Xu Han swam not far away, and she heard the sound of falling into the water from the boat behind her, and she looked back to see that Xu Xiuyan, who had just been tied, was gone.

She tugged at the corners of her lips, because Xu Xiuyan didn't know martial arts, Huo Han taught him some escape skills at the beginning, the two water bandits just now were just tied to a simple knot, and it was still simple for Xu Xiuyan to open.

It's just that he was kicked a few times by Chen Laosi, as if he was not lightly injured.

She swam forward with her head bored, she had already saved him once, and then died on the river, it was his Xu Xiuyan's life.

Xu Xiuyan's speed was not slower than her, and it didn't take long for him to catch up, and when he saw Xu Han, his expression was a little indescribable.

"Didn't Lord Xu say that he couldn't swim?" He rowed a little hard, and I don't know if it was because of the injury or because he was chasing hard.

Xu Han glanced at Xu Xiuyan, raised his eyebrows, and with some mockery,

"Which unjust ghost helped Xu Xianling untie the knot?"

Everyone is only half a pound and eight taels, and no one should laugh at anyone.

Xu Xiuyan thought about it,

"It was my wife who taught me for fear that something would happen to me."

Xu Han smiled coldly, "I don't know what Your Majesty thinks when he hears Xu Tanhua's nonsense." ”

"I really don't have time to listen to your lies, so don't leave it at that."

Xu Xiuyan didn't want to let her go, and said lightly,

"If you talk about nonsense, Lord Xu won't let it go, but a few words of nonsense will deceive them, and even the hidden spies will be exposed."

Xu Han ignored him, the boat they were on in the distance had been burned red, there was not even a passing boat on the river, and there was not even a person to put out the fire.

Not to mention a ride.

It seems that this group of water bandits has put a lot of effort into intercepting them.

If there is no one to save it, it can only save itself.

In the firelight, there seemed to be a dozen or so small black dots fluttering with excellent water nature getting closer and closer to this side.

Xu Han's heart sank, thinking that the boat had just been chiseled, and then he didn't react at all.

I didn't expect to be waiting here!

She gritted her teeth and swam desperately forward, hoping to meet a passing boat, the river was so big, the bandits couldn't stop it without finding it.

was already soaked in the river water, Xu Han's complexion is getting worse and worse, the thief is not empty, such a big stroke, there is no blood, how can it be justified?

A dozen or so water bandits who ran to the dock, if they fought with their lives, they still had a few chances of winning.

Xu Han's eyes were glazed, and the murderous intent in his eyes was revealed,

Her paddling slowed down, and Xu Xiuyan fell a little behind her, as if she was exhausted, it was normal to think about it, after all, she was injured, and she was a weak scholar who was powerless, and it was already very good to be able to hold on for so long.

She didn't mean to turn back and take Xu Xiuyan for a ride, there was no edge of the river in front of her, and there were more than a dozen chasing soldiers behind her, Xu Han couldn't do what only immortals could do.

Just as she was thinking about how to deal with the pursuers, a boat came from the right, coming quickly in this direction, the boat was not large, and it looked different from ordinary people's boats.

The ship poked its head out and shone it around with the torch in its hand, looking anxious.

When he saw Xu Han, before she could speak, the boat came over.

The people on the boat also saw Xu Han clearly, and Xu Han also saw her clearly, "Lord Xu? It's a living person, and the little one pulls you up.

It turned out to be the little guy next to Xu Xiuyan.

Xu Han glanced at Xu Xiuyan not far behind him without a trace, and climbed up with the hand of the little servant.

Her clothes were soaked in water, needless to say, soaking wet, and she looked at her chest, turned away, and clasped her hands in front of her chest.

Fortunately, it was night, and although there was light, it was still dim.

"Lord Xu, I wonder if you have seen my son-in-law?" The little girl's voice was anxious with a crying tone.

"If something happens to my son-in-law, I won't be able to live."

