Muna Mountain is about a hundred miles east of Fengzhou City and belongs to the remnants of the Yinshan Mountains. The mountains are rich in good materials, which can be used for construction. The Fengzhou government set up a fort in the south of the mountain and the north of the water, named Linhe Fort, to gather people for production.
At the same time, there is also a garrison under the Tiande Army to guard the area.
As a sinner in Liubian, Xu Xuan enjoyed the treatment of "second exile" after arriving in Fengzhou. He could not even live in the castle. At first, he could only use the sky and the earth as a hut, grass and trees as a mat, and be with nature.
It has to be said that the same person was sentenced to exile, but because Emperor Liu personally ordered it, the local officials who supervised him would inevitably have some special care. Not to mention preferential treatment, he was lucky to not deliberately mistreat him.
Xu Xuan was a great literary man, well-known in the south, but in the Central Plains and in the north, he was much weaker. When he was reduced to Fengzhou and other frontier areas, no one took him seriously. On the contrary, he could not carry it with his shoulders or his hands.
Mention, not to mention farming, animal husbandry and production. To most of the frontier people, they are considered useless and would not even look up to them.
Of course, compared to others, Xu Hyun is lucky, at least he is still alive...
At the beginning, there were more than ten surrendered ministers of the Southern Tang Dynasty who were demoted along with Xu Xuan. These people were separated and flowed to different places all over the world. They were not even given the opportunity to hug together for warmth.
However, not everyone, like Xu Xuan, is able to survive until now. Some people even couldn't bear the suffering during the exile and died, not to mention the hardships after they arrived.
As for Xu Xuan, after Feng Guang took office, he no longer suffered the humiliation of the officials. In addition, where he lived, he received help from several families of herdsmen. Otherwise, this generation of literary masters would have died long ago in the north of the Great Wall.
With the mountains at the back, a fence and a tent surrounding it, this is where Xu Xuan is staying now. There are not many things, but the layout is chaotic and messy, and it is obviously not tidy up. Under the increasingly cold north wind, it looks even more desolate.
The sound of horse hooves was not obvious under the howling of the north wind. It was not until a high-pitched neighing sound was heard that Xu Xuan was alarmed in the tent. What came to the door was a young man wearing a felt hat and wrapped in a sheepskin. He dismounted and tied the reins.
, shouting "Sir" in the court tent.
While shouting, he was also unloading things from the horse. After hearing the movement outside, Xu Xuan opened the tent and leaned out. When he saw the young man, a smile appeared on his face: "Zhao Cai, you
coming!"
The young man replied with a simple smile. He was strong and able to carry a bunch of things on his shoulders without much trouble.
"My father asked me to bring this sheepskin to my husband, as well as some firewood, salt, and a pot of gunpowder. In addition, there is a fire sickle. Dad bought it at Linhe Fort. It is easier to make a fire. He also asked me to give it to you.
Send me a copy. I know you like tea, and I also have a small bag of tea...
"Thank you for your hard work!" Xu Xuan's hands and feet seemed to be relatively neat. He hurried forward and said, "Put your things down first! It's cold outside. Let's talk inside the tent to avoid the wind and cold!"
"good!"
The two of them worked together to quickly put away the things they had brought. Among them, some were entrusted by Xu Xuan to purchase, and some were gifts. In the early years, Xu Xuan would have reservedly said that the poor were not allowed to eat, but he had endured it.
After suffering from hunger and cold, his scholar-official dignity and respectability had long been peeled off and trampled into the mud. Over the years, he had received a lot of help from the surrounding herdsmen, especially the young Zhao Cai's family.
Although the young man's surname is Zhao, he is not a Han, but a Dangxiang. In recent years, among the various tribes and tribes that have submitted to the Han Dynasty, there has inevitably been a wave of name change. This is also the most obvious feature of Sinicization.
In Fengzhou, more than 80% of the population are of foreign races, with the majority of them being Dangxiang people, followed by the Khitans, and finally the Han people and other miscellaneous people. Among them, the Han people have the highest social status.
They are the Dangxiang people. In terms of relationships, the Han people and the Dangxiang people get along most harmoniously.
The reason why Zhao Caijia was willing to help Xu Xuan was not just because he was kind-hearted and willing to help others, but because he was literate and knowledgeable, and he knew a lot and could teach the three sons of the Zhao family. People like Zhao Caijia were active members of Sinicization.
Already.
Xu Xuan is now fifty-four years old. He has suffered from the hardships of frontier life. He looks extremely old, with gray spots on his eyebrows and temples, as if he has been stained by a layer of wind and snow.
"The water is cold. You sit down for a moment, and I'll light a fire and make a pot of hot tea!" Xu Xuan was a little embarrassed, carrying a kettle.
