"Old man, what kind of mess are you? How much is a bowl? ”

Hu Rui looked at the small chaos stall and asked casually.

The whole street was closed, and the shops along the street were closed, except for the dim lights on the side of the road, only this small chaotic stall was still stubbornly guarding the roadside. Far away, I smelled a strong aroma, and an old man over half a hundred years old sat hard in front of the stall with the dim street lamp on the side of the road, and his rough hands carefully waited for the round chaos. It was already the middle of winter, and the owner of the stall was wearing a white-washed gray cotton shirt and pants, and some places had rotten holes, and the cotton wool inside was faintly visible. Under the shabby melon skin hat, the silver hair on his head was particularly bright under the dim street lamp.

The dress looked like that of a poor refugee, but there was no numbness and greed on the old man's face, only a trace of sadness and indifference. Although the clothes are shabby, the old man is very clean and does not feel sloppy.

With instinctive favor, Hu Rui took Sanniang beside him and walked towards the chaotic stall.

"This gentleman, this young lady, the chaos of the old man is also well-known in the three towns of Wuchang. Put it in front of the event is a big bowl of three big sons, and the children are not bullied! This year, everything is expensive, you give five big sons a bowl, authentic pork and green onion filling, you can't forget it! ”

As soon as he saw the customer, the old man immediately stopped what he was doing and greeted him warmly.

"Okay, two bowls!"

Hu Rui took out a silver dollar from his wallet and handed it over, and nodded while pulling Sanniang to sit down. This fragrance makes you have an appetite when you smell it!

"This master, you are too big, the little old man can't find it......"

The old man looked at the silver dollar on the table. With a wry smile, he handed over a broken wooden box and pointed to the handful of copper dollars in it.

"It's not easy for anyone in this world, it's just that, there's no need to look for it! You're just going to have enough of it! ”

Hu Rui waved his hand, met Sanniang's inquiring gaze, and said arrogantly.

"Little old man, thank you for the reward! Sit down slowly, I'll give you Zhang Luo! ”

The old man hunched his waist, picked up the silver dollar with a smiling face, and trotted away.

"Old man. Listen to your accent is also from Yanjing? With the smell of Beijing films, why did you come to Wuchang? ”

Taking advantage of the chaos, Sanniang asked casually.

"Hey, this young lady, you're a good eye! Xiao Lao'er originally lived at the foot of the Forbidden City. In the year of Gengzi, the Eight-Nation Coalition Army burned all the way. There is not a single one left of those princes and Baylors. What about our people? Xiao Lao'er was forced to have no choice but to abandon the property left by his ancestors and go to his relatives in Wuchang. ”

The old man gave a thumbs up to the busy tree and replied admiringly.

"That's not easy, a big family begging for a living, are you the only one to carry the burden?"

Sanniang may be interested. He nodded and continued to ask.

"Isn't it! Eh, there was originally an old woman and a son and daughter-in-law, but how did you know that she was even frightened all the way, and the old woman died of illness in a few days when she arrived in Wuchang! After the daughter-in-law gave birth to a grandson to the old man. He also died of illness! There are only three of us left to live, and after the revolutionary party raised its uprising in Wuchang, the hard-working son of the old man was arrested and taken to be a strong man! There is only an old man and a little grandson left in the family! Ahem, look at my mouth, the two of you are big people with heads and faces, and the old man won't be noisy. Come, you two chaos! ”

As he spoke, two bowls of chaos that had just come out of the pot came to the table.

Milky white broth topped with chopped green onions and garlic. Hu Rui was really hungry, so he picked up the soup spoon and moved his mouth.

Hu Rui has always believed that roadside stalls are the characteristics of a city's food culture. After the crossing, in Anqing and Wuhu, there was no shortage of snacks on the streets. The two eldest sons on Anqing Street are in a bowl of chaos, the stuffing with eye feces, and the skin is so thick that I don't know whether to try flour or eat stuffing! The chaos in front of me is more than the swallow skin chaos eaten in the restaurant when socializing! The filling is large and the skin is thin, and when you cook it in water, it is crystal clear, and you will have an appetite when you look at it! Coupled with the pepper-sprinkled broth, the soup is delicious and delicious, not to mention how comfortable it is for most of the bowl!

"Your chaos is really worth the money, compared to the high-end goods in the restaurant, it is even better! No wonder you're reluctant to close so late! ”

After cleaning up half a bowl of chaos, Hu Rui joked and admired.

"Hey, we don't have any other skills, Xiao Lao'er has learned the ancestral craft! I think that when I lived at the foot of the Forbidden City, the little master's family guarded the house and shop left by their ancestors, and their lives were enjoyable! Today's words...... Eh, I'll tell you the truth, plus the reward you gave, this month's five dollars in tax is still a big difference! If you don't pay it all, the errand will have to arrest the old man's grandson and go to the miscellaneous labor! ”

As he spoke, the old man leaned over, quietly touched the tears in the corners of his eyes, and said bitterly.

