After Lu Lu and Zhang Shaofeng rode their horses through several low mountains, they saw a ravine full of poplar trees.
It goes without saying that this is the so-called Qingyang Valley.
The relatively large poplar trees have long been cut down, and thick tree stumps can be seen everywhere on the slopes on both sides. Many of them have decayed. Most of the trees growing inside are small secondary poplar trees, which were probably cut down for use as trees.
The firewood was very sparse.
When Lu Lu saw that there were trails often trodden by people in the ravine extending deep into the ravine, he immediately turned off the reins and walked ahead into the ravine.
At the same time, he took off the semi-automatic that had been slung on his back and loaded it directly.
If the Jin Zhiquan who lives in this ditch is the one from Lao Jin's big car shop, as a fugitive prisoner, he is definitely on guard, and he might have a gun nearby.
Have to be careful.
Zhang Shaofeng was also keen. When he saw Lu Lu taking off the semi-automatic, he also took out the gun from his back, turned on the safety, and was on guard.
We followed the Qingyang Valley all the way and went deep into it. After walking for more than ten minutes, the front gradually became open. There were no longer trees on the gentle slope, but dozens of large plots separated by fences, covered with thick white snow.
.
There are several shacks located among them, and green smoke is curling up from several of the chimneys.
Looking at the shelves set up in the snow, Lu Lu knew that these were ginseng fields.
When it snows in winter, the ginseng fields are covered with snow, and the ginseng grown there is also in a dormant state. When the ice and snow melt in spring, ginseng farmers will cover the branches and leaves on the shelves to create a cool environment suitable for the growth of ginseng.
.
In fact, the management of planting sticks is not complicated. The real complexity lies in preventing theft.
Sticks are valuable, and there are always people who find ways to go to ginseng fields to steal sticks and sell them.
Therefore, in addition to fences, ginseng fields often also set up dangerous traps such as ground guns inside to prevent thieves on the one hand and wild beasts on the other.
Therefore, when he saw these ginseng fields, Lu Lu stopped, asked Yuan Bao and the others to lie down on the snow, tied the horse to a small tree nearby, and asked Zhang Shaofeng to wait here.
"I'll go up and ask!"
"good!"
Lu Lu carefully followed the path and walked up to the nearest shack with smoke coming from the chimney on the hillside on the left.
The appearance of Lu Lu immediately caused the dog tied up by the shack to bark wildly. Immediately afterwards, the door of the shack was opened, and an old man with an unshaven beard came out carrying an old foreign cannon. When he saw someone coming up the path, he quickly asked
Said: "Man, what are you doing?"
Lu Lu stopped and looked up at the old man. He also looked at the door. Seeing that no one came out, he continued walking up and said as he walked: "Uncle, I went into the mountains to hunt. The weather is too cold. My hands and feet
I'm stiff. I see the smoke coming from the chimney of your shack, so I want to come in and light the fire. If possible, I also want to ask you for a drink."
The old man was also looking at Lu Lu. Seeing that Lu Lu was dressed as a hunter, he didn't see anything unusual. He waved at him: "Come in then!" After he said that, he got into the shack first.
Lu Lu also quickly followed in. The earthen stove in the shack was burning brightly, and the kettle placed above was spraying hot air. In addition to the grain bags hanging on the wall, the iron pot and two sauerkraut and large pots placed in the corner.
There is not too much stuff in the sauce jar.
The kang was also simple, just a bunch of old thick beddings and a simple wooden shelf with some things placed on it, and nothing else.
The old man put the old foreign cannon upright against the wall, took an earthen bowl from the basket on the side, and took down an earthen jar from the wooden stand at the head of the kang. He poured some wine and handed it to Lu Lu, followed closely.
He placed a stool next to the earthen stove and said, "Sit!"
Lu Lu held the wine bowl and took a sip.
This wine must have been brewed by himself. The alcohol content is quite high. When the wine entered his stomach, a burning sensation immediately spread throughout his body. His body suddenly felt a little warmer. Lu Lu couldn't help but praise: "What a good wine!"
"This year's grain harvest is abundant, so I brewed some wine myself. It's a bit strong, but it's just right for keeping warm!" the old man said cheerfully.
Lu Lu drank the remaining wine in two sips, put the bowl on the small table beside him, then sat down next to the earthen stove, put the semi-automatic upright next to him, took off the roe deer skin on his hands, and baked it beside the earthen stove.
Roasting: "It's such a cold weather, even if you stay in the ginseng field, you will suffer a lot!"
"It's okay if you get used to it. The main reason is that you are afraid of wild boars coming down the mountain. If they break in, they can cause harm to a large area. The mallet is valuable, so you have to guard against it. There are also some people who are always thinking of evil ideas...
You have to guard against it, it’s more troublesome than wild beasts.”
The old man sighed slightly and then asked: "Your accent doesn't sound like a local!"
"I'm from out of town. I have acquaintances in Wulongshan Village. I can't live with my cats at home, so I came here to hunt for a few days." Lu Lu made a nonsense excuse.
"Wulongshan...which one?"
The old man was somewhat defensive and asked detailed questions.
"It's Lu Yuanfa's uncle Lu's house. I am friends with his son Lu Zheng. I originally asked him to go into the mountains together. However, he was busy with work at the police station, so I could only go into the mountains with another friend to try my luck."
