Day and night alternated, and the heavenly wind rolled. On this Wu Dynasty land spanning thousands of miles, the frontier has always been a delicate and sensitive term. Search: \, End, Point, God, Station, ) Read high-quality literature for free
Liao, Western Xia, Tubo, Dali, from the majestic passes in the north to the mountains in the south, the border is just a thin line. One step away is a foreign land, and one step back is the homeland. However, on such a border, there are always patches of land in a delicate tug-of-war. Here, they cannot enjoy the peace and tranquility they deserve. The army on the border doesn't care about it, and the people in the country will selectively ignore it. Many people are not even aware of the existence of such places.
In people's eyes, there are the clouds of ancient capitals, the brilliance of the Qinhuai River, the prosperity of the capital, and the osmanthus flowers of Jiangnan. All the way north, there are also battlefields like the Shura field, but there is no concept of this gap. Like inevitable battle damage on the battlefield, people simply stop thinking about it because it is inevitable. They throw it to the back of their minds and just fight.
Between ravines and gullies, packs of wolves roam the barren and treacherous mountains. Mount Lüliang is one of the regions that survives in this gap. The people of the Wu Dynasty do not regard it as an enemy country, nor do they regard the people here as companions. Not many people know about this place, and not many people understand the ecology here. If it weren't for the entanglement of interests, this area of the Green Wood Fortress in Mount Lüliang would probably not have too much connection with the outside world from beginning to end. It would exist here, be annihilated here, until it disappeared in the memories of a few people...
But even with the entanglement of interests now, there are still not many people who really understand this place. Located in a small, inconspicuous place on the northwest side of Mount Lüliang, there is a valley where thousands of people have gathered. The valley is rapidly expanding in a short period of time, and all the development seems hurried and bloated.
On the market outside the valley, houses and shops are crowded on the rugged mountainside. The outer market of Green Wood Fortress was originally a place for passing merchants to rest or trade with each other. Because Green Wood Fortress maintained basic order, at least guaranteeing the safety of most people's lives, it quickly expanded. Today, sewage flows freely here, crowds are dense, local heroes and bandits gather, and beggars and cockroaches and rats compete for a place. And such a place is the most peaceful place in the entire Mount Lüliang in the past year or two.
In the inner valley, which is not accessible to ordinary people, the inner fortress is much more spacious than the outer market. However, due to the rapid development and the large number of new people joining the fortress, this area of the valley still seems chaotic. A large number of newly built simple houses, and the wood and materials coming in and out every day, seem to be piled up without any order, but in such a development, no major problems have occurred after all.
This has never been a place that emphasizes equality and fairness. Chaos and noise are mixed with the atmosphere of primitiveness and barbarism. People who are absorbed into the mountain and lack understanding still occasionally hate each other, but power and force suppress most of the impulses. The Blood Bodhisattva, who is the most skilled in martial arts and the most brutal, does not allow blatant infighting to exist, and will never allow people to break a few simple mountain rules. Once broken, there is no such thing as rationalizing or enlightening humane services. Many times, they do not even have the merciful opportunity to be expelled from the mountain fortress.
Making small mistakes means you have bloodiness, making big mistakes means you deserve to die.
Coupled with this high-pressure power is a clear and open upper path. The principle of joining the mountain fortress is very simple. As long as you have a skill, or you are hardworking, you will be quickly absorbed into Green Wood Fortress. The scope of skills includes various aspects. Superb martial arts is of course the most intuitive and simplest, and even if you make noodles or pancakes, it doesn't matter. Proving that you have your own expertise will definitely allow you to join.
If you don't have a skill or martial arts, as long as you understand the rules and are willing to endure hardship, you can also be absorbed by the mountain fortress. The rules are also very simple. Follow the newcomers in the mountain fortress to train in the most severe environment for ten to fifteen days, such as running, or simply standing, desperately, obediently, and not giving up. After being trained to the point of near death, you can join them.
These things are not simple. It is not to say that people who come out of a place like Mount Lüliang can definitely endure hardship. Just like bandits who are used to robbing with knives in the mountains, they are often unwilling to go to work in the fields again, just like young people who mess around in a modern background. Of course, there are also environmental and educational reasons, but more is because they are gluttonous and lazy. Making a living by hook or by crook is unstable, but at least it is easy and simple, without a threshold, and there is no need to work overtime in a factory for twelve hours.
Of course, such people will not get sympathy. They will be abandoned, and then wander around Lüliang, joining other groups of bandits. Then, under certain circumstances, they will accept the exploitation of Green Wood Fortress, or die due to various things. If it is said that someone must die under certain circumstances, in this cruel world, those who do not seek progress are naturally the most reasonable sacrifices.
