Before Zi Yan could think of how to reply to Diao Chan's words, there was a sound of light footsteps behind her. Diao Chan had a look of surprise on her face and said a deep blessing behind her: "See you soon, slave."
Madam."
This time it was Ma Yun who came. She glanced at Diao Chan and said playfully: "Get up, you are not my slave, so there is no need to be polite."
When Diao Chan saw that Ma Yun had discovered her ruse, her face turned red, so she had to stand up and asked quietly: "Madam, why are you here?"
There was no change on Ma Yun's face. As she walked inside, she said calmly: "Today is the Lantern Festival. I'm here to see you. How are you? How are you doing here?"
Diao Chan followed Ma Yun closely and said in a voice as thin as a mosquito's fly: "Thank you for your concern, madam. I'm very good."
Ma Yun suddenly turned around, stared at Diao Chan for a long time, and then said with a smile: "Diao Chan, I am a few years older than you, so I call you sister. You said it easily, but you
But your eyes can’t deceive me. Do you feel a little wronged by being locked up here?”
Diao Chan's nose seemed to be sore for no reason, she shed a few tears, and choked with sobs: "With my sister's words, my sister can bear any grievance."
Ma Yun didn't expect that Diao Chan would immediately change her words after she said this. This ability to observe people's emotions was really extraordinary. She couldn't help but put away her smile and said seriously: "I won't humiliate you by being your sister, but in
Your status in your mind is not as good as that of your adoptive father Wang Yun?"
Diao Chan didn't expect that Ma Yun would turn around Wang Yun in just a few words. This matter was her heartache, but she couldn't avoid it no matter what.
Ma Yun saw the embarrassment on her face, but remained unmoved and continued: "Sister, you only see that our family is glorious on the surface, but you don't know that our family also has its own difficulties. Our family is in
Xiangyang does not have any foundation. The sisters and children are all tied to the master. If there is something wrong with the master, have you ever thought about where we orphans and widowers will go? If that day comes.
, I’m afraid that the world is so big but there is no place for us to stand! So you have to understand the master’s difficulties, he has to lock you in this small courtyard as a last resort.”
Diao Chan really didn't think about it so much. She only considered the task Wang Yun gave her, and Wang Yun didn't ask her to kill Liu Xin at the beginning. Now that she thinks about it, it's really what Ma Yun said.
In that case, if Liu Xin died, the fate of this big family would probably be even more miserable than that of ordinary people. She couldn't help but look up at Ma Yun and murmured: "Sister, I, I really never thought about harming the master.
.”
Ma Yun sighed quietly and said: "Sister Diaochan, what the master is wearing is not only our family, but also thousands of households in Jingzhou and Yizhou. Under the governance of the master, these places have good governance and people's lives.
Every day seems like one day. If the master is gone, God knows what this place will be like. You can live in this small courtyard with peace of mind and don't think about it. When the master comes back, I will tell him that I will give you your freedom.
You can go wherever you want, and no one will stop you. In the past two years, you haven't left the house, so it's no wonder you don't know what's going on outside. When you go out for a walk in the future, you will understand."
Diao Chan was surprised and happy after hearing Ma Yun's promise. She was about to thank Ma Yun when she heard her say to Zi Yan and Yan Yun: "You two, take good care of her these days. When the master comes back, I will let him
I have also forgiven your sins. Today I brought some glutinous rice balls, and you will share them later and have a good holiday."
Ziyan and Yanyun have been living in this small courtyard for the past few days. They have already felt that life is much more comfortable than before, their mood is cheerful, and their faces are rosy. Now that they heard that their sins can be forgiven, they were even more overjoyed and did not even listen.
What did Ma Yun bring to them? But Diao Chan had already recovered from what Ma Yun said just now and asked in surprise: "Sister, what are glutinous rice balls? Why have I never heard of it?"
Ma Yun couldn't help but sigh, Diao Chan has a sweet mouth, sister, sister never leaves her mouth, no wonder she was able to fascinate Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu in history, she couldn't help but smile and said: "There are many things you haven't heard of.
.You will know after you taste it.
He said, these glutinous rice balls are delicious. Eating glutinous rice balls on the Lantern Festival symbolizes reunion, which is the same as eating mooncakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival. Unfortunately, the master is on an expedition for the sake of the world, so he will eat it on the Lantern Festival this year.
No more glutinous rice balls."
People in the late Eastern Han Dynasty did not know how to make glutinous rice balls. Just like moon cakes, glutinous rice balls were also processed foods, Ma Yun thought. However, Liu Xin was out marching and fighting and had too many things to consider. Of course, snacks like glutinous rice balls had to be temporarily reserved.
Put it aside.
However, Zhang Liao was also blessed outside, because before the Spring Festival, Liu Xin managed to get the caravan to bring him some glutinous rice flour and fillings such as osmanthus, red dates, and red beans. The making of glutinous rice balls is not complicated.
The Huotou soldiers under Zhang Liao also know how to cook, and every year on the Lantern Festival they make a large pot of glutinous rice balls and distribute them to the soldiers. In a few years
Nowadays, glutinous rice balls have become a reserved food in the military camp on the Shangyuan Festival. Especially for the soldiers who left their hometowns and came to Xuzhou, being able to eat glutinous rice balls on the Shangyuan Festival has a very different meaning. So this morning, the whole
The barracks became very busy, and the soldiers who were not on duty also came to the kitchen and helped the fire-headed soldiers in the fight.
