Standing at the gate of the fence, Sun Ji said loudly: "Is Father Pan at home?"

A man in his forties came out with a spoon in his hand, looked at Sun Ji carefully and said, "The official here is——"

Sun Ji let out a breath. He quickly walked into the yard and said, "I'm Sun Ji. It's from Luoshan County who came here to collect medicinal materials. There is a letter here, saying that it is to be handed over to Pan's father in Zhongyuan. It should be you.

We’re home.—By the way, may I ask if your wife’s name is Ying Niang?”

Dad Pan said: "Yes. My eldest sister is called Ying Niang. She met the Jin Man a few years ago and was kidnapped to the north. Oh, what a miserable child."

Sun Ji was overjoyed and said: "It's really your home! Dad, there is a letter here, written by Yingniang. I sent it to you from Luoshan specially!"

Pan's father was full of doubts, so he took the letter and opened it to read. He didn't know much about reading, but he could understand the general meaning.

After reading the letter, Pan's father said in disbelief: "It turns out that Yingniang has already married someone. Is the person she is marrying an official?"

Sun Jidao: "Yes, yes. The husband she married is an official, so the government will do things for her like this. I came to the mall many days in advance to deliver a letter to your family. For God's sake, it was finally delivered."

Pan's father said: "Thank you for your hard work, officials. - By the way, please sit down quickly and I'll treat you to tea."

Sun Ji sat down on the bamboo bench in the yard. Pan's father took a bamboo tube from the house and poured tea out. Looking at the many foams in the tea, he knew it must be the cheapest tea he bought. Here is the same as Xinyang

Junben is a tea farm, and influenced by it, I started drinking loose tea in the past two years.

He set up a fire nearby, filled an earthen pot with water, and placed it on top of the fire.

Pan's father was a little embarrassed and said: "Guardian, wait a minute, we don't have hot water at home."

Sun Ji hurriedly said: "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter."

After boiling the water, Pan's father made some tea and invited Sun Ji to drink it.

When the tea was in his mouth, it had a strong astringency, and even a musty smell that had been left for a long time. Sun Jiwei frowned, pretending not to care.

Inviting tea, Pan's father said: "People in the mountains don't have much, so don't be surprised, officials. It's dinner time now. I'll kill a chicken, and the officials will stay for dinner. This is a small village, there is no tavern.

There is no place to drink. I have wronged the officials."

After saying that, he got up and walked to the big chestnut tree outside the yard, caught a chicken, and slaughtered it by the river.

Sun Ji looked at the sky and saw that it was indeed getting late. He sat in the yard and waited peacefully to eat chicken.

Watching the sun slowly setting in the west, Mr. Pan and his wife brought out an earthenware basin, which contained chicken stewed with mushrooms. There was also a wooden basin of rice. Although there was a chip, they took a rice bowl that was still intact and filled it for Sun Ji.

Large bowl.

Sun Ji looked at the couple and saw that the bowls were all broken and could only be used. He had no choice but to eat.

I picked up a piece of chicken and put it into my mouth and chewed it for a while. It was quite fragrant, but I always felt that something was missing. After I swallowed the chicken, I realized that it was too bland.

Unable to bear it any longer, Sun Ji said to Pan's father, "Dad, is there no salt in the chicken? It's too bland!"

After hearing this, Pan's father hurriedly said to his wife: "Hun, if you are entertaining guests today, you should put a little more salt in the meat!"

Sun Ji suddenly woke up. This place is deep in the mountains, and the salt tax is heavy. How can people in the countryside be willing to eat salt? In the area under Wang Xiaolie's rule, the salt tax is already very low, and even the poorest people can afford it. Even many people can afford it.

People also use salt to pickle pickles. Sun Ji was used to that kind of life, and for a moment he forgot that it was different here.

After dinner, Pan's father's wife put away the dishes. Holding a bowl, she suddenly turned to Sun Ji and asked: "Guanren, what official position does Ying Niang's husband hold?"

Sun Ji hurriedly said: "I heard that he was originally the chief secretary of Xiping. Later, he was kidnapped by the Jin people and went north, where he met Yingniang. I really don't know what official he is in Luoyang now. But he came back after delivering a letter.

Magistrate Qin is very attentive."

"Oh -" the woman nodded. Not sure if she understood, she walked towards the house.

Seeing that the sun was about to set, Sun Ji said goodbye and left. Pan's father repeatedly asked him to stay, but Sun Ji just refused.

After leaving the valley, Sun Ji turned around and looked back, and couldn't help but sigh. Although the scenery here is beautiful, to the people living here, it is not a fairyland, but just a poor ravine. Without money, where can a fairyland come from?

Woolen cloth?

When they arrived at the village, Sun Ji saw that the gatekeeper had changed. He hurriedly stepped forward and said, "I am from Luoshan selling herbal medicine. I have already paid for it. When I went out just now, I told you not to charge me again."

!”

The guard looked at Sun Ji and said, "Brother Tian has said that you don't need to pay any more, just go in."

Seeing that the guard didn't bother him, Sun Ji hurriedly thanked him.

Just as he was about to enter, the sound of horse hooves suddenly came from behind him. In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the gate of the village.

The guard recalled in a hurry, grabbed the reins of the horse and said: "To enter the village, it costs five cents per person! If you ride a horse, you will have to pay another ten cents for the horse!"

"What a shame!" With a sharp shout, the whip was thrown at the guard's face.

The knight picked up the reins of his horse and rushed straight into the village.

The guard covered his face and said to his companion: "He didn't pay, why didn't you stop him!"

Before he finished speaking, more than a dozen horsemen came from behind and rushed over quickly. When they arrived in front of the village gate, they looked at the guards and said, "Do you have any horse materials in your village?"

The guard covered his face, not daring to resist or answer, but just stared at the knight.

The knight was so impatient that he raised his whip and struck it on the head. He cursed: "Is this guy mute? He asked you but didn't answer!"

After being whipped a few times, the guard on the side hurriedly said: "Hero, spare your life! We are a small place here, but there are merchants coming and going, and we have some horse materials. But I'm afraid you won't be able to raise more than a dozen horses."

The knight put away his whip and said to his companion: "This is a bit troublesome. There is a prison town in the nearby shopping town. It is difficult for us to go there, so we can only live here. Forget it, let's collect some horse materials tomorrow. There are many mountains around, so first

Just keep it in the mountains."

My companion had no choice but to say so.

The knight ignored the guards and entered the town without dismounting.

Sun Ji saw it from the side and couldn't help but secretly complain in his heart. These knights were obviously not normal travelers. Could they be bandits from the mountains? Should he enter the stronghold now, or not? Look at how dark it is, where would he sleep if he didn't enter the stronghold?

When I was in trouble, I suddenly thought of Pan Adie and his wife. I thought to myself that now I have no choice but to stay at their house for the night.

While he was hesitating, he heard a commotion and chaotic sounds coming from the village. He knew in his heart that these knights must not be kind people, so he had better leave early. If he lost his life accidentally, it would be an injustice.
Chapter completed!