"Just this little stall for five dollars a month?! Is there any royal law here?! Before the revolution, the full salary of the New Army was only five yuan! ”

Hu Rui almost dropped the bowl, such a small stall, five yuan a month in tax silver, isn't this a money robbery!

"Old man, are you talking about the recovery tax levied by the local Overseer's Office?!"

Sanniang was the first to react, put down the bowl, and asked.

"Isn't it, even in the Great Qing Kingdom, Xiao Lao'er has never seen such a heavy tax! The two of you are big people with heads and faces, and you look like you've stayed in the ocean, if you're okay, just listen to the little old man give you a few noises. ”

The old man counted the copper dollars in the wooden box, smiled wryly and shook his head.

"Xiao Lao'er's family came to Wuhan Three Towns to join relatives, and it has been ten years since they were full. The taxes of the three towns of Wuchang where the Great Qing Kingdom was located were indeed quite heavy, but they were relatively light compared to the foot of the Forbidden City! Originally, life was quite passable, barely able to make ends meet. But since the revolutionary party took action, this day has begun to be difficult! The revolutionary party that killed the day promised each soldier ten yuan in advance, but the new army did something, but they didn't see a penny! You talk about it. Since ancient times, when a soldier eats food, who doesn't pin his head to the waistband of his trousers?! What's more, it's a murderous business! This yamen is gone, but this tax is still recruited, and it is getting heavier and heavier. The team of the Eighth Town, the things promised before, everyone according to the level and the previous salary standard, according to the standard of two months. A big soldier is ten dollars, not to mention those who are soldiers! If you do the math, this revolutionary army has expanded to more than 60,000 at once, and with the addition of the team from Hunan to assist in the defense of Wuchang, our three towns in Wuchang are so big, and Hankou has been lost. Hanyang is said to be about to be unable to hold on, how much silver can Wuchang have in such a way?! Originally, Li Dudu was in the position of the good guy, at least not so tight, then after Huang Xing came, hey! The gang of Qiu Ba under his command is vicious. Forget it if you eat for nothing, and the matter of recovering is even more so! If you can't call it complete, you will take someone to pay off the debt! Last month, Xiao Lao'er's Wang family next door was not. Just because he couldn't pay the five yuan a month. The daughter-in-law of the old Wang family was brutally ruined in front of a group of mounds, and Zuihou was also dragged to the barracks, saying that it was for cooking! ”

Speaking of this, the old man wiped his tears, patted his thigh hatefully, and sighed helplessly.

"What are you crying about? Old and immortal. The end of this month is coming, and our revolutionary army is still waiting for the payout, let me ask you, have the taxes been paid?! ”

As he spoke. A duck-like sharp male voice suddenly remembered. A group of loose young men in blue-gray military uniforms, surrounded by a flowing young man and a middle-aged man, walked over with a sly smile.

"Look for death!"

The childhood experience made Sanniang particularly sympathetic to the poor people at the bottom, and Yan Da ran away on the spot, ready to rush forward.

"Sanniang, calm down! The enemy is outnumbered, first wait and see what happens, if you really want to do it, there is me! ”

Hu Rui pulled the impulsive Yan Nuxia over, while comforting, while staring at the visitor with a cold expression, his right hand quietly reached into his pocket.

"Yo, I said how to go out before the left eyelid jumped, there is a little lady waiting here. Girl, you're polite here! ”

The young man at the head pulled the throat like a male duck, looked at the beautiful Sanniang greedily, and smiled obscenely.

"My lord, this is what the little old man made up these days, take a look at it. The bad part, please raise your noble hand and slow down, the little old man must have made it up for you and sent it, please do it. ”

The old man held the wooden box containing the money, leaned over and pleaded bitterly.

"Fuck your stinking fart! Old immortal, do you really think of yourself as a character?! Then our revolutionary army wants to see Hanako, isn't it?! Lao Tzu is on the front line for your revolution, and you are comfortably enjoying the fruits of the revolution in the back, but you are fooling the master with this little copper plate! ”

Before the young man at the head could speak, an entourage wearing a civilian army uniform kicked the old man over and scolded viciously with a Hubei accent.

"Adults are angry, adults are angry! Little Lao'er really can't make up so much money! Please, do well, and forgive grace. ”

The old man was kicked over, and the copper yuan in the wooden box was scattered to the ground, and he didn't bother to wipe the blood on his face. Hurriedly knelt on the ground and picked up the copper yuan one by one, holding one leg of the young man at the head, begging bitterly.

"Get out of here!"

The young man at the head kicked the old man away with disgust on his face, and greedily looked at Hu Rui and Yan Nuxia, who were dressed in new dresses and looked otherworldly.

"Look at the two of you who also came back from abroad, when the Manchu Qing Dynasty is unreasonable, our alliance will dare to be the first in the world, and take the lead in launching an uprising in Wuchang under the leadership of Mr. Sun, trying to overthrow the tyranny! Do you guys who have to come back from abroad have to do some effort? Look at the two of you, this outfit is not cheap, 12,000 should be trivial, right? It doesn't matter if you don't have enough money with you, as long as that beautiful lady comes with us! Little white face, you choose for yourself! ”

The young man at the head of the stream was obscene. The people next to him showed knowing smiles and were eager to try.

