"The inspector deserves to be a talented scholar from the Imperial Academy, he is so brilliant!" Under the firelight, the archers and the village warriors dispersed, secretly praising in their hearts.
Although they have only been together for a little over half a year, most of the archers and village warriors in Jinniu Village have already recognized their young inspector from the bottom of their hearts.
He is wise and has many ways to make money. He never eats alone and knows how to adapt. What is even more rare is that his status in the eyes of the people around him has been greatly improved.
You must know that since ancient times, officialdom has not been a respected profession. The common people are afraid of the government behind petty officials, but they are full of contempt for them themselves.
Although whenever the positions of archers and warriors are vacant, the contenders will break their heads. However, everyone is interested in the income and extra money that being a clerk can bring, rather than how decent this profession is.
There are even a few clan leaders and uncles with big surnames who claim to be heirs of farming and studying, and who have no worries about their livelihood, but they will treat the juniors who are serving as minor officials with a cold eye, as if they are dragging down the reputation of the entire family.
However, this situation has improved greatly in recent months.
As those trivial little lawsuits were solved by the newly arrived Korean inspectors in various unimaginable ways. As miscellaneous trivial matters such as finding cattle, sheep, hunting wild boars, and digging out wolf dens were dealt with, the people around them began to treat Taurus
The attitude of the archers and village warriors in the village became obviously much more enthusiastic.
In the past, when people saw Archers and Xiangyong, they were basically avoiding the plague. If they couldn't avoid it, they would reluctantly say hello, but the smiles on their faces were uglier than crying.
Now, although the common people still don't want to deal with archers and village warriors, at least they are not so anxious to hide. Occasionally when they meet face to face, they will give them a smile.
Especially after the reputation of Han Inspection's talented scholar spread, the attitude of the people around him towards Archer and Xiangyong rose to a new level.
Although this improvement is largely due to the love of the house and the crow, it still improves the social status of the "crow" a lot.
And those local surnames that claim to be heirlooms of farming and education have also undergone some subtle changes in their attitude towards the younger members of the family who are forced to work as clerks and village warriors in Jinniu Village due to their livelihood.
Occasionally, an elder in the clan holds a birthday banquet. In the past, a small official who was treated differently and could only sit by the door was now qualified to be called by the clan leader to sit down and talk.
Although, in most cases, the topic asked by the clan leader is still about the talented and "rooted" inspection inspector Han of Jinniuzhai, who often calls the minor officials by the wrong names.
Maybe if you sit close to the center of a family gathering and get the attention of the patriarch and uncles, which younger generation would refuse?
Moreover, not all elders in the clan are so dim-sighted. There are certain uncles in the clan who can see relatively far-sightedly.
Probably, they feel that a talented person who can write "The long rolling river flows eastward, and the waves wash away the heroes" will not lie dormant in a remote place forever.
A talented person who is able to study in Taixue and has a senior brother with great hands and eyes will definitely not spend his whole life doing inspections from the ninth grade.
And if Han Xunjian becomes successful one day and becomes a county magistrate, prefecture magistrate, magistrate, or even transshipment envoy, he will always have to have a few confidants around him who can be used easily.
My younger generation may one day follow Han Xunjian and the fortunes will turn and the chickens and dogs will ascend to heaven.
Rather than easing the relationship with the younger generation and trying to establish family ties at that time, it is better to act like a real relative now.
Anyway, it's just a few kind words, a few smiling faces, or an extra set of bowls and chopsticks at the banquet. Even if it turns out that I was wrong in the end, as a parent, there will be no actual loss.
The so-called warmth and warmth of human relationships are mostly like this.
When it's cold, it can be seen with the naked eye.
When it is warm, you can feel it clearly with your heart.
When archers and country warriors feel the changes in the attitude of those around them towards them, they will inevitably drink water and think about their source.
And the more I drink water and think about the source, the more I find that it is difficult to find a boss like Inspector Han who knows how to do things and be a good person, and who also knows how to lead his brothers to make a fortune together.