In fact, in the social structure of ancient and modern times, people may yearn for a great harmony society of freedom and equality, but at the social level, class may not be a matter that needs to be concerned about. In most cases, a stable social structure does not need to care about whether people are
Whether it is equal, the core that needs to be maintained is the fairest possible upper path.
A country or organization may have a wide range of class differences, but the people at the bottom can study, the people who study can take the imperial examination, and those who take the imperial examination can become the privileged class. As long as this system operates well, the organization can be maintained stably. The reason for the internal demise of most countries is that this upper path gradually becomes rigid. The privileged class can inherit their privileges for a long time, and begin to monopolize the path to the upper class. When it becomes increasingly difficult for smart people at the lower level to rise, their dissatisfaction will accumulate more and more, and in the end they can only choose to rebel.
It is also for this reason that Green Wood Fortress has not experienced a truly troublesome major shock in the continuous expansion. When Tan Zhen's "amnesty edict" was issued this summer, and the stakeholders who could turn their attention to Lüliang gathered, what they saw was such a chaotic fortress that was incomprehensible.
It is completely different from the various prosperous or non-prosperous cities in the south, and it is also different from the barbaric and primitive cities in the north. It developed and became lively because of a series of businesses, which were full of blood and barbarism. The top controlled everything with brute force, and the interior seemed to be full of various contradictions and unstable factors, but it was just pieced together like a Frankenstein.
"Old Master Liang, I know, you are a smart man, different from those who grew up in the mountains since childhood. You have seen the world. You can manage the mountain fortress like this, and you must be able to see how many benefits are in Lord Tan's amnesty edict this time..."
On a cloudy day, in a small courtyard room on the mountainside of the Green Wood Inner Fortress, a middle-aged man was talking.
"South of Lüliang, what really matters is our Qi family's territory. After accepting the amnesty edict, there will be not only status, but also military supplies. How much of these benefits can be obtained depends on the relationship in Beijing... I know that there are many people who have come to Lüliang this time. What they are looking at is nothing more than the businesses that Green Wood Fortress is currently operating, but Old Master, you can see... On the military side, whether it is the Wusheng Army or Dong Pang'er and others, these soldiers are all people who eat people and don't spit out bones. They generally don't talk about the rules when they should, but they won't be soft when it comes to taking benefits. Moreover, the army won't do business. If your fortress falls into their hands, it will really be a waste..."
"Our He family are businessmen, we don't do extra things. It is the right thing for everyone to be able to unite and make money together. Moreover... behind us is the power of the Qi family. Now several mountains in the south are willing to unite with us, plus the business in Lüliang, how much will we earn by transporting things to the north, you can calculate it yourself... Moreover, how many officials can fight against Dong Pang'er and the Wusheng Army..."
The unhurried words have been saying everything one by one. After he finished speaking, a cough sounded in the room. After a while, the cough suddenly increased, and the old man lying halfway in the room seemed to be dying. He coughed for a long time before he stopped with difficulty. The voice was weak and hoarse.
"Master He... cough, Master He, I have thought about all these things you said. But like I said, the affairs of the fortress... such a big matter has always been decided by the fortress master... I am old, my body is not good, and my mind... is sometimes confused. I think what you said makes sense, but... I don't know if I am thinking clearly, so I have to think about it more and discuss it with others, so these things... cough cough, still have to wait for the fortress master to come back before I can make a decision, but Master He, I think what you said makes sense, and I will tell the fortress master..."
"Uh, I also know that, but, Old Master Liang, Fortress Master Lu has been out for so long, and the waiting time is too long." Master He showed an embarrassed expression, "I know that Old Master Liang is the backbone of the fortress. You know, these things, alliances, are always more beneficial to decide as early as possible. The Qi family is waiting for my reply... Old Master Liang, let's not beat around the bush, give me an exact answer, if you nod, this matter will be considered a success, okay? Don't make things difficult for me, a junior."
"Hey, Master He, you're being too serious, this old man... cough cough, what this old man said are all heartfelt words, cough cough... cough cough cough cough cough cough..."
The cough sounded again. After a while, the middle-aged man surnamed He reluctantly said goodbye, left the courtyard with his followers, and looked gloomy. Looking down from this weather, figures came and went in the valley, and various arrangements were chaotic. Several children in ragged clothes ran around, but they were very happy.
"Damn it, really fighting, old thing..." Master He cursed in a low voice, "Still won't let go."
The follower next to him came over: "Master, why get angry with these people, it's all business..."
