The moon is bright, the moon is bright and the stars are scarce, and the moonlight like water covers the earth.

In the twilight wind, there was an occasional sharp shouting and screaming in the distance, and there was no scream in the night, and I don't know how many evils were breeding.

In such an environment, Fang Rui came to Jiang Ping'an's house and knocked on the door.

Knock knock!

"Who?" A vigilant female voice came from inside.

"Sister-in-law Jiang, it's me!"

"Xiao Fang!"

With a creak, the door opened: "Come, come in!" ”

Sister-in-law Jiang staggered to let Fang Rui into the house, vigilantly looked outside left and right, turned around and crossed the door, and then breathed a long sigh of relief.

When she saw the things Fang Rui was carrying, she complained again: "Xiao Fang, you can come here, what else do you bring?" It's not a good year, don't do these face-saving things! ”

If at the beginning, Sister-in-law Jiang was just polite, then now, with the gradual deepening of the friendship between Fang Rui and the Jiang family, this is sincere.

"It's not a good thing, just a few servings of 'scar cream' and a pound of soybeans...... Moreover, this gift is really a must-have...... My family just moved over, and it's the first time I've been at my sister-in-law's house since I came here, so naturally I can't ...... empty-handed."

In the past two days, Fang Rui has not been able to buy any more medicinal materials, but he has reserved a batch earlier, and it is still okay to take out a little 'scar removal cream' as a gift.

As for going to the black market to sell medicine packets again?

Naturally, not.

First, after killing the tiger master, he gained a lot of money, he, Fang Rui, is now a rich man; Second, nowadays, medicinal materials are precious, and it is not worth making medicine bags and selling them for money.

There is also the fact that the black market has already been tightened, not to mention the extremely high prices, even if you have money, it is difficult to buy too many in-demand goods.

"Moved in? That's a good thing! We can take care of each other......"

Sister-in-law Jiang's face was happy, and then she took the thing: "Then sister-in-law will accept it...... However, Xiaofang, don't take it as an example, if you still bring something over next time, your sister-in-law will be angry! ”

She put the soybeans aside, carefully put the 'scar removal cream' into the cabinet, and said no, in fact, she still liked the gift.

'Scar cream' is also really easy to use - its effect: scar removal, whitening, acne, spots, just auxiliary, but this auxiliary effect is the most rare, especially for women.

"Okay, then I'll come empty-handed in the future, sister-in-law, don't dislike me for eating and drinking for nothing...... By the way, Brother Jiang? ”

"Inside, I'll go find Lao Jiang and talk to you...... After a busy afternoon, Lao Jiang came back almost dark, and went to lie down after eating, and he didn't sleep, just squinted for a while......"

Jiang Ping'an was still yawning, and he was pulled out.

"There is still some wine left from the last time Xiao Fang, I will go to warm it, it just so happens that Lao Jiang, you don't go to patrol the streets at night, you and Xiao Fang, the two of you are chatting while drinking......

Sister-in-law Jiang said, the wind is in full swing.

"Let Brother Fang laugh, your sister-in-law is in a hurry...... Yawn......" Jiang Ping'an said, and couldn't help but hide his mouth and yawn.

"Brother Jiang, didn't sleep well last night?"

"It's not ...... You also know that in the afternoon, the news that 'the reserve army is falling, and the Taiping thieves are about to besiege the city' spread, and there is chaos in the city, so naturally there are many things...... And ......"

As she was talking, Sister-in-law Jiang came over with a wooden basin, which was hot water, a small pot of wine with a wine jug to warm inside, and a small plate of fennel beans as an appetizer.

At this time of year, there is wine and snacks, and it is already quite a luxury to treat guests like this.

"You men say, I won't get involved, I'll go into the house." Sister-in-law Jiang put down her things and entered the back room.

"Come, Brother Fang, they are all acquaintances, I won't give it to you, eat beans yourself, don't be polite!"

Jiang Ping'an Gu twisted a fennel bean, put it in his mouth and chewed it again and again, tasting the taste, the sleepiness slowly faded, and he continued slowly: "Also: In the afternoon, we, the old head catchers and old officials, were attacked by unknown figures...... The number of dead and wounded, as far as I know, is more than a dozen people......"

"Oh?"

Fang Rui's expression was serious: "I heard that in the afternoon, there were a lot of evil people in the city...... the news of 'the reserve army is defeated, and the peace thieves are coming' spread abnormally...... Now, there are also officials who have been attacked to catch heads...... I'm afraid it's all the work of the Taiping thieves, who want to cause chaos and prepare for the subsequent destruction of the city......"

"yes, that's what I thought. There are quite a few clever officials who see this, and they are passive and slack off, or simply go home and hide......"

