Horse Bandit Officer (10)
The summer heat had not yet dissipated, but there was a hint of coolness in the county government office.
In the courtyard, the branches and leaves of the locust tree swayed gently in the breeze, casting mottled shadows, as if weaving a dark net on the ground.
Tong Huan stood in front of the hall, his green robe slightly lifted by the night wind, his sleeves fluttering. Below the hall, the yamen runners stood in a line, the firelight reflected on everyone's faces, making them look colorful and undulating.
He glanced at everyone and said in a deep and powerful voice, "Not moving? Why?"
"Sir, this matter cannot be explained in a few words..."
"Then tell me one by one!" Tong Huan said sternly, "I have plenty of time to waste with you."
In response to the county magistrate's order, the runners at the steps looked at each other in silence and even deliberately pushed them a few times, but no one responded.
At this moment, Tong Huan was furious, gritting his teeth as he managed to utter a few words: "No one said anything? I think you should know my background. If no one responds, don't blame me for being rude..."
After these words were spoken, the yamen runners stopped chattering, secretly exchanged glances, and then pushed out an honest man to deal with this "county magistrate".
The yamen runner pretended to be embarrassed, clasping his fists before his chest and saying, "Sir, do you know how Zheng Ju and his gang have been able to hide in the valley for so many years without causing any trouble?"
"Why?"
"Before, it was the previous county magistrate who condoned the corruption and therefore protected their accomplices, but now, the ones protecting them are the elders of Hanlu."
The people of Hanlu are shielding him? How could the people shield someone who is such a disaster to the world?
Tong Huan then asked, "What do you mean?"
The yamen runner froze for a moment, then looked around, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself.
"Hurry up and tell me!"
"Think about it, why would Zheng Ju choose to go down this path of trafficking women and children instead of taking the Yangguan Road? Isn't it because of the need that he did such a shameful thing?"
Tong Huan looked disconsolate, his energy being drained away by the yamen runners with every word they spoke.
But the yamen runner continued, "Although Hanlu is not far from Tianling, it has never been valued by the court. This is because the area is full of dangerous peaks and deep valleys, making it difficult to grow crops and raise livestock. As a result, all the young and strong have fled their hometowns. Those who remain here are eight generations of poor farmers. How can they afford to marry decent women?"
"Plus, the mountains behind the county town are filled with miasma. To make a living, everyone has to go to the valley to collect herbs and firewood. But who knew that miasma is harmful? Inhaling too much can make it difficult to have children. Think about it, sir. Who would want their family to be extinct? Finding a wife is a good thing, but what about those who are ugly or come from poor families? Won't they have children to carry on the family line?"
"Until Zheng Ju and his gang hid here, many families kept quiet about it, yet secretly managed to get a wife and children for a short time without spending much money. It's true that what they did was immoral, but they had no choice!"
Tong Huan was puzzled and asked, "Is this why you're unwilling to contribute? Are you afraid of offending Zheng Ju?"
The yamen runner burst out laughing: "Offend Zheng Ju? We are afraid of offending the elders and fellow villagers of Hanlu!"
Then, discussions suddenly arose on the stairs, and everyone clapped and made a fuss. In short, they were unwilling to work for him.
Tong Huan felt bitter and, imitating the powerful officials in the play, shouted angrily, "You eat the government rations, but do nothing for the people. Aren't you afraid of punishment from the court?"
"Punishment?" Another yamen runner's eyes suddenly widened, and then he burst into laughter. "Sir, what influence do you have in the capital? Which high-ranking official would spare the time to help you? They are all focused on those lucky counties! Zheng Ju has been hiding for so many years, and the court has never heard of it? Of course not, it's just that his scale is small, and the court has no time to intervene!"
The words of the yamen runner were like torches, gradually burning away the last bit of rationality in Tong Huan's heart.
For his own selfish desires, he did not hesitate to destroy all the women. They were perfect, but how many families were broken up to forcibly make up for this perfection?
"Sir, we kindly advise you to stop interfering in this matter!"
Just forget about it? Wishful thinking.
Ai Ye was kidnapped, and he searched for her for ten years. After all, they were not related, and all he had done was just an obsession.
But what about the others? What about the parents of the kidnapped women? They had died that very day, the moment their daughters vanished.
Tell him to leave it alone? If this battle fails, he won't be called Tong Huan!
If the county government can't find people, then he'll look for them among the people! Even if he has to kowtow to every household, he will still invite them!
Yes, he really had no connections. When he got the official position, he drew a clear line with the Wang family and asked the court to dispatch troops, but it was too late.
At the latest, he will raise an army the day after tomorrow!
The starry sky that night was exceptionally bright, shining with a different light than the clusters of torches in the county government office.
On the other side, sniffing the mixed air, Xiao Lin and Mu You closed their eyes, unable to fall asleep.
It was strangely quiet all around, but they were still not sleepy.
Tomorrow, I'd like to see County Magistrate Tong's troops, Xiao Lin thought.
As she was growing tired, a sound coming from the door made her more awake than usual.
