This place is fun

Chapter 10 Su Family Castle

Five minutes later, Su Daoshan swayed into Yishan City in a carriage.

Inside the city and outside the city are like two different worlds.

Outside the city, Su Daoshan saw more and more refugee shacks along the way. Especially in the open space outside the city gate, the shacks were tightly squeezed together, forming a refugee camp that stretched for several miles.

The roads in the refugee camp were narrow and muddy, overcrowded, and filled with a suffocating smell. There were old people boiling medicine and cooking, women sewing and washing, teenagers carrying firewood and fetching water, and children running around barefoot.

People leading skinny animals gathered in the trading area to bargain, and men, women, old and young were displayed on the platforms in the slave area. The employment area was even more crowded. When they saw an employer coming in, they rushed over and tried their best to sell themselves.

The scene inside the city is quite different.

If the world outside the city was like a primitive wilderness where demons roamed rampantly, then even Su Daoshan was shocked when the carriage passed through the nearly 200-meter-long city gate.

The first thing Su Daoshan saw was the city wall.

From the outside, the walls of Yishan City are made of huge stones, with a nearly vertical facade and an inward inclination angle of no more than five degrees from the bottom to the top.

When he entered Yishan City, Su Daoshan discovered that inside the city wall was a huge earthen slope with a 30-degree slope. The earthen slope was divided into five huge steps from the bottom to the top. It looked like a huge stadium stand. Each level was densely packed with houses, crops, and ladders.

Some of the tall towers are connected by sky bridges, which give people a sense of well-organized and magnificent beauty at first glance.

On the flat land in the city, there is a huge contrast. There are no houses lined up one after another and no busy streets. There are large tracts of farmland everywhere, and pedestrians are also sparse. It feels like leaving the city instead of entering the city.

These farmlands are surrounded by half-high walls made of stone slabs, with watchtowers in the middle for strict guarding. Farmlands in different areas belong to different farms, and farms belong to different forts and wards.

Yishan City is divided into six forts and twelve wards. The six forts are Sujia Fort, Zhoujia Fort, Yuejia Fort, Zhujia Fort, Linjia Fort and Wangjia Fort. The twelve wards are at the same level as forts, but their authority is lower than that of the six forts, and they are composed of farm owners and farmers in the area.

I finally made it into the safe zone.

Su Daoshan's eyes were filled with tears. He secretly made up his mind that he would not leave the city for at least 30 years. It was so dangerous outside, wouldn't it be better to be a rich young master who lived a life of idleness and waited for death?

After a quick tour along the way, the carriage soon arrived at Sujiabao.

This is an earthen fort built on a hillside, and it is also the most traditional form of settlement in the northern part of Xiazhou for thousands of years. However, the earthen fort used to be in the wild and had a defensive function.

After the catastrophe, this area became the only oasis nearby that was not polluted by the phantom fire. People started with a simple outer defense based on the surrounding hills, digging high and filling low year after year, and with the help of the court after the establishment of the Xi Kingdom, it took decades to form the current Yishan City.

As a result, several nearby villages became urban villages.

Today, except for the traditional outer fortress wall being demolished and replaced with a circle of houses for the inhabitants, the form of the earthen fortress is still largely preserved, such as the two fortress gates at the front and back, the towers inside the fortress, the ancestral hall, the wheat field, the well, the reservoir, the winding alleys, the caves for hiding soldiers, the underground secret passages and cellars, etc.

Su Daoshan even saw a windmill.

When the carriage stopped in front of the Su family's gate, the people in the fort had already surrounded the convoy. Men, women, young and old, even half-grown children, put their hands in their sleeves and watched silently.

There were no gorgeous clothes or silks like in costume films. Everyone wore clothes made of coarse cotton or linen. The more elegant ones wore long gowns. The more unsophisticated ones wore short jackets and trousers with leggings.

The colors are simple. Clothes and pants are mostly gray, black and blue. Only belts have other colors. The most expensive clothing is just a fur vest or a pair of soft leather boots.

