There are only four days left, and the distance between Yizhou City and Mengyin County is more than 200 miles, and even if it is a fast horse, it will take nearly a day and night. Rushed back to Mengyin, the remaining two or three days of effort, 800 miles of Yimeng Mountain, where did they catch the mountain bandits who kidnapped people? And if such a thing occurs within one's own jurisdiction, a crime of dereliction of duty and negligence is indispensable. If it is not good, a hat of appeasement and annihilation will be buttoned down, and it will be difficult to save the life of the surname.

This is not a disaster from heaven! Mengyin County made Liang Shunzheng so anxious that he almost cried, shook his body, almost fainted, and suddenly remembered that the sky had fallen, and there was a big one on top, Mengyin County had Yizhou Zhizhou above, and there was this Daotai Lord above Zhizhou, what did you panic about? Thinking of this, he immediately looked at Cao Hao with tears in his eyes, hugged his fists and said, "Lord Cao, this is ...... This...... What should I do, please let me know! ”

Cao Hao sounded a little wrong, "Rabbits don't eat the grass next to the nest", the reason why this Yimeng mountain bandit can be banned repeatedly, is it because the people outside exchange news with them, which can allow them to avoid the encirclement and suppression of the army? Even if you want to kidnap people and ask for food, shouldn't you change places?

He glanced at the messenger and asked, "How many acres of land is the Du Kui family?" ”

Although Cao Hao didn't wear a supplementary uniform, he was just wearing a regular uniform, but the man just saw that even the county lord was respectful to this young man, so he didn't dare to slack off, and thought for a while: "If you go back to the adult, the Du family is a big family in Mengyin, and this field property is not a hundred hectares, but eighty hectares!" ”

If it was before entering Beijing two years ago, Cao Hao would not have known about these fields, but now he has a few Zhuangzi, and he often listens to He Mao's financial accounts, and he also knows a little about these. If it is a good good field, catch up with the harvest year, the yield per mu can reach two stones, and the medium field should also be one stone and a few buckets. The land was rented to tenants for farming, and the rent ranged from 30 to 4 and a half percent.

Even if the crops were reduced due to the impact of the drought in the north last year, the Du Kui family's land had to be at least four or five thousand stone for rent, why did they have to pay even a thousand stone now? Besides, isn't it cheap to kidnap the young owner of the family, but only ask for a quarter of his family's annual income as a ransom?

* Jinan Mansion, Governor's Yamen.

Governor Jiang Chenxi looked at the newspaper sent from the capital, his expression was very excited, and his hands trembled slightly. On the newspaper is a clear edict issued by Kangxi on February 29:

I looked at the number of governors and editors in each province, and did not report the number of increases. Today, Haiyu has been peaceful for a long time, and the household registration is complicated. If you see that there is more money and food in the people, it is really impossible. Although the number of people has increased, the acres of land have not increased. The governor of the province should be ordered to see that there is a number of names in the money and grain book today, and it should not be increased or decreased, and it will always be a fixed amount. The people born after him do not have to collect money and food...... "'Prosperous times add Ding, never add endowment', long live the wisdom of the lord!" Jiang Chenxi was excited, this emperor is wise, and they can make better achievements as courtiers. Even if you can't leave a name in history, it shouldn't be difficult to get into the pavilion and shine on the lintel.

But after seeing another piece of news, Jiang Chenxi's face couldn't help but become heavy. Due to the drought last year, there was no new grain in the warehouse, and the household department verified that there was surplus grain in the Shandong granary, so it reported that the grain in the Shandong granary was added to the Zhili warehouse first. After all, Zhili is an important place in Gyeonggi, and there are many officers and soldiers of the Eight Banners and the green battalion of the Han army, so there is no room for loss in food supply. Right now, it's not the time for the grain to enter Beijing.

Jiang Chenxi pondered for a while, sighed, called a few long-term entourage, and sent them to report to the political envoy Hou Juguang and the envoy Li Fajia. The remaining two copies were sent to the document for copying, so that the places where they could be sent down the prefecture and county.

On the sixth day of the first month of March, it is the seventh day that the son of Du Kui of Nanshan Township, Mengyin County was tied. Although Du Kui is sick in bed, it is a matter of his son's life and death, how can he rest assured? After hearing his wife mention that someone from the county government came to ask, he fainted? It's just that he really doesn't have the strength, or he will go down to the ground and kick his wife a few times. In case the people on the Yamen side are full of food and want to use the credit of "suppressing bandits" to get promoted and make a fortune, then how can they care about his son's surname?

Fortunately, I waited for a few days with fear, and yesterday I waited until Mengyin County ordered Liang Shunzheng to come back from Yizhou, and he didn't want to intervene, and even signaled to the people who went to inquire about the news, and everything was to protect the life of the eldest young master of the Du family, so that the Du family should not worry.

