On the second day, the sky was already bright, and the sun was not hot, but the door of the ancestral hall of the Zhao family in Jinhua County was full of people. In addition to some respectable squires who were invited into the inner hall to sit, there were also many idlers who gathered outside the ancestral hall and refused to leave.

Seeing the crowd of people, some people also surrounded them and asked the bystanders: "Why is it so lively, what are you doing?"

A big man next to him craned his neck to see the Xuanxu in the ancestral hall, and said, "I heard that Zhao Santong is going to send rice noodles and pork." ”

The man before said, "How can this be distributed if this is not a festival or a festival?"

The big man smiled: "He likes to give it to you, so you can take it." What's his name? Does this old boy give out less lately?"

When an old man heard this, he glanced at the two of them with disdain, and said: "What is the biggest thing in front of the young man, who is the most eye-catching? ”

The man from before asked, "Didn't the county magistrate block the beggars outside the city? Seeing that the day of sacrificing Xia Yu is about to pass." Once this day passed, the beggars naturally dispersed. What do we have to worry about?"

When the old man heard this, he snorted and said, "You lack experience compared to my old man after all. Back then, I also encountered a siege by bandits, of course, not a big city like Jinhua County. Once this bandit comes out, if you don't kill all the good and cheap people in your city, the silver girl will be strong, and they will be in vain. That's bad luck for the bandits, they would never do this kind of bad business. ”

The others were all trembling when they heard the old man's words, and the big man touched the back of his head and asked, "But my daughter-in-law's brother is doing a dart game outside, and he is also half a Jianghu person." I heard him say that the beggar gang is also a famous faction, and it has a reputation in the rivers and lakes. Forget about besieging a city, will they really do this murderous and slaughtering city?"

The old man shook his head when he heard this, and said, "I see that you are quite large, why are you not good at using your brains? I ask you, since the beggars cannot enter, why do they have to besiege the city? I think they will besiege the city after a while, and in a few days they will finally attack the city, and no one in the city will be spared." There is only one plan for today, that is, everyone will join the people and beg hard, and ask the county magistrate to make up his mind to move rescue soldiers and suppress bandits. That's the only way to save your life. ”

The old man spoke eloquently, and the people around him whispered. The old man continued his efforts and said, "Wait a minute, no matter what happens, everyone will kneel and beg the county lord with me." Our county lord is young, and for the sake of smooth official roads in the future, he does not dare to go against the will of so many people. ”

The rest of the people nodded when they heard this, thinking that this old man had insight and knew that the twists and turns of officialdom were much stronger than those of us flat-headed people. At this time, I suddenly heard someone shouting in front of me: "The county lord is here!" Everyone was stunned, and they led their necks to see the official sedan chair of the county lord.

In front of the inner porch in the distance, Xia Yuanji got down from the official sedan chair. He lifted the curtain and saw that the ancestral hall was already full of people. This young county magistrate in his early twenties, who has been in office for less than half a year, has seen such a big battle. But he didn't show a little panicked on his face, and walked into the ancestral hall with his serious expression. In the ancestral hall, Fang Zhongjin and Zhao Santong were already waiting for him there.

Zhao Santong's face was neither cloudy nor sunny, and only two of his five bodyguards came at this time. I think the other three were too badly injured. Only these two are also sallow, looking like they have not healed from serious injuries. They were obviously reluctantly called to the ancestral hall by Zhao Santong to be sure.

And Fang Zhongjin didn't bring Lu'er this time, but he had a faint smile on his face at this time, as if everything was ready.

Fang and Zhao stood and sat together, both in the middle of the ancestral hall, and there were two rows of chairs around them. On each of them sat the respected squires of Jinhua County. Just looking at the demeanor of these squires, they either glared at Zhongjin angrily, or looked to the side with disdain, ignoring the lobbyists of the beggar gang.

When everyone saw Xia Yuanji come in, they all bowed down and stood and greeted him on the throne. Xia Yuanji exchanged a few words with everyone, and then sat down at the top. Everyone was also respectful and polite to Xia Yuanji on the surface, but everyone knew in their hearts that he was just a newborn calf. As long as the major matters here are discussed and decided by the people present, then Xia Yuanji has no ability to say a word.

Zhao Santong waited for Xia Yuanji to sit down, and said without yin or yang: "Since everyone has arrived, this chivalrous man, please stop selling Guanzi." If you have anything to say to the squires and the people outside, pour the beans into the bamboo tube and make it clear. Although his bodyguards lost a few, there were many people in front of him. Among the people outside, there were also his subordinates who were sent out to pamper him. Zhao Santong felt slightly relieved when he saw that the arrangement was thorough.

Fang Zhongjin smiled slightly, arched his hands in a circle, and said loudly: "Ladies and gentlemen, fellow villagers. On behalf of the beggars waiting outside the city, he asked why the beggars were not allowed to enter the city to worship their ancestors?

When Zhao Santong heard this, he first snorted coldly and said, "I really asked knowingly." The gangsters of this beggar gang come to our Jinhua County every five years to ransack it. Is this a common practice that conforms to the royal law? Could it be that the people of Jinhua County are wrong to resist this time in order to protect themselves?"

After Zhao Santong said this, all the squires in the ancestral hall nodded to each other. Zhao Santong has no internal strength and can't spread his words far away. But there are good people who pass on what he said to the people around him, as if he has already played with Zhao Santong.

Fang Zhongjin listened to it and said: "It's still the same sentence below, if you want to say that the beggar gang harms the people, there must be evidence." You say that wherever the beggars go, something must be lost. Then please come forward and tell us what we have lost?"

Everyone was stunned when they heard this, although everyone had heard of the beggar gang stealing chickens and dogs. But such rumors also seem to have started in the past six months. It is said that someone in the neighborhood next door lost something five years ago, and it was all because of the beggars' theft. After listening to it a lot, no one will doubt it, and no one will ask to find out which neighborhood this "next door" is. In short, everyone knows that there are so many unlucky people who have been victimized by the beggars.

But this simple question did not make Zhao Santong timid, he gave two instructions to the people behind him, and sure enough, a few people volunteered to enter the ancestral hall. Seeing that they all have the natural cowardice and luck of ordinary people on their faces, they are obviously the real people of Jinhua County.

Xia Yuanji looked at them, nodded, and said, "One is Luo Danan from the Chang'an neighborhood, thirty-two years old, who sells baked cakes for a living. One is Tang Thirteen from the Langqiao neighborhood, forty-one years old, who tells stories in Qingxin Tea House. One is Tao Yinzi, who lives on a white brick wall, is twenty-seven years old and has no livelihood. These are indeed the people of this county, why did you lose your things five years ago?"

Xia Yuanji, as the commander of Jinhua County, has never been cared about. Even at today's conference, everyone only thinks he is an ornament. didn't expect him to suddenly say such a paragraph, which shocked everyone. He has only been in office for a few months, but he can freely report the names, ages, addresses and livelihoods of three people. Such an unforgettable, well-read and strong memory, not to mention that no one in Jinhua County has seen it, and no one in the entire Ming Dynasty has such ability.

Zhao Santong hurriedly regained his composure, he didn't wait for the three people to answer, and directly replied on their behalf: "Back to adults, these people did lose something five years ago. We all know these old imperial calendars. He turned his head to look at Fang Zhongjin again and asked, "You asked me for a witness, and I brought the witness." What else do you have to say now?"

But he squinted and saw that Fang Zhongjin's kid was still smiling faintly, without the slightest surprise look, and he couldn't help muttering secretly in his heart: This kid seems to be not afraid of heaven and earth. But I don't know if I came prepared, or if I was a fool?