Everyone in the room sighed. Sitting here were members of the temporarily formed Bailucang Relief Association, including Lu Zilin, who was a member of the nine relief centers. Each was responsible for a specific task and was responsible for distributing meals to the hungry people in the original area.
Tian Fuxian of the township appointed himself as the president, and they formed the upper class society of Bailuyuan. Everyone looked at Bai Xiaowen who was dragged in by Lu Zilin. His clothes were dirty and slovenly, his hair was rusty with soil dust and grass residue, and his cheeks and neck were sticky.
The eyes were covered with dirt, and fresh yellow waxy eye mucus gushed out from the dried eye mucus accumulated in the corners of the eyes. It was disgusting to look at. On the calves with rolled up trousers, there were streaks of blood and pus exuding a foul smell. From the gatehouse of the respected Bai family
This unscrupulous man who escaped shocked the upper echelons of Bailuyuan present and expressed their sincere words of regret and pity. Not only did Xiaowen not receive the slightest warmth and comfort, he became even more embarrassed and thoroughly felt the shame of a fallen person.
, I can no longer say the harsh words against Lu San and Xiaowu. Lu Zilin walked in with four or five steamed buns, and was about to hand them to Xiaowen. Mr. Zhu, who had never spoken, stopped Lu Zilin.
Waving to him to take away the buns, he said calmly: "Let him be hungry for a while." Lu Zilin was a little embarrassed. Everyone here knew that he had bought land and demolished a house, so he regretted that he should not have dragged Xiaowen along.
He came in; he originally wanted to push this poor boy to show off in front of people in the upper class, but he got involved; suddenly he had an idea and said to Tian Fuxian: "General Township Committee, didn't you say that the county security brigade is going to expand?
Do you want you to recommend a reliable young man to them? It would be great to let Xiaowen go. We look at Brother Jiaxuan’s face, and we can’t watch Xiaowen come here to grab food..." Everyone clapped their hands together. Tian Fuxian shook his hand and said: "
If you didn’t mention this, I would have forgotten. Xiaowen has studied at Mr. Zhu’s Academy for several years and is very literate. The captain of the county security brigade specifically told me to find someone for him who is literate.” He said, lying on his back
He wrote a recommendation letter on the table, folded it and put it in an envelope. He walked over and handed it to Xiaowen and said, "You go right away. If you are late, be careful that someone else takes your seat." Xiaowen took the envelope and shed tears of gratitude: "
Uncle Tian Zilin..." He knelt down with a splash. Xiaowen was stretched out by Tian Fuxian, and turned around to go out. Uncle Mr. Zhu stopped him and said, "Wait a minute. You go grab a bowl of rice and eat it before leaving. Eat one.
There are many benefits of eating rice from a bowl..." Xiaowen glanced at his uncle and leaned against the door frame. Mr. Zhu said to the people in the room: "I suggest that all of us in the relief association go scoop a bowl of rice from the house and eat it with the people.
This opportunity is once in a lifetime. Give me a bowl. If you don't go, I will go..."
Mr. Zhu often did unexpected things, which became long-lasting anecdotes. Mr. Zhu's story of snatching food from a house spread immediately in Bailuyuan, and then spread to the county government. The new county magistrate Hao choked his hands and shed tears, thankful that he had chosen a good man. Hao
The county magistrate appointed himself the director of Zishui County disaster relief, and Mr. Zhu was appointed as the deputy director. The county magistrate selected Mr. Zhu because he had overcome all obstacles and resistance and showed a formidable spirit of asking for help for the people. Whoever this job is given to will be successful.
He became the richest man in the county in half a year. County Magistrate Hao personally visited Bailu Academy and asked Mr. Zhu to come out. He said sincerely: "I have bad luck. I encountered a bad year when I first came to Zishui, and I no longer have any ambitions."
, disaster relief is the only life. I am afraid that the poor people will take advantage of it, which will make things worse for the people. As your character and reputation are suitable for this important task, I will put aside the compilation of the county chronicle for the time being. First, save the people from the famine, and then you can continue to compile the county chronicle...
..." Mr. Zhu applauded with enthusiasm: "Outside the academy, there are cries of hunger and cold, and on the streets, hungry people are like ants. It is rare for me to sit down at my desk calmly and write. I have been unable to bear the heavy responsibility in my life, and have done nothing. I have only made a name for myself, and my life will be destroyed.