"Sir, sit down! I'll do it!" Seeing that Xu Xuan was about to move, the young man stopped Xu Xuan and took the initiative to take over the work. When he went to the stove, he used the fire sickle he brought to light a fire. This was also a demonstration for Xu Xuan. This thing used to be used in Fengzhou.
I haven't used it much and it's a new gadget.
"In the past, my limbs were inactive and I couldn't distinguish between grains. If it weren't for your help, I would have been buried in this field!" Looking at the enthusiastic young man, Xu Xuan couldn't help but feel moved and sighed.
"Sir is a learned man, so naturally he can't do these heavy tasks!" Zhao Cai quickly lit the fire, added some charcoal, and the old and the young gathered around the stove to keep warm and talk.
Looking at Zhao Cai, Xu Xuan asked: "Look at the time, the government is going to collect the autumn tax!"
"It has been paid in advance!" Zhao Cai said directly.
Xu Xuan was a little surprised and asked: "According to the Han Dynasty's adult system, the deadline for autumn tax every year is November 1st. Why is it so early this year?"
"The tax collector in the fort said that the emperor was going to visit Fengzhou, and the whole state was going to welcome him, so he went ahead of schedule!" Zhao Cai explained: "For this reason, each of our families turned in an extra sheepskin!"
"The emperor has arrived in Fengzhou?" Xu Xuan couldn't help but be surprised. The place where he stayed was a bit remote and the news flow was not smooth. If the young man hadn't mentioned it, he would have been completely unaware.
"Yes!" The young man's eyes were full of longing: "It must have happened two days ago. When my father went to Linhe Fort, he saw it. It is said that there were many people, with carriages and horses stretching for miles, all wearing gorgeous clothes...
...It’s a pity that I couldn’t go with you!”
"The emperor of the Han Dynasty actually walked in such remote wilderness and bitter cold!" Xu Xuan sighed, but frowned and said: "The emperor visits Daozhou and often has strict orders prohibiting local contributions. How can I ask you to pay more fur goods?"
"That's what the tax collector said!" Zhao Cai responded, and said expectantly: "I don't know if the emperor will use my sheepskins!"
Seeing this, Xu Xuan couldn't help but shook his head and sighed: "Maybe!"
"Sir, you are a man of great knowledge. Have you ever met the emperor?" Zhao Cai asked curiously.
"I've seen it before!" This question reminded Xu Xuan of the past, and he said with a slightly depressed mood.
"Really!" Zhao Cai said in surprise: "Can you tell me what the emperor looks like? Is he like a god, able to exhale into clouds, sweat into rain, and sound like thunder..."
Xu Xuan smiled and said: "I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you. The emperor is just like us. He is a human being. He has a pair of eyes, a pair of ears, a mouth and a nose. There is nothing special about him!"
The young man's face clearly showed an expression of disbelief: "That's not what the rumors say!"
"However, the appearance is indeed that of an ordinary person, but the Emperor of the Han Dynasty may be a living god..." Xu Xuan said again.
After hearing this, the young man was satisfied. His face looked like this, and he said: "I don't know if I am lucky enough to see the emperor."
"Since the emperor is visiting Fengzhou, he will visit the city. If you go there, you may be able to see it!" Xu Xuan said.
"It's too far!" Zhao Cai couldn't help but shook his head and said regretfully: "I don't know the way either, and dad won't let me go!"
"Sir, I just saw that the pen is leaky, and the sheep are already wailing. We should add some cover to prevent them from freezing to death!" The young man reminded him, "I will bring my two younger brothers to help in two days."
Bar!"
"You are interested!" Xu Xuan nodded: "By the way, when you go home later, take one back with you!"
Zhao Cai waved his hands repeatedly to express his refusal.
An old man and a young man talked for a long time and had a lot of fun. Xu Xuan had little communication with the outside world in this place. Although he did not have the charm of talking and laughing in the past, talking to this young man made him feel more simple and sincere.
"We're getting married soon!" Xu Xuan asked gently as he looked at Zhao Cai.
The young man was a little embarrassed, but his eyes were obviously interested, and he said happily: "It's almost! Dad said that when my errand is completed, the marriage will be decided!"
"What's the errand?" Xu Xuan asked with concern.
"Prepare to be a postman!" Zhao Cai said: "There are many people vying for this position, but they can't compare to me. They are all illiterate. I have to thank my husband for his education in the past few years!"
"Postman is a good job!" After hearing this, Xu Xuan said: "Being a postman can go to the city, and even leave Fengzhou and go to other places to see the world outside...
"
"Sir, with your talent and learning, why don't you go to a school in the state?" Zhao Cai suddenly asked curiously.
Xu Xuan said in a self-deprecating tone: "Not to mention my sinful body, I can only teach some fallacies. Even if I intend to, the officials in the state will not dare to use me...