Behind the stove, in the courtyard filled with the smell of swill, a shirtless bandit got out of the hemp tent, got off the bamboo couch, and lit an oil lamp.

He stared at Han Ximeng and Zheng Haizhu in surprise.

It's like a toad in a mud pond staring at a pair of swans.

The mother-in-law rolled her eyes and said, "This is the rice raised by the big boss and the second boss, and they will be locked up here first, and then they will be rounded up in a few days." You open the door and let them in, and I'll go to the stove and get them something to eat." ”

The shirtless guy wanted to stick his eyes to the two women.

After a moment of stupidity, he sucked the saliva back from between the leaky teeth, scooped up the keychain around his waist, and opened the mottled door with a clang.

When the door opened, it was pitch black, and a smell of feces that smelled worse than that in the courtyard came to the face, and the sound of "snorting, snorting, bleating" came intermittently from the depths of the darkness.

It turned out to be a small barn.

The shirtless man picked up the clay plate and oil lamp, and illuminated the wooden planks in the corner of the wall that were raised by a few stones: "You guys, sleep here." ”

After saying that, he glanced at Zheng Haizhu's bound wrists, and after all, he didn't dare to make a mistake, turned around and went out, and locked the door again.

The shed, near the thatched roof, has two small skylights.

The faint light of the starry night leaked into the shed, which was better than nothing, helping Zheng Haizhu's eyes adapt to the darkness.

She tried her best to stretch her wrists a few more points apart to gain some mobility, then squatted down to untie her baggage, and from it she shook off three or four coats, knelt on the dirty plank, and spread them with difficulty.

Han Ximeng looked at her weakly.

Two hours ago, on the boat, after Zheng Shoukuan cut his rope with hidden scissors, Zheng Haizhu did not hesitate to order the little nephew to jump into the water and escape, go to report to the official, and he stayed.

Han Ximeng has taken in this pair of Fujian aunts and nephews who came with craftsmanship for half a year.

When watching the dragon boat during the Dragon Boat Festival, she was squeezed into the water on the bridge, and Zheng Haizhu jumped down with extreme agility to save her ashore, so she knew that Zheng Haizhu was very good at water.

But Han Ximeng is a landlubber.

Today, Zheng Haizhu did not leave her.

At that time, after Zheng Shoukuan drilled out of the bamboo screen at the stern of the boat like a loach and slid into the river, Zheng Haizhu moved his palms with difficulty, groped out the menstrual belt from the baggage, found two dye porcelain bottles, water red and black blue, poured them in the center of the cloth in turn, and said to Han Ximeng categorically, "I'll put it on for you."

Facts have proved that this trick did deceive the bandit leader and bought time to protect Han Ximeng's innocence.

At this moment, Han Ximeng just looked at this maid who had not been married for a long time, but had brought a sense of security to herself several times.

She didn't plan to ask questions like "Can Ah Kuan call the officers and soldiers from the inspection department you instructed".

As a master, when waiting in a desperate situation, being quiet and strong is also an encouragement to loyal subordinates.

Zheng Haizhu laid out Luo Yi, turned back to Han Ximeng and said, "Miss, let's rest first." ”

Han Ximeng sat up, moved in, leaned against the thatched wall mixed with yellow mud, and said softly: "You also come to lean like this, be more comfortable." Don't sleep yet, didn't the woman say to go and make us food? We have to eat, or we won't have the strength to go out. ”

Zheng Haizhu was quite relieved to see that she had not lost her spirit.

Then he also climbed onto the plank, closed his eyes and recuperated for a moment, and said, "Miss, I dare to ask, what villain has Han Fu offended before?" ”

Han Ximeng understood what she meant, and admitted: "I also feel strange. When the one-eyed dragon hijacked the ship, he broke through the hatch and called out my maiden name. But when my father was an official during his lifetime, his official reputation was clear, and his uncle had always been fond of Danqing, so how could he say that he was a political enemy in the officialdom? My family has no persecution or abuse against tenants or the servants in the shop, so who can I offend? ”

"Miss came out secretly this time, except for me and Shoukuan, who else knows?"

