In Fushui County, the snow-covered city walls stretch out, and the houses are lined up one after another, all covered in snow.
The heavy snow has stopped, with occasional snowflakes falling on the streets. The New Year is approaching, and people who have been busy all year finally have some free time at this point in time to accompany their loved ones to buy New Year's goods.
On the busy long street, a stall was surrounded by people who were pointing and talking at the baskets full of carp.
“… As expected, the carp sold here are much bigger than ordinary fish.”
"This head is almost as big as my two fists."
"Hey, what do you eat for this fish? Where do you get it from to make it so big?"
"… Give me two. The fish is delicious, but it has too many bones. I bought one yesterday and I wanted it again today."
“I want one too!”
…
"…Have you heard about what happened in Crow's Mouth Ridge?"
White steam rose from people's mouths and floated above the long street. The cold wind squeezed in through the window lattices. There was a noisy crowd on the second floor of the tavern, and scholars and elegant guests were talking in whispers. There were also travelers and merchants from all over the country who stopped here to rest, drink to keep warm, and talk about what they saw and heard along the way.
A merchant wrapped in a fur coat put down his wine glass and looked at his friend opposite him.
"Three months ago, I was doing business in Tongling County. When I came back, I saw that the county government's police and police officers had all been dispatched, pulling several carts of corpses... I asked someone I knew in the government office and found out that there were thirty-four bodies. What do you think these people were?"
He started talking, which immediately aroused the interest of the nearby drinkers, who listened attentively to what he said next. Some people could not help but ask.
"Come on, tell me, what are your identities?"
The businessman turned his head and everyone around him looked over here. He was quite satisfied with the atmosphere, holding the wine glass and lowering his voice.
"Bandits!"
Some of the people living on the second floor are scholars in the city, as well as some businessmen who travel to other places or knights of the outlaws, who hate the thieves who rob people on their way.
Some people cheered and clapped: "It's no big deal if a few bandits die. People like this wish more of them would die."
A bandit with a knife on his back reached out to warm the charcoal.
"I thought it was a big deal, but it turned out to be a few dead bandits. Most likely, they were killed by those chivalrous knights."
The merchant waved his hands, stood up, and whispered to the people around him, "You all know that those bandits were naked, and their deaths were horrific, without even a wound. When the bandit leader, Liu Erlong, was carried off the car, his whole body was twisted into a dough knot, and his head was turned to the back, as if he was twisted alive."
hiss-
The whole second floor was filled with the sound of people gasping for air.
Someone whispered, "Are there any survivors on the mountain?"
"It must be gone. If you kill someone, will you leave him alive?" The merchant spread his hands, thinking of something, and then said, "The yamen runner who is familiar with me said that it was our county yamen's Zuo the head of the police who found it. There is also something strange. Before the bandits died, they made a deal and went down the mountain to rob a place called Lujia Village. Do you know where it is?"
When he said this, everyone was stunned for a moment, and the two drinkers sitting by the window on the other side stood up.
"It would be better if you didn't say that, brother. Now that you mention it, it reminds me that there are more people selling fish and shrimp in this city recently, and it seems that they are from Lujia Village."
Now that the conversation started, many people began to agree.
"That's true. The fish and shrimps were all big, tender and delicious. I even asked my daughter-in-law to buy a few more and put them in the water tank to entertain guests at the end of the year."
"Yes, yes... I also remembered one thing. I heard that the county magistrate Wang Zhubu accepted a student, and it seems that he is also from Lujia Village."
"If that's the case... that's a really great place with great people."
Two long streets separated by the building.
A horse-drawn carriage drove through the noisy streets, leaving two tracks on the snow-covered road. Soon, at the gate of Fushui County Government Office, Min Changwen, dressed in casual clothes, sent his old wife away and went to the office courtyard on the side, where he pushed open the door with a creak.
The cold wind blew in, and the light on the long table swayed.
The old man at the back put down his brush, looked at the county magistrate who came in, and stood up with a smile: "Why don't you stay in the back hall with your wife and daughter, but come here to accompany a lonely old man like me?"
"If you have nothing to do, come and see Uncle Hua."
Min Changwen came in, shook off the coldness on his robe, sat down opposite the old man, and stretched his hands to the stove to warm them: "By the way, sir, have you been out recently and heard some news in the city?"
The old man poured the wine and placed it in front of the county magistrate: "No, what's new outside?"
"How about the carp my family ate yesterday?"
Wang Shuhua raised his glass and nodded, "It melts in your mouth, and the soup is delicious."
The county magistrate smiled, took a sip of the wine and put it on the table.
"That was fished out of the river in Lujia Village and sold in the city. It's really good..." He said this with a long sigh, then paused and changed the subject: "Master Shuhua, do you remember what Captain Zuo said when he came back from Yazui Ridge that day?"
"Of course I remember."
The old man frowned and thought for a moment: "That day, Captain Zuo said that the thirty-four bandits came down the mountain to rob... The body had no external injuries, and the death was consistent with the death of Mr. Chen's family..."
At this point Wang Shuhua stopped talking and frowned even more. Previously, a sneak incident occurred in Chen Yuanwai's house, and forty idlers and street scoundrels disguised as masters were registered, nine of whom were from Lujia Village.
Seeing that the old man stopped talking, Min Changwen sighed and patted the back of the old man's hand.
"This county hates evil as much as it hates evil, and we should turn a blind eye to it. He is your student, so he should follow the right path. Any unorthodox ways will only ruin his talent."
"Does Captain Zuo know?" The old man withdrew his hand, picked up the wine glass and took a sip.
“I don’t know the specific person.”
"You and I are just guessing."
"Sir, you should also know that when I was an official in Beijing, I often dealt with those corrupt officials... Forget it, I won't mention these, but there is one more thing. Most of the people in Lujia Village are hunters and farmers. There is no money saved at home. How did Lu Liangsheng learn to read?"
Min Changwen stood up, exhaled a breath, rubbed his hands, and moved all the documents in front of the old man away.
"Sir, you have been busy these past few days. Why don't you go to Lujia Village to see the snow scenery on the mountain, recite poems and write essays to relax, and visit your student by the way."
The old man nodded and laughed.
"That's good. I have been sitting for too long these past few days. It's time to walk around and bring back some fish to nourish the county lord."
"Haha, what a wise idea, Mr. Shuhua. I am also craving for that fish."
Soon, Min Changwen lent his only carriage to the old man, and sent several officers to follow him. He also took Captain Zuo, who was preparing to leave for Hegu County after the New Year, and set out west early the next morning.
After leaving the city gate and entering the suburban road, you will see the distant mountains covered in silver and a vast expanse of white.