Xu Han looked at the little guy, the clothes on his body were dry, and they were still the same as the ones she had seen before, that is to say, he had never fallen into the water, but there was no place for this little guy on the two small boats just now.

Then he, where did he come from the boat rescue, looking for Xu Xiuyan?

Xu Han casually pointed to the back, "Your son is over there." He seems to be injured, so let's get through. ”

The little guy was still in despair just now, and when he suddenly heard Xu Han's words, like a heavenly sound, he stumbled and said,

"Thank you, Lord Xu, Uncle Boat, please hold up over there."

Soon, Xu Xiuyan was pulled onto the boat, and the dozen or so small black dots also swam to a distance of three or four feet from them.

But the leader looked up, stretched out his hand, and followed by a group of people who walked around the boat with their heads buried in them.

Xu Han was ready to have a fierce battle with them, but he didn't expect those people to spare him......

Before she had time to collect the murderous intent in her eyes, she turned her head to look at Xu Xiuyan.

Xu Xiuyan looked at Xu Han fixedly and didn't say a word.

Xu Han didn't ask Xu Xiuyan's little guy why he came to them with a boat, and listened to the little guy babbling in Xu Xiuyan's ear, buzzing like a fly.

Xu Xiuyan's expression was very calm, and he did not show any impatience.

The only thing he ever said was, "What you are asked to protect, have you protected?" ”

The little guy patted his chest, "What the boy ordered, which time did the little one not do it." ”

Xu Xiuyan nodded, his expression relaxed.

Xu Han wrapped himself in a blanket given by the boat boss and sat there quietly listening to their conversation.

It turned out that Xu Xiuyan let the little guy get off the boat when he docked to ask for a doctor for Qincha, and rented the boat, just to let the little guy protect the things he had entrusted him.

The boat did not go on, but found a place to stop and stay.

It's a small village, and it's hard to settle down in a farming family.

The master didn't agree to let them stay at first, and then it was Xu Xiuyan's little servant who helped Xu Xiuyan, who was pale and a little wet, and said,

"Our son-in-law has fallen into the water, if my sister-in-law doesn't want us to stay, can you let us dry our clothes? Eat another full meal. ”

The sister-in-law who opened the door smiled bitterly, "I can't live anymore, where is there enough food to eat?" ”

In the end, he still didn't bear it, opened the door and let the three of them in, and at the same time made some food for a few people.

Qin Cha's side had already been settled before he set off, and there was nothing Xu Han to do for the time being.

It was night when the day before, and everyone didn't see what was going on outside, and it was only at dawn that Xu Han saw the situation outside.

People froze.

The whole village was shocked and devastated, which made people shocked.

In addition to the borrowed one, some other people are working hard to tidy up their homes.

There is a three-foot-tall little bean that is playing in the dilapidated yard, and the tiger head is very cute.

"Brother, you get up. Where do you come from? Is it looking for relatives? Pretty much all the people here have moved away. ”

Xu Han listened to his words like a little adult, rubbed his head, and said softly,

"We are passing by, not looking for anyone, other people's houses are gone, why didn't your mother take you away."

Xiao Douding twisted his two eyebrows and said bitterly,

"My mother wants to take me away, but where are I going? None of the relatives to whom could be taken refuge with. ”

"Although this place is washed by water, after the water is over, you can still find some food. But when I was leaving, I didn't even have a place to live, let alone eat. ”

Xu Han looked around, then turned around to look at the small courtyard behind him.

The small courtyard is higher, and it is inevitable that it will be washed away, which is a great luck in misfortune.

Xu Han's heart was sour, if she didn't come here, she wouldn't see such a situation.

She thinks she is a good person, and because she has seen the cruelty of the battlefield, she knows the preciousness of human life.

Xu Han's eyes flashed a dark light, she rubbed Xiao Douding's head again, and said,

"It's going to get better."

