Chapter 111: Goodbye Not Saying (Thanks to propheta book friend for being the leader)
The river wind is blowing strongly.
Zhang Yue does have a bit of a blush on his old face. Although he has been born in two generations, he usually doesn't have many opportunities to interact with girls except for blind dates.
Zhang Yue pretended to look calmly and glanced over, then turned around and saw that the woman had already looked elsewhere.
Zhang Yue finally resolved the embarrassment.
At this time, Tang Jiu said: "I would like to inform Mr. Da Lang, although the river robbers have retreated, we are still not out of danger. These river robbers killed people and robbed money. To prevent the news from leaking, they all sank their ships and destroyed them, not even the babies were left behind.
"
Wu Anshi said seriously: "In Jiulang's opinion, what should we do?"
Tang Jiudao: "For now, we have to leave this place quickly."
Wu Anshi smiled and said: "Don't worry, Jiulang, I have sent someone to find the commander of the military and horse department here and we will hear back soon."
Tang Jiu was about to speak but stopped. Seeing this, Zhang Yue asked, "But what doubts do you have?"
Tang Jiudao: "Many of the thieves who robbed the Jianghuai River were local right-wingers, private tea and salt traders, who colluded with the government on weekdays, and some of the officers and soldiers were blatant thieves."
Someone on the side sneered: "Why, do these officers and soldiers still dare to rob and kill our Lord Wu Dalang?"
Tang Jiudao: "Not necessarily, as long as someone leaks the news in advance, deliberately delaying it for a day. Let's go again, at least we have to wait another night. There is no guarantee that these river thieves will not come back."
At this point, Tang Jiu picked up an arrow and said: "This is the arrow I picked up from the river thief last night. This arrow is so well made that it is not as good as any other in the army. If the river robbers gather people to attack, then we will guard the river beach.
There is no doubt that I am waiting for death.”
Several guard leaders around Wu Anshi also said: "Yeah, I think these people are all difficult to get along with. Not only are they skilled in water skills, but they are also very good at fighting. I'm afraid they are thieves who are used to committing crimes."
Wu Anshi said angrily: "If I go back to Bianjing, I will definitely report it to my father and let the imperial court send soldiers to encircle and suppress it, so as to make a bad breath."
“So Kuro, what should we do?”
Tang Jiudao: "To be on the safe side, we cannot wait for news here. We must go down the river. Yesterday we passed a grass market, and there were officers and soldiers maintaining the grass market."
Wu Anshi clapped her hands and said: "Wonderful! The bandits who robbed the river yesterday must have thought that we would continue going west and intercept us on the road ahead, but unexpectedly we dared to turn back. We will contact the local officers and soldiers when we reach Caoshi."
But he said to the left and right: "Da Langjun, there are so many of us running along the road, what should we do if we get separated?"
Wu Anshi hesitated.
At this time Tang Jiu said: "Da Langjun, if you have to cut it off, cut it off."
One person said: "You are a thief and an army commander. How can you be our master if Dalangjun gives you three respects?"
Tang Jiu stepped back and said nothing.
Wu Anshi looked at Zhang Yue and asked, "Sanlang, what do you think?"
Zhang Yue thought for a while and asked: "I dare to ask Dalangjun, what are the pros and cons of staying here or going east?"
Wu An's poem said: "It is indeed good to stay here and wait for the government reinforcements, but if we wait for a day and the government reinforcements have not arrived, then we will be in danger at night."
“If we go east towards Caoshi, everyone is likely to get separated, but we will reach Caoshi within a day of walking along the river.”
Zhang Yue said: "Dalangjun, do you still remember what we said before at Xianxia Ridge?"
Wu Anshi patted his legs and said: "Sit back and watch the changes, and if you don't do something about it, you may be unable to save it; if you get up and do it forcefully, the world will be in a state of peace and stability, but I don't believe in it."
“Go east, at least life or death depends on me!”
Wu Anshi turned around and discussed with the two women wearing curtains and hats for a few words, and then decided to return south together.
Everyone set out and walked along the river through the reeds.
The river breeze is blowing quickly, and if it is a good time, the reeds in this patch of reeds are all over the sky, falling on people's clothes. At this time, this scene can be used to write a poem with the line "you are still full after being brushed" .
But now Jiang Pirates are appearing somewhere, and everyone is worried.
The shadowy reeds and the cold wind of early spring make people feel a little bit rustled.
Many guards supported Wu Anshi in front of them to clear the way. The remaining female servants and old ladies who were weak were constantly being pulled down, and the team was loose.
Zhang Yue knew Wu Anshi in his heart, and Fan was forced to move forward quickly by his guards. As for the others, he didn't care.
Tang Jiu followed Zhang Yue closely, but Huang Haoyi and Ma Wu both got separated while they were on their way.
Zhang walked more and more hurriedly, and people kept falling behind on the road. After everyone had traveled more than ten miles, it only took them a whole morning.
There are only seven or eight guards left around Mr. Wu Dalang, and there are only two or three female envoys left to serve the two female members of the Wu family.
They were all exhausted from walking, so they came to a reed marsh to rest.
Everyone was huddled together, hungry and thirsty, and each went to the river to grab water with both hands to drink. Zhang Yue saw several female envoys using handkerchiefs to wet themselves with the river. No matter how exhausted they were on the road, these women
Still calm and elegant in their behavior, they took the wet wipes and handkerchiefs and gave them to the two Wu family members.
At this moment, Zhang Yue heard two guards complaining in the distance.
It seems strange why Zhang Yue dragged them all the way. If he had stayed where he was, he might have waited until the officers and soldiers rescued them and got out of danger, and he would not have run so hard that he almost died.
