Chapter 56
In the middle of the night, there was a sudden knock on the door of a villager's house in Mituo Village.
"House-to-house search!"
"yes!"
Boom boom boom!
"Who is it? Knocking on the door in the middle of the night? Are you trying to kill me?" the person in the room complained as he opened the door.
The soldier who knocked on the door pushed him open without hesitation, glanced around the room, and then asked, "Are there any strangers in your village?"
The villagers were so frightened that they trembled even when speaking.
"Come on, come on, someone?"
"right."
After describing in detail the murderer he saw when the general was killed, the villager shook his head like a rattle, "Sir, I haven't seen the person you are talking about, but there was indeed a group of people coming to the village this evening."
"Who?"
"You know that guy, too. He's from the town's opera troupe. He heard something happened in town, so he ran away overnight."
The person asking the question turned around and winked at the brother next to him, confirmed the situation, and took the villager to find the superior to report.
These people were soldiers in the town, who were sent out to search for suspicious persons. The opera troupe where the general had the accident was the first place to be searched. After all, the general died while watching an opera, so they were definitely involved.
The village chief was also receiving the soldier leader. He was from a prominent local family. Half of the villagers were from the same clan and were very prestigious in the town. There were also several officials in his family. Even the mayor had to give some face to the village chief when he met him. The village also had its own self-defense force, so the soldier leader spoke quite politely.
"We are arresting the suspect. Please give us a favor, old man."
The village chief frowned and said, "What does your arrest of the suspect have to do with us? We all know each other living in this village. If a suspect really escapes to our place, we can recognize him without you arresting him."
The soldier leader grinned and said, "I heard that a troupe of actors came to your village this evening?"
The village chief sneered, "They're here to celebrate the old prince's birthday in the capital. They have a customs clearance disc sent by the old prince himself. If this person can't make it to the capital on the eve of the birthday celebration, then I won't be the one who gets into trouble."
The leader of the soldiers frowned and said, "Someone has died in this town, and the garrison is only five kilometers outside the town. So, let's check on this group of people. If there is no problem, we will definitely let them pass."
The village chief said, "It's no use telling me. Why don't you go there in person? Mr. Feihua lives in my house."
Zhou Li pinched the quilt for Tang Jing. Xiao Yuan was very nervous when she heard the noise outside the door. She whispered, "Boss..."
"Shh." Zhou Li put his index finger on his lips and shook his head at her.
Xiaoyuan quickly covered her mouth with her hands.
There were candles lit in the room, and people's shadows would sway when they walked. Now the yard was full of soldiers, so it was not easy to move. Zhou Li looked at Tang Jing's red face and felt a little worried that the heroine could not hold on.
It's not easy to find medicine here. They're cutting flesh to remove the bullet. Tetanus from this wound is no joke.
Zhou Li raised his hand and touched Tang Jing's forehead, which was burning hot. He then reached out to touch her neck and chest, which were even hotter than her forehead.
Zhou Li asked the system: "Can the system store be used?"
System: “Yes.”
"Is there any medicine available for the heroine?"
The system said: "The detoxification pills are on sale, host, do you want them?"
"Detoxification pills? What are their effects?"
"Eating it can protect you from all kinds of poisons and clear away heat and detoxify."
Zhou Li's face was filled with black lines. "Can the fever be reduced?"
The system said firmly: "Yes."
Zhou Li had never heard of anyone's detoxification pills that could reduce fever, but since it was produced by the system, she still believed it. She exchanged one point for a discounted item and was given a small bottle. Zhou Li uncorked the bottle and poured out three pills. She fed one to the heroine, and just as she did so, there was a knock on the door.
"Mr. Feihua, are you asleep?" asked the person outside the door.
Zhou Li raised an eyebrow, put Tang Jing down, and responded calmly: "No, what's wrong, Village Chief?"
The village chief said politely, "There's an incident in town, and the police are searching for the suspect. If you have any questions, please ask me, sir."
Zhou Li gestured to Xiao Yuan and went to open the door.
She was wearing a simple short dress, not like a boss. Standing in the moonlight, she looked like a mountain goblin. The candlelight in the room was dim, and her simple and rustic dress made Zhou Li look even more wonderful.
