Wang Chao and Ma Han lit torches and walked out of the official road in the mountain and out of the mountain pass. The night wind was stronger, making the torches in their hands swing here and there, and it was biting cold.
The two knew that they could not travel at night, so they extinguished their torches and looked around, hoping to see lights or voices. This place was not very far from Yangzhou City, and there could be no villages.
However, it was completely dark all around, and there was not a trace of light. The villagers were very frugal, not to mention that it was almost the second watch. Even if it was earlier, as soon as it got dark, the people would turn on the lamps and go to sleep. It would be a great disaster in the New Year.
If you don't have enough to eat, who will waste money on lamp oil?
The two of them were a little disappointed. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound in front of them, as if someone was walking along the official road. Wang Chao quietly pulled Mahan, and the two slowly pulled the horse to the side of the road.
, waiting quietly, I heard someone talking softly in front of me, walking towards here.
"Brother Li, I'm afraid I'm going to go back empty-handed tonight. It's so cold that the yellow wolves and rabbits won't be willing to come out to look for food."
"Yes, the situation this year is really bad. The crops have not been harvested, and there are even fewer small animals in the wild. I still hope to catch some wild animals and sell them for money. I don't have any New Year's goods at home, but I am worried to death."
"Hey...! We just hope to get through this famine year. I hope the weather will be good next year, so that we can have enough food to feed our family and be satisfied."
While the two were talking, they slowly approached the hiding place of Wang Chao and Mahan. Wang Chao suddenly appeared and made a show of his prowess. The two were stunned and thought they had seen a ghost, so they turned around and ran away.
Wang Chao hurriedly shouted: "Brothers, wait a minute, we are night walkers, don't be afraid."
Then the two people turned around suspiciously and asked with trembling voices: "Are you really human? Are you not a strongman or a lonely ghost?"
Wang Chao smiled and said: "We came from Yangzhou City. We didn't expect that this official road was so difficult. We thought we could find a place to stay before sunset, but we didn't expect it would be dark in the mountains. We groped all the way here; you two
Is the eldest brother from around here?"
Seeing that Wang Chao was speaking kindly, the two of them dared to come closer slowly. One of them gathered some hay and lit a fire on the roadside, and then they could see each other's true face of Mount Lu. The two of them, about thirty, looked quite capable.
They were all in rags and tatters, and each of them carried a large bamboo basket behind his back, an iron-tipped pitchfork in his hand, and several bundles of ropes on his shoulders.
The two men also saw clearly the attire and two horses of the Dynasty Mahan, and immediately said in awe: "It turns out to be two poor men, and the common people have been offended."
Wang Chao invited the two of them to sit around the fire and said with a smile: "The two eldest brothers turned out to be hunters. No wonder they are still walking outside in the middle of the night when the water turns to ice. It's hard work."
One of the thin, dark men raised his hands and said: "What I'm talking about is the fifth king of the grassroots. That one is my brother Li Hu from the same village. The two of us do this night hunting business; but we are not specialized in it."
This is just to set traps during the winter leisure time, catch some hares, yellow wolves, deer, and the like, and sell them to restaurants in the city in exchange for some rice and oil money."
Wang Chao smiled and said: "The two eldest brothers know how to live a good life, and they work hard to support the family, so they are worthy of their duties."
Li Hu, who was a little fatter, said: "There is no way, Mr. Cha, who doesn't want to sleep under the hot quilt at home in the middle of winter, but the family has run out of rice and oil, I have a mother, and three or four children to feed, and it's New Year's Day again.
, it’s also helpless.”
Mahan asked: "What's the harvest tonight?"
Wang Wu frowned and said, "Forget it, I haven't caught anything in the past few days. The traps I set are empty. No, Brother Li Hu and I walked all the way and found nothing in the traps set in the fields. We didn't even catch a wild mouse."
Li Hu also said: "This year is a year of famine. Many people have starved to death. I am afraid that the wild animals will have nothing to eat. The number is much less than in previous years."
Wang Chao asked tentatively: "Have you two been hunting since the beginning of winter?"
Li Hu said: "In previous years, I had to take breaks every now and then, because the harvest from my family's acres of land was good in the past, and I could make ends meet without going out. This year, the situation is worrying, so I can only go out to try my luck every night. I have to eat and wear clothes, but there is nothing I can do."
Something conceivable.”
Chao Chao said: "I see. Since you two come out every night, I would like to ask you something."
Li Hu and Wang Wu both said: "Master Chai is so polite, what do you want to ask?"
Wang Chao said: "About ten days ago, was there a large group of carriages and horses passing by on this official road?"
Li Hu and Wang Wu looked at each other and shook their heads at the same time: "Never seen it before."
Wang Chao looked at the two of them and seemed to be a little scared, and the way he spoke was also a little untrue, so he smiled and said: "To be honest with you two, we are the subordinates of Mr. Su, the special envoy of grain affairs in Yangzhou City. So,
I left the city late because my lord found a clue about smuggling grain. There was a profiteer in the city who had hoarded all the grain and wanted to take advantage of this year's famine to make a fortune. My lord was sent by the imperial court to investigate and deal with these people.