Lu Lu continued to talk nonsense.
"Lu Yuanfa, he is a celebrity around... By the way, you have another friend, where is he?"
"In the woods at the intersection, there is a sign saying that there are ground guns inside. If you don't dare to break in, I will let him watch the horses and dogs outside!"
A piece of bark was peeled off the trunk of a poplar tree at the entrance, and a reminder was written on it with a brush: "There are guns in the ginseng field. It is strictly forbidden to trespass, otherwise you will be responsible for the consequences!"
Lu Lu and Zhang Shaofeng had already seen such eye-catching things.
"You really can't break in... How about calling your friend in and drinking some wine to warm yourself up?"
Perhaps after hearing Lu Lu say that he knew Lu Yuanfa's family, the old man's guard relaxed a lot and he became enthusiastic.
"No need, uncle... By the way, I heard from Lu Zheng that a blind stream recently came to Qingyang Valley, named Jin Zhiquan. In a place as important as ginseng fields, how dare you let a blind stream live in such a place! Is there such a person?
?" Lu Lu quickly changed the topic to the main topic.
"There is such a person, but he is not a blind drifter. I heard that he made some money from doing business. He came to our production team to discuss with the captain. He said that he wanted to learn to grow sticks. He probably benefited from it, so the captain asked him to come and live in the ginseng field.
Already."
As he spoke, the old man opened the small door of the shack and pointed to the shack diagonally opposite: "I was arranged to follow Lao Yangtou, who has been farming sticks for more than 20 years. During this time, Lao Yangtou developed a problem with his legs and feet. At home,
He was kept inside. He was the only one living in the shack."
Lu Lu turned his head and looked across the way. Seeing that there was no smoke coming from the chimney of the shack, he frowned slightly: "Isn't he here?"
"I'm rich and often go out during the day. I either eat in town or at the captain's house. Recently, I guess I've been staying at the widow's house in the village. I'm sure I'll be there at night, but I can't say when I'll be back during the day.
Got it!"
The old man said with some disdain: "I don't think this guy is a good person. Last time I went back, I saw him hanging out with a widow in the team. This widow's man was strangled by a machine while working in the coal mine, and he was alone.
With two children in tow, many bachelors came to propose marriage but refused to agree. I thought she was a chaste and martyr woman before!"
The old man shook his head as he spoke and sighed repeatedly.
Hearing this, Lu Lu couldn't help but grin.
He became more and more suspicious that this person was Jin Zhiquan he was looking for.
Panxia Laojin Car Shop borrowed the convenience of a widow and settled in the village near Tangyuan.
The man who is now suspected to be Jin Zhiquan in the ginseng field also hooked up with a widow in a short period of time.
The numbers are so similar.
If it is the same person, we can only say that he is a widow hookup professional.
However, if you think about it carefully, it makes sense.
In these days, it is very difficult for widows, especially widows with families, to gain a foothold.
It is still very common these days to use cliques.
It is indeed easy to find a widow!
Moreover, this Jin Zhiquan came here to learn how to grow ginseng, and the Jin Zhiquan in his previous life also grew ginseng.
Lu Lu vaguely felt that this was the same person.
"This is someone else's business. It's hard to say... I've drank the wine and the fire has heated up. Master, I have to go. Which road is easier to walk down the mountain from here?"
Lu Lu didn't want to ask too many questions. Since Jin Zhiquan wasn't sure when he would come, Lu Lu didn't want to delay too much. He decided to find it himself, so he tentatively asked about the most common way into the mountain.
He believed that Jin Zhiquan must have chosen a good road to go into the mountains. If he came back, he would meet him directly.
"When you go out from here, the trail that comes in diverges from the main road and you just have to follow it all the way down the mountain. The other trail is on the other side of the mountain and is a bit further around. You usually don't go there!" the old man said with a smile.
"In other words, this is the path you usually take when going up and down the mountain?" Lu Lu confirmed again.
"Yes!" The old man nodded: "Who has nothing to do and walks over there!"
Lu Lu smiled slightly, took out two dollars from his inner pocket and put it on the table: "Uncle, thank you for the wine, this is the money for the wine!"
"It's just two sips of wine. How much does it cost? You take it back!"
The people in the mountains are simple and simple. The shacks and cellars built in the mountains usually don't lock the door when no one is inside, so that those who need it can easily access the things inside. The old man didn't seem to think of it, so Lu Lu drank it.
After taking two sips of wine, he handed over two dollars. He was stunned for a moment and quickly declined.
"Keep it!"
Lu Lu just smiled at him, raised his hand and walked out along the path beside the ginseng field.
Seeing Lu Lu coming back, Zhang Shaofeng quickly asked: "How do you like asking?"
"There is a man named Jin Zhiquan living in the shack inside. He is not here now! I don't know when he will come back."
Lu Lu took a long breath: "From what I know, it is very likely that he is the shopkeeper of Lao Jin Big Car Shop! If so, such a person is very dangerous. Waiting like this is not the answer. The way in and out for them is the main road outside.
Let's go out and look for him. If we don't meet him on the road, we'll go to their village and ask. If we encounter him, we have to be careful. He is a fugitive, and he is probably carrying a gun."
Zhang Shaofeng nodded and saw Lu Lu getting on his horse and riding out. He also got on his horse and rode to follow.