The autumn of the fifteenth year of Jianxing's reign has quickly come to an end.
It's the end of September in Guanzhong, and it's already starting to feel slightly cooler.
After the frost, every morning when you wake up, you will see a layer of white frost on the ground, which makes people wonder if it is about to freeze.
The trees isolated on the fields have either become bare, or they still have the last few yellow leaves that are swirling down.
In late autumn, the Guanzhong Plain looks vast, empty and beautiful.
The millet in the fields has been harvested, and many farmers in the fields under rotational cultivation are racing against time to seize the last moment to complete the sowing of winter wheat.
The government will not collect taxes this year, but families who have been allocated fields basically don't have to worry about this year's food rations.
Compared with the inspection in summer, the fields in late autumn were actually much hotter.
It can be seen from a distance that the farmers in the fields are very energetic.
If you get closer, you can even hear their occasional laughter.
The only regret is that there are still too few scenes in front of me.
Crossing the Weishui River and heading north, the fertile fields are now covered with withered grass and shrubs as far as the eye can see...
Fortunately, the quality of Qin Zhidao opened by Figure Maniac is good enough.
Walk along Qinzhidao and you can go all the way to Zhengguo Canal...
The place where Qin Zhidao and Zheng Guo Canal intersect has become a construction site at this time.
Even when the cold north wind blows, there are still many people wearing only linen shirts and working hard.
At the same time, there were many young men with tanned faces who stood up straight from time to time, or looked around to check something, or simply moved around.
When they walk around, you can see that they all have their trouser legs rolled up.
This is a unique characteristic of college students when they are working. Most of the non-academics taking exams are lifting their lower robes.
Cangtou Qianshou, on the other hand, does not have such good clothes at all.
At the end of the year, they may have a hard time getting a piece of new fabric to make new clothes, but they will not waste money enough to wear it to work.
Pei Xiu, who was dressed similar to a college student, stood on a high ground and looked out.
Holding a folder in his hand, he would lower his head and write and draw with a charcoal pen from time to time.
Pei Xiu, who was born in an aristocratic family, initially felt that the nondescript clothing worn by the college students was too indecent.
But after doing the work, I realized that this kind of dress is the clothes for working: simple and relaxed.
It smells really good after squeezing it for a while.
In the end, he simply asked his grandmother to make a few sets for him and wear them in rotation.
After both Hedong and Guanzhong settled down, the Pei family in Hedong asked around and learned that Pei Qian's most promising son had been dragged to work by King Feng Gui. They were really shocked and broke into a cold sweat.
The Hedong tragedy is still vivid in our minds.
At this time, the big people in Hedong were simply frightened.
Who dares to come forward and ask King Feng Gui for someone?
He is just a bastard. Even if Pei Qian thinks highly of this child, he can't take the Pei family to be buried with him, right?
Unexpectedly, later, news came that King Feng Gui seemed to be very optimistic about Pei Xiu.
This is incredible!
After repeatedly confirming that this rumor was highly credible, many people in the Pei family became inexplicably excited, and several elders in the family almost had a stroke from excitement.
As long as they hug Feng Junhou's thick leg, why should the Pei family be worried anymore?
It doesn't matter that Pei Qian is not here, but isn't there still a lot of maknae in the clan who are in charge?
So the Pei family sent people to Chang'an to find a way out.
But since the Han Dynasty regained Guanzhong, so many people have come to find Feng Junhou?
Not to mention the aristocratic families in Hedong. When they begged Feng Junhou to quell the civil unrest in Hedong, they often knelt and fished by the river.
There were too many people coming to the door, and it was a sensitive moment for the big man, so Feng Junhou, who was guarding Guanzhong, simply turned them away.
The Pei family did not dare to meet Pei Xiu in private. After going around and around, they finally found the Ma family in Fufeng County, Guanzhong.
Ma Teng was originally from Fufeng, and later he stationed troops in Huaili, Fufeng.
During this period, "Be prepared for the Hu bandits in the north, and the white cavalry in the east, waiting for the talents to be promoted, and saving the lives of the people with care. The three assistants are very peaceful and loving."
Therefore, he left a lot of trouble for the Ma family.
It's just that now the Ma family's clan is in Shu and not in Guanzhong.
The remaining Ma family in Guanzhong are just side branches and have long since declined.
Fortunately, the Zhao Ma family acted decisively in the early years and took a fancy to King Feng Gui's potential, secretly handing over all the remaining connections of the Ma family in Guanzhong.
After the Han Dynasty regained Guanzhong, these Ma family branches actively connected various families in Guanzhong and made considerable contributions. Therefore, the Ma family in Guanzhong regained some momentum.
As a wealthy family in Hedong, the Pei family originally looked down on the Ma family in Guanzhong who had fallen into disgrace.
Now that things are coming to an end, I just want to come to the door to build a good relationship. It has actually cost a lot of favors and a lot of time.
