Chapter 12 Chapter Twelve

Ding Tingxun was burning incense to worship his ancestors. Hearing Liu Shiyi's cry, the incense in his hand almost fell to the ground. Leading a group of deacons into the row rooms on both sides of the second entrance hall of the ancestral hall, this is the place where the Ding clan discusses important events Although Ding Tingxun has experienced countless storms and waves in his life, the danger of today's incident is too great, so big that the huge Ding family can be removed from Bazhou overnight.He is already old, has a family, a business, a wife and children, and the burden on his shoulders is getting heavier and heavier, and he can no longer bear such a blow.After entering the row room, he poured a cup of ginseng tea forcibly, and his ashen complexion regained some of his vitality.

Seeing that the deacons on the left and right looked panic-stricken, he, the head of the family, absolutely couldn't show his weak image in front of his subordinates, Ding Tingxun suppressed his panic, and calmly called the man who reported the news, first asked about his son's injuries, and learned that Ding Chengzong was only out of shock. The horse overturned and broke his legs, but his life was not in danger, so he turned to ask how the grain truck was robbed. This time, Ding Chengzong, the eldest son of the Ding family, escorted two hundred grain trucks to Guangyuan. , Every time I send some money to mean it, those cottages don't come to play their tricks.

On the one hand, this is because the Ding family has formed good ties over the years, and on the other hand, it is because the guardians of the landlords and gentry families, and even ordinary servants, practice martial arts during the slack season in order to act as a strong citizen.Two hundred grain trucks need to be escorted by thousands of people. Even a big cottage with a brand name may not be able to support a strong team of thousands of people.Besides, the Ding family transported military rations. If officers and soldiers came to encircle and suppress them, the loss would not be worth the loss. The bandits and robbers also wanted to survive and seek money. The wife is flat, and nothing major has ever happened.

Even so, Ding Chengzong still calculated the distance in advance, set off more than ten days in advance, and transported the grain in advance, which was foolproof.Ding Chengzong is as cautious as his father. Although he is familiar with the road, he is still very careful when he encounters mountains and rivers along the way, eats at the top, stays and camps.But who knew that something went wrong despite being so careful. On this day they left Shenze Town and continued on their way. At this time, they were only a day and a half away from Guangyuan City. Further west of Shenze Town, there was a saline-alkali land with a radius of several thousand mu. The soil layer was like black sand and Like pond mud, this kind of soil grows nothing but reeds, so the surroundings are extremely desolate.

Ding Chengzong sent fast horses ahead to explore the way, but this is also an ordinary arrangement. Such a large piece of land is a desolate reed field, and there is no human habitation at all, so there is no danger.Unexpectedly, they encountered a group of robbers here. The robbers seemed to have already figured out their route and time. When they were halfway there, thick smoke billowed in, and someone actually set fire to the reeds. At first, Ding Chengzong thought it was a wildfire, but his life was urgent. The car drove forward in a hurry, and the first car got stuck in the dug sand pit and blocked the road shortly after driving. Only then did I know that I was in ambush, and the robbers swarmed in afterward.The eyes were bloodshot and tears flowed from the smoke, and the entire car formation was dragged into a long queue. The food team was at a loss, and was cut to pieces by the bandits.

Ding Tingxun was asking about what had happened, Mrs. Lu hurried in, wiped her tears with a handkerchief and said: Daddy, how is Chengzong?I heard that he was seriously injured. It's freezing cold, but it's not a good thing. Daddy, Chengzong must not have any accidents. Mrs. Lu's name is Lu Xiangwu, and her father is also a great gentry in Bazhou.Today the Ding family worshiped their ancestors. This grandma dressed up very well, with a round and round figure, a padded jacket with a fox collar and brocade silk, an eight-piece Xiangshui skirt, no jewelry, and black hair. With tears in her pretty face, she was like a pure lotus slowly floating on the water, pure and beautiful, arousing pity.

Ding Tingxun was full of thoughts, but he was a little serious about this eldest daughter-in-law's rash intrusion. He frowned and shouted displeasedly: This is an important place for discussion in the ancestral hall. What are you doing here? Chengzong is my son, don't I? Don't worry?go out and wait. Lu Xiangwu rushed in in a moment of impatience, and now being scolded by her father-in-law in public, her expression suddenly became a little embarrassed, and two blushes appeared on her jade-clear face. Young Madam, don't worry, the master is calling everyone to discuss a solution, Young Madam, please wait, there will always be a solution.

Liu Shishi, the deacon of the outer courtyard, persuaded Lu Xiangwu to go out, then turned back and said: Master, there is no way to be anxious, this is a critical moment for the life and death of our Ding family, you have to come up with a charter immediately, so that everyone can be united Let's work together to get through this difficult time. Ding Tingxun had gradually stabilized, he calmed down, picked up his son's letter and read it again: Father, the child is unworthy, the army rations were taken away, he caused a catastrophe for the Ding family, and there is no redemption for a hundred deaths.I hope that the father will not take his son seriously when he sees the letter, and the most important thing is to quickly resolve this catastrophe.

