Chapter 43: Slave (I)

It's dawn!

In the early morning, it started to rain, and it was still stopped until dawn.

The fields are shrouded in a misty rain and fog. The early spring rain hits the land, stimulating the fragrance hidden deep in the cold winter and deep in the soil. It is a bit fishy and refreshing. The vitality that bursts out from the depths of the earth is energetic.

Liu Kan got up early, punched a fist in the courtyard, practiced martial arts for a while, thinking in his mind whether he should prepare some equipment? Nowadays, the First Emperor prohibited the civilian copper and iron weapons. It is generally impossible for ordinary people to have weapons and equipment in their homes.

Liu Kan's condition was better. Because there was a Wushan sword that Zhao Tuo gave him at home, the red flag was not discovered.

However, these are small things, and you will not delay your preparations in the future. The most urgent task is to find Ren Xiao to confirm the title he created. So, just after the Mao hour, Liu Kan said to his mother, picked up a bamboo stick (sound deng, a sound flat), walked out of the house slowly, and walked along the path in the fields with light steps towards Pei County.

Bamboo crest is the predecessor of later umbrellas.

It is said that it was invented and created by Master Luban and has been in many years.

Pei County is about half an hour away from Liu Kan's home. Liu Kan was not in a hurry, enjoying the scenery along the way and walking slowly.

The Qin Dynasty wind is very fresh and comfortable.

The row of green willows beside the road, dancing gracefully with the early spring breeze, showing an extraordinary style.

Liu Kan has not yet carefully appreciated the scenery of the Qin Dynasty. After coming to this era, he seems to be running around and turbulent, and has not had a moment of stability. Now, with a normal mentality to appreciate the beautiful scenery of the fields in the early spring, Liu Kan feels that this trip is not allowed.

The walls of the East City of Pei County have been repaired.

The city wall made of rammed earth is only more than two meters high, but it is much better than the previous broken appearance. Now, the prisoners in Pei County are repairing the west city wall. When Liu Kan enters the city, he must pass by, so he went over and took a look.

The former friends, under the supervision of Ren Ao, were working at the haunting raindrops.

"A Kan, why are you here?"

When Ren Ao saw Liu Kan, he showed a surprised expression. Obviously, in Ren Ao's opinion, Liu Kan must have a good rest now that he has returned home. But he ran here early in the morning. So he quickly came forward and talked to Liu Kan with a smile.

"Oh, I'm going to visit the county magistrate later, and come and see everyone... Brother Ren, why are there so few people today? And there are many new faces."

Ren Ao turned his head and looked at the prisoners who were punishing him and smiled, "I received a temporary order last night that all young and strong prisoners were taken to the prime minister overnight. Then, another group of prisoners came, most of whom were old, weak, sick and disabled, and had no power to tie a chicken to be punished for hard labor."

Transferred? No wonder many familiar faces can't be seen!

"Brother Ren, have you only transferred the people here?"

Ren Aoyi frowned and thought for a while and said, "That's not... Last night, Lao Cao and the Qin generals who were escorting him. It is said that it was Dang County, Sishui County... Anyway, with Sishui County as the center, the prisoners of the three surrounding counties also requested to be taken to Xiang County within ten days."

This is a big move...

Liu Kan was pondering, but suddenly a riot came from his ears.

Turning his head to look, I saw a man with gray hair, looking like a scholar, lying in the mud, struggling to get up.

Several prisoners around rushed over to help.

When Ren Ao saw this, he immediately ran over, drew out his sword, and shouted sternly: "Whatever you do, what are you doing? Go to work quickly, don't be lazy here... Mr. Cheng, Mr. Cheng... What's going on with him? Well, why did he become like this all at once?"

Liu Kan ran over with Ren Ao and squatted down to take the man's pulse.

Looking at the face, how come his hair turned white like this when he was only about forty years old? Moreover, Ren Ao's name for this person is quite interesting. Mr., he actually called this person a gentleman? You know, this scholar is just a prisoner, how can he get the word "Mr."?

"Brother Ren, I'm hungry!"

Liu Kan quickly confirmed the scholar's situation.

A prisoner said: "Sir, we were sent to Xiangxian the day before yesterday. But before we could catch our breath, we were sent here immediately. It's not that we don't want to work hard, but we really don't have the strength... It's been two days, and we have only had two meals of porridge in total."

Ren Ao frowned when he heard this.

When these people arrived in Pei County yesterday, it was already very late.

According to the rules of Pei County prison, there are two meals in the morning and two meals in the evening. Now, it is only the hour of Mao.