Han Ximeng denied: "How can you let others know?" If they go to report to their uncles and aunts, we will go to Suzhou on the front foot, and the uncle and aunt will definitely be so anxious that they will send a housekeeper to chase after them. The embroidery senior had a perverse temper, and he didn't like this kind of momentum. But I was afraid that my uncle and aunt would be scared to report to the official, so I only left a letterhead, saying that I was coming to visit the masters in the Suhu area. ”

Zheng Haizhu nodded and muttered, "In Gusu City, when we visited that senior, we also concealed our identity. Shoukuan's mouth is very tight, and every day he is in the embroidery workshop to help sprinkle and sweep the court, and he will not leak anything. Ahh......h Sizzle"

Zheng Haizhu was halfway through speaking, and was suddenly bitten by mosquitoes, the mosquitoes in Liqiu are as fierce as tigers, and the mosquitoes in this watery place are particularly poisonous, biting people like thistles and prick flesh, stinging and itching at the same time, making her scream instinctively.

Han Ximeng smiled bitterly and quipped: "The mosquito is the one who likes you?" I've been bitten several times. ”

The two of them were raising their hands to bombard mosquitoes, but they heard a man's voice suddenly coming from the end of the sheeppen and pigsty: "Two of you, give you the mosquito net." ”

Rao is mellow and pleasant voice, and Han and Zheng Ernu were also taken aback.

In this thatched greenhouse, there is still a man locked up?

……

There was a babbling sound in the depths of the greenhouse, and the man seemed to be stepping on the bamboo couch, and then, the sheep in the pen who had been sleeping at night sensed that someone was walking by, and called again.

The sound of chains came from far and near, and when the figure walked near the skylight, Zheng Haizhu saw the general outline of the man.

Medium in stature, wearing a robe that should be the most common straight jacket worn by Ming men, holding a ball of things in his hand and supporting a long pole.

The man stood still seven or eight paces away, did not come closer, and said slowly: "Fang Cai, I am afraid that the two of you will be frightened and cramped late at night, and you will speak up immediately when you are down, thinking that you will wait for dawn to talk about it, but you really didn't intend to eavesdrop on the discussion between the two and accuse you of guilt." There is a girl to fetch the hemp tent, and there are bamboo poles at the four corners of the tent, which can be inserted on the ground. ”

Han Ximeng saw that this man was also a prisoner with the same disease, and he spoke very well, so he didn't want to brush him off, so he ordered Zheng Haizhu: "Go and thank this gentleman." ”

Zheng Haizhu hurriedly stepped forward, and when he took the hemp tent, he bowed down and thanked him, and asked curiously: "Those bandits, they actually gave Mr. mosquito nets?" ”

The man said: "It was brought by a young bandit during the day, and I listened to the guards call him the second master." It's really strange, the few bandits who robbed me are all vicious, but the second master I saw after I was locked in was kind and pleasant. ”

Han Ximeng stood up, regardless of whether the other party could see it or not, made a blessing and said, "May I ask sir, why was it taken by them?" ”

The man sighed and said, "They robbed me of my entanglement and killed my servants, but they did not kill me, but tied me up in the bandits' den and locked me up first, and did not let me write a letter to ask for ransom, I guess, they should have handed me over to the enemy." In the next limit, I'm afraid it will be in these days. ”

When Han Ximeng heard this, he couldn't tell whether it was the compassion of the object, or the chivalrous spirit in his bones that suddenly emerged in danger, and said calmly: "Sir, don't give up on yourself, you may be able to escape if you see the opportunity." Even if something happens to my husband, please tell me about your identity at this moment. If you guess who the enemy is, you can tell me. If my maid and I can go out, we can inform my family and report to my husband for him. ”