The turn of events came from one person's intervention. Gu Qingning returned to Wu County at some point and was very angry when she learned about the incident. After she visited Gu Lanzhi and learned the cause of the incident, she went to the head of the family, Gu Chun, to discuss the matter in person. I don't know.
How did she convince Gu Chun? In short, with her help, Gu Lanzhi, Chou Gu and others were allowed to leave Wu County.
After the group arrived in Danyang County, they found that the previous generation of Danyang Li clan members had all passed away. The next generation had basically declined and was nowhere to be found. The original house of the Li family had not been inhabited for many years and had long been deserted. There were only two members of the clan.
The family is still here, so I am very happy to see Gu Lanzhi back.
They also heard that Lanzhi's son Li Hui had become the county magistrate. The two families were even more surprised and did not dare to say anything about the old house. Gu Lanzhi and Chou Gu gave them some money and things as a consolation. They asked them to find
The people repaired the house and settled down.
After all this trouble, it lasted until November. After everything was settled, Jiang Sheng was able to return to Juchao County to report to Li Hui.
After hearing what Jiang Sheng said, Li Hui felt really complicated and had mixed feelings. He did not expect the shamelessness of the Gu family. Gu Chang was so cruel and unreasonable, which was really irritating. Mother and Chou Aunt
Suffering, A-Zhu also suffered.
However, Li Hui was surprised that Gu Qingning came forward to help. From top to bottom in the Gu family, she was probably the only normal person. She was still very kind-hearted. Li Hui was very grateful to her. Of course
I also feel a little guilty. If I have the opportunity to see her in the future, I will thank her in person.
In any case, mother and the others settled down, which made Li Hui feel a lot more at ease. At least he no longer had any worries.
On the twenty-seventh of the winter lunar month, the new magistrate of Juchao County who came to take over Li Hui's post arrived in Juchao County. Li Hui personally greeted him outside the city gate.
The new county magistrate is a middle-aged man in his forties, with a thin appearance, decent manners, and a calm demeanor. Li Hui read the official citation and learned that this man's name is Meng Zihui, a native of Jiangnan.
During the conversation, Li Hui had a good impression of this person. He seemed to be a gentle and elegant person. He spoke softly and was modest and polite.
That day, Li Hui hosted a banquet to welcome Meng Zihui. During the banquet, they had a good conversation, and Li Hui also learned some surprising news from Meng Zihui.
"County Magistrate Li, I used to be a county magistrate in Anyang County, Jiangzhou. This time I came to Juchao County to take office. I took the initiative to come. In fact, when Juchao County was restored last year, I asked the Ministry of Civil Affairs to come.
I have been appointed as the county magistrate." Meng Zihui said.
Li Hui was very surprised and asked: "Why do you actually ask to come here? It's a remote and remote place, and it's a small county in the north of the Yangtze River. There was so much chaos before."
Meng Zihui said with a smile: "Magistrate Li may not believe it, and I don't need to defend myself. But what I said is the truth. The reason why I want to come to Juchao County is because I have a connection with this place. In other words, I am the one who follows me."
A good friend decided to come here."
Li Hui was even more puzzled. Meng Zihui sighed softly: "Magistrate Li doesn't know something. Before you, the magistrate of Juchao County was my good friend. He and I are both fellow townsmen and close friends. He has been with us for five years."
I came here to serve as an official. It's a pity that bandits caused trouble here, and he died in the line of duty. I have inquired in many places and learned that he, his wife, daughter, and his entourage were all killed by bandits. It makes me extremely sad. His bones are still in the capital.
Not found. I want to come to Juchao County to work, just to find his body and bury him. At the same time, I am also in Juchao County to reminisce about his footsteps. After all, I know each other, so I have to do something for him to feel at ease.
.”
Li Hui was shocked when he heard this, and said in a deep voice: "Are you talking about Huangting County Magistrate Baihuang?"
Meng Zihui was also extremely shocked when he heard this, and said in a trembling voice: "Does Magistrate Li know Heng Qiu?"
Li Hui did not answer his question, but was surprised and said: "So you really know County Magistrate Huang, and you can call him by his name. This is true."
Meng Zihui smiled bitterly and said: "What's so fake about this? Does County Magistrate Li really know Heng Qiu?"
Li Hui shook his head and said, "Magistrate Huang and I don't know each other."
Meng Zihui nodded and said: "Yes, with County Magistrate Li's age, it is naturally impossible to know Heng Qiu. We just know that he is the former magistrate, right? Hey, what am I thinking?"
Li Huidao: "Although I have not met Magistrate Huang, I have benefited from him. He is a good magistrate. In Juchao County for two years, he personally investigated the mountains, rivers, geography and various affairs of the county, leaving many useful insights.
Information and suggestions. I was fortunate to have the books he left behind that recorded these, so I benefited a lot.”
Meng Zihui said in surprise: "Did you get Heng Qiu's relics?"
Li Hui nodded and said: "By chance, I got the relics he left behind, but I also learned about his death and the tragic experience of his wife and daughter. Alas, what happened to County Magistrate Huang's family was so tragic.
"
Meng Zihui stood up and cupped his hands and said, "Can you please tell me about Hengqiu's relics? I... I really want to know what happened."
Of course Li Hui would not refuse. Some of Huang Tingbai's notes and atlases were to be left to the next county magistrate as a reference for governance, and the booklet he wrote was also to be given to Meng Zihui.
