"Of course!" Zhenyu looked at him strangely and said, "Since you have come to our Miao family, how come you don't know the customs of our Miao family at all? All the Miao villages in Shibawu, Jiuxiang, are
When it comes to raising snakes, our Miao family is inseparable from snakes, they just have different uses."
And Gu.
Zhenyu added something in his mind, but did not say it out loud. Everyone knew that there were snakes in the Miao village, but few knew about the poison. Because the poison is a secret that is not passed down in the Miao village. It is passed from mother to daughter, not from daughter to man.
Yes, even the men from the Miao village are not qualified to know. Li Mu, a son of the Han family, naturally is not qualified either.
"Oh?" Li Mu asked curiously, "What's the difference?"
"You really don't know anything." Zhenyu shook his head and explained to Li Mu: "Snakes are poisonous, you know? But snakes are also used as medicinal materials, did you know?"
Li Mu nodded and said, "I know this. Snake gallbladder cures diseases and snake wine nourishes."
"I really know," Zhen Yu glanced at Li Mu in surprise, and added: "Snake skin can also be used for clothes and shoes, and the meat can also be eaten. In short, the snake's whole body is a treasure. But in our Miao Village, the use of snakes is
But it's not the same. We Bai Miao mainly use snakes to treat diseases, but Wumiao are good at using snake venom."
"poison?"
"Well." Zhenyu continued: "Wumiao not only always carries poisonous snakes with him, but also makes various snake venoms to carry with him. You are lucky enough to meet me. If I meet a Wu Miao, I will poison you to death.
No."
"Didn't you say that Wu Miao is close to the Han family?"
"Being close doesn't mean that I am with you. It just follows your example. The Miao family will always be the Miao family, and the Han family will always be the Han family. No matter how we fight, it is our own business, do you understand?
?”
"Oh oh oh," Li Mu nodded quickly, and that was indeed the case.
Perhaps because he was familiar with Li Mu, Zhenyu lowered his guard and said a few more words: "I'm going to catch up with Ruosuo this time. In addition to attending the Miao village meeting for my father, I also have to give the medicine that my father has prepared to the saint."
Send it. The saint is going to give birth to a baby, which is a big event for our Miao village."
middle!
Li Mu was elated and said hurriedly: "Did your saintess just return to the Holy Mountain not long ago? Well, only two or three months? Is her surname Wang and particularly beautiful?"
Zhen Yu frowned, stared at Li Mu, and said: "Our saint has indeed returned not long ago, and she is very beautiful. But I don't know her last name. Why do you care so much about our saint?"
The person you are looking for is not our saint, right?"
"Yes!" Li Mu said excitedly: "There was some misunderstanding between us. She left me without saying goodbye. I came to see her this time just to clear up the misunderstanding and take her away. I know you don't believe it.
As for me, how about you take me to find her? As long as you see her face, you will understand everything!"
"Oh?" Zhenyu looked at Li Mu strangely and fell silent. Li Mu was waiting for her to reply. What's wrong with being silent? Li Mu said anxiously: "Why don't you tell me where she is, and I'll find it myself.
That’s okay!”
"You..." Zhenyu stretched out his hand, touched Li Mu's forehead, and said: "Your head is not hot or cold, so why are you talking nonsense? And you are involved with our saint, press
You say so, the child in our saint's belly is yours?"
"Yes, it's mine!"
"Forget it, I think you are sick." Zhenyu took off his bag, took out a cloth bag, and opened two more black pills inside; "Hey, take one of this to relieve the miasma. Lin Zi
There will be some miasma in the air sooner or later. You must be suffering from miasma and hallucinating. It's okay. Just eat it and you'll be fine."
"What the hell!" Li Mu pushed Zhen Yu's hand away and said, "I'm not lying to you. What I said is true. Didn't I tell you? If you don't believe it, take me to see her.
Let her tell you in person."
"It's impossible for you to see the saint." Zhenyu had already regarded Li Mu as a patient, and said patiently: "Didn't I tell you that the Han family is not allowed to enter the holy mountain. Also, I want to
Let me tell you, the saint has nothing to do with you at all. Because the saint has a husband, and her husband is our leader. Her child cannot be yours, but our leader's!"
"Bah!" Li Mu jumped to his feet and cursed: "If I say it's mine, it's mine. The leader you are talking about is called Cui Yuzheng, right? I don't look down on him. Is his stuff good?"
