Zhou Jin hurriedly finished eating, added a lot of dry firewood to the fire, sorted out the package a little, and looked at the horses to make sure that there was nothing wrong, and fell asleep next to Qingyu.

"Yu'er, cover more quilts when it's cold, be careful to catch a cold, you have to learn to take care of yourself when your mother and I are away." Li Wendong said and his wife turned around and left Qingyu, getting farther and farther away, Qingyu wanted to keep but couldn't hold it, and he couldn't shout in his voice, as if he was being gambled by something.

"Dad, mother" Qingyu finally shouted with all his strength, sat up from the ground suddenly, and looked at the dark night in panic.

Zhou Jin was woken up by Qingyu's voice and saw that the sky was already slightly bright, and the fire in front of him had burned out, Zhou Jin asked, "Are you dreaming?" ”

"Well, I dreamed that my father and mother were far away from me, and I couldn't pull it." Qingyu said in frustration.

Zhou Jin comforted him, and when he saw that he was almost resting, he got up and packed up the things on the ground, wrapped the dry food and put it on horseback, and the two turned over and galloped towards the pine forest.

In the blink of an eye, three days have arrived, Liu shopkeeper since Liu Yong went to Jinhua Mansion every evening to come to the city gate to wait for Qingyu, looking forward to Qingyu's early return, he asked an acquaintance to inquire about the news from the government, and heard that the acquaintance said that the master was tortured by Jinyiwei in the prison, and he only now knew that it was Jinyiwei who sealed the storefront.

Jinyiwei is notoriously "ghostly and sorrowful" ruthless, even if the evil ghosts see their methods, they have to retreat, regardless of whether you are a minister standing in the court or a third-class sect and nine streams in the market, as long as you enter Jinyiwei, there will be no good fruit to eat. At first, the old man gritted his teeth and refused to admit that he was tortured, but then he couldn't stand it anymore and bowed his head and confessed.

Shopkeeper Liu has followed Li Wendong for nearly ten years to understand the temperament of the master, he regards fame as more important than life, often said that reputation is the foundation of a person's foothold, how can he admit this rebellious "crime of rebellion", now he confesses his guilt because he knows that he will be beaten to death if he is beaten again, and he will not even see the last side of his son at that time, Qingyu is the only son in the family, how can he let go of his heart, and the old lady is also locked up in prison as an accomplice.

Fortunately, a group of subordinates in the house were all released and no one died. Shopkeeper Liu's current mood is like the sunset on the horizon, seven up and eight down.

The sun was almost at the bottom of the valley and it was getting dark, and the sergeant guarding the city said to the shopkeeper Liu: "Uncle Liu, the city gate will be closed in a quarter of an hour, and they are afraid that they will not come today." Shopkeeper Liu said: "It's okay, wait, isn't there still a quarter of an hour?" Shopkeeper Liu waited at the gate of the city for days and days, and the sergeant guarding the city was a little familiar.

The matter of Li Wendong's family has caused quite a stir in Songlin County, and the streets and alleys are whispering, more for the Li family, complaining about grievances, and in private, the sergeants chatted with the shopkeeper Liu, and they all scolded Jinyiwei for being a gang of executioners, and they did not distinguish between the good and the wrong, and they convicted people of "treason" on the basis of just two books.

But he only dared to scold a few words in private, Jinyiwei was notorious, pervasive, and was arrested and imprisoned at the slightest mistake, which is really scary.

There was still a quarter of an hour to close the city gate, and at this time there were very few people at the city gate, so the sergeant talked with the shopkeeper Liu, and the sergeant asked the shopkeeper Liu: "Uncle Liu, what do you come here every day to wait for Li Gongzi?" You see that hundreds of people up and down the Li Mansion have run away without a trace, all of them are wise to protect themselves. Shopkeeper Liu did not squint, and kept looking at the end of the road. When he saw the sergeant talking to him, he said, "It is normal for them to be afraid. I'm different, the Li family is kind to me, when I was down, I relied on the lord to take me in, I have a wife and children, and it is also thanks to the lord, the grace of dripping water should be reciprocated by the spring, and what I do now is also within my power, which is not worth mentioning. ”

The sergeant said: "Master Li is a great and good man in Songlin, and Uncle Liu is a loyal and righteous person, both of whom are examples of learning for our generation. Shopkeeper Liu said: "It's too famous, and I really don't dare to be old." A quarter of an hour had passed between the two men.

At this time, the drums at the city gate sounded, and after three sounds, the sergeant at the city gate shouted, "Below, the hour is right for you to close the gate and close your troops." The sergeant said, "Uncle Liu, when the time comes, it seems that they will not be able to come back today." Shopkeeper Liu lowered his head and sighed, turned around and was about to enter the city gate, but he was unwilling to look back again.

When I looked back, I saw two people riding fast horses in the distance, and the shopkeeper Liu estimated that the time should be Qingyu and said excitedly to the sergeant next to him: "Little brother, you are accommodating again, you see that there are two people galloping to come to Qingyu, there is no doubt that Qingyu." "The sergeant has some difficulties, and the official has an order, and the city gate must be closed at the first moment.

Seeing that the sergeant was in trouble, the shopkeeper Liu thought that he had to accept some benefits before he could be accommodating, so he quickly took out five taels of silver from his sleeve and handed it to the sergeant. Uncle Liu thanked the sergeant for his accommodating nature.

Although accommodation was only a fleeting thing, Qingyu and Zhou Jin hurriedly rushed to the pine forest at sunset today after resting that day.

The two of them heard the sound of drums from afar, and knew that it was the sound of the drums that closed the city gate, and they couldn't help crying in their hearts, and they couldn't get close to the door of their house, which was really a great sadness.

