The Black Horse

Chapter 44

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The Jiangsu Caobang has set up contact points along the banks of the Huaihe River and the Huai River. Bai Shiqi passed the news at the inn outside, and his subordinates came to visit him. He even rented the house for her, and respectfully invited her to live in it.

"The last time I saw the young gang leader was when I paid New Year's greetings to the gang leader in Suzhou last year. I didn't expect the young gang leader to come to Baoying when he was free."

Bai Shiqi didn't look upright on weekdays, but he was still very reliable when facing his subordinates: "Laibao should do something, why did I hear that Baoying was in chaos a few days ago?"

The Cao Gang man was about thirty years old, Fang Zheng had a purple face, thick hands and thick feet, and he didn't give a damn when thrown into the crowd. He looked like an ordinary coolie on the street, but he spoke in a well-organized manner: "Young gang master news. Lingtong, the official salt store of the Huang family was smashed a few days ago, and when the county government sent someone, the official salt in it had already been robbed, and the mastermind has not yet been found."

Zhao Wu Jiu and Yu Ang both pricked up their ears to listen, but Bai Shiqi asked the idea: "Brother Deng, do you know why the illicit salt dealers have disappeared recently?"

That man's surname was Deng, and he was the third in the family. The brothers on the dock all called him third brother Deng, so he was called by Bai Shiqi, and he didn't even dare to say: "You can call me Deng Laosan, if you are young, you can follow him. The master of the young gang is called a brother and a brother." He smiled honestly, but his eyes were shrewd, his eyes swept left and right, and hesitantly said: "This thing... I have heard a little about it, but it is inconvenient to spread it."

The implication is obvious, Zhao Wu Jiu and others are outsiders, not suitable for sharing news.

Zhao Ziheng was even more oblivious: "I and your young gang leader are brothers, so let's talk quickly."

Deng San Lao hesitated for a while, but said nothing.

Bai Shiqi: "It doesn't matter, these are all close friends. Besides, it's a matter of the Salt Gang, and it has nothing to do with our Cao Gang. Brother Deng said it's fine."

Deng Laosan: "The private salt dealer has disappeared. I heard that there is a reason for it. It is rumored on the road. Some time ago, Beijing sent a high-ranking official to investigate the Lianghuai Salt Road. I don't know how big the official is, but it was unlucky. As soon as Guan'er set foot on the border of the two Huaihe River, he encountered several waves of water bandits, and finally was sunk into the river to feed the fish."

Yu Ang, the unfortunate official who sank into the river to feed the fish: "..."

"An unfortunate official, Shen He will sink in the river, what does it have to do with private salt? Everyone can't afford salt, so they have to go to the official salt store?" Bai Shiqi's eyes flashed with a smile, if You seemed to glance over at Yu Ang, but he was surprised by the square expression on his face, and he deliberately said, "Master Yu, what's your opinion?"

Yu Ang couldn't bear it anymore, his face turned into a pig's liver, and he still couldn't pretend to be deaf to the savior's behavior of treating the court's laws as nothing, but he kindly said to the law-blind man: "Bai Shao gang master, the overflow of private salt in the state's taxation is useless. How can the local officials condone the illicit salt dealers so much? If there is conclusive evidence from above, they will lose their black hats!"

Listening to this, Deng Laosan's tone was a little wrong, so he shut his mouth cautiously, but the young gang leader of his family quickly blocked the mouth of this old master Yu, and seemed a bit sarcastic: "Yes, the people above only care about taxes. , who cares about the lives of the people? The official salt price is ridiculously high, and the people can't afford it. What does it have to do with these high-ranking officials? Everyone pretends to be worried about the country and the people, just count the taxes and collect them. How come you don’t know how to count the heads of the common people? The number of people suffering from diseases due to lack of salt? Sure enough, silver notes are the root, and the people are just ants!”

Yu Ang has been loyal to the monarchy and the country for half his life. He is familiar with the law and has handled many special cases. He was only sent a plaque with "Yu Qingtian" to hang in his home. Even His Majesty the Emperor often praised him. Being blocked by a half-sized boy, he was speechless.

This half-eldest boy was also not very good-tempered. He was still not relieved after the blockage, and suddenly became rude: "Lao Yu, I saved your life, but I didn't ask you to come to my house. Since you are penniless, Starting today, I will be doing some chores at home, even if my health is not well maintained, I can still do the dusting and wiping the table, right?"

