As soon as Li Wenyuan and Qiu Niang stepped into this bookstore, they saw a thin figure welcoming the door from the lined bookshelves. When the person came to the front, Li Wenyuan saw the face of the person clearly with the help of the light outside the store.

I saw that the person who came was a middle-aged man with a thin face and a goatee, which made the whole person look very absurd. It's not very handsome, but it can make a very deep impression.

Li Wenyuan has some impressions of this person. This person is Han Gu's classmate and friend, but this person's talent is not worse than Han Gu's, but this person has an almost fanatical obsession with reading. Therefore, this person has never fallen behind in the imperial examination twice a year, but it is a pity that he has fallen behind Sun Shan every time. It's been a long time, and even the itinerant examiners have come to know this person. In order to save money to continue his studies and studies, this person set up a shop and opened a bookstore in this county town. Although he didn't make a lot of money, it was enough for him to study in his daily life.

Han Gu became an official and a half-job after the middle lift, and although his income was not high, it was not too difficult to occasionally relieve his classmate. Han Gu also knew that his classmate had always been very stubborn, and he was the so-called food that he didn't eat. Although Han Gu would not be as arrogant as that Qian Ao to his classmates, the nobility and self-esteem of the scholar also made him unable to accept sympathy and gifts from his classmates.

Therefore, Han Gu often went to the bookstore of his classmate to buy some books, firstly, to relieve this classmate in disguise, and partly because he needed some books for his daughter Han Yingxue to enlighten. So a long time ago, Han Gu has been visiting this place from time to time, and it has become a habit, and even on the morning of his disappearance, he was seen appearing in this bookstore and having a good conversation with the owner of the bookstore.

The shopkeeper of the bookstore came to Li Wenyuan and Qiu Niang, and before the shopkeeper of the bookstore could speak, Li Wenyuan clasped his fists and said to the shopkeeper of the bookstore: "Shopkeeper, we are here to ask you about someone." ”

When the shopkeeper of the bookstore saw Li Wenyuan enter the store, he said that he wanted to ask himself as soon as he entered the door without mentioning buying books, and the strange temper of this reader flared up again. The shopkeeper of the bookstore also followed Li Wenyuan's example, returned the salute to Li Wenyuan, and then said: "I don't know who the guests want to ask the contemptible people for news?" In this Zhangye County City, the contemptible people can be regarded as well-informed, but they don't know who you want to inquire about? Even if you say that as long as you are a person in Zhangye County, even if you open your mouth to ask, those who have money will know, and those who have no money will not know. ”

When Li Wenle heard the answer of the bookstore shopkeeper, he was almost not angry. But he soon realized that what he had just said was indeed a bit out of courtesy. So Li Wenyuan changed his previous posture, solemnly bowed to the shopkeeper of the bookstore, and then said to him: "Don't joke with the shopkeeper, it's really mine." But it's really because I asked you about this matter, and I hope that the shopkeeper won't be worried. We came to inquire about the shopkeeper, I wonder if you have seen Han Gu in recent days? ”

When the shopkeeper of the bookstore heard Li Wenyuan mention the name Han Gu, he became very vigilant. Then he didn't answer Li Wenyuan's question, but asked. "Han Gu? Who is Han Gu? What are you going to do with him? If there is anything urgent, then you can go to the government department called civil affairs to inquire. If you are a local person in Zhangye County, then you can find out the relevant information of this person in the civil affairs department, of course, the premise is that you have the approval of the government. ”

Li Wenyuan listened to the words of the shopkeeper of the bookstore, shook his head helplessly, and then looked at the bookstore There was no one else, so he leaned forward and approached the shopkeeper of the bookstore, put his mouth in his ear and whispered: "Don't talk nonsense, you and I both know that Han Gu was taken captive by some people from the government, and his life and death are still uncertain." I don't know why you should deny that you know Han Gu, but I inquired before I came that you and Han Gu have been friends for many years. To tell you the truth, I was entrusted to investigate Han Gu's disappearance. Don't you care about your friendship for many years? At this time, if you really push me to the official mansion, wouldn't you want to push Han Gu to death? If you really remember the friendship between your former classmates, tell me everything you know. If it's too late, I'm afraid we'll have to collect Han Gu's body. ”

When the shopkeeper of the bookstore heard Li Wenyuan's words, he was stunned for a moment, and then whispered to Li Wenyuan: "This guest, I really don't know anything about what you said. And I don't think you look like you are from Zhangye County, so I would like to remind you that you must be careful in whatever you do in Zhangye County. There are countless eyes watching your every move in many places on the street that you can't see, and no one can escape this kind of surveillance. ”

Speaking of this, the shopkeeper of the bookstore looked around vigilantly, and after confirming that it was safe, his voice was lowered: "If you are really interested in Han Gu's matter, I can provide you with a small clue." As for whether or not you can solve the mystery surrounding this clue, it depends on your own ability. Some time ago, a strange person came to me and gave me a note with some strange symbols written on it. Along with this note was another note with our official text written on it. The note said that I should keep this note with strange symbols and give it to the person who would come here to inquire about Han Gu. When that person saw the note, everything would naturally fall into place. To be on the safe side, I burned the note with the official text written on it after reading it, and the note with the strange symbol was hidden in the Analects. Since you have taken the initiative to ask about Han Gu now, then presumably what that person is talking about should be you. Oh, by the way, this Analect has been carefully annotated by me, and for the sake of our happy conversation, I will give you a discount of five taels of silver ————. ”

Li Wenyuan took the book and quickly rummaged through it, and soon found the page with the strange note in it. Li Wenyuan looked at it fixedly, and the so-called strange symbol of the bookstore shopkeeper was the simplified Chinese characters. Seeing this, Li Wenyuan suddenly closed the book and asked the bookstore shopkeeper, "Is that person a man or a woman?" What does it look like? ”