The sound of the water was murmuring, Zhao Panpan sat in the middle of the boat, heard his father holding the boat and singing in a low voice, and leaned closer to listen carefully, it turned out to be Qu Yuan's "Fisherman":

The water of the waves is clear, and you can wet my hair;

The water of the waves is turbid, and you can wet my feet.

……

The next day, Huguang's grain ship approached the Anjiang wharf, afraid that the people would not dare to dock, Zhao Chun took the three classes of officials to the wharf to unload the ship in person, and in the cheers of the people in the middle of the road, a cart of grain was escorted to the county government.

The price of grain took a big plunge that day, falling directly from six taels and one stone to one or two or eight yuan. The people who were short of food stepped on the thresholds of the major grain stores and finally bought back the rations for life.

Zhao Zhixian ordered the third class of officials to take turns to guard the granary, and no mistakes were allowed.

As a result, on the night of the same day, the patrol officials caught several thieves, all with fire sickles and kerosene, and failed to confess the mastermind behind the scenes under coercion and temptation.

Zhao Chun did not move the execution, but ordered them to be dressed in a string, hung a sign around their necks with the words "I am an arsonist", pulled them to the eight-character wall outside the yamen, lined up, and stood in a flail for three days.

The people in the neighborhood hated them to the core, and whoever had rotten eggs and rotten vegetable leaves smashed them on the heads of these people.

The big families who sent these people to make trouble were also deterred, and they retreated at home, not daring to come to the county government to ask for the land deed, and they did not even dare to ask for the deposit paid in advance.

Zhao Zhixian did it for them to see, and the meaning was obvious: Your handle is in my hands, and you are all holding your tail between my legs to be a man, who doesn't know what to do, and the people standing on the outer wall of the yamen are not a few thieves.

Zhao Chun was also in a good mood because of this, and ordered the servant to go to the market to buy two catties of meat, rolled up her sleeves and tied up her apron, and asked Zhao Pan to call Huai'an, he wanted stewed meat.

It is rare to eat meat so many times a year, Aunt Zhao looked at a basket of fresh lotus root in the courtyard and said, "It's better to fry the coupling." ”

So as soon as Huai'an came, he ate the golden and crispy fried coupling.

……

Almost before and after Huai'an, two little teenagers in ragged clothes came to the door of the Shen Mansion.

After careful questioning, the concierge learned that it was the cousin and nephew of the wife's mother's family, named Chen Yong, and the other was his scholar.

The porter didn't dare to delay for a moment, and hurriedly went to tell Li Huan, and Li Huan sent a message to the inner house.

The relatives of the Chen family, regardless of the distance and proximity, naturally no one dared to slack off, so the young man waited less than half a cup of tea before being led directly into the inner house.

Shen Yu was talking with his wife, and when he heard that a little cousin was coming, he naturally wanted to see him.

Chen said to Shen Yu: "Yong'er is your cousin's only grandson, do you still have an impression?" ”

Shen Yu seems to have some impressions, but his cousin's family has already branched out and settled in a neighboring county, and he has been taking exams as an official outside the exam, and rarely walks around with relatives, so he can't remember it clearly.

"This kid is said to be very promising, he ......" Before Chen's words fell, he saw an unkempt young man come in and was stunned. Is this her nephew? How do you look like a beggar?

Chen Yong saluted Chen and Shen Yu in a daze: "Auntie, cousin." ”

Chen stood up in astonishment, and Shen Yu also stood up.

Chen stepped forward and took the young man's hand: "Child, tell your grandmother, what's wrong?" ”

Chen Yong's eyes were glazed, and he squeezed out a sentence for a long time: "Wakou...... There are so many widows, my father, my grandfather, and ......."

At this point, he couldn't stop crying: "They all ...... They were all ...... by the Woko."

Shocked.

……

The county government is still smiling.

"Auntie's craftsmanship is really good, better than the chef of Yande Building." Huai'an never skimps on compliments, especially when it comes to eating.

Wu smiled shyly.

"Eat a few more if it's delicious, this year's lotus root juice is sufficient, or Zhao Pan followed your Uncle Zhao to dig it back." Old lady Zhao said.

