This year, after the beginning of winter, Hongzhou was extremely cold, and there was a sporadic light snow in the middle of the night. The snow did not accumulate, and the ground was so wet and cold that most of the passers-by put their hands in their cuffs and hurried away with their necks curled.

On this cold day, the people of the city discovered a strange thing.

The notorious monster who eats people and does not spit out bones, sits on the stone steps at the entrance of the yamen when he has nothing to do, leaning on the stone lion and staring at passers-by with terrible eyes, the cold weather is terrifying enough.

I don't know what she wants to do, she doesn't go back to the house when it's so cold, she stays at the door all day long, and she feels terrible when she looks at it. Especially when she looked at people, it seemed that if she was not careful, she would be dragged into the yamen and eaten.

Those who could not pass through the yamen were diverted, and no one wanted to pass through here again, and the streets were deserted as if there was no one in the city.

At this time, the two carriages stopped at the entrance of the yamen, and Fan Tongzhi's third son, Fan Liye, got out of the car with a smell of wine, and then helped Zhou Zhongren, the grandson of King An, from the car with the little servant.

The carriage in the back was the same, and the two little guys helped Zhou Zhongyi down, but they were also so drunk that they couldn't walk.

Fan Liye was helping people to walk in, and when he saw Zhuang Rou sitting on the stone steps, looking up at himself, he said hello, "Zhuang Rou came out to see the scenery again."

"Hmm." Zhuang Rou replied lightly, almost inaudible.

She always sits here, Fan Liye doesn't know who she is waiting for, inexplicably she is waiting for King An's two grandchildren to come back. Thinking about these two people drinking so much every day, if something happens in Hongzhou, even if Hongzhou Zhizhou is the king of the county, I am afraid that he will not be able to afford it.

I wanted to talk to Zhuang Rou that the two sons had him to take care of, and there must be no danger. But as soon as he saw her cold eyes, Fan Liye dispelled his thoughts, it was better to stay away from this kind of madman.

It's just that he felt that not long ago, a lot of people came to the yamen every day, and I heard that they were all coming to complain, why didn't Zhuang Rou try the case, but spent a lot of time sitting here

He shook his head slightly, let's hurry in, this back seems to be targeted by a ghost.

Zhuang Rou's eyes fell on Fan Liye's back like a pinprick, and he watched them enter the yamen until he took back and looked at the carriage that pulled them back. This frightened the groom, who quickly craned his neck as little as possible not to look at her, and nervously drove the carriage away.

"No, the people are too poor." Zhuang Rou muttered in a low voice, "Unless the rich family is raided, who can stand the government robbing the silver like this." But I'm not a corrupt official, so I might as well keep an eye on those two. ”

The cases that the people came to sue were all written down by the scribes, and it was not a matter of a day or two to solve the cases, and some cases that were obviously trivial at first glance took her seven or eight days to complete the trial. The others had to go and investigate, so they told the people to go back and wait, and then call them when the investigation was over.

Zhuang Rou was busy for more than half a month before arranging all the cases. The investigation of the case and the visit to the people were all handed over to the head catcher and the official to do, and she finally had some free time, all of which was put into thinking about how to make money.

I can't think of a good way to be locked in the house, and I was in a bad mood when the silver was robbed, and I didn't like to look at King An, so I sat at the door. Her original intention was to stare at the people in the market, and after looking at it too much, she might be able to come up with a way.

I didn't expect that I couldn't get a way, but I could see King An's two grandsons come back drunk every day, and the more I looked, the more I wanted to go up and give them a few kicks.

I couldn't think of a way to see these two people all day long, and the thought in Zhuang Rou's mind resurfaced. Do you want to tie up these two people and ask the court to give money to redeem them?

While she was thinking wildly, two people came on horseback, with a carriage and four people, and stopped at the entrance of the yamen.

The few people who came were very strong, which made Zhuang Rou, who had seen a lot of skin and bones victims, feel that these people were a bit like people who knew martial arts. The bandits were not so bold to come to the yamen, and the soldiers were too civilian, more like people like dart masters.

She sat there silently, and it was impossible for her to come to her anyway, naturally there were guards to interrogate, and she was too lazy to speak.

The two people on horseback got off the horse, walked up the steps and hugged their fists at the guards, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are here to deliver something to Zhuang Concubine, and please give me a good word." ”

The guard lifted his chin and showed them that the person they were looking for was sitting in the doorway, and there was no need to pass it.