Jiang Ping'an smiled bitterly: "I'm not a bold person, and I have a small family, looking at this situation, I'm not going to patrol the streets tonight, I'm going to wait and see......"

"You should be careful, Brother Jiang is right to be cautious."

Changing places, Fang Rui would probably do the same, at this time, he saw that the wine was almost warm, and picked up the wine jug and poured the wine.

Whoa!

In the dim light of the fire, the freshly warmed amber wine is clear and translucent, gurgling out of the spout of the pot and splashing into the bowl, and the rich aroma also escapes, filling the room.

"Good wine!"

Jiang Ping'an sniffed the aroma of this wine, exclaimed, picked up the bowl, and took a big sip, letting the taste of old rice wine jump on the taste buds.

Shaoqing, he swallowed it with a grunt, sighed with satisfaction, twisted a fennel bean and chewed it slowly in his mouth, and said with emotion: "Now, there is chaos in the city!" ”

"yes!"

Fang Rui agreed, picked up the wine bowl, smacked it slowly, and talked about his own affairs: "Tonight, there is a ruffian hooligan from my house, leprosy Liu, who calls himself 'poor master', and holds the official approval document ......"

“…… That's why I hurriedly took my family and took refuge......"

He didn't hide the matter of killing the leprosy Liu - Jiang Ping'an is not a person who can't rub sand in his eyes, and besides, the other party is a servant, so he has seen a lot of such things, and his ability to accept it is much stronger than ordinary people.

"It's a trivial matter, that leprosy Liu will die when he dies, it's just a ruffian hooligan, no one will care......"

Sure enough, Jiang Ping'an and Fang Rui had the same opinion: "However, Brother Fang's worries are still reasonable, if you stay in Willow Hutong, there may be some troubles in the follow-up military service......

"Of course, since I've moved here, I'm in my way."

"Thank you, Brother Jiang!" Fang Rui picked up the bowl.

Bang!

Jiang Ping'an and Fang Rui touched the bowl: "It's good to move here!" Our brothers take care of each other......"

He was measured, and he didn't ask the source of the yard that Fang Rui moved to - did he get along with friends, and he didn't have pets, so he wanted to control everything about the other party, and he should leave room for himself and the other party.

"Brother Jiang, you said, in this world, the ruffians and hooligans can be the 'bad masters' of the government, which is also interesting!"

Fang Rui smiled: "I guess: this is related to the attack of the Taiping thieves in the afternoon?" ”

"Yes, Brother Fang, you guessed right."

Jiang Ping'an said this: "...... Two waves of troops in the county were defeated, the masters of the army were killed, and the high-level forces of the government were sharply reduced...... And this afternoon, the head of the official was attacked...... The real officials seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, and passively slack off, aren't they just able to hire ruffians and hooligans? ”

"No, it can't be said to be hiring, in fact, it is the ruffians who found connections, paid some money, and contracted the power to levy military service...... If you say it is good, it is a contract, but if you say it is ugly, it is to sell the official mantle......"

He also can't see this kind of thing, but ...... I don't dare to manage it, and I can't manage it!

"That's how it is."

Fang Rui frowned: "With this kind of operation, some of the strength in the county can basically dodge it, and most of the people who are really pulled are ordinary people...... It's too late to train, and even if it's sent to the city, it's a rabble......"

"Moreover, most of them are mixed with the elaborate work of Taiping thieves......"

"The group of old men above, aren't they afraid to get away with it?"

You must know: in case the city is broken and the Taiping thieves come in, those big families will inevitably bear the brunt - for no other reason, the people at the bottom are squeezed too hard, there is basically nothing to grab, the pockets are cleaner than the face, and if you don't use your brains from the big households, where will the oil and water come from?

"Brother Fang doesn't know, this is also a way to do it."

Jiang Ping'an sighed and said: "The old men above naturally know: the best way, of course, is to ask big families to help defend the city, but these big families are not stupid, they are worried about losing too much strength, and they don't want to send too many people." ”

From the perspective of those big households: if the city is broken, they are not happy, but they may not be fine, but if they lose too much strength in defending the city and lose their strength, it is the fish and meat on the board.

“…… Therefore, they can only pull the strong Ding and let the people from the big families stare at the ...... Knowing that there is such a hidden danger, you must do it, and it is better to have a way than not to have it, right? ”

"That's a ......"

Fang Rui shook his head: "That group of big households, if they work together, someone will contribute, and with the help of the city wall, there is still hope to defend the county seat...... But now, I am afraid of the city breaking, and I don't want to lose my strength, so the two ends of the first rat ......"

For example, at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Donglin Party was unwilling to change the dynasty and lose the power in its hands, nor did it want to stop and cut meat from itself......

"Yes! I look at this Changshan City, I'm afraid it's ......"

