Time flies like a white horse, and five days pass in a flash.

In the past five days, the Taiping thieves outside the city are still in a stalemate with the forces in the city.

During this period, the Taiping thieves attacked two or three times at night and broke the city...... However, it failed to break the city, and every time it was a false alarm, but it also caused a large number of casualties to the forces in the city.

What is the situation in the city, the Taiping thieves have been taking the lead in causing chaos, the rich families, and even some armed families are fine, but it is the people at the bottom who really suffer.

Nowadays, the officials in the city catch heads, and more of their daily work is not to suppress lawlessness, but to collect corpses and wash the ground, so as not to cause a plague.

I heard that the black market was also closed two days ago.

This side of Sweet Water Well Alley.

In the courtyard where Fang Rui lived, after a few days, the ruffians and thieves who broke in were all discounted by ten or eight.

There seems to be communication between the ruffians and hooligans......

After that, no matter how chaotic the rest of the city became, there was no blind guy in this small area where Fang Rui lived who dared to come and die.

Even with it, many nearby neighbors have benefited.

……

This evening.

The continuous fire burning like a fire burned under the clouds, and the twilight wind suddenly rose, Jiang Ping'an took his family to visit in the afterglow of dusk.

"Brother Fang, I've brought your sister-in-law and nephew over for dinner." Jiang Ping'an handed over the gift.

"Air-dried chicken, bacon, and two catties of white noodles? These are all good things, and we can open meat tonight. It's just a pity that Brother Jiang has to patrol the night and can't drink......"

Fang Rui said regretfully.

"Why not? I don't have to go on a night patrol tonight, Brother Fang has good wine here, take it out, don't be stingy...... Let's get drunk. ”

Jiang Ping'an laughed, and he was not polite, he came to the big willow tree and found a stone bench to sit down.

Although he was smiling, there was a touch of sadness between his eyebrows.

Something must have changed. ’

Fang Rui was not in a hurry to ask, entered the house, handed over the air-dried chicken, bacon, and white noodles to Fang Xue's family, and instructed him to take out the remaining mushrooms at home and stew them to make a good meal.

Then, he took out the wine, found hot water, came to the courtyard, and sat down opposite Jiang Ping'an.

As for Sister-in-law Jiang, Niu Dun and small bean sprouts?

They have come over often these days, and they are already familiar with each other, and they don't need Fang Rui to greet them, so they go to play with Nan Nan and Fang Ling, while Sister-in-law Jiang helps Fang Xue and Sanniang cook in the kitchen.

On the stone table, in a wooden basin with hot water, there is a pot of old rice wine and a plate of fried soybeans, which can be regarded as appetizers.

As the old rice wine was warm, a little bit of wine fragrance overflowed, echoing in the twilight wind, and the twilight of the sky passed through the shimmering willow leaves, gilding the two with a layer of golden radiance.

"I see that Brother Jiang has a sad look between his eyebrows, but is there something troublesome?" Fang Rui asked.

"I know that I can't hide it from Brother Fang, tomorrow, I won't go to patrol the streets, I want to go to the city......"

Jiang Ping'an smiled bitterly: "This is also the reason why I can be free tonight...... Ask the beheaded prisoner, and there is a decapitated meal! ”

"Huh? Isn't there a strong man who pulls? ”

Fang Rui was surprised: "How can a head-catcher like Brother Jiang go to the city?" But was it calculated? ”

There is quite a friendship between the two, and in addition, in the past few days, they have also received a lot of care from Jiang Ping'an, which can be said to be a community of interests to a certain extent.

If there is really a ghostly spirit, he will not hesitate to take action to solve the trouble for Jiang Ping'an.

"Not really."

Jiang Ping'an shook his head: "Brother Fang doesn't know anything...... The stalemate between the Taiping thieves and the forces in the city, as well as three and two night attacks, caused a lot of losses to the strength of the big warriors in the city......"

"Now, the big families in the city refuse to continue to send people, and this gap can only be filled by the government, but the government has some force now, and only we are the head hunters......"

"That's how it is." Fang Rui nodded.

There are no eggs under the nest. The big families in the city should also take the overall situation into account and are willing to go out, but other big families are unwilling, and things are frozen.

I'm out of people, you don't out of people...... Do not suffer from few, but suffer from unevenness.

'It's good if there's a leader who doesn't accept it and achieves a certain degree of fairness...... However, there are two major families in Changshan County! ’

You don't have to guess to know that there are many contradictions between those big households, and they are afraid of each other and take precautions...... Especially the two major families: Lin and Xia are the worst!

In short, the situation in the city today is very delicate. And Jiang Ping'an, a servant and head catcher, has become a victim of the struggle of large households......

