Qin Jingniang stood at the door and watched for a while before retreating into the hall, this family doesn't need her anymore, she has become an embellishment, she only needs to show up when her children think of her.

She sighed silently, she should be happy, but she couldn't help but feel lost in her heart.

The taro bean paste cake was ready, and while the heat was still dissipating, Haizhu carefully wrapped it in oiled paper, wrapped fifteen steamed ones each, and sent them to Shen's house in small steps.

When she arrived, the Shen family was full of joy, and before she could ask, Shen's mother said first: "Xiaoliu will come back tomorrow, and I was worried that he would not come back for the New Year." ”

"Are he and Han Ji okay? Didn't get hurt, did you? Haizhu asked.

"It's all good."

Chapter 43: Bandits on the Seaside

When the army returned, Haizhu went to see it, and the old turtle was hunting in the sea, and she was huddled in the crowd and stared at the big ship on the sea.

The boat carrying soldiers passed by the Yongning Wharf, and the people crowded on the shore cheered and greeted. Haizhu looked over from the boats, trying to find Shen Sui and Han Ji among them.

Han Ji and Shen Sui first took some of their soldiers to the uninhabited island, inquired about the situation at sea in the past two months, and waited for the people on the dock to disperse almost before taking a boat back.

Haizhu had already gone back, and she was afraid that she would freeze and fall ill if she stood on the dock for a long time. In the evening, I heard the noise on the front street, and learned from the neighbor's words that it was Shen Yuguan's youngest son who had returned from the bandits, and she didn't go over to disturb the family's reunion.

After another three days, the chill in the wind subsided, the drizzling rain stopped, and Haizhu went to the carpenter's house to pull her wooden cart back.

"The little lady in front of you, wait, the one pulling the cart." Shen then pretended to be a gentleman.

He recognized people from the moment Haizhu turned into the alley, but he didn't know what she was thinking, and kept his head down.

The people passing by in the alley glanced at each other and recognized the little sixth master, The disdain on his face disappeared instantly, and they greeted him gossipingly.

Haizhu stood a few steps away and watched, and when someone came over, she teased: "Little Sixth Master is very popular. ”

"Haha, it's not bad." Shen Sui took the wooden cart and pulled the rafters, and motioned for her to walk in front and lead the way, "What are you doing with this thing?" ”

"If you are doing business and loading things, it is also convenient to take the old turtle to the beach to eat." Haizhu glanced into the alley and whispered, "I plan to move here in the next year and do some small business to earn a little money." ”

"That's great."

"Shhh, my grandma and my uncle don't know yet, don't say it yet, don't leak stuffing for me." When he arrived at the door, Haizhu knocked on the door, "Milk, it's me, open the door." ”

Only Grandma Qi and Second Uncle Qi were at home, both of them knew Shen Sui, and the people saw officials no less than bandits saw soldiers, and the mother and son, who were talking and laughing freely a moment ago, instantly became restrained. Grandma Qi took out all the things she could get out of the house, and rarely pushed Second Uncle Qi out for a walk.

Shen Sui took a cake to eat, and when he bit it open, he saw that there was still bean paste filling in it, and it didn't taste sweet, so he took one after eating. He walked around the courtyard and said, "When the time comes, just buy this house, it's close to my house, and I'll go out and turn a corner." I said before that I was covering you, but now I have a chance, if you move here, you can find me, and if you are looking for something, you will report your sixth brother and my name. ”

Haizhu boiled the water and brought it out, and said that Mao Xiaoer supported her waist and made a face, "It was inconvenient before, but now that you are back, I will call him to come for a meal after the year, and you will accompany him." ”

"Catch Ming'er, I'll just invite him to a drink."

Haizhu is not reluctant, Mao Xiaoer's willingness to help her is for Shen Sui's sake, and people may not be willing to come when she invites her to eat.

"Second Brother Han went back? Will he return to Kyoto for the Chinese New Year? Haizhu asked.

"Don't go back to Kyoto, go to the barracks, it's estimated that we will come over in two days, and the three of us will get together then." Shen Sui couldn't hold it back, and came to Haizhu's side to tell her about the situation of suppressing bandits at sea, and when it came to the excitement, he ripped off his thick shirt with a big grin, and under the white middle coat was a hideous scar that spread from his right shoulder to his collarbone.

"It's hard to suppress bandits, you can't take advantage of attacking the island from the sea, and the ship was also scuttled through two by the bandits from underwater. I wanted to surround the island and trap them to death, but I was about to force the bandits on the island out, and it was damn raining again. Shen Sui was so angry that he slapped his legs, the weather turned cold, the soldiers on the ship were the most difficult, they were sick when they got into the water, the wind on the sea was strong, the building boat could not be stable, eating and drinking were on the boat, and the people who shook were not energetic, and they couldn't do it before they were energetic.

"So this trip ......"