"What a daring to be the first in the world! I want to ask how Sun Dacang educated his subordinates, who gave you the right to steal, blackmail on the street, and rob money?! ”

It is undeniable that Sanniang has always been the person on the tip of Hu Dashuai's heart, and she is also an absolutely untouchable reverse scale in her heart. Hu Rui, who was enraged, laughed angrily, and protected Sanniang with his left hand. The right hand was smeared with the handle of the Browning 1910.

"Hmph, dare to call Mr. Sun that, little white face, I see that you are really impatient! Tell you, Lao Tzu is Huang Yiou, and Commander-in-Chief Huang Xing is my father! I'm up to me here! Toast without eating and drinking, Luo Xietong, brothers, it's time to be active and teachable! ”

The young man's face changed, and then he said gloomily.

"Why are you stunned, let that fake foreign devil see the power of our revolutionary army!"

The middle-aged man on the side immediately understood. Greeted viciously.

"Don't move, raise your hands!"

Seeing that the situation was not right, Hu Rui took a few steps back and took out Browning 1910, and the muzzle of the black hole was directly aimed at the eager thug, and scolded loudly.

"What are you afraid of. With Huang Gongzi here, Commander-in-Chief Huang is our backstage! Come on. This fake foreign devil is simply bluffing. He didn't dare shoot! Our revolutionary army dares to fight the Manchu Qing Tartars, afraid that this fake foreign devil will not succeed?! ”

The middle-aged man saw his subordinates, glanced at Huang Yiou, who was determined to win, and said aggressively.

This Huang Yiou is Huang Xing's son, if something really happens, even if it is stabbed above, there is Huang Xing around, not to mention that the current war is tense. It was the time of employing people, and this guy wondered if anything would happen. It's a big deal to invite and kill the Beiyang Army spies who got in afterwards, anyway, these two fake foreign devils don't look like locals, so if they die, they will die.

"Stop. If you don't stop, you'll shoot! ”

Hu Rui tightly guarded Sanniang behind him, and with a Browning in one hand in both hands, aimed at the attacking thugs, Zuihou warned.

"Bah, little white face, don't bluff there! Hurry up and call out the silver and no one, and then take advantage of the master's happiness, hurry up and get out! Otherwise, be careful, you're welcome! ”

Huang Yiou, who was powerful and powerful, snorted viciously, pulled the throat of the male duck, and threatened.

"You go quickly, move the rescuers, I'm here!"

Hu Rui kicked over the wooden table on the chaos stall, grabbed the pistol and used the table as a cover, and opened fire first. The moment he squatted down, Hu Rui pushed away Sanniang behind him and whispered.

"Sudden Sudden Sudden ......"

Just as Sanniang was about to refuse, with a familiar sudden sound, the commanding heights on the roof, and the dead corners at the corners, spewed out tongues of fire at the same time. The dense bullets swept head-on, and the dozen or so thugs who rushed to the front, so immortal, suffered immediately. The bullet easily penetrated the body, bringing out a burst of blood mist, and no one was spared from the ink, and they collapsed to the ground like fallen leaves in the wind.

"Copy guy!"

Luo Hongsheng is also an assistant commander in Hubei, and he was the first to react, grabbed a revolver and jumped to the corner, shouting loudly. Huang Yiou beside him was already scared out of his pants and sat directly on the ground.

"Bang, bang, bang"

Then several gunshots rang out, and the first few who reacted were shot in the head. Luo Hongsheng, who had been on the battlefield, was frightened, and he could hear that this was the sound of the German-made Mauser 98 fast gun, and it was obvious that there was an ambush of sharpshooters on the commanding heights.

"Raise your hands, disarm and don't kill!"

With a loud shout, a team of people wearing camouflage nets and copycat Gillette suits closed the one, holding a strong, murderous fan-shaped surround them.

"Security Guards! Sanniang, your people are really elusive and pervasive! ”

Hu Rui put away Browning, touched his nose with a wry smile, and muttered.

Sister, who has ever seen a young couple come out on a date and bring a whole company of bodyguards?!

"Don't guess, I didn't give the order!"

Sanniang glanced at Hu Rui, explained, and said that she took the lead in the exam.

"Report, marshal, minister, have all been taken, please instruct how to deal with it!"

The leading officer, baring his teeth, saluted, and reported.

"Where the guns rang?!"

With a shout, torches were stirring on the street in the distance, and it was obvious that the Wuchang People's Army, who was patrolling the night, heard the gunshots and rushed to check.

"Someone, help! The apprentices of the Beiyang Army have mixed in! They conspired to sabotage the revolution, and Wuchang is in danger! ”

Hearing the sound of footsteps from far and near, Huang Yiou, who had lost his pants and sat on the ground like mud, immediately came to his senses and howled loudly. (To be continued......)