As expected, Lu Zhan went to Wujiang Crossing early the next morning, but Li Hui pushed him away because he was tired and did not go. Lu Zhan was already a little dissatisfied with Li Hui, but he did not force him and went with his people.
Li Hui stayed in Guanyi for a while, originally thinking of going to see Wang Muzhi alone and asking about the situation in Juchao County. But thinking of Wang Muzhi's behavior yesterday, he felt that Wang Muzhi might not say anything to him. He asked
He might as well ask someone else.
So Li Hui took Zhao Dachun and Guo Dazhuang out of their residence and wandered the streets of Liyang.
Liyang City is not big. After all, it is just a county-controlled city in the north of the Yangtze River. It is located in the north of the Yangtze River. The city is strong, but the streets are sparse and ordinary. The houses are low. The streets are full of potholes, mud pits and stinking ditches exude a foul smell.
People care.
This also reflects the current situation. Jiangbei is a place that may be abandoned at any time. This is what the local residents think. It is not worthwhile to build luxurious houses here. No matter how well they are built, they may all be abandoned overnight.
.
However, there were a lot of people on the street. People with various accents came and went. Most of them were in shabby clothes, had dull faces, and looked malnourished.
Although the New Year is approaching, there is no festive atmosphere on the streets of the entire city. Instead, there is an atmosphere of anxiety, numbness, and no happiness or hope.
There was a porridge shack on a street corner. A large group of men, women, and children stood in line in the cold wind, holding broken bowls and waiting for alms. In the porridge shack, there were several monks working around the disaster. The porridge pot was steaming, but the ladles
The porridge that comes out is as thin as water.
Li Hui suddenly realized that there was a severe drought in Wu County and surrounding areas this year, and some people had long realized that a famine might occur this year. It seemed that the people here were suffering from famine. The monks in the temples all came out to give porridge. So many people came out to do this.
Queuing up for a mouthful of gruel is not a good situation.
With the county-governed city looking like this, what would it be like in Juchao County? Li Hui didn't dare to think about it.
The three of them found a small teahouse on the corner of the street that looked pretty good and went in. The shopkeeper saw that Li Hui was dressed in an extraordinary manner and knew that he was not an ordinary person, so he went up to greet him personally.
The three of them went up to the second floor, sat by the sunny window, and ordered some cooking cakes and tea. Li Hui was full after eating half of the cooking cakes, but the two of them ate all the seven or eight cooking cakes.
.Nothing will affect the appetites of Zhao Dachun and Guo Dazhuang.
When paying the bill, Li Hui gave him an extra two hundred coins and five baht, and the shopkeeper thanked him repeatedly. Li Hui took the opportunity to ask the shopkeeper: "Shopkeeper, I want to ask you something."
"Young gentleman, please tell me," the shopkeeper said hurriedly.
"Three of us and I want to go to Juchao County, but I heard that there is some unrest in Juchao County. I don't know what the situation is like there. Does the shopkeeper know something about the situation there?" Li Hui asked with a smile.
The shopkeeper said in surprise: "What? You are going to Juchao County? Where are you three going and what are you doing?"
Li Huidao: "I have an old friend in Juchao County and I want to visit him."
The shopkeeper yelled, frowned and said for a moment, "Young man, you don't look like a local."
Li Huidao: "We are from Wu County in the south of the Yangtze River."
The shopkeeper nodded and said: "That's no wonder. I don't know much about the situation in Juchao County. But I think it's better for the young man not to go. That place is in a lot of chaos now."
"Why is that? Is it because the refugees are moving south and the situation is chaotic?" Li Hui asked.
The shopkeeper smiled and said: "Yes, we have a lot of refugees coming during this period in Liyang, and they are noisy everywhere. Did you see that? The people queuing up at the porridge shack outside all fled from the north. During this period in the city,
Because of the arrival of refugees, everything is in chaos. In addition to the city, there is also a shelter in the east of the city, and many refugees are placed there."
Li Hui smiled and said: "Are the refugees so scary? After they are resettled, won't those who stutter live in peace? Even if there are refugees in Juchao County, nothing bad will happen."
The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice: "This young gentleman, I see that you are young and speak kindly. You should be a gentleman from a good family. I don't want you to get into trouble. Let me tell you, then
Juchao County is not just a problem for refugees, it’s... it’s not a good place.”
Li Huidao: "Why do you say that?"
The shopkeeper said: "Just listen to the old man's advice and don't go. The New Year is coming, so hurry back to Jiangnan and reunite with your family for the New Year. Wouldn't it be nice and harmonious? Why run around?"
Li Hui chuckled and said, "Shopkeeper, if you say that, I will go even more."