At dawn, in the courtyard of the Du family's mansion, the people who got up early to clean the courtyard found the letters that came in from outside and hurriedly handed them to the old lady. Du Kui read it, and it was written that the Du family would transport the grain to Yelongling, which was twenty miles away. The Du family was waiting for the news, and the mule cart had already been prepared, carrying 1,000 stones and more than 100,000 catties of grain to Yelongling.

In the Yali of Mengyin County, Liang Shunzheng, the commander of Mengyin County, woke up early, and his face was also worried, not knowing if the Du family would be able to bring people back safely, and sent people to watch from a distance outside the Du family's house, but they were not allowed to approach or follow, so as not to cause misunderstanding among the kidnappers and endanger the life of the young master of the Du family.

Although Liang Shunzheng's surname is a little cowardly, after all, he has been reading sage books for half his life, and he is really angry when he thinks of what happened to him in Yizhou Daotai Yamen. How can the children of the powerful think of sympathy for the people? That platform is good, I went into the study for a while, and when I came out, not only did I not mean to make a move, but I also warned Liang Shunzheng not to do much.

Liang Shunzheng, the commander of Mengyin County, waited for most of the day, and his mood was as gloomy as the gray sky.

It wasn't until nearly in the evening that the official sent back in a hurry, panting and saying that the Du family had already changed into filial piety clothes, the old man of the Du family was seriously ill, and the young master of the Du family was gone!

There was a thunderclap outside the window, the sky was getting darker and darker, and a thunderstorm came immediately.

* Yizhou, Daotai Yamen, study.

Cao Hao stood in front of the window, looked at the spring rain outside, and returned to ask Mr. Zhuang: "If it is according to what Mr. said, this son of the Du family will have no way to live?" Maybe ......"

Mr. Zhuang shook his head: "Fu Ruo, Fu Ruo, there is something strange about this matter, and you are aware of it, and you speculate that there is another inside story that is also you, do you think that they tossed it once, just to give us a wake-up call, so that we can think about food!" They are in Liwei, just to let other rich squires know that this 'Yimeng Mountain Bandit' is not to be provoked, and if they want it, they will prepare food, if they accidentally have people from the government who know or participate, it will be the fate of the Du family! ”

Cao Hao's mind was full of fog, and he sorted out the development of things from the beginning. The only son of the Du family was kidnapped, and then the news of the kidnapping leaked, and someone from the yamen came to ...... He looked at Mr. Zhuang and asked, "Sir, in recent years, there have been people collecting grain in Yizhou, where has all this grain gone?" The people we sent to inquire around have no useful news back now! ”

Mr. Zhuang touched his beard, and his face looked very heavy, since ancient times, most of the people associated with the grain are not good things. But if it's peaceful today, doesn't it look like it's about to be a time of chaos?

* Beijing, inside Chongwen Gate, Ningchun Mansion.

The main hall in the front yard is usually not the place for the ladies to stay. But today, Niu Hulu, the young grandmother in charge of the house, was wearing a red flag suit, sitting in the hall, raising her chin high, and there was no joy or anger on her face.

She said coldly: "I didn't hear clearly, you minion, say it again!" ”

In front of her, Ning Chun's henchman who knelt with Lin Ding cried and kowtowed: "Grandma, the news has just come out from the Criminal Department, and our master and uncle, second master, and third master are gone!" ”

Niu Hulu grabbed the handle of the chair hard: "The crime to be proposed is 'suicide in fear of crime'?" ”

Lin Ding is not only Ning Chun's long-term follower, but also Ning Chun's milk brother. Ning Chun's biological mother went early, and she was not close to her half-brother, and only this milk brother was the best in the family, and she did not regard him as a servant.

Lin Ding could only nod his head, and he was already crying and speechless.

Niu Hulu looked at the deserted hall, and a bitter smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. It is also a high-ranking eunuch, and the father-in-law and her husband have been accused of being innocent, and they have been imprisoned for three days, and this mansion has been lonely.

If it weren't for her, the family member, would have made trouble with her father-in-law's house-filling and aunt. Now that the people are gone, I don't know how many can cry.

Lin Ding saw that Niu Hulu's face was not sad, only cold, and couldn't help but feel a little cold, and said with resentment: "Grandma, even if it's an uncle...... Uncle has a place where he can't live with grandma, after all, he and grandma are married couples, and now they are gone......"