The blue veins on Yu Ang's forehead kept throbbing. For the first time, he missed the board used to interrogate prisoners in the prison. It was thick and wide, and the tip of the stick was black. It was the color formed by the blood of many people. It was extremely deterrent and unusual. When the people saw it, they had to turn their calves and tendons, and could not wait to kneel down and beg for mercy.

It's a pity that Bai Shiqi didn't know what was going on in his mind, so he was lazy to talk nonsense with him, and directly ordered: "Third brother Deng, go back and give Lao Yu a piece of rag and a feather duster. He can't do heavy work, but he can do light work. Yes, I don't have the money to support idlers. Besides, which poor people don't work hard and work hard, it doesn't make sense for Master Yu to be so tender that he can't even lift a feather duster."

Zhao Wu Jiu: “…”

- Doctor Censor wipes the table and dust, Seventeen, you really dare to think!

Zhao Ziheng eats melons with relish, as long as the unlucky person who committed the crime in the hands of his good brother Bai Shiqi is not him, everything is easy to say.

Yu Ang: "…"

- When the old man goes back, he will copy the words "disaster comes out of his mouth" a hundred times to show his self-cultivation.

A penny stumped a heroic man, not to mention that he is now sick and poor. Not to mention the money for medicine, he left the house of Bai Shiqi, and even his meals would be interrupted. He even thought about the national tax in a funny way, and he did not know the official seal. Wherever you are, whether you stay in the Huaihe River or return to Beijing, your life will be narrow, so what is there to argue about

He successfully became mute again, and the living room was immediately quiet.

Bai Shiqi motioned Deng Laosan to continue.

Deng Laosan continued: "Since the unfortunate official fed the fish, news has been spread everywhere, saying that the imperial court may send another official to investigate the two Huaiyan Roads. It's better for everyone to be more restrained, wait for the officials from Beijing to finish their investigations, and then come out to find a living, so the brothers on the salt road all withdrew. As a result, the official salt store saw that it was profitable, and the price rose by 30% on weekdays. , Many people can't afford salt, and they have to rush to the Zaguan Salt Store to vent their anger."

Bai Shiqi felt regretful and wanted to stumble: "I'm too late to catch up with the good things, otherwise I'll try the feeling of smashing the store." The unscrupulous and high-priced official salt store for everyone to vent their anger, she still understands the truth that the law does not blame the public.

"After all, it is still not appropriate to smash the shop. If there is something wrong, you should go to the government first." Zhao Wu Jiu said this, and even he felt hypocritical.

If the government were to manage the price of salt in the official salt store in Baoying County, there would not be a case of beating, smashing and looting.

Usually, when the government is not helpful, it can only rely on everyone's strength.

Bai Shiqi felt that Zhao Wu Jiu was old-fashioned and boring, and said to him: "In addition to collecting money, is there anything else the government can do?" Just as in the case of running a country, the tax money goes up and it also engages in public infrastructure construction. what. But the officials do not seem to have such an idea. When building bridges and paving roads, the government summons wealthy households to donate money, and preparing for the establishment of rural schools is also a matter for the local gentry, which seems to have nothing to do with the government.

Zhao Wu Jiu doubted that if he argued a few more words, maybe he would follow in Yu Ang's footsteps and was arranged by Bai Shiqi to sweep the courtyard, so he could only wisely keep his mouth shut.

The room finally became quiet, Bai Shiqi said, "Then what happened to the Wu family's coma?"

Deng Laosan smiled and sighed: "Maybe the old master of the Wu family is out of luck. He can be mistaken by the people who rob salt when he stands at the door of his shop. Generations have suffered."

Bai Shiqi: It is not necessarily true that people have suffered from it, but accidental injury is a real thing.

After Jianyin's meeting, Deng Laosan had something to do on the pier, so he left in a hurry.

Poor Yu Ang didn't know which of his words touched Young Master Bai's guilt, so he turned to ask Zhao Wu Jiu for advice, the other party thought deeply, "I think... I understand a little bit."

Although Bai Shiqi has a rambunctious temperament, judging from the fact that she cherishes the lives of those under her command, she must also have a lot of sympathy for ordinary people. Yu Ang only starts from the national tax, but she cannot afford salt. The ordinary people of the sect felt aggrieved, and they suddenly disliked the official master.

Yu Ang was still confused: "Your Highness, what do you understand?"

Zhao Wu Jiu smiled and said, "Since Master Yu doesn't understand, let's dust off the table and wipe the table, and think more about what Young Master Bai said."

Yu Ang: Do you practice Zen

It's like playing a riddle.