Jiang Ping'an's attitude was equally pessimistic, and he waved his hand: "That's it, don't talk about this, Brother Fang, drink!" Let's drink! ”

Between pushing the cups and changing the lamps, the atmosphere gradually pushed to a climax.

Fang Rui accompanied Jiang Ping'an, and he didn't drink less, but his eyes were clear: "That is, Jiang Ping'an, if you change people, you may not know these news, and even if you do, you may not be willing to say ......."

Rather than being confused like most people, he wants to be an understanding person.

When the wine was hot, Jiang Ping'an pulled Fang Rui's wrist and said earnestly: "I thought, I can hide for a while, but I can't hide for a lifetime...... Unless I don't want this official skin......"

"I can't say, I'm going to patrol the streets in two days, and even go to the head of the city...... At home, I also ask Brother Fang to take care of ......"

"Don't worry! In the past, Brother Jiang took care of my family, but now that it has changed, I will not shirk it......"

Bang!

The wine bowls collided, and the two drank it all.

After drinking for a while, Jiang Ping'an was half drunk, and was helped by Jiang's sister-in-law to wash up, before Fang Rui said goodbye and left Jiang's house.

Out the door.

Fang Rui's slightly drunk appearance before disappeared in an instant, stepping on the moonlight, and walking towards the courtyard of the third lady on the side of Tianshuijing Hutong.

In this world, the safety of Fang Xue's family, Fang Ling, as well as the three ladies and Nannan, is all tied to him alone, he really can't get drunk, he doesn't dare to get drunk!

……

"Brother Rui, are you back?"

It was the third lady who opened the door, and her nose moved: "It's so heavy, why don't I cook some decanting soup?" ”

"I drank some wine, but I didn't really feel drunk, so I didn't need to bother."

Fang Rui asked, "Third sister, where are the two little girls?" ”

"They've been talking about waiting for you to come back and listen to the story! But after playing for a while, I fell asleep...... Maybe it's a move today, tired! ”

The third lady paused, and then said, "There is also Auntie, who also went back to the house to sleep." ”

Actually, Fang Xue's family wanted to wait for Fang Rui to come back, but after thinking about it again, he finally came here, it was more spacious, and the two of them might be hot, so they went back to the house to make room for the two of them.

That is, Fang Cai, when she heard Fang Rui's voice outside, she really settled down, sleepiness hit, and she was ready to fall asleep.

"Brother Rui, there is hot water in the pot, wash up!"

The third lady brought hot water, squatted down, and naturally had to take off Fang Rui's shoes and socks and wash his feet.

"No, third sister, I'll do it myself."

Fang Rui insisted on refusing, and when he finished washing his feet, when he was scrubbing, the third lady took the initiative to pick up the wooden basin and went out to pour the water for washing his feet.

Naturally, it should be done, as if it was within the division, and there was no grievance.

'It's still a woman of this era! ’

Fang Rui sighed secretly in his heart, waited for the third lady to come back, hugged her from behind, lowered his head, put his chin on the other party's shoulder, and sniffed the aroma of Rulan on the tip of his nose: "Third sister, have you thought about it?" ”

"Brother Rui!"

The third lady's voice was tactful, and this voice was as soft as a murmuring call, and she could hear a few bends from it, like the chime sound around the beam, lingering in her heart.

Charming, sultry.

Fang Rui really loved it in his heart, and hugged the three ladies tightly, so that his body fit with the other party.

"Brother Rui, don't ...... here"

"Good. However, the third sister promised to ...... today. ...... above"

Fang Rui picked up the third lady and strode towards the room on the edge.

……

The night is cold and dewy, and the trees in the courtyard outside the window are condensed with white frost, and after a stick of incense, in a sudden gust of wind, the clear dew condensed by frost bloom falls like a tide.

The wind is noisy tonight.

……

The next day, early in the morning.

Breakfast: sorghum batter, sorghum buns, a large bowl of fried bean sprouts, one boiled egg per person.

- After moving here, because I wanted to save some fine grains, the staple food has been changed from stick noodles to sorghum noodles.

The third lady sat in front of the window, the golden early sun fell through the window, and in the string of lights and shadows, her fair skin was reflected, as if shrouded in a hazy halo.

"Mother, you look so good today!" Nan Nan blinked and said.

"Beautiful!" Fang Ling also nodded.

The third lady's face was slightly red: "Maybe I slept well last night......"

"The three girls are young, as long as they sleep well, I can't do it."

Fang Xue had slight dark circles under his eyes, and with the help of picking vegetables, he glanced at Fang Rui angrily.

"Ahem!"

Fang Rui coughed awkwardly and lowered his head.

……

Just had breakfast.

Jiang Ping'an hurriedly came and brought an earth-shattering news: Taiping thieves are besieging the city!

……