"This trip is a no-brainer." Shen Sui smiled bitterly, "Han Ji led the troops back to receive the punishment, and it depends on what his father says if he will send troops in the future." ”

The time, place and people are not occupied, and there is no way to be unfavorable.

Shen Sui looked at Haizhu and stopped talking.

"Say, it's not like you to hold back something and not say it." Haizhu scoffed.

"I wanted to follow the example of poisoning and killing the enemy before, but I was discovered before I even went ashore, and this knife came from here." Shen Sui raised the bowl above his head with a shy face and saluted Haizhu, "If we go to sea again to suppress bandits in the future, can you go together?" ”

Haizhu was a little moved, thinking that there were many officers and soldiers to suppress the bandits, if she got involved, there would be no peaceful days when the bandits came back, and she dispelled her attention.

"You can't do this, can you?" She asked.

Shen Sui sighed, he really couldn't be the master, when the bandits were frustrated one after another, he brought it back and asked Haizhu to come over, but Han Ji refused without hesitation, not only refused, but also scolded him.

He put down the water bowl and poured it on the back of the chair, "That's it, I don't have a bad idea, let him toss, anyway, it's not me who will be scolded." ”

There was silence for a while, Haizhu took a cake to eat, and after four days, there were only a few left, that is, it was cold, and it was hot and moldy.

"Hey, do you know about the fishing village by the sea? During the suppression of bandits, did any bandits come ashore to kill fishermen? Haizhu thought of the people in his hometown.

"Yes, not to mention the fishing village, even on the dock, seven or eight of the patrolling guards have died."

However, this matter was suppressed by the government, and ordinary people did not know the situation, only some people living by the sea or in the villages outside the town heard some movement.

Chaoping's laughter came from the alley, and then the door was slammed, and Fengping shouted to open the door.

Dongzhu was going to catch the sea, Qin Jingniang didn't worry about her, so she went with her, and took Fengping and Chaoping away by the way.

Haizhu opened the door and let people in, let Fengping call people, and said to the people who came in later: "Mother, this is the youngest son of Shen Yuguan's family, we met him on the road when he came back from the bandits, and called him to talk." ”

"I'll go grocery shopping and eat at home at noon." Qin Jingniang smiled at Shen Sui.

"No, I have an appointment at noon." Shen Sui touched Fengping's head and said, "Auntie, you are busy, I'm leaving." ”

Haizhu sent him out and said, "When Second Brother Han comes, you come to my house for dinner." ”

"Come to my territory, and let you bother to cook food, and when he comes, we'll go to the restaurant." Shen Sui came to play with Haizhu, but was impatient to deal with the old and young in her family. He is like this, he can urinate in a pot, even if he is a beggar, he doesn't dislike it, and when he sees him respectful and afraid, he feels bored and doesn't bother to take care of it.

When he was about to leave, he turned back and asked, "How is your third uncle?" ”

Haizhu wanted to laugh, just now he said that he didn't care about idle things, and he would go with Han Ji to receive the punishment, and now he is thinking about finding a good water nature.

"No, he first dried salt in the salt pavilion, and only came back in October this year, and he fished and cast nets on the seaside, and rarely went into the water."

Shen Sui nodded at her and said, "Why didn't your mother make you a kid, hurry up and train your brother out, and when you grow up, you will go into battle with us to kill the enemy." ”

When he left, Haizhu also entered the house, and when she saw the wind and tide, she thought to herself that it would be okay to wait for them to grow up.

Dongzhu was feeding the turtles, and when she saw people coming in, she asked actively: "Sister, the wooden cart has also been bought, and the sky is clear, should we go to the stall to sell cakes?" ”

"In the afternoon, I will cut leeks and pick wild onions, and I will come out of the stall tomorrow." Haizhu put aside the news brought by Shen Sui and continued to live a peaceful life.

The weather is getting warmer, and there are ships on the sea, even if it is the end of the year, those who should go out still go out of the boat, eat food, and earn money.

The afternoon sun was warm, Haizhu took off her jacket and put it on the wooden cart, bending down to rummage for leeks in the grass. The shore was only about three miles away from her, and when a scream sounded on the sea, she instantly straightened up and looked out to sea.

There was only one fishing boat left in the water.

"Mother, you take Dongzhu and Fengping to leave quickly, and go to the dock to find the officers and soldiers." Haizhu took off her cotton pants neatly, "Let's go, don't take the things, Dongzhu hurriedly took her mother away." ”

She was glad that she was cutting leeks with a sickle today, and she ran into the sea with the sickle, "Go and call the officers and soldiers, there are bandits ashore." ”

There are also fishing boats on the sea in the distance, and when he saw the movement here, he hurriedly adjusted the sails and rowed the boat to the shore with □□ oars.

Qin Jingniang was upset, when she reacted, Haizhu had already jumped into the water, she was about to run over, but Dongzhu dragged her to death.