By the time they got through with each other, Feng Junhou was no longer in Chang'an and had gone to lead the army to inspect the counties in Bingzhou.
Secretary Zhang Da, who stayed behind in Chang'an, was naturally concerned about the disciples of the Feng family who could learn the true knowledge of his Alang.
After all, her son's surname is also Feng, so her son also has a share of Alang's knowledge.
Not to mention, the disciples that Alang accepts from his family will all call his sons junior brothers in the future.
How can we look down upon the disciples of the Feng clan?
King Feng Gui has not accepted any disciples for several years, but when he was in Hedong last year, he received a disciple from the Pei family.
Secretary Zhang Da even knew that his Alang wanted to take this person under his sect.
Therefore, facing the Pei family who came to ask for help, Secretary Zhang could not easily make any promise.
The reason is also very simple:
Pei Xiu's mother and son had said it themselves at the beginning. One of them was a lowly concubine and the other was a concubine. Not only were they not valued by the Pei family, they were also ostracized.
The only thing the Pei family could do was to send a few servants to Pei Xiu's residence to serve Pei Xiu's mother and son.
After Pei Xiu met the family members and heard about the incident in Chang'an, he felt bitter in his heart and could not express it.
Back when he was in the rebellion and saw the Hedong clan being bloodbathed with his own eyes, who dared to admit that he was valued by his family?
Okay now, just shoot yourself in the foot.
If it were an ordinary person, a member of the family, if they gave more money, food, and labor to the army, they would be able to escape from the sea of misery and return to their hometown in Hedong.
There are some people in the Unaffiliated Camp who were brought home by their family members just like this.
Unfortunately, Pei Xiu himself knew that things were no longer that simple after he was received by King Feng Gui.
Fortunately, the Pei family's original intention was not to take Pei Xiu back.
Besides, if Pei Xiuzhen wants to return to Hedong, the Pei family may not be happy.
So, Pei Xiu stayed in Guanzhong with the college students, and still had to travel around to study (and work).
The good news is that because he is not a prisoner, and he may become a disciple of Feng Junhou in the future, he has a special status.
Pei Xiu's mother was finally able to leave the Weijuan camp and have her own independent courtyard in Chang'an. Of course, the money to buy the courtyard came from the Pei family.
In this way, his grandmother was much better off than when she was in Hedong. Not only did she have servants to serve her, but she also didn't have to be bullied by his aunt.
Pei Xiu then no longer wanted to return to Hedong.
After all, as a concubine, no matter how much he is valued by his own adults, those legitimate sons and grandsons in the clan may not always look down upon him.
Besides, although I was a little tired from running around and working, I learned a lot.
Especially in terms of making maps, the students under King Feng Gui have real skills.
Pei Xiu couldn't stop learning about the knowledge of geography that he had never heard before.
It's like rebuilding the Zhengguo Canal. Wherever the water passes, there are mountains, swamps, water and tombs.
In addition, hundreds of years have passed since the Qin Dynasty, and the geography has changed greatly.
In some places, whether it is necessary to change the route, where to change it, and how to change it are all big questions.
The bamboo whistle gradually sounded, and someone shouted:
"Pei Langjun, come down for dinner!"
"coming!"
Pei Xiu, who was standing on the high ground to check the surrounding geographical environment, responded loudly.
Then he closed the folder in his hand and checked whether the trouser legs were tied properly.
Then he started to trot down to the high ground.
This is a wasteland. No one has cultivated it for many years. It is full of weeds and weeds, and there are many insects hidden there. Being bitten is no joke.
When we got to the dining area, we washed our hands with soap first.
At this point, even a man from a wealthy family like Pei Xiu felt luxurious. After washing, he secretly reached under his nose and smelled it.
It has a refreshing smell that makes people feel relaxed and happy.
Of course, washing hands with soap is the privilege of college students and not others.
Others only use water soaked in willow branches or soap locust to wash their hands.
As for those civilian laborers, it would be nice to have clean water.
The staple food includes noodles, steamed buns, and millet.
But most people choose pasta.
Every three or four days, you can still have a bowl of white rice.
Served with pickles, a small piece of dried meat, and a piece of salted fish, it’s so delicious!
But this is also the privilege of students.
Most people only have rice and pickles, and salted fish only the next day.
Folks can only eat salted fish every three days.
Yuexun's specialty salted fish has been in short supply over the years.
The workers were starving. Pei Xiu had just picked up the food and prepared to feast when he suddenly heard someone shouting outside:
"Pei Langjun, your family has sent someone to see you!"
The students around them who were eating heavily looked up, and some even said "oh".
It's good to have family in Guanzhong.
However, some people deliberately made noises out of envy and jealousy.
After all, we are all young men who come out to work alone when they are passionate.
My family only sends people over to visit once in a while.
But if you send someone over often, it will inevitably make people think that this person is a little too dependent on his family.
Before King Feng Gui officially accepted Pei Xiu as his disciple, his identity was already somewhat embarrassing among the students.