Wu Dai was in a coma for a few days, and the family's heart was fluctuating. He invited Huang Youbi to come over to check his pulse, and then called Zhu Shoumei to come forward for another consultation. Only then did he find the thickest needle in the acupuncture bag he brought with him and began to look at himself. Guess where to tie.

Wu Dai was unconscious, and there was another possibility. There was no protection when he was beaten. Maybe there was a blood clot in his head.

Huang Youbi is a daring person, and the needle is also neat and neat. It turned out that the thickest needle was hollow, and after piercing it, blood congestion slowly dripped out, and the sky turned black, and Wu Dai slowly opened it. eyes.

"Finally woke up."

Under the light, Wu Dai woke up from the coma, and could not even speak. He could only look at Huang Youbi with a pair of grateful eyes, and he tapped twice on the quilt: "Take care of your injuries, don't worry." fell asleep again.

Wu Jing and Wu Rong first heard that their father was awake, and before he woke up from the ecstasy, they saw him fall asleep softly again, and they were shocked and held Huang Youbi from left to right: "Uncle Huang, my father is faint again. Go over! Hurry up and save him!"

Huang Youbi checked the pulse again, and announced Wu Dai's condition with a smile: "Your father's illness has finally stabilized, but because his body is too weak, he fell asleep again, and it will be fine when he wakes up completely."

The master and the apprentice had been busy for half a day, and at this moment they felt hungry. Besides, there were Bai Shiqi and others. When he asked about the rest, Wu Rong was immediately ashamed. Take care again.

The housekeeper was summoned urgently, only then did Huang Youbi know that Bai Shiqi and others had gone outside to find a place to rest, and left a contact address.

Wu Rong was extremely ashamed: "I... I'm all about my father's illness..." He even forgot about the guests and left them in the side hall for a few hours, no wonder they were looking for a place to stay.

Wu Jing complained to her elder brother: "No matter how worried your elder brother is, he shouldn't neglect the guests." She poured tea to Huang Youbi and her apprentice in person, and when it was Zhu Shoumei's turn, she smiled kindly at him and lowered her head slightly.

It's a pity that her eyes are red and swollen recently. It's pleasing to the eye when crying, but it's quite difficult to laugh. In Zhu Shoumei's eyes, it's an unfriendly expression. She quickly regretted two steps, took the tea she poured over, and thanked her again and again: "Trouble. Miss Wu!"

Master and apprentice Huang Youbi stayed at Wu's house all night until Wu Dai was out of danger, and then they insisted on finding the whereabouts of Bai Shiqi and others.

Wu Rong couldn't keep it, so he had to send a sedan chair to send it over.

Master and apprentice Huang Youbi first found the contact point of the Cao Gang, and when they found the house rented by Bai Shiqi, they saw Yu Ang who was wiping the dust in the living room. The activity is still conducive to wound recovery.”

As a doctor, I like to see patients obediently abide by the doctor's orders.

Yu Ang had a hard time saying that for the first time after being an official for many years, he learned to carry tea and pour water. He made a cup of tea for Huang Youbi himself.

As expected, Bai Shiqi became the master and scolded, "You can't even serve tea, what's the use of you? Why don't you retire?!"

Yu Ang's old face was flushed, and he had nowhere to put it.

The breakfast was a bowl of thick white porridge with no taste, only the aroma of rice. After he swallowed it, he didn't feel it. When the lunch and dinner were served, the food had no salty taste, and it was too bland to swallow. He finally woke up. Kuoweier - The savior is young and vigorous, and tells him how unpalatable food without salt is.

Yu Ang has been in a high position for many years, and since he is stubborn, he refuses to admit defeat. After eating three days of unsalted meals, the bird will fade out of his mouth, and finally he can't help but find Zhao Wujiu and cry: "Young master Bai is too much. Be careful, she didn't give Wei Chen any salt for three days, how could she have the strength?"

Zhao Wu Jiu sneered in his stomach, but his face was serious, and he had to persuade him: "Seventeen is a little small, and he likes to hold grudges, but he is kind by nature, why don't you apologize to her, this matter will be over. "

Yu Ang's old face couldn't save face: "Your Highness, Wei Chen... Wei Chen's age is her father's..."

Zhao Wu Jiu persuaded him a few more words, and found that Yu Ang was a person who went all the way to the dark, and he lost his patience, so he used the excuse of rehabilitating to drive him away.

He has been able to walk a few steps against the wall recently, and then pushes the wheelchair to stand up when he hears a questioning voice above his head: "I'm a little small? Do you still like to hold revenge?"