"The ...... of security in the city"

"How can there be any security in the city now? It's nothing more than the work of collecting corpses and washing the floor, and if you change to a group of strong men, you can do it. ”

Jiang Ping'an sighed and shook his head.

At this time, the old rice wine was almost warm, and he was not polite, picked up the wine jug and poured a bowl for Fang Rui, and brought himself a big bowl.

Whoa!

The amber spill into the bowl and the rich aroma escapes.

If it was in the past, Jiang Ping'an would have praised a good wine and tasted it carefully, but today, he was not in the mood and took a big sip directly at the bowl.

Boom!

Taking a big sip of old rice wine into his stomach, he let out a long breath, twisted a fried soybean, put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly, and was speechless for a while.

"Brother Jiang, maybe you can hide? It's a big deal, give up this official skin, don't want it! Fang Rui picked up the wine bowl, didn't drink it, and swayed it gently.

He is not a person who praises the high and the low, employing people forward, not facing backwards, the love between the two is one thing and the other is dealt with.

Even if Jiang Ping'an loses his identity as a servant, his attitude towards the other party will not change.

"With this sentence, it means that I didn't make Brother Fang this friend in vain, but ...... Can't hide! ”

Jiang Ping'an shook his head: "I have a name in the official mansion, I really want to hide, and it is not a board that comes, but a knife!" ”

"What about bribery? I still have some silver here. ”

Fang Rui knew that this Changshan official mansion was rotten to the bones, as long as he had money, he could be accommodating in anything.

"No, either."

Jiang Ping'an shook his head again: "This time, it is not the government that supervises the implementation, but the big households...... If we don't go, they will be released, how can those big households be soft when they enforce the law? ”

Unlike the government, as long as the money is sufficient, the law enforcement power dares to sell it, but the big ones do their own work, and the supervision must be strict.

It's not that there is no gap, but it is extremely difficult to get through, at least Jiang Ping'an can't help it.

Fang Rui...... No, unless the strength of the six grades is exposed, it is a certain possibility, but it is too much to lose.

"It's a must." Fang Rui frowned.

"yes!"

The light of dusk alternated between light and dark, half of Jiang Ping'an's face was shrouded in shadows, and he slowly spoke: "Sometimes, I think that if this city is broken, there won't be so many things......

This is a bit taboo, he shouldn't have said it, but after drinking some wine, the sadness in his heart still let him say it.

- Of course, daring to say to Fang Rui is also a manifestation of heart-to-heart.

"Indeed." Fang Rui bowed.

The city is broken, which is naturally a big bad thing for large households; But for a head-catcher like Jiang Ping'an, if the city is broken and there is no constraint, the situation will be slightly better......

- The liquidation of the Taiping thieves is unlikely to fall on their heads, you don't see it: even if the dynasty changes, most of the low-level officials are the same people.

For the people at the bottom......

Today, they are precarious. Crumbling order is also order, and it is better than no order.

However, after the city was broken, it was certainly a catastrophe, but after it passed, it was probably a little better.

It is impossible to say which is worse for the people at the bottom of the people, whether it is a long pain or a short pain.

Bang!

The two touched the bowl and drank wine.

The drunkenness struck, magnifying the negative emotions in his chest, and Jiang Ping'an was a little out of shape: "...... Brother Fang, you don't know...... These days, when I patrol the streets, how chaotic it is outside, how miserable ordinary people are......"

“…… There are too many dead people...... Women, children...... Some of them are about the same size as my cow mound......"

He pointed to his chest: "Look at the heart of the wretched...... But I can't manage it, I don't dare to manage it...... Going to the city, it's a pleasure, it's good! That's good! ”

"Brother Jiang......"

Fang Rui looked at the undisguised tiredness on Jiang Ping'an's face and sighed deeply.

These days, the peace thieves and the forces in the city are at a stalemate......

He's okay, Fang Xue's family, Sanniangzi, Nannan, and Fang Ling, under his protection, are also okay.

But other families, ordinary people, and even officials like Jiang Ping'an were dragged to exhaustion, not only physically, but also psychologically......

- Many tragic phenomena, even if they do not affect themselves, just watching and witnessing them is a kind of torture.

Not everything in the world can always have a happy result...... There is no regular waiting, and in many cases, it is more painful than the bad outcome of the dust......

“…… Brother Fang, I ...... myself That's it...... Nowadays, there is only one thing that cannot be let go...... If I have any chances, my sister-in-law, and your nephews and nieces, I will please......"

It's almost an afterthought.

Jiang Ping'an didn't have no other friends, but after getting along, he still felt that Fang Rui was the most reliable and charismatic.

