"I heard that a group of pirates have entered the river, and many villages have been robbed, and the officers and soldiers are chasing them. 』”

"Fortunately, our Qinghe County is far from the sea."

Someone rejoiced.

"In the past two years, however, the robbers have moved further and further inland, unlike in previous years, when they were only along the coast. It's really worrying. ”

"Alas, I really don't know what those officers and soldiers are doing, they can't even catch a group of pirates, so we can't even live at ease during the New Year."

……

Some people in the Red Mansion also heard this news. If it was in previous years, there was such a topic, and it would not have spread much, and the discussion would not stop. But this year, it's been too busy. The subordinates don't even have time to spend their teeth on the ground. Naturally, not even a single wave got up.

After all, although Qinghe County is south of the Yangtze River, it is still far from the sea, and there has never been a record of piracy in history.

If it was used to take it out and talk about it when I was free in the past, it would be okay, but now, with that kung fu, I can have fewer things in my hands.

It was Qiushuang who wrote down the news in the book that was sorted out for Red Qi to see. Every day, a few girls will summarize the information they get to Red Seven, which is Red Seven's request. Red Seven will also classify them, the most important categories, the general categories, and the trivial things in one category. They will be asked to analyze these things.

For example, last time Qiushuang got the news that the kitchen steward had decided to stay in Qinghe County. Red Seven asked them to speculate about who was most likely to get this position, what kind of temper this person was, and what was the relationship with their Wutong Academy. If not, what methods should be used to avoid the person being selected, and if the person is really selected, what strategy should be adopted in the future......

A few girls had never thought that a small thing would have so many ways. However, if you think about it, this is also the case. Whether the young lady eats or the food of their subordinates, it is basically supplied by the big kitchen, and the small kitchen is only occasionally opened.

If this lady in charge is befriended with someone in their Wutong Courtyard, or towards Miss Seven, then everything will naturally go smoothly. If you have a grudge with someone in their Wutong Courtyard, you don't dare to embarrass the young lady's food, and it's easy to do something with the food of the next person, or less, or later than others, although it's a little thing, but it's quite annoying.

Rather than getting angry when it happens, it's better to avoid it in advance, or think of countermeasures, and don't panic when the time comes.

Therefore, several girls are now very serious about this matter and dare not be sloppy.

But the matter of pirates is too far away, and Autumn Frost only treats it as idle talk, and relegates it to the least important category.

When Hong Qi saw it, he realized that this era was not peaceful.

She carefully asked Qiushuang about pirates, Qiushuang was just a girl, how could she know something. It's the word pirate, she's just heard it. After all, in the past, pirates were also along the coast, very far away from Qinghe County. It is because this group of pirates has entered the inland river, robbed some villages, and used very cruel methods, so there are more people who say it.

Hong Qi told Qiushuang to inquire more.

It's not that she thinks that these pirates will come to Qinghe County, after all, from the current point of view, the robbers are all villages, so it can be seen that the number of pirates who have come in should not be much. Qinghe County is also a county seat, where troops are stationed and there are city gates. If the number of people is small, the likelihood of coming is quite low. Moreover, the location of Qinghe County is also relatively remote, and the river channel is also narrow. It was not a good choice for pirates who used ships as their main means of evacuation transportation.

It's just that she likes to be in control, and she also likes to have arrangements in advance, and she doesn't like accidents that can't be controlled. Therefore, it is necessary to know where those pirates are now, and how far away from Qinghe County is, to understand clearly, and to make sure that it will not be a dangerous factor, so that we can rest assured.

Anyway, there is nothing to do in Wutong Courtyard now, so Hongqi asked Chunfeng and a few people in the courtyard to take turns to go home and get together with their families for a few days, and also inquired about this matter by the way. With so many people, there is always some news.

One after another, people came back and brought back news. According to the information he received, Hong Qi drew a map of the routes of the robbed villages, and found that the route of the pirates was exactly the opposite direction of Qinghe County, and it was unlikely that they would reach Qinghe County.

It's autumn frost, and her expression seems to be very uneasy. Red Seven asked her what was the matter.

Qiushuang said nervously: "Miss, I don't know if I'm too careful." When I came back, I saw a lot of strangers. Especially around our house, there are several of them, as if they are staring at our house. ”

"Outlander? Are you sure? ”

Hong Qi's face became stern. In this era, unlike modern times, the mobility of the population is very poor, especially now that the Chinese New Year is approaching, there should be fewer foreigners left in a foreign land. And Qiushuang actually said that he saw several, which is really abnormal.

"Of course."

Qiushuang said affirmatively: "Outsiders and locals are completely different, even if they don't speak, they can see it." ”

Hearing Qiushuang say this, Chunfeng also nodded: "So, I seem to have seen it." ”

Dongxue said in a trembling voice: "It can't really be a pirate, right?" ”

Dongxue's face turned white all of a sudden, and so did the other girls, all of whom were frightened. How ferocious pirates were, they didn't know before. However, this time Hong Qi asked them to inquire, and now, they are very clear. Those pirates are not just robbing money, committing adultery and plundering, and doing all kinds of evil.

