From Qi Ming's words, Lu Qi sorted out the battle situation last night.

At that time, Lujia Village was in flames, and screams were everywhere. As soon as the people along the river woke up from their sleep, they were slaughtered, and the dead bodies were poured along the way in the alleys at the mouth of the river embankment, which was shocking.

Fortunately, Chen Yin'er's voice woke up Ding Zhuang.

The men of more than a dozen households around formed a group, father and son hand in hand, brothers side by side, picked up hoes and flat poles and stood at the entrance of the alley to block the road, and finally won the time for the old and weak women and children to retreat.

Seeing that they could not rush in for a while, the would-be robbers simply turned their heads and broke into the houses along the riverbank, looting their belongings and setting fires everywhere.

There are many rich households in Lujia Village, and there are those who are reluctant to lose their property when they flee for their lives.

Some people jumped into the river in a panic to escape, and the water was cold in the winter night, and their hands and feet cramped and fluttered, and they drowned and froze to death.

This tragedy lasted until the third watch, and the rampant Japanese invaders seemed to hear some rumors, and retreated one after another in the shouts of the leader, leaving only a mess.

Not long after the Japanese left, the vanguard officials arrived quickly, after all, Lujia Village was covered with a dense network of rivers and waterways, and the Japanese invaders withdrew and were nowhere to be found.

"Didn't catch any of them?" An angry look appeared on Lu Qi's face.

Qi Ming was also indignant and slapped the table: "I don't know what skills those robbers have, but they all fled when the officers and soldiers came!" ”

Lu Huang's bastard face flashed in Lu Qi's mind: "If you can't pinch it, then I'm afraid it's ......"

Qi Ming raised his head: "Afraid of it?" ”

Just then, a porter came in and interrupted the conversation between the two. "Young master, there is a servant from outside the door, saying that the county master has something to do, and he wants to invite the distinguished guest to the mansion."

……

Yuxian county government has three courtyards, the front hall faces south, surrounded by two red paint fences, and the plaque of blue brick paving is hung high, which is the place where the county is promoted. There is a string of side rooms in the east and west, bypassing the shadow wall covered by the green bamboo, which is the county government hall.

Lu Qi followed behind the servant, and her eyes kept looking around, she had only seen such an antique house in TV dramas before.

Before entering the main hall, Lu Qi heard a voice from the back room.

"What a young talent."

"Exactly! Thanks to his report, the damage to Ding was not too much. ”

"What is commendable is that he takes the overall situation into account, and if he changes his reckless shouting last night, it will cause the people in the city to panic, and I am afraid that it will take a lot of effort to pacify."

The official stepped forward and said: "Master, Lu Xiucai has arrived." ”

"Come in, please."

Lu Qi entered the door and gave a round of expression: "Xiaosheng Lu Yun, I have seen Wu Xianzun, and all the adults. ”

Several literati sitting next to him got up to return the salute, Wu Zhixian, who was sitting on the main seat, raised his hand to show that he was exempt from the courtesy, Lu Qi greeted him a little crampedly, and was given a seat by the literati on the left and right, and hurriedly thanked the seat to watch the tea.

After this whole set of red tape, Lu Qi was a little nervous and dropped his ass at the end of the hall.

"Well, knowing literature and etiquette, it is really a talent."

Wu Zhixian smiled and twisted his beard and nodded to Lu Qi.

It seems that the word "etiquette", the stepping stone of this literati officialdom, Lu Qi can be regarded as an entry-level clearance.

Lu Qi stood up again and said: "Wu County has won the award, and Xiaosheng doesn't dare to take it." ”

Wu Zhixian waved his hand kindly to let him sit down: "Your ancestor and old man Tang Xianggong are old friends, and the old man is a big man, so I will call you a nephew."

Last night, Lujia Village was plagued by robbers, the Japanese were cruel and cunning, slaughtering the village, the people, both old and young, and more than 30 people died, burning down 10 houses, and robbing gold and silver property. ”

Although Lu Qi's feelings for Lujia Village are not deep, when he heard the number of dead and injured, his heart still tightened.

"The Japanese came and went in the county like the wind, and after getting the news, the officials hurried to Lujia Village, but they couldn't catch the heels of the Japanese invaders. The old man thought that this matter was strange, and his nephew had also experienced it, so I don't know what he thinks? ”

"Uncle Huishi, Xiaosheng also thinks so."

Lu Qi arched his hand: "Yesterday afternoon, the coastal party reported that the Japanese had already gone ashore at the beginning of last night, and they came straight to Lujia Village. ”

Wu Zhixian's eyes were cold: "The nephew's guess is not unreasonable, it seems that this matter is not so simple." ”

As he spoke, he suddenly turned his head and looked at Lu Qi seriously: "I invite you today, just because my nephew informed me of the whole story, and he has a meritorious reputation, the old man is about to write a letter of appointment, and ask his nephew to go to the yamen to be a famous master of punishment and go to Lujia Village to investigate the case, are you willing?" ”

！！

Lu Qi hurriedly got up and saluted: "Thank you for the county's love, Xiaosheng is better to be respectful than to obey!" ”

……

Don't look at the county magistrate, there are only seven grades, and any official who comes out of the opera is older than him, but in fact, the big and small officials in the county government, three classes and six rooms, a total of 100 people, the only official is the magistrate.

