Chapter 41

This winter, the high price of pyrocarbon in Yejing is astonishing to the people in Yejing. However, Yejing rich and powerful gathered, each family usually do not show mountains and no dew, at this time, just show a little bit.

Zhu men stinks of wine and meat, and the road is frozen to death. It's the most appropriate way to describe Yejing today.

Ordinary people are still struggling to survive the severe winter, but wealthy families are competing for the price of a hundred taels of silver. Even because it is difficult to get hot coals, many wealthy families who have bought enough hot coals first also hold red fire banquets and invite relatives and friends to enjoy the snow and plum.

The red fire banquet, as the name suggests, means that the rich and noble families surround their gardens with thick cloth to block the cold wind, and then put many heaters in them. At that time, the snow in the court will not melt and the Chimonanthus praecox will be in full bloom. Guests sit around the warm stove, cook wine and enjoy the snow to show their financial resources.

Looking at the number on the account book, an Changqing sighed: "it's really the death of drought and the death of waterlogging."

The new shop has only opened for more than ten days, and the 15000 catties of hot coals have been sold short. But there are more and more people in the congee shed outside the city. Not only the poor people, but also some poor students who go to Beijing to prepare for the exam can not support the hunger and cold. They go to the congee shed in groups to get congee.

Zhou Helan saw a lot of them and said with a light look: "it has been like this since ancient times. The rich stink, the poor have no food left. "

An Changqing sighed: "I wish spring would start earlier."

He has done his best to build porridge sheds and distribute winter clothes, and strive to give more vitality to these people. But one person's strength is limited after all. Even so, there are still many people who can't survive and die quietly in the cold night. And Yejing is in good condition now. I heard that Suzhou, Bingzhou, Liangzhou, Yanzhou and Chenzhou, which are farther north, are more affected by the cold winter this time. Because the weather is so cold, many people have been frozen to death.

Xiao Zhige said that the local folds were sent to Anqing by the prime minister, but anqing didn't even look at them. He just sent people to look for the whereabouts of the mad Taoist. Prime minister an has always been able to figure out what he wants. Later, whenever there is a similar compromise, it will be suppressed.

However, the situation is so urgent that even Xiao Zhige, who is in Yejing, has received several urgent reports from Yanzhou.

Yanzhou is located in the north of Daye, bordering on Beimo, which is the first pass of Gongwei Daye. Such a cold winter is tolerable for the soldiers and civilians in Yanzhou who are used to the cold, but what is more difficult to deal with is the Beidi people who are short of food and clothing and are moving their troops southward.

Beidi had strong physique and was good at riding and shooting. When food is not abundant in winter, the elite of the whole clan will go south to burn, kill and plunder, and grab enough supplies for the winter.

Every winter, for yebei three states, is a tough battle.

This year, as the Empress Dowager's 60th birthday is approaching, Xiao Zhige was recalled to Yejing early. Yanzhou has only a deputy general in charge, which is the best opportunity for Beidi people who are extremely hostile and afraid of Xiao Zhige.

When an Changqing came back from the shop after reading the account, the light in his study was still on. Squinting at the past, I saw a fuzzy figure standing by the window. When he came near, he found that Xiao Zhige was standing on his back. He didn't know what he was thinking. He didn't even notice who was coming.

When an Changqing pushes the door in, Xiao Zhige turns around and sees the snow fall on his shoulder, frowning and brushing it away for him.

"Wang Fugui said that the Lord has not used the dinner yet?" An Changqing saw that the deeper the wrinkles between his eyebrows, he knew that he must have met some trouble.

"Well." Xiao Zhige didn't want him to worry about it. He just said, "I don't have any appetite at night."

"I didn't eat either. Would you like to have some with me?" An Changqing said with a smile.

Xiao Zhige obviously had no appetite, but he hesitated for a moment and nodded. An Changqing asked an Fu to pass on the meal. It's freezing outside. They don't stick to the rules, so they put some vegetables on the table and sit around the heater.

An Changqing gently blows a bowl of chicken soup and drinks half a bowl to warm his stomach. Seeing that he doesn't know how to eat, he can't help but ask, "is there something wrong with Yanzhou?"