Xiao Douding was not happy because of her comfort, but his eyes were a little red,

"How do you get better? It's all like this here, and those officials still have to collect our taxes, and not only that, but the head of the village also wants us to pay rent. ”

Xu Han frowned, since he knew that all parts of Jiangnan had been affected by the disaster, the emperor had already ordered that the affected counties in Jiangnan be exempted from paying taxes for three years, how could the government come to collect taxes?

She squatted down, looked at Xiao Douding, and asked gently,

"When did the government come here?"

Xu had been here before, but Xiao Douding didn't know that the imperial court was exempt from taxes, so he said so.

Xiao Douding said, "I came here yesterday, those people searched all the food that my mother had stored, and now that you are here again, we will have no food." ”

"Brother, let's go."

The child's words are always the most true, if Xu Han and they continue to stay here, even if they have food, they will be eaten up.

What will the two of them eat in the future?

When Xu Han heard this, he was not angry.

It has been more than half a month since she arrived here from the capital, and the edict of the imperial court is different from theirs.

It's been so long, it's time to get it.

Why does the government still collect taxes? Or even looting property?

As for the head of the bank......

She asked Little Bean Ding again,

"If your land is not yours, why do you have to pay so many taxes?"

With such a profound question, Xiao Douding can't answer it.

It's just that Zhuang Tou is not a good person, and he is as bad as Uncle Guan.

After talking, Xiao Douding ran away to play again, Xu Han turned around, and saw Xu Xiuyan standing by the door, looking at her steadily.

His face was a little pale, his expression was indifferent, he was dressed in black, and he looked unusually handsome.

Xu Han was not interested in admiring his beauty, and turned around indifferently, looking at the collapsed courtyard in a daze.

She still had some silver money on her, and she didn't know how far it was from the market, so she could use it to buy some rice for the mother and son.

At the same time, you can also go to find out whether the edict of the imperial court has been conveyed, or whether it is the government that is a ghost.

Just as Xu Han was thinking, there was a messy shouting and scolding not far away, as well as the villagers' begging for mercy.

Xiao Douding ran in, hid behind Xu Han, and pulled the corners of her clothes,

"Brother, the people from the government are here again."

Of course Xu Han knew, because those people were wearing the clothes of the officials.

She has seen many people, princesses and nobles, and enemy soldiers, and those officials in front of her are her compatriots, but in her eyes, they are like evil ghosts.

When they saw a man going up, they grabbed him and asked him to pay his taxes, and the villagers begged for mercy, so they smashed everything around him and knocked down the walls they had built.

She suddenly remembered that even the people on the border had never been so harassed by enemy soldiers.

These villagers, in the eyes of those officials, are like pigs and dogs, as cheap as ants.

Xu Han clenched his fists, calmed Xiao Douding, and strode out.

"Stop."

Xu Han stopped his steps, turned around, and asked Xu Xiuyan, "What do you mean?" ”

Xu Xiuyan walked over slowly,

"Do you think you can save those villagers by going forward like this? You have to go, can you save them for a while, can you save them for a lifetime? ”

Xu Han couldn't help but sneer when he heard this,

"The Xu County Order is not necessarily much better than those officials, this will be a bodhisattva heart for the sake of the villagers."

Xu Xiuyan said calmly,

"I can only save them for a while, and save them for a lifetime, I can choose between a few of them and countless people, and I will choose only the majority of people for a lifetime."

Xu Han said coldly,

"Sure enough, it's Tanhualang, it's really calm and reasonable, but when you don't know that those few people are your relatives and friends, how will you choose?"

"The lives of these people are not fate? Can't save any of them, and want to save more people? ”

Xu Xiuyan was silent and did not answer, Xu Han sneered, his tone was extremely gentle, with undoubted strength,

"Xu County Order, I don't care what you came to Jiangnan for, our well water does not violate the river water, if you have to stand in my way, I swear to let your greatest ambition in this life fail."

"Now, I'm going to save those people, and you're just standing here waiting to save more people."

Xu Xiuyan's voice was still faint,

"Jiangnan is frequently affected by disasters, and the imperial court has not sent people to provide relief, but the problem has not been solved, and there must be some obstacles that cannot be solved."

