In the next few days, boxes of gold and silver were delivered to the door. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info talk about the West Sea League, Lu Changqing was invited to Jingzhou, and after meeting with Heng Jingzhao, he released his previous suspicions, and immediately drafted a letter to the leaders of all factions, and invited everyone to gather in Dahongshan Sansi Institute after half a month, announcing that the West Sea League would fight to arrest thousands of scum in the rivers and lakes and rescue many victims. At that time, it is also close to the New Year, and after the year, all sects will send elites to Hangzhou Wenjian Pavilion to participate in the grand event, so it is a good time to communicate with each other and consolidate friendship. Needless to say, this announcement meeting is in the heart of Lu Changqing, and he has been talking with Hengjing Zhao very happily in the past few days, and the whole person is very energetic.

After several days of tossing, the kidnapped Jingzhou celebrities were obediently sent to their families. Seeing Qiu Yinming's style, Liu Lihao felt that there was really no way out to stay in Jingzhou, and now he saw that he was short of people, which was a great opportunity to recommend himself. Sun Yuan was naturally very willing, so the two of them found Qiu Yinming and said that they were willing to work for him from now on.

At noon on this day, the men and horses of the Xihai League were about to leave for Dahong Mountain, and Qiu Yinming was going to take Chen Baisheng, Qiao San, Liu Lihao and Sun Yuan to Wuchang Mansion. Liu Lihao borrowed a boat from the fleet that had previously relied on the clear stream to eat, mixed the looted gold, silver, money and other goods with some ordinary goods, and was loading them on the ship. Qi Mutian and Qiu Yinming chatted all the way to the dock.

"Chengxian, be careful when you arrive in Wuchang. If you are in Jingzhou, you will definitely be wanted by the government. Find a place to settle down first, Wang Fuquan, Li Ju and the like, and then deal with it slowly next year. ”

Qiu Yinming said: "I've thought about it, go to Daye County first when I go to Wuchang, and with these gold and silver, I can buy all the mines in Daye County." I understand the prefect of Wuchang, he is a person who knows the times, and he will not interfere in profitable and trouble-free transactions, and I also know the county order of Daye, and I will run the mine well next year. In addition, let Liu Lihao go to Xiakou Town to find a place to stay. In the future, my uncle could arrange for some people there, both as a port for the transportation of goods and as a place of communication on the river. How is it? ”

Qi Mutian smiled and said, "Are you preparing for the posture of the head snake?" ”

"Uncle, don't make fun of me." Qiu Yinming shook his head and smiled, "I want to give Brother Chen the business of running a mine." He has a small family, and he can't go around risking without a fixed place. This is his hometown, and he is familiar with it, so it is very suitable. Before I came out this time, I had already made up this idea, but fortunately I didn't miss it. ”

"Then you have to thank the alliance leader." Qi Mutian stroked his beard and said with a smile: "However, this mine is really a big gift, and it is not too much to say that it is a dowry." Hahaha. He was in his mind, and Qiu Yinming was silent. Qi Mutian said unobtrusively: "Do you want me to go and talk to the alliance leader for you first?" Qiu Yinming vetoed: "I'll go by myself." ”

"Good, good. I still don't care about this idle business, old man. By the way, after Wuchang Mansion is settled, do you want to come to Sansi Courtyard to meet us and go to Hangzhou together? ”

"Nope. I'm going to go to the capital first, and then I'll come to Hangzhou to find you. I finally got these people to confess, and I want to give the confession to Fan Ying. Qiu Yinming sighed lightly and said, "Although it is a step late, someone should end this matter in the future." I think these things will come in handy when the time comes. After that day's interrogation, Qiu Yinming took the official seals of these officials and knocked on their confessions one by one, and also drew the detainment, plus the documents found in the Qingliu Society, which can be described as ironclad evidence. Even if Cao Jixiang still has great power now, it is difficult to guarantee that one day he will step on the air, and when the time comes, none of these people will be able to escape. Thinking of this, my heart is a lot more relaxed. After saying goodbye to Qi Mutian, the group boarded the boat and set off.

The matter of Wuchang, long story short.

After the fall of the Four Tigers in Jiangzhou that day, the mines in Daye County returned to the jurisdiction of the government, but the government relied on the mine owners to recruit workers to open mountains and build furnaces for many years. Some of the squires and landlords took advantage of this opportunity to entrench themselves in their stoves and recruit some landless peasants to smelt indiscriminately, and the tax collectors would let it go as long as they collected the iron tax on time. Therefore, when Qiu Yinming and the others arrived in Daye County, they were even more depressed than at the beginning. Seeing that someone wanted to pay a large price to buy all the mines and supervise the small officials on the fields and hills, the guards were happy to make a profit, so the land hills within a radius of 100 miles of Longjiao Mountain were bought without any setbacks.

