Kaocheng is a very small county town.
There is only one street in the city, and you can see it all at a glance, and in this narrow and crowded city, some houses have a front yard in addition to a back garden, and even a little vegetable garden.
Shao Xun squatted beside the vegetable bed, digging into the vegetables with a small shovel.
"Is this grown from small crops?" Shao Xun said while shaking the mud off the lettuce.
Lettuce was introduced from Central Asia during the Han Dynasty. It was called "lettuce" in Ge Hong's "Behind the Elbow". However, it was not commonly cultivated at this time. It would not be until the Sui and Tang Dynasties three hundred years later that lettuce would truly become commonly cultivated.
home cooking.
"The ones planted before and after Spring Society are harvested in ninety days, but they are pretty much the same." Concubine Pei leaned on the bed, her belly bulging high, as a new life was about to be born.
"Do you like to eat?"
"like."
"I'll plant some during the Autumn Festival and make pickles for you to eat after the frost comes."
"Maybe you're at war."
"Then I'll plant some while the troops are at work and bring them back to you."
"When you get to Kaocheng, you'll be dead, right?"
"It's marinated so you won't be afraid."
The two of them were talking to each other, seemingly meaningless words, but as they spoke, the corners of their mouths turned up.
Concubine Pei did not ask Shao Xun about marrying a wife, and Shao Xun did not take the initiative to mention it. The two of them avoided Yu Wenjun in a tacit understanding.
After digging the lettuce, Shao Xun washed it at the well.
Concubine Pei looked at him quietly, occasionally moving her body with difficulty with the help of her maid.
This child is her burden and her treasure.
She hopes that the child will be able to see his father after he is born.
"Wow!" Shao Xun dried the lettuce stems in water over and over again, then took a knife and cut them piece by piece.
"The three cities of Heyang are not that simple." Concubine Pei said slowly: "Once the city is successfully built, the Huns will invade in large numbers."
"I think during the construction of the city, they are about to attack." Shao Xun said: "Liu Cong will not sit idly by if he has any brains."
Concubine Pei sighed, but didn't say anything.
Men, they fight over and over again, either for power or for women.
Some people like both power and women. Her man is that, and so is Liu Cong.
"Why are you so anxious to get the three cities of Heyang now?" Concubine Pei asked: "Many counties in Henan and Yan only superficially return home."
"Everything is done in advance, otherwise it will be ruined. Now is a good time. When the Xiongnu suppresses Guanzhong, there may not be this time." Shao Xun said: "Build it first and then talk about it. In the future, there will always be a Northern Expedition. Besides,
, the counties in Yuzhou, it is enough to superficially return to their heart. In the future, when the territory becomes larger, they will naturally be able to truly return to their heart."
"How's the shogunate?"
"I don't care much about small things." Shao Xun said: "The big things will be sent to Xuchang by the chief historian, Sima, and Zhonglang to let me know. The heir has not been messy recently and is very stable."
"Have Puyang, Xingyang, and Dongping been robbed again?"
"The Huns just came here illegally." Shao Xun said: "I can't guard against thousands of miles of river defense. Most of the fields in these counties are indeed deserted. After this year's autumn harvest, food relief will have to be allocated."
"Didn't you go to the Huns to make trouble?"
"Their cavalry is ten times more than mine. Even if we only recruit a small number of them, they will be enough to defend me." Shao Xun said, "Unless you fight me face to face like Gao Ping does, you won't be able to harass me."
"No wonder you want to get involved with the three cities of Heyang." Concubine Pei said: "It may not be a bad thing to attract all the thieves here."
"Hua Nu's knowledge exceeds that of many men." Shao Xun said with a smile.
Concubine Pei glanced at him angrily, but quickly frowned again.
Shao Xun quickly wiped his hands, walked over and asked, "What's wrong?"
"The child is sleeping. He turned over just now." Concubine Pei relaxed her frown, caressed Shao Xun's face, and looked at him with a gentle smile.
The man's first reaction was how she was, not the child, which made her feel very happy.
Such little bits of care and love in life, accumulated over many years, are very impressive and can be used to offset some unpleasant things.
"Let's lie down inside for a while." Shao Xun lifted Concubine Pei up and let her lie on her side on the couch in the bedroom.
Concubine Pei lay down for a while and felt uncomfortable again.
Shao Xun patiently helped her sit up.
The maid had already gone to cook, and Shao Xun was sitting next to Concubine Pei, reviewing the official letters from Xuchang, Chenjun and Yanzhou shogunate.
Concubine Pei's eyes were half-opened and half-closed. When she saw that Shao Xun was always beside her, she finally closed her eyes with peace of mind.
The room was very quiet, with only the occasional sound of paper turning.
His style of governing the shogunate was quite distinct, and seeking truth from facts was the most basic thing.
Therefore, officials from various places reported to their assistants, and then their assistants submitted the seals presented to them. Basically, there was nothing too nonsense.