The first batch of glutinous rice balls had just been prepared, and Zhang Liao couldn't wait to pack a big bag and delivered it to Mi Zhu's house in person. It was not that he deliberately wanted to please his future uncle, but he really felt that Mi Zhu had noble moral character and was a person worthy of close friendship.
As for Tao Qian, Zhang Liao is right
He didn't feel much at all. Although in the past two years in Xuzhou, I heard that he was wild and unruly when he was young and quite talented in military and political affairs, but now it seems that it is probably because he is getting older and has become like an old man.
Bureaucrats no longer have any heroic fighting spirit.
As the relationship deepened, Mi Zhu also admired Zhang Liao's loyalty very much. When he heard that he was coming, he hurriedly dropped the letter in his hand and went forward to greet him. He held his hands and said: "Brother Wenyuan, today is the Lantern Festival.
I was about to send someone to invite you, but you are already here."
Zhang Liao smiled and said: "Brother Zizhong, I'm here today. Because it's the Lantern Festival, I brought some Xiangyang delicacies for you to taste together."
Mi Fang got the news and hurriedly walked out from behind, saying repeatedly: "What kind of delicious food did Brother Zhang bring here? Isn't Xiangyang a paradise on earth? Why are there always some novelties?"
Zhang Liao said disapprovingly: "That's all because I voted for a good lord. You have never seen my lord. He knows everything about astronomy and geography. The glutinous rice balls I brought this time and the mooncakes from last time,
They are all foods made by him. Not only that, Xiangzhi and white porcelain were also developed under the instruction of the lord. However, these things are the secrets of the research institute. I have no way of knowing exactly what happened.
I know. However, these glutinous rice balls are indeed sweet and delicious, and they are a rare delicacy."
In the past two years, Mi Fang has been improving her martial arts under Zhang Liao's guidance. After listening to Zhang Liao's words, she became even more fascinated by Xiangyang, so she clasped her fists and said, "Brother Zhang, I wonder if I can serve under Mr. Liu?"
Mi Zhu glared at him and said, "How can we embarrass Wen Yuan? If so, don't mention it again."
In fact, he was not worried about embarrassing Zhang Liao, but he was worried that Tao Qian would be unhappy if he found out. After all, he was still working under Tao Qian, and his entire family business was also in Xuzhou. If Tao Qian knew that his brother had switched to Liu Xin, who would
Know what's going to happen.
Zhang Liao was not stupid. How could he not understand what Mi Zhu was thinking? He hurriedly changed the subject and said, "Why don't you see my little sister? She loves sweets the most. I think glutinous rice balls must be to her liking."
Mi Zhu said with a smile: "Brother Wenyuan, Zhen'er has already had her hairpin ceremony. It will not be convenient for her to see outsiders in the future. Even if you two have an engagement, you will have to wait until the wedding day before you can see each other. However, since you are here today
Now, how about we discuss how to choose an auspicious day to marry Zhen'er?"
Zhang Liao hesitated and said: "Brother Zhong, to be honest, my lord always said that Dong Zhuo messed up the government and manipulated power, causing the people of the world to live in dire straits. How can we take care of our family when the world is not settled?"
In fact, Zhang Liao had another idea. Liu Xin personally led the army to the Northern Expedition to Dong Zhuo, but he was busy marrying a wife and starting a family in Xuzhou. How could he earn Liu Xin's trust? Of course, Liu Xin's expedition to the Northern Expedition was still a secret, and he could not possibly tell Mi Zhu.
.
As Ma Yun expected, Liu Xin did not have an easy time this Lantern Festival this year. Beigong Boyu and Liu Bao had been repelled, and the bloody battlefield in front of them had to be cleaned up as soon as possible. Abandoned on the battlefield
A large number of arrows, whether crossbows or feather arrows, must be collected and sorted as much as possible, and those that can continue to be used must be distributed to soldiers. Those undamaged stone bullets, earthen jar bullets, and horse nails must also be recycled as much as possible
, Doing so can not only save financial resources and reduce the pressure on transportation, but also prevent some secrets from falling into the hands of the enemy.
In this fierce battle, the Han infantry also suffered heavy casualties. More than 8,000 people were killed and more than 10,000 were injured. Most of these casualties were caused by arrow wounds, and the others were injuries caused by the collision of war horses.
The actual injuries sustained by the swords were minimal. The bows and arrows of the nomadic cavalry were indeed sharp, and the armor of the Han army soldiers was very good in defense. It still could not stop the sharp arrows of the nomadic cavalry. Fortunately, they wore silk clothes close to their bodies. As long as they did not hit the vital point,
None of them were serious, and they would be able to regain their combat effectiveness after being raised for a while. However, the soldiers who were hit by the war horses were not so lucky. Most of them had broken bones and tendons, and many of them had their internal organs shattered.
Even if you don't die, you are likely to become disabled and basically lose your combat effectiveness.
Most of the soldiers who died on the battlefield were in their prime, and they were the backbone of the family. Under the hands of other princes, the fall of a soldier often meant the beginning of a family's misfortune. However, these soldiers in Liu Xin's hands were not
Fear. The policies formulated by Liu Xin can give their families no worries. Even if they lose their lives, the government will take good care of their families. Not only will they receive generous pensions, but they can also reduce taxes for several years.
But seeing such a scene, Liu Xin himself was very sad. Because of his order, these young lives could never return to their hometown to reunite with their wives and children. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel that his
His hands were covered with blood. While he was here, he heard Zhang Fei yelling: "Grandma, it's really frustrating!"