The boat was intercepted, and a group of people from the river patrol team came up. It is said that someone secretly reported that the cargo carried by the ship contained contraband, so it was specially searched for it.

The so-called contraband is actually two large boxes of iron pots and fifty or sixty shovels and hoes, which are not dangerous goods, but the people of the inspection team could not find the mark of the official blacksmith on these iron products, that is, these things were privately cast.

In the last ten years, East has been implementing pig iron control, all iron products must be made by the official recognition and registration of the blacksmith shop, and marked with the blacksmith responsible for casting, in order to find out the source, all other private casts, strictly forbidden to buy and sell, including iron farm tools that can be used as weapons, etc., the control is stricter, once found, confiscation and fine is light, and prison sentences are also common.

The owner of the cargo ship stood in front of the inspection team leader in fear, trembling all over, and stammered: "It's all... It's all been entrusted to me by someone else... It's not mine, I don't, I don't know it's private..."

This is clearly a shirk of responsibility, and the team leader naturally does not believe it, but thinks that there is something wrong with him. After some commotion, they decided to confiscate all the iron and other cargo on board, and the entire ship was detained to be disposed of by their superiors.

When Vasily saw this situation, he was also a little speechless, thinking that no wonder the draft of this ship was so deep, but there was not a lot of cargo on board, it turned out that he had hidden this kind of thing, and he was too careless.

Minna gently tugged at the corner of his coat: "What do we do now?" ”

"It should be no problem, we were originally taking a tailwind boat, and it has nothing to do with the shipowner, just make it clear to the people in the inspection team." Vasily changed his smile and walked up to the squad leader. Tell me about myself and Minna.

The patrol team leader looked at him suspiciously, and then looked at Minna: "Even if you really have nothing to do with the shipowner, you are very suspicious, what are you doing hiding in the cabin all day?" ”

Vasily hurriedly said: "The little niece was sick a few days ago, and now she is still very weak, of course she can't blow the wind, so I specially stayed in the cabin to take care of her, so she didn't come out." ”

Minna coughed a few times cooperatively, leaned softly beside Vasily, and whispered, "Uncle." I'm a little dizzy. Vasily hugged her: "Really? You okay? Do you want to wear more clothes? Let's take you to a doctor, it's very troublesome for children to get sick. ”

The captain of the inspection team didn't have time to watch them stage the scene of "deep love between uncle and nephew", but said: "Take your identity credentials and take a look." If we can prove that you really have nothing to do with the shipowner, it is not impossible to let you go. ”

Vasily hurriedly took out the vouchers. His identity credentials were prepared by the Security Service. Of course, there is no problem, but when it comes to Minna, there is some trouble.

Minna's identity credentials were originally at her home. When they were in school in the Magic Capital, Ann Long and Dora had given them their papers, and she had taken a trip to Camica with her grandfather more than a year ago, and put them in storage bracelets, and later in storage rings. Now it's long gone.

The squad leader glanced at Minna, then at the shipowner's dark brown hair. There is a tendency to suspect that there is a kinship between them. Seeing that the situation was not good, Vasily hurriedly explained to him: "When I was in the city of Vouth before, I met a thief, and the money was stolen along with the child's identity documents, so I still asked my friend to borrow money to go on the road." But don't worry, she is such a child, she can never be a bad person, please let us go. With that, he quietly stuffed a gold coin over.

The squad leader pinched the gold coin and changed his smile: "That's right." I think this kid looks a little bit like you. It must not be family with the shipowner, then—" He was not finished. An inspector came and whispered to him, and his eyes lit up: "Really?!" He immediately turned to Vasily and said, "You wait on the ship first, I have consulted my superiors, and I will let you go." With that, he led the two team members away, leaving a dozen subordinates to guard the ship's people.

Minna and Vasiri looked at each other, not knowing why he suddenly changed his tone, looked at the direction of the patrol team from the deck, and found that it was on another boat, and it was still a noisy search for "contraband", according to a few words faintly heard around, it seemed to be a very valuable cargo.

