Chapter 122 Entrustment
Chen Lie and Sang Luo never expected that they would be visited by Manager Xu on the night before their departure.
The people who knocked on the door and led the way were none other than the two brothers Dong Ge'er, who were the servants of Dongfulou and had helped Sang Luo deliver food here many times.
Sang Luo and Shen Lie both looked relaxed. At this moment, they were afraid that the people coming were refugees or villagers, so they didn't dare to cause any trouble.
Shopkeeper Xu saw that only one oil lamp was on in the main house of the courtyard, so he bowed and apologized: "I am really intrusive."
Sang Luo hurriedly said it was okay, and leaned to the side, making a gesture of invitation. However, after the gate was completely opened, she found that Manager Xu had brought a lot of people with him.
Well, in this world, even one or two people dare not walk outside in broad daylight. Shopkeeper Xu didn’t know what happened, and they were walking at night, so he didn’t know how to entertain them.
Shopkeeper Xu did not make things difficult for the two men. He turned around and asked the people accompanying him to extinguish the lanterns and wait outside for a while.
Sang Luo and Shen Lie both breathed a sigh of relief. The room was too empty. If you paid attention, you would easily notice that it was not appropriate to invite too many people, especially strangers, in at this time.
…
There was no place to entertain guests at home, so they could only invite them into the main house. Shen An and Shen Ning had not yet gone to bed. Seeing that it was Shopkeeper Xu, they naturally stepped forward to greet him and ignored the question.
"My humble abode is simple and I can't offer much, please don't blame me, Shopkeeper Xu."
It was really a bad time to come. All the things for boiling water had been put away and pressed under the basket. It was really difficult to turn it over now.
Manager Xu also saw the situation in the room. Apart from two beds, a table, and two carrying baskets and two backpacks against the wall, there seemed to be nothing left, including the food he had bought before.
Knowing that he was probably right, and glad that he hadn't been delayed by chance, he rushed over overnight and waved his hand: "It's more important to talk about business."
Seeing that the adults wanted to discuss serious matters, Shen An and Shen Ning simply went to the kitchen and sat on the floor with Uncle Lu and Uncle Lu.
After the two children left, Sang Luo asked, "Why are you here, Manager Xu?"
He rushed over at night and said that business was important. When he really wanted to speak, Manager Xu didn't know what to say for a moment.
Seeing this, Chen Lie said, "Manager Xu, you have helped our family a lot. If you have anything to say, just speak up. If it is something we can do, we will not refuse. If it is something that is difficult for us, at least help us think of a solution."
This reassured Shopkeeper Xu. He sighed, "It is indeed a difficult matter. To be honest, I just came back from Shezhou."
He told her how he went back to settle his family at the end of last year, and how he had heard so much bad news this spring that he had to rush back to Shezhou. He said, "Shezhou has heard more news than here. There are also generals in the court who have rebelled. Moreover, because of the refugees fleeing south, I am afraid that our Huainan Road is not peaceful now. No matter which state or county, once it is broken through by the rebel army, the first to be robbed and killed are the wealthy families. I have heard too much news like this, which makes me feel uneasy. To be honest, I have lost my mind."
Chen Lie heard the hidden meaning in the words, but he was not sure: "Are you asking about our retreat?"
Apart from that, he really couldn't think of what had happened that made Manager Xu rush here at night to tell him all this.
Shopkeeper Xu was a little embarrassed and nodded, "Yes, I heard the news of conscription and taxation halfway on my way back. I thought that Young Master Shen was familiar with the situation in the north and had been preparing for it. He was abandoned in the enemy's territory by the commander before. I am afraid that he may not be willing to pay the grain tax and leave his family behind to join the army. Therefore, I rushed here overnight and wanted to ask if you have a relatively safe way out?"
If anyone other than Shopkeeper Xu had asked the same question today, Sang Luo and Shen Lie would not have admitted it. On the contrary, if they were asked this question, it would have been obvious that they had revealed the clues, and they would probably knock the person unconscious, tie him up, gag him, and leave overnight.
But this person is Shopkeeper Xu, so things are different.