The shopkeeper frowned and said, "You young man, why don't you listen to others' advice?"
Li Hui stood up, walked slowly to the shopkeeper, and whispered: "What is there? Just tell me directly. I will not mention to anyone that I know it from you. If I really go
No, I will go back to the inn immediately to pack my luggage and go home. Shopkeeper, if you don’t tell me clearly, if something happens to me while I’m there, wouldn’t you be willing to die without saving me?”
This moral kidnapping left the shopkeeper helpless, so he gritted his teeth and whispered: "That's all, let me tell you. Juchao County was abandoned a few years ago. Why was it abandoned? That's because there was a
Rough bandits. There was a fisherman named Feng Heizi. He had a feud with others in his early years and killed them. When the government took him, they fell into disgrace. There is a large lake next to Juchao County called Jiao Lake, which is more than a hundred miles in radius and is very big.
.There is Laoshan Island in the lake, and Feng Heizi took over that island as his lair. Many people defected, and it is said that there were already hundreds of them. In the early days of Juchao County, there were yamen and county magistrates, and Feng Heizi led them.
After sneaking into the county seat and killing all the magistrates, magistrates, magistrates, and government officials, no one dared to be an official anymore. So, it gradually fell into disuse. Do you understand now?"
Li Hui's scalp went numb and his heart felt cold. He never expected that there would be a group of ruthless bandits entrenched in Juchao County, and they were a large group of more than a hundred bandits. He had imagined how chaotic Juchao County was, but
But I never thought of this.
Now it seems that Wang Muzhi didn't know about this, but he didn't want to say it at all. He made it clear that he just watched him and Lu Zhan die, but refused to remind him. Why did he do this? He and Lu Zhan
He has no grievances and is not even willing to remind him? Or is he worried that if he and Lu Zhan turn around and leave, the situation in Juchao County will be out of control?
Thinking further, the reason why he hasn't even built a basic team is probably not because he doesn't have time, but because no one is willing to go to Juchao County to die. This is the real reason. He is completely lying.
"Shopkeeper, doesn't the court care? Why didn't they send troops to exterminate them? Did they let the bandits run rampant? And even killed the county magistrate?" Li Hui asked in a low voice.
"We sent, but why didn't we send? We couldn't beat them. We went to fight twice, but they were beaten back before we even got to the island. In the end, no one dared to fight. We simply abandoned Juchao County," the shopkeeper said.
Li Hui thought quickly and asked: "So, is the county seat occupied by them now? Has it become a bandit's nest? Do the local people listen to the bandits?"
"That's not true. Feng Heizi and the others are not stupid. Are they going to wait to die on the shore? The island in the middle of the lake has a steep terrain, and that is the safest place. When we get to the county town and are surrounded by people, wouldn't everything be doomed? Ordinary people.
How could we listen to the bandits? These people are robbing money and food, and they have done a lot of harm to the local people. It’s too late to hate them. Who wants to have anything to do with bandits? Isn’t it unclear in the future? Pay some money and buy some food and catch them on weekdays.
You're safe. There's nothing you can do if you're bullied."
Li Hui frowned and said, "Why do the local people still stay there? Just escape."
"Look at what you said. They have nowhere to go. Those born and raised here, where can they go? People in Jiangbei counties and counties are not allowed to cross the river, so they can only live in poverty in the local area. The rich and wealthy have all fled. Ordinary people
We have no choice but to stay. Alas! Now I heard that many refugees have gone to Juchao County. The prefect sent people to block them at various intersections, preventing them from coming to Liyang. Other counties and counties also blocked the roads. A group of people all
In Juchao County, people are now allowed in but not allowed out. I don’t know how chaotic it is inside. Xiaolangjun, this time you should understand why I told you not to go. If you are targeted by bandits, you will not be allowed to go.
Are you going to kidnap your family to blackmail you? If you fail to extort money, your life will be lost. You must not go." The shopkeeper said in a low voice.
Li Hui nodded slightly, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you to the shopkeeper for telling me this, it saved our lives. Dachun, give the shopkeeper two thousand dollars as reward."
Dachun agreed and took two bunches of money from the big bag behind his back and stuffed it into the shopkeeper's hand.
The shopkeeper hurriedly waved his hands and said with a smile: "No, no."
Li Huidao: "The shopkeeper just accepts it. How can I not thank others for their advice?"
The shopkeeper happily accepted it, thanked him and said, "But please don't tell anyone. Regarding the bandits, we won't let you talk about it here, so as not to make people panic. I don't want to cause trouble."
Li Hui nodded and said, "Don't worry. I'll keep my mouth shut."