Minna pursed her lips: "What now?" When are they going to let us go?! She suddenly had an idea, pulled down Vasily, and whispered in his ear: "Or... How about we sneak away? We're all going to swim anyway. ”

Vasily laughed: "No, they are river patrols, and they are also good swimmers, and if we run away, won't it be tantamount to admitting that we have a problem?" If you are caught, you will not be able to get out. Seeing Minna's disappointed look, he smiled and said, "Okay, okay, little Minna, be patient." They're also on official duty, have you forgotten? I'm also a public official, so there's no reason to go back to my own country and have to conflict with people who are also in public office. Anyway, there are less than two days left to get to Ito, and no one is chasing us, so it doesn't matter if you slow down. ”

Minna muttered quietly, "Who knows if they're really on official duty...", but sat down on the bench and waited for the inspection team's decision.

Seeing this, Vasily was amused again, and when he caught a glimpse of the boat's family in the corner, he was crying in a low voice, and he couldn't bear it, so he asked: "I see that you are also a merchant who is used to river transportation business all year round, and you should know that contraband is not allowed to be carried, so why do you knowingly commit it?" ”

The owner of the ship bowed his head and did not speak, and his wife replied on his behalf: "This is also no way." Our lord's son is getting married this fall, and since two months ago, the tax in the entire territory has been raised, and we really can't stand it, so in order to make more money, we agreed to help others with transportation, but I didn't expect to be denounced..."She cried whining, and an old woman next to her scolded: "It must be the noble young master who met this morning!" He wanted to beat my granddaughter's idea, so he deliberately hurt us! ”

Vasily glanced at the young girl standing next to her, although her nose was red from crying, her appearance was still quite beautiful, and she saw that someone was looking at her. He bowed his head shyly. He looked back at Minna, and both of them were a little helpless, so they had to wait patiently.

This delay is a whole day. The next day, when the sun was rising, the inspection team sent someone to inform Vasily and Minna that they could leave. But their horses were seized as the private property of the shipowner, and if they wanted to go back, they would have to wait a long time and go through a series of procedures. Vasily thought about it. Decided to abandon the horse.

Minna sullenly followed Vasily off the boat and took the overland route, and when she was far away from the river, she said: "Uncle Vasily, those inspectors are really annoying! I just heard them say it in private. Your horse can be sold for a lot of money, so when you sell that horse, you can go to drink with the whole team. How can they do this?! ”

Vasily was stunned. sighed: "It's not surprising, inspectors like them have a limited salary for a year, and if they can't find some extra money, it's difficult to support them." Over time, this kind of thing has become routine. You can get used to it. ”

"I don't like it anyway! And also. That captain's uncle is very pitiful, he just wants to make more money, and it is all because his lord is insatiable that he has to take risks! ”

"Nobles," Vasily agreed, "a lot of nobles are like this..."

"So, the nobles hate it the most!" Minna was categorical.

Vasily blinked: "You can scold yourself for this, don't forget, your family is also a nobleman." ”

"That's different!" Minna said, "I never felt like an aristocrat. When I was sold by slave traders. I have also seen a lot of rich people and aristocrats. They look like serious people on the surface, but they're actually very bad. I know a girl. Sold to a nobleman for only one night, he died, and died a terrible death. I also got beaten a lot, and I really hated them at that time. At that time, some kind uncles and aunts gave me water to drink, food to eat, and interceded with slave traders on my behalf. They have such good hearts, but they are poor. Why can't they live a rich life? Why are the bad guys so comfortable? If the nobles were all so bad, I would rather be a commoner for the rest of my life! ”

Vasily stopped and turned his head to stare at Minna, his eyes a little strange. Minna was a little surprised by him, and couldn't help but start to reflect on whether she had said something wrong, and whispered, "That... I'm not saying you shouldn't want to be a noble..."

Vasily smiled, picked Minna up and ran up the hill ahead. Minna faced the wind and asked loudly, "What are you going to do?" "Of course it's in a hurry." Vasily rushed forward without looking back, "Climb over this mountain, and soon you will reach Ito, this is a shortcut!" ”

Minna followed him up the mountain in disbelief, but before she reached the halfway point of the mountain, her feet were already weak, and she pulled and dragged the ground, and finally climbed to the top of the mountain, and saw that there was a piece of grass to rest, so she sat down on her ass and complained in a low voice: "Climb the mountain, climb the mountain, why rush so fast?" ”

Vasily did not answer, he stood on a large rock and looked ahead, and a bright smile bloomed on his face: "Minna, you come and see." ”

Minna climbed onto the stone in confusion, looked around, and suddenly her eyes lit up.