Hong Qi comforted them and said, "Don't scare yourself first, we are the county here." I heard of the pirates who came in less than a hundred. How dare you come here? We have 500 troops stationed in the county, and each house has a nursing home, not those small villages. If they dare to come, they are asking for their own death. ”

A few girls felt a lot more relieved at this time, patted their chests and said, "Yes, there are so many people, and they are crushed to death." ”

In fact, Red Seven is just comforting and comforting these girls. If those officers and soldiers were really so useful, how could they not even catch a hundred pirates for so long? Red Seven really had little confidence in the combat effectiveness of the officers and soldiers. In history, it is not without more than 100 people who fled with a team of tens of thousands. The combat power of an elite and a pile of scum are completely two concepts.

But a few girls are uneasy enough, and there is no need to increase their uneasiness.

"But how do we know if those people are pirates?"

Xia Xi asked, he couldn't feel at ease if he didn't find out.

Several girls all looked at Hong Qi with blank eyes.

Red Seven naturally has to be investigated. In the afternoon, she dressed up as a brat and quietly went out. Is it or not, I still have to figure it out for herself.

She was gone, and the girls were still there, dumbfounded.

Just now, in front of them, he changed from a stunning beauty to a brat. Miss is so beautiful, I didn't expect that when she wears men's clothes, she really looks like a man. Especially with rouge gouache, apply here and there, and after a while, that face becomes inconspicuous at all.

"Alas, I should go along, Miss will be fine when she goes out alone, right?"

Qiushuang asked worriedly.

"It's going to be fine, young lady is so smart."

The others were also worried, Hong Qi didn't let them follow, and a few girls had already been cleaned up by Hong Qi's hard and soft obedient now, so naturally they didn't dare to disobey her.

It's just that now that she's gone, the more she thinks about it, the more worried she becomes.

This time, Hong Qi didn't come back for a long time, and then, it was dark. When a few girls were so anxious that they were about to cry, Hong Qi followed the person who was monitoring the Red Mansion and quietly arrived at a courtyard.

Pink walls and white tiles, no different from other homes in the county,

The two of them went in in a flash.

Qiushuang is right, there are two people who monitor the Red Mansion, and they are not locals, and from the outside, they are different. Most of the locals are white and pure, most of the men and women are like this, and there is an aura of Jiangnan water town. The two people were dark-skinned, and their faces and body characteristics were more like modern Cantonese, and it was very likely that they lived near the sea.

Moreover, their eyes were always fixed on the Red Mansion. When it was almost dark, he left.

Hong Qi quietly followed them all the way here, quietly wrote down the address, and immediately left in a hurry. After returning home, I didn't care about saying anything to a few teary-eyed girls, so I hurriedly went to the old lady. The old lady had already gone to bed, not very late, but the old lady had always gone to bed early. I've been busy again lately. Outside, Hong Qi heard the old lady's snoring.

"Miss Seven, if it's not something urgent, let's come back tomorrow morning, the old lady has already rested."

Cedar whispered.

Where can Red Seven wait for tomorrow. These people, who must not be good, who knows what they are going to do and when they will act? I didn't know if I came to serve them in the middle of the night today, and I didn't have a place to cry when I cried.

Hong Qi shook the old lady awake and told the story in one breath. The old lady was still confused at first, and the more she listened, the more stern her face became, and when Hong Qi said the end, she was shocked and grabbed Hong Qi's hand.

"Repeat, where is that yard?"

Red Seven repeated it again.

"That's the Zhou family's courtyard! Zhou's Courtyard! ”

The old lady couldn't believe it, this place, the old lady of the Hong family had lived there when she came to Qinghe, and the old lady had been there a few times, so Hong Qiyi said that she knew.

As if falling into an ice cellar, the old lady only felt cold.

Spy on the Red Mansion and live in the Zhou family's courtyard, saying that this matter has nothing to do with the Zhou family? Who believes. No wonder Grandma agreed so quickly that Tuesday, no wonder she sent someone to search her house, from beginning to end, the Zhou family had no intention of being kind.

Hong Qi's heart also sank, and it turned out to be the Zhou family. Then it's a very difficult thing to do. If it was a simple pirate who had targeted the rich, they would have found out, and they would not be afraid of anything.

"Quick, hurry up and call Zhang Huyuan over."

The old lady jumped to her feet.

Crisis, this is an unprecedented crisis for the Red Family. If you can't spend it, don't talk about the glory and wealth in the future, I'm afraid that it won't be good, and the red family will be full, and I'm afraid that the chickens and dogs will not stay.