"You take care of him first, and you must report this to the county magistrate."

As Ren Ao spoke, he called a prison guard and asked him to help take care of the place. Then he said to Liu Kan: "A Kan, let's enter the city together."

Liu Kan thought for a while, waved to a prisoner and handed him the bamboo crane in his hand.

"Please support him... He is not very healthy. If the rain is damaged, he might lose his life. Brother Ren, let's go."

No matter how grateful the prisoner looked at him, Liu Kan was secretly grateful in his heart.

One day, only one day earlier!

If I were one day late, I might have been taken to Xiang County. There would definitely be a big move to mobilize young and strong prisoners on such a large scale.

"Where did these people come from?"

"It is said that I came from Qu (sound ju, second voice) and was originally going to escort Sanchuan County, because the prisoners here were transferred away, so the county magistrate asked the county magistrate to bring them over... But you also saw that they were all powerless and could not do any heavy work at all. Xiang County was a bit too much, and he didn't even give them food when he came here."

Liu Kan asked in surprise: "Where is this Qunin (now northeastern part of Chongqing)?"

Ren Ao scratched his head and smiled and said, "Akan, you really asked me. The farthest thing in my life is to Pengcheng, so how could I know where it is? But Lao Cao told me that it seemed to be in the southwest. I don't know what the specific location is... Haha, it seems that it is quite far from us, and these guys have been walking for more than fifty days."

That's really far away!

Liu Kan thought about it, but in my memory, there was no concept of Qunin at all.

He shook his head and asked again, "Who was that person just now? From your tone just now, he seemed to respect him very much."

"That white hair!" Ren Ao smiled and said, "That man is named Cheng Miao, who seems to be an old Qin man. He was originally a prison officer in Qunin like me. But he is better than me. I am a private hired by the county magistrate, but he is an official sent by the emperor."

That is to say, this Qunin was probably incorporated into the rule of Qin before the six kingdoms were pacified?

Liu Kan thought about it again and roughly understood the location of Qunin. It must be in a city around Bashu.

"Then why...

Ren Ao said: "Who knows? He was suddenly thrown into the prison. I heard from the prisoners that this guy was so sensual that when he was in the Qunin Prison, he looked for people to read books all day long, and he still made a gesture and didn't know what he was doing. However, the prisoners respected him very much, and Mr. Cheng, who spoke silently. I just shouted with others."

"You mean, this person is literate?"

"More than that, I heard that my knowledge is very profound."

The two of them were talking while walking.

Before I knew it, I had arrived at the gate of the official office. I was about to meet Xiao He walking out and saw Ren Ao and Liu Kan being together, and I was slightly stunned.

"A Kan, you are here!"

"Mr. Xiao!" Liu Kan bowed slightly, but Xiao He quickly flew away. In the past, he could accept Liu Kan's gift openly. But now, he dared not. Although Xiao He was respected as Mr., he was still a civilian after all.

And Liu Kan has now become a "scholar" recognized by the Qin Dynasty government.

A 'sage' salute to the common people violates the laws of the Qin Dynasty. Liu Kan will be fine, but Xiao He can't bear it.

"A Kan, don't harm me!"

After Xiao He made way out, he said with a smile: "If the county magistrate knows this, I will be punished at the least. You have already made the best. Don't salute to others in the future. It is not in line with the law and your status is not very consistent with your status."

Liu Kan smiled, "I am a master of making wine. Don't laugh at me. Mr. Xiao. Mr. Xiao is the best in Pei County. Liu Kan's gift is not for anything else, but for his knowledge and his character."

Although Xiao He didn't show anything on his face, a hint of pride flashed in his eyes.

"A Kan, are you here to find the county magistrate?"

“That’s right!”

"Then you go straight... Sir, it's okay now. If you were a little later, you might be. Ren Ao, if you don't supervise the worker in Xicheng, why are you going to do here?" Xiao He said to Liu Kan and looked at Ren Ao in surprise.

Ren Ao quickly told the situation, and Xiao He thought for a while, "I'll deal with this matter. Let those people stop working and go back to prison first. I'll go and talk to someone. Chen Shi's prison rice was changed to coarse millet and dried food... Well, that meal was the same for the evening."

Xiao He is the chief official and is responsible for these sporadic and trivial matters.

Ren Ao agreed, said goodbye to Liu Kan, and left in a hurry. Xiao He didn't have time to greet Liu Kan again, and trotted away.

Standing in front of the gate of the official office, Liu Kan laughed silently.

Everyone is very busy... It seems that I can't be too leisurely!
Chapter completed!