Su Jin cupped his hands and said with a smile: "I'm in Weizhou for the first time, and I don't know much about the situation here, so I came here to visit today. I didn't know that all of you fellow villagers are in such a difficult situation. If what my father-in-law said is true, I will not stand by and watch, but
Please tell me in detail, I will have an idea."
The old man looked at Su Jin for a while, shook his head and said, "Old man, I don't know anything. I don't want to have anything to do with you officials. If you don't get angry, I still want to live for two more years."
Su Jin smiled and said: "I'm sorry for speaking bluntly, but I think you are too spineless, husband. Judging from your age, you must be over sixty. I'm afraid you have been living in the past sixty years, and you have never done anything spineless.
Let’s do it.”
The old man stared and said, "Why do you, an official, hurt others with your open mouth? How come I have no backbone, old man?"
Su Jindao: "You would rather eat these poison ivy and commit suicide slowly than wait for me to explain the situation. Aren't you spineless? I will probably only live for three or two years after eating these poison ivy. I will be scared just to live for two more years."
You don’t dare to tell the truth, what is this if you don’t have spine?”
The old man said angrily: "You don't want to provoke me. I have nothing to say to you officials. Do you want me to tell you the evil things you have done? You can go and find out what kind of person this old man is."
A few years ago, party thieves came to the village to cause trouble. The old man drove a steel fork through the stomachs of three bald thieves. I know whether they are weak and spineless, so I don't need others to criticize them."
Su Jin was in awe. If what this father-in-law said was true, he would be a very strong character. But he wanted to know what happened in the city, but he refused to tell him. There must be something serious hidden inside, and the father-in-law didn't want to cause more trouble.
.
Wang Chao stepped forward and cupped his hands and said: "Old man, we came from the capital and have nothing to do with these local officials. My son is the number one scholar in his undergraduate degree. He could have been a comfortable job in the capital or in the rich places in the south."
Guan'er, you just came to this place where birds don't poop because you want to do something. You are probably afraid that officials will guard each other. Once you tell the truth, you will get into trouble. There is no need to worry about this. My young master
Since you are here as an official, you will naturally have to deal with the people's lack of food. If everyone doesn't say anything, how can my young master take action?"
The old man looked at Su Jin and said, "Are you the number one scholar?"
Su Jin smiled and said: "No, that's right. But when you get here, you will be the father-in-law of Weizhou. Don't have too many scruples, please tell me everything you know."
The old man hesitated, and Su Jin sighed and said, "Well, if you don't want to say it clearly, I can't force you to do it. I'll go find others and ask, and there will always be someone willing to tell me why this is the case." Su Jin handed over his hand.
, waved his hands and led everyone away, and the old man shouted from behind: "I'm afraid no one will tell you the reason, so don't waste your efforts."
Su Jin turned around and frowned: "To be disrespectful, if everyone is bullied and dare not speak up, then I can't help even if I want to. These people are so insensitive and deserve to die from starvation and illness. Their function is to provide food to survive."
, but it cannot save people's hearts. People's hearts are insensitive and indifferent, and they are no different from dead people. Living is a waste of food."
Su Jin's words were harsh, but the old man did not refute. There seemed to be a deeply touched expression on his face. Seeing Su Jin turn around and leave again, the old man gritted his teeth, made up his mind and said, "My lord, go to my humble home."
How about a seat?"
Su Jin was overjoyed and turned around and said, "Thank you very much, husband. I'm just asking for a bowl of water."
…
The hut was low and narrow, and not many people could enter. Su Jin ordered everyone to wait outside, and entered the hut alone. However, judging from the furnishings inside, the hut was not too shabby. There were tables, chairs, benches, and hangings on the walls.
The most eye-catching features of the coir raincoat and bamboo hat are a steel fork in the corner and a bamboo basket nearly as tall as a person.
Su Jin sat at the wooden table, patted the wood-scented tabletop and said, "This is the table I made myself. The craftsmanship is really good."
The old man took a broken bowl, scooped out a bowl of water, handed it to Su Jin with both hands, and said with a smile: "The little old man learned some carpentry skills in his early years, so he got some wood and made some tables, chairs and benches, which can be used by poor people.
That’s all, it makes the adults laugh.”
Su Jin took the dark and dirty bowl, hesitating whether to drink from the broken bowl. Looking at the dirt on the edge of the bowl, his heart skipped a beat, but out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to see the old man staring at the bowl.
Seeing it for himself, he hesitated, opened his mouth and drank a bowl of water cleanly. He wiped the water stains on his mouth and said: "It's so cold. I didn't expect that the water in Weizhou tastes so good. It's cold and refreshing.