"Digging lotus root," Huai'an's eyes sparkled, "don't you call me such an interesting thing?!" ”

Zhao Pan shook his head very seriously, saying that this is not interesting, and it is better to eat ready-made.

The servant woman came to the hall to say something, saying that Wei Xiancheng was in the second hall and had an urgent matter to see the hall. Zhao Chun asked his mother to use it slowly, and went to the second hall by himself.

Huai'an didn't know what was going on, and still chattered around the old lady and Aunt Zhao.

He first said seriously: "Digging lotus root is a very surprising thing. ”

"Why?" The old lady asked rhetorically.

"Because—" Huai'an's expression was exaggerated: "Wow! ”

This joke is even colder than the weather in early winter, but Huai'an's expression is cute and funny, but it amuses the people at the table, and even Niuniu can't help but giggle.

After the meal, the servant woman brought another pot of fresh water chestnuts.

Huai An took out two boxes of pills from his satchel and said to Aunt Zhao: "Auntie, this is the bone-setting pill we have at home, you can use it to melt it and put it on your hands, you can cure your injuries and tendons." ”

The Shen family has been in the army for generations, this bone-setting pill is indeed an ancestral formula, and the medicinal wine that Shen Yu made that day was made with it, and Huai'an personally tested it to be effective, and specially asked for two boxes to bring before going out.

"Brother An'er really has a heart." The old lady said.

Wu was about to say thank you, when he suddenly heard a rush of footsteps outside the courtyard gate, and it was Zhao Chun who came in with Shen Yu.

Shen Yu's plain clothes were wrapped in a dark cyan cloak, his face was solemn, and he brought air conditioning into a room, and only stopped at the door.

Seeing the foreign man entering, Wu hurriedly got up and planned to avoid entering the inner room.

"You wait." Zhao Chun stopped her.

Huai'an also stood up in astonishment, why did Daddy come?

Shen Yu stepped forward and saluted the old lady: "Old lady." ”

The old lady also got up: "This is ......"

"This is Master Shen, I mentioned it to my mother." Although Zhao Chun's voice was respectful, he spoke quickly.

"It turned out to be Shen Hanlin." The old lady said, "The old body is polite." ”

"Mother, something happened outside, martial law has been ordered, you stay at home and don't go out." Then he turned to his wife and said, "Huai'an also stays here, taking care of him, and taking care of his mother and children." ”

Wu didn't understand what was going on, only what was supposed to be.

Shen Yu squatted down, helped his son smooth the wrinkles on his clothes, and said to Wu: "Mrs. Hard and old lady." ”

"Shen Hanlin's words are serious." Wu said busily.

The old lady also said: "Huai'an is the same as Pan'er in our family, you go to do your own things, don't worry." ”

Shen Yu gave another salute before saying to Huai'an: "Listen to your aunt, Dad will come to pick you up early." ”

Huai'an nodded confusedly, seeing their anxious appearance, he didn't have time to ask where his father was going, why didn't he send him home first.

When the two of them left in stride, the old lady sent someone to the front for questioning, only to learn a shocking news - the Japanese invaders landed on a large scale, and Zhou Heng, the magistrate of the neighboring county, was martyred.

The neighboring county is broken, and the next one is Anjiang.

The Japanese invaders landed on a large scale, burned and looted in the coastal counties, and were about to invade Anjiang. Zhao Zhixian ordered the city gate to be closed, and quickly summoned the officers and soldiers of the hundred households, the miscellaneous officials of the government officials, and the township soldiers to bravely enter the city to prepare for the enemy.

When night fell, Zhao Chun and Shen Yu climbed the city tower to look, and a large group of people helped the old and the young to flee to the city, ragged, knocking on the door and calling for help.

Liu Baihu said: "It should be some villagers along the coast who have been invaded by the Japanese and want to take refuge in the city. ”

Zhao Chun almost didn't hesitate: "Open the city gate and let them enter the city." ”

Liu Baihu said: "The county respects and thinks twice." I heard that the Japanese would use the wounded people to deceive the defenders into opening the city, and if they fell for the tricks of the Japanese invaders, the entire Anjiang County would not be protected. ”

The city was crowded, and the cries for help resounded in the night sky, and Shen Yu also frowned and said: "It's better to be careful, don't lose a big one because of a small one." ”

Zhao Chun thought for a moment, but still said, "Open the city gate." ”

Wei Xiancheng stepped forward to dissuade: "Tangzun, it's too late to build a shack, there is nowhere to settle so many homeless people in the city." ”

"If there is nowhere to settle, I will be placed in the county office, send two people to watch, and then invite them to Langzhong." After Zhao Chun finished speaking, he asked Shen Yu to go down to the city together.

