Cars are rattling, horses are rustling, and pedestrians on the road each carry their bags...

It is a package for a package, not a sword for a sword.

With large and small bags on their backs, countless pedestrians formed a long queue. In the middle of the queue were several slow-moving oxcarts, which were loaded with pots and pans of household items.

Lao Niu walked slowly, and the faces of passers-by were full of anticipation. A group of men looked ahead from time to time, and let out happy and honest laughter, and said stupidly: "We are almost there, Youzhou is almost there."

Hearing their silly laughter, several people in the team dressed as government officials also laughed.

Whenever this happens, the government officials will always take the trouble to explain to everyone, laughing and saying: "Don't worry, we will be there soon. Our current location is Hebei Road, and we can reach Youzhou in about ten days...

"

So the faces of the men became even more expectant, and they looked far into the distance and said, "We're almost there, we're on our way to Youzhou soon."

The women were sitting on the bullock carts, trying their best to squeeze out a little space among the pots and pans. They tried their best to hold their children with their arms, and raised their backs to prevent the pots and pans from falling. It is really admirable, the great love of motherhood,

On this loaded oxcart, they can still create a comfortable space for the children...

The long journey is very tiring. Many children have curled up in their mothers' arms and slept soundly. However, some children are very energetic and their eyes are blinking and looking around.

For example, Niuniu from Zhao Laosi's family is a particularly naughty little girl. Although she was sleepy due to the bumps of the bullock cart, it did not stop her from looking around curiously. Sometimes this little girl would even break away from her mother's arms.

She climbed to the front of the bullock cart and stood up. I don’t know how happy she was, but she always let out bursts of laughter like ringing bells.

At this time, a pair of big hands would reach out from the side to carefully protect Niuniu, or some other naughty doll that climbed to the front of the car.

The person holding out his big hand was a man. He was also wearing government uniforms. He always held the dolls with his hands with a smile, but he did not stop the dolls from being naughty. Occasionally, he would look back and look at some people in the car.

The mother laughed a few times and said: "Sisters-in-law, please keep an eye on the children. Don't dare to let them run around. I can't afford it if one of them falls..."

At this time, the women will agree repeatedly and shout for the children to crawl back from the front of the car. However, there are also special circumstances where the women do not immediately call the children back.

Instead, they climbed to the front of the car and tried their best to stand up and look forward. Their eyes showed longing and their tone was extremely expectant. They asked cautiously: "Brother Niuwa, are we almost there? We are going to Youzhou City.

, how far is it to get there..."

They have asked this question countless times.

However, the cowboy driving the cart always took the trouble to answer.

This honest Shandong man first waved his hand and twitched the cart whip, only to hear a crisp sound, and the whip whipped in the air. Although it did not fall on the cow pulling the cart, the slow old man

The cow mooed twice...

The speed of the car increased slightly, but Niu Wa put down the whip and turned around, smiling and replied to the women: "Sisters-in-law, don't worry, we have already arrived at Hebei Road, and we can reach Youzhou in about ten days' walk."

Hebei Road?

Already arrived at Hebei Road?

The women nodded repeatedly, the longing in their eyes getting stronger and stronger.

Zhao Laosi's eldest daughter-in-law was the backbone of the women in this car. She always scolded the children back every time. At the same time, she also called back some women who climbed to the front of the car to look out.

She was just an ordinary peasant woman, but she tried her best to show dignity along the way. Every time she called the women and children back, she always looked at everyone with serious words and said: "Don't go and add trouble to Brother Niuwa."

Trouble, these government officials are all on a mission. If any of us make a mistake on the road, they will be punished by the superior officials in the government when they arrive in Youzhou... So we must not escort the family members on this trip.

Cause them trouble."

Zhao Laosi's other three wives nodded quickly and sat back among the pots and pans, hugging their children.

But there were several other women in the car. At this time, they would approach each other with smiles and say: "Sister-in-law of the Zhao family, you don't have to scare us. With you, the general's wife, here, Brother Niuwa has a big backer. Even if

After arriving in Youzhou, the officials in the Yamen would not dare to punish him..."

As soon as the conversation changed, he began to compliment and kept praising: "It's really amazing. Where is the great general? We heard the officials talking privately about how great your family is. He was on the battlefield.

He made great military exploits and was appreciated by a very, very important person. Now, he is already a respectable person..."

Ordinary people have a kind of intelligence of their own, and they know how to get close to make people happy.

At this time, Zhao Laosi's eldest daughter-in-law always waved her hands repeatedly. She tried her best to maintain restraint, tried her best to be restrained, and kept explaining: "He is not a general, he is not a general yet. Please don't talk nonsense, lest you

If the word spreads, it will cause trouble for him. I heard brother Niuwa specifically explain that the current official position of my family is called General Anton Governor. It is said that there are many such generals, and the fourth child in my family is not the only one..."

She stopped talking, looked at Niu Wa who was driving the cart, and asked from a distance: "Brother Niu Wa, is this what you told me at the beginning?"

Niu Wa turned his head with a smile. He laughed before answering, and then said: "Yes, sister-in-law, the fourth brother is the general of the Andong Governor's Mansion. There are more than sixty generals like him."

He paused for a moment and then continued: "In the past, we in the Tang Dynasty did not have the position of General Anton Governor. I heard that it was a specially set up position after the capture of Goguryeo. Goguryeo was very big, half the size of the country.