Su Daoshan got out of the car and just turned his head to look, a gap-toothed old man in his sixties spat on the ground viciously and cursed: "You spendthrift!"

Then, the sound of "Pah, Pah" was heard everywhere. There were men and women, old and young. Even some little kids who were as dirty as cats followed the adults and imitated them.

Su Daoshan shrank his neck.

Apparently, the news that ten large cartloads of grain had been lost because of him had already been passed back.

"Second Young Master, please go in quickly. Uncle Qiu will be here soon..." A middle-aged man who looked like a butler said quickly in Su Daoshan's ear.

Su Daoshan was startled.

The Su family survived the catastrophe of the century, and the great-grandfather Su Qihong's generation had six brothers. In the Jing generation, in addition to Su Daoshan's grandfather Su Jingyan, who was born of a legitimate wife, there were three older brothers and one younger brother who were born of concubines.

From this calculation, anyone with the surname Su in the fort, even those who are the farthest away, are still relatives within the five generations.

In addition to the Su family, other families with different surnames also have their origins. Some are old servants of the Su family, who have served the Su family all their lives. Some are villagers of other surnames who have lived in Sujiabao in the early years. They have intermarried with the Su family and have long been in a complicated relationship.

Most of these people had contributed greatly to Sujiabao in the early years. When Su Qihong followed the founding emperor to fight in the south and north and conquer the country of Xi, he brought people from Sujiabao. Of the more than 200 people, only more than 50 returned in the end.

Su Qihong eventually rose to the rank of third-rank official and was conferred the title of Viscount. The old soldiers of Sujiabao all returned to the countryside with military merits. Two of them who lived longer are still receiving a salary. The army also gave them additional tributes during festivals.

If they ran to the City Guards or the Fiery Army to curse and spit at them, even the City Lord Zhu Ziming and the Battalion Commander Gao Shouquan would have to put on a smile.

Because of this, although Su Jingyan is the patriarch of this branch, he is actually the spokesperson for a community of interests.

On weekdays, Su Daoshan might be the second young master in front of the guards, stewards and servants, but in front of some older generations in Sujiabao, he is nothing.

Just like Uncle Qiu mentioned by the manager...that old bastard would even take off his own father's shoes and chase him to beat him up.

Su Daoshan walked quickly into the house without saying a word.

As soon as Su Daoshan and Sister Xing'er walked into the hanging flower gate of the east courtyard where they lived, they heard two "tsk tsk" sounds. Along with the familiar sounds, a familiar figure turned out.

This is a middle-aged woman of about 40 years old. She has a beautiful face and a pair of lively and sharp almond-shaped eyes. Her eyes seem to be smiling but not smiling. Although there are slight fine lines at the corners of her eyes, her skin is still fair and delicate and her complexion is very good.

She exudes a sharp and aggressive aura, and you can tell at first glance that she is not someone you want to mess with.

Su Daoshan paused, as if facing a formidable enemy!

"Madam." Sister Xing'er's knees had already weakened. She bowed and saluted, then quickly stepped aside without even daring to breathe.

"Mom." Su Daoshan called out with some difficulty.

It was difficult to say it at first, but after he actually called it out, he found that it was easier to say than he thought. The memories and emotions of the original body merged very naturally.

He didn't even need a performance template, his body unconsciously lowered his head, then raised it up, and stepped on the ground with his right foot, looking both stubborn and cowardly. Everything was just the body's instinct.

"Second Young Master Su, do you still know that I'm your mother?" Madam Jiang walked over with gritted teeth, grabbed Su Daoshan's ear and twisted it hard.

Su Daoshan dodged for a moment, but failed to dodge. The opponent's technique was extremely skillful, and had reached the level of perfection. He even had an illusion that even if he dodged a thousand times or ten thousand times, he would not be able to escape from this hand.

