Firmament

Look at a man by the eyes of his heart.

- Lhoba proverb

According to the actual situation of the growing economy and the gradual increase in population, the government of the kingdom changed the name of Nian Bowei to Nian Bo County, which was subordinate to Pingxi Province.

Gong Zhixian, a descendant of Gong Shixiang, inherited the family property left by his ancestors, and the family lived in an old house outside the east gate of the county seat.

Gong Zhixian is tall and thin, introverted, speaks slowly and logically, treats people with a pleasant face, is very cautious in dealing with people, and never quarrels with others.

Recently, there has been a sudden chaos in the world, and the situation is very tense. The rebel army fought in the north and south, killing the rich and helping the poor. The government's army marched east and west, encircled and suppressed the rebellion.

Gong Zhixian saw that the situation was unstable, and he panicked in his heart. He tied the gate of the courtyard from the inside to prevent the government army and rebel troops from breaking in and looting the property, and repeatedly told his family not to go out alone. However, how could a small deadbolt block the muskets of the government army and the long swords of the rebel team?

On the first day, the rebel officers and soldiers came to the east gate and knocked on the courtyard gate of the common people from house to house, demanding that each household hand over three buckets of wheat or barley as military rations.

Gong Zhixian saw the big swords and spears shining with cold light in the hands of the officers and soldiers from the crack in the door, and his legs and stomachs trembled in fright, and he obediently opened the courtyard door. After listening to the not very excessive demands of the officers and soldiers, he hurriedly ran to the granary, loaded two bags of grain, and honestly handed them over.

The next day, the soldiers of the government came and banged on the courtyard gate again. They stared at them with blood-red eyes and spittle in their mouths, and shouted loudly: "The officers and soldiers are on the front line to quell the rebels and thieves, don't you give money and food to comfort the officers and soldiers?"

Gong Zhixian saw the big knives and muskets in the hands of the officers and soldiers from the crack in the door, and he trembled with fright, and hurriedly ran back to the hall to dig out some broken silver, and handed it out from the crack in the door with both hands.

In the face of successive rebellions in various places, the government was no longer satisfied with the levy of grain and distribution. The soldiers used to suppress the rebellion became more and more nervous. As a result, the government issued a conscription target to the county governments.

According to the above order, the county government immediately demanded that each family must send a male to serve in the army, and the violators should be detained and imprisoned, and a fine should be recovered.

One day, the county magistrate came to Gong Zhixian's house with his entourage to recruit soldiers.

Gong Zhixian was embarrassed to introduce the situation at home to the county magistrate: "There are 7 Ga Wa in Nao's family, which sounds like a lot, but 5 are girls, and only two are Ga Wa." "

The

county magistrate rolled his black eyes up and said, "Isn't this just right? A Gava stays at home to help you farm." Another Gava went to serve in the army. "

Gong Zhixian hurriedly explained: "My lord, you don't know, a Ga Wa is not in good health, and she is sick in bed all day ......."

The county magistrate immediately said: "Then let Gava, who is in good health, go as a soldier." "

Gong Zhixian said pitifully: "If Gava, who is in good health, goes to the army, there will be no one to help Nao farm." "

The

county magistrate rolled his eyes at Gong Zhixian angrily, and scolded impatiently: "The sky is about to fall, what kind of land are you planting? There's so much more to do!".

Gong Zhixian tugged on the sleeve of the county magistrate's horse coat and begged him to be sympathetic to the people's feelings and open up to him. However, it was useless for him to beg his grandfather to sue his grandmother, and he watched his 15-year-old son Gong Deren being taken away by the county magistrate.

After a few days, the strength of the government army was insufficient again.

The

county government stipulates that each family must send two men to serve in the military. Later, the county government began to search for and arrest people in the corners of the city and countryside. Eventually, they came up with the idea of remote places, including the tiger's and wolf's den, which they had no time to take care of before.

In that year, Wang Zixi, a descendant of Wang Chen, participated in Li Tianwang's rebel army, not only made personal meritorious service and was awarded an official, but also made the family prosperous for a while. After the failure of the uprising, Wang Zixi fled with his family into the tiger and wolf den in Nanshan Mountain, in order to avoid the pursuit of the Northeast army. From then on, Wang Zixi and his family lived in a remote tiger and wolf den, and they no longer dared to go out of the mountains to show their majesty.