On this occasion, being able to deliver a life-saving meal to the people of this county can be regarded as a practical thing, and it is enough for a lifetime wish." Mr. Zhu personally convened a joint meeting of all warehouses and townships to check the number of people and distribute relief food. He
I personally visited more than 30 warehouses in the mountainous and Sichuan areas of the county to supervise and inspect the places where food was distributed. I assigned the few literati who compiled the county annals to the warehouses to handle the accounting of the amount of food relief and to organize disaster relief work.
Grain must be eaten into the mouths of the hungry people without missing a grain, so as to plug the loopholes of malpractice. Mr. Zhu was dressed in civilian clothes and went to inspect various warehouses. When he first inspected the Hekou warehouse, a table of rice was prepared for him.
There was a plate of stir-fried vegetables and a plate of snow-white steamed buns. Mr. Zhu took one look at it, picked up a bowl and went to the restaurant to scoop out a bowl of millet porridge and drink it. The chief Xiangyue and his staff in the warehouse were stunned and kept criticizing.
He was derelict in his duty. Mr. Zhu ordered them to bring the steamed buns on the plate and the stir-fried vegetables on the plate. They walked together to the big iron pot in the restaurant and poured them in together. Mr. Zhu said: "Tell the people about this bun."
What kind of grain is used to steam it?" The head of the township took a look at the hungry people crowded together, and his face was so frightened that he did not dare to say a word. Mr. Zhu said: "The sky is blue and the sun is red under the flag. There is no need to wink and whisper. You open your throat and say to the people -"
As soon as General Xiang Yue told the story of how to serve Mr. Zhu with relief grains, the hungry people standing in the front knelt down, and the people behind him knelt down silently one after another. The whole dining hall was silent. Mr. Zhu's face was filled with tears.
With tears in his eyes, he said: "Whoever has the heart to take food from the mouths of hungry people can still be considered a human being."
At dusk one month later, Xiaowen rode a horse into Bailu Town. He was wearing a straight black uniform, a black belt around his waist, and a black-brimmed hat with a white circle on his head. He walked into Bailu Town without stopping.
, Chaoda Fuxian respectfully gave a hand-raising salute, then untied his satchel and took out a bottle of wine, a pack of snacks, a pack of sugar candies, and a pack of dried bamboo shoots, a total of four gifts, and said sincerely: "That's not respectful, Uncle Tian...
"He then delivered the same gift to Lu Zilin. When he passed through the village lane and passed by his door, he did not stop. He still said the most sincere words: "That's not respectful, Uncle Zilin..."
After only one month in the Zishui County Security Brigade, Xiaowen's body and confidence recovered. After more than ten days of military training, he was transferred to the brigade headquarters to work as a secretary. He is expected to have a brilliant future in the future.
He had already made a plan. After receiving his first salary, he would go to repay his benefactors Tian Fuxian and Lu Zilin who showed him a way to survive, and then leave the remaining money to Xiao'e. The poor man would not be able to squeeze in even if he wanted to eat from the house.
Lu Zilin asked his family to scramble a plate of eggs and a plate of homemade soybean sprouts to entertain Xiaowen. After drinking for three rounds, Lu Zilin kindly told him: "Okay, okay, okay, but that guy is dead. You
So I am destined to do your job in the county..." Xiaowen asked with straight eyes: "Who is dead? Who do you think is dead?" Lu Zilin made a light and disdainful look: "It's that guy from Dongtou Kiln..."
Xiaowen stood up uncontrollably: "You said she...starved to death." Lu Zilin pressed his shoulders and asked him to sit down before saying: "It doesn't look like she died of starvation, she looked like she was killed by someone. There is blood on the kang."
…”
A strange stench floated in the village. The villagers thought it was the rotting corpses eaten by wild dogs. They searched all over the abandoned gardens, graves and trenches, but there was no trace. The disgusting and suffocating stench became worse and worse day by day.
, someone finally discovered that the source of the stench was in the cave dwelling next to the slow road at the east end of the village, and reported it to the patriarch Bai Jiaxuan. Bai Jiaxuan said to his second son Xiaowu: "Call a few people to see what's going on."