Zhou Li glanced away and said to the man from the police station with a half-smile, "I know about this matter. It happened in my area. I was originally scheduled to go to the capital today. Before I came here, we agreed to rest in town for ten days and earn some money for the trip. Everyone in town knows this."
The people in the police station knew that Zhou Li had the old prince's documents on her, and there might be high-ranking officials entering and leaving her tent. Boss Feihua had no reason to go against such a prosperous and noble family, but this was really strange. The troupe withdrew as soon as the person died.
The soldier leader looked Zhou Li over with sharp eyes. Zhou Li allowed him to look at her, a slight smile on her lips, not aloof at all. She said to the patrol officer, "I know your county magistrate, but if he hadn't personally invited me, I wouldn't have come this way. It's his mother's eightieth birthday, and she loves to listen to opera, so I came to your precious place."
These words implicitly put pressure on the police station. Zhou Li was a well-known figure. Although he was a low-class person, the police station did not dare to offend him easily.
The soldier leader smiled and said, "I'm just asking a routine question, sir, don't be nervous."
"How many people are there in your troupe? Do they all have official credentials?"
"Of course there is."
Zhou Li ordered, "Xiaoyuan, ask Dapeng to go to the car and get our customs clearance documents and the old prince's handwritten letter."
Xiaoyuan poked her head out from behind Zhou Li. Zhou Li touched her head and let her go.
Dapeng was very perceptive. He not only brought a package of documents, but also a purse of silver to Zhou Li. Zhou Li weighed it and gave it to the leader of the soldiers while his subordinates were counting the documents.
The smile on her lips was like the breeze and bright moon, but she spoke and acted like a businessman.
"You've all been working so hard late at night. When I get to your county magistrate's office, I'll definitely put in a few good words for you brothers. You see, we have all the necessary documents, and we wouldn't do anything like poisoning the general. You wouldn't have the guts to leave us out in the cold, would you? How about we call it a day? You and your brothers should get some rest early, so I can leave early tomorrow to visit Lord Ye?"
Lord Ye is the local county magistrate.
The soldier leader spoke righteously and sternly, but he quickly took the purse handed to him by Zhou Li, weighed it, and withdrew his troops with great satisfaction.
There was naturally no problem with the document inspection. The old prince's letter still had the seal of the prince's mansion, so the matter was over.
Zhou Li watched them withdraw, nodded to the village chief, and walked into the house leisurely.
She knew that the people from the police station were easy to deal with, which was why they could rest in the village tonight.
The Third Master's men belonged to the military and were not on the same page with the people in the town. They were stationed near the town and disturbed the residents many times. The people in the town also had many complaints about this, but they just saw that they were numerous and powerful, and were sent by the government.
The police station is just a show, in fact it is also for the purpose of squandering money from the people. As long as you have money, you will have a smooth journey.
This society has been rotten from the very beginning, and the people below are acting on their own, so Zhou Li is not afraid. He is in a hurry because he is afraid that the army will catch up with him. After all, the Third Master is a general appointed by the government. However, looking at the situation tonight, it seems that the people inside the Third Master have become chaotic first. After all, these days, soldiers are recruited from poor families, and no one is willing to fight except the upper class.
Zhou Li glanced at Tang Jing. Wasn't this part of her plan? Tang Jing was still unconscious, so it was hard to ask. Zhou Li washed his face, blew out the candles, and asked Xiao Yuan to get on the kang. He had to visit the county magistrate tomorrow, so he had to say hello before he left.
Tang Jing was sleeping in a daze in the middle of the night. She felt like her body was on fire, especially her right shoulder was aching. However, there seemed to be a coolness in her heart that was always protecting her. Tang Jing finally struggled to wake up from her coma. She heard the breathing beside her, confirmed that she was safe now, and then endured the pain and pinched the neck of the person next to her.
"Where is this? Who are you?"
Zhou Li had just fallen asleep when she felt someone touching her. She thought it was Xiao Yuan, and she was so annoyed that she pushed away the hand that was playing tricks on her throat.
"Xiaoyuan, stop making trouble and go to sleep."