It is quite strange that the army rations were taken away this time.I transported grain from Bazhou to Guangyuan. Guanlu mountain roads, main roads and small roads are interchanged. There are many feasible routes, which can be determined at any time, making it difficult to predict. However, the thieves actually predicted the route and time, and set up an ambush, fearing that I would follow them. There must be spies among people.Ersuo led the people to be strong and brave. Although the thieves were prepared and unprepared, they still suffered heavy casualties.The leader of the thief was shot in the left eye by an arrow, and in great anger, he set fire to the grain. The mule cart was frightened, and he drove into the wilderness and overturned, breaking his legs. Father must spare no effort to transport the army rations to Guangyuan.If the army rations are delayed, disaster will come to the Ding family

The handwriting was a bit scribbled, but his son was shocked and seriously injured, yet he could still think so carefully. He really lived up to his training for so many years. Thinking of this, Ding Tingxun felt a little relieved in his heart. Boss, you have an idea.Li Shouyin, the chief foreman, also said anxiously.The head of the long-term worker and the head of the tenant are also figures equivalent to deacons in the Ding House.The Ding family’s farming does not require the owner to go to the head of the land to supervise them. These long-term foremen and tenant heads have a group of people who are obedient to the management of the households, so these deacons are quite Favored by the owner, Ding's family eats meat, they drink soup, and now they are also small landlords with a reputation in the local area.Their fate is closely related to the Ding family. Seeing that the Ding family is in danger, why are they not in a hurry?