In charge of the county's internal affairs, economics, education, criminal, agricultural and other matters, except for the military, there is nothing that cannot be controlled, it can be said that the emperor of a county, the power is staggering.

And the master belongs to the staff hired by the magistrate, and even the monthly salary is taken from the magistrate's pocket, which is definitely a cronie among the cronies.

Because of this, although Lu Qi is a young man who is not as weak as the crown, the senior officials still dare not look down on her.

With the help of this identity, Lu Qi quickly rented a cheap yard near the county office, settled Chen Yin'er, and had the first meal of moving to a new home.

In the afternoon, Lu Qi led a group of servants to the Baishi embankment, preparing to go to Lujia Village according to the order.

Walking to the high embankment, I saw a seventeen or eighteen-year-old young man standing on the embankment, dressed in a green shirt swaying in the wind, followed by a twelve or thirteen-year-old scholar, seeing Lu Qi coming over and hurriedly arching his hand, it turned out to be Qi Ming.

"Congratulations to Brother Lu!"

Lu Qi saw the salute and arched his hand: "Thank you, thank you." Brother Qi, what are you going to do? ”

Qi Ming's handsome face fell: "My father said that Brother Lu would definitely come here, and the younger brother was waiting for Brother Lu here." ”

"Oh?"

"Alas. After my father saw Brother Lu's character and talent last night, he hated the younger brother because iron was not steel, and he only said that he gave birth to a rice bucket that was both civil and military. Fang Cai's father heard again that Brother Lu learned that the county Qingyan had become a master, so he hoped that the younger brother could learn some skills from Brother Lu, so he bombarded me. ”

Qi Ming lowered his head aggrievedly, he has always thought that his talent is not low, although he is not as good as Lu Yun, but how can Brother Lu be comparable to everyone?

Lu Qi thought for a moment.

Qi Ming and Lu Yun were originally friends, and having too much contact with him would inevitably lead to the risk of revealing their identities.

But Lu Qi also knows the truth of multiple friends and multiple paths.

If it weren't for Qi Ming on the city tower last night, it would have been difficult for Aunt Lu Qi to enter the city, and the literati at this time put the teacher first, and the classmates were all important connections.

If you refuse this little thing, it is not beautiful.

"Qi Yi is very loving, and Yun doesn't dare to be. In this case, it will be troublesome to go with the brothers. ”

"Don't bother, don't bother."

The breeze was gentle, the river was leisurely, and the river was sparkling at noon, Qi Ming brought a pleasure boat by himself and did not sit with the officials.

The scholar was cooking tea at the bow of the boat, and there was a captain at the stern of the boat, and Lu Qi was sitting in the canopy, only to feel drowsy.

"It's an idyllic scene." Qi Ming looked at the scenery along the riverbank and exclaimed.

Lu Qi looked around: "It's a good scenery, it's just that Xiaosheng didn't have time to enjoy it last night when he just ran for his life, but unfortunately today is not a good time to visit the mountains and rivers." ”

"That's what Brother Lu said." Qi Ming turned his head and told his father-in-law: "Go tighter!" ”

Hurrying all the way and turning into the river along the river, Lu Qi's two boats arrived at Lujia Village in a short time.

At this time, the fire in the village was also extinguished, and the villagers who had fled for refuge also came back one after another.

When a few Ding Zhuang squatting at the embankment saw a boat coming, they hurriedly ran to tell each other: "Run, the big ship is coming!" The big ship is coming! ”

The villagers were like frightened birds at this time, and whenever they saw the big boat approaching, no matter who was sitting on it, they had to pick up their hoes before they dared to come.

This time, Lu Qi came to investigate the case on the order of Zhi County, and the entry and exit represented the face of the county government, so before leaving, Wu Zhi County allocated his soap class and Zhuang Li to her.

The so-called soap class refers to one of the three classes and six rooms in the yamen, in modern terms, called the "honor guard".

As soon as the two boats came to a stop, the officials rushed ashore with water and fire sticks.

Quickly divided into two teams, the leader set up a big sign of "quiet" and "avoid", the middle two drank the villagers to empty the field, and the back also sounded a half-human high gong, the gong was deafening and resounded throughout the village, which frightened Lu Qi.

It turns out that the magistrate went out for such a big battle.

After three gongs, the officials gathered around an open space, and Qi Ming gently pushed Lu Qi behind his back: "Master Lu, it's time for you to play." ”