Xiao Lin sat up, looked towards the door, and squinted his eyes in the moonlight coming from the roof.
She couldn't help but stretch out her hands to rub her eyes open, and then she saw everything clearly - in a corner where no one cared, Ba Niang was wearing tattered clothes, with her fingertips digging into her stomach.
Xiao Lin shuddered and sat up immediately. He lifted the quilt in a panic, pushed Mu You awake, and then staggered a few steps to Ba Niang's side.
Her movements also woke up the other women in the room. They slowly got up, rubbed their sleepy eyes, and yawned.
"Banniang! Baniang! What's wrong with you?" Xiao Lin didn't have time to run the last few steps. He slid to his knees beside Baniang and supported the weak Baniang who was about to fall with both hands.
Leaning on Xiao Lin's shoulder, Ba Niang's forehead was covered with sweat, her lower lip was bitten until it turned pale, and she spoke with difficulty: "I... I'm going to give birth..."
Xiao Lin's hair stood on end, and he glanced at the ground casually. Sure enough, Ba Niang's legs were full of amniotic fluid.
She had never seen such a scene before and was stunned with fear.
Fortunately, Sanniang ran over in time when she saw this, pulled Xiao Lin's hands away and took Ba Niang into her arms.
"Oh my god, how could she give birth tonight?" Liu Niang was a little slow to react, but she eventually came forward. "Xiao Lin, hurry up! Go get help!"
After Liu Niang's roar, Xiao Lin regained consciousness and crawled to his knees by the door. Just as he was about to swing his fist at the wooden door, he was grabbed back by Ba Niang.
She was in so much pain that even saying one more word would exhaust her, but she still wanted to speak: "Don't... don't tell anyone... don't... don't let them know..."
After saying that, before Xiao Lin could react, Ba Niang endured the severe pain, took out a piece of rag from behind her, folded it a few times, and stuffed it into her mouth to prevent the sound from attracting the guards outside the door.
After that, another woman pushed through the crowd and came forward, supporting Ba Niang and whispering to everyone, "Everyone, please disperse. I will deliver the baby."
Everyone dispersed after hearing the noise. After a while, a question suddenly arose: "But...but we don't have scissors. How are we supposed to deliver the baby?"
Indeed, clean water alone is not enough, scissors are also needed to cut the fetus's umbilical cord.
At this moment, Xiao Lin had an idea and without saying a word, he found Mu You who was curled up alone in the corner, held up his head, reached out to take out the Nachuan box, and threw it to the ground without permission.
All of a sudden, all kinds of tools fell to the ground with a clang.
Without bothering to clean up, Xiao Lin took a quick glance and saw a pair of scissors. He grabbed them and handed them to Ba Niang with swift movements.
All the abducted women in the house stood up. Ba Niang was sweating profusely, and the midwife was also trying her best. Everyone tacitly covered their mouths tightly for fear of alerting the enemy.
Although Mu You was a girl at this time, she knew she should avoid it, so she pretended to be afraid and counted the utensils that fell from the Nachuan box alone facing the wall.
Ba Niang's breathing was rapid, and her dirty fingertips tightly grasped the torn hem of her clothes, locking the tearing pain firmly in her heart.
This night will surely be a fierce battle that will last until dawn.
But after dawn, how to face Zheng Ju and his men remains a mystery.
Tong Huan felt rarely anxious.
Dressed in an official robe and a black gauze hat, he stood in the streets where ordinary people lived, looking dignified and out of place.
"My name is Tong Huan, and I sincerely ask all the villagers and elders to help me suppress the bandits!"
The sun was shining brightly in the sky, and the scorching sunlight poured down like molten gold, scorching the earth. The air was filled with a burning smell, and even the chirping of cicadas and frogs seemed weak, as if they had lost their vitality due to the scorching heat.
Beads of sweat the size of beans on Tong Huan's forehead slid down his temples, gathered at his chin, and finally soaked his clothes.
He stood outside the low earthen wall of a farmhouse, his hands trembling slightly, his knuckles white from exertion. Seeing no one answer from inside, he repeated, "Zheng Ju's trafficking of women and children is a heinous crime against humanity and unforgivable. I earnestly request all the elders and fellow villagers who detest this evil to come forward and meet at the county government office at noon to help me go up the mountain and suppress the bandits!"
However, when the neighbors heard the noise, they all looked out, but there was no movement in the house.
How could Tong Huan let this go? If he couldn't find his men, not only Xiao Lin and Mu You, but also the poor women and children trapped in the valley would die.
So he threw away his dignity, suddenly bent his knees, and knelt heavily in front of the door, his forehead resting on the scorching ground. His voice was hoarse but full of ruthlessness: "I beg you all to come forward and help me suppress the bandits!"
He had already kowtowed three times, and the onlookers were horrified - he had actually gone this far? Was it really that serious?
Of course.
If no one responded, he would keep kowtowing until the person in the house came out and responded.
Obviously, the farmer hiding in the house knew that he could not accept such a great gift. When Tong Huan kowtowed for the third time, he pushed open the tightly closed door and nodded at him helplessly.