The five families were able to buy enough food quickly thanks to the help of Shopkeeper Xu. Otherwise, with the rate of food price increase and the daily sales limit, they would probably still be tied up in the county to queue up for food. With the same amount of money, they would buy much less food.
They all have to accept this favor.
Because he was grateful, he answered more cautiously. Chen Lie said, "In this world, nothing can be guaranteed to be safe, but we did find a way out. The place we found is deep enough in the mountains and hidden, so it should be safer than most people."
Go deep into the mountains, hide, and you will be safer than most people!
Shopkeeper Xu stood up excitedly. Going deep into the mountains was something most people couldn't do, but Chen Lie and his friends were different. They traveled through the mountains, crossed the borders of two countries, and came back across half of the Dagan Dynasty. This journey alone was enough to give them some experience.
Concealment, Shopkeeper Xu couldn't think of how to conceal it, but with the above condition, it was already safer than most people.
He was so excited that he clasped his hands together and clenched them several times, then looked at Shen Lie: "Young Master Shen, I would like to ask you again. Last year, I heard from the accountant and Chef Yu that you took a black bear skin and seven or eight wolf skins to the county to sell. But where did you meet them on the way? How many people were there with you at that time?"
Shen Lie's eyebrows moved slightly, and he also knew the intention of Shopkeeper Xu's question, so he nodded and told the truth: "Yes, two people went there, and the wolves and black bears were encountered one after another."
Two people hunted a whole pack of wolves and a black bear!!!
Shopkeeper Xu was so excited that his face turned red.
With this ability, he should be able to protect the elderly and the weak while living deep in the mountains.
He immediately bowed and saluted: "Mr. Shen, Madam Sang, I am shameless and would like to entrust my family to you."
…
Zhou family.
"You said that the owner of Dongfulou, Xu, asked us to bring his little colleague with us to help us buy food?"
Chen Lie nodded and whispered, "It's not the whole family. It's the old lady of the Xu family, the youngest son and daughter of Shopkeeper Xu, who are about the same age as my little An An Ning, and his brother-in-law and nephew. There are five people in total."
This ingredient is quite complicated.
We always fled together as a family, and this is the first time I've seen people separated like this.
Chen Lie smiled bitterly and explained the matter to Zhou Cunzheng, Mrs. Chen and others who he had secretly called to Zhou's house.
It turned out that Manager Xu's family had previously sought shelter from their employer. The employer of Dongfulou also had some influence in Shezhou, but he felt uneasy because he always heard about wealthy families being robbed and killed. In the end, he came up with a compromise. As he had many relatives in Shezhou, his wife, eldest son, second son and all the relatives stayed in Shezhou and still sought shelter from the employer. His two slightly younger children, along with their grandmother, uncle and cousin, joined their business.
I also had this thought in mind that if something happened somewhere, the whole family couldn't die.
In fact, the life story of Shopkeeper Xu's nephew is a bit complicated, otherwise he would not have been brought out alone. Shopkeeper Xu's brother-in-law came to take care of his nephew, but Shopkeeper Xu told this because he wanted to entrust Chen Lie and Sang Luo to take care of him, and he couldn't tell anyone else.
Therefore, Chen Lie only said what he could say at this moment, saying: "Manager Xu's nephew is twelve years old, his brother-in-law is twenty-one, and the old lady is still in good health."
The child is not too young, and there is also a strong young woman. The old lady takes care of the household affairs herself, so she is not a burden at all.
"Where's the food?"
"Manager Xu will arrange for someone to secretly deliver it to the place we designate, and then his brother-in-law will take it away with us in batches."
They are all very thoughtful.
After the situation was explained clearly, Chen Lie said, "If it were anyone else, I wouldn't have taken this trip tonight, but Shopkeeper Xu is different. The favor of buying grain is there, and the five of us are in this together. I want to hear what you think."
Indeed, every family knew very well where their food came from, and they were all grateful. Not to mention that Manager Xu had prepared all the food himself to come and seek refuge, even if there was not enough food, for a family of five, each family would have to tighten their belts, dig up some wild vegetables, and still take the people with them.
"That's fine with me."
"Our family has no objection."
"My house is fine too."