When Zhao Wu Jiu looked up, he saw that Bai Shiqi was sitting at the top of the wall, but there was a tree planted here, the leaves had not fallen off, but more than half of her figure was covered, and a pair of anger appeared between the branches. His eyes: "Since you think so, I can't bear the disgust in vain, right?!" After that, he jumped down and disappeared into the wall.

"Seventeen—"

"Seventeen, come back and listen to my explanation!"

Zhao Wu Jiu was inconvenient to move, trying to catch up with Bai Shiqi was extremely difficult, Shu Changfeng went out again, Zhao Ziheng was still sleeping, he didn't know what to do.

Bai Shiqi always did what he said, and since he wanted to be a careful person, the food that Zhao Wu Jiu's courtyard brought back would be the same as Yu Ang's, without adding any salt.

Zhao Ziheng slept until the meal was over, opened his chopsticks to hold the vegetables, and vomited when he entered the mouth: "It's so unpalatable, why don't you put salt? Can't even eat salt?" He followed Bai Shiqi to the official salt store to ask for the price, He was impressed by the high price.

Zhao Wu Jiu also ate a chopstick, the food in his mouth was obviously bland and tasteless, he is the most respected prince, he should be angry when he was neglected, but God knows which of his tendons was wrong, he actually showed a smile after taking two bites - Quan In the world, I am afraid that only Bai Shiqi dares to let him eat the food without salt, right

He took a big mouthful of rice, and the food was delicious. Looking at Zhao Ziheng, he suspected that the two of them were not eating the same dish: "Cousin, is it delicious?"

Zhao Wu Jiu grinned happily, "It's delicious."

Zhao Ziheng also took a pair of chopsticks to taste the place where he had taken it. The taste was also bland, and he couldn't taste a bit of salt: "Cousin, is it really delicious?"

"It's delicious."

Zhao Ziheng thought to himself: It's broken! My cousin took care of his legs, but he didn't expect his brain to be broken!

He put down the bowls and chopsticks, went to look for Huang Youbi in a panic, said with gestures, and dragged the master and apprentice over with an excited expression: "My helmsman is ill and can't taste the taste. Mr. Huang, hurry up and take a look?"

Huang Youbi was halfway through eating and was dragged over by Zhao Zihengsheng. After asking the reason, she couldn't help laughing and crying: "Seventeen, this monkey, has been harassing people again!"

Zhao Wu Jiu was eating the food without the taste of salt, thinking of Yu Ang's complaint, he suddenly said, "Mr. Huang, the price of official salt is so high that it has caused riots among the people, you said that if you give it to those salt officials Will they be able to experience a little folk suffering even if they eat meals without salt for a month?"

Huang Youbi was taken aback by his whimsy: "Director Zhao is joking, right? Those officials and gentlemen are full of fat, even if the delicacies of mountains and seas are served, they have to measure whether they are rare enough, who would dare to eat meals without salt. Bring it to the table for them to enjoy?"

Zhao Wu Jiu: "The old gentleman is right, who would dare to serve it?" Like asking Huang Youbi, and like asking himself.

Bai Shiqi's prestige in the Cao Gang seems to be good, she ordered to deliver unsalted meals to Zhao Wu Jiu's courtyard, and the people below would not discount it, not only did the meals have no salt, even a salted duck egg would not be delivered. .

When he ate on the first day, he estimated that Bai Shiqi would appear in the evening.

The result was a miscalculation, and Bai Shiqi didn't even see a shadow.

On the second day, he thought that even if Bai Shiqi refused to come, he would send a maid to find out the news, right

As a result, except for the aunt who delivered the meal, her mouth was closed like a clam shell, and even the servants who swept the yard seemed to have an appointment, and began to play a mute drama.

On the third day, the food was delivered, but Bai Shiqi didn’t show up. Zhao Wu Jiu couldn’t hold it anymore, so he sent Zhao Ziheng to ask Bai Shiqi: “Just say I said something wrong, ask her to come over and apologize to her.”

What Yu Ang didn't do, he didn't expect him to do it first. It's really impermanent.

Zhao Ziheng went around the house, but did not find Bai Shiqi, and went to the pier to look for Deng San, but was informed by the Cao Gang brothers who stayed behind.

"The imperial court has sent people to clean up the river, when will the people from the labor gang go to clean up the river?" Zhao Wu Jiu was very puzzled, not knowing what kind of work the local officials forced to apportion.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Ziheng whispered in his ear: "Seventeen told me when he left, and the brothers on the dock didn't hide it from me. Cleaning up the river is not about digging silt, but... to clean up the water bandits."

Zhao Wu Jiu thought he was wrong: "Clean up the water bandits?"