At the same time, they increasingly believe in the inference of some of their elders that Inspector Han will not work in Jinniu Village for too long, and he may rise to prominence in a short time.
Therefore, even if there are some people in Jinniu Village who have never been on the same page with their own inspections, they do not want to see Han Qing get involved in a whirlpool before he is promoted.
But tonight when they heard that Han Qing had chosen to pretend to be blind, what filled their hearts was not only admiration, but also inexplicable relief: "This is good, this way, it won't be difficult for everyone!"
However, before Wang Wu, Niu Ju and others could breathe a sigh of relief, the window lit red by the fire suddenly opened, and the voice of inspecting Han Qing came from the house again: "Zhang Fan, go and take inventory.
Inventory, find someone to move all the illegal salt that we have confiscated in the past six months to the lobby of the inspection station!"
"Wang Wu, go to Zhangjiazhuang and recruit people to put out the fire. Anyone who participates in putting out the fire tonight will be given two pounds of refined salt. After the fire is extinguished, you will cash it in immediately!"
"Niu Ju, hurry up and ride to the county government office to report the news. Report what you saw truthfully!"
"Yang Wei, Liu Hong, you two separate on horseback and go to Doujiabao, Zhoujiazhuang, Lijiazhai, and Liujiayao to recruit people. The conditions are the same: two kilograms of refined salt. Let everyone bring buckets and poles to start a fire thirty miles away.
Gather around and wait for dispatch!"
"Xu Qiang..."
"Jia Liang..."
Before anyone could dissuade him, orders flowed out one after another from the window.
"This..." Niu Ju, Wang Wu, Zhang Fan and others, with different moods, agreed and turned to look at the window. With the help of the firelight, they saw a pale face.
He was as pale as if he had just recovered from a serious illness, but his lips and corners of his eyes were obviously black and blue.
Her hair and temples were wet, as if she had just swam in the river.
His originally straight and tall body suddenly became a little stooped, and his originally bright and clear eyes were also covered with bloodshot eyes.
"What are you doing standing still? Go as soon as you hear clearly!" Han Qing knew that he must be in a very embarrassed state now, and also knew how much confusion he would bring to the people below him if he suddenly changed his mind. However, he could not explain it.
Because of this, I had to keep a straight face and shout orders.
The prestige gradually accumulated over more than half a year was fully verified at this moment.
Although their hearts were full of confusion, hesitation and even resistance, when the archers and local warriors noticed the anger in Han Qing's words, they immediately agreed "Yes!" and then trotted off to execute the order separately.
The mountain road of more than thirty miles is far enough. By the time everyone rushes over, everything that needs to be burned will have been burned.
The inspection summoned so many people from all over the country to fight the fire. Although the cost was higher, it was equivalent to the brothers finding hundreds of people as companions.
No matter what happened at the grain depot, it was impossible for hundreds of people rushing to put out the fire to "stick to the bag" at the same time. (Note: Sticking to the bag is a slang term for being dragged and falsely accused.)
At this moment, Han Qing didn't care what his brothers thought. While quickly changing his clothes, he bent over and gritted his teeth into his chest, "Remember, this is just this time, there will never be a second time.
Moreover, you cannot interfere with how I do it. Otherwise, I would rather die with you!"
There was no response from his heart. The pain was reduced to a level that he could bear.
Han Qing felt very humiliated, but there was nothing he could do.
He knew that if he had been a prisoner during the war, he would not have been able to survive the first severe beating and would have turned traitor and surrendered to the enemy. Just like just now, he gritted his teeth and persisted, but in the end, he could not survive the knife that cut out his heart.
The pain is the same.
The so-called only this time, not the same next time, is just to let him have a step to step up.
It is superfluous to say that we cannot interfere with how he actually does it.
He has been forced to sign a city alliance with "Remnant Soul", will the latter care about how he cashes in?
His heart is controlled by the "Remnant Soul", and if he dares to work tonight but fails to exert any strength, the latter will naturally find a way to make him suffer from pain again.