…
The matter was settled like this. Knowing that Chen Lie and his companions had to leave before dawn, Manager Xu did not keep them for long. They agreed to send them off at midnight, and the group quietly left Shili Village along the same mountain road they came from.
The guard at the city gate was bribed by Manager Xu in advance. When he saw them coming back from afar, Manager Xu held a lantern. After the guard confirmed their identities, he opened the city gate and let them in.
In a small courtyard not far from Dongfulou, it was already midnight, but the lights were still on.
Shopkeeper Xu knocked on the door only twice when there was a noise in the yard and his brother-in-law's voice was heard.
Shopkeeper Xu hurriedly said, "Qinghe, it's me."
When Wei Qinghe heard that it was his brother-in-law, he opened the door and asked, "Brother-in-law, how is it?"
Shopkeeper Xu nodded and whispered, "Pack your things immediately and I'll send you off right away."
“So soon?”
Shopkeeper Xu said, "Yes, we are lucky. If we were a little later, the person would have left."
Wei Qinghe was startled, but did not delay: "Then I will go and pack it up, it will be quick, the bag has not been unpacked yet."
Wei Qinghe hurried into the house. Old Madam Xu in the other room also heard the noise and came out to ask. Shopkeeper Xu told her what happened and the old lady nodded: "Okay, I'll go wake up the children."
…
There wasn't much noise in the courtyard, and it was cleaned up in just over an hour. The waiters and servants were all waiting, and the carriage was in the yard. They could leave after the door was unlocked and the carriage was harnessed.
Since we didn't bring any food on this trip, even though each of us carried several bags, it was still considered a light trip.
The Xu siblings got into the car with slightly swollen eyes, having suddenly left their parents and brother. It was obvious that they had cried for several times. At this moment, they leaned against their grandmother's side with panic on their faces.
On the contrary, the boy, who was a year or two older than the Xu siblings, had a bundle at his side, and was holding a child in his arms. He lowered his head and said nothing. All the way from Shezhou to Qiyang, except for asking a few questions at the beginning, he didn't say a single word, let alone cry.
Shopkeeper Xu couldn't bear to watch and touched his nephew's head: "Are you afraid, Zheng'er?"
Wang Yunzheng looked up at his uncle, then at his uncle who was sitting next to him. His lips moved slightly, and he finally said, "Don't be afraid."
How could he not be afraid? Shopkeeper Xu patted his nephew and comforted him: "Don't be afraid. Although the place your uncle found for you is poor, it is safer than staying in the mansion by yourself. You will have your uncle with you. You can come back after you get through this chaos."
Wang Yunzheng nodded: "Zheng'er got it. Thank you uncle for taking the trouble for me."
Shopkeeper Xu and Wei Qinghe looked at each other helplessly. This nephew lost his mother when he was young and grew up in such an environment. He was able to survive only because of the care of the eldest wife and the protection of his uncle Wei Qinghe. There was no way he could develop such a silent personality.
He changed the subject and talked to his wife's brother Wei Qinghe about Shen Lie and Sang Luo, the origins of the two families, the characters of the Shen couple, the general situation of the families who fled together, and the situation of the refugee place that Shen Lie only partially revealed. He told everything he knew and said, "Chen Lie is a capable man. Madam Sang is not conspicuous, but her family background should be good. The couple are both loyal. You should follow them on this trip. Remember to make friends with the Shen family and take care of each other. You can also discuss things with Shen Lie and his wife."
I said this to my wife's brother and also to my mother.
Wang Yunzheng, who had been looking at the night scene outside the car, couldn't help but tighten his hands around the bag. It turned out that they had taken refuge in the mountains.
Mrs. Xu wrote down everything her son said and nodded, "Okay, don't worry. Just remember one thing. If things get really chaotic, don't stay in Qiyang County. Go back early. Only when you go back will your family have a backbone."
Without mentioning how the family said goodbye, before three o'clock in the morning, the carriage stopped on the side of a mountain road some distance away from Shili Village. The servant who was driving the carriage stayed behind to watch the carriage, while the Dong Ge'er brothers, one in front and one behind, held lanterns and led Manager Xu and his family to where the Shen family was.
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