Ding Tingxun took a long breath, slowly raised his head, and ordered word by word: Liu Ming, take inventory of all the food in my Ding family overnight, keep the seeds, and pack the rest into bags and send them to Guangyuan .However, my Ding family's existing food stock is probably not enough. After you take inventory, you immediately go to the city overnight. Today is New Year's Eve, and there is no curfew in Bazhou. After you enter the city, immediately buy all the food from various rice shops and ship it back. , All the grain that our own shop is going to sell is also transferred back. yes!Liu Ming stood up and quickly responded. Liu Shishi, you brought all the available chariots, horses, donkeys and mules from our Ding's family, as well as Xiazhuang and other villages, and then went to the city to rent all the vehicles and vehicles from various dealers. , send it back to me immediately. yes! Chen Feng, Yang Ye, Li Shouyin, and Ding Tingxun's expressions softened a little, and he bowed his hands to these long-term foremen and tenants: "Several, the Ding family is now at a critical juncture of life and death. Ding has an important matter. Please ask your family to help me." I would like to invite a few people to mobilize the manpower immediately to help the old man hire young men from all over the world. Everyone will travel long distances for the New Year's Eve labor. Ding will not treat them badly. One day's work will be three days' work, and everything will be done. There will be rewards later. Master, you are very polite, the younger one will definitely do his best to overcome difficulties with the Ding family.Chen Feng, Yang Ye and others hurriedly stood up and cupped their hands. Ding Tingxun nodded, his face flushed sickly, he clenched his fists, pursed the corners of his lips and said: In this world, there is no hurdle that cannot be overcome.This time the old man went out in person to transport the grain to Guangyuan. Boss, you have such a bone, you can't do it Sir, leave this job to me, you can't go All the deacons were stopping one after another, when a woman's voice at the door said: "Father, let me go!"Everyone turned their heads when they heard the sound, only to see Miss Ding standing at the door. You, a girl's family, why join in the fun!Ding Tingxun sternly reprimanded, Ding Yu raised his eyebrows, and said in dissatisfaction: I am also from the Ding family, why not?I can ride a horse and shoot an arrow. I have been to the three major cities of Guangyuan, Taiyuan, Pingyuan, and Border Gate. Who would I not go to at this time? You are a woman, no!Ding Tingxun flatly refused. Early the next morning, Ding Tingxun was lying on the kang, with a wet towel covering his head, and repeatedly told him: "In short, there must be spies among the Minzhuang who escaped this time, so none of them can be used."In terms of our Ding family's finances, throwing another two hundred carts of food would not be enough to break it, but this is military rations. Once something important is missed, the entire Ding family will be murdered and their wives will be slaves.Yuluo, father can only entrust the Ding family to you now, you have to send the military rations to Guangyuan safely no matter what, maybe the time is too late, but it is a few days late, given the cooperation between our Ding family and the Guangyuan army for so many years Friendship, maybe it doesn't matter, but if it takes a long time Ding Tingxun coughed a lot when he said this, Ding Yuluo quickly stroked his back and comforted him: Father, don't worry, even if my daughter risked her life, the rations must be transported there. Ding Tingxun, who originally insisted on not letting his daughter escort the military rations on behalf of the Ding family, finally fell ill and couldn't get out of bed under repeated blows. It represents the eldest daughter of the Ding family.He coughed for a while, and then said: "Go, go, Ding's family, you can use whoever you want, and bring one hundred thousand taels of silver with you, two thousand taels of silver, the silver will be used as rewards on the road, The bank note is waiting for the food to be delivered, use it to clear the joints, cough cough cough This year's deal was a lost deal. He knew that the delivery of the second batch of military rations might be delayed for a few days. In order to keep his exclusive privilege of selling military rations, he did not hesitate to spend 100,000 taels of silver for his daughter to clear up the relationship.As long as you keep your business privileges, the loss will be recovered quickly, but even if you use money to clear the joints, the delay should not be too long, otherwise, who would dare to accept his money, who would dare to cover it for him? God bless, I heard that Guangyuan General Cheng Shixiong is brave and good at fighting, and he is well versed in the art of war. I hope he will not suffer a defeat, otherwise the crime of defeat will be borne by my Ding family. My daughter has gone out, Ding who is worried Ting Xun was lying on the kang, but his heart felt as if boiling oil had been poured on it, the pain was so painful that he couldn't breathe. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the sound of crackling firecrackers sounded in the village, which meant that every household started cooking dumplings early in the morning.The Ding family used to set off firecrackers for at least half an hour, but now there is no movement of the New Year.A large number of temporarily recruited Min Zhuang gathered in the courtyard of the Ding family. Various styles of carts pulled by mules and horses drove into the yard one after another. The servants Min Zhuang who came and went like ants hurriedly loaded bags of grain into the carts. , tied with linoleum before driving them out. It was three poles high in the sun, and the last car was also full of grain, and slowly drove out of the Ding family's compound. Ding Hao, who had just finished transporting the grain, stood idly by, looking curiously at the folks with pikes and hunting bows. . If you want to formally recruit Minzhuang, you have to order from the magistrate, and the official will issue a fire lottery. However, these Minzhuang are originally farmers, and it is common sense to do part-time jobs to subsidize their families during the slack season. As for why they carry weapons while doing part-time jobs With the relationship between the Ding family and the prefect of Bazhou, as long as they don't cause trouble, they can still turn a blind eye. Ding Hao was standing in the courtyard and watching, when suddenly a man pretending to be serious walked past him. This man was wearing a cashmere hat covering his ears, a gray cotton riding suit, and a Wool vest, with a sword on the back of the shoulder, and the apricot-yellow sword tassel trembled in the wind.Looking at his back, his waist is tightly tied, his cotton trousers are wearing leggings with reversed waves, his wrists are wrapped with very soft sheepskin sleeves made of tanned leather, and he has a pair of ground-grabbing boots with buckled tiger claws on his feet. , who is not very tall, but has a sassy vigor, which is the standard northern winter long-distance dress. Are you all ready?OK, let's go! Ding Hao was taken aback when that person spoke, he was a girl after hearing his accent?At this time, the man stretched out his hand to pull the saddle, jumped up, and got on the horse back neatly. Looking at his appearance, he has long eyelashes, big eyes, a straight nose, and a delicate mouth. There is no such handsome young man in the world. A big girl who is easy to wear. miss?Ding Hao's eyes flickered, and a thought flashed in his heart: If I don't go out, I will never have a bright future.Going out, it depends on my luck!Now that the Ding family is in great trouble, it is an opportunity, why don't I go for it? Pig, let's go too. ah?Let's, shall we?Neither of us have ever been ten miles away from home in our lives. You can say that we haven't traveled far so far, but it goes without saying that it will be a lifetime. Today, we will go to a place thousands of miles away!Seeing that Ding Yuluo was about to ride away, Ding Hao suddenly jumped out. Ding Yuluo was so anxious that he knocked on the horse's belly and was about to gallop out of the courtyard when a man appeared from the side, stopped in front of the horse and shouted loudly: Miss! Ding Yuluo hastily reined in the reins, and the healthy horse neighed and stood up. Ding Yuluo sat firmly on the horse's back, looking forward with a pair of handsome eyes, and saw Ding Hao standing in front of the horse, shouting loudly. Said: Miss, Duan and Zhuer are willing to go with the lady. you?Ding Yuluo pulled the rein of the horse around him and asked, "Tell me, what can you do?" Ding Hao took a look at Xunzhu'er, and replied loudly: We are good at driving horses and carts. We can be a whip and deliver food with the eldest lady. Ding Yuluo raised his eyebrows, and said simply: "Sure, come with me!"After speaking, he shook the rein and galloped away. Ding Hao regained his energy, quickly pulled Xue Liang, and walked out after Ding Yuluo's figure.