Turn around the front of the port, and then go west to the three-mile waterway is Wujiazhuang.

Wu Wenming was homesick, lifted the curtain and got out of the cabin, Yu Qinghuai and Li Zhiyong were embarrassed to lie down anymore, and also put on their heels and came out. The bow of the boat was not big, and the two could only stand behind Wu Wenming.

"It's almost here, and when you get to the village, please leave it to the two." Wu Wenming didn't dare to take the safety of the two ancestors as a child's play, and made up his mind that no matter where the Taiping bandits were, as soon as he returned to the village, he asked Yu Li and the others to take the two clan elders away.

"I am fortunate to be able to serve Brother Wu in the next three lives." Yu Qinghuai was just about to return the salute, when he suddenly found several thick clouds of smoke rolling up from the southwest.

The boatman also noticed, and said to himself while holding the boat: "Whose house has a fire, and the smoke is so high!" ”

Wu Wenming was taken aback, and was about to let the boatmen hold on faster, when several small boats turned around from the harbor, but the people who supported the boat did not continue to prop the boat to the east, but leaned the boat to the north shore and climbed to the shore with a penny support. Immediately afterwards, the people on the boat threw bags of things to the shore, and the people who had just climbed ashore did not bother to collect the packages, but pulled the people on the boat to the shore one by one.

"What are they doing, they want to cross the river and go north for less than a mile to the ferry." The boatman thought it was strange, and he forgot to hold the boat for a while.

Wu Wenming felt strange, and muttered: "Boat man, hurry up, hold up and ask." ”

"Oh."

The boatman reacted, and as soon as he had inserted the penny into the bottom of the river, several small boats turned out of the harbor, and leaned to the north shore like those people just now, and hurriedly climbed ashore.

"Brother, you can't go any further!"

"Big brother, help, bring the boat over and let us pass!"

Just as he was suspicious, there was a rush of footsteps on the south bank.

……

When the three of them looked back, they saw more than a dozen villagers rushing to the river, some carrying parcels, some holding children, shouting at the boat and looking back anxiously, as if they were afraid of being caught up by someone.

"Which village are you from, in a hurry, what's wrong?" Wu Wenming asked eagerly.

"We are from Liujiazhuang, and the Taiping bandits have been killed!"

"The bandits have been killed, where are the bandits?"

"They have already killed our village, arresting people everywhere, robbing everything they see, even the ancestral hall of Master Liu's house has been burned by them, and we are so fortunate that we ran fast. Master, please be merciful and save the lives of the little ones, and let the little ones cross the river! ”

The bandits are here!

Wu Wenming was shocked into a cold sweat, and asked anxiously while letting the boatman prop up to the south bank: "What about Wujiazhuang, did the bandits go to Wujiazhuang?" ”

"They didn't even let go of our Liujiazhuang, let alone Wujiazhuang!" A man was so desperate to escape that he rushed down the river with his child in his arms, wading in the cold river water and leaning towards the boat, while saying with palpitations: "The Wu family is a big family, and there are several court officials, and the first one of the thieves and bandits to go is Wujiazhuang." ”

Finished!

Hurry up and hurry up or it's a step too late!

Thinking of the two old ancestors, Wu Wenming was stunned, and suddenly had no idea.

Yu Qinghuai realized that he couldn't stay here for a long time, so he grabbed Wu Wenming's arm: "Brother Wu, the two old men have their own natural appearance, and they will be fine." Let's send these folks across the river first, and then we will find out. ”

The reason why Li Zhiyong is willing to help the old man Tongzhi train the village bravery, and why he is willing to take the risk to come to Yizhen, is not only to make contributions, but also to come with him to see where the bandits have gone.

Like Yu Qinghuai, he didn't want to die here in a daze, so he hurriedly said: "Brother Wu, don't worry, there are so many children in your village, they must be able to think of what we can think of, and they must have escorted the two old men out of danger early." ”

"Even if they can think of it, but the ancestors are unwilling to go, what can they do?"

"I want to think about the benefits, and I want to send these villagers across the river."

……

At the same time, Liang Liu, who led his brothers from the strange barracks to join Liang Jiu outside Yizhen City yesterday afternoon, was desperately running to Yangzhou with more than 60 coolies led by Liang Jiu.

The official road was full of people who fled from Yangzhou, ox carts and carts blocked the official road that was not wide, and they rushed to the fields in a panic.

"Sixth brother, it's not a matter of running like this, if you run again, all the people will run away, let's do it with them!" Liang Jiu saw that the brothers behind him did not follow, so he grabbed Liang Liu and stopped.

Liang Liu looked back, wiped his sweat and panted, and said, "How can we do it with thieves and bandits?" ”

A coolie said eagerly: "Sixth brother, Chen San ran and ran away!" ”

"Rest for a while, take a breath first," Liang Liu looked back, and then raised his arm and pointed in the direction of the official road: "Lao Jiu, you bring a few brothers over to have a look, we will wait here." ”

"Okay, I'll go check it out first."

Master Han explained that as many people as he brought back, Liang Jiu didn't dare to delay for a moment, and led the five coolies to run back.

Liang Liu couldn't run anymore, and sat on the ground.

A coolie sat down beside him and asked with a bitter face: "Sixth brother, why did the official master Yizhen run away as soon as he saw the bandits, as well as those green battalion soldiers and servants in the city, one ran faster than the other, and he didn't even need weapons." ”

"Greedy for life and afraid of death, what else can it be." Liang Liu looked at the coolies who were sitting on the ground, and shouted forcefully: "Brothers, the defenders in the Qi Barracks, Qingshan Camp and Yizhen City are greedy for life and afraid of death, Master Han has long expected it, otherwise he wouldn't have let us collect our weapons!" Although the bandits have occupied Yizhen City, there is nothing remarkable, and we have nothing to fear! ”

"Sixth brother, we're not afraid, we think it's okay to run like this!"

"Yes, Sixth Brother, I don't even have the strength to walk anymore, and I can't stand steadily, how can I do it with the bandits?"

"Sooner or later, we're going to have to fight the bandits, but not today, not here!" Liang Liu rubbed his legs and stomach, gritted his teeth and said: "A war is not a fight, a war is about rules. Before I came, Master Han explained that we are here to collect weapons, not to fight the bandits, wait to bring back the weapons that have been collected in the past few days, find a place to practice for a few days, and then fight the bandits! ”

"But the thieves have all been killed, can we go back?"

"We rely on two legs, they only have two legs, even if we can't beat them, we can't run or run them, why can't we go back?" Liang Liu asked rhetorically, and continued: "But no matter how you run, don't forget our errand, you can run away with anything, these shotgun machetes and spears that are finally put away can't be lost, do you hear it!" ”