Nanming Engineer

Chapter 66
Xiangyang City is more than three miles long from north to south, and nearly three miles wide from east to west. It occupies a quarter of the city's area, majestic and majestic. Unfortunately, since Zhang Xianzhong broke through Xiangyang City in the 14th year of Chongzhen and captured Xiang Wang Zhu Yuming at the head of the city, the palace was burned to the ground, and his son Zhu Changcheng escaped from Xiangyang. , inherited the throne, and now fled to Jiujiang Mansion to barely survive.

The three of Wang Huan and the others held their breath, and after pushing the dung cart into the city with difficulty, they barely walked for a while, turned around and peeped at the defenders at the city gate not paying attention to themselves, and hurriedly dodged into an alley by the side of the street as if they were being pardoned. After vomiting for a while, he fanned with his hands again, opened his clothes, and fanned for a long time. After smelling that the stench on each other's bodies was not so obvious, he dared to take a big breath of air.

"Wang Huan, what should we do now?" Chen Ergou asked panting.

Wang Huan straightened up and replied weakly: "We can only wait in the city. It's easy to come in and difficult to get out. The soldiers at the gate of the city are very guarded. We can only wait for the dung truck to collect Yexiang, and follow the gangsters when we go out." out."

When Chen Ergou and Xu Goudan heard that they would have to follow the dung truck for a while, they cried and mourned, but they were helpless.

The three of them got out from the alley, but they saw that there were already people coming and going on the streets in the city. People in this era get up very early and work at sunrise. The shop has already opened the door and opened for business.

In the era of war, the inside and outside of the city were like two worlds. There were piles of refugees outside the city, and the dead bodies of the starved and sick were scattered everywhere, but the city was still prosperous. Li Zicheng evacuated Xiangyang in a hurry, and there was no time to destroy it. The city still maintained its population and vitality. The banners hanging on the door are fluttering in the wind, and the smart guys are loudly attracting customers and selling goods in the store, which is almost the same as in the peaceful and prosperous age.

However, Wang Huan frowned deeply, feeling that the Qing Dynasty was very good at winning the hearts of the people, and the soldiers crossing the border did not offend Qiu Neiqiu in the city. It can be seen that the nobles of the Manchu and Qing Dynasties did not adopt the policy of killing chickens and taking eggs and plundering the people brutally. Instead, they operated steadily and implemented tough measures after everything was under control. Normal change of dynasty, while ignoring national oppression and alien rule.

Dorgon immediately conquered the world. Compared with Huang Taiji, his ability to dominate the world is not much better, even too much.

Wang Huan was thinking about the world, but Chen Ergou and Xu Goudan were concerned about their Wu Zang Temple.Along the way, the three of them had not eaten a hot meal, their stomachs were empty, and their chests were already hungry. At this time, in the restaurants and shops on both sides of the street, there were steamed steamed buns and flower rolls. , baked golden-yellow sesame seed pans, and fried fruits, the two of them were so greedy that their saliva dripped all over the floor, and they were so dazed that they couldn't move their legs for a long time.

Wang Huan pulled the two of them along, watching them as they walked. The more they watched, the hungrier they got, and finally they couldn't take it anymore. The three of them stood together in front of a shop with a steamed bun steamer at the door, staring straight at the steaming steamed buns. I can't walk anymore.

Xu Goudan stood for a while, wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth, wiped his face, then took a step forward, stood directly at the door of the house, pronounced the Dharma name, and wanted to continue pretending to be a novice monk and ask for alms to get a few steamed buns for free. .

Before he finished chanting "Amitabha", the guy behind the chopping board grabbed a broom and rushed out ferociously. Liar, get out of here quickly, don't delay my family's business!"

The three of Wang Huan and Wang Huan fled for a long time, and when they saw that the guy didn't come after him, they stopped to catch their breath. Chen Ergou complained, "Are you stupid, you son of a bitch? Look at your head, your hair is an inch long. Where are the monks like this? It’s okay to deceive the villagers outside, but the people in this city have become smart, how could you be deceived?”

Wang Huan persuaded: "Goudan also has good intentions, so don't scold him. He saw that everyone was starving, so he went to beg for food."

Xu Goudan was hit by the broom a few times, with a bulge on his head, he put his hands on his head and asked with a mournful face: "This is good, we don't even have to pretend to be a monk, are we going to starve to death in this city? "

Wang Huan and Chen Ergou have nothing to do. A penny can't beat a hero. If you have money, you are a master. If you don't have money, you are a slave. ?
The three of them had no choice but to continue walking along the street, followed by the smell of the dung truck, waited for the dung truck to make a few laps in the city, collected the night incense, and then made plans to go out of the city.

Wandering around the city aimlessly, turning a street, someone suddenly shouted behind the three of them: "Hey, those three boys!"

Wang Huan was startled, it sounded like they were calling us, this is their first visit to Xiangyang City, how could someone greet them, could it be a scam?Looking back hurriedly, there was a middle-aged man in plain clothes, waving to three people at the entrance of an alley, and beside him, a group of teenagers were gathering together, squatting on the ground in the alley Eat corn bread.

The three looked at each other suspiciously, all puzzled, but their feet moved quietly, ready to run away immediately if something went wrong, but the middle-aged man who called people was very enthusiastic. Seeing that the three couldn't hesitate, he never He took out a cornbread from the cloth bag spread on the ground, smiled and shouted, "Are you starving? Come and eat something."

The golden steamed buns are steamed with flour made from wheat and added with coarse grains and brown rice. They are not very tasty, but at present, they are more enticing and insectivorous than the full feast of Man and Han. Wang Huan felt ruthless. Let's talk about it in the past.

The three of them ran over together, the middle-aged man patted their shoulders lovingly, and each of them handed out a cornbread, watching the three of them devouring the cornbread the size of a fist almost in one gulp, stretching out their necks. Smiling and handing over another bowl of water, he said softly, "Eat slowly, don't worry, there's still more to come."

The three of Wang Huan drank water, and one of them ate two more corn buns. His stomach was full, and he wiped his mouth with satisfaction. When he saw the middle-aged man still looking at him with a smile, he remembered, who is this man?
Wang Huan hurriedly made a bow and thanked him: "Thank you for your generosity from the officials, the boys will never forget it."

The middle-aged man stroked a strand of beard on his chin, and said with a smile: "No need, this world is difficult and dangerous, everyone has difficulties, just a few buns, and you will come back after doing your work."

When Wang Huan heard this, his heart skipped a beat, and the secret thought came, sure enough, free food is not easy to swallow, let's see what kind of work he wants us to do.

Quickly said: "Yes, yes, we eat the food of the high officials, so we should work. I don't know what the high officials want the boys to do?"

The middle-aged man smiled and said: "Simple and simple, just follow me and you will know."

He put away the steamed buns on the ground, and said to the teenagers squatting on the ground eating: "After eating, go to work quickly, don't squat lazy, and miss the harvest, I will break your legs!"

The group of teenagers on the ground seemed to be very afraid of middle-aged people, no one dared to say anything, they all ate up the cornbread in their hands, stood up and left, Wang Huan noticed that the group of teenagers were all dressed as beggars, with no clothes covering their bodies , and everyone has a disability, either a broken arm, or a cripple, and some even have no eyes, and the two black holes are frighteningly empty.

Only two strong teenagers seemed to be the leaders of this group of teenagers. They also stood up but did not leave. They stood behind Wang Huan and the others, vaguely intending to prevent them from escaping.

(End of this chapter)