This is not a joke - Fang Rui came through and treats people and things, with the concept of equality in his bones, neither humble nor arrogant, and it is very comfortable to get along with.

At the beginning, a large part of the reason for the third lady was because of this, so Fang Rui lowered his vigilance, and later, he slowly liked it......

"Brother Jiang believes me like this?"

"Believe, why don't you believe it?"

Jiang Ping'an laughed and pointed to his eyes: "I have a pair of tricks, I still have some ability to see people, Brother Fang is ...... Be cautious, but don't have any harmful intentions...... I don't talk big, I promise my friends, as long as I should do it, I basically do it......"

'How good am I?' ’

Fang Rui shook his head, his face became more cautious, and he said, "If something happens to Brother Jiang, sister-in-law, and two nephews, I will try my best to take care of ...... It's just trying my best, more, but I don't dare to guarantee ......"

"Haha, Brother Fang is still so honest...... Just do your best, if there is really a disagreement, it is providence......"

Jiang Ping'an held Fang Rui's wrist tightly and shook it twice: "Thank you!" ”

"Brother Fang, I can't say anything superfluous...... It's all in the wine! ”

He held up his wine bowl.

Bang!

Fang Rui and Jiang Ping'an touched: "Brother Jiang's good fortune is high, he may not be able to use me as a backhand, this matter, there may be a turnaround, but it is not known......"

"Then Brother Chengfang Jiyan." Jiang Ping'an said, tilted his neck, and drank all the wine in the bowl, obviously just taking this as auspicious words, and didn't believe it too much.

"Drink! Drink! ”

Seeing this, Fang Rui didn't say anything more, picked up the wine bowl, and also took a big sip, his heart moved slightly.

He really wanted to do something, not only for Jiang Ping'an, but also for himself.

'With an identity like Jiang Ping'an, you must go to the city...... If the situation continues to deteriorate, an idle warrior like me may not be able to survive......

This is not an unfounded worry, but a real problem!

'A man who has no foresight will have near-term worries!' Fang Rui sighed secretly in his heart and made up his mind.

Then.

Zilala!

In the kitchen, the hot oil of the stir-fry is put into the pot, and an attractive aroma is stimulated and spreads, and it can be smelled in this yard.

Fang Rui was aroused, got up and went to the kitchen: "Mother, third sister, sister-in-law Jiang, is dinner ready?" Why don't you get some stir-fried vegetables and serve us wine? ”

"And one last fried bean sprout...... Stewed chicken with mushrooms, stir-fried dried wild vegetables with bacon, and stewed egg custard are all ready, you can eat them first......"

"No, just take the bowl and divide some...... There are four little ones over there, don't hide, come here, wipe your saliva, you take these and eat them separately! ”

……

After a hearty dinner.

Fang Rui proposed to let Jiang Ping'an take care of the house, and go out by himself.

Although Jiang Ping'an was strange, he didn't ask, and happily agreed.

He drank well, not much worse than Fang Rui, in the past, he and Fang Rui pretended to be drunk and acted with each other.

Before, it was also said that he was drunk, but Jiang Ping'an, who still knew in his heart, knew that he would go to the city wall tomorrow, but he didn't really get drunk and drunk until tomorrow - that was looking for death.

Let Fang Xue's family, Sanniangzi, and Jiang's sister-in-law enter the cellar, and Fang Rui also temporarily lent the Pu knife to Jiang Ping'an.

Later, he brought in a boulder and blocked the entrance to the cellar, so that he could go out with confidence.

The boulder outside the cellar is a line of defense; Jiang Ping'an is a line of defense; In addition, Fang Rui's prestige in this area in recent days, the ruffians and hooligans did not dare to come, and it can be regarded as a hidden line of defense.

With such three layers of protection, plus Fang Rui won't go out for too long, the security is still very guaranteed.

……

Outside the gate of Xiafu, the continuous flaming red lanterns are reflected in a bright hall.

Sou!

Suddenly, a plank shot at it and slammed into the gate with a clear sound.

Squeak!

The old porter opened the door, came out suspiciously to take a look, picked up the wooden board that had fallen to the ground, and when he looked at it, his face suddenly changed greatly.

He turned around and ran, because he was so anxious and distracted, that he tripped over the threshold, but he got up, and he didn't even bother to shoot the dust, so he continued to run inside.

In the dark, Ge Bu's masked Fang Rui glanced deeply at Xia Fu and quickly left.

He wasn't surprised by the porter's reaction.

The plank is just an ordinary plank, but it ......

On it, there are nine characters of the iron hook silver painting written by Fang Rui's fingers as a pen: 'The Lin family wants to dedicate the city, and the thieves will punish the summer!' ’

……

(End of chapter)