The scorching sun hung high in the sky, pouring its greatest enthusiasm on both sides of the Yellow River, and the old trees and grasses that had been stubbornly revived after a good rain, the scorching gray, and the new ones became dead, and the birds could not be heard, only the annoying, monotonous cicadas, endlessly screaming, there was still no boat in the ferry, and no boat came over, and the riverbank, which was originally trampled by countless big feet every day, was now scorched by the sun, layer by layer, like a discarded book.

For three days, for three whole days, there was still no merchant crossing the river at the originally lively and busy Jixian ferry.

Those soldiers who were originally energetic are now all gone, and they are looking for a shady place in groups to squat, stand and fart.

Dozens of military men who were responsible for guarding the security of the tax collection yamen were also holding knives and guns, huddled in the door hole, under the shade of the wall, buried their heads in the crotch of their trousers, and slept soundly with their saliva.

It's not that no one has come to this wharf, just on the high ground in front of the county gate, there are groups of merchants, who are generally under the umbrellas played by the guys, learning the style of the literati, gently shaking the delicate folding fans, laughing and talking with each other easily, and pointing at the ferry from time to time.

They are not at all anxious about not being able to cross the river for a while, as everyone knows, there are people who are anxious.

Master Xingming is not anxious now, but on fire.

For three days, this tax yamen is overestimated in terms of menke rooques, because even the sparrows, under the scorching sun, have taken refuge in the shade, and the rest is only the annoying cicada chirping.

"Where are the people dying, and you don't take a pole to blow those annoying guys away." The master shouted loudly.

Immediately, a group of Xiao Si hurriedly found a pole, ran to the tree in the yard, and tried their best to drive away the cicadas, but stopped here and screamed there, and there was a noise here, how could they finish it? These are really bitter for those little Si.

"Who, come here." The master nodded and called a sweaty Xiao Si who was busy.

That Xiao Si hurriedly dropped the pole and ran over, not daring to delay at all, now his old man is very angry, and a bad one is a meal of flesh and skin.

"Go, go and see what those profiteers are doing, aren't they going to do business?" The master was already angry.

That Xiao Si promised to turn around and run, this is the thirtieth time today to go out to watch, in fact, it is useless to wait and see, those businessmen seem to really don't want to cross the river to do business, the original businessmen are still there, and the later businessmen are still in a steady stream of into the city, all the places that can store goods are piled up, but no one comes to pay taxes, and no one is anxious, one by one they call friends and companions, drink and chat, and go out, as if the goods can make money by putting them away.

But my lord can't afford to wait, originally looked at the day of flowing money into the transaction, but it took a lot of money to get it, and also instigated the county lord, assigned the guard army to escort him, not to mention the original blood confiscation, that is, the county zun's one-day urging to hand over makes people feel that the dark clouds are overwhelming.

The most terrible thing is the group of invited soldiers, 500 people, counting the still in the barracks, the big mouth of the small 700, just waiting for the fire here to eat, the thousand households three times a day, the old soldiers mutiny and threaten, if it were not for the pressure of the county, I can't say that the people will really go back to the camp directly.

But even so, his master still had to take out money at home to support this group of idlers, which was good, not only did he not get any benefits in the middle, but the owner first took in countless people, if these businessmen did not pay taxes, then their owners really had to live as pants.

Ran to the front of the city to observe for a while, everything is still the same, those businessmen should be carefree, those who should drink, those who should watch the excitement and the excitement, there is no one who is anxious.

When he came back, this Xiao Si was trembling and worried, this time, it was another scolding.

When he entered the door, he heard Qianhe's loud voice roaring in the lobby, attracting a group of military men with knives and guns poking their brains outside the door to watch gloatingly. Xiao Si was relaxed for a while, fortunately, with this military man's top tank, he was free from scolding.

"Just say when to send money, don't make those big and small excuses, we are all straight pickled men, I can't get around the corner, I know, I will stand guard for you, you have to cash in the money according to the agreement, and there is no use in saying anything else." Qianhu stood in the center of the hall, one hand crossed on his waist, and the other pointed to the master's nose and roared.

The master also lost his original momentum, and bowed to the thousands of households again and again, and the waist bent became the shrimp in the Yellow River, this is Xiucai meeting the soldiers, and it is unreasonable.

"My lord, general, wait a little longer, be more patient, as long as we spend those profiteers, do we still worry about money? Wait. ”

"Waiting for a fart." The thousand households pushed away the tea handed by Xiao Si, and Xiao Si was not careful, and a bowl of hot tea was splashed on the placket of his clothes, and the tea bowl fell to the ground and shattered.

If this was the past, this little guy would have to shed his skin to get through, but now that the fierce god Qianhu is here, he can't take care of him.