The Tang Dynasty was so big, and now it has become the land of us Han people, so it will naturally be governed by us Han people..."

He paused again and continued: "I heard from the officials in the yamen that the Andong Governor's Palace was set up to govern Goguryeo. There was a total of one Governor's Palace, followed by sixty-four Governor's Branches.

Each sub-prefecture governs two to three cities, and the person in charge is a Protector General, such as Brother Zhao, who is the chief officer of the Protectorate Branch..."

Zhao Laosi's eldest daughter-in-law nodded "Yeah".

The women on the oxcart were speechless and exclaimed: "He actually has jurisdiction over two or three cities. General Zhao Si's official position is really great. Isn't this a great general? We feel that this is a great general..."

Zhao Laosi's eldest daughter-in-law waved her hands hurriedly and argued again in a panic: "Don't talk nonsense, everyone, please don't talk nonsense. He is not a general, he is an ordinary guard general."

At this time, Niu Wa laughed loudly and said, "Sister-in-law, you don't need to panic. In fact, what everyone said is right. Brother Zhao will become a general one day. Although he is a protective general at the moment,

He, the Protector General, is different from others..."

He paused and then continued: "Of the sixty-four generals in the Andong Governor's Mansion, only fourth brother Zhao is the retainer of the Youyun Gu family... Sister-in-law, do you know what retainer means? That is

The Gu family members will be loyal to the Gu family for the rest of their lives."

When the officer said this, he couldn't help but show envy on his face.

He looked at the little girl Niu Niu, then at the other children in the car, and said: "For example, Niu Niu and the others will all be considered the children of the Gu family from now on. For generations, generation after generation, as long as the Youyun Gu family is still there, they will

They will be protected by others. The boys will have a future, but the girls will not be bullied. Anyone who dares to bully them is bullying the children of the Gu family..."

"When Niu Niu grows up and gets married, Mrs. Youyun Gu will come forward as a member of her natal family. Not only will she give Niu Niu a heavy dowry, but she will also pay attention to her life after marriage... How dignified is this?

?What kind of happiness is that? Sister-in-law, your family is getting better from now on..."

Niu Wa was filled with emotion.

At this time, Zhao Laosi's eldest daughter-in-law always tried to be cautious and kept waving her hands: "Don't be arrogant, don't be arrogant as a person. We are from poor families, and we must not forget our roots. Brother Niuwa, don't be arrogant in the future."

I praise you like this to prevent the children from feeling like they are the children of a rich family, which is not good."

She was just an ordinary woman, unable to say any amazing truths, but her ordinary words, "That's not good," highlighted a mother's simplicity in her children's education philosophy.

Niu Wa nodded with a smile and did not continue to speak.

He turned back, waved his hand and made a whip, and the old cow pulling the cart said "moo" twice and continued to walk forward slowly.

…

Traveling long distances is really hard, especially when guarding a large group of migrating people.

Men were not qualified to ride in the car, and carrying packages would make them even more tired, so every two hours or so, the government officials would stop the procession to let everyone rest.

It was then that I discovered the difference in Hebei Road.

In ancient times, if you traveled for two hours, you could cover about thirty miles, and these thirty miles were exactly the distance of a military post station.

So when the team entered Hebei Road and was about to rest for the first time, they saw two fast horses galloping towards them from a distance. The knights on the horses looked like soldiers, and each had a flag with the word "Visiting the Countryside" behind them.

They walked straight towards the team and were in front of them in a blink of an eye.

"Where is the migration team?"

"Are they the people who moved to Youzhou?"

He opened his mouth with two questions, but his tone did not sound harsh, but rather gentle, as if he was chatting in a homely manner.

Niu Wa quickly stopped the cart and was about to jump out of the cart to negotiate. Unexpectedly, the two horsemen waved their hands repeatedly and stopped him with a smile: "Don't be so formal. You must be very tired driving the cart. Just sit in the cart and answer. No."

I need to come here specifically to answer..."

So Niuwa sat on the bullock cart, raised his hands to the two soldiers, and replied: "We are the officers of the Jeju Prefecture in Shandong Province. We are escorting the families of a group of soldiers in the army to move. We are going to Youzhou and will settle here from now on."

The two horsemen were in awe, and at the same time they raised their hands and clasped their fists and said, "They are actually escorting the family members of their comrades in the army. It's really hard work for you fellow corvee brothers."

While cupping his fists and saluting, he took advantage of the situation and asked again, very solemnly: "Do you have any documents with you?"

Niu Wa smiled and nodded, knowing that someone wanted to verify it.

He put his hand into his arms, carefully took out a document, raised it and said: "Two soldiers, look at this, this is a migration document stamped with the seal of the military department. The content on it is very clear. All military stations along the way will treat you kindly...

"

The two horsemen laughed and knew that the document was not a fake just by looking at it. So the solemnity on their faces was replaced by an extremely friendly smile, and they said repeatedly: "Okay, okay, it's really the military.

My family members."

Suddenly, they both stretched out their hands and pointed ahead and said: "There are more than two miles away, which is the post station of Wuyang County. Brothers and sisters, please work hard and let everyone rest until we get there. We are all members of the same army. We are one family."

The Wuyang County Inn must be well-served and entertained..."

So the team continued on their way without stopping at this place to rest.

The women huddled in the car cautiously, holding their children carefully. After all, this was their first contact with them, and no cavalry came to question them on Henan Road before.

But their restraint soon disappeared.
To be continued...