The gang members came to the slow slope and stepped onto the kiln courtyard. The stench made people feel sick and retched. The stench was indeed emanating from the cave. There was an iron lock in the shape of a suitcase and cage hanging on the door of the kiln.
There was no gap left in the wooden door, and the wooden fan of the kiln window was also closed tightly. There was darkness in the tiny gap between the window sash. Some people began to recall that it seemed that the kiln door had been locked for many days and had not been opened. It seemed that the kiln door had not been seen for a long time.
She went to the market town; some people concluded that she must have starved to death in the cave dwelling, and some people immediately pointed out that the iron lock on the door proved that she was not inside at all. Maybe she killed some wild man and escaped. In any case, the stench definitely came from here.
It was emitted from the cave dwelling. Xiaowu took the decision amidst the chaos and ordered the two men carrying axes: "Break open the window sash." After two crisp sounds, the two men who smashed the window sash fought for it.
He put his head into the window hole and screamed and fell down under the window sill. He was so frightened that he screamed. Xiaowu stepped forward and grabbed the window sill and looked in. He was immediately horrified and stood on his head with his hair. A naked woman was lying on her back.
On the edge of the kang, one leg and one foot was slung under the edge of the kang. Xiaowu took one look and then covered his nose and retreated to the kiln courtyard. Since this woman starved to death in the kiln, who locked the kiln door from the outside and people crowded in
He went to the window sill to see what was going on. He screamed and hurriedly retreated into the kiln yard. Xiaowu then ordered the two men to break open the iron lock on the kiln door. The two said they would no longer take risks. Xiaowu followed them.
One of them took the hoe in his hand and walked towards the kiln door. He smashed the iron lock with a bang and kicked open the single door panel. There was a buzzing sound and flies were circling around the door like bees. The stench suddenly rushed out. Xiaowu gave instructions again.
Several young men climbed up the chun tree to pick off the branches, lit the wheat straw in the kiln yard, covered the chun tree branches and leaves on the fire, and burned out the bitter smoke to drive away the flies that swarmed into the kiln yard. He also brought
The three young men carried firewood and chrysanthemum branches and leaves into the cave, and lit a fire at the top of the kiln to smoke. After the fire started to smoke, they rushed out of the kiln. Thick black smoke flowed out from the kiln door, kiln window and skylight, and the size of water chestnuts flowed out.
Green-headed red-headed flies scurried along with the smoke, crawling onto people's faces and clothes. People screamed and took off their clothes and beat them. Those demonic flies were a symbol of ghosts.
After the smoke dissipated and the stench was temporarily relieved, Xiaowu and a few brave people walked into the kiln door to see what was going on. Xiao'e lay prone on the kang with one arm pressed under her ribs and the other stretched out.
On the kang mat in front of the end, one leg was pressed under the hood and the other was hanging from the edge of the kang. His whole body was naked, except for a pair of small feet wrapped in footwear and overshoes. The corpse was completely decomposed, with large and small maggots infested with it.
The shoulder blade on the right shoulder of the tower has been chewed through by maggots, and there are thousands of maggots crawling in the pile of hair. The world of maggots is everywhere on the quilt, on the floor of the bed and on the pot table connected to the stove.
Xiaowu bent down and finally found that the soil beside the kang was spattered with dried and turned black blood. He understood that this woman did not starve to death but was killed by someone. The person who killed her locked the door after going out.
The kiln door. A jacket was pressed under her body. Judging from her naked body and the overshoes on her feet, she was killed at night, because the overshoes were only put on when she took off her clothes and went to bed at night. These are all
It is common sense in life that it is easy to make judgments. The cause of her death seems to be easier to guess. Since she was naked and only wearing sleeping shoes, it must have been a wild man who had a falling out with her and killed her, or a group of wild men who were jealous and failed to take revenge.
Murder, for this notorious woman who was beaten by officials, there would be no deeper or more factors that make people think about it except adultery. Xiaowu exited the kiln and went to the yard, where more and more men with the surnames Bai and Lu gathered.
