On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Han Xiufeng was woken up by the deafening sound of firecrackers.

Put on your clothes, wash up, and come to the lobby, Jiang Huai, who was taking turns to bring out the prisoners in the class room, and other soap archers ran over to pay New Year's greetings. Han Xiufeng gave everyone a red envelope like last night, and asked with a smile while posting, "Have you eaten breakfast, I asked Qianbu to make it for you." ”

"Master Han, the small ones have eaten them all, the big meat buns with thin skin and many fillings, and the small ones have eaten six!"

"The small ones ate five."

"It's good to eat, but don't eat it." Han Xiufeng looked at the criminals behind them and said with a smile: "You guys are busy with you first, I asked Qianbu to prepare a banquet, and I will toast the big guy when I have lunch later." ”

"Master Xie Han ......"

"Don't thank you, let's get busy, I also have to pay homage to the Bodhisattva."

Han Xiufeng looked back at Pan Er, who was carrying a basket of incense and candles and other sacrifices, and walked straight out of the yamen, first to worship the land lord, and then to worship the city god, and came out of the city god temple just happened to meet Xu Lequn, who had just come ashore and was about to go to the yamen to pay his New Year's greetings, and simply called Xu Lequn to cross the river by Pan Er's boat that Pan Er had found in the morning, and go to worship the gods and goddesses on Fengshan.

When the inspector arrived, the people who came to Fengshan early in the morning avoided it, and several squires in the town such as Wang Jiansheng were busy coming forward to pay their respects, and then accompanied Han Xiufeng to the temples to pay respects.

From the Fang Zhi, there are eight or nine temples such as Mr. Song San's Temple, Wenchang Building, Guanyin Building, Bixia Palace, Three Palaces and Dizang Hall on Fengshan, which is the most prosperous place for Hai'an incense. In fact, these temples are very small, only one or two small ones, and they are worshiped one by one in less than half an hour.

After worshipping the gods from all walks of life, everyone came down to the Fengshan Academy at the foot of the mountain, and Dean Gu, who had just arrived from home, hurriedly apologized, and asked Wang Supervisor to accompany him first. Han Xiufeng knew that as the most prestigious scholar in Hai'an, he was going to lead a group of students to Wenchang Tower to worship on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and couldn't help but smile: "Dean Gu, don't worry about me, you are busy with you, there are still a lot of things in the yamen, and I should go back." ”

"Master Han, how embarrassing is this, it's rare for you to come to the academy once, how can you let the old man exhaust the friendship of the landlord."

"Dean Gu doesn't need to be polite, the yamen and the academy are separated by a river, not far away, and we will have opportunities in the future." Han Xiufeng smiled, and arched his hand again: "Besides, for the New Year, who has nothing to do, Xiufeng will go first and visit another day." ”

"Then I'll send it to you."

"Don't send it, stay, the students are waiting for you to grow old."

"Dean Gu, you are busy with you, I will send Master Han back to the yamen."

"Okay, then please."

Wang Jiansheng and a few squires accompanied Han Xiufeng to the river, and suddenly remembered something: "Master Han, I almost forgot to report to you, today at noon, the town invited a drama troupe, and sang on stage in the threshing field in the west of the city, I don't know if Master Han, can you enjoy the light and go to the play together?" ”

"Invited a troupe?"

"Every year, please, a few of our families will pay, and the township will come forward."

"Such a grand event, how can Xiufeng miss it, and go to have fun with the people after lunch."

"Great, Master Xie Han appreciates the light."

……

Inviting the opera troupe to sing on stage is such a big event that it will not be reported until this time, and it may be unhappy to be another official, but Han Xiufeng doesn't think that people don't give him this inspection face. After all, this is a local matter, and the squire in the town can call the shots, please give you face, and it is not easy to say anything if you don't invite you.

Back at Yamen, thinking about what kind of drama the troupe was singing on Hai'an's side, Zhang Daring hurried over, bowed down first to greet the New Year, and then leaned into his ear and said: "Master Han, those private gangsters came so fast, Tianmeng slipped under our noses, and they have arrived in Jiaogang at this time." ”

"It's already here!" Han Xiufeng was taken aback.

"Came, for fear of being discovered and suspicious by the early risers, they didn't dare to pass under our noses with great fanfare, and the sixteen boats were divided into zero, two of which were set aside, and they walked in front of the City God Temple eight times." Zhang Daring glanced back at Xu Lequn, and then said: "After walking a short distance to the west, we turned into the small river at the junction of Jiaogang and Zhangjiaozhuang, and my brothers stared at the two three-way crossings to the south and north of the four rowhouses. ”

Although Han Xiufeng has never been to the area of Zhangxiaozhuang and Sipaiwu, he has looked at the map of Hai'an almost every day since he took office, and knows the approximate location of that area, and he can't help asking: "If they go neither east nor west, but go south along the small river at the junction of Gao Xiaozhuang and Chen Lao Wangzhuang, it will be Rugao after Chen Lao Wangzhuang!" ”

"They're not going south?"

"Why not, whether it's west or east, isn't it a near and far?"

Zhang Daring said confidently: "It is close to the south, but it is not easy to go to the south, I don't know how many young people have not dredged that river, and it has been silted up in several places." And they have to enter the Yangtze River, and they can only get to the Yangtze River by going southwest. ”

"The river at the junction of Gao Xiaozhuang and Chen Lao Wangzhuang is silted up?" Han Xiufeng asked subconsciously.

"As far as I know, it has been silted for many years, and the people of Gao Xiaozhuang have long wanted to desilt, but the people of Chen Lao Wangzhuang stopped them, saying that Mr. Yin and Yang have seen it, and if the dredging will damage the feng shui on their west bank."

"So if you want to transport salt to the Yangtze River, you can only go west to Xiucaigang from Sipaiwu and go to Rugao via Tianjiazhuang or Qilidian?"

"Eight or nine is not far from ten."

Han Xiufeng thought about it and asked, "How long does it take to get from Jiaogang to Tianjiazhuang?" ”

Zhang Daring thought about it for a while, raised his head and said: "Jiaogang is not far from Tianjiazhuang, no matter how slow their boat is, it can be reached this afternoon." ”

Xu Lequn couldn't help but ask, "Master Zhang, where do you think they will spend the night?" ”

"They just passed in front of the Chenghuang Temple in the morning, and they must think that they are safe and sound with us, but they don't know what is going on in Rugao, and I think they will spend the night near the fork between Hujiashe and Qilidian or the fork south of Tianjiazhuang and Chen Laowangzhuang."

Han Xiufeng muttered: "So we have to prepare in the afternoon, and we have to set off as soon as it gets dark!" ”

Xu Lequn didn't want to dream too much at night, and said eagerly: "Master Han, what if they don't spend the night with us?" ”

"Mr. Xu, are you worried that they will enter the Rugao Realm before dark?"

"I'm not afraid of 10,000, I'm afraid of just in case."

In broad daylight, Han Xiufeng was really not sure about dealing with those ruthless outlaws, and said categorically: "There's nothing to worry about, not to mention that they won't necessarily go to Rugao before dark, and even if they go, they won't be able to go far." The official has a summons issued by Master Zhang in his hand, even if they go to Rugao, they can take someone to investigate! As long as there is a person who can get all the stolen goods, even if the eldest man of Rugao is unhappy, it is not easy to say anything. ”

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