If you don't go to the capital, you don't know that the officials are small, and you don't know how rich the salt merchants in Yangzhou are.

Han Xiufeng is also a person who has seen the world, but he has never lived in such a good house, let alone slept in such a luxurious "three drops of water" bed.

It is not so much a bed, it is better to say that it is a small house, there are three layers of three entrances like a house, there are three pieces of pedal directly below, it is trapezoidal, there are three layers of carved plates directly above, each layer of window eaves is taken from the eaves of dripping water, two layers of bed eaves are called "two drops of water", this bed has a total of three layers and three into, so it is called "three drops of water".

Each corner tower in front of the bed is carved with exquisite patterns, not only magnificent, exquisite and complicated, and each carved pattern has to pay attention to, more homophonic meaning of auspiciousness, such as "lotus" means lotus to give birth to a noble son; "Golden gourd" means melon; "Sunflower" means many children and grandchildren; "The bat hangs upside down" means that it is blessed......

The carving is exquisite, and the materials are also precious, such a large bed is all rosewood! Neither crimson nor purple-black, but grayish-brown, it can be seen that with the age, the whole bed presents a quaint and moist pulp, with subtle colors and fine light.

Wang Jiansheng didn't know how much the bed was worth, but he only knew that even if he asked a skilled old carpenter to make this bed, it would take two to three years to make it, so it was also called a "thousand work bed".

Pan Er's family runs a pawnshop, and he has always thought that his eyesight is good, but he can't estimate the price of this bed.

In short, Han Xiufeng felt like he was sleeping on a pile of silver, tossing and turning until he couldn't sleep in the middle of the night, and was about to drag the futon to the pedal to try, when there was a sudden commotion outside, footsteps, shouts, and children's cries were mixed together, Han Xiufeng was taken aback, and hurriedly got up to find clothes.

"Master Han, it's not good, the bandits are coming, let's go!"

"Fourth brother, don't worry, with us, we will stay outside, you get dressed first!"

"Master Han, all the brothers who live by the river are here!"

Wang Jiansheng was the first to rush in, and at a glance, he knew that he had just been woken up, not to mention cotton clothes, and he didn't even wear shoes.

Pan Er was better than him, at least in his shoes.

The big head was on duty at night, not only wearing clothes but also holding a firebird gun, realizing that the muzzle of the gun was actually pointed at Pan Er, and hurriedly carried it to his shoulder.

Han Xiufeng knew that the bandits would come, but he didn't expect them to come so quickly, and while he was busy dressing his clothes, he asked eagerly: "Where are the bandits, and how many soldiers and horses are coming?" ”

"I don't know." Big Head blurted out his debut.

"Don't know?"

"What outsiders say, fourth brother, I don't believe you go out and have a look!"

"Young master, I went out just now to take a look, and the streets are full of people fleeing for their lives. Let's hurry up, we won't be able to leave if we want to wait for the bandits to kill them! Pan Er said eagerly while dressing up.

Thinking that Han Chen's cousin Han Bo was still in the city, Han Xiufeng quickly calmed down, put on his shoes and got up and said, "Don't panic, if the bandits really kill us, we can't have no news at all." ”

"Master Han, are you talking about a false alarm?" Wang Jiansheng asked subconsciously.

"It must be the people on the street who have been stirred up by the news that the bandits are going to kill them, and the grass and trees are all soldiers."

"Master Han, the gentleman doesn't erect a dangerous wall, no matter if it is a soldier or not, let's go to Wanfu Bridge first!"

"It's as dangerous to walk at night." Han Xiufeng groaned: "Think about it, Guazhou, Qibing Camp, Qingshan Camp, Yizhen and even Yangzhou City have our people, if the bandits really come, it is impossible for Lu Daming, Liang Liu, Su Jueming and Liang Jiu not to rush back to report the news." ”

"Yes," Pan Er reacted and muttered, "Even if the bandits came from the south, it is impossible for Lu Daming not to know!" ”

"So it's likely to be a false alarm, Changsheng, ask Ji Da to take a few people out to inquire, stop a few people who are fleeing for their lives and ask what's going on. Big head, you and Ji Er brought the brothers who came from the river to guard the hospital, whoever dares to come and kill them! ”

"Yes!"

……

After sending away Pan Er and Datou, Han Xiufeng took a oxtail knife and walked into the front yard, only to see Datou, Ji Er, and Li Zhiyong, the cousin of Han Chen, the ambassador of the Jiaoxichang Salt Division, leading the coolies who came from the river to be on guard.

The shotgun that Wang Jiansheng bought from the Caobiao Green Battalion soldiers was not only longer than the shotgun he had captured from the private tyrant in the first month, but it was also not a self-fired one.

The coolie who had just learned to put a gun loaded with lead and gunpowder was busy lighting the torch and wrapping it around his wrist.

Datou and Ji Er and the others shouted while checking: "Don't panic, be careful of going off!" The six of you guard the gate, guns pointed outside, not at yourselves! ”

"You guys go inside and move the table, put it on the wall, move the stools out, and climb up to guard the east wall!"

"You guys come with me to the backyard, here!"

"The shotgunners have all retired to the hall after putting their guns down, and they will take the knife and spear on top of me, and come and stab one by one, and cut two and a pair! His grandmother's, we have shotguns, guns, machetes and spears, who is afraid of whom! ”

……

Facts have proved that the twelve relatives of Datou and Ji Er did not practice with Lu Daming, Liang Liu, and Liang Jiu in Hai'an, and several family members of Wang Jiansheng did not practice with the Hai'an regiment in vain.