"Damn it, look at these people." Master He pointed to the bottom, "Don't you know? These people can't even get enough to eat on weekdays, a bunch of beggars and bandits, in this godforsaken place, if we hadn't given them a way to make money, they would still be hungry now. Do you know what it's like to be hungry? I would let him eat shit! After eating a little of what we left over, they started to act up. Now seeing several parties coming to find them, the fortress master doesn't even show up... By the way, that batch of people who arrived yesterday, that batch that looked very fierce, what are their backgrounds, have you found out..."
"Not yet, I'm asking."
"Go find out quickly." Master He glared at the follower, and then looked at the bottom, "Although this place is godforsaken, if this business falls into my hands, it will be multiplied several times at any time. Now it's being controlled by a bunch of poor beggars, really... Damn it, after the matter is settled, I'll see how I discipline them. Their fortress master, I'll also take him home and send him to others after I'm tired of playing with him... Damn it! Old thing..."
He left here muttering and cursing in a low voice. In the room of the courtyard, the old man coughed for a while, drank some throat-moistening tea, and then eased up a little. He was Liang Bingfu, the old man who had been in charge of the Green Wood Fortress. He had been running the Green Wood Fortress for half his life, and he had also raised and taught Hongti. Now the old man's health was getting worse, but he was still managing most of the affairs inside and outside the fortress. After sending Master He away, he lay there, wrapped in a quilt and rested with his eyes closed for a while. After about half an hour, someone suddenly came in from outside and said something in his ear.
Liang Bingfu opened his eyes, and at that moment, his eyes showed a bright look that he hadn't had for a long time. After a while, he grasped a crutch with one hand, and his body wanted to get up from the recliner.
The one who was taking care of him was a dark and thin teenager, who came over to help him up. Liang Bingfu's movements were trembling, but there was a hard feeling in them. He walked out with a crutch, and his pace seemed a little fast. This courtyard was only built this year, with not much decoration, and the courtyard itself was not big. A man approached: "Grandpa Liang, why did you come out?"
Liang Bingfu said: "I'm picking someone up... picking someone up!"
The other party seemed a little puzzled. The man who had just come in to report the news went over and said something in a low voice, explaining the matter.
Leaning on his crutch, the old man walked to the outside of the courtyard gate. The dark and thin teenager next to him was still helping him, but he pushed him away with one hand: "Get out of the way." Then he realized that he was still wearing a blanket on his shoulders, and threw it to the teenager with a "whoosh": "Take it away!"
At this time, he was already leaning on his crutch with both hands, tapping the ground a few times, and then standing there majestically. His face was already full of wrinkles and age spots, and he pursed his lips, making his lips appear thin, with a solemn and stern feeling. The mountain road in front was still empty. Looking down from the mountainside, the increasingly large fortress was also becoming crowded. There were more and more people, and they were no longer hungry in the past one or two years.
Many people have died...
He is not a talented genius with great talent. In terms of talent, he may not even be considered a mediocre person back then. He was rescued by Hongti's master and went to the former mountain village, and then to the former fortress. That woman said to him: "Please help me take care of this place." He still remembered what the woman looked like at that time - although the appearance may have existed in his mind, he remembered the expression at that moment more and more clearly, so he lived here, supporting the fortress, and teaching his disciples, so that they could survive. But many people still died.
From the former clumsiness to the current majesty in this standing posture, pressing on him, all heavy, are responsibilities, mountain-like responsibilities. And some people collapse because of responsibility, while others gain equally powerful power because of responsibility.
At the end of the road, it seemed as if a heavenly wind was blowing over. He came out just to pick up the man Hongti brought back, but for some reason, when he stood there with his crutch, he suddenly remembered the woman from the past, the scene of her leaving on horseback with a sword many years ago. What did she leave behind, and now, these things may be able to go down...
Not long after, a few figures came from the end of the road. Hongti was still wearing a cloak, but her hair was slightly curled up by the wind. Her face was just the usual smiling and indifferent expression, but her pace was no longer as heavy as it used to be. The old man could see it at a glance, after all, he had been watching her grow up since she was a girl.
The scholar next to her was also walking towards this side. The old man looked at him on the steps at the door with his crutch. He tilted his head, and then looked up at the old man. His eyes were complex and steady, not like a junior, but not arrogant either. Until he walked in front of him, the scholar lowered his head, cupped his hands, and bowed deeply.
This doesn't look like a son-in-law meeting his father-in-law... The old man thought in his heart, but his serious eyes didn't change. After a while, he asked, "Why are you bowing to me?"
The scholar had already gotten up: "I want to thank you for what you have done here."
"Hmm." Liang Bingfu nodded, his eyes stopped in the air for a moment, then he seemed to react, and turned his head and nodded again, "Hmm, come in, you... come in, all of you."
He leaned on his crutch with one hand and turned around to walk inside. Hongti then came over to help him.
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