With the joy of a good start, Tong Huan bowed again to express his gratitude, then picked up his robe and stood up, walking straight to the next house.
He bowed and knelt, knelt and stood up again, over and over again, until his official robe was stained gray and yellow with dust and the blood on his forehead dried, but he still remained true to his original intention and walked his way alone.
On the other hand, Ai Ye, who had been in a cold war with Zhao Mugen for a long time, suddenly panicked when he heard that Tong Huan was kowtowing to people from door to door.
She didn't know why Tong Huan did this, but when she learned that he had no intention of retreating under the scorching sun, she left Ali and Zhao Mugen behind and rushed out without saying a word.
Zhao Mugen knew what she was going to do, but when he tried to stop her, he let her slip away.
"Ai Ye! Ai Ye! If you go to find him, don't come back to this house!"
Zhao Mugen shouted at the top of his lungs, but perhaps his voice was still a little soft. Ai Ye did not turn back and remained firm in his attitude.
He knocked on several doors in order. Some people answered the door, while others stayed indoors. Tong Huan remained calm.
He knelt on the ground, sweat running down his back, soaking his belt and seeping into the mud through his trouser legs.
At this time, the cuffs of his official robe had turned black with sweat, and stuck to his wrists, feeling heavy, as if filled with lead.
The scorching sun made it almost impossible for him to open his eyes, and the dizziness finally took over.
But how could he just let it go?
A strong will forced Tong Huan to stand in front of the common people's homes, and every time he kowtowed, he exhausted all his strength.
Just as he bowed his head and stood up, a shadow like a life-saving spring flashed and blocked the deadly scorching sun for him.
He turned sideways and looked up, and it turned out to be an old friend.
Ai Ye was breathing heavily, looking at each other without saying a word, but his eyes were worth thousands of words.
Without even a word of greeting, Ai Ye knelt down beside him. The moment his forehead touched the ground, dust flew up.
"Even if they don't obey you, they recognize me. With me here, they'll at least give up some face." Her voice was cold and firm. "Bandits are rampant, and women and children are in turmoil. I ask all the villagers to open their eyes and help you go up the mountain to suppress the bandits! Today, I, Ai Ye, kneel here to beg for mercy, not for the power of the officials, but for the people!"
Her words were sonorous and echoed with what Tong Huan had said before, like a masterpiece.
Tong Huan understood, turned around, and roared at the top of his lungs, "Please open your eyes, folks!"
After saying that, they both knelt down, letting the sweat pour down their brows, flow over their necks, into their clothes, and soak their chests.
The plain dress made of mugwort leaves was soon soaked with sweat. The fabric clung to her body, outlining her thin and strong shoulders and back.
Her hair had long been undone, with a few wet strands sticking to her cheeks, making her look particularly disheveled. "If we don't get rid of the thieves, it will be our own daughter who will fall into the wolf's den one day! I hope everyone will understand the situation and distinguish right from wrong!"
Sweat slid down their foreheads and dripped along their chins, like a silent rain, wetting their clothes and the ground beneath their knees.
May your sweat turn into rain and save the local women and children from the disaster.
From house to house, alley to lane, ten years later, Tong Huan was able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ai Ye again, with sweat dripping from his eyelashes like crystal tears.
The two men's heroic act touched many villagers, but it also created a lot of rumors.
Praise and criticism coexist, clear springs and muddy water blend together, Ai Ye and Tong Huan, with their heads full of nonsense, support each other as they walk through the streets and alleys of Hanlu, their foreheads covered with dust and mud from each household.
If you walk around the streets, the person who gets scolded the most is none other than Ai Ye.
The woman laughed at her foolishness and scolded her for being unfaithful to her husband and marrying the lord of a county, saying that she deserved to be drowned in a pond.
But she felt that whether she was drowned in a pond or sentenced to death, she only knew at this moment that if she did not help Tong Huan to get support, if she could not wipe out Zheng Ju and his gang in one fell swoop, she would die with regrets.
It has been ten years, and I never expected that when I walked side by side with him, it would be such a scene.
The two men kowtowed from the common people's houses to the front of the county government office. They were so weak that they could not stand up, but they still had smiles on their faces.
Along the ten-mile-long street, every household has the figures of the two people, and every household has bloodstains on their foreheads.
Soon, noon arrived and the county government office welcomed more than 20 young and strong men, most of whom were from families with daughters.
They held farm tools and were only concerned about protecting their families.
Although the number of people was slightly short, Tong Huan was overjoyed when he saw these twenty or so people.
Without bothering to apply medicine to the bloodstain on his forehead, he immediately led everyone into the study, spread out the blueprints, and explained his plans one by one.
"Everyone, remember, this is our only chance. No matter what, we must kill Zheng Ju and his men without a single survivor!"
The county residents raised their farm tools in response, and the cheers in the county government office were deafening.
Tong Huanyi had a fierce look on his face. Amid the shouts of the crowd, he gradually retreated into a corner where no one paid attention to him and secretly picked up the saber hidden in the bookcase.
The government's plan was complete, but Xiao Lin and Mu You ran into a lot of trouble...
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