Li Hui then took out Huang Tingbai's relics, including books, letters and the like. Meng Zihui looked through the relics with trembling hands. When he saw a letter, he suddenly shed tears and burst into tears.
"Brother Hengqiu, did you write me such a letter before you died? Why didn't you send it to me? You asked me to take care of your wife and daughter, but I didn't receive this letter at all. Why didn't you
Did you send it earlier? What happened?" Meng Zihui said in a trembling voice.
Li Hui was also surprised and looked over to take a look. The letter Meng Zihui read was the one Huang Tingbai wrote to his friend.
Li Hui was surprised and said: "Is Magistrate Meng... the brother Zhongping mentioned in Magistrate Huang's letter?"
Meng Zihui nodded and said sadly: "Zhong Ping is my small handwriting, and Heng Qiu's letter was written to me. Alas, it's a pity that this letter was not sent to me at all."
Only then did Li Hui finally understand the connection between Meng Zihui and Huang Tingbai. The two people should indeed be close friends and have a close friendship. A person who can entrust his wife and daughter to him in times of crisis should be
Absolute trust and friendship can only be like this. And Meng Zihui obviously feels the same way about Huang Tingbai. He previously said that when Juchao County was resettled, he took the initiative to ask to be an official in Juchao County. Li Hui still felt that his words were not credible.
But now, Li Hui completely believed it.
Best friends are like brothers. Huang Tingbai died tragically in Juchao County. Meng Zihui wants to come here to find his friend's bones and complete his unfinished business. It is completely in line with the cleanup.
At this moment, there was nothing to hide. At that moment, Li Hui told Meng Zihui everything about the cellar he accidentally discovered under the woodshed in the back garden of the Yamen, as well as the mother and daughter's skeletons and these relics found in the cellar.
.
After hearing these things, Meng Zihui was in great mourning and burst into tears. Especially when he heard Li Hui analyze that the cause of death of the mother and daughter was that there was no one to rescue them and they could not climb up to the cellar. They probably died of hunger and thirst.
At that time, Meng Zihui burst into tears.
"My dear brother Hengqiu, you have learned a lot from Gao Kuang, you are an upright man, you have been kind to others all your life, and you want to do something. But the sky has no eyes, so you fell here. Your wife and daughter were killed, it is extremely miserable. Zhongping is incompetent, and we only know today
After all this, when I came to Juchao County and saw the letter you wrote to Zhongping, I was really heartbroken. My ambition was not fulfilled, but my body died first. Wow, the sky is really merciless. It hurts me too."
Li Hui felt sorry for himself while listening. When he found the bones of the mother and daughter that day, Li Hui couldn't help but sigh. Azhu even cried. Indeed, the experience of Huang County Magistrate was too miserable.
Meng Zihui vented for a moment, wiped his tears and said to Li Hui: "County Magistrate Li, I'm a little bit out of control. It's true that I heard these things and saw these relics and letters, which made me unable to help myself. It's even harder to miss people when I see things.
Control your emotions. I hope you can forgive me."
Li Hui waved his hand and said: "This is human nature. Magistrate Huang is lucky to have a friend like you. Magistrate Meng can come to Juchao County as an official. I think Magistrate Huang will be extremely happy in heaven."
Meng Zihui sighed and nodded, and said to Li Hui: "Thank you County Magistrate Li for finding these relics and making the truth known to the world. You also buried the remains of Hengqiu's wife and daughter. I would like to express my gratitude to you on behalf of Hengqiu. Please also tell me their
I can also worship at the place where the bones are buried."
Li Huidao: "I will tell you, so there is no need to thank me. In fact, I should thank County Magistrate Huang. If he hadn't left a lot of first-hand information, I'm afraid it wouldn't have been so smooth. It's a pity that he can't find his body."
Meng Zihui thanked him repeatedly and sighed.
After learning Meng Zihui's identity, Li Hui's previous worries disappeared. Before, he was worried that there would be an unreliable successor. But now, this Meng Zihui is actually an old friend of the former county magistrate Huang Tingbai, and they have a deep relationship.
Then there's nothing to worry about.
At that time, Li Hui spent a day clearly handing over the affairs of Juchao County Yamen and various situations. He also handed over Huang Tingbai's relics, letters and notebooks to Meng Zihui, and also left the booklet of suggestions written by himself to Meng Zihui. Mencius
Hui said that he would live up to the great trust and continue the good situation of Juchao County. Another stone in Li Hui's heart also fell to the ground.
After everything was handed over, and seeing that it was almost the twelfth lunar month, Li Hui finally decided to leave Juchao County.
On the evening of the 29th of the winter lunar month, Meng Zihui hosted and Zhou Che accompanied Li Hui and others. They also gave Li Hui and others a farewell. The reason why they chose the evening was because Li Hui planned to hit the road at night and quietly leave Juchao County.
Li Hui knew that the people in Juchao County still had feelings for him. If he left during the day, they would inevitably come to see each other off. It was like a separation between life and death, and it was miserable and miserable, which made people uncomfortable.
Li Hui didn't like this kind of scene, so there was no need to be emotionally burdened by leaving at night. Otherwise, it would have been emotionally uncomfortable for him to leave the place where he had worked hard for a year. If there were other worries, it would make people feel even more uncomfortable.
.It's better to leave while it's dark and simply...