On the other side of the hill, there was a large gentle slope, with green grass, occasionally dotted with a few bushes of wild flowers, and a herd of white sheep walked in the mountains, and suddenly they formed a pile, and then scattered in all directions, revealing a young man with messy hair in the middle, laughing and dragging a blade of grass into his mouth. The brook sparkled in the sun and snaked down the slope into the Manado River, which was not far away, and on both sides of the river was an endless field of farmland, and now the wheat was nearly ripe, and when the wind blew, it was a golden wave.

The sky was blue, the clouds were white and silky, reflecting the green mountains, green grasses, colorful wildflowers, and golden fields, Minna muttered intoxicatedly, "It's so beautiful...", she stretched out her hand, feeling the breeze flowing through her fingers.

"Every time I see it, I think it's beautiful." Vasily said, "This is my homeland, no matter where you go and how beautiful the scenery is, you think it is still the most beautiful here." ”

Minna nodded, she also agreed with this sentence, but "The scene I saw in Mayton is not lost here." ”

Vasily smiled: "That's the same, anyway, it's our East's place." He turned his head to look at the land below the mountain: "Actually... Every time I see nobles bullying commoners, or doing other bad things, I feel very uncomfortable. Could it be that those of us who have risked our lives and toiled for many years in a foreign country? Is it for the sake of the land to bring happiness to the aristocracy and oppression to the commoners? I am also from a commoner background, and I have suffered a lot since I was a child, and I feel awkward when I think of the efforts I have made, and the nobles have always benefited the most. ”

Minna hurriedly asked, "You think the same way?" ”

"That's what I thought before." "But now, I know that what I am doing is actually more to save the country from war and disaster, as long as the country can be peaceful." Even if civilians are bullied, it is better to endure the pain of war. The catastrophe brought about by the war is unimaginable, when Weisha invaded the north of Shaonan. My mom fled to East, where she met my dad. She often told me about the days when countless people were dying every day. Houses were burned down, furniture was broken, valuables were looted, and all villages and towns were empty. You've been to Ori, can you imagine? It was rebuilt thirty years ago. It was already in ruins... If, someday. There was also a war in East, so what would become of this beautiful land? He looked back at Minna, "Maiton, Qiton, Matt, these are places you are familiar with, can you imagine them turning into ruins?" ”

Minna thought about it, shivered, and kept shaking her head: "I don't want war. She hugged Vasily's arm: "It turns out that the Security Service is so great at doing land work, is my father doing the same kind of work?" Then I will support him. ”

Vasily smiled and gently touched her head: "Good boy. That's what I want to say, though. The aristocrats hated it. But what needs to be done is still to be done, because we are not nobles in the Guardian Land. It's the land and the people who live on it. If you feel that you can't tolerate the evil deeds of the aristocracy, then do your best to change it, even if one person's power is small, but as long as everyone puts in a little effort, they can definitely make the country better. ”

Minna felt that she understood, but as if she didn't, she nodded confusedly. Seeing this, Vasily was amused, pulled her down the boulder, and said, "Okay, after the scenery is over, we should also go." ”

"Huh? But I haven't rested yet..."Before Minna could finish speaking, Vasily carried her back: "I know that your child has poor physical strength, so it's up to me next." ”

Minna smiled and hugged his neck: "Then please, anyway, you don't have to spend effort to go downhill, you can go forward as fast as you can!" ”

"Ahh It's too much, I'm also human, I'm tired... Ouch, I'm going to wrestle, I didn't fall, I threw Minna..."Vasily was funny all the way, swaying left and right on Minna's back, making her giggle, and there was a lot of danger, but there was no danger at all. The two of them rushed straight down the hill before they fell to rest on the grass.

In the evening of the next day, they arrived at Ito Castle, but unfortunately it was already time to close the gates, so they had no choice but to spend the night with a farmer outside the city, and were warmly received by the host's family. Minna drank the fragrant fish soup cooked by the aunt and ate the hot bread, feeling warm in her heart, and occasionally caught a glimpse of Vasily rubbing her calves with a sigh, and she couldn't help but snicker.

The next morning, as soon as it was dawn, they said goodbye to the peasant family, and waited at the gate of the city, which was opened, and went inside.