"My sister is a great swimmer in the water, let's go." She looked at the sea with shaking hands, and when she saw a man poking his head out of the water, she dragged Fengping and told him to run quickly.

Qin Jingniang panicked for a while, remembering that she didn't know how to water, so she hurriedly dragged the child towards the dock with one hand, shouting loudly as she ran: "There are bandits-go to report to the official-"

The old turtle lying on the reef basking in the sun also dived into the water when Haizhu jumped into the sea, it swam over with the smell of blood, and when it saw Haizhu being dragged to the water, it rowed over and smashed on the man's head, pressing him down violently.

Haizhu took the opportunity to drag this sturdy bandit to the bottom of the sea, drowned him, immediately let go of his hand and floated, and took a sickle like a ghost to harvest life, and if he couldn't beat it, he dragged his legs to the bottom of the sea.

The turtles also joined in the fun, busily swimming up and down, seizing the opportunity to take a bite.

There were seven people in all, dragged to the bottom of the sea and drowned two, killed one, one was so frightened that he choked on the water and drowned himself, and the remaining three ran ashore and were caught by the guards who came.

Haizhu came out of the water, smelled the disgusting smell of rust, retched, and dragged the hapless fisherman towards the shore. The man must have cast the net on the man, and the bandit climbed up along the net, dragged him into the water and cut his throat.

Among the guards who rushed was Mao Xiaoer, who recognized Haizhu and hurriedly went into the water to take over the corpse in her hand, explaining: "This is not a bandit, it is our own people." ”

*

“…… When I heard the screams, I was cutting leeks, and I jumped into the sea with a sickle, two of them were dragged to the bottom of the sea and drowned, one was so frightened that I choked to death, and only one was cut by me. When I arrived at the official mansion, Haizhu explained honestly.

She had a household registration, and Mao Xiaoer and Shen Sui endorsed her to testify, but the pavilion chief just asked her about it and let her go.

I changed my clothes in the wing room of the yamen, but my hair was still wet, and when I was blown by the wind on the street, Haizhu shivered.

"I'll buy you a cold warming soup, auntie, you take Haizhu back for a hot bath first." Shen then strode away.

The movement on the beach is not small, today's official mansion can't hide it, the people on the street see Haizhu looking at her with admiration, and the older grandmothers and aunts have asked her to go back and take a hot bath.

"Boil water with green onion and ginger, add two pieces of brown sugar to boil together, and drink a bowl after taking a bath, the effect of repelling cold is very good."

"Soak your feet more, soak your feet to ward off the cold."

Haizhu responded with a full mouth, his face was a little embarrassed, not everyone had Shen Sui's cheeky skin, and his face did not change in the face of everyone's scrutiny. Before she could breathe a sigh of relief when she turned into the alley, the neighbors sent another wave of concern, and the enthusiastic people also took out their idle bath buckets, and the aunt on the other side of her house contributed all the boiling water for scalding duck feathers.

Finally sat down in the bathtub, Qin Jingniang came in with water to wash her hair, and when she saw Haizhu holding her chest, she sneered: "I haven't seen where you are, turn around." ”

turned around and slapped her, "You don't want to die, you almost scared me out." ”

"I know what I know."

"Still stubborn." Slap her again.

Halfway through the bath, the voices of Shen Sui and Han Ji sounded in the courtyard, and the two came over to take a turn, leaving the medicine bag and leaving in a hurry.

When Haizhu came out of the bath, she was greeted by a bowl of spicy cold soup, and she was also afraid of getting sick, so she pinched her nose and poured it into her stomach in one go.

The neighbors hadn't left yet, huddled in the yard and talked about the bandits, and asked Grandma Qi how good Haizhu's water nature was, and when she came out, she praised her for her good water nature.

"She's just a fool, she's not afraid of heaven and earth, and she'll scare us to death sooner or later." Grandma Qi turned around and cursed.

After sending the neighbors away, she instigated Qin Jingniang to scold Haizhu, "It's okay to beat her, let her have a long memory, she always doesn't listen to what I say, you go and say." ”

Qin Jingniang smiled, panicked for a while, she is quite proud now, someone must save someone in distress at sea, that person can be someone else or Haizhu.

As long as she has the ability and courage to scold her for what to do, not everyone has the opportunity to be a hero.

Chapter 44: Business Booms

The wooden carts and baskets that had landed on the beach were brought back by the guards, and the scattered leeks were picked up and placed in the baskets.

As for the old turtle, when Haizhu went to Yamen, he was first brought back by Dongzhu, and when he was full, he had a big fight, and when he came back, he climbed into the basin and sank in the water.

Haizhu dried her hair and began to choose leeks, I don't know if she didn't ease her mind, or as her grandmother said, she killed someone with her own hands, but she was not afraid at this time, and she thought about choosing leeks to set up a stall to sell cakes tomorrow.