The two of them looked at the place he pointed, and saw Zhuang Rou, who was leaning on the stone lion and looking at them expressionlessly, and couldn't help frowning. The general's wife is really extraordinary, and she looks like she is fierce.

"I'm not interested in anyone who asked you to deliver anything but silver and a lot of food." Zhuang Rou glanced at the carriage, which was covered with straw mats, and could vaguely see a bamboo basket underneath, but she didn't know what was inside.

The two of them were suddenly embarrassed, they loved money so much.

Lin Shuigen is Mo Zuo's personal soldier, and he has followed Mo Zuo for many years, and he recuperated from his injuries in the camp when he had an accident last time and saved his life. Today's matter is very important, and Mo Zuo can't come forward in person, so he entrusted this matter to him.

This is easy to say, difficult to say, the main thing is not to point out the identity, but also to explain the meaning and identity of the giver.

He stepped forward and hugged his fists and said: "Zhuang Concubine, this is something sent by my son-in-law, and I made an appointment with the concubine last spring, so I dare not delay." As soon as winter came, my son-in-law sent someone to look for it, and now that the day was just right, he sent it to the horses to see. ”

"There are also letters and birthdays, which have been sent to the capital, and presumably Zhuang Banyu has already received the letter."

Zhuang Rou looked at him inexplicably, how did it sound a little wrong, who did he make an appointment with last spring

But there's such a thing as a birthday

She stood up suddenly, walked over to the carriage and said, "Lift it." ”

Lin Shuigen took a few steps forward and quickly lifted the corner of the straw mat, revealing the bamboo basket below, which was filled with red and green grapes.

"Horses, there are ten baskets of grapes here. My son-in-law is inconvenient to come, and he sent a villain to give this gift, and when he returns to the capital in the future, he will personally come to the door to give a salute. He whispered.

Mo Zuo is still a nominally dead person, if his name is said and heard by someone who cares, it will be a big trouble.

Lin Shuigen said very carefully, and he also felt that the future wife of the general did not seem to be happy to see these grapes.

When the general asked them to go looking for grapes in winter, he also objected, saying that he had never seen the proposal and decided to use grapes, so it was better to exchange them for some gold and silver jewelry.

But the general didn't listen to it, insisted that this was the appointment at the time, and said that the general's wife loved to eat grapes, so she would definitely be happy if she sent it.

But looking at Zhuang Rou, who had no expression on his face, he felt a little stuffy, eating grapes on a cold day was really unpleasant.

"Don't you want to bring this grape into the house" Lin Shuigen was heartbroken and decided to attack first.

Before Zhuang Rou could speak, a figure came out of the yamen and said with a happy smile: "Grapes in winter can only grow in a warm house." The quantity is scarce, and it is difficult to find a gold on weekdays, but I didn't expect to encounter it in a poor place like Hongzhou. ”

Zhuang Rou tilted his head and saw that it was Chu Xia who ran out against the cold, and he was really embarrassed for him, so he was willing to walk away from the brazier.

As soon as he saw his temperament and appearance, Lin Shuigen knew that he was Chu Xia, the king of Yinde County, but he didn't dare to say hello, so he had to take everyone to salute and shout, "I've seen my lord." ”

Chu Xia smiled at them, beautiful as a red plum in full bloom in this cold winter, especially when he was wearing a bright red cloak today, with a white fox fur collar protecting his neck, reflecting the cold wind's red face.

Lin Shuigen was stunned, he didn't expect that the man who gave the general those insidious means all day long would be so stunning.

"Winter grapes are rare, so the king took them for the horses." Chu Xia reached out and picked a grape, put his arm around Zhuang Rou's shoulder, and stuffed it into her mouth, "Taste it, it's not sweet."

Zhuang Rou seemed to have a piece of ice in her mouth, and when she took a bite, a sour taste suddenly filled her mouth. Looking at the color, you can see that this grape is not fully ripe, and there are so many greens, it must be sour, but she didn't expect it to be sour like this.

She covered her mouth and frowned, "It's sour."

Lin Shuigen couldn't take care of the grapes now, his gaze fell on Chu Xia's hand holding Zhuang Rou's shoulder, and he was horrified in his heart. The people who came with him also knew that this time it was for the general to give a gift, and this was the future general's wife.

But now, it seems that something is wrong, who is robbing whose woman?

In their eyes, the general is already a dragon among people, but compared to this one, he is a rough man

No, the county king looks too much like a fragile treasure, or our general's envoy

These subordinates of Mo Zuo were a little dazed after thinking too much about things in their minds at this moment.