You must understand that once these grains are found, my family will definitely provide relief to the people. With the families of my two eldest brothers, the court will definitely distribute relief grains to tide over this winter's difficulties."
Li Hu and Wang Wu were silent. Wang Wu looked at Li Hu, and Li Hu shook his head slightly.
Ma Han saw the clues that these two people must be lying and they were about to have an attack. Wang Chao quickly stopped him and said with a smile: "It's fine if you two really don't know. If you really know, the person who provided the clues will
Received a great reward.”
After saying that, he put his hand into his pocket, took out the money bag he had brought with him, weighed it and said: "Here are five large coins, which can be used as reward. If what is said is true, there will be a heavy reward."
Wang Wu looked at the heavy money bag and felt a little moved. Just when he was about to speak, Li Hu hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and tugged: "Two gentlemen, it's not that we don't want to receive the reward, but I really didn't see it."
Ah; the Master Su you are talking about is Su Qingtian who opened a warehouse to stockpile grain and killed the bandits in Bagong Mountain some time ago?"
Chao Chao said: "He is my young master."
Li Hu said: "We, the common people, have also received favors from Su Qingtian, and we also went into the city to greet Su Qingtian on the day of his triumphant victory over the bandits. Since you two are under Su Qingtian, do you know what day that was?"
Wang Chao suddenly realized that it was not that these two people didn't know, but that they didn't believe him and Ma Han. It was true that they met by chance and had known each other for less than a cup of tea. It was really difficult for others to believe it based on just his own words. However, hope ignited in Wang Chao's heart.
Huo, these two people are so cautious, I'm afraid they know more than they think, and as ordinary people, there is no reason why they are so vigilant.
"It turns out that you two don't believe that I and I are people close to Mr. Su. Indeed, I and I are private investigators and don't have any documents to prove it. However, I can tell you two about my young master's experience and experience.
Regarding his appearance, there must be many rumors about my young master among the people, but there are some things you definitely don’t know."
"Oh? I'd like to hear the details." Li Hu said with great interest.
"Just now you asked me when my young master will be victorious. Even if you can answer such a question, how can you prove my young master's identity? Because this matter caused a sensation in the world, the entire Yangzhou City, and even Huainan Road knew what happened that day, so I will not
As I said, Brother Mahan and I rode beside the young master that day. I was wearing gray armor and he was wearing black. You must not have noticed us two."
"This... I really didn't pay attention to it."
Dynasty Mahan was greatly shocked. On that day, the two of them specially dressed up. They were smart and capable, and they were riding high and high. Unexpectedly, in the eyes of the people, they had no impression of them at all; what was even more annoying was that
, these two guys couldn't even tell a lie, they simply said they didn't pay attention, which was a waste of pretentiousness that day.
"Well... where do I start? Let me tell you something you don't know. My son-in-law is from Luzhou. His family is one of the four wealthy businessmen in Luzhou. The boss owns a family business. We two brothers
That was the one who followed the young master; later we followed the young master to Yingtian Mansion
When I was studying in the academy, no one in Yingtian Mansion knew the name of my young master. Moreover, he was favored by Grandpa Taizu and entrusted his dream to my young master. Later, he was appreciated by the Third Chief Envoy. The emperor specially summoned my young master and appointed him as a food service expert.
I asked him to take charge of it, and then he went to Yangzhou to run an errand."
Li Hu hurriedly asked: "Have you been following Su Qingtian during this period?"
Ma Han glared and said, "Why don't you believe it? Let me tell you, I know the color of my young master's underwear, but you two fools don't believe it. That's all. Let's ask someone else."
Li Hu said: "Don't be upset, sir. Let me ask you the last question, what is your son wearing on his waist?"
Mahan blinked and said, "On the waist? There's nothing but the belt?"
Li Hu's face changed, and Wang Chao hurriedly said: "He is a fool and doesn't care about this. Let me tell you that my young master has a jade pendant hanging on his waist for many years. This jade pendant is called the Big Three Yuan Jade Pendant. Well...
Let me tell you some secrets. This jade pendant was given to me by a close friend before I went to Yingtianyuan to study. It means that I hope that my son will earn three yuan in high school and become a successful person."
Li Hu said with great joy: "Sure enough, it seems that the two of them are indeed Su Qingtian's companions. Su Qingtian has a high reputation among the people. I didn't notice the big three yuan jade pendant at first. It was Mr. Wu, a rich man in the village, who was there that day."
When we were basking in the sun at the end of the village, we mentioned this matter. Mr. Wu was well-informed. He said that the jade pendant around Su Qingtian's waist was called Da San Yuan, which was quite valuable. How could ordinary people like us know this?
Everyone knows it, so it must be true to life."
Wang Chao rolled his eyes and thought to himself: "I have said so much, but it is not as effective as a jade pendant. If I had known this, why would I have spent so much effort?"
Once their identities were proven, Li Hu and Wang Wu immediately became polite. It was okay to squat on the roadside. They immediately invited the two of them to rest in their small courtyard in the village to the east of the mountain to wake up their wives and bring in the game they had hunted a few days ago.
After peeling and cooking a full casserole, several people chatted while eating.