Lin Jingmo looked at his open and closed eating face, pursed his lips, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and his eyes were full of brightness.
Shen Yifeng on the side couldn't help but be stunned. Lin Jingmo was already beautiful, but she used to like to dress up in rich and colorful clothes, which was inevitably intimidating. Now she is elegantly dressed, with fair and tender skin that can be broken by blows, and she looks innocent and natural. , really beautiful, dignified and a little playful and cute.
Lin Jingmo raised his hand to support his head and looked at the little tiger devouring the food. He tilted his head and said, "I see you are not very old, so why do you always have enough to eat? From the accent, you are from Nanling, right? Nanling is rich, your family is rich. Don’t you want to farm?”
"You can't eat enough just by farming!" Xiao Huzi replied from time to time while eating.
Lin Jingmo frowned slightly in confusion, thought for a moment, and said: "Farming depends on the sky... Isn't it because the sky is not good and the harvest is not good?"
Xiao Huzi wiped his mouth, licked all the scraps on his hands, and said: "How can you blame God for this? It's half destiny and half man-made!"
Lin Jingmo asked in surprise: "How do you say this?"
Xiao Huzi saw that Lin Jingmo didn't look like a bad guy, so he said in detail: "I heard from my father that the northern border has been defeated for several years. The Beilan Kingdom on the opposite side neither attacked nor retreated. It just kept fighting in the northern border. Adding to the trouble! Burning, killing and looting, the people there are also living a very hard life, so the imperial court has to continue to increase food and salary to support the northern border. However, it has to collect food several times a year. In the past, there was a bumper grain harvest, and although our farmers' families were tighter in food, it was okay. We were able to cope with it, but the amount of grain received was increasing. Last year, there was a locust plague, and the harvest was dismal. We really couldn't pay the grain. The grain transport officer in our village, Liu Zi's dad, had to lie and claim that he lost it while transporting grain. Although he saved the lives of the whole village, he was beaten to death. This year's winter wheat harvest was about to be harvested, and it rained for several days in a row. The wheat grains were moldy and could not be harvested. Eat, I heard that the northern border suffered another defeat and had to levy more food! We brothers expected that the whole village would be in trouble this year, so we risked our lives to come to Beijing to find a way out. Unexpectedly, Liuzi brother couldn't help it. He actually seriously injured the dog Guan Shang Jishou and almost cost his own life."
After hearing this, Lin Jingmo looked shocked. He stayed where he was. After a long time, he slowly said: "Why do you call Shang Shixu a dog official?"
Xiao Huzi replied: "We heard that it was the dog official of Shang Dynasty who reported to Your Majesty to increase taxes, and it was he who ordered the death of Liu Zi, the grain transport officer!"
Lin Jingmo really didn't know how to digest these words, so he had to lower his head and remain silent.
Shen Yifeng on the side said more jealously: "I didn't expect that Shang Shilang may appear to be a handsome gentleman, but he actually harbors evil intentions!"
Lin Jingmo, however, thought for a long time and said: "The war in the north has been defeated, and the generals of the defending army should be investigated. It is not clear whether it is a matter of tactics or food and grass. How can we easily increase taxes again and again? Will the people not be able to survive?"
As he was talking, there was suddenly a sound outside, and the other gangsters also hid in the wooden house.
Shen Yifeng looked out through the crack in the window and said happily: "The government has found us!"
The official outside said: "Listen to the gangsters inside, let the young Marquis and Mrs. Shang go, or we will rush in, and then you will know how powerful they are."
The leading gangster said to the outside: "Today's defeat, we brothers will not regret the death. But if you dare to attack by force, our brothers will kill this lady first!"
When the officials outside heard this, they did not dare to act rashly.
Upon seeing this, the leader of the gangsters said to Lin Jingmo and Shen Yifeng: "Since today's big event cannot be accomplished, you two will die here together with our brothers." After that, he drew his sword and pointed it at the two of them.
"Wait!" Lin Jingmo said when the man was about to stab her: "My father is Lin Yuanzhi, the Minister of Civil Affairs, and my sister is Her Royal Highness the Queen!"
The leader sneered and said: "Ha! No matter how noble your status is, you can only die here with a few of us ants today!"
"Since you have been wronged, why don't you redress it?" Lin Jingmo said anxiously.
The leader stopped his knife. He shook his head in despair: "There is no doubt that the grievances are true, but there is really no place to sue... Don't you know that the government's hurdles are too high to step on, and that the drums can't be beaten too hard?"
Lin Jingmo solemnly introduced himself again and said: "My daughter's name is Jingmo, and her surname is Lin. My father is Lin Yuanzhi, the Minister of Civil Affairs. He is a fair and honest official and will never show favoritism. If you believe me, I will tell my father clearly." , beg him to personally review the case."
After hearing this, the man's eyes suddenly filled with hope, and his eyes brightened up. After thinking for a moment, he felt that something was wrong, and said: "The Ministry of Personnel is in charge of the appointment of officials. If it is found that there is something wrong with the officials in the Ministry of Revenue, he will be responsible for the oversight. How could this happen?" Do your best to handle the case?"
Seeing that he still had doubts, Lin Jingmo continued: "The person next to me is Wulinghou Shen Yifeng, he can also assist in the case! Since your grain transport officer has died in vain, don't you want to ask for the truth on his behalf? This year you guys The village has no food left to feed, don’t you want to seek a way out for the surviving tribesmen?”
The man looked at Lin Jingmo and saw that her face was sincere and did not look like a lie. He said slowly: "This matter is related to your husband's business affairs. Aren't you afraid of finding out his crime?"
Lin Jingmo shook his head helplessly: "I know you won't believe me no matter how I explain, but I'm not the only one in this world. If I harm those innocent people for the sake of my husband and father's future and reputation, I would rather die than Yes, if my husband is really guilty, I am willing to bear the responsibility with him. I am not afraid of death. I am only afraid that if we die today, more innocent people will die in vain tomorrow! It is easy to die, but it is indeed difficult to risk one's life to prove the truth. .As a great husband, do you choose to die in such a cowardly manner, or do you trust me and go out with me to seek an explanation for you, me and your people, and a way to survive?"
When the leader heard this, he put down his knife and knelt on the ground. Several other people also knelt down one after another. He said, "Please, Mrs. Shang, please seek justice for us!"
Lin Jingmo helped him up and shouted outside: "Both Mr. Shen and I are fine. We can go out immediately. This matter is very important. Don't hurt their lives."
After saying that, Lin Jingmo pushed open the door of the wooden house, and the fire was blazing outside. The first thing she saw was Shang Shixu, who was waiting anxiously outside the door.
At this moment, he has long lost the high-spiritedness of the past. His tall and straight body almost stumbled and fell due to serious injuries. His messy hair was flying, his face was sad, and his eyes had long lost a trace of brilliance.
He dragged his body to Lin Jingmo without hesitation. He wanted to make sure she was not hurt. He wanted to hug her tightly. He wanted her to never leave him again.
However, he suddenly fell to the ground on the way and was exhausted and could not get up again.
Lin Jingmo looked at Shang Shixu who fell in front of him and shouted: "Husband!"