Slightly sweet."
When the old man saw that Su Jin drank the water without hesitation, the smile on his face softened a lot, and he became closer mentally. He said with a smile: "Master Su, you don't know something. This water is not the water in Weizhou City.
It's snow water from Long Mountain thirty miles to the west. The old man had to walk for half a day carrying a bucket of water on his back, so the water is naturally good to drink."
Su Jin praised: "It's so refreshing and delicious, it's so rare. But why did I go to Longshan? Just to carry water and come back to drink?"
The old man pointed to the malan vines drying outside and said: "Isn't it just to get some food? By the way, I brought some water back to drink. My husband, I have lived at the foot of Longshan Mountain since I was a child. I have lived here for decades, but when I am old, I have to fight because of the war.
I was forced to live in Weizhou City. I am used to drinking snow water, but I am not used to the sand-filled water in Weizhou City, so I took the trouble to carry back some water to drink."
Su Jin nodded and said: "I see, I dare to ask my father-in-law Gao his name."
The old man bowed and said: "My little old man's surname is Lu, and he has no given name. He has been living in the family since he was a child, so adults call him Lu Laosan."
Su Jin smiled and said: "It turns out to be Mr. Lu. Mr. Lu probably doesn't make a living by farming. Let me guess what you do."
Lu Laosan smiled and said, "My lord, let's take a guess."
Su Jin pretended to be thoughtful and said: "I guess, my husband, you must be a hunter. You usually make a living by hunting on Long Mountain. Also, you must also collect medicines and sell them to the medicine shop in Weizhou City for money. I don't know whether it is right or wrong."
Lu Laosan said in surprise: "My lord, you have such good eyesight. I wonder how you guessed it."
Su Jin laughed, pointed toward the corner with his lips raised, and said, "Isn't that what you do for a living? There are steel forks, medicine baskets, and probably bows and arrows. Why haven't I seen them?"
Lu Laosan chuckled and said: "Sir, you are indeed a thoughtful person. You do have a bow and arrows, but I was afraid of being confiscated by the officers and soldiers, so I didn't hang it out. You don't want to search my bows and arrows."
Su Jin waved his hand and said, "How could it be? No matter how much you search, you can't find it. My bow and arrows must be hidden in a cave on Longshan Mountain. My father-in-law can use them when he enters the mountain, and when he comes out of the mountain, he comes out empty-handed, right?"
Lu Laosan looked embarrassed. This was what he did to avoid being captured by the officers and soldiers. Unexpectedly, these little thoughts were exposed by Su Jin.
Su Jin changed the topic and said: "Since I can hunt wild animals, why do I still eat this unpalatable Malan vine?"
Lu Laosan said: "Although there are many wild animals, they are not easy to hunt. Besides, it is not easy to get out of the city now. The inspections at the city gate are fierce. The old man went out of the city five days ago and shot three grouse and two rabbits. He passed by the city gate.
There was only one hare left, and if they were conscientious, they wouldn't even be able to eat any meat."
Su Jin said in shock: "The soldiers at the city gate are still robbing you of your food?"
Lu Laosan said: "Ma Lanteng and the others will not rob him, but the game must be offered as an offering."
Su Jin said: "Then why don't you go out and have a full meal and come back with so much game? Isn't this delivered to your door?"
Lu Laosan said: "My lord, I don't know. If they couldn't get some game from him, how could they let him go out of the city? It's like paying for the road money. You can only go in and out after paying the road money, and the old man can occasionally get some game food."
taste."
Su Jin nodded silently, thought for a while and said: "Old Master Lu, let's open the skylight and speak frankly. I'm coming from the capital. As far as I know, the food allocated by the imperial court to the northwest includes food rations for the relief of the people. How much can you receive every month?
Food? Isn’t this enough to eat?”
Lu Laosan looked at Su Jin, cupped his hands and said: "I think you are really not the same as them. Since you came to ask today, the old man poured beans into the bamboo tube with you. Even if the old man saw it wrong, he was blinded by you.
I have no regrets, because the old man had to seize this opportunity. If no one takes care of it, the people in the city will probably die of hunger and disease."
Su Jin stood up and cupped his hands and said: "It doesn't matter, I am here to deceive you as you think. Walking on the street today, you can see the desolation. This is under my rule. From now on, I will be here to serve you."
How can either of us not be anxious? I was offended by what I said at first, and I also wanted to provoke my father-in-law to tell the truth. I have a feeling that there is a lot of intrigue in this, and I would like to ask my father-in-law to tell me everything he knows."