If coupled with the fact that family members come to visit from time to time, it makes him even more unable to integrate into the students.
Pei Xiu didn't look at the people around her, but sighed in her heart:
Didn’t you tell the people who came here last time to ask my mother not to send anyone over again? Why are you here again?
"Thank you very much, may I ask where my family members are?"
"there."
The visitor pointed to several people standing not far away.
Pei Xiu thanked them again and walked towards them.
As I got closer, I realized that one of them was wearing a cloak, as if he didn't want others to see his true face.
Before Pei Xiu could stand still, the man suddenly took a few steps forward.
Pei Xiu was startled and stopped in her tracks.
"Xiu'er!"
The man shouted tremblingly.
When Pei Xiu heard this voice, her body suddenly trembled, and her forehead suddenly rumbling.
He stared at the person in front of him in disbelief and cried out in disbelief: "Sir..."
The visitor lifted up his cloak, revealing an already somewhat old face.
If there were any important ministers of the Wei State here, they would definitely find that this person was none other than Shangshu Ling Pei Qian, who had disappeared for nearly a year.
"Sir, how could you, how could you be here?"
If it is said that Pei Xiu is not very fond of some people in the clan, his feelings for his own adults are real.
Because even though he is a concubine, he regards himself more seriously than his legitimate son. He even said that one day, he would inherit his title.
Pei Xiu looked around nervously, and her face suddenly turned pale.
This place is under the rule of King Feng Gui, and your Excellency is the Minister of the State of Wei.
"Sir, it's not a good time to stay here for a long time!"
Pei Xiu grabbed Pei Qian's hand tightly, lowered her voice and spoke urgently.
Pei Qian smiled happily and patted his son's hand:
"Don't panic, since I came here, I already had a plan."
Pei Xiu's eyes widened: "What do you mean, sir?"
"I have contacted your second uncle, and he will be coming to Guanzhong soon."
"Second uncle?"
"He is my father's second brother who was separated in Shu many years ago. He is also your second uncle."
Only then did Pei Xiu remember that he did have a second uncle.
I heard that when the second uncle was more than ten years old, he sent his brother-in-law to Shu to serve as the governor of Shu. Unexpectedly, there was a great chaos in the world, so he stayed in Shu.
With the help of his second uncle and brother-in-law, he became an official of the Han Dynasty at an early age.
Pei Qian was the head of the Pei family in Hedong, and he was originally the minister of Wei.
The second brother Pei Jun served as an official in the Han State, and the third brother Pei Hui also served in the Wei State.
"Then the Lord will come back this time..." Pei Xiu paused, having some guesses in his mind, but he didn't know how to express them.
He finally changed his mind and asked, "Aren't you in Wei State? Why are you here?"
Pei Qian sighed:
"It's a long story. In the Battle of Guanzhong, Wei lost its annexed state of Yongzhou, Luoyang was shaken, and the Emperor of Wei fled."
As he spoke, he shook his head with a wry smile:
"The people of Wei throughout the country are shaken. The king does not trust his ministers, and the ministers are not loyal to the king. It is like a ruined country."
"Under such circumstances, Emperor Wei asked me to serve as Shangshu Ling. He just wanted to use my name as the Pei family in Hedong to win over the people of Hedong."
When the Wei State lost Xiping County, the concubine Guo who was favored by Emperor Wei came from the Guo family, a wealthy family in Xiping.
During the Battle of Xiaoguan, King Feng Gui's way to the rear was cut off, and rumors spread. The Guo family in Xiping County took the opportunity to stage an uprising in the rear, and was massacred as a result.
Because this incident happened in the distant Liangzhou, few people know about it.
But as Pei Qian is a minister, how could he not know this?
He could see the purpose of Cao Rui's hasty appointment of him as Shangshu Ling at a glance.
In addition, Pei Qian was heartbroken when he learned about the brutal civil unrest in Hedong and the fact that Pei Xiu's mother and son were lost to the rebels.
In the end, Cao Rui suddenly died of illness, and the state of Wei was in chaos.
Under this situation, Pei Qian had already seen that in the dispute between Han and Wei, Han had already gained the upper hand.
It’s okay that the Wei State was at a disadvantage, but it actually showed signs of internal division, and yet it chose to appoint a five-year-old child as emperor. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it was a sign of the country’s subjugation.
So how could he be in the mood to win over the hearts and minds of the people in Hedong for Wei?
So he simply took advantage of the chaos to flee Wei and returned to Hedong.
In the past, the Pei family focused heavily on suppressing the Wei state, but now the world is different.
Although he has a second brother in the Han Dynasty, he has no real power.
It would be better for me, the head of the family, to come back and personally preside over how the Pei family should submit to the Han Dynasty.
Anyway, if the rumors are true, his son happens to be favored by King Feng Gui.
Pei Qian came here this time, firstly to see his son, and secondly, to confirm the authenticity of this rumor to his son.