Needless to say, Xu Han also knew that the taxes in Jiangnan accounted for half of the taxes of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty, and the territory of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty was vast, but there were very few places where taxes could be collected, and the military expenses of the border gates and the expenses of the imperial court, which one did not need silver?

Therefore, the Holy One has been in the office for more than 20 years, and he clearly knows such a thing, but he only punished it when it happened, and did not cure it completely.

Xu Han was silent, and there was a desolation in his voice,

"There are too many injustices in this world, and my heart is very small, and I can't afford or be able to pay attention to other things."

"But now that I see it, I know that there is nothing I can do, I still want to do my part, if all the people ignore it, then, what will become of this world? Are people still people? ”

With that, she walked out.

Xu Xiuyan quietly watched as Xu Han strode forward to stop the officials who were beating people, with a stupid aura that he was familiar with.

Once, someone told him like this, no matter what, if you give up before you do it, then even death is not wronged.

So she will always be uneven, she has a courage that others don't have, and a stupid spirit, but it attracts his attention like that.

Just, in the end......

He didn't step forward, originally those officials were very disdainful of Xu Han's appearance, and finally I didn't know what Xu Han said, and looked back at Xu Xiuyan while speaking, and then those officials left.

Xu Han comforted the villagers for a few words, and then went back to the borrowed courtyard, Xiaodouding saw Xu Han drive those people away, he was very excited, and stepped forward to grab Xu Han's clothes,

"Brother, you are so powerful, in the past, those officials had to make a fuss for a while before leaving, and today they were driven away by you."

Xu Han paused,

"It's okay, it's this uncle's identity that is easy to use, and he drove these people away."

Xu Han used Xu Xiuyan's identity, but he didn't say it explicitly, just vaguely, plus Xu Xiuyan stood there, looking indifferent and a little arrogant, it was easy to convince those officials.

After the Huo family and the Xu family set up the Mandarin Alliance, the family got a very detailed genealogy of the Xu family's in-laws and asked her to write it down and pave the way for marrying into the Xu family in the future.

Unexpectedly, this in-law genealogy will come in handy in such a situation today.

Maybe there is a providence in the dark.

She told those officials that Xu Xiuyan's identity was the in-laws of a slightly distant clan of the Xu family, and that the identity of such a twist and turn was because the master of the family was now the prefect in Huaiyang.

The place where they are now is not far from Huaiyang, but it is not a prosperous market town, and it is not under the control of Huaiyang, and even such rural officials are in awe of the prefect of Huaiyang.

can imagine how powerful the collusion of Jiangnan officialdom is.

Xu Xiuyan didn't protest against Xu Han's use of his identity to fool people, but his little servant, Yuan Qing muttered behind his back,

"Lord Xu is nosy, why do you use my son-in-law's identity to deceive people......"

"I knew I shouldn't have rescued people on the river."

Xu Xiuyan glanced at Yuan Qing and said in a low voice,

"If you talk more, you will go back to the capital."

Yuan Qing was afraid of Xu Xiuyan's majesty, so he didn't speak again, just glared at Xu Han angrily.

Xu Han ignored him, turned around to ask where the master's tools were, and helped her build the fallen wall.

He asked her carefully where the nearest market was, and how far it was from here.

There were no carriages, no horses, most of the people in the neighborhood had moved away, and some of the rest were poor people, not to mention carriages, not even ox carts.

To get to the bazaar, you have to walk on your feet.

Xu Han still wanted to go and get something to come back to his sister-in-law's mother and son.

She also knew that these were just a drop in the bucket, and she couldn't just pat her ass and leave.

After she said hello, she was ready to go to the market, it was still early, according to the guidance of her sister-in-law, she went to the market for a round trip, and she could come back in the evening.

Moreover, she walked over to the bazaar, and if there was an ox cart or something, she could rent it.

It's just that Xu Han thought very well, and just as she was about to go out, there were villagers outside who rushed in.