It was the first time Minna had come to Ito Castle, and she couldn't help but look around, but was suddenly blocked by the guards guarding the city, only to know that everyone who entered the city had to be searched, so as not to disturb the security of the capital by people with bad intentions.

Vasily muttered: "Strange, there was no such thing before, has something happened recently?" He tried to talk to the guards, but they ignored him and just urged him to leave after the search.

Minna carefully looked at the clothes of the guards, remembering her father's position, could it be similar to the people here? Just thinking about it, he suddenly felt that there was a gaze looking at him, and he looked at it, but there was no one, and he wondered: "Uncle Vasily, it seems that someone..."

"What's the matter?" Vasily turned back to ask her, and suddenly caught a glimpse of several familiar figures on the corner of the street, and said with a smile, "Look, the aunt who sells flowers over there, and the uncle who sets up the stall, are all our informants." ”

Minna looked in, and sure enough, she saw that the two men were also looking back at Vasily, squeezing their eyes, still pretending to have nothing to do with their business. "What do you mean by an informant?" she asked. ”

"That is, they are not full members, but they take our money and report for us what is happening in the city." "There are many such people, people from all walks of life, main streets, commercial districts, residential areas. Ah, you see, walk through here, go through two streets, and not far in front of you is the Department of Security. Let's go there first. ”

"Hmm!" Minna answered, and her heart was overjoyed. What does Dad do like to work? She longed to see him soon.

Across two streets, a large grey and black SE building stands at the end of the street in front. Vasily said happily: "Look, there is the security department in front, there are only two hundred meters left, do you want to run over in one go?" ”

Minna looked over from afar and saw that the road was open, and there was not even a pedestrian, which was suitable for running at full strength, so she nodded vigorously.

"Good!" Vasily made a running gesture, and Minna followed suit, their eyes fixed on the front, ready to sprint.

"Boom-" A sharp cracking sound was heard, followed by a low "poof", and Vasily leaned away, and a black arrow tail appeared on his left arm.

Minna was stunned, and then reacted: "Vasily! "He was carried by Vasily and rolled to the side of the road, hiding behind a lamppost. Two more arrows came at them, less than half a meter away from their feet.

Minna was pressed down by Vasily, but she still couldn't help but look at the wound on his arm, and saw that the blood was spreading on the sleeves of her clothes, gradually turning black, and her voice trembled slightly: "Vasily, the arrow is poisoned..."

Vasily's breath gradually weakened, but he still insisted on pulling out the dagger that was secretly hidden on his body, and pushed away the arrows that were fired: "It's really... I was too careless, and sure enough, I was chased by someone..."

"What?" Minna looked up, "You can't move so violently! This poison will attack faster! She turned her head and saw a few discarded sticks in the clearing behind her, and hurriedly picked up two, dodging three or four arrows at the same time, and wielding the sticks to push the others away, but when the sticks came into contact with the arrows, they were so powerful that they almost shook off the sticks in her hands.

Vasily's breath became more and more urgent, he took out the cloth bag in his arms and stuffed it to Minna: "Take this... Find a way to send it to the Security Agency... Wait a little longer, and there will be someone... Here it comes... Run..."

"I don't want to, I can't leave you..."Minna was so anxious that her eyes were red, "Call someone quickly, don't you know a lot of informants?" And your colleagues, call them to save you! ”

"Now... None of them are here... It's weird... There is no one at the gate..."Vasily finally found that the security department was different from usual, but it was too late now, "Run, think about your father, my poison... I can't solve it, I know what it is... Don't waste time, run..."

Minna listened, gritted her teeth, turned around and ran away with a loud cry, and looked back, only to see Vasily's body getting lower and heavier, and gradually, falling to the ground and not moving. A dozen big men crossed him and chased after her.

She wiped the tears from her face, ran when she saw the road, and ran away when she saw people. In the early morning of Ito Castle, there were few pedestrians, she didn't know where to run, and suddenly saw a crack in the wall on the side of the road, just enough to pass through herself, and hurriedly jumped into the wall, listening to the footsteps of the chase, she slid to the ground next to the wall, her hand tightly held the cloth bag, and cried, but she didn't dare to make a sound.

"Who is it?" A voice came from the courtyard, and Minna froze.

(I was surprised to write so much...) It's a Mother's Day gift... ）