…
The archers and warriors moved very quickly.
In the past six months, the illicit salt confiscated from smugglers was carried to the lobby where Han Qing usually asked questions after a stick of incense.
They are all first-class green salt, as white as snow and as fine as sugar. Archers and village warriors will frown in distress when they sprinkle a little bit on the ground. After tonight, I don’t know how many kilograms are left.
How many taels?!
As the saying goes, under heavy rewards, there must be brave men.
What's more, many of our fellow villagers are very old-fashioned, and what they lack is not a reward, but a leader.
Along with Wang Wu, Yang Wei, Liu Hong and other archers, riding horses and carrying lanterns, they shouted out the fire-fighting reward given by Inspector Han in several villages near Jinniuzhai. They were awakened by the fire.
, the common people who had been hesitating whether to rush over to rescue them immediately became motivated, picked up their belongings one after another, and followed Wang Wu and others' horses.
In the direction of Niutoushan, where the Fourth Grain and Grass Depot of the Yongxing Military Road Transfer Department is located, the fire has illuminated half of the sky. However, the torches set by the villagers still formed long clear dragons, along the mountain road, firmly towards the fire.
Sources gather.
It had just rained during the day and the mountain road was rugged and slippery, so no matter how enthusiastic and anxious everyone was, they could not walk too fast. It was already two hours later when all the teams gathered at the foot of Niutou Mountain.
There is no shortage of horses in the northwest region. Han Qing and his brothers arrived a full hour and a half earlier than the common people because they had horses to travel with.
However, what can dozens of archers and local warriors do to stop the fire that has burned half of the sky? Han Qing organized his brothers to rush several times, but they were unable to get close to the fire scene. They had to cut down trees at the wind outlet on the periphery of the fire scene.
Clear weeds to prevent the fire from spreading uncontrollably while waiting for reinforcements.
When the people were almost there, the fire in the grain and grass depot began to weaken. For safety reasons, Han Qing divided the people into four teams, with Wang Wu, Yang Wei, Liu Hong, and Zhang Fan each leading a team to carry out relay fetching water.
Sprinkle water and squeeze the flame head down the air outlet.
This move has an immediate effect.
When the location of the grain and grass depot was first selected, the convenience of water was taken into consideration, so it was not far from the stream. Although Niutoushan is called a mountain, in fact, it can only be regarded as a hill, and the top of the mountain is not very high.
Led by the archers, the common people used buckets, wooden basins and other objects to fetch water from the stream in relays, and splashed it with the wind, persevering. The speed of putting out the fire gradually exceeded the speed of the fire line rolling back to the upwind.
As the fire line was pressed down by the cold water, it gradually shrank toward the downdraft, and the outlines of several burned-down courtyard walls gradually emerged.
Unlike what is shown in the TV series, all buildings are made of blue bricks and blue tiles. Even the important grain depot that provides support for the northwest front line has its courtyard walls made of loess.
Because the temperature was too high, the collapsed earth wall had completely deformed, and there were faint pottery-like crystals on the surface. When it was stimulated by the cold water, the sound of cracking could be heard endlessly.
"Be careful not to get too close or get burned by the heat!" Although Han Qing had never participated in firefighting in his previous life, he had learned some knowledge about avoiding fire damage in the army. Therefore, he decisively shouted to the Xiangyong and the common people who were rushing to the front.
They loudly ordered, "Concentrate your strength first and pour water on a section of the courtyard wall. Wait until it is completely no longer hot, then pour water on the next section. Don't rush in, lest you be swept back by the fire and get eaten."
(Note: Bianshi, namely dumplings.)
"Yes, inspection!"
"Hey, hey, I got it, don't worry about the inspection!"
"The inspection is brilliant..."
There was a roar of agreement, mixed with obvious flattery sounds. Archers, Xiangyong and the common people, regardless of whether they understood Han Qing's reasons or not, resolutely carried out his order.