Everyone unanimously condemned her, saying that after she died, the whole village, old and young, would smell her stench, but this time she finally eliminated one scourge. A few old people scolded Xiaowu in a cunning manner: What are you looking at? What's so good about that stinky thing? Hurry up and get the shovel
Come and shovel out the stinky meat and bones and bury them. Xiaowu said hesitantly, "What if her mother's family or someone else sues the officials? It's always a life-threatening case." The old men said impatiently, "I dare to testify to the people present.
They can all testify. We can't let people smell the stench anymore." Xiaowu said, "That's good," and ordered everyone to go home to get tools, dig a deep hole and bury her.
At this time, Bai Jiaxuan walked up the slow path with his waist stooped and walked straight towards the kiln door. Xiaowu advised him not to go in. Bai Jiaxuan raised his face and said, "It's strange to be afraid of death while living." Bai Jiaxuan observed with his hands behind his back and saw
The rotting body that was eaten by maggots, and the blackened blood stains spattered on the earthen wall beside the kang, didn't stop for a long time before he stepped out of the kiln door threshold, and saw that there were already three, three, five, and five people fetching hoe and shovel.
, said to Xiaowu: "Put down the soil from the cliff of Yaonao and seal the kiln." After that, he walked out of the yard and walked down the slow road. Xiaowu followed the people from the kiln.
Block the window opening with a broken window board, close the kiln door again, and let everyone dig soil from the cliff of the kiln. The clods of soil rushed down, blocking the kiln door, kiln window, and kiln surface, and finally sealed the four sides.
The small square skylight, from the outside, completely disappears from the cave dwelling where Hei Wa and Xiao'e kept causing trouble in Bailu Village...
"Who did this murder?" Xiaowen asked.
"I can't figure it out," Lu Zilin said. "I was busy distributing food to the victims in the warehouse that day. I wasn't at the scene. I heard people say it later. People kept saying that some wild man must have done the work.
Who it is, no one can guess."
Xiaowen held the wine glass blankly and poured it in suddenly.
"Forget it, old nephew." Lu Zilin calmly comforted Xiaowen. Xiaowen's behavior of bringing a gift to express his gratitude proved this point. Xiao'e never leaked it to Xiaowen until her death, which led to Xiaowen's series of disasters.
The romance in the kiln was just one of his strategies or traps; fortunately, the murderer had eliminated the hidden dangers in his heart. He no longer had to worry about the danger of Xiao'e leaking the truth to Xiaowen, and he would maintain a kind of relationship with Xiaowen safely.
Friendly uncle-nephew relationship. He said: "You are working in the security team now. In fact, if she is dead, she will give you less trouble and noise; you are different from before, and now you are a person among the people."
Xiaowen kept drinking wine without saying a word, stood up and left. He took his horse out of the stable, got on the horse as soon as he went out, and didn't even say hello to Lu Zilin. Xiaowen ran away on horseback.
After crossing the village alley and taking the slow road, I tied my horse to a tree and climbed up to the kiln roof on the empty soil. I judged the location of the skylight based on my memory and picked it up with both hands. The empty soil covering the skylight was very thin.
, was soon revealed. Xiaowen got into the kiln through the skylight, and it was dark inside. He wiped out three matches in a row, and in the light of the fourth match, he saw the oil lamp placed on the Kang platform.
There was a trace of clear oil left, and the oil slowly lit up. Xiaowen stood on the ground and saw a white skeleton. The position and posture of the skeleton on the kang were basically consistent with the situation described by Lu Zilin. Xiaowen knelt down and
So he knelt down on the ground and called out softly: "Kiss, I'm late..." He seemed to hear a hissing sound in the air on the top of the kiln, and saw a snow-white moth flying, flickering and disappearing.
Now, the flames surrounding the oil lamp were flickering, and Xiaowen cried out loudly: "You know I'm back, dear..." He fainted and fell on the edge of the kang.
When Xiaowen woke up, the oil lamp had burned out and the moth was gone. He struck a match and his eyes fell on the two rows of exquisite glutinous rice teeth. He had kissed them with insatiable satisfaction, and they were now glowing.
Under the cold green light, he took off a stone bracelet from the bone of his right arm that was stretched out to the kang, put it on his wrist, and climbed up to the skylight in the dark. He dug down the earth from the kiln, sealed the skylight again, and then
He jumped down from the kiln yard and untied the horse: "I must kill the murderer and cut off his head to sacrifice to you and kiss him..."