"Hurry up, the servants you drove away are coming here with a lot of people."

Xu Han said calmly, "The official is here, why should I run?" ”

The villager was helped by her just now, and when she saw this, she said,

"Although those officials were scared away by you just now, they just went back to move the rescue soldiers, you don't know, these people are very fierce, why are there only so few people here.

It wasn't because of the flood, but because of the excesses and miscellaneous taxes, and the harmful things, they all fled. ”

The villager pointed to the devastation in front of him and said to Xu Han,

"There are floods here every year, but this is a man-made disaster, not a natural disaster, we are located here downstream, and in order to prevent the river from leaking, the upstream is constantly building high dikes, but once the levees burst, it is us people downstream.

"Where those dikes are, they're just muddy. Say, "What better life can we live?" ”

"Those who can move have moved away, and those who haven't moved have nowhere to go."

"Heaven and earth are unkind to all things as dogs, so this is heaven to exterminate the people here."

What day is it? Xu Han didn't know that what the villagers said was very passionate at first, and finally calmed down.

But it is such a calm that makes people feel cold from the bottom of their hearts.

Xu Han looked at Xu Xiuyan, who pursed his lips and was silent, and smiled mockingly.

Her heart was clogged.

The noise outside turned out to be closer, and the few villagers entered the courtyard of the sister-in-law's house.

Seeing the villager who reported the news, someone said indignantly,

"Tiezhu, didn't you come over to report the news? It's because of her that we would have been fine with two beatings, but now those officials must pay our taxes, otherwise they will put us in prison. ”

Tie Zhu replied with a dark face,

"People helped us, you didn't say thank you, and now you blame her, what's the matter?"

One of the villagers stiffened his neck and said,

"Is that a help? He was just passing by, and when they were gone, it wasn't us who suffered, you see, before they left, those officials came to the door. ”

"Is this called a gang? Add fuel to the fire. ”

Xu Han pursed her lips, she has seen good people, foolish people, and such bad people.

Tie Zhu also asked his sister-in-law to resolutely let the three of them leave quickly and not stay any longer.

The sister-in-law also said,

"Let's go, those officials really can't collect taxes, at most they will be beaten, and they won't really put us in prison."

"Otherwise, he doesn't want to collect taxes, but you, at first glance, are strangers, and when the time comes, you will be imprisoned, and you will be called every day, and the earth will not be spiritual."

"That's some bloodsucking worms, you won't stop if you don't suck them up."

She smiled at Xu Xiuyan, and said to her sister-in-law and the villagers with a mocking look,

"It's good that those officials don't come, I'll just go with them when they come, and you can take a ride into the city, you all go back separately."

"By the way, tell those people that I'm here."

This is indeed Xu Han's sincere words, since the name of the Huaiyang prefect is easy to use, then she will use it to the end.

Unless Xu Xiuyan turns back and says that he is not, but she knows that he won't.

In such a flood, it is already good not to starve people to death, these people know that Qin Cha is going south, and they still collect taxes so unscrupulously, but they just want to make a time difference, and they can search a little more.

But they don't want to think about it, since ancient times, the government has forced the people to rebel, isn't it because the people can't live anymore, isn't it happening?

These people are also too bold.

The villagers who came over did not disperse because of Xu Han's words, but gathered there, kindly persuading them to leave, and at the same time, some stopped them from leaving.

In the stalemate, the officials came over.

As soon as she saw Xu Han, the official who had come in the morning immediately pointed at her and said,

"My lord, it's her saying that the son of the Ma Governor's family is here."

In the crowd, the man who came out thinking that he was wearing a county lieutenant's uniform and his eyes were as small as mung beans looked Xu Han up and down, and sneered,

"Where did Diao Min come from, he dared to pretend to be the son of the Ma Governor's family, the county lieutenant has seen the son of the Ma Governor's Mansion, he is strong, tall and big, and has a rich and noble face."

"Where is such a short-lived ghost appearance, arrest it."