His throat was pinched again, his shoulders were held, and the gradually thinning oxygen made Zhou Li kick out. Tang Jing was so weak that he was no match for Zhou Li. He slammed into the wall with a bang. This time, not only Zhou Li, but Xiao Yuan was also awakened.
"Boss!" Xiao Yuan picked up the flint at hand and saw Zhou Li sitting up and touching his neck in the faint light.
Zhou Li frowned. She didn't go up to check on Tang Jing's condition first, but got out of bed and lit a candle. She saw Tang Jing lying weakly on the kang, not knowing whether he was dead or alive.
Zhou Li's kick was quite powerful. She also knew who was trying to strangle her neck just now, and she really didn't like the heroine.
Zhou Li rolled his eyes rudely and asked, "Awake?"
Tang Jing looked up with stars in her eyes and saw Zhou Li approaching her with a candle. Zhou Li looked her up and down and said, "It's okay as long as you're not dead. Lie down and don't move in the middle of the night. No one will hurt you here."
Tang Jing asked, "Where are you taking me?"
Zhou Li joked, "I'll find a human trafficker to sell you. You look so delicate and tender. If I sell you to someone else as a maid or concubine, I can probably make back the medical expenses. I'll lose a lot if I keep you."
Zhou Li raised his hand to support Tang Jing's chin and said to Xiao Yuan in a pretentious manner, "It's just that this face isn't very good-looking. I guess it won't fetch a good price. Forget it, let's just keep it for now."
"Mr. Feihua really knows how to joke." Tang Jing tilted his head to the right.
Zhou Li smiled and said, "Yes, I was just joking. Seeing that you still have the strength to pinch people, it seems that you are fine."
Zhou Li pulled the quilt over him, not wanting to bother paying any more attention to Tang Jing. He said, "Go to sleep. We have to travel tomorrow. If you feel better, leave by yourself. We are going to the capital."
Seeing that everything was fine, Xiaoyuan fell asleep peacefully.
Tang Jing leaned against the wall, thinking quietly in the moonlight outside the window.
When it was daybreak, Zhou Li got up early to practice and warm up her voice. It was inconvenient to do so outside, but she couldn't delay the practice. As soon as she moved, Tang Jing, who was napping against the wall, woke up.
Zhou Li was startled when he saw her, "When did you wake up?"
Tang Jing looked at her without saying anything.
Zhou Li rolled her eyes. She hated pedantic scholars and people who didn't like to talk. What happened last night also made Zhou Li too lazy to pay attention to Tang Jing and she got out of bed directly.
The sun had not yet risen and Murakami was quiet.
Zhou Li stretched his limbs and heard the door open. Tang Jing also came out. You know what, this guy recovered quite quickly. The injury was only in his shoulder, but his leg was fine. It was not surprising that he could get out of bed.
Seeing Zhou Li practicing, Tang Jing stood quietly under the eaves for a while. When she heard the first rooster crow, she spoke: "Sir."
Zhou Li turned to look at her. Tang Jing bent down and said, "Thank you for saving my life, but I have something important to attend to. I'll say goodbye now. I will definitely repay your kindness when we meet next time."
The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, and she showed a stingy smile facing the morning sun: "And last night, I'm sorry."
Zhou Li was stunned. This man had a youthful spirit when he smiled, which was unexpectedly attractive. His originally ordinary facial features became exquisite after Zhou Li's modification. Now this smile had an even more indescribable charm, as if the originally lifeless painted fan had suddenly come alive.
Tang Jing didn't seem to smile much. He quickly put away his smile and disappeared into the village facing the rising sun.
Zhou Li tilted her head, thinking that they would meet again. After all, her mission this time was for the heroine, and the heroine's next mission was in the capital.
When the sun rose higher, the troupe gathered and the village chief's nephew packed his bags. The group said goodbye to the village chief, went to visit the county magistrate first, and then took the water route to the provincial capital.
Water transportation is much more convenient than land transportation, and walking is also faster, so you can reach the capital earlier.
The group walked north to the county town and went to visit the county magistrate.
The local county magistrate was named Ye Chengzu, a well-known filial son.