"Why are you talking so vulgarly?" Zhen Yu blushed in embarrassment, glared at Li Mu fiercely, and said, "I don't recognize Cui Yuzheng you are talking about. I don't know the name of our leader either.
Anyway, I tell you, be careful what you say. If Wu Miao hears you talking about the leader like this, he will definitely let a poisonous snake bite you."
"Huh!" Li Mu just wanted to say that he was not afraid, but then he thought about it. He had no systematic help now, and if he was really bitten, he might not be able to withstand it, so he stopped talking nonsense. After being bored for a while, Li Mu said: "
Xue Yu, I won’t embarrass you. Let’s just take me to the market you mentioned and we’ll separate. I’ll just figure it out myself.”
"Oh, no matter what, you won't listen to me." Seeing that he had made up his mind, Zhenyu stopped trying to persuade him. Anyway, he would definitely not be able to enter the Holy Mountain. He should hurry up and do the work, and when he comes back, he would
Just take him away and send him across the river.
After making up her mind, Zhenyu nodded and said: "Okay, then I will take you to the market. You can think of a way by yourself. If you can't think of a way, just wait for me there. When I go back, I will take you to the market."
Just send it to the other side."
"Thank you, I will definitely repay you."
"Are you talking about building a bridge again?" Zhen Yu was angry and funny: "Okay, do you understand? You are not a bad person, you just like to talk big."
Li Mu didn't bother to explain. It was all in vain anyway, so he might as well save his words. When he saw Wang Ou, everything would be revealed.
…
The sun turned west, and the two finally arrived at the market Zhen Yu mentioned. Li Mu also found out on the way that the place where he was now was called "Xingwen County". Of course, this was just the name of the court. The Miao family did not call it that.
, the Miao people call this place Wangchuanwu. Wangchuanwu is one of the so-called Eighteen Wus in Jiuxiang. It is also the closest to the Minjiang River and the most peripheral 'wu' of the Miao Village.
Normally, there are no inns in Miao villages, but this market does. Because this market is actually the market of the imperial court. After the Tang Dynasty frustrated the Miao people's attempt to become self-reliant, the imperial court took over the place. Although it was demolished
The bridge did not allow the Miao people to cross the Minjiang River, but it could not really leave the Miao people without any trade. In order to facilitate the Miao people, the court stepped in and established a market at the junction of Shibawu in Jiuxiang.
During the period, when you have something to trade, you can come to this market. It can be regarded as one of the few good governance done by the Tang Dynasty court for the Miao people.
However, there are policies from above and countermeasures from below. The imperial court’s ideas are one thing, and how far they can actually be implemented is another matter. In the first few years, these markets did indeed operate according to the imperial court’s ideas.
But a few years later, especially the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Li Shimin had just ascended the throne, and the Central Plains was still unstable, let alone the Miao border. The officials of Xuzhou, large and small, relied on the sky to be high and the emperor to be far away, so their work changed a bit.
Already.
Originally, the court's rule was that the market was exempt from taxes. The function of the city order was to manage the market so that there would be no problems such as fights and shortfalls. The monthly salary would be paid by the court. But in the past few years, the situation has changed drastically. Not only
Taxes began to be levied, and they were heavy taxes. For all transactions in the market, not only the goods had to be taxed, but also a penny of "head tax" was required to enter the market. Without payment, no transaction was allowed.
If trading is not allowed, then don’t trade. Isn’t it okay if you don’t come to the market?
No way! Officials have set up roadblocks between various Miao villages. If anyone crosses the market and trades privately, he will be severely punished and even whipped if he is caught!
The Miao villages had no choice but to accept the heavy taxes imposed by the market, which made them miserable.
Zhenyu told Li Mu these things when they were chatting on the road. She said these just to complain. But Li Mu sounded different.
He finally understood why Li Shimin mentioned to him that the Miao territory was unstable and that there might be unrest. If what Zhenyu said was true, he was a Miao people and wanted to rebel. But what he heard from Li Shimin
At that time, he didn't seem to hear this. Zhenyu didn't know his identity and had no reason to lie. As the emperor, Li Shimin had no reason to lie. Then there can only be one reason for the problem, and that is that someone deceived the superiors and deceived the subordinates deliberately.
Made!
While they were oppressing the Miao people, they also told the court that the Miao people were wrong. They gave the court the impression that the Miao people had been suppressing the feeling of rebellion. Of course, the court did not want to see the Miao people rebel, so it would treat local officials even more harshly.