Zhao Ziheng frowned and was already worried for his good brother: "Those water bandits even dared to chop up Master Yu, how can they scuttle the boat mud and feed the fish when they are seventeen?"

Zhao Wu Jiu has also seen Bo Shiqi like a duck in water in the canal, but when he heard her go to clear the waterway, he was still worried for no reason: "Those water bandits are cruel and cunning, Shi Shi... Can she kill someone?"

In terms of the degree of ferocity, the two are not on the same level at all.

Zhao Ziheng: "The brothers at the dock said that when the water bandits flooded every year, Seventeen always took the brothers from the Cao Gang to go out to clean up a wave, and the adults in the coastal guards couldn't ask for it, so they had to clean up by themselves. "

Zhao Wu Jiu: "Did he say when he will be back?"

Zhao Ziheng shook his head: "This kind of thing is not fixed, at least ten days and a half months, as long as one or two months, if it happens..." He poohed twice, swallowing the rest of the words: " Don't say anything unlucky."

When Yu Ang heard about this, his heart was complicated.

He was originally very grateful to his savior, Bai Shiqi, but he was reprimanded as an idler and asked him to dust and work. Even the rice had no taste of salt. He couldn't help but feel that she didn't know how to treat him like this. An official of the imperial court was really audacious and could not help but feel a little annoyed in his heart.

But I heard that she took the Caobang brothers to clean up the water bandits, but she couldn't wait to praise her as a "young hero".

As someone who has experienced life and death and escaped from the hands of the water bandits, Yu Ang still feels terrified when he thinks about it, but at a young age, Ke Bai has already taken people to the river to fight for his life, and the danger is self-evident. .

"Sect Master Bai... How's your work?" Yu Ang was also a little worried.

Zhao Wu Jiu: "...you don't remember to hate her for letting you eat meals without salt?"

Yu Ang has also heard about the price of the official salt store from the servants who are serving him in the past few days. Not to mention that ordinary people can't afford it, but even with his salary, he thinks the price is ridiculously high. Now he has to admit Bai Shiqi's intelligence. : "I would also like to thank the young gang leader for this move, so that I can not only look at the private salt issue from the standpoint of officials, but also understand the harm of high salt prices from the perspective of the common people." He patted his chest and assured: "Since Your Majesty sent We have sent Wei Chen to investigate the Jiangnan Salt Road, no matter how deep the water is, Wei Chen will try his best to find out!"

Zhao Wu Jiu: "It's just you? There is neither official seal nor imperial edict?"

The imperial decree had long been lost on the official ship, and the official seal was carried at the time, but it was gone when he woke up.

King Zhou's words were too poignant, Yu Ang thumped and knelt at his feet: "Wei Chen knows that his abilities are limited, and he has even lost his official seal. Even if he wants to investigate the Lianghuai salt business, the local officials will probably not cooperate. Wei Chen wants to use His Highness's banner, ask His Highness for permission?"

Zhao Wu Jiu fumbled around in his sleeve pocket and took out something and handed it to him: "What you lost...is this Fang Yin?"

Yu Ang was excited, he held his official seal in both hands, and was almost grateful to Zhao Wujiu: "Wei Chen, thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness! This is the official letter that Wei Chen lost!"

Zhao Wu Jiu said lightly, "You don't have to thank me, Fang Yin found this by the river when Seventeen rescued you, she thought it might be something more important, so she left it to me for safekeeping. See you before. Your serious injury has not healed yet, if you get the official seal, you will be anxious to do errands, so you might as well stay with me."

"Sect Master Bo?!" Yu Ang had mixed feelings, but he only hated that Bo Shiqi was not in front of him, otherwise he would have to kneel and kowtow to the other party - she not only saved him, but also his whole family!

The family who lost the official seal would also be implicated, so he followed the King of Zhou closely, in order to return to the capital in the future and beg the King of Zhou to intercede for his family in front of His Majesty.

Zhao Wu Jiu looked far away and sighed, "Seventeen has good intentions, let you and I eat meals without salt for a few days, and experience the suffering of the people. If you really want to investigate the salt road in the south of the Yangtze River, you can also think about today. Resolute and selfless!"

Yu Ang looked like he was being taught: "Bai Shao's gang leader Gao Yi, Wei Chen keeps it in mind, I just hope she returns safely, and Wei Chen will definitely apologize to her!"

Zhao Ziheng chuckled beside him: "Then I will be a witness, I hope Master Yu will not break his promise."

The good brother always made fun of him, but he couldn't see Seventeen being wronged by others, and always felt that she should live arbitrarily.