Silver Spear Zuoying has begun to pull back.
After Yin Qian Youying escorted Yu Wenjun and others back to Xuchang, they have been training near Xuchang.
The Yi Congjun was transferred to Pu Tianze in Xingyang to start training.
Many people think that the three cities of Heyang might not be used as a fueling tactic, and Shao Xun also has this worry.
But for now, it is impossible for him to send all his troops there. It would be too stupid and a waste of money.
This year Yanzhou's harvest has been affected again.
The 20,000 troops guarding the ferry worked in the fields every year, and the harvest failed every year. They relied entirely on the salaries of Chenliu, Jiyang, Jiyin, and Gaoping to maintain their livelihood.
To be more precise, it all depends on the money and food provided by the nobles and powerful Wubao commanders.
When the world has reached this point, normal taxation no longer exists, and the yellow household registration register is completely nonsense and has no use at all.
Money and food still have to be provided by local snakes, and this is where they gain the confidence to bargain.
Fortunately, I can save whatever I can on eating from the imperial court this year.
After Shao Xun read it, he felt that there were only a few days until the expedition, and he wondered if he could leave after the child was born.
The south wind blew open the window, and Concubine Pei gradually opened her eyes.
Shao Xun filled a basin of water and wiped the sweat from her forehead with a cloth.
"Is it hot?"
"Um."
"Would you like to change into a gebu shirt?"
"good."
Shao Xun brought a Gebu two-crotch shirt, placed it on the couch, and then took off the green jacket from Concubine Pei's upper body.
Some places looked more and more majestic, and he played with them a few times, making both of them breathless.
"It's been a long time since I vented my worries." Shao Xun said in her ear.
"You have a new wife to vent your anger on, so how can you still remember the old person?" Concubine Pei said angrily.
"It's different." Shao Xun said: "When I got you for the first time, I almost lost my soul. I have never felt so comfortable."
"Seventy percent of your skills are used to coax women." Concubine Pei looked at him with a smile.
But when I said this, I was still very happy in my heart.
Women, no matter what time of year, like to compare.
Who a man likes more is the focus of the competition.
Concubine Pei is a rational woman, but she also has irrational aspects, especially as she gets older.
After putting on the Gebu shirt, my whole body felt much cooler.
"This is a gift from Yiyang County." Shao Xun said: "There is a shortage of silk and silk in Henan Province. Fortunately, the counties over there produce kudzu."
"Princess Xiangcheng mentioned that it has been a long time since Jiangdong brought Gebu, and even the palace lacked it." Concubine Pei touched the clothes on her body and said with emotion: "I don't want to wear it yet."
Kudzu is a perennial herbaceous vine with a soft cane shape. The bark fiber can be used to weave cloth or make paper.
Picking kudzu is an ancient activity. It is recorded in the "Book of Songs": "The other side is picking kudzu. If you don't see it for one day, it will be like three months."
In this era, kudzu was mainly produced in the south. Yiyang and Anfeng counties in Yuzhou also produced some, and were generally used to make kudzu cloth.
Because Gebu is thin, light, soft and breathable, it is very comfortable to wear in summer. Since ancient times, there has been a saying of "Winter fur, summer Geyi".
The cultivation of Gebu has gone through several migrations.
During the "Book of Songs" era, they were very common in the north, and then slowly disappeared, and flourished in the south. By the Southern and Northern Dynasties, they slowly increased in the north, and then receded again, which was very strange.
But overall, this is an excellent summer textile.
"What does it matter to me if the emperor doesn't have Ge Yi?" Shao Xun said: "I only care about whether the people I care about can wear it. This year in Runan, there are also people in Qiao State who are growing hemp. If Ge Yi is enough, I will send another batch.
Go to the palace and coax the emperor."
Concubine Pei sat in his arms, leaning her head gently on Shao Xun's chest, and said: "Ten years ago, I would never have imagined this day."
"Aren't you a great man?" Shao Xun said with a smile.
"You didn't marry me, what kind of man and woman are you?" Concubine Pei rolled her eyes at him.
"The baby is about to be born, and he's still not your man?" Shao Xun pretended to be angry and said, "After my son is born, you will have another baby for me next year."
"You have so many women, which one will give birth to you? I think Princess Xiangcheng is quite willing to give birth to you." Concubine Pei sighed.
"I really have never touched her." Shao Xun exclaimed.
Concubine Pei covered her mouth and chuckled, saying nothing.
"Hold me, I'm sleepy again."
"Isn't it hot?"
"It's hot, but you still have to hold me."
"good."
Shao Xun gently placed Concubine Pei on the couch, then held her waist until she fell asleep.
This is what the ancient Greek god in charge of yellow hair should do.
Fighting and killing are not my main business.
When Concubine Pei fell asleep, Shao Xun was also a little confused.
I don't know why, but he actually thought of Brother Cong...
Chapter completed!