Niu Hulu muttered, "Yes, now there are no people? How can I and what can I do? As she spoke, her voice couldn't help but sharpen: "I will naturally collect his bones and take care of his funeral!" ”

Her eyes widened, staring at Lin Ding: "He has always been close to you, but now that he is gone, what are your plans?" ”

When Lin Ding heard this, his face became a little more hateful, and he clenched his fists and said: "The master is wronged, even if the slave fights for this surname, he has to ask the master for an explanation!" ”

Niu Hulu tugged at the corners of his mouth, and said mercilessly: "You are a lowly slave, how can you ask for an explanation, and who to ask for an explanation, but you just lost your surname in vain!" ”

Lin Ding hammered the ground vigorously: "Could it be that the master will not go in vain?" ”

Niu Hulu looked at Lin Ding and said, "You slave is right, since I am his wife, what should I do for him!" If you still think of his affection for you, then I have a big matter to entrust to you! ”

Lin Ding knew that the relationship between Niu Hulu and Ning Chun was not harmonious, but because she was the heroine, she had always been respectful, and now seeing her so cold, her husband's eyes were not red when she died, and she had to arrange for herself to do other errands, is there anything more important than collecting the funeral for the uncle now?

Niu Hulu's surname has always been arrogant, although he saw Lin Ding's dissatisfaction, but he disdained to explain, and said: "Two nights before the lord was imprisoned, Ruqiu waited in his room, if God opened his eyes, maybe Ruqiu already had his flesh and blood." Now that you've got the news, it won't be long before the other rooms are gone, and this home is going to be scattered! When the time comes, you will take advantage of the chaos to send Ruqiu out of the house and leave the capital! If Ruqiu is not pregnant, Tiannan and Haibei, everything is up to you, 'Lin Ding' will die violently tomorrow, and in the future, you will be Chen Liu who was released from our house, and I have asked someone to get the identity documents in order! Speaking of this, he paused: "If the sky is pitiful, let Ruqiu have the blood and bones of the master, and give birth smoothly, then you will send the child to Uncle Cao in Shandong." ”

The more Lin Ding listened, the more puzzled he became: "Grandma, why don't you let Ruqiu stay in the mansion?" There is really a man and a woman, and grandma has a hope! ”

Niu Hulu heard that Lin Ding was full of concern, and his heart was slightly moved, but he didn't show it on his face, but just said: "This matter, you must always be on guard, so stay in the capital so clearly, if there are three long and two short, then how can it be good?" ”

Lin Ding has experienced great changes in the past few days, and when he heard what Niu Hulu said, he also agreed with her arrangement, so he solemnly kowtowed to her three times, which was regarded as a farewell.

As Niu Hulu expected, everyone in the Kung Fu Mansion knew the news of the Criminal Department for a long time, and people were panicked.

Ning Chun's stepmother had always been speechless since her daughter-in-law came in, but this time she was invited to the front of the hall by Niu Hulu. Although a few housekeepers were open, the filial piety clothes of the subordinates were not ready for a while, and they were messy.

Ning Chun's stepmother lost her husband and two sons, her face was sallow, and her eyes were red and swollen. Seeing Niu Hulu sitting in the hall dressed in red, he didn't care about accusing her for a while.

Niu Hulu waited for her to sit down, and then pushed the account book and key in front of him to Ning Chun's stepmother.

Ning Chun's stepmother was no stranger to these, because she was in charge of Niu Hulu's family before she entered the door. If it was a change in the past, she would be inexplicably happy, now that her son is gone, what else is there to fight for.

What hope does a woman have for a woman in the world without a husband and a son? Now in this house, there are only a few widows left, and there is not even a person to support the door, what else can be done except cry?

Niu Hulu saw that Ning Chun's stepmother had worked hard, her hair was gray and gray, and her expression was wooden, and she didn't look at the account book and key, she sighed in her heart and called in a low voice: "Eniang! ”

It has been more than two years since she entered the door, and it is the first time that she has called this stepmother-in-law whom she has always despised in this way. Ning Chun's stepmother was very surprised, and thought she had heard it wrong, so she turned her head to look at Niu Hulu.

Niu Hulu pointed to the servants and maids in the courtyard with his finger, and said, "Eniang, now that it's like this, if you want to leave, send it away!" The daughter-in-law has been sent to the prison of the criminal department to pick up her father-in-law's body back! ”

Ning Chun's stepmother nodded with tears streaming down her face, and asked someone to take the family register, except for a few who have always been loyal and don't want to leave at this time, the others cried, paid the ransom silver, took the deed and left.

Niu Hulu called two remaining domestic servants to bury Lin Ding, a loyal servant who committed suicide by the "martyr", in the open space of the east courtyard.

The bodies of Ning Chun and his father and brother were brought back from the Hubu prison that night and rested in the main hall of the front yard.

Early the next morning, when Ning Chun's stepmother got the news, she rushed to the mourning hall, next to Ning Chun's body, the woman in the red flag costume had been gone for a long time!

(To be continued)