Han Xiufeng looked back at Wang Jiansheng who came out, and randomly turned to look at everyone and shouted: "Brothers, this official is the same Han Xiufeng of Taizhou Prefecture that you have been talking about these days!" I haven't read much, and I haven't led soldiers to fight, but I still brought you here, do you know why? ”

"Why?" A coolie asked subconsciously.

"Because not only the bandits, but even the bandit leader has not studied for a few days, nor has he fought a few battles!"

Han Xiufeng looked at their stupid appearance, and said in a low voice: "Yes, they have captured Wuchang, and now they still occupy Jiangning. However, as far as this official knows, it is not how brave and good they are, not to mention how clever the bandit leaders are, but that I have been peaceful in the Qing Dynasty for a long time, and the green battalion of the banner soldiers has long been abandoned to the point that the swords and guns are stored in the warehouse, and the horses are put in Nanshan, and they have long lost the courage to kill! ”

Wang Jiansheng reacted and said very tacitly: "Brothers, others don't know what virtues the green battalion soldiers have, but you must know it. Not to mention expecting them to fight, even if they fight with those mothers-in-law, they probably won't be able to win. ”

Thinking that Lu Daming, Liang Liu, Liang Jiu and other Taizhou garrison green battalion soldiers had been carrying salt on the dam longer than they had been practicing in the battalion, a group of coolies couldn't help but laugh.

Han Xiufeng nodded with satisfaction, and continued: "Brothers, even if we can't wait for the bandits tonight, we will have to compete with the bandits in a few days. As the saying goes, knowing oneself and knowing one's opponent is the only way to win a hundred battles, and this official will take this opportunity to tell you what the thieves are sacred.

The bandit leader's surname is Hong, his name is Hong Xiuquan, whether he is from Guangdong or Guangxi, and the official has forgotten, but he only knows that he is a down-and-out scholar who has not even been admitted to Xiucai.

It's just that he doesn't read the sages well, but he actually believes in foreign religion and engages in foreigners. He himself does not worship the sages and does not want the ancestors and ancestors, which is already a great rebellion, and he also confuses the public, first inducing a group of people to kill officials and rebel with him, and then coercing the people to burn, kill and loot all the way! ”

The coolies had all heard of the Taiping bandits before, but no one knew where the Taiping bandits came from, and now listening to Han Xiufeng's words, they have more or less some bottom in their hearts.

Looking at their thoughtful looks, Han Xiufeng continued: "They all say that those who are stunned are scared, and those who are stunned are afraid of dying." Some people also say that those who are barefoot are not afraid of wearing shoes, in the final analysis, they are more ruthless than others! These bandits are not afraid of the shoe-wearing officials, are you barefoot people afraid? ”

The big head was the one who was stunned, and the first one shouted at the top of his throat: "Don't be afraid!" ”

"Don't be afraid!"

"Don't be afraid!" The coolies relented and roared in unison.

As soon as Han Xiufeng raised his hand and pressed it, a coolie who was getting more and more excited couldn't help but shout: "Master Han, the little ones are rotten, and the little ones are not afraid of them!" ”

"Master Han, the little ones are not afraid, the little ones will kill the thieves with you, kill as many as you want!"

"How many kills?" Han Xiufeng stared at a young coolie and asked.

"Really, Master Han, the little ones are really not afraid!" The coolie was afraid that Han Xiufeng would not believe it, so he hurriedly raised the knife in his hand.

Han Xiufeng shook his head: "No, no, no, you can't kill as many as you want." ”

"Master Han, do you want to live?" The coolie asked cautiously.

"What does this official want to do?" Han Xiufeng walked up and patted him on the shoulder, and looked back at the crowd: "The official said that there are so many places in the corner and oblique field, if the thieves are really killed by you, and all the land is given to you, what should other brothers do?" ”

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone immediately burst into laughter, and a bold coolie even laughed and scolded: "Good you Ding San, you dare to grab land with us!" ”

"yes, you kid killed all the bandits, what should we do?"

In just a few words, a group of coolies dared to fight with the thieves as if they had been beaten with chicken blood, and Wang Jiansheng was in admiration, and was wondering whether to say a few words too, when a Ji Da's voice suddenly came from outside.

"Don't put the gun, it's me! Master Han, we're back from the inquiry! ”

The big head hurriedly said: "The muzzle of the gun is up, don't hurt yourself." ”

"Brother, come in, you can come in." Ji Er shouted subconsciously.

Confirming that he would not be injured by mistake, Ji Da led five coolies into the courtyard, and as soon as he saw Han Xiufeng, he shouted: "Master Han, I have made it clear, the news of the bandits coming was spread by those who fled from Zhenjiang." They said that the bandits were on the river, and they estimated that there were more than a dozen people, all wearing red turbans, and robbed them of all the coils and softness. ”

"A dozen bandits?" Wang Jiansheng asked subconsciously.

Without waiting for Ji Da to speak, Han Xiufeng smiled and said: "It's indeed a bandit, but it must not be a Taiping bandit, I dare to conclude that it is a bunch of impostors!" ”

"Fake bandits?"

"Brother Wang, if you don't believe it, we can bet." Han Xiufeng smiled, turned around and asked, "Ji Da, do you know where those dozen bandits are and how far away they are?" ”

"I know, on the river two or three miles to the south, I heard from the people of Zhenjiang who escaped that they had two boats, with torches, a few with knives, and a few with sticks, as if there were no shotguns."

"Brother Wang, I'm sorry for you to take fifty brothers on a trip and take down the dozen or so thieves to this official!"

Wang Jiansheng realized that if he wanted to lead the troops, he had to let his subordinates obey, so he immediately surrendered his hand and said: "Obey the order!" ”

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