Originally, he should have kept his head down and said nothing. But when he saw Madam Jiang trembling all over, his heart softened.

"A gentleman uses his mouth, not his fists. Be gentle...be gentle..." Su Daoshan was twisted so hard that he grimaced and screamed.

"I am a woman who never speaks," Mrs. Jiang said angrily. "Gentleman? Well, what are some gentlemanly words? Isn't it never too late for a gentleman to take revenge?"

"Don't accuse me wrongly," Su Daoshan said with his neck stiff, "I didn't say that!"

"You didn't say that? That's what you think!"

"Mom, you are unreasonable! How can you slander someone's innocence out of thin air!"

"You are my daughter, so I don't know what I am thinking. Your father is such a rotten person, how can his seed produce any good fruit?"

Su Daoshan remained silent, tilting his head to look. In the corridor behind him, several heads that had been peeking out suddenly retreated. A middle-aged, fat man in a long gown hurriedly went to the main courtyard.

Looking at that familiar figure, it’s my father.

“Okay,” Madam Jiang twisted Su Daoshan’s ear with one hand and put her other hand on his back and arms. “You’ve grown wings and now you dare to run away from home. You don’t even want your mother. You’re such a heartless person. I’ll let you run…I’ll let you run…”

Madam Jiang's eyes turned red as she scolded him. She gritted her teeth and said, "You have learned the words of the saints and the way of the gentleman. 'A gentleman should focus on the basics. When the basics are established, the way will come into being. Filial piety and brotherhood are the roots of benevolence.' How can you not remember? 'When parents are alive, do not travel far away. If you travel, you must have a plan.' How can you not remember?! Is this how you learned the way of the gentleman?"

Su Daoshan lowered his head and said, "My son is wrong."

Mrs. Jiang poked his head with her finger helplessly: "It's just that your unreasonable grandfather randomly arranged a match for you, and you don't want to refuse. What's the big deal! Tell me who you like and I'll help you."

Su Daoshan was in a state of confusion.

A month ago, Su Jingyan, the grandfather who had been practicing in seclusion in Luoxia Mountain, suddenly sent someone to bring back news that a marriage had been chosen for Su Daoshan.

But although the second young master of the Su family is a little dull on weekdays, he already has someone he likes in his heart.

So he resolutely ran away from marriage.

In fact, Su Jingyan was just passing on the message and discussing it with his family. Nothing had been done yet.

Seeing her son keeping his head down and not saying anything, Mrs. Jiang kicked him angrily and said, "Look at what you're wearing. Xing'er, why are you still standing there? Hurry up and help him wash."

"Yes, ma'am." Sister Xing'er felt as if she had been pardoned, and she took Su Daoshan and ran away.

Watching the two people passing through the alley, Mrs. Jiang stood there, stunned for a long time, no one knew what she was thinking, and a look of emotion and joy emerged between her eyebrows.

The personal maid Qinggan and the trusted Madam Hu came out from behind the room, looked at each other, and then looked at Su Daoshan's back in surprise.

"Do you think he has changed a little this time after coming back..." asked Mrs. Jiang.

Qinggan nodded quickly and said, "Yes, yes, yes."

Madam Hu said, "I feel like he's coming out, too. In the past, when the young master was punished by the young lady, he always kept silent. But this time, although he was still stubborn, he was willing to speak. It's obvious that after going out and suffering a little, he understands the heart of a mother."

Mrs. Jiang chuckled, but tears fell again. After being persuaded by Qinggan and Madam Hu for a while, she asked, "Is the food ready in the kitchen?"

Without waiting for the two to answer, she waved her hands hastily: "Forget it, forget it, I'll go and see for myself. This little bastard is very picky about food, and none of the cooks in the kitchen can really guess his appetite..."

"By the way, has Doctor Yang arrived yet? Although Guard Feng has given his word, we still need to let the doctor take a look before we can feel at ease."

"Madam Hu, go to the main courtyard and keep an eye on the old lady..."

(End of this chapter)