When Chen Baisheng was the king of the mountain, he also had a few old acquaintances in Daye County, and after visiting a few people, he learned that the wanted warrant issued by Wuchang Mansion had been ignored after several months of fruitlessness, which was equivalent to a fictitious existence. Now that there is no one under him, it is not good to do things, so he asked someone to communicate the news to the old subordinates, and if anyone still does not forget the old feelings and came to defect, they will be taken in regardless of the previous suspicions. A few days later, twenty or thirty people came to hear the news, and there was no shortage of leaders among the few coolies who had been rescued from the iron ore mine in Longjiao Mountain. This settling down, let's not mention it for the time being. At the end of the lunar month, Qiu Yin saw that everything was in order, so he rode away from Beijing alone.

When I arrived in the capital, it was just the New Year. I went into the city in disguise, and saw a scene of jubilation in the New Year, with lights everywhere and joy. Thinking back to this time last year, I was getting together with my Dongfang brothers and sisters and Wuwei, and it was not long before I first met Hengyu, even if some clouds covered it in the court, it couldn't stop the light in front of me. Last year, Shangyuan Festival and Hengyu also watched the lights together, the memory is still fresh, but unfortunately this year I didn't have time to go to Hangzhou to accompany her to spend Shangyuan, and even her birthday was missed, I must find something to make up for it. Thinking about these, whether it is the changes in the court this year, or the crisis of life and death, everything in front of you is wrong, and the past is over.

Fan Ying was very surprised to see him visit suddenly, and left him at home for two days, telling him all the things in the capital after he was rescued from prison. It turned out that bribing Pang Yong that day, Lao Zuo and other people was really an emergency measure, and afterwards, Pang Yong poured several large pots of liquor according to Fan Ying's instructions, and was drunk unconscious. When Lu Gao angrily questioned the next day, he only said that when he learned that a prisoner in the prison had died, he sent him out in the middle of the night to bury him according to the old rules. The old man has always been meticulous. Looking at the detailed records in the book, Lu Gao couldn't get out of the way, and beat Pang Yong to the board, until Fan Ying came to persuade him. But he knew in his heart that this was Fan Ying's trick. On the same day, Qiu Yinming was secretly taken from the prison of the Criminal Department to the Fusi of Beizhen, except for Pang Yong and a few cronies, outsiders really did not know that the prisoner was Qiu Yinming, and Cao Gonggong's intention was indeed to beat him to death if he couldn't say anything. Now this result makes him hate it so much. Speaking of this, Fan Ying also felt fortunate that the strategy was full of loopholes. Afterwards, Fan Ying immediately gave Pang Yong many benefits. Now this case, the Criminal Department and Dali Temple have been shelved, and the emperor has not asked, even if it is an unsolved case.

On the evening of that day, Fan Ying was drinking with Qiu Yinming while looking through the confessions of Jingzhou officials. After reading it, he praised: "The virtuous brother is really meticulous and steady, with a beginning and an end." Regarding your case, many people have recently said behind their backs that it should be re-examined, but because of Gonggong Cao, it involves the clan, so it is not easy to bring it up. Wait for the limelight to be over, let's think about it in the long run. When the time comes, you will be cleared. Fan Ying filled his wine glass again and said, "Actually, your official position was only temporary at that time, and if the case is overturned in the future, it may be ...... It can also be recovered. ”

Qiu Yinming smiled: "It doesn't matter. I am a dead man in the court, and I don't expect any of that. Now I have a new plan, and I will still be able to get ahead if I take a different path in the future. Speaking of which, it is more comfortable than being an official. ”

"That's right." Fan Ying raised her eyebrows and said, "The chai steward you used to be is not doing well now." ”

"What's wrong?" Qiu Yinming put down the wine glass in his hand.

"After you left, some time later, I sent someone to inquire about him. said that he had a conflict with his brother in the family, and after returning to his hometown, he had no income and lived a very hard life. I helped him a little, and I don't know what is going on now. Do you want to check it out? ”

Qiu Yinming said: "Then I'll go early tomorrow morning." ”

"I'll go with you, I'll be idle these days anyway."