"The garrison inside the city is too weak." Zhao Chun instructed Zuo Er's subordinates as he walked: "Inform the lieutenant chief and the first chief to call on the strong men and gentry in the city to send ten families from each family to the city to defend against the enemy." Gather the registered Langzhong in the city to stand by at any time, and those who are recruited must make a roster. ”

"Yes." The subordinate took the order and left.

The gate of the city was opened, and the people who had fled outside the city rushed in, and under the command of the guards of the gate, they walked along the road to the city.

Zhao Chun looked at them: "Fortunately, Huguang's grain has arrived, otherwise it will ......"

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of trumpets outside the city, the hurried horses' hooves from far and near, the ground under his feet trembled, the rapid sound of gongs and drums sounded on the city tower, and the herald shouted: "Close the city gates, close the city gates!" ”

The soldiers guarding the gate slammed the heavy gates shut, and the people at the tail were shut out of the city, and then the sound of fighting and terrible screams came from outside the gate, and the unbridled cries and laughter of the pirates.

The two of them hurried to the city, only to see a large number of Japanese robbers gathered under the city, which made people's scalps tingle. They slaughtered the people for amusement and □□ women in public to blackmail the defenders into opening the door.

Zhao Chun's forehead was bruised, and he slapped his palm on the battlements. Shen Yu stared around, including Shen Lu, almost all the men in the county went to the city, but he didn't know how long these ordinary city citizens could support him.

"We need to send people out of the city as soon as possible and ask for help from the nearby guard station." Shen Yu said.

Shen Lu took the initiative to ask Ying, he was familiar with the terrain of Anjiang County, and he was good at arching horses, so he only took two soldiers and copied the path to get out of the city.

Zhao Chun looked at Shen Yu, Shen Yu's eyes stared at his younger brother, and he nodded slowly for a while.

……

The county government has opened up several vacant houses to shelter the displaced people from the wind and rain.

The men lived in the inverted rooms of the front house, and the women and children were arranged in two wings of the back house. There were only two scribes and an old servant in the front yard, and there were only the Zhao family's mother-in-law, servant wife and three children in the backyard.

There are only a few of them left in the huge county government, but they have to take care of nearly 100 old and weak women and children, and they are busy hitting the back of their heads with their heels.

Huai'an and Zhao Pan also had to be treated as half a strong laborer at this time, carrying firewood and water, taking care of the injured, and even the youngest Niuniu was on call with a medicine jar, like a voice-controlled shelf.

The medicines, charcoals, clothes, and quilts in the county government were all used, and even the bone-setting pills brought by Huai Angang also came in handy. By the time the emergency situation was properly handled, it was already the second half of the night.

Niuniu fell asleep in Mrs. Zhao's arms, and her little face was flushed in the charcoal fire.

Wu assisted Lang Zhong to bandage the last wound, and slowly straightened his waist, and his face, which was not usually well maintained, was even more dull and dull due to exhaustion.

Huai'an handed Zhao Pan a hot hand towel, Zhao Pan wiped his mother's sweat with his feet, Wu was stunned, and was about to take the hand towel. She is a virtuous and filial daughter-in-law of the traditional standard, and she used to take care of her husband, mother-in-law, and children, and she was never used to being taken care of.

"The child is filial to you." The old lady reminded.

Wu retracted her hand, sat on the pestle, and let her son help her wipe the sweat off her face, with a gentle look in her eyes.

Zhao Pan felt uncomfortable in his heart, he was accustomed to his mother's deferential obedience since he was a child, and the mothers of his classmates in the school were probably like this, so he thought that women in the world should be like this.

It wasn't until he met Huai'an's parents that he understood that husband and wife should be kapok standing side by side, and they should respect and support each other.