Chapter 71: This broken team is really hard to lead
Gaojia Village, eastern edge of the village.
The exiled group of people settled down here with the consent of the village head and elders.
As the village head, Gao Shusheng brought some villagers to help set up camp. Basically, they didn't need to do it themselves. The escorting officers just had to point out a suitable location.
There is a group of abandoned houses in the eastern suburbs. Most of them are dilapidated and leaky, but they are still habitable. There are also some thatched huts that can block out the cold wind and keep warm at night.
The escorting officials certainly didn't have to stay here, but there were so many fugitives that it was definitely not possible for so many of them to rest in the villagers' homes. The village was already taking a huge risk by welcoming them into the village.
No one knows what crimes the fugitives have committed.
The Min family caravan entered the village in advance and had already taken care of everything for Xiong Jiushan and other officials, so they didn't need to pay any money at all.
The officers, soldiers and runners under Xiong Jiushan were all very happy, and Xiong Jiushan did not refuse. In order to prevent the fugitives from causing trouble in the village, they adopted a centralized detention method, with a dozen or dozens of people divided into groups and placed in different houses.
Those that couldn't be accommodated were placed outside. The guards had a good place to sleep tonight and were in a good mood, so they didn't mind temporarily letting the prisoners use their tents.
A few large tents were pulled out and people were stuffed inside, and the people on duty outside took over at the appointed time.
It is easier to deal with people who cause trouble on the road during normal times. However, in order to prevent them from causing trouble in the middle of the night, they are all put in shackles and chains and locked up in an abandoned house.
The attitude towards guarding them was much stricter than that towards others. No matter what, as long as one person inside caused trouble, all of them would be punished. After a few lessons, there was no need for the officers outside to come in and deal with the situation. The jackals, tigers and leopards inside would give a good beating to the people in the same room first.
After being noisy for most of the day, the fugitives on the east side of the village gradually quieted down after a simple dinner.
Thanks to the villagers, the exiles had an extra glass of hot water to drink tonight. Everyone was contented and fell asleep quickly in the sheltered houses and tents around them.
The main officials headed by Xiong Jiushan naturally did not have to live here with the fugitives.
As soon as they set up camp, they were taken to the village by Manager Min and the villagers and stayed in a house that had been arranged in advance.
When outsiders entered the village late at night, the villagers had already woken up.
Some people who were sleepy got up and yawned, then waited for a while. They heard people who had just come back from watching the excitement outside say that they were not allowed to touch each other tonight, so they turned their heads, covered themselves with the quilt and went back to sleep.
Let’s talk about it after we have a good sleep tomorrow. Why rush?
But there were also some people who knew that the village needed help, so they got up, changed their clothes and went to find the head of the village.
With the caravan ahead, the accommodation conditions of Xiong Jiushan and others improved rapidly. They had four dishes, one soup, white rice steamed buns, and everything else. There were two pots of hot liquor on the table, and they had a delicious dinner. They soaked their feet in hot water before going to bed, and all the fatigue of the day disappeared.
After all these days of walking, tonight was the most comfortable night I had.
Xiong Jiushan was very satisfied and treated Gao Lizheng with much more kindness. "Thank you for your help."
Gao Lizheng said with a smile: "It is my duty to let the adults have a good rest."
Xiong Jiushan nodded. "There are quite a few fugitives, and some of them are extremely vicious. However, the village head and villagers don't have to worry. They will be strictly guarded by the officials and will not be allowed to enter the village to harass the villagers. Please rest assured. However, tonight is special. I hope the village head can also warn others not to go near the fugitives' camp to avoid any accidents that may be difficult to deal with."
Gao Lizheng and the others nodded repeatedly, "I know, I know. Don't worry, sir! I will warn the others when I return."
"Well, that's good. We need to prepare some things for our journey out of the customs. I'll need Gao Lizheng and everyone's help tomorrow morning." Xiong Jiushan nodded directly.
When the villagers heard this, they looked at each other and their faces were filled with joy.
With the words of the escort officer, what is there that everyone does not understand?
Xiong Jiushan’s meaning was very clear. No matter what it was, if it couldn’t be done tonight, we would talk about it tomorrow.
After Gao Lizheng and others left, the adjutant beside Xiong Jiushan went to close the door and then turned back to help Xiong Jiushan rest.
"Sir, why do I feel that the villagers of Gaojia Village are too enthusiastic? They don't have any ideas, do they?"
Xiong Jiushan stretched his feet in the hot water, supported himself on the edge of the bed with his hands, and looked at the ground.
"It's a bit unusual indeed."
Another official who was still enjoying a drink at the table said, "Maybe it's because the caravan members were more generous and came here first."
Before, these escorting officials did not particularly like the people from the Min family caravan to follow their exile team.
After all, there are too many people and too many things to do, which can easily lead to trouble.
But tonight everyone enjoyed a wonderful life without spending any money, and many people showed more kindness towards the Min family. In private, many escorts also chatted with the people in the caravan.
For some reason, Xiong Jiushan always thought of the Xie family.
It was probably in Songjiang Town that he saw with his own eyes how Xie Yuchuan summoned the gods. While waiting outside the village entrance, when lightning suddenly appeared above his head, his first reaction was to look towards where Xie Yuchuan was.
Really...
Xiong Jiushan felt that the idea in his mind was not right. He couldn't associate every unexpected event with the Xie family.
But it is true that the people in Gaojia Village are quite enthusiastic.
Normally, people in ordinary villages would be very resistant to such a large group of refugees and would want them to cross the border as quickly as possible, but Gaojia Village did not do that.
Moreover, he didn't seem to sense much rejection on the faces of Gao Lizheng and other villagers.
It was normal for a look of fear to flash across his face occasionally, but he noticed that Gao Lizheng's gaze was often looking towards the east.
What was there in the east that was worth his frequent peeks?
Exile?
There are fugitives passing through every year, and we have long been accustomed to it.
With soldiers guarding us, there is nothing to worry about as long as nothing serious happens.
Xiong Jiushan thought a lot, and his natural intuition always made him inadvertently associate him with Xie Yuchuan.
Before falling asleep, he couldn't help but curse in his heart, this broken team is so difficult to lead.
Eastern Suburbs Convict Camp.
The Xie family was lucky tonight as they were arranged to stay in a civil structure house.
Although the house has been abandoned for a long time and is a bit shabby inside, it is much better than other houses and is drafty.
The family of Dong Bohou also stayed overnight in this courtyard.
Zhang Hanlin and his mother had been going in and out with the Xie family for a long time. When the three families gathered together, they looked at each other and greeted each other.
Zhang Dayi stroked his beard and sat on a wooden board against the wall, watching the young and old of the Dongbohou Chai family coming in and out and settling in. When the official finally left, he saw with his own eyes that Chai Jin gave the other party some benefits.
The old man's eyes suddenly lit up and he turned to look at Xie Yuchuan who was sitting not far away next door.
Lip-synched words.
"It looks like tonight was a coincidence arranged by the Chai family."
Xie Yuchuan raised his eyes and glanced at the Chai family, his face expressionless, and he just nodded slightly.
The Chai family came prepared.
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