Even Mr. Wu Dalang sprained his foot while running just now.
At this moment, everyone is extremely exhausted, and there is no guarantee that everyone will not blame Zhang Yue for this.
Zhang Yue and Tang Jiu sat aside silently.
At this time, a female envoy walked up to Zhang Yue, holding a piece of cake wrapped in a scarf and saying: "Mr. Lang, this is what my girl gave you."
Zhang Yue was stunned for a moment. He looked up and saw that the woman seemed to have deliberately walked to the side to talk carefully with another female member of the Wu family without looking towards him.
The female envoy said: "My girl said, thank you for the advice just now. The girl said that she doesn't like people who are blameless and honorless. Since the husband takes matters into his own hands, don't worry about others gossiping or being defensive.
That’s fine for that.”
Zhang Yue nodded, stood up and cupped his hands and said, "Please tell the girl how much I thank her for her words."
The female envoy smiled sweetly and said: "Then take it!"
Zhang Yue was a little embarrassed, so he took the cake and shared it with Tang Jiu and the other half.
Everyone rested for a while and continued eastward, and then they saw the outline of the Cao Market after not walking two or three miles. Wu Anshi was overjoyed, so he stopped to gather people, and when two-thirds of the people were there, he headed for the Cao Market.
Jianghuaicao Grass Market has flourished since the late Tang Dynasty.
Du Mu's Book of River Thieves once said, "Every grass market in the Jianghuai River is as close to the water as possible, and many wealthy families live there. In the past fifteen years, every grass market in the south of the Yangtze River and in the north of the Yangtze River has been robbed and killed. Only three years have passed since there was another robbery."
No one has been able to live in peace for five years.'
However, the Tang Dynasty strictly prohibited grass markets and believed that all transactions must be conducted in cities.
However, after the An-Shi Rebellion, various grass markets still sprung up like mushrooms after a rain.
For example, the Jianghuai grass market was robbed by Jianghuai thieves every three years, but people still enjoyed trading here. The Song Dynasty recognized the existence of private grass markets, as long as the government was allowed to send people to collect taxes.
There are still many grass markets along the Yangtze River and Huaihe River.
Wu Anshi, Zhang Yue and the others immediately entered the grass market, but they saw that most of them were thatched houses. People were coming and going, so it was quite prosperous. Although the houses and streets were in dilapidated condition, it was all because no one was managing them.
, there is vitality everywhere.
There are many cargo ships barging along the river, buying food or some rice beans from the people here.
At the same time, there are also some private tea sellers, private salt dealers, and private wine dealers who are arrogantly entering and exiting the grass market. They are all very tough. They only wear shorts in the cold spring, and they all have dicks on their waists and push chicken buses.
Public access.
As for the few clerks who were leaning near the temple, they seemed not to have seen this scene. They were counting copper coins and keeping accounts on a small table.
However, looking at the chaotic scene of law and order, Zhang Yue and the others felt relieved. No matter how courageous the river robbers were, they would not dare to openly kill people and plunder in the grass market.
After all, this is no longer the time of the late Tang Dynasty.
Wu Anshi winked at the guard beside him, but saw that the other person stepped forward and kicked over the table in front of the clerk.
Facing the extremely surprised look on the other side's face, the person said: "Call you, the person in charge!"
Sure enough, Cao Shiwei, who was in charge of the Cao Market in the imperial court, was horrified when he learned that the other party was the nephew of the current deputy prime minister. After welcoming him out, he bowed down in front of him and said that his place would be given to Wu Anshi and his family. At the same time,
Immediately ask officers and soldiers to come here to protect you.
When Zhang Yue and others heard this, someone was already talking in a low voice. In any case, the jittery scene when they were fleeing on the road was no longer there.
Soon a group of villagers armed with guns came here and stationed themselves at the gate of the grass market.
Wu Anshi nodded and immediately entered with his family members. The rest of the people finally settled down under the arrangements of the officials.
Gradually, everyone in the Wu family returned to Caoshi. No one escaped, but several people sprained their feet.
Huang Haoyi and Ma Wu followed one by one. Zhang Yue and them were arranged in a shack. A bonfire was lit outside to keep away the cold and they borrowed a pot to cook porridge.
I saw rural soldiers patrolling outside.
The people arranged in the shack were already laughing happily, and some even bought wine and meat and came back to eat and drink.
When the porridge was cooked, Zhang Yue, Ma Wu, and Huang Haoyi all shared the food with wooden bowls. There were no spoons at hand, so everyone held the rim of the bowl and took small sips of the hot porridge. No one complained about it.
Huang Haoyi suddenly cried while drinking. Judging from his appearance, he probably thought of his entourage who died on the boat last night.
Zhang Yue couldn't help but think of the people who were chatting and laughing with him yesterday.
Zhang Yue and Tang Jiu were sitting aside. Although no one came to thank them, they no longer cared about it at this moment.
Thinking of the journey during the day, I had been frightened for a day and a night. At this moment, I could only feel the joy of surviving the disaster.
After Zhang Yue drank the porridge, he put on his clothes and went to sleep. His mind couldn't help but think of the day when he and the woman from the Wu family were afraid and panicked, and spent a whole day running around.
She also sent a female envoy to comfort her.
Finally, Zhang Yue watched her and her brother enter the grass market together, without even saying goodbye in a hurry. At this moment, he felt a little empty in his heart.
Zhang Yue thought that it would have been nice if he could have said goodbye at that time. After all, it would not be easy for the two of them to see each other again in the future.
Ps: Thank you to book friend Propheta for becoming the tenth leader of this book. She provided many of the materials for the other books and Wen Kui, and she is a top scholar.