Perhaps the name of the tiger wolf's den is too scary, for hundreds of years, bandits and robbers have been causing trouble everywhere, and they have never entered the mountains to rob and plunder. The officials of the Nian Bo government never went to the tiger wolf's den to collect taxes. Although it is surrounded by mountains, the climate is harsh, the land is barren, and the harvest is meager, but there is no problem in filling your stomach. The lives of ordinary people are relatively peaceful. In the troubled times of wolf smoke, the tiger wolf den is like the quiet and peaceful paradise described by Tao Yuanming.

The Wang family of the tiger and wolf den has been passed down to this generation, and the person who presides over the family affairs is a middle-aged man named Wang Shicai.

Wang Shicai, not tall, stocky, usually does not talk much, and is very assertive. He was upright and fair, and was generally respected by his family members.

Wang Shicai kept in mind the lessons handed down by his ancestors and formulated the clan rules of "two resolute prohibitions": resolutely not allowed to participate in officialdom and political affairs, resolutely not allowed to participate in any army, and only allowed to farm in the tiger and wolf's den in a down-to-earth manner, and live a life according to one's duty.

On this day, for the first time, the officials of the county government walked into the tiger and wolf's den far away from the emperor of Shangao, and pasted a conscription notice with a red seal on the crooked-necked tree at the entrance of the village.

When the villagers saw the officials suddenly come to the tiger and wolf's den, they felt new and a little afraid. They saw a notice posted on the crooked-necked tree, and hesitated for a long time before they mustered up the courage to surround to see the excitement.

Wang Shicai was also in the crowd reading the notice. He stared at the concise document for a long time, jot down every word.

Wang Shicai returned home thoughtfully, hesitated for a long time, and did not have the courage to disobey the order of the county government. So, he convened a family meeting to discuss the conscription of the county government.

Wang Shicai's second brother is named Wang Shijian, young and vigorous, with a reckless personality.

He was the first to speak: "There was a flood in the tiger wolf's nest the year before last, the crops in the field were not harvested, and the whole village was about to starve to death, but the county government pretended to be deaf and dumb and did not send anyone to inspect it. Now, why do they want us to draw two strong men from each family?".

The third brother, Wang Shicong, muttered on the side: "That's it." The benefits never come to the Nauwe. The county government will bully these honest people in the ravine. "

Wang Shicai thought to himself, it was not a way to resist hard, so he said to him: "The tiger wolf's nest has suffered a natural disaster, and the county government may also want to take care of it, but this mountain is high and the road is far away, I am afraid that it is beyond the reach of the whip." "

The eldest brother Wang Shigui twisted his slender neck to the right and said indignantly: "Even if you say a warm word, it's okay." Nau, look, the county government has no Nao people in its heart!".

The eldest brother Wang Shilong helped Wang Shicai to play a round and said: "So far, it's useless to be angry again. Let's discuss the matter of conscription. "

Wang Shicai saw that the eldest old lady in the family, Mrs. Wang, was smoking dry cigarettes, and without saying a word for a while, he asked: "Fourth master, your old man has seen a lot of the world and has many ideas in his heart. Could you please give you one last word?"

The old lady Wang pondered for a long time before saying: "Since ancient times, the emperor has been the queen of heaven. Wherever they lived, they were all subjects of the king. Now that the king has given orders, how can the common people disobey? "

Wang Shicai had no choice but to say: "Although Nao is in charge of the Wang family, I still have to listen to everyone's opinions." Nau was thinking that the sparrow couldn't fight the big eagle. After all, the common people can't resist the government. In order for everyone to live peacefully in the future, Nao first violated the clan rules today and arranged for Nao's son to sign up for the army. After everyone went back, they discussed with the head of the family (northwest dialect, referring to daughter-in-law), and each family drew at least one man. If you can't get a suitable man, you have to pay it with silver. You see, is it okay for Nau to do this?".

The crowd replied angrily, "Yes." "

After the meeting, Wang Shicai sat cross-legged on the kang, discussed with his daughter-in-law, and finally decided to send his second son Wang Yide to serve in the military.

Wang Yide is 18 years old, with a strong body, a red face, slender eyes, and a black mole on the corner of his mouth. When he was born, the old lady Wang saw a black mole on the corner of his mouth, and excitedly announced to the clansmen: "The black mole on the corner of this Gava's mouth is shiny, and she will definitely have a good mouth in the future." "

Wang Yide has grown so big, this is the first time that he has left the tiger and wolf den alone, leaving his parents who love him. Fortunately, he was deeply influenced by his father, understood the righteousness, took the overall situation into account, and happily went down the mountain to join the army with the young people in the village.