These thousands of households are afraid of the county, but they are not afraid of him as a white-bodied master, who was originally obedient to him, that is because there is not much overlap, but now, it is not the case, hundreds of thousands of households are waiting for this reward to live, how can they give in half a step? He didn't dare to reason with the county honor, but he was holding a handle to get angry with this master, not to mention that there was a group of menacing soldiers behind him? It's really troublesome, and the county lord has to take care of it.

Now, the master can be regarded as completely seeing what Xiucai is, and he can't explain it to this rough man, it's like playing the piano to the cow, but now he can't take out his belongings for these uncles anyway.

Besides, the past three days have been calm, and I don't see the thieves crossing the river, with more than 20 officials sent by the county to help them, and their own safety should not be a big deal, so he straightened up his waist and said stupidly: "Okay, general, I have said everything I should have said, and I have done what I should do, these days, I have been waiting carefully for you uncles, I can't afford to wait anymore, if you like to stay, stay still, don't stay and pull down." After that, he flicked his sleeves, sat down behind the table, picked up the teapot without using a teacup, picked up the teapot directly, drank mouth-to-mouth and drank violently, and used this warm tea to extinguish the fire in his heart.

"No, you can't just say let me come, just leave, where in the world is there such a summoning person?"

"So what?" The master was completely angry this time, and said as a scoundrel: "Then you can take it if you see what else is valuable here." Then he grinned and said, "But, we have to say it, everything here is public, if you really take it, think about the consequences." ”

As soon as these words came out, he choked on the thousand households, looked at the brothers outside, and then looked at the scoundrel-looking master, and stomped his feet with hatred and said, "Count you ruthless." Then he strode out, saying as he went, "Master won't serve you anymore." ”

"No."

The thousand households strode out of the tax yamen and shouted loudly: "Brothers, since people don't serve our masters, then our masters don't treat them as his dogs, let's go, let's go back to the camp to get lice and other court money and food." ”

With that, he went straight back to the barracks with a group of brothers.

"Let's go, let's go." When the merchants who stood in front of the city and watched the bustle saw the officers and soldiers of the brigade collecting their troops and returning to the camp, everyone cheered together, rushed back to the next place, commanded the people to take care of the goods, and was ready to set off at any time.

As soon as the army withdrew, the more than 20 gang servants immediately became panicked, and in this summer, they also felt a cool breeze on their backs, and the master had been blinded by the money, but these servants did not have it, they knew the power of the thieves, so everyone gathered together and whispered quietly to discuss.

Just when he couldn't discuss the beginning and the end, suddenly, behind a pile of goods opposite, a man calmly walked out, dark blue arrow-sleeved clothing, tightly tied belt, straight waist, delicate riding boots, double-layered rattan helmet, serious expression, revealing fierceness, firm hand, holding a snow-bright saber, the saber under the hot sun, but the chilling light.

Behind the man, one man, two, three, kept walking out of the same costume as him, and walked steadily towards the yamen on this empty dock.

The servants and helpers all stopped all movements, just looked at the group of men like wood carving clay sculptures, lined up in a neat queue, walked towards themselves, not far from their own people, divided into two teams, one team went to the direction of the county seat, blocking the road leading to here in the county seat, and the other team walked directly in front of everyone.

The man at the head said in a low voice to the stunned servants: "Break into the army to do business, you dodge." ”

Looking at the cowering officer, he couldn't help but dodge to both sides, and said again: "I will spare you this time, and next time I will see you, I will ask you to arrange the future." ”

Then in front of everyone's eyes, he strode into the yamen, and after a while, a miserable scream came from the yamen.

When the port was opened, half an hour after the master's scream, the ferries and sheepskin rafts on the opposite bank were like carp crossing the river, and the black pressure filled the river, so that the wide river could no longer be seen.

The port was opened, without any notice, and the merchants who had been nesting in the county town swarmed out as if they had made an appointment, and carts of goods poured into the wharf, filling the empty wharf again, and the wharf became bustling and noisy again.

The county lord of Ji County, looking at the senior brother who was kneeling on the ground and mourning himself, looked at the sky in the west, and trembled his lips and couldn't make a sound.

Waiting for the military and Han to retreat, and others to make a move, this is to save face, and it is also to tell themselves that they have no intention of Ji County, but just ask for the same commercial tax at the ferry as them.

Should I say yes or not?

"Will the Ji County dog official agree to our request this time?" Zhao Zi shook the folding fan, stood in the grass hut on the high ground, watched a hundred dark blue figures board the dock, and asked Lu Shi beside him.

"Is there any reason why he won't agree?" Lu Shi stood behind him, looked at his brother together, and replied with a smile.

Yes, in the face of power and a strong military, any conditions should be agreed, otherwise what else can be?