The reason he became the county magistrate was not because of his great knowledge or excellent governance skills, but because he was too filial.
Ye Chengzu's ancestors had some wealth, and his family had few relatives. They had been a single-son family for three generations. When it came to his generation, his family spent their meager wealth to send him to school. Just as he became a scholar, his father fell ill. After his father passed away, his mother fell ill. There was no one to take care of the household chores. Ye Chengzu served his parents for five years in a row. He was recommended as a filial and honest official by the local county magistrate and was sent to the provincial capital. Because filial piety and righteousness were his top priorities, and after his mother recovered from her illness, he was granted an official position as a role model for the world.
He was in office for eight years, with no merits or faults. He was a moderate county magistrate, and his rule was relatively clean.
It's just that this era is not good.
Originally, county magistrates were supposed to be transferred every three years, but now this personnel transfer order is just a piece of paper.
When they arrived at the county government office, Zhou Li got off the car. The county magistrate lived in a house behind the government office.
The yamen runners guarding the gates on both sides of the county government office were listless, and the pedestrians on the road were in a hurry.
Zhou Li came to visit suddenly and handed over a visiting card.
The yamen runner glanced at her and lazily went to pass on the message. A moment later, the housekeeper hurried out and bowed to Zhou Li, saying, "I'm truly sorry. Last time, the master said he would definitely see you off when you leave. After all, you've come all the way here to celebrate the old lady's birthday. However, this is a time of great turmoil, so it's really inconvenient for you to come in."
Zhou Li felt something was strange the moment she entered the city. She asked, "What's going on?"
The housekeeper pulled Zhou Li aside. Seeing no one followed, he sighed and said to Zhou Li, "Sir, hurry up and leave. This place is about to get chaotic. Zhang Mei is about to attack us!"
"What?" Zhou Li was surprised. Wasn't Zhang Mei fighting in the south? How could she find time to come here?
The housekeeper whispered, "Zhang Mei has ended the fighting in the south and is about to march north. Our master has already resigned from the royal family and plans to go to the northwest. Sir, you should leave quickly to avoid being left behind."
Zhou Li was surprised. She hadn't expected Zhang Mei to move so quickly. She clasped her fists and said solemnly, "I understand." She then said sincerely, "Thank you."
The butler waved his hand and went back in hurriedly.
Zhou Li invited everyone to set off.
They had to get to the capital as soon as possible. Their group consisted of half young and strong men and half old, weak and sick. If a war really broke out, each county would recruit soldiers, and in order to gather the numbers, no one in their troupe would be able to escape.
The road was not peaceful either. He saw blood two or three times. The village chief's nephew was trembling with fear. When he saw Zhou Li sitting on the horse, drawing the bow and shooting arrows, and every aim was accurate, he couldn't help but sigh that she was worthy of being a female warrior.
Zhou Li pulled the reins tight, chased away the highway robbers, and shouted, "Go!"
The group trickled through the woods, and when they reached the official road, they saw beggars everywhere. It was hard to bear to see, but there was nothing they could do. If they gave the food to them, Zhou Li and his companions would go hungry. In troubled times, people were worth less than grass, so they had to harden their hearts and move on.
Arriving at the provincial capital, the inspection became more stringent. The carriage was searched inside and out, and everyone had to verify their identity before entering the city. Zhou Li and his group's identity information was obtained by the Ranger Hall, and they had the old prince's pass, so there was absolutely no problem. However, they were checked for a long time, and the entire interior of the carriage was searched before letting anyone into the city. Zhou Li felt a sense of impending storm.
Another incident happened when we entered the city.
Zhou Li met Tang Jing again and helped her.
She was actually caught by human traffickers and almost sold as a pig.
Zhou Li frowned and chased away the traffickers. After entering the city, Zhou Li asked, "How did you get caught?"
Tang Jing untied the rope expressionlessly, took out the sharp dagger in her hand, and put the knife back into her waist. She said, "I want to go into the city."
Huh? Zhou Li was confused.
Tang Jing regained her patience at this moment. She explained, "I don't have a pass."
Zhou Li blinked and said, "Okay, intelligence personnel just don't follow the beaten path."
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