Support pensions. With the support of the imperial court, officials became even more harsh on the Miao people.
As for the Miao people, they only think that the tyranny of officials is the meaning of the imperial court. The misunderstanding of the imperial court is even deeper. If this vicious cycle continues, it may be possible that one day the string will snap and turmoil will really break out.
It seems that hearing is still deceptive and seeing is believing.
Li Mu kept this matter in mind and planned to talk about it carefully when he saw Li Shimin when he went back. But before he could talk about it, he had to see it with his own eyes, otherwise Zhen Yu's words alone would not be enough.
I think so.
"Dad Ada, I'm coming!"
Zhenyu took Li Mu to the door of an inn without a sign and shouted inside. Soon, a dark and thin old man came out. Seeing Zhenyu, he was very happy and said enthusiastically: "Little girl, this year
Why are you here alone? Where is your father? That old guy can't move, right?"
"Oh, my father is very strong. He just had an accident." The old man said her father, and Zhenyu was not angry. It was obvious that they were very familiar with each other: "Ada, Dad, you can help me open two rooms, and also
There is a friend."
"Friend?" Father Ada discovered Li Mu's existence at this moment. Seeing that he was dressed as a Han man, he frowned. He pulled Zhenyu aside and asked, "Silly girl, why are you with the Han boy?"
, what is the relationship between you two, does your father know?"
"Oh, Dad Ada!" Zhenyu said coquettishly: "We have nothing to do with each other. When I was crossing the river, I saw him floating in the river and rescued him. He didn't go out, so he followed me and waited.
I'm sending him back."
"Is it that simple?" Dad Ada obviously didn't believe it. He looked Li Mu up and down and said to Zhenyu: "Silly girl, look at the clothes he is wearing. They are silk and satin. Even our city officials here can't afford them.
Such clothes. This is definitely not an ordinary person. If you mingle with him, be careful of something happening."
"What could possibly happen? He's just a rich kid at most. I don't want anything from him, and besides, he," Zhenyu pointed to his head and said, "There's something wrong with my brain, I have to say..." The words came to her lips.
At the same time, Zhenyu held it back again. She still couldn't talk nonsense when it came to the Saint. Moreover, the Ada father in front of him was a black man, and he was very loyal to the Saint. If he knew that Li Mu was talking such nonsense
, it is really possible to throw a poisonous snake under his bed in the middle of the night.
"Oh, it's nothing. Dad Ada, hurry up and prepare a room for us. I'm going to be exhausted."
"You're so active, and I don't think you're tired at all." Dad Ada said, then looked at Li Mu, and stretched out his hand: "This guest, Zhenyu, is my niece. She doesn't charge for staying in the hotel. You can stay here
The shop charges money, ten cents a day for two meals."
Ten cents!
Li Mu couldn't believe his ears, how could it be so cheap? For ten cents in Chang'an City, you can't even get a meal of soup cakes. You can actually stay here for a day and have two meals!
Li Mu took out a silver ingot from his arms and put it in Dad Ada's hand: "If you have anything delicious, just come up."
Dad Ada guessed that Li Mu was rich, but he didn't expect that he was so rich. Five taels of gold ingot, which equals five guan of money, which is five thousand Wen! According to the standard of ten Wen a day, this money can last until the end of the world.
Dad Ada swallowed his foam and said, "Guest, we can't find this money."
"I can only stay for ten or twenty days at most. If you take more care of me, I will give you the rest of the money. And she," Li Mu pointed at Zhenyu and said, "She is my savior.
Give her a portion of all the delicious food I prepared. Also, can you find me two sets of clothes to change into? I haven’t changed my clothes for several days and they all have a smell. I don’t need Han clothes, just the clothes you wear."
"Then...Okay." Such a cheap thing is not done in vain. And it is Han people's money, so there is nothing to worry about if you make money. Li Mu's business is enough for half a year's income, Ada
Dad was very happy.
"There is nothing special about the food in this small shop, but it will definitely serve the best to the customers. Please wait for a day to wear clothes, and they will be ready for the customers at noon tomorrow."
"Okay! Let's get some food first. I haven't had hot food for several days."
Li Mu stepped inside. At this moment, a strange voice sounded from behind him: "Hey, Ada, why don't you think about paying taxes when you are rich? Do you want to get away with it?"