"Well." Xiao Zhige didn't want to worry him, but after thinking about it, if he really wanted to go to Yanzhou, he couldn't hide it. He could only say: "the people of Beidi have been hateful to me for a long time. Now they know that I'm not in Yanzhou, and I happen to meet another severe winter that hasn't happened in a hundred years. They have gathered all the soldiers of Beidi to attack Yanzhou."

Yebei three states, Yanzhou in the middle, Liangzhou and Chenzhou on both sides of the arch, three states together into a line of defense. Nowadays, both Liangzhou and Chenzhou are in charge, but Yanzhou is not. Although there are Deputy generals and his cavalry regiment, there is still a supervising censor of the prince's party in the middle. If the Beidi people concentrated all their forces to attack, they might not be able to defend themselves against internal and external troubles.

Moreover, in such a cold winter, Liangzhou and Chenzhou are too busy to help themselves. Once Beidi people break through the city, not only Yanzhou people suffer, but also anqing emperor is bound to be held accountable for his years of business. The prince and the third son will be killed.

None of them is the result he wants to see.

An Changqing drooped her eyes and knew clearly in her heart: "Wang Ye is going to Yanzhou?"

Xiao Zhige said, "I have to go."

After saying this, his clenched hand loosened a little and looked at him with some regret.An Changqing, however, was not as dissatisfied as he thought. Instead, he restrained his expression and asked, "when will we start?"

"I see." An Changqing nodded, did not say more, just calm way: "then I pack for the Lord."

on this night, they still hugged and slept as usual. After learning that Xiao Zhige was going to Yanzhou, an Changqing didn't show any emotion from the beginning to the end, but when she went to sleep, she stuck tightly to his body and revealed a little bit of reluctance

although she closed her eyes, an Changqing did not fall asleep. He tried hard to recall the events of the last life. But found that this period of memory is too vague. At this time of last life, Xiao Zhige also went to Yanzhou. However, he did not know how to resist the enemy and whether he was in danger. At that time, he paid too little attention to Xiao Zhige. He only learned from the words of his servants that the battle was difficult, but he won in the end

there are constant internal and external troubles. Xiao Zhige has been in Yanzhou for three years since then, until emperor anqing suddenly fell ill and ordered him to return to Beijing, he returned to Yejing again

in Xiao Zhige's eyes, maybe this is just a farewell, but an Changqing's heart is full of reluctance. The two never separated from each other. Now suddenly mentioned the difference, he finally realized that the man sleeping on his side had quietly integrated into his life

just thinking about the days when there was no one to warm their hands and feet after parting, I felt that I was empty and missing a piece

* *

early the next morning, Xiao Zhige went to the palace to meet the emperor. He said that Yanzhou was in critical condition and asked him to return to Yanzhou to fight against Beidi

"Yanzhou is the first line of defense at the border. Once Yanzhou City is broken, Liangzhou and Chenzhou will not be able to rush for help. Then Beidi people can drive straight into Suzhou and move their troops to the south, and then to Yejing. The safety of Yejing is in danger. May the emperor be responsible for it? "

the prince was speechless by him. He was not good at marching and fighting, so he could only say: "why is the situation so urgent. Is the city of Yanzhou broken, and there is Suzhou behind it? Can't Shentu Xu keep it? Are our officers and men of Daye so incompetent that they can't even defeat the northern barbarians? "<

Xiao Zhige sneered: "why don't you go and ask old general Shentu first, can you guard or not?""Enough!" An Qingdi's face interrupted their argument. His face changed for a long time. He was afraid that the Beidi people would break Yanzhou City. The prince was young and never went to the battlefield, but he once went to the battlefield with the emperor. The ferocity of Beidi people is really frightening.

Three ordinary soldiers may not be able to beat a Beidi cavalry. Otherwise, Beidi would not have been a disaster for Daye for many years. For so many years, Daye has been a Xiao Zhige, who is more fierce than Beidi people.

After pondering for a long time, Emperor anqing finally waved his hand and said, "just go now. Only victory is allowed in this battle, not defeat! "

"Yes." Xiao Zhige knelt down to receive the order, then got up and went out of the city in the snow.