols to take the knights sent by the general to go there later. Let's see if they dare to drive away our officials!!"

"only!!"

The meeting ended hastily and the county magistrate left angrily.

The county magistrate called the patrol and told them to lead the way.

You Jiao was a burly man with a wound on his face. He listened to the county magistrate's instructions with a look of grief and indignation on his face. "Please rest assured, I will never let these people go!!"

"Well, but don't take your anger out on others. If you have to, don't do it in front of those knights."

"understood!"

The patrol officer led two cavalry officers to the parade ground in a hurry.

Before entering, he heard the neighing of war horses inside. The patrol officer looked at the cavalry officers on both sides and then walked into the parade ground, where dozens of knights gathered.

There were two people riding their horses, and the others were surrounding them, shouting loudly. The county soldiers stood at a distance and did not dare to get close.

The patrol officer stepped forward and paid his respects to the captain of the cavalry.

"I have heard that the knights under your command are brave, and I am very happy to meet them today."

The captain was also quite straightforward, "Don't say these useless things, just tell me where the people are."

"I'll take you there right now!!"

You Jiao was full of confidence this time. The last time he led people there, he was pinned down and beaten up, leaving him humiliated. He still remembers that person's shouting.

"If it weren't for my brother, this city wouldn't even belong to Da Qi. How dare you ask us for taxes?!"

At this moment, with the knights following behind him, Youjiao reversed his downward trend and became extremely confident.

"Later, shall we?"

"Just take us there."

The knight captain interrupted the patrol again.

Youjiao said no more.

The terrain gradually rose, and just as they reached a high slope, a group of people jumped out from the distance. They were holding knives and sticks, with fierce looks on their faces, blocking the middle of the road. The leader looked at the patrols in anger, and then looked at the knights behind them, but he was not afraid at all.

He was tall, dressed luxuriously, and even had a carefully trimmed beard. The dozens of people behind him were also tall and strong, and were by no means comparable to ordinary people.

He had a big belly and you could almost see the words "I am a bully" on his face.

He waved the knife in his hand, making a beautiful series of knife moves.

"This mine belongs to my uncle. He conquered it!"

"If you don't know who my uncle is, then go to Wuchuan and ask your general!!"

"I just don't believe it. My other uncle is still in Shuozhou, and Liu Taozi dares to be so lawless!!"

As if to bolster the bully's morale, the sturdy men behind him took off their clothes, swung their weapons, and revealed their sturdy muscular bodies.

The knight captain looked at the bullies blocking the road in the distance, examined them for a moment, and gave the order.

The next moment, the knights took out their crossbows and bows and aimed at the people in the distance.

Seeing this thing, the bully was shocked and said, "Wait a minute"

"Whoosh!!"

"Bang!!"

"Whoosh!!"

"Pfft!!"

With just one volley of fire, there was no one standing on the road ahead.

The patrols were stunned. The knight captain completed his mission, cleaned up the battlefield, dismounted and cut off the heads.

The patrol officer led the two trembling cavalrymen towards the distant mine.

This is the largest open-pit mine near Jinhe River. Many mining tools and transportation tools can be seen around. They are all thrown casually on both sides. At this moment, there are people waving long whips and shouting something. Seeing the knights coming with human heads, they suddenly become very cooperative and friendly. The patrol officers have never seen them so easy to talk to.

Unfortunately, they were still a step too late. The knight captain came to kill the bandits, not to pacify the local people.

Soon, the cavalry captain returned with a load full of heads.

You Jiao stayed here to continue his work. He even went down to the mine to explore. Later, he discovered a large number of miners here!
These people stood in the shadows in fear, with chains on their bodies and starving beyond recognition. Their number was much greater than Youjiao had imagined. He questioned them one by one and was shocked to find that many of them were actually locals who had been kidnapped.

The patrol sent someone to inquire about their identities, and then hurriedly sent someone to inform the county government of the situation.

Some of the miners have become numb, some are unable to communicate, and some can no longer see.

The government took this matter very seriously and sent several officials to investigate.

Jinhe, Pingsha Village.

It was somewhat dark.

The old man sat alone in the yard, holding a small axe and chopping the pieces of wood in front of him stiffly.

He reached out his hand, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and continued chopping.

"Boom, bang."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. The old man was a little surprised. He remembered something and walked quickly towards the door, cursing as he walked: "Sanlang! If you dare to sneak back, you kid!"

He yanked the door open.

There was a clerk standing outside the door, and next to him stood a thin man who looked like a half-human.

The man was disheveled and his lips trembled as he looked at the old man.

The old man looked at him in astonishment, and the next moment, he recognized the other person's identity.

"Da Lang?! Da Lang?! My son!!"

The old man hugged his son and burst into tears.

"I just thought you were dead, my son."

"Grandpa."

ps: I've had enough of the adventures of fighting and killing, so it's good to add some spice occasionally to spice it up. I deliberately wrote this chapter in the form of a diary, hahaha, please don't criticize me if you don't like it, I won't do it again.

The average subscription has reached 17,000. I guess it will be hard to achieve the same results as the previous two books, but I am well prepared. When trying new things, I cannot have too high expectations. However, I still dare to say that this book is the one I have put the most effort into in the six years since I started writing. Thank you all for your love and support.

(End of this chapter)