Early the next morning, Qiu Yinming and Fan Ying went out of the city in casual clothes. I heard Chai Ban talk about some things about his family before, and I knew that his family was in Taoyuan Village at the foot of the West Mountain, and his family raised flowers as a business, but he didn't know how many relatives he had and what the relationship was. The West Hill is not far from the city, and it is not long before you ride a horse. After the deep winter, the mountains and fields are full of withered grass, and only the pines and cypresses are verdant. Most of the people near the capital do not take farming as their business, or do some crafts, or grow some greenhouse vegetables, melons and fruits, or open ponds to raise fish, which is more cost-effective than growing grain. There are also many flower farmers, the inner courtyard of the palace in the capital, the rich families of the government, who do not place flowers every day.

Fan Ying knew the way, and the two quickly found a small courtyard in the corner of Taoyuan Village. I saw that in the thorns of different heights, the house with old bricks and tiles and mottled walls was Chai Ban's house. Qiu Yinming was secretly guilty, how could he not know that his family was so poor before, but he gave him a lot of monthly money at that time.

After tying up their horses outside the courtyard, they went to knock on the door. After a while, someone answered the door, it was Chai Ban. Chai Ban raised his eyes and saw Qiu Yinming visiting, he was surprised and delighted, and hurriedly invited the two into the house, called his son, and poured tea and water. Qiu Yinming looked around, the inside of the house looked as dilapidated as the outside, the walls were full of smoke and fire, and the window paper didn't know how many times it had been repaired, the room was dark and dull, only the newly bought three-star portrait of Fu Lushou in front of the table was very bright. Seeing that Chai Ban looked uncomfortable, Qiu Yinming couldn't help but ask directly: "Old Chai, why is your family so difficult?" ”

"Ugh." Chai Ban shook his head and sighed: "It's really unspeakable." But since the adults asked, I won't hide it. It's a shame. Qiu Yinming pulled him to sit down and said, "Don't be restrained, what's going on, I'll be angry for you." ”

Chai Ban told the cause and effect again. It turned out that there was also an elder brother in the chai class, who was born smartly, so his father favored him, and he had long thought of leaving the family's fields and property to the eldest son. Therefore, after his father died, Chaiban's brother kicked him out of the ancestral house, and Chaiban had no choice but to go to the capital to find a living. Fortunately, he was quick and reliable, and he became a housekeeper from an ordinary servant at the beginning. Originally, the income was good, enough to live a good life, but he was a filial son, his father died, there was still an old mother in the family, and his brother asked him for money in the name of supporting his old mother, and he did not hesitate to give. Therefore, his mother begged his eldest brother to let Chaiban's wife and children move back to the ancestral house, and his eldest brother reluctantly agreed. Who knows, just two months ago, Chai Ban's mother died of illness, and just after the funeral, the eldest brother turned his face and didn't recognize anyone, and drove his family out again.

Speaking of this, Chai Ban saw Qiu Yinming's face was not healing, and hurriedly said, "Just think about it." Big brother is this temper, I'm used to it. I'll go to the city to find a job in the spring and move out when the time comes. I don't want to bother with them. Don't care, my lord. ”

Qiu Yinming's heart was sour, and suddenly a thought came to him, and he said to Chai Ban: "If you look for an errand again, you may not have a long-term agreement." I have an errand, so I don't know if you'd like to go away. Chai Ban's eyes lit up and asked, "Could it be that adults need manpower?" But I'll only take care of the house, settle accounts or something...... When this ...... saw Qiu Yinming, he guessed that he must be a character like Mr. Qi and them now, and he is indispensable to fight and kill on weekdays, what kind of errand can he be.

Qiu Yinming smiled and said, "Where do you want to go." I'm talking about an errand where you still come to be my steward. How is it? ”

Chai Ban glared and said, "My lord, do you have a family business again?" ”

Qiu Yinming nodded, "Although this family business has just arrived, it is bigger than before. Chen Baisheng, do you remember? Now he is in Daye County, Wuchang Prefecture, cooking the Longjiaoshan Iron Mine that I bought not long ago. If you want, you can take your family there. On the ground within a radius of 100 miles, he is afraid that he can't handle it alone. Chai Ban was stunned in his seat, not knowing whether it was better to nod or shake his head. Qiu Yin knew that he was too abrupt when he said this, so he said, "Don't worry, you can think about it." I will tell Chen Baisheng and the others, if you want to come, you can come anytime. Otherwise, let Chen Baisheng come over to see you in a few days, and then make a decision. As long as I have a decent family business, the housekeeper wants you to do it. ”

These words suddenly led Chai Ban's heart into a fog. Qiu Yinming and Fan Ying drank several cups of tea before getting up, and left a lot of silver for Chai Ban before leaving. Sending them to the door, Chai Ban was still a little stunned, until the two of them went far away, looked back at their dilapidated house for a long time, and suddenly nodded and stomped their feet.