Sections of collapsed courtyard walls were splashed with cold water. More walls were gradually exposed. With more and more people coming to put out the fire, Han Qing ordered his brothers to move forward steadily.
He stepped over the wet courtyard wall and poured cold water on the other fires in the courtyard. Wave after wave, persevering.
As if sensing the efforts of the people, God started to rain again in the middle of the night. At first, it was still drizzling, and the effect was like adding fuel to the fire. However, it soon became heavier and heavier...
"Inspectors are blessed, even God helps us!" The archers, village warriors and the common people, with high morale, shouted loudly and launched the final attack on the fire scene.
"It's none of my business, it's because God can't bear that everyone is working too hard!" Han Qing raised his hand to wipe the rain off his face, responded with a smile, and then opened his voice again and shouted loudly, "Everyone, please pay attention to your steps, don't burn out."
The food will be very hot, so be careful and you may get burned!"
"knew!"
"As you command!"
“Don’t worry about inspection!”
The archers, local warriors and the common people agreed in a noisy manner. Then they continued to advance toward the core area of the grain and grass depot.
"Xu Qiang, Jia Liang, you two each take five brothers and search the surrounding area." Waving to everyone, Han Qing put away his smile and quickly turned his eyes to the two village brave little bosses he was familiar with, "If
If you find the soldiers guarding the grain and grass depot, regardless of whether they are dead or alive, bring them to me immediately."
"Yes!" Xu Qiang and Jia Liang agreed to carry out the task. Han Qing raised his hand and wiped water on his face, then rode his horse across the broken wall that had cooled down.
Under the influence of heavy rain, the fire was weakening at a speed visible to the naked eye. He was actually able to find a place to take shelter from the rain. The reason why he stayed near the fire was entirely due to the habit he had developed in the army in his previous life, to advance and retreat together with his companions.
Although, he wouldn't be able to help much if he stayed.
"Sigh..." The horse under his crotch seemed to have stepped on something. While trying to adjust his body to avoid falling, he let out an aggrieved protest from his nostrils.
Han Qing quickly lowered his head, and with the help of the remaining firelight, he could vaguely make out that it was a carbonized animal carcass.
The outline of his head was facing outward. It seemed that he had tried to escape after the fire. However, because his way was blocked by the courtyard wall, he was unable to escape the flames and high temperature.
No, there seems to be a person who was burned to charcoal next to the animal carcass.
It didn't curl up into a ball, but fell over.
Han Qing was stunned. He instinctively jumped off his mount, pulled out his saber, and tried to use the tip of his saber to draw a circle on the ground to encircle the corpses of people and animals for examination by the county residents.
"Ding!" The tip of the knife seemed to have hit something, and it made a crisp sound.
Han Qing was stunned again. He looked carefully under the light of the fire, only to find that it was a broken clay pot.
It was about the size of a three-pound rice wine jar. Because it was made of pottery, it could withstand the high temperature of the fire. Now it was soaked by the rain, and circles of light diffused vaguely along the broken edges.
It's oil stains!
Unburned oil stains!
Han Qingrao had already made some guesses beforehand, but he was still shocked by the hidden secret he had just discovered.
Someone deliberately set a fire.
However, the fire has been burning for so long, but it has not spread.
As soon as it started to rain, the fire immediately decreased.
It was the grain storehouse that caught fire.
There may not be much food inside!
He had seen this routine countless times in movies and TV series in his previous life. It was an old routine that couldn't get any worse. If it were written into a novel, it would definitely be scolded by readers!
Tonight, such a classic routine was reappeared vividly in front of him!
"I said it, and you promised it, there won't be a second time." Han Qing decisively jumped on his mount, turned his horse and rode away, while solemnly announcing to his heart.
"I didn't see anything and there was nothing I could do."
"Don't force me, I won't care if it hurts to death. At worst, I'll give you my body back. I'll be a lonely ghost!"
…
Quickly roaring in his heart, he galloped out of the grain storehouse.
Behind me, the heavy rain was accompanied by the night wind, falling like a waterfall.