After the drumming stopped, the city gate was still open without closing, and the two were very puzzled. However, he still sped up a little, and couldn't help but wave a few more whips on horseback, and when he got closer, Qingyu saw two people standing at the city gate, one was a sergeant wearing armor and the other was the shopkeeper Liu, and when he saw the shopkeeper Liu, Qingyu understood why the city gate was not closed.

Qingyu jumped off his horse and ran to the shopkeeper Liu and shouted, "Uncle Liu." Shopkeeper Liu has followed Li Wendong for nearly ten years, and has long been regarded as a family member by Li Wendong, and has asked Qingyu to call Shopkeeper Liu Uncle Liu for respect.

Qingyu didn't take it to heart at that time, and now he sees the truth in adversity, and shouts Uncle Liu from the bottom of his heart. Shopkeeper Liu cried with joy when he saw Qingyu's return, and said with tears in his eyes: "Young master, it's good for you to come back." The master and servant hugged each other and wept.

Zhou Jin and the sergeant stood aside and watched with mixed feelings.

The three of them entered the city gate and said as they walked and said that they had found the post station and returned the horses, and the shopkeeper Liu didn't see Liu Yong and asked, "Young master, why don't you see Liu Yong?" Zhou Jin hurriedly said: "Uncle Liu, don't worry, I rode his horse and let him stay at my cousin's place in Jinhua for a few days, and then take a boat back to the pine forest." Hearing this, Shopkeeper Liu was not worried. Qingyu asked Shopkeeper Liu: "Uncle Liu, are all things in my family true?" ”

Shopkeeper Liu bowed his head and was silent and just cared about hurrying, Qingyu thought he didn't hear and asked again, Shopkeeper Liu sighed and said, "It's all true, the situation is more serious than you know." Qingyu heard the shopkeeper Liu say in person, his heart was not as panicked as at the beginning, godless and ownerless, this way he thought that no matter what happened at home, he should learn not to be surprised, and at the same time understood a truth, that is, he is not strong, cowardly to whom.

In this world, there is no shortage of weak people, the survival of the fittest, and the strong will live better and longer to be respected. Qingyu didn't speak, and Zhou Jin comforted: "Qingyu, are you okay?" Don't worry now, we'll figure it out. Qingyu shook his head and said, "I'm fine." Qingyu then asked Shopkeeper Liu: "Uncle Liu, how serious is it?" Shopkeeper Liu hesitated slightly, thinking about whether to tell Qingyu that this child had grown up and had no worries about food and clothing since he was a child, and suddenly he had to face such a cruel reality, and he was afraid that he would not be able to think about it.

Qingyu seemed to know the inner thoughts of Shopkeeper Liu and said, "Uncle Liu, you say it, I can afford it." I can't afford this little thing, and there will be many thorns on the long road of life in the future, who should I rely on at that time? Shopkeeper Liu looked at Qingyu in front of him and thought to himself, is this still the child he knows, he has only been seen for a few days, and he has judged the two of them, Shopkeeper Liu looked at Qingyu's resolute gaze and knew that this child had grown up.

Shopkeeper Liu said: "The master has been tortured for days, I'm afraid it's ......" The latter words Shopkeeper Liu still couldn't bear to say, and then said: "Just yesterday, the master confessed that he stopped being punished." Hearing that Shopkeeper Liu said that his father had been tortured for days, Qingyu's heart hurt like a pinprick, but he still couldn't hold back and then asked: "What kind of crime does my father recognize, what our family does is serious business, how can we break the law." Qingyu said with a little excitement.

"It seems to be a private collection of ** called 'Yuan Ji', which was found in the master's study by Jinyiwei from somewhere to learn that the house was sealed." When Shopkeeper Liu said this, Qingyu flashed a little image in his mind, and his father asked him to watch and have nothing to do some time ago, but he didn't have time to watch it when he was just playing with Zhou Jin.

Now I don't know if I am glad or sorry when I think of such a book, I am glad that I have not read this book and therefore have not been imprisoned, and it is a pity that my parents have been imprisoned because of this, and the entire family property has also been confiscated into the imperial court.

The three of them unconsciously walked to the center of the street, and there were very few people on the street at this time. The three people and two horses seemed very abrupt at this time, and occasionally someone passing by would stop and take a few looks, Zhou Jin ignored these inexplicable people and said to Qingyu: "Qingyu, I have to go back, we will meet here tomorrow." As he spoke, he turned away and asked, "Where do you live now?" Why don't you come with me to my house? Qingyu hesitated, looking very hesitant.

Shopkeeper Liu said on the side at this time: "Don't work for Gongzi Zhou, the old family has already taken care of the residence for the young master, but there is one thing to worry about Gongzi Zhou." Zhou Jin said: "Uncle Liu, you say." Shopkeeper Liu said: "My father is a county parent official, you and my young master have been together since childhood, and they are more like brothers than brothers." Now that Qingyu is in trouble, I hope you will help me a lot. ”

Zhou Jin opened his mouth and said: "I don't need Uncle Liu to say that I know it, and now I don't help him give away our ten years of brotherhood in vain." Shopkeeper Liu said gratefully: "Thank you so much." ”

Qingyu didn't speak from the side to the end, his mind was already thinking about his parents in prison, Zhou Jin patted Qingyu on the shoulder and said, "Qingyu, take care." We'll meet here tomorrow. ”

Qingyu said with a haggard face: "I'm fine, you go back to rest first, thank you for your company along the way." Zhou Jin said: "Okay, it's all good brothers, don't say it, I'll go home first and ask my father what's going on."

"I'm tired." Qingyu watched Zhou Jin go away before turning around and rushing to Liu's shopkeeper's house.